USA > Ohio > Hardin County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion and Hardin counties, Ohio > Part 52
USA > Ohio > Marion County > Portrait and biographical record of Marion and Hardin counties, Ohio > Part 52
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Mr. MeCall was born Deeember 10, 1811, in Washington County, Pa., and was one in a fam- ily of ten children born to his parents. He re- mained in his native state until about seventeen years of age, when he made a trip to this state with his father and mother, who settled in Port- age County. He remained but a short time, however, when he returned to Pensylvania and made his home with an aunt, who was residing on a farm. He aided her in earrying on the es- tate, and lived there until attaining his majority. He then joined the family in Portage County and, finding that they were not getting along very
well, bought his father's claim, and remained there for four years, or until his marriage.
The event above referred to occurred in 1837, and in the spring of 1839 Mr. MeCall removed to Logan County, this state, where he was a renter for sonie two years. The next ehange which he made found him in Hardin County, where he invested his capital in two hundred aeres of timber-land in Hale Township. On this he built a log eabin and began the work of clearing the land. He was prosperous from the very first, and after eul- tivating his farm for seven years sold it and pur- ehased one hundred aeres, to which he added from time to time until it aggregated two hun- dred and twelve aeres. He devoted his entire time and attention to the improvement of his land, and at the time of his decease had made his es- tate one of the finest in the eounty.
The maiden name of our subjeet's wife was Miss Judith Bloomfield. She was born January 15, 1819, in Crawford County, Pa., to Louis and Susanna (Kirk) Bloomfield, who were the par- ents of ten ehildren. Her union with Mr. Me- Call resulted in the birth of fifteen children, of whom the eldest, Mary E., died at the age of eighteen years: Henry C. departed this life when a lad of fifteen years; Elmira was two years older than her brother at the time of lier death; Melissa is the wife of Evan James, and lives in Kansas; Cynthia died at the age of twenty-one years; Lueinda is now Mrs. Eli Bowlen, of Michigan: Susan married Clark Burg, and they make their home in Union County, this state; Louis B. is a farmer in Indiana; William is an agrieulturist of Logan County, this state; Thomas M. is a resi- dent of Mt. Vietory; Sarah died when twenty-one years old; Matilda became the wife of Dan- icl B. Willie, and at her death left four children; Chase is engaged in business at Mt. Vietory; and the two youngest members of the family died in infaney.
In early life Mr. McCall voted the Republican ticket, but later, finding that he had reason to ehange his views, east a vote in favor of Prohibi- tion candidates. He served one term as Trustee of his township, and in many other ways took a prominent part in its affairs. He had the honor
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of naming the town of Mt. Victory at the time it was laid out. In the truest sense of the term he was self-made, and at the time of his death left a valuable and well improved estate, upon which his wife now resides. He was a member of the Christian Church, and bore a high reputation in his. locality for his many worthy qualities and kindliness of heart.
2 USBY.P. SWENEY, Superintendent of the Marion Steam Shovel Works, was born in · Marion, Ohio, September 19, 1855. His father, Dr. Isaac Sweney, a leading pioneer phy- sician, was born in Crawford County, seven miles east of Bucyrus, Oliio, and was graduated from the Columbus Medical College. Commencing in practice in 1853, he made his home in Marion for a few years, but from this place, in 1857, went to Kinmundy, Marion County, Ill., where he re- mained until 1871. On his return to Marion, he embarked in the drug business, and continued thus engaged until his death, in 1875. While in Illinois he served as Mayor of Kinmundy, and held other responsible positions. Socially he was connected with the Masons and Odd Fellows.
The grandfather of our subject, Col. Isaac Sweney, was a native of Adams County, Pa., but removing from there to Ohio became a pioneer of Crawford County. During the War of 1812 he held the rank of Colonel. The family originated in the North of Ireland, and the first representa- tive in America was our subject's great-great- grandfather, Miles Sweney, who crossed the At- lantic in 1701, being at that time nineteen years of age. He settled in Bucks County, Pa., where he engaged in agricultural pursuits, and thence he went to York County, the same state, where his death occurred. His five sons were George, Isaac, James, John and Thomas. The two first- named were soldiers in the Revolutionary War, in which Isaac held a Captain's commission and George served in a minor office. A brother of
Miles Sweney was one of the signers of the Dec- laration of Independence and a member of the Continental Congress.
The youngest son of Miles Sweney was Thomas, the great-grandfather of our subject. He was one of the early settlers of Crawford County, of which he was Surveyor. He married a Miss Dunwoody and afterward went to Indiana. Dr. Robert L. Sweney, a brother of Col. Isaac and an uncle of our subject, was one of the early phy- sicians of Marion, but retired from practice some years ago, and at the age of seventy-two still makes his home in Marion. Our subject's moth- er, who is also a resident of this city, was Clar- rinda H., daughter of Major Busby, who gained his title in the War of 1812, and represented this district in Congress in 1844.
The subject of this sketch and his brother, M. Eugenc, are the only children of their parents; the latter is now shipping clerk for the Marion Steam Shovel Works. Our subject was a child of two years when his parents removed to Kin- inundy, Ill., and in that place his boyhood years were uneventfully passed, his education being obtained in the high school there. For a time he was clerk in his father's drug store, but after the death of that parent he entered the employ of the Huber Manufacturing Company, learning the. machinist's trade in the shops and mastering every detail of the business. In 1882 hie severed his connection with the Huber Works, and when H. M. Barnhart invented the famous steam shovel he assisted in constructing the first one built. Upon the organization of the Marion Steam Shovel Company, he was made foreman of the shops, and later was promoted to the position of assistant superintendent. In 1889 he was made General Superintendent, a place for which his long experience and thorough knowledge of every branch of the business admirably fitted him. Much credit is due him, not alone for his own success, but also for the success of this great manufacturing plant.
Socially Mr. Sweney is a Knight-Templar Ma- son and a member of the Mystic Shrine. At pres- ent lic fills the position of Captain General of the Commandery and Master of the blue lodge. In
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politics a Democrat, he is a member of the pres- ent City Council, under which all. the street im- provements have been made. His marriage, which took place in 1883, united him with Miss Ella, daughter of ex-Mayor Molir, of Marion. They are the parents of two sons and two daugh- ters, namely: Cleo Belle, Robert Emil, Wenona Busby and Kenneth Farnham.
G J. CARTER, M. D., President of the Champion Iron Works of Kenton, is one of the valued residents of the city. He was born on a farm near Adrian, Mich., October 9, 1853. His father, Richard Carter, was a native of New York State, whence he early removed to Lenawee County, Mich., becoming one of its pioneers.
The mother of our subject was Mary L. Boul- ton prior to her marriage, and as but little is known of her family we are unable to give any faets of interest here. Her husband died many years ago, and she then became the wife of John Wells, a resident of Warren, Ind., where she makes her home at the present time.
Our subject was the younger of two sons born1 to his parents. William L. makes his home in Ligonier, Ind., where he is a large contractor and builder. The father being a farmer, our sub- ject's early years were spent on the home place. His attendance at the district schools was very regular until attaining his seventeenth year, when he was given a position on the Cincinnati, Wa- bash & Michigan Railroad under his stepfather's brother, who was then Superintendent of that division of the road. At the end of a twelve- month he eonimienced the study of dentistry uni- der Dr. Gants, of Ligonier, Ind., and after com- pleting his studies with him entered the Michi- gan University, from which he was graduated with the Class of '76. While there he attended
medical lectures for one year, which greatly aided him in the profession which he had chosen to fol- low.
In June of the year in which he received his degree Dr. Carter located at Kenton and at once opened an office for practice. In order to do this he was obliged to go in debt, but, meeting withi remarkable · success, this obligation was soon wiped out. He made money rapidly, investing his surplus means in real estate. He lias been largely interested in the Scioto March Improve- ment Company, and until 1891 carried on these different enterprises. August I of that year he purchased stock in the Champion Iron Works, of which he was made Secretary. He continued, however, to acquire large blocks of stock, until he was the owner of three-fourthis of the works. In January, 1894, he was elected President and Treasurer of the company, which has one of the largest plants for the manufacture of ornamental iron work in the state. They make a specialty of stair work and fences, and also have large coll- tracts to furnishi the cells for jails and prisons all over the country. They give employment to about one hundred and seventy-five men, and nothing we can say speaks better for the manage- ment of the concern than the fact that through the business depression following the panic of 1893 the full force of workmen was kept employed, and during some months the works were run on extra time. It is one of the leading industries of the thriving city of Kenton, and much eredit is due Dr. Carter for the wonderful success whichi has attended it. The Doctor is a careful, far-see- ing business man, and as one of the wealthy res- idents of Kenton contributes liberally of his means toward the support of all worthy measures adopted for its benefit. He has been a member of the City Council, and for the past six years lias served as President of the Board of Educa- tion. He aided very materially in the organ- ization of the free library in the city, and has been one of its Directors from the start. As a Royal Arch Mason he stands high in the order. IIe is, in fact, one of the foremost citizens of this place, and the soul of honor.
Dr. Carter was married, in 1875, to Miss Py-
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rena Pancake. Her father, who is a retired farmer, lives in Indiana. Dr. and Mrs. Carter have had born to them two children, Lloyd, a lad of fifteen years, and Ida, aged three years. "
HARLES BARKLEY DRUM has owned his present farm on section 22, Goshen Township, Hardin County, since the year 1877. The place, which comprises two hundred and twenty-eight acres, was formerly owned by Joseph Cowan, our subject's father-in-law, who divided it among his children. In order to have a more desirable homestead, Mr. Drum negotiated for his wife's brother's interest, and thus the two tracts were united. The farm, which is on the township line, was one of the first settled in this township.
Our subject is a son of John and Martha (Lam- berson ) Drum, and was born September 7, 1831, in Westmoreland County, Pa. His mother was a second wife, his father's first wife having died, as did her only child. In a family of nine chil- dren, Charles is the youngest, and but three of the number are now living. William L. lives at Peru, Ind., and Andrew Jackson is a resident of Chico, Cal. When young Charles was an infant of six weeks, the family moved to Crawford Coun- ty, Ohio, where an old friend of John Drum, a hunter by the name of Dickson, had entered sev- eral tracts of land. This frontiersman was of great assistance to our subject's father in entering eighty acres of land and in helping to meet the payments on the same. At the end of three years, John Drum had paid Mr. Dickson the amount due him, and in the fall of 1834 moved his family to Hardin County. As there was not a vacant house in the place upon their arrival in Ken- ton, the people allowed them to move into the jail while their log house was in process of con- struction. His home was built on the site of the old Central School. For about four years he en-
gaged in teaming, bringing provisions from vari- ous points to the early settlers. He was a tailor by trade, but farming was more to his liking, and in 1838 he entered eighty acres of land in Goshen Township, where he made his home for over ten years. He borrowed money to improve his farmi, but, not meeting with success, eventually lost his property. After that catastrophe our subject took care of the family, his father dying at his home in 1855. The latter had rented land for five years in Marion County, but in the spring of 1855 bought forty acres on section 15 of this township. Subsequently he traded his homestead of one hundred and twenty acres for his present farm.
From his fifteenth year Charles B. Drum has had unusual responsibilities resting upon his shoulders. In addition to taking care of his aged parents he supported the widow of his brother, Dr. James Drum, and her child for seven years. The Doctor went to California in 1849, and on the route, while treating a patient who had been bitten by a snake, he accidentally pricked him- self with one of the instruments used, and blood poisoning setting in he died at Ft. Kearney.
August 22, 1862, Mr. Drum enlisted in Com- pany A, One Hundred and Twenty-third Ohio Infantry, at Marseilles and from that time until his discharge, June 15, 1865, he was stationed mainly in Virginia. He served in the Shenan- doah Valley under General Sheridan, and was a member of the corps that was surprised by the rebels at Cedar Creek. At the first battle of Winchester he was driving a team when attacked by the enemy, but got away in safety. A favor- ite with his captain, he was for a time attached to headquarters on special service. At High Bridge, Appomattox, he and all his brigade were cap- tured. They had been sent to burn the bridge to cut off Lee's retreat, but Lee had been too quick for them and had an advanced guard on the spot. The prisoners were kept only four days, as the Confederate General's surrender followed inne- diately.
While absent fighting his country's battles, the mother of our subject carried on the farin, and she continued to be his housekeeper for a number of
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years. Her death occurred at the age of eighty- seven, in January, 1877. A year previously, 01 January 19, 1876, Charles Drumi had brought home as his wife and future helpmate Rebecca J., daughter of Joseph Cowan. Their two children, Mabel and Charles Lamberson, are both living with their parents. Mrs. Drum is a member of the United Presbyteriani Church of Kenton, and is a most estimable lady.
A Democrat of the Jackson stripe until 1888, Mr. Drum then deserted the ranks of that party and has since been a loyal advocate of Republican principles. He is a man who possesses good rea- sons for his convictions, and to him more than any other is due the change in the political com- plexion of this township, which not many years since had a Democratic majority of thirty-two, but now shows seven on the other side of the scale. During the Harrison campaign Mr. Drum made a great many speeches, both within and outside the county limits. He has filled a num- ber of township offices, and has often been a delegate to conventions of his party. Fraternally he is a member of the Union Veterans' Union. In his youth he was very fond of hunting, and was noted for his skill. Hundreds of 'coons, squirrels and other small game were his trophies, and few could excel him as an accurate shot. Once while on a hunting expedition he shot the heads off from nine squirrels which were on one tree, without changing his position.
- LMER OSBUN is engaged in general faril- ing in Pleasant Township, Hardin County, two miles east of Kenton. He has been a resident of this county since he was eight years of age, and has always taken great interest in all things pertaining to its development and general welfare. He is one of Ohio's native sons, his birth having occurred six miles northeast of Mansfield, Richland County, February 19, 1841.
The father of our subject, Nathaniel O. Osbun, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, July 25, 1812, and was about two years old when his fa- ther, in whose honor he had been named, moved to Richiland County. There lie received such education as fell to hiis lot until he was eighteen years of age, much of his time being devoted to farm work. . He continued to live with his father until twenty-two years of age, when, April 13, 1834, he married Mrs. Jane Hartinan, nee Ma- hon. In 1849 he removed from Richland County, where he had been engaged in farming, to this county. He purchased eighty acres on section 35, Pleasant Township, and engaged in the culti- vation of the tract until his death, which occurred February 6, 1891. He was a man of strong con- stitution, and rarely suffered from any form of sickness until a few years prior to his death, which resulted from a stroke of paralysis. He was an old-line Jacksonian Democrat. He did not seek public office, and served as Road Super- visor several terms against his will. For years he was a faitliful member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. He was the youngest in a family of four sons and four daughters born to Nathan- iel and Annie (Emmons) Osbun, the former of whom was a native of Harrison County, Ohio.
The mother of our subject was a daughter of James and Amelia (Hitchcock) Mahon, who were born in 1783 and 1785, respectively, and who, it is thoughit, were married in Steubenville, Jeffer- son County, Ohio, about 1804. Mr. Mahon died about 1820, and his wife about 1836. Mrs. Os- bun was the fourth of their seven children. Her maternal grandmother lived to be one hundred and one years of age, and the last year of her life was able to spin a dozen "cuts"' of yarn a day.
Elmer Osbun is the fifth of ten children, and of the others we mention the following: Johanna, deceased, first married James Hartman, who died five months afterward of typhoid fever; by her second husband, Nathaniel Osbun, a nephew of our subject's father, she reared a large family. The second in the family died in infancy, un- named; Amelia married William Dodds, of Belle Center, Logan County, Ohio; Ammie died in her twenty-second year, unmarried; Sarah is the wife
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of James Kipp, a farmer of Logan County; Isabel is the wife of James Baker, who is engaged in farming seven miles west of Kenton; Albert is deceased; Nathaniel died at the age of two years; and Margaret is the wife of Samuel McGaughey, who is clerking in Kenton. A sister of Mrs. Osbun, Margaret Farrel, is still living and is now seventy-six years old. Her husband was drowned in the Ohio River on his return to the army after a furlough. Two of Mrs. Osbun's nephews were killed while serving in defense of the Union. For over sixty years she has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Elmer Osbun, of this sketch, comes from a patriotic family on both sides of the house. His paternal great-grandfather and the latter's broth- ers were soldiers in the War of the Revolution. In his political faith our subject is a supporter of the Democracy.
OF EORGE W. RUTLEDGE is Secretary of the Home Savings Building and Loan Com- pany of Kenton, and is also ex-County Aud- itor of Hardin County, in which responsible of- fice he won an honorable record. He was born in Roundhead Township, Hardin County, Au- gust 16, 1851, while his father, Lewis Rutledge, was a native of Champaign County, the date of his birth being September 2, ISI8. He in turn was the son of Richard Rutledge, whose birth occurred near Hagerstown, Md., in 1796. The latter removed from his native state to Kentucky in the year 1810, but his stay in the Blue Grass State was of short duration, for two years later, the records tell us, he came to Champaign Coun- ty, this state, and there and in Logan County made his home until 1832. He was a miller and farmer, and from prosecuting these combined bus- inesses derived a good inconie.
Lewis Rutledge was trained by his honored fa- ther to farm life, and when starting out for him-
self became one of the most extensive land-owners 'in the county. He did not confine himself entire- ly to looking after his own affairs, but on various occasions represented his fellow-citizens in posi- tions of responsibility and trust. He was at one time Treasurer of Roundhead Township, and while the incumbent of that office was very pop- ular. Although interested in public improve- ments, he was averse to extravagance or fraud, and thus guarding the interests of the people he gained their respect and confidence. He died in 1875, leaving a large estate to his family.
The mother of our subject was Jane Tidd, who was born in Hardin County in 1823, being at that time the first white child claiming this vicin- ity as the place of its birth. She departed this life in March, 1873. Both on his father's and mother's sides our subject is descended from fam- ilies who were prominent in the early history of Ohio, and especially of Hardin County, where the greater part of their lives was passed. They reared a family of four sons and two daughters, of whom only one is living besides our subject. This is his younger brother, Charles H., now a banker and broker of Los Angeles, Cal.
The training which our subject received in the schools taught in his district was such that he was given a certificate to teach when only seven- teen years old. The money obtained from this vocation enabled him to pursue his studies still further, and in 1871 he entered the Ohio Normal University at Ada, from which he was graduated with the Class of '75. Instead of leaving and launching out into some business for himself, he purchased a one-fourth interest in that noted in- stitution, and for ten years was a teacher there.
In ISSo Mr. Rutledge purchased the Kenton Republican, a paper published in that city, but still continued his connection with the normal un- til 1884, when he was elected County Auditor. He was the incumbent of this office for two terms, and in 1888 organized the Home Savings Build- ing and Loan Company, of which he has been Secretary from the start, and it is largely through his efforts in its behalf that it is now one of the reliable and prosperous organizations of this kind in the state. Mr. Rutledge is also Vice-President
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of the Kenton Lock Works, Director in the Elec- tric Light and Gas Company and Secretary of the Board of Education. He stands very high in inany of the social orders of this city, being a Thirty-second Degree Mason and a Knight of Pythias. He has been a life-long Republican in politics, and has taken great pride in the suc- cess of his party during the last year.
George W. Rutledge was married, in 1873, to Miss Susannah Shuler, also a graduate of the Olio Normal University. To them have been born three sons and one daughter: Earl E., now engaged in the insurance business in Kenton; Carl C., a student in the Naval Academy at An- napolis, Md .; Dona, fifteen years of age; and Warren, a lad of thirteen years. Mr. Rutledge has ever been true to the duties and responsibili- ties imposed upon him in his various official ca- pacities, his public life is without a stain, and his private career is blameless.
2
ARRY EDSELL. Though one of the young- est, this gentleman may also with justice he called one of the most successful, newspaper men of Hardin County. Possessing natural abil- ity for journalistic work, as well as more than ordinary intellectual acumen and discernment, he is thoroughly fitted for the occupation he has chosen, and will undoubtedly in future years gain a position of prominence among the journalists of the state. He assisted in starting the Kenton Daily News in 1889, and has since been closely identified with the growth and prosperity of this popular paper, in addition to which he is one of the publishers of the Graphic New's.
The Edsell family has been identified with the history of Oliio for several generations, and its members have been known for probity of charac- ter and energy of disposition. Nor was the fa- ther of our subject, Harry Edsell, Sr., an excep- tion to the rule, for he, too, was a man of lofty principles of honor and justice, and his early
death was a loss to his community. He was born in Greenville, Ohio, where his parents were well- to-do farmers, and in his youth he received fair common-school advantages, which he later sup- plemented by self-culture. It was his ambition to become a physician, and he studied medicine, gaining a thorough theoretical knowledge of the profession, but the condition of his health would not permit the exposure incidental to practice. For a number of years he taught school in Col- umbus and. Dayton, and from this state he re- moved to Topeka, Kan., where his death occur- red at the age of about twenty-eight.
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