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 21
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of photography at Adamsville, Muskingum county, and followed the business at different places in the employ of others for about six years. In February, 1890, he came to Caldwell and engaged in the business for himself, locating in the rooms which he still occupies, where he does a general business along the line of his profession, including enlarging. Mr. Richcreek has been prosperous and has established a fine trade, having the monopoly on photography in Caldwell. He was married August 23, 18-, to Anna Gibson, a native of Noble county, and daughter of Frank Gibson, who was a merchant in Caldwell. To them have been born two children, Harry Gibson and Norma Kathryn. Mr. and Mrs. Richcreek are members of the Methodist church. Mr. Richcreek is a staunch Republican, and was a member of the city council for six years. He is a mem- ber of Olive Lodge, No. 259, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Caldwell Encampment No. 260; is Past Grand of the Subordinate Lodge, P. C. P. of the Encampment, and has represented the former in the Grand Lodge of Ohio. He has always taken an interest in Odd Fellowship, and is a faithful attendant at lodge. Mr. Rich- creek was appointed mayor of Caldwell, February 14, 1904, to fill the unexpired term of Mayor L. B. Frazier, resigned, and at the spring election following was nominated and elected for two years.
AMOS ABNER DAY, clerk of the court of Common Pleas of Noble county, Ohio, was born in Wayne, Noble county, March 9, 1869. He is a son of Amos and Lydia (Williams) Day, both natives of Noble county, according to the present organization, at that time Guernsey county. The Day family traces its genealogy to Scotch-Irish ances- tors, long established in America, while the Williams family is of English origin. The paternal great grandfather, also Amos Day, was born in the vicinity of Baltimore, Md., learned the profession of Civil Engineering in Baltimore, and on coming to Ohio, surveyed much of the land embraced in Guernsey and Noble counties. He located on a farm in what is now Wayne Township, where both the subject of this sketch and his father were born and where both grandparents died. The father of A. A. Day was born in 1832, and the mother in 1834. Both are living on the old homestead, where Mr. Day has been a successful farmer and is now living in the enjoyment of the fruits of his earlier industry. The family consists of three sons and three daughters, all living. The eldest is Mrs. Vista Webster of Savannah, Mo .; Mrs. Florence R. Perkins resides upon a farm in Beaver Township, Noble county ; Elmer E., is a farmer in Guernsey county ; Lydia J. Dolison wife of M'. H. Dolison, lives on a farm in Wayne Township; ; Amos A. ; and Fred, who is still under the paren- tal roof. Amos A. Day, received his elementary education in Wayne and Beaver townships, and at Stanbury Normal College at Stanbury,
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Mo. He spent his early years on the farm, taught school in Noble county for ten years, and in May, 1901, was nominated for the office in which he is now serving, being elected at the general election in 1901. Mr. Day has always taken an active interest in political af- fairs, having descended from the old line Whig party and inherited his Republicanism. Mr. Day was married December 31, 1892, to Nellie Marlow, a native of Wayne township, and a daughter of John and Rebecca Marlow. The father died in 1880, and the mother is now living at Bellaire, O. Mrs. Day was educated in her native township. To Mr. and Mrs. Day have been born four children : Lloyd Benson, Helen Gould, Edith Marlow, and Amos Abner. Mr. Day is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
CHARLES S. McFERREN, a merchant of Caldwell, Ohio, was born in Hoskinsville, Noble county, on October 20, 1873, and is the only son of D. M. and H. J. McFerren, a prominent old Ohio family. His parents were born in Ohio on territory which is now embraced within Noble county. The father has spent his life in the lumber and timber business, and in general merchandising at Hoskinsville, but is now residing in Caldwell engaged in the wholesale produce business. His mother is also living and one sister, Mrs. Ella Harper of Caldwell. Mr. Charles McFerren received his education in the public schools of Caldwell, and spent his earlier years in assisting his father, in a printing office and in electrical engineering through Northern Ohio in the employ of the Cleveland Electric Construction Company. On the breaking out of the Spanish-American War, he volunteered his services as a member of Company D, in the Seven- teenth U. S. Infantry at Columbus, entering the service May 30, 1898. He was in camp at Fort McPherson, Ga., and at Tampa, Fla., going from the last named place with the Fifth Army Corps to Cuba. Most of his time in Cuba, Mr. McFerren was employed as a clerk but was on the firing line when his comrades were so employed. He par- ticipated in all the duties required of soldiers during the Santiago Campaign and had the pleasure of seeing the irrepressible Rough Rider, who now occupies our Presidential chair, on many occasions. On the homeward trip, Mr. McFerren was taken with yellow fever, and came very near losing his life through the depredations of the terrible disease. He was in the hospital at Montauk Point, Long Island, until convalescent, and rejoined his regiment at Columbus, soon being discharged on a surgeon's certificate of disability, Jan- uary 9, 1899. When prostrated with the disease he weighed two hundred pounds and within four weeks after reaching Montauk, ยท was reduced to one hundred and fifteen. It is possible that the medi- cal profession who may read this, will doubt the truth of the follow-
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ing statement: when in the height of fever, Mr. McFerren's ten- perature ran to 107, a fact which is fully verified by affidavit of a reputable physician of Caldwell, Dr. J. M. Martin. Since his dis- charge, he has been in precarious health, and obliged to guard it very carefully, and to engage only in such occupations as is conducive to this result. By reason of these disabilities he has become a pensioner. Since returning he has been engaged as manager of his father's busi- ness. Mr. McFerren was married in August, 1899, to Lillie May Caldwell, of Canton, a native of Noble county, and a daughter of Ezra Caldwell, a well known resident of the county. They are members of the Methodist church. Politically, Mr. McFerren is a Republican, though reared by Democratic ancestors, and is, so far as be knows, the only person bearing that name, who votes the Republican ticket.
JOSEPH MCLAUGHLIN, proprietor of a livery and feed business near the B. Z. & C. depot, of Cadwell, Ohio, was born in Buffalo township, Noble county, on December 5, 1844. He is a son of John and Mary (Taylor) Mclaughlin, the father a native of County Down, Ireland, and the mother, a native of Virginia. John Mc- Laughlin accompanied his parents to America in childhood, and after his marriage, located on a farm in Buffalo township. His death occurred in Noble township at the age of eighty-four, the mother's death occurring at the age of seventy-five. They left a family of four sons and four daughters; the eldest, Isaac, a boot and shoe merchant, at Franklin, Indiana; William, a prosperous farmer in Noble township; Jane, widow of Frank Gibson, residing in Cald- well; Joseph, subject of this sketch; Nancy, now Mrs. C. W. Spiker, residing on a farm in Noble county ; Mary Halley, of the same town- ship; Adeline Jordon, residing in Illinois ; and John, of Byesville, a retired farmer. Joseph MeLaughlin was reared on a farm and spent his early years in clearing up the land. His educational work was confined to the public schools of that township, and necessarily was rather limited. He was married in 1871 to Eliza A. Danford, born in Morgan county, and a daughter of R. R. Danford, late of Cald- well. Six children were born to this union ; Edwin E., who was edu- cated in Caldwell, and at Ada and Delaware Colleges, and a very successful teacher ; he served three years as Superintendent of Cald- well schools, and now holds a like position at Anna, Illinois. He married Anna Crew, of Chester Hill, Morgan county, also a teacher, and a sister of Judge Crew of the Supreme Court of Ohio; Robert B., married Vesta McVicker, and is now a student in Columbus, Starling Medical College; Adda, wife of Wayne Young, a jeweler in Cald- well; Ocy Olive, her father's housekeeper; Edith Dell, wife of Dr. H. B. Kistler, a milliner, also at home; and Mary, a student at Athens, Ohio. Mrs. McLaughlin died December 25, 1890, since
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which time, Mr. McLaughlin has kept house with his children. Mr. Mclaughlin served in the Civil war in the One Hundred Sixty-First Ohio Volunteer Infantry for ninety days, and afterwards re-enlisted in the One Hundred Ninety-Fourth, in which he remained until the close of the war. He served in the Shenandoah Valley under Generals Hunter and Sheridan, and participated in several skir- mishes. Mr. McLaughlin is an enthusiastic member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the Knights of Pythias. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and is now serving his city as member of the council.
HOMER L. HASTINGS, county auditor of Noble county, is a native of the county in which he now lives, and was born March 10, 1867. He is a son of Hiram and Mary A. (Berry) Hastings, both natives of Noble county. The family was established in America by the great- grandfather, John Hastings, who came from Ireland soon after the Revolution and settled in Frederick county, Virginia, serving for a time as a soldier in the Patriot Army. A brother of John Hastings settled in Washington county, Pennsylvania : the grandfather, Samuel Hastings, settled upon the territory now embraced within Noble county, in 1826, and has been permanently identified with the county ever since. He had one brother and six sisters, as follows: John Hastings ; Elizabeth (Mrs. Isaac Cooper) ; Mary, the wife of Robert Finley ; Catherine ; Sallie, now Mrs. Young; Matilda, wife of Will- iam Razor; and Lillie, who died in young womanhood. Samuel Hastings first came to Ohio in 1824 and lived on Stillwater Creek, and two years later took up the eighty acres of land upon which the father of the subject of this sketch now lives. The parental grand- mother was Anna Finley, a sister of Robert Finley, before mentioned. Hiram Hastings, the father of Homer L. has spent his life thus far in agricultural pursuits, in which he was successful, but by turning his attention to railroading in the construction of the Cincinnati, Wheeling & New York Railroad, he became a member of the company organized for that purpose. The venture proved a disastrous one in a financial way, and Mr. Hastings became involved to the extent that his fine farm was in jeopardy. Some members of the syndicate sought to retrieve their losses through the doubtful method of allowing their wives to retain their interests, but Mrs. Hastings promptly relin- quished her rights in this respect and everything was turned over to the creditors. The five sons nobly came to their assistance and have redeemed the old parental farm of four hundred acres and placed their parents again in affluent circumstances. One of these sons, is the subject of this review. The family comprised ten children, eight. of whom are living and two died in infancy. Those living are: Angeline Roe, wife of Abram Roe, a farmer of Oskaloosa, Iowa;
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Grant S., a farmer and teacher in Marion township, and Captain of the Summerfield Guards; he was a candidate for West Point Mili- tary Academy, chosen alternate, passed both the physical and literary examinations, but failed of appointment when a vacancy occurred by reason of being a few days over age; Homer L .; Maggie L., wife of Judson Layman, a prosperous farmer of Wayne township; Frank O. and Charles L., now residents of Oklahoma, located near Stillwater, where they have a farm ; Lee H., working the home farm ; and Maude, at home. The family have all enjoyed excellent educational advan- tages in the schools of their township and in Batesville High School. Homer L. Hastings, began his career as a teacher in the public schools, teaching in the country for eight years and as Superin- tendent and Principal of the Batesville Schools for five years. He was chosen from this position as nominee of his party for the office of County Auditor, a position to which he was elected in 1897 and again in 1900, now serving on his second term. He has always taken an active interest in political affairs, ever since his minority, is a recognized leader in the counsels of Republicanism, and has held many honorary positions in the party. Mr. Hastings was married July 19, 1893, to Mary E. Paxson, a native of Illinois. She was reared and educated in Noble county, but spent six years of her girl- hood at North Bewick, Maine. Her father is Jeseph D. Paxson, now of Peoria, Ill., her mother having died when Mrs. Hastings was an infant. Her father was married again, and removed to Kansas where he was unfortunate, and later returned to Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings have a family of five children: Margaret, Danner Paxson, Homer Harold, Marion Roosevelt and Joseph Byron. Mr. Hastings is prominently identified with the Masonic fraternity, being a member of Noble Lodge No. 459, Free and Accepted Masons, Cumberland Chapter No. 116, of which he is the present High Priest ; is Past Chancellor of the Batesville Lodge, No. 331, Knights of Pythias, and is past Representative to the Grand Lodge of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and of the Rathbone Sisters, of Knights of Pythias. Mr. Hastings is a young man of high attainments and studious disposi- tion ; he was as much of a student while teaching, as his most devoted pupils. He is genial, affable, and a very pleasant gentleman to meet.
CONRAD HARMON, County Recorder of Noble county, was born in Manchester township, Morgan county (now Sharon township, Noble county), on January 27, 1843, and is a son of Baston and Meriba (Stout) Harmon. The father was born near Beaver, Pa., on Har- mon Run, a local designation in honor of the paternal grandfather, Conrad Harmon, a soldier in the Revolution, who served a number of years, and was wounded in the battle of Germantown. He was
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a native of Germany, who emigrated to the Colonies in 1771. Baston Harmon father of the subject of this sketch, was a farmer, who came to Ohio about 1817, and spent his life on the farm on which, Conrad, his son, was born. He lived to be eighty-seven years old ; the mother died in 1852, in middle life. The family consisted of seven chil- dren : Isaac, who died in Noble county, at the age of sixty ; John, at the age of forty-two; Sarah, wife of Jacob Frame, who died at the age of forty-seven ; Conrad ; Christina, wife of James Nichols, died in Knoxville, Ia., at the age of forty-two. Amanda, wife of William Cain, residing in Sharon township; and Elijah died in early man- hood in Milford, Illinois. Conrad Harmon was educated in the common schools and followed farming all his life until elected to his present office. He entered the service of the United States in 1862, serving a term of one year in Company K, Twenty-Fifth, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, in the Army of the Potomac, and under General Franz Seigel. He participated in the campaign against Fredericks- burg under General Burnside; was in the Chancellorsville campaign under General Hooker; in the Gettysburg campaign under the com- mand of General O. O. Howard. He was discharged from this enlistment in July, 1863, and, returning home, re-enlisted in Jan- uary, 1864, in Company G, Seventy-Eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving until the end of the war. Mr. Harmon has been twice mar- ried, first to Electa W. Robinson, a native of Meigs county, in 1869, who died in 1871, leaving one son, Charles D., now living in Sharon township. In 1873 he married Mary E. Thompson, a native of Sharon township, and a daughter of John Thompson, an early settler, who came to this country from Ireland. To this union have been born four children: John F., who died at seventeen years of age; Hannah E., wife of Andrew Betts, a carpenter of Caldwell; Owen G., and Omar H., twins, both living at home, the former, a carpenter and the latter a printer. Mr. Harmon has held minor offices in his native township, such as road surveyor, school director, and the like. In the spring of 1899, he was nominated by the Republican party for the office of County Recorder, and elected at the general election follow- ing, taking possession of the office, September 3, 1900. He was re-elected in 1902 for a term of three years. Mr. Harmon has always taken an active interest in politics, and has been a recognized leader of his party in his township. At his election, he received the highest majority of any one on the county ticket-669 over his opponent. Mr. Harmon joined the Masonic fraternity in 1885, being a member of Noble Lodge No. 136, at Sharon ; has been a mem- ber of the Odd Fellows, for thirty years, a Past Grand of Gem Lodge No. 552, and a member of the Encampment. He and his wife, are. members of the Presbyterian church.
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JOHN LEONARD GRAY, M. D., a regular practicing physician and surgeon of Caldwell, was born in Achle township, three miles north of Caldwell, on September 14, 1866. His parents are Clark and Elizabeth (Byran) Gray, both natives of Ohio. The father was born near the place of his residence, of Scotch-Irish ancestors in 1834, and is now living on the farm in Noble township, where he has prospered in every way. He was for six years Superintendent of Noble County Infirmary. The mother was born in Belmont county, of Irish and German ancestors. There was a family of six children, all of whoni are living: Emma, now Mrs. Jonas E. Larrick, Byesville, O .; Eliza- beth, now Mrs. Emmer Davis of Pleasant City ; Charlotte, now Mrs. Thomas Hitchens of Hartford; John Leonard; Mary, wife of Jacob Davis, Pleasant City; and Simon F., farmer and school teacher, at home. Dr. Gray was educated in the common schools, and was a salesman in a mercantile house in Byesville later. He began the study of medicine in 1889, at Indiana Medical College at Indian- apolis, practiced about two and one-half years, and in 1896 completed his professional studies, graduating from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Keokuk, Iowa. His first two years of practice were spent at MeCleary, Ohio, and after his graduation he practiced at Middleburg, Ohio, until September, 1902, at which time he moved to Caldwell, where he has already established a lucrative practice. For six years past, he has been a member of the Medical Board of U. S. Pension Examiners, and is the present secretary of the same, and a member of the Noble County Medical Association. Dr. Gray was married May 25, 1898, to Mary L. Hupp, a native of Jefferson township, and a daughter of George A. Hupp, deceased. To them have been born two bright little girls, Lela May and Lura Elizabeth. Dr. Gray is a member of Noble Lodge, No. 459 Free and Accepted Masons, and of Caldwell Lodge No. 280 Knights of Pythias. He and his wife are Methodists in religious belief, and in politics Dr. Gray is a Republican. Dr. Gray is a student, both professionally and otherwise, and aims to keep abreast of the times in the onward march of science and education.
WALTER H. BOWRON, a druggist of Caldwell, was born near Osceola, Wisconsin, on January 6, 1867. His parents were Robert A. and Maria (Crawford) Bowron, of English descent. the former a native of Canada, the latter a native of Vermont. They' were married in Montreal, Canada, and emigrated to Wisconsin, locating at Osceola and engaging in the milling business ; Mr. Bow- ron, senior, had learned the trade of a miller under the tuition of his father in Canada, and had made two trips to Wisconsin before locating there permanently ; he lived there about twenty years, then removed to Tennessee for a year, and thence to Ohio where he has
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lived for twenty-three years ; he is now retired at the age of seventy- three. The mother died when Walter H., was but three years of age, leaving three sons: George, Arthur, and Walter H. Two sons died in infancy. Arthur is a publisher of a society magazine and job printer at Ashland, Wis .; George is with the Knel-French Piano Co., at New Castle, Indiana. Mr. Bowron married the second time, a widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Doane, with five children, and to this union was born one daughter, Mrs. Lylan Ryan of Caldwell. Mr. Walter H. Bowron was educated in Caldwell High school, and became a student of pharmacy under the tuition of Dan Newhart in the store which he now owns. He has been continuously in the drug business since 1881, two years in Wisconsin, two years at Cambridge, Ohio, and in 1891, he bought his present property, in which he carries the usual line of goods. In 1893, Mr. Bowron established the Caldwell Inde- pendent Telephone System, which traverses his native county, having one hundred forty miles of toll line, with direct long distance con- nection and headquarters at Caldwell. This system gives employment to several regular workmen, besides the commission agents in each town. The Capital Stock paid up is $5,000. Mr.Bowron operates a general jobbing business in drugs and chemicals, and has the largest and most complete stock in this section of the state. He was married in 1889 to Miss Maggie Dilley, daughter of Judge Jonathan Dilley, late of Caldwell. Two sons were born to this union, Lester Dean, and Dilley A. Mr. Bowron is a member of the Masonic fraternity, having attained the Royal Arch degrees. He was reared in the faith of the Episcopalian church, Mrs. Bowron being a member of the Methodist church. In politics, he is a Republican.
ERWIN G. CHAMBERLIN, postmaster at Caldwell, was born on a farm in Olive township, three miles south of Caldwell, April 29, 1862. He is a son of Judah M. and Lucena (Gibbs) Chamberlin, the father a native of Washington county, the mother of Noble county. The maternal grandfather, Dennis Gibbs, was one of the first settlers in the vicinity of Caldwell, locating there about the close of the War of 1812, or a few years prior ; he acquired large land interests through choosing and "laying" land warrants, built a mill on Duck Creek, where he became wealthy. He lived there about seventy years, but died at Lowell, Washington county. His son, Dennis, Jr., took con- trol of the home farm and mills, and was very prominently identified with the early history of the county. He studied law, was admitted to the bar and was twice elected Probate Judge of the county. He removed to Hutchinson, Kansas, where he is now living at an advanced old age, having served that city as Police Judge. Judah M. Chamberlin, father of Erwin G., was an engineer, employed by the B. & O. S. W. Ry. for about thirty years, operating a pumping station
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at Little Hocking, Ohio, where he died at the age of sixty-seven. The mother died when Erwin G., was less than two years old, at the age of thirty-five, and Frank M., two years Erwin G's senior, and his brother were taken into the family of their uncle, Alden D. Tilton, where they were reared and educated, that being the only home the children ever knew. The brother Frank M., died at the age of twenty-four. When a child of fourteen, Mr. Chamberlin, subject of this review, met with an accident, which permanently crippled his right arm. Whatever might have been his ambitions as to future life, this had the effect to direct him into educational lines, and so he fitted himself for teaching, following that.profession in Noble county for seventeen years. From this occupation, he was elected to the office of clerk of the courts in which capacity he served six years. Retiring in August, 1902, he was appointed postmaster on Jan- uary 13, 1903. Mr. Chamberlin was married on February 28, 1894, to Arizona M. Groves, who was born at Mt. Ephraim, December 15, 1865, and is a daughter of Julius R. and Nancy Groves of that place. The father is a well-to-do farmer, and was for two terms county com- missioner of Noble county. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlin, Clarice L., and D. Kraps. Politically, Mr. Chamber- lin is an active Republican, and a recognized leader in local politics. He has been chairman of the County Executive Committee for two years, and secretary of the same for a number of years. He is the Representative Committee man of the Morgan-Noble district. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and leader of the church choir in Caldwell. He was the first president of the Epworth League, serving two years in that capacity. Mrs. Chamberlin is also a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and an active worker in the cause of religion. Mr. Chamberlin is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, having attained the degree of Royal Arch Mason. He has been Master of Noble Lodge No. 459 Free and Accepted Masons, for the past two years. In this as in everything else, which he undertakes, he is active and zealous-a hard worker and consistent member. He is a member of Cumberland Chapter No. 116 in which he is also an officer; and a member of Caldwell Lodge, No. 280 Knights of Pythias, in which he is Past Chancellor Commander.
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