USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 88
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children, to whom they are giving the best of training in order that they may become useful members of society. In every respect, Mr. Smart meas- ures up to the highest standard of American citizenship, and for this reason merits inclusion among the representative men of his township and county.
Francis H. Smart, the son of Joseph E. and Susan ( Morrison) Smart. was born in Mill Creek township. Union county, Ohio, February 28, 1874. His parents, both of whom are still living, have reared a family of five chil- dren, four of whom are still living: Lewis E., a resident of South Bend, Indiana: Francis H., of Liberty township: Ophelia, wife of Pearl Middles- worth, of York township: Edith, wife of Lewis Jones, of Claibourne town- ship.
Francis H. Smart was reared in Mill Creek township until he was seven years of age and then moved with his parents to Liberty township, where he has since resided. After completing the common and high school courses provided in the schools of his county, he became a student in the Ohio Nor- mal College at Ada, but finally decided to engage in agricultural pursuits rather than lead a professional life. After his marriage at the age of twen- ty, he began farming in Logan county, but two years later returned to Union county and located on his present farm of one hundred and seventy- three acres in Liberty township, which lies four and one-half miles south- west of Raymond. He gives much of his attention to stock raising and is a large producer of Poland-China hogs. Holstein cattle and standard bred road horses. He takes an active interest in the welfare of his community, and his high standing is shown by the fact that in 1914 he was nominated for county commissioner by the Democratic party. However, the Repub- lican party had a large majority in the county and Mr. Smart was defeated with the rest of his ticket.
Mr. Smart was married June 18, 1894. to Maidie Harington, who was born in Liberty township in 1876. Mrs. Smart received a good common and high school education to which she has added her musical training. They have an interesting family of four children: Lewis E., born Decem- ber 8, 1896, a graduate of the Raymond and Marysville high schools and now a junior in the State University at Columbus : Ralph H., born July 24, 1898, a senior in the Raymond high school: Dana H., born February 24. 1900, a student in the high school at Raymond: Evelyn Lavon, born July 27, 1908. One daughter, Helen, is deceased. The three sons are fine in- strumental musicians.
The Smart family are members of the Disciple church and for five years
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Mr. Smart was superintendent of the Sunday school. He and his wife take an active part in church and Sunday school work, as well as in all of the activities of their community which make for better citizenship. The Democratic party has always had the support of Mr. Smart and he has been one of its leaders for many years.
CHARLES FREMONT GILL.
Charles Fremont Gill is a native-born Buckeye and has no reason to make apologies, either for the state of his birth or for having remained a citizen of the state all the years since. To be a native-born citizen of Ohio, and privileged to be a resident of that state for so many years, is a heritage which one may regard with a large measure of pride. It is a heritage and a citizenship that one would not care to exchange just now, or at any other time, with the kings and potentates of the leading countries of Europe. A great orator of olden times once said, "To be a Roman citizen is greater than to be a king," but that was before America had been discovered and before the honor and privileges of American citizenship were known.
Charles Fremont Gill was born in Richwood June 9, 1856. If the year of his birth was not given it might be easily surmised, as well as the political faith of his father, by the suggestion of his middle name. John C. Fremont was the Republican candidate for President in 1856, and a multitude of the boys who made their advent that year, and whose parents were admirers of . Fremont, were honored with his name. His parents were Joshua and Eliza ( Haines) Gill; the father being a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and the mother of Virginia. They had six sons: Lewis T., deceased; Henry D., of Richwood; Joshua S., of Columbus, Ohio; Thomas J., of Columbus ; Charles F., the subject of this sketch, and Edwin S., of Seattle, Washington.
The father of Charles F. Gill was born and reared in Baltimore and there he received his elementary education. When a young man he came to Ohio and obtained advanced education in Zanesville. He supplemented this with medical studies and became a physician, locating for practice in Rich- wood when there were only about a dozen houses in the town. He found a good opportunity for practice and a constant demand for his professional services among the early settlers of the county. He continued in the practice for several years. After giving up the practice he turned his attention to the manufacture of wooden bowls and continued in this business until his
CHARLES F. GILL.
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death, March 9, 1880, at the age of sixty-two years. His wife survived him and died in 1898, aged seventy-three years. They were both members of the Methodist Protestant church. He was justice of the peace in Richwood for many years.
The paternal grandfather of Charles F. Gill was Selmon Gill; he and his wife were natives of Maryland and came west in early times. Joshua was one of three children by the first marriage, the others being Henry and Edward. The grandfather married the second time and there were four children born to that union, namely, James, Ellen, Margrete and Henrietta. The maternal grandfather was J. B. W. Haynes, and his wife was Susan Haynes, natives of Virginia, and early settlers in Newark, Ohio. In Vir- ginia the grandfather was the owner of slaves. He came to Richwood in the early history of the town and became one of its leading citizens. In young manhood he was engaged for some years in teaching school. When the Mexican War opened, he entered the service and held a commission as colonel in command of a regiment. In the later years of his life he was justice of the peace in Richwood. He and his wife died here well along in years. In their family of children were Eliza, Susan, Benjamin, Richard and Thomas.
Charles F. Gill was born and reared in Richmond and received his edu- cation in the public schools of this town. In 1880 he opened up a business as dealer in coal and building supplies in Richwood and has been engaged in that business continuously ever since. On October 25, 1894, he was united in marriage with Eleanor Norris, a daughter of Edwin and Martha (Wren) Norris. This union was soon broken by the death of his wife, on January II, 1896. Mr. Gill was married a second time, in 1900, to Mrs. Alma M. Burson, a daughter of John W. and Augusta ( Moe) Martin. One daughter, Eleanor Pauline, was born to this union, which was again broken by the death of the wife and mother, October 25, 1902. On April 20, 1905, Mr. Gill was married to his third wife, Mary Adella Logue, a daughter of George A. and Emma C. (Niseley) Logue. The children of this union are Mary Azile and Charles Franklin.
Mr. and Mrs. Gill are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and active in the support of all church affairs. In fraternal matters, Mr. Gill holds a membership in Mount Carmel Lodge. No. 303, Free and Accepted Masons; Marion Chapter, No. 62, Royal Arch Masons; Marion Command- ery, No. 36, Knights Templar, and in Antioch Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Dayton, Ohio. He is also a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite
(58)
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Mason and belongs to the Scioto Valley consistory. In political matters Mr. Gill is in accord with the principles advocated by the Republican party and gives his influence and support to that party.
Mrs. Mary Adella Gill was born in South Vienna, Ohio. Her father died when she was a child; her mother is still living. There were four chil- dren in this family, Howard, Mary Adella, Edgar and Myrtle. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Gill were Edward Logue and wife.
EDWARD ANDREW SCHAMBS.
One of the leading citizens of Richwood, Ohio, is Edward Andrew Schambs, who is the proprietor of the Richwood Light, Heat and Power Com- pany. He comes from sterling German ancestry, and those characteristics which have made the Germans such excellent citizens of the United States have contributed in no small measure to the success which has attended his efforts. He is a man who is deeply interested in the welfare of Richwood and gives his hearty support to all measures of public welfare.
Edward A. Schambs, the son of Mathias P. and Mary C. (Birkdoll) Schambs, was born in Wauseon, Fulton county, Ohio, September 6, 1869. His father was a native of Germany and came to America with his parents when he was a young lad. He was blind until four years of age, when his eyesight was restored. Mathias P. Schambs located with his parents first in Cincinnati, and later moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and there permanently settled. In that city Mathias Schambs grew to manhood and after his marriage moved to Wantseon, where he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business for several years. He then enlisted in the cavalry branch of the Union army and served for three months, after which he re-enlisted and served three years longer, being discharged from the service on account of wounds received in battle. After leaving the service Mathias C. Schambs went to Huntington, West Virginia, and engaged in the furniture business there for several years, after which he removed to Mansfield, Ohio, and lived until 1908. Since that year he has lived in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where he looks after his extensive real estate interests. He was reared a Catholic, but he and his wife are now members of the English Lutheran church. Six children have been born to Mathias C. Schambs and wife: George M., of Cardington, Ohio; Edward A., of Richwood, Ohio; Bertha, single, of Portland, Oregon ; Mary,
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the wife of Clayton Hildun, of New York city: Beulah, the wife of George Tobias, of Portland, Oregon, and one, the first born, who died in infancy.
The paternal grandparents of Edward A. Schambs were natives of Worms, Germany, who came to America and located in Mansfield, Ohio, where they died at an advanced age. They reared a large family of children, among them being Mathias. George, John, Magdalena and Christina. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Schambs, Barkdoll by name, were of English descent, and early settlers in Maryland. Later they came to Ohio and located at Mansfield, where he lived to an extremely old age and his wife until the age of seventy. Mr. and Mrs. Barkdoll reared a family of seven children, George. Peter, Daniel, Joseph, Magdalena. Susanna and Mary C.
Edward A. Schambs was reared in Wauseon, Ohio, Hunting, West Vir- ginia, and Mansfield, Ohio. He graduated from the high school at Mansfield, Ohio, and then secured a position in the ticket office of the Erie railroad at Mansfield, but remained there only a short time. He then went with the Hicks-Brown Milling Company as bookkeeper, and two years later was made cashier of this company, holding this position for two years. Wishing to engage in business for himself, he became interested in the manufacture of furniture at Mansfield, Ohio, and later engaged in the electrical business, building the electric light plant at New Lexington, Perry county. Ohio. In 1899 he went to Richwood. Ohio, and built the electric light plant in that place. The Richwood Light. Heat & Power Company is capitalized at twenty thou- sand dollars and is giving excellent service to the village of Richwood. In addition to his interest in the light, heat and power plant. Mr. Schambs is vice- president and a director in the First National Bank, of Richwood, and also operates a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres through C. W. Fisher.
Mr. Schambs was married May 2. 1890, to Jennie Grace Cummins, the daughter of Capt. A. C. and - (Newman) Cummins, of Mansfield, Ohio. His wife died in January of the following year. Later Mr. Schambs was married to Mary Margaret Beer. of Bucyyrus, Ohio, the daughter of William C. and Mary (Swingley) Beer, and to this union six children have been born, Edward A., Marion Paul, Dorothy, George, Margaret and Cyrus. Edward A. is attending the military acedemy at Staunton, Virginia, and the other children are attending the public schools of Richwood.
Mrs. Schambs was born in Bucyrus, Ohio, and her parents are both natives of this state, her mother's birth also occurring in Bucyrus. Her father died and her mother is still living in Bucyrus. Three children were born to Mr and Mrs. Beer : Frederick T., deceased : William C. and Mary Margaret. the wife of Mr. Schambs.
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Mr. Schambs is a member of the Lutheran church, while his wife holds her membership in the Presbyterian church. Fraternally, Mr. Schambs is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and has attained to all the degrees in the York Rite, including the Knights Templar degree. Politically, he is a Republican with progressive tendencies, but owing to his extensive business interests, he has never been active in political matters. The family residence is on South Franklin street, Richwood, Ohio, where they have a beautiful home and where they entertain their many friends.
EDGAR G. BERGER.
The citizenship of Ohio is made up largely of people who came from the older settled eastern and southern states. Among those who came from New York in an early day was the Berger family, a sturdy, industrious class of citizens of German ancestry, who contributed no small part in the de- velopment of the section of the country in which they located. It is this family to which Edgar G. Berger, the subject of this review, belongs. His father was Sammuel R. Berger and was but a small boy when he came with his parents to Ohio.
The Bergers settled first in Jersey, Licking county, Ohio, where Sam- uel R. grew to manhood. He learned the blacksmith trade and followed that occupation during his life. He died in Marysville in January, 1914, at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife was Rebecca (Scheip) Berger. who was a native of Virginia. They had five children, namely, Kelton F. and Edgar G., of Marysville: Mary, wife of Calvin Liggett, of Plain City, Ohio; Jessie, wife of James Roney ; and John C. of Marysville. The moth- er of this family died October, 1901, at the age of sixty-seven years. The father and mother of this family were devoted and faithful members of the Congregational church. He contributed liberally to the support of the church, and took an active part in all measures tending to promote its in- terests. Mrs. Berger, the mother, was likewise earnestly devoted to the church and everything pertaining to its interests, but on account of being a cripple she was deprived of the privilege of regular attendance on church services.
Mr. Berger was a soldier in the Civil War, having enlisted in Company B. One Hundred and Thirty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This was one
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of the Hundred Days' regiments organized in the State, and it did its full duty in the emergency that called it into the service.
The paternal grandparents of Edgar G. Berger are John and Mary Berger, natives of New York state, and pioneers of Licking county, Ohio. The elder Berger was married twice. The children by the first marriage were Samuel, Garn and Mary. Cyrus was the one son by the second mar- riage.
The maternal grandparents of Mr. Berger were Lewis and Amelia Scheip. natives of Virginia, and pioneer settlers of Franklin county, Ohio. Their family consisted of seven children, namely, Daniel. David, Susan, Elizabeth, Rebecca. Amanda and Louie.
Edgar G. Berger may be justified in a feeling of pride in such an hon- orable ancestry. Whatever success he may have made in life must be at- tributed in a large measure to the impress made by the exemplary life and character of such ancestors. Until he was fifteen years old he lived in Franklin county. His education was received in the public schools at New Albany and at Central College. In 1875 he moved to Marysville and took up the trade of carriage smithing with L. E. Bellus and remained in his employ thirteen years; afterwards he went into business for himself and so continued until 1902. About that time the business of blacksmithing had become less remunerative because of competition of the large manufactories in lines pertaining to that industry, and Mr. Berger closed out his business. He converted his blacksmith shop, with some necessary additions, into a liv- ery barn and has since made the livery business a specialty.
On September 30, 1880, Mr. Berger was united in marriage to Martha Burroughs, a daughter of Thomas and Fannie M. (Brees) Burroughs. Four children are the result of that union: Nellie, Samuel, Fred and Verna. Nellie died March, 1914. She was the wife of Ed. Millikan, and the moth- er of four children. John. Edward, Robert Warren, and twins, Josephine and Eugene, who died at the age of one year. Samuel, the second of the family, married Blanche Leonard, and is employed in the Robinson-Curry planing mill. Martha Jane is the name of their one child. Fred, the third of the family, died at the age of eleven years and Verna is at home.
Mrs. Berger was born in Delaware, Ohio, and her parents, both of whom are now dead, were natives of the Buckeye state. This family con- sisted of six children, Daniel, Frances, Thomas, Martlia, Ida and Abbie. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Berger was Basil Burroughs. His wife was Nancy Gardner. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Berger was Dan- iel Brees : his wife was Abagail Love.
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Mr. and Mrs. Berger are members of the Congregational church and take an active interest in its affairs. Mr. Berger is a member of the Marys- ville Lodge No. 100, Knights of Pythias, in which he has shown an ac- tive spirit, and has contributed freely of his time to promote the welfare of the order. Politically, he affiliates with the Republican party.
Mr. Berger has always been an energetic and industrious man. As has been said, these were characteristics which were manifested in the lives of his ancestors in a marked degree, so, Mr. Berger might claim them as a part of his inheritance. But the inheritance has been accumulating by his application to industrial activities of later years. By his good manage- ment he has built up a lucrative business and accumulated sufficient means to obtain a comfortable home and good business property. Marysville has been his home for thirty-nine years, and he has a large acquaintance and a host of warm friends here.
SHEPHERD CLARK.
A pioneer farmer of Allen township, Union county, Ohio, is Shepherd Clark, who, although not born in this county, has lived here since the early sixties. He has been a lifelong farmer and has built up one of the largest estates in this county, having three hundred and twenty acres in Allen township as well as two hundred and ninety acres in Champaign county. He started in for himself at the early age of sixteen and, after his marriage in 1855, went in a two-horse wagon to Iowa with his wife and started in as a renter, living in a rude shanty for the first few years.
Shepherd Clark, one of the most highly respected old pioneers of the county, was born June 7, 1832, in Champaign county, Ohio. His par- ents, Angus and Elizabeth (Green) Clark, were both natives of Pennsyl- vania and came to Champaign county, Ohio, after their marriage in the spring of 1826, living there the remainder of their lives. Of the eight chil- dren born to Angus Clark and wife, only one of the eight is now living. The children in the order of their birth are as follows: Caleb, who married Rachel Beltz: Rebecca, the wife of Resolve Critzfield; Nemiah G., who mar- ried Rachel Emerson: Elizabeth, the wife of William Shaffer; Catharine, who married Levi Snuffin: Stephen, who died unmarried: Shepherd, the only one living ; and one who died in infancy.
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Shepherd Clark was reared on his father's farm in Champaign county and began farming for himself when he was sixteen years of age. After his marriage in 1855, he took his bride and a few belongings in a two-horse wagon to Allamakee county, Iowa. It took them twenty-seven days of actual traveling to make the journey from Champaign county to Iowa, and on arriving there he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, upon which he lived four years. His father then died and he went back to Cham- paign county and took charge of the home farm for a while. He later came to Union county where he has since resided. His farm of three hundred and twenty acres in this county is known as the "Greenbush Farm" and is located one-half mile east of North Lewisburg. He also owns the old homestead of two hundred and ninety acres in Champaign county.
Mr. Clark has been married three times. He was first married in Sep- tember, 1855. to Hannah Barney and to this union four children were born : Flora, deceased. who was a graduate of the North Lewisburg high school, and the wife of Joseph Spain; Alice, deceased, who was the wife of Joseph Tomlan : Charles, who married Allie Lapus; Lucy, deceased, a graduate of the Lewisburg high school, who was the wife of W. T. Beach. The sec- ond wife of Mr. Clark was Eliza Asher and to this union five children were born : P. L., a graduate of the high school, who married Nell Hewitt ; James E., also a graduate of the high school, who married Edna Huling ; George. who married Addie Sherette; Ada, a graduate of the high school, who he- came the wife of Harry McMahil; Blanche, a graduate of the high school and the wife of Gale McFarland. The third wife of Mr. Clark was Mary E. Smith, to whom he was married July 24. 1906. She is the daughter of Rev. I. N. and Martha (Earick ) Smith and was born in Hardin county. Ohio. Her father is a Methodist minister in Montana and has served as chaplain of the senate of that state. Both of Mrs. Clark's parents are grad- uates of the Ohio Wesleyan College at Delaware, Ohio, and she was a stu- dent in the music department of that college.
Mr. Clark is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and also be- longs to the chapter and the commandery. He has been a lifelong Repub- lican in politics and has held various township and county offices. He served for many years as a land appraiser in this county. He is now pres- ident of the North Lewisburg Bank, a private bank, with the following officers : president, Shepherd Clark; vice-president, R. J. Eason; cashier, J. C. Thompson. This bank has been doing a flourishing business in North Lewisburg for the past twenty years.
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JAMES B. COLE.
A descendant of a sterling family of Union county, Ohio, James B. Cole has lived practically all of his life in the county where he was born seventy years ago. When a young man he entered the Military Academy at West Point and graduated from that excellent institution and then served five years in the United States regular army. Since that time he has been engaged in the practice of law at Marysville where he was born. As a lawyer he ranks among the leaders of the Union county bar and has been connected with many of the most important cases of the past half century.
James B. Cole, the son of Philander B. and Dorothy Barden ( Witter) Cole, was born in Marysville, Ohio, March 17, 1844. His father was born in Columbus, Ohio, and his mother in Union county. His father was one of the ablest members of the Union county bar for many years and served upon the bench with distinction and honor. He died in Marysville, Ohio, Febru- ary 23, 1892, and his widow is still living in this city.
James B. Cole was reared in Marysville and was educated at the public schools and academy in his home city. He then entered Millino Hall at Gambier, Ohio, after spending some time as a teacher in the schools of his county. In June, 1862, when eighteen years of age, he entered the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated with the class of 1866. Upon graduation he was commissioned a second lieutenant, assigned to duty with the Fourth United States Cavalry and sent to the frontier of Texas. The following year he was promoted to the rank of a first lieutenant and served in the regular army with this rank until 1871. He then resigned and returned to his home in Marysville where he took up the study of law with his father who was on the common pleas bench at the time. In the winter of 1871 Mr. Cole was admitted to the bar, and after his father retired from the bench they formed a partnership under the name of P. B. Cole & Son. They continued to practice together until the death of the father in 1892. Mr. Cole has been admitted to the state and federal courts and has long been recognized as one of the leading lawyers of this section of the state.
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