USA > Ohio > Preble County > A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography > Part 34
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Mr. Pugh, whose name forms the cap- tion of this article, received such educa- tional privileges as the public schools af-
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forded. Much interested in the civil war and fervently desiring the supremacy of the Union arms, he enlisted in 1864, although only eighteen years of age, and went to the front as a member of the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio Infantry. After the war he was employed as a clerk in a store in Camden and since 1866 he has been engaged in farming. Since 1870 he has owned his present farm in Washington township, com- prising eighty-four acres, which he has placed under a high state of cultivation. He carries on general farming and the well tilled fields give evidence of his careful su- pervision. Everything about the place is neat and thrifty in appearance and the owner is recognized as one of the progressive and practical agriculturists of his community.
On the 5th of April, 1870, Mr. Pugh was married to Miss Josephine A. Dooley, a daughter of Isaac H. Dooley and grand- daughter of Silas Dooley, Sr. They had two children, but only one is living, Alfred D., who married Nelle Stubbs and resides at home. The daughter-in-law has splendid artistic talents and has won many prizes for fine paintings. In his political affiliations Mr. Pugh is a Republican, and by his fellow townsmen was called to the office of county commissioner in the fall of 1888 for a three- years term. So acceptably did he fill the po- sition that he was re-elected and continued the incumbent for six years, discharging his duties with marked fidelity. He is a mem- ber of the Knights of Pythias fraternity and the Grand Army of the Republic, has many warm friends among the members of those organizations, and is regarded as a worthy representative of an honored pioneer fam- ily of the county. His entire life has been passed here and through more than fifty years' connection with the interests of this
community he has ever borne his part in the work that has contributed to the substantial development and improvement of his town- ship, county and state.
JOSIAH JONES.
Josiah Jones is a retired farmer living in New Paris. Years of active connection with agricultural pursuits, in which his well di- rected efforts brought to him a comfortable competence, well entitles him to the rest which he is now enjoying. He was born in Pennsylvania, November 24, 1833. His fa- ther, John Jones, was born in Columbia county, that state, August 22, 1805, a son of Joseph and Catherine Jones. When he had attained man's estate he was joined in wedlock to Patience Newell, who was born in Pennsylvania, March 22, 1806. Three of the brothers-Reuben O., Obadiah E. and Peter-now reside in Minnesota ; William is living west of Eaton, in Preble county ; George died in Pennsylvania; Mary Jane is the deceased wife of John L. Douglas; and another sister died in early life. Their son, Josiah, was about thirteen years of age when the mother died. He then started out in life for himself and for three years re- sided on the farm of Peter Mitchell, work- ing in the field and meadow and becoming familiar with all the duties of agricultural life. He afterward went to live with Will- iam Hawley, and while there began work- ing by the month as a farm hand, receiving ten dollars per month in compensation for his services. Through almost his entire life he has resided in Preble county, having been brought to the county when a year old. When he first began work he received noth- ing but his board and clothing in return for his labor, receiving his first wages when he
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entered the employ of John Mitchell, with whom he remained for five months. On the expiration of that period he went to the vi- cinity of Eaton, where he drove a team and attended school for nine days. He contin- ued to work by the month until he was mar- ried. Resolute purpose, determined will and unflagging energy are numbered among his chief characteristics and have enabled him to work his way steadily upward.
On the 2d of February, 1860, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Mills, of Jefferson township, Preble county. She was born in that township, August 17, 1831. Her father, George Mills, was a na- tive of Ireland and during his boyhood came to America, taking up his abode in Clinton county, Ohio, where he married Cynthia Strong, a native of that locality. They set- tled in Preble county and Mrs. Mills died when her daughter was about three years old. She was the only daughter of the fam- ily and had but one brother, who died when thirteen years old. Her father afterward married Elizabeth Swerer and they became the parents of five children, four now living : Joseph S .; Sarah A., the widow of Albert J. Hawley and a resident of New Paris; Will- iam, a farmer of Jefferson township; and Martha J., the wife of James Murry, who resides on a farm four miles southeast of New Paris. The other member of the fam- ily was John, who passed away at the age of thirteen. Mrs. Jones remained with her fa- ther until his death, which occurred when she was twenty-one years of age. She was educated in the common schools of Jefferson township, and by her marriage she became the mother of two children, but both are now deceased, one having died in infancy. while Frank Oscar died at the age of five months.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Jones located in New Paris and about two months later purchased a farm near the old home- stead in Jefferson township. There Mr. Jones carried on general farming until Au- gust 18, 1879, when he retired to private life and took up his abode in New Paris, where he erected the residence in which he has since made his home. He still owns his farm, comprising one hundred and sixty acres, and the rental therefrom materially increases his income. He certainly deserves great credit for what he has achieved. He began life for himself amid very unfavoring circumstances and has worked his way upward, overcoming many difficulties and obstacles. During the civil war Mr. Jones manifested his loyalty to the gov- ernment by responding to President Lin- coln's call for volunteers. He joined Company B, One Hundred and Fifty- sixth Ohio Infantry, and served through- out the term of his enlistment as a private, being engaged in guard duty during the greater part of that period of four months. Socially he is connected with the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows, belonging to the lodge in New Paris. He joined the organi- zation in 1859 and is the third oldest mem- ber in the lodge, only two of the present representatives having been connected with the society when he joined. He has filled all of the chairs, both in the subordinate lodge and encampment, has aided in initiating many into the order and at all times has been faithful to the beneficent principles upon which this society rests. He is a stanch Republican in politics having joined its organization and loyally upheld its banner since that time. His life has been well spent. Fidelity to every manly principle and faithfulness to every duty have gained
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for him the high reward of all with whom he has been associated, and now he is en- joying a test which he has truly earned and richly deserves.
HENRY BROWN.
One of the leading farmers of Monroe township, Henry Brown, whose home is on section 9, is a representative of one of the oldest and most highly respected families of Preble county. He was born in Monroe township, March 10, 1850, and is the oldest living son of John and Sarah (Banta) Brown, of whom more extended mention is made in connection with the sketch of John Brown on another page of this volume.
Our subject attended the district schools near his boyhood home, and acquired an ex- cellent knowledge of farm work while as- sisting his father. He remained under the parental roof until twenty-six years of age, when he was married, October 12, 1876, to Miss Eliza McClure, the oldest daughter of David and Martha ( Kyle) McClure, of Butler township, Darke county, Ohio, where she was born, reared and educated. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have three sons: Harley E., born in Monroe township, Preble county, April 26, 1879; Glenn D., born October 30, 1886; and Ray M., born August 16, 1890. All are at home.
After his marriage Mr. Brown located on his father's farm, on section 12, Mon- roe township, where he remained about two years, and then removed to the J. W. Leas farm, west of West Manchester, where he was engaged in general farming until 1887. when he bought the farm where he now re- sides, but did not locate thereon until the following year. Here he has sixty-one acres of rich and fertile land, which he has
placed under a high state of cultivation. He has also made many improvements upon the place, including the erection of a pleas- ant, modern, six-room residence, in 1899, at a cost of eight hundred dollars. He is a thorough and skillful farmer and is meet- ing with well deserved success in his labors. Politically he is identified with the Demo- cratic party and has served as township trustee one term. He is a member of the Christian church and is held in high regard by all who know him.
CHARLES SCHREEL.
One of the most important industries of this section of Ohio is the cultivation, prep- aration and sale of tobacco, and of this en- terprise Mr. Schreel is a worthy represent- ative. He deals in leaf tobacco in Eldorado and is also conducting an extensive and suc- cessful grain trade. The salient features in his prosperity are his close application and indefatigable industry, and his life record should serve to encourage others who are forced to depend upon their own exertions for advancement in the field of commerce.
A native of the Buckeye state, Mr. Schreel was born in Montgomery county, on the 12th of February, 1842, and is of German lineage. His father, George Schreel, was born in Germany, and when a young man crossed the Atlantic to the new world, locating in Montgomery county, Ohio, where he was united in marriage to Miss Rosa (Gentner) a native of Penn- sylvania. They located in Montgomery county and there remained until 1857, the year of their removal to Preble county. The father was a cooper by trade, but after com- ing to Preble county he followed farming in Twin township, in connection with cooper-
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ing, and also engaged in the manufacture of sorghum. Both he and his wife died upon the old family homestead, the former at the age of seventy-six years and the lat- ter at the age of seventy-four. In their family were fourteen children, but only five are living at the time of this writing-the summer of 1900.
Mr. Schreel is the second in order of birth. He spent the first fourteen years of his life in the county of his nativity_and began his education in the public schools there. He then came with his parents to Preble county and remained at home until 1861, when, prompted by a spirit of patriot- ism, he offered his services to the govern- ment, enlisting as a member of Company E, Seventy-first Ohio Infantry. He remained at. the front for over three years and par- ticipated in the battles of Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Atlanta, Lovejoy's Station, Elk River, Franklin, Nashville and many others of lesser importance. He was captured at Clarksville, Tennessee, but was afterward exchanged. At Hartsville, however, he was once more captured, but succeeded in making his escape by running away and hid- ing in a corn field. He was never seriously wounded and was always found at his post of duty, faithfully defending the old flag and the cause it represented. When his term had expired, he received an honorable dis- charge at Nashville, Tennessee, in Decem- ber, 1864, and with an honorable military record returned to his home in Preble county. He then attended school for a short time, after which he entered upon his business ca- reer as a clerk in a hotel at West Alexandria, where he remained for about nine months.
On the expiration of that period Mr. Schreel removed to Darke county, Ohio, where he conducted a saw-mill and also en-
gaged in general merchandising for two years at Poplar Ridge. He then sold out and in January, 1870, came to Preble coun- ty, locating in Eldorado, where he estab- lished a general mercantile store, which he successfully conducted for twenty-four years. He then disposed of the establish- ment to his son-in-law, H. H. Minnich, who still conducts the business, while Mr. Schreel devotes his energies to dealing in grain and leaf tobacco. He has here a grain elevator, which he erected in 1896, and which has a capacity of twenty thousand bushels, and is operated by a forty-horse-power engine. He handles all kinds of grain and seeds and his business has reached extensive propor- tions. He also enjoys' a large trade as a dealer in leaf tobacco and his sales annually bring him a good income.
In 1869 Mr. Schreel was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary. Oswalt, a native of Greenville, Darke county, Ohio, and a daughter of William and Sarah J. ( Willis) Oswalt. Their marriage has been blessed with one daughter and one son : Jennie, now the wife of H. H. Minnich, an enterpris- ing merchant of Eldorado; and Frank U., who was born in Eldorado, May 27, 1879, and has been associated with his father in business since 1899, being admitted to part- nership at the age of twenty years. They also lost one child, Bessie, who died at the age of two months.
Mr. Schreel belongs to Eldorado Lodge, No. 389, K. of P., and is a member of the Universalist church. He gives his support to every measure which he believes will pro- mote the public good along soc'al, material, educational and moral lines, and has long been one of the most active factors in busi- ness affairs in the village which he makes Ins home. His efforts have been crowned
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with a high degree of success, and he is now the owner of considerable property which stands as a monument to his thrift and industry.
FRANK DALRYMPLE.
Upon one of the fine farms in Wash- ington township, Preble county, Frank Dal- rymple makes his home, his time and en- ergies being devoted to agricultural pur- suits, in which he is meeting with signal suc- cess. He was born in Monroe township, on the 14th of April, 1859, and is a son of John and Catherine (Garber ) Dalrymple. His father, John Dalrymple, was a native of Jefferson township, and in early life learned the carpenter's trade, which he fol- lowed in connection with farming. He mar- ried Catherine, daughter of Edward Garber, a native of Ireland. She is still living, at the age of sixty-five years, but Mr. Dal- rymple died in May, 1896. They had taken up their abode in Washington township in 1871, and here Mrs. Dalrymple st.ll makes her home. By her marriage she became the mother of seven children, who are st ll liv- ing, namely : Sarah, now Mr. J. J. Kayler, Frank J., of this review; Alice, who is the widow of F. D. Harshman and resides with her mother; Henry, who is living near the old homestead; Libbie, wife of W. S. John- son, of Washington township: Ora J., at home, and Clarence L., who is living in Washington township.
Mr. Dalrymple, whose name begins this record, was reared on the farm and obtained his education in the common schools, al- though his advantages were somewhat lim- ited, owing to the necessity that he should operate the farm. At the age of twenty- three years he began farming on his own
account and in 1882 he purchased his pres- ent property, consisting of a valuable tract of one hundred and sixty-five acres. He now successfully carries on general farm- ing and his fields are well tilled, while his improvements are modern, being such as are found upon a model farm of the twen- tieth century. He has served for six years as township trustee and has labored earnestly for its advancement and general welfare.
On Christmas day, 1881, occurred the marriage of Mr. Dalrymple and Miss Laura A. Kayler, daughter of William Kayler, of Washington township. Six children were born to them, of whom four are yet living, namely : Charles A., John A., Earl O. and Mary M. Mrs. Dalrymple is a member of the Lutheran church and an estimable lady, whose many good qualities have gained for her high regard. Mr. Dalrymple deserves great credit for his success in life. Faith- fulness to duty and strict adherence to a fixed purpose will do more to advance a man's interests than wealth or advantageous circumstances. The successful men of the day are they who have planned their own advancement and have accomplished it in spite of many obstacles and with a certainty quite often attained only through their own efforts. Such has been the life record of Mr. Dalrymple, who is now numbered among the leading farmers of Washington township.
CHARLES MILLER.
Charles Miller has retired from farming and is enjoying a rest which is the fitting reward of his years of continuous and hon- orable labor. He was born in Germany, on the Ist of April, 1837, and was a son of Jacob Miller, a stone mason and contractor,
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whose birth also occurred in that country. Our subject spent the first seventeen years of his life in the land of his nativity, pur- suing his education in the public schools. Thinking to better his financial conditions, he resolved to come to America, and made his way as far as the coast. There his funds became exhausted, and, not having money enough to pay his passage, he was forced to abandon the trip until 1854, when he crossed the Atlantic, landing in New York. He at once made his way westward and became a resident of Lanier township, Preble county, where he worked by the month as a farm hand until he was twenty-three years of age. His industry and enterprise in that time brought to him capital sufficient to en- able him to purchase a farm. He became the owner of a tract of land in Mercer coun- ty, which he operated for ten years, when he sold out and bought a farm in Washington township, Preble county. Here he owns one hundred and eighty-two acres of rich and arable land, which is now rented to his son, and through a long period he was actively connected with its development and improve- ment and was regarded as one of the leading farmers of his neighborhood. His methods were progressive and practical and his suc- cess was founded upon the reliable quality of unflagging industry.
On the 14th of February, 1861, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Anna, daughter of Frederick Stancy, of Germany. They became the parents of six children : Mary, wife of Joseph C. Stover, who is liv- ing near Eaton; William E., a resident of Kansas City, Missouri; Hattie, wife of C. M. Rader, a lawyer of Walla Walla, Wash- ington, who is now filling the position of state's attorney; Frank, who married Lulu Wilkin, and is a farmer of Washington
township; Lizzie, wife of Clarence Mc- Whinney, of Preble county; and John E., who married Maggie Gillen and is operating his father's farm. Both Mr. and Mrs. Miller became members of the Eaton Chris- tian church and were very active workers therein, but Mrs. Miller's labors were ended ir death on the 14th of June, 1897, when she was called to the home beyond. She was a faithful wife, a loving mother and a con- siderate friend, greatly beloved by all who knew her. Mr. Miller is an influential and prominent member of the church, is serv- ing as trustee and as a member of the official board, and was a member of the building committee at the time of the erection of the new church. From the little German home across the sea he made his way to the new world and entered upon a career which seems most marvelous, yet it is not the out- come of propitious circumstances, but is the honest reward of labor, good management. ambition and energy-without which no man can win prosperity.
JOHN H. BENNETT.
John H. Bennett is now living retired on his farm in Somers township but for many years carried agricultural pursuits there. He was born in Maysville, Ken- tucky, November 27, 1815. His grandpar- ents were William and Sarah Bennett and they had a family of ten children, eight sons and two daughters, all of whom reached mature years and married. Two members of the family died in Louisville, Kentucky, one in San Francisco and the others in Ox- ford. The grandmother died when well ad- vanced in years, but the grandfather was again married and had a daughter by the second union. Jolin Bennett, the father of
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our subject, was born in 1786, and was probably a native of Virginia. He removed . to Kentucky, where he married Elizabeth Hopper, who was born in that state in 1789. They became the parents of eleven children, and six sons and four daughters reached mature years. The only surviving one is John H. Bennett, who is the fourth in order of birth. With one exception all of the children were married and reared families of their own and all became residents of this section of Ohio. The father died June 14, 1866, and his wife passed away April 7, 1877.
John H. Bennett was reared in Preble county from the age of three years and ac- quired a fair common-school education. All was wild and unimproved in this section of the country during his boyhood, much of the land being still in its primitive condi- tion. Large tracts of forest land were un- cleared and the homes of the pioneers were widely scattered. He assisted in the work of his father's farm until his marriage, which occurred on the 15th of August, 1840, Miss Eliza M. Macy becoming his wife. She was a daughter of Stephen and Mary (Gardner) Macy. The children born of this union were five in number, four sons and a daughter. Telemicus, the eldest, who was educated in Louisville, Kentucky, and be- came a practicing physician of the regular school in Broad Ripple, Indiana, has a wife and three children, two daughters and a son. David F .. who conducted a hotel in Cincinnati, died March 21, 1896, leaving two sons, who are located in Chicago. Mary E. is the widow of James M. Barnet and has two sons : E. O. Barnet, a well edu- cated man who has filled many prominent positions, and who is now married and has two children; and Frank J. Hamrich, who
is married and has one son. Rush S. is proprietor of the Arlington House of Cam- den and has one daughter and two sons. William G. studied medicine, but is now a commercial traveler with headquarters at Indianapolis, Indiana.
In his political views Mr. Bennett is a Republican, served as assessor for one year and has been road commissioner since 1851, in which year the Somers and Gratis free pike was built by him. Throughout his business career he has carried on farming and still owns eighty-six acres of land, but is practically living retired at the present time. He also worked at the cooper's trade during the winter seasons for about ten years and through this dual employment ac- quired a comfortable competence which now enables him to rest from the more arduous duties of life. He and his most estimable wife have been members of the Methodist church for over half a century and he has served as steward for many years. He has sat under forty-two different pastors in one church, covering a period of seventy years and has always been at his place in the house of worship until very recently. He yet at- tends in good weather and throughout his entire life has exemplified his earnest Chris- tian belief.
For more than a quarter of a century Mr. Bennett has witnessed the growth and development of the county. His memory goes back to the days when he pursued his education in a log school house with paper windows and puncheon seats. There were no wagon-roads at the time of the arrival of the family in Preble county and they found their way through the forest by the aid of blazed trees. Their nearest neigh- bor was eight miles away and Camden con- tained only three log houses. They took
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their grist on horseback to Oxford, a dis- tance of twelve miles, where there was a treadmill operated by four oxen. There was no postoffice near here until the one at Camden was established, and for some time afterward the mail was received only twice a week, it being carried on horse- back. Not only has Mr. Bennett been an eye witness of the wonderful growth which has occurred in the county, but at all times has borne his part in the work of progress and improvement, withholding his support fiom no measure which he believed would prove of public good. He is indeed an hon- ored pioneer and one whose close identifi- cation with the interests of this section of the state well entitles him to representation in this volume.
JOHN McWHINNEY.
Long actively and honorably connected with the agricultural interests of Preble county, John McWhinney, now deceased, was a valued representative of his community and his loss was deeply mourned. He was one of the native sons of Jackson township, Preble county, born August 23, 1819, his parents being John and Mary (Dugan) Mc- Whinney, who emigrated from Knox coun- ty, Tennessee, to Preble county in 1815 or 1816, settling in Jackson township, on the Richmond and Eaton pike road, near New Westville. The father, John McWhinney, was a well-known farmer and stock buyer, being one of the representative men of the county in the early days. He was twice married. After the death of his first wife, who was the mother of the subject of this review, he married a widow named Alex- ander, and they soon afterward removed to
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