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 68
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daughter of Benjamin A. and Sarah A. Page. To this union there has been born Grace C. Phares, December 27, 1879, and they have adopted Edna M. Phares, boro October 31, 1867.
W. D. Phares is a farmer. He is the son of George W. Phares, who was born November 20, 1801, and Jane WV. Phares, who was born January 14, 1800. They came to this county in 1805. W. D. Phares was born in Wayne Township the 16th of December, 1837, and was married November 23, 1860, to Hester F. Potelt- ner. Her father and mother were Dennis and Elizabeth Potchner. She came to this county in 1810, but Mr. Potchner was born in Preble County. Their daughter Hester was born in Preble County, July 18, 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Phares have two children, -- Mary D., born July 29, 1866, and Harry C., September 28, 1872. He served in the Sixty-third Ohio Regiment three years, from 1862 to 1864, and was honorably discharged.
James R. C. Phares, one of the sons of W. W. Phares, is a farmer. He was born in Wayne Township, January 13, 1819, and was married on the 19th of May, at Keokuk, Iowa, to Maria Oldenburg, daughter of Louis Oldenburg and Mary Church. She was born in Pennsylvania, April 10, 1807. Mr. Oldenburg was a native of Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Phares have had eight children,-Edmund, born August 19, 1848; An- drew B., March 16, 1850; Lawrence T., March 30, 1853; Louis A., March 24, 1856; Samuel I., January 10, 1859; Bellamy S., September 22, 1860; Hubert A., October 8, 1864; Tessie May, July 29, 1872. Mr. Phares was assessor in 1854, and member of the heard of education from 1860 to 1877.
Jeremiah Paulin, son of Jeremiah Paulin and Eliza- beth Hagerman, natives of New Jersey, was born in Wayne Township in 1808, and was married for the first time in 1843 to Elizabeth Leslie, born in Butler County about 1817. She died in 1853. She had five children, now all dead. For his second marriage he took Sarah W. Hagan, born in Butier County in 1829. The union was in 1863. They. have had three children. two now living. Thomas was born in 1866, and Elizabeth in 1867. Mr. Panlin is a self-made man, beginning life with nothing. He owns about six hundred aeres of land, of which he farms about fifty acres, letting out the rest. He votes the Republican ticket.
Ezekiel Samuels was born in North Carolina in 1823, and moved from there with his parents to Indiana, when he was about ten years old. There he remained imtil the death of his father, which oceurred in 1838, when his mother and family removed to Tennessee, where they remained until 1840, then coming to Ohio and settling in Butler County. Afterwards Mr. Samuels lived ies several years in Preble County, but since 1857 be bas lived permanently in Wayne Township. He married first, in 1844, Susan Kinsey, born in Preble County in 1821, who died in 1856. By her he had five children.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
Mary Catherine, wife of Thomas Samuels, lives in Seven- Mile; Martha Jane, wife of Reed Boatman, lives in Hamilton; Winnie, wife of Daniel W. Perry, lives in Preble County; James, who is married, lives in Seven- Mile; Joel Reed, married, lives in Preble County.
By his second marriage he had one child, which died an infant. His wife is Elizabeth Pugh, widow of Washı- ingtou Phares. She was born in this county in 1818. Mr. Samuels was one of a family of thirteen, who were left, by their father's death, in poor circumstances. He was early thrown upon his own resources, with no means, and a very limited education. By assiduous industry, however, he succeeded in edueating himself in after life. He volunteered in the Ove Hundred and Sixty-third Ohio National Guard during the late war, and was sent to West Virginia. He has held several offices in his town- ship, among others those of justice of the peace for six years, treasurer of the corporation ever since it existed, and also township assessor, constable, etc. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, joining it in his eighteenth year. He was for several years a member of the Odd Fellows. His father was out in the War of 1812, captain of a company under General Pinkton, see- ing considerable service, and remaining during the whole term. By industry and perseverance Mr. Samuels has succeeded in aceunmilating a good competency, now owning considerable property. He at present follows butchering.
Samuel Stokes was born in Burlington, New Jersey, in 1794, and in 1814 married Amy Middleton, born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in 1794. They had three children. Elizabeth and Sarah are deceased. James M. is married, and lives in Wayne Township. Samuel Stokes came to Warren County, Ohio, in 1823, and re- sided there two years, when he moved to Butler County, first settling in Trenton. He lived there about four years, when he removed to Jacksonburg, staying there until the day of his death, which was the 10th of October, 1860. His wife survived lim fourteen years, and died October 12, 1874.
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Mr. Stokes held the office of township treasurer for two years. He was elected, about 1827, a lieutenant of the local rifle company, then organized in Trenton. He was a self-made man. for although he received some as- sistance from his father, he was unfortunate, and lost it all before he came West, so that when he arrived in this neighborhood he had to commence life afresh. He gave his children good educations, and was able to leave con- siderable means behind him. He was reared a Quaker, but married outside of that Church and never applied for readmission. He was a man of genial habits aud temper, and a favorite with his friends and neighbors. He followed the oreupation of a blacksmith, both in New Jersey and in Butler County.
Ilis only son, James Middleton Stokes, is now a resi- deut of the township. He was born in 1815, in Burling-
ton, New Jersey, and was married in 1842 to Maria S. Cox. She was born in 1817 in Wayne Township. They have had three children. Sammel is married and lives in Wayne Township. James lives at home, and Will- iam, the eldest, is dead. He volunteered when the three years' men were called for, August 31, 1861, in the Thirty-fifth Regiment, and served till the battle of Mis- sion Ridge, where he was killed. He was in Company C at the time of his death, being third sergeant, and if he had lived would shortly have been promoted. His captain was John Earhart, and he had been in several engagements previously, including among others those of Perryville and Chickamauga. He was killed by a rifle- ball through the head.
Mr. Stokes has beld several township offices. He was township clerk in 1838, and again in 1842 was eleeted to the same position, holding it for twenty-one years, or until 1863. In 1865, 1866, and 1867 he was township trustee, and in 1873 was again elected clerk, which position he now holds. He followed the oeenpa- tion of a blacksmith, in Jacksonburg, for twenty-two years, learning his trade under his father, and remaining with him until 1855, when he moved to his present residence, going into farming. He is one of the leading citizens of this township, and owns and farms three hun- dred acres, which were bought by his father and himself.
Clemence Shafer, son of Emanuel and Eliza Shafer, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where both of his parents are now living, in 1830. He came permanently to reside in this eounty in 1875. He was married to Sarah Jane Fox, daughter of Thomas T. and Hannah Fox, on the 18th of March, 1858. She was born in Butler County in 1836, her parents coming here in 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Shafer have had ten children : Charles D., Thomas E., Cala M., Flora A., Emanuel H., Hannah R., George W., Bertha C., Clara E., and Roland C. Mr. Shafer is a farmer. He was out four months in the War of the Rebellion, and three of the other members of his family also served. 3. F. Shafer was out three years, Dillar Shater one year, and E. Card Shafer four montlıs.
William B. Thomas was born in Hamilton, October 3, 1826, and is the son of John H. Thomas and Eleanor C. Craig. The father came here in 1800, and the mother in 1801. Hle has been twice married. His first wife was Catherine Andrews, who was born in Wayne Town- ship, February 9, 1529, and he was joined to her in marriage in 1848. By her he had three children. Mary E. Sarini, born October 28, 1848, and Alfred ., Octo- ber 7, 1850. He was married afterwards to Sarah A. Shafer, daughter of Peter Shafer and Lydia A. Mills. She was born in Ohio, July 28, 1840. They have three children. Jackson P. Thomas was born April 1, 18el : William I., August 22, 1571, and John J., May 2, 1877. Mr. Thomas has been au assessor of Wayne Township one term, trustee of Jacksouburg sveta
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WAYNE.
terms, clerk several terms, and school director six years. His grandfather Craig was all through the Revolutionary War, and his father, when a small boy, was a drummer. Mr. Thomas was a leading merchant of this place for thirty years. At one time, when about forty years of age, he rode a horse from Cincinnati to Jacksonburg in two hours and fifteen minutes. He is a member of the Patriotie Order of America.
J. B. Tapscott was born in Warren County, Ohio, November 28, 1838, and came to live in this county in 1843. He is the son of William Tapscott and Margaret Baird, and is a manufacturer and dealer in post-augers. Mr. Tapscott has been twice married. His first union was to Eliza J. Carter, daughter of Albert Carter and Mary Shannon, and had by her the following children: Elizabeth Fletcher, Mary M. Bultz, and William. The last is dead. He was married for his second wife to Sarah Ann Sarber, daughter of Thomas Sarber and Elizabeth Long. By her he had issue Ellsworth, Samuel and Harry (now dead). Mr. Tapscott was brought up on a farm, and followed that occupation until he was twenty-five. In March, 1860, he inoved to Indiana, where he remained until the Spring of 1864, when he moved back to Jacksonburg, where he still remains. His grandfather, John Baird, was in the War of 1812, and did good service.
William Wolverton, treasurer of Wayne Township, was horn in Hamilton County, Ohio, iu 1820. He came to this county in 1827. He is the son of Isaac and Catherine Wolverton, who came to Hamilton County very early. Mr. Wolverton was married in Marion County, Indiana, on the 29th of May, 1851, to Melinda Alleu, a native of Wayne Township. Her father was David Allen and her mother Susannah Overpeck. Mr. and Mrs. Wolverton have had the following children : David, born March 14, 1852; Isaiah, October 20, 1853; Elizabeth Ann, November 29, 1855; Sarah C., August 14, 1858; Susannah, March 27, 1865; Mary J., May 9, 1861, and Edna, January 5, 1868. Isaiah died June 13, 1869, and Susannah died April 9, 1864. Mr. Wol- verton is a farmer, and has been the treasurer of his township since the Ist of March, 1854.
Laae Wolverton was an old settler, coming here in the beginning of the settlement of the country. He was a native of Washington County, Pennsylvania, and was the son of Colonel Thomas Wolverton, who went out as a private in the Revolutionary War at the age of seven- teen, and retired at the close of the contest as a colonel. Isaae Wolverton came to Hamilton County in 1812, set- tling in Wayne Township, in Butler County, in 1827. During His sojourn in Hamilton County he was married to Miss Catherine Frazce, a native of that county, by. whom he had nine children, five of whom survive. All of them are married. William lives in Wayne Town- ship; Thomas lives in Redwood County, Minnesota ; Isaac, in Richland County, Illinois; Jane, wife of John
Brelsford, lives in Wayne Township, and Elizabeth, wife of Jesse West, lives in Richland County, Illinois.
Mr. Wolverton was in the War of 1812, holding the rank of major under General Webb, in General Harri- son's army, and serving during the entire war. By in- dustry he accumulated a large property, owning at the end five hundred and eighty acres, which he divided among his children. He and his wife are both dead.
William, the son, was born in Hamilton County in 1820, coming to Butler County with his father and mother in 1827. He married Melinda Allen in 1850. She was born in the township where she now lives in 1829. By her he has had seven children, five of them now living. Sarah is married to George Paullin, but the other children-David, Anne E., Mary Jane, and Etua -- live at home. Mr. Wolverton has held several offices. He has been treasurer of Wayne Township for twenty- six years, from 1854 to the present time. He had some help from his father when he began, but his present for- tunate pecuniary condition is mainly the result of his own exertions. He now owns about three hundred and seventy acres, and devotes his time chiefly to farming and stock-raising.
John Withrow was born in North Carolina in 1768, and was married in 1794 to Anna Pottenger, born in 1773 in Maryland. He came to Butler County in 1799, and was in the War of 1812, in one of the engagements be- ing wounded by one of his own men. He was afterwards engaged in fighting with the Indians. His father, John Withrow, was all through the Revolutionary War.
James B. Withrow, son of John Withrow first men- tioned, was born in Wayne Township in 1812, and in 1837 married Margaretia Phares, who was also born in the same township in 1816. They had ten children. Mary Jane, the eldest, was born in 1838. She is the wife of Thomas Sater, and they live in Keokuk, Iowa. Dennis P. was born in 1839. Anna P. was born in 1841. She is the wife of Dr. Ben. Hardin, and lives in Keokuk, Iowa. Caroline A. was born in 1843. She is the wife of Samuel Stokes, and lives in Wayne Township. Will- iam P. was born in 1845; John S., in 1848; Georgetta, in 1850; and Winfield S., in 1852. Robert C., born in 1855, is married, and lives in Wayne Township. Arthur B. was horn in 1861.
Mr. Withrow has been township trustee for eleven years, also school director for twelve years. His song Dennis P. Withrow was in the war. He enlisted Au- gust 20, 1861, and entered the field September 20, of the same year. He was at the siege of Corinth, and the battles of Perryville, Kentucky, Mission Ridge, and Chickamauga, and was wounded at the last place. He was mustered out September 24, 1864. Mr. Withrow, Sen., owns and farms two hundred and forty aeres of land in Wayne Township, where his wife also owns thirty aeres.
William Withrow is a native of Wayne Township,
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY.
where he was born, January 5, 1822. His parents, Jolin and Sarah Withrow, came to this county among the carliest settlers. The former arrived here in 1800." John Mark, the grandfather of William Withrow, served in the second war with Great Britain. Mr. Withrow follows the calling of a farmer. He was married, Janu- ary 21, 1849, to Anna Hoofman, daughter of Jothan and Anna Hoofman. He came to this county in 1807, and she was born here, May 17, 1805. Mrs. Withrow was born August 3, 1827, and they have been blessed with three children. James F. was born August 5, 1850. John D. was born May 20, 1856, and died October 4, 1877 ; and Mary P. Withrow was born January 21, 1862. Mr. Withrow has held the position of supervisor for two terms.
Burns Wilson was born in Wayne Township, August 11, 1823. His parents were Brown Wilson, who was born in England in 1774, and Mary Burns, who was born in Pennsylvania, February 7, 1789. They came to this county about 1800, where Mr. Wilson immediately began improving some ground, of which he left a six- teenth interest to his son upon his death, September 26, 1823. He has completed the improvements until it is now one of the finest farms in the county, comprising four hundred and twenty-seven acres, much having been added to it. It now embraces the old homestead. He was married in Milford, March 24, 1833, to Melinda Young, born in that township, February 3, 1830. Their children are Richmond, William Elward, Mary Ann, Ella Irene, Samuel Brown, George Burns, Ada Melinda, and George Alvin.
Mrs. Wilson's father was Samuel Young, born in Pennsylvania, October 9, 1792, and Ruhamah MeKane, who was born in Warren County. Several of the fan- ily have been in the service of the United States. John Wilson, his uncle, and Thomas Burns were in the War of 1812, and Sanmel Elgar, his brother, was one of the hundred-days' men in the last war. Mr. Wilson himself furnished a substitute. His mother died June 22, 1865.
The Weaver family came to Ohio in 1808, settling in Wayne Township. Philip Weaver was the head of the family, and he had three children that arrived at maturity. He died at a very early date. His children were Tienry, Catherine, and John. Catherine married Samuel Snider. They are now all dead. Henry was e born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of February, 1790. He married Sarah Aunspach about 1814. She was also born in his native county in 1792, and died in Wayne Township in 1818. leaving two chil- dren, who are both dead. He then married, in 1819, Margaret Sarver, born in Pennsylvania in 1800, and dying in Wayne Township in 1845, leaving ten children, six of whom are living. Margaret, widow of Edwant Dingle, was bora March 16, 1824, and lives in Henry County; Elizabeth, wife of Owen Ecker, was born March 19, 1822, and lives in Whiteside County, Illinois ; Mag-
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dalen, wife of Samuel Krohn, was born July 22, 1837, and lives in Putnam County ; Daniel, born August 1, 1825, is married, and lives in Minnesota; Thomas, born July 3, 1831, is married, and lives in Iowa ; Henry, born September 23, 1835, is married, and lives in Jack- sonburg.
Mr. Weaver was married a third time in 1850. His wife was Catherine Emerick, born in Ohio in 1813, and dying in 1864. By her he had one child, a girl, who is now dead. He received about one hundred and twenty acres of land from his father, and being a skillful and persevering farmer, accumulated considerable property, finally owning about a thousand acres of land, which he divided among his children. He was a member of the German Lutheran Church, and held office as elder. He died in 1875.
After the surrender of Hull the whole country was in commotion, and the necessary troops to keep up the defenses of the Western frontier were drafted. Among them was Henry Weaver. His time was to be sixty days, but he was only out twenty-six days, when he was relieved. He went to Dayton, and was followed by his father to six miles above that place, where he overtook him. The father gave Henry six dollars in hard cash, a tin cup, and a few other little things. The money, how- ever, was of little use, as there were no stores and no inhabitants beyond there, and he could buy nothing, aud he so told his father. Then they went on to Fiqua, Troy, and Wapakoneta, and from that to the Little and then the Grand Auglaize.
General Winchester was in command of the army. Soon after arriving they were sent as a body on de- tached duty some distance, and through the negligence of the quarter-master they soon ran out of food. The officers had none to give them, and they were scon re- duced to extremities. In this juncture they thought of any edible roots that might be there, and for seven days they were reduced to live on the roots of the white hickory. This soon raised a spirit of insubordination, and no duty could be expected of them. An order came on for the detachment, sixty strong, to march on to another place, where there was provisions, but just about the time that this order came they had discovered a number of raccoons, and they determined to get them. When their order was delivered they refused to go, and said they might as well die there as anywhere else; they must have their racecons. It was a necessity of the case.
It was a lieutenant who brought the first order, and he went back and reported they would not move. A captain came best, and they refused obedience to hin :. Finally the major came, and, being a sensible man, and finding the troops obstinate, he sichled to necessity, an ! waited till the raccoons were all caught. There were a number of them, and enough of them were finally caught to give each a part of one of the animals.
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LEMON.
Having got them, they were more tractable, and marched off, each with a quarter of the beast in his hand. Their ronte was to Ottawa, leaving for that place about noon, and arriving about night. Here were large corn-fields standing, full of ears at their best eating condition. Bnt as their orders forbid a fire to be built, they went into tlie fields and began eating them raw. Some inen ate so many as to induce colic and death, and nearly all of tlrem ate too much. One or two dropped dead on the field. Henry Weaver devoured eight ears. When un- dergoing starvation he had buekled up his belt from time to time; but after getting at the corn he began unbuek- ling, one hole for eneh ear. So much had he caten of this unwholesome food that both his captain and colonel remonstrated with him. He afterwards never could bear the taste of corn. After this they camped in Defiance, aud after a few days returned home, being relieved by other levies.
Henry Weaver, his son, was born September 23, 1835, and was married in 1860 to Sarah Walters, born in Mid- dletown in 1839, and dying in 1863. He was married iu 1865 to Martha Harkrader, born in Ohio in 1839. They have two children, -Joseph Henry, born October 1, 1869, and Thomas, born November 1, 1873. He is a member of the German Lutheran Church, in which he is a deacon, and owns and farms one hundred and sev- enteen aeres,
Robert B. Withrow, farmer, was born in the town- ship in which he lives, January 27, 1824. His father was Samuel P. Withrow and his mother Mary Withrow. He was married to Angelina Morfe, daughter of Corne- lius and Eleanora Morfe, April 12, 1853. She was born in Liberty Township, March 29, 1831. He has had the following children: Mary E., January 20, 1854; Eva Ann, April 28, 1855; Henrietta, November 19, 1856; Ida Marie, June 26, 1858: Roberta, December 23, 1859; Samuel B., December 26, 1360; Laura Kate, June 15, 1862; Cornelius, January 7, 1864; Peter M., December 20, 1864; Robert C., September 14, 1865; Laura, March 12, 1868; Walter C., August 30, 1864. Mr. Withrow has been a member of the school board.
Henry A. Yost, farmer, was born in Morgan County, now West Virginia, January 18, 1848. His father, George Benjamin Yost, was for many years a captain of the militia, and his mother was Mary C. Swain. Henry A. Yost was married February 28, 1877, at Warfords- burg, Fulton County, Pennsylvania, to May H. Whis- ner, daughter of Peter Whisner and Rebecca M. Flecce. She was born December 23, 1853. They have one child, Arthur Benjamin Yost, born July 1, 1878. Mr. Yost came to this county on the 10th of July, 1874, and is a farmer. His brother, John H. Yost, was in the service about three years in the last war. His brother-in-law, G. W. Whisner, was in the Southern army one year.
LEMON.
THIS township is irregular in contour, caused by the diagonal direction of the Miami River, but its roads and farms are regularly laid out, and the country in general is under the highest state of improvement. It has not only good pikes, but the advantages of the river, the canal, and the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and In- dianapolis Railway, which traverse its entire length :. The Miami Valley here furnishes some of the best soil for agricultural purposes in the Symmes purchase. Dick's Creek is the principal stream of the interior of the town- ship, and in former times was highly important for its little saw-mills, grist-mills, and occasionally a distillery. The land was rich. Corn was always raised -in abun- danee, and to take care of the crops, of course, was en- joined as a duty. For this purpose distilleries were established in many places. Since that time not only the interior, but the creeks, the river, and especially the first settlements were favored with the presence of these stills, which were deemed indispensable for the consump- tion of the vast erops of corn raised each year.
Among the early settlers of Lemon Township were
the Dotys, Enochs, Shafors, Dieks, Freemaus, Reeds, Stewarte, Taylore, Hugheses, Balls, Wards, Clarke, Van- nests, Vails, Potters, Johustons, and hosts of others. They frequently rame without any thing save what they wore, and had nothing except land afterward. The work consisted mainly in felling the forest trees, raising corn for bread and flax for clothing, and in improving their land as well as circumstances would permit. Of those who were very carly on the grouud should be men- tioned the Fishers, Dotys, Freemans, Potters, Reeds, Vails, and some others, who were on the ground before 1800, and were in companionship with the brave red man of the forest.,
The villages of the township are Middletown, Amanda, Excello, Lesourdsville, Monroe, and Blue Ball. The beginning of settlement was on the Little Prairie, a bat- ural meadow that extended on both sides of the river, more than a mile in "length and half a mile in breadth, the northern end coming up to where Middletown now is. The rest of the township was covered with great forests. Symmies's northern line is in the south part of
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