(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 600 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: CHRISTOPHER JOHNSTON, retired farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; is a son of Stephen Johnston, a native of Ireland and Scotch descent he grew to manhood in his native country, where he formed the acquaintance of Anna Armstrong, who afterward became his wife , in 1803, he emigrated to the United States, where he followed his trade of wheelwright until 1810, when he returned to his native country and married his previous acquaintance, with whom he corresponded while in America ; she was of Irish birth and of Scotch descent ; they settled in their native country, from which they and five children departed, in 1821, for the Western continent, landing in New Brunswick, where the sixth child was born ; they remained until 1832 ; on July 4, of the same year, they arrived in Piqua, where Stephen purchased land near the city ; five years later, he sold out and all moved to Mercer Co., Ohio, buying land, taking it from its wilds, and remaining until the death of Anna, which occurred in 1856 ; soon after he returned to Shelby Co., with one of his sons, who had previously located there ; his death occurred in that county in 1874, at the ripe old age of 90 years ; our subject was born in Ireland in 1814 and lived with his father until 1836, when he married Mary Peck, born in Shelby Co., Ohio, in 1818 ; soon after their marriage they located in Mercer Co. ; there they remained until 1862, when he removed to Miami Co., locating on Sec. 27, Spring Township ; this was his place of residence until the spring of 1880, when he moved in the Second Ward of the incorporated city of Piqua ; he now owns in Shelby and Miami Cos. nearly 200 acres of land ; the issue of this union is eight children-seven are now living--John P., Henry P., Stephen J., who are farmers ; Thomas L. and William A., jewelers in Columbus, Ohio ; Julia A. and Mary E. JOHN JONES, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; born in Dauphin Co., Penn., Sept. 28, 1830 ; is the son of Josiah and Catharine (Oilman) Jones ; his father was born in the State of Delaware, his mother in Pennsylvania, where they lived and died ; they were parents of eight children, of whom three only are now living, viz., John, our subject ; Louisa, now Mrs. Chatham, living in Philadelphia ; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Keohler, living at Union Deposit, Penn.; Mr. Jones, the subject of this sketch, lived with his father till about 21 years of age, at which time, Jan. 16, 1851, he was united in marriage with Louisa Wagoner, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Dick) Wagoner, who was born March 5, 1832, in Dauphin Co., Penn.; born by this union they had born to them ten children, viz., Elizabeth, Oct. 16, 1851, she is now Mrs. Wilkinson, living on the home place ; Henry, born March 20, 1854, now married to Anna Bell McKinney, also living on part of the home farm ; Josiah, born Jan. 17, 1857, married to Anna Elizabeth Booher, and living on the home farm ; Catharine, born Aug. 18, 1859, and died Nov. 17, 1860 ; John, born Nov. 30, 1861 ; Emma, born June 24, 1864, died Dec. 30, 1869 ; Mary, born April 12, 1867Willie, born Feb. 12, 1871 ; Laura, born Jan. 15, 1875 ; and Louisa, born Feb. 19, 1877, dying in 1878 ; Mr. Jones after his marriage lived in Pennsylvania about seven years, when he emigrated to Ohio and located in Miami Co., April 8, 1858, on the farm where he still resides ; he first bought 90 acres of land, since which he has added to it by purchase from time to time, till now he owns 314 acres, of which about 250 acres are in cultivation ; he has made great improvements, has a fine house and a very large brick barn and numerous comforts and conveniences ; this has mostly been accomplished by his own industry and economy ; Mr. Jones and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Lockport ; they have a large family of children, all living with and near him, with a good competency for all. DAVID J. JORDAN (deceased), was born in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1804. Was married, in 1824, in Lebanon, Ohio, to Julia A. Cady, and immediately thereafter removed to Piqua, having previously selected this as a place of residence. After a time, he purchased property on Main street, where he lived for awhile, when the house he had occupied was torn down, and in its place two brick stores were erected, which are still standing. One of these he proceeded to occupy as a thy-goods store, doing business first on his own account, and subsequently under WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 601 the firm names of Jordan & Kitchen and Jordan & Sons, and in connection therewith, he also, for several years, engaged in the winter seasons in packing pork, to a considerable extent for those times. He was also a large operator in the purchase and sale of real estate, both in town and in the country thereabouts, and at one time was probably the most extensive holder of this kind of property in this section of the country. He was a man of great energy and perseverance, and everything he engaged in was undertaken and carried out earnestly, and with enthusiasm. He was zealous in the promotion of all public improvements in town and country ; in fact, active in every enterprise, having a tendency in any way to promote the public good, and for the attainment of which was a liberal contributor of time and money. His extensive acquaintance with the pioneers of Methodism, in this portion of the West, and his early attachments thereto, made his house, for many years, a hospitable retreat and home for the members of this denomination, and many of the far-famed preachers of this church then living, found a frequent and hearty welcome under the 'shelter of his roof. Mr. Jordan, during his later years, engaged in business operations outside of Piqua, in pork-packing in several towns on the Mississippi River, principally at Keokuk, Iowa, and in the building of railroads in Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio. Mrs. Jordan, dying in 1859, and the family already having become scattered, he gave up Piqua as a place of residence, finding business attractions elsewhere in Chicago and Rock Island, Ill.-until finally, believing that Kansas City, Mo., would, at no distant day, be a great business center, he settled there, going into the business of beef and pork packing, and there remained until the time of his death, Dec. 15, 1869. The surviving members of the family are Collins H. Jordan, formerly a merchant in Piqua, but for the last twenty-five years, a resident of Chicago, Ill. ; John W. Jordan, also, at one time in the mercantile business in Piqua, during the late war, a Lieutenant Colonel of volunteers, and now representing the Travelers' Insurance Company, of Hartford, Conn., as traveling agent in the Southern States ; Maj. William H. Jordan, a graduate of West Point, an officer in the regular army, and now stationed at Chicago, in the recruiting service ; David C. Jordan, a farmer in California ; Edwin S. Jordan, doing business in Chicago ; Julia A. and Ella M. Jordan, also residing there, and Charles P. Jordan, chief clerk in the employ of the Government, and Postmaster at Rosebud Agency, Dakota Territory. In addition to the above, there were two children, who died in infancy-Reeves McLean Jordan, who died at the age of 17, and Everard C. Jordan, during the war Captain in 11th O. V. I., afterward a Custom House Officer at San Francisco, and later, at St. George's Island, in Alaska ; but who finally died in 1872, at Los Angeles, Cal., from the effects of a wound he received during the war, at the battle of South Mountain, in Maryland. LA ROY S. JORDAN, Postmaster, Piqua. Mr. Jordan, a native of Piqua, is a son of Dr. David and Matilda (Harbaugh) Jordan, who emigrated from Carroll Co.. Md., to this county, in 1834, and remained here until their decease. His father died in 1857, his mother in 1874. Dr. Jordan was a practitioner of good standing, and both he and his wife were worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The subject of this sketch was the sixth of a family of nine, six of whom attained majority, of whom LaRoy is the third ; he was born in 1840, and has always resided at the place of his birth ; in his youth, he received only such education as the local schools afforded ; when the war broke out, in 1861, he was engaged in an art gallery, but responded to his country's call ; be then, being in Illinois visiting, entered the service under Gen. Fremont, and, at the time of Gen. Fremont's recall, the organization was disbanded ; LaRoy S. returned to Piqua, where he soon after enlisted in the 110th O. V. I., with which he served until the surrender of Lee at Appomattox. after which he returned to Piqua and became connected with a publishing house of Columbus, with which he remained about seven years ; in 1872, he became Assistant Postmaster, and served as such until February of the present year, when he received the appointment of Postmaster ; he is assisted by his brother Dr. W. B. Jordan, Jacob Cropsy, an ex-soldier and pleasant gentleman, and Miss Mary L. Mumsell, an intelligent and pleasant lady. Mr. 602 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: Jordan's social, genial nature, makes him peculiarly fpeltted for the rather trying position which he is now filling. He married, in 1874, Miss Matilda, daughter of John F. and Sophia Compton who are now very elderly people, residing on Wayne street, opposite the Green ,street Methodist Episcopal Church. GIDEON KEYT, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Piqua March 8, 1828 ; is the son of James D. and Elizabeth (Widney) Keyt. His father was born in New Jersey and his mother in Pennsylvania. He came to this county in 1819, and she al a much earlier date, the time and history of her father's family being fully written in the sketch of Stephen Widney in this work. James and Elizabeth were the parents of nine children, of whom six are living, viz., Sarah B., John W., Rachel W. (deceased), Gideon, James (deceased), William J., Elizabeth (deceased), Mary and Margaret J. James, the father, lived in Piqua till 1830, when he bought the farm upon which Gideon now resides, and moved on to it, where he lived till 1842, thence to Piqua, where he lived till his death, which occurred in 1849. While on the farm, he made many improvements, and erected the buildings now there ; the farm consisted of 160 acres, of which he brought 75 acres into cultivation ; after his death, his family moved back on to the farm where the son Gideon still resides. Mr. Gideon Keyt was united in marriage in December, 1864, with Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Elijah and Hannah Ward ; he was born in Darke Co. Ohio; and she in Pennsylvania; by this union they have five children, viz., James Ward, Gideon E., Hannah Eliza- beth, Laura Rachel (deceased) and Margaret Ellen. The Keyt family were among the early settlers, and, of course, experienced and endured the hardships and deprivations of such early life. Gideon and his father were both masons by trade, as Well as farmers, and while in Piqua followed that trade, but since the death of the father Mr. Keyt has followed the occupation of farmer exclusively. During the war of the rebellion, he enlisted in the 100-day service, in the 147th 0. N. G., in which he served till the expiration of his time, and received his honorable discharge and returned to his home and family. The Keyts, both father and son, have been great workers in establishing schools and schoolhouses ; the father worked hard and fought down all opposition, which was very great, to establish District No. 5, but finally accomplished it ; and later; his son Gideon had his struggle to establish District No. 9, but which at last he accomplished ; their successes in this work have caused many families to rejoice, by giving privileges and conveniences for their children to schools, which before they did not possess. Here in this record, while we have the history of some of the early settlers, by the parents, we also, by the son, have a record of one of the patriots, who; in time of our country's danger; came to its defense. LEOPOLD KIEFER, tobacconist ; was born in Baden, Germany, Oct. 29, 1841 ; ten years later he with his parents came to America, locating in Philadelphia, were they remained but one year; in 1842, they came to Piqua, where they have since chiefly resided ; the mother died in 1876 ; Leopold is one of thirteen children, of whom Charles has for many years been engaged as steward on a vessel from Hong Kong, China, to San Francisco; Cal. ; his home for many years was in Australia; in the late rebellion, Leopold and three brothers entered service, in which two were killed ; one in the battle of Chickamauga ; one in the battle of Lexington, Ky., and one crippled for life ; Leopold being the only surviving one uninjured ; he served a period of three years, during which he endured many hardships ; soon after his return to Piqua, he went to Vicksburg, where he opened out a grocery ; this was conducted with fair success for three years, when the flames consumed it and all was laid in ashes ; he was obliged to engage in other business, and soon was employed in rafting logs from the Mississippi Swamp, down the Mississippi River to New Orleans ; after being thus employed a short time, he retired from its duties and took up his abode in Cincinnati, Ohio ; in the winter of 1869-70, he returned to Piqua, and opened his present business ; he has since been favorably known by city consumers and the patronage of surrounding village retailers. Upon Oct. 25, 1877, his nuptials were celebrated with Emma Schmidt 603 WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 603 Lapp, who was born in Piqua Nov. 17, 1851. and is a daughter of J. A. and Sophia Schmidlapp ; they were among the early settlers of Piqua. JOSEPH L. KING, grain broker. Among the business men of Piqua who deserve special attention is Mr. King ; he is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Chester Co. in 1841 ; his home for a number of years was Philadelphia, where he became connected with some of the leading grain merchants of the country ; he came to Miami Co. in 1864, where he has since been operating as broker for a Philadelphia house, buying by car lots from dealers along the lines of the railroads of Ohio; Indiana and Illinois. He married in 1868, Miss Mary, daughter of the late W. T. Humfreville, a well-known and influential citizen in his day ; Mr. King's residence is a handsome property, situated at the corner of Water and Downing streets. He has been actively engaged in the grain business since he was 18 years of age ; his business covering so wide a range of territory, and his transactions being on so large a scale, required constant thought and effort, and as a result of over work, he was stricken with paralysis about seven years since, which has necessitated more moderation in labor; and less travel ; but he is still vigorous in mind and as ambitious and industrious as ever; and, although unable to walk a step without crutches, is doing a large business. A. T. KINGSLEY, restaurant, Piqua ; is the son of Samuel and Betsy Kingsley, and was born in Washington Co., Maine, where his childhood and earliest youth were spent; in 1858, he went to California, where he remained until 1864 ; previous to this, however; he had been married in 1857 to Miss Abbie L. Bucknan, who died Oct. 7, 1864. That same season, after his return to Miami, he built a schooner and sailed to the West Indies ; returning to New York the following spring-1865 he was in that city at the time of President Lincoln's assassination. Mr. Kingsley came West that season, and started in Detroit, Mich., in the hotel business ; after remaining six months, he went to Canada, and engaged in the oil trade, but eventually returned to Detroit and resumed his hotel life ; he remained in Detroit five years, when he came to Piqua in 1875, where he is at present engaged, and has a fine restaurant on Main street. Politically, Mr. Kingsley is a Republican. In 1875, Mr. Kingsley was married a second time, to Miss Agnes Burley. MARGARET J. KIRK, Piqua. Mrs. Kirk, a native of Pennsylvania, is a daughter of James Johnston, who came to the vicinity of Piqua about 1812; she was born in 1810, and grew to womanhood here in the pioneer days of the Miami Valley. She was married, in 1836, to Mr. William R. Kirk ; he was also a native of Pennsylvania, was born in 1808, and came to Piqua when a young man ; was prominently connected with the business interests of Piqua until his decease, which occurred in 1849 ; he left a wife, two daughters and a son ; the widow now resides in the residence at the northwest corner of Wayne and Ash streets, and is very comfortably situated, her daughter; Mrs. Dr. Gabriel, residing on the same street, near by. HENRY KITCHEN, retired farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Adams Co., Penn., Oct. 16, 1797 ; is the son of Richard and Margaret (Voorhis) Kitchen ; his father was an early English immigrant to New Jersey, where he married, and finally settled in Adams Co., Penn., passing there the remainder of his life. The early education of our subject was obtained in a pioneer log schoolhouse ; at the age of 17, he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and, having learned it, started for Ohio on horseback, arriving in Butler Co. in January, 1818 ; in the spring of 1819 he settled at Piqua ; in 1822, he erected a house. In October; 1823, he was married and moved into it, residing there. ever since ; his wife was Sarah, daughter of Mathew Caldwell, who settled in Piqua about 1805 ; by this marriage there were three children, two of whom are now living ; the son, J. M. Kitchen, is a practicing physician in Indianapolis ; the daughter; Mary Jane, is Mrs. Harvey Clarke, of Piqua ; Mrs. Kitchen died is August, 1831. Oct. 27, 1835, Mr. Kitchen married Eliza Snevely, of Harrisburg, Penn., who was born April 13, 1815 ; her father, Jacob Snevely, came to Piqua in 1820, where he died in August, 1842, 604 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: aged 62 ; for many years, he was a leading member of the Presbyterian Church this second marriage resulted in the birth of four children, three of whom are liv: ing ; William, the oldest son,'resides on a farm near Piqua ; Anna is the wife of Capt. Henry Leggett, of the United States Army ; Fanny married Henry Starr, of Elyria, Ohio, and Cornelia, deceased, married Angus Campbell, of Piqua. Mr. Kitchen followed his trade for a number of years and then turned his attention to farming, which he followed till about ten years ago, when his age and state of health warned him that he had better rest and live retired the remainder of his life ; he is truly a self-made man ; when he started in life, he had a limited education, as, in that early day, the facilities were very limited ; he paid for the lot upon which his house is built and for the material of which it is made by work at his trade when he was 26 years of age, and was able to place his wife, whom he then married, in a good, comfortable home ; from this good beginning in life, by indus- try and economy, backed up constantly by a never-faltering energy, Mr. Kitchen, from year to year, has found his wealth constantly and steadily increasing, till now, in his old age, he is able to rest from the severer toils and cares of life, and to enjoy the fruits of his labors his long life has been characterized by the strictest integrity, his means freely used for all laudable and charitable purposes, devoted to Christianity, having been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1832, and has held the office of Steward for forty-seven years ; Mrs. Kitchen has also been a member since 1833, possessing the attributes of a Christian wife' and mother ; thus, hand in hand, have they traveled the journey of life, working for and blessed with a competency of this world's goods, and, at the same time, working for and laying up treasures for that better life. H. C. LANDES, book-keeper, Piqua ; is a son of Jacob and Martha Landes ; Jacob was a native of Bucks Co., Penn., and Martha of Ohio ; their marriage was celebrated in Piqua soon after the close of the war of 1812 ; they were among the early settlers of this city, where both passed from the stage of life, Martha in 1829, and Jacob in 1852. H. C. was born in Piqua in 1824, where he has since resided ; in his boyhood days he acquired an ordinary education, which has since been improved and chiefly been the means of his livelihood ; in the earlier part of life he commenced teaching, which occupation he pursued for a short period, after which he was variously engaged until 1852, when he was appointed as Postmaster in the office of Piqua ;. eight months later he offered his resignation, which was accepted, and he engaged as book-keeper for the firm of Lawton, Barnett & Co., dealers in produce and flour, and commission merchants, of Piqua ; this position he filled for a period of twelve years ; in 1865, the Citizen's Bank of Piqua was organized, in which he was elected Cashier ; this position he duly and honorably filled for a number of years ; in 1878, he entered the woolen-mills of F. Gray & Co., of this city, as book-keeper, where he is now engaged. Mr. Landes has been twice married ; the nuptials with his present wife, Elizabeth Van Horne, were celebrated in 1864 ; they are the parents of two children—Robert B. and Mary ; Mrs. Landes is a daughter of Col. Thomas B. Van Horne, of the war of 1812, in which he was a noble and noted patriot. B. LEHMANN, physician, Piqua ; was born in Switzerland in 1825, where he grew to manhood ; his early education was obtained in the common schools of his native country ; in 1843, he took up the study of medicine at the Medical University of Berne, where he remained until the fall of 1849, at which time he graduated from the same ; soon after, he commenced the practice of his profession, and was also, for a time, engaged as military surgeon ; in the spring of 1852, he embarked for the United States, landing in New York City, where he resided but a short time ; he made various changes until 1856, at which time he settled in the wilds of Miami ; not seeing fit to make this his permanent location he returned East as far as Vera Cruz, Ind., where he remained until 1865, at which time he located in Piqua ; here he has since been favorably known as a physician. The Doctor has five children—three in America and two in Germany, to whom he paid his respects by a visit in 1878, thereby having crossed the Atlantic three different times. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 605 AARON T. LEVERING, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; was born in Pennsylvania Nov. 23, 1829 ; is son of Fleeson and Elizabeth (Smith) Levering who were natives of Pennsylvania ; the grandfather, Thomas, was born in the same State ; the parents, Fleeson and E. Elizabeth, came to Ohio, June, 1835, and located upon the farm where Mr. Levering now lives ; they opened out and cleared up most of the farm, there being but little done before their arrival, and lrved and died upon this farm. They were parents of nine children, viz., William S., Thomas C , Amanda, dying in infancy, Aaron T., one without name dying in infancy, Dyer N., living in Parke Co., Benjamin Franklin, Robert C. and Howard. Mr. Levering, our subject, has always remained upon the home place ; he was united in marriage Aug. 10, 1853, with Caroline E., daughter of William and Mary (Wallace) Hunter, who were both born in Pennsylvania ; her parents, William and Mary, came to Ohio in 1811, and located in Washington Township, Miami Co.; here he bought 160 acres of land all in the woods, where he had to commence in pioneer style by cutting out the timber and constructing a log cabin ; in the purchase of the land, he had quite a struggle in obtaining it ; he was short of means to make a complete payment, and was working to make the balance of money sufficient to pay for it, when a man appeared upon the ground wanting the same piece of land ; he had money ready to pay for it and started for the land office on horseback to make the purchase ; Mr. Hunter saw that if he procured the land he must act immediately, so he started out and borrowed enough money to complete the purchase, at once proceeded to the land office (which was then at Chillicothe) on foot, traveled night and day, made the distance and purchased before the man on horseback arrived. Thus, through an iron will and constitution he accomplished his object ; he continued to live on the same farm through his life, opening out the forests and making improvements, built a good brick house, fine barn and other buildings for comfort and convenience, finally buying and adding to his first purchase, so that he became owner of 320 acres of as good land as is in this portion of the county, all of which he accomplished by pure industry, diligence and economy ; in April, 1850, he desired to visit California and see something of the world, especially of the mining regions ; he arranged the care of his family and farm, and with James. a younger brother, on above date started for California by the overland route with ox teams ; he remained there about two years working in the mines most of the time, after which he returned to his family and farm, where he remained till his death, Dec. 14, 1879, being 74 years of age. Mr. Levering and wife, by their union, have had six children, viz., William F., married to Mary Multz, and living on the old Hunter farm ; Edward C., Mary Ellen, now Mrs. Marion McMaken; Julia C.. Joseph W. and Ward S. L. LEONARD, grain buyer, Piqua, of the firms of Orr & Leonard and Orr, Leonard & Daniels. Mr. Leonard, a native of Pennsylvania, was born in Perry Co. in 1825 ; his parents removed to Miami Co. in 1833, and settled in the vicinity of Covington. When about 16 years of age, he was apprenticed to learn the saddler's trade ; after learning which, he was employed in various ways ; he was appointed Postmaster at Covington, by Zachary Taylor, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of his brother Joseph Leonard ; in 1850, he engaged in a general merchandise store at Covington, with Jacob Lehman, afterward was a partner with A. Routson, and continued merchandising until 1868, when he changed and engaged in the grain trade there. In 1869, the firm of Orr, Kendall & Co., of which he was a member, was formed, and in the following year he removed his family to Piqua. The history of this firm, and that of Orr & Leonard and Orr, Leonard & Daniels, is the history of Mr. Leonard's business career in Piqua, which has been a very successful one ; their business is vast, and their shipments of oil and oil-cake are. not confined even to this side of the Atlantic ; Mr. Leonard has not only been one of the principal partners in those important enterprises, but has also been identified with the friends of Piqua in all matters of general interest and benefit ; he is a quiet, but active and thorough business man, a genial, social gentleman, and a useful, respected citizen. His residence, located at the southwest corner of 606 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : Downing street and Park avenue, is a handsome property, elegantly furnished, where his wife presides with womanly grace and dignity. She was Miss Charity Ellen, daughter of William' Kendall, of Warren Co. They were married in 1857, and have six children-A—Mlla, now Mrs. J. F. Daniels ; Forest and Lee, now students at the university at Wooster ; Willie, Grace and Lewis, children at home. He also has one son, John H., a resident of Piqua, by a former marriage with Miss Hannah J. daughter of Robert Hamilton, which occurred in 1852, and her decease yin 1855: J., Leonard is a Director of the Piqua National Bank, Treasurer of the Piqua Straw Board and Paper Co., also a stockholder and Director of the Spiker Wagon Works Co. ; he raised a company of O. N. Guards, in 1864, and was active in support of the war for the suppression of the rebellion. CONRAD LICKLIDER, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio; in 1821; is the son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Giltner) Licklider; who were born in Virginia and Kentucky respectively ; about 1812, Daniel came to Ohio; and during the same year visited, with his uncle, some relatives in Kentucky, there making the acquaintance of Elizabeth Giltner; who; in the next year (1813), he made his wife, and located with her in Montgomery Co., where they lived till 1833, when they came to Miami Co., settling about one mile north of the farm now owned by Conrad ; they purchased an improved farm (as it was then called), consisting of 70 acres, at $7 per acre, there being just a log cabin with a split-puncheon floor; etc., everything of the most primitive pioneer kind ; at the same time, many farms could have been bought for $4 per acre, but Mr. Licklider thought he was getting some extra improvements ; he lived on this farm some six years, then sold out and moved into Piqua, where he entered upon the mercantile trade, in which he continued for about thirteen years, when he sold out and again bought a farm of 160 acres, the same upon which Conrad now lives ; here he worked and labored, improving the farm, with Conrad, their only child, till Jan. 6, 1867; when he was taken from labors to reward, his wife living only till the 21st of the next January, when she followed him to that " bourn whence' no traveler returns." But now we will digress for a moment to remark that right here, where Mr. Licklider and his neighbors toiled so hard to clear out and make roads, rolling and piling up the logs, and burning them to clear them off the land, they buy wood and coal to burn. Mr. Licklider, the subject of this sketch, an only son, as remarked above, remained with his father till his death. He was united in marriage, Feb. 11, 1841, with Christopher Eckerd, daughter of Christopher and Jane (Bowles) Eckerd ; Mr. Bowles came from Germany when 12 years of age, and she was born in Pennsylvania ; Christophen's father dying when she was only a child, her mother was married again, and they moved to Miami Co. when the daughter was 10 years of age ; the fruits of their marriage are three children, viz., Abraham G. (who is married to Rachel Irvin, have four children, and live on the old home place), Daniel F. (married to Callie Drake, and living one and a half miles west, who have had three children, but only two living), and George W. married to Louisa Cathcart, who live on the old home farm, and have one child). Mr. Licklider has a fine farm, with a good brick house, and also his sons on the old home, both have good brick houses, with good barns and other buildings for comfort and convenience ; his health failing, he has retired mostly from hard labor; and rents his farm on shares. Mr. Licklider and wife have been active members of the church for thirty years or more, and are now desirous for the temporal and spiritual welfare of their children, trusting to live in peace and quiet the remainder of their days, looking forward with faith and hope for that better life beyond. JOHN E. LUCAS, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua. Mr. Lucas is a native of Virginia ; is a son of Basil and Aphariba (Mussetter) Lucas ; they came from Virginia to Ohio in 1836, and located in Clinton Co., from which they removed to Greene Co. and came to Miami Co. in 1860, purchased 265 acres of land, known as the Towns-ley farm, which has since been added, till now the farm contains 316 acres, in an .advanced state of cultivation, .with good buildings and a nice gravel drive to the house, situated about a half-mile distant from the pike ; Mr. Basil Lucas, now in WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 607 his 74th year; retired from active labor about twenty years since, and the farm is carried on by John E. and his brother Thornton H. ; Mrs. Lucas' decease occurred in Greene Co. ; she left four children—James W. (a resident of Michigan), the two brothers above mentioned,' and Emma ; upon the latter; the care of the house has devolved since the death of her mother. JAMES McMAKEN, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua; born in Butler Co., Ohio; in 1824 ; is the son of John and Lydia (Catterlin) McMaken, he being a native of Kentucky, and she of Virginia ; they were parents of ten children, viz., James, John, Ewing (deceased), Wilson, George, Martha, Ann (now living) ; the grandfather (John) on his father's side, was also born in kentucky, and the grandfather on the mother's side (Joseph) was born in Virginia ; John and Lydia, the parents, came to Miami Co., Ohio; and located in Newberry Township, four miles west of Piqua, in 1832, November 24, and opened out right in the woods, there being only four houses between them and Piqua ; here they labored, cleared up the land, built their houses and endured all the hardships of pioneer life, amid the howling of wolves and wild beasts ; he lived to shoot the last wolf and the last deer that was killed or seen in that neighborhood ; he lived and died on the same farm, dying in the fall of 1872 ; his wife is still living, about 80 years of age. Mr. McMaken, our subject, lived with his father till about 23 years of age. In 1847, he was united in marriage with Adeline Rike, daughter of John and Catharine Rike, who were natives of Maryland, but came to Ohio at quite an early day ; by this union they had eleven children, seven of whom are living, viz., Marion, Bell, James, Addie, Clara, Alice, Walter Scott and Lydia Catharine ; after their marriage they lived with his father about one year ; then lived on rented farms about five years ; bought 80 acres of land about three miles west of Piqua, where they lived one and a half years, then sold and bought 160 acres in Newberry Township, where they lived about eight and a half years ; finally, sold, and bought 83 acres in Washington Township, where he now lives; he has continued to labor here, improving and economizing, till now he owns 235 acres of land, besides some property in Piqua ; has erected several buildings on his land, and now has everything comfortable and convenient where he lives ; this has all been accomplished by close application to business, industry and economy having been his mottoes ; starting life with no means, and now possessed of a competency for the balance of his life. MRS. MARGARET McWILLIAMS ; P. 0. Piqua ; daughter of Absalom and Amelia (Israel) Martin. Mr. Martin was a Captain under Gen. Wayne, and remembering the attractions of the Miami Valley, sought a home here_; they came to Miami Co. about 1839, and resided near Piqua until their decease. The subject of this sketch was born near Martin's Ferry, Ohio, April 8, 1808. Was married there to Samuel McWilliams, Feb. 3, 1823 ; they removed to Wayne Co. about 1830, and came to this county about 1840. Mr. McWilliams was born near Martin's Ferry Aug. 4, 1805 ; he was a miller; and followed milling a short time ; then boated several years, after which he was for many years engaged in buying, improving, renting an selling residence property in Piqua ; his decease occurred here, March 14, 1880 ; Mrs. McWilliams survives him ; her residence is on the corner of High street and Broadway, where a married granddaughter; with two great-grandchildren, reside under the same roof with her. CONRAD MAY, proprietor hotel ; P. 0. Piqua ; is a native of Germany, born in Hessen in 1830 ; came to the United States in 1847, and to Miami Co. in 1848 ; Mr. May came to Troy a poor boy, and by industry and economy has steadily grown to an important citizen ; he commenced work near Troy in the fall of 1848, as a field hand husking corn by the day, and in the following spring commenced work on the Knoop farm, where, in 1849, he bound the first sheaf of grain cut by a reaping machine in Miami Co. ; he continued to work on this place for seven successive years ; in September; 1856, he engaged in the grocery business in Troy, which he continued until 1869, when he sold out and removed to Piqua, where he had an interest in a retail drug store, the firm being May Brothers ; in 1873, he purchased his brother's interest' and continued the business until November, 1879 ; 608 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: in 1877, he purchased the Leland House property and conducted the hotel until August, 1879, when he sold, the furniture, etc., and rented the house, hoping to be released from business, but, the parties having the hotel rented failing, he was compelled to again take charge of the house, and is now " mine host " of the Leland ; thus, he has risen from a farm hand to a good position, able to live at ,his leisure if he desires, and is one of the substantial men of Piqua ; the hotel property consists of a lot ninety-one feet front on Main street, and 165 feet o'n Water street ; the Leland House is a three-story brick structure, ninety-one feet front on Main street and 120 feet front on Water ; he also has a livery stable fronting on Water street, and owns a handsome residence on Water street, about three squares west from the hotel. He married, April 8, 1858, Francisca Henne, sister of Joseph Henne, of Troy ; the fruits of this union have been twelve children, eight of whom survive ; the three last bbrn were triplets, and all died in infancy ; his oldest son is now a student of medicine at Philadelphia. H. H. MEINDERS, grocer, Piqua. Piqua, like all cities of its size, is represented with nearly every branch of business. H. H. Meinders is a native of Hanover, Germany, born July 25, 1841, and is a son of George and Harmten Meinders, both natives of the same country, where George died and she now survives ; their children were twelve in number, of whom six are now living, our subject being the youngest son ; he was raised to European farm life, where he obtained his education ; in 1865, he emigrated to America, landing on the 2d of September in Cincinnati, engaging as farm laborer near the city two years ; he then came to Piqua ; after locating in this place he was variously engaged, among which we mention the employment in Cron & Co.'s furniture factory. His marriage was celebrated with Margaret Ehlers April 25, 1872 ; she was born in Germany Sept. 8, 1849 ; by this union they have three children—George, Edwin and Wesley ; Mrs. Meinders is a daughter of Jacob and Anna Ehlers. W. B. MITCHELL, dealer in coal and wood, Piqua. Mr. Mitchell is a native of Miami Co., having been born in Washington Township in 1817 ; he is a son of William Mitchell, who was a native of North Carolina and pioneer of this County, having removed from Tennessee to Ohio in 1806 ; he came to Miami Co. in the following year and settled in Washington Township, where he continued to reside until his decease, which occurred in 1857, he being in the 80th year of his age.; his wife, who was a, McCorckle, and a native of North Carolina, died about two years previous ; they had a family of seven children—Moses G., Joseph M., Margaret, Samuel S., Mary, Caroline P. and W. B.; W. B. and a sister who lives at St. Mary's are the only survivors ; the McCorckles came to Miami Co. in 1806 ; there was quite a large family of them, but all are now dead ; Martha McCorckle was the wife of Benjamin Level ; their license was obtained at Dayton, and this marriage was the first one celebrated within the bounds of Miami Co. after the county was organized ; Mr. Mitchell comes of pioneer stock ; his grandfather Mitchell was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and served seven years, being at home but once during that time ; his wife was a Grant ; two of her brothers were killed in an engagement between a company of Kentucky frontiersmen, to which they belonged and a body of Indians who had committed some depredations in Kentucky and were followed to Hamilton, Ohio ; during the Indian difficulty of 1812, Mr. Mitchell's father had a block-house on his farm, and was Captain of a company of " Home Guards " who were required to scout at least three days in each week ; two of the older boys were soldiers and both narrowly escaped capture by the Indians ; Moses G. was a recruiting officer here during the war of the rebellion, and Joseph, though upward of 60, was one of the " Squirrel Hunters " who went to Cincinnati to defend the city in 1863 ; the subject of this sketch has been a continuous resident of Washington Township, with the exception of about twelve years, during which he was roving ; his early life was spent on the farm, and when he had grown to manhood, he continued to farm until about 1856, when he left the farm and came to Piqua and engaged in grain buying ; he built the warehouse which is now the property of E. Farrington and Slauson, and operated in grain, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 609 etc., several years ; in 1863, he took a notion to try the West, and tried the grocery trade in Wisconsin, milling in Indiana, and farmed in Kansas about six years ; he returned to Piqua in 1874 and soon after opened a wood and coal yard on West High street, which he is now conducting. He was married in 1835, to Miss Lucilla, daughter of Alexander McCullough, who was an early resident of Concord Township ; his decease occurred in 1857, he being in the 87th year of his age ; Mrs. Mitchell is also a native of this county ; they have a family of four children—Sarah J., now Mrs. Charles H. Hill, of Kansas ; Burton C., now book-keeper in the First National Bank of Richmond, Ind.; Agnes M., a teacher ; and Elizabeth C., now Mrs. W. H. Vore, of Champaign Co. DANIEL K. MOFFETT (deceased), farmer. Among the earliest pioneers of Miami Co. were the Moffett family ; they were natives of Virginia, and, while living there, Daniel's grandfather, George, and his older brother, John, were captured by the Indians when boys, from 10 to 14 years of age, and carried off into what was then called the Northwest ; their father afterward settled in Kentucky ; he here entered into negotiations with the French traders to try and buy back his sons from the Indians ; in the meantime, every effort was made through the military and other sources to recover the lost children ; at one time, the Indians were encamped at Piqua, with George in their possession, when Gen. Clarke, with a military force, came upon them by surprise and destroyed everything in their encampment, but the Indians effected their escape and carried George with them ; at the expiration of about two years from the time of his capture, the French traders succeeded in buying him back, and took him home to his father ; John, the older son, was still in their possession, till, at the expiration of about six years, the traders, while at Detroit, succeeded in obtaining John, who was returned to his overjoyed parents ; while in possession of the Indians, he was with Tecumseh, and, it appears, was adopted as one of his family, and it is really a wonder that they ever succeeded in buying him away from them ; John, when returned to his parents, had become a young man, and was finally one of the pioneers of Miami Co., locating on the land now in the corporation of Piqua, where he lived and died ; George also came and located at Piqua, entered the east half of Sec. 11, about two miles west of Piqua, where he lived and died. James D. Moffett, his son, and father of Daniel, our subject, was born in Woodford Co., Ky., Feb. 17, 1798, and, when a small boy, came with his father to Miami Co. ; here he grew up to manhood, under the sturdy influences of pioneer life, and, on Nov. 1, 1825, was united in marriage with Elizabeth J. Keyt, who was born in New Jersey July 4, 1799, and was among the early settlers of this county ; after a few years of married life, death came and bereft him of his loved companion ; Nov. 28, 1837, he was married to Elvira Adams. Daniel K. Moffett, the subject of our sketch, and son of James D. Moffett, was born on the home farm in Washington Township, Aug. 20, 1826 ; he lived with his father till his death, which occurred when he was about 21 years of age, and, at this time, being the eldest son, he took charge of the family and farm ; he was united in marriage in September, 1864, with Mary A. Bennett, daughter of Enoch and Margaret (Withgott) Bennett ; by this union they had born to them two children, viz. : Fletcher Scott and Margaret Elizabeth ; Mr. Moffett continued on the home place till his death, which occurred March 25, 1879. Although not of advanced age, yet that terrible destroyer, consumption, had marked him for its victim, and death finished the work when he was only about 52 years of age ; but his life and character were such as to ever be cherished in the memory of his family, friends and neighbors ; he was diligent in business, honest in all his dealings, with commendable public spirit, and uniform sympathy and kindness. ISAAC S. MORRIS, Editor Miami Helmet, Piqua ; son of John and Ruth Morris ; was born in Clinton Co., Ohio, Feb. 7, 1825, and was brought up as a farmer, having such opportunities of education as were offered at that time by the district school. Graduated at Farmers' College in the year 1850. Married to Edith T. Jenkins, daughter of Jacob and Hannah Jenkins, of Clinton Co., Oct. 16 610 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 1851 ; was Superintendent of the Public Schools of Eaton, Ohio, from 1853 to 1860 editor of the Eaton Register from Jan. 1, 1861, to Jan. 1, 1874 ; and editor of the Miami Helmet since August, 1874. Mr. Morris has three children, two daughters and a son the former are graduates of the high school, one, being also a graduate of the Wesleyan Female College of Delaware, is assistant teacher in the Piqua High School. WILSON MORROW, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua; born in Butler Co., Ohio, Sept. 21, 1817 ; is a son of John and Mary (Robison) Morrow. Our subject is a nephew to the late Gov. Morrow, of Ohio, whose name is prominently known in the State history. Wilson grew to manhood, in his native county,- as a farmer's son. In 1842, he married Rebecca Morrow, born in Adams Co., Penn., Feb. 17, 1822. Soon after their marriage, they located in Shelby Co., Ohio, on their farm, consisting of 160 acres of unbroken forest. They spent a quarter of a century on their property, during which time it was taken to a good degree of cultivation and improvement. In 1868, be sold out, and purchased his present lot, of 5 acres in the Third Ward of Piqua, where he is finely situated, with all the conveniences necessary ; the following year he purchased 122 acres in Sec. 22, Washington Township, Miami Co.; this has since been cultivated by renters, but frequently receives his supervision. Mr. and Mrs Morrow have had born to them one child, Mary M. E., June 16, 1864. ANDREW M. MORROW, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born on the farm where he now resides, Nov. 17, 1833 ; is a son of Richard and Frances (Clark) Morrow, natives of Pennsylvania, who were united in marriage July 5, 1814, and, in the fall of the same year, moved first to Highland Co., Ohio ; thence in spring of 1815, to Miami Co., and settled on a quarter-section of land three miles south of Piqua ; the country was then an almost unbroken forest. In the summer of 1817, they erected a double log house with a two-story front, which they occupied on the 20th of December ; upon this homestead they spent the remainder of their lives, with the exception of a five years' residence in Piqua, returning to the farm in 1861. Mr. Morrow was a millwright in his youth, but after his settlement in Ohio, he devoted his life to agriculture. Their married life covered a period of half a century. He died May 28, 1864, 76 years of age ; and she on the 12th of August, of the same year, aged 75 years. They were the parents of seven children-Joseph M., born March 11, 1815, who was killed by the fall of a roof-pole from the house on the farm of Judge Adams, two and one-half miles south of Piqua; Robert A. born April 11, 1818, died Nov. 19, 1846 ; Hugh C., born Oct. 9, 1820, died Sept. 5, 1874 ; James, born Dec. 20, 1822 ; Milton, born Feb. 14, 1825 ; William, born July 31, 1828 and Andrew M. Mr. Morrow was one of the early pioneers, and endured his share of their hardships ; was prominent and active in that early day in the organization of the schools, churches and public enterprises of that period, being one of; the organizers of one of the first churches of Piqua. He was Colonel and Major of the militia, and was generally designated as Maj. Morrow ; was Township Trustee for many years, also County Commissioner for several years. He and wife were members of the Presbyterian Church for the greater period of their lives. Our subject has always resided upon the old home place, and married, April 8, 1858, Eliza E., daughter of Daniel and Margaret Drake ; they had three children-Ella Frances, born May 16, 1860 ; Margaret Caroline, born May 14, 1862, and Harland D., born Sept. 5, 1873. Mrs. Morrow died Oct. 30, 1873. Dec. 27, 1876, Mr. Morrow was married to Olive L., daughter of James and Sarah Ann (Parker) Dennis„he a native of Ohio, and she of New Jersey ; issue, two children-Clifton P., born Oct. 28, 1877, and Eliza D., born Oct. 14, 1879. 1VIr. Morrow and wife, like their parents before them, are faithful members of the Presbyterian Church. They have a fine farm of 136 acres of land, with good improvements, constituting a very pleasant home and farmer's residence. FRANCIS L. MORROW, deceased ; a sonof John Morrow, an early resident of Washington Township, and related to the Johnstons and Scotts, of Piqua ; was born on the farm in Washington Township Oct. 14, 1818 ; when about 14 years WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 611 of age, he entered the store of William Scott, and afterward was given an interest, in lieu of salary. In 1843, he married Miss Mercy, daughter of Samuel and Hannan (West) Winner, who were residents of the vicinity of Piqua ; in 1844, he retired from the partnership with Mr. Scott, and established a dry-goods store, which he continued to operate, sometimes with partners, until 1873, when he, with many others, was crushed by the financial pressure of that year ; after this, he was occupied in different pursuits until his decease, which occurred Jan. 15, 1877 ; he was an active, enterprising, useful citizen, often called to fill official positions of trust ; his wife and four children-John, Fanny L., Walter J. and Stephen J.-survived him, and are still an undivided household ; the residence is a handsome property, richly furnished, situated on Caldwell street, between North and Greene streets ; Mrs. Morrow is a native of Warren Co., Ohio, and an intelligent, cultured lady. JAMES MORRIN, farmer; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Washington Co., Penn., in 1809 ; is the son of William and Elizabeth Morrin, he being a native of Ireland, and coming to this country in an early day ; they immigrated to this county on the 9th day of April, 1821, and located at Piqua, where he followed 'farming for about seven years, when he bought the farm now owned by Mr. Howell, on Sec. 35 in Washington Township, where he lived and died, being thrown from a horse and killed in September, 1839. James Morrin, the subject of our sketch, lived with his father till his majority, when he started out in the world for himself ; he worked by the month at various places for about eight years, when he bought 80 acres adjoining his father's home place, on Sec. 35. He was united in marriage with Nancy Morrow, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Macklen) Morrow, who were both natives of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio at an early day, locating first near Cincinnati, where they lived several years, then in Montgomery Co., and, after a time, came from there into Miami Co., where they lived and died ; by this union they had ten children, and all are now living, viz., William M., who is married, and lives in Pennsylvania ; Thomas D., who married, and lives in California ; George W., married, and lives in Colorado ; James M., married, and lives in Kansas ; Agnes S., single, and living at home ; John W. and Daniel L , single, and also in Colorado ; Barton R., single, and with his brother William in Pennsylvania ; Mary F., single, and living at home ; and Watson E., single, and also living at home. Mr. Morrin, when he located on his land forty-two years ago, commenced right in the woods, except a very little opening of about 4 acres ; he started out in pioneer style, built his log cabin, in which he lived several years, toiling on from year to year, clearing up the land and making such improvements as time and means would permit ; finally adding more land, by purchase, to his farm, till now he has 140 acres, a large brick house, good barn, other buildings for convenience and comfort, and all made by his own industry and economy ; he has, in connection with all this labor, assisted his neighbors in their log-rollings, and raising their log houses, in all directions around him ; but now he can sit in peace and comfort, " under his own vine and fig-tree," which has been well earned ; he and his wife have been members of the Church of Christ for forty years. R. MANARD MURRAY, manufacturer, Piqua ; born in Concord, Lake Co., Ohio, Nov. 28,1841 ; is the son of Robert Murray, who for many years was engaged in purchasing cattle on a large scale and sending them East for sale. His mother, Sophronia (Parmalee) Murray, came to Ohio from Otisco, Onondaga Co., N. Y., and was descended from old Puritan stock. Her parents emigrated from Connecticut to the State of New York, prior to removing to Ohio. The subject of this sketch received the usual elementary training afforded by the district schools, and, when about 14 years of age, entered an academy at Kirtland, where he remained about one year ; he then became a student at a Methodist institution at Willoughby, Ohio, and in 1857, went to Oberlin College, where he spent two years, not taking a regular course, but selected his studies ; on leaving Oberlin, he attended the Law College at Cleveland, conducted by Judge Hadyn, graduated, and was admitted to the bar. On the outbreak of the rebellion, he enlisted'in the 100-day service ; returning to Cleveland, he entered the law office of Ranney, Backus & Noble. 612 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: In 1864, he enlisted in the 100-day service, and became a member of the 150th 0. N. G., who garrisoned the forts about Washington, and participated in the fight before Washington, with a part of Early's rebel corps, July 10 and 11, 1864. After returning from the service, he engaged in the cattle trade in Iowa, remaining there, however; only one year; then returned to Ohio; and became collector for the First National Bank, at Painesville ; in October; 1867, he became book-keeper; and in January, 1871, was elected Cashier. He was a member of the School Board of Painesville three years, and Treasurer of its funds four years. In the spring of 1878, he was elected Mayor; was also at the same time executor of 'a large estatee and, in addition to these public financial and fiduciary duties, he owned a farm of 100 acres which daily received his supervision. Feb. 1, 1879, he resigned his position in the bank, and arranged his financial affairs with a view to removing to Piqua, for the purpose of engaging in the enterprise known as the Piqua Handle and Manufacturing Co. Having formed a partnership with Mr. 0. D. Gray, who had previously been interested in a like enterprise, in Wattsburg, Penn., they commenced business, Nov. 10, 1879, the style of the firm being Gray & Murray. The experience and ability of the firm assure the success of the enterprise ; indeed, it has already become one of the substantial and important industries of Piqua. Mr. Murray is a well-informed and public-spirited citizen ; he is also an able speaker; and often called on at public and political gatherings ; social and agreeable as a gentleman, courteous and affable in all business relations, and a royal entertainer at his home. WILLIAM W. O'FERRALL, of the firm of John O'Ferrall & Co., proprietors of the Piqua Car and Agricultural Works, Piqua. Mr. O'Ferrall, horn in 1836, is a son of Dr. John O'Ferrall, Sr., whose history is noticed in the early history of Piqua ; he is a native of Piqua, and has resided here all his life ; when a young man, he was engaged for a short time in the boot and shoe trade ; in 1851, he became a constituent member of the firm of O'Ferrell, Daniels & Co. proprietors of the Piqua Car and Agricultural Works, and has been identified with all the history of these works since, most of his time being occupied in traveling in the interests of the company. He married, in 1859, Miss Mary E., daughter of 0. Foreman.; they had one child, who died ; their residence is a handsome property near the north end of Main street. JOHN O'FARRELL, M. D., Piqua. Among the leading men of Piqua, Dr. O'Farrell is prominent ; he is the son and successor of Dr. John O'Farrell, Sr., one of the first physicians of Piqua, having located here in 1819 ; the subject of our sketch was born in 1824, graduated from the Louisville Medical College in 1843, and began practice in Piqua the same year ; in 1848, he went to California, whence he was summoned to return by the decease of his father; which occurred in 1850 ; from 1851 to 1862, he was engaged regularly in practice here ; then entered the army, in which he served about two years, being Major of the 11th 0. V. C., since which time he has been engaged in practice most of the time ; his attention being diverted by the building of the woolen-mill in 1869, and of the Lock Flouring Mill in 1872, in each of which enterprises the Doctor was a leading partner ; also rebuilt the Car and Agricultural Works in the fall of 1872, the former buildings having been burned that summer. Dr. O'Farrell has been identified with and a prime mover in securing several important industries in Piqua, and has been not only a leading physician, but also intimately identified with the manufacturing interest and measures of public benefit. He was married in 1843, to Miss Sarah, daughter of John McCorkle ; her decease occurred in 1846 ; they had one child, who died in his youth ; in 1853, he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Kirk ; her death occurred in 1869 ; they had four children, two of whom survive-Dr. Robert O'Farrell, of Denver; Colo., and John, now 12 years of age ; His marriage with Mrs. Addie L. Thompson was celebrated in 1874 ; she is a daughter of James Edwards ; she had- one child by her former marriage-Nelly M. Thompson ; from this latter union have been born two children-Kate and WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 613 Mary. His residence and professional office is located at the corner of Main and North streets, and is an elegant property and pleasant home. ANDREW PATTERSON, retired, Piqua ; is a son of William P. and Jane (Hamilton) Patterson, both natives of Pennsylvania ; their marriage occurred about 1796 ; he died in 1031, and she in 1838. Their children were nine in number; of whom three are now living, Andrew being the eldest ; he was born in Fayette Co., Penn., June, 1806, where he grew to manhood ; in his boyhood days he obtained his education in the subscription schools, as the free-school system was not then known in Fayette Co.; his earlier life was that of a farmer's son ; in 1834, he came West, locating in Spring Creek Township, Miami Co., and Oct. 27, 1835, he married Rebecca Craig. In October; three years later; she died, leaving one son, William C. Andrew afterward married Mrs. Elizabeth (Stewart) Sayers ; in 1841, he located in Piqua, and not seeing fit to remain there he returned to Spring Creek Township, where he continued farming until the spring of 1854. Having had (shortly before) bestowed upon him by the citizens of Miami Co., the Treasurer's office, this necessitated him to locate in Troy. This office he duly and honorably filled with credit to himself and satisfaction to the county ; in addition to this, he has held the most prominent offices of his township ; in 1865, he returned to Piqua, opening out a hardware establishment, which he conducted until 1872, then retired from its duties, and now resides in his quiet home unmolested with business thoughts. The children, by his last companion, now living, are John S. engaged in the Piqua National Bank, and Andrew H., engaged in the Railroad office of the D. M., at the crossing of the C., C. & I. C. JOHN PATTERSON, farmer ; P.O. Piqua ; born in Shelby Co., Ohio; in 1819 ; is the son of John and Elizabeth (Anderson) Patterson, who were both born in Ireland ; he came to this country in 1810, and she in 1815 ; they were parents of eight children, viz., John, William, Martha, now deceased ; Jane, also deceased ; Robert, living in California; Alexander; living in Shelby Co.; James, also living in Shelby Co., on the old farm, and Elizabeth, who is now dead ; John, the father; died in 1849 ; and Elizabeth, the mother; died in 1874. Mr. Patterson lived with his parents till his marriage, which occurred in 1846, when he was united to Mary Ann Hunter; daughter of Joseph and Jane Hunter ; by this union they had two children -William A. and Mary E., both living at home. After Mr. Patterson's marriage, he lived on a rented farm for three years, when he bought the farm where he now resides, having lived on it thirty-one years, during which time he has cleared up a great part of his farm and built all the buildings on the place, having a good brick house, fine barn, and other comfortable and convenient structures ; he has been, like most of his countrymen, a great worker; and his industry and economy have wrought out for him a good home and a sufficient competency. Since his first purchase of land, he has added more to his possessions, till now he owns a fine body of land comprising 247 acres. WILLIAM PATTERSON, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Shelby Co., Ohio; Feb. 11, 1821 ; is the son of John and Elizabeth (Anderson) Patterson, both born in Ireland ; he emigrated to this country in 1816, and she came, in 1814, to Pennsylvania ; they left Pennsylvania and came to Shelby Co. in 1817 ; they were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living, viz., John, William, Robert, Alexander; James. The parents lived and died in Shelby. Mr. Patterson lived at home with his father till 1853, when he went to California, remained about three years working in the mines, when, in 1857, he returned to Ohio; bought a farm in Washington Township and located. On Oct. 15, 1857, he was married to Margaret Crozier; daughter of John and Jane (Patterson) Crozier ; by this union they had six children, five of whom are living, viz., John, Emma, Anna, Cora and Lee. Mr. Patterson remained eight years on his farm, when he bought the farm where he now lives and moved to it with his family, where he still resides ; Mr. Patterson is a large land-holder; being owner of 360 acres, comprising two farms. Mrs. Patterson departed this life March 21, 1875. 614 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : WILLIAM M. PURSELL, manufacturer; Piqua. Mr. Pitmen is a native of Indiana, born in Dearborn Co. in 1840 ; his parents removed to Cincinnati when he was a boy, and he received the benefit of the city school privileges until about 15 years of age, when he became engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which he continued about twelve years, then came to Piqua and became connected with the manufacturing establishment with which he is now connected, but then operated by a different firm ; he has continued with this establishment since, and is now the junior member of the firm of John O'Ferrall & Co., proprietors of the Piqua Car and Agricultural Works, and has charge of the details of the business. Mr. Pursell is an honored member r of the Masonic Order; and is the High Priest of Piqua Chapter. also Regent of the Royal Arcanum ; he is one of those genial, good fellows who are selected to bear the honors and burdens of non-paying official positions, and is withal a useful, respected citizen. He entered the U. S. Army in 1862 was a Lieutenant on Gen. Mitchell's staff, but rheumatism compelled him to resign: His residence is a handsome property on Wayne street, between Green and North streets. He married, in 1864, Miss Fannie E., youngest child of Dr. John O'Ferrall, Sr., who was one of the pion'eer physicians of Piqua, and an esteemed citizen ; they have one child, Miss Clara. FRANCIS RAIN, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Philadelphia in 1802 ; is a son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Case) Rain, both of whom were born in Philadelphia, their ancestors coming from England with William Penn ; they were parents of six children, all now deceased except two. Mr. Rain, our subject, was thrown upon the world by the death of his father when he was only 6 years of age ; there were then five little children, and, their parents being without means, the children were placed out and scattered here and there, just as places could be found for them ; Francis was bound out by his mother to Isaac Hawkins, till 17 years of age; when his time expired, Mr. Rain sought and obtained a situation to learn the black smithing trade, at which he served four years, when he arrived at his majority, and hired out at $9 per month ; he continued work at his trade till 1838, when he emigrated to Ohio; locating at Wapakoneta, but, not finding business to suit him there, came to Piqua and went to work at his trade, at which he continued for six years ; then he bought out the shop and tools of his employer; and carried on the business till 1856, when he came and located on the farm where he now lives, having bought the farm about five years previous. Mr. Rain was united in marriage, in 1823, with Sarah Roney, daughter of Silas and Mary Roney, who were both natives of Pennsylvania ; by this union they had thirteen children, viz., Lewis, Elizabeth, Silas, William (deceased), Thomas (deceased), Deacon C., Mary, Sarah Ann, John H., James Phinley (deceased), Clara Jane, Harriet Eliza and Frances I. Mr. Rain, when locating upon his farm, opened out right in the woods, and had to clear up and erect his buildings and make all improvements, during which he had to endure the hardships and deprivations incident to pioneer life ; he now owns two good farms, consisting of 152 acres, most of which he has brought into good cultivation ; he has good buildings on both farms, and everything for comfort and convenience ; this was all accomplished through his own industry and economy, being thrown upon the cold, unfeeling world when a mere child, having to work his way through without any means and a very limited education ; but now he has a competency, and can live in comfort the remainder of his days. WILLIAM RAYNER. farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; born in Sheffield, Eng., in 1817 ; is son of John and Elizabeth Rayner; who were born in England, but emigrated to this country in 1830, and located in Piqua ; he (the father) was a minister in the M. E. Church before coming to this country, remained such during his life, and as a minister was very well known in Piqua and the surrounding neighborhood ; he departed this life in 1871, being about 76 years of age, and his wife died in 1872. Mr Rayner; our subject, came to this county and located in Piqua about half a century ago, where he lived and followed his trade—that of a carpenter—till about twenty-eight years since, when he moved on to a farm, and has since followed farming ; in 1864, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 615 he located upon the farm where he now resides ;- he has 60 acres of good land, 50 of which are in cultivation, with a good house, barn, and other buildings, comprising a very pleasant home, situated about two miles from Piqua. Mr. Rayner was united in marriage in 1843, with Rachel Scudder Valentine, daughter of Richard Valentine ; by this union they had two children, viz., James B. and Anna E. ; be lost his wife by death, in 1849. In 1850, married Catherine J. Barret, daughter of William and Maria Barret, both being born in Connecticut ; by this union they had seven children, of whom five are living, viz., Maria (deceased), Mary, Emma (deceased), Luella D., Edwin B. and John A. Mr. Rayner has, since his marriage, located on and opened out three different farms right in the woods, doing most of the carpenter work in building on each of the three farms ; he has been a constant worker; and by his industry and economy has made sufficient to live in comfort the rest of his life. He was formerly a Whig, politically, and then Free-Soil, and since, a stanch Republican, combined with Prohibition. Mr. Rayner is an active member of the M. E. Church, his membership dating back for nearly half a century ; has been class-leader for many years, and local preacher for about thirty years. JOSEPH SAWYER, of the firm of Sawyer & Martin, paper manufacturers, a native of Piqua, is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Campbell) Sawyer; and grandson of John and Mary Campbell ; John was born 'in Ireland and Mary was a native of Scotland ; they came to Piqua about 1810, and bought a large, tract of land, comprising more than half of the principal portion of the present city of Piqua ; Elizabeth was born here in 1818, near where she lived, raised a family and died, when 59 years of age ; she was one of the leading women of her day, an earnest Christian, a wise and affectionate moth& and an estimable worker in all the departments of church and charitable work ; Joseph Sawyer; Sr., was a native of Warren Co., and came to Piqua in 1831, and married Elizabeth Campbell in 1840, and died here in 1859 ; he was a wool-carder by trade, but, was possessed of more than ordinary education, having been a school teacher in his younger days ; after coming to Piqua, he became a land speculator; and bought and sold many tracts of land in the Miami Valley, and was quite successful, and became quite well off ; he was identified with the interests of Piqua, being a member of the Council a number of years and was President of the Council when he died. The subject of this sketch was one of twin boys, born Oct. 8, 1851 ; he received a liberal education and was a member of the senior class of the oity High School, in 1869 ; he spent three years at the carriage and blacksmith trades, and in 1874, on account of ill health, went to California, and after a stay of about six months returned very much improved ; he subsequently established a collection agency in Piqua, which he prosecuted until Jan. 1, 1880, when he closed up all accounts, with a view of) engaging in some business enterprise ; the death of H. E. Loomis, who had just got the manufacture of paper bags under way, presented an opportunity which he secured, and in March, the firm of Sawyer & Martin was formed, and at this time arrangements are being perfected for the manufacture of flour sacks and grocer's bags, in which they will employ from twenty to thirty hands ; the firm are also general dealers in paper; twines, etc. ; this firm is composed of young men, but they are not without experience, and their business promises to become an established industry in Piqua. Mr. Sawyer was married Oct. 12, 1876, to Miss Rose L., daughter of Dr. G. S. Hyde, whose biography also appears in this work. JAMES E. SHELLENBERGER, M. D., Piqua ; was born in Covington, Miami Co., in 1846 ; his education was acquired in the schools of that place. In August, 1862, he enlisted as drummer by in Co. B., 94th 0. V. I., under Capt. John Drury, of Troy ; he was mustered out of service in June, 1865, and returned home ; soon after; he took up the study of medicine under Dr. John Sensman, of Tippecanoe City ; this study he industriously pursued until the winter of 1867 and 1868, when he attended the Jefferson Medical College, of Philadelphia, from which he graduated in March, 1869 ; he has since practiced six years in Covington, two years in Tippecanoe City, and since 1877, has been favorably known as a physician in 616 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : Piqua ; he is a promising young man. His marriage with Emma Chaffee was celebrated Nov. 24, 1875 ; she is a daughter of S. L. Chaffee, of Tippecanoe City. JOSEPH SCHLOSSER & CO., tobacconists, Piqua. Joseph Schlosser was born in Prussia, in 1849, where he enjoyed the schools of his native country until 1868, when he, with his parents, embarked for America ; they first settled in Cincinnati, and two years later they located in Piqua. In September; 1874, Joseph married Caroline Stelzer; who was born in Piqua in 1853 ; three children are the fruits of this union, viz., Joseph, Jr., Clara E., and George J. Mr. Schlosser is head of the firm known as Joseph Schlosser & Co., tobacconists ; they have been liberally patronized by country retailers, and fill large orders in their own city. MAX SCHROEDER, florist and gardener; Piqua. Another of the enterprises of Piqua that deserves more than a passing notice is the floral and vegetable garden of Max Schroeder ; it is located in the northeast part of the city, where he takes particular pride in raising and producing fine flowers, in which his experience here and at other places has enabled him to make it a success ; his garden affords a place of pleasure for many of the citizens of Piqua in leisure hours ; Max was born close to Berlin, Germany, Aug. 6, 1855, where he grew to the age of 15 years, when he, with his parents, immigrated to America, locating in Cincinnati ; about 1874, he went to St. Louis, engaged in his present business, and remained until the opening of his garden in Piqua. May 25, 1880, he married Helen Holtzermann, a native of Piqua, a daughter of J. D. Holtzermann, whose biography appears in this work. CHARLES SCHROEDER, hardware merchant, Piqua. Mr. Schroeder is one of the young and promising business men of Piqua ; he is a a native of Prussia, born near Berlin in 1856 ; came to the United States in 1870, and to Piqua in 1875, where he was employed as salesman in the hardware store then operated by Shannon & Davis, later by Shannon & Wall, and still later by Wall, of whom Mr. Schroeder purchased it Jan. 1, 1880, and, having added largely to the stocke is now carrying a full line of heavy and shelf hardware at the old stand, 118 Main street ; Mr. Schroeder speaks both German and English, and is a wide-awake business man ; his success thus far promises increased prosperity in the future ; should he continue, as he expects to; his experience as a salesman and thorough business habits, will enable him to advance the reputation of this old, well-known establishment. He was married, Jan. 1, 1880, to Miss Amelia, daughter of W. F. Croner. WILLIAM SCOTT, merchant and banker; Piqua ; was born in Jessamine Co., Ky., Sept. 25, 1801 ; a brother and himself are all that survive of the family of seven children of Hugh Scott and Mary Moffatt ; his father came from North Carolina to Kentucky in 1784, and, in 1808, became a pioneer of Piqua, Ohio; where, for many years, he filled the office of Justice of the Peace, his jurisdiction embracing a circuit of thirty to forty miles, extending from Ft. Wayne to Dayton ; he died in 1850, aged about 80 years. William Scott received his early education in the old pioneer log schoolhouse, where, in those early days, the facilities were very limited. Feb. 14, 1823, he embarked in business as a merchant, with a capital of $120, without friends or credit, and in competition with a firm with a capital of $10,000, in a small town of about 200 inhabitants ; by economy, industry and close application, he was soon able to extend his business, including within his scope all that pertained to a complete frontier trading-store ; at this time, there were no railroads here, or even pikes, and his goods were hauled in wagons from Cincinnati, the wagons being first loaded, at his store, with produce of various kinds taken in exchange from the surrounding country, for goods, and hauled over the muddy roads to Cincinnati, there sold or exchanged for such merchandise as he needed for his trade, the wagons reloaded and started for home, where they would arrive after a tedious journey of several days ; for twelve years he bought and sold all the pork raised in the county, making large shipments to the best markets ; in 1829, he found it .advisable to buy the property upon which he is now located, and built a business house, into which he moved his stock ; here he continued his WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 617 occupation, which, through his industry, good management and honorable dealing, had won him many friends and a great increase of trade, which, together with the growth and improvements of the town, demanded that he should build larger and more commodious rooms for the convenience of his growing and extensive business ; in 1855, he built the large brick block known as " Scott's Block," which is three stories high, and where he has very pleasant, and commodious rooms, into which he moved his stock, and has since dealt chiefly in dry goods ; in 1847, he was made President of the Piqua Branch of the State Bank of Ohio; and remained such till the State Bank was merged into the Piqua National Bank in the spring of 1865, of which he was elected President, and has so continued to the present time ; in 1872, Mr. Scott built a large extension to the building put up in 1855, being two stories high, all brick, with five business rooms on the ground floor, so that the whole " Scott's Block " now consists of six business rooms on the first floor ; in addition to his regular business, Mr. Scott has also dealt largely in real estate. Here we have recorded an uninterrupted mercantile career of fifty-seven Years, extending over a period of time during which several financial panics occurred, sweeping away the property of scores of old and prominent business men, and yet Mr. Scott never experienced a failure in business ; and, during a third of a century in which he has been a Bank President, his name has never been on any of its discounted paper; either as indorser or principal ; it is questionable whether such a record can be found in the history of any business man in the country ; he was formerly connected, as Director and Treasurer; with the Piqua & Columbus Section of the Pan Handle Railroad, and was also a stockholder in the Dayton & Michigan road ; he was formerly a member of the Whig party, but, latterly, a Republican of stanchest cast ; public-spirited and enterprising, he has been a very liberal supporter of local enterprises of merit, and has always contributed freely to the public improvements of the place ; he has ever been a warm friend to educational progress ; was for about twelve years a member of the Piqua Board of Education, and, while serving in that capacity, took a very prominent part in securing the erection of the union school building of that city, furnishing the money for that purpose, and thus Most effectually assisting in the success of the enterprise ; he holds his religious connection with the Episcopal Church of Piqua, having been a leading member of that denomination for many years ; he has been specially distinguished for his inflexible integrity and promptness in all his dealings, coupled with great caution and more than ordinary shrewdness in business ; the quiet and unostentatious manner in which he has contributed to worthy objects of charity has also been very marked. On Oct. 4, 1826, he was united in marriage with Jane, daughter of John and Catherine Morrow, who came from Baltimore, Md., and settled in the neighborhood of Piqua at an early day ; this union resulted in the birth of seven children, two of whom died in infancy ; the oldest surviving son, John Morrow Scott, is a partner with his father in the dry-goods house of John M. Scott & Co. ; he married Helen Talmadge in 1858 ; James Scott is a hardware dealer in Piqua, and is unmarried ; Mary L., the oldest daughter; is the wife of Collins H. Jordan, formerly of Piqua, now a resident of Chicago ; Jane, the second daughter; married James Johnston, of Piqua, in 1857 ; she died in 1864 ; the other daughter; Sarah Matilda, still resides at home. Mrs. Scott died Feb. 21, 1876, respected and beloved by all who knew her. We here have chronicled, upon the pages of this history, a life remarkable for all those sterling qualities which insure success, and which will stand forth as a bright and shining example, to be seen and read by future generations for all time to come. Since writing the above, Mr. William Scott has passed away ; having been stricken with paralysis, he died June 1, 1880, after an illness of but two days. John M. Scott has been chosen to fill the positions of President and Director of the Bank, made vacant by his father's death. ROBERT SHANNON, retired, Piqua ; born in Northumberland Co., Penn., April 18, 1805 ; is the son of David and Jane (Sample) Shannon, who were born in Pennsylvania and were parents of eight children ; all grew up to manhood, but 618 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: three only are now living, viz., Samuel, Elizabeth Scott and Robert, who is the subject of our sketch. He was united in marriage, in 1829, with Mary Defrees, daughter of Joseph Defrees ; they had seven children, of whom three are now living, viz., Elizabeth D., John D. and Mary ; Elizabeth D. is married to George W. Young, and resides in Piqua ; John D. is married to Bessie McDonald, and also resides in Pig-- A, and Mary is married to Robert Lamb, of Bellefontaine, Ohio; where they reside ; Jane S., who is now deceased, was married to D. L. C. Ball, of Piqua. Mr. Shannon, in 1827, left his native State for Ohio; starting on 'foot, and walked till he reached Pittsburgh, where he took " deck passage" on a steamer for Cincinnati, and from there he walked through to Piqua, being at this time 22 years of age ; he located here and went to work at his trade (the cabinet trade), which he followed about seven years, when he entered into the mercantile trade, which he followed many years, some of the time in Piqua and a part of the time in Covington ; during his business connections in Covington, his residence was still in Piqua, his brother-in-law having cbarge of the business at Covington ; for seven years, Mr. Shannon held the office of Constable and also Marshal of Piqua ; after the war; Mr. Shannon engaged in the hardware trade for about three years, when he retired from active business, as his failing health warned him that he needed quiet and rest ; he owns a nice residence, retired from the more active business portion of the city, where he prefers to live in quiet enjoyment the rest of his life. ENOS SHELLABARGER, farmer; P. 0. Piqua[ born in Montgomery Co., Ohio; in 1845 ; is the son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Ward) Shellabarger; he being born in Pennsylvania and she in Ohio ; Samuel, the father; came from Pennsylvania, and located at New Carlisle, Clark Co., Ohio; where he followed the tanning business for about six years ; thence to Covington, Miami Co., where he engaged in the mercantile trade for about six years ; thence to Montgomery Co., where he bought a farm, which he cultivated, residing there up to the present time ; they are parents of twelve children, six of whom are now living ; those deceased are John, James, Ira, Thomas, Joseph and Amanda ; the living-Margaret, William Newton, Mary, Enos, Harriet and Mahlon. Enos, the subject of our sketch, remained with his parents until after his majority, when, on the 13th of June, 1861, he was united in marriage with Rebecca Weybright, daughter of Daniel and Nancy (Kinsey) Weybright, who were both born in Ohio ; by this union they have had eight children, viz., Elizabeth, Ada (now deceased), Elmer G., Ira W. (deceased), Alice, Gertrude, Hattie Bell, Maggie May, Almira and Leroy ; Mr. Shellabarger; after his marriage, moved from Montgomery Co. to Miami Co., and located upon the farm on which he now resides ; he has 109 acres of good land, mostly in cultivation ; has made many improvements, remodeled his barn, and now has very good buildings, comfortable and convenient, making him a nice and pleasant home ; he is a member of the German Baptist Church. RICHARD W. SHIPLEY, butcher; Piqua ; born in Maryland Dec. 7, 1811 ; is a son of Vachel and Mary (Leeke) Shipley, who were horn in Maryland ; they had twelve children, of whom three are now living-Columbus I. (living on Agri- cultural farm, near Washington, Md.), Rebecca (married to John Thompson, living thirty-five miles from Baltimore), and Mr. Shipley, our subject, who lived with his father till 18 years of age, when he went to learn the butcher trade with Isaiah Mercer; at Ellicott's Mills, Md. ; there he remained two years. Aug. 1, 1833, he was united in marriage with Mary, daughter of William and Ellen (Botomly) Westerman, by whom he his had twelve children, six of whom are now living-Francis M. (born June 2, 1835), Richard W., Vachel R., Mary E., Joshua W. and Lucy M., all married and settled in life, and all living in and near Piqua, except Francis and Lucy, the former living in Xenia, and the latter in Jamestown, Ohio ; Mr. Shipley, after his marriage, or in 1834, came to Ohio; and located in Springfield, where he followed his trade till 1842, when he moved to Piqua, and there opened out in his trade, where he has remained ever since in the same business, thus making the almost or quite unprecedented record of one who has followed the butcher business continuously for half a century'. Mr. Shipley is WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 619 an active member of the M. E. Church, dating his membership back to 1828, thus showing a Christian life of over half a century ; has been class-leader and steward for thirty-two years, and was trustee for several years ; Mr. Shipley is a strong advocate of temperance; has raised all his children to manhood, and to this time has never known one of them to go into a saloon and take a drink of liquor in their lives. In this sketch of Mr. Shipley we have manifested a continuity of wind, fixedness of purpose and an integrity of character rarely witnessed, and perhaps more rarely among those of his trade and line of business. JOHN SHRODES, retired, Piqua ; was born in Jefferson Co., Va., in 1817, where he procured his education in the common schools ; in 1833, he emigrated to Fairfield Co., Ohio; where he engaged in farming until 1850, at which time he came to Greene Co. His marriage was celebrated in Fairfield Co., Ohio; in 1834, with Barbara Dessells, whose death occurred in her native county (Fairfield) ; the issue of this union were two children-John W. and Emanuel, deceased. On March 15, 1877, he married, for his second wife, Hannah I., widow of the late Col. Foster; of Piqua ; he was born in Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio; Feb. 10, 1821; his early education was acquired in the common schools ; the prime part of his manhood days was devoted to the blacksmith's trade, from which he retired, after several toilsome years, and began the study of law ; this he pursued, perusing the pages of the best authors through industry and intellect, he rose to the eminence of a lead- ing attorney. About 1845, he came to Miami Co., locating in Piqua ; after becoming a citizen of the same, he held the most prominent offices of this county ; in the fall, of 1861, he entered the United States service as Lieutenant Colonel, where he soon rose to Colonel, which position ill health necessitated him to resign, at the end of eighteen months, and return home ; his illness, contracted while in service, gradually wore him down to the last days of his life, which ended, Feb. 28, 1873, the earthly career of a loyal and noble man. Mrs. Shrodes was born in Warren Co., Ohio; Aug. 11, 1823, and is a daughter of Samuel and Hannah I. (Clevenger) Chamberlin, both natives of New Jersey, and died in Lebanon-she in 1851, and he in 1863. CHARLES W. SIMON, proprietor of Border City Hotel, Piqua, which is one of the needed enterprises of every town and city ; in this business he has been favorably known since 1875. , Our subject, born in Piqua in April, 1847, is a son of J. C. and Barbara A. Simons ; there he grew to manhood, and, during his minority, he enjoyed the schools of Piqua to a medium degree ; at the, age of 19 years, he opened a restaurant in the Pan Handle depot, in which he met with fair success, and followed until the opening of his present business. In November; 1871, he married Mary L. Kohler; who was born and raised in this city, being five years the junior of C. W. ; they have one daughter-Caroline D., born Dec. 25, 1879. RICHARD SLAUSON, grain merchant and capitalist, Piqua. Among the business men of Piqua, who deserve more than a passing notice, is Mr. Slauson ; he is a native of Connecticut, born in 1825; his parents removed to New York State when he was a lad ; his father was a farmer; but he was schooled to business from the age of 14 years ; he married, in 1846, Miss Maria H. Rexford, and, in 1847, they came to Piqua, where he engaged in the dry-goods trade until 1851, when, on account of his health, he retired' from that business, and operated in different ways until 1857, when he became a member of the firm of Farrington & Slauson, grain dealers ; the firm is now also interested in the oil-mill of Wood, Farrington & Co. ; their business is perhaps the most extensive of any firm in Piqua ; Mr. Slauson has been one of the important business men of Piqua for more than thirty years, and is a respected, useful Christian citizen ; his residence, on the southwest corner of High and Downing streets, is surrounded by a spacious yard, and is one of the handsomest residence properties in the city. Mrs. Slauson died in 1818, leaving one child-a son. HENRY SMITHMAN, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; is a son of Henry, Sr., and Charlotte Smithman, both natives of Germany, where both passed away, he, in 1826, and she about 1843. Our subject was born in Germany in 1816, and raised 620 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : to village life ; there he procured a good German education ; in 1834, he emigrated to the United States, first locating in Pennsylvania, where he engaged in the iron furnace four years; the expiration of this period, he commenced farming, buying and selling laud ; this he continued until 1865, when he came to Miami Co., locating in. Spring Creek Township a few changes have since been made, and he now owns 36 acres in Miami Co., of which the part on which he resides lies in Fourth Ward of Piqua. Nov. 5, 1840 (in Pennsylvania), he married Agnes Wagner; of Germany, born, March 7, 1819 ; eleven children have been born to them, of whom seven are now living, viz. : William, John, Edward, Mary, Lydia, Agnes and Henry. J. H. H. SPIKER, livery, Piqua ; was born in Alleghany Co., Md., August, 1830, where he grew to the age of 18 years, of which a part was town life ; having access to good schools, he acquired a fair education ; in 1848, he went to Virginia, where he was variously engaged for seven years ; in 1855, he came to Piqua, where he opened a carriage factory, buying and selling horses ; four years later, he sold a part of his interest, and opened the stable he now is operating ; in 1860, sold the last interest in the carriage works, which are now known as the " Spiker Wagon Works ; " his attention has since been devoted to every part of a first-class livery-stable, and he continues to buy and sell horses ; his ability for his present occupation has awarded him fair success. In July, 1850, in Virginia, he married Eliza McCarthy, a native of the same State(Virginia) ; her death occurred about 1873 ; the fruits of this union are Ella, Elizabeth, Callie, Annetta and John ; Mr. Spiker married for his second wife Elizabeth Painter, of Miami Co., a native of New York. W. S. and S. K. STATLER, farmers ; P. 0. Piqua ; are the sons of George and Elizabeth (Knoop) Statler; their father was born in Dauphin Co., Penn., in 1798, and came to Miami Co., Ohio; with his parents about 1804; their mother was born in Miami Co. in 1806, and was married in 1829 ; they had four children, all now living, viz.: James W., who is married, and settled in Van Buren, Ark. ; Will Sabin, who is single and lives on the home farm ; Harriet also lives at home with her brother Sabin and is unmarried ; and Samuel K., married to Clara E. Kinsman, and lives also on the home farm, and are parents of one child, viz., Lizzie K. ; George and Elizabeth, the parents, were among the very early settlers of the county; opening out right in the wilderness ; living in the old log cabin for years, and by dint of hard labor; industry and economy, clearing up the farm, and making improvements as time and means would permit ; before their death they were in the possession of three good farms of 160 acres each, with good buildings and everything needed for comfort and convenience ; she died in 1871, and he in 1873, having fulfilled their mission well and leaving a goodly portion of this world's goods for their children to enjoy, without the hardships and deprivations which their parents had to endure. Elizabeth's brother; Jacob Knoop, was the first white child born in the county, Nov. 30, 1798; Samuel K., is the Land Appraiser for Washington Township, having been elected to fill that office last October ; William S., and Harriet his sister; are members of the Presbyterian Church, in Piqua, his membership dating back about fived years, and hers about eighteen years. D. C. STATLER, farmer and stone merchant ; P. 0. Piqua ; is the son of Christopher and Frances Statler; and grandson of Christopher Statler; who was one of the early pioneers of Miami Co., settling here in about 1801, and died in 1824. Christopher; the father; was born in Pennsylvania probably about 1787, and emigrated with his father to Ohio when he was quite young ; the grandfather was a native of Switzerland. The father; Christopher; was united in marriage with Frances Winans, May 27, 1810 ; she was born in 1791 ; they had thirteen children, of whom four are now living ; in this early day there were but few settlers scattered here and there through the county ; Piqua at that time was all in the " bush," there being then only two houses in the town with shingle roofs ; one, a store kept by Armstrong Brandon, the other a tavern kept by a man by the name of Ewing ; the Indians were very numerous at that time, but were generally friendly, still they WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 621 gave the people much anxiety, and caused them to keep heavy locks and bolts upon their doors ; during the war of 1812, some of the Indians joined with the British, and committed several murders ; a man by the name of Dilbone and his wife were killed by them, Hying about four miles east of Statler's farm ; and another man by the name of Gerard, about four miles south ; Mother Statler remembers distinctly all these events ; they endured all the hardships and deprivations of such pioneer life ; there were then no churches, but occasionally the Methodist circuit preachers would come around and hold services in some of the settlers' houses ; they carded and spun their own wool, made their own clothes, etc.; were happy and contented, much more so than those of the present day, surrounded with all the comforts and even luxuries that heart need desire ; thus, as time and improvements advance, the ways and modes of living, and desires of the people are constantly changing; what is now so fine and superb to us, may 100 years hence be far excelled by the people of future age ; Mother Statler joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in New Jersey, in 1808, having been a faithful and firm adherent to the faith for seventy-two years, thus showing a duration of active Christian life almost or quite unprecedented in the annals of the church ; most certainly in the last great day, she will have a crown of rejoicing. D. C. Statler; the subject of our sketch, was united in marriage with Jerusha Smith in 1849 ; daughter of Oliver and Ruth Smith, of Dayton, Ohio ; they had seven children, of whom five are now living ; Mr. Statler resides on the old home farm, with whom his aged mother; now 89 years old, lives ; they have all the comforts and conveniences of life, on the same place where the mother endured so many hardships in early life, but now she can pass the remainder of her days in quiet, peace and happiness, in the care of her loved and devoted children. JAMES STARRETT, retired, Piqua ; Mr. Starrett, one of the old residents of Piqua, was born in Clark Co., in 1813 ; came, when a boy, with his parents to Shelby Co., where his father died in 1829 ; in 1831, he came to Piqua to learn the cabinet-maker's trade, at which he afterward worked in different places ; while in New York he went on a whaling expedition, which occupied about two years, and during which he witnessed some exciting scenes and was conscious of some narrow escapes ; in 1839, he engaged in the dry-goods trade in Piqua, but, being unfortunate in the choice of a partner; soon sold out ; in 1845, he engaged in the drug trade, Judge Mitchell being his partner ; he continued in the business about fifteen years, then became a partner with Wm. W. Wood in the grocery trade, and also conducted a cooper establishment ; in 1863, he sold out here and removed to Indianapolis, where he was a member of the firm of Sawyer & Co., wholesale grocers, until 1866, when he returned to Piqua, and has resided here since, living a quiet, retired life. Mr. Starrett has been identified with the history of Piqua for a half-century, and is now one of its substantial citizens ; his residence, situated on the southwest corner of Caldwell and Ash streets, is a substantial, commodious building, which, by its surroundings and furnishings, indicates culture and comfort. He married, in 1840, Elizabeth J., daughter of John K. McFarland, who was a pioneer of Lost Creek Township, and owned carding and fulling mills, also a saw-mill on Lost Creek ; afterward, became a resident of Troy, and was a' eading and influential man in his day ; Mrs. Starrett is a native of Miami Co., one off a large family reared in the early days of our county history, and remembers well when her father's carding machine took the place of the old-fashioned hand cards, and now views with pleasure the comforts of modern improvements. JOSEPH C. TEMPLETON, retired, Piqua ; born in Newberry Township, Miami Co., Dec. 25, 1811 ; is a son of Lemuel and Elizabeth Templeton, both natives of Franklin Co., Penn., where they married ; in the same year that Joseph was born they emigrated to Ohio; locating in the unbroken forest of Newberry Township, where they took their farm to a good state of improvement and cultivation ; Lemuel died Oct. 6, 1836, and Elizabeth July 9, 1842 ; their children were eight in number—Sarah, deceased ; Joseph C., Mary A., Eliza J., Maria, James. deceased ; Beulah and Melinda. Our subject was raised to farm life and obtained 622 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: his education in the common schools of Miami Co.; he remained at home assisting his father until 1839, when he started in life for himself ; twelve years later; he purchased his present farm of 172 acres, in Newberry Township, which he cultivated until 1865, when he removed from the farm to his present dwelling on Chestnut street, Piqua ; there he is comfortably situated, where he and his younger sister are enjoying a quiet and undisturbed home. A. J. TEMPLETON, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Newberry Township, Miami -Co., Ohio; in 1833 ; is the son of David and Eliza (Davis) Templeton, who were both born in Pennsylvania ; came to this county and located in Newberry Township, in 1814, about the close of the war of 1812, where they lived and died, he dying in 1858, and she in 1857. The grandparents on the father's side, came from Ireland, and on the mother's side from Scotland. Mr. Templeton remained with his parents till their death, when the home place was sold, and he bought the farm upon which he now resides, which was in the spring of 1862. He was married in the fall of 1856 to Nancy J. Darner; daughter of Jacob Darner; who was a native of Maryland ; by this union they had four children, viz., William L., Charles D., Sallie (deceased) and Harry Edgar. William, the eldest, is now in Covington, this county, studying the profession of medicine, the others are living at home. Mr. Templeton has a good farm of 80 acres, which he has greatly improved since he purchased it, and has erected all the buildings except the house now having a very pleasant and comfortable home ; he has given great attention to the education of his children, the oldest, as stated above, taking the profession of a physician. He is a member of the Christian Church. AUGUSTUS THOMA, jeweler, Piqua. Mr. Thoma, a native of Germany, was born in Baden in 1819 ; came to the United States in 1832 ; learned his trade in New York, and worked there several years. In 1838, his health not being very good, he took a trip West for recreation, and was so well pleased with the prospects of this Western country, that he concluded to make it his home, and has been a resident of Piqua ever since. He worked as "jour" for Reimund Wilman a short time, then bought him out, and, following the Franklin maxim, "The shop keep Mm who keeps a shop," he has attended closely to his trade and business in connection, and has been successful, and is now one of the substantial and respected citizens of Piqua, connected with some of the important industrial enterprises lately inaugurated here. His store is located at 197 Main street, where he keeps a fine stock of jewelry and silver-ware, and, being a practical workman of long experience, he does a large business in repairs, and also manufactures jewelers' tools. His residence is a part of the store-building, and has been his place of residence since 1845. He married, in 1840, Wilhelmina Sauerman, a native of Hanover, Germany, and, at the time of her marriage, a resident of Piqua ; both she and her husband were orphans from early youth ; they have two sons and one daughter living—A. F., who is traveling and selling jewelers' tools and materials ; Albin, who is also engaged in the business with his father and brother; and Caroline, a young lady at home. JAMES P. TURK, farmer ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in the State of New York, in 1810, is the son of James and Rachel Turk, both of whom were born in New Jersey ; the great-grandfather came from Holland ; the mother's ancestry were among the Huguenots who were driven out from Rochelle, France. on account of their religious belief ; the parents lived and died in the State of New York ; they were the parents of seven children, viz., James P., Mary, William, now deceased, Ann, Elizabeth, Ellen and Oscar. Mr. Turk, the subject of our sketch, was united in marriage with Hester Merritt, daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Merritt ; by this union they have had eleven children viz., Mary, Joseph, deceased, William, Nathaniel, deceased, James, Margaret, Charles, deceased, and four others dying in infancy ; Hester; the mother; died Aug. 2, 1879, aged 71 years. Mr. Turk moved from New York State to Ft. Wayne, Ind., November; 1842, where he lived till September; 1849, when he came to this county and located on the farm where he now resides ; he has a farm consisting of 166 acres, mostly in cultivation. His son James works the WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 623 farm, and Mr. Turk gives the most of his attention to dealing in stock. He is, and always has been, a great advocate in the cause of education, and has taken a great interest in the schools by his own support and advocacy of good teachers and good schools. F. W. WALTON, physician, Piqua ; was born Nov. 3, 1813, in Connecticut, and when but a child was left motherless ; thereafter; he was under the jurisdiction of his uncle, in Madison Co., N. Y., where he acquired his primary education ; early in life, he had access to his uncle's medical library, but his preceptor was the well-known Dr. S. H. Potter; of Syracuse, N. Y., now in Hamilton, Ohio. In 1855, Dr. Walton graduated from the Syracuse Medical College, of New York, and the same year passed an examination, and holds a diploma from the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati ; two years later; he located in Piqua, where he has been favorably known since ; he is among the older physicians of the city. His nuptials with Clarinda Hall were celebrated in Lenox, Madison Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1834 ; they trod the path of life for nearly two score years, when she passed away ; the issue of their union was two sons, Samuel W. and Frederick L., who both became druggists, which they followed during life ; in 1874, the Doctor married for his second wife Ada Peterson, born in Staunton Township, Miami Co., Ohio ; she is a daughter of Ralph Peterson, in honor of whom the station (Peterson) on the D. & M. R. R. took its name. A. WENDEL, jeweler; Piqua. Among the business men of Piqua who deserve mention, is Mr. Wendel; he is a native of Rhenish-Prussia, born in 1821 ; came to the United States in 1850 ; spent a little more than a year in Dayton, whence he came to Piqua and commenced business as a traveling jeweler ; in 1856, he established himself in business here ; has conducted it ever since, and built up a reputation and business which have placed him among the leading business men of Piqua ; he has been a property-holder here since 1853, and is now one of the substantial citizens; his residence is located on Sycamore street. He married, in 1851, Miss Fanny Friedlich, sister of A. Friedlich, whose biography appears in this work ; they have had seven children, six of whom are living—Jacob (who is now assisting in the store), Samuel, Helen (now Mrs. A. Simon, of Greenville), Bertha (now Mrs. Sol. Rosenfeld, of Portland, Oregon), Rosa and Sadie. Mr. Wendel has always taken an active interest in the public welfare, and his children are all graduates of the high school ; Bertha was elected teacher after her graduation, and taught about three years with great acceptance. Mr. Wendel was one of the constitutional members of the Ansheemeth congregation, and has acted as Rabbi since its organization. I. J. WHITLOCK, Piqua.. Mr. Whitlock is a native of Ohio; born in Butler Co. in 1828; his youth was spent on a farm until 18 years of age ; he then commenced working at the carpenter's trade, which he has followed ever since ; he came to Piqua in 1853, and was employed at carpentering exclusively until 1860, when he purchased of Willis Buckles the sash, door and blind factory at the corner of Broadway and Boone streets, which he rebuilt and enlarged in 1869, and is now, in addition to his regular factory work, engaged in contracting and building, and also deals in builders' material ; Mr. Whitlock is both an architect and draughtsman, executes his own plans, and, understanding the details of his work, is enabled to secure a high degree of efficiency, being, indeed, the leading contractor and builder of the city. He married, in 1853, Miss Mary McGuire, also of Butler Co.; she having died in 1854 ; in 1856 he married Miss Margaret, daughter of Zachariah Flomerfelt, of Shelby Co., formerly a resident of the vicinity of Piqua. Mr. Whitlock's residence is at the corner of Boone street and Broadway, opposite his factory. He has a family of four children—Wilbur F., Mary E., John E. and Harry E. STEPHEN WIDNEY, retired farmer and stock-raiser ; P. 0. Piqua ; born in Franklin Co., Penn., April 9, 1806 ; is the son of John and Mary (Johnston) Widney, who; in 1810, sold their farm and a mill property and removed to Ohio; then known as the " backwoods ; " they settled in Miami Co., three miles northwest of 624 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: where the city of Piqua now stands, but which then consisted of two log cabins ; he bought a quarter-section of land, with 3 acres cleared and a log cabin on it, and entered three quarter-sections adjoining, one for each of his three sons ; his uncle, John Johnston, then Government Agent for five or six of the Indian tribes, brought his family at the same time and settled within one mile of them ; at that time, there were no settlers outside of their location, and, with the exception of three or four families, from two to four miles on the south of them, the Indians, for the first year; were their only neighbors, but they were not troublesome, with the exception of stealing two of their horses, one of which they never recovered, and, occasionally, their fat hogs, when running in the woods, although that was often done by others, on the Indians' credit ; the first year; they raised potatoes sufficient for their own use ; the next year; nearly all their own provisions ; and the third year; they had grain to sell to new settlers. They had nine children—three sons and six daughters ; their first cabin was about 20x24 feet, and, besides their own family occupying the beds, they often had eight or ten Indians to sleep on their blankets on the floor. During the war of 1812 to 1815, some of the settlers went into " block-houses ; " the country was patrolled by rangers, and, although the Government kept and fed from 2,000 to 3,000 Indians, in the immediate neighborhood, to keep them from joining the English in Canada (which many of them did), yet no serious depredations were committed in this vicinity, though some were in other parts of the county. In 1815, the first schoolhouse was built, a round log cabin about twenty-four feet square ; the first teacher was a young Kentuckian, returning from the war; who fought his last battle with Harrison where Tecumseh was killed; he taught one quarter; and wore out about one black-haw switch every day, often taking a whole bench-row at a time, in order; as he said, to make them mind their books ; in 1818, a number of the settlers joined together and built a brick schoolhouse, twenty-fpelve feet square, with a good fireplace in each end, a jointed floor; benches and desks of slabs ; a teacher was employed at $500 per year; paid by subscription, and taught most of the time for about seven years ; and here Mr. Widney, the subject of our sketch. with a number of other boys, graduated as " Bachelors of General Knowledge," which consisted in being pretty well grounded in the three R's—honest reading, 'citing and 'rithmetic—and a smattering of English grammar ; this house was for years used as a church, on Sabbath Days, and here, on alternate Sabbaths, the Methodist circuit riders dispensed the Gospel with no uncertain sound ; most of them were " sons of thunder," and Mr. Widney, when a boy, has heard old Abbot Goddard, on a still evening, from the schoolhouse to his father's, a distance of three-fourths of a mile through the woods ; not many went to sleep under the Gospel ministry in those days. In 1818, Mr. Widney's father was elected, by the Legislature, one of the Associate Judges for the Court of Common Pleas, for the county, and served in that capacity for seven years ; the Court was held in a log building which would not now be thought good enough for a stable ; and many persons attending Court, for want of other accommodations, had to stop at a private house ; yet the scales of justice were held with as even a balance as now, and not half the " red tape " to untie to come at a decision. After the peace with England in 1815, the county began to settle up rapidly, and, soon, to wear the aspect of civilization ; everything was low-priced but dry goods and groceries ; wheat, 25 cents per bushel ; corn, 10 cents ; oats, 6 cents; but the people raised flax, dressed and manufactured it themselves, carded, spun and wove their own wool, made it up at home, and were generally prosperous and happy. In 1827, Mr. Widney cast his first vote for John Quincy Adams, and since voted with the Whig, and latterly with the Republican party, when he thought such vote would best subserve the public interest, but has always been an independent voter ; in 1836, Mr. Widney's father; after a life of honest enterprise, came to the close of his 71st year ; then death came, in a quiet hour; and found him at peace with his God and surrounded by friends ; his mother lived on for nine years, and then her vigorous frame and active spirit felt the weariness of age, and she, too; laid herself down to rest by the side of him with whom, for nearly fifty years, WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - 625 she had traveled life's dusty road ; they sleep in Upper Piqua Cemetery, with many of their old pioneer associates, who; with them, helped to redeem the Upper Miami Valley from a savage wilderness, and make it the luxurious home of future generations ; may their sleep be sweet, and honored alike be the humble mound or statelier stone that marks' their graves. " When spring, with dewy fingers cold, Returns to deck their hallowed mold, She there shall dress a sweeter sod Than fancy's feet have ever trod." On Feb. 12, 1839, Mr. Widney was married to Eleanor Hunter; daughter of Joseph and Jane (Eaton) Hunter; who came from Franklin Co., Penn., in 1812, and settled within one mile of his father's ; by her he had one son—John W., now living on a farm two miles north of Piqua ; Aug. 12, 1842, his first wife died ; Jan. 1, 1845, he married Eliza J. Williams, daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Armstrong) Williams, of Mt. Auburn, Cincinnati ; by her he had four children, three now living—Samuel W., Eliza J. and Mary J. Mr. Widney has always been engaged in agriculture, principally in stock farming, grazing of cattle and feeding hogs, and has succeeded in most of his enterprises ; in 1865, having acquired what he considered a competence, he sold most of his landed property and bought a suburban residence adjoining Piqua, with seven acres of ground attached ; here, with a farm one mile from town which he retained to himself, and which he superintends, he finds ample exercise for his age and capabilities ; having been always accustomed to an active out-door life, he feels that, while health and strength permit, he can enjoy no other ; with one of the largest private libraries in the county, he finds that rainy days are not necessarily gloomy, and that, while youth has its hilarious mirth, age may have its calm enjoyments. THOMAS J. WILEY, tanner and currier; Piqua. He was born in Piqua, 1835, and is the son of Thomas and Hannah Wiley, who were early residents of Piqua ; Thomas J., has always resided here ; he began working at the tanner's trade when a young man, and has since followed the business ; in 1868, his step-father; Joshua Worley, who established the tannery in the south part of the town, being deceased, Mr. Wiley took it in charge and has been the principal manager since ; the firm, T. J. Wiley & Co., are now carrying on the tannery and are also dealers in leather and shoe findings of all kinds ; their store, over which Mr. Wiley presides, is located on High street, fronting Market space ; Mr. Wiley is one of the present old residents ; he is a leading member of the Green street Methodist Episcopal Church, and a useful, respected citizen. He married, in 1864, Miss Tillie, daughter of Josiah Finfrock, who was also an early resident of Piqua. ISAAC H. WILT, grocer; Piqua. He is the son of Isaac, Sr. and Elizabeth Wilt, who ware both natives of Pennsylvania, where she died in 1868 ; Isaac now survives in his native State. Their children were nine in number; Isaac H., being the second youngest ; he was born in Adams Co., Penn., in 1846, and was raised to the life of a farmer's son ; his education was obtained in the common sohools of his native State ; at the age of 20 he engaged in a grist-mill, which he followed three years in Pennsylvania ; at this time he came West, engaging in a mill at Dayton, Ohio; where he was under the employ of a good milling firm a period- of seven years ; owing to his ill health, which had been brought on by exposure in the mill, he was necessitated to flee from its duties ; this being in 1877; he came to Piqua and opened out his present business on south Main street, he carries a full line of groceries and notions, and has built up a healthy trade. In 1872, his marriage was celebrated with Flora A. Melhorn, who was born in Adams Co., Penn., in 1844 ; two daughters are the fruits of their union, Maggie M., and Imogene E. CHARLES T. WILTHEISS, tobacconist, Piqua. Mr. Wiltheiss, a native of Germany, born in 1844, came to the United States in 1855, and to Piqua in the following year ; he has been engaged in the manufacture of cigars from a boy, and Commenced business for himself in 1861 ; he is now senior member of the firm of 626 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: Wiltheiss & Chryst, manufacturers of cigars and dealers in tobacco ; in addition to their city retail trade, they do a jobbing business, keeping a team on the road constantly ; Mr. Waltheiss takes a great interest in archaeology, and his collection of antiquarian specimens is extensive, and includes some very ancient and rare samples ; his contributions to the archaeological department of the Smithsonian Institution are valuable. He married, in 1866, Miss. Rosa, daughter of Daniel Schnell ; they have four children. K. L. WOOD, dealer in and breeder of French and Clyde horses, Piqua. K. L. Wood takes special pride in breeding and raising fine horses, which are second to none in the county ; a portion of his stock was exhibited at the World's Fair in England (being their native country), where they were awarded the highest honors. He was born in Union Co., Ohio, in 1824, and raised on the farm, where his education was advanced to a limited degree he being brought up on the farm, gave him access to the handling, of stock from Childhood, in which his utmost delight was placed ; he remained in his native county until coming to Piqua in 1870, during which time he bred and raised stock ; his investment in horses is perhaps more than any other in Miami Co. ; he is now located in Third Ward of Piqua, one of the finest locations to be found ; it affords a grand view of the town, and is but little disturbed by the unpleasantness of dust and noise. Mr. Wood is Guardian of the H. E. Loomis Paper Manufacturing Co., one of the leading enterprises of that place. In October, 1848, he married Hannah Coe, a native of Union Co., Ohio ; three years later she passed away ; two children were born to them, now both deceased. He married, for his second wife, Mary M. Smith, of Union Co., also ; their companionship continued for a period of fourteen years, when death seized her and she was consigned to the silent tomb, April 16, 1872 ; by this union five children were born to them, of whom two are now living—Lewis H.. and Rosa. Oct. 10, 1876, he married Lizzie Spencer ; one child, Mattie, was born to them, now deceased. Mrs. Wood is a native of Belfast, Ireland, but has been a resident of Miami Co., since 1863. MRS. MARY J. WRIGHT is a member of the McCorkle farmily, whose settlement in Miami Co. dates back to Indian days. Her grandfather, Joseph McCorkle, came from Tennessee at a very early day, John, the father of Mary, being at that time a boy of 15 years. John married a Miss Margaret Walker, formerly of Baltimore, Md., they had seven children, of whom Mrs. Wright was the eldest. Mr. John McCorkle died about 1830, his wife surviving him many years, dying about 1860. Mrs. Wright was first married to Rev. David McDonald, and they had five children—Bessie, Sarah (deceased), John, Margaret and Robert. Mr. Wright, her second husband, was from Urbana, and belonged to an old family of Champaign Co. ; he too, is now dead, and Mrs. Wright makes her home in Piqua. YAGER & CRONER, proprietors of the omnibus, baggage, mail and express line of Piqua. This is perhaps the most important enterprise of this city, a convenience and interest to many persons in various ways ; they, as a firm, have been known since February, 1875, at which time Croner purchased the interest previously owned by C. Humes. W. F. Croner was born in Germany, in November, 1828, and is a son of Christopher and Caroline Croner, who, four years later, emigrated from Germany and located in Piqua, where he continued his original trade of baker ; his death occurred about 1838, and Caroline's in 1865. Four children were born to-them, of whom our subject is the second ; he has resided in this city and watched its progress for the past forty-eight years, and is said now to be the oldest German resident living in Piqua ; here he was raised, and obtained fiis education in the city schools ; when young, he learned the harness trade, which he necessarily had to quit to regain his health ; he then engaged in driving stage from Piqua to Dayton, Ohio ; this was continued until 1850, when he changed occupations, engaging in a dray line in Piqua until the present partnership was formed. Upon June 19, 1851, he married Hannah Almarea, born in Germany in July, 1830 ; she came to America with her parents when 6 years old ; the chil- BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 627 dren of Mr. and Mrs. Croner are Minnie, Caroline, Charles E., Amelia, Lewis G. (deceased), Henrietta, William H., Anna M., Clara A., John 0. and Alma J. JOSEPH G. YOUNG, deceased ; among the prominent men whose homes have been in Piqua, none perhaps have been more thoroughly identified with the local interests than was Mr. Young ; he was a native of Warren Co., a son of Col. Robert Young, who removed to Piqua at an early date, and was a leading and influential citizen during the early days of its history. The subject of this sketch was a schoolboy with Col. Schenck and Ben Wade, but, unlike them, turned his attention entirely to business, and his house was a home to all celebrities when visiting Piqua ; in fact, his house was the place of entertainment for worthy strangers of all classes, and the citizens of Piqua knew no more welcome place for social enjoyment. Mr. Young's first business venture of public importance was the establishment of a bank here, which he accomplished in 1847, Wm. Scott being President and Mr. Young, Cashier ; that bank, though changed in name, has maintained an existence from the date of its opening to the present time, now being known as the Piqua National Bank ; Mr. Young was also a leader in establishing the Piqua Gas Works, of which company he remained a member until his decease, in 1875, which occurred at the works, and was a very sudden and unexpected misfortune ; his energy and enterprise as a business man, and his genial sociability, made his loss generally felt. Mrs. Young is a daughter of John W. and Delilah (Cullun) Langdon ; her parents were pioneers of Cincinnati, and reared a large family, of which Mrs. Young is the only surviving member ; she was born in Cincinnati ; married Mr. Young when but 16 years of age, and, previous to his decease, enjoyed life remarkably well ; she has her home at the family residence, corner of Main and Green streets, but much of her time is spent visiting friends in the different cities. JOHN ZOLLINGER, grocer, Piqua. Mr. Zollinger, a native of Ohio, was born in Perry Co. in 1811 ; his youth was spent on a farm. He married, in 1836, Miss Susan Whitmore, who was also a native and resident of the same vicinity in Perry Co. Mr. Zollinger continued farming about one year after his marriage, then removed to Licking Co., with a view of conducting a tannery ; not finding that business agreeable to him, he sold his interest and engaged in the grocery trade ; he came to Piqua in 1848, and the grocery house of John Zollinger has been a leading and reliable house ever since ; he has had in the meantime several partners ; Samuel Zollinger, his oldest son, is now a partner, the style of the firm being J. Zollinger & Son ; they are located at the southeast corner of Main and Green streets, where they carry a full stock, and are doing a successful business ; Mr. Zollinger has now been identified with the business of Piqua thirty-two years, and is one of the most substantial and respected of its citizens ; his residence is a fine property, located at the northwest corner of Ash and Broadway streets ; he has a family of four children—two sons and two daughters ; Samuel, a partner, and William, an assistant, in the store ; Mary, now Mrs. Dr. Noup, of Dallas, Darke Co., and Matilda. BETHEL TOWNSHIP. L. W. AGENBROOD, farmer ; P. 0. West Charleston ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio, Feb. 16, 1842 ; is a son of Daniel and Rachel (Williams) Agenbrood ; she is a native of Ohio, and he of Frederick Co., Md. ; he was born Sept. 9, 1801, and was brought to this State in the same year by his parents ; they stopped for one year at Cincinnati, and came to Dayton, where they remained about the same length of time, when they bought 170 acres of land in Bethel Township, Miami Co., on which they located ; he followed farming and for many years kept a country hotel ; his son, Daniel, bought 83- acres in Sec. 15, of the above-named township, where he resided for a number of years, but now lives in Monroe 628 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : Township, of this county ; L. W. worked on the farm till the time of his majority, when he commenced the fruit-tree business ; he also engaged in teaching a portion of each year ; in 1870, he quit the tree business and followed teaching altogether; till 1877, when he bought the old farm of his father in Bethel Township, where he lives, teaching during the winter ; his education was obtained principally in the common school. His marriage with Hannah Puterbaugh was celebrated March 5, 1871 ; she was born May 6, 1848 ; the fruits of this union are two children-Albert A., born Aug. 23, 1873, and Guy E., June 27, 1878. N. H. ALBAUGH, nurseryman ; P. O. Tadmor; Montgomery Co. ; senior member of the firm of N. H. Albaugh & Son, proprietors of the Hill Home Nurseries ; born in Union Township, Miami Co., May 22, 1834 ; is a son of Samuel and Anna (Rodkey) Albaugh, who came here in 1828, and entered 80 acres of land in the above named township ; this he cleared and improved, building a log cabin, in which our subject was born and partially raised ; he received a good education, mainly by the aid of his father ; in the fall of 1851, he commenced teaching, which continued to be his occupation till 1854, with the exception of one summer; when he edited a daily paper in Dayton, entitled the Dayton Daily City Item ; he bought his present home of 30 acres in Sec. 31, and continued to teach during the winter for several years ; in 1858, he engaged in the nursery business, which has gradually increased till he has between 80 and 100 acres planted, and fills orders to the amount of about $100,000 annually at retail ; in 1870, he established, a branch nursery at Carrni, Ill., and one at Burlington, Kan., this spring ; since June, 1875, the firm has been styled N. H. Albaugh & Son ; their offpelce is connected by telephone with Dayton ; he now owns 160 acres of land in this township, and 200 acres in other States ; Mr. Albaugh is a live man, awake to the interests of every branch of industry, and that his sterling worth is appreciated by the people, is shown by what follows ; he has been a member of the Board of Education for seventeen years, and President of the board more than half the time ; has been School Examiner for ten years, and Justice of the Peace for nine years ; he is also President of the American Association of Florists, Nurserymen, etc. ; was in the 100-day service, Orderly Sergeant in Co. B, 147th 0. V. I. In 1854, May 11, he married Lucinda Beeson, who was born in Montgomery Co., May 21, 1835 ; by this union they have had three children-Clifford L., born June 16, 1855 ; Ida May, Feb. 27, 1857 ; Jesse E., June 1, 1861, who was thrown from a load of trees and instantly killed March 18, 1879. Clifford L., was united in marriage with 0. C. Williamson Jan. 1, 1880. MARQUIS L. ALLEN, farmer and tile-manufacturer ; P. 0. Tadmor; Montgomery Co. ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., May 29, 1829 ; is a son of Stephen and Anna (Lindsley) Allen ; they were natives of New Jersey, but settled here in 1815, on 160 acres in the above-named township, for which they traded 50 acres near Cincinnati. Our subject now owns 51 acres of the old farm, which is well improved ; in 1869, he built a tile-factory, which gives employment for from three to five hands from early spring till late in the fall ; his sales amount to something over $3,000 per annum ; he is an energetic man, running his farm in connection with the tile works ; his mind is engaged in his own individual affairs, and aspires to no office, but he has been Constable and Township Trustee. Jan. 22, 1862, he married Eliza J. McFadden, of Montgomery Co., Ohio; born Dec. 5, 1834 ; the fruits of this marriage are three children-Edward E., born Feb. 12, 1863; Orville L., Oct. 9, 1866 ; Herbert C., Oct. 10, 1872. JAMES ARMSTRONG, farmer ; P. 0. New Carlisle, Clark Co. ; was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio; Sept. 12, 1839 ; his father; James Armstrong, was a native of Virginia, but came to Ohio at a very early day, traveling in wagons , he stopped for awhile on Mad River and worked on a farm ; in those days, when men had but a small patch of cleared land, they were unable to provide provender for their horses and cattle, and, early in the spring, they would cut elm and linn saplings for the cattle to browse ; while working at this place, he tended 28 acres of corn, without any grain to feed, after the breaking was done ; by some means, be managed to get 80 acres of land in Lost Creek Township, which was subse- BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 629 quently disposed of, and he purchased 360 acres in Elizabeth Township, northeast of Miami City, and, in about three years, 151 acres more, southwest of Miami City ; some time afterward, he bought his father-in-law's farm ; he was a brickmason by trade, and, shortly after coming to this county, built a brick house for Philip Saylor; whet e daughter; Hannah, he married ; at the time of his death, he owned 1,300 acres of land. Philip Saylor was one of the very early settlers ; before the war of 1812, he had erected a two-story hewed-log house, in which he kept a tavern ; it also served as a retreat for the women and children of the neighborhood in times of trouble; in this house our subject was born ; his occupation has always been tilling the soil, and he now owns 174 acres of good land, on which he has erected good buildings and is doing a thriving business. Feb. 7, 1856, he married Frances Edmonds, a native of Maryland, born July 20, 1838 ; the fruits of this marriage are eight children-Jennie, William Martin, Noah B., Ida May, Aurie E., Esom E., Albertus C. and Horace L. (deceased). JOSEPH ARNOLD, farmer and minister ; P. 0. Dayton ; born in Virginia Oct. 27, 1818 ; is a son of Daniel and Catharine Arnold, who came to Ohio in 1830, and settled in Montgomery Co., purchasing 160 acres of land, on which they completed the improvements and spent the remainder of their days. She died in 1852, in the 59th year of her age, and he in 1864, at the age of 73. The subject of this sketch has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and in 1840 located in Sec. 18, of Wayne Township, Montgomery Co., where lie now resides ; in 1842, he bought the farm and improved it. He has a very desirable farm, under good, cultivation, and one of the best houses in the township. In 1840, May 19, he married Elizabeth Frantz, of Clark Co., born Jan. 30, 1821 ; they have never been blessed with children of their own, hut have cared for three orphans, two of whom are still with them. Since 1856, Mr. Arnold has been a minister in the German Baptist Church, officiating in Montgomery and Miami Cos. He has recently been ordained Elder; and has charge of the Grove District in Miami Co. He is an earnest worker in the cause of religion and is universally respected. DANIEL BABB, farmer ; P.O. Tippecanoe City ; was born in Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River, near Philadelphia, Dec. 10, 1799. In 1820, he removed to Virginia, where he remained ten years, and then emigrated to Ohio. He stopped near Greenville, intending to go on to Indiana, to some of his relatives ; but, becoming discouraged with the appearance of the country, having met some parties from Miami Co., who had been in Indiana, and who advised him to turn back and locate in Miami Co., he did so; stopping a short time in Troy ; he then went to Piqua where he found a man who took him and his family in till he could find a place to live ; he finally rented a place north of Piqua, and stayed about one year; then came to Bethel Township and rented the mill on Honey Creek, known as Staley's mill ; this, and the farm of 143 acres on which it stood, he bought four years later ; he run the mill for about twenty-five years, and did a flourishing trade for those times. Owing to ill health in his family he quit the milling business, and his mill has not been in operation for several years. He now owns about 310 acres of land, upon which he has made considerable improvement, and which he still oversees, but, being past 80 years, is not able to do much work himself. In 1823, Nov. 16, he married Leah Littler; a native of Virginia, born March 29, 1804. They have eight children-Almira, Eliza C. and Caroline M., the three eldest, deceased ; Mary Ann, now the Widow Reed, living in Troy ; Joshua L., living in New Jersey ; Minerva, living with her father (is the only child yet unmarried), and Emma A., now Mrs. William Dimmit. Mrs. Babb departed this life Aug. 1, 1872. WILLIAM H. BARE, farmer ; P. 0. New Carlisle, Clark Co., Ohio ; was born in York Co., Penn., June 20, 1831, and removed with his parents to Cumberland Co., where they remained about nine years ; they emigrated to Ohio about 1851, and stayed awhile in Clark Co., Ohio ; his father then bought 80 acres of land in Bethel Township, Miami Co., where he spent the remainder of his days, departing this life June 9, 1878, in the 70th year of his age. The subject of this sketch has always followed agricultural pursuits, and now owns 50 acres in Sec. 6, adjoining 630 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: the home place ; in connection with his farming, he trades in notes, and loans money ; forty-two years elapsed before there was a marriage or a death in his father's family, when, on the 15th of June, 1873, William H. Bare was united in marriage with Almira Thompson, who was born in Miami Co., Ohio; Dec. 16, 1836 ; she is a daughter of Mark and Rebecca Thompson, natives of New Jersey, who came to this State in 1831. JOHN BLACK, saw-mill ; P. 0. Brandt; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., March 31, 1832 ; is a son of Adam and Elizabeth Black ; he worked on the farm till 21 years old, when he came to Brandt, and, with A. Uptegraft, built a sawmill, which he ran for about seven years; he then traded his interest in the mill for land in Shelby Co., but rented the mill and continued the business ; for three or four winters he carried on coopering also ; from the time he commenced in Brandt; in 1853, to the present time, with the exception of about one year, he has worked on a mill, owning different mills, and the same mill at different times ; the firm at present is Black& Hower ; besides their custom-work, they handle about 100,000 feet of lumber annually; in the spring of 1860, he purchased eight acres of land south of town, and located on it in the fall of the same year ; he has made considerable improvement on his lot, and, at intervals, made additions to it, till he has, in one body, 42 acres ; besides his half-interest in the mill, he has also five lots in Brandt. He has been a member of the Board of Education for twelve consecutive years, Assessor one year; and, at the last spring election, was elected to his fifth term as Township Treasurer. On the 24th of May, 1855, he married Susan Swanger ; she was born in Pennsylvania May 12, 1836, and brought to this State while young ; her father died soon after their arrival here, and she was adopted in the family of Lewis Gearhart, where she grew to womanhood ; John and Susan Black are the parents of two children-Luvina. born April 5, 1856, and Charles R., born Jan. 5, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Black and daughter are worthy members of the M. E. Church. JOHN W. BLACK, teacher; Brandt ; is a son of Adam and Julia Ann Black, and a grandson of Adam and Elizabeth Black ; she was a native of Virginia, but came with her parents to this county very early, her father having served in the Revolutionary war. Adam Black, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of North Carolina, and came to Bethel Township, at a very early date; he, in partnership with his father and brother; bought 160 acres of land of Thomas Cora, who had entered it some time previous ; this they afterward divided, the father taking 60 acres, and the sons each 50 acres. They were carpenters, and did some work at millwrighting in connection with the improvement of their homes. Adam Black, the father of our subject, now owns the 50 acres formerly owned by his father. He was born on this place Jan. 23, 1828, and, with the exception of about three years, has made it his home. In 1849, Sept. 20, he was united in marriage with Julia Ann McEffee, who was born in Maryland July 4, 1831. and emigrated to Ohio in about 1839. Adam and Julia Ann Black are the parents of seven children-John Wesley, born Jan. 7, 1850 ; Albert, born Jan. 14, 1853 ; Emma E., born July 18, 1854 ; Amanda, born July 28, 1856 ; Adam, born Dec. 31, 1857 ; Clara, born March 24, 1860 ; and William, born July 18, 1869. John W. has been a teacher for several years, and also has an interest in a drug store in Brandt. B. F. BLESSINGER, dealer in dry goods, groceries, etc., Brandt ; is a son of George W. and Mary (Keting) Blessinger ; they were natives of Berks Co., Penn., but came here in an early day ; at the present time they are residents of Adams Co., Ind. B. F. was born in Brandt, Miami Co., Jan. 8, 1849 ; he worked on farms through the summer; and attended school during the winter seasons, and received a good education ; he carried on farming for several years, and in 1875 engaged in the grocery business in Dayton, handling staple and fancy groceries ; in 1878, he located in Brandt, and established a general store ; in connection with this, he runs a branch grocery store at Grange Hall, String Town, which was established in 1880 ; he is doing a thriving business at both places, and carries on farming at the same time. On the 13th of October; 1869, he was united in marriage with BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 631 Zerada Bodiker; who was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio; Oct. 7, 1852 ; she is the daughter of William and Catharine Bodiker; old residents of Bethel Township. Mr. and Mrs. Blessinger are the parents of two children-Charles W., born Jan. 24, 1871 ; Blanche Viola, Dec. 6, 1872. JOHN BROWN, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. 0. New Carlisle ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., Julie 25, [819 ; his father; Thomas Brown, was also born in the same county and State in 1795 ; he married Susan McAfee, a native of Pennsylvania ; in 1838, they came to Bethel Township, where his death occurred Dec. 27, 1854 ; his wife having survived him a number of years, died May 16, 1867, in her 78th year. Our subject came to Ohio with his parents in 1838, and followed the occupation of coopering and farming until 1855, at which date he purchased 300 acres of his present place, to which he has since added until he now owns some 425 acres, nearly all of which he has accumulated by his own hard labor and industry ; he has now one of the best farms in Miami Co., with improvements and buildings second to none ; has a fine brick residence, surrounded by a pretty lawn dotted here and there with trees and shrubbery, with neat and even walks leading to and fro; and a beautiful fountain, tossing high its spray ; the arrangement and order of all displaying much taste and labor. The writer; when directed to the farm, was told that he would know it by its village like appearance, so numerous and nice were the buildings. He now has 350 acres under cultivation, and gives employment to a number of men, one of whom has been in his employ twenty-three, and another twenty-two years. Mr. Brown, for many years, has dealt largely in stock, shipping extensively to Cincinnati, Boston and Eastern markets ; also; at the same time was engaged in burning lime, which he yet continues, Dayton being his market ; he is also the senior member of the, firm of John Brown & Sons, manufacturers of Iron Monitor Wind Engines, etc., etc. In fact, we can say of Mr. Brown, his life has been a busy and successful one, and we trust that he may be spared many years to enjoy the fruits of his labors. He was united in marriage with Catharine Blickinstaff March 28, 1843 ; she was born in Frederick Co., Md., March 4, 1821, and came to Monroe Township with her father; Christian Blickinstaff, in 1836 ; her mother's maiden name was Catharine Hawver. Mr. Blickinstaff died Dec. 1, 1869, in the 86th year of his age, and Mrs. Blickinstaff died April 5, 1859, in her 75th year. The children of John and Catharine Brown were four sons and two daughters, of whom three sons and one daughter survive L. Tobias (who married Sarah M., daughter of Jacob Shryer), Hattie L., John 0. (married Mary Alice, daughter of John McConnaughey), the two older sons being partners with their brother in the manufacture and sale of Iron Monitor Wind Engines. HIRAM BROWN, nurseryman ; P. 0. Brandt ; is a son of David and Sarah (Giesseman) Brown ; he was a native of Maryland, but came to Ohio at an early day, with his parents, who settled in Bethel Township, north of Brandt. Here he remained till the time of his marriage with Sarah Giesseman, when he moved on his father-in-law's farm, and remained a number of years ; in 1855, they moved to Brandt, where they have since resided ; Hiram was born June 9, 1846 ; he received a good common-school education, and also attended the Academy at New Carlisle two winters ; for about twelve years he has been engaged in teaching, and for ten years has also followed the nursery business ; he was elected Township Clerk in the spring of 1870, and has held the office ever since ; was also elected in the spring of 1880, for his fourth term as a Justice of the Peace ; has been Assistant Superintendent of the schools of the township for two years, and Superintendent four years ; in 1875, he was the Democratic candidate for County Treasurer. In 1869, June 10, he married Hattie S. Gantz, who was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Sept. 22, 1848 ; by this union they have had four children, three of whom are living-Maud V., Velma I. and Glendora. JOHN M. C. DEAN, carriage and wagon maker; Brandt ; was born in West Virginia Aug. 10, 1828, and came to Ohio about 1839 ; he located in Clark Co., near Carlisle, and worked on farms at different places till, in 1848, he commenced 632 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : learning his trade : he worked as apprentice and journeyman until, in 1850, he moved to Elizabeth Township, Miami Co., near McKendrie Chapel, and commenced business for himself ; two and a half years afterward he bought property in Brandt and started a shop, this has been his home ever since ; although left an orphan at the age of 9, he managed to support himself, and at the same time, get a common-school education ; he has served as Magistrate in Bethel Township nearly fifteen years ; was Postmaster from Lincoln's first administration to February, 1879, whei he resigned ; served one term as Township Clerk and several terms as Trustee. In 1849, Dec. 31, he married Louisa Giesseman, a native of this township, born Sept. 30, 1832, the fruits of this union were two children-Gordon T. born Aug. 26, 1850, and Winfield S., June 16, 1854, and died Feb. 5, 1856. WILLIAM DINSMORE, farmer ; P. O. Brandt ; born Sept. 25, 1842; is a son of J. J. Dinsmore, of whom mention is made in the sketch of R. G. Dinsmore ; his' occupation has always been that of a farmer ; in 1871, he and his brother, J. A., bought 162 acres of land in Sec. 13, where he has since resided ; he also served in the late war. On the 1st of June, 1871, he married Sallie A. Brenner, of Montgomery Co., born Sept. 6, 1850, a daughter of Jacob S. and Sarah Ann Brenner ; the fruits of this marriage are two children-Clara Bell, born Aug. 7, 1872 ; and Allen M., Dec. 31, 1874. ROBERT G. DINSMORE, farmer ; P.O. Tadmor, Montgomery Co., Ohio ; born in Bethel Township Dec. 20, 1837 ; is a son of J. j. and Maria (McConnaughy) Dinsmore ; he was born in Fleming Co., Ky., Dec. 1, 1805 ; at a very early day he was brought to the territory now comprising Greene Co., not more than ten miles from his present residence ; in 1817, he removed to Montgomery Co., and, in 1819, to Brown Township, Miami Co. ; his home has been in the county ever since that time, at present residing in Bethel Township ; his father was the first Justice of the Peace and one of the first Trustees of Brown Township after its organization. Our subject was bred a farmer, and has followed that business all his life, except four years which were spent in the service of his country in the war of secession. He entered as a private Oct. 29, 1861 ; his first appointment was for Fourth Sergeant, afterward Second and then First Sergeant ; he served' about one year as First Lieutenant ; after being mustered out, he received a complimentary commission as Captain ; he was taken prisoner at Clarksville, Tenn., but was paroled immediately and sent home, where he remained a short time ; besides his honorable discharge, he bears the scar of a wound in the arm, that testifies to his participation in the service. In 1870, he bought 80 acres of land in Sec. 19, where he now resides. Oct. 31, 1877, he.married Belle E. Murray, born March 1, 1848, who is a daughter of George A. Murray, of Shelby Co., at present, but formerly one of the prominent men of this county, having served as County Treasurer two terms ; he was an Anti-slavery man, as well as his father before him, and, in fact, the same spirit is handed down to his daughter ; the fruits of this union are two children-George Murray, born Sept. 20, 1878 (deceased), and Lida Faith, born Dec. 20, 1879. JACOB R. DUNHAM, retired farmer ; P. O. New Carlisle, Clark Co., Ohio ; is a son of Ross and Sallie Dunham, natives of New Jersey, who emigrated to Indiana about 1817, where they remained till, in 1821, they came to Miami Co.; here they spent the remainder of their days, living in different places in the county ; they were among the very early settlers, and commenced right in the woods, when they were obliged to " blaze" trees in order to find a. neighbor's house ; in those days they had no lucifer matches, and, if the fire was allowed to die out, they would borrow a brand from a neighbor; Dunham died in 1865, the night after the assassination of President Lincon, at the age of 78 ; his wife survived till 1870, and reached the age of 86 years. The subject of this sketch was born in New Jersey Feb. 18, 1815, and, being brought up on the farm, was accustomed to all the hardships of pioneer life ; he used to think it recreation to pick brush at night by the light of a large brush-heap fire ; he never enjoyed the privilege of attending school until old enough to pay his own tuition, and then only for a short time ; at the age of 20, he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed fifteen years, and BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 633 then went to Shelby Co., where he engaged in farming till 1865 ; he then moved to Brandt, Miami Co., but held his farm in Shelby Co. till the next year ; in 1866, he purchased his present farm of 129 acres in Sec. 11, Bethel Township ; this is now in a good state of cultivation, and has fine improvements. Aug. 1, 1839, he married Anna Black, a native of this township, born April 13, 1820 ; she is a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Black, of whom mention is made in the biography of John W. Black ; by this union they had two children-John B., born June 3, 1840, and Mary E., born April 15, 1843 (now Mrs. Amos P. Aley, and lives in the same house with her parents) ; John B. would soon have completed a collegiate course at Delaware, Ohio, had he not volunteered to serve his country in the war of secession ; he first enlisted for three years, but, being one of Fremont's body guard, he was discharged at the time of Fremont's removal from office ; he then served a three-months term, and finally went as a substitute with the 100-day men, but never returned ; his death occurred at Ft. Whipple, Va., near Washington, Aug. 7, 1864 ; he was a member of Co. E, 145th O. N. G. Mr. and Mrs. Dunham have been consistent members of the M. E. Church for about forty-five years. JOHN S. FERGUS, farmer ; P. O. West Charleston; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Dec. 4, 1819 ; is a son of James and Rachel (Mars) Fergus ; they were natives of Rockbridge Co., Va., but came to this township in 1807 and bought 160 acres of land, of which 12 acres was partially cleared. The remainder of the farm he had improved, but followed tanning himself. He was commander of the militia in the war of 1812 but was never called to active service, and was one of the County Commissioners in the days when they were the tax collectors. He helped to " lay out " the county, and was its representative for three terms. A short time previous to his death he moved to West Charleston. He was taken ill at his daughter's in Tippecanoe, and was never able to be taken home. His death occurred Dec. 27, 1855, at the age of 71 years 10 months and 12 days. Our subject was raised a farmer and followed that business till he arrived at the age of 29 years. He then bought property in Tippecanoe, and engaged in the grain trade for two years, at which time he bought the farm on which he now resides. He has recently sold 54 acres to his son, but still owns 90 acres in Sec. 26, which is well improved and in a good state of cultivation. In 1844, Nov. 21, he married Susan Black, a native of Clark Co., born Sept. 5, 1823. The fruits of this marriage are three children-James Corwin, born Nov. 28, 1845 ; Samuel R., Qct. 27, 1848 ; John Franklin, March 8, 1863. SAMUEL R. FERGUS, farmer ; P. O. West Charleston ; born Oct. 27, 1848 ; is a son of John S. Fergus, whose biography will appear in this volume. Our subject was bred a farmer. but has also been a teacher for about seven years. He has recently purchased of his father 54 acres in Sec. 26, where he now resides, and is engaged in agricultural pursuits, but will probably teach a portion of the time. In 1873, Dec. 30, he was united in marriage with Priscilla Freeman, a daughter of R. M. Freeman ; she was born Dec. 7, 1850. They have two children-Guy C., born Jan. 7, 1875, Clyde, Aug. 29, 1878. JOHN FILBRUN, retired farmer ; P. O. Brandt ; born in Rockingham Co., Va., Jan. 19, 1826 ; is a son of Peter and Elizabeth Filbrun; they came to Ohio in 1829, and stopped for awhile in Montgomery Co., and then moved to Clark Co. ; in a few years, however, they returned to Montgomery Co. and remained there until their children all married and left them ; they then came to Bethel Township, Miami Co., and built a house on their son's farm, where the remainder of life was spent. The subject of this biography had located here in 1848, five years previous to his parents' coming ; his first purchase was 120 acres of land, which was partly improved ; the buildings and most of the other improvements have given place to those of the best quality ; he has a peach orchard of 800 trees four years old, that promise more than an ordinary crop this year, and also an apple orchard Of four acres, with a good variety of fruit ; this farm, like many others of this vicinity, has on it a fine spring ; upon the whole, it is a very desirable farm ; besides all the improvements made, be has, at intervals, purchased land until he owned the 634 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: south half of Sec. 9; but has recently sold 5 acres to his sou David leaving him 315 acres in one body, and in a high state of cultivation. In 1845, Oct. 23, he married Lydia Heck, who was born Nov. 10, 1827 ; by this union they had nine children, four of whom preceded her to their eternal home ; after many years of affliction, and having been an intense sufferer for several months prior to her death, she departed this life April 28, 1880, a consistent member of the German Baptist Church, with which she had been identified for about thirty-six years. P. B. FISHER, blacksmith ; Tadmor, Montgomery Co. ; born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Aug. 30, 1840 ; is a son of Alexander and Mary (Brown) Fisher ; he was also a native of Clermont Co. ; at an early age he learned the blacksmith trade and followed it all his life ; in 1858, he located in Bethel Township, Miami Co., where his widow and son still reside ; she was born in Shenandoah Co., Va., April 9, 1809, and came to Ohio with her parents, who located in Preble Co., Ohio, near Eaton, where she lived at the time of her marriage ; they were the parents of seven children, three of whom are still living-David B. living in Eaton ; Preston B. and Elizabeth J., now Mrs. Warner, residing at North Manchester, Ind. ; Alexander Fisher departed this life April 19, 1875. The subject of this sketch learned black smithing with his father ; he spent nearly three years in the war of secession and lost his right foot and leg to the knee, having been wounded between the ankle and knee, in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, June 27, 1864 ; this of course put an end to his service, and he Was honorably discharged ; although crippled, he still swings the hammer, by which means and the help of his pension, he supports his feeble mother and himself ; he owns a lot of two acres in Sec. 25, of Bethel Township, and thus far has lived a life of celibacy. ROBERT M. FREEMAN, farmer ; P. 0. Tadmor, Montgomery Co. ; born Aug. 29, 1803; is a son of John Freeman, who came to Miami Co. in the spring of 1806, and settled in Monroe Township ; he and his father, Samuel Freeman, entered a very large tract of land, a part of which they improved. From the proceeds of the part they sold they erected a mill, the second one built in the county ; this mill had but one buhr, and of course all kinds of grain were ground on it. Several years elapsed before they did any bolting, and when they commenced using a bolt, the party whose grist was grinding was obliged to turn the bolt. They suffered three losses by fire, one resulting in the destruction of their grist-mill, and two of their saw-mill on the same race. By perseverance and industry, however, they overcame their misfortunes, and finally built a four-story mill, with three run of buhrs, and did a flourishing trade. Our subject was the oldest of thirteen children, and was brought up on the farm and in the saw-mill ; at the age of 25, he commenced business for himself ; in the spring of 1834, he settled on the farm given his wife by her father, David Puterbaugh ; this farm he has cleared up and improved. His marriage with Mary Puterbaugh was celebrated March 27, 1827 ; the fruits of this union were ten children-David, Isaac, George, John, Daniel, Hannah (deceased), Elizabeth, Minerva, Henrietta and Priscilla. Mrs. Freeman died May 10, 1869 ; and in 1872, Nov. 28, he married Mrs. Ann Winans, a native of England, and a daughter of Henry J. Hyatt, a very early settler of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman are now living a very quiet, happy life on the old farm. ISAAC FREEMAN, nurseryman ; P. 0. New Carlisle, Clark Co. ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio, May 4, 1832 ; is a son of R. M. Freeman, whose biography will appear in this work. He worked on the farm till he arrived at the age of 22, and then attended a select school at New Carlisle two years in the spring of 1856, he went to California, and there spent about thirteen months in the northern part on Willow Creek, one of the tributaries of Feather River. From Dec. 1 to the middle of March, the snow was twenty-two feet deep on the level, and for twenty days they were shut off from everything, and then only by means of a tunnel, did they succeed in getting up to view the " beautiful snow," and walk twelve feet above the top of their cabin. The remainder of his stay in California was spent further south, partly in the mines on the Stanislaus River, about 250 miles south, and the remainder of the time in a farming region still further south ; BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 635 he returned in 1858, and lived in Dayton till the next year, when he purchased 7 acres of land in Bethel Township, and in 1861, established a nursery. This was commenced on a small scale, but he learned the business as it progressed, and now the sales from his own grousing amount to $3,000 annually. He owns 536 acres of land in this State and in Kansas. On May 5, 1859, he married Sophia S. Stafford, who was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Aug. 1, 1837 ; she is a daughter of James S. Stafford, an old settler here, and one of the prominent men of the township, having been Squire sixteen years in succession ; in 1864, he moved to Carlisle, and departed this life Sept. 8, 1878, aged 75 years 7 months and 23 days. Isaac and Sophia S. Freeman are the parents of four children-Dayton L., born March 2, 1860 ; Charlie M., born March 7, 1862 ; Walter, born Sept. 17, 1870 ; and Grace, born June 17, 1873. GEORGE GESSAMAN, farmer ; P. O. Tadmor, Montgomery Co., Ohio ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., March 19, 1819 ; is a son of George Gessaman, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio in the fall of 1805, and entered 160 acres of land in the above-named township. He made his home with his brother-in-law, Simon Shaffer, of whom he afterward purchased 22 acres. While living with Mr. S. he did considerable toward converting the forest into a home. About 1809 or 1810, he married Elizabeth Black, a native of North Carolina, who also came here at an early day. They were the parents of three children-Catharine, Susan, and George, who now owns the home farm in Sec. 25 ; since he owned the farm he has made improvements, in the way of clearing, and erecting the present buildings. In 1839, Nov. 7, he was united in marriage with Melinda nook, born in Maryland Sept. 22, 1820 ; by this union they have had thirteen children, of whom eight are living, viz.: Margaret (now Mrs. Wolf), Louvina (now Mrs. Curts, in Iowa), Martha (now Mrs. Heffner, near Dayton), Charlotte (now Mrs. Swallow, near Frederickatown, Montgomery Co.), Lewis C., William L., Sylvester G. and Ulysses Grant. SAMUEL HAWVER, farmer ; P. 0. Tippecanoe City ; is a son of Jacob Hawver, who was born.in Frederick Co., Md., Sept. 27, 1825 ; his occupation there was working in timber ; in 1856, he emigrated to Ohio and rented a house in Bethel Township, and worked at day labor for about eighteen months, and then bought a farm of 80 acres in Sec. 16, in the above-named township ; he has since erected new buildings on his farm, and, in addition, has bought 80 acres adjoining, on the north, but has given it to his only child. His marriage with Catharine Bakley was celebrated Nov. 10, 1848 ; she is also a native of Frederick Co., Md., 13,rn April 23, 1828. Samuel Hawver was born in Maryland Aug. 25, 1849 ; he has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and is an enterprising farmer ; since he owned the farm, he has erected an excellent barn and made considerable improvements in other ways, so that he now has.a very desirable home. On May 11, 1871, he married Lizzie Uptegraft, who was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Dec. 1, 1851, a daughter of Augustus and Elizabeth Uptegraft ; the fruits of this marriage are two children-Daisy E., born May 17, 1874, and Millie C., Sept. 13, 1876 ; Daisy E. died Nov. 21, 1877. Mr. Hawver and his parents are members of the German Baptist Church. EDWARD HEFFNER, retired farmer ; P. 0. Brandt ; was born in Maryland April 4, 1820, and came to Bethel Township, Miami Co., in 1827, with his parents Michael and Elizabeth Heffner. They purchased 20 acres of woodland adjoining Brandt, and erected thereon a hewed-log house, but moved into it without a floor ; he cleared up his land, and for a number of years worked at the carpenter trade ; being broken down by hard work, he engaged in the mercantile business about 1836 ; he was the first merchant of the place and also kept a kind of inn ; in 1842, he sold his land and bought a small tract south of town ; having purchased a lot in Brandt, and erected a brick house, he moved his store and consolidated it with that of Andrew Gump, which he bought, and continued in the business to the time of his death. He departed this life Nov. 22, 1868, in his 70th year. His widow is still living and is quite active for a lady of 69 years. They were the 636 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: parents of seventeen children ; of these sixteen grew to the age of maturity. The subject of this sketch, the oldest of the children, has been a farmer for the greater part of his life, and now owns 126,1 acres in Sec. 15, in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio, besides his property in Brandt, where he resides. He has held the office of Township Trustee and Assessor. In September of 1846. he married Lydia Keifer, by whom he had three children-John F. (who accidentally shot himself Oct. 8, 1872), William M. and George K. Mrs. Heffner died May 18, 1853, at the age of 25 years, leaving her husband with the care of three small children. On the 20th of March, 1867, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Catharine Helmer. One child, Jacob E., is the fruit of this marriage. L. W. JACOBS, farmer; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; is a son of Cyrus and Mary Jacobs, and a grandson of Mark Jacobs, who was one of the very early settlers of Miami Co., and entered 160 acres of land in Bethel Township. This farm has ever been owned by the Jacobs family, and is now left by will to Mary Jacobs, the widow of Cyrus Jacobs. He was a native of this State, born Sept. 11, 1804, and departed this life April 3, 1877. She is a native of Virginia, born in June of 1809, but the exact day is not known. The subject of this sketch was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., July 12, 1838, and brought up on the farm. He served four years in the war of the rebellion, first enlisted for two years, and then for three years. He now resides on one of his mother's farms and carries on farming, although he is notable to do much of the work himself, as his health was impaired in the army. In 1870, Dec. 22, he married Clarissa E. Uptegraft, a native of this township, born May 10, 1847. She is a daughter of Augustus and Elizabeth (Black) Uptegraft. He was born in Greene Co. April 28, 1819, and she in Bethel Township, Miami Co. Her death occurred March 12, 1880. L. W. and Clarissa. E. Jacobs are the parents of two children-Charlie R., born Nov. 6, 1872, and William Augustus, Oct. 20, 1874. CYRUS JACOBS, farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; was born June 8, 1852, in Bethel Township, Miami Co. on the old farm where he resides ; he is a son of Cyrus and Mary Jacobs, spoken of in the biography of L. W. Jacobs ; his occupation has always been in tilling the soil, and he is an enterprising young farmer. On the 3d of June, 1879, he married Elizabeth Wigand, who was born in Elizabeth Township, Miami Co., May 27, 1853; she is the daughter of Lewis and Elizabeth Wigand, who came from Germany in 1835, and located in Dayton ; they moved to Elizabeth Township in about 1842, where he died in 1876, at the age of 72 years ; his widow is still living and resides on the old farm. J. C. McCONNAUGHEY, farmer ; P. O. Brandt ; is a son of David and Anna (Grimes) McConnaughey; she is a native of Virginia, born Jan. 1, 1787, and he of Pennsylvania, born Nov. 13, 1779 ; in 1803 or 1804, he came to Dayton, Ohio, and engaged to work in a distillery for Col. Newcome, who entered 160 acres of land in Bethel Township, Miami Co., for him, he paying for it by his work ; in the spring of 1812, he settled on his land and began converting the dense forest into a home ; this was no small task, for the country was heavily timbered ; before he could raise anything on his own land, the first summer, he farmed a small piece of corn on his mother-in-law's place, about four miles distant ; to his further embarrassment, in the following year he was drafted, but was in the service only a short time till he got his brother as a substitute, while he returned to battle with the oaks and elms; besides clearing up his farm, he purchased another quarter-section, and did considerable toward its improvement ; they were the parents of twelve children, of whom eleven grew to the age of maturity. David McConnaughey departed this life Feb. 14, 1847, and his wife April 11, 1863, on the old farm, where their son, J. C., now resides ;. this is also the farm on which he was born, July 3, 1823 ; his occupation has always been tilling the soil ; he is an enterprising farmer and one of the prominent men of the township ; has been a member of the Board of Education for nearly twenty years, Township Trustee several terms, and is Land Appraiser at the present time. His marriage with Elizabeth Keplinger was solemnized April 1, 1852 ; she was a resident of Montgomery Co., born Sept. 11, 1833 ; BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 637 by this union they have had thirteen children, eleven of whom are living-Harriet Boselia, Mary Alice, Phila Irene, John Walter, David'Franklin, Berton K., Christian K., Lillia E., Anna B., Edward L. and Viola M. DAVID McCONNAUGHEY, farmer and manufacturer; P. O. Tippecanoe ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., April 23, 1827 ; is a son of David and Anna McConnaughey, of whom mention is made in the biography of J. C. McConnaughey. He left home at the age of 17, to learn the tanner and currier trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years ; for seven years he followed tanping and dealing in leather ; in 1855, he located on a farm in this township, and followed farming till 1865, when he went to Xenia, and again engaged in the leather trade till 1876, when he moved back to this county, and has since been engaged in farming ; in August of 1878, he again began the leather trade, and manufactured collars and fly-nets in Dayton, Ohio, but resides on the farm and oversees it. In 1852, October 13, he married Rachel TenEick, a native of this county, born May 30, 1831 ; she is a daughter of Henry TenEick, one of the early settlers of Miami Co. David and Rachel McConnaughey are the parents of four children-Ella T., William A., Anna and Lida. J. C. MITCHELL, farmer; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; born in Elizabeth Township, Miami Co., Aug. 19, 1826 ; is a son of George and Catharine (Gearhart) Mitchell ;. he was born in Virginia, in 1798, and came to Ohio with his parents in 1811. They settled in the above-named township, which was his place of residence to within a few years of his death, when he moved to Bethel Township ; he departed this life in November of 1874, having been the father of seven children ; three of these preceded him to their eternal home, and one has followed since ; J. C. (the oldest of the living ones), Linny A., now Mrs. Gesseman, living in Kansas, and James, living in Cincinnati, are the survivors. The subject of this sketch was bred a farmer, and still follows that business ; he has 50 acres of land in this township, besides some land in the West ; he has served as Justice of the Peace six years, and Revenue Inspector seven years ; was Captain of Co. B, 147th O. V. I., for about three years. On Sept. 18, 1851, he married Margaret Stafford, a native of this township, born March 15, 1827 ; she is a daughter of James S. Stafford, who was also a native of this place. J. C. and Margaret Mitchell are the parents of nine children-Marvin M. (deceased), Stanley O. (a dry goods merchant of Lima, Ohio), Roger J., Homer W. B., Reuben W., Elmer E., Mary C., Horace C., Bellama S. and Linny Blanche. W. T. MORRIS, farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., July 19, 1827 ; is the oldest child of Ezra and Elizabeth (McKinney) Morris ; she was born Jan. 5, 1805, and was the oldest child of Samuel and Sarah McKinney, who were old settlers of Clark Co.; he was widely known as a teacher of vocal music, and is still remembered as such ; he would frequently take his daughter Elizabeth with him on horseback through the wilderness, as far as twenty miles, to give instruction in music. Ezra Morris was also the oldest child of his father's family, born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Aug. 29, 1804 ; a son of David H. Morris, a native of New Jersey and pioneer of the Western country ; he was one of the very first white men that traversed the Miami Valley, which he did as a soldier under Gen. Harmar, and as a hunter ; in his youth, he was a soldier of the Revolution ; previous to 1800 he settled amid the forests of this vicinity and assisted in establishing the sections of this, and probably other townships ; by this means he was enabled to see the country, and made choice of half of Sec. 23, which he entered and improved ; in 1825, he donated to the Methodist Episcopal Church 1 acre of land on the southeast corner of said half-section, and did the principal part toward building the first house of worship ; it was a log house and known as Pisgah Chapel ; ever after his house was the home of the itinerant clergy, among whom were William Raper, Daniel D. Davison and James B. Finley. He married Eve Ann Sailor, with whom he lived happily for more than forty years. On the 3d of April, 1843, he departed this life, in the 74th year of his age, in full assurance of a blissful immortality, leaving a large family to inherit his name and remember his many virtues. Ezra Morris was the father of eight children, of whom only two. 638 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : are now living. His death occurred June 12, 1856. Our subject, in his youth, received very little education, but he is a lover of books, and by his own efforts ir-s obtained a good knowledge of business. He has been Assessor two years, Township Clerk eight or ten years, and has positively refused other offices since. In 1858, he married Elizabeth Wiggin ; she died Jan. 2, 1859, aged 21 years 4 months and 11 days. His marriage with Maria E. Garst was celebrated May 7, 1867 ; she was born in Clark Co. May 25, 1840. The fruits of this union are four children-Mary M., Charles E., Nellie F. and Frank, deceased. JOHN ROSS, farmer ; P. 0. West Charleston. He was born in Bethel Town_ ship July 22, 1814, and is a son of John and Sarah Ross ; they were natives of Pennsylvania, but removed to Kentucky, and from there came to Ohio and settled in Warren Co., where the town of Franklin now stands ; his father, Robert Ross, laid out the town ; in 1811, John Ross came to Bethel Township, Miami Co., and purchased 320 acres in two separate tracts, and located on the one where his son now resides ; although they were not the earliest settlers, they were the first to make any improvements worthy of mention ; he was one of the parties called out to pursue the Indians, at the time of the Dilbone and Gerard massacre ; their cabin served as a retreat for the women and children of the neighborhood, while the men were gone ; this farm continued to be their home to the end of their lives ; he died in 1849, at the age of 72, and she in 1872, at the age of 90 ; it is also the birthplace of our subject ; this was one of the most heavily timbered countries to be found anywhere, and also thickly set with underbrush, which made it all the more difficult to clear ; however, by the hard knocks and unceasing energy of the pioneers, it has been stripped of its forests and made a desirable locality ; of this work, Mr. Ross has done a good share ; he owns 140 acres of the quarter-section inhabited by his father, which he has under good cultivation, and also well improved ; besides this, he has 160 acres in another section of this township, and is doing a thriving business as ; farmer ; he has a harvest of about 100 acres of wheat, also some rye and barley, besides the spring crop. In the early part of March, 1845, he married Eliza DeLong, also a native of this township, and. the daughter of George and Elizabeth DeLong, who came here in an early day from Virginia ; the fruits of this marriage are twelve children, viz., Ann M., Harrison C., Robert, John L., Benjamin Franklin, Sarah E., Mary Alethia, George W., Eliza, Thomas Jefferson, Fannie and Charles ; Harrison C. entered the service of his country Aug. 10, 1863, and died in July, 1864 ; he was a member of Co. K, 1st 0. V. H. A. CHARLES SENSEMAN, retired farmer ; P. 0. West Charleston ; is a son of William and Catharine (Eschleman) Senseman, natives of Lancaster Co., Penn.; he was born in 1790, and she in 1788 ; they resided in different counties of that State until 1838, when they moved to Ohio, and rented a log cabin, in which they lived the first summer ; he had also rented a farm in Greene Co., which his son and son-in-law farmed ; in the fall, he moved to Greene Co., also, and bought the farm he had rented, but remained only a few months, when he returned to Miami Co., and bought the farm of 234 acres, on which he had first settled. Of their family of eight or nine children, four are still living-Henrietta, now Mrs. Michael Bashore, near Covington, Miami Co.; Charles, Catharine, now Mrs. William Snyder, near Logansport, Ind.; and William, in West Charleston. Catharine Sense-man departed this life April 22, 1864, and her husband May 12, in the short space of twenty days. The subject of this sketch was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., July 16, 1817 ; he commenced life for himself in about a year after his father came to this State ; he moved into the old cabin on his father's farm, and, as he says, commenced at the bottom ; he rented the farm for eighteen or nineteen years, and then bought of his father 162 1/2 acres ; on this he has made great improvement, and, at different times, made purchases, till he has in one tract 180 acres, besides three other farms in this county, making in all 573 acres. In 1839, Dec. 30, he married Eve Wolf, who was born in Greene Co., Ohio, Nov. 28, 1821. The fruits of this marriage were eleven children, of whom nine are living-John, Mary Ann, William, Cornelius, Milton, Catharine, Charles H., Justina and Joseph. BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 639 HENRY SHROYER, deceased ; was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio, Aug. 18, 1840 his occupation was farming, and he was one of the enterprising farmers of this community, owning 225 acres of land. In 1861, he was united in marriage with Ann Eliza Kable, who was born in Osborn, Greene. Co., Sept. 28, 1842. The fruits of this union are eight children-Anna Mary, born March 24, 1862 ; James K., born Oct. 10, 1863 • Edgar C., born Nov. 6, 1866 ; Susan A., born Aug. 27, 1868 ; Sidney J., born NIay 26, 1870 ; Stanley W., born May 17, 1873 ; Gracie L., born May 21, 1875 ; and Carrie M., born June 26, 1877. Henry Shroyer departed this life March 18, 1878 ; his widow has since had the entire care of her children and the farm, which, by the aid of her eldest son, is managed very successfully. JACOB SHROYER, retired farmer ; P. 0. Brandt ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., Nov. 10, 1807 ; he emigrated to Ohio, with his parents, in the fall of 1819, and stopped at Dayton, where they passed the winter ; in the following spring, they moved to Bethel Township, Miami Co., and purchased 160 acres of land in Sec. 10, where he spent the remainder of his life, owning at the time of his death 457 acres of land. The subject of this sketch and one sister are the survivors of the family of five children ; he has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits, and, in connection, has also dealt considerably in stock ; he owns about 641 acres of land in this and Clark Cos., and has held office for about forty years ; has been Township Treasurer for twenty-one years ; in the spring of 1880, was elected to serve his tenth successive term as Township Trustee. Six children were the fruits of his first marriage-Thomas, Matilda, Catharine E., Henry (deceased), Anna Maria (deceased) and Harriet ; Maria Shroyer, his wife, departed this life Sept. 23, 1842. He afterward married Susan Stockstill, with whom he had six children-John W., Oscar, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel C. and Jacob (the last two deceased). Mrs. Susan Shroyer died Feb. 22, 1860, at the age of 46 years and 2 months. On Jan. 24, 1861, he married Mrs. Priscilla Mendenhall, formerly Miss Mann, with whom he is living a very quiet and happy life. JOHN SNELL, farmer ; P. 0. Brandt ; is a son of Jacob and Barbara Snell, who came to Ohio by means of wagons, in a company of thirty persons in 1830 ; they stopped in Montgomery Co. for about two years, and then came to Bethel Township, Miami Co., and bought 120 acres of land, on which they made some additional improvements in the way of clearing, repairing the house and erecting a new barn ; here they spent the remainder of their lives ; he died in 1855 at the age of 59 years, and she in 1860 aged 60 years. The subject of this sketch was born in Rockingham Co., Va., July 19, 1827 ; his cradle, while on the way to this country, was the feed-box fastened to the hind part of the wagon ; in this he slept while crossing the Ohio at Wheeling. Being the oldest son, he had the principal part of the work to do on the farm, as his father worked at the carpenter's trade ; in 1853, he settled on 82 acres of land in the above-named township, lying in Secs. 3 and 9 ; here he has since resided, and, having erected new, substantial farm buildings, he has a very desirable farm, in a high state of cultivation. His marriage with Maria L. Rupp was celebrated Nov. 7, 1850 ; she was born in Lancaster, Penn., Feb. 15, 1830, and is a daughter of Samuel Rupp, who came to this State in 1837, and is still living in Clark Co. Mr. and Mrs. Snell are the parents of three children-Minerra R., Jacob F. and Mary E. Mr. Snell and family, except one daughter, are members of the German Baptist Church. S. L. STOCKSTILL, farmer ; P. 0. New Carlisle, Clark Co. ; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Ohio, Aug. 27, 1817 ; is the son of Thomas and Catharine Stock-still. He was one of the very early settlers of this county ; his native State was Maryland, but when quite young he removed to Tennessee with his father, who was a speculator in slaves. Thomas, being conscientiously opposed to the slave traffic, left Tennessee at the age of 16, and came to Ohio. At this time, there were only five or six huts in Cincinnati, and a very few between that and Dayton, which then consisted of one cabin, in which a man by the name of Acres kept a store, and carried on quite a traffic with the Indians. Northeast of Dayton for a distance of 640 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : twelve miles, there was not -a house, and no road but an Indian trail. He stopped with old man Hain, ar acquaintance of his from North Carolina, located in what is now Bethel Township, Clark Co. ; his wealth then consisted in a horse, saddle, saddle-bags, a few chisels, two gimlets and a broad-ax ; he never served an apprenticeship at any trade, but was handy with tools and did a considerable amount of work in wood, and at shoemaking ; he made the first coffins used in this part of the country. In, those days, it would have been thought sinful to make any charge for services of that kind, so that he has made many coffins without charge ; his chief business was farming, and after his arrival in this State he took a lease for twelve years of Leonard Hain, whose daughter Catharine he married about 1801 ; in 1806, he left his lease and bought 80 acres in Bethel Township, Miami Co., and once more commenced in the woods. In addition to clearing up his farm, he bought 120 acres more. He was a strict Methodist, and aided almost any church of that faith within his reach. Eight of his children grew to maturity-Elias, Rachel, Sarah, Susan, John N., Stephen L., Irvin J. and Catharine. Our subject has always followed farming ; in connection with his farm work, he has made several useful inventions, as he felt a need for the several articles invented. His first was a grain drill, the distributing of which is now used in the Superior Drill, built at Springfield, and others. His other patents were for a clover harvester, for heading clover in the field ; a riding attachment for breaking-plows, and a meat cutter. His livelihood has been gained principally by the sale of these patents. On the 18th of February, 1847, he married Mary J. Lucas, a native of Clark Co., born June 4, 1826 ; by this union they have had nine children---James A., Catharine O., Chalmers T., Nannie C., Insco H. (deceased), Maggie M., Summerfield S. Minnie J. and Etta B. SAMUEL SULLIVAN, farmer ; P. O. Tadmor, Montgomery Co., Ohio ; born in Clark Co., Ohio, Feb. 11, 1814 ; was a son of James and Jane (McAli6ter) Sullivan. He was one of the lineal descendants of the Sullivans who settled Sullivan's Island, N. C., whence it derives its name. It was on account of his antipathy to slavery that he left the land of his nativity and emigrated to Clark Co., Ohio. Their mode of traveling was quite in contrast with that of the present day. They came through on pack horses, the mother taking two children with her on one horse, and the father one child and their provisions on another, for a distance of 600 miles. He took a lease in the above-named county, and settled on the banks of Mud Creek ; at the expiration of his lease, he bought 160 acres, which he improved, but by some mishap lost all. Being, perhaps, past the prime of life, he never made an effort to retrieve his situation, and left his children to accumulate what they could for themselves. He was a minister of the Christian Church for a number of years. ' Our subject was accustomed to the hardships of frontier life, but received an ordinary education, such as he could obtain in those days by attending school a few months in the winter season ; when, in his 17th year, he left home to fight his way through life, working for the first summer at $6.50 per month, and then took a job of clearing, by which he saved 27 cents per day ; he soon found that he had not sufficient muscular power to make a living by hard labor, and therefore decided to educate himself ; having gone as far as the single rule of three in arithmetic, and modes and tenses of verbs in grammar, the requisite of a teacher in those days, he engaged to teach a term of three months ; he entered into an article of agreement to commence at 8 o'clock in the morning, teach every alternate Saturday and received $21 for the term and boarded himself ; he followed teaching for six years, gradually increasing his wages until he received $20 per month. Mr Sullivan has held an office of some kind for a number of years ; was Justice of the Peace for twelve years, and is Representative of Miami Co. at the present time ; he is not an office seeker, but being a man of real worth, his office is a gift from the people. In 1832, Nov. 4, he married Maria Crook, a sister of Gen. George Crook, the great Indian fighter. The fruits of this union are eleven children-Thomas, James, Theodore, Martha, John, Oliver, George, Florence (deceased), Alice and Lizzie. The eldest son is a graduate of West Point. Although com- BETHEL TOWNSHIP - 641 mencing life with nothing, he has educated his family and accumulated property valued at about $100,000. DANIEL WEAVER, farmer ; P. O. West Charleston ; is a son of Peter Weaver, who came from Virginia to this State in an early day ; Dayton then contained only two houses, and Friend Town, afterward called West Charleston, consisted of one house ; he was one of the founders of the present town, and, in this vicinity he entered a very large tract of land ; at one time he owned 600 acres, but, at the death of his wife, divided it among his children, reserving for himself a good portion of the town lots and 40 acres adjoining. He afterward married Jane Ross, with whom he had three children-Robert, Susan and Daniel. Mr. Weaver was born July 5, 1823, in West Charleston, where he remained until 17 years old ; at that time he commenced the wagon-maker's trade with his brother, serving an apprenticeship of five years ; he worked at wagon-making off and on for nine years, and also followed grafting ; having started in life with nothing but good health, energy and an honest purpose to succeed in all his undertakings, he made use of every honorable effort to gain a livelihood ; in this he has been successful ; for he now owns 80 acres of land in Sec. 8 of Bethel Township, on which he has made some additional improvements, and has a desirable home. In 1846, May 20, he married Rhoda P. Mott, a daughter of Maj. Mott, of Connecticut, one of the Revolutionary soldiers ; she was born in Franklin, Warren Co., Ohio, Aug. 11, 1826 ; the fruits of this marriage are ten children-Peter S., Mary L. Sarah J., Phebe A. (deceased), Eunice A. (deceased), Lydia M., Daniel Lincoln, Emma Semantha, John U. S. G. and Rhoda Margaretta. JOHN R. WOODWARD (deceased), born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Dec. 5, 1835 ; was a son of William and Ann (Lee) Woodward; she was a native of Virginia, born July 2, 1804, and came to this county in 1808, with her parents, Benjamin and Sarah Lee, who were among the first settlers of Elizabeth Township, of this county. William Woodward was born in Pennsylvania Dec. 9, 1780, and came to Ohio at a very early day ; he entered a farm in Sec. 29, Bethel Township, Miami Co., where he spent the remainder of his life ; his death occurred Jan 14, 1848 ; his wife, now the Widow Reyburn, still makes her home on the old place ; they were the parents of three children-W. W., of Sandusky Citye is the only one living. John R., the youngest, was raised on the farm and owned 163 acres of land long known as the Woodward farm ; at the time it was entered by William Woodward, there was a small village on it at the mouth of Honey Creek, called Livingston, where there was a boat landing, and where farmers brought their produce to ship to Cincinnati ; his farm was well improved and in a high state of cultivation ; in connection with the oversight and management of it for about ten years, he was engaged in the oil business, as an oil producer, in Armstrong and Venango Cos., Penn. ; he served as Captain and then Lieutenant Colonel in the war of the rebellion ; was a member of the 147th O. V. I. His marriage with Ella Bell was celebrated Oct. 14, 1856 ; she is a native of Springfield, Clark Co., born July 31, 1840, the daughter of Stephen and Wealthy (Boardman) Bell ; she is a native of New York, born Aug. 10, 1794, and he of New Jersey, Aug. 18, 1774 ; his death occurred Nov. 14, 1852 ; his wife survived till Aug. 2, 1858. John R. Woodward departed this life Nov. 20, 1876 ; the father of two children-Willie B. and Ada L., who, on the 14th of October, 1879, was united in marriage with Harry Ritter, born in Pennsylvania March 29, 1849. DANIEL YOUNG, retired farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; was born in Washington Co.,- Md., in 1801. His parents emigrated to this State in about 1807, and settled near Dayton, where his mother died thirteen years later ; his father then returned to Maryland and there passed the remainder of his days, departing this life in 1855. Daniel, having been brought up on the farm, continued at that business, working by the month at different places for about two years in Indiana. In 1826, June 2, he married Elizabeth Shroyer, also a native of Maryland, but the exact date of her birth is not known ; she was a resident of Miami Co. at the time of her marriage. In the course of about a year they moved to Montgomery Co.; 642 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : they lived on rented farms till 1834, when they returned to Miami Co., and he worked for about two years at what he could get to do ; a part of the time by the month, on a farm, at $7 per month ; in 1836, he bought 80 acres of land in the woods, in Sec. 15, Bethel Township, and went to work to convert the dense forest into a home ; by excessive hard labor, however, he has succeeded in getting a very comfortable place to live. He has been a cripple for nearly thirty years, which was caused by the bursting of a ligament, allowing the joint-water of the knee to escape ; notwithstanding his lameness, and the many hardships he has undergone, he is a very lively man for his age. And his wife, also, who is only six or seven years younger than himself, is as active as many a woman at 50. They are the parents of six children—David D., Louisa, Susanna, Mary C., Benjamin F. and Sarah, deceased. MONROE TOWNSHIP. D. F. ANGLEBARGER, blacksmith, Tippecanoe City ; one of the well-established business men of Tippecanoe City ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., June 17, 1840 ; he is of Irish-German descent ; his father, D. S. Anglebarger, and mother, Elizabeth Ramesburg, were both natives of Maryland, and passed their entire lives there ; D. S. followed the pursuits of undertaking and farming ; he had a family of four sons and two daughters by his first marriage ; our subject was the youngest son ; at the age of 13. he immigrated to Ohio, and located in Clark Co., where he engaged as a laborer at various pursuits till he went to New Carlisle and began the smithing business ; here he remained seven years ; then enlisted in Co. C, 110th 0. V. I., and was employed as a blacksmith ; he was in the fight of Winchester, under Gen. Millroy, and was subsequently discharged on account of physical disability ; returning, he located at Troy, Ohio, and, in 1864, came to Tippecanoe City, where he worked for three years at "jour" work, and then set up shop for himself ; he is now located on Second, between Main and Dow streets ; his long experience as a smith, and careful attention to business, have won for him the reputation of a first-class workman. He is a Republican in politics, and an ardent supporter of the party ; he is also a member of the A., F. & A. M. He was married Sept. 15, 1859, to Nancy Ross, a native of Clark Co., -Ohio; of the six children born to this union, two have deceased. WILLIAM ASHWORTH, nurseryman, Tippecanoe City ; born in Middleton, Lancashire, Eng., in 1836 ; is a son of George and Betsy (Wult) Ashworth ; he followed the occupation of baker in his native country, and immigrated to America, with his family, in 1839, landing in Philadelphia, Penn., from where he came direct to the present site of Tippecanoe ; here he learned the shoemaker trade, which he followed till his death, July 23, 1849 ; his wife died April 3, 1876 ; he had three sons, all yet living—two in Tippecanoe, and one in Leadville, Colo. ; our subject is the oldest son, and was only 3 years old when he came with his parents to his present place ; he was educated in the common school, and, at the age of 11, entered an apprenticeship at the shoemaker trade, serving two years and a half ; at the age of 16, went to Dayton, Ohio, and served about three years at the harness trade ; he then turned his attention to gardening and the nursery business, which he has since continued at Tippecanoe ; with his brother, he cultivates one of the most extensive nurseries in this county ; he raises all kinds of fruit-trees, ornamental shrubbery, vines and plants of all kinds (see card in directory) ; his long experience in, and careful attention to, the business, makes their firm one of the most reliable in the country, and they have gained the reputation of first-class nurserymen. In 1862, he left the nursery for the " tented field," enlisting in Co. D, 94th 0. V. I., and served till the close of the war (over three years), participating in the following battles : Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Mission Ridge and MONROE TOWNSHIP - 643 numerous skirmishes ; joined his regiment, on Sherman's march, at the sea-coast, having been detained on account of sickness ; returned home and resumed his former occupation. He is a Republican in politics, his father being an " Old Line Whig," and is a member of the " Miami Valley Nurserymen's Association." He married Sarah Wilson, of this county, in 1857 ; two children, both now dead, have been the issue of this union. ALBERT C. BESOM, merchant and dealer in agricultural implements, Ginghamsburg ; is a person of note in the village of Ginghamsburg ; his pleasant address and correct business habits have made his name familiar to all as a person of known honesty. The firm of Besom & Evans are the only ones doing business at Ginghamsburg. He was born in Concord Township, June 30, 1850 ; his parents, Christian and Rebecca Besom, were parents of five children—Montgomery, John C., Albert C., Amanda and Catharine ; Christian commenced business at Ginghamsburg in 1855, continued it for two years, when Albert took charge of it, and has .conducted it successfully since. His marriage to Miss Harriet Cotterman occurred in 1869. They have three children—Warren H., Clarence H. and Norah B. Mrs. Besom's parents, Henry and Sarah Cotterman, emigrated from Pennsylvania in 1831, and were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are living —Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary A., Harriet, Sadie, John, Adam and Franklin. Mr. Besom is a Republican, and a prominent member of Vandalia, No. 657, I. 0. 0. F. ; he is also a member of the Christian Church, and, as he was never known to utter an oath or take a drim in a saloon, we feel a just pride in placing such facts upon record ; he is also Postmaster of the village, and fills that position with credit. J. W. BOWMAN, merchant ; Tippecanoe City ; born in Frederickstown, Union Township, in 1845 ; is the son of James and Mary Bowman ; he passed his boyhood and youth in his native place, doing work on the farm and in the store, and attending common school; he took a business course in the Toledo Commercial College, graduating in 1864 ; came to Tippecanoe in 1863 and managed a grocery under J. Bowman & Son, and in 1866, went into the dry goods business, under the firm style of Bowman, Wells and Co.; after several changes made in the firm, Mr. Bowman purchased the store in 1873, since when he has been operating it on his own responsibility ; his large and increasing trade, with full stock of well-assorted goods, attests his skill and success in this business ; he is located in the " Morrison Block," where, in a large and spacious room, he displays the fullest stock of goods in the place, which he sells at lowest prices. He married, Nov. 27, 1866, Maggie M. Penny, Of Monroe Township. Two sons, Frank P. and Howard E., have been the issue of this union. W. F. CALDWELL, Editor Herald, Tippecanoe City ; born in Tippecanoe Jan. 8, 1857 ; is the son of C. L. and Mary (Stewart) Caldwell, the latter a native of this county, and the former of Delaware Co., Ohio. C. L. was a marble cutter by occupation, and came to this county when a young man. He was married in Troy, Ohio, and had seven children ; from Troy he moved to Tippecanoe, and subsequently to Kansas, where his death occurred in 1873. Our subject, the oldest of the family, was reared and schooled in his native place, obtaining a good education ; at the age of 18 he left school, and entered the drug business at Deshler, Ohio, which he soon abandoned and learned the printing business, under Col. Horton, of Tippecanoe, which he has since followed ; he became one of the proprietors of the Tippecanoe City Herald, March 1880. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, the ".Faithful Temperance League," and is a Republican in politics. Mr. Caldwell is an enterprising and promising young man of Tippecanoe. R. R. CARPENTER, physician, Tippecanoe City ; was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1818 ; his father, Noah C., a native of Massachusetts, was an early settler in Chenango and was a fuller by occupation ; his death occurred in 1869, at the age of 89. He was married to Judith Waite, of Connecticut, who was a descendant of the first settlers of Chenango Co., dying in 1850, and her mother in 1847, at the advanced age of 98. Noah Carpenter had nine children, eight of whom 644 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: still survive. R. R. is the fifth child, and passed his early life in his native place, attending school till the age of 12, when he was placed in a drug store ; remained at this till the age of 20, thus acquiring a good knowledge of materia medics, which has served him well in his..professional life; in the meantime he devoted all his leisure time to reading medicine, and when he left the drug store he entered the Bellevue Medical College of New York, and graduated in 1843 ; one year after, he began his career as a physician in Danville, Penn. ; in 1849, he left Danville and went to New York City, where he continued his practice till 1856, when he came to Tippecanoe, where he has since been in the practice ; he gives special attention to chronic diseases, and is a well-established and reliable physician ; personally, he is pleasant, affable and sociable in his intercourse with his fellow-men. He has been married twice ; first, in 1854 to Fidelia Warford, of Pennsylvania, who died in 1866. His second marriage was in the fall of 1866, to Julia King, of this county, who died in April, 1877. One daughter, by the first union, constitutes his family. The Doctor is a member of the A., F. & A. M. of Tippecanoe. CHARLES B. CHAFFEE, Tippecanoe City. He was born in Colesville, Monroe Township, this county April 26, 1852, and is the son of S. L. and Barbara (Cecil) Chaffee ; S. L. is one of the foremost business men of Tippecanoe, born in Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1818, and was brought up to the manufacturing business ; he emigrated to Ohio in 1833, and in 1838 to Miami Co. Our subject came to Tippecanoe City with his parents when about 5 years old ; he received his primary education in the common school of this place, and, at the age of 14, entered Antioch College, at yellow Springs, where he remained one year, and then spent the two subsequent years in Oberlin College ; but failing health required him to abandon the schoolroom ; in the fall of 1870, he went to Buffalo, N. Y., and engaged in the general liquor trade till January, 1872, when he returned to Tippecanoe, and embarked in the distillery business till 1874, and then went to Toledo, where he remained in the same occupation till 1878 ; since then, he has chiefly given his attention to farming interests, operating a farm of 2,500 acres in White Co., Ind., 1,200 acres of which are under cultivation ; he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Congregational Church of Toledo. He married Alma A. Freet, of Wyandot Co., Ohio, near Tymochtee, in November, 1873 ; a son and daughter have been the issue of this union. LEVI CLARK, farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City. He is one of the few remaining early native-born citizens of Monroe Township ; he is the son of John Clark, prominently mentioned in the township history ; he was born Nov. 22, 1818, about one and a half miles northwest of Tippecanoe ; he is the oldest of a family of ten, four of whom are dead ; the scenes of his boyhood and youth were in this vicinity, where his whole life has been passed ; his education was obtained under the difficulties of pioneer times ; reared on a farm, he has always made farming his principal occupation ; he served an apprenticeship at the tanner's trade, but never followed the business ; he located on the present site of the township, with his parents, in December, 1839, and consequently has had a residence here coeval with the town ; under the gold excitement, Mr. Clark, made a trip to California in 1852, covering the distance from the Missouri River in the remarkably short time of sixty-two traveling days ; he located in Georgetown, Eldorado Co., and engaged in mining with fair success, returning by the Panama route and New Orleans, consuming fourteen months on the entire trip ; he has a particular fondness for hunting, and makes his annual trips to the hunting grounds of Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, etc., being regarded an expert and successful hunter. Formerly an " old-line Whig," casting his first vote for Gen. Harrison in 1840, his political views naturally fell in with the Republican party, with which he has always been identified. He was married, Feb. 13, 1840, to Clarinda Ramsey, of this county, who was born in Elizabeth Township in 1821, and is the daughter of Allen and Hannah Ramsey, early pioneers ; of their family of six sons and five daughters, three sons and three daughters are dead, some dying in infancy MONROE TOWNSHIP - 645 COFFMAN & SPENCER, grocers. Tippecanoe City ; one of the leading firms of Tippecanoe. Edward Coffman, member of-above firm, was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Sept. 10, 1844, and is the son of Jesse and Eliza (McCord) Coffman, both natives of Pennsylvania ; Jesse was a cooper by trade, and emigrated to Ohio in 1833, locating first in Little York, Montgomery Co., and subsequently in West Milton, for a short time, and finally in Dayton, where his death occurred in 1859 ; he had four sons and five daughters, two of whom have died, one son in the late civil war. Our subject is the sixth child of the family, and was reared and schooled in the city of Dayton ; at the latter place he was engaged as a clerk in a hotel, and one year ago came to Tippecanoe City and has since been doing a large trade in the grocery business ; he is located in Room 2, Chaffee's Block, where he keeps the largest stock of groceries in the city, and, judging from the appearance of the goods in his large and spacious room, he fully understands his business. Their motto is, excellence in quality, integrity in transactions, low prices and qui& sales. Mr. C. is connected with another grocery in Dayton, Ohio, under the same firm style. He married Miss Louisa Spencer, of Dayton, Ohio, in 1871, and has one child, a daughter, 7 years old. Mr. C. finds expression for his political views in the Republican party. B. F. CUSHWA, confectioner and baker, Tippecanoe City ; was born in this county, in 1851, and is the son of G. W. Cushwa, a native of Maryland, and a miller by trade ; he emigrated to Ohio in 1840, and located in this county. He was married to Sarah J. Nicholls, and had five children, of whom our subject is the oldest ; he was reared principally in the mill, and educated in the common school, and so well did he improve his educational opportunities, that he was early prepared to enter the profession of teaching ; this he continued about four years, and was telegraph operator two years, and then embarked in the bakery and confectionery business, which he has since continued with success ; he is located on the south side of Main street, between 1st and 2d, where he keeps on hand a full stock of confectioneries, fresh bread, cigars and tobacco. He has, also, a neatly arranged ice-cream parlor, where he serves fresh ice-cream at all times during the season (see card). He is one of the enterprising young business men of Tippecanoe, and reliable ; his motto is, excellence in quality and integrity in all his transactions. JOHN DUNCAN, retired farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City. John Duncan is a son of Amos Duncan, who came to this township in 1807 ; he was a native of North Carolina, and, on his way to the. West, stopped in Greene Co., and there married Miss Elizabeth Beal, probably in 1806 ; they had three children-Isaac, Elizabeth and Amos.; his wife died a few years after coming to this county, and he married his second wife, Miss Rachel Coate, in 1812 or 1813 ; they are the parents of five children-John, Samuel, Nelson, Moses and Sarah-all living, except the two last named ; Mrs. Duncan died in 1855, and her husband in 1873. John Duncan, the' subject of this sketch, married Miss Nancy A. Jones Dec. 6, 1835 ; eleven children was the result of this marriage, of whom Jonathan, Estley, Aaron, Lucinda A., Nathan and Catharine are living ; all are married ; Mr. Duncan lives at his ease, and a tenant looks after his farm. Both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Duncan is also a member of Tippecanoe Lodge, No. 174, A., F. & A. M. His farm contains 117 acres, well improved, which was in his boyhood covered with a dense forest. For fifteen years he has been a Director in the public schools, and is a man of influence in his neighborhood. JOHN EIDEMILLER, farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; is known from the center to circumference of this county ; his parents emigrated from Darmstadt, Germany, in 1832 ; John was born in 1825; they reared seven children-John, George, Martin, Henry, Mary, Elizabeth and Maria J.; all are married, and live in this neighborhood ; the old folks, Peter and Annie E. Eidemiller, made a visit to Germany in 1857, but, during their long absence, their old friends had died or moved away ; their stay was brief ; they felt like strangers in a strange land ; America was dear to their hearts, and they were glad to return ; they were almost 646 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: shipwrecked, a violent storm coming up, that lasted two days and nights ; Mr. Eidemiller was a large contractor and builder of pikes, and in his business made much money ; he died in 1877 at the age of 76, and his wife in 1879, aged 78 years. John was married to Miss Seraphine Lavy in 1851 ; they were the parents. of Martin E., Sarah J., John L., William H. and Peter F. (who died in infancy) ; Mrs. Eidemiller died in December; 1861 ; in July, 1862, Mr. Eidemiller led to the marriage altar Miss Augusta Miller; of Vandalia, Ohio ; they have seven children -George P.,. Warren, Laura E., Dorsey G., Wade, Lilly and Webster ; Martin E John L. and Sarah J. are married and live in this county. Mr. Eidemiller is one of our most prosperous farmers, owning 240 acres of fine land. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and also of Kentucky Home Grange ; he is a. conservative Republican, and believes in the greatest good for the greatest number. 11 The amount of stock reared is large, and the income derived from the farm a hand some one ; he built five miles of the Piqua and Troy pike, six and one-half of the Troy and Stillwater; two and one-half of the Dayton and Hyattsville pike, and now superintends them for a distance of eight miles from his home. ROBERT M. EVANS, merchant and dealer in agricultural implements, Ginghamsburg. The grandparents of Esquire Evans, on both sides, were among the first settlers in this county, and his wife's parents also came at an early day. Joseph, Evans, Esquire Evans' grandfather came here in 1801, and his mother's father in 1804. The inhabitants of the county were mostly Indians and wild beasts. Robert Evans was married to Miss Mary Jenkins in 1824, and they were the parents of Aaron, Louisa, Jesse, Kahren, Robert M. and Elizabeth ; the four latter are still living, and are all married. Esquire Robert Evans was wedded to Miss Minerva J. Keller, in 1867 ; they have five children living, one dying in infancy ; their names are,, respectively, Lilly, Arletta, Korah, Zenitia and Laura. Mrs. Evans' parents had eight children-Minerva, Sarah, Margaret A., Ellen, Alice, William E.. Alvin E. and Joseph W.; Mrs. Keller died in 1876. Esquire Evans was one of the brave men that enlisted in 1864, under the banner of his country, in Co. G. 147th 0. V. I.; for four years and three months he was a member of a military company, the Home Guards. In 1876, he was elected Justice of the Peace,' and was re-elected in 1880. He is a partner in the firm of Besom & Evans, dealers in dry goods, groceries, agricultural implements etc., etc., doing business at Ginghamsburg. He was for two terms Master of Fidelity Grange, is a conservative Republican, and an honest man. Both himself and wife are members of the United Brethren Church, and are good and useful members of society. G. L. FAVORITE, merchant, Tippecanoe City ; one of the well-established business men of Tippecanoe ; was born in Monroe Township, in 1841, and has lived here since, with the exception of three years, when he was in Toledo. His parents were Abraham Favorite and Eva Long, the former born in Virginia, from whence he emigrated to this county just previous to the war of 1812, in which struggle he served as a teamster; teaming from Greenville to Ft. Wayne. He was a farmer by occupation, and passed the remainder of his life in this township, dying in 1848. He was married twice, and had five children by first marriage, two of whom still survive. His second marriage was in the spring of 1828, with Eve, daughter of George and Margaret (Green) Long, by whom he had six children, five still living. Eve was born in Augusta Co., Va., Feb. 28, 1798, and died two years ago; over 80 years old ; she was brought up under the benign influences of Christian parents, and, at the age of 15, became a professor of religious faith, and continued strong in the faith until her death. In 18-, she emigrated with her parents to Greene Co., Ohio; and, a few years subsequently, moved to Miami Co. Our subject, the tenth child of the family, lived on a farm till 18 years of age, and attended a common school, receiving the usual farmer boy's education. At the age of 18 he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and followed this fourteen years ; then farmed three years, when he embarked in the hardware and farm implement trade, in Tippecanoe. He is located on North Main street, between First and Second-where he keeps on hand a full line of stock and furnishes all kinds of agricultural MONROE TOWNSHIP - 647 implements, making self-binders a specialty. He is a careful and reliable business man' and interested in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the community. He is a Republican in politics, a member of the Town Council, and is Assistant Chief of the Fire Department, 'with which he has been connected since its organization. He married, in 1869, Maria O'Connell, of this county, and. in 1875, Millie Gates, of this place. He had one daughter by the first, and one son by the second marriage. DAVID FETTERS, carpenter; Tippecanoe City ; born in 1848, in Union Township, this county ; is the son of David and Elizabeth (Hill) Fetters, the former of Pennsylvania, born in 1804, and the latter of Virginian descent. David, Sr., a wagon-maker by occupation, immigrated to Ohio when about 21 years old, and located in Darke Co.; from there he came to this county, and then returned to Darke Co., where he now resides. He had six sons and three daughters, two sons and one daughter of whom are dead ; one son, Josiah, was killed in the late war at the Atlanta campaign. Our subject is the fifth child of the family ; his early life was that of a farmer boy, and, at the age of 18, he learned the carpenter trade, which he has since followed. He has resided in Tippecanoe City since March, 1868. He enjoys the reputation of a first-class workman, and many of the fine residences of Tippecanoe and vicinity stand as monuments of his workmanship. He exercises his right of franchise with the Republican party, but is no politician. He is a member of I. 0. 0. F. of Tippecanoe. He married Mary E., daughter of Peter Fair; originally of Maryland.. They have a family of five children. A. J. FULLER, hardware merchant, Tippecanoe City ; born in Clark Co., Ohio; in 1844 ; comes of English ancestry. His father, James, was born in Montgomery Co., Va. and emigrated to Clark Co. in 1813 or 1814, where he purchased a farm and passed the remainder of his life, his death occurring in 1872, at the advanced age of 82. He was married twice, first to Didama Thompson, by whom he had five children, and secondly, in 1844, to Sarah Sheets, of Bedford Co., Penn. She was born in 1801, and is the daughter of Andrew Sheets, a gunsmith by trade. His grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1776, and he, Andrew, was old enough to perform' guard duty in the same war. He moved with his family in 1806, to Wilson Co., Tenn. where he remained six years a neighbor to Andrew Jackson. In September; 1812, he pioneered his way to Miami Valley, and located in Elizabeth Township, this county, where he passed the remainder of his active life, dying in 1843, in Clark Co. Our subject was the only child by the second marriage ; he made farming and stock-raising his occupation till about five years ago; when he located in New Carlisle, and engaged in general merchandising for two years ; he then located in Tippecanoe, and embarked in the hardware business ; he is located on South Main, between First and Second streets, where he keeps on hand a full stock of hardware, pumps, paints, etc., which he sells at lowest prices. He casts his vote with the Democratic party, but is no politician. He is a member of the I. 0. 0. F. and Encampment. He married Mary E. Stafford, of Clark Co., in 1868. Five children have been the issue of this union. S. & H. A. GALLOWAY, druggists, Tippecanoe City ; one of the well-established firms of Tippecanoe. All the advantages of a thorough acquaintance with drugs and medicines are possessed by these gentlemen. Samuel Galloway, the senior member of the firm, was born in Greene Co., Oct. 18, 1833, and is the son of Andrew and Mary (Collins) Galloway ; Andrew was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Nov. 7, 1796, and was the son of James G., a noted pioneer of Kentucky and Ohio. The ancestral line extends back to Scotland, whence seven brothers came, previous to the war of 1776, and located in Pennsylvania ; here James was born and from there moved to Bourbon Co., Ky., in an early time, and in March, 1798, pioneered his way to Greene Co., Ohio; locating on the west bank of the Little Miami, five miles above the present site of Xenia ; he was in the struggle for American Independence, and participated in many of the frontier wars with the Indians ; he was wounded several times, carrying bullets in his body to his grave ; he was an intimate friend of Kenten and Boone, and Tecumseh was a frequent visitor at his house in Greene Co. ; he became the first Treasurer of Greene Co., and 648 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : his son, James, was the first Surveyor, A brother of our subject has held the surveyorship of the county for twenty-four years. The family has been extensively identified with the public offices and interests of Greene Co. since its organization ; Andrew was a farmer by occupation, and one of the prominent citizens of Greene his death occurred March 26, 1864 ; his wife, Mary, was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., July 3, 1798, and 'settled in Greene Co. in the spring of 1816 ; her death occurred Feb. 25, 1872. Our subject continued on the farm till 22 years old, receiving his primary education in the common school, and a more advanced course in the National Normal, of Lebanon, Ohio ; at the age of 22, he entered the profession of teaching, and continued it till Oct. 9, 1861, when he enlisted in the United States service, in which he remained over five years. We give below a recommendation by William B. Gaw, Col. 16th U. S. C. I., which gives his military career : April 15, 1866.-" The bearer here, Capt. Samuel Galloway, 16th U. S. C. I., I take great pleasure in commending to the favorable notice of his friends. Capt. Galloway entered service the 9th of October; 1861, as a private in the 74th 0. V. I., and was promoted successively to Corporal, Sergeant, and on the 14th of March, 1864, was examined for a position in the colored troops and passed a first-class Captain, when he was immediately assigned to the command of a company in 16th U. S. C. I. This officer has conducted himself, during his military career; in such a manner as to win the esteem and confidence, as well as the approbation, of his brother officers ; he has exhibited rare qualifications for commanding troops, and his integrity, valor; sobriety, urbane manner and ability in all the ordinary forms of business, have never been questioned ; he was examined for position of Major a short time before muster-out of regiment, and came fully up to the standard required.-William B. Gaw, Col. 16th U. S. C. I." Mr. G. engaged in the battles of Stone River; Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, etc., besides numerous skirmishes ; was taken prisoner at the battle of Stone River; and during the thirty days in which he was held prisoner passed one week in Libby ; his regiment of colored troops were mustered out April, 1866, and he was detained on court-martial duty till his " muster-out," which occurred Nov. 6, 1866 ; he then went to Chicago; and engaged in the drug business, on W. Lake street, under the firm of Sherwood & Co., till June, 1867, when he purchased an interest in his present store, then conducted under the firm style of S. & W. C. Galloway ; Feb. 1, 1876, the present firm name was adopted. Mr. G. was in the the Government employ from 1869 to 1874, as United States Storekeeper of the Distilleries of Tippecanoe City. He is a Republican in politics, and has held his share of town and township offices ; he now holds the office of Township and City Clerk, and is a member of the Royal Arcanum of Tippecanoe. He married, May 24, 1866, Mary A. Morris, of Shabbona Grove, Ill. ; of the six children born of this union, two have died. H. A. Galloway, junior member of the firm, was born in 1842, in Greene Co.. and is a brother of S. Galloway. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Co. D, 74th 0. V. I., and in the following January was discharged, on account of physical disability ; has since been engaged in farming and in the drug business. The above firm is reliable, and thoroughly educated in the knowledge of drugs, and their careful attention to their business has won for them the esteem and confidence of the community. I. KIRK GILBERT, physician, Tippecanoe City, was born in Newberry District, in the town of Newberry, S. C., in 1819 ; he is the son of Dempsey and Milla (Lestar) Gilbert ; his early ancestors were found in the colonists of Virginia ; they found their way to South Carolina previous to the war of 1776, and many of them participated in that struggle. , Dempsey G. immigrated to this State with his family in 1834 ; he was engaged in the cotton culture in his native State, and being overtaken by pecuniary reverses, he was induced to emigrate ; he located permanently in this, Monroe Township, where his death occurred in 1859. Of a family of three sons, our subject is the oldest ; his boyhood was passed on a plantation in South Carolina ; he was 14 years old when he came to this State. His early education was limited, as being the oldest of the family the management of the farm early devolved upon him ; he began reading medicine early in life, and MONROE TOWNSHIP - 649 in 1843, placed himself under the tutorship of Dr. Keifer; of Troy; he attended lectures in the Ohio Medical College during the sessions of 1846-47, 1850-51, 1851 -52, graduating in the latter year. Since 1847, he has practiced in this locality, except three years, which he spent in Germantown, Dayton, etc. ; in 1872, he took Cincinnati Hospital Clinics. Dr. G. is a thoroughly read and careful physician. He was married in the spring of 1852 to Mary McPherson, of New York State, a sister of Dr. McPherson, one of the first physicians of this locality. S. D. HARTMAN, physician, Tippecanoe City ; born in Tippecanoe, Aug. 14, 1846 ; is the son of Dr. A. B. Hartman, of Lancaster Co., Penn., who was married twice and had two children by the first, and six by the second marriage, which was with Delilah Campbell, of this county. Our subject is the oldest child of the second marriage ; he was reared and schooled in his native place, and at the age of 16, learned milling, subsequently becoming a telegraph operator; being an assistant in this place, where he acquired the art, and then operated in the Troy office for twenty months; he left the office in September; 1869, entered the medical college of Ann Arbor; Mich. and took a course of lectures ; in the spring he returned to his native place, read and practiced with his father till September; 1871, when he returned to Ann Arbor; and graduated in the following spring. He has since been practicing in Tippecanoe City, where his energy and careful attention to his profession have won him the confidence and esteem of the public, building up a large and lucrative practice. He was in the United States service in the late civil war; from March to September; 1865, as a member of 196th 0. V. I. In polities he is a Repubican. He is a member of the following societies : Miami County Medical Association, Western Ohio Medical Association, Ohio Medical Association, A., F. & A. M., I. 0. 0. F. and Royal Arcanum, and also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was married in June, 1875, to Miss Laura Byrkett, of this county, and they have two daughters. H. E. HAWVER, grocer; Tippecanoe City ; one of the well-established grocers of Tippecanoe ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., in 1838 ; his parents were of American birth and German descent ; his father; Jacob, being a farmer by occupation ; he had six sons and two daughters, all of whom still survive ; Jacob died in 1863, the first and only member of the family who has died, his wife still surviving at the advanced age of 80 years. Our subject is the youngest of the family ; he lived at home until he reached majority, assisting in the duties of the farm, and attending school, his scholarship ending at 15 ; in the fall of 1860 he came to Tippecanoe, where he has since resided ; he was first occupied as a laborer at various pursuits, till 1869, when he engaged in the machine shop and at coopering with his brother till 1871, when he embarked in the grocery business ; he is located on Main, between First and Second streets, where he keeps on hand a full line of groceries of the best qualities ; he is a careful and reliable business man, and commands the esteem, and confidence of the public. His political views are expressed in the Republican party, of which he has always been an ardent supporter. He married Mary C. Young, of Miami Co., Bethel Township, in the fall of 1861 ; two sons and one daughter have been the issue of this union. GEORGE W. HAWVER, cooper; Tippecanoe City ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., in 1821 ; is the son of Jacob and Elizabeth Hawver (see H. E. Hawver's sketch) ; he is the oldest of the family ; was brought up on the farm and early inured to farm labor ; his early education was obtained under the imperfect subscription system he remained with his father till 1849, when he emigrated to Ohio; locating in Bethel Township, this county ; was engaged as a laborer at various pursuits till 1854, when he engaged in the stock business for the subsequent six years, under the firm style of John Broan & Co. ; he then engaged in the coopering business. which he has since followed. He has the confidence of the public, and is one of the enterprising citizens of Tippecanoe. A self-made man, beginning with nothing but a will and mind determined to succeed, he has established a permanent home, and acquired a competency ; he is one of the stock-holders in the