Monroe County OH

Biography of Vernon M. Wiley

Vernon M. Wiley. It does not require a long memory to make a mental comparison between the present Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, located in its magnificent building, the most conspicuous business structure of Hutchinson, and the 25-foot storeroom which the same parties occupied at the beginning of their mercantile career in this city sixteen years ago. “From small acorns great oaks grow,” is an old saying that finds one of its choicest applications in this successful business. The secretary and treasurer of the Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, Mr. Wiley, is surprisingly young for a man of his position and achievements. … Read more

Thomas Jefferson Todd of Nebraska

Thomas Jefferson Todd6, (Caleb5, Gideon4, Gideon3, Michael2, Christopher1) born March 11, 1803, at Fairfield, Herkimer County, N. Y., died Aug. 10, 1880, at Plattsmouth, Neb., married May 12, 1830, Mary Smith at Kiantone, Chautauqua County, N. Y. In the year 1832, they removed to Jamestown, N. Y.; in 1836 they went to Geauga County, Ohio; thence in 1839 to Carrol County, Ohio; then in 1841 they went to De Wittville, N. Y., to the farm originally owned by Caleb Todd and which was bought by him from the Holland Land Company, and which farm is now owned by Chautauqua County … Read more

Biography of John Quincy Smith

John Quincy Smith. The career of J. Quincy Smith, of Fredonia, had been an expression of well directed and diversified industry and in its development had invaded various fields of human activity, in each of which J. Q. Smith had won a full measure of material success and satisfying reputation. He had had experience in both professional and business labors, and while he is now retired from the activities of life, having approached the Psalmist’s three-score-and-ten years, is still an influence for good in his community and a citizen whose help and support continue to be factors for the development … Read more

Biography of William Cochran Hall, M. D.

William Cochran Hall, M. D., has lived at Coffeyville nearly thirty years. As a physician and surgeon he has been successful, as is indicated by the numerous professional relations he has enjoyed as physician and surgeon to a large number of the railway companies and other industrial organizations of that section of the state. But Doctor Hall’s usefulness has not been confined entirely within the lines of his profession. He is one of the men who have made Coffeyville a city. He has helped bring many of its industries and organizations, and has aided in numerous worthy enterprises inaugurated for … Read more

Biography of Solomon Mercer

Solomon Mercer, whose recent death was deplored by a host of friends, had been identified with Champaign County from the period of early youth, and had borne the heat and burden of the day during his early efforts at establishing a home and improving a farm. His later years were years of comfort and the growing esteem of his friends. Mr. Mercer was born in Monroe County, Ohio, at Millwood, a son of Aaron and Mary (Cecil) Mercer. His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of Ohio. The father left Virginia in early youth, settling in Ohio, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Sarah Woods Burke

Interviewer: James Immel Person Interviewed: Sarah Woods Burke Location: Washington County, Ohio Place of Birth: Grayson County, West Virginia Age: 85 “Yessir, I guess you all would call me an ex-slave cause I was born in Grayson County, West Virginia and on a plantation I lived for quite a spell, that is until when I was seven years old when we all moved up here to Washington county.” “My Pappy’s old Mammy was supposed to have been sold into slavery when my Pappy was one month old and some poor white people took him ter raise. We worked for them … Read more

Biography of Willard Volney Church

Willard Volney Church is one of the older settlers in Marion County. This county had been his home for upwards of forty years, and during that time he had played a varied part as a lawyer, public official and business man. Mr. Church was born at Fort Ann, New York, February 16, 1853, a son of Volney and Harriet (Bush) Church. Mr. Church had the rather rare distinction at this time of being the grandson of a Revolutionary soldier. His grandfather, Willard Church was born at Mansfield, Connecticut, in 1758 and was a very young man when he took up … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wilbur Leroy Davidson

Davidson, Wilbur Leroy; clergyman; born, Woodsfield, O., April 3, 1853; son of William A. and Margaret (McGregor) Davidson; A. B., Scio. College, 1870; B. D., Drew Theological Seminary, 1876; (D. D., Claflin U., 1889); married, Belle Clark, of Lexington, Ky., 1890; ordained, M. E. ministry, 1876; in pastorates, 1876-1886; field agt. Sunday School Union, 1886-1889; field agt. Chautauqua Literature and Scientific Circle, 1895-1902; supt. instruction at 15 Chautauquas, 1887-1911; sec. The Am. Univ., 1899-1908; mgr. Nat. Chautauqua Bur. since July, 1908; Lyceum lecturer; del. Ecumenical Methodist Conference, London, 1901; member National Geographical Society. Clubs: University (Washington). Author: Over the Sea, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Abraham T. Brewer

Brewer, Abraham T.; lawyer; born in Monroe County, O., Sept. 20, 1841; son of Abraham and Mary (Mitchell) Brewer; educated, Indiana County, Pa., and Harlem Springs College, 1865-1866; LL. B., Ohio State Law College (Harlem Springs) ; married, Nov. 21, 1990, Clara Genella, daughter of Rev. John H. and Laura L. Tagg; served over three years in 61st Pennsylvania Volunteers in Civil War; seriously wounded at battle of Fair Oaks, and lay two days on battlefield without attention; admitted to bar, 1869. Author: Ohio Corporations, 5th edition, 1903; How to Make the Sunday School Go, 1892; True War Stories, 1907; … Read more

Biography of John Quincy Smith

John Quincy Smith. The career of J. Quincy Smith, of Fredonia, had been an expression of well directed and diversified industry and in its development had invaded various fields of human activity, in each of which J. Q. Smith had won a full measure of material success and satisfying reputation. He had had experience in both professional and business labors, and while he is now retired from the activities of life, having approached the Psalmist’s three-score-and-ten years, is still an influence for good in his community and a citizen whose help and support continue to be factors for the development … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Cyrus Locher

Locher, Cyrus; lawyer; born, Bluffton, O., Mar. 8, 1878; son of Christian and Fanny Lugabihl Locher; educated, Pandora High School, Ohio Wesleyan University, A. B. and A. M.; Western Reserve University Law School, LL. B.; married, Bloomington, Ill., Beulah L. Baker; supt. of schools, Woodsfield, O., 1903-1905; asst. city solicitor, Cleveland, 1908-1909; member law firm Gott & Locher, 1910-1913; member Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, and Sigma Delta Rho (honorary fraternity); member Cleveland Athletic Club and Chamber of Commerce; County Prosecuting Attorney from Jan. 6, 1913.

Biography of Chester Stevens

Chester Stevens, representing a pioneer family in Montgomery County, had been an active factor in local affairs and in the legal profession for the past ten years. He is now serving as county auditor, and also enjoys some influential and profitable connections as a lawyer with offices in Independence. Some of his ancestors fought in the American Revolution, and the Stevens family came from England and settled in New York in colonial times. His grandfather, Chauncey Stevens, was born in New York, and went as a pioneer to the State of Indiana, where he followed farming until his death. Chester … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Prof. J.L. Boon

Prof. J. L. Boon was born two and a half miles north of Alexandria, in Smithville County, in 1855. He is the fifth of nine children of Jas. N. and Sarah (Barry) Boon. The father was of English descent, one of the same families as the Kentucky pioneer, Daniel Boone. Jas. N. was born in Wilson County in 1817. He was raised and educated mostly in Smith County. By close application to study, he was enabled to enter the teacher’s profession, which he followed in connection with farming. He was one of the most efficient and successful educators of that … Read more

Biography of Frank Mason

Frank Mason, President of the Title Abstract Company of Nowata, in which connection he has established for the company a well merited reputation for accuracy, progressiveness and re-liability, was born in Monroe County, Ohio, January 18, 1861, and is a son of Dr. George W. and Janet (Park) Mason, both of whom were natives of Ohio, the former of Irish descent, while the latter was of Scotch lineage. Their respective families settled in Ohio as pioneers of Monroe County and became identified with the early development and progress of that state. The early home of the Mason family was a … Read more

Biography of James Steel

James Steel, banker of Portland, was born in Woodsfield, Monroe county, Ohio, on September 20, 1834, and is a son of William and Elisabeth (Lawrie) Steel. His father was born in Scotland, but came to America when nine years of age, and was engaged in merchandising nearly all of his active life. He was a man of strong character, and every action in business and private life was governed by the most rigid adherence to a lofty conception of right and justice. He was strongly opposed to human slavery, and was very active for more than twenty years prior to … Read more

Biography of Robert M. Todd

Robert M. Todd is an old timer of Halstead, had lived there more or less continuously for the past forty-three years, and during the greater part of that time followed his trade as a carpenter and builder. He is now manager of the Farmers Elevator Company and had been very much in public affairs, having filled the offices of mayor and postmaster among others. Mr. Todd is an Ohio man by birth, having been born in Warren County, January 27, 1851. He is in either the fifth or sixth generation of the family in America. The Todds are Scotch-Irish people … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Sample

Charles W. Sample has been a business man at Kingman nearly forty years and had been closely identified with the commercial affairs of that city, as a land owner, banker and in real estate and loans. Mr. Sample was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, October 29, 1851. His ancestors came out of Ireland and settled in Virginia in colonial days. His grandfather, Andrew Sample, was a pioneer farmer in Indiana and died in Jefferson County in that state in 1854. George W. Sample, father of Charles W., was born in Jefferson County, Indiana, in 1815, a date which indicates the … Read more

Biography of Benton Miller

The subject of this sketch was born in Sardis, Monroe county, Ohio, December 26, 1838. He lived in his birthplace until he was sixteen years of age, when his parents moved to Missouri and settled in what is now Colfax township, Daviess county, in 1855. In 1861 he enlisted and served six months in the home guards, and in February, 1862, enlisted in Company A, First Missouri Cavalry Militia, in which he served during the war. In April, 1863, he was promoted from orderly sergeant to first lieutenaut, and for the last eighteen months he was in the service, had … Read more

Biography of Thomas C. Biddle, M. D.

Thomas C. Biddle, M. D. Superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane at Topeka, Doctor Biddle had long been prominent in his profession in Kansas, where he had practiced as a private physiclan or in connecton with the public service for thirty-five years. His name is well known among the profession not only over Kansas, but his work as superintendent of hospitals for the insane had attracted favorable attention over the country at large. He belongs to a prominent family, of the same branch that produced Nicholas Biddle, one of the first secretaries of the treasury, and many other … Read more

Biography of John P. Brady

John P. Brady. Since he was fifteen years of age John P. Brady had had a varied and extensive experience as an oil worker. He began in his native state of Pennsylvania, and had been in most of the important oil fields of the country. For the past few years he had had his home at Havans, and is one of the leading individual producers in that section. His birth occurred at Parkers Landing in Pennsylvania on June 3, 1876. His people, however, were early settlers of Ohio. His grandfather Barney Brady was born in County Cavan, Ireland, came to … Read more