William C. Stewart

WILLIAM C. STEWART.

William C. Stewart, a large land owner now living a retired life at No. 325 South Limestone street in Springfield, where he is enjoying the fruits of long years of diligent labor, represents one of the old and honored pioneer families of Clark county. He was born on the old homestead in Green township October 27, 1835, and is a son of John T. and Ann (Elder) Stewart, in whose family he was the ninth in order of birth. His boyhood days were spent in the usual manner of farmer lads. He worked in the fields and meadows and attended the common schools. His father died when the son was fourteen years of age, but the latter remained, at home with his mother until he had attained his majority. He then took possession of the old home farm and cared for his mother until a short time before her death.

In his youth he gained a practical experience of farm work and was thus well qualified to carry on agricultural pursuits on his own account when he had reached the age of manhood. He inherited one hundred and twenty-nine acres of land from his father’s estate and for several years after reaching his majority he remained on the old homestead, carrying on general farming. To his original tract of land he added from time to time as he succeeded in his operations and he now owns in one body over five hundred acres of very valuable and productive land in ‘Green township, Clark county, and in Greene county.

Ofr. the oth. of S as 1880, Mr. Stewart was united in marriage to Elizabeth Theodosia Sellers, of Cedarville township, Greene county, Ohio, where she was born. Her parents were Albert and Harriet ( Johnson) Sellers. By her marriage she has become the mother of one daughter, Hazel Marie, who was born in 1888 and is now a student in the public schools of Springfield. In 1895 our subject and his wife removed to the city, where Mr. Stewart has since lived a retired life. They came to Springfield in order to provide their daughter with better educational privileges and have gained many friends during their residence here.

Mr. Stewart is recognized as a man of strong purpose and inflexible honesty and has enjoyed the unqualified respect of his neighbors. His advice has often been sought on important business arising in the vicinity of his home. In politics he is a Republican and he cast his first vote for John C. Fremont only about twelve days after he had attained his majority. He is a charter member of Clifton Lodge, No. 669, K. of P.. At the time of the Civil war he joined what was known as the “Squirrel Hunters,” a company called to protect Cincinnati from Morgan's men, but was only on duty for ten days. For several years he was a member of the state militia. In 1876 he attended the centennial celebration held in Philadelphia. He has always been a careful and broad reader and is a well informed man. He has been interested in church work and in public movements for the general good, has followed the even tenor of his way and by an upright life has commanded the respect of his friends and neighbors.

Louis F. Over is a young man of keen foresight, strong determination and executive ability, whose efforts in the business world have been of a nature to promote the general prosperity as well as his individual success. He is now an active factor in manufacturing circles in Springfield, Ohio, being the secretary and treasurer of the Miller Improved Gas Engine Company. Mr. Over was born in Bellaire, Belmont county, Ohio, May 24, 1868, and is a son of C. H. Over, whose birth occurred in Germany about 1842. Withi his parents the father of our subject came to America when a child, the family settling in Wheeling, West Virginia.

The grandfather was a manufacturer of shovels in Germany and both he and his wife spent their remaining days in Wheeling. In their family were seven children, of whom two sons and a daughter reached years of maturity and are still living. Frederick was a soldier of the Civil war and was incarcerated in Libby prison for eleven months. He responded to President Lincoln's first call for troops and remained in the army until the close of the war. He now resides' in Muncie, Indiana. A daughter, Louise Joy, is a resident of Martin's Ferry, Ohio.

The father of our subject received but limited educational privileges, but prospered in business and is now living in honorable retirement from labor in Muncie, Indiana. For a number of years he was engaged in the manufacture of glass. After his marriage he came to Ohio and established a glass factory in Bellaire, where he continued until 1888, when he removed to Indiana and there engaged in the same line of manufacturing on a very extensive scale, carrying on business successfully until 1900, when he disposed of his holdings and has since lived retired. He is a self-made man and deserves great credit for what he has accomplished. At the time of the Civil war he served in the Union army as a non-commissioned officer of the First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. He has also taken an active interest in religious work and is a valued member of the Presbyterian church. Charles H. Over was united in marriage to Matilda Gayman, who was born in Wheeling in 1846. Unto them have been born three children, of whom two are living, one daughter having died in early life. Theothersare: Mrs., Dr. A. K. Smith, of Muncie, Indiana, and Louis F., of this. review.

Louis F. Over, whose name introduces this record, obtained a common school education and attended Washington and Jefferson College, at Washington, Pennsylvania, largely studying scientific branches. He was graduated in 1887 and then became connected with glass manufacturing) as. his, lata This relation associate ness. was until the father’s retirement from active Ausiness life and during that period they built several factories in Indiana, Mr. Over of this review, having the management of the practical glass making. He remained in the capacity of superintendent until 1901, and in that year he came to Springfield, where he purchased an interest in the Miller Improved Gas Engine Company, of which he has since been secretary and treasurer. A disastrous fire occurred in that year, in which their plant was destroyed, but they immediately rebuilt a larger and more complete plant at the corner of Fair and Plenn streets. The plant is devoted exclusively to, the manufacture of large gas engines and the business is constantly increasing in volume, importance and magnitude, having become one of the leading industries of this city.

In 1890, in Muncie, Indiana, Mr. Over was united in marriage to Miss Adah Kirby, who was born in Muncie, and is a daughter of John M. Kirby, a wholesale lumber merchant of that city. In this family were four children, three daughters and a son. Mr. and Mrs. Over now have one son, Charles H., who was born in 1897, and they reside in a modern and attractive home at the corner of East High street and Forest avenue. Mr. Over is a member of Delaware Lodge, F. & A. M., of Muncie, and also belongs to the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks, and to the United Commercial Travelers’ Association. He has always been identified with manufacturing interests, having spent about twenty years in glass making. He has a thorough understanding of the great mechanical principles which underlie the work, is able to superintend much of his work therefore, and at the same time is giving his attention in an exclusive manner to the control of the business management of the house with which he is identified. He possesses energy, discrimination, laudable ambition and perseverance, and these qualities prove a safe foundation upon which to rear the superstructure of business success,

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM C. STEWART, a prominent resident of Green Township, and formerly a well known citizen of Spring-field, is located on the old Stewart homestead, and is occupied in farming. He has five hundred and forty acres of land, partly in Grreene County, and farms on an extensive scale.

Mr. Stewart was born on his present farm along the Little Miami, October 27, 1835, and is a son of John Templeton and Ann (Elder) Stewart, a further record of whom may be found elsewhere in this work. He was reared on this place and received a meagre educational training in the schools of this vicinity. A natural student, he applied himself to private research, and is at the present time well read on all topics of current interests, being a broad gauged, liberal minded man. He was a Httle past fourteen years of age when his father died, and he thereafter took care of his mother during her lifetime, living on the home place. This consisted of 260 acres originally, Mr. Stewart inheriting 129 acres of it, and the remainder of his property being acquired tbrougb his own bard work and judicious management. He remained on this place for fifteen years after his marriage, then in 1896, in order to give his daughter better educational advantages, moved to Springfield. Here be took rank among the substantial men and occupied a place bigb in the esteem of his fellow citizens. In 1907, after eleven years of retirement, be returned to Green Townsbip, and resumed his agricultural operations.

Mr. Stewart was married September 9, 1880, to Elizabetb Theodosia Sellefs, a daughter of Albert and Harriet ( Jobnson) Sellers, of Cedarville Townsbip, Greene County, Obio. Mrs. Stewart's father was from Berkley County, Virginia, and ber mother from an old family of Clark County, Obio. Two children were the issue of this union: Lea Virginia, who died in infancy; and Hazel Marie, who was, on November 21, 1907, joined in marriage, with Natban Nesbitt Murray. Politically, our subject is a Republican and has served on the School Board and as supervisor. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, and religiously is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.