USA > Ohio > Champaign County > A centennial biographical history of Champaign county, Ohio > Part 7
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John W. Hall. served as a defender of the starry banner from 1801 until 1864, and he was then called upon to sacrifice his life in his country's cause. Four children have graced the union of our subject and wife, namely: Alva C., who follows agricultural pursuits, and he was united in marriage to Cora Kiser, the only daughter of D. Kiser, of Concor:1 township, Champaign county; Mary Pearl, the wife of William W. Offenbacher, a merchant of Westville, Ohio; Bessie G., the wife of F. R. Found, a stockholder in and foreman of the "Famous Overall" factory at Urbana ; and Lloyd, who is engaged in the drug business and is still at home with his parents. The Doctor has one of the most beautiful homes in Champaign county, it being a large brick residence located two and a half miles east of Saint Paris, on the Urbana and Saint Paris pike road. It is modern in all its appointments, and has telephone con- nections with the surrounding towns. Public-spirited and progressive in all his ideas. Dr. Thatcher lends his influence to all measures which he believes useful to the majority and is at all times an earnest and patriotic citizen.
WILLIAM THOMPSON.
A most exemplary citizen and an honored hero of the late war of the Rebellion is William Thompson, of Wayne township, Champaign county. During his army carer he was always found true to the duties imposed upon him and won the confidence and high regard of his com- rades and superior officers, while in business life and social relations he has ever manifested the same justice, integrity and reliability and none know him but to wish him well.
William Thompson is a native of this locality, his birth having here occurred on the 4th of March, 1841. His father, Abraham Thomp-
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son, was born in Brown county, Ohio, and there married to Susan Mid- dleton, also a native of that locality. After his marriage he located with his bride on a farm in Wayne township, Champaign county, and there his death occurred when lie had reached the age of forty-five years. leaving his widow with a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, to support, the eldest child being then sixteen years of age, while the youngest was but six months old, and their landed possessions then consisted of but six acres. William, of this review, was the fifth child and third son in order of birth, and he was about nine years of age when his father died. When a small boy he began assisting his mother in the care of the home farm, and remained under the parental roof until the inauguration of the Civil war, when, in 1861, he became a member of Company A, Sixty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Two years later he re-enlisted in the same company and regiment, in which he served until the close of the struggle, and during his military career took part in many of the important battles of the war, including those of Port Royal, Channel, Gun Town, Tarleton, Gettysburg. Lookout Mountain. Missionary Ridge, Ringgold. Cedar Mountain, Slaughter Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, the siege of Atlanta and with General Sherman to the sea. Although he was never wounded he was confined in a hospital for a time, but during the most of his army career was in active service. After participating in the grand review at Washington, D. C., he was honorably discharged in June, 1865.
Returning thence to his native county, Mr. Thompson resumed the quiet and peaceful duties of the farm. After his marriage he located on the farm on which he now resides. On the 6th of .April, 1864, he was united in marriage to Catherine Morgan, a native of Coshocton county, Ohio, and a daughter of John and Sarah ( Foster) Morgan, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Ireland. When eleven years of age the mother came with her parents to America. Four
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children have blessed the union of our subject and wife, but one, Will- iam, is deceased. Edward married Flora Turpie, a native of North Lewisburg, Champaign county, and a daughter of James and Mary (West) Turpie. Mattie is the wife of Lank Worthington, of Plain City, Madison county, Ohio. Sallie is the wife of Joseph Clark, of Macks- ville, Kansas. Mr. Thompson is a member of the Grand Army Post, in which he holds pleasant relations with his old army conrades of the blue, and he is a member of the committee appointed to look after the wants of the old soldiers. His political support is given to the Republican party, and on its ticket he was elected to the office of constable for many years. His first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln in 1864, in Tennessee, and he has ever since remained a loyal supporter of Re- publican principles.
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MARTIN M. DICKINSON.
For many years an honored and highly respected citizen of Cham- paign county, the name of M. M. Dickinson is well deserving a place in a volume which contains the works of the county's most substantial business man. Throughout his career he made an untarnished record and unspotted reputation in industrial circles, and in all places and under all circumstances he was loyal to truth, honor and the right.
Mr. Dickinson was born in Logan county, Ohio, February 20. 1820. His father, Thomas Dickinson, was born near the line which separates the states of Virginia and Pennsylvania, but in a very early day removed to Logan county, Ohio, locating on a farm in the dense woods. His death there occurred in his ninety-first year. He was reared in the Quaker faitlı. The mother of our subject, who bore the maiden name of Maria Lowe, was a native of Virginia, and she was called to her final rest
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at the age of seventy-five years. Their son and the subject of this review, was born in the little log cabin in which the family first settled on coming to Logan county, and the primitive schools of the neighborhood he re- ceived his early education. In his youth he learned the blacksmith's trade, and sixteen years followed that occupation as a means of livelihood, a part of that time having been located at Zanesfield. In 1861 he came to Cham- paign county, securing a farm in Salem township. and during the re- mainder of his life time there followed agricultural pursuits. His career was ended by death on the Ioth of December, 1900. in his eighty-first year, he being. born February 20, 1820, and he passed away in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which he was a worthy and consistent member. His was a long, active, useful and honorable life, and his name is indelibly inscribed on the pages of Champaign county's history. In political matters he gave a stanch and unswerving support to the prin- ciples of the Republican party.
As a companion on the journey of life Mr. Dickinson chose Mar- garet Rea, and she was born in what is now East Liberty, Ohio, Octo- ber 6, 1820. Her father, Robert Rea, was a native of the Old Dominion, but in boyhood was taken to Logan county, Ohio. After his marriage he located on a farm on Mill creek, where he followed the tilling of the soil until his life's labors were ended in death, when he had reached his eighty- second year. He, too, was a member of the Quaker faith. His wife. formerly Polly Grubbs, came from Virginia, her native place, to Logan county, Ohio, in her girlhood, and her death occurred at the age of fifty- one years, passing away in the faith of the Baptist church. Unto this worthy couple were born ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom Mrs. Dickinson was the eldest in order of birth, and she was reared in Logan county. On the 6th of November, 1841. she gave her hand in marriage to M. M. Dickinson, and they became the parents of five children, namely: Samantha, the wife of Charles Fox, of Wayne
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township, who has four children, Vause, Martin, Ralph and Bessie : Louisa, the deceased wife of William Madden, by whom she had three children, Frederick, Nathaniel and Mary : \delia, the wife of James Yore. who has four sons, two. Richard B. and Lewis, by a former marriage. and two by the second union, Burnett and Martin : Ray, who is married and has three children, Sylvester. Nettie and Louisa; and Cora V., the wife of Ora A. Garard, who has seven children. Margaret. Fay, Vir- ginia. Estella. Louise, John Ralph and Alpha. Mrs. Dickins m resides at her pleasant home in Salem township, where she owns one hundred and thirty acres of rich and productive land, the cultivation of which is carried on by her grandson. She is a worthy member of the Presbyterian church.
JACOB DAGGER.
The Dagger family is one of the oldest in Champaign county and has been noted for many years for the sterling straits that are so character- istic of the subject of this sketch. They were among the first to locate in Concord township. this county, and there Jacob Dagger was born on the 2d of November. 1856. His father, Charles Dagger, was also born and reared in that township, and his sketch will be found elsewhere in this vohune. Jacob, the fourth child and second son in his parents' family of ten children, was early inured to the labors of the farm, assisting his father in the cultivation of the home place during the summer months, while in the winter seasons he attended the district schools of the neigh- borhood. In 1891 lie took up his abode in Wayne township, and after his arrival here purchased his present farm of two hundred acres. He has been identified with agricultural pursuits from his youth up and has made a success of his enterprises in this line. He has greatly improved his
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place, and his is now one of the valuable homesteads of the township. At the present time he is the candidate for the nomination for county commissioner on the Republican ticket. In his social relations he is a member of the Golden Eagle and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Cable, of the encampment at Woodstock, of the Junior Order of Amer- ican Mechanics at Urbana, Mad River Council, No. 56, of the Patrons of Husbandry Grange at Reynolds. He is also a member of the Baptist church at Kings Creek, in which he has served as trustee.
In October, 1882, Mr. Dagger was united in marriage to Miss Ida Norman, a native of Johnson township, Champaign county, Ohio. Her mother died when she was a child. and her death occurred May 7, 1897. leaving three sons, Lawrence E., Golden N. and Rolly D., all at home. Since attaining to years of maturity Mr. Dagger has given an active sup- port to the principles of the Republican party, and has ever taken an active interest in the welfare and development of his locality. He is broad in his views and liberal in his judgments, strong in his convictions and earnest in his opinions, but he has a social disposition, courteous and genial manner, and throughout the county in which his entire life has been passed he has a host of warm friends.
ANDREWS WILSON.
The name of Andrews Wilson is enduringly inscribed on the pages of Ohio's history in connection with her honored pioneers. He was born in Urbana township, Champaign county, December 3, 1813. His father, William Wilson, was a native of county Tyrone, Ireland, born September 25. 1780, and when sixteen years of age came with his parents, James and Rebecca Wilson, to this country, the voyage consuming six
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weeks. They, too, were natives of the green isle of Erin, and were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters, and all were born in Ireland. After their arrival in this country the family first located in Virginia, thence to Clark county, Ohio, there remaining until 1808, when they took up their abode in Harrison township, Champaign county, one and a half miles west of our subject's present place of residence. They afterward spent three years in Urbana township.
William Wilson, the father of our subject, accompanied his parents on their various removals, and from the age of fourteen years fought the stern battle of life for himself. His death occurrel in Harrison township, Champaign county, on the 11th of November, 1836. He was married in Greenbrier county. Virginia, to Rebecca Humphrey, a native of Ireland. When she was but two years of age she was brought by her parents to the United States, the family locating in Virginia, where she was reared and married. Unto this worthy couple were born eight children : Mary, James, Andrews, William, Margaret, John R., Adams and Rebecca. With the exception of the eldest daughter all were born in Champaign county, Ohio, and all are now deceased but our subject and his brother William.
When but three years of age Andrews Wilson was brought to the farm on which he now resides, and when about sixteen years of age he accompanied the family on their removal to another farm in the same township, but on account of the impure water there they returned to this place. The original boundaries of the farm have been increased until the tract now contains one hundred and fifty-seven acres, all of which is under an excellent state of cultivation and adorned with substantial and valuable improvements. When the family first located here the Indians would camp near their home, and at one time an Indian and British attack was expected, but it was afterward learned that the rumor was without foundation. For three generations, including the grandfather,
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father and subject, they have supported the principles of the Republican party, but the latter's first presidential vote was cast for Harrison in 1840. He has served his township as trustee, and has ever been active in all measures and movements intended for the general good.
The marriage of Mr. Wilson was celebrated in 1846, when Miss Elizabeth Jane Wright became his wife. She is a native of the Old Dominion, as were also her mother and father. Unto this union have been born the following children: Sarah Jane, Virginia, Hamilton. Selestine, Martha, Mary Ann, Benjamin, Harry and Ellen, all born on the old homestead in Champaign county; one child, named Charles Franklin, died in infancy, and two of the others, Selestine and Ellen, are now also deceased. The family are members of the Presbyterian and Methodist Episcopal churches. Mr. Wilson is now the oldest native born resident of Champaign county. In all the relations of life he has ever been faithful and true, and in his life work no shadow of wrong and suspicion of evil doing darkens his honored pathway.
BENJAMIN F. MILLER.
Honored and respected by all, Benjamin F. Miller has for many years been identified with the agricultural interests of Champaign county. He was born in Salem township. this county, on the 8th of August, 1852. His father, Joseph Miller, traced his nativity to the Old Dominion, his birth there occurring in Page county, but when a young man he made the journey to Champaign county, Ohio, on horseback, and here his death occurred on the 9th of December, 1902, at the age of seventy-eight years. He drove the last spike on the Sandusky division of the Big Four Railroad. He was a leading member of the Baptist church, in
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which he was an active worker and liberal contributor, and for many years served his church as a deacon. He was one of the promoters of the Kings Creek church. He was descended from a prominent old Vir- ginia family, and his father, Henry Miller, who was of German descent, was there called to his final rest. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Fannie Herr, and she claimed Pennsylvania as the state of her nativity. When a child she came with her parents to Ohio, and now lives on the old state road in Salem township.
Benjamin F. Miller, the eklest of his parents' nine children, received his elementary education in the common schools of his neighborhood, afterward attended the high school at Urbana and also took a business course in the A. DeWitt Business College, of Dayton, Ohio. He began his business life in Union county, Ohio, near Milford Center, where for eleven years he was engaged in the tilling of the soil, and on the expira- tion of that period came to the farm on which he now resides. His home- stead consists of one hundred and thirty-seven acres of rich and fertile land, where he is engaged in general farming and stock-raising. In 1892 he erected the beautiful and commodious residence which now adorns his place, and this is one of the finest homes in the locality.
On the 13th of January, 1881, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Miller and Miss Mary G. Mellroy. She was born in Rush township, Champaign county, Ohio, August 17, 1857, and is a daughter of John and Clariet ( Kimball) McIlroy. Her parents died before she was ten years old, and she was reared by her maternal grandfather, T. M. Kim- ball, in Champaign county, where she received a common-school edu- cation, and also attended the Normal schools of Lebanon and Urbana for a short time. She then taught school four years in Iowa and Ohio pre- vious to her marriage. One daughter, Lois Marie, born June 6, 1885, is now attending the high school at Urbana and expects to graduate next spring. Mr. Miller is a stanch Republican in his political views, and re-
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ligiously is a member of the Baptist church at King's Creek, in which he has served as a clerk for a number of years. Mrs. Miller and her daugh- ter, Lois Marie, became members of the Christian Catholic church located at Zion City, Illinois, the former on April 7, 1899, and the daughter October 18, 1899. From an early day representatives of the Miller family have been among the leading citizens of Champaign county, and he of whom we write shows the same generous spirit of hospitality and progressiveness which has characterized the ancestral line.
WILLIAM BLOSE.
The subject of this sketch is numbered among the representative farmers of Mad River township, where he has passed the entire period of his life, being a member of one of the pioneer families of Cham- paign county, with whose history the name has been inseparably and honorably identified from the early days when was inaugurated the work of reclaiming the heavily timbered land for cultivation.
Mr. Blose was born in this township, on the 28th of September, 1845. being a son of Lewis Blose, who likewise was born in this town- - ship, in the year 1819, and was here reared and educated, passing his entire life in this township and devoting his attention to the noble art of agriculture from his youth up. He died at the age of sixty years, honored by all who knew him and recognized as one of the influential men of the community. In politics he was originally a Whig and later a Republican. He was a son of John Blose, who was born in Virginia, whence he emigrated to Ohio and became one of the early settlers in Champaign county, locating in the virgin forests of Mad River township and here passing the residue of his life, his death oc-
Missouri Blose
WILLIAM BLOSE.
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curring when he was about sixty years of age. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Elizabeth Anderson, and she likewise was born in Mad River township, where her father, John Anderson, was one of the early settlers. She died at the age of seventy years. Her father was a native of Virginia, whence he came to Clark county, Ohio, where he remained for a time and then came to Champaign county, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death. Lewis and Elizabethi Blose became the parents of seven children. all of whom attained years of maturity, their names, in order of birth, being as follows: Margaret is deceased: William is the subject of this sketcli ; Mary C. is the widow of George Mauk and lives in Urbana township; John is a resident of Urbana township; Louisa is the wife of Lewis Cook, of Mad River township: Susan is the widow of Percival Kiser and is a resident of Tremont City, Clark county : and Emery T. is de- ceased.
William Blose grew up on the parental farmstead in Mad River township and in the district schools he received his early educational training. After his marrage, in 1866, Mr. Blose located on a farm in Urbana township, where he remained for a period of six years, after which, in 1872, he purchased a portion of his present homestead and has here maintained his residence since that time, the farm comprising one hundred and sixteen acres, in section II, and being well improved and under an excellent state of cultivation. Our subject also devotes considerable attention to the raising of high-grade live stock, and his place is one which shows the evidences of the energy and progressive methods which have been brought to bear in its management. In poli- tics Mr. Blose is Democratic in his views, but in local affairs casts his vote in support of the men he considers most eligible rather than being inflexibly partisan in the exercise of his franchise. Fraternally he is identified with Urbana Lodge. No. 46, I. O. O. F .. and with
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Magrew Lodge, No. 433. Knights of Pythias, of which he is a charter member, at Westville.
On the 29th of November, 1866, Mr. Blose was united in mar- riage to Miss Missouri Bechtel, who was born in Clark county, the daughter of Samuel and Christena (Sagers) Bechtel, both of whom were of German descent. To our subject and his wife have been born three children, namely: Minnie, who is deceased: Zella, who also is deceased : and Dollie, who is the wife of Henry L. Slager, manager of the Springfield Elastic Tread Company, manufacturers of rubber shoe- heels, of Springfield, Clark county.
AUGUSTUS M. ZIEGLER, M. D.
For many years Augustus M. Ziegler has been numbered among the leading physicians of Mingo, and is well deserving of a place in a volume which contains the histories of Champaign county's most sub- stantial business men. On the paternal side the family is of German descent, and from that country they made the journey to the new world with William Penn, locating in Pennsylvania. John Ziegler, the grand- father of our subject, was born in that commonwealth, and his son, Jeremiah Ziegler, was born in Perry county, Ohio. The latter was a shoemaker by trade, and followed that occupation throughout his entire business career as a means of livelihood. His death occurred in Mus- kingum county, this state, on the 25th of February, 1881, when he had reached the age of seventy-two years. For his first wife he chose a Miss Overdear, who bore him two daughters and a son,-Amelia, the wife of Charles Dutoit, of Columbus; Josephine, the wife of Joseph Bugh, of Fultonham, Ohio; and John, who died in Champaign county,
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Ohio. After her death he married Elizabeth Cullum, who was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but when fourteen years of age came with her parents to Muskingum county, Ohio. Her father, John Cullum, was also a native of Baltimore, Maryland, and was of Scotch descent. He was a miller by occupation, and prior to the Civil war owned many slaves. Mrs. Ziegler's death occurred in her seventy-seventh year. By her first marriage, to George Porter, she became the mother of two children, a son and a daughter, but the former died in infancy. The daughter, Olevia, is the wife of Henry Bugh, of Fultonham, Ohio. By her marriage to Mr. Ziegler seven children were born, five sons and two daughters, namely : Augustus M .. of this review; Henry, a civil engineer at Fultonhan, Ohio; George, a prominent farmer of Champaign county ; Harry, a physician of Flat Rock, Illinois; Perry, a druggist of Columbus, Ohio: Mary, who died in infancy; and Harriet, who died on the 6th of December, 1891, when twenty-six years of age.
Augustus M. Ziegler, whose name introduces this review, was born in Fultonham, Muskingum county, Ohio. November 8, 1851, and to the pioneer school of that town he is indebted for the educational privileges which he received in his youth. After completing his education he again entered the schoolroom as an instructor, spending the first year in the schools of his native town. For the following two years he taught in the schools of New Comerstown, Ohio, while the succeeding year was spent as an instructor in Adamsville, Ohio, after which he returned to Fultonham. After remaining one year in his native city he taught in a school west of West Liberty. While following the teacher's profes- sion he decided to make the practice of medicine his life work, and accordingly in 1876 entered the office of Dr. VanAtta, of Fultonham, and three years later, in 1879, entered the medical college of Columbus. He afterward matriculated in the Starling Medical College, in which he was graduated on the 25th of February. 1881, and from that year
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until 1883 was engaged in the practice of his chosen profession at Kings Creek, Champaign county. In the latter year he located for practice in Urbana, where he remained until the fall of 1885, and since that time he has been numbered among the leading practitioners of Mingo, where he has built up a large and lucrative patronage. In addition to his large general practice he is examining physician for a number of insurance companies, and for fifteen years has been notary public. In his social relations he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. North Lewisburg Lodge, No. 546, and of the Masonic fraternity at the same place, Blazing Star blue lodge and Star Chapter.
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