Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 88

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 88

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which he takes an active part and is con- sidered an authority in all matters coming within his special lines of practice.

In addition to his high professional standing. Dr. Shipe is also a public-spirited citizen. keenly alive to everything that bene- fits his city and county and foremost in all reforms for alleviating and improving the condition of the people. Politically he is a Republican, but takes little part in party matters further than supporting his favorite candidates and maintaining the soundness of his opinions. He is a wide reader of the world's best literature and a close ob- server of current events, and his knowledge of the leading questions and issues of the day is both general and profound.

Notwithstanding his professional ability and the conspicuous place he occupies in so- cial as well as medical circles, he is a gen- tleman of becoming modesty, seeking rather to conceal his attainments and success than exhibit them by ostentatious display.

. On December 20, 1894, Dr. Shipe was happily married to Miss Ellen Pine, a culti- . dressed himself manfully to the task of its vated and refined young lady of Virginia and a creditable representative of one of the old and highly esteemed families of that state. With her husband she moves in the best social circles of Middletown, and pre- sides over his home with a grace and dignity becoming the ideal housewife and true help- meet.

MRS. PHOEBE J. WIKOFF.

This venerated and well-known old lady, whose long period of residence in Butler county has made her name a familiar sound to the large circle of friends and acquaint- 38

ances who hold her in such high esteem, is a native of Warren county, Ohio, and a de- scendant of an old Dutch family that set- tled in New Jersey some time during the Colonial period. Her name before her mar- riage was Phoebe Vanderveer, her fa- ther. Benjamin Vanderveer. whose birth occurred in Monmouth county. New Jer- sey. November 15. 1793, was the son of a well-to-do Holland immigrant who in an early day migrated from New Jersey to Warren county. Ohio. and entered one thousand acres of land near the present city of Carlisle, where in due time he became a prosperous farmer and public-spirited citi- zen. Benjamin Vanderveer was quite young when his parents moved west and he spent his early life on the frontier, assisting in clearing and otherwise developing the family homestead. In 1813. when but twenty years of age, he married Miss Jane Vanderveer, who was only fifteen years old at the time, and, settling on a tract of land containing one acre of cleared ground, ad- development. Being a man of great indus- try and remarkable energy, his labors were quite effective, and it was not long until he had a fine farm cleared and in a high state of cultivation. besides taking an active in- terest in advancing the general welfare of the community. Benjamin and Jane Van- derveer lived to be quite old and died many years ago on the old homestead in Warren county, where they set up their first domes- tic establishment. They reared a family of eighteen children. whose names and dates of birth are as follows : Martha Ann, Octo- her 18, 1814: Catherine, February 11. 1816; . Lydia, November 28. 1817: Tunis. Septem- ber 22, 1819: Phoebe J .. July 15. 1821:

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John, September 16, 1823; Hannah and Rebecca, twins, November 14, 1825; Sarah, March 1, 1828; David, July 11, 1830; Ben- jamin D., May 28, 1832; Joseph, Septem- ber 8, 1834; Mary E., August 11, 1836; Uriah, January 27, 1840; Sidney, March -20, 1842; James B. and Aaron, twins, whose births occurred on June 24, 1845. Of this large family, three sons and four daughters survive, namely: David, Uriah, Aaron, Lydia, Phoebe, Rebecca and Sarah.

Ohio as long ago as the year 1808 and lo- cating near Blue Ball in what is now Lemon township. He accompanied his parents to their new place of abode when a child, was reared on a farm in the above township and after his marriage turned his attention to ag- riculture, which he followed the remainder of his life, the greater part of the time as a renter. Mr. and Mrs. Wikoff began house- keeping upon quite a modest scale, the sum total of their furniture and general house- Phoebe J. Vanderveer, who first saw the light of day on the old farm in War- ren county, eighty-three . years ago, was reared to the habits of industry and thrift peculiar to those times and from youth up her daily life was a ceaseless round of toil- some duty faithfully and uncomplainingly done. While still a mere child she learned how to spin wool and flax, devoting the win- ter time to the former and the summers to the latter, and when a little older she be- came an adept at weaving the coarse cloth which for many years constituted the only material from which the wearing apparel of . hold fixtures not exceeding in value the sum of thirty dollars, given them by her father. While not as successful as some in the matter of acquiring property, the hus- band was a hard worker and a liberal pro- vider, and as long as he lived looked care- fully after the comfort of those dependent upon him. He earned the reputation of an honorable man and a praiseworthy citizen. lived at peace with his neighbors and ac- quaintances and exercised a wholesome, moral influence in the community with which he was for so long identified. Mr. Wikoff departed this life October 1, 1871, the family was made. Owing to the ab- . leaving to mourn his loss a widow and sev- sence of schools, her educational advantages were greatly restricted, but the few terms she was privileged. to attend enabled her to obtain a fair knowledge of reading and spelling, her acquaintance with the art of writing having been acquired after she reached the years of womanhood.

eral children, the names of the latter be- ing Benjamin, Samuel, Henry. Morton. Charles and Jennie. After the husband's death Mrs. Wikoff took upon herself the management of his business affairs and dur- ing the several years following looked after the interests of her children and planned for their future in an able and creditable manner. Thrown upon her own resources she soon developed remarkable business abil- ity, and some idea of her success in material affairs may be obtained from the fact that within a comparatively brief period she was

Miss Vanderveer remained with her parents until 1845, on February 5th of which year she gave her heart and her hand into the keeping of a gentleman by the name of William Wikoff, whose antecedents, like her own, came from Holland and whose birth occurred in the state of New Jersey .. able to purchase a fine and well-improved Mr. Wikoff's family moving to this part of farm of one hundred and seven acres, on

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which she lived until her removal to Middle- the life of the latter. Mrs. Wikoff has in town in the year 1892. Disposing of her her possession a number of interesting rel- ics and family heir-looms, which she prizes very highly, among the most valuable being a looking-glass one hun- dred and fifty-two years old which was purchased in Hull and sent by her great- grandmother, shortly after the latter came to America in the time of the colonies. L'a- ter the mirror passed into the hands of her grandmother, who in turn left it to her mother, from whom the subject received it with other articles which she today prizes among her richest legacies. Mr. Wikoff's children are married and well settled, and she now has grandchildren to the number of twenty-three, besides seven great-grand- children. Her descendants rise up to call her blessed and leave nothing undone where- by her comfort may be promoted or her in- terests advanced. She is experiencing a calm and placid old age, contented with her lot, and looks forward towards the twilight of the journey's end with an abiding trust in Him who has so mercifully guided her steps thus far and who will not fail her when the time comes to bid farewell to the scenes of her earthly labors and triumphs. farm in the latter year, Mrs. Wikoff bought a beautiful brick cottage in Middletown which she has since occupied and she is now living a life of retirement, surrounded by an abundance of this world's goods to sat- isfy all of her wants, while the large circle of friends with whom she associates appear to vie with each other in showing her the tender attentions and conferring the kind favors which go so far to rob old age of its disagreeable features and make it what it should be, a bright and agreeable experience and one of the most pleasant periods of a well-spent life. When a young lady of nine- teen years, Mrs. Wiffok united with the Presbyterian church, and from that time to the present she has lived faithful to every Christian duty, active in all good works for the dissemination of religious truth and de- voted to the best interests of those with whom she has been accustomed to mingle. She is one of the most highly esteemed members of the church in Middletown and has frequently made liberal contributions for its support. besides giving generously to various interests under the auspices of her own and other denominations. Mrs. Wikoff is a remarkably strong and well- . preserved woman for one of her age, being able to attend to all of her household duties MRS. TOBIAS LEFFERSON. and she manages her business affairs with the mental clearness characteristic of her Nearly eighty-four years have dissolved in the mists of the past since the birth of the venerable and beloved lady whose name appears above. To give in connected detail the facts and experiences crowded into such a long and useful life would be a difficult if not impossible task, many interesting events younger years. She is connected, by ties of consanguinity, with several noted families of Ohio, New Jersey and other parts of the union, being a double cousin of the late Gar- rett A. Hobart. vice-president of the United States, between whom and herself a warm personal friendship was maintained during having faded from memory, while others

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through the lapse of time have become some- what confused, thus rendering an absolutely correct biography a matter of doubt. Suf- ficient is known, however, to narrate in succinct form the leading facts in the career of a woman who has lived long and well, whose influence has always been for good, and whose gentle presence amid the length- ening shadows of a tranquil old age is a benediction to all with whom she comes in contact.

The maiden name of Mrs. Lefferson was Elizabeth DuBois. Her paternal ancestors were Dutch and the progenitors of the American branch of the family came to America early in the eighteenth century and established homes in the colonies of New Jersey and New York. . Among the first of the name to come to this country appears to have been one Daniel DuBois, who settled in New Jersey, and about the year 1730 his brother Benjamin located at Catskill, New York, of which place he was one of the earliest pioneers. These brothers were the sons of Benjamin DuBois, who spent his life in Holland. Benjamin was a promi- nent minister of the Dutch Reformed church and did much to establish that faith in New York, having preached in many parts of the colony and organized a number of congre- gations which subsequently grew into strong and influential bodies. Daniel DuBois, Jr., son of Benjamin DuBois, was born in New Jersey and in early life became a cabinet- maker. He married Elizabeth Conover, a direct descendant of. Walpert Conover, who came to America from Utrecht, Holland, and was one of a company of Dutch colo- nists that settled at Albany. New York. in the year 1630. Later certain of the family, including the antecedents of Mrs. DuBois,

moved to New Jersey and it was there that she was born, reared and married. After the birth of their first child, which died while young, Daniel and Elizabeth DuBois dis- posed of their possessions in New Jersey and moved to Warren county, Ohio, where he purchased land and cleared a farm and devoted the remainder of his life to tilling the soil. Eleven children were born to this couple after their removal to Ohio, of which number only three survive, namely: Mrs. Tobias Lefferson, of this review, now in her eighty-fifth year; Mrs. J. P. Chenck. of Franklin, this state, who has reached her eighty-third year, and Mrs. Mary Marquis. of Bloomington, Illinois, a well-preserved old lady of seventy-six years.

Elizabeth DuBois, the seventh of the family. was born in Warren county, Ohio. on December 10, 1819. When old enough to be of service to her mother she was al- lotted her daily tasks in the house and later assisted her father and brothers in the fields. Industry was the watchword of the household and the necessity of honest toil and thrift was early impressed upon her mind. She never ate the bread of idleness. but grew up to the full stature of well-de- veloped womanhood, familiar with all kinds of labor on a well-regulated farmstead, de- voting the greater part of the time to the ceaseless round of domestic duties, but at times she was to be found in the fields help- ing plant and cultivate and harvest the crops and in many other ways making herself use- ful. Like the majority of young ladies of those times, she knew how to spin, cut and make garments and to attend to the hundred and one other homely vocations in which the dutiful daughter was supposed to be skilled. Her first educational experience was ob-

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tained in such schools as the country af- did not make this the main object of his life. forded and later she was sent to a select school in the town of Franklin, where, un- der the direction of more competent teach- ers, her progress was rapid and commend- able.

Miss DuBois remained at home until 1844, in February of which year she was united in bonds of wedlock with Tobias Lef- ferson, whose parents, Arthur and Eliza (Burklow ) Lefferson, were among the early settlers of Warren county, moving to that part of the state from New Jersey. Later Arthur Lefferson changed his residence to Butler county and purchased the land on which nearly if not quite half of the city of Middletown stands. He became a prosper- ous farmer and quite a prominent citizen and accumulated a handsome property. a part of his estate being still in the possession of the subject of this review. who is now living in the brick house which he built in 1827 and in which the closing years of his. life were spent.

Immediately after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Lefferson moved to the farm near Middletown where their son now lives and, setting up their domestic establishment, resolutely faced the future with the de- termination of making the most of their op- portunities and achieving success. Mr. Lef- ferson succeeded in his undertaking and within ten years the farm was not only cleared and in a high state of cultivation, but entirely free of debt. He was a man of excellent judgment and managed his af- fairs so judiciously that he soon became one of the leading farmers and stock raisers of Lemon township. as well as one of the country's most public-spirited and exemplary citizens. He acquired wealth rapidly. but

as he was frequently called to positions of honor and trust and for many years was looked upon as a leader in business affairs by the people of his community. Religiously he was a Presbyterian and gave liberally of his means to the support of the church in Middletown, besides contributing generous sums to the aid of worthy charities of what- ever name or order. His ideals of man- hood and citizenship were high, but he al- ways tried to live up to them and that he succeeded in a large measure in this laudable desire is attested by the esteem in which he was always held by the public and the un- usual confidence with which he was ever re- garded by all classes and conditions of peo- ple. In 1872 Mr. and Mrs. Lefferson left the farm and moved to Middletown, where the former spent the remainder of his long and useful life, dying in 1887. To Mr. and Mrs. Lefferson four children were born, - only one of whom a son. by the name of Daniel D., is now living, the others, Arthur. Eliza and Clara, having died in childhood.

Mrs. Lefferson, like her husband, has always been deeply interested in religious and benevolent work, and all enterprises for the promotion of these objects enlist her hearty sympathy and support. For years she has been one of the most influential and liberal members of the First Presbyterian church of Middletown, and when the new temple of worship was in process of erec- tion she contributed the sum of one thou- sand three hundred dollars, besides giving several hundred dollars for a parsonage, to say nothing of the many generous donations she has made from time to time to advance the moral interests of the city and to help the deserving poor and unfortunate. Her

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hand is ever open to the needy and dis- tressed, her cheerful words and kindly ad- monitions have brought sunshine into many an abode where poverty reigns, and all who enjoy the privilege of her acquaintance and friendship are better and happier by reason thereof. She has indeed been a mother in Israel and the gentle, quiet influence ema- nating from her gracious personality has been the means of moulding more than one character aright and of directing many lives into proper channels. Mrs. Lefferson's life has been fraught with good to the world and the memory of her good deeds is des- tined to linger like a heavenly benediction long after her body returns to the earth from whence it came. Her present strength and vitality bespeak for her many years in which to round out a ripe old age and her numerous friends unite in the prayer that she may long be spared to bless the world with her presence.

ADAM BECKER.

The efficient and highly honored chief of the fire department of the city of Hamil- ton is a man to whom is most safely and consistently entrusted the responsible duties devolving upon him in this office, and he has shown the utmost discrimination, good judgment and personal bravery in the hand- ling of his forces for the protection of life and property. Chief Becker is a native of Hesse Darmstadt. Germany, where he was born on the 8th of January. 1847. and there he was reared and educated, receiving the advantages of the excellent schools of the fatherland. In 1867, at the age of twenty years, Mr. Baker severed the home ties and

set forth to seek his fortunes in America. He landed in the city of New York and thence came forthwith to Hamilton, where his brother John had taken up his residence in the preceding year. The parents, Adam and Catharine (Kittler) Becker, both passed their entire lives in their native land, where the father followed the vocation of contrac- tor. He died at the age of fifty-seven years. and his wife was fifty-eight years of age when she was summoned to the "land of the leal."

For the first two years after his arrival in Butler county the subject was engaged in farm work, and he then took up his resi- dence in Hamilton, where he was employed in a malt house and brewery for the ensuing twelve years, after which he served as engi- neer in a local manufacturing plant for somewhat more than three years. In 1883 he became a member of the Hamilton fire department, beginning at the foot and rising to his present position as chief, to which he was promoted from the rank of captain in April, 1903, this being a due and just recog- nition of his long years of able and faithful service and an advancement which was ad- visable as a matter of municipal policy, as his able handling of the work has clearly proved. Fraternally the chief is a member of the Tribe of Ben Hur and the German Benevolent Society. He and his wife are valued members of St. John's German Evan- gelical church. In politics he has ever given a stanch allegiance to the Democratic party. in whose cause he has been an active worker. The family have a pleasant home at 706 South Front street, and there a cordial wel- come is ever assured to their many friends and acquaintances.

In 1871 Mr. Becker was united in mar-

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riage to Miss Katherina Brooks, who was the maternal side the subject traces his born in Prussia, whence she came with her parents to America when a child of five years. Of this union were born six children, of whom three are living, Robert, William and Camilla. Robert married Miss Ama- rilla Killinger and they have one child, Ray. William married Mary Halpretton John and he also resides in Hamilton.

GEORGE D. LUMMIS, M. D.

The present age is essentially utilitarian and the life of every successful man carries a lesson which, told in contemporary narra- tive, is productive of much good in shaping the destiny of others. There is, therefore, a due measure of satisfaction in presenting. even in brief resume, the life and achieve- ments of such men, and in preparing the following history of the scholarly physician whose name appears above it is with the hope that it may prove not only interesting and instructive, but also serve as an incen -. tive to those who contemplate making the medical profession their life work.

Among the popular and successful phy- sicians of Middletown, Butler county, Ohio, is Dr. George D. Lummis, a native of this county, born at Middletown on the 10th of May, 1863, the son of J. G. and Mary F. (Deardorff) Lummis. The father was also a native of this county, having been born in Lemon township December 3, 1830. John Lummis, the subject's grandfather, was likewise born in the same township, the date of his birth having been in the year 1804. Joseph Lummis, the great-grandfa- ther, was a native of the Old Domin- ion and came to Ohio in about 1802. On

American ancestors back equally as far. They were all tillers of the soil, conducting extensive farms, and the subject's father was for many years engaged as a mer- chant in Middletown, serving also for four years under President Cleveland's first ad- ministration as postmaster of Middletown. All the voting members of the family have been Democrats in their political persuasion, and the subject's father stood high in the confidence of the party leaders, having for over half a century taken an active ·part in the campaign work of the party. He was the father of three children, namely : George D., the subject : Charles A., a resident of Memphis, Tennessee, and John H .. book- keeper for the Continental Tobacco Com- pany.

The subject of this sketch is indebted to the graded schools of Middletown for his rudimentary education and was graduated from the high school in 1881. He had long cherished a desire to enter the medical pro- fession, and in the furtherance of this plan, he entered, in the fall of 1881, the Medical College of Ohio, in which he pursued the regular course' and graduated therefrom in 1884, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. During 1884 and 1885 he was retained as house physician in the Good Sa- maritan Hospital, at Cincinnati, Ohio, and then entered upon the active private practice of his profession in Cincinnati. In 1889 he removed to Middletown, where he has since remained, and where he has firmly in- trenched himself in the confidence of the public, who have not been stingy in accord- ing to him a generous share of their patron- age.

On the 21st day of March, 1899, Dr.

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Lummis was united in marriage with Miss born in 1795. He located, with his family, Elizabeth S. Barkelew. of Middletown, the at Shandon, then known as "Paddy's Run," in Butler county. There his days were ended in 1890. at the age of ninety-four suits and, by industry and prudent invest- ments, accumulated a handsome property. daughter of C. H. and Robina T. Barkelew, the family having come to this county from New Jersey in 1890. This union has been years. He spent his life in agricultural pur- a most congenial one and has been blessed by the birth of one son, G. D., Jr., born De- cember 22, 1899.

In religious affiliation the subject has fol- lowed the family traditions and has always been a stanch Methodist, it being a matter of family record that ever since the organi- zation of the Methodist Episcopal church in Butler county the members of the Lummis family have been among its most faithful adherents. In matters political the Doctor is a Democrat. The exacting duties of his profession preclude him from devoting much time to public matters, though he has been prevailed upon to serve as health offi- cer of Middletown, which position he is now holding.

HON. EDWARD H. JONES.

Edward H. Jores, of this review, was reared and educated mostly in Butler county. He began his educational career in the pub- lic schools at Shandon, and then he was engaged in the mercantile business for about two years. He entered the employ of an uncle at Gomer, Ohio, and remained there as a clerk in a general store for a year or more. He was employed as a teacher in the public school at Shandon for four years, and while thus engaged began the prelimi- nary work in the study of law. He was a student of Miami University for a time and spent his vacations in reading law in the office of Morey. Andrews & Morey, in Ham- ilton. Mr. Jones was graduated from the Cincinnati Law School in 189.1, and admit- ted to the bar immediately thereafter. He began his professional career in Hamilton, and was successful from the start as an at- torney and counsellor at law.

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Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio, Part 88

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