USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 64
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Mr. Eilerman married Miss Mary Dreses, who was born in McLean town- ship, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Dreses, and they have six children: Ada, August, Clara, Mary, and Jennie. Mr. Eilerman has been one of the leading advocates of school advancement in his neighborhood and has devoted much time and thought to making the schools of this district what they now are. He and family are members of St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie.
DANIEL TOY, one of the prominent citizens of Sidney, O., representing the second ward in the city council and an influential factor in democratic politics in Shelby county, is a native of Sidney, born November 14, 1876. He is a son of W. M. and Mary ( Haslup) Toy.
Daniel Toy was reared at Sidney and attended school here, afterward learning the printer's trade, entering the office of the Sidney Daily News on the day of its first issue. For four years Mr. Toy worked as a printer and afterward, for a couple of years, was in the employ of the Sidney Steel Scraper Company, finally entering the shops of the Philip Smith Company, where he learned the machinist's trade and is now foreman of these same shops.
Mr. Toy married Miss Emma Louise Pfefferle, a daughter of Carl Pferff- erle, and they have one son, Harold. Mr. Toy comes naturally by his mechani- cal skill, his father and his grandfather having been identified with mechanics and manufacturing during the greater part of their lives. He has always been interested in public matters, a strong democrat in his political belief, and has 35
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served as a member of the Shelby County Democratic Central Committee and also has been a member of the Sidney Democratic Executive Committee. When D. H. Warner resigned as alderman of the Second ward, in order to become the director of public service, in January, 1912, Mr. Toy was imme- diately selected to fill out Mr. Warner'c unexpired term and has proved a use- ful member of the city council.
JOSEPH DRESES, who lives retired on his valuable farm of sixty acres, situated in Cynthian township, two and one-half miles south of Fort Loramie, was born in Germany, February 10, 1836, and is a son of Theodore and Eliza- beth Dreses, both of whom died in Germany, the mother when he was but two years old.
Joseph Dreses went to school and helped his father on the little home farm until he was old enough for military service after which he was in the army for eight years and during that time took part in the wars in which his country was engaged. He was thirty-six years of age when he left Germany and came to the United States. As a farm hand he worked for two years and eight months in Kansas, and from there came to Ohio and became a farmer in Shelby county, near Fort Loramie, where he soon married and for five years afterward lived in McLean township, west of the village. From there he moved on the Johnston Ginn farm and then operated the Schlater farm for one year and the Holthaus farm for four years, after which he bought his present farm of the Barlage heirs, of Fort Loramie, and cleared a part of it. At present he has all of it under cultivation except nine acres of woodland and the larger part of the land is well drained and tiled. The present comfort- able farm house he built after taking possession and he remodeled the barn and other farm buildings. A general line of farming is carried on, some stock and the usual grains of this section being produced. Mr. Dreses is a democrat in his political views and is a good and law abiding citizen.
Mr. Dreses was married to Miss Mary Elizabeth Merkentrop, who was born in Germany, a daughter of Bernard and Elizabeth Merkentrop, and came to America when twenty-six years old. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dreses, namely : Katie, who died at the age of ten months; Mary, who is the wife of H. A. Eilerman; Lena, who is the wife of Clay Eilerman, of McLean township; Anton, who died in his tenth year; and Elizabeth, who died when aged seven years. Mr. Dreses' daughters were educated in the Short Special School District. The family belongs to St. Michael's Catholic church at Fort Loramie.
EARL.A. YATES, M. D., who has been established at Sidney, O., in the practice of medicine and surgery since 1906, enjoys the confidence of the public here in marked degree. He was born on a farm in Miami county, O., near the town of Conover, March 11, 1874, and is a son of Samuel and Phebe (Shanks) Yates.
Samuel Yates and wife were both born in Miami county, he on April 30, 1830, and she on October 4, of the same year. Her death occurred in Septem-
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ber, 1904, and his less than two years later, on April 18, 1906. They were farming people whose interests were centered in their home and family and they lived long and worthy lives.
Earl A. Yates attended school at Conover, and was graduated in 1893 from the Lena and Conover high school, and during the winter of 1893-94 attended the Ohio State University at Columbus, his studies from 1894 until 1897 being directed along the line of medicine, and his graduation with first honors took place in the last named year. On September first following he. opened an office at Kirkwood, Shelby county, where he remained in practice until 1906, when he came to Sidney, taking his place among the skillful medi- cal men of this city, the profession being well represented here.
On August 19, 1897, Dr. Yates was married at Lena, O., to Miss Martha Denman, a daughter of Dr. H. B. and Rose (Brecount ) Denman. Mrs. Yates was born July 9, 1875, and was graduated from the Lena and Conover high school in the same class with Dr. Yates. He is a member of the Shelby County Medical Society, the Ohio State Medical Association and the Ameri- can Medical Society. Politically he is a democrat and fraternally a Mason and an Odd Fellow. Both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
J. W. JOHNSTON, whose large acreage of farming land lies in both Loramie and Cynthian townships, was born on his home farm which lies on the Washington and Dayton road in Loramie township, near Houston, O., November 22, 1872, and is a son of Thomas and a grandson of William Johnston.
William Johnston was born in Ireland and was one of the early settlers in Loramie township where his family was reared. Thomas Johnston grew to manhood here, followed farming all his life and died at the age of fifty- eight years and his burial was in the Houston cemetery. He was a member of the Christian church at Houston. He married Mary Jane Black, a daughter of William Black, and two children were born to them: Elizabeth, wife of J. M. Klase; and J. W. The mother, now in her seventy-eighth year, still resides on her homestead. She is a very highly esteemed lady in the neighbor- hood and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
J. W. Johnston was reared in Loramie township and was educated in Loramie township, which was then known as the West Jefferson School Dis- trict. He was fifteen years old when his father died and as he was the only son he had to go right to work, at farming, and, with his mother, successfully carried on the farm industries. He is progressive and enterprising in this direction and is numbered with the judicious and successful farmers of this section. The improvements on the place were made by Mrs. Johnston.
Mr. Johnston was married to Miss Oda Flinn, who was born at Hous- ton, O., a daughter of W. N. and Mary Ann Flinn, who now lives in Loramie township. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnston :
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Josephine, Leontine and Oda, the eldest of whom is a student in the Houston Special District. Mr. Johnston and his family are members of the Christian church. He is a republican but has never been active in political life.
HENRY A. APPLE, a highly respected citizen of Loramie township, Shelby county, O., a retired farmer living on one of his two farms lying in Loramie township, was born one mile east, February 15, 1849, and is a son of Henry S. and Katie (Gephart) Apple.
Henry S. Apple was born in Jackson township, Montgomery county, O., a son of John Apple and a grandson of Henry Apple, whose father, John Apple, came to America from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania. Henry S. Apple married Katie Gephart, a daughter of George Gephart, who was a pioneer in Jackson township, Montgomery county, and they came as pioneers to Loramie township, Shelby county. Here Henry S. Apple developed a farm from the wilderness and became a well-known and respected man, spending forty subsequent years in this section and dying at the age of sixty-six years. His widow survived to the age of seventy-two years and their burial was in the cemetery at Covington, O. They had seven children born to them, Henry A. being the fourth in order of birth.
Henry A. Apple was reared in an excellent home and attended the Beech Grove school in the winter time, until he was seventeen years of age, after which he gave his father valued assistance in the heavy task of clearing his large acreage of land. After marriage he settled on the farm of 140 acres on which he yet lives and still owns another farm in this township, while he has also given each of his children a farm. When he first came here he and wife went to housekeeping in a log cabin of one room and during the next two years he was so busy that he could do little more in the way of building than to keep the cabin warm and comfortable and the barn equally so in order to shelter his few cattle. He then built his present substantial barn and after twelve years put up his present handsome brick house which he has made into a comfortable modern home. At first he had seventy-seven and one-half acres in his farm and to that he kept on adding until he owned a large amount of property and extensively engaged in farming and raised stock and cattle. His home farm is all under cultivation except nine acres of timber, and it is situated two miles east of the Darke county line.
On October 21, 1869, Mr. Apple was married to Miss Mary C. Mader. who was born in Loramie township, Shelby county, O., August 27, 1848, and is a daughter of Frederick Christopher and Margaret ( Crospy ) Mader, both of whom died in Loramie township. On April 5. 1870, Mr. and Mrs. Apple took up their residence on this place and here all their children have been born, namely : William E .; Louisa C., who is the wife of Henry C. Kelch and they live in Loramie township; and Hulda J., who is the wife of J. Walter Brown and they live in the Greenwood Special School District. Mr. Apple and wife belong to the Lutheran church in which he was an official for twenty-one years. In national affairs Mr. Apple has always been a democrat but in local matters in recent years has been.disposed to vote independently. At the time
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this brief sketch of this representative citizen of the county of Shelby was written, he is filling no public office, but, like all the members of this old and solid family, his influence is considerable and his judgment on all matters is valued by his fellow citizens.
J. J. APPLE, a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Loramie township, Shelby county, O., who owns two farms in the Beech Grove Special School District, one of seventy-seven acres and the other of 100 acres, was born in this township August 29, 1846, and is a son of Henry S. Apple and a grandson of John Apple and a great-grandson of Henry Apple.
Henry Apple was born in Pennsylvania and was a son of John Apple, who was born in Germany. The second John Apple, grandfather of J. J. Apple, was born after his father had settled in Montgomery county, O., and was one of a family of thirteen children. John Apple (2) married Diana Saylor, who was born in Montgomery county and they passed their lives there, where he had 160 acres of land. His death occurred on that farm and that of his wife soon afterward, both being aged sixty-six years, they being separated but two weeks. This farm lies one mile north of Farmersville, Montgomery county, O., and probably yet belongs to the family. Mr. Apple was a man of local prominence and at one time or another filled about all the local offices. To him and wife six children were born, namely: Henry S .; William, who died at Versailles, O., was a farmer in Darke county and married Clovina Miller ; Katie, who married Jacob Gephart and they lived in Loramie township for twenty-five years and then settled on the grandfather's farm in Mont- gomery county ; Jacob S., who died in Loramie township; Ullery, who lived first in Shelby county and then moved to Bunker Hill, Ind., and from there to Oregon, where he subsequently died and was buried there, in early man- hood having married Martha Davis, of Montgomery county. O .; and Sarah,, who is the wife of Jonathan Esler and they live at Peru, Ind.
Henry S. Apple, father of J. J. Apple, was born in Jackson township, Montgomery county, O., where he was reared and attended the early schools. He was married there to Katie Gephart, whose father owned a farm three miles from the Apple farm, George Gephart being one of the pioneers of the township. After their marriage Henry S. Apple and his wife came to Loramie township and settled on eighty acres of land, the same farm on which their son, J. J. Apple, now lives. He had already put up a hewed log house on the place and thus had made suitable provision for family comfort. To Henry S. and Katie Apple the following children were born: Peggy, who married William Routson, and both died in Miami county; J. J. and G. H., twins, the latter of whom is deceased; Henry A., who is a retired farmer in Loramie township; Louisa, who is the wife of David Kaiser, of Loramie township; Lavina, who is deceased, was the wife of David Fessler, of Miami county; and Elias, who died when three years old. Henry S. Apple cut down the first tree ever felled on the 160 acres which lie south of the present home farm. on the county line, and on that place he died at the age of sixty-six years, six months and sixteen days, and his burial was on the fortieth anniversary of his
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coming to Loramie township. His widow survived him and died in her sev- enty-second year, and both now rest in the Covington cemetery. They were members and liberal supporters of the Lutheran church. Henry S. Apple was, for his day, an extensive raiser of horses and cattle together with sheep and hogs, being exceedingly successful in his management of stock.
J. J. Apple was reared in Loramie township and obtained his education in the Beech Grove School District and from boyhood had his tasks assigned him on the farm and as he grew older assisted in doing some of the clearing. During many years of active agricultural life he pursued farming and stock raising and success in these lines rewarded his industry. He has lived on his present place ever since his marriage, on October 1, 1868, to Miss Lavina Apple. She was born in Wayne township, Darke county, O., October II, 1851, and is a daughter of George and Katie (Rocher) Apple, natives of Montgomery county, who moved to Darke county after marriage and there their nine children were born, six of whom survive.
The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Apple: George Henry, who lives at West Alexander, O., married Amanda Loxley and they have one son, John; Isaiah, who lives at Sidney, married Ida Routson and they have the following children : Agnes, Eden, Ivan, Chalmer, Delmer, Lavina, Reu- ben and Lulu; Mary Catherine, who is the wife of Louis Brown, residing in Darke county and they have three children : Silva, and Inez and Ivan, twins; a twin sister of Mary, who is deceased; and Perry, who lives on and operates his father's 100-acre farm, married Christina Reed and they have two chil- dren-Bertha and Treva. Mr. Apple and wife are members of the Luth- eran church. Politically he is a democrat and on numerous occasions has been elected to township offices, serving six years as township trustee and several years as school director and as road supervisor.
H. H. APPLE, who is one of Loramie township's most respected citizens and able men, for a number of years serving most acceptably as township clerk and also on the board of education, belongs to an old and substantial family that was established in Shelby county, O., by his grandfather, John Apple. He was born on his present farm in Loramie township, where he has ninety-five acres, November 2, 1861, and is a son of Jacob S. and Saralı E. (Creager) Apple.
Jacob S. Apple was born in Montgomery county, O., and was fifteen years old when he came to Loramie township, Shelby county. Here he subsequently secured 160 acres of land for $500, and on this he cut the first tree and erected a pioneer cabin for a home. He cleared his land and as it required draining he at first used oak timbers for pipes but later put down tile and his soil became mellow and productive. He became a man of ample means and his fellow citizens recognized his sterling character, electing him to offices of trust and responsibility. He served as township trustee and township treasurer and also was a member of the school board and was universally esteemed for his honesty and consulted in important matters as a tribute to his good judg- ment. He became an extensive farmer and also was a successful dealer in
WILLIAM A. RUSSELL
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horses. At the time of death, in 1902, when aged sixty-seven years, he owned three farms, aggregating 320 acres and had previously sold two eighty-acre tracts of land in this township and bought 160 in Kansas and later another 160 there. He was a stanch democrat and the success of his party was always a matter of pleasure to him as long as he lived. He married Sarah E. Creager, who was born also in Montgomery county, O., where her father, William Creager, died before she came to Shelby county. Three sons were born to this marriage : John W., who lives in Missouri; H. H .; and G. E., who lives in the old home in Loramie township.
H. H. Apple and his brothers all attended the Beech Grove school in boy- hood and later he and his brother, G. E. were students in the Ohio Normal School at Ada, O., following which H. H. Apple taught two terms of school in his native township. After his first marriage he settled on the east ninety- five acres of the homestead and has made all the improvements here with the exception of building the residence, his father having completed that. All his land is in excellent condition and all under cultivation with the exception of twenty-five acres which is valuable as a wood lot.
H. H. Apple married Miss Carrie Allgire, who was born in Franklin county, O., and died in Loramie township, Shelby county, June 23, 1891, aged twenty-six years. She was a member of the Christian church at Houston, where her burial took place. Her parents were Henry H. Allgire and wife, formerly of Franklin county and later of Loramie township. One daughter was born to this marriage, Bertha, who is the wife of W. E. Baumgardner, a business man of Russia, O. In 1893, Mr. Apple was married (second) to Miss Florence Cook, who was born in Montgomery county, O., a daughter of Ezra Cook, and five children have been born, two of whom, Ada and Roy, the oldest and the youngest, are now deceased. Edgar W., Arthur F. and Clifford L. all survive. Mr. Apple and family belong to the Lutheran church at Bloomer.
The Apple family in Shelby county has been notably devoted to the Luth- eran church and no less so to the democratic party and H. H. Apple has upheld family tradition and custom. On the democratic ticket he was first elected township clerk of Loramie township, in 1887 and served until 1891, when he was appointed clerk for J. H. Cruse in June, 1906, served that term, and in January, 1907, was elected clerk and served in the office until January, 1912. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias at Versailles, O., and is a member of the D. H. T. Association, of which he is also secretary.
WILLIAM A. RUSSELL for many years has been a representa- tive man in Shelby county, O., teacher, farmer, stock raiser and public official and is well known, particularly in Clinton and Turtle Creek town- ships, and in the former of which he owns twenty-seven acres of good land and in the latter has 297 acres. He was born here March 30, 1837, and is a son of Joshua and Jane ( McClure) Russell.
Joshua Russell and wife were born in Virginia and after coming to Ohio he engaged during all his active life in farming and stock raising.
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He was one of the leading members and liberal supporters of the Pres- byterian church. His children were as follows: William A .; Moses James; Cyrus H .; John A. ; Mary J., who married Adam Russell; Margaret E., who is deceased; and Martha E., who married William E. Russell.
William A. Russell attended the district schools and afterward taught school very acceptably for six years and many of his old pupils have lived to reflect credit on him. He then turned his attention to farming and stock raising and these industries he successfully followed for many years. In his political views he is a Republican and at different times he has been chosen for important political offices in the township and has served as land appraiser of Turtle Creek township and through two terms was treasurer of that township.
Mr. Russell was married in September, 1865, to Miss Laura A. Beck, who is a daughter of Edward Beck of Turtle Creek township. Her one sister, Martha E., is the wife of James Russell, brother of William A. Russell. To William A. Russell and wife the following children were born, all of whom are prominent socially and otherwise. Edward J., who formerly represented this district in the state senate; Jennie; Cora, who is now deceased, was the wife of Edison Richards; Nathan A., who is in the leather business at Sidney, O .; Chester B., who is connected with a western business house; Nettie, who is a trained nurse, now at Min- neapolis, Minn .; and Maude, who is an educator connected with the schools of Cincinnati, O. The family attends the Presbyterian church.
H. W. APPLE, who is one of the representative citizens of Loramie township, Shelby county, O., interested in all important matters in his com- munity and especially concerned in educational advancement, resides on the old family homestead of 175 acres, all improved with the exception of about twenty acres yet in valuable timber. He was born on this farm on August 16, 1868, and is a son of George Hiram and Elizabeth (Apple) Apple.
George Hiram Apple was born one mile west of the above farm, also in Loramie township, August 29, 1846, a son of Henry S. and Catherine (Geb- hart) Apple. Henry S. Apple was born in Montgomery county, O., and was reared there and married into a neighboring family, Miss Catherine Gebhart becoming his wife and subsequently the mother of their six children, namely : Peggy (Elizabeth), who became the wife of William Routson, residing near Rangeville, in Miami county; Hiram S .; Jacob J., who was a twin of Hiram S .; Henry A., who married Kate Mader and lived in Loramie township; Louisa, who became the wife of David Kaiser, residing in Loramie township; and Lavina, who is deceased, was the wife of David Fessler, of Miami county. After marriage, Henry S. Apple and wife moved to what was then a wild region, Loramie township, in Shelby county and settled in the woods, securing 160 acres of virgin land. Here he cleared off enough for a home site and afterward replaced the first log structure with what was probably the first brick house ever built in this township, the bricks for the same being made on his farm. Here his death occurred at the age of sixty-five years, five
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months and six days, and his burial was at Covington. His wife lived to the age of seventy-two years. They were early members and liberal supporters of the Evangelical Lutheran church at Bloomer, O. George Hiram Apple became a farmer and thresher as his father had been and developed into a man of like sterling character. He continued the clearing of the land which his father had commenced and made many improvements on the place and spent his life here, his death occurring at the age of fifty-five years. He was a most worthy member of the Lutheran church and his resting place is in the church cemetery at Covington. He married Elizabeth Apple, a daughter of Enoch Apple, of Montgomery county, O., and she survives, being now in her sixtieth year, a resident of Indiana. Two of the family of six children are deceased, twin sons, the youngest born, the survivors being: H. W .; Cathe- rine, who is the wife of John Ortman, of Loramie township; Alice, who is the wife of William Shock, of North Manchester, Ind .; and J. V., who is a resi- dent of Dayton, O.
H. W. Apple has spent his life in this section of Shelby county and hence is well known and, like all the Apple family, he is held in respect and esteem. He attended school in the Beech Grove Special School District of which, in mature life, he became a valued official and at present is in his fifth year as a member of its board of education and has already served both as presi- dent and as vice president of this important body. When he came into pos- session of the homestead it had already been cleared and while he has never ceased making improvements of some kind, he had no great burden of this nature placed on him when he started out for himself. Immediately after marriage he lived on land situated directly across from the homestead which he sold prior to purchasing this farm, which is situated five and one-half miles north of Covington. In addition to engaging in a general farming line, Mr. Apple raises and deals in cattle and draft horses. His business interests are largely agricultural and he is numbered with the judicious and prosperous business men of this section.
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