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 29
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 29
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 29
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ON. MILLS GARDNER. The official work of this gentleman has extended over many years and has brought him prominently before the gaze of the public, and in him his constituents have found a man of ability and integrity and one whose activities have ever been employed for the good of the community. IIe now makes his home in Washington C. H., with whose interests he has been connected since 1854.
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The original of this sketch was born in Russell- ville, Brown County, Ohio, January 30, 1830, thus being one day older than James G. Blaine. Ilis parents, Seth and Elma S. (Barrere) Gardner, were natives respectively of New York and Ohio. The father followed the combined occupations of merchant, hotel-keeper and farmer, and, emigrat- ing to Brown County in an early day, departed this life in 1871, aged eighty-one years.
Mills Gardner received a good practical educa- tion in the common schools of Highland County, after which he engaged as clerk for an uncle for nine years at New Market. During that time, he read law with his uncle, Nelson Barrere, of Hills- boro, and in 1855 was admitted to the Bar. Our subject has built up a very flattering reputation, and from 1856 to 1860 was Prosecuting Attorney. In 1861, he was elected State Senator, during which time he served on many important commit- tecs in the Senate. He was later a member of the House of Representatives of the Ohio Legislature, during the years 1866 and 1867, and served as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1872 and 1873. He was also a member of the Forty- fifth Congress, his term beginning on the 4th of March, 1877, the day on which President Hayes was inaugurated. Previous to the formation of the Republican party, the Hon. Mr. Gardner voted the Whig ticket. In connection with his duties as a lawyer, our subject is a member of the Lud- low Soap Company and the Washington Stamping Company.
October 9, 1851, Miss Margaret A., daughter of John Morrow, was united in marriage with our subject. They have become the parents of two daughters, Gertrude and Edith, both of whom are at home. Mr. Gardner, with his family, is an in- fluential member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which denomination he has been connected for over forty years, during that time serving as Superintendent of the Sunday-school and as a member of the Board of Trustees. In social matters, he is connected with Fayette Lodge, Fayette Chapter, Fayette Council and Garfield Commandery of the Free and Accepted Masons.
The mother of our subject was known in her
maidenhood as Miss Elma Sands Barrere. She was the daughter of George W. and Abbie (Mills) Barrere and was born in New Market, Highland County, Ohio, July 4, 1806. She was married to Seth Gardner in 1827 and became the mother of three sons, viz .: George B., our subject and Thomas F.
Grandfather George W. Barrere was born at Wheeling, W. Va., March 17, 1770, and on emigrat- ing to Kentucky was there married. In 1803, he removed to Highland County, this State, and reared a large family of five sons and three daughters, whose average life was seventy-eight and one-half years. The mother of our subject departed this life July 13, 1891, in this city, and was the last of this remarkably long-lived family
to pass to the land beyond. She was a very strong-minded woman, having not only convie-
tions as to right and wrong, good and evil, the true and the false, but had also the courage of her con- victions. She kept herself well informed upon subjects of general interest and always manifested a lively and loving interest in the welfare of young people, who in turn loved, confided in and were devoted to her, finding in her society a de- light and joy that grew as their knowledge of her character increased.
OHN SOLLARS. This venerable and hon- ored gentleman is one of the oldest citizens living within the borders of Fayette Coun- ty, the most of whose growth he has wit- nessed, as he is a son of one of its early pioneer families, and for sixty years he has been a land- holder here, owning and occupying a farm of one hundred acres in Wayne Township, that he re- claimed from the forest wilds.
Our subject was born in St. Clair, Allegheny County, Pa., in 1806. His parents were Samuel and Elizabeth Sollars. Samuel Sollars was born in the same place as his son, January 12, 1784, in the home of Isaac and Elizabeth (Blackmore) Sollars, who were natives respectively of England and
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Maryland. The latter was a daughter of Samuel Blackmore, who was of English birth. Isaac Sollars was of Revolutionary fame, and was located at Ft. MeIntosh during the struggle of the Americans for freedom from the mother country. Some time after marriage, he removed to Kentucky, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and settled in the forests of that State, and he was there killed by the Indians in 1792.
Samuel Sollars was very young when the family went to Kentucky, and was but eight years of age when his father was killed. He continued to live with his mother and relatives in the Kentucky home until he grew to manhood. Ilis education was quite limited, owing to the absence of schools in that part of the country. He was married to Elizabeth Train, September 20, 1803, in Pennsyl- vania, whither he had returned. She was a daughter of John and Joan ( Weiley) Train, who were natives respectively of Scotland and Penn- sylvania. John Train came to America after he had attained manhood, and married in Pennsylva- nia. In 1808, Samuel Sollars brought his family to this part of Ohio, which has since become known as Fayette County, and established a home in the woods within two miles of where his son, of whom we write, now lives. He purchased two hundred acres of land, to which he afterwards added two hundred and fifty acres, and in due time had hewed out a goodly farm. His first house was like all early dwellings of that day, constructed of logs, but was warm and comfortable. He was one of the first to settle in this region, and had no neighbors except the Indians, who were numerous. Wild game was plentiful in the forests, and as he was a good marksman, he had no difficulty in pro- viding plenty of venison and turkey for the table. Hle and his wife reared eight children, named as follows: John, Isaac (deceased), Hiram (de- ceased), Allen (deceased), Samuel, Jacob (de- ceased), Matilda, widow of Hamilton Rogers, and Mary (deceased). The father served in the War of 1812 two months. He was a Democrat in early life, but later joined the Whigs, and was a conspic- nous figure in public life, having been Commis- sioner of Fayette County nine years, and at different times held most of the township offices.
Our subject labored hard to acquire an educa- tion, spending his school days in the old log schoolhouse of pioneer times, that was furnished with split log seats, and lighted by greased paper instead of glass. Ile has always been fond of books, and has supplemented his early education by a wide range of reading, including much that bears on the topics of the day, and he is especially fond of history, in which he is well posted. He remained with his parents until he was twenty- three years of age, and then went into the timber to cut cord-wood. At the age of twenty-six, he took unto himself a wife in the person of Nancy, daughter of Jolin and Nancy (McCulloch) MeWilliams, who were natives respectively of Scotland and Pennsylvania, and early pioneers of Belmont County when Ohio was a Territory. John MeWilliams was a man of solid attainments, and a school teacher by profession. He arose to prominence in his county, which he represented in the Territorial Legislature of Ohio. He served his county as Auditor a number of years and in 1796 was engaged by the Government as a civil en- gineer to survey land near Cincinnati.
Our subject bought one hundred acres of his present farm in Wayne Township in 1832, and has since made it his home. He now owns nine hun- dred and fifty acres of land in this county and in Illinois, and his means are ample to enable him and his wife to enjoy a serene old age in quietness and comfort. He was formerly active in local public life, and has held most of the township offices, in which he used his influence to forward every use- ful measure planned for the benefit of the com- munity. Politically, he is a Republican of long standing.
Mr. and Mrs. Sollars have had eight children: John. Jr .; Samuel and Franklin, deceased, the lat- ter having been a member of Company E, One Hun- dred and Twenty-second Ohio Infantry; William, who married for his first wife Anna Crosby, and for his second Neoma Culy; Lucy and Anna, deceased; Nancy, wife of Samuel Hoppes; and Elizabeth, de- ceased, who was the wife of George Blackman. Samuel Sollars gave up his life for his country during the late war. Hle first enlisted in Company E, Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry, and subsequently
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re-enlisted in the one hundred days' service, was wounded in Kentucky by Morgan's men, and died in the hospital at Covington, that State. Our subject and his wife have sixteen grandchildren to gladden their hearts.
HOMAS BALES has been a resident of Mad- ison County for over half a century and was formerly one of its most extensive farmers and stockmen, owning a large landed estate. He ac- quired a fortune by his ably conducted operations, and is now living in pleasant retirement in the at- tractive village of London. He is a native of the old Commonwealth of Virginia, born in Frederick County, August 9, 1817.
The parents of our subject were Moses and Mary (Fish) Bales, who were also Virginians by birth. The Bales originated in Wales, and were among the Colonial settlers of Virginia, where David Bales, the grandfather of our subject, was born some time during the last century. Hle was one of the prominent farmers of Frederick County, and was a gallant soldier of the Revolution. In the great struggle for freedom from the mother country, he was shot in the leg, and died from the effects of the wound a few years later, thus giving up his life for his country as though he had perished on the battle-field. He was a Chris- tian gentleman, and was greatly respected by all who knew him. The maternal grandparents of our subject were Robert and Mary Fish, the former a native of this country, the latter of foreign birth. Mr. Fish was a farmer in Virginia until he came to Ohio, and passed his remaining years at his occu- pation in Richland County. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Church, and were de- voted to its interests. They reared a family of twelve children.
The father of our subject came to Ohio in 1833, and, settling among the pioneers of Clarke County, purchased a farm there, and engaged in agricul- tural pursuits until death rounded out his life at a ripe age. In him the Republican party found an earnest advocate from the first, and the Methodist
Church was strengthened by his membership. He was the father of twelve children, having been three times married. His first wife, the mother of our subject, was a noble woman of many Christian virtues, and a member of the Methodist Church. She was the mother of four children, of whom but two are living: our subject and his sister Betsy, Mrs. Potee.
The subject of this biographical review passed his early years on a farm, at first in his native State and afterward in Clarke County, where his education was completed. He remained at home with his father until he attained his majority, and then started out into the world to see what life held for him elsewhere. In 1845, he came to Mad- ison County, purchased two hundred and fifty acres of land in Summerford Township, and made that his home for thirty-eight years. Going to Deer Creek Township from there, he took up his resi- dence on one of his farms, that contained five hundred acres of fine farming land, and he was ex- tensively engaged in raising high-bred horses and cattle for some time. IIe had in his possession fif- teen hundred acres of realty, all in this county, except three hundred acres. May 5, 1887, he came to the village of London, and purchased a resi- dence on Fourth Street, where he now lives. In the accumulation of his property he has materi- ally increased the wealth of the county, and he has always sought to use his means for the promotion of those enterprises best calculated to develop its resources and improve its condition. He is a man of well-balanced intellect, of sound and sensible views upon all subjects with which he is conver- sant, and his political preferences lie with the Re- publican party, to which he is devotedly attached. The Methodist Episcopal Church has in him a lib- eral and exemplary member, and he has held the office of Steward in the same.
Fortune has also favored our subject in his do- mestic life, as by his marriage in 1845 with Miss Emeline Rigdon, he secured a companion who fills in a perfect measure her position as wife, mother and friend, and conducts the affairs of her house- hold so as to contribute to the comfort and happi- ness of all who come under her influence. She is the mother of three children: Talipha, Mrs. Dr.
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Beach, who has four children: Roy, Carrie, Ada and Downing; Mrs. Alta Gray; and Mrs. Carrie Fitch- given, who has three children: Clarence, Laura and Harry. Mrs. Bales is a native of Madison County, born January 22, 1828, a daughter of Charles and Lydia (Mitchell) Rigdon, who were natives respect- ively of Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Her mater- nal grandfather, who was a native of Massachusetts and a farmer, served throughout the Revolution. Mr. Rigdon was a farmer. He first settled in Cham- paign County after he came to Ohio, but he after- ward came to Madison County, and was one of its most prosperous pioneer farmers, farming over four hundred acres of land. He died in Indian- apolis, Ind. Ile and his wife were prominent mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he was Trustee. He was also Township Trustee at one time. Ilis father was Dr. Lamb Rigdon, a na- tive of Germany, and a physician and surgeon of some note in his day. Mrs. Bales is one of nine children, of whom three are living besides herself: Mrs. Julia Bales, Mrs. Jennie Burt, and Mrs. Mag- gie Davidson.
B AYARD T. KELLER, of Bloomingburgh, stands among the first of his profession in Fayette County as an able and learned physician, and is an important figure in its political and social life. He was born in the town of Cumberland, Allegany County, Md., February 22, 1850. His father, D. T. Keller, was a native of Virginia, and soon after the birth of the son of whom we write, he returned to that State, and became one of the leading business men of Rom- ney, Hampshire County, now a part of West Vir- ginia, where he had a large foundry and machine shop. He married Mary J. Thistle, a native of Maryland, and a granddaughter of J. II. Bayard, an uncle of ex-Secretary of State Bayard, who was a member of Cleveland's cabinet.
Our subject is the eldest child in a family of four daughters and two sons, of whom five grew to maturity. He was a small child when his
parents took up their residence in Romney, and he passed his boyhood amid its pleasant scenes until he was eighteen years old, receiving his first schooling at Romey, and completing his hterary education at Alleghany Academy in his native town. At the age of nineteen, he entered the University of Maryland for the purpose of study- ing medicine, and was graduated from that insti- tution in March, 1871, at the age of twenty-one, the youngest member of his class, in which he had attained high rank for excellence of scholarship.
Leaving the University with a fine equipment for the successful practice of medicine, and with every promise of a bright future in his chosen calling, our subject entered upon his professional career at Grantsville, Garrett County, Md., and was in active practice at that point some ten years. llis next move was to Oakland, the county seat of that county, where he remained six years. I 1887, he came to Ohio, and has since made his home at Bloomingburgh. He has proved a valu- able acquisition to its citizenship, thoroughly identifying himself with its best interests, and ac- tively co-operating with his fellow-townsmen in all feasible schemes for its advancement. Ile is popular as a physician, has a fine practice, and, though he has lived here but a few years, his tal- ents have won him due recognition from his medical brethren, who have elected him Vice- president of the Fayette County Medical Associa- tion, and he is also a member in high standing of the Ohio State Medical Association. His further social relations are with the American Legion of Honor. Ile has been appointed medical attend- ant for the Baltimore & Ohio Railway from Wash- ington C. H. to Mt. Sterling. Ever since he was old enough to vote, the Doctor has been a power in politics wherever he has lived, and is influen- tial in the councils of the Democratic party. He was Chairman of the Democratic Committee of Garrett County during his residence in Maryland, and since coming here he has been a member of the Fayette County Democratic Committee. He is distinguished as being the first of his party ever elected to any office in the village of Blooming- burgh as a member of its Council.
The marriage of Dr. Keller with Miss Lizzie
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Casteel, a native of Grantsville, Md., took place in that town, October 10, 1875. Mrs. Keller was born in June, 1854, and is a daughter of William Casteel, Commissioner of Garrett County, and one of the leading citizens. A felicitous union has brought to our subject and his wife eight chil- dren, as follows; Mary A., Alice M., Daniel C., Charles B. (deceased), Charles H., Bayard C., Nel- lie C. and William (deceased).
W ILLIAM DAVIS. This wealthy and prom- inent gentleman is a resident of Monroe Township, Pickaway County, where he is the possessor of a fine farm. He is a native-born citizen of this place, having been born Novem- ber 14, 1836. Ile is a son of John Davis, who was born on the George Woods Farm, in Deer Creek Township, this county, August 22, 1807. The grandfather bore the name of Benjamin and was a native of Virginia. Ile came by team to this State, over the mountains, about the year 1800, and set- tled in Deer Creek Township, and some time later located on Darby Creek, in Muhlenberg Township; after a residence here of some time, he removed to White County, Ind., where he spent his last days, dying when past his ninetieth year.
The father of our subjeet was reared on the home farm, receiving but little education in the common schools, but being a man of strong natural ability, he became quite wealthy, and is still living, making his home in Palestine, this county. He is the owner of five hundred acres of fine land, all in one body, and has given about $25,000 to his chil- dren, besides. Stoek-raising and farming have been his life vocations, which he has carried on on an extensive seale. Ile married Elizabeth Crabb, who was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1810, and bore her husband sixteen children, ten of whom grew to mature years: Martha (deceased), William, Jo- seph, Isaac (deceased), David, Thomas, Fletcher (deceased), Mary A., Amanda, and Millard. The mother of this family died in 1882, when seventy- two years old. The father was a Republican in his political affiliations.
Our subject was reared on the farm and educated in the common district schools, which were in the primitive log schoolhouse, with its large open fire- place and slab benches, and which were conducted on the rate-bill system. He began for himself in life when twenty-one years old, in which year he was married, and rented his father's farm for seven years, when he bought it. The date of his marriage was November 22, 1857, the lady of his choice .Rebecca A. McGuire. Ten children were born of this marriage, five growing to maturity, namely: Emma, Milton, Marion, John and Edward. The good wife and mother died April 28, 1881, and Mr. Davis was again married, January 19, 1886, this time to Rosanna Taylor, a native of Pike County, this State, where she was born, March 10, 1852.
The fine estate of him of whom we write consists of eight hundred and sixty aeres, five hundred and eighty acres in this township and the balance located in Darby and Muhlenberg Townships. This is all splendidly improved, there not being one acre of waste land. On this he is extensively engaged in stock-raising and agriculture and is more than ordinarily successful in his pursuits. He has heretofore rented some of his land but will hereafter attend to all of it himself. Horses seem to be his favorite stock and he now has some fifty head of draft horses and roadsters, besides a num- ber of hogs and cattle which he fattens for the market. The crop of wheat raised the past year on this place was four thousand bushels, for which he got $1 per bushel from the machine, and one hundred and forty aeres of corn was raised, beside what was rented out.
Mr. and Mrs. Davis are consistent members of the Christian Church and tak Prest
in the same, Mr. Davis giving erecting the new church buildi views, he is a stanch Republi his fellow-citizens as Treasurer two years and has held man. vnces of smaller note. He has taken an active part in the publie schools and was one of the Building Committee on the new brick house here, and has been one of the Directors nearly ever since he came to this place. Starting out in life with no capital whatever but a
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Peter Hofman
Inis Peter Hoffman
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strong hand and a willing heart, Mr. Davis has, by his push, pluck and perseverance, made a success of life. In his first home, he drove pins in the wall and laid boards on them for a cupboard and this was the best one they could contrive. Mr. Davis has an interest in the elevator at Palestine, which is run under the firm name of C. Tanner & Co., buying and shipping large quantities of grain.
P ETER HOFFMAN. No member of the farm- ing community of Pickaway County is more worthy of representation in this biograph- ical work than this venerable and venerated gentleman, who is not only a son of one of the earliest pioneers of the county, but is himself en- titled to be considered a pioneer on account of what he has done to promote the progress of agri- culture in this favored section of the State, of which he is a native, and in whose publie as well as industrial life he has borne an active part.
Mr. Hoffman was born in Washington Town- ship, May 2, 1809, and is a son of George Hoffman, who was a native of Berks County, Pa. He came to Ohio in a wagon with his wife in 1806, and took up a tract of land in Washington Township, being among the first to locate here. The country was a wilderness, with but few attempts at cultiva- tion, and deer were so plentiful that they had to be chased from the wheat fields, where they often did much damage. Indians often used to pass through the country, and still had their hunting- grounds in this vicinity. Mr. Hoffman built a log cabin, and every year cleared away some of the timber standing on his land, which in time he im- proved into a highly productive farm. During the War of 1812, he served as a soldier forty days. He was an earnest Christian, and a striet member of the Lutheran Church. This good old pioneer passed to his reward in 1862, at the end of a life long and well spent.
The paternal grandfather of our subject, Jacob Hoffman, came from his native Germany to this country when fifteen years old. He settled in Berks County, Pa., and in time became a prosper-
ous farmer there. In 1806, he emigrated to Fair- field County, this State, where he died an old man. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Mary Harpster, was born in Pennsylvania, and died in this State, in 1870.
Mr. Hoffman is the eldest son and second child in a family of eleven children, of whom nine grew to maturity, and five of them are still living. Ilis educational advantages were exceedingly limited, as there was no school for some time after he was old enough to go to one, and when a subscription school was finally established in an old log house he had to walk three miles to get to it. The build- ing was rudely constructed, with a puncheon floor, slab seats for furniture, and greased paper instead of glass in the windows. Our subject was born in a log cabin, and underwent all the experiences of frontier life. The farmers mostly used oxen in- stead of horses in their work, and had the most primitive tools with which to carry on their farm- ing.
Mr. Iloffman remained at home with his parents until 1836, when he started out as a farmer on his own account, having previously become thoroughly familiarized with every department of agriculture. On the 18th of March of that year, he purchased eighty acres of land, and diligently worked to develop it into a farm. In 1856, he bought the farm in his native township upon which he has ever since lived, and he has greatly increased its worth by the many valuable improvements that he has made. He has here one hundred and seventy acres of land on section 21, which is finely cul- tivated, and well adapted to general farming. The buildings that adorn it are of a good class, sub- stantially built and well arranged, and everything about the place is neat and orderly. Mr. Hoffman began with but little means, but he has done so well that he is one of the moneyed men of his na- tive county, and when his children began life for themselves he generously gave them cach $1,000.
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