Charles E. Ankeney
Charles E. Ankeney, proprietor of a farm in Beavercreek township, situated on rural mail route No. 10 out of Xenia, was born in that township on December 6, 1853, son of Nelson and Elizabeth Ankeney, the latter whom is still living. She was born on a farm two miles north of Bellbrook in this county, a daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Crumley) Sidney, who came to this county from Virginia and located in the Spring Valley neighborhood, later moving to a farm north of Bellbrook, where Jacob Sidney died in 1835. His widow married Aaron Paxton and spent her last days in Beavercreek township, her death occurring there on March 4, 1883. she then being eighty-seven years of age. Of the seven children born to Jacob and Hannah (Crumley) Sidney, Mrs. Ankeney is now the only survivor, the others having been Aaron, a soldier of the Union army during the Civil War, who lost an arm in service and whose last days were spent in the South; Joseph M., who lived in Michigan: William H., who made his home in Spring Valley; Clarissa M., who married John LaValley; Rebecca Ann, who married George Clymer, and Harriet Jane, who died unmarried.
Nelson Ankeney was born in the vicinity of Clear Springs in Washington county, Maryland, September 15, 1825, and was but five years of age when his parents, David and Elizabeth (Miller) Ankeney, came to this county with their family in 1830 and settled on a farm in Beavercreek township, the place now owned and occupied by Albert Ankeney. On the 2nd of November of that same year David Ankeney died from a paralytic stroke, he then being forty-two years of age. His widow kept the family together and continued to make her home on the place on which she and her husband had settled. There she died on December 23, 1851, being then sixty-two years of age. She was a member of the Reformed church, as was her husband, and their children were reared in that faith. There were ten of these children, Samuel. Mary. Henry, Margaret, Sarah, John, Nelson, Martha, Jacob and David, and the descendants of this family in the present generation form a numerous connection hereabout.
As noted above, Nelson Ankeney was but a child when he came to this county with his parents from Maryland and here he grew to manhood. After his marriage he began farming on his own account on a place a half mile north of Trebeins, later returning to the home place and thence, after a while, to another place, where he remained for thirteen years, or until 1876, when he bought the farm on which his widow is now living and there spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on October 7, 1902. He was a Republican and was a member of the Reformed church, as is his widow . Of the four children born to him and his wife the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being Emma L., now living with her mother and who is the widow of Abram W. Warner, a farmer of Starke county, this state, who died on December 20, 1901; Lewis W., a Beavercreek farmer and a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume, and Clara J., unmarried, who makes her home with her brother Lewis.
Charles E. Ankeney was reared on the farm, received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and after his marriage in the fall of 1880 made his home on a part of the home place until 1895, when he bought the place on which he is now living, moved to the same and has since made that his place of residence, the owner of a farm of two hundred and twenty-three acres. Since taking possession of that place Mr. Ankeney has erected a ten-room house, a barn 36 x 64 feet in dimensions and has made other improvements. In addition to his general farming he gives considerable attention to the raising of livestock and is ably assisted by those of his sons who are still at home.
On October 26, 1880, at Alpha, Charles E. Ankeney was united in marriage to Emma Kershner, daughter of Eli A. and Elizabeth (Steele) Kershner, the latter of whom also was born in Beavercreek township, a member of one of the old families in that part of the county. Eli Kershner was born in Washington county, Maryland, and in 1828 came to this county, becoming engaged as a cabinet-maker at Xenia, later moving to Beavercreek township, where he continued active in that vocation and where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring at Alpha at the age of eighty-five years. His wife had preceded him to the grave many years, her death having occurred when she was forty-four years of age. They also were members of the Reformed church and were the parents of two children, Mrs. Ankeney now alone surviving, the other child having died in youth. To Mr. and Mrs. Ankeney have been born nine children, namely: Stella K., wife of Doctor McCormick, of Xenia; Nellie, who is at home; Ray, wife of H. R. Armstrong, of the Fairfield neighborhood; Eli H. and Nelson H. (twins), both deceased; Winfield, now a student of Miami University; Harry, who died in youth, and John and Carl, at home. The Ankeneys are members of the Reformed church. Mr. Ankeney is a Republican, but is not an office seeker.
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Clark and Greene Counties, Chapman Bros., Chicago, published 1890