USA > Ohio > Logan County > The historical review of Logan County, Ohio > Part 63
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On Christmas day. 1854: in Port Cli :- ton, Ottawa county, Ohio, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Kaylor and Miss Eliza M. Baldwin, and unto them were born twelve children. namely: James R., a res- ident of Logan county: Amy, wife of Frank Harmon, of the same county; Leon- idas, who died in childhood: Ida. wife of James Hemphill. of Logan county ; Scott, who lives on the home farm with our subject ; Kate, wife of Frank Witherby, of Preble county : Imogene, wife of Thomas Detrich, of Sidney, Ohio: Frank Blair. who was born July 19, 1868, and was grad- uated at the Ohio Medical College, Cin- cinnati, now practicing his profession in Metamora. Fulton county, Ohio; Charles Edgar. who lives with his father, both he and his wife, who was formerly Miss Daisy Sidener, being graduates of the Deaf and Dumb Institute at Columbus: Pearlie. wife of James Hudson, of Logan county; Clark, who married Lizzie Patterson. and lives in Bellefontaine: and Hattie, wife of James Smith, of that city.
For his second wife Mr. Kaylor mar- ried Hester Beer, and on the 25th of
The Democratic party finds in Mr. Kaylor a stanch supporter of its princi- ples, and he has been called upon to fill minor township offices. . As an active and prominent member of the First Evangel- ical Lutheran church of Bellefontaine, he has served as deacon and elder, and has done all in his power to promote religious sentiment. His present wife is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. With one exception he is to-day the oldest mem- ber of the Odd Fellows' Lodge of Belle- fontaine, and is a man highly respected and esteemed by all who know him.
DAVID M. KAYLOR.
After a useful and well spent life, most- ly devoted to agricultural pursuits, the subject of this review has now laid aside all business cares, and is living retired in Harrison township, one and one-half miles west of the courthouse in Bellefontaine. on the farm where he was born, August 4. 1844. His parents were Reuben and
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Elizabeth (Warvel) Kaylor, of whom ex- tended mention is made in the sketch of John F. Kaylor. preceding this. He passed the days of his boyhood and youth upon the home farm, and in the country schools of the neighborhood acquired a good practical education, which enabled him to engage in teaching. He taught one term of school in Darke county. \ft- er reaching the age of twenty-one years he operated his father's farm on the shares and soon after the Civil war went to Ne- braska, where he spent three months working on the Pacific Railroad. Becom- ing ill. he returned home and continued to devote his time and attention to the cultivation of the farm until his retire- ment from active labor. He was also ex- tensively engaged in the dairy business.
On the 4th of July, 1867. Mr. Kaylor was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Clagg, of Bellefontaine, who was born in that city, a daughter of Albert and Caro- line (Hellman) Clagg. Seven children blessed this union : William Alphonso, the eldest, was born August 22, 1868. Gustus R., born September 11. 1869, married Dot Jameson, and lives on the old home farm. Jesse B., born January 2. 1872. became a railroad man, and was killed at Spring- field. Ohio. in February, 1902. Ora Lee, born January 22. 1875. wedded Mary G. Patterson, and dropped dead while play- ing ball, October 5, 1902, leaving one child. David Chalfant. Pauline D., born August 2. 1876; Harry, born February 22, 1878. and Lulu Irene, born December 3, 1891, are all at home.
Soon after his marriage Mr. Kaylor purchased forty acres of land of his fa- ther, to the improvement and cultivation of which he devoted his energies for some
years. He then traded that place for the old homestead, consisting of one hundred and ten acres, which he still owns. Later he bought thirty-four acres of what is now known as the Children's Home farm; still later forty acres of the Henry Good farm; and fifty acres where he now lives. paying for the same fifty-five hundred dollars in cash. This land is all in one body. He has made many valuable and useful im- provements upon the home place, includ- ing the erection of a large frame barn. seventy by eighty-two feet, and eighteen foot posts. in 1879. He also paid out nine hundred dollars for the construction of a ditch through the farm. and to-day has one of the best improved places in the com- munity.
Since casting his first presidential vote for Horatio Seymour, Mr. Kaylor has been a stanch supporter of the Democra- cy, and has served as a delegate to many conventions of his party. He has never 1:cen an office-seeker, but as a candidate has made sacrifices for his party which he knows to be in the minority in his locality. and he has worked untiringly for its in- terests. He has been candidate for both sheriff and county commissioner, and is now serving his second term as a member and president of the Agricultural Board. of which he was previously vice president for two years. For many years he was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge at Bellefontaine. although at present he is not connected with that order. and has been identified with the Grange since its organization. He has filled all the offices in the latter order, has been a delegate to the state Grange, and was a liberal do- nator toward the erection of the hall now standing upon his place. His daughter
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Pauline, has filled all the offices in the sub- ordinate Grange, and also the office of Flora in the state Grange. She has also been district deputy of Glenary Temple. a degree of the Golden Eagle. The Kay- lor family is one of prominence in the community where they reside, and are de- serving of honorable mention in the his- tory of Logan county.
JOSEPH C. BRIGGS.
Joseph C. Briggs, an attorney and counselor at law in Belle Center. was born in Hale township. Hardin county, Ohio, August 26, 1862, and is a son of James and Charity (Vincent) Briggs. His birth occurred on a farm, and when he was still quite young his parents removed to Lo- gan county, settling upon the farm where his boyhood days were passed. He there remained until he was about twenty-one years of age, and in the meantime he had acquired a good common school education in Ridgeway. He also worked in the corn fields, and in the cultivation of other ce- reals until about the time he attained his majority, when he sustained a sunstroke. Later he left home and began work for Judge W. H. West. of Bellefontaine, and while there he took up the study of law unknown to the Judge. He had pursued his legal studies for about four years be- fore the Judge knew anything of his plans and purposes. When his employer be- canie aware of the fact, however, he per- mitted Mr. Briggs to take the examina- tions that were held occasionally in order to find out about his legal knowledge, and thus he continued his work until 1891,
when he was admitted to the bar and be- gan practice. On the 15th of September of that year he located in Belle Center, where he has since remained, and in the intervening years he has secured a good patronage. He was one of the attorneys in the defense of James B. Pergrin for the shooting of Robert Young in Belle Center and won his case for his client after a fierce contest. He was also for the defendant in the case of the state against Robert Young, and again his client was acquit- ted. He was also defendant in the case of the state versus Young on another oc- 'casion, and was retained as the defendant in the celebrated case of William Robinson versus Lafayette Fisher, in which the plaintiff asked for sixty-one hundred and forty-five dollars and received twenty-five. In the preparation of his cases Mr. Briggs is careful and exact, and loses sight of no point or detail that will strengthen his case, at the same time keeping in promi- nence the important issue upon which the decision of the case finally turns.
On the 6th of May, 1897. occurred the marriage of Mr. Briggs and Miss Elma J. Dixon, who was born in Richland town- ship, Logan county, Ohio, a daughter of Carlonus and Catherine Dixon. They have two children: Neta, who was born in Belle Center, March 18. 1898, and Ar- minta, born February 23. 1900.
Mr. Briggs owns three residences in Belle Center, and in addition has an inter- est in one hundred and twenty acres of land, at the same time enjoying a distinc- tively representative clientage in his pro- fession. He cast his first presidential vote for Blaine in 1884, and has since been an ardent Republican, taking an active inter- est in political affairs, and delivering many
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addresses in behalf of the party candidates. however, he came to Logan county, Ohio, He has frequently served as a delegate to conventions of the party, and is a man of recognized influence in local political cir- cles, at the same time sustaining an en- viable reputation in his profession and in social circles.
Perle M. Stewart, who became a part- ner of Mr. Briggs on the ist of January. 1903. was born in Ridgeway, October 18. 1876, and is a son of Joseph and Charity (Vincent) Stewart. In May. 1897. he was graduated in the high school of this place. and in the fall of the same year entered Wilberforce College and was graduated in the normal department of that institu- tion in 1899. He studied law in Belle Center with Mr. Briggs, was admitted to the bar in December. 1902, and in the fol- lowing January became a partner, so that the firm is now Briggs & Stewart.
RUSSELL BISSELL.
Russell Bissell. now deceased. occu- pied a prominent position in the business circles of Logan county for many years. being extensively engaged in the produce business in Bellefontaine. A native of New York. he was born in the town of Milford. Otsego county. in 1813. his par- ents being Orange and Sarah (Guild) Bis- sell. In their family were thirteen chil- dren, of whom the subject of this review was the tenth in order of birth. Both the parents died in the Empire state.
Mr. Bissell of this review was reared in the state of his nativity, where he ac- quired his education and spent the early period of his business career. In 1854.
and for many years was prominently identified with the business of buying and shipping butter and eggs. These com- modities he would buy and store until fall and winter brought high prices, when he shipped them to' New York and other eastern cities. In this business he was eminently successful and became pos- sessed of considerable property. He was one of the original stockholders of the Bellefontaine National Bank and for many years was a director of the same. holding that position at the time of his death.
In the year 1856. in Geneva, Ashtabula county, Ohio, Mr. Bissell was united in marriage to Miss Mary T. Wright, a daughter of Moses and Eunice (Jordan) Wright, who spent their last days in Ashtabula county. In their family were three children but Mrs. Bissell is the only one now living. Unto our subject and his wife were born two children: Fannie. now the wife of Levi Duringer: and Paul R .. who is living in Bellefontaine.
Mr. Bissell was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and did all in his power to promote its growth and extend its influence. While there were no exciting chapters in his career, perhaps no sketch which appears in this volume will illustrate more clearly the power of industry and honesty as active factors in the business world. He remained a resi- dent of Logan county from 1854 until the time of his death in 1887, and when called to his final rest . many friends mourned his loss. His widow. still surviving him. lives at No. 519 East Columbus street and is a lady whose many excellent traits of character have gained her a large circle of . warm friends.
RUSSELL BISSELL.
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JOHN W. BYERS.
There is much that is ereditable in the life record of John W. Byers, and as a rep- resentative citizen of Bellefontaine he de- serves mention in this volume. He is a veteran of the Civil war, and he was alike faithful to the best interests of his country when he served as an office-holder in Lo- gan county. He represents one of the oldest families of the county, his parents having settled in Lake township. near Bellefontaine. when the entire region was covered with its growth of native forest trees. The work of improvement and progress had scarcely been begun, and the county gave little promise of its future de- velopment.
Mr. Byers was born in Lake township. May 16. 1828, a son of James and Mary S. (Stephenson) Byers, both of whom were natives of Washington county, Pennsylva- nia. The latter was a daughter of the Rev. Joseph Stephenson, who came to Logan county at a very early period in the settlement of this state. He was a Presbyterian minister. and was instru- mental in building all the churches of his denomination in Logan county. He made his home in Lake township, and while de- voting his energies to the cultivation of his land on the week days, on Sunday he labored in the churches, preaching the gospel up to the time of his death. In 1825 James Byers came with his family to Ohio, settling in Lake township. Logan county. in the midst of the dense forest. Soon he cleared off a garden spot and built a little cabin, and as the months went by more and more of his land was pre- pared for the plow. He carried on gen- eral farming until 1870, when he retired
from business life and made his home with his children up to the time of his death. which occurred at the home of his oldest son in Wayne county, Iowa, when he was seventy-five years of age. His wife passed away in Logan county at the age of sixty-three years. They were the par- ents of nine children. of whom four are now living. as follows : Joseph S., who was born May 11. 1824. and married Martha Irwin, is now a retired farmer residing in Wayne county, Iowa: Sarah, born March 20. 1830, is the wife of George K. Combs. of the same county: John Wilson is the third of the family: Elizabeth C .. born February 7. 1843. is the wife of B. Zoz. and they reside in Bellefontaine. Those who have passed away are Thomas MI .. who was born July 12, 1826, and wedded Mary Tipton; Margaret, who was born March 6, 1832. and was the wife of John Jackson ; James Edgar, born July 29. 1834: Rachel, who was born April 13. 1837, and was the wife of Thomas Hatcher: and Samuel, who was born April 30. 18440, and married Samantha Milner.
Like the other members of the family John W. Byers obtained his education i 1 the common schools, but when twelve years of age he put aside his text books in order to devote his entire time to as- sisting his father on the home farm. He was there employed until twenty-one years of age, when he came to Bellefontaine. and learned the plasterer's trade with John Reeder, of this place. He followed the business for seven years, and was then elected a constable and city marshal of Bellefontaine, in which capacity he served for four years. He had proved such a ca- pable defender of the public property and the public peace that he was then elected
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sheriff of Logan county for a term of two is the wife of William M. Armour, an en- years, and was re-elected for two years. gineer on the Big Four Railroad. who re- cently met with an accident and is now in a hospital in Cleveland: Margaret Ann, who was born May 2, 1857, and is the de- ceased wife of Frank Garvin; Mattie Su- san, who was born October 3. 1860, and is the wife of John M. Felil, by whom she had a son. Carl; Alice Jennie, who was born . April 4. 1863. and is the wife of James M. Underwood. an engineer on the Big Four Railroad, who makes his home on Detroit street. in Bellefontaine: James Franklin, now deceased, who was born July 17. 1865. and was a telegraph opera- tor on the Big Four Railroad; Rachel Eva, who was born February 24. 1868. and is known as the best stenographer and typewriter in Bellefontaine. She is em- ployed by an attorney here, and also does work for the Logan county court. She and her father now reside with Mrs. Fehl. and again he won high commendation by his fidelity in office. On the expiration of his second term he returned to the old homestead, where he engaged in agricul- tural pursuits for three years, and then sold that farm, taking up his abode in Bellefontaine. Mr. Byers was equally loyal to his country at the time of the Civil war and was enrolled as a member of Com- pany B. One Hundred and Thirty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, on the HIth of May. 1864. serving under Captain W. B. Nevin and Colonel Joseph Haines. Dur- ing one-half of his term of service hie was quartermaster. He took part in no en- gagements, but was on guard duty at City Point, under General Grant, and after four months' service was honorably discharged at Camp Chase. Columbus, Ohio. Sep- tember 10. 1864. After removing to Bellefontaine he purchased a boarding house on Elm street. and for twenty years conducted it with success. He then re- tired from the business, and has since en- joyed a well earned rest. He still owns the property, however, and it is now rented.
In 1851 Mr. Byers was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary J. Oatman, a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Joseph Oatman, who removed from the Keystone state to Licking county, Ohio, at an early day, and there engaged in farming until his death. Mrs. Byers passed away on March 7. 1891. Of her eight children one had died in infancy. The others are : Mary Emma, who was born October 30. 1852, and is now deceased; Sarah Eliza- betli, who was born October 12, 1854, and
An earnest advocate of Republican principles, Mr. Byers takes an active inter- est in the growth and success of the party. Aside from the offices already mentioned he served as township trustee of Lake township for twenty-one years. A mem- ber of the Masonie fraternity, he has been identified with the craft for forty years, and he also belongs to the Presbyterian church of Bellefontaine. He has now sold his country property, but still owns real estate in Bellefontaine. He resides with his daughter at No. 511 North Main street, and is engaged in no business save the supervision of his invested interests. No man is better known in Logan county than John W. Byers, who is justly regard- ed as a prominent and representative eiti- zen of Bellefontaine.
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
EDWIN A. SWAN. M. D.
The Swan family, of which the Doctor is a representative. is of remote Danish ancestry. Danish pirates of the name set- tled in Scotland before the time of Wil- liam the Conqueror, at which time they were possessors of a coat of arins. The first American ancestor of the family was Robert Swan, who came from Manchester, England. in 1635. and founded the town of Haverhill. Massachusetts. He was elected a member of the general court- the legislative body of Massachusetts- about 1639 or 1640, and from that time until 1864 a member of the same family and of the same name was continuously a member of the general court. "Jimmy Swan," a brother of the great-grandfather of our subject. was a member of the Bos- ton Tea Party, and prominent in public af- fairs in colonial days, which awakened sentiment in favor of separation from Eng- land.
One branch of the Swan family was established in Ohio at a very early day in the history of the state, and to this branch belonged Judge Joseph R. Swan. long chief justice of Ohio, while, his brother Goltava, was president of the Ohio State Bank for half a century. Abraham Swan, the great-grandfather. and Abram Swan, the grandfather. resided near Barre. Ver- mont, at the time of the Revolutionary war, and fought for the cause of independ- ence as private soldiers. Abram Swan had five sons, Levi, Alanson. Isaac. Charles Grandison and Abram, and also two daughters, Matilda. who married Nathan Jones, and Katherine, who became Mrs. Van Slack. Levi Swan. the eldest son. had a large family, one of whom, Caleb
Swan, became the owner of the paper mill at Cazenovia, New York. His daugh- ters. Matilda. Sophie and Mary. all mar- ried and reside in the Empire state. The father. Levi Swan. lived to the advanced age of one hundred and four years, and was able to size contracts for bridge build- ing when ninety-two years of age. He had great physical strength proportionate to his height, which was six feet. seven and a half inches, and he served his country in the war of 1812. Isaac Swan was killed by a tornado in Canton, Illi- nois, leaving no children. He and his brother-in-law. Nathan Jones, laid out the city of Canton. Illinois. Mr. Jones and his wife, Matilda Swan, had one son, the Rev. Willisten Jones, now deceased, and their daughters. Harriet C., Hannah and Elmira, have also passed away.
The parents of our subject were Charles G. and Lucretia ( Perry) Swan and unto them the Doctor was born in Woodstock. Ontario, Canada. November 17. 1855. He completed his literary edu- cation there by a high school course, and took up the study of medicine in the Uni- versity of Michigan, in which he was grad- uated in 1875. He then began practice in Ray. Indiana, and while residing there the Doctor was united in marriage to Miss Kate Fulton. a daughter of David Ful- ton. She died in 1898. at the age of thir- ty-eight years, leaving two sons : Guy H., who will graduate in the Detroit College of Medicine with the class of 1903, and Lawrence, who is now a student in the high school of Bellefontaine.
After practicing his profession in Ray, Indiana, until 1876. the Doctor spent six years in Petersburg, Monroe county, Michigan, and in 1882 he came to Belle-
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
fontaine. where he has now been in prac- 1837, and is a son of John and Caroline tice for twenty-one years, during which time he has steadily progressed. With a nature that could never be content with mediocrity. he has steadily worked his way upward, advancing because of his broad knowledge. his enterprise, his laudable _ ambition and his earnest desire to be of benefit to his fellow men.
In 1900 the Doctor was again married. his second union being with Miss Letta A. Shields, of Belle Center, Ohio. He belongs to the United Presbyterian church, is a member of its board of ses- sions, and is a member of the faculty of the National College of Electro-Therapeu- tics, of Lima, Ohio. He is also medical examiner for the Royal Arcanum, and several insurance companies, and in his practice he pays special attention to the application of electricity as a healing pow- er in the treatment of disease, having the modern apparatus in the various electrical branches, including a fine X-ray machine. His professional labors have ever been of such a character as to awaken the confi- dence of the public, and his strict regard for the ethics of the profession has won him the friendship and warm regard of his fellow practitioners.
JOSEPH LONGBRAKE.
Joseph Longbrake started out in life for himself with a cash capital of only twelve dollars: to-day he is one of the sub- stantial farmers of Logan county, and to his own well directed efforts may be at- tributed his success. He was born in Jefferson county. Virginia. March 26.
(Baylis) Longbrake, both of whom were natives of Virginia. The grandfather, Joseph Longbrake. was born near Fred- erick City, Maryland, and his father was born in Germany. Jacob Longbrake be- came a farmer, but spent a part of his time in capturing runaway slaves and return- ing them to their masters. Removing to Virginia. he was there united in marriage to Barbara Ann Fry, and unto them were born eight children, John. Henry and Jake. who married and removed to Mis- souri: George and Joseph, who became residents of Ohio: Bessie, the wife of John Bartinan. of Logan county; Polly, the wife of Jake Kidd, of Iowa; and Margaret. the wife of Jacob Cookus, who remai :ed in Virginia. All of the sons became farm- ers and the daughters married agricul- turists.
John Longbrake, the father of our subject, assisted his father in the work of the old homestead in Virginia until the time of his marriage to Caroline Baylis. He then rented a tract of land. upon which he engaged in agricultural pursuits on his own account until the fall of 1861. when he removed to Logan county, Ohio, and settled on a farm of ninety-six acres north of Logansville. This was given to him by his father. Unto John Longbrake and his wife were born sixteen children. Wil- liam, a farmer. married Lydia Moon, a native of Ohio, and located near Sheldon. in Cedar county, Missouri. Henry died in 1899. Joseph is the third of the fam- ily. Mary Allen is the wife of Phillip Crouse, a resident of Missouri. George married Madeline Trout, and is now in the employ of the Wabash Railroad Com- pany. Barbara Ann died in 1864. John
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THE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
married Sadie Crouse, and is engaged in farming in Logan county. James wedded Belle Staymates, and is living in Henry county, Ohio. Franklin T. married Caro- line Roger. and makes his home in Lo- gansville. Robert S. wedded Catherine Davis, and is also living in Logansville. The other members of the family have passed away.
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