USA > Ohio > Brown County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 5
USA > Ohio > Clermont County > History of Clermont and Brown Counties, Ohio, from the earliest historical times down to the present, V. 2 > Part 5
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
Winifred, wife of Charles F. Davis, a hardware merchant in Bethel, has one daughter, Bertha.
One fact of especial interest in chronicling the history. of the Thompson family is that in the immediate family there have been thirteen practicing physicians, four paternal uncles of the subject of this sketch, one brother and ten cousins.
Dr. W. E. Thompson has taken an active part in the prog- ress of his community, and has given plentifully of his time and talent to further the interests of all organizations for good. He has been a member of both the school and town boards, and has served the government as medical examiner for pen- sions. He and his family have taken great interest in the fraternal organizations of the city, he being affiliated in both the Masonic and Odd Fellow orders, and is past grand of the latter order. Both Mrs. Thompson and her daughter have been honored as noble grand of the Daughters of Rebecca, of Bethel, and the daughter is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and of the Pythian Sisters.
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Dr. Thompson is interested in the politics of his time, but has had no aspirations for public office, but casts his vote with the Republican party. Dr. Thompson had nine cousins in the Civil war, part in the Union army, Colonel Reed, Capt. Wil- liam Thompson, and Capt. James Hill, and part in the Con- federate, among whom was Colonel Thompson. Edward El- rod, a brother of Mrs. Thompson, served during the entire war from Ohio.
erate, those gaining the greatest honors being General Reed and Colonel Thompson, of the Confederate, and Captain Thompson of the Union forces. Edward Elrod, a brother of Mrs. Thompson, served during the entire war from Ohio.
Dr. Thompson is the oldest physician in Bethel, not only in the years he has lived, but also in the number of years he has practiced his profession, and in his fifty-two years of resi- dence on Plane street, he has seen the town grow from its pioneer and infancy days to its present prosperous and pleas- ant condition. The family is one of the most highly honored of the community, and their interest in the fraternal and social life has done much to make Bethel a pleasant city in which to live. Mrs. Thompson is affiliated with the Baptist church of Bethel, and is greatly interested in the prosperity of that organization. Dr. Thompson is one of the substantial men of Bethel, and by his droll and pleasant disposition has won the friendship and respect of all who have been fortunate enough to call him friend.
WILLIAM A. WILLIAMS.
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Mr. William A. Williams, cashier of the Amelia State Bank, of Amelia, Ohio, since January 10, 1910, though not long a resident of Clermont county, is numbered among the fore- most of the younger successful business men. He is a Ken- tuckian by birth, having been born in Germantown, Bracken county, on the 9th of September, 1884. His parents are An- derson and Lucy (Boyd) Williams, both representatives of old Kentucky families.
Mr. Anderson Williams was born in. Germantown, Ky., December 6, 1846, and after an active and useful life, is now living in retirement in the town of his birth, enjoying the fruits and comforts of a well spent life. He was a successful tobacco merchant in the years of his activity, and his reliability and
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integrity won for him a measure of this world's goods and the high regard of his fellow townsmen.
Lucy (Boyd) Williams was born in Lewis county, Ken- tucky, and to her union with Anderson Williams were born seven children :
Eva, died at the age of five years.
John E. W., is a resident of Walton, Ky.
Benjamin B., is a resident of Germantown, Ky.
Lena W., married Joe Arnold, and now lives in Newport, Ky.
Mary A., wife of Madison Worthington, resides in Brooks- ville, Ky.
Neppie D., is the wife of Walter Pollock, of Germantown, Ky.
William A., is our subject.
William A. Williams was afforded the advantages of the schools of Germantown, graduating from the high school in 1901, after which he became a student of the Georgetown Col- lege and graduating from this institution with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, in the class of 1906. For a period of two years following his graduation from Georgetown, he was en- gaged as a teacher in the high school of Germantown. At the expiration of this time, he entered upon the banking business in his native town, and for one year continued there. Since that time he has been in his present responsible position.
The great event in the life of Mr. W. A. Williams occurred on October 17, 1908, when he became united in marriage to Miss Bessie Keene, who was born in Germantown, Ky., July 27, 1890, a daughter of Leslie and Lucy (Woodward) Keene, the latter of whom was born in 1868 and died when Mrs. Wil- liams was a small child. To this union were born two chil- dren :
Bessie L., who is Mrs. W. A. Williams.
Lucy Alma, the wife of Clarence Galbraith, of German- town.
To Mr. and Mrs. Williams was born one child. Donald Keene Williams, whose birth occurred January 11, 1913.
Leslie Keene was born in Augusta, Ky., in 1868, and has been a resident of Augusta and Germantown. He is a farmer and has met with success in this occupation. He married a second time, to Miss Ida Ormes, and to them have been born one child, Thelma.
Mr. Williams has voted for men and measures of the Demo-
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cratic party since he reached his majority, advocating all pro- gressive issues. He does not care for official life as he pre- fers to devote his time and energies to his business.
The fraternal affiliations of Mr. Williams are with the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of America, and of the last named order he has filled the office of clerk. He is well and favorably known in these organizations.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams are consistent members of the Meth- odist church, and he is a member of the official board of the church and is assistant superintendent of the Sunday school. He is active in all that is beneficial to those around him, giv- ing liberally to the support of all worthy charities.
Mr. Williams has a splendid future before him and he is exceptionally well qualified for the position he holds. His pleasing, courteous manner together with his genuine worth and his fidelity to honorable principles have won for him the respect of all with whom he is associated and the warm friend- ship of many.
AARON B. CLEVELAND.
In the prosperity of every community may be traced the controlling influence of a limited number of its citizens, who, by reason of peculiar business qualifications, and high per- sonal characteristics, become unmistakably identified with its public and private life. Amelia has had such citizens and per- haps few are better known than the late Aaron B. Cleveland.
The birth of Mr. Cleveland took place in Batavia township, Clermont county, Ohio, February 28, 1825, and was a son of Jeremiah C. and Elizabeth (Robinson) Cleveland. The father was born in New York State and came to Clermont county at a very early date, settling in Batavia township, where he died at the age of thirty-three years. The mother was born in Martinsburg, Bartly county, Virginia, July 10, 1798, and died April 23, 1865. They were the parents of three children:
Frank Cleveland, of Augusta, Ky.
Asenath, the wife of Wesley Apple, who spent her entire life at Olive Branch, where she passed away.
Aaron, the subject of this mention.
The details which have reached us concerning the boyhood and early youth of Mr. Cleveland indicate that he was favored with good educational advantages, and that he was reared in
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a home where frugality was encouraged and moral virtues extolled. After his preliminary education was completed, he learned the carpenter's trade with his uncle, John Robinson, who was a carpenter and cabinet maker.
Mr. Cleveland was engaged in the mercantile business, at Amelia, for a period before the Civil war. For a time before and during the war, he had a contract to carry mail from Wil- liamsburg to Cincinnati, and from Cincinnati to Bethel. On one trip, Mr. Cleveland was overtaken by the Morgan Raid- ers, who took his horses from his bus, together with about everything he had with him. He was employed for four years as a gauger in the United States government service in Cin- cinnati, although he continued to live in Amelia. Believing that a varied occupation in life is a liberal education, and being of an industrious and enterprising disposition. Mr. Cleveland engaged in numerous enterprises, which included a chair fac- tory and a fruit evaporating business. He followed his trade of carpentering and building at various periods and contracted for the building of many of the homes and business houses in and around the thriving village of Amelia.
Mr. Cleveland was twice married, the first union being with Clara B. Pease, who was born in Clermont county, Ohio, Feb- ruary 4, 1828, and died November 29, 1861, and to them were born six children :
Semarimis, who became the wife of Frank Rodarmor, of Ironton, Ohio.
Josephine, the wife of John L. Cochnower, of the noted Cochnower family, of Cincinnati.
Laura, who married Lewis Baldwin, a son of the present Mrs. Cleveland, by a former marriage. They resided at St. Louis for a time, where Mr. Baldwin passed away. She mar- ried a second time to Wilbur F. Dial, who was reared in Cler- mont county. He has been deceased for six years, and she now lives at the old Cleveland home in Pierce township.
Alice Eloise, became the wife of James Young, of St. Louis, and passed away some years since.
On January 30, 1867, occurred the marriage of Mr. Aaron Cleveland to Mrs. Sarah Jane (Van Pelt) Baldwin, who was the widow of John A. Baldwin, of Cincinnati. She was born October 16, 1824, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Miller) Van Pelt.
Mr. Cleveland was a Republican in politics, although he very naturally voted for his cousin, Grover Cleveland, in his
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campaign for President. He was a man well known in the county, where he spent his entire life from the cradle to the grave, and his whole life was an open book to the people of his community, who respected and honored him for his ster- ling qualities. He was broad and liberal in all his views, al- ways having the interest of the village at heart. He passed to his eternal reward on June 26, 1908, and is buried in the Amelia Methodist cemetery.
Mrs. Cleveland was always very fond of her step-children, who in return gave to her the greatest of affection. In this way she was indeed a great help-meet for her husband. She is now eighty-eight years of age, and is the wonder of the entire community, because of her great activity. She does a great deal of all kinds of needle work, and is a splendid con- versationalist. Her home is one of great beauty and refine- ment, and reflects the characteristics of the owner.
THE ROUDEBUSH FAMILY.
The history of Clermont county will not be complete with- out the mention of the Roudebush family, who have figured so prominently in every social, moral, financial and educational movement for the general uplift of the people.
The Roudebushes are a race of teachers and farmers and of Dutch descent. In 1660 two brothers and a sister from near the German border in Holland, came to the island of Man- hattan, now New York. From there one brother migrated to Frederick county, Maryland. Daniel Roudebush, Sr., the only one of the four brothers who settled in Ohio, was born near Hagerstown, Maryland, in 1749. In 1774 he married Chris- tina Snively, born in 1759, a niece of Dr. Snively, a noted phy- sician of southern Pennsylvania. By this union there were five sons and one daughter, all of whom were born in Mary- land, except John, who was born at Bryan's Station, Kentucky. In 1796 Daniel Roudebush, Sr., wife and children, David, Ja- cob, George, Daniel and Catherine, migrated to Bryan's Sta- tion, and in 1799 to Clermont county Ohio, locating near what is now the town of Goshen, on a farm of 500 acres in Stark's Survey. He died October 3, 1804, from the effects of exposure when lost in the woods the previous November. His wife died June 10, 1833. All of his children died in Clermont county except George, who went to Indiana in 1838, and there gave to what is Goshen its name. He died February 12, 1852.
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Jacob, the paternal grandfather of George Milton, W. Frank- lin and Jacob Lowell, mentioned elsewhere in these pages, was born September 15, 1778. In 1807 he purchased 159 acres of land in Stonelick township of Richard Talaferro, a soldier of the Revolution, who served under George Rodgers Clark in his famous campaign against Vincennes. On the 8th day of April, 1808, he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Hartman, daughter of Christopher Hartman, a soldier of the Revolution, and Mary (Hutchinson) Hartman, who was born near Hights- town, N. J., then in Middlesex county, now Mercer, on the 22d day of May, 1783. She had brothers, William, Isaac, Samuel; sisters, Rebecca, Fannie, died in infancy, Catherine and Rachel. The children of this union were William, father of William Franklin and George Milton, born February 2, 1809; Daniel, June 21, 1810; Mary Ann, Feb. 11, 1812; Rebecca, Sept. 29, 1813; John, Feb. 9, 1815; Paulina, Sept. 28, 1816; Sarah Jane, May 5, 1818; James M., Nov. 24, 1820; Ambrose, father of Jacob Lowell, April 7, 1823, and Francis J., July 5, 1826; all of whom are now deceased. William married Elizabeth C. Clark; Daniel, Elizabeth Rapp; Mary Ann, Michael Cowen; Rebecca, John Rapp; Paulina, James Rapp; James M., Paul- ina Midaris; Ambrose, Sarah Ellen Patchell, and Francis J., Sarah J. Hill. John, the scholar and scientist, and Sarah Jane, died unmarried. Jacob Roudebush died May 25, 1835. He was a man of high character, the best farmer of his com- munity, and a great friend of education. Elizabeth (Hart- . man) Roudebush died July 5, 1869. She was a woman of great intellectuality, with a religious trend of mind. Left a widow with ten children, she lived to rear them all to man and womanhood and left the impress such as a saintly mother of her Christian talents might be expected to do. It must not be understood that only those Roudebushes of whom special mention has been made on these pages were the prominent members of the family. Others not specifically mentioned have added to its fair name. George S., a son of Dan- iel Roudebush. now living at the age of eightq-five, is a noted educator and Presbyterian divine of the Southland, where he went in 1856 from Clermont county. His daughter. Ruth S., was a teacher in the Girls' Industrial School of Mississippi, located at Columbus in that State for twenty-seven years. She has traveled extensively in the Occident and Orient. Of the many others space will not permit special mention.
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COL. WILLIAM ROUDEBUSH.
Col. William Roudebush, son of Jacob Roudebush and father of William Franklin and George Milton, was born February 2, 1809, about two miles northwest of the vil- lage of Boston, the second year after the first log cabin was erected on it, and when it was all surrounded by woods. His father had no means of supporting his fam- ily only by his labor of clearing away the forest and raising corn and wheat on the land he cleared. He cut his wheat with a sickle and threshed it with a flail and blew out the chaff with a sheet by the aid of his wife, who spun, wove and made all the clothing worn by the family from the flax raised on the place and from the sheep kept, which for many years had to be penned up every night on account of the wolves, which were at that time infesting the country.
When about five years of age, William Roudebush was sent to school to a widow lady, who had settled a short distance from his father's home, for there were no school houses in that neighborhood in those days. When he was not in school the boy helped his father in clearing out the brush and the woods. At the age of nine years, several of the settlers, including his father, erected a school house of rough logs, puncheon floor, stick-and-mud chimney, paper windows and benches split out of logs. William Roudebush attended this school for a few weeks in winter, when there was a subscription school of three months, and aided his father on the farm until his sixteenth year, when he became a student of the school of Samuel Mc- Clellan, for five months. The next winter he studied "Kirk- ham's Grammar," walking a distance of three miles to school, and the following season took up geography in addition. The next winter he attended school at Goshen and there studied algebra. At the close of this period, William Roudebush taught school in what is called Rapp's school house, working in summer and fall on the canal lock near Chillicothe as a stone cutter. He taught school in winter and worked on his father's farm in the summer for several years. Later he was deputy assessor and assessed three townships. By this time he had saved some money and in December, 1835, purchased a farm of two hundred and twelve acres on Moore's fork of Stonelick Creek, for eight hundred and fifty dollars, all of which was then in woods.
On December 11, 1849, William Roudebush married Eliza-
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beth Clark, a daughter of Orson and Nancy (Corbly) Clark, and to their union were born two sons, William Franklin Rou- debush and George Milton Roudebush. Mr. Roudebush died September 20, 1889, and his wife passed from this life Novem- ber 27, 1894.
During his active life Colonel William Roudebush was prominent in politics and served in various offices of public trust, both in the county and the state. In his two years in the Legislature he took high rank as a debater and his speeches were published all through the Democratic press. He took the keenest interest in educational matters and frequently served on the Board of Education.
The Roudebush family are of heroic ancestry, among the first in this county to blaze the paths to civilization, and the stern integrity, patriotism, charity and pure, unsullied char- acter of its members have never been questioned, and he was one of many others who helped make it so.
GEORGE MILTON ROUDEBUSH.
Mr. George Milton Roudebush, one of the most extensive agriculturists, large stock raisers and prominent citizens of Clermont county, Ohio, owns and operates his splendidly im- proved farm, consisting of one thousand acres of land in Wayne and Stonelick townships. He has given much atten- tion to the breeding of short horn cattle since 1884, and is probably one of the first in this section of the state to make a specialty of this breed of stock. He has been eminently suc- cessful and is numbered among the substantial representatives of an old established family.
George Milton Roudebush was born at the home farm one mile north of Newtonville, Clermont county, July 26, 1856, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Clarke) Roudebush, both members of prominent pioneer families of Clermont, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in these volumes.
Mr. G. M. Roudebush enjoyed the educational privileges of the common schools of the district in which he lived and grew up well acquainted with the practical duties of a farmer's life. He entered Ohio National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, and there took a scientific course, graduating in 1877 with great credit.
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The year following his graduation, in 1878, he was elected deputy county treasurer, under his brother, W. F. Roude- bush, who resides at Batavia, Ohio, and in the years that have passed, he has filled various local offices of trust. For the past twenty years, he has been a member of the Agricul- tural Society of Clermont county and is a prominent stock breeder and noted judge of stock, not only locally, but in the State and nation as well. He attends the stock exhibits every- where and has been sent as a delegate to the National Con- gress of Farmers, attending at New Orleans, Lincoln and Co- lumbus.
Mr. Roudebush has made practically all of the fine improve- ments in the farm where he has made his home since 1881. In September, 1881, he was joined in the bonds of holy wedlock with Miss Rosalinde Patchell.
Mrs. Roudebush was born in Butler county, Ohio, Decem- ber 6, 1858, and is a daughter of James and Belinda (McClel- land) Patchell, the former an uncle of Edward Patchell, sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in the volumes. Mrs. Roude- bush is a graduate of the National Normal of Lebanon, Ohio.
The family of Mr. G. M. Roudebush consists of six children, whose names follow :
Earl Patchell-Born March 26, 1883; married June 27, 1903, Bettie Tarvin Lyons, of Dayton, Kentucky, who died Decem- ber 16, 1912, leaving three children, Elizabeth and Howard, living, and Rosalind, who died in infancy. Earl P. Roudebush is an engineer by profession and is occupied as manager of the Newtonville Canning Company. He was formerly with the Bell Telephone Company of Cincinnati.
Clara Elizabeth-Born April 11, 1886, is a graduate of the high school at Batavia, Ohio, and later took a course in clas- sics at the Denison University of Granville, Ohio. Since her graduation she has been employed in the occupation of teach- ing in the Milford and Batavia schools.
Dale Clark-Born October 22, 1888, and is a farmer, asso- ciated with his father in operating the large farm. He married Miss Veda Maham on October 24, 1912.
Ada Belinda-Born September 6, 1891, and is a graduate of the Milford High School and later of Denison University, where she took a course in art. She is at present attending the Eden Park Art School of Cincinnati.
George Milton, Jr .- Born January 25, 1894, is a graduate of the Milford High School and is now a Sophomore at the Den- ison University.
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James Franklin-Born October 15, 1896, is attending the Milford High School.
In politics, Mr. Roudebush is Democratic and is ever active in all affairs of general interest.
Socially, Mr. Roudebush is a member of the Grangers and the son, Earl, is a member of the Odd Fellows.
Religiously, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Roudebush embrace the faith of the Baptist church. He is a member of the Baptist State Convention Board and of the Ohio State Baptist Mis- sionary Society.
Mr. Roudebush is an officer and large stockholder of the First National Bank of Batavia, and also of the Milford Na- tional Bank. He is very public spirited and can always be counted on to promote healthy movements which promise real benefit to those around him. He is one of the most popular and valued citizens of Clermont county.
DR. J. D. ABBOTT.
Dr. J. D. Abbott, of Bethel, Ohio, is one of the best known and most successful of local practitioners of Clermont county. He is a man of great force of character, integrity and energy and has established a large practice by reason of his tender sympathy to those in sickness and distress. He has offices in his home on the corner of Union and Plane streets.
Dr. Abbott is a native of Clermont county, his birth having occurred in Moscow, February 21, 1845, and is a son of H. N. and Harriet (Smith) Abbott. The father was born at Nor- walk, Conn., March 31, 1805, and came to Ohio with his par- ents in 1811; for many years he conducted a general black- smith shop at Felicity, Ohio. The mother was born at Twelve Mile, near New Richmond, in Clermont county, May 19, 1808. Of the nine children who were born to this couple, Dr. Abbott is the only one now living.
The education of Dr. Abbott was begun in the schools of Felicity, continued at the Miami College of Medicine and com- pleted in the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery, from which he graduated in 1875. Immediately following his graduation he began his career as a physician and surgeon, at Bethel, where he has since carried on a general practice. He was associated with Dr. Daniel McLain, formerly of South
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DR. J. D. ABBOTT
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Carolina, until the death of the latter, March 31, 1881. He has distinguished himself in his profession and has an exten- sive practice.
On September 17, 1877, Dr. Abbott was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth M. Pemberton, who was also a native of Clermont county, her birth having taken place near Bethel, January 1, 1855. Her father, Levi W. Pemberton, is a Cler- mont county farmer, and was born in 1829. He is still living and is hale and hearty. Mrs. Abbott's mother, Elizabeth (Mc- Murchy) Pemberton, was born near Bethel, Ohio, March 2, 1833, and passed away March 7, 1912. There were five chil- dren born to this union, three of whom are now living:
Elizabeth, who is Mrs. J. D. Abbott.
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