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 54
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bet have had four children. John Wilson was born May 18, 1861; George Grant, March 11, 1863; Charles Elsworth, October 28, 1866, and Gemirah, September 8, 1868. Mr. Garbet was among the hundred days' men in 1865, but did not go ont, furuishing a substitute, who went to the State of Virginia, staying some three weeks over time.
Mrs. Barbara Geyer was born in Germany, April 9, 1838, settling in this eounty in 1852. Her parents were Philip Spareberger and Catherine Young. She has been twice married. Her first husband was Peter Werner, who died in 1869. On the 2d of June, 1875. she was again married. Her husband is Robert Geyer, who was then a widower. Her children were Catherine, born May 27, 1856; Elizabeth, born March 2, 1861, dying the same Fall.
Samuel B. Garver, born in St. Clair Township, Sep- tember 7, 1843, is the son of Joseph L. Garver and Hannah Beeler. He was married February 15, 1866, in St. Clair Township, to Sarah C. Riley, daughter of Henry C. Riley and Mary Timberman. She was born March 24, 1845. They have had four children. Mary E. was born March 22, 1867; Joseph L., February 16, 1870; Susan J., November 1, 1875; and Henry R., December 25, 1879. Mr. Garver owns a farm, but in the season runs a threshing machine
Barton S. James was born in Hanover Township. Sep- tember 3, 1831. His parents were Barton and Wilhel- mina James, who are now both dead. He was married November 30, 1854, in Hamilton. to Mary Jane Long- fellow, daughter of John Longfellow, who came to this county in 1804, and Elizabeth Stephen. Mrs. James was born in St. Clair Township, May 11, 1832. They have had seven children. Charles E. was born November 1, 1856; Harry, December 12, 1859; Eveline W. E., No- vember 28, 1860; Benjamin F., Jr., September 25, 1862; William B., August 26, 1865; Olive May, December 10, 1867; and Olive L. V., April 28, 1871. Mir. James was a farmer, but at the time of his death held the appoint- ment of clerk of the Court of Common Pleas. He died December 2, 1879, aged forty-nine years, two months, and twenty-nine days. Three children are also dead. Henry S. died January 3, 1860, aged one year and twenty-three days; Olive May died November 12, 1875, aged seven years, eleven months, and two days; and Charles E. died July 1, 1878, aged twenty-one years, seven months, and twenty-four days.
Jacob Kumler was born in Pennsylvania, August 31, 1811. His father was Henry Kumler, and his mother Susanna Kumler. The former was an eminent minister of the United Brethren Church, in which he served as a bishop for twelve years, dying at the age of seventy-nine. The mother lived to the great age of ninety-tive. They came to this State in 1819. Jacob Kunder was married at Dayton, Ohio, to his first wife while still very young,
George Garbet, the son of Joseph Garbet and Bar- bara Hill, was born- in Yorkshire, England, January 3, 1832, and came to this county in 1853. He married December 12, 1860, in St. Clair, Butler County, Caro- line Young, born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Feb- ruary 6, 1830. Her parents were Matthias and Susan Young, the former being born March 21, 1792. They came to this county in June, 1840. Mr. and Mis. Gar- | he being a little less than twenty years old. She was
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Fanny Burtner, the child of George and Catherine Burt- ner. - She had the following children : George B. Kum- ler, born May 29, 1832; Abraham, born October 30, 1833, now living in Clinton County, Ohio; Margaret, Deecmiber 31, 1835, now living at Millville; Henry J., born February 27, 1838, now living at Jacksonburg ; John M., born August 31, 1840; Simon, born June 21, 1842; Francis M., born December 24, 1845, now living in Cumberland, Ohio; Benjamin F., born January 22, 1849, now_living at Millville; Fernandez B. O., born October 3, 1852, now living at Millville; and Louis A., born May 21, 1856, now living at Hamilton.
He was married Jaly 7, 1859, to Martha A. Shields, daughter of James Shields, an eminent pioneer, who rep- resented his county twenty-one years in the Legislature, and was also a member of Congress. A sketch of him will be found ,elsewhere. Mrs. Kumler's mother was Jane Wright. She was a native of Virginia. Mr. Kumler has followed the business of farmer nearly all his life, and is now retired. He was township trustce for the years 1874 and 1875. Of the children, George B. Kum- ler was a member of the Ninety-third Regiment, and was killed at the battle of Stone River. December 31, 1862; Simon Kumler was a member of Company C, Thirty- fifthi Regiment, and was killed at the battle of Mission Ridge, November 25, 1863; John M. Kumler was a member of the Fifteenth Regiment United States Army, and was seriously wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, September 20, 1863. He was left on the field, taken prisoner, and never heard of afterwards; Abraham and Francis M. Kumler were in the hundred days' service, in Colonel Thomas Moore's regiment. The latter is now a minister of the Presbyterian Church. No family can show a more noble record than this, and none are better known in the State.
William McKee was born in Bourbon County, Ken- tucky, ai Huyekston Creek, July 16, 1805. His father was John McKee, and his mother, Elizabeth MeClintock. He settled in this county in October, 1844. He was married February 21, 1828, to Louisa Stipp, also a na- tive of Bourbon County, where she was born December 10, 1811. They have bad eleven children, the first six being born in Bourbon County, and the others in this county. John McKee was born February 26, 1829; William M., January 17, 1832 ; Mary L., June 3, 1834; Samuel A. and Eliza J., August 6, 1837; Jane E., Oc- tober 2, 1839; George H., January 31, 1842; Ann E., January 14, 1845; Thomas D., January 22, 1847; Sarah, May 28, 1849; Joseph C., November 14, 1851 : James R., June 21, 1854, and Edward S., January 6. 1858. Four of his sons were in the late war. JJohn, late postmaster in Hamilton, was a captain ; William was in Texas, and was impressed into the Confederate service ; Samuel entered the service, but was soon dis- charged on account of being blind in one eye; and George H. went out on the last call and remained till
the close of the war. Mr. McKee is a farmer. His wife is the daughter of George Stipp and Sidney Miles.
Adam Plannett was born in New York City, June 2, 1838. He is the son of Adam and Charlotte L. Plau- nett, and settled in this county in 1873. Previous to this he had been in almost every State and Territory in the United States, following different occupations. In 1863 and 1864 he was probate judge of Benton County, Oregon. His wife, Christiana M. Gran, was born in Germany, February 3, 1846. Her parents are Frederick and Dorretta Grau. She was married in Hamilton, Sop- tember 6, 1875, and to their union one child has been granted-Charlotte L., born August 15, 1877. Mr. Plannett is now a tanner and currier.
Joseph Poppel was born in Germany, November 12, 1830. His parents were John Poppel and Theresa Touler. He came to this country in 1859, having pre- viously married, on the 12th of March, 1855, Magda- lena Plumb, daughter of Matthew Plumb. She was born in Germany, December 26, 1829. The fruits of this union have been as follows: Charles was born March 12, 1856; Mary, November 23, 1857; Agues, May 5, 1860; Joseph, April 26, 1862; Anna C., June 8, 1865; John, September 13, 1867; Frank, April 28, 1869, and William, September 29, 1875. Mr. Poppel is a farmer and fruit raiser, having on the place he now owns about cighteen acres of tine fruit trees of different varieties, all in good bearing order. He is also a stone- mason. His daughter married John Weise, April 13, 1881.
Henry C. Riley, son of James Riley and Nancy Yercus, was born in Jefferson County, Virginia, October 10, 1802. His parents came to this county in 1809. and he in 1833. He was married December 27, 1827, in Ross Township, to Mary Timberman, daughter of George Timberman and Anna Stephenson. She was born in Tennessee, October 11, 1812, and after being a faithful wife for forty-five years, died September 25, 1872. She bore him fourteen children, Nancy, William, George W., James M., Mary Jane, Thomas Jefferson, Rebecca Ann, David T., Eliza E., Sarah C., Annie T., Susan L., Martha C., and Margaret A. Seven are liv- ing and seven are dead. The latter are Nancy, William. George W., James M., Mary Jane, Martha C., and Margaret A. Rebecca Ann married Joseph Straub, Sarah C. married Samvel B. Garver, and David T. mar- ried Mary Morris. He has living fourteen grandehil- dren and one great-grandchild. He has always been a farmer, and has several times been supervisor. His brother Joshua was in the War of 1812.
James Smith, once sheriff of Hamilton County, lived for a great portion of his life in St. Clair Township. Hle was born December 22, 1763, in Cumberland County. Pennsylvania, and emigrated to the West in the year 1792, in conjunction with General James Findlay, with whom he formed a partnership after his arrival, which
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lasted more than ten years, under the firm name of Smith & Findlay. Their store was near the foot of Broadway, on Front Street. A short time after his arri- val he was appointed sheriff of the county, and on the formation of the State of Ohio, he was elected to that office by the people, being the first one thus honored. So long did he hold the shrievalty that he was commonly known as "Sheriff Smith." During a portion of this time he was collector of the revenue of the government of the United States for the Northwestern Territory and of the taxes for the county. Few men in the Northwest had more influence in the affairs of the community than he, and none exercised it minore wisely. He acted for a time as the private secretary of General St. Clair, who was governor of the Territory, and enjoyed his confidence and esteein. He was captain of the first light infantry company raised in Cincinnati, and when the second war with Great Britain broke out, went to the front as pay- master of the First Regiment, third detachment of the Ohio Militia, and was in Fort Meigs when it was besieged by the British and Indians during that war. About the year 1805 he came to Butler County, settling on the place in Section 21, St. Clair Township, at the mouth of Four-Mile Creek. Here he remained until his death, which occurred in 1834. He was a man of much capac- ity, benevolence, and public spirit, and gave his children the advantage of good educations. His widow and they (except two of the younger ones, who died in infancy) survived him. The late Charles K. Smith and John C. Smith, a public man of Wayne Township, were his sons, and James Smith, who married a sister of Almon Davis, of this county. They are now all dead.
Willian Sipp, son of William Henry Sipp and Ap- palonia Brown, was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 5, 1818, and settled in this county in July, 1810. His mother followed him to this country in 1846, dying the same year. His father died in 1842. In March. 1845, he was married at. Cincinnati, Ohio, to Catherina Bahn, daughter of Christian and Elizabeth Bahn, her birth oc- curring in Germany, August 15, 1822. The parents never came to this country. Mr. and Mrs. Sipp have had ten children. Louisa was born December 29, 1845; Wilhelnina, February 12, 1848; Adam, January 2, 1849; William, January 14, 1850; John, February 14, 1852; Elizabeth M., June 9, 1853; Christian, September 9, 1855; Jacob, September 5, 1857; Valentine, October 12, 1860; and Jacob, November 24, 1862. Louisa, Adam, Elizabeth M., and Jacob are dead. Mr. Sipp has been supervisor of St. Clair Township for three years. His occupation is that of a farmer.
David Chamberlain Scott was born in Milford Town- ship, Butler County, August 3, 1848, being the son of John Scott, who was also born in Milford Township, and Jane C. Gaston, who was born in Hamilton County. He married on the 14th of January, 1874, Agnes Mary McKee, who was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky,
September 15, 1849. She is the daughter of Samuel McKee and Margaret Ann Marshall. They came to live in this county in 1854, and the father is now dead. They have one child, Harry McKee, born April 22, 1877. John Scott was born in this county in 1810, and still resides on the same farm on which he was born. David C. Scott has always lived in this county, with the exception of about one year be spent in Danville, Ver- million County, Indiana. He had one brother, Alexan- der J., in the army for three months. David C. Scott also enlisted, but was discharged, on account of his age.
John P. Troutman was born in St. Clair Township. October 30, 1851. He is the son of John Troutman and Margaret Petry. They came to this county in 1819. The father died in 1856, but the mother is still living. On the 14th of September, 1871, he was married, in Hanover Township, to Mary L. Engel, daughter of George Engel and Appolonia Gaze, who are still living in Lemon Township. Mrs. Troutman was born in Au- burn, Butler County, August 20, 1854. She has two children. Anna Emma Louise was born December 19, 1873, and John Jacob, June 5, 1876. Mr. Troutman has been supervisor two terms, constable one term, and is now school director, as well as supervisor. His grand- father, Peter Troutman, was in the War of 1812. Johu Troutman is a farmer, and has been through life. At present he makes a specialty of raising fine blooded stock. He has some of the finest Poland China hogs in America. Durbin Ward, one of these, weighs three hundred and fifty pounds, at eleven months old, and Forest Ranger, one year old, exceeds him in weight. He has full- blooded sows to match them. Ile makes a specialty of raising fine horses for roadsters-George, St. Clair, and Melbrina Whip.
Jeremiah Warwick, fariner, was born August 6, 1811, in St. Clair Township, being the fourth child of J. W. and Genesee S. Warwick, the entire family consisting of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters. He was brought up at the place of his birth, receiving but a limited education, and early became accustomed to labor upon his father's farm. In the year 1805 his father (whose name was also Jeremiah) and Wilkins Warwick patented one hundred and sixty-four acres of land on Section 17 of St. Clair Township. The brothers joined forces, uniting their money in one sum for the purpose of making the purchase, and afterwards dividing the land in proportion to the money which each had ad- vanced. Wilkins received one hundred acres, and Jere- miah sixty-four. On these tracts of land the old-fash- ioned cabins were erected, the floor at first being the naked ground, and afterwards split logs. The land was entirely covered with timber, chiefly white oak, blue ash, sugar maple, and other deciduous trees, and there was a large growth of uuderbrush.
In those days there were no facilities for education. ! There were no public schools, and private schools were
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not numerous. The pioneer children were behind even those of the towns. Jeremiah Warwick, the younger, attended a school kept by Jonas Ball, who taught in the Winters. He was unable to go more than two or three weeks each season, until he had reached the age of fif- teen. Nevertheless, he learned to read, write, and go forward in Pike's Arithmetic as far as the single rule of three. After leaving school he, by his own exertions, learned how to keep books, and from time to time added to his literary information, but his principal oeenpation in his youth was in assisting his father in clearing the farın.
When he was about nine years old a somewhat noted teacher of vocal musie, John Hall, came into the neighbor- hood and introduced the patent note systemn. He organ- ized schools in various localities by subscription, charging each scholar fifty cents for thirteen afternoons or even- ings. There was then no definite length of lesson known to musie masters. He traveled from school to school as a sort of musical circuit rider, and was thus engaged every day, the schools being conducted in the dwellings. One was held in the cabin of Jeremiah Warwick, Sen., and the subject of this sketch was accustomed to stand on the outside of the house as a listener. He soon be- came infatuated with music, and developed in this line much talent. At the age of eighteen he began singing in publie, and afterwards followed teaching for some time as a profession. The book then used was called the "Masonic Harmony," which subsequently was supplanted by the " Union Harmony." He obtained his musical edu- cation without any assistance, pursuing his studies in the evening and during leisure hours. While engaged in giving instruction he had usually six schools, one for each evening during the week. His compensation was thirty dollars per term of thirteen evenings. He also sung from a work called Mason's "Harp," and a book composed and published by a noted preacher by the name of Rincheart. His earliest recollections of music teachers a e of John Hall and William Kirkwood. He recollects many of the early settiers of the county, those who made the first beginnings in the county.
He was married at the age of twenty-seven, on the 27th of September, 1838, to Miss Lydia Smith, the daughter of Daniel Smith, who emigrated from Pennsyl- vania to Ohio in 1818. About the date of his marriage he purchased a farm in Section 8 of St. Clair Township, on which he has since resided. He became a member of the United Brethren Church in 1852. He has led a life remarkable for sobriety, honesty, and integrity of pur- pose, and is now reaping the reward of his industry.
Genesce Warwick, one of the pioneer mothers of Butler County, was born in Sussex County, Delaware, on the first day of November, A. D. 1783. Her father was Allen Short, and her mother was Rachel Messick, both of whom were highly respectable citizens of Sussex County. Allen Short was born in England, from which
country his father emigrated while he was yet a child. The Messiek family was one of the oldest in Delaware. The parents of Genesee were the owners of a farm of about three hundred acres in Sussex County, upon which they lived. There was a large settlement of the Short family in Sussex County, consisting of the brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts of Allen Short. Mr. Allen Short, after his marriage, lived near his father's residence until Genesee was about three years of age. When at the age of thirty years he died, leaving his wife and five daughters, the youngest being Genesee. Mrs. Short. who was a woman of wonderful energy and industry, car- ried on the farm for three years, assisted by her daugh- ters, whom she taught to knit and spin when but six years of age. Mrs. Short then married Mr. Joseph Brooks, by whom she had one son, Finley Brooks, the father of Rev. Joseph Brooks, who, a short time before his death, in 1878, was elected governor of Arkansas, but in the contest with Baxter, his opponent, as to who should be inaugurated, was forced to relinquish his office to prevent civil war.
In the Fall of 1790, when Genesee was bnt seven years of age, Mr. Brooks with his family removed from Delaware to the State of Kentucky. At that time there was great excitement in Delaware over the new-found homes in the West. Mr. Allen Short's brothers, Eli, Jacob, Topham, and Obadiah had all previously emi- grated to Kentucky, while Thomas and Adam and sev- eral sisters remained in Delaware. The journey of Mr. Brooks and family, among them Genesce, from Dela- ware to Kentucky is strange to those used to modern methods of travel. They started with all their house- hold goods and themselves in, one wagon drawn by two horses. After traveling a day or two, one of the horses gave out, and it and the wagon were soll, and the re- maining horse was loaded with such articles as they could get on it, while Mr. Brooks and his family walked, each carrying some artiele. Mr. Brooks carried his ax and gun, the two great instruments that were so essential to pioneer existence, while Mrs. Brooks bore the rim of her spinning-wheel.
Thus the family traveled many hundred miles across the State of Pennsylvania, and arrived at Pittsburg, where they embarked upon a flat-boat and floated down the Ohio River to Limestone, Kentucky, now the city of Maysville. Leaving his family at Limestone, Mr. Brooks walked sixty miles through the woods aloue into the interior of Kentucky, to Eli Short's, got a wagon and came after his family and effects. After staying three or four weeks at Mr. Short's, he went to Seott County and settled within four miles of Georgetown, clearing land and farming it. After six years he removed to Fayette County, near Lexington. He lived here a few years and then resolved to go to Ohio, having heard of the fine lands in the Miami Valley. Accordingh, in the year 1804, Mr. Brooks came to Ohio, settling ou the
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south bank of Four-Mile Creek, purchasing and clearing a part of the farm now owned by Jeremiah Warwick. On this track Mr. Brooks built a hewed log-eabin, the first house built in that locality, and for many years thought to be wonderfully fine. Here Mr. Brooks lived for many years, being familiarly known as " Grand- daddy Brooks," and died honored and respected by all who knew him.
Genesee did not come with her father to Ohio, but remained with her sister Sallie in Kentucky, and met and married, in Woodford County, Jeremiah Warwick, who had previously emigrated from Maryland. The father of Jeremiah Warwick was William Warwick, who came from England in colonial times, and was a descend- ant of that family in Europe. William had a brother named Arthur, whose two sons were killed in the war of the Revolution, ou the side of the Americans.
William Warwick, the progenitor of the Warwick family in America, was the father of five cons -- William, Jr., Wilson, Wilkins, Wagemon, aud Jeremiah -- and five daughters -- Elizabeth, Mary, Sallie, Ann, and Drusie. William resided in Maryland until his death, the date of which is not known. His son William married in Maryland and removed to Genesee County, New York, after which all knowledge of his family is wanting. Wagemed was highly educated, became a teacher, was noted for his excellent qualities, but died while a young man. Wilson was also married in Maryland, removed to Scott County, Kentucky, and afterward to Cincinnati, where he was engaged in boat builing. He also sailed upon the Ohio River. His death was in Cincinnati. His two sons, Louis and William, afterward removed to Patriot, Indiana, where some of that branch of the fam- ily yet reside.
Wilkins and Jeremiah were married in Kentucky -- Wilkins marrying Sallie Short, and Jeremiah her sister, Genesee, the subject of this sketch. These young men and their wives immigrated to Ohio in the year 1806, arriving at Hamilton on the day before Christin .s of that year. They were obliged to stay over night in Hamil- ton, and to put up with an open shed as their only shel- ter, every other room iu the village being occupied. At that time there were only a few log cabins in Rossville, and no stores of any kind, while on the east side of the river there were bnt two steres, Blair's and Sutherland's. They crossed the Miami River on a flat-boat moved by oars, swimming their horses after them. The Warwick brothers parchased adjoining farms, and at ouce set about clearing the land, which was covered with heavy timber. Ia all the trials and hardships incident to life in the then unsettled West, Genesee was au active partaker with her busband, and mong the women of her times was one of the most remarkable in the county.
Genesee was the mother of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters. The sons were named Josiah, Greennp, Jeremiah, Tinley, William, Allen, Isaac, John,
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and James. The daughters were Cynthia, who married Mark M. Boatman; Rachel, who married David Over- peck ; and Martha Ann, who died while a young lady. The Boatman and Overpeck families, thus originated, are well known in Butler County. The oldest son, Josiah, married Clarissa Woods, and after a number of years' res- idenee in Butler County removed to Warren County, Ohio, where they and their children and grandchildren now reside. Greenup married Delilah Stevens, and raised a family of six children. He and his wife are both dead.
Tinley is married and living in Butler County. William was married to Nancy Longfellow, and with their family they are living in Wisconsin. Allen married Miss Sallie Smith, of this county, and he and his family are now living in Iowa. Isaac married Harriet Buckingham, of Hamilton County, Ohio, and with his family is living in Southern Illinois. John was married to Margaret Corn- thwait, a daughter of Edward Cornthwait, who lived near Trenton at that time. John, in company with his brother James, who was numarried, in the excitement of 1848 over gold discoveries in California, went to that State by the overland route. After moderate success in mining, they returned by way of the Isthmus, contracting on their way the Asiatic cholera, and both died shortly after their return, together with their father and Martha Ana, who also died with that malady. Martha Anu had just pre- vious to her death graduated from the seminary at Col- lege Hill, and was noted for her beauty and musical accomplishments.
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