Biography of Isaac R. Smith

Isaac Roston Smith, the managing partner of the firm of Smith Brothers, prominent merchants and millers of Salubria, and president of the Washington County Fair Association, was born in Morrow County, Ohio. March 11, 1859, his ancestors, who were English, having been early settlers in Berks County, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, William Smith, was born in Berks County and married Miss Elizabeth Speck. They settled in Guernsey County and in 1842 removed to Morrow County, Ohio, where he remained until his death, in 1883, at the age of seventy-four years. His wife passed away in 1898, aged eighty-five years. Twelve children … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David E. Ballard

A native of Franklin County, Vermont, David E. Ballard is a leading citizen and a prosperous farmer of Washington, and looks back with still keen interest to the days of nearly sixty years ago, when he assisted in the civil organization of his county and his state. He was born March 20, 1837, of English and Revolutionary ancestors. When he was a boy his father, Appleton Ballard, moved to Morrow County, Ohio, not to cultivate the land, but to provide his family with a home while he fared forth on the high seas of the East. While thus engaged, he … Read more

Biography of Herbert George House

Herbert George House, conducting a bond business and fire insurance agency, has won many clients, by reason of his thoroughness, his progressive methods and his unfaltering enterprise. Muskogee has reason to class him with her representative citizens, recognizing his value as a factor in the commercial and financial development of the city. Mr. House came to the southwest from Ohio, his birth having occurred in Cardington, that state, on the 3d of September, 1870. His parents were Richard Johnson and Mary June (Cook) House, the former a banker, now deceased. Herbert G. House became a student in the University at … Read more

Biography of Isaac Hixenbaugh

Isaac Hixenbaugh is an old time resident of Champaign County, was for many years identified not only with farming but also the civic affairs of Ogden Township, and is now enjoying the comforts of material prosperity and the rewards of his earlier strenuous efforts in a pleasant home at Homer. Mr. Hixenbaugh was born near West Warren in Marion County, West Virginia, May 4, 1846, a son of Isaac and Martha (Ogden) Hixenbaugh. His mother’s brother, John Ogden, was the man after whom Ogden town and Ogden Township in this county were named. Isaac Hixenbaugh was one of eight children, … Read more

Biography of David E. Ballard

David E. Ballard is living retired at Washington, Kansas, at the age of eighty-one. Most of his active contemporaries in the strenuous achievements of his earlier years have long since passed away. Mr. Ballard is one of the few survivors of the prominent Kansans who actually laid the foundation of the state. His name is especially associated with the organization of Washington County and the establishment of Washington as its county seat. It was only a few years ago that he disposed of many of his extensive interests, and is now devoting his life to rest and travel. He had … Read more

Biography of Maj. J. A. Connolly

Maj. J. A. Connolly, attorney at law, Charleston; was born in Newark, N. J., March 8, 1838; his parents removed to Chesterville, Morrow Co., Ohio, when he was about 12 years old, and at the age of 18, he went to Mt. Gilead, the county seat of Morrow Co., and began reading law with Judge A. K. Dunn, of that city; he was admitted to the bar in September, 1859, and began practice in Mt. Gilead; in 1860, he removed to Charleston; while living in Mt. Gilead, he held the position of Second Assistant Clerk of the Ohio Senate for … Read more

Biography of James Oscar Sayers

James Oscar Sayers of Fisher, one of the advisory board of editors of the Champaign County History, has had an active experience in this section of the county covering a period of forty-two years. He came here as a young man possessed of no financial resources, and by hard work and constant attention to his duties has built up a mercantile business whose volume is second to none in the village. Mr. Sayers is wide awake to all things that concern this locality and is generally recognized as one of the most capable men of Champaign County. He was born … Read more

Biography of Johnathan T. Snyder

Jonathan T. Snyder. One of the old homesteads of Williamsport Township in Shawnee County is that of Jonathan T. Snyder. He had been a resident of Kansas nearly fifty years, and during almost all that time had been continuously devoted to farming and stock raising. At the same time he had borne an infinential part in the affairs of his home community and is one of the highly respected men of that section of Shawnee County. He was born on a farm near Johnsville, in Morrow County, Ohio, August 14, 1845, a son of John and Mary (Held) Snyder, the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Dexter Halfhill

William Dexter Halfhill, who has been a representative of the legal fraternity for a period covering forty-three years, took up his abode in Muskogee in 1904 and has here since engaged in general civil practice, in which connection he has built up a clientage of enviable proportions. He is a native of Morrow county, Ohio, and a son of Moses and Lydia (Kingman) Halfhill, the former a farmer by occupation. The public schools afforded him his early educational advantages and on attaining his majority he began teaching school. This he considered but an initial step to other professional labor; however, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Denton

George Denton, who died at Denton, Kansas, in 1902, located in Doniphan County in 1873, and was successfully engaged in farming there until 1898, when he retired to Denton. He was a republican and at one time served as a member of the School Soard. He served as president of the Denton Bank until his death. He and his wife were active in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He had come to the United States two wecks after his marriage to Miss Eliza Topliss. They first located in Morrow County, Ohio, where he followed farming until they removed to Kansas. Miss … Read more