USA > Ohio > Butler County > A history and biographical cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio, with illustrations and sketches of its representative men and pioneers. Vol. 2 > Part 35
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The greater part of Section 15, upon which Jones's Station stands, iu 1836 was owned by a few persons. John F. Carmichael owned two hundred and twenty- nine aeres, extending through the central portion of the section from east to west ; Sarah Walker owued one hun- dred acres on the south ; Jesse Hunt owned two hundred and twenty-nine acres in the north-western coruer; the
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north-western corner was divided among Margaret Van- matta, Mary Tolbert, Elisha Carr, and Aaron Vannatta. There were two large springs on this section at the time of the above ownership.
SYMMES'S CORNERS.
This village lies four miles south of Hamilton, on the pike leading to Cincinnati via Mt. Pleasant and College Hill, in Hamilton County. Its population in 1855 was one hundred and fifteen, but it now numbers about one hundred and fifty. Celadon Symmes, a nephew of the Judge, purchased the land now known as Section No. 34 of his unele, in 1795, and made his settlement here in the Fall of the same year. There is probably no bet- ter farming land in the county than this section.
The land on which Symmes's Corners now stands was owned in 1836 by Celadon Symmes, James Galbreath, and James L. Beaty. The Corners is situated in Sections 3, 4, 33, and 34. Beaty's land was in Sections 3 and 4; Galbreath's in 33, and Symmes's in 34. William Hun- ter owned the north-west corner of Section 33 in 1855, and Lucinda Pottenger the north-east corner of Section 3. Seetion 4 was divided among the Symmeses, or that portion of it which is now a part of the village.
The first house in the town was made of logs. It was built by the contractors of the turnpike for the ac- commodation of their hands. It stood in the south-west- ern corner of the town, on the Widow Pottenger's farm.
Abram Birch built the second house in the Corners, which was a frame, and stood on the north-west corner of Section 33.
Joseph R. Symines was the first village store-keeper. His house stood on the site where Benjamin Symmes new lives. This store building was destroyed by fire. Ben- jamin Symmes erected the brick which he now occupies, and opened the first tavern, or rather house of private entertainment.
Creyton Wilcox was the second man who began to entertain the public, in a frame house in the south-west corner of the village. At that time there was an im- mense travel passing this way toward Cincinnati. Hog- drivers, whisky teams, four and six horse loads of flour and other merchandise, passed constantly from the neigh- borhood of Richmond, Eaten, Oxford, and all the inte- rior country beyond.
Daniel Rosebone was a blacksmith where the village now is in 1831. John Hughes was here in 1832. These were the first two mechanics in this vicinity.
The Old School Presbyterian Church, which now stands immediately south of the line which divides See- tions Nos. 32 and 26, and in Hamilton County, was organized in Symmes's Corners about forty-five years ago, with Benjamin Symmes, Abram Huston, and John Melor as leaders in the organization. Rev. Mr. Patter- son, who preached here four or five years after the Church was organized, and Celadon Symmes were also
active in placing the Church upon a firm foundation. This Church was the outgrowth of the Venice, Spring- dale, and Hamilton Presbyterian Churches, and was built at the Corners to accommodate a sprinkling of all these societies. The old or first house is now standing. It cost one thousand one hundred and eighty dollars, and was built shortly after the organization of the society. Benjamin Symmes gave the land-one acre -- in the vil- lage for church purposes. In its best days this Church had some eighty ord members.
In the fifties the church in Hamilton County was built, in order more thoroughly to meet the wants of a. majority of the members who lived in this vicinity. It is now used with regularity.
The Sunday-school in the first house was organized by William N. Hunter, now dead, who was the first superintendent. Freeman G. Cary was also an active man in the same cause and office.
Joseph Walker, an early settler on Section 5, two miles and a half south of Hamilton, on the River road, gave the first land for burial purposes at this point. There was about half an aere in the lot. This ground was opened as early as 1805, a child of Mr. Walker's having died and being the first interment. At present there are some forty graves; the yard is seldom used, and is overgrown with briars and bushes.
In 1797 Celadon Symmes and Judge Burnett, of Cin- cinnati, gave half an acre of land each for burial purposes, half a mile cast of the Corners. An infant child of Mr. Synimes was the first interment here. About twelve years ago an addition of three-fourths of an acre was made. There are about one hundred and twenty-five burials in the ground at this time; the yard is not much used now.
Matthew Hueston was the first taveru-keeper in the southern side of Fairfield Township. He purchased the land on which he lived of Judge Symmes. Hueston's tavern was half a mile below Schenck's Station. Obadiah Schenck was in the same business at the same place in 1818, on the Springdale turnpike. In 1825 John G. Redsaker opened, and for a good many years carried on, the tavern-keeping business a mile below Schenck's, on the same road, in a frame house.
Benjamin Moore shot the last black bear in the southern side of the township in 1833 or 1834. The ani- mal had been chased from the east side of the county for a distance of about ten miles, and, having escaped from its pursuers, thought itself safe. It was seen, however, by some one, and the alarm was immediately given. whereupon the entire neighborhood turned out. Bruin took to a tree and was shot there by Mr. Moore, assisted by Wilkinson Beaty.
. Two of the oldest dwelling-houses in the neighborhood of Symmes's Corners are the John Walker house and the Joseph Walker house. They were built in 180 !. They are now weatherboarded and have the appearance of
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frame buildings. The former of these stands in Hamil- ton County, on the farm of William Hill; the latter in Fairfield, on the property of John Garver. PENA
The Walker brothers were originally from Virginia, . and when they came to Ohio were three in number. At their first settlement in the Miami Valley, near the mouth of the river, one of them was killed by the Indi- ans. The perpetrators of the erime were not discovered until some years afterwards. It happened at a barn- raising near North Bend, in Hamilton County. The Indians were at this time on terms of comparative friend- ship with the whites. At this gathering of the people of the neighborhood, the Indians made it convenient to be present. In the drunken orgies which followed, they unsuspectingly told what a face Walker made and how he acted when he was killed. He was, they said, shot and then tomahawked. John and Joseph, after hearing the story, immediately left the raising for home. They secured their guns, and, while the Indians were leaving the country, dispatched two of them with balls from their rifles. It was said that these men avenged the death of their brother near the spot where he fell.
The killing of the Indians caused some measures to "be taken for the arrest of the Walkers. In order to es- cape, they came to the neighborhood of Syinmes's Corners, changed their name to Wilson instead of Walker, and after a few months erected the houses we have described as now standing. Joseph Walker's house is tolerably. well preserved. These brothers had a fine hunting dog which they called Walker. They were great hunters and took delight in the chase. After remaining in this neighborhood for a few years they returned again to their old name, by which they were known up to the time of their death. Their descendants are now no longer in this section.
Another village which has existed here for years is Formandale, more commonly - known by the name of Sraptown. It was formerly the seat of a large boarding- school, carried on by Mr. Furman, and at one time there was a distillery here. There is a union Sunday-school, presided over by Thomas Slade.
The swampy region which lies south and east of Hamilton was for a long time a great injury to the sur- rounding country. This formed the head source of Mill Creek. Many years ago, however, under the direction of John W. Erwin, ditches were dug. and the country drained, enhancing its value tenfold. Many ice-ponds are located in this neighborhood, and the cutting and sale of ice has caused the investment of much money.
The postmasters have been :
January 28, 1876; John Brinkman, December 11, 1876; Henry Kehun, Aug 19, 1878.
Union Corners .-- Robert H. Cook, May 31, 1861.
Winton .- Reuben T. Butler, March 14, 1850. Dis- continued November 12, 1856.
Furmandale .- Nathaniel Furman, December 12, 1857. Diseontinned October 1, 1858.
The justices of the peace in Fairfield Township have been Celadon Symmes, Jacob Lewis, Isaac Stanley, Jo- seph Hunter, John Vinnedge, Matthew Hneston, John Cassiday, Joseph Gaston, James Heaton, William Pat- ton, Joseph Latta, Samuel Kennedy, Obadiah Schenck, Ezekiel McConnell, Dennis Ball, James O'Connor, Jolin Burk, Jonathan Pierson, Thomas Mitchell, William Hun- ter, Stephen Millikin, Richard Easton, Moore Vinnedge, John Hunter, Benjamin R. Symmes, William Sheeley, Jacob Piatt, M. P. Alston, Milton Cooper.
JOSEPH EWING MCDONALD.
Joseph F. McDonald, late Senator from Indiana, was born in Fairfield Township, on the 29th of August, 1819. His father, John McDonald, was of Seotch extraction, a native of Pennsylvania, and by occupation a farmer. He was a man of sterling worth, determined, industrious, and self-sacrifieing. He died when his son was still in infancy. His mother, Eleanor (Piatt) McDonald, was a Pennsylvanian. Her anecstors were French Huguenots, who located first in New Jersey, and afterwards settled permanently in Ohio. She was a woman of a superior. order of intellect. She was a woman of refined tastes, a pleasant writer, and, for the amusement and advance- ment of her children, wrote many sketches and scraps of song. She and her husband were both earnest members of the United Presbyterian Church.
Several years after the death of John MeDonald she was married to John Kerr, of Fairfield Township. Mr. Kerr was a native of Ireland, a frugal, industrious farnær always out of debt, a just and courteous neighbor, a firm but kind parent, and the father of seven children, four sons and three daughters. He moved with his family to Montgomery County, Indiana, in the Fall of 1826, en- tered land and opened a farm. He was a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church. He died in 1856.
Joseph was seven years of age when, in 1826, his parents located in Montgomery County, then an almost unbroken forest. He remained on the place until the age of twelve, excepting two years spent at Crawfordsville attending school. Such spare time as he could command from his labors on the farm was occupied in pursuing a course of study which aided much in laying the founda- tion for the eventful future in store for him. At an early age he conecived a strong love for the law, and when ten years old he had determined upon making that pre- fossion his life work, at the cost of any personal hardship or sacrifice. In his twelfth year the ambitious aspirant
Symme's Corners .- Thomas R. Waterson, April 10, 1843; Benjamin R. Symmes, April 29, 1844. The name was changed to Union Corners May 31, 1861, and re- stored to Symmes's Corners January 28, 1864. Robert HI. Cook, Jannary 28, 1864; Samuel Krider, January 8, 1866; John H. Mesles, January 11, 1869; John J. Linn, i for future honors at the bar became an apprentice at the
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guldler's trade at Lafayette, Indiana. In that capacity he served five years and nine months, except three months spent in attending school. For fidelity to their interests his employers released him from the last three months of his apprenticeship, which time he spent in pros- eruting his studies.
Following the resolution made before going to learn a trade, he pursued his studies with vigor at such times as he could snateh from work or rest. He had already become quite proficient in the English branches and rudi- ments of learning. His favorite study was history, in which he became well versed. During his apprenticeship he had access to the extensive and well selected library of Doctor Israel T. Canby, who was then receiver of the publie moneys of the land office at Crawfordsville, Indi- ana. This opportunity was well improved, and he was prepared when leaving there, in 1838, to enter upon advanced fields of knowledge.
At the age of eighteen he entered Wabash College, at Crawfordsville, and began the study of the higher branches of learning with success, supporting himself mainly by plying his trade at such times as it was pos- sible to do so. He continued his studies at college till the Spring of 1840, except for a short period in the Spring of 1839, when he acted with the engineer corps of the State of Indiana, who were then surveying the bed for the Wabash and Erie Canal. In 1840 he entered Asbury University, at Greencastle, Indiana, and remained six months, returning to Crawfordsville, where he was the rest of the year, and taught school one term. In the Spring of 1841, he went to Williamsport, Indiana, taking a position as clerk in the store of James McDon- ald, his brother, being there one year.
In the Spring of 1842 he began the study of law at Lafayette, Indiana, with Zellen Beard, one of the first lawyers in the State, as his preceptor. He advanced with rapid strides, his quick and firm grasp of its prin- ciples being remarkable. He was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Indiana, consisting of Judges Blackford, Dewey, and Sullivan, in the Spring of 1843. He was nominated for the office of prosecuting attorney before he received his license to practice, and was elected to that position at the August election following, over Robert Jones, a Whig, and a prominent member of the Lafayette bar. This was the first election of that class of officers by the people, they having formerly been chosen by the Legislature.
On the 25th of December, 1844, he was married to Nancy Ruth Buell, at Williamsport, Indiana. She was the daughter of Doctor Buell, a practicing physician and surgeon. The issue of this uuion was Ezekiel M., Mal- colm A., Frank B., and Annie M. MeDonald, afterwards Mrs. Callwell, who died June 2, 1877.
He was re-elected prosecuting attorney over Robert Evans, a prominent lawyer and politician, in August, 1845, serving in all a period of four years. In the Fall
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of 1847 he moved to Crawfordsville and entered on the practice of the law, where he lived until 1859. He was elected to the Thirty-first Congress from the old Eighth Distriet in August, 1849, and served one term. In 1856 he was elected attorney-general of Indiana, being the first chosen to this office by the people, and was re-elected in 1858, serving in all four years. He was not a candi- date for a third term.
In the Spring of 1859 he removed to Indianapolis, forming a partnership with Addison L. Roach, ex-judge of the Supreme Court of Indiana. In 1864 McDonald was nominated for Governor of Indiana by the Demo- cratic State Convention, and made a joint canvas with Oliver P. Morton, the Republican nominee. At the election he received six thousand more votes for Gov- ernor than the Democratie State ticket did in 1862, when the entire Democratie State ticket, together withi a majority in both branches of the General Assembly, was elected. Mr. Morton was elected, however, by nearly twenty thousand votes.
In 1868 E. M. McDonald became the law partner of his father, and the next year Addison L. Roach retired from the firm. E. M. McDonald died January 1, 1873. Frank B. McDonald, his youngest son, has since become the law partner of Mr. MeDonald.
Senator MeDonakl's wife died on September 7, 1872. On the 15th of September, 1874, he married Araminta W. Vance, of Crawfordsville, who died February 2, 1875. He has lately been married for a third time.
Throughout his entire life he has strictly adhered to his resolution to follow the law and make a success of his profession. He has been engaged in some of the most important cases that have been tried in the State since his admission to the bar. He was of counsel for the de- fendants in the celebrated case of the United States vs. Bowles, Milligan, and Horsey, tried for conspiracy and treason by a military commission at Indianapolis, and sentenced to be hung. The case was taken to the Su- preme Court of the United States, where several impor- tant constitutional questions arose as to the relation of the general government to the States, the war power of the government, and the rights of the citizen. The defend- ants were released by the Supreme Court. He was of counsel for defendants in the noted case of Bebee vs. The State, in which the Supreme Court decided that the eu- actment which was known as the Maine liquor law was unconstitutional. He was one of the attorneys for the parties who assailed the constitutionality of what was known as the Baxter liquor law. In the Supreme Court of the State and the federal court he has taken an active part in many important cases, one of the most important being the case of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, and St. Louis Railroad Company vs. The Columnbus, Chicago, and In- diana Central Railway Company, in which was involved a network of railroad interests and large sums of money, depending upon the validity and construction of a ninety-
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nine years' lease. He made the principal argument for the objectors in the count of the electoral vote of Loui- siana before the Electoral Commission appointed to deter- mine the result of the Presidential election of 1876. Mr. McDonald thinks that the creation of this commission was the exercise of a doubtful power in a case of appar- ent necessity.
Joseph Ewing McDonald was elected to the United States Senate for six years, to succeed Daniel D. Pratt, and took his seat March 5, 1875. He was chairman of the Committee on Public Lands, and the second mem- ber of the Judiciary Committee of the Senate, and ranked as one of the best lawyers of that body. He is, and has always been, a firm, consistent Democrat, of the Jeffer- son school, as personified in the political life of Andrew Jackson. He was a member of the Senate committee which visited New Orleans to investigate the count of the vote of Louisiana in the contest of 1876. He was also on the Teller-Wallace committee to investigate frauds in elections in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He was chairman of the Democratie State Convention in 1868, and of the Democratic State Central Committee during the campaigns of 1868 and 1874.
As an orator, both at the bar and on the hustings, he is cool, logical, and forcible; as a citizen, he has the confidence and respect of all who know him, regardless of political creeds. He has traveled extensively in his own country, and is thoroughly acquainted with its institutions and people. He is a member of tlie Episco- pal Church. He is regarded by all parties as a states- man of acknowledged merit. His views are broad and comprehensive on all questions of publie interest ; not a man of expedients, but stating his views clearly and boldly, leaving the result to the candid judgment of the people. The opinions of his most bitter opponents are never treated with disdain. Few men have enjoyed the uniform confidence of their fellow-citizens to the extent that he has.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES.
Elbert Armstrong, M. D., was born August 22, 1849, in Franklin County, Indiana. He studied medicine in Cincinnati under his brother, Clinton L. Armstrong, poliee surgeon, and graduated at the Ohio Medical Col- lege, Cincinnati, in 1875, practicing in Sandborn, Knox County, Indiana, for one year. In 1876 he came to Butler County, settling at Symmes's Corners, where he still remains. His great-grandfather on his mother's side, Henry Case, and his two brothers, were soldiers in the Revolution, Heury being wounded in the thigh. He died in Springdale, Hamilton County, years afterwards. John Armstrong, his grandfather on his father's side, was in the War of 1812. His brother, Clinton L., was in the war of the Hel lion in the Fighty-econd Indiana Reg- iment, Company D, and was wounded in the thigh at the assault on Vicksburg, while placing the ladders for the scaling.
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James Beard, farmer, was born in Pennsylvania in 1777. He was married in 1798, and had four children : John Beard, born December 21, 1810; Jane Sample, born October 9, 1806; Jacob Beard, December 14, 1802; Perry Beard, July 11, 1821. He moved to this county in 1807. His wife's name was Peggy, and she was a native of Virginia. John, Jacob, and Perry live on the sanic farm that their father originally entered, and have been fortunate in life. W. L. Beard was in the mili- tary service, both in the Mexican War and during the Rebellion.
James Blackburn, first sheriff of the county, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1757, and was married to Sarah Lytle, born in the same State, in 1784. They came out to this country in 1800. Mrs. Blackburn's father was Sanderson Lytle, and her mother Margaret. Mr. Black- burn had five children. Alexander lives in Fairfield ; Margaret is the wife of James Buchanan, and lives in Indianapolis ; Sarah lives in Fairfield; Mary Ann Ham- ilton lives in Fairfield, as docs Rachel, the widow of Israel Lake, Mr. Blackburn was one of the leading members of the community. He held the office of sheriff and served on the school-board. He was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, being for seven years in the trans- port service. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. By occupation be was a farmer, owning three hundred and twenty acres of land in this county. He died in 1842, and his wife died in 1856.
Hector Basson was born in France in 1817, settling in this county in 1865. His wife, to whom he was married in Hamburg, Germany, in 1844, is a native of Hanover, where she was born in 1817. Her maiden name was Caroline Luike, and ber parents were William and Louisa (Ludcike) Luike. They have had six chil- dren. Charles is married and lives in Liberty Town- ship; Joseph lives in Richmond, Indiana; Hector is in Moline, Illinois : Antoinette is the wife of Aaron Synimes, of Fairfield Township, and Caroline and Hortense are at home. Mr. Basson has held the office of township trustee in Cumminsville, and also in Fairfield. He was elected Captain in a company of Texas Rangers during the Mexican War, but owing to sickness was prevented from going out. His parents were Frederie Christophe and Antoinette (nee Lepaux) Basson. When he first came to the United States he settled in Galveston, Texas, and remained four years, coming in 1848 to Ohio, and settling in Mount Pleasant, Hamilton County, where he began business as general store-keeper. In 1865 he moved to Symmes's Corners, where he kept a store, and in 1876 moved to his present residence in Furmandale, fol- lowing the same business. Frederic Christophe Basson, his father, was the oldest officer in the British army at the time of his decease, being a major of infantry, con- manding a battalion of French legitinists at the battle of Waterloo. He was also a colonel of cavalry during the Peninsular War. His father was a French Protestant,
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and emigrated from France to Westphalia, in Germany, where his son was born.
James Clawson was born in Fayette County, Penn- sylvania, in 1795, and was married for the first time iu 1816. His wife was Rebecca Vail, born in Pennsylvania in 1798, and dying in Butler County in 1869. He had twelve children, eight of whom reached maturity and married, and four of whom are still living. Stephen V. is married and lives in Liberty Township. He was born December 26, 1819. Jephthah is married and lives in Fairfield Township. He was born June 3, 1823. Wil- son T. is married and lives in Liberty Township. He was born November 21, 1829. Frederick D. is married and lives in Hamilton. He was born in 1841. Mary, wife of James Hancock, lives in Hamilton, and was born in 1843. Henderson is married and lives in Hamilton. He was born in 1846. John is single and lives at home. He was born in 1852. Jennie, widow of Frank Hair, was born August 17, 1855, and lives at home. Deziah, wife of Salem Pocock, was born April 13, 1857, and lives in Hanover Township. Mr. Clawson was married a sec- ond time in 1869. His wife was Eliza Weaver, born in Butler County, in 1812, and dying in 1870. He was married the third time in 1871 to Mary A. Devou, widow of George W. Louthan, born in Hamilton Sep- tember 17, 1819. She is still living. Mr. Clawson came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in 1802, and settled in Lemon Township with his father. He is a self-made man, hav- ing nothing when he began but a horse. He rented for the first three years, and bought a lot in Middletown, which he built on, and afterwards traded for twenty-five acres in Liberty Township, which was his first farm. He has steadily added to this till now he owns six huu- dred and fifteen acres in Butler County, besides other property to a large amount. He has also assisted his children much. He is a member of the Baptist Church, having been so since the year 1812.
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