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 52
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The Shaffer family, one of the oldest, has also long been one of the most numerous and influential, social connections in the county of Highland. Its members have been prominently identified with the political, military and industrial history of the county since its organization, nearly one hundred years ago. Many of them have achieved distinction both in war and peace, filled various offices of trust and profit, and in all the relations of life displayed the quali- ties of good citizenship. The founders of this family in America were Theobald and Catharine (Kissinger) Shaffer, who came from Germany in the first half of the eighteenth century and settled in Maryland, on Antietam creek, near where, over a hundred years later, the terrible battle was fought between the Union and Confed- erate forces. This German couple had twelve children, and among
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them Andrew Shaffer, who was born at the Maryland home about the year 1757, and served in the Continental army, being wounded in the battles of Bunker Hill and Brandywine. In 1780 he was married to Martha Stroup, whose brothers, Anthony and Michael, afterward figured so conspicuously in the early settlement of that part of High- land county included in New Market township. During the twenty- five years succeeding their marriage, Andrew and Martha Shaffer had eleven children, two of whom died in infancy, and the surviving nine came with their parents to Ohio in 1805. Owing to the fact that the brothers of Mrs. Shaffer had located in Highland county, the family were induced to also make their investments in that part of Ohio, and after a tedious journey of five weeks arrived at New Market in the early part of October. The names of the nine Shaf- fer children in this party were Andrew, Adam, Susie, Jacob, George, John, Daniel, Jonas, Nancy, and another son, Samuel, was born after the emigration to Highland .county. With the Shaffers came Adam Arnold and family, making a colony of twenty persons, and the newness of the county at that time may be realized when it is stated that the incoming Marylanders were obliged to cut their way between Chillicothe and New Market through the woods. After remaining in New Market nearly a year, Andrew Shaffer settled in the eastern edge of what is now Hamer township, where he had bought two hundred and fifty acres of land. Here he died in 1855 at the age of ninety-four years. George Shaffer, fifth of his above mentioned children, became quite prominent in the affairs of High- land county, being especially conspicuous in military affairs as colonel of a rifle corps. He was born near Hagerstown, Maryland, June 17, 1792, and in 1815, ten years after his arrival in Ohio, was married to Elizabeth Mason, whose parents were substantial people from Virginia, who settled first in Ross and later came to Highland county. Colonel George Shaffer and his brother Jacob started a dis- tillery in 1813, and for a while were quite prosperous from the busi- ness of fattening hogs and making bacon. It is related that on one occasion the elder brother took a cargo of their bacon to the Kanawha region, exchanged it for salt and on his return sold the latter for a thousand dollars. Adam Shaffer, another of these brothers and sec- ond in age of the nine children who came from Maryland, married Catherine Roush, by whom he had fourteen children, including eleven boys and three girls. Henry Shaffer, one of the sons of the last mentioned couple, was born in Highland county, Ohio, Aug- ust 30, 1824. In early manhood he sought to better his fortunes by becoming a citizen of Kansas, but this venture proving a disap- pointment he returned to his native county and purchased a farm of 100 acres in Dodson township. In addition to his farm work he embarked in the manufacture of tile and continued in business until 1901, when he sold all but ten acres of his land and retired from
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active agricultural pursuits. January 11, 1846, Mr. Shaffer was married to Lydia, daughter of Solomon Sprinkle, a pioneer of Brush Creek township, who proved a most faithful and affectionate wife during the many years they lived togther. In after life, Mr. Shaffer used to enjoy telling of the rough experiences which followed his wedding; how they started to open a new home in the unbroken for- est and camped out the first night under the friendly limbs of a giant oak. The twelve children of Henry and Lydia Shaffer are thus recorded : Alexander, the first born, died in Illinois of the milk sickness at the age of twenty-two; Noah is farming in Dodson town- ship; Elmira married L. G. Roads of Van Buren, Indiana; A. Pierce is a mechanic at Allensburg; Clinton, a brickmaker, resides with his father; Samuel S. and Jerome are farming near Jadden, Indiana ; George W. is a resident of Hillsboro; Cyrus and Alvin C. both own good farms in Dodson township; Alice is the wife of R. A. Davidson, of Columbus, and Albert died in Kansas at the age of six years. George W. Shaffer, eighth of the above men- tioned children, was born on the family homestead in Highland county, Ohio, October 16, 1863, and as he grew up was trained to all sorts of work on the farm. Being bright and ambitious he was assiduous in his studies while attending the district schools and sub- sequently took a course in the excellent high school in Hillsboro. After leaving the latter institution Mr. Shaffer devoted his time to teaching during fourteen consecutive winters, finding occupation in the summer seasons by making brick and doing contract work. In the fall of 1898 he was elected auditor of Highland county and dis- charged the duties of his office so satisfactorily that he was rewarded in 1901 by re-election for a second term of three years. Decem- ber 29, 1898, Mr. Shaffer was married to Callie, daughter of Frank Shaffer, of Clinton county, who, though bearing the same name as that of her husband, is of an entirely distinct family.
James E. Shannon, of Washington township, was born April 22, 1864, on the farm where he now lives. He is the son, by the second marriage, of James R. Shannon, of whom a sketch is given herewith. He was reared at the old home, and given an education in the district school, and when he had attained manhood he was married to Eva Lewis, who was born and reared in Concord township, the daughter of Milton and Lavina (Hetherington) Lewis, both of old and respected Highland county families. Mr. Shannon and wife began housekeeping at the old home place, where they have since remained, and he is now the owner of 153 acres of good land, and is known as one of the most intelligent and enterprising of the younger farmers of the township. His home has been blessed with one child, Lewis Erwin. James R. Shannon, father of the foregoing, was born in Washington county, Pa., May 11, 1811. His father was Joseph
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Shannon, a native of Ireland, who emigrated to Pennsylvania, and married Temperance Tolbert, a native of that state. Twelve chil- dren were born to them: James R., Benjamin, Samuel P., Joseph, Alexander, Thomas, Nancy, Rebecca, Eliza, Ruth, and Margaret, part of whom are yet living, in various states, as far west as the Paci- fie coast. Joseph Shannon came west with his wife and the children then born, a few years after his marriage, and settled in Morgan county, where they lived until about 1840, when they moved to Wash- ington township, Highland county, Ohio, where he bought a farm of about a hundred acres, and this was the home of the parents until their death. In his youth Joseph Shannon was a sailor, and in the war of 1812 he was a soldier of the republic. James R. Shannon, the eldest son, worked out by the month for a few years in his youth and early manhood, and then married Julia A. Anderson, a native of Maryland, with whom he began housekeeping in Morgan county. About 1838 they removed to Highland county, settling in what was then Jackson township, now Washington, where he bought a farm of 125 acres. The children born to them were Derinda, deceased ; Wells T., of Washington township; Joseph, Lucetta and Hulda, deceased ; Rebecca, wife of William Nye, of Adams township; Mar- tha, deceased; Elizabeth, wife of Charles Lewis, of Concord, and three who died young. After the death of the mother of these chil- dren Mr. Shannon married Harriet Courtney, and had one child, James E., previously mentioned. James R. was a devout Christian and one of the leading members of the Methodist church. He died at the age of eighty-nine years.
Wells T., the eldest surviving child of James R. Shannon, was born near McConnellsville, Morgan county, September 4, 1836, and after coming with his parents to Highland county, was married to Sarah E., daughter of David and Julia (West) Mullenix, of Lib- erty township. A few years after marriage he bought 125 acres nearly all wild land, which he cleared and has made one of the neat- est farms and homes of the township. By his first marriage he had four children : Mary E. and Julia A., deceased ; Mattie R., wife of W. C. Hudson, of Athens, Ohio, and Hattie, who died young. The mother of these died in 1871, and afterward Mr. Shannon wedded Serena, daughter of James P. Miller, of Liberty township, who at one time represented Highland county in the legislature. Six chil- dren were born to the second marriage: Joseph E., of Washington township; Emma J., wife of William Trump, of Marshall township; Stella and Cora, and two deceased. For a number of years Mr. Shannon was a merchant and postmaster at Folsom, and he has served as justice of the peace one term and school director over twenty years. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the Methodist church.
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Daniel Sharp, a substantial farm of Union township and owner of a large stone quarry, belongs to a family which has long been identified with the development of that part of Highland county. His father, James Sharp, came from Pennsylvania when very young and very poor, but set to work manfully and in course of years became an influential man in his township. He erected and long operated a saw and grist mill at the place known as Sharpsville church. From utter poverty he worked his way up to a position of substantial com- fort and became the owner of about 400 acres of land. About the time he arrived in Highland county there came also from Pennsyl- vania a family named Cloud, and James Sharp afterward met and married their daughter Margaret, with whom he lived happily until his death in the seventy-fourth year of his age. Of his nine chil- dren six are living, including Daniel Sharp, who was born in Union township, Highland county, Ohio, February 4, 1837. He grew up on his father's farm, was trained to all kinds of work connected there- with and on reaching maturity, himself became a farmer and has since continued in that occupation. He has met with his share of success and at present owns 275 acres of good land, besides a large stone quarry, which he had operated for thirty years. Being a good business man and popular citizen, Mr. Sharp was twice elected to the office of township trustee and served out both terms. In 1863 Mr. Sharp was married to Catherine, daughter of James and Mar- garet (Mann) Bobbitt, early settlers and well-to-do people of Union township. James Bobbitt was a miller by trade, long owned and conducted a mill at Lynchburg, and built the one owned by Mur- phy & Sons. He died December 26, 1896, aged seventy-eight years, and his wife December 20th, 1893, in her eighty-fifth year. Mr. Sharp and wife have two children, a son and daughter. Frank married Miss Mattie McDaniel, of Highland county, and has three children : James D., Mabel and Florence. Leora B. became the wife of Polk McDaniel, a merchant of Willettsville.
William Shawver, one of Penn township's substantial citizens and mechanics, is descended from an old pioneer who settled in Highland county before the war of 1812. The senior William Shawver was born in Virginia about 1793, reared by an uncle and learned the trade of a blacksmith. Before he was twenty years old he was swept westward by the great tide of emigration then setting in that direc- tion, and landed in Highland county when it was just beginning to assume something like a civilized shape. William was young, robust and filled with the pioneer's hopefulness, so he set manfully to work and did his share towards converting the wilderness. He married Margaret, daughter of William and Sarah (Ruble) Brooking, who were also Virginians, and in the course of years added to the rising generation the following large family of children: Sarah, wife of
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Harvey Baker of Dodsonville; Vincent, carried off by cholera at the age of twenty; Mary, wife of Jasper Wasson (deceased) ; Rebecca, wife of Charles Shaffer, of Midland City ; Nancy, who married John Clark, of Cincinnati, and died in Missouri; Eliza, widow of Jere- miah Moler, now at Independence, Iowa; Margaret, widow of John Stroup, of Clermont county; Peter, who died at the age of thirty- five; Charles, died in youth; William, sketched further below; George, a farmer of Kansas; Alsada, widow and second wife of Jas- per Wasson; Lucinda died at the age of twenty, and Evaline died after arriving at maturity; William Shawver, tenth of the children in age, was born in Highland county, Ohio, July 5, 1839, received the ordinary schooling, and after he grew up learned the carpenter's trade. In February, 1865, he volunteered as a recruit in the One Hundred and Eighty-fifth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and was later transferred to the One Hundred and Ninety-second regi- ment, of which he was a member when the war closed. While at Camp Chase he contracted the measles and was for a long time in hospital there and at Camp Dennison. His brother Peter was also in the service. After his return home from the army, Mr. Shawver resumed work and for the last twenty years has been engaged in car- pentering. He has a comfortable home on the Careytown and New Vienna pike about midway between these towns in Penn township, Highland county. He married Mary A., daughter of Thornton West, a native of Wales, who came to Clermont county at an early day. The latter was married in DeWitt county, Illinois, to Julia M. Williams, who was brought there by her parents from Kentucky. William and Mary (West) Shawver have six living children, of whom the eldest is William Harvey, telegraph operator and carpen- ter at Madisonville, near Cincinnati; he married Nettie, daughter of Squire Riley of Blanchester, and his children are Hazel, Harry, William Morris and Harold. Oscar A., second son of William Shawver, married Ida, daughter of Frank Hampton of Madison- ville, and is connected with the car shops at that place. Della May, eldest daughter of Mr. Shawver, married Charles Stout of Lima, and is the mother of Leora May, Oscar C., Carl, Bryan and Everett. Iva Lou Shawver married G. W. Osborne, a traveling salesman of Washington Court House. Altha B. married Albert Lytle, a black- smith at Highland, and her children are Lizzie, Ray, Ruth, Leonard, and Floyd. Bertha E. died in infancy. Mary, wife of Charles Smith, resides with her father. Quinnetta, the second-born child, died in infancy. Mrs. Mary Shawver, the mother of these children, died February 14, 1901.
Jacob P. Shivers, formerly a merchant and postmaster at New Petersburg, and now engaged in farming near that place, was born August 26, 1869, son of Robert E. Shivers, a native of Virginia.
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The latter came to Highland county in his youth, before the war of the rebellion, in which he served as a soldier of the Union, in the Eighty-ninth regiment Ohio infantry, for two years from 1861, retir- ing from the service on account of disabilities incurred in the cam- paigns for the preservation of the nation. In June, 1865, Robert E. Shivers married Ruth B., daughter of Jacob Pearce, one of a noted early family in Highland county. Her mother's maiden name was Jane Brown. To them were born the subject of this sketch ; Carl F. Shivers, living at New Petersburg; Jennie M., deceased ; Leora G., wife of Richard Harrington, farming at Rainsboro; Sarah M., wife of S. P. Blaser, a farmer near New Petersburg; Robert E., living at home; Lillie May, wife of Ernest Perie, a farmer near New Peters- burg; Bessie C., Ruth Ann and William. Jacob P. Shivers was married June 19, 1895, to Emma Elizabeth Montgomery. She is a daughter of John W. and Sarah E. (Wolfe) Montgomery, and her father is a son of Thomas Montgomery and his wife Hannah Spar- gur, both members of pioneer families for many years prominent in the county. Mrs. Shivers' brothers and sisters are: Emma Eliza- ยท beth, Vernon O., Clarence R., George W., Essie M., Frederick N. and Cecil L. Mr. and Mrs. Shivers are leaders among the younger people of the township, and everywhere held in high esteem. Two children have been born to them: Leslie H., March 23, 1896, and Hazel M., July 10, 1898.
Isaac N. Smith, M. D., one of the progressive citizens of Green- field, Ohio, has long been identified with the professional life and business development of that place and of western Ross county. Though a native of Fayette county, he was educated in Greenfield and there spent his boyhood and early manhood. His father, Will- iam Smith, now a venerable man more than eighty-six years old, goes back in recollection to almost to the very beginning of Highland county. His birth took place in Greenfield, July 17, 1815, or about ten years after the county was created by act of the legislature. Of later years he has made his home in Greenfield. Isaac N. Smith, after receiving such literary education as the common schools afforded, attended the South Salem academy, and later matriculated at the Medical college of Ohio and devoted himself assiduously to preparation for his chosen profession. In 1874 he finished the course at that excellent institution and was graduated with the degree of M. D. From that date up to the present time, with the exception of one year, Dr. Smith has been in continuous practice at Greenfield. From that point he is called in the line of his professional duties to attend patients over a wide area of territory in the adjoining coun- ties of Ross, Fayette and Highland. He is also special examiner for the Phoenix life insurance company of New York. But it is not simply as a physician that Dr. Smith has been an integral feature of
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Greenfield's life. He has been identified more or less directly with all the enterprises calculated to advance the development of the com- munity. He is a stockholder in the Home Telephone company, whose organization was a distinct gain to the business and social life of the city. Dr. Smith has been a member of the first Presbyterian church for over thirty-seven years, having attached himself to that organization in 1864.
Anthony Sonner, notable among the pioneers of Highland county, and a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was a native of Virginia, where he married Elizabeth, daughter of George A. Geeting, one of the early bishops of the United Brethren church. They resided in the Shenandoah valley before coming to Ohio, and had six children- George, William, David, Jacob, Ann and Sarah-with whom they came west and settled in the northeastern part of White Oak town- ship, on White Oak creek. Anthony Sonner and his sons built the first substantial grist mill in Highland county, at their place of resi- dence, which was known for many years as Sonner's mill, and was one of the widely known land marks of the county in early days. Anthony and his wife were the moving spirits in the organization of the United Brethren church in the county, and both lived long and useful lives, he passing away at the age of eighty-two years, and she at eighty, mourned by their children and grandchildren and many friends.
Jacob Sonner, a younger son of Anthony and Elizabeth Sonner, was a miller by trade, and carried on the Sonner mill for many years. He was born in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia, came to High- land county with his parents, and was one of the prominent men among the early settlers. He was fairly successful in business, owned a farm of three hundred acres besides the mill property ; was honored with several township offices, and was an active member of the United Brethren church. He died at the age of seventy-five years and his wife at sixty-eight. The latter was Christina Ambrose, a native of Virginia, and the mother of eight children: William Sonner, now a prominent resident of White Oak township; George, deceased ; John Anthony, in Illinois ; Matthias, in Missouri; Isaac, of Salem; Anthony, in Illinois ; Elizabeth, deceased, and Rachel, in Illinois.
William Sonner was born April 8, 1823, on the farm now owned by William Workman, in White Oak township, and remained at his father's home until early manhood, when he married Priscilla Robin- son, a native of Ross county, and began housekeeping on the old home farm. Later he removed to Indiana with his family and remained there four years, but then returned to White Oak township and bought a farm. Since then he has increased his land holdings to 294 acres and has prospered as a farmer and stock raiser. He is
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a member of the Christian church and an active Republican in poli- tics. His seven children are: Minott, a resident of Taylorsville; Charles, deceased ; Sarah, wife of John Davidson, of Concord town- ship ; William, of White Oak township; Melissa and James, at home, and John, deceased.
Minott E. Sonner, grandson of Jacob Sonner, and son of William, was born on the farm now owned by A. J. Fender, in White Oak township, December 30, 1865, and was educated in the district school and the Hillsboro high school. The excellent education thus obtained enabled him to teach school with much success for eight years in early manhood. He married Mary E. Hatcher, a native of the same township, and daughter of R. J. and Rachel Hatcher, and they lived for three years on the Hatcher farm, after which they removed to Taylorsville, where they still live, with one child, Floyd H. Mr. Sonner, in 1895, purchased of E. L. Ruble, a general store at Tay- lorsville, which he has since managed with much success, dealing also in 'farm implements and machinery, and owning a small farm. He was appointed postmaster at his town in 1896, and he still holds this position. In politics he is a Republican, and in religious affairs he is a member of the Christian church.
George Sonner, the eldest son of Anthony Sonner, was born Jan- uary 1, 1804, and married Hannah Caley, daughter of Frederick Caley. They began housekeeping on the farm where their son, George, now lives. He was an intelligent, industrious and success- ful farmer, owning 175 acres of land, which he cleared and put in good condition. His death occurred at the age of sixty-two years, while his wife survived to be seventy-two. Their children were four in number, of whom Cynthiana, Samuel and Mary Jane are deceased, and George, a well-known citizen of White Oak township, is the only survivor.
George Sonner, the younger, was born where he now lives, August 26, 1848, was educated in the district school, and in early manhood married Edna, daughter of John M. Dorman, of Highland county. He is the owner of seventy-five acres of well-improved land, and he is engaged in the management of this, and is one of the busy men of the township. He is a member of the United Brethren church, a Republican in politics, and highly regarded by his neighbors. Mr. Sonner and wife have two children, both living at home, Berger C. and James L. The former is engaged in operating various kinds of steam farm machinery. The latter is a teacher in the public schools of Highland county, having secured his first certificate when he was seventeen years old.
Lewis J. Sonner, tile manufacturer and enterprising citizen of Hamer township, is a grandson of Jacob Sonner, who, as has been
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mentioned, built the first gristmill in the township, it being located on White Oak and put up about the time the old Gossett mill was erected on the same stream in the south part of New Market. He married Tena Cailey and had eight children. Isaac Sonner, sixth of these children, was born in White Oak township about 1839, and as he grew up was instructed by his father in the milling business. In early manhood he married Isabelle, daughter of Philip Gibler of Highland county, and located in White Oak township, where he was engaged in the mill until a few years ago. He then changed his occupation to that of farming and has since followed that business in Hamer township. His six living children are Ellen, wife of
John Bell of New Market township; Edward, of Salem township; the subject of this sketch; Jessie, of Delaware county; Philip, of Wisconsin; and Carrie at home. Annie, the youngest child, has passed away. Lewis J. Sonner, second of the children in age, was born in White Oak township, Highland county, Ohio, September 5, 1863, and upon reaching manhood engaged in the threshing busi- ness, which he followed about eleven years while living in New Mar- ket township. Subsequently he located at Winkle postoffice and embarked in the sawmill business, which he continued about five years and disposed of his interests. His next venture was as a manufacturer of tile, in which line he met with success, using the latest improved machinery and doing a good business with the neigh- boring farmers. His dwelling and barn were built with all the modern improvements and are among the best in the township. As a business man he is enterprising and resourceful, full of energy and push and an advocate of progress and development. In the spring of 1902 he was elected assessor of Hamer township on the Republi- can ticket, and his popularity is attested by the fact that though the township is usually overwhelmingly Democratic, he received a plur- ality of twenty votes. He is a member of East Danville lodge, No. 844, order of Odd Fellows, and one of the most popular men in the fraternity. In early manhood he was married to Mattie E., daugh- ter of Jackson and Narcissus Walker, of Highland county, by whom he has three living children : Warren, Cordie and Glenn. Two died in infancy.
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