History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 50

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

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Ezra Florence Hill was reared on the homestead farm and obtained his education in the district schools. He was the youngest son in a large family and remained at home with his parents until his marriage. For some eight years following this event, he rented land and then purchased 136 acres of what was known as the Colonel Florence farm. located on the Florence Hill Chapel turnpike. There were no buildings on the property, so Mr. Hill and his family continued to reside on the home place but he farmed. the land until 1905, when he disposed of it. In 1894 Mr. Hill purchased what was called the John Mckinley farm, con- sisting of 205 acres. Here he took up his residence and lived until 1902. when he moved to Darbyville. At this time he purchasedl vil- lage property, which included a dwelling and barn. This property he has greatly improved. Since coming to the village, he has offered a fine line of carriages for sale. For so many vears he has been actively employed that time would hang heavily on his hands without some outside interests.

Mr. Hill still retains a farm on the Darby-

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ville and London turnpike adjoining the cor- porate limits of the village. He also owns the Thomas Darst farm of 2161/2 acres, located on the Harrisburg and Darbyville turnpike, on Darby Creek, 37 acres of the Colonel Flor- ence farm, and 50 acres of the old homestead. In all. he owns 409 acres in Muhlenberg town- ship and 100 acres in Darby township. He continues to oversee operations on a large por- tion of this farming land, his interest still con- tinuing, although he has turned the direct man- agement over to younger hands.

Mr. Hill was married (first) in 1879, and his children are as follows: Coleman H., a teacher, residing at home; Harvey, who oper- ates the Mckinley farm; Lena May, of Cleve- land; and Joseph B., who is attending the Bliss Business College at Columbus. Mr. Hill was married (second) on February 28, 1906, to Lissa M. Hewitt, daughter of William and Mary Hewitt. She was born in Pickaway County and before her marriage was a suc- cessful teacher in the public schools of Pick- away and Madison counties.

Politically Mr. Hill has always been identi- fied with the Republican party and has been a very prominent factor in township and county affairs, serving many times as a delegate to county, State and Congressional conventions. He has served three terms as trustee of the township, two terms as assessor, three terms as township treasurer, in 1890 was land ap- praiser and is now village treasurer. For 25 years he has been more or less connected with official life in the county and stands deservedly high in public esteem. Since 1890 he has been a member of the Presbyterian Church and is one of its trustees.

ILLIAM MARTIN MILLER, cashier of the Citizens' Bank of Ashville, and a prominent citizen of the town, was born February 14, 1860, and is a son of Samuel M. and Angeline ( Boerstler) Miller.

John C. Miller. the grandfather of our sub- ject. was born in Pennsylvania, moved to Ohio

and in this State resided until his death, in 1872.

Samuel M. Miller and his wife were both natives of Fairfield County, Ohio. Mrs. Miller (lied in September, 1905, at the age of 63 years. They had three children : William M., the sub- ject of this sketch; Alice, who married C. C. Staiger, of Ashville; and Emma. who lives at home.

When William M. Miller was two years old, his parents moved to Pickaway County and located in Walnut township. Here he re- sided until 1887, attending the common schools of the township, next taking a business course at Lebanon in 1879, after which he taught school for nine years and also clerked for some time in a store. In 1887 he moved to Ashville and took a position as bookkeeper with the Hughes Elevator Company. Later he was appointed assistant county auditor by County Auditor Samuel W. Miller. but subse- quently resigned to enter the grain business. He engaged in business with James Ward under the firm name of Ward & Miller ; they purchased what was known as the Hughes elevator and conducted it until 1894. when they organized the Citizens' Bank at Ashville. Mr. Miller has been cashier of the bank since its organization.

Mr. Miller was married October 21, 1890, to Agnes Wright, a daughter of William and Caroline Wright. the latter of whom is de- ceased. Two children have been born to this union-Grace and Harry.

Mr. Miller is a Republican in politics. While a resident of Walnut township, he served three terms as township clerk : the fact that he was thrice successful in being elected in a township which normally goes Democratic by from 60 to 80 votes shows the estimation in which he was held in that township. Mr. Miller was elected mayor of Ashville in 1888 and subsequently re-elected three times. He was twice elected a member of the Board of Education of Harrison township. At his sec- ond election, in 1903. he made the matter of a new building for the High School an issue, although the project had been defeated at a previous election. Mr. Miller takes great pride

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in the fact that he was instrumental in secur- ing for Ashville a High School building which would be a credit to towns of much larger population. After the new code separating the town from the township went into effect, Mr. Miller was again elected and is at present a member of the Ashville Village District Board of Education. He served in 1896 as chairman of the Republican Central Committee and in 1897 as chairman of the Republican Executive Committee.

Fraternally. Mr. Miller is a member of Pal- metto Lodge. No. 513. K. of P., at Ashville. He is also a Knight Templar Mason, being a member of Lithopolis Lo:lge, No. 169. and of the Chapter and Commandery at Circleville.

1 ISAAC C. DUNKEL. an esteemed resi- dent of Circleville township. was born in Washington township. Pickaway County, Ohio, February 12, 1853, and is a son of Amos and Catherine (Stout) Dunkel, a sketch of whom will be found in this work.

Mr. Dunkel came to Circleville township with his parents when three years old and has made this his home ever since. He was edu- cated in the common schools of the county and later attended the normal school at Lebanon, Ohio, after which he taught school for some time. He was married on November 1. 1877, to Rosa A. Kellstadt, a daughter of Jacob and Rosa ( Bowers) Kellstadt. Mr. and Mrs. Dunkel have had four children, namely : Wal- ter R., born August 25, 1878; Wilson, born October 17, 1880; Amos J., born October 30, 1882; and Frances Matilda, the only daughter and the youngest member of the Dunkel fam- ily, who died at the age of one year. Walter R. Dunkel, the oldest son, who is a teacher in the county schools, was reared and educated in his native county. He married Fannie Brown and has one child-Kenneth Ray. Wil- son Dunkel teaches school in Wayne township. Amos J .. the youngest son, after completing his school course in this county, attended the Ohio Normal University at AAda. He is now

teaching school in Circleville township. and is a county school examiner, being in all prob- ability the youngest school examiner in the State.

Mr. Dunkel is a Democrat and has served as township assessor. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Independent Order of For- esters and Modern Woodmen of America.

J OHN O. BECKETT, one of the lead- ing citizens of Commercial Point as well as of Scioto township, who is proprietor of a mercantile business which was founded in 1844 by his grandfather, has been identified with this sec- tion all his life. He was born at Commercial Point. Pickaway County, Ohio, October 22, 1852, and is a son of James A. and Margaret (Coontz) Beckett.

The maternal ancestors of Mr. Beckett, who were of German extraction, located at an early day in Scioto township. The paternal grandfather, Wiley H. Beckett, came from Albemarle County, Virginia, in 1830 and set- tled in Scioto township, where he resided until his death.

James A. Beckett was nine years of age when, in 1830, his parents made the trip from Virginia to Ohio in a covered wagon, and set- tled in Scioto township a short distance west of Commercial Point. Here he lived until his death in 1884, after a successful commercial career of many years. He married Margaret Coontz, who was born in Scioto township, Pickaway County, Ohio, and who survived her husband but three years. They had five children, viz. : Ellen G., who is the wife of W. H. Migley, and resides in Scioto township; Cornelia A., who is the wife of Thomas H. Durret and resides at Commercial Point : Clara R., who is the wife of John Peters and resides in Scioto township; Laura J., deceased in child- hood; and John O., of this sketch.

In 1844 the business which our subject con- ducts at Commercial Point was established by his father and grandfather and it has been continuously carried on ever since, for a period

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COURTNEY TANNER, SR.

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approaching 62 years. It was the pioneer gen- eral store. there being but two or three houses standing in the village when it was established1. In 1851, the population having increased con- siderably, the town was incorporated by the Legislature under the name of Genoa. The plat had been laid out as early as 1842. . \ll gov- ernment business, as well as almost every im- portant business transaction of the place, was carried on at Beckett's store, and the postoffice was Beckett's store, which was the general name applied to the settlement. In 1871 it be- came Commercial Point, but the old business house still continues under the same name and the same family.

John O. Beckett was educated in the schools at Commercial Point and supplemented his literary with a business training. gradu- ating from a commercial college in 1871. Ile then entered the Beckett store with his father and uncle and three years later became his father's partner; at the death of his father, he bacame sole proprietor. Through all this period, covering more than half a century, the methods of this business house have never changed from the honorable ones on which it was founded. In politics Mr. Beckett is a Democrat. He served as postmaster under both of President Cleveland's administrations. He owns two fine farms in Scioto township, one containing 125 acres and the other, 50 acres. both well cultivated and improved.

Mr. Beckett was married on February 16, 1882, to Ermina Gray, a daughter of Alex- ander and Wilhelmina ( Miller ) Gray, and they have these children : Otis M., who is in the store with his father, preparing to take his place as merchant in the fourth generation of the family; Clara M., Hazel L. and James Randall Courtright.

e OURTNEY TANNER, Sr., form- erly county commissioner of Pick- away County, whose portrait ac- companies this sketch, resides on his finely cultivated farm of 260 acres in Darby township. He was born August 27, 1835, in Madison County, Ohio, on a farm 21

within sight of his present residence. His parents were John and Mary Margaret (.VI- kire ) Tanner, and his grandparents, Courtney and Hannah ( Emery ) Tanner.

The grandfather of our subject established the Tanner family in Pickaway County, con- ing here at a very early day and taking up large tracts of virgin land, in whose cultivation he was interested for the remainder of his life. He was twice married. His first wife. Mary Ann Alkire, was born October 5, 1781. and was the oldest daughter and child born to Williams and Elizabeth ( Moore) Alkire.

The Alkire family has been

William Alkire, the eldest son of Almonas Algire, was probably reared in Virginia where he was married to his first wife, Elizabeth Moore. To this union were born 12 children : Mary Ann, born October 5, 1781, who became

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the first wife of Courtney Tanner, the grand- father of our subject; Robert, born October 3. 1783. who married Elizabeth Douglass; John, born December 17. 1785. who died in infancy; Margaret, born in 1786, who married James Denison : Jacob, born April 1. 1787, who married Mary Phebus; Isaac, born October 12, 1788. who married Mary Graham; Abra- ham, born August 6, 1790, who married Jen- nie Martin Creath; Lydia. born January 3, 1792, who married John Graham: Harmon, born February 10, 1794, who never married; John (2), born October 15, 1795, who mar- ried Susan Mantle; Delilah, born in 1796, who married John Metz; and William, born in 1797, who married Hannah Osborn. By his second wife, Temperance Clay, of Kentucky, a sister of Henry Clay, William Alkire had two sons : Henry Green Clay and Joseph.

Two children were born to the union of Courtney Tanner and Mary Ann Alkire, name- ly: Harvey, born November 25. 1805, de- ceased December 18, 1865. who married Hes- ter Ann Neff, who was born March 11. 1811. and died October 31, 1864 ; and Elizabeth, who married William D. Wood and died at the age of 69 years and 24 days.

Courtney Tanner, the grandfather of our subject, married for his second wife Hannah Emery, of Virginia. To this union were born. five children. namely : Rebecca, born January 6. 1806, deceased .August 4. 1879. who mar- ried William Heath; John, the father of our subject ; Harriet. who married Robert Manly : Eliza, who married Wesley McCollister; and Edmund, born November 12, 1816, and de- ceased September 7, 1870, who married Nancy Gilliland, who was born October 20. 1821, and (lied September 18, 1904.

John Tanner, son of Courtney and Hannah ( Emery) Tanner, and father of our subject, was born in Darby township. Pickaway Coun- ty, Ohio, October 8. 1809, and died at Pales- tine. March 4. 1868. He was married in Mad- ison County. Ohio, to Mary Margaret Alkire, daughter of Abraham and Jennie Martin (Creath) .Alkire. named in the preceding par- agraph. Abraham Alkire, who was a son of William and Elizabeth ( Moore) Alkire, was

probably a native of Virginia, although reared in Kentucky. As stated above, his birth took place August 6, 1790, while his death oc- curred May 19, 1859. In Ohio, on April 16, 1812, he was married to Jennie Martin Creath, who died January 27, 1862. The following were their children: Mary Margaret, born February 5, 1813, the mother of our subject; Elizabeth, born November 5. 1814. deceased May 17, 1815; William G., born July 24. 1817, who married Mary Ann Riddle and died July 5, .1846; Martha Jane, born February 7, 1827, who married Adam Kious and died Septem- ber 10, 1846; and Abraham Reid, born Feb- ruary 27, 1830, who married Mary Jane Tan- ner, and died in Madison County on February 12, 1902. The mother of our subject died February 11, 1892, in Madison County at the home of her youngest daughter, Mrs. Mary M. Taylor. Seven children were born to John and Mary Margaret ( Alkire) Tanner, of whom John and Katharine died in infancy. The five that grew to maturity were as follows: Me- lissa Ann, who married James Taylor and died December 7, 1871, at the age of 38 years. I month and 7 days; Courtney, the subject of this sketch; Hannah Jane, born May 4. 1837. who married James Taylor and died Septem- ber 3, 1863; Abraham, born near Mount Ster- ling, Ohio, December 4, 1838, and deceased November 15, 1898. at London, Ohio, who was treasurer of Madison County for two terms -- he married Amanda Taylor, who was born November 15. 1853, and they had four chil- dren. Jessie (born September 18, 1874), War- ner (born January . 17, 1876), Bruce (born June 18. 1881), and Marie (born May I, 1887) ; and Mary Margaret, born July 28, 1850. Mary Margaret Tanner married Wil- liam Taylor, who was born October 22, 1836, and died October 4, 1893. To this union was born one child, Ella, who married John Zahn and has one son-Maxwell Taylor Zahn.

Courtney Tanner has always followed agri- cultural pursuits and is one of the extensive farmers of the western section of the county. He has also been interested at various times in a number of successful business ventures. In the spring of 1859 in partnership with his

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uncle. Abraham Reid Alkire, he engaged in a general mercantile business at Palestine, Ohio. In 1862 they sold their stock of goods to N. T. Tenny, of Mount Sterling. Ohio. In 1865 he formed a partnership with his brother. Abraham Tanner, and they continued in the mercantile business for a number of years. Some time in the 70's, after the close of the War of the Rebellion, he formed a partner- ship with his brother-in-law. William Taylor, and for a number of years they were engaged in buying and delivering hogs to the pork- packing establishment of Samuel H. Ruggles, at Circleville. He was also in partnership for some time with his brother, Abraham Tanner, and his brother-in-law, William Taylor, their business being that of buying and shipping cat- tle and hogs to Eastern markets. He was one of the charter members of the turnpike com- pany, whose toll road ran from Mount Sterling to Harrisburg, Ohio-a distance of eight miles. He was elected treasurer of the com- pany by the directors and continued to hold this position until the road was sold in 1883 to the county commissioners of Pickaway County. He was treasurer of C. Tanner & Company from 1888, when the company's ele- vator at Palestine, Ohio, was built, until the elevator was sold to Joseph Smith, of Circle- ville, in 1897. On account of his various busi- ness duties outside of farming and also by reason of many official duties pertaining to the important offices to which he has been called by his fellow-citizens, he has not devoted all his time to his farm but has continued to exer- cise a strict supervision. Politically he is affil- iated with the Republican party. For a num- ber of years he served as school director in his district ; for 20 years was treasurer of Darby township; served two terms, in 1880 and in 1890, as land appraiser and in 1894 he was elected county commissioner, serving out his term with the same devotion to the best in- terests of his section, which has characterized all his official life. He is one of the directors of the First National Bank at Mount Sterling.

Mr. Tanner was married (first) to Esther Jane McDowell, a daughter of Robert Mc- Dowell. She was born January 27, 1845, and

died June 18. 1879. To this union three chil- dren were born, of whom Lula and Annie died in infancy. At Mrs. Tanner's death she left one son, John R., born October 2, 1874, who is serving as probate judge of Madison Coun- ty, Ohio. He is but 32 years of age and en- joys the distinction of being the youngest pro bate judge in the State. He was married Feb- ruary 21, 1895. to Alice Ingrim, of Mount Sterling, Ohio, and to them were born four children, as follows : A son that died in infancy ; Esther M., born November 12, 1887: John Robert, born April 13, 1902; and Charles Courtney, born February 13, 1906. Court- ney Tanner, our subject, was married (sec- ond) to Mrs. Amanda (Davis) McDowell, widow of William A. McDowell. She was born February 19, 1852, and is a daughter of John Davis, one of the old residents of Pickaway County. The children born to the second union were: Alwilda, born November 2, 1883; Ella E., born March 30, 1885: and Clarence B., born October 21, 1889. The two daughters are both graduates of the Mount Sterling High School. Alwilda is a talented musician and at present is teaching music. Clarence B. is at present a student in the Derby High School. Mrs. Courtney Tanner owns two fine farms in Pickaway County-one of 103 acres, in Darby township and another, of 153 acres, in Monroe township.

GRANT SWEARINGEN. a repre- sentative citizen of Jackson town- ship, a leading agriculturist and a member of a very prominent family of this section, was born February 24, 1863, on the Bedinger tract, his present farm of 180 acres, situated on the Florence Chapel turnpike, and now known as "Tanglewood Farm," being a part of the Bedinger survey. He is a son of Henry Bedinger and Elizabeth (Nesbitt ) Swearingen. A comprehensive history of the Swearingen family will be found in the sketch of James Strode Swearingen, ap- pearing elsewhere in this work.

Our subject has spent his whole life on

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the old homestead farm which comprises d portion of the tract that was granted his great- grandfather, Captain Bedinger, for distin- guished military services in the Revolutionary War. The whole tract, comprising several fine farms, has always remained in the posses- sion of the family, none of it having been either bought or sold. Here Mr. Swearingen has al- ways lived, being absent only for four years, during which time his father rented a prop- erty at Gambier, in order to afford his sons educational opportunities at Kenyon College, which all the sons attended, and where our subject's next youngest brother, Henry B., was graduated. Of all his studies in college, the one which our subject most enjoyed was botany. His love of Nature, of trees and flowers and all growing things, he may have inherited from his mother, who was a success- ful grower and a passionate lover of flowers of every kind. This taste she communicated to every member of her family. This beloved mother was known far and wide, also, for her many benevolences and when her beautiful life closed, in 1881, it was not only her be- reaved family mourned her departure. The father of our subject died October 15, 1889. The family consisted of eight children, our subject being the fifth in order of birth.

When Mr. Swearingen settled on his 180 acres of the homestead farm, the forest was still so dense that, as he expresses it, the build- ings could easily be lost to sight. He has cleared about half of his farm. He put in the first tile on the whole tract of 1,400 acres. In 1893 he built his substantial barn, which has dimensions of 64 by 34 feet. In 1903, after plans made by his wife, he erected his present handsome home, which has been constructed with an eye to beauty as well as comfort. It is situated in the midst of a fine grove of black oak, hickory, white oak, sugar maple and mountain ash, and in the autumn the brilliant coloring of the leaves makes a gorgeous pic- ture worthy the brush of an artist. Mr. Swear- ingen enjoys his trees with the love of an arboriculturist and an appreciator of what is beautiful and inspiring in Nature. He under- stands them, knows their habits of growth and

finds pleasure in watching them develop from mere saplings.

"Tanglewood Farm," as Mr. Swearingen's farm is named, is situated five and a half miles northwest of Circleville, on the Florence Chapel turnpike, and about half a mile from Fox, which is the first postoffice established in Pickaway County, and was on the Bedinger survey. Mr. Swearingen conducts his farm as a stock farm, raising high-grade cattle, horses, sheep and hogs, his choice being Percheron horses, Shorthorn cattle, Poland-China hogs and Shropshire sheep. An important append- age of the farm is a noble shepherd dog, "Bab," whose stock was imported from Scot- land at great expense. Mr. Swearingen has many very interesting relics with which to en- tertain his guests,-and he has the family repu- tation for hospitality,-these consisting of curi- ous bits of polished stone, evidently of a great age and of doubtful utility to modern eyes, and also many Indian relics which are better known.

On November 13, 1888, Mr. Swearingen was married to Fannie Dent, who was born at Louisville, Kentucky, and is a daughter of William Kingsley Dent and his wife, Fannie Hedges, natives of Maryland and Kentucky, respectively. Mrs. Swearingen's father died at Louisville, Kentucky, but her mother, now Mrs. G. L. Nesbitt, still survives, being a resi- dent of Jackson township, Pickaway County. Mr. and Mrs. Swearingen were married at Xenia, Ohio, whither Mrs. Swearingen's par- ents removed when she was 12 years old.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 50

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