USA > Ohio > Hardin County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion and Hardin counties, Ohio > Part 13
USA > Ohio > Marion County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion and Hardin counties, Ohio > Part 13
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Joseph Nesbitt, the father of the gentleman above mentioned, came from a respected English
family, as did also his wife, whose maiden name was Ann Grubb. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Mary, who died in infancy; Elizabeth and Joseph, also deceased; Henry W .; Sarah, wife of Edward Fields, of this township; Samuel, deceased; and John C., who died in in- fancy. Josephi Nesbitt conducted a hotel in his native land for several years, but about 1842 con- cluded to seek his fortune in America. Coming to Ohio, he bought eighty acres of land in Clari- don Township, and after living thereon for six years removed to the farin on which he passed his remaining years, his death occurring in 1876. In religious belief he was a Methodist, as was also his good wife.
Henry W. Nesbitt was born near Newcastle- on-Tyne, England, November 28, 1834, and was accordingly eight years of age when the fam- ily emigrated to the United States. He has a distinct recollection of the long ocean voyage and of the journey from New York City to Cleveland, by way of the canal and the Great Lakes, and from the Forest City to this locality in wagons. He grew to manhood in this township, remain- ing with his parents until reaching his majority. For the next two years he worked on farms, after which for three years he found employment as a carpenter. His first purchase of land was a tract of fifty acres on section 16, this township, but at the end of four years he became the owner of a part of his present farm, which comprised one hundred and twenty acres. To this he has since added a tract of twenty acres.
In 1860 Mr. Nesbitt married Sarah E. Irey, by whom he had two children, Elizabeth and Harrison H., the latter of whom is now deceased. In 1866 Mr. Nesbitt was married a second time, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary C. Fell. Their only child, a daughter, Mary E., is now the wife of George Stewart, a farmer of this town- ship. The lady who now bears the name of our subject became his wife in 1869, prior to which time she was a Miss Cassie Wortman. Mr. and Mrs. Nesbitt have had six children, two of whom, Mabel, the eldest, and the youngest, are de- ceased. Those living are William H., Alice M., Ethel and Clady E.
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For a number of years Mr. Nesbitt acted in the capacity of Township Supervisor, and in his political belief he is a Republican. He has long been a member of the Methodist Church, and contributes liberally of his means to its support.
EORGE T. KING was one of the success- ful business men of Richland Township, Marion County, and from his early years was interested in the saw and grist mill which was at one time owned by his father. His death resulted from an accident received while he was > working around mills, May 23, 1882, and his re- mains were interred in Marion Cemetery.
. The birth of our subject occurred March 4, 1832, in Richland Township. He was one of eight children born to Titus and Margaret (Storm) King, the former a native of Vermont. The other members of the family are as follows: Henry, Harriet, Hiram, Mary J., Albert, William and Lydia. Henry is deceased, and Hiram is a well known farmer of this county. The father took up two hundred and forty acres of Government land, constructed a log cabin, and later put up the first sawmill in the neighborhood.
George T. King in his early years worked dili- gently on his father's farm and in the mill, learn- ing habits of industry and thrift which served him in good stead in later life. He remained under the parental roof until after reaching his majority, and after starting forth to make his own livelihood was employed in his father's mills for eighteen years, during which time he bought an interest in the business. After the death of his father he purchased the old homestead and the remaining interest in the mills from the other heirs, and was secure in possession of the same during the remainder of his life.
April 7, 1853, Mr. King married Margaret Barnhardt, who was born July 10, 1835. Their union was blessed with six children: George W., who is general manager of the Steam Shovel Com-
pany of Marion; Emma E .; Margaret E., who died December 1, 1891; Henry F., a resident of Ma- rion and traveling salesman for the Steam Shovel Company; Wesly M., a farmer of this township; and Charles B., who is attending college at Dela- ware, Ohio.
Politically Mr. King was an ardent Republican, and never failed to attend the polls and deposit his ballot at the regular elections. He was a member of the Methodist Church, and always took a leading part in religious and benevolent work. His education was principally obtained in the common schools, although he constantly in- creased his knowledge by observation and private reading. He was well liked by all, and won the entire confidence and love of his fellow-citizens, by whom his memory is still cherished.
LLSWORTH E. McCOPPIN is a Justice of the Peace and general insurance agent of Ada. May 1, 1894, upon the resignation of J. W. Morrow, he was elected Secretary of the Building and Loan Association, and in the follow- ing fall was elected to the Justiceship, an office formerly held by the same gentleman. May I, 1894, he also purchased Mr. Morrow's insurance business, which he has since conducted success- fully. He is a young man of ability, and is rap- idly forging his way to the front.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were married in Virginia. The grandfather was born in 1791, and his wife four years later. He was a soldier of the Mexican War, and was a shoemaker by trade, but followed an agricultural life after coming to Ohio. In 1820 he took up land near Carmel, Ohio, and there his death occurred in 1859. He was noted as a marksman, and took great delight in hunting. Frequently he was employed by neighbors to kill the squirrels that devastated their corn-fields, and some days lie would have one hundred of the little animals
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as trophies. His father was a native of Ireland- and a pioneer in Virginia. The paternal grand- mother, Mary (Burfitt) McCoppin, came from an old Virginia slave-holding family, and on the wagon trip with her husband from that state to Ohio brought with them a little negro girl, who was sold before reaching this state. Our sub- ject's parents were G. W. and Thirza M. (Hug- gins) McCoppin, whose marriage was celebrated at Sinking Springs, Ohio, April 10, 1859. The father was born at Carmel, Ohio, April 27, 1835, and still resides on a farm, in that locality, where he has served as Township Assessor and Con- stable for nine consecutive terms. He is the youngest of twelve children, all of whom grew to maturity and became heads of families and mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In pol- itics G. W. McCoppin has been a Republican since 1856. His wife was born at Sinking Springs, Ohio, October 22, 1837, being a daughter of Ben- jamin F. and Mary (Swayne) Huggins, who were married in that village four years previ- ously. Her father was born in 1812, not far from the Natural Bridge in Virginia, and when about twenty years of age walked across the Al- leghany Mountains to Ohio, settling in Highland County. He followed his trade of shoemaking until retiring from active life. His death, which resulted from an accident, occurred when he was seventy-eight years of age, and though well along in years he was as straight as a man of fifty, and hardly had a gray hair. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His father was a school teacher of unusual abil- ity, and his descendants still preserve a manu- script arithmetic of which he was the author. He was of English ancestry, and died in Virginia. Mary (Swayne) Huggins, who came from a Penn- sylvania-German family, was born in 1812, and became the mother of three children.
E. E. McCoppin is a native of Carmel, Highland County, Ohio, and was born July 7, 1861. He is one of nine children, the eldest of whom died at the age of three days, while the others were Thomas P., who died when in his eighth year; Frank, who is in the bank at Bainbridge, Ohio; Blanche; Lucy; Sherman; and Roscoe and Jo-
seph, who are still in school. Our subject at- tended the country schools until eighteen years of age, when he engaged in teaching in his home district and in adjoining counties, being thus en- gaged until 1884. During the summers of 1887 and 1889 he attended the Ada Normal School, and for one term was a student at the Ohio Wes- leyanı University of Delaware. . The winters from 1886 to 1888, inclusive, he again taught school, and for several terms had charge of the township high school at South Solon, Madison County. The following two years he conducted schools at Rainsboro, Ohio, in the capacity of Superintend- ent. Next he took a business course in East- man's National Business College of Poughkeep- sie, N. Y., and September 1, 1890, became a clerk in the Citizens' Bank of Ada, holding the posi- tion until the failure of that institution in July, 1893. The next winter he attended the Ohio Normal University at Ada, and in the following May engaged in his present line of business.
August 7, 1889, Mr. McCoppin and Zua Flor- ence Cunningham were married in the Ada Meth- odist Church. She died December 12, 1890, leav- ing an infant son, George T., who was born No- vember 1, 1890. The present wife of our sub- ject, to whom he was married December 25, 1892, is Margaret Mae, daughter of William T. and Mary M. (Wilson) Deming, of Kenton, Ohio. Her father is now managing a family hotel, and is one of the respected citizens of Kenton. Mrs. McCoppin received a good education in the schools of Kenton and Ada, graduating from the normal school of this city, and subsequently graduated from the Rusk School of Elocution in Cleveland. She also attended the Boston School of Expression and Oratory and Genevieve Stebbins' School of Expression in New York City. In 1880 she was secured as a teacher of elocution in the Ohio Nor- mal University, which position she has filled ever since. On the maternal side she is a descendant of the same stock from which Oliver Wendell Holmes originated. Her brother, J. Guy Deming, is a Lieutenant in Company G, Second Infantry of the Ohio National Guards, and hier brother Cliffe is a Sergeant in the same company. Mr. and Mrs. McCoppin are members of the Methodist
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Episcopal Church, as were all of their ancestors, with the exception of her maternal grandparents, who were Quakers.
'In politics our subject is a Republican, and has twice been elected Township Clerk while living in Highland County. His surname is a corrup- tion of McAlpine, a famous Highland Scotch fani- ily, from whom the American branch sprang.
AMES M. WOOD, M. D., the leading physi- cian of Dudley Township, Hardin County, resides on an excellent farm located on sec- tion II. He gives liis attention to the practice of medicine, in addition to superintending the oper- ations of his estate, and now ranks high among his professional brethren in the county.
Our subject is a native of this state and was born March 1, 1853, in Marion County. His . parents, Hampton and Susanna (Marsh) Wood, reared a family of twelve children, of whom he was the sixth-born. . The father was born in Vir- ginia, but accompanied his parents on their re- moval to Marion County, Ohio, when quite young. He was reared to man's estate in Big Island Township, and there passed the remaining years of his life, dying when seventy-eight years of age. He was one of the wealthy land-own- ers of that township, and left to his family a valu- able estate, comprising one thousand acres of fine farming land. For many years he was Treasurer and Trustee of the township, and aided in various way in its upbuilding and development. He was a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and his memory is treasured by his descendants, and in fact by all who knew him. His parents, who were of Scotch-Irish extraction, were natives of the Old Dominion, but on coming to this state were classed among its first inhabitants.
The mother of our subject was also a Virginian and of German extraction. Her death occurred
in Marion County when fifty-six years of age. Her son, our subject, remained at home and attended the common schools until seventeen years old, when lie became a student in the schools of Marion. He attended there for two years, and was then given a certificate enabling him to teach. For five years he followed this oc- cupation, and during that time saved enough money to enter the college at Ridgeville, Ind. After leaving this institution he spent one year on a farını in Hardin County, and then began reading medicine with Dr. R. C. Bowdish, who was a resident of Big Island Township. After the pre- scribed course of reading he attended lectures for three years at the Columbus Medical College, from which he was graduated with honors with the Class of '79. He then established an office at Yelverton, this county, for the practice of medicine, but remained there only a short time, when he entered a drug store in Kenton. There he remained until the spring of the following year, when he opened a drug store of his own at Larue, which he carried on in connection with his practice. During the five years in which he was a resident of that place he was Postmaster, but in the summer of 1885 he left town and lo- cated upon the farm on which he is now residing.
November 20, 1879, Dr. Wood was married to Miss Lucy Potter, who was born July 13, 1859. She is the daughter of Josiah and Mary Ann (Mills) Potter, the former of whom was born and reared in the state of New York. Soon after his marriage to Miss Mills, who was also a na- tive of that state, lie removed to Wyandot Coun- ty, Ohio. They were residents there for a nuin- ber of years and then changed their location, this time settling in Hardin County, where the father died when eiglity-four years of age. Mrs. Potter's death took place after she had attained her fifty- third year. They were charter members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Four children were born to the Doctor and his wife, namely: Mamie Ellie, Aubrey Hampton, Obie J. (who died in infancy ), and Anna Belle. The Doctor is quite an active politician, and never fails to cast a vote in favor of the Republi- can candidates. Socially he is a Mason, belong-
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ing to Blue Lodge No. 463. Although not con- nected with any church organization, lie contrib- utes cheerfully of his means to the support of the various bodies in his neighborhood.
AMES EMERY is one of the honored old settlers of Marion County, and has passed his entire life within its boundaries. He now owns and manages a farm of one hundred acres on section 19, Waldo Township, where lie is engaged in the cultivation of the soil and in stock-raising. On various occasions he has held local township offices, such as Assessor, Trustee and School Director. In his early years he ex- perienced the hardships and privations which usu- ally fall to the lot of the pioneer, and the first school which he attended was one managed on the subscription plan and located a mile and a- half from his home.
The birthday of James Emery was July 4, 1826, the same day that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were summoned to the home beyond. The event occurred on the banks of the White- stone River, in Richland Township, where his parents had located some six years previously.
The father, John Emery, was born November 14, 1797, in Berkeley County, Va., and the moth- er, Catherine (Wagner) Emery, was a native of Perry County, Pa. In 1820 John Emery came to this state, making the journey westward by team, and had to cut his way through the woods froin Waldo to his homestead, which was a piece of school land on section 16, and comprised eigh- ty acres. Mr. Emery put up a log cabin in the fashion of those days, and cleared his land of the forest. Delaware was his trading-post for years, and the only thing on the site of Marion was a well. The Indians were still numerous here at that day, but made 110 trouble for the early set- tlers. Fourteen years after coming to Ohio, John Emery and his wife went on a visit to Monroe County, Ohio, making the journey on horseback.
He died in 1873, and his wife survived him sev- eral years, passing away in 1885, in her eighty- sixth year. They were both buried in Richland Cemetery. Religiously they were firm believers in the Methodist faith.
In a family of nine children, our subject is the fourth in order of birth. His eldest brother, Martin, lives on the old homestead, and the oth- ers are as follows: Rebecca, Elizabeth, Susan, Fan- nie, Annie, Jane and Catherine. Until he was twenty-three years of age, James Emery contin- ued to give his services to his father on the old homestead.
About 1849 our subject embarked in business for himself, by buying and selling live stock, and was thus employed for about twenty years, meet- ing with good success. In 1869 he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits and moved to the farm where lie is yet living, and which under his supervision has been improved and cultivated until it is now one of the best in the locality. On questions relating to politics, Mr. Emery is a Prohibitionist and never fails in exercising his right of franchise at election time.
June 16, 1853, occurred the marriage of James Emery and Rachel Showers. Twelve children were born to this worthy couple. Three of the number died in infancy, and Fannie E., the eldest is also deceased. Those living are named as fol- lows: Lucinda J,, Annie V., Clement, John W., Benjamin F., James, Joseph and Gladys.
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M ILTON H. RHOADS is the owner of a valuable homestead on section 30, Salt Rock Township, Marion County, and is one of the progressive farmers of this region. In politics he is a Republican, and by his fellow- citizens has frequently been elected to serve in a public capacity. Among others he has been Township Trustee for three terms.
The Rhoads family is one of the oldest and inost highly respected ones in the county, and
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JOSEPH PAULUCCI.
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has always been found on the side of progress. The parents of our subject were Henry and Elizabeth (Crabb) Rhoads. The former was a ' native of Pickaway County, Ohio, and at an early day emigrated to this county, where, in company with his father, he bought the farm now owned by his son Milton H. He improved a tract of wild land, and there continued to dwell until his death, which occurred while yet in the prime of life, being only in his forty-ninth year. He was very active in the ranks of the Republican party, and held at one time or another nearly all of the local township offices. Financially he was quite successful, and at his demise left about four hut- dred acres of land. His wife, Elizabeth, was born in Ross County, Ohio, and came to this county with an aunt, as she was left an orphan. Her death occurred when she had attained her sixtieth year. Her second child, Susan, died in infancy; John E., the next of the family, is a merchant in Marion; George died at the age of twenty years; Leah is the wife of Samuel Krause; and Martha died when a child of five years.
The birth of Milton H. Rhoads occurred Sep- tember 24, 1840, in this township. He was only fourteen years old when his father died, and he remained at home until reaching his majority. October 7, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Sixty- fourth Ohio Infantry, as a private, but was pro- moted to the rank of Corporal about two weeks after his enlistment. On account of poor health he received an honorable discharge in the sun- mer of 1862. Returning home, he was married a few months later and moved to a part of his grandfather's old homestead, which had descended to him by inheritance, and here he has made his home ever since. His home farm comprises two hundred and ninety acres, a portion of which rep- resents his own earnings.
September 11, 1862, Mr. Rhoads married Jane D. Davidson, who was born in this township, May 8, 1840. Her parents were James and Ann (Dalzell) Davidson, natives of Clark County, Ohio, and Ireland, respectively. The father was born in 1810, and in his early manhood came to this county, working out by the montli for a time. Subsequently he purchased land and engaged in
its cultivation until shortly before his death, which occurred when he was seventy-five years old. His wife emigrated to this county with her parents when she was only eight years old. She was a member of the Baptist Church and died in that faith when in hier forty-ninth year. The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Rhoads was James Henry, whose birth occurred June 25, 1863. He was married, August 17, 1890, to Ida Peters, who was born October 14, 1862, in Wy- andot County, Ohio. James H. Rhoads is an en- terprising young farmer and takes a large share of the responsibility of managing the farm.
Our subject is a member of Lodge No. 58, I. O. O. F., of Marion, to which his son also be- longs, and is identified with the Grand Army post at Marion. Mrs. Rhoads is a member of the Baptist Church, to which her husband is a liberal con- tributor.
OSEPH PAULUCCI. The city of Kenton contains among its representative citizens no gentleman who takes a warmer interest in its progress or aids in a higher degree the develop- ment of its material resources than he whose name introduces this sketch. For some years identified with the railroad interests of this sec- tion, later at the head of a large banking concern, he has made it his aim, in every position he has held, to promote the welfare of his fellow-citizens and increase the prosperity of the town in which he makes his home. He has also been largely interested in the shipment of grain.
The Paulucci family is of Italian lineage, its members for many generations having been among the most prominent and honorable citizens of that country. Longevity has been a noted character- istic of the family; and not only that, but its mem- bers have also been conspicuous for retaining their mental and physical powers until very ad- vanced years. Almost without exception, they have been men of powerful physique and com-
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manding appearance. Many of that name were officer's in the army, and our subject is the de- scendant, in the fourth generation, of the Com- miander-in-Chief of the Italian army.
The grandfather of our subject, Peter L. Pau- lucci, was born in Italy, whence he went to Eng- land and engaged in the manufacture of brick and tile. His death occurred at the age of one hundred and four years. Our subject's father, James, was a brickmaker by trade, and was thus engaged in England. In1 1850 he emigrated to America and settled at Chiatham, Canada, where he entered upon the occupation of a farmer. He continued to reside at that place until his death, in 1868, at the age of seventy-five. His wife, Elizabeth Simpkins, was of English ancestry, but little is known concerning the history of her fam- ily. She died two years prior to the demise of her husband.
There were five sons and four daughters in the parental family, and of these Joseph was fourth in order of birth. William, who was a lacemaker in England, came to America in 1870 and settled in Belle Center, Ohio, where he remained until his death, in 1891. Eliza was married to Matthew Thomlinson, who was a lace manufacturer at Chatham, Canada; her death occurred in 1893. Isabella became the wife of William Oldershaw, a brickmason of Chatham. Israel, a musician by profession, is a resident of Chatham. Elizabeth is the wife of George Munk, a farmer, whose home is in Chatham. Ann is Mrs. James Com- mode. George A. is a pork-packer and specula- tor at Chatham, and is also extensively engaged in buying and selling beans, making larger shipments of this article than anyone in the Do- minion.
The subject of this sketch was born in Staple- ford, Nottinghamshire, England, November 6, 1823. In his native land he learned the trade of a brick and tile manufacturer, but believing that America offered better opportunities than his own country, he emigrated hither in 1848, and se- cured work as a common laborer on the Big Four Railroad at Cleveland, receiving eighty cents per day. Two years later he came to Ken- ton, where he was similarly employed until his
promotion to the position of section foreman. Possessing, however, the ability that fitted liim for a inore responsible place, he received gradual promotions, until he became roadmaster, which position he held for over twenty years, resigning about 1873. He was repeatedly urged to resume his connections with the company, the officials saying they would pay him any salary he might ask. While working in that capacity he built the road from London to Columbus, and rebuilt it from Springfield to London.
Taking advantage of his knowledge of where the road was going, Mr. Paulucci purchased large tracts of land in this locality, and during the war inade a fortune in buying and selling real estate. During this time he became identified with what was known as the Paulucci, Espey & Williams Bank in Kenton, of which he was made President. This institution was merged into the Hardin Savings Bank, and he was continued as President. Finally the First Na- tional Bank was established, with himself at its head, and he continued in that responsible office for a number of years, until failing health obliged him to retire both from the railroad busi- ness and the bank. His attention is now given to the oversight of his valuable property interests, which include considerable valuable real estate upon the public square in Kenton, property on Columbus, Franklin and Market Streets, a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres near ,this city, and a valuable estate of three hundred and twenty acres in Wabaunsee County, Kan.
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