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1150 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


dente ever since. He operated the mills for a number of years, but since leas given his attention to farming and merchandising. He has seven children: William H. died January 4, 1875, aged eight years; Thomas Wesley, born March 4, 1870; John Lewis, born August 26, 1873; Clarissa Ann, born December 24, 1875, the wife of Edward W. Bower; Catharine, born September 8, 1878; Joseph Warren, born July 11, 1881; Samuel G., born November 10, 1885. He is a republican and a member of the Free Will Baptist church.


Wilbur Stout


son of Elihu M. Stout, was born August 1, 1876, at Chester, Meigs county, Ohio. His mother is Ruth (Stockham) Stout, daughter f David Jackson Stockham. They had three children: Edith who died in childhood; John who resides in Sciotoville and our subject. His father moved to Sciotoville when he was six years old. He attended the public schools of SciotoVille until he was nineteen and then began teaching. He taught for two years and then attended the Ohio State University at Columbus, Ohio, pursuing scientific studies and doing special work. L. is now teaching at Forest Academy, near Franklin Furnace. Mr. Stout has been a special student of Geology for several years and has become well informed on the subject. He has been a collector of specimens at Sciotoville for fonr years and has become thoroughly acquainted with the geology of Scioto county through his own personal investigation and research. A sub-division of the Geological article in this work was prepared by Mr. Stout and can be found on page 17 and those immediately following. He is a member of the Republican party.


John Franklin Strayer


was born Oct. 1, 1856, near Logansville, Ohio. His father's name was James Wilson Strayer, and his mother's maiden name was Sarah Jane Plummer. His father was a dry-goods merchant, which business he was engaged in for thirty years at Logansville and Degraff. Our subject attended the common schools at Degraff, and also attended the Wittenburg College in 1874 and 1875, studying the classical course. In the fall of 1875, he went to Delaware, to attend the Ohio Wesleyan University and belonged to the Class of '79, but left at the end of the junior year. In March, 1878, he went to Columbus and spent two years on the Daily Ohio Statesman, then conducted by Jonathan Linton. While in Columbus during this period he was a writer for the Cleveland Leader. In March, 1880, he went to Chillicothe, Ohio and started the Chillicothe Daily News. He was the editor and Capt. John Putnam was the proprietor.


He came to Portsmouth, Ohio in June, 1880. He was with the Portsmouth Times two years, as local editor, until March, 1882. He was with the Blade and Tribune for fifteen years. In January, 1897, he quit the newspaper business forever and has had a fear conscience ever since. He spent one year with Mr. Coriell in the Fire Insurance business, and has been with him- ever since. He was married January 20, 1886 to Miss Lizzie McNichols, f Lexington, Ky., daughter of John McNichols of the same place. They have the following children: Morris Kirby, aged fifteen, and Katharine Marie, aged twelve. Mr. Strayer is a republican in his political views.


Philip Melancthon Streich


was born in Circleville, Ohio, August 16, 1860. His father was Casper Streich who has been a minister in the United Brethren church since 1863. His mother's maiden name was Catherine Rife. His father was a native of Stuttgart, Germany and his mother was born in Pickaway county, Ohio. Our subject was the eldest of twelve children, ten f whom are living. He lived at, Circleville four years, at Pomeroy about eighteen months, at Zanesville three years, at Cleveland four years, at Cincinnati four years, at Dayton three years, in southern Illinois about eighteen months, and then he came to Portsmouth, Ohio. Between the age of fourteen and fifteen, he went into a drug store in Dayton and was there over a year, and was in the same business in Illinois. His father was sent to Portsmouth in 1876, as minister to the German U. B. church and our subject followed him in 1877 and has remained here ever


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since. When he arrived in Portsmouth, he went into the employment of George Fisher, where he remained until 1879, when he went to Cincinnati and attended the Cincinnati College of Pharmacy. He was there two years and graduated in 1881. He then went into the J. F. Davis Drug store as prescription clerk and book-keeper until in February, 1890. He then went into business under the firm name of Fisher & Streich, having bought one-half interest. The firm continued under this name until July, 1901, then he bought out Mr. Fisher's interest and the business is now, Fisher & Streich Pharmacy, P. M. Streich, Proprietor. He was married September 30, 1884 to Louisa Ebert, daughter of Charles Ebert. He has two children Edna and Ralph. He is a republican and a member of the United Brethren church.


Mr. Streich enjoys the advantage of being well acquainted with every one in the city of Portsmouth and every one in the county, and he enjoys the good will and friendship of all who know him. He is a gentleman who makes no antagonisms. He is known for his uprightness, truthfulness and integrity as a business man. He has been very successfnl in business and has deserved it all, and no one stands any higher in the estimation of the community than he, and the better he is known the more he is liked.


Hadley Herbert Summers


was born July 30, 1866 at Dayton, 0. His father is Lewis Augustus Francis Summers who resides on Robinson avenue in Portsmonth. His mother's maiden name was Elenor Mills. When he was three years of age, his father moved to Bellbrook. Green county, 0. where he resided until he was 14 years of age. Then he resided in Xenia two years and in Jackson three years and attended the public schools of all these places. He completed his education in Portsmouth and here he has resided since he was 19 years of age. At the age of 20, he began as a stenographer and on July 1, 1886, took a position as such in the office of Drew, Selby & Co., shoe manufacturers in Portsmouth. On January 1, 1887. he began traveling for the same firm as a salesman and has been engaged in the same busines ever since.


He was married to Miss Minta Lewis of McConnellsville, 0. in March 1894 and has two children Ivan Harry Summers, aged four, and Herbert Julia Summers aged two. He is a member of the Sixth Street M. E. church. In his political views he is a republican on national and state affairs, but in municipal affairs he is a "free-lance." He has a most attractive home on the northeast corner or Fourth and Waller streets, and is happily situated in all respects. He is one f the most successful of the Drew-Selby Co's. commercial salesmen and enjoys the confidence of his employers to the fullest extent.


Joseph Jackson Sutton


was born in Lawrence county, Ohio, June 17, 1842. His father was John W. Sutton of Baltimore county. Maryland, who lived in Ohio for more than tifty years and in Scioto county twenty-eight years. He died in Portsmouth, Ohio, October 31, 1892. His mother's maiden name was Catharine Gard, of York county, Pennsylvania. She died November 14, 1900. Mr. Sutton received only a common school education in the schools, but was a great reader. He informed himself on all current events and is well read in history.


May 26, 4862 he enlisted in Company H, 87th 0. V. I. for three months, was at the seige and surrender of Harper's Ferry, Va., September, 1862. He was paroled and honorably discharged Oct. 1, 1862, returning to his home in Jackson county, Ohio. He remained there until March 29, 1863, when he enlisted in Company H, 2nd West Virginia Cavalry at Charleston, W. Va., in a Company which had been raised in Jackson county, Ohio, the entire regiment having been recruited in Ohio. No regiment saw harder service than this. It was on the perilous Wytheville raid, the ill-fated Lynchburg raid, and numerous engagements in West Virginia. In July, 1864 the command was transferred to the Shenandoah Valley in the Army f Major-General Phillip H. Sheridan. Our subject was in the following battles under that gallant commander: Winchester, Fisher's Hill. Cedar Creek, Appomattox Station. and Appomattox C. H., the latter, being the surrender of Lee. He was in fifty-five battles and skirmishes, was never wounded, although engaged in a number f hand-to-hand encounters


1152 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


and never missed a scout, nor fight in which his company was engaged. He prides himself in his army service in that, although not very strong physically, he was never sick nor in the hospital during the war. He boasts that he never cost the Government a cent for medicine or hospital treatment. He was honorably discharged June 30, 1865.


From the service he returned to Scioto county, where his parents had located in 1864. He was a resident of Portsmouth for a number of years. He was a member of the Board of Education in that city in 1893 and 1894, was a member of the Sixth Street Methodist Episcopal church and one of the official board of that church. He was also a member of Scioto Lodge No. 31, of Orient Encampment and a charter member and Captain of Canton Orient Patriarchs Militant I. 0. 0. F., of Portsmouth, Ohio. Mr. Sutton was married to Malissa Jane Westfall in Scioto county, February 15, 1866. Six children were born to them, two of whom survive, George C., of New York city, who was educated in the schools of Portsmouth, and Mrs. Ethel Trahelot of Chillicothe, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton are temporarily living in the mountain section of Pike county, Ky. Mr. Sutton is engage in the lumber business.


Mr. Sutton is one of the most agreeable companions. He is a good conversationalist on any subject upon which he has read. He has a fine sense of humor. He is one f the most genial and courteous of men. When he makes a friend, he retains him. If he has any weakness it is his pride of his army record and he is fully justified in that. In 1892 he wrote and published a history f the Second regiment of West Virginia Cavalry. It is a book of 262 pages and very interesting. This regiment while being designated the Second West Virginia Cavalry was really from Ohio. Mr. Sutton was not only a first-class soldier but is a first-class citizen. Whenever a duty is presented to him lre always tries to do it, to the best of his ability. This has been characteristic of him from boyhood to the present time. He was reared a Democrat, but cast his first vote in 1864 for President Lincoln in the Shenandoah valley under the sound of the enemy's cannon. While he has usually been known as a democrat, his political views are liberal. He is universally liked and respected, and has no enemies he knows of. Certainly there has been nothing in his life and character which would invite the enmity of anyone.


William Swabby


was born April 6, 1849, at Center Furnace, Lawrence county, Ohio. His parents were Hiram Swabby and Ellen Brinkenmire. They were married in Germany. William Swabby was the fifth Of a family of ten children. He received a common school education in the schools at. Howard Furnace. Hiram Swabby was an engineer and our subject learned that trade. He began as assistant engineer with his father at the age of fifteen and worked at that until he was twenty-one He then worked at Howard furnace as a teamster for four years. He decided to go west and went to Hamilton furnace, Missouri, and remained there for two months, then came back and ran the engine at Cambria furnace for two years. In 1877, he came to Scioto county. He worked for Peter Somers from 1876 until 1880. Since that time he has been a farmer.


In 1876, he was married to Barbara Somers, daughter of Peter Somers. They have five children: George, who is employed in the Portsmouth post-office; Charles, an assistant superintendent of a rolling mill in Pittsburg; Howard, employed at the Big Four depot in Cincinnati; Cora and Roscoe at home. He is a republican and a member of the Methodist church. He was a Trustee of Clay township in 1886. 1n 1901, he was elected an Infirmary Director. Mr. Swabby is a good example of the self-made mail. Starting with industry and honesty for his capital, he has made a success of life." His reputation is that of an honest, capable, industrious and level-headed citizen. The respect in which he is held by the community is evidenced by his nomination and election as Infirmary Director, his majorities being a just tribute to his excellences as a citizen and his admitted qualifications for the place.


Rev. David Stanton Tappan, D. D., ILL,. D.


The name was originally Topham (Upper Village.) It is purely Anglo Saxon. The first Tappan of whom we have any knowledge, was Robert of Linton, near


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Paley Bridge, West Riding, of Yorkshire. Our subject is the twelfth in the direct line of descent from this Robert Tappan, who died in 1550. Out of the twelve in the line of descent, nine had Scripture names, Samuel, Abraham and Benjamin were among them, the latter being the favorite. Abraham, the fourth in descent from Robert, came to Massachusetts, in 1637, and settled in Essex county. He was made a selectman the next year. Benjamin Tappan, the grandson of Abraham, graduated at Harvard College. The Tappans have always believed in education, but the son of the last named Benjamin, great-great-grandfather of our subject, was a goldsmith. However, a goldsmith in 1770, was a very different occupation from a goldsmith now. The early goldsmiths were the bankers and money lenders of their time.


The first Tappan in this country had eight children; the next, ten; the next, twelve; the next, eleven, and the Doctor, our subject, has followed the family fashion, for he has had eleven. The Tappans have always been distinguished for three things, conscience, learning and piety, and these characteristics are as strong in the present generation as in the past ones. The Doctor is in a peculiar situation as to this sketch. He was not consulted about it. It is written by his classmate and he is not responsible for anything in it. He never mentions his ancestry unless directly questioned about it, and the writer has inflicted that part upon him.


His grandfather, Benjamin Tappan, afterwards Judge and U. S. Senator, came to the Northwest Territory, in 1799. In 1809, he located in Steubenville, and there his grandson, our subject, son of Dr. Benjamin Tappan and Oella Stanton, daughter of Dr. David Stanton and sister of the great War Secretary, was born, April 2, 1845, the third of five children. He attended the public schools of Steubenville, until September, 1860, when he entered the Freshman Class at Miami University. He was a faithful and diligent student and learned well all there was to be learned. It was known through his entire course that he had the ministry in view. He took the first honors in a class of twenty-tive, at graduation, in June, 1864, and delivered the valedictory oration. While in college, he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and the Miami Union Literary Society. Directly after his graduation, he took up the study of Theology, in the Western Theological Seminary, at Alleghany, Pennsylvania, and graduated in April, 1867. In the summer of 1865, he had charge of the State Lick Academy, in Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. In the summer of 1866, he was in charge of Callensburg Academy, in Clarion county, Pennsylvania. Alleghany Presbytery licensed him to preach, in the spring of 1866. In September 1867, he took charge of the Chariton Presbyterian church in the Presbytery of Des Moines, Iowa.

On August 12, 1869, he was married to Miss Anna Grandgirard, daughter of Rev. Emilius Grandgirard, at Hillsboro, Ohio.


In February, 1871, he took charge of the Presbyterian church at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where he remained until April, 1890. While in Iowa, he was honored with the offices of Moderator and Permanent Clerk of his Presbytery in turn. He was permanent clerk of the Iowa Synod South, from 1870 to 1882. when the two Synods were consolidated. In 1882, he was made Stated Clerk of the Synod of Iowa, and served until his removal from the state. While a resident of Iowa, he received the honorary degree of A. M. from Wooster University. He received the Degree of Doctor of Divinity, from Lenox College, Iowa, in 1886. While a resident of Iowa, he was a commissioner to the General Assembly of his church three times. He was for six years president of the school board of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. From 1887 to 1890, he was a Trustee of the Presbyterian College, at Fairfield, Iowa. On April 1, 1890, he took the pastorate of the First Presbyterian church, of Portsmouth, Ohio, the largest and strongest church in the Presbytery of Portsmouth. He held this until September 1, 1899, when he became President of the Miami University.


In the Presbytery of Portsmouth, he was the leader among his ministerial brethren. He was often Moderator. In 1893, he was a commissioner to the General Assembly from the Portsmouth Presbytery, and was one of the Clerks. He was chairman of the Committee on Home Missions in the Portsmouth Presbytery during his entire connection with it. In the Synod of Ohio, he was for three years chairman of the Committee on Education, and for three years


1154 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


was chairman of the Committee on Home Missions. In November, 1899, he received the degree of LL. D. from Wooster University, Ohio.


His eldest child, Benjamin, died an infant, in Iowa. His eldest daughter, Oella, is the wife of Edgar H. Lowman, of Springfield, Ohio. His second daughter, Julia, is the wife of Prof. William B. Langsdorf, Ph.. D., Lit. D., late Professor of Latin in Miami University, but now a Presbyterian minister. His second son Paul, is a graduate of Wooster, and a Doctor of Medicine, and an assistant physician at the Dayton Hospital for the Insane. His sons, Frank and George, are students of Washington College, Pa. His daughter Helen is at home. He lost a son, Edwin Stanton, aged eighteen months, while a resident of Portsmouth, and his daughter Lucy, aged sixteen, died since he has resided in Oxford. His youngest daughter, Margaret, is aged seven years.


Doctor Tappan is a well educated man. He is thorough in all his methods. What he knows, he is certain of and it is available to him at any time. He is strong physically and strong mentally. As a preacher and public speaker, he has a voice which can be heard and understood. His sentences are well chosen and expressive. Whatever he has to say is interesting. His discourses are full of treasures of thought. Dr. Tappan has had but three churches in a ministry of thirty-two years. He could have remained in either a life-time. Each change was a promotion and a call up higher. His call to the Presidency of Miami University, his Alma Mater., was a tribute to his thorough education and his love for and devotion to teaching. He is conservative in all things. He is the last minister in the Presbyterian church to be suspected of heresy or heterodoxy. He is no theorist and is always found on the safe side f every question presented to him. When one goes to hear him preach a sermon, he is sure to be instructed and edified. He is sure to hear every word uttered and that the diction will be perfect. He is sure that there will be no sensationalism and he is sure of the Orthodoxy of every utterance. Dr. Tappan is a man f powerful will, and of great strength of purpose and the trait is inherited from both sides of the home. But for the fact that he is a minister, he would be as overbearing as his grandfather, the Senator, or his uncle, the great War Secretary, neither of whom could tolerate opposition. He is a tower of strength at the head of any institution, whether it be a church or college. He is a safe man at all times and under all circumstances. In a number f courses presented to him, he can always be relied on to take the wisest and the most just. Since the above was written, in June, 1902, Dr. Tappan resigned the Presidency of Miami University and in November of the same year accepted the pastorate of the Presbyterian church at Circleville, Ohio.


Addison Taylor


was born in Harrisonville, Scioto county, Ohio, March 17, 1866, a son of Martyn Taylor, M. D., and Lydia J. Draper, his wife. Several of his paternal ancestors were soldiers of the Revolutionary War and his father was an acting assistant surgeon in the Civil war. Addison was educated in the common schools of the county and was a teacher for eight years, the last four of which he taught in the grammar grades at Sciotoville. He has been a consistent political prohibitionist since arriving at his majority, never having voted any other ticket, on a state, or national election, and has been a candidate for various offices in the county on the Prohibition ticket. He has been a member of the Methodist church for eighteen years. In 1890, he was married to Miss Anna Frank, of Sciotoville. They have two children: Wendell and Ella. Mr. Taylor is secretary and treasurer of the Scioto Star Brick Works, west of Sciotoville, and has been connected with the company for ten years, having worked his way up from a laborer in the yard. A good part of his time is spent traveling over the country selling fire brick. He has a large business acquaintance among the iron and steel trades. He is active in church work and what might be termed a "radical" in his opinions.

James Landon, Taylor, M. D.


The Taylors are of English ancestry and settled first on coming from England in the state of Connecticut, in the early part of the 18th century. From there this branch emigrated to the wilds of central New York, where



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1155


we find James Taylor, the grandsire of this sketch, organizing a Methodist Episcopal church in or about Elmira, then called Newtown, in 1807. His mother Anna Landon, was a member f the Landon family, now widely distributed through the United States. About 1835, he came to Scioto county with his family, one daughter, Olive, and seven sons, two of whom preceded him. Of the sons, four also became Methodist ministers: James, Harvey, William and Landon, the latter marrying Jane Vincent, daughter of A. C. Vincent, one of the original French Grant settlers. Landon and wife took up their residence at Franklin furnace, Ohio, where the subject of this sketch was born February 1, 1840.


Owing to the invalidism of his mother, the infant was taken by his maternal aunt, Mrs. John S. Baccus, near Wheelersburg, and reared in that family. Here he learned to speak French, which he ever after cultivated. His first recollection f school life was going to a subscription school in Wheelersburg, taught by Miss Elizabeth Crichton.


At the age f fifteen, he obtained a certificate to teach school and taught his first school in the Kettles district in 1856, at $33 1-3 per month. Mr. A. J. Finney, afterwards Sheriff and County Clerk, was one of Doctor Taylor's pupils, as well as many other gray-headed men and women out in that district which comprises part of four townships: Vernon, Bloom, Harrison and Porter. When the winter term was over, young Taylor started for a term in college. After completing, the Junior year of his college course in Delaware. Ohio, young Taylor obtained from President Merrick an honorable dismissal, and a certificate of standing in college so flattering that it virtually passed him into the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1863. From that time until 1870, he spent in teaching, and in 1872, took the degree of M. D. in the Ohio Medical College in Cincinnati. He then took up the practice f medicine in Wheelersburg, Ohio, following Doctor Arthur Titus, where he has resided ever since.


In 1867, he married Melissa Folsom, of Green township, a daughter of J. S. Folsom, whose biography appears in this volume. There were born to them one daughter and two sons, both of the latter being physicians. The daughter Katy, died unmarried in 1900. The older son, Wesley, is rounding up his medical and literary education in the universities and hospitals f Europe, and the younger son John, has a similar course in prospect.


Doctor Taylor has now been identified with Wheelersburg, Porter township and vicinity, as a teacher, farmer, doctor and well known citizen for nearly half a century. For eleven years consecutively he served on the School Board. In March, 1870, he succeeded Captain N. W. Evans as County Examiner, serving for nearly a year on the Board with Doctor Burr and John Bolton. He is a member of the local medical societies, the National Association and the American Academy of Medicine, the Vice Presidency of which he held from 1901-2. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and planning to attend the International Medical Congress of Tuberculosis to be held in Paris in 1903.


Doctor Taylor is still engrossed with the cares of his business, his lands and his profession, leading even a busier life than when he set out in the practice of his profession thirty years ago. He is of athletic build, six feet in height, an active mover, a republican in politics and a protestant in religion. Doctor Taylor is in no way responsible for what follows in this sketch. He is a very difficult subject to make a character estimate of and do him justice. The reason of that is, there are so many points of view, and our subject will show up well from any of them. Doctor Taylor is a well educated Man. He has been trained to think and investigate. His mind is like a wonderful piece of mechanism. It is bound to accomplish certain results. Give him a subject to investigate and reason out and he will first ascertain all the facts and then he will reach the most logical and wisest conclusion. He was not only trained to this but he has given himself a thorough course of self-discipline and training. The facts he learns are always available to him. They will come to him and he can use them at any time. The Doctor has a reputation as a first class business man and financier. It is because he knows how to reason on predicates and thereby anticipate results. In all things he undertakes he does his work thoroughly. He never acts until he knows the uttermost facts, and


PICTURE - LAFAYETTE TAYLOR


1156 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


when he has learned them all, he reasons out a course to pursue and that course is unerringly the wisest which could have been discovered or chosen. When he comes to a conclusion, he has faith in it and never hesitates. This habit of thought and action avails him in every thing he undertakes whether it be farming, medicine, literature or finance.


The Doctor is one of those rare characters who would succeed in anything they undertake. He is a first class farmer, he stands at the top of his profession and as a financier and business man he has no superior. The editor believes he would have acquired national distinction as a medical or historical writer, but no one could justly say that Doctor Taylor has missed his calling. To a layman, his medical essays, mentioned in the Bibliography of this work, show that he is master of every subject he has treated and that on a condition of facts given, his hypotheses are the most consistent with the highest wisdom in his profession, and his ideas are the most advanced. The esteem in which the Doctor is held by the fellow members of his profession, show that the layman’s ideas of him are correct. But the Doctor is not only fortunate and successful in handling medical subjects; some years ago he was a contributor to the Ohio Farmer and his articles on Tariff Reform were unanswerable. He can write an essay on the money question which would command the respectful consideration of the best financiers. He would be equally interesting in writing on stock raising. The editor has read all of the Doctor's essays on Medical Topics with great interest and believes that the community in which he dwells does not appreciate his learning or his acquirements in his profession. Fifty years from now his learning and talent will be appreciated. As the Doctor has taken good care of himself in his present life, in the life hereafter, he will not be concerned at the failure to appreciate him while living. His neighbors do appreciate him now as a business man, and they have the utmost confidence in him in his profession, but they will never realize the extent of his acquirements until he has passed beyond this life and his finished career can be compared with others.


Harry Edmund Taylor


was born in McConnellsville, Morgan county, Ohio, September 29, 1873. He was the son of William and Frances Bell Taylor. William Taylor was the owner of various salt furnaces in the Muskingum valley, and was the first democrat elected to office in Morgan county after the war, being elected Sheriff in 1883. The subject of this sketch graduated from the McConnellsville schools in 1889, and then entered the office f the Morgan county "Democrat," where he learned the printer's trade. In 1891, he became a reporter on the Akron, Ohio, "World" and the Akron "Beacon and Republican." In 1894, Mr. Taylor came to Portsmouth to take charge of the city news work on the Portsmouth Daily Times, about to be started by J. L. Patterson. He has held that position up to the present time. In 1898, he, with Vallee Harold purchased the controlling interest in the Times Publishing Company, and upon the organization of the company Mr. Taylor was chosen Secretary and Treasurer. He married December 5, 1899, Leah Pauline, daughter f Mr. and Mrs. Harry H. Grimes, of Portsmouth, Ohio.


Lafayette Taylor


was born December 25, 1856, in Susquehanna, county, Pennsylvania, near the town of that name. His parents were William and Mary E. (Kelley) Taylor. who resided on East Mountain in Gibson township, in the above named county. William Taylor was a son of Amos and Dolly (Starks) Taylor. They settled about a mile below Smiley, Pennsylvania, on the west side of Tunkhannock, soon after 1800. Amos was the son of David and Mercy Taylor, who settled at Smiley about 1804, and built a hotel which was then one of the three frame houses in Gibson township. Mr. Taylor is one of a family of twelve children. John F. resides at Scranton, Pa. Sarah Jane married S. C. Avery, and is deceased. Josiah resides on the old home farm in Pennsylvania and was in a construction corps during the Civil war. Freeman F. is a railroad contractor and a ranchman at Colorado City, Colorado. Leslie D. is deceased. Leroy Eugene resides in Lackawanna county and is the overseer of a coal breaker at



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1157


Winter, Pa. William K. resides at Ottawa, Kansas. Volney E. is a lumberman at Doane, West Virginia.


During the early years of our subject's boyhood, he worked on a farm and attended the district school. He very early developed the propensity and desire to make money. This is evidenced by the fact that when he had reached the age f sixteen, he had accumulated the sum f $460 or what would be considered a good fortune for a boy of that age. But with this desire for money came an overwhelming desire for a better education than he could obtain at home. In company with a boy friend of his age and against the will of his parents, he came to Oberlin, Ohio, to attend school. But a term there somewhat discouraged him; he thought an education should be obtained in a more rapid manner so he left this school intending to take up study again in some other school. In the meantime, he went to work chopping wood and sawing logs for a saw mill until school should open again. This was his first experience in the lumber business. When the time for entering school again came around, he did not go; but continued to work and save. Month after month passed away and all the time the desire to make money was overcoming and crowding out the .desire for an education, until at the end of three years, he gave up his intention of educating himself and embarked upon his money making career which has been somewhat phenomenal and characteristic of all similar careers. In a short time he had saved sufficient money to buy several yoke of cattle and began taking logging contracts in Pike county. Success crowned his undertakings and soon he began to buy timber in tracts and to have it sawed, doing the logging himself.


In 1880, he came to Rarden, which has been the scene of his activities since, and which owes its growth and prosperity in large part to him. In 1885, he gave up logging and took up his residence in Barden, having married the previous year. Here he opened a small store and engaged in the buying and shipping of lumber and at the same time owning and operating several sawmills. He became a partner with Guilford Marr in the cooperage business in 1887. From this year until 1891, he had on hands at all times the enormous quantity of 2,000,000 feet of sawed lumber and his output each year during this time was 2,500,000 feet. Besides this quantity of sawed lumber, he handled railroad ties, tanbark and all kinds of lumber products. His trade gradually branched out until he had practical control of the lumber business in this section and nine-tenths f all the lumber shipped from Rarden in the last fifteen years has passed through his hands and has added thousands to his offers. From 1887 to the present time he has reaped the harvest from something like 50,000,000 feet of lumber.


In 1895, he became the chief stockholder in the Barden Stone Company, incorporated that year. He is exclusive owner of the Barden Stone Mill. He owns a controlling interest in the Taylor Cooperage company. He is an equal partner with Charles S. Brown in the Taylor-Brown Timber Company. He owns and operates a large general store at Barden. In 1900, he bought several thousand acres of valuable timber in Wayne county, West Virginia, and has since been engaged in sawing and marketing it.


Mr. Taylor is a republican and has always been such. He takes a deep interest in the management of local and national affairs, but is not a politician in any sense. His whole time is devoted to his numerous interests.


He was married July 4, 1884, to Almeda McNeal, a daughter f Joseph and Mary (Watrous) McNeal of Pike county, Ohio. They have one child living, Volney S., born March 27, 1886. He is now in school at Valparaiso, Ind. Another child, Lynn, was born May 8, 1888 and died in infancy. His first wife died November 22, 1888, and he was again married to Lucinda McNeal, a sister to his former wife, January 27, 1890.


Mr. Taylor is a man of strong and rugged build and has exceptional powers of physical endurance. He is always active and pushes his work and never lets it push him. The one great secret f his success is his exhaustless, tireless energy. Coupled with this his admirable ability to keep well in hand and manage his diverse business interests. He has exceptional business judgment and tact and during the years of his rapid advancement in the business world it has been employed to wonderful advantage. He is the embodiment


1158 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


of honor and integrity-honest with himself, with his neighbor, with his employes and with those with whom he has business transactions. Some have a deep religious nature and a total lacking of the moral nature and vice versa; others have both in varying degrees, though one predominates.

In our subject we find but a moderate degree of the religious but an unusually sensitive moral nature which answers the purpose which the religious nature does in others. Consequently we have a man liberal in thought about things supernatural but radical in questions of right and justice. He should be a shining example for the young man who has nothing but his hands and a sound mind and body for capital to start on.


Martyn Taylor, M. D.,


of Sciotoville, Ohio, was born in the town of Lewis, Essex county, New York, in 1828. His father Theodore Taylor was the son of Eliphalet Taylor, a soldier of the Revolution who was conspicuous for bravery at the battle of Bennington. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Lucy Jane Ballou, was a descendent of Maturin Balton who came from Devonshire, England in 1640 to the province of Rhode Island and was largely influential in shaping the policy of this province. Hosea Ballou, the mother of President Garfield, and she, are of the same branch of the Ballou family. The boyhood and youth of Doctor Taylor, to the age of young manhood, were passed in his native state, where he received an academic education. At the age of eighteen years, the death of his father threw, him upon his own resources, and he began, single handed to strike out for himself, making his home in Adrian, Michigan. Enrolling himself as a student in the Medical College of the University of Michigan, he worked his way through that institution by teaching in the intervals of lectures and received a degree of Doctor of Medicine in the spring of 1852.


March 27, 1853, he married Miss Lydia Jane Draper and began the practice of his profession at Danby, Dupage county, Illinois. He located in Scioto county, Ohio, in 1860. His three children are: Ella, born April 15, 1854, married A. H. Stephenson, M. D., a resident of Fort Recovery, Ohio; Addison Taylor, born March 17, 1866, a commercial traveler and head of the sales department of the Scioto Star Fire Brick Works of Sciotoville, Ohio; Martyn Taylor, Jr., born January 28, 1869, a physician and surgeon residing in Fort Recovery, Ohio.


On September 12, 1861 he enlisted in Company E, 33rd 0. V. I. and took part in the campaign on Big Sandy and in the battles of Perryville and Stone River. He was discharged May 28, 1863, by order of the department, to accept the position of Acting Assistant Surgeon. Returning home in 1864, he served as enrolling officer during the summer of that year, and after completing the draft of Harrison township on September 2, enlisted in Company F, 1st 0. V. H, A. After his re-enlistment in September, 1864, he was detailed as Acting Assistant Surgeon for a detachment of four companies of his regiment, stationed at Chickamauga Junction, six miles south of Chattanooga and at stations between that point and Grayville, Georgia, on the railroad south of the Junction. His surgical duties ceased when these four companies rejoined their regiment, with which he remained until June 20, 1865, when he was discharged.


He has always been a republican but has never sought office. His highest ambition has been to attain the greatest excellence in his profession. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. After thirty years of laborious practice, he is disabled from further work, by disabilities resulting from military service, and is simply waiting for his summons.


Wells Teachnor, M. D.,


son of Henry W. Teachnor and Laura B. (Wells) Teachnor, was born September 5, 1869. His paternal grandparents Isaac and Susan Teachnor, born respectively in 1801 and 1814, were among the early pioneers f Adams county. Isaac Teachnor was a man of more than ordinary ability and was possessed of a good judgment. Both were of German descent. The maternal ancestors of Doctor Teachnor were Jacob M. Wells, born June 8, 1821, and Elizabeth J.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1159


Wells, born May 30. 1826. Jacob M. Wells was for . a long time one of the leading attorneys at the Adams county bar and was once a candidate for Common Pleas Judge in that district. He was a man of great force of character and a forcible speaker when thoroughly enthused.


Doctor Teachnor was raised on a farm until he was fifteen years of age and attended the district school. In 1885 and 1886 he attended the Presbyterian Academy at North Liberty in his native county. In 1888 he attended the National Norman University at Lebanon, Ohio, and completed the scientific course. He then began reading medicine with Doctor R. A. Stephenson, at Manchester, in 1889, and attended the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati from 1889 to April 7, 1892, when he was graduated with honor and distinction. He located at Portsmouth in May, 1892 but removed to Sciotoville, June 1, 1893. He was president f the Hempstead Academy in 1897. He received the appointment of physician of the Ohio Penitentiary, May 1, 1900 and entered upon his duties immediately and is still serving in this capacity. He is a republican and has taken an active part in politics since old enough. He was a delegate to the State Convention at Toledo, in 1897 and at Columbus in 1898.


He was married May 17, 1893 to Martha Anne Fox, daughter of John W. Fox, of Moundsville, W. Va. They have four children: Wells H. Jr., Margaret V., Galen and Martha A.


Louis Waller Terry


was born September 16, 1843, at Portsmouth, Ohio, on the lot where Irving Drew now lives. His father was John Pease Terry and his mother was Susannah Waller. He went through the Portsmouth schools before the age of sixteen and was in the first graduating class from the Portsmouth High School. He entered college in the fall of 1859. He remained in Kenyon College until December 1, 1861, when he enlisted in Company A, 33rd 0. V. I. He was promoted from private to Sergeant of his company January 1, 1862. He was made Quartermaster Sergeant of the Regiment on the same day, a double honor. He was mustered out December 4, 1864. He went into the County Treasurer's office as a clerk and was there until he was married December 17, 1866.


His wife was Florence Tillow, daughter of John Tillow, a former merchant of Portsmouth. After his marriage he was book-keeper at Buckeye furnace, Jackson county, for three months. He then went to Hamilton furnace, Missouri and was book-keeper there for a year.. From there he went to La Grange and Clark furnaces, Tennessee, where he was book-keper. He was there one year and after that spent three years as book-keeper at Talladega furnace, Alabama. He returned to Portsmouth, in 1880, and became bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Portsmouth and was there in that capacity and as Cashier until 1897, when he went to Seattle, Washington.


May 1, 1889 he was appointed City Collector at Portsmouth and was reappointed on April 17, 1890. At Seattle, he engaged in the wholesale cigar business and continued in it till his death. He died November 15, 1899, of paralysis. He is interred in Greenlawn and his widow resides in Portsmouth, Ohio. He was an Odd Fellow, an Elk and a member of the Grand Army. He was a communicant of Christ Episcopal church. Mr. Terry was one of the best business men of his time. As a book-keeper, he had no superior. Wherever his father was interested, he kept the books. He was not a man to make acquaintances readily, but when he once made a friend, he retained him.


Samuel Thatcher,


merchant at McGaw, Ohio, was born November 4, 1843, in Adams county. Ohio. His parents were Richard Thatcher born May 28, 1811 in the same county, died at the age of eighty-seven years, and Christina (Rader) Thatcher, daughter of John and Catharine Rader, natives of Pennsylvania and among the early settlers in Adams county. Our subject enlisted October 14, 1861 in Company C, 70th 0. V. I. for three years; reenlisted January 4, 1864; appointed Corporal April 20, 1864; wounded May 27, 1864 in the battle of Dallas, Georgia; appointed Sergeant October 19, 1864; mustered out with company August 14, 1865. He participated in the following battles: Shiloh, Corinth, Siege of Vicksburg, Jackson, Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Dalton, Lookout Mountain, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta and the charge at Ft, McAllister,



1160 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


Mr. Thatcher has been a republican since he cast his first vote and is an active member in the. Methodist church at McGaw known as "McKendree Chapel." At different times he has served as steward; trustee and Sabbath school superintendent.


He was married February 28, 1864 to Martha Wilmoth, daughter of John and Mahala Wilmoth, late f Adams county, Ohio. They have six children: John, Sarah J., William Wesley, Mary C., Ida B. and Charles. His wife died October 9, 1899 at the age of fifty-seven. Mr. Thatcher was married again December 23, 1901 to Mrs. Julia Harrigan of Portsmouth, Ohio. Mr. Thatcher is an honest and upright business man, a good citizen and a consistent Christian.


Miles Plummer Thompson


was born on the place where he now resides, near Young, 0., August 5, 1838. His father was J. T. Thompson, and his mother's maiden name was Ellen Thompson. His grandfather was Thomas Thompson, born in Pennsylvania, but located on Brush creek. His grandmother Thompson's maiden name was Elizabeth Isaminger, from Pennsylvania. Our subject was raised a farmer, and always lived in the Brush creek valley, except when he was in the military service. He enlisted in Company H, 81st 0. V. I., August 30, 1862, as a private for three years. He was appointed Corporal July 1, 1864, Sergeant May 1, 1865, and mustered out with the company July 13, 1865. He was not wounded in any of the battles, though in all of them. He was with his regiment in the Atlanta campaign and Sherman's march to the sea. When he came home he resumed his life as a farmer, and has been engaged in it ever since. He married Catharine Jane McCann, daughter of Isaac Rose McCann. Their children are as follows: Truman Evart, a farmer; Carey Marshall, a teacher; Olive, Minnie and Miles Homer, who died at the age of five years. He is a member f the Methodist Episcopal church. He has always been a democrat, and is a first-class citizen in every respect, and is so regarded by all who know him.


William Jefferson Thompson


was born in Scioto county, Ohio, on October 10, 1847. His father was John Thompson and his mother Catherine Williams. His mother's father, Matthew Williams was born near Charleston, Virginia. Our subject has always lived in Scioto county and owns two fine farms about a mile below Rarden. As a boy he learned the blacksmith trade but followed it only occasionally. He is a Democrat. On November 23, 1869 he married Jane Freeman, daughter of Michael Freeman, a former well known citizen of Rarden. He has ten children, three of whom are deceased. John B., Ida, the wife of James Lanthom, living in Rarden township, Cora Ann, the wife of Marcus Hibbs, resides in Adams county, Enza Ethel, a boy at home, Harley, Jesse Earl, Dolly Olive, William Elden and Hartzell Everett.


Mr. Thompson is highly respected for his excellent qualities and is regarded as one f the best citizens of the township.


William Kennedy Thompson


was born at Brookville, Pa., June 25, 1834, the eldest son of Judge J. Y. Thompson, and Agnes his wife. The Thompson family was a large one. The brothers were, beside himself, John J. and Robert M., both of New York, Hon. A. C., Federal Judge, of Cincinnati, and the sisters were Mrs. J. N. Garrison of New York and Mrs. John L. McNeil of Denver, Col.


Our subject obtained his education in the town f Brookville and on January 4, 1857 was married to Miss Catharine Jane Porterfield of Emlenton, Pa. In 1859 he came to Portsmouth where he resided during the remainder of his life. He engaged in the saw-mill business on the river 'front and followed it for many years. He was a democrat, in his political faith, when all the remaining members of his family were republicans, but in 1867 he and the Hon. Wells A. Hutchins were the only two democrats in the county who advocated and voted for the State Constitutional amendment conferring negro suffrage. Thompson was one of the best natured of men, always obliging to his party, his church, his neighbors and his friends. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church and a trustee for many years.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1161


He was tall and of agreeable presence. When he was at his best, he was a faster walker than any other man in Portsmouth. No one could overtake him on foot. 1t was a proverb in Portsmouth, "Don't follow Thompson, and expect to overtake him." The only way to meet him when he was out in the city afoot, was to intercept him. He was a liberal and generous man. He would give his last dollar to a good cause. His willingness to oblige everybody was often taken advantage of, and among others who took advantage of him in that respect were his party friends. He knew everybody and was on good terms with all he knew, and never refused any demands made on him by his party. He ran for council several times to help his party. He was a candidate for Water Works Trustee four times, not that he cared for the office, or wanted it, or that it would be f any help to him, but simply because he was a good man to be on the ticket, and because, if he was on, he would work for himself and for the ticket.


In 1871, he was a candidate for this office and the vote stood J. F. Towell 851, Thompson 611, majority 240. In 1873, he run again and was successful. The vote stood Thompson 1,065, Thomas W. Carre 815, majority 250. He held the office three years, and in 1876 was a candidate for a second term. The vote stood J. P. A. Cramer, 1,032, Thompson 987, majority 45. In 1879, he was again a candidate against Cramer and the vote stood Cramer 1,210, Thompson 855, majority 325. He was Postmaster at Portsmouth, Ohio, from May 5, 1886 until February 25, 1890, appointed by President Cleveland, and he pleased everyone by his administration of the office.


In May, 1890, he was appointed by the Commissioners of Scioto county, a trustee of the County Children's Home and was reappointed and served continually thereafter until his death. In making these appointments, the Commissioners appointed those whom they believed had the greatest sympathy for the unfortunate. It was on this idea that Thompson was appointed and reappointed while he lived. If Mr. Thompson took any interest in any subject, he took a great interest. This is true of his church and Odd fellowship. As a church worker he could always be depended upon. In Odd fellowship he was also a great worker. He was always fond of children and interested in their welfare. For several years he served as Truant Officer for the public schools. If any of his friends took sick, he was the first man to know it and the first one to visit them. He had his faults. Who has not? But they were strictly personal and were buried with him. His virtues shone during his life; they endeared his friends to him and their sweet incense survives him. Noble hearted, great souled Thompson, "vale mi frater."


Elijah Warwick Tidd, M. D.,


was born September 8, 1869, in Scioto township, Jackson county, Ohio. He received his name for Dr. John B. Warwick, of Lucasville, Ohio. His father was Elijah Tidd, born September 18, 1823, who enlisted January 28, 1865 for one year in Company H, 194th 0. V. I., was appointed Sergeant and was mustered out October 24, 1865. He died January 22, 1902. Our subject's mother was Rachel Stockham, a daughter of David Stockham, who was a son of Col. Aaron Stockham, born August 3, 1787, in Pennsylvania.


His father and mother had six children, of whom he was the fifth. He had a common school education. He began the study of medicine in 1890 with Dr. Orin ,C. Andre, of Piketon, Ohio, now Waverly. He attended the Columbus Medical College in 1891 and 1892, the Ohio Medical University in 1892 and 1893, and graduated in the latter year. He located at Wakefield, in the spring of 1893, and remained there till 1899, when he located at Stockdale, Ohio, where he has been ever since. He is not married, but his friends say that he has reasonable prospects of being married soon. He is a republican, and a member of the Alhambra Lodge, 554, of the Knights of Pythias, and a member of the Pike County Medical Association.


Winfield Scott Todd


was born November 6, 1861, at Urbana, Champaign county, Ohio. He was a son of John E. and Mary Jane (Mumper) Todd. His grandparents on both Sides were from Pennsylvania. He received a common school education and


1162 - HISTORY OP SCIOTO COUNTY.


was two years in the Urbana High School after which, he took a complete course at the Miami Commercial College, Dayton, Ohio. He first entered business in the tobacco house of Lines, Roush & Co., f Cincinnati, where he had charge of their office. He located in Portsmouth, August 29, 1882, and took the position of time-keeper and bill-clerk in the Portsmouth Foundry & Machine Works. He became secretary and treasurer of that company in 1885, and remained with them until January 1, 1890, when he resigned to become the secretary and treasurer of the Portsmouth Stove & Range Co., with which he remained until March 1, 1899, when he disposed of all his interests in that company. Upon the re-organization of the old and well known firm of William Resor & Co. in Cincinnati, manufacturers of the celebrated line of "Monitor" stoves and ranges on September 19, 1899 he became identified with that corporation, and took the responsible position of vice-president and treasurer. the company then having a paid up capital of $225,000.


Mr. Todd is a republican in politics. At one time, he was a candidate for member of the school board of Portsmouth, but was defeated. He was brought up under the influence of the Presbyterian church, but is not a member. He was married October 13, 1886 to Miss Cosette Calvert of Portsmouth, daughter of Judge R. A. Calvert and he has two children Helen and Harold. The former graduated from the grammar department f the Mt. Auburn Public Schools, mad was presented with a membership in the Mercantile Library under the Day bequest, having obtained that prize as one among 1,100 contestants. During Mr. Todd's residence in Portsmouth, he stood first among the business men, and was in every respect a first-class citizen. His abilities earned the promotion he received in obtaining the position he holds in Cincinnati.


Charles Oscar Tracy,


son of Uri Tracy and Harriet Ellen (Lloyd) Tracy, and grandson of Charles Oscar Tracy, was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, April 13, 1857. He was graduated from the High School in this city in June, 1875, and after spending several months in the West, returned to Portsmouth and was associated in the shoe business with his father and grandfather, Richard Lloyd.


September 25, 1884, he was married to Mary Ida Patton, at Columbus, Ohio. They resided in Portsmouth until June, 1885, when they moved to Columbus where he engaged in the wholesale notion business, afterward organizing The Tracy-Wells Co., of which he is president at this time.


Charles Packer Tracy,


son of Uri and Persis (Packer) Tracy. was born in Oxford, Chenango county, New York, December 5, 1829. Hp was educated at the famous old Oxford Academy of which his great-grandfather, Gen. Benjamin Hovey, was one of the founders in 1794.


Having spent his youth in the place of his birth, he removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1851, where two brothers of his father were then living. After a few years of clerkship with the jobbing shoe-house of Richard Lloyd & Co. he left that firm in 1855 and started the firm of C. P. Tracy & Co. in the same line of business, with F. J. Oakes as partner. A year later, the firm name was changed to Oakes & Tracy for a brief period.


In 1858, his brother, Henry R. Tracy, then a clerk in the house, bought out the interest of F. J. Oakes, and the firm name again became C. P. Tracy & Co., and thus continued for many years.

On December 20, 1858, Mr. Tracy was married, to Isabella McClain daughter f Capt. William McClain, who was long connected with steam-boating interests on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. They had only one child, a daughter, named Persis McClain, who was born in 1861. She graduated in 1880 from the Bartholomew English and Classical School in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was married August 31, 1893 to Frank Burr Mallory, A. M., M. D., at present associate Professor f Pathology in the Harvard University Medical School. She has two sons, Tracy Burr, born October 26, 1896 and George Kenneth, born February 14, 1900.


Mr. Tracy was one of the best business men of Portsmouth and was very successful. He was a

man honored and respected by all who knew him. He


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1163


became a communicant of All Saints church, in Portsmouth in 1857, and at the time of his death was Junior Warden. His life was a lesson in christianity. He never sought any civil honors or held any public office, but was one of the prominent men of Portsmouth in good works. On the evening of January 15, 1874, he was stricken with paralysis and died at 6 A. M., January 16th.


Henry Reed Tracy


was born December 9, 1833, in Oxford, Chenango county, New York. His father was Uri Tracy and his mother's maiden name was Persis Packer. He resided at Oxford, New York till 1857, and was educated at the Oxford Academy, a famous and ancient institution of learning. He was engaged in his father's store from 1850 for a period f seven years.


In 1857, he came to Portsmouth, Ohio. His brother, Charles P. had preceded him six years and was engaged in a wholesale boot and shoe business with F. J. Oakes, under the frrm name of Oakes & Tracy. Henry R. bought out F. J. Oakes' interest and the firm name became C. P. Tracy & Co. From the death of his brother, January 16, 1874 the business was carried on under the same firm name with Henry R. Tracy as the manager.


On May 2, 1864, Mr. Tracy entered Company E, 140th 0. V. I. as Second Lieutenant and served till September 3, 1864. He was First Lieutenant in the State Militia but accepted a Second Lieutenancy in this hundred days' service.


He was a director in the Portsmouth National Bank from 1873 and its vice president from 1875. He became a communicant of Christ church when it was organized and was a vestryman for many years. He left Portsmouth as a resident in 1886 and became a resident of Boston, Massachusetts, where he has resided since, but has always held his interest in the firm of C. P. Tracy & Co. and its successor, The Tracy Shoe Company.


He has been a republican all his life. He is a man of superior business abilities, and though beginning life with little or nothing has achieved a very gratifying success. With fine social qualities, and manners of more than ordinary polish and refinement, yet decidedly retiring, he combines a kindness of heart, thoughtfulness, benevolence and charity which have justly won for him the respect and esteem of all who know him.


John Bailey Tracy


was born in Chenango county, New York, April 12, 1837. He came to Portsmouth in 1851. When a boy he clerked with S. R. Ross. Later he conducted a store at Pioneer Furnace and has lived at Hale's Creek station many years. When he first came to the county he clerked at the Pioneer furnace store several years. He was a sergeant in Co. F. 140th 0. V. I., May 22, 1864 to September 2, 1864. He was married in 1859 to Eliza Brady, daughter of Levi Brady. They have six children: Charles P., Emily B., Uri and Mary (twins), Albert and John. In 1860, he purchased a farm of 167 acres at Pioneer station and has resided there ever since. In 1872, he became a local Baptist minister and has preached at a number of appointments. He was Treasurer of Scioto county 1896 to 1900. He has always been a republican.


Mr. Tracy is rated as one of the stanch business men of Bloom township. He was a faithful, conscientious public officer and discharged the duties of his office in a very creditable way. His kind genial manner makes him a general favorite of all. Being a ready speaker and well informed on public questions, he is in demand in the political and ecclesiastical world.


Joseph Trimble Tracy,


son of Noah and Nancy Ann Freeman, his wife, was born December 28, 1865, near Mount

Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa. His grandfather was Jonathan Tracy, a native of Steuben county, New York. He was an old time physician in Scioto county, residing at Rocky Fork from 1834 until his death in 1888. His mother was a daughter of Milby Freeman of near White Oak, Adams county, Ohio. At the age of two years, his parents moved to near Bloomfield, Davis county, Iowa, and there our subject attended school until he was eleven years of age. They then removed to Rock Fork, near Otway, this county.


1164 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


He resided there from 1876 until he reached his majority. He attended the country schools there, and became a teacher in the fall of 1884, and followed that occupation until April, 1891. He taught at Otway, McGaw and Dry Run. He was appointed County School Examiner in September, 1889, and served as such until September, 1893. In April, 1891, he was appointed deputy Clerk of the Courts, under William F. Whitney, and held that otfice until September 11, 1893. On that date he took the office of County Auditor, having been elected in November, 1892, and served until October 19, 1899. Since then he has assisted in the Auditor's office from time to time. On August 22, 1901, he was appointed Examiner for the State Auditor, and since then has been engaged in examining the financial transactions of the county of Auglaize. That task is now completed.


Mr. Tracy was married on April 11, 1894, to Alnore Arnold, daughter of George Arnold, of Rush township. They have four children: Stanley, Helen, Christine and Juliet. He has always been a stanch republican, and has taken a great interest in politics. He is a member of the Bigelow M. E. church of Portsmouth. On June 27, 1902, he was appointed one of the Deputy Inspectors and Supervisors of Public accounts, under the act of the General Assembly of Ohio, establishing a Bureau of uniform accounting in public offices.


Uri Tracy,


son of Charles Oscar Tracy and Maria Kinney, was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, June 16, 1831. In September, 1847, he engaged in the shoe business in the employ of Richard Lloyd, afterward becoming a partner in the firm of Lloyd, Tracy & Co.


He was married December 4, 1851, to Harriet Ellen Lloyd, who died October 14, 1901. They had six children, four of whom are living at this time: viz., Charles 0. Tracy, Uri Tracy, Jr., Harriet E. Waughop and Elizabeth L. Lowes. In 1889 he removed to Columbus, Ohio, where he still resides.


Cornelia Bruner Treuthart


was born November 29, 1851, in Wheelersburg, Ohio, of Swiss-Irish descent. Her parents, Samuel N. Bruner, born in 1812, a Jeffersonian Democrat, and Elnora Fischer Bruner, born in 1814, located in southern Ohio, in 1838. In company with Mr. Bruner's parents, they responded to the call of Westward! Ho!, and left New York, Pennsylvania, in 1834. Samuel Bruner operated a flour mill at Chaffin's Mills, Ohio, and from 1849 to 1869, conducted a general merchandise store in Wheelersburg, Ohio. Her grandfather, Owen Bruner, was identified with the early history of Scioto county, as Justice of the Peace, School Director and Methodist class leader in 1838.

Her mother, Elnora Fischer, was a devout Methodist and the daughter of George Fischer, a soldier of the Revolution and an aid in the removal of the Continental congress from Philadelphia to Lancaster and later to York, Pennsylvania, in 1777. She also saw Lafayette during his visit to America in 1825.


The subject of this sketch taught school in Waverly, Pike county, in 1869, and in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1871 and 1872. She was married November 27, 1873, to James L. Treuthart, born in 1838, a native of Zweisimmen, Canton Berne, Switzerland. He wrote "The Millied, a poem of Liberty." He enlisted in Co. A, 104th 0. V. 1.. August 7, 1862, and served until June 17, 1865. He was appointed corporal August 22, 1862, Sergeant, August 5, 1863, and First Sergeant, August 19, 1864. For twelve years, he was an examiner of city school teachers at Portsmouth, Ohio, and is familiar with the French, German, Greek and English languages. Mr. and Mrs. Treuthart's two sons, Willie and Elmer, died in infancy. Of the three eldest daughters, who graduated from the Portsmouth High School with highest honors: Alice C., 1878, is engaged in teaching; Bertha M., 1880, and Maude L., 1882, are proficient stenographers in the railway service. Flora B., 1885; Blanche I., 1887; and Edythe E., 1891, are students. Mrs. Treuthart is a member of the Woman's Literary Club, organized in 1891, and with her daughters, Alice C. and Bertha M. received a diploma of graduation in 1900 from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. An interest in educational matters is shared alike by parents and children.




BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1165


Leslie Charles Turley,


the son of Col. John A. Turley and Charlotte E. Robinson, the daughter f Joshua V. Robinson, was born November 11, 1862. He was the youngest son and child of his parents. He attended the Portsmouth schools until 1878, then went to the Ohio State University for a term, then to Cincinnati to the Nelson Business College, and took one term there. When he came home from Cincinnati, he went to work for the Portsmouth Steel & Iron Company, on the old site of the Gaylord mill. He next went to work for Levi D. York, in the Burgess Steel & Iron Works, running the two hammers at the plate mill. After that he went to work for his brother at the fire-clay mines at. Sunday Switch on the B. & 0. railroad, for several months. Mr. Adams then offered him a job as weigher and time-keeper f the Portsmouth Fire Brick Company. During this time he was also secretary. He remained with this company until 1891.


After 1891, he engaged in business with George Davis and W. G. Beyerly in the Kentucky Fire Brick Works. They made the first paving brick that was ever made of shale in this district. This was continued until after the death of Mr. Davis, Jan. 11, 1894, but the administrator had his interest until 1896, when the property was sold and Mr. Watkins and our subject bought it. It was incorporated into the Kentucky Fire Brick Works, and Mr. Turley was made vice president and secretary. They operated it for about five years and in June, 1901, it was consolidated, and the Kentucky Fire Brick Works, the Portsmouth Fire Brick Works, the South Webster Plant and the Blast Furnace Company became the Portsmonth & Kentucky Fire Brick Company, of which our subject was first vice president and general manager. In 1902 this company was absorbed by the Portsmouth Harbison-Walker Company f which Mr. Turley was elected President. He is also President of the Black Fork Coal Co.


He served as a member of the City Council six years from 1894 to 1900, and was also president three years out of this period. He was married November 11, 1890, to Miss Retta Reed. a daughter of Samuel Reed. They have two children: Charles Leslie and Ella Retta. Mr. Turley is a Mason, an Elk, a member of the Sons of Veterans, of the Royal Arcanum, of the Woodmen of America, and the Woodmen of the World. He is a republican.


Albert Richard Turner


was born November 12, 1863, at Union Mills, Ohio. His parents were William and Mary (Daniels) Turner. His boyhood and youth were passed on a farm on the west side of the Scioto river. He attended the district school in winter and received a common school education. He was elected Clerk of Nile township in 1898, and served until 1902. He is a republican and an Odd Fellow. On March 11, 1890, he was married to Catherine Barbee, a daughter of William Barbee. They have three children: William, Leroy and Ethel. Mr. Turner lives two miles below Friendship and has a comfortable home and a large and profitable farm. He has one f the largest apple orchards in southern ,Ohio. Mr. Turner is one of those solid, substantial farmers who tends strictly to his own affairs and by doing so has become one of the most prosperous and respected citizens. He is of large portly build, weighs over two hundred pounds and is possessed of a most equable temper. While he is essentially a man of business, he is a lover of the sports, and in times of leisure he takes a special delight in hunting and in the fox-chase.


Charles W. Turner,


of Sciotoville, Ohio, was born in Piketon, Pike county, Ohio, September 6, 1840. His parents, Nelson Turner and Francis (Hopper) Turner, were married at Scioto furnace, Ohio, in 1836, and moved to Piketon during the following year. His father was an engineer and machinist and erected a blacksmith and machine shop in Piketon, which he conducted successfully. He died in 1843. After several years of widowhood, his mother was married in 1846, to William Sheets. In the spring of 1848, they moved to Randolph, Tennessee, where they were engaged in the hotel business for two years. In 1852. they moved to a plantation on the Mississippi river, where his mother died March 4, 1853.


In the spring of 1854, our subject left the parental roof and went west to near Little Rock, Arkansas, to live with a cousin. He worked on a farm there


1166 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


until the fall of 1860, when he went to see his step-father, who, in the meantime. had moved from Mississippi to a large plantation in Louisiana.


Hostilities between the North and South were at fever heat and he was an out-spoken Northern sympathizer. In the spring of 1861, the Confederates were organizing a company there to go to the front, and were bent upon pressing him into service. He out-witted them and skipped for the North between sun-set and sun-rise June 5, 1861. He intended to go up the river, but when he reached Memphis, he found it blocked at Island Number Ten, and had to change his plans and go by rail to Louisville. Coming up the river, he rode on a boat with the Tiger Bayou Riflemen from Milligan's Bend to Memphis, and to secure safety, he told them he lived in Memphis and would enlist with them upon reaching that port, which he neglected to do. While in the Memphis depot, inquiring the most direct route, he met a young man from Indiana, who had been in Mississippi, and who was trying to get home. As they were both in the same predicament and their efforts to escape were the same, friendship ensued and they became partners. They went to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and on June 10, while on the depot platform at Bowling Green, our subject overheard the officers tell the conductor to stop the train at Camp Zollicoffer, where the train would be searched. He told his partner this, who paid little attention to it. Our subject considered discretion the better part of valor and was also anxious to see the camp, so he was standing on the platform between the cars when the train reached the camp. Officers boarded the train and placed guards at the doors, but they evidently thought he was a member of the crew and did not molest him. He stepped off and sauntered up to the engine and boarded the cab, and thus came on safely. But, his partner, who had remained in the cars, was captured, and he never heard of him again. They had arranged that, if one met with misfortune, the other would notify his folks, and our subject wrote his partner's folks when he reached Missouri.


He reached the Union lines at Louisville, and, crossing the river to Jeffersonville, he drew one long breath, threw his hat into the air, and gave a yell. His plans were then undecided, hut as his two half-sisters were attending school in Hannibal, Missouri, he went to see them. He then went to Rails county, twenty-one miles away. He lived on a farm there until February 22, 1862, when he enlisted in the 31st Missouri State Troops and served until November 30, same year, when they were disbanded, subject to call. Our subject started to Indiana on horseback, but stopped in Iowa where he remained until July 28, 1863. He then went to Indiana, thence to Ohio and Pittsburg to see his mother's relatives. In the fall of 1863, he went to Camp Nelson, Kentucky, where he was employed in the Quartermaster's Department to drive teams. During the winter he operated from Flat Lick to Cumberland Mountain, taking supplies to the forces. In the spring of 1864, he went to Lexington, Kentucky.


Until then, he had been a driver and leader of pack mules in the mountains, but he was promoted to Wagon Master when he reached Lexington. His train started south with five hundred wagons and three hundred ambulances, awl when it reached Decatur, Alabama, he was turned over with 25 wagons and 150 mules to the First Division of the Twenty Third Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. The drivers were sent back and soldiers were detailed to drive and he was retained as Wagon Master. He was with this division until February 16, 1865, was through the Nashville fight, and kept up the supplies from the time the army left Nashville until it was finally shipped from Grange's Landing on the Tennessee river to Louisville. from which place the Division was sent to Washington and our subject, to Lexington. During March, 1865, another train was organized, which started to Little Rock, Arkansas, in April. It went to Louisville and went into camp to await transports, but, on May 20, they were discharged, the war being ended.


He then went to Berlin Cross Roads, Jackson county, Ohio, bought a team and hauled ore to La Trobe Furnace. In the fall of 1865, he took a contract with the Baltimore & Ohio South Western railroad to furnish them cross-ties in Scioto county. He came to this county and boarded at Henry Barrett's in Harrison township. In February, 1866, he came to Sciotoville and contracted with McConnell, Porter & Company to deliver fire-clay to their works.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1167


On October 15, 1868, he was married to Miss Louella Byrn, who died November 15, 1901. They had three children, viz: Arthur M., who is assistant superintendent of Barnhart Brothers' type foundry in Chicago; James P.. who is storekeeper for The Scioto Fire Brick Company; and Ella, who died December 23,1894. On January 1, 1876, he was employed by The Scioto Fire Brick Company as assistant superintendent. On January 1, 1890, he became superintendent, and in September, 1894, he was also made treasurer; and on January 1, 1902, he became president, superintendent and treasurer.


He was reared a Democrat, but shortly after becoming a voter, he became a republican, in which he is firmly grounded. He is not a politician in the popular sense. He never aspired to political honors, although he served his township one term as Trustee in 1877. One of the regrets of his life is that he voted the democratic ticket one time.


Mr. Turner is one of the best specimens of the self-made man. On account of scant school privileges in the South during his boyhood, his education was limited, but by dint of a bright intellect and indomitable perseverance, lie acquired a good, practical education since reaching manhood, and is to-day one of Scioto county's progressive and substantial men.


William Turner


was born in Washington township, Scioto county, Ohio, March 14, 1831. His father's name was Samuel Turner, and his mother's maiden name was Phoebe Wilson, a daughter of John Wilson. There were two boys and two girls in the family: John, William, our subject, Mary and Maria. John died in Portsmouth at the age of seventy-three; Mary, now deceased, married William Holt; Maria is deceased. Our subject attended the common schools. He commenced to work on the farm when he was nine years old, and has been a farmer all his life. In the spring of 1860, he located where he now resides.


He was married February 9, 1860, to Mary Daniels. They had the following children: Frank, Louisa, married Aaron Briggs, Albert, a farmer on the West side; Andrew Barry and Jennie Dunbar, twins. The latter married Christian Blair, a farmer; Lottie died in infancy. His first wife died January 29, 1898, and he married again November 2, 1899 to Mrs. Eldecca Wishon, a daughter of Robert S. Wynn.


He was township Trustee for a number of years. He was County Commissioner from 1876 to 1882. He owns about 500 acres of land along the Ohio river and the Scioto valley. He was a whip before he was a republican, and cast his tirst vote for General Taylor on the Whig ticket. He is an Odd Fellow. Mr. Turner is one of the most reliable citizens of Scioto county. While he was County Commissioner, he made one of the best in the whole succession. When he said "no" it was "no," but he was never arbitrary. He was always open to reason and conviction and took the best course. No man ever possessed better business judgment than he. As an economist, he has been a success. He has made a fair fortune and he knows how to take care of it, though at all times he is a liberal, public-spirited citizen. A dozen words from him as how to make money is worth a whole library from a writer on the subject who has not succeeded in practical life.


James Huston Varner


was born January 1, 1861 at Portsmouth, Ohio, the youngest son of Col. Sampson E. Varner and Maria Louise Huston, his wife. He attended the Portsmouth public schools until 1874, when, at the age of 13, he went into the Kinney National Bank. He remained in the employ of that institution until 1887 when he went to Muscatine, Iowa, as a clerk in the Commercial hotel, kept by his uncle, John W. Varner. From there he went to Kokomo, Ind., and was a clerk for eighteen months in the hotel kept by Joseph C. Gilbert, his uncle. In 1880, he went into the Express office in Portsmouth, Ohio. In the same year, he began as stock boy with Sanford, Varner & Company and continued with their successors, Towel!. McFarland and Sanford, until 1886. In the latter year, Mr. Sanford, our subject, and William H. Varner bought out the old firm and conducted the business in Portsmouth, Ohio, as Sanford, Varner & Company until 1898 when the tirm moved to Cincinnati and succeeded Miller,


1168 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


Vorhees & Company by purchase, since which time they have conducted the business as Sanford, Storrs & Varner. The firm is composed of Angus L. Sanford, John S. Storrs and James H. Varner.


Our subject was married on November 27, 1887 to Ellen Louise Damarin, second daughter of Louis C. Damarin and Mary Ann Peck, his wife. They have four children, Louise Pauline, Mary, James H., and Dorothy.


Mr. Varner was a democrat until 1896 when he became a republican on the money issue. He is a Mason, a member f the Elks, of the Business Men's Club of Cincinnati, of the Avondale Athletic Club and f the Cuvier Club. Mr. Varner is known among his contemporaries and associates as a gentleman of the highest character. His word is always kept with the utmost scrupulousness. In all matters of social life and business he is noted for a broad spirit of liberality.


James Sanford Vaughters


was born in Nile township, near Friendship, July 19, 1852. He is the son of Thomas G. Vaughters and Ara H. (Jennings) Vaughters. His father has a sketch herein. His mother was a daughter of Enos Jennings, who emigrated from Juniata county, Pennsylvania to Muskingum county, Ohio, where she was born April 12, 1832. The Jennings family later moved to near Hamden. Vinton county, Ohio, where at the age of nineteen, she was united in marriage with Thomas G. Vaughters. by the late Hon. H. S. Bundy, who at that time was a local Methodist preacher.


Our subject was very mischievous when a boy and that trait persists in exhibiting itself to this day. In attending the common schools, he was always considered a very apt pupil. He had an especial fondness for geography, spelling and history, mathematics being as dry as chaff to him. He taught the Friendship school four years and was successful in its management. After completing the common schools, he attended the National Normal at Lebanon, Ohio, the Central Ohio Normal at Worthington, Ohio, and at Oberlin, Ohio. Our subject was too young to be in the Civil war, but had three uncles: Ervin, Oren and Sanford Jennings, who were in the service and consequently he has a warm feeling for the old soldiers. He was Assessor of Washington township for two years. This is the only office he ever held, with the exception f being Postmaster at Dennis, Ohio, since September 15, 1893.


He is a republican but an ardent supporter of the "free-silver" theory. He is very independent in his political course and votes for the man rather than the party label. Though not a rich man, he owns a good farm, unincumbered, all under-drained, very productive, and with good improvements. He is a good financier in a small way. He is always liberal and willing to help those in need of help, and has always felt a pleasure in doing so. Mr. Vaughters was Editor of the Piketon (Ohio) Courier in 1879 and 1880. He says he did not accumulate two cents during that time, but had two million dollars worth of fun. He has been correspondent for several city papers before and since. He owns a general store at Dennis, Ohio, and has been conducting it since 1892.


Thomas G. Vaughters, M. D.,


was born in Caroline county, Virginia, in 1823. His father was of English descent but a native of Virginia. His mother Catherine Mason was of Scotch descent, but a native of Philadelphia. His father died when he was quite young and his mother, three brothers and a sister came to Ohio in 1830. They located in Jackson county. From 1834 until 1838 he attended the country schools walking three miles to the school house. He burned pine knots to study by at night. He got beyond his teacher and walked eight miles to another school. 1n 1842, he obtained a teacher's certificate and taught three months in Ohio and Kentucky and then began the study of Anatomy and Physiology. In the fall of 1842, he began the study of medicine with Dr. D. H. Mitchell of Jackson, Ohio. He studied there for three years and then went into the office of Dr., J. M. Keenan in Hamden and read, studied and practiced until 1850. He visited one of his brothers in Scioto county and met Dr. J. W. Dennis, who persuaded him to locate at Friendship, Ohio. In 1851 and 1852 he took a full course of lectures at Louisville, Kentucky. In March, 1872, he obtained the degree of M.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1169


D. from the Ohio Medical College. He was President f the Scioto County Medical Society for two years and after the Hempstead 'Academy of Medicine was organized became one of the Trustees and was its first vice president. He was also a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and held a diploma from it.


He was married May 25, 1851 to Miss Ara B. Jennings, daughter of Enos Jennings of Vinton county. She was a sister of the late Sanford Bundy Jennings. Six children were born to them: James S., Enos J., married Anna Reinhardt, resides at Dennis, Ohio; John E., Alice H., Flora M., married T. J. ',sifter, and Loulie K. the wife of W. L. Baker of Dennis, Ohio. John E. is deceased. Alice H. is married and lives in Wisconsin.


When Doctor Vaughters was about to die he made all arrangements for his funeral and selected his pall bearers. He was the true type of the humanitarian. He wore himself out in the service of others. The editor of this work often said to him, that he deserved one of the highest seats in heaven. The Doctor was a practical Christian. He believed in good works and performed (them himself. He took the part of the good Samaritan every day of his life and acted it out to perfection.


Charles Wesley Veach


was born July 31, 1834, in Nile township, Scioto county, Ohio. His father was William Veach, and his mother was Ruth (Burris) Veach. He received his education in the log houses of Washington and Nile townships. On April 2, 1861 he enlisted in Company D 22 0. V. I. for three months and was mustered out with the Company, August 19, 1861. On October 18, 1861, he was appointed Second Lieutenant and recruited forty men for the service and was assigned to Company D, 56 0. V. I. He was commissioned First Lieutenant February 5, 1862 to rank from November 11, 1861, and was discharged by order of the War Department June 2, 1862 and re-commissioned April 9, 1863 to rank from February 9, 1863. He resigned September 10, 1864.

He resided in Nile township until 1865 in which year he moved to Vinton county, Ohio and lived there until 1867. Receiving an offer of employment from the Quincy Bridge Company, he located in Quincy, 1llinois, leaving there in 1869 for Grundy county, Missouri where he farmed until 1881 when he returned to Scioto county. Here his family suffered severely from the high waiters of 1884 and he decided, in 1886, to go to Kingston, Ross county, where he has resided ever since.


He was married to Mary Ellen, daughter of George W. McKinney of Nile township, on the 28th of June 1863. The day following his marriage he returned to the army. He has six children living: Ruth, wife of Henry Snook, Mary E., Charles Walter, Maggie A., Nellie J., and Maude F. His son William W. was killed at the age of nineteen, by the explosion of a flour mill boiler at Kingston, Ohio.


He is a republican in his political views and has been a member of the Methodist church for twenty-five years. Mr. Veach is a citizen of the highest character and possesses the confidence of all who know him. He is of the strictest integrity and lives up to the golden rule every day. He is a credit to the community in which he dwells and would be a credit to any community. He takes life easy and is simply waiting the final roll call, when he will answer, "ready."


A. King Veazey


was born in Greenup county, Kentucky, November 13, 1857, the son of Joseph W. Veazey and Elizabeth Campbell, his wife. His father was a Mexican soldier and at the opening of the Civil war he was drill master for a long time at Ironton, Ohio. Our subject had two brothers in the Civil war, B. I. and W. W. Veazey. In 1868 his father removed with his family to near Ironton, Ohio. His boyhood and youth were spent at that place where he attended the schools at South Point, Ohio. He taught school in Lawrence county for four years and was a township Clerk for two years from 1890 to 1892. He has always been a republican.


He was married December 21, 1880 to Dollie H. Kennedy, daughter of John and Catherine 0. Kennedy of Wheelersburg, Ohio. They had two chil-


1170 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


dren: Stella K., the wife of Charles Bennett of Portsmouth, Ohio, and Orin L. His wife died April 14, 1891. April 12, 1892 he was married a second time to Emily Storer Honaker, daughter of Doctor Honaker of Pond Run. They have one child, Morris H., age seven. He is a republican and voted first for Charles Foster for Governor. He was a delegate to the State Convention which nominated William McKinley for Governor in 1891.


Henry Vincent


was born in Parish of Stocklaud, Devonshire, England, August 16, 1827. His father was Benjamin Vincent, a farmer, and his mother's maiden name was Tabitha Lane. As a boy he attended a private school in England until he was ten years of age. Then he went to work as a farmer, which he continued until he was sixteen years of age. He then went into the butcher's business as an apprentice and served two years and then worked for his master. Thomas Chamberlain, one year. At the age of twenty-one years he came to the United States.


He left London on the 1st of May, 1849, and came over on the Hendrick Hudson, a sailing vessel. He landed in New York on the 8th of June, 1849. His older brother Benjamin came with him. He went from New York to Albany on a boat and then went on the Erie Canal to Albion, Orleans county, New York, where he worked at his trade for three years. He went to Detroit, Michigan and spent one winter there. He returned to Albion for nine months. He left there in the fall of 1852, and went to Maysville, Ky., and remained one 'winter. He went from Maysville to Louisville, Ky., where he remained a month. He came to Portsmouth, in the spring of 1853. Mr. Vincent came to Portsmouth through the invitation of a Mr. Harrison Bennett, who was in the meat business here. He worked for him three months, and then opened up a business for himself in November, 1853, which he continued until April, 1890.


He was married in Portsmouth, May 8, 1856 to Mary Ann Callow. They have the following children: Ida Callow, wife of David Williams; Mrs. Hattie J. Russell, widow of Charles F. Russell; John H., traveling salesman; B. Frank, secretary of The Portsmouth Steel Works, and Mrs. Mary E. Ames. Mr. Vincent was reared in the Protestant Episcopal church, and is a communicant of the All Saints church and has been a Vestryman. He does not affiliate with any political party. Mr. Vincent was very successful in his years of business and acquired a competency. Since his retirement in 1890, he has lived a life of ease well earned. He admires the institutions of his native country and is the best preserved man of his age in the city of Portsmouth. He could easily pass for twenty-five years younger than his correct age.


Captain. William Harrison Wagner


was born April 6, 1830. His father was Jacob Wagner and his mother was Ann Cane. His grandfather, Peter Wagner, emigrated from Alsace. France, now a part of Germany. HP went to school in Philadelphia until 1814, then he went to Pittsburg and went on the steamboat "Moderator," and followed the river for two years. He then entered the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia and started to learn the machinist's trade. He worked there until 1851, when he went on the Pennsylvania railroad as a fireman from Philadelphia to Columbia. He ran on this road until 1855, and in the meantime, he was engineer on the local freight between Columbia and Philadelphia.


In January. 1855, he went to Indianapolis, Mo. and enlisted in Co. D, 2nd U. S. Cav. He served until January, 1860. Albert Sidney Johnston, afterwards the rebel General who was killed at Shiloh, was Colonel of the regiment. The regiment's service was upon the frontier and against the Indians. Wagner was captured by the Sioux Indians in the spring of 1856, on the 20th of April and was kept two years and eight months captive when he escaped. At the time he was captured, there were forty of his command on a scout and the Indians killed them all except twelve, whom they captured. Of the twelve captured, the Indians tortured eight of them to death, fastening them down and building fires on them. For some reason Wagner pleased the Indians-perhaps his strength had something to do with it, as he was able to take up an 1ndian on each hand and hold them off the ground. While he remained with the


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1171


Indians, he learned to make their medicines. In January, 1860, he was discharged from the service, and from that time until 1861 he was an engineer on the Pennsylvania railroad between Altoona and Harrisburg.


In April. 1861, he enlisted in Co. B., 5th Pennsylvania Infantry for three months service under Captain Miller. In August, 1861, while in the field, he enlisted in the 6th Pennsylvania Co., under Captain Robinson, for three years. The regiment served principally in the Shenandoah valley. While in the three month's service, he was in the first battle of Bull Run and in the three year's service, he was in the second battle of Bull Run. He was at the battles of Culpeper, Spottsylvania, Antietam, Kelley's Ford, Gettysburg, Brandy Station and Port Republic. He took part in twenty-six engagements, all told, and was wounded seven times. At the second battle of Bull Run, he was wounded in the side by a saber. He had a second saber wound on his hip and five gun-shot wounds. He was discharged on account of these wounds on October 14, 1864, and went to Huntington, Pennsylvania, to reside.


He became a railroad engineer again between Altoona and Harrisburg. Afterwards, during the war, he was a captain in the State Militia for a short time and was called out for State duty. He was engaged as a railroad engineer from 1864 to 1879. He then came on the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad and acted as locomotive engineer until 1884. During this time he resided at Huntington, West Virginia. In 1884, he went to Cuba and was Master Mechanic on the Cuba Central Railroad. He remained there until the "Maine" blew up in 1898, when he returned to this country, and located at Charleston, West Virginia. He remained there a short time and then went to Huntington and resided there until 1899. On the 1st day of August, 1899, he removed to Portsmouth. He is engaged in the manufacture f all kinds of herb medicines which he learned to compound while a captive among the Indians.


He was married in 1860 to Sarah Pheasant. She was from Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. They have one son, Harry, who is Colonel of the Second United States Infantry of the Regular Army, stationed in China. His wife died in 1870.


Mr. Wagner is as straight as an Indian and has good health. He is 72 years old but looks to be 40. He is a member of the G. A. R. at Huntington, West Virginia, a Mason, Knight of Pythias and a Knight of the Golden Eagle. If any man has seen more ups and downs in going around in this world, we would like to have his acquaintance. Captain Wagner has black hair and a black mustache. Considering the hardships of eight years service in the army, he is the best preserved man mentioned in this work. He is as active and energetic as a young man in his business. He receives a pension but it is for his seven wounds and not for any physical infirmities.


Gilbert David Wait


was born October 15, 1841, at Portsmouth, Ohio. His father was John Heaton Wait, and his mother's maiden name was Melvina D. Sikes, daughter of Levi Sikes. He attended the Portsmouth public schools and was in the High School two years, until 1857, when he went into business with his father in the manufacture of furniture. He was a clerk for his father.

He enlisted in Company A, 30th 0. V. I., on August 14, 1861, and served until August 29, 1864. He was, in that period, in all the battles in which the regiment participated. He was made Fifth Sergeant for bravery, and was afterwards promoted to First Sergeant. In December, 1864, he gave up the position as First Sergeant and was detailed as clerk for Judge Advocate at Division Headquarters under General Morgan L. Smith, remaining there until the close of his service.

After his return from the army, he went to Cincinnati and was employed in a photographic stock house until 1866, when he came to Portsmouth and went in with his father as J. H. Wait & Son, which continued in the manufacture of furniture until 1884, when his father retired, and he took entire charge of the business. In 1885, the Wait Cabinet Works was formed, of which he was a proprietor. In 1895, She business was merged into a stock company, known as the Wait Furniture Company, and has been such ever since. He has been president of the company most of the time, and superintendent all of the


1172 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


time, All of his life, but six years, he has been in the city f Portsmouth.

He was married first to Miss Kate Wetherbee, f Minnesota. There is one daughter f this marriage, Bertha. Mrs. Wait died February 28, 1878. He was married the second time to Miss Sallie J. Dillon, daughter of Rev. J. W. Dillon, February 23, 1882. Their children are: Helen M., Catharine D., and Gilbert D. He is a member of the Bigelow M. E. church, and is a republican in his political views.


Clarence Dayton Walden


was born at Harrison Mills about three miles southeast of Harrisonville, Ohio, December 30, 1870. His father Charles Walden enlisted as a private in Company A, 39th 0. V. I., July 16, 1861 and was discharged July 9, 1865. His grandfather, Richard Walden, was in Captain Hamilton's Company, Company D, 1st 0. V. I. in the Mexican War. He enlisted June 1, 1846 at the age of 32 and was discharged June 14, 1847. His mother's maiden name was Harriet Ellen Colegrove, daughter of Peleg Colegrove. His boyhood and youth were spent on the farm where he attended the district school in winter. His father removed to Portsmouth where he had a general store. He remained two years and in 1884 removed to Sciotoville where our subject completed his education in the Sciotoville schools. He spent three and a half years as teacher in the grammar school and five and a half years as teacher in the High School of Sciotoville. He began teaching in 1891 and is at present teaching in the High School at Lucasville. He was appointed County School Examiner in September, 1899. He is a republican and a member of the Wheelersburg Masonic Lodge and also a member of the Sciotoville Knights of Pythias Lodge.

He was married February 27, 1892, to Sarah Purdy, daughter of Jesse Purdy of Sciotoville. They

have one daughter, Helen Elnora.


Mr. Walden is a self-made man and has reason to be proud of what he has accomplished. He possesses all of the cardinal virtues and illustrates and honors them in life. He is a diligent and faithful student and a proficient scholar for his years. He has attained the highest success as a teacher. He holds a State High School Life Certificate.


William Seymour Walker


was born in Buffalo, New York, March 18, 1861. His father was David Walker, and his mother was Sarah E. Tyler. They had two children, our subject and a daughter. William attended school in Buffalo between six and eight years. and at the latter age, his father, who was a contractor on public works, moved to Chicago, Illinois. The family remained there until after the great fire in 1871 when they moved to Milwaukee. There William went to school till 1878 when he spent one year in preparing for Brown University at Providence, Rhode Island, but instead of going, went into business. From 1879 to 1887, he was an assistant book-keeper in a hardware house, at Milwaukee.


In 1881 he began to travel for an ink company and among other places visited Portsmouth, Ohio. He was pleased with the place and in 1887, he located there and went into the employment of the Veneer Works then opened by Goldsmith & Rapp. He has remained in Portsmouth and has been connected with that business ever since. He is now the secretary, treasurer, and general manager and has been such since 1900.


He was married August 14, 1889, to Miss Effie Petrie, daughter f James Petrie, a Scotchman, who is now the postmaster at Jasper, Ohio. She is a great-granddaughter f Major Joseph Ashton, a soldier of the Revolution, who has a sketch herein. Mr. and Mrs. Walker have two sons, Paul and Harold Holcomb. Mr. Walker is a Mason and a Modern Woodman. He has already placed himself in the front rank of Portsmouth's business men. He has deserved success and has obtained it. He possesses all of those qualities which are admired and prized by those who value success. He has accomplished much in his chosen business career and bids fair to make a record as one of the most valued men of the city.


Charles Clement Waller


was born February 24, 1869, at Lancaster, Ohio. His father was Henry Woodrow Waller, a native of Guernsey county, Ohio, near Cambridge. His mother



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1173


was Minerva M. Graybill. He was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools of Lancaster and afterwards learned the stone business in a quarry operated by his father near Lancaster. With his brothers he came to Rarden in 1895 and became a stockholder in the Rarden Stone Company, organized and incorporated at that time. Since that time he has superintended and managed the operation of its quarry. He is a democrat, but votes for the man as often as for the party. He is a member of the English Lutheran Church at Lancaster, Ohio. He was married October 12, 1893, to Gertrude Schweikert, daughter of Henry C. and Catherine Burke Schweikert of Lancaster, Ohio. Their children are Ora Concorda, age eight, and Gladys Catherine, age five.


Clark William Waller


son of Henry Woodrow Waller and Minerva M. (Graybill) Waller, was born at Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio, January 25, 1875. His father was raised near Cambridge, Guernsey county, Ohio. His mother was a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Pence) Graybill. His father enlisted in Company F, 9th 0. V. C., August 27, 1863, for three years, and was mustered out with the company July 20, 1865.


Our subject was raised on a farm adjoining Lancaster, attended the public schools and was afterwards employed at a stone quarry operated by his father near Lancaster. He came to Harden June 15, 1895, and became engaged In the stone business with his brothers Frank M. and Charles C. L. Taylor and others under the name of the Rarden Stone Company, Incorporated. He is a stockholder in the company and is a foreman in the quarry. He is a Democrat and a member of the Improved Order of Red Men, Tribe No. 159, and also of the Knights of Pythias, Lodge No. 203, at Peebles, Ohio. He was elected a member of the Rarden council in 1892. He was married October 1, 1896, to Iva Wamsley, daughter of Harvey and Sarah Wamsley, of Rarden. His children are Mildred and Paul.


Francis Marion Waller


was born September, 5, 1872, at Lancaster, Ohio. His father was Henry Woodward Waller and his mother's name was Minerva M. Graybill. His parents had three sons and one daughter. He received his education in the common schools at Lancaster until nineteen years f age, then he attended Zanesville Business College, at Zanesville, Ohio. He left there in April, 1893, and returned to Lancaster and engaged in work at his father's stone quarry with his other brothers. He remained here until June, 1895. They were handling sandstone for masonry work. They then concluded to change their business to Harden, Ohio, and have been engaged there ever since. An advertisement of Scioto County stone in a stone journal had called their attention to this locality, and Charles C. came to Harden to investigate the situation, and the result was that all three located there.


Our subject was married December 28, 1897, to Noline Abbott. She died August 14, 1898. Mr. Waller attends to all the shipping of the Rarden Stone Company, and is secretary of the company. He is a member of the Red Men and Knights of Pythias. He is a republican in his political views, and a member of the English Lutheran church, of Lancaster, Ohio.


George Walsh


was born September 12, 1876, in Scioto county, Ohio. His father was Edmond Walsh. and his mother's maiden name was Margaret O'Brien. They were from county Clare, Ireland, and came to the United States in 1848. Their children were: James R., Bridget, married Wm. Guthrie, deceased; John C., clerk in his brother's store; George, our subject; and Edward K. Our subject attended school at McCulloch, and at the age of twenty-two went west to Menominee, Michigan. After remaining at Menominee furnace, for two years in the Northern Peninsula, he came back to Scioto county, and later went to Pullman, Illinois, and was a brickmaker for six months. Then he went to Indiana and railroaded six months. In 1884 he was a turnpike contractor of Ross county with James R. and John C. Walsh,


1174 - HISTORY OF' SCIOTO COUNTY.


He was married May 12, 1886 to Miss Mary Finn, daughter of John Finn. They have the following children living and deceased: Edmond James, Maggie, Annie, Marie, deceased at two years, two months, and Helen. He began the liquor business at Otway February 1, 1886, and has been in it ever since. He is a member of St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic church at McCulloch. He is a democrat in his political views. Mr. Walsh is a farmer and owns the Albert Dear farm and the Joseph Kelly and the Banks farms in the horse shoe bend in Brush Creek. Mr. Walsh devotes almost all of his attention to farming. He is regarded by his neighbors as an upright and honorable man, who will stand up to every agreement or pledge he makes, and is well liked by those who know him best. He is liberal in all public matters and regarded as a good citizen and a valuable factor in the community.


William Henry Ware


was born in Piketon, Ohio, Feb. 10, 1830. His father, Daniel Ware, was a native of Virginia. and his motherls maiden name was Maria Dunham. Our subject was one of a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters. He attended the public school in Piketon, and at the age of eighteen, he clerked in the store of Ross, Dunham & Co., at Piketon. On Oct. 20, 1852, he came to Portsmouth, on the old stage line conducted by Hawks of Circleville. At that time the stage left at five or six in the evening and arrived in Portsmouth about 10 P. M. On the next day after his arrival he went to work for R. Bell & Co., as a salesman. He remained an employee until February, 1856, when he became a partner in the business. He remained as a partner until 1875, when the firm closed out. Our subject has not been in any regular business since.

He was married on October 12, 1853, to Martha Ann Lancaster of Piketon, 0. His children are: Mrs. Anna, wife of John E. Mick of Chillicothe, 0.; Ida, wife of Frank H. Davis, of Portsmouth; William H., traveling salesman for the Excelsior Shoe Company of Portsmouth; Lucy, unmarried; Harry L.. a salesman for the Excelsior Shoe Company; Francis J., died at the age of two years. He has always been a republican. Since 1875 he has lived a retired life, taking the world easy.


Charles Morton Very Warrener


was born in London, England, March 16, 1850. His father was John Metham Warrener, a contractor. His mother's maiden name was Martha Very, daughter of Judge Very. There were five sons and two daughters in the family. Our subject was the third child and the second son. He was brought up in London, England, until he was twenty-two years of age. He attended school in London and received a thorough academical education. He studied veterinary surgery at a school in Westborne, London, England, for four years and graduated in 1871. The same year he came to the United States and located on a farm in Athens county, with an uncle, and remained there five years. He then went to Chester Hill, Morgan county, Ohio, and became a stock dealer and was in that business until 1890 when he went to Gallipolis and took up veterinary surgery. In 1898, he came to Portsmouth and has been here ever since. He has a hospital at 21 west Eighth street. He was married in 1873 to Pharaby Adeline Beasley, daughter of Isaac Beasley, of Athens county. He has three children: his son Arthur B. is a Veterinary Surgeon, in partnership with his father; his daughter Jennie married Otto Lasley of Marietta, 0., and his daughter Martha married W. K. Merriman of Gallipolis. His wife died November 12, 1902. He is a republican, a Knight of Pythias, and a member of Aurora Lodge F. & A. M.


Beverly Green Warwick


was born December 25, 1805 in Nelson county, Virginia. He was the son of Nelson Reed Warwick who was born April 6, 1784 in Nelson county, Virginia. He moved from Virginia in 1838 to Chillicothe, Ohio, where he died of flux October 5, 1843. He united with the M. E. church when 19 years old at Nelson C. H., Virginia. He had a good common school education, was a great reader and a good public speaker. He taught school at Bethel church, Nelson county,


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1175


Virginia, in 1826. In 1827, he came to Augusta county, Virginia and taught school three years near Waynesboro, Virginia, and began. the study of medicine with Doctor Abraham Wayland. On September 19, 1833 he was married to Mary Fisher, daughter of Anthony Fisher of Churchville, Virginia. He then moved to Staunton, Virginia, where he taught school four years and continued to study medicine under Doctor T. Reynolds. In 1837, he attended medical lectures at the Ohio Medical College, Cincinnati, Ohio.


In 1838, he began the practice of medicine at Deerfield, Augusta county, Virginia. In 1839, he moved to Middlebrook, Virginia, and continued the practice of medicine until 1856 when he left Middlebrook and moved with his family to Cincinnati, Ohio. He then attended the Miami Medical College and graduated in March, 1857. In the winter of 1857-8 he attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College and received a diploma from the Ohio College.


In 1850, he was licensed to preach as a local preacher in the Methodist church. In 1857, he was ordained Deacon by Bishop Morris. April 1, 1858, he left Cincinnati and moved to Portsmoutlh, Ohio. In 1859, he moved to Lucasville. where he practiced medicine for five years. Having poor health he gave up practice and engaged in the drug business and kept a general store. He died June 14, 1880, at Lucasville, Ohio, aged 74 years, 5 months and 14 days. His widow survived him many years and died February 1, 1902, aged 91 years, 11 months and 15 days. His children were: Mrs. Annie Anderson, Maggie Thomas and Dr. John B. Warwick of Lucasville, Ohio. Three sons, Newton, Frank and James are dead. Doctor Beverly Green Warwick was a just man, a good Christian and a model citizen.


John Beverly Warwick, M. D.,


was born at Staunton, Augusta county. Va., July 5, 1834. His father's name was Beverly Green Warwick„ and his motherls maiden name was Mary Fisher. He remained in Staunton, Va., until he was two years old, and then moved to Deerfield, Augusta county, Va., where he remained two years, and then moved to Middlebrook, Va. His father was a physician. He attended school in Virginia, until he was twenty years old. He then taught school in Virginia for two years. He left Virginia in 1856. and went to Cincinnati, where he studied medicine. He graduated from the Medical College of Ohio in 1858. He then came to Portsmouth in 1858 and practiced medicine here until 1859, when he located in Lucasville, and has been there ever since.


He entered the 91st 0. V. I. as Assistant Surgeon August 19, 1862; for three years. He was promoted to Surgeon, May 23, 1863, and was mustered out with the regiment June 24, 1865. He was appointed Pension Examining Surgeon under Harrison's administration. and served from 1889 to 1893, and was reappointed in 1897. He was married February 14, 1860, to Sarah Belknap Moulton, daughter of Norman Moulton. They have the following children: Mollie E.. wife of Judge John C. Milner; Maggie A., wife of John A. Long, residing at Streator, Ill., Charles A., a physician at Lucasville, in partnership with his father; Norman Beverly, residing at Denver, Col.; Miss Lou, and Frank, a dentist in Columbus. Mr. Warwick is a Royal Arch Mason.


For forty-three years the Doctor has practiced medicine in Lucasville and vicinity and the wonder is that he is not broken down. There was never .a night so dark, a road so long, a rain so hard, or a north wind with sleet and snow so fierce, but what on the call of a patient he would turn out, for the humblest as well as the most influential. He is of a cheery, hopeful disposition and has a hearty handshake which is as good as an electric treatment. He is always, apparently, in a pleasant humor. He is of a sympathetic nature, and encourages his patients to hope for the best. In all the circle of his acquaintances he has bound the hearts of all who know him and have met him to himself, as if by bands of steel. The Doctor could pose as a good patriot, if he could pose at all, for he is one of the right stamp. His love of country carried him into the army and gave it three of the best years of his life. He is prominent in Grand Army circles, and there is never too much he can do for an old comrade. The men of his own regiment, the 91st 0. V. I. look to him as children to a father, and the happiest moments of his life are those spent in reunions and the camp-fires of his old comrades in arms. As a


1176 - HISTORY OP COUNTY


citizen, he never shirks from his duties or responsibilities. His influence is always for the best interest of those about him whether in religion, politics or learning. He has the courage of his convictions. In politics, he is a stalwart republican.


Newton Reed Warwick


was born in Augusta county, Virginia, May 29, 1845, and died in Cincinnati, Ohio, February 10, 1898, being 52 years, 8 months and 13 days old. The cause of his death was some form of brain trouble, which had resulted in paralysis. His father was Dr. Beverly Green Warwick and his mother was Mary (Fisher) Warwick. In 1853, on account of his decided views upon slavery, Doctor Warwick moved with his family from the old Virginia home, to Ohio, settling first at Cincinnati, and then in a year or two afterwards, moving to Lucasville, Scioto county. There Newton lived when the war began, and there he volunteered as a private in the 91st 0. V. I., and was mustered into the service with the regiment September 7, 1862. In October following he was appointed Commissary Sergeant of the regiment, which Position he held until July 6, 1864, when he was promoted to Second Lieutenant and so continued in faithful service till the close of the war, June 25, 1865, participating in all the arduous duties and struggles of his regiment.


He was married to Adelaide Brown, a native of Kentucky, at Lucasville, Ohio, March 22, 1866. Of this happy union there were six children. Two died in infancy. Mary, a teacher in the Cincinnati .public schools, died in 1901., aged 34; Beverly G., died in 1894, aged 24, while living in Chicago as Passenger Agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad; Walter W. and Frank B. are now (1903) living in Cincinnati, practicing law. The widow of our subject also lives in Cincinnati. When the war was over he went into the mercantile business at Lucasville, where he was postmaster from 1865 to 1869. In 1869 he removed to Portsmouth and in 1871 to Council Grove, Kansas, where he carried on a general store until 1874, when he sold out and returned to Ohio, settling in Cincinnati, and accepting the agency of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad.


About 1878 he became agent of the Iron Mountain Route, and represented that line and the Missouri Pacific for twenty years till his death. In this capacity he was well known and most cordially esteemed. He was elected President of the International Association of Traveling Passenger Agents at Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1886. He never held any public office except that of postmaster at Lucasville. He was a member of the Ohio Commandery of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion; of the Grand Army of the Republic; of the Masonic Lodge and Chapter; also a member of the Knights of Pythias; and of the Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias, and of the Elks.


He was a fine railroad man, and conducted his business in such a genial, intelligent, straight-forward manner as to make his service highly efficient. He possessed such a cheerful disposition that his presence was a glow of sunshine, and he carried with him such a hearty good will that it was a joy to meet him. Lieutenant Warwick was a popular soldier. He was highly regarded by every member of his regiment. He was a boyish and handsome fellow, but exhibited at all times strong manly traits of character. Uncomplaining and faithful he was always honored by conscientious performance of whatever duty was imposed upon him. His life was honorable. He was one of the most zealous Grand Army and Loyal Legion men. He loved the memories of the war. He was a familiar figure at camp fires and re-unions. Patriotic reminiscences were delightful to his heart. His life was full of sunshine, of gentle words and kindly deeds.


George Henderson Watkins


was born October 17, 1858, at Piketon, Ohio. His father was John H. Watkins, and his mother's maiden name was Sophia Murphy, one of five brothers and two sisters. His father kept a ferry at Piketon, Ohio, for a long time. He was a private in the army and died in the service. He also had a brother who died in the Civil war. When our subject was six months old his parents moved to Zanesville, and resided there until he was nine years old. He at-


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1177


tended school while at Zanesville. His father died when he was a child, his mother remarried to Benjamin Lewis, and the family moved on a farm just north of Waverly, and resided there four years. At thirteen years of age, our subject went to Bear Creek, and engaged in the mercantile business as a clerk for Lowman & Allison. He remained with Lowman on Bear Creek until he was twenty years of age, when he opened a store at Clifford, Ohio, for Mr. Lowman and remained there from 1878 until 1886. In the latter year he removed to Wakefield, and there a store was opened under the firm name of Lowman & Watkins. In 1900 he bought out Mr. Lowman, and has been carrying on the store ever since. August 1, 1901, he located his office at Columbus, in the Wyandotte Building. He is a railroad-tie contractor, purchasing ties for several of the railroads. He maintains his residence at Wakefield. He was appointed Superintendent of the Ohio Canal in February, 1898, and holds the office yet.


He was married in January, 1879 to Lilly I. Glaze, daughter of Josiah Glaze. They have three children: Frank L., a physician at Portsmouth; Lou M., a daughter at home, and Nelson M., a son at home.


He has always been a republican, and is a Blue Lodge Mason. His chief characteristics are his sturdy honesty, liberality, progressiveness and loyalty to his friends. He despises hypocrisy and deceit in every form. During a long and eminently successful business career his word has always been regarded as good as his bond, and he has had the confidence and respect of those with whom his business has brought him into contact. While a very earnest political worker, he never permits his political affiliations or prejudice to interfere in his social intercourse with his friends, who are to be found in all parties. Mr. Watkins is regarded as a public spirited citizen. He is always identified with everything that tends to advance or better the condition of his community.


Thomas William Watkins


was born in Clinton, Illinois, October 18, 1857. His father was John C. Watkins, and his mother Ellen LaForgey. His father was a native of Portsmouth. His grandfather, Thomas Watkins, was one of the first settlers in Portsmouth. Thomas left Clinton, Illinois, when a babe and came to Portsmouth. He attended the Portsmouth schools until 1874, and then began to learn the plumbing business with Jones & Burt. He went to Cincinnati and worked at his /trade there until 1878. He then came back to Portsmouth, in 1878, and 'started in business for himself, in 1880, and has been in it ever since. He is located at the southwest corner of Third and Washington streets, and has been there for ten years. He resides at 320, Jackson street, in the Thomas W. Carrie property. He was married in 1872, in Scioto county, to Sarah Stockham, daughter of Aaron Stockham. He has six children: Lettie, Charles, Judith, Thomas A., Harold Wayne, and Sarah. He is a republican. He was at one time •Superintendent of the Water Works, and is a member of the Royal Arcanum and Knights of Pythias. He understands his business thoroughly and devotes himself to it.


David Louis Webb


was born March 12, 1842, in Adams county, Ohio. His father was John Webb, and his motherls maiden name was Eliza Lewis. His grandfather, William Webb, was from Germany. His mother was born and reared in Scioto county. What schooling he received was obtained by attending school two years after he was fifteen years of age. His father moved into Scioto county, when he was fourteen years of age, and he has lived in the county ever since. He began life at sixteen years of age by peeling bark and hauling logs. At twenty-one he went to work for himself in Coan & Smith's saw-mill and has been in the lumber business ever since. He was with Coan & Smith three years, with Thomas G. Adamson nine years, eight of which he was foreman. On March 25, 1872, he went into partnership with Henry H. Cuppett in the lumbering business, under the firm name of Cuppett & Webb. This partnership continued for twenty-eight years, when Cuppett sold out to Webb, and the latter continued the business. The partnership was dissolved by mutual consent, Mr. Cuppett wishing to retire to his farm on Turkey creek.


1178 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


When they began business they operated on Turkey creek, and kept the lumber yard in Portsmouth. Our subject moved to Portsmouth in 1885 and started a saw-mill, keeping one on Turkey creek at the same time. The firm established a planing mill on Front street in 1894, and dispensed with the sawmill in the city. The planing mill was destroyed by fire June 23, 1898, loss estimated at $13,000. September 2, 1898, their saw mill on Turkey creek was destroyed by fire, loss $3,000, with no insurance on either except $1,500. They leased the Portsmouth Planing Mill on Gallia and Campbell Avenue, June 30, 1898, and operated it until December 4, 1901. Mr. Webb who had succeeded Cuppett & Webb in 1900, purchased the mill outright. The firm never failed, although a number of their debtors have failed on them for large sums.


He has been a member of the Christian Church since 1868, and is now a member of the church at Third and Gay streets. He has always been a republican. He was a school director for some time in Nile township, and was elected president of the City Water Works Board in 1900.


He was married December 17, 1867 to Sophia Holt, daughter of David and Jerusha Holt of Nile township. They have five children, four sons and one daughter. His daughter is the wife of Frank Hacquard. His sons are David L., John Thomas, Charles Elden and Henry Harrison. All except Charles are with him in the business. David L., is his book-keeper and John Thomas is foreman in the mill. Henry is assistant book-keeper and collector. 'Charles is a salesman for Ben Davis in the clothing business. Mr. Webb is an Odd Fellow of uniform rank. He is an honest man, if one ever lived. He would lose every dollar he had and go to the poor-house rather than do anything he deemed dishonest or dishonorable. He has been through tires and disasters, but like Job he has always maintained his integrity.


John Frederick Weghorst


was born at Jackson C. H., Ohio, March 23, 1851. He is a son of Frederick Louis and Dora (Caden) Weghorst. His father is a native of Prussia. His mother was a native of Schindberg, Hanover. Our subject had eight brothers and two sisters. Seven of his brothers and both of his sisters are living. His parents moved to Portland when he was two years of age and to Monroe Furnace two years afterwards. After two years residence there they moved to Boone Furnace, Ky., where they lived until 1859. From there they went to Cincinnati, and in 1862 they came to Buena Vista. At the age of twenty-one he went to work for himself as a saw-setter in the stone saw-mill at Buena Vista: and continued to work here until 1876, when he became a driver for the Buena Vista Freestone Co. and he has hauled sand and stone for the company ever since. He was married December 30, 1872, to Anna Margaret Dorn of Buena Vista. He had eleven children: Lena, the wife of William Roth of Buena Vista; William, resides in Pittsburg, Pa., foreman of the Homestead Bridge Works; Sadie, wife of Henry Roth of Buena Vista; Frederick, Hattie, Albert, Etta, Mabel, Carrie, Anna, deceased, and Rufford. He is a republican, a member of the German Presbyterian church and of the Odd Fellows.


Charles Elijah Welch


was born January 5, 1860, in Portsmouth. His father was William Welch and his motherls maiden name was Susan E. Jones. He was reared in the city of Portsmouth, and attended its school until he was thirteen years of age when the family circumstances were such that he went to work. He was engaged in Johnson & Road's hub factory for six years, and worked for the United States Express Company for two years. For eight years he was in the confectionery business with his brother, Ed Welch. In 1890, he started a retail grocery at the corner of Third and Chillicothe, and was there ten years. He then located on the southwest corner of Sixth and Washington streets for one year and for another year on East Fifth street. On January 1, 1902 he opened a retail grocery at 28 Gallia street which he is conducting.


He was married in 1890 to Minnie C. Patton and has had four children. The eldest, Letha is deceased. The surviving children are: Walter, aged eight; Bernice, aged five; and Pauline, aged two. He is a member of the Christian church, of the Knights of Pythias, and of the Royal Arcanum, and


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1179


Modern Woodmen. He is one of the live, active, progressive, young business men of the city and has a business of which he is justly proud. The Phoenix arose from its ashes, but he had none to rise from. Everything he is and has is due to his own exertions.


George W. Wells


was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, March 12, 1876. His father was Samuel Williams and his mother's maiden name was Martha Clare. At the age of ten years, he was adopted by Richard H. Wells and his wife of Flat, Ohio. He went to school at Flat till he was twenty years of age, and in the year 1894, he attended school, one year, at the Illinois State University at Champaign, Illinois. At the age of twenty, on May 8, 1894, he enlisted in Company G, 22 United States Infantry. He served three years. After he had been in the service three months, he was made a Corporal. In another seven months he Was made Second Sergeant and directly afterwards was made First Sergeant. He was in the service two years at Fort Kehoe, Montana, and in Nebraska. He was discharged May, 1897, at Portsmouth, Ohio, while on a furlough. He then went to clerking for J. J. Brushart, and was with him eighteen months. In the year 1899, he engaged in the insurance business, and has been in that ever since. His employment is with the National Protective Society in Detroit. He is district agent for ten counties and an adjuster. His office is at Jackson, Ohio. He is a republican, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a Knight of Pythias.


Napoleon Bonaparte West


was born September 13 1846, in Highland county, Ohio. His mother’s maiden name was Hannah Amanda Crawford and his father's name was Isaac Newton West. His father and mother were married in West Union, September 28, 1845. His father was born in Highland county, Ohio. His grandfather, James West, was from Virginia. His father died in Buford, Highland county, In 1852, of that "Fell Destroyer," consumption, leaving his mother with him and a sister, Josephine, born in 1848. His mother took her two children and went to the home of her mother, Mrs. Daniel Matheny, in West Union. Here she fell a victim of the same disease in 1854. James McClanahan was appointed guardian of the two children and he placed them with Thomas Reighley of North Liberty, who reared them.


Our subject enlisted in Company G, 129th 0. V. I., July 14, 1863, and served in that regiment until March 8, 1864. He re-enlisted in Company H, 173rd 0. V. I., August 31, 1864, and served until June 26, 1865. At the date of his first enlistment, he was of the right age to make a good soldier and did make an excellent one. He knew what was most important to a soldier—he knew how to take care of himself—and for that quality he survived the service to this day. After his return from the army, he removed to Peoria, Illinois, where he resided until 1868, when he went to Manchester and resided there until 1871.


December 31, 1870, he was united in marriage to Louisa A. Little, sister of Capt. W. W. Little, at Manchester. He removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, in March, 1871, where he has since resided. He worked for his brother-in-law, Capt. Little, until 1877, when he went into the Burgess Mill and worked there until 1886, when he went to draying and carting. In politics, he has always been a republican. He has had five children: James P. and Claude, electricians: Anna, George and William. His son Otto died in the Regular Army, a member of the Sixth Infantry.


He prides himself on his honesty and fair dealings and is highly respected by all his acquaintances. He belongs to no organization but the Grand Army. His wife died suddenly on December 7, 1888. He tries to do his part according to the best of his information and ability, and when death calls him, he will have no regrets.


William Harrison Wheeler


was born at Wheelersburg, Ohio, February 14, 1841. His father was Isaac Hastings Wheeler, grandson of Luther and great-grandson of Nathan Wheeler,


1180 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


the Revolutionary soldier. His mother’s maiden name was Sarah Burt. His boyhood and youth were spent at Wheelersburg where he received a common school education and worked on the farm. He lived in Wheelersburg until 1861. He enlisted in Company E, 33d 0. V. I., September 3, 1861, for three years and was mustered out October 17, 1864. After his return from the army, he began public contracting. He did turnpike work from 1868 until 1871. He built the turnpike from Harrisonville to Sciotoville. He was employed for ten years or more in contract work, bridge masonry in this county. For five years or more, he did contract work in Marion and Clark counties, Ohio. Until about three years before his death, he was engaged in dredging in Illinois and Iowa. After leaving Wheelersburg he lived in Harrisonville until 1873, then he removed to Bonserls Run near Sciotoville and then removed to Sciotoville.


He was married January 21, 1865 to Miss Rhoda Ann Taylor, daughter of James Taylor of Harrison township. They had four children: Nettie Urana; Ida Florence, the wife of G. Frank Friel of Ashland, Kentucky; George Franklin of America, Ohio; Lillian Caroline, wife of James H. Finney of Portsmouth, Ohio.


Mr. Wheeler died November 17, 1896. He was a very strong republican but never held any public office. He was one of the most generous men who ever lived. He endeared himself to his frieuds and could not do too much for them. He was the soul of honor. His army, service destroyed his health and in reality he gave his life to his country. He was as true a patriot as ever lived as much so as his great-grandfather, Nathan Wheeler, who gave seven years service to his country.


Daniel White


was born October 4, 1842, on Little Scioto, Harrison township. His father was Osborne White and his mother Maria Chamberlin, daughter of Anson Chamberlin. His grandfather, Daniel White was born in Vermont and his great-grandfather Abel White was also a native of Vermont. His grandmother was Sarah Osborne from Kentucky. He had two brothers and one sister. His brother. Anson White lives at Cambridge, Iowa, the other brother, Abraham, lives in Texas. His sister, Mrs. Sarah Cooper, the wife of Ezekiel Cooper, lives in Clay Center, Kansas. Daniel White's father owned a farm on Dogwood Ridge where James Cranston now lives.


When our subject was five years old, his father and mother died of fever, within five days of each other. His grandfather then took him to raise. When he was ten years of age he came to Portsmouth and was apprenticed to the jewelry business with If E. Brown. When he was twelve years of age he was apprenticed to John Clugsten. At that time the craft made all kinds of jewelry and did repairing of all kinds. When he was nineteen years of age. Mr. Clugsten sold out to Abraham Coriell and Daniel White worked for him about eight months. Then he started a store of his own in Wheelersburg and kept it for two months when he took the gold fever and went to Pike's Peak with Eli McLean, William McKinney, John McKinney, Joseph Rogers, Harvey Patton and some others. He was gone eighteen months, but did not return with the gold pieces. When he was in Denver, every other lot was given away and he now wishes he had remained and made his fortune.


When he came back he went to working for Abraham Coriell and was with him for a few months. He then went into partnership with S. S. Doyle in the cooper business at Wilson's Bottom, Kentucky, below Manchester, Ohio. The war came on and the Home Guards robbed and destroyed their business. He then went to Sciotoville and started in the dry goods and grocery business and was there for four months and then went to clerking for Luther Marshall, at Powellsville for two months. Then he came to Portsmouth and started in the confectionery business. He then went into business with Elijah Noel until 1868 when he bought out Noel and conducted it alone. In 1872 he sold out the confectionery business to William E. Hancock and bought out Abraham Coriell and went into the jewelry business with Frank Coriell as Coriell & White. 1n 1886 he bought out Frank Coriell and since then has conducted the business alone. Since 1890 he has been conducting the business at 74 West Second street.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1181


March 1, 1866 he was married to Eliza Noel. There was one son of that marriage, Frank, in the business with his father. Our subject's wife died in 1868 and he was married again in 1870 to Belle Wilhelm. They have one child, Abraham aged thirty-two. Daniel White is a member of Bigelow M. E. church. He is not a member of any secret orders. He is a good business man, cheerful and agreeable to all, and aims to make the best of everything of this life, as the best preparation for the life to come.


George Washington White


was born January 16, 1856, in Scioto county, on the Little Scioto. His father's name was Nelson White, and his mother's maiden name was Eliza Wilson, daughter of James Wilson. His paternal grandfather was John White. Our subject received a common school education. He has always been a farmer and a contractor. He began business for himself in 1876, as a contractor and farmer. He is a contractor on road work in this county and other counties in the State, building turnpikes and bridge work. In 1887, he went to Montana for one year and engaged in the timber business.


He was married March 9, 1876 to Sarah Neary, daughter of Mathew Neary and a sister of Green Neary, the County Commissioner. They have the following children: Franklin W., married and resides at Harrisonville, is engaged as a painter; Hattie Agnes, at home. Mr. White is a republican in his political views. He is regarded as a useful and valuable citizen. He is highly esteemed by his neighbors. He is in favor of public improvements and progress and is a gentleman whom it is always a pleasure to meet.


Horace White


was born in Meigs county, Ohio, on January 15. 1828. His father was John White, who was born June 15, 1794 and died May 8, 1874. His mother was Silva Wyman. born May 17, 1795 and died April 17, 1874. They are both buried in the White burying ground near Kendall Dever's, Madison township. His father, John White. came to Portsmouth in 1809, a single man. He was a pilot on the Ohio river on keel and flat boats. When he came to Portsmouth, his father, Abel White of New York. came with him. Abel White. the grandfather of our subject, had nineteen children by two marriages. Our subject's father, John White, was from the second marriage, as were the sons: Seth. Abel and Daniel. John White located first in Portsmouth, later at the mouth of Law- son's Run and still later in Meigs county, where our subject was born. John. White returned to Scioto county and located at what is now the Wheelerls mills in 1830. He soon after moved to a farm now owned by Warren Canter. He afterwards built the Wallace mills, in 1844. and operated them for eighteen Years.


His son, our subject. was the miller. Mr. White says he attended school only ninety days, beginning at the age of fourteen, which comprised the schooling he had and yet he is one of the most intelligent and highly respected citizens in the county. Horace White is about the only "forty-niner" surviving and residing in Sciöto county. In the spring of 1849. he with Jefferson Dever, who now resides in Jackson county, and Randolph Lindsey started overland to California. They went to St. Louis by boat and from there they walked through. They started in April, 1849, without teams and were two months on the road. They stopped in Sacremento and went to gardening. Lindsey was so homesick that he returned to the states soon after reaching there. Mr. White worked for forty dollars a month and remained there two years when he started homewards. He came back through Lower California to New Orleans and from there up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. He saved little or nothing. Mr. White on his return, engaged in milling at Wallace's mills.


He remained as the miller at Wallace's mills until August 7, 1862, when at the age of 34, he enlisted in Company F, 91st 0. V. I. He was appointed Corporal June 13. 1865 and was mustered out with the Company June 24, 1865. On his return from the army, he began farming on the farm where he now lives, which was entered by John Dever. Since 1865. he has followed a variety of occupations and has made himself useful in all of them. He has been a farmer


1182 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.



and contractor on public works, and if any thing else would offer, he would engage in it, as he has been industrious all his life.

He was married April 2, 1852, to Eliza Pinkerman, a daughter of Charles Pinkerman. Their children are: William H., now in Oregon; Isabel, the wife of Zachariah Dillon of Portsmouth; Lusetta, the wife of Stephen Wells of Struthers, Mahoning county, Ohio; Cornelia, the wife of Rev. David Gow, Free-Will Baptist minister residing in Crawford county, Pennsylvania; John C. White, Shasta county, California; Ulysses G. White, Elkhorn, Montana; Leroy White lives at Helena Montana; and Lilly, wife of Charles Condon, resides at Riverside, California. The last two were twins.

Horace White and wife are members of the Free-Will Baptist church. In his political views, he is a republican. He has never held any public office except in his township. Mr. White is noted for his agreeable disposition. He sees the best side of every situation and is alway cheerful and contented.

John. C. White

was born June 22, 18F9, one and a half miles up Brush creek from Otway, Ohio. His father, Paul White, was born in Pennsylvania, December 17, 1817, and came to Ohio with his father, William White, at an early date and settled on Brush creek above Otway. He died March 22, 1882. Elizabeth, his wife, died on February 25, 1862, at the age of thirty-four years, six months. Our subject owns a farm of 396 acres along Brush creek, which occupies his time in its cultivation. He has a handsome family residence and comfortable surroundings. He is a democrat and strong in the faith, very seldom wavering from the straight and narrow way. He was married to Mary L. Newland, daughter of Joseph L. and Josephine (Kendall) Newland, October 21, 1886. Her grandfather was George Kendall, who died February 18, 1855, aged thirty-eight years, five months and four days. He was a son of Samuel Kendall, one of the first settlers in this locality. Their children are Nora V., John L., Bervie 0., George W., Edna May, Bertha Edith.

William S. Withrow

was born June 22, 1834. His father was Daniel C. Withrow who was one of the first settlers Eastern Pennsylvania near Mercersburg and was of Scotch- Irish lineage. His mother was Sarah Devore, daughter of John Devore, who took part in the battle of New Orleans and was among the missing when the battle was over. Nothing was ever heard of him afterwards. He came from Paris, France, about 1810.

Our subject was born in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. He attended the public schools and Madison College there. His parents took him to Iowa where he lived for five years. He went from McGregor to Montana and clerked for B. B. Harding. While in Montana, he became a Master Mason in Clayton Lodge, No. 70. In the winter of 1857-8 he was summoned to Washington in regard to the Fort Crawford Reservation. Here he saw President Buchanan for the first time. On his return trip from Washington, he stopped in Portsmouth to visit his great-uncle William Salter. While here, B. L. Jefferson of Jefferson & Kepner offered him a situation as clerk at their store on Market street, and he accepted and remained with them until April 15, 1861.

In 1860, he joined a Company of Home Guards under Captain Bailey. When Fort Sumpter was tired on, the Company offered its services to Governor Dennison and was accepted. They were mustered on April 15, 1861, being one Of the first companies to respond to the call for three-months troops. Our subject received an injury at Vienna, Virginia. While the troops were being advanced on a railroad train, they were fired on by a battery and the plank on which he was sitting was struck by a cannon ball. He was appointed corporal April 29, 1861, and mustered out with the company, August 1, 1861. He afterwards served as a scout.

He was Justice of the Peace in Greenup county, Kentucky, for one year after the war. He has an interest in the zinc mines in Lewis county, Kentucky, and is field superintendent for the company which owns it. He is a straight republican and holds the Presbyterian faith, though not a member of any church. He is a member of Bailey Post, No. 164, G. A. R., and has been four


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1183


times a delegate to the state encampment. He is also a member of Aurora Lodge, F. and A. M. of Portsmouth.


He was married to Katharine Bryson. December 25. 1861. He commenced to farm and has followed that occupation all his life. He has seven children, as follows: Elizabeth married William Hillard; Jennie Bell, married Albert Middaugh, of Greenup county, Kentucky; Ruby, married Morton Warnock, of the same county; William B.; Lavinia Dugan and Daniel C., are all unmarried and at home. Another, Fannie, is deceased.


Francis Hall Williams. M. D.,


was born at Burlington, Lawrence county, Ohio, February 9, 1859. His father was Isaiah H. Williams, and his mother's maiden name was Emily Lefever. He attended the public schools and a private school. In 1880, he began the study of medicine under Dr. C. Hall. of Burlington, Ohio, and attended lectures at the Miami Medical College. at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he graduated March 1, 1883, taking the highest honors of his class. He engaged in the practice of medicine at Burlington, Ohio, and resided there until November, 1896, when he removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, and after a period spent in post-graduate study, he began the practice of medicine in Portsmouth.


He was married September 1, 1886 to Miss Sallie J. Anderson, second daughter of G. W. and Anna H. Anderson, of Portsmouth. They had one child, ;Donald A., who was born September 17, 1887. Mrs. Williams died October 13, 1901, and the son. Donald died just two weeks later, October 27, 1901. Dr. Williams is regarded among his professional brethren and by the public as one of the ablest physicians in the city.


[This sketch should have appeared under the title of Physicians in Part II, City of Portsmouth, but was received too late and therefore is .printed here.]


George Sidney Williams


was born at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1821. Robert Hazelton Williams, his father, was for a time connected with an iron furnace in the Monongahela valley, Coming to Pittsburg, he engaged in business as a grocer and continued in this employment for the rest of his life. The mother of George S., whose maiden name was McDonald, was of Scotch Irish descent, and was known to her contemporaries as a woman of unusual independence and strength of character. George S. Williams had what would be considered quite limited educational advantages, but possessing an accurate memory and a taste for good reading, he was widely informed on business and political topics, and well read in the current literature of his time. When quite young he went into business for himself as a grocer on Smithfield street, Pittsburg. He was burned out in the great lire of Pittsburg in April, 1845. and not having the means to establish himself in business again, he went as clerk to the Caroline furnace in Kentucky, then owned by an older brother, William H. Williams, who was manager at the furnace.


Here Mr. Williams began the training in what was, from that time, the business of his life, the making of charcoal pig-iron. While at this furnace in 1847, Mr. Williams was married to Margaret Crosby Leonard, daughter of Patrick and Laura Crosby Leonard of Pittsburg. Shortly after his marriage, he removed to Kensington Furnace, Pennsylvania, from there to Greenup Furnace, Kentucky, and at the instance of Mr. Allaniah Cole, who was interested in both Greenup and Bloom furnaces. Mr. Williams in 1854, came as manager to Bloom Furnace. Scioto county. In 1857, he came to Scioto Furnace which was his home, with the exception of one year, until his death. In 1860. owing to the depression in the iron business, the Scioto furnace went out of blast, and the year 1861 Mr. Williams spent at Bloom settling up his business there. He then returned to Scioto, the furnace going into blast and continuing in operation during the twenty years which he spent there as manager and member of the firm, long known as L. C. Robinson & Company.


He had the following children: George C., deceased; Blanche, a teacher; Laura at home; Alice married John B. Gray, lives in Wheelersburg; Robert H.. at Wellston. unmarried, engineer at the McFarland Coal Co. ; Henry, died in


1184 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


1879, at the age of twenty-seven; Paul Sidney, is book-keeper at the Buckeye Fire Brick Co.


Our subject was always a republican. On April 30, 1881, Mr. Williams died at the home at Scioto Furnace, in which he had spent nearly twenty-five years of his life. His wife died January 7, 1889. Both are buried at Portsmouth, Ohio. Mr. Williams was a man of strong convictions, holding decided opinions on all subjects, yet he was very liberal toward all holding differing views. He was exceptionally thoughtful of the welfare and considerate of the rights of others, not only those in his own family, but of those in his employ. Every movement, educational, moral and social, which was for the good of the little furnace community, was of interest to him and had his warm support. He was esteemed and respected as an honorable man and good citizen by all who knew him.


John Edward Williams


was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, June.9, 1863, the son of Evan D. Williams and Catharine Edwards, his wife, both of whom were born in Wales. He was one of three brothers. His mother was a daughter of Rev. John Edwards, a Welsh minister. John attended the Portsmouth schools until he was fifteen years of age when he went to work for the late William S. Pattin. He was in his employment until 1882. Then he went into the Drew, Selby Shoe Company, as a laster, and was with them until 1888, when his real life work began. He started the Excelsior Shoe Company, a partnership of twenty-five shoe workers, and he was the head and manager. They started business pn the third floor of the building, northwest corner Second and Chillicothe streets, doing all work by hand, making nothing but baby shoes and selling their output of forty pairs per day to the local trade. This arrangement lasted a year, when John Williams bought the others out, being convinced that a successful sibusiness could be conducted on a larger scale.


In the spring of 1889, he organized and incorporated The Excelsior Shoe Company taking his two brothers, Grant and Charles in with him. The original capital of $10,000, was paid in during the first year, and the factory was moved to the Stemshorn building on Front street. John E. Williams was made president and has been at the head of the concern ever since. In fact from this year, 1889, the history of Mr. Williams has been that of the Excelsior Shoe Company and vice versa. When that Company started in 1889, it was in a rented building with twenty-five employees and made 150 pairs of youth's shoes per day. In 1892, the Company moved to the old Planing Mill, on the corner of Third and Gay streets, and was there until 1897 when it went into the new building on Gallia, John and Findlay streets, where it has a building built expressly for it, fifty feet wide, two hundred and fifty feet long and tive stories high. (See page 608.) Mr. Williams is and has been from the start general manager, and he is the Deus Ex Machina of the concern. For thirteen years, he has devoted himself exclusively to this business and has made a phenomenal success of it.


Mr. Williams was married in May, 1890 to Miss Sarah M. Davies, of Ironton, Ohio, a daughter of James J. Davies. He has had six sons, five of whom are living; Evan Charles, James Davies, John Kilsworth, David Charles and Thomas Edward. In the spring of 1901, Mr. Williams bought the Gaylord place, which he has remodeled into one of the finest houses in the city. He has been an active member of the Second Presbyterian church for twenty-five years. He is a member of the Republican party.


John McDowell Williams


was born February 6, 1847, at Martin's Ferry, Ohio. His father was Samuel A. Williams, and his mother's maiden name was Sidney A. Huston, sister of Capt. Samuel J. Huston. His parents had six children, and he was the fifth child. He received his education in the common schools of Scioto county. His father was a knobbler in the Gaylord Rolling Mill. Our subject learned the carpenter's trade and followed it until six years ago.


He enlisted in the 189th 0. V. I., at the age of eighteen as a private, February 18, 1861, for one year, and was mustered out with the Company, Sep-


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1185


tember 28, 1865. His father Samuel A. Williams, was in the 73rd 0. V. 1., Company B. He enlisted as a private, at the age of forty-four, October 19, 1861, for three years, and was discharged November 28, 1862, at Alexandria, Va., on surgeon’s certificate of disability. His brother Brooks Williams enlisted in the same company and regiment, at the age of eighteen as a private, November 1, 1861, for three years, and was discharged August 6, 1862 at Clarysville, Md., on surgeonls certificate of disability. His brother Wm. H. Williams, enlisted in the 39th 0. V. I., Company A, as a Sergeant, at the age of nineteen, July 16, 1861, for three years. He was appointed Corporal, December 27, 1863; wounded July 22, 1864, in the battle of Atlanta, Ga., appointed Sergeant, June 1, 1865; mustered out July 9, 1865, by order of War Department.


Our subject was married in 1872 to Miss Alice D. Barber, daughter of Uriah and Rachel Barber, and granddaughter of John Barber. They had the following children: Kate S.. married W. E. Wood, resides in St. Louis, Mo., and is a railroad fireman; Samuel A., shoeworker in Portsmouth, and a member of Company E, 4th 0. V. I., (formerly Co. H. 14th 0. N. G.) during the Spanish War; John P., was killed at Geneseo, Ill., in his eighteenth year; Alice D., and Royal A., at home.


John Williams was Councilman from the Sixth ward for two years. He was Chief of the Fire Department for four years, from 1888 to 1892. He was elected Water Works Trustee in 1894, and served three years. He was appointed Deputy State Inspector of Work Shops and Public Buildings May. 15, 1896 and held the office until June 15, 1902. He is a republican, and a member of the Second Presbyterian church. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias, and the Masonic Lodge of Portsmouth.


Mr. Williams is a man with whom to become acquainted is to become his friend. He possesses so many excellent qualities of mind and heart, that to know him is to admire him. If he has any fault, it is his modesty. He is not sufficiently self assertive, in his own behalf. When it comes to acting or doing for a friend, he is as bold as a lion. He might be said to belong to his friends more than to himself. He has a high position in the community in the estimation of all who know him. In every relation of life and to society, he conscientiously tries to do his duty and this excellent trait commands admiration. The combination of all excellent qualities makes him a model American citizen.


Captain William Benjamin Williams


was born December 20, 1827, in Glamorganshire, Wales. His father was Benjamin Williams and his mother's maiden name was Ann Edwards. He was the eldest of his father's seven children. His parents left Wales and came to the United States when he was twelve years of age. He came in the sailing vessel "Marquis of Bute." They settled in Brady's Bend, Pennsylvania and our subject worked there in the coal-banks for two years and also worked in the rolling-mills of that place. He came to Portsmouth in 1844 and went into the Gaylord rolling mill and was there one year. He then went to Cincinnati and worked in Barrett's mill, near Brighton, and took a furnace there and remained for three years, when he went to Hillman, Tennessee and was there for six months. He returned to Cincinnati and remained there until 1849, then came back to Portsmouth and went to work in charge of a furnace at Gaylordls mill.


He remained in Portsmouth until in 1852, when he was smitten with the gold fever and started for California on April 1, of that year, in a party composed of Stout Barklow, John Sturgeon, David Price, Thomas Williams, Andrew Robinson, William Sidney, Thomas Richardson, William Delaney and Thomas McAuley. They were joined by Captain John Clark. father of Mrs. P. C. Kinney, Leonard Alexander, Giles Thornton, William Morton, Thomas Thompson, and Frank Johnson. They had wagons made in Portsmouth and shipped them to St. Joe, Missouri. They were five months on the way. They worked at the placer mines near Pell River, California. Our subject staid nearly a year and came back by the Panama route. He brought some money home with him.


He went into the mill again in 1853, but in six months was again struck with the gold fever, and went to California, this time by the Panama route and stayed one year. In 1855, he came back to Portsmouth and went into the mill again and worked there until the war broke out. In 1860, he organized a


1186 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


company of militia. On August 7, 1861 he enlisted in Company C, 56th 0. V. I. land was made Captain. He was with his company during its entire service until November 14, 1864. He was wounded at the battle of Champion Hill, May 16, 1863. He was shot in the right leg with a minnie-ball and the bone was shattered which has lamed him ever since. He reached home December 7, 1864, and went to work in the mill.


Captain Williams had been a whig from 1840, when he cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison, until the Know-Nothing craze came up and has been a democrat ever since. In 1866, he was a candidate on the Democratic ticket for City Marshal against Calvin J. Stevens. He received 689 votes to 617 for Stevens, majority 72. In 1867, he was again a candidate for the same office against Valentine Burkel. The vote stood Williams 768, Burke] 632, majority of 136. In 1868, he was again a candidate and received 815 votes to 635 for Calvin J. Stevens, majority 180. In 1869, he was again a candidate and the vote stood, Williams 890, Silas J. Losee 664, majority 226. In 1871, he was again a candidate against William Martin. This year he was defeated and received 853 votes to 939 for Martin. In 1873, he was again a candidate against William Martin and this time defeated him. The vote being 973 for Williams and 918 for Martin, majority 55. This was the least majority Captain Williams ever received. In 1875, he ran 'for the same office with the same opponent. The vote stood 1,104 for Williams and 998 for Martin, majority 106. In 1877, he ran for the same office and was opposed by John Henneke. He received 1,082 votes to 943 for Henneke, majority 135. In 1879, he was again a candidate for the same office against William Keer. The vote stood Williams 1,102, Keer 1,009, majority 93. In 1881, he made his last race for Marshal. He received 1,165 votes to 1,032 for his opponent, Lee T. Beatty, making a majority of 138.


It will be seen that the republicans tried the Germans, Irish and Americans, each one against him, but he was elected every time but once. He was never defeated in the Third ward at any time he was a candidate. He was Deputy United States Marshal from 1884 to 1888. He was Government storekeeper under James W. Newman collector, from 1884 to 1888. He was also store-keeper under McMillen collector, from 1892 to 1896. As a politician, Captain Williams has been very successful. He is in comfortable circumstances, has retired from all work and is trying to live an easy and quiet life. He has an army record of which he may well be proud, and he is respected by all who know him. During the time of the tirst paving in Portsmouth, he was a member of the Council for four years from the Third Ward and was re-elected a member of Council in 1900, and is still a member of that body.


He was married in March, 1847 to Margaret Edwards, daughter of Rev. John Edwards. Their children were: William who died in infancy; Anne died at the age of eighteen; William H. now in Columbus, Ohio; David; Jerusha died aged seven; Mary Emily and Floyd died in infancy, and a son Oscar died at twenty-two. His tirst wife died in 1876. He was married the second time to Lydia Sissler. He has three children of that marriage: Benjamin who married Lucy Waller; Mary; and Floyd who is a student at Miami University.


In every relation in life Captain Williams has tried to do his best. No better city Marshal ever held office in the State than he. All the good people admitted this and the rogues all realized it. When he undertook to convict a criminal he did so. With him no guilty man escaped. He was peculiarly fitted for the Marshal's office and the people of Portsmouth thought so and voted so.


William Grant Williams


was born January 3, 1866, in Jackson county, Ohio. His father was Evan D. Williams, and his mother's maiden name was Catharine Edwards, the daughter of Rev. John E. Edwards. His parents had seven children, of whom he was the fifth. Three of these sons survived and the others died in infancy. Grant's father was a farmer in Jackson county, but in 1867 moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, and began work in the Gaylord mill. The son has lived in Portsmouth ever since. He attended the Portsmouth schools until he was fifteen -years of age and then he began for himself as a messenger for the Western Union Telegraph Company. He served as such for one year and then became a telegrapher in


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1187


the general offices of the Scioto Valley Railway Company, in Columbus. He served four years in this capacity and then became Secretary to J. J. Archer, the General Passenger and Freight Agent of the same Railroad Company..


In 1888, he came back to Portsmouth and became vice president of the Excelsior Shoe Company. (See page 608.) He has held that office ever since. He has charge of the sale of the goods and of the cutting department. A full account of the operations of the company will be found under the sketch of his brother, John E. Williams.


Our subject was married January 3, 1894 to Miss Mary Elizabeth Love, daughter of Peter E. Love, of Cabell county, West Virginia. He has three children, sons, as follows: Allen Graves, born February 11, 1895; Forest Love, born May 21, 1897; Paul, born April 4, 1899. Mr. Williams is a republican, a member of the Second Presbyterian church, a member of the Commercial Club and a Mason.


Mr. Williams is a young business man of the ablest type. Quick to act, aggressive, yet judicious and far seeing, a positive character, he possesses the qualities which make him a leader among the Portsmouth captains of industry. He constantly studies his business and is familiar with its slightest detail. His broad views and courageous policies have contributed largely to the unrivaled growth and prosperity of his shoe interests. A brilliant industrial career is before him. In private life, he is public spirited and a valuable citizen in every respect. It is to men like him that Portsmouth owes all that is best in its recent commercial and industrial awakening.


William Henry Williams


was born in Albany, New York, July 4, 1842. His father was William Williams and his mother's maiden name was Delila Hunter. He left New York when he was three years old and was adopted in Portsmouth. He has spent all but eleven years of his life in Portsmouth. He attended school in Portsmouth until 1856 when he commenced to work for J. L. McVey as a clerk and remained there until December 7, 1857 when Mr. McVey died. He then learned the tinner's trade with O’Neil & Hunter and was with them until February, 1861, when he went to Cincinnati and was time keeper at G. W. Ball & Company's foundry. On June 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, 39th 0. V. I. and was appointed Sergeant on the day he was mustered in. He was promoted to First Sergeant and on December 31, 1862, was promoted to Second Lieutenant. He was made First Lieutenant May 9, 1864. He resigned August 6, 1864. He was in all the battles participated in by the regiment up to and including Atlanta, Georgia. On February 20, 1864, a sword, sash, sword belt, and revolver were presented to him by the citizens of Portsmouth at Connolley’s Hall. After his return from the army, he went into the grocery business with Phil Hard. He was in that one year, and then went to Cincinnati and traveled for Wirthlin & Company, flour dealers, until 1872, when he returned to Portsmouth and went into the business of house-painting and has been in it ever since. He belongs to no orders except the G. A. R. He is a republican.


William Henry Williams


was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. October 7, 1854. His father was William B. Williams for so many years City Marshal and his mother was Margaret (Edwards) Williams. They were both natives of Wales. He attended the public schools until the age of seventeen when he entered on a business career. He clerked in John Jones’ hat store for one year. Then he went into the Biggs House under Prendergast & Jennings and was there for six years as a clerk. He became proprietor in 1883 and was there for one year. He was a member of the school board in Portsmouth in 1881 and 1883 from the First ward.


In February, 1884, he was appointed Financial Offrcer of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum under Governor Hoadley and was there for two years. He then went into the American Hotel as one of the firm. In 1891 the firm became Williams and Weakley and so remained until 1897. In 1890. he was elected Financial Officer of the Central Insane Asylum and held that position two years. In 1894, he was appointed Director of Accounts of Columbus. In 1895, he was ap-


1188 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


pointed Director of Public Safety of the city of Columbus, an office corresponding to Chief of Police, and served until 1899. He made the best record for that office the city ever had and achieved a state reputation. He was appointed a trustee of the Athens Hospital for the Insane in 1899 and still holds that office. He was treasurer of the State Democratic Committee in 1896, 1897, and 1900. He was the organizer of the Great Southern Hotel Company and was its president for two years. He became president of the Mercantile Assurety Company in January, 1892.


He was married April 15, 1881, to Emma Jones, daughter of David D. Jones of Portsmouth, Ohio. They have one son, Carl R., who is engaged with the H. C. Warner Shoe Company in Columbus. Mr. Williams is a democrat.


Mr. Williams has extraordinary executive and business ability. He can bring order out of chaos and success out of failure. He has demonstrated this in handling money enterprises since his residence in the city of Columbus. He learned his lessons in Portsmouth and put them into practice in Columbus.


George Williamson


was born April 1, 1830 in Washington township, Scioto county, Ohio. His father was Joseph Williamson and his mother Catherine Schaffer. His father was born March 6, 1776 in New Jersey and was brought to this county when a (child He died July 6, 1849 of an epidemic of cholera. His widow survived until the 16th of December, 1880. His grandfather, Joseph Williamson emigrated from New Jersey. His grandmother Williamson was Martha Feurt, a sister of Peter Feurt and daughter of Joseph Feurt, She died in 1830. Of the children of his father there were John; Elizabeth, married to John Nottingham and living at Marion, Indiana; our subject, George Williamson; William; Christina A., married William Smith; Henry Harrison, deceased; Barbara, married Jacob C. Hibbs; Frank, moved to St. Louis; a sister, Sarah, married to a Mr. Swanson, who soon died. She afterwards married Frank Smith and resides at Cheshire, Ohio.


Our subject attended the common schools of his neighborhood and was raised a farmer. He never followed anything else and has owned his present farm for forty-seven years. He remembers seeing deer and wild turkeys in the woods. The farm he now owns and tills was cleared off in 1840 by Aaron Clark. When our subject became of age, he affiliated himself with the Whig party and then with the Republican. He has been a township trustee and a member of the school board in his district. In 1863 he went with the militia to follow General Morgan under the command of Van B. Hibbs, but was captured by Morgan near Ewington. He enlisted in Co. I of the 140th 0. V. I., May 2, 1864, at the age of 34, and served until September 3, 1864.


On March 4, 1865, he married Miss Eliza Catherine Givens, daughter of William Givens. They had eight children: Mary Rena, died June 6, 1868; William Givens, ex-Sheriff of Scioto county, Ohio; John Adam, who cultivates his father's farm and is married to Effie Larkin, daughter of D. V. Larkin; Joseph Carlin, M. D., of Sciotoville, Ohio, married to Blanche Morrison; Dr. Howard Williamson, Dentist, of Portsmouth, Ohio; Sadie, Ellen and Eliza Catherine at home. His wife died March 28, 1870. He was married a second time to Mary Elizabeth Coe, widow of Marion Coe, and daughter of Allen Givens. They were married December 19, 1888. They have one daughter, Bessie.


Mr. Williamson has been for many years a member of the Oldtown Methodist church. He is a good neighbor and a kind friend. He has always strictly attended to his own affairs and found it an excellent way to get along easily and to make and save money. He is devoted to the interests of his family and his children are in turn devoted to him. He is a plain, every-day farmer. He has never had any ambition to be anything else, but by owning good land, by taking care of it and his business, he has acquired a competence for his declining years. For several years he has been an invalid, but is cheerful, contented and happy in the society of his family and his friends. His sons and daughters are a great credit to him and he is happy in their positions and success in the community.




BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1189


John Adam Williamson


was born at the old homestead of his grandfather in Washington township, January 20, 1872. He is the son of George and Eliza C. (Givens) Williamson. For a more extended account of the family see the sketch of George Williamson above. The boyhood of our subject was spent on the farm and at the district school. He has never followed any business but farming. He now has charge of the home farm, and has three hundred acres under cultivation. He is a Republican and Methodist. He married Effie Larkin, daughter of Delos V. and Sarah M. (Johnson) Larkin, July 19, 1898. They have one child, Margaret Eliza. Mr. Williamson is an industrious, careful young farmer and well thought of in his community.


Joseph C. Williamson, M. D.,


was born at Dry Run, Washington township, Scioto county, Ohio, December 31, 1874. He is the son of George and Eliza C. (Givens) Williamson. His boyhood and youth were passed on the farm in Washington township. He attended the home school and later spent over two years in the study of the sciences at the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. He attended the Medical College of Ohio (now the University of Cincinnati) in 1895, from which he graduated in May, 1899, completing a four years' course. He spent the year 1900 in postgraduate work, as Home Physician and Surgeon of St. Mary's Hospital, at Cincinnati. He is now practicing medicine at Sciotoville, where he located in May, 1900. He married Miss Blanche Morrison, daughter of Albert R. and Elizabeth (McMasters) Morrison, October 8, 1901. He is a Republican. He has had a thorough course of medicine and has availed himself of all the advantages it offered. He is a liberal minded gentleman, and anxious to succeed and excel in his profession and will do so. His success is not a problem of the future, but a certainty of the present.


William Givens Williamson


was born March 24, 1869. His father was George Williamson, and his mother's maiden name was Eliza Catherine Givens, a daughter of William Givens, of Nile township. He was reared on his father's farm and attended the public schools. He also attended two terms with Professor Lowes. At the age of twenty-one he went to seek his fortune in the West, and went to Portland, Oregon, in March, 1891, and was there eighteen months. He was a salesman and a shipping clerk for a hardware store. He was married September 14, 1892, in the state of Oregon, to Miss Grace Bateman, the daughter of George Bateman. He returned to Scioto county in 1892, and went to farming on his father's farm and continued that occupation for six years. At the time he was also agent for a machine company.


He was elected Sheriff of Scioto county in November, 1898, and re-elected in 1900. He has the distinction of being the best looking man who was ever elected Sheriff in Scioto county, and also the youngest man. When he told strangers that he was Sheriff of Scioto county they thought he was some boy trying to impose on them. However, Mr. Williamson is a man, every inch of him, as all of his acquaintances know. He has had three children: Sarah Catharine, George Bacon and William Charles, deceased. Mr. Williamson is a republican and has for a number of years been very influential in politics. He is a Mason, a member of the Aurora Lodge, of Solomon Council, Mt. Vernon Chapter and of the Calvary Commandery. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Williamson enjoys the confidence of the business community and fulfills the duties in his important office as faithfully as any man who ever occupied that position. Since the above was written Mr. William-son's wife died January 30, 1903.


Daniel James Wilson


was born at Lois, Scioto county, Ohio, February 11, 1866. He is the son of David S. and Elizabeth (Oberly) Wilson. His grandmother was Rachael (Storer) Wilson. She died at her home in Nile township, this county, in 1900, at the age of 97. Mr. Wilson is a Republican and a member of the Baptist church.


1190 - HISTORY OP SCIOTO COUNTY.


He was clerk in Madison township in 1897. He married Annie Rickey, daughter of Thomas and Tealina Rickey, April 8, 1896. They reside about one mile southeast of California. Mr. Wilson has been a farmer all his life. His father and mother reside on the home farm near Lois. They are both advanced in life but enjoy good health. Daniel J. Wilson is an industrious, careful farmer, a good neighbor, and has a heart full of human sympathy.


Frederick Arthur Wilson


son of David Storer Wilson and Elizabeth (Oberly) Wilson was born on a farm in Madison township, April 14, 1867. His father was born in Adams county, May 27, 1826 and was the son of George Wilson, born in 1799, who came to Adams county from Virginia, about 1814 and died in 1876. His mother was a daughter of Charles and Magdalena Oberly. Charles Oberly died at the age of thirty-five, in 1853, and was the son of John Oberly, a German by birth.


The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm and schooled in the district school until he was sixteen, when he began teaching. He taught in the country schools for eight years and wound up his career as a teacher at California in Pike county, where he was employed two years. From teaching he turned to the lumber business, securing the position of inspector with the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company, at their lumber camp at Panther, West Virgina. Here Mr. Wilson worked for two years acquiring a thorough knowledge of lumber. He then was advanced to salesman in the eastern trade by reason of his merit and served until January 1, 1902, when he was made sales-manager for the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, at a good salary, which position he still holds. He is thoroughly in touch with market conditions and with the lumber trade in general and is frequently consulted in technical matters of arbitration wherein marked ability and judgement is required. He is industrious and energetic and all the progress he has made has been through his own efforts and his natural ability. He is a republican but takes only a general interest in politics.


He was married November 18, 1886 to Mary Ellen O'Neal, daughter of Samuel and Eliza J. (Keairns) O'Neal. They have bot one child. Jennie, born February 9, 1888.


Mr. Wilson is ambitious in his chosen work and by his constant application he has become a first class salesman. He has the confidence of his employers and has made himself indispensable to them. He is possessed of an excellent memory which serves him well at all times.


Jacob Hillyard Windle, M. D.,


was born in Winchester, Virginia, July 8, 1831. His father was Nicholas Hetrick Windle, and his mother's maiden name was Catharine Hillyard. His father and mother were married at Martinsburg, Virginia. His grandfather was John Windle who was born in Germany. His father and mother had twelve children, and our subject was the second child. They came to Monroe county, Ohio with four children: Grafton W., Mary E. Snyder, Anna, wife of William Smith, now deceased; and Dr. Jacob H. They came from Winchester through Wheeling, to Carlyle, in Monroe county. They remained there until June 5, 1847, when they landed in Portsmouth. They started to go to Illinois, but stopped off at Portsmouth, where they found Thomas Davis, a former neighbor. Mr. Davis was then carrying on a glove factory in Portsmouth and was short of hands. Mrs. Windle was an expert glove-maker, and Mr. Davis induced her to stay, to teach his hands how to make gloves, and so the family remained in Portsmouth and the vicinity from 1847 to 1850, and then moved to Adams county, "Bacon Flats." They remained here one year, and then moved to Munn's Run. Our subject bought forty acres of land on Munn's Run of Col. Thaddeus Bennett. In 1852, he went to Greenup county, to Buffalo furnace on a coal contract. In June, 1852, he came to Portsmouth and worked there a while for Mr. Miller on the canal. In 1854, he moved to Greenup county, Kentucky to do business for Col. Thaddeus Bennett. For two years he hauled charcoal to the Gaylord Rolling Mills. After that he was a sub-contractor, making charcoal. He followed that, until 1862, in Kentucky. From 1.862 to 1865, he farmed with Frank Reeves, and was engaged in buying horses for the


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Government. In 1865, he moved to Buckhorn Tannery and remained there until 1867.


He commenced reading medicine in 1857 with Dr. Richard Morton in Kentucky. He had just begun reading medicine with Dr. Morton when the latter died of an overdose of calomel. Our subject then began to read with Dr. Munn of Springville, but he died a short time after. In 1866 and 1867, he began to practice medicine at Buckhorn Tannery. In 1867 he moved to Rarden. In 1869 he formed a partnership with Dr. Penn there, and practiced with him until 1872. From 1872 to 1874, he practiced alone. In 1874, he attended the Eclectic Medical Institute, and in February, 1875 graduated and got a diploma, and he has practiced under that since. He was married in March, 1859 to Sarah A. James from Scioto county, a daughter of Jonathan James. They have the following children: William, Grafton, Sarah Ellen, married Amos Jenkins; Jacob Franklin, Jonathan W., Nicholas H., Serena W., married Alex. Jenkins; Samuel Edmond, died at Latham, Ohio, aged thirty-three years; Zora Noline, deceased at one year; Leota May, married Walter H. Brown, residing at Braddock, Pa. Our subject is a democrat in his political views. He is a member of the Christian church.


Captain George Cumberland Winkler


was born in Pickaway county, January 5, 1835. His ancestry will be found in a sketch of John Asher Winkler. Our subject had a common school education. His mother died when lie was only two years of age, and his sister Samantha Sperry took him and reared him. His mother gave him into his sister's charge in her dying moments. He spent his boyhood in Perry township, Lawrence county, and when 14 years of age he went to Portsmouth and learned the saddler business under James Salisbury. After a year he worked with a Mr. Barrett in the same business for two years. After that he went to Guyandotte and worked at his trade another year. From there he went to Charleston, West Virginia, and worked six months at his trade. After that he went into the drug business with Dr. Rogers, and was there four years. At the end of that period he went to Cincinnati to take a course at Bartlett's Commercial College.


The War coming on, in August 1861, he assisted in raising Company E of the Thirty-third 0. V. I. He was mustered in that regiment September 3, 1861, as a private, and was made Sergeant. On December 8, 1861 he was made. Second Lieutenant of the same company. He was made First Lieutenant March 2, 1863 and made Captain of Company I, August 11, 1864, and re-enlisted as a veteran and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out with the Company, July 12, 1865. He was in fifty-three different skirmishes, engagements and battles. He was never wounded. He was never in the hospital during his service, and was always ready for duty. He was in every battle in which the regiment participated, except Perryville at which time he was sick at home.


He was married September 21, 1865 to Mary J. LaCroix, a daughter of Alex. LaCroix. From 1865 to 1868 he was a farmer in Scioto county, Ohio; and from 1868 to 1873 he resided near Topeka, Kansas, and was engaged in farming. In the year 1873 he returned to Scioto county, and has been a farmer in the French Grant, near Haverhill, ever since. He has always been a republican in his political views, and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since 1868. During that time he has been treasurer and trustee of that church for a number of years. If there is one distinguishing characteristic of Captain Winkler above another, it is his intense interest in everything he undertakes or does. He was one of the most earnest patriots during the war. His home is filled with memorials of the war. He was a model soldier, like "Chevalier Bayard, without fear or without reproach." No man who ever served in the War of 1861, has a greater love of his Country and its institutions. With Captain 'Winkler honor and integrity always come first. He is most highly esteemed by. all those who know him; and the more intimately they know him, the greater their regard for him.


No sketch of him would be complete without a reference to his wife. She has been his aider and helper in all his good works and no woman in her


1192 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


community does more for the love of God and Humanity than she. The two, husband and wife, are, in their church and in the circle of their acquaintances, workers together for all that is true and good.


Charles Winter


was born in Prussia, Germany, near the Rhine, May 28, 1838. John Winter was his father and his mother's maiden name was Eliza Bauer. His paternal grandfather was in the battle of Waterloo. His boyhood and youth were passed at Koblinz, Germany. Here he received a good school education and learned the blacksmith’s trade. He came to America in 1857 and located in Portsmouth. He was a blacksmith from 1862 until 1868, then he engaged in the grocery business and remained in that for fourteen years. Since that time he has been in the shoe and gents furnishing business. He was County Commissioner from 1880 to 1886. He was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth from 1876 to 1880 also from 1896 to 1898. He is a republican and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He has been a member of the German M. E. church since 1869 September 25, 1862, he was married to Margaret Helt, daughter of John Helt of Harrison township. They have eight children: Charles Albert now living in New York; John Wesley at Dayton, Ohio; William A., at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Fred B. at New York; Bertha E. the wife of Samuel Marting; Clara N. at home; Henry Herman and Mayme C.


Leopold Wise


was born in Frankfort, Germany, December 24, 1824. His father was Leopold Wise. His parents died at Oxburg, Germany, his father being 96 and his mother 94. He came to this county in 1847 and landed in New York. He located there and began business in clothing and tailoring which he continued until 1859. He then removed to Ironton, Ohio, and commenced the same kind of business, which he continued until 1865. He then removed to Portsmouth and began business of the same kind, and continued in it until 1897, when he retired from business.


He was married in July, 1848 to Mary Deusik, daughter of Max Deusik of Bavaria, Germany. She came to this country in 1848 and located in Portsmouth. They have two children living: Max and Samuel. Max commenced business with his father in 1865. In 1885, he commenced business for himself and continued until 1891, when he retired from the clothing business and organized the Model Shirt Manufacturing Company in which he is engaged at present. Samuel commenced to work for his father in 1892 and in 1897 when his father retired, he became superintendent of the Wise Tailoring Company and still holds that position. Our subject is a republican, a member of Spinza Lodge, No. 108, I. 0. B. B. of Cincinnati. He is a member of the Jewish congregation of Portsmouth.


General Oliver Wood


was born in Saratoga county, New York, June 25, 1825. His father was a farmer in good circumstances and gave his son as good an education as the vicinity afforded. Some time before his majority, he removed to Chautauqua :county, New York. He was appointed a deputy sheriff when he was only twenty-one years of age. There he married Miss Rhodes, who was the mother of two children: Lester E. Wood, now of New York city, and Emma Wood, who died in 1877. He engaged in the lumber business on the Ohio and Allegheny rivers. In 1852, his wife died and soon after he removed to Portsmouth. 1n 1855, he married Miss Emily H. Mytinger.


When Sumpter was fired on, he enlisted in Company D, 22nd 0. V. I. as a three-months man. On April 22, 1861, five days after his enlistment, he was made First Lieutenant. He served in this company until August 19, 1861. On the 21st of August 1861, he was mustered in Co. B. 22nd 0. V. I. as Captain for three years. He was promoted to Major. May 9, 1862. He was made Colonel, September 16, 1862, and was mustered out with the regiment. November 18, 1864. The regiment was originally known as the 13th Missouri, but on May 29, 1862, its designation was changed to the 22nd 0. V. I. as it had seven companies from Ohio, one from Illinois and two from Missouri. On December



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1193


9, 1864, he was appointed Colonel of the Fourth United States Veteran Volunteers by Secretary Stanton, attached to the First Army corps, was ordered to Virginia, and served as colonel until March 1, 1866. On March 5, 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier-General for gallant and meritorious service on the field of battle.


On January 23, 1867, the first Grand Army Post was formed in Portsmouth. Colonel Wood was Post Commander and N. W. Evans was Adjutant.


On March 1, 1867, he was appointed Postmaster at Portsmouth and served as such until December 10, 1873. On March 27, 1869, S. P. Drake stole a march on him and secured the appointment as Postmaster at Portsmouth from President Grant who sent Drake's name to the Senate. General Wood's friends rallied to his support and protested so strongly against the appointment of Drake, that his appointment was withdrawn. On March 1, 1871, there was another effort made to secure the appointment of a different Postmaster, and an election to indicate the sentiments of the patrons of the office was held. The vote resulted as follows: Oliver Wood 428, Milton Kennedy 385, B. P. Holmes 69, J. P. Jack 49, Mrs. E. E. Glidden 42, and C. P. Lloyd 19. General Wood held the office, until 1873, when he was succeeded by Mrs. L. Adair.


In 1873 and 1874, he conducted a hotel in Ironton, Ohio. In 1876 and 1877, he conducted what is now the Arlington Hotel, in Portsmouth. On September 15, 1877, he sold his hotel to A. C. Emory. In March, 1878, he was appointed Indian agent at the Quiniault reservation, Washington Territory, and afterwards held a like appointment at Neah Bay three years, until he was succeeded by Mr. Cleveland's appointee in 1885. He then removed to Port Townsend, where he was Probate Judge from 1888-1890 and Police Judge from 1890-1893. In 1890, he was appointed a Circuit Commissioner. In 1883, he assisted in organizing Farragut Post, No. 15, G. A. R., of Port Townsend, Washington, and was one of its first commanders. He was a member of Port Townsend lodge, F. & A. M. He was also a Scottish Rite Mason and an Odd Fellow.


In politics, he was always a republican. He was a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal church and a vestryman at the time of his death. He left a wife and five children: Lester E. Wood of New York city, Mrs. Isaac D. O'Neill, Mrs. Robert Lyall, Charles B. and James A. Wood, who reside in Port Townsend, Washington. James A. is now an assistant city editor of the Seattle "Post."


In 1891, General Wood was admitted to the bar in Washington State. He was very highly esteemed as a citizen and the protest against his removal as Postmaster in 1871, was a remarkable tribute to his character and worth. He was a true patriot. As a soldier and officer, he was enthusiastic, brave and wonderfully efficient. He was a most agreeable companion and was the life of the circle in which he moved. He was a man of great sympathies and especially was his sympathy extended to those in distress. He took a great interest in the G. A. R. not only in Portsmouth, but in Port Townsend, Washington. He died on June 25, 1893. His memory is affectionately cherished by all who knew him and especially by his old friends in Scioto county.


Charles Elmore Worley


was born February 3, 1857 at Portsmouth, Ohio. His parents were William C. and Mary (Willitt) Worley. His father enlisted in Company I, 140th 0. V. I. May 2, 1864, for 100 days and was mustered out with his company September 3, 1864. He spent his boyhood and youth at Friendship, Ohio. He received a common school education. He worked for some time at the cooperls trade. He has always been a republican. He is a member of the M. E. church. He was married February 5, 1878 to Rose Angele, daughter of Andrew Angele, a carriage-maker of Portsmouth, Ohio, who came from Wurtemberg, Germany in 1850. They have six children: William Andrew, Frank, Karl, Marie, Pauline, and Louise.


Robert S. Wynn


Robert S. Wynn was born July 2, 1814, near Chillicothe, Ohio. His father was William Wynn, a native of Bath county, Virginia. His grandfather, Robert Wynn, was from England and was a graduate of Oxford Uni-


1194 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


versity. He came to Virginia and married a Miss Williams who owned the Warm Springs and had a large estate. His son, William Wynn, located in Ross county soon after the opening of the century. Our subject’s mother died when he was ten years of age, leaving Robert and one son William, his brother. At fourteen, he ran away from home and apprenticed himself to the cooper’s trade. Contrary to the experience of most boys who ran away from home, he prospered, learned the cooper’s trade and afterwards bought out a shop and store in Dayton. He came to Scioto and Pike counties and worked. On the 13th of December, 1841, he married Eliza Reynolds, a daughter of Doctor Albert Reynolds, of Jasper. In 1842, he started a cooper shop in the west end of Portsmouth and became a cooper.


In 1847, Robert Wynn quit the cooper business and went to contracting. He built the Portsmouth grade in front of the city in 1848. He was one of the principal stone contractors in Southern Ohio. He built four bridges across the Scioto river, two at Waverly and two at Chillicothe, Ohio. He built the George Davis distillery, locks and dams for the Ohio Canal and superintended the placing in of the foundations of the bridge across the Ohio at Point Pleasant. He built two of the piers for the same bridge on the West Virginia side. He had the reputation of being one of the best stone foundation builders on the Ohio river. He built and owned the St. Charles Restaurant, in Portsmouth. He did much stone work in West Virginia and Kentucky and trestled and piled the Norfolk & Western railroad from Chillicothe to Ironton. He met great losses in West Virginia but stood up under the burden of debts and paid every dollar in full with interest. He was a brave and strong man under adversity. He was a good and useful citizen and has many monuments of stone standing to his memory.


He has had six children, three of whom died in childhood. Their surviving children are: Eldecka, married first to Leonard Wishon and afterwards to William Turner of the West Side; Eliza, married Emil Revare, now a widow; Albert, living in Piketon, Pike county. Robert Wynn was a well known citizen of Portsmouth. He was jolly and cheery at all times. Adversity never discouraged him, the worse the times, the more cheerful he was. He believed in letting the other man do the worrying. He was a pleasant companion and could do his part in every company in which he found himself. At one time he was a candidate for Commissioner in Pike county on the Democratic ticket and was defeated by only two votes. He was always a democrat and his Democracy was time tried and fire tested. He died December 19, 1885 in Pike county. His widow still survives.


Thomas Thornton Yeager


was born in 1836, in Meigs county, Ohio. His father was Peter Yeager and his mother was Emeline Glover Thornton, a daughter of John H. Thornton. He was the eldest of ten children. His father was a native of Mason county, Virginia, and was a farmer. John H. Thornton had moved to Meigs county with his father and there Peter Yeager met his wife and married her. When our subject was two years old, his father moved to Kentucky, twelve miles above Portsmouth, and lived there until he was seven years of age, when he moved to Portsmouth. Thomas first attended school in Kentucky, going to Jerome B. Valodin. He also went to school in Portsmouth, first to Mrs. Carr and afterwards to A. J. Rikoff.


He left school when fifteen years of age, and went into Doctor Hempstead’s office to study medicine. He remained there nine months and then gave up the idea. He then went into Stephenson’s book-store and clerked there about one year. From there he went to Pattersonls book-bindery and worked there for five years. In 1857, he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and started a book-bindery. The panic of that year broke up everything in Keokuk, including Yeager. Then he worked at bricklaying for a year and a half in Keokuk. From there he went to Jefferson City, Missouri and laid brick there for about a year. He then tried Fulton, Missouri and took a three million brick contract for the season. He completed the contract and made $500 and returned home in the winter of 1860, with the money, the first he ever saved. In the spring of 1860, he returned to Jefferson City to go to work,


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1195


The war fever broke up business and he could get nothing to do. Governor Stewart was drunk and made a speech on the steps of the capitol advising that every Northern man be driven out of the state. Tom concluded to go home as he appeared to have no other alternative. He started a book-bindery in Portsmouth and then the war broke out. Yeager played a game of checkers with John D. Wilhelm to determine whether both should go to war, or both stay at home. The game turned out that both should go to war. Both of them enlisted in Company G, First 0. V. I. as three months men. Tom got sick in Philadelphia but would not go to the hospital. Doctor Bailey, Captain of the Company, prescribed for him in a barn in the Suffolk Park race course. He advised Tom not to re-enlist as his health was insufficient and he followed this advice.


When he returned from Company G, he engaged for McDowell & McColm on the wharfboat for two years. He was elected wharfmaster April 13, 1863 and served until April. 1866, when he was succeeded by David Gates. Gates only served six months, and Yeager was re-elected until 1872. He owned and conducted a wharfboat purchased from Captain John N. Lodwick. from 1863 to 1866. He had no money to buy but Tom Dugan loaned him $400 and he bought out Lodwick. In 1866, he took Mr. McColm in the business and the firm was McColm & Yeager. This firm continued to do business till 1871, when Yeager bought a third interest with John Dice and Peter Shafer in Maklem's livery stable. They conducted. the business from 1872 to 1875. In 1872, he sold out his interest in the wharfboat to James 0. Murfin. In 1875, he sold out his interest in the livery business to John W. Lewis. He then went into the mill business on Fifth street with Augustus R. Turley. Yeager & Turley run the mill one year and Turley sold out his half interest to Marshall Anderson. Yeager & Anderson built a roller process mill and it burned down on September 24, 1883. They then purchased the lot where the Frick Mill now stands.


In 1886, he was elected Sheriff of Scioto county. He received 3,151 votes to 2,676 for his competitor, James Skelton, majority 475. In 1886, he was reelected, receiving 4,042 votes to 3,139 for John C. Bauer, majority 903. In 1840, his grandfather John H. Thornton was Sheriff when William H. Harrison was President. In 1886, our subject was Sheriff when Benjamin Harrison was President. In 1892, he was appointed District Factory Inspector and served three years. In 1898 and 1899, he was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth.


He was married in July, 1869, to Mrs. Ella Fritts, widow of Thomas J. Fritts, who was a daughter of James Simpson. They have one son Thomas Hyatt, aged twenty-two years. He is a Rural Free Delivery mail-carrier, on the route north of Portsmouth and down Munn's Runn. Mr. Yeager is a republican. For ten years, he was chairman of the County Republican Central Committee.


James Henry Yingling


son of Christian Yingling and Martha (Lee) Yingling was born on the old Yingling homestead below Hanging Rock, Ohio, December 31, 1831. (See sketch of 'Christian Yingling.) He was one of twelve children. He received only a, common school education with a course at Bartlettls Commercial College at Cincinnati, Ohio. Though not a public man he takes a great interest in public matters. When the town of Hanging Rock was iucorporated, he was elected Clerk of Council and served two years. He has served on the local Board of Education several terms and is much interested in education and is willing to make sacrifices in the cause. He was one of four men to guarantee the expense of a private high school in Green township, in 1899, when the Board of Education refused to establish same and he was the prime mover in the organization. He has advanced ideas on educational matters and is very enthusiastic in his support of them. He regards his work toward founding the first High School in Green township as the crowning act of his public life.


Though rocked in a democratic cradle, he is very liberal in his political views. He is still a democrat but a strong prohibitionist and some times votes that way.


On November 17, 1864 he was married to Eliza C. Bumgarner, a daughter of Daniel Bumgarner, and moved to Scioto county to the place where he now


1196 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.


resides. They had three children Thane D., died January 13, 1896, Amy A., married to Joseph McNeil July 26, 1899 and resides near Peebles, Ohio, and Mattie L., died March 28, 1887. His wife died November 22, 1881. On September 5, 1883, he was married to Ruby M. Feurt, daughter of Henry Feurt. By this marriage there were two children: Henry Lloyd and Mary. This wife died April 17, 1890 and he was again married to Mrs. Mary E. Heid, daughter of Thomas and Margaret Rogers of Portsmouth, Ohio, June 17, 1891. By this marriage only one child was born: Margaret, died in infancy. Linnie P. Heid, daughter of Mrs. Yingling by her first marriage, lives with them. Our subject united with the Storm's Creek (now the Ironton) Baptist church when only twelve years old and has never departed from the faith. He is now an active and earnest worker in the Ohio Baptist church and Sunday school.


Mr. Yingling is a man of exemplary habits, kindly disposed towards all men, affectionate in his family relations and endowed with a religious instinct which manifests itself in all his dealings. He is a careful and successful business man and an intensely patriotic citizen. He is a firm believer in the right. and belongs to that class of men who will not surrender a principle for the

sake of policy.


John Yoakley


the son of John and Susan Ralph (St. John) Yoakley was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, May 27, 1860. His father was organist at All Saints in Portsmouth for thirty-two years and was a composer of music. His grandfather, William Yoakley, was a musician and composer. The Presbyterian Hymnal contains one of his compositions named for himself "Yoakley."


Our subject received his academic training in the Portsmouth public schools. Springing from a musically inclined ancestry, he naturally took to music and his father gave him private instruction until he was eighteen. In 1878, he went to Cincinnati, where he studied under the best professors and reached a high degree of proficiency. He has achieved a wide reputation as a teacher of music and his compositions have the hearty approval of the public. They have been recognized to such an extent that a "Te Deum" in F received its initial rendition at a service for the consecration of a Bishop of the Episcopal church at Richmond, Virginia, and his tune All Souls" was chosen for the "American Missionary Hymn" for insertion in the Church of England Hymnal. He is regarded as one of the most proficient organists west of the Alleghany Mountains. He is the organist at Christ Church, Cincinnati, and is continually engaged in important musical events occurring in Cincinnati from time to time. The following are some of his published compositions which have received public recognition: For the piano, "Spring," "Polacca," "Gypsy Scene," and "Ideal." For the voice, "Longing," "Beyond the Stars," "Lord forever at thy side." Anthems, "Te Deum" in F, "Jubilate" in F, "Bonum Est" in B flat, "Deus Misereatur" in B flat, "Benedicite" in G and "Te Deum" in B flat.


Our subject is a member of the Episcopal Church. He is a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Mason. He was married May 17, 1890 to Josephine S. Royse, daughter of Capt. T. S. and Mrs. P. S. Royse. She died September 5, 1892, leaving one son, John Noble.


Levi D. York


was born in Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England, December 20, 1847. His father was Levi York, a stationary engineer, and Mary Ann Dee was the maiden name of his mother. His father died at the age of sixty-three, in England, and his mother in her eightieth year in 1889. He went to an Episcopal church school until he was twelve years old, and after that he attended school from time to time of evenings. He began to learn a trade at the age of twelve years, running a stationary engine. He followed that one year and went into a blacksmith's shop four years. He then went to roll-turning, in the employ of the Patent Shaft & Axle-tree Company, and worked there until he was twenty- six years of age. His brother Thomas, had gone to the United States before the Civil war. He had been in the Navy in that war, and returned home at its close. He gave such a glowing description of this country that our subject determined to come to the United States. His brother James G. had preceded


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - 1197


him a few months. In 1868, he came alone, and located at Akron, Ohio. He went into employment there as assistant roll-turner to his brother James G. York for a few months. He then fired a battery of boilers in the Akron rolling mill for three months. After that he had a position as machinist with the Seiberling Company, manufacturers of Agricultural Implements.


In April, 1869, he went to Patterson, N. J. as a roll-turner in the Passiac Rolling Mill Company, and remained there until September, 1878. In 1870 he was made superintendent of the plant, and continued until 1878. In September, 1878, he went to United States of Columbia, South America, and was gone for thirteen months. He went there to undertake to erect a blast-furnace and rolling-mill for the Government, but returned before it was completed.


He first landed in Portsmouth the day preceding Thanksgiving in 1879, and continued to reside there until March, 1901, when he transferred his residence to Los Angeles, California. He became the superintendent of the Burgess Steel & Iron Works in the year 1879. At the end of two years he became vice-president; he became president in 1895. He obtained a controlling interest in the business in about 1890. The mill was burned on the sixth of June, 1896, an account of which is given elsewhere. He proposed to build a new mill at Yorktown, and completed it shortly after May, 1899. On July 15, 1900 he disposed of it to a combination of mills, He is president of the Portsmouth Street Railway and Electric Light Company, and has been since 1898.


He married in. January, 1870 Miss Ester E. Banker, of Patterson N. J. They had one child, Lilian E., now the wife of Milton Longfellow. His wife died in December, 1870, and he was married September 23, 1872 to Miss Alice L. Watkins, daughter of Jefferson L. Watkins, Esq. They have four children, three daughters and one son. Their eldest daughter, Laura, is the wife of E Frank Vincent. Their son, Raymond, married a daughter of Hon. A. C. Thompson, Federal Judge, and is in business for himself. Clara, a young lady, land Mary, a little girl, are at home.


Mr. York was naturalized at Patterson, N. J. in 1870. In politics he is a republican. He is one of the largest capitalists in Portsmouth, and is disposed at all times to use his capital and talents for the upbuilding of the town. He is a public-spirited citizen, and no just appeal is ever made to him in vain, either for business or charity.


Jacob Yost


was born March 31, 1846 at Phillipsburg. Lorraine, Germany. His parents were Andrew and Louise (Bouldorf) Yost. They came to this country in 1854 and located at Portsmouth. His father was a knobbier at the Gaylord Rolling Mill and died in 1871. Jacob attended school in Germany and after coming to this country attended the schools in Portsmouth and received a common school education. He began working in the Rolling Mill when only ten years of age. At the age of seventeen. he was a puddler, which work he continued until 1887 when he became a heater. He is a republican and a member of the German Lutheran Church.


On September 20, 1868, he was married to Kate Clemens, daughter of Frederick and Mary Clemens. His wife died in July, 1897. They had seven children: Daniel F., Flora E., Emma M., Clemens A., Elnora Philippine, Carr e C., and Walter Jacob.


Mr. Yost is one of those good citizens who wears his heart on his coat sleeve. He is honest to the core, sincere and outspoken on every subject. He could not be guilty of dissimulation. He is very firm in his opinions, but is careful in making them up. If anyone wishes to know his views on any subject, all one has to do is to ask him. He has a horror of debt and owes no man anything. He has accumulated a competencee and has given a college education to his two eldest sons, Daniel and Clemens. The former has been practicing law in Boston and the latter after graduating at Bowdoin College, Maine, has become a teacher in Massachusetts.


Philip Zoellner


was born November 22, 1832, at Kusel in Bavaria, Germany. His father's name was Karl Zoeliner, and his mother's maiden name was Elizabeth Grimm. He


1198 - HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

was the youngest of a family of nine children. His parents never came to America, but died in the old country. His father was a manufacturer of stockings. One brother, Christian Zoeliner, came to the United States, and is living in Cincinnati, a watch-maker and machinist. One sister came, Mrs. Margaret Thielman, now deceased. All his other brothers and sisters remained in Germany. He attended the common schools in Bavaria, and the gymnasium. He was apprenticed to a watch-maker at sixteen years of age and served as such four years. He then worked for one year at his trade, and then came to this country. He came to avoid going into the army.


He landed in New York on the 7th day of February, 1852, having been on the ocean forty-two days. He came in a sailing vessel. He remained in New York nine months and worked at his trade. In October, 1852, his sister arrived in New York from Bavaria with two children and her husband was already in Cincinnati. Mr. Zoeliner accompanied his sister to Cincinnati, and went to work at his trade and worked there two years. He came to Portsmouth July 7, 1855, in consequence of a correspondence with Daniel Clemens, who had been a neighbor n Kusel. He came on the Bostona, Capt. McLean, master, Capts. Jack and James Lusk, clerks. He went to work with John Clugsten on Market street, in the jewelry business at the old Abe. Coriell stand, and worked with him two years. On April 1, 1857, he started into business for himself, in the building, No. 135 W. Second street, where he remained until February 15, 1900, when he removed to No. 93 W. Second street.


Mr. Zoeliner has always been very industrious, attending to his business and maintaining the strictest integrity. As a consequence he built up a good business and made money. He was married to Miss Mary Scott, daughter of Charles Scott, on July 9, 1857. The children of this marriage are: Albert C., now in business for himself in Portsmouth; Amelia, wife of P. S. Tritscheller; Lena, wife of George Appel of the Gilbert Grocery Co.; Mary, wife of John C. Bauer, of the same firm; Otto, now in business as Otto Zoeliner & Brother; Lucy, widow of Dr. August Schliefer; Anna, wife of Otto Stephen of Cincinnati, Ohio: Charles, in partnership with his brother Otto. On May 1, 1899, Mr. Zoellner turned his business over to his two sons Otto and Charles.


August 14, 1862 he enlisted in Company C, 106th 0. V. I., and served until March 29, 1863, when he was discharged for disability. He is one of the charter members of the German Beneficial Society of Portsmouth, organized in 1857, and has never drawn a single benefit from the society. He has always been a republican. He was reared a Protestant and is a member of the German Evangelical church. His children were all baptised and confirmed in the same church. He cast his first vote in the second ward in 1858, and has lived and voted in that ward ever since. He resided over his store for twenty-six years, and after that bought the Kehoe residence, which is just north of Dr. Cotton's, where he now resides. He was treasurer of the First German Building Association during its entire existence for nine and one-half years. He has been agent for foreign steamer lines since 1860. He has been a member of the Scioto County Tax Commission for three years, and in 1899 he was elected Land Appraiser for the First and Second wards.


Mr. Zoeliner is one of the most substantial citizens of Portsmouth. He is strictly honest and upright in all his dealings, and has the confidence of the entire community. The writer regards him as one of the most fortunate men in the city, for he is surrounded by his entire family, and they are all engaged in gainful employment, doing remarkably well for themselves. He can be justly proud of the records of his sons and sons-in-law, and his daughters are all admirable women.