History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 54

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

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in Pickaway County, Ohio, and was a daugh- ter of Henry McKinney. She became the mother of seven children, namely: Joseph, de- ceased ; Isaac D., of Jackson township; Abigail. widow of Robert Timmons, of Jackson town- ship; Louisa, deceased; Samuel A., deceased : Jonathan M .; and Mary, who died at the age of four years. Mrs. Grabill died February 5. 1880, at the age of 63 years.

Jonathan M. Grabill, subject of this sketch. has spent the whole of his life in Pickaway County, with the exception of four years when his parents were residents of Madison County. He received a common-school education and was about 20 years of age when his father died. after which he operated the farm for his mother for about five years. After her death, Mr. Gra- bill moved to Darbyville and since 1899 has made a specialty of raising onion sets and watermelons.

Mr. Grabill was married January 22, 1885 to Hattie Geiser, who was born in Franklin County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Emanuel and Harriet Geiser, natives of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Grabill have eight children, namely : Fred L., Emma Florence, Harvey A., John Sherman, Lottie Gertrude, Esther Elizabeth. Benjamin Harrison and Bernard Orville.

Mr. Grabill has been a Republican all his life. He was elected township clerk in 1892 and served seven consecutive terms. He was elected justice of the peace in 1887 and served three years in that capacity.

D AVID ADKINS, a representative citi- zen and experienced farmer of Jack- son township, is the proprietor of "Wildwood Park Farm," a magnifi- cent expanse of 418 acres, which is situated on the Darbyville turnpike, three and a half miles northwest of Circleville. David Ad- kins was born in Harrison township, Pickaway County, Ohio, January 12, 1844, and is a son of David and Christena (Hott) Adkins.

The Adkins family is of English descent and was founded in America in Colonial times by ancestors of our subject, who settled in

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Maryland. David Adkins, father of our sub- ject, was born in Carroll County, Maryland, October 31, 1807. His parents died before he reached his maturity, leaving a family de- pendent upon their own resources. When 18 years old, David decided to strike out for him- self. and started out on foot. Sometime in the year 1826 he reached Pickaway County, Ohio, and first located in Walnut township. He died in .April, 1863, aged 55 years. He was a brick- maker by trade and this occupation he followed for a long time, being an expert burner. It was he who burned the brick used in the con- struction of the Everts School Building in Cir- cleville. During the '60's he was appraiser of land in Harrison township. He was what might be termed a mechanical genius, being able to turn his hand to any craft or trade. He left an estate of 200 acres, all of which he had accumulated by his own efforts. He was a man of responsibility in the township but ac- cepted no offices except those of appraiser and trustee. He was one of the early members and liberal supporters of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

The mother of our subject, Christena ( Hott) Adkins, was born February 9, 1809, in Berkeley County, Virginia, and was a daugh- ter of Peter and Margaret Hott, who came to this section before Pickaway County was or- ganized. Mrs. Adkins died April 12, 1904, aged 95 years and two months. The children born to David and Christena (Hott) Adkins were: Mary, who became the wife of Enos Burton, both now deceased; Margaret, who married James Reid, both now deceased; Will- iam. who served for four years in the Civil War in the 90th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and is now an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Day- ton. Ohio; Arexena and Adeliza (twins), de- ceased at the age of nine months; Nancy, who married John Balmer and died in Illinois; George. a resident of Walnut township, who served four years in the Civil War, and was a veteran of the 27th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf .; Susan. who married T. D. Slocum and died in Illinois; David; Melissa, who married G. G. Brentlinger, of Pickaway County; Eliza Jane, deceased, who was the wife of Daniel W.

Whitehead, of Ashville; and Christena, who is the wife of George W. Pierce, of Duvall.

David Adkins was reared on the home farm and assisted his father, who died when David was about 20 years old. He then took charge of his father's large interests and continued to operate the farm for his mother and three sis- ters for some years, remaining on the old place for six years after his own marriage, in 1864. He had enjoyed only the educational oppor- tunities afforded by the local schools, but he had had a very thorough and practical training as a farmer and stock-raiser. His aged mother made her home with him until her death.

In 1870 Mr. Adkins rented the homestead farm to a brother-in-law and purchased a prop- erty in Marion township, Franklin County. just outside the corporate limits of Columbus, where he lived for six years, during this time being a member of the township School Board and one of the township trustees. On this farm he engaged in farming and gardening, finding an excellent market in the adjacent city. After leaving the Marion township farm and renting it to other parties, he returned to the old home farm for four years and then traded his prop- erty in Franklin County for 200 acres of farm- ing land in Deer Creek township, Pickaway County, on which he resided for 12 years. Here Mr. Adkins also became a man of prom- inence in the township, served as a justice of the peace for two terms and was elected town- ship trustee and a member of the School Board.

The next change made by Mr. Adkins in order to carry out his own ideas of farming and stock-raising was the renting of property and the purchasing of 100 acres located along the Jackson turnpike, on which he lived for three years and then he rented the McCarthy farm, which was located just opposite his present property. This contained 320 acres and here he carried on extensive farming operations for three years. He then disposed of his Deer Creek farm and bought his present valuable property of 418 acres, located not far from Circleville. It bears the pleasant name of "Wildwood Park Farm," but the name in no wise describes what is one of the best im- proved and valuable properties in the township.

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JOSEPH P. SMITH.

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A part of the property Mr. Adkins has re- tained for park purposes and during the sum- mer seasons it is very generally utilized for church and Sunday-school picnics. It is known all over this section as "Wildwood Park." There are three fine groves on his property, the trees being mainly white and sweet oak. Mr. Adkins has made this a very pleasant re- sort. making many improvements in the line of amusement facilities and it is well patronized throughout the summer season, people coming from long distances to enjoy the attractions provided.

Mr. Adkins carries on his farm as a grain and stock farm and he also devotes some at- tention to raising sweet corn and peas for mar- ket. His cattle and horses are noted for their excellence all over the county. In the fall of 1905 Mr. Adkins was induced to make an ex- hibit which attracted wide attention and favor- able notice from the neighboring press. It was successfully photographed and is entitled "The Produce of Wildwood Park Farm;" and gives a fair idea of one of the successful enterprises of Pickaway County.

Mr. Adkins was married on November 17, 1864, to Christena Runkle, who was born in Walnut township. Pickaway County, Ohio, on October 26, 1846, and is a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Croninger) Runkle. Her par- ents were of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction and came to Pickaway County as pioneers, and the father lived on one farm in Walnut township for 60 years, dying at the age of 83 years. The children born to our subject and wife are as follows : Ella F., wife of Andrew V. Herbert, of Oklahoma; Marietta, wife of Elmer Hel- wagen, of Williamsport; Allona E., wife of William J. Wardell, of Cook, Fayette County, Ohio; Harry W., now a farmer in Ottawa County, Kansas, who was educated for . the Lutheran ministry and preached for two years; Charles Irving, who died aged 20 days; Har- riet. wife of Frederick Helwagen, of Kinder- hook; Estella, wife of Benjamin Metzger, of Jackson township; Gertrude, wife of Fred C. Betts, of Deer Creek township; Wilbur, a grad- uate of the Circleville High School, class of 1902, who resides at home; George H., a mem-

ber of the Ohio National Guard, who is an ex- pert shot and whose score in a late contest en- titles him to the rank of sharpshooter in the State team; Addie Alice, at home; David Earl, at home; Daniel W. and Emanuel E. (twins), at school ; and Merle Augusta. Mr. Adkins has 26 grandchildren.

Mr. Adkins has been a life-long Democrat. He has served two terms as county commission- er and is serving out his second term as justice of the peace. He has been connected with the Board of Education ever since he located in Jackson township. For a long time he has been a party leader in his locality and has served as a delegate to county, district, State and congressional conventions. He is one of the leading members and supporters of the English branch of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, in which he is a deacon.

J OSEPH P. SMITH, who has been iden- tified with Circleville and its interests since he was nine years of age, was born at Toronto, Canada, in 1831, and came to Ohio with his parents.

When he reached man's estate, in connec- tion with his brother, Edward Smith, he en- gaged in the growing of broom corn and to- gether they became the most extensive growers in the United States. At one time they had 1,100 acres in broom corn and this brought a large amount of capital to this locality. They invested largely in land and continued to culti- vate this useful plant for about 40 years; in- deed, Mr. Smith has been retired from this branch of agriculture not more than eight years. Since then he has not been active in any line.

Formerly Mr. Smith was prominent in many of the successful business enterprises of Circleville. He was one of the founders of the Third National Bank and was a director of the same for over 20 years, finally withdrawing from the board on account of failing health.

In his active life he was interested in poli- tics to some degree and served as a member of the City Council and also was a trustee of

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Circleville township. For nine years he served as a trustee of the Insane Asylum and on many occasions served on important committees and various civic boards. He has always been con- sidered one of the representative men of Cir- cleville and in his retirement from active life took with him the esteem and respect of his fellow-citizens.

In December, 1856, Mr. Smith was mar- ried to Susan P. Bish, who died in 1903, the mother of 10 children. The four survivors of . the family are: Charles A., who is in the life insurance business at Circleville; William S., who is with a telephorie company, with head- quarters at Columbus; Joseph X., who is with the street railway company in Columbus; and Cecelia, who resides with her father.

Mr. Smith is a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. His family was the first of this faith to settle at Circleville. His portrait accompanies this sketch.

e HARLES STEWARD, M. D., who has been a resident of Ashville for the past 30 years and who is one of the leading physicians of the town, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, on November 23, 1845, and is a son of Charles Steward, who married a Miss Mosier.

Charles Steward was reared on a farm and received his early education in the common schools, later taking a course in the Pleasant- ville Academy. In 1870 he read medicine under Drs. Peter and Thomas Hewetson, of Amanda, Fairfield County, where he remained for two years. He attended lectures in Cin- cinnati for two years, completing his course and receiving his degree in March, 1873. On March 17th of that year he began practice at St. Paul, in Madison township, Pickaway County, where he remained for two years. In the spring of 1875 he located at Lithopolis, Ohio. He remained there for one year and in 1876 moved to Ashville, where he has since been engaged very successfully in the practice of his profession. Dr. Steward made the money for his education and completed his

medical education under most trying circum- stances. In company with some other stu- dents, he was obliged to board himself for a time. Dr. Steward is now very comfortably situated, and owns some very valuable prop- erty in Ashville, including a drug-store which he conducts and the Opera House. He is one of the earliest of the present residents of Ash- ville, and there are but few to-day who were citizens of the town when the subject of this sketch became a resident some thirty years ago. Many changes have been made since then.

Dr. Steward was married in 1874 to Eliza Melvina. Fridley, a daughter of Isaac and Clarissa Fridley, who were natives of Picka- way County and resided near St. Paul, in Mad- ison township. They have two children : Clara, who married William H. Plum, a resi- dent of Ashville, and has had three children- Clara Bell (deceased), Helen Mary and an infant son; and William Edwin, born in 1877, who resides with his parents-he was a sol- dier in the regular army for three years, en- listing December 22, 1900, fought in the Phil- ippine Islands and made four trips across the Pacific. Politically, Dr. Steward is a stanch Democrat and served for a number of years as treasurer of Harrison township. He is a mem- ber of Pickaway Lodge, No. 747, I. O. O. F., at Ashville.

.. . .. .. . ALTER BALFOUR BEAVERS. a well-known farmer and citizen of Scioto township, was born in the house where he now residles on the 26th of October, 1843. He is a son of William and Elizabeth Beavers. who were the parents of six sons and five daughters, as follows: John and Joseph, both deceased, the latter after having reached maturity: Thomas, residing in Columbus, who has raised a family, is now more than 70 years of age; Peter, who lives in Scioto township on a farm; Marion, who is a resident of Nebraska ; Walter Balfour; Margaret, deceased, who was the wife of Henry Gochenouer; Sarah, who mar-

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ried Isaac Smith-both now deceased; Esther, wife of William W. Johnson, who resides in Jacktown; Mary Ann, who married James M. Johnson and lives in Scioto township; and Rachel, deceased, who was the wife of John Satterfield.

On September 12, 1867, our subject was married to Elizabeth Sidney Rush, daughter of William and Hester Ann ( Hillery ) Rush. Besides Elizabeth, Mr. and Mrs. Rush were the parents of another daughter, Sarah Ellen, who was first married to Fletcher Davis, and after his death to Thomas Betts. Mrs. Betts resides in Scioto township, the mother of d son and a daughter, both living and married. William Rush, the father of Mrs. Beavers. died July 6, 1900, at the age of 75 years, and the mother, March 14, 1904, aged 76.

To Mr. and Mrs. Walter B. Beavers two sons and one daughter have been born, as fol- lows: William, born September 1, 1868, who married Lillian Johnson, daughter of James M. Johnson, and is the father of three chil- dren-Homer, Everett and Leatha; Fillmore, born Dec. 28, 1870, who married Viola Peters, daughter of James and Sarah Peters, and has a family of nine children; and Alice, born July 7, 1873, and first married to Chauncey O. John- son. Mr. Johnson died six years thereafter; there were two children born to this union- Wilda, who died when a year old; and Flor- ence, born in August, 1895. After the death of her first husband, Mrs. Johnson married Finley A. Lerch, and they reside in Scioto township north of Commercial Point.

The grandfather of Mrs. Beavers, Francis Rush, came from New York to Pennsylvania, and thence to Ohio, where he married Nancy Greenwade. To this union were born five sons and three daughters, of whom one daughter died in infancy. Those who grew to matur- ity were: Thomas, Jacob, John, Francis, Nel- son, William (father of Mrs. Beavers), and Sarah, wife of Cornelius Sharp. All are now deceased.

The father of Mrs. Rush owned 879 acres of land, and Mrs. Beavers, the daughter of William Rush has 439 acres. Mr. Beavers is the owner of 40 acres, and since 1875, with

the exception of eight years, he has resided on the place where he now lives. He is a Democrat and a Mason. The Rush family were Repub- licans, and William Rush, for many years prior to his death, was identified with the Ma- sonic fraternity.

OHN F. ROBISON, a trustee of Darby township and owner of a farm of about 65 acres, lying partly in Picka- way and partly in Madison counties, is a son of David E. and Jane (Carr ) Robison and a grandson of John R. and Mary (Edmonston) Robison. His grandfather. who came from South Carolina, was the father of nine children, as follows : James, the eldest, who married Rachel Morgan-both now de- ceased; John S., who married Miriam Riddle -both now deceased; Joseph, who married Emma Heath and died in the spring of 1906; Samuel, who married a Miss Fitzgerald and after her death married Mrs. Mary (Beal) Clark, widow of James Clark; Thomas R., who married as his first wife, Ellen Sawyers, and as his second, Mary Miller; David F., our subject's father; Betsey, who became the wife of Fergus Graham-both now deceased : Mary, who married W. C. Douglass-both now deceased: and Rachel, who married (first) Samuel Rolan (who died in the Civil War), and (second) James Wilson.

David E. Robison, mentioned above. was born in Clark County. Ohio, and married Jane Carr, a daughter of William Carr, of Fayette County, Ohio. These six children were born to them: Willis, who married Laura Self : Lincoln, who married Minnie Hughes ; Orphia C., wife of George Whitlock; Mary E., widow of S. W. Bennett; Sophronia, wife of William Adkins.

John F. Robison was born October 3, 1850. His first wife was Elizabeth Wilson and after her death, in 1895, he was married to Maggie Dennison. Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson became the mother of five children, all girls: Laura, who married Lewis Moore and has one son-Roh- ert; Alpha, Jennie, Maud and Hannah.

Mr. Robison is a man of decided executive

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ability and at different times for nearly a de- cade has served as township trustee, having represented Monroe township for about four years and Darby for five. He has also been assessor of Darby township. In whatever po- sition he has been placed he has evinced a con- stant spirit of justice and has been greatly as- sisted in the discharge of its duties by a re- markably retentive memory. Mr. Robison is an ()ckl Fellow in good standing.

J JOHN W. TEEGARDIN, one of the representative citizens of Madison township. president of the township Board of Education, owns a valuable farm of 200 acres of excellent land and has other business interests. Mr. Tee- gardin was born on the farm on which he re- sides. October 23, 1854, and is a son of Abra- ham and Elizabeth Teegardin.

. William Teegardin. the grandfather, was a native of Pennsylvania and came to Madison township as a settler as early as 1812. His son. Abraham Teegardin, father of our sub- ject. was long one of the township's solid, sub- stantial men. He died in 1896. These chil- dren of his first marriage survive : Catherine A .. widow of Ezra Westenhaver, of Shelby- ville, Illinois; Mary F., wife of J. W. Blakely, of Kokomo, Indiana; Sarah M. (Fridley) of Harrison township; and John W.

John W. Teegardin was reared in Madison township and his education was secured in the local schools. While his life has been mainly devoted to agricultural pursuits, he has other business interests, being part owner of the prosperous tile factory at Duvall, which is con- ducted under the firm name of J. W. Tee- gardin & Company, Mr. Teegardin having been one of the main promoters of the indus- try. The plant was built in 1864 and the busi- ness is in a very flourishing condition. For many years he has been officially connected with the township Board of Education and is its president, giving to the affairs of this office a large amount of attention.

Mr. Teegardin was married (first) to Han-

nah C. Coon, who was born in Madison town- ship, Pickaway County, and was a daughter of George and Sarah (Wilson) Coon, of Mad- ison township. Of the three children of this marriage, one survives-Florence M., who re- sides at home and is a student at the Ohio Wes- leyan University, Delaware, Ohio. Mr. Tee- gardin was married (second) to Almonett E. Wilson, a native of Franklin County, Ohio, and a daughter of Andrew and Flora (Sey- mour) Wilson, natives of Maryland and Franklin County, Ohio, respectively.

In political sentiment, Mr. Teegardin is a: Democrat. He and his wife and daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which he is an elder. He is a Mason, belonging to Lithopolis Lodge, No. 169, F. A. M., in which he has served in all the offices and was master for four years; Walnut Chapter, R. A. M., at Canal Winchester; and Scioto Commandery. No. 35, K. T., at Circleville. With his wife and daughter, he belongs also to the Order of the Eastern Star, Reber Chapter, at Lithop- olis, of which he is at present worthy patron. Mr. Teegardin is recognized as one of the en- terprising, public-spirited men of his locality, always ready to do his part in promoting pub- lic improvements and in advancing the in- terests of the community.

R ICHARD R. LEACH, whose fine farm of 110 acres of rich farming land is situated in Darby township, along the Harrisburg and Mount Sterling turn- pike, was born in Warren County, Vir- ginia, August 25, 1845, and is a son of Thomas and Mary (Lovelass) Leach.

Thomas Leach was born in Virginia and was the youngest son of Elijah and Sarah Leach, who reared a family of five sons and four daughters, as follows: Inman, Joseph, Daniel, William, Thomas, Harriet, Mildred, Jane and Elizabeth. Thomas Leach made his first visit to Ohio in 1835, before he was mar- ried. After one year, he returned to Virginia, married soon after and did not again come to Ohio until after the birth of all his children,

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these being as follows: Sarah, who died aged three years; Jonathan, who married (first) Eliza Long, and (second) Mary Shepard; Henry, who married Martha Norris; Mary, who married Henry Nigh; Martha, deceased, who was the wife of Peter Johnson; and Rich - ard R.

Richard R. Leach accompanied his parents to Ohio when they settled in Darby township, Pickaway County, the journey from Virginia being made in an old farm wagon. At that time Circleville consisted of but a few houses in the old circle. Mr. Leach has a distinct re- membrance of all the old families as his life has been passed in this vicinity since childhood. His father died July 11, 1891, and his mother, April 12, 1882. Mr. Leach has been engaged in general farming, his land having been main- ly inherited by his wife from her father. It is a portion of the old Glasscock place. In 1896 Mr. Leach purchased 27 acres adjoining, and the farm now contains, as stated, IIO acres.

On November. 29, 1866, Mr. Leach was married to Alice Glasscock, who was born in Warren County, Virginia, June 24, 1848, and is a daughter of John and Mary Ann (Leach) Glasscock, the latter of whom was a cousin of Thomas Leach, father of our subject. The two families were connected in various ways by marriage. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Leach were Thornton and Nancy (White) Leach. On the paternal side they were Thomas and Margaret Glasscock. Mrs. Leach's father died November 18, 1895, and her mother, February 4, 1895. John and Mary Ann (Leach) Glasscock were parents of nine children, as follows: Mary, who died aged 13 years; Newton, who married Mary Jane Caldwell-both are now deceased; Warren, who married Virginia Glasscock and now lives in Missouri; Margaret, deceased, who was the wife of Alfred Stump; Sarah, who married Darius Shockley; Martha, who married Rev. Robert W. Peters, of the Baptist ministry; Thornton, who married Frances Rush; Alice, wife of our subject; and William, who mar- ried Ella Balla. Mrs. Leach was three years old when her parents settled in Darby town-

ship, locating on a farm within a mile of her present home.

Mr. and Mrs. Leach have had these chil- dren : Lacy, who married Charles Noon and has five children-Gladys, Carl, Lawrence. Nellie and Helen; Maggie, who married Stephen Alkire and has four children-Anna, Warner, Stella and Frederick; Ora, who mar - ried Charles Bartlett, who was accidentally killed on the railroad-she has one child, Mil- dred; Frank Allen, who lives at home; Robert, who married Naney Fulton and has one child -Dorothy; and William and Florence, who live at home.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 54

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