JOHN FINDLEY,
Hardy Township, was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, in 1828, a son
of David and Alice (Elliott) Findley, natives of Ireland, and
a grandson of George Findley, who came to this country with
him family at an early day.
Deprived of a father's care by death when but a child,
John Findley was reared by his widowed mother, and remained
with her until manhood. In 1847 he came to Holmes County with
his brothers Moses, David and George, and made his
first purchase of land. He has dealt quite extensively in
land, buying and selling different tracts, always making something
by the deal, and has become one of the prominent and prosperous
citizens of the county. His present homestead, which contains
200 acres of valuable land, is well improved, and is one of the best
farms in the township. He is one of the practical farmers of
the township, and his thrift and energy are witnessed by a visit to
his farm. He has always taken an active interest in the
prosperity of his county, though in no respect a politician.
He is especially interested in the cause of education. He and
his family are members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has
served as elder for twenty-five years. In politics he is a
Democrat. Mr. Findley was married in 1859 to Rebecca
J., daughter of Joseph Cellers, of Carroll County, Ohio,
and they have had a family of six children: Mary Bell, now
Mrs. McKee, who has a son named Melvin; Joseph V.; Alice J.,
now Mrs. Farver; Della A., Gertie L. and Harry J.
~ Page 731 -
Source: Biographical Record of Wayne & Holmes Co. - Publ. Chicago:
J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
JOSEPH V. FINLEY,
one of the well-known and prominent farmers of Mechanic Township, is
a son of George Finley, who was born in Jefferson County, in
1827. David Finley, the grandfather of Joseph V.,
emigrated from County Donegal, Ireland, and located in Jefferson
County, Ohio, where he lived until his death. George Finley
was reared in Jefferson County, and in 1841 married Miss
Priscilla, daughter of Joseph Van Buskirk, a native of
Holland, and a settler of Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Immediately
after marriage they came to Holmes County, and for two years lived
upon rented farms; then they purchased 100 acres of land, now
included in the farm of their son Joseph, and by hard work
paid for the same. Starting in life single-handed he made
himself well-to-do by his own efforts, owning over 400 acres of
land. He was a prominent worker in the ranks of the Democratic
party, and filled various township offices. He joined the
Presbyterian Church in 1844, and was a prominent member until his
death in 1875. His first wife died Nov. 4, 1864, and he was
subsequently married to Miss Finwell, daughter of
Frederick Hall, of Berlin Township, who died Apr. 29, 1877.
Twelve children were born to the first maturity, and are still
living: Alice, wife of John G. Frizzell of
Stewart, Iowa; Joseph V.; John A., of Coshocton County, Ohio;
Laura, wife of John T. Wages, of Fillmore County, Neb.
Joseph V. Finley was born on his present farm,
Nov. 5, 1843. He received his education at the township
schools and the Berlin Academy. After finishing his schooling
he in turn began to teach, and followed that occupation for nine
winters. In 1875 he was united in marriage with Miss Julia,
daughter of Mordecai R. Brink, of Killbuck Township, and they
have eight children: Adah L., Alma E., George Clifford, Joseph
Scott, Lelah May, Walter Leroy, Lloyd Stanton and John Elmer.
Mrs. Finley belongs to the Democratic party, and he and his wife
are members of the Presbyterian Church of Millersburgh.
~ Page 656 -
Source: Biographical Record of Wayne & Holmes Co. - Publ. Chicago:
J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
MOSES
FINDLEY was born in Jefferson County, Ohio, Feb. 8, 1822, a
son of David and Alice (Elliott) Findley, both natives of
County Donegal, Ireland. When David Findley, came with
his family to America, and settled in Jefferson County, Ohio, where
David grew to manhood, married, and died.
Moses Findley remained in his native
county till 1847, when he came to Holmes County, and settled in
Hardy Township. He was without means when starting in life for
himself, and his father being dead he was obliged to rely wholly on
his own resources. Possessed, however, of a liberal supply of
energy and pluck, he was not dismayed at the prospect of hard work,
but with the determination that surmounts all obstacles he went
bravely forward, and his success is witnessed by a visit to his
beautiful home. He is now numbered among the wealthy citizens
of the township, owning about 500 acres of fine farming land.
But he has retired from active labor, and now resides in the town of
Millersburgh, where he is one of the most influential and highly
respected of its citizens. Mr. Findley was married in
1847 to Miss Esther, daughter of James and Annie Francis,
and they have had eight children, five of whom are living:
James F., Seville E., William P., John R. and Ettie J.
Mr. Findleyand his family are members of the United Presbyterian
Church. In politics he is a Democrat.
~ Page 778 Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties
of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio,
Illustrated Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
JAMES M.
FINNEY was born in Holmes County, Ohio, Dec. 20, 1835, a son
of David and Hannah (Butler) Finney. The Finney
family was one of the first to come to Holmes County. They
first located in Ohio in 1812, but returned to Washington County,
Penn., where they remained until after the close of the war of that
period. The grandfather of James M. bought 500 acres of
what was known as French Soldier Land. His father who died in
1872, had a family of nine children: Sarah, John, Mary, James M.,
bought 500 acres of what was known as French Soldier Land.
His father who died in 1872, had a family of nine children:
Sarah, John, Mary, James M., Anna, Luentia, Jennie, Jonathan B.,
and Laura, all living but John and
Mary.
James M. Finney owns 110 acres of good land, sixty
acres of which were part of the Brown homestead forty acres of which
were a part of the Brown homesteads, forty acres being in
other townships. He has acquired the most of his property by
hard work and perseverance, and has earned the prosperity he is now
enjoying. He married Miss Mary Phillips and they have
three children: Louis C., born Aug. 20, 1871; Bessie,
born Aug. 29, 1875, and Bertie, born Jun. 12, 1882. In
politics Mr. Finney is a Republican.
~ Page 808 Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
|
WILLIAM J. FINNEY,
the subject of this sketch, was born in New Castle,
Penn., May 6, 1811. His father,
David Finney, was one of the earliest settlers of Holmes County, and, being a man
of intelligence and of an enterprising spirit, he early secured a large tract of
fertile land, containing some 500 acres, upon which he built his cabin, and
raised a family of seven children: John, David, Washington, Mary, Ann, William J. and Thomas. After his fathers death,
William J. became the owner of the
original homestead. In 1848 he
married Miss Louisa Crist, and to
them were born four children. Mr.
Finney died in 1883, aged seventy-two years.
Mrs. Finney still lives on the
homestead with her children.
~ Page 640
Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes, Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889
|
JOHN
FLANAGAN (deceased) was a native of Bedford, Bedford Co.,
Penn., born in 1803, one of a family of four, three sons and one
daughter, and in very early life was put into the hands of
strangers. In 1832 he moved to Holmes County, where he
followed farming fifty-four years. His farm at the time of his
death consisted of 143 acres, at one time mostly woodland, but now
all cleared except forty acres. Mr. Flanagan was twice
married; first to Christmas Croyl, who bore him two sons,
John and William; his second marriage was with
Margaret Shaffer, by whom he had one daughter, Mary.
Mr. Flanagan died Sept. 13, 1886, a member of the
Lutheran Church, and in politics a Democrat. As one of Holmes
County's well-known, prominent and influential pioneers he will long
be held in remembrance.
~ Page 829
Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
LOUIS
FORLOW, dry goods merchant, and one of the enterprising,
energetic business men of Millersburgh, is a native of Defiance
County, Ohio, born in 1853. His parents, BENJAMIN and
Catherine (Emrick) Forlow, who were married in Pennsylvania,
were natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and Butler County, Ohio,
the ancestry of the former having come from England and Germany to
the Keystone State. They had a family of eleven children-
eight sons and three daughters - eight of whom are yet living,
Louis being the only one in Holmes county. In 1876 the
mother massed from earth, since when the father has made his home in
Hicksville, Ohio. When a boy he learned in his native State
the trades of brass-founder and cabinet maker, which he followed
many years, but later devoted his attention to agricultural
pursuits.
Louis Forlow was reared in his native county,
receiving a common-school education, and for his life work decided
to devote his energies to some mercantile business. Coming to
Millersburgh, Ohio, in 1871, he first entered a grocery store as
clerk, and later was employed some ten years in a similar capacity
in several of the leading dry goods houses of the place. He
then embarked in business for his own account, opening a dry goods
store in Millersburgh, in partnership with his brother-in-law, C.
D. Parkinson, under the firm name of Forlow & Parkinson.
At the end of three years this was dissolved, and Mr. Forlow
then spent some five months in the real estate business, at Findlay,
Ohio. In 1887 he opened his present stand in Millersburgh,
where he carries on one of the leading grocery, dry goods and
millinery establishments in this part of the State, in which, by his
excellent business ability and good management, he has been
uniformly successful, having placed himself by his own individual
efforts among the first business men of the place. The
millinery department of the store is ably conducted by Mrs. Louis
Forlow, whose careful management has made it second to none in
Millersburgh.
Mr. Forlow was married in 1880 to Miss Jessie
E., daughter of Capt. Joseph Work, a former prominent
citizen of the county, who gave his life for his country, meeting
his death at the battle of the Wilderness. Mr. and Mrs.
Forlow have no children. He is a member of the I. O. O. F.
and K. of P.
~ Page 813 Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
GUSTAVUS
C. FRITZ, son of William and Louisa (Grave) Fritz,
natives of Prussia, was born Mar. 8, 1855, at Millersburg, Holmes
Co., Ohio. His parents immigrated to America in 1854, arriving
Dec. 22, and first located in Millersburg, Ohio.
William Fritz was a surgeon by profession, which he followed
throughout life. After spending about one year at Millersburg,
the family removed to Zanesville, Ohio, and afterward to Dresden,
where they remained until 1861, in which year they came to Wayne
County, locating at Moorland, where the father died in 1865.
The mother is now living with her son, Gustavus C.
Their family consisted of five children, as follows: Louisa,
wife of Thomas Finlay, of Stark County, Ohio; Gustavus C.,
William and Lewis, at home, and Adolph, in
Moorland, Ohio, who married Martha, daughter of Michael
and Julia Franks, of Franklin Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, and has
two children, Amanda and Charles. The subject of
this memoir received his education at the township schools and the
Smithville Academy, and early engaged in teaching, a profession he
has since followed, having taught at Nonpariel, Moorland and
several of the township schools.
Mr. Fritz, like his father, is a strong
supporter of the Democratic party. In 1880 he was elected
clerk of Franklin Township, Wayne County, and has since held that
office. He is a member of Garfield Lodge, No. 528, F. & A. M.,
of Shreve, Ohio. At the present writing (1889) Mr.
Fritz is unmarried, and remains at old home with his mother and
brother.
~ Page 16 Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
JOHN FRITZ
was born in Knox County, Ohio, Nov. 12, 1849, a son of Ferdinand
and Thacia (Grim) Fritz, natives of Bavaria, Germany, latter of
whom died of dropsy, at the age of forty, after an illness of over
nine years. Ferdinand Fritz was the eldest son of
John and Mary (Husfielt) Fritz, and came to America with his
parents when eleven years old. They settled near Danville, and
there Ferdinand grew to manhood. He acquired to good
property, having at his death a valuable farm of 174 acres. He
died in 1883, aged fifty seven years, his wife in 1879, aged
forty-eight years. They had a family of nine children:
John, Catherine (deceased), Anna, Mary Joseph, Henry, George,
Leo and Sarah.
John Fritz spent his early life in his native
county, and was there educated, attending the common schools.
He learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked a number of
years, and has also given his attention to the work of the farm.
In 1880 he bought the farm where he now lives, in Washington
Township, Holmes county, which contains 110 acres of good land.
He was married in 1880 to Barbara, daughter of Paul Now,
and they have four children: Mary, Tracy, Clara Catherine, George
Edward and Thacia Elnora. In politics Mr. Fritz
affiliates with the Democratic party. He and his wife are
members of the Catholic Church.
~ Page 662 Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
DANIEL FUNK
is a son of Jacob and Mary (Drukemiller) Funk, natives of
Lehigh County, Penn., About 1820 they came to Holmes County, Ohio,
and entered eighty acres of land in Walnut Creek Township, where
they engaged in farming, a trade at which he worked in connection
with farming. He was one of the representative men of the
township, an active worker of the Democratic party, and a prominent
member of the German Reformed Church. He died in 1867, his
wife having preceded him in 1861. They reared a family of nine
children, six of whom are still living: Charles, in
Tuscarawas County; Jacob, Henry and Benjamin,
in DeKalb County, Ind.; Daniel D., and Hettie (wife of
Joseph Showalter), in DeKalb County, Ind.
The subject of this sketch was born in Walnut Creek
Township, December 21, 1830, attending the township schools, and
after finishing his education, learned the carpenter's trade, which
he followed for some years. In 1854 he engaged as a clerk in a
general mercantile store as a clerk in a general mercantile store at
Farmerstown. In 1868 he purchased his present farm of 180
acres, where he has since resided. Oct. 7, 1860, he was united
in marriage with Miss Mary Ann, daughter of Solomon W.
Forver, of German Township, and six children have been born to
this union, all of whom are at home: Allen Winfield, Ulysses
Ambrose, Lloyd Emery, Ira Ceto, Ida May and Clemence Barbara.
Mr. Funkis a stanch Republican, and his served as justice of the
peace for nine years. He has also filled various other
township offices. He is a member of Spartan Lodge, F. & A. M.,
of Millersburgh, and of New Bedford Lodge, I. O. O. F.; is a trustee
of the German Reformed Church, of which he and his family are
members.
~ Page 798 Commemorative Biographical Record of the counties of Wayne
and
Holmes,
Ohio, Illustrated
Publ. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1889 |
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