|
BIOGRAPHIES
The following biographies are extracted from:
Source:
The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
By Henry Holcomb Bennett
Published by S. A. Brant, Madison, Wis.,
1902
< CLICK HERE TO
RETURN TO THE 1917 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
<
CLICK HERE to RETURN to LIST OF BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES & HISTORIES
>
| |
ADAM HAMM is a native of
Seneca county, Ohio, where he was born March 1, 1855.
His father, Valentine Hamm, was born in Germany
and emigrated with his wife to Ohio about 1845. He
settled at first in Seneca county, where he had taken a
lease, and there he lived for some twelve years.
In 1857 he removed to Ross county and located in
Huntington township, where he purchased a farm of 300
acres. The children born of the first
marriage were Hartman J., of Chillicothe;
Sophia, wife of R. Shiller; Adam,
Frederick and Martin, the two last living in
Fayette county. Frederick
is one of the stockholders in the M. Hamm Company
of Washington C. H., one of the large acid phosphate
manufacturing concerns of Ohio. He also owns a
fine farm near Washington C. H., which he
superintendents, and he has entire charge of the sales
department of the above named firm. Martin
is the originator of
M. Hamm company, starting in several years ago with
nothing, and it is to his industry, intelligence and
wise management that the success of the concern is due.
The mother of these five children died and the father in
1866 took Catherine Ringwalt for his second wife.
By this union there were two children, of whom John
died and William lives in Chillicothe.
Although Valentine Hamm's principal occupation
was that of farming, he also did work as a carpenter,
besides following the business of threshing and
sawmilling. His death occurred in 1896. His
son Adam
remained at home until he was about twenty-seven years of
age, assisting his father in the business of the farm.
In November, 1882, he was married to Sarah P. Smith,
whose people were early settlers of Ross county.
They went to housekeeping in Chillicothe and Mr. Hamm
engaged in the sawmill and threshing business. After
following this exclusively for four or five years, he
rented what is known as the Augusta farm, where he spent
one year. He then became a land owner on his own
account, buying the 175 acres acres where he now lives,
to which he has since added two farms of 65 and 125
acres respectively. This property he acquired
principally by his own exertions and he placed upon the
farms all the improvements they contain. HE owns
and operates a threshing machine, corn shredder and
clover huller, being the employer of more help than any
man in the neighborhood. Mr. Hamm is an
extensive fruit raiser and has a young peach orchard
containing 6,000 trees. He is completing one of
the finest dwelling houses in the neighborhood and all
his surroundings give evidence of thrift and prosperity.
Mr. Hamm
is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Bourneville and of
the Methodist Episcopal church. He and wife have
been the parents of nine children, of whom Charles
and one other died in infancy. Those living, and all
still at home, are Sophia, Frederick, Louis, Ada,
Ethel, Martin and Clarence.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
| |
WILLIAM G. HAMM, D. D. S.,
of Chillicothe, was born in Huntington township, Ross
county, Ohio, on November 7, 1875. His parents
were
Valentine and Catherine (Ringwald) Hamm, who came
from Germany to Ross county in youth, the father being
but twenty-one years old. The latter was twice
married,
Dr. Hamm's mother being his second wife. The
first marriage resulted in five children, whose names
are as follows: Hartman, employed in the
mechanical department of the Baltimore & Ohio shops at
Chillicothe; Mrs. Sophia Schiller, a widow
residing in Bourneville, Ross county; Adam, a
well-to-do lumberman and stock dealer at Bourneville;
Frederick
a farmer near Washington C. H., Ohio; Martin,
engaged in manufacturing commercial fertilizer at
Washington C. H. Dr. Hamm has a full
brother, named John, who died in youth, and there
were no other children by his father's second marriage.
Dr. Hamm was educated in the schools of Ross county
and Chillicothe, after which he entered the university
of Cincinnati. In this institution he took an
academic course and also studied chemistry.
Subsequently he matriculated in the Ohio College of
Dental Surgery, a department of the university, where he
completed a course in dentistry. He received from
his alma mater a certificate of honorable mention, the
next prize to the gold medal. June 1, 1899, he
opened up for practice at Chillicothe and already ahs
established a good patronage. The doctor is a
member of the Ohio State Dental society, and an alumnus
of the Ohio State Dental college as well as the
University of Cincinnati. He belongs to the
Masonic fraternity, the Modern Woodmen and the Improved
Order of Red Men, of which he is secretary. April
25, 1899, Dr. Hamm was married to Anna
Margaret, daughter of the late Philip Uhrig,
a manufacturer and prominent citizen of Chillicothe.
Mrs. Hamm was educated in the public schools, the
high school and the Business college of Chillicothe.
The Doctor's politics are strongly republican, an
inheritance from his father, who was with the party from
its very organization. The religious affiliations
of himself and wife are with the Salem Evangelic
Lutheran church, of which they are attentive members.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
| |
THE HANAWALT FAMILY
-This name, since so well known, first became familiar in
Ross county during the second decade of the nineteenth
century. The stock originated in Germany but the
American branch was derived from settlers in Mifflin
county, Pa., who reared a family of children including
one by the name of George Hanawalt The
latter had three sons, Henry, George and John, all of
whom came to Ross county, but at different times. When
Henry reached manhood he married a Pennsylvania lady
named Mary Chah, with whom he set out for
the West and eventually located in Union township, Ross
county. After a short, sojourn there he settled
permanently in Concord township, three and a half miles
south of Frankfort, where he resided until the time of
his tragic death. It seems that on returning one day
from the village of Frankfort he attempted to ford the
north fork of Paint creek while it was swollen by
freshets, and was washed from his horse and drowned, the
body being found a week later near
Musselman's. Henry Hanawalt had four
sons and two daughters, all dead except Hester,
youngest daughter, who is now Mrs. James
McColly, of Illinois. There are now no direct
descendants of Henry living in Ross county. George
Hanawait, his brother, married Margaret
Parchel and made his migration from Pennsylvania to
Ross county in 1823. For a year or two he lived near
what is now Anderson's Station in Union township,
afterward spent many years in labor at Slate Mill and
finally located in Concord township where he worked on
farms until his death in 1882. George had
six children, two of whom died in infancy, those growing
to maturity being Caleb, Christopher,
Elizabeth
and Sarah. Caleb grew to manhood in Ross
county, married here and subsequently removed to Indiana
where he now resides. Elizabeth married James
Baber, with whom she located in Madison county,
Ohio, where she spent the remainder of her life and
where her descendants now Reside.
Sarah became the wife of
Jacob Strayer, removed to Franklin county,
Ohio, and there her descendants are still found.
Christopher, who was born in Mifflin county, Pa., August
20, 1821, was only two years old when his parents came
to Ross county. He is now a venerable and much respected
citizen of Frankfort, of which he is the oldest living
resident, having been there continuously since 1836.
October 28, 1840, he was married to Elizabeth,
daughter of Frank and Mary (Goldsberry)
Speaks, who were early settlers from Virginia. By
this union there were ten children, seven sons and three
daughters: Joseph, Mary, George, Benton, Ollie,
Samuel, Francis, Elizabeth, Pearly and Raymond.
All of the foregoing are living with the exception of
Mary, the eldest daughter. Christopher
Hanawalt, father of this family has led a long,
industrious and in every way exemplary life. He is now
eighty-one years old and during all that time has never
used tobacco in any form or indulged in intoxicants. He
learned the blacksmiths trade in early life and followed
that useful calling until five or six years ago, when he
retired from active business. John Hanawalt,
third of the brothers who came from Pennsylvania,
settled at Bourneville in Twin township where he worked
during life at the tailor's trade. He first married a
Miss
Acton, member of an old Ross county family, by whom he
had four children: Mary, Jane, Betty
and Sally. By his second marriage with Mary,
daughter of Christian Hill, he had seven
children: Millie, Joseph, Christian,
John, George, William and James,
the latter residing in Chillicothe. George
Hanawalt, son of Christopher Hanawalt,
mentioned above, was born in Frankfort, Ohio, in 1849.
After reaching manhood he began farming, which he
followed until 1882, when he embarked in the business of
handling imported horses and continued the same for five
years. Since that time he has been dealing extensively
in cattle, of which he sells thousands of head every
year. These cattle he imports from the neighboring state
of West Virginia and sells principally in the Ohio
markets. In 1870 Mr. Hanawalt was married
to Martha A., daughter, of David and Sarah
(Mallow) Coyner, member of one of the substantial
and long established families of Ross. county. Of the
four children resulting from this union, David C.
is a government meat inspector at Salt Lake City, Utah;
Sarah M. died in infancy; Ollie Lee is
the wife of Harry
Green, of Washington Court House, .Ohio, and
Carl E. is at borne.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
| |
JAMES M. HANEY, deceased,
was born in Buckskin township, Ross county, November 11,
1872. His father, Henry Haney, was a
Canadian, born in 1830, who emigrated to Chillicothe.
and followed railroading for a business. He commenced as
a section band and when he left the company's employment
he had risen to the position of superintendent of
construction. Having accumulated some funds by his
industry and saving, he bought a tract of 108 acres of
land in Buckskin township as an investment. In 1858 he
married Elizabeth Duey and took charge of
the Steve Wilson farm which he managed for a couple of
years and then removed to the Hardin place.
After a residence there of three years he occupied the
place which he had purchased and farmed it for eight
years or more. After a subsequent residence of six years
on the
McClain farm in Concord township, Henry
Haney bought the place of 406 acres, where he lived
until the time of his death in 1885. His six children
were
Mary A., Sarah J., Henry, John (deceased),
Edward and James M. The last mentioned, the
subject of this sketch, remained at home until his
marriage to Olive Baum, which took place
December 30, 1896. They kept house for three years, when
removal was made to the old home place where Mr.
Haney
had charge of the farm. He had two children, John B.
and Plessa M. Mr. Haney was a member of
the lodge of Modern Woodmen, "No. 4,065, and of the Red
Men's lodge, at Frankfort.
|
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
ROBERT HANNA,
of Gillespieville, was born January 5, 1829, in Harrison
county, Ohio. His parents were Matthew and Mary (Orr)
Hanna, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the
latter of Ohio, both born in 1805. Matthew was
the son of James and Ann (McCullow) Hanna, the
latter of whom came to Harrison county after her
husband's death, and died there. Matthew came to
the State at an early day and lived in various counties,
finally reaching Jackson county where he died in 1857 at
the age of fifty-two. His wife survived him until 1891,
when she died at the age of eighty-six. The latter's
father, Robert
Orr, was a native of Ireland who came to America
about the year 1780. Ann Huston, whom he
subsequently married, came over in the same vessel,
though at the time they were not acquainted with each
other.
Robert Orr came to Harrison county, Ohio, at an
early age and remained there until his death in 1858, at
the age of ninety-one. He had a family of nine
daughters, whose ages averaged eighty years at time of
death.
Matthew and Mary (Orr) Hanna
had twelve children, of whom six are still living. These
are Robert, Zipporah, James,
William T., Matthew and Watson. Robert Hanna,
who is the subject of this sketch, was reared on a farm
and came to Ross county in 1846. Since then with the
exception of four years, he has always voted in Liberty
township of that county. He has always followed farming
as an occupation and owns about 200 acres of land.
Though a charter member of the Republican party, he has
never been an office-seeker, but for some years has held
the position of school director. In 1855, Mr.
Hanna was married to Eliza J. Corken,
daughter of
Thomas and Bebecca (Jones) Corken, and granddaughter
of Robert Corken, a native of Ireland, who
came to Ross county about the year 1798.
Robert Corken married Grace
Mason, a native of Maryland, and both of them died in
Ross county. Thomas Corken lived until the
age of ninety-four years, and his wife was about seventy
when she died.
His sister Rachael lived ninety-seven years, and
another sister named Jane reached the age of
eighty. Robert and Eliza Hanna have
a family of eight children. Of these Orr C. is a
traveling salesman; Mary H. is married to
William A. Jones; Thomas Mason is an
extensive farmer and stockdealer; Samuel E. is a
farmer of Fayette county; Rebecca is the wife of
Morris Jones, of Ross county; Candace is the
wife of Elting S. Du Bois, of Jefferson township;
Ethel is the wife of J. Walter Dixon, a
dentist of Cedarville, Ohio. Matthew Elting
Hanna
was educated at West Point and is now in Cuba. He is
school commissioner of the island and author of the
Cuban school law, serving in General Wood's
staff. He is a man of fine talents, excellent education
and has been of great service in Cuba, both to the
people of the island and the government of the United
States.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
THADDEUS S.
HANSON, of Harrison township, was born in Ross
county, Ohio, September 30, 1874. His father,
Greenbury Hanson, was a son of Samuel and Rebecca
(Waterman) Hanson, the former a native of Wales and
the latter of Virginia. They went to Kentucky in 1798
and in 1800 located in Harrison township, Ross county,
on a farm which, has ever since been in the family.
Samuel Hanson died there at the age of eighty-three and
his wife's, death took place in her eighty-fourth year.
They had a family of twelve children, their son
Greenbury
obtaining the homestead and spending his whole life there.
He owned 300 acres of land in Ross county and 520 in
Kansas; held nearly all the township offices and was
also an infirmary director. May 9, 1860, he was married
to
Margaret, daughter of George and Margaret (Snyder)
Hough, the former of Pennsylvania and the latter of
Ohio, who spent their lives in Ross county, the father
dying at the age of fifty-seven and the mother when
sixty-eight years old. Greenbury Hanson
and wife had a family of nine children, including:
Florence, wife of D. W. Clymer; Jessie E.,
married to
John W. McGee; Lillian E., now Mrs. Floyd McNeal;
Nellie E., wife of Charles Rothe;
Thaddeus S. and Grace B. Thaddeus S. Hanson
grew up on the old home place and was educated in the
common schools of his district. He now has charge of the
homestead, consisting of 300 acres of land, and is a
breeder of Jersey red swine and Shorthorn Durham cattle.
He has been assessor and treasurer of his township and
is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men. On May 17,
1899, he was married to Alice, daughter of
William Yaple, who is mentioned elsewhere in this
work.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JAMES VANSE
HARNESS, one of Ross county's most substantial
farmers, comes of ancient and honorable lineage on both
sides of the house. His paternal great-grandfather was
the first white man who settled on the south branch of
the Potomac river in Hardy county, W. Va. The
descendants of this pioneer, who was of German origin,
became numerous and influential in that portion of the
mountain state. Among them was John G. Harness
and his son,
Charles E., the latter born in Hardy county, October
8, 1814, and the eldest of his father's family. In 1842,
he came to Ross county and settled in Liberty township,
where in due course he became very prosperous as a
farmer and landowner. In addition to the usual
agricultural feature, he embarked in cattle-raising on a
large scale, making a specially of the famous Shorthorns
at the time they were coming into prominence and were
most valuable. He was successful in his ventures and
accumulated some 1,400 acres of land in Ross county
besides considerable holdings in West Virginia. He
married Mary Vanse, who was born in Jefferson
township, Ross county, in 1824. Her parents, James
and Eliza (Harness) Vanse, came to Ross county in an
early period of its history and here spent the remainder
of their days. Mr. Vanse
was one of the most extensive and prosperous farmers of
his day, conducting operations on an unusually bold plan
and owning a great deal of land. Charles E. and Mary
(Vanse) Harness had nine children, including:
Lillie, Ella, Mary, Kate,
Charles E., John M. and James Vanse.
Mrs. Harness died July 11, 1895; her husband
still resides in Liberty township where he settled so
many years ago. Their son, James Vanse
Harness, was born on the old home place September
13, 1864, receiving his education principally in a
private school taught by Professor Poe in
Chillicothe. Prom his earliest boyhood he has been
connected with farm work and management, a love for
which he had inherited from a long line of ancestors. He
has charge of the 250 acres now constituting the home
farm and an equal amount of land owned by himself, which
was formerly part, of the old homestead.. He has shown
judgment and good management in the operation of these
large landed interests and few farmers of his age are
better informed in the practical affairs of agriculture.
In political doctrines Mr.
Harness is of the Democratic persuasion, but he is
in no sense an office-seeker and never allows politics
to interfere with business. Neither is Mr.
Harness
a club man in a general way, his fraternal connection
being confined to membership in the order of Elks in
Chillicothe.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JACOB HARPER
was born in Concord township, Ross county, February 9,
1849. His father, Elon Harper, was born in
Pendleton county, W. Va., about 1819, being a son of
Jacob Harper, whose birth occurred in Virginia
about the year 1832. The latter removed with his family
to Ohio, first settling in Fayette county where he
remained a few years and then went to Missouri. He spent
the rest of his days in that state, his death occurring
while hack on a visit to relatives in Fayette county,
Ohio. His son
Elon received hut a limited education and grew to
manhood in the counties of Fayette and Ross. He learned
the blacksmith trade, but followed it only irregularly
as he made farming his principal occupation. His wife
was
Barbara, daughter of David and
Elizabeth (Michael) Ross, who were among
the first settlers of Ross county, coming here form
Maryland. Elon Harper died in 1881, his
wife surviving him but a short time and passing away in
1882. They had a family of ten children, of whom seven
are living and all in Ross county. Among them is
Jacob
Harper, the subject of this sketch. He received the
ordinary education in the common schools of Concord
township, and upon his arrival at full age became a
farmer, like his ancestors before him. In 1875, he was
married to Lydia, daughter of Thomas
Ware, of Frankfort, and the union resulted- in the
birth of two children, whose names are Edna and
Corda.
Mr. Harper is a, member of the Masonic order,
being connected with the Frankfort lodge, No. 326.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
WILBUR P.
HARPER was born in Buckskin township, Ross
county, in 1855. His father, Caleb Harper, was a
native of Delaware who in 1829 settled in Ross county on
the farm where his son now resides. The family was one
of the oldest in the East and took part in all the
stirring events during the settlement of the coast
states. Caleb
Harper is still living near where he first located
in Buckskin township so many years ago and has followed
farming and stock-raising all his life. He raised a
family of seven children. His son Edward joined
Company D, Eighty-ninth Ohio regiment, during the civil
war and died of fever in Tennessee while serving his
country, October 1, 1863. Wilbur P. Harper, the
subject of this sketch, was educated in the schools of
Buckskin township and the- business of his life has been
farming and stock-raising. His specialty has been the
feeding and fattening of stock for the market In 1879,
he was married to Alice, daughter of Daniel
Kline, of Buckskin township, who died in 1883.
Mr.
and Mrs. Harper have eight children,
whose names are Denbur, Louie (wife of William
Harper), Dwight, Mary, Valley, Ethel,
Millie and Teddy. Mr. Harper has
been trustee of Buckskin township for six years and was
candidate for county commissioner in 1900. He is a
member of the order of the Modern Woodmen of the World.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
CHARLES C.
HATFIELD, M. D., of
Kingston, Ohio, is a native of Pickaway county born
October 21, 1867. His parents were Arthur A.
and Elizabeth (Bazler) Hatfield, natives of Ohio,
the former of Pickaway and the latter of Ross county,
both born in the year 1843, and married in the county of
Pickaway. In 1861-65 the father was a soldier in
the Forth-fifth Ohio regiment, afterward re-enlisting in
the Forty-third, serving three years and a half in the
western army under General Sherman. He was wounded
in the battle of Missionary Ridge, which resulted in his
honorable discharge from the army. Both parents
are still living, he being a well-to-do farmer in
Pickaway county.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
WILLIAM J.
HAYNES, a merchant engaged in business at
Richmond Dale, and one of the enterprising citizens of
that community, is a native of Pike county, Ohio.
He comes of pioneer stock, the founder of the family in
Ross county having settled at Chillicothe in 1798 about
the time the county was officially organized. This
early comer left a son named George Haynes, who
like his father, was a blacksmith by trade and ironed
the first bridge built across the Scioto river in Ross
county. He owned a large farm in the vicinity of
Hopetown, now in the possession of George Smith,
of Chillicothe, and there he spent his last days.
He married Isabelle Nicholls, who became the
mother of five sons and six daughters, seven of whom are
still living, and the youngest reached the age of forty
years before there was a death in the family. One
of these five sons was
John Haynes, born in Chillicothe in 1843, who adopted
farming as his occupation and settled in Pike county,
Ohio, being at present a resident of Omega. He
married Rose Ann Cissna, a native of Piketown,
Ohio, by whom he had seven children: Isabelle,
William J., C. E., Jennetta, Cornelius, O. C. Dell
and
John, Jr. William J. Haynes second of
the children in order of birth, grew up on his farm,
and, in addition to the usual course in the common
schools, attended the Normal university, at Lebanon,
Ohio. After finishing his education he was engaged
in farming until 1892, when he embarked in the
mercantile business with William A. Maxwell.
This partnership continued for one year and a half,
after which Mr. Haynes was in business alone for
two years. He then purchased the business of
Stultz & Snyder and organized the new firm of
Stultz & Haynes, which was dissolved by mutual
consent after one year's continuance. when he entered
into partnership with
Roscoe Dixon, of Richmond Dale, which firm still
continues. They do an extensive business in the
handling of posts, ties, tanbark and other merchandise.
Mr. Haynes served as township treasurer five years
and has been postmaster of his home town since 1897.
He is a member of Garfield lodge, No. 710, of the order
of Odd Fellows. In 1885, he was married to
Jennie M. Davis, of Richmond Dale, by whom he had
four children,
J. Scott, W. Ward, Clifford C. (deceased),
and Clarence P. Mrs. Haynes to Ella M.
Drummond, of Ross county. The family are
connected with the Methodist Episcopal church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOSEPH A. HEAD,
who resides near Fruitdale, Ohio, and is one of the
enterprising business men of that locality, comes of a
family which was among the earliest settlers of Highland
county. Both himself and his father, John Head,
are natives of that county, and there he grew up to
manhood. His education was mainly obtained in his native
county, though he also attended school in Pike county.
After reaching man's estate, Mr. Head went
over into Ross county in search of an opportunity to
procure a livelihood. He selected Bainbridge as a
location and was engaged in the mercantile business
there for a number of years. He met with success in his
financial undertakings and became both prominent and
popular as a citizen of Paxton township. In 1885, he
removed to his place near Fruitdale, in Paint township,
which has since been his residence. In March, 1868,
Mr. Head
was married to Sarah C., daughter of
William Ogle, member of a family long and
favorably known in Paxton township. The fruits of this
union were two children, of whom Effie B. is the
wife of C. S. Iseman, a farmer of Paint
township, and Alice H. married Rev. J. W. Blair,
minister of the Methodist Episcopal church at Richmond
Dale. Mr. Head is quite prominent in
politics on the Democratic side and made the race for
county commissioner as the nominee of his party. He has
served as trustee and justice of the peace of Paint
township and is regarded as a safe adviser by his
political associates. Mr. Head is a Knight
Templar in the Masonic order and a communicant of the
Methodist Episcopal church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
EUGENE
HEMMEGER, M. D., a popular young physician of
Adelphi„ Ross county, whose success both personally and
professionally gives promise of a bright future, was
born in Washington county, Ohio, September 10, 1874. He
is a son of Alfred and Abbie (Warren) Hemmeger,
the former a successful farmer in Washington county, who
died in 1883. His widow still resides in Washington
county.
Dr. Hemmeger was reared on the farm, attended the
district schools and finished his literary education at
the Marietta township high school, where he was
graduated in 1891. He had early made up his mind to
become a physician and had already done some reading in
that line, and thus was fitted for entrance into the
Starling Medical college, at Columbus, Ohio. He devoted
himself assiduously to study in that popular
institution, and received his degree with the class
which was graduated in 1895. When
Dr. Hemmeger obtained his diploma he was in his
twenty-first year, and he lost no time in getting to
work in the profession which he had chosen for the
employment of his life. He selected Laurelville, in
Hocking county, as his location and there "hung out his
shingle," to use the vernacular of young professionals.
After one year's trial there, he decided to make a
transfer to Adelphi as a more inviting field for his
professional activities. He came to that place in 1896
and since then the scene of his operations has been in
and around the pretty little capital of Colerain
township. The doctor is a gentleman of pleasing address
and popular manners which, added to his professional
acquirements, have enabled him to become firmly
established in his adopted home. He is also social in
his disposition and gratifies his longings for fraternal
fellowship by membership in the local lodges of Odd
Fellows and Knights of Pythias at Adelphi. Dr.
Hemmeger was married in 1896 to Clara
Miller, of Washington county, and they have two
children, Mary and Francis.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOHN MCCOY
HENNESS, a retired farmer residing at Frankfort,
and Union veteran with an unusually creditable military
record, has been long and favorably known in that part
of Ross county. The founder of the family in Ohio was
William Henness, who married Nancy
Bernard in Virginia, subsequently came to Ross county,
settled in Union township and there began the
cultivation of a leased farm. They were but little
behind the vanguard of the earliest settlers, as the
time of their arrival is placed in the year 1800. To
this couple were born eight children, all long since
dead, named as follows: Mary, wife of Scott
Finley; Martha, wife of
Joseph Beard; a daughter who married
Aaron Mowbray; William, Stephen,
Zachariah, James and Levi, the latter
killed at Kenesaw Mountain. The parents, who lived to
unusually advanced age, found a final resting place in
the Baptist cemetery near Frankfort. Zachariah,
sixth of this family, was horn in Ross county in 1816,
and in early youth learned the cooper's trade, which he
worked at during much of his subsequent life. He married
Sally
Ann McCoy, a native of Ross county and
daughter of John McCoy, took possession of
the McClintick farm in Union township and lived
there for the next twenty-seven years. Besides farming
and cooperage he did considerable work with a threshing
machine, of which he had charge a number of years. In
1867, he went to Seymour, Champaign county, 111., where
both himself and wife ended their days, he when
eighty-two and she when eighty years old. Their
children, nine in number, were named as follows: John
M.; William B., of Piatt county, Ill.; James A.,
of Champaign county, Ill.; Margaret, wife of
W. D. Earl,
of Illinois;. Jane, wife of Thomas Cain, of
same state; Ann (deceased), wife of Benjamin
Miller, same state; Edmund, of Champaign,
Ill.; David, of Ross county, and Charles,
of Illinois. John McCoy Henness,
eldest of the family, .was born in Union township, Ross
county, March 22, 1842. When nineteen years old he
enlisted in Company C, Eighty-first Ohio infantry, and
went to Missouri by way of Cincinnati and St Louis for
the purpose of joining his command, which was located in
that state. The regiment underwent the necessary
drilling, did some marching back and forth to different
Missouri points and in 1862 was placed aboard steamer at
St Charles for shipment to Pittsburg Landing, arriving
in time to take part in the bloody battle at that place.
While in Missouri, Mr. Henness had been
accidentally wounded and after the Tennessee battle was
in the hospital for a few days, received a furlough, and
came home. After reporting for duty at Camp Dennison, he
was assigned to a local corps in Cincinnati and remained
there until August, during which time the corps was sent
to Cynthiana, Ky., where it engaged General
Morgan. He was then sent to his regiment at Corinth,
Miss., in time to take part in the noted battle at that
place. His regiment remained in that locality until the
spring of 1863, when they were sent to Pulaski, Tenn.,
where they remained doing guard duty until the spring of
1864. Mr.
Henness had re-enlisted January 1, 1864, in his old
company in Tennessee, which was ordered to Chattanooga
in May. During the following summer, he participated
with his command in the famous Atlanta campaign, during
which he took part in twenty-two fights, large and
small, among the battles being Kenesaw Mountain and
Oostenaula river. In the latter, Mr. Henness
and one of his companions, while making a charge,
succeeded in capturing all the officers and eight men of
one company. He was in the battle of Atlanta, July 22d,
and later, while occupying the trenches, made a capture
of two more of the enemy's soldiers. During a sharp
engagement on August 28,
Mr. Henness received two bullet shots
through his hat, grazing his head, and though a close
call no damage was done. After the surrender of Atlanta,
Mr.
Henness went with his command in Sherman's
world-famous "march to the sea," which commenced about
the middle of November and ended on December 21, by
arrival at Savannah, Ga. After a long rest at this
place, the veteran army again took up its line of march
in February, 1865, through the Carolinas. In the battle
of Bentonville, N. C,
Mr. Henness received a gunshot wound in the
muscle of the right arm, which disabled him for duty,
but he marched right along with his regiment. At
Goldsboro, the first news was received of those two
momentous events, the surrender of Lee and the
assassination of Lincoln. From that point, the march was
continued on to Washington, where Mr. Henness
took part in that event, never to be forgotten by a
Union soldier, the grand review of the great armies
before their final retirement to private life. The
"muster out" and honorable discharge took place at
Louisville, Ky., July 13, 1865, after which
Mr. Henness came directly home. He enlisted
as a private, filled all the intermediate positions, and
quit the service with a commission as lieutenant. He
married Sarah E., daughter of Levi and
Nancy Cory, and located in Twin township,
where Mr. Henness had charge of a toll
gate and did teaming. After various removals to
different places in the neighborhood, the family finally
settled down on a place bought by Mr. Henness
in Concord township. Mrs. Henness died in
1889 and the family, after remaining on the farm until
November 1, 1900, removed to Frankfort. Mr.
Henness
was the first rural mail carrier in Ross county and is at
present in charge of Route No. 1. His children, six in
number, are, Charles M., died in infancy; Cora,
wife of Lott Acton, of Concord township;
Lulu (deceased) ; Edna, at home; Alpha
McCoy and Anna, died in infancy. On May 18,
1902, Mr. Henness was married to Mrs.
Frank Roberts, of East Liverpool, Columbia
county. Quite a little romance is connected with this
wedding. Mr. Henness became acquainted
with his bride in 1865, after he came home from the war,
having served in the same company with her father, W.
W.
Merrill, who at that time lived at East Monroe, and
at whose home Mr. Henness visited for a
short time. A strong friendship was formed at
that time, but they drifted apart, married, and never
saw each other again for thirty-six years, until 1901.
In the meantime, however, their helpmates had died, and
the friendship formed in early life was renewed and
culminated in their marriage.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JAMES HENRY
is a native of Union township, Ross county, born January
15, 1858. His parents were Robert and Julia
(Merriman) Henry, the former of whom emigrated from
Ireland when seventeen years old to come to Ross county,
and settled on Big Walnut creek. Soon afterward he
bought a small farm in Union township, where he lived
while he worked at his trade of millwright. In 1859, he
removed to Yellow Bud, in Ross county, where he died at
the age of forty-eight For about eight years during the
latter part of his life he held the office of justice of
the peace. It was about the year 1840 that he married
Julia Merriman, whose parents were among the
first settlers of Ross county. They had ten children, of
whom Nancy, Silas, Laura,
Catherine and Mattie are numbered with the
dead.
Mary J. is the wife of Milton O. Watts, of
Circleville;
Emaline is married to
Silas Watts, of. Union township; Robert
is living in Hebron, Ohio; Lizzie is the survivor
of twins, her sister
Mattie having died. The mother died on April 3,
1890.
James Henry, who was the fifth in birth of
the children, has remained at home all his life. He was
educated in the school at Yellow Bud and learned the
carpenter's trade. On January 31, 1878, he was married
at Chillicothe to Miss
Kate Ebenhack, of Union township. This union
resulted in the birth of four children, Charles,
Silas, Elizabeth and
Arthur. Mrs. Henry died on August 29,
1895.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
THOMAS HENSON,
stock-dealer and meat merchant at Clarksburg, has
divided his life and business between Ross and Pickaway
and is well known in both counties. His ancestors were
Virginians, the first of them to become Ohio settlers
being Charles Henson and wife, who came
down the great river in the early part of the nineteenth
century and found a home in Pickaway county. Their
eldest son, James, whom they brought from
Virginia, grew to manhood in Pickaway county and worked
on farms for monthly wages as a means of livelihood.
While thus engaged he married one of the neighborhood
girls, named Julia McKinney, with whom he
located on a farm near Williamsport and there spent the
next twenty years. At the end of that time he took
charge of a hotel in Williamsport, which he conducted
until the time of his death, his wife then purchasing a
small farm near town to which she removed and spent the
remainder of her days. Of their twelve children,
George P., Lettie, Henry, Clinton and
Charles have passed away. Those living are Nancy
and John, of Columbus; Thomas, subject of
this sketch; Frank, of Williamsport; Millard
and
Oliver (twins) of Pickaway county; and William,
of Columbus. Thomas
Henson, third of the children, was born in
Pickaway county, Ohio, near Williamsport, November 5,
1844. In early manhood he married Mary Wiley
and conducted the hotel in Williamsport for two years,
after which he was engaged for twenty years in general
merchandising. By his .first marriage he had five
children, of whom only
Frederick and Thomas C. are living. Mr.
Henson's second wife was Missouri Ater,
and after this marriage he located on a farm where he
spent five years, then removed to Clarksburg, in
Deerfield township. Since then his business has been
buying and selling stock, conducting a meat market at
Clarksburg in Ross and New Holland in Pickaway county
and managing his farm. Mr. Henson is a
member of the Christian church and of Clarksburg lodge,
No. 721, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Missouri
Ater,
Mr. Henson's present wife, belongs to a
famous family well deserving of more than a passing
notice. The progenitors came from Germany and settled in
various eastern states during the eighteenth century.
George Ater, founder of the Ohio branch of
the family, married Mary Boyer, located in
Virginia near the Potomac river, and reared a family of
seven sons and two daughters. About 1799 he left
Virginia with his nine children, crossing the mountains
to the Ohio river and descending that stream to the
mouth of the Scioto. Going up to Chillicothe, these
immigrants later found their way up Deer creek and took
possession of an Indian village near what is described
in the legend as a "round prairie." There George
Ater reared his family and eventually a
considerable settlement of pioneers grew up around the
place. The names of his sons were Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, Samuel, Thomas, Jones and William, all
of whom subsequently served in the war of 1812 and
received from the government land warrants which they
located in Deerfield township of Ross county. Abraham,
eldest of these sons, was born January 22, 1776, and
married Charity
Eveland April 3, 1799, the same year he came to
Ross county. Among their children was a son named
David, who married Mary A. Harrington, and
these were the parents of
Missouri Ater Henson.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
CHAUNCEY
A. HERTENSTEIN, lumber merchant, of Chillicothe,
was born near that city on a farm in Green township, on
January 15, 1874. His parents, both of whom are still
living, are George and Matilda (Stauffer)
Hertenstein, the former a native of Germany, while
the mother was born in Ohio. They were married in Ross
county, which has been the scene of all the events of
their lives, the father being a well-to-do farmer and
possessor of extensive properly interests; while their
two sons,
Wesley and Chauncey A., are partners in the
lumber business. Chauncey A. Hertenstein was
reared to manhood on the parental farm in Green township
and educated in the public schools, supplemented by a
course in the Chillicothe business college. In March,
1900, he and his brother Wesley started in
business together, handling all kinds of building
material, and they have already established a fine
trade. March 14, 1896, Mr. Hertenstein was
married to
Margaret Herrnstein, daughter of George J.
Herrnstein, formerly a lumber merchant in
Chillicothe, now retired from active business. Her
mother was Catherine Brehm, who, like her
husband, was of Ohio birth and is still living. Mr.
Hertenstein is a member of the recently organized
fraternity called the Knights of the Ancient Essenic
Order, and he and wife are members of the Methodist
Episcopal church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
EDWARD LANDOLIN HESS,
for twenty-two consecutive years the efficient and
popular manager of the telephone company at Chillicothe,
is a native Ohioan of German parentage. His father,
Landolin
Hess, was born in Germany, June 28, 1819, and in
early manhood joined the tide of emigration to America-
On arriving in the United States he selected Chillicothe
as his abode and there spent the remainder of his days
engaged in working at his trade as cabinetmaker. In
September, 1846, he was married to Mary Anna,
daughter of Christian and Elizabeth Lind,
natives of Germany who came over in 1836 and two years
later settled at Chillicothe. Mr. Hess died in
1864, but his widow and seven children survive. Of the
latter, Mary Ann, the widow of Joseph
Brosemer, resides in Columbus, Ohio; Elizabeth,
wife of John Schroth, and Christian live
in Chillicothe; Jacob F. is a citizen of
Cincinnati, while Margaret S. and Peter G.
reside in Brooklyn, New York. Edward Landolin Hess,
fourth in age of the living children, was born in
Chillicothe June 8, 1858. He obtained a common school
education and in 1880 entered the employment of the
Central Ohio Telephone company as acting manager of
their interests at Chillicothe. From that day to this
Mr. Hess has held this position regardless of
changes in ownership which have converted the old
organization into the Central Union Telephone company.
Nor is it too much to say that during all these years he
has so discharged his duties as to retain the full
confidence of his different employers and gain the good
will of the company's numerous patrons. He has so
thoroughly mastered all the details of the telephone
business and become so well known to the public who
patronize the instruments that he has become a valuable
man in his position. Mr. Hess has his
nation's fondness for fraternal fellowship and gratifies
it by membership in various associations, including the
Modern Woodmen of America, Catholic Order of Foresters
and Benevolent Order of Ignatius. January 9, 1883, he
was married to Josephine, daughter of
Charles Rudmann, who came to Ross county in
1852. This union resulted in the birth of three
children:
Olandolin Ernest, Petronella Mary
and Paul Edward.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JACKSON HESTER
was born in Buckskin township, Ross county, January 28,
1844, son of Charles M. and Mary (Christian)
Hester, the former a native of Buckskin township in
1810. The father and mother of Charles M. Hester were
Pennsylvanians, who came to Ohio at a very early period,
first settling at Chillicothe and then removing to
Buckskin township. The father, Henry Hester,
served through the war of 1812 and bore his share of all
the pioneer hardships in the West. Charles M.
helped on the farm during summers and attended
subscription school in the winter time. After marrying,
he went to housekeeping on his own place, where he
remained until 1850, when he sold out and bought the
place where his son Jackson now resides. He was a
farmer, but worked some at the carpenter's trade. Both
himself and wife are now numbered among the dead. They
had seven children in all, of whom three died in
infancy, and Sarah
Ann's death occurred after her marriage to James
Grieves. The living children are Washington,
Jackson and Lucinda, who is the wife of
William
Grieves. Jackson Hester received his
education in the schools of the district, and was in his
seventeenth year when the civil war broke out. On May 1,
1864, he enlisted at Chillicothe in Company I, One
Hundred and Forty-ninth Ohio infantry, under command of
Captain
Rhodes. They were mustered in at Camp Dennison and
sent from there to Baltimore, at which place and other
points they did guard duty. They participated in the
battles of Monocacy, near. Frederick, Md., on July 9,
1864, and in several smaller engagements. The command
returned to Baltimore, went from there to Washington and
back to Camp Dennison in September, 1864, where they
were mustered out. Immediately thereafter, Mr.
Hester
went to his home and resumed his duties on the farm. In
1877, he married May Hixon, a native of
Ross county of German descent. He continued to live and
do business on the old home place of 250 acres which he
inherited from his father. Besides general farming,
Mr.
Hester operates a sawmill and thresher. He is a
member of Prater post, G. A. R., at Bourneville, and his
political affiliations are Democratic. To Mr. and
Mrs. Hester were born four children, whose names are
Allen, Mary, Harley and Daisy,
all at home and unmarried.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
TAYLOR HESTER,
long connected with agricultural affairs in the township
of Buckskin and Concord, is a descendant of early
settlers in Ross county. As far back as 1804, Capt.
Henry
Hester migrated with his family from Pennsylvania
to Ohio and located on land in Buckskin township. He was
a millwright by trade and some time after arriving in
Ross county concluded to remove to Chillicothe as a
better point for obtaining business in his line. While
resident there he was swept off by the cholera plague
which devastated southern Ohio cities in 1832-33.
Captain
Hester was the father of three sons and one
daughter, the latter of whom married and went to
Indiana, while the others remained in Ross county and
reared families. Zaccheus Hester, the
oldest child, was born in Pennsylvania December 15.
1803, and hence was less than a year old when his
parents reached Ross county. After arriving at maturity
he was engaged mostly in farming, but also devoted
considerable time to the management of a grist mill. May
26, 1826, he was married to Margaret Hixon,
born July 19, 1808, and daughter of Timothy
Hixon, a Virginian who was among the earliest
arrivals in the county. Zaccheus
Hester died July 19, 1878, and his wife September
24 of the same year. They were the parents of six sons
and three daughters: Daniel, born October 4,
1827, and died March 23, 1883; Sarah, born April
25, 1830, and died December 2, 1893; Rebecca,
born June 2, 1833, now the wife of Michael
McGough of Ross county; Rose Ann, born
August 25, 1835, now living in the West; Timothy,
born August 21, 1840, and died March 11, 1866; John W.,
born July 1, 1844, lives in Jackson county, Ohio;
William J.
and Taylor (twins), born March 28, 1847, the
former died June 11, 1870; Joseph A., born
November 23, 1849, now living in Ross county. Taylor
Hester, who with his twin brother, was the seventh
born of the children, was born in Buckskin township,
Ross county, Ohio, March 28, 1847. His adult life has
been spent as a farmer in Buckskin township, where he
lived until 1897, and after that in Concord township,
which is the place of his present residence. He was
sixteen years old when John Morgan made
his famous raid through Ohio, but took his gun like the
older men and volunteered to help repulse the invader.
November 25, 1869, Mr. Hester was married
to Margaret, daughter of John and Lydia (Ross)
Cadwallader, the former a native of Wales and the
latter a Virginian, who came to Ross county with the
first rush of settlers. Of the two children resulting
from this union, Lucy
Bell became the wife of M. T. Devine of
Frankfort, and Charles Hester, the eldest,
who is a farmer by occupation, was married January 1,
1902, to Ada Andrew of Greene county,
Ohio. The father is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church and also connected with the Masonic fraternity.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOHN W. HICKEL,
one of the younger generation of Ross county farms, is a
worthy citizen of Concord township. The founder of the
Ross county branch of the family was an old Virginian by
the name of George Hickel, who early
learned and all his life pursued the honorable and
useful trade of shoemaking. He married in his native
state and soon after joined the great tide which
was moving westward in search of new homes. He located
in Colerain township and there resumed his trade as
shoemaker, from the proceeds of which he supported his
family in comfortable style for those days until his
death. Of his six children, the only ones living are
Martin, who resides in Concord township, and
Catherine, the wife of H. Goldsberry of
Deerfield township; the names of the dead are Jacob,
Betsey, Christopher and Devault. The last
mentioned remained at home until he reached manhood
when, in connection with one of the brothers, he rented
a farm in Concord township which they cultivated
together and shared equally in the proceeds. In due time
his thoughts turned to matrimony and as a helpmeet he
selected Lucinda Goldsberry, of Ohio,
taking his bride home to the farm where he had been
living and which he had recently purchased. Devault
Hickel was an industrious and progressive farmer,
while his wife was a prudent and saving housekeeper, so
between them they established a comfortable home and
obtained a fair measure of success on their farm. They
reared and provided well for ten children, all of whom
are living except Etta M., the latest born. The
names and locations of the others are as follows:
Mary, wife of Leopold Dinkier of
Deerfield township; Margaret, at the old home
place; Laura, now Mrs. Preston
Via of Virginia;
John W.; Anna, married to William
Seitz of Concord township; Alice, wife of
Allison Hyer of Concord; Jennie, married
to Samuel Gregory of Union township;
William and Amanda at the old homestead. The
father died in 1893 and the mother in 1894. John W.
Hickel, fourth in the list of children, was born
near Frankfort, Ross county, October 11, 1857. He grew
up on his father's farm and was trained to habits of
industry while acquiring a knowledge of all the details
of farming, under the excellent supervision of his
paternal instructor. Mr. Hickel remained
at the old homestead until the time of his marriage to
Minnie M. Keller, of Chillicothe, which occurred
July 29, 18.97. Immediately after this event, the newly
wedded couple went to live at the place which has since
been their residence, and where Mr. Hickel
carries on general farming and stockraising.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
CHARLES D.
HIGBY was born in Richmond Dale, Ross county, in
1843, son of the late Sylvester N. Higby,
one of the most prosperous and influential farmers of
Franklin township. The latter was a native of Jefferson
county, Ohio, born on September 19, 1819. Being left an
orphan in extreme youth, he spent most of his boyhood
with his sisters in Cleveland. After reaching maturity
he embarked in the mercantile business at Richmond Dale
and so continued for several years. Eventually he sold
this business and located on a farm in Franklin
township, which he managed until his death on December
31, 1885. He held various official positions, including
school director, justice of the peace and treasurer of
his township, fulfilling all their duties with
scrupulous fidelity. November 10, 1842, he was married
to Hannah, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth
(Hayes) Davis,
and by this union had seven children: Charles,
subject of this sketch; Mary, the wife of
Marcus Boggs; Julia, who died at the age of three
years;
Rose, wife of Ira Harris; Kizzie;
Joseph, who married Jennie Foster;
and Laura, wife of H. C. Downs. The mother
of these children died on December 29, 1893, at her home
in Higby, aged sixty-nine years and six months.
Charles D. Higby, the first born of his
parents, received his education in the common schools of
Franklin township. He was approaching his eighteenth
year, when tie great civil war commenced, and on
November 20, 1861, he became a soldier of the Union. He
cast his lot with Company F, of the Fifty-third Ohio
infantry, going in as a private, soon being made a
corporal, then sergeant and eventually becoming
quartermaster sergeant, which position he held when
mustered out on August 25, 1865.
Mr. Higby participated in all the fighting and
marching of his regiment from Shiloh to Bentonville, N.
C, where the great drama practically closed. Among the
more notable of the battles in which he took part with
his command may be mentioned Pittsburg Landing, Corinth,
La Grange and Moscow (Term.), Holly Springs and Wallace
Mills (Miss.), besides many minor skirmishes and severe
engagements. On June 17, 1864, he was wounded at Kenesaw
mountain by a gunshot in the ankle, which injury kept
him out of the service about sixty days. After his
return from the war, he engaged in farming in Franklin
township, which business has absorbed most of his
attention ever since. From 1882 to 1885 he served as
traveling deputy collector of internal revenue. He has
occupied several small township offices, including that
of treasurer, which he has held «for the past sixteen
years. He has also been postmaster at Higby since
1886, a position which his father held for several years
prior to that time. Since 1880, in addition to his
other business affairs, he has conducted a general store
at
Higby. In 1872, Mr. Higby was married to
Mary L. Crow, of Jefferson township, and they have
five living children: Hattie D., now Mrs.
Hiram A. Smith of Waverly, Ohio; Mamie B., Hannah
D., Charles D. and James O. Mr. Higby has
extensive fraternal connections, including the Mystic
Circle, Odd Fellows and Free Masons, being a member of
the Commandery in the last order. He belongs also to the
patriotic organization of the Grand Army of the Republic
and to the Methodist Episcopal church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
EDGAR A. HIGBY,
a progressive and prosperous farmer of Franklin
township, is a member of a family connection long and
favorably known in Ross county. They were represented in
the pioneer settlement of the county and through all the
stages of its history have been identified with its
social, commercial and business development. Their
talents and industry have been mostly felt in
agriculture, nearly all of them being farmers and
landowners. John W. and Sarah M. (Norton) Higby
were the parents of Edgar A., whose birth
occurred in Bourneville, Ohio, February 14, 1862.
Unusual care was bestowed upon his early, education.
Besides the ordinary course in the common schools, he
was sent to a private and select school at Richmond
Dale, which was followed by a term in the academy at
Gambier, Knox county. In addition to all this, Mr.
Higby entered the commercial college of A. D.
Wilt at Dayton, O., where he was graduated in 1883.
Since leaving school he has devoted his attention
entirely to farming and has met with gratifying success
in all of his operations. He has charge of 284 acres of
land, which he cultivates by up-to-date methods, the
general farming being supplemented by profitable
stock-raising. Mr. Higby is well informed
in agricultural matters and aims to keep thoroughly
posted concerning the latest improvements and
discoveries in that great industry. He is a Republican
in politics but contents himself with voting and wastes
no time running after office. January 23, 1895, he was
married to Luella J. Davis, of Richmond
Dale, daughter of Ambrose Davis, a well-to-do
farmer of Jefferson township. They have one son, Earl
Norton, born February 14, 1896.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOSEPH H. HIGBY
is a native of Franklin township, Ross county, born
December 14, 1857. His parents were Sylvester N. and
Hannah (Davis) Higby, the former born in Jefferson
county, Ohio, September 19, 1819. Mrs. Higby,
born in 1824, was the daughter of Charles and
Elizabeth (Hayes) Davis, who settled in Franklin
township at an early period and there spent the most of
their married life. The father died in 1837, and the
mother subsequently married Horace Crookham,
with whom she lived until her death in 1865.
Sylvester Higby and wife had seven children,
of whom Joseph H. was sixth in order of birth.
The father died on December 31, 1885, leaving a fine
estate comprising several hundred acres of land. His
life was one of useful activity and his success the
result of unwearied industry directed by sound judgment.
He held the offices of township treasurer, school
director and justice of the peace. He was an Odd Fellow
and Mason of the 32d degree. His wife survived him about
eight years, dying on December 29, 1893, at her home in
Higby, aged over 69 years. Their son Joseph
H. was educated in the common schools of his native
county and spent four years at the Wesleyan university
at Delaware, Ohio. After leaving school he worked as
civil engineer on various, railroads for about three
years. In 1882, he settled down to farming near the old
homestead and has ever since followed this pursuit.
August 3, 1892,
Mr. Higby was married to Jennie E.,
daughter of John C. Foster, of Franklin township.
Mrs. Higby's father is descended from one of
the earliest of Ross county's settlers, has always lived
in Franklin township and became one of its most
prosperous farmers, owning between 500 and 600 acres of
land. He married Mary E. Foster, of Pike county,
by whom he had seven children.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
APOLLO HILL
of Ross county was born in Mason county, W. Va., on August
17, 1857. He is the son of Jonathan Hill,
a West Virginia farmer, who married Maria
Stephens
about the year 1852, and by her had ten children, of whom
three died in infancy. The others are Rankin J.,
Apollo, Linza, Byrd, Laura M., David and Oma.
The fourth child, Byrd Hill, lives at
Point Pleasant and is now a state senator of West
Virginia. The father died on March 19, 1881, but the
mother still fives on the old home place. Apollo was
educated in the common schools of his native state and
remained at home until mature manhood. While visiting in
Ross county, Ohio, he met Miss Kate Baum, and
their acquaintance resulted in marriage on March 22,
1883. This lady is a daughter of
George Baum, who came from Pickaway to Ross
county some time in the 1840's. After marriage, Mr.
Hill took his bride to the West Virginia home and
settled down to housekeeping in Mason county. After six
years spent in this place, a removal was made to Meigs
county, Ohio, and this, at the end of two years'
sojourn, was followed by another change which took them
to Ross county. There they found a permanent abode,
where Mr.
Hill has ever since been engaged in general farming
and stock-raising. They have a family of three children,
Howard, Davie and Laura C, all of whom are
at home.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOHN C. HINTON,
one of Ross county's substantial farmers, is the son and
grandson of pioneers and may be considered one himself,
as Ohio was still quite a young state at the time of his
birth. His grandfather, Thomas Hinton,
supposed to have been from Maryland, came into Ohio by
way of Kentucky and settled in Colerain township with
his wife
Deborah and children. The family records do not
give exact dates, but these pioneers came during the
last quarter of the eighteenth century, when the country
was still full of wild animals and wilder Indians.
Thomas
Hinton entered a half section of land for a company
and kept 109 acres for himself, which have ever since,
been retained by his descendants. He cleared a patch
built a cabin and subsisted for several years after the
manner of those days, gradually improving his land until
he had a fairly good farm on which he spent the
remainder of his days. The youngest member of the family
was named Elias, and was only two years old when
his parents arrived in Colerain township. He grew up
like other pioneer children amid scenes of wild
splendor, learning habits of hardihood and endurance,
became a great hunter, served for a while as a teamster
during the war of 1812, and in after life held various
offices, including those of justice of the peace and
township trustee. He was a good business man and
accumulated considerable property during his long life,
being supposed to be about eighty-three years old at the
time of his death. In early manhood he married
Susanna
Cox, member of one. of the neighboring pioneer
families, and by her had a family of eight children, of
whom the only ones now living are Andrew and
John C. Hinton. The latter was born in Colerain
township June 10, 1824, and was reared in the log cabin
built by his grandfather. He grew up on the farm, was
trained to hard work, remained at home until he was
twenty-one years of age and then decided to take a wife.
The lady of his choice was Hannah Leasure
and to her he was united in matrimony in the year 1845.
Mr. Hinton is fond of telling that he only had
one dollar at the time of his marriage and this he gave
to the preacher for performing the ceremony. But he
settled down to hard work and soon had, not only a good
home, but a surplus property which he has continued to
add to during life until he finds himself in very
comfortable circumstances, owning.257 acres of land well
stocked and improved. Mr. Hinton has lived
at his present place since 1846, during which time he
has been steadily engaged in general farming and
stock-raising, meeting with unusual success in his
operations. Though Democratic in his politics, he leaves
the office-seeking business to others, contenting
himself with the discharge of his duties as a voter, and
the only official position he has held is that of
township trustee, which he filled about ten years. Like
the Hebrew patriarchs of old, Mr.
Hinton has been blessed with a large family of
children, his first marriage resulting in twelve:
Lucretia, Andrew, Mary, Elias,
Jesse, Susanna, Lewis, Mergeline, Cyrus J., Edward,
Willard and George. Three of this number,
Lucretia, Mary and Susan are dead. The
mother died in March, 1879, and in April, 1881, Mr.
Hinton married Mahala Wilson, a Ross
county lady, by whom he has five children: Mazie,
Carrie, Ira, Myrtie and Alma. Both himself
and wife are devout members of the United Brethren
church, in which he has long been a prominent and
enthusiastic worker. In fact, Mr. Hinton has
belonged to this church for sixty years, during which
time he has worthily filled its official positions of
various kinds, such as class leader, steward and
trustee.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOHN HIRE was
born in Concord township, Ross county, in 1835. Both his
father and his grandfather were named Michael and
both were Virginians by birth. The grandsire and wife
joined the procession which was wending its way to the
west in search of homes; arrived in Ross county early in
the nineteenth century, and selected Concord township as
the place of their future abode. He secured land, the
clearing and cultivating of which was the arduous
occupation of all his working days. With him from
Virginia came his son Michael, a small boy at
that time, and after the arrival in Ohio other children
were born, including nine altogether. The junior
Michael grew to manhood in Ross county and followed
in the footsteps of his father as a life-long farmer. He
selected as his wife
Mary, daughter of Abraham Roseboom,
an old resident of Ross county. From this union came
seven children, of whom only three are now living. These
are John,
Mary (wife of James Lockard of
Concord township), and Abraham. John, the
oldest of these children, became a farmer as soon as he
had finished his schooling, and his operations have been
confined to Ross county, with the exception of three
years spent in the neighboring county of Pickaway.
During the year 1864 he helped to fight off Morgan
during the raid of that famous guerrilla chieftain into
Ohio. He was married in 1858 to Mary Catherine,
daughter of
Henry Arnold, of Pickaway county. They have
four children, of whom Eva Ann and
Charles Alva, the oldest and youngest, are
dead; Luella is the wife of Charles
Sturgeon, of Concord township; and Benjamin is
a resident of Pickaway county. Mr. Hire is
a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
ALEXANDER L.
HODSDEN is a native of Delaware county, Ohio,
born October 9, 1826. His father, Stephen
Hodsden, of New York state, came to Ohio at an early
period and settled in Ross county; taught school for a
while, and, after his marriage to Mary Junk,
was presented by the latter's father with about 100
acres of land in Delaware county, to which he removed
with his wife. The latter being ill with consumption, it
was deemed best to bring her back to Ross county in
order that she might have the care of her parents, but
she died at the old home in April, 1831. She left two
children, of whom
James M. was killed at the battle of Stone River and
Alexander is the subject of this sketch. By a
second marriage of the father, there were four children,
of whom Emeline is dead, Steven and
Josephine live in Porter county, Ind., and Clinton
was killed at Kenesaw Mountain. Meantime the father
had removed to the state of Indiana and was residing
there at the time of his death. Alexander was
taken by his grandparents after his mother's death, and
continued to live with them until he was twenty-six
years old. On February 1, 1853, he was married to
Maria
Augustus and settled with his bride on a farm which he
had purchased during the previous year. This place,
consisting of 201 acres, contained at the time an old
log house with two rooms and a slab floor, into which
the newly married couple moved and commenced
housekeeping. Later on, as prosperity visited them, the
shabby cabin gave place to a comfortable frame house and
the farm was from time to time supplied with all
necessary improvements. In those days it was not so easy
to obtain a good education as it is now, and Mr.
Hodsden
had few advantages of this kind in early life. Later on,
at his own expense, he paid. tuition to obtain the
benefit of special lessons. During the civil war he had
a rather interesting military experience. In 1863, a
company was organized in Union township which was called
the Home Guards, and of this Mr. Hodsden
became a member. This company was later attached to the
Ohio National Guards, including the Twenty-seventh
regiment from Ross county and the Fifty-fifth battalion
from Clinton county. These troops were levied for what
was called the hundred days' service and were intended
for guards at various important points on the railroads
and as reliefs for the regulars in the field. After the
Ohio command was mobilized at Camp Dennison, in May,
1864, they were ordered to Maryland, where they were
assigned to guard duty at different places. The "hundred
day men," as they were called, had rather spirited
expediences during the campaigns of 1864 in the valley
of Virginia, Maryland and along the line of the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad. It was in June of that year
that General " Jube"
Early commenced his famous march "on to
Washington." The "hundred day men" were posted at
various points on the railroad north of Martinsburg, and
when
Early's vanguard approached, consisting of
McCausland's cavalry, there were numerous brushes
between these forces at the block-houses. Finally, when
Early's army reached Frederick, Md., a force of 4,500
Union troops confronted him at what is known as Monocacy
Junction hard by the city. Among these troops was the
command to which Mr. Hodsden belonged, and
on the 9th of July, 1864, they took part in the severe
battle fought between the forces of Early and General
Lew Wallace. . Later, the "hundred day men"
were in Virginia, where they had a brush with
Guerrilla Mosby at Berryville on the 14th of August.
Mr. Hodsden's regiment returned to Ohio and was
mustered out on August 30, 1864, their term of
enlistment having expired. They did valuable service for
the Union cause during their brief but adventurous
experiences in the East. After the war, Mr. Hodsden
resumed his work of farming and stock-raising. On April
20, 1901, he lost his wife by death. This estimable lady
was the mother of ten children, of whom James M.,
Elizabeth and
Missouri have passed away. Mary is the wife of
Benjamin F. Willis, of Kansas; Josephine and Thomas
J. are at home; Augustus lives in Columbus, William
F.
in Nebraska, John A. and Stephen in Chillicothe.
Mr. Hodsden has been a member of the school
board, road supervisor, and was for some time an active
member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been a
member of the Presbyterian church for about fifty years.
Though now seventy-five years old, he has the appearance
and vigor of a much younger man.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
CHARLES
HOYT, M. D., of
Chillicothe, is a native of the Dominion of Canada, born
January 20, 1854. Both father and grandfather were
named Nason and they were New Englanders by
birth, the earlier ancestors of the family having
emigrated from England to this country in 1635.
Nason Hoyt, the Doctor's father, was a farmer
by occupation, who removed from N. Y., where he passed
the remainder of his days and died at the age of
sixty-eight. He married Susan
Webster, of New Hampshire, and during the many
subsequent years they lived together they were always
highly esteemed as devout church members and worthy
citizens in all respects. Dr. Charles Hoyt
was the youngest of their eleven children. He
finished the course prescribed in the schools of
Chautauqua county, N. Y.., and then engaged in teaching,
occupying his leisure hours in the study of medicine.
Subsequently, he went to Cincinnati and entered the
Pulte Medical college, where he pursued the regular
course. In due time he was graduated from this
institution and formed a partnership with his brother,
Dr. William Hoyt, for the practice of
medicine at Hillsboro, Ohio. In the spring of
1880, he removed to Chillicothe, where he has since
resided and practiced alone. Dr. Hoyt
has collected a choice library of standard works
embracing the greatest of the medical writers at all
periods, and he is a diligent student of the learning
therein contained. He allows nothing to pass which
promises improvement in his professional knowledge or is
calculated to keep him abreast of the times in modern
discoveries. He is a member of the American
Institute of Homeopathy, of the International
Hahnemannian association and the Ohio State Medical
society. He has been president of the Chillicothe
Board of Trade and prominently identified with the
business interests of the city, and is now president of
the Merchants' association in Chillicothe, and president
of the Chillicothe & Hillsboro Traction company, a
scheme for the union of two towns by an electric railway
system. Dr. Hoyt is a member of and
active worker in the various divisions of the Masonic
order in Chillicothe. September 6, 1883, he was
married to Helen E. Will, a native of McArthur,
Ohio. The results of this union have been two
children, whose names are Loy and Donald.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOHN M. HOUSER,
of Ross county, Ohio, is a native of Loudoun county, Va.,
where he was born about thirty miles from Washington
City, on January 18, 1816. He was the son of Michael
Houser, born in 1760, and grandson of Abraham
Houser, who came from Germany and settled in
Virginia in 1758. There was a legend that Abraham
had been king of a small province in the old country, but
however this may be, he devoted himself to farming after
reaching the soil of the Old Dominion. He married a
Miss Minear, by whom he had eleven children,
and died in Virginia in 1806. All of these children are
long since dead and even the names of some are now
forgotten by the family. Michael, the oldest of
the children, was married in Virginia in January, 1788,
to
Amy Tenant, by whom he had twelve children. In
1817, accompanied by a brother, he came to Ohio and
settled near Bourneville. Six of his children died in
infancy, others reached maturity, but the only one now
surviving is John M., the subject of this sketch.
The father farmed after he reached Ross county and died
in March, 1818, his wife passing away in the same year.
After the death of his parents, John M. Houser,
then an infant two years old, was taken in charge by his
sister, who cared, for him until he reached the age of
sixteen. He learned the blacksmith trade which he made a
means of livelihood for many years afterward. In
connection with this, however, he carried on farming in
a limited way and between the two met with a reasonable
share of success. August 26, 1841, Mr. Houser
was married to
Alethe Henry, and they settled down in
Lattasville, which was their home for forty-eight years.
Of their four children, William R. and Hugh H.
are dead; Carrie is the wife of Capt.
Caleb Core and John L. is a resident of
Illinois. Mr. Houser is a Republican in
politics and a member of the Presbyterian church. His
wife died on March 25, 1889, since which time he has
been living with his son and daughter.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
HARRY
G. HOWARD, a popular and promising young attorney
of Chillicothe, comes of old English stock long located
in Ross county. James Howard, founder of
the Ohio branch of the family, was an Englishman by
birth who emigrated to Virginia, and after some years
spent in that state became a settler of Ohio in 1808. He
established himself in Ross county as a manufacturer of
spinning-wheels, an article of prime necessity in those
pioneer days, and made a good living out of this useful
occupation. He became a man of some prominence in his
community, held the position of township trustee, and
died in 1863, leaving several children. Among the latter
was a son named John, born at Chillicothe, in
December, 1821. He grew up in his native city, learned
the saddler's trade, followed the same until some time
during the civil war, then went into the undertaking
business and continued that until 1892. In that year he
retired permanently from business, and with his wife,
who was a Miss Liet of New York state, is leading
a quiet life in Chillicothe. He has four children:
Charles H.; Horace, of Tucson,
Ari.; John, of Chillicothe, and James W.,
of Cleveland. Charles H. Howard was born in
Chillicothe, May 18, 1848. When a young man he became a
railroad employee and rose to the position of division
superintendent on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. In
1897, he removed to Cincinnati, where he has since
resided. In 1871 he was married to Elizabeth,
daughter of
Charles Aid, an old resident of Chillicothe.
She died in 1900,. leaving two children, Harry G.,
and Edna, wife of William T. Tibbits, of
Chicago. Harry G. Howard was born in
Chillicothe, January 11, 1875, grew up to manhood in his
native city and was graduated in the city high school
with the class of 1893. Shortly thereafter he became a
student in the office of Hon. Albert
Douglass
of Chillicothe for the purpose of familiarizing himself
with the law. Subsequently he matriculated at the
Cincinnati Law school and after a two years' course in
that institution received his diploma with the class of
1896. Without delay he entered upon the practice of his
profession in Chillicothe and has continued the same to
the present time with fine promise of future success and
a brilliant career. Mr. Howard is a member
of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and
secretary of the lodge in Chillicothe.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
O. M. HOWSER,
principal promoter of the Chillicothe, Mt. Sterling &
Columbus electric line, and long prominent in business
circles of Ross county, comes of strong and sturdy
ancestral stock. There is no better blood in the world
than that known as Holland Dutch, and it was a pair of
these liberty-loving people who originated the Howser
family in Virginia, through which offshoots' have come to
other states of the Union. William Howser, son of
these immigrants, was born in Loudoun county, Va., in
1809. His father dying when he was quite young, he was
taken in charge by his uncle Christopher Howser,
who reared him with affectionate care and looked after
his early education. William attended school at
Leesburg, the principal town in Loudoun county, and
one of his classmates was Robert E. Lee,
who afterward became so celebrated as the commander of
the army of Northern Virginia. After leaving school,
William
made himself master of the shoemaker's trade and thus
equipped joined the army of "movers" who were then
seeking homes in the West. He settled at Lancaster, O.,
and soon thereafter married Naomi Warfield, Ohio
born of Irish descent, with whom he went to housekeeping
and prosecuted his trade as a means of support. After
several years at this place a removal was made to
Concord township in Ross county, where the head of the
family continued his calling as a shoemaker. In 1857,
still another move was made, this time to Pickaway
county, where shoemaking was temporarily abandoned for
management of a farm, which continued for two years,
when the father permanently located at Clarksburg, Ross
county. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-six
years, but up to some eight or ten years before his
death he continued to work at his shoemaker's trade,
showing his old industrious habits to the last. Though
considerably younger than he, his wife died eighteen
years before him. This worthy couple became the parents
of nine children. Christie A., wife of
Josiah Henness, of Greenfield; Margaret J.,
married to Charles Brown of Clarksburg;
Elizabeth E., wife of George W. Farlow,
Clarksburg; Rosa (deceased) ; William R.,
died in the Andersonville prison in 1863; O. M.,
subject of this sketch; Jennie, wife of J. M.
Boven of Clarksburg; Mary A., of
Greenfield. O. M. Howser was born in Ross county,
Ohio, near Frankfort, June 3, 1847, finished the school
course at Clarksburg and afterward studied law with
Judge Safford
in Chillicothe. Deciding, however, not to follow a
professional life, he turned his attention to commercial
pursuits as more congenial to his tastes. For seventeen
years he was engaged in the boot and shoe business,
after which he traveled two years for the Hocking Valley
manufacturing company, of Lancaster. Mr. Howser
is one of the principal promoters of the Chillicothe,
Mt. Sterling and Columbus Electric railway line, being
vice-president and director of the company. He has held
the office of justice of the peace for thirteen years
continuously and does considerable real estate business.
He is quite prominent in Freemasonry, holding membership
in Heber lodge, No. 501, at Williamsport, and Chapter
No. 4 and Commandery No. 8, of Chillicothe. He also
belongs to Odd Fellows lodge, No. 721, at Clarksburg,
and in all the affairs of his fraternities is attentive
and active. He was married October 18, 1876, to
Hannah Wilkins,
born and bred in Deerfield township, with whom he has
since lived most happily at Clarksburg. They have
five children: William M., Ellen T., Jeanette, Delia
and Ward. The family attend the Christian
church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
JOHN J. HUGHES,
who farms a handsome body of land in the eastern part of
Scioto township, is one of the representatives farmers
of Ross county. He is of Virginia parentage
immediately, but farther back owes his origin to
England. From that country, some time during the
eighteenth century, came John Hughes and two
brothers, who purchased large tracts of land in Virginia
and became men of importance in their day. John
married Mary Jeans and reared a family of
seen children: John, James, Livingston,
William, Betsy, Mary and Eliza. John,
the eldest of these, was born in Albermarle county, Va.,
in 1812. He remained at home until his eighteenth
year, after which he resided some time with an uncle and
then went to Alabama, where he was employed as an
overseer. This continued for three years, followed
by his return to Virginia and marriage to Elizabeth
Proffit, with whom he settled on a farm in Nelson
county and there spent the remainder of his days.
He had ten children, one of whom died in infancy, the
others being John J., William, Alex, Robert, Jack,
Henry, Anna, Lucy and Louisa, all of whom
live in Nelson county with the exception of Henry,
who is a resident of Augusta county. John J.
Hughes, eldest of these children, was born in Nelson
county, Va., Dec. 25, 1847. He remained with his
parents until his twenty-first year, after which he
spent a year in Kentucky doing day labor on a farm.
Returning to Virginia, he was married to Susan Sauls,
July 25, 1872, began farming in his native county, and
lived there until 1888. In that year he came to
Ross county and located on the farm in Scioto township
which he has since managed with success. The real
estate which Mr. Hughes manages amounts to 300
acres of excellent land, which is cultivated by the most
approved methods and kept in first class condition.
Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have ten children: Emma
(living in Madison county), Betty, Nannie, Susie,
Lucy, John, Wirt, Mack, Isaac and Dick.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
LUTHER B. HURST,
treasurer of Ross county, is a native of the same, born
on his father's farm May 28, 1869. His parents
were Gen. Samuel H. and Mary (Trimble) Hurst, the
former being well known as a business man of Chillicothe
and the present postmaster of that city, a soldier
during the civil war, an ex-department commander to Ohio
Grand Army of the Republic, and one of the leading
politicians of his section. Luther B. Hurst
was educated in the public schools of Chillicothe, and
remained with his father on the farm until he was twenty
years old, when he entered the employment of the
Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railway company. He
retained this position until November, 1894, when he
resigned to accept the appointment as deputy treasurer.
Within three years after entering the office, he was
himself elected treasurer of Ross county by a majority
of 769, leading the entire Republican ticket in that
county. He was a member of the Ohio National Guard
from July 3, 1892, until the company was mustered into
National service, at the beginning of the war with
Spain, when Mr. Hurst became a member of the
Seventh Ohio volunteer infantry and was commissioned
first lieutenant of Company H. His experience as a
business man led to his appointment, and the ability for
the service which he displayed resulted in his promotion
to the post of ordnance officer of the regiment.
He was mustered out with his regiment at Columbus in
November, 1898. In 1899, Lieutenant Hurst
was again elected treasurer of Ross county and he is now
serving his second term. He is popular and
successful in business affairs as he is in war and
politics. He is one of the principal stockholders
of the National Wagon company of Chillicothe, of which
he is secretary and a director. In April, 1889, he
was married to Caroline R. Wolf, a native of
Chillicothe and daughter of George L. Wolf,
deceased a prominent citizen who filled various
responsible positions in the county. Mr and
Mrs. Hurst have two children, Ruth Mildred
adn Arthur Trimble. Mr. Hurst is prominent
in Masonry, being a Knight Templar, and is a member of
Chillicothe lodge, No 52, of the Order of Elks. He
and wife are members of the Walnut Street church of
Chillicothe.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
|
GENERAL SAMUEL H. HURST,
a distinguished Union soldier and holder of many civic
positions of high responsibility, is descended from one
of the pioneer families of Ross county.
Among the army of immigrants westward bound during
the early years of the nineteenth century was a young
Marylander by the name of Levi Hurst.
He was born about 1770, learned the brick-mason’s
trade in his youth, and about 1790 was married to
Sophia Bradley, also a native of Maryland.
In 1800 he came to Ross county and settled in
Chillicothe, and about a year after his arrival
he purchased land in Union
township to which he removed in 1801.
From that time on he followed farming as an
occupation until his death, which occurred in 1857, his
wife surviving until 1860.
They were the parents of ten children, all of whom
grew to maturity: James, Maria, Hooper, William,
Levi, Samuel, Thomas, Matilda, John N. and
Sanford.
The latter died in early manhood but the others
married and reared families.
James and Thomas
went to Missouri,
Samuel and William
settled in
Indiana, and Maria,
who married William Fennimore, also
became a resident of the last mentioned state.
The others remained in Ross county and bore their
full share in its subsequent development.
Hooper
Hurst, third of the children
in consecutive order, was born in Maryland in 1794, came with his parents to
Ross county, there grew to manhood, and received such
education as was afforded by the country schools of
those days.
Being of frail constitution, he was unequal to the
arduous farm work then in vogue and contributed his
share towards the incipient civilization by performing
the teacher’s task.
In early manhood he went to Scioto Salt Works, now
Jackson,
Ohio, and there met with and
married Elizabeth James, a daughter of
Maj. John James, proprietor of the Salt Works and
a leading man in that vicinity, being a member of the
Ohio legislature for several terms.
It was in 1818 that his marriage took place and six
years later he returned to Ross county with his wife,
settled on a Union township farm and there remained
until his death in 1848.
His wife survived him many years, her death not
occurring until 1873.
Hooper and Elizabeth Hurst reared
a family of five sons and five daughters, all of whom
reached manhood and womanhood respectively.
Their names, in order of birth, were Julia,
Nancy, James, John R., Dennison, Samuel H., William F.,
Louise, Emily and Elizabeth.
Of these children four are still living in Ross
county, including Mrs. Nancy Betts, John R.,
Samuel H. and Louise Abernathy.
Samuel H. Hurst was
born in Union township, Ross county, September 22, 1831.
After the usual educational routine in youth, he
taught school a year or two and then entered the Ohio
Wesleyan university, where he was graduated with the
class of 1854, working his own way through college.
After his graduation he resumed and continued for
three years the occupation of teaching school.
At the same time he devoted all his leisure hours
to reading elementary works on the subject of law with a
view to preparing himself for practice of that
profession.
During the winter of 1854-55 he was superintendent
of schools at
Jackson,
Ohio, but continued his legal
studies intermittently until his admission to the bar in
1858. He
entered earnestly into this new work, devoted himself
assiduously to the practice, and was speedily rewarded
with public recognition.
In 1859 he was elected city solicitor and this was
followed in 1860 by election to the probate judgeship of
Ross county.
This career, so auspiciously begun, was interrupted by the
startling events of 1861.
A few months after the opening guns of the war were
fired, Judge Hurst resigned his
position on the bench and became captain of Company A,
Seventy-third regiment Ohio volunteer infantry.
In June, 1862, he was promoted to the rank of major
of this regiment; served as such until the spring of
1864, was then promoted to the lieutenant-colonelcy, and
in June of the same year received a commission as
colonel.
With this rank he commanded his regiment throughout
the Atlanta
campaign and
Sherman’s immortal “march to the
sea,” a military achievement which no soldier who
participated in it will ever forget.
In March, 1865, Colonel Hurst was
brevetted brigadier-general and he was mustered out in
the latter part of July, lacking forty days of having
served four years.
At the battle of New Hope Church Colonel Hurst
was severely, and at first reported mortally, wounded by a
gunshot in the head.
At the conclusion of hostilities, he returned to
his farm in Union township and engaged in fruit-growing,
a business for which he developed both taste and
adaptability.
In 1869 he was appointed internal collector for his
congressional district and served six years, still
continuing his attention to fruit-growing, while
residing at Chillicothe.
General Hurst has been especially
prominent and efficient in all matters relating to
agriculture, especially the horticultural branch of that
great industry.
As a recognition of this fact, he was in 1886
appointed the first state dairy and food commissioner of Ohio and served eighteen months in that capacity,
eventually resigning to accept the director-generalship
of the Ohio Centennial exposition held at
Columbus
in 1888. For
six years he was a valuable member of the State board of
agriculture, acting as the special representative of the
horticultural industry, though proving in every way a
potential friend of the farmer.
He was mayor of Chillicothe in 1861-2, and
in January, 1900, was appointed postmaster of that city
entering upon the duties of his office March 1, in the
same year.
Jan. 1, 1867, General Hurst was married
to Mary C. Trimble, a native of Kentucky, who died in
1875 leaving four children, three of whom are living:
Luther B.,
county treasurer of Ross county, Madge and Mary.
In 1876, General Hurst married
Mrs. Frederika Hanby, of
Chillicothe, by whom he has two
children, Edith and Carl W.,
the latter a clerk in the postoffice.
General Hurst
is a member of the Chillicothe post, Grand Army of the Republic, and a past
department commander of the department of Ohio.
As a public speaker he is well known throughout the
entire State.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 529
|
|
|
JAMES R. HURTT,
deceased, was born in Deerfield township, Ross county,
Nov. 3, 1825. His father, Thomas Hurtt, was
a native of Maryland who came to Ross county in 1806 and
settled in Deerfield township. Those were the
pioneer days and most of the State of Ohio was then
either but sparsely inhabited or still a wilderness.
Thomas Hurtt purchased 120 acres of land, on
which he constructed a rude log house so common in those
days, and there he and his family spent many years of
their lives. He married Tamsey Noble, who
became the mother of one son, named Thomas, and
died in giving him birth on Jan. 13, 1813.
Afterward he took a second wife, Anna Hood, which
union resulted in five children, whose names are
Nelson, John W., Louisa, James R., and Margaret.
Their mother having died on Dec. 6, 1828,
Mr. Hurtt was again married, to a Miss Whitton,
to whom were born Jane, George and
Willis. The father spent his life, up to the
time of his death, in the same neighborhood where he had
made his beginnings at his first entrance into the
county. James R. Hurtt, the subject of this
sketch, was the fourth of his father's second family of
children. He attended school a while, but at the
early age of ten was sent to Williamsport to learn the
trade of a saddler. He was so occupied until the
age of eighteen, when he peddled clocks for a while and
later was in the mercantile business at Clarksburg and
Bier. Jan. 30, 1849, he married Lavina D. Junk,
a native of Ross county and member of one of the old
families. The result of this union was one child,
who was born July 11, 1852, and died May 23, 1890.
After marrying, Mr. Hurtt bought 79 acres of
land, to which he removed and later added various
improvements. About 1871 he sold that place and
purchased the 120 acres on which he spent the remainder
of his days. An additional 100 acres was bought
later, which was improved in various ways, including the
erection of a substantial frame house. Mr.
Hurtt held the office of justice of the peace for
about 15 years, also served as constable and held many
minor positions of trust. He was a republican in
politics a member of the Pleasant Valley grange, and
belonged to the Methodist Episcopal church. He
died May 29, 1897, since which time his widow, Mrs.
Lavina Hurtt, has continued to manage the estate.
She is assisted in this work by her grandson, Emory
Hurtt, who resides with her and looks after much of
the outdoor business.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 531 |
|
|
JOHN E. HYER
a representative of the younger element among Concord
township farmers, comes of a family long settled in Ross
county. Far back in the pioneer days, a quartet of
brothers named Hyer crossed the mountains of
Virginia and made their way to Ross county about the
same time. William, one of these brothers,
remained single and left no representative to perpetuate
his name; Rude and Michael took wives and
reared families; and Daniel, who located in
Concord township, married twice. By his first
marriage, Daniel Hyer had three children:
Elijah, Ellen and Fountain, and by his second
marriage, to Polly Laninger, there were nine
children: George, Frederick, Newton, Mary, Elizabeth,
Martha, Julia, Nancy and Susan.
George Hyer, eldest of the second family of
children, was born in Concord township and after
reaching manhood adopted farming as an occupation, which
he followed in Ross county until 1882 and then removed
to Fayette county, where he at present resides. In
early manhood he was married to Elizabeth,
daughter of Abram and Sarah Arrowhead, old
residents of Ross county. Five children resulted
from this union: Addison, a farmer in Fayette
county; John E., subject of this sketch; Emma
Ollie, wife of Charles Grimes, of Pickaway
county; and Edgar, also of Pickaway.
John E. Hyer was born in Concord township, Ross
county, Ohio, in 1862. He received the usual
education in the district schools and when he grew up
entered into the business of farming, which has been his
life-long occupation. Oct. 16, 1887, he was
married to Julia, daughter of Charles Dick,
Pickaway county, by whom he has two children: Roy
and Ivorene. Mr. Hyer is a member of
the Knights of Pythias fraternity.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County,
Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 531 |
. |
