USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 36
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 36
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Smith have had six children, namely : Rob- ert J., who is an attorney in practice at Mercedes, Texas; Margaret, who died at the age of eleven years; Walter S., who is superintendent for the E. W. Bliss Com- pany, of Brooklyn, New York; Frederic H., a graduate of West Point, who is a lieu- tenant in the United States Army; Eu- gene, who is connected with the office force of the E. W. Bliss Company ; and Adeline, who is the wife of Herbert Johnston, gen- eral manager and chief engineer of the Ho- bart Electric Manufacturing Company of Troy. Mr. Smith and family are mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church.
IRWIN A. HOLLOWAY, who has been a resident of Piqua, Ohio, almost con- tinuously during the past nineteen years, is a railway postal clerk, running on the Pennsylvania line between Indianapolis and St. Louis.
Mr. Holloway was born in Covington, Kentucky, in 1880, and was nine years of age when his parents moved to Piqua, Ohio, where he was reared to maturity and at- tended the public schools. He completed a course in a commercial college, after which he was employed at office work for some fifteen monthis. He then was in the employ of an uncle at Syracuse, New York, for six months, at the end of which time he entered the railway postal service, at which he has since continued. He is a man of wide acquaintance in this city and makes his home at No. 507 South Main Street. In 1903 Mr. Holloway was married to Miss Cleo Collar of Ligonier, Indiana, and they have two children, Eleanor Alda and Mar- tha Elizabeth. The family attend the Green Street Methodist Episcopal Church of Piqua.
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IHISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
WILLIAM H. DETRICK, farmer and fruit grower, residing on his estate of eighty acres of valuable land in Bethel Township, situated four and one-half miles southeast of Tippecanoe City, is one of the leading men of this section of Miami County. He was born in Bethel Township, Miami County, Ohio, December 15, 1848. and is a son of Benjamin and Catherine (Forney) Detrick.
The grandfather, Adam Detrick, was of German extraction but was born in West Virginia. He was a slave owner but set all his slaves free when coming to Ohio. On arriving here he located first in Wayne Township, Montgomery County, and find- ing it suited him, continued to reside there until his death, which was followed by that of his wife. He engaged in farming and also operated a saw-mill. He was one of the founders of the German Baptist Church in that section and both he and wife were buried in the cemetery adjoin- ing the Hickory Grove Church.
Benjamin Detrick, father of William II .. was thirteen years old when he accompa- nied his parents to Ohio from Virginia. Hle assisted on the farm and in the mill and also worked in the timber, entting wood for twenty-five cents a cord, and working the mill at night in order to make a little money for himself. In that way he got his start in life, adding penny to penny and watching his capital grow until he had enough to invest, and when he died many years later he owned three farms. one of eighty acres, one of seventy-three acres and one of seventy-four acres, all in Bethel Township. He worked in a saw-mill for some years and sawed the first lumber that was used in the construction of the first honse in Brandt, Miami County. Ho mar-
ried Catherine Forney, a native of Penn- sylvania, and they had eleven children : William H., Samuel, Jacob, David, and Benjamin, all living, and Harvey, Jeffer- son, Adam, Sarah, Eva Belle, and an in- fant, all deceased. After marriage, Ben- jamin Detrick and wife settled on a farm in Bethel Township which he bought of Jolın Brown, and both he and wife died there. They were members of the Breth- ren Church of Bethel. The death of Ben- jamin Detrick ocenrred in 1890 and that of his widow five years later and they were buried in the Tippecanoe City Cemetery. Hle was a Republican in politics and was interested in having honest men eleeted to office. For a number of years he worked in the interests of good roads and served in the office of township supervisor.
William H. Detrick remembers the build- ing of four school-houses on the same site, near his home in Bethel Township. The first one in which he was a pupil was a log cabin built in a grove of poplars, hence its name, and it was very primitive indeed. Light was admitted by the removal of a log from the side and the benches were rough slabs not very carefully smoothed. Later a more comfortable building was put up and learning was made more easy for Mr. Detrick and the other country boys and girls. He attended, off and on, until he was nineteen years of age, and then gave all his time to his father until he was twenty-one, after which he worked on the home farm by the day and his father permitted him to work land for him- self in order to get a start. When his thoughts began to turn toward marriage he quietly went to a Mrs. Puterbaugh and rented her farm of 173 aeres, and when he was married in the fall of 1871, he had a
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comfortable home to which to take his bride. Mr. and Mrs. Detrick continued to live on that farm as renters for the fol- lowing thirteen years, when Mrs. Puter- baugh died and the property came into the market and Mr. Detrick immediately bought eighty acres of the northern side of the farm, which he considered the most desirable. He had to clear about thirty acres. and underdrained the whole prop- erty and put up all the fine buildings, these being of block cement. IIe makes fruit growing his specialty and produces the finest specimens of all kinds to be found in this part of the country. He has customers all over the state and ships quantities to different points.
On November 16, 1871, Mr. Detrick was married to Miss Edith Caroline Swindler, a daughter of John and Rebecca Swindler, and ten children have been born to them, as follows: Frank, who died when aged six years; Estella, who married Frank P. Fergus, and has two children-Mary M. and Alberta; Mary Anna, who married J. B. Heckman, and has two sons-Will- iam R. and Herbert C .; Bessie Savilla. who married Harley Sharitt, and has twin daughters-Edith Caroline and Edna Eliz- abeth: Araminta, residing at home, who is the telephone operator at Phoneton: Charles 1 .. who is deceased: Walter, who married Matilda Prakel; Willis, who is de- ceased ; and Ida May and Russell E., both of whom are at home.
Mr. Detrick and family usually attend religious services at the Brethren Church. In politics he is a stanch Republican and has frequently given most efficient service in township offices, having been a member of the School Board for a considerable time, supervisor for two terms and trustee
for two terms. With his wife, Mr. Det- rick belongs to Iras Court No. 20, Sons and Daughters of Ben Hur, at Tippecanoe City.
F. (. ROBERTS, junior member of the firm of Shilling & Roberts, leading under- takers and dealers in furniture and car- pets at Troy, has been a resident of this city for twenty-seven years and is closely identified with its business and social in- terests. He was born at Christianburg, Champaign County, Ohio, in 1861. and spent his early life on a farm. Mr. Rob- orts was educated at Christianburg and later took a business course in a commer- cial college at Columbus. He then became a clerk in a dry goods house at Troy and continued in that capacity for thirteen years, at the end of that period buying the interest of a business man here and subso- quently becoming junior partner in the firm of Shilling & Roberts. This firm does business in well equipped quarters on the southwest corner of the Public Square.
In 1885 Mr. Roberts was married to Miss Mary E. Shilling, who was a daughter of Jesse Shilling. Sr. (deceased). who was a pioneer in Miami County. They are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he serving in an official capacity. He is identified with the Knights of Pythias, is a Knight Templar Mason, belongs to the Troy Business Men's Association. to the Island Outing Club and to the Ohio State Undertakers' Association. He has never been especially active in politics but never- theless has always taken a good citizen's interest in public affairs.
JOSEPII EDWARD SIEGEL is a pros- perous farmer and stock raiser of Con-
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cord Township, Miami County, Ohio, and is located about five miles northwest of Troy, just north of the Troy and Coving- ton Pike. He was born on the old Harter farm in Troy, November 1, 1873, and is a son of William and Mary E. (Shaffer) Siegel. He comes of a German family, his father and his grandfather following agri- cultural pursuits in that country.
William Siegel came to the United States with his wife and three children, they being the only ones then living, and soon after his arrival located in Miami County, Ohio. He had but one dollar left at the time of his coming and for some years worked in a brick yard at Troy for fifty cents per day. He later rented a farm near Troy and from that place moved to the old Harter farm, which he rented and farmed successfully for thirteen years. While living there he purchased the 150- acre farm in Concord Township, now farmed by his son, George Siegel, and later moved upon the place which continued his home until his death in 1893, at the age of seventy years. His widow is passed the age of eighty-one and resides at the home of her daughter, Mary, in Troy. William and Mary Siegel were parents of the fol- lowing children : Floyd of Van Wert, Ohio ; Christina, wife of Frank Enick of Troy, Ohio; John of Washington; Caroline, de- ceased wife of Floyd Miller; Mary, wife of Alvin Corner; Charles of Washington; William of Arkansas; George, who lives on the home farm in Concord Township; and Joseph Edward.
Joseph Edward Siegel was reared on the farm and received a common school education. He has always followed farm- ing and lived on the home place until one year after his marriage, when he rented
the Herkes farm in Spring Creek Town- ship. He remained there but one year, and then for nine years rented the William Mitchell farm in the same township. At the end of that time he located on the farm of his father-in-law, Casper Longendel- pher, and has since farmed that place, which consists of 1191% aeres. In April, 1908, he purchased forty and a half acres, adjoining, from Daniel Meyers. He fol- lows general farming and is extensively engaged in raising pure blood Percheron horses. He has abont twenty-one head at the present time, including: Gondalle, im- ported grey mare, weight 2,200 pounds ; Grinchusen, imported grey mare, weight 1,900 pounds; Laura, grey mare, weight 1,700 pounds; Elpso Belle, grey mare, 1,650 pounds; and Helena, grey mare, weight 1,700 pounds. He recently erected a fine and modern stable for his horses.
January 24, 1895, Mr. Siegel was united in marriage with Miss Ida Longeldelpher, who was born on the farm on which she now lives, and is a daughter of Casper and Elizabeth (Favorite) Longendelpher. She comes of an old and well known family of the county.
FRANK W. PEARSON, a well known and prosperous farmer of Concord Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, farms the H. W. Allen farm of 305 acres, located about three and one-half miles northwest of Troy. He also owns and farms a tract of fifty acres south of Troy and in Concord Town- ship. He was born on his father's place in that township, December 7, 1866, and is a son of George and Mary I. (Harbison) Pearson. The Pearson family in the early days were members of the Society of Friends and came to this country from
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England during the time of William Penn.
Owing to his antipathy to slavery, Jo- seph Pearson, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, moved from his home in the Newberry District of South Carolina to Miami County, Ohio. He ar- rived with his family in 1802, having made the trip in wagons drawn by four horses. It was prior to the admission of Ohio as a state, and the country was in a wild and undeveloped state. They located about four miles south of Troy, in Monroe Town- ship, and there Joseph lived until his death at the age of sixty years.
Thomas H. Pearson, grandfather of Frank W., was fourteen years of age at the time the family moved from South Carolina to Ohio, and was twenty-one years of age at his father's death. He died at the old home in Miami County, where he passed sixty-two years of his life. IIe and his wife had three children, Ann, de- ceased; Lydia, deceased; and George.
George Pearson was born on the home farm in Concord Township, February 10, 1834, and has always lived on the place except for eight years spent in the West. In his younger days he spent two years in the photography business and for three years operated a saw-mill. Farming has been his chief occupation in life, and he also conducted a nursery with success. In 1856 he was joined in marriage with Miss Mary I. Harbison, by whom he had three children, Emma; Frank W .; and William.
Frank W. Pearson spent his boyhood on the home place and received a limited public school education. He began working on the farm at the early age of ten years and has since continued it with good results. He lived at home until his marrage in 1893, then farmed the place of his aunt, Ester
Wingett, located west of Troy on the Mil- ton Pike. After three years he farmed the Davis Green place near the Children's Home for three years, and in December, 1900, came to his present location. Just after marriage he purchased the tract of fifty acres he now owns south of Troy, from Henry Wilson and George Pearson, but has never lived upon it. It is well im- proved and under a high state of cultiva- tion, eight acres of it being devoted to to- bacco raising.
January 25, 1893, Mr. Pearson was joined in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Stewart, who was born in Warren County, Indiana, and is a daughter of Er. and Eliza Stewart. They haveoneson, George E.
FRANKLIN SHERMAN SWEARIN- GEN, township assessor of Lost Creek Township, Miami County, whose farm of eighty acres in Section 1, lies on both sides of the Casstown and Addison Turnpike Road, also on Springfield, Troy and Piqua Traction lines, was born June 20, 1864, in a log house that still stands on what was his father's farm near Winchester, Adams County, Ohio. His parents were John Llewellyn and Nancy Jane (Carson) Swearingen.
The Swearingen family originated in Holland and can be traced by its members as far back as 1656. The father of Frank- lin S. Swearingen was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, and in 1828 accom- panied his father to Ohio. The family floated down the Ohio River in a flatboat until they reached Manchester, Adams County. The first selection of a farm proved to be an undesirable one and the grandfather, John Swearingen, removed to a second one and subsequently acquired
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more than 300 aeres of fine land, all of which is still held in the Swearingen name. This land was covered with such a valua- ble growth of timber that he subsequently sold seven uncleared acres for $1,000 in cash, a remarkable transaction for that day. He died on that farm in 1887, hav- ing reached his eighty-fifth year. Ilis wife probably was of Welsh descent as her name was Llewellyn, and she lived to be eighty-three years of age. They had twelve children, two of whom died in infancy, and the others were: Thomas, who lives in Iowa: John Llewellyn; Rebecca Ann. who is deceased; Andrew J., who lives in Ad- ams County; Minerva. who lives in Iowa; Drusilla, who lives on the old farm; Ma- tilda, who lives also in Adams County ; Benjamin, who owns the old farm; Will- iam Allen, who lives in Illinois ; and Naney Ellen, who resides in Adams County.
John Llewellyn Swearingen was born October 2, 1828, and was five years old when he accompanied his parents to Ohio. In early manhood he was engaged in school teaching for several years, and afterwards became interested in stock dealing and horse buying, developing keen business perceptions along this line, and for a num- ber of years he was engaged in buying live- stock in Kentucky, bringing them from there to Adams County, where he fed them for the eastern markets. He was a prominent man in local political cireles and three times was elected auditor of Adams County, his third election being with the largest majority of all and at a time when party lines were badly disorganized. He died October 28, 1875, a short time after the elose of his term of public service. He married Nancy Jane Carson, who died February 1, 1903, when aged seventy-three
years. They had seven children, namely : William Albert, residing in Illinois, who married Naomi Lafferty; Laura M., de- ceased, who was the wife of Joseph W. Shinn, also deceased; Franklin Sherman; Mary and an infant, both deecased; John E., residing at AAddison, who married Lou Hughes; and Jessie, who died in early years.
Franklin Sherman Swearingen remained at home until his own marriage, in the meanwhile attending the distriet schools and later the High School at West Union. After his marriage, in 1887. he bought a farm on Brush Creek but before moving on it he followed farming in Illinois for a few years. but in 1899 he sold his Adams County place and came to Miami County and bought this improved farm from Da- vid Long. Mr. Swearingen carries on his agricultural operations according to mod- ern approved methods and believes in mak- ing machinery take the place of muscle whenever it is possible. He does not raise registered stock but handles only well es- tablislied breeds.
Mr. Swearingen was married August 30, 1887. to Miss Mary Edith Williams, a daughter of Henry and Laura (McClana- han) Williams, of Adams County, and they have had three children : Lanra Helen, who died aged ten years; Ora Lulu and Mary Winona. Mr. Swearingen and fam- ily are members of the Methodist Church, although he was reared a Baptist. He has always taken an intelligent interest in pub- lie matters and enjoys the confidence of his fellow citizens. In the spring of 1907 he was appointed township assessor by the Board of Trustees and in the fall of the year he was elected to the office on the Democratic tieket. He is a member of
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Mt. Olivet Lodge No. 326, F. & A. M., at Addison.
JOHN HARTSTEIN, who, in associa- tion with his son, owns 279 acres of fine farm land situated in Concord Township, Miami County, is one of the most highly respected German-American citizens of this section. He was born August 15, 1836, in Wurtemberg, Germany, and is a son of John and Mary Hartstein. The parents of Mr. Hartstein lived and died in Ger- many. The father operated a paper mill. Of his five children three are living. Two came to America, John and a brother, Lonis, the latter of whom was a member of the Eleventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil War and was killed while on gnard duty.
When Mr. Hartstein was a boy in his own land he attended school for a time and when he went to work he drove the oxen for a farmer until he secured a position in a cotton mill, where he worked for five years, at first as a cotton sorter and later as a fine lace-maker. In 1857 lie came to America with his brother and they went to Piqua, Ohio, and started in the wagon making business. Finding that this did not pay at that time, John Hartstein went into the woods, being willing to do any kind of work, and made some money chop- ping wood. The first land he bought was a tract of swamp-fifty acres of it-in Concord Township. This land he cleared and drained and lived on it for forty years. In 1886 he bought eighty-two ad- joining acres and lived there until 1906, when he moved to his present farm con- taining 126 acres, at the edge of Troy, on the Covington Turnpike Road. His other land lies on the Pleasant Ilill Turnpike.
Mr. Hartstein has helped to build a num- ber of the excellent highways that run through Miami County and he has always been a man of hard work. IIe is one of the most independent farmers of Concord Township and has earned all he has through his own unassisted efforts.
In 1862 Mr. Hartstein married Miss Hannah Weber, who was born in Ger- many and came to America with her par- ents when young. Her father, Philip Weber, settled near Sidney, Ohio. They have had seven children: Mary, Lonisa, Clara, John, Charles, Anna and Catherine, the latter of whom died when aged twenty years. Mr. Hartstein and family belong to the German Reformed Church. He is a Democrat in politics.
ALBIN THOMA, who is at the head of the jewelry and optical firm of his name, has been identified with his present busi- ness for a period of time covering a half century and in point of time is the oldest dealer in this line at Piqna, Ohio, where he was born in 1844. His father, Angustus Thoma, for many years one of Piqua's prominent and useful citizens, was born at Baden, Germany, in 1819, came to America in 1832, and settled at Piqua in 1838.
In 1838 Augustus Thoma founded the business which is still conducted by his de- scendants and under practically the same name. Early in the sixties he admitted his two sons, Albin and August F. Thoma, to partnership, and it was carried on by the three members of the firm until 1893, when August F. withdrew and the business was then continued by Augustus and Albin Thoma until the death of the former, De- cember 29, 1900. In the course of time two sons of Albin Thoma were admitted to
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
partnership and the association still con- tinues.
In September, 1866, Mr. Thoma was married to Miss Anna Weigler, who came to Piqua from Cincinnati, in 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Thoma have nine children, four sons and five daughters, namely : Albin L., who is a graduate of the New York Op- tical College, where he has also taken post- graduate courses; Leo A., who is an ex- pert engraver and diamond setter; Joseph A., who is perfecting his education in op- ties and watchmaking; Adolph, who is also a student; and Minnie, Louisa, Marie, Anna and Ida. Mr. Thoma has been a member of St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church since its organization. He belongs to the order of Catholic Knights of Amer- ica and to the Knights of Columbus. He has always been a loyal citizen and early in the progress of the Civil War he en- deavored to enter the army but on account of poor health was not accepted. In 1864, however, he went out as a member of Com- pany C, 147th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and during the 100-day period served in the vicinity of Washington City. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He has been connected with his present business since 1858 and is one of Piqua's leading citizens.
ELIAS GARST HAWN, one of Con- cord Township's most substantial farmers, who resides on the south side of the Cov- ington and Troy Turnpike Road, about one and one-quarter miles northwest of Troy, where his home farm of 19112 acres is situ- ated, owns a second farm, containing eighty-three acres, which lies on the north side of the highway. He was born on the old home place in Bethel Township, Miami
County, Ohio, in June, 1842, and is a son of John and Catherine (Sailor) Hawn.
John Hawn was born in Lancaster Coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and in early manhood came to Miami County, in company with another young man by the name of Knoop, and they were about the first white set- tlers in what is now Bethel Township. In- dians still made their home throughout this section and wild animals prowled through the dense forests. The Knoop family built one of the earliest distilleries in this part of the county and John Hawn worked in the same for several years prior to his marriage. He subsequently acquired 170 acres of land and cleared up a farm on , which he lived during the rest of his life, his death occurring when he was aged eighty-two years. He married Catherine Sailor, who was born in Elizabeth Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, a daughter of Philip Sailor, one of the early pioneers. There were sixteen children born to John and Catherine Hawn, fourteen of whom grew to mature years and five of whom still live, namely: Elias; William, who re- sides in Bethel Township; Matilda, who is the widow of John Davis; Eliza, who mar- ried Abraham Case; and Ellen, who mar- ried David Haines. One of the older mem- bers of the family was George W., but all trace of him was lost by his kindred during the Civil War.
Elias G. Hawn helped his father clear his land and later to cultivate it. His mother died when he was about fourteen years of age and shortly afterward he be- gan to think of starting out for himself, but in those days money was not plentiful, many of the farmers being "land rich" but "money poor." He continued to live at home until his marriage and when he
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finally began for himself it was with a cap- ital of fifty cents in "shin-plaster" money. Mr. Hawn is now one of the township's wealthiest men, but he has accumulated everything he has through his own indus- try and excellent business management. The first farm he bought was one in Eliza- beth Township, but he never lived on it, disposing of it at a profit. In 1888 he pur- chased his present home farm from John MeClung and he has spent a large amount in improving it. His large bank barn is considered the finest structure of its kind in Miami County and people have come hundreds of miles to see it, and his other improvements are equally good. He has made farming his main business and now has several stalwart sons to assist him.
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