BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
History of Madison County, Ohio
Its People, Industries and Institutions
Chester E. Bryan, Supervising Editor
With Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and
Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families
- ILLUSTRATED -
Published by B. F. Bowden & Company, Inc.
Indianapolis, Indiana
1915
 

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Francis M. Chenoweth	FRANCIS M. CHENOWETH, who died in 1904, was a man well known and his memory still remains in the hearts of many of his fellow citizens.  As a business man, he contributed to London's economic prosperity; as a loyal citizen, he contributed to its general welfare; ass a man, he contributed to the happiness of his family, friends and acquaintances.  Mr. Chenoweth was a native of this county, having been born on Deer creek, in Fairfield township, in 1833.  His parents were the Hon. John F. and Margaret (Ferguson) Chenoweth, who were Kentuckians by birth.      Elijah Chenoweth, the paternal grandfather of the subject, and his wife, who was a Foster, were born in Kentucky and came to this state in 1796, making their home in Franklin county, near Harrisburg, when this place consisted of only a dozen houses.  Here this patriarch lived and died at a ripe old age.      Hon. John F. Chenoweth was one of the foremost men of this county in his day, having a wide acquaintance as a result of his extensive business and public life.  HE was a large landholder, owning over three thousand acres of real estate, besides being a prominent stock dealer.  He often told stories of experiences of his youth, when it was his task to drive cattle over the mountains to the markets in Pennsylvania.  For over thirty years he was a justice of the peace, and later was representative of his district in the state legislature.  London was honored by his spending the latter part of his life within its borders.  He and his wife were the parents of fifteen children.      Francis Marion Chenoweth was educated in the local public schools, but remained with his parents until his marriage.  After this event he settled in Oak Run township, on a farm of three hundred acres, to which he afterwards added seventeen hundred acres, a part of which was in Fairfield township.  In the latter township he lived fourteen years during which time he was engaged in forming and cattle breeding and selling, the previous fifteen eyars having been spent in Oak Run township.  In 1885 he left the farm and, like so many professional farmers of his time, came to London and built a modern home.  This home was on Elm street.  From that time until his death the subject was identified with many of the important business enterprises of the city, notably as one of the organizers of the Central Bank of London.      In 1856 Mr. Chenoweth took as his life partner Margaret Rea, daughter of Mathew and Ann (Amos) Rea, who were born in Virginia and Maryland respectively.  They came to this county with their parents, who were brave enough to endure the hardships of pioneer life.  Mr. Rea was one of the wealthy farmers and stockmen of the county, and was widely known.  He was prominent in local Democratic circles, in the activities of which he took keen interest.  He and his wife were the parents of seven children.      Francis M. Chenoweth was twice married, his first wife dying in April, 1893.  By her he was the father of eight children, of whom only Rea, the seventh born, is living.  The others were Robert F., Emma A., Ada, Annie E., Myrtle, Ella and an infant.  The second Mrs. Chenoweth was Mrs. Leslie, of Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and after their marriage Mr. and MRs. Chenoweth moved to a farm in Wyandot county, Ohio.  Mr. Chenoweth died on Oct. 24, 1904, at Upper Sandusky.      During his lifetime Mr. Chenoweth was public-spirited and capable of valuable service.  He was a member of the board of education and held various other public offices.  Politically, he was a Democrat and, in religious life, a Presbyterian.  He was a loyal to the obligations of family and civic life, and did all in his power to further the best interests of the community. Source: History of Madison County, Ohio - Illustrated - Published by B. F. Bowden & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana - 1915 - Page 848
Dennis Clark	DENNIS CLARK, second son and fifth child of Raphael and Mary (Rose) Clark, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, Apr. 8, 1827.  His father was a native of Maryland.  at the age of eighteen he marched through Ohio in the War of 1812.  After his marriage to Mary Rose, also of Maryland, he returned to the land made familiar by his campaign and settled near Lancaster, Ohio, where he lived until the subject of this sketch was about one year old., at which time the family removed to the "Sandusky Plains" near Upper Sandusky.  The playfellows of the Clark children at that time were the little Indians on the Wyandot reservation nearby, and many and interesting were the stories Dennis Clark told his own children in a later time, of the intimate home life of the famous chiefs, Lump-on-the-Head and Between-the-Logs.  this childish playtime was brief, however, for, in accord with the idea of the times. Raphael Clark removed his family to Clifton, Green county, that his children might be put to work on the cotton mills at that place and so become bread winners for the family.  Dennis was but ten years old at that time, but his life work was begun, as he pursued the manufacturing business, first of cotton, later of woolen goods, all the rest of his life.  At the age of seventeen, he had charge of the spinning department of a large cotton factory at Dayton, and such was his dignity, tact and self-control, that he handled the rough gang of men under him with entire satisfaction, despite their previous discontent as they had objected to having a boy made "boss" over them.      In 1850 Dennis Clark took charge of a woolen-mill owned by C. K. Single and situated one mile north of London at the Slagle homestead.  He married Virginia Frances, the eldest child of Mr. Slagle, on Feb. 8, 1852, and shortly after purchased the mill, which he operated with great financial success until it burned down in July, 1864.  A story told of this occurrence is illuminative of Mr. Clark's character.  When all had been forced by the intense heat to desist from their efforts to save the goods, Mr. Clark had retreated to the top of the hill and was silently gazing on the destruction of his property, when a friend ventured to express his sympathy.  To his surprise, Mr. Clark said, “Well, maybe it's all for the best.  I was getting rich very fast and it might have made a mean man of me.  I never wanted to be a mean man."      Mr. Clark then purchased a part interest in a woolen-mill at Washington C. H., and resided there about a year, at the end of which time a stock company was formed and a large four and one-half story factory was erected in London.  Mr. Clark was recalled to be superintendent and stockholder in the company.  This mill was operated from 1866 till December, 1871, when it was robbed and burned.  The memory of that spectacular fire on that desperately cold winter night is vivid to all of the older inhabitants of Madison county.  The building had been erected with infinite pains to make it fire proof, but it had been set on fire from within.  The integrity of the outer walls, however, can be vouched for, as they are now a part of the building known as the London Flouring Mills.  The loss, estimated at sixty thousand dollars, was almost entire, as owing to an oversight of a secretary, most of the insurance had lapsed a few days previously.      As Mr. Clark had by this time bought up most of the stock, the loss fell most heavily on him and he became again a man possessing scarcely more than his two hands.  He possessed that quality of courage, however, which confronts seemingly overwhelming trouble with a dauntless front, and the ashes were scarcely cooled before he, with his eldest son, set about rebuilding, this time only a small wooden building, a factory containing only one set of machines.  Such, however, was Mr. Clark’s business acumen that he was fast regaining his place as a man of importance in the financial world, when his death occurred on July 20, 1886.      Dennis Clark was a man of immense importance in the world of human interest.  He was ever a leader in what pertained to the good of man in his community and the world at large, though he was ever on the unpopular side, because he lived ahead of his time; but he had the great joy of seeing, in many instances, the rear guard of the army of human progress camping where only the vanguard had ventured.      The political life of Dennis Clark was lived along the lines of succor to the oppressed.  He voted the Abolition ticket when he had to write it himself.  A political party to him was merely an instrument by which some reform was brought about.  When it no longer had a living issue, he was not at all reluctant to fare him forth into another that was working for some high principle.  Therefore, he came from the Whig through the Republican to the Prohibition party, for which latter great principle he was working when he died.       Dennis Clark was an optimistic man, with great control of temper and sweetness of disposition, thoroughly honest in his dealings with other men, with himself and with his God.  His personality gave his principles many a hearing in unfriendly quarters.      Mr. and Mrs. Clark had a family of eleven children, five of whom died in infancy.  Their youngest son, Albert Slagle, principal musician with the rank of sergeant in the regular army, died of cholera at Vigan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, Aug. 2, 1902, aged thirty-five years.  Of the remaining children, W. Floyd married Jennie Blizzard.  They reside with their four children in Columbus, Ohio.  Alice M. is the wife of J. R. Manning.  They, also, live in Columbus, Ohio, with a family of six children.  George W. served many years in the recorder’s and auditor’s office of Madison county; was engaged in the grocery business and at present is on the staff of the Madison County Democrat.  Mary F. has been for many years a teacher in the public schools of Chicago, Illinois.  Nellie M. is married to Dr. Virgil Newell and has two sons.  They reside at Stafford, Kansas. Mrs. Clark died on Feb. 17, 1915, aged eighty-two years. Source: History of Madison County, Ohio - Illustrated - Published by B. F. Bowden & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana - 1915 - Page 656
	EDWARD EVERETT COLE.  The late Edward Everett Cole, farmer and scholar, was born on Mar. 17, 1853, at Marysville, Ohio, and died on Feb. 7, 1909.  Mr. Cole was a son of Judge Philander Blakesley and Dorothy (Winter) Cole, both of whom were natives of Union county, Ohio.  Judge Philander B. Cole was a practicing attorney and judge of the district court.  He practiced his profession until the time of his death.  Edward Everett Cole spent his early life at Marysville, Ohio, attending the public schools of that place, later becoming a student at Oxford University for two years, and was graduated in 1873 from Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio.  He read law in the office of his father, was admitted to the bar about 1877, and began the active practice of his profession at Marysville.      After practicing law until 1899, Mr. Cole's health failed, and he was compelled to spend a year in Europe.  He and his wife during this period visited many interesting places, including the leading art galleries of the Old World, and the prominent points of interest.  Both were well informed in advance, and was therefore well equipped to get the most of their European tour.  Mr. and Mrs. Cole were always much interested in various forms of art, and had Mr. Cole been trained in that direction he might have become a great artist.  He had the happy faculty of seeing the humorous side of things, and he also saw the serious side as well, and was strong, well-balanced and learned man.      Although the European tour was helpful, Mr. Cole did not resume the practice of law upon his return but after one winter spent in New Orleans, came to the farm the next spring and entered upon the details of farm work and out-door life.  He was busily occupied in the management of the nine-hundred-acre farm, and continued its management as long as he lived.  He kept abreast of modern farming and was familiar with all the latest processes, devices and methods of agriculture.  The Cole home was erected in 1904, under his supervision, and is a model of comfort and convenience, and modern throughout.      Even while engaged in farming Edward E. Cole kept up his interest in classical learning and read Latin a great deal.  He  had also studied French and kept well informed with regard to old-world politics.  In all his life his health was never very strong, but in the years that he was engaged in the practice of law he proved conclusively what he might have done if he had been possessed of a stronger body.  As it was he became a very successful attorney.      Throughout his life the late Edward Everett Cole was an active campaigner in behalf of the Republican party, and on one occasion was the nominee of his party for the Legislature.  He was much sought after as a speaker on Decoration Day.  His arguments were clear, his logic convincing and his delivery pleasing.  No doubt he would have been a very successful teacher had he turned his talents in that direction.  At college he had been a member of the Chi Phi fraternity.  Later in life he became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias.  He passed all the chairs in the subordinate lodge of Odd Fellows.      One of the distinctive features of the career of Edward E. Cole, was his humanitarianism.  He could not bear to take the life of any living creature, and was frequently heard to say, "Live and let live."  Upon one occasion he killed a bird by accident, and the incident made him sick at heart, and he frequently said in describing it that he would not have killed a bird for any consideration.  He was a popular and well-liked man, but not a "hail fellow well met."  He was ever known as "mister," and in all his life was never known to have told a salacious story.      On Jan. 29, 1887, Edward Everett Cole was married to Mary Beach, the only daughter and child of Doctor Morrow and Lucy Beach.  There were no children born to this marriage.  Their married life was very congenial, as they enjoyed the same things and from the same point of view.      A member of the Presbyterian church, Edward E. Cole was not tied to any creed.  He was a man of tolerant religious belief, and broad-minded to a marked degree.  He died on Feb. 7, 1909, and his remains were buried in the Deer Creek cemetery, on a Beach family lot. Source: History of Madison County, Ohio - Illustrated - Published by B. F. Bowden & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana - 1915 - Page 845

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