USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 92
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LOUIS G. ENGLISH.
Although not a resident of Union county, Ohio, at the present time, yet Louis G. English, who is now the publisher and proprietor of the West Mans- field Enterprise, has spent many years in this county. He was connected with the Marysville Tribune for a period of seventeen years. While a resident of Marysville, he served three terms as city clerk and at the same time served as clerk of Paris township. His whole career has been devoted to the news- paper business and from his earliest boyhood he has made his own way in the world.
Louis G. English, who is now located in West Mansfield, Logan county, Ohio, was born in Mount Carroll, Illinois, November II, 1857. He was a son of George and Sarah ( Kinney) English. His father was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, and was educated in the public schools of that city. George English learned the printer's trade in Indiana and in 1848 moved to Marys- ville, Ohio, and went into partnership with C. S. Hamilton and first pub- lished the Marysville Tribune. He maintained his connection with this pa- per for several years and then went to Springfield, Illinois, where he worked on a paper. He established the Mount Carroll, Illinois, Intelligencer, a weekly newspaper and one among the many papers which advocated the election of Lincoln in 1860. He continued to publish this paper until his death in 1863. After his death, his widow and two sons and a daughter moved back to
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Marysville, Ohio, where the widow died in 1865. The wife of George Eng- lish was a daughter of Dr. S. F. Kinney, and was born in the state of New York, in Oneida county. Three children were born to George English and wife: Elizabeth, deceased, who was the wife of D. E. Smith, of Wichita, Kansas: Louis G., of West Mansfield; and William Lincoln, a tinner, now residing at Wieltita, Kansas.
Louis G. English was only six years of age when his father died and two years later was left an orphan, his mother dying in 1865. He was then taken by his grandparents Kinney, and attended the public schools for four or five years. After his grandfather Kinney's death, May 31, 1872, he went in the office of the Marysville Tribune to learn the printer's trade. After three years' service on the Tribune, he went to Indianapolis, Indiana, and was employed as a compositor on the Indiana Farmer for about one year. The manager then sent him to North Vernon, Indiana, where he assumed the management of the North Vernon Plain Dealer and, although only eighteen years of age. he was amply qualified to fill the position. He remained at North Vernon only a short time and then went to New York state, where he worked on a paper. In 1880 he returned to Marysville and took a position on the Marysville Tribune and for the next seventeen years, was employed on this paper. In 1898 he went to West Mansfield, Ohio, and purchased a half interest in the Enterprise, and at the end of the first year, became sole proprietor of the paper. He followed eight different proprietors, who had made more or less of a success of the paper, and under his skilful manage- ment he has built up a paper which ranks among the best weeklies in the state.
Mr. English was married October 14. 1881, to Julia A. McCarty, and to this union nine children have been born, seven of whom are living: Ralph G., Elizabeth, L. V .. Florence, Louise, Maurie and Eugene. Elizabeth is the wife of R. R. Marsh: L. V. is a druggist in Columbus, Ohio; Florence mar- ried an architect, S. S. Vaigt, of Wichita, Kansas, and Eugene is clerking in a restaurant in West Mansfield. One son, John H., was killed while in the employ of the Pennsylvania railroad, and one child died in infancy.
The Republican party has always claimed the stanch support of Mr. English, and while living in Marysville, he served as city and township clerks and filled the positions with eminent satisfaction of all concerned. He is also secretary of the Republican County Committee and a Republican mem- ber of the Deputy State Board of Elections. Mr. English was reared in the Congregationalist faith. Fraternally. he is a member of the Knights of Pythias of Marysville. Mr. English is a man who has a wide circle of friends
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and acquaintances throughont Union and Logan counties and it is probable that he has as wide an acquaintance throughout Union county as any other man. He has made a success of his life's career and is well deserving of the high esteem with which he is regarded by his many warm friends.
JOHN BISHOP.
A self-made farmer of Allen township, Union county, Ohio, who has won the high respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, is John Bishop, who has accumulated a farm of one hundred and ninety-three acres solely through his own initiative. His father was a native of Germany and from him Mr. Bishop has inherited those qualities of industry, thrift and frugality which characterize the Germans the world over. Starting in as a hired hand after reaching his majority, he has labored year after year with such success that he is now regarded as one of the most substantial farmers of his township. Success has come to him because he has directed his energies along well-de- fined lines and he is well deserving of the prosperity which has come to him.
John Bishop, the son of John G. and Magdelena (Gase) Bishop. was born May 27, 1872, in Paris township, Union county, Ohio. His father was born in Germany and came to America at the age of ten with his parents, locating in Union county, Ohio. Here John G. Bishop was reared to man- hood, married and lived the remainder of his days. John G. Bishop was twice married, and to his first marriage were horn eight children: Philip, a farmer of Darby township: Emanuel, a retired farmer, of Milford, Ohio; John, of Union township: George, Barbara, Katie, Carrie and Maggie. To the second marriage of John G. Bishop were born five children, Bennett. Lena, Lizzie, Anna and Fred, deceased.
John Bishop was reared on his father's farm in Paris township and edu- cated in the district and German parochial schools of the county. At the age of twenty-one he began working for himself by the month on farms in his home neighborhood. At the age of twenty-three he married and began farming for himself, and during the past twenty years he and his wife have labored to build up a comfortable home for themselves and their children. It is very apparent to anyone who passes by their attractive country home that they have succeeded to a marked degree. Mr. Bishop now has the pleasure of driving down the road in his own automobile and passing the farm where he worked as a hired hand twenty years ago. In addition to his fine farm of
RESIDENCE AND BARN OF JOHN BISHOP, SR.
MR. AND MRS. JOHN BISHOP.
1
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one hundred and ninety-three acres, he is a stockholder in the Farmers and Merchants Bank at Milford Center. In the year of 1913 Mr. Bishop re- modeled his home and installed a number of modern improvements, thereby adding to its attractiveness as well as to its convenience.
Mr. Bishop was married February 26, 1895, to Barbara Mary Weaver, who was born in Paris township, the daughter of Calvin and Margaret (Shalip) Weaver. To this union two children have been born, Leona Anna Margaret and Harold Martine. Leona is a graduate of the Milford Center high school and is now a student at Oxford, Ohio. Harold is a sophomore in the high school at Milford Center.
Mr. Bishop and his family are loyal members of the German Lutheran church of Marysville. Politically, he is a Democrat, but has never taken an active part in political affairs. He is a quiet and unassuming man and is held in high esteem throughout the township and county where he has spent his whole career.
HON. LEONIDAS SOUTHARD.
A truly representative citizen of Union county, Ohio, is Leonidas H. Sor' rd, who is probably as well known throughout the county as any other Starting in to teach his way through college and graduating with dis- tin. a from the college, he has taken an important part in the history of his county since reaching his majority. A striking feature of the career of Mr. Southard is the fact that he has served as superintendent of his Sunday school since he was seventeen years of age, and not only has he been a power for good in the church and Sunday school, but also in affairs of state, he has played an important part as well. He has served two terms in the Ohio legislature and while in that lawmaking body, gave his hearty support to all measures of public welfare. Such a man deserves recognition and it seems especially fitting that a record of his career should be preserved in this vol- ume in order that future generations may note the kind of men Union county has produced in the past.
Leonidas H. Southard, proprieor of the "Southwood Place Farm," of three hundred and forty-six acres in York township, was born in the town- ship where he is now living, November 8, 1852. His parents, Rev. Sylvester F. and Rebecca ( Tilton ) Southard, natives of Licking county, Ohio, were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are still living: Mary E., the wife of Malcus F. Stamets: Emily. the wife of Lemuel Langstaff ; Frank
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H., of West Mansfield, Ohio; J. W., of Marysville; Caroline, the widow of C. F. Reams : Annie B., the wife of John Duffy, and Leonidas H., of York township.
The parents of Rev. Sylvester Southard were Frank Southard and wife, both of whom were natives of New England, of Scotch-English de- scent. Frank Southard came from the eastern state and located in Licking county, Ohio, where he followed farming the remainder of his days. Rev. Sylvester Southard was reared on his father's farm in Licking county, and as a youth exhibited marked characteristics. Before reaching his majority he was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in the Methodist Episcopal church, and until the day of his youth he preached the Gospel in a manner which brought hope and happiness to thousands of souls. In 1850 Rev. Syl- vester Southard and his family came to Union county and located on a farm in York township, and here he lived the remainder of his days. His wife was truly a lovable woman and a devout and faithful wife and mother. Rev. S. F. Southard was a man well known throughout the county and performed a large number of marriages. He was a power for good, and his influence for morality was a large factor not only in York township, where he made his home, but throughout the county as well. For several years he served as a missionary in the northwest, where he labored valiantly for the cause of the Master. His children have been honorable members of the various com- munities where they have located, and are worthy offspring of a truly worthy father.
Leonidas H. Southard was reared on his father's farm in York town- ship, and his elementary education was received in the district schools of the same township. Later he became a student in the Olio Wesleyan Uni- versity and still later entered Hillsdale College at Hillsdale, Michigan. In order to attend college he taught and saved his money and thus worked his way through college. After his marriage at the age of twenty-six he began farming and has been very successful in his agricultural pursuits, as is shown by his well improved farm of three hundred and forty-six acres. In addition to his farming interests he is also engaged in the real estate busi- ness, having headquarters at Columbus.
Mr. Southard was married February 14, 1878, to Anna E. Penhor- wood, a daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Lyale) Penhorwood, early set- tlers in York township. Mrs. Southard's parents were natives of England and came to the United States about 1849 and located in Knox county, Ohio. Mr. Southard and his wife are the parents of two children, Will C. and Ethel.
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Will, whose wife is now deceased, attended the Normal School at Ada, Ohio, and is now farming in this township. Ethel graduated from the Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, University, and is now the wife of Rev. Gilbert Stansell, D. D., of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mr. and Mrs. Southard and family spent twelve years in the south, and while living there, Ethel graduated from the University of Chattanooga.
All the members of the family are strict adherents of the Methodist Episcopal church, and, as before stated, Mr. Southard has served as super- intendent in the Sunday school since he was seventeen years of age. No more loyal worker of the church has ever sat in its pews than Mr. Southard.
The Republican party has claimed the hearty support of Mr. Southard since reaching his majority, and for many years he has been a leader in his party's affairs in Union county. His ability has been recognized and his party has nominated him as a candidate for the Ohio Legislature, and twice has he been elevated to this high position by the suffrages of his fellow citi- zens. During his second term he was speaker pro tempore of the senate, a fact which shows that his ability was recognized among his fellow legis- lators. While in the legislature he was active in furthering the interests of all public-spirited measures, and was a true friend to the people in every measure which was brought before the Legislature. Such, in brief, is the history of a man who has brought honor to Union county, and it is such men whose lives should be recorded as fitting examples to generations yet to come. The life of such a man does not go out, it goes on.
JOSEPH P. EVANS.
A highly esteemed retired farmer of Raymond, Ohio, is Joseph P. Evans, who is spending his declining years in ease and comfort after a life of hard work on the farm. He is one of the many veterans of the Civil War still living in Union county, and too much honor can not be given these men who offered their lives that this country should not be divided. They are fast passing away and it will not be many years before they will all have answered the last roll call. For the past half century Mr. Evans has been engaged in agricultural pursuits and with a success which speaks well for his ability and good management. For several years he farmed in the state of Illinois, but for the past quarter of a century, he has been living in Union county. For the last ten years he has been living a retired life in Raymond.
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Joseph P. Evans, the son of Joseph and Margaret ( Harlan) Evans, was born in Champaign county, Ohio, January 19, 1843. His parents, who were natives of Pennsylvania, reared a family of eight children, six of whom lived to maturity: Mary, Orpha, died October, 1905 the wife of John Dixon ; John. died at the age of twelve: Thomas L., of Decatur, Illinois; Elizabeth MI., of Broadway ; Joseph P., of Raymond ; Sarah A., died November, 1892, the wife of James Marshall ; Lydia, who died in infancy : Joshua H., of New- ark, Ohio.
Joseph Evans, Sr., was a stone and brick mason in his young manhood and afterwards engaged in farming. He came from Chester county, Penn- sylvania, in 1837, and located in Champaign county, Ohio, where he bought a small farm which was partly improved, but later disposed of this farm and moved to Union county, arriving in this county on April 9, 1851. He bought a farm of one hundred and seventy-six acres near Peoria, which he cleared, improved and lived on until his death in 1881, at the age of eighty. His wife survived him many years and died in 1897, at the age of eighty-six. They were of Quaker extraction and people who enjoyed the respect of the com- munity in which they lived. He was a man of influence and held various township offices during his active life.
The paternal grandparents of Joseph P. Evans were Caleb and Eliza- beth Evans, natives of Pennsylvania of Welsh descent. They died in Penn- sylvania, he in middle life, and his widow after reaching the age of ninety. Caleb Evans and wife reared a large family of children, among them being the following: Joseph, Caleb. Margaret, Eliza, Rachel and Sarah. The maternal grandarents of Mr. Evans were natives of Pennsylvania, and life- long residents of that state. Both of them died in early life, leaving a fam- ily of several children, Margaret, Sarah, Mary, John, Louis, Joshua and Harmon.
Joseph P. Evans was reared on his father's farm near Peoria, in Tay- lor township, and attended the district schools in his home neighborhood. Upon reaching his majority he went to Illinois and bought a farm of one hundred acres in Ford county, on which he lived for ten years. He then came back to Ohio, married in 1879, and at once returned to Illinois, where he remained until 1881, when his father died. He then returned to Union county, Ohio, and bought a farm of one hundred and sixteen acres near Broadway, in Liberty township, which he still owns. He lived there until the spring of 1004 and then moved to Raymond, where he is now living.
Mr. Evans enlisted in the Civil War as a member of Company D, One
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Hundred and Thirty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served four months toward the close of the war. His brother, Thomas L. Evans, enlisted in the Civil War as a member of Company K, Ninety-sixth Regi- ment Ohio Volunteer Infantry; and served from 1862 until the close of the war, during which time he spent eight months in a southern prison.
Mr. Evans was married January 23, 1879, to Sarah Price, who died April 7, 1911, leaving no children. On December 4, 1911, Mr. Evans was married to Mrs. Lorinda Miller, the widow of John Miller, and the daugh- ter of Ara and Lydia (Safford) Gleason.
Mrs. Lorinda Evans was born in Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, July 26, 1844. Her parents were natives of Vermont, and early pioneers in Union county. They built the first house in Raymond, the town then being known as Newton. They later went to Illinois, where they died. Mr. Glea- son and his wife reared a family of several children, Amanda, Mary, Na- thaniel, Lorinda, Charles A. and George.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have always been interested in church work. Mr. Evans is a trustee of his denomination at the present time. Politically, he has been a life-long Republican, but has never taken an active part in political matters, preferring to devote all of his time to his agricultural interests. He and his wife are highly esteemed in the community where they have spent so many years, and have a host of friends who wish them many happy years yet in this county.
WILLIAM N. PLOTNER.
The life of William N. Plotner has already covered a span of fifty years and all of this has been spent in York township, where he was born. For more than a score of years he was a teacher in the public schools of this county and since that time he has been actively engaged in general farming and stock raising.
William N. Plotner, the son of William H. and Mary A. ( White ) Plot- ner, was born in York township, Union county, Ohio, March 9, 1865. His parents were both born in West Virginia, his mother being a daughter of John F. and Malinda White. His parents came to Ohio about 1835 and set- tled in Tuscarawas county, and in 1864 located in Union county, in York township, where they lived until their death. William H. Plotner died in 1904. his wife having passed away the year previously. There were seven
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children born to William H. Plotner and wife, five of whom are now living : John W., of Kansas; G. F., of West Mansfield, Ohio; Laura, the wife of F. K. Keller, of Holton, Kansas; J. A., an attorney of Kansas City, Mis- souri : and William N., of Union county, Ohio.
William N. Plotner was reared on his father's farm in York township, educated in the district schools and later attended the high school at Rich- wood. He then entered Skidmore College, at East Liberty, Ohio, and after leaving that institution, became a teacher in the public schools of Union county. For twenty-one consecutive years, he followed the teaching profes- sion in this county. During his long service in the school room, thousands of children came under his care and were benefited by his good counsel as well as his excellent instruction.
During the time that he was teaching, he was also interested in farm- ing and stock raising and several years ago, he retired from the schoolroom in order to devote all of his time to his farming interests. He is now ex- tensively engaged in the breeding of Percheron horses and registered Chester White hogs.
Mr. Plotner was married September 2, 1885, to Anna L. Morrow, the daughter of William M. and Malinda (Langstaff) Morrow. To this union have been born three children: Eva L .. the wife of Ray Davis of East Lib- erty. Ohio; J. Rea, a graduate of the Byhalia high school, who married Florence Tallman, of Marysville, Ohio; and Charles M., who was born Au- gust 30, 1908.
The father of Mrs. Plotner was born in Delaware county, Ohio, and her mother in Union county. Her father was a school teacher and farmer and now owns one hundred and seven acres, three miles northwest of York Center, in York township.
Mr. Plotner and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Byhalia, Ohio, and have always taken an active interest in its wel- fare. He is a class leader and also holds the position of steward and treas- urer of the official board of the church. He is president of the Union County Sunday School Association and interested in everything which per- tains to the work of the Sunday school. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and has filled all of the chairs in his lodge. He has never been active in politics, although he has given his support chiefly to the Republican candidates. He is one of the directors in the Union Banking Company at West Mansfield and has other interests in the county as well. Mr. Plotner is essentially a self-made man and one whose high character has endeared him to a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
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GEORGE W. CONNOLLY.
The Connolly family are of Irish descent, both the parents of George W. Connolly, whose history is here presented, having been born on the Emer- ald Isle. As a race the Irish are characterized by an industry and patience which overcomes all obstacles and insures them success in whatever under- takings they choose to follow. There are many citizens in Union county, Ohio, of Irish descent but none of them have taken a more prominent part in the life of the county than have the Connolly family.
George W. Connolly, the son of Edward and Charlotte ( Wilson) Con- nolly, was born in Allen township, Union county, Ohio, March 14, 1870. Both of his parents were born in Ireland but were not married until after they located in Union county, Ohio. Edward Connolly came to America when a young man and was on the ocean for fifty-six days. On coming to this county, he at once located in Union county, Ohio, and shortly after- wards met and married Charlotte Wilson, who had also come to this county with her parents. Edward Connolly and his wife lived a year or two in Union county after their marriage and then moved away, but shortly after- wards returned to this county and located in Allen township, settling there in 1863 and living in that township until their death. Edward Connolly died December 31, 1879, his wife having passed away in 1872. There were twelve children born to Edward Connolly and wife, nine of whom are still living : Thomas, a farmer in Logan county, Ohio; Mary, the wife of Thomas J. Creviston, a farmer of Logan county; Eliza, deceased; John, a farm- er of Allen township: Edward, a farmer of the same township; Benjamin F., a farmer of Logan county. Ohio; Lottie, the wife of George Williams, of Ada, Ohio: Cassie M., the wife of Job Alexander, of East Liberty. Ohio: Alice, the wife of Cersie Stewart, of Columbus, Ohio; Sarah M., de- ceased, the wife of David Edwards, and George W., of Allen township.
George W. Connolly was reared on the farm which he now owns. He attended the public schools of Allen township and early in life began to work at hard manual labor. His mother died when he was two years of age and his father died when he was only nine. He then lived with his brother until he was seventeen years of age and at that time started to work out by the month on a farm in Logan county, and worked in that county for three years. He then returned to Union county, where he has since lived. After his marriage he began farming for himself, and by dint of hard work and good management he has accumulated a farm of eighty-eight acres in Allen
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township, three and one-half miles south of Marysville. He has a handsome country residence and substantial and commodious barns and out buildings. His farm is well drained and everything about the place indicates that the owner is a man of thrift and taste.
Mr. Connolly was married October 21, 1896, to Sylvia Poling, the daughter of S. H. Poling, of Allen township. Mr. Connolly and his wife have no children of their own but have reared Florence Moody since she was fourteen months of age. She is now eleven years old.
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