USA > Ohio > Brown County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 39
USA > Ohio > Clermont County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 39
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Upon this ideal farm, Samuel Ellis lived with such fine, suc- cessful management to the age of ninety-four years that he was able to give each of his ten children a fine property. He was a tall, energetic, finely made man, who, with the excep- tion of fifteen months' service as county commissioner, that terminated with the territorial days, had no time for public
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affairs. Their children were James, Noah, Abram, Samuel, Matilda, Mary, Christina, India Ann, Nancy and Rebecca.
Upon his father's death, in 1848, the fine old home farm de- scended to Samuel Ellis, Jr., who married Sarah, a daughter of Amos and Mary McConnell Ellis, whose settlement is noted on page 212, and whose public service is mentioned on page 333 and several succeeding pages of the historical volume of this work. Amos Ellis was from Yellow Creek, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and he was not related to any others of the name mentioned in this work. The children of his family were William, Amos, Rachel, Rebecca Mary, Sarah and Ann.
The thrifty management of the pioneer Samuel Ellis was continued by his son Samuel, Jr., who largely restored the original survey of Colonel Higgins to the first form through a series of events that included the relations of several notable families. In his earliest days in Brown county, Thomas L. Hamer married Lydia B., a daughter of Colonel Higgins, and, at the outbreak of the Mexican war, Hamer's partner in his law firm was Sanders W. Johnston, a grandson of Colonel Higgins, and the captain of the first company from Brown county in the Mexican war, and also the State Senator from Brown and Clermont in 1852-3. After General Hamer's death, in administering upon his estate, Captain Johnston sold four hundred and thirty acres of Colonel Higgins's original survey at $40.00 per acre, in 1853, to Samuel Ellis, Jr., who thus came to own six hundred and thirty acres of the tract selected by Colonel Higgins. Upon this homestead he lived as the sole owner until his death, November 20, 1870, in his seventy- seventh year.
Samuel and Sarah Ellis had eleven children. Melissa mar- ried David Barr. They left one son and two daughters. Amer- ica married Henry Remley. They left one son. Amanda married Harrison Barr. They lived in Greenfield, Ind., and left no children. Noah married Elizabeth Frost and left one son and three daughters.
George M. married Emma Jones and has one son and two daughters. Amos F .. mentioned below. Samuel, Jr., married Georgia Drake and had two sons and four daughters. Mary Ann married Joseph Heizer and left two daughters living in Greenfield, Ind. Poleman Nelson Ellis married Hannah Pangburn. They had four sons. Of them, the father and two sons are dead. but the widow and the other two sons, Oscar C. and Edgar W., are sketched on other pages of this
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work. Eliza married John Steward, lived in Neoga, Ill., and left one son. Alonzo W. died unmarried at Bantam, in Cler- mont county. Unless otherwise stated these people belong to Brown county ; and all of them have had a just pride in the rare beauty of the ancestral farm, which Samuel Ellis, Jr., be- sides other holdings, was able to enlarge to almost a thousand contiguous acres. He earnestly advised that some one of his posterity should own the first choice of his father.
The old homestead of two hundred acres has thus been owned by Samuel Ellis, Sr., for fifty-two years, or until 1848, and then by Samuel Ellis, Jr., for twenty-two years, or until 1870. In the partition of the estate, the homestead was bought by Amos F. Ellis for $92.50 per acre, subject to the dower of his mother, who died in January, 1872, in her seventy-third year. In 1879 the property was sold to his youngest brother, Alonzo W. Ellis, from whom it was bought by another brother, Poleman N. Ellis, from whom, upon his death, August 28, 1912, the still cherished old homestead still entire passed by inheritance to his widow, Hannah, and their sons, Oscar C. and Edgar W. Ellis, of the fourth generation.
Amos F. Ellis, sixth child of Samuel and Sarah Ellis, was born July 2, 1831. After the schools at home, he took the scientific course at the Ohio Wesleyan University, and re- turned to the ancestral home in the summer of 1852, whence he went down the river on the then popular steamboat trip. Over five years were spent in teaching and traveling that included the most interesting points of every Southern State. On March 2, 1858, he married Maria, a daughter of Jesse and Christina Heizer Dugan, as mentioned on Page 244 of our His- tory. Their only child. Frank P. Ellis, was born December 7, 1858. In the Civil war, Amos F. Ellis sternly enlisted in Company K of the Seventieth Ohio, in which he served as a lieutenant and was present both days of the battle of Shiloh in a way that was warmly commended in the official reports.
In 1863 the "Soldier Vote" elected him recorder of Brown county. Amid the promise of financial prosperity, his wife died, October 23. 1873. In 1877 he married Maria, a daughter of Nicholas and Ann Posey Sinks, and a granddaughter of Nicholas Sinks. Sr., mentioned in the sketch of the Sharp Family. Soon after this marriage. Mr. Ellis moved from Hig- ginsport to Williamsburg, where none lived in kinder plenty or finer content till their home was desolated on November 25. 1910, by the death of Maria Ellis. But Amos Ellis is not
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lacking in true philosophy. Like his ancestors, he believes in broad acres, and the many he owns keep his thoughts busy.
On November 15, 1882. Frank P. Ellis married Mary F., youngest daughter of John and Elizabeth Wright Park, whose ancestry is detailed in the sketch of that family. Since their marriage Frank and Mary Park Ellis have lived in Athens and Chattanooga, Tenn. They have four daughters, Effie, Marie, Ruth and Frankie. The latter two are at home. Marie married Robert Sayes, of Chattanooga. Effie married Her- schel M. Candler, a native of North Carolina, a lawyer, an ex- member of the legislature, and is serving on the staff of Gov- ernor Hooper, of Tennessee, with the rank of colonel. They live in Athens, and have one daughter, Mildred.
FRANK C. FETZER.
Frank C. Fetzer, at present serving the second term as clerk of courts of Clermont county, Ohio, was born October II, 1873. at New Palestine, Clermont county, Ohio, the eighth of a family of twelve children. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Klett) Fetzer.
Jacob was born in Bavaria, Germany, March 9. 1836. At eighteen years of age, he came to America, the first of his family to migrate to "The Land of Promise." He located at once on a farm in Clermont county, and soon established a blacksmith and wagon manufacturing business at New Pales- tine. Being successful in this he later opened a grocery store. For seventeen years he was postmaster. Though taking an active part in politics in favor of the Democratic party, he never was a candidate for an elective office. He was a prom- inent Mason and was also associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His church affiliation was with the German Protestant church.
Elizabeth Klett was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. January 24. 1841. She became a member of the German Protestant church at New Richmond. Her father, John Klett, after coming to this country from Saxony, Germany, engaged in various vo- cations. For a time he was a farmer at Sweet Wine. Hamil- ton county. Ohio.
Jacob and Elizabeth (Klett) Fetzer were the parents of twelve children: Rosie and John. both of whom died in in-
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fancy; Louise, died of typhoid fever at the age of seventeen ; Elizabeth, died of typhoid fever at fourteen years of age; Magdalena, also a victim of typhoid, died leaving nine chil- dren ; John G., a blacksmith of New Palestine; Jacob, Jr., a blacksmith of Jackson, Ohio; F. C., our subject ; Emma, wife of George A. Longhouser, of Amelia, this county ; Amelia, wife of C. L. Harcum, of Bloomington, Ill .; William M., who was married at Lockland, Hamilton county, Ohio, holds an excellent position with the Western and Southern Life Insur- ance Company ; Matilda is the wife of Henry T. Tuttle, who is engaged in the preserving works at Cincinnati, Ohio.
Frank C. Fetzer has resided at New Palestine practically all his life. In 1904 he engaged in the trade of cigar maker and followed it for several years. Politically, he is a Democrat and has served as township assessor and township clerk of Pierce township. His wife, nee Rosie M. Abbott, was born in California, Hamilton county, Ohio, the daughter of Thomas M. and Emma (Walker) Abbott, of New Richmond. Edith Mildred, the only child of our subject, was born September 9, 191I.
In religion, Mr. Fetzer is a member of the German Protes- tant church, while his wife belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church of New Richmond. Socially, he belongs to the Junior Order of United American Mechanics, and both are members of the ladies' auxiliary thereof.
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CHARLES W. PEGG.
Charles W. Pegg, now residing as a retired business man in his beautiful home in Batavia, Ohio, was born October 5. 1832, just across the street from his present home. His father, John Pegg. was born in Philadelphia, Pa., August 3, 1793. He made his home in the West. first at Brookville, Ind., and then came to Batavia. where he was one of Batavia's first merchants. He died. July 7. 1834. at the early age of forty years and al- most eleven months, leaving his wife, Hannah ( Miles) Pegg. with three sons and three daughters, two of whom are still living). viz: Mrs. McEwen. of Falmouth. Ky., who has re- cently celebrated her ninetieth birthday, and CharlesW., our subject. Hannah (Miles) Pegg was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, just back of Mt. Healthy. She was married a second
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time to Mr. W. H. Robinson, a resident of Clermont county. She died April 24, 1888, at the age of eighty-four, being born January 29, 1804. She was a cousin of Gen. Nelson A. Miles, United States Army.
Daniel Pegg, grandfather of our subject, was a noted banker in Philadelphia. While his son, John, was living in Brook- ville, Ind., he made him a visit, making the trip on horse- back. It is thought that he was killed by Indians on his re- turn trip, as he was not heard of after leaving his son's home. He was a wealthy man and left a large estate in what is now a part of the city of Philadelphia.
The Pegg family are probably of English descent. Mr. and Mrs. John Pegg were members of the Methodist Episcopal church, as are also Charles W. Pegg and wife.
Charles W. Pegg was educated in the Clermont county schools. December 31, 1852, at the age of twenty, he went to California, where he entered the mines for a short time and later engaged in business. In 1862 he went to Washoe City, Nev., where he was the first Republican sheriff of the county. He always voted the Republican ticket. Later he went to Virginia City, Nev., where he was engaged in freighting and other lines of business. In 1873 he returned to his native town, Batavia, where for many years he has been and is still a stockholder and a director in the John Van Range Com- pany. He was married, June 6, 1858, to Miss Josephine McLaughlin, of Cincinnati, daughter of John Mclaughlin, an extensive pork merchant. To this union one son was born, Warren W., who was engaged in the printing business at Garden City, Kan., where he died while still a young man, leaving a wife to mourn his loss.
Mrs. Pegg died November 17, 1905, at the age of sixty-nine years. Mr. Pegg was married again, November 7. 1909, to Miss Laura B. Kain, a representative of a very old family.
JOSEPH L. LARKIN.
Among the wide-awak native sons of Clermont county. Ohio, who have sought and found opportunities for business advance- ment in their home locality and whose efforts have been crowned with honor and appreciation, is Joseph L. Larkin, a man of large interests, politically and socially. At present there is no indication that the people who elected him to the
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official life, for which he is so well fitted, will allow him to retire.
Joseph L. Larkin was born at Neville, in Washington town- ship, January 17, 1857, and is a son of John Wesley and Rachel (Hull) Larkin. John Wesley Larkin was a son of Elijah Larkin, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and when a young man came to Clermont county, where he conducted a grocery store. In his later days he had the distinction of being the oldest justice of the peace in the county, and for many years served as an associate judge. He was a Whig and latterly a Republican. John Wesley Larkin was born and reared in Washington township, and for many years was an excellent blacksmith at Neville. As his name would indicate, he was a Methodist, and was a very active worker in that church. Rachel (Hull) Larkin was born in Mason county, Kentucky, where her father was a prosperous farmer. Mr. and Mrs .. Larkin were the parents of nine children, two of whom died when about five years of age :
Charles E., of Glendale, Ohio.
Sarah A. married E. R. Hester. of this county. She is de- ceased.
John Wesley, Jr., of Paris, Ky., was at one time a distiller, but is now engaged in farming.
George G. conducts a bakery at Eaton, Ohio.
Mary F. is the wife of William Houser, of Mount Holly, this county.
C. C. is cashier of one of the banks of New Richmond. Ohio. Joseph L., the subject of this skech.
Mr. Larkin died in 1867 and his wife passed away in 1896.
Joseph L. Larkin was reared at Neville, where he received his education in the public schools at that place.
In 1879. his marriage to Miss Kate L. Lemon took place. She was born in Washington township, and is a daughter of Samuel and Lydia ( Milspaugh ) Lemon, the former of whom died in 1882. and the latter in 1878. They were natives of Hamilton county, Ohio, but soon after their marriage they moved to Clermont county, where they were successful farm- ers of Washington township. Five of their children are living :
Elizabeth is the wife of Isaiah M. Johnson, of Helena, Mont. Miss Prudie makes her home with Mr. and Mrs. Larkin.
Lorena C .. the widow of J. M. Woods, lives with her daugh- ter in Cincinnati.
E. W. is a business man of Chicago, but his home and family are of New Richmond. Ohio.
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Mr. Larkin followed farming until 1894, when he was called upon to act as deputy county clerk, which position he filled until in 1903. He then accepted a position with the Union Central Life Insurance Company, in the loan department at the central office. After four years in this capacity he became deputy county auditor under County Auditor C. L. Ironton. So acceptably did he serve in this office that he was elected county auditor and is at present serving his second term, with credit to himself and his friends.
Mr. and Mrs: Larkin are the parents of one son, Samuel Lemon Larkin, who was born August 29, 1891, and who grad- uated from the Batavia High School in 1911 and is now his father's assistant.
During his busy life Mr. Larkin has served as township trus- tee for six years. Politically, he is a Democrat, although he is the only one in a large family who does not vote the Repub- lican ticket. Mr. Larkin is a member of the Masonic broth- erhood and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church, of Cincin- nati, of the fraternal Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter of Batavia.
Mr. Larkin is a man of great energy and enterprise and well deserves the esteem and high regard of his fellow men. He is a man of domestic tastes, devoted to his family and ever look- ing to their happiness and well being. He is a man of keen perception and honesty of purpose, combined with every-day common sense, guided by will power, a man of whom Cler- mont county is and well may be proud.
JAMES B. TURNER.
As a representative. business man ; as an active and earnest worker in all that tends to promote the best interests of the community in which he lives. James B. Turner, who has been treasurer of Clermont county since September, 1909, stands foremost in the ranks of enterprising men of the county. He was born at Newtown, Hamilton county, Ohio, November 28, 1869, and is a son of James J. and Mary ( Forbes) Turner.
James J. Turner was born in Hamilton county in 1846, and now resides in Monterey, which has been his home for thirty years. His life occupation has been along agricultural lines
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and is now retired from active work. His father was from Pennsylvania.
Mary (Forbes) Turner is a native of Clermont county, and was born in 1849, a daughter of Eben and Phoebe (Robinson) Forbes, probably an early family in the county. Eben Forbes followed farming most of his life. He and his family were Baptists. Mrs. Turner has two sisters living, one in Kentucky and one in Mt. Carmel, Clermont county.
Mr. James B. Turner is one of four children, of whom two are deceased.
Mrs. Mabel Stockton, died in Clermont county in July, 1903. Annie, died at the age of twelve years.
Miss Stella, lives at home in Monterey.
In 1891 James B. Turner was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Cover, who is a daughter of Daniel Cover, and a native of the county, her childhood home having been in Monterey. To this union have been born five children :
Aurelia, aged fourteen years.
Edwin, aged eight years.
Ralph, died at the age of twelve years.
Erma, died at the age of six years.
Earl, died in infancy.
Mr. Turner followed farming in Jackson township for a number of years, until he was elected to the office of county treasurer. He is a member of the Masonic lodge; also a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. He is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian church.
ALLEN GLANCY.
It is always of interest to the reader of history to examine into the life records of pioneer families, to note those qualities of enterprise, sound judgment and unwavering integrity which have ever been characteristic of those sturdy men and women of the early days, who have left comfortable homes in settled communities to brave the uncertain elements and conditions of a new country. It is of great interest to note how those courageous men and women met and conquered the obstacles and difficulties that arise in the daily life of the pioneer family.
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Allen Glancy is a scion of one of the most notable of the early families of Clermont county, and is numbered among the oldest residents of Batavia, Ohio, where for the past forty- two years he has conducted a general merchandise store in his present location. Mr. Allen Glancy was born in Batavia town- ship, one mile from Batavia, and his parents were William and Hester (Fitzwater) Glancy.
The paternal grandfather of the subject of this mention, James Glancy, was born in Pennsylvania in 1791, and upon . the death of his parents, he and his sister, Elizabeth, became the wards of their father's elder brother, Jesse Glancy, who came to Clermont county in 1805 from Harrisburg, York county, Pennsylvania, settling on a large tract of land around what is now known as Williams's Corners, in Stonelick town- ship. After James had reached his majority, his uncle, Jesse Glancy, settled him on a fine tract of land in Temples's survey, No. 4459, in Batavia township, which was later occupied by his son, William. James Glancy was united in marriage to Amanda Ashton, whose family were early settlers of Mont- gomery county, Ohio. She bore him three sons and two daughters, William, Thomas, Joseph, Rachel (McAfee) and Elizabeth (Maham), all of whom are deceased. James Glancy passed from this life in 1839, highly esteemed and respected by all who knew him.
William Glancy was born on the old home farm two miles north of Batavia, in the year of 1812, and grew to young man- hood upon his father's farm. After his marriage, he rented the farm on which Allen was born, following which he pur- chased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead, and there resided until his death, which occurred in 1891. He followed the occupation of general farming, in connection with which he also worked at the brick laying trade, erecting many fine buildings and homes in the county. In politics, William Glancy was a Democrat, and although he did not aspire to office, served as trustee for many years. In religion, he was at one time a member of the Christian Union church, but mainly favored the belief of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Hester (Fitzwater) Glancy was born in 1824, two miles east of Batavia, and was a daughter of Elias and Elizabeth (David- son) Fitzwater, the latter being a daughter of General David- son, a pioneer of Clermont county, and the former accompanied his father to Clermont county from Pennsylvania, driving the entire distance.
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To the union of William and Hester (Fitzwater) Glancy were born eleven children :
Allen, our subject.
Amanda, who became the wife of William Kirby, of Dayton, Ohio.
Melvin, deceased, whose family live at Dayton, Ohio.
Elmira (Thompson), deceased, and her daughter, Mrs. Frank Titus, resides at Batavia.
Thomas, a contractor of Batavia, Ohio.
Elizabeth, wife of Louis Rossell, of Dayton, Ohio.
Keturah, who became the wife of Fred Gomien, of Batavia. Emma, who is the widow of John Gerber, of Dayton, Ohio. Anna, the wife of Major T. A. Fravell, of Dayton, Ohio.
Elbert C., of Dayton, married a daughter of Judge Ashburn, of Batavia.
Mellie, died in infancy.
Allen Glancy passed through, the years of his boyhood and youth on his father's farm, no event of special importance occurring to vary the routine of farm life. He attended the schools of Batavia and having displayed considerable artistic talent during his early years, upon the completion of his course of study at the high school, entered the T. C. Lindsay Art School, of Cincinnati, where he studied landscape work in oil. He has an extensive collection of his work, although he has sold paintings in many cities in various parts of the coun- try. He has exhibited at the National exhibits of Cincinnati and Atlanta, Ga., and while on one of his trips to Georgia, he made a splendid painting of old Andersonville prison, which excited considerable favorable comment from art critics. How- ever, the artistic talent of Mr. Glancy has in no way interfered with his business activity, and he has enjoyed a trade hat is indicative of his excellent business capacity, his straightfor- ward methods, and his conformity to a high standard o com- mercial ethics.
On the 24th of March, 1864. Mr. Glancy was united in the holy bonds of wedlock to Miss Jennie McColm, the cer mony being solemnized at Owensville. Clermont county. Ohic Miss McColm was born at Rushville. Ind .. in the year of 18. 3. and her parents were John and Nancy ( Wilson) McColm. ne lat- ter a daughter of a Revolutionary soldier and a major f that war. Nancy Wilson was born in Vermont in 1812. : d her forebears came over in the Mayflower, landing at Plymouth. Her death occurred in 1850, at the age of thirty-nine years.
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The McColm family are of Scotch lineage, John McColm being born in North Carolina in 1796, two years after his father, James McColm, came to America from Scotland. James Mc- Colm later removed to Adams county, Ohio, where he resided until his death. Several of the men of the McColm family for generations have been ministers. John McColm was a farmer by occupation, living in Jackson township, Clermont county, and was one of the pioneers in the Methodist church in this section of the State. His death occurred in 1852. To the union of John and Nancy (Wilson) McColm were born five children, Mrs. Glancy, E. W. McColm, of Carthage, Ill., and David, Louise and Albert, deceased.
Mrs. Glancy was reared and has resided her life thus far in Clermont county. She and her husband have traveled life's journey together for nearly fifty years, their life being one) of extreme harmony. Their union has been blessed with one child, a son, Homer B., lieutenant-colonel of the First regi- ment, Ohio National Guards, residing at Batavia, Ohio. He enlisted as a soldier in the Spanish-American war, and was made sergeant of the First regiment. After the close of the war, he organized a company of Ohio National guards at Ba- tavia, of which he was elected captain, and was later promoted to the office of lieutenant-colonel. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. Homer B. Glancy chose for his life's com- panion, Miss Bessie Denham, of Indiana. Her mother was a daughter of Henry Lindsay, of Clermont county.
In political matters, Mr. Glancy is a Democrat. though not in the light of an office seeker, prefering to devote his time and attention to his business and his painting.
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