USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 105
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Zachariah H. McIlroy, the son of John M. and Eveline ( Hubbard ) Mc- Ilroy, was born in Liberty township. Union county, Ohio, April 1, 1874. His father was born on a farm in this same township in 1842 and died after a long and useful career in 1909. John M. Mellroy served in the Civil War in the One Hundred and Sixteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was one of the largest land owners of the county and at his death owned three hundred acres of excellent land in Liberty township. His widow is
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still living. Four children were born to John M. McIlroy and wife, all of whom are living : Louise, the wife of John Sneall; Zachariah H., of Liberty township: Nellie, who is still single ; and Edward, who is living in Texas.
Zachariah H. Mcilroy was educated in the common schools of Liberty township and remained at home until his marriage. Since then he has been farming in Liberty township and now has charge of a fine farm of three hundred acres. He is an extensive stock raiser and has had unusual success along this line of activity.
Mr. Mellroy was married in February, 1901, to Mayme Richard, who was born and reared in Logan county, Ohio. To this union four children have been born, Marion, Leonard, Joseph. Joseph E. and Carrie L.
Politically, Mr. McIlroy has always been identified with the Republican party, but has preferred to give his attention to his agricultural interests ex- clusively. He has never been a candidate for a public office, although he gives his hearty support to all measures of public welfare. As a farmer he ranks among the most progressive of his township, while as a citizen he is well worthy of representation among the public spirited men of his county in this volume.
ISAAC W. ARNOLD.
An enterprising young business man of Raymond, Ohio, is Isaac W. Arnold, of the firm of Arnold & Bowers, dealers in agricultural implements. buggies and wagons. Mr. Arnold started out in the world doing business when a young man and for the past ten years has been living in Raymond. where, for some time, he and Jacob W. Bowers were associated in business. handling farm implements of all kinds, buggies and wagons. On August 31. 1914, Mr. Arnold purchased the interest of his partner and now is con- ducting the business as sole proprietor. In addition to this, Mr. Arnold has a general store of his own in Raymond, to which he gives his attention.
Isaac W. Arnold, the son of Stephen and Elizabeth ( Bushong) Arnold. was born in Hancock county, Madison township, Ohio, August 2, 1882. His parents, both of whom were natives of Ohio, reared a family of seven chil- dren : Isaac W., of Raymond: Simon, of West Mansfield, Ohio: Rebecca. the wife of Ralph Jones, of McGuffey, Ohio, and four who died in childhood.
Stephen Arnold was reared as a farmer's lad in Hancock county. Ohio. and lived there all of his life. He and his wife were both members of the
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Brethren church. The paternal grandparents of Isaac W. Arnold were Wil- son and Rachel Arnold, natives of Pennsylvania and pioneer settlers of Han- cock county, Ohio, where they lived to an advanced age. There were nine children born to Wilson Arnold and wife: Rebecca, Mollie, Stephen, Fran. Wilson, Eliza, Aaron, Millie and Rachel. Mr. Arnold was twice married, and by his second wife had one son, William.
The maternal grandparents of Mr. Arnold were Isaac and Mary ( Clin- german) Bushong, natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers in Hancock county, Ohio, where they died well advanced in years. Mr. Bushong and wife were the parents of three children : Simon, Mary Jane and Elizabeth, the mother of Mr. Arnold.
Isaac W. Arnold was reared in Hancock county, Ohio, on his father's farm. He attended the district schools of his home neighborhood and lived with his mother until he was about fourteen years of age. He then went to live with his uncle, Simon Bushong, and remained with him three years, during which time he attended schools during the winter seasons. He and his uncle then engaged in the well-drilling business and continued together for about six years.
After the marriage of Mr. Arnold, in 1904. he moved to Raymond. where he has since resided. He followed the well-drilling business alone for two years after locating in Raymond and then associated with him Jacob W. Bowers, the partnership continuing until August 31, 1914. In addition to Mr. Bower's well-drilling outfit and well supplies of all kinds, he has a full stock of farm implements, wagons, buggies, etc.
Mr. Arnold was married December 31. 1904. to Rosine Fischer, the daughter of Lonis and Anna ( Banmank ) Fischer, and to this union three sons have been born : Harold. Morris and Loren.
Mrs. Arnold was born in Arlington, Ohio, her mother also being a native of Crestline, while her father was born in Germany. Her parents now live in Arlington, where her father is operating a shoe store. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fischer: Rosine, Lizzie, Kate. . Albert. Frank. Adam, Charles and Mary. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Arnold spent all of their lives in Germany.
Politically, Mr. Arnold is a Democrat, but has never taken an active part in political matters. He is a member of the Raymond Lodge No. 675. Knights of Pythias, and has always taken an active interest in the affairs of this fraternal organization. He is a young man who has made his own way in
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life, and deserves a great deal of credit for the success which he has attained. He is public spirited, interested in all measures of public welfare and highly respected by everyone who knows him.
JUDGE DUDLEY E. THORNTON.
In no profession is there a career more open to talent than is that of the law, and in no field of endeavor is there demanded a more careful preparation, a more thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics of life or of the underlying principles which form the basis of all human rights and privileges. Unflagging application and intuitive wisdom and determination are the concomitants which insure personal success and prestige in this great profession. The field of jurisprudence stands as a stern conservator of justice and it is the one into which none should enter without a recognition of the obstacles to be en- countered and overcome, and the battles to be won. A self-made lawyer, a judge on the probate bench of Union county for seven years, Dudley E. Thorn- ton possesses all of these requisite qualities which stamps the able lawyer, and today he stands among the eminent practitioners of Union county, Ohio.
Dudley E. Thornton, former probate judge of Union county, was born June 13, 1864, in Union county, Ohio. He is the son of Boyd and Elizabeth J. (Scott ) Thornton. His father was born in Logan county, Ohio, as was his mother, and both grew to maturity in the county of their birth. After their marriage they came to Union county and located on a farm in Washington township, where they lived until their'death. They started in with no worldly goods whatever, and by their united efforts accummulated a valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres in this county and reared a family of worthy children. Boyd Thornton was a Republican in politics and held a number of township offices. Ile died December 13, 1890. his wife having passed away on April 5, 1880. Of the seven children born to Boyd Thornton and wife, only three are now living : Z. R., Dudley E .. and Arminta, the wife of Jolin Fry. of West Mansfield, Ohio.
Mr. Thornton was reared on a farm in Washington township. this county, and attended the district schools until he was sixteen years of age. As a youth he showed much promise and his father sent him to the Ada Normal School in order to prepare himself for a professional career. However, Mr. Thornton paid his own expenses through the normal school by teaching. He
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would go to school one year, and then teach the next year in order to have enough money to return to school the following year, and in this way he finally graduated from the normal school at Ada, Ohio. While teaching he studied law, and also took the law course at Ada, and after his graduation from the law school was admitted to the bar of Union county. He began the active practice of his profession at Plain City, this county, and six years later was elected probate judge of Union county. He served in this capacity for seven years, and on retiring from the office in February, 1912, he took up the prac- tice of law in Marysville, where he is now living. As a judge he possesses all of those qualities which are demanded in the successful practitioner and he gave eminent satisfaction during his term of office.
Judge Thornton was married in 1894 to Eva Mather, who was born and reared in Union county, and to this union one child has been born, Lamont, who was born November 7, 1903.
Mr. Thornton has been a life-long Republican, and has been one of the leaders of his party for many years and taken an active part, not only in local politics, but in state politics as well. A man of sterling qualities, he is honest and strictly square dealing, and his upright principles and genial disposition have won for him numerous friends throughout the county where he has spent his entire career.
WILLIAM C. THOMAS.
After a long and successful career as a public school teacher, William C. Thomas is now farming in Washington township. where he has been living for several years. Although not a native of this county, he has made it his home for the past forty years, during which time he has taken an active part in the educational life of the county. During his thirty-three years spent in the school room and fifteen years as school examiner of Union county he has made a record that probably has never been equalled in the county. Thousands of children have come under his influence and been benefited by his instructions and wise counsels, and although he has retired from the school room he still takes an active interest in school affairs, and as a member of the school board of Washington township he is doing every- thing in his power to improve the quality of the schools.
William C. Thomas, the son of Joshua B. and Druzilla ( Hite ) Thomas, was born in Greene county, Ohio, May 7. 1854. His parents were also natives of Greene county and lived there most of their lives. His father
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lived in Illinois for a short time, but returned to Union county, where he made his home the remainder of his life, dying there in May, 1870, his wife having passed away previously. J. B. Thomas was a local minister in the Methodist Protestant church for a few years, but devoted most of his life to farming, and at his death owned one hundred and eighty-seven and one- half acres of land in that county. During the time that he was serving as an ordained minister he had charge of the Fort Williams circuit, and after retir- ing from the active ministry he always took a very active part in church affairs. Nine children were born to J. B. Thomas and wife, six of whom are now living: Elizabeth, the wife of Addison Fossett; Maggie, deceased; Lucretia, deceased, who married Edward Powers, also deceased; Ella, the wife of Grant Cultice; B. F., the recorder of Greene county. Ohio: Sanford, a farmer in Greene county : John, a farmer living near Lebanon, Ohio: Will- iam C., of Washington township, Union county, and one who died in child- hood.
William C. Thomas was reared on his father's farm in Greene county and, after attending the elementary schools of his township, became a student in the Forest Home Seminary, at Bowersville, Ohio. Later he attended Xenia College, and after leaving college became a teacher in the public schools. He came to Union county in 1875, and for thirty-three years taught in the schools of the county, and also served for fifteen years as school exam- iner of the county. He was principal of the grammar school at Richwood for three years, township superintendent at Byhalia for three years, and during the rest of his teaching experience taught at various places in the county. He still retains an active interest in school affairs and is an influential member of the Washington township school board at the present time. A few years ago he retired from the school room and has since devoted his attention to farming.
Mr. Thomas was married December 24, 1879, to Clara E. Harriman, the daughter and only child of J. E. Harriman and Mary ( Barkdull) Harri- man. Mrs. Thomas was born and reared in Washington township, and edu- cated in the common schools. Her father was a native of Logan county, Ohio, and her mother of Richwood, in Union county. Mr. Thomas and his wife are the parents of four children: Leota, the wife of J. Garfield Seran; Chester Allen, a merchant at Arbela, Ohio: and two sons, Holly Elverton and Eldred Lemoyne, who are still living at home. E. L. graduated from the common schools at the age of eleven, from the high school at the age of four- teen, and from the National Automobile School at the age of seventeen.
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Mr. Thomas and his family are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church and interested in all church and Sunday school work. He is a member of Byhalia Lodge No. 720, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has passed all of the chairs in his lodge. In politics he is a stanch Re- publican, and has taken an active interest in the welfare of his party.
ASA R. SMART.
The career of Asa R. Smart began in' Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio, seventy years ago, and in this same township he has been a continuous resident since his birth. He has reached the allotted age of three score and ten and still enjoys good health and takes an active part in the life of his com- munity. He is a man of sound practical intelligence, who is keenly alert to everything relating to his interests and to all that concerns the advancement and prosperity of his community. He has taken a deep interest in church work, in the civic life of his community and because of his splendid personal characteristics and his genuine worth, he enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him.
Asa R. Smart, the son of John S. and Mary ( Robinson) Smart, was born May 4, 1844, in Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio. His parents, who were both natives of Ohio, reared a family of eleven children, seven of whom are still living : Catherine J., the wife of Isaac Breckenridge, of Trum- bull county, Ohio; Joseph T., of Franklin county, this state ; O. P., of Kansas; Asa R., of Union county ; Isaac, of Auglaize county, this state; Susan, the wife of James McCurgen, of Ostrander, this county, and Ettie, the wife of Silas MeKidrick, of Marysville.
Asa R. Smart was reared on his father's farm in Mill Creek township, and received a very limited common school education. The schools of his day were meager in equipment and the quality of instruction was very poor. Early in life he began to work upon his father's farm, helping to clear the land and make it ready for cultivation. He remained at home until he was twenty- four years of age and then married and settled down to the life of a farmer in the township where he was born. He now owns one hundred and thirty-five acres in this township, on which he has been living since 1868, and all of the improvements which are now on the farm are the results of his own work.
Mr. Smart was married November 8, 1868, to Laura Edson, who was born in Delaware county, Ohio, near Ostrander, in 1845, and to this union
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four children have been born: Minnie, the wife of George Mills, of Union county; A. V., a graduate of the Mill Creek township schools, and also a student at Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio; Mabel, a graduate of the high school at Watkins, Ohio, and Maude, who graduated from the same school and is now the wife of Clarence Wells.
Mr. Smart and his family have all been loyal members of the Presby- terian church at Ostrander, and Mr. Smart is now one of the elders of his denomination. Politically, he has long given his hearty support to the Demo- cratic party, and was formerly one of the trustees of Mill Creek township.
ARCHIE T. COOK.
A farmer of Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, who has made a pronounced success of sheep raising is Archie T. Cook, who has been a resi- dent of this county for many years. He has not devoted all of his life to agricultural pursuits, having been engaged in the drug business in West Mans- field, Ohio, for several years, while he has also been interested in the telephone business for several years. At the present time he is giving most of his at- tention to farming and sheep raising, although still interested in the telephone industry.
Archie T. Cook. the son of Uriah and Malinda ( Toby) Cook, was born in Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, July 22, 1868. His father was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, and came to Union county when a boy. where he grew to manhood and lived the remainder of his life. The wife of Uriah Cook was born and reared in Union county. Three sons were born to Uriah Cook and wife: Archie T., of Liberty township: F. W., of West Mansfield, Ohio: and Harry S., of Marysville, Ohio.
Archie T. Cook was reared in this county and educated in the public schools of his home township. He remained at home until his marriage. Eventually he went to West Mansfield, Ohio, where he was proprietor of a drug store for nine years. He then moved to Bellefontaine, in this state. where he worked for the United Telephone Company in the capacity of trouble inspector. Later he returned to Union county to take charge of his father's farm of ninety acres in Liberty township and has been residing here since that time. Due to his intimate knowledge of the telephone business. he has been appointed receiver for the Union County Farmers' Telephone Company and now has general charge of that company's affairs. As a
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farmer he has given much attention to the breeding of American Merino sheep and has taken many premiums at county, state and national sheep exhibits.
Mr. Cook has been married twice. He was first married to Ida Moore, and to this union two sons were born : Lamont, who is now twenty-one years of age, and Edgar, who is fifteen. His first wife died December 19, 1911. and he later married Elizabeth Southard, who died in July, 1914. To the second marriage one daughter, Catharine E., was born in March, 1914.
Politically, Mr. Cook gives his hearty support to the Democratic party. He is a member of the Church of Christ at West Mansfield, Ohio, where he lived for many years. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias and is the past chancellor of the latter lodge.
CHARLES G. MORROW.
A prosperous and substantial farmer of York township, Union county, Ohio, who was born on the farm where he is now living, is Charles G. Mor- row. The Morrow family have been identified with the history of Union county since several years before the Civil War and during that time have taken an important part in every phase of the history of the county. Mr. Morrow has been unusually successful as a farmer and stock raiser and his well improved farm of two hundred and forty acres, located one and one- fourth miles northeast of York Center, is one of the most attractive farms in the county.
Charles G. Morrow, the son of J. A. and Elizabeth ( Storms) Morrow. was horn on his present farm April 14, 1859. His father was born in Bel- mont county. Ohio, and his mother in New York state, each coming to this county with their parents before the Civil War. His parents grew to ma- turity in this county, married and lived here the remainder of their days. The grand father of Charles G. Morrow was Dr. Charles Morrow, a pioneer phy- sician of the county and a man who was highly respected and honored by everyone who knew him. J. A. Morrow and wife were the parents of four children, all of whom are still living: Etta, the wife of W. H. Houk: Jessie D., the wife of T. J. Winters : Charles G., of York township; and S. J., who is connected with the Big Four railroad at Cleveland, Ohio.
Charles G. Morrow was reared on his father's farm and educated in the public schools of York township and the high school at Marysville. He re-
(69)
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mained at home until his marriage and then began farming in York township, where he has since resided, with the exception of a year and a half which he spent in Marysville. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, giving particular attention to the breeding of French Norman horses.
Mr. Morrow was married April 5, 1883, to Mattie M. Davis, a native of this county. To this union two children have been born, Edwin F. and Emery M. Edwin was a student at the Ohio Northern University at Ada, and later at Oberlin College. After his college course was finished, he re- turned home and is now located on his father's farm. He married Lulu Worthington. Emery M., the other son, took the agricultural course in the State University at Columbus. He married Florence Cox and now lives on his father's farm.
Mr. Morrow and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have always been active in all of its enterprises. Mr. Morrow has served as superintendent of the Sunday school as well as a teacher in the Sunday school. Politically, he has given his hearty support to the Republican party, but has never cared to take an active part in political affairs.
PERCY MONROE SMITH.
A representative farmer and stock raiser of Darby township. Union county, Ohio, is Percy Monroe Smith, who is known as one of the alert and successful agriculturists of this section of the Buckeye state. His grand- parents were early settlers of this county, having located here more than seventy years ago.
Percy M. Smith, the son of Rev. David and Alvira ( Andrews) Smith, was born in Bourbon county, Kansas, in 1887. His father was a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church and during a long and active career preached in many different states. At one time he had charge of the Methodist church at Milford Center. Ohio, but during his latter years lived in Missouri and died in that state. David Smith was a son of Robert and Sarah Smith and was the father of three children, Mrs. Tinnie Jefferson, Mabel and Percy M.
The maternal grandparents of Percy M. Smith came to Franklin county in 1844 and settled in the wilderness. Grandfather Andrews became a sub- stantial farmer and followed that occupation until his death, in 1887. Mr. Andrews and his wife reared a family of eight children: Anson, who died in the army of typhoid fever; Elizabeth, who is living with Percy M. Smith;
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Ira, deceased; Alvira, the wife of the late Rev. Smith and the mother of Percy M. Smith ; Edgar, deceased ; Sarah, the wife of B. L. Robinson; Lu- cinda, deceased; Arilla, deceased.
The education of Percy M. Smith was received in the schools of Un- ionville Center, Ohio, and Ohio State University at Columbus. After leaving the university, he began to farm on his present farm of one hundred and sixty-four acres.
VINCENT M. WILLOUGHBY.
The farmer is the bulwark of the nation and investigation has shown that a majority of the best business men in the cities were reared on the farm. George Washington was a farmer and was proud of the fact, and Abraham Lincoln was reared on a rock farin in the southern part of Indiana. Many of the most popular governors Ohio has ever had were reared on the farm and prided themselves on being "horny-handed sons of toil." Among the farmers of Union county, Ohio, there is none more progressive than Vincent M. Willoughby, who has been thoroughly schooled in all of the multitude of agricultural details which are the necessary concomitants of the best farm- ers. Careful and conservative in his business methods and affairs, he is nevertheless sufficiently progressive in order to keep pace with the latest ideas and methods of agriculture.
Vincent M. Willoughby, the son of James and Rebecca ( Postle ) Will- oughby, was born November 22, 1853, in Madison county, Ohio. His par- ents, both of whom are now deceased, reared a family of nine children, eight of whom are still living: Mary, the wife of G. W. Bussard, of Madison county, Ohio; Vincent M., of Liberty township, this county; William M., who married Mollie Cribberly, of Madison county ; Henry M., a farmer living in Kansas; John C., also in Kansas; Robert, of Denver, Colorado; Effie B .. the wife of Addison Galloway, of Franklin county, Ohio, and Cliffe, the wife of E. A. Betts, who lives in Kansas.
Vincent M. Willoughby was reared on his father's farm in Madison county, Ohio, and received his education in the district schools. At the age of fifteen he began to work for himself and when he was married. at the age of twenty-two, he and his young wife had no resources except their good health and a determination to succeed in life. They went south and lived for a time, but returned to Ohio, where Mr. Willoughby worked for R. G. Dunn by the day for some time. He received one dollar a day for his
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