USA > Ohio > Knox County > The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography > Part 11
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Mr. Hays was married, April 19, 1854, to Matilda Lauderbaugh, daughter of John and Catharine (Ream) Lauderbaugh. She was born February 24, 1836, in College township, Knox county, Ohio, and was edu- cated in some of the old-fashioned subscrip- tion schools kept near her home. Mr. and Mrs. Hays have had children as follows: Drusilla F., who is the wife of John Wolf; George, who is a member of his father's household; Canada A. L., who married Minnie Arrington and lives in Harrison
township; Ida May, who married Charles Brown and lives in Pleasant township; Meeker E., who died aged eighteen years, January 1, 1883; John B., who died Jan- uary 16, 1880, aged twelve years; Charles. W., who married Hattie Squires and lives. at Brandon, Knox county ; Clement D., who married Addie Haines and lives at Utica, Ohio; Eddie, who is a member of his fa- ther's household; Tillie E., who married Charles A. Clutter and lives in Licking county, Ohio; and Amelia C., who is also at home.
James Hays, grandfather of Jacob Hays, came to Knox county from Greene county, Pennsylvania, in 1815, and settled on the farm now the home of the subject of this. sketch, and lived there until his death, which occurred January 22, 1843. He was born in Pennsylvania September 23, 1772, and mar- ried Sarah Bell, who bore him children as. follows : Anna, James B. (father of Jacob), Mary, John, William, Harlan, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Isaac, Morgan and David. Of these only Isaac is living. James Hays' sec- ond wife, who was Sarah Mills, bore him a son who was named Silas. James B. and Jemima (Biggs) Hays had children as fol- lows: Jacob, the immediate subject of this sketch; Mary, Sarah, William Canada, Eliz- abeth, Lindsay and Amelia. Jacob, William and Lindsay are living at this time. Mr. Hays is descended from Revolutionary stock. His ancestor, William Hays, not only did gallant service as a soldier in de- fense of American liberty, but furnished con- siderable supplies to the Continental army. He was married at Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania, April 4, 1759, and had children as follows : John, William, Jane, George, Mary
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Ann, Ann, Isabel, James, Robert, Solomon and Elizabeth.
Mr. Hays' farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, one hundred of which is under cultivation, is located in Morgan township, about three miles from Utica, and is well provided with barns and all other necessary outbuildings and well equipped for successful cultivation. Mr. Hays gives attention to both general farming and stock raising.
PARMENIS N. DONAHEY.
Pennsylvania has furnished to the mid- dle west and indeed to all parts of the United States west of the boundary line be- tween itself and Ohio an element of popula- tion that in all localities has made for en- lightenment and material prosperity. Ohio owes not a little to pioneers from Pennsyl- vania, and Knox county received many such whose influence has been potent toward her settlement and development. One such was John Donahey, who was born in the Key- stone state July 11, 1799, and at the age of ten years was brought by his parents to Jackson township, where he was reared and educated, and where he married Matilda Ross, a native of Virginia.
Parmenis N. Donahey, a merchant of Bladensburg, Jackson township, Knox county, Ohio, was born in that township June 4, 1843, the third son of John and Matilda (Ross) Donahey, who had ten chil- dren. His mother, who was of Virginian parentage, was at the time of her marriage to Mr. Donahey the widow of John Craft, whom she bore two children, half-sisters of
the subject of this sketch. Young Donahey was reared and educated at Bladensburg, and began his active career in 1866 as a clerk in the dry goods store of S. L. Rolley, in whose employment he remained for two years. Afterward he taught school at Bladensburg for three years, and after that in Illinois until in 1880, when he estab- lished himself in Bladensburg as a grocer. A year later he removed his store to Utica, Ohio, where he traded successfully until 1888, when he again returned to Bladens- burg and has since managed a general store and achieved a reputation as a popular mer- chant. Politically he is a Democrat, and as such was elected to the office of justice of the peace, which he fills with much ability and discretion. He is an active member of the Disciples' church.
August 29, 1869, Mr. Donahey was mar- ried to Miss Sophia M. Houck, who was born, reared and educated at Bladensburg, and whose parents were natives of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Donahey have two children, William J. and Leota L. The former is a hospital steward at Fort Morgan, Alabama, in connection with the regular army service. Leota L. is the wife of Calvin McClelland, of Licking county, Ohio.
GEORGE WESLEY SHUFF.
This well known citizen of Miller town- ship, Knox county, Ohio, who is a pros- perous farmer, owning two hundred acres of fertile land, is regarded by his fellow citi- zens with the honors due to a veteran of the Civil war, and was born in Shenandoah
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county, Virginia, September 30, 1835, a son of William and Margaret (Glenn) Shuff. He located in Ohio March 4, 1860, the day on which Abraham Lincoln was first inaug- urated president of the United States, and there and then began his life work as a farmer. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for nine months' service, and was mustered in at Camp Chase, Columbus, Ohio. He returned home at the expiration of his term of service, and in 1864, in or- der to lie!p fill the quota of his township, he re-enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Ninety-seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. With this he saw continuous service until the close of the war, most of the time in the hospital corps. He was at Cumberland Gap when it was surrendered to the Union forces by the Confederates, and was finally mustered out of the service at Baltimore, Maryland. He has kept alive recollections of his army days by member- ship with the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Shuff has prospered as a farmer, and his fine farm is provided with good buildings and all necessary modern improve- ments. September 8, 1868, he married Mary Oldaker, and they have three chil- dren, named Walter Andrew, Rollin Ernest and Jessie Maud. William Shuff, father of George W. Shuff, was born in Maryland in 1806 and settled in Shenandoah county, Virginia, where he died. Margaret Glenn, who became his wife, was born in Page county, Virginia, June 6, 1813, and is living in Shenandoah county, Virginia: She bore her husband eleven children-Thomas J., who was killed in the first battle of Bull
Run; George Wesley; Martha A .; Jessie; Isabel; Caroline; Jane; William A .; Emma; and two who died in infancy. Mary (Old- aker) Shuff is a daughter of Andrew and Jane (Sillins) Oldaker. Her father was born September 28, 1812, and died in Lick- ing county, Ohio, March 18, 1868; her mother was born in Virginia October 4, 1812, and died December 6, 1891. Henry Oldaker, father of Andrew Oldaker and grandfather of Mrs. Shuff, was born July 22, 1777, and died July 1, 1829. He mar- ried Ann Thompson, who was born July 19, 1785, a daughter of Andrew Thompson, who was born in Ireland in 1750. Anna Colville, the great-grandmother of Mary (Oldaker) Shuff, was born in Ireland in 1743, and died November 14, 1813.
MOSES COLWELL BONE.
In this age of scientific farming there is probably no farmer in Knox county, Ohio, who could more justly be termed an agricultural expert than the well known citizen of Miller township whose name is above. He is the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and seventy-five acres, which is cultivated by up-to-date methods and is one of the most desirable properties of its kind within the limits of the county.
Moses Colwell Bone, son of John and Mary Ann (Colwell) Bone, was born in Cornwall, England, May 1I, 1833, and came to the United States at the age of twenty- one years. For a time he lived at Gambier, Ohio, at which place he worked at his trade of wagon-making, and from there he went
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to Lock, Ohio. About two years after this last removal he located in Miller township, Knox county, where he soon established himself upon a farm. Later he acquired the White homestead, and he has added to his holdings until he is recognized as one of the leading farmers in his part of the coun- ty. In the course of events he was appointed one of the infirmary directors of Knox coun- ty, and he was afterward elected to that office, in which he served six successive years He is an active member of the Chris- tian church at Fairview. Mr. Bone mar- ried Miss Martha White March 18, 1858. and has had an interesting family of nine children : John, the eldest, was born January 15, 1859; Lovilla C. was born August 6, 1860; Burnello M. was born February 29. 1864, and died December 29, 1877; Mary Jane was born August II, 1866; Frank E. was born July 23, 1868; Alta A. was born July 29, 1871; Charley C. was born April 17, 1873; Anna Delle was born February 12, 1875 ; and Martha A. was born Septem- ber 20, 1878.
John Bone, father of Moses Colwell Bone, was born and passed his entire life in Eng- land, surviving his wife about nine years. They left seven children, named Mary, Sam- uel, John, Henry, William, Eliza and Moses Colwell, of whom Eliza is dead. Miss Martha White, wife of Moses Colwell Bone, was born in Pennsylvania, November 9, 1838, and in 1847 was brought by her mother to Ohio, her father having died in Pennsylvania. Mrs. White settled on what is now the Bone farm, and died there Jan- uary 3, 1880. Two sisters of Mrs. Bone are living: Sarah, wife of David Porter- field, of Columbus, Ohio; and Mary C.,
wife of George Lemon, of Advance, Illi- nois. One brother, David White, resided in Mercer county, Ohio, where he died at about the age of thirty-five years.
HENRY ALLEN CRIPPEN.
The well known citizen of Miller town- ship, Knox county, Ohio, whose name is the title of this article achieved success first as a railroad man and afterward as a farm- er, and attained prominence as a citizen by virtue of his high character and his unpre- tentious but substantial achievements.
Henry Allen Crippen was born in Mil- let township, Knox county, Ohio, Septem- ber 30, 1837, a son of Alanson and Eunice (Brooks) Crippen. Alanson Crippen was born in the state of New York in 1798. He came to Ohio in 1836 and remained at Mount Vernon until 1837, when he moved to Miller township, Knox county; he died in 1840, in New York, while there on a visit. Eunice Brooks, who became the wife of Alanson Crippen and the mother of Henry Allen Crippen, was born in the state of New York October 22, 1799. She was a life-long member of the Methodist Epis- copal church and a woman who in every way exemplified a Christian character. She died at the home of her son in Miller township, and her remains are buried in the cemetery at Brandon.
Henry Allen Crippen began his railroad career as a fireman with the old Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Railroad Company in 1854, there continuing for six years. In 1862 he was given charge of an engine on
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OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
what is now the Panhandle Railroad, serv- ing in that capacity until 1870. His run was from Steubenville to Newark, and he attained the reputation of being an efficient engineer who could be relied upon in any emergency. In the year last mentioned he retired to a farm, which he has since man- aged successfully. He was married May I, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth Clarkson, who was born in England, but reared in Ohio. She bore him two children: Hattie and Martin Clarkson ; the last named died in early child- hood. Hattie is the wife of Hugh D. Jones, a painter, and lives with her parents. They have one daughter, Grace.
Elizabeth (Clarkson) Crippen is a daughter of Martin and Maria (Smith) Clarkson, who were married in England and came to Plymouth, Ohio, in 1839. Later they lived at Mansfield, Ohio, and still later at Sandusky, Ohio, where Martin Clarkson died at the age of eighty-six years, he hav- ing long survived his wife, Maria (Smith) Clarkson, who died at the age of fifty-eight years.
GEORGE H. TAYLOR.
George H. Taylor, superintendent of the Mount Vernon Gas Light & Coke Company, has held the important position which he now so ably fills for twenty-three years, and his entire life has been spent in this city. His paternal grandfather, George Taylor, was born in England and was there engaged as a contractor for gas works. In 1849 he came from his native land to the United States, locating first in Portsmouth, Ohio, and in that city, Dayton, Sandusky and New
York he was employed in the erection of gas works. In company with a Mr. Bar- ringer he received the contract to erect the Mount Vernon gas works, and in 1856 he removed to this city, where he remained for several years, and on East Front street he erected the fine homestead which his grand- son now occupies. In 1867 he returned to his native land on a visit, and in Manchester, that country, his life's labors were ended in death at the age of fifty-nine years. His wife bore the maiden name of Olive Neild, and her death occurred in Mount Vernon in 1862. Their son, Hugh Neild Taylor, was born in Manchester, England, in 1833, and when eighteen years of age he accom- panied his parents on their removal to this country. For twenty years he served as superintendent of the Mount Vernon Gas Light & Coke Company, holding that posi- tion until the time of his death, which oc- curred on the 2d of March, 1880, at the age of forty-nine years. He was united in marriage to Emma Price, a native of Bing- ham, England. She accompanied her par- ents on their removal to this country, locat- ing in Brooklyn, New York. They became the parents of two sons, and the younger, Harry P., is now a resident of Akron, Ohio.
George H. Taylor, the elder son and the immediate subject of this review, was born in the city of Mount Vernon, and the edu- cational advantages which he enjoyed in his youth were those afforded by the public schools of the city. In 1880, when twenty years of age, he succeeded his father as su- perintendent of the Mount Vernon Gas Light & Coke Company, and for the past twenty-three years he has filled this import- ant position with credit to himself and to
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the entire satisfaction of all concerned. His entire life having been passed in Knox coun- ty, he is widely known in the community, and the fact that many of his friends are numbered among those who have been ac- quainted with him from boyhood is an in- dication that his career has ever been an honorable and upright one.
JAMES PERRY COLLINS.
James Perry Collins, farmer and stone mason of Miller township, Knox county, Ohio, is one of the most widely known brick and stone contractors in Knox and adjoin- ing counties. He is a son of Washington and Susan (Hunter) Collins, and was born at Brinkhaven, Knox county, Ohio, Feb- ruary 2, 1853.
Washington Collins, father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, 1826. He served four years in the Civil war as a member of Com- pany G, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and is now residing with his son, James P. By his marriage with Susan Hunter he became the father of five children, named as fol- lows in the order of their birth: James Perry; Jackson, of Newcastle, Ohio; and George, Edward and Adaline, who are dead. Mrs. Collins died at about the age of seventy years.
James Perry Collins is a member of Mt. Zion Lodge, No. 9, Free and Accepted Ma- sons, of Mount Vernon, and is also a Chap- ter Mason there, and is a member of Syca- more Valley Lodge, No. 553, Independent
Order of Odd Fellows. He married Miss Angeline Dripps June 14, 1876, and she has borne him two children, Minnie, wife of Benjamin Wright, of Miller township, and Gertrude, at home. Mrs. Collins is a daugh- ter of Harrison and Rachel (McFarland) Dripps, and was born in Milford township, Knox county.
Mr. Collins is a citizen of public spirit, who has the best interests of his township and county at heart, and his fellow citizens have learned that they may safely depend upon him to encourage earnestly and sub- stantially any movement for the general good. His patriotic inclinations cause him to feel a deep interest in all national af- fairs, and he is an intelligent observer of all passing events.
FRANK LOUIS FAIRCHILD.
Mr. Fairchild makes his home in Mount Vernon, but his influence is felt far beyond the limits of his home community, owing to his broad business relations and many per- sonal friendships throughout the country.
The Fairchild family came to this coun- try from England about 1639, when Thom- as Fairchild took up a township of land in Stafford, Connecticut, and since its founda- tion on American soil its members have ever taken an active interest in the welfare of state and nation. Mr. Fairchild's father, Charles G. Fairchild, came with his father, Grandison Fairchild, from Stockbridge, Massachusetts, to Lorain county, Ohio, where they were among the very early set- tlers. The cause of education has also
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OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
found in the members of this representative family warm and active friends, and three uncles of our subject became presidents of colleges,-James H., of Oberlin, Ohio; E. H., of Berea, Kentucky; and George T., of the State Agricultural College of Manhattan, Kansas. Charles G. Fairchild was united in marriage to Emily Culver, of Lee, Berk- shire county, Massachusetts. They were people of sterling worth, and in the com- munity where they made their home they were loved and honored for their many no- ble characteristics.
Frank L. Fairchild was born at Brown- helm, Lorain county, Ohio. His elementary education was received in the common schools of his locality, but later he entered Oberlin College, where he enjoyed superior advantages. He was reared to the quiet pursuits of the farm, and after having had some experience in the dry goods business, in 1865 he came to Mount Vernon, Knox county, where he at once became identified with The C. & G. Cooper Company, becom- ing an active partner in the concern about three years later. After a residence of some years in this city he went to Chicago, where from February, 1869, until May, 1878, he had charge of the company's interests in that city. Since its organization the business has steadily grown in volume and importance, and it now extends to all parts of the com- mercial world. The plant was founded by Charles Cooper in 1833 and was conducted as a co-partnership company until 1895, when it was incorporated and Mr. Fairchild was then elected its president. The present officers of The C. & G. Cooper Company are : Frank L. Fairchild, president ; C. G. Cooper, secretary ; D. B. Kirk, treasurer ; who with Charles M. Stamp and Edward Henry Fair-
child, all of Mount Vernon, constitute the board of directors. When this establish- ment was first organized it manufactured in a small way agricultural implements, but be- fore many years it became extensively en- gaged in building engines and boilers. Now, however, the Company builds Corliss en- gines exclusively and in this field it has gained a wide reputation. The works cover an extensive area of ground, and employ- ment is given to about five hundred work- men.
Although the business of this establish- ment claims much of his time, Mr. Fairchild has been actively interested in the welfare of the city in which he lives. For nineteen years he served as trustee of the Water Works of Mount Vernon, assuming the du- ties of that position in 1881. He served on the preliminary committee that determined the plan and selected the site of the Water Works, and had charge, with the other trus- tees, during the period of construction. He was one of the founders of the Public Li- brary and has ever since served as its trus- tee, while during much of the time he has; also acted as its president. He was one of the incorporators and directors of the Home Building & Loan Association, which was: organized twenty years ago and has ever since enjoyed a high degree of success. The cause of education has also found in him a warm friend, and for eighteen years he was a member of the board of education, enter- ing upon the duties of that office in 1882, and served as president for seventeen years. Since 1865 Mr. Fairchild has been an active member of the Congregational church, and for many years has held office therein, hav- ing served as deacon, trustee and as superin- tendent of the Sunday-school. Religious,
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social and political matters have ever found in him a willing worker and he has always done what he could for the welfare of his fellow men.
On the 14th of September, 1871, oc- curred the marriage of Mr. Fairchild and Miss Sarah E. Thatcher. Mrs. Fairchild is a native of Litchfield, Medina county, Ohio, and a daughter of Buckley Thatcher, for- merly of Lee, Massachusetts. The Thatcher family became residents of that locality as early as 1635, when Thomas, a son of Rev. Peter Thatcher, came to this country from England. He was born in England in 1620. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild con- sists of a daughter, Amy Frances, now the wife of B. B. Williams, of Mount Vernon, and an adopted son, Edward Henry Fair- child, associated with his father in The C. & G. Cooper Company. Both were educated in the schools of Oberlin.
Such is the record of one of the most successful men of Mount Vernon. His life has indeed been crowned with prosperity, but all his achievements are the result of pa- tient effort, unflagging industry and self- reliance. For many years this city has been his home, and during all this time he has so deported himself that as a citizen, as a man of business and as an honorable Christian gentleman no man has a cleaner record or is more highly respected than he.
WILLIAM H. YEARLEY.
The educator is as useful a man as there is or can be in any community and his work is more comprehensive and far reaching than any other man's, for it is as broad as
humanity and its influence is endless. There are in Knox county, Ohio, few educators better known or more highly esteemed than the subject of this brief notice, a native of Zanesville, Muskingum county, Ohio, born November 6, 1862, a son of Henry A. and Adeline (Evans) Yearley.
Professor Yearley's father, Henry A. Yearley, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and learned and worked at the cooper's trade. He was married at Newark, Ohio, to Adeline Evans, of Welsh parentage, who was born and reared at Newark. After their marriage they located at Zanesville, and they now live on the National road, west of that city. They became the parents of three daughters and two sons, all of whom survive. William H. Yearley, the eldest of these children, attended public school at Zanesville, and after preparing for college at Madison Academy entered Woos- ter University, in which institution he was graduated after a due course of study in 1886. He located at Danville, Knox county, that year, and for five years thereafter filled one of the chairs in the central Ohio state normal school. Later he was for four years principal of the Savannah Academy at Ash- land, Ohio, and taught one year in Ashland College. For the past six years he has ably filled the office of superintendent of the Dan- ville and Buckeye City union school.
Professor Yearley was married, in July, 1886, to Miss Jennie Cain, a native of Kirk- ersville, Licking county, Ohio, who was edu- cated at the Ohio state normal school at Ada and at Wooster University, and who was for some years a successful teacher. Professor and Mrs. Yearley have three sons and three daughters, as follows: Arthur,
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OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
George W., Bernard C., Mary, Adelia and Grace.
Politically Professor Yearley is a Re- publican, and that he is a man of influence in local affairs is attested by the fact that he has served his fellow citizens as council- man and township clerk and in other re- sponsible official positions. In religious views he is a Presbyterian, but at this time he affiliates with the Methodist Episcopal church.
SIMON A. COLWILL.
Simon Augustus Colwill has spent his entire life in Knox county and is among the honored citizens who have aided in erect- ing the superstructure of the county's pres- ent prosperity and progress. He was born on the farm on which he now resides, on the 20th of October, 1855, a son of Simon and Ann (Hurd) Colwill. The father was born in the county of Cornwall, England, in 1810. In 1835, soon after his marriage, he came to the United States, settling in Gambier, Knox county, Ohio, where he followed his trade of a wheelwright and carpenter. After some years spent in that city, however, he removed to Massillon, where he worked at his trade for a time and then returned to Gambier. Some time in the early '40s he purchased the place on which our subject now resides, consisting of a tract of ninety acres, where he was engaged in farming un- til his life's labors were ended, passing away on the 7th of September, 1884. He was a Republican in his political views, and relig- iously was a member of the Episcopal church. His wife was also born in County
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