Table of Contents
Mrs. Christine HARDING Obituary
Miss Elizabeth HARDING Obituary
Mrs. Edith ARPP Obituary
Helen Boyd VAIL Obituary
Flora J. BANKER Obituary
Riley Tullis SHEPHERD Obituary
Carrie K. JACOBY Obituary
Robert C. REED Obituary
Luexa CRAFT Obituary
Alice Kate OGELSBY Obituary>
After a long life devoted to her family, the church and its
influences and the community in which she lived for more than a half
century, a good mother passed to her eternal reward.
Miss Elizabeth Harding, 73, member of a family that made the Miami
Valley known as one of America's greatest paper-producing belts, and one
of the city's charming women, died at the family residence at Excello at
1:25 P.M. Monday.
The prominent club and church woman was a native of Shottermill,
England, and was brought to this country when an infant. When she was
18 months old, her parents moved into this graceful old home on Route 4,
on the hillside overlooking the factory founded in 1865 by her father,
the late A. E. Harding and George Erwin, another of the city's pioneers.
The firm now is known as the Harding-Jones Company in charge of her
nephews, Clarence and Thomas E. Jones.
Of a literary turn of mind, Miss Harding devoted much of her time to
writing and at the time of her death had completed a historical sketch
on her father and was beginning work on the life of her mother. She was
deeply interested in local, national, and international affairs and was
avidly concerned with material that would improve her knowledge of
cultural events.
Services for Mrs. Edith Arpp, 73, 1500 Manchester Avenue, lifelong
Middletown resident who died Saturday at 11:40 p.m. at Middletown
Hospital, will be held at 2 P.M. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church.
Losing a courageous battle for health and life, Mrs. Helen Boyd
Vail, 39, of 512 South Main Street, died Saturday morning, the victim of
a lingering illness that gradually sapped her vitality but never
conquered her courageous spirit.
With the death of Mrs. Flora J. Banker, 84, who has resided with her
daughter, Mrs. D. W. Snider, of 2208 Linden Avenue, for a number of
years, Middletown and Butler County lose another member of one of the
staunch pioneer families that settled in this vicinity years ago. Mrs.
Banker died at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Middletown Hospital, where she was
taken on February 26 after suffering from cerebral hemorrhage.
Riley Tullis Shepherd, age 82, a native of Butler County and a
member of a pioneer family, died at 6:15 o'clock Tuesday morning at his
farm home just north of Hamilton, after an illness of four months.
Mrs. Carrie K. Jacoby, of 314 South Main Street, lifelong resident
of Middletown and vicinity and a woman held in high esteem by all with
whom she came in contact, died at 6:30 Sunday morning at Middletown
hospital. Although suffering from ill health for a number of years it
was not until Friday that Mrs. Jacoby's condition became such that she
was taken to the hospital. She has been sinking gradually since that
time in spite of all medical aid could do.
Born on a farm in the Elk Creek vicinity, Mrs. Jacoby came to Middletown
with her parents when still a child and, in the late seventies married
George Jacoby, a business man. Among the earlier organizations of which
she was a member was the Quixotic Club. The members were given to
presenting amateur plays and Mrs. Jacoby frequently enjoyed recalling
the time that she played the leading part in a production offered in the
old red brick school house at what is now Manchester and Main Street.
The title of the play was "The Lady of Lyons."
Mrs. Jacoby married George Jacoby, a leader in the lumber business
whose building was located along the canal and fronted on Canal Street.
He was associated with Charles E. Denny. Later Jacoby became
interested and was the principal stockholder in the Jacoby Paper
Company which bought the Middletown Paper Company, both later to become
the Sorg Paper Company.
Robert C. Reed, 83, of 1123 Kunz Avenue son of Thomas C. Reed, the
first white child born in Butler County, died at 6 P.M. Wednesday at his
home.
During his long illness, Mr. Reed told and retold friends at his
bedside the story of his ancestors, as it was handed down to him and as
he remebered it himself. He was proud of his ancestry, a background of
hardships and hard-fighting pioneers.
His brother, Captain David P. Reed, was organizer of two Ohio
companies -- one the famous Sixty-Ninth Regiment.
Like his father and grandfather before him, Robert Reed was a
farmer, at one time owning the present home of W. D. Vorhis on South
Dixie Highway. He had been retired from farming for 10 years.
Mrs. Luexa Craft, 58, wife of Powell Craft, contractor, of 324
Vandeveer St., died Tuesday at 9:45 a.m. in Middletown Hospital. She
suffered a stroke last Friday.
Another home on South Main Street, long known for as the
thoroughfare of Middletown's socially prominent and most distinquished
families, is touched by sorrow as Mrs. Alice Kate Ogelsby, widow of
Charles Barnitz Ogelsby, passes.
� 1998, 1999, 2000 by David J. Endres
This site was updated 15 May 2000.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
Mrs. Harding of Excello Died at Her Residence Sunday
With the dawn of the Sabbath day, Mrs. A. E.Harding at her home in
Excello surrounded by those ever near and dear, laid down the burden of
her life, her gentle spirit taking its flight to a more friendly world.
The little village in which she lived and moved, mourns its loss.
For though she has not been active in the world's affairs for years, the
feeling that in the old home on the hill she was with them still, was
ever an inspiration that threw around the Harding homestead a kindly
reverence for one who through the years had been a good mother to the
entire community.
Her family, who have ever appreciated her noble qualities and with
filial devotion paid reverence to her as the centre from which radiated
those influences for good that made them noble women and worthy men,
will miss her parental advice. The vacant chair in the family circle
will long awake tender memories of the many virtues of a good mother.
They have the sympathy of a community of friends who kneel with them
in sorrow at the bier of one that none knew but to love and esteem for
her many kindly considerstions, her Christian spirit, her noble
aspirations in the years that are past and gone.
Mrs. Christine Harding died at the old Harding Homestead in Excello
Sunday morning, November 26, 1922, aged 86 years. She was born in
Salzburg, Pennsylvania, December 16, 1835. She was the widow of A. E.
Harding, deceased, the founder of the Harding Paper company, the first
writing paper mill in the Miami Valley. Surviving their good mother
are: Mrs. Allie Jones, Miss Elizabeth Harding, Mrs. Harry Engle and
ex-congressman Eugene Harding of New York. She leaves also numerous
grandchildren among them Howard and Dwight Jones, prominent in
university athletics and a sister, Mrs. Greier, of this city.
The funeral services will be held from the residence at 2 o'clock
Tuesday afternoon. Rev. Mr. Sites, pastor of the First Baptist church
with which she affiliated for years will conduct the services.
Interment will be made in Woodside cemetery. No flowers.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
FUNERAL PLANNED
WEDNESDAY
Miss Harding suffered a stroke of paralysis a week ago, and death
was not unexpected to her family and friends.
In this fine old residence, Miss Harding and her sisters and
brothers led sheltered lives in the quiet environment established by
their devoutly religious parents. Meanwhile, her father was making a
name for his family as the first manufacturer of writing paper produced
west of the Alleghenies. He, with Erwin brought the art of paper making
from England and for years the Harding-Erwin concern pioneered in the
field throughout the middle west and growing western states to which its
territory extended.
Like others of her family, Miss Harding received her elementary
education in the Amanda School. She always prided herself that she was
a pupil of John Q. Baker, who later became a Middletown newspaper
publisher. Her schooling was completed at Glendale College for Girls,
no longer in exsistence, but at that time one of the exclusive
institutions of learning in this part of country.
She was a member of the Current Events Club and the Middletown
Garden Club the latter by virtue of her principal hobby which converted
the grounds of the Harding home into a virtual showplace of that
neighborhood. First Baptist Church was her religious center in which
she was active in former years.
Miss Harding had one surviving sister and brother, Mrs. Harry Engle,
who resided with her, and J. E. Harding, of New Haven, Conn.
She had many nieces and nephews, some of whom are national
figures -- the late Howard Jones, coach of the University of Southern
California until his death more than a year ago; T. A. D. Jones, former
coach at Yale; Maj. Gen. Forest Harding, prominently identified with Gen.
MacArthur at New Guinea; Col. Justin Harding of Alaska; Clarence and
Thomas Jones, officials of the Harding-Jones Paper Company, Miss
Adelaide Engle at home, Mrs. Eugenia McLaughlin, Mrs. Janet Duane and
Mrs. Elizabeth Tullis, this city, Miss Hazel Harding, Carl and Fred
Harding of Franklin, and Mrs. Christine Sawyer, of Lima, Ohio.
The Rev. Frank E. Johnston, pastor of the First Baptist Church will
conduct the funeral Wednesday at the residence. Friends are asked to
omit flowers. Burial will be in Woodside Cemetery.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
The Rev. Walter G. Weber and the Rev. John I. Parr, former pastor,
will officiate. Burial will be in Woodside Cemetery.
Mrs. Arpp was the mother of Mrs. Joseph R. Baker Sr., wife of the the
Middletown funeral director, and of John Arpp, Germantown funeral
director.
She was the widow of John Arpp, founder of the Arpp plumbing company
here. For more than 30 years she served as recorder for the Women of the
Moose of Middletown and was honored last year in Chicago, as a star
recorder. She also was secretary of the Pythian Sisters for 20 years
and an active member of the War Mothers, the Eastern Star and the
First Baptist Church.
In addition to her son and daughter she is survived by three
grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Friends may call at the Joseph R. Baker and Sons Funeral Home after
7 P.M. today and from 4 until 9 p.m. tomorrow and at the church from
noon Wednesday until the time of services. The War Mothers will hold
memorial services at the funeral home at 7:30 p.m. today, the Women of
the Moose at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow and the Phythian Sisters at 8 p.m.
tomorrow.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
Mrs. Vail, wife of Marc S. Vail, died at 11 A.M. at Middletown
Hospital, where she had been under treatment the last six months.
Realizing that she suffered from an illness which gave her one in a
thousand chances for life, the case drew the wide sympathy and
admiration from friends for the way she faced her fate, unafraid and
cheerful.
Although health failed her more than a year ago, Mrs. Vail always
referred to her condition lightly. She refused to give up normal
actvities and only last spring took an eastern trip with her son.
During her long and patient struggle to regain the vigor for which
she was so popular, her mother, Mrs. John W. Boyd, was in constant
attendance at her bedside. The two, mother and daughter, had been
inseparable companions.
Mrs. Vail was born in the Boyd homestead, where she spent virtually
all of her life. She was a member of one of Middletown's leading
families and took her place in the community as such.
Reared in the First Presbyterian church, she was one of the leaders
in the younger circles. For years she was a teacher of a class in the
Sunday School and one of the dependable workers when a call came from
any of the departments of the church.
Following her graduation from Middletown High School, she entered
Harcourt and was graduated from that institution.
Of charming manner, she enjoyed a place of high regard and
admiration in a large circle. To mourn her loss are her husband, a son by a previous marriage,
Boyd Snyder, and her mother.
Arrangements for the funeral are incomplete.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
While always of a retiring and modest disposition, Mrs. Banker made
many friends during her lifetime of residence in this vicinity, most of
which was spent near the village of Poastown and she was held in high
esteem by all with whom she made contact.
Born in Butler County in 1851, the daughter of Joseph and Armetta
Travis, early settlers of the valley, Mrs. Banker was married to David
Banker, member of another pioneer family, at the age of 26 years. Her
husband, who died 34 years ago, once served six months as the personal
body guard of Abraham Lincoln, deceased president. Her family on her
mother's side, the Van Gordons, was related to Cyrena Van Gordon, famous
at one time in operatic circles.
Mrs. Banker, who was a member of the Broadway Methodist Episcopal
Church for many years is survived by the following children: Mrs. Eloise
Snider, Mrs. Martha A. Richards, and P. G. Banker, all of Middletown;
Mrs. Imogene Long of Hamilton; Gilbert T. Banker of Yakima, Washington
and Morell Banker of Detroit, Mich; also the following grandchildren:
Mary Katherine Long of Hamilton; William Snider, Mrs. Cornelia Sauter,
P. G. Banker, Jr., Cornelia and Annalou Banker, Mariam Richards, Eloise
Banker of Middletown; Imogene, Inez, and Gordon Banker of Yakima and two
great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at three P.M. Thursday from the
residence of the daughter, Mrs. D. W. Snider on Linden Avenue, the Rev.
Carroll Lewis to officiate and interment at Poasttown Cemetery.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
Ill For Past Four Months, Member Of Pioneer Family Was Unable To
Withstand Recent Operation
He was stricken ill last September and was in Mercy Hospital for 10
weeks. He underwent a preliminary operation but failed to summon
sufficient strength to permit a major operation which was prescribed.
Excepting for brief periods, he spent his whole life in Butler
County.
Riley Shepherd was born April 11, 1853, in Monroe, a son of George
B. and Sarah Shepherd. His father had located in Butler County when 14
years old and his mother was a native of Lemon Township.
Riley as a boy worked on the farm, during those months of the year
when he was not gaining a thorough education in the various schools
which included the public schools of Middletown, Hamilton and Kyles, the
academy at Monroe, Ohio; Wesleyan University at Delaware; Beck's Business
College in Hamilton and the National Normal School in Lebanon.
At the age of 20 he began his vocation of teacher, first being
called to a business college in Richmond, Ind. Later he served as
teacher at Reeves schoolhouse in Flenner's Corner, in Huntsville,
LeSourdsville, Millville, Stockton and Amanda, and later was teacher of
drawing in the schools of St. Clair, and Hanover Townships.
During the presidency of Grover Cleveland, he was named United
States gauger and storekeeper in the Cincinnati district.
In 1917 he became associated with his brother, Attorney W. C.
Shepherd in the Dixie Farm managing the production of milk and directing
the breeding and development of fine Jersey cattle. He continued in
this work until ill health last September caused his withdrawal from
these duties.
Mr. Shepherd was possessed of a keen scientific mind and he took
great personal satisfaction and gained a high reputation in the field,
in the collection of shells and orthological specimens. At one time he
had a collection of shells valued at $5,000 which was totally destoyed by
fire.
Mr. Shepherd is survived by one daughter, Mable Chenault, one
grandaughter, Dickie Bethart, and one great-grandson Richardo Bethart,
and by one brother, Attorney W. C. Shepherd. His wife preceded him in
death a number of years ago.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Friday at the
Funeral home of Robert G. Taylor, North "B" Street, with Rev. S. A.
Livingston, Monroe, an old friend officiating. Burial will be at
Greenwood Cemetery.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
Husband Was Prominent Lumberman and Paper Executive
Until afflicted with ill health, Mrs. Jacoby was one of Middletown's
prominent women, known in business circles through her supervision of
the Jacoby building on the northeast corner of Central and Broad Street,
a structure of which she was the owner.
Her religious affiliations were with the First Presbyterian Church
which she joined in early life and for many years she was recognized as
one of the most active of its members and a worker in several of the
church organizations. She also held a prominent part in social affairs
during her younger days.
Mrs. Jacoby is the last of her generation, four sisters and one
brother having preceded her in death, Mrs. Eli Halderman of Marion, Ohio,
the last of these to die in May, 1935.
Surviving relatives consist of Mrs. Kelly R. Jacoby, daughter-in-law
of Chicago and the following nieces and nephews: Mr. and Mrs. M. G.
Stimmel of Springfield, Ohio, who have already arrived for the services;
Mrs. Frank Sharp of Buffalo, Charles Halderman of Marion, Ohio, and Oscar
Halderman of New Orleans.
Funeral services will be held from the residence at two o'clock
Tuesday afternoon, the Rev. George M. Gordon of the First Presbyterian
Church officiating and interment to be made at Woodside Cemetery. It
was her request that friends omit sending flowers.
Carrie Kelly Jacoby was the daughter of the late Joseph Kelly, one
of the pioneer settlers of Middletown. Kelly was one of the organizers
of the Middletown Cemetery Association, and devoted much of his time to
its improvement.
Kelly was also one of a number of Middletonians who erected,
operated and maintained the first gas company in Middletown. He owned
much real estate, principally business property, including an 160 acre
farm, now the Sorg and Jacoby addition to Middletown.
Among the real estate owned by Jacoby was the southwest corner of
Central Avenue and Broad Street, now the John Ross Store and an older
building where the Knights of Phythias lodge now is located. He also
acquired the old corner of Central Avenue and Broad Street which had
been the home of John P. Reynolds, early settler, whose daughter was
Laura Campbell, the mother of the late Governor James E. Campbell, who
was born in the building in 1843. Jacoby afterward conveyed the
property to Mrs. Jacoby and she converted it into storerooms. She owned
the structure at the time of her death.
Mrs. Jacoby had one son, Kelly Jacoby, who for a number of years was
general manager of the Miami Cycle and Manufacturing Company. Later he
was associated with the John Willys Company, automobile manufacturers at
Toledo. He died in Chicago several years ago.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
Son Of First White Child Born In This District Succumbs at 83
Suffering the infirmities of age, which had kept him bedfast for 18
months, the widely beloved man's death was not unexpected to his wife,
relatives and friends. With his death, the direct line of David and
Mary Carrick Reed, who emigrated to Ohio when George Washington was
president comes to an end. Robert Reed's nearest relatives are the
widow and nieces and nephews.
On the first farm immediately south of Georgetown on Yankee Road,
his father, Thomas C. Reed, was born. The same locality marked the
birthplace of Robert C. Reed, whose five older brothers fought in the
Civil War. Robert Reed was too young for service. To his lot fell the
task of riding daily to the Middletown Post Office to get mail from his
soldier brothers at the front.
He liked to tell of the fright given his parents and himself when
John Morgan's riders galloped through this section of the country. He
often repeated the story of how farmers herded their horses and livestock
into heavy brush and timberland which is now Oneida Subdivision and
Rolling Mill Park Additions.
Simon Girty, notorious character known as the "white renegade," was
a visitor in the Reed home more than once.
Twice married, Mr. Reed's first wife was Anna Britton, pioneer of
Monroe. Following her death he married Anna K. Schlisting, who survives
with two nieces, Mrs. Vernon McCullough, of this city and Mrs. Rachel
Hood, of Dayton, two nephews, Wallace W. and Florence J. Reed.
He was a member of the Seven Day Adventist Church of Dayton. The
Rev. Schedrat of Detroit, a lifelong friend, and the Rev. W. Schwartz, of
Cincinnati, will officiate at the funeral some time Saturday. The time
will be announced later.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
A resident of Middletown for 40 years, she was a member of the First
Church of Christ.
She leaves beside her husband, two daughters, Mrs. Beulah McIntire
and Mrs. Lelia Boast, both of Middletown; one son, Percy Craft, veteran
of four years in the Army, who recently re-enlisted and is now home on
leave; two sisters Mrs. Sally Finley of Illinois, and Mrs. Alice Reno
of Dallas; and four grandchildren.
Friends may call Wednesday after 11 a.m. at the Baker Funeral Home.
Services will be conducted Thursday at 2:30 p.m. at the funeral home
with the Rev. W. D. Brock officiating. Burial will be in Woodside
Cemetery.
Submitted by Carolyn Lacey
Decedant Was Leader in Social and Religious Circles for Years
After living in a coma for two days, the tired body of the once
vigorous woman, whose character has long radiated throughout the city
and dominated social circles of Middletown, resigned itself to time.
Mrs. Ogelsby was 83 years of age at the time of her death, the end
coming Wednesday night at 7:45 o'clock at her own home on South Main
Street.
Mrs. Ogelsby died as she lived -- with the eyes of Middletown upon her
home, famous in former years for the generous hospitality that made her
one of the most distinguished hostesses of the county. Her favor was
sought throughout the Miami Valley, not only for the prestige of her own
and her husband's families, but for her own charming personality.
Her social regime was in a time when shiny carriages, drawn by black
horses and bearing sumptuously-gowned woman and silk-hatted men, rolled
up to and away from the Oglesby door where a friendly welcome was always
waiting a legion of friends.
Mrs. Ogelsby, like her husband, was of honorable forebears and in
her were inoulcated all of the estimable traits that arouse pleasant
memories on mention of her name. She was a daughter of William and Sarah
Van Cleve Dickey, sturdy pioneers, whose deeds are still recorded in the
growth of Butler County and whose homestead still stands in Amanda. It
was after the removal of her parents to Dayton that Mrs. Ogelsby was
born.
Her father, imbued with initiative and courage in every new project,
became interested in the Miami and Erie Canal and conducted a line of
packet canal boats between Cincinnati and Toledo for a number of years.
During these years of business industry and activity he amassed
considerable wealth and in 1850 became a private banker. Subsequently,
he was one of the organizers of the Miami Valley Bank and numerous other
business enterprises. He was also organizer of the Ohio Insurance
Company and was its president until death.
Mrs. Ogelsby was always proud of the fact that her aunt, Mrs. Adam
Dickey, the former Miss Mary McKee, of Pennsylvania, was a cousin of
General George Washington, and through the family connections were
strong, came with her husband to Cincinnati, then Fort Washington, in
1790. Mrs Ogelsby loved to retell the story of how her spirited early
American ancestors came in flatboats down the Ohio river to make their
home in the growing west.
It was from these forefathers that she inherited her sound judgment,
kindness of heart, modest manner and graciousness.
Mr. Ogelsby, her husband, was of equally distinguished ancestors. It
was his father, William B. Ogelsby, who founded the Ogelsby and Barnitz
Bank and Trust Company, which today is a sound monument to the
frugality, integrity, caution and prudence of any financiers. Charles
Barnitz, his associate in the banking business, became president of the
bank in the intervening years after the retirement of William Ogelsby
and the succession of his son Charles Barnitz Ogelsby, as the title head
of the company.
This appointment came in 1896, nine years after the removal of Mr.
and Mrs. Charles Barnitz Ogelsby from Chicago. Mr. Ogelsby married
Alice Kate Dickey in 1871, moving to Chicago where the birth of their
only son, William D. Oglesby took place.
It was in 1884 that they came to Middletown where Mrs. Oglesby
already had many friends from childhood due to the prominence her
parents and grandparents had enjoyed before her in Butler County. From
that time the Ogelsby home on South Main Street has been a traditional
center of hospitality and the scene of promoting some of the most vital
history-making transactions of Middletown.
She was an active friend of all things cultural, one of her recent
delights being the interests of the Middletown Music Club. Mrs. Ogelsby
was an honorary member of the organization and enthusiastic over its
programs.
Mrs. Ogelsby was an unswerving Christian, a devout member of the
First Presbyterian Church and until her death a regular attendant at
church services. She was affiliated with the Woman's Society of the
church and until several other organizations merged with it, an
affiliate of all units.
The one son, William D. Ogelsby, two grandsons Robert Dickey Ogelsby
and Charles Farquer Ogelsby, and one great grandson William Barnitz
Ogelsby, survive. Funeral services will be conducted by Dr. George M.
Gordon of the First Presbyterian Church Saturday afternoon at the
residence. Burial will be made in Woodside Cemetery. Friends are asked
to omit flowers.
Those who wish to contribute an obituary, death card, or newspaper article
to this page are encouraged to e-mail it to David J. Endres.*Go Back to the Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society Main Page*
This site was created by David J. Endres. Those with questions, comments, or additional information are encouraged to contact the compiler.
This site was created on August 12, 1998.