The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 165

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254

USA > Ohio > Union County > The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record; > Part 165

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JOHN JOLLIFF, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, August 7, 1844, and was a son of Lewis and Catherine (Swartz) Jolliff, natives of Ohio, of Dutch descent. He was reared on a farm, receiving a common school education, and early adopted the occupa- tion of a farmer, which he has since followed successfully, now owning a good and well-im- proved farm. In 1862, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, as a non-commissioned officer ; was with his command in twenty-six hard-fought battles, and was wounded at the battle of Peach Tree Creek, Ky. He was discharged in 1865 at the close of the war. In 1865, he married Mary Sidle, a daughter of J. C. Sidle, and by her has had seven children, viz .: Sarah E., Isaac G., John D., William T. S., Martha A., Eva C. and Charles E. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has been steward. He is a Republican in politics.

DR. E. Y. KING, physician, Richwood, Ohio, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, August 30, 1836, and is a son of John and Mary Ann (McClain) King, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of German and the latter of Scotch descent. His father was a dry goods merchant, and in 1830 emigrated from Pennsylvania, with his family, to Holmes County, Ohio. The subject of this sketch received a good common school education in the high school of Fayette County, Penn., and in 1859 entered the medical department of the State University at Ann Arbor, Mich .; but not being satisfied with the knowledge obtained in his course at that institution, he entered the Medical College at Bellevue, New York, in 1864, and graduated from it in the same year. After leaving college, he enlisted in the Twenty-third Ohio Infantry and served as Assistant Surgeon until the close of the war. In 1866, he located at Richwood, then a village of about fifty houses, and immediately began the practice of his profession, which he has since carried on with flattering success. He entered upon the practice here under very adverse circumstances, when the roads in the surrounding country were so poor as to require him to go on foot to see his patients, but by his indefatigable energy he has overcome all obstacles and now stands at the head of his pro- fession in the village. He is the oldest practitioner in Richwood, and has a large and lucrative practice, which he is still actively engaged in attending. He was married in 1862 to Elizabeth Rogers, a native of Knox County, Ohio, and a daughter of James Rogers. This union has been blessed with one child-Charles E., now a clerk in a hardware store in Delaware, Ohio. Mrs. King is a member of the Presbyterian Church. The Doctor is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church ; he takes an active interest in educational matters, and has served as a mem- ber of the Board of Education at Richwood, and has had some town office during most of the time of his residence here.

ISRAEL KINNEY, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, January 8, 1824; he is a son of Thomas J. and Nancy (Biggs) Kinney, natives of Pennsylvania, who emigrated to Ohio in 1808, and settled in Muskingum County. His great-grandparents, Thomas and Anna Kinney, were residents of New Jersey, and came to Ohio with the family in the above. year; the former lived to reach eighty-nine years of age, and the latter ninety-two. The an- cestors, as far back as known, were tillers of the soil. Our subject was raised to farm life, but,

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

in his younger days, taught school, receiving his first certificate in 1845. During one winter, he taught in the same township with the late President James A. Garfield, with whom, however, he had only a slight acquaintance. He heard that such a man had been employed in a neighbor- ing district, but when he met him, saw nothing in him to indicate the force of character, noble nature or sound judgment that afterward endeared this man to the hearts of the people. Mr. Kinney continued teaching during the winter seasons, for sixteen years-farming in the sum- mer. In 1851, he married Jane W. Monlux, by whom he had three children, viz. : Mary, wife of George O. Fisher : Thomas F., who married Maggie Maskill, and died in 1879, and W. W. The latter was born in Claibourne Township December 24, 1857 : received a common school education and has followed farming for life. He was married, October 7, 1879, to Ella, daughter of John Maskill, of Richwood, and by her has one child-Clarence. She is a member of M. P. Church. Mr. Kinney is a Republican in politics. Our subject lost his wife in 1860, and on February 3, 1861, he married Mary J. Snedcker, who died in 1865, without issne. On Decem- ber 1, 1866, he married Mrs. Sylvia Hurdle, who was a widow with one child at the time of her marriage to Mr. Kinney. The latter union has been blessed with one child, C. E., now thirteen years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Kinney are members of the M. P. Church, in which he has been a Deacon, Trustee and Superintendent of Sabbath school. He was a Democrat until the discussion of the Missouri Compromise, when he became a Republican, but latterly, he is a Prohibitionist. He came to this township in 1845, and now owns a farm of 270 acres, one of the best in the county.

ELIAS KYLE, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, October 19, 1840 ; he is a son of James and Elizabeth (Boyd) Kyle, natives of Delaware County, the former of Irish, and the latter of Dutch descent. Our subject was raised and educated as a farmer, and has followed that occupation through life, with success. He owns 137 acres of good land three and a half miles southwest of Richwood, to which he moved from Delaware County in 1876, and on which he still resides. He is also a carpenter, and able to do almost any kind of woodwork. In 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Sixty-sixth Ohio, Capt. Buxton, and, with his command, took part in sixteen hotly contested battles. At Savannah, he was dangerously wounded in the neck by a minie ball, which broke his under jaw bone and tore away fully two inches of the bone. His life was despaired of, and his wound was dressed only at the ear- nest solicitation of his friends, as the Surgeon thoughit it a waste of valuable time to " tie up the

wounds of dying men." At another time, he had a furrow plowed along the top of his head by a ball that just grazed the skull, telling him to the earth, where he lay unconscious, and tear- ing away a part of his hair, which he keeps, having recovered it, for a memento. After the war, he returned home, and resumed his peaceful avocations. In 1866, he married Ellen. J. Jones, a daughter of David L. Jones, and a native of Ohio. They have two children-Laura E. and Lucy M. Mr. Kyle is a member of the Baptist Church, and Mrs. Kyle of the Congrega- tional. He is a Republican, and a prominent member of Rising Sun Lodge, K. P.

JOHN LAKE, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, September 10, 1848 ; he is the son of Lewis and Hannah (Hurd) Lake, the former a native of New York and the latter of Vermont, both of English descent. The father was a merchant in Delaware and Richwood, and a farmer. Our subject was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of Delaware County. He early chose the occupation of a farmer, and in it has been very successful, now owning 110 acres of good and well-improved land. He was married, October IS, 1873, to Ella M. Biddle, daughter of Richard Biddle, her parents being natives of Wales. By this union three children were born, viz. : Charles F., Mary E. and Lewis J. Mr. Lake is a Republican in politics, and he and his wife are members of the Christian Church. He is also a member of the K. P. and I. O. O. F. societies. In 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Eighty- second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was wounded at Chancellorsville, Va., and was also made prisoner, but paroled. He came to Union County in 1881, and settled one and one-quarter miles north of Rich wood.

JOIIN LANDON, merchant, Richwood, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, November 25, 1838. His grandfather, Cyre Landon, was a Pennsylvanian, who, with his family, came to Ohio in 1821, and located in Marion County. James Landon, the father of our subject, married Rebecca Cochran, and was a life-long farmer in Marion and Delaware Counties. Our subject was brought up in Delaware County, receiving the advantage of a district school education, and in school, as on the farm, he was characterized by his industrious habits. He followed farming until 1863, when, finding a farmer's life not congenial to his taste, he engaged as a clerk in a

hardware store in Marion for one year, since which time he has been engaged in mercantile pur- suits. When he concluded to go into business, he entered the store of Mr. Kling at Marion, to learn the methods of mercantile business, and proved himself to be an apt scholar. In 1864, he began business in Richwood, with a capital of $300, and from that small start he has risen, step by step, through his industry and perseverance, until now he occupies a place in the front rank of the substantial business men of the county. He employs a large number of assistants, who are under perfect discipline, and has the duties of the store systematized to a degree seldom seen except in the largest metropolitan establishments. In fact, the arrangement and display of his stock cannot be bettered. lle is a thorough advertiser, and for years did his own advertising,

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CLAIBOURNE TOWNSHIP.

preparing his circulars at night and having them scattered broadcast in the morning, offer- ing inducements that would flock his store with customers. By offering special inducements to farmers for their produce, he succeeded in abolishing the huckster trade in a circuit of several miles around the town, much to the satisfaction of the people and other merchants. He was the first merchant to ship goods to the town by rail. In 1867, he married Abbie Gast, daughter of Christian Gast, the founder of the village of Prospect, Marion Co., Ohio. By this marriage, one child was born, viz., Eddie B. The family are all members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Langdon has been an Elder and Sabbath School Superintendent. He is a Republican in politics.

JAMES H. LANGSTAFF, deceased, was born in New Jersey March 4, 1809, and died in Claibourne Township in 1869. When nine years of age, he came to Ohio with his father, who was a farmer, and in 1833 he came to Claibourne Township, where he resided until his death, at that time owning 350 acres of land. He was a prominent and influential citizen, a member and class leader of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a successful farmer. He had a family of nine children, viz .: Lana A., widow of the late Nelson McCallister, a member of Company C, One Hundred and Seventy-Fourth Ohio Infantry. who died in the service; Asa, a farmer in this township : Lemuel, also a farmer; Margaret, wife of Calvin Ricbards; Lamanda; Martha, wife of Isaac Stafer : William, Kendrick ; and Oscar, deceased. The survivors are all married and doing well. Two sons, Lemuel and Asa, were in the Union army during the war of the rebellion. Mrs. Catharine Langstaff, the widow of our subject, is a prominent member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, and now resides in Richwood.

ASA LANGSTAFF, farmer and stock-raiser. P. O. Richwood, is a son of J. H. and Cather- ine (Dixon) Langstaff, the former a native of New York, and the latter of Virginia. They came to Ohio, and settled in Union County. His father was a wealthy and successful farmer, and owned about 400 acres of land in this county. Our subject was born May 24, 1836, and was raised on a farm, receiving his education in the district schools. He has been a farmer and stock dealer nearly all his life, and raises cattle that rank high in the grade of stock cattle, some of them hav- ing taken several premiums at the fairs. He owns 200 acres of land, well stocked and thoroughly equipped, and a herd of the best short-horn cattle in this section. He was married, in 1858. to Hannah Lockhart, a native of New York, by whom he has four children, viz .: Marshall, James C., Lawrence and Minnie. Mrs. Langstaff is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Langstaff is a Republican in politics, and has been Trustee of his township. In 1864, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Seventy-Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Capt. Robb, of Marysville, and served with that company.

J. K. LANGSTAFF, farmer, P. O. Richmond, was born in Leesburg Township, this county, March 5, 1858, and is a son of James II. and Catherine (Dixon) Langstaff, whose biography ap- pears in this work. He received a good English education, which was perfected in the college at Granville, Ohio, and has adopted the occupation of a farmer. He was married, December 1, 1881, to Miss Sarah Watson, a daughter of A. and Eve ( Phillips) Watson, residents of Richwood, where the former is engaged as a photographer. Mr. Langstaff is a Republican in politics, and a prominent member of Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 443, at Richwood. Though young in years, he is a practical farmer, and is cultivating his land in the most approved manner.

ELMUS W. LANGSTAFF, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio January 24, 1831. He is a son of Asa L. and Laney (Boylan) Langstaff, natives of New Jersey of English and Irish descent. His father, who was a shoe-maker by trade, came to Ohio in 1815, and in the latter part of his life engaged in farming. Onr subject has chosen farming for a life, occupation, and in it has met with success, having accumulated fifty acres of good land in this township. In 1850, he married Eliza J. Norman, a daughter of Thomas and Saralı (Taylor) Norman. They have six children-Laney A., Millard F., Emma C., Ida May, Judson and John E. In 1865, Mr. Langstaff enlisted in Company E. One Hundred and Ninety-First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged at the close of the war. His son Millard is one of the owners of the Magnetic Springs summer resorts.

ZERAH LINSLY, retired farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Vermont August 8, 1808; he is a son of Simeon and Rutilla (Benedick) Linsly, natives of Vermont, of English descent. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, and a farmer by occupation. Our subject received an ordinary education, and in 1820, came to Ohio with his parents, settling in Delaware County. . In 1828, he came to Union County, where he has spent the remainder of his life. In 1828, he married Miss Parmela Waters, by whom he had six children, three boys and three girls, five of whom are living, all married and well to do. Mrs. Linsly died in 1864, and in 1878 Mr Lins- ly married Mrs. Phebe (Rose) Beem, a widow lady, who had ten children by her first husband. Mr. and Mrs. Linsly are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Linsly has been a Deacon in the church over half a century. He is a Democrat, in politics, and during his residence in Delaware County served as Assessor and Justice of the Peace. He has retired from active life and is spending his remaining years in peace and comfort at his home in Richwood.

THOMAS S. LOVELESS, senior member of the firm of Loveless, Howe & Bishop, proprie- tors of the Richwood Woolen Mills, and dealers in wool, grain, hides, furs and staves, Richwood, Ohio, was born in the Empire State May 25, 1821 ; he is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Sprowls)

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

Loveless, the former of English, and the latter of German descent. His parents emigrated to Ohio in 1832, and settled near Akron. Our subject received a common school education, and remained with his parents on the farm until sixteen years of age, when he began learning the manufacture of woolen, in which he was engaged ten years. He then commenced the business at East Liberty, Ohio, in 1846, and remained fourteen years. In 1869, he came to Rich wood and started the Richwood Woolen Mills, in which he has been since engaged. In 1849, he mar- ried Miss Miranda James, who was born in Logan County, Ohio, December 3, 1830 ; she is a daughter of Thomas James. Her parents were members of the Society of Friends, and of En- glish descent. To this union two children were born, viz .: E. O., a jeweler in Delaware, Ohio, and Jennie, wife of S. W. Van Winkle, a lawyer of Richwood. Mr. Loveless has been in busi- ness all his life, has never been sued, and has made what he now owns by his own exertions.

J. P. MARRIOTT, farmer and stockman, Richwood, was born in Licking County, Ohio, August 16, 1832 ; he is the son of Henry T. and Rebecca (Penn) Marriott, natives of Maryland, of English descent. His father was born May 9, 1807, and was a son of William and Edith (Waters) Marriott, natives of Maryland, who came to Ohio in 1825, and settled in Licking County, where they remained a short time, and then moved to Knox County, where both died. Henry T. married Rebecca Penn, who was born September 29, 1807, and with her moved to Claibourne Township, in 1845, buying land near Richwood, about thirty acres of which has since been sold off in town lots. He died in 1875. He raised a family of ten children, eight boys and two girls; seven of the children now living, six boys and one girl. They are all shrewd business men, but they have been only moderately successful. They are all residents of Clai- bourne Township, and all the male members of the family are rather small in stature, except our subject, who is above the average height. He was reared on the farm, and has made farming, his life occupation, now owning a well-improved farm near Richwood, on which he resides. In 1855, he married Theoba Farrier, by whom he had one child-Eliza, now the wife of William Peet, of Delaware County. Mrs. Marriott died in 1863, and, in 1865, Mr. Marriott married. Sisson Fisher; she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Richwood. Mr. Marriott. Is a Republican in politics.

FRANK A. MARTIN, of the firm of Martin & Wynkoop, dealers in lumber, shingles, doors. blinds and lath, and proprietors of the Richwood Saw Mill, Richwood, Ohio, was born in Knox. County, Ohio, May 22, 1848 ; he is a son of George R. and Agnes (Shipley) Martin, the former a native of Ohio, of Irish descent, and the latter a native of Pennsylvania, of English descent .. His father was a carpenter by trade, and also owned and operated a saw mill. Our subject spent his early life in school, in the saw mill and on the farm. He has been successful in busi- ness, and owns a fine farm of 116 acres in Claibourne Township. He came to Union County in 1874, and, in 1881, embarked in business in Richwood with his present partner. He was mar- ried, in 1870, to Amanda C. Morton, a native of Knox County, Ohio, by whom he has two chil- dren-Anna May and Ray M. He is a steady, industrious man, and has made his way in the world by his own individual efforts. He is a Republican in politics.

JOHN M. MARTIN, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born at Mt. Vernon, Knox County, Ohio, July 31. 1828. His father, Jacob Martin was born in Pennsylvania in 1799, and died in Ohio in 1870. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and by occupation a cabinet-maker and carpen- ter, but in the latter part of his life he followed carpentering, house-joining and farming. He was married at Mt. Vernon to Ann J. Adams, who was born in Virginia in 1800, and died in Ohio in 1881. Our subject was raised on a farm and has made farming the occupation of his life. He came to this county in 1864, and now owns a farm of 116 acres in Claibourne Town- ship. He was married in 1859 to Martha J. Marquis, who was born in this State August 18, 1833; she is a daughter of William and Elizabeth Marquis. The former died in 1877, aged seventy nine years, and the latter still lives, in her eighty-first year. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have had three children-Lizzie, Anna and John D. Mr. Martin is a Democrat in politics, and one of the Trustees of the Township.

JOHN MASKILL, farmer, P. O. Richwood, was born in Clark County, Ohio, December 5, 1822; he is a son of Robert and Isabella (Middleton) Maskill, natives of Yorkshire, England. They came to America in 1818, and settled in Springfield, Ohio, where they resided until 1832, when they came to Union County. They raised a family of seven children. Our subject was raised on a farm and has devoted his whole life to farming, now being the owner of 175 acres of land in Leesburg Township. He was married in 1850 to Adeline Wells, a daughter of James Wells, who came to Union County in 1834. By this marriage, nine children were born, all girls, of whom six now survive, viz .: Elizabeth, wife of William Styres; Isabella, wife of George W. Jolliff ; Harriett, wife of S. B. Taylor; Charlotte, wife of E. Freeman; Ella, wife of W. Kinney ; and Mattie, wife of James Jolliff. Mr. and Mrs. Maskill are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he is Secretary of the Sunday school. He cast his first vote for Taylor, but is now a Republican. He has a nice property in Richwood, where he now resides, in addition to his farm in Leesburg Township.

FRANCIS M. MCADAMS, gardener, Richwood, Ohio. John McAdams, Sr., and Catherine Stewart were married in Pennsylvannia, of which State they were natives, about the year 1797 ; coming to Ohio in 1804 or 1805, they settled in Champaign County, near the present site of

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Kingston, where they lived to the end of their days, he dying June 16, 1839, in his eighty-fifth year, she dying March 26, 1839, in her eighty-second year. Their offspring were Isaac, born 1798, died 1869 ; Samuel, born 1800, died 1832 (was killed by a fall from a horse); Elenor (Dillon), born 1803, died 1865; Nancy (Spain), born 1806; John, born 1808, died 1866; Archi- bald, born 1812, died 1845; William, born 1814. Both the paternal and maternal ancestry were of Scottish descent, but about all that is known of the family tree is what is above stated. The elder McAdams was a large, muscular man, fitted for the pioneer days in which he lived. He was fond of the sports of the chase, and usually kept about him the fleetest dogs and horses in the country. He served his township as Justice of the Peace for a series of years, and was prominent in the public affairs of his county. He served in the war of 1812 in the capacity of a scout. He was a great story-teller, and had a foot nearly double the ordinary size. John Mc- Adams, Jr., and Rachel Graham were married by Peter Igou January 21, 1829. The Grahams were of Irish descent. To them were born Ellen, Eliza J., Samuel, Melona, Francis M., Mary A., Harriet and Ruth. These all grew to mature years and married. Francis Marion, the sub- ject of this sketch, is the youngest son, and sixth child of the family. He was born near the head-waters of Treakle's Creek, in Union Township, Champaign County, Ohio, October 13, 1838. He spent the years of his minority on the farm where he was born, and assisted materially in bringing up the family, giving some attention to school during the winter season, thereby ob- taining more than an ordinary common school education, and in later years became an efficient teacher. July 17, 1861, he married Susannah M., the second daughter and fourth child of War- ren and Susannah Freeman, of Goshen Township, Champaign County. The Freemans were from Ontario County, N. Y. Mrs. McAdams was born July 17, 1843. To this marriage have been born nine children, all of whom are still living, to wit: Charles Francis, born September 5, 1862; Janet Gertrude, born June 12, 1866 ; Laura Eliza, born April 5, 1868 ; Eva Marie, born May 6, 1869; Carrie Amelia, born April 15, 1871; Lydia Catherine, born May 9, 1873; Susie May, born February 16, 1875 : Howard Deuel, born August 8, 1880; Ralph Thomas, born Sep- tember 25, 1882. August 15, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served as a private some months, when he was promoted to a non- commissioned officer, and at his muster out was Second Sergeant of his company. His regiment campaigned in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas, sharing the well-fought fields of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Kenesaw, Bentonville and other lesser engagements. After the close of the war, our subject was selected by his regimental comrades to write the his- tory of the command, a duty for which experience as a writer and the possession of a vast amount of the necessary data, made him particularly qualified. His writings found in the histories of Champaign, Clark and Fayette Counties, to which he contributed largely, attest his ability as a writer. From 1865 to 1870, he sold general merchandise in the village of Mutual ; then he became a resident of Mingo, and resumed the same business, continuing for several years. After residing at Mingo nearly twelve years, during which time he was twice elected Justice of the Peace, besides serving the public in other capacities, he purchased property in the north suburbs of Richwood, and November 10, 1881, came to that village, having in view the business of gardening. Mr. McAdams takes an active interest in public affairs, speaks his sentiments openly, scans public men and public measures carefully, and votes the Republican ticket continually. He and his wife and the adult members of the family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

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The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 165

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1254

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254