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BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio
with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men.
 
Chicago:  L. H. Watkins & Co., 
1887

For Reference: Noble County was formed in 1851

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  GEORGE A. SMITH, who for many years was one of the prominent business men and financiers of Caldwell, was born in Olive Township in 1835.  His father, Shobul Smith, came from Martha's Vineyard in 1817, and was one of the pioneers of the county.  George A. was for a number of years a merchant in Dexter City.  In 1873 he was elected county treasurer, and the year following came to Caldwell.  In 1878 he became the cashier of the Noble County National Bank, which position he retained until ill-health obliged him to retire
Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887

Wm. Smithberger
WILLIAM SMITHBERGER was born in the Rhine province of Prussia, Sept. 12, 1825.  He was the youngest child of Johannes and Anna Maria Smithberger.  He had three brothers: Nicholas, John and Peter, and three sisters:  Elizabeth, Catharine and Margaret.  His mother died when he was six years old.  In 1840 his father emigrated to the United States.  All the children, except Nicholas came with him.  They came to Pittsburgh about the 1st of August, William being at this time fourteen years of age.  In the same year he was apprenticed by his father for a term of three years to James and John Smith, machinists, of Pittsburgh; after serving about nine months he learned that a machinist must have considerable capital to set up a shop of his own; that there were other trades fully as lucrative and which required much less capital; he therefore engaged with a cabinet-maker, who failed seven weeks after, his employes losing their wages.  In the meantime his father had charge of a flock of sheep belonging to a Mr. Spriggs, who had a slave plantation near Wheeling, W. Va.  William visited his father, who advised him to go to Elk Township, Monroe County, Ohio, at which place his father owned eighty acres of land, which he had entered some time before at the government land office.  The following spring he came to Ohio, as did his father, brother John and a sisterWilliam helped to fell the first tree and assisted in building a dwelling-house; "then came hard times," says Mr. Smithberger.  "Brother John and I often carried a half bushel of corn to a mill located three miles from us, and ground it by hand.  In our straitened circumstances corn bread was a luxury."  During the first year on the farm, John married, and William, not liking the rough life afforded by the backwoods, begged his father to allow him to go back to Pittsburgh; permission being granted, he engaged in the city with Harmer Dennie, as gardener.  One day, while walking along the street, he met his old boss of the machine-shop, to whom he had been apprenticed, and endeavored to pass him without attracting his notice; but it seems toe recognition was mutual, for coming up he accosted William, inquiring where he had been and what he was doing.  William made a clean breast of it, recounted his wanderings and hardships, and finally consented, after many solicitations, to go back to the shop; here he remained till 1847.  In the spring of 1847 he entered into partnership in the retail grocery trade with his brother-in-law, Jacob Rothfuchs, the firm being Rothfuchs & Smithberger, on the corner of Seventh and Smithfield streets, Pittsburgh, and continued in the business till 1853.  In May, 1849, he married Terrece Fauth, by whom he ahs twelve children: William G., married Catharine Burkhart, is a farmer and resides in Elk Township, Noble County; Anthony, married Mary Epler, lives in Monroe County, and is a farmer; Terrece married Peter Zwick, a Monroe County farmer; Justina married Matthias Zilles, Apr. 12, 1887, a merchant of Lebanon, Monroe County; Thomas J. is in Dakota; Isadore married Terrece Burkhart, is a farmer of Noble County; Adaline A., Martha M., Edward W., John S., Alexander D. and Gregory are still at home.  In 1853, on account of failing health, Mr. Smithberger was advised to move on a farm; accordingly in 1853 he came to the farm upon which he has since resided, clearing the land and adding fine improvements as circumstances made it possible, until it is now one of the best improved farms in the township.  He began packing tobacco in 1861, and has handled about seventy-five hogsheads a year, and has now on hand some $5,000 worth.  He has nearly six hundred acres of good agricultural lands, mostly in Noble County, on which are three good dwelling-houses, besides barns, tobacco-houses and numerous other outbuildings necessary to carry on his business and in which to store his grain; he has been engaged in merchandising since 1874; he has a good store-room filled with a fine selection of goods.
     Mr. Smithberger is a member of the Catholic church.  He took an active part in building the Catholic church near Harriettsville, contributing liberally of his means to this purpose and in support of its society.  In politics he is a Democrat.  The esteem in which he is held by the people of Elk Township is evidenced by the numerous positions of trust they have conferred upon him, viz.:  School director and member of the board of education since 1858, township trustee, twice clerk of the township, treasurer of the township for five years, assessor of personal property for two terms, and land appraiser of the township in 1870, and justice of the peace for thirty years.
     His has been a busy and useful life.  A poor boy, without money and without influential friends, by his energy, industry and perseverance he has overcome the many difficulties to prosperity, and attained not only with but the respect and confidence of his fellow-men, and now, seated under his own vine and figtree, he dispenses a free-handed hospitality to all.
Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887~ Page 528 (Portrait)
  DR. JOHN BELTON SPARLING, son of Wyndham Sparling, of Sparling, of Marion Township, was born in Ireland, and graduated as a surgeon in that city.  On obtaining his diploma in 1851, he went as surgeon of Her Majesty's vessel, carrying Sir John McDonald as governor to Sierra Leon.  He landed at Charleston, S. C., and came thence to his father's where he soon had a large practice.  Falling into the temptation of drink, a career that might have been useful and brilliant was ruined.  He was probably the best read physician ever in this county.  He died in April, 1868, leaving a family of five young children.
Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887
  EDWARD P. SULLIVAN, one of the representative business men of the county, was born near Clarksburg, Harrison County, Va., Sept. 22, 1829.  His father, Strawther Sullivan, was an industrious mechanic.  By two marriages he had a family of ten children, whom he supported by daily labor.  At the age of eleven years Edward met with that irreparable loss, the death of his mother.  After her death he was apprenticed to a shoemaker.  His master was exacting and severe, and the apprenticeship of the boy was attended with many hardships and struggles.  At the age of sixteen, having acquired his trade, he began life as a journeyman shoemaker in his native town.  About 1848 his father died, and the support of the family devolved upon him, and four four years he was their entire support.  His stepmother marrying again he was relieved from his position as head of the family.  Up to this time his life had been replete with poverty and privation, without education, except what he received in the school of observation and experience, and with little prospect of either social or business preferment, life seemed to be shorn of its pleasures, but despite the obstacles which beset his way, he was determined to better his condition in life and to conquer success at any cost.  Soon an opportunity was offered to engage in business.  A gentleman by the name of Joseph L. Robinson, an uncle of John W. Robinson, of Louisville, Ky., proposed to furnish the capital ($100) for the establishment of a shoe store, Edward to take charge of the business.  The offer was eagerly accepted, and from this time he began to prosper.  The co-partnership existed for about three years, in which time he accumulated $750, a sum that seemed to him a competency.  With his little fortune he came to Middleburg, where a brother, Dexter W., had already settled.  Deeming it a good location he returned to Virginia, closed up his business and returned to Middleburg, where he remained for seventeen years.  By industry and close attention to business he soon became forehanded, and he began to take a conspicuous position among the business men of the county.  In 1872 he came to Dexter City, where he engaged in merchandising, in which he has since been successfully engaged.  The life of Mr. Sullivan can justly be termed a successful one.  Reared in poverty, without education, his way was so obstructed that one less resolute would have given up in despair.  His career evidences the inevitable result of perseverance, industry and integrity.  While Mr. Sullivan has obtained a well-won competency he has also been successful in the building of an enviable reputation, and it is but just to say that but few, if any, stand higher in the public esteem.  He has been called at different times to the occupancy of positions of trust and responsibility.  In 1861 he was elected county commissioner and upon the expiration of his term was re-elected.  For over twenty years he has been the village magistrate.  In his political convictions he is a Republican; originally, however, he was a Democrat, but the issues involved in the war placed him in the Republican ranks.  He is a Methodist in religious belief, and a patron of all charitable and religious enterprises.  During the war he took an active part in forwarding any war measures, and his time and money were always at his command.  Four of his brothers, Dexter W., Isaac, Ebenezer and William A., were Union soldiers.  The last three gave up their lives in defense of the cause.  Mr. Sullivan has been twice married, to Miss Amanda Humiston, of Washington County, Ohio.  By the first union there was one child, Cora M. (Mugrage); by the second, two: Mattie C. and Ernest E.
Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887 - Pages 543-544
  DR. REUBEN P. SUMMERS was born in Fayette County, Pa., in 1818.  In 1822 he came to Ohio with his parents.  His father was a prominent farmer in Harrison County, where he died in 1856.  He reared a family of four children.  Reuben P. Summers passed his early life on the farm, receiving a good common-school education.  At the age of twenty he began the study of medicine under Dr. Enoch Thomas, of New Athens.  On removing to Summerfield he began the practice of his profession, in which he was highly successful; but owning to ill-health he abandoned his practice and began the mercantile business.  During the war he was engaged in the manufacture of woolen goods.  From 1865 to 1871 he was a tobacco merchant.  In 1871 he came to Caldwell, and engaged in the boot, shoe and leather trade which he still follows.  He married Violet A., daughter of Alexander Franklin.  He is the father of five sons and six daughters. He is a Republican in politics, and in early years was connected with the Underground Railroad movement.
Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887

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