USA > Ohio > Knox County > The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography > Part 10
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Jacob Sellers, Jr., was born in Morgan township, Knox county, Ohio, March 2, 1816, and died May 12, 1894. He received
a scanty education in subscription schools. His first teacher was Ziba Leonard, who taught in a little floorless log structure with slab seats and benches and windows of greased paper, and a large fireplace at one end, which in the winter months was kept full of blazing logs. His second teacher, James Kirkland, taught him to read, write and figure a little, and in that locality at that time those meager accomplishments were popularly believed to amply equip their possessor to battle for supremacy in the business world. Near the end of the boy's school days the old Owl Creek Baptist church was turned into a school-house and for a time he studied under its roof. He was early initiated into the mysteries of land clearing and cultivation and obtained a practical knowledge how the Ohio wilder- ness could be developed into fertile farms. A man of strong personality, sound judg- ment and clear business foresight, he made a practical success of life, never in all his career running counter to the law, suing a man or being sued. Late in life he became a member of the Owl Creek Baptist church. He served successfully in several of the va- rious township offices. He was married June 3, 1858, to Miss Cynthia Cannon, a daugh- ter of Zephaniah and Matilda ( Painter ) Can- non, who was born in Monongalia county, Virginia (now West Virginia), September 3, 1837, and was brought to Knox county, Ohio, by her parents when she was about two years old. Her father prior to coming to Ohio was an old-time schoolmaster, and a well-to-do farmer. He directed her edu- cation, which to considerable extent was ob- tained in such subscription schools as have been described. Her great-grandfather, John Cannon, and his brother Richard, who
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came to America to escape conscription in the British army, were the first of her fam- ily in the United States, and they settled in Greene county, Pennsylvania, and lived out their days there. They became active in opposition to their mother country during the Revolution.
Jacob and Cynthia (Cannon) Sellers were the parents of four children, named in the following statements: Their daughter, Ida May, married Joseph C. Stinson and lives in Burlington township, Licking coun- ty, Ohio; Delphos Sherwood, born April 22, 1861, is the immediate subject of this sketch ; Jessie H. married Frank E. Bone and lives in Miller township, Knox county, Ohio; and James Morgan died in infancy. Del- phos Sherwood Sellers is a native of Mor- gan township and has lived there all his life and his career has been marked with such success that he is well known through- out Knox and adjacent counties. He was educated in district schools near his home and at the Utica high school. He lives with his mother on one hundred and forty-five and a half acres of the original Sellers pur- chase in Morgan township. He is a mem- ber of Owl Creek Baptist church and has served in the various official positions of the church and Sunday-school. Politically he is a Republican and has ably filled the office of assessor and been elected to fill other of- ficial positions by his townsmen, who repose full confidence in him and regard him as an especially patriotic and public-spirited man.
FANNY BERRY BALL.
Mrs. Fanny Berry Ball, daughter of John Adams and Eleanora E. (Andrews)
tor of heavy burdens of debt and placed Berry, was born in Danville, Ohio, Novem- ber 3, 1846, and is a prominent resident of Fredericktown and one of the well known women of Knox county, Ohio. She re- ceived her primary education in the public schools and in 1861 became a student at the Ohio Wesleyan University. After leav- ing school, on the death of her father, she taught until her marriage, January 15, 1867, to Edgar Addison Ball, who was born Au- gust 29, 1836, and died June 12, 1890. Mr. Ball was a successful farmer and a public spirited citizen. November 9, 1892, Mrs. Ball married Schuyler Ball, a brother of her first husband who was born April 12, 1840, and died September 1, 1899.
John Adams Berry, the father of Fanny (Berry) Ball, was born in Pike township, Knox county, Ohio, January 21, 1821. He was educated at Baltimore, Maryland, and became a teacher. He graduated in med- icine at Willoughby Medical College in 1841, and practiced his profession until 1854, when he entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church. He labored earnestly for the salvation of souls for some years, principally at East Union, Rosco, Chesterville and Fredericktown, Ohio, and was then appointed agent for the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio, a position which was offered him in view of the fact that his health had visibly failed. His physical condition having improved, he was in 1862 appointed pastor of the Methi- odist Episcopal church at Mount Gilead, Ohio. He died November 8, 1863, and is remembered as a man of sterling worth and extraordinary ability, especially as a finan- cier. It is a matter of record that he re-
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lieved all the churches of which he was pas- them upon a substantial foundation. He married Eleanora E. Andrews, March 17, 1842, and she bore him seven children: Clementine C., who married Edward L. Buchwalter, of Springfield, Ohio; Rosalie H., who married Dr. J. T. Condon, of Paw- nee, Nebraska; Fanny ; John A., now dead; Eugene; Clara L., who married John Wyker, of Decatur, Alabama; and Edward A., an electrician of Cleveland, Ohio.
Eleanora E. (Andrews) Berry, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, January 6, 1824, a daughter of Thomas Brown An- drews, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and a Revolutionary soldier who did gallant service in defense of American liberty. She was educated at Wooster, Ohio, and before her marriage was a successful teacher. She is now living with a daughter in Decatur, Alabama. James Berry, the father of Rev. John Adams Berry, was a farmer in Pike township, Knox county, Ohio.
WILLIAM GILMOR.
Among the successful and reliable farm- ers of Clay township, Knox county, Ohio, none is held in higher esteem by his fellow citizens than William Gilmor, an old settler, who was born in Ohio county, Virginia, November 8, 1824, and possesses many of those traits which have made Virginians honored in all parts of our country.
William Gilmor, father of the subject of this sketch, was born and brought up in Maryland, and was taken to Ohio county, Virginia, at the age of sixteen by his par-
ents. He was married in Washington coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and soon afterward lo- cated on a part of his father's farm, where he engaged in farming and milling. He built a saw and a grist mill and acquired other property, and in a general way was a pros- perous man. Politically he was a Whig and later a Republican. He was a religious man and a church member and lived a good life, which terminated when he was within one months of being eighty-two years old. Will- iam Gilmor, father of the William Gilmor just mentioned and grandfather of the Will- iam Gilmor of this sketch, was born and reared in Maryland and was a farmer there. Eventually he settled in Ohio county, Vir- ginia, on a farm of four hundred acres, on which he lived out his days. His parents were natives of Ireland, and they settled early in Maryland.
Nancy Scott, who married the father of the subject of this sketch and who lived to be seventy-two years old, was born and passed her early life in Washington county, Pennsylvania. Her father, Arthur Scott, was born in Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish parentage, and became a farmer, but for some time was engaged in teaming over the mountains between Pennsylvania and Ohio, via the old National road, and was an im- portant factor in the development of Ohio. William and Nancy (Scott) Gilmor were the parents of four sons and three daughters, all of whom grew to manhood and woman- hood and of whom William Gilmor and his brother, John S. Gilmor, of New York, are the only survivors. William Gilmor, who was the second child and eldest son of his parents, was reared at the place of his na- tivity, on the line of the old National road,
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and began his education in subscription schools, completing it in what were later known as public schools. March 28, 1854, he married Sarah Monninger, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, June 4, 1827, a daughter of Henry and Susan (Haas) Monninger, natives of Maryland and who had ten children, nine of whom grew to maturity, of whom Mrs. Gilmor is the ninth in order of birth.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Gilmor set- tled in Jackson township, Knox county, Ohio, where he bought a farm of one hun- dred and fifty-six acres, on which he lived nine years, then disposed of it and pur- chased his present farm at Martinsburg, in Clay township, on which he has made many improvements. It consists of one hundred and seventy acres, and he also owns another farm of one hundred and fifteen acres within the borders of Clay township. He is a man of social and political influence in the com- munity in which he lives, and besides hold- ing other local offices has for many years been a member of the township school board. Brought up in the political faith of the Whigs, he naturally became a Republican, and voted for Abraham Lincoln for the pres- idency of the United States in 1860 and again in 1864, and has since voted for every Republican nominee for the presidency. He has long been an active member of the Pres- byterian church, in which he has held the of- fices of deacon and trustee. William and Sarah (Monninger) Gilmor have had born to them six children, who are here men- tioned in the order of their birth : Florence, who is dead; Lizzie, who is a member of her parents' household; John, who married Mary Hart, of Ashland county, Ohio, and
lives on a part of his father's home farm; and Belle, Franklin and Agnes, who are dead.
SILAS YOUNG.
The farming interests of Knox county are well represented by Silas Young, who owns a valuable and well cultivated place in Monroe township. He was born in Mid- dlefield, Geauga county, Ohio, October 19, 1821. His father, Reese C. Young, claimed Pennsylvania as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Washington coun- ty in 1799. He subsequently removed to Geauga county, Ohio, where he was mar- ried, and in 1838 he took up his abode in Knox county, locating on a farm in Monroe township, where he spent the remainder of his days. His political support was given the Democracy, and religiously he was a member of the Methodist Protestant church. For his wife he chose Eliza Gates, who was born in the Empire state, and was a member of an old and prominent family, whose his- tory is traced back through many genera- tions to a passenger on the Mayflower. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Young was blessed with fifteen children, nine of whom are now living, namely: Silas, the subject of this review; Elvira, the wife of Martin Robinson, of California ; Mary A., the widow of Will- iam Downs and a resident of Mount Vernon; Carrie, wife of Stephen Craig, of Knox county ; Emma, wife of Robert Coleman, of Mount Vernon ; Eva, the widow of Thomas Williams, and she makes her home with her sister, Mrs. Craig; Jane, wife of Elias Leon- ard, of Missouri; Abigail, widow of Sam-
-
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OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
uel Bartlett and a resident of Mount Ver- non; and Susan, the wife of John M. Scott, of Knox county.
Silas Young remained under the parental roof until his fifteenth year, when he began the battle of life on his own account, and for the following twelve years he was en- gaged at various occupations, but his time was principally given to agricultural pur- suits. In the fall of 1839 he came to Knox county, Ohio, where he soon entered the em- ploy of Mr. Jacob Davis, and on the 20th of August, 1848, he was united in marriage to his daughter Catherine. Shortly after his marriage our subject rented the farm where his brother-in-law, James W. Davis, now resides, where he made his home for two years, on the expiration of which period he purchased a tract of sixty-six acres on the Wooster road, there making his home until 1870. For the following two years he rented a farm of two hundred and thirty- three acres of the Lefever heirs in Clinton township, and at the end of that period the residence there was burned and Mr. Young then moved to Mount Vernon. After an- other year had passed by he purchased his present farm of one hundred and twenty- three acres in Monroe township, and on this place he has ever since made his home. He has a fine farm, a mile east of Mount Ver- non, and thereon he is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits.
The union of our subject and wife has been blessed with ten children, six of whom survive,-Jacob R., who is engaged in busi- ness in Springfield, Illinois; Augusta, the wife of C. A. Lefever, of Clinton township; John Shannon, a resident of Tallula, Illi- nois; Mary, the wife of Walter S. Steele,
who is engaged in the grocery business in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Charles, at home; and Catherine, the wife of Walter Spittle, of Washington, Indiana. Mr. Young gives his political support to the Democratic party, and his religious views connect him with the Methodist Protestant church.
M. H. ADRIAN.
Success comes as the legitimate result of well applied energy, unflagging determina- tion and perseverance in a course of action that has once been decided upon. She smiles not upon the idler or dreamer, and only the man who has won her favor justly and by unflagging effort does she deign to crown with blessings. In tracing the history of Mr. Adrian it is plainly seen that the success he enjoys has been won by the commendable qualities just mentioned, together with many others which have gained him the high es- teem of all who know him. He is the larg- est landholder in Jefferson township, and ranks among the leading agriculturists of this part of Ohio, where his labors have been so well directed that he is now most prosperous.
Mr. Adrian is a native of Knox county, his birth having occurred in Harrison town- ship, on the 14th of August, 1855. His father, Isaac Adrian, was born in Jefferson county, this state, and coming to this coun- ty at an early day took up his abode in Harrison township, where throughout his- active business career he carried on farming. His death occurred when he was seventy- seven years of age, and thus terminated a,
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busy and useful career. He married Cyn- thia Harrod, who was born in Harrison township upon the farm which is yet her home. She is now, eighty-one years of age. She has performed a noble work in the world, having reared a family of ten chil- dren, all of whom reached adult age, while nine are yet living and are a credit to their loved and venerated mother.
The sixth child and third son of this family is M. H. Adrian, whose name intro- duces this sketch. In the usual manner of farmer lads of the period he spent the days of his boyhood and youth, and when the farm work was over in the autumn he en- tered the public school of his neighborhood and there acquired a good English educa- tion. He was married in Union township, November 19, 1879, the lady of his choice being Miss Della May Parsons, a sister of Dr. Parsons, of Brinkhaven. The young couple began their domestic life at Democ- racy, Ohio, and he engaged in farming in Pike township for five years, on the expira- tion of which period he removed to Union township, there remaining for two years. He then purchased the farm upon which he now resides and which comprises two hun- dred acres of rich and arable land, which when placed under the plow yields excellent harvests in return for his labor. He also owns another tract of eighty acres one mile north of his home place, and one hundred and twenty-six and a half acres in Union township, known as the Parsons farm, so that his landed possessions aggregate four hundred and six and a half acres, making him the most extensive landholder in Jeffer- son township. Throughout the greater part of his life he has followed stock-raising in
connection with the tilling of the soil, and for two years he was engaged in merchan- dising at Buckeye City, and for one year at Brinkhaven. Energy is one of his marked characteristics, and has been an excellent foundation upon which to rear the super- structure of his success.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Adrian has been blessed with five children: Lauris N., Lewis I., Ivan L., Virgil H. and Leila O. M. Mr. Adrian and his family have a wide acquaintance in the county where they have always resided and their circle of friends is quite extensive. He votes with the De- mocracy, and socially is connected with the Knights of the Maccabees, with which he has been identified for five years, and in which he has filled all the offices. He is a member of the Baptist church in Tiverton township, Coshocton county, in which he is serving as a deacon, a position he has filled for eight years, and in its work he has taken an active part. He is well known in the county as a respected citizen, whose word is thoroughly reliable, whose business is conducted along lines of the strictest hon- esty, and whose worth is widely acknowl- edged by his fellow men.
DAVID SHAFFER, D. D. S.
A large patronage indicates Dr. Shaf- fer's standing in professional circles, for as a dental practitioner of Danville he is well and favorably known. He was born in Holmes county, Ohio, July 15, 1853. His father, John Shaffer, was a native of the Old Dominion, but when only four years
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OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
of age he came with his parents, Jacob Shaf- fer and wife, to Ohio. The paternal grand- parents of our subject were natives of Penn- sylvania, and removed from that state to Virginia, coming thence to Ohio. The mother of him whose name introduces this review bore the maiden name of Priscilla Hoger, and was born in Holmes county, Ohio. Her deatlı occurred in Wayne coun- ty, this state, when she had reached the age of fifty-eight years. She is still survived by her husband, who now makes his home in Wooster, Wayne county. This worthy couple became the parents of ten children, nine of whom grew to years of maturity.
Dr. Shaffer, the third child in order of birth in the above family, was but eight years of age when he left the county of his nativity and with his parents located in Wayne county, where he received his edu- cation in the district schools. After attain- ing to years of maturity he was for hve years engaged in the lumber business at Freder- icksburg, Ohio, while for the following two years he was a resident of Latty, Paulding county, this state, where he found employ- ment at the carpenter's trade. While thus employed he spent his leisure hours engaged in the study of dentistry under the preceptor- ship of Dr. E. P. Cunningham, of Fred- ericksburg, and so thoroughly did he master the principles of dentistry that in 1880 he was enabled to begin the practice of that profession, opening an office at Danville. He is now numbered among the leading rep- resentatives of that calling in Knox county, and has built up a large and constantly in- creasing patronage. He has ever been a close student, and does all in his power to perfect himself in his chosen profession.
On the 2d of July, 1882, Dr. Shaffer was united in marriage to Miss Letitia Mil- ler, and they had seven children, four now living,-Mary B., Kent D., Homer V. and Chauncey. The wife and mother was called from this earth September 27, 1894, and our subject was wedded to Miss Lona Belle Workman, July 23, 1896. This union has been blessed with one son, John B. The Doctor and his wife and children are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he has long held the office of trustee. Politically his views are in harmony with the Prohibition party, often serving as a delegate to conventions and has been named as candidate of the party for representative to the legislature. His manner is ever courteous and kindly, qualities which pro- mote his success in a professional way. His life has been one of industry and benevolence and the systematic and honorable business methods which he has followed have won for him the support and confidence of his fel- low men.
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LEANDER HAYS.
All that is conducive to good citizenship, all that tends to promote the welfare of the county receives the support and co-operation of Leander Hays, now one of the county commissioners of Knox county, as well as a leading and representative farmer. He was born in Harrison township January 6, 1851, and is a son of Morgan and Deborah A. (Breece) Hays. The former was born in Clay township, this county, May 21, 1820, and was a son of James Hays, a native of Pennsylvania, who became one of the
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early settlers of Knox county. Morgan Hays spent his youth upon a farm, and through the summer months worked in the fields from the time of early planting until crops were harvested. In the winter sea- son, when the work of the farm was prac- tically over for the year he pursued his studies in the pioneer log schoolhouse of the times. He was married, in October, 1849. He had previously worked as a farm hand, making his home with his brothers and sis- ters, and after his marriage he settled in Harrison township, where he had purchased one hundred acres of land. This he sold in 1853, and then bought a quarter-section in the same township, making his home thereon until 1866, when he sold that property and invested his money in two hundred and ninety-seven acres of land in Pleasant town- ship. After engaging in the cultivation of the fields upon that place he rented that farm and purchased one hundred and sev- enty-eight acres in Clay township, to which he removed and upon which he made his home until his life's labors were ended in death, April 22, 1900. He never would consent to become a candidate for public of- fice, but devoted his energies to his agri- cultural pursuits, thus providing comfort- ably for his family, consisting of wife and two children, the latter being Leander, of this review, and Elizabeth A., now the widow of Marcus Workman, of Gambier, Ohio.
The childhood and youth of Leander Hays were not unlike that of other boys of the period who were required upon the farm. As early as his twelfth year he began work- ing as a farm hand in the neighborhood, in order to gain "spending money," and since
that time agricultural pursuits have claimed his attention. At the time of his marriage he took his bride to the old home farm, which had become his property, and here he has since lived, the well tilled fields yield- ing to him a golden tribute in return for the care and labor he has bestowed upon them.
In 1880 occurred the marriage of Mr. Hays and Miss Carrie M. Robinson, a na- tive of this county and a daughter of L. IV. Robinson, now deceased, who was also born in this county, where his parents lo- cated during an early epoch in its develop- ment. Their home is blessed with two chil- dren, Bertha B. and Howard R., who are with their parents. Mr. Hays exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy, and on that ticket he was elected county commis- sioner in 1898. He belongs to the Disciples' church, in which he is now serving as dea- con, and is widely recognized as one of the leading and influential men of his com- munity.
JACOB HAYS.
In the life of the well known citizen of Morgan township, Knox county, Ohio, whose name appears above are exemplified all those oft-praised qualities of honesty, in- dustry and integrity which since American civilization began have contributed to the success of self-made men. Jacob Hays was born in Knox county, September 25, 1826, a son of James B. and Jemima (Biggs) Hays, and was reared to the hard and use- ful work of the farm. He helped to clear and improve land and put it under cultiva-
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8 3.
OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
tion and all through his childhood and youth was thus employed during each suc- cessive spring, summer and fall, and in the winter months he attended the schools near his home to such good purpose that in time he became a teacher of district schools, and did successful educational work for six terms in Knox county and one term in Illinois.
In religious belief Mr. Hays is a Uni- versalist. Politically he is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for James K. Polk. He has ably filled the offices of supervisor and township trustee, and has held other important township offices, not- ably that of justice of the peace, in which he has officiated for eighteen years to the en- tire satisfaction of his fellow citizens of all classes. He has been land appraiser also, and in that capacity showed great judgment and fairness during a period of service cov- ering six years. He has been many times a member of juries which have had to do with important cases, and in many other ways was long and almost constantly in pub- lic life. During recent years he has been in the enjoyment of a well earned retirement and rest from public responsibility.
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