A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 111

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 111

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Mons. Vincent was a fine musician. He was a good player on the flute and violin. He was also a pianist, and could tune pianos.

In 1821, he walked to Gallipolis and back in forty-eight hours to consult a French doctor about his family, four of whom were sick. He disliked horse-back riding, and traveled afoot. He walked to Gallipolis and back in 1837, when he was in his sixty-fifth year. He was an excellent gardener, and kept a vineyard and made wine. He raised tobacco and made cigars. He was a great reader, and C. A. M. Damarin was accustomed to furnish him with books. He took life easy and never hurried himself about anything.

He died August 22, 1846, of a fever, aged seventy-three years, ten months and nine days. In appearance he was a small spare man.

He had all the passion of the traditional Frenchman, and could get towering angry and hiss sacre through his teeth whenever oc- cassion required. If a neighbor wished to borrow anything that Vin- cent had, he would lend it cheerfully, but with the stipulated proviso that it be forthwith returned in good condition-failing in which, that neighbor was never accomodated the second time. The salient feature of Vincent's character was reliability. His word once being given, there was no evasion or quibbling. It was a prime article of his faith that a promise must be kept sacred at all hazards, and his word had for him as binding an obligation as a bond.

John Heaton Wait

was born March 22, 1811, at West Chazy, New York, on the shore of Lake Champlain. His family record will be found under the title of the Wait family. Benjamin Wait, his father, and family came to Ohio in 1814, from Vermont. The emigrants came by wagons to Pittsburg and on to Portsmouth by river and settled at what is now Wait's Station. His wife's maiden name was Lavina Heaton. She was born June 26, 1775. John H. married Malvina Sikes, Septem- ber 12, 1839.

When our subject was a youth, he decided to learn the trade of cabinet making and went to Pittsburg for that purpose. He remained there about two years, then went to Cincinnati and completed his course, after which he went back to visit his folks and decided to work at his trade at that place. He was a very skillful workman and his cleverness in designing and constructing furniture was a great source of pleasure to his friends, and some of them lamented the fact that soon everybody would be supplied and he would have nothing to do.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

In the year 1838, he moved to Portsmouth and opened a small shop on Market street. The next year, he bought a lot on Jefferson street and built a combined shop and dwelling. Here he made furni- ture, chairs and coffins for many years, doing all the work by hand. Some of the finest mahogany goods in the way of sideboards, tables and parlor chairs were made here and they were so well made by his superior skill that some of them are in use to this day. Later on he used horse power, the best of that day, and about the year 1850, built a steam factory, one of the first along the river, between Pittsburg and Cincinnati. In 1866, he was joined in business by his son, Gil- bert D., and it was conducted under the style of J. H. Wait & Son up to 1884, when he retired from business. His name in business stood for honesty and integrity and the goods he constructed proved the sincerity of his purposes.

His children were: Isabella, Gilbert, Emma, Fannie, Sarah and John, all living except Isabella. In politics, he was first a Whig, afterwards a Republican. He was a member of the Bigelow Method- ist church for many years. He died in Portsmouth, October 10, 1897, aged over eighty-six years. His wife died March 5, 1898.

William Waller, Sr.,

brother of George A. Waller, was born Feb. 7, 1805, the son of Dr. Thomas Waller. He grew up in Portsmouth, and became a dry goods merchant, and was in partnership with Jacob McCabe, as Wal- ler & McCabe.

For a considerable time he and Samuel Coles conducted a mill at Unionville in Washington Township. From 1830 to 1834, he was Treasurer of the county. In 1847, he was one of the County Commis- sioners, and served one term. He was a good citizen and a good business man. He was never married.

He was found dead in his bed November 25, 1854.

George Allen Waller

is descended from Charles Waller who came to Virginia in 1820, in the ship Adelaide, a single man. He married a Miss Allen in Vir- ginia, a native of Liverpool. His son William Waller married a. daughter of George Allen whose mother's maiden name was Withers. William Waller's son John was the father of Dr. Thomas Waller, father of our subject. George Allen Waller was born August 24, 1817, on Front street in the city of Portsmouth, in a house which stood just below where Dr. Titus now resides, which was moved to Fifth street below Court where it now stands. His father, Dr. Thomas Waller died July 23, 1823, and his mother, Elizabeth Macfarlane, two years later.

He was reared by his eldest sister and brother William. He went to school in Portsmouth until his seventeenth year, when he went with his brother-in-law Captain Cleveland, to locate a canal from

GEORGE ALLEN WALLER.

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PIONEER SKETCHES.

Indianapolis to Evansville, Ind. In 1836, he returned to Portsmouth and clerked for his brother William in his office of Canal Collector at Portsmouth. In the spring of 1837, he went to Indiana to superin- tend the building of a canal and was gone till the close of the year. In 1838, he engaged in store boating on the Ohio river. A boat was built and a store placed on it and floated from town to town along the river. The store boat would be kept at each point as long as it was deemed profitable. In 1839, he carried on wagon-making at Portsmouth with Samuel Peebles. In 1840, he went on the river and spent most of the time as a flat boat pilot until the spring of 1849. In this time he was clerk and captain of a steamboat, though most of the time a pilot. At that time pilots were not licensed.

October 6, 1847, he married to Miss Jane Davey, of Alexandria, Va., in the house where he died.

In the fall of 1848, he was elected Auditor of Scioto County on the Whig ticket, defeating Thomas Kendall on the Democratic tic- ket. He was re-elected in 1850, defeating James Thoroman. In 1852, he was elected to a third term as Auditor, defeating Thomas Kendall. In 1856, he engaged in the hardware business in Ports- mouth and continued in it for a period of over thirty years. In 1857, he was the financial agent of the Buckeye furnace. In 1859, he was Republican candidate for State Senator in the Seventh District, and was defeated by William Newman. In 1861, he was again the Re- publican candidate for State Senator in the Seventh District, and was defeated by Gen. B. F. Coates by 126 votes. He was a Whig so long as the Whig party lasted. In 1852, he was a delegate to the Whig National Convention at Baltimore, Md. When the Whig party went out he became a Republican and in 1854, he voted for Lincoln for President three times, first as a delegate to the National Convention which nominated him, second at the Presidential election as a voter, and third as a Presidential elector for his District. He became a Democrat in 1866, and remained with that party.

He was eleven years on the Board of Education of Portsmouth, six years from 1857 to 1863, when the Board was composed of three, and afterwards served five years when the members were elected by wards. During his membership the Fourth street, the High school, the Colored school and the Union street building were erected, and he was on the building committee, and was its chairman. He was for twelve years a member of the town and city council. In 1872 and until 1876, he was President of the Iron National bank. He was candidate for Treasurer of Scioto County against Mark B. Wells and was defeated. In 1889, he was elected Mayor of the city, and served one term. In 1893, he was appointed a member of the County Board of Elections and served four years. In 1897, he was appointed a member of the City Board of Elections for four years.

He died November 27, 1900.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

In all public positions, Mr. Waller has been known for his ex- cellent judgment, and for his integrity. While on the School Board, his fellow members nearly always followed the course advised by him. In school matters, he studied what was best, advocated that, and his fellow members necessarily followed him. But he was wrong in retiring Prof. E. E. White, as circumstances afterwards demonstrat- ed

John L. Ward

was born in Georgetown, D. C., Feburary 14, 1813. In 1818, his parents moved to Pickaway County, Ohio. At the age of 18, he went to Perryville, Ind., and began blacksmithing. He may be said to have hammered out his fortune on an anvil and it was a good one. In 1832, he went to New Orleans as most young men of his time did and was there during the prevalence of the cholera.' He returned to Lancaster, Ohio, and went to blacksmithing.

In 1835, he came to Portsmouth, which then had a population of 400 to 500. In 1836, he and Thomas Wilbahn went into partner- ship in blacksmithing at the south-east corner of Second and Jefferson streets. They continued in business until 1846, when Wilbahn with- drew and the next year Andrew Applegate came in. In 1843, Ward bought out Applegate and continued in business alone. At the same time he enlarged his business and made plows and wagons. At the same time he conducted a livery stable on Second street in the rear of the Hotel Portsmouth.

His career in public office began in 1843, when he was elected a Councilman from the first ward. In the same year he was a school Trustee. From 1844 to 1849, he was a Trustee of Wayne Township. From 1849 to 1852, he was a member of the town and city Council and one of the Committee on Claims. Hence, he was one of the aristocrats of the town and in that period he governed it and did it well. He always had the affection and good will of the fire laddies and was always trying to do something for them. So much did they think of him in 1859, he was made Fire Chief. From 1859 to 1863, he was Sheriff of Scioto County, and F. C. Searl, then a verdant and unsophisticated country school teacher was his deputy. Searl was an apt pupil in the school of experience and soon learned to be as good a politician as Ward. The latter may truly be said to have been the founder of Judge Searl's fortunes. The Judge admits it himself and hence, no proof is necessary. While Ward was Sheriff there was a remarkable friendship between Ward and Searl, which only terminat- ed with Ward's death. It was a stronger case than that of Damon and Pythias. Ward was much the older man, but the confidence he placed in Searl proved to be well bestowed and it lead to making the political and private fortune of Searl. From the Sheriff's office, John L. Ward went into the Treasurer's office and served there two terms, 1864 to

JOHN L. WARD.

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PIONEER SKETCHES.

1868. In 1852, with D. N. Murray and George Stevenson he under- took to manufacture engines and machinery. The firm was Ward, Murray & Stevenson, and it made the machinery for the Burgess mill.

In 1855, he sold out of the machine shop and went into the Bur- gess mill as a part owner, but did not give the business his personal attention and this venture of his very nearly proved his undoing. In 1862, he was a government tobacco inspector and U. S. Provost Mar- shal. In May, 1863. he performed the pleasantest duty of his life. The city of Portsmouth prepared a carload of provisions, clothing and hospital supplies for the 56th O. V. I., and he and Daniel Mc- Intire went down into the swamps of Louisiana with the goods and delivered them to the soldiers. The trip took them several weeks. The soldiers were much 'rejoiced to be remembered and unanimously sent back a vote of thanks to the city Council in which Messrs. Ward and McIntire were most highly spoken of. The Council also passed resolutions thanking them for their services in making the trip.

In 1855, he engaged in the hardware business with Joseph Cone as Ward & Cone. After some time George A. Waller was admitted as a partner and the firm was Ward. Waller & Cone. In 1875, Mr. Ward sold out the entire interest to George A. Waller. Cone having previously retired. When the lower mill failed. Mr. Ward apparent- ly to himself was financially ruined, but he made no sign. He sacri- ficed his property and went on. He retrieved his fortunes and died leaving a fine estate and owing no man a dollar. After he retired from the Treasurer's office he purchased two good farms in Green- Township and became a farmer.

In 1871, he was tempted to go into politics, and became a candi- date for County Commissioner. That year the candidates submitted their claims to a vote at the primaries and the poll stood William Kinney 665. John L. Ward. 663: so Mr. Ward continued his farm- ing.

In 1836, Mr. Ward married Miss Mary E. Smith of Lancaster, Ohio. They had one child, Mrs. Ellen Miller, wife of Captain Isaac Miller.

Mr. Ward was not a religious man. An occasional oath to him acted as a safety valve to express his feelings or opinions which were always strong, but if probity and integrity are religion. then Mr. Ward was remarkably religious. The following occurrence will show Mr. Ward's characteristics. A few years prior to his death he de- termined to put up a monument in the cemetery, and made a contract for the design in granite, having an anvil at the top, which now stands guard over his grave in the cemetery. He was notified that the mon- ument was ready for inspection and acceptance. His neighbor. John F. Gerding was coming to town in an express behind a pair of mules and invited Ward to go with him. Ward accepted, and to reciprocate

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

the favor, told Gerding to put the mules up in his stable on Sixth street. Capt. Isaac Miller warned Ward not to go near the mules in the stable, but Ward, did not think he needed any advice from his son-in-law about mules, and went into the stable. One of them kick- ed him in the face and knocked out two teeth, disfigured Ward's face very much and he lay unconscious for a half hour before he was dis- covered. When Ward was brought back to this world he said he thought eternity had come and the mule was the messenger to notify him. When shown the teeth the mule had displaced, he said they would do for corner stones to the proposed monument. Further com- menting on the affair he said, "I have lived 72 years, and the idea of being kicked by a d-d old mule at my age is more than any constitu- tion can bear." He, however, admitted that Captain Miller knew more about mules than he did, and that he ought to have listened to his advice.

We do not write this merely for the sake of giving a biography of John L. Ward. What is the lesson of his life? How many blacksmiths die leaving $80,000? How many of that trade rise above the anvil? How many men who are financially ruined at the age of 47 ever regain their fortunes? John L. Ward was a man of iron nerve and remarkable will power. When he determined on any- thing it was as good as accomplished. He would not undertake any- thing but what he believed he could do, and when he undertook it, it was done. The life of John L. Ward is a noble lesson and example to all young Americans, if they can walk in the path he followed. If a motto was made to illustrate his life, it would be "Nil desper- andum."

William Wertz

was born February 2, 1808, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His par- ents were Germans. There he learned the tailoring trade, which he followed during his life. When a young man, just of age, he left Philadelphia and went to Washington city, and engaged in business for himself for a year. He enjoyed a very fashionable trade in his business. In 1828, he came to Wheeling, and then to St. Clairsville, Ohio, and from there to Portsmouth, where he located in 1829. His grandson was a member of Congress from the Bedford, Pennsylva- nia, District, in the early history of the Republic. When he first came to Portsmouth to reside, he lived in a small house on Front street, be- tween Washington and Chillicothe. From there he moved to Court street in the Scott property, between Fourth and Fifth streets, and then to the old homestead opposite Lynn's livery stable, where he died.

He was married to Eliza Gibson, daughter of William Gibson, in! the year 1831. Mr. Gibson had been a blacksmith in Washington's Army, and kept a tavern at Bedford, Pennsylvania. William Wertz and wife had six children: Hattie, married to George Dennison, of

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PIONEER SKETCHES.

Milford, Ohio; Ambrose, who died in young manhood; Orliff, who resides in Portsmouth, and is better known as "Buddy ;" Mary, mar- ried to William Love, of Philadelphia; Wilbur, who is a brick con- tractor, and Ida, who died in childhood. Mr. Wertz worked a great deal of his time in the latter years of his life for Stephen D. Bishop. He was well up in his trade and could have made a fortune at it, had he tried. He was highly respected wherever he was known.

Mrs. Judith Watkins

was born January 25, 1797, in Hampshire County, Va., the daugh- ter of John and Elizabeth Timbrook near Romney. Her mother was a daughter of Lieutenant Lane, a soldier of the Revolution. Mrs. Lane was one of the ladies who strewed flowers in the pathway of Gen. Washington. The Timbrooks family resided in the Little Cabin valley. When a child she was chased by wolves, and rescued by her parents. In 1857. her mother died in her ninety-first year. Her brothers and sisters were as follows: William, died at Fort Wayne, Ind., aged 86; John, died near Portsmouth in 1840; James, died in the suburbs of Portsmouth in 1865; Rebecca, who married Samuel C. Briggs, died in 1840.

In the fall of 1815. Judith Timbrook married Thomas Bates Watkins. In March, 1821, she and her husband, her mother, sister Rebecca and brother James, with a wagon started west. At Browns- ville. Pa., they purchased a flat boat. They laid by, nights and Sun- days: They reached Portsmouth in April, 1821. They were laid up at Portsmouth with high winds. The people of Portsmouth tried to induce them to stay, and they sold their boat, bought horses and started for Chillicothe. The roads were so bad, that they gave up and located on the John Orme place, north of Portsmouth, where they raised a garden and Watkins teamed. Their flour was $5.00 per barrel, ham 5 cents per pound, eggs 5 cents per dozen, and all cther articles in proportion.

When the Scioto was high, flat boats came down manned by as many as twenty-four hands. Thos. B. Watkins farmed the bottoms for years and then removed to the brick house which formerly stood on Lincoln street north of Robinson avenue. In 1825, just after he went into partnership with Samuel C. Briggs, he was in the bottoms cutting wood when a large dead limb fell on him and paralyzed him. He lay helpless for six weeks. After recovering, he started a gro- cerv where the Second street school house now stands. He re- mained there till just before the flood of 1852, when he went to Lu- casville and kept a tavern. Charles Mastin kept a store there, and the residents there werc David Jones, father of Luke: Henry Roush, who also kept a tavern, and Dr. Watkins. A great many teamsters from Lancaster made Watkins' hotel their stopping place, and some- times there were as many as 20 wagons in front of the hotel at night.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

In 1829, they removed to Waverly and kept a tavern there. They entertained Duncan McArthur, Robert Lucas and other dis- tinguished men. In 1851, they returned to Portsmouth, and kept a tavern on Front and Massie streets where Reitz's office now is. Mr. Watkins afterwards kept a tavern known as the "Travelers' Home" which stood east of Chillicothe in the middle of Sixth street in front of the church. Mr. Watkins had always been a Democrat, but he voted for Mr. Lincoln in 1864. He had served in Captain Sealy's Company in the war of 1812. He died November 16, 1884. Mr. Watkins wore the first blue jeans made in Scioto County, and of it mitts were made for Dr. Waller, John Orme, Daniel Noel and other residents. His children were Mrs. S. H. Holmes, Thomas B. Watkins, James, Captain of the Anchor line steamer of St. Louis, Jefferson L., John Watkins, and Mrs. H. Densmore. Her son, Wil- liam, died in 1865 and her daughter, Mrs. Thomas Beatty, in 1865. Mrs. Watkins drew a pension on account of her husband's service in the war of 1812. It was granted under the law of March, 1878. She died April 15, 1885.

Peter and Charlotte Weaver.

Peter Weaver was a colored man born in 1748, an attache of the Court House and a well known character in the town. He was the first boot black in the town. He went to the taverns, shops and stores on Saturday afternoons and blacked shoes and boots. He had customers by the month and by the quarter. He lived on the site of the National Hotel. On April 23, 1825, he was allowed $3.00 for waiting and attending on the Court. On August 6, 1825, for at- tending on the court for six days, he was allowed $4.50. November term, 1827, he was allowed for waiting on the court, $3.75. For waiting on the court at the march term of 1829, he was allowed $3.75. Samuel M. Tracy had $33.33 1-3 for his services at the same term. On December 30, 1830, he was allowed by the county $4.00 for digging the grave of Mahala Murphy, an insane woman, who died in jail.

Peter Weaver was a member of the First Presbyterian church and prided himself on the fact. The colored churches did not suit him. He always wore a silk hat, usually furnished second hand from some friend in the church. In his latter days, Mr. Robert Bell fur- nished him in silk hats. In the latter part of his life, Peter lived on the present site of the Sixth Street Methodist church. His wife, Charlotte Weaver was a character. She was a midwife and a facto- tum about the town. No child could be born, no woman buried and no social function be given, without her assistance. She was born in 1778, on the south branch of the Potomac river, a slave, and at ten years was sold to a master named Walker, who took her to Ken- tucky. There she married Peter Weaver, who had had two wives

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PIONEER SKETCHES.

before, and was 3 years older than she. Weaver worked and bought his own freedom. Then he borrowed $1.000 and bought his wife's freedom, but was unable to buy that of his child by her. They came to Portsmouth before the town was located and built a cabin. They continued to live in Portsmouth till he died in 1865, at the age of 117 years. She survived until September 12, 1883, when she died in Columbus, Ohio, at the age of 105 years. She had never been sick and was found dead in her bed.

Nathan Wheeler, Jr.,

located in Portsmouth, in 1819. He had a. good education and was very expert in figures. From 1815 to 1819 he was clerk of Wayne Township. From 1817 to 1821 he was Sheriff of Scioto County ; at the same time he was collector of taxes. In 1820 he took part in the famous Fourth of July celebration. He was one of the marshals of the procession and Gen. William Kendall was the other. There was a public dinner and he responded to two toasts. On July 17, 1820, he issued an address to the electors of Pike, Scioto and Lawrence Counties as a candidate for Legislature, and while he led the poll in Scioto County, he was not elected. David Mitchell and William Mil- ler were elected. The vote stood as follows: Nathan Wheeler, 465; Caleb Hitchcock, 431 ; David Mitchell, 200; Miller, 151. This was before the time of political conventions and when each man de- termined his own candidacy. He had a brick yard in the east end of Portsmouth and made brick there. In December, 1820, he went into partnership with Arnold G. Sergeant, as a watch repairer, sil- ver and gun-smithing. He was the first person who ever made build- ing bricks in Portsmouth.

On May 4, 1817, John Brown resigned as councilman and Na- than Wheeler was appointed in his place. In 1819, he was Road Su- pervisor of Portsmouth. He died about the year 1826, but the exact date is not known, neither is his place of burial.

He was married March, 18II or 1812 to Nancy Chamberlin. They had three children. She was born in 1792, in Vermont and emigrated to Blennerhasset Island in 1801. She died at Ceredo, West Virginia, in June, 1869, in her 77th year.

Nathan Wheeler was a public spirited citizen. He was ever ready to take part in any public function, whether as a marshal, speak- er, or otherwise. He was well liked by his contemporaries. He was industrious and active and a suitable man to aid in building up a city or county. His residence while in Portsmouth was on the north side of Second street, near the Scioto river bridge, and it is said that he kept a ferry there part of the time.

Major Amos Wheeler

was born in Massachusetts, September 5. 1761. He was the son of Nathan Wheeler, a merchant who served for more than five years in

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 111

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612