USA > Ohio > Guernsey County > Portrait and biographical record of Guernsey County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 46
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In his boyhood days John D. Rowland received a fair education, and was initiated into the various
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duties pertaining to farm life. He has always made his home on the farm where his birth occurred. March 28, 1867, he was united in marriage with Sarah Catherine Rose, fifth child of William and Mary Ann (Thompson) Rose, the latter of whom is still living, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. The Thompsons come from one of the old- est families in this part of Ohio, being descended from one Robert, who was born in Fayette County, Pa., in 1780, and his wife, Susan, nee Torrence, to whom he was married about 1802. Robert Thomp- son, speaking of the state of the country at the time when his father, Robert, came to Ohio, says in the Richland Monitor, March 16, 1886: "They came to Ohio about 1811, and settled on the farm now known as the Madison Gregg Farm, only three acres of it then being cleared. Few settlers were then on Opossum Creek, and they counted as neigh- bors all from Sarahsville to Leatherwood. Paths through the woods were the only routes of travel,
and our pasture-field included much of what is now Guernsey and Noble Counties, but it was then without a fence. Every evening the settler belled his stock and turned it loose, and in the morning he started with his gun to hunt it, going perhaps one or two miles."
To Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rowland were born two children, namely: Bellzora, wife of Ernest Sechrist, of Richland Township; and Francis Shan- non, who is at home. Our subject has ever been an honest, hardworking man, and is the architect of his own fortunes. He keeps everything about his place in a thrifty condition, and gives his per- sonal supervision to all the departments of farm work. He is slow to contract and prompt to pay a debt, and his word is considered as good as bis bond in the community where he is so well known, and has long been considered one of the promi- nent citizens.
JUDGE JAMES W. CAMPBELL.
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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JUDGE JAMES WALTER CAMPBEL
J UDGE JAMES WALTER CAMPBELL, a leading member of the Bar of Guernsey County, is one of the most respected citizens of Cambridge. In 1883 he was elected to serve as Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and four years later was re-elected to that position. It is now over two decades since his admission to the Bar, and during this time he has built up for him- self an enjoyable reputation as a jurist of superior ability, keen perception and accurate judgment. Ile is Vice-President and next to the largest stock- holder in the Old National Bank of Cambridge, one of the oldest concerns of the kind in the United States.
Judge Campbell was born in Middletown, Guern- sey County, September 20, 1847, and is a son of Dr. James and Saralı (Brown) Campbell, natives of Belmont County, Ohio, and Allegheny County, Pa., respectively. The ancestors of the Campbell family were Scotch-Irish. For a number of years Dr. Campbell was engaged in practice in the eastern part of this county, but died in the prime of life, on the 25th of February, 1852, at the age of thir- ty-five years. His untimely demise was occasioned by the exercise of his native generosity and kind- ness of heart. A citizen of this county had con- tracted "Panama fever" on the way home from California, and the local physicians were afraid to undertake the case. Dr. Campbell not only ad- ministered to him the remedies which he deemed best, but took care of the patient and nursed him until he himself was smitten with the fever. His
wife died December 29, 1882, aged sixty-two years. Of their children, two are deceased, Orlando dy- ing in infancy, and Amanda M., wife of James II. Rosemond, August 18, 1872. William A. is en- gaged in zinc and lead mining in Joplin, Mo. Alice V. is the wife of E. J. Williams, a grocer in Washington, D. C. Charles M. is a retired capi- talist and journalist of Washington.
After a public-school education, James W. Camp- bell entered Wittenberg College, at Springfield, Ohio. He became acquainted with James A. Gar- field, who induced him to enter Williams College, in Massachusetts, and he still has in his possession a letter written by the great statesman, in which he sets forth his reasons for desiring his friend to at- tend luis favorite college. In 1869 Mr. Campbell was graduated from that well known institution, and at once returned to his native county. He be- came associated with Captain Farrar in the man- agement of the Cambridge News, which was first issued September 2, 1869, and the name of which has since been changed to the Ilerald. During the five years of his journalistic work our subject read law with Captain Farrar and Joseph W. White, and was admitted to the Bar in 1871. He then entered into partnership with his former preceptor, Mr. White, who subsequently retired from the firm, after which Mr. Campbell became a partner of Fred L. Rosemond.
At the age of fifteen years Mr. Campbell enlisted in defense of the Stars and Stripes, in Company E. One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio Infantry.
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This was his third attempt to enlist, and to accom- plish his purpose he was obliged to run away from home. He was first assigned to the Army of the Cumberland, and later to the Army of the Ten- nessee, and took part in every engagement from the time he reached the front until the close of the war. For bravery he was made Corporal, and with his comrades was obliged to bear unusual hard- ships, as the men practically lived for some time on a diet of parched corn. Mr. Campbell has been frequently honored with positions on committees connected with his Alma Mater, and he is also a Trustee of Muskingum College. His political alle- giance has been given by him since he reached his majority to the Republican party.
February 13, 1873, Mr. Campbell married Mar- tha, daughter of Hon. J. W. White, who at one time was a Member of Congress from this district, and who was a leading member of the county Bar (see his sketch elsewhere in this volume). One son, Joseph W., now a student in the University of Chicago, is the only child of the Judge and his estimable wife. They are members of the Method- ist Episcopal Church.
J OHN RAY FINLEY is one of the worthy representative pioneers of Guernsey County, and few, if any, inhabitants of this section have more sincere friends among their ac- quaintances. He is one of the substantial farmers of Richland Township, where he owns a portion of his father's old homestead, situated in township 1, range 2, one and one-half miles west of Senecaville.
An ancestor of our subject, the Rev. James Fin- ley, was the first Presbyterian minister to cross the Alleghany Mountains into the western part of Pennsylvania. There be ministered to the spirit- ual needs of the early settlers for many years. One of his sons, Ebenczer, born about 1754, lived in Fayette County, Pa .. The latter, who was a pio- neer in a locality where Indian atrocities were
common, had many adventures with them, and also suffered many other vicissitudes of frontier life. On one occasion, he and a companion were at- tacked by three Indians. One of the redmen pur- sued Mr. Finley with a tomahawk around a big tree, after his unfortunate comrade had already fallen into the hands of the other two Indians. The latter, noticing that his captors' attention was momentarily diverted, seized a gun and shot the pursuing Indian, then wrenched the knife from the grasp of one of the other Indians and stabbed' him to death. He then, with the assistance of Mr. Finley, made short work of the remaining Indian. Ebenezer Finley was married four times, and had an exceedingly large family, even for those days. He owned an extensive farm, and was an honored citizen of the community where he lived.
James, son of Ebenezer Finley, and grandfather of our subject, was born in 1784, and died in Au- gust, 1861. In 1805 he married Elizabeth Fulton, eldest child of John and Rachel Fulton, of Penn- sylvania. After their marriage the young couple settled on a part of Mr. Finley's father's farm, liv- ing there for seven years. In 1814 they came to Ohio, and from that time until his death he was a resident of Richland.Township. His nine children were John F .; Eliza, Mrs. John Atwell; Jane, Mrs. Daniel Riggs; Rachael, Mrs. Wesley Dennison; William; James; Mary, Mrs. Robert McCune; Re- becca, Mrs. John Sawyer; and Ebenezer, the father of our subject.
Ebenezer Finley was born July 31, 1813, in Pennsylvania, and with his parents came to Ohio when quite young. His father had entered four hundred and eighty acres or more of land in this county, and at his death had three hundred and twenty acres left after giving to his sons. William, John and Ebenezer, a quarter-section each. The portion that came to the latter was the original homestead, the same now occupied by John Ray, of this sketch. The remainder of Ebenezer Fin- ley's life was passed on the farm where he located just after his marriage, and in addition to agricult- ural pursuits he made large sums from dealing in live stock. He often bought large herds, which he drove to Pittsburg, Philadelphia and Buffalo mar- kets, At one time he owned five hundred and
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forty acres in Iowa and one thousand acres in Kansas. In early life lie was a Whig, but later be- came a Republican. For years he held the office of. Township Trustee, and was an Infirmary Di- rector for nine years. A Deacon in the Presbyte- rian Church, he was well known for his upright- ness and genial disposition. He was called to his final rest December 4, 1890, and his wife, who was a most worthy and lovable woman, died in less two years afterward, May 27, 1892. They were the parents of four children: John R .; Levi L., who was born August 16, 1842; Mary E., Mrs. M. Mill- hone, born September 7, 1850, and who died April 11, 1877; and Margaret, Mrs. Jolin Thomas, of Iowa, born May 9, 1854.
John Ray Finley was born February 26, 1839, and' received a good common-school education. In 1860 he desired to see the West, and in com- pany with several acquaintances from this part of the state he went to Ottumwa, Iowa, and from there crossed the plains, by way of Plattsmouth and Ft. Kearney, to Denver. The trip consumed about two months, and at that time the routes swarmed with westbound trains. Though the Indians were numerous, they did not attack the party of which Mr. Finley was a member. After visiting the Gregory Mines, and engaging in placer-mining and prospecting for one season, he returned home on account of poor health.
February 21, 1861, occurred the marriage of our subject and Hester Ann, daughter of William and Margaret (Dilley) Thompson. Her grandfather, William Thompson, Sr., born in 1783, in Fayette County, Pa., moved to Guernsey County, which is now a part of Noble County, Ohio, in 1810, and in September, 1814, laid out the town of Senecaville in the woods. He was the first or second mer- chant in that place, in the early history of which he was prominent as farmer, merchant, legislator and judge. The parents of Mrs. Finley were mar- ried in 1838, and seven children were born to their union, of whom our subject's wife was sec- ond, her birth having occurred December 20, 1840.
Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Fin- ley, William T., a civil engineer, who since 1886 has been in the employ of the Northwestern Railroad, and is now an assistant engineer at Boone, Iowa,
graduated as a civil engineer, and afterwards took a scientific course at Ada College, from which he graduated in 1885. Mary E. and Charles J. are both at home; Benjamin E., who graduated from the classical department of Ada College in 1893, is now engaged in teaching, and makes his headquarters under the parental roof; and John H., who is also engaged in teaching, is still at home.
After his marriage our subject removed to a farm located in the southwest quarter of section 23, where he built a good house and made many other substantial improvements. In 1886 he removed to his present residence, locating on the old home- stead, and now has some three hundred and twenty acres of fine farming and pasture land upon which he has been very successful. In politics he is a Republican, but does not seek for official distinc- tion, though he filled the office of Township Trus- tee for many years, finally declining to serve longer. His interest in good schools has led him to serve as School Director for more than twenty years. A man of intelligence and practical sense, he also possesses thrifty and energetic qualities, which have led to his success. In manner he is genial, kindly and warm-hearted, and enjoys the friendship of all who have any dealings with him.
ILLIAM K. BOLAN, M. D., a well known and respected practitioner of Cumberland, Ohio, has been located here since the spring of 1879, and is a graduate of the Columbus Medical College. He is thoroughly a master of his profession and has never ceased his study and research in the field of the healing art.
On the maternal side the Doctor is of German ori- gin, while on his father's side he is of Irish descent. His paternal grandfather emigrated to Loudoun County, Va., in early manhood, and there passed the remainder of his life. He and his brothers were slaveliolders, the former frecing his slaves, how- ever before he died, while the latter, as a rule,
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held theirs until the emancipation act went into effect. He left five children: Joseph, William, Silas, Stephen and Naomi, all of whom, with the exception of the last-named, are now deceased. The daughter was twice married. Her first union was with Mr. Lingo, whom she bore a large family of children.
William, fatlier of Dr., Bolan, was born in Lou- doun County, Va., in February, 1817, and moved to Ohio in 1858. He settled on a farm in Goshen Township, Belmont County, where he accumulated a good estate. He was a member of the Baptist Church and active in all good works. Politically he was a Republican. He was called to his final rest March 6, 1890, and his loss was sincerely mourned by his many friends. His uncle was the owner of the farm on which John Wilkes Bootlı was shot. The wife of William Bolan was Miss Mary Davis; she was born in Jefferson County and is still living, though now in her seventy-sixth year. Four of her six children grew to maturity, namely: Emmet D., of Missouri; Mrs. Amanda Burns, who lives in this state; Mrs. Anne E. Burns, of Nebraska; William K .; and Jobn, who died at the age of seventeen years.
The birth of Dr. Bolan occurred in Loudoun County, Va., November 5, 1857. He was reared to farm duties and received a district-school edu- cation near the old homestead. Later he entered Bethany College and Hopedale Normal. At the age of sixteen he began teaching, and successfully conducted schools for four terms. He was eighteen years of age when he began his medical studies under the instruction of Dr. J. W. Hamilton, of Columbus, Ohio, and in 1879, after a course of lectures, he was duly graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the Columbus Medical College.
September 16, 1886, occurred the marriage of the Doctor and Miss Anna Hall, of Delaware, Ohio. Her parents were John and Susan Hall, re- spected residents of Delaware, the former being a banker. Mrs. Bolan died August 12, 1893, aged thirty-five years. She was a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church in her early life, but after her marriage became identified with the Cumber- land Presbyterian Church, to which the Doctor
still belongs. Their only child, Audley H., was born in Delaware, Ohio, December 17, 1887, and is still living with his father.
In personal character Dr. Bolan is a man whom to know isto esteem. He is upright and strictly honorable in all his business relations, and makes his chief end in life everything which tends to ele- vate and uplift his fellows. Politically he depos- its a ballot in favor of the Republican party nom- inees.
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T HOMAS J. MILLER, M. D., is Mayor of Kimbolton. For four years he was engaged in general merchandising, under the firm name of McConaughey & Miller, but for the last year under the firm name of Miller & Pollock. He was obliged to give up the practice of his profes- sion in 1889 on account of poor health, but was formerly very successful in his chosen work.
The parents of Dr. Miller were David L. and Mary C. (Reed) Miller. The father was a native of Belmont County, Ohio, born November 27, 1809, to Mathew and Jane (Long) Miller, who were na- tives of Maryland and Ohio, respectively, and ın 1835 removed from Belmont County to the village of Antrim, in this county. They cleared a farm, on which they resided. until April, 1860, when they became residents of Wheeling Township. David L. Miller died March 31, 1880. His wife, Mary, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, January 9, 1819, and died in July, 1894. Her parents, Robert and Mary (Cromey) Reed, were natives of Ohio and Ireland, respectively. They took up their abode in this county in 1841, where Robert Reed passed the remainder of his life, his wife's death occurring in Jefferson County. David Miller was a cooper by trade and taught school for a few years, but made farming his chief occupation. For a number of years he was Trustee of Madison Town- ship, and also served for a number of terms as School Director.
Dr. T. J. Miller, who was born at Antrim, Madi- son Township, March 15, 1849, is one of eight chil-
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dren. Five of the number are deceased: Robert R., Mathew T., Hannah J., Sarah and William H. Jennie I. is unmarried and lives in Cambridge, as does also her sister, Mary W., a school teacher, the widow of Lawson J. Scott,
Until reaching his majority, Dr. Miller continued to live with his parents, and then going out to earn his own livelihood was for five years employed as a carpenter. He later attended school for two terms, after which, in the fall of 1875, he taught one term in the Bell School, in Liberty Township. Soon afterward he took up the study of medicine, and was graduated February 27, 1878, at the Columbus Medical College. His first location was at Sunny Dale, Sedgwick County, Kan. There be remained until March 9, 1881, whem he removed to Harvey County, in the same state. After practicing until September, 1886, he entered the Cincinnati Medi- cal College, where he took a full course as a post- graduate. The following spring he went to To- peka, Kan., with the intention of practicing medi- cine, but was laid low with a severe attack of fever. As soon as convalescent he returned to Cambridge and continued in practice here for two years, at the end of which time he was again prostrated with the fever which had formerly afflicted him, and he was compelled to give up liis profession.
December 9, 1889, Dr. Miller, in partnership with W. C. McConaughey, purchased the stock of T. S. Luccock. They continued in business until March 1, 1894, when the interests of our subject's partner were purchased by Mrs. Florence Pollock. The Doctor was a member and Secretary of the Board of Health of Cambridge, Ohio. While liv- ing in Sedgwick City, Kan., he was Treasurer of the county for one year, and in Grant Township also served in the same capacity. After coming to Kimbolton lie filled the unexpired term of T. W. Berry as Treasurer, and was then elected to the posi- tion. In the spring of 1893 he was chosen by his fel- low-citizens to serve as Mayor. In politics he is an influential man in the ranks of the Republican party.
December 13, 1882, Dr. Miller was united in marriage with Mary M. Anderson, who was born near this village, February 7, 1858, and is a daugh- ter of Dr. William and Eliza ( McMillen) An-
derson. The former was born in 1812, in Harrison County, Ohio, and died in April, 1882. Ilis wife was born in this county, and is a daughter of Mary and John McMillen, Pennsylvanians. Mrs. Miller is one of six children, the others being as follows: William, deceased; Gilbert, a farmer of Johnson County, Kan .; Katie, deceased; Florence M., widow of L. W. Pollock, and a resident of Kimbolton: and Annie E., who is unmarried and lives at the home of Dr. Miller. To our subject and wife have been born two daughters, namely, Lois and Mary. The family are members of the United Presbyterian Church, and enjoy the friendship and esteem of all who have the pleasure of their acquaintance.
ARRET MATTHEWS. Among those to whom Guernsey County owes a debt of gratitude for their share in the develop- ment of her agricultural resources and in the vari- ous affairs through which the interests of society are advanced, the name of Garret Matthews should not be passed unnoted. He is at present living in Salem, whither he removed when retiring from farm work.
Mr. Matthews, who is a native of this county, was born on the 5th of January, 1820, in Antrim. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Smith) Mat- thews, natives of Pennsylvania, who emigrated to this county about the year 1810, and spent the re- mainder of their lives in farm pursuits. The fa- ther was the son of Garret and Margery Matthews, also born in the Keystone State, where the former's death occurred at the remarkable age of ninety- eight years. The father of our subject was sev- enty-eight at the time of his decease, in 1874.
Mrs. Elizabeth Matthews was the daughter of John Smith and wife, who were born in Pennsyl- vania, and passed their entire lives there. This lady died in 1878, aged seventy-five years. She was the mother of a family of eight children, of whom the eldest son, William, is engaged in business in
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Missouri; Garret was the second-born; Margaret is the widow of Jolm Burges, and lives in this county; Hugh is farming in this locality; Phebe A. is deceased; Cinderella is the wife of George McFee, a resident of this county; and Zephaniah B. is deceased.
Garret Matthews began earning his own living at the age of eigliteen years by operating a threslı- ing-machine, which he had purchased in partner- ship with another gentleman. This he conveyed to the farms of those wanting work done during the summer, and for six years reaped a good in- come from this kind of work, in partnership with Samuel Virtue. Then, having reason to sever the connection, young Matthews became connected with John Polock, and for three years the new firm made money.
About this time our subject was married, his union with Miss Rebecca C. Linn being solemnized in 1840. She was born in this county, in March, 1824, and was the daughter of Jolin and Margaret (Mccullough) Linn. Iler father, who was a na- tive of Pennsylvania, died in 1878, aged three- score years and ten. Ilis parents were Adam and Jane Linn, born in Maryland, where they lived until 1812, the year of their advent into Guern- sey County. Here the father purchased a farm, and at the same time was the proprietor of a tav- ern, from which he derived a good income. The mother of Mrs. Matthews died in 1879, being then one year older than her husband. Of their family of eleven children, all are deceased, with the exception of Rebecca, Andrew F., Adam and John, Jr. The others bore the respective names of Annie, Eliza, Peggy, Samuel, Nancy, Mary and Sallie. The father of this family was a farmer by occupation and a blacksmith by trade, which com- bined businesses he followed during his active years.
By his union with Miss Linn, our subject became the father of the following children: Eliza A., de- ceased; William R., living in Liberty Township; John, also of the above locality; Margaret, wife of J. M. C. Gardner, making her home in Wiscon- sin; Adam M., deceased; Garret A., living in Port Washington, Tuscarawas County, Ohio; and Al- vanus M., carrying on farm pursuits in Liberty Township.
Soon after his marriage our subject rented a farm, upon which he lived a twelvemonth, be- ing then so situated that he could purchase a tract of eighty acres. This he called his home for the following three years, when we find him located on the estate which he still owns. This now in- cludes but sixty-seven acres, Mr. Matthews having sold one hundred and twenty-three acres on ac- count of not being able to cultivate it as he would like, and as he was prevented from doing by old age. This estate is one of the model ones of the county, and from its rental Mr. Matthews is de- riving a good income.
During early life our subject learned the trade of a stonemason, which he followed during the winter season, when it was necessary to add to his income, and later he became well versed in the art of shoemaking. He is purely and truly a self- made man, and energy and perseverance are no- where better illustrated than in his career, as he began life with only the ability with which na- ture endowed him, and at the present time is a well known and highly respected citizen of Salem. In politics Mr. Matthews was a Democrat until the last election, when he had reason to change his views and voted the Prohibition ticket, and it is his intention to uphold the principles of that party . for the remainder of his life. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, in the work of which he takes an active part.
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