USA > Ohio > Noble County > The county of Noble; a history of Noble County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapter on military affairs, and special attention given to resources. > Part 14
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ENOCH W. WICKHAM .- Nathan Wickham, a native of New York State, was the first of that name to locate in what is now Noble county. He came to Ohio in the early part of the last century, probably about 1810 or 1812, locating in the township of Enoch, near the town of Caldwell. Of the large family of children, one, Jeremiah, was born
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in 1820 in Enoch township, grew to manhood there and followed the calling of a farmer all his life. He was married in 1838 to Miss Esther Ackley, a daughter of Daniel Ackley, one of the first settlers of Noble county. Mrs. Wickham is still living at the age of eighty- three. They were the parents of eight children: Nathan, who lost his life in the Civil war; Daniel, a farmer; Nancy Jane, wife of Jesse Archer; Jacob, a soldier in the Civil war, now a farmer; Milberry, died in infancy ; Phoebe, deceased ; Enoch W .; and Martha A., who also died in infancy. Enoch W. Wickham, the subject of this sketch, was born in Noble county in 1855, and was reared and educated there. Upon reaching manhood he followed teaching for three years, leaving that to enter politics. In the fall of 1875 he was elected to the position of County Recorder, re-elected in 1878, 1881, and 1884 serving until January 1888. He then entered the insurance business at Caldwell, and has been so engaged since, at the present time the firm of Wickham & Ackley doing practically all of the fire insurance business of Caldwell and surrounding country. Mr. Wickham was married in 1876 to Ella Harman, a daughter of Garrett Harman, an old resident and prosperous farmer of Noble county, Ohio.
THOMAS M. THURLOW .- Silas Thorla, now spelled by some of his descendants Thurlow, was the first one of his family to locate in Noble county. He was born in New England in 1775, and was a son of Thomas Thorla, also a native of New England, and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was a surveyor, and came to Ohio thinking it a good opening for his vocation, and took up government land, which is still in the possession of his descendants. He was a leader in the community and acted as a local preacher for a number of years. His wife was Susannah Swett whom he married in New England, and she was the mother of the following children: Ruth, John, Daniel, Dillie, Rhoda, Benjamin, Silas, Lois, and Wesley. Ben- jamin Thorla was born in Massachusetts in 1809, and at the age of eight years he came with his mother to Ohio, where he engaged in farming after reaching manhood. He was married to Jane Dyer, a ยท native of Maryland, and to them were born: William, a farmer in Missouri : Susanna, widow of James McCune ; Mary, wife of Thomas Morris of Kansas ; McDonald and Jane died in infancy ; McDonnell. a farmer, and old soldier ; Louisa, wife of William Yetter of Kansas; Benjamin and Lillie, deceased; and Benjamin. The father lived to a good old age, passing away in 1897. Thomas M. Thurlow, the subject of this sketch, was born January 24, 1855, in Noble county, and was reared on the old farm, and followed that vocation all his life. In the fall of 1901 he was elected Sheriff of Noble county, and is now serving his first term. He was married October 8, 1877, to Sadie Aisqueith, a daughter of William Aisqueith, an old resident of Noble
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county, and to this union has been born one son, Silas, who is super- intendent of the Marietta Chair Factory, one of the largest concerns of the kind in that section of the country. Mr. Thurlow is a Knight of Pythias.
JAMES HENRY MILLS, son of Stephen Mills, was born in New York City in 1855. At the age of six years he came with his parents to Ohio, where they located in Stock township. He was reared and educated there, and upon reaching manhood, he engaged in the busi- ness of contracting and building, at which he has been very success- ful. In 1880 the family moved to Caldwell and purchased a planing mill which was conducted in partnership until 1901, when Mr. Mills bought the interest of the other members of the family and has been conducting it alone since then. Mr. Mills was married in 1878 to Belle V. Mason, of Monroe county. She died in 1886 leaving three children : Lena, Willis, and Howard. Mr. Mills was married a second time to Oegie C. Danford, of Belmont county, and to this union has been born one child, Emma Bernice. Mr. Mills is a member of the Masonic order, having filled the position of Worship- ful Master of Noble Lodge, No. 459, for a number of years. He was reared in the Methodist faith but is not a communicant of any church.
TAYLOR BIVENS, a liveryman of Caldwell, is a native of Virginia, having been born in Charlestown, January 16, 1844. He is a son of Thomas E. Bivens; the father was born in Maryland, near Freder- ickstown, was reared and educated there, and upon reaching man- hood learned the trade of a carriage maker. He removed to Charlottes- ville and while there was married to Eleanor Watson; to themn were born five children, all of whom are now deceased except the subject of this review, Taylor Bivens. In 1853 Mr. Bivens moved to Ohio and settled at Sharon, and after the death of Mrs. Bivens, he married Miss Betsy Archibald for his second wife. To this union were born three children, all of whom are also deceased. Mr. Bivens died in 1867. Taylor Bivens was nine years old when his parents moved to Noble county, and he has since made that county his home. He was educated in the common schools, and upon reaching manhood engaged in the business of buying and selling horses, following that all his life. For over thirty years he has also conducted a large livery business, and has been extraordinarily successful in the under- taking. In 1864 he was married to Margaret Boggs, a daughter of Reuben Boggs, an old resident of Noble county, and to them have been born four daughters, Catherine, Lottie, Minnie and Grace, the latter now Mrs. H. H. Smith. Mr. Bivens is a very staunch citizen of Caldwell, though of a retiring disposition, a man who never seeks prominence in any way, but is content with the duties that come to his hand. 1
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ALVERSON C. OKEY, assistant cashier of the Noble County Na- tional Bank, of Caldwell, was born in Woodsfield, Monroe county, April 16, 1858, and is a son of F. G. Okey. He was educated in the Caldwell schools and spent his early years as a clerk in his father's store. In 1879 he accepted a position in the Noble County National Bank, leaving that after two years to accept the position of clerk in the county auditor's office, under W. D. Guilbert for a period of six years and ten months. In September, 1888, Mr. Okey was appointed county auditor for one year to fill a vacancy, and in the fall of the same year, he was elected for a three year term, to begin in 1889. In the following year he was elected assistant cashier of the Noble County National Bank, which position he still holds. Mr. Okey was married in November, 1897, to Mary Belford, a daughter of Cyrus Belford, an old resident of Noble county. Mr. Okey is a member of the Methodist church.
FREEBORN GARRETTSON OKEY, the oldest man in business in Cald- well, is a native of Monroe county, and was born there on July 4, 1828. He was educated in the common schools and at the Seminary at Woodsfield, and began his business career as a merchant at Woods- field, remaining in the business for eight years. He spent three years in Pittsburg, and at the oil excitement in Noble county, he returned to Caldwell in the spring of 1865, entering a partnership in the drug business with Dr. John Martin. After two years Dr. Martin dis- posed of his interest to Worthington McKee, who in turn soon sold out to Mr. Okey, who has since conducted the business alone. In 1867 he was appointed revenue collector for Noble county, and filled that position until the office was abolished by legislation. Mr. Okey has been twice married, first in April 1857, to Marinda Myers, of Mon- roe county, who died in May 1858, leaving one son, Alverson Carey. The second marriage was to Minerva Myers, a sister of the first wife, on November 20, 1860. To this union have been born five children : Emma, the wife of Charles Tipton; William Arthur, clerk in the Caldwell postoffice : Flora Alta, deceased ; Clifford Taylor, a practic- ing physician of Columbus ; and one child who died in infancy. Mr. Okey is a member of the Methodist church of Caldwell.
WILLIAM E. TIPTON .- John Wesley Tinton, the father of the subject of this review, was born near Cadiz, Harrison county. Decem- ber 28, 1825. His father, William Tipton, was a Methodist min- ister and a farmer in that county, and a very well educated man for his time. Mr. Tipton was educated at Madison College in Pennsyl- vania, and upon reaching manhood, engaged in the mercantile busi- ness in Belmont county, remaining there about three years, and then removed to Noble county, where he took up the same business in the
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old town of Olive. In 1858, Mr. Tipton was elected auditor of Noble county, re-elected in 1862, and again in 1864, thus serving in all three terms. After retiring from serving the public, he re-engaged in his old calling in the mercantile business, and conducted it for thirty years, retiring in 1896. Mr. Tipton was married in 1848 to Elizabeth Jane Richards who became the mother of twelve children, three of whom died in infancy. The others were: Thomas Weston, deceased ; William Edmund, cashier of Noble County Bank; John Wesley, Jr., dealer in horses; Mary, wife of M. C. Grimes, of Iron- dale; Charles Fremont, salesman in a mercantile establishment ; Francis Marion, salesman in Pittsburg; Elizabeth Jane, wife of a Mr. Knox, of Freeport ; Freddie, deceased ; and Edgar Richards, also a salesman. It is worthy of mention that a brother of Mr. Tipton, Thomas Merton Tipton, was elected to the legislature of Ohio in 1845, served as Chaplain in the army for four years, and after the war, was elected to the United States Senate from Nebraska, whither he had moved, and served eight years. He has considerable reputa- tion both in and out of Congress. William E. Tipton, cashier in Noble County Bank, and a son of John W. Tipton, was born in Guernsey county May 24, 1851. At the age of four years, he removed to Noble county, where he received a common school education, and was for several years associated with his father in his mercantile business. He conducted a store in Senecaville for six years, and engaged in the fire insurance business for a short time in Caldwell, when he received the position of teller in the bank. He was promoted from one position to another as his ability became known, until he is now cashier. Mr. Tipton was married in October 1872, to Elizabeth Martin, of Monroe county, and to this union have been born three sons : John C., an employe of the Pennsylvania Railroad ; Charles E., a student in the Cincinnati Law School; and William H., who is a student of the State University in Columbus. Mr. Tipton is a mem- ber of the Methodist church.
ARCH WILEY .- John Wiley, one of the first settlers in what is now Noble county, was born in Pennsylvania, and came to Noble county at about the same time as the Caldwells and McKees families. He entered land from the government and took up farming as a voca- tion. Mr. John and Charity (Severs) Wiley were the parents of thirteen children, all of whom are dead. Thomas was one of the sons and was born in Olive township February 5, 1809, where he spent his life, in the calling of a farmer. Thomas and Maria (Scott) Wiley were the parents of eight children who grew to maturity : Emeline, deceased; Delilah, widow of William McCune, of Belle Valley ; Archibald ; Eliza J., deceased ; James, a farmer in Missouri ; Dunlap, a farmer of Caldwell; and Mary E., wife of William Corns.
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Mr. Wiley died in 1869, on the old home farm of his father. Archi- bald Wiley, the subject of this review, was born in Olive township, September 14, 1835, and has always lived on the land entered by his father. He received a fair common school education, and has supple- mented it by extensive reading, so that now he is one of the broad minded men of the community. His patriotism caused him to enlist as a private in 1861, in the Twenty-Fifth Ohio volunteer infantry, Company I, with which he served in the following engagements : Alle- gheny Mountain, Slaughter Mountain, Second Bull Run, Gettysburg, Bull Pasture Mountain, and many others. At the battle of Gettys- burg he received two slight wounds, while at the close of the battle only seventy-five of the men responded at roll call. Mr. Wiley was captured by the enemy, but escaped. He was employed in the hos- pital service for a time, and then transferred to another regiment, where he served until the close of the war. Mr. Wiley was married in 1865 to Mary E. Brown, a native of Virginia, and a daughter of Baalam Brown, an old settler of what is now Marion township. Mr. and Mrs. Wiley have no children. Mr. Wiley is now retired and is enjoying the rest which belongs to those who have so valiantly served their native country and fellow men.
DAVID A. LORENZ, a well-to-do farmer of Noble county, was born at Marietta, June 28, 1864, and is a son of Jacob Lorenz, a native of Germany. He attended the public schools of his native city and when but a boy of thirteen years started out to earn his own living, which he did by working in a butcher shop at Marietta for one year. He followed this occupation in Caldwell until 1897, when he sold his interests and bought a farm in the outskirts of Caldwell, and has since devoted his time to farming. He was married in May, 1888, to Martha A. Eyssen, a daughter of Charles Eyssen, an old German resident of Noble county. Four children have been born to this union : Nira M., deceased ; Walter M., Lola M., and Minnie C. Mr. and Mrs. Lorenz are members of the Baptist church.
JOHN HUTCHINS, a well-to-do farmer of Noble county, was born in Washington county near the line between that county and Noble, in 1830. His father, also John Hutchins, came to Washington county with his parents from Maine, when he was a small child, and lived there all his life. Mr. Hutchins grew to manhood on his father's farm, receiving a common school education, and a large practical one from his surroundings. He has lived in various places in Noble county, and for the past twelve years, about one mile south of Cald- well. He was married December 16, 1855, to Margaret Buchanan, of Washington county, who died in 1893, having become the mother of three children ; Florence, wife of Rev. A. K. McCall; Loretta, and
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.
Ernest, a farmer near Macksburg. He was married a second time to Mrs. (Tilton) Ogle, of Noble county, in 1894. Mr. Hutchins is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry. The family is Baptist in religious affiliation.
THOMAS H. MORRIS, one of the prominent citizens of Caldwell, was born in Monroe county November 3, 1841, where he was reared and educated. At the age of eighteen he went to Belmont county to work at farm labor, remaining there a year, and then went to Quaker City to serve an apprenticeship at the blacksmith's trade. In 1863 he enlisted in Company F, of the Ninth Ohio cavalry as a private and served until the close of the war. He was on detached duty most of the time as a blacksmith, but still was in some spirited engagements, principally among which was the battle of Kingston, N. C. After the close of the war he engaged in blacksmithing for a short time in Woodsfield, and for about twenty years at Caldwell, taking up at that time the planing mill business. Mr. Morris followed that occupation: for some time, and since 1899, has lived a retired life, free from business cares. Mr. Morris has never been an office seeker, but has served the city of Caldwell for ten years as treasurer, and the town- ship of Olive for a shorter time. Mr. Morris was married on Sep- tember 16, 1862, to Martha Marsh, a daughter of Joseph Marsh, an early settler of Noble county and to this union have been born two children, Allie A., now Mrs. Brown; and Norval T., an engineer of Marietta. Mr. Morris is a member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lic and in religious affiliations both he and his wife are Methodists.
OSCAR MILLER .- William Miller, an early settler of what is now Noble county, was born in England in 1776. When a boy of fifteen years of age, he started to come to America to join two of his brothers, but on the way was seized and impressed into the British Navy, where he was kept for thirteen years. Upon his release he visited his old home a short time, and again tried to get to America. This time he was successful, locating in Maryland, where he followed the occupa- tion of farming. With his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Barton, he removed to Ohio and located in what is now Beaver township, in 1831, and lived there the remainder of their days. Mr. Miller died in 1859 at the age of 83, his wife having preceded him in 1851. One child was born to them, William, who was born in Maryland in 1818 and was about thirteen years old when his father moved to Ohio. Like his father he engaged in farming, but was not so engrossed in it as to for- get his duty as a citizen. He was a very prominent man in all local politics, was chiefly instrumental in establishing the township ceme- tery in Beaver, filled the office of township trustee and Justice of the Peace a number of years, and otherwise fulfilled the duties which
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came to his hand. Mr. Miller was married to Sarah A. Perry, a daughter of John Perry, an old resident of Beaver township. They were the parents of seven children, six of whom grew to maturity, and were: Henry, a life insurance man of Zanesville ; David, deceased ; Anna, the wife of J. A. Fry, of Kenton ; Oscar ; Edgar, superintendent of the Bradford schools in Pennsylvania; Ella, wife of C. E. Wil- son, of Batesville. Mr. Miller died in 1887, and his wife in 1900. Oscar Miller, the subject of this sketch, was born in Beaver township in 1851, was reared and educated there, and taught one term of school, which he soon found was not to his liking. After spending a few years on the farm, he took up the watch making business, and worked at that for thirteen years, when failing health compelled him to give it up. He engaged in the carpenter trade, and has successfully fol- lowed that occupation since. Mr. Miller is a very enterprising man, and it is largely due to his efforts that Caldwell has grown so much of late. Mr. Miller was married February 21, 1873, to Laura J. Roach, a daughter of F. J. Roach, an old resident of Beaver town- ship. Mr. Miller is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
LANDON RACEY, an early settler of Noble county, was born in Hampshire county, Va., in 1796. He received but three months schooling, but having strong determination and a mind to work he fitted himself for a teacher in the schools of that time. He lived in Virginia until early manhood, when he came to Ohio, locating in Harrison county, where he became acquainted with Miss Susannah Barnhouse, who was a native of Loudoun county, Va., and whom he married ; they afterwards moved to Morgan, now Noble county. To them were born fifteen children of whom but four are living: George A., of Noble; Peter, of Oregon; Samuel, of Iowa; and Arthur W., of Caldwell. Landon Racey died in 1855, his wife sur- viving him fourteen years. Arthur W. Racey was born in Noble county, March 31, 1840 ; he was a resident there until 1859, when he went to Missouri, Iowa and Illinois, locating in Illinois where he worked on a farm until the war broke out; he then enlisted in Com- pany E, Fourteenth Illinois infantry, May 24, 1861. The first eight months were spent in Missouri, wintering at Otterville, near Sedalia; the regiment moved to Fort Henry and crossed to Fort Donelson, and after the fall of the latter point it proceeded to Pittsburg Landing; taking part there and at Hatchie River, and in the siege of Vicks- burg. He was mustered out at Springfield, Ill., June 24, 1864, and returned to Noble county, Ohio, the same year. He was married Sept. 7, 1865, to Nancy B. McGee, a native of Amsterdam, Jefferson county, Ohio, his wife being a daughter of William and Elizabeth
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McGee, who located in Noble county in 1841. Mr. Racey is a mem- ber of the Masonic order and of the Grand Army of the Republic; he and his wife are members of the Methodist Protestant church.
JOHN W. ROBINSON, the oldest hotel man in Noble county, and a proprietor of the Exchange Hotel at Caldwell, is a native of Mary- land. He was born in Calvert county, May 4, 1830, and was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Fowler) Robinson, both natives of Mary- land. When Mr. Robinson was two years of age, he came with his parents to Ohio and located at Barnesville, in Belmont county. He never was in school but being of a studious turn of mind, acquired the ability to read, and, through reading, a good knowledge of the world. In his boyhood days he was bound out to a merchant, Mr. Barnes, and at his death, was transferred to a shoemaker, Mr. Uncles, of whom he learned the trade. In 1851, Mr. Robinson came to Noble county, locating at Carlisle, and engaging in his trade there and at Sarahs- ville until he enlisted in Company G, of the One Hundred Eighty- Sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, serving until the close of the war, After the war he worked at his trade in various places until 1881, when he entered the hotel business, first at The Eagle, and then the Exchange. Mr. Robinson was married February 4, 1852, to Hen- rietta Collins, daughter of H. B. Collins, an early settler of the county. Mr. and Mrs. Robinson are the parents of nine children: Ellen J., wife of E. J. Cater, of Zanesville ; Francis E., of Caldwell ; John L., deceased ; William B. and Mary B., (twins), the former a stockdealer at Barnesville, the latter widow of E. S. Burnham; Amanda, deceased ; Joseph C., night watch at the Car works; Walter P., deceased ; and Florence J., the wife of James R. Keenan. Mr. Rob- inson has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows for thirty-five years.
JOHN WESLEY TIPTON, JR., a prominent citizen of Caldwell, was born in the old town of Olive, November 18, 1854, and is a son of J. W. Tipton, Sr. He was educated, grew to manhood, and has lived all his life in that county except for two years spent in Washington county. For some time he clerked in his father's store, and had some experience in a wholesale house at Zanesville, but did not like the indoor life. In 1887 he engaged in farming and stock raising, and has since been in that business, paying particular attention to the raising of horses. Mr. Tipton has filled the position of township clerk of Olive, and has served as a member of the village council of Caldwell. He was married September 30, 1879, to Ella McGlashan, a daughter of Calvin McGlashan, an old resident of Noble county. Three children have been born to this union : Clarence R., Fred L., a student in the Marietta College, and Helen. Mr. and Mrs. Tipton are members of the Presbyterian church at Caldwell.
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WILLIAM WOOD WINDER .- John Winder, deceased, was an early settler of Noble county. He was born in Pennsylvania, and while but a child, his parents moved to Belmont county, where he was edu- cated and where he grew to manhood. He chose farming as the most suitable occupation for him, and followed it with much attention, and therefore much success. To John and Martha (Daniels) Winder, were born four children; David, a farmer in Olive township; Eliza- beth J., wife of Matthew Steen, of Olive; Alexander, deceased ; and William Wood. Mr. Winder died in 1894, and his wife in 1898. William Wood Winder, youngest son of John Winder, was born in Olive township, November 9, 1853, and has spent most of his life there. He received a common and high school education, and held a very good position as an employe on the railroad for three years, when he entered the mercantile business, remaining in that for about four years. Since that time he has been salesman and collector for differ- ent firms, and has found it a very profitable undertaking. Mr. Win- der was married in 1879 to Arminda B. Smith, of Belmont county. Mr. Winder is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
WILLIAM E. ROBEY .- William Henry Robey was born in New Gottingen, Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1837, was reared and educated there, and learned the trade of a plasterer, which occupation he has followed the most of his life. In 1882 he moved to Seneca township, and two years later entered the marble business at Mount Ephraim, still continuing in that line. He is a Democrat in politics, but has never sought office. He was married in 1857 to Nancy A. Dilley, a daughter of William Dilley, an old resident of Guernsey county. To this union were born the following children: Mary Elizabeth, wife of John Linn ; Cynthia Ann, wife of William R. Riddle ; William E. : Susan, wife of Isaac Morrison; Addie, deceased; Minerva, wife of John Smith, died in 1895; Nina, now Mrs. Davidson; and Pearl, wife of Thurman Hazzard. Mrs. Robey is a member of the Chris- tian church. William E. Robey, a grocer in Caldwell, was born in New Gottingen, August 17, 1862. He received a common school education there, came to Noble county at the age of thirteen, and engaged in farming, hiring out as a day laborer. At the age of six- teen he learned the plasterer's trade, and followed that vocation until 1897. At that time he located in Caldwell and engaged in the produce business and in three years sold that to enter the grocery business, at which he is still profitably employed. Mr. Robey was married in 1885 to Rosanna Craft, a daughter of Campbell Craft, an old resident and merchant of Noble county, and to them have been born two children, Hiley and Norval. Mr. Robey is a member of the Christian church. Campbell Craft, father of Mrs. Robey, is a prosperous farmer in Seneca township, and was for a time engaged in
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