USA > Ohio > Putnam County > A Portrait and biographical record of Allen and Putnam counties, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Ohio, pt 2 > Part 9
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On returning from the war he taught school for several terms and was very success- ful. On January 1, 1871, he married Mahala. the daughter of Hugh and Catherine (Jeffreys)
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Stores, who was born in Paulding county on February 1, 1848. Her father was a native of Ireland and had come to America at the age of twenty-two with his father, who was John Stores, a dairyman, and located in Paul- ding county in 1837. Mrs. Dickey's mother was a native of Seneca county and was born February 5, 1829, her parents being Gilbert and Mahala Jeffrey.
After his marriage Mr. Dickey settled on the old homestead with his mother, where he has since lived, and has been closely identified with the agricultural interests of Perry town- ship. Ten children have been born to them, viz: A child that died in infancy, unnamed; "John J .; Mary C .; Wilhelmina, deceased; Emmanuel; Lillie M .; Eli A .; Minnie M .; . Charles E., and Daniel D). In politics he is a democrat and has been elected to local offices, among them that of township clerk and assessor. He is a public-spirited and enter- prising citizen and a very successful farmer. Among his many treasures he holds none higher than that of a book published July 31, 1659, which is probably one of the oldest books in northwestern Ohio.
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PILLIAM C. DICUS, a native-born and prominent farmer of Union township, Putnam county, Ohio, is a son of Jacob and Hannah (Carey) Dicus, and was born December 27, 1828. Jacob, the father, was born in Baltimore, Md., March 20, 1802, and was a son of Philip, a native of Scotland, an early settler of Mary- land, and a prominent planter, who married Ruth Browne and died in 1806, his wife hav- ing died when Jacob was quite small.
Jacob Dieus, father of our subject, at the age of thirteen years, was brought to Ohio by h's sister, Mrs. McBride, who located in Mus- kmgum county, where Jacob learned the car- !
penter's trade and resided until 1821, when he came to Putnam county, lived here one year, then returned to the home of. his sister, who who had removed to Champaign county, and two years later, in 1825, he came back to Putnam county, to make a permanent home. In November, 1827, he married Hannah Carey, daughter of Rufus and Keziah Carey, to which union were born nine children, as follows: William C., whose name opens this sketch; James, a farmer of Union township; Mrs. Eliza Rimer, deceased; America, wife of James Findlay, of Paulding county; Harrison, Mrs. Rebecca Coit, and Milton, all three deceased; Keziah, wife of George Rimer, a farmer of Jackson township, Putnam county, and Win- field Scott, of Union township. The mother of this family was born in Shelby county, Ohio, June 8, 1807, of Virginia parentage, came to Putnam county, about 1817, with her parents, and died in August, 1853, a promi- nent member of the Baptist church. Mr. Dicus subsequently married her sister. Mrs. Rebecca (Carey) White.
After his first marriage Jacob Dicus I cated on a farm in Putnam county, on the Auglaize river, and was, for a number of years, identi- fied with the agricultural interests of the county. In 1835 he moved to Kalida, where he resided for two years, then returned to his farm, resuming his vocation of farmer and fol- lowing his trade of carpenter, also milling, until 1868, when he engaged in the grocery business at Delphos for several years, and then sold out his grocery and followed his trade at Delphos until 1875, when he re-engaged in farming in Union township until his second wife's death, about 1881. He then sold his farm and resided with his son James until his own death, which occurred April 20, 1885, in the faith of the Baptist church. Politically he was first a whig and then a republican, nd for several terms served as township trustec, and
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also filled the office of constable and some minor positions. He was a gentleman highly esteemed and honored by his fellow-citizens, was public spirited and patriotic, and furnished three sons to his country in her hour of need, of whom James, next to the eldest, served in company I, Eighty-eighth Ohio infantry, and Winfield Scott, of whom mention is made in sketches following this record.
William Dicus, whose name opens this biography, was reared a farmer, and March 19, 1849, married Miss Eva Schenk, daughter of Michael and Lydia Schenk, ten children be- ing the result of the union, viz: Jacob, a farmer of Washington; Mrs. Hester Myers, deceased; Mary A., who died at the age of sixteen years; John, a merchant of Kalida; Mrs. Fannie Myers, deceased; William, who died at two, and Clara at three years of age; two infant daughters that died unnamed; and Lewis, also a merchant of Kalida. After his marriage Mr. Dicus first located in Perry town- ship, but made several removals before set- tling on his present place, yet never moved outside of Putnam county. He lost his wife in October, 1874, and for his second helpmate married, December 17, 1880, Mrs. Lavina (Meyer) Allgire, widow of Joshua Allgire and the mother of the following children: John, a farmer of Union township; Verella, wife of Jesse Talley, Union township; Emily wife of George Grofe, of Jackson township; Charity, wife of James Meyers, of Dupont; Frank, a teacher of Auglaize county and a medical stu- dent at New Bremen; Amanda, wife of O. Earnest, of Columbus Grove, Putnam county; and Julia, wife of Albert Folay, of Kalida. Mrs. Lavina Dicus was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, December 10, 1830; she is a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which M. Dicus is also a promi- nent member. One year after his second marriage Mr. Dicus settled on his present
farm, where he is held in the highest esteem by his fellow-citizens. The late Joshua Allgire served as a soldier in the late war, in the Ninety-ninth Ohio infantry.
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J AMES DICUS, a well known and sub- stantial farmer of Union township, Put- nam county, is the second of nine children born to Jacob and Hannah (Carey) Dicus, of whom fuller detail will be found in the sketch of William C. Dicus, given above. James, our subject, was born near Fort Jennings, Putnam county, Ohio, February 14, 1831, was reared a farmer and was educated at Kalida and in the common country schools; he also learned the carpenter's trade, but never found it necessary to follow it as a vocation.
February 24, 1853, James Dicus was united in marriage with Miss Rhoda Hicks, daughter of Ezra and Julia (Lincoln) Hicks -- the mother being an own cousin of the martyr-president, Abraham Lincoln. Miss Rhoda Hicks was born in Warren county, Ohio, June 8, 1829, and died March 17, 1877, the mother of eight children, of whom the youngest only is living- Elizabeth, wife of Philip Leatherman, of Paulding county. After his marriage, Mr. Dicus located in Union township, lived on a rented farm one year, then moved to a place of his own, on which he remained until 1856; he then sold out and bought another farm in 1857, on which he lived until 1861, again sold and again bought, having by this time cleared enough money, over expenses, to purchase his last-named place, on which he resided until 1874, then sold and bought his present place, on which he made a permanent settlement in 1876, All of these farms were in the wild woods when Mr. Dicus purchased them, and by him they were cleared off ind improved.
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at the expenditure of no little amount of hard work and skillful exercise of woodman-like knowledge.
February 1, 1880, Mr. Dicus married his second wife. Miss Mary Fridley, who was born m lowa, September 13, 1861, a daughter of James H. and Minnie (Schuman) Fridley, and to this marriage have been born seven children, as follows: Minnie Elnora, January 3, 1881; Katie E., May 30, 1882; Willie E., April 7, 1884-died May 24, 1891; Harry E., January 30, 1886; Milton Reed, February 27, 1888; Mary Opal, March 24, 1890, and Charlie Ray- mond, April 8, 1893. James H. Fridley, father of Mrs. Dicus, was a native of Fayette county, Iowa, and his wife of Germany. The latter died when her daughter (Mrs. Dicus) was . nine years of age, and the latter lived with an annt until her father married four years later, Mrs. America (Dicus) Harris, a sister of our subject. In 1875 she came with her father to Ohio, and was here married. In 1883 Mr. Dicus moved to Kalida, and for two years was engaged in the hotel business, but he found farming to be a more congenial pursuit, and consequently returned to his farmn.
Mr. and Mrs. Dicus are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Diens has been a trustee. In politics he is a republican, and has filled the office of town- ship clerk several terms. He is a patriot, and on the 4th day of July, 1863, enlisted in com- pany 1, Eighty-eighth, Ohio volunteer infantry, and served until the close of the war, being mastered out at Camp Chase, Ohio, July 3. 1865. He is a member of Gribbon post, No. 193, G. A. R., and at one time was a member of the National Union league and of the P. of = He is a good citizen in every respect, is the winner of his wealth, having made his business stan in life by dealing in real estate, and is now living in confort, honored by all who know himn.
INFIELD SCOTT DICUS, a pros- perous agriculturist of Union town- ship, Putnam county, Ohio, is the youngest son of Jacob and Hannah (Carey) Dicus, and was born in Perry town- ship, September 2, 1847. He was reared on a farm, was educated in Jackson township, and worked out as a farm hand until his en- listment at Ottawa, July 3, 1863, being then but sixteen years of age, in company I, Eighty- eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, in which he served faithfully until the close of hostilities, when he was mustered ont of the service at Camp Chase, Ohio, July 4, 1865. He then returned to Putnam county, remained entil 1870, passed the following year in Indiana, re- turned to Putnam county, and January 25, 1872, married Miss Mary Campbell, daughter of Josiah and Roxana Campbell, the mion being blessed with three children, born in the following order: Lillian, January 23, 1873, married to Leroy Miller, of Union towa-hip; Ola, February 2, 1876, and Rissell Garfield, July 5, 1888 -- both at home with their par-
ents. Mrs. Mary Dicas was born in Frank- lin county, Ohio, January 17, 1853, her father was a native of Massachusetts, was reared on a farm near Boston, was a kao- crat in politics, an early settler of Franklin county, Ohio, and a gentleman of son on- siderable consequence in his commity.
After marriage Mr. Dicus remained four years in Putnam county and then, in 1876, went to Allen county, where he passed three years; in 1879 he returned to Putnam county and purchased the farm on which he still lives, and which he cleared from the wilder- ness and has improved in the best possible manner. In 1892, he erected his present handsome dwelling, where he finds all the happiness usually allotted to man, and which is always attendant upon a man of industry and morality. In politics he is a repul can,
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and has filled several of the offices of his town- ship; he is a member of Kalida lodge, No. 2So, F. & A. M., and of Gribbon post, No.
. 193, G. A. R. He has been very successful in his farming operations, is a useful and pub- lic-spirited citizen, and is held in high esteem by all his neighbors and the community at large, being, as he is, a most worthy repre- sentative of a worthy family.
B EV. BENJAMIN DILLER was born in Riley township, Putnam county, Ohio, June 24, 1845, on the farm he still occupies .. His parents, Peter and Barbara (Sutter; Diller, were natives of Alsace, France; were born respectively in 1813 and 1818, and came to America in 1824, but not in the same vessel.
The Diller family first located in Hohnes county, Ohio, while the Sutter family found a home in Virginia, for the time being, and later moved to Wayne county, Ohio. Both fam- ilies came to Putnam county in 1834 and here Peter and Barbara were married. Peter Dil- ler then set to work by the day to earn money to pay for entering his farm. Through indus- try and economy he succeeded in saving suffi- cient with which to enter 240 acres in the woods, too of which he had cleared at the time of his death in 1866, and had improved with good and substantial buildings. In relig- ion he was a Mennonite. His wife, Barbara Sutter, was a daughter of Christian Sutter, who came to Putnam county about the year 1834, and entered 320 acres in the wilderness, wrought out a farm, and died there on Decem- ber 1, 1874. After coming here Mrs. Sutter was chosen a ministrem the Mennonite church, preached about thirty years and rose to the position of bishop. He was the father of seven children, named as follows: John, deceased, Barbara, mother of our subject; Elizabeth, mar-
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ried to P. Shoemaker; Christian; Magdalena, the wife of Peter Sutter; Fannie, married to Peter Bixel; and Mary, who died unmarried. Peter and Barbara Diller had born to their marriage eight children, viz: Christian, who died in 1852; Adam, a farmer of Allen county; John, who lives on the old homestead; Mag- dalena, who was married to Peter Steiner, but died in 1866, leaving one child; Benjamin, our subject; Peter, a hardware merchant of Bluff- ton, Ohio; Mary, wife of Benjamin Geiger, a farmer of Hancock county, Ohio, and David, a farmer of Allen county, Ohio. The mother of this family died about 1860, a devout be- liever in the Mennonite faith -- or original Swiss church.
Rev. Benjamin Diller, our subject, lived with his father until the latter's death, when he inherited his portion of the estate, this por- tion comprising eighty acres of well improved land. Benjamin was first married, in 1870, to Miss Magdalena Steiner, daughter of J. F. Steiner, an old settler and prosperous farmer, whose father organized the first Mennonite church in the county. Benjamin and Magda- lena had born to them one child, Susan, who is living with her father. Magdalena Steiner was born December 18, 1848, and died De- cember 31, 1871, a devoted member of the Mennonite congregation. The second mar- riage of Mr. Diller took place, in 1876, to Miss Barbara Steiner, born March 19, 1855, daughter of Jolm Steiner, a prosperous farmer of Allen county, Ohio, and to this union have been born twelve children, viz: Menno, Frank- lin P., Peter, John (died young , Calvin, Ed- win, Christian, Elizabeth, Mary, Martha, Melinda and Elvina. Rev. Benjamin Diller received a collegiate education and was in- structed in both the English and German lan- guages. He taught two terms of school in Putnam county, and, in 1885, was ordained a minister in the Mennonite charch, which was
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organized in his locality about 1836; its mem- bership now reaches about 1,000, and they have two houses of worship-one in Riley township, Putnam county, and one in Rich- land, Allen county, Under the wise direction of Mr. Diller, who is devoted to his creed and his congregation, the church is in a thriving condition and is progressing in a most gratify- ing and satisfactory manner. Down to 1893 this church stood alone, but in the year named it was admitted to the general conference of the Mennonite church of North America.
J OHN M. DONALDSON .- Among the progressive and successful farmers of Putnam county the Donaldson broth -. ers occupy a position of marked pre- cedence, and of these the one to whom we now direct attention is recognized for his ability and as one who has gained succees through well directed efforts. Mr. Donaldson was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, on the 20th of August, 1850. He was reared on a farm and throughout his entire life he has been identified with the noble art of husbandry and has brought to bear not a drudge-like persist- ency, but an intelligent system, which has contributed in a large measure to the success which is his. He was able to secure a good common-school education and also learned the trade of a carpenter, though he has never de- voted any great amount of attention to work in this line. His ancestral history is duly traced in the biographies of his brothers, ap- pearing elsewhere in this volume. On the 27th of October, 1872, in Putnam county, John M. Donaldson was united in marriage to Mary A. Wood, who was born in Perry county, Ohio, July 1. 1850, the daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Yarger) Wood. Mrs. Donald- son's parents were married in Perry county, ind there her father was engaged in farming
for some time at an early period in the pio- neer history of that county. Mr. Wood re- moved with his family to Putnam county as early as 1862, and became one of the promi- nent farmers of this section, being devoted to his home and family. In politics he was a Jacksonian democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Donald- son's children, in order of birth, are as fol- lows: Chester H., Cora M., Alma L., Harvey C., Lillie B., Mary A. and Lester A .- all of whom are yet living. Chester H., is now en- gaged in teaching in Defiance county, having secured a license in Putnam county as well, and being an efficient and popular instructor. Our subject is thoroughly appreciative of the value of an education and is endeavoring to give his children the best of advantages possible.
Mr. Donaldson has been identified with the interests of Monroe township, and has lent effective assistance in the promotion of sub- stantial improvement and the advancing i the higher moral interests of the community. Ever since his marriage he has resided on the larm which he now occupies, the same being one of the best in the township and one which has been brought to its present excellent state of culti- vation by our subject. The buildings on the place have been erected by him and are of most attractive and convenient order. The farm comprises seventy-six acres, and our sub- ject has accumulated much of this by his own efforts, though he received from his father a tract of forty acres, which was still in wood- land and entirely unreclaimed. Upon his farm he has erected a handsome and commodious residence. In politics Mr. Donaldson is a democrat of the Jacksonian type, and has taken an active interest in the local political affairs, although not a partisan in the sense of office seeking. He contributes liberally to the Christian church, of which his wife is a mem- ber. Our subject and wife are both members
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OF PUTNAM COUNTY.
of Monroe grange, No. 634, and they main- tain a lively interest in the work of the order, . Mr. Donaldson having served as steward and being at present the incumbent as gatekeeper. He is numbered among the substantial and in- fluential farmers of the county and is esteemed for his sterling worth of character.
RA DONALDSON, a successful young farmer of Putnam county, Ohio, was born in Union township May 30, 1861 He is a son of Aaron Donaldson, who was a son of John Donaldson, whose biog- raphy is here briefly presented.
John Donaldson, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Maryland in 1784. With his father, Aaron Donaldson, the great-grandfather of our subject, he came to Ohio about 1805, and entered land in Violet township, Fairfield county. John Donaldson married Mary Grubb in 1809, and settled on eighty acres of the land thus entered. He was a captain in the war of 1812-15, was a democrat in politics, and served his township twenty-one years as justice of the peace. He died at the age of sixty-four years, and his wife, who was born in 1790, died at the age of eighty-two. They were the parents of the fol- lowing children: Aaron, Elizabeth, Letta, Sarah, Mary, Serena, John, Thirza, Cantha, Malinda, Lavina, Jacob, William, and Henry The following are still living: Sarah, at the age of eighty; Serena, at seventy-seven; Jolm, seventy-five, and Henry, sixty-two.
Aaron Donaldson, the eldest of the above- named children, and the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Fairfield county, Ohic, in 1810; he received a good education in his youth, was brought up on a farm, and followed farming all his life. He removed to Putnam county about 1850, settling in Union township on eighty acres of land, living thereon until
1862. He then removed to Monroe township and bought 160 acres-the farm upon which his son, Asa, now lives; but he added other acres until he at length had 400 acres. Fifty acres of this was cleared, and there he lived until his death, which occurred September 24,- 1880. He married Miss Sarah A. Swayze, who, like himself, was a native of Fairfield county, was born December 20, 1827, a mem -- ber of one of the oldest and most highly re- spected families of that part of the state, and is still living. To Aaron Donaldson and his wife there were born nine children, as follows :. Owen, born June 22, 1849; John M., born August 20, 1850; Rosalie, born October 4, 1852; Aaron, born December 13, 1854; Jacob S., born January 31, 1857; Hester Ann, born June 17, 1859; Ira, born May 30, 1861; Asa, born September 26, 1863, and William, born March 14, 1866.
Ira Donaldson, the subject of this sketch, has a beautiful little farm of forty acres of land in Monroe township. It is under a high state of cultivation and will compare favorably with any other farm of its size in the town- ship. Mr. Donaldson is a democrat in politics, has served two terms as township clerk and is very popular with his party, as well as with the general public. He was married May 9, 1886, to Miss Amanda Alkire, who was born May 8, 1865. She is a daughter of Richard and Rachel ( Jamison ) Alkire, members of an an- cient and honorable pioneer family of Putnam county. Mr. and Mrs. Ira Donaldson have had four children born to them, viz: Ernest, born March 21, 1887, died April 2, 1887; Ada F., born May 23, 1889; Bernice V., born April 16, 1891, and Virgil R., born October 6, 1893. Mrs. Ira Donaldson's maternal grandfather was Francis Jamison. He was born in Penn- sylvania October 7. 1794, and died December 25, 1856. His wife, Rachel Wroten, was born in Maryland, March 4, 1.800, and died June 18,
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1875, They were married December 7, 1820, in Ross county, Ohio, and were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Rachel, their daughter, was born November 15, 1835. William Alkire, the paternal grandfather of Mrs. Donaldson, was born in Laurel county, Ky., in March, 1798, and died January 17, 1886. He was a soldier in the war of 1812-15, Hannah Ausburn, his wife, was born in Vir- ginia, and died March 23, 1842. They were members of the Presbyterian church. Richard Alkire, the father of Mrs. Donaldson, was born in Madison county, Ohio, August 4, 1832. He moved to Riley township, Putnam county, and was married July 8, 1856. His children were as follows: Loretta L., born July 15, 1857; George B. M., born March 11, 1863; Amanda J., born May 8, 1865; Frances S., born March 22, 1868; Mary C., born August 6, !871; Josephine R., born December 29, 1873; Robert W., born July 1, 1876, and Essie H., born November 7, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Don- aldson are, therefore, as it may be seen from tlie genealogy above presented, descended from families that have long been known as thor- oughly honorable -- American families-and are themselves in every way worthy of their ancestry,
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SA DONALDSON, the subject of this sketch, is one of the substantial and enterprising young farmers and a native of Monroc township, Putnam county, Ohio, and during his entire life has been identified with its interests, the date of his birth having been September 26, 1863. He comes from a large family who were born to Aaron and Sarah A. Donaldson, the former of whom was a native of Fairfield county, Ohio, and of whom further mention is made in the sketch of Ira Donaldson, an elder brother. Asa was reared to the sturdy and invigorating
discipline of the farm and received a good cominon-school education. His marriage was celebrated on the 6th of December, 1888, when he was united to Mary A. Taylor, who was born in Montcalm county, Mich., on the 8th of February, 1870, she being a woman of edu- cation and genteel refinement. Their children in order of birth are as follows: Sarah M., born April 1, 1890; Ida C., born September 25, 1891, and Dorotha C., born November 19, 1894, all of whom are living. Both Mr. and Mrs. Donaldson are members of Monroe grange, No. 634, of which our subject is chaplain, while Mrs. Donaldson holds the office of Ceres in the ladies' auxiliary Both are active and zealous workers in the grange, and maintain a lively interest in the topics which have an influence upon the success and prosperity of the agricultural class. They are members of the Christian church, to which onr subject extends financial assistance as well as personal influence.
Mr. Donaldson owns an excellent farm of eighty acres, the same having been purchased from the estate of his father, and the appear- ance of the place, with its substantial perma- nent improvements, its well tilled fields and its general air of thrift and prosperity, gives evidence that he utilizes not only brawn but brain in its cultivation, and he is known as one of the successful farmers of the locality. In his political faith he is a stanch democrat, and has an intelligent comprehension of the ques- tions of the day.
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