USA > Ohio > Union County > History of Union County, Ohio; its people, industries and institutions > Part 95
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The elementary education of Heber H. Herd was received in the schools of Liberty township. He then entered the Ohio Northern Normal Uni- versity, at Ada, Ohio, and took the classical course, graduating with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the spring of 1902. He then spent one year in the south, traveling for the National Publishing Company, after which he returned to this county and farmed until 1906, and then began teaching in this county. He served as principal of the high school at Raymond and was later elected superintendent of the school. He gave such excellent satisfaction in this capacity that he was later appointed district superinten- dent of the schools and the special district Peoria, Liberty, York and Taylor townships, a position which he has been filling with marked ability.
Mr. Herd was married December 22, 1910, to Nellie Earns, a native of Pennsylvania and a graduate of the Raymond high school. To this union two children have been born, Lloyd and Margaret.
Mr. Herd and his wife are members of the Disciple church. Frater- nally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias. He is the past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and secretary of the local Masonic lodge. Politically, he gives his support to the Demo- cratic party and, while taking an intelligent interest in the current issues of the day, yet has never been active in political matters. He is a young man of high character and strength of purpose and ranks high among the educational leaders of his county.
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JOHN M. NICOL.
For three score years John M. Nicol has been a resident of Union county, Ohio, and practically his whole life has been spent in Paris town- ship, where he was born. His father was a native of Germany, a nation which has furnished thousands of good citizens for the state of Ohio. All of the descendants of these early German settlers in Ohio are character- ized by the same thrift and economy which made their fathers leading farm- ers and business men of the various communities in which they settled.
John M. Nicol, a prosperous farmer of Paris township, was born April 29, 1855, in this same township, the son of John Leonard and Margaret (Starr) Nicol, and one of a large family of children.
John L. Nicol was born in Mecklenburg, Germany, and came to Ameri- ca with his parents when he was a young man and located in Columbus, Ohio. A few years later the parents of John L. Nicol came to Union county and settled on the Plain City road about three and one-half miles south of Marys- ville, and here they reared their large family of children, John Leonard, George. Conrad, Martin, John, Michael, Carl and Margaret. Of these chil- dren, all are still living with the exception of George, Michael and Carl. Margaret, the one daughter, married George Starr and has eleven children, John, Michael, Charles, George, Fred, Crist, Martin, Maggie, Mary, Lizzie and Anne. John L. Nicol was married in Union county and lived here until his death. He was killed as a result of a kick received from a horse in his stable. Five children were born to John L. Nicol and wife: George, de- ceased : Charles, of Paris township; John, of Paris township; John M., with whom this narrative deals, and Margaret, the wife of John G. Rip- right.
John M. Nicol was educated in the German school in his neighborhood and remained on the home farm until he was twenty-two years of age. After his marriage in 1878 he bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, on which he lived for fifteen years. He then sold this place and bought his present farm of one hundred and forty acres in Paris township. He is a progressive farmer and by good management has brought his farm to a high state of cultivation, and has the satisfaction of seeing it yield a satisfactory return year after year.
Mr. Nicol was first married on June 5. 1878, to Barbara Shalip, the daughter of John and Margaret (Six) Shalip, and to this union four chil- dren were born: William, deceased: Margaret, who married George Geer.
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and has two sons, Clarence and Lewis; John, who married Lena Kendall, and Laura, who married Otto Moder. Mr. Nicol was married the second time December 4, 1901, to Anna Elizabeth Noelp, the daughter of Martin and Anna ( Weaver) Noelp.
Mr. Nicol and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. Poli- tically, he has always been affiliated with the Democratic party, and has al- ways taken an active part in local politics. At the present time he is a member of the school board of Paris township, and gives his hearty sup- port to all measures which he feels will benefit the educational interests of his township.
THOMAS F. LOCKWOOD.
A farmer and stock raiser of Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, who has made a pronounced success of this dual line of activity, is Thomas F. Lockwood, who has been identified with the agricultural and stock raising interests of Union county for many years. His farm, known as the "Col- lege Hill Stock Farm," one mile west of Raymond, is one of the most at- tractive farms in the township and bears ample witness to the industry and taste of the owner.
Thomas F. Lockwood, the son of David B. and Mary J. (Harsha) Lockwood, was born in Liberty township May 15, 1863. His father was born in Canada and his mother in the state of New York, and both of them came to Union county with their parents before their marriage. David B. Lockwood was a farmer in this county until his death, March 29, 1912, his widow passing away May 14, 1914. David B. Lockwood was a soldier in the Civil War in the one hundred-day service. Four children were born to David B. Lockwood and wife: Lavina, the wife of N. G. Dillon, a soldier of the Civil War; Alice, the wife of J. W. Mahaffey, of Columbus, Ohio: Charles H., a farmer of Liberty township, and Thomas F.
The education of Thomas F. Lockwood was received in the schools of Liberty township and the Central Ohio College at East Liberty. After leaving college he engaged in farming in this township on his present farm of ninety acres. He has divided his attention between general farming and stock raising, giving his particular attention to the breeding of draft horses, an industry with which he has been connected for the past ten years. lle has two registered draft horses and one registered road horse, and is recognized as one of the leading horse breeders of Union county.
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Mr. Lockwood was married December 13, 1888, to Laura M. Burn- ham, who was born in Milford Center, Ohio. She died January 26, 1914, leaving two children, Alice and Burnham. Alice graduated from the Ray- mond high school and taught five years in this county. Burnham is now fourteen years of age and is a student in the high school at Raymond.
Mr. Lockwood is a charter member of the Raymond lodge of Knights of Pythias. He is a past chancellor of his local lodge and is a member of the grand lodge of Ohio. Politically, he has always given his loyal support to the Republican party, although he has never been a candidate for a public office. Personally, Mr. Lockwood is a quiet and genial man and has so in- terested himself in the civic life of his community and its general welfare as to gain the confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens to a marked degree.
ALVIN STIMMEL.
Since the year 1859 Alvin Stimmel has been a resident of Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio. He has been a life long fariner, and on his fine farm of one hundred and eight acres he has made a comfortable living for himself and family, as well as laid by a competency for his declining years. He is a man of strength of character and has so conducted himself and his affairs as to gain the hearty commendation of those who know him best.
Alvin Stimmel, the son of Robert L. and Rebecca E. (Hutchisson) Stimmel, was born in Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio, November 23, 1859. His father was born in Franklin county, Ohio, and came to Union county at the age of seven with his parents, and lived here until he was nineteen years of age. He then returned to Franklin county, where he imarried and shortly afterwards located in Union county, where he lived until his wife's death, October 1, 1894. Two years later he retired to Columbus, Ohio, where he died in 1901. The wife of Robert L. Stimmel was born in Mill Creek township on the farm where George Liggett is now living. Eleven children were born to Robert L. Stimmel and wife.
Alvin Stimmel was reared on his father's farm in Mill Creek township and has lived in this same neighborhood all of his life. Upon reaching his majority he began farming, and after his marriage located upon his present farm. He has placed many improvements upon it and as new inventions have come upon the market he has added them to his farming equipments.
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He is a scientific farmer and keeps thoroughly abreast of the advances in agricultural science, and thus is able to get the maximum results from his efforts.
Mr. Stimmel was married December 31, 1889, to Mrs. Anna E. Parm- ley, who was the mother of two children by her former marriage: Bessie, the wife of Cora P. Hutssion, of Licking county, Ohio, and Lillian, the wife of Ashton Smart, of Mill Creek township.
Politically, Mr. Stimmel has been a life long Democrat but never held any official position until 1914, when he was appointed deputy tax assessor of his township. He is a man of quiet and unassuming demeanor and well known throughout the township for his many good qualities.
CHRISTOPHER GRUBBS.
The Grubbs family have been residents of Union county, Ohio, since ยท the early forties and have been prominent in the history of the county since that time. Five of the Grubbs brothers were in the Civil War at the same time, and four of them are still living. Christopher Grubbs, whose history is here related, was only thirteen years of age when the Civil War opened, but this did not hinder him from offering his services to his country. At a time when every boy of Union county today is in the school room, Christopher Grubbs was marching with the veteran troops of General Sherman through Georgia to the sea in the summer of 1864, and it seems very fitting that the career of such a man be recorded in the annals of his county's history.
Christopher Grubbs, the son of Christopher and Elizabeth (Skidmore) Grubbs, was born in Allen township, Union county, Ohio, July 12, 1847. His father was born in Virginia, but caine to Union county, Ohio, with his parents when he was twelve years of age and lived here the remainder of his life. The mother of Christopher Grubbs, Jr., died when he was a small boy. There were ten children born to Christopher Grubbs. Sr., and wife, six of whom are still living: Madison, a retired farmer and veteran of the Civil War, and now a resident of Logan county, Ohio: Lydia U., the wife of Henry West of Kansas; Atlantic, the wife of Keleb H. Haines of Kansas; Benjamin, a veteran of the Civil War, and a farmer of North Lewisburg. Ohio: Oliver, also a veteran of the Civil War and a retired farmer of Kansas, and Christopher, of Allen township. Thomas, another brother, was also in the Civil War. Evelyn is deceased.
MR. AND MRS. CHRISTOPHER GRUBBS.
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The grandfather first settled in Logan county, Ohio, where he laid out the town of Middleburg. He farmed and kept tavern there a good many years.
Christopher Grubbs was reared in Allen township and there received such schooling as was given by the schools of his neighborhood before his marriage, after which time he began farming for himself. He now has ninety-two acres of excellent farming land in Allen township, as well as two acres in Pottersburg, where he makes his home. He has been interested in the raising of Percheron horses and has had marked success in this.
Christopher Grubbs was married February 27, 1873, to Isadora Lary, the daughter of Abel and Mary A. (Swisher) Lary, who was born in Cham- paign county, Ohio, September 27, 1856. To this union two children have been born: Mabel, the wife of Andrew Robinson of Springfield, Ohio, and Leroy, who married Bertha Congrove.
Mr. Grubbs and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Pottersburg, and have always taken an active interest in all church and Sunday school work. At the present time he is one of the trustees of his church. Mr. Grubbs and his wife are both members of the Patrons of Husbandry. In politics, he is a supporter of the Republican party and is now serving as one of the township trustees.
WILLIAM E. LOVELESS.
The Loveless family have been residents of Union county, Ohio, since 1850, and have taken an active part in the advancement of everything per- taining to the welfare of the county. William E. Loveless is a worthy rep- resentative of the family and lives on a well improved farm of one hundred acres, one and one-fourth miles south of Dover.
William E. Loveless, the son of William H. and Mary ( Ritchie) Love- less, was born in Dover township, July 10, 1871.
William H. Loveless was the son of John and (Ramsey ) Loveless, and was the third child in a family of twelve children. He was born in Delaware county, Ohio, May 10, 1840, and died in Union county, Ohio, October I, 1904. His father, John Loveless, was a native of Prince George county, Maryland, and with his parents came to Dela- ware county, Ohio, when twelve years of age. When William H. Loveless was ten years of age, the family residence was changed to Dover town-
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ship. in Union county, Ohio, although some of the family later removed to Illinois, where they are still residing. William H. Loveless enlisted for service in the Union army on November 15, 1861, as a private in Company F. Sixty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was severely wound- ed at the battle of Port Republic, June 9, 1862, and was later discharged on account of disability. He returned to his home and upon the recovery of his health, he again enlisted in May, 1864, as a member of Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was chosen second lieutenant and served in this capacity until his regiment was discharged at the close of the war. William H. Loveless was married No- vember 26, 1863, to Mary Ritchie, the daughter of J. K. and Nancy Ritchie, of Dover township, and to this. union were born five children, all of whom lived to maturity, married and reared families of their own: Carrie, the wife of John A. Shoemaker, of Delaware, Ohio; Nane, the wife of D. E. Liggett, of New Dover. Ohio: Charles D., of Davis township; William E., of New Dover, and Lida, the wife of Dr. V. B. Weller, of Ostrander, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Loveless adopted Watt R. Sharp, when he was a baby of only a few weeks, and reared him as one of their own family. He is married and lives in Dover township.
William H. Loveless was a man of strict integrity, upright in all of his ways, and cheerfully lent a helping hand to all good causes. He was naturally of a jovial disposition and possessed the happy faculty of making friends and keeping them. "Doc" Loveless, as he was known to everyone, possessed a wider acquaintance and was more widely and favorably known and respected than falls to the lot of many men. Although incapacitated by disease for twenty-five years before his death, yet he kept his farming and stock interests well in hand until the year before he passed away. He took a very active interest in all good causes, and his death was a distinct loss to the community. He was an active member of the Masonic order, the Grand Army of the Republic at Marysville and the Knights of Pythias at New Dover. He contributed liberally toward the building of churches and also toward their support and, to his best conception, fulfilled the duties of a true Christian by caring for the fatherless and keeping himself unspotted before the world. He was such a man as all should emulate and the virtues he practiced before the world were such that he left a name which is cherished by his children and honored by his friends.
William E. Loveless was educated in the public schools of New Dover and worked on the home farm until he reached his twenty-first year. He
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then began renting land, and after his marriage in 1895 purchased his pres- ent farm of one hundred acres at the junction of the Thompson and Hinton mill road, south of Dover. He is engaged in diversified farming and di- vides his attention between the raising of crops and the breeding of live stock.
Mr. Loveless was married November 7, 1895, to Eva Stephens, the daughter of Elmer and Mary (Beem) Stephens, and to this union have been born four children, who are still living with their parents, Thelma, Elmer, Ethel and Ruth.
The father of Mrs. Loveless was born in Madison county, Ohio, and is now a merchant in Missouri. He was formerly a farmer and large land owner in this county. Mrs. Loveless was the only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Stephens. The parents of Elmer Stephens were John and Jane (Patterson ) Stephens.
Politically. Mr. Loveless is a Republican, and while taking an active interest in everything pertaining to good government, yet has never been an aspirant for any public office. He and his family are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Marysville, and generous contributors to its support. Fraternally, he is a member of the Knights of Pythias at New Dover.
MONROE AMRINE.
To a great extent the prosperity and steady development of our country is due to the honest industry, the sturdy persistence and wise economy which has so prominently characterized those whose labors have always been to agriculture. In no section of the state is there a more enterprising and pro- gressive class of farmers than is found in Union county. From the time of the early settlement the farmers of this county have been men of tireless energy and masterful courage which overcomes difficulties, and this spirit has characterized the sons who have succeeded these pioneer fathers. This same spirit has been a marked characteristic of those who have come to this county from other states, and it is the intelligent industry and wise appli- cation of modern methods in farming by this class of farmers that brought the farm lands of Union county to the high state of cultivation which now so generally prevails.
Among those who are entitled to honorable mention in the class of en- terprising and progressive farmers of Union county is the gentleman whose
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name stands at the head of this article. Monroe Amrine may be said to be a farmer by birth and inheritance. He was born on a farm and continues to live on the farm where he first saw the light of day. The date of his birth is November 27, 1853. He is a son of Smith and Elizabeth ( Westlake) Am- rine. who were among the early settlers of Union county. The father was born in the old log house that stood on the ground of the present farm resi- dence. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Henry and the maiden name of his wife was Mary Powers. They came to Union county from Bel- mont county, Ohio, in 1817. The grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Monroe Amrine lived on his father's farm and was accustomed to work from his early youth. Such time as he could be spared from work in the fields he was privileged to attend the common schools of the neighborhood and thus obtained a fair education. Supplementing these elementary studies with intelligent reading and application to the practical affairs of life, he was fitted for making a success in the business to which he has devoted his life. He began farming on his own account when he came to the age of maturity and has followed that occupation ever since. He has added stock raising to his farming industry and makes a specialty of fine breeds for which he finds a ready and profitable market. He owns ninety acres of land, about two miles west of Marysville, and also owns the original eighty acres of land that was entered by his grandfather in 1817, on which he settled with his parents.
Mr. Amrine was married September 20, 1883, to Mattie L. Thompson, daughter of A. J. Thompson, and to this union five children were born, Ed- ward, Leonard, Blanche, Goldie and Trubey. The family of the father of our subject consisted of five children, namely: McClellan, deceased; Smith. deceased; Armintha, who married Sol Turner; Monroe, our subject ; Mary C., who married Richard Turner. Mr. Amrine is a Democrat in politics and takes an active interest in party affairs. He is a member of the county cen- tral committee and one whose counsel and advice is considered valuable in the conduct of the party political campaigns. His fraternal affiliation is with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows: His church relationship is with the Methodist Episcopal church of which the family are consistent members and to which they contribute liberally of their means. For more than twenty years Mr. Amrine was a member of the school board, and in this, as in all his other relations of life, he sustained the reputation of a citizen of strict integ- rity worthy of the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens.
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GEORGE M. WILBER.
Among the many prosperous and progressive farmers and stock raisers of Union county, Ohio, must be mentioned George M. Wilber, who operates a farm in Paris township, adjoining the corporation limits of Marysville. He was born in Paris township July 3, 1862, and is the son of George and Annette (Coolidge) Wilber. The father of our subject was born in New York state and lived in that state during his minority. When he was twenty-one years old he came to Cleveland and was employed for some time as steward on a lake vessel. Later lie was superintendent of the Erie canal between Buffalo and Albany. Then he decided to engage in farming, and for that purpose came to Union county and settled on a farm in Paris town- ship, where he continued to make his home.
George M. Wilber was the only child in his father's family. He received a very good elementary education in his early years by attending the com- mon schools and completing the studies in the high school. With a view of fitting himself for a business vocation he entered a commercial college in Cleveland and completed the course in that institution. He then en- gaged in the grocery business in Marysville and followed this occupation for a few years. Agricultural pursuits and life on a farm appealed to him as being more desirable and more remunerative than the grocery business, so he gave up his grocery business and took up farming and the live stock in- dustry. In this business he brought with him the experience and training obtained through close contact with business affairs in town, and he made use of this experience and training in broadening his views and in fully preparing himself for the task of operating a farm in such a way as to bring about the most profitable results. In this he has demonstrated his ability to measure up to the requirements for a successful farmer. He has made a close study of the problems of the soil and the management of the rotation of crops, so that the best results can be obtained with the least exhaustion of soil. In the live stock industry he has given especial attention to sheep raising in which he has made a marked success.
Mr. Wilber was twice married, his first wife being Lou Robinson, daughter of R. Robinson, to whom he was married in 1884. His first wife is buried in Oakdale cemetery. The two children born to this union were Robert M., deceased. and Ruth C., who married E. H. Schreifer. His second wife was Alice Pearse, whom he married June 6, 1914.
Fraternally, Mr. Wilber is a member of the Masonic order. the Knights
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of Pythias and the B. O. Elks. Politically, he is an advocate of the prin- ciples of the Republican party and is an active and an influential worker in party politics. He was honored by his party by being chosen as repre- sentative from his county in the general assembly for two successive terms, 1878 and 1879. As a member of this body he served with credit to him- self and to his constituents. In all his relations of life, as a public official and as a private citizen, he has commanded the confidence and high esteem of the community.
LAFAYETTE MCILROY.
The career of Lafayette Mellroy began in Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, almost sixty years ago, on the farm where he is now living. A native of this county, he has spent all of his life where he was born, and such has been his daily life that he fully merits the high regard in which he is held by those who know him. He and his wife have reared a family of children to lives of usefulness and honor, while at the same time he has performed all those duties which fall to the lot of the good American citizen. In every phase of his county's development he has borne his share of the burden, and for this reason is justly entitled to representation in the history of his county.
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