USA > Ohio > Preble County > A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography > Part 28
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Professor Gibbins is a native of Mary- land, his birth having occurred in Freder- ick county, on the 15th of May, 1847. His father, Miles Gibbins, was born in county Mayo, Ireland, and came to America about 1840, taking up his abode in Frederick county, Maryland, where he worked on a farm for a time. Later he engaged in shoe- making. In 1858 he removed to Preble county, Ohio, settling in Gratis, and at the present time he is living in Dayton, at the age of eighty-seven years. He married Miss Mahala Hessong, a daughter of John Hessong, of Pennsylvania, and she is still living, at the age of seventy-six years. In their family are six children, namely: John H., George T. and Charles Ed, who are resi- dents of Dayton; Mary C., wife of Charles Hull, of Dayton; Jacob E., who is living in the same city ; and Emerson B., a resident of Columbus, Ohio.
Professor Gibbins, of this review, sup- plemented his common-school education by study in the high schools of Eaton and Leba- non, Ohio. His educational course was not continuous, for at intervals he taught school and thus earned the money with which to pay his expenses. During the civil war he loy- ally responded to the call of the country, enlisting in August, 1862, in the Ninety- third Ohio Infantry. He joined the army at Camden and was at the front for about eight months, after which he was taken ill and received an honorable discharge.
Professor Gibbins began teaching in 1869, in the district school in Lanier town- ship, Preble county, where he remained nine
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years. His connection with the district schools in the capacity of teacher covered a period of nineteen years, and he was never employed in any district where he could not have again secured the position had he wished to do so. His services have always been acceptable, and his marked ability has gained him a high place in this portion of Ohio. For a time he was employed as a teacher in Camden and later engaged in the grain business in that town. Subsequently he accepted the position of teacher in the high school in Israel township, and was afterward township superintendent. In 1891 he was elected county treasurer on the Republican ticket and so acceptably dis- charged the duties of the office that he was re-elected in 1893. When his four-years term was ended he resumed teaching in West Elkton, Preble county, and in 1897 he was appointed superintendent of the Eaton schools. There are two school buildings un- der his care, in which are eighteen teachers and six hundred pupils. His work has been most successful and under his guidance the schools of Eaton are making pronounced and rapid progress. He is continually on the alert to improve the methods and to advance the standards, and all his work is character- ized by a thoroughness the result of which is certainly excellent. Advancement is his watchword and the proficiency of the work done in the Eaton schools well qualifies the student for the practical duties which may devolve upon them in the active affairs of life. The habits of thoroughness and strong mental concentration which are there formed prove important elements in their careers after leaving the schoolroom, and it is be- cause Professor Gibbins regards education as a preparation for life that his school work has been so successful. While serving as
county treasurer, he was also a member of the school board.
In 1873 was celebrated the marriage of Professor Gibbins and Miss Sarah J. Yost, a daughter of Anthony Yost, of Preble county, who was a representative of one of the old families of Virginia. Their union was blessed with three children: Mary C., Melissa and Ada. Socially the subject of this review is connected with the Odd Fel- lows society, the Knights of Pythias fra- ternity and has also been commander of the Grand Army Post at Camden and in Eaton. After the war, when he was only seventeen years of age, he was elected second lieutenant of the Ohio state militia. Professor Gibbins has justly won the proud American title of the self-made man, as all his advancement has been the result of his own efforts. In early life, as in later years, he has devoted what is usually termed leisure hours to study and improvement and thus has he gained an eminent position in the ranks of the Ohio educators. Professor Gibbins is a man of high intellectuality, broad human sympathies and tolerance, and imbued with fine sensi- bilities and clearly defined principles. Honor and integrity are synonymous with his name, and he enjoys the respect, confidence and high regard of the community.
RICHARD E. BRANDENBURG.
Richard E. Brandenburg was born in German township, Montgomery county, on the 5th of September, 1851, one of the nine children of Samuel and Malinda (Feaster) Brandenburg. His father was a native of Maryland, born in Frederick county, in 1814. In early life he learned the shoe- maker's trade, which he followed contin- uously until his thirtieth year, after which
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he gave his attention both to shoemaking and farming. Some time later he abandoned his first vocation, his time being devoted entirely to agricultural pursuits. About 1835 he came to Ohio, locating in German township, where he resided up to the time of his death. He was successfulin business, acquiring some three hundred acres of land, and gave to all his children a good start in life. He also instilled into their minds lessons of industry, economy and straightforward dealing, and these have proved of great benefit to them. Mr. Brandenburg died in 1871, in the faith of the Reformed church, of which he was a valued member. An upright, honorable man, he commanded the respect and con- fidence of all with whom he was associated, and to his family he left the priceless herit- age of an untarnished name. Seven of his nine children still survive, as follows: Josiah E., of Winchester, Ohio; Aaron P., an engineer in Germantown, Ohio; Samuel T., a farmer of Whitley county, Indiana ; Anna R., wife of Henry Green, a farmer of Montgomery county, Ohio; Layannie, wife of Charles Gilbert, a farmer of Ger- man township, Montgomery county; Rich- ard E., the subject of this review; and John W., a farmer of Gratis township, Preble county. The deceased were Eliza- beth, who married Frank Rodeffer, of Montgomery county, and Sarah, who mar- ried George R. Feerer, of Warren county, Ohio.
Richard E. Brandenburg was reared to manhood upon the home farm, acquiring his education in the common schools and at the National Normal School, at Leba- non, Ohio. At the age of nineteen he began. teaching in the district schools of Warren county, and after being there employed for one year returned to Montgomery county,
where he followed teaching for four years. He was a capable educator, maintaining dis- cipline and readily imparting to others the knowledge he had acquired. On the 13th of January, 1876, he was united in marriage to Miss Emily A. Cooper, a native of Ger- man township, Montgomery county, and a daughter of Jacob and Harriet ( Patton) Cooper. Her father was born in German township, his parents being among the pio- neer settlers of Montgomery county. About 1877 he removed to Campbellstown, Ohio, where both he and his wife spent their re- maining days.
After his marriage Mr. Brandenburg took charge of his father-in-law's farm and for eight years operated that place as a renter. In 1884 he purchased one hundred and nine acres of his present farm in Jackson town- ship, Preble county, and here he has since been successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits. As the years have passed his capi- tal has been augmented and he has added to his farm until now a valuable tract of two hundred and forty acres yields to him a golden tribute in return for the care and labor he bestows upon it. He also engages to some extent in stock raising and this has added materially to his income. His labors are energetically prosecuted, and along the lines of legitimate business he has acquired a handsome competence which classes him among the substantial residents of Jackson township.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Brandenburg was blessed with seven children, namely : Edna, wife of Harry E. Irvin, a carpenter of Jackson township; Earl, at home; Samuel, who is engaged in teaching in the district schools ; Clyde, deceased; and Hattie, Orpha and Harold, at home. In his political affili- ations Mr. Brandenburg is a Democrat and
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has held several local offices. He served for one term as assistant land appraiser ; for one term as assessor ; and is now filling the posi- tion of township trustee, to which he was elected in the spring of 1900. The cause of education finds in him a warm friend and he does all in his power to promote the best in- terests of the schools. For several years he officially served as president of the board of education, and it was largely through his in- strumentality that there was erected at Campbellstown a township high school, which is the pride of this section of the county. Mr. Brandenburg is a member of Eaton Lodge, No. 30, I. O. O. F., and he contributes in a large measure to the support of every movement which he believes will prove of public good. As a citizen he is pro- gressive and loyal, as a business man straightforward and honorable and as a friend he is faithful and consistent.
WILLIAM BRUCE.
In William Bruce, the founder of Eaton, a high type of pioneer life and character was exemplified. The name Bruce is so closely interwoven with the history of Eaton and Preble county that no historical record of this section would be complete without men- tion of the family. As the name indicates, the Bruces are of Scotch lineage, and in the subject of this biography were preserved many of the distinguishing and admirable traits of the Scotch people. His father and five brothers, Highlanders, leaving the land of hills and heather, crossed the Atlantic to the new world in 1746, on account of the Scottish rebellion then in progress. They located upon the banks of the Potomac, in Virginia, where William Bruce was born September 20, 1762, and at the age of nine
years went with his father to Pennsylvania, the family locating at Redstone, near the present city of Pittsburg.
He received in his youth a very meager education, but by reading, observation and experience he became a well informed man. When a mere boy he was engaged in packing goods across the mountains, an occupation which by reason of its vigor and peril devel- oped within him a strong physique and a fearless and sturdy character, thus fitting him for the pioneer life he was to lead in Ohio. On attaining his majority, he re- moved to Bourbon county, Kentucky, and there, in 1791, he married Frances Lewis, a native of Kentucky, born in 1771. In 1793 he removed with his wife to Warren coun- ty, Ohio, and for six years lived near Sha- kertown. Then after a brief residence in Butler county they removed to Montgomery county, whence they came to Preble county, in June, 1806. Here he purchased of the government three sections of land, built a cabin on the hill south of the site of Eaton, laid out the town, and built a saw and grist mill, which proved of great convenience to the settlers in the surrounding country. A former writer has recorded the following :
"The village fast gained population under the proprietor's generous scheme of man- agement, and in a few years, almost entirely through his influence, it excelled in good morals and in true prosperity many of the old rivals which had better natural advan- tages. Mr. Bruce made liberal donations of land for public buildings, churches and schools, and also gave lots to a number of settlers, besides encouraging the worthy poor by various other methods."
To the poor he was generous. His life was one of unusual energy, and his business methods were of honest purpose. In busi-
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ness he prospered. In matters of public affair he ever stood ready to promote any and all measures tending to benefit the pub- lic. In all things he was thoroughly consci- entious, did what he believed to be right and expedient, without regard to public opinion to the contrary. So much was this trait of independence a part of his nature that he was openly pronounced eccentric. He was at one time a member of the Christian church, and because he ground corn on Sunday for the poor, and in some cases for absolutely destitute settlers, members of the church re- monstrated with him, and in consequence thereof he withdrew from their fellowship. He was a plain, matter-of-fact man, decided in his views and strictly honest. His ster- ling traits of character were such as to gain for him the unqualified respect of the people, a fact that was evidenced when he was made the first treasurer of Preble county, and in later years by a number of private trusts reposed in him.
His death occurred in 1832, and over his grave, in Mound Hill cemetery, there stands an appropriate monument, formed in part of grinding stones of his old mill. Eaton also stands as a monument to his enterprise, and as long as the city shall endure he will be re- membered with gratitude as its founder. His wife preceded him in death, in 1827. She bore him eleven children, of whom James W. was the last to pass away.
JAMES W. BRUCE.
James W. Bruce, son of William and Frances (Lewis) Bruce, was born April 15, 1813, on the old homestead of his father, in Preble county, and died May 24, 1900. He was reared amid the wilds of the frontier and assisted in the arduous task of clearing
and developing the new land. He pursued his education in the country schools and throughout his life he followed farming. The capable management of his agricultural interests brought him a handsome compe- tence. In 1835 he united with the Masonic fraternity and in his life exemplified the noble and benevolent principles of the order. There is particular satisfaction in referring to the life history of this honored and ven- erable gentleman, since his mind bore the impress of the historical annals of the state of Ohio from the early pioneer days, and from the fact that he was ever a loyal son of the republic and his memory went back to the days when the forest stood in its prime- val strength and was the haunt of the red man. He watched the trees fall before the sturdy stroke of the woodman's ax, to be fol- lowed by the transformation of the land into fertile and productive fields. He experi- enced the struggles and hardships of pioneer life and felt just pride in the splendid posi- tion which Preble county now occupies among the leading counties of this great commonwealth.
HARDIN BRUCE.
Hardin Bruce was bornin Harrison coun- ty, Kentucky, July 1, 1798. Of his father, William Bruce, extended mention is made elsewhere in this volume. He was a lad of eight years when his father came to Preble county. He shared with the family in all the experiences of pioneer life, received a limitd education, chose farming for an occu- pation, and dovoted his life to that pursuit, together with stock-raising. In manner he was quiet and unassuming, but possessed that genuine worth which everywhere commands respect and confidence.
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He married for his first wife Jane Cook, and for his second Susannah Swihart. By his first wife he had several children, of whom Mrs. Margaret A. Redmond is the only survivor. By his second wife his chil- dren were: John Ervin, of Preble county ; Mary, who first married James K. Deem and is now the wife of George W. Deem; Frances, who was the first wife of George W. Deem; Kate, wife of G. H. Brouse; Emma M .; and Laura B., wife of Bruce Sayres. The father of this family died in 1879, and the mother passed away in 1896.
JOHN ERVIN BRUCE.
John Ervin Bruce was born in the house which is still his home, on the 5th day of January, 1847. His parents were Hardin and Susannah (Swihart) Bruce. He re- ceived his education in the schools of Eaton, and has devoted his life to agricultural pur- suits on the old homestead. In addition to farming he is engaged in the dairy busi- ness. He is energetic and enterprising, and has been successful in business affairs.
On the 20th of February, 1872, he mar- ried Miss Ida Mitchell, daughter of T. C. Mitchell, of Preble county. They have five children : Robert, Horace B., Wallace, Ethel and Fannie. Mr. Bruce is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a well and favorably known citizen of Preble county, where his entire life has been passed.
RICHARD DANILY.
There is in the anxious and laborious struggle for an honorable competence and a solid career of the business or professional man fighting the everyday battle of life, but little to attract the idle reader in search of a
sensational chapter; but for a mind thor- oughly awake to the reality and meaning of human existence, there are noble and import- ant lessons in the life of the man who, with- out other means than a clear head, a strong arm and a true heart, conquers adversity, and toiling on through the work-a-day years of a long career finds that he has won not only wealth but also something far greater and higher-the deserved respect and esteem of those with whom his years of active life placed him in contact.
Such a man and one of the leading citi- zens of New Paris is Richard Danily. He was born in Shropshire, England, December 26, 1860, a son of Richard Danily, whose birth occurred in the same locality. The father was a farmer by occupation and died in his native land at the age of sixty years. His wife bore the maiden name of Ann Ruscoe and was also a native of England, in which country she died at the age of seventy. In their family were six children: Joseph, William, Anna and Letitia, who are residing in the mother country; Elizabeth, who died when about eighteen years of age, and Richard of this review.
Mr. Danily, of thissketch, is the youngest of the family and the only one who came to America. He was reared in his native country until about sixteen years of age, when he determined to seek a home in the new world, crossing the Atlantic to Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania. He thence made his way to Texas, locating in Olston, where he worked for a time in a lime yard. After a short period, however, he made his way northward to St. Louis, Missouri, and after being employed in that city for a short time went to Illinois. In the Prairie state he worked on a farm until his removal to Preble county, Ohio. He was here again employed as a farm hand by
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the month until 1885, when he came to New Paris and engaged in the stone business for the firm of Smith & Son, with whom he worked for about six years. On the expira- tion of that period, in connection with Thomas Mellody and Patrick Carmen, he formed a partnership in the lime business. A year later Mr. Carmen withdrew and Mr. Danily and Mr. Mellody conducted the en- terprise for a year longer, when the latter sold his interest to Noah Deem. The new firm then carried on business for little more than two years when Mr. Danily's father-in- law, C. Hutton, purchased Mr. Deem's in- terest and the new partnership was main- tained until Mr. Hutton's death, when Mr. Danily became sole proprietor. He has since carried on the business successfully and at times employed as many as twenty men. He deals in lime and building stone and has a very liberal patronage, his sales having reached extensive proportions.
Mr. Danily was married in New Paris, in 1884, to Miss Jennie Hutton, a native of Preble county, Ohio, and a daughter of C. Hutton. They now have two children, Fred and Minnie. Their pleasant home is celebrated for its hospitality and the circle of their friends is limited only by the circle of their acquaintances. Mr. Danily is a stanch Republican in his political views and has served as a member of the school board, but has never sought or desired political pre- ferment, his time being fully occupied by his business affairs. He is recognized as one of the leading representative business men of New Paris. He worked as a farm hand in youth, but has steadily advanced by his own well directed efforts, and to-day he is classed among the most substantial residents of his community. He owns valuable prop- erty, and what he has acquired is the merited
reward of his own labors. A man of strong individuality and unsullied probity, one who has attained to a due measure of success in the affairs of life, and whose influence has ever beenexerted in thedirection of the good, the true and the beautiful, this honored vet- eran of our late war assuredly deserves rep- resentation in this volume.
JOHN BROWER.
John Brower is one of the veterans of the civil war and a wide-awake, progressive farmer of Dixon township. His birth oc- curred October 26, 1842. His father, Daniel Brower, was born near West Alex- andria, the grandfather removing from Virginia to the Buckeye state. For many years Daniel Brower was a minister of the German Baptist church, and his earnest Christian life furnished an example well worthy of emulation. In business affairs he was successful, and in all life's relations he commanded the respect and confidence of his fellow men. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sarah Shiverly, died in 1876. They were the parents of five children of whom three yet survive, namely: Chris- tina, who became the wife of William Harvey, of Howard county, Indiana; John, of this review, and Henry W., of Richmond, Indiana.
Mr. Brower, whose name introduces this record, pursued his education in the common schools and at an early age began earning his own livelihood by working as a farm hand. When his industry and economy had brought him sufficient capital he invested it in land, thus becoming owner of his present farm of one hundred and twenty acres in 1870. In addition to this he operates the farm of one hundred and sixty acres owned by Carey
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Toney. He is a wide-awake and progres- sive agriculturist whose labors are energeti- cally conducted, bringing to him good finan- cial return. At the time of the civil war he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting on the 20th of May, 1864, as a member of the One Hundred and Fifty- sixth Ohio Infantry.
In September, 1866, Mr. Brower was united in marriage to Miss Rebecca Mar- shall, a daughter of Josiah Marshall and a representative of one of the old families of this section of Ohio. Eleven children have been born of their union, nine of whom are now living, namely : Daniel, William, Josiah, Albert, Ira, Clara, Alice, Ethel and Homer. The eldest son is now in Connersville, Indiana, but the other children are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Brower both hold member- ship with the German Baptist church, in which he has served as deacon since 1886. They take a very active part in its work, doing all in their power to promote its wel- fare, and are most highly respected people, justly meriting the warm regard of their friends.
EDWARD S. STOTLER.
Among the earnest men whose depth of character and strict adherence to principle excite the admiration of his contemporaries, Mr. Stotler is prominent. He is well known in Eaton and Preble county as a banker, capitalist and agriculturist. Bank- ing interests are the heart of the commercial body, indicating the healthfulness of trade, and the bank that follows a safe and conserv- ative business policy does more to establish public confidence in times of wide-spread financial depression than anything else. Such a course has the Eaton bank followed under
the able management of its president, the subject of this sketch. For many years has he been one of the active business men of this section of Ohio, doing much in a quiet way for the substantial improvement and upbuilding of the city with which he has allied his interests.
Mr. Stotler was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, on the 13th of February, 1825, and is of German lineage. His par- ents, Jacob and Mary Ann (Sorber) Stotler, were also natives of Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, where the father was born in 1797. In 1833 he emigrated to Preble county, Ohio, locating on a farm on section 36, Twin township, where his wife died in 1846, in her forty-fifth year, leaving a family of four children, namely: Edward S., of this re- view; Mrs. Lucinda Earhart, formerly of Darke county, Ohio; Miriam, wife of Joseph Copp, of Twin township; and Mar- garet J., widow of Bethuel Harris and a resident of Monroe township. The father of this family died at the age of fifty-four years, on the farm upon which he settled in 1833.
Mr. Stotler, of this review, pusued his education in the public schools of Twin township and through reading and study after putting aside his text books. He spent the early years of his manhood upon the home farm, continuing there until twenty-four years of age. In the fall of 1849, attracted by the discovery of gold in California, he joined a party of seven gold seekers who went by way of the Isthmus route to California. They were nineteen days on the Gulf of Mexico on a small schooner, and seven deaths from cholera oc- curred among thirty-five passengers. They went over the Chagres river in Indian canoes or "dugout" to a point called Gorgona and
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