In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1895) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1838, Logan County
From The History of Hardin County, Ohio (1883), Portrait and biographical record of Marion and Hardin counties, Ohio (1895)
ROBERT W. SOUTHARD, hotel proprietor, Kenton, was born in Logan County, Ohio, in October, 1838. He is a son of Increase Southard and Leanah Willgus, the former a native of Champaign County, Ohio, the latter of Philadelphia, Penn. The grandfather of our subject was William Southard, who was a native of Pennsylvania and settled in Champaign County at an early day. He was in the war of 1812, and afterward moved to Logan County, Ohio, where he died. The father of our subject reared a family of nine children, two living, our subject being the eldest; the other is Elliott, a resident of Union County, Ohio. Robert W. was reared on a farm, and, working out, soon secured means by which he purchased land in Union County, Ohio, where his father and family had moved when he was five years of age. In 1861, he enlisted in the first call for volunteers, and was one of the first to offer his services at Belief on tame, Ohio. He served four months in Company A, Thirteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and re-enlisted in Company K, Fortysecond, Garfield’s Regiment, serving three years and two months. He fought in the battles of Middle Creek, Ky., Cumberland Gap, Thompson’s Hill, Arkansas Post, Black River, Champion Hill and Vicksburg. In the last charge of the siege he was wounded in the left high, and was confined five months in the Memphis Hospital, where, on his recovery, he served on guard for three months more from 9 o’clock A. M. to 4 A. M. every night. He was then given charge of a lot of prisoners, conducting them to Iuka, Tenn., where he handed them over to Gen. Dodd, of the Union forces. He returned to Memphis, thence went to New Orleans and joined the forces at Plaqueniine. A fight occurred near this point and at Baton Rouge. He then fought at the battle on the Red River, the troops thence proceeding to Memphis, thence to Columbus, where they were discharged in 1864. On his return home, our subject farmer for five years and spent the following year in a grist mill. In 1867, he opened a hotel and livery at West Mansfield, Ohio where he carried on the Mansfield House for four years. He then returned to his farm, where he farmer two years, and afterward moved to Mount Victory, Hardin County, where he opened a hotel. Here he was successful as a landlord for two years, and, in April of 1882, he sold his farm and came to Kenton and began the erection of the Southard House, which was completed and opened to the public November 27, 1882. This structure is three stories high with basement, and cost about $10,000. It has thirty-five rooms, large and well ventilated, with wide, light, airy halls, and is handsomely furnished throughout. Mr. Southard is married to Miss Malinda, daughter of Amon Davis, of Union County. Ohio. She was born in York Township, Union County, Ohio, in 1845, and has one son. Chester F. Mr. Southard is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
As printed in The History of Hardin County, Ohio (1883). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
OBERT W. SOUTHARD is the senior member of the firm of Southard & Son, the leading liverymen of Kenton. He wras born in Logan County, Ohio, October 13, 1838, and was the second in the family of nine children born unto Increase and Leanna (Willgus) Southard. The former, a native of Champaign County, this state, was there reared to manhood and thence removed to Logan County with his parents. After his marriage he followed agricultural pursuits for a time in Logan County, but from there went to Union County, this state, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres. He continued to reside there until his death, at seventy-nine years of age.
Being a man of great industry and energy, Increase Southard was prospered as an agriculturist and highly respected as a citizen. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an active worker in the congregation with which he was identified. His parents were natives of Pennsylvania, and removed to Ohio in an early day, spending their remaining years in this state. His father was a descendant of English ancestors, and was a soldier in the War of 1812.
The mother of our subject, who was born in Philadelphia, died in Union County, Ohio, at the age of seventy-three years. Her religious belief was similar to that of her husband, and she was a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Her ancestors were of English extraction, and her grandmother married General Wayne for her second husband. The subject of this notice was reared upon the home farm, and in boyhood was a pupil in the old log schoolhou.se near by. At the opening of the Civil War, in April, 1861, he walked thirteen miles to Bellefontaine, where he enlisted as a private in Company A, Thirteenth Ohio Infantry, the term of service being ninety days.
Soon after the expiration of his period of service, Mr. Southard again enlisted, in October, 1861, becoming a member of Company K, Forty-second Ohio Infantry, under Colonel Garfield. Three years and two months were spent in that regiment, when he was honorably discharged. During the last charge in the battle of Vicksburg, May 22, 1863, he received a gunshot wound in the left high, which was so serious as to oblige him to remain in the hospital at Memphis for five months. Upon recovering sufficiently, he returned home on a furlough, and during his visit in the North was married. During the last three years of his service he held the rank of Sergeant. Among the important engagements in which he participated were those of Middle Creek, Champion Hills, Black River and the siege of Vicksburg.
Upon being discharged from the army, Mr. Southard returned to Ohio and settled upon a farm of one bundled and twenty acres in LTnion County. The place was heavily timbered, and he succeeded in clearing the land only after the most arduous exertion. Six years were spent there, after which he sold out and bought a gristmill in West Mansfield, operating the same for a year or more. His next business venture was as proprietor of a hotel and livery in West Mansfield, but after five years he traded the business for a farm and resumed agricultural labors. For two years he was engaged in tilling the soil, after which he purchased an hotel in Mt. Victory, Hardin County, and this he conducted for three and one-half years.
Coming from Mt. Victory to Kenton, Mr. Southard built the St. Nicholas Hotel, which he conducted for three years. He then sold out and engaged in the livery business here for three years alone, after which he took his son Chester F. into partnership, and they have since conducted a large and flourishing business. The success of this enterprise is largely due to the energetic efforts of Mr. Southard, who has left no stone unturned in his endeavors to place the business on a solid financial footing.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Marion and Hardin counties, Ohio (1895). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1883. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.