USA > Ohio > Logan County > The historical review of Logan County, Ohio > Part 61
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
In 1895 was celebrated the marriage of home place, and began farming and stock- Dr. Hale and Miss Maude G. Elliott, a daughter of Benjamin and Rebecca Elliott, pioneer residents of West Liberty. Unto the Doctor and his wife has been born a daughter, Josephine. Socially he is con- nected with the Masonic fraternity and with the Sons of Veterans, his father having served three years during the Civil war, and in his political views he is a Republican. Upon his party ticket he was elected to the office of coroner in 1900, and was re-elected to the same office in the spring of 1902. Perhaps the most important case coming be- fore him was the Burt murder, on which he held the inquest.
NEVIN U. SMITH.
Nevin U. Smith is engaged in general farming, stock-raising and stock-dealing. and is one of the representative men in his line of business in Logan county. He re- sides at Bloom Center, and is a native of Bloomfield township, born March 25. 1859. His parents were John M. and Elizabeth (Smith) Smith, and upon the home farm he was reared, while in the schools of the neighborhood he acquired a good practical education. He continued with his parents until twenty-five years of age, at which time he was married in Bloomfield township, on the 28th of December, 1884, to Miss Clara A. Baughman, who was born in the same township, her parents being Gordon and Julia A. ( Pence) Baughman.
When he was seventeen years of age Mr. Smith began to buy cattle, and in this work was associated with his father. After his marriage he rented land near the old
raising. His father gave him forty acres of land two miles west of Bloom Center, but as there were no buildings upon the place lie rented another farm near by, which was improved. He afterward purchased fifty acres, and he now owns altogether one hundred and ninety-six aeres, of which twenty-six acres are comprised within his home place at Bloom Center. In 1889 he purchased his present property here, includ- ing the store building, and in the same year he purchased a stock of goods and opened a general mercantile establishment. which he conducted successfully for six years, but finding that the business was too confining. he sold his stock of goods, and has since engaged in agricultural pursuits, and at the same time has traded to some extent in real estate. He recently bought the Daniel Herring farm of seventy-two acres in Bloomfield townshp at an executor's sale. In his business affairs he is far-sighted, en- terprising and progressive, and whatever he undertakes he carries forward to successful completion.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Smith has been blessed with two children: Harriet, born April 9, 1887, and Florence E., who died in infancy. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith are widely and favorably known in this por- tion of Logan county, and have many warm friends. In his political views Mr. Smith is a Democrat, and east his first presiden- tial vote for General Hancock in 1880. For ten years he has served as treasurer of Bloomfield township, and in 1901 he was nominated by his party for county commis- sioner, at which time he was defeated by only three hundred and six votes, although the Republican plurality is usually over two thousand.' This large vote given was cer-
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THE BIOGR.IPHICAL RECORD.
tainly a compliment, and was indicative of the confidence and trust reposed in him by his fellow citizens. Mr. Smith devotes his attention untiringly to his business affairs. and his labors in the line of agricultural pur- suits are bringing to him creditable success.
It will be interesting in this connection to note something of the family history of Mr. Smith. His parents were both natives of Fairfield county, where they were reared to mature years and were married. About 1852 they came to Logan county, settling upon the farm upon which John M. Smith spent his remaining days. He had here one hundred and sixty acres of land which his father had entered from the government. The grandfather had offered it to some of his older children if they would settle upon it and improve it, but the offer was rejected. and after his marriage John M. Smith said he would take possession of the property. In the meantime, however, it had increased largely in value, so that the grandfather required his son to make a payment of six hundred dollars upon it. With the excep- tion of the assistance which he received from his father by the gift of the land. John M. Smith had no assistance in his business career, but lie prospered in his undertakings and became the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of valuable land, the greater part of which he cleared himself.
Unto John M. and Elizabeth Smith there were born nine children, of whom Ne- vin U. was the fourth in order of birth. All reached years of maturity, namely : Frank- lin Pierce, who died at the age of thirty- four years: Amy, the wife of Dr. O. C. Wilson, of Bloom Center, by whom she has two children ; Elizabeth A., at home: Nevin U .: J. Willard, who married Ida Peterson, by whom he has two children, and is a
farmer and stock-raiser of Bellefontaine; Lyman S., who was educated in Heidelberg University at Tiffin, Ohio, after which he pursued a course in law at Mansfield and in Columbus, but lost his health, and died soon afterward: Olive R., who is the wife of W. HI. Good, a printer and proprietor of a book store in Tiffin, Ohio, by whom she has three children : J. Elmer, who married Linnet Moore, by whom he has two chil- dren and resides upon the home farm : Earl, who married Effie Kiefer, and resides at Jackson Center.
John M. Smith was a Democrat. and for several years served as treasurer of his township, and was also overseer and trustee. He held membership in the Reformed church, being a charter member of the con- gregation of that denomination at Bloom Center. He contributed liberally to the sup- port of the church, and at different times filled its various offices. He died upon the home farm in November. 1899, at the age of seventy years, and is still survived by his widow, who has reached the age of sev- enty-three years.
ROBERT E. BROOKS.
Robert E. Brooks, who is engaged in the real estate. loan and insurance business in Bellefontaine, is one of the native sons of Logan county, his birth having occurred in Stokes township, September 28. 1854, a son of Christopher I. and Harriet ( Edmes- ton) Brooks, both of whom are now de- ceased, the father having died in January. 1897. at the age of eighty-two years, while the mother's death occurred in 1881, at the age of sixty-seven years. Both were na- tives of Ohio.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
Following his preliminary education ob- tained in the common schools, Robert E. Brooks continued his education in North- wood College, and completed the course in Geneva College, when nineteen years of age. He then sought a home in Vermilion county, Illinois, where he remained for three years, following which he came to Bellefon- taine, where for two years he remained, prior to his removal to Plain City. Ohio, where he was engaged in the stock business. Returning to Logan county, he took charge of the old home farm in Mc Arthur town- ship, being associated in the business with his brother, Smith. At the time of his mar- riage, however, in 1881. he left the old homestead, and after living in Northwood until the following spring removed to Rushsylvania, where he became connected with the firm of Vance & Wood, in the sale of implements and hardware. The follow- ing spring he went to Kansas, where he spent the summer of 1882 in the vicinity of Emporia, and in the fall he returned to Lo- gan county. Subsequently he removed to Cleveland, Bradley county, Tennessee, where he resided for three years, when he went to Knoxville, where he was engaged in merchandising. In the spring of 1886 he took up his abode in Findlay. Ohio, and was employed as shipping clerk in the ship- ping department of the Lippencott Lamp Chimney factory, serving in that capacity for two years. after which he spent one year in the flour and feed business in Find- lay. In 1894 he again came to Bellefon- taine, where he has since engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business, and during this period he has negotiated many loans, controlled many real estate transfers and written much insurance, doing a good and profitable business in the line of his chosen field of labor.
Socially Mr. Brooks is a representative of the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Junior Order of United American Mechan- ics, and he also holds membership with the Tribe of Ben Hur. the Woodmen of the World, and the Pathfinders, and in the last named organization he is now serving as distriet deputy, while in 1893 he was the district deputy for the Woodmen of the World. In most of the lodges he has filled many offices, for he is recognized as a wor- thy exemplar of the helpful and beneficent spirit which is the basic element of most of them.
On the 13th of October. 1881. Mr. Brooks was united in marriage to Miss Ella L. Archer. a daughter of John and Lydia (Belden) Archer, and they now have two children, Clyde J. and Roy I. Mr. and Mrs. Brooks are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church. Widely and favorably known in the community, they have gained many friends during the nine years of their residence in Bellefontaine, and Mr. Brooks deserves mention as an energetic business man in the history of his native county.
JOHN Y. KAUFFMAN.
John Yoder Kauffman is actively en- gaged in agricultural pursuits in Union township, his home being pleasantly and conveniently located about two and a half miles due east of DeGraff. His birth oe- curred in Salem township, Champaign coun- ty. Ohio, August 15. 1846, his parents being Joseph Nelson and Magdalene ( Yoder) Kauffman, both of whom were born and reared in Mifflin county, Pennslyvania, where their marriage was celebrated and where they lived until after the birth of two
J. Y. KAUFFMAN.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
where her death occurred. John Yoder is the next of the family. Levi is living in Harrison township, and has five children. Barbara is the wife of Solomon Katherman. of Lawrence, Kansas, and they have eight children. Rebecca resides at West Liberty. Amanda is the wife of Samuel Fahnestock, who is professor of pennmanship and book- keeping in McPherson, Kansas. The father of these children was a Democrat in his political views and was reared in the Amish church, becoming one of its ministers. About 1861. however. he identified him- self with the German Baptist church, and by that denomination was chosen to act as minister. He was also elected an elder of his district, which included Clark as well as Logan county. He left the Amish church because of their rigid views and unprogress- iveness.
of their children. In 1842 they came to Ohio. making the trip by boat to Cincinnati and thence driving across the country to Logan county. They settled just below West Lib- erty, where Mr. Kauffman rented land. but when his labors had brought to him a suffi- cient capital he purchased the farm in Cham- paign county upon which our subject was born. Subsequently he sold that and again became a renter. continuing to occupy leased land until his son John Y., was about fifteen years of age. He then purchased the farm upon which Mr. Kauffman of this review now resides, becoming the owner of one hun- dred and nine acres. Here he erected a good barn and wagon-shed. The former is a bank barn, forty-six by sixty-four feet. The house was a log cabin which stood upon the place at the time of the purchase, and upon the farm there was probably the best spring to be found in the county, the water flow- John Yoder Kauffman spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the usual man- ner of farmer lads of that period. He at- tended the public schools and for one year was a student in DeGraff under Professor David Moury. When twenty years of age he successfully passed the teacher's exam- ination, but never engaged in teaching. He remained with his father until he was about twenty-five or twenty-six years of age, when he began farming on shares with his brother Levi. They purchased the home place in 1877 and owned it together for two years, when Mr. Kauffman, of this review. purchased his brother's interest and thus be- came owner of one hundred and nine acres of land. In 1880 he made another purchase of forty acres. He lived in the log house until 1889, when he built his present com- modious residence which is a double two- story frame structure, thirty-four by forty- ing under the log house, so that it was very convenient for family uses. Upon this place Joseph Kauffman remained until 1877. when he removed to New Carlisle. Clark county. Ohio, and purchased a small tract of land of eight acres upon which he spent his re- maining days. He died in 1801. at the age of seventy-two, having survived his wife about three years. Unto this worthy couple were born ten children, eight of whom lived to years of maturity. Frances became the wife of John Miller and they have a home in Anderson county, Kansas, but for the last three years have been residents of Lordsburg, California. They have seven children. Nancy is the wife of Jesse Stude- baker, of Anderson county, Kansas, and the mother of ten children : Lydia is the deceased wife of Jacob Eichholtz. They lived in Champaign county until about 1871, when they removed to Anderson county, Kansas, five feet. He has also made other excellent
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
improvements upon the farm, and he has school. His wife was reared in the same now a well developed property.
Mr. Kauffman was married in Union township, January 1. 1879. to Miss Ida E. Christine, who was born in Wooster, Ohio, September 6, 1856, and is a daughter. of Samuel and Mary ( Strine ) Christine. Her parents were natives of Tuscarawas county. Ohio, but were married in Wooster. Mrs. Kauffman was well educated in her girlhood days and followed teaching in Union town- ship prior to her marriage. She has become the mother of seven children. Raymond. who was born on the home farmn, January 23, 1880, is now a student in the Case school of Applied Sciences in Cleveland, and will graduate with the class of 1904. He is fitting himself for electrical engineering. He was graduated in the DeGraff high school with the class of 1898 and he taught school for two years, thus earning the mon- ey to pay his way through college. Jesse Strine, born June 29. 1882. completed the high school course in DeGraff in 1902, and is now employed in the Steel Works at Cleveland, Ohio. He also intends to pur- sue a course in electrical engineering in the Case school. Anna, born October 16, 1884. is a graduate of the DeGraff high school of the class of 1902, and has passed the teach- er's examination. Harry Nelson, born De- cember 10, 1886. Ira Stanley, born March 4, 1889, John William, born November 20. 1891, and Eva Marie, born September 27, 1893, are all at home.
In 1868 Mr. Kauffman cast his first pres- idential vote, supporting U. S. Grant, and remained a Republican until about 1882. since which time he has endorsed Prohi- bition principles. He belongs to the Evan- gelical Lutheran church, in which he is an elder and also is a teacher in the Sunday
church and all of the children, with the ex- ception of the two youngest, are members of that denomination. The parents have every reason to be proud of their family and both Mr. and Mrs. Kauffman are highly esteemed for their many excellent traits of character.
THE NEWELL FAMILY.
The name Newell comes from O'Neill. and is of Irish origin. History does not give us definite information concerning the origin of the family in Ireland, but there is much proof to support the theory that the Newells come from the royal line of O'Neill -the ancient race of kings. The family not only long ruled over the Emerald Isle. but its representatives were noted for their marked bravery and military prowess. The crest of arms of the ancient O'Neills was a red right hand, and the war cry of the clan, as well as of the kingdom under the O'Neills, was "The Red Right Hand For- ever." O'Hart says of the O'Neills : "They maintained their independence down to the end of the sixteenth century as Princes of Tyrone: and in the reigns of Henry the Eighth, and Elizabeth, bore the titles of Earls of Tyrone and Barons of Dungannon. The last celebrated chief was Hugh O'Neill, the great Earl of Tyrone, famous as the commander of the northern Irish in their wars against Queen Elizabeth. Long and persistently and successfully did the O'Neills fight against the English, and it would be very natural. therefore, after the subjuga- tion of the country by the English, that members of the family. for purposes of
THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
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safety, should make alterations in the name. and O'Hart speaks of this, as some taking the name of Nihel and others Newell. It is also known that the name Hugh was a fa- vorite, and it is one that appears in the fam- ily established in America.
The record of the family in this country dates back to 1,60, when three brothers and two sisters came to the new world. These were Jane. Robert, James, Hugh and Margaret. It is not known whether these were all of the family, or whether some re- mained in Ireland. Their father was a weaver by trade. Jane married either a Harrison or a Vance, and her descendants are living in or near Urbana, Champaign county, Ohio. Robert married Christina Williams, of German descent, and they were the direct ancestors of the Logan coun- ty members of the family. There is no rec- ord as to whether James ever married or what became of him. Hugh was married in Kentucky (his wife's name unknown) and had a large family, among whom was James and Robert, and the latter after- ward married his cousin. Mary Newell. the daughter of Robert and Christina ( Williams) Newell. Margaret. the fifth one of the emigrants, married either a Har- rison or a Vance, and her descendants are living in Champaign county. Of Jane and Margaret it is known that one married a Harrison and the other a Vance, but which sister became Mrs. Vance and which Mrs. Harrison is not known.
Robert Newell, who was of this genera- tion, is said to have been born in the year 1749, in Ireland. His grandson, William Newell, who resided in Bellefontaine. said that the grandfather was a young man when he same to America, and had engaged in some business enterprise before leaving Ire-
land. He also spoke of his grandfather as the noblest looking and most majestic man he ever saw-a man of senatorial bearing, whose superiority was evident to all with whom he came in contact, and that at the same time he was as full of fun and frolic as a boy, even in his old age: that he had a marvelous gift of entertaining children with song and story; that he not only re- tained his good spirits but also his great strength to a very old age, and that when he was seventy-five years of age he aston- ished all by his feats of strength and endur- ance at a fire which consumed a barn be- longing to his son, Samuel. It is believed that Robert Newell settled in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, on his arrival from Ireland, and all of his children were born there, including his daughter Margaret, who was but two years old when he removed with his family to Bourbon county, Ken- tucky. From that place he probably fol- lowed his children to Logan county, Ohio. He died in 1829, at the advanced age of eighty years, and was buried by the side of his wife at Muddy Run meeting house, a mile southwest of West Liberty, in Lo- gan county. They had nine children : Jane. William, Thomas, Mary, Hugh, Robert. John, Samuel and Margaret. Of these Jane married Robert Braden : William, who married Elizabeth Shields, died in Detroit. Michigan, leaving two sons and two daugh- ters, and his widow afterward became the wife of Joseph McBeth. Thomas. the third of the family, married a Miss McElhenny. Mary married her cousin. James Newell. and their descendants settled near Danville. Vermilion county. Illinois. Hugh married Elizabeth McNay. Robert never married. and was spoken of by a great-nephew, who remembered him as "timid and quiet of
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
manner-a man of few words, but withal had a daughter, Flora; William, who mar- possessed of much quaint humor." John ried Florence Cooper; John, who is also married; Martha; Carolina; Etta: Julia: and Hugh, who married Kate Scovey, by whom he had two children. Frank and Maud; and Benann, who married Lewis .Applegate. married a Miss Blair, and afterward "Pat- ty" Crockett. Samuel emigrated to Iowa at an early day, probably about 1844. and bought a farm near Eddyville. He lived to an advanced age, and was an intelligent old man, with a great fund of humor. He had a large family. Margaret, the youngest member of the family of Robert and Chris- tina Newell, became the wife of Orin Hub- bard.
Robert, the third of the family of Hugh Newell. married Eliza Hanford. and had two children: Olney, who wedded Mary Wood and had three children, Sara. Gordon and Mary; and Coralie, the wife of Dr. John Sibley, by whom she had three chil- dren. Robert, Linda and John.
Hugh Newell, the fifth of this family, and the father of Hugh Newell, Jr., of Union township, was the most quiet and unpretentious inember of his family, and not ambitious to be prominent in the com- munity or to hold public office. as some of his brothers did, but he was by no means inferior to any of them because he preferred the quiet life of the farm, but was a man of real worth and ability. and was held in the highest respect and esteem in his communi- ty. He married Elizabeth McNay, a na- tive of Kentucky, and a daughter of James and Jane (McClanahan) McNay. also of that state. Unto Hugh and Elizabeth Newell were born ten children: Malinda, the eldest, became the wife of Walter Cle- ment ,and they had four children : Mary, the wife of A. Lemen: Elizabeth, the wife of G. Male, by whom she had a daughter. Mollie; Amanda, who became the wife of M. O. Meeker, and after his death married a MIr. Spinning, and had a son by the first union ; and Henry, who wedded Mary Hull, and had three children. Walter. Jabish and Ada.
Christina, the fourth child, married Rob- ert Newell. and had eight children: Eliza- beth. Thomas, Caroline, Mary, John. Wil- liam. Robert. Jr., and Hattie. Of these Elizabeth became Mrs. Cushman, and had two children. Edward and Frank, and the former married Alice Somer and had two sons, Arthur and Frank, while Frank Cush- man wedded Miss Pringle, of Des Moines, Iowa. Caroline Newell became the wife of L. A. Reiley, and had a son, Robert, who married Mildred Couch and had a son, Richard. Mary Newell became the wife of E. S. Curtis, and their children were Maud, Robert, Carrie, Ben and Carl. John Newell married Cassie Neely. and their children were Lizzie. Carrie, Hattie. Mary, Robert and Maud. William Newell married Sal- lie Parker and had four children. Fred. Vin- nie. Carrie and Lewis. Hattie Newell be- came the wife of Frank Sidman and has ten children, the names of four of whom are not known. The others are Mand, Lou, Dora, Fern, Frank and Christina.
Lucinda, the fifth child of Hugh and Elizabeth Newell, married Benjamin Fn- son, and they had two children, Martha and
Jane. the second child of Hugh and Elizabeth Newell, married Benjamin Ginn. and they had nine children-Elizabeth, the wife of Promethus Colvin, by whom she Dora. The former married William Mur-
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
ray, by whom she had three children : Lulu, wife of Frank Reifsnider; William, who is also married. and has three children: and Walter. Dora Fuson became the wife of Charles Thew, and they had two children, Mattie and Albert. The former is the wife of J. MeIntire and has two children. Al- bert and Mildred. After the death of her first husband Mrs. Thew became Mrs. Krei- der, and by that marriage had five children : Day, Bennie, Ida. Lon and Gilbert.
James, the sixth member of the family of Hugh Newell, married Louisa MeDon- ald and afterward married Elsie Reese. By his first wife he had four children : Ebe- nezer, who married Cora Conklin, and had two sons, Charles and Frank: Lizzie ; Mary, the wife of Walter Scott Hayes ; and John, who is married and has a little daughter. Mrs. James Newell lost her life by jumping from a vehicle while the horses were running away, August 24. 1902, while all others who stayed in were not hurt.
John, the seventh member of the family. married Maria Harner and had six children : John, who married Cora Lakin and had a daughter, Margaret : William, who married Myrtle Lakin, and had a daughter. Mary. Alma; Harry, who married Alma Lakin, a sister of the others, and has two daughters and a son, Florence, and Chester and Esther, twins; Mary, the wife of L. C. Freer, by whom he has two sons. Newell and Law. renee; Hugh, who married Sarah Haupt, and has a daughter, Lydia Frances; and Anna, the wife of E. P. Chamberlain, by whom she has two sons. Newell Kirby and Robert.
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