USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 88
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ing at the port of New York after a voyage of five weeks. Upon his arrival he started on a prospecting trip through the West and Northwest, visiting the states of Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but in the fall of that same year came to Ohio and located in Greene county, where he had friends, and went to work in the Alpha neighborhood as a woodchopper, at the rate of forty cents a cord and "find" himself. In 1852 he married Elizabeth Brod, whom he had known in his home country and who had come here some little time before, and not long afterward bought a small farm on which he began operations on his own account.
JOHN G. WARNER.
The late John G. Warner, an honored veteran of the Civil War, who, died at his home in Yellow Springs in the fall of 1914 and whose widow and one of his daughters, Miss Emma Warner, are still living there, was born in the neighboring county of Clark and there spent most of his active life, having resided there until his removal to Yellow Springs in 1902. He was born on a farm in the immediate vicinity of Selma, in Madison town- ship, January 9, 1840, son of Isaac and Sarah (Gill) Warner, who were the parents of six children, of whom he was the fourth in order of birth.
Reared on the home farm, John G. Warner was attending Antioch College at Yellow Springs when the Civil War broke out. Though not yet "of age" he at once offered his services to help put down the armed rebellion against the government and on April 17, 1861, two days following Presi- dent Lincoln's first call for volunteers, his name was enrolled on the roster of the Seventeenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the first volunteer thus to go from Antioch College, which institution in the trying months to follow was almost deprived of male students. Upon the completion of the original term of enlistment, which was for three months, Mr. Warner lost little time in re-entering the service, re-enlisting on August 7. Seven days later he was at the side of General Lyon when the latter was killed at the battle of Wilson's Creek, Missouri, April 10, 1861. The young man then served under General Fremont and in 1862 was with Grant in the Tennessee campaign, taking part in the battle of Shiloh, where he was detailed for service on General Sherman's staff. He continued his service as an aide to the beloved "Tecumsehi" until after the evacuation of Corinth, his most im- portant duty being to give the pickets the countersign. After the fall of Vicksburg Mr. Warner, on account of illness, was placed on detailed duty and not long afterward was mustered out of service in the Fourth Ohio Cavalry and returned home. It was not long, however, until he was suffi- ciently recuperated to feel that he could properly re-enter the service and he re-enlisted, returning to the front as a member of the One Hundred and
JOHN G. WARNER.
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Forty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until September, when he was finally mustered out. During the three years of his army life Mr. Warner participated in some very hard service, but the duties connected with his last period of enlistment seemed mere "play" in comparison with those he had been called on to perforni dur- ing the earlier periods of his service.
Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Warner returned home and was shortly afterward married. He then left the farmi and became engaged in mercantile pursuits, but finding that this form of endeavor was not to his liking presently sold his store at Selma and returned to the home farm in the Selma neighborhood. presently obtaining possession of the same, and there continued to make his home, engaged in general farming and stock raising, until 1902, in which year he retired from the active labors of the farm and moved to Yellow Springs, where his last days were spent, his death occurring there on September 10, 1914. His body was taken back to the vicinity of his old home in Clark county for interment and is buried in the cemetery at South Charleston.
On January 9, 1865. in Clark county, John G. Warner was united in marriage to Anna Murray, who also was born in that county, daughter of George and Lavina (Morris) Murray, and who survives her husband. she continuing to make her home at Yellow Springs. To John G. and Anna (Murray) Warner were born seven children, two of whom, Georgia and Lavina, died in infancy, the others being the following: Mungo P., the first-born, Lydia A., Isaac S., Sarah A. and Emma, all of whom are still living and the latter of whom continues to make her home with her mother at Yellow Springs. Mungo P. Warner, who is now engaged in farming in the vicinity of Onondaga, Michigan, married Myrtle Draggro, now de- ceased, and to that union were born seven children, two of whom, Angie and Guy, are deceased. the others being Harold, Ruth, Bryce. Wilbur and Robert Murray, the last-named of whom has been adopted by his father's eldest sister and her husband, Mr. and Mrs. Howard A. Loe, of Ohio City, this state. Lydia Warner married Howard A. Loe and now resides at Ohio City. As noted above, she and her husband have adopted the youngest child of her elder brother, Mungo P. Warner. Isaac S. Warner married Adalia Little, of Yellow Springs, and is now living at Dayton. To hint and his wife has been born one child, who died in infancy. Sarah A. Warner, who married W. C. Shade, is also living at Dayton. She and her husband have two daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth. Miss Emma Warner, as noted above. is still making her home with her mother at Yellow Springs. Mrs. Warner and her daughter take an interested part in local church work, as well as in the general good works of the community in which they live.
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ALLEN H. MIARS.
The late Allen H. Miars, who died at his farm home in Spring Valley township in the spring of 1916, and whose son, Fremont Miars, now owns and occupies the place, was a native "Buckeye" and all his life was spent in this state. He was born on a farm in Union township, five miles north of Wilmington, in the neighboring county of Clinton, April 21, 1828, a son of Samuel and Hannah (Haines) Miars, the latter of whom was born in the same county, a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Leonard) Haines, who had come to the then Territory of Ohio in 1800 and had become pioneers of the Waynesville neighborhood. Jacob Haines was a Pennsylvanian and his wife was born at Guilford Court House, in North Carolina. She was a girl when the battle was fought at that place during the Revolution and recalled that after the battle a couple of soldiers entered the Leonard home and asked for something to eat, seating themselves at the fireplace while the meal was being prepared. When they were called to partake of the meal it was found that one of the soldiers had meanwhile died while sitting there. According to Cartmell's "History of the Shenandoah Valley," the Miars family were among the pioneers of that valley, having bought their lands from Lord Fairfax. Capt. John Miars, a brother of Martin Miars, grandfather of the subject of this memorial sketch, served through the Revolution. Capt. Jacob Miars also served through the Revolution and afterward founded the town of Myersdale, Pennsylvania. This family was largely represented in the army during the Civil War, serving on both sides. Six of the name lie buried in the Confederate cemetery at Winchester, Virginia, while just over the wall in the Federal cemetery are the graves of five of the name. William H. Miars is mentioned as a gallant officer in the Laurel Brigade and Samuel D. Miars served with "Stonewall" Jackson. Capt. Jack Miars, son of Will- iam H. Miars, led the first company of soldiers through the breach in the wall of the city of Pekin to the relief of the besieged legations during the Boxer rebellion in China in 1900. Allen H. Miars was a member of a mili- tary company before the Civil War and responded to the call to help repel the Morgan invasion of the state. When that call came it found him cradling wheat in a field nearby his home. Hanging his cradle in a tree, he went to the house, got a blanket and a tincup, said goodby to his family and joined his company at Deserted Camp. Jacob Haines was a son of Joshua Haines and wife, the latter of whom was a Rich, and was a descendant of the nobility of Scotland. Upon coming to Ohio he settled on a tract of sixty acres in the vicinity of Center meeting house, accumulated there in time a large estate, died on that farm and was buried in Center graveyard. He had four brothers, Joseph, John. Israel and Job, and a sister, Mrs. Lydia Reese, and he and
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his wife had seven children, Jonathan, Joshua, Isaac, Zimri, Hannah, Abigail and Lydia.
Samuel Miars was born in Frederick county, Virginia, October 29, 1799, and was about twelve years of age when he came with his parents, Martin and Jane (Summers) Miars, to Ohio in 1810 or 1811, the family settling near Center church in the Wilmington neighborhood, in Clinton county. Martin Miars and his wife, both of whom were native Virginians and Quakers, established their home there and there spent the remainder of their lives. They were the parents of eight children, those besides Samuel having been David, John, Martin, Jacob, Elizabeth, Mary and Jane, the descendants of whom in the present generation form a numerous connection in this part of Ohio. Samuel Miars grew to manhood on that pioneer farm in the neighbor- hood of Center meeting house and after his marriage to Hannah Haines established his home on a farm in that vicinity, but later moved to another place on the Burlington and Wilmington pike, near Antrim's Corner, and there lie and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, both dying in April, 1874, within four days, Samuel Miars then being seventy-five years of age. He was the owner of eight hundred acres of land. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, three of whom died in infancy, the others besides Allen H., the eldest, having been Mary Jane, who married William F. Ogles- bee: Martin H., who continued to farm the old home place; Isaac, whose last days were spent on a farm two miles east of Wilmington; John Milton, whose last days were spent in California, and Sarah Louise, who married Alfred McKay, of Wilmington.
Reared on the farm, Allen H. Miars received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and remained at home until after his marriage in the spring of 1859, after which he located on the Hazard farm two miles east of Wilmington and there began farming on his own account. There he remained for twenty-three years, or until 1882, when he bought the Gest farm of three hundred and twenty-one acres three-quarters of a mile west of the village of Spring Valley and moved into Greene county. where his wife spent the remainder of their lives. In addition to his general farming Mr. Miars had given considerable attention to the raising of high grade cattle. He had maintained his birthright interest in the Friends church and by political affiliation was a Republican.
It was in March, 1859, that Allen H. Miars was united in marriage to Mary Melinda Stump, who was born in Warren county October 28, 1829, a daughter of Jonas and Prudence (Smalley) Stump, the latter of whom was a daughter of William Smalley, an old Indian fighter who had helped build the first house in Cincinnati and was the first settler in the section that came to be organized as Clinton and Warren counties. William Smalley was born in New Jersey in 1761 and was at Ft. Du Quesne when the Indians
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made a raid on the fort, his father being among those slain. Young Smalley then was fifteen years of age. He was taken into captivity by the Indians and for seven years was thus held, during that time being compelled to wit- ness inany an act of cruel savagery on the part of his captors, several white prisoners having been burned at the stake during that period, and on one occasion he saw an infant torn from its mother's arms and thrown into the flames. He left camp to keep from seeing Colonel Crawford burned. In 1784 he escaped from his captors and returned to Pittsburgh, a few years later coming down the river and locating at Ft. Washington, where Cin- cinnati came to be established. He took part in the campaigns against the Indians up in this section of Ohio with General Harmar and with General St. Clair and was later in charge of sharpshooters in Wayne's army in the Auglaize country and was present when Colonels Lynch and Truman were killed. He took part in Perry's battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812 and using his rifle, he fired thirty-three shots, twenty-nine of which took effect. Mrs. Prudence Stump, daughter of this pioneer and mother of Mrs. Miars, lived to the great age of ninety-two years, her death occurring in November, 1902. Allen H. Miars died on March 15, 1916, and his widow survived him less than a year, her death occurring on January 16, 1917. Her father, Jonas Stunip, was a son of Daniel and Mary (Ramey) Stump, Virginians, who in 1817 liberated their slaves and came to the free state of Ohio, leav- ing their home in Frederick county, in the Old Dominion, on account of their antipathy to the institution of slavery. Daniel Stump was a son of Capt. John Stump, of the German navy, who married Margaret Lynx, gave up his seafaring life, came to the American colonies and settled in the Shenan- doah valley, his wife, it being said, forfeiting her right to a large estate by coming to this country. Three of the sons of Capt. Jolin Stump served seven years as soldiers of the patriot army during the Revolutionary War, attached to Company 4, Morgan's Regiment. It is related that at the siege of Yorktown, Jacob Stump remarked to a comrade, "See me shoot the epaulet off that British officer's shoulder." He fired and the epaulet was torn from the shoulder of the officer. To Allen H. and Mary Melinda (Stump) Miars was born one child, a son, Fremont, who owns and occupies the old home place.
Fremont Miars, son and only child of Allen H. and Mary Melinda (Stump) Miars, was born in Clinton county on September 17, 1861, on the Hazard farm, and received his early schooling in the Hazard school in the vicinity of his boyhood home, supplementing the same by attendance at the Wilmington schools, after which he entered Wilmington College and later received further instruction in the college at Lebanon and at Delaware Col- lege. For two years after leaving college Mr. Miars was engaged in mercan-
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tile pursuits at Hartmonsville, West Virginia, and then returned home, his presence on the farm being necessary in order to relieve his father of the further responsibility of the farm management. After his marriage in 1893 he established his home in the home of his parents and has since continued to make that his place of residence, now the proprietor of a farm of more than three hundred acres.
On February 8, 1893, Fremont Miars was united in marriage to Cora Bryce, who was born in the village of Spring Valley, this county, daughter of Alexander and Margaret (Irvine) Bryce, residents of that village. Alex- ander Bryce was born at Paisley, Scotland, and was there trained in the art of shawl weaving. In 1849 he came to the United States and became employed in the woolen mills at Urbana, this state, later coming to Greene county, making his home at Alpha and at Spring Valley, in which latter village he died at the age of seventy-nine years. His wife was eighty at the time of her death. They were members of the Methodist Protestant church and were the parents of five children, of whom Mrs. Miars was the fifth in order of birth, the others being the following: Catherine D., who is living at Xenia ; Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Stiles, a Xenia township farmer; James Irvine, who became a resident of Dayton, where he died, and Anna, who married Walter Barley and is now living at Portland, Oregon. Mr. and Mrs. Miars have one child, a daughter, Mary Margaret, born on March .I, 1900, who attended the Spring Valley schools and Xenia high school and is now a student in Ohio State University. They are members of the Methodist Protestant church. Mr. Miars is a Republican.
JOHN B. ALLEN.
John B. Allen was one of the leading figures of Xenia for over half a century. Born near Mount Jackson, Shenandoah county, Virginia, August 5, 1816, he came to Xenia in 1836 and made his home here in this city until the day of his death, December 21, 1893. He was a son of John and Catherine (Holker) Allen, of English ancestry. He was educated at the college at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and just before reaching his majority came to Xenia alone, his sister, Mrs. John Walton, being located in the city. Soon after coming to Xenia he opened a private bank, and from that time · forward banking was his life work. He saw the city rise from a village of a few hundred until it became a thriving metropolis of eight thousand, and in this growth he had an active part. He continued his private bank until it was merged into a national bank, and remained the president of this bank, the Xenia National Bank, until his death. He had other interests, but
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he was essentially a banker and every other activity in which he was engaged was subordinate to his banking interests.
Mr. Allen was married on December 10, 1839, to Sarah Ann Nunne- maker. To this marriage were born two children, Mary A., who became the wife of the poet, Coates Kinney, and Clara, unmarried. The two sisters are still living in Xenia, making their home together in the old Allen home- stead. Mrs. Allen died on April 30, 1902. She had been a life-long worker in the Methodist church, and was a woman of unusual character.
Mr. Allen was never a seeker after political preferment, but his friends forced him to become an active worker in political affairs, feeling that he was exceptionally qualified for public life. He consented to become a candi- date for the city council, and was elected and re-elected term after term. For some years he was president of the city council. He was also a member of the board of county commissioners for several years. In 1891 he was elected a member of the state Senate and was re-elected in the fall of 1893, but his death occurred before he took up his duties for the second term. John B. Allen was such a man as make cities what they are today. Devoted to his work, he was no less devoted to the life of his fellowman. He left behind him the reputation of a man who was always ready to share his worldly goods with those less fortunately situated in life and those who remember him in his later years recall his intense interest in the well-being of those around him. Thus he lived, and thus he died-a man full of the milk of human kindness. Those who may read these lines in the years to come will here read of the life and career of one of Xenia's best loved citizens of a past generation.
Mrs. John B. (Nunnemaker) Allen was the only daughter of Michael and Mary (Hivling) Nunnemaker. Her father was born in Maryland. August 3, 1790, where he was reared to manhood. At the age of twenty- six he came to Xenia, where he lived the remainder of his life. He was a bookkeeper and principal salesman in the dry-goods store of John Hivling for a number of years. He married Mary Hivling, a daughter of his pro- prietor, on October 28, 1821. He died February 27, 1866. As before stated, Mrs. John B. Allen was the only daughter of this marriage. Later. Mr. Nunnemaker became a merchant and banker, and was associated with his son-in-law. John B. Allen, in the banking business.
Mrs. Nunnemaker was a capable woman in many ways. Her husband. became one of the wealthy men of the county. He was prudent in his deal- ings, scrupulously honest in all his transactions, and never failed to help those who came to him for assistance. He was an active member of the Methodist church. Capt. John Hivling, the father of Mrs. Nunnemaker, was one of the big men of early Xenia. He built the first large hotel in the city, which
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stood at the corner of Detroit and Main streets, part of which is still stand- ing in 1917. The Captain was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1779, and came to Greene county in 1809. He became a large land- owner, buying land by the thousand-acre lots. At his death on November 4, 1851, he was the wealthiest man in the county. He was interested in the first bank, in the old Little Miami Railroad, and in every feature of the life of Xenia which promised to make it a better and larger city. He was a Mason and helped organize the first lodge in Xenia, taking an active part in its affairs through his life. Many of the features of the life of Captain Hivling are of interest to the general history of the county, and are given extended mention in the historical volume.
REV. ALVA D. WENRICK.
The Rev. Alva D. Wenrick, minister of the Brethren church and pro- prietor of a farm in Beavercreek township, this county, rural mail route No. 8 out of Dayton, was born in Shelby county, this state, August 17, 1880, son of Andrew J. and Sarah (Fahanstock) Wenrick, both deceased, the former of whom was a veteran of the Civil War, who were the parents of three sons, the eldest of whom, Frank, is deceased, and the youngest, Thomas, is a farmer living in Montgomery county.
At the age of twelve years Alva D. Wenrick was placed in the Ohio State Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home at Xenia, where he learned the details of the blacksmith and machinist trades. Before he was sixteen he received his discharge and was placed in charge of the blacksmith and machine shop at the Home, continuing thus engaged for eighteen months. at the end of which time he went to Sidney and was soon made foreman of a shop there. Not long afterward he started out as a journeyman machinist and until 1902 was engaged traveling all over the country, during that time finding employment in no fewer than one hundred railway shops. In 1902 Mr. Wenrick located in Dayton and there married Carrie C. Coy, of Beaver- creek township, this county, a daughter of Aaron Coy, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. After his marriage he began work- ing in the plant of the National Cash Register Company, pursuing his studies at night, and in due time received examination credits for his gradu- ation at Taylor College at Upland, Indiana. In 1906 Mr. Wenrick was ordained a minister of the Brethren church and has ever since given his attention to preaching, general public speaking and missionary work. Not long after his return to Dayton Mr. Wenrick, in association with Harry Stutz, built the first automobile constructed in that city. Since taking pos- session of his farm in Beavercreek township he has done well and has recently completed a fine new house there, his place being about four miles
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east of Dayton. In addition to his property in this county he has land hold- ings in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma and town property in Dayton. Politically, he is a Republican and has held various local offices, at present a member of the school board. To Mr. and Mrs. Wenrick five children have been born, Ralph, Ruth (deceased), Harold, Frank and Ronald.
WILLIAM W. FERGUSON.
William W. Ferguson, formerly and for more than twenty years justice of the peace in and for Beavercreek township and the proprietor of a farm on the Shoups Mill road in that township, rural mail route No. 8 out of Dayton, was born on a farm in Mad River township, two miles east of Dayton, in the adjoining county of Montgomery, April 13, 1848, and has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Greene county since he was two years of age. He is a son of John W. and Anna (Feirstine) Ferguson, the latter of whom was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 13, 1820, daughter of George Feirstine and wife, Lutherans, of Pennsylvania-Dutch stock, who reared a considerable family and spent all their lives in that county. Two of their sons, George and Samuel Feirstine, came to Ohio and located in Montgomery county. Samuel Feirstine there enlisted for service during the Mexican War and died while in service. Anna Feirstine came out here to make her home with her brother George and it was here that she met and married John W. Ferguson, the two later coming over into Greene county and locating in Beavercreek township, where their last days were spent.
John W. Ferguson was born in the state of Delaware in 1819 and was seven years of age when he came with his parents, William and Jane ( Wat- son) Ferguson, to Ohio, the family locating on a farm two miles east of Dayton. William Ferguson also was born in Delaware. His wife was born in Ireland of Protestant parentage and was but a girl when she came to this country with her parents, the family locating in Delaware, where she mar- ried William Ferguson about the year 1813. William Ferguson developed a farm in Montgomery county and there he and his wife spent their last ' days. They were Methodists and were the parents of nine sons, of whom but one. Joseph Ferguson, now living in Kansas, survives, the others having been Samuel, William, John W., Charles, Robert, Hugh, Christopher and one who died in infancy. Of these sons Charles and Robert joined the train of gold hunters who went to California in 1849 and spent their last days in the West. Hugh established his home in Bath township, this county. Reared in Montgomery county, John W. Ferguson remained there a few years after his marriage and then, in 1850, came over into Greene county and rented
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