A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 151

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 151

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chapel. He was married January 6, 1870 to Amanda Cooper, daughter of Jacob and Rachel (Boyer) Cooper. They have six children: Stella, wife of Alfred Miller; Jacob; John; Annie; Alice, wife of William Journey; Janie. He is a member of the G. A. R., Robinson Post, of Rushtown.

Henry Potter Pursell

son of James and Amanda (Thompson) Pursell, was born April 12, 1851, in the old Pursell homestead on Fourth streeet, Portsmouth, Ohio. He received his education in the Portsmouth schools. In 1873, he started in the drug business at the northeast corner of Fourth and Court streets, under the firm name of Pursell & Stevenson. His store was known as the Opera House Drug Store. He remained in business several years. After going out of that business, he was deputy County Treasurer under Charles Kinney from 1884 to 1888, and again under M. B. Wells from 1888 to 1892, After leaving the Treasurer's office, he was connected with the Portsmouth Gas Company until his death. He was a member of the Portsmouth School Board for thirteen years, from April, 1886 to 1899. He was a republican and a faithful and active member of Bigelow M. E. church. He was one of the official board of that church and served as secre- tary of its Sunday school for twenty-two years.

On January 24, 1895 he was married to Miss Mary Clough Dunham, daugh- ter of John Wesley and Jane (Clough) Dunham, who survives him. He died October 3, 1899. Mr. Pursell was a gentleman of retiring disposition, but of forceful character. He never pushed himself forward in any cause, but when he took up any work, he followed it with patience and zeal until he completed it. He was a valuable factor in his party, his church and his community.

William McClain Pursell

was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, November 6, 1849. His father was James Pur- sell, born in Burslem, England. (See sketch herein.) His mother was Amanda Thompson, (see sketch) daughter of Moses Thompson. His education was ob- tained in the Portsmouth public schools. From 1863 to 1866, he was a clerk in the First National Bank of Portsmouth. From 1866 to 1868 he was a student at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. After his return from school, he took a position in the First National Bank as assistant cashier from 1868 to 1869. Since that time he has been general manager, secretary and treasurer of the C. P. Tracy Shoe Company. He is a republican, a member of one of the Board of Trustees of Bigelow M. E. church.

He was married to Miss Clara M. Morris, October 8, 1872. They have had eight children: Earl Tracy; Susan; Charles Morris, deceased March 7, 1898; Clara Mae; Henry Tracy, deceased Feb. 7, 1901; William Oscar, deceased June 7, 1892; Persis and Marjorie.

Mr. Pursell has made a record as one of the best and foremost business men of his city. He is always first in any movement for the public good, in church or in society, and on any public question he is' sure to be found on the side for progress, for morality and for the greatest public good.

David Pyle

was born February 16, 1847, in Doddridge county, West Virginia. His par- ents were Eli Pyle and Rachel Seese, his wife. His father was a farmer and a miller. He was the sixth of fifteen children. He attended school in Dodd- ridge county, until he was eleven years of age. In 1857, his father removed from Doddridge county, West Virginia to Scioto county, Ohio and located at Wheeler's Mills, now Hudson's. He attended school one term after coming to Scioto county. The family remained there for three years and then removed to Scioto Furnace where he worked about the furnace until the war broke out.

On June 4, 1862, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in Company B, 87th O. V. I. for three months. The Company was formed at Coshocton but he ran away from home at Webster and enlisted, He re-enlisted in Company D, 1st O. H. A., June 13, 1863 and served until July 25, 1865. While a member of the 87th O. V. I. on the 12th of September, 1862, he was wounded by a shell in the left ankle at Harper's Ferry. On the 14th day of September, he was taken pris- oner and retained two days when he was paroled. After the war, he located at

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Dixon's Mills and engaged in teaming for about six months. Then he went to Wirt county, West Virginia, and engaged in the oil business. In 1869, he went to work for one year at Scioto Furnace, chopping wood and coaling. In 1870, he went to work for the Scioto Fire Brick Company at Sciotoville, and has since done everything connected with the mining of fire-clay and making it into fire-brick. At present he is mine boss and clay inspector for the company. On October 4, 1874, he was married to Emma E. Edington, daughter of Natban Edington. He has eight children: Ivan engaged with the Scioto Fire Brick Company as a contractor for delivering clay; Leslie is a book-keeper at Colville, Washington; Ethel, Mabel, Bertha, Samuel, Nathan, and David are at home. Here is what one of Mr. Pyle's neighbors said of him, "He is a good citizen. He was a Justice of the Peace of Porter township for several years, and was noted for his fair and just decisions rendered in cases tried before him. He has been employed in the fire-brick works in his section in various capaci- ties, and has been found above the average, in his knowledge of the business. He is a very energetic man and is noted for the push he exhibits in anything he undertakes. He is considered one of the best judges of fire-clay in this section, so much so that he is now in the employ of the Scioto Star Fire Brick Works, in the capacity of bank-manager, whose duty is to inspect and to grade the clay.

Isaac Pyles

was born April 24, 1823 in Harrison county, West Virginia. He is the son of Jonathan Pyles and Elizabeth (Buher) Pyles, both of German descent. His grandfather, Henry Buher, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and had his thigh broken at the battle of Germantown. Mr. Pyles did not have the chances for an education which children of to-day have. When he was a boy the nearest school was five or six miles away. Consequently the only school he ever at- tended was the school of experience. His father died five months before he was born and the first thirteen years of his life was spent in his native county of Harrison, West Virginia.

He came to Ohio with his mother at the age of thirteen and settled in Jackson county in the Crabtree settlement. When he became old enough, he commenced work on the farm and later worked on the Portsmouth and Colum- bus turnpike. He then commenced to work on the furnaces, first at Jackson, where he worked for a year; then at Scioto Furnace, where he worked for thir- teen years. He then moved to the French Grant and settled on Pine creek, two miles west of Powellsville, and bought a farm. Here he resided for about forty years and contracted hauling coal and ore at Ohio, Junior, Franklin and Pine Grove furnaces. He traded his farm on Pine creek for another on Mc- Culloch, about 1882, and moved there where he continued to farm until his age compelled him to give it up.

He enlisted April 22, 1861 in Company E, 18th O. V. I. at Marietta, Ohio, for three months and was mustered out at Columbus, Ohio, August 28, 1861. He re-enlisted October 4, 1861, for three years in Company C, 53d O. V. I. and was mustered out with the Company, August 11, 1865. He was a Trustee of Bloom township for two terms. He has been a member of the Free Will Bap- tist church for forty-five years, and now holds his membership in that church at Rushtown. He bas been a republican since the formation of that party.

He was married to Nancy Maria Martin December 23, 1847 who died March 31, 1887 and left three children: Thomas Pyles, the present Fire Chief of Portsmouth is one; Sarah married James Gallaher; Jacob lives in Portsmouth. He was again married October 18, 1888 to Elizabeth Hammonds who died September 3, 1897 leaving one child Irwin born July 10, 1892. On September 15, 1901 he married Mrs. Rachel Mershon.

Leonidas Pyles

was born in Scioto county, Ohio, in 1842, the son of William and Ellen (Brouse) Pyles. His father was a son of John Pyles, an early settler of Washington township, who died in 1837. Our subject was one of four children, but two of . whom are now living. Almira and John are deceased and Allen is the other son living. John Pyles died in 1847, aged 32 years. Leonidas was reared on a farm and attended the country schools. He enlisted in Battery L, 1st O. L. A., August

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

2, 1862 and was appointed Corporal October 31, 1864 and mustered out with the Battery July 4, 1865. Upon his return to Ohio, after the war, he resumed work on the farm, and since 1867, has resided in Nile township where he owns a farm of 300 acres. Mr. Pyles is a republican. He served as a Trustee of Nile township for twelve consecutive years. He was County Infirmary Director from 1881 to 1887. He has been a member of the Nile township board of edu- cation and Deputy State Supervisor of Elections.

He was married in 1866 to Mary Burriss, daughter of Mathew Burriss. Her father was born in Pennsylvania in 1795, the son of Nathan and Sarah (Bradkit) Burriss. Mr. Pyles is the father of ten children: Alice, the wife of William Strachan, died December, 1899, aged 32 years; William A .; Sidella F .; Mary L .; James E .; Anna M .; Nella H .; Laura E .; John S .; and Martha E. Mr. Pyles is a good citizen and enjoys the respect and good will of all his neigh- bors.

Frank Paul Rais -

was born in Scioto county, May 22, 1855. His father was Francis Rais, a native of Berne, Switzerland, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Montavon, also a native of Berne, in Switzerland. His parents were married in Switzer- land, and had fifteen children of whom our subject was the fourth. He at- tended school at Pine Creek, Wheelersburg, Carey's Run and the red school house at Portsmouth. He left school at the age of sixteen and engaged on the Ohio river, in 1873. He was in such employment until 1878, when he enlisted in the U. S. Cavalry Troop G, March 20, 1878 and served five years in Wyom- ing, Montana, Utah, Indian Territory and Arizona. He was discharged in 1883, and engaged in the grocery business in Portsmouth for a period of ten years. In 1893, he went into the insurance business, first as an agent and in 1896 he became assistant superintendent. In 1899 he was made superintendent. He became a resident of Chillicothe in 1899. He was married to Jennie Rudity, October 2, 1883, the daughter of Eugene Rudity. They had four children: Ma- tilda M., Earl E., Clarence, and Alma V. Mr. Rais is a democrat in his politi- cal views and a communicant of the Roman Catholic church.

Frederick F. Ranchous,

son of Fred and Hannah (Cook) Ranchous, was born December 6, 1840, at Portsmouth, Ohio. He enlisted as a private in the Civil war, December 29, 1863, in Company F, 91st O. V. I. During his two years of service, he partici- pated in the following battles: Cloyd Mountain, Cedar Creek, Goshen Bridge, Lynchburg and Stevenson's Depot. On July 20, 1864, he was wounded at the last named battle, and on the 31st day of May, 1865, at Cumberland, Maryland, he was discharged from service by reason of surgeon's certificate of disability. He has always been a faithful adherent to the policies of the Republican par- ty and has been a life long Free Baptist.

February 5, 1865, while home on furlough, he married Emily Marshall, daughter of Elias and Anna (Beloat) Marshall and has ever since lived at Sciotoville, Ohio. They have three children: Anna, wife of Oregon Eakins of Columbus, Ohio; Doctor Walter E. M. Ranchous of Columbus, Ohio and Mayme who resides with her parents.

Walter E. M. Ranchous, M. D.,

son of Fred F. and Emily (Marshall) Ranchous, grandson of Elias Marshall after whom he was named, was born in Sciotoville, July 8, 1870. He attended the public schools at Sciotoville, graduating from the Porter township High School, and then from the Commercial Department of the University of Ken- tucky, at Lexington. After keeping books and traveling for three years, he commenced the study of Medicine, September, 1894, at the Medical College of Ohio, Medical Department of the University of Cincinnati, graduating there April 9, 1897. He located in Columbus, Ohio, April 14, 1897, becoming a mem- her of the Columbus Academy of Medicine. In 1898 he became a member of the Ohio State Medical Society and in 1899 a member of the American Medical As- sociation. In 1899-1900 he visited the Clinics of Vienna and Berlin and took some post-graduate work in New York. He attended the meeting of the Pan

THE TELABY KONTO COLUMBUS,O.

GENERAL WILLIAM HENRY RAYNOR.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

American Medical Congress at Havana, Cuba, in 1901 and became a member of that body. His standing in the profession is the very highest.

Jared Johnson Rardin

was born in Athens county, Ohio, November 30, 1848. His father was Levi Rardin, who was a farmer and a native of Athens county, Ohio. His mother's maiden name was Anna L. Selby. She was a daughter of Dyar Selby. His grandfather, William Rardin was a native of Virginia. Our subject attended the district schools and Bartlett's Academy in the winter and worked on the farm in summer until he was twenty years of age. On April 11, 1870, he came to Portsmouth and engaged with the Singer Sewing Machine Company. In 1895, he went into the Star Shoe Company as secretary and treasurer and on April 14, 1902 he went into The Drew-Selby Company as treasurer. He was married July 5, 1876 to Mary A. Webster, daughter of Isaac Webster of Meigs county, Ohio. They have three children: Irma B. who graduated at Delaware in 1901, married to Rev. George L. Davis August 7, 1902 and she is now a res- ident of Peking China, where her husband is a missionary of the M. E. church; Glen E. now a sophomore at the Ohio Wesleyan University and Earl W. a student in the same class. Mr. Rardin is a republican and a member of Bigelow M. E. church.

James Boone Ray, M. D.,

is a son of James B. Ray, Sr. M. D. and Hannah (Dunlavey) Ray. He re- ceived his early education in the common schools and attended the South Gram- mar school at Columbus during the winter of . 1859, and Armstrong's select school in Columbus during the summer of 1860. The next year he attended a select school taught by a Mr. Finley. He entered the Obio University at Athens, Ohio, in the spring of 1862, and remained until the spring of 1864, when he enlisted in Company F, 140th O. V. I. on May 2, 1864, and was made First Sergeant. He was mustered out September 3, 1864. He returned to the Univer- sity in 1865 and remained until the spring of 1867. He read all of the classics in the regular course. He then took up the study of medicine, and after a year, entered the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, and was graduated in the spring of 1872. He taught school several winters while attending literary and medical schools.

He first located at Sciotoville in the fall of 1872. In 1877, he removed to California, in Pike county where he practised until the spring of 1880 when he removed to Harrisonville, where he practised until 1895 and was associated with his father. In March, 1895, he came to Portsmouth where he practised un- til April, 1899, and then moved to his present location at Harrisonville. From 1893 to 1897 he was a member of the Board of Pension Examining Surgeons of Scioto county. He is a member of the Hempstead Memorial Academy of Medi- cine, the Ohio Medical Society and the American Medical Association. Doctor Ray has always taken much interest in political affairs as a member of the Democratic party.

He was united in marriage September 28, 1871, to Maria Wheeler, daugh- ter of Isaac Wheeler. Her great-grandfather, Nathan Wheeler was a Revolu- tionary soldier. (See Revolutionay Soldiers.) They have one child, William Alexander Ray, M. D., now associated with his father in the practice of med- icine.

Doctor Ray is a natural sportsman and takes great delight in hunting and fishing. While a lover of the sports, he is also a student, both of profes- sional matters and general subjects. He takes a pride in keeping up in his profession. He is a man of manly principles. He is very deliberate, and searches for truth before giving utterance to his judgment. Integrity is the marked characteristic of his life.

General William Henry. Raynor

was born April 4, 1834 at Portsmouth, Ohio. His father was William Raynor, and his mother's maiden name was Mary K. Barber, daughter of Major Uriah Barber. His father emigrated from near Leeds, England about the year 1830 as a married man. The first Mrs. Raynor died very soon after their arrival

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

at Portsmouth, and about 1832 Mr. Raynor married Miss Barber, before men- tioned. She was born June 2, 1803, a twin, the other being Washington Barber. She was the first child born in the town of Portsmouth.

Our subject received only such an education as could be afforded by the Portsmouth Public Schools. His principal instructor was Prof. A. J. Rikoff. His school life ended on his fourteenth birthday when he entered the store of John Rowe & Son. He was afterwards for five or six years a clerk in the dry goods store of B. L. Jefferson, and for about the same period in the private banking house of P. C. Kinney until the beginning of the Civil war in 1861.

On April 16, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 1st O. V. I., was made First Lieutenant April 17, 1861. After going to the front he was appointed as acting aide-de-camp on the staff of Gen. Robert C. Schenck, Brigade Com- mander. In this capacity he was in the engagement at Vienna June 16, 1861. After that battle, at his own request, he was allowed to return to his company, and was with it at the battle of Bull Run July 21, 1861. Here he had the mis- fortune to be slightly wounded, was captured and taken a prisoner to Rich- mond. Early in September, with two comrades, a successful escape was ef- fected. An account of his escape was published in Harper's Monthly Magazine. He was mustered out September 14, 1861, at Washington, D. C.

On September 28, 1861, he entered the 56th O. V. I. as Lieutenant Colonel. He was promoted to Colonel April 2, 1863; wounded and captured May 5, 1864, on the steamer John Warner on Red river; discharged October 27, 1864, by order

of the War Department. The foregoing is from the Official Record. The 56th Ohio Regiment left Portsmouth February 12, 1862, and reached Fort Donel- son in time to take part in the surrender, but not in actual fighting. Imme- diately after this, the regiment took part with its Division commanded by Gen. Lew Wallace, in the Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh and Corinth campaign. In April, 1863, Col. Kinney resigned and Col. Raynor was promoted Colonel. Un- der his command the 56th took an important part in the battles and siege of the Vicksburg campaign. After this the 13th Army Corps (to which the 56th belonged) was transferred to the department of the Gulf, and the remainder of its service was there performed. From November, 1863, to May, 1864, Col. Ray- nor was in command of the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 13th Army Corps. The regiment suffered severely during the campaign, and Col. Raynor was wounded at Snaggy Point, Louisiana, and a second time captured May 5, 1864. Some six weeks afterward most of the sick and wounded prisoners in the hands of the Rebels, on Red river, were paroled. Col. Raynor returned to his home-his wounds unfitted him for further military service and he was mustered out as before stated. From November, 1863, to May, 1864, he acted as Brigade Com- mander; and on March 15, 1865, he was breveted Brigadier General for "dis- tinguished and gallant services" in the field. In the political campaign of 1860, Mr. Raynor was a Douglas democrat, but since that time he has been a con- sistent and faithful republican.

He was married September 9, 1855, to Rhoda O. Kendall, daughter of Thomas and Ann M. Kendall, of Portsmouth. Mr. and Mrs. Raynor have five children as follows: Charles, died July, 1892; Mary, now Mrs. J. B. Math of Chicago; Thomas K., married and now living at Nacogdoches, Texas; Catherine G., unmarried and living with her parents at Toledo; Will E., married, and living in Chicago.

At the close of the war. Gen. Raynor became engaged in mercantile and manufacturing pursuits. For the past ten years he has been assistant manager and in full charge of the Toledo office of the Lozier Manufacturing Company. He served one year on the Board of Trustees, Hyde Park, Cook Co., Illinois. He has been for years an earnest member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is an Ex-Commander of the Toledo Post No. 107, Department of Ohio. His residence is 3339 Cherry street, Toledo.

Joseph Gideon Reed

was born December 4, 1835, in the village of Piketou, Pike county, Ohio. He was a son of William Reed and a grandson of Judge Samuel Reed, who has a. sketch herein. His mother was Rebecca Chenoweth. There were six children of his father's marriage, two died in infancy and four survived. He was the

SAMUEL REED.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

second of the four who grew to maturity. His father was the auditor of Pike county, and had been for several years at his death in 1840. At an early age Joseph acquired a taste for mercantile affairs. From the age of twelve to twenty-two, he was clerk in the store of his uncle Joseph Moore, of Piketon. When he was nineteen years of age, his uncle had such confidence in him that he sent him east to buy goods.

Our subject remained in his native village until August, 1857, when he came to Portsmouth. He and his brother Samuel Reed went into the dry goods business together, and hoped to make their fortune. They bought heavily in advance of the panic of 1857, and that caused their failure and drove them out of business; but they afterwards paid their debts in full. This experience proved very valuable to Mr. Reed. After that he became a clerk for Jefferson & Kep- ner, and remained in their employment until 1861, when the firm failed. He then went with Charles Elden in his dry goods store in Portsmouth and re- mained with him until 1862, when he went into the employment of J. M. Rum- sey & Co. In 1865, he became a member of the firm which in the following year on the admission of Josiah Rhodes, became Rhodes & Reed. He remained with them until 1871, when he retired, but continued to be their buyer in the East for several years.

In . 1873, the firm of Reed & Peebles was organized, composed of Joseph G. Reed and John Peebles. They engaged in the wholesale notion business and some years afterwards added dry goods. The firm continued in business until 1891, when they changed by the admission of Wm. Jordan and the firm name became Reed, Peebles & Co. In 1897, Mr. John Peebles went out, and the firm became Reed & Jordan, and was such at Mr. Reed's death on June 25, 1897. The business was conducted two and one-half years after Mr. Reed's death, when it was succeeded by the firm of Reed & Jordan, composed of the wife of Wm. Jordan, and his son Edward T. Reed. Mr. Reed never had any other business but this, and engaged in no outside matters whatever. He was always the buyer of the firm. Every spring and fall he would go to New York and spend from six weeks to two months. He had a wonderful talent for buy- ing, which could have secured him a position in the best house of New York city; but he preferred to remain in Portsmouth.

He was always a republican in his political views. He was a devoted, faithful Chistian all his life. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of sixteen. He was a steward of the Bigelow church, and taught the intant class a number of years. He was also a member of the official board. He belonged to no secret orders, except the Odd Fellows. He was a public spirited man, in favor of all public improvements. He was always cheerful and in good spirits. He was fond of good company, and was the very best company himself. He was industrious in everything he undertook, and especially in his own business. He married Miss Anne Newman daughter of the Hon. Wm. Newman, November 16, 1865. They had seven children: Sallie, wife of Dr. Ed- ward M. Semans of Delaware, Ohio; Wm. Pursell; Edward Thomson of the firm of Reed & Jordan; Charles Newman; twin girls who died in infancy; and Ber- tha, wife of Earl T. Pursell. His sons Wm. P. and Charles were Corporals in Company E, 4th O. V. 1., in the Spanish-American war. His son-in-law, Dr. Edward Semans was surgeon in the same regiment.

Samuel Reed

was born September 21, 1833 at Piketon, Ohio. His father's name was William Reed and his mother's name was Rebecca (Chenoweth) Reed. Her father was Abraham Chenoweth, who planted the first crop of corn ever planted in the Scioto valley, on the Pee Pee prairie between Piketon and Waverly. He came to the Northwest Territory, from near Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky. He was originlly from the state of Viginia. Our subject had a brother Joseph G. Reed. deceased, and two sisters: Mary S. and Sarah who reside in Portsmouth.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 151

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