USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 2 > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
GEN
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02399 2735
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/historybiographi02west
A HISTORY
AND
BIOGRAPHICAL CYCLOPÆDIA
OF
BUTLER COUNTY,
OHIO
vol. 2 WITH
ILLUSTRATIONS AND SKETCHES
OF ITS
REPRESENTATIVE MEN AND PIONEERS.
WESTERN BIOGRAPHICAL PUBLISHING CO., CINCINNATI, O. 1832.
i
F 892074 ,4
331.
HISTORY OF' BUTLER COUNTY. 1634069
wood Cemetery, where they now rest beside those of his wife, who survived him thirty years. William Morey. his son, and the father of Henry Lee Morey, was the third child of the family. He was united in marriage with Derexa Whitcomb on the 6th of May, 1824, in Yankeetown, now Somerville, in this county.
Derexa Morey, whose mailen name was Whitcomb, was descended from Puritan stock. Her ancestors came to this country from England about 1630, and are supposed to have come from Dorsetshire, in the ship Mary and John, which sailed from Plymouth, in England, and landed in what is now Boston Harbor, on the 30th of May of 1630, after a voyage of seventy days. One of their descendants, Colonel Asa Whitcomb, was a revenue officer in colonial times, and others of the family have won distinction in the various walks of life. One branch of this stock removed from Massachusetts to Vermont, from which is descended Anthony Whitcomb, the father of Derexa Whitcomb. A brother of Anthony was the father of James Whitcomb, at one time commissioner of the land office, twice elected governor of the State of Indiana, and later a United States senator from that State.
Anthony Whitcomb came to Ohio from the State of Vermont about the year 1815, and settled in Hamilton County, near Cincinnati, then a small town, where he soon after died, leaving Lucy Whitcomb, his widow, aud six children, two sons and four daughters. Lucy Whitcomb afterwards married again, and moved to Preble County, in this State, taking her family with her, where she died on the 5th of October, 1821, in the forty-eighth year of her age. Derexa here met. William Morey, with whom she was united in marriage on the 6th of May, 1824. They were the parents of fourteen children, teu of whom survive, seven sons and three daughters. During the war of the Rebellion four of their sons served in the Union army.
William Morey died on the 8th of June, 1872, in the seventy-first year of his age. In early life he learned and carried on the business of a hatter, but afterwards embiared mercantile pursuits, and later turned his atten- tion to agriculture, which he followed for the remainder of his life. Wille engaged in the hatting business he visited the city of New Orienos to purchase a stock of furs, and there first became acquainted with the institution of slavery, and saw its practical workings. Ils strong sense of right revolted at its enormities, and made him look with abhorrence upon the system. He returned to his home a radical abolitionist, which he continued openly to be until the day of his death. During the period of fierce agitation of the slavery question he lived upon one of the lines of the underground railroad, miel was known as a friend of the black man.
In early life he united with the Universalist Church, of which he continued a faithful member until his death. He was the strong friend of temperance, his voi e being .
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always against the liquor traffic, as also against the use of tobacco. His wife survived him five years, dying on the third day of July, 1877, in the zeventy-sixth year of her age. She was buried in Greenwood Cemetery by the side of her husband and children. In her early woman. hood she united with the Universalist Church, in which faith she continued throughout life. She was a woman of bright intellect, thoughtful, patient, and self-lenying, ai. ways ready to relieve the wants of the needy. On the 12th of July, 1879, Matella Morey Druley, the youngest childl of William and Derexa Morey, died in the thirty- first year of her age, being the first death among their children for more than thirty years.
Henry Lee Morey attended the common schools of Butler and Preble Counties until 1856, when he was sent to the Morning Sun Academy to prepare for col- lege. Two years later he entered Miami University. The war breaking out, he enlisted in the University Rifles, at Oxford, on the day after the fall of Fort Sumpter. This company was united with the Twentieth Ohio Volunteers, and was active in the campaign of Western Virginia. At the expiration of this service, be enlisted in the Seventy-fifth Regiment Ohio Volun- teers, and helped to recruit and organize that regiment at Camp Melcan, near Lockland, Hamilton County. On the completion of the organization, he was elected a second Heutevant, and served with his regiment to the close of the war, being successively promoted to the po- sitions of first lieutenant and captain, being senior cap- tain of his regiment at the close of its term. His regi- ment went from Camp MeLean, in January, 1862, into Western Virginia, and in its campaigns marched over all the ranges of mountains into Eastern Virginia. He took part in the battles of Monterey, Franklin, Show's Ridge, McDowell, Strausburgh, Cross Keys, Cedar Mountain, Freeman's Ford, Sulphur Springs, Waterloo Brige, sce- oud Bull Run, Alle, and Chancellorsville in Virginia ; Fort Wagner, Morris Island, Fort Gregg, an.} in the siege ef Fort Sumpter (under General Quiney A. Gilmore), in South Carolina; and Camp Baldwin and Gainesville, Florida. He commanded his company ia every action after Monterey. He was taken prisonce ar the battle of Chancellorsville, and coufined in Libby Prison, in Rich- mond, and was exchanged with the last lot of officers previous to the suspension of the cartel.
After the war he studied law, graduating at the In- dianapolis Law College, and zettling in Hamilton in the Spring of 1867, where he has ever since remained. He is a Mason, having become & Past Master, and has ad- vanced through the council and chapter degrees. He has lately become a Knight Templar. He is also an Oil Fellow, a Knight of Pythias. and member of the Rovat Arcanum. He has always affiliated with the Conversation Church, and for ten years has been superintendent of the Sunday-school in Hamilton.
Og the 25th of April, 1865, he was married to Mary
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M. Campbell, who died July 1, 1867. February 26, | 1873, he married Ella R. Campbell, sister of his first wife, and daughter ef William H. Campbell, late State senator, and granddaughter of Mrs. Mary Campbell, who is still living in Franklin, Warren County, in her ninety-seventh year.
He was admitted to the bar in 1867, and has re- mained in the active practice of his profession in the city of Hamilton ever since, until the last session of Congress, during which time he grew in popular favor, until he attained a leading place at the bar, and rapidly developed those elements so essential to a good lawyer. Of sterling integrity, fearless in his professional duties, of correct judgment, quick and decisive, keen and dis- criminating, energetic and persistent, clear and compre- hensive, he is true and fair to his client, honest with the court, and candid with the jury. As a counselor, he is frank and safe; as a pleader, terse and concise; as a jurist, logical and forcible, and as au advocate, eloquent and persuasive.
- In his political career Mr. Morey has been remark- ably successful. He is a Republican, devoted to his party, proud of its history, and thoroughly believing in its principles, but always courteous to his political op- ponents. In 1871 he was elected solicitor of the city of Hamilton, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Judge Vance, and was shortly afterwards re-elected for a full term. In the same year he was elected prosecuting attor- -ney of Butler County largely by his personal popularity, defeating his Democratic competitor, whose party was over two thousand in the majority.
In 1875 he was a candidate for State senator in the district composed of Butler and Warren Counties, and although running largely ahead of his ticket, was de- feated. Iu 1880 he was nominated for Congress in this districc by the Republicans. He received the nomination on July 28th, at the convention in Morrow, upon the three hundred and sixty-seventh ballot, after a pro- tracter and close contest. He was triumphantly elected, receiving one thousand and twenty-eight majority over General Durbin Ward, the Democratic nominee. His career during the first session of that Cougress was so highly satisfactory to his constituents, that on July 13, 1882, by his party at its convention in Lebanon, Ohio, he was renominated by acclamation.
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In his official aets he keeps in line with the Republi- eans on party questions, but in his relation with his con- stituents and in his zealous and devoted care of their interests he makes no distinction, treating all alike. He is affable and genial, courteous and kind, attentive and industrious, with wonderful capacity for details, efficient, of broad views, and patriotic. In his capacity as a private citizen, he is generous, sympathictie, neighborly and obliging, active and enterprising, successful and in- fluential; and has done much for the growth and de- velopment of the city of Hamilton and Butler County,
and has always been the friend and advocate of all valu- able public improvements looking to the prosperity of the people.
J. E. MOREY.
James Ellwood Morey was born in Milford Township, Butler County, Ohio, on the third day of April, 1845. He is the son of William and Derexa Morey, and is the thirteenth child in a family of fourteen children, of whom. nine were sous and five daughters. His child- hood and youth were spent in the ordinary daties and pursuits of a farmer's son, and in attendance upon the publie school of his district, and as he grew older the Morning Sun Academy, until he reached his seventeenth year, when, on the 7th of August, 1862, he enlisted in the Ninety-third Regiment Ohio Volunteers in response to President Lincoln's second call for $00,000 men. In the Fall of the same year he was taken prisoner, but was soon exchanged and again took his place in the ranks. He continued in the service until the 14th of June, 1865, when he was mustered out and honorably dis- charged, the rebellion being subdued and peace declare:l. His regiment formed part of the Army of the Cumber- land. He took part in the battles of Chickamauga, Mission Ridge and Lookout Mountain, Rocky Face, Resaca, Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain, Lovejoy Station, Columbia, Nashville, and numerous skirmishes and minor engagements.
Returning home at the close of the war, he entered Miami University in 1865, from which he was graduated in 1867, and in the same year began the study of law in the Indianapolis Law College. He received his diploma in March, 1868; was admitted to the bar the following August, and at once commenced the practice of law at Hamilton, in which place he has since resided.
On the thirty-first day of January, 1870, he was elected secretary of the Eamfiton Insurance Company, and from that time gave his attention to the insurance business, until August, 1878, when he returned to the active practice of law, to which he has since exclusively given his time. On the 18th of October. 1980, he entered into partner- ship with his brother, Henry Lee Morey, and Allen Aa- drews, under the firm name of Morey, Andrews & Morev. He was brought up in the Universalist faith, and is a member of that Church. He is a charter member of Lone Star Lodge, No. 39, Knights of Pythias, Hamilton, Ohio. On the ioth of April, 1873, he was married to Winona Chadwick, daughter of Clinton and Ellen Chad- wick, of Camden, Preble County, Chio.
Mr. Morey is a man ot excellent health, strong mind, and good morals. He is kind, sympathetic, obliging, and greatly attached to his home, family, and friends. 14 business he is epretul, industrious, and enterprising, and has been very successful. As a citizen he is public- spirited, influential, and deeply interested in the improve- ment of his city and county. As a lawyer he is zeah us in his profession, cautious in counsel, and careful of his
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
clients' interest ; and, in the trial of any eause, strong and tenacious. To the court he states his propositions with force and clearuess, and before a jury he is candid, earnest, and effective. In politics he is a firm Republican.
MICAJAH HUGHES.
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Micajah Hughes, of Liberty Township, president of the First National Bank of Hamilton, was born in Bal- timore county, Maryland, on the 25th of January, 1807. He is the son of Elijah and Saralı (Muchner) Hughes, who were both natives of the same county, and removed to Oliio, settling in Liberty Township, in 1815. Mr. Hughes followed the occupation of a blacksmith in Maryland, but after coming to Ohio, also embarked in farming. He was born November 4, 1777, and died August 8, 1849, and his wife died September 10, 1845, being born May 5, 1780. Micajah Hughes was edu- cated in an old log school-house, in Liberty Township, located in Huntsville. He soon was initiated into farm- ing, and in 1832, in company with Daniel, lis oldest brother, bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in Lemon Township, which they owned together until 1837. In the meantime they had bought another farmi in the county, then dividing it. Micajah took the farm on which be now lives, of one hundred and twenty aeres, and forty aeres of woodland two miles distant. Their partnership was dissolved in 1837, when Mr. Hughes married. His business from that time on has been to farm, trade in stock, and loan money.
He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank in Hamilton, in August, 1863, and has ever since been its president. The first meeting to form this bank was held on the day on which the battle of Gettysburg was fought, but the meeting at which the permanent or- ganization took place was on the 6th of August. The capital was originally $50,000, of which Mr. Hughes owned one-tenth, but a few months after it was increased to $60,000, and in January was made 8100,000, its present capital. Mr. James Beatty was the first vice- president. The average dividend of the bank since its beginning has been sixteen and two-thirds per cent; the highest dividend, twenty-four per cent, and the lowest, ten. The deposits now are over $700,000, mostly re- ceived from farmers.
The bank has been uniformly successful in its history, never having been obliged to close its doors or ask the least indulgence. Its stockholders are conservative money- lenders, who never receive favors from the bank or use its funds for their own purposes. In proportion to its capital it has the largest deposits of any bank in the State, except one in Cleveland and one in Cincinnati. Mr. Hughes now owns but one thousand dollars' worth of stock, jusi enough to qualify bim to be president. by re- quest of stockholders, though he formerly owned twelve thousand five hundred dollars of stock. He pays the largest personal tax in Butler County, being on upwards
of eighty-seven thousand dollars, all his property being in this county, except ten lots in Louisville, Kentucky.
Ile was married on the 3d of March, 1837, to Miss Phebe F. Cassidy, bern September 19, 1814, of Lemon Township, who was the daughter of John and Sarah Cas- sidy, farmers. Mrs. Hughes is still living, at the age of sixty-six. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, though bnt five are now living. The oldest, Mrs. Helen Taylor, was born May 23, 1839; Albert, born April 23, 1843; George W., born June 29, 1844; Joseph B., born November 21, 1848; Alexander C., born January 16, 1851, and died August 14. 1867, at Minne- apolis, where he had gone for his health. He was a lov- yer of Hamilton. Sarah L., born February 4, 1841, died November 9, 1871, was an areomplished scholar and writer. She possessed a high degree of literary skill, and her letters from Europe excited much attention. Alice M., born July 2, 1845, died July 1, 1861; Evelyn, born October 22, 1853, died November 1, 1853; Clarence E., born March 3, 1855, died September 11. 1864.
He has always been a Democrat, casting his first vote for Jackson, in 1823, and voting for the candidates of that party ever since. He has frequently been a delegate to the State Democratic Convention. Ho was a director of the Butler County Insurance Company for ten years, and was one of its organizers.
UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
As nearly as we can ascertain, the history of Uni- versalisin in Butler County dates back to 1838, when occasional preaching services were held in the city of Hamilton, and at various other places in this conuty.
James McBride estimated the attendance upon the varions Churches in Hamilton, in 1842, as follows : " Methodist, 300; Presbyterians, 200; Associate Re- formed, 200; Episcopal, 50; Reformed Presbyterians, 100; Baptists (Old School), 30; Universalists, 100. Total population of Hamilton and Rossville, 2,552; of age to attend Church, 2,089. Total attendance, includ- ing 200 Catholics, 1,030; non-attendants. 1,059."
In one of our old county papers we find the following announcement : " Rev. D. R. Biddlecome, Univer-alist. will preach at Jacksouburg, at 3 P. M., and in Hamil. ton in the evening.' About this time there was an occasional sermon by some Cincinnati missionary Vaiver- salist minister, who preached at Oxford, Bunker Hill, and other places. Rev. Henry Gifford, Rev. Abel C. Thomas, Rev. John Garley. Rev. George Rogers, Rev. F. M. Pingrey, Rev. W. W. Carry, Rev. Ben. F. Foster, Rev. J. C. Petrat, Rev. N. M. Gaylord (brother. in-law of General Van Derveer), Rev. Mr. Davis, And Rev. J. W. S. Baron were the early occasional er. pounders of this thith " vare delivered to the saints."
Among the old-time attendants apor the Universalist. Church services we find the following names: Jemoi, Matthias, Isaac Matthias, John W. Brain, John K. W ?!-
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James te Comptes
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son, Perry G. Smith, John O. Brown, Peter Jacobs, Thomas Reed, Richard Easton, and Isaac Warwick. At. this time these friends of liberal thought met in the lower rooms of the court-house, which were ordinarily well filled, and the religious services were always char- acterized by most excellent music. Their present church was erected in 1851 and cost about $9,000. Besides other generous contributions, John W. Erwin donated the church bell, which was a premium bell, and cost five hundred dollars cash. Christopher Hughes, Ludwick and Jane Betz, and Jasper Johnson were now attendants upon public worship with this congregation.
The Rev. Jonathan Kidwell, a most able controver- sialist, and other prominent Universalist divines, occa- sionally held public debates with the ministers of oppos- ing faiths at various places in Butler County. Churches have been built at Oxford and Bunker Hill, which have for many years had preaching about every alteruate Sun- day. Rev. C. H. Dutton, Rev. William Tueker, Rev. J. P. MacLean, and Rev. C. L. Haskell, in the order named, have been the more recent pastors of the Hani- ilton society. It has an interesting Sunday-school, with about eighty names enrolled, and an average attendance of probably fifty-five.
Unfortunately the church property of this society has become involved in litigation, which for final adjudica- tion has been appealed to the Supreme Court. H. L. Morey, J. E. Morey, B. F. Thomas, Jobn W. Erwin, R. N. Andrews, Dr. S. H. Potter, S. O. Peacock, and various influential citizens of Butler County attend this church. Should the Supreme Court finally decide ad- versely to this society, it proposes at onee to build a new and beautiful modern church edifice; otherwise, to en- tirely renovate its present house of worship.
JAMES E. CAMPBELL ..
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James Edwin Campbell, lawyer, of this city, is a na- tive of Middletown, where he was born on the 7th of July, 1843. He is the son of Dr. Andrew Campbell, of whom a full account will be found elsewhere in this work, and Laura P. Reynolds, daughter of John P. Reynolds, once a publisher in New York State, and aft- erwards a leading and influential citizen of Middletown. Mr. Campbell's father was of Scotch extraction, and his mother of English. The family of Mr. Reynolds was originally settled in Devonshire, Jonathan Reynolds emi- grating from Plympton Earl, in that county, in 1645, and on his arrival in America, taking up his dwelling near Plympton, in the Plymouth colony, now a part of Massachusetts. Mr. Campbell is sixth in deseent from Jonathan Reynolds. The family, after settling in Mas- sachusetts, extended to Rhoile Island and New York, and are now numerous in these two latter States, having inany members who have filled important positions in the State and national councils. By another branch of his maternal family, he is descended from John Parker.
who commanded the American troops at the heroic strug- gle at Lexington, which began the Revolutionary War. His paternal great-grandfather, Audrew Small, at the age of eighteen, went with Montgomery on the fatal ex- pedition to Quebee, suffering untold miseries on his return through Canada. Both of his grandfathers were soldiers in the War of 1812.
James E. Campbell was educated in the free schools of his native town, and in later years received instruction from the Rev. John B. Morton, an early and successful teacher of that place, and for many years the pastor of the Presbyterian Church. When approaching maturity he began the reading of law, and taught school for a short time.
In the Summer of 1865, after the navy had become thoroughly organized in all its departments, and had won some of its most glorious victories, he became a master's mate on the gunboats Elk and Nuiad, serving on the Mis- sissippi and Red River flotillas, and taking part in several engagements. But the unhealthiness of the climate soon affected bim, and after a year, being surveyed by a board. of surgeons, he was discharged, returning home a mere skeleton. As soon as he had sufficiently recovered his health he resumed the study of law, and during the Winter of 1864 and 1865 he became a student in the office of Doty & Gunckel, Middletown, being admitted to the bar in 1865.
In the Spring of 1867 he began the practice of his professiou in this city. During the interval he was book- keeper of the First National Bank at Middletown, and was also a deputy collector in the Internal Revenue service of the Third District for about eight months in Hamil- ton, under General Ferdinand Van Derveer, Collector He was elected prosecuting attorney of the county in 1875 and 1877, holding that position for four years and filling the duties of his office most acceptably. From 1867 to 1869 he was United States commissionez. In 1879 he made a very close race for the Ohio State Sen- ate, being defeated by only twelve votes. During the war he was a Republican, and remained so until the Greeley campaign, when, in common with thousands of others, he cast off the party yoke, and voted for Greeley and Brown. Since that time he has acted with the Democrats.
In addition to his business as a lawyer, he has paid much attention to insurance, and has gradually gained a large and valuable business in this line, and has been charged with many important receiverships and other trusts. Mr. Campbell is a Knight Templar, a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Grand Army of the Re public. He was married to Miss Libbie Owens, daugh- ter of Job E. Owens and Mary A. Price, on the 4th of January, 1870. Her father was a native of Wales. and her mother of Welsh descent. They have three chil- dren. Mr. Campbell is a hard worker, and can ac- complish more in one day in his business than the
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most of men. He attends the Presbyterian Church. and contributes liberally to the support of all benevolent and charitable enterprises.
He is systematic in all his efforts, and his offices are models of meatness. Socially no man stands higher. He is courteous in manner, thorough in his acquisition of de- tail, and of the highest integrity of character. As a lawyer he has few superiors at his age, possessing great skill in ascertaining the true points of a ease. He is a good, clear, logical speaker, and well informed on all questions of law. No young man in Hamilton has a better or more honorable record, and no one is deserving of greater credit than be.
At the Democratic Convention held at Lebanon, Au- gust 16, 1882, he was nominated unanimously for the position of Congressman, and is now making a most gallant campaign in behalf of his party.
CAPTAIN ISRAEL GREGG.
Captain Israel Gregg, for many years a prominent . steamboat man, was for a long time a resident of Hem- ilton. He was born on the 20th of February, 1775, in Virginia, but his parents, who were adventurous pioneers, removed to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, shortly after, where, on attaining a sufficient age, he was taught the art of a silversmith, and on reaching his majority set up for himself. Two years after, or on the 12th of July, 1798, he married Elizabeth Hough, one of the younger children of a Quaker family, and sister of Joseph Hongh, for twenty years the leading merchant of Hamilton. Another brother, Benjamin, was auditor of the State of Ohio from 1808 to 1815.
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