USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. II > Part 36
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Mr. McNabb is a member of the Business Men's Association and is active in promoting the best interests of the community. He is a loyal Re- publican and while always interested in public matters has never been an office seeker. He is a member of the Masonic order and the chapter of Mt. Ver- non ; also belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 140. He and his family are members of the Christian church, he being a deacon in the same and is also treasurer of the local congregation and active in church affairs. The family home is at No. 201 East Vine street, Mt. Vernon, and the family is prominent in social affairs.
WILLIAM H. MAY. +
The record of William H. May, well known and progressive lumber dealer and mill man of Mt. Vernon, Knox county, is that of a man who has, by his own perseverance and indomitable energy worked his way from a modest beginning to a place of influence and comparative affluence,
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his life having been one of strenuous, straightforward endeavor and the notably systematic and honorable methods he has employed have won him the unbounded confidence and regard of those with whom he has come into contact. Mr. May has taken an intelligent interest in the welfare of the community and gives his unreserved support to every movement that promises to benefit the community along moral, educational or material lines. Genial and courteous in his relations with his fellow men, he en- joys a large circle of warm friends who esteem him for his personal worth.
Mr. May was born November 23, 1859, in Easton, Northampton county. Pennsylvania, and he is the son of John and Margaret ( Rafferty ) May. The father was born in England and he emigrated to America with his parents when a child and settled in Pennsylvania. The Rafferty family came from Ireland. At the breaking out of the Civil war the father enlisted in a Pennsyl- vania regiment and served through the war, being promoted to the rank of captain for meritorious service. Just prior to the surrender of Lee at Appo- mattox, Captain May's company was fired on from ambush and he and one of his men were killed. During his absence in the army his family moved from their home in Pennsylvania to Sandusky county, Ohio, and located on a farm, and there William H. May, of this review, grew to manhood and be- came familiar with farm work during the crop season, attending the district schools in the winter time. When about twenty-two years of age he engaged in the lumber business and he furnished large consignments of railroad ties to various companies under contract and soon had a good start. Later he added a saw mill to his equipment and for many years was extensively en- gaged in the timber and lumber business in Sandusky. Putnam and Paulding counties. In the spring of 1900 he came to Mt. Vernon and engaged in the same business on an extensive scale and met with pronounced success from the start. A few years later he established a saw and planing mill at the foot of Front street on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad and from that time to the present he has been extensively engaged in the lumber business, supplying many of the principal lumber-consuming cities and he is widely known as a lumberman. He is a man of excellent business ability and of keen discern- ment, making few mistakes and his straightforward methods have won for him the confidence and good will of all who know him.
Mr. May was married on December 19, 1889, to Mira Spitler, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Spitler, of Hancock county, Ohio. This union has been without issue.
Mr. May is a Democrat in politics, but not active in party affairs, hav-
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ing never been an office seeker, though he is interested and well informed on public matters. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic order and the Knights Templar commandery of this order; he has attained the thirty- second degree and belongs to the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is prominent in Masonic circles and he is a worthy ex- ponent of its sublime principles, as his daily life would clearly indicate. He is the type of business man that makes a community thrive and he is popu- lar with all classes of citizens. Considering his discouraging environment in early life, and the fact that he has been compelled to go it alone, he has been successful beyond the average business man.
WILLIAM J. WELSH.
The most elaborate history is perforce merciless abridgment, the his- torian being obliged to select his facts and materials from manifold details and to marshal them in concise and logical order. This applies to specific as well as general history, and in the former category is included the interesting and important department of biography. In every life of honor and useful- ness there is no dearth of interesting situations and incidents, and yet in sum- ming up such a career the writer must needs touch on the more salient facts, giving the keynote of the character and eliminating all that is superfluous to the continuity of the narrative. William J. Welsh, well known and success- ful insurance and real estate dealer in Mt. Vernon, Knox county, has led an active and eminently useful life, the more important facts of which have been so identified with the useful and practical that it is to them that the reader's attention is for the most part directed.
Mr. Welsh was born on June 1, 1868, in Fredericktown. Knox county, Ohio, and he is the son of Peter and Catherine (O'Connor) Welsh, both natives of Ireland, from which they emigrated to America when young and married in the United States; they are now deceased. Soon after the birth of the subject, the family moved to Mt. Vernon and here William J. was educated in the city schools, where he applied himself well and received a good text-book training. While yet a mere boy he turned his attention to the insurance business, which has constituted his chief life work, and as early as 1884 he became associated with the Peterman agency, whose interests he looked after in this locality in a most satisfactory and successful manner fintil 1903, in which year he engaged in the confectionery business, in con-
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nection with which he maintained a news stand, operating these until 1907. having built up an extensive patronage in both. Upon the last mentioned date he returned to the insurance business and established a general agency for himself, handling a general line of insurance, which has grown to con- siderable proportions and is still on the increase through his able and judi- cious management.
Fraternally, Mr. Welsh is a member of Mt. Vernon Lodge No. 140. Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; of the Kokosing Aerie No. 760. Fraternal Order of Eagles, and Hiawatha Lodge No. 824, Royal Order of Moose. Politically, he is a Republican, and while he is not a politician and does not take a very active part in the affairs of his party, yet he is always ready to support any movement looking to the furtherance of the public welfare. He is a worthy upholder of the Catholic faith. He is a notary public and does a great deal of business as such.
Mr. Welsh has remained unmarried. Being a man of straightforward business principles and of upright character and genial manners, he is a good mixer and has numerous friends throughout the country.
GEORGE H. HEARD, M. D.
A name known to every household in Mt. Vernon and Knox county is Dr. George H. Heard, who has long stood at the head of the medical fra- ternity in this and adjoining counties, at least his reputation as a general practitioner is second to none. He has done much for the later-day devel- opment of this locality where he has ever had the confidence and good will of all classes owing to his public spirit, his high sense of honor and his success in the alleviation of "the thousand ills to which flesh is heir." Thus he is entitled to commendation for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that when the tocsin of war sounded during the dark days of the sixties he readily responded and served his country well in defense of the flag.
Doctor Heard was born May 23, 1844, in Dublin, Franklin county, Ohio. and he is the son of Thomas and Sarah (Haynes) Heard. The father was a native of Devonshire, England, from which country he came to America when twenty-four years old and settled at Chillicothe, Ross county, Ohio. Grandfather George Haynes was a millwright and built the first grist mill erected on Paint creek, near Chillicothe : he was also a blacksmith, and a man
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of rugged constitution and sterling character. His death occurred in 1851 at the remarkable age of ninety-nine years; his widow, who survived until 1878, reached the age of ninety-seven. Thomas Heard, father of the subject, was a physician and practiced in Chillicothe, Ohio, for many years. He was also a minister and became pastor of the Methodist church in Dublin, Franklin county, this state, which church edifice is still standing. He later moved to Columbus where he lived many years and where his death occurred in 1898, his wife having preceded him to the grave in 1851, nearly a half century.
Dr. George H. Heard was the second child of a family of five children. He obtained his early education in the public schools of Columbus. In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serv- ing three months, at the expiration of which he re-enlisted for three years in the Twenty-second Battery, Ohio Light Artillery, and served with distinction until the close of the war. He was taken prisoner at Strawberry Plains, Vir- ginia, in June, 1864, and was sent to prison at Salisbury, North Carolina, for five weeks, when he was released and rejoined his battery, remaining with it until the close of hostilities. After the close of the war he entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, where he remained two years, then he taught school a year in Franklin county, after which he entered Star- ling Medical College at Columbus and remained there a term. When his father removed from that city to Richmond, Indiana, he continued his medical studies under his father, but later returned to the Starling Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1870 and began the practice of his pro- fession at Hillsboro, Indiana, where he remained two years, then moved to Richmond, Indiana, where he practiced successfully for nine years. Locat- ing in Lafayette, Indiana, he remained there two years, thence moved to Knox- ville, Tennessee, with his father, where they practiced two years. He then came to Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1881, where he was married to Jane Cryder, daughter of Jacob Cryder, of Hopetown, Ross county, this state. Dr. Heard practiced at Chillicothe for five years. From there he came to Mt. Vernon in 1888 and has continued in the practice from that time to the present, having built up a very large and lucrative clientage and his name has long since become a household word in this locality. He has kept well to the fore on all matters pertaining to materia medica and holds a high place among his professional brethren.
Two children have been born to the Doctor and wife, a son and daughter. Eugene is a surgeon in Salt Lake City, Utah, and Ada is now Mrs. Edward Thompson, of Richmond, Indiana. They were given excellent educational advantages.
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Doctor Heard was married October 12, 1892, to Daisy Lane, of Mt. Vernon, daughter of John and Mary (Senior) Lane.
Politically, Dr. Heard is a Republican, but is not active in the party. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of Joe Hooker Post No. 21, Grand Army of the Republic, and he has been surgeon of the post for eight years. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church, Mrs. Heard being active in church work. They have a home here, but have been accustomed to spend the winters in the South for some time in order to avoid the rigors of a northern climate.
LAWRENCE C. PENN.
The enterprising citizen whose name heads this article needs no intro- duction to the people of Knox county. He has been for some time prom- inently identified with the mercantile and industrial interests of the community where he resides and always manifesting an active interest in the public wel- fare. The life of Lawrence C. Penn having resulted in success in material things and in much good to his fellow men, therefore is worthy of emulation by the youth whose fortunes are yet matters for future years to determine.
Mr. Penn was born on June 10, 1863, near Darlington, Richland county, Ohio. He is the scion of a sterling old Buckeye family, the son of Ezekiel and Sarah J. ( Winand) Penn, both having been born in the same vicinity as was their son, Lawrence C. The father devoted his early life to farming, later engaging in the farm implement business in Mt. Gilead, Morrow county ; later the family moved to Mt. Vernon, where the father was foremost in promoting the Mt. Vernon Sanitarium and became its manager. Here he became well known and prominent ; he and his wife are now living retired in this city.
The son, Lawrence C., spent his boyhood on the home farm, and in the winter months attended the district schools. When sixteen years of age he moved with the family to Mt. Gilead and there he attended the high school .. He had also attended the high school at Belleville. During this time he was also studying music, for which he had a great fondness and aptness. After one year at Mt. Gilead he began teaching music, giving private lessons on the piano at Mt. Gilead and in that vicinity, continuing his musical studies at Delaware, Ohio, under such eminent instructors as Carrie Laramore and Professor Thomas, both regarded as instructors of a very high order and
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ability. He continued teaching for ten years and keeping up his study of music the meanwhile, being for a time under Prof. Hans Von Schiller, of Columbus, the celebrated German instructor, now head of the piano department of the Chicago College of Music. After coming to Mt. Vernon in 1892, Mr. Penn continued teaching for three years. About this time he opened a store here for the sale of all kinds of musical merchandise. Although his services were in great demand as a teacher and he was meeting with exceptional success in this vocation, he gave up teaching to devote all his attention to his rapidly growing business interests, which has now reached extensive proportions, his numerous patrons coming from all parts of Knox and surrounding counties. He employs a number of experienced and courteous salesmen in connection with his Mt. Vernon establishment. He also maintains a store at Delaware, Ohio, under his direct supervision with a local man in charge. He carries a full, complete and carefully selected stock of all kinds of instruments in both stores, everything in the musical line, pianos of the best high grade make. pianolas, organs, phonographs, in fact, every kind of musical instrument, sheet music and musical supplies. He also maintains in connection with his Mt. Vernon establishment a well stocked jewelry department, where every- thing in the jewelry line, cut glass, watches and clocks are carried; in connec- tion with this is also a first-class repair and engraving department. In addi- tion to these interests, Mr. Penn has various other important interests. He is proprietor and manager of Thistle Ridge Hospital and Sanitarium at Mt. Vernon, which is both a general and emergency hospital; he is secretary and treasurer of the Mt. Vernon Coal and Ice Company; he is president of the Hiawatha Park Association, a beautiful pleasure and recreation park near Mt. Vernon. He gives all of these his close attention, but having his busi- ness under a splendid system, he manages with ease these important affairs which would no doubt give others of less business calibre and acumen no lit- tle amount of laborious labor and trouble. He is a man of rare business ability and foresight. a born organizer and promoter and whatever he turns his at- tention to is a success.
Always interested in the general upbuilding of Mt. Vernon, he has ever stood ready to do his full share in promoting its general interests, along both material and civic lines. He is now serving his third consecutive term as president of the Mt. Vernon Citizens' Association, the purpose of which organization is to devise ways and means for the betterment and material progress of Mt. Vernon and Knox county.
Mr. Penn was married to Frances Frost, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Munson Frost, of New York, a lady of talent and refinement. This union
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has been graced by the birth of one daughter, Helen Cynthia. Mrs. Penn is an accomplished musician, both vocal and instrumental.
Politically, Mr. Penn is an independent Democrat. He is past comman- der of the Sons of Veterans, local camp, being entitled to membership in view of the fact that his father was a member of Company C, Seventy-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, during the Civil war. He and his family are mem- bers of the Seventh-Day AAdventist church, and they stand high in the best social circles of the city.
HUGH NEAL.
Early in life Hugh Neal, prominent professional and business man of Mt. Vernon, realized the fact that success never smiles upon the idler or dreamer and he has accordingly followed such an aphorism, devoting his life to ardent toil along lines that cannot but insure success. The popularity and prosperity which he enjoys has been the result of energy rightly applied and have been won by commendable qualities.
Mr. Neal was born on November 15, 1854. in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, and here he has been content to spend his life, wisely deciding that better oppor- tunities existed for him right here at home than elsewhere. He is the son of Hugh and Ruth (Jackson) Neal, and a brother of George D. Neal. an excellent Knox county family, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume.
The son, Hugh Neal, attended the public schools in his native town and later the normal school at Danville, this county. After leaving school he engaged in the carriage business with his brother George, for a time, read- ing law in the meantime with Col. W. C. Cooper and was admitted to the bar in June, 1885, soon afterwards opening a office for practice in his home town and was making a good start when his practice was interfered with by his friends electing him clerk of the courts of Knox county, in 1886, the duties of which he discharged in such an able and conscientious manner that he was re-elected in 1889, and he received the benefit of the extension of the official term, serving six years and a half. After leaving this office he re- sumed the practice of law, becoming associated with William McElroy, and he has since been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession, being regarded as among the leading members of the Knox county bar and figuring prominently in the local courts, being an ardent, straightforward, vigilant and capable advocate and very successful in the trial of cases. He has always
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been a profound student and has kept abreast of the times not only in what- ever pertains to his profession, but in all current matters of civic, political, scientific and literary import. He practices in the district and state courts as well as those of the county.
When the oil and gas development began in Knox county Mr. Neal soon became active in this field and he has been most successful in the same, his operations extending to Wayne, Ashland, Richland and Coshocton counties in addition to Knox county.
Politically, Mr. Neal is an old-line Democrat and has ever stood ready to defend the principles of his party, being active and influential in the ranks for many years. When a young man he was a member of the county com- mittee and was frequently a delegate to county, district and state conven- tions where he always did effective work for the good of the party and the people he represented.
Mr. Neal was married in December, 1875, to Eva Beum, daughter of Isaac T. and Matilda (Robinson) Beum, a highly honored Knox county family, and this union has resulted in the birth of four children, namely : Jennie R. married Burges E. Sapp, an attorney of Mt. Vernon ; Georgia is in business in Kalamazoo, Michigan ; Clinton married and is living in Colum- bus, Ohio ; Edith is at home.
Mr. Neal is a member of the Masonic order, having attained the Knight Templar degree ; also the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks. He has filled all the offices in the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows and has been a delegate to the grand lodge: and has also filled most of the chairs in the other lodges to which he belongs. He has a neat office, well equipped with law books, at No. 130 South Main street, and his pleasant residence is at No. 906 West High street.
SAMUEL FLACK.
The life of Samuel Flack, well known farmer of Butler township, Knox county, has been that of the average man-of sunshine and shadow, victory and defeat, toil and respite, failure and success, but withal a commendable , and satisfactory one, and now that the harvest time is over and the autumn winds have come, he finds himself very comfortably situated and can take a retrospective glance over the backward-leading way and, seeing nothing of which he might be ashamed, for he has always been a man of upright prin- ciples and has done his duty as he has seen and understood the right.
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Mr. Flack was born in Prairie township, Holmes county, Ohio, August 7, 1834. He is the son of James and Jennie (Grant) Flack. The maternal grandparents, Jonathan and Sarah (Kelley) Grant, were natives of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, and they came to Ohio in a very early day, and in 1809 built the first cabin in Prairie township, Holmes county, when this country was a wilderness and the haunt of Indians and wild beasts. The grandfather cleared a "patch" and then fell ill, as so many of the newcomers to a wild country did, and for twenty-eight days lived by roots and barks, provided by his son. When about to die, an Indian buck happened along and directed them to the family of a "pale-face" on the Killbuck river, and there the son found Jonathan Butler, who, with his father-in-law, had reached the place the day previously, and subsequently the two families be- came very friendly, and as Grant could speak the Indian language he acted as "outlook" for surveyors who were surveying the "new purchase." He was a mighty hunter and many deeds of prowess are told of him. He re- turned to Pennsylvania the winter after his arrival here, and in April, 1810, brought his family to his new home; and, prospering through hard work, he made a good home here and in it spent the balance of his life. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, and for many years was a spy among the Indians of the early times. His family was a large one, and the mother of the subject had the distinction of being the first white girl born in Holmes county.
Samuel Flack, the paternal grandfather of the subject, came from West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, to Holmes county, Ohio, in 1812. His wife, Betsy Smith, was of Irish descent. Their family consisted of nine children, namely : Robert, Jennie, James, Richard, Ibbie, Mary, Samuel, Thomas and William. After the death of his first wife, Betsy Smith, Mr. Flack married a Mrs. Beaver, a widow with two children, and to his second union five chil- dren were born.
James Flack, father of the subject, married Jennie Grant. He lived to be seventy-two years old, having devoted his life to farming, finally owning a good home. His family consisted of nine children. Politically, he was a Democrat, and he and his family belonged to the Disciples church.
Samuel Flack, of this sketch, grew up on the homestead in Holmes county and received such education as he could in the pioneer log cabin . schools, and early in life took up farming for a livelihood, in connection with which he worked at the broom-maker's trade. He moved to Knox county about 1863, locating on a farm in Butler township, one mile north of his present home, then for ten years rented where he now lives, then bought land
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in Liberty township, on which he lived for seven years, returning to Butler township about 1881 and bought the Lepley homestead, a farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres, and here he has since resided, keeping the place well improved and under a fine state of cultivation, carrying on general farming and stock raising successfully. This farm was entered from the government by Jacob Lepley, it now consisting of about nine hundred acres in Butler township, one of the best farms in the county.
Politically, Mr. Flack is a Democrat and he belongs to the Grange, and he has always taken the interest of a fair-minded citizen in public affairs.
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