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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
Vol. II
by Wm. Rusler - Publ.
1921
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HILREY C. NAPIER.
Among the old and honored families of Allen county, one which is
well and favorably known is that bearing the name of Napier,
and a worthy representative of which is found in the person of
Hilrey C. NaPier of Lima. Hilrey C. NaPier's
career has been one in which his activities have invaded a
number of fields of endeavor, in most of his opportunities and
to emerge with a satisfying share of prosperity. He is a
native of Shawnee township, Allen county, born Jan. 9, 1850, a
son of William and Sarah (Huff) NaPier.
William NaPier, the paternal
grandfather of Hilrey C., was born in England of French
parentage and was given good educational advantages in his
youth. While attending an advanced school which was
situated on the beach of the ocean, several officers from a
sailing vessel anchored nearby came ashore and invited the
youthful scholar and three of his companions to come aboard and
inspect the ship. When the youths were once on the vessel
she put to sea, and the youths were shanghaied into her service.
William NaPier did not see his home again until he was
twenty-one years of age, by which time he had formed a love for
the life of a sailor, which he followed until he met his death
in the wreck of his vessel when he was sixty years of age.
For a time the home of William NaPier was
in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, where was born his son
William NaPier the younger, who learned the trades of
shoemaker and tanner and was married in that state. About
the year 1843 the parents started on a journey of 250 miles,
bringing with them a yoke of oxen and a horse, with their
household effects and other belongings loaded in a wagon.
The young wife walked all the distance, carrying her infant
daughter, and eventually they arrived at their destination, a
forty acre farm in Shawnee township, Allen county, on which
William NaPier erected a small tannery. About
1855 he sold his property and bought 200 acres of land all
heavily timbered except forty acres partly cleared, on which he
started the work of clearing and cultivation. When his
first payment fell due he was without funds, but brought his
team of good horses to Lima, where he obtained $200 for the
animals and liquidated his indebtedness. Now, however, he
was without a team for his farm work. He was possessed of
a bull, and borrowed another from a neighbor, which he broke
with the aid of a pair of oxen, also borrowed from a kindly,
disposed friend. Thus he struggled along, and eventually
built another small tannery, in which he carried on modest
operations. One day a horse came running down the road,
with a rope attached to its neck, and it was caught by one of
Mr. NaPier's sons. As it was not claimed at the
end of six months it was sold at public auction, and Mr.
NaPier secured the animal for its keeping.
Following this he bought a blind mare for ten dollars, and thus
had a team again, and when his half-brother secured employment
elsewhere he left his team with Mr. NaPier, who
was thus able to carry on his work at a much faster rate of
speed. A strange and almost human affection sprang up
between the stray horse and the blind mare, the animals refusing
to be separated. When the horse finally died the mare was
locked up, but caused such a disturbance that it was finally
turned loose, whereupon it immediately went to the place where
its mate lay dead, lay beside it and expired. Mr.
NaPier cleared his 200 acres of land and eventually
became one of the substantial men of his community. He
served as justice of the peace for many years, and at his death
in 1901 his community lost a man who had done much for its
welfare. His widow survived him until October, 1911, and
when she passed away left the following children: Adelia,
who died as Mrs. Salem Reed; Harriet,
the wife of Silas Reed, of Shawnee township;
Hamlin H., deceased; Susan, who died as Mrs.
Freeman Reed; Hilrey C.; Sarah E., the wife of
W. A. Smith, and Mary V., the wife of John
Striff, of Lima.
Hilrey C. NaPier received his education in the
district school in Shawnee township, and resided at home until
his marriage, Oct. 17, 1872, to Emma Byrd, born in
Amanda township, Allen county, daughter of Andrew and Cynthia
Ann Byrd, natives of Shenandoah county, Virginia.
Following his marriage Mr. NaPier moved to Lima,
where he followed carpentry for a few years and then became a
contractor and builder, a vocation which he engaged in for
eighteen years, during which time he erected many of the
principal residences and business structures of Lima.
Subsequently he embarked in the coal and feed business at Kibby
and South Main streets and remained therein for two years, then
buy ing property at the corner of Kibby street and the Baltimore
& Ohio Railroad tracks, where he erected a two-story brick
building, 24x70 feet, and placed therein a stock of groceries.
He also carried sand, brick, tile and a general line of building
material and conducted a successful business there for thirteen
years. Disposing of his holdings therein at the end of
that time, he purchased a farm of 150 acres in Paulding county,
Ohio, which he rented out until he sold it in January, 1911, at
that time investing a part of his capital in land at Sarasota,
Manatee county, Florida, on the coast of the Gulf of Mexico,
where he makes his home during the winter months. He still
has his business headquarters at Lima, where he likewise
maintains his fine residence, but spends his summers at Indian
Lake, Orchard Island, in Washington township, Logan county,
Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. NaPier were the parents of the
following children: Florence, who died as Mrs. William
Everett, at the age of forty-three years; Ollie, the
wife of George E. Welsted, of 1040 North street, Lima;
Oscar Clyde, a soldier of the United States Army now
in Europe and Howard W., an electrical contractor of
Lima. Howard W., born in Lima on the 31st of August
1892, married Elizabeth Hanna, a daughter of
Charles E. and Wilhelmina (Pape) Hanna. They have two
children, Martha Elizabeth and Ruth
Margaret. Mr. NaPier has rendered
valuable service to Lima in a number of capacities of public
importance. He was the first councilman from the Fifth
ward, serving two terms; was appointed and served six years as a
member of the Board of Review; and for eight years was a member
of the Board of Sinking Fund Trustees, being appointed first by
a Democratic mayor, next by a Republican and finally by a
Socialist chief executive. His own political faith is that of
the Republican party. As a fraternalist he holds
membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he
has passed through the chairs, and is a charter member of Solar
Lodge No. 783, and Fort Amanda Encampment No. 302, having
membership also in Ohio Encampment No. 256.
Source: A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
- Vol. II - Publ. Chicago: Warner i.e. Warner, Beers & Co., 1921
- Page 132 |
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GUY YOUTH NEELY,
senior member of the dependable firm of Neely Brothers,
512-514 West High Street, is engaged in the business of auto
repairing, and is one of the dependable men of Lima. Both
he and his brother are experienced men and give their customers
an expert service, which is resulting in such a volume of trade
that it has been building. Mr. Neely was born Dec.
14, 1881, a son of Frank and Mary (Morrow) Neely.
The family is of Irish and English stock, and its members as a
general thing have been interested in agriculture.
Born and bred at Lima, Mr. Neely owes his
educational training to its public schools, and also his
practical knowledge of his business, for he went to work in a
carriage shop in the city at the age of twelve years, and
continued to give it his spare time until he was eighteen, when
he left school and then devoted all of his time to the shop,
learning the trade of a carriage painter there and at Allentown,
in the vicinity of Lima. Having completed his trade,
Mr. Neely began working for Palmer & Owen, carriage
painters of Lima, remaining with that concern for three years,
and then going with Frank Bush, who was in the same line
of business, and remaining with him for a year. Mr.
Neely then was placed in charge of the paint shop of Owen
Brothers, and held that position for nine years.
Entering another field of endeavor, he spent two years as mail
clerk on the Pennsylvania railroad, running from Chicago,
Illinois, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. All of his time he
cherished the ambition to have a business of his own, and when
he left the railroad he formed a partnership with C. E. Meeks,
under the name of Neely & Meeks, on West Spring Street,
and for a year the business was carried on at that point, but
was then moved to the location now occupied by Neely
Brothers. After three years Mr. Neely's
brother, Ray Neely, bought Mr. Meeks' interest,
and the firm of Neely Brothers came into being, and at
the same time the business was expanded to include, in addition
to the original carriage painting, woodworking and
blacksmithing. In the meantime the automobile came into
favor, and thoroughly abreast of times this firm gradually
changed the character of their work and now conduct one of the
largest automobile repair shops in the city. Employment is
given to twenty-seven persons, and their trade extends over a
radius of thirty miles outside of Lima.
In 1911 Mr. Neely was united in marriage with
Margaret Smith, a daughter of Richard Smith of Lima,
whose wife was a Miss Miller before her marriage. Mr.
and Mrs. Neely have two sons, namely: John Robert,
and Albert Frank. In politics Mr. Neely is a
democrat. While he is fully occupied with the
responsibilities of his growing business, he is never too busy
to take a public-spirited interest in local affairs, and is
ready and willing to support all movements looking toward a
further advancement of the city and county, and is especially in
favor of the good roads movement.
Source: A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
- Vol. II - Publ. Chicago: Warner i.e. Warner, Beers & Co., 1921
- Page 241 |
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SAMUEL NEFF.
A mile north of Kemp is the home and farm of Samuel Neff.
For many years Mr. Neff's labors have been a direct
contribution to the agricultural welfare and enterprise of Allen
County. His neighbors have learned to speak of him as a
hard-working and as a successful farmer who pays close attention
to his own work, is quiet and unassuming, and at the same time
willing to uphold his share of community responsibilities.
Mr. Neff was born in Logan Township of Auglaize
County, Apr. 22, 1873, son of Christian and Magdalena (Hager)
Neff. Both his father and mother were born in Germany
and were brought to this country by their respective parents,
the father at the age of seven and the mother at five.
They grew up near Marion, Ohio, were married there, and leaving
that locality moved to Auglaize County, where they lived out
their lives. Both parents were active members of the
Antioch Church, and the father always voted as a democrat.
Of nine children seven are still living: John, an
Auglaize County farmer; Catherine, unmarried; Louis,
a retired farmer at Lima; William, of Amanda Township;
Mary, wife of Gus Oen, of American Township;
George, of Portland, Oregon; and Samuel.
Samuel Neff grew up on his parents' homestead in
Logan Township, and attended the common schools of that
locality. At the age of eighteen he became employed in the
dairy business, and after two years farmed his father's place,
remaining there five and a half years. On May 18, 1895, he
married Leoni Bertha Stoup. She was
born in Amanda Township of Allen County Aug. 18, 1869, a
daughter of Nathaniel and Hannah J. (Bowers) Stoup.
Mrs. Neff is a highly cultured woman, having
supplemented her common school education with work in the Elida
High School and the Ohio Northern University at Ada. For
about ten years she was a successful teacher. Her father
was born in Shelby County, Ohio, in 1840 and her mother in
Amanda Township of Allen County in 1844.
Mr. and Mr. Neff have two children: Mildred
L., born in 1899, is a graduate of the Lima High School, and
has been a teacher for two years; Albert E., born Nov. 7,
1908, is still a scholar in the common schools. Mr. and
Mrs. Neff are members of the Christian Union Church at
Bethel, Ohio. Politically he has always worked with the
Democratic party and has filled with credit two terms as
township treasurer. In his farming efforts for a number of
years he has been a breeder of Percheron horses.
Source: A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
- Vol. II - Publ. Chicago: Warner i.e. Warner, Beers & Co., 1921
- Page 258 |
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WILLIAM NEFF.
The land on which for many years he has pursued his well ordered
occupation as a farmer and stock raiser is about half a mile
east of where William Neff was bon. The farm is
close to the site of historic Fort Amanda, and is located in
Amanda Township six miles southeast of Spencerville on the Fort
Amanda road.
Mr. Neff was born over the line in
Auglaize County Mar. 28, 1863, son of Christ and Magdalena
(Hager) Neff. His father was born in Wuertemberg, Germany,
his mother in Baden, Germany, and he was four years of age when
his parents brought him to America and settled in Marion County,
Ohio. He grew up there and married, lived on a farm in
that county and subsequently moved to Auglaize County, where he
spent the rest of his days. He and his wife were very
devout in their church relations, and originally German
Methodists but later members of the Christian Union Church.
Politically he was a democrat. Of eight children born to
their marriage seven are still living: John of Auglaize
County; Catherine, unmarried; Louise, deceased;
Lewis of Lima; William; Mary, wife of Gus
Owen; George of Portland, Oregon; and Samuel,
a resident of Allen County.
William Neff grew up on his father's farm
in Auglaize County, received competent instruction in the public
schools, and made his first efforts toward a livelihood as a
practical farmer. In January, 1889, he married Miss
Effie Baker, who was born in Auglaize County Sept. 2, 1867.
Mrs. Neff died in July, 1911. Her only
daughter, Jemima, is the wife of C. V. Whetstone
of Auglaize County.
Not long after his marriage Mr. Neff moved to
his present farm, where he has 130 acres, part of it in Auglaize
County. He has been a successful breeder of Percheron
horses and Shropshire sheep, and besides his farm and stock
interests he is a stock holder in the Mutual Telephone Company
of Buckland. He has held every office in the township
except township clerk. Mr. Neff is a member
of the Shawnee Grange and for years has taken an active part in
the Christian Union Church.
Source: A Standard History of
Allen County, Ohio - Vol. II - Publ. Chicago: Warner i.e.
Warner, Beers & Co., 1921 - Page 19 |
NOTES:
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