History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 3

Author: Broadstone, Michael A., 1852- comp
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1440

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Judge Barlow was a native of the state of New York, born at Duanes-

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO.

burg, in Schenectady county, that state, March 23, 1819, son of Thomas and Polly (Clark) Barlow, also natives of that state and both of English stock, who came to Ohio with their family about the year 1832 and located at Xenia, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Thomas Barlow had for a time taught school and though in no position to extend to his children the benefits of an education in colleges or higher institutions of learning was able to inculcate in their minds a love of learning and to impart to them the rudiments of a practical education, and it was thus that Judge Barlow, who was but one of the thirteen children of his parents and was thirteen years of age when the family settled in Xenia, early became a close and observant stu- dent. By application to his books he qualified himself for teaching and for a while was thus engaged, teaching in the schools at Yellow Springs and at Oldtown, in this county. He also had early learned the shoemaker's trade and during the periods when not engaged in teaching continued working at the cobbler's bench until he felt himself qualified for admission to the bar, when he passed the examination above referred to and entered upon the practice of his profession at Xenia, where he spent the rest of his life. In 1868 he was elected judge of the common pleas court and occupied that position until fail- ing health compelled his retirement, and the last nine years of his life were spent under an invalidism which incapacitated him for practice. The Judge died in March, 1888 and is buried in Woodland cemetery at Xenia. His widow survived him for more than twelve years, her death occurring in November, 1900.

In January, 1844, Judge Moses Barlow was united in marriage to Phil- ipina Schroeder, who was born in the kingdom of Hanover, near the city of that name, April 19, 1822, and who had come to this country with her parents in the days of her girlhood. Mrs. Barlow was a gentlewoman of many graces of mind and heart and was ever a devoted and valued helpmeet to the Judge. To that union were born four children, namely: Henry, who is now living retired in the city of Columbus, this state; Philipina, widow of Horace Sabin, who is still making her home in Xenia; Mrs. Henrietta Walton, also of Xenia, and Mrs. Amy Laughead, of Xenia. The Judge and Mrs. Barlow were mem- bers of the Presbyterian church. The Judge was a member of the local lodges of the Free and Accepted Masons and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

CLARENCE G. McPHERSON, M. D.

Dr. Clarence G. McPherson, Xenia physician, with offices at the corner of South Detroit and Third streets, is a native son of this county, born on a farm in Xenia township on October 28, 1880, son of John H. and Eliza-

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO.

beth G. (Githens) McPherson, the former of whom, a veteran of the Civil War and former auditor of Greene county, also was born in this county and is still living here.

John H. McPherson was born on July II, 1840, son of William and Mary Ann (Rader) McPherson, the former of whom was born in the city of Xenia on February 16, 1816, son of John H. and Margaret (Hivling) McPherson, the latter of whom was born in Maryland and was the daughter of Jolin Hivling, sheriff of Greene county during the years 1813 and 1814. The elder John H. McPherson also served the community in a public capac- ity, having been for some time postmaster of Xenia and for ten years, 1830- 40, recorder of Greene county. Of the considerable number of children born to him and his wife, John Moses, Sophia and William grew to maturity and reared families. The latter, grandfather of Doctor McPherson, learned the trade of saddle-maker at Dayton and later returned to Xenia and en- gaged in that business there, continuing thus engaged until 1840, when, after his marriage, he began farming on his grandfather Hivling's old place on the Dayton hill, in the upper part of town, and was there thus occupied until his removal to a farm he had bought on the lower Bellbrook pike, four miles southwest of Xenia, in 1850. His wife, Mary Ann Rader, was a dauglı- ter of Adam and Christina (Smith) Rader. William McPherson and wife were the parents of nine children, seven of whom reached the age of matur- ity, those besides John H., the first-born, having been Joshua, who went to the front as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War, a member of Com- pany C, Seventy-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died at Nashville while thus engaged in service; Ann, who married E. S. Barnett, of Xenia township: Sophia, who married William Priest, of that same town- ship: Charles, who continued the management of the home farm; Adam R., who moved to Iowa and there became a farmer, and William, who was grad- uated from Ohio State University and later became a professor of chemistry there.

Reared on the home farm, John H. McPherson was residing there when the Civil War broke out. He presently enlisted his services in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front, serving for three years and two months, or until honorably discharged at Savannah, Georgia, in 1865. Upon the com- pletion of his military service Mr. McPherson returned to the home farm and after his marriage established his home there, continuing there engaged in farming until 1884, when he became engaged in the hardware business at Xenia, a member of the firm of Williams & McPherson, and was thus engaged when he was elected to the office of county auditor. He is still living at Xenia and is now serving as justice of the peace.

Clarence G. McPherson was but four years of age when his father, John H. McPherson, moved to Xenia and he received his early schooling in that

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO.

city, in due time being graduated from the high school. He then entered Ohio State University, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1904, and then entered Starling Medical College at Columbus, from which he was graduated in 1908. For a year after receiving his diploma Doctor McPherson served as an interne in the Protestant Hos- pital at Columbus and then as an interne for two months in the State Hospital in that city, after which he returned to Xenia and opened an office for the practice of his profession in his home town and has there been thus engaged since then. Doctor McPherson is a member of the Greene County Medical Society, of the Ohio State Medical Society and of the American Medical Association. While attending the university he was a member of Delta Upsilon and Alpha Kappa Kappa fraternities.

On October 14, 1909. Dr. Clarence G. McPherson was united in marriage to Margaret Bates, who was born in Nelsonville, this state, daughter of Louis A. and Electa C. Bates, the latter of whom is still living. Mrs. McPherson was formerly a professional nurse and was thus engaged at Columbus at the time she met Doctor McPherson. The Doctor and Mrs. McPherson are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church at Xenia and the Doctor is a member of the Sons of Veterans, the Masons, the Maccabees and the Modern Woodmen of America.

THOMAS B. JOBE.

In the memorial annals of the Yellow Springs neighborhood there are few names held in better remembrance than that of the late Thomas B. Jobe, a veteran of the Civil War, who died at his home in Yellow Springs early in 1916 and whose widow is still living there. Mr. Jobe has served as mayor of Yellow Springs, as postmaster of the village, as member of the village council, and at the time of his death was a member of the local school board. He also took an earnest part in local church and lodge work and in all that he did labored with an eye single to the common good, so that at his passing there was sincere regret expressed throughout the com- munity of which he had been a member since the days of his boyhood.

Thomas B. Jobe was born in Belmont county, this state, June 13, 1845, and was nine years of age when his parents, Allen and Rebecca (Aseneth) Jobe, natives of that same county, moved from there to Yellow Springs. Allen Jobe's parents were among the pioneers of Belmont county, having moved there from Maryland. Reared in Belmont county, Allen Jobe there learned the trade of carriage-maker and for some years after his marriage there con- tinued thus engaged in his home county. He then, about 1854, moved with his family to this county and located at Yellow Springs, where he resumed his work as a wagon-maker and thus continued until his death. He and his

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GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

wife were the parents of six children, Rebecca, Thomas, Emmet, Addison, Rachel and a daughter who died in infancy.

As noted above, Thomas B. Jobe was nine years of age when his parents moved to Yellow Springs. Upon completing the course in the common schools he entered Antioch College and was a student there when the Civil War broke out. In 1862, when but sixteen years of age, he enlisted for service in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front with a company that was raised at Springfield, his command being attached to the Army of the Potomac, with which he served until the close of the war. During the latter part of this period of service he was captured by the enemy and was for three months held in Libby Prison, being a prisoner of war there when the doors were thrown open following the fall of Richmond. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Jobe returned to Yellow Springs and there became engaged at the trade which he had learned in his father's shop, general blacksmithing and carriage-making, and about the time of his marriage in 1871 became engaged in business there for himself, doing a general business in the manufacture and sale of buggies, and was thus quite successfully engaged there the rest of his active life. Mr. Jobe was a Repub- lican and under the Harrison administration he served as postmaster of Yellow Springs. He also had served as a member of the council and as mayor of the town and at the time of his death, which occurred on February 4, 1916, was a member of the city school board. Mr. Jobe was a member of the Friends church, a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Mason, an Odd Fellow and an honorary member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.

On September 21, 1871, Thomas B. Jobe was united in marriage to Mary E. Coulter, who was born at Xenia, daughter of Asa and Lydia (Ellis) Coulter, the former a native of Maryland, who were married in Xenia and who were the parents of two daughters, Mrs. Jobe having a sister, Martha. To Mr. and Mrs. Jobe one child was born, a son, Walter A. Jobe, born in 1874, who was a college student at the time of his death on December 3, 1893, he then being nineteen years of age. Since the death of her hus- band Mrs. Jobe has continued to make her home at Yellow Springs, where she is very comfortably situated. She is a member of the Friends church and has ever taken an interested part in church work, as well as in the general good works of her home town.

JOSEPH WARREN KING.

The late Joseph Warren King, who in his day and for many years was one of the dominant figures in the business life of this section of Ohio and proprietor of the great powder mills which have so long been a distinctive

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GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

feature of industrialism hereabout, was a native of Connecticut, born at Suffield, that state, August 31, 1814, son of John Bowker and Hannah (New- ton) King, both of old Colonial stock, the Kings having had representation on this side as early as 1672, the first of the name in New England having settled at Ipswich, Massachusetts, in that year. James King, son of this emi- grant, settled in Suffield, Connecticut, in 1678. He had a son, Joseph, whose son, also Joseph King, served as a soldier of the patriot army during the Revolutionary War. John Bowker King was a son of this Revolutionary soldier. His wife, Hannah Newton, who was of "Mayflower" descent, was a daughter of John Newton, who also was a Revolutionary soldier. John Bowker King, who died on May 30, 1853, is mentioned in contemporary notes as "a man of good business ability, a substantial farmer and an upright man."

Reared on the home farm in Connecticut, Joseph W. King received a measure of schooling that was regarded as liberal in those days and as a young man made a satisfactory arrangement with his father whereby he was permitted to seek his fame and his fortune in fields farther to the west and with such an end in view came to Ohio and located at Westfield (now Leroy), in Medina county, his first business venture on his own account being as a book agent. In 1838 Mr. King returned to Connecticut to claim the hand of the young woman who there awaited him and straightway after their mar- riage he and his bride started for their Western home, going by canal and lake to Cleveland and thence down to Westfield, where they began their domestic life in a small house in which they set up what was said to have been the first cook-stove seen in that part of the country. In Westfield Mr. King opened a general store and presently moved to Lima, where he opened a store and where he also engaged in the pork-packing business under the firm name of King & Day. While at Lima Mr. King became interested in the sub- ject of the manufacture of powder, presently, about the year 1850, moving to Xenia, where, in partnership with Alvin Austin, he engaged in the manufac- ture of powder, establishing mills for that purpose about five miles north of the city, the business being carried on under the firm name of Austin, King & Company. Mr. King after a while purchased Mr. Austin's interest in the concern and incorporated the business under the name of the Miami Powder Company, of which for more than twenty years he was president. In 1878 Mr. King disposed of his interest in the Miami Powder Company and estab- lished another powder-mill in Warren county, locating the same at Kings Station, now known as Kings Mills, on the Little Miami; incorporating the business under the name of King's Great Western Powder Company, of which concern he was elected president and continued an active factor in the same until his death, which occurred on July 8, 1885, since which time his interests in the concern have been represented by his daughters. In addition

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

to his powder-mill interests Mr. King had other interests. He was one of the organizers of the Citizen's National Bank of Xenia and from the time of its organization until his death was president of the same, as well as presi- dent of the Merchants and Manufacturers Bank of Columbus; had connec- tions with the pork-packing industry at Lima, with iron and paper manufac- tories and with various other concerns.

In 1838 Joseph W. King was married at his old home at Suffield, Con- necticut. His widow survived him for nearly eleven years, continuing to make her home in the house on East Main street which he had erected at Xenia not long after taking up his residence there, her death occurring there on March 3, 1896. She was born, Betsy Kendall, at Suffield, a daughter of Capt. Simon and Elizabeth (Kent) Kendall, the latter of whom was a lineal descendant of Gov. William Bradford, one of the "Mayflower" emigrants and governor of Plymouth Colony, and of Major John Mason, who won fame during the Pequot War in 1637 and who was to Connecticut Colony what Miles Standish was to the Plymouth Plantation. To Joseph W. and Betsy (Kendall) King were born five daughters, namely: Helen, now deceased, who was the wife of the Reverend Doctor Morehead, of Xenia; Mary, wife of G. M. Peters, of Cincinnati; Elouisa, wife of C. C. Nichols, a banker, of Wilmington, Ohio, and Isadora and Emma, who continue to reside at the old home in Xenia. Joseph W. King and his wife were members of the Baptist church and Mr. King was for many years superintendent of the Sun- day school of the same. Miss Emma King was one of the chief promoters of the movement which led to the organization of Catherine Greene chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution at Xenia and was elected first regent of the same. Miss Isadora King is a member of the Greene County Library Board.

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FRANK FISHER.

Frank Fisher, proprietor of a grocery store at 239 East Main street, Xenia, was born on a farm about two miles west of Xenia, in Beavercreek township, April 24, 1868, son of George and Mary (Slate) Fisher, both of whom were born in Germany and who were married in this county. George Fisher was born on February 22, 1829, and was about eighteen years of age when he came to this country in 1847 and located at Eaton, Pennsyl- vania; a few years later coming to Ohio and locating in Greene county, where he spent the rest of his life. Mary Slate was born in 1833 and was seventeen or eighteen years of age when she came to this country, her fam- ily coming to Ohio and locating in Greene county, where she married George Fisher, who after living for some years on a farm west of Xenia, in Beaver-

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

creek township, disposed of his interests there and moved into Xenia, in 1870, and there engaged in the grocery business, continuing thus engaged until his death in 1909. To him and his wife were born nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fifth in order of birth, the others being the following : David, who is living in Xenia; Samuel, also of Xenia ; Clinton, deceased; George, Jr., deceased; Edward, who is now living in southern Ohio; Mrs. Anna Oster, of Yellow Springs, this county, and Elizabeth and Lena, also living at Yellow Springs.

Frank Fisher was but four years of age when his parents moved from the farm to Xenia and he grew up in the city and there received his school- ing. He early became assistant to his father in the latter's grocery store and continued as such until his father's death in 1909, when he bought the interests of the other heirs in the store and has since been conducting it. Mr. Fisher has a small farm at the edge of town and takes delight in what "truck" farming he is able to do there. On that place he has five hundred and fifty bearing cherry trees.

GEORGE KREPPS.

No roll of the early settlers of Greene county would be complete with- out the name of George Krepps, a sturdy pioneer who came over into this section of Ohio from Pennsylvania with his family in 1834, set up a black- smith shop in Xenia, later engaged in the same business at Trebein and still later settled on a farm in Spring Valley township, where he spent the re- mainder of his days and whose descendants in the third and fourth generation form a numerous connection in this and neighboring counties. One of his sons, Jeremiah Krepps, of Xenia township, and two of his daughters, Miss Henrietta Krepps, of Xenia, and Mrs. W. L. Fulkerson, of Xenia township, are still living, the two former now being well past eighty years of age.

George Krepps was born in Pennsylvania on August 30, 1802, and in that state grew to manhood, becoming a blacksmith by trade. He married Nancy Baughman, who was born in the state of Maryland on July 16, 1806, and after his marriage continued to make his home in Pennsylvania until 1834, in which year he came over into Ohio with his family and located at Xenia, where he worked at his trade as a smith, some time later moving to Trebein, a few miles northwest of the city, where he erected a blacksmith shop and there continued in business until about 1845, when he moved to a point about two and a half miles out on the Fairfield road, where he was in business until 1850, in which year he purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy-seven acres, known as the John Scarff farm, in Spring Valley town- ship, established his home there in the winter of 1852 and there spent the re-

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GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

mainder of his life, his death occurring on August 9, 1873. His wife had preceded him to the grave more than fifteen years, her death having occurred on January 15, 1856. They were the parents of nine children, namely : Mary Ann, born on February 28, 1829, who married Joseph W. Perryman, of Yellow Springs, and died on September 7, 1884; Jeremiah, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 17, 1831, and who is still living, one of Greene county's old settlers and the proprietor of a farm in Xenia town- ship: Eli, born on November 29, 1833, who died on October 12, 1862; Hen- rietta, born on August 29, 1836, who is now living at Xenia, which has been her home for many years and where she is occupying the old Baughman home in North King street; Ann Rebecca, born on September 16, 1838, who died on November 29, 1899; Magdalena, February 17, 1841, who died on April 26, 1913; Sarah Elizabeth, July 30, 1843, who married Richard Sinnard, a farmer of Greene county, and died on February 5, 1890, leaving two children, Marietta and Anna Jane; Eliza Ann, August 24, 1846, who married Austin Stillings, a Greene county farmer, by whom she had five children, Florella, George (deceased), Frank (deceased), Hattie and Raymond; and Nancy Ann, twin of Eliza Ann, who married William L. Fulkerson, a farmer of Xenia township, now living retired. William L. Fulkerson was born on a farm in this county, on the Cincinnati pike, son of William and Eliza Fulker- son, and has always been a farmer. To him and his wife eight children have been born, namely : George Walter, who is a farmer in Jay county, Indiana ; Mary Caroline, deceased; Minnie G., deceased; Clarissa Irene, who married Fernando Sanders, of this county; Harvey E., a teacher at Coal City, Illi- nois; Charles M., a teacher in the state of California; Ivy Foy, a farmer of this county, and Andrew L., a bookkeeper. George Krepps and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their children were reared in that faith. In his political views he held to the tenets of the Demo- cratic party.

Jeremiah Krepps, only surviving son of George Krepps, was about three years of age when his parents came to Ohio and he grew up as an assistant to his father in the latter's blacksmith shop and later became a farmer, for many years the proprietor of a farm of about two hundred acres in Xenia township, on the Cincinnati pike. Jeremiah Krepps has been twice married, his first wife having been Diana Moore, who was born in Spring Valley, this county, daughter of John and Lana (Quick) Moore. To that union were born four children, Emma, who became the wife of David Anderson and died, leaving a daughter, Bertha; Nancy Olive, wife of L. J. Crumley, a farmer of Spring Valley township, by whom she had three children, W. Albert, Eva and one who died in infancy ; Lana Belle, wife of L. L. Hickman, a farmer of Jay county, Indiana, and Diana C., who died in infancy. Fol-

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

lowing the death of the mother of these children Mr. Krepps married, March 31, 1866, Harriet A. Stillings, who was born and reared in Greene county, daughter of James and Lana (Fisher) Stillings, and to this union two children were born, Ada J., wife of G. W. Fudge, now living at Oxford, Ohio, and Marietta, who married Joseph E. Lyle, living on the old home place.

Nancy Baughman, wife of George Krepps, was a sister of Andrew H. Baughman, for many years one of the acknowledged leaders in the financial and commercial life of Xenia and who died at his home in that city in Sep- tember, 1891. Andrew H. Baughman was born on a farm seven miles east of the city of Hagerstown, Maryland, son of Capt. Andrew and Esther (Herr) Baughman, the former of whom was born and reared in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he was married and where he followed farming and inn-keeping, during the War of 1812 serving as captain of a volunteer company. Captain Baughman's wife died in 1814 and he survived her eight years. Deprived of a mother's care when he was but seven years of age, An- drew H. Baughman was reared on the farm of an uncle in the Hagerstown neighborhood and when fifteen years of age began to make his own way, working in a mill, where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age, never at any time during that period receiving more than nine dollars a month as wages. Upon reaching his majority he walked to Wheeling and worked his way by steamer down the Ohio to Cincinnati, whence he went to Ham- ilton, where he had two uncles living, and a few days later started out for this section of Ohio, making his way to Alpha, in this county. On Christmas Day he began working in Harbine's mill, at a wage of nine dollars a month and his board, and some time later, in association with his cousin, Jacob Herr, rented the mill and operated the same for a couple of years, 1830-31, after which he rented the Snyder mill and six years later, in association with Casper Snyder, bought the same and continued to operate it until 1853, in which year he sold out and bought a farm of two hundred and fifty acres, which he began to cultivate and improve, meanwhile, however, continuing his business asso- ciation with Mr. Snyder, who at this time took charge of both the Oldtown mills, which they had purchased and in which Mr. Baughman retained a half interest to the time of his death. In addition to his other land interests Mr. Baughman bought a tract of seven acres in the Xenia city limits, included between King and Galloway streets and Church and Shawnee streets, and in 1871 erected on that tract a house, with beautiful surrounding lawn, that is still one of the most tasteful and attractive residences in the city.

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History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 3

Author: Broadstone, Michael A., 1852- comp Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1440

Author: Broadstone, Michael A., 1852- comp
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1440