USA > Ohio > Delaware County > History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2 > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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 | Part 78
South Main street ; from these shops some of the finest works that now grace the Oakwood Cemetery have been turned out by this firm. They carry a large stock of finished and nufinished marble ; some specimens of the former on exhibition in their shop are marvels of beauty, and indicate that those who can turn out such work are artists of no inferior ability.
A. THRALL, livery and feed stable, Delaware ; was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., March 18, 1818; son of Daniel and Amanda (Gordon) Thrall ; his mother was born in New York, and his father in Connecticut; they were married in New York, and in 1820 started for Ohio in wagons via Buffalo, thence to Chio by the lake, and lost most of their household goods in the lake; after being out some six weeks, the family arrived in Berlin Township, Delaware Co., Oct. 20, 1820, in very poor circumstances, and began farming : his mother died when Mr. Thrall was about S years old ; his father died when he was 10, leaving him a poor boy. At 15, he went to Columbus, and commenced to learn the trade of a harness and saddle maker, where he remained about four years ; he then came to Delaware, and worked at his trade a short time, when he went to Chillicothe. where he remained one summer, and then returned to Berlin Township, Delaware Co., and commenced farming and working at his trade; he gradually improved and accumulated good land, until he became one of the leading farmers of that town- ship ; he was Constable of Berlin Township for thirteen years, aud Coroner of the county one term ; in 1862, he enlisted in Co. D, 20th O. V. I., and was detailed to do duty in the hospital. where he served faithfully until the close of the war; while serving here, he fell among some boxes, from which accident he is a cripple for life ; he was wardmaster of East Hospital, and La Grange Hospital ; at the close of the war, he returned to Delaware Co., and engaged in farming until 1878, when he entered the livery business at Delaware; he is prepared to furnish livery at reasonable prices. He married Mary A. Chandler. of New Jersey, in 18440, who came to Ohio in 1823; they have ten children. Mr. Thrall is a Republican, and has been a member of the Baptist Church for forty years.
JOHN TRAUTMANN, Delaware ; was born in Berks Co., Penn., Oct. 5, 1805, and is the son of John and Mary M. Trautmann, both natives of Pennsylvania ; his father was a stonemason, and died in Pennsylvania: Mr. John Trautmann
Y
647
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.
learned his trade as stonemason with his father, iness and keeping pace with the improvements made in the art of photography, is meeting with good success; any kind of work that can be done by a photographer Mr. Ulrey can do; he finishes pictures in both oil and water colors, aud warrants them to give good satisfaction. which he followed while in Pennsylvania; in 1833, he came with a family to Delaware Co .. driving a team of horses all the way from his na- tive State; in Delaware he worked at his trade for a number of years, helping to build the Ameri- can House, the Mansion House, and other build- REV. JOHN UFFORD, Rector of the Epis- copal Church, Delaware, is the oldest resident pastor of Delaware; he was born in Old Stratford, Conn., Nov. 14, 1810, and is the son of Elijah and Percy (Peabody) Ufford, both natives of Con- necticut ; the father was a merchant. Mr. Ufford was a resident of Stratford until he was about 14 years of age, and then lived in Bridgeport, Conn., some five or six years ; in 1832, he came West to Ohio, and located at Gambier ; here he entered ings of prominence. In 1837, he married, in Delaware, Esther Biel. of Pennsylvania ; she died Aug. 11, 1853 ; he then married Mary Ann Seigfred, of the same State, and by this mar- riage has six children living. Mr. Trautmann came to Delaware with about $60 in money, and to-day owns a pleasant home and fifty acres of land adjoining Delaware; he had two sons in the late war, Daniel and John, both enlisting in the 96th O. V. I .; Daniel died in the hospital at St. : Knox College and graduated in 1837; in 1839, Louis, in 1863, from disease contracted while in the army. Mr. Trautmann is one of the oldest members of the Lutheran Church of Delaware ; he has eleven grandchildren living ; his mother died in Delaware some three years since, at the ripe old age of 94 years. he was ordained, taking charge of his first parish at Maumee City, Ohio, where he remained one year ; was then in Newark, Ohio, one year ; he then went to Virginia and remained some two years, engaging in teaching school; Mr. Ufford then took a parish in Northampton Co., Va., where he remained about eight or nine years ; then to Maysville, Ky , from there to Muscatine, Iowa, where he remained until 1861, when he entered the army and was made Chaplain of the 6th Iowa V. I .; after the capture of Vicksburg, on account of his health, he left the army; in 1863, he came to Delaware, since which time he has been the Rector of the Episcopal Church.
B. F. THOMAS, wheelwright, Delaware. Among the respected colored citizens of Delaware is the above-named gentleman who was born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, Oct. 14, 1847 ; his grand- father, Isaac Fisher, was one of the first settlers of Muskingum Co., Ohio, which he helped to lay out ; Mr. Thomas' mother, Rebecca (Fisher) Thomas, was born in 1812 and was a native of that county. Our subject came to Delaware in 1864; here he began to learn his trade as a wheel- wright in MeElroy's Wagon Works; this business he has carried on for a number of years. He is a member of the Masonic Order, of which will be found a mention in the history of the Masonic Lodges of Delaware; his brother. Walter S., holds the position of Clerk in the State Senate at Columbus, which he has filled for two sessions with much credit. Mr. Thomas was married, in 1972, to Miss Rose Lewis; they have three chil- dren.
MARGARET VELEY, farmer ; P. O. Del- aware; is a daughter of John Main ; he was born in 1791 in Virginia, and married Mary Wright; she was born in 1793 in Virginia ; they came to Ohio in 1815, settling in Delaware Co .: he died in 1837, having been a member of the Baptist Church ; she is still living in Troy Town- ship. Mrs. Veley was born Feb. 23, 1812. in Virginia ; came West with her parents, at which time there were many Indians in this section who were very friendly to her father ; in December, 1830, she was married to Peter Veley, son of James Veley, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y .; they im- mediately settled on the present farm of 206 acres ; he died Oct. 1, 1839 ; she assumed control of the farm, and improvements have marked her man- agement ; they had four children ; Milo died Sept. 29, 1876 (his wife died Oct. 29, 1877. leaving two children. Nora and Milo, whom Mrs Veley is raising); John married Charlotte Seart, Grace married Mr. Gross, and Harriet married Mr.
W. A. ULREY, photographer, Delaware; was born in Clermont Co., Ohio, in 1852, and com- menced to learn liis trade as a photograph artist in Coles Co., Ill .. where be remained a short time ; in 1877, he came to Delaware and worked in the photograph gallery of Mr. Bodurtha, where he re- mained until 1878, when he purchased his present business, the oldest photograph establishment in the county, located in the Evans Block, on the third floor. Mr. Ulrey, by close attention to bus- : Ashwill. Mrs. Veley has long been identified
-
648
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
with the Baptist Church as an active member and a devout Christian.
J. D. VAN DEMAN, attorney at law, Dela- ware ; was born in Delaware, Ohio, Feb. 12, 1832, and is the son of Rev. Henry and Sarah (Darlin- ton) Van Deman ; his mother is a native of Ken- tucky, and his father of Pennsylvania ; he gradu- ated from the Ohio Wesleyan University, in 1851, then entered the law office of Powell & Buck, at that time one of the leading law firms of Dela- ware; in. 1854, he was admitted to practice at the Delaware Co. bar, and associated himself with Judge T. W. Powell, forming the law firm of Powell & Van Deman ; this partnership continued until 1862, when the firm of Carper & Van Deman was formed, and is to-day the oldest as well as one of the strongest law firms in this part of Ohio. Mr. Van Deman was Prosecuting Attorney two terms, and Mayor of Delaware four years ; was the first Mayor of Delaware after it became a city ; in 1876, he was a candidate for the office of District Judge of the district embracing the counties of Delaware, Licking and Knox; he made a gallant run, reducing the usual majority nearly 1,000 votes. Mr. Van Deman is director of the C. & T. R. R., and has been since its or- ganization ; he is also one of the directors of the First National Bank of Delaware. He is a Repub- lican. He was married, in 1861, to Miss Lydia Runkle, of Ohio, daughter of Judge R. E. Runkle ; they have three children-two daugh- ters and one son. Mr. Van Deman, when a lad, entered a school taught by Mrs. Murray, near where the court house stands, and in the basement learned his A B C's; on the second floor of the same building he prepared himself for college. F. P. VERGON, proprietor of Greenwood Lake, Delaware, was born in the eastern part of France Dec. 16, 1829, and is the son of John G. and Elizabeth ( Burlett ) Vergon, who are natives of France; John G. Vergon was a poor farmer in France, who accumulated a little property and managed to eke out a living for his family ; he was a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte for four years, and participated in the prominent battles under this great leader ; he was with Napoleon in his march over the Alps. He married in France, and in 1834, with his wife and five children, sailed for America, and. in June of that year, landed in New York City; he came direct to Ohio, and located in Delaware Co., ou the farm where F. P. Vergon now lives ; here they purchased 113 acres of land ; a double log cabin and a small barn were
all the improvements on the place ; they were the first French family to settle in this part of the country ; he knew no language but the French, and had a hard time in purchasing and trading with the settlers around him ; but, with a deter- mination to succeed, went to work with a will, clearing the farm of timber and brush; with good management and industry, and the help of his wife and children, he succeeded in life, and when he became old he had enough property to make him happy and his family comfortable ; in his old age, he was a favorite with all, happy and trying to make others happy ; a few years before his death, he suffered from a severe attack of whooping cough which, perhaps, hastened his death; he died in 1870 at the age of 773 years. F. P. Vergon was raised on the farm ; he owns three finely-im- proved farms in Delaware Co .; his home farm is improved with a residence for himself and family, then a comfortable home for his mother, a fine barn and outbuilding, an icehouse from which be supplies Delaware and its vicinity with pure ice, from the well-known Greenwood Lake, a body of water covering about thirty acres; in 1874. Mr. Vergon stocked the lake with fish, principally bass ; this enterprise has proven a success, and the lake swarms with fish. During President Hayes' visit to Delaware in 1879, Mr. Vergon's son, Lemorteen, caught a bass weighing 43 pounds, and presented it to the President for his breakfast. No lover of nature, of beautiful scenery, and all that is calculated to please the eye, should fail to visit Greenwood Lake. Mr. Vergon was mar- ried in 1856 to Miss Martha L. Smith, daughter of A. Smith, Esq .; she died in 1857. He after- ward married his present wife, Miss Kate L. Jones, daughter of John L. Jones ; she was born in Prince William Co., Va., and moved thence to Lewis Co., the home of Stonewall Jackson. who was one of her playmates and a distant connection ; by this marriage they have seven children ; Mrs. Elizabeth Vergon died Feb. 23, 1880. aged 86 years.
REV. HENRY VAN DEMAN, (deceased) Dela- ware, was a native of Brownsville. Penn., where he was born April 1, 1798, the son of John Van Deman, a farmer ; Henry came to Ohio at an early day, and at first entered upon a rural life, but subse- quently entered school, graduating from Athens College, and soon afterward commenced the study of theology with Dr. Wilson, of Chillicothe, Ohio, and, in about the year 1823, was licensed to preach ; for a short time he was a missionary in Highland and Adams Cos., Ohio. In 1824. he
649
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.
married Sarah Darlington, of West Union, Ohio, and came to Delaware the same year; after a resi- dence of about six months here, he took charge of the Presbyterian Church, and remained its regular minister for some thirty years, when he retired from preaching ; May 19, 1872, the Rev. Mr. Van Deman was relieved of his earthly cares and passed into life immortal; having lived a life of usefulness, he died beloved and honored, leaving a wife and seven children. Mrs. Van Deman was born in Ohio Jan. 2, 1802, the daughter of Joseph Darlington, who was a member of the convention that framed the Ohio State Constitution at Cin- cinnati ; also filled the office of Clerk of Adams County for fifty years. Mrs. Van Deman's hus- band and a brother, Meredith Darlington, were volunteers in the army of the war of 1812.
REV. J. VOGT, Pastor of the German Re- formed Church, Delaware; was born in Fair- field Co., Ohio, Jan. 1, 1825, and is the son of John and Annie M. (Hiebel) Vogt ; his father was a native of Union Co., Penn., and his mother of Berks Co., Penn .; his great-grandfather, Jonas Vogt, came from Bosewa, Switzerland, and located in Pennsylvania in 1752; Mr. Vogt was born on a farm, where he remained until he was 19 years of age; he then commenced studying for the min- istry at Lancaster, Ohio, and completed the course at Xenia. In 1846, at the meeting of the Miami Classis, at Miamisburg, he was licensed to preach, and in the same year was ordained and became Pastor of St. Paul's Church, in Butler Co., also Samuel's Church of same county. Here Rev. Mr. Vogt did good and effective work, having organ- ized three churches-the Zion's, Mount Zion's and Seven Mile; remaining here until 1853, when he went to Darke Co. as a missionary, where he established churches and Sunday schools under great difficulties and with the most primitive ac- commodations. Here he organized the New Mad- ison Church, and took charge of Zion, a church then with but little attendance. At the close of Mr. Vogt's work, the latter was one of the best charges of the Miami Classis. After remaining in Darke Co. until 1860, he went to Fairfield Co., where he took charge of two congregations until 1863, when he moved to. Delaware, and became Pastor of the German Reform Church, preaching in both languages-the English and German. Mr. Vogt was married. Jan. 2, 1848, to Miss Elizabeth Karn, of Seven Mile, Ohio ; by this union there have been born five children, four of whom are living.
IRA VOUGHT, wagon - maker, Delaware. Among the leading business men of the little hamlet of Stratford may be mentioned Mr. Ira Vought, who was born in Greenwich Co., N. J., in 1847 ; in 1853, he came West with his parents, and located in Delaware Co .; part of his school days were spent in the stone schoolhouse where his wagon works. are now located; he came to Delaware, and learned the trade of carpenter, which he followed until he drifted into his present trade as wagon-maker, working in different parts of the country. He is a practical worker, as one may judge by entering his cozy shop, where he is pre- pared to do all kinds of wagen woodwork at rea- sonable prices. Mr. Vought was a soldier in the late civil war, enlisting in the 48th O. V. I., Co. B, and did good service; he participated in the battle of Blakely, the last fought during the war, and was honorably mustered out. In 1879, he commenced his present business in Stratford, where he is meeting with good success.
JOHN W. N. VOGT, physician and surgeon, Delaware, is one of the leading physicians and sur- geons of Delaware ; he was born in Seven Mile, Butler Co., Ohio, May 1, 1852, and is the son of Rev. John Vogt; in 1863, he came to Delaware and began the study of medicine, remaining in the offices of Dr. Hyatt, of Delaware, and Dr. Kinsman, of Columbus, some six years, when he entered the Columbus Medical College and gradu- ated from this institution in 1875; Dr. Vogt came to Delaware and began the practice of his profes- sion, entering a partnership with Dr. E. H. Hy- att, which continued for about two years ; since then the Doctor has been practicing alone and meet- ing with very good success. In 187S, his friends placed him on the Republican ticket for Coroner of Delaware County, to which office he was elected by a handsome majority.
W. G. WILLIAMS, Professor in the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware; was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, Feb. 22, 1822, and is the son of Samuel and Margaret ( Troutner) Williams, both natives of Pennsylvania ; his father was en- gaged as Superintendent in surveying for the United States Government in the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, and was one of the best-posted men in surveying in the Northwest ; he died in 1859; our subject, at 6 years of age, moved with his parents to Cincinnati, where he graduated from the Woodward College in 1844; from there he came to Delaware and accepted a professorship in the Ohio Wesleyan University.
650
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
which institution he has been connected with ever since, and is now the oldest teacher in that insti- tution, and the only survivor of the original faculty ; he became a member of the Central Ohio M. E. Conference in 1856, and has filled the office of Secretary of that Conference for the last twenty years. He served as Chaplain of the 145th O. V. I., in the summer of 1864. Prof. Williams was married in 1847, to Miss Mary Ann Davis, of Cincinnati, Ohio; they had six children ; she died in 1872; he married his present wife in 1877-Miss Delia L. Lathrop, of New York ; they have one child.
H. A. WELCH, banker, Delaware; this gen- tleman was born in Delaware, Ohio, Nov. 4, 1845, and is a son of A. A. Welch, who is one of the old settlers of Delaware; he commenced in the Delaware County Bank, filling the position of book- keeper and teller for some five years; in 1867, on the organization of the Deposit Banking Com- pany, Mr. Welch was made cashier, which office he has filled ever since ; the Deposit Banking Company was organized in 1867, by a number of enterprising men of Delaware, and since then has been largely patronized ; it has accomplished much good since its organization, and made many friends, and this because it has always been liberal in its dealings.
JAMES WALSH, carpenter, Delaware; was born in Canada, near the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and at 14 years of age commenced to learn his trade as a carpenter ; in 1861, he came to Dela- ware, and has been one of its honored citizens ever since, having been employed by the Delaware Chair Company for the last nine years.
JOSEPH WELLS, proprietor of the Delaware Omnibus Line, Delaware, was born in Hardy Co., Va., April 21, 1827, and is the son of Joseph and Sarah Wells; his mother was born in Ireland and his father in Virginia, where he was engaged in farming. In 1832, Joseph came with his par- ents to Ohio and located in Union Co., they being among its early settlers; he learned the carpenter's trade in Jerome Township, Union Co., and followed it seven years; in 1850, he came to Delaware, a poor man, and commenced driving a team; in 1860, he purchased a half-interest in his present business, and formed a partnership with Mr. Jack Cunningham, running two omnibuses and eight horses ; about 1868, Mr. Wells became sole owner of the business, and has been very successful ; he now owns five fine coaches, baggage-wagons, one omnibus and ten horses ; he does a good business. i in 1873, he came to Delaware and took charge of'
attending all trains and employing four men. We may mention here that Mr. Wells was the first man that attended the train from Delaware and drove a large wedding-party eight miles out to the railroad, as the C., C., C. & I. R. R. was not then completed to Delaware. Mr. Wells has been City Marshal and Constable. He was married to Miss Ann Case, of Ohio; they have nine children.
PROF. WILLIAM F. WHITLOCK, Dean of the Ohio Wesleyan Female College, Delaware; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Oct. 20, 1833, and is the son of Elias Whitlock, of New York. who moved to this State at an early day; he died in 1880, at 82 years of age. Prof. Whitlock re- ceived a common-school education in Butler Co .. where he prepared himself for college; in 1852, he came to Delaware and entered the Ohio Wes- leyan University, and graduated from this institu- tion in 1859; he then was elected a teacher of languages ; in 1864, he filled the chair of Professor of the Latin Language and Literature, and in 1877 was made Dean of the Ladies' Department of the Ohio Wesleyan Female College, which position he now holds; Prof. Whitlock's connec- tion with this institution has been signalized by success, and in whatever capacity he has been called to serve, he has brought to his aid rare at- tainments and marked ability.
REV. E. D. WHITLOCK, Pastor of the William Street M. E. Church, Delaware ; was born near the city of Dayton, in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Nov. 12, 1843 ; is the son of Elias and Mary (Johnson) Whitlock ; his father was a farmer, and moved from Montgomery Co. to Piqua, Miami Co., where he died in 1880 at the age of 82 years. Mr. Whitlock remained with his father on the farm until 1863, when he came to Delaware, and entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, and graduated from that institution in the Class of 1866 ; he then went to Champaign Co., and was engaged in teaching school three years as Principal of the Urbana High School, and two years Superintendent of the Paris Schools ; he also filled the position for two years as a member of the Board of County School Examiners while in Urbana, and was two years Superintendent of the Barnesville School ; in 1873, Rev. Whitlock was ordained as a minister, his first charge being at Ansonia, Darke Co., where he remained for one year, then went to DeGraff, Logan Co., remaining one year, then to Bellefontaine, connty seat of Lo- gan Co., where he remained for three years, when
.651
DELAWARE TOWNSHIP.
the William Street M. E. Church. In 1868, the Rev. Mr. Whitlock was married, in Urbana, to Miss Malia L. Brand, of that place, and a daugh- ter of the Hon. J. C. Brand ; by this Union they have two children. Mr. Whitlock was a soldier in the 100-day service of the late war, entering Co. E, 145th O. N. G., and was on duty at Arlington Heights.
JOHN H. WARREN, County Treasurer, Delaware; was born in Radnor Township, this county, Oct. 20, 1833, and is the son of William M. Warren, of Pennsylvania, who came West and located in Delaware Co. about 1812 or 1814. John H., the subject of this sketch, was raised on a farm, and for awhile lived in Scioto Township ; at about 16 years of age, he came to Delaware, and entered a store as a clerk ; in 1856, he entered the mercantile business at Millville, where he continued until 1874; in 1875, Mr. Warren was elected to the office of County Treas- urer by the Democratic party, by a majority of eighty-nine votes ; in 1877, he was re-elected to the same office by a majority of 700 votes, one of the largest majorities ever given to a county officer in this county. Such a popular expression by the people speaks volumes in favor of the manner in which Mr. Warren has performed the duties of his office. and his fidelity to the public trust imposed upon him.
A. A. WELCH, merchant, Delaware, is the oldest merchant now doing business in Delaware ; was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., June 16, 1813, and is the son of Bildad Welch, of New York, who was engaged in farming; Mr. Welch's grand- father, John Welch, of New York, came to what is now Delaware Co. in 1804, and on the organiza- tion of the county was elected Commissioner, which position he filled about eight years ; in 1S17, Mr. A. A. Welch, with his father and family of ten children, started West, and came down the Ohio River on a raft to Marietta, and from that point went to Galena, Ohio, by wagon ; here Mr. Welch remained in Liberty and Westfield, until 1823, when, in February of that year, he came to Delaware; he learned the trade of chair-maker at Columbus, and while there, in April, 1830, joined the M. E. Church, of which he has been a mem- ber continuously to this day ; in 1834, he com- menced the manufacture of chairs in the building now occupied as a residence by the Rev. Jacob Brown; this was the first piece of property that Mr. Welch ever owned, consisting of 6 acres ; after several years, he moved to the east side of San-
dusky street, and, in 1840, purchased the property where his furniture store now stands, from Solo- mon Smith, one of the first settlers of the county ; in 1840, Mr. Welch commenced the manufacture of furniture, which he continued until 1874, since which time he has confined his business to the operation of a furniture salesroom; Mr. Welch now carries one of the most complete stocks to be found in Central Ohio; in 1869, he erected the brick building adjoining his furniture store, and, in 1873, built his present store, which is one of the substantial brick business blocks of Delaware. Mr. Welch married, Dec. 25, 1834, Miss Falenia Biglow ; she died two years after their marriage ; he married his present wife, in 1838, Mrs. Juliann (Storm ) Babcock, of Delaware, daughter of George Storm, one of the pioneer settlers of this county, having made his home here in 1809; by this mar- riage there were born eight children. Mr. Welch is one of the organizers and a charter member of the Ohio Wesleyan University, and was a Trustee of the Female College until 1876.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.