USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 50
USA > Ohio > Morrow County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 50
USA > Ohio > Union County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 50
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acquired a fair English education. In his younger years he united with the Methodist Church, was a regularly ordained minister of that denomination and often preached, and was an earnest worker in the cause of Christianity. At the age of nineteen he en- listed in the war of 1812, in which he served until its close, when shortly after, he re- moved to New York.
In the Empire State, Samuel Poppleton was united in marriage, October 10, 1818, with Parthenia Steinbeck, and then emi- grated to Ohio, locating in Knox county, on Dry creek, taking up his abode with Daniel S. Norton, doing farm work for about four years. On the expiration of that period he removed to Richland county, Ohio, where he made his first purchase of land, develop- ing therefrom a good farm which he placed under a high state of cultivation. In 1839 or 1840, he embarked in merchandising in company with F. W. Strong, his son-in-law, in Mansfield, Ohio, and was connected with the commercial interests of that city during the succeeding twenty-five years, after which he removed to Delaware for the pur- pose of giving his children better educational privileges; and Delaware was the place of his residence until called to the home be- yond, on the 23d of September, 1864. By his first marriage Mr. Poppleton had a family of four children, -Roena F., Samuel D., Mary E. and Andrew J., all now de- ceased. The mother of this family died October 18, 1826, and on the 3rd of Feb- ruary, 1828, Mr. Poppleton was again mar- ried, his second union being with Julia A. Smith, who was born February 1, 1808, in Canada, but is descended from New York ancestry. She is still living, her home be- ing now in Cleveland, Ohio. The children of the second marriage are Emery E., who
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resides in Cleveland and is secretary of the Cleveland & Mahoning Railroad Com- pany; Parthenia P., deceased wife of Judge Stevenson Burke; Damaris A., deceased wife of Judge George B. Lake, Chief Justice of the Supreme Bench of the State of Ne- braska; Early F., of this sketch; Houston H., an attorney at law of Cleveland and for twenty years attorney of the Big Four Rail- road Company; Zada C., deceased wife of Colonel Thomas H. Linnell.
E. F. Poppleton began his education in the district schools, where he became familiar with the three R's, -"readin', ritin ' and 'rithmetic." At the age of twelve he entered the Wilcox High School, at Belle- ville, Ohio, at which place the family were living, although the father was engaged in business at Mansfield, Ohio, and to that place our subject frequently went to assist his father in the store. In 1852 he further continued his literary education, becoming a student in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, where he remained until 1855, when he went to Elyria, Ohio, and took up the study of law in the office of Judge Burke, his brother-in-law. He was admit- ted to the bar in September, 1858, and formed a partnership with his former pre- ceptor, the connection continuing for about a year, when Mr. Poppleton came to Dela- ware to look after the affairs of his father, who was then in poor health. In the spring of 1861 he opened a law office and here em- barked in the prosecution of his chosen pro- fession, which he has followed continuously since, except when officially employed.
Turning from the public to the private life of Mr. Poppleton, we note that on the Ist of September, 1859, he led to the mar- riage altar Miss Adeline Chase, and by their union were born four children, -
Franklin Chase; Edmund Burke, Parthenia Adeline aud George E. The mother de- parted this life in July, 1868, and on the 24th of November, 1875, Mr. Poppleton was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary R. Miller, daughter of Martin Miller, of Dela- ware. They have two children, both sons, William Miller and Earley Samuel.
Perhaps Mr. Poppleton is best known to the people at large through his official life. He has served for six years as a member of the City Council of Delaware, most of the time as President of the body, during which time the water-works were built, the elec- tric lights put in and the electric railway built, and these works, so beneficial to the city, were secured largely through the earn- est and untiring efforts of Mr. Poppleton, who has always manifested an active and commendable interest in everything pertain- ing to the welfare of this community. In 1870 he was elected to the Ohio State Sen- ate from the Sixteenth Ohio Senatorial Dis- trict, comprising Licking and Delaware counties, and in 1874 he was elected to Congress from the Ninth Congressional District, comprising the counties of Marion, Morrow, Hardin, Union, Delaware and Knox. Though one of the youngest mem- bers of the House he was placed on several very important committees, including the committee on elections; also served as a member of the committee on public build- ings, and was made chairman of the sub- committee on the investigation of the post- office building of New York city. As a lawyer before the bar, Mr. Poppleton is earnest and eloquent, possessed of keen perceptive power and quick to grasp the salient points in his opponent's arguments, and therefore has won success in his chosen profession. In the Legislature and in Con-
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gress he ably represented his constituents, laboring for their best interests, and his votes were always cast after mature deliber- ation. He is a pleasant, genial man, very popular with all classes, and his fidelity to duty and his conscientious fulfillment of all trusts reposed in him, have made him one of the most esteemed and honored citizens of his adopted county.
ULLIUS CLINTON O'KANE .- Among all the popular gospel and Sunday-school song writers of our times no one is more widely known or holds a higher place in the affections of the Christian world than T. C. O'Kane. He was among the very first to strike out with more freedom in his melodies and rhythms and introduce the style of songs that have since taken such a hold upon the people, and that have been the great mov- ing power in religious revivals and great re- ligious convocations.
The first name of a musical author that ever attracted my attention was that of T. C. O'Kane. When I was a pupil of the public schools of Cincinnati, Ohio, at about the age of fourteen, there was a song in our music book that was the general favorite of the school. We would always call for it when given an opportunity and we would sing it lustily. It was entitled "Ever to the Right, Boys," or something like that, and had a movement like his "Over There." We boys were at that time making our first at- tempts at singing bass, and we felt that we were doing great things. The song suited our tastes exactly. In the chorus the bass would come in on after notes to the words to the right, to the right, etc., with a march movement that would stir up all the enthu-
siam there was in us. We wished that Mr. O'Kane had written more songs for the book. Since having grown up I have had the pleas- ure of a personal acquaintance with this honored musical author and have found him to be in every way as great as our boyish imaginings had pictured him.
He was born in 1830 in a small village of Fairfield county, Ohio, some sixteen miles southeast of Columbus. He resided with his parents in this vicinity until the spring of 1849, when he went to Delaware, Ohio, and entered the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity, from which he graduated with great honor in 1852.
Immediately upon his graduation he was tendered a position in the faculty as tutor of mathematics, which he accepted and suc- cessfully filled for five years. The students always called him "Professor," by which title he is known to the present day. His musical abilities were early recognized in the university, and for years he was the musi- cal director in the daily chapel devotions. He organized and maintained a choral society in the college, and was the first musical instructor in the Ohio Wesleyan Female College, which a few years ago was incorporated into the university.
In 1857 he was elected to the principal- ship in the Cincinnati public schools, and served in that capacity until 1864, when he resigned his position to accept a place in the piano establishment of Philip Philips & Co. He remained with this house until its re- moval to New York city in 1867, when, al- though urged to be transferred with the house to that city, he preferred to remove with his family back to Delaware, Ohio, where he now resides. For the ensuing six years he traveled over the State of Ohio as general agent for the Smith American Organ
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Company, of Boston, Massachusetts. Dur- ing this time he visited conferences and Sunday-school conventions, both State and county, introducing his Sunday-school sing- ing books, and in this way became well known throughout his native State and quite extensively in some of the adjoining States.
In 1873 he went into the book and stationery business, in Delaware, Ohio, which is still engrossing his attention. His musical compositions were first published in Philip Philips's Musical Leaves, in 1865, and since then but few Sunday-school sing- ing books have appeared without one or more of his compositions. His first sing- ing book, Fresh Leaves, was issued in 1868. This was followed by Dew Drops, in 1870; by Songs for Worship, in 1873; by Every Sabbath, in 1874; by Jasper and Gold, in 1877; by Redeemer's Praise, in 1881; by Glorious Things, in 1886; by Morning Star, in 1890. In connection with J. R. Sweeney and Chaplain McCabe he issued in 1878 Joy to the World, a singing book for prayer meetings, and the same editors, with the ad- dition of W. J. Kirkpatrick, compiled Songs of Redeeming Love, in 1882, and No. 2 in 1887. In 1883 he issued Songs of Praises, for evangelistic purposes, the sales of which amounted to several hundred thousand copies. In connection with his son, Edward T. O'Kane, who is himself a most excellent composer and a very skillful organist, in 1882 he compiled Selected Anthems, a book designed for use by the more advanced choirs.
With Mr. O'Kane music and musical composition have ever been a recreation rather than a profession. He is an excellent leader of choirs, but his forte seems to be in leading large congregations, Sunday-schools
and social religious meetings in sacred songs. He sings with " the spirit and with the un- derstanding," also with a due appreciation of both words and music, and very naturally infuses his enthusiasm into his audience, so that they cannot keep from singing. In his music he endeavors to catch the spirit of the hymn, and then give it expression in the music he composes for it. This some- times seems to have been almost an inspira- tion and could be illustrated by a reference to the circumstances under which many of his compositions have been made. One of his earlier and more widely known pieces is that entitled "Over There." He says he cut this hymnn out of some newspaper and put it with others in his portfolio, intending some- time when he felt like it to give it a musical setting. One Sunday afternoon, after studying his lesson for the next session of his Sunday-school, he opened his portfolio, and, turning over his selections, found these words, and something seemed to say "Now is your time." He sat down to the organ, studied the hymn intently for a few moments, and then as his fingers touched the keys of the instrument melody and har- mony were in every movement, and when the stanza was ended melody and har- mony found expression in the chorus and "Over There" was finished.
Another of his well-known songs is "Sweeping Through the Gates." One cold blustering day he had occasion to go from his residence to the railroad depot, about a mile distant, and in his route had to cross the river on a suspension foot bridge. As he came down the bridge he thought of the "River of Death," so cold with no bridge, and then the words of the dying Cookman came to his mind and he exclaimed to him- self "Who, who are these beside the chilly
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wave?" Words, melody and refrain seemed to come all at once and altogether, so that by the time he had arrived at his home the composition was complete.
Mr. O'Kane is a deeply religious man. His greatest joy comes from the conscious- ness that his music has cheered and com- forted the hearts of Christian people all over the world and has been the means of win- ning thousands from the pleasures of the world to the higher enjoyments of the Chris- tian religion. He cherishes a large file of personal letters that have been received dur- ing past years testifying to the blessing his songs have been to the souls of others. He is a genial, modest Christian gentle- man who carries sunshine wherever he goes, and although he has passed the milestone of his life numbering three-score, yet he seems as fresh and vigorous as ever, and we may confidently expect many years yet of valuable service in the realm of sacred song.
The above was taken from the Decem- ber number, of 1891, of the Musical Messen- ger, published at Cincinnati, Ohio, by the Fillmore Bros., who, being well acquainted with the subject, wrote and published the article.
In 1843 he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has since been a constant and active member, and for forty years of this time has been a worker in the Sabbath-school, being Super- intendent of the same most of the time.
Mr. O'Kane was married in Delaware, in June, 1853, to Miss Laura A. Eaton, daughter of Hon. James and Elizabeth (Caulkins) Eaton. They had been residents of the county for many years, and she was born and reared here. Mr. and Mrs. O'Kane have had four sons, namely:
Charley C., a promising young man who died in his twenty-second year; an infant son, deceased; Edward T., manager of the Philips Optical Company, at Delaware, Ohio, is a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University, and is a fine organist and com- poser, skilled in all branches of music; and William Eaton, the youngest, who was for years associated with his father in business and who is now manager of the retail de- partment in the Methodist Book Concern, in Chicago.
James O'Kane, the honored father of this noted man, was born in Virginia in 1805, and in the Old Dominion spent his youthful days. When about twenty he came to Fairfield county, Ohio. His pa- rents were Scotch-Irish and were both born in the north of Ireland. In Fairfield coun- ty James O'Kane was engaged in the mer- cantile business until 1838, when he moved to Franklin county, ten miles east of Colum- bus, continuing there the same occupation, and from that place, in 1849, he removed to Columbus, where he was in business for fifteen years. His next and last removal was to Licking county, Ohio, and his death occurred in 1869, at the age of sixty-four years. His wife was nee Julia Williams. She was a native of northern New York, born in 1810. They were married in 1829, and her death occurred in 1860. Of their nine children five reached maturity and four are still living, T. C. being the first born.
A list of the books which Mr. O'Kane has published has already been given, with, however, the exception of the latest work with which he has been connected. In 1893 J. R. Sweeney, W. J. Kirkpatrick and Mr. O'Kane issued Unfading Treasures, which is now being largely circulated.
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H. LINCOLN, Clerk of the Courts, Mount Gilead, Ohio, is a native of Grant county, Wiscon- sin, born April 28, 1855.
Thomas Lincoln, his father, is a son of Azariah Lincoln, they being near relatives of the distinguished Abraham Lincoln. Thomas Lincoln was one of the pioneer farmers of Wisconsin. About 1849 he crossed the plains to California, making the long and tedious journey on foot. For eighteen months he worked in the gold mines of California, and at the end of that time returned home via the isthmus of Panama and New York city, bringing with him $1,000 and joining his family in Wisconsin. In 1862 he moved to Boscobel, Wisconsin, and engaged in the hotel business, which he continued for a year and a half. About this time he traded his farm in Wisconsin for one in Congress township, Morrow coun- ty, Ohio, to which he moved in 1863. In the fall of that same year he traded this farm of 100 acres for one of 135 acres in Franklin township, and from that time un- til 1880 made his home on it. In 1880 he again traded, this time for a farm in Gilead township, where he resided until 1889, when he retired from active life and moved to a home he had bought on Cherry street in Mount Gilead. Here he passed away in June, 1890. He was a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and a Steward in the same, and was honored and respected for his many sterling traits of character. Politically he is a Republican.
Of our subject's mother, we record that her maiden name was Rachel Kay, and that she was born in Ohio and reared near Lud -. dingville, this State. She is still living and is a resident of Mount Gilead. Her father, William Kay, was one of the pioneers of
Ohio. Mrs. Lincoln is the mother of seven children: three sons and four daughters, namely: Judge A. W., a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University, was a teacher for several years, was admitted to the bar in 1887, and is now Probate Judge of Greene county, Missouri; Joel K., engaged in farm- ing in Morrow county; and D. H., the sub- ject of this sketch, the youngest son and fifth born. Of the daughters, Mary E. is the widow of Thomas Coles; Sarah A. is the wife of Lee Dakan, a farmer of Harri- son county, Iowa; L. Augusta is the wife of John Hull, of Morrow county, Ohio; and Belle is the wife of J. C. Lerch, of Pulaski, this county.
D. L. Lincoln was eight years old when he removed with his parents from Boscobel, Wisconsin, to Morrow county, Ohio. He attended the district schools and also the union school at Mount Gilead, and at the age of seventeen began teaching. For six- teen years he followed the profession of teaching and all that time was in Congress township. May 22, 1888, he moved to Mount Gilead and engaged in the livery business, in which, however, he continued only a short time, selling out in February of the following year. April 23, 1889, he was appointed to a position in the railway mail service between Cleveland and Cincin- nati, on the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincin- nati & St. Louis Railroad, by President Harrison. This position he resigned July 20, 1894, in order to accept the office he now holds, that of Clerk of the Courts. In 1891 he received special mention from the Superintendent of Railway Mail Service, and at the close of his service was the recipient of a letter of commendation from that offi- cial.
In 1887 Mr. Lincoln made the canvass
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for the office of Clerk of Courts, the oppos- ing candidates being J. E. McCracken, Thomas Riddle, John Bunker and a Mr. Lyon. After a spirited contest of fifteen ballots, J. E. McCracken was nominated. Mr. Lincoln lacked only three votes of se- curing the nomination. In 1893 he was again candidate for the same office and was nominated on the first ballot, and at the en- suing election he received a majority of 730 votes. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 169, and Encampment No. 69, and he is also identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Royal Arch Masons.
Mr. Lincoln was married in 1877 to Miss Silva Vanatta, a native of Morrow county, Ohio. They have two children, Beryl, born in 1878, and Annie, in 1880.
J W. S. PUGH, Deputy United States Marshal, resides on a farm in Gilead township, Morrow county, Ohio. He is one of the representative men of this county, is well known and highly re- spected, and it is appropriate that some personal mention be made of him in this work. A sketch of his life is as follows:
J. W. S. Pugh was born in Canaan township, Morrow county, Ohio, December 15, 1858. His grandfather, Jesse Pugh, a native of Wales, emigrated to America when a young man and located in Pennsylvania, where he took claim to a tract of Govern- ment land. Subsequently he came to Ohio and entered land in Fairfield county, being among the earliest settlers of that place, and from there he afterward removed to Morrow county. In Walnut township, Fair- field county, December 17, 1818, his son James, the father of our subject, was born, and there he spent his boyhood days, com- 24
ing with his father to Morrow county. He married Elizabeth W. Stinchcomb, who was born in Thorn township, Perry county, Ohio, May 16, 1825. Her grandfather, George Stinchcomb, came from England to this country at an early day and settled at Balti- more, Maryland, from whence he afterward removed to Pennsylvania, where he passed his last days and died. His son George, Mrs. Pugh's father, was born in Pennsyl- vania, and came from there to Perry county, Ohio. James Pugh and his wife were mar- ried in Perry county and soon afterward lo- cated on a farm in Canaan township, Mor- row county, where he was engaged in gen- eral farming until 1867, when he moved to Gilead township. He died in the sixty-sixth year of his age, after an active and useful life. Politically he was a Republican. Dur- ing the war he served for two terms, six years, as Commissioner of Morrow county. He was Township Trustee and Land Ap- praiser of Gilead township in 1870. In religion he was an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as also is his wife, who is still living, now a resident of Edison, Ohio, and in the seventieth year of her age. They had ten children, six sons and four daughters, the eldest dying in in- fancy. Of the others, we record that Hen- rietta L. is the wife of H. C. Bennett, of Cardington township, this county; George H., a prominent physician, is a resident of Thornville, Perry county, Ohio; Margaret A. is the wife of Alvin Essing, of Canton, Ohio; J. W. S. is the subject of this article; Jesse H. is a resident of Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania; Elmer is deceased; John C. resides in Columbus, Ohio; Sarah E. is deceased; and Benjamin F. lives at Columbus.
J. W. S. Pugh was eight years of age at the time his parents moved to Gilead
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township. He had good educational advant- ages, attending the district schools and later the Union School at Mount Gilead, where he graduated in 1881, in a class of thirteen. Soon after his graduation he became an employe of the O. C. R. R., with which company he remained four months. Then he settled down to farming and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits on his pres- ent farm ever since.
He was married September 23, 1886, to Carrie Belle McCracken, who was born in Chesterville, Morrow county, May 6, 1862, daughter of William W. and Mary (Green) McCracken. She, too, was educated at Union School and was a member of the same class in which her husband graduated. They have one child, Mary Caroline, born in 1890.
Politically Mr. Pugh is a Republican. He was appointed United States Deputy Marshal under Harrison's administration, in 1889, and still fills the office most efficient- ly. He has also served as Township Trus- tee and Township Collector. Fraternally Mr. Pugh is identified with the Masonic Lodge, No. 206, of Mount Gilead, and Gilead Chapter, No. 59, R. A. M. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.
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A L. BANKER, Probate Judge, Mount Gilead, Morrow county, Ohio, was born in Peru township, this county, October 29, 1860, and, although comparatively a young man, has attained prominence.
Judge Banker is of German descent, and traces his ancestry back to the early settlers of New York State. His father, William Banker, a native of New York and a car- penter by trade, came to Morrow county,
Ohio, in 1850, and located in Peru town- ship, on a farm. Subsequently he went West, and died in Kansas. He married in Ohio, Miss Elizabeth James, a native of Virginia, who came with her parents to Peru township, this county, when she was eight years of age, and they had two chil- dren, a daughter and a son, the elder, Dora, being deceased. Mrs. Banker is still living, and makes her home with her son. She is of English descent.
A. L. Banker received his early educa- tion in the district schools of Lincoln town- ship, and then for one. term was a student at Cardington. When he was sixteen he began teaching, securing a position in Ox- ford township, Delaware county, where he taught two terms, following that with four terms in Lincoln township, this county. Afterward he taught at Westfield, Eden and other district schools. In the meantime he kept up his studies, took a high-school course at Cardington, and a classical course in the Ohio Wesleyan University, graduat- ing in the latter institution in 1886. In the spring of 1886 he was elected Superintend- ent of the Cardington schools, which posi- tion he filled most acceptably until 1891. For four years he was also County Exam- iner. In 1891 he engaged in the clothing and furniture business at Cardington, which he sold after conducting the same for a year and four months. About this time he became a candidate for the office of Probate Judge, was nominated and duly elected, and is now serving in this position. He has al- ways been a Republican.
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