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 63
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 63
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Mr. Gaunce dates his entrance into the newspaper
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field from 1876, when he purchased the good-will and plant of the Democrat-News of Xenia. As editor and publisher he conducted the paper until 1881, when he sold out, but in October, 1883, re- purchased the plant. During and for some years after the late war Mr. Gaunce acted with the Republican party, but since 1872 has voted with the Democracy. He was appointed Postmaster of Xenia, January 1, 1886, by President Grover Cleveland, and attended to the duties of the office with efficiency and to the satisfaction of the public until October, 1889, when he was removed for political reasons.
Mr. Gaunce was married in June, 1880, to Miss Sarah L., daughter of Abraham and Mary A. (Stuart) Roseberry, of Dayton, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Roseberry were natives respectively of Vir- ginia and Ohio, and are now deceased. Mr. Gannce and his wife occupy a pleasant home in the Second Ward of Xenia, and are well known and highly respected not only in their immediate community but in different parts of the county and State. Religiously, Mr. Gaunce inclines to the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while Mrs. Gaunee is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church.
6 HOMAS J. KIRKPATRICK. The Farm and Fireside, published in Springfield, is circulated far and wide, and although many of its readers may not be familiar with the name, they are yet well acquainted with the name of Thomas Kirkpatrick, its managing editor. Although still a comparatively young man, being not yet thirty-five years of age, lie has been engaged in editorial work for some fourteen years, and was probably one of the youngest editors in the coun- try when he began his labors in that line. To his devoted mother is due the formation of his moral character and his business habits, and she also by the labor of her own hands secured to him the benefits of education. His father left home when Thomas was but four years old and engaged in mining on the Pacific Coast. He contributed to the support of the family as far as he was able; but not
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meeting with great success in his operations the support of the family in a large part devolved upon the motlier.
The maternal grandparents of our subject moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio in an early day, and in the latter State Miss Fannie Aley was born. She married Joshua M. Kirkpatrick, a native of Vir- ginia, and to them, in Dayton, a son was born, September 23, 1855. This is he who owes not only the greater part of his sustenance during boyhood, but all that is best in his manhood, to a mother's love and devotion. About the 1st of June, 1870, being thien fifteen years of age and unwilling to burden his mother longer, young Kirkpatrick en- tered the United Brethren publishing house to learn the printing business. After completing the printer's trade, he entered the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity, at Delaware, pursuing his studies two years, during which time he mastered the art of stenography in addition to the regular course of study.
In the spring of 1871 Mr. Kirkpatrick entered tlie employ of his uncle, P. P. Mast, as his private secretary, and his experience in printing secured to him the control of the private printing office of P. P. Mast & Co., which was put in the following spring. The subsequent fall Mr. Mast announced in the presence of his nephew his intention to employ a stenographic amanuensis. Mr. Kirkpatrick at once requested that the position be held for him, and within three months he had acquired the art, this being prior to the completion of the studies which he pursued at the University, which alternated with employment, by which he supported himself.
Mr. Kirkpatrick, as soon as competent, assumed the duties of stenographer, and held the position until the summer of 1874, when the firm under- took the publication of the Farm and Fireside, a semi-monthly paper, of which our subject was given the editorial charge. Two years later the paper sold out to the present firm, which is composed of P. P. Mast, J. S. Crowell and T. J. Kirkpatrick, the latter continuing to act in an editorial capac- ity. The publication is a neat one, containing much matter of value to agriculturists, together with interesting articles for the household, the latter including poetry, short prose articles, housekeeping
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hints, etc. It has reached a eirculation of nearly two hundred and forty thousand eopies, in the pub- lication of which a large force is required. The building occupied by the plant is a large four-story brick structure of modern design and architectural beauty. The firm also publishes the Ladies' Home' Companion, a handsome illustrated ladies' paper, issued semi-monthly, which is fast aequiring an enormous circulation. At present its regular issue exceeds one hundred thousand copies. Mr. Kirk- patrick has editorial charge of this paper also, as he has of all the publications of the firm.
Mr. Kirkpatrick was married May 8, 1877, to Miss S. Corinna Reid, of Jackson, Mich., and dangh- ter of William B. Reid, Esq., and who is but two montlis her husband's junior. Mrs. Kirkpatrick was born in the city of Raleigh, N. C., November 25, 1855, and removed with her parents to Ohio when a little girl. Thence, later, they went to Michigan. Of this union there was born one ehild, a daughter, Hazel. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick are influential members of Trinity Baptist Church. Our subject has been prominently connected with wheeling and is the inventor of the Kirkpatrick bicycle saddle, which has been in universal use for several years. He is also prominently connected with the League of the American Wheelmen, and was President of the organization two ternis. So- cially, he belongs to the Knights of Pythias. The little family occupies a neat and pleasant home at No. 343 South Limestone Street.
6
OHN N. STOCKSTILL, M. D. The fact -- that Dr. Stockstill has been a successful practitioner of New Carlisle, Clark County, for the long period of over forty-eight years, is sufficient indication of his standing among the people. He not only stands high in his pro- fession, but also in church and social circles, and there are few old residents of the county to whom his face and form are not familiar. He was born in Bethel Township, Miami County, this State, three miles south of New Carlisle, October 16, 1815, and is thus a veteran of nearly seventy-five
years. He comes of a good family, being the son of Thomas and Catherine (Hain) Stockstill, the former of whom was born about nine miles from Baltimore, Md.
When the father of our subject was about nine years old, his parents removed to North Carolina, and from there to Fayette County, Tenn., where they spent the remainder of their lives. It is a fact somewhat singular that although Thomas Stockstill was of Southern birth, ancestry and training, he, when having attained to years of thought and discretion, became bitterly opposed to slavery, and as early as 1802 left the seenes of his childhood and youth for a section of country untainted by the peculiar institution. Coming then to Miami County, this State, he located in what is now Bethel township, purchasing one lun- dred acres of land, at $3 per acre, whereon he set- tled and thereafter lived until called from earth, December 20, 1860, at the age of seventy-eight years, six months and eleven days. He was pros- pered financially, and at his death left one hun- dred and eighty acres of land with excellent improvements. During his younger days he served in the War of 1812. When but a boy he united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he was a Class-Leader for more than sixty-five years. In politics he was first a Whig, until the abandon- ment of the old party, and thereafter he was a stanch Republiean.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Zebedialı Stockstill, a native of England, who em- igrated to America during the Colonial days, and spent his last years in Tennessee. He died in 1832, leaving a large number of slaves and extensive land property. The next year his son Thomas journeyed to Tennesse on horseback to settle the estate. All the slaves that fell to him in the divi- sion of the negro property were set free, and in accordance with the law he was obliged to give security for their good behavior if left in the State, the majority, however, were sent to free States. Slaves were bringing a high price at that time, and Thomas Stockstill paid $1500 for young Dave, son of old Dave and Nell, who had raised a large family, and whose care in old age was made a condition for the purchase and setting free
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of young Dave by his new master, the parents like- wise being liberated.
A second trip was made by the father of our subject to Tennessee. in 1835. when the final set- tlement of the affairs took place. and young John accompanied him to visit a host of relatives he had never seen. The father used often to say to his children that slavery would be the cause of the greatest war that a nation was ever scourged with and that he did not wish to live to see it. It seemed providential that his death took place in December, 1860, but three months before the be- ginning of the conflict that was to prove a fulfill- ment of his prophecy.
Mrs. Catherine (Hain) Stockstill, the mother of our subject was born in North Carolina, and died in Miami County, Ohio, March 20, 1843. Her father, Leonard Hain, likewise a native of North Carolina, was one of the first settlers of Clark County, this State, coming hither in 1801, while it was still a territory. He took up land from the Government, and with his good wife suffered the hardships and privations of frontier life, but finally was rewarded in being able to build up a comfortable home where he first settled, and where he and his wife spent the closing years of their lives.
Eight children were born to the parents of our subject, all of whom lived to mature years, and five of whom survive. They were named respect- ively-Elias, Rachel, Sarah, Susan, John N., Ste- phen, Irwin and Catherine. John N., our subject, was the fifth in order of birth. He was rearcd on the farm in his native township, and received a good education, completing his studies in the High school at Springfield. Subsequently he taught school and read medicine for five years, and finally entered the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, from which he was graduated in 1842. He con- menced the practice of his chosen profession in New Carlisle, and from that day his course has been steadily onward, and he has probably treated more cases than any other man within the county. His uniform success, good judgment, close atten- tion to the duties of his profession and prompt- ness in meeting the calls made upon him, soon placed him upon a solid footing both socially and
financially. He is prominently connected with the Clark County Medical Society, and the Ohio State Medical Association. He has always been fond of agricultural pursuits, and during the early days wisely invested a portion of his capital in land, from which he built up a good farm, the op- erations of which he has always superintended, and which has been the source of a comfortable income.
During the first two years of Dr. Stockstill's practice he devoted his leisure time to macerating the bones of an entire human skeleton, which he had dissected while in college. He then wired the bones together making an entire artificial skeleton, and securing in the process a fine review of osteo- logy. The skeleton he thus made now hangs in a case in his office, probably being the only one put up in the State by a practitioner of medicinc.
Dr. Stockstill cast his first Presidential vote for William Henry Harrison, being then a member of the old Whig party. Upon the organization of the Republican party he wheeled over into its ranks, and has since been one of its most ardent defenders. After having practiced medicine about fourteen years he was unanimously nominated to represent Clark County in the Ohio Legislature, and, while there was no doubt of his being elected, he declined to run for the office. He was next unanimously nominated to act as Treasurer of . Clark County, but this he also declined to accept, and ever afterward he neither desired or would accept any office, although frequently solicited to do so. For years he has been a member of the Presbyterian Church, at New Carlisle, and is en- deavoring to live a consistent life.
For more than forty-two years there has been steadily traveling by the side of onr subject, a most worthy lady, who in her girlhood was Miss Juliet Hay, and to whom he was joined in wedlock February 25, 1847. Mrs. Stockstill was born in New Carlisle, September 12, 1825, and is a daugh- ter of John and Mary (Smith) Hay, who were na- tives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Hay left the Blue Grass State at an early day, and were among the first settlers of New Carlisle. The father de- parted this life in 1845, and the mother in 1849. The parental household included seven children;
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six daughters and one son, four of whom are now living. The son, H. C. Hay, deceased, is kept in memory by the Grand Army Post at New Car- lisle, which is named for him.
Four children came to bless the union of our subjeet and his estimable wife, the eldest of whom, a son William, and a very capable business man, is operating a planing-mill at New Carlisle; Clara is the wife of Giles T. Collins, a liveryman of Muncie, Ind .; Edgar and Ilarry are engaged in merchandising at New Carlisle.
SAAC K. FUNDERBURGH. He with whose name we introduce this biographical outline may be properly designated as "a gentleman to the manor born." He is in the enjoyment of large means, and has a pleasant home loeated one-eighth of a mile east of the corporation limits of New Carlisle, Clark County. There he is surrounded by all the comforts of life, and lives in a manner mueh less pretentious perhaps than his means might justify.
Mr. Funderburgh was born near Donnelville, in Bethel Township, Clark County, this State, De- cember 27, 1839. His parents, Daniel and Diana (Keplinger) Funderburg, were also natives of Clark County, where the father aeeumulated a large property and spent his entire life in farming pur- suits. He, however, sojourned one year in Mt. Ætna, Ind., but finally coneluded there was no lo- eation so desirable in all respects as his native place. He was a self-made man in the broadest sense of the term, working his way up to an honorable position in life, and became one of the leading men in his community. From boyhood until his death he was an active member of the German Baptist Church. When becoming a voter he iden- tified himself with the old Whig party and after its abandonment, became a Republican.
The paternal grandfather of our subjeet, Jaeob Funderburgh, by name, and his estimable wife, were natives of Maryland. They emigrated to Ohio in the early part of the present century, settling
near the present site of Donnelsville, Clark County, where they spent the remaider of their days. Dan- iel, the father of our subjeet, was one of the younger of a large family of children. The mother who was born in Bethel Township, Clark County, also died there. To her and her husband there were born ten ehildren, viz: John, Saloma, Eliza, these are all deceased; Isaae K., Jacob, Anthony; Abram, deceased; Diana and Daniel, twins, the latter of whom is deeeased; and George K.
The subject of this notice was the fourth child of the parental family. He was reared on the farm, and obtained- only a limited education pursuing his studies in a log schoolhouse, built in primitive style, under the imperfect system of that day. He grew up strong in hody and healthy in mind and chose farming for his vocation. He has been very suecess- ful, and is the owner of three hundred and twenty- four broad aeres on seetion 28, Bethel Township, just outside the corporation of New Carlisle. This is looked upon as one of the most valuable farms in Clark County. Besides this property Mr. Funderburgh also owns one hundred and sixtyacres of fine grazing land in Pike Township, and three hundred and twenty acres ncar Stewart, Col.
Mr. Funderburgh for many years was engaged in the live-stoek business, buying selling and shipping extensively. Some years ago he established a liv- ery business in New Carlisle, which has also grown to goodly proportions, and which is the leading establishment of its kind in the town. He is the lessee of the flouring-mills in New Carlisle, whieli he operates to good advantage, and he is also en- gaged as an undertaker and in the furniture busi- ness.
Among the men who are the first to support any worthy enterprise, Mr, Funderburgh has also been found a leader. He is liberal and public-spirited, and has performed no unimportant part in the growth of his town. Besides the interests already mentioned,he has a share in two steam threshing out- fits which do a lively business in the fall of the year. Without making any pretentions to education, Mr. Funderburgh, by keeping his eyes open to what is going on around him, is fully qualified to transact any ordinary business, having been endowed by nature with a fund of strong common sense, which
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is at all times reliable. Hc gives liberally to char- itable objects, and in proportion to his means has done as much for the poor and unfortunate as any man in the county.
Although not connected with any religious or- ganization, Mr. Funderburgh believes in the estab- lishment and maintenance of churches, and especially favors the German Baptist Church, of which he is a regular attendant, and to which the various members of his family belong. For many years he has been connected with the Masonic fra- ternity in which he is a Knight Templar. He was a member and President of the School Board at New Carlisle, during the erection of the High School building, and in the spring of 1890 he was elected a Trustee of Bethel Township on the Rc- publican ticket, receiving the largest majority ever given a candidate for this office.
Nearly twenty-nine years ago Mr. Funderburgh was wedded to Miss Hester Frantz, the wedding taking place at the bride's home in Bethel Town- ship, May 9, 1861. This lady was born January 13, 1844, in Bethel Township, and is the daughter of the Rev. John and Anna (Ohmart) Frantz, who werc natives of Ohio, and are now deceased. Mr. Frantz was a minister of the German Baptist Church, and attained to some distinction in his calling. To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born nine children, namely: Will- iam, Samuel, Harry, Ursula, Charles, Irwin, Ed- ward, Anna and Clarence. Samuel died in infancy, and Irwin dicd at the age of fifteen years. William, Harrison, Ursula and Charles are married and live in this county, the others are at home with their parents.
S COTT GOODFELLOW. This gentleman stands prominently among the live-stock in_ terests of Clark County as one of the most successful breeders of finc horses within its limits. He handles principally French, Norman, English Shire and Yorkshire coach horses, mostly importations from England and France, and has for this purpose one of the finest farms in Harmony Township, comprising two hundred and sixty acres
and located one mile northeast of Plattsburg. He has also finely-equipped stables, roomy pastures and every convenience for prosecuting his calling after the most approved methods, while his thorough knowledge of the requirements of the equine race have placed him in an enviable position as a breeder in this part of the Buckeye State.
The subject of this notice was born May 7, 1853, in Harmony Township, and is the son of Thomas and Mary (Sexton) Goodfellow, the former of whom was likewise a native of Harmony Township and born February 27, 1813. His wife, Mary, was a native of Canada, and born near the city of Mont- real. The paternal grandfather was Moore Good- fellow a native of Ireland, who emigrated to America in boyhood and who settled in Harmony Township in 1800, before Ohio had been admitted into the Union as a Statc. He was a good manager financially and accumulated nearly six hundred acres of land. He was married in early manhood to Miss Anna Nicholson who bore him nine children, five sons and four daughters, all of whom lived to mature years and rcared families. Grandfather Goodfellow served in the War of 1812 and spent his last days in Ohio.
Thomas Goodfellow, the father of our subject, inherited many of the sturdy qualities of his sire and became a prominent man in his township, serv- ing as Justice of the Peace and occupying other positions of trust and responsibility. He is still living and is the owner of six hundred broad acres of valuable land lying in LIarmony Township. The wife and he reside in Harmony Township. There were born to them five sons and three daughters, viz .: George, Alice, Dora, Clara, Manley, John, Scott and Andrew, all of whom lived to mature ycars and seven of whom still survive.
The subject of this notice remained a member of the parental household until reaching his majority and then started out in life for himself. When past twenty-two years old he was married, October 11, 1875, to Miss Anna B., daughter of John and Jane (Nicholson ) Smith. Three children have been born of this union: Harry, Jessie and Walter. In addition to the breeding of fine horses Mr. Good- fellow raises annually large numbers of swine. He keeps himself posted in regard to live-stock matters
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and takes a pardonable pride in his achievements in this line. He is one of those men never content to stand still, but is always devising some new method in connection with his calling which will benefit not only himself, but those around him. He has very little time to give to politics, but at the general election usually supports the candidates of the Re- publican party.
G EORGE W. HARPER, President of the Bank of Cedarville, Greene County, was the chief mover in the establishment of this in- stitution which was started in 1888, and which is already doing an extensive business. It is thic only bank in the village and deals in exchange, loans and discounts, also making collections throughout the United States and having correspondence with New York and Cincinnati. Mr. Harper is one of the prominent men of this county and by his en- terprise and liberality has largely aided its growth and prosperity. There are many interesting events connected with his life and antecedents which are well worth preserving to the family.
The subject of this notice was born May 30, 1825, on Massey's Creek, near Selma, this county, and has spent his entire life in the place of liis birth. He took up his abode in Cedarville in 1865, and is now the owner of a number of fine farms in this vicinity, all of which property lie has gathered together by his own exertions. He was the third in a family of five children, the offspring of Thomas and Mary (Surlat) Harper, who were na- tives respectively of Virginia and Maryland. The paternal grand father was John Harper after whom Harper's Ferry, Va., was named. The ferry dur- ing the early days was owned by his brother Thomas, who operated a boat at that point many years prior to his death.
Grandfather Harper was a stern old patriot and carried a musket in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He came to this county in the pioneer days and spent the closing years of his life in Ross Township, Greene County, Ohio. On his mother's side the grandparents of our subject
were George and Elizabeth Surlat, whom it is prob- able were natives of Maryland and who traced their ancestry to France. The Harpers are of Welsh extraction.
George W. remained under the parental roof until a youth of eighteen years and had, even at that early age, evinced more than ordinary business capacity. He now proceeded to Indiana on an en- terprise of his own and purchasing a lot of cattle, drove them to Lancaster, Pa., where he sold them at a good profit. IIe repeated the experiment with like success and finally extended his operations as far as Springfield, Ill., driving cattle through from that point to Philadelphia, Pa. In the meantime when in Springfield, he boarded in the same house with Abraham Lincoln, whose acquaintance he formed and with whom he became upon terms of friendship. Mr. Harper recalls many incidents connected with that acquaintance, remembering the martyred President as a man of most kindly im- pulses and one whose genuine goodness of heart was iccognized by all.
Young Harper continued in the cattle trade for about eight years and then commenced buying land in this county. Ile had in the meantime pur- chased land warrants for eighteen hundred acres in Illinois and sold this at a good profit. He is now the owner of twelve hundred acres in this State the greater part of which is in Greene County, and he has twenty-five hundred acres in Missouri which is well improved. He has always been warmly inter- ested in the development of his town and county and has put up a number of fine buildings in Cedar- ville, including his residence-a handsome modern structure, set in the midst of ample grounds and which forms one of the attractive features of that town. This is a brick structure, 40x60 feet in di- mensions, two stories in height and finely finished within and without. It was completed in the fall of 1880.
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