USA > Ohio > Fayette County > Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 16
USA > Ohio > Madison County > Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 16
USA > Ohio > Pickaway County > Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 16
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Mr. Burnham was born in the township where he still lives April 3, 1848. His father, John H. Burnham, is a native of Connecticut, and a son of Darius and Lucretia (Ilunt) Burnham, who left their New England home when he was about two years old, and came to this county to found a new one in the wilderness. After attaining manhood, he was married, in Pike Township, to Miss Scelina Fullington, who was born in this township, of which her parents were early settlers. After mar- riage, the Burnhams located on an undeveloped
tract of land, which he improved into a fine farm, first erecting a log house for the shelter of him- self and his bride, and afterward replacing it by a substantial frame residence. He became one of the largest land-holders in the county, owning at one time twelve hundred acres in Pike Township. He now lives in retirement at Mechanicsburgh, where he is serenely passing his declining years in the enjoyment of the wealth that is the fruit of his early labors. The amiable wife who walked by his side many years, encouraging him in his work and performing her part as a true helpmate, departed this life in 1889. Unto them were born eight children, six sons and two daughters, who grew to manhood and womanhood, and seven of whom are still living.
Our subject is the third child and third son of his parents. He obtained the preliminaries of his edneation in the schools of Monroe Township, and finished his studies at the University of Delaware. HIe remained at home until he was twenty-one, and for a time was engaged in business with his father, trading and dealing in stock, and farming. October 4, 1876, he was wedded to Miss Mattie L., the eldest daughter of Henry and Eveline Burn- ham, of Pike Township, and her unselfish devotion to his interests has contributed not a little to his success in life and to his welfare generally.
After marriage, Mr. Burnham at once established himself and his wife on the pleasant location, six miles east of Mechanicsburgh, where they have ever since made their home. His farm of nine hundred and fifty acres of choice land, all lying in Pike Township, is considered one of the best in all Madison County. The most of the improvements have been made by himself, and are first-class. The land is well drained, as he has put in about twenty-eight miles of tile within the last fifteen years, and is continually adding more. He is one of the most successful and largest stock farmers in the county, and feeds now about one hundred and fifty bushels of corn to his stock a day. He has fifteen hundred sheep, two hundred head of two-year-old cattle, two hundred hogs, and thirty fine horse His farm is supplied with a fine set of buildings, including a handsome residence, erected in 1877, and five neat dwellings for his work people,
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who, with their families, number twenty-five. Mr. Burnham also does a flourishing business in baling and shipping hay to various markets.
Although his own private interests are so exten- sive and varied, our subject has had much to do with the administration of public affairs, and the same thoroughness, forethought, taet and able husi- ness management have been noticable features in the discharge of his civie duties that have ever characterized his course in looking after his own concerns. He is President of the Central Ohio Fair Association, which comprises Fayette, Union, Madison and Clarke Counties. He is now, and has been for many years, Trustee of Pike Town- ship, and no man has done more personally for its advancement than he. He is one of the Directors of the Central Bank of Mechanicsburgh, of which he is also a stockholder. In politics, lie is an uncompromising Republican.
OSEPH S. SMITHI. In this popular resident of Circleville Township, Pickaway County, we have the largest breeder of standard- bred horses in the county, and one of the largest in the Scioto Valley. He is a native of Circleville and was born June 10, 1861. His father, Edward Smith, is mentioned elsewhere at length in this volume. After attending the public schools of his native home, young Smith entered, in 1877, the Notre Dame University at South Bend, Ind., where he passed nearly four years, pursuing a scientific course, and also completing his studies in the commercial line.
After returning from college, the young man devoted himself to farming for some time, and after coming into possession of his present fine stock farm made his home east of and adjoining the corporation line of Circleville. His one hun- dred and sixty-five acres of land are situated on the borders of the famous Pickaway Plains and are watered by the stream known as Ilominy Creek. The soil is a rich, sandy loam and is one of the best in the rich Scioto Valley. The care bestowed upon it keeps it up to the highest stan-
dards of that locality, which has so fair a reputa- tion in agriculture and stock-raising,
In 1890, Mr. Smith erected one of the most beautiful and commodious farm residences in the county, which he fitted up with all modern con- veniences. His barn is of unique construction, being built seventy-two feet in diameter, with six- teen sides. In this can be stored fully one hun- dred tons of hay and straw. and it provides for the accommodation of a large number of horses. Nothing has been left undone to make this stock- farm a suitable home for the noble strains of horses which belong to Mr. Smith's stud. The most noted of his animals are " Montjoy," " Win- mont," " Col. Wilkes," and " Placidus," and their pedigree is such as to make their owner justly proud.
The grounds about the residence of this pros- perous man are handsomely laid out, and are to be shaded by elegant young maple, elm, and horse- chestnut trees. A half-mile regulation race track is kept in elegant shape, and there the speed of the young animals is developed. He does his own training, and gets all the speed out of the animal that horse nature and good breeding have en- dowed him with. A specialty is made of breaking colts to harness, and plentiful accommodations are furnished for the animals of other breeders during the season.
The famous " Montjoy," who is registered as No. 13,003, stands at the head of the "Sunnyside " stock farm. He is a bay horse, and was foaled May 15, 1887, his sire being " Gen. Withers " and his dam "Alice Medium." Like all of the horses upon this farm, " Montjoy " is of the Hambleton- ian strain, and Mr. Smith is the proud possessor of about fifty of these excellent standard-bred animals, counting horses and colts. From his ear- liest boyhood, he has evinced an inborn love of and appreciation for a fine horse, and he has shown exceptional ability in their care and breeding.
Other branches of business have not been over- looked by this enterprising young man, as he is a stockholder in the Circleville Electric Light and Power Company, of which corporation he is also a Director and Vice-president. In 1888, 'lie es-
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tablished the Esmeralda Cornmeal Mills, which are now owned and operated by the firm of J. S. Smith & Brothers, a firm of which he is the senior member. These mills have a capacity of two hun- dred and fifty barrels per day, and their entire product is shipped to foreign countries. In his political views, our subject is a Democrat, but is not an aspirant for office, and no more active in public affairs than is always becoming in a man who takes a genuine interest in the prosperity of his home and State. Mr. Smith was married in Corning, Ohio, January 2, 1890, to Miss Mary Corcoran, who is a native of Frostburgh, Md., and a daughter of Thomas Corcoran, who was for some years Superintendent of the Sunday Creek Coal Company, and is now Superintendent of the II. D. Turney & Co. Mining Company, of Shawnee. This gentleman is an expert miner, and thor- oughly understands prospecting for coal. He educated his daughter at the St. Mary's Academy at Columbus, Ohio. This young couple are the happy parents of one daughter, Mary, whom they are bringing up in the faith of their fathers, that of the Roman Catholic Church, both being mem- bers of St. Joseph's Church at Circleville. Few men are doing more for the development of Pickaway County than Joseph S. Smith, and he is keeping pace with the older and better known stock farmers in developing the American trotter.
HOMAS C. TIPTON, M. D., of Williams- port, Deer Creek Township, Pickaway County. This worthy gentleman is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Tomlinson) Tipton, and was born at Pleasant Ridge farm near Harris- burg Township, Franklin County, Ohio, Sep- tember 10, 1827. He attended the neighborhood schools until his education had reached a point when he desired something better, and in 1844 he went to Delaware and attended the Ohio Wes- leyan University. He was obliged to pay his own way, which he did by teaching school during his vacations, and thus was enabled to attend college five years. Applying himself closely to study, he acquired a good, thorough, general education.
But he had an ambition beyond this and a desire to lead a professional life.
Disadvantages were again in the way of our young student, but he overcame them. He was unable to take, as he desired, a course in some medical college, but while teaching he devoted his spare time to reading and studying in his brother's office in Darbyville. He continued in this way for several years, and at length was enabled to go to Columbus, where he had enlarged opportunities. He studied for a time under Dr. R. L. Howard, and entered the Starling Medical College, where he was graduated with high honors February 22, 1852.
After his graduation, Dr. Tipton went to Dar- byville, and entered into practice as a partner of his brother. Some time after this, he removed to Williamsport, and has established himself in a lu- crative practice, and has made his home here ever since, with the exception of the time he was in the war and three years thereafter.
In 1862, Dr. Tipton entered the army as Assistant Surgeon of the One Hundred and Thirteenth Ohio Regiment and remained in that capacity until the close of the war. At its close, he resolved to try his future professional duties in Franklin County, but after a residence there of three years, returned to Williamsport. Dr. Tipton, as a man and a physician, is held in the highest esteem by his fellow-citizens of the village and neighborhood. He is not, nor ever has been, a politician or office-seeker, but takes considerable interest in all worthy political move- ments. His vote is cast for the success of the Re- publican party. In religion, he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he has been a number of years one of the Stewards of his church at Williamsport. The Doctor is a strict temper- ance man in his habits, and has never tasted liquor and seldom prescribes it.
The subject of this sketch was married to Ma- rinda, a daughter of Horace and Jeanette (Wright) Loomis, and a native of Central College, Frank- lin County, Ohio, where she was born March 7, 1833. Three children have been born to this worthy couple: Lizzie, born December 16, 1855, died September 22, 1867; Alice, born in Novem- ber, 1857; and Thomas, October 24, 1869.
B. J. Prenick
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B ENJAMIN FRANKLIN RENICK. The agricultural element forms the backbone to every community, for upon its character and work depends the real development of the resources of that section of the country; and if enterprise, industry and integrity are lacking, the whole body corporate will be lacking in vital- ity, strength and success.
Among the prominent farmers of Darby Town- ship, Pickaway County, we find Mr. Renick, a por- trait of whom appears on the opposite page. This county is his native home, as he was born in Jack- son Township, December 5, 1808. He was reared on the home farm, which at that early day was lo- cated in a wilderness, and encountered the many difficulties of frontier life. Indians were numer- ous, as were also wild animals, and the hardships which the family passed through have made a last- ing impression upon his mind. He remembers dis- tinetly the time two Indians came to their home and begged buttermilk, and on another occasion when two of them were found stealing corn, and he and a brother reminding them of their erime, one of them drew a large knife and pursued them.
Benjamin F. Reniek was educated, as were many of the pioneer lads, in the little old log school- house, with its open fire-place in one end and slab seats and desks. It was conducted on the subserip- tion plan, and the teacher boarded around among the pupils. Young Renick had to walk two miles through the woods in attending this temple of learning, which luxury was afforded him during the winter months only, as his services were needed npon the farm in the summer. He was often sent to mill on horseback, and performed many similar duties. The family were not provided with many of the luxuries such as are common to the farmers of the present day, their main food consisting of mush and milk and corn bread, but little wheat be- ing ground at that time. When a lad, our subject took a load of wheat, with a four-horse team, to Gallipolis, seventy-five miles distant, and traded one bushel of that cereal for an equal amount of salt. The remainder of his load he disposed of at fifty cents per bushel. Money being very scarce, his mother would provide him with a luncheon which would last one week-the time required for the trip.
When seventeen years of age, Mr. Renick en- gaged to drive one hundred head of cattle to Al- exandria, near Washington, D. C., being forty days making the journey. Ile later made many trips to the Eastern markets on the same errand, and often went to Illinois and drove cattle to this State. When reaching his majority, our subject's father told himself and brother John that he would give them all they could raise on two hundred acres of land which he owned near Darbyville. It is unnecessary to state that they willingly accepted the offer, and continued so employed for the suc- ceeding ten years, in which undertaking they were more than ordinarily successful, during that time handling considerable stock. Mr. Renick fed and drove to New York the first corn-fed fat cattle ever driven from Illinois.
In the fall of 1837, Mr. Renick purchased his present property, which consisted of twelve hun- dred acres of land, almost all of which was in timber and brush, with occasional skirts of prairie. He made his home for several years in a hewed- log house, and when that was destroyed by fire. erected his present beautiful frame residence, which is furnished in a most tasty and comfortable man- ner. He had dealt very largely in stock, but meeting with reverses in fortune, was compelled to sell some of his property. His specialties in stock- raising were cattle, hogs, and sheep, having as many as one thousand head of the latter animals at one time.
In the fall of 1840, Miss Sarah Williams became the wife of our subject, and to them were granted a family of four children, namely: Milton. Vin- cent, Mary, and Cynthia. They all grew to ma- ture years, and are now deceased. Mrs. Renick died when about thirty-five years of age, and in 1855 our subject was married to Mary Taylor, who was born in Madison County, this State. Of that union were born the following children, all of whom are living, and named respectively: Sarah (Mrs. Dr. Kirkendall), Seymour, Amanda ( Mrs. Carpenter), Job R., Jeunie, at home, B. Franklin and Warner.
Mr. Reniek is the possessor of two hundred acres of land, which his industry has placed under ex- cellent cultivation, drained and fenced. The es-
8
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tate is managed by his son Job, although he gives his personal supervision to its improvement. He watched with great interest the gradual evolution of this section from its primitive wildness into cultivated fields and prosperous farms, and has done his full share in bringing about the trans- formation, having lived in Pickaway County for eighty-four years. He is widely and favorably known throughout its limits, and his friends are as numerous as his acquaintances.
Religiously, our subject is a member of the Pres- byterian Church. His views in political affairs lead him to cast his vote with the Republican party. He keeps thoroughly informed upon current events of interest, and is well-read and intelligent. Not- withstanding the fact that this county has about one thousand Democratic majority, he was elected County Commissioner one term, and has served many years as Township Trustee and Treasurer. He took a very active part in the political cam- paign of 1840, at which time hundreds of horse- men attended the meetings. He has contributed liberally of his means for the development of his community, and is looked upon as one of the pro- gressive and popular residents of the county.
C HARLES H. MURRAY. There is no one feature that tends so much to give a city a reputation for progress as the facilities afforded both residents and visitors for transact- ing business and thus adding pleasure to conven- ience. Prominent among the establishments of Washington Court House may be mentioned that owned and managed by Mr. Murray, and located at No. 228 East Court Street. The dimensions of the building are 110x22 feet, the first floor being stocked with a complete line of furniture, while the second story contains a well-selected stock of carpets. In addition to furniture and carpets, Mr. Murray carries on an undertaking business, for which he has excellent facilities in his estab- lishment.
Mr. Murray was born in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio, June 5, 1853, the son of Samuel
C. and Emma (Allen) Murray. His father was born in Ross County, three miles from the village of Greenfield, of which Grandfather Murray was a pioneer. He was a prominent citizen of the place, and there engaged in the harness and sad- dlery business for many years. He and his wife reared a large family of children, concerning whom the following is recorded: Frank was a resi- dent of Washington Court House for twenty years, but died at Topeka, Kan., in 1885; Owen, formerly a resident of Washington Court House, is deceased; Carrie married Fay Baldwin, who is Cashier of the Highland County Bank; Russell is engaged in business as an undertaker at Frank- fort, Ross County; Samuel, who for fifteen years was a druggist at Washington Court House, now resides in Kentucky, sixty miles south of Cincin- nati. Fannie is at, Greenfield, and Harry resides in Cincinnati. The father and mother still survive and are esteemed throughout the community where they have spent their entire lives. They are faith- fully devoted to the welfare of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which they are members.
An attendant for some years at the public schools of Greenfield, our subject has gained his education, however, principally through close observation and experience. After serving an apprenticeship of three years at the carriage-mak- ing trade, and later learning the cabinet-maker's trade in Greenfield, he engaged in business at Bainbridge, and was also for a time in the em- ploy of Stewart & Meek, of Washington Court House. For six years, he carried on a successful business as an undertaker and dealer in furniture at Bainbridge, after which he sold out and opened a store at Washington Court House in 1884. It was not long until he had built up a successful business in the furniture and undertaking line, to which, in January, 1890, he added a carpet de- partment. He has purchased the substantial brick building occupied by his store and expects soon to put in a fine glass front and make other im- provements.
A Democrat in politics, Mr. Murray has no time to devote to public offices, although quali- fied to discharge official duties with credit to him- self. In his social connections, he is identified
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with Temple Lodge and Fayette Encampment, I. O. O. F., and the Knights of Pythias. The lady who became the wife of our subject May 10, 1880, and who has since been his cheerful and de- voted helpmate, bore the maiden name of Sina V. Logan, and was born at Washington Court House in March, 1858. Her father, Capt. Wilson Logan, was killed during active service in the late war, and her mother, who is a daughter of Judge Joel Bearman, still resides in Washington Court House. Mrs. Murray is an accomplished lady and is especially proficient in musie, having been a student in the Conservatory of Music at Cineinnati. In their religious preference, Mr. and Mrs. Murray are attendants at and supporters of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are gen- erous contributors to all charitable measures. They are the parents of two sons, Shepherd and Fay.
S C. HELMICK, M. D. Among the prom- inent citizens of Commercial Point, Pick- away County, we find the name which ap- pears at the head of this paragraph. He is well known throughout all this community, as. besides his professional labors, he carries on a drug store and is the Postmaster of the village. He ac- quired a more than local fame in the latter capac- ity last year, through the fact that he was pre- sented with a gold watch by the management of the Ohio State Journal, of Columbus, on account of having secured for their weekly issue over one hundred subscribers at his post-office. Ile is a most zealous and enthusiastic Republican and a stanch adherent of his party.
Dr. Helmick was born m Zanesville, Ohio, June 4, 1848, and his father, William Helmiek, was also a native of Ohio, while his grandfather, Isaac, was born in Pennsylvania, and came to this State at a very early date, locating in Franklin County. There he practiced his profession as a physician, and lived to a very advanced age. His son Wil- liam was a keel-boat captain in early life, and took boats from Zanesville, Ohio, to New Orleans. He also served as Deputy Sheriff for a number of
years, and lived to reach the age of seventy. Ile was an earnest Republican in his political views.
Rosanna Corbus was the maiden name of her who became the mother of our subject; she was a native of Maryland, who came with her par- ents, when only eighteen months old, to Zanesville when it consisted of only a few log cabins. Her eight children were Isaac, Elizabeth, James, Au- gusta, Rose A., Anna, Jane, and our subject. She hved to reach the age of eighty-one years, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church most of her life. Her father, W. Corbus, was a native of Maryland, and became a pioneer of Muskingum County, Ohio.
The village schools and Small's Commercial Col- lege, of Zanesville, supplied the educational ad- vantages of our subjeet up to his nineteenth year. After graduating from the last-named institution, in February, 1869, he began to read medicine at Harrisburgh, Franklin County, under his uncle, Dr. Joseph Helmick, who gave his young relative the full benefit of his knowledge and experience. During the three years which he spent with his un- ele, the young man also attended one course of lectures at the Starling Medical College of Colum- bus, and completed his course in the Miami Medi- cal College of Cincinnati the winter following, 1872. He located at Baltimore, Fairfield County, this State, where his uncle, Dr. Luke Helmick, had just died after a successful practice of forty years, and here the young man continued for three years.
Upon the 10th of November, 1875, Dr. S. C. Helmick located in Commercial Point and has here carried on a general practice since that time. Ilis drug store was opened in 1881, and during the same year he received the appointment of Post- master from President Garfield. This office he has held continuously since, with the exception of four years of Cleveland's administration. The drug-store building was put up by him in 1881.
The Doctor was married June 4, 1873, to Mar- garet C. Chenoweth, who was born in Harrisburgh, Franklin County, Ohio, September 15, 1846, where her father, Elijah Chenoweth, Jr., was a farmer, and where he owned some twelve hundred acres of land. He died in Franklin County when about sixty-eight years of age. Ilis father, Joseph H.
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Chenoweth, was the first white child born in the Seioto Valley, and the family has been prominent in that region for many years. At one time they owned more than six thousand acres of rich land along Darby Creek.
Dr. and Mrs. Helmiek have three children, May- nard, Arthur, and Sumner, all of whom are at home. The Doctor's extensive practice reaches over a large tract of country, and his reputation is most excellent in the profession. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Church, in which they are very active, and he is a live mem- ber of the Odd Fellows' lodge. He has been a Councilman and a member of the Board of Edu- cation for a number of years, and has held the of- fices of School Treasurer, and Trustee of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. As Vice-president of the Central Ohio Medical Association, and as delegate to both State and National Medical Associations, he has been prominent. He has contributed pa- pers before these associations upon the Clinical Thermometer, and upon various other topics of professional interest.
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