WILLIAM MARION HARPER is the proprietor of one of the oldest established jewelry houses of Greenville and belongs to that class of enterprising merchants who, in the legitimate channels of trade and by the careful management of their business interests, annually augment their capital, and are known as substantial residents of the communities which they represent.
     Mr. Harper was born in Greenville township, Darke county, upon his father's farm. Oct. 30, 1835.  He is a son of William Sanford Hurper, who was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, July 11, 1810, and became one of the early settlers of this section of the state.  He married Miss Delilah Arnold, a native of Ohio and a daughter of William Arnold.  On leaving Trumbull county William Sanford Harper took up his abode in Butler county, Ohio, and thence came to Darke county, in 1823, locating on a farm in Greenville township, where he remained until 1874.  In that year he took up his abode in the city of Greenville, where he is still living, in his ninetieth year,—a venerable old man, receiving uniform respect from young and old, rich and poor.  His first wife, whom he wedded Sept. 5, 1832, died on the farm in 1875.  She was the mother of four children: Elizabeth, the wife of Thomas Culbertson; William M.; John; and Catherine, who died in her eleventh year.  In 1875 Mr. Harper was again married, his second union being with Mrs. Sarah J. Culbertson, the widow of John Culbertson and a daughter of Peter Elston.  Mrs. Harper was born in Washington township, Darke county, Dec. 29, 1823.
     In the usual manner of farmer lads William M. Harper, of this review, spent his boyhood days and in the district schools of the neighborhood he acquired his education, to which he has added by reading, observation and experience until he has become a well informed man. At the age of twenty-one he entered upon his business career, learning the jeweler's trade of Mr. Webb in Greenville, to whom he served a regular apprenticeship.  On its completion he started in business for himself in Greenville and for a time was associated with Mr. Webb. He now has a large store and carries a good stock of clocks, watches and silverware.  As he is a practical and skilled workman he also does much repairing and cleaning and adjusting of high grade watches in his line. During his long residence in this city he has become widely and favorably known and has also many acquaintances throughout Darke county. Many of these are numbered among his patrons and he is enjoying a good trade, which shows that his business methods are reliable and that he has the confidence of the community.
     On the 13th of November, 1861, Mr. Harper was united in marriage to Miss Helen M. Angel, of Bluffton, Indiana, a daughter of David Angel and Adaline Porter Angel.  They had two sons, William Angel, who was born Aug. 5, 1862, and is now living hi Columbus, Ohio; and Harlie Bliss, who was born Feb. 17, 1869 and died Nov. 24, 1899, at the age of thirty years. The sons learned the jeweler's art in their father's store and became expert engravers and jewelers.  The mother passed away Nov. 11, 1877. Mr. Harper married Mrs. Vicie C. Barnhiser, of Eaton, Ohio, Aug. 4, 1886. She died in Greenville Jan. 22, 1891.  He was again married, Feb. 15, 1893, Miss Anna E. Manor, of Greenville, Ohio, becoming his wife.  She was the daughter of William Manor, who was a Union soldier in the civil war and died in the service.  Mrs. Elizabeth Manor, her mother, is still living, is eighty-three years of age and retains her mental faculties.  She is loved and honored by all who know her.  Mrs. Harper was a teacher in the public schools of Greenville for several years.  She and Mr. Harper are leading and valued members of the Methodist Episcopal church and are highly respected by all who know them, and the circle of their friends is only limited by the circle of their acquaintances.  Mr. Harper is a man of even temperament, of refined character and appearance.  Nature deals kindly with the man who abuses not her laws, and though he has long been in business age rests lightly upon him.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 640

SOLOMON D. HART.  As education reaches a higher plane and the intellectual side of our character develops, we find more in our lives than a mere money-making existence and awaken to the full realization of our responsibilities.  It is natural that our thoughts and hearts should go back to the past, and we are compelled to express our deep admiration and tender sympathy for those brave pioneers, who, by a life of noble self-sacrifice and undaunted courage, teach us the beauties of an unselfish life.  Inspired by religious zeal and having faith in the Divine Father, animated by a deep love for their families and a desire for their improvement, they left their eastern homes, and with their worldly possessions journeyed to the great west, penetrating the heart of the wilderness, building their cabins where the foot of the white man had never trod, where only the Indian contested for supremacy with the wild beasts of the forest.  Having thus selected their homes, these sturdy pioneers endured without complaining the privations, misery and hardships attendant upon such a life. They displayed a heroism equaled only by those devoted wives and mothers who accompanied them.  When our country's history shall have been rewritten, when we hand down to coming generations the names of her truest heroes, it will not be the names of men who, surrounded by numerous comrades; inspired by the intoxicating strains of martial music, by the rolling of drums, the rattle of musketry, the roar of artillery and the din of clashing steel, fought until they died. It is not the intention of the biographer to dispute their bravery or 'belittle their deeds; but it required a greater courage a deeper religious sentiment and more lofty ideals on the part of the pioneers to abandon civilization and bury themselves in the for­ests, where after a life of labor and unremitting toil they lie down to sleep at last without knowing luxury, but happy in the knowledge that their beloved wives and children were placed above the fear of want.  These devoted men and women are our greatest heroes and their names will go down the ages when war and its horrors shall have ceased.  To such a family belongs S. D. Hart, the subject of this sketch, now a prominent farmer residing on section 36, Jackson township, Darke county, Ohio.
     His father, Joseph Hart, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1812, of English parentage, and like most boys of that day received only such an education as he could pick up at odd intervals.  Being left fatherless during his boyhood it was very necessary that he should help support the family, and he and his two brothers were bound apprentices, but when he was old enough to care for himself he came to Ohio and settled near Dayton, where he worked for some time.  About 1837 he married Magdalene, a daughter of John Shidler, and they reared eight children, namely: B. Franklin, Peter, Cyrus, Levi, Jonathan, Solomon D., Mrs. Catherine Sullenberger and Mrs. Esther Geiger. The father rented two farms near Bradford, where he remained until he entered land on section 36, Jackson township, Darke county, where our subject now resides.  There were very few settlers in this locality at that time; there was only a small store where Woodington now stands and money was exceedingly scarce.  Upon this place Mr. Hart built a barn and double log house, which was the home of the family for some years, and was a very good building for those days.  It was afterward replaced by a fine brick residence,—one of the first in the township.  It was destroyed by fire in 1880, but was soon rebuilt. The original farm of eighty acres was enlarged to one hundred and sixty acres by the purchase of a tract of land from Peter Shidler.  Mr. Hart was a man of great public spirit and took an active interest in the development of the free school system.  He was a Democrat in politics, but never sought office, and was a German Baptist in religious belief, an active worker in church affairs and untiring in his efforts to advance the general welfare of his community. He died in 1881 in his sixty-seventh year, and his wife survived him exactly four years.
     Solomon D. Hart was born in Miami county, Ohio, Jan. 16, 1847, and was a mere infant when the family came to Darke county.  His education, like that of most boys of those days, was necessarily limited, pursuing his studies in an old log school house until his tenth year, and often wading in water knee deep in going to and from school.  Later a frame school house was built and here he was a student for about three months each year, while he assisted his father with the farm work the rest of the time until twenty.  He then learned the carpenter's trade, which he followed for a short time.
     In 1873 Mr. Hart was united in marriage with Miss Mary E. Loy, a native of Preble county and a daughter of Michael Loy.  She came with her family to this county when four, years of age.  Mr. and Mrs. Hart have three children, namely: Delia, wife of a Mr. Huffard; a merchant of Elroy; Alva L., who is attending school and assisting his father on the farm; and Eliza, also in school.
     After his marriage Mr. Hart rented a farm near his father's place for eighteen months and then purchased forty acres adjoining, on which he lived for seven years.  He then removed to the old homestead, where he still resides, having purchased the interests of the other heirs in the place.  Here he has one hundred and twenty acres of land under a high state of cultivation, on which is a fine brick residence and several large barns, and he also owns forty-five acres of bottom land in Brown township, which he has drained and converted into a very productive tract. He is engaged in general farming, stock and tobacco raising, and, being an energetic man of good business ability, he is meeting with marked success in his labors.  His genial temperament makes him a great favorite with his associates, and he has a host of warm friends throughout the county.  He takes a very active part in promoting the interests of the Reformed church, of which he is a member, and gives his support to the men and measures of the Republican party.  He has never aspired to political honors, but has efficiently served as school director for ten years, during which time he has succeeded in making many improvements in the school system.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 704

DAVID HARTLE.  The pioneers of a county or state play a most conspicuous part in its history, laying the foundation not only for its present advancement, but for its future prosperity and progress.  The pioneers of Ohio, by their-sturdy industry, perseverance and sterling-characters, have made the wilderness to "blossom as the rose."  Among those who in early frontier days resided in Darke county, bearing his part in the work of advancement and development, is David Hartle.  Some of his ancestors were very early settlers of Darke county, and here entered land from the government.
     The subject of this review is' one of its native sons.  He was born Jan. 30, 1824, and is the ninth in a family of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, whose parents were Jacob and Catherine (Spade) Hartle.  He is now the only survivor of this pioneer family, and is the oldest native resident of Richland township, and possibly of Darke county, as he has passed the seventy-sixth milestone on the journey of life.  His father was born near Hagerstown, Washington county, Maryland, Oct. 5, 1779, and died April 6, 1850.  His birth occurred twenty years previous to the death of General George Washington.  He traced his ancestry directly back to Germany.  He was reared as a tiller of the soil, and was early inured to the hardships and privations of pioneer life.  He received a rudimentary education in the; subscription schools of the early times, and during much of his youth remained in his native state.  When a boy, however, he removed to Pennsylvania, and was there married.  About 1805 he emigrated to Ohio, reaching the Buckeye state only three years after its admission to the Union.  He located in Pickaway county, where he purchased land and made his home for ten years, after which he came to Darke county and entered three hundred and twenty acres of land from the government, in what is now Richland township.  The county was not then organized, this entire portion of the state being known as the Miami district.  The Indians were far more numerous than the white settlers, and the work of civilization and progress seemed scarcely begun.  The first habitation of the Hartles in Darke .county was a primitive log cabin, and during its erection the family took refuge in old Fort Briar, which was erected on the banks of Stillwater creek, in the vicinity of the farm now owned by Job Shafer.  In that fort the family remained from March until May, and then took up their abode in their new home.  The county was largely in its primitive condition, and many a wild deer and turkey did the father kill in the vicinity of the Hartle home.  Such primitive agricultural implements as the sickle, the flail and the old-fashioned four fingered cradle were in use, and many are the days in which David Hartle has swung a cradle and scythe from early morning until eventide.  The father was possessed of an energetic and sturdy Teutonic spirit, was thrifty and industrious and was successful to a large degree, accumulating land to the extent of five hundred and sixty acres in Darke county.  He was imbued with a progressive spirit, withholding his support from no measure or movement which he believed would prove of public good, and this commendable quality has been inherited by his children and grand­children.  In politics he was a Democrat and a great admirer of Andrew Jackson, and throughout his life he gave a, loyal support to the party.  He held membership in the German Reformed church.  His wife died during the early boyhood of our subject, who therefore knows little of her ancestry, and has never experienced a mother's kind­ness and loving care.
     David Hartle, of this review, one of the most honored pioneers of Darke county, has spent almost three-quarters of a century in Richland township.  He has witnessed a wonderful transformation in the condition of Darke county, has seen it crossed by a great network of railroads, while the forest tracts have been replaced by beautiful, well-tilled farms, improved with fine brick residences; churches and school houses have been built and all the accessories of civilization added.  The beautiful city pf Greenville, with a population of eight thousand, has taken the place of Fort Greenville, then hardly a hamlet.  All of these improvements have been made since Mr. Hartle has been a resident of Darke county, and he has been instrumental in its development to a large degree.  He has also witnessed the building of one thousand miles of splendid stone pike roads within the borders of the county, and has seen a transformation wrought that almost equals scenes from the Arabian Nights, so quickly have the changes been made.
     Mr. Hartle acquired a fair education in the schools of his day and by personal application mastered the studies taught at the time.  He began his education in the winter of 1831, in a hewed log building, 18x18 feet, into which light was admitted through three little windows, the panes being 8x10 inches.  The benches were crude in construction, being made of split blue ash slabs, from fourteen to sixteen feet in length, placed upon four wooden legs or pins.  The writing desks for the older scholars were formed of a black walnut board, sixteen inches wide and resting on thole pins driven into the wall.  The floor was of puncheon and the ceiling was constructed in a similar manner.  This primitive school building was heated by a large, old-fashioned fireplace, constructed of boulders up to the distance where the jamb began.  The chimney was made of mud and sticks, as there were no brick manufactured in that early day in Darke county.  The roof was made of clapboards, held in place by a heavy log, and the birch rod and the dunce block formed an important part in the discipline of the school.  The school was conducted on the subscription plan, for the splendid system of public schools was not then inaugurated.  The text books used were Webster's spelling book—the one previous to Webster's blue back speller—Pike's arithmetic, the Universal History of the United States and the old English reader.  Mr. Hartle has in his library a copy of the Tutor's Guide, published in 1804, the key of which was published in 1806.  Such is the description of the temple of Minerva in which Mr. Hartle gathered his learning in pioneer days.  He was reared to manhood amid the wild scenes of the Buckeye state, and throughout his life has carried on farming.  His parents were sturdy people, of great endurance, and he resembled his maternal ancestry, being a man of large size strong and robust.  In his youth he was particularly fond of athletics, in which he greatly excelled.  The amusements enjoyed by young people in those days consisted of apple parings, log rollings and corn huskings, which were followed by games and amusements in the evening.  Out of the dense forest Mr. Hartle hewed a farm for himself and has always carried on agricultural pursuits.
    He was married, June 3, 1852, to Miss Rebecca Shults, who was born in York county, Pennsylvania, Sept. 22, 1822, and died Jan. 22, 1899,  She was a daughter of George and Elizabeth (Gregor) Shults, and came with her parents to Warren county, Ohio, in 1840. In 1845 they removed to Greenville township, Darke county, where the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Hartle was celebrated.  For almost a half a century she was to her husband a faithful companion and helpmate on the journey of life, sharing with him its joys and sorrows, its adversity and prosperity.  At length the wife was taken, leaving a vacant chair in the household, her death being a great blow to her husband.  Her remains were interred in the Beamsville cemetery, where a beautiful monument marks her last resting place. Unto this worthy couple. were born four sons and a daughter.  Frank P. is a prosperous farmer of Richland township, and is married and has. five children.  He is a Republican in his political views. Orrin C., an agriculturist of the same township, is married and has four children.  Dayton Fremont, named in honor of the celebrated John C. Fremont, resides in Richland township, and is married and has two children. David O. is a resident farmer of German township, and he, too, is married. Calla Belle is the wife of Hollis Hartzell, an enterprising agriculturist of Brown township, by whom she has three children.  Mr. Hartzell is a Democrat in his political views, but all of the sons of the family are stanch Republicans.
     After his marriage Mr. Hartle established his home in the midst of a forest so dense that he could hardly see the. sun through the branches of the trees.  He had eighty acres of land and a little frame house.  He would walk to his work six miles away, and there fell trees, clearing his land preparatory to placing it under cultivation.  Prosperity, has attended his well directed and continuous efforts, and as his financial resources have increased he has added to his possessions until he now owns three hundred and seventy acres of land.  His children are also well situated in life.  Much of his leisure time has been given to the study of the best literature, and he is now a weir informed man.  He retains his mental vigor to a remarkable degree, although he is now upon the downward slope of life.  He has in his possession a piece of the continental currency issued in 1777.  His grandfather was a teamster in the Revolutionary war and was paid in that money, and after purchasing a little farm in Maryland he had a, few pieces of the script left, one of which was inherited by our subject.  Its value was about nine pence, and it is now treasured as a priceless heirloom, although at that time in purchasable value it was almost worthless.  On the reverse side of the bill is the inscription, "To counterfeit this money is death."  It is probably the only piece of continental currency in Darke county. In his political views Mr. Hartle has always been independent, voting for the man whom he considered best qualified for office.  cast his first presidential vote for Martin Van Buren. He supported our two martyred presidents, Lincoln and Garfield, and also voted for General Grant.  He is a warm friend of the cause of temperance and of the little red school house, and believes in securing competent teachers and giving them remunerative salaries.  At one time he taught school for seven years and long served as a school director in his neighborhood.  His wife was a member of the German Reformed church, while he advances the doctrines of the Universalist church.  He is benevolent and has contributed toward the erection of four different churches, two in Greenville, one in Pikesville and one in Beamsville.  He is a man well known for his sterling honor and integrity, and over the record of his life there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil.  His memory will remain as a blessed benediction to those who knew him long after he shall have completed the journey of life.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 634

Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 437

PHILIP HARTZELL is a native of historic old Darke county, which is known to be one of the most important in the state, and one whose annals have been interesting from the pioneer days up to the end of the century, marked by the highest development and substantial improvements.  The date of our subject's birth was May 23, 1843, and he is the second in a family of six children, all of whom were sons.  The parents were John J. and Nancy (Westfall) Hartzell, pioneers of the county and people well known for their integrity and genuine worth.  Of the six sons only two are living—Philip, of this sketch, and David, who is engaged in the drug business at Rossville, Kansas.  The father was 'a native of the old Keystone state, where he was born Dec. 1, 1815, and his death occurred in 1852. He was reared, to agricultural pursuits, and to. this line of occupation he gave his attention throughout his long and active life.  He emigrated to Ohio when he was a young man, coming directly to Darke county, where he purchased a tract of wild land in Richland township, the same tract which figures today as the beautiful and finely cultivated farmstead of our subject. In his political proclivities John J. Hartzell was a Democrat of the true Jacksonian school, and he was a zealous advocate of the party cause throughout the course of his life.   The mother of our subject was born in the Buckeye state, Feb. 22, 1823, and here was solemnized her marriage to Mr. Hartzell. Her death occurred about the year 1863.  Both she and her husband were devoted members of the German Reformed church.
     Philip Hartzell was reared on the old homestead, growing up under the invigorating discipline attendant upon the operation of a farm, and his educational training was secured in the common schools. He has always devoted his attention to agriculture, with the exception of eight years, during which time he was a resident of Ansonia, and for two years of the interval was engaged in business as a dealer in agricultural implements.  Even at this time he did not resign his farming interests, though he did not give them his close personal attention as he had formerly done.  He has been very successful in his endeavors and is known as one of the substantial and representative farmers of the county.  Mr. Hartzell has also been a practical thresher for many years, operating with the best of equipment and having threshed many hundred thousands of bushels of wheat and other grain in Richland and Brown townships and throughout the contiguous territory.  He has gained a wide acquaintanceship in the county and enjoys a marked popularity wherever he is known.
     Mr. Hartzell has been twice married, his first union having been with Miss Caroline Dill, a native of this county.  They became the parents of two children—Rosetta, wife of J. P. Slyder, a prominent dealer in general merchandise at Ansonia, this county; and Charles Dill Hartzell, who still remains at the paternal homestead.  The latter received excellent educational advantages in the graded schools of Ansonia and Beamsville, Ohio, and is a young man of much intellectual force.  He is a Democrat in politics, having cast his first presidential vote for William Jennings Bryan, and fraternally he is identified with Lodge No. 356, Knights of Pythias, at Ansonia, in which he holds the office of master-of-arms.  Mrs. Hartzell was summoned into eternal rest in September, 1888, and on the 15th of December, 1898, Mr. Hartzell wedded Miss Laura Sharp, who was born in Darke county, the daughter of Perry and Maacha (Schwartz) Sharp, who were the parents of ten children.  The father was a native of New Jersey, and the mother, of Pennsylvania, and both are residents of Brown township, this. county.  To Mr. and Mrs. Hartzell three children have been born, one being deceased, while those living are Maacha and an infant boy.  Mrs. Hartzell ably fills her place as a wife and mother, being truly a helpmeet to her husband.
     In politics Mr. Hartzell gives his support to the principles and policies advanced by the Democratic party, his first presidential ballot having been for the support of General George B. McClellan, and he has ever since been a stanch advocate of the party, cause.  Officially he has served as trustee of Richland township, and, being a firm friend of the cause of education, he has been called upon to act as school trustee both in Ansonia and in Richland township, folding such preferment for more than six years.  He holds advanced ideas in regard to the schools, and believes that only competent teachers should be employed and that the highest possible standard should be maintained in every branch of educational work.  In the fall of 1899 Mr. Hartzell was elected land appraiser of Richland township, an appointment whose tenure extends over a full decade.  This preferment clearly indicates the confidence and high regard bestowed upon our subject in the community.  Mr. Hartzell purchased part of the old homestead of one hundred and fifteen acres, all located in Richland township.  The soil is a rich black loam, admirably adapted for the cultivation of cereals, and various other crops, including tobacco and potatoes.  Mr. Hartzell is classed as a practical, progressive agriculturist, and as a scion of one of the old and prominent families of Darke county we are pleased to offer this tribute in connection with this important genealogical record of the county.
     Fraternally our subject is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge, No. 356, at Ansonia, of which he was a charter member, and he is also a member of Lodge No. 488, of the Free and Accepted Masons, at Ansonia.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 631

EMANUEL HERSHEY.  Prominent among the old settlers and highly respected citizens of Darke county, Ohio, is Emanuel Hershey, who resides on his farm on section 28, Adams township.  The salient facts in regard to his life and family history are as follows:
     Emanuel Hershey was born on his father's farm, one-half mile west of Petersburg, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, Feb. 4, 1821.  His father, Jacob Hershey, a native of the same county, was a farmer, distiller and miller and was a prominent man in his day.  He was born in November, 1796, and died in August, 1872, at the age of seventy-six years. Benjamin Hershey, the grandfather of Emanuel, was also a native of the Keystone state, and in it passed his life and died, the dates of his birth and death being October, 1766, and October, 1815, respectively.  The mother of our subject was, before her marriage, Miss Eliza Miller.  She was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1804, and died Mar. 17, 1880.  Her father, Jacob Miller, was also a native of that county.  Jacob and Eliza Hershey were the parents of seventeen children, their family record being as follows: Emanuel, whose name introduces this sketch; Jacob, born Mar. 13, 1822, died April 17, 1874; Benjamin, born June 22, 1823, died Mar. 22, 1856; Sarah, born Sept. 25, 1824; Jeremiah, born Mar. 17, 1826, died Dec. 21, 1833; Elizabeth, born May 4, 1827, died Oct. 4, 1829; John S., born Mar. 29, 1824; Anna, born Aug. 3, 1830; Amos, born Feb. 4, 1832, died Feb. 20, 1898; Elizabeth (2d), born Oct. 25, 1833; Mary, born June 30, 1835; Susan, born May 7, 1836; Amelia, born Dec. 2, 1837; Henry, born Apr. 28, 1839; Harriet, born in 1841; Fanny, born Mar. 27, 1843, and Reuben, born June 19, 1845.
     Emanuel Hershey assisted in the work on his father's farm until he was seventeen years of age.  In the winter of 1837-8 he attended boarding school at Lititz, Pennsylvania, and the following summer went to work in his father's mill, where he was steadily employed for about two years, in that time thoroughly learning the business.  In August, 1840, he went to visit an uncle who lived near Buffalo, New York, with the intention of securing, if possible, a job in a mill in that locality. In this he was successful.  He obtained employment in a large flouring mill at Black Rock, N. Y., where he remained for some time and had a valuable experience in the business.
     He was married on the 14th day of November, 1844, at John Michael's hotel in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by Rev. Bates, of the Lutheran church.  In the spring of the following year they commenced housekeeping at Metz's Mill, near Sporting Hill, Rapho township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and remained in that county until the spring of 1849.  In April of that year they left their native state for Ohio, coming by way of Pittsburg and Cincinnati to Darke county.  Mr. Hershey has a vivid memory of the incidents connected with his. early experience, both before and after he came to Ohio, and relates them in a most pleasing manner.  The story of his trip to his uncle's in New York and his life in that state would of itself make an article of some length and much interest.  Of his settlement in Darke county, he says: "We landed in this county at Bear's, on the 9th of May, 1849.  The new mill house was erected in the summer of 1848, by Moses and Manning Hart, and in the winter of 1848-9 they sold it with an unfinished house to Gabriel Bear. Uncle John Bear came to Ohio in 1847, two years before our arrival, and made his home with Isaac Rudy, a brother-in-law of Gabriel Bear.  The mill, however, had not been finished—only roofed and weather boarded. In the summer of 1849 we floored it and put in the machinery; the race was dug at the same time, by Thomas Westfall, contractor.  The new mill was started on the first day of January, 1850, and for seven years was operated under the firm name of Bear & Hershey.  In 1856 we moved to the place where we have since lived. Gabriel Bear ran the mill for some years, after which he sold it to Jesse Tillman, for eight thousand dollars.  It is now owned by a Mr. Cromer, but still goes by the name of 'Bear's mill.  Mr. and Mrs. Hershey are the parents of ten children and five grandchildren.  Their children in order of birth are as follows: Adam B., born June 9, 1846; Samuel, born Sept. 28, 1847; Jacob, born Sept. 12, 1849; Barbara, born May 15, 1842; Sarah E., born Jan. 28, 1854; Isaac N., born Nov. 19, 1855, died April 12, 1856; Emma, born Feb. 19, 1857; John, born Feb. 12, 1859; Eliza, born Mar. 19, 1861, and Mary, born Jan. 20, 1868.  For nearly half a century Mr. and Mrs. Hershey have been worthy and consistent. members of the German Baptist or Brethren church.  They were baptized June 22, 1856.  Feb. 20, 1867, Mr. Hershey was made a deacon and since Aug. 17, 1892, he has been an assistant elder.
     More might be said of the active life and usefulness of this well-known citizen and only want of space prevents more extended mention.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 753

JOHN T. HIMES.  All honor is due to those loyal sons of the republic who are willing to go forth in her defence when her integrity is menaced, and there is no call which demands greater fortitude and sacrifice than that of volunteers to serve their nation on the field of battle.  One of the honored citizens of Darke county, and one whose is the distinction of being a veteran of the great war of the Rebellion, is the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this article, and it is clearly incumbent that we accord to him due recognition in this work.
     Mr. Himes is a native of Montgomery county, Ohio, having been born near the city of Dayton, May 14, 1839, being the eldest of the eight children—three sons and five daughters—born to Thomas J. and Elizabeth (Ewry) Himes. Six of the children are yet living: John T., subject of this sketch; Mary M., wife of Nelson D. Hall, of Dayton, Ohio; Martha E., of Dayton; Nancy J., wife of Thomas J, Minton, of Eaton, Ohio;
Rose Ann, wife of Richard Edwards, of Indianapolis, Indiana; and Laura C., wife of Wilson Minton, of Covington, Ohio.  The father was born in Ohio in 1807, and he died Dec. 7, 1872. He was a weaver by trade, and passed his entire life in Ohio; where he was duly accredited a position as a pioneer.  He was an expert weaver, and in the family are still extant some fine specimens of his work.  Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican, while religiously he was originally a member of the New Light denomination, though at the time of his death he held to the faith of the United Brethren.  He was interred in Montgomery county.  The mother of our subject was born in Montgomery county, and she died at about the age of forty-six.
     John T. Himes passed the first thirty years of his life in his native county, his early educational advantages having been very limited in extent.  He began to earn wages at the early age of twelve years, receiving twenty-five cents, for a full day's work.  He started at the bottom of the ladder, and has toiled early and late to earn for himself the success which has come as a just reward for his efforts.  The first dollar which he earned seemed an enormous sum to him.  At the age of sixteen he was paid six dollars a month, and his first work was as a plowman, though he was not a farmer's son.  He continued as a wage earner until he reached the age of twenty-six, and thirteen dollars per month was the maximum pay received.
     At the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion Mr. Himes enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, at Dayton, an organization previously known as the National Guards, and the date of his enlistment in the United States service was May 2, 1864.  The regiment was sent to Baltimore, Maryland, and assigned to guard duty at the forts, the old soldiers being placed in the ranks.  He was one who was willing to sacrifice his life in defense of his country if need be.  He served his allotted term, receiving his honorable (discharge Aug. 25, 1864.
     Mr. Himes has been twice married, his union with Miss. Mary R. Emick having been solemnized Dec. 7, 1865.  Of the two sons and three daughters born of this union three survive: Anna B., wife of David Reigel, of Dawn, Ohio; Lydia E., wife of William John, of Dayton, Ohio.  Our subject was called to mourn the death of his devoted wife on the 13th of February, 1877, and for his second wife he chose Mrs. Mary F. (Risch) Reed, their marriage being celebrated Mar. 5, 1878.  Mrs. Himes is a native of Boston, Indiana, where she was born May 10, 1835, a daughter of John and Catharine (Hapner) Patterson.  She became a resident of Preble county, Ohio, when a child of six years, and there she passed the greater portion of her life.  She had been twice married prior to her union with our subject.  Her first husband was Christian Risch, and of their union two sons and two daughters were born, of whom only one is now living—Inez F., who has received a good education in the public schools, and who is at the home of her mother.  She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Dawn, Ohio. Mrs. Himes' second husband was William Reed, to whom she was married in 1873.  It is a noteworthy fact that each of her husbands was a soldier in the war of the Rebellion, as were also her brothers and brothers-in-law. Her brother, W. H. Patterson, was shot through and through at the battle of Cold Harbor, but almost miraculously survived his wounds, and is still living.  His company went into the engagement with practically a full complement and came out with only three men. Henry Hapner, grandfather of Mrs. Himes, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in a very early day, the trip being made with a four horse team and covered wagon. The family came through to Cincinnati, thence to Franklin and finally to Preble county, where they secured one hundred and sixty acres of good land.  This continued to be the home of the grandparents until their death. Mrs. Himes has in her possession the original deed for this old homestead, the same having been executed June 13, 1812, and signed by President James Madison.  These old deeds are of infrequent occurrence now, and are of great historical value.  The one mentioned is treasured as an heirloom and is one of the oldest the writer has encountered in Darke county, the deed antedating the formation of Preble county by a number of years, the locality being then known as the Miami valley region.  Upon the old homestead the first domicile erected was a diminutive log cabin of one room, and before the windows and doors had been placed in the dwelling Grandfather Hapner was drafted for service in the war of 1812, and was compelled to leave his wife and two little children alone in the forest home.  The fortitude demanded of the devoted mother was of the severest order, for she was menaced by dangers by night and by day.  In the night Indian camp fires could be seen gleaming through the forest in many directions. Of stern stuff were these early pioneers constituted, and the stories of their trials and deprivations read like romances in these later days.  Mrs. Himes herself well recalls many incidents of the pioneer epoch, and she is thus the more appreciative of the privileges and facilities Enjoyed by the present generations.
     Of Mrs. Mary R. (Emick) Himes, the first wife of our subject, it should be recorded that she was born in Ohio, July 17, 1838, the daughter of David and Jane (Morgan) Emick, who were among, the early pioneers of the state, settling among the Indians, who many times teased "Little Mollie, by saying they would take her away.  They were kindly treated, however, and in the main did not abuse the courtesy shown them. David Emick was a cooper by trade, and he came to Dayton, Ohio, in 1815. Mrs. Himes was a true helpmeet to her husband, assisting him by counsel and aiding him in his early efforts to lay the foundations of success. In religion she was a devoted member of the German Reformed church, in which faith she died.
     It was in the year 1875 at Mr. Himes purchased his present fine farm of fifty acres, in Richland township, the place having been partially improved, having a one story brick house and an old log barn. He had but little means at the time of purchase, and assumed an indebtedness of two-thirds of the valuation of the property, but he labored energetically and gave so effective management to his interests that he was enabled to gradually reduce the indebtedness and finally to clear the homestead of all incumbrance.  His devoted wife, who had nobly shared in his labors and anxieties, was summoned to the better land just at the time when prosperity began to smile most brightly upon them, but her memory is cherished and her efforts are held in lasting appreciation.  Our subject's present companion has been to him a devoted coadjutor and is a woman of refinement and gracious dignity, presiding over the pleasant home and showing that spirit of sympathy and hospitality which always wins and retains friendships.  The homestead now comprises seventy acres, improved with a commodious and comfortable brick residence and excellent outbuildings, while the entire place gives indication of the care bestowed by an intelligent and thrifty-owner.
     In politics Mr. Himes has always given his support to the. Republican party, having cast his first presidential vote for the martyred Lincoln, He is not an ultra partisan in his political sentiments, and in local affairs often supports men and measures without regard to political affiliations.  He has in his possession the original deed for eighty acres of land, of which his present place is a part, the same haying been executed Nov. 7, 1837, during the administration of President Van Buren, Mrs. Himes has many interesting old relics, including dishes of various sorts, one piece having been handed down from generation to generation and being more than a century old. Mr. and Mr. Himes and their daughter, Inez, are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Dawn, and he has contributed his quota to all worthy benevolences and charities. The family hold an enviable position in the social circles of the community, secure in the esteem of many friends, to whom they always extend the most genial hospitality in their pleasant home.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 611

JOHN HOSCHOUER.  A representative of one of the pioneer families of Brown township, Mr. Hoschouer has been a resident of Darke county since his birth, which occurred on the 18th of May, 1846. His father, Isaac Hoschouer, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylva­nia, May 13, 1809; and died Dec. 13, 1884. He spent the early years of his life in the state of his nativity, was descended from one of the old Pennsylvania Dutch families and could speak the German tongue.  He received a common school education, which, however, was quite meager, and was reared to habits of industry and economy, Removing to Ohio, he took up his abode in Montgomery county, where he located when Mansfield was a mere hamlet.  The trip was made across the country with teams, and about 1833 he came to Darke county, where he entered forty acres of land from the government.  This was a dense forest tracts upon which not an improvement had been made.  Soon, however, he built a little log cabin and as the years passed he added to his property, extending the boundaries of his farm until at the time of his death he was the owner of three hundred and seventy acres of land in Brown township.  His political support was given the Democracy, and he was a strong advocate of Jacksonian principles. In his early manhood he wedded Catherine Hutchinson, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, on the 7th of June, 1807, and passed to her final rest on the 13th of September, 1885.  A fond and indulgent mother, her influence for good was marked among her children and by all who knew her.  She had four sons and five daughters, and of the family five are yet living, namely: Mary, the widow of Henry Moore, of Fredonia, Kansas; Jackson, a farmer who is married and lives in Friend, Nebraska; Martha, wife of John Gilbert, a resident farmer of Friend, Nebraska; John of this review; and Phebe, the wife of John Routsong, who resides on the old family homestead.  Mr. Hoschouer is now the only living male representative of the family in Brown township.
     No event of special importance occurred to vary the monotony of life upon the farm in his boyhood days.  He began his education in a little log school house, 18x20 feet, the seats being formed of saplings which 37 were hewed smooth on one side and placed horizontally upon wooden pins, and across pins inserted into the wall was laid a loner board which served as a writing desk for the older scholars.  The building was heated by an immense fireplace, and the smoke made its escape from a mud-and-stick chimney,  The schoolmaster was often more successful in maintaining discipline by the aid of a birch rod than in instructing the scholars in the branches of English learning taught in. the common schools.  The old-time "blue-back elementary spelling book" and Ray's arithmetic where used, and the school term. continued for about three months.  Throughout the remainder of the year Mr. Hoschouer was engaged in the operation of the home farm, in tilling the soil and harvesting the crops.  He remained with his parents until they were called to the home beyond.  On the 2d of January, 1876, he wedded Miss Jennie Young, one of Darke county's native daughters.  Her birth occurred Feb. 3, 1855, her parents being Ebenezer Reedi and Sarah (Colby) Young. They had ten children, five sons and five daughters, and all are living with one exception.  Of the nine who survive eight are residents of Ohio, one sister, Lydia, being the wife of Jackson Hoschouer, of Friend, Nebraska.  The father of these children was born in Ohio May 9, 1820, and died about 1891.  He possessed natural mechanical ability and was a carpenter and joiner by trade.  His education was obtained in the common schools. For many years he was a resident of Allen township, Darke county, and was known as a reliable citizen. In politics he was a stanch Democrat, and in religious belief a Universalist.  His wife, who was born in Ohio, Apr. 11, 1828, and died in April, 1890, was also of the Universalist faith.  At the time of his marriage Mr. Hoschouer rented the old family homestead, and in 1880 purchased fifty-five acres of land, going in debt for a part of it.  His industry and economy, however, have enabled him to make all payments upon his property, and to add to the farm until he is now the owner of two hundred and seventy acres, constituting one of the valuable farms of Brown township. It extends into York township also.  He raises the crops best adapted to this climate, and the well tilled fields are an indication of his careful supervision and yield to him a golden tribute in return for the care and labor he bestowed upon them.  The home of Mr. and Mrs. Hoschouer was blessed with the presence of eight children, six sons and two daughters, and the living are: Myrtle, the wife of Charles Harless, a tobacco grower of York township; William I., who has passed the Boxwell examination, admitting him to any high school in the county, but is now assisting his father in the cultivation of the home farm; Lewis F., who also aids his father; and Jackson, Edward, John R. and Leland C, who are all with their parents and are making good progress in their school work.  Mr. and Mrs. Hoschouer have traveled life's journey together for a quarter of a century, sharing its joys and sorrows.  They care active in support of all measures which contribute toward the intellectual and moral development of the community.  Both are representatives of honored pioneer families, and through this community are widely and favorably known.  Mr. Hoschouer is an advocate of Democracy, and has cast his ballot for its presidential candidates since voting for Hon. Horatio Seymour in 1868.  His entire life has been devoted to the work of the farm, and his practical and progressive methods have resulted in bringing to him creditable success, of which he is in every way worthy.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 606

JOHN HUFNAGLE, now deceased, was for many years a highly esteemed and prominent resident of Greenville.  He was born in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, Aug. 27, 1805, and died in this city on the 10th of March, 1889, at the age of eighty-three years, six months and twelve days.  He was the youngest son of Valentine and Eve (Berger) Hufnagle, both natives of the Keystone state.  His father died in 1830; when seventy years of age.
     At the age of seventeen, John Hufnagle, whose name introduces this record, was apprenticed to learn the hatter's trade, but in 1847 he changed his base of operations by embarking in general merchandising, which pursuit he followed for thirty-five years, becoming one of the best known and most reliable representatives of the commercial interests of this city.  In February, 1876, he opened the Greenville Bank, and filled the position of president, making the institution one of the most substantial and trustworthy financial. concerns in the county.  In business circles, he enjoyed an unassailable reputation and a liberal patronage was therefore accorded him.  In September, 1826, Mr. Hufnagle was married to Miss Barbara Boardner, of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania.  Unto them were born three sons and five daughters, but only two are now living—H. E., of Greenville, and Mrs. J. E. Breaden.
     Mr. Hufnagle was for over halt a century a resident of Greenville, and left the impress of his strong individuality upon the public life and commercial improvements of the city.  He was a man of strong mind upheld by a good constitution, was energetic in business, frugal and economical.  At all times he lived a moral and upright life, and although not associated with any religious denomination he was nevertheless a firm believer in Christianity.  In politics he was a Republican, ardent and liberal, often donating considerable sums for campaign purposes.  To those who did not know him, Mr. Hufnagle seemed to be close in his dealings with men, but he was always found to be honest and fair.  He stood firmly by his contracts, and required that those dealing with him should perform their portion of the contract as agreed upon.  With his family lie was very liberal, giving generously to supply their wants and devoted to their comfort and desires.  As a neighbor his was kind and obliging, and with him friendship was inviolable.  A few years before his death he gave to his children by deed land to the value of seventy-five or one hundred thousand dollars, and by will he left the residue of his large estate in lands, money and notes to be equally divided among them.  His success was acquired entirely by his; own efforts, and by his well directed labors, he rose to a prominent position among the business men of Greenville, his being the controlling influence in many public affairs.  He passed, away Mar. 10, 1889, and his remains were laid to rest by the side of his wife in the Greenville cemetery.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 630

MORRIS HUHN was born in stadt Langsfeld in the province of Saxony, Prussia, Germany, June 21, 1871.  His father was Isaac Huhn, who was born in the same locality in the year 1836.  The mother, Mrs. Sophia Huhn, was born in 1840. By their marriage they became the parents of five children, three of whom are yet living.  As is the custom in his native country, Morris Huhn attended the common schools until he was twelve years of age, and then entered the high school, where he pursued his studies until he had attained the age of fifteen.  His school life was then ended and he entered upon his business career in a hardware store, where he served as a clerk for several years. Believing that the new world might furnish him better opportunities for advancement, he took passage on the German steamship Kaiser Wilhelm on the 12th of September, 1893.  After a voyage of ten days he arrived in New York city, and at once came to Greenville, where he entered the clothing store of his uncle, the late Moses Huhn, being there employed as a clerk until the death of the proprietor, which occurred three years after our subject's arrival in the new world.  After his uncle's death Mr. Huhn purchased the store and carried on business alone for one year.  He then admitted to partnership Frank Pointner, who had for many years been a clerk in the establishment.  Success has attended the enterprise, and the trade has constantly increased, the firm now enjoying a large and liberal patronage.
     On the 18th of October, 1899, Mr. Huhn was united in marriage to Miss Lottie Strieker, of Tiffin, Ohio, a daughter of Samuel and Eurika Strieker, who were natives of Germany, and in early life came to the United States.  The Huhn residence is at No. 415 West Fourth street, and is celebrated for its gracious hospitality, which is enjoyed by many friends of the family. Mr. Huhn is the only member of his father's family who has visited the new world.  Although he has been in America for only seven years, he speaks the English language with remarkable fluency and ease.  It is wonderful with what readiness one of foreign birth adapts himself to the manners, customs and methods in vogue in this country.  Without capital, our subject came to the new world and has steadily worked his way upward, securing through determined purpose and honorable effort an enviable position in the business and social world.  `Close application and gentlemanly demeanor have gained for the firm of Huhn & Pointner a very enviable reputation and secured for them a business which is bringing to them excellent financial returns.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 623

JESSE R. HYER is a grain dealer and undertaker at Painter Creek, and the sterling qualities of an honorable and successful .business man are found in the history of his career.  He is of German lineage, but his father, Absalom Hyer, is numbered among the native sons of Ohio, his birth having occurred near Dayton, Montgomery county, in August, 1814.  During his early life he followed carpentering and later became a miller.  He was married in Montgomery county, in 1835, to Miss Elizabeth Hess and moved to the Solomon Wilds farm in Franklin township, Darke county, where he devoted his energies to farming for two years.  In 1856 he took up his abode at Burkett's Mill, near Ludlow Falls, and was engaged in the operation of the mill until 1865, when he removed to Crawford county, Illinois, and purchased sixty-five acres of land, continuing its cultivation until his death, in 1878.  His first wife died in 1859 and he afterward married Rebecca Shearer, who died in Crawford county, about 1886.  Absalom Hyer was a minister of the German Baptist church and both by precept and .example led many to seek a higher life.  His children were as follows: Martha Ellen, wife of Jacob Swinger, of Crawford county, Illinois, where she died in 1894, at the age of fifty-eight years; Rachel Ann, who became the wife of Daniel Langston and died in Franklin township, in January, 1860; Jesse, of this review; Serena, wife of Eli Duncan, who lives near Ludlow Falls;. Noah, who was twice married and died in Johnson county, Illinois; Margaret, who became the wife of Oliver Shearer and died in Illinois; Joshua, who married Ellen Rudy and died at Gettysburg, Ohio, in 1896; Abner, who died in Crawford county, Illinois, after having been twice married, his second union being with Miss Horning; Mary, who was accidentally drowned at Burkett's Mills, in 1857; and Susannah, wife of Mortimer Seymour, of Crawford county, Illinois.
     Jesse R. Hyer was born Apr. 1, 1840, in Madison township,  Montgomery county, and in his youth enjoyed the advantages afforded by the common schools.  At the age of fourteen he was brought to Darke county by his father, under whose direction he learned the miller's trade.  In the spring of 1861 he went to Painter Creek to learn the wagonmaker's trade, and was continuously employed at his chosen vocation until the 13th of August, 1862, when with a spirit of patriotism he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting on the 13th of August, 1862, as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Infantry, under Captain Jason Young and Colonel J. Warren Keifer.  At the battle of Winchester he received a severe wound, a musket ball piercing his left thigh, and for sixteen months he was in the hospital at that place, at Harper's Ferry, Baltimore, Columbus and Cleveland.  On regaining his health he was sent on. detached duty to Todd's barracks, in Columbus, where he remained for three months, when he rejoined his regiment which was then stationed in the vicinity of Petersburg.  He took part in the battle in that locality and the engagement at Sailor's Creek, and in Washington was honorably discharged June 25, 1865, for the war was ended and the country no longer needed his services.
     Returning to his home at Painter Creek, Mr. Hyer completed his apprenticeship to the wagonmaker's trade, and a year later opened a shop in the town, carrying on business there until 1884.  He enjoyed a good trade and met with creditable success in his undertakings.  He was suffering fearfully from the wound received at Winchester and therefore could not attend longer to his business.  In consequence he rented a part of his shop, and the parties who took possession put in an engine, which set fire to the shop and destroyed it.  In 1878 Mr. Hyer engaged in the undertaking business, continuing in that line up to the present time. In December, 1894, he also established a feed store, and has conducted business along both lines.  He is very energetic and enterprising, and these qualities have contributed in a large measure to his success.
     On the 14th of March, 1869, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Hyer and Miss Sarah A. Shuff, daughter of Samuel and Delilah Shuff. She died July 11, 1881, and in 1886 he was again married, his second union being with Vina Battson, of Franklin township, daughter of James Battson.  He has two children born of the first marriage: Martha L., wife of John L. Swinger, of Franklin township; and Walter S., who married Pearl Wilds; and by his second marriage one son, Earl A., at home.
     Mr. Hyer was reared in the faith of the German Baptist church.  He is a member of Daniel W. Williams Post, G. A. R., of Pleasant Hill, and through that association keeps up his acquaintance with his old army comrades, delighting in the reminiscences of field and camp fires.  He is a man of many sterling qualities, reliable and energetic in business and trustworthy in all life's relations.  As a citizen he is as true today as when he followed the stars and stripes upon the battlefields of the south.
Source: A Biographical History of Darke County, Ohio, Compendium of National Biography - Illustrated - Publ. Evansville, Ind. - 1900 - Page 588