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 1 > Part 44
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
stock raising with agriculture, and meanwhile filling the local offices of township assessor and member of the school board with marked ability. In politics his is a stanch democrat and has represented his party at various con- ventions. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge, No. 311, Spencerville, and has twice passed the chairs, filling the chair of vice-grand when but six months an Odd Fellow. "Ed" is one of the up-to-date men of the county, and a hustler in the best sense of the word. He was married December 20, 1879, to Miss Priscilla J. Purdy, who was born in Spencer township, September 7, 1856, and is the father of eight children: Arthur B., Clarence M., Lois Nettie, Wilber W., Walter, Clyde, Hugh and Ruth. Their home is a pleasant and happy one, where good and plenty abound.
ICHARD J. MORGAN, an ex-soldier of the Civil war and a substantial farmer of Sugar Creek township, Al- len county, Ohio, was born February 2, 1831, in Montgomeryshire, Wales. Thomas Morgan, father of our subject, was a farmer, and married, in Wales, Mary Jones, and of the seven children born to this union all were born in Wales, excepting the youngest. The six Welsh-born are named Ann, Daniel, Richard J .. John, Evan and Mary, and the American-born child, William, is a native of Putnam county, Ohio. Thomas Morgan and his family sailed from Liverpool, England, in 1846, and after a voyage of thirty-two days in a sailing vessel-a very fair speed --- arrived in the port of New York, whence he went to Buffalo, N. Y., and ninc weeks later came to Ohio and located in Sugar Creek township, Putnam county, where he lived two years on a farm, and then bought forty acres in Sugar Creek township, Allen county, and this tract he cleared up from the wilderness, transformed
it into a handsome farm, and there passed the remainder of his days. He and wife were devout members of the Congregational church, and both were much respected by their neigh- bors. They had two sons in the Civil war- Richard J. and Evan-and both served in the same company, in the 100-day service.
Richard J. Morgan, the subject of this sketch, learned the Welsh language in the Sunday-schools of his native land, and his English education was acquired in the district schools of Ohio after he had reached the age of fifteen years, as that was about his age when his father brought him to America. He early began the hard work of clearing land, and and was reared a pioneer farmer, aiding on the home place until his marriage, of which further mention will be made. In May, 1865, he en- listed, at Lima, Ohio, for 100 days, in com- pany F, Capt. C. W. Patrick, One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, and was assigned to the army defending Washing- ton, D. C. He served out his ter u and was honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio, in August, 1865, with the rank of corporal, when he returned to his wife and three young chil- dren, whom he had left in the woods of Sugar Creek township when he enlisted.
The marriage of Mr. Morgan took place February 19, 1854. with Miss Mary Jones, who was born in Wales May 2, 1832, a dangh- ter of David and Jane Jones. Mrs. Morgan was an infant when she lost her father, and her mother's second marriage was with John D. Jones, who later brought his family to Sugar Creek township and settled on the land on which Owen A. Jones now resides. For four years after marriage, Mr. Morgan resided in Sugar Creek township, north of German township, and in 1858 his wife inherited from her father forty acres; this land Mr. Morgan cleared of the heavy timber with which it was covered, by thrift and hard work elded forty
-
404
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
more acres, petitioned for a ditch in the neigh- borhood, and also secured the building of a road, so that in course of time he had as con- venient a farm as could be found in the town- ship. In 1885, he erected a handsome dwell- ing and has otherwise improved the farm, including the erection of all needful buildings.
To Mr. and Mrs. Morgan have been born six children, as follows: John A., Ida, Emma, Julia, Anna and Lottie. The wife and family are strong advocates of public education. In politics Mr. Morgan is a republican, has held the office of township trustee two terms, and is now serving the third; he has also served as supervisor and has been a member of the school board. He has shown himself to be in every respect an intelligent and useful citizen, and he enjoys the respect in a very large degree of the citizens of the township and county.
J OHN P. MORGAN, a prosperous farmer of Sugar Creek township, and one of the pionneers of Allen county, is a son of Thomas and Mary (Jones) Morgan. He was born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in August, 1834, and was about twelve years of age when he was brought to the United States by his parents. The voyage across the stormy Atlantic he well remembers, and remembers that he was glad to get safe to land. Having arrived in this country he attended the com- mon schools, and learned to read and write in both English and Welsh. He was reared on the farm, and in February, 1859, was married to Miss Margaret Evans, who was born in Wales, and was a daughter of Evan Evans. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan were the parents of one child, Abner. Mrs. Morgan died six years after her son was boru, and Mr. Morgan mar- ried, for his second wife, Mrs. Jane Morgan, née Jones, widow of Richard Morgan, and daughter of John and Mary (Meredith) Jones.
She was born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in January, 1832, and her marriage to John P. Morgan took place December 25, 1866. By this marriage there were born two children, Thomas O. and William.
John Jones, father of Mrs. Morgan, lived and died in Wales. To him and his wife there were born ten children: Jane, Richard, Hugh, Evan, Daniel, Mary, Ann, Elizabeth, Sarah and John. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Jones lived to the great age of eighty- two or eighty-three years, his wife living to the still greater age of eighty-eight. All their chil- dren remained in Wales, except Jane and John. John went to Canada, and is now liv- ing near Toronto.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Morgan settled on land in Marion township, Allen county, Ohio, six years later moving to Sugar Creek township, and there purchased 150 acres of land. This was in 1871, and the land was partly cleared. Since then, by industry and hard work, Mr. Morgan had cleared as much of the remainder as is necessary, has im- proved what has been cleared, and now has an excellent farin, well drained and under a high state of cultivation. He has also erected a a substantial residence, in the modern style, with modern improvements, and has as pleas- ant and attractive a home as any man need desire.
To Mr. and Mrs. Morgan there have been born two children, viz: Thomas O., born in September, 1867, and William, born June 16, 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Morgan are members of the Welsh Congregational church, he having been a deacon for twelve years. In politics he is a republican, and has served as township trustee and school director. He is one of the conspicuous, self-made men of his day. What property he has accumulated has been through his own industry and good management. He
-
٠
٤
405
OF ALLEN COUNTY.
now owns 231 acres, and has one of the finest farms in the township, if not in the county. He is well and widely known for his honesty and integrity of character, and for his general good citizenship. He and his wife have reared a family of good children, and have instilled into their minds correct principles of conduct, well knowing that, though property is valu- able, yet a good name is worth more than wealth.
Mrs. Morgan came from Wales when she was about twenty-seven years of age, in 1859, with a company of Welsh people. This com- ! pany sailed from Liverpool, England, on a. | steamship, and were twelve days on the ocean, landing in Portland, Me. She went di- | Morris, our subject, was rcared on his father's rectly to Johnstown, Pa., and was married the same year to Richard Morgan, and in 1861, came to Allen county. Mr. Morgan was a wagon-maker by trade, which he followed till his death, March, 1866. It was in 1846 when John P. Morgan, the subject of this sketch, came with his parents to the United States, i and he can well remember the voyage across the sea. He can also remember the carly pioneers and the early pioneer days, in Allen i county, which he has seen develop into a highly civilized county, when compared with what it was when he first saw it, and a goodly portion of the credit for this great change is justly attributable to the energy and industry of Mr. Morgan.
e DWARD MORRIS, a prosperous farmer and highly respected citizen of Sugar Creek township, Allen county, Ohio, is a native of Wales, and was born in Montgomeryshire, Sunday. June 29, 1819.
married in his native county, or shire, Miss Elizabeth Evans, a daughter of Thomas and Jane (Jones) Evans, and to this marriage were born four children, namely: Mary, John, Ann and Edward, our subject. In 1840 Jolin Morris came to America, sailing from Liver- pool in the good ship England, and making the voyage to New York in thirty days-a speedy passage for a sailing vessel. From New York Mr. Morris came to Ohio and settled on forty acres of cleared land, which he pur- chased in Delaware county, and there passcd his remaining years, dying at the age of about fifty-five years-a member of the Methodist church and a highly respected citizen. Edward farm and married at the age of less than eighteen years, June 19, 1837, Miss Sarah Breese, who was born in Wales in 1820, a daughter of Jolm and Mary (Edwards) Breese. In 1840, Edward Morris and wife came to Amcrica with John Morris and family, and at once went to Oneida county, N. Y., where he worked at farm labor about four years; he then came to Ohio, and for two years lived in Licking county, but returned to Oneida county, N. Y., and there passed nine years, when he came once more to Ohio, in 1854 and rented land in Sugar Creek township, AAllen county, and this township has ever since been his home. In 1865, or thereabout, he bought his first farm, which consisted of eighty acres, and of which twenty acres only had been cleared. But he was industrious, energetic and thrifty, and in a short time had the remainder of the farm cleared up and under cultivation, and improved with a good frame dwelling and all proper out-buildings; his land is well drained and neatly inclosed, and is now as comfortable a home as any in the township.
The marriage of Mr. and Mrs Morris was fruitful in the birth of eleven children, viz:
John Morris, father of our subject, was also a native of Montgomeryshire, was a farmer, received a good common-school education aud : A deceased infant, Thomas, Jane, Elizabeth, 1.1
-
406
. BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Sarah, Jane, Mary, Ann, George (who died at the age of seven years), Harry A. and Williamn. Mrs. Sarah Morris, the mother of this family, was called away by death November 17, 1873, a member of the Welsh Congregational church -a loving mother and a dutiful and affection- ate wife, whose loss Mr. Morris has never ceased to deplore. Of the children above named Thomas was a gallant soldier of the late Civil war and fought at Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh). Mr. Morris has always been a hard- working farmer and useful citizen, and has earned by his thrift and industry all he pos- sesses. He has won for himself a good name in the community in which he lives, and where he is passing his declining years in strict con- formity with the teachings of the Welsh Con- gregational church, of which for many years he has been a consistent member. In politics he affiliates with the republican party.
J AMES T. MORRIS, one of the repre- sentative citizens of Elida, Allen county, Ohio, was born in Fairfield county, Ohio. June 2, 1845, and was the son of James and Margaret (Hilliard) Morris, the former born in Indiana and the latter in Penn- sylvania. The father died in March, 1864. He was a shoemaker by trade and worked at the business all through life. He was a soldier in the Mexican war and of the Rebellion, in the latter being a member of the One Hundred and Eigliteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, and serving over two years. The wife is still living in Van Wert, Ohio. A number of children were HOMAS C. MOYERS, a veteran of the Civil war and a substantial farmer of Sugar Creek township. Al- len county, Olio, was here born on his father's farm February 21, 1837, and is of old Virginia-German stock. welcomed to this union, their names being as fol- lows: Elizabeth, deceased; James T., of whom this sketch is written; infant son, deceased; Newton, George, Frank, Homer, deceased; Ca- lista; Anna and Katie, twins; Laura; Emma. deceased, and Eddie. The continuance of this Isaac Moyers, father of our subject; was article will pertain largely to James T., the ' born in Rockingham county, Va and when a
second child. As soon as he was able to work, life began for him in earnest on the farm; he received his education in the public schools, and when quite young he became an employee of the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Rail- road, and has been engaged with this company constantly for the past thirty years, and as fore- man of a section gang for the past twenty-two years. He enlisted January 4, 1864, in company I, Thirty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry. He participated in the battles, Cole's Gap, Lynch- burg, Bunkerhill, Martinsburg, Harper's Ferry, Winchester and the two battles of Cedar Creek. He was wounded at Cole's Gap --- shot through the ear and taken prisoner at Beverly, West Va., and held forty days at Richmond. He was mustered out July, 1865, and returned to his home at Elida, where he has since been in the employ of the railroad company. He is a member of the John John post No. 386, and also an Odd Fellow. On Christmas day 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Nancy Wad- dell, daughter of A. N. and Mary (Mumau) Waddell, natives of Ohio and Maryland. The mother died, August, 1886, at the age of sixty- two years. The father died April 21, 1895. Mr. and Mrs. Morris have had a family of eight children, five of whom are yet living: Idella, James A., Florence, Mary M., Martha and Daisy, twins, deceased, Alfred, deceased, and Lauanna L. The parents are highly re- spected members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
1
407
OF ALLEN COUNTY.
young man came to Ohio and located in Fair- field county, where he married Sarah Ward, the union resulting in the birth of ten chil- dren, all of whom, with one exception reached mature years, and were named as follows: John, Nancy, Lydia, Matilda, Thomas, Cath- erine, Joshua, May J., William (twin of Isaac, died young) and Isaac. The father, Isaac Meyers, came from Fairfield county, Ohio, to Allen county, as one of the early pioneers and located in the southern part of Sugar Creek township, on the old boundary line between Allen and Putnam counties, where he cleared up a farin of eighty acres and continued to add to his land until he owned in the two counties, 420 acres, becoming one of the most substantial and wealthy farmers of the neigh- borhood, and leaving, at his death, a farm for each of his children. He lived to be seventy- three years of age, and died in the faith of the Baptist church-an upright citizen and one of the most respected pioneers of Allen county. Of his sons, three served in the late Civil war -... John, Thomas and Joshua. John served a full term in the 100-day service, One Hun- dred and Fifty-first Ohio national guard; Joshua enlisted for three years in the One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, served six months, and died of disease in Kentucky; Thomas C., who has been reared to farmning, enlisted at Lima, Allen county, Ohio, September 12, 1861, for three years, in company E. Eighty-first Ohio volunteer infan- try, Capt George A. Taylor, served out his time and veteranized, in 1863, for another term of three years in the same company, and received his second honorable discharge at Louisville, Ky., in July, 1865, for the reason that the war had closed. Among the many battles in which Mr. Moyers took part may be mentioned those of Shiloh, Corinth (siege and battle), Tuscumbia, Dallas, the Atlanta cam- paigns, in which the troops were under fire,
night and day, for nearly four months; Re- saca, Snake Creek Gap, Kenesaw Mountain, Rome Cross Roads; the fight in front of At- lanta, where the gallant McPherson fell; was at Jonesboro, Ga., recruited at Rome and then started on the famous march to the sea; was at Savannah, Ga., Goldsboro, and Ben- nettsville, N. C., and so on to Washington, D. C., where he participated in the grand re- view of May, 1865. He was an active and faithful soldier, and escaped the hospital, ex- cepting for a week or so at Franklin.
The marriage of Mr. Moyers took place in Sugar Creek township, Allen county, Ohio, April 10, 1866, with Miss Lovina Snyder, who was born April 10, 1848, a daughter of Ben- jamin Snyder, of Pennsylvania, and an early settler of Monroe township, Allen county, Ohio. He also had two sons in the Civil war -Levi and Oliver- - the former of whom, while serving in the One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio infantry, was struck by seven rifle balls during the battles of Resaca, but still lives. After marriage Mr. Moyers settled on his pres- ent farm of 115 acres, of which he has pur- chased from the co-heirs about sixty-five acres, making one of the finest places in the township. To this marriage have been born five children, viz: Clinton, who died in his twenty-first year; Minnie, who died at the age of eighteen years; Daisy, who died at the age of two years, and Walter and Lance. In politics Mr. Moyers is a democrat, and in re- ligion, with wife, is a member of the Christian church, of which he is a trustee, and no fam- ily in the township is more respected.
0 AVID B. MOYERS, one of the thrifty and well-to-do farmers of Sugar Creek township, Allen county, Ohio, was born on his present farm Decem- ber 6, 1842, received a good education in the
,٠٠
-
١٤٢١٠
.
ஸீ
408
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
district schools, was reared to farming, and served as a volunteer during the late Civil war.
Henry Moyers, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was of German descent, was a farmer of Frederick county, Va., where he married and reared the following children: Elizabeth, John, Isaac, Daniel, Jacob and Henry H., of whom Isaac, Daniel and Henry became settlers of Ohio, and Jacob of Illinois, near Whitehall, and all of whom lived to advanced ages, and all reared families excepting Daniel. Henry, the father, died on his native farm, also at a good old age.
Henry H. Moyers, father of our subject, was born in Frederick county, Va., in January, 1809, was reared a farmer, and came to Ohio abont 1829, with some friends, and settled in Fairfickl county. He there married, April 3, 1832, Miss Elizabeth Ward, who was born in that county, December 1, 1806, a daughter of William and Catherine B. (Herring) Ward. William Ward was a native of Pendleton county, Va., was born May 26, 1780, and in 1800 came to Ohio and located in Pickaway county, whence he moved to Fairfield county, where he farmed for forty-six years, and then, in the fali of 1851, came to Allen county, where his death took place March 21, 1852. His wife was born in Pennsylvania April 9, 1788, came to Ohio and located when a young woman in Fairfield county, and there died November 5, 1850. The Ward family were of Scotch-Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. Will- iam Ward were the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, James (who died of dis- ease during the battle of Corinth), Nancy, William, George, Sarah, Jacob, Peter and Lydia-to each of whom the father donated 160 acres of land, with the exception of Will- iam, who was killed during the Rebellion.
After marriage Henry II. Moyers came to Sngar Creek township, Allen county, February 13, 1833, making the journey in wagons and
cutting a road through the forest from Belle- fontaine. He settled on 160 acres which had been donated by his father-in-law, Mr. Ward, but which land was in a deep woods and on which not a stick had been cut. But Mr. Moyers put up his log cabin, set industriously to work, underwent all the hardships of pio- neer life, and added to his estate until he owned 360 acres and eventually became one of the most substantial and respected farmers of the township. Here were born his children, in the following order: Jacob, William, Cath- erine B., Samuel, Harrison, David B., Eliza J. and Frederick A. T. Of these children five sons served in the Civil war. viz: Jacob and William in the One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio vohinteer infantry-Jacob serving three years until the close of the hostilities, and William dying at Knoxville, Tenn., from effects of over exertion at the battle of Mossy Creek: Samuel and Harrison were in the 100- day service, in the One Hundred and Thirty- second Ohio volunteers-Harrison serving his full time, although under fire, the greater part of it, in front of Petersburg, Va., and Samuel dying in hospital at Columbus, Ohio, from the effects of wounds accidentally inflicted by the Union cavalry and resulting in typhoid fever. The brief military record of David B. will be given further on.
Henry H. Movers, the father of these brave boys, had in his politics been a whig in his earlier days, but later became a strong Union man and a republican. His death took place September 5, 1885, at the : pe old age of seventy-six years, his wife having preceded him to the grave September 6, 1883, and certainly there were never two more honored pioneers within the bounds of Allen county.
David B. Moyers, with a record of whose birth this biography opens, was enrolled at Lima, Ohio, May 2, 1864, ir company C, One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio volunteer infan-
-
409
OF ALLEN COUNTY.
try, for the 100-day service, he being at that time a member of company D, Thirty-third Ohio National guards, in which he had en- listed for five years, and being called out with the regiment and assigned to duty, as above mentioned, under Capt. J. L. Booth. While in active service Mr. Moyers was about four months on guard duty at Washington, D. C., was under fire at the time of Jubal Early's raid on that city, July 13, 1864, and was also on guard duty at Fort Sumner, Fort DeRusse and Fort Simons. He was ever a cheerful and active soldier and prompt in his attention to duty on all occasions.
The marriage of David B. Moyer took place, May 17, 1870, to Miss Malinda Miller, who was born in Hocking county, Ohio, No- vember 19, 1844, a daughter of David and Re- becca (Rader) Miller. The father, David Miller, was a native of Virginia, of German extraction, and when a young man came to Ohio and located in Fairfield county, where he first married. He later moved to Hocking county, where he for some time was employed in farming, when he removed, in 1889, to Huntington county, Ind., where he still re- sides. To his first marriage were born three children-Mary A., Malinda and Laura. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Miller married Elizabeth Perry, and to this union has been born one child-Perry C. Mr. and Mrs. D. B. Moyers, after their marriage, settled down to farmning on the old homestead, his birthplace, where until the death of Mrs. Moyers they passed their lives in connubial felicity. Through his industry and economy, Mr. Moyers has succeeded in purchasing the interest of the other heirs to the place, and he now owns eighty acres of choice farming land. Here, in 1892, he erected a tasteful modern dwelling, and has otherwise greatly improved the plice. Here, also, have been born his five children, named Perry C., Charles G.
(who died at about the age of twenty-two years), Della, Elizabeth A. and Henry D. The death of Mrs. Moyers took place January 17, 1882. She was a devout member of the Christian church and a lady of many christian virtues, whose loss was deeply deplored by her immediate family and a large circle of earnest and sincere friends.
In politics Mr. Moyers is a stanch repub- lican, has served as township trustee and has been a member of the school board; in relig- ion he is a devout Christian and has always aided this denomination liberally of his means, as well as other religious societies of his neigh- borhood. He is a thoroughly practical farmer and stock raiser, and is a useful and highly re- spected citizen.
ANIEL MULLENHOUR, a thriving farmer of Marion township, Allen county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, was born in Sugar Creek township, in the same county, July 24, 1837. His grandfather came from Germany and was a pioneer of Fairfield county, Ohio; he was the father of four children-John, Fred- erick, Henry and Lucetta, ef whom Henry is the father of our subject.
Henry Mullenhour was born in Fairfield county, where he married Lucretia Kitchen, and in 1835 came to Allen county and settled in Marion township, when the Indians still roamed the forest, and afterward moved to Sugar Creek township, where he followed his trade of a blacksmith for a number of years and later bought a farin. Here his eight chil- dren were born and named Joseph, Daniel, Jolin, George, Sallie, Wilson, Phebe and Chris- tian -- the last named dying at the age of thirty- one years. Of the other son., three served in the Civil war-Joseph, Daniel and John. Joseph and John were in the Eighty-first Ohio
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.