Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, Part 22

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 918

USA > Ohio > Clark County > Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States > Part 22
USA > Ohio > Greene County > Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States > Part 22

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).

In April, 1866, Mr. Rifc purchased the land which he now owns and occupies. The original tract embraced two hundred and twenty-cight acres, to which he subsequently added one hun- dred and seventy-six acres. He settled upon it in 1867, and has since maintained his residence there. He has deeded one hundred acres to his son Stephen K., and also one hundred acres to George, but has sufficient remaining, in addition to his possessions in Kansas, to defend him against want in his old age. The home farm was originally a part of the well-known Randolph tract, owned by Richard Randolph, a relative of John Randolph, the old hero of Roanoke. Mr. Rife put up all the build- ings on the place, and effected all the other im- provements thereon. In accomplishing this no small outlay of time, labor and money has been involved, but he has reason to feel well repaid for his labor and his investment of capital, as he has a substantial and comfortable home, and one which forms a fitting monument to his industry and per- severance.

For nearly thirty-four years Mr. Rife has been accompanied on the journey of life by a very

estimable lady, who in her girlhood was Miss Mary J. Kitchen, and to whom he was joined in wedlock September 25, 1856, at the bride's home in Clark County, Ohio. Mrs. Rife was born Au- gust 11, 1836, in Clark County, and is the daugh- ter of Abraham and Matilda (Jones) Kitchen, the former a native of Warren County and the latter of Greene County, this State. For over seventy years they were residents of Clark County. Both died in 1888, Mrs. Kitchen in the month of April and her husband in June following. They were tlie parents of eight children, five of whom are living and who are residents of Clark County, Ohio. Mrs. Rife was given a good education, and followed the profession of a teacher some time be- fore her marriage.

Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Rife, the eldest of whom, a son, George W., married Miss Jenny Garlough, is the father of three children and lives at the homestead; Stephen K. married Miss Ada Stormont and lives in Harper County, Kan .; they have two children ; John B. and Frederick F. are unmarried; the former is at home and the latter lives in Harper County, Kan .; Anna and Frank A. died at the ages of three and eighteen years rcs- pcctively ; Mary M., William C., Maggie B. and Lee E. remain under the parental roof. Mr. and Mrs. Rife are prominently connected with the United Presbyterian Church at Clifton, in which Mr. Rife officiates as a Trustee, and in which his son, George W., is a Ruling Elder. Mr. Rife is a teacher in the Sunday-school, and his daughter Mary is secretary of the same.

For fifteen years Mr. Rife has been a member of the School Board of Clifton, officiating as Presi- dent and Treasurer. He was for some time the Trustee of Miami Township, but finally resigned. He has held many positions of trust and responsi- bility in the adjustment of property, serving as executor of the Rakestraw estate, which he settled up satisfactorily, and he was also administrator of the estates of William Tennyhill and James A. Johnston, of Bath Township. He was elected fore- man of the jury at Cincinnati which tried Hopkins, of the Hopkins and Harper Fidelity Bank, in the winter of 1888-89. This case attracted universal attention throughout the country, being one of the

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most important of any which has come before the public in connection with the wrecking of a bank, and in which the guilty parties were convicted and sentenced for a term of years.

The father of our subject was Daniel Rife, like- wise a native of the Keystone State, and born about 1795 near Gettysburg. He was reared to farming pursuits, which he followed all his life. IIe was married in 1829, in his native State, to Mary Foreman, who was born in Adams County, Pa., in 1800. They spent their entire lives in their native State, the mother dying in 1870 and the father about 1875. Of this union there were born five children, viz .: Catherine S., who died in Pennsylvania when about thirty years old; John, our subject; Peter and David, both residents of l'ennsylvania, and Samuel, who lives in Illinois. There were also born to the mother five children by a previous marriage. Besides the farm on which he resides, Mr. Rife owns three hundred and twenty acres of farming land in Harper County, Kan., and which is occupied by his son. There also he lias fine improvements.

Mr. Rife was reared under the wing of the Demo- cratic party, but sojourned in Kansas during the border troubles, and the scenes which he then wit- nessed liad the effect to convert him into a thor- ough Abolitionist. He then joined the Republi- can party, remaining with it until the fall of 1888, when his warm interest in the temperance move- inent led him to identify himself with the Prohibi- tionists. He is totally opposed to the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors, and could he have his way about it they would soon be swept from the face of the earth.

A lithographie portrait of Mr. Rife will be found elsewhere in this volume.

OSEPH W. PAGE. This intelligent, enter- prising and Christian gentleman is now en- gaged in agricultural pursuits in Pleasant Township, Clark County, and ranks among the leading farmers and stock-raisers of that well- developed region. Ile was born January 3, 1853,

in this county, and was reared on a farm, receiving an excellent education in the common schools. He adopted the profession of a pedagogue, but after teaching in the common schools some ten years turned his attention to the work in which he is now engaged. After his marriage which occurred December 22, 1881, he located in Moorefield Town- ship, whence in March, 1887, he removed to his present home. This is two and one-half miles southi- cast of Catawba, the farm which he owns and occupies consisting of one hundred and seventy- seven acres. . The estate bears adequate improve- ments and is a home of culture as well as of comfort.

The worthy lady who presides with admirable tact and grace over the home of Mr. Page, became his wife December 22, 1881. She bore the maiden name of Sarah E. Yeazel and was born in Cham- paign County, November 14, 1863. She belongs to an excellent family which has long been repre- sented in this county. She received excellent ad- vantages in her maidenhood and is instilling into the youthful minds of her daughters-Bessie B. and Mary E .- the principles of conduct which should be manifested by all. She is a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is her husband. IIe belongs to the Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows.

The grandparents of Mrs. Page were Jacob and Ellen (Foley) Yeazel, who came from the Old Dominion to this county, being early settlers in Moorefield Township. Their son, John A., was born in that township, and after reaching years of maturity married Mary Ann Baird, who belonged to an equally respectable family in Harmony Township.

In the paternal line, Josephi W. Page is de- scended from Jonathan Page, a native of North Carolina, who removed thence to Kentucky, where his son, James C. was born, May 6, 1795. From the vicinity of Cynthiana the family removed to Clark County, Ohio, in the fall of 1803, locating in Moorefield Township, near Moorefield Chapel, where James Page grew to manhood. He died at the home of his son, Jonathan II., in Pleasant Township, July 31, 1886. He married Keziah Harris, who was born March 20, 1803, in the East-

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ern part of the township, to which hier parents had come from New Jersey. She died March 10, 1864. To this worthy couple ten children were born, and named respectively, Hannah A., Jonathan H., Jacob A., Sarah, Achsah, James N., Isaac E., Keziah, Joseph L., and May J. The last named died in childhood.

Jonathan H. Page, the second child in the fam- ily above noted, was born April 10, 1827, and on October 15, 1863, removed to Pleasant Township, where he resided until March, 1869. Ile then went to Sangamon County, Ill., but in the fall of 1872 returned to his native county and took up his residence on a farm two miles south- east of Catawba. For the past four years he has been living in the village. He has served as Township Trustee three terms and has been Assessor during the past four years. IIe is a member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. His wife, Elizabeth Runyan, was born in Pleasant Township, November 11, 1829, being one of the eight children of George and Catherine (Jones) Runyan. Her father was a farmer and a strong and devoted member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church in the work of which he was quite a leader. He was one of the five sons and six daughters born to Joseph Runyan who located in this county in 1811, having come to Warren County from Harrison County, Va., in 1806. The brothers of George Runyan are Thomas, Isaac, William and Eli.

Mrs. Elizabeth (Runyan) Page has borne her husband four children, the subject of this sketch being the first-born. The second child is Charles B .; the third is Isaac C., a' Methodist Episcopal minister of South Charleston who was educated in Wittenburg College; the youngest son, John W., died May 9, 1889, just after his graduation from the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati, thus entting off a life which gave promise of much use- fulness.

Jonatlian Page Sr., the paternal great-grand- father of our subject was born October 4, 1766, in North Carolina and came from English stoek. He departed this life July 26, 1840. He was one of the carly settlers of Kentucky and purchased a tract of land near Cynthiana, Harrison County, upon which he resided for a few years but becoming

dissatisfied with the title sold out and in the autumn of 1803 removed to Moorefield Township. He set- tled in the vicinity of the ground now occupied by Moorefield Chapel, on land now owned by A. W. Mumper, Esq.

In the spring of 1806, great-grandfather Page purchased and settled on a half section of land in the eastern part of the township where he resided until his death. On this farm was planted one of the first orchards in the county. He was one of the early pedagogues of that region, a man of more than ordinary intelligence and looked up to in his commumity. He served as a soldier in Hawley's Army and was one of those in the famous St. Clair's defeat. While a resident of Kentucky he married Miss Hannah Jones who was born August 12, 1773, and who died March 3, 1852. The result of this union was six children, namely : James C .; Evan; Hannah, Linsey and Jonathan B. and John, twins. The latter died August 10, 1825, aged eighteen years.

E DWARD C. GWYN, President of the Board of Trustees of the Springfield Water Works, occupies a high position in connection with one of the most important enterprises in this city. The Board in selecting their President knew with whom they were dealing, as Mr. Gwyn is a native of Springfield and has here spent the greater part of his life. He was born August 12, 1851, and is thus on the sunny side of forty, but he is a man of more than ordinary capacities and is thoroughly qualified for the duties of his position.

Mr. Gwyn is a representative of an excellent family, being the son of Edward Gwyn who was born in the city of London, England, May 12, 1816. The paternal grandfather, John Gwyn, also of English birth and ancestry, emigrated to the United States in 1859, following his son Edward who had crossed the Atlantic in 1847. Tlie latter in due time was married in London, England, to Miss Isabella Turnbull; after landing in New York they at once removed to Wood County, Ohio, and settled upon a tract of wild land which the father secured from the Government. That section of

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the country was then comparatively a wilderness and much siekness abounded among the settlers which finally resulted in the removal of Mr. Gwyn to Cineinnati. Later he removed to Dayton and from there to Springfield, where he operated as a contractor and builder of gas and water works. He beeame well-to-do, owning at one time as many as seven gas plants. He was the founder of the gas works in Springfield which he operated for a num- ber of years.

Edward Gwyn during the late war engaged in the manufacture of small arms, among these being the celebrated Union rifle. He associated himself in partnership with Abner C. Campbell of Hamil- ton, this State, in the manufacture of guns and for several years vas the representative of the Champion Reaper & Mower Works at Springfield, going to South America and Chili where he estab- lished agencies to handle these machines. Later he represented the firm during the centennial ex- position of 1876 at Philadelphia. He erossed the Atlantic the following season and visited the Paris Exposition in the interests of Warder, Bushnell & Glessner, and afterward went to Rotterdam, Hol- land, where his death took place May, 25, 1879. He had traveled extensively all over Europe before coming to this country.

In 1857 the father of our subjeet, during the California gold excitement, went overland to the Paeifie Slope, making the journey by wagon and on foot with a company of others and returning by the water route. His wife accompanied him in most of his travels and was with him at the time of his death. She returned to Springfield with his remains which were laid to rest in Ferncliff Ceme. tery. The mother and five children are still liv- ing; Amelia, the eldest, is the widow of Thomas Spencer and lives in Springfield; Rosa is the widow of George W. Driscoll and lives in Springfield; Edward C., our subject, is the next eldest; Mary is the wife of W. W. Sheibley of Tiffin, this State; Violet married D. B. Hyde and they are living in Bridgeport, Conn.

The subject of this notice spent his boyhood days mostly in Hamilton, Butler County, this State, and when leaving sehool became the assistant of his father in the gas and water works in different

places and when competent, took charge of the works at Springfield. He was also for a time at Dayton, Norwalk and Altoona, Pa. Subsequently, returning to Springfield he engaged in the wood and lumber business for a few years, handling mostly the choieer grades of lumber. Later he became con- neeted with the gas works at Upper Sandusky and in 1881 assisted in establishing the water works in Springfield and for six months was Superintendent of construction. He resigned this position to ac- eept the Secretaryship and Assistant Superintend- eney of the Springfield Gas Light Company, of which his father was the founder. This position he also resigned four years later, having in the meantime_become interested as a stockholder in the Hoppes Manufacturing Company of which he was made Secretary and Treasurer. At the organ- ization of the Springfield Water Works, in June, 1885, he was elected President and has since held the position.

Mr. Gwyn was married to his present wife, who was formerly Miss Isabel W. Smith, September 1, 1887. This lady was born November 1, 1863, in Springfield, and is the daughter of William R. and Mary (Ege) Smith, natives of Seotland and Penn - sylvania respectively and who are now living in Springfield. She was reared to womanhood in her native city and thus like her husband has spent her entire life there. Of this union there has been born one ehild, a son, Charles William, July 6, 1888.

AMUEL M. MALLOW. A pleasant and well-improved farm about five miles south- east of Xenia, in Greene County, is the. home of the gentleman above named, and under his able management produces erops which rank among the best both in quantity and quality. The estate comprises one hundred and fifty-nine broad aeres, and forms a part of Cæsar's Creek Township. The owner is an enterprising farmer, and a eitizen whose worth is understood by his fellowmen, by whom he is esteemed accordingly. He began his career in life empty handed and has

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reached a comfortable financial standing through his own determination and industry ..

The birth of Mr. Mallow took place in what is now Jasper Township, Greene County, May 6, 1831. His father, Col. George Mallow. was a native of Rockingham County, Va., and came to Ohio with his parents, their first settlement being made near Springboro, Warren County. He afterwards be- come a resident of Greene County, where he died in 1861, at the age of about three-score and ten. His "father, George Mallow, Sr., was of German origin, and also died in Greene County. The Colonel served in the War of 1812, and was afterward placed at the head of a militia regiment from which rank he derived his title. He married Miss Eliza- beth Fudge, a native of the same county es him- self, who lived to the age of seventy years, dying in 1864. They reared six children, named respect- ively : John, Clarissa, Amanda J., Elmira, Samuel M. and Henry M., the latter of Huntington County, Ind. Col. Mallow was a Whig and later a Republican.

The subject of this sketch was reared upon a farm, and obtained as good an education as was possible in the common schools of the period and vicinity. He learned the trade of a blacksmith, but at the age of twenty-one years began life as a farmer. In 1858 he located on seventy acres of land to which he has since added, bringing up the acreage to the amount mentioned above, and placing the entire estate under good cultivation and improvement. In the spring of 1886 he was elected Trustee of the township, and has since filled the office very acceptably. He is a stanch Republican.

On November 5, 1852, Mr. Mallow led to the hymeneal altar Miss Amy II. Adsit, who was born in Dutchess County, N. Y., July 30, 1831, and whose fine character and useful habits had won his regard. She is a member of the Reformed Church, is highly respected by her neighbors and acquaint- auces and devoted to the interests of her husband and children. She is the mother of one son and one daughter. George F. is still unmarried aud at home; Susan A. is the wife of Charles Mckay, of Clinton County, Ohio.

The parents of Mrs. Mallow, Hiram and Susan

(Butts) Adsit, were born in Dutchess County, N. Y., and came to Ohio in the spring of 1833, Mr. Adsit located where our subject now resides, on one hundred and fifty acres of land, to which he afterward added fifty. He died September 7, 1847, at the age of forty years, his natal day hav- ing been June 4, 1807. His widow, who was born August 19, 1807, survived him, becoming the wife. of Jesse Boots, now deceased, and is yet living. Mrs. Mallow is the youngest of three children reared by her parents, to whom six had been born. The other survivors are Daniel and Silas. Hiram Adsit was the son of Elias Adsit, of the Empire State, who was twice married. His first wife was Amey Howe, who bore him three sons and one daughter; his second wife was Lucy Harrington, who had no children. Grandfather Adsit came to Greene County, about 1830, and died in Xenia in 1856. He was of English origin. The mother of Mrs. Mallow is a daughter of Daniel and Isabelle (Gardner) Butts, both of whom died in the Empire State, and wliose family included six sons and six daughters.

ACOB GROVE, who is now living in Moore- field, taking his ease after years of arduous toil, is a native of Clark County, in which his eyes opened to the light of day, October 28, 1828. His parents, Phillip and Eva (Demeory) Grove, were natives of Loudoun County, Va., whence they came to Ohio about 1827. They settled in Clark County, in what is now known as Pleasant Township, wliere they participated in the labors incidental to the development of this region, cu- during many of the hardships of the Ohio pioneer. The log house had been built in the woods and in it the family, then comprising father, mother, and three children, located. The father breathed his last in 1852, when the county lost one of her best citizens. To Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Grove nine children were born, the subject of this sketch being the youngest of the survivors. The others are: Millie, wife of William Harris, of Pleasant Township; Sarah A., wife of William Waltman,

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also of Pleasant Township; and George, whose home is in Goshen Township, Champaign County.

The subject of this notice was reared to man - hood amid the primitive scenes which were common in this county during the first half of the present century, and in his youth bore a part in the pioneer labors of the time. His educational advantages were very meager, as at that early day sehools were seareely known in the vicinity in which his father had settled. The little schooling that he obtained was received from the wife of John Mowder, of Pleasant Township, who taught a subseription school in her own house. During the greater part of his life Mr. Grove has been engaged in farming.

Not many months after the Civil War began, Mr. Grove left his home to take up arms in defense of the flag he loved, and to do what a brave inan could to uphold the Union. On September 14, 1861, he was enrolled as a private in Company F., Forty- fourth Ohio Infantry, and in different divisions of the army he served under Gens. Rosecrans, Burnside and Hunter. The regiment to which he belonged was held as a kind of reserve for about a year in West Virginia, where they fought at Louis- burg, and Green Brier River, being finally chased out of the State by the Confederates. After cross- ing into Ohio the regiment was transferred to Ken- tucky, where they spent nearly a year, during this time participating in skirmishes at Winchester, Somerset, Richmond and Crab Orchard. They then went into Tennessee where they took part in the siege of Knoxville and the battle of Strawberry Plains. Here, with others, Mr. Grove re-enlisted as a member of the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, and eame home on a furlough. Rejoining his regiment lie afterward spent another period in West Virginia, where under the command of Gen. Hunter, he was engaged in continuous fighting for about a month. He was finally discharged in November, 1864, and returned to his native county. He had several nar- row eseapes from death, was wounded in the right hand at Somerset, Ky., and from exposure was physically incapacitated to such an extent that he receives a pension of $22 per month from the Gov .. ernment to which he gave some of the best years of his life.

On August 18, 1848, Mr. Grove was united in

marriage with Miss Sarah Waltman, who was his faithful companion and helpmate for more than thirty years. She was born in this county, and here breathed her last in 1882, mourned by many friends. She had borne her husband four children : William, Frank, Mary A., and David. The first two are deceased; the daughter is now the wife of Edgar Everhart, of Champaign County, and the youngest son is at home. On October 16, 1884, Mr. Grove was again married, his bride on this occasion being Mrs. Fidelia Runyan. This estima- ble lady was the widow of the late J. W. Runyan of this county, to whom she had borne four chil- dren. Her eldest son, Clay, is living in this county ; Lillian is the wife of Levi Bumgardner, a merchant of Moorefield; Francis is deceased; and Hattie is the wife of Charley Steward of Champaign County. Mrs. Grove is a native of Clinton County, where she was born December 25, 1838. Her parents, L. H. and Henrietta Wilson, were natives of Vir- ginia and Ohio respectively, and her father eame to this eounty with his parents when a boy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are numbered among the early workers in this vicinity, having assisted in the primitive labors of the county.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Grove are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he has served as Steward and Class-Leader. He belongs to the In- dependent Order of Odd Fellows, his name being enrolled in the lodge at Catawba, and in the same place he belongs to a post of the Grand Army of the Republic. He owns a farm of sixty five aeres in Champaign County as well as property in Moore- field, all having been gained by his own exertions. In 1887, he removed from Pleasant Township to Moorefield, where he and his wife are highly re- spected and enjoy the society of many friends.

W ILLIAM G. CONFER. Among the com- paratively few men who are remaining to tell the story of pioneer life in Ohio, Mr. Confer remains as a conspicuous figure. He looked upon this section of country when it was in its wildest form and has been a witness of the remark-

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able transformation which has converted the wil- derness into the abode of a eivilized and prosperous people, and he may justly feel that he has borne no unimportant part in the great change which has been effected. He commenced at the foot of the ladder in the acquirement of a competency, and after years of hard labor found himself on the high- way to prosperity. He is now praetieally independ- ent, finaneially, as the result of persevering industry and good management. He stands as one of the old landmarks, who has weathered the stormns of many a gale, and whose name will be remembered long after he has been gathered to his fathers.

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Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States, Part 22

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 918