A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 17

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 17

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December 6th, 1836, he began the publication of the Scioto Trib- une, having purchased the Courier of Mr. E. Glover. In 1839, Sil- man Clark took an interest in the paper and the name was changed to the Portsmouth Tribune. February 14th, 1840, he and Silman Clark retired from the Tribune, and were succeeded by Hutchins and Blinn.

From 1838 to 1842, he was Mayor of the Town of Portsmouth. On August 12th, 1842, he announced that he would thereafter devote himself exclusively to the practice of the law; but he did not stick to his promise; for in a short time he returned to the Tribune as its editor, and continued to be such until he went into the Mexican War.

In 1842, he built the Judge Towne residence on Court street, just south of Captain William Moore's residence. A door entered the dining room from the alley. This room he used for an office for sometime. That door has long since been bricked up, but its location can be noticed.

In 1840, he was Examiner of the Public Schools. When he was elected Mayor in 1840, he received 125 votes and L. C. Goff 51. From 1843 to 1847, he was President of the Council. Feb. 20th, 1846, he formed a law partnership with E. W. Jordan, as Hamilton and Jordan. He resigned July 6th, 1846, to go into the Mexican War. He was a strong Whig; yet he raised a Company to go into

GEORGE W. HELFENSTEIN. [PAGE 1005.]

JOSEPH G. REED. [PAGE 1008.1

LYNN BENTLEY. [PAGE 905.]

CHARLES P. LLOYD. [PAGE 1047.]

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the Mexican War. It was Co., D. Ist Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Edward Hamilton was appointed Captain, June Ist, 1846. May 2nd, 1846, he was a Major General of the Ohio Miltia. His Company was made up almost entirely from the County and about the furnaces. The regiment was in the battle of Monterey, Septem- ber 21st, 1846, and saw some hard service. It lost 66 men by death, 24 killed and 42 died of disease. From October 15th, 1847, to Oc- tober 6th, 1849, he was Town Clerk. On February 16th, 1849, he was one of the committee of Council to receive and welcome General Taylor, on his way up the river to Washington to be inaugurated President.

General Taylor, who remembered him in Mexico, gave him a most cordial welcome and had him remain on the boat and go up the river with him some distance. It is believed that, on this trip, he promised Mr. Hamilton the office which he gave him the next Octo- ber

In August, 1849, he was appointed examiner of the Public Schools. October 14th, 1849, he resigned as Town Clerk, on ac- count of his removal.

President Taylor had appointed him Secretary of the Territory of Oregon and he had accepted. He left with the Council the flag he had carried through the Mexican War; and the Council accepted it by proper resolution.

Mr. Hamilton possessed excellent literary tastes. He frequently gave public lectures on educational subjects. He was never promin- ent as a lawyer. His income as such in 1830 was rated at $300.00, and never above $800.00. He preferred the quieter walks of the profession. He was a communicant of All Saints Church and he and Mr. Burr were great friends. When Monterey was captured, Gen. Taylor appointed him Military Governor of the place; and in discharge of his duties, he greatly pleased the General. It was a Red Letter day in Portsmouth, when he and his Company returned from the Mexican War. They were given a public welcome. Those who knew him best, say he was entitled to better success as a lawyer than he obtained; that he was too high toned to obtain much practice.

When he began as a Justice of the Peace, some of the members of the bar thought to make a guy of him. They got up a sham law- suit. One of them sued Wm. V. Peck, in trover, for the conversion of a pen knife. A very strongly contested law suit was held before Esq. Hamilton. He presided with great dignity. Witnesses were examined and arguments made. The value of the knife was taxed at $1.50 and Peck was found guilty and adjudged to pay the value of the knife and costs. The lawyers left the Court in high glee, thinking they had perpetuated a great joke. Soon after, Hamilton issued ex- ecution ; and Lawyer Peck had to pay the judgement and costs in full.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

Prior to 1842, Mr. Hamilton resided in a frame house on the Judge Towne lot. It was destroyed by fire. The citizens raised a fund and tendered him, but he declined it. He had a daughter, who was grown in 1849. He and his wife and daughter left New York for Oregon in a sailing vessel, the "Supply," around Cape Horn. Aaron Kinney, who was in love with the daughter, went along. On board there was an Army Officer who fell in love with this daughter, Genevieve, on the long voyage; and afterwards married her. Aaron Kinney remained a bachelor. After Oregon became a State, Hamilton is said to have been a Supreme Judge and to have made quite a Jud- icial reputation. He is said to have lived to about the age of 80, but his life after leaving Portsmouth is mere tradition and we have been minable to communicate with his family.

He was slender, fine appearing, and carried himself with great dignity. His father lived with him in Portsmouth and wore the old style apparel. He had his hair braided in a queue, and always wore it that way.

Governor Hamilton while a resident of Portsmouth, was poor in pocket, but rich in integrity. He was a gentleman from every point and is affectionately remembered by all who knew him.

Nelson Barrere

was born near Newmarket, Highland County, Ohio, April Ist, 1808, and was the seventh of twelve children. His father was George W. Barrere, a very prominent citizen of Highland County. He was a deputy surveyor, Justice of the Peace, member of the Ohio Senate nine years, and an Associate Judge of Highland County for fourteen years. He fought in the Indian War, and participated in St. Clair's defeat and Wayne's victory. He was also in the War of 1812 at Hull's surrender, and was in every public enterprise in Highland Coun- ty until his death in 1839. His son Nelson, lived on the farm until eighteen years of age and attended school in the winters. He spent a year in the Hillsboro High School, and in 1827, entered the Fresh- man class at Augusta College. He graduated from there in 1830, fin- ishing a four years course in three and one half years.

In 1831, he began the study of law in Hillsboro with Judge John WV. Price and was admitted to the bar on December 23rd, 1833. He opened an office in Hillsboro and remained there nine months. He lo- cated in West Union in 1834, forming a partnership with Samuel Brush. This partnership continued for a year. He remained in West Union eleven years altogether, and had a large and lucrative practice. He had the confidence of the people. He represented Adams Scioto and Brown Counties in the Lower House of the Legislature at the thirty-sixth Legislative session from December 44th, 1837, to March 4th, 1853. In 1853, he was the Whig candidate for Gover- nor, but was defeated, receiving 85,847 votes, while his competitor,

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William Medill received 147,663. When the Whig party dissolved. he went over to the Democratic party, in which he remained during the remainder of his life; but during the Civil War he supported the Republican administration. In 1870, he was a candidate for Congress on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated. He was the Democratic candidate from Highland County for member of the Constitutional Convention, in 1875, and was defeated by one vote. He never mar- ried. He continued in the active practice of law until his death, which occurred August 20th, 1883.

In Adams County, during his residence there, he was very popu- lar. He was always conspicuous for his public spirit. As a lawyer he was energetic and industrious. He was a safe and reliable coun- selor, and an eloquent and successful advocate. He was always agreeable and courteous in his manners. In West Union, he formed many warm friendships, and he, Joseph Allen Wilson, Davis Dar- lington: and others had a club at Darlington's store to which they re- sorted of evenings and spent many pleasant hours. Joseph West Lafferty and John Fisher, of Cedar Mills, were two of his most particular friends in Adams County. The author of this work re- ceived his name Nelson, in honor of Mr. Barrere.

Dan Young

was born April 7th, 1783, in Grafton County, New Hampshire. His father was Jesse Young, an officer from Massachusetts in the Rev- . olutionary War, who was born and reared in Massachusetts. His mother, Ruby Richardson was a native of Connecticut. His ances- tors on both sides were from England. Dan Young was the third child of his parents. He first heard of Methodism when he heard Rev. Jesse Lee in 1798. When twenty-one he was a school teacher, and soon after became a local preacher in the M. E. Church. In his twenty-second year, he was admitted to the New England Confer- ence of the M. E. Church; and went to the New Grantham Circuit as Junior preacher. In 1806, he was sent to Barre Circuit, in Ver- mont. The same year he began the study of Latin. In 1807, he was assigned to Athens Circuit, Vermont. In 1808, he went to Han- over Circuit, New Hampshire and while there studied Hebrew at Dartmouth College. In 1809, he attended Conference at New Lon- don, Conn., where he and his brother James were ordained elders. He was sent to Lynn, Massachusetts. He was in the Legislature of New Hampshire from 1812 to 1813. At that time it was customary to treat the electors to whiskey. Dan Young refused to do this and gave the money to the School Fund. After election he introduced a bill to suppress the custom, and it became a law. He was in the Senate of New Hampshire from 1816 to 1821. He introduced a bili in the Senate to forbid the levying of taxes for the support of the State Church. At the first session it failed to pass and received but

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

two votes, one besides his own. He introduced it four times before it passed. In 1820, he formed a company and started for Ohio. He was a member of the New Hampshire Senate and resigned. His company went to the Alleghany River in wagons, thence down the river in flat boats from Orlean, New York. They landed at Hayport and located at what is now Wheelersburg, Ohio. Dan Young call- ed it Concord, for the capital of his native State. He built a cotton factory there and sent his brother South to buy cotton to manufacture. October 29th, 1824, he preached the funeral of Daniel Corwine, at the Presbyterian Meeting House in Portsmouth, Ohio. In March, 1825, Dan and James Young were engaged in wool carding at Wheel- ersburg, Ohio. Soon after Dan Young located at Concord, he learned there was iron in the hills northeast of there, and he determined to utilize it. He organized the Ohio Iron Company. It was incorpor- ated by special act of the Legislature, passed February 18th, 1830, Vol. 28, O. L., p. 106. He was President of the Company. The capital stock was $100,000 and shares were $500 each. He built Franklin Furnace in 1827. He, John Young, Jesse Y. Whitcomb, Josiah Merrill, John Hurd, Martin Ruter, all from New Hampshire, were proprietors. It was the first blast furnace in Scioto County. It ceased operation in 1860. Dan Young went to Franklin to reside. He and his Company built Junior Furnace also. In 1828, he was Sec- retary of the Sunday School Union of the County. In 1832, he was a candidate for State Senator. That year Franklin and Junior Fur- naces made $300 worth of iron per day. Franklin Furnace burned in 1836, and the stack at Junior gave away. These two furnaces made from 10 to 20 tons of iron per day; but one would out sell the other and the Company broke up. In 1840, and 1841, he repre- sented the Counties of Gallia, Lawrence and Scioto in the Ohio House of Representatives. In 1809, he was married to Miss Clough of Northfield, New Hampshire. The children of this marriage were : Maria, wife of Doctor George B. Crane; Flora, Jesse and Charles G., who became distinguished as a Railroad President in Texas, and was killed in a railroad accident, leaving a large family ; Electa, the wife of Doctor Pryor of Missouri ; Dan ; Martin became a lawyer and died in Shreveport, Louisiana; John; Eliza, the wife of Joseph Glidden ; Augustus, died young of consumption; and Catharine married her cousin, Jefferson W. Glidden. In 1832, Dan Young went back to New Hampshire and married his second wife, a Miss Clough, a sister of his first wife. His daughter Flora, the widow of a Mr. Clough returned with him. She had two sons, nearly grown, and three daugh- ters, two of whom were young women. The canal at that time was only finished to Chillicothe; and Mr. Young hired carriages there and took his party home with him. At Chillicothe on this occasion, he met Doctor George B. Crane, who afterwards married one of his daughters. He married a third wife and raised a half dozen more

COL. WILLIAM OLDFIELD.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVES.

children. Mrs. Clough had two sons and four daughters when she married Dan Young. Jesse Young married one of them, Mary Clough. Dan Young died March 30th, 1867.

In his pilgrimage to Ohio, he came from Lisbon, New Hamp- shire in wagons. With the party were Sophia Ely. Ruby Whitcomb and Narcissa Whitcomb. The three girls rode horseback from Wheel- ing to Wheelersburg landing. It took a week. In the party were Dan Young, his brother John Young, Josiah Merrill, the widow Preston with her two sons, Nathaniel and Ira, Nathaniel Whitcomb and Mrs. Sarah Smith, a widow.

Colonel William Oldfield.

Right at the outset we are called upon to determine which is the highest title Colonel of the Militia, or Associate Judge. As the editor of this work is the Tribunal, he unhesitatingly gives the pre- ference to Colonel over Judge. Our subject was both a Militia Col- onel and an Associate Judge, and was entitled to either title. He was born December 30th, 1790, in the State of New York. He came to Portsmouth, in 1814. The first we have on record of him in Ports- mouth was in 1816, when he was married to Maria Hempstead, No- vember 16th, 1816.

In 1820, he was a candidate for Sheriff. It was before the day of conventions and the race was free for all. The vote stood John Noel, 229; Elizah McInteer, 170: Marcus Bosworth, 128; Elijah Glover, 100; William Oldfield, 96; Joseph Bonser, 9.

In 1823, he was a Trustee of Wayne Township and the same year on July 4th, was elected to the Town Council to fill a vacancy. On the 23rd of October, 1823, he was one of the committee appointed by the Council to go to law about the front of the Town. In 1824, he was one of the committee to print twenty-five copies of the ordinances of the Town. In the same year on August 7th, he was elected a Jus- tice of the Peace of Wayne Township, but resigned October 12th, 1826.

In 1826, he was appointed Associate Judge to fill a vacancy. He was elected by the Legislature on January 22nd, 1827, for seven years. He succeeded David Mitchell, who resigned and was succeed- ed by Joseph Moore.

In 1829, on February 6th, he was appointed with Kennedy Lodwick as a committee to select a new Cemetery. It was pur- chased May 6th, following. On July 4th, 1831, he presided at one of the greatest celebrations ever held in the county. October 13th. 1832, he was Marshal on the occasion of the opening of the canal.

In 1839, he was Colonel of the Militia. In 1844, and 1845, he represented Scioto and Lawrence Counties in the Legislature. During the one session he served, the State Bank of Ohio was incorporated and Thomas Corwin was elected U. S. Senator. In 1851, he was a

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

candidate for Mayor, when Benjamin Ramsey was elected. He and Cornelius McCoy were candidates. The vote stood Oldfield, 387; McCoy, 203. In 1857, he was appointed Infirmary Director and served a few months.

He at one time owned three acres of land on the south-west corner of Sixth and Chillicothe streets, and had a distillery there. He then put up a mill near the Salladay place on the Chillicothe road and operated it a long time. Then he built the residence on Sixth street now owned by Robert Richardson, and occupied by John T'. Breece. He resided there until his death, September 30th, 1861.

He was a communicant of the Episcopal Church, and in politics was always a Whig.

Colonel John A. Turley

was born June ist, 1816, at Moorefield, Hardy County, Virginia. His father was Doctor Charles A. Turley, and his mother's maiden name was Fannie Harness. For twelve years he attended school and studied Latin under Professor Alexander Wallace. His father was a graduate of William and Mary College. Our subject inherited the Davis farm in Valley Township. He came to Ohio, in 1836, and lo- cated near Chillicothe. In 1838, he came to Scioto County and lo -. cated in Clay Township. From 1840 to 1843, he was a Justice of the Peace in that Township. From December 2nd, 1846 to February 8th, 1847, he represented Scioto and Lawrence Counties in the House, being elected as a Whig over Judge Batterson. He remained on his farm until 1856. He was appointed Assessor of the United States Internal Revenue by President Johnson, but the appointment was not confirmed. He organized the first School Board in Clay Township in 1851. On April 27th, 1861, he enlisted in Company G., 22nd O. V. I., for three months service, and was made Captain of the Com- pany, at the age of forty-five. May 8th, 1861, he had a third Com- pany ready for the war. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel May 23rd, 1861, and mustered out with the regiment August 19th, 1861. He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the 8Ist O. V. I. August 19th, 1861 ; and resigned December 9th, 1861. August 22nd, 1862, he was appointed Colonel of the 91st O. V. I., and was dis- charged November 4th, 1864, for wounds received June 17th, 1864, in the battle of Lynchburg. Virginia. He was breveted Brigadier General March 13th, 1865, for gallant conduct in battle. He has been a member of the School Board in Portsmouth, a member of the City Council, Assessor of the United States Internal Revenue for seven months. In 1868, he ran as a candidate for Assessor in the Third Ward on the Democratic ticket and was defeated. In 1872, he was a candidate for Sheriff on the Republican ticket, and was de- feated by John W. Lewis, by 207 votes, he being the only Republican defeated. From 1871 to 1873, and from 1887 to 1889, he was May -.

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or of the City of Portsmouth. He was married to Charlotte E. Rob- inson January 2nd, 1843, by Rev. C. Brooks. He died March 19th, 1900.

His sons were Augustus R. Turley, Hon. Henry Clay Turley and Leslie C. Turley. The two latter have sketches herein. His only daughter, Charlotte, married Hon. A. C. Thompson, Judge of the United States District Court of the Southern District of Ohio. Colo- nel Turley was born rich; and at one time owned one of the finest farms in the Scioto Valley, but lost all before his death. He was a good friend, but sometimes tried his friends by his ungovernable tem- per. He was a Whig while that party lasted and after that was a Republican. He was a patriot in the intensest sense of the term. He loved his country and would have sacrificed his all for it. He was a brave man and never knew what fear was. His temperament made him an ideal soldier; but his age was against him; and his wound disqualified him for further service. He was a great sportsman, and dearly loved hunting and fishing. In the last fifteen years of his life. he had retired from all business or employments and took life easy. His wife survives him, the last survivor of the children of Joshua V. Robinson.

Colonel Elias Nigh

was born in Lancaster, Ohio, in 1815, and grew up there. His par- ents were of German ancestry. His grandfather was one of the ear- ly settlers of Connecticut. His father was Samuel Nigh. He was raised as a boy with William Tecumseh and John Sherman, and was always on the most intimate terms with them. He was educated in the common schools at Lancaster and studied law with the Hon. Thomas Ewing. He located in Lawrence County in 1845, at Bur- lington, Ohio, to practice law, and there he married Miss Alice Hen- shaw. He was a Whig as long as that party was in existence and then became a Republican. In October, 1847, he was elected a member of the 46th General Assembly to represent the Counties of Scioto and Lawrence, and attended the Legislature from December 6th, 1847. to February 25th, 1848. In the fall of 1859. he was elected a mem- ber of the 54th General Assembly as representative from Lawrence County, and served from January 2nd, 1860, until May 3rd, 1861. In the fall of 1875. he was elected a member of the 62nd General As- sembly to represent Lawrence County and served from January 3rd. 1876, until May 7th, 1877. At the breaking out of the war, he was appointed Captain and Acting Quartermaster. United States Vol- unteers, August 5th, 1861, and was assigned to the Department of Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky. He was appointed Chief Quartermas- ter by General Buell, and was afterwards appointed Inspector Gener- al, Department of the Army of the Ohio, General Wright Command- ing. January Ist. 1863, he was assigned Chief Quartermaster of the 16th Army Corps, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. On March

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

17th, 1864, he was commissioned Captain and Assistant Quarter- master in the regular army. He resigned both commissions June 28th, 1864. He supplied General Thomas' expedition to Mill Springs by wagons, from Lebanon, Kentucky. He was with Buell in the march to Pittsburg Landing; and had charge of the transportation of his troops from Savannah to Pittsburg Landing. When Buell's army retreated to Louisville, he was in charge of the Quartermaster's De- partment. He built bridges and removed stores across the Ohio river. After Rosecrans succeeded General Buell, he served as Inspector Gen- eral of the Army of the Ohio, until January Ist, 1863, when he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and was assigned Chief Quarter- master of the 16th Army Corps. During the time of his last serving in the Legislature, he was greatly interested in the Ohio State Uni- versity and had a bill introduced and made law to teach civil engineer- ing in that institution. He was always prominent in the General As- sembly. He removed to Ironton from Burlington in 1851. After the war, he began, in connection with Colonel Kingsbury, the Sheri- dan Coal Works in Lawrence County, Ohio. From March 20th, 1867; to May 20th, 1873, he was Assessor of Internal Revenue for the IIth District of Ohio. In all his views and conduct. Colonel Nigh was conservative. He considered every subject carefully and acted only after the gravest consideration. He was a great friend of the col- ored race and did much for its advancement. After the war, he brought many of the colored families to the North and found them homes and employment. He had seven children : Reese, Samuel H., Julia, Mary, Elizabeth, Alice and William. He died in Ironton, Ohio, February 3rd, 1899, and is buried in Woodland Cemetery, near that city.

Captain Samuel Huston

was born at Winchester, Va., on September 2nd, 1801. His father. William Huston, was one of the pioneers of Portsmouth and mov- ed into Wayne Township in 1802. William Huston built the fourth cabin in Portsmouth. When that Township was organized in 1809, he was one of the Trustees. In 1811, our subject saw the first steam- boat pass down the Ohio river ; and he saw the Aaron Burr expedition go down on bateaux. He also saw the Lewis and Clark expeditions go down in boats. In 1823, he married Elizabeth Leonard, daughter of Adam Leonard.

In 1824, he voted for General Jackson and was always a Demo- crat. As a youth, he learned the trade of making spinning wheels and worked at it several years.

In 1831, he kept a coffee house and grocery in Portsmouth. In 1832, he began building steamboats at Portsmouth, Ohio, and contin- ued the business till 1848. He built the following steamboats, "Trans- it," "Sylph," "Eighth of January," "Belvidere," "Drana," "Irene." "Eureka" and "Home." Some he built and sold; and some he built

CAPT. SAMUEL HUSTON.

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BIOGRAPHIES OF REPRESENTATIVES.

for Dowell and Davis. He also ran a number of years, as Master, on steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers in the "Golden Days" of steamboating. He made a great deal of money in steam- boating and kept it. He built the fine home, which stood on the southwest corner of Second and Court streets ; and maintained a gen- erous hospitality there for years. The leaders of his party were en- tertained there, whenever they came to Portsmouth.

In ,1833, he was supervisor of the East ward in Portsmouth. In 1838. he was a town Councilman, and in 1841, was elected as Council- man from the Third ward. In 1847, he built and ran a saw mill for some time.

In 1852 to 1854, he was wharfmaster of Portsmouth, and in 1854 to 1856. he represented Scioto County in the State Legislature. In 1856 to 1857, he was City Treasurer of Portsmouth.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 17

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