USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 58
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JOSIAH JACOB MORELOCK.
The late Josiah Jacob Morelock was one of the leading farmers, stock breeders and business men of Union county, Ohio, for many years. He was a resident of this county from 1853 until his death in 1899. Commencing life here as a young man without any resources, he was at the time of his death one of the most prosperous men of the county. As a young man he worked at the tanner's trade and followed this line of endeavor for several years, but from 1880 until the time of his death he was mainly concerned with the breeding of high grade horses and general stock farming.
Josiah Jacob Morelock, the son of Michael and Annamary ( Weaver) Morelock, was born in Carroll county, Maryland, February 18. 1833. and died in Marysville, October 27, 1899. He remained at home until he was twenty years of age and in 1853 came to Union county, Ohio, and worked in his uncle's tannery for about a year, after which he spent the following year in a tannery at West Jefferson, in Madison county. In the spring of 1855 he went to Pleasant Valley, now Plain City, where he found employment in the tannery of Asa Converse for two years and a half. While working for Mr. Converse he became acquainted with his daughter and their marriage fol- lowed in the fall of 1857. After his marriage Mr. Morelock continued working in the tannery at Plain City with his father-in-law until 1863, hav- ing in the meantime acquired an interest in the business. In 1863 he dis- posed of his interests in the tannery to his father-in-law and located in Marys- ville where he and G. L. Sellers engaged in the tannery business together for a few years. He then bought ont the interests of Mr. Sellers and con- tinned to operate the tannery alone until about 1873, when he disposed of it to Messrs. England & Goodyear. He invested his money at this time in a
JOSIAH J. MORELOCK.
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business block in Marysville. In 1880 he and his son went to Europe and imported three horses and began the raising of high class horses. In 1883 he took his son, Charles, into the business and three years later he bought a farm of one hundred and seventy-six acres in Paris township, two miles west of the county seat, and on this farm Mr. Morelock and his son con- tinued in the breeding of horses until his death October 27, 1899.
Josiah J. Morelock was married September 24, 1857, to Candace Ann Converse, a daughter of Asa and Thankful (McCloud) Converse. Thank- ful McCloud was a daughter of Rev. Charles McCloud. Mrs. Morelock's father was born in Bridgeport. Vermont, February 9, 1814, a son of Squire and Anna (Rand) Converse. Squire Converse was born November 4, 1782, and was a son of Rev. Jeremiah Converse, a soldier in the Revolutionary War.
Rev. Jeremiah Converse had a very interesting experience during the Revolutionary War. He enlisted as a private and his company was sent to Ohio as a scouting party to ascertain the strength and position of a maraud- ing band of Indians. His company traveled many miles along the banks of the Muskingum river and toward evening of the second day they found themselves confronted by about four hundred savages who had secreted themselves behind some fallen timber. The Indians waited until the little company drew near and then mowed them down with a deadly fire, more than half of the company being killed and wounded by the first volley. The re- mainder of the company stood bravely to their guns and, taking to the trees, as was the custom when fighting with Indians, they vainly endeavored to check the onslaught of the savages. Within a few minutes they heard the terrible war whoop of the Indians, and as the savages rushed from their hiding place, the little company knew that their only safety was in retreat and Mr. Converse was one of the tew who escaped to tell the story.
Squire Converse was a lifelong farmer until his death, November 19, 1823. He came to Ohio and located in Darby township in 1814 and here he and his good wife reared a large family of children, Jasper Rand, Edwin Gates, Asa, Charles, Betsey R. (who was born in July and died the following August), Betsey R. (the second child of the same name), Anna, Harriett and Candace Ann.
Josiah J. Morelock and wife were the parents of three children, two of whom are living, one dying in infancy, Charles Albert and Annamary. Charles A. was born February 13, 1863, and received his education in the Marysville high school and in a business school in Marysville. After his
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father's death he took over the management of his father's business affairs and continued in the general farming and stock raising business until his elec- tion to the office of county auditor in the fall of 1912. At the expiration of his first term he was re-elected and is now serving his second term. The reader is referred to the history of Charles A. Morelock, which is found else- where in this volume. Annamary, the other living child of J. J. Morelock, graduated from the high school at Marysville and is now living with her mother.
Josiah J. Morelock was a member of the first fire department of Marys- ville and a member of the city council for several terms. He was an ad- herent of the Democratic party in politics and was always interested in political matters. He was a public-spirited man and never failed to give his hearty support to all worthy measures. He was a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Marysville. He was reared in the faith of the English Lutheran church, although his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Morelock was a man of genial disposition, kindly impulses and very hospitable, and is well remembered by those of a past generation as one of the most influential citizens of the county.
J. MERRITT LENTZ.
A prosperous young business man of Marysville, Ohio, is J. Merritt Lentz, of the firm of C. F. Lentz's Sons, manufacturers of butter tubs. Mr. Lentz has been a resident of Union county since 1883. while he has been a member of his firm since he was seventeen years of age. He and his brothers conduct the factory and make from twelve to fifteen hundred tubs a day and have built up a business which extends into several states. They now employ thirty skilled workmen all the time.
J. Merritt Lentz, the son of Charles F. and Lydia (Mooney) Lentz, was born in Cardington, Morrow county, Ohio. December 24, 1879. His parents, who were natives of Ohio, reared a family of four children : Ralph C., of Marysville ; Florence, single : Laura, the wife of W. R. Weidman, of Marysville. and John Merritt.
Charles F. Lentz was born at Somerset, Perry county, Ohio, but grew to manhood in Morrow county. He began clerking when a young man and later entered the shoe business at Cardington in partnership with his brother John. They worked together in business for a number of years and then
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Charles F. sold his interest to his brother on account of ill health and went on a farm to live. In 1883 Charles F. Lentz came to Marysville and bought the old butter tub factory in partnership with Doctor Connor and four years later Mr. Lentz bought the Doctor's interest and ran the business alone until 1897, when he associated with him his two sons, Ralph C. and J. Merritt, under the name of C. F. Lentz. & Sons. The firm continued under this name until the death of the father in 1904, since which time the sons have conducted the business under the name of C. F. Lentz's Sons. Charles F. Lentz and his wife, who died in 1885, were members of the Presbyterian church. He was a member of the school board of Marysville and also served in the council. J. Merritt Lentz was about four years of age when his parents moved to Marysville and, consequently, he received all of his education in this city. Starting in before reaching his majority as a member of the firm, he has devoted all of his life so far to the industry which his father built up so ably.
Mr. Lentz was married June 27, 1907, to Florence Wilkins, the daughter of Joseph S. and Minnie ( Court ) Wilkins. To this union two children have been born, John, Jr .. and Virginia.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Lentz came from Germany and settled first in Pennsylvania and later in Perry county, Ohio. Subsequently, they moved to Morrow county, where they died well advanced in years. A large family of children were born to the grandparents of Mr. Lentz. Elizabeth, Eliza, Mary, John. Charles F. and others who died in childhood. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Lentz were M. L. and Jemimah Mooney, natives of New York state and early settlers in Morrow county, Ohio, where they died well along in years. M. L. Mooney and wife were the parents of four children, Susan. Mary. Lydia and Henry.
The wife of J. M. Lentz was born in Cleveland, Ohio, her parents being natives of Union county. Her father died in 1903 and her mother is still living. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilkins, Bess, Florence, Josephine and Court. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Lentz were and Jane (Stewart) Wilkins, natives of Ohio, and the parents of five chil- dren, Joseph. Carew, Maria, Kizzie Ann and Frank. The maternal grand- parents of Mrs. Lentz were George and Elizabeth Court. They had two children. Minnie, the mother of Mrs. Lentz, and Edward.
Mr. Lentz and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and deeply interested in everything pertaining to its advancement. Mr. Lentz is a member of the official board of his church .. Fraternally, he belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, the Royal and Select Masters, Raper Command- ery, Knights Templar, and Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Politically, he gives
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his loyal support to the Republican party and has been one of its leaders in county and state affairs for many years. At the present time he is serving as deputy state supervisor of elections, a position which carries with it con- siderable responsibility. Mr. Lentz is a man of pleasing appearance and is highly regarded by a large circle of friends and acquaintances throughout the county.
J. EARL CURRY.
From the earliest history of Union county, Ohio, the Curry family have been prominent factors in its development. The county was organized in 1810 and the father of J. Earl Curry was born in Jerome township in 1817. Thus it is seen that the Currys have been identified with the history of Jerome township for at least a century and during all this time have been prominent in the educational, civic, religious and business life of the county. Without exception the various members of the family have borne their parts as befits the good American citizen. He and his brothers have been engaged in part- nership for several years and their well improved farm of five hundred acres in Jerome township is one of the best farms in the county.
J. Earl Curry, the son of John and Tabitha (Gill) Curry, was born in Jerome township, Union county, Ohio, January 22, 1868. In this same town- ship his father was born in 1817, while his mother was born in Darby town- ship. Their marriage occurred in 1845 and nine of the eleven children born to his parents are still living, Allen T., Louis, T. H., Frank, Olive, Jesse, Stevenson, Phoebe, Samantha, J. Earl and John M.
The grandfather of J. Earl Curry was James A. Curry, who was born in Harrisonburg, Rockingham county, Virginia, March 30, 1787. He came with his parents in 1798 to Ross county, Ohio, where he lived until 1811. On March 18th of that year James Curry married Phoebe Winget, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1799. James A. Curry and his wife were one of the first couples to locate in Jerome township and here he died March 1, 1874, while his widow survived him until 1891. The reader is referred to the history of Louis Curry, elsewhere in this volume, for further information concerning the Curry family.
J. Earl Curry graduated from the common school and the high school of Jerome township and remained at home until his marriage. He then began farming in partnership with his brothers, Louis and John M., the firm being known as the C. L. Curry & Company. They are engaging in general
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farming and stock raising and are recognized as being among the most progressive and enterprising farmers of the county.
J. Earl Curry was married November 19, 1898, to Ella Mitchell, the daughter of Calvin and Sophia (Ashbaugh) Mitchell, natives of Franklin county, Ohio. To this union five children have been born, two of whom are living : Mildred, born May 19, 1906, and John, born November 8, 1907. Hester, Harold and Robert Lee died in childhood.
The father of Mrs. Curry is now living near Dublin, Ohio, and her mother died in 1914. Mr. Mitchell and his wife were the parents of six chil- dren, four of whom are still living: Osborne, of Dublin, Ohio; Minnie, who died about 1895, the wife of Thomas Dodge, of Union county ; Joseph, of Linworth; Ella, the wife of Mr. Curry; Nora, who died in 1883; and Wilbur, of Dublin, Ohio.
Politically, Mr. Curry gives his hearty support to the Democratic party but has never had any inclination to become a candidate for public office or take an active part in political affairs.
GEORGE FRANK HOOVER.
Peculiar honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the great struggle of life practically unaided and with unfavorable environments, gradually overcomes obstacles that appear in his pathway and by force of his own individuality forges his way to success. No country in the world affords such opportunities for a young man to make his own way and attain to the highest success, regardless of difficult and unpropitious circumstances of early youth, as is afforded by the opportunities found in this country of ours. That "honor and fame from no condition rise" is exemplified by what are called the self-made men who have acted well their part in all the professions and vocations of life. Self-made men are found on the farm, in the work- shop. in the manufacturing industries and in the mercantile business, as well as among the men who have achieved great honor in the professions. It is to the men of this class, rather than those of fortunate circumstance of birth, that America is indebted for its wonderful development in natural resources and its high standard of citizenship.
George Frank Hoover, whose life carecr is the subject of this sketch, is entitled to a place among the self-made men of his time. His place is among the successful farmers and stock raisers of Union county, and whatever may
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be the measure of success he has achieved in this industry, it is certainly not due to the fortunate circumstance of his early youth. He was born, Novem- ber 16, 1855, in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and was the only son of Levi and Sarah (Seiger) Hoover, who were also natives of Pennsylvania. Dur- ing the Civil War Levi Hoover enlisted in the army and died in the service. In 1864 Mrs. Hoover, the mother of our subject, died and thus the son was left, at the age of nine years, an orphan and without a home.
At the age of ten years George F. Hoover was legally adopted as one of the family of Benjamin Schlier and here he made his home until he was twenty-one years old. His education was received in the country schools which he was privileged to attend during his early years. Arriving at his majority, he began to look about for an opportunity for employment by which he could earn a livelihood for himself and make his own way in the world. In 1878 he left his Pennsylvania home and came to Champaign county, Ohio, where he found work on a farm. That he had acquired the habit of industry and a disposition characterized by thrift and economy is evidenced by the fact that after working on the farm at this place for a few years he was able to purchase a tract of land and engage in farming on his own account. He bought fifty-four acres of land in Union county near Marysville, and moved to this farin and began to cultivate and improve it. From time to time he has added other acres to his original purchase and at the present time has a farm of over two hundred acres, as fine a tract of land as is in Union county. Like many other Union county farmers he has added stock raising to his farming interests, and his success in this line of industry is equal to that of any of his neighboring farmers. His farm is located on the Hoover road, about three and a half miles northwest of Marysville. Here he lives in a beautiful country home furnished with all modern comforts and conveniences. His barns and farm buildings are models of convenience and adapted for the purpose used, and everything about the farm is indicative of intelligent management and the prosperous condition of the owner.
Mr. Hoover married Lucy Pollitt and to this union four children have been born, Alberta, George, Earl and Florence. Alberta married Dalton Reed and has two children. Gertrude and Loyd Franklin; George married Miss Nellie Moore and has two children, Vivian and Robert: Earl married Anna Carr; Florence married Benjamin Turner and has three children, Geneva Bell, Mildred and Eugene. Mr. and Mrs. Hoover are not affiliated with any particular church but are friendly to all. Mrs. Hoover was born in Brown county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Jane (Edington) Pollitt. She was educated and grew to womanhood in Brown county.
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CHARLES M. JONES.
The life of the farmer of today is the most independent existence which can be enjoyed and with all the modern inventions to facilitate farming it is rapidly losing those objections which have always been so ominous to the average farmer lad. The public school has taken cognizance of the subject of farming and today in the schools of Ohio farming is being taught, and our colleges are conferring degrees in agriculture in many of the states of the Union. The department of agriculture of the United States government is doing an immense amount of work for the farmers' welfare throughout the country, but it is a lamentable fact that so few farmers know what the de- partment of agriculture is trying to do. They have issued hundreds of bulletins bearing on every phase of farming and distributed them free of cost. These bulletins cover all phases of farming and stock raising and are pre- pared by experts in every line. Many farmers of Union county are taking advantage of the assistance afforded by the United States government, and one of these progressive and up-to-date farmers is Charles M. Jones, pro- prietor of the "Pleasant Valley Stock Farm" adjoining Plain City.
Charles M. Jones, the son of Thomas and Marion (Newton) Jones, was born in Madison county, Ohio, June 9, 1850. His father came from Wales to America when a lad with his parents, William and Winifred Jones, Will- iam Jones came to America with his family and settled in Columbus, Ohio, and is buried in that city. Thomas Jones learned the harness maker's trade in his youth and worked in Columbus, Ohio, for some years, later locating in Madison county, Ohio, and following his trade there. In 1847 Thomas Jones commenced general farming and gradually drifted into the breeding of Percheron horses, and brought the first Percheron horse into that county in 1851. To Thomas Jones and wife were born six children, Harriett, Charles M., Anne, Albert, Ellsworth and Winifred. Of these children Anne. Winifred and Harriett are deceased.
Charles M. Jones was educated in the common schools of his county and later attended the high school in Columbus for one year. He then entered Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware and graduated from that excellent institution in the spring of 1873. He then returned to his father's farm where he has since lived. He took up his father's business of breeding Percheron horses and has made a reputation which extends throughout the state and even throughout the whole United States. He is a member of the National Percheron Association and is treasurer of the national organization
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at the present time. This is the largest association of horse breeders in the United States and has its local organizations in practically every state in the Union. The fact that Mr. Jones is one of the national officers shows that he is a man of ability and integrity.
Mr. Jones was married October 29, 1879, to Ida S. Snider, of Mt. Gillion, Ohio, and to this union has been born one daughter, Bertha, who is the wife of Pearl Crabill and has three children, Ruth, John J. and Marion.
Mr. Jones gives his hearty support to the Democratic party but has never taken an active part in political matters. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plain City and give of their means to its support. The family home is in the edge of Plain City and was built by the father of Mr. Jones, although he has remodeled the house in recent years. The farm of Mr. Jones lies in Union and Madison counties and comprises one hundred and fifty acres of excellent land. Fraternally, Mr. Jones is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons at Plain City.
JOHN HENRY SCHONEBERGER.
The German nation has furnished thousands of good citizens for the state of Ohio and Union county has been fortunate to count a number of them as a part of her body politic. While there are many Germans of native birth in the county, there is a still larger number of German descent, and this latter class is characterized by the same thrift and economy which made their forefathers leading farmers and business men of the various communities in which they settled in the United States. John Henry Schoneberger is a worthy descendant of German ancestors and has met with a success which stamps him as a man of more than ordinary business ability.
John Henry Schoneberger, the son of William and Maria (Weber) Schoneberger, was born in New Jersey, three miles from Morristown, May 18, 1853. His parents were both natives of Bavaria, Germany, and came to this country in 1844 with five children. Three children were born to Will- iam and Maria Schoneberger after arriving in America. The children in the order of their birth are as follows: Frederick, deceased; Benjamin. de- ceased; Gertrude, the widow of Jacob Schreiner, of Parsons, Kansas ; Philip, deceased; Mary, deceased, who died at Bridgeport. Ohio, and was the wife of Henry Maag: William, who lives in New Jersey near the old home place ;
JOHN H. SCHONEBERGER
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Mina, the widow of George Searing, of Madison, New Jersey, and John Henry, of Marysville.
William Schoneberger farmed near' Morristown, New Jersey, after coming to this country in 1844, and died there in 1866 at the age of sixty- five. His wife lived until 1898 and was almost ninety years of age at the time of her death. Both were members of the Presbyterian church. The paternal grandfather was a blacksmith by trade and reared a large family of children, among them being William, Adolph and Frederick.
John Henry Schoneberger was reared in New Jersey until he was six- teen years of age. and in 1869 he went west and located near Pomeroy in Meigs county, Ohio. He attended the public schools and academy there for a short time and worked around Pomeroy among the salt works at that place. At the age of eighteen he started in the grocery business for himself in Minersville, Ohio, and continued this line of activity until 1876. He then engaged in the manufacture of bromine in that vicinity, and for the next twenty years was actively engaged in the manufacture of this product. In 1884 he added to his other business the manufacture of calcium chloride and continued to manufacture bromine and calcium chloride in furnaces in Syra- cuse and Pomeroy, Ohio, and also Hartford, West Virginia, until about 1900. In that year he built the Pittsburg Calcium Chloride Works at Alle- gheny and continued as general manager of that plant until 1907, when he sold his interests in Allegheny and came to Marysville, Ohio, where he has since made his home. He lived in Columbus, Ohio, from 1899 to 1905.
Mr. Schoneberger was married September 8, 1875, at Syracuse. Ohio, to Catherine Schreiner, the daughter of Frederick and Charlotte (Bergman) Schreiner, and to this union five children have been born, Minnie, Bess, J. Harry. Charlotte and Marie. Minnie is the wife of John A. Schott, of Columbus, Ohio, and has one son, Harry Edwin. Bess is still at home with her parents. J. Harry is secretary and general manager of the Crawford Chair Company at Grand Ledge, Michigan. He married Catherine Craw- ford. Charlotte was the wife of C. A. R. Catesmani, who died several years ago in California, leaving one daughter, Catherine. Charlotte afterward married Clark Morgan and now resides in Columbus, Ohio. Marie is the wife of Otis Hatton, the superintendent of schools at Covington, Ohio.
Mrs. Schoneberger was born at Minersville, Ohio. Her parents came from Germany and were married in New York city. April 18, 1847. Her father was born January 20. 1820. and upon the opening of the Civil War in this county, he enlisted for service in the Union army and was killed acci-
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