History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 47

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

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Isaac N. Abernethy was educated in a log schoolhouse in Monroe township, Pickaway County, and until he was 16 years of age re- mained at home assisting on the home farm. Then he began to teach school and to cherish hopes of a collegiate career. Although his father was able to give him excellent ad- vantages, he probably decided that his son would be more likely to appreciate them, if they came through his own efforts, hence the young man was obliged to earn the means by which he could enjoy higher educational advantages.

He abundantly succeeded and in 1860 was able to enter Ohio Wesleyan University, where he was graduated in June, 1866, with the degree of A. B. He then began the study of the law with Alfred Yaple and later with Hon. R. A. Harrison, the former of whom was an ex-judge in Cincinnati and the latter, one of the lead- ing members of the bar at Columbus, both are now deceased. Mr. Abernethy was admitted to the Ohio bar at Chillicothe, on September 1, 1868.

In 1869 Mr. Abernethy settled at Circle- ville where he was in partnership for one year with E. Z. Hayes. In 1872 he was elected prosecuting attorney and served until January, 1877, when the firm of Abernethy & Grigsby was formed, which continued for two years. In 1878 Mr. Abernethy formed a partnership with H. F. Page, which continued for six years, when the firm of Page, Abernethy & Folsom came into existence and continued until 1887, when Mr. Page retired. In February, 1890, Mr. Abernethy was elected judge of the Court of Common Pleas and for five years he filled the position with dignity and efficiency. On February 9, 1895, the present strong firm was formed, Judge Abernethy and Henry P. Fol- som entering into partnership.

On September 8, 1868, Judge Abernethy was married to Lizzie Busick, who was born at Mount Sterling, Ohio, and was a daughter of Ira Busick, of that place. Mrs. Abernethy died .in November. 1895, the mother of six children. Judge Abernethy was again mar- ried, November 30, 1899, to Wealtha E. Vieth, an accomplished lady who had been court stenographer for several years.

Politically, Judge Abernethy is a Demo- crat. For four years he served as a member of the County Board of School Examiners and had been its secretary for two years when he resigned. For a considerable period he was a member of the Circleville Board of Education and was a member of the City Council from the First Ward for some years. Judge Abernethy was a lecturer in the law department of the Ohio State University from its organization until 1895. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason and an Elk.

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D AVID S. LUDWIG, one of the most prominent farmers and substantial citizens of Pickaway County, owning 705 acres of valuable farming land situated in the midst of the famous Pickaway Plains, was born June 16, 1842, on the same farm on which he now resides, which farm has been owned by Ludwigs for 100 years. He is a son of Jacob and Evaline ( Morris) Ludwig.

The first of the Ludwigs to come to Ohio was Daniel Ludwig, the grandfather of David S. Ludwig. The former was born June 4, 1748, in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and was a son of Daniel and Mary Ludwig, who were natives of Germany. It is a family tradition that the last mentioned Daniel Ludwig left his native country on account of political diffi- culties and that in his own land he was closely connected with one of the ruling houses of Bavaria. He died in Berks County, Pennsyl- vania.

Daniel Ludwig, our subject's grandfather, was associated with Governor Joseph Heister, of Pennsylvania, in the operation of a store lo- cated at Reading, Pennsylvania, for a number of years. In the fall of 1806, he started for Ohio, taking with him his wife and nine chil- dren, together with a small stock of goods, all accommodated in a two-horse wagon. It was his intention to open a store in the new region as soon as conditions would seem to make an opening. For this purpose he erected a large brick house which stood, for many years, on the site of the present substantial frame house occupied by David S. Ludwig. In one portion of this building it was Mr. Ludwig's intention to start his little business, and in this way pro- vide employment for some of his numerous children. Three of his sons died, however, and this caused Mr. Ludwig to abandon the enter- prise and the goods were disposed of to the neighbors. The above mentioned brick house was erected in 1809, and without any doubt was the first brick house erected in Pickaway County.

Daniel Ludwig was a far-seeing man and when he came to what was then a wilderness, he could look far enough in the future to people

this section with settlers wanting homes for their families and lands on which to graze their cattle. Hence he wisely invested, purchasing first a half section in this county and subse- quently buying land in adjacent counties until he owned about 3.000 acres. He was the . original owner of the site on which stands the town of Logan, in Hocking County, Ohio. His whole life demonstrated that he was a man of much more than ordinary amount of judgment and business faculty. That he established his home in Pickaway County in 1806 is a fact, but from legal papers in the possession of the family it is also known that he made transfers of land as early as 1801, showing that his knowledge of Pickaway County must have be- gun some years prior to 1806.

Daniel Ludwig was thrice married: first. in 1778, to Appelona Miller, daughter of Michael and Susanna Miller. She died May 14, 1787. His second marriage took place on March 11, 1788, to Eva Grissmer, who was a daughter of Caspar and Rebecca Grissmer. She died October 21, 1800. His third mar- riage, in 1802, was to Elizabeth Sheperd, who was a daughter of John and Elizabeth Shep- erd. Daniel Ludwig died June 9, 1825, and his wife died May 3, 1816.

Jacob Ludwig, father of David S. Ludwig, was the third child and only son of the third marriage. When his father died, he inherited the property, which in turn descended tc David S. Ludwig, the present occupant. Jacob Lud- wig was married on November 18, 1830, to Evaline Morris, a daughter of Henry and Charity Morris, who was born July 12, 1812, and died February 23, 1848. Their eight chil- dren were: Daniel, born November 23, 1831; Henry O., born December 16, 1832; Isaac, born September 21, 1834; George, born Janu- ary ,14, 1836; John, born December 17, 1837, who died April 7, 1848, from the effects of an accident; Mary Elizabeth, born April 28, 1839. who married John P. Steely. now a resident of Fairfield County; David S., born June 16, 1842; and Jacob, born January 27, 1848, de- ceased in the same year.

The land now owned by David S. Ludwig is situated as follows: One farm-of 160

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acres-is in section 32, Circleville township, on which, in 1891, Mr. Ludwig erected a com- modious frame dwelling, which is without ex- aggeration one of the most beautiful homes among the many beautiful ones for which Pick- away County is justly noted. It is built on a small elevation about a quarter of a mile from the Kingston turnpike, right in the center of what has been denominated the "Garden Spot of Ohio." This name has been given to that favored locality known as the Pickaway Plains. In order to erect this handsome building, Mr. Ludwig found it necessary to tear down the old brick structure which, with high hopes of mer- cantile success for his sons, the grandfather had built so many years before. For so many years this had been a landmark that his regret was shared by the whole community.

The above mentioned 100-acre farm in Circleville township is the old Ludwig home- stead and here Mr. Ludwig resides. He owns 505 acres in Pickaway township and a tract of 40 acres in Washington township. Two acres have been cut off from the Circleville township farm and set aside for the Hitler-Ludwig bury- ing place.

Mr. Ludwig was married to Rosalie Dreis- bach, a daughter of Isaac E. and Lydia (Hitler) Dreisbach, and a sister to Benjamin Franklin Dreisbach, a sketch of whom will be found in this work. Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig have had six children and all survive with the exception of one. The record is as follows: Evaline L., Fannie D., Edgar J. (deceased), Lydia Irene, Mary Rosalie and Mabel G. Eva- line L. Ludwig married James Dresbach and lives on a farm in Pickaway township owned by Mr. Ludwig. Their only child, Helen Irene, died at the age of four years. Fannie D. was educated in the local schools and in young womanhood married Henry T. Link, who is a well-known and prosperous grocer at Columbus, Ohio. They have one son, David Ludwig, named for his grandfather. Lydia Irene was also afforded excellent educational advantages and married Albert M. Groff, who is a successful business citizen of Columbus, engaged in the paint line. Mary Rosalie and Mabel G. are educated, charming young ladies

who reside at home and are prominent in the social circles in the neighborhood. The third child and only son of Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig, Edgar J., died September 22, 1902, at the age of twenty-four years. He was a fine, manly young man of great promise and his untimely death cast a shadow over the whole community as well as brought untold grief to his family.

Politically Mr. Ludwig has always been identified with the Democratic party and has taken a prominent part in public matters of a local character. On numerous occasions he has served in various official positions, and has been township trustee and school director. In all that goes to make up good citizenship, he is a worthy representative of a fine old family.

R EV. DAVID S. TAPPAN, D. D., LL. D., pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Circleville, was born April 2, 1845, at Steubenville, Ohio, and is a son of Dr. Benjamin and Oella (Stanton) Tappan.

Dr. Tappan's ancestry may be clearly traced to a remote period in the past. The name is a purely Anglo-Saxon one and was formerly spelled Topham, its meaning being "Upper Village." The family home was in Yorkshire and our subject is the 12th in descent from Robert of Linton, near Paley Bridge, West Riding, Yorkshire. This Robert died in 1550. Of the 12 immediate ancestors of Dr. Tappan, nine bore Scriptural names.

Abraham Tappan, the fourth in descent from Robert, came to Massachusetts in 1627, settled in Essex County, and in the following year was made a selectman. Benjamin Tap- pan, the grandson of Abraham, graduated at Harvard College, the whole family, up to the present time, having been distinguished for their learning and their piety. Many of them have been professional men, but the great- grandfather of our subject seems to have been also a goldsmith. In 1770 the goldsmiths were the bankers and money lenders.

Benjamin Tappan, the grandfather of Dr. Tappan, came to the Northwest Territory in

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1799, and in 1809 located at Steubenville, Ohio. He was a man of distinction, a noted jurist and a United States Senator. The father of Dr. Tappan was a physician and his mother belonged also to a notable family. She was a daughter of Dr. David Stanton and a sis- ter of the great war secretary under President Lincoln, Edwin M. Stanton.

Dr. Tappan was the third in a family of five children. He attended the public schools of Steubenville until September, 1860, when he entered the freshman class of Miami Uni- versity. It was known through his entire course that he had the ministry in view. At gradua- tion, in a class of 25, he took first honors and delivered the valedictory oration. During his collegiate attendance, he was an active mem- ber of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity and of the Miami Union Literary Society.

Directly after his graduation at the uni- versity, he entered upon the study of theology in the Western Theological Seminary at Alle- gheny, Pennsylvania, and was graduated in April, 1867. In the summer of 1865 he had charge of an academy in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, and in the summer of 1866, of the Callensburg Academy, in Clarion County, Pennsylvania. The Allegheny Presbytery licensed him to preach in the spring of 1866, and in September, 1867, he took charge of the Chariton Presbyterian Church in the Pres- bytery of Des Moines, Iowa. In February, 1871, he took charge of the Presbyterian Church at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, where he re- mained until April, 1890. While in Iowa he was honored with the offices of moderator and permanent clerk of his presbytery, in turn.

Dr. Tappan was permanent clerk of the Iowa Synod South, from 1870 until 1882, when the synods were consolidated. In 1882 he was made stated clerk of the Synod of Iowa and served as such until his removal from the State. It was while he resided in Iowa that he received the honorary degree of A. M., from Wooster University. He was given his degree of Doctor of Divinity from Lenox College, Iowa. in 1886. It was also while residing in Iowa that he was appointed a commissioner to the General Assembly of his church on three

different occasions. For six years he was presi- dent of the School Board at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and from 1887 to 1890 he was a trustee of the Presbyterian College at Fairfield, Iowa.

On April 1, 1890, Dr. Tappan took the pastorate of the First Presbyterian Church at Portsmouth, Ohio, the largest and strongest church in the Presbytery of Portsmouth. This pulpit he filled until September 1, 1899, when he became president of Miami University. In the connection at Portsmouth Dr. Tappan was, as usual, a leader among his ministerial breth- ren. He was frequently selected as moderator in the meetings of the presbytery, his learning, piety and tact making him particularly fitted for the position. In 1893 he was appointed a commissioner to the General Assambly from the Portsmouth Presbytery and was one of the clerks. During his entire period of connection with that presbytery he was chairman of the committee on home missions. He was presi- dent of the City Board of Examiners and also a member of the Board of Education at Ports- mouth.

In the Synod of Ohio, Dr. Tappan served three years as chairman of the committee on education, for three years was chairman of the committee on home missions and is at present chairman of the committee on ministerial re- lief. In November, 1899, he received the degree of LL. D., from Wooster University, a well deserved and appreciated honor. In a ministry of 32 years he had but three churches and each charge was an advance upon the previous one. In June, 1902, he resigned the presidency of Miami University .and in November of the same year he accepted the pastorate of the church at Circleville, Ohio.

On August 12, 1869, Dr. Tappan was mar- ried to Anna Grand-Girard, who is a daughter of Rev. Emile F. Grand-Girard, of Hillsboro, Ohio.

Dr. Tappan occupies a very high position in his church, representing great scholarship, resolute will, executive ability and unques- tioned piety. He is a tower of strength at the head of any institution, be it church or col- lege.

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E LIAS FLORENCE, one of the most prominent farmers and old and es- teemed residents of Jackson township, with which he has been identified all his life, was born September 28, 1845, on Darby Creek, in Jackson township, Pick- away County, Ohio. His parents were Ezra and Sarah Ann (Renick) Florence.

Pickaway County has few older or more important families than that of Florence. Its establishment here dates very far back and its members have been leading ones in the civiliza- tion and material development of this section of the State. Although it at present lays no claim to noble lineage, being thoroughly and sincerely American, the fact remains that the great-great-grandfather of our subject was an Italian nobleman and belonged to a family which at one time owned the site of the old city of Florence, Italy. This scion of the old family was of adventurous spirit and broke away from the forms and ceremonies which hedged the nobility ; this angered his father and caused him to be disinherited. He probably reached Amer- ican shores early in the days of the American Revolution, attracted the attention of General LaFayette, became an officer under the French commander and after the close of the struggle established his home at Warrington, Virginia, where the family still has many representatives.

In Judge William Florence, a son of the first settler, Ohio had a distinguished jurist. He was born at Warrington, Virginia, and came to Ohio at a very early day. He was a surveyor and had much to do with the early platting and dividing of lands. He acquired many hundreds of acres, reared a large family, took part in all the early civilizing movements of this section and finally died at the age of 96 years. For many years he served as probate judge in Williams County. He it was who established the standard bushel in Ohio. Judge William Florence was married on January 14, 1796, to Fanny Robinson, and their children were : Elias, born February 15, 1797; Nancy, born March 13, 1799; Sally, born February 27, 1801 ; Mary, born March 26, 1803; Kitty, born May 8, 1805; Betsy, born September 27, 1807; Robinson, born December 25, 1809; and Will- iam, born March 23, 1812.

Elias, the eldest son of Judge William Florence, and the grandfather of our subject, was probably the one member of the family to be born in Virginia, his birth occurring on February 15, 1797. The date of his location in Pickaway County was probably about 1806, and the whole of his long life was spent here. At one time he owned 6,000 acres of land in Muhlenberg and Monroe townships and a large portion he utilized in the raising of stock. He was a man of old-time integrity and was one of the leading public men of his day in this part of Ohio. A strong Whig, he was the choice of his party for high official position, served for years in both houses of the Ohio Legislature and subsequently represented this district in Congress. At one time he was colonel of the State militia. All the old records c: the public men of Pickaway County make extended men- tion of the life and services of Elia Florence. He lived to within two years of the age of his father, dying when 94 years old.

Ezra Florence, son of Elias Florence and father of our subject, was born in Muhlenberg township, Pickaway County, Ohio, on a farm some four miles distant from the farm occupied by his son. He was a stockman and farmer and for several years was a man with large business interests. While he inherited many of the sterling qualities of his father and grandfather, he did not inherit their robust constitutions, his death occurring when he was but 29 years of age. He operated a farm of 2,400 acres, which his wife had inherited. In politics, Ezra Florence was a Whig. In religious belief he was a Presbyterian.

Ezra Florence married Sarah Ann Renick, who was born in Pickaway County. Ohio. October 17, 1828, and died at the age of 60 years. She was a daughter of Jonathan and Lucinda (Sudduth) Renick, who were mar- ried March 22, 1812, and had two children- Sarah Ann and Mary, the latter of whom died at the age of 21 years. Thus the mother of our subject inherited all the large possessions of her father, who was one of the substantial men of the county. The children of Ezra Florence and wife were: Elias, our subject; Jonathan. of Circleville; Gustavus, of Chicago; and Mary. The great-grandfather of our subject

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HON. JACOB P. WINSTEAD. B. S., LL. B.

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on the maternal side came from the Rhine coun- try in Germany. The original spelling of the name was Rheinewick, later becoming Rem- wick and still later was shortened to Renick.

Elias Florence was eight years old when his father died. His mother encouraged his at- tendance at school and he had many advan- tages, including some time in Robins' Select School for Boys, at Springfield, Ohio, and later a year at Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio. After completing his education, he returned to the home farm which he managed for his mother until the time of his marriage. In 1869 he settled on his present farm, which originally contained 340 acres. Subsequently he clisposed of 100 acres to his son, but still operates 230 acres, devoting his attention to farming and stock-raising.

This farm is one of the best known proper- ties in Pickaway County. With the Swearin- gen farm it occupies what has been known as the Darby Plains, Mr. Florence's land occupy- ing a favorable position at the head of this large body of land. Formerly heavy timber covered the whole tract, enough of which is still left to make light and shade and to open pleasant vistas over a large extent of country. The old Darby dam, a landmark here, is lo- cated on one corner of the Florence farm. Old settlers remember when all this tract was noted for the luscious wild strawberries which grew here. Mr. Florence found a log house on the property when he came here with his bride. This soon gave way to a more commodious residence and up to the present time Mr. Florence has not ceased improving. All of his buildings are of a substantial character while his beautiful home, placed on an eminence which overlooks a great stretch of the sur- rounding country, is one of the most attractive in the township. The name given this place, "Locust Farm," is a very appropriate one, on account of the magnificent locust trees which shade it.

In 1868 Mr. Florence was married to Cath- erine Fitzgerald, who was born in Madison County, Ohio, and is the estimable daughter of the late Judge Edward Fitzgerald. The lat- ter was born and married in Virginia and

served as probate judge in Madison County. Ohio, for many years. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Florence consist of a son and daughter- George and Anna, both living at home. The former served as a member of the Fourth Regi- ment, Ohio Infantry, U. S. Volunteers, in the Spanish-American War. The latter is the wife of Harry Holderman.

Mr. Florence has been a life-long Republi- can but, with the exception of serving one term as justice of the peace, he has never accepted office. The family belong to the Presbyterian Church.

ON. JACOB P. WINSTEAD. B. S .. LL. B., formerly judge of the Pro- bate Court of Pickaway County. whose portrait is shown on the oppo- site page, is numbered with the emi- nent men of his profession in this section of the State and is an honored and esteemed citi- zen of Circleville. Judge Winstead was born in Clear Creek township, Fairfield County, Ohio, on April 25, 1846, and is a son of Sam- uel S. and Elizabeth ( Hoffman) Winstead.

Judge Winstead's ancestors came from England and Holland, but for generations have been domiciled in America. William Win- stead, his grandfather, was born in Frederick County, Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio in. young manhood, establishing a home in Clear Creek township, Fairfield County. Later he removed to Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, and still later, to Washington town- ship, where he engaged in agricultural pur- suits until the close of his life. During the War of 1812 he served as an ensign and still later served with the rank of captain in the Ohio, State militia. The maternal grandfather of Judge Winstead served in the Revolution- ary War.

Samuel S. Winstead, father of Judge Win- stead, was born in 1818 in Pickaway County, Ohio. Like his father and like his son, our subject, he taught school in his early years, an interesting coincidence being that the three generations taught in the same school. He died in 1877 on his farm of 170 acres, in Pick-

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away County, survived by his wife and two children, Jacob P. and Mary A., the latter of whom married Silas Young, of Washington township. The mother of Judge Winstead, Elizabeth Hoffman, was born in Washington township. Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1816, and died in March, 1890. She was a daughter of George Hoffman, who came from Pennsyl- vania to Ohio in 1805, served during the War of 1812 and became a man of prominence in his township. Mrs. Winstead was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church.

Jacob P. Winstead was only two years old when his parents settled in Washington town- ship, where he attended the local schools to the age of 18 years and then began to teach school. earning the means with which to con- tinue his studies. After some time spent at Salem Academy, in Ross County, in the fall of 1868 he entered Miami University, at Ox- ford, and was graduated there in the scientific course in 1860. receiving the degree of B. S. His time was occupied in the study of the law with Judge Courtright and in teaching school until 1872. when he entered the law depart- ment of the University of Michigan. In the following year he was graduated there with the degree of LL. B.

In April, 1873. he settled at Circleville for the practice of his profession and this city has been his chosen home ever since. His success has been pronounced and his name has been favorably connected with some of the most im- portant litigation in the courts of Pickaway County. From 1874 until 1878 he served as city solicitor and was prosecuting attorney from 1880 until 1885. In the fall of 1890 he was elected to the office of probate judge in which he served with distinction. Since his retirement from the bench he has continued his private practice.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 47

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