USA > Ohio > Knox County > The Biographical record of Knox County, Ohio : to which is added an elaborate compendium of national biography > Part 42
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ADAM C. WEIDER.
The career of this once well-known citi- zen of Middlebury township, Knox county, Ohio who was born there in October, 1844, and passed away June 20, 1874, when not yet thirty years of age, illustrated the value of character as a factor in worldly success and not the least valuable of his legacies to posterity was a priceless good name. His father, Philip Weider, was a pioneer in Knox county where, with the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, he settled in the woods at a comparatively early date. His- mother, Melinda Hall, was a native of Knox county and a daughter of a pioneer in that part of Ohio. The eldest of a family of two sons and two daughters, Mrs. Weider was reared to the work of the farm and educated in the public schools in the winter months and in other convenient intervals of farm labor. During the Civil war he served three years as a member of Company A, Twentieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under General Sherman, and participated in nu- merous hard-fought engagements and other- wise acquitted himself admirably as a soldier.
After the war Mr. Weider returned to Knox county, where he married Sarah To- bin, a native of Guernsey county and a daughter of Wesley and Barbara (Mott) Miller. For about two years after his mar- riage Mr. Weider lived on a farm in Mid- dlebury township, whence he removed to Sterling, Illinois, where for the succeeding four years he was engaged in the livery bus- iness. Returning to Knox county, he located on a farm in Middlebury township, which he improved and operated successfully until his death, which was the immediate result of a kick given him by a horse, in a vital
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place. He was a prominent Mason and was buried by his brethren of Salome Comman- dery of that order. He was no more prom- inent in Masonic than in Grand Army cir- cles and he was mourned sincerely by such of his former comrades-in-arms as survived him. In the work of the Methodist church he was active, and for years he officiated as Sunday-school superintendent and was an incumbent of that office at the time of his death.
Mr. Weider was the father of a son and three daughters. The first mentioned is Charles M. Weider of Chicago, Illinois. His daughters are Lena B., wife of Frank Amsbay, of Knox county, Ohio; Lizzie M., wife of S. M. La Fount, of Chicago, Illinois ; and Dollie L., wife of George Tobin, of Guernsey county, Ohio. In all the relations of life Mr. Weider was a man to be de- pended on to do what could be reasonably expected of him. He was a liberal contribu- tor not only to his church but also to many other worthy causes, and was a steadfast and active friend of public education. His pub- lic spirit was never called in question and he contributed his full share in all ways to the upbuilding of the best interests of his township and county.
J. S. SUTTON.
During his entire lifetime of sixty-two years J. S. Sutton has resided upon the farm which is now his home and which is there- fore endeared to him through the associa- tions of his boyhood as well as those of maturer years. He has always carried on farming, and in his youth gained practical experience in that department of activity.
Mr. Sutton was born October 4, 1839, and is of English lineage. His grandfather, John Sutton, was a native of Pennsylvania, and, emigrating westward, cast in his lot among the pioneer settlers of Licking coun- ty, Ohio, where he married and where he made his home for many years. There his son, Gideon Sutton, was born and reared, and after attaining to man's estate he mar- ried Eliza Shaver, who was born in that county and was a daughter of Nicholas Shaver, one of the pioneers of Licking coun- ty. He was a miller by trade, and he built a number of mills and factories that con- tributed largely to the industrial develop- ment of this portion of the state. In the early '30s Gideon Sutton came to Knox county and located on the farm where our subject now resides. He built a little log cabin in the midst of the forest and spent about five years on that part of the farm. In 1838 he erected the residence in which his son, J. S. Sutton, is living, it being one of the first frame houses of the township. By trade he was a stone-cutter, and he assisted in the erection of the first stone building in Newark, Ohio, hauling the stone with ox- teams. He was one of the first clerks of his township, was justice of the peace for eleven years and also served as township trustee, discharging all his public duties with ab- solute promptness and fidelity. He gave his political support to the Democracy until Buchanan became president, when he joined the ranks of the new Republican party, and ever afterward continued one of its stanch advocates. He was a member of the Free- will Baptist church, and his life was ever honorable and upright, winning for him the regard of all who knew him. He died in his eighty-eighth year and his wife passed
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away in her seventy-fifth year. They were the parents of two sons and two daughters, all yet living: Rebecca, the widow of D. H. Patton and a resident of New York; Jasper N., of Hilliar township; Joseph S .; and Samantha A., the wife of Dr. W. S. Pollard, a prominent physician of Evans- ville, Indiana.
J. S. Sutton, of this review, was reared upon the home farm, where he yet resides, and from an early age worked in the field, assisting in the plowing, planting and har- vesting. His preliminary education, ac- quired in the district schools, was supple- mented by study in the college at Hillsdale, Michigan. He was married, June 4, 1872, to Miss Jennie E. Coe, a daughter of Cap- tain Charles H. Coe. She spent her girl- hood days in Hilliar township, and the dis- trict school afforded her her educational privileges. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton began their domestic life on the old homestead farm where they are still living, and here they reared their daughter, Altazane, the wife of Charles V. Critchfield, the only son of Judge Critchfield, of Mount Vernon. Mr. and Mrs. Critchfield reside in Hillsboro, Ohio, where he is secretary and treasurer of the Light & Fuel Company.
Mr. Sutton is the owner of two hundred and fifty acres of valuable land and is suc- cessfully engaged in general farming. His fields are well tilled, his stock of good grades and all modern equipments are found upon his place so that his work may thereby be facilitated. In the midst of his business career he has yet found time and opportun- ity to travel, thus becoming acquainted with his native land, for he has visited twenty- nine different states of the Union. He cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lin-
coln and has since supported every presiden- tial candidate of the Republican party whose principles and policy he warmly endorses. He was township trustee for seventeen years and a member of the board for the special schools. He has taken an active interest in every movement for the general good and has great love for his native land and her in- stitutions. He is a prominent Mason, be- longing to Bloomfield Lodge, No. 422, F. & A. M., in which he has filled all the offices ; Clinton Chapter, No. 27, R. A. M. ; and Clin- ton Commandery, No. 5, K. T. In Christian work he is active and zealous, having served for fifteen years as recording steward, while for some time he has been class leader in the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he holds membership. His has been an honor- able life, consistent with manly principles, and a creditable career has won him many stanch friends.
JAMES F. EWERS.
This prominent farmer of Middlebury township, Knox county, Ohio, whose home is within the boundaries of section 12, was born in that township February 16, 1856, a son of an honored resident of Knox coun- ty, a biographical sketch of whom appears on another page of this work. He was reared to the busy and useful life of a farmer and was educated in district schools. In 1880 he married Alice E. Armstrong, daugh- ter of Josiah and Catharine Armstrong, and soon afterward located on his present farm. He has added to his landed possessions un- til he now owns three hundred acres in Middlebury township and seventy-five acres
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in Richland county, Ohio, and his success has been so considerable that he is regarded as one of the leading farmers in his vi- cinity. While giving attention to general farming, he has devoted himself especially to stock-raising. His residence, erected in 1888, is the best house in the township. This beautiful structure cost about three thousand dollars and it is surrounded by ample barns and other outbuildings.
Mr. Ewers, who is a stanch Republican and a prominent member of the Grange, has held several important township offices, and has otherwise been prominent in local af- fairs. He has three children,-Bernard F., Cassius H. and Lela A. Ewers. In all things he has always shown himself to be progressive and public spirited, thoroughly up-to-date in his business methods and solicitous for the welfare and advancement of his community, an earnest, helpful citi- zen who may be safely relied upon in any emergency.
E. S. GRAHAM.
An energetic and progressive farmer and an honored citizen of Monroe township is E. S. Graham, who has spent his entire life in Knox county, his birth here occurring on the 14th of January, 1836. He is a son of Henry and Martha (Stevens) Graham. The father was a native of the Keystone state, his birth having occurred in Washington county, and there he grew to mature years on his father's farm. Shortly after his mar- riage, about 1815, he came to Knox county, Ohio, locating in the southern part of Pleas- ant township, where he secured two hundred and twenty-seven acres of land, and there he made his home until his death, passing
away at the early age of forty-two years. He became the father of seven children, two of whom are now living,-John, a promi- nent farmer of Milford township, Knox county ; and E. S., the subject of this review.
The latter was but four years of age when his father died, and he aftherwards re- mained with his mother on the home farm until his marriage, when he located in the city of Mount Vernon, where he was en- gaged in buying and shipping stock for ten years. In 1868 he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land adjoining the farm which he now owns, which was then covered with a dense growth of timber land, but he at once set to work to clear his land and in a short time had converted the timber into lumber and had placed his fields under culti- vation. In 1870, however, he disposed of that place and for the following two years again made his home in Mount Vernon, but in 1872 he traded his town property for his present home farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he made his home for the fol- lowing ten years. On the expiration of that period he removed to an eighty-acre tract in Clinton township, south of Mount Ver- non, on which he resided until 1896, when he returned to his old homestead. As the years have passed by and prosperity has re- warded his efforts he has added to his or- iginal purchase until his landed possessions now consist of two hundred and eighty-one acres, constituting one of the best and most productive farms in the township. His present commodious and attractive residence was erected in 1896, and in the following year he built his large barn, while many other equally valuable and substantial im- provements stand as monuments to his thrift and energy.
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The marriage of Mr. Graham was cele- brated in 1861, when Miss Elizabeth Young became his wife. She is a native of Monroe township and a daughter of Hubbel Young, who came to Knox county from Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1836. This union has been blessed with six children, namely : Howard, of Monroe township; Ada, the wife of F. F. Hosack, a druggist of Frederick- town, Ohio; Charles C., who is engaged in business in New York city; F. Grace, the wife of Grant Walker, a dentist of Mount Vernon; Catherine, at home; and Walter, who is employed as shipping clerk for the Anchor Silver Plate Company, of Chicago, Illinois. Since attaining to years of maturity Mr. Graham has given his political support to the Republican party, and in 1890 he was nominated for the office of county commis- sioner, and in the same year was elected land appraiser. He is a worthy and acceptable member of the Presbyterian church, and for the past eleven years he has served as an elder therein.
DANIEL McGUGIN.
One of the aged and venerable citizens of Knox county was Daniel McGugin, who passed away in death on the 4th of February, 1902, aged ninety-two years, ten months and one day. His was a busy and useful life, -a life filled with arduous and honorable toil for the good of his family and others, and all who knew him respected and rev- erenced him.
Mr. McGugin was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on the 3d of April, 1809. His father, David McGugin, was born in Mount Pleasant township, Washing-
ton county, Pennsylvania, in 1775, and there he spent his entire life, passing away at the age of eighty-seven years. He was a farmer by occupation, was a member of the Pres- byterian church, and was first a Democrat and afterward a Whig in his political views. The McGugin family is of Scotch descent. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Jane Vincent, and she, too, was a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, where she lived to the age of eighty-seven years. Her father, Alex. Vincent, was of (Irish descent. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Gugin were born eight children, and with the exception of one all grew to years of maturity, but only one now survives, Alex- ander, who still resides on the old farm in Washington county, Pennsylvania, which his grandfather improved.
Daniel McGugin, the eldest of the fam- ily, was reared to agricultural pursuits in the county of his nativity, and the educa- tional privileges which he enjoyed in his youth were those afforded by the district schools of his locality. After attaining to years of maturity he engaged in farming the old home place with his brother James, but in 1846 he left the land of his birth and came to Knox county, Ohio, locating on the farm on which he spent the remainder of his life, it being located in Howard township. The place consists of two hundred acres of rich and fertile land, all of which is under an excellent state of cultivation and adorned with neat and substantial buildings. This is one of the fine country seats of the lo- cality, and in the line of his chosen vocation Mr. McGugin met with a high degree of success.
In Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, he was united in marriage to Eliza-
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beth Campbell, who was there born and reared. After a happy married life of many years this worthy couple were separated by the hand of death, the wife having been called to her final rest in 1888, when she had reached the eightieth milestone on the jour- ney of life. They became the parents of seven children, namely: David, deceased ; Sibella, deceased; Daniel L., a resident of Howard township; Jesse, who also makes his home in Knox county; Franklin, a prominent agriculturist of Ringgold county, Iowa; William, of Knox county ; and Jane, deceased. They also had twenty grandchil- dren and eight great-grandchildren. In early life Mr. McGugin gave his political support to the Whig party, and was an ar- dent abolitionist, and after the organization of the Republican party he was a stanch sup- porter of its principles. In 1860 and 1864 his presidential vote was cast for Lincoln, and he afterward voted for every Repub- lican presidential candidate, and during his fifty-five years' residence in Knox county he never missed a spring election. His worth and ability were widely recognized in the community in which he so long made his home, and for a number of years he served as assessor of Howard township. From 1835 until the time of his death he was a member of the Presbyterian church, during which time he labored earnestly for the cause of Christianity among his fellow men, and for thirty-five years he served as a leader of the choir in his church. At the time of his death he was the oldest living resident of Howard township and the third oldest man in Knox county, and during his long and useful life he so lived as to win and re- tain the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens.
HENRY WAGNER.
Henry Wagner has well earned the proud American title of a self-made man- the only title which this land confers upon her citizens. He has gained a position among the prosperous citizens of his com- munity entirely through his own efforts, his success being due to untiring labor, strong purpose and unflagging perseverance. His life history proves what can be accomplished through such means in a land where effort and ability are not hampered by caste or class. He now resides in Middlebury town- ship, where he owns a good farm of one hundred and thirty acres, upon which he is quietly passing the evening of life, having now attained the age of four score years.
Mr. Wagner was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, January II, 1822, and is a son of George and Mary (Beam) Wagner, both of whom were natives of Germany and crossed the Atlantic in the same vessel. The former was sold, accord- ing to the custom of the times, in order to meet the expenses of the passage, which he thus worked out. He was afterward mar- ried and located in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, and for some time conducted a ho- tel on the Susquehanna river. About 1824 he came with his family to Knox county and located in Middlebury township, settling in the midst of the forest on a heavily timbered tract of land of fifty acres adjoining the present farm of our subject. There he built a log cabin and throughout his remaining days devoted his energies to the cultivation and improvement of his farm. He was one of the honored pioneer settlers of Knox county and aided in laying broad and deep the foundation for its later development.
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Sarah A. Haynes
Henry . Wagner
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OF KNOX COUNTY, OHIO.
Both he and his wife were about seventy- eight years of age when they died. They held membership in the Lutheran church and in order to attend its services would ride seven or eight miles on the same horse to the little log meeting house in Richland county. Of their twelve children eight sons and a daughter reached mature years, but only two are now living, Henry and Lewis, the latter of California.
Henry Wagner, the ninth member of the family, was about two years old when brought by his parents to Knox county and amid the wild scenes of frontier life he was reared, his childhood's home being near the farm upon which he now resides. He be- came familiar with the branches of learning taught in the primitive schools, which were conducted in a log building, with the punch- eon floor, slab seats and writing desks formed by placing a board upon wooden pins driven into the wall. The room was lighted by one window and the schoolmaster believed in the adage "spare the rod and spoil the child." As soon as old enough to handle the plow he began work in the fields and assisted in the cultivation of the home farm until twenty-one years of age, when he started out in life on his own account. With his brothers, George and Isaac, he cleared a piece of land known as the Smidley farm, and thereon raised tobacco.
His home was presided over by a lady who bore the maiden name of Sarah Ann Jeffreys, whom he married March 6, 1846. She was born in Wayne township December 22, 1825, a daughter of Parson and Sarah (Dickinson) Jeffries, who came from New Jersey to this state in the days of early de- velopment in Knox county. Mrs. Wagner is their sixth child and was reared in Mid-
dlebury township from the age of ten years. After their marriage our subject and his wife lived upon the Smidley farm for about three years and then removed to her fath- er's farm, which was their place of abode for seven years, after which they came to the old homestead, upon which Mr. Wag- ner's father had settled in pioneer times. In 1875 they removed to their present farm, he having erected his house the previous year, and the following year he built his large barn. In 1876 he and his wife enjoyed a very pleasant vacation, attending the Cen- tennial Exposition in Philadelphia, as they did also the World's Fair in Chicago. They became the parents of six children, three sons and three daughters: Susan M., now deceased ; George P., a prominent farm- er of Middlebury township; Sarah E., the wife of Robert Martin, owning the old Wag- ner homestead; William, a successful agri- culturist of Middlebury township; John L., also a farmer; and Mary E., deceased.
Mr. Wagner is the owner of a model farm of one hundred and thirty acres in Middlebury township, and in addition to this he owns other property, being a partner with his sons, William and John L., in a one hun- dred and ninety-acre farm. He has aided all' of his children in getting a start in life and the living ones now reside upon farms ad- joining his own. At the time of the war of the Rebellion he was drafted for service, but on account of his invalid mother and brother, who needed his care, he remained at home, paying a substitute four hundred and fifty dollars to go in his place. This was Thomas Runyan, and the term of enlist- ment covered three months, but on the expi- ration of that period Mr. Runyan remained in the service for three years longer and had
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the sight of both eyes destroyed by a gun- shot. Mr. Wagner cast his first presidential vote for Henry Clay and in 1860 supported Lincoln, since which time he has always voted for the presidential nominee of the Republican party. He has served as town- ship trustee for more terms than any other man in the township-a fact which tells the story of faithful and efficient service. Such is the history of one whose eighty years have been a period of usefulness and honor, and who in the evening of life receives the ven- eration and respect which should ever be accorded to an honorable old age.
GEORGE E. HENWOOD.
The Henwood family is one that has long been identified with the development of the farming interests of Knox county, and the subject of this review is now a worthy representative of the time-honored occupa- tion of agriculture. He was born in Monroe township, Knox county, on the Ist of Feb- ruary, 1860, a son of John and Ellen (Day- mude) Henwood. The paternal great- grandfather of our subject, Elijah Henwood, was born in Germany, but when a young man he left his little German home across the sea and came to the United States, lo- cating in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, where he remained until his death. His wife bore the maiden name of Rhoda. Their son John became the grandfather of our subject. He was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, January 1, 1801, and was there reared to years of maturity. In 1840 he came to Knox county, Ohio, purchasing the one hundred acres of land
which is now owned by his two grandsons, Albert and William, but as the years passed he added to his landed possessions until he became the owner of two hundred and fifty acres. His death occurred on the 24th of August, 1870. For his wife he chose Jane Taylor, who was born in Ireland, October 12, 1802, but when only six months old she was brought by her parents to the new world. She was a daughter of William and Eliza (Anderson) Taylor, and her mother died during the ocean voyage.
John Henwood, the father of our sub- ject, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on the 16th of November, 1829, and on his father's farm there he was reared to years of maturity. After his mar- riage he assumed entire control of the old homestead, which he continued to operate until his life's labors were ended in death, on the 12th of December, 1892. After his father's death he purchased the interest of the other heirs in the old home place, and later in life, with the assistance of his sons, he bought two other farms, thus increasing his landed possessions to four hundred and twenty-five acres. During the last five or six years of his life he suffered greatly from rheumatism. He gave his political support to the Democratic party, and on its ticket he was elected to many positions of honor and trust, having served for twenty years as a township trustee. For a companion on the journey of life he chose Ellen Daymude, and they became the parents of four children, namely : James E. and George E., twins; William M., a prominent agriculturist of Monroe township; and Albert, who also fol- lows the tilling of the soil in this locality.
George E. Henwood, the immediate sub- ject of this review, acquired his education in
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the common schools of Monroe township, and early in life he was inured to the work of field and meadow. He now farms one hundred acres of the old home place, and in addition he is the owner of sixty-two and a half acres of the old Drake farm. He was married on the 27th of October, 1883, to Miss Laura M. Drake, a native of Howard township, and a daughter of Smith Drake, who was a prominent agriculturist of that township, but is now deceased. Two chil- dren have graced this union,-Rosa P. and Maud E. Mr. Henwood also gives his polit- ical support to the Democracy. He is a member of the Disciples church, in which he has long held the position of deacon. In every position in which he has been called upon to fill he has been highly successful. As a business man he is upright, reliable and honorable. In all places and under all cir- cumstances he is loyal to truth, honor and right, justly regarding his self-respect and the deserved esteem of his fellow men as infinitely more valuable than wealth, fame or position. Few men have more devoted friends than he, and none excel him in un- selfish devotion and unswervring fidelity to the worthy recipients of his confidence and friendship.
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