USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 53
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James G. Middleton was born in Hamilton county, O., a son of John and Lydia (Graham) Middleton, and a grandson of William anl Rachel Middle- ton. John H. Middleton was born in Hamilton county, January 29, 1814, a blacksmith and farmer. On December 5, 1838, he married Lydia Graham, a daughter of James and Mary E. Graham. She was born in Lancaster county, Pa., August 14, 1818, and accompanied her parents to Hamilton county, O., in 1823, and after marriage she and her husband lived in Hamilton county until 1853, when they came to Shelby county and settled in Green
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township. They had the following children: Lucinda H., James G., Mary J., David, Elizabeth, Lewis N., Alice B., and William. When his parents came to Shelby county, James G. Middleton was eleven years old and he has continued his residence on the old homestead farm, now living in comfortable retirement, being aged seventy years. He married Margaret Nutt, who also survives, and they have three children : H. C., who lives one mile south of his brother's farm; John, who lives one and one-half miles north of this prop- erty ; and Elva N.
After his school days were over, Elva N. Middleton followed farming on the old home place, and then settled on his own farin about fifteen years ago, and has devoted his attention to a general agricultural line. The excellent improvements seen on the place he made at different times and the appearance of comfort and thrift indicate Mr. Middleton's careful interest in his present activities. He married Miss Eva May Proctor, a daughter of George Proctor, one of the old settlers of Green township, and they have four children: Don, Catherine, Grace and Robert. In politics Mr. Middleton has been a stanchi republican for many years. Fraternally he is identified with both the sub- ordinate and encampment branches of Odd Fellowship and the auxiliary order of Rebeccas, and belongs also to the Modern Woodmen.
J. L. ATKINSON, who may be termed the leading business man of Plattsville, O., as he owns and conducts the only general store in the place, also owns a valuable farm of eighty-five acres, which lies in Green township, Shelby county, O. He was born in Green township, one mile east of this village, February 28, 1864, and is a son of Ralph and Martha (Johnson) Atkinson.
Ralph Atkinson and wife were born in Pennsylvania and after their mar- riage came to Shelby county and became farming people in Green township and there spent the rest of their lives, both dying near the age of sixty-eight years. They had eight children born to them: K. T., residing at Piqua ; Samuel, of Bellefontaine; Mrs. Ella Zinks, of Darke county; Mrs. T. K. Minnear, of Plattsville; Mrs. Mary L. Simes, of St. Mary's; Harvey, living in Miami county ; J. L .; and Mrs. Hannah Rolfe, residing in Green township.
After his school days J. L. Atkinson worked on the home farm for some years and then went to Champaign county for a time but was later returned to Green township and operated his farm there until 1908, when he purchased his store at Plattsville from P. L. Frazier. He carries a large stock of assorted merchandise, including hardware, and enjoys a large trade, his cus- tomers coming from quite distant points on account of the excellent quality of his goods and his honest methods of dealing. Mr. Atkinson is just the kind of man a community needs to assist in its development, being energetic, progressive and far-sighted.
Mr. Atkinson was married first to Miss Retta Woolley, who died in Green township, leaving two children : Ralph and Mrs. Ona Hand. Mr. Atkinson's second marriage was to Miss Lizzie Scoby and they have one daughter, Anna. In politics Mr. Atkinson is a democrat and he is serving in his first term as
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township trustee. He is identified with the lodge of Odd Fellows at Platts- ville, and he and family attend the Universalist church.
'JOHN W. HARP, general farmer residing in section 33, Cynthian town- ship, where he owns eighty acres of valuable land, was born December 3, 1853, in Loramie township. Shelby county, and is a son of Albert and Cath- erine (Galley ) Harp.
Albert Harp was born at Piqua, O., of Scotch and German parentage, and was reared to manhood at Lockport, O. He married Catherine Galley, who was born in Carroll county, Md., of German parents, and twelve children were born to them, four of whom now live in Ashland county, one in Kansas, one in North Dakota, and the following in Shelby county: Mrs. Elizabeth McLel- lan, of Cynthian township; Jacob, of Sidney ; and John W. Albert Harp was a plasterer by trade and was accounted a good workman. In his youth he served as a soldier in the Mexican war and during the Civil war served as a member of the Fiftieth O. Vol. Inf., fortunately escaping all injury in both wars and living to return to Loramie township, Shelby county, where he had previously established his home. He died in Cynthian township on his sev- enty-first birthday, having outlived his wife for many years, she passing away when aged fifty-four years. They attended the Dunkard church and both were interred in the Dunkard cemetery in the eastern part of Cynthian township.
John W. Harp attended the district schools and under his father learned the plasterer's trade and worked more or less at that trade up to 1900, after marriage residing for nine years in Paulding county and then settling on his present farm in Cynthian township. Seventeen years ago he purchased this property from the Danferd heirs. It had been partially cleared but all the fencing was done by Mr. Harp and all the erecting of the present substantial buildings. The land is well situated, lying three-fourths mile south of the Sidney and Hardin turnpike road.
Mr. Harp married Miss Lydia Roads, a daughter of John S. Roads, a former resident of Loramie township, and ten children were born to them, although but three are now living: Clara, who is the wife of Alfred Ward, and they live in Michigan; Pearl May, who is the wife of A. A. Woods, of Cynthian township; and Edward, who assists his father on the home farm. The mother of the above children died when aged fifty-four years, four months and twelve days, and her burial was at Houston, O. She was a woman of many virtues and was a consistent member of the Christian church at Oran. In his political sentiments Mr. Harp has been a republican since early manhood and has frequently been called on by his party to accept local responsibilities. He served as township trustee for seven years and was also school director for many years and for fourteen years has been treasurer of the school fund of the Oran special school district.
WILLIAM H. PERSINGER, who is a member of the prominent grain firm of J. E. Wells & Co., operators of grain elevators in Shelby, Miami and
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Logan counties, O., has practically been in the grain business all his life. He was born in Logan county, O., on his father's farm south of Quincy, in 1875, and is a son of Henry D. Persinger.
The parents of Mr. Persinger moved to Quincy when he was about one year old and thus the youth had both social and school advantages and became a graduate of the Quincy high school. Soon afterward he entered the office of J. E. Wells, a prominent grain merchant of Quincy, in the capacity of bookkeeper, and continued until 1898, when he became a member of the firm. His business enterprise and capacity have made him valuable in his present connection and his own interests, with those of the firm, have continuously expanded. He assisted in the organization of the Miami Valley Bank of Quincy, of which he is a director, Mr. Wells being president of the bank.
Mr. Persinger was married at Quincy, O., to Miss Maud E. Neal, of Champaign county, O., and they have resided at Sidney for the past seven years. The company has fine business headquarters in the Citizens Bank building at Sidney.
CHARLES F. BROERMAN, who is one of Shelby county's most respected citizens, is a large landowner in Ohio, having 291 acres in his home place in Cynthian township, and eighty-two acres in Wabash township, Darke county, about seventy-five acres of his land being in timber and pastures. He was born in Germany, January 29, 1864, and is a son of Frank and Eliza- beth Broerman.
The parents of Mr. Broerman came from Germany to the United States in 1867 and settled on land in Shelby county, O., located one mile west of Fort Loramie. That place continued their home as long as they lived. They were members of St. Michael's Catholic church.
Charles F. Broerman was three years old when his parents brought him to Shelby county and he attended school in the Walkup special school district in Cynthian township and afterward engaged in farm work and after his marriage settled on his present placc. He set about making improvements, erected the comfortable residence and remodeled or repaired all the other buildings, put down tilings where necessary and built substantial fences. He has carried on farming and stock raising with very satisfactory results and is numbered with the prosperous agriculturists of this section.
Mr. Broerman married Miss Catherine Kuether, who was born in Auglaize county, O., a daughter of Henry Kuether, and they have had seven children, namely : Emma, Clara, Frank, John, Robert, Leo and Adeline, the youngest dying at the age of one month. Mr. Broerman and family are members of St. Peter and Paul Catholic church at Newport, O., and for the past four years Mr. Broerman has been church warden. In politics he is a democrat and at present is serving as treasurer of the board of education of the Short special school district.
C. G. GINN, who operates his excellent farm of ninety-two acres accord- ing to modern methods of agriculture and meets with very satisfactory returns,
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resides in Green township, Shelby county, six miles southeast of Sidney, in a very beautiful section of country. He was born in 1864, in Shelby county, O., three miles north of Sidney, and is a son of George and Ella ( Wells) Ginn.
George Ginn was born in Ireland and was brought to the United States by his parents when two years old. They settled on the west line of Shelby county, and there the son grew to manhood. When twenty-one years old he left home for the gold fields of California and for six years followed mining in that state but when he determined to locate permanently he returned to the East. settling first on land north of Sidney. O., where he remained until 1874, when he removed to White county, Ill. For five years Mr. Ginn engaged in farming there but in 1879 came to Green township, Shelby county, settling on the above mentioned farm and here the remainder of his life was passed, his death occurring at the age of seventy-three years. He was a well- known man, one widely informed, and had many friends in whatever section he chose to make his home. He married Ella Wells, a daughter of James Wells and she survives, being now in her seventy-fourth year. Five children were born to George Ginn and wife: Wilbur A., who lives at Sanford, Fla .; C. G. ; Charles Earl and Grace E., both of whom live at Cincinnati ; and Sarah Frances, who lives with her mother and brother on the old homestead.
C. G. Ginn attended the country schools and afterward enjoyed one term at Lebanon, O. He then returned home to assume charge of the home farm and here has continued to carry on general farming and moderate stock rais- ing to some extent. In politics he is a Republican and for seven years has served as assessor and as member of the school board. Since early manhood he has been identified with the Odd Fellows and belongs to the lower branch at Plattsville and the encampment at Sidney. With his mother and sister he attends the Methodist Episcopal church at Plattsville. Mr. Ginn is unmarried.
HENRY WENDELN, who owns a very valuable farm containing 178 acres, which lies in section 11, McLean township, adjoining the town of Fort Loramie, on the north side, is one of the substantial and representative citi- zens of this section of the county. He was born February 26, 1855, in Auglaize county. O., and is a son of Henry Wendeln, and a grandson of William Wendeln.
Grandfather William Wendeln emigrated from Germany with his family of five sons and three daughters and settled in Auglaize county, O., securing 160 acres of government land situated in Jackson township. This was in 1833 and as yet no roads had been constructed in the township and it took a long time to go to and from Piqua, the nearest provision point. The grandfather survived for five years after coming to America, his death occur- ring on the above farm and his burial being at Minster, in the Catholic church cemetery, having been a lifelong member of that faith.
Henry Wendeln, son of William, was born in Oldenburg. Germany, and accompanied his parents to the United States. He worked for several months at Cincinnati, O., and then took charge of the farm in Jackson township and was married to Elizabeth Duttmann. She also was a native of Germany and
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had been in America but three months when she married and ten children were born to them, four of whom are yet living, Henry being the second youngest of the family. The father, Henry Wendeln, continued to carry on the farm until his death, at the age of fifty years and was survived by his wife for ten years, she then being aged fifty-nine years. The grandmother survived both her son and daughter-in-law, living to the age of eighty-nine years and her last days were made comfortable by the kind attentions of her grandson, Henry Wendeln.
About two years before his grandmother's death, Henry Wendeln came into possession of the home farm and continued to live there for five years following his marriage and then sold it to advantage and bought his present farm, in 1882, it being but partly improved. Mr. Wendeln remodeled the residence and made other improvements, has cleared about forty acres and still has twenty acres in valuable woodland. He carries on a general farming line, Fort Loramie giving him a ready market, and is one of the prosperous agriculturists of this section.
In 1877 Mr. Wendeln was married to Miss Mary Anna Liening, who was born at Minster, O., a daughter of Benjamin Liening. She died in May, 1890, and her burial was in St. Michael's cemetery, her age being thirty-five years. She was the mother of five children, namely: Louis, who is a farmer near Wheatfield, Ind., married Bertha Panchar; Katie, who lives at Cincin- nati, O .; Rosa, who is the wife of Benjamin Schulte, living at Maria Station; Edward, who assists his father; and Joseph, who died at the age of nine months. In 1892 Mr. Wendeln was married to his present. wife, Catherine Bohman, who then lived at Annexburg. Ind., and they have seven children : Carrie, Dena. Eleanor, Mary, Millie, John Henry and Andrew. Mr. Wendeln has given his children all possible advantages and they have done well at school. Since January, 1912, he has been a member of the board of education of the Berlin special school district. The family belongs to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie.
WILLIAM F. MEIGHEN,, superintendent of the Shelby County Chil- dren's Home, was born in Shelby county, O., September 4. 1876, and is a son of John F. and Johanna ( Bull) Meighen, and a grandson of Amos Meighen and of Hiram Bull, the former an early settler of Warren county and the latter of Shelby county.
John F. Meighen was born in Warren county. O., November 6, 1849, and now resides on his farm of eighty acres situated six and one-half miles south- east. of Sidney. He married Johanna Bull and they have three children : Minnie, wife of D. J. Simes; William F. and Edna May. Mr. Meighen is one of the highly respected citizens of Orange township and the family is well known in the neighborhood and is prominent in the Baptist church.
William F. Meighen obtained his education in the schools of Miami county and until he accepted his present responsible position, devoted himself to farming and stock raising, in the meanwhile becoming so well and favorably known in the county's various welfare movements that his appointment as
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superintendent of the Children's Home in March, 1912, brought general satis- faction and public approval. He has been twice married and to his first union one child was born that died when aged one year. His second marriage took place in 1908, to a daughter of John S. and Victoria Stapleton, formerly farmers in Champaign county but now living retired at Christianburg, O. Mrs. Meighen has one brother, Ulysses. She has been interested in this line of work almost all her life and possesses the temperament and personal attri- butes that admirably fit her for it. She has been connected with a number of public institutions, including the State Pythian Home at Springfield, O., the Masonic Home and the Children's Home of Miami county, O. Mr. and Mrs. Meighen are members of the Baptist church. In politics he is a democrat.
HENRY FORTMAN, clerk of the board of education of the Dirksen special school district, McLean township. is a prosperous agriculturist and resides on his farm of eighty acres situated in section 9, one mile west and one mile north of Fort Loramie, O. He was born in Germany September 8, 1865, and was six years old when his parents, Henry and Elizabeth Fortman, came to America. Of their three children lie is the only survivor.
Henry Fortman grew up on the home farm in McLean township and attended school until he was thirteen years of age pretty regularly but since that time has devoted himself to tilling the soil and growing stock. With his father he cleared about sixty acres of this land and all but twenty acres of woodland is well drained and tiled. His farm products are grain, hay and potatoes largely, with cattle and hogs and an abundance of fruit.
Mr. Fortman was married first to Miss Agnes Berning, who was born in McLean township and died here July 25, 1893, survived by one son, Bernard. His second marriage was to Miss Mary Riethman, a native of McLean town- ship and a daughter of Anton Riethman, and the following children have been born to them: Anton, Laurence, Louetta, Henry, Raymond, Alvena and Hilda. Mr. Fortman and family are members of the Catholic church at Minster, O. In politics he has always been identified with the democratic party.
SHELBY J. BRANDENBURG, who belongs to a family that has lived in Shelby county through several generations, ever esteemed and held in respect, owns an excellent farm of fifty-five acres, situated in Franklin town- ship. He was born in Jackson township July 11, 1863, and is a son of Joel and Hannah (Le Master) Brandenburg.
Both parents of Mr. Brandenburg were born also in Jackson township, Shelby county and both are now deceased and their burial was in the Pearl cemetery. The father was a member of the Reformed church and the mother was a Methodist. They had three children: Linsley C., Amanda, wife of Scott Ewing, and Shelby J.
After completing the public school course, Shelby J. Brandenburg remained with his father on the home farm until he was twenty-seven years of age,
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after which, he rented land for himself in Salem township for four years, later land in Franklin township for eight years, in Turtle Creek township for three years and once more rented in Franklin township, but, after four more years of renting, in 1909 purchased his present farm from J. M. Forsythe. He has made all needed improvements on his property and carries on general farming, raises sufficient stock for home use, and is numbered with the solid, reliable agriculturists of this section.
In 1892 Mr. Brandenburg was married to Miss Mary E. West, who was born also in Shelby county; a daughter of William and Levina (Conover) West, the former of whom is deceased, but the mother of Mrs. Brandenburg survives and resides at Sidney. Mr. and Mrs. West had children as follows : John, Lester, Edward, Mattie, wife of George W. Zedeker, Charles, and Mary E., the wife of Mr. Brandenburg, and they have three children: Cora, who is a teacher in Turtle Creek township; Clyde and Lenita. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. In his political views Mr. Bran- denburg is a democrat.
CHARLES M. DORSEY, who is a representative of one of the earliest pioneer families of Shelby county, is a well-known citizen of Sidney where he was engaged in newspaper work prior to July 1, 1898, since which date he has been assistant postmaster. He was born on his father's farm in Green township October 27, 1870, and is a son of Snowden Taylor and Anna (Mathers) Dorsey.
Snowden Taylor Dorsey was born in 1825, in Green township, a son of John Dorsey, who came from Maryland and settled in this section when it was yet a wilderness. Snowden T. Dorsey was reared on the pioneer farm and attended the first school ever organized in Green township. He learned the carpenter trade and also was a farmer. At the time of death, September II, 1894, he was the oldest man in Green township.
Charles M. Dorsey grew to manhood on the home farm and obtained his education in the public schools, with two years at the Lebanon National Nor- mal School and one term at Valparaiso, Ind., for three years afterward teach- ing school at Palestine. He then came to Sidney and for some years was connected with the old Sidney Gazette which later merged with the Sidney Journal. He has been an active citizen and to some degree interested in politics.
Mr. Dorsey was first married to Miss Mamie Brelsford, who died Septem- ber 14, 1910, the mother of three children : Amelia Knox, Mary and Horace Taylor, the second born dying at the age of seven months. Mr. Dorsey was married (second) July 18, 1912, to Miss Stella Wilson, who was a successful teacher and an admired lady in Sidney social circles. Mr. Dorsey was reared in the Presbyterian church. He is identified with a number of fraternal organizations, including: the Odd Fellows, the Tribe of Ben Hur, and the Knights of the Golden Eagle.
MICHAEL LOY
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MICHAEL LOY, one of the representative citizens of Shelby county, O., who resides on his valuable farm of seventy-four acres, which is situated in section 18, Cynthian township, two and one-half miles south of Fort Loramie, has been more continuously connected with educational matters in the Basinburg special school district, of which he is the present clerk, than any other resident of the township for the past thirty- six years. Mr. Loy was born September 1, 1853, in McLean township, Shelby county, and is a son of George and Catherine Loy.
George Loy was born in Germany and was a young man when he came to the United States and settled in McLean township, locating at first among the early settlers west of Fort Loramie, whom he assisted to clear their lands. Later he bought a tract of eighty acres located south of Fort Loramie, in partnership with a Mr. Smith, the latter taking the south one-half and Mr. Loy the north one-half and this land now belongs to Michael Loy. He lost his wife, Catherine Loy, when their only child, Michael, was three years old, and his own death occurred seven years later.
Thus, when but ten years old, Michael Loy was made an orphan. For three years afterward he lived with an uncle, when the latter's death left him again without legal protectors, and he then became a member of the family of a Mr. Wagler, a farmer in Cynthian township, with whom he lived for one year and eight months. From there he went to the home of an aunt and worked for her as a hired man, in the meanwhile attending school as regularly as he was able, in what is now the Basin- burg special school district, being obliged, at that time, to go back and forth through the woods as there had been little clearing done in that locality. Mr. Loy's memory goes back to the building of the old United Brethren church edifice, which is now in ruins, and he can easily recall the introduction of many of the most useful farm implements and machinery, now in constant use on his own land, the same never having been even thought of when he was a boy. After his marriage, Mr. Loy rented farm land until 1882, when he purchased the property on which he has lived ever since and successfully carries on his different farm industries, assisted more or less by several of his sons.
In 1879 Mr. Loy was married to Miss Hattie Groh, who was born in Cynthian township, Shelby county, a daughter of Ludwig Groh and wife. They were natives of Germany who lived in Pennsylvania before coming to Dayton, O., and later to Shelby county. The father of Mrs. Loy died in Cynthian township and the mother in Auglaize county, O. To Mr. and Mrs. Loy the following children were born: Harvey W., who is president of a university in Union county, Ky .; Rosa, who is the wife of Ross Hotchkiss and they live in Illinois; Frances, who is a highly appreciated teacher in the Basinburg special school district; Albert, who resides east of Sidney, married Viola Mills; Frank, who teaches school in Perry township, married Elsie Geer and is a student of theology ; George; Walter, who is a student at Ada, O .; Elmer; and Emma and
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