USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 83
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he came to Sidney, where he dealt in farm implements for twenty years, closing out that branch of his business in 1908. He keeps busily occupied repairing bicycles, automobiles, sewing machines, vulcanizing and in similar work and also sells bicycles for which there is a steady demand, this handy vehicle yet claiming many votaries of healthful exercise.
Mr. Loudenbach was married first to Miss Ida Dickensheets, a daughter of John D. Dickensheets, March 8, 1883, who died in 1900, survived by one daughter, Margaret. At Sidney, O., Mr. Loudenbach was married (second) to Miss Mabel Snyder, in August, 1912. Politically a democrat, Mr. Louden- bach has, at times, been called upon to serve in responsible offices and for seven years was a trustee of the water works and on two occasions was elected a member of the board of public service. Fraternally he is identified with the Red Men and the Tribe of Ben Hur and belongs to both branches of Odd Fellowship. Mr. Loudenbach enjoys out door sports and is a member of the Shelby County Deer Hunters' Association.
LOUIS G. CROFT, proprietor of Croft's Steam Laundry, the largest, most modern and best equipped laundry in Shelby county, is an experienced man in this business, in which he has been concerned for twenty-six years. He was born at Anna, Shelby county, O., November 2, 1871, and is a son of Christian and Mary Croft, who came to Sidney when he was a babe of six months.
Mr. Croft's career is an interesting one to consider in that it shows how a poor boy, left an orphan at the age of eight years, managed, through his own inherent sterling qualities, to secure an education and to maintain himself in the respect and confidence of those with whom it was his lot to live. After his parents died he resided with an aged man by the name of H. Enders, who was a potter and also worked at gardening, and the otherwise homeless youth worked for him for about seven years and shared his fortune. He then became an employe of the Sidney Steam Laundry, where he continued for four and one-half years, after which he worked in a similar place for nine months at Findlay. From there he went to St. Mary's, O., and there invested in a hand laundry, which he conducted successfully for six months and then started a steam laundry, admitting F. M. Smith as a partner. After three years he sold out to Mr. Smith and started a laundry at Piqua, O., which he operated for two years and then returned to Sidney. It must have afforded Mr. Croft considerable satisfaction to be able, at this time, to buy the Sidney Steam Laundry, the same concern in which he had been first employed, and afterward he changed the name to Croft's Steam Laundry, which he has since conducted with great success. In 1907 he erected his fine cement laundry building and has installed all modern equipments including the Troy and American laundry machinery, and here steady employnient is afforded from fifteen to eighteen men and women, and in delivering and collecting both a wagon and an automobile are used. This laundry is a monument to Mr. Croft's industry. He knows every detail of the business and has forgotten nothing and in times of great stress does not disdain to once more work the
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shirt ironing machine or other laundry device with his well-paid employes.
Mr. Croft was married first to Miss Minnie Salm, of Sidney, who died January 14, 1904, leaving four children : Frederick, Martha, Leo and Edna. His present wife was formerly Mrs. Mary Stolle, and they had one son, Edward. Mr. Croft belongs to the Elks, the Red Men and the Knights of Columbus, and is a leading member of the Ohio State Laundrymen's Associa- tion. He is a consistent member of the Roman Catholic church. He is serv- ing at present as a member of the city council, being councilman at large.
C. D. MCCULLOUGH, a substantial citizen and general farmer of Shelby county, O., resides in section 22, Cynthian township, where he owns 160 acres of fine land well adapted for both farming and stock raising. He was born January 13, 1869, in Auglaize county, O., and is a son of Robert and Margaret (Downy) Mccullough.
Robert Mccullough was born and reared in Columbiana county, O., but moved to Auglaize county soon after he was first married. He followed farming all through his active life and owned 116 acres of land in Auglaize county and later bought forty acres in Turtle Creek township, Shelby county. His death occurred on the latter farm when aged seventy-nine years, eleven months and eighteen days. His first marriage was to Jane Hoey, who died in Auglaize county, the mother of five children: Susan, Margaret. Sophia, James and John. His second marriage was to Margaret Downy Guilbert, who was born in Clark county, O., and died in Auglaize county, nine years after her husband, when aged seventy-nine years, six months and twenty-four days. She was a widow when she married Mr. Mccullough and had three children : Walter D., James and Mary A. Guilbert. To her second marriage two children were born: Alice, who is the wife of Isaac Anderson, of Wapa- koneta, O .; and C. D. Mccullough. Mr. and Mrs. McCullough were estima- ble people in every relation of life and were members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Hardin, O. Their burial was in the Olive Branch cemetery in Auglaize county.
C. D. McCullough was eight years old when his parents moved on the farm in Turtle Creek township and he attended the common schools there and after- ward assisted his father until his own marriage, since when he has resided in Cynthian township. His present farm had been somewhat improved by his father-in-law, the late Jonathan Wegley, and the supplementary improvements made by Mr. Mccullough have been of a very substantial character. With the exception of fifteen acres in timber, all the farm is well drained and Mr. McCullough raises excellent crops and stock. He has always devoted his main attention to agricultural interests and for seven years has been a member of the Shelby county Fair Board and for two years served as vice-president of this body.
Mr. Mccullough was married to Miss Sarah A. Wegley, a native of Mercer county, O., a daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Wegley. Mr. Wegley married Sarah Circle, of that county, in which they continued to live until 1876, when they moved to Washington township, Shelby county, and lived there until
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1885, when they removed to Cynthian township and settled on a tract of 170 acres. The parents of Mrs. McCullough remained on that farm until the death of the father, in 1892, when aged fifty-five years, when the mother retired to Lockington, O. and later to Piqua, where her death occurred in 1911, the burial of both being in the cemetery at Lockington. They were members of the United Brethren church and much esteeind people wherever they lived. They had the following children : James, Mary, Emanuel, Fred, Joseph, Eva, Sarah A., Daisy and Olive.
To Mr. and Mrs. McCullough seven children have been born, namely : Carrie Margaret, deceased: and Warren C., deceased; Sarah Josephine ; Wilma ; Robert Ross; Mabel and Harold. All were given educational oppor- tunities in the Hopewell special school district.
HOWARD VERTNER,* who is associated with his father in business at Sidney, O., conducting the Vertner hardware store, is one of the enterpris- ing young men of the city, of which he has been a resident for several years. He was born on a farm near Beaver Dam, Allen county, O., June 24, 1881, and is a son of Samuel and Ida Vertner.
Howard Vertner was reared on the home farm and remained there until he was twenty years of age, in the meanwhile attending the schools near his home and the Beaver Dam high school. His first work that called him away from home was in the oil fields around Beaver Dam. His next employ- ment removed him still further as he went to Detroit, Mich., where he was in the employ of the A. T. & T. Telephone Company and remained for two years, returning then to Beaver Dam and from there came to Sidney in August, 1910. In partnership with his father he bought out the old established hardware house of Line & Davis. Mr. Vertner has made a very favorable impression on the people of Sidney as a business man and he carries a full stock of all goods in his line, including stoves.
Mr. Vertner married Miss Bessie M. Main, of Addison, Mich., and their attractive residence is at No. 514 South Main street, Sidney. Mr. Vertner is identified with the Masonic fraternity. He is not very active in politics but he keeps fully abreast the times in all that concerns solid, reliable and honorable citizenship.
JOHN MAY, JR., who is one of the well known and highly respected citizens of Van Buren township, in which he is a heavy landowner, having three valuable farms which aggregate 220 acres, was born in this township, in 1857, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Baumbauer ) May.
The parents of Mr. May were born in Germany and when they came to the United States, in the forties, settled near New Bremen, O. Of their fourteen children only three survive : John, Henry and Adam. Henry resides also in Van Buren township, where he married Sophia Keck. Adam, who is a resident of Wapakoneta, married Flora Quellhorst.
John May. Jr., obtained his education in the public schools. He may be numbered with the most successful and progressive farmers and stock raisers
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of this section of Shelby county, and for a number of years he has also been engaged in stock buying. All his land is highly improved, handsome dwell- ings, barns and other farm buildings showing forth the justifiable pride he takes in his property and in no less degree he is active as a citizen, being liberal and public-spirited.
Mr. May was married first to Miss Caroline Mauer, who died in 1893, the mother of two children: Emma and Caroline, the latter of whom is deceased. The second marriage of Mr. May was to Mrs. Augusta (Maner) Burmeister, widow of William Burmeister, who had one daughter, Dora. The parents of Mrs. May were Charles and Mary (Shafer) Mauer. To this marriage eight children were born: Bertha, Harry, Clara, Alma, Clarence, Homer, Florence and Frances. Of these, Harry, Clarence, Homer, Florence and Frances live at home. The other chlidren of Mr. May are married, as follows : Emma is the wife of Carl Kettering and they live at Wapakoneta ; Bertha is the wife of Lloyd Catterman and they live at Lima, O .; Clara is the wife of Henry Deigle and they live in Auglaize county; and Alma is the wife of Irvin Gritzmaker and they live on the old home farm in Van Buren township. Mr. May and family are members of the Lutheran church and he belongs to its board of trustees. In politics he is a democrat and in local circles exerts considerable party influence although too busy a man to consent to serve in public office.
ROBERT K. BEAMAN, general farmer and reliable and representative citizen of Orange township, resides on and operates the J. N. Woodmancy farm of 140 acres, situated five miles south of Sidney, O. Mr. Beaman was born in Orange township, in 1877, and is a son of John and Anna ( Pruden) Beaman.
John Beaman was born at Boston, Mass., was well educated there and was about twenty years of age when he came to Shelby county and has fol- lowed farming here ever since and is a well known and highly respected citi- zen. The family of nine children all survive.
Robert K. Beaman obtained his education in the public schools and learned the principles of farming through assisting his father, remaining with him until his own marriage, when he came to the farm of his father-in-law, which he has successfully managed ever since, developing its productive possibilities to the highest extent and raising a sufficiency of good stock for home use.
Mr. Beaman was married in 1905 to Miss Laura Dale Woodmancy, who is a daughter of J. N. Woodmancy, one of the well known men of this sec- tion. They have three children: John Walter, Bernice Irene and Dorothy Dale. He has never been an office seeker but has taken an active interest in all matters pertaining to section and country at large and casts his vote with the republican organization. For some years he has been identified with the Odd Fellows at Kirkwood, O.
ANTHONY BENSMAN, who owns eighty-eight acres of fine land in Turtle Creek township, is one of the well known citizens and successful agri-
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culturists of this section. He was born December 16, 1867, at Minster, Auglaize county, O., and is a son of William and Catherine ( Densing) Bens- man.
William Bensman was born in Germany and came early to the United States, and during a large portion of his life was a farmer in Auglaize county, O., where he died. His wife, Catherine Densing, died in 1880. To this union six children were born: William, Henry, Herman, John, Anthony and Charles. In politics he was a democrat and in religious faith a Catholic.
Anthony Bensman attended the public schools until he was fourteen years of age and then gave all his time to work on the home farm. When he married he purchased his present place in Turtle Creek township. He found the property needed a great deal of attention and immediately set about making improvements and these included the remodeling of the farm house and the erection of a new barn and other farm buildings, and all these have been completed in a substantial manner. He makes no feature of stock- raising, producing only enough for home use, but carefully superintends his crop growing, using methods that produce very satisfactory results. Mr. Bensman is a very industrious man and looks after his affairs in a careful and practical way. He casts his vote with the democratic party.
On May 18, 1892, Mr. Bensman was married to Miss Anna Schmitmeyer, who was born March 29, 1870, in Shelby county, O., a daughter of Frederick and Liesetta (Lamping) Schmitmeyer, who had other children as follows: Elizabeth, Mary, Barney, John, Louis, Stephen, Joseph, Henry and An- thony. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Bensman: Julius, Mary, Jerome, Leonard and Lietta. The family belong to the Catholic church at McCartyville, O.
MARION ROBERTS,* who is a worthy representative of one of the old and respected families of Salem township, Shelby county, O., lives on the home farm of eighty acres with his widowed mother, was born on this place, August 14, 1876, and is a son of Andrew and Florence ( Hartman ) Roberts.
For many years the father of Mr. Roberts carried on farming and stock raising here and was one of the solid and reliable men of this section, and in business affairs as well as in social and family life was held in high esteem. His death occurred September 22, 1911, and his burial was in the Port Jef- ferson cemetery. In politics he was a republican and in religious faith he was a Methodist. In early manhood he married Florence Hartman, who survives, and they had the following children : Emma, Marion, Cora, Blaine, Oliver, Minnie, Lettie and Lela. Cora is the wife of Lloyd Case.
Marion Roberts secured a common school education and until he was twenty-three years old continued to assist his father on the home farm. He then started out independently and for the next six years worked by the month for farmers in Shelby county and then returned to the home farm of which he has had charge since his father's death. A general farming line is carried on and stock for home use is raised, all the different industries being well looked after. Mr. Roberts is identified with the Masonic frater-
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nity at Port Jefferson and with his mother attends the Methodist Episcopal church there. He was reared to believe in and support the republican party.
LAFAYETTE MERRICK STUDEVANT, who is vice-president of the First National Exchange Bank, at Sidney, O., has additional banking in- terests and is also a leading manufacturer of Shelby county and one of the foremost men of this section. He was born in Whitley county, Ind., June 21, 1858, and is a son of John F. and Mary Wood (Cochrun) Studevant.
John F. Studevant was born at Emporia, Va., and now resides, in his eighty-seventh year at Sidney, O. In 1847 he married Mary Wood Cochrun, who was born in Green county, O., in 1829, a daughter of Elisha and Sarah Cochrun, natives of Kentucky. Mrs. Studevant died August 23, 1910, after sixty-three years of happy wedded life and left many to mourn her loss, she being an admirable woman in every relation of life. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Studevant lived in Ohio and then moved to Indiana and from there, in1 1875, removed to Anna, Shelby county, O. Several years afterwards they settled permanently at Sidney, Mr. Studevant being a cabinetmaker by trade. Five children were born to them, Lafayette M. being the only one to survive the age of five years.
Until he was seventeen years of age, Lafayette M. Studevant devoted himself mainly to his school books. Afterward he was variously employed for a time, keeping continually occupied, and for several years he followed the painting trade. After his parents moved to Sidney, he learned the print- ing trade in the office of the Sidney Journal, having previously, however, taken a course in the Normal School, passed the teacher's examination satis- factorily and taught one winter term.
In 1879 Mr. Studevant went to Columbus Grove, where he purchased a newspaper, although then but twenty-one years old, and conducted it for one year but not with the success that encouraged him to devote his life to journalism. In 1880 he entered a commercial school at Lima, O., where he took a business course and then accepted a position as bookkeeper in a bank, this being the beginning of his banking connection. The business proved congenial and he continued to advance until he became cashier of a bank at a village called Ridgeville. While the place was small and offered little field for endeavor. he there gained banking experience and it proved valuable. From there he came to Sidney again and accepted a position with Philip Smith, who conducted a machine shop and continued and at present is vice president of the Philip Smith Manufacturing Company. He soon developed business astuteness in other directions. In January. 1886 he started into the fire insurance business, and in October of the same year or- ganized the Peoples Saving & Loan Association, being managing officer of the same, and on September 1, 1899, organized the First National Ex- change Bank, of which he was cashier for seven years.
The Peoples Saving & Loan Association is the largest enterprise of that class in any town of the size of Sidney, in Ohio, and none in that state have
LAFAYETTE MERRICK STUDEVANT
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been more successful. This enterprise is capitalized at $50,000, with a sur- plus of $110,000 and its present standing is shown by the January 1-1913 statement ยท to be : capital, surplus and deposits, $1,463,088.97, which means that its resources are larger than both of the National banks at Sidney. Mr. Studevant continues to be secretary of this remarkably successful concern. He is president also of the Eclipse Folding Machine Company and is a director in the following prospering industries : the Sidney Tool Company, the Sidney Manufacturing Company, the Monarch Machine Company, the Royal Manufacturing Company, The Philip Smith Manufacturing Com- pany and the Sidney Telephone Company.
On May 28, 1891, Mr. Studevant was married to Miss Abbie Benjamin, a daughter of C. R. Benjamin, and they have raised two children: Mary Helen and Thomas F. Both have been given exceptional educational ad- vantages. Thomas F. graduated from the Howe Military School in the spring of 1911 and at present is in the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor. Mary Helen completed her education at Mrs. Stewart's School for Girls, an exclusive institution at Washington, D. C. Mr. Studevant and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he is a democrat and he served in the town council for one term, and was National Bank Ex- aminer during Cleveland's last term. He is a charter member of the Com- mercial Club and is president of its board of managers. His fraternal affiliations include membership in the following orders: Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Elks, Red Men and all the Masonic bodies. As may be seen Mr. Studevant is one of Sidney's most valuable citizens, awake to every public duty and capable of meeting every business responsibility.
JAMES J. EPPERSON, an old and respected resident of shelby county, O., and a veteran of the Civil war, resides on a well improved tract of three acres situated in Turtle Creek township and owns a farm of fifty acres located farther westward. He was born May 20, 1844, in Harrison county, Ky., and is a son of John and Maria (Elizer) Epperson.
John Epperson was born in Virginia and followed an agricultural life. He married Maria Elizer, who was born in Missouri, and they were parents of the following children : William, Sarah, wife of Mahlon Leggitt ; Martha, Stephen, Mary, wife of Purnel Slade; Nancy J., wife of Purnel Hill; and James J. The parents of the above family were members of the Methodist Episcopal church (North).
James J. Epperson had but meagre educational opportunities in his boy- hood compared to those of the present day. He was assisting his father on the home farm when civil war was declared and on October 21, 1861, en- listed in Company I, Twentieth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and remained in the service until honorably discharged, September 18, 1865. Ever since then until he retired, with the exception of four years, Mr. Epperson has been an active farmer. On July 22, 1869, he was married to Miss Melissa Humphrey, who was born in Kentucky, where her people were farmers and members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her father was Emanuel 45
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Humphrey, who married Louisa Toadvine, and the children born to them were the following : James, Melissa, Purnel, Ellen, Robert, William, Johanna, wife of Benjamin Brown; Belle, wife of Charles Stewart; Thomas; and Sallie, wife of George Patricks.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Epperson, all of whom are married, namely : Nellie, who is the wife of Robert Criswell, and they have two children, Ernest and Lucinda; Alva, who married Blanche Shelley, and they have two children, Melvin and Austin; Claude, who married Bertha Green and they have two children, Edith and John; Samuel, who married Sadie Eaton; Effie M., who is the wife of Milton Lennox and they have one daughter, Mildred. The family belongs to the Presbyterian church and Mr. Epperson is much interested in the Sunday school and serves as assistant superintendent. He is a republican in his political views and served four years as trustee of the township. He and family are people of standing in their community and are more or less known all over the county.
WILLIAM J. SMITH, whose excellent farm is situated three-fourths of a mile west of Jackson Center, on the north side of the Arnett turnpike road, devotes much of his attention to raising Jersey thorough-bred cattle and also Plymouth Rock poultry. Mr. Smith was born in Jackson township, Shelby county, O., on a farm that adjoins his own on the south, November 24, 1861, and is a son of Hardin A. and Rhoda ( Jenkins) Smith.
Hardin A. Smith was born in Virginia and lived there until thirteen years of age when he accompanied his father, John Smith, to Clark county. O. After leaving Clark county, Hardin A. Smith went to Champaign county and there married Rhoda Jenkins and they had twelve children, ten of whom sur- vive: Elizabeth, who is deceased, was the wife of W. V. Hughes, of Jackson Center ; Martha, who died when three years old; Jane, who is the wife of Mil- ton Meranda; Mary, who is the widow of Wesley Pence; Christina, who is the widow of Martin A. Baker; Lydia, who is the wife of J. F. Davis; Min- erva, who is the wife of R. W. Davis; William J. ; Albert, who lives at Jack- son Center : Laura, who is the wife of D. W. Ware; George, who lives two miles south of Jackson Center ; and Frank, who lives one mile east of Montra. Hardin A. Smith is one of the pioneers of Jackson township, having moved here in 1858. He was one of the early mail carriers between Urbana and Springfield, making the trip on horseback. Few men are better known in Jackson township.
William J. Smith grew to manhood and attended school in his native town- ship and then learned tanning and harnessmaking with his father, the latter havng started a tannery in 1858. William J. Smith continued the tannery until 1911, when he removed this old landmark in order to build a barn on the site for some of his valuable cows. For many years this tannery was one of the leading business enterprises of the township. This farm is probably one of the most carefully drained properties in this section and all the improvements were placed here by its present owner. Both as a cattle and poultry farm it
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