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 59
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 59
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Mr. Jackson is a stalwart Republican. He has served his village as a member of the School Board, of which he is now President, and worked for a larger constitueney in the State legislature, to which he was first elected in the fall of 1887, and re- elected two years later. He has served on the Game, Agriculture, Pikes and other committees, being at present one of the committee of Investigation of the State Board of Pardons. He was the author of the present game law, which is considered one of the best on the statute book. He is now Colonel of the Greene County Battalion, Grand Army of the Republic. The family attend and support the United Presbyterian Church, although Mr. Jackson does not hold membership.
We invite the attention of our many readers to a handsome portrait of Mr. Jackson in this work.
W ILLIAM DIEHL, a retired merchant in Springfield, Clark County, was born in Reinheim, Prussia, November 28, 1819. His father, John Justus Diehl, was a farmer. His mother, whose maiden name was Catharine Finger, died when our subjeet was but seven years old. In 1832 the father emigrated with his family to America, landing in the city of Baltimore, Md. He came directly to Auglaize County, Ohio, where In- dians were yet numerous, and settled on the new
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farm where he died eighteen months later. The parental household included six children, all of whom grew to maturity. Three are yet living.
The education of young Diehl was begun in his native land and completed in this country, where he attended the common schools and that at Spring- field. At the age of sixteen years he began to learn the trade of a coppersmith in Dayton, where he served an apprenticeship of four years during which he became a master of all branches of the business. He then worked as a journeyman until 1841 when he located at Springfield and started in the coppersmith and tinner's trade. After a time he sold out his shop and for five years was con- nected with a grocery and feed housc. In 1872 he started in the iron and hardware business in Black's Opera House on West Main Street. There he car- ried on the business two years when he removed to his present stand on West Main, No. 42, where he continued the business until 1885, when he gave it to his two sons. The latter are continuing a successful trade which was established and built up by their father.
In 1844 Mr. Dichl was united in marriage with Miss Catherine Frankenberg, a native of Germany, who died leaving one son, W. W., who married Miss Annettic Zammart. In November, 1850, Mr. Diehl led to the hymencal altar his second wife, Miss Anna M. Romshe, of Auglaize County, Ohio. She is a daughter of Justus and Margaret ( Michael) Romshe. She has borne four children, three of whom are now living: Anna M. is the wife of J. P. Albin; Clara C. married C. M. Hubbard, of Columbus; George A. married Miss Anna Ross.
Mr. Diehl began his career in life without means, but by energy and industry has accumulated a large property which enables him to spend his declining years without the necessity for toil or anxiety. His large brick residence was built in 1864 and he has also built over forty dwellings and business houses in the city. He is one of the stockholders in the Springfield National Bank. He was Appraiser on the Board of Equalization fourteen years. He was formerly an old line Whig, his first Presidential ballot having been cast for Henry Clay. Upon the disintegration of the Whig party he fell into the Republican ranks and his last vote was given to
Gen. Harrison, our present President. Both him- self and wife belong to the First Lutheran Church of which he is a liberal supporter. In April, 1887. be and his wife made a trip to his old home in Europe, spending some time amid the scenes of his boyhood and visiting various points of interest.
AVID B. HUSTON. This gentleman is a representative of one of the oldest and most prominent families of Greene County and is himself one of the most public- spirited and enterprising of men. He is also one of the most good natured individuals to be met with in this section of country, and one whose energy has not prevented his enjoying life and its reasonable pleasures. He is now retired from agri- cultural pursuits which he followed for years, and is occupying a beautiful home in Osborn.
Before ontlining the life history of our subject it will not be amiss to devote a brief space to the family of which he is so worthy a representative. His grandfather, Judge David Huston, was born in Pennsylvania. At the beginning of the nincteenth century he settled in Beaver Creek Township, this county, as one of the very first pioneers, entering land which he cleared and made into a nicely im- proved farm. His large cstate was eight miles from Xenia. In addition to his agricultural labors he practiced law to some extent, and having become Probate Judge of the county occupied that posi- tion for twenty-seven years. He was one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Greene County. In politics he was a strong Whig.
To Judge David Huston and his wife, at their home in this county, in 1805, a son was born who was called Israel and who at a suitable age became a farmcr. When twenty-one years old he located in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, buying one hundred and afty acres of land npon which he made his home. He finally bought a mill on Holtz Creek, which he operated five years before his death, which occurred in 1846. He was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church. He married Miss Elizabeth Harshmann, who was born in Mad River
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Township, Montgomery County, was cducated at Dayton, and died on the old homestead in 1884. She also belonged to the Presbyterian Church; she was the mother of seven children, the subject of this sketch being the third born; Susan, the eldest child, now lives in Dayton and is the wife of W. R. S. Ayers; Mary, Mrs. Harris, died in Mad River Township; Jane, Mrs. Moore, lives in Brook- lyn, N. Y .; Harriet, Mrs. Harbine, lives in Dayton ; Emily, Mrs. Huffman, died in that city; Joseph resides in Mad River. The latter spent three years during the Civil War as a member of an Ohio regiment.
The maternal grandfather of our subject was the IIon. Jonathan Harshmann, a native of Maryland, and a distiller by occupation. About the year 1800 he located in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, entering forty aeres of land and engaged in hand distilling. Soon afterward he sold and loeated where the town of Harshmannville now stands, the place having been named for him. He built a grist, saw, and oil mill on the Mad River and ran them in eonneetion with the distillery and also carried on a store there. He was one of the most sneeessful men of the eounty and became the owner of about one thousand acres of improved land which he rented. IIe also earried on a dry- goods store in Dayton. His title was derived from his service in the State Legislature. He was an active member of the Reformed Church, In 1853 he breathed his last.
The gentleman with whose name we introduce this sketch was born in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, April 15, 1830. He was reared on the farm and had the advantage of at- tendance at good eommon sehools until eighteen years old when he entered the Dayton High School, continuing his studies there for a year. He had earried on the farm after his father's death, and when twenty-one years old took charge of the es- tate on shares, eontinning to follow an agricultural life on the home plaee until 1870. He then erossed the line into Greene County and bought fifty-six acres of land adjoining Fairfield, to which he sub- sequently added a thirty-four aere tract adjoining. On this farm of ninety acres of improved land he carried on farming and stock-raising, being very
suecessful in both grain and stock. He finally rented his farm but continued to reside upon it until the spring of 1889, when he bought a house in Osborn and became a dweller in the town. IIe has remodeled the residence which he purehased and has made of it a convenient and attractive placce of abode.
The marriage of Mr. Huston and Miss Elizabeth S. Hagenbueh was celebrated in Bath Township May 30, 1854. The bride was born in Lehigh County, Pa., and is a daughter of Stephen Hagen- buch, who eame to this county about 1835, engag- ing in hotel-keeping at Fairfield. Later he became a farmer here and finally removed to Dayton, where he resided until his death. Mrs. Huston is the mother of two children, in whose character and attainments she has taken a laudable pride. Ida M. still gladdens her parents' hearts by her presenec at home ; Hattie attended Antioch College at Yellow Springs; she died at her home in Osborn in June, 1889, but a short time before she was to have been graduated.
Mr. Huston is an active member of the Reformed Church at Fairfield, and has ever been interested in movements which promise to benefit the coin - munity. He is a stanch Republiean ; he has served as a juryman on various oceasions. He has been blessed with worldly prosperity and is able to sur- round himself and family with the comforts and many of the luxuries of life, to share in the good works of his fellow-men and take reasonable enjoy - ment in life.
Le UTHER F. YOUNG, Poliee Judge of Springfield,has already won an enviable rep- utation among his professional brethren as a lawyer of pronounced ability, whose legal attain- ments amply qualify him for the high position he has attained thus early in his career at the bar. He is an honor to this his native eity, where he was born November 16, 1856. Lewis Young, his father, was born in Middletown, Frederiek County, Md., a son of Daniel Young, who was a native of the same town, while his father, Conrad Young, was of
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German birth. He came to America in the last century, and located in Middletown, Md., and the farm that he then purchased is still in the family, owned and oceupied by his grandson, Jacob Young. He passed his remaining years in the home that he established there. The grandfather of our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits on the home- stead where he was born. In 1840 he visited Ohio, making the entire journey both ways on horseback. In 1851 he revisited this State, and bought a large farm of three hundred and twenty aeres in Spring- field Township, of which two hundred aeres were eleared. He continued his residence on his Mary- land farm until 1864, when he came to Clark County, and bought a home adjoining the farm that he had previously purchased, and there his death oceurred December 4, 1886, at the venerable age of ninety-one years. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Bowlus. She was born in Mid- dletown, Md., and died there in 1858. She was the mother of thirteen children, ten of whom were reared to maturity. The father of our subject was bred to agricultural pursuits, and continued to live in his native town until 1852, when he came to Springfield and settled on the farm that his father had purchased here the year before. He was aet- ively engaged in its management until 1867, when he returned to Maryland and bought a farm in the town of his birth, and made his home there until deathi ended his mortal eareer September 7, 1882. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Elizabeth Arnold, and she was born near Burkitts- ville, Frederick County, Md., her father, Peter Arnold, being a native of the same eounty, and, it is thoughit, of English descent. Mrs. Young is still living on the home farm in Maryland. With the exception of our subjeet, her children, Calvin, Al- bert, Alice and Mary live with her.
The son, of whom we write, was the second child of the family. As soon as large enoughi he assisted in the farm work when not attending the district school, where he gleaned his early education. When but a boy in his teens, he went to work in a machine shop, and desirous to obtain more learn- ing, he carefully saved his earnings, and eventually had enough money to pay his way through college and became a student at Wittenberg, where he
devoted himself assiduously to his studies, attain- ing good rank in his classes, and was graduated in 1882. His ambition pointed to the bar, and he at once entered upon the study of law with J. K. Mower, and in 1885 was admitted to practice in the courts of this State. He opened at onee in this eity, and entered upon his professional career, in which he has met with sueh gratifying suceess. In 1887 he was selected to fill the position of Police Judge, as it was seen that he had qualities that pe- culiarly fitted him for the place, and so well did he administer the affairs of the office, that he was re- cleeted to the same position in 1889, and the fact that he ran ahead of the ticket shows his great pop- ularity. He presides with dignity and tact over the proceedings of the court, and his decisions are marked with even justiee, with a thorough knowl- edge of the law as applied to the class of eriminals that are tried under his jurisdiction, and he is in- flexible in the discharge of his official duties, and it is coneeded by all parties is ineorruptible. He is a man of social prominenee, and is a valued mem- ber of Clark Lodge, No. 101, A. F. & A. M .; of Springfield Chapter, No. 48, R. A. M., and of Springfield Council, No. 17, R. & S. M.
Judge Young was united in marriage with Miss Annie Baker in 1885, and thus seeured the sym- pathy and encouragement of a true wife. Mrs. Young was born in Frederick County, Md., and is a daughter of Jacob and Rachel Baker.
AMES FLEMING has for many years been prominently identified with the eivie life of Clark County, and of Springfield at va- rious times, and for a period of twelve years he has held the responsible office of Superin- tendent of the Clark County Infirmary, a position for which his executive ability, ealm judgment, resolute will, tempered by a kindly spirit, emi- nently fit him.
Our subjeet is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Westmoreland County, April 18, 1825, but, coming here while in his childhood, he was reared amid pioneer influences to a stalwart and self-
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reliant manhood. Archibald Fleming, his father, was born in Virginia, and went to Pennsylvania with his parents, who located in Indiana County, and there he was married. After that important event in his life he moved to Westmoreland County, and buying a farm devoted himself to ag- ricultural pursuits. He dealt extensively in stock, which was driven to the Philadelphia, Baltimore or New York markets, as there were no railways in those days. In 1833 he determined to try life in the more newly settled regions of Ohio, and with his wife and five children made his way to the Ohio with a team, and at Wheeling embarked, team and all, on a flatboat, and floated down the Ohio to Cincinnati, and from there proceeded with the team to Logan County, where he dicd a few months later, while yet in life's prime, and the pioneers of that section of Ohio were thus dc- prived of the aid of a capable, shrewd, far-sighted man. By this serions blow to the family the mother of our subject was left a widow with the care of five children, but she was a noble type of the resolute, self-sacrificing, capable pioneer wo- men who aided their fathers, husbands, sons and brothers in the upbuilding of this commonwealth, and she bravely shouldered her burden and kept the little band together till they were all able to support themselves. She came to Clark County, and located in Springfield Township, where she rented land, and with the aid of her children tilled the soil, and by various means contrived to sup- port the family. She spent her last years an hon- ored inmate in the home of our subject, dying here in 1875, at a ripe old age. Her maiden name was Margaret Walker, and she was born in In- diana County, Pa. She was the mother of six children, five of whom grew to manhood and wo- manhood, as follows: James, Eliza, Priscilla, Rob- ert and Andrew.
The son, of whom we write, was a child of eight years when he came to this county, and at nine years of age the sturdy, bright, self-helpful little lad began to assist his mother in supporting the family, and from that time went out to work on a farın till he was twenty years old, except in the winter, when he attended school, and by hard study gleaned a good, practical education. There
were no free schools here then, so he was obliged to carn the money to pay his way in the subscrip- tion schools. At the age of twenty he apprenticed himself to a plasterer to learn that trade, and then carried it on in this city on his own account till 1853, when he was elected constable, and had to devote his time to maintaining order among the unruly element of the place. In 1855 he was obliged to resign the office on account of ill-health, and he went to California, hoping to recuperate under the influence of its salubrious climate. He went by the way of New York and the Isthmus, landing at San Francisco, and making his way to the mountains, where he spent a year in mining. But his health did not improve, and he returned to this city, and subsequently established himself as a contractor in the line of his trade. He en- gaged in business till 1860, when he was elected Sheriff of the county, on the Republican ticket. He held that office four years, making a very effi- cient and popular official, and was a potent factor in preserving the peace, in enforcing the law, and bringing offenders to justice, besides these onerous duties, those of Civilian Provost Marshal devolved upon him, as he held that office at the same time. In the winter of 1865 he was ap- pointed Mayor of Springfield, to fill a vacancy, and in the following spring was elected, and so able was his administration of civic affairs that his fellow-citizens would have liked to retain him in the office, but the state of his health obliged him to decline renomination, and he was compelled to resign his position before the expiration of the term for which he was elected. IIe went to North- ern Minnesota to recuperate, and was there seven months, and then was appointed paymaster at Hastings, Minn., of the Hastings & Red River Railroad, and served in that capacity one year, and then took charge of a passenger train as a con- ductor, and held that position till 1869. In that year he returned to Springfield, and soon after was appointed Assistant United States Marshal, to assist in taking the United States census of 1870. In the spring of 1871 he was appointed Chief of Po- lice of Springfield, and under his vigorous and wise management this branch of the city govern- ment became remarkably efficient. He remained
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at the head of the force five years. He subse- quently accepted a position as one of the general agents of the Superior Drill Company, and was with them till 1878, when he was appointed Superintendent of the Clark County Infirmary, and is still an incumbent of the office. He is found to be the right man in the right place in this position, as under his careful supervision the institution is always in perfect running order, its affairs are always in good shape, and he looks care- fully after the comforts of the inmates, among whom he maintains perfect discipline, as they un- derstand that his word is law.
Mr. Fleming was married in November, 1845, to Miss Sarah McIntire, a native of this city, and a daughter of Samuel and Margaret McIntire, pio- neers of Springfield. In his wife, our subject has an invaluable coadjutor in his work, and one to whom he may justly attribute a part of his success in its prosecution. They have one son, James. Mr. and Mrs. Fleming are members of the High Street Methodist Episcopal Church, and generously contribute to its support, and are interested in all its good works. Mr. Fleming is identificd with the Masonic order, as a member of Clark Lodge, No. 101; and of Palestine Commandery, No. 33, K. T .; of Springfield Chapter, No. 48, R. A. M .; Springfield Council, No. 17, R. & S. M .; and also of the Society of A. A., Scottish Rite, 18th de- gree.
SAAC MILTON SPINING, deceased, was born in Springfield, Ohio, September 15, 1813, and there breathed his last March 1, 1878. He was reared in this city, receiving as thorough an education as could be obtained in its schools, and supplemented his education in the college at Ox- ford, Ohio. Mr. McGuffey, the school-book editor, was his uncle. After he had grown to man's estate he engaged in the hardware business at Find- lay, Hancock County, making that city his home for some years. He then returned to his native place, bought property and built a residence east of the city, where he lived retired until his death. The residence was erected during the war, since
which time the city limits have been extended far beyond it, and instead of being in the country, as it once was, it is now surrounded by fine dwell- ings. It is now occupied by Mrs. Spining and her youngest son, and No. 736 East High Street is known to a large circle as a home of refinement and good cheer.
The marriage of the late Mr. Spining took place January 5, 1851, his bride being Miss Harriet L. Taylor, a native of Hardwick, Vt. Her father, Pascal Taylor, was born in the same town, his father being John Taylor, who was an officer in the Custom House in Boston during the Revolu- tion, and was killed while serving his country. The father of Mrs. Spining learned the trade of a ship-builder, and removing to Cleveland in 1837, he carried on the business there until his death. His wife was Miss Mary Sweet, a native of Han- over, N. H., who died in 1838. To Mr. and Mrs. Spining five children were born-John is a farmer living in Conway Springs, Sumner County, Kan .; Pierson T., M.D., is now teaching Natural Sciences in the Springfield High School; William is a druggist at Peru, Ind .; Carrie married William De Vany, and lives in Chattanooga, Tenn .; Arthur remains at home.
Were this volume to be read only by those per- sonally acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Spining and their children, it would be unnecessary to speak of their character; but the purpose of a bio- graphical album is to leave a record for the instruc- tion and encouragement of those who follow, and perpetuate the memories of worthy citizens. We must therefore note that this couple have made many friends by their upright conduct, kindliness of heart, and interest in every good word and work, and that the death of Mr. Spining was heard with regret by a wide circle. He was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church, with which his wife and all their children are identi- fied.
Mr. Spining was of honorable ancestry, his grandfather having been Judge Isaac Spining, one of the earliest settlers in the Buckeye State. This gentleman located near Dayton, in Montgomery County, when there were neither railroads nor canals, and all produce was taken down the Miami
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and Ohio Rivers to New Orleans. On one occa- sion he built a flatboat at what is now the head of Main Street, Dayton, and floated it down to New Orleans, where he shipped liis cargo on a sailing- vessel to Boston, taking passage on the same boat. After disposing of his flour at the Hub he went to Philadelphia, and there bought a stock of goods, returning to his home without unnecessary delay, yet having been absent six months. Ilis wife was Catherine Pierson, and both spent their last years in Montgomery County.
The father of I. M. Spining was born in Eliza- bethtown, N. J., and christened by his mother's maiden name. He was quite young when his par- ents removed to Ohio, and after he grew to man- hood he became a merchant in Middletown, Montgomery County. There he married Miss Mary Schooley, in 1812, the next year coming to Springfield, and opening the first dry-goods house in this city. He bought his goods in Philadelphia, and in going there took the quickest and easiest way --- i e., on horseback. LIe was lame, and always rode a side saddle. His goods were transported across the mountains by teams, and thence con- veyed down the Ohio River to Cincinnati, where teams were again brought into requisition to bring them to their destination. The freight from Phila- delphia was $6 per hundred.
Pierson Spining was very successful and accu- mulated a large fortune, at one time owning the greater part of the land now included in Spring- field. In 1830 he erected a large hotel building, for that period, known as the Buckeye House, which he operated for a time. He finally became a contractor on public works, by which he lost heavily, a large part of his fortune being swept away. In 1827 he built a fine dwelling on East High Street, opposite the Methodist Episcopal Church, where he died in 1857. He was Justice of the Peace some years, and a man of note in this section of the country, esteemed as an honorable and energetic business man and reliable citizen. Ilis wife was born in New Jersey, January 28, 1790, and during the same year her parents emi- grated to the Northwest Territory, settling in Columbia about five miles east of Cincinnati. Her father built a flatboat at Brownsville, Pa., and floated
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