USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 49
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 49
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Capt. Conway was married in 1863 to Sarah Jane Manson, a daughter of James Nelson and Sarah (Harvey) Manson, the former of whom died Angust 15, 1870, and the latter December 27, 1900. Her great grandfather was David Manson, Sr., who was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in October, 1753, and came to America prior to the Revolutionary War. In July, 1776, lie enlisted from York, Pennsylvania, for two months, as private, in Captain Sav- age's Company, Colonel Smith command- ing. He re-enlisted in September, 1776. for three and a half months, in Capt. W. W. Cosby's .Company, Colonel MeAllis- ter's Regiment. He enlisted again, in Jannary, 1778, for two months, in Capt. Jolin Rippy's Company, Colonel MeAllis- ter's Regiment. During his service in the Revolutionary War, he was for some time a private in the body guard of General Washington.
He was married February 1. 1780, in York, Penna., to Jean Johnston, and in 1807 they came to Miami County, Ohio. He died in 1836, and is buried in the eeme- tery attached to the Brown schoolhouse, eighteen miles east of Piqua.
David Manson, Jr., son of the foregoing and next in the present line of descent, married Miss Sarah Cornwall, September
11, 1810. He and his wife resided on a farm three miles northeast of Piqna, in Springfield Township. He was a survey- or by profession, and during the winter of 1822-23 he took a severe cold, while on a surveying expedition, which developed into pneumonia and caused his death April 25, 1823. At this time his youngest child, Martha, was but a few months old. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, en- listing from Miami County as a private in Capt. John Williams' Company, Major Henry Prince's Regiment of Ohio Militia. His wife, Mrs. Sarah Cornwall Manson, died in 1838. Their son, James Nelson Manson, maternal grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a grand nephew of Gen. Mahlon Dickerson Manson.
Capt. John and Sarah J. (Manson) Con- way were the parents of three children, namely: Mattie, who married H. M. Al- exander, of Piqua, and died in March, 1905; J. Nelson, and William.
J. Nelson Conway grew to manhood in his native city of Piqua, attending the pub- lic schools, including the high school, of which he is a graduate. He then became associated with his father in the transfer business and thus continued for several years, after which he accepted a position as a driver of a laundry wagon, which was his introduction to the business in which he has since been so successful. After some experience under several different employers, he entered into the laundry business for himself, with a partner, and conducted it for two years and a half under the style of Morton & Conway. He then purchased his partner's interest and has been the sole proprietor ever since. He purchased the building at No. 112-114 E. Ash Street and has equipped it with
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the most modern machinery known to the laundry trade, having now one of the best and most up-to-date plants of the kind to be found in all this section. He gives em- ployment to four men and twelve girls, and the quality of the work he turns out is un- excelled.
In 1906 Mr. Conway was married to Miss Gertrude Raney, of Piqna, Ohio. Fraternally he belongs to the Elks and the Knights of Pythias. He is one of Piqua's most representative and go-ahead business men.
GEORGE DREES, one of Covington's representative business men, dealing in groceries, meats, fish and oysters, has been established on the corner of High and Spring Streets, Covington, for the past sixteen years. He was born at Covington, Ohio, February 15, 1861, and is a son of Henry and Agnes (Neth) Drees.
Henry Drees, who is at the head of the dry goods and notion house of Henry Drees & Son, is one of the old and substan- tial business men of Covington. He was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, in Au- gust, 1833 and remained in his native land until he had almost reached his majority, in the meanwhile attending the German schools and learning the tailor's trade. On August 2, 1854, he landed at Quebec, Canada, made his way from there to Cleve- land, Ohio, and then came to Covington. where he ran a tailor shop prior to estab- lishing his present business, in 1863. In 1893 he associated his son, J. Henry, with him and the present firm style was adopt- ed. He married Agnes Neth, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Septem- ber 25, 1835, and she accompanied her par- ents to America in 1854 and came to Cov-
ington in 1855. To Mr. and Mrs. Drees were born the following children: Rose, who is the wife of William Deubner, of Greenville, Ohio; George, of Covington; J. Henry, of the firm of Henry Drees & Son; William, who operates a sawmill and coal yard at Covington; Agnes, who is the widow of George Brooks; Conrad F., who is a soap and talcum powder manufacturer at Covington; Mrs. Kate Motter; and Panl, who resides at Covington.
George Drees was reared in his native place and attended the public schools and he began to work before he had completed his education, being employed by his unele, Casper Brinkman, on a farm near Coving- ton, and many a vacation hour was spent in farm duties. When he was fourteen years of age he began to learn the mercan- tle business, first with his father and later with Drees, Neth & Company, and later went into the wholesale and retail lumber business for himself. In this enterprise he prospered and continued it for some four years and then turned his attention in the present direction, establishing. a business which is one of importance at Covington. Mr. Drees was married (first) to Miss Anna Kraighbanm, who left two sons at death: Harold and Donald. His second marriage was to Miss Lulu Brown, and one daughter survives her, Helen.
Mr. Drees has been an active and useful citizen and has served as a member of the City Council for more than twelve years. Ile has also served as chief of the Volun- teer Fire Department and for eleven years he was a member of Company E, Third Ohio National Guard, and was drum major, with the rank of sergeant, of the regimental band. He is social by nature and has numerous fraternal connections,
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these including membership in the Masons, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows and En- campment, Rebeccas, Red Men and the Order of Pocahontas.
HORACE COLEMAN, M. D., whose many years of successful professional life at Troy gave him a place of prominence in medical eireles in Miami County, but who is now a resident of Washington, D. C., was born December 27, 1824, at Troy. Miami County, Ohio, and was a son of Dr. Asa Coleman, a leading physician in his day. He enjoyed superior educational ad- vantages and completed his literary studies at Gambier, Ohio. Partaking of his father's scientific tastes, he turned his attention to the study of medicine and under his father's supervision completed his preparatory reading, then entering the Medical College of Ohio, where he was graduated in 1849. In the early part of 1850 he opened up a practice at Logans- port, Indiana, where he remained until O(- tober, 1861. He then entered the Federal army as surgeon of the Forty-sixth Regi- ment. Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for nearly three years. In May, 1864. he became surgeon of the One Hundred Forty-seventh Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and so continued until the close of the war. His experiences during this period served but to better qualify him for the practice of his profes- sion, and after his return to Troy he easily became the leading physician and surgeon of his native city.
Aside from his professional life, Dr. Coleman was intimately connected with the public affairs of city, county, and State. After his return to Troy he was appointed assessor of internal revenue for
the Fourth Distriet of Ohio, and was re- tained in office until the revenue system was reorganized. He was connected with a number of local organizations, including charitable and benevolent bodies, and served on numerous civic boards. He was a publie spirited member of the City Coun- cil and was president of the Board of Edu- cation. His business connections included membership on the board of directors of the First National Bank of Troy. A steadfast Republican in his political views, he was always in the confidence of the party leaders, and frequently served on important connittees, and in 1868 he was sent as a delegate to the Republican con- vention, held at Chicago, Ill., which nomi- nated Ulysses S. Grant and Schuyler S. Colfax for president and vice-president of the United States. For himself he claimed no political office, but he was notably loyal to his friends. He was prominently idon- tified with the Masonic fraternity.
Dr. Coleman was married on November 9, 1847, to Mary L. Aldrich, of New Eng- land ancestry, and to this marriage were born seven children, the youngest of whom, Warren Coleman, maintains the professional name and standing of both his father and grandfather. Dr. Warren Coleman is the senior member of the prominent medical firm of Coleman & Shilling, whose offices are located at No. 201 West Water Street. Troy, Ohio.
WILLIAM ELMER SEE. a representa- tive citizen of Elizabeth Township, resid- ing on his well improved farm of 157 acres, which is situated in Section 32, on the Springfield and Troy Turnpike, about four miles southeast of the latter place,
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was born January 5, 1863, and is a son of Jacob and Ellen (Jackson) See.
Samuel See, the grandfather of William E., came to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and settled at Tippecanoe City. He was a brickmason by trade and was always iden- tified with the brick business. In his youth he had the reputation of being able to lay more brick in a given time than any other workman in the county. He had four children-Jacob, Sarah, Katherine, and Henry.
Jacob See married Ellen Jackson, who is a daughter of William and Mary Jack- son, and they had two children-William E. and Amanda. The latter is the wife of Charles Martin, of Elizabeth Township. For many years Jacob See was a respected citizen and representative farmer of Eliz- abeth Township, where he died June 7, 1906. His widow now resides in Troy and enjoys good health and has a wide ac- quaintance.
William E. See obtained his education in the Kyle school, near his home, and at Walnut Grove, afterward taking up farm duties with his father. He continued to re- side at home both before and following his marriage, and when his father died he in- herited the farm. He has it all under cul- tivation with the exception of sixteen acres still in timber, and through his excellent methods makes every acre yield to its ut- most. His buildings are of a substantial character and he assisted to construct them all.
Mr. See was married January 10, 1888, to Miss Clara Hoover, who is a daughter of Shannon and Margaret Hoover, of Staunton Township. They have two chil- dren: Verna, who is a High School stu- dent at Troy; and Lauren, who goes to
school in Elizabeth Township. Mr. See is affording his children all the advantages in his power, being a great friend to the public schools and believing in popular education. For some six years he has been a member of the School Board of Elizabeth Township. The mother of Mr. See has witnessed many changes since she came first to Elizabeth Township. The lit- the settlement around Grayson Station is on a part of the old homestead farm, the land having been bought by the Big Four Railroad.
JAMES T. BARTMESS, deceased, for- merly county auditor of Miami County, Ohio, was a man whose death, on account of his superior qualities of mind and char- acter, brought a distinct loss to the com- munity in which his useful life had been passed. He was born at Covington, Ohio. October 8, 1845, and was a son of Hamilton and Jane (Barbour) Bartmess.
James T. Bartmess was taught the sad- dler's trade by his practical father, but neither necessity nor inclination led to his following it. His education was secured in the Covington schools, at Waynesburg College, at Waynesburg, Pa., and the Cum- berland University, at Lebanon, Tennes- see, and he was graduated from that insti- tution in June, 1874. After he came home he became a teacher in the Covington schools. In 1875 he became superintend- ent of the schools of Tippecanoe City and filled that position for twenty-one years, only giving up his educational work in order to assume the duties of county au- ditor, to which he was first elected in No- vember, 1895. He served through two terms, a period of six years, and then re- tired to private life, having no political
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ambitions. For fifteen years he was a member of the Miami County Board of School Examiners, and all that time was clerk of this body. Mr. Bartmess then be- came cashier of the Citizens National Bank of Covington, a position he contin- ned to fill until his death, May 2, 1905.
In his political views he was a Repub- liean. From boyhood he had entertained a patriotic love of country and when Civil War was first declared, he endeavored to overcome opposition and become a soldier, but he was not accepted until 1862, and then only in the capacity of drummer boy. He continued until the close of the war a member of Company G, 110th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and twice suf- fered imprisonment, once at Libby Prison and second at Andersonville. For a num- ber of years he was active in the Grand Army of the Republic Post, first at Tippe- canoe City, later at Troy, which he served as commander and in other offices.
On December 23, 1875, Mr. Bartmess was married to Miss Mary Belle Rontson, a daughter of A. Routson, of Covington, and they had three children : Blanche ; Ruth, who died when aged five years; and James William. Mr. Bartniess was a con- sistent member of the Presbyterian church. He was a Knights Templar Mason and an Odd Fellow and belonged to the Royal Arcanum. In private life he was a man of genial disposition, kindly and companion- able.
M. K. BROWN, who resides at No. 607 West High Street, is a well known citizen of Piqua and is now retired from business activity. He was born in that city in No- vember, 1846, and is a son of John and
Mary (Knox) Brown, his father being one of the pioneer manufacturers of Piqua.
John Brown was born in Cynthiana, Kentucky, and was among the early set- tlers of Miami County, coming as early as 1805. He was a hatter by trade and en- gaged in the manufacture of hats in Piqua for many years. He took an active part in the affairs of that period and for years served on the school board. His death oe- curred September 15, 1846. He married Mary Knox, who was born in Lebanon, Tennessee, and they reared a family of four children: James Harvey Brown, who is deceased; Mary T. Brown; Henry C. Brown; and M. K. Brown. Mary (Knox) Brown, the mother of this family, first came to Miami County, Ohio, in 1816, from Tennessee, where she was born. Mrs. Brown died July 14, 1888.
M. K. Brown received a good public school training, and then turned his at- tention to agricultural pursuits. He farmed in Washington Township for a period of thirty-five years, then retired to Piqua to enjoy the fruits of his early toil. He and his brother, Henry C., own a valu- able farm of 260 aeres in that township, which they now rent out. Henry C. Brown is a prominent Mason, belonging to both Blue Lodge and Chapter. Miss Mary T. Brown is a member of the Baptist Church of Piqna.
HON. ROBERT N. EYLER, mayor of Tippecanoe City, elected on the Citizens' ticket, has filled this important offiee since January 1, 1908, and has given the city a vigorous but clean economical administra- tion. Mayor Eyler was born April 4, 1870, in Frederick County, Maryland, and is a son of Benjamin and Martha Eyler, both
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HISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
members of old Maryland families. The grandfathers on both sides were farmers and Mr. Eyler's father combined farming and work as a carpenter. He died in 1886, when aged sixty-six years and was sur- vived by his widow until January 10, 1900, she dying aged seventy-three years.
Robert N. Eyler attended the public schools in his native State and worked on the home farm and after coming to Miami County worked two years longer at farm- ing. In Mareh. 1899, he came to Tippe- canoe City, where for one year he was en- gaged in the cigar business, and for three and one-half years afterward he was ship- ping clerk for the Davis Whip Company, and for two and one-half years was ticket agent for the D. & T. Electric Railway. He returned to the Whip Company for one more year and in the spring of 1900 was elected township assessor. He served two years in that office. being very active in polities in the meanwhile and serving for six years as a member of the Republican County Central Committee. In 1907 he was nominated for mayor and was elected on the Citizens' tieket.
In 1900 Mayor Eyler was married to Mrs. Anna B. Clark, a daughter of George Wvant, of Bowerston. Harrison County, Ohio, and they have one son, Alva G. Mayor Eyler is a member of Lodge No. 174. F. & A. M., Tippecanoe City, of which he was worshipful master for two years and also was both junior and senior war- den, and is also a member of Troy Chap- ter. Royal Arch Masons. He belongs also to the Modern Woodmen of America of Tippecanoe City and for eight years was clerk of Camp No. 6713, and from March 1. 1907 to March 1, 1908, he was distriet deputy, having eight counties under his
supervision. He was reared in the United Brethren Church but now holds member- ship in the English Lutheran.
G. W. LORIMER, president and gen- eral manager of The Auto Sand Mixer Company, and secretary and treasurer of The American Machine Telephone Com- pany, Limited, is one of Piqua's represen- tative men. He was born in County Brant, Ontario, Dominion of Canada, in 1874, and there was educated and later learned telegraphing, which he followed until 1892.
About that year Mr. Lorimer became in- terested in the automatic telephone ex- changes and accepted the position of sec- retary treasurer of The American Ma- chine Telephone Company, Limited, for the manufacture of machine telephone ex- changes, which is known as the Lorimer system, he and his brother being the patentees. They have these exchanges es- tablished in Canada, France and Italy and in the interests of his business he has visit- ed those countries. The Auto Sand Mixer Company, of Piqua, manufacturing, was organized and incorporated in 1906, with a capital stock of $40,000, with G. W. Lori- mer as president and general manager ; V. E. Minnich, vice-president; G. A. Vangier, treasurer; and Dr. P. L. Snorf, secretary, for the manufacturing of sand mixing machinery for foundry use. Mr. Lorimer is the patentee of this invention. In addition to the patents he has already secured on his two notable inventions, he has fourteen more pending relative to the same.
In 1897 Mr. Lorimer was married to Miss Jennie Hunter, of Ontario, Canada, and they have three children : A. Hoyt,
W. F. MILLER
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Genevieve and Harry Townsend. Mr. and Mrs. Lorimer are members of the Presby- terian Church. He is a thirty-second de- gree Mason, is past master of Warren Lodge, of Piqua; belongs to the Blue Lodge and Chapter at Piqua; the Council and commandery at Troy; and the Con- sistory at Dayton. Mr. Lorimer has many beautiful souvenirs of travel in his hand- some home and he has also perhaps the finest collection of archeological specimens and old firearms belonging to any private person in the State of Ohio. He has been interested in making this collection for many years, having at present 200 of these antique firearms. The collection would adorn any museum.
ELVA A. JACKSON, postmaster of Troy, Ohio, is one of a family of two chil- dren born to Dennison H. and Phoebe (Parker) Jackson. His father, who was a railroad man, died in 1863. The subject of this sketeh was born in Dayton, Ohio, February 1, 1850, and was educated in the common seliools. In 1871 he located in Tippecanoe, Ohio, and was in the employ of Ford & Co. as assistant engineer and superintendent until July 11, 1898. He was then elected to the office of county clerk of Miami County, in which he served two terms. Afterwards he was engaged in business in Troy until February 10, 1908, when, having been appointed post- master, he assumed the duties of that office, which he has since held.
Mr. Jackson married Miss Anna M. Wynonhagen, who was a daughter of David Wynonhagen. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church. In polities Mr. Jackson is a Republican. He is well ad- vanced in Free Masonry, belonging to all
the divisions of the Order. He has a pleas- ant residence at the corner of Simpson and Cherry Streets.
W. F. MILLER, proprietor of the lead- ing livery, feed and sales stables at Troy, Ohio, has been identified with the interests of this city for the past seventeen years and has investments in different concerns. Ile was born at West Milton, Miami County, Ohio, in 1856, and is a son of George W. Miller, a native of Pennsyl- vania, who died in 1907. The latter was brought to Ohio in childhood, spent many years as a teacher and farmer in Miami County, and lived retired for some fifteen years or more previous to his death.
After completing his public school course Mr. Miller left the farm and operated a flour and feed store, to which he later add- ed a grocery and bakery. He then visited in California for two years, and when he came back to Ohio he engaged in elerking in Miami County for D. W. MeCullough & Co. for five years, later was in a retail coal business, and then entered the employ of the Troy Bending Works. Still later he became an employee of the Pioneer Pole and Shaft Company, for which concern he worked for six years, spending a part of the time buying and manufacturing lumber in the South for their use. He then pur- chased his present business, which he has established on North Cherry Street. He has the largest and best equipment in Troy and handles a large amount of trade. He keeps on an average thirty-five head of horses and has all kinds of conveyances for hire. He owns lumber tracts in the South and is also interested in the firm of Miller & Flowers, gents' furnishers, at
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Piqua. His business standing is high and his worthy citizenship is unquestioned.
Mr. Miller was married (first) in 1881, to Miss Lilly B. Tucker, who died in 1892, leaving two children-C. E., who is his father's bookkeeper and for five years was a traveling salesman through the South; and Essie, who is the wife of F. O. Flow- ers, a leading business man of Piqua. Mr. Miller was married (second) to Miss Fran- ces Dollinger, who was born and reared in Newberry Township, Miami County. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church.
JAMES W. BRANDON, who is em- ployed in the railroad postal service, has been a resident of Piqua for twelve years and here are centered his main interests. He was born March 2, 1871, at Covington, Ohio, and is a son of Thomas Brandon.
Thomas Brandon was born in 1844, in Darke County, Ohio, and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits through a long life. He now lives retired at Covington. During the Civil War he served for 100 days as a member of the 147th Ohio Volun- teer Infantry.
James W. Brandon was reared and edu- cated at Covington and after graduating from the High School, engaged in teach- ing for about six years. He then entered into the railway mail service and for the past thirteen years has been connected with the C. H. & D. Railroad, between De- troit and Cincinnati. On September 29, 1897, Mr. Brandon was married to Miss Grace Purdy, of Covington, Ohio. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church at Piqna. He is identified with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias.
LE ROY HAGER, a prominent business citizen of Piqua, Ohio, has been identified with the Piqna Ice Company during the most of his business career. He was born on North Main Street, in Piqua, July 23, 1879, and is a son of George and Dora (Roeser) Hager.
George Hager was born in Germany and in the early fifties took up his residence in Piqua, Ohio. During the Civil War he ran a boat on the Canal, but during the last twenty-five years of his life was en- gaged in the ice business. He died in July, 1908, after a long and nseful life. He was married to Dora Roeser, who also was born in Germany and is still living at the old home on North Main Street.
Le Roy Hager was the only child born to his parents and was reared in Piqua. After graduating from Piqua High School he pursued a four years' course in civil engineering in Ohio State University. He engaged in professional work in the em- ploy of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- pany for one and a half years, at the end of which time he began his connection with the Piqua Ice Company. He has been with that concern continuously since and en- joys high standing among the business men of the city. Mr. Hager was married April 29, 1903, to Miss Sally Ingham, of Columbus, Ohio, and they have one son, Robert Ingham Hager. Religiously, they are members of the Presbyterian Church. Fraternally, Mr. Hager is affiliated with Greck letter societies at Ohio State Uni- versity.
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