A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 165

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 165

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William Grant Williams

was born January 3, 1866, in Jackson county, Ohio. His father was Evan D. Williams, and his mother's maiden name was Catharine Edwards, the daughter of Rev. John E. Edwards. His parents had seven children, of whom he was the fifth. Three of these sons survived and the others died in infancy. Grant's father was a farmer in Jackson county, but in 1867 moved to Portsmouth, Ohio, and began work in the Gaylord mill. The son has lived in Portsmouth ever since. He attended the Portsmouth schools until he was fifteen years of age and then he began for himself as a messenger for the Western Union Telegraph Company. He served as such for one year and then became a telegrapher in

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the general offices of the Scioto Valley Railway Company. in Columbus. He served four years in this capacity and then became Secretary to J. J. Archer, the General Passenger and Freight Agent of the same Railroad Company.

In 1888, he came back to Portsmouth and became vice president of the Excelsior Shoe Company. (See page 608.) He has held that office ever since. He has charge of the sale of the goods and of the cutting department. A full account of the operations of the company will be found under the sketch of his brother, John E. Wiliams.

Our subject was married January 3, 1894 to Miss Mary Elizabeth Love, daughter of Peter E. Love, of Cabell county, West Virginia. He has three children, sons, as follows: Allen Graves, born February 11, 1895; Forest Love, born May 21, 1897; Paul, born April 4, 1899. Mr. Williams is a republican, a member of the Second Presbyterian church, a member of the Commercial Club and a Mason.

Mr. Williams is a young business man of the ablest type. Quick to act, aggressive, yet judicious and far seeing, a positive character, he possesses the qualities which make him a leader among the Portsmouth captains of industry. He constantly studies his business and is familiar with its slightest detail. His broad views and courageous policies have contributed largely to the un- rivalled growth and prosperity of his shoe interests. A brilliant industrial ca- reer is before him. In private life, he is public spirited and a valuable citizen in every respect. It is to nien like him that Portsmouth owes all that is best in its recent commercial and industrial awakening.

William Henry Williams

was born in Albany, New York, July 4, 1842. His father was William Wil- liams and his mother's maiden name was Delila Hunter. He left New York when he was three years old and was adopted in Portsmouth. He has spent all but eleven years of his life in Portsmouth. He attended school in Ports- mouth until 1856 when he commenced to work for J. L. McVey as a clerk and remained there until December 7, 1857 when Mr. McVey died. He then learned the tinner's trade with O'Neil & Hunter and was with them until February, 1861, when he went to Cincinnati and was time keeper at G. W. Ball & Com- pany's foundry. On June 4, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, 39th O. V. 1. and .was appointed Sergeant on the day he was mustered in. He was promoted to First Sergeant and on December 31, 1862, was promoted to Second Lieutenant. He was made First Lieutenant May 9, 1864. He resigned August 6, 1864. He was in all the battles participated in by the regiment up to and including At- lanta, Georgia. On February 20, 1864, a sword, sash, sword belt, and revolver were presented to him by the citizens of Portsmouth at Connolley's Hall. After his return from the army, he went into the grocery business with Phil Hard. He was in that one year, and then went to Cincinnati and traveled for Wirthlin & Company, flour dealers, until 1872, when he returned to Ports- mouth and went into the business of house-painting and has been in it ever since. He belongs to no orders except the G. A. R. He is a republican.

William Henry Williams

was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, October 7. 1854. His father was William B. Williams for so many years City Marshal and his mother was Margaret (Edwards) Williams. They were both natives of Wales. He attended the pub- llic schools until the age of seventeen when he entered on a business career. He clerked in John Jones' hat store for one year. Then he went into the Biggs House under Prendergast & Jennings and was there for six years as a clerk. He became proprietor in 1883 and was there for one year. He was a member of the school board in Portsmouth in 1881 and 1883 from the First ward.

In February, 1884, he was appointed Financial Officer of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum under Governor Hoadley and was there for two years. He then went into the American Hotel as one of the firm. In 1891 the firm became Wil- liams and Weakley and so remained until 1897. In 1890, he was elected Finan- . cial Officer of the Central Insane Asylum and held that position two years. In 1894, he was appointed Director of Accounts of Columbus. In 1895, he was ap-

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

pointed Director of Public Safety of the city of Columbus, an office correspond- ing to Chief of Police, and served until 1899. He made the best record for that office the city ever had and achieved a state reputation. He was appointed a trustee of the Athens Hospital for the Insane in 1899 and still holds that of- fice. He was treasurer of the State Democratic Committee in 1896, 1897, and 1900. He was the organizer of the Great Southern Hotel Company and was its president for two years. He became president of the Mercantile Assurety Company in January, 1892.

He was married April 15, 1881, to Emma Jones, daughter of David D. Jones of Portsmouth, Ohio. They have one son, Carl. R., who is engaged with the H. C. Warner Shoe Company in Columbus. Mr. Williams is a democrat.

Mr. Williams has extraordinary executive and business ability. He can bring order out of chaos and success out of failure. He has demonstrated this in handling money enterprises since his residence in the city of Columbus. He learned his lessons in Portsmouth and put them into practice in Columbus.

George Williamson

was born April 1, 1830 in Washington township, Scioto county, Ohio. His father was Joseph Williamson and his mother Catherine Schaffer. His father was born March 6, 1776 in New Jersey and was brought to this county when a (child. He died July 6, 1849 of an epidemic of cholera. His widow survived until the 16th of December, 1880. His grandfather, Joseph Williamson emi- grated from New Jersey. His grandmother Williamson was Martha Feurt, a sister of Peter Feurt and daughter of Joseph Feurt. She died in 1830. Of the children of his father there were John; Elizabeth, married to John Notting- ham and living at Marion, Indiana; our subject, George Williamson; William; Christina A., married William Smith; Henry Harrison, deceased; Barbara, mar- ried Jacob C. Hibbs; Frank, moved to St. Louis; a sister, Sarah, married to a Mr. Swanson, who soon died. She afterwards married Frank Smith and resides at Cheshire, Ohio.

Our subject attended the common schools of his neighborhood and was raised a farmer. He never followed anything else and has owned his present farm for forty-seven years. He remembers seeing deer and wild turkeys in the woods. The farm he now owns and tills was cleared off in 1840 by Aaron Clark. When our subject became of age, he affiliated himself with the Whig party and then with the Republican. He has been a township trustee and a member of the school board in his district. In 1863 he went with the militia to follow General Morgan under the command of Van B. Hibbs, but was cap- tured by Morgan near Ewington. He enlisted in Co. I of the 140th O. V. I., May 2, 1864, at the age of 34, and served until September 3, 1864.

On March 4, 1865, he married Miss Eliza Catherine Givens, daughter of William Givens. They had eight children: Mary Rena, died June 6, 1868; Wil- . liam Givens, ex-Sheriff of Scioto county, Ohio; John Adam, who culti- vates his father's farm and is married to Effie Larkin, daughter of D. V. Larkin; Joseph Carlin, M. D., of Sciotoville, Ohio, married to Blanche Morri- son; Dr. Howard Williamson, Dentist, of Portsmouth, Ohio; Sadie, Ellen and Eliza Catherine at home. His wife died March 28, 1870. He was married a second time to Mary Elizabeth Coe, widow of Marion Coe, and daughter of Allen Givens. They were married December 19, 1888. They have one daughter, Bessie.

Mr. Williamson has been for many years a member of the Oldtown Methodist church. He is a good neighbor and a kind friend. He has always strictly attended to his own affairs and found it an excellent way to get along easily and to make and save money. He is devoted to the interests of his family and his children are in turn devoted to him. He is a plain, every-day farmer. He has never had any ambition to be anything else, but by owning good land, by taking care of it and his business, he has acquired a competence for his declining years. For several years he has been an invalid, but is cheerful, contented and happy in the society of his family and his friends. His sons and daughters are a great credit to him and he is happy in their positions and success in the community.

GEORGE WILLIAMSON.

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John Adam Williamson

was born at the old homestead of his grandfather in Washington township, January 20, 1872. He is the son of George and Eliza C. (Givens) Williamson. For a more extended account of the family see the sketch of George Williamson above. The boyhood of our subject was spent on the farm and at the district school. He has never followed any business but farming. He now has charge of the home farm, and has three hundred acres under cultivation. He is a Re- publican and Methodist. He married Effie Larkin, daughter of Delos V. and Sarah M. (Johnson) Larkin, July 19, 1898. They have one child, Margaret Eliza. Mr. Williamson is an industrious. careful young farmer and well thought of in his community.

Joseph C. Williamson, M. D.,

was born at Dry Run, Washington township, Scioto county, Ohio, December 31, 1874. He is the son of George and Eliza C. (Givens) Williamson. His boy- hood and youth were passed on the farm in Washington township. He at- tended the home school and later spent over two years in the study of the sciences at the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio. He attended the Medical College of Ohio (now the University of Cincinnati) in 1895, from which he graduated in May, 1899, completing a four years' course. He spent the year 1900 in postgraduate work, as Home Physician and Surgeon of St. Mary's Hospital, at Cincinnati. He is now practicing medicine at Sciotoville, where he located in May, 1900. He married Miss Blanche Morrison, daughter of Albert R. and Elizabeth ( McMasters) Morrison, October 8, 1901. He is a Republican. He has had a thorough course of medicine and has availed himself of all the advantages it offered. He is a liberal minded gentleman, and anxious to suc- ceed and excel in his profession and will do so. His success is not a problem of the future, but a certainty of the present.

William Givens Williamson

was born March 24, 1869. His father was George Williamson, and his mother's maiden name was Eliza Catherine Givens, a daughter of William Givens, of Nile township. He was reared on his father's farm and attended the public schools. He also attended two terms with Professor Lowes. At the age of twenty-one he went to seek his fortune in the West, and went to Portland, Oregon, in March, 1891, and was there eighteen months. He was a salesman and a shipping clerk for a hardware store. He was married September 14, 1892, in the state of Ore- gon, to Miss Grace Bateman, the daughter of George Bateman. He returned to Scioto county in 1892, and went to farming on his father's farm and con- tinued that occupation for six years. At the time he was also agent for a machine company.

He was elected Sheriff of Scioto county in November, 1898, and re-elected in 1900. He has the distinction of being the best looking man who was ever elected Sheriff in Scioto county, and also the youngest man. When he told strangers that he was Sheriff of Scioto county they thought he was some boy trying to impose on them. However, Mr. Williamson is a man, every inch of him, as all of his acquaintances know. He has had three children: Sarah Cath- arine, George Bacon and William Charles, deceased. Mr. Williamson is a repub- lican and has for a number of years been very influential in politics. He is a Mason, a member of the Aurora Lodge, of Solomon Council, Mt. Vernon Chapter and of the Calvary Commandery. He is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. Williamson enjoys the confidence of the business com- munity and fulfills the duties in his important office as faithfully as any man who ever occupied that position. Since the above was written Mr. William- son's wife died January 30, 1903.

Daniel James Wilson

was born at Lois, Scioto county, Ohio, February 11, 1866. He is the son of David S. and Elizabeth (Oberly) Wilson. His grandmother was Rachael (Storer) Wilson. She died at her home in Nile township, this county, in 1900, at the age of 97. Mr. Wilson is a Republican and a member of the Baptist church.

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He was clerk in Madison township in 1897. He married Annie Rickey, daughter of Thomas and Tealina Rickey, April 8, 1896. They reside about one mile south-east of California. Mr. Wilson has been a farmer all his life. His father and mother reside on the home farm near Lois. They are both ad- vanced in life but enjoy good health. Daniel J. Wilson is an industrious, careful farmer, a good neighbor, and has a heart full of human sympathy.

Frederick Arthur Wilson

son of David Storer Wilson and Elizabeth (Oberly) Wilson was born on a farm in Madison township, April 14, 1867. His father was born in Adams county, May 27, 1826 and was the son of George Wilson, born in 1799, who came to Adams county from Virginia, about 1814 and died in 1876. His mother was a daughter of Charles and Magdalena Oberly. Charles Oberly died at the age of thirty-five, in 1853, and was the son of John Oberly, a German by birth.

The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm and schooled in the dis- trict school until he was sixteen, when he began teaching. He taught in the country schools for eight years and wound up his career as a teacher at Cal- ifornia in Pike county, where he was employed two years. From teaching he turned to the lumber business, securing the position of inspector with the W. M. Ritter Lumber Company, at their lumber camp at Panther, West Virgina. Here Mr. Wilson worked for two years acquiring a thorough knowledge of lumber. He then was advanced to salesman in the eastern trade by reason of his merit and served until January 1, 1902, when he was made sales-manager for the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland, at a good salary, which position he still holds. He is thoroughly in touch with market conditions and with the lumber trade in general and is frequently consulted in technical matters of arbitration wherein marked ability and judgement is required. He is indus- trious and energetic and all the progress he has made has been through his own efforts and his natural ability. He is a republican but takes only a general interest in politics.

He was married November 18, 1886 to Mary Ellen O'Neal, daughter of Samuel and Eliza J. (Keairns) O'Neal. They have but one child, Jennie, born February 9, 1888.

Mr. Wilson is ambitious in his chosen work and by his constant applica- tion he has become a first class salesman. He has the confidence of his em- ployers and has made himself indispensable to them. He is possessed of an excellent memory which serves him well at all times.

Jacob Hillyard Windle, M. D.,

was born in Winchester, Virginia, July 8, 1831. His father was Nicholas Het- rick Windle, and his mother's maiden name was Catharine Hillyard. His father and mother were married at Martinsburg, Virginia. His grandfather was John Windle who was born in Germany. His father and mother had twelve children, and our subject was the second child. They came to Monroe county, Ohio with four children: Grafton W., Mary E. Snyder, Anna, wife of William Smith, now deceased; and Dr. Jacob H. They came from Winchester through Wheeling, to Carlyle, in Monroe county. They remained there until June 5, 1847, when they landed in Portsmouth. They started to go to Illinois, but stopped off at Portsmouth, where they found Thomas Davis, a former neighbor. Mr. Davis was then carrying on a glove factory in Portsmouth and was short of hands. Mrs. Windle was an expert glove-maker, and Mr. Davis in- duced her to stay, to teach his hands how to make gloves, and so the family remained in Portsmouth and the vicinity from 1847 to 1850, and then moved to Adams county, "Bacon Flats." They remained here one year, and then moved to Munn's Run. Our subject bought forty acres of land on Munn's Run of Col. Thaddeus Bennett. In 1852, he went to Greenup county, to Buffalo furnace on a coal contract. In June, 1852, he came to Portsmouth and worked there a while for Mr. Miller on the canal. In 1854, he moved to Greenup county, Ken- tucky to do business for Col. Thaddeus Bennett. For two years he hauled charcoal to the Gaylord Rolling Mills. After that he was a sub-contractor, making charcoal. He followed that, until 1862, in Kentucky. From 1862 to 1865, he farmed with Frank Reeves, and was engaged in buying horses for the

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Government. In 1865, he moved to Buckhorn Tannery and remained there un- til 1867.

He commenced reading medicine in 1857 with Dr. Richard Morton in Kentucky. He had just begun reading medicine with Dr. Morton when the latter died of an overdose of calomel. Our subject then began to read with Dr. Munn of Springville, but he died a short time after. In 1866 and 1867, he began to practice medicine at Buckhorn Tannery. In 1867 he moved to Rarden. In 1869 he formed a partnership with Dr. Penn there, and practiced with him until 1872. From 1872 to 1874, he practiced alone. In 1874, he attended the Eclectic Medical Institute, and in February, 1875 graduated and got a diploma, and he has practiced under that since. He was married in March, 1859 to . Sarah A. James from Scioto county, a daughter of Jonathan James. They have the following children: William, Grafton, Sarah Ellen, married Amos Jenkins; Jacob Franklin, Jonathan W., Nicholas H., Serena W., married Alex. Jenkins; Samuel Edmond, died at Latham, Ohio, aged thirty-three years; Zora Noline, deceased at one year: Leota May, married Walter H. Brown, residing at Brad- dock, Pa. Our subject is a democrat in his political views. He is a member of the Christian church.

Captain George Cumberland Winkler

was born in Pickaway county, January 5, 1835. His ancestry will be found in a sketch of John Asher Winkler. Our subject had a common school educa- tion. His mother died when he was only two years of age, and his sister Samantha Sperry took him and reared him. His mother gave him into his sister's charge in her dying moments. He spent his boyhood in Perry town- ship, Lawrence county, and when 14 years of age he went to Portsmouth and learned the saddler business under James Salisbury. After a year he worked with a Mr. Barrett in the same business for two years. After that he went to Guyandotte and worked at his trade another year. From there he went to Charleston, West Virginia, and worked six months at his trade. After that he went into the drug business with Dr. Rogers, and was there four years. At the end of that period he went to Cincinnati to take a course at Bartlett's Commercial College.

The War coming on, in August 1861, he assisted in raising Company E of the Thirty-third O. V. I. He was mustered in that regiment September 3, 1861, as a private, and was made Sergeant. On December 8, 1861 he was made. Second Lieutenant of the same company. He was made First Lieutenant March 2, 1863 and made Captain of Company I, August 11, 1864, and re-enlisted as a veteran and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out with the Company, July 12, 1865. He was in fifty-three different skirmishes, engage- ments and battles. He was never wounded. He was never in the hospital dur- ing his service, and was always ready for duty. He was in every battle in which the regiment participated, except Perryville at which time he was sick at home.

He was married September 21, 1865 to Mary J. LaCroix, a daughter of Alex. LaCroix. From 1865 to 1868 he was a farmer in Scioto county, Ohio; and from 1868 to 1873 he resided near Topeka, Kansas, and was engaged in farm- ing. In the year 1873 he returned to Scioto county, and has been a farmer in the French Grant, near Haverhill, ever since. He has always been a republican in his political views, and has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since 1868. During that time he has been treasurer and trustee of that church for a number of years. It there is one distinguishing characteristic of Captain Winkler above another, it is his intense interest in everything he un- dertakes or does. He was one of the most earnest patriots during the war. His home is filled with memorials of the war. He was a model soldier, like "Chevalier Bayard, without fear or without reproach." No man who ever. served in the War of 1861. has a greater love of his Country and its institu- tions. With Captain Winkler honor and integrity always come first. He is most highly esteemed by all those who know him; and the more intimately they know him, the greater their regard for him.

No sketch of him would be complete without a reference to his wife. She has been his aider and helper in all his good works and no woman in her

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

community does more for the love of God and Humanity than she. The two, husband and wife, are, in their church and in the circle of their acquaintances, workers together for all that is true and good.

Charles Winter

was born in Prussia, Germany, near the Rhine, May 28, 1838. John Winter was his father and his mother's maiden name was Eliza Bauer. His paternal grandfather was in the battle of Waterloo. His boyhood and youth were passed at Koblinz, Germany. Here he received a good school education and learned the blacksmith's trade. He came to America in 1857 and located in Portsmouth. He was a blacksmith from 1862 until 1868, then he engaged in the grocery business and remained in that for fourteen years. Since that time he has been in the shoe and gents furnishing business. He was County Com- missioner from 1880 to 1886. He was a member of the City Council of Ports- mouth from 1876 to 1880 also from 1896 to 1898. He is a republican and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He has been a member of the German M. E. church since 1869. September 25, 1862, he was married to Margaret Helt, daughter of John Helt of Harrison township. They have eight children: Charles Albert now living in New York; John Wesley at Dayton, Ohio; Wil- liam A., at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Fred B. at New York; Bertha E. the wife of Samuel Marting; Clara N. at home; Henry Herman and Mayme C.

Leopold Wise

was born in Frankfort, Germany, December 24, 1824. His father was Leopold Wise. His parents died at Oxburg, Germany, his father being 96 and his mother 94. He came to this county in 1847 and landed in New York. He loca- ted there and began business in clothing and tailoring which he continued until 1859. He then removed to Ironton, Ohio, and commenced the same kind of business, which he continued until 1865. He then removed to Portsmouth and began business of the same kind, and continued in it until 1897, when he retired from business.

He was married in July, 1848 to Mary Deusik, daughter of Max Deusik of Bavaria, Germany. She came to this country in 1848 and located in Ports- mouth. They have two children living: Max and Samuel. Max commenced business with his father in 1865. In 1885, he commenced business for himself and continued until 1891, when he retired from the clothing business and or- ganized the Model Shirt Manufacturing Company in which he is engaged at present. Samuel commenced to work for his father in 1892 and in 1897 when his father retired, he became superintendent of the Wise Tailoring Company and still holds that position. Our subject is a republican, a member of Spinza Lodge, No. 108, I. O. B. B. of Cincinnati. He is a member of the Jewish con- gregation of Portsmouth.

General Oliver Wood

was born in Saratoga county, New York, June 25, 1825. His father was a far- mer in good circumstances and gave his son as good an education as the vicinity afforded. Some time before his majority, he removed to Chautauqua county, New York. He was appointed a deputy sheriff when he was only twenty-one years of age. There he married Miss Rhodes, who was the mother of two children: Lester E. Wood, now of New York city, and Emma Wood, who died in 1877. He engaged in the lumber business on the Ohio and Alle- ghany rivers. In 1852, his wife died and soon after he removed to Portsmouth. In 1855, he married Miss Emily H. Mytinger.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 165

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