A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 161

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 161

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Mr. Tracy was one of the best business men of Portsmouth and was very successful. He was a man honored and respected by all who knew him. He

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

became a communicant of All Saints church, in Portsmouth in 1857, and at the time of his death was Junior Warden. His life was a lesson in christianity. He never sought any civil honors or held any public office, but was one of the prominent men of Portsmouth in good works. On the evening of January 15, 1874, he was stricken with paralysis and died at 6 A. M., January 16th.

Henry Reed Tracy

was born December 9, 1833, in Oxford, Chenango county, New York. His father was Uri Tracy and his mother's maiden name was Persis Packer. He re- sided at Oxford, New York till 1857, and was educated at the Oxford Academy, a famous and ancient institution of learning. He was engaged in his father's store from 1850 for a period of seven years.

In 1857, he came to Portsmouth, Ohio. His brother, Charles P. had pre- ceded him six years and was engaged in a wholesale boot and shoe business with F. J. Oakes, under the firm name of Oakes & Tracy. Henry R. bought out F. J. Oakes' interest and the firm name became C. P. Tracy & Co. From the death of his brother, January 16, 1874 the business was carried on under the same firm name with Henry R. Tracy as the manager.

On May 2, 1864, Mr. Tracy entered Company E, 140th O. V. I. as Second Lieutenant and served till September 3, 1864. He was First Lieutenant in the State Militia but accepted a Second Lieutenancy in this hundred days' service.

He was a director in the Portsmouth National Bank from 1873 and its vice president from 1875. He became a communicant of Christ church when it was organized and was a vestryman for many years. He left Portsmouth as a resident in 1886 and became a resident of Boston, Massachusetts, where he has resided since, but has always held his interest in the firm of C. P. Tracy & Co. and its successor, The Tracy Shoe Company.

He has been a republican all his life. He is a man of superior business abilities, and though beginning life with little or nothing has achieved a very gratifying success. With fine social qualities, and manners of more than ordi- nary polish and refinement, yet decidedly retiring, he combines a kindness of heart, thoughtfulness, benevolence and charity which have justly won for him the respect and esteem of all who know him.

John Bailey Tracy

was born in Chenango county, New York, April 12, 1837. He came to Ports- mouth in 1851. When a boy he clerked with S. R. Ross. Later he conducted a store at Pioneer Furnace and has lived at Hale's Creek station many years. When he first came to the county he clerked at the Pioneer furnace store sev- eral years. He was a sergeant in Co. F. 140th O. V. I., May 22, 1864 to Septem- ber 2, 1864. He was married in 1859 to Eliza Brady, daughter of Levi Brady. They have six children: Charles P., Emily B., Uri and Mary (twins), Albert and John. In 1860, he purchased a farm of 167 acres at Pioneer station and has resided there ever since. In 1872, he became a local Baptist minister and has preached at a number of appointments. He was Treasurer of Scioto county 1896 to 1900. He has always been a republican.

Mr. Tracy is rated as one of the stanch business men of Bloom town- ship. He was a faithful, conscientious public officer and discharged the duties of his office in a very creditable way. His kind genial manner makes him a general favorite of all. Being a ready speaker and well informed on public questions, he is in demand in the political and ecclesiastical world.

Joseph Trimble Tracy,

son of Noah and Nancy Ann Freeman, his wife, was born December 28, 1865, near Mount Pleasant, Henry county, Iowa. His grandfather was Jonathan Tracy, a native of Steuben county, New York. He was an old time physician in Scioto county, residing at Rocky Fork from 1834 until his death in 1888. His mother was a daughter of Milby Freeman of near White Oak, Adams county, Ohio. At the age of two years, his parents moved to near Bloomfield, Davis county, Iowa, and there our subject attended school until he was eleven years of age. They then removed to Rock Fork, near Otway, this county.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

He resided there from 1876 until he reached his majority. He attended the country schools there, and became a teacher in the fall of 1884, and fol- lowed that occupation until April, 1891, He taught at Otway, McGaw and Dry Run. He was appointed County School Examiner in September, 1889, and served as such until September, 1893. In April, 1891, he was appointed deputy Clerk of the Courts, under William F. Whitney, and held that office until Sep- tember 11, 1893. On that date he took the office of County Auditor, having been elected in November, 1892, and served until October 19, 1899. Since then he has assisted in the Auditor's office from time to time. On August 22, 1901, he was appointed Examiner for the State Auditor, and since then has been engaged in examining the financial transactions of the county of Auglaize. That task is now completed.

Mr. Tracy was married on April 11, 1894, to Alnore Arnold, daughter of George Arnold, of Rush township. They have four children: Stanley, Helen, Christine and Juliet. He has always been a stanch republican, and has taken a great interest in politics. He is a member of the Bigelow M. E. church of Portsmouth. On June 27, 1902, he was appointed one of the Deputy Inspec- tors and Supervisors of Public accounts, under the act of the General Assem- bly of Ohio, establishing a Bureau of uniform accounting in public offices.

Uri Tracy,

son of Charles Oscar Tracy and Maria Kinney, was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, June 16, 1831. In September, 1847, he engaged in the shoe business in the em- ploy of Richard Lloyd, afterward becoming a partner in the firm of Lloyd, Tracy & Co.

He was married December 4, 1851, to Harriet Ellen Lloyd, who died October 14, 1901. They had six children, four of whom are living at this time: viz., Charles O. Tracy, Uri Tracy, Jr., Harriet E. Waughop and Elizabeth L. Lowes.

In 1889 he removed to Columbus, Ohio, where he still resides.

Cornelia Bruner Treuthart

was born November 29, 1851, in Wheelersburg, Ohio, of Swiss-Irish descent. Her parents, Samuel N. Bruner, born in 1812, a Jeffersonian Democrat, and El- nora Fischer Bruner, born in 1814, located in southern Ohio, in 1838. In com- pany with Mr. Bruner's parents, they responded to the call of Westward! Ho!, and lett New York, Pennsylvania, in 1834. Samuel Bruner operated a flour mill at Chaffin's Mills, Ohio, and from 1849 to 1869, conducted a general mer- chandise store in Wheelersburg, Ohio. Her grandfather, Owen Bruner, was identified with the early history of Scioto county, as Justice of the Peace, School Director and Methodist class leader in 1838.

Her mother, Elnora Fischer, was a devout Methodist and the daughter of George Fischer, a soldier of the Revolution and an aid in the removal of the Continental congress from Philadelphia to Lancaster and later to York, Penn- sylvania, in 1777. She also saw Lafayette during his visit to America in 1825. The subject of this sketch taught school in Waverly, Pike county, in 1869. and in Portsmouth, Ohio, in 1871 and 1872. She was married November 27, 1873, to James L. Treuthart, born in 1838, a native of Zweisimmen, Canton Berne, Switzerland. He wrote "The Milliad, a poem of Liberty." He enlisted in Co. A, 104th O. V. I., August 7, 1862, and served until June 17, 1865. He was appointed corporal August 22, 1862, Sergeant, August 5, 1863, and First Ser- geant, August 19, 1864. For twelve years, he was an examiner of city school teachers at Portsmouth, Ohio, and is familiar with the French, German, Greek and English languages. Mr. and Mrs. Treuthart's two sons, Willie and Elmer, died in infancy. Of the three eldest daughters, who graduated from the Ports- mouth High School with highest honors: Alice C., 1878, is engaged in teaching; Bertha M., 1880, and Maude L., 1882, are proficient stenographers in the railway service. Flora B., 1885; Blanche I., 1887; and Edythe E., 1891, are students. Mrs. Treuthart is a member of the Woman's Literary Club, organized in 1891, and with her daughters, Alice C. and Bertha M. received a diploma of graduation in 1900 from the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle. An interest in edu- 'cational matters is shared alike by parents and children.

CHARLES W. TURNER.

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Leslie Charles Turley,

the son of Col. John A. Turley and Charlotte E. Robinson, the daughter of Joshua V. Robinson, was born November 11, 1862. He was the youngest son and child of his parents. He attended the Portsmouth schools until 1878, then went to the Ohio State University for a term, then to Cincinnati to the Nelson Busi- ness College, and took one term there. When he came home from Cincinnati, he went to work for the Portsmouth Steel & Iron Company, on the old site of the Gaylord mill. He next went to work for Levi D. York, in the Burgess Steel & Iron Works, running the two hammers at the plate mill, After that he went to work for his brother at the fire-clay mines at Sunday Switch on the B. & O. railroad, for several months. Mr. Adams then offered him a job as weigh- er and time-keeper of the Portsmouth Fire Brick Company. During this time he was also secretary. He remained with this company until 1891.

After 1891, he engaged in business with George Davis and W. G. Beyerly in the Kentucky Fire Brick Works. They made the first paving brick that was ever made of shale in this district. This was continued until after the death of Mr. Davis, Jan. 11, 1894, but the administrator had his interest until 1896, when the property was sold and Mr. Watkins and our subject bought it. It was incorporated into the Kentucky Fire Brick Works, and Mr. Turley was made vice president and secretary. They operated it for about five years and in June, 1901, it was consolidated, and the Kentucky Fire Brick Works, the Portsmouth Fire Brick Works, the South Webster Plant and the Blast Furnace Company became the Portsmouth & Kentucky Fire Brick Company, of which our subject was first vice president and general manager. In 1902 this com- pany was absorbed by the Portsmouth Harbison-Walker Company of which Mr. Turley was elected President. He is also President of the Black Fork Coal Co.

He served as a member of the City Council six years from 1894 to 1900, and was also president three years out of this period. He was married Novem- ber 11, 1890, to Miss Retta Reed, a daughter of Samuel Reed. They have two ¡children: Charles Leslie and Ella Retta. Mr. Turley is a Mason, an Elk, a member of the Sons of Veterans, of the Royal Arcanum, of the Woodmen of America, and the Woodmen of the World. He is a republican.

Albert Richard Turner

was born November 12, 1863. at Union Mills, Ohio. His parents were William and Mary (Daniels) Turner. His boyhood and youth were passed on a farm on the west side of the Scioto river. He attended the district school in winter and received a common school education. He was elected Clerk of Nile town- ship in 1898, and served until 1902. He is a republican and an Odd Fellow. On March 11, 1890, he was married to Catherine Barbee, a daughter of William Barbee. They have three children: William, Leroy and Ethel. Mr. Turner lives two miles below Friendship and has a comfortable home and a large and profitable farm. He has one of the largest apple orchards in southern Ohio. Mr. Turner is one of those solid, substantial farmers who tends strictly to his own affairs and by doing so has become one of the most prosperous and re- spected citizens. He is of large portly build, weighs over two hundred pounds and is possessed of a most equable temper. While he is essentially a man of business, he is a lover of the sports, and in times of leisure he takes a special delight in hunting and in the fox-chase.

Charles W. Turner,

of Sciotoville, Ohio. was born in Piketon, Pike county, Ohio, September 6, 1840. His parents, Nelson Turner and Francis (Hopper) Turner, were married at Scioto furnace, Ohio. in 1836, and moved to Piketon during the following year. His father was an engineer and machinist and erected a blacksmith and ma- chine shop in Piketon, which he conducted successfully. He died in 1843. After several years of widowhood. his mother was married in 1846, to William Sheets. In the spring of 1848, they moved to Randolph, Tennessee, where they were engaged in the hotel business for two years. In 1852, they moved to a plantation on the Mississippi river, where his mother died March 4, 1853.

In the spring of 1854, our subject left the parental roof and went west to near Little Rock, Arkansas, to live with a cousin, He worked on a farm there

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

until the fall of 1860, when he went to see his step-father, who, in the mean- time, had moved from Mississippi to a large plantation in Louisiana.

Hostilities between the North and South were at fever heat and he was an out-spoken Northern sympathizer. In the spring of 1861, the Confederates were organizing a company there to go to the front, and were bent upon press- ing him into service. He out-witted them and skipped for the North between sun-set and sun-rise June 5, 1861. He intended to go up the river, but when he 'reached Memphis, he found it blocked at Island Number Ten, and had to change his plans and go by rail to Louisville. Coming up the river, he rode on a boat with the Tiger Bayou Riflemen from Milligan's Bend to Memphis, and to secure safety, he told them he lived in Memphis and would enlist with them upon reaching that port, which he neglected to do. While in the Memphis de- pot, inquiring the most direct route, he met a young man from Indiana, who had been in Mississipppi, and who was trying to get home. As they were both in the same predicament and their efforts to escape were the same, friendship ensued and they became partners. They went to Bowling Green, Kentucky, and on June 10, while on the depot platform at Bowling Green, our subject overheard the officers tell the conductor to stop the train at Camp Zollicoffer, where the train would be searched. He told his partner this, who paid little attention to it. Our subject considered discretion the better part of valor and was also anxious to see the camp, so he was standing on the platform between the cars when the train reached the camp. Officers boarded the train and placed guards at the doors, but they evidently thought he was a member of the crew and did not molest him. He stepped off and sauntered up to the engine and boarded the cab, and thus came on safely. But, his partner, who had remained in the cars, was captured, and he never heard of him again. They had arranged that, if one met with misfortune, the other would notify his folks, and our subject wrote his partner's folks when he reached Missouri.

He reached the Union lines at Louisville, and, crossing the river to Jeffersonville, he drew one long breath, threw his hat into the air, and gave a yell. His plans were then undecided, but as his two half-sisters were attend- ing school in Hannibal, Missouri, he went to see them. He then went to Ralls county, twenty-one miles away. He lived on a farm there until February 22, 1862, when he enlisted in the 31st Missouri State Troops and served until No- vember 30, same year, when they were disbanded, subject to call. Our subject started to Indiana on horseback, but stopped in Iowa where he remained until July 28, 1863. He then went to Indiana, thence to Ohio and Pittsburg to see his mother's relatives. In the fall of 1863, he went to Camp Nelson, Kentucky, where he was employed in the Quartermaster's Department to drive teams. During the winter he operated from Flat Lick to Cumberland Mountain, taking supplies to the forces. In the spring of 1864, he went to Lexington, Kentucky.

Until then, he had been a driver and leader of pack mules in the moun- tains, but he was promoted to Wagon Master when he reached Lexington. His train started south with five hundred wagons and three hundred ambulances, and when it reached Decatur, Alabama, he was turned over with 25 wagons and 150 mules to the First Division of the Twenty Third Corps of the Army of the Cumberland. The drivers were sent back and soldiers were detailed to drive and he was retained as Wagon Master. He was with this division until February 16, 1865, was through the Nashville fight, and kept up the supplies from the time the army left Nashville until it was finally shipped from Grange's Landing on the Tennessee river to Louisville, from which place the Division was sent to Washington and our subject to Lexington. During March, 1865, another train was organized, which started to Little Rock, Arkansas, in April. It went to Louisville and went into camp to await transports, but, on May 20, they were discharged, the war being ended.

He then went to Berlin Cross Roads, Jackson county, Ohio, bought a team and hauled ore to La Trobe Furnace. In the fall of 1865, he took a con- tract with the Baltimore & Ohio South Western railroad to furnish them cross- ties in Scioto county. He came to this county and boarded at Henry Barrett's in Harrison township. In February, 1866, he came to Sciotoville and con- tracted with McConnell, Porter & Company to deliver fire-clay to their works.

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On October 15, 1868, he was married to Miss Louella Byrn, who died November 15, 1901. They had three children, viz: Arthur M., who is assistant superinten- dent of Barnhart Brothers' type foundry in Chicago; James P., who is store- keeper for The Scioto Fire Brick Company; and Ella, who died December 23, 1894. On January 1, 1876, he was employed by The Scioto Fire Brick Company as assistant superintendent. On January 1, 1890, he became superintendent, and in September, 1894, he was also made treasurer; and on January 1, 1902, he became president, superintendent and treasurer.

He was reared a Democrat, but shortly after becoming a voter, he be- came a republican, in which he is firmly grounded. He is not a politician in the popular sense. He never aspired to political honors, although he served his township one term as Trustee in 1877. One of the regrets of his life is that he voted the democratic ticket one time.

Mr. Turner is one of the best specimens of the self-made man. On ac- count of scant school privileges in the South during his boyhood, his education was limited, but by dint of a bright intellect and indomitable perseverance, he acquired a good, practical education since reaching manhood, and is to-day one of Scioto county's progressive and substantial men.

William Turner

was born in Washington township, Scioto county, Ohio, March 14, 1831. His father's name was Samuel Turner, and his mother's maiden name was Phoebe Wilson, a daughter of John Wilson. There were two boys and two girls in the family: John, William, our subject, Mary and Maria. John died in Ports- mouth at the age of seventy-three; Mary, now deceased, married William Holt: Maria is deceased. Our subject attended the common schools. He commenced to work on the farm when he was nine years old, and has been a farmer all his life. In the spring of 1860, he located where he now resides.

He was married February 9, 1860, to Mary Daniels. They had the fol- lowing children: Frank, Louisa, married Aaron Briggs, Albert, a farmer on the West side; Andrew Barry and Jennie Dunbar, twins. The latter married Chris- tian Blair, a farmer; Lottie died in infancy. His first wife died January 29, 1898, and he married again November 2, 1899 to Mrs. Eldecca Wishon, a daughter of Robert S. Wynn.

He was township Trustee for a number of years. He was County Com- missioner from 1876 to 1882. He owns about 500 acres of land along the Ohio river and the Scioto valley. He was a whig before he was a republican, and cast his first vote for General Taylor on the Whig ticket. He is an Odd Fel- low. Mr. Turner is one of the most reliable citizens of Scioto county. While he was County Commissioner, he made one of the best in the whole succes- sion. When he said "no" it was "no," but he was never arbitrary. He was al- ways open to reason and conviction and took the best course. No man ever possessed better business judgment than he. As an economist, he has been a success. He has made a fair fortune and he knows how to take care of it, though at all times he is a liberal, public-spirited citizen. A dozen words from him as how to make money is worth a whole library from a writer on the sub- ject who has not succeeded in practical life.

James Huston Varner

was born January 1, 1861 at Portsmouth, Ohio, the youngest son of Col. Sampson E. Varner and Maria Louise Huston, his wife. He attended the Portsmouth public schools until 1874, when, at the age of 13, he went into the Kinney National Bank. He remained in the employ of that institution until 1887 when he went to Muscatine, Iowa, as a clerk in the Commercial hotel, kept by his uncle, John W. Varner. From there he went to Kokomo, Ind., and was a clerk for eighteen months in the hotel kept by Joseph C. Gilbert, his un- cle. In 1880, he went into the Express office in Portsmouth, Ohio. In the same year, he began as stock boy with Sanford, Varner & Company and continued with their successors, Towell, McFarland and Sanford, until 1886. In the lat- ter year, Mr. Sanford, our subject, and William H. Varner bought out the old firm and conducted the business in Portsmouth, Ohio, as Sanford. Varner & Company until 1898 when the firm moved to Cincinnati and succeeded Miller,

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

Vorhees & Company by purchase, since which time they have conducted the business as Sanford, Storrs & Varner. The firm is composed of Angus L. San- ford, John S. Storrs and James H. Varner.

Our subject was married on November 27, 1887 to Ellen Louise Damarin, second daughter of Louis C. Damarin and Mary Ann Peck, his wife. They have four children, Louise Pauline, Mary, James H., and Dorothy.

Mr. Varner was a democrat until 1896 when he became a republican on the money issue. He is a Mason, a member of the Elks, of the Business Men's Club of Cincinnati, of the Avondale Athletic Club and of the Cuvier Club. Mr. Varner is known among his contemporaries and associates as a gentleman of the highest character. His word is always kept with the utmost scrupulousness. In all matters of social life and business he is noted for a broad spirit of liber- ality.

James Sanford Vaughters

was born in Nile township, near Friendship, July 19, 1852. He is the son of Thomas G. Vaughters and Ara B. (Jennings) Vaughters, His father has a sketch herein. His mother was a daughter of Enos Jennings, who emigrated from Juniata county, Pennsylvania to Muskingum county, Ohio, where she was born April 12, 1832. The Jennings family later moved to near Hamden, Vinton county, Ohio, where at the age of nineteen, she was united in marriage with Thomas G. Vaughters. by the late Hon. H. S. Bundy, who at that time was a local Methodist preacher.

Our subject was very mischievous when a boy and that trait persists in exhibiting itself to this day. In attending the common schools, he was al- ways considered a very apt pupil. He had an especial fondness for geography, spelling and history, mathematics being as dry as chaff to him. He taught the Friendship school four years and was successful in its management. After completing the common schools, he attended the National Normal at Lebanon, Ohio, the Central Ohio Normal at Worthington, Ohio, and at Oberlin, Ohio. Our subject was too young to be in the Civil war, but had three uncles: Ervin, Oren and Sanford Jennings, who were in the service and consequently he has a warm feeling for the old soldiers. He was Assessor of Washington town- ship for two years. This is the only office he ever held, with the exception of being Postmaster at Dennis, Ohio. since September 15, 1893.

He is a republican but an ardent supporter of the "free-silver" theory. He is very independent in his political course and votes for the man rather than the party label. Though not a rich man, he owns a good farm, unincumbered, all under-drained, very productive, and with good improvements. He is a good financier in a small way. He is always liberal and willing to help those in need of help, and has always felt a pleasure in doing so. Mr. Vaughters was Editor of the Piketon (Ohio) Courier in 1879 and 1880. He says he did not ac- cumulate two cents during that time, but had two million dollars worth of fun. He has been correspondent for several city papers before and since. He owns a general store at Dennis, Ohio, and has been conducting it since 1892.

Thomas G. Vaughters, M. D.,

was born in Caroline county, Virginia, in 1823. His father was of English descent but a native of Virginia. His mother Catherine Mason was of Scotch descent, but a native of Philadelphia. His father died when he was quite young and his mother, three brothers and a sister came to Ohio in 1830. They located in Jackson county. From 1834 until 1838 he attended the country schools walking three miles to the school house. He burned pine knots to study by at night. He got beyond his teacher and walked eight miles to another school. In 1842, he obtained a teacher's certificate and taught three months in Ohio and Kentucky and then began the study of Anatomy and Physiology. In the fall of 1842, he began the study of medicine with Dr. D. H. Mitchell of Jackson, Ohio. He studied there for three years and then went into the office of Dr .. J. M. Keenan in Hamden and read, studied and practiced until 1850. He visited one of his brothers in Scioto county and met Dr. J. W. Dennis, who persuaded him to locate at Friendship, Ohio. In 1851 and 1852 he took a full course of lectures at Louisville, Kentucky. In March, 1872, he obtained the degree of M.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 161

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