USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 61
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UNION COUNTY, OHIO.
Mrs. Bainer was born in Marysville, Ohio, January 6, 1861. Her par- ents were natives of Bavaria. Germany, and were very early settlers in Marysville, Ohio. Her father came here when sixteen and her mother when eight years of age, and located in the German settlement in this county. Her father died in Marysville in 1884, at the age of fifty-four, and her mother died in August. 1900, aged sixty-one. Five children were born to the parents of Mrs. Bainer, Barbara, George, Mary, Lena (deceased) and John.
The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Bainer were George and Anna Bar- bara (Goese) Gundermann, natives of Germany and early settlers of Marys- ville, where they died at an old age. George Gundermann and wife were the parents of five children, Barbara, Margaret. Michael, John and George. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Bainer were Frederick and Katharina (Her- scher ) Schmidt. They were natives of Germany and came to America in 1854 and first located in Canal Winchester and about 1856 came to Union county, Ohio, and located in the German settlement in this county. Fred- erick Schmidt died about four months after coming to this county and his wife died about 1878, at the age of seventy-seven. There were six children born to Frederick Schmidt and wife who lived to maturity. Lena. Laura, Elizabeth, Margaret. David and Franz. Four other children died in early childhood.
Politically, Mr. Bainer is a Democrat and at the present time is a member of the city council. He is a director in the Citizens Home and Savings Bank. The family are loyal members of the Trinity Lutheran church, in whose welfare they are deeply interested and to whose support they are generous contributors.
DR. PETER T. ENGARD.
The practice of veterinary surgery has pushed to the front within the last quarter of a century and has reached a stage where it is recognized as a science. Many excellent schools of veterinary surgery are now established in the United States and one of the best institutions of this kind is located at Indianapolis, Indiana. Dr. Peter T. Engard graduated from the Indiana Veterinary College in the spring of 1913 and has since been practicing his profession in Marysville, Ohio. He is rapidly building up a wide acquaint- ance throughout the county and gaining an enviable reputation for his skill as a veterinary.
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Dr. Peter T. Engard, the son of William and Irene ( Freese) Engard, was born in Delaware, Ohio, January 22, 1886. His parents, who were both natives of Delaware county, Ohio, were the parents of four sons: Dr. Peter T., of Marysville ; Marion, of London, Ohio; William, a soldier in the regular army; and Walter, a grocer in London, Ohio.
William Engard was reared in Delaware county, Ohio, and bought and sold horses for a number of years. For the past eight years he has been a resident of London, Ohio, where he and his wife are now residing. He and his wife are both loyal members of the Presbyterian church.
The paternal grandparents of Doctor Engard were Peter T. and Julia (Cornell ) Engard, natives of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, re- pectively. They were early settlers of Delaware county, Ohio, where he bought and sold horses. He died at Findlay, Ohio, at the age of ninety-one and his wife passed away at the age of seventy-five. Eight children were born to the grandparents of Doctor Engard. Mary, Adeline, Emma, George, William, John. Harry and Frank. The maternal grandparents of Doctor Engard were Marion Freese and wife, natives of Ohio. Marion Freese was a groceryman in Delaware county all of his life. His wife died when a young woman and he is still living at Bell Point, Ohio. Marion Freese and wife reared a family of five children, Vina, Martha, Susan, Irene and Walter.
Dr. Peter T. Engard was reared in Delaware county, Ohio, and attended the country schools of Lucas county. He graduated from the Findlay high school in 1903 and then went to work in his home county. In the fall of 1910 he entered the Indiana Veterinary College at Indianapolis and gradu- ated in 1913. He at once came to Marysville, Ohio, where he has since prac- ticed his profession and has met with unusual success from the beginning.
Doctor Engard was married November 27. 1913, to Marie Armstrong, the daughter of Martin and Charlotte ( Saunders) Armstrong.
Mrs. Engard was born in Columbus, Ohio. Her parents were both natives of this state and are now living at London, Ohio, where her father is manager of the manufacturing plant of Thomas Armstrong. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong, Marie and Virginia. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Engard had four sons, Martin, Richard, Frank and Charles.
Dr. and Mrs. Engard are members of the Presbyterian church. In politics, he gives his support to the Democratic party, but thus far has not taken an active part in political matters. He is a young man of pleasing appearance and deeply interested in his profession and bids fair to become one of the representative citizens of Marysville.
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UNION COUNTY, OIIIO.
WILLIAM M. GOFF. M. D.
In every life of honor and usefulness there is no dearth of incident and material around which the biographer may weave an interesting and instruc- tive story. Even the minor incidents, and what may be considered the unim- portant details of a life, are subjects worthy of consideration in giving a true index of the character in a life history. But in summing up the career of any man in the brief space allotted. the writer must needs touch only the more salient points giving the keynote of the character, eliminating many of the minor details that would contribute to the interest of a more extended story. Within the pages of this work will be found mention of many prominent and influential citizens, worthy representatives of sturdy pioneer families, who have contributed a full share of the arduous work incident to the develop- ment of the country. Among this class is Dr. William M. Goff. who occupies a prominent place in the ranks of the representative men of the community.
Dr. William M. Goff was born March 15. 1876, on a farm in Union township. Union county, Ohio. He is a son of William and Susan I. (Mitchell) Goff. The father was born in Palestine, Kentucky, the family coming to that place from New York state. The original family came from France as Huguenot exiles, escaping from the cruel persecutions during the reign of Louis XIV, whose blood-thirsty soldiers, led by fanatical monks, scoured the country in every direction, carried the direst destruction into every family who refused to renounce the so-called new religion. During this terrible persecution thousands were mercilessly butchered and other thousands escaped as exiles to America, Switzerland, England and Holland. Among these exiles was the Goff family who found a home in America.
The father of our subject came to Union county about 1838 and mar- ried in this county, where his wife was born. He was a farmer by occupation and followed this business until his death. August 22. 1907. His widow is still living. Dr. Goff was born on a farm and when he was about one year old the family came to Marysville where he grew to manhood. His educa- tion was received in the public schools of this place. After leaving the public schools he began the study of medicine and later entered the Miami Medical College, at Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated in 1897 and at once began the practice of his profession. During his practice he has taken post-graduate studies, attending lectures in various medical colleges. He first located for practice at Lafayette. Madison county, Ohio, remaining there for six months. Hle then removed to London, Ohio, where he practiced for eighteen months ;
WILLIAM M. GOFF, M. D.
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then he went to Mansfield, Logan county, Ohio, where he remained for two years. His next move was to Unionville Center, in Union county, where he continued in the practice for twelve years. Then he came to Marysville, the home of his early years, in July, 1913, and here he has continued in the practice ever since.
Doctor Goff is a member of the county and state medical societies and of the American Medical Association.
May 25, 1897, Doctor Goff was married to Anna Bess Wood, a daughter of William J. and Caroline ( Siples ) Wood, of Richwood, Ohio. One daugh- ter, Helen Luella, is the result of this union. Fraternally, Doctor Goff is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the Red Men and the Modern Woodmen of America. Politically, he has always been a Republican and has taken an active interest in party affairs, serving as a member of the Republican county committee for several years. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
WILLIAM F. MARSH.
The "Maple Grove Farm," located three miles east of Plain City, in Jerome township, is the home of William F. Marsh, who has been a resident of this county for more than thirty years. He is essentially a self-made man. His present farm indicates that he has not labored in vain, and while working primarily for his own interests, yet he has not been neglectful of his duties as a good American citizen. He has taken an active part in the life of the locality in which he has resided, and for more than a score of years he has served on the school board of his township.
William F. Marsh, the son and only child of William M. and Mattie (Felber ) Marsh, was born in Ashley, Delaware county, Ohio, July 14, 1862. His parents were both born in Ohio and were married in Delaware county. His father died in 1864 and his mother later married I. H. Warner.
William F. Marsh was educated in the district schools of his home county and later attended the high school at Westerville, Ohio. Before reaching his majority he started to work out for himself, and after reaching maturity he married and came to Union county to make his permanent home. He has not tried to accumulate a large amount of land but rather to give his careful attention to a comparatively small farm. He owns fifty-eight and
(41)
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one-half acres, which is in a very high state of cultivation. He raises reg- istered Jersey cattle and has been very successful in this particular line of activity.
Mr. Marsh has been twice married, his first wife being Minnie E. Brown, to whom he was married in October, 1883. She was a daughter of Rev. Joseph F. and Susan ( Nunnemaker) Brown. Her father was a minister of the United Brethren church and first lived in Hocking county, Ohio, and later removed to Franklin county. Rev. Joseph Brown and his wife both died in the latter county. To this first union two children were born, Harry A. and Carl M. Harry graduated from the agricultural department of the Ohio State University and married May Jones in 1914, and is now living in Jerome township. Carl MI. married Iva Harbage on February 21, 1912, and now makes his home in Marysville. The first wife of Mr. Marsh died March 6, 1889. and on August 26, 1894, he married Naomi Eckert, the daughter of Silas Eckert. The second wife of Mr. Marsh died July 8, 1904. In 1901, Ruth B. Holmes, of Columbus, Ohio, an orphan, who was born October 28. 1891, became a member of the Marsh family and Mr. and Mrs. Marsh gave hier all of the care and attention which they accorded their own children. She was educated in the Plain City schools and is now making her home with Mr. Marsh.
Politically, Mr. Marsh is a Republican with progressive tendencies. He has been one of the leaders in his party for many years, and for over twenty years has been a member of the school board of Jerome township. During all of this time he has never failed to give his hearty support to every measure which he felt would be of benefit to the schools of his township in any way. Fraternally. he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Plain City.
ROBERT ROBOTHAM.
A retired merchant and manufacturer of Syracuse, New York, who is highly esteemed by those who know him is Robert Robotham, who has made this city his home for the past ten years. He served with distinction in a New York regiment in the Civil War and was in more than a score of the hardest fought battles of that terrible struggle. For many years he was in the mercantile business in the state of New York and later engaged in the manufacturing of furniture, guns and fishing tackle. Mr. Robotham is a man of high personal character and during his career in this county has so
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conducted his affairs as to win the esteem of everyone with whom he has been associated.
Robert Robotham. the son of Robert and Jane ( Benson) Robothanı, was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. December 15, 1838. His parents, who were born in Yorkshire, England, reared a family of ten children: Mary Ann, the wife of Frederick Staat. of New Brunswick, New Jersey: John, who was a forty-niner and died in California; William, who died in 1909 in his seventy-ninth year: Eliza, who died young: George, who was killed in 1888 at a fire in New Brunswick, New Jersey; Robert, the first : Robert. the second ; Robert, the third; Mooring, of Newark, New Jersey, and David H., of New Brunswick, New Jersey. Robert the first and Robert the second died, and the third son by the same name is the subject of this review.
Robert Robotham, the father of Robert, with whom this narrative deals. was reared in Yorkshire. England, and educated in his native land. He was a gardener for Lord Howard, and later served in the British army and was in the battle of New Orleans on January 3. 1815. He also fought in other battles in the War of 1812 in English regiments. He returned to England at the close of the War of 1812 and lived there until 1828. In that year he came to America with his wife and three oldest children and located in West- ernville, Oneida county, New York. He followed his trade of a stone mason in that place for a time and then moved to Jersey City, New Jersey, where he followed his trade until 1849. He then made the long overland trip to Cali- fornia in search of gold, and while there he contracted rheumatism and died. Before his death he sent home six hundred dollars' worth of gold dust to his children. He died in 1851, after having been in California a little over one year. His wife died in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1847. at the age of forty- three years. Both were members of the Episcopal church.
The paternal grandparents of Robert Robotham were Robert and Jane (Mooring ) Robotham. The grandfather, Robert Robotham, was born Attg- ust 22, 1760, in England, and came to America and died in Oneida county. New York, at the age of eighty-two years, his wife having previously died in England. Eight children were born to Robert Robotham. Sr .. and wife. Elizabeth, Mary, Robert, Moses, Jane, Sarah. Thomas and William. Moses and Jane were twins. It is interesting to note that the family name was formerly spelled "Robottom" and later "Rowbotham," but for more than a generation it has been spelled as it is now "Robotham." The maternal grandparents of Robert Robotham were natives of England, where the grandmother lived and died. The grandfather came to America and died at the age of eighty-one in Oneida county, New York.
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The present Robert Robotham, the third in direct descent bearing the same name, was reared in New Jersey and in Oneida county, New York. He was partly educated in Jersey City and from the age of twelve went to school in Oneida county, New York, where he completed his education. He clerked in a general store in the latter county until 1862, when he enlisted for service in the Union army in Company B, One Hundred and Seventeenth Regiment New York Volunteer Infantry, and served as a sergeant for two years and ten months. He was in more than twenty engagements, but escaped without being wounded, captured or having his health impaired. Both his brothers, David and Mooring, served in the Second Regiment of New Jersey Volunteer Infantry.
After the close of the Civil War, Mr. Robotham engaged in the hard- ware business at Camden, New York, where he remained for nine years. He then moved to Syracuse, New York, and first engaged in the wholesale hardware business, and later became interested in the manufacture of furni- ture and still later. in the manufacture of guns, ammunition and fishing tackle. After the death of his wife in 1904, Mr. Robotham moved to Marysville, Ohio, where he has since made his home. He became assistant abstractor to A. S. Mowry and works for Mr. Mowry during the summer seasons. Each winter Mr. Robotham goes to Florida where he remains until the following spring.
Mr. Robotham was married December 22, 1865, to Mahala Doolittle, the daughter of Wolcott and Marium ( Cronkhite) Doolittle. She was a relative of Hiram Cronkhite, the last Revolutionary soldier who died in West- ernville, New York, at the age of one hundred and six years.
Mrs. Robotham was born February 5, 1845. and died October 9. 1904. Her parents were natives of New York state. Mr. Robotham has a sister. Mrs. Frederick Staat, who celebrated her ninetieth birthday May 16. 1914. This sister is the mother of twelve children and has sixteen grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren living.
Mr. Robotham has been a life-long attendant of the Presbyterian church. as was his wife until the time of her death. He has been a member of the Masonic order since 1862, belonging to the Syracuse Lodge, No. 501. He is also a member of the Ransom Reed Post. Grand Army of the Republic, and is past commander of the local post. Politically, he has been a life-long Republican and cast his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and has continued to support the Republican ticket from that time forward. Mr. Robotham is a man who is keenly interested in the general welfare of his community and Marysville delights to do him honor. He is one of the few
1
FRANK CURRY.
OLIVE CURRY.
THURMAN CURRY.
JOHN CURRY.
MRS. JOHN CURRY.
MASON CURRY.
MANTIE CURRY.
JENNIE CURRY. EARL CURRY.
THOMAS CURRY. C. L. CURRY.
STEVE CURRY. JESSE CURRY.
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veterans of the Civil War who are still living and he can look back over a long career during which he has served his country well and faithfully in times of peace as well as in time of war.
JOHN M. CURRY.
The Curry family have been prominently identified with the history of Union county, Ohio, since 1817. The father of John M. Curry was born in this county and the family have been connected in various ways with the history of this county for nearly one hundred years. During all of this time its various members have been prominent in every phase of the county's development. John M. Curry has devoted his career to farming and he and his two brothers own over five hundred acres of land and conduct a general farming and stock raising business under the name of C. L. Curry & Com- pany.
John' M. Curry, the son of John and Tabitha (Gill) Curry, was born in Union county, Ohio, May 21, 1871. His parents were both born in this county, his father being born in 1817. His parents were married in 1845 and of their eleven children nine are still living: Allen T., of Snyder, Oklahoma; Louis, a farmer of this county; T. H. ; Frank; Olive, who married J. Del- more McCampbell. deceased; Jesse: Stevenson; Phoebe, the wife of Clark Richards, of Jerome township; Samantha, the wife of J. A. Cruikshank, de- ceased : J. E. : and John M., a farmer of Jerome township.
James A., the grandfather of John M. Curry, was born in Harrisonburg, Rockingham county, Virginia, March 30, 1787. He came with his parents in 1798 from Virginia to Ross county, Ohio, where he lived until 1811. On March 18, of that year, James Curry was married to Phoebe Winget, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania. in 1799. James A. Curry died in Union county, March 1, 1874. and his widow survived him until 1891. There were ten children born to James Curry and wife in this county, John, Harriett, Nancy, Maria, James, Samantha, William, Phoebe, David. and James A., Jr. The reader is referred to the history of Louis Curry, found elsewhere in this volume, for further information concerning the Curry family.
John M. Curry completed the common and high school courses of his home township and then remained at home until his marriage. Since then
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he has been farming with his two brothers, C. L. and J. E., under the firm name of C. L. Curry & Company.
Mr. Curry was married December 4, 1895, to Winifred Douglass, the daughter of Perry and Lovisa (Ketch) Douglass. To this union two chil- dren have been born, Donna, born August 29, 1902, and Margaret, born December 22, 1904.
Mr. Curry is a stanch Democrat in politics and while taking a deep interest in the current issues of the day, has never been active in the political affairs of his county.
WILLIAM KERNS.
For more than thirty years William Kerns has been a prosperous farmer of Union township, Union county, Ohio. He followed farming until 1907. since which time he has been engaged in the manufacture of cement blocks and has built up a very profitable business in this particular line of activity.
William Kerns, the son of Adam and Mary (Conn) Kerns, was born in Champaign county, Ohio, March 24, 1851. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Indiana, and after their marriage they settled in Champaign county, Ohio. where they reared a family of six children. They had three other children who died in childhood. The six living children born to Mr. and Mrs. Adam Kerns are as follows: Israel, who lives near Cable, Ohio : Sarah J., the wife of David Romine, who lives near Cable; William, of Union township; Perry, of Springfield, Ohio; John, of Mansfield, Ohio, and Orville. of East Liberty, Ohio. Adam Kerns died in 1891 and his widow is now living with her son, Israel.
William Kerns was educated in the schools of Champaign county, Ohio, and lived at home until his marriage in 1873. He then came to Union county and located in Union township. where he has since resided. He followed general farmning until about seven years ago, when he became interested in the manufacture of cement blocks, and is now making a specialty of gray and white cement blocks to be used in the manufacture of fine porches and ver- andals. He owns six and one-half acres of land where his plant is located about one-half mile north of Irwin.
Mr. Kerns was married September 1. 1873, to Mary J. Williams, a daughter of John and Mary (Jackson) Williams, both of whom were natives of Ohio. To this union have been born six children, five of whom are living : Charles E, who died February 18, 1905: Delmer N., of Union township;
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Edward, who is engaged in the manufacture of cement blocks at North Lewis- burg. Ohio; Bessie, the widow of Cyrus Tarpening, who died in 1907: Edith R., the wife of Calvin Trapkey, a veterinary surgeon at Dunkirk, Ohio, and Merle V., who is now living at home. The mother of these children died June 25, 1900. Mr. Kerns was married July 19, 1901, to Mary Catherine Butler, a native of Madison county, Ohio, and a daughter of George W. and Nancy (Lister) Butler, natives of Pennsylvania and Ross counties, Ohio. respectively.
MIr. Kerns is a Republican in politics and has been active in various ways in political matters for several years. He has served as a member of the school board of his township and has also held the position of road super- visor, filling both positions with credit to himself and to the entire satisfac- tion of his fellow citizens. Fraternally, he is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and the Patrons of Husbandry.
THOMAS J. HOY.
Although a native of the Keystone state. Thomas J. Hoy has been a resident of Union county for more than twenty years, during which time he has taken an active part in the life of his community. He is essentially a self-made man, having started in as a farm hand after locating in this county. He now owns a fine farm of one hundred and eleven acres, a quarter of a mile from New California, in Jerome township.
Thomas J. Hoy, the son of Arthur and Rebecca (Grove) Hoy, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, July 27, 1871. His parents reared a family of eight children, all of whom are living and, with the exception of Thomas J., are still residing in Greene county, Pennsylvania, Thomas J., Dr. L., Otho, Frances M., Rosa A., William A., Cora J. and Simon S.
Thomas J. Hoy was educated in the schools of Greene county, Pennsyl- vania, and remained there on the home farm until the fall of 1893. In November of that year he came to Union county, Ohio, and began to work by the month on farms in different parts of the county. He then bought a farm in Jerome township north of New California, but a few years later sold this farm and bought his present farm of one hundred and eleven acres on which he has since resided. He has placed many improvements upon his farm and now has it in a high state of cultivation.
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