A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 182

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 182

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Mr. McClintick is regarded among his professional, brethren as one of the ablest lawyers who ever practiced in Southern Ohio.

Mr. McClintick published in this year 1902, a small volume of poems of which he is the author. They were composed at different times between 1840 and 1902, a period of sixty-two years. The work was only published for private circulation, among his friends, and the volume is gracefully dedicated to his wife to whom he has been married for over sixty-six years. There are fifty- one poems, all of which but one, were composed by himself. The first, "A Winter Scene" was written in Chillicothe in January, 1840. Then his muse was silent till October, 1856, when it produced "Autumn." In 1876, he became a sum- mer poet, and composed "Summer Friends at the Ocean side" at Atlantic City. In August, 1879, he wrote "Lake George" at that famous place. From that time

EMERSON McMILLEN.

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on, most of his poems were composed in his vacations, at well known summer resorts, in the Virginia Mountains, on the Atlantic Coast and along the Great Lakes. Mr. McClintick never did anything in his life, but he did it well. He is a scholar and has always been a student and will be all his life. He was successful as a lawyer and business manager and his efforts on the poetic field is not an exception. Most of his later effusions have been penned at Harbor Point, Michigan. The writer undertook to select a gem of the collection, but they are all so replete with excellences that he could not do it.

Mr. McClintick could not pen an uninteresting thought and the "verses" as he modestly calls them teem with admirable sentiment. Most of them, written in inspiring surroundings breathe the thoughts suggested by the beau- ties and grandeurs of Nature before the eyes of the poet at the time. Mr. Mc- Clintick's friends were at all times endeared to him, but the publication of the verses has given those who admired him for his learning and scholarship, an- other and stronger claim to their affection. The poetry of his soul has been re- vealed to them and they now know that their friend heretofore regarded by them as a learned lawyer and a scholar, is a poet as well and has touched their heart strings by the pathos and harmony of his verses.

Emerson McMillin

was born in 1844, the son of William R. Mcmillin, of Buckeye furnace, Jackson county, Ohio. He was one of a family of fourteen children, of whom six were sons. He was next to the youngest son and was brought up in the vicinity of the furnace. He attended the public schools until he was ten years of age, when he began life on his own account. in working at the furnace. He was al- ways energetic, studious and earnest. He never wasted any of his time, or his physical or mental capital, as a boy, and thought out all matters for himself, and that habit has followed him all his life. As soon as he was able to reason on political matters he worked it out in his own mind that the Republican party was one of correct principles and he became a republican, though at the time of the announcement of his political views as a boy, the family traditions would have led him into the Democratic party, but he adopted the republican faith as a boy.

When the Civil war broke out. he felt it his duty to offer his services to his country, and did so. He enlisted in Company I, 18th O. V. I., in the Three Months' Service, May 6, 1861, and served until August 28, 1861. He gave his age as 18, when in fact he was a year younger. His brother, Murray, next older than himself, enlisted in the same regiment and served with him. On the 1st day of September, 1861, three days after he was discharged from this regiment, he enlisted again in Co. H. 2d West Virginia Cavalry.

His two brothers, Andrew and Murray enlisted in the same company and regiment at the same time he did. Later in the war, two other brothers Milton and Harvey volunteered in the same regiment and when Marion, the youngest, was old enough he enlisted in Co. H, 2nd West Virginia Cavalry. December 1, 1863, and was killed June 23, 1864, by an explosion of a caisson at Cove Gap, Virginia.

Our subject was a fine soldier. He tabooed the use of intoxicating liquors in the service. He could always be depended upon for any duty or ser- vice, and the word "fear" was not in his vocabulary. He was made a corporal in his company and afterwards sergeant. He was transferred from Co. H, No- vember 23, 1864, to Company C. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant, De- cember 1, 1864. and appointed Regimental Quartermaster. He served until June 30, 1865. Lieutenant McMillin was wounded near Hagerstown, Maryland, in the fall of 1864. His regiment participated in the Grand Review at Washington, at the close of the war.

Soon after the war, he and Captain Coleman Gillilan. of Portsmouth, Ohio, undertook the conducting of a country store, in Gallia county, but the adventure was not a success. He tried the vocation of a commercial salesman but found it was not his forte. He turned his attention to the chemistry of gas and that was the alchemy of his fortune. He was untiring in the study of the methods of manufacturing gas and made himself familiar with the entire bus- iness from start to finish. Mr. McMillin is a born organizer and has unmeas-

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urable executive ability. Within the scope of this work, it is impossible to give a sketch of his wonderful career. The people of Southern Ohio remember best his early history and in view of his remarkable record as a youthful pa- triot, they have always taken a deep interest in his subsequent career. There' is no one doing business in New York city in whom more interest is taken in Southern Ohio than the subject of this sketch. He is now a member of the firm of Emerson McMillin & Co., bankers of No. 40 Wall street, New York. This firm is composed of himself and Henry B. Wilson, formerly of Ironton, Ohio. He and Mr. Wilson are among the leading business men of the city of New York. Mr. McMillin is known for his daring and courage in business matters, and for his wonderful insight in commercial affairs. His success has been phenomenal, and all his old friends and especially his soldier friends in Southern Ohio, are proud of his career.

John Means

the eldest son and child of the late Thomas Williamson Means, was born Sep- tember 21, 1829 at West Union, Adams county, Ohio. His mother was Sarah Ellison, a daughter of John Ellison, Jr. of Buckeye Station. He was named John for his grandfathers, Col. John Means and John Ellison, each of whom were, at different times, members of the legislature from Adams county. At the time of his birth, his father was carrying on a merchandising business in West Union. John Means spent his boyhood at Hanging Rock, and at school at Athens and Marietta, Ohio. He attended the College at Marietta, Ohio, but did not graduate. He left Marietta College in 1848 and soon after became the store-keeper at Ohio Furnace, in Scioto county, then owned by his father and David Sinton. He was afterwards book-keeper for the same furnace. In 1851, he went to Buena Vista Furnace, first as book-keeper and then as manager. In 1855, he removed to Catlettsburg, Kentucky, and in 1857, to Ashland, Kentucky, where he has since resided.

In 1856, he became one of the charterers of the Portsmouth, Big Sandy & Pomeroy Packet Co., better known as the White Collar Line. In 1856, he became a director of the Kentucky Iron, Coal and Manufacturing Company organized to build up the city of Ashland. In the same year he was one of the founders of the Bank of Ashland, which in 1872 became the Ashland National Bank of which he is now the president. In 1856, he was elected one of the trustees of the town of Ashland and continued as such, and as Councilman, for a period of thirty consecutive years. In 1872, he was appointed by the Governor of Kentucky as one of the five commissioners to memorialize Congress to improve the navigation of the Ohio river. Seven other states had similar Boards of five . persons for the same object. He was one of the organizers of the Lexington and Big Sandy Railroad, Eastern Division, now known as the Ashland Coal & Iron Railway Company. He was one of the firm of Means, Kyle & Company at Hanging Rock, Ohio, owning Ohio, Union and Pine Grove furnaces. In 1873, he took part in organizing the Low Moor Iron Company of Virginia. For some years, he was a director in the Norton Iron Works at Ashland, Ky. He was its treasurer in 1872.

In 1874, he was the Republican candidate for Congress in the Tenth Ken- tucky District. He has always been a liberal patron of all educational projects and a prominent advocate and supporter of the common school system of the country. While not a member of any church, he has been a liberal supporter of those about him.

He was married first to Harriet E. Perkins, of Marietta, Ohio, October 25, 1834. The children of that marriage are: Thomas Hildreth and Harold of Ashland, Kentucky; Ellison Cooke, of Low Moor, Virginia; Eliza Isabella, wife of W. B. Seaton, of Ashland, Kentucky; Lilian, wife of W. E. Maynard, of Brooklyn, New York and Rosalie, wife of Dr. E. L. Bullard, of Mendota, Wis- consin. Mr. Mean's wife died March 13, 1895, and he was married a second time to Miss Mary P. Seaton, June 3, 1896, daughter of Samuel Seaton, of Greenup, Kentucky.

Col. Douglas Putnam says as follows of Mr. Means: "No man stands higher in his community and wherever he is known, as an all round, reliable man, who can always be depended upon. He is a man of strong opinions

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

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and he has always been found upon the side of right and justice. As a citizen. his impress has been felt in his home town in a most vigorous manner. He is a strong believer in education and has made his faith manifest by works, in a late donation of an eligible site, on which has just been erected a large, commodious building for the use of the colored children of the town. His la- bors, years ago, in laying off and platting the beautiful cemetery of Ashland will be remembered long after he has been laid to rest there. To a friend remonstrating against his labor and exposure in doing this work. his reply was, 'I want to leave something by which I may be remembered when I am gone.' As a public official, nis record is one worthy of emulation. in these days, especially, when men shrink from serving on the town councils and other municipal bodies, on account of the sacrifice of time necessary, and the criticism that they will incur. Mr. Means served faithfully for a long term of years, in his town council and his place was never vacant, unless absent from the city. or prevented by illness. No man has a better record as a business man. He is broad in his views, far reaching in his plans, and comprehensive in his deci- sions. His advice in business and other matters has been of great value and his undertakings crowned with success. He is calm in hours of panic or disap- pointment and is never unduly elated in times of prosperity, a most admirable equipoise. All his transactions are governed by a just consideration of the rights of others."

Anderson Miller

was born at Millersport, Lawrence county, Ohio, March 12, 1831. His father Robert Miller. was born at the same place. His grandfather, Joseph, came from the South Branch of the Potomac. in Virginia. He was one of the first settlers at Millersport, in Lawrence county. They came to Lawrence county in about 1795. Our subject had four brothers and two sisters. He grew up in Millersport, and went to school but three months. He started at the age of sixteen, and with but twenty-five cents capital, engaged in farming and has been a farmer all his life. He owns a part of the farm which was owned by his great-grandfather.

He married Elizabeth Michline, daughter of Jacob Michline, a blacksmith and gunsmith. and a native of Lewis county, Virginia, in February. 1852. He established the family altar in his household when he was first married and has kept it up ever since. He makes this the chief duty of the day and all else is subordinated to it. No matter how busy a time it might be all employes are called into family worship. They had nine children, five sons and four daugh- ters as follows: Anna, wife of Milton Watson of Labelle. Ohio; Louis W., a Methodist minister, now stationed at Hilliard. Ohio, in the Ohio Conference: Jane, married Robert Eaton, residing at Proctorsville, Ohio; Augusta married James O. Gillett and now resides at Labelle, Ohio; Robert Benton. Attorney of Ironton, Ohio; Rev. William H., a Methodist minister stationed at Ports- mouth, Ohio, from 1898 to 1901; Ida married B. F. McConn, living near Proctors- ville, Ohio; Kenton, a lawyer in Ironton, Ohio and Cecil See. a lawyer in Ports- mouth, Ohio.

Mr. Miller always regretted nis want of suitable education and resolved that his sons should not be deprived of that benefit. He sent all five of them to the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. Ohio and all graduated there. He did this on the income of a small farm in Lawrence county, Ohio. All his sons and daughters are now living and in good health. He also educated one of the daughters at the Ohio Wesleyan University and gave each one of the others a common school education. He has twenty-one grand children and six deceased. He was a County Commissioner of Lawrence county from 1881 to 1884. He has always been a republican and has been a member of the Metho- dist Church for forty-five years and also a member of the Official Board of his particular Church all that time. He never was in debt and all his property has always been kept clear. He is a man noted for his charitable and cheer- ful disposition. He is never idle but always busy; and he gives the most minute attention to all details of his affairs. A man in moderate circumstances like him, who could give five sons a complete education, and have two of them hon- ored and influential ministers and three successful lawyers, deserves to be re- membered by posterity.

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Robert Benton Miller

was born January 22, 1859 at Millersport, Lawrence county, Ohio. His father was Anderson Miller, who has a sketch herein. He attended the public schools at Millersport until he was twenty years of age. He then went to the Ohio Wesleyan Universty and graduated there in the classical course in 1884. He studied law in Cincinnati Law School and one year under Mr. Julius Ander- son. He was admitted to the bar in October, 1886, and located in Ironton. He remained as a partner with his preceptor one year, then was alone in the law business until 1896, when his brother Kenton went in the partnership with him and the firm assumed the name of Miller & Miller. He was City Solicitor of Ironton from 1889 to 1892. He was Prosecutng Attorney of Lawrence county, Ohio, for one term from 1894 to 1900; and those who know him say that he was one of the ablest men who ever filled the office.

He was married May 4, 1887 to Miss Birdie E. Wilson, daughter of John E. Wilson of Burlington, Ohio. They have four children: Evelyn Gay, aged twelve; Bernard, aged ten; Ruby aged eight and Robert aged six. Mr. Miller is one of the able and forceful members of the bar of Lawrence county. All he does is characterized by earnestness and purpose. He does all his work well and thoroughly. He deserves the success he has achieved and will suc- ceed still further. Such men as he are a power in the community of which he is a part.

Moses Morgan

was born in Jefferson township, Jackson county, Ohio, in September, 1840. His father was Daniel Morgan, a native of Aberystwyth, Wales, and his mother was Catharine Morgan. His parents emigrated to the United States in 1837, having spent ninety days crossing the Atlantic. They settled at Pomeroy, Ohio. His father worked in V. B. Horton's coal mines two years and moved to Jackson county in 1839. From there they moved to Hewitt's Fork, where his father farmed and where both died. They had five children of whom our sub- ject is the eldest.

Moses attended the common schools in the winter, and worked on the farm during the summer. In 1856, he entered the Ohio University at Athens and attended there for two terms, when he became qualified to teach the com- mon school and beginning in 1857 he taught four consecutive years in Scioto county and one year in Jackson county. In 1864, he was store-keeper at Jack- son furnace. He enlisted on August 12, 1864 in the 173rd O. V. I. and served as Sergeant Major of the Regiment till December when he was promoted to Sec- ond Lieutenant and assigned to Company K. He was mustered out with the regiment in July, 1865. For the next three years, he remained on the farm, teaching in the winter. He then left farming for teaching and taught in Jack- son and Lawrence counties.

In 1870, he became book-keeper at Jackson furnace and served one month, when he was elected Manager, which position he held till February, 1872. He then became manager and agent of the Hope Manufacturing Company, at Ma- son City, West Virginia. He remained with this company for six years, during which time he married Miss Martha L. Jared, daughter of Lemuel Jared, Sep- tember 29, 1875. In 1878, he became interested in developing coal in Jackson county, and has continued in that. He is also interested in the Iron Furnace and the Fire Brick Manufacturing Company.

Mr. Morgan had five children: Lemuel, who died in childhood; Daniel F., who was educated at the Wooster University at Case School of Applied Science and is chemist of the Star Furnace Company; James W., who was educated at Wooster University and is vice-president and secretary of the Hitt Frisbee Coal Company, at Toledo, Ohio; Katherine, who died in Childhood; and Sarah E. The latter attending

the

is public schools at Jackson, Ohio. Mr. Morgan is a republican, and a ruling elder of the Presbyterian church.

Colonel Douglas Putnam

was born August 21, 1838, at Marietta, Ohio. His father was Douglas Putnam and his mother Mary Ann Hildreth, daughter of Doctor S. P. Hildreth. His grandfather was David Putnam and great-grandfather Israel and his great-

MOSES MORGAN.

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great-grandfather was General Israel Putnam of the Revolutionary War.

He graduated at Marietta College in 1859, and went in to the gro-

cery business in Cincinnati, Ohio,

with E. Baker. T. In 1861, he left that and went in the Commissary in the State Service, and in the fall of 1861 became a Paymaster's clerk. At the battle of Shiloh, he was a volunteer aide of General Grant. He entered the military service in the 92nd O. V. I., July 25, 1862, and was made Adjutant. He was promoted to Major, February 1, 1863, at the request of all the Captains of the regiment. He was made Lieutenant Colonel March 22, 1863. He was wounded September 20. 1863 at Chickamauga by a ball which cut out the fleshy part of his leg. He was also wounded three times at Mission Ridge, Tennessee, while going up the hill, and was disabled permanently, so that he was on crutches for one year thereafter from the wounds. He resigned April 11, 1864 because he was un- fitted for further service.

After leaving the army, he went to Hope furnace, Vinton county, Ohio, and was manager there until the spring of 1869, when he went to Ashland, Ken- tucky, where he has been manager of the furnace department of the Ashland Coal & Iron Company ever since. He has been president of that company since 1890. He has been president of the Merchant's National Bank, of Ashland, Kentucky, since September, 1901. The Ashland Iron & Mining Company was organized in October, 1901 and succeeded the manufacturing departments of the Ashland Coal & Iron Company. He has been president of the former since its organization. He is a member of the Cincinnati Commandery of the Loyal Legion. Society of the Army of the Cumberland and also of the Sons of the Revolution of Cincinnati, Ohio. He has been a member of the Presbyterian church and an elder since 1869. For fifteen years he has been a member of the Board of Education and he was a member of the City Council for fifteen years. He was married January 12, 1864, to Miss Valonia Reppert, daughter of Louis Reppert, of Marietta, Ohio. She died in April, 1900. He has two sons: I ewis R .. treasurer of the Ashland Steel Company and secretary of the Ashland Sheet Company; Douglas Gaylord, general superintendent of the Ashland Coal & Iron railroad and general manager of the Mining Company. A friend who knows Mr. Putnam long and well says, "He is a careful reader and good thinker, always an entertaining and agreeable companion. He has always taken great interest in the welfare and advancement of the community wherein he lived as shown by his holding the municipal offices heretofore mentioned, in both of which he was active and influential. He is always earnest and conscien- tious, holding advanced ideas on any subject he considers. He is diligent, methodical and careful in business, of the strictest integrity, honorable in his dealings and highly respected by all who know him.

George Claypool Rittenour

was born in Ross county, Ohio, March 11, 1825. His father was Jacob Ritten- our. born February 15, 1787, in Frederick county, Virginia, and his mother's maiden name was Ann Claypool. His grandfather, Abraham Claypool was from Rockingham county, Virginia. His grandfather, Anthony and his great-grand- father John Rittenour were both of Frederick county, Virginia. John Ritten- our emigrated from Germany. Anthony settled Rittenour in Ross county, Ohio, in 1800. He died in 1835, in his eighty-third year. He was a devout and pious Methodist, as was his son, Jacob, who connected with the church at the age of fourteen. He married Ann Claypool, April 3, 1812. He died October 13, 1882 at the age of ninety-five years and eight months. His father located in the Northwest Territory in 1800. Abraham Claypool was a member of the first State Senate, which convened in Ohio, from Ross county. He was also a member of the Senate from Ross county and Franklin also, in the second and third Legislature, 1803 to 1805. He was a member of the Senate at the fifth and sixth Legislative Sessions in 1806 to 1808 representing Ross, Franklin and Highland counties. He was also a member of the House of Rep- resentatives from Ross county, at the ninth Legislative Session, in 1810 and 1811.

Jacob Rittenour had four children. of whom James, born May 23, 1813, married Ellen Hempstead, the first time, and George Pancake's widow, the sec-

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ond time: Margaret, never married; Isaac N., born July 3, 1818, married Sarah Ore: and George C., above. The latter had a common school education and at the age of twenty-two went to selling goods at Richmonddale. He sold goods there for three years and then he and his father established a hardware store in Chillicothe, Ohio, and carried on that business, but at the same time George was conducting a farm. He married Elizabeth Sargent, the daughter of Thornton W. Sargent, a Pike county farmer, September 1, 1857. He has had three sons: Thornton Sargent Rittenour, born May 31, 1859, at Richmonddale, who was brought up a farmer. He located in Piketon in 1885 on the old Judge Reed place consisting of 700 acres. He married Jennie Norton, daughter of John W. Higby, a nephew to S. N. Higby, and has one son, George Willey, aged sixteen. He is a republican and a member of the Methodist church. James Milton Rittenour was born at Richmonddale. October 30, 1861. He married Alerta Norton, who resided near Richmond, Virginia; they have one son, two years of age, George Norton. Henry Francis was born August 8, 1865. He married Eliza Alice De Boice of Ross county. They have one son five years of age, Everett Francis. They reside in Chillicothe, Ohio.

John Henry Sellers

was born June 1, 1856, on a farm one mile north of Greenfield, Ohio. He is a son of John Henry Sellers, Sr., born June 27, 1821 in Delaware county, Ohio. His mother was Julia Ann Wells. She was born December 12, 1824 at Galena, Ohio. He is the fifth of his father's seven children, five sons and two daughters. His brother William H. H. Sellers enlisted in the Civil War in Company H, 27th O. V. I. and died at Corinth, Mississippi, May 18, 1863. At the age of seventeen, our subject entered Denison University, and was graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1879. In 1880, he entered the Citizen's Bank, of Greenfield, as messenger, and assistant book-keeper and was promoted through the vari- ous positions until he was made Cashier in 1884. He held that position until 1886, when he went to Wellston and started the first bank in that place. He became Cashier. On October 11th of the same year, this bank was closed and the First National was organized. Our subject was made Cashier which position he still holds.

On March 4, 1881, he was married to Miss A. A. Wood, of Leesburg. Ohio. They have two children: Julia May, now in her sophomore year in Denison University and John Paul, aged ten. He has been a member of the Baptist church since a young man and superintendent of the Sunday school for almost twenty years. He has been a member of the Royal Arcanum Grand Council for five years, and has held the position of City School Examiner of Wellston for ten years, and Water Works Trustee for three years.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 182

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