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 27
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 27
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 27
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Mr. Bradly and Miss Martha Bidwell were united in marriage August 11, 1867, and among
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the blessings that have come to them are three children, two daughters and a son. The eldest child died in infancy. The others are Ammazeta A., who was born September 4, 1871, and is the wife of James Clunk, of Canaan Township; and Fidella M., born October 30, 1876, and at home with her parents.
Our subject is a man in whom his fellow-citizens have perfect confidence, as his character is without blemish and his principles are of the highest order. He has figured largely in the public life of the community as an incumbent of various offices of trust. He has been on the School Committee and was School Director, was Trustee of his township for six years and is now Supervisor of Roads. In politics, he is a strict Republican. He is one of the leading members of the Harry Seribner Post No. 222, G. A. R., of which he was Sergeant-Major at one time. He belongs to the Urania Lodge No. 311, A. F. & A. M., at Plain City. He is a man of earnest religious thought, and perhaps no one has done more to build up the Methodist Episcopal Mission Chapel, of which he is a member, than he. He is one of the Stewards, Trustees and Elders of the church, is Treasurer of the Sunday-school and has been the Superintendent thereof.
G EORGE T. EMERSON. The Emerson fam- ily was among the first to settle in Picka- way County, and its various members have borne an honorable part in the development of its agricultural resources. Its present representative, of whom we write, who is a prosperous farmer, was born August 11, 1840, upon the farm on sec- tion 18, Pickaway Township, which has always been his home.
Thomas Emerson, the father of our subject, was born in Hampshire County, Va., September 27, 1785. In 1806, he came to Ohio, and located in the primeval wilds of Pickaway County. His father, whose name was the same as his own, came hither with his family at the same time, and he was one of the very first to select the site of his home on the famous Pickaway Plains. Indians
still lived here, wild game was plentiful, and the surrounding country was mostly in all its primi- tive wildness. The grandfather of our subject erected a log cabin for a dwelling, and busied himself in the development of a farm while his life was spared. He died in 1826, at the ripe old age of three-score and ten years.
The father of our subject was twenty-one years old when he came here, and being in the opening years of a stalwart, sturdy manhood, he was well equipped for his work as a pioneer, and well did he perform it by improving a good farm in Piek- away Township, where he lived an esteemed citi- zen for seventy years, his death occurring in 1876, at the venerable age of ninety-one years. He mar- ried Margaret Kennedy, who was a native of Kentucky, and whose parents settled here in an early day. She was the mother of four children: James; Mary A., wife of Julius J. Wright; one who died in infancy; and our subjeet, who is the young- gest of the family. She died in 1848, aged forty- five years.
George T. Emerson attended the district school in the neighborhood of his birthplace in his boy- hood, the first school he went to being taught in a log house. As he grew up, he gained a thorough insight into farming, on the old homestead under his father's instruction, and in 1871 he began farming on his own account on his father's farm, which is now his own. By his excellent manage- ment he shows himself to be a good, practical farmer, who uses intelligently methods best adapted to the soil, and keeps everything about his place in good shape. He has eighty-four acres of well-tilled land, and the farm is adorned with a neat set of buildings, including a substantial brick residence, built in 1879. Mr. Emerson is loyal in his citizenship, taking pride in the flour- ishing condition of his native county, and in him the Democratic party has a faithful adherent.
Our subject was happily married in 1871 to Miss Ruth Ann Lindsey, who was born in Circle- ville Township in 1848, and is a daughter of John J. and Mary (Harmon) Lindsey. Her parents were natives respectively of Virginia and Ohio. The father died in 1875, aged sixty-five years, and the mother in 1873. The latter was of the old pio-
E. L. Store
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neer stock of the State, and a Lutheran in religion. Mrs. Emerson is one of twelve children, ten of whom grew to maturity, and nine of them still living. Her union with our subject has been fruitful to them of four children, whom they have named Mary L., Thomas D., George II. and Ned Ray, respectively.
E LIAB L. FORD .. There are some men in every community who naturally come to the front in spite of the lack of early ad- vantages or the many discouragements which may meet them in their upward career. They possess sufficient energy and perseverance to overcome the obstacles in their path and win for themselves a foremost position in their vocations. A most worthy illustration of this class of self-made men is afforded by the life of Mr. Ford, a prominent citizen of Fayette County and the owner of a splendid farm in Jasper Township.
When Mr. Ford came to Fayette County, in Oc- tober, 1846, he settled on his present homestead, making a purchase of one hundred acres, for which he paid $18 per acre. He has since added to the original amount, paying different prices, ranging from $18 to $90 per acre, until now he is the owner of sixteen hundred acres of finely-im- proved land. He has embellished the place with a substantial set of farm buildings, including a commodious and comfortable residence, and a store building in which he keeps a stock of dry goods and groceries. In connection with farming, he carries on an extensive live-stock business, in which he has met with success.
A native of Maine, born in Gray, September 20, 1819, our subject traces his lineage to the Pilgrim Fathers. His paternal grandparents were Nathaniel and Mary (Jones) Ford, natives of Maine. His father, James Ford, was born August 19, 1796, and was reared to maturity in his native State, Maine, where he married Miss Lucy Latham. They were the parents of six children, as follows: Eliab L., of this sketch; James, Jr., born March 14, 1823, died September 3, 1860; Mary J., born July 24, 1824,
died November 17, 1870; Lucy L., born April 10, 1827; Nathaniel, May 19, 1829; and Charles, April 29, 1833.
During the summer of 1850, James Ford removed from Maine to Warren County, Ohio, where he re- sided until his demise, April 1, 1865. Ilis death was the result of an accident, he being thrown from a wagon and sustaining injuries which finally proved fatal. The mother of our subject was born December 18, 1798, in Gray, Me., and died Decem- ber 25, 1891, at Maineville, Warren County, Ohio, having one week before her demise celebrated her ninety-fourth birthday.
In the public schools and academies of his native State, our subject received a good education and employed the vacation seasons in aiding his father in the store. When twenty years of age, he started out for himself, coming to Montgomery, Hamilton County, Ohio, where he taught school for a couple of years. He was there married, June 4, 1843, to Martha M. Snider, a daughter of Gen. John and Hannah (Moore) Snider, the former a native of Hamilton County, Ohio, and the latter of New- burgh, N. Y. John Snider was born August 31, 1798, and served in the Indian Wars, gaining the distinction of Brigadier-General; he also recruited men for the Mexican War. Ile passed his en- tire life in his native county, where his death occurred May 21, 1857. His wife was born March 9, 1800, and died July 24, 1832. Two of their nine children are now living: Mary and Martha. The deceased are: Cindory, Rozeny, Ethelinda, Cornelius, John, Harvey and Sarah.
Mr. and Mrs. Ford are the parents of seven children, as follows: Sarah L., born June 10, 1814, married John L. Barnes; Lucy E., born June 13, 1847; Mary O., June 24, 1851; Charles E., born .Jan- uary 23, 1854, is a farmer in Illinois; Frank, born July 22, 1856, is a lawyer in St. Paul, Minn .; James, born March 3, 1862, is engaged in the hardware business at Washington Court House; William S., born December 21, 1864, completes the family circle. Mr. Ford and his estimable wife are members of the Universalist Church, and are prominent in the social circles of the community.
A pronounced Democrat in his politics, Mr. Ford has been called upon by his fellow-citizens to oc-
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cupy public positions of trust. For a period of almost thirty years he was Township Treasurer, and in 1872 was elected County Commissioner, serving one term. He was a Director in the Far- mers' and Merchants' Bank, at Washington Court House, for several years. During the late war, he contributed freely to the support of the Union, but being advanced in years, and with his family de- pendent upon him, he was unable to enlist for active service. In 1847, he became a member of Fayette Lodge No. 107, F. & A. M., and has taken the Chapter degrees at Wilmington, Commandery degrees at Chillicothe, and Scottish Rite, Thirty- second degree.
The lithographie portrait of Mr. Ford appears on an accompanying page.
NDREW JACKSON STROUP. The gen- tleman of whom we write is engaged in farming and stock-raising on his fine ara- ble farm, located one mile south of Mt. Sterling, Pleasant Township, Madison County. He was born in Highland County, this State, Octo- ber 29, 1838, and is the son of Clayborn and Mary (Stroup) Stroup, also natives of Highland County.
Grandfather Stroup came to Highland County from Pennsylvania, in 1801. His father was a na- tive of Holland, and emigrated to America in 1770. The paternal grandfather, Michael Stroup, was the owner of over three thousand acres of land in Highland County, and was the father of a family of fourteen children. His wife borc the maiden name of Polly Walker, and is a native of Fleming County, Ky. The grandparents gave to each of their children one hundred acres of land, the father of our subject's portion being in the possession of his son, Franklin P. Stroup. The fa- ther accumulated considerable property, and at his decease left an estate aggregating four hundred acres.
Of the ten children included in the parental family, seven grew to mature years, namely: Louisa, who married Arthur A. Puckett, resides in Kansas;
Armenus, a farmer in Highland County, this State; Margaret, who married George Ellis, died in Dod- son Township, Highland County; our subject is next in order of birth; Mary Ann, who married Philip Creamer, keeps an hotel in Hillsboro, this State; Joseph, who resides on a part of the home farm; and Frank P., who also lives on the home place. Eli died when twelve or fourteen years old.
Andrew Stroup received a fair education in the common schools, and when old enough, aided his father in clearing the home farm. He began life for himself when eighteen years of age, at which time his father gave him a farm of fifty aeres, which he placed under excellent cultivation, and which was located near Lynchburg. December 25, 1861, Mr. Stroup was married to Miss Martha Puck- ett, who was born in Mt. Sterling, March 20, 1840. She is the daughter of John and Catherine (Bu- sick) Puckett, and removed with her parents to the farm which is the present home of our subject, when thirteen years of age. After his marriage, our subject located on his own property, where he made his home until 1865, then lived for one sea- son with his father-in-law. He then purchased sixty-four acres in Darby Township, Pickaway County, which he still owns, and which they resided upon until 1890, when they removed to their pres- ent home, which was the inheritance of his wife. The estate ineludes one hundred and nine well- improved acres, which our subject has cultivated in a most intelligent manner. Mrs. Stroup was the youngest in a family of four children, her brother and sisters being Arthur, May and Sarah.
To our subject and his wife have been born the following seven children: Joseph, who was born January 15, 1866, is married, and is engaged as an engineer on a passenger train on the Pan Handle Road; he has two children, and lives in Colum- bus, this State. Georgiana, who was born June 8, 1867, married William Simpkins, and resides at Conneaut; Seymour, who was born October 7, 1863, is married, and lives in Columbus; Minnie W., who was born August 26, 1871, is now at home; Alma, who was born March 3, 1874, died May 11, 1891; Byron, who was born February 9, 1876, is at home, and Charles Cleveland, who was born April 30, 1885, is the youngest of the family.
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James Stroup, the maternal uncle of our subject, was the first male child born in Dodson Township, Highland County. Ile departed this life Septem- ber 14, 1891, when eighty-three years of age. An- other uncle, Joseph Stroup, removed to Hunting- ton County, Ind., in 1840, where he became very wealthy, and died in May, 1891, in Warren, that State, when eighty years of age.
He of whom we write is a Democrat, in politics, as was his father before him. Ilis grandfathers on both sides of the house, Michael and Antony Stroup, fought in the War of 1812, under Gen. Jackson, and participated in the battle of New Or- leans. Our subject, together with his wife and sev- eral of their children, are members of the Chris- tian Church in Mt. Sterling. Mrs. Stroup's father was the second settler in Mt. Sterling, where he owned a large tan yard. Ile commenced life as an apprentice, and at his death was very wealthy, owning over six hundred acres of land. He died May 13, 1888, on the place where our subject lives at the age of eighty-three years.
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W ILLIAM R. DUVALL, editor and proprie- tor of the Union-Herald of Circleville, was born in Shadeville, Franklin County, Ohio, on the 16th of July, 1859, and is a son of Thomas B. and Chloe (Chester) Duvall. His ma- trnal grandfather. Miles Chester, was a farmer and a prominent citizen of Franklin County. The family is of French descent. The paternal grand- father was born in Berks County, Pa., and when a young man emigrated to Ohio, in 1804, locating near South Bloomfield. He was a successful farmer and spent his last days near Shadeville. Thomas Duvall was born in South Bloomfield, and in his early life drove cattle to market in Baltimore and New York for same ten seasons. He even went to Illinois for parties, driving their cattle from Monti- cello to the East. He afterwards turned his atten- tion to general farming in Harrison Township, and bought land, which he operated from 1859 until March, 1875, when he removed to a farm, which he purchased near Wapakoneta, Auglaize
County, Ohio. He there engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death in 1885. His wife was a native of Licking County, Ohio, and prior to her marriage engaged in school teaching. She yet survives her husband and is living on the old home farnı.
Our subject is the eldest of four children, three of whom are yet living. He spent his boyhood days in Harrison Township until fifteen years of age, when he accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Auglaize County. He attended the com- mon schools until seventeen years of age and then began teaching, which profession he followed for five years. During his vacations he attended col- lege in Danville, Ind., and at the age of twenty- two became connected with journalistic work. Ilc spent one year in the office of the Wapakoneta Bee, and was then with the Auglaize County Democrat as its foreman, from May, 1883, until August, 1887, when he bought a one-third in- terest in the Auglaize Republican. He afterwards owned a half interest in that office, with which he was connected until January 1, 1890, when he came to Circleville, and with Harry E. Lutz, Post- master of Circleville, became proprietor of the Union-Herald. On the Ist of September following he bought out his partner and is now sole pro- prietor.
The Union-Herald was established in August, 1817, and is the oldest paper in the county. It was originally published under the name of the Olice Branch by James Foster. It is a weekly, seven- column quarto, a bright, newsy sheet, which sup- ports the Republican party. With it is connected a good job office, which is run by steam power and does one-half of the job work of the county. Mr. Duvall is an easy and fluent writer, has won suc- cess in journalistic work and well deserves a hberal patronage.
On the 29th of April, 1890, in Wapakoneta, Mr. Duvall married Miss Minnie Torrance. who was born amid the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, N. Y., and was reared in Auglaize County, Ohio. Her father, Prof. William F. Torrance, was for a number of years Superintendent of Schools in that county, then held the office of County Auditor seven years, retiring in 1891. Mr. and
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Mrs. Duvall have a little daughter, Marguerite. They are well known and prominent people of this community who rank high in social circles. Mr. Duvall is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Methodist Church, and is Secretary of the County Republican Executive Committee. He is a pleas- ant, courteous gentleman and all who know him esteem him highly.
OHN M. BRADLEY, who was born in one of the pioneer homes of Madison County, June 17, 1833, occupies an important posi- tion both in the industrial and public life of Monroe Township, where he makes his home on his farm, which is situated ten miles west and a little south of Plain City. He is a son of Alfred Bradley, who was born in Virginia, in 1804. He in turn was a son of Jonah and Susan (Powers) Bradley, who came to Ohio in 1805, and were among the first settlers of Monroe Township, where the father of our subject passed his boy- hood. After attaining manhood, he was married to Jemima Morrow, a native of New York, who had been brought to Ohio when she was a small child by her parents, who were pioneers of Madi- son County, where she was reared. After marri- age, the Bradleys took up their home on a new farm, and the father worked industriously at its improvement until his untimely death by drown- ing, at the age of forty-five. The mother died in Monroe Township when her son of whom we write was ten years old. She had four children that grew to manhood and womanhood, of whom our subject and his sister Elizabeth are the only survivors.
Our subject was the second child born to his worthy parents, who early instilled into his mind the principles that have been his guide through life. He first attended school in a log house, that was a typical pioneer institution of learning, with rude home-made furniture, the seats being made of slabs, and the desks of the same material, placed against the wall for the convenience of the older pupils in writing. When but ten years old,
the little lad was thrown mostly on his own re- sources and had to work out by the month for a living, so that his schooling thereafter was con- fined to the winter terms, when he worked for his board that he might have an opportunity to gain an education. He lived with his Grandmother Bradley a part of the time, and also with an uncle, earning his own living entirely after he was twelve years old. When he was sixteen years old, he crossed the mountains with a drove of cattle, walking all the way to Pennsylvania and back. While still a boy, he lived two years in Mercer County, this State, and passed a year in Logan County, Ill., but with those exceptions he has always lived in Madison County.
Mr. Bradley located where he now resides at once after his marriage in the autumn of 1859. There were but few improvements on the place at that time, and he has made the farm what it is to- day by skillful and untiring labor, working sys- tematieally, carrying out every detail carefully and employing none but the best methods in eul- tivating the soil and in managing his affairs gen- erally. He has one hundred and seventy acres in his homestead, beside eighty-seven acres elsewhere in the township. The buildings are substantial and well arranged, and everything about the place is indicative of the thrift, business energy and prac- tical ability of the owner. He devotes it to gen- eral farming, and has it well stocked with fine' horses, cattle and hogs.
Our subject was married to Miss Surrild, daugh- ter of David and Sarah (Wever) Morris, in No- vember, 1859. She, too, is a native of Monroe Township, born here June 24, 1839, and here she has passed her life thus far. Her marriage with our subject has brought them four sons and three daughters, of whom these four are living and com- plete their pleasant home circle: Lorenzo T., Stel- la M., M. Viola, and D. Cushman. Three of their children have passed to the life beyond: De Witt C., who died at the age of twenty-five years; Lydia, who was twenty years old at the time of her death, and Morris, who died in infancy.
Mr. Bradley is one of the leading public officials of the township, and has played a prominent part in the administration of local affairs, holding va-
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rious responsible positions, for which he is well fit- ted, as he has the interests of his township at heart, is possessed of good business habits, and ex- ercises the same skill and careful supervision in civie matters that he does in looking after his own private concerns, and he has never been known to neglect a trust. He was Clerk of the township from 1858 to 1864, and he still holds the office of Trustee, to which he was first elected in 1867, and of which he has been an incumbent continuously since, with the exception of the year 1880. Ile has also been Supervisor of Roads. In politics, he is first, last and always a Republican. He helped organize the first Christian Church in the township, and is one of its most active working members. Socially, he is a Mason, and belongs to Lodge No. 311 at Plain City.
ARTIN L. MCCOY. The subject of this sketch makes his home in Union Town- ship, Fayette County, and is the son of Abraham McCoy, of the same township, who was born near Washington C. H. about 1823. His father, James McCoy, came to Ohio from the Eastern part of the country. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Margaret Hoppes, and was the daughter of John Hoppes, of this county, a prominent farmer and a man of con- siderable wealth. Abraham and Margaret MeCoy reared a family of ten children, and all of that large cirele are still living. Elias, the eldest, lives at Washington C. II. and is a farmer; Sarah is the wife of Joseph Briggs and lives in Wayne Township, this county; John resides in Marion Township; James lives in Washington C. H. and is in the grocery business; Nannie is the wife of Al Melvin, a hardware merchant of Washington C. H .; our subject and a twin sister are next in order of age, the latter being Mary, the wife of W. J. Burnett, who is a farmer in North Dakota and President of the Farmers' Alliance there; F. M. McCoy lives in Wayne Township, where he carries on a farm; Allie James is in the poultry business in Muncie, Ind., and Clara married William Cleve-
land, who lives in the same city, where he is car- rying on a elothing business. Mrs. Abraham McCoy died on the 3d of May, 1885, and was followed to her grave at Washington C. H. by her bereaved husband and all her children.
The subject of this sketeh was born June 26, 1855, in Union Township, Fayette County, at the old homestead. His education was received in the district schools of his township, where he has always resided. On the 20th of November, 1883, he was united in marriage with Miss Annie M., daughter of Elias and Sarah Parrett.
Mr. Parrett was born February 4, 1811, in Virginia, his native place being in Shenandoah County, six miles north of Woodstock, and his parents were John and Catherine Parrett, who came to Ohio in the fall of 1811, when their son Elias was above eight months old. They trav- eled by wagon and settled six miles north of the Court House in Paint Township, thus becoming one of the earliest pioneers of the county. During the War of 1812, John Parrett was called to serve his country and fought all through that period of conflict. Upon the land which he bought upon Paint Creek he lived from 1811 to 1859, during which year he died. Eight of his eleven chil- dren grew to man's and woman's estate, and four of them are still living. The mother of Mrs. MeCoy was Sarah, daughter of James and Elsie Conner, and of her five children, all of whom are now living, Mrs. McCoy is the youngest.
Mr. MeCoy has a family of two children, one son and one daughter: Walter E., who was born January 10, 1887, and Florence, May 7, 1891. The splendid tract of one hundred and ten and one- half acres, which belongs to Mr. McCoy and com- prises his home farm, is in a fine state of cultiva- tion, and here he carries on general farming and stock-raising. Ile also operates a farm of three hundred and fifty acres adjoining, and this year (1892) he is harvesting one hundred and eighty acres of wheat, and makes a specialty of fine Brahma chickens and has some very fine speei- mens of this fowl.
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