History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2, Part 46

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 836

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 46

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life, except three years in which he was engaged in the grocery business. He was married, Nov. 13, 1828, to P. S. Fassett; they have had six children ; all are living, five in Ohio and one in California-John M., Nathaniel C., A. E. (now married to Philip W. Loveridge), Mary A., Irene (now Mrs. Gregg), and Elvira L. (now Mrs. Lamp- man). Nathaniel C. was married to Nancy Chadwick Sept. 30, 1869, by whom he had two children-John M. and an infant (deceased) ; his wife died March 3, 1876; he again married, Aug. 14, 1879, Emma L., daughter of John and Re- becca Powell ; she was born in November, 1849, in Knox Co .; he was born Sept. 11, 1831.

O. E. FOSTER, grain merchant, Sunbury ; is a son of John and Anna (Cooper) Foster ; his father was born in Maryland, and came to Ohio in 1840, settling in Licking Co., engaging in agriculture ; his mother was a daughter of Tego Cooper, of English descent, and was born in 1820 in Maryland ; they had a family of twelve chi !- dren, eight of whom survive, and all in Delaware Co. The subject of this sketch was born in 183S in Maryland, and came with the family by team to Ohio ; he lived on a farm until 19 years old, and then attended school at Delaware for one year : ib 1861, he began reading law with Col. Reid of Delaware, continuing two years ; he had, however, before reading law, attended college at Wester- ville, Franklin Co., Ohio ; in 1868. he engaged in civil engineering at Chillicothe, Livingston Co .. Mo., three years. and farmed in Missouri four years : in 1875, he returned to Delaware Co .; he at once engaged in the grain business at Galena, until 1878, when he began the same business at Sun- bury, where he occupies as a warehouse a two- story frame building, 80x24 feet ; he has now on hand a large quantity of grain, in addition to which he handles several other products ; his bus- iness aggregates from $200 to $400 per day ; he is young and active, and puts his whole attention to his business, which insures success. He was married in 1863, to Permelia Conklin, a daughter of Matthew Conklin of New York ; they have three children-Ralph R., Annie and Eddy. Mr. Foster has taught school eleven terms.

JOHN M. FROST, retired farmer, Berkshire ; is a son of Stephen and Mary ( Cogswell) Frost, both of whom were natives of Connecticut. Mr. RICHARD GRIFFITH, farmer ; P. O. Con- stantia ; is the son of Richard and Amelia ( Haves ) Griffith ; his father was born in Ireland about 1809, and came to Ohio in 1839, where he engaged in farming and railroading; his mother was bore Frost, the subject of this sketch, was born in 1801, in Brooklyn, Windham Co., Conn., and moved with his parents to Pennsylvania in 1805; in 1837, he came by team to Delaware Co., Ohio, and settled where he now resides, on his farm of | in Ireland in 1814, and came with her husband to 150 acres ; he has followed farming during his Ohio; they had eight children. Mr. Griffith, the

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subject, was born in 1850 in Cleveland, Ohio ; his younger days were spent in farming and at- tending school ; he was also employed railroading for some time ; in 1871, he was married to Addie Hotchkiss, a daughter of Lyman Hotchkiss; her parents were both from Connecticut ; her mother was a teacher in an early day in this county ; her grandfather walked to Ohio from Connecticut dur- ing the war of 1812. Mr. and Mrs. Griffith have had two children -- Allwood, born Nov. 3, 1872 ; Winford, July 20, 1877 ; after marriage they set- tled on their present farm of 288 acres.

GEORGE GIBSON, merchant, Berkshire; is a son of Robert and E. (Bartlett) Gibson ; his father was born in 1793, in Pennsylvania, and moved to Ohio at an early day; was in the war 1812 ; he died in 1867 ; his mother was born in New England; had a family of twelve children, five of whom now survive. Mr. Gibson, the subject, was born in 1818, in Washington Co., Ohio ; when 14 years of age, he moved with his parents to Berkshire Township; they were in moderate circumstances ; Mr. Gibson was compelled to work out to provide for himself; he worked for from $4 to $9 per month. In 1847, he was married to Elma, daughter of Cornelius Roloson ; she was born in 1824; they soon settled in what is now Morrow Co., and there farmed for seventeen months, and then moved to Delaware Co .; in 1863, they moved to Berkshire Township ; his first tax, after marriage, was 75 cents; he is now a well-to- do farmer, owning 300 acres, and some fine prop. erty in Berkshire, together with an interest with Finch & Webster in the dry-goods and notions business ; the dwelling in which he now lives is the oldest brick house in Delaware Co. Mr. Gib- son owns stock in the gravel road running from Delaware to Sunbury, of which he has long been - Assistant President. His wife is a member of the M. E. Church at Berkshire; they have had four children-Juliana, Elivana, died when young ; Henrietta, died March 9, 1878, and Fannie, now living at home ; by energy and economy he has accumulated a large fortune, which he is now en- joying in his pleasant home.

the time ; at 22, he began farming in Trenton Township, and was married, in 1860, to Clarinda Cochran, a daughter of James Cochran, of Ohio ; she was born in Ohio, but is now dead ; had one child, James, born March 23, 1861 : he was again married Oct. 21, 1869, to Mrs. Julia A. Badger, a daughter of John and Sarah Pros- ser ; she was born June 11, 1837 ; she had two girls-Helen M. and Dora D. (Badger); their father died in 1864 ; in 1866, he bought the pres- ent farm of six acres, upon which he has made fine improvements ; they have fifty acres adjoin- ing, inherited by his wife ; she is a member of thé M. E. Church at Galena. Mr. Ginn's great- grandfather was killed by the Indians during the Revolutionary war, and his grandfather was taken prisoner, but was released, bearing with him the sad intelligence that his father, sister, mother and two brothers had been killed by the savages.

GEORGE GRIST, retired farmer ; P. O. Sun- bury ; is a son of John B. and Abigail (Pray) Grist ; his father was born Jan. 9, 1780, in New Haven, Conn., and moved to Pennsylvania when 4, and to Ohio in 1807, where he died in 1841 ; was in the battle against Tecumseh. His mother was a daughter of Hezekiah Pray; she was born in Pennsylvania about 1790. They had twelve children. Mr. Grist was born in 1814, in Berk- shire Township, where he has spent almost his al- lotted three score and ten, and still bids fair for a few more years of usefulness ; his younger days were spent in clearing away the forest and attending school, eight months of which he was at Worth- ington, Ohio ; he helped to teach a school under Dr. Denison's instruction ; he became interested in book-keeping, and has always kept a book account of his farming, which has mostly been his voca- tion during life ; he has been robust and hearty since he was 7 years old. At the age of 22, he began farming for himself, renting from his father and Atherton. In April, 1839, he was married to Mary A. Carpenter, daughter of Squire Carpen- ter ; she was born in Licking Co. In the spring of 1840, he moved on M. Perfect's farm in Tren- ton Township, and lived there about three years : he then cleared ten acres of a thirty-acre tract which his father had given him ; this thirty acres he traded for forty-three acres in Trenton Town- ship, in the mean time buying 100 acres of the Spinning tract, and traded it for 120 acres in Stenben Co., Ind., which he then traded for some land in Trenton Township, adjoining his forty-

CHARLES GINN ; P. O. Galena ; is a son of James and Etfie Ginn ; his father was born Sept. 12, 1795, in the State of Delaware, and came to Ohio Nov. 6, 1811 ; he married, Feb. 18, 1819, Effie Brown ; she was born June 16, 1798, and died in March. 1860. His aged wife survives him. Mr. Giun, the subject, was born in 1836 in Delaware Co., which has been his home most of i three acres ; he soon after began trading in stock,

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

which he continued eighteen years. In 1855, he went to Iowa, and cleared $4,000 in farming and trading ; he then returned to Delaware Co. in 1857, selling his farin in Iowa in 1857. In 1871, he sold his farm in Berkshire Township for $17,000, which he invested in loaning and buying property. He owns eleven town lots in Sunbury, and four acres of land adjoining the town, to- gether with a fine dwelling and the hotel now oc- cupied by Bryant, and the business room of Payne & Rose; has also one lot, 80 feet front and 192 feet deep, on High street, Columbus. He had eleven children by his first wife, two of whom are living. She died in 1862. He again married in 1865 to Mrs. Fowler, daughter of Joseph Pat- rick, who came to Ohio about the same time Mr. Grist's father came ; by her he had one child, Charles M. Mr. Grist has been Township Trus- tee, and was elected Justice of the Peace in Iowa, but resigned when moving back ; he has been an active worker in the temperance movement; he was once connected with the Sunbury Bank, and once sold goods in same place for three years, but met with misfortune through other parties failing, compelling him to pay $3,000 security. He has taken the Delaware Gazette since Griswold be- came editor, and is perhaps the oldest subscriber to that paper in the county. He is also the oldest child born in Berkshire Township.

O. D. HOUGH, farmer ; P. O. Sunbury ; born in Vermont Oct. 23, 1808, and is one of thirteen children born to Sylvester and Sarah (Williams) Hough ; his father was a native of Connecticut and a physician ; in 1812, he emigrated from his native State, and settled in Genoa Township, where he practiced in his profession, and added the business of milling. Mr. O. D. Hough spent his youth with his father, assisting in the mill and on the farm, until he had reached the age of 24, when he married and took charge of his father's farm for a year, at the expiration of time to the care of his large estate.

which he moved into Brown Township, where he carried on the milling business for fifteen years ; like all the mills of this county, his was dependent upon the stream upou which it was situated for its motor power, which proved insufficient six months in the year ; during these seasons of en-

and made his home on it for some six years; later, he purchased the Prince farm, to which he added 140 acres of the Prince estate; he is now one of the large landholders of the county, possessing 900 acres of some of the finest farming land in the county ; this property he has acquired by an active life of hard work without outside assist- ance, save- $192, which fell to him from his father's estate; this life of activity has not, with its abundant success, warped his judgment or nar- rowed the scope of his generous impulses, and the village of Sunbury, or the county at large, has no readier sympathizer or a more efficient worker with influence and money, than Hon. O. D. Hough ; he is a Director of the Sunbury Bank, a position he has held ever since its organization ; he was one of the stockholders and originators of the Del- aware, Berkshire & Sunbury Pike; he has held the office of County Commissioner for six years, and has been Treasurer and a magistrate for twelve years ; at the resignation of J. R. Hubbell, he was elected to fill his vacancy in the Legisla- ture, and, in 1866, the county again honored itself by his reelection. Mr. Hough has been twice married ; in 1832, to Miss Corintha C. Thrall, who was born in Greenville, Ohio, July 3, 1813, and died April 1, 1878; by this marriage he had five children-Clarissa A. (who married O. H. Will- iams, a farmer and merchant), Charlotte A. (who married a Mr. Walker, who was a railroad agent at Richmond, Ind., Hamilton. Ohio, and at Day- ton in the latter State, dying in 1877 at Columbus, Ohio, his widow now living in Delaware) ; two children died in infancy, and a third-his only son, died April 5, 1879; his widow, whose maiden name was Miss Mary Linn, survives him with two children-Benjamin W. and Leonard. April 15, 1879, Mr. Hough was married to Mrs. McMillen, widow of Dr. McMillen ; he is now living at Sun- bury, retired from active pursuits, devoting his

JOHN J. HUBBARD, retired farmer; P. O. Berkshire; is a son of Jacob and Hannah Hub- bard ; his father was born in New York, and was of German descent; his mother was born in Con- necticut. Mr. Hubbard, the subject. was born May 9, 1800, in Connecticut; he attended school in his younger days, and in 1814 engaged in the last war with Great Britain ; he took the young "Sea Horse," starting from New Haven, and was taken off the coast of Nova Scotia, and imprisoned in Halifax, for three months ; he was released, in

forced leisure in the mill, Mr. Hough employed his spare time clearing a farmi of 114 acres; after the death of his father, he bought the old home stead in 1847, and, after living there several years, sold it and bought 342 acres of Peter Van Sickle; he afterward bought 117 acres of Bricker, exchange for prisoners, in 1816; he farmed, in

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York, in connection with mill-wrighting and car- pentering. In 1841, he came to Ohio, and settled in Delaware Co., where he has since resided. Was married, June 25, 1826, to Sallie E. "Collins, daughter of David and Amarilla Collins ; she was born in New York, and came to Ohio with her husband ; they had seven children, five of whom are living. He has a fine house and lot where he now resides.

JOHN KNOX, farmer; P. O. Sunbury ; is a son of Titus and Margaret (Sinnett) Knox ; his father was born Oct. 8, 1784, came to Ohio about 1819, with the Granville Company, and to Dela- ware Co. in 1837, settling in the forests, at which time wild animals and game of all kinds filled the woods; he was a descendant of Gen. Knox, of the Revolutionary war ; the mother of John was born Nov. 1, 1794, and died Aug. 7, 1859; she was a member of the Baptist Church, as was also her husband, who died in 1866. The subject of these notes was born March 9, 1821, in Licking Co., Ohio, on his father's farm, at which time it was eight miles to the nearest neighbors; at the age of 15, he moved with his parents to the present farm of 380 acres, which he bought in 1872. He was married in 1846 to Esther Vansickle, daughter of John Vansickle, of New Jersey ; she died in Octo- ber, 1865 ; had by her six children ; one is living -- Alonzo; he is a member of the Barrack Band, at Columbus ; graduated at Warren, Ohio. Mr. Knox again married, July 5, 1866, Lucinda F. Babcock, a daughter of Gurdon and. Almira Bab- cock ; she was born Sept. 17, 1832, in Canton, N. Y .; her parents make a home with them. Mr. Knox taught school during the winter months for twelve years; he has been Justice of the Peace and School Director, and has held offices in the Baptist Church, of which he has been a member forty years and has donated over $3,100 to church and benevolent purposes ; he also takes an active interest in the temperance movement, the mission- ary work, and in the Sunday school, of which he has been Superintendent. His wife is an enthusi- astic worker and was sixteen years a school teacher. His farm of 380 acres is one of fine improvement and well adapted to cattle-raising, to which he largely devotes his attention ; on this farm can be seen an orchard, the grafts for which were brought from New Jersey, over sixty years ago, in saddle- bags. Mr. Knox is at present guardian for the Henry and Rachel Foster heirs. He was a Whig, and at the formation of the Republican party, he became a member of it.

J. F. KEMPTON, jeweler, Sunbury; is a son of Henry and Louisa (Wright) Kempton ; his father was born in Maine and emigrated to Sun- bury, Ohio, about 1839, where he died, in 1853; his mother was also born in Maine, and was the mother of five children-Henry, Louisa ( who died in 1877), Miranda (she died in 1861), Sarah and J. F., who was born- in Maine March 11, 1837, and came with his parents, by team, to Sunbury ; at the age of 15, he began working at the cabinet- maker's trade, with Nathan Marble; in about three years, he went to Michigan and worked in the iron mines ; returning in about one year, in the fall of 1859, he engaged in the saw-mill busi- ness, at Condit, in partnership with Henry Wilson and Joseph Matthews, and was thus connected, until Sept. 25, 1862, when he enlisted in Co. D, 25th O. V. I., and served three years, during which time he was engaged in some of the sever- est contests of the war, such as the battles of Shi- loh, Vicksburg, Jackson, Miss., Black River, Raymond, Baldwin Station, Champion Hills. Ken- esaw Mountain and the siege of Atlanta, where the company was taken prisoners, only Dr. Speaker ard Mr. Kempton escaped, by breaking through the lines ; took part in forty-one engagements; was discharged May 30, 1865, at Washington. He then returned home, and was engaged in the jew- elry business with his brother-in-law, John P. Decker, at Delaware, about three years, since which time he has been at Sunbury, in the jew- elry business and repairing sewing machines, mak- ing a specialty of selling the Howe and Victor machines. He carries a complete stock of jewelry, and is prepared to do fine work in repairing, or satisfy his customers in everything that pertains a first-class jewelry store. Mr. Kempton was mar- ried in 1839, to Mary E. Decker, a daughter of Moses and Charlotte Decker; she was born in 1836; they have had five children-Hattie I. and Frank (deceased), Fred. E., Harry O. and Burt. They are members of the M. E. Church at Sunbury.

J. H. KIMBALL, merchant, Sunbury ; is a son of Elisha and Tryphena (Tiekuor) Kimball ; his father was born in New Hampshire in 1783; and came to Delaware Co., Ohio, in 1828, where he died about 1873. He was a member of the Congregational Church of Boston, Mass .; his mother was a daughter of Elisha Tieknor, a farmer of New Hampshire; she was born in 1785, and died in 1873, about six months before her hus- band; they had a family of eight children; Mr.

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

Kimball, the subject of this sketch, was born June 27, 1828, on a farm in New Hampshire, and was brought to Sunbury, Delaware Co. by his parents . soon after, and engaged as a clerk for Myers, Kim- ball & Co .; he afterward clerked for H. W. Cham- berlain one year; he next engaged with Jones & Ickes for one year; he then went to Delaware, where he clerked for W. L. Welch & Co. for one year ; again clerked for Kimball & Ticknor; in 1854, he bought out Ticknor, and conducted the business under the firm name of Smith & Kimball for two years; he then sold out to Smith, and en- gaged in business with Elias Kimball, under the firm name of E. & J. H. Kimball ; he was thus con- nected until 1862, when he enlisted in Co. G, 96th O. V. I., entering as Captain, and continuing as such two years; he next acted as clerk in the Quartermaster's Bureau in Alabama for one year ; after the war, he farmed for three years in Allen Co., Ohio ; he then sold out and went to California on a visit, returned in 1870, and settled at Sun- bury, where he has since resided; he began busi- ness in partnership with Armstrong; after three years, Armstrong withdrew, and the firm changed to Kimball & Perfect ; the latter, some time after, withdrew, and the firm changed to Kimball & Mc- Allister, and so continues. He was married in 1854 to Mary E. Adams, daughter of J. W. Adams, of New York ; she was born in June, 1833; have three children-Louise, Jennie and Byron. His wife died in 1863. Was a member of the Baptist Church of Sunbury. Was again married in 1864 to Martha J. Adams ; they have five children-Owen, Marion, Percy, Carroll and the fifth unnamed.

O. H. KIMBALL, banker, Sunbury; is the son of Elias and Irene A. Kimball ; his father was born July 13, 1815, in Lebanon, Grafton Co., N. H., and, at the age of 17, entered a dry-goods store at Lebanon as clerk ; at the age of 21, he came to Cleveland, Ohio, where he engaged in the dry-goods business with a Mr. Kelly, owner of Kelly's Island, continuing for about three years. He was married, Sept. 18, 1839, to Irene A. Tick- nor, daughter of W. D. and Betsey Ticknor; she was born Dec. 1, 1817, in Lebanon, N. H., and is a sister of Mr. Ticknor, of the noted publishing- house of Ticknor & Fields, of Boston. He ell- gaged again in the dry-goods trade in Marion, Ohio, removing from there in 1842 to Marysville, where he pursued his old business; in 1844, he removed from there to Sunbury, starting once more in the dry-goods trade under the firm name of E.

& J. H. Kimball, where he continued until 1862, when he was compelled to retire to private life on account of paralysis. At different times, he had filled nearly all the township offices, and though often solicited to become a candidate for the higher offices of trust and honor in the county, he as often refused. On Dec. 23, 1872, he was stricken from life's roll on earth, and gathered into life eternal, leaving behind the companion of his joys and sorrows, with whom he had shared for thirty- three years. He was the father of four children, two of whom survive-Mrs. George Armstrong and (). H. Kimball, the subject of this sketch, who was born June 13, 1855, in Sunbury, where he has lived the most of his life. In the winter of 1869 and into the spring of 1870, he attended. Denison University at Granville, Ohio, and after- ward clerked for the firm of Kimball & Armstrong ; in the fall of 1872, he entered the Union Business College of Cleveland, Ohio, graduating June 11, 1873; he then entered the business house of C. Hills & Co., of Delaware, as clerk, remaining with them until Jan. 1, 1875, when he was selected as the cashier of the Sunbury Bank, which he still retains with credit to himself and the institution. Mr. Kimball was married, Sept. 12, 1876, to Miss Abbie A. Moore, daughter of Barton Moore. whose sketch appears elsewhere. Mr. Kimball owns one-eighth of the stock in the bank of which he is cashier, its capital being $50,000 ; he is also an owner of ten lots in Sunbury, and some outside property. His mother, who is about 62 years of ago, makes her home with his family, and is in the enjoyment of life's blessings. He is a member of the Sparrow Lodge, A., F. & A. M., and of Dela- ware Chapter, No. 54, filling the office of S. W .: is also a member of Enoch Lodge of Perfection at Columbus.

MRS. S. A. LETTS, widow, retired farmer, Berkshire ; is a daughter of James and Frances Smith ; her father was born in Ireland, and came to New York and merchandised in the East until 1839, when he came to Ohio; Mrs. Letts was born Nov. 20, 1827, in New York, and came to Ohio with her parents when young. Was mar- ried in 1854, to Rees Letts, son of John Letts, of Knox Co., Ohio; also a brother of Joel Letts ; her husband was born . in 1824, in Knox Co ; after marriage, they settled on what is known as the O. D. Hough farm, of 164 aeres, and remained there until 1870, when they sold out and engaged in merchandising in connection with farming; in October, 1874, they were

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burned out at Berkshire; he was at that time building a fine brick residence. where Mrs. Letts now resides; she has two children-Orlan S. and Ida M., both living at home; Aug. 16, 1876, Mr. Letts died ; he was a member of the M. E. Church, of which she and Ida are mem- bers; he was Treasurer of Berkshire Township and has held several other offices.

J. LAMPMAN, farmer; P. O. Berkshire; is a son of Stephen P. and Susan (Lowen) Lamp- man ; his father was born in 1788, in New York, and came to Ohio in 1830, and died Aug. 15, 1842 ; his mother was a daughter of John Lowen, and was born in 1798, in Vermont. Mr. Lamp- man, the subject of this sketch, was born Oct. 25, 1826, in Oswego Co., N. Y., and came with his parents by canal and lake to Ohio; his younger days were spent in attending school and farming. He was married in 1848, to Mary A. Wheeler ; she was born in 1823, in New York ; they have one child-Stephen A. He married Elvira Frost, daughter of John M. Frost; they have four children-John F., Durell, Anna and Mary. Mr. Lampman settled in Trenton Town- ship in 1849, and, in 1855, he moved to Marshall Co., Iowa, and there farmed 270 acres, where he remained until 1866, and then returned to Berk- shire Township and engaged in farming 155 acres which he bought, paying $8,200 cash ; this is a fine farm and well suited to raising sheep, which he makes a specialty. He is a member of Spar- row Lodge, No. 400, A., F. & A. M.

J. W. LIKES, jeweler and Postmaster, Galena ; is a son of Samuel and Sarah Likes; his father was born about 1790, in Westmoreland Co., Penn., and settled in Belmont Co., Ohio, in 1831 ; he was a blacksmith and died in 1833 ; his mother was a daughter of William Baxter; she was born in 1793, in Ireland, and emigrated to Ohio in 1831. She was married to Mr. Samuel Likes Dec. 29, 1813; they had seven children, six boys and one girl, five of whom now survive. Mr. Likes, the subject of this sketch, was born July 25, 1822, in " Old Hickory " (now Mt. Pleasant), Penn .; be came with his parents to Ohio in 1831 ; at the death of his father, he went to Pennsyl- vania and made a home with his uncle ( Baxter), where he was permitted to attend school. His uncle being a blacksmith, he required the services of young Likes, and engaged him during the mornings and evenings ; in the spring of 1837, he came to Ohio and engaged in farming and break- ing stones on the national road; he next learned

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History of Delaware County and Ohio : containing a brief history of the state of Ohio biographical sketches etc. V. 2, Part 46

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co. cn Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 836

Author: O.L. Baskin & Co. cn
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 836