The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 122

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076

USA > Ohio > Hardin County > The history of Hardin county, Ohio > Part 122

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AGNEW WELSH, editor, Ada, is a son of G. H. Welsh, a prosperous farmer on the beautiful plains of Crawford County, and was born in April, 1856, near Bucyrus, Ohio. Receiving a fair common school education, he became a student of the Ada Normal School, August, 1875, and remained in school two and one-half years. He then clerked in a clothing store for

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nearly a year, and in January, 1879, purchased of J. H. Kemerer the "Peo- ple's Normal Book Store," which then occupied but a small room. Desir- ous of enlarging his stock and business, he bought and fitted up a com- modious room, into which he moved his stock and enjoyed a good trade. In July, 1880, he married Miss Cora E. Houfstater, of Plymouth, Ohio, and in the same month of the following year a destructive fire burned up Mr. Welsh's and a large number of other stores. Having saved the larger part of the stock, he sold it to A. M. West & Co., and purchased the Ada Record of E. L. Millar, and has since continued in the newspaper business, fitting up a first class office. Mr. Welsh says his life has been busy but. uneventful.

E. E. WILLIAMS, merchant, Ada, was born in Richland (now Ashland) County, Ohio, April 13, 1831. He is a son of Joseph B. and Margaret (Huston) Williams, natives of Westmoreland County, Penn., and of Irish descent. Joseph Williams, who was a farmer, brought up his son on the farm, allowing him an education at the graded schools of Ashland County. Our subject chose to be a merchant, and after clerking for a short time, he opened in the dry goods business for himself at Newville, Ohio, where he remained for nine years, and then went to Ashland for two years, and afterward moved west to Illinois, purchasing a farm of 160 acres, on which he remained till 1865. On leaving Illinois, he proceeded to Lima, Ohio, where he remained for a year, and finally moved to Ada and embarked in the dry goods business in company with Peter Ahlefeld. In Ada, Mr. Williams has run several stores with continued success; he owns a farm of about eighty acres, and is agent for the Lake Erie & Western Railroad land. In 1855, Mr. Williams married Caroline Grove, and now has seven chil- dren, viz., Carrie Annette, Grove H., James E., Marilla E., Lone, Cal and Guy Clinton. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are both members of the Presbyte- rian Church. Mr. Williams is a Democrat and is a noted member of the Odd Fellows society.

D. J. WOOD, contractor, Ada, was born April 5, 1842, in Muskingum County, Ohio. He is a son of Samuel and Rebecca (Jones) Wood, the for- mer of English descent and a native of Virginia, the latter of Irish descent and a native of Ohio. His father was a Commissioner for fifteen years and died in 1873. Our subject was reared on his father's farm, and attended the common schools of Liberty Township, Hardin County, Ohio. He is the eighth of a family of ten, all of whom lived up to the time the youngest was thirty-two years old; seven are now alive, and are residing in Hardin and Hancock Counties. In 1862, our subject enlisted in the Twenty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company K. He was in the battle of Stone River, and was honorably discharged at the end of his term. He now deals in hard- wood and lumber, and formerly was running a saw mill in Hardin County. In 1866, in Allen County, he married Miss Mary J. Rayl, a daughter of Jo- seph and Sarah (Lawbach) Rayl, both of German descent. They have four children-William H., Samuel J., Frank J. and Silas W. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are members of the Baptist Church, in which the former is a Deacon and Trustee. Mr. Wood was Councilman of Ada and is a member of the Odd Fellows, Ada Lodge, No. 427. In politics, he is a Republican.

S. H. WOOD, farmer, P. O. Ada, was born September 20, 1848, in Muskingum County, Ohio. He is a son of Samuel and Rebecca (Jones) Wood, both natives of Virginia and of English descent. His father came to this county in 1851 and settled in Liberty Township, where he followed farming. Our subject, the youngest of a family of ten, six of whom were

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girls, spent his youth on the farm, attending the common schools. He left his father's farm at the age of nineteen years, and has since been following farming. In 1870, he married Miss Mathilda Rayl, of Allen County, a daughter of Joseph and Sarah Rayl. They have five children, viz., Sarah R., Ira A., Mary E., James R. and Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Wood are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, he is a Repub- lican.

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JOHN S. ALLEN, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Pleasant Town- ship, Hardin County, Ohio, May 21, 1836. His parents were Abel H. and Rebecca (Mackey) Allen; the former a native of Hardy County, Va., born November 7, 1803, and the latter a native of Franklin County, Ohio, born July 12, 1810. They moved to Hardin County in 1833, and settled two miles east of Kenton, where Mr. Allen entered 100 acres of land. All was wild forest, and not a house marked the site of the city of Kenton. He cleared his farm, added forty acres, and in 1852, sold; then bought eighty acres in the same township, and 125 acres in Buck Township. He died December 24, 1873, and in 1876 his widow removed to Kenton. Of the eight children born to them six are living. The subject of this sketch was the eldest member, and was reared on the homestead, aiding in clearing up the land. On October 16, 1860, he was married to Isabella S., daughter of Henry G. Johnson, and born in Logan County, Ohio, September 11, 1838. They have three children-Edith L., born September 14, 1861; Hallie C., born September 22, 1866, and Tressie B., born December 3, 1875. Edith L. is the wife of Henry Bishop. Mr. Allen located on his present farm November 13, 1860, and owns 120 acres of land, and also gave his daugh- ter, Edith L Bishop, a farm of fifty-six acres. He is engaged in farm- ing and stock-raising, and had marked success in exhibiting his fine stock at the fairs. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and in politics he is a Republican.

ENOS H. ALLEN, farmer, P. O. Kenton, is the second son of Abel H. and Rebecca Allen, and was born in Pleasant Township, Hardin County, Ohio, December 25, 1843. He was raised on a farm and remained on the homestead until he married. In 1864, he enlisted in Company A, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Regiment of the Ohio National Guards, but was subsequently transferred to Company G, of the same regiment. He served in the Shenandoah Valley, and took part in the skirmish with Gen. Early's troops at John Brown's Schoolhouse. He was discharged August 1, 1864. On December 24, 1868, he was married to Susan A. Lee, widow of Lewis Lee, and daughter of Alexander and Grace Morrison. Mrs. Allen was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 4, 1846, and had one child by her former husband -Princess A., born August 1, 1864. Mr. Allen had charge of his father's farm from 1868 to 1874, when his father gave him 125 acres of land, and he located on it the same year. He now owns 227 acres, 101 of which are located in Goshen Township. Mr. Allen is engaged in farming and rearing thoroughbred short-horn cattle, Southdown and Spanish merino sheep. He is a regular exhibitor at the Hardin County fairs, and is now serving his second term as member of the Agricultural

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Board. He and his wife are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, he is a Republican; has served twice as Township Trustee, and is a man of public spirit and enterprise.

ABE BAKER, farmer, P O. Kenton, was born in Kenton, Ohio, March 6, 1841, and is a son of Levi and Sarah (Delp) Baker. His father was born in Virginia, June 5, 1812; his mother in Pennsylvania, October 1, 1818. They were married in Seneca County, Ohio, in October, 1836, where their parents had moved in the year 1834. In 1840, Levi Baker and fam- ily came to Kenton, soon after removed on a farm, and in 1845 came to . Buck Township, where he lived on the Mentzer farm until 1848, when he removed to the Price farm, and finally, in 1859, settled on the farm now owned by our subject. He died at the last-named place in June, 1861. He had cleared fifty-two acres of land which he had purchased on first com- ing to the township. For twenty years he belonged to the Methodist Epis- copal Church. Of the nine children he had six are living. The subject of this sketch is the eldest and only son living. He was reared on a farm, and assisted his father in clearing up the farm. On November 7, 1861, he en- listed in Company B, Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry; served on the Potomac until 1863, when he was transferred to the Cumberland Army. He fought at Gettysburg under McDowell; was detailed as wagon master, in which position he remained until the close of the war. He was with Sherman in the Atlanta campaign and on the march to the sea, and received his discharge July, 1865. On his return home he engaged in farm- ing. On July 12, 1866, he was married to Louisa E., daughter of David and Rebecca Cline, and a native of Fairfield County, Ohio, born January 5, 1847. Five children blessed this union-Rebecca P., Clara B., Otis F., Loretta R. and Lester A. Mr. Baker and his wife attend the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. In politics, Mr. Baker is a Democrat, and has never held office. He is occupied in farming and stock-raising, making Po- land-China hogs a specialty of the latter.

DANIEL W. BENTON, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, August 10, 1832. His parents are Elias and Elizabeth J. (Caldwell) Benton. Daniel is the youngest son of six children, three sons and three daughters. He remained on the homestead till of age, and edu- cated at the common schools, Mount Pleasant Academy, at Kingston, Ohio, and also Kenyon College, at Gambier, Ohio. When nineteen years of age, he began teaching, and during the winters of the three years following, taught in Pickaway and Fairfield Counties. He subsequently took up farming, and has pursued that occupation ever since. In November of 1857, he accompanied his parents to Hardin County, located one mile north of Kenton, but sold out in August, 1859, and came to Buck Township. He purchased 212 acres of his present farm, which he has since cleared and ini- proved. On September 18, 1855, he was married to Harriet M., a daugh- ter of Henry and Sarah (Winters) Wharton, of Clermont County, Ohio. Mr. Wharton was an itinerant minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty years. He traveled over Southern Ohio and Virginia, and aided in organizing pioneer churches. He died September 14. 1864. at the age of sixty years. Mrs. Wharton was born August 30, 1809, and now resides in Delaware, Ohio. Mrs. Benton was born in Ross County, Ohio, February 9, 1836, and has reared six children out of a family of eight -- Henry Wil- lard, born May 10, 1857; Elias, born April 11, 1859, died December 29, 1859; William Horace, born January 14, 1861, died August 18, 1864; Guy Potter, born May 26, 1865; Clarence Daniel, born September 16, 1868;

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Eva Maria, born October 17, 1870; Mary Elizabeth, born November 10, 1873, and Sarah Marguerite, born May 27, 1877. Henry Willard graduat- ed from the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1881; also graduated from the Cincinnati Law School, May, 1883, and is now practicing law in Minneapo- lis, Minn. Guy Potter is a Sophomore in the Ohio Wesleyan University. Mr. Benton owns 340 acres of well-improved land, and gives some of his attention to raising thoroughbred Spanish merino sheep. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and his wife and children of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He has been a member of the Board of Infirmary Directors for three years, and was Township Treasurer and Clerk one year each. He has been County Agent of Hardin County Grange, with which he has been prominently indentified since its organization.

EARHART BLOOM, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Hesse, Ger- many, September 14, 1818, and is a son of Michael and Barbara (Calip) Bloom, who were natives of the same place. His mother died when he was six years old, and in 1833, he emigrated with his father to the United States, settling near Shellsburg, Penn., thence moving the following year to Tiffin, Ohio His father died there the same year, 1834, leaving five children, two of whom also died that year. John died in 1839, leaving Andrew and our subject the only survivors. The former is a resident of Tiffin, Ohio. Our subject is the youngest child, and was reared principally on a farm. In 1841, he began working at molding in a foundry in Tiffin, and staid here three years. In October of 1844, he came to Kenton, built a foundry, and was the first in Hardin County to make a plow; it was cast. on the evening of the 3d of May, 1845. In 1856, he erected his present foundry, and remained in the business until June of 1877, employing at. the commencement, eight hands, and closing with a force of fifteen hands. He manufactured plows and machinery, and kept a general repair shop. His foundry cost him about $4,000 and is situated on the corner of Main and North streets. The property is still owned by him, but he retired from the business in June, 1877. In February, 1879, he removed to his farm of 213 acres of land which he had purchased in 1864 and 1865. His brick residence was erected in 1879, at a cost of $3,000. He was married, April 18, 1844, to Julia A., daughter of Lewis and Louise Faulhaver. Ten chil- dren resulted from this union, four living, viz. : John B., Matilda, Callie L., wife of David Newcomb, and Lewis P. Mr. Bloom's family attend the Presbyterian Church. In politics, he is a Democrat; has held the office of Township Trustee for four years; has been a member of the School Board for three years, and of the City Council six years. He helped to found the savings bank, of which he was a stockholder, and, with J. S. Robinson, built the first two miles and a half of pike ever made in Hardin County. He owns 213 acres of land besides the foundry buildings and town proper- ty, all secured by his own energy and exertion.

DWIGHT CALHOUN, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Litchfield County, Conn., July 4, 1823. His parents were Justus Truman and Lucy (Hitchcock) Calhoun, both natives of the same county. His mother was born April 23, 1790, and died in Troy, Ohio, December 31, 1867. Justus Truman Calhoun was born January 1, 1789, and was the son of Truman and Mary Calhoun, natives of Washington, Conn. The former was born in 1770, the latter in 1773. Truman's father, George Calhoun, with five brothers, Calvin, John, Joseph, James and Reuben, served in the Revolu- tionary war, and settled in Washington, Conn. The descendants of Reu- ben, Burr and Abel are the only representatives of the family now living

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in Connecticut. Justus Truman Calhoun, the father of our subject, re- moved with his family to Delaware County, Ohio, in 1833, settling in Berk- shire Township, where he purchased a farm, and occupied it until his death, on October 5, 1848. He and his wife were the parents of five children, four living-Henry, a Presbyterian minister of Ironton, Ohio; Mary J., wife of Elijah W. Fenton, of Iowa City, Towa; Dwight, our subject, and Lucy A., widow of John W. Weiser. Justus Truman Calhoun died October 5, 1848. The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, and educated at East Blendon Institute. At the age of sixteen, he engaged in teaching, and followed it during the winters, until 1859. He was married, October 29," 1848, to Elizabeth J., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Monnett) Caldwell, the former a native of Huntingdon County, Penn., and the latter of Picka- way County, Ohio. Mr. Caldwell was born in the year 1800, and his wife in 1805. Mrs. Calhoun was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, February 23, 1829, and has blessed her husband with six daughters, five living, viz .: Anna E., wife of Robert McCurdy, of Kenton, Ohio; Myra J., wife of D. W. Longfellow, of Minneapolis, Minn .; Henrietta, Bessie Monnett, and Helen D. The eldest, Emma M. (deceased), was for several years a mis- sionary to the Indians. Of the six children, Emma, Anna, Myra and Hen- rietta were educated in the Western Seminary at Oxford, Ohio. In 1859, Mr. Calhoun removed to his present location in Buck Township. He is a member of the Episcopal Church. He takes an active interest in Sabbath schools, having been Superintendent for thirty years in different schools. Mr. Calhoun devoted his attention for several years to keeping Italian bees, and was the first person to introduce them in Hardin County. Emma Maria, the eldest daughter, was born in Berkshire, Delaware Co., Ohio, March 27, 1850. In early childhood, she exhibited those beautiful traits of character which were so greatly developed in her maturer years of Christian life and work. She received her early training in the union schools of Kenton. When fifteen years of age, she taught her first school on the Bellefontaine pike, near her home. Her strong desire to do good prompted her to organize a Sabbath school in the schoolhouse, and, with outside as- sistance, the enterprise proved a success. She continued an active worker for some time. Being anxious to obtain an education requisite for mission work, she went to Troy, Ohio, in the spring of 1868, and continued her studies with her uncle, Rev. Henry Calhoun, preparatory to entering the seminary at Oxford, Ohio. The following fall she entered on a course in that institution, and graduated in 1871. She then became a teacher in the union schools of Evansville, Ind. In the spring of 1872, she returned home, and, October 8, 1872, started for Yankton Agency, Dak., to assume the duties of assistant teacher to Rev. J. P. Williamson. She taught En- glish, while studying the language of the Dakota Indians, in which she be- came vory proficient. In 1874, she returned to Kenton, bringing an Indian boy to be educated by the Presbyterian Church. On account of ill health he was obliged to return to his tribe, and soon after died. Miss Calhoun returned after a brief visit, and February 15, 1876, was married to Rev. C. L. Hall, formerly of New York City, then a missionary at Springfield, Dak. The same spring the two devoted missionaries went to Fort Berthold, 1,000 miles up the Missouri River, and devoted their Christian work to 2,000 In - dians, remnants of the once powerful tribes of Mandans, Arickarees and Gros Ventres. In 1877, they visited her parents and were accompanied on their return by Myra J., a sister of Mrs. Hall, who became a mission teacher for three years. In 1879, Mrs. Hall attended the annual mission

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meeting at Brown Earth Dak., and addressed the meeting in the Sioux lan- guage. She was probably the first of her sex to address the Indians in their native tongue. Mrs. Hall was an earnest and devout missionary, and devoted her entire womanhood to the cause of advancing Christianity and enlightening the Indians of the far West. After nine years of missionary usefulness, unsurpassed by any of her sex, she died at the post of duty, April 17, 1881, leaving two children. She was buried by the side of her oldest boy, Harry, who died July 17, 1878.

CORNELIUS CHAMBERLIN, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Monroe County, N. Y., March 30, 1825. He is a son of David and Hannah (Bridge) Chamberlin, of New York State. His paternal grandfather was an officer in the Revolution, and died in New York. Our subject's parents were married in their native State, whence they emigrated in 1837, and set- tled in Taylor Creek Township, Hardin County, Ohio. Mr. Chamberlin bargained for 200 acres of land at $2.50 an acre; after paying a part, the title proved void, and the land was taken away after his decease. He died in November, 1838; his widow followed him in May, 1865. They were the parents of twelve children, five living. The subject of this sketch was the sixth child and second son. He was brought up on a farm and obtained a fair education from the common schools. When fourteen years of age, he began working out by the month for a period of ten years. On November 18, 1846, he was married to Miss Catharine Irwin, born in Logan County, Ohio, October 20, 1828, and a daughter of Michael and Mary Irwin. When eight years of age, she came with her parents to Union County, Ohio. Mr. Chamberlin and his wife are the parents of ten children, viz .: William A., Alice (wife of John L. Collins), Charles E., Stephen A., Martin V., Clara, John and Henry. James and Jennie are deceased. Jennie was the wife of Henry Mccullough, and at her decease left two children-Ora C. and Asa. In 1857, Mr. Chamberlin located on his present farm, which consisted originally of 110 acres. He has since cleared the land, and has acquired 163 acres of land, all well cultivated. When he was married, he had but $15, and all that he has since obtained has been due to his industry and enterprise. In 1864, he enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was discharged in June, 1865. He served principally in Tennessee, under Gen. Thomas, and was in the battle of Nashville. At the Jast named place, he contracted a sickness, and was confined at the post hospital of that town, He and his wife are mem- bers of the United Brethren Church. In politics, Mr. Chamberlin is a Republican, and has never held public office.

JAMES M. CHAVIS, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Meck- lenburgh County, Va., May 17, 1813. His father, William Chavis, was born February 22, 1776, his mother September 11, 1784, both of Mecklenburgh County, Va. They were married in January, 1806. His mother's maiden name was Priscilla Drew. His grandfather, Jacob Chavis, served all through the war of the Revolution ; he died in his native place. The father of our subject was drilled for the war of 1812, but was not called in active service. He died in Virginia January, 1848 ; his wife died in September, 1867. They had nine children, two living. The sub- ject of this sketch was reared in Clarksville, Va., and when seventeen years old commenced a four years' apprenticeship at the wheelwright trade with his father. When of age, he worked at his trade in his native place, fol- lowed it until 1857, then sold out and came to Pickaway County, Ohio. He farmed there by renting until 1864, when he removed to Hardin Coun-

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ty, bought eighty-five acres of his farm, which he has since cleared and im- proved. In 1867, he purchased sixty-five acres for his son Alexander. He was married, December 17, 1835, to Nancy, daughter of Archer and Jane Stewart, and a native of Mecklenburgh County, Va., born October 1, 1811. Her grandfather served in the Revolution, under Gen. Washington, and died in Virginia. Mr. Chavis and his wife had ten children, three living- Alexander R., Matilda and Drury. Alexander enlisted at Circleville, Ohio, September 14, 1864, in Company E, Forty-fourth Ohio. Volunteer Infantry, was transferred to Company E, of the Sixteenth United States Colored Troops, and served in the Army of the Cumberland. He was on garrison duty, principally, and was honorably discharged September 14, 1865, at Chattanooga. He then returned home and engaged in farming. He was married, in July, 1860, to Mary Davis, and had nine children, six sons and three daughters-Inez J., William H., Martha A., James A., Enos E., Orin, Laura A., Horton and Clark.

JOHN L. CLARK, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Logan County, Ohio, October 16, 1835, and is a son of Alvan and Mary (Laughlin) Clark. His father was born in Beaver County, Penn., March 5, 1809, and his mother in Erie County, Penn., March 3, 1809. Their parents had removed to Guernsey County, Ohio, during the early settlements of that State. Al- van Clark's parents were Thomas B. and Nancy Clark. The latter died in Guernsey County, Ohio, leaving a family of five children, and Mr. Clark subse- quently remarried and in 1832 removed to Logan County. He had five children by his second wife. He died in 1851, aged seventy-one years. Our subject's maternal grandparents were John and Deborah Laughlin, also Pennsylvanians, who removed to Guernsey County, Ohio, prior to the war of 1812. The father of our subject was married, in 1834, in Guernsey County, whence he removed in the fall of the same year. He died there on the farm of his settlement, August 10, 1878. Mrs. Clark died September 18, 1881. They had six children, three living, of whom our- subject is the eldest. The subject of this sketch was reared on the homestead, and edu- cated at the academy in Washington, Guernsey County, Ohio. On leaving school, he engaged in buying and shipping stock, in which business he re- mained for ten years. In October, 1861, he enlisted in Company D, Six- ty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served in the eastern division. He fought in the battle of Port Republic. He was a member of the band of engineers, from which he was discharged by order of the Secretary of War August 4, 1862. On May 10, 1864, he was enrolled as First Lieutenant of Company C, One Hundred and Thirty-second Ohio National Guards, and was engaged on garrison duty in Virginia. He received honorable dis- charge at Columbus, Ohio, in September, 1864. His father also served in the late war ; in September, 1861, he recruited Company D, of the Sixty- sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was Captain of Company D, of the same regiment. He was discharged, on account of disability, in October, 1862, and died from troubles contracted in the service. His son, Robert S., was a member of Company C, One Hundred and Thirty-second Regiment Ohio National Guards. Our subject, on his return from the war, lived in Logan County, Ohio, until 1876, when he purchased and set- tled on 220 acres of land in Buck Township, Hardin County. He has since been occupied in farming and stock-raising. He was married, January 15, 1867, to Elsie J., a daughter of William and Martha Ritchey, and born in Logan County, Ohio, February 11, 1844. Mr. and Mrs. Clark are the par- ents of five children, viz. : William B., Alvan L., Walter.H., James P. and

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The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 122

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1076

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076