USA > Ohio > Clark County > The history of Clark County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, V. 2 > Part 45
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PETER SLACK. dealer in guns, pistols, etc. He was born in Peterborough, Eng., in 1820; came to America in 1850; after stopping in Cincinnati two years, he then came to Springfield and established his present business. When he was 15 years old, he began his apprenticeship of gunsmith, at which he served five years. At the end of that time, he opened a shop and carried on business ten years. Before leaving England, he was married, in 1849, to Maria Manton, to whom six children have been born, four of whom are still living, viz .: Alfred J., Charles M., Lucy M. (now Mrs. M. D. Johnson) and Laura A. When Mr. Slack arrived in Cincinnati. he had $100, and during his stay there he added another $100 to it, and with the $200 he began business here, and by close appli- cation to his trade and honorable dealing with all his customers, he has accumu- lated quite a handsome fortune; he has been a consistent member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church for thirty-five years, and at present is one of the Trus- tees of the Center Street Methodist Episcopal Church of this city; he has held different official positions in said church for twenty years, and has always been a liberal and cheerful giver. Alfred was born in Cincinnati, November, 1852; learned his trade (that of gunsmith) with his father, having worked in the shop from his youth: in 1873, his father gave him a half interest in the store. He is a young man of good, moral habits and excellent character. He was married in 1875 to Miss Lydia Sparks. daughter of Ephraim and Mary Sparks, who were among the early settlers of this county. They have two children, viz. : Leona M. and Bertha M. He is Librarian of the Center Street Methodist Episcopal Sabbath School. His wife was born in this city November, 1849. In 1879, besides doing a business of $20,000 in guns, pistols, ammunition. etc., they handled $26,000 worth of furs and $50,000 worth of wool.
JOHN J. SMITH. Justice of the Peace, Springfield. Mr. Smith was born April 25. 1837. in Wurtemberg, Germany: emigrated, with his parents, to America, in 1852; after stopping awhile in Erie, Penn., came to Ohio, and located in Salem, and while living there took a trip through this part of Ohio, and in passing through this city the general appearance of the place attracted his at tention so much that he concluded to make Springfield his future home, and consequently moved here in 1858; in 1869, was elected to the City Council from
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the Second Ward, and was re-elected in 1871 and 1873; he was elected Justice of the Peace for Springfield Township in 1873, and has been twice re-elected since to the same office. He has been twice married, first, in 1860, to Mary E. Hax, daughter of Theodore and Cathrine Hax. With this union three children were born. Mary died in 1874. His second wife was Mrs. Mary Stubbe, widow of William Stubbe (deceased), to whom he was married in 1876. Mr. Smith carried on a grocery and feed store in this city some thirteen years; he attended school froin his fifth year of age until he sailed for America.
JOHN D. SMITH, book-binding and stationery, Springfield. John D. Smith was born seven iniles from Chillicothe Dec. 6, 1821, hence is nearly three score years old, and does not look half a hundred; he had six brothers and five sisters, of whom only four brothers and two sisters survive; his parents moved to Millgrove, Warren Co., when he was only 2 years old; soon after- ward, they came to Springfield, and Jan. 31, 1837, returned to Millgrove, com- ing back to Springfield in September, 1842. On Dec. 18, 1844, he married Re- becca Chrest, by whom he had five children, one son and four daughters, of whom they lost the son and one daughter. Of their daughters, Emma S. mar- ried E. T. Thomas, Mr. Smith's present partner in business; Alice B. married John Davidson in 1869, whom she lost March 1, 1877, and Carrie Lytle married Rodney F. Ludlow. in June, 1877. Having lost his wife in the fall of 1960. Mr. Smith, on Nov. 2, 1861, married his present wife, Miss Mary E. Woodrow, by whom he has no children. Mr. Smith has had little schooling, none after he was 11 years old. In about 1832 and 1833, he worked with Kills & Brichal, then with Morgan & Anthony; afterward worked on a farm, going to Lockport on rainy days to rule for John M. Seely. On coming to Springfield the second time, he worked with Mr. Baker about eighteen months, taking instructions in book-binding and blank-book making, after which, in September, 1844, he started on his own account, his business changes being many from that time to the present. He opened in what is known as "Trapper's Corner," there contin- uing sixteen years, having, part of the time his brother for partner; in 1850, he also conducted a boarding-house, merging it into. a hotel, upon selling out his book-binding businees in the fall of 1860; in 1862, he sold his hotel busi- ness to H. F. Willis: worked from March to September, 1862, for E. L. Bar- rett, then rented from Hastings, and again, with Bar, ett, on one-half division of profits, to July, 1865. Then he again worked with Hastings on the basis of an interest, until Jan. 20, 1879, since which time he has been doing business as at present, under the name of J. D. Smith & Co., the company being his son- in-law, E. T. Thomas. He did Hastings' work, as of old, until the 15th of October. Mr. Smith now does the leading business in this line, and has all he and a full force of hands can do in new and enlarged quarters, corner of Main and Limestone streets. He is a member in good standing of Springfield Lodge, I. O. O. F., and member of the Royal Arcanum of Springfield, and one of Springfield's energetic and reliable citizens.
ANDREW SMITH, farmer and bee-keeper; P. O. Springfield. Mr. Smith lives one mile south of Springfield. on the Selma pike, where he devotes his attention to farming and the bee culture; he has at present an apiary of some seventy colonies: he has paid special attention to the culture of bees for the past twelve years, and is thoroughly conversant with all the minutiæ per- taining to the care of bees; he also makes a specialty of rearing Italian Queen bees, which he keeps both for his own use and for sale, and any one wishing to purchase either colonies of bees or Italian Queens will do well to call on Mr. Smith. You will not only find him a perfect gentleman, but honorable in his dealings. He was born in Fayette Co., Ohio, April 8, 1833, moved to Greene Co., Ohio, in 1837, with his parents, William H. and Maria A. (Vaughn) Smith.
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Andrew remained in said county until his removal to this county, in 1875; he was married April 12, 1855. to Rachael Baker, by whom four children were born -- William E., Jacob M .. John A. (deceased), and Mary J. Rachael was the daughter of Nayl and Huldah (Mills) Baker: she departed this life in 1865. The Millses were among the first settlers of Greene Co., Ohio. Mr. Smith was again married in 1866; this time to Mrs. Maria J. Baker, daughter of Lewis R. and Elizabeth Pardue, also the widow of Anthony Baker (deceased). . Mr. Smith's father was born in Ross Co., Ohio, and his mother in Virginia. An- drew served during the 100 days' service in the late rebellion. in the 154th O. V. I., and at the close of said service re-enlisted in the 110th O. V. I., and served to the end of the war; he was in Gen. Grant's army at the surrender of Gen. Lee.
CHARLES SMITH, carpenter, Springfield. Among the young men of Springfield, mention may be made of Charles Smith, son of Peter and Jane Smith; he was born in Pike Township, Clark Co., Aug. 4, 1852; his attention was devoted to his studies and the duties of the farm until he arrived at the age of 21 years, at which time he commenced an apprenticeship at the carpen- ter trade, and has given it bis attention until the present. On Nov. 23, 1876, he married Miss Florence Ream. daughter of Jesse and Adline Ream, by whom he had born to him two children, viz .: Gertrude, born Oct. 4, 1877, and Dearwood, born Feb. 16, 1879. He resided in Pike Township until Sept. 15, 1880, when he moved to Springfield; he and his wife are both members in good standing of the German Reformed Church.
GEORGE SPENCE, attorney at law, Springfield; is a native of Clark County and a representative of that class of men who have come up by their own exertions, from hard-working pioneer families, and he now occupies a leading position in this community; he is a son of William and Elizabeth (Wones) Spence, who emigrated from Yorkshire, Eng., about 1816, and was located at Cincinnati about two years, being engaged in the farming line: in the meantime had entered land in Pike Township, this county, to which he re- moved his family about 1818: he was an active, energetic man, raised a family of thirteen children, eight of whom were sons; he kept a store, dealt in stock, and carried on different business operations in connection with his farm, and became possessed of a large farm, which he handsomely improved; his death occurred in 1847, and his wife died in 1853. The subject of this sketch was born in Pike Township, May 22, 1828. By dint of energy and perseverance, he managed to obtain a fair education during his early youth, and being of a mathematical turn, at 17 he secured the position of Assistant County Surveyor, which he held several years; during the fall of 1845, he was severely injured by being caught in the "tumbling shaft" of a thresher horse-power, from which he has never fully recovered; he taught school the following winter and began to read Blackstone with a view to securing a profession which would not re- quire much manual labor, for which he was unfitted: the following year, he at- tended the spring term of the Springfield high school and continued his studies, teaching at intervals, and attending a course at Gundey & Bacon's Commercial Business and Law College at Cincinnati in the fall of 1847; afterward he read law in the office of Rogers & White, and was finally admitted to practice in the spring of 1850; in 1851. he opened a law office, where he has since continued to practice his profession. Mr. Spence has been identified with the growth and history of this city and county for upward of thirty years: took an active and leading part in establishing the street railway, and was a member of Council seven years. Mr. Spence is a Democrat in politics and thoroughly identified with his party in his city, county and State: he was a member of the Charleston Convention, in 1860, and the candidate of his party for State Treasurer in 1865; he mar-
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ried, July 3, 1855, Miss E. Jane Edmonson, of Dayton, who is related to the Bayard Taylor family, and is a lady of rare accomplishments. She has a well- earned reputation as a botanist, and has a large collection of skeletonized leaves and plants, which includes many rare specimens from different parts of the globe. From this union two children have been born; one son, George E., now a young man, survives. Mr. Spence's energy is a marked characteristic. and to this trait is largely due the success to which he has attained, in spite of his early disadvantages. In addition to his practice, which has been large for years past, he is recognized as one of the leading criminal lawyers of this por- tion of Ohio, and in the selection of juries, and pleading before a jury, he is considered almost invincible: his outside business has been extensive, and in 1862 he bought 40 acres of land west of the city, which he platted and im- proved, and this is now known as Spence's Addition to Springfield; his resi- dence is a part of this tract, fronts on High street, and is a handsome suburban property and pleasant home.
SAMUEL SPRECHER, D. D. LL. D., Professor of Systematic Theology, Springfield. We point with pride to this sketch, although so brief in detail; it represents the correct busy life of one of Wittenberg's oldest professors; one who has bravely stood at his post for thirty-two consecutive years; by his care- ful training, many of the noble young men, graduates of this institution, were developed in the philosopheal and theological branches and have made their names and reputations such as becomes those who have been educated carefully, by one who understands fully the requirements of all pertaining to this system, and through them additional luster has been thrown about our friend, Dr. Sprecher. His parents, Philip and Mary Sprecher, were born in Pennsylvania, and their parents were natives of Germany. Philip and Mary Sprecher were parents of twelve children, of whom Dr. Sprecher is the youngest. He was born in Washington Co., Md., Dec. 28, 1810; his father was a farmer, but fortunately for his son (the status of education being very low in the neighbor- hood), a schoolhouse was built on his father's farm; here the rudiments of an English education were gained: his desire for knowledge increased with his years, and many books were purchased with the spoils of the chase (he being an expert at trapping); at the age of 16, he engaged in the mercantile business; at 19, commenced an academic course, also a theological course in Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg. Penn. His first charge was Harrisburg, Penn., extending over a period of four years: in 1841, he took charge of Frey's Academy, at Middle town. Penn .; from 1843 to 1849, was Pastor of a church in Chambersburg, Penn. ; June 1, 1849, he was elected President of Wittenberg College, and also as- signed Professor of Theology and Mental Philosophy, which were continued until 1874, when he. resigned the Presidency and continued his Professorship in the same department until 1880; he is now Professor of Systematic Theol- ogy, and is the publisher of a treatise on the groundwork of Lutheran Theol- ogy, that is acknowledged by critics to be one of the best works of the kind ever published; he is now engaged in the compilation of another equally interesting and valuable work, a system of theology. Generations hence will have words of praise for the mind that has made the obscure path of theology plain as the noonday sun. To Dr. Sprecher is due the thanks of the people of our common country, who. devoting a long lifetime to the needs of rightly understanding this matter. and his works will be read over and over again long years after his form has passed from earth. but the brightness of his mind will thus be preserved for ages. His marriage to Miss Catharine, daughter of Rev. J. George Smoker. D. D., of York, Penn., and sister of Rev. S. S. Smoker, D. D., Principal of the Theo- logical Seminary at Gettysburg, Penn., was celebrated in 1836. Rev. J. G. Smoker was one of the most talented men of his day; his name was familiar to
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every member of the Lutheran Church in the United States; he was also the author of a number of important theological works. The children of Dr. and Mrs. Sprecher were ten in number; two, George, the eldest, and Isabella, an infant, are deceased; Samuel P. has charge of a church in Oakland, Cal .; Mary O., wife of C. K. Shunk, of Cincinnati; G. A. Sprecher is a physician of Cin- cinnati; C. S. Sprecher is minister at Ashland, Ohio; Laura C., wife of Charles E. Lewis, of St. Louis, Mo .; Luther M. is also engaged in the practice of law in Cincinnati; Elenora, wife of Frank P. Davidson, Principal of Northern Building Public Schools, Springfield, Ohio, and Edward, the youngest, is at- tending the school of pharmacy in Cincinnati, Ohio. The death of MIrs. Cath- arine Sprecher occurred Nov. 7, 1879; this was a severe blow to the doctor, from which he is yet not fully recovered; her presence was his greatest joy, and their lives were closely blended. We are glad to have an opportunity of perpetuat- ing. in the history of this county. the name of one who has done so much for the youth of our land, who one and inseparably revere his name.
CLAUDIUS J. STEUART, clerk, Springfield. He was born in Spring- field Dee. 20, 1863. Attended school until 11 years old, when he entered his father's store as clerk. He is a son of James D. and Alice Stenart. James D. is a son of Joseph C. and Nancy T. Steuart. He was born in Butler Co., Ohio, July 25, 1825; came to Clark County with his parents in 1934. They located three miles north of Springfield. In 1840, Joseph came and moved into town and opened a grocery on Main street, and continued the same until 1855. He was the first dealer that offered fresh oysters for sale in Springfield. His stock would consist of about two cans per week, and part of them would spoil before he could find sale for them, as the people then were not used to eating oysters. Joseph was a native of Pennsylvania; he died in 1876. His widow still sur- vives him; she is now in her 73d year. Of their nine children, all are living. James D. clerked in his father's store from 1840 to 1850, when he went to Cali- fornia. He was with the troops in the engagement of Col. Ormsby against the Black Snake and Flat-Head Indians. In 1860, he returned to Springfield and started a grocery, which he continued ever since. He was married, April S, 1858, to Alice Baker, daughter of George and Elizabeth Baker. They have four boys and two girls living, having lost two by death. Mrs. Stenart was born in England in 1840: she came to America in 1847. James D. was a mem- ber of the City Council twelve years, and Infirmary Director seventeen years. His beautiful brick house on North Limestone street stands on the lot where Humphrey Nichols, the noted counterfeiter, had his shop. in which he made his counterfeit money. Mr. S. has in his possession one of the dollars (made by Nichols) dated 1801, which he (Steuart) found when he was preparing to build.
CHARLES STEWART, farmer; P. O. Springfield. Mr. Stewart is one of the large land owners of Springfield Township, and engages largely in raising and feeding stock. He is the fifth child and fourth son of John T. and Auna (Elder) Stewart, and was born in Green Township, this county, July 17, 1825. The most of the Stewart children are living at present in Green Township. Charles has always lived in this county, and moved to the farm where he now lives in 1865, and built the fine large house in which he now resides in 1871 He was married, Feb. 16, 1554, to Isabell Jane Nichelson. daughter of Andrew and Rachel (Hammond) Nichelson. They had two children-John A. and Inez A. Inez died when quite young. Isabell. his wife died March 29. 1859. He was again married, March 23, 1865. this time to Jessie, daughter of John and Catharine (Blair) Mathewson. Catharine was born in Earl, Scotland, Oct. 27, 1844, and emigrated with her parents to America in 1852, and settled in Logan County, this State. With this union six children have been born -- Annette, April 21, 1866; Catharine Aun, April 16, 1868; William M., July 20, 1870;
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Mabel, Sept. 17. 1872; James B., Sept. 3, 1875, and died May 3, 1880; Jessie Bolle, Nov. 13, 1878. John T. (the father of Charles) and his brother, Samuel Stewart, came from Pennsylvania in 1806, and entered the land now owned by the Stewart family. Samuel was Captain of a company in the war of 1812, and was among the prisoners who surrendered under Gen. Hull. The account of said surrender can be found in the history of Ohio, which appears in this book. Mr. Charles S., familiarly known as Charley Stewart, is a gentleman in every sense of the word. He is of a generous and noble spirit, and his good wife is a lady of inestimable character.
HENRY STICKNEY, farmer; P. O. Springfield. Lives five miles east of Springfield, on his beautiful farm called " Walnut Hill." He was born Nov. 26, 1821, in a log cabin that stood near his present home. He was married, Nov. 11, 1851, to Isabell J. Baird, daughter of William D. and Sarah Baird. Their only children, William, James and Sarah Jane, are still living at home with their parents. William takes great delight in the breeding of fine hogs, of which he has some very fine ones. To Mrs. S. belongs the credit of planning and arranging their beautiful and convenient home. Mr. and Mrs. S. have been consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1850. John Millones, the father of Henry, was born in Yorkshire, England, in the year 1790, of poor parents, therefore had but few advantages and but few opportuni- ties, excepting the privilege of obtaining a good trade. His father being a blacksmith, John was initiated as apprentice in his father's shop, when so small as to require a block to enable him to reach the bellows handle or strike at the anvil. He continued this apprenticeship, assisting his father in maintaining the family until 26 years of age, when he (John) was united in wedlock with Sarah Cook, of the neighboring village. John, with his trade, a good constitution, an indomitable will, and a fixed purpose, and his wife's willing hands and $300, set out to battle for a fortune. He began business, first in one shop; and after a little while in two shops, which stood some distance apart, working in each alternate days; walking from one to the other. Providence smiled upon their endeavors, and when having acquired sufficient money to carry them to the new world, they resolved to live no longer under kingly rule, but would embark for the land of the free, which they did in the spring of 1819, with their off- spring-John. Harriet and George, also grandmother Cook, who was 80 years old. After a voyage of eleven weeks, they landed at New York, where they took the boat for Philadelphia, and then by wagon over the mountains to Wheeling, where they and another family purchased a flat-boat and proceeded down the Ohio River. On arriving at Cincinnati, they found teams (that had brought cheese to the city from Clark Co., Ohio), which conveyed them to Clark County, the long-desired haven. After a short rest, Mr. S. began to ply his trade in a low shanty, which stood over a mile from his home. As was the custom in England, he asked permission of his neighbors to walk to and from his shop across their fields, which excited a smile among them. In the spring of 1820, he bought 160 acres of land at $4 per acre, on which he built and occupied a house and shop the same year. Mr. S. now began to supply a need much felt in the neighborhood, that of axes, mattocks and irons for large breaking-plows .. Also the iron work for flour and saw mills, which he wrought by hand. He furnished the iron work for three different mills on Beaver Creek. between the years 1823 and 1532. Said mills were destroyed by fire, and new ones have been erected in their stead. In the year 1835, Mr. S. bought 70 acres more land at $7 per acre: and, in 1836, 160 acres more of Humphrey Nichols, the noted counterfeiter. Jolin and his wife Sarah by this time began to realize that they had failed the Scripture injunction, "Seek first the kingdom, etc.," but sought an earthly inheritance. So in 1837, they sought diligently to secure a
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title to a better and more enduring inheritance, and identified themselves with the M. P. Society. Afterward for convenience to church, changed their mem- bership to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and devoted the evening of life in preparing for that change which is certain to come to all mankind, which came to John Stickney March 6, 1850, and to Sarah, his wife, April 17, 1867, in the 8-1th year of her age. Of their children, but two are now living -- Henry Stickney and Mrs. M. A. Whiteley.
FRANK P. STONE, civil engineer and County Surveyor, Springfield. Mr. Stone is the son and only child of Nathaniel F. Stone, who is a native of Vermont, and came to Ohio in 1828, and located in Dayton, where he married Francis G. Prentis, who was a native of New Hampshire. Subsequently Mr. Stone resided in Greene County, near the Clark County line, and, since 1850, has been a resident of this city, now in the. 82d year of his age. His first wife died in 1834, when F. P. was but 18 months old, and Mr. Stone subsequently married Mrs. Maria Bates, daughter of Gen. Benjamin Whiteman, a sketch of whose life appears in "Howe's Ohio Collections." Mr. Stone has been actively connected with the business of Springfield; was one of the constituent members of its first organization, of what is now the First National Bank. and is now and has since been a Director. He opened an agricultural and seed and iron store bere in connection with W. S. Field in 1851. They were succeeded by Rice & Co. in 1864, since which he has been retired from active business pur- snits. The subject of this sketch received a rudimentary education in the pub- lic school, and graduated at Urbana University. Springfield became his home in 1844, and has been since. although he was absent most of the time until 1866, having been engaged as engineer on different railroads and other impor- tant public enterprises. His first engineer work of public importance was in connection with the construction of the C., P. & I. (now a part of the Panhandle Line) in 1551. In 1857. he made the survey and located the Sioux City Rail- road. and was engaged on similar work with other roads until 1862. when he entered the United States service in the same department and continued until " the close of the war. In 1866, he was connected with the construction of the Union Pacific. after which, in the same year, he opened an office here in Spring- field, and. although he has since operated on different lines of railroads, he has had an office here continuously. In 1878, he was appointed County Surveyor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Chandler Robbins, Jr., and was elected to the same office the following year. He has been actively identified with the construction of each of the lines of railways now in Clark County, except the Springfield Southern, and is the present County Surveyor in conec- tion with which by the employment of help, he does a considerable amount of civil engineering.
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