USA > Ohio > Preble County > A Biographical history of Preble County, Ohio : compendium of national biography > Part 65
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SMITH J. DANSER.
One seeing Smith J. Danser would hardly credit the statement that he is in his eighty-fifth year, so vigorous and well preserved is he. His eight decades and a half rest lightly upon him. Throughout Preble
county and the community he is known as Jack Danser and he has a very wide ac- quaintance.
He was born in Nottingham Square, Burlington county, New Jersey, June 24, 1816, His father, James Danser, was born in the same state, January 26, 1782, and was a blacksmith by trade. He married Miss Mary Mount and their children were: Samuel B., who was born September 2, 1803, and be- came a blacksmith; Mathias, who was born February 16, 1805, and was also a black- smith; Rebecca, who was born May 22, 1806, and became Mrs. Hammell, three of her five children surviving her at her death; Lucy, who was born January 14, 1808, and diod in 1847, sixty-one years of age; David, who was born May 25, 1809, and is survived by his wife, who is ninety years of age ; John, who was born January 24, 1811, and died in childhood; Lea and Rachel, twins, born March 13, 1812, and James, who was born December 12, 1814, and died at the age of forty years in New York city, whero he con- ducted an oyster booth.
Mr. Danser, whose names heads this record, left home several times during his youth, and at the age of fifteon left the par- ental roof, not returning again for twelve years. He began learning the blacksmith's trade in early boyhood. He possessed a mis- chievous spirit, such as is common in boys, and was not fond of the irksome duties of the school room, enjoying much more the pleasures of the playground. He, therefore, neglected his studies, but since attaining man's estate ho has become an extensive reader and is well informed. He worked at the blacksmith's trade for thirty-two years. The first shop which he ever owned was lo- cated at Venice, Butler county, Ohio, where he remained for ten years. On the expira-
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tion of that period he purchased a grocery in Hamilton, Ohio, and after conducting it for more than a year engaged in the dry goods business at that place. A few days later, however, he sold the latter store at a profit of fourteen hundred dollars. His next venture was in the livery business in Hamilton, and for two years he supplied the people of that vicinity with teams and ve- hicles. In 1862 he began dealing in horses, purchasing them for the army. He was thus engaged throughout the war and found the enterprise a profitable one. In order to educate his children he removed to Oxford, where he conducted a livery for some time. Subsequently he purchased a hotel in Cam- den, about 1873, and on selling that he re- turned to Hamilton. A year later, how- ever, he again came to Camden and once more took charge of the hotel, which he con- ducted for a number of years. He then again sold the property and at the present time he is living retired. He has dealt in horses to a considerable extent, buying, raising and selling them, and also trained them on his own tracks in Camden and in Hamilton for racing purposes.
Mr. Danser was married in 1843, to Miss Lucretia Wile, of Hamilton county, where the wedding took place. Nine children were born of their union, three sons and six daughters. They lost an infant daughter, but reared the following: David, who is a resi- dent of Camden; Weller, who died in Ox- ford, Ohio, at the age of twenty years; Mary, the wife of Samuel Gath, of Oxford, by whom she has three children; Ida, who died at the age of twenty years; Janet, who married Dr. De Mand, and died leaving one son ; Caroline, the wife of W. W. Schultz, of Richmond, Indiana, by whom she has one son; Emma, the wife of Franklin Landis,
diod leaving one son ; and Lee, who married Miss Amy Pugh and is a jeweler of Camden. The mother of these children died in July, 1896, at the age of seventy-eight years, and since that time. Mr. Danser has made his home with his son Lee.
He enjoys excellent hoalth and although he has attained the advanced age of eighty- five years he bids fair to enjoy life for many years to come. He is a Mastor Mason and formerly belonged to the chapter in Hamil- ton. In politics he is a Democrat, exer- cising his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of that party.
SAMUEL WIKLE.
One of the vonerable and honored citi- zens of Preble county is Samuel Wikle, a retired farmer of Twin township, where for many years he was actively engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits, in which his efforts were attended with so great a degree of success that he is enabled, in the sunset years of his life, to relegate the active management of the homestead to his sons, who are among the most enterprising and progressive young farmers and business men of the county.
Our subject was born on the farm where he now resides, the date of his nativity hav- ing been February 24, 1823. He is the son of George and Catherine ( Herman) Wikle and is one of the three survivors of their ten children, the other two being Philip, a resi- dent of Manchester, Ohio, and Solomon, of Lexington, all three of the brothers being now practically retired from active business. George Wikle was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, where he was married. The young couple removed from the Old Do- minion to Ohio in 1810, and George Wikle took up his abode in Dayton, where he was
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engaged in carpentering for one year, after which he came with his wife to Twin town- ship, Preble county, and there he ontered a quarter section of land, where our subject now resides. This farm he eventually divid- ed betwen two of his sons, he making his home with them until his death. He erected a shop and devoted much of his time to wood working.
Samuel Wikle grew to maturity at the parental home, acquiring his education in the common schools. When he had attained manhood his parents were advanced in years, and as he was tho only child then at home he remained to care for his aged parents, according to them the utmost filial solicitude. On the 29th of January, 1850, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Reader, who was reared by John Woodring. She was a native of Liberty, Montgomery county, Ohio, and they became the parents of six children, namely : Luther, a resident of Emporia, Kansas; Warren, deccased ; Fannie, the widow of Orlando Ridenour, is a resident of Lyon county, Kansas; Ella is the wife of Edward Jordan, a farmer of Twin township, Preble county, Ohio, and Allen and Harry, twins, who have charge of the old home farm. The two youngost sons have superintended the operation of the parental homestead for many years and also own seventy-seven acros in their own right. They recoived excellent public school educa- tion and are young men of fine character and distinct ability. They were born May II, 1868, and Allen was married November 25, 1895, to Miss Effie Davidson.
After his marriage the subject of this sketch settled down on the home farm, which he shortly afterwards purchased, sub- sequently adding forty acres to the place, which now includes one hundred and twenty
acres, all of which is under effective culti- vation and has permanent improvemonts of excellent order. For the past twenty years. he has lived a retired life, his sons relieving him of the various details involved in the management of the farm and proving their ability to successfully cope with all exigen- cies that may come up in a practical or busi- ness way, but relying at all times upon the counsel and mature judgmont of their father. In 1894 the family residence was remodeled and rebuilt and it is an attractive and com- modious domicile in which comfort and good cheer are ever in evidonce. Mr. Wikle enjoys excellent health, having never had recourse to the servicos of a physician in his entire life. Politically he supports the Democratic party, and in religion he and his wife are members of the Reformod church. His sons are members of Lewisburg Lodge, No. 695, Knights of Pythias.
DUNHAM HART.
On the list of leading farmers of Preble county appears the name of Mr. Hart, who was born in Dixon township, July 6, 1844, a son of Silas and Hannah ( Eslinger ) Hart. The father was born near Somerville, Preble county, about the year 1810 and is there- fore a representativo of one of the honored pioneer settlers of that locality, his father, Thomas Hart, having located here at a very early day. When a boy his parents re- moved to Dixon township, settling on the Concord road, where they spent their re- maining days. The grandfather was thrown from a horse, which occasioned his death. The father of our subject was reared on the old family homestead, and after his marriage lie purchased a farm in Somers township, on which lie located, and the town of Camden
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now occupies a portion of that place. Here Mr. Hart lived for five years, on the expi- ration of which time he sold that property and came on to Dixon township, purchasing the northeast quarter of section 35. Until 1860 he made his home there and then pur- chased another farm of one hundred and sixty acres-the tract upon which his son Alexander now resides. There he continued to make his home until his death, which oc- curred in 1869. He was one of the leading and oterprising men of the county, was a prosperous and public-spirited citizen and served as a member of the school board for a number of years. In 1852 he went to Cal- ifornia, attracted by the discovery of gold, and for six years was engaged in mining on the Pacific slope, carrying on operations on Feather river. He made some money, but later lost it in mining speculations. He married Hanna Elsinger, who was born east of Somerville, in Somers township, Preble county, in 1814. She died in 1870, at the advanced age of seventy-four years. She was a daughter of John and Hester El- singer. Her father, a prominent farmer and early sottler of this county, came from North Carolina in 1805. The parents of our sub- ject had nine children, of whom seven are still living. Mentioning all, we make the following record: John E., a farmer in the state of Washington; Thomas J., a farmer of Linn county, Iowa; Isaac N., a farmer of Kansas; Rebecca, deceased; Alexander, a farmer of Dixon township, this county; Dunham, the subject of this sketch; Finnie M., a farmer of southeastern Kansas; Mary E., deceased, and Joseph R., of Indiana.
Dunham Hart, whose name introduces this review, acquired a limited education in the common schools and on attaining his ma- jority he went to northern Missouri, where
for three years he worked as a farm hand. He then purchased a team and began farm- ing ,on his own account on rented land. After two years thus passed he returned to Ohio a few months after his father's death to aid in settling up the estate. When that work was accomplished he purchased a tile factory from his brothers and was engaged in the manufacture of tile for two years. On the expiration of that period he and his brother Alexander purchased from the other heirs the home farm, comprising three hundred and twenty acres of land, and together they engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1880, when the property was divided, Dunham Hart taking the homestead, while Alexander took the farm upon which he now lives and which had become the father's property in 1860.
On the 20th of January, 1880, Mr. Hart was married to Miss Mary E. Button, a na- tive of Gasper township, Preble county, and a daughter of George and Allie (Zimmer- man) Button. Her father was a veteran of the war of 1812 and was one of the well known farmers of Gasper township, having come to Preble county from Kentucky at a very early period of the development of this section of Ohio. After his marriage, Mr. Hart located upon the home farm, where he remained for four years, and in 1884 he pur- chased his present farm, becoming the owner of seventy acres of rich land. After his mother-in-law died he purchased the estate of one hundred and twelve acres in Gasper township, so that his farming land now com- prises four hundred and seven acres. He has been very successful in his business pur- suits and through hard work and good management has risen from a humble posi- tion as a farm hand to a place among the substantial residents of his native county.
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The home of Mr. and Mrs. Hart has been blessed with five children, as follows : Leroy, deceased; Dora; Earl, deceased; Walter D. and Allie H. They are all at home and have been provided with good educational privi- leges, fitting them for life's practical duties. In his political views Mr. Hart is a Demo- crat and gives his party loyal support. He keeps well informed on the issues of the day, but has never sought or desired office, pre- ferring to devote his energies to his business affairs, in which he has met with creditable success.
Alexander Hart was born in Dixon town- ship, February 6, 1842, and there in the usual manner of farmer lads he was reared to manhood. He was twenty years of age when, on the 27th of August, 1862, he re- sponded to the country's call for troops, en- listing in Company D, Forty-seventh Ohio Infantry. He was with Sherman on the cele- brated march to the sea and participated in the battles of Vicksburg and Jackson, Missis- sippi. On one occasion he was taken quite ill and was sent home on a sixty-days fur- lough. The general told him not to return, but he disobeyed his injunction and again went to the field, where he participated in the following engagements : Dallas; Resaca; Nikajack Creek; Kenesaw Mountain; siege of Atlanta, when more than half of the regi- ment was lost; Ezra Church; Fort McAlister, which was taken by only one-half of the division, and Bontonville, South Carolina. At Washington, D. C., on the 15th of June, 1865, he received an honorable discharge, having for almost three years followed the starry banner on the battlefields of the south.
When the war was over Alexander Hart returned to his home and the next day went to work in the tile factory, purchasing an in-
terest in the business of his brother Isaac N., and continued operations along that line until 1869, when he wont to Illinois and pur- chased a saw mill. Three months later, however, he returned to Ohio and engaged in the operation of the home farm until 1871, when he went to California, wishing to see the country and also visit his brother John, who was living in that state. After nine months had passed he returned home, and in 1872 he and his brother Dunham purchased from the estate the two home farms", which they jointly operated until 1880, when a division was made, Dunham taking the old homestead, while Alexander received as his share the farm upon which he has since re- sided. He operated the tile mill for five years during the '70s, but now gives his at- tention exclusively to agricultural pursuits, which are carefully managed and bring to him a handsome financial return. He is a very energetic, enterprising man and in his business is making a creditable success. In March, 1879, Dunham, Hart went to Cali- fornia, visiting friends in Los Angeles county, and from there to Butte county to visit his brother John, where he spent the remainder of the summer.
On the 14th of December, 1880, Mr. Hart married Miss Emma Griffith, a native of Jackson township, Preble county, and they have had four children, of whom three are living-Elsie, John and Ralph. In his political views Mr. Hart is a Democrat but has never been an aspirant for office. So- cially he is connected with the Western Star Lodge, No. 109, I. O. O. F. He served at one time as township treasurer and has long boen a public spirited man whose devotion to the general good is sincere and earnest. He withholds his support from no movement or measure which he believes will prove a pub-
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lic benefit, and, like his brother Dunham, is recognized as one of the leading and sub- stantial farmers of the county, commanding the respect of all with whom he is associated. Throughout almost the entire century the name of Hart has been connected with the history of the dovelopment and progress of this county, for in an early day the grand- father and the father of our subject bore their part in the work of advancement and at a later period the sons have contributed largely to the work that promotos the welfare and upbuilding of the county.
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CORNELIUS VAN AUSDAL.
Cornelius Van Ausdal, deceased, was the pioneer merchant of Eaton, and his career as a business man extends through the period from 1806 to the timo of his death in 1870. Beginning with a small stock of goods in a cabin situated in the woods, with the scat- tered pioneers of a large section of country and roaming Indians for his patrons, he con- tinued his mercantile career through all the varying conditions of development down to an era of multiplied advantages and enlarged scope. His long life linked the era of west- ern beginnings with that in which the full and grand results of pioneer labors were flourishing in fruition.
On the 2d day of October, 1783, in Berkeley county, Virginia, was born the sub- ject of this biography. His childhood and youth were spent in his native state, and about the time he had attained his majority Mr. Van Ausdal came west and spent a winter with his brother Peter, who had but recently settled in the wilds of what is now Lanier township, Preble county. Pleased with the country and forseeing the great op- portunities for a young man in this new
locality, he decided to return east and lay plans for entering upon a mercantile career on the frontier. With this object in view, he returned east in the spring of 1805. He bought a quantity of furs and skins, and, packing them upon horses through the sparsely settled region of southern Ohio, and across the mountains, sold them in Balti- more. Returning to his home in Virginia, and acting under consent and advice of his father, he took a load of wheat to Baltimore, and selling it, increased his means with which he purchased a wagon-load of plain, substan- tial goods, the few honest staples of pioneer life, and slowly made his way westward, reaching Preble county in the spring and was then being laid out by William Bruce, early summer of 1806. The town of Eaton and was already talked of as a prospective county seat. Mr. Van Ausdal opened his first store in a small log cabin, and thus be- came the first merchant of Eaton, and con- tinued in the mercantile business here for sixty-four years. From the very beginning he prospered, and for many years he carried on a wholesale as well as retail trade. His energy was not confined to one branch of business, large though that branch was made. Various onterprises engaged his attention. A man of broad and liberal views and of public spirit, Mr. Van Ausdal sought to bene- fit the public as well as himself. Benevo- lent, he was ever ready to help his fellow- men. Honest and sincere, he won the love and respect of all who came in business and social contact with him. His character in a general way was as admirable as it was in a business sense.
In 1810 Mr. Van Ausdal was appointed United States deputy marshal and in that capacity took the first consus of Preble county. In the year 1812 he was a pay-
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master of the army, faithfully discharging his duty. In 1819 he was elected to the legislature and represented his county with credit to himself and constituents. About this time he owned The Western Telegraph, a weekly paper published at Eaton, which he afterward sold to William Tizzard. He died August 10, 1870, loved and revered, and leaving to his aged helpmate and chil- dren the rich legacy of an untarnished name.
In 1812 Mr. Van Ausdal married Martha Bilba, who shared his joys and sorrows for fifty-eight years. She was born in Virginia November 12, 1793, and removod to Ken- tucky with her parents in an early day. She bore her husband ten children and lived to a ripe old age, respected and beloved by all who knew her. Of her children but three are living, namely: Isaac Van Ausdal, of Dayton; and Mrs. Lucinda Donohoe and Mrs. Emily Gould, both of Eaton.
T. J. WILKINSON.
T. J. Wilkinson is a retired cattle dealer, living in Eaton. He is a native of the neigh- boring state of Indiana, his birth having oc- curred in Franklin county, on the 21st of February, 1844. The family emigrated westward from Pennsylvania, where Gideon Wilkinson, the grandfather of our subject, was born. He sought a home in the Hoosier state and became a loading farmer and citizen of the locality in which he maintained his residence. His son, Elisha Wilkinson, the father of our subject, was born in Butler county, Indiana, and reared to agricultural pursuits, carrying on farming throughout his active business careor. In 1855 he came to Preble county, locating in Dixon town- ship, where he cultivated a tract of land for
many years. He is still living at the advanced age of eighty-three years, one of the venerable and highly respected citizens of the community. In 1894 he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who in her maidenhood was Re- becca Hazleton, a daughter of Roswell. Hazleton. They were the parents of eleven children, six of whom have passed away. Those still living are T. J., of this review ; R. H., a resident of Camden; Frank P .; Daniel V .; and Clement L., all of whom are living in Dixon township.
Mr. Wilkinson, of this sketch, spent the first eleven years of his life in the state of his nativity and then came with his parents to Preble county. His educational privileges were those afforded by the public schools, and at an early age he began work on the farm, so that when he began farming on his own account he was well prepared for the work by practical experience. In 1880 he began shipping stock which he purchased throughout the county, shipping to Cincin- nati and Pittsburg. In 1881 he took up his abode in Eaton, in order to facilitate his business affairs, and annually handled about two hundred car-loads of stock, his sales bringing to him a good profit. His busi- ness was carried on with marked success until December, 1899, when he retired.
On the 3d of October, 1877, Mr. Wilkin- son was united in marriage to Miss Abbie H. Brasier. She died in January, 1892, and ono of her two children has also departed this life. The surviving daughter is Elsie R., the wife of R. G. Conley, of Cincinnati. In his political views Mr. Wilkinson is a Dem- ocrat and in 1894 was complimented by his party with the nomination for county sheriff, but though he polled a large vote he could not overcome the Republican majority.
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When we look into his life history to find the secret of his success we see that his prosper- ity has come along the legitimate channels of trade, being the result of close application to business, earnest purpose and capable man- agement, qualities which may be cultivated by all. It is certainly all the more credit- able to know that one has gained prosperity with no better advantages than others and that his success is merely the reward of his own labors.
HERMAN VOGE.
Herman Voge, who is engaged in farm- ing on section 34, Twin township, is a na- tive of the dukedom of Brunswick, Germany, his birth having occurred near Bremen, on the 17th of December, 1837. His parents, John Henry and Margaret _( Bohlman) Voge, had nine children. The father was born in the dukedom of Brunswick, March 15, 1813, was there reared to farm work and after his marriage engaged in farming on his own account. In 1847 he emigrated to America, taking passage on a sailing vessel bound for New Orleans. After a voyage of forty-six days the family reached the Cres- cent city and then made their way up the river by boat to Cincinnati, from there by canal to Dayton and on to West Alexandria by wagon, finally locating in Twin town- ship, a half mile north of the last named city .- There they resided for two years and the father worked in Munro's distillery.
Subsequently he removed to the farm now known as the old Wysong farm, and as our subject had then attained a consid- erable age he was put to work at the plow while the father drove a team for John Glan- der, a distiller. They lived for two years on the Curry farm, adjoining the present
home of our subject, and later removed to a farm south of West Alexandria, in Lanier township, known as the John Gale property. There they resided for ten years and on the expiration of that period the father pur- chased one hundred and sixty acres of land on the Dayton and Western pike, in Mont- gomery county. Removing to his new home, he there continued to reside until callod to his final rest, October 22, 1874. A monu- ment in the West Alexandria cemetery marks the place of his intorment. He was a member of the Lutheran church and was one of the highly esteemed men of the county. His wife, who also was a native of the dukedom of Brunswick, was born July 12, 1815, and died September 6, 1888; and she, too, held membership in the Lutheran church and was an earnest Christian woman. Seven of their nine children yet survive, namely : Herman; Christian, a farmer of Montgom- ery county; John, a farmer of Twin town- ship; Detrick, who is engaged in agricul- tural pursuits in Twin township; Henry, who follows farming in Washington town- ship; Anna, the wife of Henry Wiger, of Montgomery county; and Charlie, an ag- riculturist of Twin township.
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