USA > Ohio > Knox County > Past and present of Knox County, Ohio, Vol. II > Part 9
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WILL H. JACKSON.
One of the successful farmers of Milford township, Knox county, and one of the worthy native sons of the locality of which this history treats. is Will H. Jackson, a representative of a highly-respected family which has been known here for many decades.
Mr. Jackson was born in the west side of Milford township, this county, on October 24, 1861. He is the son of Van Buren and Orlena (Jackson) Jack- son. The paternal grandparents were George and Mary (Hobbs) Jackson, he a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, born in 1782, died June 6, 1848, and she born at Aliquot Mills, nine miles from Baltimore, March 17, 1793, and died August 5, 1877. They were married in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, and in 1835 came to Knox county, Ohio, and located in Milford town- ship, where he bought a farm and here they spent the rest of their lives, having become very well established. The elder Jackson was the father of nineteen children, fourteen by his first wife and five by his second.
The maternal grandparents, Ephraim and Nancy Ellen (Cook) Jack- son, natives of Fayette county, Pennsylvania, he of Uniontown, and she of Big Red Stone, Tippecanoe township. Ephraim Jackson came to Ohio about 1820 with his father, Abraham, who entered land here in 1825. Abra-
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ham Jackson was the son of an Irish nobleman and he emigrated to America luring the Revolutionary war. A year after coming here Ephraim Jackson returned to Pennsylvania and there married. He returned to Ohio with his bride, making the trip on horseback, and built a cabin on his farm, the build- ing, at first, having neither window nor door, and there he and his wife spent the balance of their lives. He was born February 16, 1805, and she on June 5th of the same year; his death occurred on November 22, 1872, and she on January 17, 1870.
The father, Van Buren Jackson, was born in this township, March 17, 1836, and the mother on the farm occupied by the subject on October 25, 1833, and here these parents grew up as pioneer children, he being the eighteenth child of his father and the fourth of his mother, and she the fifth child of her parents. Here they were married on October 28, 1858. Van Buren Jackson devoted his life to farming, operating the home place most successfully. He bought the interests of his wife's brothers and sisters and at one time owned two hundred and eighteen acres, but most of the place has been sold and divided. He lived a quiet and retired life, but took an interest in public affairs and led an exemplary life. He and his wife were members of the Disciples church. He is still living and has the respect of all who know him. The death of his wife occurred on October 13, 1898. They were the parents of three children, namely : Will H., of this sketch; Theo. A., and Lillian B., now the wife of W. C. Riley. The father was stricken with paralysis on March 3, 1911, and has been very poorly ever since.
Will H. Jackson grew up on the home farm and worked there during his boyhood days in the summer months. He received his education in the common schools and the Tri-State College at Angola, Indiana. He has been managing the home farm for some time and is very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser. Politically, he is a Democrat, and in his religious life belongs to the Disciples church.
JOSEPH BEAL.
One of our most enterprising young farmers is Joseph Beal, of Butler township, one of the worthy native sons of Knox county who has been con- tent to spend his life in his own community, well knowing that for him this is the best place of all. It is a question whether or not many young men who have left this nature-favored locality bettered their chances for success, with the doubt on the negative side. But notwithstanding the fact that he grew
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up under favorable environments, he knew that he had to work and work diligently to win in life's battle even here, for we do not get our food in this country like the South Sea Islanders or the dwellers in the tropics, by merely partaking of nature's bounty with no exertion on our part, in case we are not inclined to put forth an effort to gain a living ; so he has always worked hard and now finds himself very comfortably established, with bright hopes for the future.
Mr. Beal was born in this county on July 1, 1860. He is the son of Michael and Margaret ( Albright) Beal, a complete sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. He was one of a large family of children, and, his father being a farmer, there was plenty for the subject to do while growing to manhood, consequently he worked in the fields during the crop seasons and went to the district schools in the winter time, and took up farm- ing for a livelihood in early life, and for some time worked at home for his father, then rented a while. In 1884 he purchased a farm of eighty acres in Butler township, this county, and in 1889 added forty-seven acres to this. In 1896 he deeded this land away and in 1900 bought forty acres in Union township, and in 1910 forty acres more. He still lives on the farm of Mary M. Beal and carries on farming and stock raising.
Politically, Mr. Beal is a Republican, and fraternally, he belongs to the Patrons of Industry, while religiously he is a member of the Baptist church.
Mr. Beal was married on August 23, 1891, to Nettie F. Leatherman, daughter of Joseph L. Leatherman, who came to Licking county, Ohio, in 1860. His death occurred on January 3, 1889. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Beal, namely : Russell B., who died when two years old, and Dale ; four others died in infancy.
JOHN M. MOTZ.
Aside from his connections with the civic affairs of Knox county, John M. Motz, farmer and stock man of Brown township, has long been an in- fluential factor in the industrial interests of his community, his entire life having been spent here, everything calculated to advance the community, materially or otherwise, receiving his support and hearty co-operation. He is unswerving in his allegiance to what he believes to be right, and upholds his honest convictions at the sacrifice, if need be, of every other interest. Conscientious in the discharge of his duties of citizenship, he is a valued mem-
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ber of the body politic, and his aim has ever been to shape his life according to the highest standards of excellence, therefore he has won the esteem and good will of all who know him.
Mr. Motz was born on March 27, 1858, on a farm in Brown township. this county, near Jelloway. He is the son of Gottlieb and Catherine ( Will- iams) Motz. both natives of Germany, where they spent their childhood, and from that country they emigrated to America as young people, he at the age of eighteen and she when seven years old. The father made the trip alone, but the mother's parents came with her. All formerly lived in the province of Alsace. Gottlieb Motz was a cabinet-maker, and soon after he landed in this country he established himself at Wooster, Ohio, working at his trade for some time, then moved to Holmes county, later turning his attention to farming and while living in Holmes county he and Catherine Williams were married. She had also come from Alsace, Germany. After their marriage they lived in Holmes county for a number of years, then came to Brown township, Knox county, buying a farm near Jelloway, which they developed, establishing there a comfortable home, Mr. Motz continuing to work some as a cabinet-maker. It was about 1850 that they settled in Knox county. They were a sturdy, industrious, frugal German couple, and. being fortunately located, succeeded, acquiring considerable property and a competence, owning an excellent farm of two hundred acres and other property. Politically, the father was a Democrat, but he did not take much interest in public affairs, merely exercising the right of suffrage at the polls. He and his family were members of the Evangelical Lutheran church. The death of Gottlieb Motz occurred in October, 1900, his wife having died previously in June, 1892, the month following the celebration of her fiftieth wedding anniversary. They were the parents of seven chil- dren, namely: Elizabeth, who is now deceased, married John Artz; Mary, also deceased, married Michael Pichrert; Adam lives in Akron, Ohio; Cath- erine, who married George Richert; John M., of this sketch; Henry W. lives in Brown township; Sarah is the wife of Daniel Richart.
John M. Motz was reared on the farm and worked in the fields when but a boy, attending the district schools in Brown township in the winter- time. He remained with his parents until his marriage, on October 16, 1883. to Emma H. Buehl, daughter of Peter and Mary Ann (Simmons) Buehl. a prominent family of Wayne county, Ohio. To the subject and wife eleven children have been born, six daughters and five sons, namely : Oscar G. is married and lives in Akron; Ethel M. married Frank Heim- baugh, of Akron: Edna M. married C. C. Long, of Brown township; Gladys
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A. married C. C. Pealer, of Pike township, Knox county ; Luella C., Martha A., Herman J., Reynold B., Caleb P., Helen G. and Cecil F. are all at home.
Following his marriage, John M. Motz engaged in the mercantile busi- ness at Jelloway for four years, enjoying a good trade with the surrounding country. He then came to the farm where he still resides, five miles south of Jelloway, and here he has met with encouraging success as a general farmer and stock raiser, his well improved and well tilled farm consisting of one hundred and thirty-five acres. He has a comfortable home and good barn and other outbuildings.
Politically, Mr. Motz is a Democrat and has always been active in public matters. He has served as clerk of Brown township for a period of eight years, and for nine years he was a member of the school board of Amity Special, he being still a member of the same, and is clerk of the board. In the fall of 1905 he was elected a member of the board of county commissioners and served on the same for a period of five years. As a public official he has served the people with much ability and fidelity. dis- charging his every duty conscientiously and his record has been highly commendable to the masses. He is a member of Amity Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and has long been active in the same. He and his family be- long to the Evangelical Lutheran church and have always been active in church and Sunday school work. This family is prominent in the social life of the county.
MICHAEL BEAL.
One of the well-remembered pioneer residents of Knox county, who has long since closed his eyes on earthly scenes in a sleep that wakes not to toil, was the late Michael Beal than whom it would have been hard to find a more whole-souled or trustworthy a man, and because of his many commend- able qualities, his industry, honesty and public spirit he was always revered by a host of warm friends and his memory will always be cherished by the many who knew him, and all speak in the highest terms of his exemplary and worthy life.
Mr. Beal was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, March 9, 1821. He was the son of John and Margaret Beal, natives of Pennsylvania, in which state they lived and died.
Michael Beal was educated in the subscription schools of his time and was reared on the farm, where he found plenty of hard work to do, for it
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had not long been reclaimed from the wilderness. Then, too, there were fourteen children in the family, and the father had died comparatively early in life, so the sons had to help raise the family and necessarily found plenty to do.
Michael Beal was married in February, 1843, and in March of that year he moved to Knox county and located where O. M. Underwood now lives in Butler township, and later he added to this place until he became very comfortably established and through hard work and rightly applied princi- ples ranked with the leading farmers of his vicinity, spending the remainder of his life here, dying on November 17, 1893.
Politically, Mr. Beal was a Republican and he held a number of the lo- cal offices, always to the satisfaction of all concerned, though he preferred to lead a quiet home life and cared practically nothing for the emoluments of public office.
Mr. Beal was married in February, 1843, as stated in a preceding para- graph, to Margaret Albright, a native of Londonderry township. Bedford county. Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Christian Albright. Thirteen children were born to Michael Beal and wife, two of whom died in infancy and two in childhood : nine are still living, named as follows: Edward died when five years old: Charles married Mary Carpenter and she is now de- ceased : Levi married Lucy Dunlap : George died when eighteen months old ; Mary M. was next in order of birth; Martha Ellen married O. M. Under- wood, a farmer of this county ; Lucy is the wife of Osborne Hunter; Chris- tian P. came next in order; Joseph, a farmer of Butler township, whose sketch appears on another page of this work: Sarah J. married Thomas Shupley : Michael, who married Clarissa B. Hunter, lives in California.
GEORGE W. SPERRY.
The biographies of enterprising men, especially of good men, are in- structive as guides and incentives to others. The examples they furnish of patient purpose and steadfast integrity strongly illustrate what is in the power of each to accomplish. Some men seem to belong to no exclusive class in life: apparently insurmountable obstacles awaken their dormant faculties and serve as a stimulus to carry them to ultimate renown. The instances of success in the face of adverse fate would seem almost to justify the conclusion that self-reliance, with a half chance, can accomplish any
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reasonable object. One of the well-to-do agriculturists and stock men of Morgan township, Knox county, who has had the courage to push onward in the face of obstacles is George W. Sperry, a worthy representative of one of our sterling old pioneer families.
Mr. Sperry was born on June II, 1846, on a farm in Morgan town- ship, near the town of Utica. He is the son of Peter W. and Jerusha (Wil- son) Sperry. The grandparents, Jacob and Mary Sperry, came with their family from Loudoun county, Virginia, in 1817, and in that year Peter W. Sperry was born. Both the subject's grandfather and father were large land owners and dealt extensively in lands and were prominent and in- fluential in this community. They were also large stock dealers and trad- ers. The father of the subject was engaged in the banking business in Utica for about twenty-five years. It was a private bank and was very popular in that community. It was known as the Sperry & Wilson bank. Mr. Sperry established the first bank in Utica, which remained the only bank there for fully twenty years and it became an important commercial institution. Mr. Sperry was one of the most progressive business men of his day in this part of the country and was a man of strong characteristics in every way. Politically, he was a Republican, and took a leading part in public affairs, but was never an office seeker, though he filled various local offices in Morgan township. He was a devout member and liberal supporter of the Baptist church. His death occurred on December 21, 1894. His widow survives, at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. They were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters, namely: George W., of this review ; Ella. now Mrs. Chesley Wornstaff, of Ashley; Lina married Bennett Kelley, of Mt. Gilead; William W. lives in Morgan township; Charles F. lives at Ashley ; Fred S. lives in Utica.
George W. Sperry was reared on the farm and there he worked hard when a boy. He received his education in the district schools and at Denni- son University at Granville, Ohio. He was married on July 14, 1876, to Margery E. Smoots, daughter of Eli and Caroline ( Moore) Smoots, of near Utica, Licking county. The father was a well known lawyer there and was active in settling many estates, some of much magnitude.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Sperry, namely : Mabel, who married Ray K. Smith, is now deceased; Walter L. lives in Newark, Ohio; J. Arthur lives in Los Angeles, California.
After his marriage Mr. Sperry settled on a farm belonging to his father in Morgan township, Knox county, Ohio, and a few years later he bought the farm where he has since resided, one-half mile north of Utica.
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He has been very successful as a general farmer and stock raiser and he now has two farms, totalling nearly four hundred acres, all well improved and excellent land. In connection with general farming on a large scale he car- ries on stock raising and feeding and shipping. Although his farms are rented. he superintends them. He has also been interested in raising and breeding Shetland ponies, pure-bred stock. He has maintained a breeding farm for twenty years and no small portion of his income has been derived from this source. His ponies are considered the very finest of their kind and have been in great demand, they having been shipped all over the coun- try. He always keeps a large herd to select from. Mr. Sperry is a director in the Utica Savings Bank. He is also interested in various other business enterprises, and is a man of affairs, progressive in all that the term implies.
. Politically, Mr. Sperry is a Republican, and while he has always been an active supporter of his party and all movements looking to the general - improvement of his community, he has never been an office seeker. He has served two terms as justice of the peace of Morgan township, but never on his own volition, though he made a most faithful and capable public servant. Fraternally, he is a Mason, having been a member of the order for thirty- five years, and a member of Clinton Chapter No. 26, Royal Arch Masons, and Clinton Commandery No. 5, Knights Templar, at Mt. Vernon. His wife and family belong to the Presbyterian church. This family has long . been prominent in the social life of the community.
REV. OTTO P. TROGUS.
The name of the Rev. Otto P. Trogus needs no formal introduction to the readers of this work, for his labors during the period of his residence in the locality embraced by this history have served to render him both fa- vorably and well known, and as pastor of St. Luke's church at Danville, he has done much toward ameliorating the condition of the people here. He is an earnest, persistent worker, often laboring with disregard for his own ease and welfare if, thereby, he may make some one happier or better, content merely to know that he is following in the footsteps of the Master.
Rev. Father Trogus was born in Columbus, Ohio, and is the son of Joseph and Florentine Trogus, the oldest child of a family of nine children, three of whom died in infancy. He was baptized in Holy Cross church in his native city by the Rev. F. X. Specht, assistant pastor, who was then organizing the present St. Mary's parish, South Third street. It was in
St.Luke's Church Danville. O. 1907 Otto P.Trogus, Pastor.
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this church he attended divine services and its parochial school in his boy- hood days. When twelve years of age he received his first holy commun- ion from the hands of the pastor, the Rev. F. X. Specht, V. G., and soon afterward was confirmed by the late Rev. John A. Watterson, D. D. De- sirous of more learning he attended daily the cathedral night school, paying for the tuition from the means obtained by the labor of his hands during the day. This course was continued for several years. In the meantime he also assisted his parents, who still enjoy the blessings of earth in Ohio's capital city.
With the call of the priesthood from his early boyhood ever growing stronger, he sought the counsel and help of his superiors and then entered St. Jerome's College, Berlin, Ontario, Canada, and having finished his classical course there, he was admitted to and completed his theological studies at St. Mary's Seminary of the West, Cincinnati, where, on the 17th day of June, 1897, he was ordained by the late Most Rev. Archbishop William Elder, D. D., in the chapel of St. John the Baptist, in said seminary.
The subject said his first holy mass June 17, 1897, at Holy Cross church. Columbus, and soon afterwards attended to the office of chaplain of the Good Shepherd convent in Cincinnati, and after four months' service there, he was appointed assistant pastor of St. Francis de Sales church, Newark, Ohio.
During the absence of the pastor of St. Francis Xavier's church, Mal- vern, Ohio, he was sent to assume temporary charge of this parish. He was then appointed pastor of St. Mary's church, Merges, Carroll county (Waynesburg postoffice), by the Rt. Rev. Henry Moeller, D. D., February 10, 1902, holding charge up to July 23, 1905, when he was transferred to his present pastorial charge, St. Luke's church, Danville, Ohio, by the present bishop of the Columbus diocese, the Rt. Rev. James J. Hartley, D. D.
On the 17th day of June, 1907, amidst the cheer and joy of the par- ishioners, Rev. Father Trogus celebrated the tenth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood, as a token of gratitude and praise to the Divine Majesty in acknowledgment of the numberless blessings received and at the same time invoking the Divine Master of the vineyard for His ceaseless assistance and blessing of his labors therein, ever mindful of the responsi- bility and cross of his sacerdotal office, yet, cheerfully faithful to his priestly duties. Since coming here he has greatly strengthened the church and has won the esteem of all who have come into contact with him, irrespective of creed. The present number of members in St. Luke's parish, adults and children, is five hundred and twenty-five.
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OSMER JAMES HARRIS.
In this country it is easy for a strong young man to go out and make a good living for himself, that is, it is easy if he is willing to apply himself persistently to whatever he attempts, but this is not a land like the islands in the south Pacific ocean where one can live by practically no exertion, by merely partaking of nature's great storehouse, cocoanuts, bread fruit, ba- nanas and many another esculent largess of the lavish Cornucopia. Such a country has never produced one single great leader of men in any avenue. They live along the line of least resistance, putting forth no effort to do anything worth while for either themselves or their fellows. The lands that produce great and strong men are those where a living must be wrested from a resisting nature, where one must work or starve and freeze.
One of the citizens of Knox county who has depended solely upon his own exertions for what he has is Osmer James Harris, farmer of Jackson township. He was born in this county on September 10, 1866, and here he has spent his life. He is the son of Robert and Mary (Melick) Harris. The paternal grandparents, Samuel and Sarah Harris, were old settlers of Knox county, and the maternal grandparents, Greenberry Melick and wife, were also pioneers of this country, which they all helped develop. Both parents of the subject were born in Knox county, reared here, and here they were married and became the owners of a good farm. In politics the father was a Democrat, and they were both members of the Disciples church. They were the parents of six children, four of whom are living at this writing. The father's death occurred on November 20, 1907, but the mother is still living.
Osmer J. Harris grew to manhood on his parents' farm and he re- ceived his education in the public schools of Bladensburg. When a young man he took up farming for a livelihood and this has been his life work. He worked by the month until he was married, then rented land for some time in order to get a start. In 1893 he bought a farm of eighty-three acres in Jackson township. Knox county, and here he has since remained successfully engaged in general farming, having added many valuable im- provements to his place, and he always keeps sufficient live stock of various kinds to feed his crops to.
Politically, Mr. Harris is a Democrat, but he has never been an office- seeker. He and his wife belong to the Disciples church.
Mr. Harris was married on December 24, 1889, to Ella Horn, daughter of Martin and Elizabeth Horn, natives of Knox county, where they grew
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up and were married and here they spent their lives, the mother's death oc- curring on March 10, 1883, the father surviving until October 9, 1910, reaching an advanced age. He was the son of Joseph and Susan Horn, who came to this county from Pennsylvania about 1810, and here by hard work hewed out a home from the forest. The Horn family: has been well known here for over a century. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Martin Horn, all of whom are living. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Harris, George and Mary Adrian, were natives of Pennsylvania and were also very early settlers in Knox county. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Harris has been without issue.
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