OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS - Seneca Co., Ohio

MR. JOHN M. NAYLOR was born at Wooster, Ohio, on the 9th of December, 1822. When a boy he became a clerk in a store in Wooster, then carried on by Messrs. Jacobs and Kanke. This was in 1834. In 1847 Mr. Naylor, in company with Mr. Harvey Howard, of Wooster, opened a hardware store in Tiffin, which they carried on here until 1851, when Mr. Howard sold his interest, in the store from that time was conducted in the name of Naylor & Pittenger up to 1855. From that time to 1857 Mr. Naylor conducted the business alone, for three years, when he was joined by a brother, W. W. Naylor, and the firm was called Naylor & Bro. This firm was continued to Mar. 4, 1866, when William W. Naylor died, and the immense establishment ahs ever since been carried on by Mr. Naylor alone.
On the 11th day of December, 1849, Mr. Naylor was married on Cornelia, daughter of Judge Pittenger. In 1857 he built the beautiful villa on Melmore street, where he still resides. The mother of Mr. Naylor was a sister to Judge Musgrave, of Crawford county. An uncle by marriage was Judge Dean, of Wayne county, and my esteemed friend, Judge E. V. Dean, of Ironton, Ohio, is a full cousin of J. M. Naylor.
Mr. Naylor's life is a fine specimen of a self-made, successful career, based upon industry, economy, ability and honesty. Ever busy, late and early, with a friendly word for everybody, it is a matter of perfect wonder where he ever found time to make himself master of history, civil government and universal geography.
SOURCE: History of Seneca County : from the close of the Revolutionary War to July, 1880 : embracing many personal sketches of pioneers, anecdotes, and faithful descriptions of events pertaining to the organization of the county and its progress - Springfield, Ohio: Transcript Print. Co., 1880

ELMER E. NEIKIRK, a general dry goods merchant, is one of Greenspring's most progressive business men and his career in good citizenship has contributed in great measure to the growth and prosperity of the town. The founding of few American families can be traced to an earlier period than that of the Neikirks, one Guerb Cornilissen Von Menckercke Garret Cornelius Neikirk, having sailed across the seas with his wife, son and small babe in the good ship Moesman and landed at New Amsterdam in the month of April, 1659. As his name very clearly indicates he was of that solid Dutch stock from which so many of the most prominent of Americans have descended, this including a certain illustrious ex-president of the United States.
     Mr. Neikirk was born Oct. 25, 1865, at Republic, Ohio, and is the son of Martin H. and Margareta Fry Neikirk, who were married on Christmas Day, 1862, at Republic, Ohio. The ancestry can be traced in an unbroken line from the above mentioned emigrant to these shores. The father, Martin H., was the son of Henry H. and Catherine Neikirk, the former being descended from Ezra Neikirk and being the son of Samuel who was then the son of Joseph, who was born in 1804. This great-great-grandfather, Joseph, was the son of Michael and Catherine Pence Neikirk, and the former was a son of one John Neikirk, who resided at Sharon, Pennsylvania. John was the son of George N., who was the son of Tenis S., who was born at Princeton, New Jersey, he being the son of Abraham N., born in 1723 in that state. Abraham's father was Henry, born in 1690, and Henry was the son of Arien and Elizabeth Huyberts Brink Neikirk, who was the son of the previously mentioned ancestor who came to these shores only about a generation after the landing of the Pilgrims, his birth having occurred in Holland in the year 1630. The mother of Mr. Neikirk was the daughter of Enoch and Rhoda (Wolf) Fry, natives of Maryland, who resided in Seneca County, Ohio, near Republic.
     Elmer E. Neikirk was educated in the district schools of Scipio township and later entered Heidelberg College at Tiffin, where he attended for two years. Being naturally inclined towards a commercial career, he took a business course at Fostoria and subsequently engaged in the grocery business. He sold this after a time and went to Tiffin, where he was first identified with the dry goods trade, in which he was ultimately to experience such entire success. He remained in Tiffin for four years, gaining golden experience, and then returned to Greenspring, where he entered into dry goods fields in partnership with C. L. Smith and has been thus engaged for twenty years, the firm being known as Smith & Neikirk. A steady and wholesome growth has been experience and the firm now conducts one of the important enterprises of this locality.
     Mr. Neikirk is a stanch and loyal Democrat and has filled the offices of treasurer and councilman for several terms, his zeal for advancement and his advocacy of all those measures likely to result in the attainment of the greatest good to the greatest number making his services of particular value. He is an enthusiastic lodge man and holds membership in the Masonic order and with the Knights of Pythias, and in both of these he has filled many of the chairs. These associations are fruitful of much pleasure and profit and have greatly added to his acquaintanceship. Mr. Neikirk's executive talents are such that he has energy for other enterprises than his dry goods trade. For example he is one of the founders of the local telephone company, is one of the managers and at present holds the office of secretary.
     Mr. Neikirk in no relation appears in a more admirable light than in his championship of good education and of everything designed to benefit the town in which his affections and interests are centered. He belongs to the Methodist church and here also he is a power for good. On Apr. 24, 1894, he laid the foundation of a happy home life by his marriage to Miss Mary R. Turner, born Jan. 18, 1876, at Greenspring, the daughter of James and Hannah Turner.
SOURCE: A History of Seneca County, Ohio - Vol. II - 1911 - Page 807

IRVING B. NEIKIRK - Few men play as prominent and praiseworthy a part in the civic and banking affairs of Republic as Irving B. Neikirk, cashier of the Republic Banking Company and a native of the township which at present claims his residence. The Neikirk name is one of the best known in Seneca county, and he whose name initiates this paragraph is one of its worthiest representatives. He was born in Scipio township, Aug. 30, 1873, and is the son of Jeremiah and Anna (Bookholt) Neikirk, his parents being natives of this county. The mother's parents were Germans and typical of that fine stock which has furnished to the United States one of its most valuable sources of immigration. John Henry Bookholt, her father, came to the land of the stars and stripes in 1817 and located in Scipio at the age of twenty-one. He worked for others for six years then bought a farm, cleared it and brought it to a high state of cultivation. At the age of twenty-five he married Mrs. Bering and they had five children, Catherine, Susan, Ann, David and Mary. Susan and Mary are deceased. Mr. Bookholt was a Democrat and a member of the Reformed church. He died at the age of fifty-three. The paternal grandparents, Jacob and Catherine (Sommers) Neikirk, were Maryland people who came westward to Ohio at a very early day, probably in the early '20s, and entered land which they cleared and made into one of the fertile and productive farms which have ever been the very bone and sinew of the Buckeye state. They also built a tavern, which they called the Neikirk House located two and one-half miles north of Republic, on the Kilburn Road, and which the grandfather conducted for a number of years. He died in the year 1872.
     Jeremiah Neikirk, father of Irving B., was born June 26, 1838, and resided with his parents until his marriage in the year 1868. He engaged independently in farming after that date and in saw milling and he also owned and operated a threshing machine in this section for about a score of years. He is now retired and resides in Republic, where in leisure he enjoys the fruits of his previous industry and thrift. The maternal grandparents, Henry and Barbara Bookholt, after crossing the Atlantic located in Scipio township on land which they secured and afterward cleared and improved, and it was here that the birth of the subject's mother occurred on Mar. 8, 1849.
     Mr. Neikirk has had the advantages of a good education, receiving his preliminary training in the public schools and subsequently attending the university at Ada, Ohio, which has been the alma mater of a number of the Buckeye state's prominent men. He was graduated from that institution with the class of 1897, in the scientific department, and in 1900 finished a course in law. He hung out his shingle at Muncie, Indiana, and there for some time engaged in the practice of his profession. He subsequently engaged in railroad work in Indiana and came thence to Republic, where he engaged in the banking business, his duties as cashier of the Republic Banking Company having extended over a period of five years. His efficiency is proven and he enjoys the confidence of those with whom he is associated.
     The bank was first opened as a private bank, under the management of A. J. Solomon, but after about twelve months it was incorporated as a state bank with an authorized capital of twenty-five thousand dollars on Dec. 8, 1906. Deposits have increased about forty per cent each year since the organization, and the bank now has a time lock safe and safety vault. It also carries daylight and night burglar insurance and conducts a regular banking business. The president of the bank is J. H. Knapp, the cashier, J. B. Neikirk; the vice president, J. W. Cook, and the directors are J. H. Knapp, J. W. Cook, D. D. Helsinger, J. Neikirk, William Baker, A. J. Neikirk and A. Kistler.
     Mr. Neikirk joined the ranks of the Benedicts on Nov. 27, 1900, being united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Nettie C. Burnside She is a native of this county, having been born near Tiffin, Clinton township, Feb. 14, 1875, and her parents being John and Matilda (Litzenberger) Burnside, natives of Seneca county. Mr. Burnside was born July 14, 1839, and his wife was born in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, May 24, 1843. They are the parents of seven children, five daughters and two sons, as follows: Eva, born July 23, 1870; Ida, Dec. 22, 1871; Ada, Aug. 13, 1873; Nettie, Feb. 14, 1875; Minnie, Feb. 3, 1877; Arlie J., May 22, 1881; and Ralph D., Jan. 28, 1886.
     Mr. Neikirk is a prominent Mason, belonging to the chapter and council in Tiffin, Ohio, and at the present date holding the master's chair. He and his wife are consistent members of the Lutheran church and his political sympathies are with the Democratic party. He has served in public office from time to time, and has been a member of the township and village council and also the school board.
     Mr. Neikirk comes of a family of two children, his brother Lester J. being a farmer and residing on the old homestead place three and one half miles northeast of Republic, Ohio.
SOURCE: A History of Seneca County, Ohio - Vol. II - 1911 - Page 739

JOHN NEIKIRK. One of the native sons of Seneca county who rendered to the nation the valiant service of a loyal son of the republic at the time of the war of the Rebellion and who is now one of the honored citizens and successful farmers of Adams township, is Mr. Neikirk, and it is our privilege to here incorporate a brief review of his life, according him due consideration as a representative of one of the pioneer families of this section of the state.
     Mr. Neikirk was born on the farm where he now maintains his home, the date of his nativity being Dec. 23, 1834. His father, Joseph Neikirk, was born in Washington county, Indiana, the son of Michael Neikirk, who came thence to Seneca county with his family in the early pioneer epoch. Joseph Neikirk was married in Seneca county, Barbara Noel becoming his wife, and to them seven children were born: Mary, the widow of Dorsey Hardsock of Adams township; William who lost his life while serving in the Civil war; David, who also was a soldier in the Union army and who is now deceased; John, the subject of this review; and Samuel, Elizabeth and Barbara, all of whom are deceased. The father of our subject passed away in 1887, at the venerable age of eighty-two years, and the death of his devoted and cherished wife occurred in 1873, at the age of sixty-four. They located on the farm now owned by our subject shortly after their marriage, and here continued to reside until death terminated their mortal careers. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and followed this vocation in his earlier years in connection with his farming, and his life was one of signal integrity and honor. He reclaimed his farm from the virgin forests and lived to enjoy the fruits of his years of toil and endeavor, being revered as one of the sterling pioneers of the county.
     On the old homestead John Neikirk was reared to maturity, early becoming familiar with the strenuous work pertaining to its development and cultivation and securing his preliminary educational discipline in the common schools. This was effectively supplemented by a course of study in the academy then maintained in the village of Republic, and thereafter he became a teacher in the schools of the county, devoting his attention to successful pedagogic work during the winters of 1856 and 1857. In 1859 occurred his marriage, and after this important event in his career Mr. Neikirk rented a tract of land near the old home and continued its cultivation for a period of four years. In March, 1864, he located on a farm of eighty acres in Adams township, and this continued to be his home until 1888 in March of which year he returned to the old homestead, where he ahs since been successfully engaged in general farming and stock-raising, having a well improved place of seventy acres.
     In May, 1864, Mr. Neikirk tendered his services to the Union by enlisting as a private in Company G, One Hundred and Sixty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which regiment his brothers David, William and Samuel, as well as his brother-in-law, Dorsey Hardsock were also members. The regiment was sent to aid in the defense of the national capital, and there our subject was in service for a period of one hundred discharge. He still manifests his interest in his old comrades by retaining membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, being identified with Robinson Post, No. 135, at Republic. In politics he has ever given his support to the Republic party, taking a proper interest in public affairs of a local nature and keeping well informed on the questions and issues of the hour.
     On the 6th of October, 1859, Mr. Neikirk was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E. Noel, who was born in Allen county, Indiana, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Ensley) Noel, who removed from Seneca county, Ohio, to Dekalb county, Indiana, in 1839, where the father died at the age of forty-seven years, his widow still maintaining her home in that state and having attained the advanced age of eighty-five years (1902). They became the parents of seven sons and four daughters, of whom five are living at the present time, namely: Philip, who served in the Thirtieth Indiana Volunteer Infantry during the Civil war, is a resident of Dekalb county, Indiana; Sarah E. is the wife of our subject; Solomon is a resident of Knob, Shasta county, California; and Perry and Samuel are residents of Indiana. Those deceased are George, who died at Memphis, Tennessee, during the Rebellion, having been a soldier in the One Hundredth Indiana Volunteer Infantry; Susan who became the wife of John Long; Lucy who married Holmes Link; Eliza, who became the wife of Joseph Rechtenwald and two who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Neikirk are prominent and influential members of the English Lutheran church, with which our subject has been identified for forty years, having served as elder and deacon. Our subject and his wife have no children of their own, but have reared one girl from the age of eight years, Clara Elnora Redfox, now a young lady.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Seneca County, Ohio - Publ. by Lewis Publishing Company - 1902 - Page 224

HARRISON NOBLE was born in Wayne County, Ohio, on the 28th of January, 1826, and was admitted to the bar in 1849, when he located in Tiffin. He was city solicitor four years, and is now the mayor of the city.
SHARON WICK'S NOTES:
1870 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - 1st Wd. Tiffin - Film Series M593 Roll 1266 Page 324 -
Dwelling 249 Family 273 -
Harrison Noble age 42 - attorney-at-law; Manirva age 40 - Keeping house; Harrison H. age 10; Berthland age 6; James Ely age 21. Lucretia Albaugh age 20 - Housekeeping.
1880 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - 5th Wd. Tiffin - Film Series T9 Roll 1065 Page 239 -
Dwelling 12 Family 28 -
Harrison Noble age 55 - Atty-at-law; Manerva age 50 - wife; H. age 19; Bert age 16; James Ely age 30 - Nephew - Atty-at-law; _ Armstrong age 15 - Niece; Josephine _etter? age 20 - Servant.
1900 Census - Seneca Co., Ohio - Clinton Twp. - Film Series T623 Roll 1320 Page 109 -
15 Adams Street - Dwelling 57 Family 58 -
Harrsin Hedges Noble age 40 b. March 1860 - Physician; Retta M. age 37 - b. Dec. 1862 - Wife; Minerva age 73? - Mother; Mary Calmes age 35 - b. Sept. 18_4 - Servant.
1920 Census - Cuyahoga Co., Ohio - 19th Wd. Cleveland - 10506 Cedar - Dwelling 90 Family 153 -
Harrison H. Noble age 59 - Physician; Ratta M. age 52 - Wife.
SOURCE: History of Seneca County : from the close of the Revolutionary War to July, 1880 : embracing many personal sketches of pioneers, anecdotes, and faithful descriptions of events pertaining to the organization of the county and its progress - Springfield, Ohio: Transcript Print. Co., 1880

WARREN PERRY NOBLE was born in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, June 14, 1820. His father's name was William Noble, and his mother's maiden name Rebecca Lytle. The parents moved to Wayne county, Ohio, when they had three little children, and located in Salt Creek township, some ten miles east of Wooster. In 1834 the family moved to Medina county, where father Noble had bought a farm. He lived there about two years, when he sold the farm, and taking with him his oldest son, came to Jackson township, where he had previously entered 120 acres, and built a small cabin upon it. Then he returned for the family and brought them here in 1836. The cabin proved to be too small for so large a family, and some of the boys had to sleep in the wagons until another adjoining cabin could be constructed. By this time they had nine sons and one daughter. The daughter, Mary, is the wife of Mr. Histe, one of the present county commissioners. Of the sons but four are still living; the subject of this sketch, Warren Perry Noble, Harrison Noble, the present mayor of Tiffin, Captain Montgomery Noble, and John Noble, clerk of the court in Clay county, Kansas.
     Warren P. lived with his father on the farm, and as he grew up to boyhood, received such school education as the country afforded; but nature had endowed him with a good physique, with a more than average amount of brain, and above all, with a spirit of industry and perseverance that knew no tiring. He applied himself to his books, and was soon enabled to teach school in the neighborhood of his home, embracing Fostoria, Mr. John Lawrence, Hon. Charles Foster, Rev. Jacob Caples, Junius V. Jones, were among his scholars, and others who have also become eminent in life. In February, 1842, he entered the law office of Rawson and Pennington, in Tiffin, and in 1844 was admitted to the bar. From that time to this day he has faithfully applied himself to the practice.
     In 1847, on the 17th day of August, he married Mary E., oldest daughter of Mr. F. Singer, of Tiffin. Mrs. Noble died on the 9th of March, 1853, leaving Mr. Noble with three little children; two little girls and a baby boy but a few days old. He raised and educated his children, and the girls are both married. Belle is Mrs. William L. Bates, of Dayton, Ohio; Mary Ellen is Mrs. Silas W. Graff, residing at Tiffin, Ohio; Warren Frederick, the son, is a graduate of the Ohio State university, of the class of 1879, and is now reading law in his father's office.
     After living the life of a widower more than seventeen years, and raising his children until they were able to take care of themselves, Mr. Noble was married to Miss Alice M. Campbell, of Tiffin, Ohio, on the 27th day of September, 1870, and two most interesting little girls are the fruit of this marriage.
     In 1846 Mr. Noble was elected a member of the house of representatives of the general assembly of Ohio, and re-elected in 1847. In the fall of 1848 he was elected prosecuting attorney for Seneca county, and re-elected in 1850, serving four years, except a short time before the expiration of his term, when he resigned. In 1860 he was elected to the thirty-seventh congress over Judge Carey, the Whig candidate for his second term, and was re-elected to the thirty-eighth congress over Judge Wooster, of Norwalk, who was his colleague in the previous term, having been thrown into this district by the change of districts prior to the election. Mr. Noble was a war Democrat, and served as such during the war to March 4th, 1865.
     He was one of the trustees of the Ohio state university for ten years, having been first appointed by Governor Hayes. After the death of John T. Huss and the failure of the First National bank of Tiffin, Mr. Noble was appointed as its receiver. He settled claims against the institution, amounting to $240,000, paying sixty cents on the dollar, and settled up the concern with the least litigation and in the shortest time of any bank that failed sine the inauguration of the present banking system. He has been the president of the Commercial bank ever sine it started, in June, 1876, and is the president also of the Tiffin Mutual Aid association, and a member of the Tiffin board of education. During the construction of the Baltimore and Ohio and the Mansfield Cold Water railroads, he took a very active part, as he always did in all public enterprises.
     Mr. Noble owes his great success in life to that indomitable industry, integrity and perseverance that have marked his whole life from his boyhood.
SOURCE: History of Seneca County : from the close of the Revolutionary War to July, 1880 : embracing many personal sketches of pioneers, anecdotes, and faithful descriptions of events pertaining to the organization of the county and its progress - Springfield, Ohio: Transcript Print. Co., 1880 - pp 380-381

JOHN NOEL was born October 15th, 1777 in Adams county, Pennsylvania. He was married to Elizabeth Beamer (who was born in the same state, July 21st, 1780.) on the 15th day of June, 1801. They moved to Ohio in 1822, and located near Massilon, Stark county, and in April, 1830, located in this township, on the farm where their son Nicholas now lives, fifty years ago.
John Noel and his wife were the parents of fifteen children, seven boys and eight girls, of whom four boys and three girls are still living John Noel died October 29th, 1863, aged eighty-six years and fifteen days. Mrs. Noel died in September, 1847, at the age of sixty seven years, three months and twenty-seven days.
SOURCE: History of Seneca County : from the close of the Revolutionary War to July, 1880 : embracing many personal sketches of pioneers, anecdotes, and faithful descriptions of events pertaining to the organization of the county and its progress - Springfield, Ohio: Transcript Print. Co., 1880g 629

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