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BIOGRAPHIES.
The following biographies came too late to be incorporated in their proper place, we therefore insert them here.
XENIA TOWNSHIP.
Joseph Bigger, retired farmer, was born in the state of Kentucky,- in the year 1800. He is a son of John and Mary Bigger; the former born in Ireland, the latter in Pennsylvania. Mr. Rigger's father immigrated to this country when fourteen years old, and settled in Pennsylvania where he was married, and in 1806, by train and wagon, in company with Phillip More came to Montgomery County; their nearest neighbor then being John Duncan, one mile distant. They settled in a permanent home, cleared up and improved their land, living thereon till their decease. He died in 1833, at the age of seventy-three. His wife survived him, and died at the age of four score and four years. They were parents of nine children, of whom only four are living; Thomas, Joseph, James, and Polly, now Mrs. Stephenson, who resides in Monmouth, Illinois. They were members of the old Associate Presbyterian Church, of which they were life-long members. He was a ruling elder, and was much interested in the welfare of the church, and all matters pertaining to religion. He was an old line Whig, and a strong anti-slavery man, always laboring with might and main for the principles which guaranteed the freedom of the downtrodden and oppressed slaves. The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm, and received his education in the primitive district schools. He remained with his parents until twenty-five years of age, at which time, October 6,1825, he was married to Margaret, daughter of John Bradford, who died without issue, March 16, 1856, aged fifty-three years. After his marriage, lie located in Sugar Creek Township, on the farm where he lived until 1859.
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September 15, 1857, he was married to Sallie (Robinson) Bosserman, daughter of Captain John Robinson, of Warren County. In 1859, he sold his farm, bought property in Dayton, and in 1861, came to Xenia, where he purchased property, and went into business with J. B. Fleming; afterwards sold out and went to Springfield, purchasing property there Again selling out he went to Dayton, where he resided two or three years, and then went back to Xenia, where he has since remained. He owns a beautiful residence on west Market Street, where he and his wife are enjoying all the comforts and necessaries of life. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church, to which he has been connected many years, his wife having previously belonged to the Presbyterian Church. He has been ruling elder while living on Sugar Creek, and like his parents is much interested in religious matters, being a zealous worker therein. He is a Republican in politics, having always voted with that party upon all questions at issue. Mrs. Bigger was born in Butler County, Ohio, in 1812. Her father was a pioneer, coming to Cincinnati from Pennsylvania, in 1793, and was a captain of a company of volunteer soldiers in the war of 1812, and was with Hull at his disgraceful surrender, after which he was paroled, and walked from Detroit to his home in a very lame condition. They were parents of seven children, of whom only Mrs. Bigger survive : the deceased are Jane W., Anna, Mary, William A., John L., Robert F., and Sallie B. Mr. Bigger died, in 1845, aged seventy-four years. She survived her husband ten days, dying in her seventieth year. They were members of the old Washington Church, being members from youth to death, and were also much interested in religious matters, and stood high in their church. He was an old line Whig, and frequently predicted the coming war, and that slavery would never be made a civil issue without the fair land of commerce, being drenched in blood, which had a truthful and horrible fulfillment, in the subsequent history of the country.
George Washington Cretors, painter, born in Xenia, February 22, 1848. His father, Samuel B. Cretors, was born in Lebanon, February 15, 1815; his father, was born in Pennsylvania, June 18, 1776, and married Mary Susanna Foglesong, who was born in Germany, kingdom of Bavaria, May 23,. 786. S. B. Cretors married Eliza Minton, November 17, 1834; heir family consisted of Julia, Caroline, Bendence, Samuel, and George; three of these, with the
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mother, died within ten days during the cholera of 1849. Julia married D. L. Mutchlar, and is now living in Iowa. George was .educated in the public schools of Xenia, spending his youth in Xenia and vicinity. In 1849, the father of our subject, married Miss Sarah W. Morris, daughter of Isabella Cheney by her first husband. She was' born in Massachusetts; by her there is a family of five children: Ella L., Morris L., Cheney F., Jennie B., and Elmer. All living and married, except Elmer, who is a youth of about fourteen. She died, October 2, 1867, after which George left home to earn a livelihood. The first wages lie received, were two dollars and fifty cents per day. Before he was twenty-one, he had thoroughly learned his trade of his father as a house, sign, and ornamental painter, paper hanger, &c. At the age, of twenty-two, on December 23, 1869, he married Caroline M. Granger, who was born in Massachusetts, May 21, 1849, by whom there is one son, George Leonard Cretors, born October 20, 1870. Her father was Leonard Granger, and her mother, Clarissa Arnold, daughter of William and Clarissa Arnold. They came to Ohio about 1857, bringing with them five children, of which Caroline was the youngest, being about eight years old. The others were Elizabeth, Alvira, Frances, and Mary. Elizabeth died, and the others are married and settled in Xenia and Dayton. About the year 1867, our subject united with the Methodist Church, and is, also, a member of the Knights of. Pythias and Royal Arcanum.
Dr. Kyle, physician and surgeon, was born in this county, in the year 1812, and is a son of Joseph and Jane (Gowdy) Kyle. His father was born near Lexington, Kentucky, in 1787; he was a son of Joseph Kyle, who was probably born in Pennsylvania. This Joseph, was, also, a son of Joseph, who came from Ireland. The family originating from Scotland, from which they fled to avoid persecution. Joseph, the third in his line, and grandfather to Dr. Kyle, was a soldier in the war of 1812, as were five of his brothers, who all survived the struggle. Ills great, great grandfather Kyle, was of Scottish origin, and a Sampson in strength. It is said he was without ribs, having solid cased sides and double teeth, top and bottom. While by himself in the woods, lie came upon a log with wedges inserted, which had been left, and thinking it a good chance to try his strength, he placed his ands in the log, sprung it so the wedge dropped out, closed`, and he was trapped, where he died from starvation. Grandfather, Joseph Kyle and family, came from
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Kentucky to this county, in 1804. Joseph, father of the doctor, was married to Jane Gowdy, who bore him ten children, five living. Grandfather died, in February, .1821. Grandmother Kyle, nee Chambers, died in 1827. They were parents of six children ; came to Ohio ; father was a farmer by occupation and was a poor man. Represented his county in the legislature in 1824, and again in 1838, and was justice of the peace for nine years, was a Whig, and religiously a Presbyterian. He died in 1849; mother died in 1855. The boyhood of the doctor was passed on the farm. He received the rudiments of his education in the common schools, and was afterwards developed in the high school ; fitting himself for the study of medicine. He read medicine under the guidance of Dr. Adam Hayes of Jefferson County, Indiana, who was his partner for two years, when he entered the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati, taking one course. He began practice in Jasper Township, and since has practiced in the county. He was married in December, 1838, to Sarah A. Money, and has ten children, four living, Mary Robinson, Johanna, Kyle Joseph, and Willliam. The deceased are Elizabeth J., Martha, Edward, Emma, Sarah, and Charles. They were members of the Associate Church since childhood. He has practiced medicine since 1847, and is one of the practitioners of the county. Is the inventor of a water-wheel of the turbine pattern, for which is claimed a per cent. of power over other wheels.
S. S. Wilson, physician and surgeon, was born in Xenia, in the year 1853, and is a son of Samuel and Mary (Cunningham) Wilson, whose sketch will appear in this work. The boyhood of our subject was passed on the farm, and received the rudiments of his education in the school of Xenia, which was afterwards developed in the West Minster College in Pennsylvania, in which he prosecuted his studies for three years, graduating from the institution with honors. After which he entered the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati, where he took a full course and graduated in March, 1880, receiving a diploma of graduation, and immediately entered upon the duties of his practice. Previous to his last course of lectures, he served one year as resident physician of the Mercy Hospital of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he received a broad experience, such as could not be practically gained in any other way, even in a much longer time. Thus fitting the doctor for the demands of a practice, into which he merged in the spring of 1880.
Robert T. Snell, proprietor of the Snell House, opposite the pan
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handle depot, Xenia, Ohio, was born in Philadelphia, October 20, 1812, and is therefore sixty-eight years old. His early life was passed in his native city, where he received the rudiments of his education. In June, 1836, he removed west, and located in Franklin, Warren County, Ohio, where he engaged in the plastering business, a trade he learned in Ohio. In 1840, he was married to Hannah Cafferty, who bore him three children, one of whom, James, is living. The deceased are John, and Tamzen. He continued in business, in Warren County, until 1845, at which time he came to Xenia, and prosecuted his plastering business, until 1865. Mrs. Snell died, in Warren County, in 1845. In the fall of 1851, he opened the Snell House, of which he is proprietor, and since has catered to the wants of the hungry traveling public. In 1847, he was again married to Jane Sherett, by whom he has had four children, three living : Benjamin, (Robert deceased), Prescilla, and Edward. James was a member of an Ohio battery, enlisting in the beginning of the war, saw much active service, and was discharged at the close of the war, proving an efficient and trusty soldier. Mr. Snell's business is well founded, and his popular business ways command for him a large percentage of transient custom. He is a member of the Masonic order, Xenia Lodge, No. 49, to which he has been connected since 1862, and is a worthy and honorable brother. He and his wife are members of the Episcopal Church, and are much devoted to religious duties. He is senior warden of the church.
BEAVER CREEK TOWNSHIP.
John Archer, Dayton, Ohio. This gentleman's grandfather, John Archer, was born in New Jersey, about 1776, married Mrs. (Rockhill) Craft, in 1787, who bore him five children : John, Thomas S., Amy, Sarah, and Susanna. Mrs. Archer, was born about 1747, and was formerly married to Joseph Craft, by whom she had three children. In 1805, Mr. Archer came to Ohio, locating on the present site of Centerville, building the first house, and keeping the first hotel in the place. He died in 1824. Thomas S. Archer, father of our subject, was born in New Jersey, about 1793, and married Miss Sarah Beck, in Centerville, about 1816. His wife's father, Samuel Beck, was born in New Jersey, in 1749, her mother, Elizabeth, in 1754, and were the parents of ten children, who all
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married, except one daughter, and raised families. Our subject's father, had a family of nine children : John, William, Thomas, Margaret, Eliza, Sarah, Melissa, and Susanna ; five of whom are living. John Archer, was born in Sugar Creek Township, August 8, 1823, and remained on the farm until his marriage, with Mary Jane Boroff, March 19, 1845. Mrs. Archer's father, Daniel Boroff, was born in Virginia, in 1800, married Jeanette Fitzgerald, in 1820, who bore eleven children. Our subject has a family of six children living: David, Charles, Oliver F., Daniel F., Eliza R., and John E. Deceased, William H., and three others dying in infancy. Since his marriage, he has continued farming until the present, with the exception of one and one-half years in the grocery business, in Dayton, and serving as a soldier in the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Ohio National Guards. Mr. Archer has a fine farm of sixty-two acres, well improved, with every modern improvement, on which is a valuable stone quarry, which yields annually from three to five hundred perches. This, with the abundant yield of his lands, places him and his estimable wife in favorable circumstances to enjoy the evening of a well spent life.
Abraham Coy, son of Adam Coy, was born in Beaver Creek Township, Greene County, in 1820. He spent his youth on the farm of his father, until twenty-five years of age, and then followed carpentering awhile, then kept store in Zimmermanville about ten years, and was the first postmaster in Zimmermanville, filling the office about ten years, He then bought two farms, of about one hundred and fifty acres, with excellent house and barn, and with every other convenience of a. thrifty farmer. He was married, January 25, 1849, to Catherine Zimmerman, after whose father the town was named. Mr. Coy had eleven children, four dead. The living are Cassius L.. Lew. E., Lodema, Emma G., Millie J., Burley J., and Marcellus E. The deceased are William F., Mary A., and Ellen.