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 85

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 85
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 85

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Moses Walton, Sr., the uncle of our subject, las never lived outside of Spring Valley Township. He was in the railroad service for sixteen years, and followed pork packing for a period of nearly forty years. He also superintended the operations of a farm. Politically, he was first a Whig, and then a Republican, but since the death of President Garfield, has given his support to the Prohibition party. He has occupied the various minor offices, serving as Township Treasurer, and acquitting him- self creditably in whatever position he has been placed.

Mr. Walton was first married October 30, 1834, to Miss Mary Cook. This lady was born in War- ren County, this State, and is the daughter of John and Dinah (Spray) Cook. Of this union there were born five children, viz: Dinah the wife of Samuel Owen, of Hamilton County, Ind .; Hannah, Mrs. Aurelius Alexander of Spring Valley; Sam- uel; Deboralı, the widow of Tilmon B. Lloyd, and Elizabeth, who became the wife of Marion Wild- man, and is now deceased. Mrs. Mary (Cook) Walton departed this life at her home in Spring Valley, Marchi 15, 1844. Mr. Walton, October 1, 1845, was married to Miss Rachel, daughter of Reason Reagan. Of this union there was born one child, Moses. Mrs. Rachel Walton died April 26, 1848.

The third wife of Mr. Walton, to whom he was

married, November 19, 1849, was Deborah John- son. She was born in Highland County, this State, and is the daughter of Anthony and Mary (Lupton) Johnson. Eight children were born of the third marriage; four died in infancy. The survivors- Jolin, Homer, Lupton, and Ethan Allen, lived to mature years. Mrs. Deboralı Walton died Feb- ruary 28, 1882. All these ladies belonged to the Society of Friends.

UGUSTUS H. JONES. Miami Township, Greene County, is the home of many men of the highest respectability, the most in- dustrious habits, great intelligence and usefulness. Among them all, none reccive a greater degree of respect or have a better aim in life than he whose name introduces this sketch and who is numbered among the agriculturists of the township. He possesses more than the ordinary degree of in- telligence, is a great reader and a close observer of human nature, which has become to him like an open book and affords him much instruction and enjoyment. His principal aim has been to fit his children well for their chosen occupations and to be useful to his fellow-men. It is a pleasure to record that he has been successful in his efforts and that his children are doing credit to the parental care and training.

The father of our subject was Stephen Jones, who was born in Cincinnati in 1802, and whose first occupation was that of a wagon-maker, and his subsequent one that of a farmer. He was a son of an early settler in the Buckeye State who was a native of New Jersey, and who was drowned at Cincinnati, in which city an uncle of Grandfather Jones built the first mill. Stephen Jones married Elizabetlı Ball, who belonged to an old Virginian family but was herself a native of Ohio. Her fa- ther was a soldier in the War of 1812. After their marriage, whichi took place September 8, 1830, Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Jones settled two and a half miles west of Yellow Springs, remaining in that location about eight years. They then removed to a farm now owned by William Brewer, but after some

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years became the occupants of the farm now owned by their son, our subjeet, which became their per- manent home. The father died in Dayton in 1881, and the mother at the home placc in 1875. Their family consisted of two children, our subject and a sister Lydia, who is the wife of Charles McCul- lough, and the mother of two children, her home being in Gage County, Neb.

The gentleman with whose name we introduce this biographical notice was born December 12, 1832, in the township which has been his home from that day. Having a decided bent toward civil engineering, he took up the branches of study which pertained to that occupation, in the Sweden- borg College at Urbana, Champaign County, rc- turning to the farm, of which he took eharge at the age of fourteen years, and upon which he has since remained with the exception of a period de- voted to tlie service of his country. The farm is one mile east of Yellow Springs, and originally be- longed to the Mills tract. It comprises one lun- dred and twenty-four and a half acres, all now in- proved, and still carried on by its present owner. It is devoted to the cultivation of grain and to the raising of stoek, the eattle kept being Polled Aber- deens. The estate is conducted in a manner which indieates to even a casual observer something of the character of the owner, the improvements upon it also indicating the tastes of the oceupants.

The lady who presides over the household econ- omy was born July 30, 1837, and became the wife of our subject, November 12, 1861. Her maiden name was Lydia Sheller and she is one of the eleven children born to Adam and Mary (Hic- stand) Sheller, natives of Laneaster County, Pa., who came to Clark County, Ohio, at an early day. Her mother died there October 26, 1874, and her father May 21, 1883, aged ninety-four years. She possesses the noble character which merits and wins esteem, and the cultured mind which affords per- sonal pleasure and opens up an exten led field for usefulness. She attended Antioch College when the famous educator, Horace Mann, was President of that institution and could hardly have failed un- der such guidance to have imbibed grand ideas of the use which should be made of knowledge.

The family of Mr, and Mrs. Jones comprises five

sons and daughters, whose record is as follows: Au- gustus W. is a civil engineer, his home being in Columbus, Ohio; his wife was formerly Miss Hattie Goodman; Herbert R. is unmarried and is now at- tending the Ohio State University, fitting himself for civil engineering; Eva is the wife of Gano Reeder Baker, a eivil engineer whose home is in Denver, Col .; Llewellyn and Clarence B. are students at Antioch College. A. W. Jones, G. R. Baker and Mrs. Eva Baker are all graduates of Antioch Col- lege.

The family of Mr. Jones attends the Christian Church. He has been a member of the School Board for years and was Trustee of Miami Town- ship about twelve years. Last fall he was elected Land Appraiser for this township, but because of ill health was obliged to resign and appoint a sub- stitute. He has been an active Republican all his life; his ancestors were old-line Whigs. In 1864, he became a member of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio National Guards, and while at the front took part in the battle of New Creek, W. Va. He was discharged at Camp Dennison the same year. He belongs to the Grand Army Post at Yellow Springs.

C YRUS LOWMAN. This plain and unas- suming eitizen, without perhaps being the hero of any thrilling event, has pursued the even tenor of his way through the years of a long and worthy life, and is looked upon as one of the most reliable men of his community. He is an off- shoot of one of the pioneer families of Clark County, within whose limits lie still resides, and has performed no unimportant part in developing a portion of its soil. He was born in Bethel Town- ship, Clark County, wherein he now resides, May 3, 1823, and is the son of David and Sarah (Car- ney) Lowman, the former of whom was a native of Adams County, Pa. His parents removed with their family to Ohio in the early part of this cen- tury and entered a tract of land from the Govern- ment when David was a small boy, and thereafter made their home in Bethel Township. His father

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built the second stone house that was built in Clark County. David was an honest, hard-working man, and succeeded in accumulating a fair share of this world's goods. For the long period of fifty years he was a member in good standing of the Chris- tian Church, and took an active part in promoting its welfare. Politically, he was a Whig until the abandonment of the old party, and subsequently became one of the strongest advocates of Repub- liean principles. The paternal grandfather of our subject was George Lowman, likewise a native of Pennsylvania, and who spent his last years in this township.

To the parents of our subject there were born the following children: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cyrus and Martin (twins), Hannah, Rebecca, Mary, David, John, Susan and Martha. Five of these are living. Cyrus, our subject, with his brothers and sisters, was reared on the home farm in Bethel Township, and received such education as was afforded by the common school. He, however, mnade good use of his time with his books, and after reaching lis majority taught school during the winter seasons and occupied himself as a house painter in sum- mer. Twelve years were spent in this manner, and he then became interested in the nursery business, acting as agent for various parties, and followed this until after the outbreak of the Civil War.

In September, 1861, Mr. Lowman entered the Union army as a private, becoming a member of the Sixteenth Ohio Battery of Light Artillery, with which he served three years. His regiment oper- ated mostly in Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana, being a part of the Thirteenth Army Corps. Mr. Lowman endured the vicissitudes of a soldier's life with exemplary courage,and at the close of his term of enlistment, after having given a faitlı- ful service of three years to his country, received his honorable discharge in September 1864. Return- ing then to the fruit-tree business, he commenced operations on his own hook, and was the first man to ship trees to Texas. He also built up a good patronage in various other sections of the country, and continued thus employed until the spring of 1872.

Returning now to New Carlisle, Mr. Lowman embarked in the shoe trade, in which he has since

been engaged, and in which he has built up an ex- tensive and lucrative patronage. Indeed, he is one of the leading merchants of the place in this line. He has been a prominent man in the community, and after filling various other positions of trust and responsibility, was elected, in 1873, Mayor of New Carlisle. He served his term with so much credit to himself and satisfaction to the people that he was re-elected in the spring of 1875, serving in all four years. In the year last-mentioned he was also elected Justice of the Peace, which office lie las since held by successive re-elections.

Mr. Lowman was married, in February, 1845, to Miss Margaret Moses. This lady was born in 1819, in Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of Abram Moses and wife, who were likewise natives of the Keystone State, and who are now deceased. Of this union there were born five children, viz: Laura B., who remains at home with her parents; Alpheus, who died when six months old; Mary S., the wife of J. J. Shoemaker, a manufacturer of New Carlisle; Elizabeth, unmarried, and at home; and Milly, who died in 1864, when eleven years old. Mr. and Mrs. Lowman identified themselves with the Christian Church when mere children, and still hold to the faith which was taught thiem by their pious parents. Mr. Lowman cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. Scott, and is a Repub- lican "dyed-in-the-wool"-one of the strongest ad- herents of his party in this section. He has made for himself a good record as a man and a citizen, and is one whose name will be held in remembrance long after lie has been gathered to his fathers.

ENRY MUMMA. A well-cultivated and pleasantly located farm of one hundred acres is the home of the gentleman above named, who may be numbered among the old settlers of Clark County. He was born in Lancas- ter County, Pa., July 3, 1827, being the youngest in a family of five children. Of these two beside himself are now living; Jacob resides in Effingham County, Ill., and Mrs. Elizabeth Rohrer in Putnam County, this State. The parents were Christian

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and Elizabeth (Hause) Mumma, who were also natives of Lancaster County, Pa. The ancestry is German in the paternal linc, and is supposed to be English in the maternal line.

In his native county, he of whom we write, was rcared to the age of twelve years, receiving such educational advantages as the section afforded and his years would permit. His parents then removed to Clark County, Ohio, a settlement being made on section 19, Moorefield Township, where our subject is now living. The first home of the family was a log cabin, and in pioncer style they began their life in what was practically a forest. Clearing was begun by the father, assisted by his sons, and in common with other pioneers, hardships were en- dured and arduous toil was undergone by the fam- ily. Christian Mumma enjoyed a large acquaint- ance and was highly respected by all who knew him for his honesty and integrity in business trans- actions, for his industrious habits and the interest which he took in the development and improve- ment of the county. He was a member of the Menuonite Church, the faith of which brightened for him the valley of death into which he entered July 22, 1866. His wife, who also enjoyed a large circle of friends, passed away March 22, 1876.

Henry Mumma has devoted his life to farm la- bors, his youth having been passed in assisting his father in the development of the homestead upon which he was rcared to manhood and upon which he has been carrying on a successful life. Realizing that it is not good for man to live alone, he took a companion January 15, 1852, his choice being Miss Elenora Shopp, who has proved her worth as wife, mother, and neighbor. The happy union has been blessed by the birth of six children, and the parents mourn the loss of two-Franklin S. and Amanda C. The survivors are: Sarah E., wife of John Erter, of Adams County, Iowa; William H., who lives in Fayette County, Ill .; Emma F., wife of Cyrus Nelson, of Springfield ; and Charles E.

Mrs. Mumma was born in Cumberland County, Pa., November 16, 1830. Her paternal ancestors were Gerinan, while in the maternal line she is of German and English stock. Her parents were the Rev. Christian and Sarah M. (Ruply) Shopp, na- tives of the Keystone State, who removed to Ohio

in the spring of 1831. Their daughter Elenora, then a babe but a few months old, was brought in a cradle in a covered wagon to Montgomery County, in which the family lived until about 1847. They then changed their residence to Springfield Township, Clark County, where Mrs. Shopp died in November, 1871. The widowed father then took up his residence in the home of our subject where he remained until also called home, July 14, 1874. He was a minister of the United Brethren Church, and labored for many years in the vineyard of the Lord, mostly as a local minister. He was the father of fourteen children, of whom the following are now living: Isaac, in Mercer County ; Solomon, in Henry County, Iowa; Christian in Burlington, Iowa; Montgomery O., in Elk County, Kan .; Susannah, wife of George Mc- Cafferty, in Jasper County, Mo .; Frances, widow of John Mumma, in Johnson County, Mo .; Sarah, wife of the Rev. William Wells, in Dayton, this State, and the wife of our subject.

Mr. Mumma is a believer in and a supporter of the principles of the Republican party and favors all enterprises which will tend to increase the pros- perity and true civilization of the country, partic- ularly of that section of which he is an honorcd resident.

C APT. ROBERT A. STARKEY. Within the past decade many business establish- inents have been founded in Springfield, and from small beginnings have developed into prosperous enterprises, making this city a leading commercial and manufacturing emporium. One flourishing firm was established in 1882, and is now carried on under the name of Starkey & Scow- den, our subject being the senior partner. Mr. Starkey first opened a store on a small scale, occu- pying only one little room on West High Street, where as a dealer in boots and shoes he became well known throughout the city and vicinity. The acknowledged superiority of his stock, as well as his courteous treatment of customers, combined to increase his trade and, in 1883, he moved to larger quarters, locating in the Arcade building, where is

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now carried on a successful business, occupying two rooms. The annual sales of the firm amount to over $100,000, which sufficiently indicates the popularity of the managers and the unvarying ex- cellence of their goods.

A native of the Buckeye State, our subject was born in Scioto County, March 23, 1836. He came of Virginian parentage, and traced his ancestry back to substantial English and Scotch forefathers. He is the son of William J. and Martha (Jones) Starkey, both of whom were born in Cumberland County, in the Old Dominion. At an early day, however, they left their Southern home, and sought a more congenial location in the Buckeye State, settling in Pike County, where Robert A. passed his youth. His father, being both a farmer and carpenter, was an industrions, active man, and accumulated a competence sufficient to make happy the declining days of himself and his wife. They died at their Ohio home, he in June, 1867, and she in June, 1857.

On the maternal side, our subject is the grand- son of Daniel Jones, who was born in Virginia, of English lineage, and whose ancestors on both sides had crossed the Atlantic at an early period in the history of the United States, settling on the James River, near the point where Gen. Lee surrendered to Gen. Grant. Being descended from a long line of patriotic and worthy ancestors, it is not sur- prising that our subject possesses qualities of high- est patriotism and most scrupulous honor. His military career proves that he faithfully main- tained those principles which his parents carly in- stilled into the minds of their children.

Being the eldest of eight children, of whom six, four sons and two daughters, grew to maturity, Robert A. Starkey was at an early age made useful on the homestead, and received the advantages of what was then considered a good common-school education, attending a country school until 1855. Then, at the age of nineteen years, he commenced his mercantile career, as a clerk in a country store at Jasper, Ohio. He afterward became a partner in the enterprise, the business being conducted under the name of S. N. Cutler & Co. After continuing in this manner until the outbreak of the Civil War, he then, in connection with Dr. Wells S.

Jones, who was made Captain, recruited a com- pany, of which he was made First Lieutenant. They belonged to Company A., Fifty-third Regi- ment, Ohio Infantry, and were assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, Gen. Sherman commanding.

In April, 1862, our subject was promoted to a captaincy in his company, and acceptably dis. charged the duties of this position until the sum- mer of 1864, when he resigned on account of disability. He participated in the following bat- tles; Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Jackson, Vicks- burg, Lookout Mountain and many less important engagements. At the close of the war he re- turned to Pike County, Ohio, where he remained one year, and thence going to Portsmouth, the same State, he entered a wholesale boot and shoe store in the capacity of clerk. However, his worth soon commanded attention, and he was taken into the house as a partner, the firm name being Hibbs, Richardson & Co. He retained his interest in this establishment about nine years when, disposing of it, he went to Cincinnati, and en- gaged in manufacturing boots and shoes for three years. He dates his residence in Springfield from 1882, when the prospects of that city for business enterprises attracted his attention, and he deter- mined to make it his home. It has proved a wise selection, socially and financially; politically, lie has always worked with the Republican party, and is considered one of its most influential members. In religious matters, he is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church, of which he is a Trustee. He maintains his interest in the past history of his nation and his connection therewith, by being identified with the Mitchell Post, G. A. R. Hc also belongs to the Loyal Legion, Cincinnati Com- mandery.

Capt. Starkey has always found a helpful com. panion and a devoted wife in the lady with whom he was united in marriage January 5, 1880. She bore the maiden name of Alice Wilkinson, and she was born and reared in London, England, whence she emigrated to America in 1871, settling in Cin- cinnati. Her parents, Henry Thomas and Hannah (Stratton) Wilkinson, were also natives of Eng- land, and are now deceased. Mrs. Starkey re- ceived a thorough musical education, both in Eng-

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land and America, and was trained to become a capable housekeeper. Intelligent and refined, she makes a charming hostess, and under her pleasant roof guests receive a hearty welcome.

C HRISTIAN KAUFFMAN. Too much eredit cannot be given those who gave up the comforts of home and hazarded their lives in order that not a star should be riven from the old flag, and who, on many a bloody field and in many a weary march, endured cheerfully and fought bravely to uphold the Union. It gives us great pleasure to represent in this volume one of the old soldiers to whom such honor is due,and par- tieularly so, as in other respeets also he is worthy of our notice. Christian Kauffman belongs to a family which sent into the Union service six brothers, and which has been a prominent one in Greene County for many years.

It may be well to devote a brief space, before entering upon the record of our subjeet, to his pro- genitors. His grandfather, who also bore the name of Christian, was of German extraction, a native and life-long resident of Lancaster County, Pa., and a farmer and miller. In the same county another Christian Kauffman, the son of the first- named, was born and grew to manhood. He also was a farmer and miller, carrying on both saw and grist mills and rebuilding one on Snipe Creek. In 1840 he removed to Clark County, Ohio, having bought a farm in Bethel Township the year previ- ous. The tract comprised four hundred and eighty acres, and cost $25 per acre. On it a home was established and the owner built a sawmill on Mad River, where he did quite an extensive milling business. He also bought other property until his landed estate amounted to an entire section. He died in the year 1871, at the age of seventy two years. He belonged to the Mennonite Churel. His wife was a native of the same county as himself, her maiden name being Annie Erb. Her father, Jacob Erb, was a farmer and distiller and pos- sessed of comfortable means. She also died in Bethel Township, breathing her last in 1878.

A large family was born to the above-men- tioned couple, thirteen children growing to ma- turity. Of these, Emanuel is farming in Bethel Township; Jacob lives in Osborn; the next on the family roll is our subject : John lives in Osborn ; Mrs. Elizabeth II. Hower lives in Bethel Township; Mary, Mrs. Kneisly, is deceased; Levi and Benjamin are farmers in Bethel Township; Reuben is deceased; Mrs. Anna Musselman and Mrs. Sarah Mouek live in Bethel Township; Henry resides in Osborn; and Abraham, in Bethel Township. John and Levi served with the one hundred days' men in the Civil War; Benjamin enlisted, in 1861, in the Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry and served three years; Henry served from 1862 until the close of the war in the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio In- fantry ; Abraham served from 1862 until the elose of the war, first in the Ninety-fourth Infantry, and later in the Eighth Ohio Cavalry. Their brother- in-law, John Mouck, also served three years as a member of the Forty-fourth Infantry and the Eighth Ohio Cavalry.

The subject of this sketch was born six miles from Lancaster, in Lancaster County, Pa., on Christmas Day, 1825. He had very good common- school advantages in his native State, where he grew to the age of fifteen years. He then aecom- panied his parents and the rest of the family to Ohio, twenty-one days being occupied on the jour- ney, during which the boys walked the most of the way. The family and goods were conveyed in wagons drawn by two span of horses. The loea- tion which the father had secured was all timber, and our subject, with his brothers, chopped logs, burned brush, and otherwise assisted to clear and improve a farm in the valley. Like all families of early settlers, they had much hard work to do, the schooling of the children being limited to a few months' attendance during the winter, at the sub- scription schools, which were kept in the old-fash- ioned log schoolhouses.

Christian Kauffman, our subjeet, remained at home until twenty years of age, when he was ap- prenticed to learn the wagonmaker's trade, at Med- way. After serving two and one-half years, he began journey work at Dayton, whence he went to Hagerstown, Ind., in 1849, After a short time

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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 85

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