History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 110

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923

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Mr. Alkire is still actively interested in all that concerns the township and consents to serve as school director as a matter of duty. He has never been much interested in politics, although as a very well-informed man he keeps posted on all that is going on in the world. Like the rest of his family, he is a quiet, ob- serving man, one whose word or integrity is never questioned in his community, always ready to promote objects of general welfare, devoted to his family and respected and es- teemed as a neighbor.

B ENJAMIN FLOYD YATES, one of the leading citizens of Circleville, who recently completed a service of six years as auditor of Pickaway County, owns a fine estate of 350 acres of valuable land in Deer Creek township, which he maintains as a great stock farm. Mr. Yates was born in Deer Creek township, Pick- away County, Ohio, in 1865, and is a son of Hon. David R. Yates.

Mr. Yates was reared and educated in

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Pickaway County and at Antioch College. Af- ter completing his collegiate course, he spent two years in farming and then embarked in a general mercantile business at Williamsport, which he conducted for six years. After sell- ing out and spending a year in California, he resumed business at Williamsport and contin- ued there until 1896, when he was elected to his first term as. auditor of Pickaway County. His services were so acceptable to his fellow- citizens that he was elected to a second term in the fall of 1899 by the largest majority ever given in this county for the second term. He thus served six years in this responsible posi- tion.

Since retiring from public life, Mr. Yates has been interested in dealing in real estate and in the management of his stock farm above mentioned .. He has a reputation in the county for breeding high-class horses, roadsters and trotters and owns some notable animals. Among these may be mentioned "Sir Liss," No. 13,583, the greatest son of "Sphinx," the greatest son of "Electioneer." His dam was "Bliss," whose record was 2:2112 as a four- year-old. This stallion is one of the best bred in the State of Ohio and has never had a colt worked that did not beat 2:30. While his own record is 2:30, he has worked a mile over a half-mile track in 2:1814 and showed his ability to trot in still faster time. "Sir Liss" is sire of "Hazel Banks," 2:101/2; "Maggie V." 2 :1212 ; and "Hortense," 2:2012. Others are : "Thaddie Burns," 2:18; "Enolia," 2 :27 I-9 and "Midnight Liss," 2:2412, the handsomest daughter of "Sir. Liss." Mr. Yates is also owner of the handsome young stallion, "Bobby B." No. 38,240, son of the great "Bobby Burns."

Mr. Yates was married (first) in 1887 to Etta Dungan, who was a daughter of George Dungan, of Wayne township, Pickaway Coun- ty. She died in 1888, leaving a son, Grover Allen, who makes his home with his grand- parents.

Mr. Yates was married (second) in March, 1892, to Luella M. White, who is the second daughter of the late Dr. T. F. White, who for years was the leading physician at Williams-

port. To this union have been born: Benja- min B .; Thaddeus W., who died aged three years; David A .; Harry Addison and Melvin Austin, as fine a family of bright young Amer- 'icans as can be found in the State of Ohio.

Mr. Yates is past noble grand in the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows; a high official in the Knights of Pythias; a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Wil- liamsport Grange. In politics he is a pro- nounced Democrat. Religiously he is a Meth- odist.

I SAIAH HULSE, deceased, was one of the leading men of Jackson township, proprietor of "Lick Run Stock Farm" -an estate of 600 acres, situated on the Dawson turnpike. He was born on the old Hulse homestead, not far from the present home of his widow in Jackson town- ship, on October 15, 1850, and died February 19, 1898. He was a son of Aristes and Lu- cinda (Alkire ) Hulse.

The parents of Mr. Hulse were born in Pickaway County and spent their whole lives here. They had four children, namely : Isaiah; Rebecca, wife of Eugene Halstead, of Cali- fornia; Mary, wife of James G. Hayes, of Pickaway County; and Ida L.

Isaiah Hulse remained on the home farm in Jackson township until he married and then removed to "Lick Run Stock Farm," having previously erected the handsome brick residence now occupied by his widow and son. Mr. Hulse operated the farm as a stock farm, de- voting his entire attention to the raising of fine horses and cattle, making a feature of the latter.

Mr. Hulse was married on January 8, 1895, to Martha Anderson, who was born in Wayne township, Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a daughter of James H. and Sarah (Fleming) Anderson, both natives of Wayne township. The father died on the farm in Wayne town- ship on which he was born, but Mrs. Ander- son resides in Columbus. Mr. and Mrs. An- derson had seven children, namely: Martha (Mrs. Isaiah Hulse) ; William, who married

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Mary Holderman, daughter of Louis Holder- man; Minerva, wife of James Swearingen, of Jackson township; Ida, wife of Thomas Wood- row, of Xenia, Ohio; Elizabeth S., wife of J. Sines, of Columbus; and Benjamin and Ed- ward, who live with their mother in Columbus.

Mrs. Hulse has one son, Isaiah Smith, who was born July 19, 1896. Since the death of her husband, she has had the entire manage- ment of the farm and has shown great ca- pacity as a business woman. A part of her land she rents and the rest she utilizes in rais- ing stock.

The late Isaiah Hulse was an excellent business man but he was much more. He was a kind and tender husband and father and a great lover of home. It is remembered how fond he was of flowers and never felt time wasted in their cultivation. He had many friends all over the county ; all wished him well and sorrowed when he died. Politically a Democrat, he held some minor offices, being too busy to accept more important ones. He was a good man in every sense of the word.

EORGE P. HUNSICKER, cashier of the Farmers' Bank at Williamsport, is one of the most enterprising and public-spirited men of this community and is prominently identified with its business, religious and social life. Mr, Hun- sicker was born at Williamsport, on February 19, 1861, and comes from one of the most prominent families of Deer Creek township, Pickaway County. He is a son of Samuel G. and Lizzie A. (Gordy) Hunsicker.

Jacob Hunsicker, the great-grandfather of our subject, was the first of the family to come to Pickaway County, early in the 19th cen- tury, at a period when Williamsport was mainly in the dreams of the two settlers who had built their homes on the site. His busi- ness was teaming. As the place soon gained inhabitants, his services were in continued de- mand and his business increased so that he used a six-horse team, those being days when

the present well-kept turnpikes had not been more than hoped for. He lived at Williams- port until his death. He was almost one of its founders and certainly one of its devel- opers.

Samuel Hunsicker, a son of Jacob, was born in 1805, at Philadelphia or in the near vicinity, and accompanied his parents from Pennsylvania to Ohio wher. a small boy. He died at Williamsport on February 11, 1857, at the age of 52 years. He married Eleanor Webb, who was born in Hocking County, Ohio, and died at Williamsport on August 11, 1844, of erysipelas, at the age of 36 years. Of their children two survive, viz .: Samuel G., of Woodlyn, Pickaway County, and Jerome, of South Dakota.

Samuel G. Hunsicker, son of Samuel and father of George P., was born at Webb Sum- mit, Hocking County, Ohio, March 12, 1836, and was three years old when he was brought by his parents to Pickaway County. He was reared at Williamsport and during his boy- hood days clerked in a store, remaining a resi- dent of Williamsport until 1852. For the fol- lowing seven years he was engaged in the grain business, in the employ of Washington Delaplane, at Circleville. Mr. Hunsicker then returned to Deer Creek township and rented a 30-acre farm, adjoining the corporation of Williamsport, which he still owns. He has ac- quired a large amount of land in the township and is one of the most substantial citizens of his section. At one time he conducted a gen- eral store at Williamsport, established the grain and elevator business at Woodlyn and has been identified with various other business interests. He is a stockholder and one of the board of directors of the Farmers' Bank at Williamsport, one of the leading financial institutions of the county.

Mr. Hunsicker has witnessed many changes since coming to this county and probably the greatest and most marked has been the ap- preciation in land values. He well recalls see- ing the late Amos Rector bring a tin pail into the store, where he worked, and count out in coin in payment, at $6 an acre, for the 75 acres of the old Reed place, which he had pur-

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chased. Mr. Hunsicker subsequently pur- chased the same tract and paid $70 an acre for it and has recently refused $100 for the same. He now resides on the old George Gordy land, at Woodlyn, which he bought in 1876.

On January 3, 1860, Samuel G. Hunsicker was married to Lizzie A. Gordy, who was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a daughter of George and Susan (Hoskins) Gordy. The following children were born to them : George P .; John L., who is bookkeeper in the Farmers' Bank at Williamsport; Charles S., who is a member of the grain and imple- ment firm of Hunsicker & Yates, at Woodlyn; and Ella H., who is the wife of Edward Horn- beck, of Mount Sterling, Ohio.

George P. Hunsicker was reared at Wil- liamsport and attended the public schools until 18 years of age, when he engaged in a mer- cantile business at Woodlyn, in which he met with satisfactory success. For eight years he continued in business there but as Williams- port offered better business advantages, he re- moved to this place and conducted a general store here for five years. Mr. Hunsicker pos- sessed sufficient capital for a still larger enter- prise and he then organized the Farmers' Bank and has served as cashier and director continu- ously until the present. He deserves the credit for the splendid condition in which this insti- tution stands and for the universal confidence accorded it. He is an owner of real estate and this includes a handsome home erected by him recently at Williamsport.

In 1883 Mr. Hunsicker was married to Belle Sly, who was born in Jackson town- ship, Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a daugh- ter of Jacob and Margaret (Keyes) Sly. They have one daughter, Florence, who married Le- roy H. Ewing and resides at Washington Court House, Ohio.

Mr. Hunsicker is a Republican and exerts a large influence in the affairs of his party in his locality. He has served as a member of the Town Council, as township clerk and in other offices, including membership on the School Board of Deer Creek township, having always been an earnest worker for the betterment of the school system. He is a member of the

Methodist Episcopal Church at Williamsport and is one of the board of trustees. For years he has given time and close attention to the extending of Sunday-school work ; for 16 years consecutively he served as superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sunday-school at Williamsport. For the past nine years he has been secretary of the Pickaway County Sunday School Association, which arranges for 15 con- ventions in the county every year. He is a member of a committee of 17, controlling the Ohio Sunday School Association, which su- pervises the expenditure of $20,000 per year in Sunday-school work in the State of Ohio.

Fraternally Mr. Hunsicker is a Mason of prominence, belonging to Heber Lodge, No. 501, F. & A. M .; Chapter, No. 24, R. A. M., at Circleville; Scioto Commandery, K. T., at Circleville; and Order of the Eastern Star. He belongs to other leading organizations, in- cluding the Knights of Pythias and the auxil- iary order-the Rathbone Sisters; the Odd Fellows lodge at Clarksburg and the Rebekahs. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and has been consul of Camp No. 4475 ever since it was instituted at Williams- port. He has represented this order in the head camps at St. Paul, in 1901, and at Mil- waukee, in 1905. As chairman of the Ohio delegation at the latter, he received the dele- gates' endorsement and was appointed a mem- ber on new territory for the order, which will report on the admission of new territory to the jurisdiction at the next meeting of the Head Camp, which will take place at Peoria, Illinois, in 1908.

Notwithstanding the exacting duties of his position as cashier in one of the large financial institutions, as mentioned above, Mr. Hun- sicker in some way finds time to intelligently promote all those measures and enterprises which have for their object the substantial upbuilding of Williamsport, and also keeps closely in touch with the various benevolent agencies which are the avenues through which the poor and unfortunate receive relief. Such men as Mr. Hunsicker cannot fail to be bene- factors to any community in which their life lines have been cast.

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MR. AND MRS. CALEB GLICK.

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e ALEB GLICK, a representative agri- culturist of Washington township. who owns a valuable farm of 224 acres all in one body, situated in sections 26 and 35, was born at Circleville, Ohio, July 28, 1843, and is a son of Philip and Nancy Glick, extended mention of whom will be found in another part of this work.

Caleb Glick has been a life-long resident of Pickaway County. On September 12, 1872, he was united in marriage with Anna Fisher, a daughter of Conrad and Margaret Fisher, the former of whom was a native and a promi- nent farmer of Madison township. Mr. and Mrs. Glick have had four children, of whom two survive: Eda and Asa. . The former mar- ried George Bolender, has two children, Byron and Vernon, and lives on a farm in Wayne township. Asa married Viola Leist and works his father's farm. Flora and Virgil died in infancy.

After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Caleb Glick settled on the farm which they still occu- py. but in another house, about a quarter of a mile distant from their present one. Their present residence is a handsome brick one which was erected by a Mr. Mowery about 1850.

In the fall of 1862 Mr. Glick enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company A, 114th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and participated in eight different battles, including the siege of Vicksburg. He was mustered out at Hous- ton. Texas, and was honorably discharged at the close of the war, at Columbus. His war record is one to be proud of and Mr. Glick is an honored member of Groce Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Circleville. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church. Their portraits accompany this sketch.

ILLIAM NELSON GORDY, who is engineer of the Hunsicker & Yates elevator at Woodlyn, in Deer Creek township, was born in Perry township, Pickaway County, Ohio, November 8, 1842, and is a son of George and Susan (Hoskins) Gordy.

George Gordy was one of the early citizens of prominence in Perry and Deer Creek town- ships. He worked on the canal at Circleville when a young man and acquired, later, sev- eral hundred acres of land in Perry township. For a time he lived at Crownover's mill and, later, on what is known as the Shaffer farin. In 1869 he moved to the farm now owned by Samuel G. Hunsicker, adjoining that of our subject, in Deer Creek township, where he re- sided until his death in 1876.

George Gordy married Rebecca Kinney, who at death left one son, John, now also de- ceased. Mr. Gordy married (second) Susan Hoskins and of the large family born to this union. these survive: Lizzie, wife of Samuel G. Hunsicker : William Nelson, of this sketch; Sarah. widow of F. R. Hancock; Mrs. Rhetta Noble, a resident of Indianapolis, Indiana; Jasper L., of Portland, Oregon; and Clinton, of Kansas. The third marriage of Mr. Gordy was to Harriet Betts, the mother of Col. George Betts. now deceased.

William Nelson Gordy was reared in Perry township and attended the district schools. In 1867 he moved to Deer Creek township and located on the farm now occu- pied by John W. Betts, where he engaged in farming until April. 1871, when he removed to his present farm at Woodlyn. Here he has I I acres of richly cultivated land and a beauti- ful home. Since 1879 he has been running the engine at the Hunsicker & Yates elevator.

On August 16, 1866, Mr. Gordy was mar- ried to Sarah A. Stinson, who was born in Perry township, Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Hugh and Roxanna (Dick) Stinson. Mr. and Mrs. Gordy have seven children, viz. : Ella, who maried Clinton Bragg, of Danville, Ohio, and has two children- Frank and Lena; Harley, a resident of Mor- row, Ohio, who married Ella Titus and has one daughter-Helen; Charles, a resident of Lan- caster, Ohio, who married Leota Rudolph, and has one son-William; Mary Belle, who re- sides at home; George I., a resident of Canton, Ohio, who married Margaret Conn; Thomas, a resident of Dayton, Ohio; and Rhetta, the youngest daughter, who also lives in that city.

Politically. Mr. Gordy is affiliated with the

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Republican party. He has served as trustee of the township but is not an aspirant for of- fice and when elected a justice of the peace de- clined to serve. He is one of the leading mem- bers of the Christian Church. Fraternally he is a member of Heber Lodge, No. 501, F. & A. M., at Williamsport, and of the camp of the Modern Woodmen of America at the same point.

E DWARD K. CAMPBELL, one of the best-known men in the milling busi- 'ness in Harrison township, has oper- ated the historic old mill, known in all this section as the old Foresman Mill, for the past 27 years, his purchase of it dating from January 6, 1879. Mr. Campbell was born August 7, 1853, and is a son of Sam- uel and Rebecca (Hedges) Campbell.

On both sides of the family, Mr. Camp- bell's ancestors came to Ohio from Virginia, settling among the earliest pioneers in this sec- tion of the Buckeye State. Samuel Campbell was born at Stoutsville, Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1817, and died July 9, 1903, at the age of 85 years and 10 months, to a day. He married Rebecca Hedges, who was born in Walnut township, Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1832 and died April 28, 1882. She was a daughter of John and Susan (Miller) Hedges, very early settlers here. The children born to this union were: Edward; Aaron, who resides at Circleville; Mary, wife of Jacob Hoover, of Harrison township; Ezra, residing in the northern part of Ohio; Ida, wife of John Frazier, residing near Amanda, in Fairfield County ; Nancy, wife of L. A. Gray, of Ash- ville; Amanda, wife of Frank Raymond, of Columbus; and Irene, who resides with her sister in Columbus.

Edward Campbell acquired a fair common- school education and remained with his father until 21 years of age and then went to work for Joash Cromley, in Walnut township. He had almost no capital at this time but he had what sometimes proves more valuable-habits of industry and frugality. After working for four years for Mr. Cromley, he had accumu-

lated the sum of $450, enough to enable hitn to purchase the old William Foresman mill. This old landmark of Harrison township was erected in 1838 by William Foresman, whose father was a pioneer here, and was named the "Good Intent Mill." It was started up in the following year and still is utilized for the pur- pose for which it was built. Of course, many changes have been made and numberless im- provements have been introduced by Mr. Campbell. It was originally an old-fashioned burr mill, the motive power being water. Mr. Campbell now operates it with steam and has equipped it with the modern roller process. Its daily capacity is 50 barrels.

Mr. Campbell was married March 10, 1885, to Carrie McMun, who was born at Waverly, Ross County, Ohio. They have four children -Grace, James E., Samuel and Marie.

Although Mr. Campbell has been a hard worker all his life he has results of a satisfac- tory nature to show for his endeavors. He has a beautiful homestead of 45 acres, a paying business, a family to be proud of and a wide circle of friends who esteem and respect him. In all that implies good citizenship. He is a representative man of his township.

I SHAM A. JONES, proprietor of the "Lone Elm Farm," a fine 344-acre es- tate, located four miles west of Circle- ville, on the Darbyville turnpike, is one of the prominent farmers and ex- tensive stock-raisers .of Jackson township, as well as one of her representative citizens. He was born in Logan County, Illinois, August 27, 1850, and is a son of Stephen and Ariadna (Ware) (Ham) Jones.

Stephen Jones, who was a native of Penn- sylvania, settled in early manhood in Logan County, Illinois, among the pioneers there, and as he was a man of sterling worth he soon be- came one of the prominent men there. He was a farmer by occupation and was also a shrewd business man and accumulated an ample for- tune. He served as a captain in the War of 1812 and received a land warrant for his serv-

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ices. He became a purchaser of the warrants which other soldiers were willing to sell, some of these being in the possession of our sub- ject at the present time. Stephen Jones left an estate aggregating some 800 acres. In politics and in religion he was a man of firm convictions, voting with the Democratic party and supporting the Methodist Church. He married Mrs. Ariadna (Ware) Ham, who had one son, Jason. She died aged 48 years.

Isham A. Jones, who was the only child born to his parents, has been an orphan since childhood, his father dieing when he was only three years old and his mother one year later. He lived with relatives until he reached his majority, and obtained his education in the local schools. For some years he carried on farming near Waynesville, Illinois, and then embarked in a hardware business at Waynes- ville, where he resided some seven years and then returned to farming, on the 120-acre farm he had purchased before moving to Waynes- ville. The coming of Mr. Jones to Pickaway County, in 1885, was on account of Mrs. Jones having inherited a tract of 400 acres in Jackson township, which was a part of the old McArthur estate, which had long been in the courts. Mr. Jones found the property in a neg- lected condition but with his characteristic energy he soon made many changes. The old log buildings gave way to handsome, substan- tial frame ones, and he built a beautiful resi- dence on a favorable location which makes it one of the most attractive rural homes of the township. His land is managed carefully and he pays attention to the raising of grain and the growing of stock, making specialties of Shorthorn cattle and Poland-China hogs.

The "Lone Elm Farm" takes its name from a historic old elm tree, 15 feet in cir- cumference, which stands in front of Mr. Jones' residence. It has survived all its forest companions, and has seen generations of those who have rested beneath its shade pass away.

Mr. Jones was married December 12, 1872, to Effie McArthur, who was born September 22, 1844, and is a daughter of Allen C. and Olive (Whitney) McArthur, and a grand- daughter of Gen. Duncan McArthur, who was

an officer in the regular army and was subse- quently elected Governor of Ohio. Mr. Jones' father served under General McArthur during his army service. Her father was born in Ross County, Ohio, and her mother in the State of New York.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Jones are : Flora T., wife of Frank Anderson, residing near Williamsport; Susie Van B., who married Joseph Shortridge, lives five miles north of Mr. Jones and has two daughters-Mary Isham and Lillian Josephine; Stephen A., who married Carrie Trimble, a daughter of James Trimble, of Circleville, lives on the home place and has these children-Arthur Trimble, Rich- ard Edward, Dorothy Emily and McArthur Atchison.

Mr. Jones has been a lifelong Democrat and has always been a prominent factor in political circles. Ever since locating in Jack- son township, he has been connected with school affairs and is now serving as a very efficient member of the Board of Education. He is a man of wise public spirit and is ever ready to promote agencies working for the ulti- mate good of the township. He gives liberal support to the churches in his neighborhood, but is an attendant of the Presbyterian Church. Socially he belongs to the Knights of Pythias.

OHN METZGER, a representative cit- izen and prominent farmer of Picka- way township, resides on his well- cultivated farm of more than 90 acres, situated in section 7, and has been identified with this township for almost a half century. He was born in Washington town- ship, Pickaway County, November 8, 1834, and is a son of Benjamin and Mary (Zeimer) Metzger.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 110

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Number of Pages: 923

Author: Aaron R. Van Cleaf
Publication date: 1906
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 923