USA > Ohio > Representative citizens of Ohio : memorial-genealogical > Part 43
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Simon A. Strader was married in West Carrollton to Anna M. Smith, who was born here on April 20, 1849, the daughter of William and Margaret (McGrew) Smith. Her father, who was a canal boatman by vocation, was a veteran of the Civil War, having served honorably for three years and six months. He took part in many of the most sanguinary battles of that great struggle, and was never wounded or taken prisoner, but just before the close of the war he met with accidental death by drowning in the Ohio River. His widow later died at West Carrollton, when about forty-five years of age. Of the four children born to them, Mrs. Strader is now the only survivor.
To Mr. and Mrs. Strader have been born the following chil- dren: Frank, born March 15, 1877, has never married and lives at home; William, born December 15, 1878, also remains at home, single; Albert, born August 7, 1880, who resides in West Carroll- ton, married Maude Knight and they have four children, Carl, Robert, Paul L., and Albert; Clyde born September 11, 1882, mar- ried Jennie Eppert and their children are Lawrence and Erma.
Mr. Strader has in every respect merited the high esteem in which he is universally held in Montgomery County, for he has been a man of public spirit and exemplary in character. Genial in disposition and unassuming in manner, he easily makes friends and retains them, so that he enjoys a well-deserved popularity in his community.
Robert Mehaffey
"JMAN life is like the waves of the sea; they flash a few brief moments in the sunlight, marvels of power and beauty, and then are dashed on the remorseless shores of death and disappear forever. As the mighty deep has rolled for ages past and chanted its sublime requiem and will continue to roll during the coming ages until time shall be no more, so will the waves of human life follow each other in count- less succession until they mingle at last with the billows of eter- nity's boundless sea. The passing of any human life, however humble and unknown, is sure to give rise to a pang of anguish to some heart, but when the "fell destroyer" knocks at the door of the useful and great, and removes from earthly scenes the man of honor and influence and the benefactor of his kind, it not only means bereavement to kindred and friends, but a public calamity as well. In the largest and best sense of the term, the late Robert Mehaffey was distinctively one of the notable men of his day and generation, and as such his life record is entitled to a conspicuous place in the annals of the State of Ohio. Intimately associated for years with the business and commercial life of Allen County, and taking a prominent part in the public affairs of his commu- nity, he was not underestimated by a people who long since learned to appreciate his true value as a potent factor in impor- tant affairs. Though a man of unpretentious demeanor, he pos- sessed the silent but powerful force that attracted men-the men- tal qualities and personal magnetism that drew men to him and the tact and power that made men as well as events subserve his purpose. In early life he laid the foundation of a character which, through a long and useful career, successfully withstood every temptation to depart from the path of rectitude and made him a natural leader in the affairs of men. He realized a large and sub- stantial success in the business world, and this represented the re- sult of his own well-ordered endeavors, for he was in a significant sense the architect of his own fortune. He was a man of action rather than words. His mind was strongly analytical, and its scope was broad. He was eminently utilitarian, and energy of character, firmness of purpose and unswerving integrity were among his chief characteristics. He looked searchingly and com- prehensively into the nature and probable results of all schemes,
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and when he once addressed himself to any affair he faltered not until it was pushed to successful conclusion. His death removed from Ohio one of her most substantial and highly esteemed citi- zens and the many beautiful tributes to his high standing in the world of affairs and as a man and citizen attested to the abiding place he had in the hearts and affections of those who knew him and of his work and accomplishments.
Robert Mehaffey was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, on August 23, 1833, and was the son of James and Martha (Clarke) Mehaffey. He came of Scotch-Irish stock, characteristics of which were strikingly exemplified in his mature life. The locality where the subject's ancestors settled was one of the finest agricul- tural sections of Ireland and there James Mehaffey, father of Rob- ert, spent his entire life, performing well his part as a loyal citizen and rearing his family to honorable manhood and womanhood. Of his children, there is record of James, Robert, Elizabeth, and John, all of whom grew to maturity, James and Robert coming to America, while the other two remained in Ireland. The subject's mother was born and reared in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, but after her marriage she united with the Episcopal Church, to which her husband belonged.
Robert Mehaffey was early in life deprived by death of a moth- er's love and care, and he was sent to London, England, where for nine months he made his home with an uncle. At the age of seven- teen years, he and his brother James decided to come to America, purposing here to join a brother of their mother's. Their plans were prompted and hastened because of the terrible epidemic of cholera which was then raging in London. At Liverpool they em- barked on a sailing vessel, which, fifty-three days later, landed them at Philadelphia. From thence they went by rail to Balti- more, Maryland, and on to Cumberland, that State; from that point they proceeded by stage to Wheeling, West Virginia, thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, by boat from the latter point, James preced- ing his brother by two weeks, they traveled by railroad to Hunts- ville, Ohio, and then walked to Lima, and later to their uncle Samuel Clarke's farm near Beaver Dam. On reaching Huntsville, the subject made an inventory of his exchequer and found his · total cash capital to be but sixpence, hence the necessity of his walking the remainder of the distance. For sustenance he de- pended on the kindness of innkeepers on the way, among his ben- efactors being a Mrs. Wasburn, at Lima, who not only gave him food at that time, but remained his steadfast friend during the remainder of her life; he was also assisted by a Mr. Huffman, near
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Beaver Dam, and these acts of kindness were never forgotten by Mr. Mehaffey. It is related that while the weary and footsore lad was on the last twelve-mile lap of his journey, being between Lima and Beaver Dam, he was overtaken by Doctor Huffman on horseback, who, struck by the handsome and intelligent face of the boy, and noting his lagging steps, insisted that the boy mount the horse, which he did and thus made the last miles of the trip in comparative ease. Upon reaching the home of his uncle, Robert Mehaffey applied himself to work on the farm, in which he was engaged for some time. His first battles in life in his new home were hard ones for this poor Irish boy, but he was made of the right kind of stuff and was determined to succeed. His schooling, continued while at his uncle's and later on in Lima, was liberally supplemented during after years by habits of close observation and by wide and extensive reading.
After living with his uncle about two years, during which time he had managed to save a part of his meager earnings, Robert Mehaffey went to Lafayette, where he located and with which he was closely identified during the remainder of his life. His first occupation after locating in Lafayette was as an errand boy for Dr. Newton Sager, Sr .; later on he became a clerk in the latter's general store, where he remained for a number of years, familiar- izing himself with all the details of the mercantile business as it was then conducted. Subsequently he established a general store in the village and by his energy, industry and integrity prospered abundantly, soon acquiring a good reputation as a careful, con- servative and enterprising business man and a progressive and public-spirited citizen. As he was prospered, Mr. Mehaffey ex- tended his business interests, becoming identified with many enterprises of local importance. Eventually he broadened his field of operations and became connected with most of the large enterprises which contributed to the growth and prosperity of Lima. Strongly in contrast with the humble surroundings of his early life was the brilliant position which he eventually filled in business circles. Men prominent in local business affairs, with whom he came in contact, were not slow in recognizing in him qualities of unusual order and he became, by force of his natural ability, a leader of men. In banking circles in Lima, Mr. Mehaffey perhaps achieved his greatest successes, and to him probably more than to any other one man was due the establishment of Lima's financial institutions on a solid basis. He assisted in shaping the destinies of the First National Bank, of which institution he was elected president. He afterwards sold his stock in that bank, be-
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ing succeeded in the presidency by the late Dr. S. A. Baxter. Upon the organization of the Merchant's National Bank he was elected its president, in which position he ably conducted the bank's affairs for a number of years. When the Metropolitan Bank was organized, Mr. Mehaffey became one of the original stockholders and was honored by being unanimously chosen pres- ident, a position which he retained up to the time of his death.
When the oil business became prominent in Allen County's industries, Mr. Mehaffey became identified with it and at one time was a large producer, having large holdings of valuable oil prop- erty in this county. He was largely interested in a number of leading industrial enterprises, and was also a large stockholder in the company which owned and published the Times-Democrat of Lima, of which concern he was the president at the time of his death. Mr. Mehaffey's life and the history of this locality for practically a half century were pretty much one and the same thing. He lived to see and take a prominent part in the latter-day growth of the community. He was one of its wisest counselors and hardest workers. He was a progressive man in the broadest sense of the term; realizing the wants of the people, he tried to supply the demands of the vicinity honored by his citizenship gen- erously and unsparingly. His was a long life of honor and trust and no higher eulogy can be passed upon him than to state the simple truth that his name was never coupled with anything dis- reputable and that there was never the shadow of a stain upon his reputation for integrity and unwavering honesty. He was a con- sistent man in all he undertook and his career in all the relations of life was utterly without pretense.
In his political affiliations Robert Mehaffey was an ardent supporter of the Democratic party, and was several times hon- ored by his fellow citizens by election to public office. He was postmaster of the village of Lafayette from 1857 to 1861, and in 1869 the people of Allen County elected him clerk of the courts, a position which he filled with the same high degree of efficiency and ability that characterized all his public and private acts. On the expiration of his first term he was re-elected, thus serving the county in that capacity for six years. In 1885 he was nominated by the Democrats of the thirty-second senatorial district as their candidate for State Senator, to which position he was elected by an overwhelming majority. His course as a member of the legis- lature was so eminently satisfactory to his constituents that he was re-elected to serve a second term. He served on some of the most important committees in the upper house, where his voice
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and vote were always found in favor of those measures which were for good government and integrity in the public service. In his public and private life Mr. Mehaffey's actions were actuated only by the highest and purest motives and he was one of that class of men whose life in a community assisted in its elevation to better things. He always stood for what was right and the memory of his upright life is a priceless heritage to those whom he left when he passed into the great beyond. His death occurred on Septem- ber 24, 1908, at the age of seventy-five years.
Fraternally, Robert Mehaffey was an active and appreciative member of the Free and Accepted Masons, while his religious membership was with Christ's Episcopal Church at Lima, of which he was one of the founders.
August 19, 1856, Robert Mehaffey was united in marriage with Mary Eleanor Richardson, the daughter of Joseph H. and Eda Richardson, who are mentioned more fully in later para- graphs. To this union were born the following children: (1) Wil- liam Robert Mehaffey, born in Lafayette, Ohio, on December 12, 1857, was twice married. His first wife, Mary Brooks Stahl, was born on April, 10, 1863, in Mt. Vernon, Ohio, was educated at Delaware, Ohio, and Rye Seminary, New York, and her marriage to Mr. Mehaffey occurred on October 10, 1883, at Delaware, Ohio, from which time until her death, which occurred on March 18, 1899, she lived at Lima. To this union were born the following children: Robert Chisholm, born July 22, 1884; Eleanor Cowles, born October 10, 1885, died in 1887; Joseph Cowles, born Novem- ber 20, 1889; William Kenneth, born August 23, 1891, died August 29, 1896. Of these children, Robert C. is a newspaper man, and Joseph C. is a first lieutenant in the United States Army, having graduated from West Point Military Academy in 1911. In No- vember, 1907, William Robert Mehaffey was married to Mary Mount, the ceremony occurring at Chatham, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Mehaffey has long been numbered among the leading journal- ists of this section of the State, having been editor in Lima of "The Allen County Democrat," and later on the "Daily Times- Democrat," covering a period of twenty-five years. He is a grad- uate of Kenyon College and is now living on a plantation near Richmond, Virginia. (2) Eda Alice, the first, born on April 10, 1859, died August 22, 1859. (2) Eda Alice, the second, born May 21, 1860, graduated from the Cincinnati Wesleyan College in 1880. On December 4, 1884, at Lafayette, she married R. M. C. Hill, M.D., who was born at Prospect, Ohio, on June 19, 1860. He was graduated in medicine at Halınemann Medical College, Chi-
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cago, and the Toledo (Ohio) Medical College. To this union was born one child, Alice Mehaffey Hill, born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 15, 1891, graduated from the Lima High School in 1909, and from Vassar College in 1913. (4) George Edgar Mehaffey, who was born on February 14, 1872, at Lafayette, Ohio, completed bis educational training at the University of Tennessee, and has been connected officially with the Metropolitan Bank of Lima, Ohio, since December, 1891, besides being interested in a number of other local enterprises. On April 11, 1894, at Lima, Ohio, he married Edna Margaret Bell, the daughter of Oscar White and Harriet (Clanser) Bell, her birth having occurred in Pekin, Illi- nois, February 11, 1875. They are the parents of two children, Donald Bell Maheffey, born January 21, 1895, and Margaret Elea- nor Mehaffey, born April 3, 1901.
Mary Eleanor Richardson, the wife of Robert Mehaffey, was born in Greene County, Ohio, on January 5, 1834, and in young girlhood moved with her parents to Lima, where she received her education. She was unusually proficient in her studies and at the early age of sixteen years, became a teacher, in which capacity she was engaged near Lafayette when she first met him whom she af- terward married. Mrs. Mehaffey has for many years been a prom- inent and successful worker in temperance circles and has writ- ten extensively on this question. In fact, it has been said that she has been identified with practically every temperance movement of any note in northwestern Ohio, beginning with the historic cru- sade of four decades ago, in which she was an active figure, her reputation as an efficient worker in the cause of moral reform be- ing now more than state-wide. So eminent have been her services in this State that January fifth of each year, which is celebrated as red-letter day for temperance, is known as Mehaffey day, a fitting recognition of the distinguished services she has rendered in the cause which has been so dear to her heart all her life. For thirty years she was an indefatigable worker and during twenty-four of these years she served as local and county president of the Wo- men's Christian Temperance Union, a record of which she is justly proud. A very comprehensive and interesting review of the temperance field in Ohio was a paper entitled, "Looking both Backward and Forward on Temperance Work of W. C. T. U. in Allen County," a valuable report presented by Mrs. Mehaffey at the annual meeting of the union on January 5, 1912. The report was necessarily autobiographical in character, but was especially valuable for this very reason, for no other woman in this section of the State has probably been so closely connected for so long a
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period with the splendid work which has been accomplished for moral reform and the abolition of the saloon. Mrs. Mehaffey is an active and faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and gives her earnest support to every movement which promises to enhance the welfare of the community. She possesses many ad- mirable traits of character which have endeared her to a large circle of warm and loyal friends.
Mrs. Mehaffey's ancestral line is traced back through several generations to her paternal great-grandfather, William Richard- son, Sr., who was born in 1748 or 1749, in Surry County, North Carolina, and who died in Rich Valley, Virginia, on January 31, 1835. In 1768, or the following year, he married Rebecca Hays. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, belonging to the Washington County, Virginia militia, and he served as a captain under Colonel William Campbell at the battle of King's Moun- tain.
William Richardson, Jr., son of William, Sr., was born on March 23, 1783, at Rich Valley, in what is now Smith County, but formerly Washington County, and originally Fincastle County. His death occurred at Rich Valley on January 21, 1835. About 1807 he married Rhoda Hicks, who was born in Bland County, Virginia, in 1787, and died in Rich Valley, Virginia, on April 9, 1847. She was the daughter of Joseph Hicks and Sarah Totten Suitor. Family tradition supports the statement that Joseph Hicks was of English extraction, and was originally from Camp- bell County, Virginia. He served in the Revolutionary War and also fought in the French and Indian War. He was the second white man to enter the celebrated Burke's Garden, in Virginia, as a pioneer. In the then Tazewell County, Virginia, he acquired two hundred and ten acres of land, which land had been surveyed for Alexander Suitor, Sr., under the Loyal Company's grant, February 27, 1774. (Said Alexander Suitor, Sr., was the first hus- band of Sarah Totten, whose second husband was Joseph Hicks.) A grant for this land was not obtained until March 20, 1807, when Joseph Hicks procured it. The original tract of two hundred and ten acres has been kept in the family and added to until there are now five hundred acres. It is also worthy of note that a part of the land acquired by William Richardson, Sr., in old Fincastle County, Virginia, is still in the possession of his descendants. Wil- liam Richardson, Jr., also had an honorable military record, hav- ing served as a captain in the War of 1812, after having organized his own company in Rich Valley, Virginia.
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Joseph Hicks Richardson, son of William, Jr., and father of Mrs. Mary Eleanor Mehaffey, was born in Rich Valley, Smyth County, Virginia, August 12, 1811, and his death occurred in Lima, Ohio, on May 9, 1856. In Rich Valley, on December 23, 1830, he was married to Eda Whitworth Smith, who was born in North Carolina, August 16, 1809, and who died in Lima, Ohio, on May 13, 1874. Joseph Hicks Richardson was a man of pronounced ability and excellent qualities of character, standing among the leading men of Allen County for many years. Coming to Ohio in an early day, they located first in Greene County, where Mrs. Mehaffey was born. When the latter was about two years old, the family came to Allen County and here for a number of years Mr. Rich- ardson was engaged in teaching school, first in the country dis- tricts and afterwards in the Lima city schools. He was eminently successful in this vocation and acquired considerable note as an educator, and in recent years he has been honored by having one of Lima's new school buildings named "The Richardson Build- ing." In October, 1845, Mr. Richardson was elected auditor of Allen County and so satisfactory was his discharge of the duties of the office that in October, 1847, he was elected to succeed him- self. In the fall of 1851 he was elected clerk of Allen County, dis- charging his duties with the same exactitude and ability as had characterized his public and private life in other lines. His wife was a faithful member of the Baptist Church, and they both were accounted good people in the strictest sense of the phrase. Of their children, Mrs. Robert Mehaffey is now the only survivor. An- other daughter, Martha J., is mentioned in the following para- graph.
Martha Jane (Richardson) Ballard was born at Lima, Ohio, on January 2, 1838, and her death occurred there on December 23, 1906. All her life had been spent there, excepting about seven years when she resided at Durango, Colorado. She was one of the most distinguished educators who has ever been identified with the Allen County schools, her identification with Lima schools extending over a period of more than a quarter of a century, be- ing characterized by a devotion to duty and a degree of success in its performance seldom recorded by others. Her ability and character received notable recognition when she was appointed a member of the county board of school examiners, being the first woman in the State of Ohio to receive such an appointment. At the time of her death the following eulogistic words appeared in one of the Lima papers and it is deemed particularly consonant that they appear here:
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"With the coming of the day for peace on earth and good will toward men, when happiness and joy should reign through the city, Lima is cast into gloom by the announcement of the death of one of her most prominent women, Mrs. Martha J. Ballard, whose demise came just before the midnight hour last Sunday, at her late home in the Karnes Flats, on West Market Street, after a short illness due to infirmities incident to one of her age, she lack- ing only ten days of being seventy years of age.
"The deceased sank into a peaceful sleep as the end came, thus depriving the community of a beautiful character whose life has been identified with the welfare and growth of the city for so many years and one who has done so much to promote the inter- ests of the hundreds of individuals who came in for a share of her splendid influence, and of the general public at large, since the days of her young womanhood.
"No one person in Lima so markedly linked the sturdy pio- neer days with the aggressive activity of the present times as she did. There was no movement, no advancement, social, intellec- tual, and uplifting, in which she was not the foremost leader.
"A nature rare for its cheerfulness, a love for creating hap- piness in others, devotion to friends, noteworthy unselfishness, and her brilliant intellectual attainments made her widely sought by both the young and those of years reaching up to her own.
"In the various literary clubs to which she belonged she was the recognized leader and authority on ancient and current events. For thirty years she was prominently identified with the public schools of Lima as a teacher, and for several years served with distinction as a member of the county board of school examiners. Many of the successful men of this city and scores of intellectual women are examples of the lasting impress left upon them by her teachings and elevating example.
"Only two years ago did she relinquish her life work of edu- cating the young, and her hold on them was forcibly demon- strated by the daily tributes they paid her in visitations and to- kens of sincere affection, since she ceased teaching. She loved her scholars and they loved her-a sure index that her purpose and heart's desire for their welfare, educationally and spiritually, had struck a responsive chord. Her place in the community will long be vacant."
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