A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Part 90

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1156

USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio > Part 90

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Captain Hamill was elected first lieutenant of Company B on June 21, 1899, and on the 28th of July, 1900, with his company he was called out for service in the street-car strike, and on the 15th of August of the same year, he was elected and commissioned captain of his company, and was with his command at Akron, Ohio, from the 23rd to the 27th of August. He is widely and favorably known in military circles. He is thoroughly convers- ant with military tactics and discipline and enjoys the highest regard of the men whom he commands. With his company he participated in the Dewey celebration at New York city, in October, 1899, and the well disciplined forces of his' regiment made an excellent showing for the Ohio National Guards. In business circles the Captain is also popular and widely known, and he has those qualities of worth which in social life and in every land and clime com- mand respect and confidence.

HENRY DOMINY.

Seldom can one find a person who has reached the advanced age of Mr. Dominy, that is yet actively connected with business affairs, but although eighty-seven years of age is still interested in farming. Such a record should put to shame many a man of much younger years, who grown weary of the trials and struggles of life would relegate to others the burdens which he should bear.

Mr. Dominy was born in Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, Novem- ber 16, 1813. His grandfather, Henry Dominy, removed from Long Island to Plattsburg, New York, and spent his remaining days in the Empire state,

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Jeremiah Dominy. the father of our subject, was born on Long Island, and became a New York farmer. He married Abigail Norton, who was born in New York, and in 1812, the year of their marriage, they started for Ohio by wagon, arriving in Worthington, Franklin county, in the late fall. They resided with the family of Mr. Buell until Mr. Dominy could erect a home on the farm which he had purchased in Madison township. Mr. Norton, the maternal grandfather of our subject, also came to Ohio at the same time and purchased three hundred acres of land in what is now Darby township, Madi- son county, although the counties had not then been organized. Jeremiah Dominy settled on his fifty acres of land in Darby township. He had no tools, not even an ax. and only five dollars in money. He built a cabin of round logs, 18x20 feet, in one end of which was a fire place, the smoke finding egress through a mud and stick chimney. The room was used for all pur- poses. Greased paper pasted over apertures in the wall served as a window. The land on which Columbus now stands could then have been purchased for two dollars and a half per acre. Mr. Dominy made shoes for his neigh- bors and followed coopering for a time, thus adding to his income. As his' financial resources increased, he extended the boundaries of his farm by ad- ditional purchase until he owned twelve hundred acres, being numbered among the most prosperous agriculturists of his community. He made all of the plows used in this section of the state, being able to do anything in a me- chanical line, owing to his splendid ability in that direction. For a short time he served in the war of 1812. He was long township tax collector, for twenty years served as justice of the peace and was one of the influential men of his community. In politics he was an old line Whig and he was reared in the Presbyterian church. His death occurred on the old home farm. The mother of our subject died about 1827 and he afterward married Tamson Ganby. He became the father of twenty children. Those of the first mar- riage were: Dulanna, who died at the age of fourteen; James, who died in 1812; Henry; Betsy, wife of Eli Douglas; Almon and Alvin, twins; Ezra; Nancy, wife of Willis Twiford; John, of Nebraska; Abigail, who died in childhood; and Silas. The children of the second marriage were Phoebe, wife of Dana Bigelow; Martha, wife of Harvey James; Melissa, wife of Lemuel Marshall; Jasper, deceased; and four who died in childhood.

Henry Dominy of this review was reared on the frontier where there were many wild animals and where conditions existed that can scarcely be realized by the people of to-day. The land was in its primitive condition, forests uncut and fields undeveloped. In his boyhood he aided in clearing and improving the home farm. When fourteen years of age he would travel thirty miles to mill in all kinds of weather. There were no schools for many years. Occasionally when the people of the neighborhood would raise money, a teacher would be employed and school would be held in some abandoned log shanty. The first school he attended was in a log corn crib, his teacher being Aaron Martin, a man of good education for those times.

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The school buildings were seated with slab benches while the writing desks. were made by placing a board on pins driven into the wall.

Mr. Dominy remained at home until his marriage, which occurred De- cember 13, 1834, Miss Harriet Barlow becoming his wife. She was born in Greene county, Ohio, in 1818, a daughter of Edwin and Polly ( Barnes) Bar- low. Her father was born in Connecticut, and her mother in New York, in which state both lived at the time of their marriage. Afterward they emi- grated to Ohio, locating in Greene county.

Mr. Dominy after his marriage took up his abode in Madison county, where he lived until 1864, when he sold his farm there and purchased two hundred and twenty acres in Norwich and Washington townships, Franklin county. Later he bought one hundred and twenty acres additional in Wash- ington township. He has since actively engaged in farming, and although he has passed the eighty-seventh milestone on life's journey, he yet superin- tends the management of his property. The following children came to bless the home: Abigail, deceased; Edmond, who died in Washington town- ship in 1888; Polly, wife of Henry Wright; Jeremiah; Amanda, wife of Luther Mathias; Ezra; Horace, of California; Harriet E., who died in child- hocd; and William H., who was born in Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, September 26, 1859. He was a boy when his parents removed to Washington township, Franklin county, was educated in the district schools, and reared on the farm. On the 12th of April, 1883, he wedded Mary E. Neff, daughter of Augustus and Sarah Ann Neff. He then located on his- father's farm, where he has since made his home. His' wife died March 2, 1893, leaving three children, Sarah Ann, Lucy Austin and Harriet F.

Mr. Dominy of this review was also called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who had traveled life's journey by his side for sixty-two years, two months and fourteen days when called to her final rest in March, 1897. She was a devout Christian woman and for a half century Mr. Dominy has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has read the Bible through over twelve times and quotes the scriptures readily. In early life he was a Whig and in 1840 voted for William Henry Harrison. During that campaign he and forty others rode to Urbana on horse back to hear Harrison speak. He once voted for Henry Clay, and since the organization of the Republican party he has been one of its stalwart supporters. He has an excel- lent memory and is a good conversationalist and can relate many interesting incidents of his life on the wild western frontier.

WILLIAM A. WESTERVELT.

The progressive and prosperous young physician of Columbus, Ohio, whose name heads this sketch is a representative of the Westervelt family in America which was founded by Lubbert von Westervelt, who came from Holland about 1662, and to whom our subject is able to trace his genealogy in an unbroken line. Lubbert was accompanied by a brother whose name

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cannot now be recalled. Further interesting material concerning this family will be found in biographical sketches of other Westervelts in this volume.

Dr. Westervelt is a son of the Rev. Howard Bailey Westervelt, of Mifflinville, Ohio, and was born at Columbus, in 1870. He received a good English education at Portsmouth, Scioto county, Ohio, and was graduated at the Ohio University at Athens in 1891. In 1894 he was graduated in medicine and surgery at the Medical College of Indiana, where he was a student and instructor of chemistry from 1891 to 1893. He devoted much of his time during 1894 to dispensary work at Indianapolis, and immediately after his graduation that year began the practice of his profession at Williams- port, Ohio, where he had a successful career until 1896, when he located at Columbus. He was an assistant surgeon in the Ohio National Guard, with the rank of captain from 1896 to 1899, and in 1898 was appointed major and surgeon of the Tenth Ohio Regiment, with which he was actively con-

nected until March 22, 1899, when the regiment was mustered out of the United States volunteer service, having been on duty most of that time with the Second Army Corps at Camp Meade, Pennsylvania, and at Camp Mc- Kenzie, Georgia, a part of the time as acting brigade surgeon of the First Brigade. Since 1899 he has been in general practice at Columbus' and has met with satisfactory success.

In politics Dr. Westervelt is a Republican. He and his father and three of his brothers are members of the Greek letter society of their college. In religious connection he is a Methodist. He married Miss Myra M. Wells, a daughter of the late Mark T. Wells, of Columbus, and has one son.

JEREMIAH DOMINY.

A representative of the farming interests of Franklin county, Jeremiah Dominy belongs to one of the oldest families of Ohio, his people having come to this state in 1812. He was born in Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, October 17, 1841, and is a son of Henry Dominy, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. He spent the first twenty-three years of his life in the county of his nativity and in the spring of 1864 accompanied his parents on their removal to Washington township, Franklin county. He pursued his education in the common schools during the winter months, and in the summer season worked on the farm until after the inauguration of the Civil war, when he enlisted September 21, 1861, at Camp Chase as a private of Company K, First Ohio Cavalry, under command of Captain Forshee and Colonel Smith. He participated in the battles of Stone River, Perryville and Cortland, Ala- bama, and at the last named, on the 25th of July, 1862. all of the company, with the exception of sixteen, were captured, Mr. Dominy, however, being fortunate enough to escape. They were fighting almost daily from Man- chester, Tennessee, to Shiloh and were on the skirmish line or scouting almost day and night. In June, 1862, Mr. Dominy participated in the siege of Cor- inth. Owing to disability he was discharged at Luverne, Tennessee, Febru-

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ary 27, 1863, and then returned to his home, but it was some time before he had recovered sufficiently to resume business. .

On the 16th of November, 1864, Mr. Dominy was united in marriage in Canaan township to Miss Eleanor Sager, daughter of John Sager. Their children are as follows: Newton J., born July 1, 1872, on the homestead farm, pursued his education in the district schools, was for two years a student in the Hilliard high school, and then entered the Ohio Medical College, where he studied two years. He graduated in pharmacy in 1896 and has been clerking in a drug store for three years. In politics he is a Republican, holds to the belief of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married December 15, 1897, to Anna May Mitchell, and they had one child, Llewellyn, now deceased. Carl S. Dominy, the younger son, was born August 29, 1874, and after attending the district schools, spent two years in the high school at Hilliard and one year in the high school at Dublin. He, too, favors the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a Republican in his political affiliations. Throughout his active business career Teremiah Dominy has followed farm- ing. At the time of his marriage he located on his present farm of eighty- one acres in Washington township, Franklin county, and as the result of his well-directed efforts, he is' now the possessor of a comfortable competence. He was formerly a member of John A. Spellman Post, G. A. R., of Hilliard, but is not identified with it now. Of the Republican party he is a stalwart supporter, unchangeable in his advocacy of its principles, and he is as true and loyal to his duties of citizenship to-day as when he followed the old flag on southern battle-fields.

EMANUEL WHITAKER, M. D.

Eight years have passed since Dr. Whitaker became a representative of the medical fraternity of Columbus. The ranks of the profession are constantly recruited from the farms, and he is among the number who left rural surroundings to become identified with the practice of medicine. He was born upon a farm in Logan county, Ohio, March 6, 1839, and represents one of the honored pioneer families of the Buckeye state. The Whitakers are of English origin and when members of the family left that country for the new world they took up their abode in New Jersey. Demond Whitaker, the grandfather of our subject, was the first of the name to come to Ohio, mak- ing a settlement in Clark county, in the year 1811. He brought with him his family, including Joseph Whitaker, the father of our subject, who was born in New Jersey, in 1791. At the age of twenty he became a resident of Clark county, where he followed the occupation of farming until his removal to Logan county. There he carried on agricultural pursuits until his death, and his wife, who bore the maiden name of Lydia Rudisell, also passed away in the same county. Her father, Henry Rudisell, was descended from a German family and was a soldier in the war of the Revolution, after which he was granted a pension until his death in recognition of the aid which he

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rendered the colonies. He was under the immediate command of Washing- ton, and at the battle of Brandywine was captured and held prisoner by the British in New York city.

Dr. Whitaker of this review spent his youth in Logan county, where he attended the public schools and also pursued his studies in a select school. Later he entered Hillsdale College, at Hillsdale, Michigan, where he contin- ued his education for two years, teaching during the intervals in Ohio. At- tracted to the science of medicine, he began reading under the direction of Dr. S. N. James, of East Liberty, Ohio, and eventually entered Miami Med- ical College, at Cincinnati, in which institution he was graduated with the class of 1868. Beginning practice in Logan county, he there continued for two years, and in 1893 he came to Columbus, where he has since resided. Long connection with the profession and a broad and varied experience well qualified him for the work which he undertook in this city, and he was not long in demonstrating his skill and trustworthiness in the line of his chosen work.

At the time of the Civil war Dr. Whitaker manifested his loyalty to his country by donning the blue as one of the defenders of the Union. He served from 1862 until 1865 in the Fourteenth Ohio Battery and took part in a number of engagements, including the battle of Pittsburg Landing, the siege of Atlanta, ending in the surrender of the city, the battle of Jonesboro and of Nashville and the celebrated campaign under General Sherman, includ- ing the famous march to the sea, which showed the Confederacy to be but an empty shell. In 1864 he was under General Thomas at the capture of Mobile, and on the 18th of August, 1865, he was honorably discharged, hav- ing for three years loyally followed the old flag, faithfully performing his duties whether upon the picket line or in the thickest of the fight.

When the war was over Dr. Whitaker returned to his family in the north. He had been married in 1860, to Miss Amanda J. Speese, of Byhalia, Union county, Ohio, a daughter of George and Maria Speese. They now have six children: Harry, who follows farming; Katy B., wife of C. W. James, of Columbus; Rudisell V., who is with a railroad company ; Nellis M., a success- ful teacher in the Portsmouth schools; Paul P .; and Leon D., who is a student in a commercial college. The Doctor and his family are widely and favor- ably known. He is one of the most reliable physicians in practice in Colum- bus. He supplements his broad experience by constant reading and study, so that he is in touch with the most advanced thought and progress of the day.

ALFRED TAYLOR.

Among the old and honored residents of Jackson township none is held in higher esteem than Alfred Taylor, one of its prominent and successful farmers. He was born in Maryland, December 29, 1821, the only child of Samuel and Pattie (Hickman) Taylor. He was very young when his father diet and

MRS. MYRANDAH TAYLOR.

ALFRED TAYLOR.

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consequently knows nothing of him. His mother subsequently married again and by the second union had children, none of whom our subject has ever seen.

When a small child Mr. Taylor was bound out to his uncle, Elisha Howell, with whom he came to Franklin county, Ohio, three years later, remaining with him until reaching manhood. On attaining liis majority he received fifty dollars, but continued to work for his uncle at eight dollars per month for two years. He then began farming on his own account upon rented land, but made his home with Mr. Howell two years longer.

Mr. Taylor was then married, in 1847, at the age of twenty-six years, to Miss Myrandah Lukins, who was born in Horsham township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1826, and was about seven years old when brought by her parents to this county, the family taking up their resi- dence in Columbus. Her father, James Lukins, was supposed to be of Scotch descent, while her mother, Phoebe ( Bradford) Lukins, was a native of Penn- sylvania and of German or low Dutch ancestry. In their family were two daughters : Jeannette, now the widow of Jerry Park and a resident of Wash- ington, Iowa ; and Mrs. Taylor, who was reared in Pleasant township from the time she was seven years of age. Of the seven children born to our sub- ject and his wife, two, who were twins, died young. Those living are Jean- nette, wife of John C. Haughn, of Putnam county, Ohio; Mary, wife of Charles H. Rivers, of Franklin township, this county; Samuel, who married Lydia Seeds, and resides on one of his father's farms in Jackson township; and Josephine, wife of James H. Bell, living on another of Mr. Taylor's farms in the same township. Their son, James M., died after reaching young man- hood; James was the second son, and selected railroad work for his vocation, but a severe attack of typhoid fever ended his bright prospects; this son was married to Nancy Johnson, leaving a little daughter beside the wife to mourn his early departure.

Mr. and Mrs. Taylor began married life in a log house near Lockbourne, where they lived one year, and then spent three years on the Abner Will- iams farm near the same place. In 1849 he purchasd the farm in Jackson township, upon which he still lives, and located thereon in 1852. It was a wild tract of one hundred acres covered with a heavy growth of timber. which he at once began to clear, making his home in a little log cabin which stood upon his land. Prior to this he had cleared seventy acres of land near Shadeville, and in the work of improvement he has ever borne his part, thus materially advancing the interests of his adopted county. In his farming operations he has prospered, and is now the owner of four hundred and forty- six acres of valuable and productive land in Jackson township. He com- menced life for himself with fifty dollars in money, but being industrious, ambitious and honorable in all his dealings he has steadily prospered and is to-day one of the most substantial men of his community.

Politically Mr. Taylor was originally a Whig, but since the organiza- tion of the Republican party he has been one of its stanch supporters. For 47

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nine years he filled the office of school director in his district. For forty-

eight years Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have resided upon their present farm. İn 1897 they celebrated their golden wedding, at which time over six hundred of their friends were gathered at their home to offer their congratulations to this worthy couple. They stand high in the community where they have so long made their home, and no citizens in Franklin county are more hon- ored or highly respected.

PURDY M. REESE.

One of the intelligent and prominent farmers of Prairie township, Purdy M. Reese was born on the banks of the Scioto river in Franklin county, December 26, 1826. Few of the native sons of the county have so long resided here. His ancestors were Welsh. His paternal grandfather was accidentally killed at the time of the raising of a building, after which his widow and her children came to Ohio, locating on Darby creek near the county line of Franklin and Madison counties. Mrs. Reese spent her remain- ing days here.

David Reese, the father of our subject, was born in Virginia and accom- panied his mother to the Buckeye state when about twelve or fifteen years of age. He spent his boyhood days upon the home farm on Darby creek and received but limited educational privileges, for the schools of that day were primitive in character. His training at farm labor, however, was not meager, for early experience soon made him familiar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. As a companion and helpmeet on life's journey he chose Miss Magdalina King, who was born in Franklinton, Ohio. a daughter of Samuel King, who came from Pennsylvania to this state. He was probably a native of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but in an early period in the development of Ohio he came to this county and located in Franklinton. He married Miss Martha McIlvaine, who had two maternal uncles of the name of Purdy, who fought in the Revolutionary war. Samuel King resided near the Scioto river and died at his home by the Grogg Spring. His wife passed away at the home of one of her children. After his mar- riage David Reese, the father of our subject, resided just across the line in Madison county, but later he took up his abode in Brown township, Frank- lin county, on Darby creek. He lived in various places and at length died in Madison county, at the age of eighty-four years. The mother of our subject passed away in 1837. The father was three times married, his second wife being Polly Garton, while his third wife was Lydia Chillis. The chil- dren of the first marriage were: Purdy M. ; Joseph. deceased; Martha Ann, who has also passed away; Eliza Jane, deceased wife of Charles Arthurs ; and Samuel, who served in the Civil war and is now living in Madison county, Ohio. There was one child by the second marriage, John, who is now living in Amity, Madison county.

Purdy M. Reese was reared to manhood in this county and began his

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life in a log school building on the Anthony farm on the Scioto river. His carly teacher was Alexander Jones, a New England man, who was well qualified for his work. The schoolhouse was built of round logs and was supplied with slab benches and puncheon floors, while the older children used as a writing desk a board which was laid upon pins driven into the wall; a log taken out of the room gave a place for the insertion of window glass and the building was thus lighted. The rod formed an important item in the discipline and the rules were primitive in character.

After the death of his mother Mr. Reese of this review went to live with his uncle, Purdy McIlvaine, at Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and was sent by him to the subscription schools. For four or five years he remained with his uncle, who was acting as Indian agent at that point for the Wyandotte tribe. He was a stanch Democrat and on account of his politics he was removed from his office by William Henry Harrison, who was then president of the United States, being succeeded by John W. Bare. When the Wyan- dottes sold their lands to the government Mr. McIlvaine acted as their agent in settling with the government. Mr. Reese accompanied his uncle on many of his trips among the red men. At times Mr. McIlvaine would have as much as one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars in gold and silver in his house. After he had been deposed as agent he conducted a tavern at Marion, Ohio, for a year and was also at Delaware for a time. While residing there Mr. Reese left his uncle's home and entered upon an indepen- dent business career. He came to Franklin county, where he entered the employ of another uncle, Robert King. He was employed in the quarries to some extent, and while living on the river became afflicted with ague. He then went to live with his uncle, Samuel King, in Norwich township, remain- ing with him for a considerable period. As a companion and helpmeet on life's journey he chose Miss Nancy Kellar, their marriage being celebrated September 15, 1855. The lady was born on the old Kellar homestead in Norwich township and during her girlhood she pursued her education in the subscription schools, her first teacher being Mary Cox. She was also under the instruction of Alexander Jones for a time, and she completed her education in the district schools, when seventeen years of age. She is a daughter of Jacob Kellar, who was born in Virginia, married Sarah Daugh- erty and coming to Ohio they settled in Franklinton. Her mother was a daughter of John Daugherty, who was a native of Ireland and was there reared. His wife died after coming to the United States, with his children, he locating in Richland county, Ohio. For his second wife he chose Nancy Gatton, and subsequently removed to Franklinton, where John learned his trade of weaving. After his marriage Jacob Kellar located in Norwich township, on the farm now owned by John Robinson. Prior to this, however, they lived for a time in a log house, situated on the present site of Marble Cliff. At that place James Daugherty, the maternal uncle of Mrs. Reese, ferried people across the river in pioneer days. On the old homestead farm Mr. Kellar died in 1860.

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A Centennial biographical history of the city of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio, Part 90

Author: Lewis Publishing Company Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1156

Author: Lewis Publishing Company
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1156