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 41

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 41
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 41

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Mrs. Johnson like her husband, united with the Presbyterian Church early in life. Sinee her hus- band's death she has had charge of all the property and has managed it in a remarkable wise and judici- ous manner. She gives liberally to the poor and unfortunate and is always willing and anxious to assist those who will try to help themselves. As a prominent member of the Woman's Missionary Society she, with her large resources, is able to do much good. She has been quite an extensive trav- eler, and keeps herself posted upon the important happenings all over the world. Although approach- ing the seventy-ninth year of her age, she is re- markably active, with a elcar, bright mind, and bids fair to live and attend to her business for many years to come.

AMES WALLACE COLLINS. Among the citizens of Greene County, who not only were born here, but have passed their entire existenee within its limits, prominent men- tion is due the subject of this biographical notice, whose portrait is presented in connection with his personal sketch. He is a successful agriculturist, and an educated Christian gentleman, whose in- legrity of character and kindness of disposition have won for him friends wherever he has been.

The farm adjoining his present homestead was the early home of Mr. Collins, and there he was born February 16, 1832. His father, William Collins, was the son of another William, who came from York County, Pa., to this seetion about 1812, when the father of our subjeet was twelve years old, he having been born in 1800. The grand- parents of our subjeet settled on a piece of land near Clifton, about seven miles northwest of

Xenia, on what is now known as the Fairfield Pike. There they reared a family of ten children, the brothers and sisters of our subject's father being : Joseph, Samuel, John, James, Mary (commonly called Polly), Elizabeth (Betsey), Elinore, Graec and Ibbe. William married Miss Mary, daughter of Squire George Galloway, whose cousin, Maj. James Galloway, was of National fame. Her par- ents came to Oldtown from Louisville, Ky., about the beginning of the nineteenth century, having come from County Antrim, Ireland, some years previously.

After their marriage William Collins and his wife settled on the homestead where our subject was born, the husband having bought a farm, which he at onee began to clear and improve. There his wife died at the age of fifty-four years, leaving four children-George, James W., Lydia C. and Martha. The latter, who is now deecased, became the wife of David Bradfute; Lydia is now the widow of Henry Corry. The father made a see- ond marriage, choosing as his companion Mrs. Catherine Hoy, who also bore him four children.

James W. Collins, the subject of this biographi- cal notiee, was educated with a view to entering the ministry, but owing to somewhat feeble health he was obliged to adopt a vocation which would give him exereise in the open air. He therefore chose a farmer's life, beginning on eighty-five aeres of the old homestead, to which he added sixty-six aeres, and still more recently fifty-three morc. The most of the land has been taken by him from the forest, placed in a state of thorough cultiva- tion and furnished with excellent improvements, which include all needful buildings, fenees, fruit, ete. For fourteen years he lived in the city of Xenia, but returned to his farm in 1886, his wife being then in very poor health, and only living about two years after their return to their former home.

The death of Mrs. Collins took place October 30, 1888, after a happy wedded life of a quarter of a century, her marriage having been celebrated in 1863. She bore the maiden name of Mary J. Gor- don, was born in York County, Pa., and was a daughter of Andrew Gordon, for whom her only child is named. The son is now a young man,

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and living with his father on the farm on which his early life was spent. He has an excellent com- mon-school education, and having a taste for farm life, will probably continue in that line of busi- ness.

Mr. Collins and his son belong to the United Presbyterian Church, of which the deceased wife and mother was also a member. She was reared under the old school Presbyterian teachings, and Mr. Collins in that branch of Reformed Presby- terianism popularly known as the Seceders Churel. He belongs to the Republican party, and has always voted that tieket. His father was one of three men who voted the first anti-slavery ticket in this county, and was a director in the great under- ground railroad. Our subject well remembers that when he was a lad of some seven years he helped hitch up the team to convey a party of colored people who had been hidden in their house, to the next station, on their flight for liberty. There were six women and one man in the party.

OHN A. BARBER, a son of the earliest pio- neers of Greene County, and at present re- siding in Cedarville Township, was born within a mile of where he now lives, first opening his eyes to the light December 23, 1823. Ilis father was John Barber, Sr., and his paternal grandfather was William Barber, a native of Ire- land, who crossed the Atlantic at an early day, and settled in Washington County, Pa. In that county the father of our subjeet was born, and lived until reaching man's estate. Then starting out for himn- self, he proceeded to Pittsburg, and thence went down on a raft or flatboat to Cincinnati, from which point he traveled to Xenia, this State, on foot.

John Barber, Sr., commenced his battle with the world dependent upon his own resources, and upon arriving in this county, secured work in a sawmill in the hamlet of Xenia, which was then the site of but four houses. He was employed by a Mr. Campbell, who put up the first mill in this county, this being located on Shawnee Creek, near Xenia. John Barber worked in the mill for several years,

and in the meantime, in company with his brother- in-law, Alexander Foster, purchased four hundred acres of Government land, for which they paid $1.25 per acre. In due time they moved upon this and commenced its improvement and cultivation. They were joined by the father and the balance of the family, who took up more land adjoining, and there the old people spent the remainder of their days. John Barber after a time sold a part of his farm and purchased other land, which subsequently became the property of his son, Samuel, who is now deceased. That is still familiarly known as the old Barber place.

The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Sarah Martin. Of her marriage with John Bar- ber there was born a family of eleven children, one of whom died young. The remaining ten grew to mature years, and seven are yet living. John A., like his brothers and sisters, was reared under the home roof, and at an early age was taught the hab- its of industry and economy which followed him all through life. When setting about the estab- lishment of a home of his own, he was wedded to Miss Eliza, daughter of Andrew Galloway, one of the earliest settlers of this county. To them there were boin two children, only one of whom is liv- ing, William H., who is married and residing on his farm, a half mile west of Cedarville; he has no children. Mrs. Eliza Barber departed this life at the homestead in 1866.

Our subjeet was again married, in 1868, to Miss Sally, daughter of Enos Townsley. The latter was the son of John Townsley, one of the earliest pio- neers of Cedarville Township. Of this union there were born two children, both daughters, Eva and Florence, who are attending the school in Cedar- ville, and making their home with their parents. The mother of Mrs. Barber was in her girlhood Sarah MeCoy, daughter of James MeCoy of Scotch- Irish ancestry, and a native of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Barber are most worthy representatives of the pioneer element in this county, born and reared in the log cabin, and in the early days when people went to mill on horseback with a jug in one end of the bag, and their grist in the other. Those times called forth all the natural kindness and hospitality of humanity, when each man had an interest in his

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neighbor's welfare. Mr. Barber before his mar- riage worked on a farm west of Cedarville, but this he soon sold and purchased that where his son now lives. The latter comprises one hundred acres, and was all in timber when coming into Mr. Barber's possession. It is now a finely cultivated farm, and valuable.

After his second marriage, Mr. Barber removed to a farm of one hundred and fifty-seven acres ly- ing on the Columbus Pike, a mile and a half east of the village, and which was a part of the first farm opened in the county, and known as the Enos Townsley placc. Mr. Barber is a Prohibitionist with Democratic proclivitics, and both he and his estimable wife are prominently connected with the United Presbyterian Church of Cedarville.

RINITY METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, Xenia. On September 19, 1863, at a quarterly conference of the Xenia Meth- odist Episcopal Church, it was resolved "That it is the duty of this charge to erect a second church in Xenia." The matter had been discussed some years before, and on November 14, 1863, the Rev. Will- iam I. Fee appointed as a Board of Trustees for the new church, Alfred Trader, William Sweeney, Al- fred Thirkield, M. D. Gatch, Charles R. Merrick, William F. Pellianı, Samuel Newton, John L. Con- nable, and Henry Barnes. The subscriptions hav- ing reached $15,000, a beautiful lot on the north- west corner of Main and Monroe Streets, was secured, and the contract let to Messrs. Tobias Drecs (See sketch) and Patterson. The corner stone of the new building was laid May 14, 1864, with appropriate ceremonies.

The first pastor to what was now called Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, was the Rev. George C. Crum, who organized a society of one hundred and twenty-three members, one hundred and nine- teen by transfer from the First Methodist Episco- pal Church, and four by letter. The first religious service was held in the college chapel, September 18, 1864, the sermon being from II. Thessalonians, ii. and iii. chapters, beginning with the words "Now

the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God, even our Father," and concluding "Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified." The Sunday-school was organized in the spring, with William Sweeney as Superintendent; and A. Thirkield, Assistant Su- perintendent. The lecture room of the new church edifice was completed November 30, 1864, and the first sermon preached therein by the Rev. J. L. Grover, pastor of the First Church. On October 1, 1865, the completed building was dedicated by Dr. Wiley, of Cincinnati, whose text on that occasion was Luke, 7th chapter and 5th versc. Pastor Crum asked for $10,000 with which to mect their liabili- tics, and his request being responded to by $12,000, the church was dedicated free from debt. An ele- gant parsonage was built in the summer of 1878, adjoining the church, under the leadership of the Rev. W. N. Brodbeck, now of Boston. During the pastorate of the Rev. D. W. Clark, in 1885, the lec- ture room was altered and improved, and in 1888, under the pastorate of the Rev. A. N. Spahr, the audience room was thoroughly reconstructed, mak- ing it a beautiful room indeed. The present mem- bership of the society is two hundred and twenty. -0-

REV. A. N. SPAHR. While this section of coun- try was an almost unbroken wilderness, Edward Spahr and his family came here from Virginia. Locating four miles cast of Xenia, he cleared off a tract of land in the forest, and there spent the re- mainder of his life, dying more than twenty years ago. Among the members of his family was a son Gidcon, who was but a child when he came to this county, in which he grew to maturity, and became well known and highly honored. Upon reaching a suitable age, he adopted the occupation of a farmer, which he has prosecuted during his life, although he has also been engaged in another and far differ- ent sphere of labor. In carly life he identified himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city, and many years ago he became a local preacher. But few local preachers have been more useful than he, and no man of Greene Connty is better known or more highly respected. He is now living a retired life in the village of Lumberton, Clinton County, his noble companion surviving

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with him. This lady bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Kyle, and to her care and training the children owe much of their fine character and use- ful acquisitions.

The gentleman with whose name this sketch is introduced, is the eldest child of the Rev. Gideon and Elizabeth Spahr. The other children of the family are: Mrs. Cornelia Smith, of Van Wert, Ohio; Robert S., of Xenia Township, who won an honorable record in the service of his country dur- ing the late war; the Rev. S. K. Spahr, a leading minister of the Protestant Methodist Church, who has within the past year been transferred to Long Island, N. Y .; Mrs. Julia Cummings, of Jamestown; Sarah, who is unmarried and living with her par- ents ; Dr. D. E. Spahr, of Clifton; and James Clin- ton Spahr, a farmer in Clinton County.

The subject of this notice was born in Greene County, near Xenia, August 27, 1835, his home being on a farm until he became a student in Ce- darville Academy. He was admitted to the Cinein- nati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 1855, his first charge being the New Burlington circuit. Since that time he has been engaged in pastoral work, among other appointments, preach - ing in Cincinnati six years, three years in Wesley Chapel, which is the mother church of Methodism in that city, and three years in the York Street Methodist Episcopal Church. Three years were spent by him in Urbana, Champaign County, the beautiful Grace Church being built during his pastorate. He trav- eled the Springfield District for four years as Pre- siding Elder, and is now in the midst of the fourth year of his pastorate of Trinity Church, Xenia. For thirty-five years he has been in the Cincinnati Conference, and in this last appointment he is preaching almost in sight of the place of his birth. It would be supererogation in the biographer to multiply words regarding the character or ability of the Rev. Mr. Spahr. "By their fruits ye shall know them," is as true as other utterances in the Divine word, and the many who have sat under the teaching of our subject, and felt his influenec, can testify better than any words of ours to the purity of his life, and the reality of his Christian faith.

The marriage of the Rev. A. N. Spahr and Miss

Mary A. Osborn, was celebrated August 19, 1856, at the home of the bride's father, A. W. Osborn, an old resident of Cedarville. Mrs. Spahr lived un- til September 20, 1880, when slie was called hence, the husband being at that time pastor of St. Paul's Church at Eaton, Ohio. She not only left behind hier the memory of a loving and devoted wife and mother, but in whatever society she was thrown she won respect and good will. Of the children whom she bore, five are yet living. They are: Jo. seph W., now in business with P. P. Mast & Co., of Springfield; Alice Luella, wife of Mr. Maurice E. Baird, of Troy, Ohio; Mary F., wife of Dr. II. F. Rose, of Paulding, Ohio; Miss Albertic A., and Paul R.

OHN BELL MASON. In the ranks of the substantial farmers of Greene County, this gentleman is worthy of prominent consid- eration, having by frugal living and prudent management acquired a fine property, which brings him a comfortable income. He is serving his sec- ond term as Justice of the Peace, having been first elected in 1884, and discharging the duties of the position with such ability and faithfulness as to ensure his re election. He has also filled the office of Township Clerk for six years, besides serving as Assistant Assessor under John T. Hogue of Xenia, and as a Constable of this township.

Religiously, Mr. Mason affiliates with the Society of Friends, and in political matters, casts his bal- lot and influence in favor of the Republican party. He served as a musician during the late war on the Union side, enlisting May 1, 1864, in Company G, One hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry, and by his inspiriting national ballads contributed to enthuse the soldiers. .

The father of Mr. Mason, Joseph by name, was born in Columbiana, Hamilton County, Ohio, October 21, 1800, and was orphaned at the early age of four years. After that sad event had de- prived him of his natural protectors, he came with his uncle, Joseph Chenoweth, to Waynesville. In the homestead established by Mr. Chenoweth the lad grew to a stalwart manhood, and then, ein barking

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in life for himself, eame to Bellbrook, and elerked in a store for Jeoffrey Truman. He had first. en- tered the employ of Mr. Truman in Waynesville; but when the latter removed to Bellbrook, his clerk followed him. He was in the employ of Jerry Gest after his marriage until 1834, when he com- menced operations as a farmer.

Joseph Mason, in 1836, located on a fifty-aere tract of land, where his son, John B. now resides. On this homestead, which is situated one-half mile south of Spring Valley, and which he embellished by modern improvements, he passed the remainder of his life and there died January 30, 1871. He held the office of Justice of the Peace to which he was eleeted in 1838, for a period of more than thirty years, and served as well as County Assessor two terms, and Town Clerk and Assessor. He was at one time Mayor of Bellbrook, and was a stanch Demo- crat, during his early years, but when President Jack- son vetoed the National Bank bill, he turned over to the Whigs, and later entered the ranks as a strong and prominent Republican. He was an ardent sup- porter of the Lincoln administration.

Our subject was one of three children, but be- sides himself only one was reared to years of ma- turity, Marilla, who is the wife of Joseph Rust, of Dayton, Ohio. The mother, Mary Bell, was born August 25, 1808, in Lyeoming County, Pa., to Stephen and Hannah (Scudder) Bell, natives re- spectively of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. His occupation was that of a millwright, and at an carly day he came overland to the Buekeye State, thence down the Ohio River on a flatboat, and stopped temporarily at Xenia. About the year 1814 he located on a farm of ninety acres, and on it laid out the town of Bellbrook. He served in the War of 1812, but otherwise worked uninterruptedly at his trade and on his farm. Eleven children came to his wife and himself and were named re- speetively : John S., William, Charles, Aaron, Re- becca, (Mrs. A. Leliman) Mary, Naomia, (Mrs. Brandenburg), Permelia, who first married Wil- liam Shoemaker and later became the wife of Mor- ton Brown; Cassandra, who married J. P. Sanders; Benjamin, and Franklin J. Stephen Bell died in Springfield, this State, in 1852. His wife had de- parted this life in 1839, when sixty-three years

old. The Bell family trace their aneestry baek to Wałes.

In the town of Bellbrook, which derived its name from his grandfather, John Bell Mason was born June 13, 1831, and was reared to man's estate on the farm where he now resides. He attended the common school, and later was a student in the High School in Springfield. He passed three win- ters there, in the meantime devoting the summer season to farm work. After he left school, he en- gaged as a teacher for one term, and was finally graduated from the Dayton Commercial College April 20, 1853.

After leaving college, our subject began to clerk in a store in Spring Valley, and in June, 1854, went to Muscatine, Iowa. In that eity he was married, April 22, 1855, to Miss Mary Jane, daughter of Josephi and Phobe Jane ( Wallis) Cook, who were natives of Washington and Cayuga County, N. Y. His occupation was that of a carpenter and far- mer, and his death oceurred in Iowa, December 18, 1874. All his children are now living, and are ten in number, five daughters and five sons. Below we give their names : Lydia, (Mrs. Herald) Stephen W., Mary J., Julia M., (Mrs Hobert) John P,, Joseph B., Sarah H., (Mrs. Seeker) George D., Frank S. and Clara B. (Mrs. Smith).

The Cook family settled at a very early period in New England, and Joseph B., was one of five who first located in Calhoun County, Miel., where lie served as Treasurer, also Surveyor, and was one of the organizers of the county. Three of his sons served in the Civil War.

A family of children came to bless the union of our subjeet and his estimable wife, and they are recorded as follows : Marilla J., who became the wife of John T. Brown, of Centerville, Ohio; Lizzie B., the widow of Ephraim Hartsock, of Warren County ; Joseph C., a resident of Montana; D. Mont and Frank E. at home. They rank among the first families of their community and are ac- corded the highest respect among their numerous circle of friends.

The paternal grandfather of our subject was James Mason who married Eleanor Chenoweth, a native of the Old Dominion. He had emigrated from Tennessee to Ohio, and his wedding was cel-

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ebrated near Waynesville, the latter State. Five children eame to bless the union, namely : Philip, Joseph, James, Smia and Maria. They all married, and with the exception of James, who died when young, beeame the parents of families. The mother of our subject now lives with him. She has in her posession, a piece of calieo purehased by her grand- mother Scuckler at seventy-five cents per yard.

R OBERT C. WOODWARD, City Librarian, Springfield, is eminently fitted by his eulture and executive ability for this important of- fice, and he stands pre-eminent among the gifted and enlightened minds who are potent in advancing the educational, social and religious in- terests, and in other ways promoting the welfare of this his native eity. Mr. Woodward is the deseendant of well-known pioneers of this county, and was born in Springfield, June 3, 1829. IIis father, Jacob Sehenek Woodward, was a native of Chester County, Pa., though of New England par- entage, and in early life learned the trade of a spinner and weaver. He came to Springfield, when quite a young man, in the early years of its settlement, and followed his trade here for a time, and then engaged in the mercantile business, and was actively identified with the same until his death in the month of September, 1829, when a valuable citizen and a true Christian gentleman was early removed from the sphere of his useful- ness. The maiden name of the mother of Robert C. Woodward was Sarah Christie, and she was born in New Hampshire, in the town of New Bos- ton, Hillsboro County, in 1808. She was a daugh- ter of Maj. Robert Christie, who came to Spring- field, in 1817, bringing with him his aged father, Jesse Christie, who lived to the age of eighty eight years.

Maj. Robert Christie was reared in New Hamp- shire and went from there to Washington, Vt., whence he eame to Ohio in 1817, the removal being made with teams to the Allegheny River, and thence down that river to Pittsburg and the Ohio River in a flatboat, to Ft. Washington, the

present site of Cincinnati, and thence in wagons to Springfield, which at that time was included in Champaign County, subsequent to the organization of Clark County.

Maj. Robert Christie soon after his arrival in Springfield settled on a tract of heavily-timbered land northwest of the eity, a part of which is now included in Ferncliff Cemetery, and for some time after he located on it he eould shoot deer and other game within its limits, the surrounding country being in a very wild, sparsely settled con- dition. Maj. Christie was a resident of Springfield until his death, bearing an honorable part in its upbuilding in the carly days of its settlement. The maiden name of his wife was Sarah Goodrich, and she spent her last years in this city, where she died in 1852. She was the daughter of the Rev. Sewell Goodrich, a well-known divine of the Con- gregational Church, and, with her husband, was an original member of the First Presbyterian Church, at Springfield. An earnest, consistent Christian, she was dearly loved and widely respected.

R. C. Woodward, the subject of this biographical review, was only three months old when his father died, and then the eare of him devolved entirely upon his mother. She nobly took up the task of rearing her two sons, and as a teacher earned the money for their support, and gave them the ad van- tages of an excellent rudimentary education. After her second marriage with J. D. Nichols, which took place in 1837, her son Robert attended the Ohio Conference High School, and was subsequently one of the first students to enter Wittenberg Col- lege. He studied hard during his attendance at that institution, and gained a high rank in his elasses, and it was with regret that he felt obliged to relinquish his eherished hope of a completed eollege education. For two years thereafter he was engaged in setting type in the Republic office, and at the end of that time he was promoted to the position of foreman. Three months later the Cin- einnati Commercial offered him a place as a eom- positor on account of his ability to read shorthand, and he aeted in that capacity in that office for three months, and at the same time pursued a eom- mereial eourse with R. S. Bacon. After a year's experience in selling books and papers on the Little

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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 41

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