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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Allen County, Ohio
And Representative Citizens
Edited and Compiled by
Charles C. Miller, Ph. D.
Assisted by
Dr. Samuel A. Baxter
Lima, Ohio
Published by Richmond & Arnold
George Richmond; G. R. Arnold
Chicago, Ill
1906
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HOWARD L. KAY,
one of the progressive young business men of Spencerville,
conducts a large real estate, loan and investment business, with
office on Broadway. Mr. Kay was born at Watseka,
Iroquois County, Illinois, and is a son of James W. and
Adeline (Ellingwood) Kay.
The father of Mr. Kay was born in
Illinois and the mother in Indiana. They were pioneer in
Iroquois County, where they became prosperous farmers, and there
the father still lives, advanced in years. The mother died
Feb. 19, 1889. Their children were: Wendell P., who
is master in chancery at Watseka, Illinois; Howard L.;
Wilbur Jones, late of the Chicago University, who now fills
the chair of public speaking, in the faculty of Washington and
Jefferson College, Washington, Pennsylvania; and Miriam
Ruth, who married Ralph Fraser Paine
and resides near Paines,
Michigan.
Howard L. Kay completed the primary school
course in his native locality and continued his studies in Grand
Prairie Seminary at Onarga, Illinois, where he was subsequently
graduated. He then entered Northwestern University at
Evanston, Illinois, as a member of the class of 1897. In
addition to being an excellent man of business, Mr. Kay,
from childhood, has possessed musical talent. This talent
has been cultivated and he is an accomplished musician.
His fine tenor voice has been carefully trained under celebrated
vocal teachers, both in New York and Chicago. He has
entire charge of the choir of the Methodist Episcopal Church at
Spencerville, and the music rendered in the services of this
church would reflect credit upon a musical organization of a
much larger place.
Howard L. Kay was united in marriage with
Bessie BICE, who is a daughter
of William and Tabitha (Sunderland)
BICE. They have two children, viz: Webster
BICE and James Philip.
Mrs. Kay, like her husband, is a talented and
accomplished musician. She has had musical instruction
from many of the noted teachers of the country, and her
beautiful, sweet, clear soprano voice assists in making the
music redered by the Spencerville church choir especially
enjoyable. She be longs to one of the old and honorable
families of substance in this part of Ohio, one which has been
connected with its material development for many years.
Source: History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond &
Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 746 |
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JAMES C. KELLEY, one of Lima's
most successful and enterprising merchants, came to Allen County
in 1897, and opened his grocery store at No. 790 St. John's
avenue, Lima, where he is still located and enjoying a
prosperous trade. He was born in Highland County, Ohio, in
1863 and is a son of James Kelley deceased, who is a
farmer and in addition to that occupation also worked at
coopering.
Our subject was born, reared and educated in the
county, and engaged in farm work until 1893, when he located in
Mowrytown, where for three or four years he conducted a
furniture store. Leaving that town, he came to Lima and
established his present business. He has secured not only
an excellent patronage, but the warm friendship and esteem of
those with whom he has been associated, both in business and
social circles.
Mr. Kelley was married in 1885 to Frances E.
Fenwick, by whom he has three children, namely:
Bert L., a student in Lima College; Hattie and
Marie. Mr. Kelley is a member and an elder of the Main
Street Presbyterian Church. Fraternally he belongs to the
Knights of the Maccabees.
Source: History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by
Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 433 |
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MRS. CATHERINE KESLER,
one of the well-known and highly respected citizens of German
township, resides on her highly improved farm of 210 acres which
is situated in section 17, one mile south of Elida, on the Elida
and Allentown turnpike road. Mrs. Kesler was born
Mar. 6, 1839, in German township and as a daughter of Philip
and Margaret (Meyers) Herring, who were early pioneers of
Allen County.
Catherine Herring was reared and educated in
German township. On Mar. 4, 1860, she was married to
George Kesler, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, June
22, 1838, and was a son of Abraham Kesler He was
two years old when his parents came to Allen County and settled
on the farm in German township, now owned by Samuel East.
He was reared and educated in German township.
Immediately after marriage Mr. and Mrs. Kesler
moved up on the farm then owned by Philip Herring,
father of Mrs. Kesler, which was situated directly
south of the present home of Mrs. Kesler, on the other
side of the road. After living here some years the family
moved to the present farm in section 17, and here Mr.
Kesler built the large brick residence now occupied by
Mrs. Kesler, which is one of the most imposing homes
in Allen County. Mr. Kesler always took a
great deal of honest pride in this beautiful home, but he was
not permitted to enjoy its comforts into extreme old age, his
death occurring on May 14, 1901, when but 63 years old. He
was laid to rest in Greenlawn Cemetery.
When the Civil War broke out Mr. Kesler
felt that it was almost his bounden duty to fight for his
country. Only the fact that he was but lately wedded and
had taken heavy responsibilities upon himself, prevented at that
time but on Sept. 23, 1864, he became a private in Company C,
179th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and served until his honorable
discharge on June 17, 1865.
Mrs. Kesler has never had any children,
but she has two sisters and one brother, these being: Eliza,
who married Robert Patton, of Sidney, Ohio, and
now resides at Indianapolis, Indiana; Anna M., who
married John Rundio, of Allen County, Ohio, now of
Putnam County; and W. M., pastor of the Lutheran Church
at Canton, Ohio. Mrs. Kesler is a member of
the Lutheran Church at Elida and one of its liberal supporters.
Source: History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by Richmond &
Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 637 |
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GEORGE
W. KNITTLE. Among the well known farmers of German
township, none is more deserving of mention than George W.
Knittle, whose farm of 80 acres is located in section 17.
He has lived all his life in Allen County. He was born in
Sugar Creek township, Mar. 3, 1856, and is a son of Jacob and
Eliza (Hamilton) Knittle, and a grandson of William and
Rebecca (Tester) Knittle. William Knittle came with
his wife from Fairfield County, Ohio, to Allen County at a very
early day, and here entered 40 acres of land from the
government.
George W. Knittle was reared on his father's
farm and has always been an agriculturalist, the greater part of
his life having been passed in German township. On Oct.
21, 1875, he was married to Ida Belle Tester, daughter of
Frederick and Sarah Jane (Umpstead) Tester, residents of
German township. Mrs. Knittle was born Feb. 20,
1860 and has had four children, only two of whom are now living.
The record is as follows: William B., born Apr. 16,
1876, who married Alice Snow, of Elida and is employed in
the oil field; Charles Frederick, born May 5, 1879,
deceased in infancy; Orla Guy, born Apr. 22, 1889, now a
student in the schools of Elida; and Beulah May, born
Jan. 19, 1897, who died at the age of seven days. When
Mr. Knittle was married he brought his bride to their
present home where they have lived continuously except where
they have lived continuously except for a period of six years,
three of which were spent in Lima and the remainder of Elida.
Mr. Knittle is a member of the lodge and encampment, I.
O. O. F. at Lima.
Source: History of Allen County, Ohio, Publ. by
Richmond & Arnold, Chicago, IL - 1906 - Page 684 |
NOTES:
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