USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the State of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 88
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Benjamin, our subject, was born in Ross County, February 8, 1815, but came with his father to Fayette, in the same year. Hle was united in marriage, March 9, 1837, to Martha, daughter of Thomas Reeves, of Madison County. In 1855 they settled in Mad- ison, on the farm where they still live. They have five children, four daughters and one son: Mary E. married S. W. Brown, An- geline married M. L. Yates, Batteal married Lydia A. Rogers, Isa- bella married J. S. Martin, and Winnie S. married S. H. Farrar. All live near home except Mrs. Farrar, who resides in Missouri.
Our subject owns a farm of about fifteen hundred acres of land, . upon which he has erected a substantial farm house. In politics he is a Democrat; a good and safe man.
ROBERT C. PARKER.
John Parker, father of Robert C., was born in Hampshire Coun- ty, Virginia, in 1799. He married Mary A. Whiteman, in 1826, by whom he had six children, two sons and four daughters, all of whom lived to be grown, but three have since passed to the spirit- land. Those living are Mrs. L. L. Barker, Mrs. C. D. Hays, and Robert C. He came to Ohio in June, 1826, and settled in Marion Township, where he remained five years, then removed to this town- ship, and settled on what is now well known as the Parker farm. He died in January, 1873. His wife still survives, but is in poor health.
Robert C., our subject, was born in Marion Township, and came with his father to this township, where he still lives. He married Margaret, daughter of Frederick Selsor, by whom he had two chil- dren : Alice and William S. Little Alice died in May, 1868, when eleven years of age. William is at home, and aids his father in running the farm.
In politics, he is a Republican, a staunch temperance man, and never used tobacco in any form. Both himself and wife are mem-
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bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He owns a farm of five hundred acres, and is erecting a house, which, when completed, will be one of the fine houses of the county. He is a good and safe man.
JOHN W. ROGERS.
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John W. Rogers, farmer, son of David and Mary Rogers, was born in this county, October 12, 1838. He was joined in wedlock with Miss Mary H., daughter of Joseph and Ann C. Harper, by Rev. E. H. Dixon, February 7, 1867. The result of this union was six children. The four living are Joseph D., Ira B., Alexander, and John W.
Our subject owns a farm, on the Danville pike, of about four hundred acres, well improved, upon which he is at present erecting a fine residence. He gives special attention to wheat, grass, fruit, and sheep.
John's father and mother were natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Roger's father was born in Maryland, but raised in Delaware, and came to Ohio when about nineteen years old. Her mother was born in Virginia, in 1812, and came to Ohio with her parents, in 1815.
In politics, our subject is a Republican, and an anti-slavery man. Both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
It is worthy of note, that Joseph Harper, the father of Mrs. Rogers, when married, in 1833, was quite a poor young man, but at his death, which occurred June 27, 1878, he left a large estate for his children, gained by farming.
Daniel Rogers, father of John, was born in 1805, and came to Ohio in about 1832. He married Miss Mary Jennings. When he came to this state, his entire property consisted of a small bundle of clothes. For many years, however, he has been regarded as among the wealthy men of Fayette.
PERRY SALMON.
Perry Salmon was born in Paint Township, near where he now lives, April 12, 1810. He has spent his entire life in this commu- uity ; has never been out of the state but once, when he crossed
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over into Kentucky, for a change of a few hours; has seldom been out of the county for any length of time. Has been a very stern business man, with a will of his own, healthy, and full of activity.
November 25, 1831, he united in marriage with Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Philip and Kate Moore, of this county. Four chil- dren were born to them, two sons and two daughters: John, Solo- mon, Lucretia, and Mary A .; all living, and all married, except Solomon, who is at home. Lucretia married Robert Lain, Mary A. married John Tway, jr., and John married Miss Margaret, daughter of Lewis Green, Esq., of this county. All live near where they were born, except John, whose home is in Madison County. The grandchildren are : Annie Lain, Robert Lain, Mau- tie M. Tway, and Elizabeth Leoti Tway-all healthy and interest- ing children.
The bombarding of Fort Sumpter stirred the loyal blood of young Solomon, and at the call of the government he at onceere- sponded. He served his country faithfully for nearly three years, when he was honorably discharged.
Mrs. Salmon was a woman of noble heart, and an active men- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church from her youth. She died in full hope of a happy eternity, December 6, 1869.
Perry's father was a native of Delaware, and his mother of Maryland. His father came to this state as early as the year 1805, soon thereafter, purchased a traet of land containing four hundred acres, situated between the Little Miami and Scioto rivers. This land fell into Paint Township, six miles north of Bloomingburg, on East Fork of Paint, when the county and townships were or- ganized. Here Mr. Salmon built a horse-mill, that did all the grinding for the settlers for many miles around. His family con- sisted of one son and two daughters : Sophia, married to Nathaniel Tway, sen .; Lovie, married to S. Stodard; and Perry, who mar- ried Miss Elizabeth Moore, as has already been stated. All are dead except our subject.
Mr. Solomon Salmon, sen., died in July, 1837, at quite an ad- vanced age; his wife having preceded him to the spirit-land, many years.
Our subject has been a man of great physical strength, and has drawn upon it heavily through life. He has a valuable farm of more than three hundred acres of land, with never failing water thereon, flowing from the well known " Salmon Spring." Mr. and
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Mrs. Lain make their home with him, assisting in the care and management of homestead and farm.
FREDERICK SELSOR.
Frederick Selsor was born in West Virginia, in 1800. He canie to Ohio in. 1816, and stopped in Pickaway County ; from thence removed to Madison County. In 1828 he married Polly, daughter of William and Betsey Rankin, of Paint Township, Fayette County. In the fall of 1852, he came to this county and settled on what was then known as the Rankin farm, having purchased this land in 1848. Here he still resides, having erected a commodious dwelling thereon. His family consists, at this writing, of six chil- dren : Elizabeth, married to William Tway, Margaret, married to R. C. Parker, Susanna, married to Daniel Morris, Mary, married to Albert Groves, William, married to Letitia Morris, all living in the vicinity of the homestead, and John, who is single and at home, giving attention to the business of the farm.
Mr. Selsor's father came from Germany to the United States during the Revolutionary war. His mother was born in Virginia. Mrs. Frederick Selsor died in the spring of 1852. Her mother died at the Rankin farm before it passed into the hands of Mr. Selsor. Her father removed to Illinois, where he died. Her uncles, Sinith and Jacob Rankin, went to Missouri, and being staunch Union men, were greatly annoyed by rebels during the late civil war.
Mr. Selsor, our subject, is a strong Republican; has never voted for a Democratic president since General Jackson vetoed the United States Bank. He has been a business man highly respected. He is now somewhat advanced in life, but strong in body and mind for one of his age.
WILLIAM J. SELSOR.
William J. Selsor is the son of Frederick and Mary (Rankin) Selsor, and was born in Madison County, Ohio, August 20, 1834, came to this county with his father, and settled in Paint Township. He married Electa J., daughter of Samuel and Phoebe Morris, April 21, 1870, by Hon. Mills Gardener. They have been blessed in their union by three beautiful little daughters, all living.
William's prospect for wealth are quite flattering. He is the owner,
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in all, of about nine hundred acres of land. The farm on the Dan- ville pike, on which his elegant residence stands, contains three hundred acres of as fine land as can well be found in any country. Frederick, his father, was a native of West Virginia.
HUGHI C. STEWART.
Dr. Hugh C. Stewart was born near Hagerstown, Maryland, May 26, 1805, and came to Frankfort, Ross County, Ohio, in 1809, with his father's family. In 1812 he attended school at Blooming- burg, New York, where he remained until the spring of 1817, when he returned to Ohio. In 1820 he attended school at Chilli- cothe Academy, and remained there for about four years ; here he commenced the study of medicine, and in the fall of 1826 was ad- mitted to practice. In the fall of 1827 he came to Bloomingburg, and for a short time clerked for Mr. Alexander ; from here he went to the Brush Creek Iron Works. In the spring of 1828 he returned to Bloomingburg, this county, where he has lived ever since. ' For ten years he kept store, sold goods and medicines, and often prescribed when there was no practicing physician in reach. He has been a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church for fifty years. A man of honor and kind heart.
September 30, 1828, he united in marriage with Sarah Allibane, of Philadelphia.
The doctor's father was Hugh Stewart (whose sketch appears in another part of this work); his mother was Margaret Smith, a na- tive of Philadelphia. His grandfather came from Ireland.
Mrs. Dr. Stewart passed from earth to her final reward, February 17, 1880. She will ever live in the affections of those who knew her, as one of earth's brightest jewels. The doctor for some years past has devoted himself to the practice of medicine, and has the esteem of those who know him. He was lieutenant- colonel in the home militia in 1828, was postmaster for a long time, and has been an elder in the church. Politically he was an old line Whig, then a Freesoiler, and now a Republican. His house, for many years, was a depot on the underground railroad. He is the only one living, of fourteen children, of his father's fam- ily. His own family consisted of seven children, of whom only William HI. and Fannie A. are living.
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HISTORY OF FAYETTE COUNTY.
GEORGE STEWART.
George Stewart is the grandson of Hugh and Margaret Stewart, who resided in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary war. Af- ter the close of the war, he emigrated to what was then called the frontier of Pennsylvania, but soon left that region and went into Maryland, where he settled on the lands of General Spriggs. From here he went to Greencastle, Pennsylvania, and engaged in mer- cantile business. While the business was mostly conducted by his wife, son George, and daughter Elizabeth, he worked vigorously at his trade, which was that of stone and brick mason.
In 1804, in company with Thomas Fullerton, his son-in-law, he came to Ohio and purchased eight hundred acres of land, in Ross County. About 1808 he brought his family and settled on this farm. In 1809 he purchased two hundred acres of land in what was then called " The Barrens," situated on the road from Chilli- cothe to Springfield, in the old Ross County territory, now Fay- ette County.
James Stewart, George's father, was born, September 19, 1786, in Maryland, on General Sprigg's land.
George, our subject, was born December 1819, near Blooming- burg, on the farm bought by his grandfather, in 1809. After pass- ing through the schools at Bloomingburg, he completed his educa- tion in the Ohio University, at Athens. He has been twice mar- ried. His first wife was Mary Evans, of Highland County, Ohio, by whom he had four children, all dead except James R., of Cin- cinnati. His second wife was Jane Gillespie, of New York. The result of this union was six children, four daughters and two sons, all living in this county except Charles, whose home is in Ross County. George, when first married, settled on a farm four miles east of Washington, well known as the Stewart farm. In 1859 he removed to the homestead for the purpose of caring for his father and mother. His father dying in 1862, and his mother February 8, 1865. The farnı, by purchase, fell into the hands of George, upon which he has built and occupies a fine residence. He is a Republican, an anti-slavery and strong temperance man. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church from his youth. He is a safe man.
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JOHN STITT.
John Stitt was born September 22, 1812, in the State of New York, came to Ohio with his father's family in 1819, and settled in Marion Township, this county, where he remained nine or ten years. About 1830 his father purchased a farm in Paint Township, and moved to it, where he died in 1870, having lost his wife in Ma- rion Township.
Luke Stitt, his father, served for five years on a British man of war. He married Jane Young, in the city of New York, Novem- ber 25, 1808. Their family consisted of three sons and two daugh- ters : William, Eliza, John, Jane, and James, all living in Bloom- ingburg, except James, who died on the Ohio River as the family were moving to this state. The parents were both raised in Ire- land, but became acquainted and married after they came to America.
John Stitt, our subject, married Eliza, daughter of Charles Holland, in 1842. Ten children blessed this union, of whom but five are now living : Eleanor J., James H., Charles L., Joseph Y., and Hugh R. James H. and Charles L. are both married and set- tled on farms. Four of the children died when quite young. Jolin died, February 24, 1877, aged twenty years. Mrs. Stitt died in Bloomingburg, February 1872. She was a member of the P'res- byterian Church. Mr. Stitt has also been a member of the same denomination since a young man.
JOHN TWAY.
The grandfather of our subject was born near Elizabethtown. New Jersey, in about 1753, and was of Irish descent. He served for three years in the Revolutionary War. He married Sarah, daughter of Jeremiah Hempstead, of New Jersey, who bore him four children : John, Elizabeth, Jane, and Nathaniel, all of whom lived to have families. He came to Ohio in about 1790, and stopped near where Cincinnati now stands, at what was then called Red Bank Station. From there he removed to this township, where he died, in 1828, his wife having died in 1827.
Nathaniel, our subject's father, was born at Red Bank, April 22, 1792. He came to Fayette about the year 1811, and located in this
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township, where he spent his lite, but died, in 1868, in Madison County, while visiting friends. He married Sophia B., daughter of Solomon Salmon, of this township. Their family consisted of four- teen children, seven sons and seven daughters. All lived to have families, except three, who died young. Nathaniel, at the time of his death, was worth from sixteen to twenty thousand dollars. He was, through all his long life, a peaceable and just man.
John, our subject, was born in Madison County, in 1814. He was first married to Mary Turnipseed, in 1838, by whom he had one son and one daughter: Allen and Catharine. Allen lost his life in the defense of his country-a member of the 114th O. V. I. IIe had the praise of all who knew him at home; and as a soldier, none braver and more faithful than he. His death occurred at Vicksburg, from typhoid fever. Catharine married James White- side, and lives in this county.
John married for his second wife, Elizabeth MeMillen. The re- sult of this union was nine children, six of the number living, three married, and three single. James A. is devoting himself to teach- ing and study, with good success.
Our subject owns about six hundred and twenty acres of land, with a good house upon it, in which he resides.
NATHANIEL TWAY.
Nathaniel Tway, son of Nathaniel Tway, sen., was born in this township, October 16, 1838. He was educated under the instruc- tion of David C. Eastman and Professor Parker. After passing through an educational course, he entered the field as a teacher, and for two years gave special attention to his profession. One year of this time was spent in Indiana, the other in his own town- ship. His last school was taught in what was then called the Brush school house. When the life of his country was in danger, he turned away from school, and every home interest, and in Aug- ust, 1862, enlisted in Company C, 114th Q. V. I., where for three years he served faithfully. Although he participated in many hard-fought battles without bearing the marks of rebel shot, he lived to see the nation saved.
He married Sarah, daughter of Joseph and Ura Struble, of Tay- lorsville, Indiana. This union has been blessed with one son and two daughters: Nathaniel S., Clara, and Mary, all living.
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Our subject's father was one of the early settlers of this county. He devoted his life to farming and growing stock, and at his death left a nice fortune for his children.
Joseph Struble, father of Mrs. Tway, was born in New Jersey. He married Ura Hunt, of Hamilton County, Ohio. They located in Bartholomew County, Indiana. He was elected to the legisla- ture in 1854-'55, and died January 17, 1862. His wife died Feb- ruary 17, 1867.
Mr. Tway and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics, he is Republican, and a staunch temperance man. He owns a nice little farm, of one hundred and sixty-six acres, in this township.
JAMES M. WILLIS.
James M. Willis, farmer, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, January 20, 1808. His father, Nathaniel, was the first printer in Ohio. He printed for the convention that formed the constitution, and was the first state printer. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts; his mother, Mary Cartmill, a native of Virginia. He was first mar- ried in Boston, to Miss Douglas, by whom he had two children-a son and daughter. This son was the father of N. P. Willis, the poet. By his second marriage there were four sons and seven daughters.
James M., our subject, came to this county in January, 1826, and clerked in the store of Captain Philip Doddridge seven years, four years of this time for his board and clothes. In 1833, he com- menced selling goods for himself. In 1837, he was joined in holy wedlock with Emily, daughter of William R. and Mary (Buchanan) Sonthard, of Bainbridge, Ross County, Ohio. Eight children were the result of this union. The deceased are John L., Lucy, Ella, Clara, and Fanny .. Those living are William R., James W., and Laura B.
Mr. Willis remained in the dry goods business for fifteen years, and retired with fifty thousand dollars profit. He resides in Bloom- ingburg, owns a fine tract of land, containing eighteen hundred acres, well improved; is a self-made man, and a model farmer, as a look at his farm will testify. His son William lives on a portion of the farm, in one of the finest houses in the county.
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HENRY WINDLE.
Henry's great-grandfather was Valentine Windle, a native of Germany, who came, with three brothers, to this country at an early period, and settled in Virginia, on the South Branch of the Potomae. His grandfather was Peter Windle, and his grand- mother, Rachel (Wolf) Windle, of Virginia. They came to Ohio in 1795, and purchased a tract of land on Paint Creek, this county, containing six hundred acres. The portion on which they located is now owned by Burton Vesey. Their family consisted of four sons and eight daughters.
Henry Windle's father was Abraham Windle, born in Pendle- ton County, Virginia, February 25, 1786, but came to Ohio with his father's family. Ile united in marriage, July 1822, with Sarah Smith, Joel Woods, Esq., officiating. She was born in Monroe County, Virginia, May 16, 1784. The result of this union was one daughter and two sons : Catherine, born September 5, 1823, and died, June 15, 1840. James M., born April 16, 1825, and died, August 11, 1827. Henry, our subject, was born May 28, 1827.
The Windle family were noted for industry and honesty. The emigrants to this country in an early day were often found desti- tute of means. Such always met a kind reception, and found a liberal band at Windle's.
At the death of Peter Windle, sen., the land on Paint Creek was divided between his sons Joseph and Abraham. His son Peter was provided with a farm on Sugar Creek. Joseph received the por- tion of land upon which his father's house (log) stood. He in time moved west, and the homestead changed hands. This farm is now owned by Burton Vesey. Abraham built a log house and barn on his part of the land, and here he spent his entire life. Abraham Windle was tall, fine looking, free and jovial, highly esteemed by his friends and neighbors.
At the death of his father, in 1863, Henry fell heir, not only to the homestead, but to a farm of several hundred acres in Missouri, well improved, and at the death of his mother, which occurred, September 28, 1879, he inherited a valuable farm on Paint, which she owned before her marriage. In addition, Henry controls a large and valuable farm belonging to Clarissa, his wife, whom he married, November 12, 1850, and divided from her father's (Joseph
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Hidy) estate. Henry and Clarissa occupy one of the finest houses in this county, with a beautiful lawn, adorned by choicest ever- greens. Henry started out to take life easy, and has very nearly made a success of it. He is blessed with more than ordinary men- tal powers. He has great taste for instrumental music, and is somewhat of a genius in that line. Earlier in life he was very fond of hunting. He relishes a discussion on some theological ques- tions, more than a warm breakfast. He possesses fine flow of spirit, receives his friends with open arms, but takes very little pleasure in the society of his enemies. In religion he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he is a Democrat. His excellent wife does well her part in keeping up their cozy home.
SUMMARY.
We have now endeavored to unfold the history of this county, from its earliest settlement to the present. While it has been im- possible to note each fact specifically, in the process of its evolu- tion, or enter into the details of each step in its development, yet we have taken it in its infancy, and during its, initial, tottering steps, we have guided it with care, and as the framework of its organism grew into shape, and its proper functions gave it strength and direction, so have we, in proportion withdrawn the minutiæ of our description, until now she stands before us in perfection, the exponent of her own beauty and power, from which she can look back to her feeble genesis and exclaim, Ultima thule! Look in the past, and see the four posts supporting poles, covered with brush, leaves and earth, that protected the first mill, in its transition to the round log, the hewed log, the frame, and finally the brick, and steam. From the huge boulder, rudely fashioned into a millstone, with a boy to turn the bolting apparatus, to the present grand flour- ing establishments of endless capacity; from the little copper still, to the immense manufactories of rot-gut and tangle-foot; from the old-fashioned flax-break to swingling and fulling, the spinning- wheel and tow to the carding mill and spinning-jenny, with its thousand spools. The former process is so peculiar, that we de- scribe it in this connection. In fulling the home-made clothing in this county, the neighboring men gathered at the house of one of their number-say six or eight. Taking seats on the old-fashioned split-bottom chairs, in a circle, with a rope around the backs to keep them in place, and with the web of cloth in the center, and with pants rolled up, they placed their feet' so as to press in con- centric opposition to each other, and a good woman, with gourd in hand to dampen the web with hot soap-suds, they worked, kicking and pushing against the cloth, till a late hour at night, when the woman of the house, with yard-stick. measured the shrinkage, and finding it complete, pronounces it " thick enough," and the process
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SUMMARY.
is finished. From "hog and hominy," venison, potatoes, corn, bread, sassafras or spicewood tea, to pies, pastries, and preserves, baking-powder, biscuit, etc .; from rosy cheeks, round waists, and sound lungs, to arsenic hue, sunken chests, attenuated coupling ; from the sugar-trough, to the rosewood, automatic crib; from the old wooden mold-board, with attachments, and held together by hickory withes, collar of leather, stuffed with husks, to which a hemp rope was tied, and with a boy on the horse-it is said that this unique machine among the beech roots, would kick a man down, kick him over the fence, and kick at him after he was over -from this grotesque apparatus we pass to the glittering steel mold-board, gliding smoothly between two wheels, surmounted by a whistling boy, while the furrow is turned unbroken from end to end; from the shovel-plow, the bare-footed boy, and the hoe, we pass to the modern planter, which furrows out, drops, and covers the corn; from the sickle we go to the self-binder; from the flail, and the hoof of the horse, and winnowing sheet, to the steam sep- arator; from the blazed path, meandering through the woods, to the countless turnpikes; from the lumbering ox team, to the light- ning speed of the railway; the corduroy bridge in the shady swamp is succeeded by the magnificent iron structures that now span our streams; from the circle around the fire, shelling the corn by hand, to the steam-power capacity of a thousand bushels a day; from the hickory bark bureau and clothes-press, to the inlaid pro- ductions of the cabinet-maker; from the three-legged stool, that only would stand on the pioneer floor, in its transitions to that acme of sedentary bliss, the reclining, rep-covered mahogany chair; from the homespun linsey-woolsey, to the flounced silk and satin polo- naise and real point lace; from the plain sunbonnet, to the coronal flower garden; from the rude log cabin, stick chimney, capacious fire-place, greased paper window, to the brown stone front, polished base burner, French plate, and silver call; from the old dandy wagon, to the elliptic spring phæton. Such were the times then ; such are the times, customs, and people of to-day; and we may conclude, in the words of Cicero, O tempora, O mores! The old fireside home-
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