PART III. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. Biographies Too Late For Alphabetical Insertion. DONN PIATT. This noted journalist and author is a native of Ohio, and makes the beautiful Mackachack Valley, in Logan Co., his home. He is, as his name indicates, of , French origin, and retains more than any other member of this influential family the characteristic popularly attributed to that nation. All the Piatts of the United States originated from two brothers, Jacobins, who fled religious persecution in France, first to Holland and subsequently to the United States. One, the progenitor of the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Illinois Piatts, settled in New Jersey, while the other went to South Carolina and thence to the West Indies. Jacob Piatt. grandfather of Wykoff, Donn and H. Sanders Piatt, was a noted officer of the Revolution, having enlisted as a private and fought his way up to a position by assignment at one, time on the staff of Gen. Washington. John H. Piatt, son of Jacob, was a successful merchant and banker at Cincinnati, and to his energy and enterprise that city owes much of its early prosperity. Donn studied law. He says he was put upon the bench shortly after his admission to the bar, by kind friends, that he might learn something of his profession. From the bench he was transferred to the Diplomatic Corps by President Pierce, and served as Secretary of Legation at Paris, and for a year, during the illness of the Minister. This promotion got, the Secretary into serious trouble. As Secretary, he was paid at the rate of $2,000 a year, and accommodated his expenses to his pay. As Charge he was expected to take the place of Minister with the understanding based on custom, that Congress would allow, subsequently, extra compensation. Confiding in this, the Charge plunged into an indebtedness that Congress met so long after, that he was stigmatized and abused in a manner that was extremely unjust. Returning to the United States, he resumed the practice of the law until the war broke out, and he volunteered as a private to fight for the government, Promoted to a Captaincy, he soon after accepted the position of Adjutant General on the staff of Gen. Robert C. Schenck, and under that gallant and able officer, continued in the service until the end of the war. He took part, with the praise of his superior officers, in the battles of the fir=t and second Bull Run, Cross Keys and Bull Pasture Mountains. After the wounding of his general, at the second Bull Run, he was assigned to duty as Judge Advocate, and as such conducted the investigation of Gen. Don Carlos Buell, that was so protracted that it came near surviving the war. It was, as Inspector General of the Middle District, with headquarters at Baltimore, that Col. Piatt with Gen. William Birney, and aided by Henry Winter Davis and Judge Bond, inaugurated the enlistment of slaves in the military service, against the wishes of the administration, that made Maryland a free State in thirty days. For this act of insubordination he lost favor with the government, and when the Union men of Maryland and Delaware waited on the President, asking, on the retirement of 584 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. General Schenck., he being returned to Congress, that Col. Piatt be promoted to the position of Brigadier General, and given command of the Middle District, Mr, Lincoln said, in I his quaint way: "Schenek and Piatt are good fellows. If there's any rotten apples in the barrel, they can be counted on to hook 'em out; but, gentlemen, they run their machine on too high a level for me. I don't have much obedience, but a little is necessary, you know." Twice subsequent to this, when a list of names was sent in for promotion to Brigadier General, from the War Department, Mr. Lincoln seeing that of Col. Piatt, drew his pen across it, saying : "Knows too much." After the war, in 1865, Col. Piatt sought and secured a return to the Ohio Legislature for Logan Co., that he might aid in send! ing his General, Robert C. Schenck, to the United States Senate. He failed in this, but succeeded in making it very disagreeable to his brother members, by introducing various measures of reform, and advocating them with the wit and sarcasm, for which he is as remarkable in oratory as he is with the pen. Among other proposed reforms was a measure tending to take the police of cities from the political arena, so that it might serve as a conservator of the peace, in protection of society, instead of being a political machine of the most degraded sort. Of course he failed, and became, in consequence of this and other like measures of remaining form, extremely unpopular. It is told of him that a member came one day and asked his assistance for a bill then pending. "Give me the papers and I will do my best in its support," said the member from Logan. "Oh! I don't mean that," responded the honest member. "I want you to pitch into it in one of your devilish speeches. Then all these fellows who can't get even with you any other way will vote for it." Donn Piatt sickened as much of his legislative career, as did his constituent, and there was an unanimous consent given to his remaining at home. It was after this that Col. Piatt turned his attention exclusively to journalism, with which he had been trifling from time to time as an amusement. Employed by the Cincinnati Commercial, as its Washington correspondent, he began and continued for three year, giving a letter a day during the sessions of Congress. These letters were remarkably successful. While awakening a sensation at the National Capitol among officials never before so criticized and commented upon, they were copied more or less by every journal in the country. The secret of his success is told by the correspondent himself, in a letter published not long since. He says: "I founded a new school. I discovered that the American people longed for personalities, and I catered to that taste. At Washington I found official agents who had to be treated with ridiculous tenderness, for they owned the city and all the pendrivers therein, and hid their imbecility and wickedness under the cover of exalted position. I found the House a Cave of the Wind, and the Senate a preposterous fog-bank. I pried into both, creating the same astonishment and disgust felt by a convocation of carrion crows in a dead oak when a sportsman disturbs them with bird-shot. To hold a solemn old pump of a Senator up to ridicule was as startling as it was delicious to the public.'' The school founded by Col. Piatt consisted of a crowd of correspondents, who imitated all his fault, without a ray of the merit found in selecting for attack only charlatans, rogues and imbecile, and garnishing these attacks with wit, to make them acceptable. Col. Piatt sought to bring the evil effects of our government into disfavor. His followers have succeeded in fetching the government itself into contempt. At the end of the three. years correspondence, Col. Piatt and George Alfred Townsend started the Washington Capitol, a weekly journal that is to this country what Punch has been to England, and the Figaro to France. George Alfred Townsend retired at the end of three months from the editorship of this independent and amusing journal, that has since been conducted by Col. Piatt alone. Although known widely for his wit, Donn Piatt cannot be considered a humorist, by which is meant one who has this quality only. His wit or humor, as it is popularly called, is but an aid to more serious aims. His graver writing, marred by a cynical turn and much eccentricity, have had so much influence that one regrets the wit that gives a flavor of insincerity to all he does. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. - 585 WILLIAM BOGGS, retired farmer; Miami tp., P. O., DeGraff, O. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait appears in this work, was born Sept. 11, 1801. At that early day, the country was known as Ohio Territory, he being born in that portion now included in Pickaway Co., where he lived for twenty-five years. His father was a farmer, and he was brought up to the same pursuit, and like others in those early day, had few facilities for obtaining an education. While living with his parents he did some flat-boating, making three trips to New Orleans with hour. He also spent some time teaming to Portsmouth, Cincinnati, etc. March 17, 1824 he was married to Miss Jane Britton, a native of Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania. Mr. Boggs came with his wife and child to Logan Co., O., in 1826. and settled on the banks of the Big Miami, near the mouth of the Buckongahelas creek; at first they lived in their wagon, until he could build a house. which was made of round logs. cut down inside, forming one room, with stick chimney, oiled paper windows, one door, clap-board roof; puncheon floor, etc.; this served as a home for some fifteen or sixteen year, and though vacated and dilapidated. is yet standing upon his settlement here. Mr. Boggs began to clear a farm, and to enjoy the comforts of a pioneer generally, and in 1831 he built a saw-mill on the Buckongahelas Creek, near his residence; and in 1840 he built a flour mill in the same locality; this mill is doing service to-clay, and is regarded as one of the best in the county. In August, 1850, Mr. Bogs had the town of DeGraff surveyed on his land, an account of which, together with other matters pertaining to our subject, will be found elsewhere. Sept. 6, 1868, Mr. Boggs was called to mourn the death of his wife. They had four children, of whom two are living-Mrs. Lydia Strayer, living on the old homestead, and Mrs. Ann Henderson, living in Illinois, Mr. Boggs' present wife was Miss Leonia Whitzel; she was born in Ross Co., O. They were married Oct. 17, 1872, and live on the old homestead. In 1868, shortly after the death of his first wife, Mr. Boggs became paralyzed, and has been an invalid since. having been confined to the house the past eighteen months. During his residence here, "Uncle Billy" as he is familiarly called, has witnessed many changes. The town that in 1850 was mere pencil marks on paper, has now risen to the rank of second in the county, and the wild forests have turned to fertile farms. The iron-horse now speeds in sight of the old cabin, and in every direction a great transformation appears. O. S. MILLER, Liberty Tp.; was born in Fredricksburg, Wayne Co., O., on the 31st day of October, 1838. He was the eldest son of John M. and Agnes (Sereles) Miller. Mr. Miller's school-days were very few. He had only the district school to attend, and obtained but a meager education. The union schools were unknown in that day. At the early age of 15 he ceased going to school, at which period he came with his parents to West Liberty, where he has lived ever since. Mr. Miller 's father being engaged in the manufacture and sale of patent medicine, with J. Olinger & Co., young Shep, as he is familiarly called. secured a position with this firm, receiving as a compensation for his service, for the first year, $100. The second year of his connection with this firm, being but a mere lad of 17, having developed a fine business tact, he was "put upon the road." in commercial travelers' parlance, and was entrusted with the important work of establishing agencies throughout Ohio and Eastern Indiana. Mr. Miller continued in the employ of this firm, trusted and honored, for six years continuously. the two last years purchasing all their stock. January 1, 1859, he purchased the entire establishment, conducting the business on his own responsibility for about five year, at which time he associated with him his brother, Theodore F. Miller, and the firm then prosecuted business under the firm name of O. S. Miller & Co., and it gradually changed into the business of selling notions. The firm does a heavy business, exclusively wholesale, making a specialty of their "Nonesuch" overalls, coat, jackets. waist, shirts and underwear. They have three commercial travelers constantly "on the road." and they employ about 200 sewing women, many of whom make their entire living from the proceeds of work furnished them by this enterprising firm.. Mr. Miller, in judgment. is very practical and independent. He looks after details sharply. As a business man, although he has salesmen, he likes to be in the midst of his business. 586 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. As a manufacturer of his specialties, he is very discriminating, and probably knows how to make an article wide much less expense than most rnen, similarly situated. He has what might properly be denominated, common sense. His memory is good for a man so overflowing with business. Every fact which he acquires himself becomes a. part of himself. He talks to the point-is quite a critic-full of dry humor, and he moves among men as though he understood them. He is firm in his convictions, strong in his opposition; is technical in his ideas; ready to compromise unimportant difference, but he urges unflinchingly what he believes to be right. He is an active, enterprising citizen, and a popular " man among men," and a liberal friend of the poor. Mr. Miller was married to Miss Laura Phillips at West Liberty, March 6, 1861, and they have a family of four daughters and two sons-all living. JOHN MILLIGAN MILLER; Liberty Tp.; father of O. S. and Theo. F. Miller, leading business men of West Liberty; was born in Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, in August, 1808. His parents moved to Fredricksburg, O., in the year 1816, where Mr, Miller was reared and educated. He learned the milling business, but did not pursue the trade for a livelihood. He entered the mercantile business upon his own responsibility soon after becoming of age, conducting a general mercantile and produce trade. His business grew to be the largest in that section of country having places of business in Cleveland, Massillon, Fredericksburg, Edinburg and Lafayette, Ohio. Over this immense business he had imperious control. Few men had more comprehensive views of business matters, quicker insight into difficult problems, or were better posted in all the details of business operations. In 1849, Mr. Miller met with a heavy financial disaster, and he was forced to succumb to the great pressure. The prime cause of the failure was the memorable blowing up of the Reservoir at Massillon in 1848. It was undermined, and a magazine of powder placed under it by enraged citizen, on account of the deleterious effect of the stagnant water; after a series of efforts to induce the Legislature to dispense with it. The result was disastrous to many people, the flood of water destroying everything before it, Mr. Miller being among the unfortunate sufferers. his mill and warehouse having been swept away with their valuable contents. His loss in this instance, was about $60,000. The second trouble that visited Mr. Miller, ,was a heavy decline in the price of pork-of which, he was at. that time holding abort $56,000 worth in Cleveland and Buffalo. The loss suffered in this instance, amounted to about $15,000-this together with further troubles of a like nature, caused the plucky man to yield. In the month of March, 1851, he removed with his family to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, where he engaged in the manufacture of agricultural implements with M. C. Furlong, remaining there one year, removing in 1852 to Independence, Ohio, where he took an interest with Robinson, Jones & Co., in the produce business, staying there one year, removing thence to West Liberty, in the month of April, l 853, where he engaged in the manufacture and sale of patent medicines with J. Olinger, the style of the firm being J. Olinger & Co., in which business he continued until 1859, the business haying been sold to Mr. O. S. Miller at that time. Mr. Miler's family consisted of six sons and four daughters, of whom but two sons, O. S. and Theo. F. Miller, and two daughter, Mrs. L. A. Pratt and Miss Margaret Miller are now living. He was killed in a railroad accident at Ansonia, Ohio, November 19, 1572. His wife soon followed him, never having recovered from the shock. (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)