A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 92

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 92

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mrs. Cox's father used to go to West Union to buy tea when it was four dollars a pound. She was married November 19. 1834, to Martin Cox. In that year, he built ninety flat boats and took them to Cincinnati. These boats were from one hundred and twenty to one hundred and twenty-two feet long, and five to six feet deep. They were taken to Cincinnati where they were loaded and taken to New Orleans. There they were broken up and the lumber used to

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build houses. In 1834, was the first year Martin Cox engaged in the building of flat boats ; and he continued it for about five years, and then went to farming. Martin Cox employed eight men in boat building, and sold most of his boats to Thomas Redden.

Charles A. M. Damarin

was one of the foremost citizens of his time in the city of Portsmouth. He was one of the most enterprising,-one of the most successful. He was a man of the very strongest purpose. He never undertook anything execpt he had carefully considered it before hand, and ap- proved it. He would undertake nothing unreasonable, nothing he did not believe he could accomplish, and when he undertook it, he succeeded. The word "failure" was not in his copy of the dictionary. He was a Frenchman, but without the excitability of a Frenchman. He was always calm, cool and collected. He never lost his presence of mind, or equipoise. He maintained a supremacy over other men in business, because he had the genius and talent which deserved it. He was born in Paris, France, April 10, 1797. His father was Antonius M. M. Damarin and his mother was Mary Le Brun. He was the eldest of three children. He received a liberal education in France. On March 16, 1817, he, his father and his brother conclud- ed to come to the United States. They landed in New York, May 2. 1817, and went to Gallipolis, Ohio. He went into the employment of John Peter Romaine Bureau, as a clerk ; and subsequently he became a partner in the business.

In 1830, he returned to France, and was in the city of Paris at the time when Charles X was dethroned. He brought back his moth- er and sister with him. He felt that he wanted another field than in Gallipolis, and in 1831, located in Cincinnati, and engaged in business. In 1833. he was induced by Captain James W. Davis to locate in Portsmouth, Ohio, and did so. He embarked in the grocery business and expanded it till he became a wholesaler. Part of the time he had as partner Charles Henking of Gallipolis. He took the lead in his business in Portsmouth and maintained it all his life. While he was in active business, which was the whole of his life in Portsmouth no enterprise of any public consequence was undertaken unless he was in it, and at the first of it. He was one of the founders of the Com- mercial Bank and one of its directors. He was one of the first to start the Scioto Rolling Mill, afterwards the Burgess Steel & Iron Works. If he and J. V. Robinson had not endorsed the Scioto & Hocking Valley Railroad. it would never have been built. He was also in the Portsmouth Insurance Company and its President.

In 1853, he built the Hamden Furnace. To show the character of the man, in 1835. when he had only been in Portsmouth two years, he was selected to obtain a loan of $10,000 to build the present Court House. The Commissioners left the money with him and checked

THOMAS GOULD GAYLORD [PAGE 700.]

CORNELIUS C. HYATT. PAGE 741.1

WASHINGTON KINNEY. [PAGE 753.]

BENJAMIN MELCHER. [PAGE 780.]

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it out as they needed it, preferring to do that rather than trust the County Treasurer on his bond or any Bank. Mr. Damarin amassed a fortune, as he deserved to. He had four sons, and three daughters. Two of the sons died in infancy, and one in youth and one is sur- viving. Augustus M. Damarin. Of his three daughters, two survive, Mrs. Mary E. Voorheis, wife of A. B. Voorheis of Cincinnati, and Mrs. Harriet, wife of George D. Scudder of Portsmouth.

Mr. Damarin wanted a lateral canal to Portsmouth, a dam at Bear Creek and the canal on the east side. He planned for a great basin, or canal boat harbor, where the Burgess Mill stood at the west end of the city. It was a wonderful plan and had it succeeded, Ports- mouth would have been a city of 75.000 people today. But it was turned over to the State and dropped. Had it been turned over to Mr. Damarin, the enterprise would have been carried through. Had he lived in our day, with his business talent, for organization, he would have found ample opportunity for their employment. He had a strong will, great powers of endurance both mental and physical. His integrity shone above all his other qualities. He was public spirited to the highest degree, and his energy knew no limits except time in which to act. He was charitable and benevolent, and was pleased with opportunities to display those features of his character. His native French courtesy made him courteous to all whom he met. He had a wide business acquaintance and enjoyed the confidence of its entire circle. His credit was as good away from home as at home. Had he offered to buy the town and council had accepted the offer. he would have been ready to pay the money down at the time appoint- ed. He never made a business proposition, which he did not mean to be accepted, and, if accepted, he always had the means to comply with it.

He did as much as any man who ever lived in Portsmouth to contribute to its growth and prosperity. The writer and no one else is responsible for the idea, but he believes that C. A. M. Damarin and J. V. Robinson made Portsmouth what it is; that they laid the foundation for the town's prosperity and success.

Sanders Darby

was a fine subject for the story tellers. He was born in 1788. but 1 where is now unknown, probably in Philadelphia. He was one of the very first settlers in the town of Portsmouth.

He bought a whole inlot, No. 95, 821/2 feet front on the corner where the Gilbert Wholesale Grocery now stands, for $50.00, of Henry Massie in 1809. and the inlot immediately south of it, front- ing the same width on Front street. No. 96, for $100. He built a small log house on the Front street lot and rented it out. He built a two story log house on Second street. There was a door toward Second street, but no windows fronting either street. He had an

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opening on one side of the door to enable him to observe any one who approached. At the same time, he bought an outlot on the southwest corner of Third and Chillicothe streets, No. 540, for $50.08, of the County Commissioners. It contained three acres and he used it for a cow pasture. He owned another outlot on Third and Wash- ington streets. It also contained three acres. His business was making oars and selling poles for keel boats and skiff oars, and he was kept busy. He carried on his business in the lower story of his log house on Second street. His Second street lot he had fenced with pickets twelve feet high.

He was a bachelor and his own cook and housekeeper. He was extremely frugal and parsimonious in his habits. It is said that he once fell in love with a widow, who had two children, but never declared his love. He at one time prepared a meal and set his table for four. He helped each plate, one for the widow, whom he imag- ined to be present, and one for each of the two children and one for himself. He then took a survey of the table and then said to him- self, it would not do, that he could not afford to maintain such a fam- ily. He gave up the matrimonial project and the widow never heard his declaration of love.

After rejecting the project, he lived and died a bachelor on Sep- tember 16, 1825. The newspaper announcing his death, said he died of a lingering disease, and of the infirmities incident to old age. He was 59 years old when he died and yet Captain Shackford who came to Portsmouth at the age of 68, lived twenty-five years afterward. He never held any office, except that of fence viewer. In April, 1811, he was a fence viewer of Wayne Township and Martin Funk was his colleague. He was a member of the Methodist Church, very in- dustrious and strictly honest. He died four years before Greenlawn cemetery was opened and the place of his sepulchre is not known. His relatives in Philadelphia obtained his property. The hermit bis- iness was much overdone in the pioneer days. It was then out of place, because people were so dependent on each other: but now it would be a blessed thing if a large number of the community would seclude themselves from their fellows. But with all the conve- niences, comforts and luxuries of modern life, the hermit business has been abandoned and there are no more Sanders Darbys to write about.

Stephen P. Drake

was born near Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio, in October, 1818. When a boy he was apprenticed to David Ammen and learned the printer's trade on the "Castigator," published in Georgetown. In the office was Captain Daniel Ammen, afterwards Commodore Dan- iel Ammen, and Reeder W. Clark, afterwards Congressman from that district. After finishing his apprenticeship, he worked in the office of the "Western Advertiser," at Cincinnati, as a hand, when George

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. E. Pugh, afterwards United States Senator, was employed in the of- fice. From Cincinnati, he went to Hillsboro, Ohio, where he worked in the newspaper offices of the "Ohio News" and "Hillsboro Ga- zette." From Hillsboro, he removed to Wilmington, Ohio, where he established the "Western Whig." since changed to the "Clinton Re- publican." In the winter of 1840 and 1841, he commenced the pub- lication of the "West Union Intelligencer," at West Union, Ohio. He published this, a Whig paper, until the winter of 1845 and 1846, when he removed to Portsmouth, Ohio, and published the "Ports- mouth Clipper," in which he purchased a half interest of Mr. Drouil- lard. He afterward purchased the other half of the "Clipper" and united it with the "Tribune," then owned by Silmon Clark. The new paper was called the "Tribune and Clipper." Afterwards the word "Clipper" was dropped. He and Clark sold out to John Hanna and subsequently he bought back one half of the paper from Hanna and they started the "Daily Evening Tribune." In 1852, he began the publication of the "Tribune." In 1858, he removed to Jackson, Ohio, and was connected with the "Jackson Standard" for one year. He then removed to Madison, Indiana, and published a daily and week- ly paper there. In 1860, he began the publication of the "Clipper," at Ironton, Ohio, and continued it until October, 1862. when he en- listed as a private in the 2nd Virginia Cavalry. About December 1.4. 1864, he was captured and murdered by his captors. He left a wife and two children, Robert and Louisa.

Simon DeLong

was a well known character in Portsmouth from 1821 to 1835. We do not know when he was born or when he died or what place holds his ashes. We know that he was a butcher by occupation. He lived in that part of the city near South Waller and Second : that he gave his name to one of the additions to the town ; and that he had a large family of sons and daughters, none of whom or their descendants are now in Portsmouth.

In 1821, he was lister in Wayne Township and was allowed $6.00 for his services. In 1822, he held the same office. In 1823, he had charge of the Court House, and for the period from December 28, 1821. until March 4. 1823, fourteen and one-seventh months, he was allowed $30.00, for taking care of it. On the last named date, he was re-employed for one year, and was allowed $5.00 per quarter for his services. In 1824, he was the jailer and was allowed $22.25, for boarding a horse thief (so entered on the Commissioners' Rec- ord) for 89 days. ' This was at the rate of twenty-five cents per day. In the same period he charged and was allowed- fifty cents for wash- ing for the horse thief. In 1824. at the July term he was allowed $6.00 for attending the term as Court Constable. The term lasted twelve days and he was allowed fifty cents per day. On December

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3, 1827, an inventory of the Court House furniture was given and . among them were: four brass candlesticks, one pair of snuffers, one tin' bucket, one glass tumbler. He was ordered to buy two sets of small andirons and one set of large ones for the Court House. The Court House had but one writing desk, two tables and 29 chairs.

In 1825 and 1826, he was Court Constable at fifty cents per day, and in 1827 had charge of the Court House. In 1830, he was jailer. In 1831, he took charge of the Court House for $16.00 for the en- tire year, payable four dollars each quarter. He was Town Marshal in 1822, and on March 26, it is recorded on the Council Journal that Simon De Long, being sick, asked to go home. He was Town Mar- shal from 1828 to 1834. In 1822, he served as Town Marshal the whole year for $8.00.

After 1834. he disappeared from the public records and we have no further trace of him.

William Dever

was born October 20, 1825 in Hamilton Township, Jackson County, Ohio. His father was Solomon Dever who lived to the ripe age of eighty-nine years, and enjoyed good health all his life. His mother's maiden name was Chloe Mault, and she lived to the age of eighty- eight in good health. His grandfather Mault, lived almost to the age of one hundred so that our subject was born with a most excel- lent constitution. He was one of a family of twelve children, the second child. He was reared in Jackson County, and attended first a subscription school and afterwards a public school; but the educa- tional facilities in his boyhood were most meager. The joys of his boyhood were chiefly in attending the general musters under Coi. Aaron Stockham. He was married in March, 1848, to Louisa Mc- Dowell and has had twelve children. Three of them died in infancy and nine are surviving. He has but one son and eight daughters. His children in order of their ages are as follows: Noah J., a resi- dent of Portsmouth, Attorney-at-Law : Mary, married Samuel Wade. residing at Chetopa, Kansas; Abigail, married William R. Mickle- thwait, residing in the suburbs of Portsmouth; Ellen, married Stephen B. Kearns, residing at Oak Hill, Jackson County; Elizabethi Emily, married William Butcher, living in Scioto County, Ohio: Louisa Isabel, married Royal William Allard, residing in Scioto County, near Flat Postoffice: Ida Josephine, married Edwin Stone, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania; Dolly Alice, married Everett E. John- son, lives in Pike County near Flat Postoffice; Jane, married Morton M. Johnson, and resides in Jackson County, near Flat Postoffice in Pike County. Mr. Dever lives on a farm of 240 acres, just over the line of Jackson from Scioto County. He has lived there twenty vears, since April 10, 1881. Prior to that he lived in Madison Township, Scioto County from the time of his marriage. In politi- cal views, Mr. Dever was first a Whig, afterwards a Republican.

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Always aggressive and out-spoken. He is not a member of any church ; but his wife is a member of the Free-Will Baptist. Wil- liam Dever's life has flown along in smooth currents all the time. He has never been sick. He is not troubled with the infirmities of age. He was never in politics. He never sought office. He was never in any war. He never had any exciting or wonderful incidents in his life. He is a plain farmer and has lived in the same neighborhood all of his seventy-six years and yet, notwithstanding all that, he is a remarkable man. He possesses great force of character. He has wonderful will power and when it is complete, good judgment. When one comes in contact with him, he feels his will power and personal force. Mr. Dever was never a man to follow. He always led. Living all his life in a locality poor in agricultural resources, he has followed farming all his life and has made and saved a great deal of money ; and besides that he has reared a family of nine children and sent them out in the world, a credit to him and themselves. How many men at seventy-six are able to make such a showing? His children are all healthy and strong. His daughters are all fine look- ing women,-all mothers; and his grandchildren, thirty-three in num- ber, are all in the enjoyment of as fine health as their parents. In the evening of his days Mr. Dever is taking things easy. While his home is on his farm in Jackson County, he and his wife visit among their children much of their time, and, though old, enjoy life as much as they did when young. They have grown old happily and have no regrets. Mr. Dever is about the best illustration of a sound mind in a sound body, that could be found anywhere. If there are any principles he has lived up to more than others, they are these : to be just, to pay his debts, to keep his word and the Bible command, that one should take care of his own,- the latter term referring to the person and his family. Mr. Dever has done these things well. He can be proud of his fulfillment of his duty to his family, and so can his children for him.

Abner Doty

was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1806. His wife was Lima Burris, daughter of Horatio Burris of Flemingsburg, Kentucky. Our subject was born in Virginia and spent his boyhood there. He came to Portsmouth in 1829. He was married in Portsmouth in May, 1830. He kept a harness shop on Jefferson street, in the Grimes Building, where Harry Grimes was born. John Cooley and George Metz were his workmen. The latter afterwards became a Representative in the Legislature of Illinois. William Nixon was also in his employment. His children were Amanda who died at five years of age, accidentally burned to death at Mrs. Ashley's school, the first day she attended; Robert, who lives at number 2, Taylor street, Covington, Ky .; John, who died in 1902 in Chicago; Benjamin F., died in 1878 at Hot Springs, Arkansas; Mrs. Anna Daniel, the

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wife of James Daniel. resides at 7142 Harvard avenue, Chicago; Mrs. Irene Morrison, the wife of Armor Morrison, who also resides in Chicago.

Abner Doty died in September, 1844. after ten days illness of in- flammatory rheumatism. His widow survived until April 6, 1885. She died in Cincinnati. They are both buried at Greenlawn Ceme- tery, with other members of the family. The name Doty is of French origin.

Colonel Sebastian Eifort

was born at Neustadt, near Marburg, Hesse, in Germany, January 12, 1817. a son of Henry and Catherine Eifort. In 1832, the fam- ily left Germany and settled at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where Se- bastian served an apprenticeship in a confectionery, and was a fellow citizen with Thaddeus Stevens and James Buchanan. He left for the west in the spring of 1837 and came to Massillon, Stark County, Ohio, engaging in the furnace business, making castings and pig-iron. In 1839, he went to Scioto County, Ohio, working at Jackson, Scioto and Bloom Furnaces, at the last named being founder and manager. In 1842 he married Rachel Jackson, daughter of William Jackson of Scioto County. In 1852, he, with others, built Harrison furnace Scioto County, Ohio, and in 1855, sold his interest and moved the next year to Carter County, Kentucky, where he built Boone furnace and successfully managed it until the breaking out of the rebellion. Being a strong Union man, he called a meeting, in April 1861, of the citizens of Lewis, Carter, Boyd and Greenup Counties at Boone Furnace, where the old flag was raised and speeches made by ex- congressman, George M. Thomas, and others, in favor of supporting the government. Then and there a plan was made to raise a regi- ment of Home Guards for the protection of property. This was ful- ly organized during the summer and sworn into the service by 'Mr. Eifort, who was elected Colonel. In 1863. he was sent to the state legislature where his strong Union sentiments made him conspic- uous during that stormy period of conflicting opinions. After peace was restored in 1866, he sold his interest in Boone furnace and in 1869 became manager of Hunnewell furnace, for the Eastern Ken- tucky Railroad Company, where he remained thirteen years. In the meantime he, Mr. Stoughton, and K. B. Grahn bought 10,000 acres of land near Olive Hill, Carter County, Kentucky, intending to build a furnace, but pig-iron becoming very low, the project was abandoned and the property divided. From 1882 until 1890, he lived at Olive Hill, where he, assisted by his son, Joe, mined and shipped large quantities of a high grade of fireclay which was found to be very abundant on his land. His health failing he retired from all business and with his wife removed to Greenup, Kentucky, at which place he died, December 11, 1893. His remains were interred in Portsmouth.

COLONEL SEBASTIAN EIFORT.

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He was a strong Republican in politics and a Royal Arch Mason. His widow still lives in Greenup. Nine children were born to them, three of whom died in infancy. William Henry whose sketch will be found in this book, was killed in the Civil War, James died at the age of twenty-eight, and Mrs. Kate Warnock died at the age of fifty-four, in California. Mamie, wife of Charles Hertel, of Green- up, Kentucky, F. S. Eifort and Joe B. Eifort of Ashland are still living. Colonel Eifort was a citizen of great force of character, strong will power and superior executive ability. He was a born leader and manager. His convictions on any subject he had investi- gated were strong and, when required, he would carry them out at any and all hazards.

Andrew Jackson Enslow

was born October 244, 1824, near Wheelersburg, Scioto County, Ohio. His father was Rezin Enslow, and his mother's maiden name was Mary Sebring, a daughter of Thomas Sebring. His grandfath- er. David Enslow, originally settled in Scioto County, and purchased a large farm near Wheelersburg. The family in Flanders before the time of William the Con-

originated queror. An ancestor of that time carried a banner in the army of William the Conqueror, on which was emblazoned the word "Onsloro", which in the Norman French of that day meant "to hasten slowly," the same as the Latin term "Festina lente." Mr. Enslow as a boy attended the common schools of Porter Township and learned "out" there. In addition, he received instructions at Wheelersburg, under the late Hon. Edward W. Jordan, privately. The latter taught school at Wheelersburg, and gave young Enslow lessons in the advanced branches. Mr. Enslow became a school teacher himself ; and afterwards became a book-keeper at a furnace in Kentucky, and took an interest in it. It was the furnace owned by Seton, and he was engaged in this furnace two years. He was mar- ried December 3. 1846, to Nancy Marie Bliss, daughter of Theodore Preston Bliss, a native of New Hampshire, who came to Scioto Coun- ty in 1819. Her mother was Nancy Dunton Dean, a native of Maine. Our subject learned the cabinet makers trade with Stephen Cameron. He served as postmaster at Wheelersburg many years. He was a County Commissioner of Scioto County from 1859 to 1863, and was County Auditor from 1863 to 1865, elected each time on the Demo- cratic ticket. In 1866, he was a candidate for Auditor on the Demo- cratic ticket, but was defeated by Philip W. Noel. The vote stood Noel 1,599, Enslow 2,147. After leaving the Auditor's office, he became manager of a furnace in Tennessee for Stephen Glidden. In 1850, he went to California and was there two years. He was min- ing in the American Valley, but his health broke down, and he re- turned. He was Justice of the Peace of Porter Township, Scioto County, Ohio, from April 14. 1870, until October 1I, 1870. He

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moved to Huntington, West Virginia, in March, 1871, and while there he was a magistrate for a number of years. He left Huntington in 1878, and from there he went to Cumberland County, Illinois, and remained there until 1881. Then he located near Richmond, Vir- ginia, where he resided for ten years, and from there he went to Cali- fornia, where he died in 1894, on October 27. His wife resided in California with her daughter until 1897, and has since resided with her son, Frank B. Enslow, of Huntington, West Virginia. Mr. Ens- low's children are: Frank Bliss, born August 4, 1853, a prominent attorney of Huntington, West Virginia; Edward Bliss born May II. 1858, a resident and insurance agent of Huntington, West Virginia; a daughter Alice born July 23, 1849, and married Richard Peckham, of Richmond, Virginia, March 23, 1877, in the city of Portsmouth. She died in California, May 17, 1897. Our subject also has a son, Linn Bliss, born February 1, 1860, who resides in Richmond, Vir- ginia, and is auditor of the Chesapeake and Ohio R. R. Mr. Enslow was a most excellent business man, a correct book-keeper and ac- countant and very highly esteemed by all his business associates.

John Davidson Feurt

was born in Scioto County, Ohio, March 2, 1816. His father was Gabriel Feurt and his mother Lydia Hitchcock, daughter of Jesse Hitchcock, one of the first settlers of the County. His father was born in 1780 and died September, 1850. His mother was born Feb- ruary 6, 1793 and died January 10, 1864. (For further particulars, see Feurt Family in the Pioneer Record.) His father was out in the general call in the war of 1812. Mr. Feurt was brought up a farmer and followed it all his life. He died near the spot where he was born and had always lived. In 1839, he was married to Maria Oldfield, daughter of Judge William Oldfield. They had a family of nine children : Caroline C., wife of Henry Clinton Feurt, of Franklin Furnace; Lydia, wife of John Lindsey; Harriet E., first married to William H. Peters and after his death to T. J. Brown ; Nettie, wife of George M. Salladay ; Frank B., wife of John F. Noel ; John F., now of Canada; and William Oldfield who resides on his home farm. Mr. Feurt was a Whig and a Republican. He was a Justice of the Peace of his township for ten years and held other township offices, but only because he felt it a duty. He never as- pired, but sought to be a good citizen, and as such he was esteemed by all who knew him. He was an exemplification of all the civic vir- tues. He was a good father, a good neighbor, a good Christian and to sum up all, a valuable citizen.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 92

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