USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 69
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Reuben W. Brown, the son of Andrew and Nancy ( Valentine) Brown, was born August 4, 1871, on his father's farm in Darby township, Union county, Ohio. His father was born in Union county, the son of Adam and Mary (Jolly) Brown. Andrew was born March 28, 1841, about one and one-half miles north of where his son, Reuben W., is now living. Adam Brown came from Fayette county, Pennsylvania, with his parents, John and Martha (Clark ) Brown. It was John Brown who first came to Union county. Three children were born to Adam Brown and wife: Hannah, de- ceased: Abner, deceased. and Andrew, the father of Reuben W. Andrew was a member of the Home Guards during the Civil War and was stationed at Camp Chase for some time, but was finally discharged on account of dis- ability arising from illness. Andrew Brown inherited his father's farm of two hundred acres in Darby township near Unionville Center and has lived on this farm all of his life.
Andrew Brown was married April 23, 1863, to Nancy Valentine, the daughter of James Valentine and wife. To this union have been born three children : Fred F., who married Minnie Wilcox and has one daughter, Clara : Lorain, who married I. Kilberry and has four children, Lawrence, Ralph. Thelma and Marvin : and Reuben W., with whom this narrative deals. Andrew Brown is a member of the school board and at present is trustee of his township. He has also been assessor of Darby township for the past eight years.
Reuben W. Brown attended the public schools of his home neighbor- hood and remained on his father's farm until his marriage in 1894. He then moved on his present farm of forty acres on the Unionville road. His
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farm is well improved and by extensive cultivation he has made a name for himself as one of the most progressive farmers of the township.
Mr. Brown was married in 1894 to Myrtle Debolt, the daughter of George and Emmeline (Cole) Debolt. To this union seven children have been born, Harry E., Walter, Lela, Ray, Grace, Dorothy and Leo.
Politically, Mr. Brown casts his ballot for those men who will best fill the office for which they are seeking. He is a representative of that large and increasing class of men who vote for men rather than for platforms. Mr. Brown is a wide-awake man and has carried forward to successful com- pletion whatever he has undertaken. He has pursued the even tenor of his way in a quiet and unostentatious manner and has attended strictly to his own affairs and performed each day's duties to the best of his ability.
SIDNEY G. YOUNG.
A prominent stock buyer and farmer of Darby township, Union county, Ohio, is Sydney G. Young, who owns one hundred and two acres of fine land on which he has been living for several years. Mr. Young has taken an active part in his community and has found that if a man is to be a part of the locality in which he lives, he must subserve his interests to those of the community at large. Mr. Young has been one of those men who has been successful not only in his own private affairs, but has been a prominent fac- tor in the advancement of the general welfare of his locality.
Sidney G. Young, the son of Elliott and Harriett ( Holycross) Young, was born December 23, 1874, in Madison county, Ohio. His father was born in Kentucky and came to Madison county with his parents and settled in the northern part of the county. Five children were born to Elliott Young and wife : Lillian, who married Albert Litter and has one daughter, Frances; Hadley, who married Hattie Knock and has two children, John and Irwin; Blanche, who married Miss McKew: Sidney G., of Darby township; and Asa, deceased.
Sidney G. Young was educated in the schools of Madison county, Ohio, and worked on his father's farm until he reached the age of twenty-five. He came to Union county and started in with a farm of sixteen acres which he purchased and later bought out other heirs of his present farm till he now has one hundred and two acres which he has improved in various ways. He has prominently engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock for
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several years and has built up a big business in Darby and the surrounding townships in Union county.
Mr. Young was married to Bertha Converse, the daughter of R. A. and Alma (Lingafetter ) Converse. To this union three children have been born, Richard S., Robert W. and Alma M.
Politically, Mr. Young is affiliated with the Republican party, but has never been an aspirant for a public office. He gives his unreserved support to all measures of importance which he feels will benefit his locality. He and his family are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and deeply interested in its welfare.
WILLIAM STILLINGS.
The Stillings family have been intimately connected with the history of Union county, Ohio, for many years and have never failed to take their share of the burdens of community life. They have been active in promoting every measure which they thought would benefit the county and have lived up to that high standard of American citizenship which has made it possible for Union county to take its place among the leading counties of the state of Ohio. William Stillings, a prosperous farmer of Union township, is a worthy representative of the Stillings family and the three score and ten which he has spent here have served to make him one of the best known and loved men of his community.
William Stillings, the son of Thomas and Somelia (Dines) Stillings, was born in 1843 in Allen township. Thomas Stillings was born in Mary- land and came to Clark county, Ohio, and later to Union county and settled in Allen township. He was a mere lad when he came to this county with his parents, James and Mary ( Cole) Stillings. James Stillings and wife reared a large family of children, Alexander, Blanche, Edward, William, Timothy, George, Thomas, Catharine and Mary. Thomas Stillings was one of the largest farmers in Union county and owned over one thousand acres of land. He and his wife had four children, William, Lewis, Edward and French. Edward married Olive Carpenter and has one son living, French C., and two children deceased, Arthur and Mae.
William Stillings was educated in a log schoolhouse in his home neigh- borhood and also in the academy at Marysville. He remained at home until his marriage in 1865 and since that time has been farming his three hundred
MR. AND MRS. WILLIAM STILLINGS.
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and sixty-five acres in Union township. He also has one hundred and forty- four acres in Allen township. Mr. Stillings was in the Civil War as a mem- ber of Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served in Kentucky with the Army of the Tennessee.
Mr. Stillings was married January 1, 1865, to Emma E. Wood, the daughter of Michael and Liza ( Thayer) Wood, of Union county, and to this union have been born seven children, Charles. Estella, John, Providence, Nell. Carrie and Elizabeth. Charles married Victoria Vance and to this union were born four children, Chester, Fay, Everet and Lawrence. After the death of his first wife Charles married Carrie Amerine and to this second union four children were born, Francis, Millard. Margene and Catharine. Estella became the wife of Edward Davis. John married Alice Parthemar and has four children, Edna, Robert, Lewis and Dona. Providence is the wife of Elmer Adams and has one son, Paul. Nell married Robert Kenney. Carrie became the wife of Byron Coe and has three children. Adele, Morris and Margaret. Elizabeth married Roy Ferrel and has one son, Gilbert William.
Mr. Stillings has been a life long Republican and takes an active interest in good government. He served as trustee of this township three years. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has been a member of the Grange since its organization in this county in 1876. He and his family are members of the Christian church and are interested in its various activities. Mr. Stillings is one of the best known farmers of Union county and has a host of friends and acquaintances in this section of the state.
DANIEL J. SANDERSON.
A prosperous business man of Broadway, Ohio, is Daniel J. Sanderson, of the firm of Sanaft & Sanderson, dealers in grain, flour, feed and coal. He has lived in this county practically all of his life, and for nearly a quarter of a century has been engaged in business in Broadway.
Daniel J. Sanderson, the son of William and Minerva (Adams) San- derson, was born in Marion county, Iowa, near Knoxville, April 27, 1860. His parents were natives of Ohio and reared a family of seven children : Elmira, deceased. who was the wife of C. W. Cooper; James F., of Taylor township, this county; John H., also of Taylor township; Daniel J., of (46)
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Broadway; Charles W., of Broadway; Emma Adeline, deceased, who was the wife of William Brown, of Marysville, and Charles Wesley, the first born, who died when he was about three years of age.
William J. Sanderson was reared in Fayette county, Ohio, and was a practicing physician and a surgeon in the Civil War. He practiced in Iowa for a time, but spent most of his life in Union county, where he came immediately after the close of the Civil War. He engaged in farming in York township, where he had a farm of two hundred and fifteen acres, and here he reared his family. He spent the last few years of his life in Broad- way, and died there in 1886, at the age of sixty-one. His wife died in 1904, at the age of seventy. Doctor Sanderson and wife were both mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
The paternal grandparents of Daniel J. Sanderson were James and Sarah (Newman) Sanderson, natives of England and Ohio, respectively. James Sanderson was a soldier in the War of 1812. He and his wife were pioneers in Fayette county, Ohio, and died in that county after rearing a family of ten children, Washington, Henry, John, Alexander, Ambrose, Joseph. Foster, William, Samuel and Barbara. James Sanderson died at the age of sixty-two and his wife lived until she was ninety-seven years of age. The maternal grandparents of Daniel J. Sanderson were Charles and Elizabetlı (Cline) Adams, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. Charles Adams was a farmer and an early settler in Fayette county, Ohio, where he became a wealthy and influential citizen. Eight children were born to Charles Adams and wife, Elizabeth, Sarah, Philip, Minerva. Mary, John. Nancy and David.
Daniel J. Sanderson was reared in York township. Union county, Ohio, on his father's farm. He attended the district schools and the high school at Reeseville, Ohio, and then started to study medicine, but failing eyesight compelled him to abandon this pursuit and he then decided to follow the occupation of a farmer. He farmed for several years, after which he en- gaged in the grocery business in Broadway, but after a year's residence in this village he returned to the farm. In 1892 he moved to Broadway and engaged in the hardware business and the buying and selling of grain, and has followed this occupation ever since with the exception of about five years when he was living on his farm. He owned seventy acres of land which he sold August II, 1914. He is now a partner of Mr. Sanaft, a firm which deals in grain, flour, feed and coal.
Mr. Sanderson was married August 7, 1882, to Hannah Shelton, of
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Broadway, the daughter of William and Jane ( Flora) Shelton. His wife died in March, 1894, at the age of thirty-two. Mr. Sanderson was married a second time in September, 1907, to Mrs. Mary Elnora Minnick, the widow of George Minnick and the daughter of James and Catherine ( Flora) Snyder. His second wife was a cousin of his first wife. Mr. Sanderson and his wife have an adopted daughter, Irene. Mrs. Mary E. Sanderson was born in Ross county, Ohio, November 12, 1864. Her parents were natives of Ohio, but now live in Columbus. They had a family of five children, Jennie, Edward, Mary Elnora, Curtis and Leota.
Mr. and Mrs. Sanderson are members of Broadway Methodist Episco- pal church. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows. Politically, he is identified with the Re- publican party and has served two terms as trustee of Taylor township.
MAJOR FRANK D. HENDERSON.
The largest farmer and stock raiser of Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio, is Major Frank D. Henderson, who is now residing on the farm on which he was born in 1881. His father was for many years one of the leading farmers of this county and a man of great influence in various lines of activity. Major Henderson made an excellent record while in col- lege, and is one of the many farmers of this county who returned to the farm after the close of their college careers.
Major Frank D. Henderson, manager of the Henderson estate of seven hundred and twenty-one acres in Mill Creek township, was born September 26, 1881, on this farm. His parents, W. C. and Sarah E. (Sewell) Hen- derson, were natives of Pennsylvania and Union county, Ohio, respectively. His father came to Union county in pioneer times, and was reared to man- hood here. W. C. Henderson was a very successful farmer and stock raiser and accumulated one of the largest farms in the county solely through his own thrift and industry. Two children were born to W. C. Henderson and wife, Frank D. and one daughter.
Major Henderson was reared on his father's farm and received his ele- mentary education in the public schools of Mill Creek township. He gradu- ated from the high school and afterwards entered Ohio State University at Columbus, and later was a student at Ohio Wesleyan University. After finishing his college course he returned home in order to assume the manage-
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ment of his father's large estate. His father had died in 1898 before he started to college. Major Henderson is an extensive breeder of registered Chester White and Duroc hogs, as well as Percheron horses, and is regarded as one of the most successful stock breeders of this section of the state.
Major Henderson was married on the 4th day of December, 1912, to Josephine Wilkins, a graduate of the Marysville high school.
Fraternally, Major Henderson is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, belonging to the blue lodge, chapter and council at Marysville. He is a member of the Urbana Commandery, and also of the Shrine at Colum- bus, and has been active for many years in Masonic affairs. He also holds his membership in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Marys- ville. Politically, he has given his hearty support to the Democratic party, but his extensive agricultural interests have been such that he has not had the time to take an active part in political matters.
Mr. Henderson has been interested in the National Guard of Ohio for many years. His official career began March 20, 1906, when he was com- missioned first lieutenant of Company E, Fourth Ohio Infantry, and in August of the same year he was commissioned captain of the same company. On May 12, 1909. he was commissioned major of his regiment and is now holding this rank. He is an experienced man in military tactics and his rapid rise is due to his thorough knowledge of military affairs. On January II, 1915, Governor Willis appointed Major Henderson a member of his mili- tary staff.
MATTHIAS R. HAGGARD.
A highly respected citizen of Union county for more than half a cen- tury and a veteran of the Civil War, Matthias R. Haggard is eminently en- titled to representation in a history of Union county, Ohio. He spent two years and seven months in the service of his company in the Civil War, as did his only brother, and is one of the few remaining old soldiers whom Union county delights to honor. Marrying the year after the close of the war, he has been engaged in farming in Mill Creek township ever since, and his and his wife's present fine farm of one hundred and sixty-two acres is ample evidence that he has been a successful tiller of the soil.
Matthias R. Haggard, the son of John and Sarah (Acton) Haggard. was born in Concord township, Ross county, Ohio, April 24, 1841. His parents, both of whom were born in Ross county, Ohio, came to Union
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county shortly after their marriage and lived the remainder of their lives in Mill Creek township. Two children were born to John Haggard and wife, Dawson and Matthias R. Dawson served in Company F, Eighty- eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and remained in the service until the close of the war.
Matthias R. Haggard came with his parents to Union county, Ohio, in 1848, and has lived here ever since, with the exception of two years and seven months which he spent at the front as a member of Company D, Eighty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted in April, 1863, and served until the close of the war in the spring of 1865. His cap- tain was S. S. Parker, while the regiment to which his company was attached was under the command of Colonel Neff. Immediately after the close of the war Mr. Haggard returned to Union county, and in April of the follow- ing year was married and began farming in Mill Creek township. He has engaged in general farming and stock raising and year after year has im- proved his farm, thereby making it more valuable.
Mr. Haggard has been twice married. His first wife, Susan Odle, to whom he was married April 18, 1866, was born and reared in Illinois, and there were four children born to this first marriage, two of whom are now living, Stella, the wife of Drel Graham, and J. F., who married Ola Stimmel. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Haggard married Eunice Low, and to this second union two children have been born, Marion, who graduated from the Mill Creek township high school, and is now at home, and Mildred, who is a graduate of the same school and now teaching in the schools of Mill Creek township.
Mr. Haggard and his family are members of the Christian church at Watkins, and have always taken an active part in its welfare. He is one of the board of stewards and also a member of the board of trustees. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for many years. but owing to advancing age is not active in the lodge at the present time. He is a member of Ransom Reed Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Marys- ville, and has always taken an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. Politically, Mr. Haggard has been a life-long Republican and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. The only position which he has ever held at the hands of his party is that of school board trustee, a position which he is now holding. Mr. Haggard has been a resident of this county for sixty-seven years, and is one of the most highly esteemed residents of the county, having always lived such a life as to bring him the hearty approbation of his fellow citizens.
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JOSEPH EASTON.
One of the oldest and most highly respected farmers of Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio, is Joseph Easton, who is now nearing his eightieth birthday. Born and reared in England, he came to this country at the age of sixteen and located in Ohio with only sixty cents in his pocket. He worked in this state and Illinois before finally locating permanently in Ohio in 1854. Since that time he has made this county his home and his present farm of one hundred and twenty-six acres in Dover and Mill Creek townships is the direct result of his own unaided efforts. His career is in- teresting in showing what may be accomplished by a man who directs his energies along proper lines, while at the same time he has taken his share of the burdens of the life of his immediate community.
Joseph Easton, the son of Thomas and Martha (Catt) Easton, was born in Sussex, England, November 27, 1835. His parents lived all their days in England.
Joseph Easton was reared on a farm in his native land and received only a very limited education. In 1851, when only sixteen years of age, he came to this country alone and located in Coshocton county, Ohio. He was practically penniless with only a half dollar in his pocket, but bravely started out to find work. He secured employment on the Pan-Handle rail- road, which was then being built through that county, and he worked there for two years, after which he went to Illinois and helped to build the Illinois Central railroad. He then returned to Ohio and worked as a farm hand in Coshocton county until he was married. He started in by renting a farm and in 1864 came to Union county, where he has since made his home. He started out in a very modest way, buying a few acres at a time and has gradually added to his land holdings until he is now the owner of one hun- dred and three acres in Dover township and twenty-three acres in Mill Creek township, making his home in the latter township. He has worked diligently to secure a comfortable living for himself and family and his efforts have not been in vain.
Mr. Easton was married December 24, 1857. to Margaret Wagner, who is a native of Ohio, and to this union eight children have been born: Mary. the wife of George Kirby: John, who married Maggie Bown: Tensie, single : Martha, the wife of George Clark: Randa, deceased, who was a public school teacher : William, who married Ora Low: Lucinda, the wife of Alva Graham: C. H., who married Lulu Thompson. Mrs. Easton died October
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30, 1914. Mr. Easton and his family are loyal and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Watkins, Ohio, and have been active in church work for many years. Politically, Mr. Easton is a Democrat, and during his younger years served as one of the trustees of his township. He has always been very considerate of the rights of others, and absolutely hon- est and straightforward in all of his dealings, and has been held in high re- spect and esteem by every one with whom he has been associated, and his life in every particular has been above reproach.
THOMAS H. KILGORE.
The Kilgore family, worthily represented by Thomas H. Kilgore, a farmer of Mill Creek township, has been identified with the history of Union county, Ohio, since 1866, when the first members of the family settled in Mill Creek township. Mr. Kilgore has had unusual success along agricul- tural lines, as is shown by his fine farm of four hundred acres in this town- ship, where he is now residing. He has been an extensive stock raiser, and has found that the most successful farmers are the largest stock raisers. The United States government has found by careful examination that four- fifths of the average income of farmers throughout the United States is de- rived from the sale of live stock, and it is along this particular line that Mr Kilgore has had such marked success.
Thomas H. Kilgore, the son of S. D. and Elizabeth (Cary) Kilgore, was born in Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio, March 6, 1877. His parents were both natives of Madison county, Ohio, and grew up together and after their marriage came to Union county and settled in Mill Creek township about 1866. His father is still living here, while his mother passed away about 1904. Three children were born to S. D. Kilgore and wife: Cora, the wife of F. C. Ballinger, of Marysville; Etta, who died unmarried, and Thomas H., of Mill Creek township.
The education of Thomas H. Kilgore was received in the schools of Mill Creek township, and early in life he decided to follow the occupation of a farmer. He remained at home until he was married and then began farming for himself in his home township. He started in with a small farm and has since added to it until he now has four hundred acres of well-im- proved land. He has made most of his money in the hog and sheep industry, and markets several car loads of stock each year.
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Mr. Kilgore was married on April 16, 1903, to Myrtle Hanawalt, the daughter of George and Esther (Baughman) Hanawalt. She was born in Mill Creek township, this county, and was educated in the common schools of her home township. To this union two children have been born: Helen, born September 5, 1907, and Christina, born March 26, 191I.
Mr. Kilgore and his wife are loyal and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have always taken a deep interest in its welfare. At the present time Mr. Kilgore is one of the trustees of his church. Politically, he is identified with the Republican party, but has never taken an active part in its deliberations. He is a quiet and unassuming man and has so conducted his affairs as to merit the high esteem in which he is held throughout the township and county.
ADRIAN C. TURNER.
Among the enterprising and popular business men of Marysville there is none who ranks higher than Adrian C. Turner, whose place of business is at No. 124 East Fifth street. He had somewhat of a varied career in earlier life, starting first as a boy on a farm where he remained until manhood years and acquired those habits of industry that served him a good purpose in later years. The work incident to a farmer boy's life is sometimes regarded as monotonous and irksome, and not infrequently the boy is filled with an eager desire to break away from it and engage in a vocation in which the hours of toil are not so long, and in which the duties appear to be less strenuous. As he followed the plow of toil in the harvest field, with the rays of the hot summer's sun beating down upon him, toiling thus from early morn till dewy eve, the farmer's boy may incline to envy the boy whose circumstances in life permit him to indulge in idleness and ease. If such envious comparisons are entertained by the boy on the farm the experience of later life convinces him that they were boyish illusions. The advantages are with the boy trained to industrial habits on the farm.
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