USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. II > Part 12
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Politically, Mr. Harris is a Democrat, and while he takes the interest of a good citizen in public affairs, he is not a seeker after public honors. He has served his community as road supervisor. He and his wife are members of the Disciples church, and he belongs to the Patrons of Industry.
Mr. Harris was married on August 31, 1880, to Hattie Larason, a native of Knox county and the daughter of Thomas and Melinda Larason, old settlers here, he having come to Knox county from New Jersey, the father accompanying his parents, James and Elizabeth Larason, when he was one year old. Here the parents established a comfortable home and spent the rest of their lives here. The mother of Mrs. Harris was a native of Muskingum county, Ohio. Eleven children were born to Thomas Lara- son and wife, six of whom are living, two daughters and four sons. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Harris, Odessa, who married Lloyd Hall, and Ethel, who lives at home. Mr. and Mrs. Hall are the parents of two children, Zelpha and John Thomas.
WILLIAM McCOY MITCHELL.
One of the farmers of Butler township, Knox county, who believes in adopting twentieth-century methods and in having system in whatever he attempts to do is William McCoy Mitchell, a public-spirited citizen who withholds his co-operation from no movement which is intended to promote public improvement. What he has achieved in life proves the force of his character and illustrates his steadfastness of purpose, and because of his many commendable characteristics he enjoys the good will and the friend- ship of his neighbors and acquaintances over the county.
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Mr. Mitchell was born in Allen county, Ohio, November 20, 1864. He is the son of William Ottawa Carter Mitchell and Sarah Ellen (Boyer ) Mitchell. The paternal grandparents, Jonathan Mitchell and wife, were early settlers in Allen and Logan counties, having come from Virginia in the early forties, and they both died in Allen county. The maternal grand- father was a native of Scotland, from which country he emigrated to Amer- ica years ago, changing his name to Boyer from the original in order to escape military service. He finally married and came to Allen county, Ohio, where he sent the balance of his life. The mother of the subject was born in Allen county, Ohio, in 1839, and the father of William M. Mitchell was born in Virginia in 1832. When a small boy he came to Ohio with his parents, and located in either Allen or Logan counties, and there he was married, in Allen county, and continued to reside there eight or nine years, and then, in 1872, moved to Millwood, Knox county, and engaged in milling until 1880, then moved to the Giffin farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Butler and Union townships, and there his death occurred on February 19, 1905. His wife is still living. In connection with his farm- ing, Mr. Mitchell also ran a country store in the same building as his resi- dence until it burned in 1900. Politically, he was a Democrat, and he took an active part in public affairs He was one of the prime movers in estab- lishing the Millwood special district and he served on the school board there. He joined the Presbyterian church early in life and his wife belonged to the Methodist Episcopal, which he later joined.
William M. Mitchell received his education in the public schools of Millwood and he was reared on the home farm and when a boy worked on the farm and in the mill. As a young man he followed school teaching for about five years very successfully, then went to farming, operating his mother-in-law's farm of thirty acres. In 1910 he purchased forty-seven acres of the old home place, although he has continued to live on the first place he selected as a permanent home. He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock man, being widely known as a breeder of Poland- China hogs. He has a good home and his place is well improved.
Politically, Mr. Mitchell is a Democrat, and fraternally he belongs to the Grange and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Mitchell was married in 1885 to Rose Ellen Harbaugh, who was born on the farm where she still lives, and here she grew to womanhood and received her education in the common schools. She is the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah H. Harbaugh, the former of Tuscarawas county, Ohio, and the latter of Knox county, Ohio. The father died before the wife of
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the subject was born. The mother is still living. They had but one child, Rose Ellen, wife of Mr. Mitchell.
To the subject and wife one son has been born, William Fletcher, a machinist by trade, who is living at home.
WALTER C. RILEY.
One of the worthy native sons of Milford township, Knox county, who has been content to spend his life right here at home, knowing that no bet- ter locality than this could be found in which to exercise the talent of gen- eral farming, is Walter C. Riley, a man who, however, would have suc- ceeded in whatever community he cast his lot, for combined in him are traits of character that never fail to win when properly applied, such as persistency, indefatigable energy and honesty of purpose.
Mr. Riley was born in this township on February 16, 1867. He is the son of James and Catherine (Shearer) Riley. His paternal grandparents, William and Catherine Riley, were natives of Pennsylvania, in which state they grew up and were married and from there they emigrated to Ohio very early, locating in Ashland county, where they operated a good farm and reared their family, which consisted of eleven children, one of whom is now living. The maternal grandparents of the subject, Peter and Eliza (Young) Shearer, were also early settlers in Knox county, he having been born in Richland county, Ohio, in 1811, and she in Pennsylvania, from which state she came with her parents to this county when five years of age, John Young and wife being early farmers here. Peter Shearer was a physician and practiced many years in Richland and Ashland counties, and he finally went to California as a physician for a prospecting company and there his death occurred while in the service of the company.
James and Catherine Riley, parents of the subject, were natives of Ashland county, Ohio, his birth having occurred in 1832 and hers in 1839. There they grew to maturity, were educated and married. He received a fairly good education and for some time taught school, but farming was his principal occupation. He moved to Iowa county, Iowa, also spent two and one-half years in Missouri, engaged in school teaching and farming, returning to Ohio in 1862, locating in Knox county, and here resumed teaching school and farming, making a pronounced success of both. He became owner of one hundred and fifty acres of land in Milford township
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and had a good home there and was influential in the affairs of the com- munity. Politically, he was a Democrat, but not an aspirant for public office. He and his wife belonged to the Disciples church. His death occurred in 1873 and the mother remarried, her last husband being James Scott, who also is deceased. The mother of the subject is still living.
Walter C. Riley was reared on the home farm and there he assisted with the general work about the place during the summer months when old enough. He received his education in the district schools of Milford town- ship, in the Pleasant Hill school. He turned his attention to farming for a livelihood early in life and first rented land for about eighteen months, then in 1905 bought sixteen acres on which he built a comfortable house and since then he has added to his original purchase until he now owns ninety- one acres of excellent land on which he makes a good living and which he has greatly improved, being one of the desirable little farms of Milford township. In connection with general farming he keeps some good live stock of various grades.
Politically, Mr. Riley is a Democrat, and he takes more than a passing interest in public affairs, yet is no public man. He belongs to the Disciples church, and fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Grange.
Mr. Riley was married in 1888 to Lillian B. Jackson, a native of Mil- ford township, this county, where she grew up and received her education. She is the daughter of Van and Orlean (Jackson) Jackson, one of the old and highly respected families of this part of the county.
Four children have been born to the subject and wife, named as fol- lows: Relna Ray married Miss Edna Bell, and they have one child, Mar- guerite ; Rowena; Opal and Otia are twins.
WILLIAM PENN.
Eighty-five years have dissolved in the mists of time, the most remark- able epoch in all the history of the race of mankind, since the venerable and honored William Penn, farmer of Middlebury township. Knox county, first saw the light of day. Heaven has bounteously lengthened out his life until he has seen the crowning glory of this, the most wonderful age in all the aeons of time, rewarding him with an unusual span of years as the result of virtuous and consistent living in his youth and years of his early manhood.
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Now in the golden Indian summer of his life, surrounded by comfort and plenty as a result of his earlier years of industry and frugality, Mr. Penn can take a retrospective glance down the corridors of the relentless and irrevoca- ble past and feel that his has been a useful, successful and happy life, a life which has not been devoid of obstacle and whose rose has held many a thorn ; but with indomitable courage he pressed onward toward the distant goal; a life of sunshine and shadow, of victory and defeat, but nobly lived and worthily rewarded as such lives always are by the Giver of all that is good. He comes down to us from the pioneer days when customs, manners, the face of the country, the people, everything was different.
William Penn was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, April 8, 1826. He is the son of John and Mary (Chamblin) Penn. The paternal grand- father, William Penn, was a native of England, from which country he emi- grated to America in a very early day and settled in Maryland, where he spent the remainder of his life. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. The mater- nal grandfather was a native of New England and he moved to Virginia in an early day.
John Penn, father of the subject, was born in Baltimore county, Mary- land, within six miles of the city of Baltimore, in 1800, in which year the mother, Mary Chamblin, was also born, probably in Loudoun county, Vir- ginia. When a young man the father moved to Virginia and located about a mile from Harper's Ferry, having first married and lived a while in Loudoun county. He was a cooper by trade, which he followed for a period of thirty years. In 1834 he moved to Ohio and located in Richland county, a mile north of Waterford, where he continued to follow his trade for ten or twelve years, finally turning his attention to farming, and became the owner of one hundred and sixty acres. Politically, he was a Democrat, but never aspired to public offices, living a quiet retired life. His family consisted of eleven children, of whom five are still living, William, of this review, being the second in order of birth. The father was a member of the Methodist church. His first wife, mother of the subject, dying on April 1, 1844, he subse- quently married Anzy Dyer. His death occurred in May, 1879.
William Penn was educated in the district schools of his day, his op- portunities being none too extensive, but he has since made up for this lack through miscellaneous home study and contact with the business world. When eight years old he accompanied his parents to Ohio and here grew to manhood. He learned the cooper's trade under his father and followed this in connection with farming. When a young man he cleared a great deal of timber, and the country being new he found plenty of hard work in develop-
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ing the farm. He was married in 1853 to Ruth V. Clarke, a native of Knox county and the daughter of William and Abigal (Owen) Clarke, who came here in pioneer times from Vermont.
After his marriage the subject farmed exclusively and he is now the owner of one hundred and sixty acres and his wife owns eighty acres in Mid- dlebury township. He has built his dwelling, his barn, in fact, has made all the modern improvements seen on the place today, and has kept it under a high state of cultivation, carrying on general farming and stock raising in a very successful manner. He has made a specialty of raising Percheron horses. He is now living retired, leaving the management of his place to his son and son-in-law.
In early life Mr. Penn was a Democrat and he helped elect three Demo- cratic Presidents, but when the Republican party was organized he allied him- self with this party, but for the past thirty years he has been a strong Prohi- bitionist, doing all in his power to further the work of the same in his com- munity. For six years he served as justice of the peace and for an equal num- ber of years was a notary public. As a public servant he always performed his duties most conscientiously and with eminent satisfaction to the people. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, he having been a member since 1844 and she since 1854. Mrs. Penn, who is seventy- eight years old, is active and enjoys comparatively good health. The subject had three brothers in the Civil war, but he was not in the army.
Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Penn, namely : Chloe E. is the wife of John Whitney, and they have two children, William Milton Whitney, a graduate of the Ohio State University, law department, now prac- ticing under the firm name of Skeal & Whitney, of Seattle, Washington; he was also graduated from Wesleyan Ohio University and was a soldier in the Spanish-American war. His brother, Carl C. Whitney, lives at Frederick- town. this county. William C. Penn, the subject's second child, married Mary Graham and they have one daughter, Edna, who is yet single. The subject has one great-grandchild.
JAMES E. GRAY, M. D.
The practice of medicine entails perhaps more trying situations than that of any other profession, and those who succeed in this line are deserv- ing of the highest credit, for they must not only be well versed in the science,
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but must possess personal qualities that win the confidence and respect of the public. A case in question is that of Dr. James E. Gray, of North Liberty, Knox county, one of the best known and most successful physicians of a locality long noted for the high order of its medical talent, for his reputation extends throughout the locality of which this history treats. The qualities that have made him eminent in his chosen vocation are proper intellectual training, thorough professional knowledge and a utilization of the various at- tributes essential to success.
Doctor Gray was born in Holmes county, Ohio, September 30, 1864. He is the son of George W. and Harriet J. (Quillan) Gray, the father born in Killbuck township, Holmes county, on March 8, 1837, and the mother was born in Harrison county, Ohio, February 8, 1844. The paternal grandparents were George and Mary Gray, who were natives of Maryland, the grandmother dying when young of an injury. George Gray came from Maryland to Holmes county, Ohio, and here became the owner of two farms, each of one hundred and sixty acres. The maternal grandparents, James and Elizabeth Quillan, were natives of Harrison county, this state, both born in 1818; his death occurred in 1907. while her death occurred in 1905.
The Doctor's father grew up in Holmes county, Ohio, and was edu- cated in the district schools there and he has always lived in Mechanic town- ship, that county, being still engaged in farming there, owning an excellent place. He is a plasterer by trade. He and his wife are members of the Free Methodist church.
Eleven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. George W. Gray, eight sons and three daughters, namely : Dr. James E., of this review, is the oldest ; Mrs. Aurilla Leibensburger, of Oklahoma; Charles R. is living in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio: Mrs. Alverna Ryan and Mrs. Fannie Heddin also live at Cuyahoga Falls ; Walter C. lives on a farm in Killbuck township, Holmes county, Ohio; Clyde is a plasterer, living at Akron, Ohio; Noble lives at Enid, Oklahoma; Chloe is living in Cuyahoga Falls; Floyd and Don are the youngest of the family.
Dr. James E. Gray first attended Gray's Ridge district school in Me- chanic township, Holmes county. Ohio, then attended the high school at Mil- lersburg. Then he taught school for a period of fifteen years in the district schools near his home, having begun to teach when only seventeen years old. He met with success as a teacher and his services were in great demand in the rural schools of Holmes county. During the last few years of his teaching he did the preliminary work for a medical course, studying under Doctor Quit- tard at Killbuck, Ohio. He then took a two years' course at the Starling Medi-
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cal College at Columbus, Ohio, then spent two years at the Illinois Medical College at Chicago, from which he was graduated in 1898, having made an excellent record for scholarship. He then practiced for one year in Chicago with a specialist in gynechology, then located at Danville, Knox county, Ohio, remaining there two and one-half years, then in February, 1901, he came to North Liberty, where he has continued in the successful practice of his pro- fession to the present time, building up an extensive and ever growing prac- tice, covering a wide range of territory. He has taken a very high rank among his compeers in this part of Ohio, in the medical fraternity, and, hav- ing ever been a student, he has kept well abreast of the times in all that per- tains to his profession
Doctor Gray and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and liberal supporters of the same. Fraternally, he is a member of the Maccabees. He belongs to the county and state medical associations, taking much interest in each.
The Doctor's domestic life began on July 28, 1889, when he was united in marriage with Estella Gray, who was born in Holmes county, Ohio, near Glenmont, on June 11, 1867. She is the daughter of Henry B. and Rachael Gray, the father a farmer near Glenmont. He and his wife were natives of northern Pennsylvania.
Five children have been born to Doctor and Mrs. Gray, namely : Sylvia. born June 24, 1890 ; Walter H., born September 11, 1892; Dow, born Decem- ber 3. 1893 ; Frances, born April 3, 1895; James, born December 5, 1897.
HARRY C. YOUNG.
One of Butler township's most progressive farmers and stock men is Harry C. Young, not that he farms on as extensive a scale as some of his neighbors, but he is not surpassed when it comes to scientific methods, thus he reaps fitting rewards for his toil from year to year, and he is a man of such correct habits of everyday life that he has always enjoyed the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come into contact.
Mr. Young was born in Newcastle township, Coshocton county, Ohio, August 24. 1880. He received a common school education and was reared on the home farm. He began life for himself by working on rented land, which he continued to do for several years, then in 1907, he bought a farm of one hundred and twelve acres in Butler township, Knox county, upon which he
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moved in the fall of that year and here he has since resided, adding valuable improvements to his place from year to year and while yet young becoming very well established. Politically, he is independent and he and his wife belong to the Baptist church. Fraternally, he is a member of the Grange and the Maccabees.
Mr. Young was married on February 12, 1903, to Ennis Sheldon, a native of Coshocton county, born May 27, 1881, and the daughter of Peter and Florence (Holt) Sheldon, both natives of that county, and each repre- sentatives of pioneer families there. To Mr. and Mrs. Young two children have been born, namely : One that died in infancy and Ralph Donald.
Peter Sheldon was born in 1855 and his wife, Florence Holt, was born in 1859. Six children were born to them, namely : Harvey, deceased; Ennis, Lena, deceased; Walker, Lottie and Roy.
The paternal grandparents of Mrs. Young were William and Hester (Smith) Sheldon, natives of Pennsylvania. The maternal grandparents, Jo- seph and Elizabeth (Workman) Holt, were also natives of Pennsylvania. Mary Holt, the great-grandmother, lived to be about ninety-three years of age.
The death of Peter Sheldon, mentioned above, occurred in 1897, and Mrs. Sheldon re-married, her second husband being W. P. Root, and two sons were born to them, Marion and Burgess. She and her second husband are both living at this writing.
Harry C. Young is the son of Barney and Elenora (Fry) Young. The paternal grandparents, Barnhart and Barbara (Frey) Young, were born in Germany and probably came to America while yet single and located in Cosh- octon county, Ohio. Mr. Young was a distiller, but he devoted his attention principally to farming after coming to America, becoming the owner of one hundred and twenty acres. He had a large family, several of whom died young. These parents spent the rest of their lives in that county. The maternal grandparents, Peter and Elenora (Branstool) Fry, also lived in Coshocton county, whither he had come when a young man from Germany and took up farming, becoming an extensive land owner, holding about one thousand acres in Coshocton county. There he reared his family and he and wife both died there.
The father of the subject was born in Coshocton county in 1854 and the mother was born there on March 24. 1860, and there they were reared and married. He took up farming and threshing and became the owner of one hundred and twenty acres. His family consisted of four children, namely : Harry C., of this sketch; Nelvin, Gladys and Clyde.
Politically, Mr. Young was a Democrat, but he never sought office.
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being now advanced in years. The maternal grandparents, William and Arvilla ( Brown) Hibbitts, were also early residents of Knox county. She was born in New York in 1830 and when a mere child came to Ohio and was reared in Knox county. Mr. Hibbitts came to this county when a young man. He was a soldier in the Civil war, a private in the Sixty-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and he was killed in battle in 1864. He was a cabinet-maker and undertaker by trade. His family consisted of three children, two of whom are living.
The parents of the subject were both natives of Knox county and here they grew to maturity, received their schooling in the common schools and were married. The father started life as a traveling salesman when only six- teen years of age and he is still on the road, being one of the best known and most successful commercial travelers in this part of the country. He is now past fifty years of age. In politics he is a Democrat, and fraternally a member of the Maccabees. His wife belongs to the Methodist church. They are the parents of three children, James Earl, William Calvin, of this sketch, and Royal Dwight.
William C. Loney was educated in the public schools of Pike township and when twenty-three years of age he entered the mercantile business, buy- ing out a stock, and he has continued this business to the present time, meeting with much success all along, building up a large and growing trade, now carrying a stock valued at about thirty-five hundred dollars. He has a neat, well arranged and attractive store, and always carries a large, up-to-date and carefully selected stock of goods, and his hundreds of patrons are always treated with every courtesy and consideration and the fact that many of them have been his constant patrons since he first began business is evidence that they have received just treatment. His trade extends over a large radius of territory. He carries a general line of merchandise at all seasons. Politi- cally, Mr. Loney is a Republican, but he finds little time from his large busi- ness affairs to take any part in public matters. He takes an abiding interest in whatever tends to promote the welfare of the community and, personally, is an obliging, genial and industrious gentleman whose character has ever been above reproach.
Mr. Loney was married on August 17, 1909, to Sylvia L. Gray, a native of Holmes county, Ohio, and the daughter of Dr. James E. Gray, who for ten years has practiced medicine in this locality. One daughter has been born to the subject and wife, namely: Sylvia Marguerite.
For a fuller ancestry of the subject of this review, the reader is re- ferred to the sketch of John Calvin Loney. appearing on another page of this work.
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JOHN CALVIN LONEY.
We are carried back to the pioneer days when we contemplate the life history of John Calvin Loney, one of the honored citizens of Pike township, who needs no introduction to our readers, for he has spent his long and use- ful life in this locality, taking no little part nor mere passing interest in the transformation of the same. One could not spend an hour better, if one is interested in the history of the early days here, than to listen to his interesting and instructive reminiscences, for he has always been a keen observer and has therefore seen and noted things as they are and he has an excellent memory, so that, covering a period of over three score years, we may look through an inverted horoscope, as it were, as the events of those decades troop before us in review. He has not only led a life of industry, but one of honor, keep- ing singularly free from all besmirching agents the bright escutcheon of the family name, and therefore those who know him best are glad to honor him now that the twilight of age is gathering around.
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