History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 42

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

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Alva Huston Smith was reared on the farm on which he was born and there grew to manhood. He received his early schooling in the nearby Schooley district school and supplemented the same by a course in the Xenia high school. After his marriage in 1895, he and his brother Addi- son, who married about that same time, established their home on the old homestead place of their grandfather, Daniel Smith, owned then by their father, and began farming that place, at the same time taking charge of their father's adjoining farms of three hundred acres. Thus they continued in partnership for ten years, at the end of which time Addison Smith bought the old Huston place and moved to the same. Alva H. Smith continued his operation of the Smith farms, still maintaining his home in the old Daniel Smith house, and after his father's death came into possession of that place, a farm of one hundred and forty-eight acres, on which he still lives. He bought a fifty-acre tract adjoining and now has about two hundred acres. The house in which he lives, a substantial brick structure typical of the period in which it was built, was erected in 1862 by his grandfather, Daniel Smith, and is in an excellent state of preservation. It stands on a rise over- looking Caesars creek and among the noble old cedar trees that adorn the dooryard are two which were grown from sprouts that were sent by mail to Grandfather Smith from the latter's birthplace in Hardy county, Vir- ginia, about the year 1860.

On December 25, 1895, Mr. Smith was united in marriage to Rosa May Sutton, who also was born in New Jasper township, daughter of John and Catherine (Beason) Sutton, both members of pioneer families in Greene county, for both the Suttons and the Beasons have been represented here for more than a hundred years, and to this union has been born one child, a daughter, Catherine Eliza, born on August 14, 1905. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the New Jasper Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Smith is a class leader, as were his father and his grandfather before him. For the past twelve years he has been a member of the board of trustees of the church and treasurer of the board. Mr. Smith is a Republican and for six years served as treasurer of his home township.

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JOHN HARVEY NISBET.

John Harvey Nisbet, a veteran of the Civil War, former court bailiff for Greene county and a painter and interior decorator, now living retired at Cedarville, was born in Cedarville and has lived there most of his life. He was born on June 5, 1842, son of John C. and Mary ( McMillan) Nisbet, both of whom were born in the Chester district of South Carolina, who were married in this county and who spent their last days here, both living to be eighty years of age.

John C. Nisbet was born in 1808 and remained in South Carolina until 1834, in which year he came to Ohio and shortly afterward at Xenia mar- ried Mary McMillan, who had come to this county from South Carolina about that same time. After his marriage he became engaged in the mer- cantile business, in association with Corts & Marshall, at Cortsville, in the neighboring county of Clark, six miles northeast of Cedarville, but later returned to Greene county and became engaged in business at Cedarville, where he established his home. John C. Nisbet was a Republican and dur- ing the term of John Orr as county clerk served as deputy county clerk. He also rendered public service for several years under Judge Harper. He died at Xenia in 1888, he then being eighty years of age. His widow sur- vived him for ten years, her death occurring at Cedarville in 1898, she then also being eighty years of age. They were members of the Reformed Pres- byterian (Covenanter) church and their children were reared in that faith. Of the eight children born to them, five grew to maturity, namely : Catherine, now deceased, who was the wife of Samuel Ewing, of Louisville, Kentucky ; Hugh M., who was a salesman for the Stewart Dry Goods Company at Louisville and who died on December 28, 1916; John H., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; William K., who was for twenty-five years a railway postal clerk, having had the first fast-mail run inaugurated in the United States, in New York state, and later and for years the run between Cincinnati and Louisville and who died in the latter city in 1892. and James C., now living at Chicago, where for years he has been employed as a bookkeeper.

John H. Nisbet was reared at Cedarville and received his early school- ing in the schools of that village, completing the same in the school that was long conducted there by the Rev. Hugh McMillan and in the old Grove school. In 1856 he began to work at the trade of painter and paper-hanger and was thus engaged in his home town when the Civil War broke out. On September 14, 1861, he enlisted for service in the Union army as a drummer in the Forty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered out in October, 1862. In January, 1864, he re-enlisted and again

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went to the front, as a member of Company D, Eighth Ohio Cavalry. This regiment was reorganized at Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, under Capt. Robert Lyle, as Company M, and he then served with Company M until he received his final discharge on July 30, 1865. During the progress of what was known as Hunter's raid, June 10, 1864, Mr. Nisbet was shot in the left ankle. He had not much more than comfortably recovered from that disability when, on January 1I, 1865, he was captured by the enemy and was confined in Libby prison, from which he did not secure his release until in February, 1865. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Nisbet resumed his vocation as a painter and paper-hanger at Cedarville and after his marriage in the spring of 1868 established his home there, continuing to follow that vocation there until 1898, in which year he was appointed court bailiff, a position he occupied until January 1, 1906, since which time he has been living practically retired at his pleasant home in Cedarville. He and his wife are members of the Reformed Presbyterian church at Cedarville. Their poet son, Wilbur Dick Nesbit, has done honor to his church in his poem, "The Covenanters," which is presented in con- nection with the history of that church set out in the historical section of this work. Mr. Nisbet is a member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, of which he is past commander and adjutant. For eight years before her marriage Mrs. Nisbet had been engaged as a teacher in the schools of Greene county, a profession upon which she entered when seventeen years of age.

It was on March 19, 1868, in Logan county, Ohio, that John H. Nis- bet was united in marriage to Isabel Fichthorne, who also was born in this county, a daughter of Isaac and Elizabeth (Hardie) Fichthorne, of New Jasper township. Isaac Fichthorne was born in Hardy county, Virginia, in 1812, and was but a child when his parents, who were natives of Virginia, came to Ohio and located in Greene county, establishing their home in New Jasper township. There he grew to manhood and married Elizabeth Har- die, who was born in Ayleth, Scotland, and who was but a child in arms when her parents came to this country and proceeded on out to Ohio, set- tling in New Jasper township. Isaac Fichthorne was a wagon-maker by trade and later a farmer. In 1867 he and his wife moved to Logan county, where they spent the remainder of their lives. He was a Lutheran and she was a member of the United Presbyterian church. They were the parents of twelve children, ten of whom grew to maturity. To John H. and Isabel (Fichthorne) Nisbet have been born six children, namely : Charles E., since 1890 engaged in the railway mail service, now a resident of Loveland, Ohio, who married Elizabeth Winter and has five children, Lawrence W., Roger C., Mary E., Thomas A. and John Harvey; Wilbur D., one of America's best-loved poets; Edward Harvey, living at Joliet, Illinois, where

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he is engaged as a traveling salesman; Estella, formerly a teacher in the Cedarville schools, who married J. J. McClelland and died in 1911, leaving two children, Dorothy and Marjorie; Kate Belle, who is at home with lier parents, and John Emerson, who married Lynna Wamsley and has for years been engaged in newspaper work, formerly connected with the Indianapolis Star and now editor of the Dayton Herald.

JOSEPH W. ADAMS.

Joseph W. Adams, a farmer of Miami township, former assessor of that township and a resident of the Clifton neighborhood, was born on a farm in the vicinity of Xenia, in Xenia township, August 25, 1852, a son of James G. G. and Eleanor C. (Hutchinson) Adams, the former a native of the state of Massachusetts and the latter of Pennsylvania, who were married in this county and who later became residents of Miami town- ship, remaining there until their retirement from the farm and removal to Yellow Springs, where their last days were spent.

James G. G. Adams was born in 1820 and was but a small child when his father died. His mother, who was a Galloway, not long afterward came to Greene county and here presently married George Townsley. James G. G. Adams was but a child when he came to Greene county with his mother from his native Massachusetts and his schooling was obtained in the Xenia city schools. At the age of eighteen years he became engaged in teaching school and was thus engaged at the time of his marriage in 1849. After his marriage he continued teaching for a few years and then began farming in Xenia township, later moving to Miami township, where he was engaged in farming until his retirement and removal to Yellow Springs, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring there on January 2, 1898. He was buried in beautiful Woodland cemetery at Xenia.

It was on December 20, 1849, that James G. G. Adams was united in marriage to Eleanor C. Hutchinson, who was but a girl when she came to this county with her parents from Pennsylvania, and to that union were born nine children, two of whom died in infancy, the others being as fol- lows: George T., born on October 8, 1850, who became an expert teleg- rapher and who died on January 21, 1876: Joseph W., the subject of this biographical sketch; Anna M., born on October II, 1854, who died when three years of age; Charles Ezbon, April 18, 1858, who became a lawyer and who died on January 8, 1898; Frank E., January 1, 1861, who is now engaged in the mercantile business in the West; James A., October 7, 1862, also living in the West, where he is engaged as an electrician, and J. Harwood, May 15, 1866, now living retired at Yellow Springs.

Joseph W. Adams received his schooling in the Xenia township schools.

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After his marriage in 1879 he began farming on his own account in Cedar- ville township and later moved to a farm in Beavercreek township, where he remained for eighteen years, or until his return to Miami township in 1903, in that year taking possession of the farm on which he is now living and where he has since resided. Mr. Adams is assisted in the management of his farm by his younger son, Howard, who is still at home. Mr. Adams is a Republican and has served as township assessor and at various times as a member of the school board.

On September 24, 1879, Mr. Adams was united in marriage to Minnie A. Anderson, daughter of James and Catherine (Blair) Anderson, of Cedar- ville township, both of whom were natives of Scotland and who were the parents of two children, Mrs. Adams having had a brother who died in his youth. Mr. and Mrs. Adams have five children, namely: Charles A., born on July 14, 1880, now farming in Miami township, who married Grace Harner, of Beavercreek township, and has one child, a daughter, Elva, born on December 14, 1913; Franke Eleanor, September 17, 1881, who married David J. Schwarz and has one child, a son, Paul W., born on Feb- ruary 4, 1908; James R., now a member of the detective force of the city of Springfield, Ohio, who on June 27, 1912, married Geneva Robinson; Joseph C., April 17, 1890, who became an electrician and who is now a member of the national army, attached to the artillery division in training at Camp Sherman, and Howard, April 8, 1894, who is unmarried and who is assisting his father in the management of the home farm, a member of the Clifton lodge of the Knights of Pythias. Mr. and Mrs. Adams and three of the children are members of the Presbyterian church at Yellow Springs. Mrs. Schwarz and Charles A. are members of the Reformed church.

DAVID FRANKLIN BELT.

David Franklin Belt, proprietor of a farm in Spring Valley township, rural mail route No. 4, out of Xenia, has been a resident of Greene county all his life. He was born on a farm in Sugarcreek township on March 27, 1863, son of John and Amanda (Crumbaugh) Belt, both of whom also were born in this county.

The late John Belt, who died at his home in this county in the summer of 1917, was born in Sugarcreek township on June 9, 1834, son of White- ford and Matilda (Dickensheets) Belt, the former of whom was a native of the state of Maryland. Whiteford Belt was a millwright and was en- gaged in that vocation at various places until he established his home in Sugarcreek township, this county, where he and his wife spent their last

MR. AND MRS. DAVID F. BELT.

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days. On the farm on which he was born John Belt grew to manhood and there remained until his marriage in 1859, after which for a year he made his residence in Dayton. He then lived for a couple of years in Miami county and then returned to this county and settled in the Alpha neighborhood, presently moving from there to a farm in Spring Valley township, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring in June, 1917, he then being in the eighty-fourth year of his age. For ten years in the earlier part of his life he was a butcher and he also worked for some time as a carpenter before buying his farm. He was a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. John Belt was thrice mar- ried and was the father of nineteen children. On November 2, 1859, he was united in marriage to Amanda Crumbaugh, who was born at Xenia, daughter of Samuel Crumbaugh, a carpenter of that place. She died on April 2, 1863, at the age of twenty years. Of the three children born to that union the subject of this sketch is the only one now living. On October 3, 1863, John Belt married Susan P. Loy, who was born in Ohio, and who died on July 5, 1889. To that union were born fifteen children, Marion, Oliver J., John A., Charles . E., Ora C., Harry E., Joseph W., George L., Thomas H., Harriet E., Ida V., Ralph A., Kate M., Anna B., and Perry. On July 23, 1890, John Belt married Elizabeth Parker, who died in 1913. To that union one child was born, a daughter, Amanda Elizabeth, who is now a student at Antioch College.

David F. Belt was reared on the home farm and received his schooling in the Bellbrook schools. He remained at home until he had passed his majority and after his marriage in the spring of 1891 he and his wife began housekeeping on a farm a mile and a half southwest of Bellbrook, a year later moving from that place to the place on which they are now living and have thus been occupying that place for twenty-six years. When Mr. Belt took up his residence there the only house on the place was an old log house, a holdover from pioneer days. In 1900 he bought the farm and has since then made numerous improvements, including the erection of a new house, barn and other farm buildings. Mr. Belt has a farm of seventy acres and in addition to his general farming for years operated a thresh- ing-machine outfit during seasons. By political affiliation he is a Republican.

On March 27, 1891, at Xenia, David F. Belt was united in marriage to May Dilts, who was born in that city, March 15, 1867, daughter of Preston and Carrie (Hollingshead) Dilts, the latter of whom also was born in Xenia. Preston Dilts was born at Winamac, Indiana, and was for years a gardener at Xenia. He was twice married and by his first wife, the mother of Mrs. Belt, was the father of six children, those besides Mrs. Belt, the second in order of birth, being Harry, Emma, Frank, Clara and (24)

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Walter. Of these Mrs. Belt and her brother Walter, the latter now a resident of Michigan City, Indiana, are the only survivors. The mother of these children died on November 5, 1872, and in 1873 Mr. Dilts mar- ried Mrs. Susan Wood, a widow, who died on December 7, 1877, leaving two children, Elmer and Albert. Preston Dilts died on October 26, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Dilts are members of the First Reformed church at Xenia.

BENJAMIN F. CLAYTON.

· Benajmin F. Clayton, a veteran of the Civil War, formerly and for years an active minister of the Christian church and also formerly actively engaged in the practice of dental surgery, now and for some years past living practically retired at Yellow Springs, which he has regarded as his home since 1904, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state most of his life, though his ministerial vocation for some years required his resi- dence in far removed states, he having at different times been a resident of Rhode Island, Iowa and Indiana. The Doctor has also at times been serviceable as a chautauqua lecturer. For years he has been an active worker in Pythian circles and for six years was chaplain of the Ohio state grand lodge of the order of the Knights of Pythias. He was born on a farm in Champaign county, near West Liberty, June 1, 1847, son of Jonathan and Eliza (Watson) Clayton, the former a Virginian and the latter a native of Vermont, who were married at West Liberty, Ohio, and whose last days were spent at Marion, Indiana, both living to ripe old ages.

Jonathan Clayton was born at Shepperdstown, Virginia, in 1810, of Welsh descent, received his schooling in his native state and remained there until he was twenty-one years of age, when he came to Ohio and located in Clark county, presently going thence to West Liberty, in Logan county, where, in 1843, he married Eliza Watson, who was born in Vermont on January 1, 1821. Jonathan Clayton was a grist-miller by vocation and after following that business for some time became engaged in farming in Cham- paign county and there continued to reside until his retirement from the farm at the age of sixty-five years, and removal to Marion, Indiana, where he spent his last days, his death occurring there in 1894, he then being eighty-four years of age. His widow survived him for about seventeen years, her death occurring on January 31, 1911, she then being at the age of ninety years and thirty days. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the doctor was the third in order of birth, the others being as fol- lows : John R., deceased; William, deceased; Mrs. Ruhama Ann McElvan, who is now living at Denver, Colorado; Thomas C., a resident of Pitkin, Colorado; Mrs. Eliza Jane McGinnis, of Marion, Indiana; Prof. Henry C.

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Clayton. superintendent of schools at Marion, Indiana; Eunice, wife of Doctor Kinley, of Marion, Indiana; Charles, of Wellington, Kansas, and Elmer E., who died in infancy.

Benjamin F. Clayton was reared at West Liberty and there received a high-school education. His inclination early being directed toward the gos- pel ministry he later entered the Christian Biblical Institute at Stanford- ville, New York, and after a four-years' theological course there was or- dained as a minister of the Christian church. Doctor Clayton's first call was to the church at Jamestown, in this county, and he remained in pastoral charge for four years, at the end of which time he accepted a call to Rhode Island and was for eleven years and six months engaged in the service of the church there. He then returned to Ohio, accepting a call to the church at Franklin, in the neighboring county of Warren, and was for four years in pastoral charge of the church there, later being recalled to that same church for a year. After a residence of thirteen years in Franklin he moved to Yellow Springs and has since maintained his home there, though after locating there he accepted a call to the church at Clemons, Iowa. He did not remain there long, however, presently resigning his charge, but he later was recalled to the same charge.

In addition to his wide ministerial service, Mr. Clayton is also quite well known as a chautauqua lecturer and has had much experience on the platform. During his residence at Franklin he was an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, his connection with that patriotic order being based upon his service as a soldier of the Union dur- ing the Civil War, a member of Company I, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served from March 7, 1865, to December 18, 1865. He also for years has been an active member of the Knights of Pythias and for six years was chaplain of Uniform Rank of that order. Politically, he is a Republican.

On June 3, 1873, at Marion, Indiana, Mr. Clayton was united in mar- riage to Ada Maple, daughter of the Rev. James and Sarah (Maxwell) Maple, the former of whom was a minister of the Christian church, at that time pastor of the church of that denomination at Marion. Mrs. Clayton died July 9, 1908. Mr. and Mrs. Clayton had no children of their own, but they reared three children. The first of these children, Carrie Brown, remained with them until she was twenty-three years of age, when she went back to Rhode Island, the state of her birth, and was there married to Frank Dawley. The other two were boys, Alpheus McLain, who later took the middle name of Clayton, and John Marlott, the former of whon Mr. and Mrs. Clayton took when he was four years of age and the latter at the age of eleven. Both of these lads were reared to manhood by Mr. and Mrs.

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Clayton and then went to Canada, where each homesteaded a half section of land and are there still making their homes. During the Philippine War John Marlott rendered service in the paymaster's department. He married Flossie B. Parsons, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Parsons, of Yellow Springs, and has two children, Jane Lehlia and John Clayton. Alpheus Clayton McLain married Lizzie Wolff, of Stalwart, Saskatchewan, Canada, and has four children, Clayton Benjamin, John William, Eugene Douglas and Alline Marie.

HON. JAMES E. LEWIS.

The Hon. James E. Lewis, former representative from this district in the Ohio General Assembly, former clerk of the village of Jamestown, for- mer treasurer of Ross township, present president of the board of education in the latter township, and proprietor of a fine farm in Ross township, sit- uated on rural mail route No. 4 out of Jamestown, is a native "Buckeye" and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in Highland county on Sep- tember 18, 1867, son of Alfred and Lucinda (Woolums) Lewis, both of whom were born in that same county, the former of whom was a building contractor, and who were the parents of seven children, of whom the sub- ject of this sketch was the third in order of birth, the others being the fol- lowing: Mrs. Ida Billingsley, of Adams county, this state; William A., who is now a resident of Los Angeles, California; Arthur N. and Jonathan K., residents of New Orleans; Charles, now a first lieutenant in the national army of the United States, and Mrs. Lydia Pense, of Highland county.

Following the completion of the course in the public schools of High- land county, James E. Lewis took two years of supplemental instruction in a normal training school and for two years thereafter taught school in his home county. He then became employed as a teacher in this county, mak- ing his home in Jamestown, and for eighteen years was a teacher in Ross township. In the fall of 1892 Mr. Lewis married and in 1895 moved to the farm on which he is now living in Ross township and has since then made that his place of residence. Mr. Lewis is operating a farm of about seven hundred acres and makes a specialty of the raising of Poland China hogs. He is a Republican and for fourteen years served as a member of the county central committee of his party. In 1893 he was elected clerk of the village of Jamestown and held that office until his removal to Ross township in 1895. For two terms he served as treasurer of Ross township and for five years served as a member of the Greene county board of deputy state supervisors of elections and was chief deputy at the time of his election to a seat in the state House of Representatives in 1908. Mr. Lewis's course in the House

J.E. Lewis

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Rosa B. Lewis.

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proved so satisfactory to his constituents that he was re-elected and thus served as representative from this county for two terms or until 1913. He has for many years been recognized as the leader in educational affairs in his home township and is now the president of the Ross township board of education. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Jamestown and Mr. Lewis was for some time superintendent of the Sunday school of the same. He is affiliated with the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with the local encampment, Patriarchs Militant, at Jamestown, and with the lodges of the Knights of Pythias and the Junior Order of United American Mechanics at that place.

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History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 42

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