A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 21

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1310

USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 21
USA > Ohio > Allen County > A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1 > Part 21

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Joseph Carman, the great-grandfather of our subject, came from Germany to America in the early days of the settlement of New Jersey, bringing his family, and located on the Delaware river, in the colony of New Jersey, about thirty miles from Philadelphia, Pa., and for many years carried on farming together with boot and shoe making. Joseph Carman, Jr., son of above and grandfather of our sub- ject, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution under Washington, and was married in New Jersey to Miss Elizabeth LaRue, the result of the union being the birth of seven children- four sons, Caleb, Isaac, Joshua and James, and three daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and onc whose name has lapsed from memory of their sorrows. Joseph Carman, Jr., removed to Kentucky in 1789, where he became a com- panion of the famous frontiersman, Daniel Boone, frequently meeting him and coming side by side with him in the same forts. Mir. Carman held a patent for about 1,700 acres of land, which he had located, in part, in what is now Shelby county, and part in Franklin county, near where Frankfort now stands. This gentleman met with an untimely death at the hands of Indians, while hunting.

James Carman, son of Joseph, Jr., and the father of our subject, was born in Virginia, March 2, 1782, in which state his father had resided for a few years. He learned to read and write, and at the age of seven and one- half years went to Kentucky with his father, there grew to manhood, and married Miss Comfort Clifton, a native of Virginia and a daughter of Samuel Clifton. The Etherton brothers, Peter and Aaron, reached Kentucky simultaneously with Joseph Carman, and there came with them a number of Virginians, one of whom, William Linn, was lost in a river, and this stream is still known as the No-Linn. With these Virginians also came Isaac Hodgens, for whom the town of Hodgens- ville, in LaRue county, is named, and who was the great-uncle of our subject, Eliab Carman; LaRue county, also, was named for a great- uncle of our subject.

James Carman and wife, for a few years after their marriage, continued to reside in Kentucky, and in that state their first three children were born. Just before the war of 1812 Mr. Carman moved to Clark county. Ind., where he resided until 1813, when he sought a home in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he followed teaming until 1866 or 1867, when he came to live with our subject, with whom he passed the two remaining years of his life, dying in Allen county in 1869, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years, eight months and sixteen days. He had been twice married, and to his first union, as recorded above, were born four children, Caleb, Elizabeth. Eliab and Matilda-the last named born in Indiana. The mother of these died in Ohio county, Ky., and the second marriage of Mr. Carman took place in Butler county, Ohio, with Mrs. Mary Smith, a widow, who had borne the maiden name of Mary Edwards, and to this union were born "two children-Silas and Louisa.

Eliab Carman. the proper subject of this

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memoir, was but a mere child when taken by his parents to Indiana, but still remembers the illumination and celebration in honor of Jack- son's victory at New Orleans. He was reared chiefly in Ohio, however, partly learned the cooper's trade and also assisted in teaming with his father in Cincinnati, and was there married, February 1, 1830, to Miss Mary Rich- ards, who was born January 12, 1811, in Montgomeryshire, Wales, a daughter of Rich- ard and Sarah (Davis) Richards, the former of whom came to America about 1820, and was one of the original settlers with the Welsh colony at Paddy's Run, Butler county, Ohio. In 1834, he came to Sugar Creek township, Allen county, and settled in section No. 19, his being one of the first Welsh families to come to the township, and here he bought a quarter section of land, much of which he cleared up and converted into a fertile farm. To himself and wife were born eight children, viz: Mary, Sarah, Jane, Elizabeth, Martha, Susan, Thomas, Evan and William. The parents lived to reach the age of about sixty- seven years, and both died in the faith of the Presbyterian church.

After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Carman resided in Cincinnati until September 2, 1836, when they came to Sugar Creek township, Allen county, making their way by wagon, but at times cutting their way through the forest. Mr. Carman at once settled on eighty acres of his present farm, the deed to which bears the signature of Andrew Jackson. The land was all in the woods, but our subject set manfully to work, built a log cabin, cleared up a farm, and by degrees added to it, through untiring industry and a wise thrift, until he owned 200 acres and became one of the most influential and prosperous farmers of the township. Eight children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Carman, and of these, six lived to mature years, viz: Sarah C., Elizabeth, Abi- 4

gail. James, Louisa and Phebe A. The be- loved mother of this family died September 5. 1852, a devoted member of the Baptist church and a lady of great amiability of temper. The second marriage of Mr. Carman took place in August, 1884, to Mrs. Henrietta Poe, widow of James M. Poe, of the colonial family of that name, and a direct descendant of the famous Adam Poe, who killed the In- dian, Bigfoot. In religion Mr. Carman has been for many years a Baptist; in politics he is a democrat, has held the office of supervisor. and fourteen years was a member of the school board-the first and second school-house in his district having been erected during his in- cumbency. This venerable gentleman has neccessarily witnessed marvelous changes in the physical and moral aspects of Sugar Creek township since he first made it his home sixty years ago, but still lives to enjoy, as he has done in the past, the honor and respect of every citizen of the Sugar Creek township and those adjoining.

S AMUEL CHAMBERS, one of the most progressive farmers of Bath town- ship, AAllen county, Ohio, was born in Franklin county, Pa., April ;, 1819. the youngest son of Robert and Catherine (Hise) Chambers. His grandfather Chambers was a native of England, who carly came to Anierica, took an active part in the patriot army during the Revolutionary war, and died at his residence near Martinsburg, Va. He was a farmer by occupation and of his de- scendants there is knowledge of only three sons, Robert, Joseph and Jacob, of whom the later died in Dayton, Ohio.

Robert Chambers was born about 1,72. at Martinsburg, Va., where he grew up to man- hood and served in the war of 1812-15, as a volunteer for his native state. About ISto he

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moved to Franklin county, Pa., and in 1837 removed. to Miami county, Ohio, where. he passed the remaining years of his life, dying in 1852. He had married, in Virginia, Cath- erine Hise, and to this union were born eleven children in the following order: Sarah, who married Samuel Taylor, of Franklin county, Pa., where she died; Susan, who was three times married; first to George Foth. secondly to James Frazier, and thirdly to James Ward -- and died in Allen county, Ohio; Jacob died in Auglaize county, Ohio; Polly, mar- ried to Jesse Ray, died in Kansas; Nancy, who was first married to Daniel Shafer and secondly to John Shafer; Eli, who died in In- diana; Elizabeth, who was married to James Thackery and died in Miami county, Ohio; Otho, who died in Franklin county, Pa. : Maria, married to Joseph Bennett and residing in Cass county, Ind .; Samuel, our subject, and Catherine, who was married to Dorance Vroman, and died in Illinois. The mother of this large family passed the declining years of her life at the home of our subject, dying Jan- uary 18, 1860.

Samuel Chambers, whosc name is placed at the opening of this biographical memoir, re- ceived his early education in the primitive log school-house in vogue in his youthful days, and, his parents being by no means wealthy, he. was placed out to work for neighboring farmers at the early age of nine years- work- ing, in one instance, for five years for one em- ployer, Daniel Zuck, Franklin county, Pa. He was industrious and frugal, and in 1837 was able to bring his parents to Ohio, locating in Miami county, where he was employed in clear- ing up lands until 1852, when he came to Bath township, Allen county, and purchased eighty acres of his present farm, to which he added forty acres, won through his own diligence and frugality. He has carried on general farmning. and in addition has largely devoted his atten-

tion to the manufacture of cider and sorghum, from which he has derived a considerable revenue.

The marriage of Mr. Chambers was solenm- ized, in 1844, with Miss Harriet Miller, who was born in Washington county, Md., a daugh- ter of John K. and Susan (Krebs) Miller, who early came to Ohio and settled in Miami county, where the marriage of their daughter took place. The children that blessed this union were born in the following order: Absa- lom, who died September 28, 1890; Sarah J .. who was married to N. D. Hadsel and died December 6, 1883; Maria C., wife of George C. Smith; Eli, of Van Wert county, Ohio; Susan E .. who was married to Henry D. Miller and died April 19, 1877; Emma, who was first married to Joseph Brower, and sec- ondly to Michael Alstetter, of Bath township. Allen county; Jolin, who died August 30, 1858: George, who married Eliza Dodson, who has borne one child-Clara E. ; and Har- riet L., wife of Allen J. Driver, of German township, Allen county. The mother of this family was called from earth June 21, 1890, an inconceivable distressing bereavement to the husband and surviving children and a dis- tressful sorrow to numerous sincere friends.

In his politics Mr. Chambers was at first a. wliig, but lafer joined the ranks of the repub- lican party, in which he takes a warm interest, but has never sought recognition of his services through the emoluments of public office. For forty years he has been a devoted and active member of the German Baptist church and has always been liberal of his means toward its support, as he has also been in promoting all enterprises intended for the well-being of Bath township and the comity of Allen. He is recognized as one of the most intelligent and enterprising farmers of the township and is re- spected, wherever known, as a substantial and useful citizen, and as an upright man.

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S AMUEL D. CHAMBERS, one of the representative citizens of · Delphos, Ohio, and a well-known man in both Allen and Van Wert counties, is a native of Ohio, having been born at Bolivar, Tuscarawas county, November 2, 1835. His father was Thomas Chambers, who was a na- tive of Washington county, Pa., born in the year 1808, and was a son of James Chambers. a native of Ireland, who first located in Wash- ington county, Pa., but subsequently removed by wagon to Licking county, Ohio, where he died. Thomas Chambers was a molder by trade, and followed that vocation in the fur- nace towns of Ohio for many years. From the fall of 1844 until the spring of 1849 he re- sided in Cincinnati, and at that time removed to Lima, where a brother and brother-in-law were then living. In September, 1850, he re- moved his family to Delphos, the foundry hav- ing been removed from Lima to this point on account of the canal, and here his death oc- curred in November, 1879. At Painesville, Ohio, in 1833, he married Miss Mary Cannon, who was born in Ohio in 1818. She is still living, and makes her home with our subject.

Samuel D. Chambers was the eldest of a family of six children, only two of whom are now living-himself and brother Winfield. Our subject attended school in Cincinnati, Lima and Delphos, securing a common-school education. When fifteen years of age he be- gan a three-year apprenticeship at the mold- er's trade, which he finished with the excep- tion of a few months. In 1853 he entered the store of F. J. Lye, merchant of Delphos, as a clerk, where he remained three years, going thence to Lytle & Roebuck, general merchants of Delphos, and with that firm continued until 1859. In that year he entered into a co-partnership with Peter Phelan and en- gaged in the general mercantile trade, under the firm name of Phelan & Chambers. This

firm continued until the death of Mr. Phelan in December, 1876, when the firm went out of business; Mr. Chambers then took part of the stock, and in 1877 formed a co-partnership with Henry Davies, under the firin name of Davies & Chambers, they continuing together until 1887, when Mr. Chambers retired from mer- cantile life. In 1878 Mr. Chambers was elected to the office of auditor of Allen county, as the nominee of the republican party, notwithstand- ing the fact that the county was then and is at present democratic. After serving one term of three years, Mr. Chambers retired from politics.

Since retiring from mercantile business. Mr. Chambers has been identified with various enterprises in Delphos. He was one of the . organizers and a director and secretary for a tinie of the Delphos Savings & Loan associa- tion; next he was cashier of the Delphos Com- mercial bank for about one year; for the last five years he has been treasurer of the Delphos Electric Light & Power company, and for a number of years has been a member of the board of directors of the Delphos National bank; for a number of years he has also been a director of the Ohio Wheel company; he is also interested in the Hinge Belt Coupler com- pany of Delphos-a company formed for the manufacture and sale of a patent device for the coupling of belts, which is, in the opinion of the promoters and many others, destined to fill a long-felt want and work a revohition in the mode of coupling together belts of every description.

Mr. Chambers is a member of Hope lodge. No. 214, F. & A. M., of Delphos, and of Shawnee commandry, No. 14. K. T. of Lima. Ile is also a thirty-second degree Mason, be- ing a member of Cleveland consistory. Mr. Chambers was married, in 1862, to Sarah J. Kepner, of Columbia City, Ind. To their union two children have been born. Mr. and

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Mrs. Chambers and family are members of the Presbyterian church of Delphos. During the late war Mr. Chambers served in the 100-day service as quartermaster of the One Hundred and Fifty-first regiment Ohio national guards.

APT. WARREN CLARK, one of the leading carpenters and contractors of the town of Bluffton, Allen county, Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the Civil war. was born in Delaware county, Ohio, July 31, 1839, and comes from an old Pennsylvania colonial family of English descent.

Andrew Clark, the grandfather of our sub- ject, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a son of a Revolutionary soldier, of English birth but American patroitism. Andrew Clark was also a Baptist minister and a pioneer of of Portage county, Ohio, when that county was a part of the Western reserve. His son, Jonathan Clark, father of our subject, was born in Butler county. Pa., was reared a farmer, and married Hannah Randolph, who was born in Juniata county, Pa., August 11, 1811, a daughter of John aud Mary (Dawes) Randolph -- the Randolphs coming from the old Virginia family of that name and the Dawes family being of Welsh descent. To the marriage of Jonathan and Hannah Clark were born eleven children, as follows: John. Thomas, Warren, William, Alva, Francis, Germon, Albert, Jane, Amanda and Florence. Jonathan Clark be- came a resident of Orange township. Hancock county, Ohio, in 1852. coming from Mahoning county and settling on a farm, where he passed the remainder of his life, dying in August, 1863. In polities he was first a whig and later a re- publican, and always a strong Union man, giving to its cause four of his sons during the Civil war, viz: Warren, William, Alva and Francis. Of these William and Alva enlisted in Hancock county in 1861. and Francis in

1862, in company A, Forty-ninth Ohio vohun- teer infantry, for the term of three years. William met his fate in death in the battle of Stone River, Tenn., which was a fight of three days, continuance, December 31, 1862. to Janu- ary 3, 1863; Francis was killed in the skirmish at Pickett's Mills in 1864, and Alva served out his full term, sustaining a wound in this hand Amanda, the sister of the brave brothers. was married to a soldier, Charles Bender, and it will be seen patriotism was a prevalent char- acteristic of the Clark family. Jonathan Clark. the father, was a local minister in the Disci- ples' church and a gentleman highly thought of by his neighbors.

Warren Clark, the subject proper of this memoir, was about eleven years of age when his father settled in Hancock county, and there Warren received a good common-school edu- cation and was taught the carpenter's trade. October 4, 1860, he married, in Hancock county, Miss Susan D. Ford, a native of the county, born January 12, 1843, and a daughter of John W. Ford, a native of Virginia. John WV. Ford was of English-Irish and Daten stock, was born January 11, 1813. hnd was a son of Joseph and Susan (Vermillion Ford. He was a pioneer of Champaign county, Ohio, whence he moved, in :836, to Hancock coanty. and cleared up a farm from the woods. His only children are Levi J. and Sasan D. Mrs. Clark), of whom Levi J. was a soldier in com- pany A, Forty-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry. for three years, and was badly wounded at Pickett's Mills. The father, John W. Ford, is still living, a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church, and in politics a republican.

In 1861, tearing himself away from his bride, Warren Clark enusted, in Hancock county, in company E. Thirty-first Ohio vol- unteer infantry, under Capt. Daniel Rose, for three years, and served as private until pro- I moted, for meritorious work, to be second

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lieutenant in 1863, and in August, 1864, to be first lieutenant, and to a captaincy in April, 1865, with which rank he was honorably dis- charged at Louisville, Ky., in August, 1865, on account of the close of the war. Lieut. Clark was attached, in August, 1864, to the staff of Gen. Walker, First brigade, Third division, Fourteenth army corps, and in October, 1864, was detailed to the staff of Gen. Absalom Baird. As leading up to these high positions, Capt. Clark had taken part in the battles of Mill Springs, Perryville, Stone River, Chicka- mauga (his being the last regiment to leave this bloody field), Missionary Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Pumpkinvine Creek, Burnt Hickory. Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta (July 28, 1864), Jonesboro, and in Sherman's march to the sea. As aid-de-camp to Gen. Baird he acted as provost-marshal and commanded the escort and the foraging detachment-and as a forager he was a success. The foraging detail com- prised about sixty men, who, led by Capt. Clark, would sometimes ride as far as twenty miles from camp and bring back all they could pack of turkeys, chickens, hogs, sheep, sweet potatoes, and many other delicacies. Skir- mishes often occurred, and on one occasion Capt. Clark narrowly escaped capture by Wheeler's cavalry, being close enough to the rebels to see Wade Hampton, who was in command. On this occasion Capt. Clark found two men hanging in the woods, whose bodies he cut down and buried. After the battles of Bentonville and Savannah, the regi- ment marched to Goldsboro, N. C., and Capt. Clark was the first man of Sherman's army to enter that town; thence he went to Raleigh, N. C., followed Johnston out of that city, and marched thence to Washington, D. C., and took part in the grand review of May, 1865. After the war, Capt. Clark returned to Han- cock county, Ohio, and resumed his trade of carpenter, which he there successfully followed

until i8;0, when he went to Grand Rapids. Iowa, engaged in contracting until 1879, and then returned to Ohio and settled in Bluffton, where he has become the leading.contractor and carpenter of the town.

To Capt. and Mrs. Clark have been born three children-John A., Elizabeth H. and Ted W., who still live to bless and make glad the hearts of their parents. Mrs. Clark is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in that faith have reared her children. Capt. Clark has been commander of Robert Hamilton post, No. 262. G. A. R., and has also filled all the minor offices of the order. In politics the captain is a republican and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln for president of the United States, but, although active in the interest of his party, has never accepted, much less sought, public office. He, however, performed the gratuitous duty of acting as a member of the first election board of Allen county, and was a member when the Australian ballot system was introduced. The captain as a soldier served his country with honor to him- self. taking part in all the marches ard en- gagements of his regiment. and doing his duty faithfully and with alacrity, and to-day enjoys the respect of his fellow-citizens for the mani- festation of the same good qualities in civil life.

ILLIAM R. COCHRAN is the old- est person now living who was born in Marion township, Allen county, Ohio. His great-grandfather was a native of Scotland, came to America before the Revolutionary war, and settled in what is now the state of Tennessee, and of hischildren the names of three are remembered, viz: Will- iam, Benjamin and Isaac. The grandfather of our subject. William Cochran, left his native state of Tennessee and came to Chio in in the early pioneer days, locating in Ross

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY

county, and there married Betsey Mannery, of Revolutionary ancestry and Irish descent. To this union were born ten children, viz: John, James, Jane, Catherine, Nancy, William, Georgge, and three whose names have lapsed from the memory of the survivors, as they died young-all born in Ross county. The father was a farmer, came from Ross county to that part of Putnam county now known as Allen county in IS21, cleared up a small farm on the Au- glaize river about a mile south of where sub- ject now lives, but in a short time afteward sold this to Benjamin Cochran, his brother, moved two miles north of our subject and entered sixty acres, and later bought 103 acres at Middlepoint. He had been a soldier in the war of 1812, for which service he re- ceived a land warrant for 200 acres, which he located in Paulding county. so that he owned altogether 363 acres. In his old age he moved to his place in Middlepoint where he expired at the advance age of eighty-eight years, during the late Civil war. His children all settled in Allen county at a time when there were but few white men in the county, and before the Indians had been removed.

James Gochran, son of William and father of our subject, was born November 25, 1804, and died January 12, 1893. He married Julia Ann Russell September 10, 1826, and there were born to this union three children, two daughters, and one son, William R., our subject, who alone survives. Mrs. Cochran died in 1834, and in 1836 Mr. Cochran married Isabella Sunderland, who bore twelve children, viz: One son who died in infancy, Elizabeth, Julia Ann, Mary, George, Jantes, Ellen, John, Hattie, Nancy and Allen-all born in Allen county. George, the eldest son, enlisted, in 1861, in McLaugh- lin's squadron of Ohio cavalry, was taken prisoner in Stoneman's raid and incarcerated at Andersonville and Mellon, and died at the

surviving children born to James Cochran are eight in number, viz: William R., Mrs. Isaac Steman, Mrs. Henry Temple, Mrs. Robert Martin, Mrs. William Daniels, Orlando, Mrs. Clarence Hurlbott and James Cochran, Jr.

William R. Cochran was born on the home- stead in Allen county, January 6, 1829, and was reared a pioneer farmer. January 29. 1852, he married Miss Eliza Baxter, who was born in Allen county, July 3, 1830, a daughter ef Samuel and Keziah (Cremean) Baxter, of whom further mention may be read in the sketch of Curtis Baxter. After marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cochran located on the banks of the Auglaize river, where they remained a year and a half, and then moved to their present farm, which at that time consisted of forty acres only and was situated in the forest. But they pros- pered, and the land has been increased to 110 acres, the forest has disappeared, and with it the log cabin, and these have been replaced by well-tilled fields and a modern dwelling and substantial baras and all farm buildings neces- sary for use and comfort. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Cochran were nine in number, and were named as follows: Clara Angeline, who was married to Moses Long and died at the age of thirty-six years, leaving two chil- dren; Keziah J., married to Willihm Long, and the mother of two children; Julia, wife of Isaac Burkholder, and also the mother of two children; James N., who married Tirza E. Myers, who has borne four children; William R., who married Belle Odom, who also has borne four children: Frances M., married to Milton Sherrick; Emma F., wife of Samuel Trusdale: Ulysses M., who married Emma M. Brand, and has two children; Isaac M.

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A portrait and biographical record of Allen and Van Wert counties, Ohio, v. 1, Part 21

Author: Publication date: 1896 Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen Number of Pages: 1310

Author:
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: Chicago : A.W. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1310