USA > Ohio > Miami County > Troy > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 81
USA > Ohio > Miami County > Piqua > Centennial history. Troy, Piqua and Miami county, Ohio > Part 81
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JOHN C. DRAKE, whose well culti- vated farm of eighty-five acres lies in see- tion 30, Washington Township, a little over two miles southwest of Piqua, was born on the old Drake homestead, which is situated almost directly across the road from his own land, February 17, 1838, and is a son of Daniel and Margaret (Curry) Drake.
Both parents of Mr. Drake were born, reared and married in New Jersey. About 1833 Daniel Drake and his brother Jona- than, with their wives, who were sisters, left New Jersey and made the trip to Mi- ami County, Ohio, in farm wagons, and the brothers bought adjoining farms in Washington Township. They had been preceded by an older brother, Jacob Drake, who had purchased land in the southwest- ern part of this township, which he later sold and invested east of Casstown, where he subsequently died. The parents of John C. Drake died on their farm in Wash- ington Township.
Jolm C. Drake grew 10 manhood on the home farm and has always devoted himself to agricultural pursuits, formerly carrying on general farming but latterly has given more attention to truck gardening, and as a specialty grows strawberries in great abundance. Ilis present farm is one for- merly owned by his father, but he has made the improvements here, building two sub- stantial houses. One of these is a fine brick residence and the other a commo- dions frame one and he resides in the latter.
Mr. Drake was married (first), to Miss Annie Ledman, who died without issue. His second marriage was to Miss Phebe E. Stewart, who left four children : Hannah, who married David Elliott, died December
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28, 1901, survived by four children-Mary, Susie, Charles and Perry; William, who resides in Michigan, married Jennie Marsh and they have two children-Elfleda and Corwin; Daniel, who resides at Ellwood, Indiana, married Lena Behymer and they have one son, Oraville ; and Ora Pearl, who married Frank Garbry, has two children- Ralph and Scott. Mr. and Mrs. Garbry live on a farm one mile east of Piqua. Mr. Drake was married (third) to Miss Ada Young, a daughter of David D. Young, and they have one son, John C., born Jannary 20, 1908. Mr. Drake is a member of the official board of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church at Piqua. He is one of the town- ship's representative citizens. In his po- litical views he is a Prohibitionist.
MRS. ABIGAIL W. BOUSMAN, widow of John Bousman, is one of Elizabeth Township's much esteemed, well known and really remarkable women, for in these days there are few indeed, who, at the age of eighty-five years could so capably and thriftily manage a large farm of 113 acres as does Mrs. Bousman. She was born in Piles Grove Township, Salem County, New Jersey, and on February 28, 1909, she cele- brated her eighty-fifth birthday. She is a daughter of Peter and Rebecca Hampton.
Mrs. Bousman has been a continuons resident of Elizabeth Township, Miami County, ever since her marriage, with the exception of a short time spent in making a visit to New Jersey, and for the past sixty years has resided on her present farm, where she either erected or remod- eled all the buildings. Her husband, John Bousman, was a son of William Bousman, and a grandson of Lawrence Bousman, who came to Elizabeth Township from Vir-
ginia and entered Section 26 on November 18, 1813, receiving a sheepskin deed from the Government bearing the date of Feb- ruary 6, 1817. The family has always taken pride in the fact that there has never been a claim or mortgage on this farm. Lawrence Bousman married Sarah Gear- heart and they had seven children-Mary, Elizabeth, Phebe, Catherine, William, Leonard, and Samuel.
William Bousman lived on a part of the father's farm in Elizabeth Township all his life. He married Nancy Shell, a daughter of John Shell and they had five children-John, Margaret, James, Sarah, and William.
John Bousman remained at home with his father and helped him take care of the farm, which he inherited on the father's death, and this is the property now owned by Mrs. Bousman and on which she re- sides. He was a quiet, home-loving man, and was much respected by his neighbors. He died April 13, 1881, aged sixty years, eight months and thirteen days.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bousman were born ten children, five of whom died in infancy. Those who survived childhood were the following: Sabin, who married Jennie Rollins, daughter of Joseph Rollins ; Mary, who married William M. Wise, son of Jo- seph, and Allen Wise, and has two chil- dren, Elizabeth and Clara, of whom the former, Elizabeth, married George Lor- ton, son of William and Elizabeth Lorton ; Ellen, who is now deceased; Elizabeth Re- becca, single, who resides with her aged mother; William, who is single and resides with his mother ; and John Perry, who is now deceased. Mrs. Bousman has three grand- children and eight great-grandchildren, and is proud of them all, as she has reason
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to be, and in turn they are devoted to her. Mrs. Bousman engaged in general farm- ing, making a specialty of raising grain, and the success which follows her over- sight demonstrates the strength both of her body and of her mind. She enjoys good health and keeps up her interest in her family, her work, and her neighbor- hood as easily as she did years ago. She is a member of the Christian Church.
VALENTINE DECKER, pork packer, with extensive facilities for carrying on a business in the necessities of life, dealing in commodities which neither individuals nor nations can do without, has largely been the builder of his own fortunes and has been a resident of Piqua since 1873. He was born in Germany in 1847 and came to America when aged twenty-one years.
Mr. Deeker went into the butcher busi- ness first at Troy, six months later coming to Piqua and working as a butcher in this city from 1869 until 1871, when he went to Union City, Indiana. He continued to work as a butcher there until 1873, when he returned to Piqua and conducted a re- tail meat market for twenty-five years, in 1878 erecting a slaughter house, and butel- ering on a small scale. In 1891 he began the building of his present commodions quarters and they have been added to un- til he ocenpies a leading place in the pack- ing industry and has an establishment which compares favorably with any other in this section of the State. For the last ten years he has also conducted a whole- sale business in fresh, smoked and salted meats. He slaughters from 150 to 200 hogs a week, thirty-five head of cattle and from twenty to thirty calves, giving em- ployment to twenty workmen and keeping
two salesmen on the road. This business is a monument to Mr. Decker's unflagging industry, his prudence, ability and fore- sight.
In 1873 Mr. Decker was married to Miss Hannah Schafer and they have had the following children: Louis F., George H., Carl J., Walter J., Callie M., Hannah E., and William J. George, Walter, Louis F. and William J. are associated with their father. Louis F. married Minnie Wilt- heiss and they live in Piqua. G. H., mar- ried Clara Kleiber. Carl J. married Mary Price, and they live in Dayton. Walter J. married Clara M. Prather. Mr. Decker and family are members of St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church, and he has mem- bership with the Knights of Columbus.
GEORGE W. PENCE, who with his son, Harry Pence, owns a fine farm of eighty-eight acres in Brown Township, Miami Connty, on which he resides, owns also the old homestead farm of 109 acres, in Lost Creek Township. on which he was born in September, 1852. His parents were John N. and Susannah (Shidler) Pence.
Panl Pence, the grandfather of George W., was a very early settler in Lost Creek Township, coming to this section immedi- ately following his marriage and passing the whole of his subsequent life here, dy- ing at the age of seventy-five years. He was also a native of Miami Connty.
Jolın N. Pence was born on the home farm in Lost Creek Township, a son of Paul and Mary (Newport) Pence. After his marriage he purchased the farm of 109 aeres now owned by his son, George W .. and died there in 1864, a victim of typhoid fever, when but thirty-three years of age. Ile married Susannah Shidler and
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they had three children: George W., the only survivor; William, who was accident- ally killed by a falling tree; and Elmira Jane, who died when aged three years.
George W. Pence obtained his education in the schools of Lost Creek Township, after which he went to live with his uncle, on his grandfather's farm, and remained there until his marriage, when he took up his residence on the home place in Lost Creek Township and lived there until a fire destroyed the house on January 1, 1896. For the next seven years, Mr. Pence and family lived on the Morton farm. In the spring of 1904 he came to his present place in Brown Township and after set- tling here commenced quite a large amount of improving. The brick residence then standing had been built in 1838 and was still in a good state of preservation, but Mr. Pence had it thoroughly renovated and built a frame addition which has add- ed to its comfort quite considerably. He devotes all his land to general farming and is numbered with the township's pros- perous agriculturists.
Mr. Pence married Miss Josephine Shanks, who was born and reared on the present home farm. Her father was Dan- iel Shanks and her grandfather was Peter Shanks, the latter of whom entered this land from the Government. For years he was a prominent pioneer of this part of Miami County and he lived until 1887, dy- ing when aged ninety-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Pence have three children, namely : Harry, who resides at home; Myrtle, who is the wife of Walter Reed, a farmer of Miami County, has three children; and Ivy, who married William Mitchell, of Champaign County, has one son, Harry. Mr. Pence and family belong to the Chris-
tian Church. In politics he is a Democrat. The only office he has ever accepted has been that of school director, in which he has served for twenty-one years. He is identified with the fraternal order of Odd Fellows.
L. H. McCONNELL, president of the Board of Public Safety of Troy, Ohio, is superintendent of the Mckinnon Dash Company and one of the substantial busi- ness men of the city. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1859, and has been a resident of Troy since 1895. Mr. McCon- nell was reared and educated in his native city, but after leaving school moved from St. Louis to Menominee, Wisconsin, where he engaged in general merchandizing for a period of three years. He then returned to St. Louis and for a time dealt in heavy hardware and wagon and carriage mate- rials. He next engaged in the manufac- ture of carriages for eight years, at the end of which time he moved to Columbus, Ohio, and formed a connection with the McKinnon Dash Company. He remained there three years and in 1895 came to Troy and superintended the construction of the plant of the Mckinnon Dash Company at this place. He has been in charge of this concern ever since and has won high rank among the business men of the city. He served several terms as a member of the City Council and is at present president of the Board of Public Safety.
In 1893 Mr. McConnell was married at Columbus, Ohio, to Miss Josephine V. Do- herty, of St. Louis. He is a prominent member of the Masonic Order, and belongs to the Knights Templar. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. McConnell are attendants of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which she is a member.
L. H. McCONNELL
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JOHN A. WEHNEMAN, one of the trustees of Newberry Township, Miami County, Ohio, is a prosperous farmer and owns and resides upon a farm of 140 acres lying in Section 35, about seven miles northwest of Covington. He was born on a farm in Shelby County, Ohio, October 22, 1859, and is a son of John Henry and Annie Elizabeth (Fichen) Wehneman, both natives of Germany.
John Andrew Wehneman, grandfather of the subject of this record, was born in Germany and lived in that country until 1835, when he eame to the United States. He in that year settled in Newberry Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, on the farm now owned by his grandson, John A. Web- neman, and lived there until his death. .
After his marriage, John Henry Weh- neman moved to Shelby County, to his farm near where his wife's people had located upon their arrival from Germany. There John A. Wehneman was born and reared, and received his educational train- ing in the common schools. He early turned his attention to farming, and for a period of eleven years before his mar- riage also operated a threshing outfit. He and his wife lived in Shelby County until 1891, when they moved to a farm in Darke County, Ohio. In 1896, they took up their residence in Newberry Township, Miami County, where for three years he rented a farm, but December 5, 1899, he moved to his present farm, which he had purchased earlier in that year. He is engaged in gen- eral farming and in partnership with his sons owns a threshing machine which they operate. He also raises and fattens from 100 to 125 hogs each year, making that a specialty. He is a Democrat in politics. and since January 1, 1907. has served with
marked ability as township trustee. Be- fore the law was changed he was for seven years a member of the School Board, and at the present time is local director for - his school district. He is a man who takes a deep interest in matters relating to the welfare of the community, and stands high among the enterprising and public spirited citizens.
Mr. Wehneman was united in marriage with Elizabetlı Stein, a daughter of Chris- topher Stein of Shelby County, and they have had the following children: Walter Frederick, who married Lorena Brill, and they have one daughter, Helen; and John William, Ida, Leonard, Lottie Ann, Min- nie, Forrest, and Osear Andrew. Reli- giously, they are members of the Lutheran Church, of which he served as deacon and also as trustee.
OWEN MURRAY, who resides on his valuable farm of forty-three acres, which is situated in Newberry Township, on the Troy Turnpike Road, about one mile south- east of Covington, Ohio, was born Novem- ber 17, 1858, on an adjoining farm, which is still occupied by his mother. His pa- rents were Samuel and Mary (Shellebar- ger) Murray.
Samuel Murray was born in Montgom- ery County, Ohio, a son of David and Eliz- abeth (Kimmel) Murray. When he was seven years old his parents moved to Mi- ami County and settled in Newberry Town- ship. When he reached manhood he mar ried Mary Shellebarger, a daughter of Jacob and Hannah (Mohler) Shellebarger. She was born in Pennsylvania and was five years old when her parents came to Miami County. Her father, Jacob Shelle- barger, entered land in Newberry Town-
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ship, which he cleared and developed into a good farm. For some time after their marriage Samuel Murray and wife lived on a farm situated on the Piqua Turnpike Road, after which they moved to the farm on which Owen Murray was born. On that farm Samuel Murray spent the remainder of his useful and exemplary life, his death occurring on November 10, 1895, when he was sixty-seven years of age. He was a member of the old order of the Dunkard or German Baptist Church, a people noted for their simplicity of life and their high moral standards. In this same simple faith lie reared his family. Eight children were born to Samnel Murray and wife, the five survivors being Owen, Catherine, Emma and Ella (all married and living in Cali- fornia), and Charles, who resides on the homestead with the venerable mother.
Owen Murray has devoted himself to farming and his land in its fine state of cul- tivation shows that he has given it a great deal of attention. His erops are the usual ones of this section-wheat, oats, corn, hay and tobacco-all doing well. He mar- ried Sarah E. Shaw, a daughter of Samuel M. and Catherine Shaw. She was reared in Shelby County. After they were mar- ried they went to housekeeping on the present farm, and the substantial build- ings were put up by Mr. Murray. They have no children. They are members of the old order Dunkard Church.
GEORGE W. SUBER, who comes of an old and well known family of Brown Town- ship, Miami County, Ohio, operates eighty acres of the old Suber estate, forty acres now owned by his mother, and twenty acres owned by himself. He was born Septem- ber 13, 1870. in the house which stands on
the old place, and is a son of William D. and Mary A. Suber, the former of whom was for many years before his death rec- ognized as one of the foremost citizens of the community.
George W. Suber attended the district schools of the township, also at Lena and in the Conover Special District. He left school at the time of his father's death in order to do farm work, fully expecting to resume his schooling the following fall, but was unable to do so. He has ever since had charge of the home farm and of the tract of twenty acres which he pur- chased. In July, 1905, he erected the sub- stantial home on the latter which he now occupies. Mr. Suber was united in mar- riage with Miss Kitty C. Huddleston, a daughter of Thomas and Clara Huddles- ton, of Champaign County, Ohio. The Huddleston family is an old one of that county and is well known. One daughter, Clara Marie, has been born to them, the date of her birth being August 16, 1905. Religiously they are members of the Pres- byterian Church of Fletcher. Mr. Suber is a Democrat in politics and is a member of the School Board, of which he was clerk for six years.
HON. WALTER D. JONES, common pleas judge for the Second Judicial Dis- triet of Ohio, and one of the best known and most highly esteemed residents of Pi- qua, was born in this city, June 21, 1857, son of Hon. M. H. and Jane (Wood) Jones. His father, who resides in Piqua, and who is one of the best lawyers in Miami Coun- ty, was born in the District of Columbia in 1825, and became a resident of Piqna, Ohio, at a comparatively early date. For a number of years he was associated with
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his son, the subject of this sketch, in a law partnership in this city, the firm com- manding the leading practice here, and he might almost be called the Nestor of the bar, having been engaged in legal practice here for a period of sixty years.
Walter D. Jones was reared and edu- cated in Piqua, being graduated from the high school here in 1872. He then began industrial life, learning the printer's trade, at which he worked in the office of the Miami Helmet and in other newspaper offices for several years. In the mean- while, under his father's direction, he was acquiring a stock of legal learning, and having successfully mastered the prin- ciples of his profession, was admitted to the bar at Columbus, Ohio, before the Su- preme Court of the State, in 1878. His first practice was in partnership with his father, with whom he continued for a num- ber of years, or until his appointment by Gov. Bushnell as common pleas judge, to fill the vacancy caused by the election of Judge Theodore Sullivan to the Circuit Court bench. In the November election of 1899 he was elected by the people to fill the unexpired term of Judge Sullivan; he was re-elected for a full term in 1902, and again re-elected in 1907. In this posi- tion, which he holds at present, he has shown all the capabilities of an upright and learned jurist, taking a comprehensive view of every case, and impartial in his decisions, which are based upon a sound knowledge of the principles of law and a careful consideration of the evidence in every case which comes before him. His uniform courtesy, as well to the younger as to the older members of the profession, has made him popular with all, and he is much esteemed by his legal confreres, as
he is respected by the citizens generally throughout the district, who see in him a faithful and capable publie servant. Be- fore his elevation to the bench he served for twelve years as city solicitor of Piqua, being elected for six terms, a record which shows the confidence reposed in him by his fellow citizens.
In his political principles Judge Jones is a stanch Republican, but has not been an active member in the ranks of his party, preferring to devote his best energies to the creditable performance of the duties pertaining to his judicial office. Of de- cided literary tastes, he is an able writer, but hitherto has not sought to gain a repu- tation with his pen. He is a prominent member of the Masonic order, has served as worshipful master of Warren Lodge, No. 24. F. & A. M., and as high priest of Piqua Chapter. No. 31.
In 1879 Hon. Walter D. Jones was united in marriage with Miss Laura Harlow, then and now a resident of Piqua, but who was born in Tennessee, and who in her eight- centh year accompanied her parents, Rev. William D. and Kate (Tuttle) Harlow, to Miami County, Ohio. Their union has been blessed by the birth of one child, a daughter-Laura C. It is a matter of pride to Judge Jones that he has not had to go to some distant State to achieve she- cess, but has carved out for himself au honorable career in the city of his birth and among those who know him best-the friends of his early years, and those of his own name and blood.
1 .. C. NEWBY, a prosperons merchant of West Milton, Miami County, Ohio, is proprietor of a grocery in partnership with Mr. P. A. Yount. He is a man of
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IHISTORY OF MIAMI COUNTY
varied experience in the business world. and has at times been located in various parts of the United States. He was born in Indiana, in 1860, and is a son of A. Newby, who engaged in farming in that State and later in Kansas.
L. C. Newby attended the common schools in Indiana, and later in Kansas, whither his parents moved in 1872, when he was twelve years old. In 1880 he went west to Colorado, where he engaged in mining for twenty years, then followed the same business in California. He then re- turned east to Ohio, and January 1, 1906. entered partnership with P. A. Yount in the groceries and hardware business, hav- ing a double store, groceries in one room and hardware in the other. In January, 1909, they sold the hardware department to Mr. E. T. Wenger, its present pro- prietor, and the firm of Yount & Newby has since continued in the grocery busi- ness. They carry a complete line of gro- ceries and the usual side lines, and the patronage accorded them by the people has been indeed flattering.
Mr. Newby was first married to Miss Minnie Kennedy, by whom he had two sons, Lawrence E. and Raymond W. He formed a second union with Miss Belle Yount. Religiously he and his wife are members of the Christian Church, but he is of Quaker ancestry. He is a Republican in polities, whilst fraternally he has been affiliated with the Knights of Pythias for twelve years.
WILLIAM F. DEETER, superintend- ent of schools for Newton Township, is a well-to-do farmer and has a fine farm of eighty acres located in Section 2 of that township. He was born in Pleasant Hill,
valuary 30, 1865, and is a son of Samuel h. and Susan (Freshour) Deeter, and a grandson of Jacob Deeter.
Jacob Deeter was born in Pennsylvania, and at an early age settled at Pleasant Hill, in Miami County, Ohio, where he farmed until his death in 1865. He and his wife were buried at Sugar Grove Cem- etery. Her maiden name was Reed. Re- ligiously they were members of the Ger- man Baptist Church.
Samuel R. Deeter, father of the subject of this record, was born in Pleasant Hill, Miami County, Ohio, December 28, 1829, and is now a venerated and respected cit- izen of Covington. He is living in retire- ment after a long and useful business ca- reer. He was a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade, and in addition followed house moving and undertaking for many years. Religiously he is a member of the Brethren Church, as is his wife. He was married to Susan Freshour, a daughter of George Freshour, and they became parents of the following: Elizabeth, wife of George Mohler, of Circle Hill; Ella, wife of J. W. Pearson, of Covington; Malinda, de- ceased wife of Samuel McBride; William F .; Jacob E., who married Mary Patty, a daughter of Finley and Lucinda Patty ; Callie, wife of W. H. Cassell, of Dayton; Charles S., who married Alice Thayer and resides in Indianapolis, Indiana; Lillian, wife of M. B. Ullery, of Covington; one who died in infancy ; and Emma, who died young.
William F. Deeter attended the sehools of Newton Township, and then taught for oven years. In 1889 he rented a farm of his father and followed farming for five yours. He then took up teaching for eight vars, six years of which were spent in
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the Covington schools. In 1903 he went to farming for himself, locating on his pres- ent farm of eighty acres, where he has continued with unvarying success. The buildings were all standing at the time of its purchase by him, but he has made many other important improvements. He was elected superintendent of the township schools in September, 1905, and in that ca- pacity has done much to bring the schools to a higher plane of efficiency. He also served for a time as a member of the Board of Education.
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