A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 119

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 119

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Levi Brown

was born in Pike county, Ohio, January 7, 1883. His father, David Brown, was a native of Vermont and came to Scioto county, Ohio, when Levi was two years old. His mother's maiden name was Lavinia Pool. She is still living, being in her eighty-sixth year. David Brown, her husband, died at California, Pike coun- ty, Ohio, April 15, 1900, at the age of eighty-six years. Our subject was one of five children: Ransom, Levi, Thomas H., Eliza. wife of a Rev. Harrison, and Filmore, who died when very young. Levi Brown was brought up on a farm and received his education in a subscription school. When eighteen years of age, he and Alex Calder built a grist and saw mill at California and operated it from 1856 to 1859. On May 2, 1864, he enlisted in Co. F, 140th O. V. 1. and served until September 3, 1864. He has always been a republican and is a member of the Free Will Baptist church. At the age of twenty-three he married Ruhama Stockham, a daughter of William Stockham, who is living at California, Ohio, aged eighty-eight years. Our subject has had ten children by his first marriage, and all of them are living. Their names are: George L., Ruhama, wife of Al- bert Diber: Mary, Lois, wife of Henry Koger; Dora W., William D., Otto Scott, Claudine C., Abigail, wife of Perry Prindel, living near Robbtown, Pickaway county. Ohio; and Margaret Ethel. His wife died January 15, 1897, and he mar- ried her sister Nancy A., February, 1898. Directly after his first marriage, he went to farming and has been engaged in that occupation and has resided on the same farm ever since. He cultivates between 300 and 400 acres lying partly in Pike and partly in Scioto county, but his residence is in Scioto county.

Milton Wesley Brown

was born Sept. 2, 1836 in Marion township, Pike county, Ohio. His father Royal Brown, was born in Vermont. At the age of three years he was brought by his father to Portsmouth. His grandfather was David Brown. who has a sketch herein. Our subject's father landed at Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1816. Mr. Brown had a common school education, and became a farmer. He is one of the few farmers who have a sincere love for the vocation. His first ventures in

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

business was the buying and selling of cattle. He enlisted in Company G. 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry, August 11, 1862, appointed corporal Oct. 19, 1863, and mustered out with the company June 24, 1865. During a portion of his ser- vice he was detailed as one of a company composing Blazer's scouts, whose deeds of daring and courage are known to all familiar with the history of the Civil War.

Our subject was married August 21, 1856, to Sarah Wood, one of the daughters of Simeon Wood, who has a sketch herein. Their children are: As- bury, born May 14, 1858; Rachel, born 1861, died at the age of one year; Charles Wesley, born Oct. 7, 1862; Emeline Florence, born Oct. 7, 1867, is the wife of John Quincy Adams, of Portsmouth O .; Edgar, the youngest, was born Dec. 12, 1873.

His brother, John S. Brown, enlisted Oct. 18, 1863, as a recruit, at the age of nineteen, in the 91st Ohio Volunteer Infantry for three years; and on Oct. 22, 1864, was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps to serve out his term of en- listment.

Our subject resided in Harrison township until after the war and in 1883 moved to Madison township on the Squires farm. In 1898 he bought the Dow Mckinney tarm in Madison township and moved upon it, and gave up the pos- session of the Squires farm to his son, Edgar. Mr. Brown has 400 acres of land in his home farm and tills it well; but one of the great features of his business is his herd of Jersey cattle.

He was elected commissioner of Scioto county in 1887, and served until 1894, with great credit. At his first election the vote stood, Brown, republican, 3,526; Win. Mckinney, democrat, 2,501, majority 755. In 1890, the second elec- tion, the vote stood, Brown 3,556; Asa McCall 2,746; majority, 810.

From 1894 to 1898, Mr. Brown was in Portsmouth, with his eldest son, engaged in the business of selling farming implements. In 1898, he took up a permanent residence in Madison township on the old Dow Mckinney tarm, to which he has made several additions. He and his wife reside alone, Though in the sixtys, they have forgotten that fact and work just as hard and as con- tinuously as

if they were just beginning life like a young couple. Beginning with nothing, he has accumulated a handsome competence which he holds in his own name. In addition to this he has placed two of his sons Oll good tarms, and set them out in life with a most excellent beginning. He has also assisted his other children.

Mr. Brown has been all his lifetime an unswerving republican. He is a consistent member of the Methodist Protestant church at Scioto, one mile south of Harrisonville. He is an up-to-date farmer, and takes all the journals relating to his specialties in farming and dairying, and keeps informed on all modern methods.

"Mr. Brown is one of Nature's favorites, A man gifted by Nature as he is, cannot make a failure of life. He is by Nature a strictly honest man. His bond is good for any amount he will give it for. His word is just as good, and it he believes a thing to be your due from him, you are just as sure to get it as if you had his word and bond. People who do not know him, sometimes re- gard him as unduly exacting. He may be exacting in the sense that he wishes others to comply with their contracts and meet their engagements, but when one knows him he finds that he is liberal with others, compared with what he exacts from himself towards them. He witholds from no man his due, He is a man of unbounded energy and of unusual ability, untiring industry, strictly temperate, frugal and economical. He is a success in the broadest and most liberal sense."

Charles Edwin Brown

was born October 1, 1856, at Piketon, Ohio. His father was Henry Brown, and his mother's maiden name was Sarah Duke, daughter of Samuel Duke. He was reared at Piketon and attended school there until eighteen years of age. He then became a traveling salesman in the grocery business for fifteen years, and the last seven years has been with the Standard Oil Company, located at Charleston, W. Va. For the last two years he has had charge of the managing office at Charleston. He has been a resident of Portsmouth for fifteen years. He was married in July, 1882, to Miss Alice Green, daughter of Samuel Green

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of Pike county. They have two children: Leila C., and Donald. He is a re- publican in his political views, and is highly esteemed among all his friends. He possesses all the virtues of his long line of ancestors and if they ever had any vices, he is innocent of them altogether.

Ora D. Brown

is the son of George Wesley Brown and Margaret McFann, his wife. He was born at Lyra, Scioto county, Ohio, July 16, 1876. His father was a son of George W. Brown and Lily M. Foster, both natives of county Tyrone, Ireland, who came to America in 1848, shortly after their marriage. They settled above Haverhill in the French Grant. The father of our subject was born at

Franklin Furnace and as a youth was employed about the furnace. In recent years, he has been a farmer and now resides below Haverhill on the river. Ora D. Brown is the eldest of nine children and was brought up on a farm. He received a common school education and prepared himself for a teacher. He began teaching at the age of nineteen and has taught continuously since with good success. For the past three years, he has been employed as principal of the schools at Union Mills near Portsmouth, Ohio. His mother was the daugh- ter of John McFann, a soldier in the Civil War. He enlisted in Company D, First O. H. A., August 6, 1862, and died at Knoxville, Tennessee, May 23, 1864. In politics Mr. Brown is a republican. He is a member of the M. E. church at Haverhill and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. He was mar- ried February 16, 1901, to Clara B. Burch daughter of Samuel L. and Lucy (Frye) Burch of Haverhill, Ohio.

Wesley Brown

was born in Marion township, Pike county, Ohio, April 7, 1840. His father was John H. Brown, and his mother's maiden name was Sarah Beauchamp. His grandfather, David Brown, was in the war of 1812. When Wesley was four years of age, his father moved to Scioto county and located in Madison town- ship where he owned a saw-mill. He received a common school education in the district schools of Madison township until fifteen years of age, when he went back to Pike county near his old home. He attended school in that county, until he was seventeen, then he farmed for two years with his father. When his father died in 1859, he went into the mill business and worked at that un- til he was twenty-one years of age. He then went back to farming and bought a farm in the same township. On November 28, 1861, he was married to Icy Bennett, the daughter of Caleb and Eliza (Stockham) Bennett. He went to housekeeping on the farm he had been tending, in December, 1861. He en- listed August 11, 1862, in Company G, 91st O. V. I. for three years. He was wounded September 19, 1864, at the battle of Opequan; Virginia. He was mus- tered out with the company June 24th, 1865. After the war, he went back on the farm and farmed until 1892, when he went to Flat, Ohio, and started a creamery. In 1897, he was appointed postmaster at Flat, now Stockdale, Ohio, which office he still holds. He was township Trustee of Marion township for two terms. He is a member of the Methodist Protestant church. He has been superintendent of the Sunday School for eighteen years. He is a republican.

Mr. Brown has never had any children of his own, but has reared three. John Henry Rice is one. He resides in the Indian Territory. Mrs. Margaret Myers, wife of Hamilton Myers, of Chillicothe, Ohio, is the second. Mrs. Mary C. Jones, wife of Charles Jones of Columbus, Ohio, is the third.

Mr. Brown possesses all the estimable characteristics of the family to which he belongs. He has a reputation for integrity, known wherever he is known. He is careful in his business and official dealings. He is one of the most efficient workers in his church. He is a man who believes in continuance in well doing else he could not have been a Sunday school superintendent for twenty consecutive years. He possesses all those sterling qualities which go to make up the highest type of manhood. He is a true Christian a model citi- zen and a man who exemplifies the Golden Rule every day of his life.

William Beauchamp Brown

was born December 1, 1860, in Pike county, Ohio. His father's name was Royal Brown and his mother's maiden name was Rachel Beauchamp. He received

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

a common school education in the county, and at the age of twenty-eight he attended college at Adrian, Michigan, for three years. He took the theological course, and was ordained to preach in September, 1881, but on account of fail- ing health was obliged to give it up. He then engaged in farming and mercan- tile business, buying and selling stock, in which he is now engaged. In 1894 and 1895, he was Treasurer of Marion township, Pike county. He was married January 11, 1881, to Miss Emma Graham, daughter of Wesley N. Graham, of Scioto county, Ohio. They have one daughter, Ruby, A., eighteen years of age. He is a republican in his political views, and a member of the Methodist Protest- ant church.

He has and maintains high ideals in life. He is ambitious and energetic and lives up to a high standard of moral excellence. He has business talent and his financial career has been a success. He is a neighbor highly esteemed in his social circle.

Washington Tracy Brumbaugh

was born near Powellsville, Ohio, November 16, 1864. His father Eli Brum- baugh, a native of Pennsylvania and a descendant of the early Dutch settlers of that state, came to Ohio in 1854 and was employed at the Means, Kyle & Company furnaces as a charcoal contractor until 1880, when he quit the fur- naces to settle on his farm near Powellsville, Ohio, where he is still living in his seventy-second year. Our subject's mother's maiden name was Arvilla Dil- ley. She is a native of Ohio, daughter of James Dilley and sister of James Jr .. and Washington Dilley now of Los Angeles, California. She was married to Eli Brumbaugh in 1854. Nine children came to this union, of which the subject of this sketch is the fourth. She still survives in her sixty-second year on the farm with her husband. Washington T. Brumbaugh attended the district school during the winter months until he was sixteen years old. At seventeen, he entered the National Normal University at Lebanon, Ohio, and took up the teacher's course of study, began teaching at eighteen years of age and has just completed twenty years' service as a teacher, sixteen years of this service hav- ing been rendered in three schools: Powellsville, Junior Bridge and Clapboard. In addition to his work as a teacher he has conducted a general store in Pow- ellsville, Ohio, for the last ten years and has served as Postmaster of that vil- lage for the last five years. He is a republican in politics, first, last and all the time.

In 1887, he married Hattie S. Hudson, daughter of A. J. and Malissa Hudson, of Powellsville, Ohio, descendants of the early French settlers. Four bright, cheerful girls and one boy constitute their family. That his services as teacher for nineteen years have been satisfactorily rendered in schools with in three miles of his home, among people of different religious and political views, is evidence that he not only possesses to some degree, the true character of a man but that he has been instrumental in developing it in others. His character is shown in devotion to his family, application to busi- ness and reverence for the Golden Rule in dealing with mankind.

Adolph Brunner

was born October 7, 1838, in Schwiedried, Bezirk Kulm, in Switzerland. His father's name was Samuel Brunner, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Hundeker. His father had a cotton factory in Germany. Our subject attended school in Germany. In 1853, he came to this country, with his brother Gotlieb Elizabeth, and Mary, wife of John Bender, deceased. His brother Rudolph had come three or four years before him. Soon after coming to Portsmouth he went into the dry goods store of his brother Rudolph, on the corner of Second and Market streets, he has been in the same business ever since, and at the same place. He started in as a clerk and continued as such until the death of his brother, February 17, 1877, when he was made executor of his estate and took charge of his business, which he has conducted ever since.

He was married October 28, 1863, to Frederica Wertz. They have the fol- lowing children: Charles C., clerk for his father; Mary, married Henry Menzell. residing in St. Joseph, Mo., and is engaged with the Henry Crugg Packing Co., Emily, married Frederick Doerr, who is engaged in the cigar business in Ports- mouth, O .; Albert and Adolph, clerks in their father's store; Frederick, died at

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

the age of eight years, in January, 1883; Rudolph, working in The Drew-Selby shoe factory; Henry, clerk at the store; Willie, died in 1884, at the age of four years; Oscar, a student of the Portsmouth High School; Lena, a student of the Portsmouth High School. Mr. Brunner is a democrat in his political views, and a member of the German Evangelical church. He is a first-class business man. He has an old established business and has prospered in it.

Jacob Brunner

was born at Smidtaud, Switzerland, March 8, 1845. His father had the same name and he was the eldest of seven children. When he was six years of age his fa- ther, who was a machinist, moved into France, not far from Geneva, Switzer- land. There he resided and followed his trade till 1863, when his eldest son Ja- cob was of age. There the boy attended all the French schools and became very efficient in the French language. Today he can speak French as well as German, but likes the English language best. At eighteen he went to Geneva and there learned the machinist's trade. He spent an apprenticeship of four years. At twenty-two he finished his trade and he and his father located in Choufhausen in Switzerland to follow it. He spent two years in this place, most of the time making locks for guns. In 1869, his father determined to take his family to Ant- werp and there embark for this country. Portsmouth was their destination. The family reached Portsmouth on July 3. 1869. The father and mother, five brothers, Jacob, Emil, Gustave, Adolph, Gottleib and sister Phillippine were in the party. Rudolph and Adolph Brunner, uncles of Jacob, were already in Portsmouth.

The first work Jacob did in Portsmouth was for the Foundry and Machine Works for the first five months. Then he tried digging ore at Mt. Vernon fur- nace in Lawrence county till May 1, 1870. He preferred the Foundry and Ma- chine Works and returned to them and worked for them till April 1, 1884. At that time he was appointed engineer of the Hospital for the Insane, at Athens, and was there four years. On his return he set up in business for himself at 26 West Fifth street, and has been there ever since. He does all kinds or reparing to machinery, plumbing, etc., and is a most excellent workman. He needs no sign for he generally has the street in front of his place full of crippled machin- ery waiting for his services.

He was married August twenty-second, 1872, to Catharine Widdig, a daughter of Frederich Widdig. He has had seven children, six of whom are liv- ing. Edward, an engineer, is with the Irving Drew Company; Emma, is the wife of George Schirrman; Josephine, Mary, Frederich and Gustave, are at home. He lost one Gustave at the age of four.

Mr. Brunner is a hard worker and is always busy. His services are in constant demand. In his political views he is a democrat. He is a niember of the German Evangelical Church, an Odd Fellow, a Knight of Pythias, a mem- ber of the German Benevolent Society, and of the Royal Arcanum. He speaks the three principal languages of the world with ease and fluency, and can re- build any piece of machinery that was ever made. With all these advantages it is superfluous to say that Jacob Brunner is a useful citizen and in demand at all times, and especially when the thermometer is below zero. Notwithstanding the many hurry calls he receives. Jacob takes life easy and is a good deal of a philosopher. If he lives to old age he will have done as much good in the world as any one,

Rudolph Brunner

was born in Switzerland in 1821. He came to the United States in 1849, and came to Portsmouth on December 1, 1850, in his 29th year. He was employed as clerk in Wm. Hall's store on Front street about three years. In 1853, he went into business for himself. He began at Brunner's corner, on Second and Market streets, and remained in business there all his life. When he went into busi- ness he had $200 in cash and a credit from James Pursell. He was married in 1857 to Barbara Bender. They had three children. His wife died in December. 1868. He was one of the founders of the Lutheran church. He died February 17. 1877. He was one of the successful merchants of Portsmouth. He made a great deal of money by his Integrity and by correct business methods. He founded this most excellent business now carried on by his brother, Mr. Adolph Brunner.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

John F. Brushart

was born in Jackson county, Ohio, October 25, 1857. He was the son of Peter Brushart, Sr. His mother's maiden name was Phoebe Shy. The family moved from Jackson to Pike county, while Mr. Brushart was a boy. At the age of eighteen, in 1875, he came to Portsmouth, Ohio, and entered the store of Charles Winter as a clerk. Mr. Brushart learned the business thoroughly and in June 1882, he went into the business himself. He remained in this business for a while when he devoted himself to dealing in real estate, and in this, he was remarka- bly successful. At the time he died, he owned the block where Hibb's hardware store is now located and the corner block on Sixth street, north of Marting's store between that and Sixth street, a part of which is occupied by Marting's. He was also in the lumber business in Portsmouth, Ohio, and was President of a lumber company. In April, 1892, he proposed to construct an electric rail- way, in the city of Portsmouth, and on the 26th of September, 1892, the city council passed an ordinance giving him the authority to construct the same. Mr. Brushart was married to Miss Seva E. Keete, daughter of Thomas Keefe, June 20, 1885. They had four children. two girls and two boys: Esther, Louise, John and Thomas. He was a member of the Massie Lodge, K. of P., and took considerable interest in the order.

Early in July, 1899, he went to a fishing and hunting lodge on the Scioto river. north of the Charles Davis farm to spend several days. On the morning of July 6, he went out with a gun to shoot some birds. While out, the gun was discharged and he was accidentally killed. At the time of his death, his life was insured for $10,000, regular life, and for $5,000 accident.

Mr. Brushart was physically a most handsome man. He had regular feat- ures and a pleasant expression. He had a florid, rosy complexion, common to the people of Central New York, but most uncomnion in Southern Ohio. It was as clear as that of a young girl, the admiration of all who knew him. Mr. Brushart was genial to all whom he met. He had great decision of character He was careful and prudent in all his ventures, but at the same time made up his mind quickly and made it up finally. When he had once reached a conclu- sion, the subject was closed. His virtues were largely domestic. He was much attaclied to his family and could not do too much for their comfort and pleas- ure. He was very fortunate in all his business ventures and had he lived would have filled the career of a most successful business man. His death was a great loss not only to his family but to the community of which he was a part.

Robert Alexander Bryan

was born in Adams county. Ohio, March 22, 1839, on what was then known as the "Granny Fry farm," about one mile from Jacktown, or Dunbarton P. O. He was the son of Daniel M. Bryan, who was born in Greene county, Pa., May 10, 1807, and was the posthumous child of John Bryan and Susannah (Baker) Bryan, who was from the eastern shore of Maryland, and she was one of the little girls who strewed the flowers on the bridge at Trenton for General Wash- ington, when he was on his way from Mt. Vernon to New York, in April, 1789. to be inaugurated first president of the United States.

The Bryans had been a very old family in Virginia, from early dates emi- grating from Virginia to Maryland, and from Maryland to Pennsylvania, and from Pennsylvania to Hampshire county, Virginia, and from thence to the Ohio river, at. or near Wheeling, W. Va., and from thence to Adams county, Ohio, in 1826, where they settled on Ohio Brush creek. These emigrations cov- ered a period of about two hundred years. The wife of Alexander Spottswood, Governor of Virginia, was Anne Butler Bryan, whose godfather was James But- ler, Duke of Ormond, hence there is a strong inference that the family was English.

Daniel M. Bryan was married to Nancy McSurely at West Union. Ohiv). May 19, 1836, by Jacob Hempleman, J. P. She was born in Lexington, Fayette county, Kentucky, March 2, 1812, and was the daughter of James McSurely, who was the only son of William McSurely. James McSurely emigrated from Ire- land in 1789, at the age of eighteen. The voyage was so tempestuous, perilous and lengthy that his hair turned gray and remained so until his death, at the age of seventy, in 1841. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Nancy (Mc- Surely) Bryan is now living (July, 1902,) at her home in Novelty, Knox county,

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

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Missouri, where the family emigrated in 1871, to a farm purchased before the civil war. Her mother's name was Maria (Niel) McSurely, who was a French lady whose family had emigrated from France to Kentucky prior to 1805. The McSurely's came from Kentucky Adams

to county, Ohio, at or near Rockville, and afterwards settled on Cherry Fork where some few mem- bers of the family still reside. Daniel M. Bryan died in 1877, at the age of sev- enty years.

R. A. Bryan was educated in the common, select and special schools of Adams county, and partly at Miami University. On the same bench with him at Rev. Urmston's school in West Union sat John A. Cockerill, who afterwards died in Egypt, and N. W. Evans, the editor of this work. The select and spec- ial schools of Adams county at that day had no superiors. Young Bryan be- gan teaching school at the age of sixteen, taught school during the winters and attended school or studied under a master during the summer. He studied law under the tutorship of John K. Billings and William C. Buck, and was admitted to the practice of law September 18, 1860, at West Union, Ohio, by the Dis- trict Court, Judge W. V. Peck, who was one of the Supreme Judges of the state, presiding. His great distaste against having to fight for a client that he might believe or know to be wrong and his great love of mathematics and phys- ics led him away from the law into surveying and civil engineering.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 119

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