William Luse

As printed in 1902

WILLIAM H. LUSE.

He who tills the seit adds much to the prosperity of his community, for it has everywhere been demonstrated that the agri-. cultural interests of any state and country are the very bone and sine from which is nurtured the body of that state or country, therefore the life of the same depends upon the success of the agriculturist. William Luse comes of a family who have long been devoted to agricultural pursuits, and who have been honored pioneer settlers of Clark county, taking an important part in the upbuilding and improvement which has here taken place within the past century, and leaving a stainless and respected name to their descendants.

He was born October 15, 1846, in the house which is yet his home, having been built by his grandfather, Justice Luse. - He is a son of John and Martha Luse. Justice Luse, the grandfather, was the first of the Luse family to come to Clark county, Ohio, his arrival here being about the year 1804. His family consisted of his wife, Mary Luse, and his five children, William, Betsey, Thomas, John and Nancy, the last two being small children at the time. William, the eldest son, followed farming in Clark county, where he owned one hundred acres of land, which he cleared, improved and cultivated.

His death occurred in September, 1845, leaving a wife and one child, Josephus William. Betsey became the wife of Benjamin Rowan, lived in Madison township, Clark and died, Thomas was the father of Samuel Theodore Luse, whose sketch appears upon another page of this work. Nancy, the fifth and youngest child of Justice Luse, married Jacob Garlough and became the mother of six children, but is now deceased.

John Luse, the fourth member of the family of Justice and Mary Luse, was born in 1799 and was therefore but five years of age when brought by his parents to Clark county, Ohio. Here he was reared to manhood and became a wealthy and influential farmer and stock-raiser, dealing extensively in good graded stock and owning and operating a large farm of six hundred and twenty-five acres of land in Clark county. He was married in Green township, Clark county, first to Miss Mary Hume, and one child was the offspring of this marriage, who died in infancy. Death claimed the young wife and the second marriage of Mr. Luse took place east of Springfield, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Martha Reed, a daughter of Mr. Bird. ‘By this marriage were born three children: Laura J. became the wife of Harvey Tuttle and resides in Licking county, Ohio. They are the parents of nine children. William H. is the subject of this review and the only son of his parents. Mary C. married William Tuttle, who died, leaving her a widow with three children.: John Luse was a prominent man of his community and took a deep interest in the growth and development. of his county. He was a Whig in politics, and living to see the inauguration of the Republican party, he afterward voted for each county, leaving six children.

of its presidential candidates until his death. Although firm in his political views he was not a politician in the sense of office seeking, preferring to devote his time and attention to the supervision of his extensive landed and stack-raising interests. He was actively identified with the building of good roads and was a member and the first president of the Turnpike Company of Clifton, and was also one of the first stockholders in the same. A member of the First Baptist church of Springfield, he served as one of its deacons for thirty-five years, and in his community the cause of Christianity had no more earnest advocate than he. His upright life and sterling worth of character endeared him to many friends and he was a valued member of the social and business life of his township.

His only son, William H. Luse, spent his boyhood days upon the home farm, the place of his birth, which had been purchased by his grandfather, Justice Luse. Here he received a common-school education, thus fitting him for life's practical duties. When he had arrived at man’s estate he was married on the 13th of February, 1873, to Miss Susan Cloud, who born at Yellow Springs, Greene county, a daughter of Joseph Cloud. Her mother having died when she was an infant, she never remembers to have seen her, nor does she know her name. With the exception of five years spent in Springfield, from 1878 until 1883, Mr. Luse and his wife have resided upon the home place. On the death of his mother, in May, 1901, he inherited two hundred and nineteen acres of land, which he still owns and operates. He, like his father and grandfather, has a natural liking for agricultural pursuits, and the latest improved methods in farm work are taken advantage of by him in the conduct of his highly cultivated farm, thereon are raised the cereals adapted to soil and climate, as well as a good grade of stock. The passed-by would not fail to note the thrifty and neat appearance of the home and the fields surrounding it, and would at once class it among the model farms of the rich agricultural county of Clark.

Eight children have graced the union of Mr. Luse and his wife: Laura Belle is the wife of Samuel Pearson and resides near Springfield; James Clifford those as a life partner Susie Wagner and they are the proud parents of a little daughter, Mildred; Martha Cloud is the wife of Clarence Northrup and has one child, Olive; John Bird is living in Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Paul Grafton is employed in a wholesale drug house in Columbus, Ohio; William Herbert resides at home with his parents: Ida May and Arthur are also under the parental roof.

Mr. Luse has supported the Republican party since casting his first ballot for Abraham Lincoln. In his township he has served on the board of education and has held other local offices. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, of whose official board he is also a member. The name of Luse is

. honored as among the pioneer settlers of the district and William H. Luse 1s a worthy representative of the family.

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.