History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, Part 60

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1108

USA > Ohio > Clinton County > History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families > Part 60

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On August 27, 1879. Simeon G. Smith was united in marriage to Althen B. Moore, who was born in Missouri, near the city of Cairo, Illinois. She was a daughter of Will- lam and Sarah Moore, both of whom now are deceased, and to this union six children have been born, as follows: Wella M., who is a teacher of domestic sceince in the public schools of Covington, Kentucky: Allan, who was graduated from Wilmington College and the law school of Columbia University and is now engaged in the practice of law at Cincinnati: Anna, a teacher in the Wilmington schools: Jessie, also a teacher in the Wilmington schools; Helen, who also occupies a position as teacher in the Wilmington schools, and Kathryn, a student in the Arnold School of Physical Culture, at New Haven, Connecticut.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Disciples church and their children were reared in the faith of that communion. Mr. Smith Is a Republican and takes a keen interest In the political affairs of his home county, being deeply concerned in all matters having to do with the betterment of conditions in the community to which, for years, he has given devoted efforts. He has served the public acceptably in the capacity of city councilman at Wilmington and as a member of the city school board, to both of which Important trusts he gave his most intelligent attention. He also is alertly attentive to the rapidly-growing business interests of his home city, ever being found among the leaders in movements designed to promote the city's advancement, and, as a director and vice-president of the First National Bank of Wilmington, and formerly a director of the Clinton County National Bank, occupies a prominent position in the financial circles of this region.

Mr. Smith is a prominent member of the Masonie order at Wilmington, having attained to the commandery, and is a past master and a past high priest in the order. He has prospered in the matter of the world's goods, and owns a handsome home on Lincoln avenue, Wilmington, which he built in 1909, and which is the scene of much cordial hospitality, he and his family being regarded as among the leaders in the social

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affairs of the city. Genial, affable, a thorough lawyer and a gentleman, Mr. Smith is exceedingly popular, not only among his associates at the bar, but among all classes in this county.

WALTER H. HOSKINS.

Approximately one hundred million people come under the influence of the American educational system, and millions are yet to come under the influence of this system. A few realize their maximum potentialities as citizens of the republic, as workers in the home, in the fields and in the marts of trade. An almost unbelievable majority of the people never rise above the plane of superficial thinking and lackadaisical effort. Far too many fail to attain a higher state of culture because they are unwilling to take modest beginnings. A few men have profited in a large degree by our educational system, and Walter H. Hoskins, a splendid young farmer of Union township, Clinton county, Oblo, owes his success In a large measure, no doubt, to the careful and scientific training he received In the public schools of Clinton county and at Wilmington College.

Walter H. Hoskins was born on his father's farm on the Port William pike in the Dover neighborhood of Union township, November 28, 1882, a son of Rev. Josephus and Emily (Galfluore) Hoskins.

Rev. Josephus Hoskins who Is a native of Green township, in this county, was born three miles north of New Vienna on April 26, 1841. He is a son of Isaac and Rachel Hoskins, the former of whom was born in 1811, in Guilford county, North Carolina, and died in March, 187, and the latter of whom was born in 1800, in Guilford county, North Carolina, and died In May, 1854. The parents of Isaac Hoskins, John and Hannah ( Hockett) Hoskins, were natives of North Carolina, of Welsh descent. The first mem- bers of the Hoskins family to settle in America came about 1750. There were three brothers, one of whom settled in Philadelphia and two in North Carolina. During the War of the Revolution the brothers who located in North Carolina operated a black- smith shop. All were members of the Quaker church. John Hoskins was the eldest son of Moses Hoskins, he was reared In North Carolina, and was married there. The Hoskins family came to Clinton county, Ohlo, in 1813, and settled in Green township In. the Fairview neighborhood of Friends.

Walter H. Hoskins attended the Dover district school near his home and Inter became a student at Wilmington College. He worked with his father on the farm until his marriage, and then rented a farm for a few years, and In 1907, purchased seventy-four neres of the old General Denver farm in the Dover neighborhood of Union township. At the time he purchased the land, it was nearly all covered with timber and there were no fences. Mr. Hoskins has built a new house and barn, and has since erected a garage. He clenred the land of Its thuber and erected fences and improved the place generally. Here he carries on general farming and makes a specialty of raising early lambs, which are dressed and shipped to New York for "haby mutton," and for which fancy prices are received. He also feeds a large number of hogs, being very successful in his live stock business. He has been the local agent for the Regal Automobile Company for some time and has sold a large number of these machines. Mr. Hoskins Is considered a very suc- cessful young farmer, and has a beautiful farm with neat and attractive grounds.

On September 7. 1904. Walter H. Hoskins was married to Florence Peelle, a native of Wilson township. Clinton county, Ohio, a daughter of Elias and Armetha (Creamer) Peelle, and to this union one child has been born, Robert, who was born on February 11.

Mra. Hoskins' father. Elias Hicks Peelle, was born April 5. 1843, in Wilson town- ship. Clinton county. Oblo, and is a son of Reuben and Emily (Corcoran) Peelle. the former of whom was born in Wilson township, and who gave each of his four sons one

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hundred acres of land, and each of his daughters an equal value In money. The family were all members of the Friends church. Ellas Hicks Peelle married Armetha Creamer, who was born in 1847, in Fayette county, Ohio, and who died in 1909. She was a daugh- ter of Simon and Anna (Johnson) Creamer, the former a native of Fayette county, Ohio, where he was a prominent farmer and an Influential member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mrs. Hoskins' father is a retired farmer, and for two years has been a resident of Whittier, California. He formerly lived near the corner of Fayette, Clinton and Green counties, Ohio, where he had a farm of one hundred and eighty-five acres of land. He is a member of the Friends church and retired from active farm life in 1904, removing at that time to Wilmington, and in 1913 to California. Mrs. Hoskins, who was the fourth child born to her parents, is one of five children, the others being: Dr. F. A. Peelle, of Wilmington; Delaware C., a farmer living in I'nion township; May, who is a trained nurse living with her father ; and Pearl T., who is the wife of Burritt Hiatt, of Wilmington.

Mr. Hoskins has a birthright membership in the Dover meeting of the Friends church. He is a Republican and is well known and popular in Clinton counts.

SULLIVAN D. CHANCELLOR.

It may prove a bit of Interesting information to the many friends of Sullivan D. Chancellor, proprietor of the well-known Chancellor saw-inili at Wilmington, this county. to learn from the following biographical sketch of that popular manufacturer, that he is a lineal descendant of William the Conqueror's first chancellor. Though Mr. Chancellor is not much given to vaunting his descent, his family having been so long established in this country as to lose that high measure of consideration for distinguished ancestry which marks social relations in Europe. the fact of this distinguished desrent is so interest- ing from a genealogical point of view that the biographer is taking the liberty to make reference to the same here, regarding it as a very proper point to be brought ont in # historical and biographical work of this character.

The founder of the well-known Chancellor family was MI. Gaultier, a distinguished French law officer of the crown, who accompanied William of Normandy on the Con- queror's historic invasion of England in the year 1006. Chancellor Gaultier was wont to affix his name to crown documents as "M. Gaultier le Chancelleur." indicative of his official position. His descendants gradually dropped the "Gaultier," writing the name "Le Chancellenr." Time gradually made further changes, until In the fourteenth cen- tury we find the "le" dropped and the French form of spelling changed to the Anglo- Saxon "Chancellor," which form since has been retained by the family. The founder of the family in this country was Richard Chancellor, who married Catherine FitzGerald. an Irish girl, and came to America in 1652, the descendants of this pair now being found in practically every state in the Union and in many cases have been persons of power and influence in their respective communities,

Sullivan D. Chancellor was born on a farm in Chester township. Clinton county. Ohio, on September 16. 1855. the son of William and Abigail J. (Colvin) Chancellor, the former of whom was born in Virginia in the year 1525 and the latter of whom was born in Warren county, this state, in the year 1827. William Chancellor was the son of Hyrocelus and Rebecca (Rowe) Chancellor, both natives of Virginia, who, in 1843. emigrated from Virginia to Ohio, Joeating in this county, where for about twelve years Hyrocelus Chancellor taught school. engaging in farming during the periods of the summer vacations. In the winter of 1555 56 the Chancellor family moved from this county to Oxford, Indiana, where Hyrocelus Chancellor and his wife spent the remainder of their days.

William Chancellor was eighteen years of age when his parents emigrated from Virginia to this county. He taught school for several years and was married in this county to Abigall J. Colvin, daughter of John and Margaret ( Neil) Colvin, the former

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of whom was a native of Kentucky and the latter a native of Philadelphia. Jobn Colvin was a wagon-maker, who settled in Hamilton county, this state, where he worked at bis trade, becoming well-to-do; among his holdings being a number of lots that are now very valuable, the growth of the city of Cincinnati having brought that tract within the corporate limits. He became surety on a note of a friend, who defaulted, and in dis- charging the obligation John Colvin was rendered a bankrupt, being compelled to start all over again. Following this ill stroke of fortune, Mr. Colvin and his family moved to Caubytown, in Warren county, this state, where they remained for a few years, at the end of which time they came to this county, settling In Chester township, buying a' small piece of land on Buck run, on which Mr. Colvin erected a wagon-making shop and continued to follow his trade. He and his family were active in all the good works of the community. William Chancellor and his wife accompanied the parents of the former to their new home in Oxford, Indiana, where he engaged quite successfully in the live- stock business. He and his wife were the parents of but two children. sons, Sullivan D .. the subject of this sketeb, and Leonidas M .; the latter died in Wilmington In 1910. having for years been associated with his brother in business. William Chancellor died in January, 1865, in the very zenith of his business career. of what probably was appendi- citis, though at that time this malady was known merely as an inflammation of the bowels. His widow returned to this county and married Jobn G. Mcintyre, a farmer. spending the rest of her life here, her death occurring in 1880. There was no issue of this second marriage.

Sullivan D. Chancellor was but three months old when his parents moved to Indiana, he having been born In September and their move being made in December, and his early yeurs were spent in the town of Oxford, where he received his primary education. He was ten years of age when his father died and his mother returned to this county with her two sons. The next year his mother remarried and be remained with his mother and stepfather until he was eighteen years of age, diligently pursuing his studies in the district school in the neighborhood of his home. When fifteen years of age, he began looking after himself. "working out" on farms by the month. In 1872 be learned the blacksmith trade under J. R. Littler, remaining with the latter for five years, at the end of which time he set up a blacksmith shop for himself at Starbuck town on prairie road. three miles east of Wilmington, where he remained six months and then returned to Chester township and bought out the man from whom he learned his trade. He taught his brother the trade and took him as a partner in the venture. For several years the brothers maintained this shop and then started a saw-mill nearby, operating the two industries in conjunction. They dissolved the partnership. Leonidas retaining the saw- mill and Sullivan taking the smithy. Five years later, Sullivan Chancellor closed the smithy and resumed the partnership with his brother In the milling business, continuing to operate the mill in Chester township until 1900, In which year they moved the plant to Wilmington, where it ever since has been in successful operation. Leonidas Chancellor dient in 1910 and Sullivan D. purchased the decedent's interest in the mill. remaining since that time sole owner of this Important and growing industry. He handles all kinds of native lumber, retail, beside which the mill has a quite extensive trade in all kinds of custom sawing.

On January 4, 1852, Sullivan D. Chancellor was united in marriage to Emma S. Dakin, who was born in Warren county. this state. daughter of Hiram Dakin. Both of Mrs. Chancellor's parents are dead. her mother having died when she was an infant. To this union two children have been born, Anna May, who died when sixteen months of age. and Mrs. Lena B. Toops, who, with her two children, Benonia and Anna May, makes her home with her parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Chancellor are members of the Methodist church and are earnestly concerned in the good works of the community, taking an active interest in measures

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designed to promote the common welfare. Mr. Chancellor is one of Wilmington's most prominent Masons. He has attained to the royal arch chapter in that order and is president of the board of trustees of the Masonle Temple Association of Wilmington. Few citizens of Wilmington display a more active public spirit than does Mr. Chancellor, and he is held in the highest regard in business and industrial circles throughout this section of the state, being regarded very properly as one of the substantial Jenders hereabout.

JOHN LEININGER.

To America, the "melting pot" of all the nations, every country has contributed its quota to make the truly wonderful cosmopolitan character at once the marvel and the puzzle of other nations. Here in the sifting that has come from the struggle with wild stubborn Nature and new obstacles to be met and overcome, and the increasingly accentuated splendid qualities of the mother country. A new character has been developed, retaining the best of the old, added to, and developed by the unequalled conditions of a vast new country. The picturesque little principality of Alsace-Lorraine added its contribution, born of the struggle and emerging Into splendid young manhood, in the person of John Leininger, the subject of this sketch.

John Leininger was born fifty miles from the noted city of Strasburg, in the quaint little town of Mietesheim, in Alsace-Lorraine, now a part of Germany, on April 17, 1858. He was the son of John Leininger, who was born in the same place. The paternal grandfather of John Leininger was Jacob Leininger, a well-known blacksmith, who plied bis trade all of his life in the place of his birth, dying in Alsace-Lorraine. John Lein- inger. the son of Jacob Leininger, and the father of the subject of this sketch, learned the blacksmith trade from his father, continuing his labors in Germany in a blacksmith shop of his own. He was a very large sturdy man, a splendid physical type. He belonged to the Lutheran church, following with manly zeal and steadfastness of purpose the early ideals set forth and followed assiduously by the founder of this sect.

In his early manhood days, he met, and later, in 1CH, married Kate Root, who was born and reared in the same town with him.

John Feininger, responding to the law of change and the love of the wanderlust, emigrated to this country in 1873. While it is true that In recent years. the emigrant coming to our shores is not the "Hower of his native soll," yet in the days when John Leininger left a sure thing for an uncertainty and came to this country, unknown and strange. to cast his lot among new peoples and new conditions, It was a mark of the highest courage and fortitude. His patient and steadfast companion, his wife, had died In 1570. Starting in February with his son, John Leininger, after a stormy voyage lasting almost a month, he arrived in America and traveled to Highland county, Ohio in March, 1873.

For a year, he worked on a farm in Highland county, Ohio. At the end of that time, he moved to Clinton county. True to the steady industry and frugality of bis race. although a stranger in a strange land, he had saved sufficient money to enable him to send to Germany for his children. Later, he opened up a blacksmith shop in Burton- ville, Ohio, in which he worked and prospered until his death. On account of the train- ing of his father and his own early work, he returned to bis trade as naturally as the tiller to the soll.

The children born to John and Kate Leininger were: John Leininger, the subject of this sketch : Margaret, dereased, who married John Emory ; Sarah, who married George Riehl and now resides in Wilmington: Maggie, who married Stanley McKenzie, a farmer of Greene township; Kate, who married Isaac Mobley and now lives in Burtonville; Jacob, who is a farmer residing in Union township, aud Michael, who is a farmer resitling in Washington townshlp.

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As a boy John Leiuinger, the eldest of this family and the subject of this sketch, attended the government schools of Germany, and futo his youthful mind were inculcated many of the finest ideals and traditions of bis people; but out of school hours, John Leininger was always to be found in the blacksmith shop of his father, literally growing up In the atmosphere where he was to spend the most of his life. We find him in his early youth attracted to the fiery forge and the fine, physical expression exhibited in the work ; watebing the splendid figure of his father achieving results easily discernable at band. His youthful imagination and alert understanding were stirred deeply by the horrors of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, witnessing part of a battle, in and around bis home.

The trade of the blacksmith has always been held in good repute among the earliest peoples and even until this day, for it is truly an exacting trade, and a very necessary one. The blacksmith produces through honest sweat before the eyes of his customers and he can truly look the whole world in the face-and proudly. When John Leininger emigrated with his father to this country be entered the blacksmith shop of his father In Burtonville, where he tolled for many years.

On September 27. 1857, John Leininger was married to Mary Babb, who was born in Union township. Clinton county. To this happy union were born the following children : Elva, who is living at home: Charles, who married Leona Murphy and is living In Dayton, Ohio; they have one child, Velina C., born on June 25, 1900; and George, who married Edith Sumiers, and is a farmer living In Washington township.

At the time of his murrlage, John Leininger became a partner in his father's busi- ness. In 1889 his father died and for a time John Leininger ran the shop alone, but later entered into a partnership with his brother, Jacob. Feeling the "call of the soil," in 1856, he turned the shop over to his brother and engaged in farming. He bought n farm consisting of eighty-seven acres of fine land on the New Vienna pike in L'nion township, and here he settled and still lives, carrying on general farming.

Mr. and Mrs. Leininger have so improved this tract of land, clearing it and ditching It. that, today. it is one of the finest farms in Clinton county. In addition. in 1905, they built their present. fine, rooms, country home In keeping with its splendid surroundings.

John Leininger, by his honesty and quiet persistency, has won and enjoys the confi- dence and respect of his neighbors and his many friends. He is a stanch Republican in politles, not seeking office but choosing rather to add the weight of his opinion in n quiet way. Influencing his friends by daily deeds well done. His opinion is due to he relied upon, backed by years of well-poised and quiet deliberation. He belongs to that vast array of people who silently but surely mold the opinion and work out the destinies of this nation.

CHARLES E. DWIGGINS.

Charles E. Dwiggins, a well-known farmer of I'nion township. Clinton county, Ohio. is derrended on his paternal side as well as on his maternal side from the very earliest settlers of Clinton county. The family has long been prominent in this county as members of the Society of Friends.

Charles E. Dwiggins was born on December 13, 1856, on the farm where he now lives in Unlon township. the son of Robert J. and Rebecca B. ( Kinsey) Dwiggins, the former of whom was born on February 1. 1832, on the farm where his son. Charles E .. now lives, and who died on October 11, 1995, and the latter of whom was born in Union township, on March 31, 1834, and who died on March 14, 1913.

The paternal grandparents of Mr. Dwiggins were Robert and Sarah (Dillon) Dwiggins, the former of whom was a native of North Carolina, born in 1781, and who died in 1839. and the latter of whom was born in 1785, the daughter of Jesse Dillon and who died in 1861.

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Daniel Dillon was a cousin to Susannah Haworth, the progenitor of the Haworth family in Clinton county and the brother of Jesse Dillon, He came to Todd's fork in 1804, settling on a hundred acres of land, which he sold to Samuel Stanton. Later he bought three hundred acres from George Haworth and his son James. The land was the Brackney farm on Todd's fork. His son, Jesse, owned the Levi Smith farm and sold it to Smith. His son, Walter, owned the home place of Elijah Haworth; Thomas. the John Peebles' farm; Nathan, who married a Haskins, was justice of the peace in Greene township, and after his removal to Illinois served as justice there; William Dillon bought land in the Haskins neighborhood and lived there In early times; be, too, moved to Illinois; Absalom und Joseph went west; one of his daughters married Daniel Hodgson ; Jane was the first wife of James Fife and the mother of his children; Ann married Michael Bennett. Jesse Dillon, who was Daniel's brother and the father of Sarah (Dillon) Dwiggins, settled on and improved the Denver farm. He bought the whole of the Heath survey on Todd's fork, containing twelve hundred and ninety-two acres. The land was surveyed for him by Nathan Linton. September 28. 1815. His eldest daughter, Acbsub, married Hur Holgson; Susanah married Gayer Starbuck ; Martha married Dora Fisher, who owned the William Rannell's farm; he sold that and afterwards owned the David Bailey farm and removed to Illinois; Sarah married Robert Dwiggins, Sr .; Hannah married William Wright, who owned a part of the Jacob Jenkins place, which he sold to Joseph Oreu, and Oren, in turn, sold it to Isaac Wright. William's brother. both sons of James Wright; Abigail married Isaac Wright ; Jonathan Dillon owned the farm known as the Zimri Whinery farm near Gurneyville; there were about two hundred and ninety acres in the farm; Luke obtained the Denver farm and sold it to George D. Haworth: his wife. Charity Wright, was a sister of Isaac Wright : they removed later to Illinois.

When a young man the Inte Robert Dwiggins, Sr .. came to Clinton county, Ohio, and settled on a farm of a hundred and two acres in Union township, where bis grandson, Charles E., now lives. He belonged to the Christian church, but his wife was a member of the Society of Friends. A Whig in pollties, he served several terms as school director. During his life he went to Grant county. Indiana, and purchased a quarter section of land for each of his elder children. The first seven children In the family settled in Grant county and their descendants still live there. Robert Dwiggins' wife's father and mother, Jesse and Hannah Dillon, came from Nantucket Island about 1800 to the Dover neighborhood in Clinton county, or a little earlier than Jesse's brother. Daniel. Jesse and Hannah Dillon purchased the farm from the government and gave it to their chil- dren. The Dillon family were members of the Friends church, and had been whalers, or serfaring people before the Revolutionary War, which drove their boats off the sens.

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History of Clinton County, Ohio Its People, Industries, and Institutions, with Biographical Sketches of Representative Citizens and Genealogical Records of Many of the Old Families, Part 60

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1108

Author: Albert J. Brown (A.M.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1108