USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 75
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In politics Mr. Grau is a democrat but he never permits party rule to interfere with his own judgment. He served as a member of the town council at Anna and was also on the school board there and at present is serving as president of the school board of Franklin township.
The family belongs to the Lutheran church, of which Mr. Grau has been a trustee several times and for a number of years has been church treasurer.
PARKER L. STAFFORD, who is one of the leading business men of Maplewood, O., where he owns and conducts a general store, was born in Salein township, Shelby county, O., March II, 1877, and is a son of Robert and Bicey (Louthain) Stafford. The father was born in Virginia but passed the greater part of his active life on his farm of 109 acres, which he still owns in Salem township, and now lives retired at Maplewood. In politics he has always been a democrat.
Parker L. Stafford, the only one of his parents' children to survive child- hood, obtained his edueation in the public schools. When twelve years old he went to work in the store of J. K. Dunson, at Maplewood and continued until 1896, when, in partnership with O. A. Dunson, he bought the store of his employer. The firm of Stafford & Dunson continued until 1900, when Mr. Stafford bought his partner's interest and has since been sole proprietor. As an additional business interest he operates a huckster wagon through the county.
In 1901 Mr. Stafford was married to Miss Myrtle Stephenson, who was born in Salem township, a dalighter of James and Della (Stiles) Stephenson. farming people, well known and highly respected. Mrs. Stafford has two younger sisters : Ethel, who is the wife of C. C. Steenrod; and Alma. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford have three sons: Donald E., James Arthur Cecil, and Harold Robert. Mr. Stafford is one of the trustees of the Methodist Episco- pal church at Maplewood, to which the family belongs. He is identified fra- ternally with the Knights of Pythias and the Knights of the Golden Eagle, both of Maplewood. At present Mr. Stafford is serving with entire satis- faction as treasurer of Salem township, elected to this important office on the democratic ticket.
JOHN D. PARTINGTON, whose name carries weight all over Shelby county, O., where he is known as a representative and substantial citizen, re- sides on his farm of 131 acres which is situated in Perry township and owns also a farm of eighty acres, lying in Miami county, and additionally owns large blocks of stock in the Farmers Telephone Company, was born in Oc- tober, 1860, in Green township, Shelby county.
The parents of Mr. Partington, Edwin and Jemima (Partington) Part- ington, for many years were highly respected farming people of Shelby county, in which the mother was born and still survives, being now in her eighty-third year, and a cherished member of the household of her son, John
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D. Partington. The father was born in Indiana and died in Shelby county, O., in November, 1904, his burial being in the Pascoe Cemetery. His chil- dren all survive, as follows: Joseph H., John D., Mary, William E., Edward W. and Mark E., Mary being the wife of William Middleton.
In the public schools of his native county, John D. Partington secured his education and continued to work for his father until he reached his ma- jority and afterward, for three years, worked with him on shares. He then started out for himself and in 1903 purchased the homestead from the other heirs and has continued here. On March 21, 1896, he was married to Miss Letha M. Chrisman, who was born in Shelby county, a daughter of David and Sarah E. (Latimer) Chrisman, the former of whom, a native of Miami county, O., is now deceased, his burial taking place at Plattsville. The mother of Mrs. Partington resides on a farm in Green township, her children being : Letha M .; Albert E .; Harriet I., who is the wife of Fred Hagerman; and Joseph C. Mr. and Mrs. Partington have one child to whom they are giving parental love and care although he is not their own. He was born in October, 1909, and his name is Leo Millard, and since he was eight weeks old he has been fortunate enough to find a tender father and mother in Mr. and Mrs. Partington and judging by his beauty and intelligence, he gives promise of becoming a great comfort to his foster parents. They are mem- bers of the Universalist church. In his political views, Mr. Partington is a democrat.
MARCELLUS N. LUCAS, a representative citizen of Perry township, Shelby county, O., a member of the township board of trustees and the owner of seventy acres of fine farming land here, was born April 12, 1867, one and one-half miles northeast of this farm, and is a son of Patrick Good and Thurza (De Weese) Lucas.
Patrick Good Lucas was a well known farmer in Perry township and was a son of one of the early settlers of Shelby county. He was identified with the republican party but merely as a citizen, never desiring to hold office. His wife was also born in Shelby county and she survives, her hus- band, passing away on June 25, 1906, his burial being at Port Jefferson. They had two children: Ethel, who is the wife of Calvin Boyer and they reside with her mother on the home farm; and Marcellus N.
Marcellus N. Lucas secured a public school education and worked on the home farm until his marriage, after which he went to Logan county and remained ten months. After returning to Shelby county he rented land for ten years, then bought a farm and later sold it and in 1903 purchased his present farm from Dr. Milholland. A general line of farming is successfully carried on and enough good stock for home use is raised, no effort being made to do more in this direction.
On January 1, 1890, Mr. Lucas was married to Miss Sarah Nichols, a daughter of William and Catherine (Criffield) Nichols, substantial farming people of Shelby county. Mrs. Lucas had the following brothers and sisters : John, Frank and William, and Belle, who is now deceased, was the wife
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of David Speece. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas have four children : Norma B., Grace A., Vesta and Doris. The entire family belongs to the Baptist church. In politics Mr. Lucas has always cast his vote with the Republican party.
ORLANDO BURTON KEY, who is one of the well known and substan- tial men of Perry township, a stockholder in the Farmers Telephone Com- pany and the owner of 120 acres of well developed land, was born on this farm, the old Key homestead, in Shelby county, O., May 25, 1870, and is a son of John and Anna ( Rinehart) Key.
John Key, father of Orlando B. Key, was a son of John Key, who was born in Virginia in 1781 and came to Montgomery county, O., in 1800, where he died in 1815, leaving his wife with four children, although the youngest, John, was not born until 1816, six months after the father's death. His mother remained in Montgomery county until 1836, when she came with him to Shelby county and they lived about one year in Jackson town- ship and then went back to Montgomery county, where he lived until 1840, after which he lived continuously in Shelby county. In 1841 occurred his first marriage, to Newlillie Lucas, who died in July, 1846, leaving two children, Norman and John H. In 1847 John Key married Anna Rinehart and seven children were born to them: Amanda, wife of William DeWeese; Rachel, wife of Dr. D. N. Whitmire; Margaret Elizabeth, wife of John Maxwell; Martha Jane, wife of Frank Marrs; David R .; Thomas Levi, who died aged two years; Abraham Sherman; and Orlando B.
When John Key came to Shelby county he had fifty dollars as his sole capital and with this sum he entered forty acres of land in Jackson town- ship, then went to work by the day and month and kept on until he had saved one hundred dollars, with which he entered eighty acres of land in In- diana. He kept on working and saving, and after accumulating another one hundred dollars entered another tract of land in Indiana and afterward traded his Indiana land for eighty acres in the woods of Shelby county. The latter place he then cleared and improved and later added two other eighty- acre tracts, making his home place consist of 240 acres. Here he erected a sound brick dwelling house and kept on improving his land in every way, subsequently, through his industry and good judgment acquiring other farm land and valued real estate in Sidney and Millerstown.
Orlando B. Key attended the public schools in Perry township and after- ward took a business course in a commercial college at Dayton, O., follow- ing which he spent three years in the western states. Finding no section of the country more satisfactory than his own, Mr. Key then returned to Shelby county and has ever since been engaged in farming and stock raising in Perry township. He is an independent voter in politics and has never ac- cepted any public office except once when he was appointed a member of the local school board.
In 1895 Mr. Key was married to Miss Bessie Stockstill, a daughter of John P. and Mary ( Miller) Stockstill. In early manhood the father of Mrs. Key followed the trades of tinner and carpenter but later became a farmer in
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Shelby county. He was twice married, first to Mary Miller and second to Jennie Varner. To the first union two children were born: Carrie, who died young, and Bessie, who became the wife of Mr. Key. Two children were born to the second marriage: Newton and Varner. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Key : Fred Miller, John Otis and Max Allan. Mr. and Mrs. Key attend the United Brethren church at Pascoe, O. He is identi- fied fraternally with the Masonic lodge at Port Jefferson and also the Odd Fellows and is a member of the Encampment at Sidney, O.
SQUIRE NICHOLAS STALEY, an enterprising general farmer of Perry township, Shelby county, O., who not only successfully operates his own farm of 126 acres, but also one of eighty acres which he rents, belongs to the old and respected Staley family of Salem township, where he was born April 26, 1862, and is a son of Nicholas and Mary (Baker) Staley. His mother was born in Salem township while his father came from Montgomery county, O., but spent the larger portion of his life as a farmer in Salem township. Of their family of six children, Squire Nicholas was the young- est born.
Squire Nicholas Staley obtained his education in the public schools and afterward remained with his father assisting in the general farm indus- tries, tilling of the soil, stock raising and moderate dairying, and in the course of time inherited his land from his father and, as indicated above, prospers in his agricultural undertakings.
Mr. Staley was married first to Miss Ida Redinbo, who died in 1887. On November 3, 1890, he was married ( second) to Miss Tena Brendel, a native of Auglaize county, O. Mr. and Mrs. Staley have had four children : Bonnie May, Pearl, Clay, and Robert Roy, who died when aged six weeks. The family belong to the Disciples church. Mr. Staley is not active in any political party, preferring to be an independent voter, but in any matter of public importance he may be depended upon to bear the responsibilities of a good citizen.
WILLIAM ENOS GILFILLEN, who, in association with John A. Wones, does a large business at Maplewood, O., under the firm name of the Maplewood Elevator Company, dealing in grain, grass seed, coal, lime, cement and other commodities, was born in Salem township, Shelby county, O., September 21, 1873. The parents of Mr. Gilfillen, William and Mar- garet A. (Baker) Gilfillen, were residents of Shelby county, the father for many years carrying on agricultural industries with success. He died in Jackson township, where his widow still lives. They had the following chil- dren : Emma D., wife of W. E. Coleman; Elizabeth, wife of Logan Clayton ; and William Enos.
William E. Gilfillen obtained his education in the public schools and afterward worked with his father on the home farm until he was twenty-
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five years old, after which he rented land and carried on general farming until March, 1912, when he became the junior partner in the firm of Wones & Gilfillen, by purchasing the interest of E. E. Young in the Maplewood Elevator Company. The business is in a prosperous condition and is on a safe financial basis.
In 1893 Mr. Gilfillen was married to Miss Rhoda Davis, who was born in Auglaize county, O., but was reared in Shelby county. She is a daughter of Harvey and Catherine (Morris) Davis whose other children were: Louie. who is the wife of Hamer Wagner; Floyd; Eliza, who is the wife of Albert Thompson : Charles ; Mabel, who is the wife of H. A. Stahler ; Fannie, who is the wife of Frank Reese; John; and Pearl, who is the wife of Henry Dosic. Mrs. Gilfillen was the third born in the above family. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Gilfillen: Raymond and Vernon. He is nomi- nally a republican but reserves the right to exercise his own judgment in polit- ical matters and frequently votes accordingly. He has served on the school board, having a good citizen's interest in the public schools. For some years he has been identified with the Odd Fellows at Jackson Center, and both he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
JOHN K. DUNSON, a well known resident of Maplewood. O., has been identified with business interests here for a number of years. He was born at Port Jefferson, Shelby county, O., November 3. 1862, and is a son of Abraham A. and Rosanna (Lodge) Dunson. Abraham A. Dunson was born in Virginia but has passed the greater part of his life in Ohio and still survives, being now in his eighty-first year. In early manhood he followed the cabinetmaker's trade but later became a farmer. He married Rosanna Lodge, who was born in Montgomery county, O., and is now deceased. They had the following children: John K .; Luella, who is now deceased. was the wife of F. E. Pool; O. A .; M. D .: Estella, who is the wife of A. F. Rust : and Effie B., who is the wife of W. E. Thompson.
John K. Dunson was educated in the public schools of Shelby county. For some years he was engaged in manufacturing tile at Maplewood and for six years conducted a general store here, since which he has devoted his time and attention to agricultural pursuits. He owns a very fine farm of 136 acres, situated in Salem township, and a second farm containing 120 acres, which is located in Logan county. Mr. Dunson is listed with the substantial citizens of this section. Politically a democrat he has occasion- ally accepted office when made a party candidate, and served one year as con- stable and three years as township trustee.
In December, 1891, Mr. Dunson married Miss Sarah L. Huber, who was born in Logan county, a daughter of Allen and Anna Magdalena (Hall) Huber, the former of whom is deceased, but the latter resides at Bellefon- taine, O. To Mr. and Mrs. Huber the following children were born : Delmar A., Sarah L., W. T., Nancy, C. S., Anna Pearl and Forest M. Nancy is the
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wife of O. S. Robinson, and Anna Pearl is the wife of Dr. J. M. Patterson, of Lima, O. Mr. and Mrs. Dunson have two sons : Huber A. and Charles A. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Dunson takes an interest in all that concerns the public welfare of his town and fellow cit- izens and when called upon, in any public emergency, accepts responsibility. He is a member of the order of Knights of Pythias at Maplewood.
SANFORD C. RETTER, who leads in the hardware line at Maplewood, O., being owner and proprietor of a well stocked store at this place, is one of the town's prosperous young business men, a property owner and reliable citizen. He was born in Jackson township, Shelby county, O., April 3, 1880, and is a son of Albert and Mary (McCord) Retter.
Albert Retter is a merchant doing business at Maplewood, having a large general store and supplying commodities of all kinds to both town and adjacent country. He married first Miss Mary McCord, who died in 1882, leaving but one child, Sanford C. Mr. Retter's second marriage was with Rebecca Shade and they have one child, Bonnie.
When his school days were over, Sanford C. Retter gave his father assistance in his store and added to the mercantile experience secured there by five years as a clerk for P. L. Stafford. In 1905 he erected a handsome building for himself and in 1906 embarked in his present line. He handles general hardware and all kinds of agricultural implements and also does tinning and spouting work.
On April 3, 1908, Mr. Retter was married to Miss Cora LeFevre, a daugh- ter of Jacob and Dulcina (Line) LeFevre, farming people, who had other children as follows: Edmund, William and James; Warren, who is deceased ; Alice, who is the wife of Allen Baker; Minnie, who is the wife of Lape Vesper ; and Guernie, who is the wife of Elza A. Baker. While nominally a democrat, Mr. Retter uses his own judgment in local politics. He is identi- fied fraternally with the Knights of Pythias at Maplewood.
JOHN C. WONES, who is the senior member of the firm doing business at Maplewood, O., under the name of the Maplewood Elevator Company, is a representative citizen of this community and enjoys a large measure of respect and public confidence. He was born in Champaign county, O., January 19, 1862, and is a son of Simon and Jane (Smith) Wones.
Simon Wones was born in Champaign county, O., and his wife in York- shire, England. He was a farmer for many years and was well known in Champaign county. Both he and wife are deceased, their burial being in the cemetery at Port Jefferson. Their children were as follows: John C .; Phyllis, wife of John F. Howell; Martin G .; Malissa, wife of Frank Calhoun ; Matthew : William R .; Ernest ; Simon T .; and Ona, wife of Robert Sharp.
After his school days, John C. Wones worked at farming and became interested in stock, doing a large business in that line for twenty years and continues it to some extent together with his grain business, with which he became identified in 1902, when he built the elevator at Maplewood. For
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one year he had Dr. Loffer and William Stewart associated with him; then J. W. Shearer bought Mr. Stewart's interest and afterward Mr. Shearer and Mr. Wones bought Dr. Loffer's interest and together they operated for nine years, when Elza Young bought the Shearer interest but later sold it to W. E. Gilfillen. The company deals in grain, grass seed, flour, coal, lime, cement, plaster and wire fencing and do an extensive business.
On New Year Eve, 1884, Mr. Wones was married to Miss Ella E. Shroyer, who was born in Shelby county and is a daughter of Henry and Mary (Strawlen) Schroyer, formerly farming people but now retired resi- dents of Maplewood. Mrs. Wones has brothers and sisters as follows : Clara, wife of William Rubert; Ella; Elmer; Nelson; Hattie, wife of George W. Rose; and Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Wones have three children : Raymond, who married Eda Keifer; and Cyril and John Conery. The family belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church in which Mr. Wones is a Sunday school teacher after having served for nine years as superintendent. Fraternally he is identified with the F. & A. M. at Port Jefferson, the Odd Fellows also at Port Jefferson, the Knights of Pythias at Maplewood, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, the Sons of Veterans and Poplar Knob Grange.
ORRIE W. COOK, who has numerous business interests at Haplewood, O., is one of the representative men of Salem township and came from one of the old families of Champaign county. He was born there May 25, 1878, and is a son of William I. and Mary C. (Curl) Cook. William I. Cook, who, for many years was a prosperous farmer in Champaign county, was born in Shelby county but spent his married life in the former county, where he died, his burial being at Quincy, O. He married Mary C. Curl, who was born in Champaign county and lives on her home farm there. They had three children : Daisy, who is the wife of Samuel D. Yoder; and Orrie W. and Elmer W.
After completing the common school course in Champaign county, Orrie W. Cook went to Indianapolis, Ind., where he received a commercial train- ing and from there entered the Ohio Northern University at Ada, where he was a student for five terms and completed his school course in the higher branches, in Glover Institute, at West Liberty, O. For eight years of the above period he alternated teaching with school attendance and con- tinued until he became interested in a grain business with the firm of Sim- mons, Faulkner & Cook. Since 1908 he has been sole owner and proprietor of the grain elevator at Maplewood, and additionally deals in coal, lime, cement, New American fencing, red cedar and steel fence posts, lubricating oils and the popular brand of flour known as the Pride of Lima. He is a very enter- prising business man and is a prominent factor in everything of importance at Maplewood.
Mr. Cook was married in June, 1902, to Miss Daisy A. Yost, who was born in Champaign county, a daughter of Elisha and Caroline (Weimer) Yost, who now live retired at Sidney, O. They had the following children : Ethie, Myrtle, Dora, Belle, Mary. Daisy and Norma. Mr. and Mrs. Cook
GEORGE C. SCHIFF
MRS. GEORGE C. SCHIFF
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have two sons : Harold E. and Robert W. They attend the Methodist Epis- copal church. Politically Mr. Cook is a republican and has served as treas- urer of Salem township. He is identified with the Masons at Port Jeffer- son and the Knights of Pythias at Maplewood.
GEORGE C. SCHIFF, who owns 162 acres of valuable land situated in Franklin township, and is a director and stockholder in the Anna Bank, at Anna, O., is one of the substantial men of this section and one who is held in respect and esteem. He was born in Franklin township, Shelby county, O .. August 25, 1859, and is a son of Christian and Catherine ( Fogt) Schiff.
The parents of George C. Schiff were born in Germany but spent their mar- ried life in Ohio and died at Aana where they had been living retired. Their burial was in the Pearl cemetery in Franklin township. They were good, Christian people, devout members of the Lutheran church. To them were born the following children: George C., Michael, Caroline, Jacob, Louisa, Lena, Albert C. and Clara, the last named being the wife of William Minton. Albert C. is a Lutheran minister at Columbus, O. Jacob and Louisa are deceased, the latter having been the wife of William Stuber. Caroline is the wife of Christina Hagelberger, and Lena is the wife of Joseph Bennett.
George C. Schiff has spent his life on his present farm, in early years assist- ing his father and after the latter's death purchasing the property, or seventy acres, as he inherited ninety acres. The father owned seven farms and gave a farm to each child. Mr. Schiff also carries on general farming and also deals in livestock.
On October 18, 1883, Mr. Schiff married Miss Matilda Machlitt, born at Painesville, O., a daughter of Henry and Rosa (Muschulsky) Machlitt, the latter of whom died in October, 1912. They had the following children : Augusta, wife of J. L. Ferguson; Matilda ; Louis, deceased; Emma, wife of Thomas McVay; George, deceased; Jolin; and Minnie, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Schiff have three children : Stella, who is the wife of M. C. Finkenbine and they have four children-Tehkla, Wilbur, Velma and Luther ; Laura, who married Elmer Stuckman and they have two children, Dorothy and Hazel ; and Wilbur M., who married Marjorie Finkenbine. The family belong to the Lutheran church at Anna and when the new edifice was put up Mr. Schiff was a member of the building committee and is now church treasurer. In politics he is a democrat and has served honestly and efficiently in public offices. For eight years he was a justice of the peace and for nine years served on the county fair board.
CHARLES A. HIEGEL, president of the board of education of Green- wood Special School District, is one of the leading citizens of Loramie township, Shelby county, O., and resides on his well improved farm of eighty acres, on which he was born, February 22, 1882. He is a son of Anton and Sarah Hiegel.
Charles A. Hiegel was three years old when his parents moved into the Mills Special School District and there he was educated and then he came
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back to the home farm on which he has been established ever since, carrying on general farming and raising stock for his own use. He married Miss Cora Ream, who died at the age of twenty-four years, her burial being in the cemetery at Houston. Her father, J. W. Ream is a resident of Newport, O. Three children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hiegel: twin sons, deceased; and Floyd Emerson, a bright lad of seven years who is attending school. Mr. Hiegel has been a democrat ever since casting his first vote and at each election does his part in supporting party principles and candidates. He belongs to the order of M. W. A. at Versailles, O. He has always taken much interest in educational matters in his neighborhood and as president of the school board is vigorous in pushing forward local legislation.
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