History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Lewis J. Moore was born in Marion Township in 1842. At the age of seven years he was bound out until he was twenty to Andrew J. Moore. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, Ninety-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, participating in several noted battles.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Liston H. Prettyman was born in Sussex County, Del., in 1817, and came to this township in 1844. He married Mary Shankland in 1845, and to them was born one child - James S. Mr. Prettyman was a farmer, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1883. His widow resides on the farm with her son.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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James S. Prettyman was born in 1846. At the age of twenty years he went to West Virginia, where he was in the mercantile business. In 1872 he returned to Ohio, and for eleven years was engaged in the same business in Carlisle, and has since been farming. He was married in 1872 to Emma A. Penn, who died in 1881. They had two children, of whom one is living - Frank. In 1885 he married Miss Eliza Philpot. The family are member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Wyndham Sparling, with his wife and one child, left Ireland for America June 1, 1849. Reaching this country he came to Ohio, and purchased of Lemuel Moore eighty acres of partially improved land, situated near Freedom, for $11 per acre. Soon after he engaged in teaching school, which, like farming, was new work to him. In the fall he went to work to put in a crop of wheat. Buying a horse and borrowing a shovel plow from a preacher who lived near, he set to work on a six-acre field. The horse did not understand the language of his driver, and Mr. Sparling had a serious time among the stumps. The first of his wheat was up before the last was sown. Yet he secured a bountiful crop. In the work of cradling wheat and chopping down trees he found great difficulty, but finally learned the process. Once when making fence-rails he selected gum trees, and worked upon them for a day before he discovered that that was not the kind of timber to use for rails.

Wyndham Sparling was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1805. In 1849 he landed in Philadelphia and immediately came to this township. He purchased eighty acres of land, to which he has added eighty-eight acres. He was married in his native land in 1826, and had by this union two sons, one of whom is living in Washington County, Ohio. His first wife died in 1851, and in the following year he married Mrs. Alexander, of Belmont County, who died in 1868. In 1871 Mr. Sparling married Mrs. Ford (nee Campbell). Mr. Sparling is a Royal Arch Mason. He is proud of being an American citizen, and though cherishing an affection for his native land, has no desire to return to it. His son, Dr. John Belton Sparling, practiced for a time in this county. Wyndham Sparling has been a school director for twenty-four years. He also served many years as a trustee of the Methodist Episcopal church, and as superintendent of the Sabbath school, filling those positions with credit to himself and profit to church and school.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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William Finley came from Pennsylvania when a young man, and settled in Seneca Township about 1825. He was a worthy, industrious pioneer, and used to claim that he had cleared more land than any man he ever knew, except Aaron Morris. In 1832 he married Rachel Glover, whose parents came to the county about the same time that Mr. Finley did. Among his pioneer experiences was hauling grain to the Muskingam River, forty miles, over poorly constructed roads, selling it at from twenty-five to forty cents per bushel, and taking the larger part of the proceeds in trade. After living in Seneca Township thirty-five years, in 1860 he removed to Center Township, and thence in 170 to Wayne County, Iowa, taking with him his younger children. His wife died in 1878 and he in 1886. The grandfather of William Finley and his brother, aged nineteen and twenty-one years respectively, came to America from Ireland just before the Revolution. Landing in New York without means, they there separated, and the identity of the two families was never certainly fixd, except that the family of Patrick Finley had a similar legend.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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James M. Philpot was born in this township in 1849, and has followed farming most of his life, though he was in a store several years. In 1875 he married Martha C. McClintock; children: Shepard B., Clifford M. and Emily. Mrs. Philpot is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Philpot is engaged in farming and stock-raising.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Stephen Wilson was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, in 1821. In 1825 his parents removed to Belmont County, and in 1835 Stephen began learning the harness-maker's trade in St. Clairsville, serving six years and seven months. In 1841, at the age of twenty-one, he engaged in business for himself in Barnesville, where he remained until 1858. In 1845 he married Sarah Ann, daughter of Colonel Benjamin Mackall, a very prominent man, and by this union had eleven children, six of whom are living - Mary, Charles E., Emma (Miller), Ernest, Harriet A. and Annie. In 1858 Mr. Wilson came to Summerfield, where he has since followed harness and saddle making and tanning. He is one of the best informed citizens of Noble County, being a diligent reader, a close observer, and a man of excellent memory. He served as justice of the peace several years in Barnesville, and has been notary public for twenty-two years in Noble County. His daughter Mary was one of the six ladies that were commissioned notaries public in 1880, and held the office one term. The law under which she was appointed was afterward declared unconstitutional, but she continues to do the work for her father. The family are Methodists.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Patrick Bates was born in Seneca Township, Guernsey County, in 1841. He remained at home until 1861, when he enlisted in Company D, Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served three years, being mustered out with the company. He was in engagements at Middle Creek, Chickasaw Mountain, the Vicksburg campaign, and back to Vicksburg with Banks in his Red River expedition. In 1867 he married Mary E. Hughes, of this county, and by her had two children, both deceased. His wife died in 1870, and in 1881 he married Mary Morris. They have had three children, two of whom are living - Amanda and Maggie.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Ezekiel Farley was born in Greene County, Pa., in the year 1810, came to this State with his father, in the year 1815, who settled about three miles south of Summerfield. On the 17th of September, 1861, he volunteered in Captain James H. Riggs' company, under the leadership of it's gallant colonel, J.A. Garfield. He was with the regiment in its battles and marches one year, when his health failed him and he was honorably discharged from the service on the 17th day of September, 1862. He returned home, but his health was so broken that he died in a few years. He had two noble boys that lost their lives in ther service - Henry and Sylvanus.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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George Gregg was born in Virginia, in 1800, came to Ohio at an early date and settled in Beaver Township, then Guernsey County, and afterward married Sarah Triplett, of Belmont County. Of their seven children five are living, three in this county: Ellen J. (Cline), Isaac and William. Mrs. George Gregg died in 1880; Mr. Gregg in 1885. William Gregg, born in Beaver Township in 1832, came to Marion Township in 1867, and is one of the prominent farmers. He was married in 1855 to Isabel Walker.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Freedom (Whigville P.O.) is a small village about four miles from Summerfield, in a northwesterly direction. About the year 1841 Andrew Somers, an itinerant shoemaker from Massachusetts, came into the neighborhood and worked from house to house, carrying his kit of tools with him. In 1843 he purchased a lot from Samuel Large, upon which he erected a small one-story frame house, in one corner of which he has his shop. He was an honest Christian man and reared a respectable family - nine children.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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William Rice, a blacksmith, set up a shop near the site of Freedom about 1832. He was an excellant workman in both iron and steel, and made hoes, axes and other tools which were considered the very best. Such a reputation did he gain that he and his two sons were kept constantly busy in their shop. Reuben Wood, his son-in-law, came at the same time. He was a carpenter, but not finding much work in that time - log cabins being the style of dwelling most in use - he turned his attention to farming with poor success. (Rice died here and the family sold out and removed).

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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About 1839 Rev. William Leeper, of Irish parentage, a Methodist preacher, bought the Rice farm. He was regarded as eccentric in both actions and doctrine, and after a time it was seen that he was insane. He died in the asylum.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Thaddeus Shepherd, one of the later settlers of the township, located here in 1876. He was born in Belment County in 1853, and in 1876 married Nancy Elizabeth Danford; three children: Emmet E., Emma L. and Ray D. Mr. and Mrs. Shepherd are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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James W. Shankland was the first settler and the first merchant in the village. He came here on the 27th of March, 1827. He erected the first dwelling in the place, in connection with his brother-in-law, Charles W. Moseley, both of whom married Rownds, and the house was occupied by the two families. Later, Moseley, who was a bricklayer by trade, erected another house. Captain L.W. Moseley, now of Enoch Township, was the first male child born in Summerfield. Shankland and Moseley built a grist-mill and a carding-mill just back of where J.H. Philpot's house now stands, which were run by horsepower, and furnished meal and rolls to the neighborhood. A part of the machinery for the carding-mill was taken from a disused mill formerly run by Moses Horton.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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Moses Horton, the founder of Summerfield, died in 1863. Of his sons, William was a successful physician for many years; he removed to the West in 1871. Thomas was a conductor on the Underground railroad in antebellum days. Richard, who died in 1878, was a prominent minister of the Wesleyan Methodist church.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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William Philpot, the progenitor of the Philpot family in this country, was born in Dublin, Ireland, in the year 1777; his parents were of English parentage, and were sturdy and intelligent people of the middle class. They gave their son the advantages of a good education. Evidencing an aptitude for mercantile pursuits, he was apprenticed to a merchant with whom he remained seven years. Two years after the completion of his indentures, 1802, he came to America, in company with two of his friends; they settled in Belmont County and located a section of land whre is now the village of Belmont; here he remained ten years, clearing land and farming. He led a dreary, isolated life, acquiring experience in pioneer life which he utilized to good advantage in after time. About 1813 he went to Barnesville; where he entered the employ of James Barnes, the founder of the village, and for him established the first store in the village. He was the first postmaster and was identified with nearly all the initial events in its history. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits as clerk and proprietor until 1830, when, with his family of wife (nee Ruth Hulse) and eleven children, he came to Summerfield, then a little hamlet of perhaps a dozen families. He bought the business of James W. Shankland, the pioneer merchant of the place, and for seventeen years he did a successful business in land, tobacco and merchandise, and was not only one of the prominent and successful business men of the county, but also an esteemed citizen. While in Barnesville he united with the Methodist Episcopal church and remained loyal until death. He died in 1864. His children, all of whom were residents of the place and identified with its history, were Ellenor (Wilson), Eliza, Rownd, Maria, Matilda (Stoller), William H., George, Shepherd B., Sarah A. (Hare), Isaac, John H. and Samuel, six of whom are now (1887) living.

Shepherd B. was his father's successor in business. He was born in Barnesville in 1819. He grew up in his father's store, obtaining some education from the subscription schools of that time. At the age of twenty-four he became a partner, and in 1847 sole proprietor; for many years has been one of the largest mnerchants in the county. For forty-four years he has dealt extensively and quite successfully in tobacco. He has enjoyed in a very great degree the confidence and esteem of his fellow-townsmen, and in evidence it may be stated that for twenty-two years he has officiated as township treasurer. During the war he did good service in the cause of his country in the formation of military companies, and his time and money were always command in the furtherance of any war measure. In his religious and political affiliations he is a Methodist and a Republican. In 1844 he married Miss Emily, a duaghter of John Allen, a Virginian, who settled here in 1840. Mrs. Philpot was born in Virginia, and is the mother of nine children - Charles W., Ruth E., James M., Laura, William H., Ada M. (Rader), John C., Roscoe and Luella (Ritchey).

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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John Lemmax - It is always a pleasure to sketch the career of a prominent and successful man of business, who has attained his position in life solely through his own well-directed industry, his persevering efforts and his unswerving honesty. Such a man is John Lemmax. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., December 30, 1820. His father was of Welsh and his mother of Irish descent. In the spring of 1821 the family came to Ohio, settling in the vicinity of Summerfield, whre they remained until 1825. Becoming dissatisfied with pioneer life, they then returned to Pittsburgh, and continued to reside there until September, 1830, when they returned to the farm in what is now Noble County, which was thenceforth their permanent home. In Pittsburgh, the subject of this notice attended school, and being an apt scholar, received the rudiments of a sound education in the common branches. After his removal to the farm, John was put to work, and all of his attendance at school after he was eleven years of age, amounted to but fourteen days. Money was scarse, and it was difficult to make ends meet; therefore the services of our subject were necessary to contribute to the family's support, there being five children younger than himself. He had no money except what he earned himself, by working out amoung his neighbors, and what he could save in this way he devoted to the purchase of books. He also borrowed and read all the books he could obtain in the neighborhood. Early in life he became possessed of Brainard's "Life Among the Indians," Rollin's "Ancient History" (eight volumes), and the works of Josephus. He took part in the pioneer debating societies and thus strenthened his knowledge and acquired experience in public speaking.

In his sixteenth year he began learning the carpenter's trade, returning to the farm to assist in busy seasons. During the first year at this work he received $7 per month; the second year he began at $12 per month, and his wages were increased to $18 for the second month. In this way he continued to work at his trade receiving from $20 to $28 per month. Afterward he began taking contracts, hiring a man and working himself. In his nineteenth year Mr. Lemmax went to Woodsfield and made arrangements to enter the law office of Edward Archibald as a student. His father hearing of this, and having a strong prejudice against lawyers, persuaded John to abandon his intention. This Mr. Lemmax always regretted, and believes that he made a serious mistake.

Early in life he became a pronounced temperance man, and has ever since remained a firm advocate of the doctrine of total abstinence. He joined a temperance society at Summerfield, and soon became prominent among its workers. At the soliciation of Mr. S.H. Rownd, president of the society, he visited different places in Morgan, Washington and Guernsey Counties to make temperance addresses. On one occasion, in the winter of 1841, he was sent to a place about eight miles distant to deliver an address. Arriving there he found the church in which he was to speak so full of people that it was with difficulty that he forced his way to the pulpit. He became confused and forgot his subject. A Bible lay upon the pulpit, and opening it, Mr. Lemmax read the first words that met his eye; "What is man that thou art mindful of him?" Taking this as a text, and beginning his remarks with a history of ancient Greece, he talked with ease and freedom for an hour and three-quarters. On looking at his watch he again became embarrassed and made an apology for speaking so long, but was urged to continue. He circulated the constitution and bylaws of his society, and was gratified in obtaining eighty-six signatures. After several earnest invitations, he again visited the same place and lectured, this time securing sixty-eight more namess.

Mr. Lemmax continued to work at his trade until 1845, and in the meantime had saved between $600 and $700. He then made arrangements with Charles Hare, of Summerfield, to start a store in Freedom. Mr. Hare advised him to invest in tobacco, and he did so. The result was the loss, in the fall of 1846, of $800. Returning from Baltimore to Freedom, he again engaged in building. He also bought hogs and made some money on them. In 1848, in partnership with A. Franklin, he bought a small stock of goods in Zanesville and again embarked in the mercantile business. Two years later he increased his stock largely, buying in Baltimore, and was soon doing a successful business. He again began buying tobacco and continued that business for thirty years with varying success, sometimes gaining and sometimes losing heavily in his operations. In 1864-5 his losses were about $23,000. It required thirteen years to recover this amount. He dealt extensively in hogs and cattle for several years. In 1848 he began buying and feeding hogs, marketing them at home. Four years later he began shipping hogs, and this business he continued successfully for twenty-four years. He began dealing in cattle in 1851, both buying and shipping, and continued twenty-five years then quit shipping. During this time he handled an average of 3,500 hogs and two hundred head of cattle per year, with a satisfactory profit, and in the meantime gathered up 543 acres of land, four hundred of which were cleared. His many business interests kept him too busy to devote much attention to farming, and he used much of his land for pasturage. In business matters he wasted no words but was always fair and honorable and never would he take advantage of another's ignorance in order to secure a profit for himself. For a period of twenty years he handled about $50,000 work of live stock, tobacco and merchandise per yar, without failing to meet every obligation promptly. This gave him a prestige as a buyer that but few have, and a credit that answered instead of larger capital.

Frank in avowing his sentiments; bokd, fearless and consistent in maintaining them, Mr. Lemmax laid the foundation of a character of sincerity and honor, which amidst the vicissitudes, the profits and losses of business transactions, the shocks of political changes and the scurrility of partisan warfare, has never been shaken or tainted with insincerity. In the possession of these attributes, beyond the rach of cavil or question, is to be found the secret of that inalienable attachment which today exists among the vast body of his friends and fellow-citizens, and which has followed him throughout his business career. Here he wishes to offer a grateful tribute of respectto the names of three of his friends who stood by him in the darkest hour of his mercantile career; to Morris Danford, who furnished him $3,500; to John O'Neill, who furnished $2,500; and to "Uncle" Samuel Craig, who furnished $2,300 at six per cent, payable at his pleasure, on his individual note without security. These sums were used in the liquidation of his indebtedness entailed by the losses on tobacco in 1864 and 1865.

Mr. Lemmax was married in 1846 to Margaret, daughter of Alexander Franklin, one of the early settlers of Marion Township. They have reared four children - Mary Rose, now the wife of Charles Craig, of Marion Township; Violet J., Lillie W. and John A., single and residing at home. The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

In politics Mr. Lemmax is a firm, uncompromising Republican, and for may years has taken a deep and intelligent interest in both local and national politial affairs. Early in life he became an adherent of the Whig party. In September, 1840, he attended a Democratic mass meeting at Carlisle, addressed by leading Democratic politicians of Monroe County. After they had finished, John McMahon took the platform on the Whig side, and made a telling speech. Hon. Joseph Morris, representative in Congress, who was one of the speakers present, went home with Mr. Lemmax and spent the night at his father's home. In conversation with him, the question was asked, "What would take the place of bank-notes?" Morris replied, "Sub-treasury notes." On being asked what they were, he admitted that he did not know. "Well, it is not good policy to destroy the bank-notes unless you have something better to take their place." Mr. Morris said; "John, I am afraid you won't make a good Democrat To be one, you must stick to the party, right or wrong." And John did not become a Democrat. He voted first for Henry Clay, and acted with the Whig and Free-soil parties until the campaign of John C. Fremont, since which time he has been a Republican. Mr. Lemmax has been several times a delegate to State conventions. He was a delegate to the National Convention of 1876. He was the first delegate to propose Hayes' nomination, and, in a conference of Ohio delegation, secured the passage of a resolution pledging a solid vote for him, and that no delegate should vote otherwise without first conferring with the remainde of the delegation. Mr. Lemmax held the office of county commissioner one term and declined a renomination. He was a candidate for representative to the legislature in 1884, but was defeated by a small majority, owing to the hostility of the Greenbakc element, who at this time were energetically preaching the doctrine of "fiat money", claiming it as the "poor man's money." Mr. Lemmax vigourously opposed this craze and took a decided stand for resumption and a stable currency. He took a prominent part in securing the extension of the B.Z. & C. Railroad, from Woodsfield to Zanesville, subscribing liberally to further the scheme, giving it much of his time and attention for over a year, besides furnishing a building for a depot at his own expense. The road runs through his land for a mile and a half. After the completion of the road, on the resignation of one of the directors he was unanimously chosen to fill the vacancy and has since been thrice chosen to fill the same position. In the spring of 1883, with twelve others who paid a like sum, he advanced $2,000 to secure the opening of the road and the running of trains. He has had contracts for furnishing the road with over four hundred thousand feet of trestle timber, besides a large quantity of cross-ties. Mr. Lemmax has been a stockholder an director of the Noble County National Bank at Caldwell since its organization. He has held the office of postmaster, at Freedom (Whigville Postoffice), for twenty-eight years, without any complaints from patrons or the Department.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
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