Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 78

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149

USA > Ohio > Butler County > Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio > Part 78

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On June 5, 1882, Mr. Neal was married to Miss May Mckinney. the ceremony being performed by Reverend E. W. Abbey, of the

Presbyterian church. This union has been blessed by the birth of one daughter, Shirley, now a young lady of varied accomplish- ments and marked popularity among her ac- quaintances. Fraternally. Mr. Neal. is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is one of the most popu- lar members of this organization. It is doubtful if any citizen of this county has achieved more honorable mention or occu- pies a more conspicuous place in the profes- sion which he represents than does Mr. Neal. who by strong inherent force and superior professional ability, directed by intelligence and judgment of a high order, stands today among the representative men of this state.

DUBOIS D. LEFFERSON.

Agriculture has been an honored voca- tion from the earliest . ages and as a usual thing men of honorable and humane im- pulses, as well as those of energy and thrift. have been patrons of husbandry. The free. outdoor life of the farm has a decided ten- dency to foster and develop that independ- ence of mind and self-reliance which char- acterize true manhood and no greater bless- ing can befall a boy than to be reared in close touch with nature in the healthful. life- inspiring life of the fields. It has always been the fruitful soil from which have sprung the moral bone and sinew of the country. and the majority of our nation's great warriors, wise statesmen. renowned scholars and distinguished men of letters were born on the farm and are indebted to its early influence for the distinction which they have attained.

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Tobias Lefferson, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a native of this county, having been born near Middletown in 1816, and made that place his home until his death, about sixteen years ago. He was a man of strict integrity and sterling worth of character and was possessed of the es- teem of the entire community. Dubois D. Lefferson was born January II, 1848, on the old homestead, and received his prelim- inary education in the country and town schools, which was supplemented by attend- ance at the select school conducted by a Mr. Robbins at Springfield. He has fol- lowed in the footsteps of his ancestors and has followed the pursuit of agriculture all his life. He has kept in close touch with modern methods and as a consequence has prospered in his calling. The farm, consist- ing of about one hundred and twenty acres of fine, tillable land, bears abundant evi- dence of the painstaking care bestowed upon it by Mr. Lefferson and the fields usually re- turn abundant harvests in their season.

The subject has been three times mar- ried. His first union was with Miss Clara Overdier, who was born in Columbus, Ohio, January 31. 1852, and received a good com- mon-school education. To this union were born four children, two sons and two daugh- ters, namely: Grace C., born January 6, 1875, is the wife of Robert Blair, of Middle- town : Charles H., born May 14, 1878, grad- uated from the Middletown high school, and in the pharmaceutical department of Ohio University and is now a druggist in Columbus; he married Miss Fannie F. Wheeler, of Columbus, Ohio; Mary E., born March 24, 1880, is a graduate of the Mid- dletown high school and remains at home; Elmore T., born June 14, 1882, is preparing

for Wooster University. All of these chil- dren were born in the same house where their father was born and now lives. Mrs. Clara Lefferson died in July, 1882, and Mr. Lefferson was subsequently married to Miss Hannah A. Keever, of Warren county, this state, the daughter of Dr. M. Keever. She lived but a few months after marriage and the subject was again married, this time to Miss E. Margaret Paine, of Edinburg, Indi- ana.

Religiously, the subject and his family are all members of the Presbyterian church and take an active interest in the welfare of the congregation with which they are affili- ated. Politically Mr. Lefferson lines up with the Republican party and stands high among his political confreres, being able to give good and sound reasons for the faith that is within him. He has traveled over his native land to a considerable extent and has been a keen observer of men and events, becoming through this means a well-in- formed man. Because of his many sterling traits of character, the subject has endeared himself to a host of warm personal friends and his home is the center of a large social circle.

WILLIAM H. BEARDSLEY.

One of the enterprising and well-known native sons of Butler county, Ohio, is Wil- liam H. Beardsley, who by a career charac- terized by a spirit of enterprise and prog- ress has well earned representation in this work. He was born in the city of Hamilton on the 13th of November, 1850, and is the son of Henry and Laura (O'Connor) Beards- ley. Henry Beardsley was an early settler

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in Hamilton, where for forty years he fol- ler county, and to this union has been born lowed the vocation of hatmaking and was a successful merchant and highly respected citizen. He was a member of the board of education of this city for twelve or fourteen years and was honored and respected as a man of sterling traits of character. The subject's maternal grandfather was also a pioneer of Hamilton and was mayor of the city two terms during the thirties.

William H. Beardsley was educated in the public schools of Hamilton, which was supplemented by attendance at the Miami University, at Oxford. Upon completion of his studies he entered the employ of the Niles Tool Works, at Hamilton, but subse- quently engaged in the publishing business with the late J. H. Long, on North Second street. Disposing of his interest in the print- ing business, he engaged in the school fur- niture and real-slate blackboard business, in which he was quite successful.

In 1888 George Beardsley, a civil en- gineer, removed from Hamilton to Phoenix, Arizona, and was there called upon to inves- tigate the practicability of irrigating sixty thousand acres of arid land in the Maricopa county, that territory. The survey demon- strating the feasibility of the undertaking, in 1891 the subject of this sketch formed the Agua Pria Construction Company, to carry on the projected work of irrigation. It is a mammoth undertaking, but the work is progressing satisfactorily and when com- pleted it will render all of this vast tract of now arid land marketable and a monument to Mr. Beardsley's energy and ability.

On December 11, 1888, Mr. Beardsley was united in marriage with Mrs. Ida R. (Oglesby) Forney, daughter of the late Wil- liam B. Oglesby, formerly treasurer of But-

one son, Robert Oglesby, now aged fourteen years. Socially Mr. Beardsley is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Middletown, and takes a deep in- terest in the welfare of the order. As a business man he has exhibited abilities of the highest order and a disposition and tem- perament that enable him to push to comple- tion any project which he undertakes. He is held in the highest esteem by all his ac- quaintances because of his many estimable traits of character.

BENTON E. URMSTON.

The well-known farmer of Fairfield township, Butler county, Ohio, whose name appears above was born May 16, 1849, on the old Urmston homestead in Fairfield township. He received a good common- school education, and also attended the nor- mal school at Lebanon, Ohio, for three years. He began his independent course at farming on the home farm, but in 1884 he married, and then moved onto what was then known as the Wytherell farm, about three miles cast of Hamilton, on the Prince- ton pike, which was at that time owned by his father. Here he built a fine residence, made other good improvements and has since carried on farming. His farm land holdings are large at the present time, as he owns four hundred acres, all in one body, and also owns the old Morris farm of one hundred acres, all of this land being in Fairfield town- ship. Mr. Urmston has been prominent in the township all his life, and has served on the township board of education for twenty-

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five years, and also as clerk of the township for several years.

The grandfather of the subject of this sketch was David Urmston, Sr., who was a native of England. He emigrated to this country and entered a section of land four miles east from Hamilton, which became the Urmston homestead. He married Mary Enyeart, a native of New Jersey, and to them three sons and four daughters were born. David. the father of the subject, was the youngest son of David. He was born on the old homestead in Fairfield township in 1810 and died January 12. 1892. He in- herited the old homestead and was a suc- cessful farmer and prominent man in his township and county all his life. holding prominent offices many years. He married Miss Nancy Stone, who was born on the old Stone farm in Fairfield township. Her fa- ther was Thomas Stone, a native of Ireland. and who was an early settler of this country. Nancy (Stone) Urmston died in January. 1002, aged eighty-five years. To David and Nancy Urmston children were born as fol- lows: John died unmarried; Mary A., who became the wife of Elmer T. Anderson, Jennie died unmarried ; Benton E. is the im- mediate subject of this sketch ; Emma F. be- came the wife of J. W. Dick : Bell and Rob- ert died unmarried.

On December 24, 1874, Mr. Urmston, the subject, married Miss Martha Ellen Em- erick, who was born in Hanover township, Butler county, Ohio, on January 24. 1854. the daughter of Michael W. and Matilda (Bell) Emerick. The father of Mrs. Emer- ick was born in. Hanover township, Butler county, on December 4, 1811, and his wife was born August 13. 1819. The former died February 24, 1873, and the latter on April

3. 1897. The father of Daniel W. Emerick was John, who was a native of Ireland, and his wife was Margaret-, who was born in Scotland. They were married in Pennsylvania, from which state they came to Hanover township, Butler county, where they both died. The children of Michael W. Emerick were as follows: Maria, born February 22, 1837: Alexander, born De- cember 24, 1838. and died January II. 1903; he married Martha Leffler; William. born May 5, 1841, died April 19, 1885; married Martha Herron: Margaret J., born March 12, 1843. married Michael Brosier; John H .. twin of Margaret J., died at the age of nine months; George M., born July 12, 1845. died January 7, 1901 : James N., born August 22. 1848, died May 12, 1898; Mar- tha E., born January 24. 1854. married the subject of this sketch; Mary Addie, born November 10, 1861. married William E. Anderson. To the marriage of the subject and his wife the following children have been born : Bessie Alma, born May 5, 1876, married William E. Bender, of Hamilton; Murray David, born July 2, 1878; Paul Rob- ert. born January 7. 1880; Nellie Irene, born in May. 1883: Earl Benton, born July 8, 1887, and Hugh James, born July 8, 1892.

ARTHUR T. WILSON.

Conspicuous among the leading business men and representative citizens of Middle- town is Arthur T. Wilson, whose long res- idence in the city has given him an honora- ble reputation and a prestige which is strong and far-reaching. The Wilson family is of English origin and the subject belongs to the

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ARTHUR T. WILSON.

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fourth generation on this side of the water, his great-grandfather having been the first of his ancestors to find a home in the new world. Thomas Wilson, father of Arthur T., was born near Trenton, Ohio, in the year 1818, and grew to maturity on a farm, re- ceiving a fair education in such schools as the country afforded during the days of liis youth. When a young man he learned cabinetmaking at Jacksonburg and Hamil- ton, and after finishing his apprenticeship and working one year at the latter place, came to Middletown, where he established a shop in 1839, from which year until 1879 he carried on a successful trade and became one of the city's most prosperous and sub- stantial business men. Thomas Wilson achieved considerable prominence in politi- cal circles and municipal affairs, served on the school board and as assessor and was one of the influential Whigs of Butler county, later casting his fortunes with the Republican party, of which he continued an earnest and uncompromising supporter to the day of his death. He was a stanch Presbyterian in religion, a leader in the church at Middletown and for many years served as ruling elder of the congregation, besides taking an active interest in general religious and benevolent work. regardless of name or order. To him belongs the credit of introducing Odd Fellowship into Middle- town and the present lodge in this city is largely the result of his earnest and self-sac- rificing efforts in an early day.

Todhunter, Homer P. Wilson and Mrs. William Shotwell, all living in Middletown, except Homer, who is a resident of Cincin- nati, and Mrs. Shotwell, who resides in West Virginia.

Arthur T. Wilson was born in Middle- town, Ohio, February 1, 1844, and spent his childhood and youth at the old family home on Main street, his early experience being about the same as that of the majority of lads reared under city influences. When old enough he became a pupil of the public schools and continued to attend the same until of an age to be of service to his father, at which time he entered the latter's furni- ture establishment, where he attained his first training in practical life. Being a nat- ural mechanic, he soon became a thorough workman and continued cabinetmaking, un- der his father's direction, until 1864, when he laid aside his tools for the death-dealing implements of warfare, enlisting May 2d of that year in Company G, One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Ohio Infantry, for the one-hundred-day service. After being hon- orably discharged, on the 8th of September following. he returned to Middletown and effected a co-partnership with his father in the furniture business, the relation thus constituted lasting until the latter's death. Mr. Wilson then took in as partner Frank Potter, a firm which continued until 1883, when the subject purchased the entire inter- est and conducted the business with marked success during the ten years following. In 1893 he disposed of his stock of furniture, the better to devote his entire attention to undertaking. which business he had prev- iously carried on and the magnitude of which had become so great as to demand his

Elizabeth Lefferson, wife of Thomas Wilson, was a native of Middletown, Ohio, and bore her husband ten children, of which large family the following members survive : Arthur T., whose name introduces this sketch ; Mrs. John S. Butler, Mrs. W. H. entire time. Since the latter year Mr. Wil-

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son has made undertaking a specialty and in order to fit himself thoroughly for the exact- ing duties of the same he took a full course of embalming in the Clark Embalming School, at Cincinnati, one of the leading in- stitutions of the kind in the United States, graduating in due time with a creditable record. As a skillful embalmer and accom- plished and obliging undertaker, it is not too much to say for Mr. Wilson that he has few equals and no superiors. He is familiar with every detail of the profession, keeps abreast with the times in all the latest scien- tific discoveries and improvements relating thereto and his business has steadily in- creased.

Mr. Wilson has literally grown up with Middletown and during a sixty-years resi- dence therein has not only witnessed the steady and substantial growth of the city along its various lines of industrial, com- mercial and general activity, but, with prac- tical intelligence, sound judgment and keen foresight, has contributed to the advance- ment of its prosperity and borne his part in bringing.about the high state of morals for which the community has so long been noted. He manifests a pardonable pride in the place of his birth, is zealous of its reputation, and, having faith in its future, encourages to the extent of his ability all worthy enterprises and measures to make that future realize as nearly as possible his high ideal of what it should be. While not an active, politician, Mr. Wilson is nevertheless well grounded in his political convictions, being a Repub- lican on state and national issues, but in mu- nicipal and county matters he frequently votes for the man, regardless of party ties. His fraternal relations include membership with the Grand Army of the Republic; the

Masonic order, Lodge No. 90; Lodge No. 37, Knights of Pythias, and the Royal Arca- num; and in religious affairs he is a zealous member of the First Presbyterian church of Middletown, which body of worshipers his wife is also identified.

The marriage of Mr. Wilson dates from 1870, on June 2d of which year he contracted a matrimonial alliance with Miss Jennie M. Hill, who was born in Rockville, Connecti- cut, but who came to Butler county with her parents in childhood and grew to maturity and received her education in Middletown. Mrs. Wilson's father was a paper manufac- turer and one of the leaders of that indus- try in this part of Ohio. He achieved wide reputation as a skillful workman and is said to have established at Middletown the first manilla paper mill in the United States west of the Alleghany mountains. Mrs. Wilson is the only surviving member of the Hill family. She has presented her husband with two children, the older of whom, a daughter by the name of Anna H., was born September 19, 1872, and departed this life in the year 1888. This daughter was an in- telligent and highly esteemed young lady, having been well educated in private schools and Oxford Female College, and her un- timely taking off was profoundly lamented not only by her immediate family but also by the large circle of admiring friends with whom she was wont to mingle and associate. Howard A., whose birth occurred on the 22d of December, 1875, was educated in the public schools of Middletown and under private instruction and he also spent one year at Oxford and the same length of time- in a high-grade institution at Bridgeport, Connecticut. After receiving a thorough literary discipline, he entered the Clark Em-

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balming School, Cincinnati, and in due sea- Hamilton, and stands as a lasting tribute son was graduated therefrom, since which time he has been associated with his father in the undertaking business.

SAMUEL POTTER STEWART.

to the memories of the silent heroes. This is a beautiful work of art, and while it fit- tingly perpetuates the memories of the de- parted, it also emphasizes the noble, gener- ous spirit of the promoters, and stands as a lasting testimonial to the skill and efficiency of the builders. The entire outside structure is built of the celebrated Bedford (Indiana) politic stone, the interior being faced with marble, bearing the names of the many hun- dreds whose memories it is intended to per- petuate. The extreme dimensions are forty feet square, with two projections, extending eight feet on the north and south fronts. The total height is one hundred feet.

The F. P. Stewart Granite Company, of Hamilton. is one of the best known busi- ness institutions in Butler county. It has been in continuous existence since 1836, when the plant was established by the ma- ternal granduncle of the subject, Aaron Pot- ter. From him it descended by purchase to the Stewart family, F. P. Stewart, an elder The F. P. Stewart Company gives regu- lar employment to an average of forty men in the various departments, and is fully equipped with all modern appliances for the successful operation of their greatly diversi- fied iines of business. These include facili- ties for sawing, electric drilling, scientific lettering, etc., all operated by the most skilled workmen and every detail of the work is carefully inspected by the most com- petent mechanics .. brother of the subject of this review, becom- ing the principal stockholder and president of the company, a position he held until his death. in 1893, at the age of forty years. Since then his wife, Mrs. Martha J. Stew- art, a practical business woman, has been president of the company, under whose management it has been eminently success- ful. The business is incorporated with a cap- italization of thirteen thousand dollars,-a very insignificant sum as compared with the The annual output of business averages about forty thousand dollars. Samuel P. Stewart, of this sketch, has been connected with this institution continuously since 1880. In his various capacities in connection with the business, past and present, he has trav- eled extensively, visiting other establish- ments in distant states, the marble and gran- ite quarries of the East, and jobbing houses throughout the country. It goes without saying that he has been a very useful attache of the business. annual output of business. They make a specialty of monumental work in the states of Ohio and Indiana. The hundreds of pa- trons in Hamilton are the best evidence of their home standing. In addition to the cemetery work. however, the firm are large contractors in cut stone work of all kinds, in which line they do a good share of the special work in Hamilton and adjacent towns. The F. P. Stewart Company were. the successful bidders on the construction of the Butler county soldiers, sailors and On leaving school he began work in the pioneers' monument, on the site of old Fort shops of the concern, but after a brief expe-

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rience he found that his health was being in- and popular man in all phases of religious jured and a change of employment became life in Hamilton and is well and favorably known in church circles everywhere in the county. necessary. He then learned the printer's trade, following the "art preservative" for two years, and was one year with the Meth- odist Book Concern in Cincinnati. He then

The marriage of Mr. Stewart occurred on the 28th of February, 1888, when he returned to his first work in 1880, as stated. `chose for his life companion Miss Ella Dean,

Samuel Stewart was born in Cincinnati, January 18. 1859. He is the only survivor of a family of four children born to John C. and Elizabeth (Potter) Stewart. Both his parents were natives of Butler county. Ohio, and both are deceased. His father was a general contractor and builder and spent all of his business life in Cincinnati. He died from the result of disease incurred in the army. being brought home in a help- less condition, and died in 1864. He was captain of Company I. Fourth Ohio Cav- alry, of which his eldest son, Arthur J., was a member, being then but thirteen years of age. He too incurred disease from which he died in 1865. The only sister of the sub- ject was Ella, who died in childhood, and his mother died in 1861. Frank P .. already mentioned. completed the list of casualties in the family circle. Samuel P. Stewart ac- quired a good education in the city schools of Hamilton, having located in this city. with relatives, after the death of his par- ents. From carly youth he has been a mem- ber of the Baptist church and has always ta- ken an active interest in religious work. He has been .the chorister in the First Baptist church in Hamilton for many years and served twelve years as superintendent of the Sunday school. He also served four years as secretary of the Butler County Sunday School Association, and is now serving the second year as president of that organization. He is a very useful

a most charming and popular young lady of Hamilton. She is related to some of the most prominent families in the city and is highly regarded in the social circles of Ham- ilton. Miss. Dean was a popular and suc- cessful teacher in the public schools in her girlhood days, being employed as such in the Hamilton schools at the time of her marriage. She is a lady of many accom- plishments, and an active worker in the church and Sunday school, and was the or- ganist at the First Baptist church for four years, leaving that position with the advent of domestic duties at home. This is a most happy union, blessed with that degree of mutual love and confidence which renders domestic life and home interests paramount to every other consideration. Two bright and promising sons have come to add cheer and comfort to the happy fireside and ce- ment the affections of loving parents, while one little blossom from the shores of para- dise passed over with the angels. Franklin Dean, the eldest of the trio, was born No- vember 28. 1888. He is an exceptionally bright and studious boy. well-advanced in his high school work, and destined to achieve distinguished honors in the educational field. His brother. Stanley Potter, born on the Toth of December. 1891, is equally alert in his school work in a lower department. Ar- thur J. lived to the age of eleven months, when his little life went out, leaving parents and brothers to mourn the early departure

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 78

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1149

Author: Bert S. Bartlow, W. H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, Frederick Schneider, and others
Publication date: 1905
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1149