History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 109

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

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MAJ. C. H. MCELROY, Mayor of Delaware, was born in Gambier, Knox Co., Ohio, March 19, 1830; the son of James and Maria (Burrows) McElroy, both parents natives of Ireland; emi- grating to America in about 1828, they came to Ohio and located in Gambier, where James McElroy became a Professor of Gambier Col- lege; in 1832, he, with his family, moved to Del- aware, Ohio, and took charge as Pastor of the Episcopal Church for over twenty years; he is now a resident of San Francisco, Cal .; Maj. McElroy was but a mere child when his parents moved to Delaware, where they remained until 1840, then moved to Staunton, Va., where they were residents until 1851; the Major received his principal education in the University of Virginia, of which he was a student in 1849-51; in the latter year he was admitted to the practice of law at Lewishurg, Va., and returned to Delaware; from 1851 to 1855, he was engaged in civil engineer- ing; in the latter year he began the practice of his profession. At the breaking-out of the war, in 1861, he enlisted as a private in Co. D, 20th O. V. I., but was made Captain on the organization of the Company ; in 1862, he was commissioned Major of the 96th O. V. I., with which regiment he served until July, 1863, when he was mustered out on account of sickness ; Maj. McElroy partici- pated in the battles of Fort Donelson, where the first substantial success of the war was achieved; of Pittsburg Landing, the siege and surrender of Vicksburg, and others of minor importance, and witnessed the surrender of the three rebel armies, one each at Fort Donelson, Vicksburg and Arkansas Post ; in 1863, Maj. McElroy returned to Dela- ware, and entered upon the practice of law; in 1879, the law firm of McElroy & Culver was formed, the junior member being Prosecuting Attorney for the county; the firm stand well up in their profession, and enjoy a lucrative practice; he was Mayor of Delaware in 1858-59, and was re- elected to the same position in 1878, which office he holds at this writing. He is a Republican. Was married in 1858 to Miss Caroline Murray, of Delaware Co., Ohio.

FRANK MOYER, wagon and carriage man- ufacturer, Delaware, was born in Marion Co., Ohio, in 1851; in 1869, he came to Delaware and com- menced to learn his trade in the shops, to which he has succeeded as proprietor, then owned by David

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Stimmel, who founded the business in 1854; in 1873, Mr. Moyer entered into partnership with William Hedrick, and formed the firm of Moyer & Hedrick, manufacturers of carriages, buggies, etc .; they continued together about two years, when Mr. Moyer became sole owner; from this period began a revolution in the enterprise, and the suc- cess of Mr. Moyer has been demonstrated ; the works are located at No. 33 South Main street, next to the Delaware Run; as manufacturer of carriages, buggies, farm and spring wagons, Mr. Moyer ranks with the foremost in Delaware Co .; he employs expert workmen, and the character of .the work he turns out, together with his past suc- cess in the business, is a guarantee of satisfaction to his patrons.

A. MITCHELL, Delaware, was born in Fayette Co., W. Va., April 7, 1829 ; his parents belonged to Miles Manser, a prosperous and extensive owner of slaves ; after the breaking- out of the war of the rebellion, there was sta- tioned on the plantation of Mr. Manser, a hody of Union troops ; connected with the command was Gen. R. B. Hays, who made his headquarters in Mr. Manser's house, and who took Mr. Mitchell as his servant ; through the General's advice he came to Ohio and worked for S. Birchard, where he remained about five years, when he went to Albany, Ohio ; after a period of about six months, he came to Delaware, where he has been a re- spected colored citizen ; his first start was as a laborer in a brickyard for Mr. A. Welch ; he then hecame janitor of the Ohio Wesleyan Female Col- lege, which he held for a number of years ; he is now holding the same position in connection with the Episcopal Church and the Opera House. Mr. Mitchell was married in West Virginia, in 1858, to Sarah Ann Bradley, of Christian Co., Ky .; they have seven children.

REV. LORENZO DOW MCCABE, Professor of Philosophy in Ohio Wesleyan University, Dela- ware; was born in Marietta, Ohio, Jan. 7, 1817, and is the son of Robert and Mary (McCracken) McCabe. His father was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and his mother of Virginia ; they were mar- ried in Pennsylvania and came to Ohio, locating at Marietta, where they resided until their death, which took place in 1823, both dying in the same year. Prof. McCabe, the subject of this sketch, commenced life as a clerk at the age of 9 years ; this occupation he followed until attaining his ma- jority ; he then (in 1838) entered the Ohio Uni- versity, at Athens, and graduated there in 1843

under Dr. Wm. H. McGuffey ; he immediately joined the Worthington Circuit, and in 1844 was elected Professor of Mathematics of the Ohio Uni- versity ; in 1845, he was elected to a chair in the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, and in 1860 was elected Professor of Philosophy in the the same institution ; he has been Vice President of the Wesleyan University since 1860, and, during this period, has served five years as President of the institution ; the degree of D. D. was conferred on him in 1855 by Allegheny College, at Mead- ville, Penn., and that of LL. D. was conferred in 1877 by Syracuse University ; he is the author of several valuable works, among which may be no- ticed " The Foreknowledge of God," an interest- ing book of over 400 pages ; also a volume en- titled " Philosophy of Holiness." He was first married to Miss Martha Sewall, in 1845, in Wash- ington, D. C., who was a niece of Dr. Sewall; she died in 1850; he married his present wife, Miss C. Clarke, in 1857, at Williamsport, Penn .; the result of this marriage is three children.

E. T. NELSON, Professor Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity, Delaware, was born in Worthington, Franklin Co., Ohio, Oct. 14, 1845, and is the son of Rev. Alexander and Jane ( Morrison) Nelson, his mother a native of New Hampshire and father of Vermont ; the latter settled in Ohio as early as 1835, and has been a Methodist clergyman for the last forty years ; he was the first President of the Iowa Wesleyan University, at Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, where he remained two years; was afterward con- nected with the Baldwin University, at Berea, Ohio. Prof. Nelson graduated from the Ohio Wesleyan University in 1866, and in 1869, graduated from Yale College, as Doctor of Philosophy ; from 1869 to 1871 he was Professor in Hanover College ; in 1871, he came to Delaware, and accepted a posi- tion in the Ohio Wesleyan University, as Profes- sor of Natural History, which chair he has filled ever since, with marked ability. Prof. Nelson was a soldier in the late war, having enlisted in the 145th O. V. I., Co. D, of which company he was Captain.

REV. ISAAC NEWTON, Presiding Elder of the M. E. Church, Delaware, was born in Shef- field, Yorkshire, England, Nov. 10, 1823, and is son of John and Mary (Shaw) Newton, both born in England. Our subject, when a young man, began to learn the trade of a whitesmith (ma- chinist), in Sheffield, at which he worked until 25 years of age, when he sailed for Amer- ica ; after being at sea seven and a half weeks, he

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landed in New Orleans ; he went to Galena, Ill., arriving at that place with five cents in his pocket; he obtained work at his trade, and remained there for several months, when he entered Rock River Seminary, where he prepared himself for college. After graduating at this seminary, he came, in the fall of 1852, to Delaware, Ohio, and entered the Ohio Wesleyan University ; here he graduated, in 1856, when he immediately joined the Dela- ware, now Central Ohio, Conference, and was given a charge at Delphia Station, Allen Co., where he remained two years ; thence to Green- ville, Darke Co., two years; at Marion, Marion Co., two years; Bucyrus, Crawford Co., three years .; Toledo, one year ; Findlay, Hancock Co., three years ; Bellefontaine, three years ; Canton, three years ; Fremont, one year; William st., Delaware, two years; Lima, one year, from Lima returned to Delaware, where he has been Presiding Elder ever since. Mr. Newton was married, in 1856, to Miss Susan B. Bell, of Sandusky, Ohio ; they have two children.

T. C. O'KANE, books and stationery. If any man has advertised the name of Delaware, east, west, north and south, it is the above-named gen- tleman, who was born in Fairfield Co., Ohio, March 10, 1830 ; son of James and Julia (Williams) O'Kane; his mother was born in New York, and his father in Virginia ; at 8 years of age, he moved with his parents to Franklin Co., Ohio, where he remained until 1849, during which time he re- ceived a district school education and engaged in teaching ; in 1849, he came to Delaware and en- tered the Ohio Wesleyan University, from which he graduated in 1852, and was chosen Tutor of Mathematics in the university, where he remained until 1857, when he resigned and went to Cincin- nati, and was made Principal over fourteen dis- trict schools of that city, where he remained in connection with the public schools until 1864; he then accepted a position in the well-known music house of Philip Phillips & Co., of Cincin- nati, and remained with them until 1867, when he came to Delaware, and was engaged for a num- ber of years in traveling for an American house throughout Ohio ; in 1873, Mr. O'Kane entered his present business in company with L. S. Wells, under the name of T. C. O'Kane & Wells, which continued until 1878 ; this house is the leading book and stationery establishment of Delaware, also doing a large business in wall-paper ; in 1868, Mr. O'Kane began the compilation of a series of Sunday-school singing-books which are among

the most popular singing-books in Sunday schools throughout the United States ; he has compiled and published six works, with a circulation of over 600,000 copies; the sale of these works are as follows : "Fresh Leaves," 75,000; " Dew Drops," 100,000; "Songs for Worship," 120,- 000 ; "Every Sabbath," 100,000; "Jasper and Gold," 150,000; "Joy of the World" (just published), 70,000. Mr. O'Kane is a member of the Williams Street M. E. Church, and has . been its Sunday School Superintendent for the last four years, as well as leader of the choir. He was married in 1853, to Miss Laura E. Eaton, of Delaware Co., Ohio, daughter of James Eaton, one of the pioneer settlers of Delaware Co .; two children, sons.

REV. C. H. OWENS, Delaware ; was born in Montgomeryshire, North Wales, April 8, 1819 ; the son of John and Grace (Humphries) Owens, both born in North Wales; in 1820, the family sailed for America, and, after being at sea for some eight weeks, safely landed at Philadelphia, then by private conveyance came to Delaware Co., and located in Radnor Township; from there they went to Sandusky, where his father was engaged in building the old Wyandot Mission house ; from Sandusky they returned to Radnor Township, and, during his residence hore, the elder Owens was engaged at his trade, as a brick and stone mason, in constructing some of the principal business buildings of Delaware, such as the Little and Williams Blocks; also built the foundation for the Mansion House, now used by the Ohio Wes- leyan University, and known as Elliot Hall; the mother, Grace (Humphries) Owens, died in Delaware Co., Aug. 9, 1851, at 68 years of age; John Owens moved to Upper Sandusky, where he remained until 1856, when he moved to Mount Gilead, and died there in October, 1857, at 72 years of age; the son, C. H., attended the first school of the Ohio Wesleyan University ; in 1841, he commenced the study for the ministry, and the same year attended the North Ohio Conference; and united with it in 1843, since which time he has not missed being present at their meetings; the Rev. Mr. Owens has been located in different parts of Ohio, his first appointment being at Greenville, Darke Co .; in September, 1874, he closed his pastoral work and accepted a position as collecting agent for the Ohio Wesleyan Female College; in 1877, he entered upon the work of a similar position with the Ohio Wesleyan Univer- sity, which place he now holds ; Mr. Owens mar-

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ried in July, 1851, Miss Charity Whitaker, of Pennsylvania ; they had one child ; Mrs. Owens died in December, 1852 ; he married his present wife, Miss Sarah Jane Welsh, of Knox Co., Ohio, Nov. 24, 1857.

C. V. OWSTON, City Marshal, Delaware; born in this city Sept. 15, 1845, and is the son of William Owston, who settled here at an early day, where he has been engaged at his trade as brick- layer and contractor, assisting in the construction of some of the leading buildings of Delaware ; C. V. Owston learned his trade as a carriage-body maker at Columbus, Ohio, where he worked for some two years, when he came to Delaware and followed his trade for three years longer. In 1870, he was nominated and elected to the office of City Marshal by a majority of some three hundred votes ; this office he filled with such satisfaction that, in 1872 and 1874, he was reelected with an increased majority, and, in 1878, he was again re- elected, and still holds the office, which is the best evidence of his fitness for the position. He was a soldier in the late civil war, having enlisted in the 145th O. V. I., doing service at Arlington Heights, Washington, D. C. He is a Democrat, and a hard worker in his party.

T. W. POWELL, retired lawyer, Delaware. Sketch given in History of Courts and Bar.

PETER PRAUL, farmer ; P. O. Delaware; born in Warren, N. J., June 22, 1819 ; son of Aaron J. and Elizabeth (Lewis) Praul; his father was a soldier of the war of 1812; his mother died in New Jersey; in 1848, Mr. Praul's father and three children came to Ohio in wagons, via Zanes- ville, and located in Delaware Township, near the present homestead; here he purchased what is now known as the Williams and Beards farms, and, soon afterward, purchased the farm that Mr. Praul now lives on, these farms comprising in all 283} acres; our subject was raised on the farm, where he remained until about 19 years of age, when he began to learn the shoemaker's trade, which he followed about ten years. In 1846, he was married to Miss Elizabeth Vought ; in 1848, with his wife and two children, he started in a carriage for Delaware Co., and, after being on the road a number of days, arrived in October of 1848, and located on the farm that he now resides on ; then he set out in farming, in which avoca- tion he has continued ever since; on this home- stead Mr. Praul's father died at 92 years of age- a respected and honored citizen ; his father lived to be 105 years old, and his grandfather 110 years

old; of the family of Prauls that located here, only two are living-William Praul, of Illinois, and the subject of this sketch, who has remained on the old homestead since 1848; he owns 140 acres of land; has been a member of the M. E. Church for the last forty years. Mr. and Mrs. Peter Praul have had eleven children, seven now living-James K., born in New Jersey, Sarah Catharine, Emma J., Franklin E., Lewis J., Eva L. and Thomas R .; the last six were born on the old homestead in Delaware Township; the old clock that stands on Mr. Praul's mantle is an old family relic, and was bought by Mr. Praul's father in New Jersey in 1823, and was one of the first wooden clocks sold in that neighborhood, he paying $24 for it; this wonderful clock has been running ever since, and has never been to the shop for repairs, and yet to-day, over 57 years old, it keeps good time.

REV. N. E. PILGER, Pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Delaware; was born in Prussia in 1842; in 1847, he came to America, and in 1856 began his studies at Bardstown, Ky .; he graduated at St. Mary's, near Cincinnati, Ohio, in June, 1862, finishing his theological course at the same institution ; in 1865, he was ordained by Bishop Rosecrans, and he was first located in Mon- roe Co., Ohio, where he remained seven years, thence to Newark and Lancaster, and in December, 1874, to Delaware, where he has remained in charge of St. Mary's Catholic Church ever since.

C. D. POTTER, Delaware ; was born in Del- aware, Ohio, Dec. 27, 1827, and is the son of Ed- ward and Abigail (Denison) Potter. Edward Potter was born in New London, Conn., June 13, 1791, son of John and Elizabeth ( Witter) Potter ; his father in the latter part of his life followed fishing ; he was employed in guardiog the prisoners in New London at the time the town was burnt by the British ; Edward Potter lived in New Lon- don until 13 years old, when he went to Lenox, Mass., to live with his uncle ; in June, 1804, he, with his unele, Col. Byxbe, wife and five children, Witter Stewart, Orlando Barker, Solomon Smith, Azariah Root and family, started in wagons for the Far West, crossing the Hudson River at Fish- kill, thence through the towns of Harrisburg, Carlisle and Strasburg, over the mountains to Bed- ford and Redstone (now Brownsville), where they built a flatboat and floated down the river to Wheeling ; there they loaded their wagons and again set out traveling by wagons, a Mr. Hutch- inson taking the boat to Portsmouth; from

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Wheeling they went to Zanesville, Lancaster and Franklinton, crossed the river at Columbus, thence to Worthington, where they remained a short time; they finally reached Delaware Co., and located in Berkshire, making the first settlement in Berk- shire Township ; here Edward Potter remained with his uncle, Col. Byxbe, until 1805, when he returned to his home in New London, Conn., and thence to Saybrook, where he learned his trade as a hatter, and remained there some nine years ; thence to Colchester, Conn., and entered the hat business, where he remained three years; during the war of 1812, Mr. Potter lost about all his money ; he then set out on foot looking for a lo- cation and visiting friends ; during this time he walked over three thousand miles; in 1819, he walked from Connecticut to Ohio, and purchased 50 acres of land at $5 per acre, in Delaware Township, west of Delaware; he then footed it all the way back to Connecticut; in 1820, he returned with his wife and a one-horse wagon to Delaware Co., Ohio, and settled on his land ; in 1825, he moved to Delaware, and commenced the manufact- ure of hats; he continued at this until 1838, and was successful ; in 1838, he moved to his present homestead, where he has been an honored citizen ever since. During Mr. Potter's residence in Delaware, he held several offices of public trust, and was Supervisor and Councilman. Mr. Potter is the oldest living settler of Delaware Co., having first made his home here in 1804. He has been married twice, first to Abigail Denison, who died in 1831, then to his present wife, Elizabeth Reynolds, in 1832; she is the daughter of E. Reynolds, Esq., who came to Delaware Co. in 1815 ; Mr. Potter has three children living, all by the first wife-Emeline, Abigail D. and Charles D. Charles was engaged on his father's farm until he was 21 years of age, when he entered the hard- ware store of John B. Johns, as a clerk, and after- ward became a partner ; the firm was C. D. Potter & Co. from 1852 to 1874, during which time Mr. Potter was in partnership with H. H. Husted and Z. P. Hammond ; during the latter years, Mr. Pot- ter was alone in business. Mr. Potter was married, Jan. 27, 1853, to Miss Mary K. Hammond, of New Jersey, daughter of John Hammond, who moved to Ohio about 1849; they have four children.

BENJAMIN POWERS, banker, Delaware. Ever since its organization, the First National Bank of Delaware has been presided over by Mr. Benjamin Powers, the subject of this sketch, who

was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, Oct. 7, 1800, and is the son of Avery Powers, who was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was killed near Malden ; during his childhood, the family moved to Frank- lin Co., now Delaware Co., Ohio, in 1801; when 11 years of age, he began to learn the printer's trade which he finished at 15; in 1815, he came to Delaware and clerked in a store for about six years ; he at length became a partner, and re- mained in mercantile business until about 1848; on the organization of the Delaware County Bank. in 1845, as a branch of the Ohio State Bank. he was made Cashier, which position he filled for a number of years ; he was also a Director of the bank until the death of Judge Williams, its Pres- ident; in 1864, upon the organization of the First National Bank, Mr. Powers was made its Presi- dent, and has carried it through all the financial crises since then unimpaired, and it stands to-day strong in its own resources, and doing a large business; it has always been managed in a cau- tious, yet liberal manner, these traits being char- acteristic of the officers, as well as the Directors, of the bank, all of whom are among the responsi- ble citizens of Delaware; in February, 1880, Mr. Powers resigned the presidency on account of his health, but is still one of its Directors ; Mr. C. B. Paul was then made President, having been Vice President some three years.

C. B. PAUL, President of the First National Bank of Delaware, was born in Washington Co., Penn., in 1832, and is the son of M. and Henrietta (Bell) Paul, both born in Pennsylvania ; they came to Ohio and located in Knox Co., where they remain- ed three or four years, and in 1838 moved to Del- aware Co .. and located in Harlem Township; Mr. C. B. Paul was engaged in farming in Harlem Township until 1861, when he moved to Delaware, which has been his home ever since; in 1862, he was elected by the Republican party Treasurer of Delaware Co., which office he filled with honor and credit until 1866; he was also County Com- missioner for six years ; in 1864, Mr. Paul became a stockholder in the First National Bank of Dela- ware, and in 1875 was made its Vice President ; in 1880, on the retirement of Mr. Benjamin Powers, he was made President of the Bank ; Mr. Paul has engaged largely in dealing in wool for the last fourteen years.

DR. CHARLES H. PAYNE, President of the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, was born at Taunton, Mass., Oct. 24, 1830, of Scotch-English parents, who came to the United States with the

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Pilgrims in the Mayflower; at an early age, Dr. Payne was compelled to rely upon his own efforts for a livelihood ; he lost his father from drowning while he was an infant ; from the age of 8 to 15, he labored sometimes on the farm, sometimes in the factory, and sometimes upon the shoemaker's bench, attending the public school in the winter time ; at 15 he entered a store, where he remained three years ; about this time he joined the Metho- dist Episcopal Church ; after leaving his clerkship, he began a course of preparation for the ministry at a school at Taunton, and in the Providence Con- ference Seminary at East Greenwich, R. I., from which he entered the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Conn., graduating in 1854; he then attended the Biblical Institute at Concord, N. H. (now the Boston School of Theology), and from there entered the ministry ; during his course at college, he met his entire expenses by teaching, sometimes as a private tutor, and sometimes in the public schools, but always keeping up his studies while absent from the university. In 1857, he married Miss Mary Eleanor Gardiner, and soon after joined the Providence Conference where he remained eight years. In 1865, he was trans- ferred to the New York East Conference and sta- tioned at St. John's, Brooklyn, where he induced the people to build a new church, which is one of the finest of that denomination in the country. At the close of this pastorate, he was transferred to Philadelphia, where he took charge of the Arch Street Church, and was afterward stationed at Spring Garden Street Church, and from there removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he occupied the pulpit of St. Paul's Church. In the summer of 1875, he was clected President of the Ohio Wesleyan Univer- sity at Delaware, Ohio, succeeding Dr. Merrick. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Dickinson College, Carlisle, Penn., in 1870, and that of LL. D. "by the Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, in 1876.

C. POTTER, C., C., C. & I. R. R. roadmaster. Among the prominent men of Delaware may be mentioned the above-named gentleman, who was born in County Meath, Ireland, March 27, 1831. His father was a well-to-do farmer, near Dublin, and there the son remained until 1844, when with his parents he emigrated to America, landing in New York City a poor boy ; at 13 years of age, he started out in life, working at odd jobs, and received for his first work $3 per month; when about 17 years old, he became night-watch- man on the N. Y. C. R. R., being stationed at

Oriskany, N. Y., where he received $20 a month ; this proved his starting-point in life ; next he was a fireman on the L. S. R. R., running between Syracuse and Utica; he remained there until 1859, and, during this time, was conductor of a construc- tion train ; in 1859, he commenced work for the C., C., C. & I. R. R., as section boss, having charge of twelve miles of road between Columbus and Delaware, a position he filled for a number of years. He had a large contract with the C., C.' C. & I. R. R. to furnish them wood, and for five or six years furnished them 40,000 cords of wood a year ; Mr. Potter, during that time, owned 800 acres of land in Delaware Co., making his home in Orange Township. of which township he was elected Trustee. Mr. Potter was married in 1852, to Miss Kate Burns, since deceased. He married his present wife, Miss Emily Moran, in 1860; by this union he has five children, four sons and one daughter. Mr. Potter is a Democrat, and a mem- ber of the Catholic Church. He first had charge of the C., C., C. & I. R. R. from Delaware to Springfield ; then he became roadmaster from Delaware to Cincinnati, which position he now fills.

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History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 109

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818