USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. II > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50
REV. ALBERT B. WILLIAMS.
Most men have numerous friends, but generally men are so constituted and environed that they also make some enemies, but one of the exceptions to this general rule was he for whom the following memoir is written-the late, lamented Elder Albert B. Williams, of the Christian church. Indeed, his was a noble manhood, made almost perfect by the Christian religion that he had professed and practiced since a lad of twelve summers.
The subject was a native of Holmes county, Ohio, born April 4, 1847, and passed from earth's shining circle on the afternoon of Friday, September 8, 1911, just as the autumn leaves were beginning to put on their tints of yellow and all nature seemed at rest. From these dates it will be observed that Mr. Williams was in his sixty-fifth year at the time of his death. He was one of a family of nine children born to Stephen R. and Jane ( Hague) Williams, both of Holmes county, Ohio. Three brothers passed on before him, but the father, aged ninety-five, the saintly mother, ninety years of age,
REV. ALBERT B. WILLIAMS
567
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
with three sisters, Mrs. Nancy Everhard, of Wooster, Ohio; Mrs. Mary Burkett, of Bethany, Nebraska; Mrs. J. T. H. Steward, of Kilbuck, Ohio, two brothers, M. V. Williams, of Winfield, Kansas, and Olus C. Williams, of Wooster, Ohio, and his own immediate family all survive him.
At the age of twelve years Albert B. Williams was converted to the Christian religion and united with the Disciples or Church of Christ, which church he lived to adorn and honor throughout a useful ministry. In 1875 he graduated from Bethany College, West Virginia, and was soon ordained to preach, becoming pastor of the church at Wadsworth, Ohio. In 1893 he became pastor of the Church of Christ at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, serving until April, 1900, when on account of failing health he was compelled to resign. During those seven years of faithful work as pastor of this church, known as the Vine Street church, he accomplished much good as a true-hearted worker in his Master's vineyard. He was a practical man-a practical church worker. He ever sought to make men better and, by his daily walk and con- versation, set an example worthy of emulation. During that period Elder Williams added two hundred and eighty persons to this church, besides one hundred and thirty to outside churches in Knox county. He also paid off a heavy indebtedness for the church, and united fifty-three couples in marriage; also attended sixty funerals of which he had charge and preached the ser- mons for. During the last ten years of his life he preached for various churches, within Knox county mostly. He was also interested in a local insurance agency, having his office in Mt. Vernon and which was occupying his attention when he was taken ill for the last time.
Mr. Williams was twice married. First, on December 26, 1876, he was united to Sarah Margaret Harper, a teacher in the public schools of Millers- burg, Ohio, who preceded him to their future home May 12, 1890. On August 4, 1892, he was married to his second companion, Camilla Marsh. To Mr. Williams were born three children: Ila B. Williams, now a teacher in the public schools in Mt. Vernon, Ohio; Olus V. Williams and Mrs. W. P. Whittington.
Mr. Williams died at his residence on McKinzie street, and his funeral was held at the Church of Christ, the following Sabbath. The services were conducted by the pastor, Doctor Francis, assisted by Rev. W. E. Hull of the Episcopal church. The large assemblage of people and the remarks made by the ministers all bespoke the greatness of the deceased as a faithful Christian worker, as a true citizen and as a loving father and husband. His death was mourned throughout the entire county, and more than once has the writer of this notice heard the remark. "Elder Williams had no enemies."
(37)
568
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
Universally respected, his work finished, the summons came to enter a higher sphere and his remains are now at rest in beautiful Mound View cemetery in Mt. Vernon. Of such pure, even tempered lives the world has none too many to point to as examples.
JOHN L. MCKINLEY.
The name Mckinley is destined to occupy an honored place in Amer- ican history as long as time endures, in view of the fact that it has been emblazoned on the scroll of fame by the great martyred statesman and late beloved President. It will remain forever a monument of the grand possi- bilities which may be realized under the benign influence of our free institu- tions and will continue in the future, as it has been in the past, a stimulus to noble deeds and greater activities on the part of a young man of intelli- gence and energy upon whom fortune casts no benignant smiles. John L. McKinley, of this review, is not famed as a leader of men or the molder of public thought, as was the great man referred to above, but he is nevertheless a man of more than ordinary mettle and has performed his duty well in his sphere of action during a long, varied and most interesting career, and his life may be just as useful and worthy of reward as a result of duty well and conscientiously performed in the arena in which fate placed him as that of the most renowned name of which his generation can boast, for a man's worth lies, after all, in being true to one's self, honorable in his relations with his fellow men and loyal in his support of public institutions ; this, in brief, is a summary of the admirable attributes of the gentleman to whom the fol- lowing paragraphs are addressed.
Mr. McKinley was born on February 25, 1848, in Illinois. He is the son of John J. and Elizabeth ( Atkins). McKinley, the father born in Pennsyl- vania and the mother in Kentucky. They both went to Illinois when young people and were married there and made that state their home until the break- ing out of the Civil war, when the father enlisted in the Federal army. After the war he moved to Missouri, and later to Kansas. He devoted his life to farming and his death occurred on October 24, 1886, at his home in Cass county, Missouri. Mrs. Elizabeth McKinley, mother of the subject, is still living, making her home in Kansas City.
John L. Mckinley, of this sketch, lived on the home farm until he was sixteen years of age, and he attended the country district schools in Illinois.
569
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
On October 1, 1863, he enlisted in Company E, Seventeenth Regiment Illi- nois Cavalry, and served very faithfully until November 14, 1865, in the Army of the Cumberland and the western army. He saw much active and hard service and participated in many hotly contested engagements. He was slightly wounded once when a picket courier near Centralia, Missouri, After the war he returned to Galena, Illinois, where he remained until March, 1866, then went to Iowa, thence to the Indian Territory and he drove a stage from Ottawa, Franklin county, Kansas, to Humbolt, Allen county, that state, on the old Santa Fe stage route. At the advent of the railroad the stage was discontinued and Mr. Mckinley went to Baxter Springs, Kansas, and en- gaged to drive cattle, and he was a Kansas and Texas "cow boy" until 1872, later engaged in various occupations. He finally went to Independence. Kansas, where, on August 13, 1873, he was married to Barbara Workman, daughter of Amos and Lydia (DeWitt) Workman, a Knox county (Ohio) family, of near the town of Danville, where the parents lived and died, the daughter, wife of the subject, having gone to the Sunflower state on a visit when she met Mr. Mckinley. To this union one child has been born, Clin- ton, who is married and is living in Liberty township. They also have an adopted daughter, Maude Wade Mckinley.
After his marriage, Mr. Mckinley lived in Independence, Kansas, variously employed. He operated the first steam threshing machine ever seen in Montgomery county, Kansas. In the fall of 1876 he came to Dan- ville, Knox county, Ohio, and here engaged in farming until the spring of 1889 when he was appointed superintendent of the Knox county infirmary, in which capacity he served with much credit to himself and to the satisfac- tion of all concerned until in February, 1909, a service of twenty years, which is certainly not only evidence of his fitness, but of his popularity in this county and a criterion of the confidence reposed in him by the people. He was at all times a competent and faithful public servant. Politically, he is a Republican and he has been active in party affairs. He served as a member of the Republican county central committee for four years and he has been a frequent delegate to county, district and state conventions where he has al- ways made his influence felt. He was a trustee of Howard township for four years prior to his connection with the infirmary. Fraternally, he be- longs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He also belongs to the Joe Hooker Post, Grand Army of the Republic, and Danville Lodge No. 546. Free and Accepted Masons. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They have a delightful country home just west of the village of Bangs, where genial hospitality is extended to their many friends.
570
KNOX COUNTY, OIIIO.
He has a fine farm of seventy-six acres in fertile Dry Creek valley, and is well fixed in every respect. He is a man of broad views and thorough un- derstanding of modern agricultural methods which he employed on the county farm with such pronounced success. He is a fine example of a self-educated, self-made man, and is deserving of much credit for what he has accomplished and the worthy, public-spirited citizen into which he has developed.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS CLEMENTS.
Human life is made up of two elements, power and form, and the pro- portion must be invariably kept if we would have it sweet and sound. Each of these elements in excess makes a mischief as hurtful as would be its de- ficiency. Everything turns to excess; every good quality is noxious if un- mixed, and to carry the danger to the edge of ruin nature causes each man's peculiarity to superabound. One speaking from the standpoint of a farmer would adduce the learned professions as examples of this teaching. They are nature's victims of expression. You study the artist, orator, poet or statesman and find their lives no more excellent than that of mechanics or farmers. While the farmer stands at the head of art as found in nature, the others get but glimpses of the delights of nature in its various elements and moods. A man who is in touch with the springs of life, who takes a delight in existence and is able to get the most out of his close association with Mother Nature is Christopher Columbus Clements, one of Monroe township's honored farmers and one of the venerable native sons of Knox county, his birth having occurred near Bangs in Liberty township seventy- one years ago on a farm. He is the son of Hezekiah and Serepta (Daley) Clements, both natives of Loudoun county, Virginia, from which they came to Knox county, Ohio, as young people. They were married here about 1843 and established themselves on a farm in Liberty township. Later, selling their farm there, they bought land in Monroe township, four miles northeast of Mt. Vernon, and there the father spent the remainder of his life. He was a farmer and a man of prominence in his community. The mother of the subject died when he was two years old, he being the youngest of six children, namely : William, George, Elizabeth, Lorenzo D., John W., and the subject. The only two now living are Lorenzo D. and Christopher C. The father. Hezekiah Clements, was a Democrat, but never an office seeker. He was sixty-five years of age when he died.
571
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
Christopher C. Clements was reared on the home farm and there he worked hard when a boy. He received such education as the county provided in the old log school-houses. He remained at home until he was married, on July 7, 1864, to Margaret Popham, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Scowles) Popham, the father a prominent farmer and sheep raiser of this county.
To the subject and wife five children were born, namely: Oliver B. is farming in Monroe township; Charles H. is at home; Alberta B. married Frank Showers, of Fredericktown; and Luella, who married Earl McDer- mott, a farmer of Monroe township; one child died in infancy.
After his marriage Mr. Clements lived in Amity, this county, where he worked at his trade, blacksmithing, for a period of twenty-eight years, dur- ing which time he did a large business, being regarded as one of the most skilled and successful workmen in the county. Then he purchased a farm of one hundred acres on the Wooster road, four miles northeast of Mt. Vernon, and here he has since resided, engaged successfully in general farm- ing and stock raising. He has a commodious and comfortable home and good outbuildings, and his farm is well kept in every respect.
The wife of the subject was called to her rest on September 26, 1892, and is buried in the cemetery at Ebenezer church, adjoining the farm of Mr. Clements.
Politically, the subject is a Democrat, but has never been an office seeker and has never held office He keeps well informed on public ques- tions and tries to exercise the right of suffrage conscientiously and intelli- gently.
CASSIE BREECE.
One of the men who has stamped the impress of his strong individuality upon the minds of the people of Pleasant township and who has been con- tent to spend his life in Knox county is Cassie Breece. Faithfulness to duty and a strict adherence to a fixed purpose, which always do more to advance a man's interest than wealth or advantageous circumstances, have been dom- inating factors in his life, which has been replete with honor and success worthily attained.
Mr. Breece was born on January 28, 1868, on a farm in Harrison town- ship. this county. He is the son of Adam G. and Elizabeth ( Biggs) Breece, the father born in Loudoun county, Virginia, on May 29, 1832, and he died
572
KNOX COUNTY, OIIIO.
on May 20, 1904; the mother of the subject is still living. Adam G. Breece was four years old when, in 1836, his parents brought him to Ohio and here he was reared on a farm and he made farming his life occupation. He came to Knox county in 1855 and bought a farm in Harrison township and here he and Elizabeth Biggs were married in 1859, and made their home in Harrison township; however, the following year, 1860, they purchased a farm in Pleasant township, where the elder Breece remained until his death, having become very well established and developing a good farm, becoming in fact, a large land owner and an influential citizen. He raised stock ex- tensively and fed large numbers from year to year.
To Mr. and Mrs. Adam G. Breece seven children were born, namely : Rosetta died on July 5, 1887: Almeda, who died August 9, 1911, married S. W. Henry, of Clay township; Joseph S. lives in Pleasant township; Levi Newton lives in Pleasant township; Cassie, of this sketch; Leora E. died June 6. 1897; Leander lives in Pleasant township.
Politically, the father of these children was a Democrat and he was al- ways interested in public matters, but was never an office seeker. He was a member of the Universalist church. He was buried in the cemetery at Union Grove church, Harrison township.
Cassie Breece, of this sketch, spent his childhood and youth on the home farm where he now lives and he attended the Graham district schools. He began working on the farm as soon as he was old enough. He has kept the old place well cultivated so that it has retained its original fertility and modern improvements may be seen on it today as a result of his industry and close application.
Mr. Breece was married on February 22, 1890, to Fanny Ashburn, daughter of William and Eliza (Louderbaugh) Ashburn, who live on a farm in Harrison township. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Breece, named as follows : Charles H., born September 27. 1891 ; Harry L., born June 11. 1894; and Ethel May, born August 20, 1902. Both sons are students in the Mt. Vernon high school at this writing and they are making a splendid record there.
After his marriage, Mr. Breece located on one of his father's farms five miles southeast of Mt. Vernon and there he remained until in October, 1906, when he moved to the old home farm one mile farther south, where he has since resided. and here he has been carrying on general farming in a manner not surpassed in skill by any of his neighbors. He has one hundred and twenty acres of fertile, well-improved and well-cultivated land on which is a never-failing spring, which furnishes abundant water to all parts of the
573
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
farm the year round. Much of his attention is directed to raising sheep, cattle, hogs and fine draft horses. He has a commodious home and sub- stantial outbuildings.
Politically, Mr. Breece is a Democrat and is always active in political affairs. He has been a member of the Democratic county committee and judge of elections, and he has been a frequent delegate to county and district conventions. He has been school director of his district. He has never sought office or wanted it, but he has frequently been urged to accept various positions of trust within the gift of the people. He keeps well informed on all matters pertaining to general farming and stock raising and he carries out modern methods in all phases of his work with the result that he gets the largest returns from the minimum amount of labor and expense.
JAMES A. SIMPSON.
The gentleman whose name heads this review is one of the leading farmers in his community in Knox county, and this volume would be in- complete were there failure to make mention of him and the enterprise with which he has conducted his affairs, bringing to successful issue whatever he has turned his attention to through a life of successful endeavor along agri- cultural lines. Tireless energy and honesty of purpose are the chief charac- teristics of the man, and he stands today as one of the representative citi- zens of Clay township.
Mr. Simpson was born January 14, 1850, in Washington county, Penn- sylvania, and is the son of Isaac A. and Mary Jane (Agnew) Simpson. In the spring of 1851 the family left Pennsylvania and came to Rumley town- ship, Harrison county, near Jewett, Ohio, and in 1863 came to Clay town- ship, Knox county, Ohio, locating on a farm one and one-half miles north of Martinsburg. Here Isaac Simpson prospered, becoming one of the sub- stantial farmers, stock buyers and shippers of the community, and one of the influential men there. Politically, he was a Republican, and for some time he served as trustee and assessor of Clay township. He took a lively interest in public matters all his mature life. He was a man of fine charac- ter and enjoyed the good will of his neighbors and friends, who reposed in him explicit confidence, his word being as good as his bond. The death of Isaac Simpson occurred on January 12, 1889, his wife having preceded him to the grave many years, her death occurring in the spring of 1854. Mr.
574
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
Simpson was twice married, his last wife, Nancy A. King, being a native of Harrison county, Ohio, whom he married in 1855, and her death occurred on August 8, 1911. By his first marriage four children were born, namely : Josiah G. died April 20, 1879: Violet J. died September 7. 1895; James A., of this review ; Mary O. married Peter W. Grieff, of Clay township. By the second marriage three children were born, namely : William H. died when three years old, in 1857: Alexander C., of Newark, Ohio; Samuel S. lives on the home farm with the subject of this sketch.
James A. Simpson grew up on the home farm and there early in his boyhood became acquainted with the general work about the place. He re- ceived his education in the country district schools.
On August 21, 1883, Samuel S. Simpson married Sarah E. Parrish, daughter of Henry and Nancy (Kidd) Parrish, of Clay township, the father being now deceased. To this marriage four children have been born, named as follows: Harry A. lives in Clay township; Estella J. is now the wife of Sherman Wooloson, of College township; Armeda P. is at home; James W. is assisting in the management of the home farm.
James A. Simpson has always been a farmer, and he has kept abreast of the twentieth-century methods of tilling the soil, ever ready to adopt the best and spare no pains in making his one of the choice farms of the county. It consists of two hundred and twenty acres of fertile, well improved and well cultivated land, and as a general farmer and stock raiser he is not sur- passed by any of his neighbors. He raises well bred live stock.
Politically, Mr. Simpson is a Republican. He has served the people as township trustee and as a member of the school board. In his church life he belongs to the Presbyterian church and is a trustee in the same and a liberal supporter of the local congregation. He supports all measures looking to the general improvement in his community, and he is highly regarded by all who know him. Mr. Simpson is not married.
FRANK B. ZEIG.
The twentieth century being essentially utilitarian as distinguished from other epochs, the life of every successful individual carries a lesson which, told in contemporary narrative, is productive of much good in shaping the destinies of others. There is, therefore, a due measure of satisfaction in presenting, even in brief resume, the life and achievements of such men, and in
575
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
preparing the following history of such a progressive young business man of Fredericktown, Knox county, whose name appears above, it is with the hope that it will prove an incentive to others who hesitate at the parting of the ways, for it shows that energy, right principles and close application to one's chosen vocation will accomplish definite results even in the face of seeming discouragements of large magnitude.
Frank B. Zeig, who is known in various parts of the world as a manu- facturer of road graders, was born on March 31, 1879, in Marion, Ohio, and he is the son of Christian and Margaret (Knickle) Zeig, the father a native of Ohio and the mother of Pennsylvania. The elder Zeig is an extensive live stock dealer in Marion county, this state.
The son, Frank B., grew to maturity in Marion county and attended the common schools of Marion. He began his business career when but a young man, by dealing in timber and lumber, operating in Marion county, and for a time engaged in the hoop business somewhat extensively, operating a mill of his own, and, in fact, manufactured all kinds of lumber. In 1903 he came to Fredericktown and established a saw mill here in which he manu- factured many varieties of lumber, becoming widely known as a lumber- man, until 1907, when he disposed of his saw mill and engaged in the foundry business, building a new plant which has grown under his able and judicious management to large proportions. Here are manufactured road graders and road drags of four different styles, also cast iron culvert pipes and hardware specialties. The products of this excellent plant are sold by traveling sales- men all over this country and a large export trade is carried on, mostly with Africa, South America and Australia. The grading machines and culvert pipes have met with a ready market wherever offered, being of a superior design, quality and workmanship. His foundry is modern in its equipment, well arranged, everything under a superb system and only skilled artisans are employed. Mr. Zeig gives it his careful attention, every detail being care- fully considered, no stone being left unturned whereby any of his products may be made better, more serviceable or desirable. He has proven himself to be a man of rare executive and mechanical ability, of keen discernment and foresight. Besides his foundry he has other business interests. He works about sixty men in his foundries.
On November 27, 1902, Mr. Zeig was united in marriage with Elizabeth Borth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Borth, of Marion county, one of the highly respected and influential families of that locality. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Zeig has been graced by the birth of two children, a son and a daughter, Harold and Stella.
576
KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
Politically. Mr. Zeig is a Republican, but he has never found time from his business interests to take an active part in politics ; however, he may al- ways be depended upon to lend his support to all movements having for their object the betterment of local conditions. He has served as a member of the town council. Fraternally, he is a Mason, belonging to the chapter and com- . mandery at Mt. Vernon.
Personally, Mr. Zeig is a gentleman of fine attributes of head and heart, sociable, genial and obliging, entirely honorable in all his relations with his fellow men, consequently enjoys their good will and esteem. He is of the quality that counts for progress in any community.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.