USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 10
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In these years he enjoyed a large and varied practice of the law in both the state and federal courts, acting as counsel in many important cases. He was a most industrious and indefatigable worker on his cases. While he was slow and deliberate in forming judg- ment or reaching conclusion, yet when he made a decision or formed a theory he was most tenacious as to that justice of his cause, and if defeated at first he rarely abandoned a case until it was determined by the court of last resort. He was an efficient and capable lawyer in counsel and as an advocate before the court and was effective and forceful in the application of the law.
In the laws of real estate, wills, taxation and corporations he was deeply versed, as the records of this court bear witness to the many litigated questions concerning these subjects in which he was counsel. His experience and ability in business and business affairs were prominent and useful to him in the practice of the law.
He lived the life of the ideal lawyer. His large library in his office and his extens- ive collection of books on many topics in his home testify to his love of learning.
His early life on the farm, his struggle for a higher education, his experience as a
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teacher, his happy home life surrounded by his books, his extensive law practice, his activities in the business world, his devotion to the college of his youth and constant work for and support of his church, his services in behalf of the Law Library Association, and finally his decline and peaceful passing after but a few hours of illness, with his family about him and his life's work finished. together constitute a type of life peculiar to this . country ; not unusual, but which novelists love to depict and pulicists to portray, as illustrative of American life at its best.
We shall miss his deliberate walk, his thoughtful speech, his cheerful and pleasant greetings for his fellow members, his slow and measured arguments in court-the daily contact, all with regret, but with the reflection that he lived life to its fullness and com- pleted his task; a life of industry, varied in activeness and of unusual contact with people of affairs.
To the family we extend the sympathy of the bar and request that this memorial be spread on the minutes of this court and a copy sent to his widow and daughter.
Charles L. Spencer was a native of Ohio, born in the city of Newark on April 4, 18.48, a son of Newton and Lucinda J. (Trickey) Spencer, the former a native of New York state, born in Herkimer county in January, 1816, but who was reared in Oswego county, that state, whence, at the age of eighteen years, he came to Ohio and located in Licking county, where he became variously employed, eventually becoming the operator of a grist- and saw-mill and later of a stone quarry. In 1846, in that county, Newton Spencer was united in marriage to Lucinda J. Trickey, whose parents had come to Ohio from Pennsylvania, and ten years later, in 1856, moved with his family to Iowa and settled on a farm in Decatur county, that state, where he and his wife spent their last days, his death occurring there in 1890, he then being seventy-four years of age, and hers, in 1901, she having been eighty years of age at the time of her death. They were the parents of six children, of whom but three reached the age of maturity, the subject of this memorial sketch having had a brother, Albert G. Spencer, a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a sister, Mrs. Mary F. Hampton, of Van Wert, Iowa, the latter of whom now alone survives.
Charles L. Spencer was but eight years of age when his parents moved from Ohio to Iowa and on the pioneer home farm in this latter state he grew to manhood, one hundred and fifty miles from a railroad and with but few school privileges, but in a community of fine and intelligent people. Although able to attend school but a few months in a year, he read every book he could obtain in the sparsely settled community and thus gradually grew in wisdom. Among these books was Chapin's "Duties of Young Men," which so stimu- lated his ambition to seek a way to further education and culture that he de- termined to secure the benefit of schooling at any sacrifice of self, and at the age of eighteen he returned to the state of his nativity and entered Ohio Wes- leyan University, having been able to make an arrangement whereby he could work his way through college. Five years later, in 1872, his course having been impeded by the necessities of working for the funds requisite to
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the completion of the course, he was graduated from that institution with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, to which his alma mater later added the degree of Master of Arts. Having determined upon the legal profession as a calling, Mr. Spencer, within a month after leaving college, began the study of law in the office of English & Baldwin at Columbus, Ohio. He had been teach- ing school as a means to obtaining funds for his college course and the winter following his entrance into the law office taught another term. In the fall of 1873 he was appointed to the position of principal of the Xenia high school and there and then formed associations and friendships which he held dear to the end of his life, from that time regarding Xenia as his home. During the periods of his vacations Mr. Spencer continued his study of the law and at the close of the school year in 1875 went to Cincinnati, where he finished his reading in the office of Noyes & Lloyd and was admitted to the practice of law by the supreme court of Ohio in October of that year. In the following January he was offered a partnership in the office of the late Judge James E. Hawes at Xenia and accepted the same, that relation contin- uing for a year. In 1878 Mr. Spencer formed a partnership with W. J. Alexander which continued until 1884, during which period, 1881-82, he served as prosecuting attorney for Greene county. In the latter part of 1886 Mr. Spencer entered into a partnership with the late Jolın Little, under the firm style of Little & Spencer, which arrangement continued until the death of Mr. Little in the fall of 1900, after which Mr. Spencer maintained his office alone, continuing actively engaged in practice, with offices in the Allen building, until his death, which occurred on April 5, 1917. Mr. Spencer was a member of the Greene County Law Library Association and was librarian of the same at the time of his death. He was for several years sec- retary and assistant manager of the Field Cordage Company and had interests in other local concerns. He was for many years county and city school ex- aminer. In his political views he was a stanch Republican, but never would respond to the overtures of his friends in the way of seeking public office. For years he was a trustee of the First Methodist Episcopal church and was for many years a teacher in the Sunday school of the same.
On December 24, 1885, at Xenia, Charles L. Spencer was united in marriage to Luella Currie, who was born in that city, a daughter of Andrew H. and Lavina (Forbes) Currie, and to that union was born one child, a daughter, Anna. Both Mrs. Spencer and her daughter have taken an active part in the missionary work and in the Sunday school work of the First Methodist Episcopal church and in the work of the Young Women's Chris- tian Association. Miss Anna Spencer was graduated from the Xenia high school and from Ohio Wesleyan University and for several years was engaged as a teacher in the high school at Hope, Indiana, until her recent marriage to
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Orin G. Ledbetter, who is connected with the Firestone Tire Company of Akron, Ohio.
Mrs. Spencer's father, Andrew H. Currie, who is still living, making his home with his daughter in Xenia, was born in this county on November 14, 1831, and is therefore now past eighty-six years of age. He is of Scotch stock and his parents, James and Mary Currie, came to this county from Rockbridge county, Virginia, in the days of the pioneers. The latter was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and was but twelve years of age when she came to the United States with her parents. James Currie was a farmer and after a residence of years in this county moved over into Indiana, where his last days were spent. His wife died in this county. After his marriage to Lavina Forbes, Andrew H. Currie established his home in Xenia and has ever since lived there. His wife died in January, 1913, she then being eighty years of age. For more than sixty years Mr. Currie has been a teacher in the Sunday school of the First Methodist Episcopal church. He also for many years served as a member of the board of trustees of the church. To him and his wife were born six children, one of whom died in infancy, the others besides Mrs. Spencer being Kate, widow of G. M. Landaker, who, with her daughter Katharine, is now making her home with Mrs. Spencer ; Anna, who married J. F. Orr and resides at Kansas City, Missouri; Emma, wife of Charles Orr, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Walter, who is with the Kelly Cordage Company at Xenia.
COMMANDER CHARLES EARL SMITH, U. S. N.
In making up the list of those sons of Greene county who have repre- sented this county creditably in far fields and whose actions have added to the luster of the county's fair name, it is but fitting that some special mention should be made of one of these sons whose rise in the navy has been the occa- sion of much congratulation on the part of his many friends here and whose service in that arm of the nation's defense in the present (1918) struggle is contributing valiantly to the world's common cause. Charles Earl Smith, commander in the United States navy, now (1918) in command of the United States destroyer "Nicholson," stationed in the submarine zone in British waters, was born at Xenia in 1881, a son of Judge Horace L. Smith and wife, a biographical sketch of the former of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume.
Reared at Xenia, Charles Earl Smithi received his early schooling in the schools of that city and upon completing the course in the high school re- ceived the appointment from this congressional district as a cadet in the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, from which he was graduated
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as an ensign in 1903. During his term of study in the Naval Academy he "starred" in athletics, particularly on the "gridiron," he having played quarterback on the navy team during the seasons of 1901 and 1902. Upon receiving his title of ensign he was assigned to the cruiser "New York," and during the next two seasons helped to coach the navy football team. During the fleet's celebrated trip around Cape Horn he was stationed on a torpedo- boat destroyer, which, though not built for long trips, got through all right ; and after the completion of that memorable voyage he was assigned to the Pacific fleet and did duty along the California coast until 1915, when, mean- while having been advanced to the grade of first lieutenant, he was given command of a flotilla of submarines and was at Honolulu at the time the ill-fated submarine 4 was lost in the harbor there, to him falling the duty of raising the same. After that tragic experience Lieutenant Smith obtained shore leave and was assigned to special service at the Naval Academy, in charge of athletics, and was thus in service at the time war was declared against Germany in the spring of 1917, with the rank of lieutenant-com- mander, in charge of the training of marines for petty officers; later was raised to the rank of commander, and is now (1918) engaged in convoy- ing transports carrying soldiers and provisions to and from England and France and on the lookout for German submarines. Commander Smith has also rendered service in the army, he having been a member of the First Ohio Cavalry, doing service during the Spanish-American War, and was stationed in camp at Chickamauga at the time he received his appoint- ment as a cadet to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, obtaining a furlough in order that he might take the examination necessary to qualify for the latter service.
SAMUEL STEELE DEAN.
Samuel Steele Dean, proprietor of "The Elms," was born on the farm on which he is now living, five miles east of Xenia on the Jamestown pike, in New Jasper township, and has lived there all his life. He was born on April 17, 1850, son of Joseph and Hannah (Boggs) Dean, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in Ohio, who had established their home on that farm shortly after their marriage in 1826 and who spent the remainder of their lives there.
Joseph Dean was born in Montgomery county, Kentucky, December 31, 1804, son of Daniel and Jeannete (Steele) Dean, the former of whom was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1765, and was nineteen years of age when he came to the United States, settling first in New York and then in Vir- ginia, where he presently married, and later moving to Kentucky, whence he moved up into Ohio and located in Greene county, where he spent the
L
SAMUEL S. DEAN HOMES.
Ery byE & Wilhans & Gre K.
I. S. Dean
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remainder of his life. He was the only son of Roger and Mary Dean, residents of Londonderry and stanch Seceders, the former of whom, after the birth of his son Daniel and a daughter, came to America with a view to setting up a home for his family on this side of the water, but who, through some cause never explained to his family, was lost before he could follow out his design. When nineteen years of age his son Daniel came to this side and presently was joined by his mother and sister, the family for a time making their home in New York and then going to Virginia, whence they moved to Kentucky and from there to Ohio, Mary Dean spending her last days here, her death occurring on June 21, 1825, she then being eighty- five years of age. It was about the year 1785 that Daniel Dean, who in Virginia had married Jeannete Steele, who was born in Augusta county, that state, moved with his wife and his mother from Virginia to Kentucky and settled at Winchester, in the latter state, where he erected a mill and in the vicinity of which place he bought a farm. There eleven children were born to him and his wife. They were Seceders and were so averse to rearing their children on slave soil that in April, 1812, they disposed of their interests in Kentucky and moved up into Ohio, locating in Greene county. Here Daniel Dean bought about two thousand acres of wilderness land in New Jasper township and established his home. He died there in 1842, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife died when seventy-three years of age.
Having been but eight years of age when he came with his parents to Greene county in 1812, Joseph Dean grew up on the home farm in New Jasper township and received his schooling at Xenia, walking six miles night and morning to do so. He remained on the home farm until his marriage on November 6, 1826, to Hannah Boggs, who was born in Jack- son county, this state, a daughter of Andrew and Elizabeth Boggs, who later moved to Gallia county, where she grew to young womanhood. Andrew Boggs was a cattle buyer and drover, who later moved from Ohio to Kosci- uski county, Indiana, where the family is still represented. After their mar- riage Joseph Dean and his wife started housekeeping in a house on the west edge of Cedarville, but presently he bought a tract of one hundred and fifty acres from his father, just south of the Jamestown pike, in New Jasper township, and there began farming on his own account, spending the rest of his life there. He added to his holdings until he became the owner of four hundred and ninety-eight acres in New Jasper township. About 1841 he built a large brick house which is still standing on the farm. He erected a large barn in 1846. Reared a Seceder, after the "union" Joseph Dean joined the First United Presbyterian church at Xenia, as did his wife, who was reared a Methodist. During ante-bellum days Joseph Dean was an ardent Abolitionist and upon the organization of the Republican party became (6)
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an adherent of the principles of the same. He died on September 14, 1883. The death of his widow occurred on March 7, 1888. They were the parents of eleven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being the following: Washington, born on August 10, 1827, who died at the age of twenty-six years; Julia Ann, April 27, 1829, who married William Strouthers and moved to Monmouth, Illinois, where her last days were spent; Daniel Milton, May 19, 1831, who for years was engaged in farming in Cedarville township and who upon his retirement from the farm moved to Cedarville, where he died on December 1, 1912; Louisa, who died in infancy; Willis, who also died in infancy; Lewis Henry, March 5, 1838, who served as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, a member of the Ninety-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and who later moved to Pawnee county, Nebraska, where he died in February, 1917; Ann Lavina, February 16, 1840, who married S. W. Oldham and is now living at Day- ton; Judge Joseph Newton Dean, August 22, 1842, a veteran of the Civil War (Company B, Fortieth Ohio Volunteer Regiment), formerly judge of probate for Greene county and for years a lawyer at Xenia, who died on January 18, 1913; Eliza Jane, August 9, 1844, who married the Rev. Andrew Renwick, a minister of the United Presbyterian church, and who died in April, 1882, and Mary Campbell, August 9, 1847, who married J. N. Wright and who since the death of her husband has been making her home with her daughter at Detroit, Michigan.
Samuel Steele Dean was baptized in infancy by the Rev. R. D. Harper, D. D., and at the age of fourteen years, in October, 1864, united with the First United Presbyterian church at Xenia, with the congregation of which he has since been affiliated. Reared on the home farm, he received his early schooling in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, supplementing the same by a course in the old Xenia College on East Church street, and later took a course in a business college at Indianapolis. In the meantime he continued his labors on the farm during the summer vacation periods and after a while began farming "on the shares" for his father, con- tinuing thus engaged until after his marriage in the spring of 1876, when he bought from his father the farm where he is now living. Mr. Dean's original purchase at "The Elms" was a tract of eighty-two acres, to which he has gradually added until now he is the owner of a farm of three hundred and fifty acres in New Jasper township. In 1898 he erected his present dwelling house, one of the finest brick country houses in the county; set- ting well back from the highway and approached by way of a lane, the entrance to which is guarded by an attractive stone gateway. In addition to his general farming Mr. Dean has for years given much attention to the breeding of fine horses, Percherons being his specialty, and in this connec-
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tion has done much to improve the strain of draft horses in this part of the state. He also feels about three hundred hogs annually. Mr. Dean is a Republican.
Mr. Dean has been twice married. While on a visit to Olathe, Kansas, in the winter of 1874-75 he there met Sadie J. Thompson, of that place, and on March 2, 1876, the Reverend Wilkin, of Olathe, officiating, was united in marriage to her. She was born in Randolph county, Illinois, August 11, 1848, daughter of Andrew M. and Margaret (Day) Thompson, who moved from Illinois to Olathe, Kansas, in March, 1864. In this latter place Sadie J. Thompson united with the Reformed Presbyterian (Cove- nanter) church in September, 1865. During the years 1870-73 she taught public school in Kansas and from 1873 until her marriage in 1876 kept house for her father. Upon coming to Greene county with her husband she united, in October, 1877, with the First United Presbyterian church and remained a faithful member of the same until her death on December 14, 1890, she then being forty-two years, four months and three days of age. That union was without issue. On December 17, 1891, Mr. Dean married Fannie E. Scott, who was born in the neighboring county of Warren, daughter of Vin- cent and Elizabeth Scott, the former of whom was engaged in mechanical trades at Lebanon, and to this union have been born four children, S. Arthur, Robert Southwick, Leslie Scott and Elizabeth Hannah, all of whom are still at home. S. Arthur Dean, who is now operating his father's farm, was graduated from Cedarville College and later from Miami University, after which he took a year of special work in the agricultural department of the State University at Columbus. Robert S. Dean also was graduated from Miami University and later turned his attention to the study of medicine, being now (1918) in his fourth year at the Western Reserve Medical School at Cleveland. Leslie S. Dean is now a student at Cedarville College in his junior year, and Elizabeth H. Dean is a senior in the preparatory department of Cedarville College. It is but fitting to note in connection with this mention of the Dean family in Greene county that all the eleven chil- dren of the pioneer, Daniel Dean, grew to maturity, married and had large families of their own. There were thirty-six members of the family who served as soldiers of the Union during the Civil "War and all continued in service throughout their respective terms of enlistment and returned home, with the exception of one who died at the front. The late Judge Joseph N. Dean, brother of the subject of this sketch, enlisted on August 17, 1861, and was mustered out on October 17, 1864. During the battle of Chicka- mauga he was slightly wounded in the face. He had there aided in cap- turing three pieces of artillery, for which conspicuous act of bravery he was recommended for a commission.
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GEORGE FRANKLIN JOBE.
George Franklin Jobe, a retired farmer of Xenia township, better known locally as "Doc" Jobe, who for several years past has been living in Xenia, where he and his sister Lida have their home in West Market street, is a native son of Greene county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a farm in Xenia township, four or five miles east of Xenia, February 26, 1853, son of George and Mary Ann (Hutchinson) Jobe, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter, of Kentucky, who had become residents of Greene county in the days of their youth, had here married and here spent their last days, both living to be more than seventy years of age.
George Jobe was born at Trenton, New Jersey, and was but an infant when his father died. When he was four years of age his widowed mother moved to Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, where his youth was spent and where he learned the trade of carriage-maker. When a young man he came to Ohio and located at Xenia, where he opened a carriage shop on Third street and did a thriving business, becoming in a comparatively short time, the owner of a whole block of property and a thriving business. Out of the generosity of his heart, however, he created his own financial undoing, for a simple readiness to act as security for the obligations of others so reduced him in goods that he lost most of his property. Being compelled to relin- quish his business in Xenia, George Jobe bought a two-hundred-acre farm four and a half miles east of Xenia and there engaged in farming, spend- ing the remainder of his life there. Upon taking possession of that farm he found it but partly broken, the only improvement on the place being a log cabin and a rickety stable. He later erected there a fine ten-room house and made other improvements in keeping with the same and it was not long until he had one of the finest farm plants in that part of the county. One of the attractive features of this farm was a splendid walnut grove, besides consid- erable other native timber of noble proportions. George Jobe lived to be past seventy years of age and his widow survived him for several years, she hav- ing been seventy-four years of age at the time of her death. She was born, Mary Ann Hutchinson, near Flat Rock, in Bourbon county, Kentucky, a daughter of John and Margaret Ann (Finley) Hutchinson, who later came up into the Miami valley 'and settled in the Bellbrook neighborhood, where they cleared off a place in the timber, built a log cabin in the clearing and there established their home. The Hutchinsons were members of the United Presbyterian church. John Hutchinson and his wife spent their last days on their farm near Bellbrook, both dying within one week. They were the parents of nine children, of whom Mrs. Jobe was the sixth in order of birth, the others being as follows: George, deceased, who was a farmer in the neighborhood of Sidney, this state; John, deceased, who also was a farmer in the vicinity of Sidney; Andrew, who was a tailor in Xenia; Samuel, a
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