USA > Ohio > Champaign County > A centennial biographical history of Champaign county, Ohio > Part 4
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JOSEPH CHAMBERLIN.
Few. if any, of the old residents of Champaign county have done more for its improvement in every direction than has the subject of this narrative. He was born in Livingston county, New York, on the 9th of May, 1834, and is a son of John and Sarah ( Bodine) Chamberlin. also natives of that commonwealth and both descended from old colonial families. The founder of the family in America came from England with his wife and three children, and he was subsequently drowned in a whirlpool off the coast of New Jersey. His three sons settled in
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different parts of the United States, one locating in New England, one in the southern states and one in New Jersey. The great-grandparents of our subject were Joseph and Amy Chamberlin. Their son William, the grandfather of our subject, was born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, in October, 1772, and on the Ioth of June, 1793, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth Duckworth, and they had twelve children, eight sons and four daughters. In 1834 the family came to Ohio, locating on a farm at Vienna, Trumbull county. His death occurred on the 19th of March, 1851, when he had reached the age of seventy-eight years. Jolin Chamberlin, the father of him whose name introduces this review, was born in New Jersey on the Ioth of March, 1796, and in the state of his birth, on the 3d of March, 1817, he was united in marriage to Sarah Bodine, by whom he had twelve children,-Matilda; Mary ; Eliza- beth; Ann: Sarah Jane; John V. R .: Emma and llope, of Illinois; Joseph, of Ohio; Effie; and Angelina and William, both of Kansas. In 1854 the family came to Champaign county, locating in Woodstock, where the parents spent the remainder of their lives. The father was an Adventist in his religious belief, and the mother was a member of the Presbyterian church.
Joseph Chamberlin, of this review, received his elementary educa- tion in the public schools of Livingston county, and afterward attended the high school of Rochester, New York. When a young man he came with his parents to Woodstock, Ohio, where he was successfully engaged in mercantile pursuits for fifteen years, both before and after the Civil war, and during that time he also took large contracts for building gravel roads, having constructed in all fifty-three and a half miles of gravel road in Champaign, Logan and Union counties. In 1861, at the out- break of the Civil war, he enlisted in the Sixty-sixth Ohio Regimental Band, in which he served until August, 1862, and during that time was a member of the Army of the Potomac, operating in Virginia. Dur-
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ing his army service he contracted rheumatism and heart trouble, and this necessitated his discharge at the above mentioned date, after which he returned to his home and resumed his mercantile business, thus con- tinuing until 1880. In that year he received the nomination for the office of county sheriff, to which he was elected in the following Novem-' ber, and so ably did he discharge the duties incumbent upon him in that important position that he was unanimously elected for a second term. His services therein were particularly appreciated by the Champaign county bar, who presented him with a gold-headed cane, bearing the in- scription "To Joseph Chamberlin, Sheriff, by the Bar of Urbana, Ohio, January 3, 1885," General Young making the presentation speech. Prior to his election to that office he had served his township as its treasurer for eleven years, and for a long period he ably served as a constable. The cause of education has ever found in him a warm friend, and it was principally through his instrumentality that the special school district of Woodstock was organized, and he was also active in placing the cemeteries under the power of cemetery trustees. Mr. Chamberlin framed both bills, and it was through his influence that they were carried into effect. Six years ago he was made a notary public, and he is also a pension agent, discharging the duties of both positions to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. His farin, located in Rush township, con- prises one hundred and forty-five acres of rich and productive land, and all is under an excellent state of cultivation and improved with good and substantial buildings.
Mr. Chamberlin was married on the 6th of January. 1859, when Miss Harriet Smith became his wife. She is a daughter of Jesse and Minerva Smith, of Woodstock, Ohio. The father was born in Wood- stock, Vermont, a son of Samuel and Phoebe .( Mccutcheon ) Smith, also natives of that state, and the latter was of Scotch descent. Samuel Smith was the founder of the family in Champaign county. He was
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accompanied on the journey here by his wife and one child, Cyrus, and his brothers, and they arrived in Woodstock in 1820, where they were the first settlers. The family purchased a large tract of land in the vicinity of that village, where they made their permanent home. Unto Samuel and Phoebe Smith were born the following children: Cyrus, Jesse, Lois, Stephen and Amy, and all were born in this county with the exception of the eldest, who was born ere the family removed from their old Vermont home. The father was only permitted to enjoy his new home a few years, for his life's labors were ended in death about 1827. His brother, Jesse Smith, was an officer in the war of 1812. while another brother, Stillman, was killed at the battle of Fort Niagara, and Samuel was also a soldier in that war, in which he participated in the battle of Plattsburg. Jesse Smith, the father of Mrs. Chamberlin, married Mary MI. Thomas, a daughter of Gardner and Thankful Thomas, who removed from near Stowe, Vermont, to Champaign county, Ohio, in 1834, locat- ing on a farm in Rush township, where they made their home for many years. He, too, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was at the battle of Plattsburg. He subsequently removed to Illinois, and there died at the home of a son. After the birth of their ten children Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Smith removed to Union county, Indiana, where they both died, the father in 18So and the mother in 1872. Their children were : Helen, Harriet, Calvin, Phoebe T., Eliza A., Charles A., Ida L., Clarence M. J., Carroll and Solon H. Unto the union of our subject and wife have been born the following children: Charles, who was born October 2, 1859, and died on the i.[th of October, 1800; Sarah, who was born August 24, 1861. and is the wife of Lincoln Burnham, of Goshen town- ship, Champaign county; Jessie Helen, who was born June 4, 1865, and died August 10, 1865; Ilarriet Maude, who was born December 9, 1874, and married C. K. Lincoln, of Rush township; and Bell, who was horn June 3, 1881, and died July 21 of the same year. Mr. Chamberlin
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is identified with the Masonic order, being a charter member of Cham- paign Lodge, No. 525, of Urbana, is a member of Woodstock Lodge, No. 167. I. O. O. F., and is also a charter member of W. A. Brand Post, G. A. R., of Urbana. Politically he is a lifelong Republican and is an active worker in the ranks of his party. Mrs. Chamberlin is a member of the Universalist church.
SAMUEL SLUSSER.
An able representative of the agricultural interests of Champaign county is Mr. Slusser, whose finely improved and attractive farmstead is eligibly located in Johnson township. while he is known as one of the progressive and representative citizens of the community.
Mr. Slusser is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born on a farm in Miami county, Ohio, on the 25th of October, 1829, the date signifying that he is a representative of one of the pioneer families of the state. His father, Peter Slusser, was born in Virginia, whence he emigrated to Miami county. Ohio, when a young man and subsequently to the war of 1812, in which he was an active participant. In Montgomery county. this state. was solemnized his marriage to Miss Mary McFadden, who was born and reared in Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of six children, namely: David, who is deceased ; Samuel, who is the immediate subject of this review : Charlotte : Mary Ellen : and two who died in infancy.
When our subject was a child of four years the family came to Champaign county and located on the farm which he now makes his home, the place having been at the time heavily timbered and having
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no improvements. The father cleared a portion of the tract of eighty acres and became the owner of an estate of sixty-five acres. Here he devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred in the year 1851, after which the estate was divided among the heirs. The mother of our subject passed away in 1890. Mr. Slusser now has an excellent farm of sixty-five acres, the land being exceptionally prolific and having appreciated in value by reason of the discriminating care taken in its improvement and cultivation. He has practically passed his entire life on this old homestead, and his early educational advantages were such as were afforded in the district schools maintained in the pioneer epoch. In politics he gives his support to the principles and policies of the Democratic party, and he and his family are devoted members of the Mount Pleasant Baptist church, of which our subject is a trustee and one of its most valued members, having been actively identified with the erection of the present church edifice, while his influ- ence has ever been cast on the side of all worthy undertakings and causes. He is one of the county's honored pioneer residents and has the esteem of all who know him.
On the 2d of November. 1856, Mr. Slusser was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Jenkins, who was born in this county on the 15th of August, 1829, the daughter of Edden and Elizabeth ( Pence) Jenkins, both of whom were born in Virginia, their marriage being solemnized in Champaign county. They became the parents of twelve children, of whom only two are now living, Mrs. Slusser having been the seventh in order of birth. Our subject and his estimable wife, who has been his devoted companion and helpmeet for nearly a half century, have three children, all of whom were born on the old homestead. Mary E. is the wife of Andrew Jordan, of Johnson township; John is engaged in farming in Jackson township; and Corey is a successful farmer of John- son township on the old homestead.
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EDWARD JENNINGS.
To have attained to the extreme fulness of years and to have had one's ken broadened to a comprehension of all that has been accomplished within the flight of many days, is of itself sufficient to render consonant the consideration of such a life in a work of this nature, but in the case at hand there are more pertinent, more distinguishing elements,-those of usefulness, of high honor, of marked intellectuality, of broad humanitarian spirit and of well earned success,-which lift in high regard the subjective personality of one who has ever stood four square to every wind that blows. No shadows darken any period of the long and honorable life of the venerable subject of this review, who has now passed the age of four score years and ten, and his has been the advantage of an ancestry typical of all that makes for integrity and true worth.
A resident of the city of Urbana, where many years of his life have been passed, though his efforts have been desseminated over a wide field of business enterprises in various sections of the Union, this patriarchal citizen is known to practically every member of the community and to him is granted that reverence due to so advanced age and to one whose life has been of signal integrity and honor. No record touching the life histories of the representative men of Champaign county would be con- sistent with itself were there failure to revert to the career of Edward Jennings. Back to that cradle of much of our national history, the Old Dominion state, must we turn in tracing the genealogy of our subject. and it is found that he was born in Berkeley county, Virginia ( now West Virginia). on the Ist of April, 1811, being the eldest of the five children of George and Jane (Chenoweth) Jennings and the only one living at the present time, the other children having been Absalom C. { elsewhere mentioned in this work), Amy Jane, Sarah C. and Nancy C.
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The parents of our subject were both born in Berkeley county, Virginia, whence they came to Ohio in the year 1814, locating on a tract of land in Clark county, where the father reclaimed a farm from the forest wilds. In later years he became interested in farming, and while on a business trip in connection therewith met an accidental death, being drowned in the Ohio river, about the year 1825. About nine years later his widow moved to Urbana, where she passed the residue of her life. being sum- moned into eternal rest in 1876. She was a woman of gentle and noble character, a zealous worker in the Baptist church, exemplifying her Christian faith in the daily walk of life, and winning the love of a large circle of devoted friends.
Edward Jennings was about four years of age at the time of his removal to Ohio, and was reared on the old homestead farm in Clark early beginning to contribute to the work of the same and having such educational advantages as were offered in the primitive log school-house of the period. Upon attaining the age of seventeen years he left the home farm and came to Urbana, where he found employment in the general merchandise store of E. B. Cavalier, one of the pioneer business men of the town. He was thus engaged for a period of five years, at the expira- tion of which he removed to Circleville, Pickaway county, where he held a clerkship about one and one-half years, proceeding thence to Chilli- cothe, where he secured an interest in a general store and also engaged in the grain business, disposing of his interests four years later, in 1837. and being for the next year at leisure, passing the greater portion of this interval in New York city. In the meanwhile he entered into partnership with other citizens of Chillicothe, under the firm name of Wilcox, Barber & Jennings, and established the first wholesale dry-goods enterprise in that place, the firm becoming Wilcox & Jennings one year after the open- ing of the business. This enterprise was thus continued for six years, at the expiration of which Mr. Jennings disposed of his interests and went
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to New York city, where he engaged in the same line of enterprise, under the firm name of Mozier. Jennings & Company, Mr. Mozier withdrawing at the end of two years, whereupon the firm became Tweedy, Jennings & Company. Two years later our subject sold out his interests, having in the meauwhile associated himself with his brother, Absalom C., and with T. B. Read, both of Urbana, in the manufacturing of straw hats and in the wholesaling of the products, together with hats, caps and fancy mil- linery, under the firm name of Jennings, Read & Company. Mr. Jen- nings gave no personal attention to this enterprise and finally withdrew from the firm, as did also his brother. He had acquired considerable real estate in Highiland and Clinton counties, Ohio, and there he passed some time in the supervision of his interests. Finally, owing to the im- paired health of his wife. he took her to Cincinnati for treatment and this led to his forming acquaintances in that city, where he finally secured an interest in a wholesale grocery business, which was conducted under the firm title of Jennings & Butterfield and later that of Jennings. Butter- field & Clark. For nearly twenty years our subject continued to retain an interest in this business, which became one of importance. He con- tinued his residence in Cincinnati about five years and then came to Urbana. in 1859, where he has ever since maintained his home .- a terni of more than forty years, within which he has been known as a public- spirited citizen. lending aid and influence in support of measures for the public good and contributing to the progress and material prosperity of the city, whose growth from the position of a primitive country town he has witnessed. Mr. Jennings has extensive landed interests in Cham- paign county, and when he came here in 1859 interested himself in the raising of high-grade stock upon a large scale, doing much to promote this line of industry in this section of the state. He owns what is known as the Governor Vance farm, one of the finest properties in the county, and also other valuable lands. While he has been a stanch adherent of
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the Republican party from the time of its organization, Mr. Jennings has never sought political preferment and has invariably refused to permit his name to be considered in connection with candidacy for office. His life has been a successful one from every viewpoint, and his prosperity has been achieved by worthy means, thus retaining to him uniform con- fidence and esteem. He lives in a modest farm home, the same, however being within the city limits of Urbana.
On the 4th of June, 1839, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jennings to Miss Anna M. Bentley, who was born in Highland county, Ohio, the daughter of Colonel Eli P. Bentley, one of the pioneers of Highland county, but was living at Chillicothe at the time of her marriage. She proved a devoted companion and helpmeet to her husband, being a woman of sterling character and gentle refinement and holding the deep affection of those who came within the immediate sphere of her gracious and kindly influence. She passed away in April, 1890, at the age of sixty-seven years, having been a communicant of and zealous worker in the Protestant Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Jennings became the parents of three sons and three daughters, of whom there are now living only the two sons, -- Edward P. and George B. both of whom are resi- dents of Urbana.
DAVID J. JOHNSON.
David J. Johnson, a representative of a prominent old Virginia family and a leading agriculturist of Champaign county, was born in Frederick county, Virginia, May 11, 1820. In the Old Dominion his paternal grandfather was also boru, and he was of Dutch descent. Amos Johnson, the father of our subject, claimed Frederick county as the place of his nativity, his birth there occurring on October 30, 1775, and he was
D. J. JOHNSON.
MRS. D. J. JOHNSON.
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there reared and married. The year 1833 witnessed his arrival in the Buckeye state, his first location being in Licking county, but in the fol- lowing year he came to Champaign county, purchasing a farm near Kings Creek, Salem township. His death occurred in Wayne township, this county, when he had reached the eighty-fifth milestone on the journey of life. He was a life-long farmer, a member of the Christian church, and a supporter of the Democracy. He was ever a loyal and progressive citizen, and was a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Groceman, was also a native of the Old Dominion, born in 1782, and she, too, was a member of a prominent old family of that commonwealth and of Dutch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson be- came the parents of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity and with one exception all were married.
David J. Johnson, whose name introduces this review, is the eleventh in order of birth in the above family and the only one now liv- ing. When twelve years of age he left the county of his nativity, and in the following year came to Champaign county, where he received his education in the old time log school house. After his marriage he made his home in Salem for a time, but in 1848 located on the farm on which he still resides. He here owns seventy acres of rich and fertile land, all of which is under an excellent state of cultivation, and his fields annually return to their owner abundant harvests.
In Salem township, Champaign county, on the 26th of February, 1845. Mr. Johnson was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Gutridge, who was born in that locality on the 3d of August. 1822, a daughter of Richard and Lucretia ( Manus) Gutridge, prominent early settlers of this county. Four children have blessed the union of our subject and wife, namely: Eliza Jane, the wife of Charles W. Hollingsworth, of Urbana; James I., who married Mary Norman and resides on the old
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homestead ; Ella, the wife of L. R. Marshall, of Mingo, Wayne township; and S. Elizabetli, the deceased wife of John Nincehelser. Mr. Johnson has been a life-long member of the Democratic party, and for over fifty years has been a member of the Baptist church, in which he has long been an office holder. He has made good use of his opportunities through life, has prospered from year to year and all who know him have the highest admiration for his good qualities of heart and mind.
EMORY HEDGES.
Among the native sons and representative farmers of Champaign county the subject of this sketch enjoys marked prestige as one of the pioneer citizens and as one who has attained a high degree of success through his efforts in connection with the noble art of husbandry. He has nearly attained the psalmist's span of three score years and ten, but the vigor begotten of the free and invigorating life of the farm has warded off the encroachments of the years and he is a sturdy and active man and one who takes pleasure in the supervision of the work of his fine farmstead, which is located in Urbana township, in section 14.
Mr. Hedges was born on the farm which is now his home, the date of his nativity having been June 1, 1833. His father. Jonas Hedges, was born in Berkeley county, Virginia (now West Virginia ). and was there reared to maturity, having been an active participant in the war of 1812, after which he married and came to Champaign county, Ohio, as one of its earliest pioneers. He located in Urbana township, in the midst of the forest wilds, and here cleared and improved a considerable tract of government land, having at one time owned the farm now owned by M. B. Saxbe, as well as that occupied by our subject, and having made improvements on both. He was an influential man in the pioneer com-
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munity, was originally a supporter of the Whig party, but transferred his allegiance to the Republican party at the time of its organization, and was thereafter an active worker in its local ranks, while he served for many years as justice of the peace and was also a member of the board of directors of the county infirmary. He and his wife were both zealous and consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Jonas Hedges died in 1864, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a son of Samuel Hedges, who likewise was born in Berkeley county, Virginia, and there devoted his life to agricultural pursuits, having been a Whig in his political proclivities. The original American ances- tors came to this country in the year 1600, and representatives of the name may now be found in the most diverse sections of the Union. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Elizabeth Robinson, and she also was born in Berkeley county, Virginia, of stanch old Irish stock. Jonas and Elizabeth Hedges became the parents of twelve children, all but three of whom were born after the family's removal to Champaign county, the subject of this sketch being the youngest.
Emory Hedges had a somewhat extraordinary experience ere he had attained sufficient age to appreciate the same, and it is almost a miracle that he lived to learn of the incident. When he was a child of eighteen months he fell into a well fifty-two feet in depth and was rescued uninjured. The early routine of his boyhood was not materially changed by reason of this accident, resulting from the venturesome spirit of inquisitive childhood, and he early began to assist in the work of the farm, while his educational training was secured in the public schools of the locality and period. He had completed his educational discipline at the age of nineteen years and thereafter continued to assist his father in the work of the old homestead until the time of his marriage, in 1857, when he removed to Clark county, this state, and was there engaged in farming for an interval of about eight years. His father's death
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at this time brought about our subject's return to the present home- stead, which he inherited by the terms of his father's will, and here has he ever since been actively engaged in general farming and stock- raising, devoting special attention to the raising of a fine grade of swine. His farm comprises one hundred and twenty acres and the same has the best of permanent improvements and is under most effective cultivation, being one of the valuable places of this township.
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