USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 75
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Charles H. Bynner, the son of Charles E. and Elizabeth (Higgins) Bynner, was born June 29, 1855, in Franklin county, Ohio. His father was born in England and came to the United States when a lad with his parents and located at Granville, in Licking county, Ohio. He grew to manhood in Licking county, married and spent the remainder of his life in that county. Charles E. Bynner was a soldier in the Mexican War and after the close of the war he went to Cleveland, where he was the editor of a newspaper for a time. Later he returned to Franklin county and died in Columbus. There were three children born to Charles E. Bynner and wife, all three of whom are still living: Minnie, the wife of George McKinsey, of Chicago, Illinois ; Charles H., of Mill Creek township; and Edward T., who is married and living in Boston, Massachusetts.
Charles H. Bynner was reared to manhood in Columbus, Ohio, and edu- cated in the public schools of that city. After completing the public school course. he entered a commercial college in Columbus, where he took the com- plete course. After his marriage in 1878, he began farming in Moultrie county, Illinois, where he rented a farm for twenty-three years. Mr. Bynner came to Union county, Ohio, in 1901 and settled in Mill Creek township on his present fine farm of one hundred and forty-four acres. He purchased this farm upon coming to this county and has placed many improvements upon it since it has passed into his possession.
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Mr. Bynner was married February 21, 1878, to Minnie M. Baker. She is the daughter of Mahlon and Laura Baker and was born in Licking county and educated in the schools of the same county. Mr. Bynner and his wife are the parents of four daughters: Loretta, a graduate of the Lovington, Illinois, high school and the wife of Edgar C. Millbum; Edith, a graduate of the same high school and the wife of Dr. C. B. Hostettler, of Ostrander, Ohio; Mabel C., the wife of R. F. Dickson of Lovington, Illinois ; and Gladys, a graduate of the Mill Creek graded high school.
Mr. Bynner is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons of Ostrander and belongs to the chapter and council at Delaware, Ohio. He belongs to the Lovington, Illinois, lodge of Odd Fellows and is a past noble grand of that lodge. Politically, he has always given his stanch support to the Re- publican party and has taken an intelligent interest in political matters, having served as township assessor.
WILLIAM HENRY BUTZ.
The late William Henry Butz was for many years one of the most promi- nent farmers of Jackson township, Union county, Ohio. He came to this county in his early manhood, married here and spent the remainder of his life on a farm in Jackson township. He and his good wife reared a large family of children to lives of usefulness and honor, and all of them are still living today.
William Henry Butz, the son of Charles and Sarah ( Hildrant ) Butz, was born April 13. 1842, in Delaware county, Ohio, and died at his home in Jackson township, Union county, January 19, 1910. His parents were early settlers in Delaware county, and spent the remainder of their days in that county. Charles Butz was a native of Pennsylvania.
William H. Butz received as good an education as was afforded by the common schools of his boyhood days. When a young man he came to Union county and after his marriage, in the spring of 1866, located on a farm in Jackson township, where he lived until his death. With the assist- ance of his wife and children he accumulated a fine farm of eighty-one acres and placed all of the improvements upon this farm. He engaged in general farming and stock raising with a good measure of success, while at the same time he took an active part in the life of the community about him.
Mr. Butz was married in Richwood, March 19, 1856, to Julia Scofield,
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a daughter of Lyman and Ainerett ( Smith) Scofield. Her father was born in Cardington, Ohio, and her mother in Vermont. They were married in Ohio and reared a family of five children, all of whom are deceased with the exception of Mrs. Butz. The deceased children are Olive J., Emmeline, Mary Jane and Thomas. The parents of Mrs. Butz moved to Claibourne township when she was about four years of age and lived in this county the remainder of their lives.
Mr. and Mrs. Butz reared an interesting family of nine children, all of whom are still living: Lorenzo, who lives in Marion, Ohio; Eta, the wife of James Blosser, of Wyandot, Ohio; Sarah, the widow of Frank Porter, and now a resident of Marion, Ohio; Thomas F., who lives with his mother ; Elmore, of Coshocton county, Ohio; Emery, who is still living with his mother; Junard, a farmer of Jackson township; Dayton, a farmer living near Marion, Ohio; and Elva, who married Benjamin Harver, of Prospect township, Delaware county, Ohio.
Mr. Butz was a life-long Democrat and, while taking an intelligent in- terest in his party's welfare, was never an aspirant for public office. He was a valued member of the Baptist church, to which denomination his wife also belongs. The home farm is now managed by Emery Butz. Mr. Butz was a man of genial disposition and was held in high esteem because of his ster- ling traits of character.
ISRAEL KINNEY.
A man well known to the past generation was the late Israel Kinney, who was a prominent citizen of this county for nearly half a century. He engaged in general farming and stock raising and met with a measure of success commensurate with his efforts. In fact, there were few farmers in his township who were more progressive in their day, and at his death he left an estate of two hundred acres of fine land. He was always interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of his community and although he never aspired to public office, yet he was an influential citizen in everything which made for the welfare of the locality in which he resided.
The late Israel Kinney was born in Madison township. Muskingum county, Ohio, January 8, 1824, and died at his home in Union county, Ohio, December 18. 1899. His parents were Thomas J. and Nancy ( Diggs) Kin- ney, natives of Pennsylvania, who emigrated to Ohio in 1808 and located in
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Muskingum county. Thomas and Anna Kinney, the great grandparents of Israel, were natives of New Jersey and moved from there to Pennsylvania and from thence to Muskingum county about ISto. Thomas Kinney was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The wife of Thomas Kinney died August 31, 1841, at the age of ninety-two, and Thomas Kinney died January 2. 1842, at the age of eighty-nine. They were buried at the Beatty church in Muskingum county, Ohio.
John and Susanna Kinney came to Ohio with their parents about 1808 and settled on a farm near their parents. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church until the Methodist Protestant church was or- ganized, and then they, with ten others, united with it. These ten were John Mahon, wife and daughter, Sarah, who left her estate to the church; William Hurdle and wife : William Kinney and wife ; Thomas W. Kinney and wife, and John W. Kinney and wife. Meetings were frequently held at the homes of the members.
Thomas J. Kinney died October 17, 1865. William, a brother to Thomas, died in 1887, at the age of ninety-four. The other three children in the family were Rev. Daniel, who died in Lincoln, Nebraska; John W., who died in 1857. at the age of eighty-one, and Susannah, who died June 17, 1861.
Israel Kinney was married in 1851 to Jane Monlux, and to this union three children were born: Mary, deceased: Frank, deceased. and Wilbert W., a farmer of Claibourne township. Mrs. Kinney died about 1862 in Muskingum county, Ohio, and Mr. Kinney married Mary J. Snedeker, who died about four years later. In 1886 Israel Kinney was married. on De- cember 6, to Mrs. Nicholas Kinney, the widow of Nicholas Kinney, who died in 1855. Nicholas Kinney and wife were married June 3. 1855. and had one son, Nicholas J., born in 1856, who is now living in Marysville. To this third marriage of Israel Kinney was born one son, Chancy Edwin, who was born in Union county in 1870, and is now a farmer in Claibourne township.
Israel Kinney came to this county in 1851 and for a time taught school during the winter and farmed in the summer. He bought a small farm west of Richwood and added to this as he was able and at the time of his death owned two hundred acres of well improved land. When he bought the land it was practically all forested, but by hard work he cleared it off and put the most of it under cultivation.
Mr. Kinney was a member of the Patrons of Husbandry at Richwood,
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and this was the only fraternal order to which he ever belonged. He was a Democrat in politics, although he never cared to take an active part in political affairs. He was school director for many years and took a great deal, of interest in the welfare of the schools of his neighborhood. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Protestant church at Richwood, and as long as he lived he gave it his active support. Mr. Kinney has long since passed to his reward, but the memory of his good deeds and the clean and wholesome life he lived will live long with those who best knew him.
NOEL T. HENDERS.
A hardware merchant of Unionville Center, Ohio, is Noel T. Henders, who has been engaged in business there for the past ten years. His career is a striking example of what may be accomplished by a young man who starts in at the foot of the ladder and works to acquire a competence for him- self. At the age of twelve he began to work in a hardware store and not only worked and saved to put himself through the common schools, but also paid his own expenses through Ada Normal University. Such grit and perseverance are sure to result in success and Mr. Henders is surely deserv- ing of the good fortune which has come to him.
Noel T. Henders, the son of William H. and Nannie (Patterson) Henders, was born March 21, 1879. in Allen county, Ohio, at Herrod. His parents were natives of Allen county and his mother died when he was only six months of age. His father now lives in Alabama where he is a large land owner and prosperous farmer. Five children were born to William H. Henders and wife: Porter, Roba, Ray, Fred and Noel.
After the death of his mother when he was a babe in arms, Noel T. Henders went to live with his uncle, J. M. Harrod, and when he was six years of age his aunt died and he then went to live with his father. At the age of twelve he began clerking in the hardware store at Herrod and went to school at the same time. He saved his money and eventually graduated from the Northern Ohio Normal University at Ada at the age of nineteen. He then went back to the hardware business at Herrod, Ohio, where he re- mained until about ten years ago. He then came to Unionville Center and acquired his present store. where he has been meeting with much success. Fle has built up a large trade in Unionville Center and the surrounding terri- tory and has had the satisfaction of seeing his business increase year after
NOEL T. HENDERS
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year. His store is equipped with all kinds of shelf and heavy hardware and by his courteous treatment of his customers has won the esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
Mr. Henders was married April 12, 1900, to Cloe Wilkins, the daughter of William F. and Amelia (Shepherd) Wilkins. To this union three chil- dren have been born, Josie O., Eldred T. and Gwendolyn.
Politically, Mr. Henders gives his stanch allegiance to the Democratic party, but, owing to his business interests, has never felt inclined to take an active part in political matters. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are deeply interested in all church and Sun- day school work. At the present time Mr. Henders is superintendent of the Sunday school of his denomination. In everything which goes to make up the true American citizen, Mr. Henders bears himself in such a manner as to make his history worthy of being recorded in the annals of his county.
THOMAS J. DODGE.
A prominent citizen of Union county and a man who has always been a leader in everything pertaining to the welfare of his community is Thomas J. Dodge, a large land owner of Jerome township. He is an extensive stock raiser and ships his stock by the car load. He has been prominent in politics, active in the civic life of his community and a public-spirited citizen in every way.
Thomas J. Dodge, the son of John K. and Rebecca ( Rudolph) Dodge, was born in Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio, September 16, 1863. His father, the son of Judah Dodge, was born in 1833, while his mother was born in Pennsylvania in the same year. His parents were married in Delaware county, Ohio, and reared a family of nine children, eight of whom are still living: Andrew J., of New York state; John R., of Marysville, Ohio: Glendora, who died at the age of forty-eight, the wife of E. W. Bon- nette and the mother of two children, Guy and Blanche; Thomas J., of Jerome township: Jennie, the wife of Benjamin V. Smith, of Somerset, Ken- tucky: Estella, the wife of J. W. Lee, of Paris township: William M., of Mill Creek township; O. J., the superintendent of the city schools of Delta, Fulton county, Ohio, and Frank E., of Liberty township. John K. Dodge, the father of these children. died in August, 1907.
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Thomas J. Dodge received his education in the district schools of Jerome township and attended the high school at New California. He has de- voted his career to general farming and stock raising and formerly owned the two hundred and forty acres in Jerome township which was owned by his great grandfather, Judah Dodge, who acquired the same in 1844. Mr. Dodge sold this farm and bought two hundred and fifty-two acres, which was formerly owned by his grandfather and his father, being owned by three generations of the family. This farm is located about two miles north of New California, in Jerome township, and is one of the finest farms in Union county. Mr. Dodge is an extensive stock raiser, dealing especially with sheep and cattle.
Mr. Dodge was married March 24, 1887, to Minnie Mitchell, the daugh- ter of Calvin and Sophia ( Ashbaugh) Mitchell, both natives of Franklin county, Ohio. To this union have been born four children, Cecile, Emma S., John C. and Homer T. Cecile, born March 26, 1888, is the wife of D. W. Converse, of Sandusky, Ohio. Mr. Converse is a civil engineer and his wife is a talented elocutionist. Emma S., born June 30, 1889, is the wife of Omer Elliott, a farmer of Madison county, Ohio. John C., born December 19, 1890, is living with his father on the home farm. Homer T., born November 28, 1895, is also living with his parents. The mother of these children died January 3, 1896, and Mr. Dodge was married a second time, January 5, 1899, to Agnes Greene, a daughter of Henry and Sarah (Locke) Greene, natives of England. Mr. Greene and his wife were married in England and came to America in 1859 and settled in Delaware county, Ohio, where he followed his trade as a harness-maker. However, after coming to this country, Mr. Greene gave most of his attention to farming until his death, February 28, 1913. Mr. Greene was one of the most suc- cessful men who ever settled in this part of Ohio. Coming from England with nothing, he accumulated enough to buy a piece of land and through a dishonest landlord lost his first nine hundred dollars saved. He then bought again and after paying another two thousand dollars the title to his land proved to be no good, and he lost that. He then started again and at the time of his death was the largest land owner in this part of the county. Genial of nature, scrupulously honest, kind hearted and true, he was the friend of every man, woman and child in his community. His one son died in the army. Mrs. Greene died December 24, 1891. To the second union of Mr. Dodge has been born one daughter, Sarah Louise, who was born Angust 18, 1904.
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Mr. Dodge is chairman of the Republican county committee and has always taken an active part in political matters in Union county. He has served for about twenty-five years on the township school board and served on the county board of education for a term of five years. He was also chairman of the committee which collected the money for the soldiers' monu- ment at New California. Mrs. Dodge is a member of the United Presby- terian church at New California. Fraternally, Mr. Dodge is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons at Marysville.
PENROSE WILEY.
For more than seventy years Penrose Wiley has been a resident of Union county, Ohio. He came from Muskingum county when a small child. He served in the Civil War, and after being mustered out of the service returned to this county and engaged in agricultural pursuits. He has always taken an active interest in the life of his community and has never failed to give his hearty support to such measures as he felt would be of general benefit to the community at large.
Penrose Wiley. the son of Abraham and Eliza ( Springer) Wiley, was born February 7, 1841, in Muskingum county, Ohio. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of Muskingum county, Ohio, and in the latter county his parents were married. Abraham Wiley came to Union county in the early forties, driving here in a wagon with his family and household effects from Muskingum county. He purchased a farm of one hundred acres a short time after coming to this county and lived on this farm until the opening of the Civil War. He then sold it and bought a farm of two hundred and nineteen acres, where his son, Penrose. is now living. On this farm Abraham Wiley lived until he was eighty years of age, his wife having died about 1860. Abraham Wiley was a prominent man in the affairs of this county for many years, and served as sheriff of the county for one term. He was a public-spirited man, a stanch Re- publican after that party was organized, and a man of many sterling qualities. Six children were born to Abraham Wiley and wife, three of whom are living: Penrose, of Claibourne township: Sanford, a farmer of this county, and Maria, who is living in Marysville. The three deceased children are Thomas, who died at the age of six ; Minerva, who died at the same age, and Lydia, who died at the age of forty-five.
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Penrose Wiley was educated in the schools of this county, and in Febru- ary, 1864, enlisted in Company F, Thirty-first Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served until he was mustered out July 26, 1865. At the close of the Civil War he returned to Richwood, and he and his father went to the northwestern part of the state to look for land. However, they found nothing that suited them better than Union county land, and consequently returned and bought a farm in this county. Mr. Wiley was engaged in active farming until a few years ago, when he turned his farm over to the management of his son.
Mr. Wiley was married December 31, 1872, to Joanna Fish, a daughter of C. E. and Elizabeth (Rench) Fish, and to this union five children have been born, one of whom died in infancy: Bert, who is married and a farm- er of Claibourne township; Delpha, the wife of Gomer Pritchard, a farmer of Jackson township, this county; Roy A., who married Norma Reese, and has two children, Arnold and May, and Edna, who is still living with her parents.
The Wiley family are all loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Politically, Mr. Wiley is now a Prohibitionist, although he was for many years a member of the Republican party. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post at Richwood, and has always taken an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. He is a man of genial and unassuming manner and has many loyal friends throughout the county.
BENJAMIN A. SNOWDEN.
A farmer of Claibourne township, Union county, Ohio, who has lived in this township since 1860, is Benjamin A. Snowden, who has long been engaged in agricultural pursuits. The career of Mr. Snowden has not been unlike that of other enterprising farmers in this county. Year after year has seen him more prosperous and with his farm better improved and yield- ing more satisfactory returns. He has taken an intelligent interest in the welfare of his community and in all things has acted the part of the good American citizen.
Benjamin A. Snowden, the son of James and Mary ( Harmon) Snow- den. was born November 20, 1844, in Greene county, Ohio. His father was a native of Greene county, Ohio, and his mother of Virginia, their mar- riage occurring in Seneca county, Ohio.
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James Snowden was twice married, his first wife being Miss Harmon, and to this union five children were born : Elizabeth, deceased; George, de- ceased; Mary and Martha, deceased, and Nancy, who lives in Crystal Lake, Minnesota. After the death of his first wife James Snowden married Mary Harmon, and to this second marriage six children were born, two of whom are living: Sampson H., deceased; Catherine J., the widow of Samuel Fry- man; Benjamin A., of Claibourne township; Alfred, deceased; Clara E., de- ceased, and Laura E., deceased. Mrs. Catherine J. Fryman now makes her home with her son at Radnor, Delaware county, Ohio.
James Snowden located in Seneca county, Ohio, after his marriage and later moved to Greene county, and from there to Putnam county, lo- cating in the latter county in 1851, and he lived in the latter county until 1860, and in March of that year he moved to Greene county, where he remained but a short time. His next change took him to Indiana, but he did not like that state and, returning to Ohio, he located in Union county, in Claibourne township, where he followed farming until his death in 1875. He was a shoemaker by trade, but devoted most of his attention to agri- cultural pursuits. His widow lived until 1896. James Snowden was a stanch Republican in politics and he and his wife were both members of the Methodist Protestant church.
Benjamin A. Snowden received a good common school education in the various counties where his parents lived. He has made his home in Clai- bourne township since 1860, and has lived in the same neighborhood all of these years. He retired from active farm labor a few years ago and his son now operates the home place.
Benjamin A. Snowden was married September 21, 1871, to Martha Graham, a daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Butterfield) Graham, and to this union have been born four children, two of whom are living, Charles and Nellie. Anna died at the age of eleven and James died at the age of twenty-three. Charles was married July 28, 1897, to Blanche B. Richard- son, a daughter of John E. and Lucinda ( Masta) Richardson. Charles operates the home place and also buys and sells horses for a horse buyer of Millersburg. The wife of Charles Snowden is a member of the Pres- byterian church. Nellie Snowden is living with her father. Mr. Snowden's wife died August 14, 190I.
Samuel Graham, the father of Mrs. Snowden, was born in 1800, and died in 1863, as the result of an accident. He was killed on the Erie rail- road. The wife of Samuel Graham was born in 1803, and died several
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years ago. Mr. Graham was an early pioneer of Union county and became a successful farmer, owning over two hundred acres of fine land at the time of his death. Mr. Snowden has been a life-long Republican, and he and his family are active members of the Methodist Protestant church.
THOMAS F. GRIFFITH.
Among the enterprising farmers of Union township, Union county, Ohio, Thomas F. Griffith occupies a prominent place. He has taken an active part in the civic life of his township and county and has filled various official positions with entire satisfaction to his fellow citizens. He has been one of those men who have not only been successful in their own private affairs, but whenever called upon by his fellow citizens has been a prominent factor in promoting the welfare of the community in which he resides.
Thomas F. Griffith, the son of John R. and Julia T. (Taylor) Griffith, was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, October 3. 1859. His parents, both of whom were natives of Ohio, were married in Pickaway county and there reared their family. They were the parents of eleven children: Thomas F., of Union county : Alice, the wife of John McCann, of Columbus, Ohio; Elizabeth, the wife of William Armatrout, of London, Ohio; Sarah, who died at the age of fourteen, and seven who died in infancy. John R. Griffith died in 1884 and his widow passed away in 1906.
Thomas F. Griffith was reared in Pickaway county, Ohio, and there received a good common school education. He remained at home until he was married and eventually came to Union county. Upon coming to this county he located in Union township and bought a farm of sixty-eight acres on which he has since resided. He has devoted himself to general farming and raises as much stock as he can feed from the grain which he pro- duces on his own farm.
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