History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 85

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 85

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When Mr. Albright first came to his farm he found a log house here which he repaired so that it served as a home for the family until 1903, when he built what is one of the finest, most complete modern homes in all the rural regions of Pickaway County. It is substan- tially constructed of seasoned timbers, con- tains 15 rooms, has hot and cold water through- out and is lighted by 21 acetylene gas lights. A cement cellar extends under the whole of the house. Mr. Albright spent fully $4,000 in the building of this beautiful home, and he has equipped it with everything to make it comfortable. In order to accommodate his crops and herds, his stock and machinery, Mr. Albright has provided a great deal of barn room and has built a new barn every year since he completed his fine house, having more barn space for the acreage than any other farmer in the county.

Mr. Albright at present writing has 100 acres devoted to grass, 100 to corn and over 100 to wheat. To give plenty of space to his stock, he has a pasture of 50 acres. He raises thorough-bred horses, cattle and hogs. He owns some imported horses, one in particular for which he paid at the rate of $1 per pound.

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MR. AND MRS. JOHN H. SARK AND FAMILY.

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In the raising of stock as in everything else he does, Mr. Albright is thorough. He has always believed that what was worth doing at all was worth doing well. He has never spared himself, having worked hard from the time he landed in Pickaway County, and naturally is of the opinion that persistent in- dustry, combined with perfect honesty, will be pretty certain to bring about satisfactory results. He did not receive much encourage- ment from those who wished him well when he first purchased his present farm, but his foresight proved better than theirs. His farm is now considered the finest land in Monroe township and if put on the market would command the highest price. He has every reason to be proud of his success since he be- came an American citizen. . One of his first cares was to relieve himself from the debt he owed his uncle, along with the filial treatment of his parents as noted above, and in subse- quent business transactions he has always sus- tained his reputation for unblemished integ- rity.

In 1885 Mr. Albright was married to Adda Longenbaugh, who is a daughter of Enos and Samantha (Allen) (Glick) Longenbaugh, the Longenbaugh family having been estab- lished in Ohio by immigrants from Pennsyl- vania. Mrs. Albright's parents were born in Pickaway County and now reside at Ashville, where the father is a blacksmith. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Longenbaugh were: Emma, now deceased, who was the wife of Elmer Brinker; Edward, deceased at the age of 23 years; Lula, deceased at the age of 14 years; and Adda (Mrs. Albright), who was born August 20, 1865.

Mr. and Mrs. Albright have two children, viz .: Grace, born in September, 1886; and John, born October 3, 1888.

Mr. Albright has never been a very active politician, but has always taken a great deal of interest in educational matters and in all movements relating to local improvements. He is now serving as one of the directors of his school district. The road along which he lives was named for him on account of the vigorous fight he made to have it put through; it is one of the most traveled highways in the town-

ship and one of the greatest conveniences the farmers enjoy. Mr. Albright has been a Mason for many years and has attained to the rank of Knight Templar. Few citizens of the west- ern section of Pickaway County are better known or more thoroughly respected than he.

OHN H. SARK, one of Walnut town- ship's representative farmers, resid- ing on his valuable farm of 121 acres, situated in section 17. Walnut town- ship, was born in Circleville township. Pickaway County, Ohio, April 27, 1863, and is a son of Isaac and Mary (Marburger) Sark. The paternal grandfather of our subject was born in England and died in Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Isaac Sark was born in Berks County, Penn- sylvania, and came in young manhood to Pick- away County. Later he married Mary Mar- burger, who was also born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of George Marburger, a native of Berks County, Penn- sylvania, who walked from Pennsylvania to Fairfield County, Ohio, located land in Aman- da township and there died at the remarkable age of 101 years and six months. Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Sark had a family of five children born to them, the eldest of whom died in in- fancy. The four children that grew to matur- ity are as follows: John H .; Samuel M., su- perintendent of the schools of Darby town- ship, who married Mary B. Thomas; William, of Scioto township, who married Julia Burton; and Charles, of Walnut township, who married Florence Martin. After the death of Isaac Sark, his widow married George A. Kashner, a resident of Circleville.

John H. Sark was taken to Indiana in child- hood and lived there for some 18 months and then was brought back to Wanut township. He was educated in the schools of districts I and 4, and spent two winters at St. Paul, Madi- son township. This completed his educational opportunities, His life has always been an agricultural one. For the first eight years of individual effort, he received only his board and clothes. In the meantime, however, he had

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become a practical farmer and when he was ready to purchase land of his own he had saved the capital and possessed the judgment to se- cure good farming property. In 1892 he bought 90 acres of William Peters and in March, 1905, he added 31 acres, purchased of Josiah Ward. In addition to operating his own land, he rents 290 acres of James Ward. He bears the reputation of being one of the careful and successful farmers of his locality. He is a self-made man in every essential, hav- ing honestly earned through industry all he possesses. Neither inheritance nor speculation have had anything to do with his accumula- tion of a competency or with his securing the esteem and confidence of his fellow-citizens.

Mr. Sark was married in 1886 to Ann Markwood, a daughter of James Markwood, and they have six children, namely : Claude, Clara, Arthur, Leonard, Howard and Guy. Mr. Sark is giving his children all the advan- tages in his power, these being far in excess of those of his own youth. A group picture of the Sark family accompanies this sketch.

Politically Mr. Sark is a Republican and is a member of the executive party organiza- tion in Walnut township. While ever ready to further the political aspirations of his friends, he has never consented to hold office himself. He belongs to the Grange, having joined this body in 1881, when but 18 years of age, and he has always been interested in its work. For 16 years he has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and belongs to the affiliated society known as Daughters of Rebekah. He is a Mason and belongs to the Circleville Commandery. Mr. Sark also enjoys membership in the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.

e HARLES EDGAR BLAKELEY, owner and proprietor of the only undertaking establishment in Ash- ville, was born at Quincy, Logan County, Ohio, on October 7, 1878, and is a son of George Henry and Elizabeth (Berdett) (Patton) Blakeley. He is of Scotch- Irish descent. His paternal grandparents

came from the North of Ireland early in the last century.

George Henry Blakeley was born October 10, 1851, in Franklin County, Ohio, but spent the greater part of his life in Logan County, and is at present a resident of Columbus, Ohio. His wife was born December 5, 1844 and died December 19, 1882. They had two children : Charles Edgar, of this sketch; and William Henry, born February 9, 1882, who is a resi- dent of Columbus, Ohio.

Charles E. Blakeley attended the public schools of. Columbus, Ohio, leaving when 17 years old to enter the undertaking establish- ment of John J. Mank, a funeral director of Columbus. He afterwards went to work for H. A. Pletcher of Columbus, where he re- mained until March 1, 1900, when he located in Ashville where he opened an establishment for himself where he has a large patronage, conducting all the funerals in his section of the county. Mr. Blakeley owns a large attractive residence, elegantly furnished, which is one of the most modern of the many handsome resi- dences in. Ashville.

Mr. Blakeley was married October 7, 1900, to Harriette Ogden Mautz, a daughter of G. W. and Phoebe (Beaver) Mautz, residents of Columbus, Ohio. They have one child, George Emerson, who was born June 25, 1902. Mr. Blakeley is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Ashville. Fraternally, he is a member of the Pickaway Lodge, F. & A. M., at Circleville, and of Palmetto Lodge, Knights of Pythias, at Ashville.

A MOS DUNKEL, a prominent farmer and representative citizen of Pick- away County, who owns a valuable farm of 294 acres of fertile land in Washington and Circleville town- ships, was born September 25, 1827, in what was then Washington but is now Circleville township. His parents were Jacob and Mary (Markel) Dunkel, both natives of Berks County, Pennsylvania.

The Dunkel family in Ohio dates back to 1802, at which time John Dunkel, the. grand-

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father of Amos Dunkel, entered land in Pick- away County, being a resident then of Penn- sylvania. He proposed to settle on this land but the illness of his father prevented and he remained in Pennsylvania until the War of 1812, in which he took part. After its settle- ment in 1815, John Dunkel came to his land, bringing with him his son Jacob, who was then a boy of 15 years, his birth having taken place in Pennsylvania, February 28, 1800. John Dunkel settled in Salt Creek township but did not live long enough to develop the land he had owned so many years. He was buried in Salt Creek township.

Jacob Dunkel was married in Salt Creek township, Pickaway County, to Mary Markel and then removed to Washington township, now Circleville township, and here he lived until his death in 1881. He was a well- known and respected citizen. His wife died in 1861.

Amos Dunkel was reared in his native country and was educated in the district schools. He was trained to be a practical farmer and agricultural pursuits have claimed his attention all his life. After his marriage in 1852, he moved to his farm in the eastern part of Washington township, which was then the property of his father-in-law, Isaac Stout. He lived on that place for four years and then moved on a farm in Circleville township now occupied by his son, where he remained for 23 years. In 1879 he moved to his present farm in section 16, Washington township. His land is thus divided : One farm, of 184 acres, on which he lives, is in section 16, Washington township; another farm of 51 acres, is situated on the east side of the township, on the county line; and a third tract, of 60 acres, is situated in Circleville township. Mr. Dunkel has taken a great deal of pride in his fine properties and has put valuable improvements on them. Al- most all the old buildings have been removed and a commodious frame house and substantial barn and other buildings have taken their place. This is one of the representative homes of the locality, where thrift and good manage- ment are apparent.

In 1852 Mr. Dunkel was married to Cath-

erine Stout, daughter of Isaac Stout, and they have had 10 children, viz. : Isaac, who resides with his family on his father's Circleville town- ship farm; Malinda, who resides at home; Mary, who married Allen Boyer and lives on the farm owned by Mr. Dunkel in Washington township; William, who died aged three years; Amos, who lives with his family on the farm on which his father was born; Abraham, who died in infancy; Thomas, who lives on his farm of 84 acres in Allen County, Indiana; and Catherine, who married Lewis Hann and lives in Circleville.

Mr. Dunkel has been a life-long Democrat but he has never been anxious for office, con- senting, however, to serve one term as trus- tee of Washington township. He is one of the most highly respected men of the locality.

EORGE W. LINDSAY, junior mem- ber of the law firm of Snyder & Lind- say, which controls a large and repu- table practice at Circleville, was born in Hocking County, Ohio, December 15, 1878, and is a son of Nelson Lindsay.

The father of Mr. Lindsay moved from Hocking to Pickaway County, Ohio, in 1881, settling in Scioto township, where he con- tinues to live, being one of the leading farmers of that section.

George W. Lindsay was reared from the age of four years in Pickaway County and completed the common and high school courses at Commercial Point. For one year subse- quently he was principal of the Orient schools and then entered the Ohio State University for two years, completing his education in the University of the South, at Sewanee, Tennes- see, in 1903. He received his degree of Mas- ter of Laws from the law department of the University of Michigan, in 1904. He was ad- mitted to the bar on December 6, 1902. For a short season he was located at Tampa, Flor- ida, but in April, 1905, he returned to Ohio and formed a partnership with L. F. Wegerly, at Circleville. This firm was dissolved May 31, 1906, Mr. Wegerly accepting a position in

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Houston, Texas, and Mr. Lindsay entering into partnership with Irvin F. Snyder.

In political sentiments, Mr. Lindsay is a Republican. He has taken an active interest in party matters and has been a delegate to State conventions. Fraternally he is an Elk and a Knight of Pythias and he retains his pleasant college associations, being in active membership with the Phi Kappa Alpha and the Delta Chi. Mr. Lindsay is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church.

EORGE WILLIAM GEPHART, a substantial farmer of Deer Creek township, and identified with its pub- lic affairs, was born in Circleville, December 27, 1843, and is a son of Abram F. and Elizabeth (Keffer) Gephart. The grandfather, Bernhard Gephart, died a short time prior to the migration of the fam- ily to Pickaway County, which was before the year 1825. The American genealogy of the family antedates the Revolution, many of its members being identified with that historic period. They were both industrious and patri- otic, the two traits being inseparable in those times when the struggle for independence was so largely dependent on the faithfulness of in- dividual exertion, and when the sloth of the community was its deadly enemy. At an early day various members of the family settled in the Old Dominion, and for many years prior to 1825 Bernhard Gephart was a stockman and a distiller at Martinsburg, Berkeley County, Virginia (now West Virginia): He married Sarah Faulk and they became the parents of the following children - Abram, George, Emanuel, John, David, Catherine, Betsy (Har- grave), Nancy (Sunderman), Susan and Ann Maria (neither of whom married), and Re- becca (Ellsworth).

Of the above family of 11 children, only Abram, the oldest, came to Deer Creek town- ship, Pickaway County, Abram Gephart, with his family located in Circleville prior to 1825 and a few years after the town had been plat- ted. Being a carpenter by trade he found em-

ployment from the first, and lived and labored in Circleville until near his death in 1857, at the age of 53 years. About six months before his decease, he settled on a farm in Deer Creek township. The immediate cause of his death was convulsions brought on by drinking water while overheated.

Mrs. Abram Gephart, the mother of our subject, was born on the day that Circleville was laid out-September 10, 1810. Valentine Keffer, her father, was the owner of a section of land now included in the site of the town, and his father-in-law owned an adjoining sec- tion. For many years Mr. Keffer was not only extensively interested in the real estate of the locality but wielded a strong influence in the public legislation of his section, serving with great credit in the State Legislature for a per- iod of 20 years. Mr. and Mrs. Abram Gep- hart were the parents of the following four children : Martha Ann, who died after having reached years of maturity; Charles Wesley; George W .; and Mary F., who married Wes- ley Hayes-both are now deceased.

George W. Gephart was 13 years of age when his father came to Deer Creek township, where he passed the last few months of his life. The boy continued to reside upon the family homestead for the remainder of the year fol- lowing his father's death, when he decided to do a man's work in the world, and bound him- self to a neighboring farmer until he should reach his majority. But the outbreak of the Civil War disarranged his plans, as it did those of a nation, and in November, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, 73rd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. Un- til after the battle of Gettysburg his regiment was attached to the Army of the Potomac. Be- sides Gettysburg he participated in the first battle of Bull Run, Cedar Mountain, Chancel- lorsville and Fredericksburg. Mr. Gephart was wounded at Gettysburg and confined to the hospital until the first of the following year. On account of his injuries and long confine- ment, he was unable thereafter to do field duty, and until his term of enlistment expired was chiefly engaged in guarding prisoners of war.

After being honorably discharged from military service, Mr. Gephart returned to this

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county, and, after being variously employed for two years, rented a farm. Subsequently he purchased a tract of land near Darbyville, and after selling this, in 1877, he purchased the 86 acres in Deer Creek township, which has since teen the family homestead. It has been thor- oughly improved and cultivated, in every re- spect, and its location is especially favorable, as three sides of the tract are bounded by pikes. Mr. Gephart as an agriculturist has confined himself to general farming, but he has taken a creditable part in township affairs, having been trustee for a number of years and having held other local offices.

In March, 1870, George W. Gephart was married to Nancy Buzick, a native of this coun- ty and a daughter of William and Ellen (Beall) Buzick, her father being a resident of Monroe township. Mr. and Mrs. Gephart have had five children, as follows: Charles W., resid- ing in Deer Creek township, who married Lydia Tarbill and has one child-Elmer Irv- ing; Edward E., a resident of Ross County, who married Emma Henry and has two chil- dren-Mabel Edna and Everett Henry; Wil- liam F., a graduate of Ohio Northern Univer- sity and the Ohio State University, who mar- ried Theo May Walston and for a number of years has been engaged in teaching; Thomas Benton, also a teacher, and George C., the two last named living at home.

Mr. Gephart is a stanch member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, having served as trustee in the local body. Fraternally he is iden- tified with Heber Lodge, No. 501, F. & A. M., and in politics holds an independent attitude. In a word, he is a man descended from good, industrious pioneer stock and now stands as a patriot, a worthy husband and father, and a moral and useful member of the community in which he has so long upheld an honorable name.

LOYD S. GARDNER, one of Whis- ler's most highly esteemed residents. and an honored survivor of the Civil War, owns a valuable farm of 40 acres in Salt Creek township, Picka- way County. Mr. Gardner was born in Perry County, Ohio, on the 8th of July, 1828, and

is a son of Isaac and Julia (Selby) Gardner.

The father of Mr. Gardner was born in Maryland and was a soldier in the War of 1812. The family came to Ohio from Mary- land and were among the early settlers in Perry County.

Lloyd S. Gardner was reared in his native county, where he remained until 20 years of age, and then removed to Hocking County, where he remained until the fall of 1857, when he came to Pickaway County and has been a resident of Salt Creek township continuously ever since. For many years he engaged as a carpenter and building contractor and erected many of the residences and barns which still stand as evidences of his honest work through. Pickaway and adjacent counties. On May 2, 1864, he enlisted as a private for service in the Civil War, entering Company K, 155th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in answer to the call for 100-day volunteers. His services covered 120 days and during this time he performed a soldier's duty faithfully and cheerfully. Upon his return he resumed his carpenter and con- tracting work.

On April 14, 1850, Mr. Gardner was mar- ried (first) to Margaret Dorman, of Hocking County, Ohio, and they had eight children, the five survivors being: Isaac N., of Colum- bus; John A., a physican of Toledo; Ovid L., of Columbus ; Effie O., wife of Jacob Mitchell, of Columbus; and Lizzie M., wife of Edward Liest, of Macon County, Missouri. On Decem- ber 29, 1872, Mr. Gardner was married (sec- ond) to Mary M. Harman, who was born in Salt Creek township. Pickaway County, Ohio, June 7, 1843, and is a daughter of David and Elizabeth (Imler) Harman, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Salt Creek township, Pickaway County. The two children of this marriage are : Charles W., of Columbus; and Laura L., wife of Ira Whisler, of Salt Creek township.

Mr. Gardner is one of the leading members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Whisler, in which he has been a class leader for over 50 years. He gives his political support to the Prohibition party, having always cast his in- fluence in the direction of temperance and mor- ality. He is held in high esteem as a citizen

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and has served for several years in the respon- sible positions of director and treasurer of the Whisler Special School District. Fraternally he is an Odd Fellow-belonging to the lodge at Adelphi. An upright, honorable and useful man and a model citizen, Mr. Gardner has a wide circle of friends.

Mr. Gardner witnessed the falling of the stars in 1833, when he was a child of but five years.

HARLES H. MAY, attorney-at- law at Circleville and one of the leading Republican politicians of Pickaway County, was born in Ross County, Ohio, March 20, 1873, and is a son of Dr. John B. May.

Dr. John B. May was born in North Caro- lina, where he was reared and educated. He settled in Ohio during the Civil War and be- came one of the most prominent physicians and surgeons at New Holland, Pickaway County.

Charles H. May was reared from the age of three years at New Holland, Pickaway County, his parents having removed there from Bourneville, Ross County. After completing a common-school course, he taught school for two years and then took the teacher's course at the Ohio Normal University at Ada. After thorough preparation, in the fall of 1894 he entered the senior class of the Cincinnati Law School and in the following year was gradu- ated with his degree of B. L.

Mr. May came immediately to Circleville and entered into partnership with Charles Dres- bach, judge of the Court of Common Pleas, the firm name being Dresbach & May. The partnership was continued until Mr. Dres- bach was appointed by Governor Nash to suc- ceed the late Judge Festus Walters on the bench of the Court of Common Pleas. Since then Mr. May has practiced alone and has be- come a prominent figure in the different courts and has been a successful pleader in many im- portant cases.

On June 24, 1903, Mr. May was married to Pearl Bennett, a daughter of William Ben-

nett, who was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, and is a retired farmer and large owner of real estate at Muncie, Indiana.

Since early manhood Mr. May has been interested in politics and public affairs and his abilities have been recognized by the Republi- can party. On numerous occasions he has been chosen for important party positions. For five years he served as chairman of the Republican County Executive Committee. He was a dele- gate to the last great Republican National Con- vention in 1904, which nominated Theodore Roosevelt for President of the United States.

In fraternal life Mr. May has numerous connections. He belongs to Lodge No. 392, F. & A. M., at New Holland; Lodge No. 65, Order of the Eastern Star, at New Holland; Lodge No. 237, Knights of Pythias, at New Holland; Circleville Lodge, No. 77, B. P. O. E .; and Camp No. 6334, M. W. of A., at New Holland. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

B. HASWELL, proprietor of the Haswell Steel Range & Furnace Company, of Circleville, was born in this city in 1862 and is a son of A. J. Haswell.

The father of Mr. Haswell was also a na- tive of Circleville, his birth occurring in 1826. For many years he engaged in a foundry busi- ness here and was one of the town's enterpris- ing and successful men. His death occurred in 1905.

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History of Pickaway County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, Part 85

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