Ohio

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

Biographical Sketch of Frank L. Bishop

Frank L. Bishop, proprietor of the Bee-Hive store, dealer in dry goods and notions, boots and shoes, etc. Charleston; was born in Mt. Vernon Co., Ohio, Nov. 20, 1846; he is a son of Stephen and Joanna (Bane) Bishop, and came with his father’s family to Coles Co., as stated in his fathers biography; he was engaged as a clerk for Mathews, Alexander & Co., in Charleston, for three years, after which he spent three years in La Fayette, Ind; he then engaged in general merchandising in Loving-ton, Ill., the firm being Dickson & Bishop; after remaining there three years, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Stephen Bishop

Stephen Bishop, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Charleston; was born near Providence, R. I. May 30, 1815; when he was but 2 years old, his parents emigrated to the then Far West, and located in Knox Co.. Ohio, where his father entered land from the Government, and engaged in farming, being among the pioneers in that part of the State; Knox Co. was then comparatively a wilderness; Mt. Vernon, the county seat-now a city of about 10,000 inhabitants-containing at that time but half a dozen houses; Mr. Bishop remained at home on the farm until he was 20 years of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Tillman Bagley

Tillman Bagley, horticulturist; Charleston; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., June 6, 1828; being left fatherless when but a child, he accompanied his mother, at the age of 9 years to Muskingum Co., Ohio, where they settled on a farm about twelve miles north of Zanesville; at 19, he left the farm to learn the trade of a marble-cutter, after completing which he worked as a journeyman until 1853; he then came to Charleston, and after working two years, started in the marble business for himself, in which he continued till 1869; at which time he purchased what is known … Read more

Biography of A. N. Bain

A. N. Bain, proprietor of the Charleston Foundry, Charleston; was born in Erie Co., Ohio, April 3, 1828; his father was a ship-carpenter, with a family of nine children; at the age of 14, Mr. Bain began working on a farm, which he continued until the spring of 1845, when he entered the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad shop at Sandusky, Ohio, as an apprentice, remaining there until 1852, and thoroughly mastering the machinist’s trade. He then went to New Albany, Ind., where he was married, Feb. 3, 1853, to Miss Catharine Caldwell, of that city, who was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. J. Ashmore

W. J. Ashmore, dealer in boots and shoes (firm of Ashmore & Mitchell), Charleston; was born in Coles Co., Ill., May 15, 1853; he is the youngest son of Samuel C. Ashmore, who came to Coles Co. among the early settlers, and entered a large tract of Government land, and when Douglas Co. was formed, the line passed through the middle of his land; he was a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, and for many years held the office of Justice of the Peace. He died in 1855; his widow Sarah Ashmore and six children still surviving. The son, W. J. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gunther Weiss

Gunther Weiss, of the firm of Weiss & Frommel, proprietors of the Charleston Woolen-Mill, Charleston; was born in Leutenberg, Sharzburg, Rudolstadt, Germany, July 6, 1823; he attended school till the age of 14, and was then apprenticed to learn the weaver’s trade; in 1845, he came to the United States, landing in Galveston, Texas; on the breaking-out of the war with Mexico,. he volunteered in the 18th Tex. V. I., and served under Gen. Taylor; in the spring of 1848, he went to Cincinnati, where he remained until 1852, when he went to Terre Haute, Ind., and began business as … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel Wright

Samuel Wright, Charleston; was born in Delaware Co., Penn., Feb. 29, 1808; when he was 9 years of age, he removed with his parents to Washington Co., in the same State, where he learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, and afterward taught school for seven years. He was married Aug. 20, 1829, to Miss Ruth Gordon, of Washington Co., Penn., and has four children living – William G. (of Charleston), Maria B. (wife of Dr. A. K. Spears, of Charleston), Matilda R. (Mrs. W. S. Minton, of Charleston), and Samuel H. (Corresponding Secretary of the National Surgical Institute, … Read more

Biography of Daniel A. Van Sickle

Daniel A. Van Sickle, proprietor of the Charleston Hotel, Charleston; was born in Trenton, Butler Co., Ohio, Oct. 20, 1833, being the oldest son of J. C. and Belinda (Craig) Van Sickle; his father was born in Trenton, Ohio, May 31, 1811, and his mother at Ball’s Ferry, on the Miami River, in Butler Co., Ohio, Dec. 17, 1815. The family consisted of nine children, as follows-Daniel A. Jasper, born Jan. 3, 1836, and died Nov. 12, 1868; Sally A., born March 19, 1838; Caroline, born June 20, 1841, and died Feb. 26, 1866; John Wesley, born March 18, 1843; … Read more

Biography of Arthur C. Shriver

Arthur C. Shriver, of the firm of A. C. Shriver & Sons, dealers in stoves, tinware and house-furnishing goods, Charleston; was born in Fleming Co., Ky., Jan. 30, 1813; when he was about 10 years old, his parents removed to Adams Co., Ohio; at the age of 18, he went to Hillsboro, in Highland Co., Ohio, to learn the tinner’s trade; after which, he worked as a journeyman in Ohio and Kentucky for a number of years; in 1836, he began business for himself in Augusta, Ky., removing a few years later to Felicity, Clermont Co., Ohio, and there carried … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Ricketts

William Ricketts, land agent and conveyancer, Charleston; was born in Alleghany Co., Md., March 3, 1813; his father, Joshua Ricketts was of an old Maryland family in Colonial days; his mother was Sarah Taylor, a daughter of John Taylor, of Connecticut, who was a soldier of the Revolution, and was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill and afterward at the battle of Brandywine; Mr. Ricketts’ parents removed, in 1813, to Zanesville, Ohio; he is the seventh in age of a family of thirteen; he was raised on a farm. He was first married Sept. 11, 1834, in Putnam, Ohio, … Read more

Biographical Sketch of S. E. Ray

S. E. Ray, dealer in dry and fancy goods, boots and shoes, etc., Charleston; was born near Montpelier, Vt., Aug. 5, 1833; in early childhood, he accompanied his parents to Geauga Co. (now Lake), Ohio; there, his father resided until his death, and his mother still resides there; at about the age of 20 years, Mr. Ray went to La Fayette, Ind., and engaged as a traveling salesman for Luce Brothers in the stationery business; and, after remaining with them four years, went to Chicago, and for about six years traveled for the well-known stationery house of Culver, Page, Hoyne … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Judge A. M. Peterson

Judge A. M. Peterson, attorney at law, Charleston; was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., Jan. 15, 1825; leaving there in 1845, he went to Canton, Ohio, and began the study of medicine, attending a course of lectures at the Cleveland Medical College. He came to Illinois in 1849, and began practice as a physician in Edgar Co., and the following year removed to Newton, Jasper Co., Ill. On the 18th of April, the same year, he married Miss Nancy Whalen, of Edgar Co., a native of Nelson Co., Ky. The practice of medicine proving distasteful to him, and having a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. W. Neal, M. D.

J. W. Neal, M. D., physician and surgeon, Charleston; was born July 22, 1851, in what is now Cumberland Co., but then a part of Coles Co.; his father. William Neal, is a prominent and wealthy farmer and stock-raiser, who came to the State fifty-five years ago, at the age of years, from Bourbon Co., Ky.; Dr. Neal remained at home on the farm till he was 19 years old, then entered Lee’s Academy, in this county, graduating in 1871, and at once began the study of medicine with Dr. T. B. Dora, of Mattoon. The winter of 1872-73 he … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. M. M. McConnell

W. M. M. McConnell, Charleston, of the firm of M. A. McConnell & Co., publishers of the Charleston. Plaindealer, was born on the 28th of August, 1855, in Cadiz, Harrison Co., Ohio; he is a son of James McConnell, of that city; he attended the public schools of his native town, graduating from the high school in 1872; he at once entered the office of the Cadiz Republican, to learn the printer’s trade, and, after completing his apprenticeship, remained in the office as a journeyman until he came to Charleston, in the spring of 1878, as one of the proprietors … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John A. McConnell

John A. McConnell, editor of the Charleston Plaindealer, Charleston; was born in Cadiz, Ohio, Dec. 26, 1826; he began, at 12 years of age, to learn his father’s business of chairmaking; his inclinations were, however, toward literary or professional pursuits, but he was prevented from carrying out his intentions in that direction by a weakness of the eyes; at the age of 17, he began teaching school, and taught during the winters for four years; in 1859, he engaged in the grocery business in Cadiz, in which he continued until 1871, when he embarked in the tanning business, and followed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah Lane

Jeremiah Lane, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Muskingum Co., Ohio, Jan. 17, 1844; his father, George W. Lane, was a pioneer, coming from his native State, Maryland, at the age of 13; his mother, Sarah Lane, was a native of Ohio, and a descendant of a Maryland family; his parents both died in Ohio; Mr. Lane was raised on the farm, and has followed that avocation all his life; he came to Coles Co.. in 1873, and settled on his present farm, one mile east of the village of Ashmore, where he owns 134 acres of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William C. Kimball

William C. Kimball, of the firm of Austin, Brown & Kimball, dealers in hardware, lumber, furniture and undertaking, Ashmore; has been a resident of Ashmore since 1867; he was born in Cambridge, Guernsey Co., Ohio, June 14, 1838; was educated at the Cambridge Union Schools, and, in 1857, began teaching school; he continued in that profession in Ohio till March, 1863, when he enlisted in Co. H, 122d O. V. I., and served in the 6th Army Corps in the Army of the Potomac until Jan. 1, 1864; he was then detailed as a clerk in the office of the … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Nelson R. Green

Nelson R. Green, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O.; was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Dec. 25, 1830; he is a son of James and Elizabeth (Heminway) Green, and accompanied his parents in their various removals given in their biography, and in 1850, came permanently to Coles Co.; he worked at various employments until 1854, when he was married on the 19th of January, to Miss Mary E. Brown, the eldest daughter of Jobe W. and Martha R. Brown, of Ashmore; she was born at the Walnut. Grove, in Edgar Co., 1834; they have nine children – Jonathan W., George A.. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of W. P. Green

W. P. Green, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Ashmore; was born in Miami Co., Ohio, Sept. 8, 1827, being a son of James and Elizabeth (Heminway) Green; when he was about 10 years old, his parents removed to Randolph Co., Ind., and, in 1840, to Coles Co., returning a few years later to Ohio, and lived awhile in Darke Co., from which county they removed again to Randolph Co., Ind., and thence to Grant Co.; his father opened no less than seven farms in Ohio and Indiana the year the family returned to Ohio, Mr. Green made four trips between … Read more