History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 84

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

USA > Ohio > Pickaway County > History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens > Part 84

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Edward. T. Tootle, our immediate subject, is a native of Ross County, this State, where he was born June 10, 1842. There he was edu- cated and reached manhood, and in that county, also, he married Sarah Belle Fulton, imme- diately commencing domestic life on the farm which is still his homestead. At that time the land was nearly' all covered with timber and very wet-almost a swamp-its only improve-

ment being a rough, round-log cabin of one room. Mr. Tootle cleared the timber from the land, drained it with thousands of rods of tile and transformed the log house into a comforta- ble dwelling, it being now one of the best frame residences in the township. In 1891, especially, he made many improvements, so that now his family enjoy all the modern conveniences of country life. The five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Edward T. Tootle are all living, and are as follows: Leroy; Martha; Bessie, who married Robert Parrett, a farmer residing near Greenfield, Ross County, and has two chil- dren-Elizabeth and Margaret; Mary and James R. The mother of the family died in 1883.

Besides superintending his extensive farm- ing and landed interests with energy and abil- ity, Mr. Tootle has for many years been promi- nent in the conduct of township affairs. He has been particularly interested in educational matters, having continuously served upon the Board of Education since 1886. He has also been a justice of the peace for two terms, or a period of six years, and at various times has filled the office of township trustee. In politics he is a Democrat. In Masonry, Mr. Tootle is .a Knight Templar, and altogether is a citi- zen of high standing and unassailable char- acter.

SCAR ELLSWORTH BUMGAR- NER, who is engaged in stock-rais- ing and dairying in Harrison town- ship, was born September 24, 1865, in Pike County, Ohio, and is a son of Joseph and Mary Bumgarner.

Joseph Bumgarner, who was born and reared in Pike County, was a son of Abraham and Jane Bumgarner, who were natives of Ohio and residents of Pike County. Joseph Bum- garner, was a farmer all his life and died in the fall of 1903 at the age of 65 years. His wife, the mother of our subject, died in 1894, aged 51 years.

Mr. Bumgarner was reared on his fath- er's farm in Pike County and received a com- mon-school education. He lived for three years

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in Wayne County, Iowa, whither his parents moved, and then returned to Pike County. Mr. Bumgarner has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1895 he moved to the Zwicker farm on Lover's Lane near Circleville, where he resided for one year. In 1896 he moved to the James H. Valentine farm of about 125 acres, two miles north of Ashville in Harrison township, which he has since been engaged in operating. He is es- pecially interested in stock-raising and dairy- ing. He keeps 13 head of horses and from IO to 12 milch cows.

Mr. Bumgarner was married in the fall of 1892 to Kate Vogel, a daughter of Martin Vogel, of Pike County, Ohio. Four children have blessed their union, namely: Walter O., Dorsey L., Albert Harold and Orville E., all of whom are living at home.

H. EVANS. For many years the late S. H. Evans was one of the prom- inent farmers and highly respected citizens of Pickaway township. He belonged to one of the old pioneer families of this section which increased and flourished in that favored part of the Scioto Valley known as the Pickaway Plains. There he was born in 1859.

Mr. Evans enjoyed educational advantages in his native locality, in the schools at Circle- ville and later in a business college at Colum- bus. His life was mainly devoted to agricul- tural pursuits and his death took place on the homestead farm of 300 acres, in 1894. This farm is one of the best improved farms and one of the most valuable on the Pickaway Plains.

Mr. Evans was married in 1886 to Alice Niles, daughter of O. E. Niles, who is one of the most prominent pioneer citizens of Circle- ville. Mrs. Evans still survives and resides on her beautiful farm in Pickaway township.

Mr. Evans stood very high in public es- teem. In all important matters concerning the township his will and judgment were always more or less consulted and his death was a dis- tinct loss to his family and community.

j OHN HIATT, who owns and operates a valuable farm of 73 acres in Salt Creek township, in the vicinity of Tarlton, is one of the reliable, repre- sentative citizens of this section. He was born in Hocking County, Ohio, February 19, 1839, and is a son of Ezra and Mary ( Pol- ing) Hiatt.

In Hocking County the Hiatt family is a well-known one, having been settled there for several generations. The paternal grand- mother of our subject was a very remarkable woman. She had been educated in Eastern schools, was capable and became a perfect type of a brave, efficient pioneer woman in what was then the far west. Her memory and that of many events of her long life which extended almost over a century, is preserved by the families of other old settlers of that county, who learned to know her value in the hardships and sometimes the tragedies which fell upon pioneer neighborhoods.

Until he was 17 years old, John Hiatt lived in Hocking County, where he obtained his education in the district schools. He then came to Pickaway County and followed farm- ing until the outbreak of the Civil War. On July 17, 1861, Mr. Hiatt enlisted in Company A, 27th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., which became a part of the Western Army, operating at that time in Missouri. On November 6, 1861, Mr. Hiatt was made a prisoner, in Jackson Coun- ty, Missouri. Subsequently he was released and returned to his regiment where he was mustered out, being forced to take the oath of allegiance. He then, returned to Pickaway County, where he engaged in farming on John Boggs' farm in Pickaway township.

On December 25, 1865, Mr. Hiatt was married to Sarah Call, who was born in West- moreland County, Pennsylvania, and five chil- dren were born to them, namely: Charles D., of Whiting, Indiana ; William P., of Salt Creek township; Alva C., general merchant at Aman- da, Ohio; Harley G., also of Amanda, a mem- ber of the mercantile firm of Hiatt Brothers; and Della, wife of Charles F. Kreider, a well- known educator.

In the spring of 1865, Mr. and Mrs. Hiatt

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moved to Hocking County, where Mr. Hiatt engaged in farming and stock-raising for about 18 years. In 1884 he returned to Pick- away County, and, with the exception of a very short period of residence in Ross County, has resided ever since in Salt Creek township. In addition to his good farm, he has other real estate, and, although an entirely self-made man, is one of the substantial and successful ones of this section of the county.

Mr. Hiatt is a member of Groce Post G. A. R., at Circleville, where the memorable days of the Civil War are frequently recalled by those who were participants. In political sen- timent he is a Republican. For many years ·he has been a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and is a trustee and a class leader in the church at Tarlton.

A NDREW METZGER, president of the Board of County Commissioners, of Pickaway County, is one of the lead- ing farmers and stock-raisers of this section and owns a large and produc- tive farm in Wayne township. ' He was born in Pickaway County, in 1841, and is a son of Benjamin and Mary (Zeimer) Metzger.

John Metzger, the paternal grandfather of Mr. Metzger, came from Pennsylvania at a very early day and settled in Washington township, Pickaway County, Ohio, where the family has been prominent for many years as agriculturists. The father of our subject was born in Washington township in 1808 and died in June, 1868.

Andrew Metzger was reared and educated in Washington township, where he continued to live until 1875, when he took up his resi- dence in Wayne township, where he has been prominent both as a farmer and stock-raiser, and also in political life. For some 20 years he served as trustee of Wayne township and in the fall of 1902 he was chosen a member of the Board of County. Commissioners. Public approval of his services was shown when he was re-elected to the office in 1905 and made president of the board. He is a very well

known man and commands the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens.

On February 27, 1873, Mr. Metzger was married to Mary Elizabeth Haswell, a daugh- ter of Joseph Haswell, who was an old settler of Pickaway County. Mr. and Mrs. Metzger have two children living, viz .: Benjamin, en- gaged in farming in Jackson township, who married Stella Adkins and has two children- Esta and Walter; and Joseph, a farmer in Wayne township, who married Leota Zurmely, and has one son-Andrew. William, the sec- ond son of our subject, was born in 1876 and died in 1887.

J OHN WESLEY LANE, a leading cit- izen and prosperous farmer of Scioto township, residing one and a half miles west of Commercial Point on his valuable farm of 105 acres, was born June 25, 1861, in the vicinity of his pres- ent home, and is a son of James M. and Lu- cinda (Wheeler) Lane.

John Wesley Lane, the paternal grand- father, whose honored name our subject bears, was born in Virginia and there married Sarah. McCord. Both families crossed the mountains in covered wagons and came to the vicinity of Commercial Point, being among the very early pioneers in this section. The grandparents lived to be 88 years of age.

John Wesley Lane is one of a family of eight children born to his parents, namely: Benjamin Franklin, deceased; John W., of this sketch; Emma Jane, wife of James R. Borror, of Franklin County; James Edwin, a resident of Toronto, Canada; William A., de- ceased; and Horatio Nelson.

For the past 15 years Mr. Lane has resided upon his present farm, which was improved when he purchased it. It was formerly known as the Coontz farm. He carries on general farming and dairying, keeping a large herd of Jersey cows and selling his milk and butter at Columbus. Since leaving school, he has been continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits and is ranked with the township's most suc- cessful men.

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Mr. Lane was married on December 27, 1883, to Sarah F. Peterson, who is a daugh- ter of Thomas and Caroline Peterson, the former of whom was born in Franklin and the latter in Pickaway County. They have two sons and four daughters, viz .: Lucy May and Leah Blanche who were educated in the township schools; Pearl Marie, Carrie Wanda, Horace M. and John Lawrence, all at home.

Mr. Lane, like his father and grandfather, has always been identified with the Democratic party. He served two years as township as- sessor and then declined to serve longer. For a number of years he has been a member of the School Board, both under the old and the new law. He is an honorable, upright man and a representative citizen of his township and community. The family belong to the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.

e HARLES T. NEFF, who is known as an expert horseshoer and who has conducted. a general black- smithing business at Darbyville for the past six years, was born in Darby township, Pickaway County, Ohio, August 28, 1871, and is a son of Nathaniel and Samantha (Thornton) Neff.

The grandparents of our subject were George Enoch and Pauline Neff, who came to Darby township, Pickaway County, at a very early day, about 1845, and lived and died in Darby township. They had seven children, Nathaniel being the third in order of birth. He was reared and married in Darby town- ship, but in 1878 moved to Muhlenberg town- ship. He and his wife still reside on their farm near Pherson.

The children of Nathaniel and Samantha Neff were: William, of Monroe township; Charles T., of this sketch; Homer, of Monroe township; Laura, wife of Willard Whiteside, of Darby township; Elmer, of Monroe town- ship; and George, who is still in school.

Charles T. Neff was seven years old when his parents settled in Muhlenberg township. He remained at home, assisting on the farm

and attending school intil he was 17 years old, when he went to Pherson and learned the blacksmith's trade with J. J. Mclaughlin, with whom he remained at work for II years, be- ing his employer's right-hand man. He then started into business for himself at Darbyville and enjoys a large trade. He owns his home and his shop and is looked upon as one of the town's successful business men.

On February 27, 1896, Mr. Neff was united in marriage with Mary Kern, who was born in Deerfield township, Ross County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Philip and Mag- dalene Kern, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in Ohio. The four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Neff are: Charles K., Philip, Maria M. and Francis E. The family belong to the Lutheran Church at Lick Run.

Politically Mr. Neff is a Republican and the esteem and confidence with which he is re- garded by his fellow-citizens has been shown by his election as a member of the Village Coun- cil and as a member of the School Board.

e OL. SAMUEL ASBURY MOORE was born in Circleville, Pickaway County, Ohio, November 1, 1816, and died October 3, 1902, on the same lot where he was born 86 years before. William Moore, his father, had purchased the land from which the town was platted in 1810, six years previous to Colonel Moore's birth. Few people live to the age of 86 with all their faculties practically unim- paired, and fewer still at that age enter the final darkness from the very locality where they first saw the light of earth.

As the town was only six years his senior, Colonel Moore and Circleville were children together. At an early age he became an im- portant part of its life, doing much, and in many ways, to assist its growth and healthful prosperity. He was engaged in various mer- cantile pursuits, and for two terms served as clerk of the courts of Pickaway County. It was while in the service of the county that he

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claimed to have learned his accurate business methods, for which he was noted and which were a primary source of his success in life.

In 1839 Colonel Moore was married to Harriet Melissa Short, by whom he had a son and a daughter. His first wife died in 1842, and in 1843 he was united to Harriet Maria Doane. They became the parents of four sons and one daughter, and in 1874 the second Mrs. Moore died, four of her children having pre- ceded her. In 1885, their last child, Edward Doane Moore, also passed to the great beyond.

Colonel Moore was not only the most prom- inent and public-spirited citizen of Circleville, but one of the most active and enterprising men of Pickaway County-universally re- spected, honored and admired, and by intimate association inspiring a deep feeling of affec- tion and love. After passing the meridian of life and, from a successful business career, amply providing for the wants of old age, he retired from the world's activities and devoted himself to such reading and recreation as gratified his good taste and pleased his sound judgment. His well selected library attested to the broadness of his studies and the thorough cultivation of his mind.

In politics Colonel Moore was either Whig or Republican. At the time of his death he was the oldest subscriber to the Union Herald, formerly the Olive Branch, the oldest Repub- lican newspaper in the county. Before the Civil War he was an Abolitionist, and many colored slaves, fleeing from their Southern masters to Canada, were helped along the "Un- derground Railroad" by his good advice and better money. And his treatment of the black fugitive was in line with his attitude toward his home community. He was a good talker -even a brilliant conversationalist-and his advice was given and highly valued; but his assistance did not end at this stage. He gave of his time, his energies and his substance, in the furtherance of enterprises which promised to advance the community in material or moral life. He therefore touched men on all sides, and also many kinds of men, with the re- sult that all classes of the community, besides the immediate circle of his friends, felt that his

death was a personal and a permanent bereave- ment.

EDWARD DOANE MOORE, D. D. S., was born in Circleville, this county, and was here reared and educated. After graduating from its High School, he was for some time a stu- dent at Kenyon College, and later pursued a course in a Philadelphia dental college from which he obtained his degree of D. D. S. It was in the '60's that he returned to Circleville to practice his profession, associating himself for that purpose with Dr. E. C. Clarke.

In 1869 Dr. Edward Doane Moore was married to Fannie M. Stribling, a daughter of Dr. Magnus Stribling, and afterwards located at Eureka, Kansas, where, besides establish- ing a lucrative professional business, he en- gaged in banking. After a residence of about two years there, on account of the age of his father, Colonel Moore, he returned to Circle- ville to look after the latter's business inter- ests. Among the enterprises which he owned and conducted from that time until his death in 1885 was the artificial gas plant.

Dr. and Mrs. Edward Doane Moore were the parents of three children: Archie Moore, who died when a small child, while they were residents of Kansas; Mabel Rose, the wife of Percy A. Walling, an attorney of Circleville and the son of Ansel T. Walling, ex-Congress- man from this district; and Howard B. Moore, also a lawyer of this city.

HOWARD BENFORD MOORE, LL. B., is a native of Circleville, where he was born in the year 1876. He was reared in the city, passed through its common and high schools, and graduated from Hobart College, Geneva, New York, with the degree A. B. Leaving that in- stitution in 1899, he entered Harvard Law School, where, in 1902, he obtained his degree of Bachelor of Laws. For more than a year thereafter he was engaged in the practice of his profession at. Knoxville, Tennessee. On ac- count of ill health he then returned to Circle-, ville, where he has since successfully continued his professional work, besides holding the po- sition of secretary of the Circleville Light & Power Company.

Mr. Moore is an influential Republican of

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his section of the county, and at the last elec- tion was the candidate of his party for the office of prosecuting attorney. Fraternally he is a member of the Elks, and a Kappa Alpha, of Hobart College. He is also actively identi- fied with the work of St. Philip's Protestant Episcopal Church, of which he is a member of the board of vestrymen and secretary.

ARVEY REICHELDERFER, whose well-cultivated farm of 143 acres is situated in Salt Creek township, was born in this township, April 4, 1852, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah (Mowery) Reichelderfer.

The Reichelderfer family was established in Pickaway County, Ohio, by Joseph Reich- elderfer, the grandfather, who brought his family from Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was one of the early settlers of Salt Creek township, where the rest of his life was spent. His son, also named Joseph Reichelderfer, the father of our subject, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and was seven years old when he accompanied his parents to Salt Creek township, where he grew to manhood and assisted his father in developing the pio- neer farm. Both were men of substantial character, exemplary in life and honorable in all business transactions. They were members of the German Lutheran Church. The chil- dren of Joseph and Sarah (Mowery) Reich- elderfer were seven in number, and of these four survive, namely: Harvey; Eli, of Salt Creek township, whose sketch appears else- where in this work; Sarah E., wife of Otis Harman, of Salt Creek township; and Mary J., wife of Joseph Crawford, of Nodaway County, Missouri.

Harvey Reichelderfer was reared on his father's farm and obtained his education in the district schools of Salt Creek township. With thorough home training, he developed into an excellent farmer and has devoted the greater part of his life to agriculture. His farm is managed carefully and intelligently and each year sees it under a little better state of culti- vation and with added improvements.

On October 10, 1876, Mr. Reichelderfer was married to Flora B. Clendening, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Joseph Clendening, now a resi- dent of Salt Creek township. The children born to this marriage were: Mary M., Bertha (deceased), Nellie G., Earl E. and Olive B.

Politically Mr. Reichelderfer has always been an adherent of the Democratic party. As one of the responsible, intelligent men of his community, he has been frequently elected school director of District No. 3 and has per- formed the duties of the office to the best in- terests of all concerned. His judgment is often consulted in township affairs. He be- longs to the United Evangelical Association and has been a trustee of Pleasant View Church. Mrs. Reichelderfer is a member of the Dresbach United Brethren Church, as are all of the children. The whole family is one for which friendship and esteem is entertained throughout their neighborhood.

RED LEWIS ALBRIGHT, one of the leading citizens and representative farmers of Monroe township, who owns a magnificent farm of 360 acres ---- of rich land here, was born in Meck- lenberg, Germany, and is a son of John and Mary Albright.

The life history of Mr. Albright is as in- teresting as a story of fiction. It began in a little German village which belonged to one of the large landowners of that section of the country, in which his peasant parents lived as had their parents before them, happy and con- tented. It is very probable that when they learned that their son had an ambition to leave the confines of his native hamlet, that their perental fears saw only his ultimate ruin. The time came, however, when they not only felt satisfied with what he had done in his youth, but were happy to join him in his prosperity, far from their old home, and in their old age were cared for and provided for by his filial bounty. The father died in 1895 and the mother two years later.

Mr. Albright was not the only child born

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to his parents, nor the only one to come to America. Lena, born in Germany, was there married to John Bagro, with whom she came to Ohio, where he died; she now lives at Co- lumbus. Anna married John Martin, in America, and lives at Columbus. Augusta married Valentine Brigold and they live in Missouri. Rebecca married Joseph Long and they live at Columbus. Minnie married Frank Debold and they live on a farm near New Hol- land in Pickaway County.

As intimated, Fred Lewis Albright was born of poor parents and had no future to look to except what he could provide for himself. He was industrious and as soon as he was able to work found employment with neighboring farmers who tilled small farms and were not able to pay very much for the assistance they received. In the local schools the youth was af- forded an excellent education in his own lan- guage, a gift every German boy receives from his government, and probably because he was more intelligent than many of his companions he was more ambitious. For a long time he had entertained a determination to leave Ger- many and seek his fortune across the Atlantic. His opportunity came about the time of the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, when he was 19 years of age. He enlisted the sym- pathy of an uncle who lent him enough money to pay his passage to America, and one night he slipped away from the sleeping little vil- lage and started, alone and but poorly equip- ped, to take his chances with thousands of other emigrants entering the United States.

That Mr. Albright should have succeeded so well when he had so much to contend with, is nothing less than remarkable. When he landed in New York, in November, 1871, he could speak no English and but a small portion of his borrowed capital remained. He had heard that there were many Germans settled at Columbus, Ohio, and he made that city his objective point and arrived, tired, foot-sore, and hungry, at the Snyder House, Columbus, on Saturday night, December 7, 1871. He had just five cents in his pocket. The proprietor of the hostelry was a German and he kindly took care of his young countryman until Mon-

day morning and then encouraged him to start out through Pickaway County and seek work with the farmers. This advice Mr. Albright followed and on the second day was employed by Peter Hall, a farmer of Madison town- ship. He remained with this worthy farmer for four years or more and then went into busi- ness for himself, renting a farm from a Mr. Conklin, which he operated for three years.

In the meantime the young German's thrift and industry had brought about results. Some of the first money he earned he sent to his father and mother to provide for their pas- sage to this country. They joined him in 1875 and the mother kept house for him for some 10 years. Later he rented the David Brobst farm. After living on this place for five years, he married, after which he continued to reside on the farm for five more years. In 1888 he rented his present farm which was then owned by John Schook, and after operating it for four years purchased it in 1892.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 84

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