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 71

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 71
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 71

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).

until his death, which took place in October 1886. The mother passed away in 1849. The family consisted of six children, the eldest of whom, a son, William J. W., is a resident of Champaign County, this State; Mary E. is the wife of Thomas M. Todd; Thomas is a farmer hy occupation; Jennie E. is the wife of J. P. Knight; James H., as well as the others, is a resident of the above-mentioned county. Douglas W. was the youngest born.

Mr. Rawlings lived at the home farm with his parents, assisting in the labors thereof until a youth of seventeen years, and thereafter for three winters occupied himself as a teacher in the district schools. His early advantages were far inferior to those en- joyed by the youth of the present day, but he made the most of his opportunities and learned largely from the reading of instructive books and keeping his eyes open to what was going on around him in the world. When a young man of twenty-four he was ready to establish a home of his own and was accordingly married, August 8, 1867, to Miss Mary A., daughter of the Rev. Gilbert C. Townley. Mr. Townley was an itinerant minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church and after laboring faithfully in the Master's vineyard died November 2, 1854. Mrs Townley is still living, making her home with her son-in-law, our subject.

To Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings there have been born four children, the eldest of whom, a son, Charles, died in October, 1882, at the age of fifteen years. Minnie A., Jennie E. and Douglas W., Jr., remain at home with their parents. Mr. Rawlings imme- diately after his marriage repaired to Bloomington, Ill., where he engaged as a teacher one year, then returning to Ohio located on his present farm in Moorefield Township, Clark County. He has since been continuously engaged in agricultural pursuits and besides developing a very fine farm, has an ele- gant residence which with its surroundings forms one of the most attractive homes in the county. He started in life practically without means, and as the architect of his own fortunes presents an example well worthy of imitation as illustrating the results of energy and perseverance. He has been a Re- publican since becoming a voting citizen and for years has been prominent in the local affairs of Clark County, serving two terms as County Com-

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missioner and occupying other positions of trust and responsibility. Both he and his estimable wife arc members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, attending services at Moorefield Chapel. To this he has given a liberal support and has served in the various church offiees, being at present-Recording Steward of the circuit.

After the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Raw- lings in May, 1862, enlisted in Company H, Eighty- sixth Ohio Infantry, which was assigned mostly to guard duty in West Virginia under Gen. Terry. On account of ill health he returned home after receiving his honorable discharge, but in May, 1864, re-enlisted with the one hundred days' men in Com- pany G, One Hundred and Eighty-fourth Ohio In- fantry and served about four months under Gen. Butler, along the James and Appomattox Rivers. With the exception of one skirmish with the rebels at Ft. Walthill, he saw no active service and re- ceived his honorable discharge August 31, 1864.

Personally Mr. Rawlings is a gentleman of fine address, courteous and hospitable and entertains broad and liberal views upon the leading questions of the day. He is considered a man of more than ordinary intelligence and unusual business abilities and his integrity is unquestioned. As a legislator, he is an industrious worker and a deep thinker, and it is evident that he is aiming to justify to the full- est extent the choice of his constituents to represent the interests of the people. He is looked upon as one of the most public-spirited men of Clark County, with whose interests he has been closely identified since early manhood and he may justly feel that he has been no unimportant factor in pro- moting its best interests. He is in the prime of life and in the midst of his usefulness and greater things are expected of him in the future.

In connection with the personal sketch of the Hon. Mr. Rawlings, are presented lithographie por- traits of himself and his wife.

D AVID BRADFUTE. This gentleman has the reputation of being the best stock-raiser in Greene County, his business being conducted under the firm name of D. Bradfute & Son, the

junior member of the firm being Oscar E., a young man of considerable ability and much energy. The estate of Mr. Bradfute is finely situated about half way between Cedarville and Yellow Springs, and the five hundred acres of fine land which comprise it have been brought under a high state of cultiva- tion by his efforts. On the land are three barns for the protection of stock, besides a number of sheds, cribs and other edificcs, all being of the best con- struction and models. The stock includes a herd of thoroughbred Polled Angus cattle, the six cows be- ing imported, and the bull from the celebrated herd of W. M. D. Lee of Leavenworth, Kan, The ani- mal is named Don Cameron and is registered No. 6295; he takes the first premium in all the local county fairs and is one of two animals that were selected at the State Fair, the prize finally being awarded to the Short-horn. Among thie cows is the celebrated prize animal, Lilly Third of Wester Lochiel, No, 6055, which came from the herd of Peter Dunn of Wester Lochiel, Scotland, and in the Scotch registry is numbered 6800. At the State Fair in Columbus in 1889,she took the grand sweep stakes prize for cows in the beef-producing class, six of the best cows in the world being entered. Many other cattle of fine stock, among them twenty- two head of registered Polled Angus animals, are on the place. Some fine Chester-white hogs and about three hundred head of sheep are also to be seen.

The subject of this notice is a son of William and Elizabeth Bradfute. His father came to this county from Kentucky when but a small boy, in or- der to become an inmate of the family of his uncle, John Knox. He learned the trade of a carpenter and built many of the old houses now standing in this vicinity, among the monuments to liis skill being some fine buildings yet standing on the place adjoining that occupied by our subject. He ac- quired considerable reputation as a stock-raiser, being among the first men in this county to import Short-horn Durham cattle. This was about forty- five years ago, when our subject was a small boy. About the year 1827, William Bradfute married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Jolin Anderson of Scotland, in which country Miss Elizabeth was born in 1806. Her parents came to this county in 1818,

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settling on the place adjoining that on which our subject now lives, but afterward removing to Clif- ton. where she was married and began her wedded life. Two years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Bradfute moved to his farm, where his widow is still living, his death having occurred in 1872.

James Anderson, the eldest brother of Mrs. Bradfute, came to this neighborhood, walking from Cleveland to this place, and after securing land re- turned the same way. He then went back to Dun- dee, Scotland, and induced the rest of the family to come across the ocean. He lived to he eighty-six years of age and was noted throughout this region for his powers of endurance. When he was coming to the county the boat on which he had taken pas- sage left him at Buffalo and he started off on foot, reaching the next station in advance of the craft. At one time, being in Cincinnati and having lost all his money by the failure of a firm there, he started after breakfast one morning and walked all the way home, a distance of a little more than sixty miles, reaching his destination in time to take sup- per. There was snow on the ground and his shoes giving out, his feet bled so that he could have been tracked by the blood on the snow.

David Bradfute was educated for a farmer and stock-raiser, in whichi oceupations he has gained so wide a repute. He was married March 19, 1861, to Miss Martha E., daughter of William Collins, who was one of the very oldest settlers in this county. The estimable and devoted wife and mother died September 6. 1879, leaving two chil- dred, Oscar E. and Lydia. The son is finely edu- eated, being a graduate of the University at Bloomington, Ind., and brings his knowledge into excellent use as a partner of his father in the stock business. He is a member of the County Board of Agriculture, having been elected when his father re- fused to serve longer in a capacity in which he had acted for twenty years. Miss Lydia who still re- mains with her father, is also educated and accom- plished being a graduate of Washington Female Seminary. The second wife of Mr. Bradfute was in her girlhood Miss Hannah M. Nesbit. She is an estimable woman having been carefully reared and educated. Her father, Samuel Nesbit was well known as a merchant in Cedarsville for many years.

Her union with our subject has been a childless one. Slic and her husband belong to the United Presbyterian Church attending at Clifton, the fa- ther of our subject belonged to the old Seceder Church. Mr. Bradfute has heen a Republican for many years. The enterprise, intelligence and up- right characters of the members of this household are such as to entitle them to that which they re- ceive, a high degree of respect and admiration.

E DMUND H. KEIFER. Even in a county where intelligence is the rule, there are some men who are regarded as superior in intel- lectual culture to the great mass of citizens and who therefore possess greater prominence and wield greater influence than others. When to this men- tal development are added pleasing manners, good social qualities and the energetic nature which makes a success of whatever employment the man enters upon, he is almost certain to be looked upon with great respect and to be known far and wide as an honor to the community. Such is the case with the subject of this biographical sketch, who, aside from his personal qualities, is respected on account of his family connections, several of whom are highly honored in the Nation. To those interested in public affairs the name of his cousin, J. Warren Keifer, ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, ' is familiar; while his father, Gen. John Keifer, is remembered for his high official station in the Ohio Militia and as United States Marshal for this dis- trict.

In 1805, George and Margaret (Ilivner) Keifer, left Maryland for the Buckeye State, settling on Mad River, about six miles west of Springfield. The farm which they occupied until death is now owned by Leander Baker and forms a part of Bethel Township, Clark County. George Keifer fought for his country in the second struggle for the relief from Britishi tyranny. At the death of this most worthy couple the farm became the prop- erty of their son John, who was born in Maryland in 1800, but reared in this section, amid the pio- neer surroundings of the first quarter of the cen-

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tury. He not only filled the high station of which we have before spoken, but was an influential mem- ber of the society in this vicinity, honored as a man of natural ability, upright life and great use- fulness. He took the United States census in this county in 1860.

Gen. Keifer married Elizabeth, daughter of John Donnel, one of the first pioneers in this section, who helped survey this and the adjoining counties, and owned the instruments with which Cincinnati was surveyed. These are now in the possession of Mrs. Thomas Keyser, of Springfield. Mrs. Keifer was born in Springfield Township, four miles west of the town of the same name, on a farm now owned by A. Holcomb. She bore her husband six children, two of whom are yet living -- John D. and Edmund H. The former married Nancy Crane, who was born and reared on Mad River, this county ; their home is in Kansas and their family comprises nine children. Gen. Keifer and his wife died within three weeks of each other, the husband breathing his last June 9, 1865, and his widow June 29.

The gentleman with whose name this sketch is introduced was born in Springfield Township, Feb- ruary 19, 1835, on the farm which had been his inother's birthplace and early home. His parents thoroughly appreciated the advantages of a good education and after completing the course of study which could be pursued in the common schools, he was sent to Antioch College, Yellow Springs, where for two terms he was under the instruction of the noted educator, Horace Mann. The most stupid lad could scarcely fail under such circum- stances to be inspired with grand ideas of the object and use of knowledge, and the manner in which one's surroundings should ever be made helpful toward a higher development of the mental powers. The bright mind and early training of young Keifer were a fertile soil for the growth of such ideas and they have born much fruit in his life.

Mr. Keifer remained with his parents until after his marriage which took place January 11, 1859, when he settled for a year on the old homestead. He then removed to Mad River Township and re- mained there for two years, and in 1865, took pos-

session of his present estate which is located on section 6, Green Township. There were no im- provements on the place and a part of it was not yet cleared. His original acreage here has been added to, the estate now comprising three hundred and thirty seven acres and bcaring excellent im- provements. The two family residences and two tenant houses, together with all the barns and other buildings were erected by the present owner, his own dwelling having been put up in the fall of 1871, at the cost of $2,500. Mr. Keifer still su- perintends the estate, on which are to be found some excellent grades of horses, cattle and hogs. In addition to the fine estate liere, he owns a livery barn in Springfield and considerable real estate in Washington, D. C.

The National Capital has been frequently vis- ited by Mr. Keifer and since he began investing there he makes about four trips yearly. On the last occasion he was in the wreck of the Baltimore & Ohio train near Newark, Ohio, on March 14, 1890, but fortunately escaped serious injury. Dur- ing the Civil War he belonged to the Ohio National Guards and sent a substitute into the Union Army. His judgment concurs in the principles embodied in the Democratic platform, and liis ballot is given to that party. Hc is an ardent temperance man, although not a supporter of the third party. For many years he acted as School Director of the district in which he lives and he also belonged to the Board of Education of the Township. He is not identified with any religious body, although his wife and children are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

It would be natural to suppose that this gentle- man would choose as a life companion a lady of cul- tured intellect and manners, and such an one presides over his hospitable home. She was known in her girlhood as Miss Bethenia Miller, was born in this county January 1, 1842, and received a part of her intellectual training in Springfield Seminary. She is a daughter of R. S. and Elizabeth (Shella- barger) Miller. Her mother was a sister of Judge Shellabarger, of Washington, D. C., who was form- erly a Congressman from this district and who is now a very prominent lawyer, practicing before the United States Supreme Court exclusively, and hav-

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ing as a partner Judge Wilson. Mrs. Miller died in September, 1879, leaving three children, two of whom yet survive. They are-Mrs. George Hnm- phreys, of Urbana, and Mrs. Keifer, the wife of the subject of this sketch. Mr. Miller is still living and is now seventy-seven years of age. Maggie, who married Dr. A. A. Baker, was the oldest child, and departed this life in March, 1888.

Mr. and Mrs. Keifer are the parents of three children, of whom we note the following: Anna M. married John T. Stewart, son of Perry Stewart, whose sketch will be found elsewhere in this book. Their home is in Greencastle, Ind., where Mr. Stewart owns an electric light plant. Lizzie D. is the wife of F. P. Whitehead, to whom she has borne one cluld; their home is in Springfield, Ohio. Shella G., a young man now nineteen years old, is a student in Antioch College.

W ILLIAM J. MILLER. Many of the lead- ing men of this county are its native-born citizens as in the case of Mr. Miller, who was born May 4, 1834, in the northwest part of Bea- ver Creek Township, Grecne County. His parents were James and Sarah (Harner) Miller, and his father came to this region during its pioneer days. James Miller, a native of Greencastle, Pa., was born September 15, 1807, and his wife, Sarah, was born in Beaver Creek Township, this county, December 17, 1802, the same year that Ohio was admitted into the Union as a State. The father of our sub- ject in his journey to this county was accompan- ied by the well-known John Harbine, one of its earliest pioneers. Mr. Miller occupied himself as a carpenter and was married to Miss Harner about 1840. He had secured one hundred and thirteen acres of land-that upon which his son now resides -and where he settled with his young wife, they beginning housekeeping together in truc pioncer style.

James Miller opened up a good farm from the wilderness where he and his estimable wife spent the remainder of their days. Mr. Miller died about 1870 at the age of sixty-seven years. Up to

the beginning of the Civil War he had affiliated with the Democratic party, but not being able to harmonize with the Democracy on the questions of Union and slavery, ne wheeled over into the Re- publican ranks, remaining there until the close of his life. The mother died about 1870.

The parental household of our subject consisted of two children only, William J. and Sarah J., the latter being the wife of John Davis and living in Beaver Creek Township. James Miller had three brothers: William, Matthew, and Robert. Robert located first in Greene County, Ohio, and from there went to Logansport where he remained until his death. The Miller family is of German and Scotch ancestry, from which countries respectively the pa- ternal grandparents of William J. emigrated at an early day.

Mr. Miller has spent his entire life upon the farm where he now lives. He attended the district school during his boyhood and youth and obtained a practical knowledge of agriculture, which with his habits of industry have made him a successful and independent farmer. He is largely interested in Poland-China swine and has carried off the blue, and red ribbons at the County Fairs. The head of Mr. Miller's herd of swine has taken the red ribbon at the Ohio, Indiana and Illinois State Fairs. He has made of this industry a specialty for the past seven years. His farm buildings are ample and convenient and he avails himself of modern methods and improved machinery in all his operations.

Mr. Miller was first married in 1864 to Miss Anna Prugh. She was born in Montgomery, Ohio, and was the daughter of Peter and Charlotte ( Mitchell) Prugh who were among the earliest pioneers of that seetion. They came hither from Maryland where Mr. Prugh had learned the trade of a shoemaker and which he followed in connection with farming after coming to this State. His family included three sons and four daughters, of whom Miss Anna was the youngest born. Of her union with our subjeet there was born one child, a son, Jolın G., and the mother passed away seventeen months after her marriage; this son is now in Beaver Creek Township.

The second marriage of Mr. Miller occurred in 1868 with Miss Sarah E., daughter of Jacob and !

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Elizabeth (Getter) Steele of this county. Six children were born of this umon, viz .: Jessie F., Willian L., Clarence Orphus, James L., Sarah Eliza- beth, and Annettie G., the latter deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Miller are both connected with the Re- formed Church. The parents of Mrs. Miller were natives respectively of Greene and Warren Coun- ties, this State, and Mr. Steele politically was a Re- publican. Their family consisted of one son and five daughters, Mrs. Miller being the eldest born. The paternal grandfather was Ebenezer Steele, fur. ther mention of whom is made in the biography of J. D. Steele on another page in this volume.

R OBERT L. HOLMAN. A traveler in Clark County would not fail to have his eyes attracted by Cedar Lawn farm, which occupies a portion of section 34, Moore- field Township, and is one of the finest estates in the entire county. It consists of one hundred and seventy-three and a half acres of well-improved land, every part of the estate indicating that its proprietor is a man of taste as well as a thrifty agriculturist. This beautiful home is owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch, who is a native of Worcester County, Mass., where his eyes opened to the light April 7, 1828. He is a son of Parley and Nancy ( Young) Holman, both of whom were born in the old Bay State, and belonged to old families there. The Hohnan family is of Scotch-Irish descent, and the Youngs of English lineage. Parley Holman was a soldier in the War of 1812, and one of his sons, living in Massachu- setts, still has a musket carried by him in that war.

Robert L. Holman was reared to manhood in his native county, remaining on the parental farm until he was about seven or eight years of age, when he began to work in a woolen factory. After working there about three years he was employed at various kinds of farm work until about seven- teen, when he began the trade of a carpenter and joiner, at which he served an apprenticeship of three years. For a time he worked as a journey-

man, subsequently becoming a contractor and builder in Worcester, in which city he was em- ployed for several years. In 1854 he came to Ohio and spent about a twelvemonth in the em- ploy of Dodge & Co., at Springfield, in manufac- turing Dodge's Spring Bed. He afterward became a partner in the firm, which continued under the old style some two years. Mr. Holman then be- came interested in the sale of Andrew Welsh's Hominy Mill, which was manufactured in Xenia. While engaged in the sale of this article he saw the necessity of changes in the construction, the mill being too complicated, and with Warren Wright, of Xenia, he studied and experimented about a year, when they produced what is now well known as the celebrated Buckeye Hominy Mill.

Messrs. Holman & Wright, as soon as they were assured of the success of their invention, began its manufacture. In 1861 they sent samples of the hominy made by their mill to Washington, and by the last act, passed by Congress that year hominy was added to the army rations. They immediately secured contracts for supplying the middle and western divisions of the army, and the business soon assumed such immense proportions that they could not supply the demand. After furnishing the armies with their supply for nearly a year, Mr. Holman sold his interest to his partner and engaged in model and pattern making and the work of a millwright. For a number of years he was thus employed, his labors being especially in the hominy mill interests. In 1875 he located on the farm where he has since resided, and which is one of the landmarks throughout the county.

In Miss Martha M. Hildreth, a native of Massa- chusetts and a daughter of Sylvester and Mary Hildreth, Mr. Holman found the qualities of mind and character which won his deep esteem, and after a successful wooing she became his wife, May 3, 1853. To this union four children have been born-Arthur D., who now lives in Union County, was born September 1, 1855; Walter H., August 27, 1857; Herbert W., February 8, 1860; Edward P., March 6, 1866.

Mr. Holman first became identified with the Grange in 1884, and for three years was Master of Tremont Lodge, No. 90, at Tremont City. He is

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now officiating as Master of the Pomona Grange, which comprises all the lodges in Clark County, and he is also serving as a member of the Execu. tive Committee of the Ohio State Grange. He was formerly a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, but is not now identified with that fraternity. In politics he is independent, generally giving his vote to the best man irre- spective of party prejudice. He and his wife are members of the Church of God at Springfield. A public-spirited and reliable citizen, an industrious and successful business man, and an individual of intelligent mind, cordial manners and good princi- ples, Mr. Holman stands well in the community and wherever he is known.

ANIEL M. ST. JOHN is the owner and oc- cupant of a fine farm in Greene County, and numbered among the most prominent farm- ers and stock-breeders of Cæsar Creek Township. He now owns three hundred and thirty-five acres of valuable and carefully managed land, upon which a complete set of farm buildings has been erected, all being substantial and well adapted for their respective purposes. For the past ten years Mr. St. John has been breeding Short-horn cattle, and has had marked success in his enterprise.

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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 71

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