USA > Ohio > Highland County > The County of Highland : a history of Highland County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapters on the bench and bar, medical profession educational development, industry and agriculture and biographical sketches > Part 39
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same fraternity. He is also connected with the Masonic order and is one of the most esteemed comrades of the Grand Army of the Republic. October 4, 1880, he was married to Mary A., daughter of John and Esther (Bankson) Savage, by whom he has an only child, Robert John Judkins, born May 5, 1887.
Joseph B. Juvenile, the well known house-painter of Greenfield, has long been connected actively with the political and industrial life of the city. His father, Madison Juvenile, was a native of Ross county, and was for many years engaged in the milling business in Clinton and Highland counties. He married Sarah Ann Higgins of Highland county, by whom he reared a family of eight children : Thomas, of Columbus, Ohio; Henry, of Greenfield; Belle, wife of Charles Hitchcock of Akron, Ohio; John and George, painters of Greenfield ; Annie, at home, and Jennie, wife of George Reed. Jos- eph B. Juvenile, the other son, was born in Highland county, Ohio, in 1841, but reared partly in Highland and partly in Clinton county. The civil war began when he was about nineteen years of age, and July 9, 1861, he joined Company G, Eleventh regiment Ohio infan- try, with which he served throughout the war. This command was first sent to West Virginia and participated in the campaigning of that state, later taking part in the battles of Second Bull Run and Antietam. Some time after the last mentioned engagement, the regiment was sent west to join the army operating in Tennessee. It took part in the great battle of Chickamauga and was in the famous campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta, winding up with Sherman's memorable march to the sea, the trip up the coast, and the grand review at Washington and the final discharge at Louisville, Ken- tucky, July 20, 1865. This constituted a long and arduous service of hot fighting and hard marching, the record of which is highly honorable to all the veterans who took part in it and one which they are entirely excusable for recalling with a feeling of pride. Mr. Juvenile was once captured while campaigning in the vicinity of Carthage, Tenn., but was fortunate enough to be paroled without much delay and thus escape the horrors of the southern prison pens. As soon as released from the service he returned home and resumed his old business of house-painting, which has been his employment during all the working years of his life. He takes a lively interest in local politics and for eight years past has been the representative of his ward in the city council. He holds membership on the water works and electric lighting boards, and altogether is a useful man in the conduct of municipal affairs. On the social and fraternal side of life he is equally enthusiastic, being a member of the Knights of Pythias, Ancient Order United Workmen and Gibson post, Grand Army of the Republic. In 1867 he was married to Emeralla Mad- dox, of Highland county, by whom he has five children: Fred and
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Maud; Mary, wife of Willis Harper; Charles, an electrician, and Howard.
Joseph Karnes, owner of a fine farm of five hundred acres in Paint township and extensively engaged in the live stock industry, is a member of one of the old and representative families of High- land county. As early as 1815-16 grandfather Henry Karnes made a trip of observation from Greenbrier county, W. Va., to spy out the land in the Western country with a view to settlement. With a party of emigrants he stopped at Maysville, Ky., and from there came to New Market, subsequently inspecting various portions of Highland county. He selected what he regarded as a desirable spot and in 1818 brought his family to Paint township, establishing them temporarily about one mile east of Rainsboro. He then bought from John C. Upp, a well known blacksmith of that period, one hundred and sixty acres of land at the place he had previously chosen, and in 1819 moved with his family to this new home. It was better improved than most of the purchases of that day in Highland, inas- much as it was equipped with log cabin, pole stable, blacksmith shop, well and orchard. Only some twenty or twenty-five acres were cleared, however, and it took a great deal of work to get this heavily timbered tract in suitable condition for agricultural purposes. Grandfather Karnes passed away in 1846 at the age of seventy-six years, and the property descended to his son, John, born in Virginia March 23, 1811, who made large additions to the area of the farm besides greatly improving it in other respects. John Karnes was married in 1840 to Eliza Hartman, whose father, Isaac Hartman, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and had come from Rockbridge county, Va., to the falls of Paint creek and later settled in Highland county before the coming of the Karnes family. Mr. Hartman died in 1843 and his wife in 1854. John Karnes and his wife lived hap- pily on the homestead farm many years. He was killed May 14, 1877, as the result of a team running away with him, and his wife expired January 26, 1897, in the seventy-ninth year of her age. Their only child, Joseph Karnes, was born on the parental farm in Paint township, Highland county, Ohio, October 24, 1841, and inherited the 500 acres of land which his father owned at the time of his death. On this farm he was reared to manhood, here he received his education in the neighboring schools and here he has spent all the days of his life. For many years after reaching matur- ity he carried on the farm work in conjunction with his father and he was married November 29, 1871, to Gertrude Miller, a native of Illinois. This lady's father, Dickinson Miller, was a brave Union soldier who suffered imprisonment in the horrible den at Andersonville and died later as the result of his hardships. Two of his sons also served in the Union army, one of them being killed on
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the skirmish line at the battle of Peachtree Creek, near Atlanta. Mr. Karnes, besides general farming, pays especial attention to live stock, buying and feeding cattle, and raising Poland-China hogs. His land is well improved and equipped with all the requirements of progressive agriculture and he is justly regarded as one of the representative farmers of his township. He served five years as trustee of Paint township and has been a member of the school board for fifteen years, holding the position of president for one-third of the time. He is a member of the Friends church, of which he has been an elder for five years. Mr. and Mrs. Karnes have eight chil- dren : Harry, John, Joseph, Frank, George, Clyde, Nellie and Clarence.
Isaac Kaufmann, a public-spirited citizen of Hillsboro, is of Ger- man nativity but decidedly American in his manners and methods. He combines the German level-headedness and prudence with the American push and originality, a combination that has enabled him to succeed and thrive, no matter what the obstacles might be. He is a son of Benjamin and Helena (Meyer) Kaufmann, and was born in Germany, March 3, 1847. Twenty-three years afterward he emi- grated to America and with numerous other enterprising Hebrews located at Charleston, W. Va., where he engaged in the grocery busi- ness. After an experience of five years he disposed of his interests at that place and in 1875 cast his lot with the enterprising capital of Highland county, with whose growth he has since been prominently identified. Soon after his arrival in Hillsboro, Mr. Kaufmann embarked in the liquor trade in the storeroom adjoining his present location on West Main street. In 1880 he associated with himself his brother-in-law, Aaron Baer, since which time the business has been carried on under the firm name of Kaufmann & Baer. About ten years ago the three story brick storeroom now occupied by the firm was purchased, and this building contains a large wholesale and retail stock, including everything needed for the trade in this part of the State. An extensive addition was made to the rear of the building, which greatly increased the storage capacity and general accommodations of the premises, which have been occupied since 1899. The firm also has a large wholesale store in Cincinnati, where Mr. Kaufmann's son looks after his father's interest. Novem- ber 7, 1878, Mr. Kaufmann was married to Sarah, daughter of Feis and Babet (Strauss) Baer of Germany, and their children consist of one son and a daughter. Benjamin, the only son, is a native of Hills- boro, and a young man of fine business promise, being a graduate of the high school and bookkeeper and general manager of his father's store in Cincinnati. Helena, the only daughter, is a graduate of the Walnut Hills high school at Cincinnati and a young lady of many accomplishments. Mr. Kaufmann and his family are members of
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the Plum Street temple, a Hebrew congregation in the Queen City. He owns the fine residence on North High street in Hillsboro, where the family reside, and is recognized as one of the city's progressive and enterprising men.
James P. Keech, and descendants. See Franklin, Major Anthony.
Ezekiel Kelley, a native of Maryland, who came to Ohio among the early settlers of Ross county, was one of the notable pioneers of Highland, coming in about 1797, carrying one end of a chain in the first survey all the way around the county, and receiving for his serv- ices, $10.50. Later he bought a farm, which is yet in the possession of his descendants. He was married in Virginia to Susan Stitt, and they made their home on Little Rocky fork, three miles south of Hillsboro. In 1807 he helped raise the first log cabin in the town of Hillsboro. At this pioneer home he reared a large family of children : Ezekiel, Michael, John, James, William, Aaron, Thomas, Polly, Peggie and Betsy. His death occurred at eighty years of age, and his wife's at about the same age.
Thomas Kelley, son of the foregoing, was born at the North Fork farm in Liberty township, in 1798, and in early manhood married Helen Higgins. Then he made his home in New Market township, where he bought one hundred acres of wild land. There he worked with such devotion that he died at the age of forty-five years, leaving his wife and three children: Susan, now living in New Market township; Anna Eliza, deceased, and Charles R. The latter was born in New Market township June 14, 1833, and passed his youth in the toilsome work of the pioneer farm. On attaining manhood he married Sarah Vanzant, daughter of William Vanzant, and they lived for seven or eight years in New Market township, and then removed to Washington township, later to Jackson, and finally back to Washington, where Charles R. Kelley is yet living. Of his eight children, Warren and Thomas live in Washington township, Francis in Clinton county, Ellen at Sabina, Susannah at Lynchburg, John in Paint township, Charles at Lynchburg, and Effie in Paint town- ship. Charles R. Kelley deserves honorable mention as a soldier of the Union. He enlisted July 15, 1863, in Company B, Second battalion Ohio cavalry. After being mustered in at Camp Green, at Xenia, Ohio, he rode with his command in pursuit of the rebel raider, General Morgan, and was present at his capture, after which the battalion was mustered out of active service. He has held the. office of constable three years, and has led an active and honorable life, but is now retired. Warren L. Kelley, of Washington town- ship, eldest son of the foregoing, was born in Newmarket township, June 8, 1856, was educated in the district school, and at eighteen years of age took up the profession of teaching, to which he yet
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devotes the winter months. He is the owner of 330 acres of valu- able land, and is not only successful in the general pursuits of agri- culture, but in the raising of Shropshire and Southdown sheep and Clayford horses, and in dealing in livestock. Besides teaching for thirty successive years, he has held the office of township treasurer eight years, and clerk one term. For fifteen years he has been an elder of the Presbyterian church at Belfast, and superintendent of the Sunday school, and he is one of the trustees of the church legacy of that church. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. On September 9, 1880, he was married to Florence, daughter of Abraham and Lucinda Hurst, and they have three chil- dren : Walter C., Madge M., and Homer H. The eldest is a gradu- ate of the Hillsboro high school, and the second a student there. Mr. Kelley is entitled to unrestrained commendation for his marked success in life, which has depended upon his own energy and sterl- ing character, without the aid of ancestral wealth.
Jeremiah Kerr, of Greenfield, is a native of Ross county, where he was actively engaged for many years in the live stock industry as a buyer and shipper. His father, James Kerr, was born in Franklin county, Pa., in 1786, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and took part in the early settle- ment of Buckskin township, in which section of Ross county he arrived from Chambersburg, Pa., in 1815. All that part of the country was as yet virtually a wilderness, there being but sparse. population and few improvements. James Kerr, however, with the resolution that distinguished the pioneers, set to work without delay in cutting, hewing, and clearing until in the course of years the wil- derness was changed to a fine farming community. On his farm he toiled and planned after the manner of farmers, reared a large fam- ily and fulfilled all the duties of a good citizen until his death, which occurred in 1870. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. A number of years before he came to Ohio, there had arrived in Buckskin township from Pennsylvania a pioneer named Robert Cun- ningham, who bought land and ranked as one of the first settlers. Among his children was a daughter named Nancy who became the wife of James Kerr and by him the mother of a large family, among them Jeremiah Kerr, who was born on the old farm in Ross county, attended the neighborhood schools between busy seasons and was still a boy when the civil war cloud burst over the country. In August, 1863, he enlisted in Company D, Fourth Ohio independent battal- ion, with which he served until it was mustered out in March, 1864. The command saw service in Eastern Kentucky, Western Tennessee and Southwestern Virginia with headquarters at Cumberland Gap. After his release from military service, Mr. Kerr returned to his
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Ohio home. In 1875, he was married to Clara B., daughter of Dr. Robinson Smith of Highland county, and they have four children.
Henry Kibler, a retired farmer of Union township residing near Willettsville, has had an experience almost coeval with the existence of Highland county, as his birth took place only fourteen years after its organization. As its chief growth and development have taken place since Mr. Kibler came upon the field of action he has been in close touch with the chief events of the county's history, especially those relating to agricultural progress. Frederick Kibler was a Virginian who came to Highland county, we are told, in what is colloquially termed "an early day." It would be safe to say that he arrived in Highland county during the first decade of the nine- teenth century. Having received a government warrant for serv- ices in the war of 1812 he utilized it in locating land in White Oak township. After he was settled he took a wife in the person of Leah Wilkin, a native of the new county of which he had become a citi- zen, and they had ten children equally divided as to sex, of whom three sons are living. Among the latter is Henry Kibler, who was born in White Oak township, Highland county, Ohio, June 2, 1819. He has known no other occupation throughout life than that of farm- ing, to which he was early introduced and has since adhered to with- out deviation. He had little to depend upon except his own efforts, but has made his way, acquired possession of 130 acres of good land and in other ways enjoys the comforts of life. About 1847 he was united in marriage with Nancy J. Sparks, born in Adams county, Ohio, December 15, 1829. This lady's mother, whose maiden name was Betsey Cowan, had two daughters by her first husband and after his death was married to James Davidson, to whom she bore three children. Henry Kibler and wife had a family of six chil- dren of each of whom a brief biographical sketch is here given. Elizabeth, born in 1849, was married in 1871 to Lewis W. Fore- man, born in Clinton county, December 23, 1843, son of George and Saluda (Morris) Foreman, who came to Highland county, where the father died March 13, 1900; paternal grandparents, John and Catherine (Rhinehart) Foreman were Virginians who ended their lives in Clinton county ; Lewis W. Foreman was township clerk four years and has three children, Jessie, Estella and Grace. Abner S. Kibler, second of the family, was born June 29, 1851, was married April 15, 1875, to Luella, daughter of Barton Dean; she died in same year and he married Mary E. McDaniel, and has had six chil- dren, Charles, Frederick (deceased), Luella, Cathie, Lettie and Henry. John Kibler, third of the children, was born September 10, 1853, married Mary E. McDaniel, by whom there is one daugh- ter, Maud ; owns 120 acres of land in Clinton county. Anna Kib- ler married Jonah Britton, a well-to-do farmer of Union township,
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who owns 1,000 acres of land in Highland county and property in Texas. William F. Kibler, fifth of the family, was born Novem- ber 13, 1860, and in 1891 married Stella J. Britton, by whom he has one son, Stanley H. In partnership with his brother, Abner S., he owns 130 acres of land which they cultivate. Charlie C. Kibler, youngest of the children, died at the age of fourteen years.
Joseph Barrett Kleckner, M. D., one of the leading physicians and business men of Lynchburg, comes of a family long identified with the industrial development of Ohio. His great grandfather, John Kleckner, who was a Pennsylvanian, had two sons named Joseph and Solomon, the former of whom served as a captain in the war of 1812 and married Mary Langabaugh, of German descent. In 1816 Joseph Kleckner migrated to Ohio and established himself four miles south of Canton, where he acquired foundry interests and mills, the products from which were sent down the river on flat- boats to the New Orleans market. Of his three children, Jeremiah died while serving as a soldier during the Mexican war and Daniel located near Akron, Ohio, where he subsequently died. George Kleckner, third of these brothers, was born in Starke county, Ohio, March 29, 1818, and in the year that he reached his majority became a citizen of Felicity in the county of Clermont. He was engaged at that place forty-five years in the hat and fur trade and rose to a position of prominence and influence, served as mayor of the city and occupied other places of trust such as are conferred only upon those who enjoy the public confidence. He first married Louisa Reddick and to this union was born a daughter, Mary F., and Feb- ruary 25, 1851, he was united in wedlock with Caroline, daughter of Benjamin and Nancy (Blackwood) Dailey, early settlers of Clermont county, New Jersey. Mr. and Mrs. George Kleckner, who for some years past have resided at Lynchburg, in Highland county, have the following named children: Joseph B., Georgia Florence, who is the wife of Dr. Edward Peters, a physician and surgeon in the insane asylum at Jacksonville, Ill .; Carrie Belle, wife of T. J. Lafferty, a merchant of Carrollton, Illinois; and Ber- tha, wife of Charles B. Linton, a merchant of Wellington, O. Dr. Joseph Barrett Kleckner, one of the above enumerated children, was born in Felicity, Ohio, December 21, 1851, was educated in the schools of his native place, and after he grew up assisted his father some years in the mercantile business. In 1878 he took a course at the Eclectic Medical institute in Cincinnati, after which he prac- ticed medicine a couple of years and completed his education at the American Medical college of St. Louis, where he obtained a degree in 1883. Seven years later, Dr. Kleckner rounded out his profes- sional studies by a course at the post-graduate Medical college of New York city, after which he resumed at Lynchburg the practice
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taken up on his return from St. Louis. August 15, 1880, he was married to Miss Eva Patchell, of Clermont county, a lady whose ancestry is honorable and distinguished. Her father was a son: of Edward and Sarah (Brown) Patchell. The Patchells were descendants of the French Huguenots by that name. Her mother was Susannah, daughter of Ezekiel and Elizabeth (West) Hay- worth, of Clinton county, Ohio. The last named was a descendant of the Hayworths who emigrated to America with the celebrated William Penn and took a prominent part in the colonization of the Keystone state. Edward and Susannah (Hayworth) Patchell, parents of Mrs. Kleckner, were married in 1860 and had five chil- dren, as follows: Eva M., Owen W., Edward W., Charles M. and Albert. Dr. and Mrs. Kleckner have three unusually promising children. Miss Edith M. graduated with honor at Wittenberg col- lege at Springfield, Ohio, in 1901; Ralph E. is a graduate of the Lynchburg High School in class of 1902, and Joseph B., Jr., is still a student. Dr. Kleckner has taken an active interest in the busi- ness development of Lynchburg, having erected a handsome business block and several residences which constitute an important improve- ment, to the business architecture of the town. The doctor's frater- nal associations are numerous, he being connected with the Masons, Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen of America and Knights of Pythias.
Julius N. Knauer, now living in retirement at Danville, after a long and industrious career, is a sample of the good German citi- zen turned American, so familiar and so much esteemed throughout the West. He has been in the United States more than half a cen- tury, and has long since become thoroughly Americanized and in every way identified with our institutions. His father was judge of the court of appeals in the county of Saarbrucken, Rhenish Prus- sia, and Julius N. was the eldest of his eight children. He was born in the Rhine province of Prussia, Germany, August 16, 1826, and had just reached his twenty-first year when in 1847 he embarked on a sailing boat bound for America. Ocean voyaging in such ves- sels was slow and tedious and it was thirty-five days before he reached the shores of the Great Republic. After landing at Castle Garden he made he way with as little delay as possible to Columbus, Ohio, going first to Cleveland and thence by canal-boat to the state capital. The changed condition of travel is well illustrated by the fact that a trip now made in a few hours by rail then consumed at least a week on the canal. After short visits of observation at Columbus and Cincinnati, he located in Clermont county, Ohio, where he obtained regular employment. Before leaving the old country he had mastered the tanner's trade, which now stood him in ood stead and was his main reliance for some years after his arrival in the United States. He also learned the cooper's trade and, with
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the thrift characteristic of his countrymen, could turn his hand to various kinds of occupation as opportunity offered. After residing some time at New Boston, he went to Batavia, Ohio, where he secured employment as a tanner and remained several years. May 2, 1864, he enlisted in Company K, One Hundred and Fifty-third regiment Ohio national guard, with which he was sent to West Vir- ginia, where they did guard duty for some time along the lines of railroad. Being discharged from the service in October, he returned home and in the spring of 1865 was elected assessor of Batavia township. In 1868, he removed to Hillsboro, where he worked at the cooper's trade, and in 1870 bought property at Danville where he has since made his home. He has held the office of assessor three terms in succession, was justice of the peace twenty-four consecu- tive years and is holding that office at the present time in Hamer township. November 11, 1852, while residing at New Boston, he was married to Elizabeth Krieger, a native of Germany, who was brought to America when two years old. They have had eight chil- dren, all of whom are residents of Ohio. George is in Fayette county, Frank at Batavia, and John with his parents at Danville, Charles is a citizen of Dayton, Caroline is the wife of J. M. Davidson, of Highland county, William and Anna are at Danville, and Edward at Cleveland. Mr. Knauer is a member of the Reformed church, and enjoys general respect in the community where he resides.
Norton M. Knotts, a popular farmer of Liberty township, is one of the younger members of a large family of children whose parents. settled in Highland county over sixty years ago. In the latter part of the eighteenth century there lived in Pennsylvania two brothers, named James and John Knotts, the latter of whom served several years in the Revolutionary army and became noted as an Indian fighter. James had a large family, among them being his son Sol- omon, who was born in 1788, married Mary West, and after several years in Fayette county joined the tide of immigrants seeking set- tlements in the rapidly developing valley of the Ohio. In 1840 he found a permanent location in Highland county, where he cultivated the soil, reared a numerous family and ended his days in 1850 at the age of sixty-two years. The children of this Pennsylvania couple were James, who married and lived for a while in Highland county, later moving to Champaign county where he died; Eliza- beth married Lewis McCain of Pennsylvania, and later lived twenty years near Perintown in Clermont county, where both died ; Benja- min, after spending many years in Liberty township, removed to Iowa and died there in 1890; Mary Ann, who married Alexander McConnaughey, has been dead thirty-five years ; Enos, Franklin and William resided awhile in Highland county and removed to Iowa, where the last mentioned died and the other two have not been heard
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