A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 145

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 145

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He enlisted in the 11th West Virginia Infantry, April 3, 1862, in Company K, Captain William Gilton, Colonel Dan Frost. He served until May, 1865, and was never wounded. He is six feet two and one-fourth inches tall, and weighs 270 pounds. He was the heaviest man in his regiment and the second tallest. The regiment's service was rendered mainly in West Virginia and Maryland. Their operations were between Parkersburg and Washington on the B. & O. Railroad. He was in the battle of Cloyd Mountain, Lynchburg, and Snicker's Gap. Mr. Maxwell had the good fortune never to have been hit, notwithstanding his remarkable height and size. He was captured twice, but escaped from his capturer both times. He stayed with them a half night on one occasion and about fifteen minutes on another. Mr. Maxwell also had a brother John B., in the 7th Virginia Cavalry, who died in 1863, at Charles-

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ton, W. Va., in the service. Another brother, Robert H., was in the same company and regiment with himself. He was badly wounded and left on the field and captured. He was kept in prison eight months, and is still living at Hinton, W. Va. Another brother, William H., did not go into the service, but was seized by the rebels on account of his union sentiments, and kept in prison for thirteen months. He is still living in Jackson county, W. Va., but with a wrecked constitution. He had a brother Samuel, who was a scout for General Cox in West Virginia, and his father was also a scout in West Virginia for the Union army. His two youngest brothers were too young to go to the war.

After the war, our subject went to Cottageville, Jackson county, Vir- ginia, and went into the saw mill business, where he remained about two years in the same business. He then moved to Portsmouth, O., in October, 1867, and went to work with M. B. Gilbert in the ice business, and continued that for three and one-half years, when he went to work for the Portsmouth Transfer Company, which he continued for three and one-half years. In 1874, he went in the commission and feed business on Market street. He afterwards re- moved his store to Gallia street, where he sold out in 1899. Since then he has been engaged in the real estate business, buying and selling.

He was married in October, 1867, to Lydia J. Rhodes, of Chautauqua county, New York. They have one adopted daughter, May, who married N. D. Bigelow, residing at Winchester, New Hampshire. He is a member of the Bigelow Methodist church, and lives up to it. He is a republican. He was raised a democrat, but when the question of secession was raised in Virginia, his family were opposed to it. and were in favor of the Union, and he became a republican. and has continued such ever since. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and takes a great pride in his record in the civil war, and has just reason to. Mr. Maxwell is one of the best natured men of the city. No one can quarrel with him. He is always in good spirits and com- municates the same temper to those about him. It is a wise provision of na- ture which gives large men good dispositions, Mr. Maxwell is a good citizen from any and every point of view. He is a prime factor in his church and in the business associations with which he is connected.

Isaac Fullerton Mead

was so named for Isaac Fullerton. well known to the older citizens of Scioto county, as once county commissioner, a captain in the 56th O. V. I. and a lay Baptist preacher. He was born in Madison township, where all of the inhab- itants of the county. who distinguished themselves in after life, were born. He made his bow to the world the 4th day of November, 1841. His father was Hezekiah Mead, and his mother was Lydia Dodge, daughter of Daniel Dodge, one of the pioneers of the county. His grandfather Judah Mead was an original settler in the county, coming from Olean, N. Y.

Isaac Mead was brought up a farmer, but at the age of twenty, he and his two brothers. Daniel and Jonathan enlisted in Co. A, of the 39th O. V. I. Daniel was wounded at Kenesaw Mountain and died from the effects of amputation of his shattered leg. Isaac and Jonathan served till July, 1865. He was wounded in the left arm by a ball, at Resaca. Ga., May 14, 1864. He served as a private soldier all through the war and did it with great honor. His regiment endured as many army hardships and saw as much fighting as any in the service and a reference to the battles in which the regiment participated will demonstrate this. No soldier who served in the Civil war saw more service than our sub- ject, and the Civil war had no more modest or braver soldier.

Isaac Mead is in no way responsible for this sketch, and we propose to tell the truth about him, if it does make him blush when he reads it. When Isaac came home from the service, he felt like a boy out of school and deter- mined to have a good time visiting around and did so. While he was so en- gaged, he was nominated by the Republican Convention of the county for Re- corder without his solicitation, knowledge or consent. There was a contest over the office, in the Convention, and Moses Gregory who was a power at that time, nominated him before the Convention and he was made its choice. After nominated he learned of the fart. He paid no assessment and asked no one

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to vote for him and was elected. His wonderful soldier record was well known and that elected him. He served one term and was renominated and re- elected for a second term. He made as good an officer as the county ever had and retired in January 1872.

Then he had to adopt an occupation and he thought as the Savior of the world had been a carpenter, he could afford to take up that vocation and he did so. From that time to the present, he has followed that handicraft. He taught himself the business and has built over 600 homes of all sorts and con- ditions in the city of Portsmouth. If any one wants a strenuous example of the term "laboring man" Isaac Mead is "it." He and his brother Jonathan are two of the most industrious men in Portsmouth. No one ever knew them or either of them to be idle for a moment except from pure physical exhaustion. When Isaac gets to Heaven, (as he undoubtedly will), if they do'nt give him some- thing to do and keep him hard at work, he will be positively unhappy. There will be no loafing around the throne with him.

He was married in June, 1873, to Sarah Jane Beatty, a granddaughter of Mrs. Judith Watkins, and has had six children. His eldest, Mary, died in in- fancy but the others are still living. His daughter Harriet is the wife of Eu- gene Gower, and has two children. His sons are Henry Edward, Alexander R. who was in the Spanish War, and Daniel. His daughter Georgia is at home. Mr. Mead's wife died on Feb. 14, 1892, and he never remarried. His married daughter, Mrs. Gower keeps house for him and his brother Jonathan and his sons and unmarried daughter all reside together and are a happy family. They all believe in the Gospel of hard work and practice it.

, Mr. Mead is a republican, at all times and under all circumstances. In his religious affliations, he is a Baptist and has been a member of that church for over thirty years. He is over six feet tall and all bone and muscle. He is a rapid walker and never goes slow. He greets all of his friends with a pleas- ant smile and is liked by all sorts and conditions of men. No man can find it in his heart to hate him. If anybody has a charitable work to do and wants to shift it on to any one else, it can always be put on Mr. Mead and he will attend to it. He is very popular with his party. In 1900, he was one of the decennial appraisers in the city of Portsmouth, and did his duty well. He is always ready to accommodate his neighbors, or the public, even to the extent of being imposed upon. As an example of industry, he is a model for the whole community and the whole world. Another trait of his is his modesty. He was never known to boast of any of his excellent qualities and they are found out, known and published by his intimate acquaintances. A friend of his said of him, "If Isaac Mead is not admitted by St. Peter at the wicket gate on showing himself, I won't make any application to enter." Mr. Mead may have his faults, but in thirty-five years of close observation we have not dis- covered them. He was a model soldier and is a model citizen.

John Rickey Mead

was born September 30, 1840 near California, Scioto county, on the old Rickey farm. His father was Ezra Mead who lived to reach 92 years and 5 months and (lied May 24, 1898. He was the son of Judah Mead who came from Tioga county, New York and located at the mouth of the Little Scioto, November 20, 1815. He lived there only one winter and then moved up the Little Scioto farther. He was a farmer and of English descent. His mother was Esther Rickey, daughter of Rev. Jacob Rickey, a Baptist minister. He came from New York about the same time Judah Mead did. At the age of sixteen, his parents moved to Sedan and located in the same spot where our subject now lives. His father was born December 24, 1806 and died May 24, 1898. His mother was born December 20. 1810 and died September 28, 1876. He received a common school education, and has been a farmer all his life. He had a brother Ebenezer in the 56th O. V. I. Company G, who enlisted October 29, 1861 and died May 15, 1862, at Shiloh, Ten- nessee. Mr. Mead has always been a republican and his father before him was a whig. He never held office nor dabbled in politics. He is a member of Salem Baptist church near Sedan and is one of its trustees. He was married May 20, 1876 to Mary Jane Mclaughlin. She is a daughter of James and Eliz- abetli Huston. They have two children living and two dead. Ezra at home

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and Anna, the wife of Jas. A. Johnson. As a man Mr. Mead is quiet and unas- suming, is a good citizen and is noted for his integrity.

John Frederick Menke

was born in Hanover, Germany, April 23, 1859. His father was Henry Menke, a farmer. His mother's maiden name was Emma Niehaus. They had four children, of which our subject was the second. His parents left Germany when he was three months old, and located at Harrison Furnace. His father is now living in Gales county, Nebraska. His mother died when he was seven years old, and his father married the second time. Mr. Menke was reared in Scioto county. He went to the country schools and began teaching when he was eighteen years of age and taught until he was twenty-three. He started in the grocery business at Eleventh and Gay streets in the fall of 1882. In the fall of 1883, he moved to Eleventh and Findlay streets and bought property there. He remained there in the same business until 1895, when he went into the Cen- tral Grocery on Gallia street with George J. Schmidt. They dissolved partner- ship in 1902, and he started business alone on the north-east corner of Eighth and Chillicothe streets.

He was married January 3. 1881 to Mary Strehle, of Powellsville, Ohio, daughter of Andrew Strehle. His children are: Katie, stenographer at Hibbs Hardware Company; Nellie, at home: Lloyd Henry, aged thirteen; and Howard Emmanuel, aged three. He has two children deceased. He has always been a republican. He was a member of the City Council for two years in the Fourth ward. He is a member of the United Brethren church and is a Quar- terly Conference preacher in that church, and a trustee. If there is any one trait in Mr. Menke's character more prominent than another, it is his earnest- ness. He is earnest in everything he does. He is conscientious to a remarkable degree and lives strictly according to the dictates of his conscience. In his church he is a great worker, much valued by his associates. He is a true Christian and a model citizen. He has made an admirable success in his bus- iness and is esteemed by all who know him.

Martin Funk Micklethwait

was born November 13, 1837, at the old brick homestead of the Funk family in Clay township. His father was Joseph Micklethwait, and his mother's maiden name was Barbara Funk. He was the third child of five sons and one daughter. He attended the district school. His teacher who most impressed him was William R. Holmes, the father of Sidney Holmes. He was reared a farmer. From the ages of eighteen to twenty-one he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, but never followed it. On May 2, 1864, he enlisted in Company E. 140th O. V. I., and was made third Sergeant. He served until the 3rd day of Novem- ber, 1864. He went into the retail grocery business in February, 1865, on the old Whitney corner at Second and Market streets, where now stands the Washing- ton Hotel. The firm was M. F. Micklethwait & Brother, the latter being his brother John. The firm continued until the death of John, in July, 1893, and Martin retired from this business in 1894. On May 1, 1899, he went into the real estate business with Frank R. Keffer, as Keffer & Micklethwait, and located at 206 Chillicothe street, where they have quite an extensive business. Mr. Micklethwait has more acquaintances than any one in the city and as many friends as any one. He is one of the best natured men in the community.

George Bliss Millar

was born January 10, 1843 on the Millar farm where he now resides. His father was Abram Millar and his mother's maiden name was Harriet Peters. He was brougth up on the farm and has resided there all his life except from 1869 to 1874, when he resided in the city of Portsmouth, and engaged in the lumber business. He had a good common school education only. On January 10, 1866, he was married to Annie Carre, daughter of Thomas W. Carre, of Portsmouth. Their children are: Abram F. a farmer with his father, Charles R. who is an electrician at the Central Insane Asylum at Columbus, Ohio, and Edgar Garfield, who is an attorney with Mr. Holcomb of Portsmouth. Their daughter, Nellie married Charles Thomas. Our subject lost two infant daugh-

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ters. He has never held any office except school director in his township. He has always been a republican.

Mr. Millar is a good neighbor and a good citizen. He has been and is a very successful farmer. He has more confidence in his own judgment than any man in Scioto county, but can be controlled if any one can make him believe he is doing it himself. But the man who undertakes to drive him will find him the most obstinate, self-willed man in the whole world, and will fail in his un- dortaking. Whenever Mr. Millar makes up his mind to any course, he will follow it out regardless of consequences. He has an opinion on every subject and they are carefully formed and adhered to with the most wonderful tenacity of purpose.

Frank Miller

was born in Porter township May 29, 1862. His father was John Miller and his mother's maiden name was Barbara Moseman. They both emigrated from France to this country in 1853. Our subject was reared on a farm and at- tended the district school. He attended the Wheelersburg High School one year and afterwards attended a private normal at Sciotoville, conducted by Prof. White. At the age of nineteen, he engaged in the teaching profession and continued in it for eight years. During the summer months he farmed. He bought the home farm near Powellsville, and after much improvement has one of the most productive and well kept farms on Pine creek. He owns a beautiful country home and his farm is well fitted with modern buildings.

Mr. Miller is a straight republican and is one of the political workers in Green township. He has served as Clerk of Green township from 1884 till 1893 with the exception of one year. He is an active member of the Free-Will Baptist church of Powellsville. He was married February 26, 1887 to Caroline Wagner, a daughter of a prominent Lawrence county farmer. Their children are: William and Willard, twins, b. Apr. 13, 1888; Otto Earl b. Apr. 23, 1890, d. Nov. 19, 1890; Frederick Joseph b. Sept. 25, 1891; Edna Marie, b. Oct. 12, 1894.

Mr. Miller is in the fullest sense of the term an ideal citizen. By econ- omy and good habits, he has accumulated sufficient means to live without the toil that persons of his occupation are generally required to perform. He has an interesting family and it is safe to say that his children will receive a lib- eral education, and by force of his example will become useful citizens. Few men of his age have, by means which were afforded him, accomplished so much. In his preparation for life and the care for his family, it must not be over- looked that Mr. Miller has acquired a liberal education. He is a worthy ex- ample and inspiration to all young men who start in life with little but character upon which to lay the foundation for a successful career.

John Theobald Miller

was born in Dietschweiler, Rhine Bavaria, July 29, 1833. His father, Philip Miller, was a village blacksmith. His grandfather followed the same business. His mother's maiden name was Louisa Diehl. His father also owned a small farm in Germany. John T. attended the schools in his vicinity, until he was fourteen years of age, when he went to work with his father in the blacksmith shop. He concluded Germany was too slow for him, and on April 5, 1852, he sailed for the United States from Havre De Grace, France. He was twenty-nine days on the ocean, on the sailing vesseel Mercury.

He went from New York direct to Cincinnati by the way of Albany and Buffalo. From Buffalo to Sandusky by lake and from Sandusky to Cincinnati by rail. He had two married sisters in Cincinnati. He worked in Cincinnati for a few months, at the butcher trade, until the fall of 1852, when he went to Big Sandy and worked in the saw-mill, and then in a cabinet maker's shop at Louisa. He came back to Ohio in 1853 and farmed one year for General Samuel Thomas at South Point. He also worked for Benjamin Johnson, a brother-in- law of E. B. Greene, at the same place. From here he went to Pine Grove Furnace and took charge of Robert Hamilton's farm, near Hanging Rock. In the fall of 1856 our subject came to Portsmouth, worked in each one of the roll- ing mills a short time and drove team for David Davis. In 1857, he became a clerk in the grocery store of William P. Martin, and was also conducting the

JOHN THEOBALD MILLER.

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business of pork packing at the same time. June 16, 1860 he participated in the great Union meeting at Portsmouth, and was mentioned in the proceedings.

In February, 1862, occurred the celebrated "Cat Case" of William P. Martin vs. Giles Gilbert, which is fully reported in this book in another place. Mr. Miller affirms that the court decided the case wrong, and that the cat was Martin's not Gilbert's; and on February 22, 1862 he wrote a long letter to the Times on the subject of the "Cat Case." This is one of the subjects which should never be mentioned to Mr. Miller, and especially should any of his friends re- frain the suggestion that the dispnted cat belonged to Giles Gilbert.

On March 11, 1862, he left William P. Martin's and went into the liquor business for himself. July 22, 1863 he immortalized himself in the Morgan Raid, by capturing fifty-four rebels and bringing them all to Portsmouth and turning them over to the authorities. For further paticulars on this subject, see the article on the Morgan Raid, but this is another subject which should not be mentioned to Mr. Miller by his friends. Mr. Miller made a great deal of money in the liquor business, and he also sank some of it.

We regret very much that we are compelled to tell one thing about Mr. Miller which is not entirely to his credit. On April 17, 1876, he and Dr. Pixley induced the City Council of Portsmouth to buy ten pairs of English sparrows, at $3.00 a pair, for the purpose of introducing them into the city of Portsmouth; and the Council being imposed on by Mr. Miller and Dr. Pixley did buy the sparrows, and ten years later the city had "sparrows to burn." The council would like to employ Mr. Miller and Dr. Pixley to get rid of the sparrows.

In the same year he bought the Correspondent, a German Weekly, and published it until August 15, 1880, when he sold it to the Reutingers of Chil- licothe. He was a member of the City Council of Portsmouth, from the First ward, from 1865 to 1867, and from 1870 to 1882. He was president of the Council in the years 1874, 1879 and 1880, but he resigned on October 17, 1881. In 1871, he was a candidate on the democratic ticket for the office of County Treasurer, and was defeated by Charles Slavens. The vote stood Slavens 2,730, Miller 2,166, majority 564. He was a member of the City Board of Equalization in 1890 and 1900. Mr. Miller was always a democrat until 1885, when he became a re- publican.

He was married April 25, 1859 at Piketon, O., to Elizabeth Schmidt, daughter of John Schmidt, deceased, a former resident of Piketon. They have had the following children: Lucy, wife of Philo S. Clark, postmaster of Ports- mouth, Ohio; John, died in 1896, at the age of thirty-two; Elizabeth M., wife of Albert Wurster, book-keeper for C. P. Tracy & Co .; Mary E., clerk at Philo S. Clark's insurance office; Charles E., rural free delivery mail carrier on the West Side. He has two daughters, Bertha and Laura, and one son, William F., at home. He also lost two children in infancy. Mr. Miller was reared in the Evan- gelical church, better known as the German Lutheran, and adheres to it.

Cread Milstead

Mayor of Portsmouth, was born January 15, 1847, in Amherst county, Virginia, near Lynchburg. He is the youngest of eight children of Newman Milstead and Clara England, his wife. His parents moved to Union township, Lawrence county, Ohio, when our subject was two years old. His father died in 1870, and his mother in 1872. He received a common school education in Union township, Lawrence county, O., and attended an Academy at Burlington, Ohio. He attended Marshall College at Huntington W. Va., in 1868 and 1869. He enlisted in Cmpany E, 5th West Virginia V. I., July 13, 1863, as a recruit, for three years, and served until July 21, 1865. He was in the battle of Lynchburg, June 14 and 15, 1864; Kearnstown, July 24, 1864; Berryville, August 8, 1864; Hulltown; Opequan, Sept. 19, 1864; Fisher's Hill, Sept. 22, 1864; Cedar Creek, Oct. 19, 1864. He was in the first brigade, second division, eighth army corps. In the brigade were the 5th, 13th, 23rd, and 36th West Virginia regiments. Gen. R. B. Hayes was the brigade commander; I. H. Duvall, division comman- der; and Gen. George Crook, corps commander.

From 1865 to 1867 he worked on a farm and attended school. He went on the river in December, 1869, to learn piloting, between New Orleans and the mouth of the Red River, and was in that trade for five years, and got his li-

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cense as pilot in 1871. He served on a number of different steamboats, and was master on several. He was master on the Clifford and Hamilton running on the Red river trade. He came North in 1874, and took a position on the Eastern Kentucky railroad as agent and operator at Willard, Kentucky, and remained there five years. In March 1879, he came to Portsmouth and began to travel for L. Eisman & Bros., and was with that house eight years and one- half. In January, 1887, he began traveling for Abe Block & Co., clothiers of Cincinnati, and was with them until July 1, 1894. He then became a stock holder in the Portsmouth Hat & Glove Co., and was in that company until November. 1901, when he sold out. He was elected Mayor of Portsmouth, in April, 1901, which office he still holds.

He was married Sept. 22, 1872, to Ruhama Irwin, of Howard Furnace. She was a daughter of James C. Irwin, and Sarah Wilson his wife. They have six children: Charles Curtis, a shoe cutter, married; Sadie, the wife of R. John Williams, book-keeper for the Columbus Buggy Co .; James I., at home, a shoe cutter; Clara at home; Pearl a school boy and Jessie a school girl.

Mr. Milstead has always been a republican, and is a member of the - Sixth Street Methodist church of Portsmouth. He is a member of the Blue Lodge, F. & A. M., Mt. Vernon Chapter and Calvary Commandery, Odd Fel- lows, the United Commercial Travelers, and also the Bailey Post, G. A. R.

"He is a man of most excellent character, honorable in all his dealings, honest in the fulfillment of his duties, firm in his convictions of right and wrong and loyal to his friends. enjoying a feeling of satisfaction in the con- 'sciousness of a duty well performed even at the risk of political or social os- tracism." We have the foregoing from one who has an extensive acquaintance with Mr. Milstead.

Joseph Walter Mitchell

was born in Deavertown, Morgan county, Ohio, September 16, 1858. His father's name was George Washington Mitchell, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Ellen Richardson. His parents moved to Portsmouth in 1862, where he attended the public schools and in 1876 studied law with Judge Searl. He graduated at the Cincinnati Law School in the spring of 1858, and not being of age could not be admitted to the practice of law. Losing interest in the legal profession, he engaged in the newspaper business, and was traveling corres- pondent for the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the Associated Press, local editor of the Portsmouth Tribune and other local papers, local editor of the Circle- ville Advertiser and editor of the Adams County New Era. Since 1885, he has published the Portsmouth City Directory and engaged in house number sur- veying, having numbered Portsmouth, Ironton. Ashland and a part of Cincin- nati. In the National Census of 1900, he served as Chief Special Agent for manufacturing and mechanical statistics, having charge of the district in- cluding Portsmouth, Ironton and Ashland. He was married December 8, 1881 to Miss Josephine, daughter of George Wright, a prominent farmer of Ross and Pickaway counties. He has two daughters Elizabeth Wright, wife of Louis Zucker and Mary Ellen, recently married to Earl Musser.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 145

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