USA > Ohio > Logan County > The historical review of Logan County, Ohio > Part 71
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of nineteen he laid aside his text books there of school examiners, and. with the exception and entered upon the task of providing for his own support. He had previously en- gaged in teaching in the schools of Frank- lin county and from the age of twenty years he spent each winter season through the suc- ceeding decade in the schoolroom. usually teaching for about four months in the year. Through the summer he engaged in farm- ing. He won a very enviable reputation as an educator, his expressions being clear and concise, always impressing the student with a knowledge of what he wished to impart. In 1873 Mr. Pegg was united in marriage to Miss Virginia D. Shattuck. a daughter of Alexander and Flora (Andrews) Shattuck. who were pioneers of Franklin county. Aft- er their marriage Mr. Pegg and his bride located on a tract of land in the eastern part of Clinton township, becoming owners of one hundred and ten acres, which he pur- chased of Walter Field. a pioneer settler of Franklin county. Mr. Pegg continued the development of that farm upon which he now resides-the okl Shattuck homestead. It has since been his place of abode and the scene of well directed and prosperous labor. His energy, strong determination and perse- verance have made him a prosperous farm- er, his labors being crowned with a merited financial reward. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Pegg have been born two children : Florence. now the wife of Ralph B. Taylor. M. D., of Cu- lumbus, by whom she has one son. Lewis L. ; and Flora Lillian. Mr. Pegg has been called to fill a number of positions of public trust. He served as deputy sheriff from 1879 until 1885. and at the same time con- tinued the operation of his farm. He filled that office under Josiah Kinnear. Louis Heinmiller and William H. Barber. Mr. Pegg has been a member of the county board
of a period of one year, held the office for twenty-seven consecutive years. being the present incumbent. He has frequently served as chairman of the board and the cause of education has found in him a warm friend. The office is appointive and is in- dependent of the city schools of Columbus. He has been a member of the township board of education for more than fifteen years. He is a member of the Masonic fra- ternity, belonging to New England Lodge. No. 4. F. & A. M .. of Worthington, Ohio, and has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. In politics he has always taken a deep interest, yet he has never been an aspirant for the honors and emoluments of public office. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat and is active in the local work of the party, believing it the duty of every American citizen to see that good men are in office. His wife is a member of the Bap- tist church, with which she has long been identified. Mr. Pegg contributes to its sup- port and gives his earnest co-operation in all measures for the public good. In the line of business his attention is given un- dividedly to the operation of his fine farm of one hundred and thirty-two acres. He raises grain and stock and takes a just pride in his work, which is carried on systematic- ically and energetically. He has been very successful and is a self-made man in the truest and best sense of the term. He is a gentleman of upright habits and keeps well informed on the issues of the day, both politically and otherwise. The cause of improvement and progress finds in him a friend and he is a worthy represen- tative of an honored pioneer family whose name is inseparably connected with the de- velopment of Franklin county.
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Monroe J. Pegg. the tenth child of Jo- clothes. He was trained to habits of in- seph Pegg, was born in Clinton township. Franklin county, on the old family home- stead, January 7. 1848. He received a good common school education and was thus fitted for the teacher's profession. He ex- perienced all the trials and hardships of pioneer life on a farm in a new locality. having assisted in clearing and improving the land which was transformed into the home farm. Not content with the early ed- ucational privileges which he had received. he entered Otterbein College, of Wester- ville, where he remained for a year and a half. Subsequently he engaged in teaching in the schools of Franklin county through the winter months, and in the summer he worked upon the home farm. After his father's death he remained at home with his widowed mother until she, too, was called away, relieving her of the care of her farm and adding to her happiness in her last days by his filial care and devotion. Mr. Pegg was united in marriage to Miss Emma. daughter of J. O. Amos, and unto them were born five children, three of whom are living. namely : Kate. Marguerite and Mary V., the deceased are Violet, and one who died unnamed. Mr. Pegg's landed possessions constitute a tract of sixty acres. In politics he is a Democrat. but he has never sought or desired office. preferring to devote his time and energies to his business affairs, in which he is meeting with creditable success, being an energetic farmer.
Orville R. Pegg. the oldest son of Joseph Pegg. pursued his education in the country schools, and for one year was a student in a college, but his mental training was largely gained through the school of experience. In his youth he drove oxen in the work of the farm, and had plain victuals and few
dustry and economy and through these means he made a strenuous effort to put aside the conditions of poverty and advance upon the road to a competence. At the age of nineteen he began farming. but did not find it a very profitable source of labor and after about three years he began teaching school, which proved a more congenial oc- cupation to him. He has at different times carried on merchandising and acted as a salesman. In early life he also chopped cord wood and. in fact. did any labor that came to him. which would yield him an honest living. For thirty-six years he made his home in Franklin county, Ohio, and then spent three years in Piekway county. He spent one year in the city of Columbus, and in 1871 came to Logan county. For twenty years he was a member of a banking firm and served as cashier of the institution. which was an important factor in the busi- ness life of Rushsylvania. About ten years ago, however, he retired from the bank and is now giving his time to the supervision of his farm, which is operated through the assistance of those he employs.
At the time of the Civil war Mr. Pegg . joined the army in 1864 and was in the south four months, but much of that time was ill in the hospital, so that he was never in a battle and therefore never killed any one. Public honors and emoluments of of- fice have had no attraction for him as he preferred to give his attention to his busi- ness affairs. He is now a member of the Building & Loan Association and for fifty years has been engaged to a greater or less extent in loaning money. He has made some investments of his own finances in land and his property interests and accumu- lations are now sufficient to supply him with
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all of the comforts and some of the luxuries the Giver of good and perfect gifts for what of life.
On the Ist of June. 1876. in Rushsylva- nia, Mr. Pegg was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Jane Rosebrook, a daughter of Henry and Margaret Rosebrook. On the paternal side she comes of Scotch-Irish an- cestry and the family was represented in the American army during the war of 1812. Her parents had several children, of whom George. Mary, Robert. David and Joseph are all deceased, while those living are John, William, Elizabeth, Philander R. and Nancy Jane. Mr. Rosebrook was a pioncer of this portion of Ohio and took an active interest in the work of development and im- provement here. \ man of great integrity, industrious habits and unbounded hospital- ity, his life and qualities commended hin to the confidence and regard of all. He likewise possessed a remarkable memory and could relate many interesting incidents concerning the early days in Ohio. His first wife died a number of years ago. and he died at the age of eighty-one years, leaving a widow for he had married again and she is still living at the age of eighty-four years.
Mr. Pegg has been a member of but one secret society. In his political views he is a stanch Prohibitionist and votes the tem- perance ticket. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church and are living earnest Christian lives. Their children, John W. and Mary M., also belong to that church. In his youth Mr. Pegg was surrounded by hardships, trials and difficul- ties, but his perseverance and unfaltering energy enabled him to overcome the ob- stacles which lay in his path and to work his way steadily upward. During all these years he has never failed to be thankful to
he has enjoyed, and he is now living happily in his home in Rushsylvania amid kind friends and neighbors who entertain for him great respect because of a deserving life.
REV. HAMILTON J. BIGLEY.
The honored subject of this review, in the exercise of the high functions of a holy office. has accomplished much for the upbuilding of his fellow men and is a man of ripe scholarship and high attain- ments and one to whom specifie recogni- tion should assuredly be made in this con- nection. He is now living retired but through many years he has devoted his life to the work of the ministry with ex- cellent results.
Mr. Bigley was born in Belmont county, Ohio, October 2, 1832. a son of Nathan and Elizabeth ( Richards) Bigley. The Bigley family is of Scotch origin and in the latter part of the seventeenth ce .?- tury Joseph Bigley. the grandfather of our subject. came from Scotland to America. Nathan Bigley was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. the eldest of his father's children, and spent the greater part of his early manhood in Bel- mont county, Ohio, whence he removed to Licking county, where he lived ten years, owning and operating a farm in that county. Later he sold that place and lo- cated near Richwood. Union county, where he died in 1878 at the advanced age of eighty years. In early manhood he wedded Elizabeth Richards, who was a native of Virginia and of English descent. With her parents. Michael and Rachel
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Richards, she came to Ohio in her early girlhood and her death occurred in Union county, this state, in 1883. at the age of eighty-four years. In the family of Nathan and Elizabeth Bigley were ten chil- dren, eight of whom grew to man and womanhood, namely: Joseph N .. Nancy. John. Nathan D .. Hamilton J .. Elizabeth. Mary and Margaret, the last two being twins.
Rev. Bigley, having obtained his early education in the common schools of Licking county, Ohio, pursued a course in Hartford Seminary, an institution under the control of the Presbyterian church. He was a student there during his twen- tieth and twenty-first years and later he engaged in teaching in the common schools for ten years. He then determined to devote his life to the instruction of his fellowmen concerning spiritual needs and joined the Central Ohio Methodist Episco- pal Conference at Upper Sandusky, Ohio. in September. 1863, and has since been connected with that conference.
Rev. Bigley's first appointment was as supply on the Richwood circuit for one year, prior to joining the conference in 1863. Ile was then appointed to the Patterson circuit in conjunction with the Rev. William Peck. holding marked re- vivals at all of their appointments. He was next sent to Mt. Victory, where he served as pastor of the Methodist church for three years, during which time he had over one hundred conversions and nearly one hundred accessions to the church. At the annual conference of 1867, held at Fostoria, he was ordained elder by Rev. Bishop Scott. His next appointment was to Zanesfield, Logan county, where he remained two years, and there built and
dedicated the present house of worship. He was next sent to Bryan, the county seat of Williams county, where he served as pastor three years, which was then the limit, and had a very successful pas- torate. receiving more than one hundred into the church and leaving with the re- gret of all that he must then sever his more than usually pleasant pastoral relations. However, he had the pleasure of return- ing to the same congregation after five years and again remained three years. during which period the work was equally prosperous. During the interval of five years, he had served as pastor at Napo- leon, the county seat of Henry county for three years and two years at the old South charge of Toledo. Following his second pastorate at Bryan, he was ap- pointed to the church at DeGraff, this county, and remained three years, and after a pleasant pastorate of three years at Marysville, he returned to DeGraff. where he met with excellent success in his ministerial work, having good accessions every year and two marked revivals. He left that charge in a united and prosperous condition. His next appointment was to North Lewisburg, where he remained five years, then the limit. and this, as his last charge, seemed to be a fitting climax to his active work in the ministry. During the first year there were over two hundred conversions, one hundred and ten joining his church and many additions to other churches of the place as a result of the revival. Later there was also a marked revival. there being over sixty-five addi- tions to the church. In fact there was hardly an interval between the revivals. the interest in religious and spiritual wel- fare continuing almost unabated. At the
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close of this pastorate in 1894. Mr. Big- French, of that place, and died leaving an ley took supernumerary relations and re- infant daughter. Mabel H .. who was reared by and continues to make her home with Mr. and Mrs. Bigley. She is a gradu- ate of the high schools of both North Lewisburg and Bellefontaine. moved to Bellefontaine, where he has since resided. He is still as active in Sun- day school work as ever, having a very remarkable class of thirty more than or- dinarily intelligent men aged from forty- five to eighty-four years. He has also taken a great interest in Chautauqua work, pursuing a thorough normal course at Lakeside, and during the past eight years has been a teacher in the normal de- partment. Ile received a diploma with- out passing the usual examinations, an honor rarely conferred and granted on account of his more than ordinary fidelity to the work. He is still deeply intersted in the same.
While devoting his best years and en- ergy to the upbuilding of the church. Rev. Bigley has been blessed financially and if no misfortune befalls him will have suf- ficient means to care for his devoted wife and himself during their remaining years without pecuniary assistance from the church. For some years he has been in- terested in the Savings, Building & Loan Association and since 1899 has been its vice president. He is also director of the Bellefontaine Carriage Body Company.
On the 27th of October. 1854. Rev. Bigley was united in the holy bonds of matrimony to Miss Sarah Jane Carter, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary Carter, who were among the first settlers of Union county. Ohio. They have one son, Rush O. Bigley. a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan University of the class of '83 and now a wholesale grocer of Lima, Ohio. They also had an adopted daughter, Hat- tie M .. a graduate of the Napoleon high school, who became the wife of H. H.
Rev. Bigley was made a Mason at Bellefontaine Lodge. No. 209. F. & A. M .. on the day General Grant was elected president, and although he has dimitted to various lodges he is now a member of the lodge that "raised" him, and much of his life has served as chaplain. He is also a member of Lafayette Chapter, No. 60. R. A. M., of Bellefontaine, in which he has served as high priest : and belongs to Sid- ney Commandery. K. T .; the Valley of Dayton Rose Croix and the Ohio Con- sistory at Cincinnati, having attained to the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite. At this point it would be almost 'tautological to enter into any series of statements as showing the Rev. Bigley to be a man of broad intelligence and genn- ine public spirit, for these have been shad- owed forth between the lines of this re- view. Strong in his individuality, he never lacks the courage of his convictions, but there are as dominating elements in his character a lively human sympathy and an abiding charity, which, as taken in con- nection with his sterling worth and honor. have naturally gained him the respect and confidence of men.
HARRY M. EVANS.
There are in the life record of Harry M. Evans qualities which have commanded for him the highest admiration and respect. He was born January 31. 1860, in Hamil-
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ton. Ohio, a son of Nias L. and Irene that he again entered business life and has (Smith) Evans, the former a native of since been successfully connected with va- rious pursuits. This accident occurred in 1885. Maryland and the latter of New Jersey. About 1862 the father removed to Quincy, Logan county, Ohio, from Hamilton, and in 1864 took up his residence in West Lib- erty, where he remained until his death. He .was a dealer in horses and fine stock and through that business chan- nel provided for his family. He passed away February 21, 1899. when fifty-six years of age and his wife's death occurred July 4, 1895. when she had attained the age of sixty-four years. They had but two chil. dren : Harry M. and Dora.
Harry M. Evans pursued his education in the schools of West Liberty and was graduated as a member of the class of 1882. In 1879 he went west for a short time, be- cause of failing health, and in 1881 he made his way to Iowa. He was later advised to go to the pine region of northern Michigan and, acting upon this advice, he came near losing his life from fever in that region. After his recovery while on a visit to the east he accepted a position with Bradstreets Agency, traveling in the interest of the firm through New York. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but on the 18th of June, 1884, in a runaway his spine was so injured that it permanently crippled him. He was sent to a hospital in New York city, where he re- mained until September. The Bradstreet Company held his position open for six months hoping that he might be able to re- turn to their employ. He was at a sanita- rium at Cincinnati, Ohio, whence he went to Buffalo and afterward to Union Springs. New York, where he was under the imme- diate care of Dr. Frank Pierce in his san- itarium at that place. The treatment which he there received proved very beneficial, so
Following his recovery he made a num- ber of tours and accounts of his trips have appeared in several of the leading magazines and newspapers of the day. He has re- ported for such journals as the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Commercial and other papers. and has done special work for the railway companies in the way of descriptive writ- ing. At the present time he is in the employ of the Southern Pacific Railway, furnishing descriptive matter and his productions are always of interest because of his own per- sonal appreciation of beauty in nature and the ease and fluency with which he describes what he sees. In 1893 he first visited the Everglades of Florida and on reaching the state be fitted out a boat and cruised along the coast. penetrating the Everglades to a considerable distance. Ile also visited the Seminole tribes of Indians living in that state and made a collection of shells along the coast. He mastered the art of a taxi- dermist for his own gratification and col- lected many specimens of natural history. Many traits of the Seminole Indians now known to the general public were presented through his pen to the leading magazines. and appearing for the first time were widely read, eliciting much interest and attention. In his local collection of curiosities Mr. Ev- ans has the only stalactite and stalagmite collection to be found in Logan county, tak- en from the cave near Mount Taber on the county line. He has a very fine collection of relics and mementos of his trips, which at his death will be given to the public, and a room in the new high school building of West Liberty has already been selected for
£
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the purpose. In the summer of 1898 Mr. Evans assisted Professor Mills, state archae- ologist. in the collection of pre-historic re- lics in this county and in locating of In- dian mounds. Recently he has been en- gaged in the interest of the Moling Special, which he accompanied on two recent trips in 1902 to the rice fields of Texas and fur- nished descriptive writing's of these trips.
Since the death of his father Mr. Evans has shown unusual business ability. being thrown upon his own resaurces and handi- capped by his physical condition, he has not only gained a living, but has won a comfortable home and is also the owner of a business block in West Liberty, which he has acquired through his own business fore- sight and enterprise. He started out and- iting accounts and opening books for var- ious firms. In West Liberty he has been ac- tive in public affairs, serving as city clerk. The duties of that office, together with his auditing work, occupied his attention from 1893 until 1899. In December. 1890. he became secretary of the Building & Loan Association and has since held the office and conducts the business of the associa- tion at the present time. This enterprise has prospered and its assets are now sey- enty-three thousand dollars. In 1890 Mr. Evans was also appointed census enumer- ator for Liberty township.
In March. 1896, occurred the marriage of Mr. Evans and Miss Emma S. Walker, of Bowling Green. Ohio, and they have an adopted daughter Eva. Mr. Evans has many warm friends in West Liberty and is held in high regard by all with whom he has come in contact. Character and abil- ity will come to the front anywhere. Many a man has been buffeted by fortune and has had almost uinsurmountable obstacles 1
thrust in his path, but perseverance and ability have cleared these away and he has progressed toward success and at the same time has commanded the admiration and good will of those who have been witnesses of his career. Such has been the life work of Harry M. Evans.
HUGH H. NEWELL.
Hugh H. Newell is a member of the Logan county bar, practicing in Bellefon- taine, where the firm of Chamberlain & Newell is widely and favorably known. He is yet a young man. his birth having occurred in Union township. Logan county. June 4. 1866. His father. John Newell. was born in 1826 in this county and represented one of the old pioneer families. The paternal grandfather came to the county about 18to and from the government secured a tract of land which has never since been surveyed. it having remained continuously in possession of the family. John Newell carried on agri- cultural pursuits through his entire life and died in Logan county in 1893. In early manhood he had wedded Maria Harner, who is still living on the old fam- ily homestead. They became the parents of nine children, six of whom are living and are residents of this county. These are John H .; William C .: Harry E .; Mary L., the wife of Laurence F. Freer ; Hugh H., of this review: and Anna B., the wife of E. P. Chamberlain. The father was quite prominent in public ai- fairs as well as in business circles and be- came one of the prosperous and progress- ive agriculturists of this section of the
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state. At the time of his death he owned about six hundred acres of valuable land in Logan county and he was an extensive stock-raiser and buyer. For twenty-six consecutive years he filled the office of township treasurer. being chosen to the position on the Republican ticket. An examplary member of the Masonic fra- ternity he attained the thirty-second de- gree of the Scotish Rite and he was also a member of the lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Having acquired his preliminary edu- cation in the district schools. Hugh H. Newell entered the Ohio Normal School at Ada, in which he was graduated in 1888. Wishing to make the practice of law his life work. he afterward entered the Cincinnati Law School, where he was graduated in 1896, and in that year he was admitted to the bar in Columbus. He then began practice in Bellefontaine and is now a member of the law firm of Cham- berlain & Newell. which has a large and important clientage. His course in the court room is characterized by a calmness and dignity that indicates reserve strength. He is always courteous and def- erential toward the court. kind and for- bearing toward his adversaries. Ilis han- dling of his cases is always thorough, com- prehensive and accurate; his analysis of the facts is clear and exhaustive: he sees without effort the relation and depend- ence of the facts and so groups them as to enable him to throw their combined forces upon the point they tend to prove. Mr. Newell not only derives a good income from his practice, but is also the owner of a valuable farm of one hundred and ten aeres in Union township, which is culti- vated under his supervision.
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