USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County : together with historic notes on the Northwest, and the state of Ohio, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and all other authentic sources > Part 69
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
The above is kindly furnished by Hon. J. W. Greenc.
-
721
BATH TOWNSHIP.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Martin V. Baggott, justice, was born in Mad River Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, January 30, 1837. He is a son of James and Mary (Caylor) Baggott. He, James, was a native of Virginia, (Fredericksburg,) and removed to this state in 1824, in company with one of his brothers, locating in Montgomery County, where he remained till 1854. He then removed to Osborn. He was a coop- er by trade. He was twice married, having children by both wives. Our subject is a son of the second wife, and one of five who are still living. James Baggott died in January, 1863; his wife in May, 1877. 'Squire Baggott, as he is familiary known, spent his boyhood on the farm, and received the rudiments of his education in the common schools, which he afterwards developed by careful research and self application. At the age of nineteen he began teaching, and has followed the profession ever since, having become identified as one of the leading educators in the section. During the past eleven years, he has occupied the position of the justice of the peace in Bath Township. In 1859, he married Lousia Williams. They have four children : Vallandigham, Mary, Frances and George P., are living. Luella, deceased : besides a nephew, son of his brother, whom he adopted when only seven weeks old, John C. by name. Mr. Baggott is a member of both the Masons and Odd-fellows, to which he is fondly attached, and has held posi- tions of honor in both. Was Master in the Masons in 1879.
Matthias W. Baker, retired farmer, was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, December 18, 1806. He is a son of William and Mary D. (Winans) Baker, natives of Kentucky, and born August 10, 1781, and May 2, 1785, respective. In 1810, he removed with his famlly to Fleming County, Kentucky, where he remained till 1828, follow- ing the business of teamster, hauling from Maysville to Lexington, chiefly. After coming to this state, in 1828, he followed farming. He died May 26, 1838. His wife survived till 1870, dying in her eighty-sixth year. Our subject lived with his father till 1824, at which time he came to Ohio, making his home with his uncle, Dr. Winans, of Jamestown. He went back to Kentucky, in 1825, and remained with his father one year, then returned to this county, where he has lived ever since. In the fall of 1830, he went on a place one and one-half miles west of Jamestown, on the Xenia
722
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
pike, where he opened a farm. It was at that time a mass of fallen timber and thick underbrush. Here he labored till 1853, clearing the farm now owned by John Cooper. He then moved to within a mile of Byron on the farm he now owns, where he lived seven years. In the spring of 1860, he moved into Byron, where he kept tavern and grocery some six years. He then retired from active life, and moved into the dwelling where he now lives. He was married, August 28, 1828, to Matilda, daughter of Childs Moorman, a native a Rockbridge County, Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Bryon are parents of four children : Mary E., born July 9, 1829; Lavenia E., December 30, 1830; W. C. M., October 2, 1833; and Selathiel E. W., September 13, 1838 ; the latter died in Xenia, April 28, 1866, from camp diarrhea contracted in the army, leaving a wife but no chil- dren. The remaining three are living, and all married. Mr. Baker was a hard working farmer during the greater part of his life. He is spending his latter years in the enjoyment of the fruits of his early labors.
Elias M. Brandenburg, farmer, Osborn, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, November 15, 1825. He is a son of Aaron and Eliza (Matthews) Brandenburg, natives of Frederick County, Maryland, who came to this state in 1808 or 1809, with their par- ents. They were the parents of seven children : Susannah, Melis- sa, Elias M., Margaret, Benjamin, George W., and William L. Aaron Brandenburg was a wood-worker, working chiefly at wagon- making, though his genius at that time allowed him to handle tools in wood in almost any department. He died in October. 1855, in his sixty-second year. His wife survives, and is living with her son, Elias M. The subject of this sketch passed his boy- hood in Carlisle, Ohio, and at the age of thirteen went with his father to Indiana, where he remained until he reached manhood. In November, 1849, he was married to Matilda Lewis, who died in August, 1858. Mr. Brandenburg then came back to Ohio, and in 1859 consummated his second marriage, with Mary J. Light, and then returned to Indiana, where he remained until January, 1860, following the trade of wagon-maker. He again returned to his native state, and located on the farm where he now resides. His farm consists of one hundred and twenty-four acres, which he tills chiefly to grain. Mr. and Mrs Brandenburg are active members of the Bath Presbyterian Church, and, though they have no children, take an active interest in the general good of the community at large.
723
BATH TOWNSHIP.
Robert Chambers, farmer, Osborn, is a native of this county, and was born October 11, 1827. Is. a son of William and Elizabeth (Kirkwood) Chambers. William Chambers was a native of Ire- land, but came to this country when about twelve years of age. HIe located in Virginia for a few years, after which he came to this county : living first on the Samuel Andrews property, and after- wards buying the property where Robert now lives. Was a soldier in the war of 1812, enlisting heartily in the cause of his adopted country. Prior to coming to this state he married Elizabeth Kirk- wood, of Virginia. They were parents of seven children : Jane, David, Eliza A., Mary, Margaret, Robert, and Sarah. Five of these are now living, and two, Margaret and David, deceased. When they came to the farm there were no improvements on it, or any of the adjoining lands on the ridge. The unbroken forests were the haunts of deer and bears, and the lurking place of the wild turkey. But by hard labor, in common with other pioneers he hewed out a farm in spite of natural difficulties. Here Robert was reared, and educated in the old log school house, which stood near where Bath church now stands. The farm consists of one hundred acres, and is tilled chiefly to grain. Mr. Chambers has followed farming all his life. In 1864 he was married to Malinda C. Snyder, who died in March, 1870. His second marriage was consummated in 1877, with Susan Forrer. They are both members of the Pres- byterian Church, and respected members of society. They have no children.
Philip F. Cost, retired farmer, Osborn, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, October 20, 1809, and is a son of John and Rachael (Souder) Cost, both natives of Loudon County, Virginia. They immigrated to this state in 1817, locating in Bath Township, on the road leading from Dayton to Yellow Springs. Here they lived on a farm, and reared their family of thirteen children, nine of whom reached maturity. About the year 1840, they removed to Fairfield, where he died in 1850; his wife in 1866. Philip F. was reared on the farm, and received his education in the common schools of the time, having but slight opportunity to give to the acquiring of knowledge, as his services were required on the farm. By natural genius, however, he has been able to conduct a success- ful business, and accumulate a large property. He has been twice married. First, in 1829, to Jane Wolff, who bore him eight chil- dren; second, to HIannah N., widow of Joseph E. Williamson.
724
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Mr. Cost has followed farming all his life, though in his early man- hood he was employed at coopering during the winter season, as was the custom of many at that day. Since 1817 he has lived here, with the exception of eight and one-half years in Shelby County. Two of his sons, John Philip and George T., were in the war of the rebellion. The eldest was killed at Liberty Gap in 1863, and George T. lost his right arm at Stone River; he lives now near Xenia, on the Dayton Pike. Mr. Cost lived on the old home place till seven or eight years ago, when he removed to Osborn. His farm con- sists of three hundred and twenty-one acres. Five of his children are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Cost are members of the Reformed Church, of which they are active and earnest workers, having the disposition both to will and to do.
Mitchell J. Ennis, general store and postmaster, Byron, was born in Sugar Creek Township, April 30, 1818, and is a son of Thomp- son and Sarah (Mitchell) Ennis. Thompson came to this county prior to 1800, in company with four of his brothers, John, Jere- miah, Samuel, and Jesse, and a sister. They entered lands on Sugar Creek, where they lived and reared their families. Coming from Pennsylvania, they were hardy farmers, and gave their atten- tion to coopering, as did many other early settlers, during the winter season. According to the custom of that day, by hand dis- tilleries they manufactured their corn into whisky. Thompson was the father of nine boys and three girls: Vincent, John, Sarah, Samuel, Elizabeth, Mary, Jeremiah, Mitchell J., Thompson, Lemuel, William, and an infant, deceased. Of this large family six are still living, and five are residents of this state. Mitchell J., was left without parents at the early age of ten years, his mother dying when he was only five years old. After the death of his father, he lived with a farmer for two years, then with Dr. William Bell, of Bellbrook, with whom he stayed three years, and prac- tieed in the rudiments, i, e., the art of rolling pills, etc. He then went to the city of Dayton, where he served an apprenticeship in employment of Edward M. Burr, saddler, after which he again re- turned to Bellbrook, where he worked at journey work, and carried on the saddlery business for three years. Here he cast his first presidential vote for William HI. Harrison. He then removed to Byron with his business, where he conducted the same for eight years, then began clerking for Sehaner & Wilson; then followed the goods as they passed from this firm to Folkerth & Son, and
725
BATH TOWNSHIP.
afterwards to Wolf & Son, some ten years in all. At this time his health failing, he traveled through the southern part of the state selling fruit-trees, and during the winter of 1860-61, worked at his trade. In May, 1861, bought the property where he now keeps, restocked the establishment, and has continued business ever since, carrying a general line of goods. Mr. Ennis has been a happy old bachelor these many years. He is attached to the Masonic and Odd Fellows' fraternities, occupying high positions in both, being a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F. Mr. Ennis is a fraternity man not alone in name, but his daily life shows that he loves the principles of these organizations.
Joseph M. Folck, retired, Osborn, is a native of this township, and was born July 9, 1824. Is a son of Daniel and Mary (Muir- heide) Folck. Daniel was a son of John George Folck, who came to this state from Pennsylvania, about the year 1802 or 1803, in company with the Wolfs, Wilsons, and Heffleys, and located near where Byron now stands, each buying a large tract of land with their surplus means. Here he lived and reared his family of four boys, George, Abram, John, and Daniel, and died in 1839. He was a practicing physician during this period, and many people came from a distance to receive treatment. After his death the farm was divided, being sufficient to give each a farm. Abram, however, de- sired money, and in the division the old homestead fell to Daniel. Here he followed the fortunes of the farm till his death, in 1841, leaving a wife and five children, George, Joseph, John, Barbara, and Mary Ann, all of whom survive but George. After the death of his father, Joseph labored on a farm till he arrived at maturity, and then lived with his aunt, Mrs. Susan Folek, and assisted her in preparing medicine, afterward farming until the last four years, when he left the farm and removed to Osborn, where he is spend- ing his declining years in ease and luxury. He was joined in wed- lock to Barbara Ann Shigley. The family seem naturally to turn their attention to the healing art, as three generations have been practicing physicians-Dr. John George; his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Dr. Susan Folek, who died leaving no posterity ; and Mrs. Dr. Bar- bara Folck, wife of Joseph M., who has been practicing for thirty- three years independently, besides several years in connection with Mrs. Dr. Susan Folek. During the first few years of her practice she traveled some, but for several years has given her entire atten- tion to her extensive office practice. Mr. and Mrs. Folek are active
46
-
1
726
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which they have been connected for many years.
John Haddox is a native of Harrison County, West Virginia; born December 29, 1791; son of Nimrod and Elizabeth (Saylor) Haddox, both natives of Virginia. They immigrated to this state in 1801 or 1802, stopping one year near Chillicothe, on Deer Creek. Not being satisfied there, they moved westward, and located in this county, on a farm, where he remained till the time of his death, acting in the capacity of justice of the peace during three years of the time, and died, in 1816, from injuries received by falling from a load of hay, caused by the sudden starting of the team. His wife died the same year, leaving three children, John, Nimrod, and Mary. John Haddox was reared on the farm, receiving but little education, and that in the common schools of the new country- log buildings, with greased paper for windows. After having attained his majority, he lived on a rented farm, and kept the fam- ily till in his twenty-fourth year, at which time he married Sallie Cox, and began life in earnest. After much hard work and shrewd management, he entered the southeast quarter of section 29, town 3, range 8, which, by the division of the county, now lies in Clarke, adjoining the county line. There he made a permanent home, and reared his family of seven children, of whom Malinda, William, John R., Sarah, George, and Maria are living, and Nimrod deceased. He continued living on the farm till some twenty years ago, when he rented his farms, and went to Jasper County, Indiana, where he bought nine hundred acres of land, a mill, and still-house, and put his boys on the same, remaining there about eight years. With the exception of this time, he has lived in this immediate vicinity since his boyhood; and although starting in life poor, he has, by good management, strict economy, and hard labor, accumulated a large property, owning several farms in this section of the country after having given his children a good start in life. Mr. Haddox is a man of strong constitution and temperate habits, and although now nearly fourscore years and ten, he is able to attend to his busi- ness affairs and see after his farms, visiting them at least once a week. In politics he is a staunch Republican, and says, with pride, that he never voted a Democratic ticket. He has been instru- mental in bringing about many of the improvements with which the county is now blessed.
Peter E. Hardman, farmer, was born on the farm where he now
727
BATH TOWNSHIP.
lives, April 1, 1824. He is a son of Peter and Sarah Edge Hard- man, natives of Virginia. The early history of the parents of our subject, demands a passing notice at our hands. His father was of German descent, born in Hardy County, Virginia, but was reared to manhood in Harrison County, where he married Margaret Hacker, in whose early history a scene of horror and bloodshed, only paralleled by those of the Minnesota massacre of 1862 and 1863, was enacted. As related by them in after years, it was briefly as follows: She was eleven years old, and was at the house of a married sister, on Hacker's Creek, near Clarksburg, Virginia, when a company of marauding Indians passed through the country and murdered the entire family, tomahawking and scalping every one of them. Margaret tried to conceal herself behind a door, while the work of death was going on, but she was soon discovered, and one of the savages gave her a blow on the side of the head, which felled her to the floor as if dead. They then proceeded to take the scalps from the heads of the entire family. They dragged little Margaret by the hair a distance of some five hundred yards, severed '. her scalp and threw her over a fence, and left her to welter in her blood, but looking back and thinking that possibly life was not ex- tinct, one of them returned and stabbed her with his knife. The point, however, struck a rib, and it would seem that only by the direct intervention of fate was her life spared, and she the progeni- tor of a large family. She was left weak from the loss of blood, and was not able for some time to change her position, but finally was so far restored, as to be able to crawl in to the thick branches of a fallen tree, where she remained through the following night, in fear of the return of the dreaded enemy, after which she managed to get back to the scene of horror, at the now: desolate house of her sister, where she was found and cared for. She grew to womanhood, and as we have said, was married to Peter Hardman sometime in 1798, and came to this state in 1808, and died July 20, 1815, in her thirty-ninth year. The remote cause of her death was the blow from the Indian tomahawk. She, however, bore her husband ten children, all of whom survive her. Mr. Hardman's boyhood, was spent among the mountains of his native state. He had early been apprenticed to a blacksmith, and his . acquaintance with working iron and steel, became very useful to him in his new home in the west. He became a subject of divine grace as early as 1804, with so much zeal that in the course of another year he was
.
1
728
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
licensed as a local Methodist preacher. IIe came here in 1808, and made a home on the east side of what is known as Tatman's Prairie. After defraying the expenses of the trip, which was by road wagon, with four horses, he had just $1.25 left. Here he lived and labored, nor did he neglect the gifts or graces of preacher and exhorter, but whenever in private dwelling or in school houses, he could get an audience on the Sabbath or week-day evenings, there he delighted in preaching the Gospel of Christ. In October, 1815, he married for his second wife, Mrs. Sarah Edge, a widow with two children. She bore him seven children, making seventeen in all, besides the two of his wife's, which were adopted into the same family. He remained on the original farm, till 1852, when he re- moved to Osborn, where he spent the remainder of his life, dying the 30th day of July, 1857. His posterity consisted of seventeen children, eighty-two grandchildren, fifty-two great grandchildren, and four great, great, grand children, in all, one hundred and fifty- five souls. Peter E., the subject of this sketch, is a son of the second wife. He lived with his father until he was twenty-one, and then began cropping on the shares, having every thing furnished and he getting the one-third. After four years, he and his brother W. R., rented the farm up to the time of the death of their father, when the property was left them by will. They continued farming together up to 1875 or 1876, since which time, Peter E. has had the entire charge of the farm of one hundred and thirty-four acres, and has, also, a two-thirds interest in one hundred and thirty-six acres near Yellow Springs, besides a house and other property in Osborn. He has acquired his competence by hard work and loaning money, which he began by loaning nine dollars. He followed the plan carefully, always living within his means, and made it a rule to have a little surplus. For some years past, he has quit heavy or . regular labor in the fields. In 1848, he married Maria Clayton, who has borne him seven children, four of whom, Sarah C., Owen P., James R. and Cassius M., are living. George W., Ellen M., and Mertie, deceased-George W., in 1852, when three years of age, of scarlet fever ; Ellen, an estimable young lady of nineteen, of spinal complaint, in 1873; and Mertie, the youngest, by ten or eleven years, of membranous eroup, in 1872. During the last twelve or fifteen years, Mr. Hardman has been dealing quite extensively in cattle, buying, grazing and raising.
Reuben C. Hoover, physician, Osborn, was born in Shippensburg,
729
BATH TOWNSHIP.
Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1821, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Smith) Hoover. His father was a wagon-maker by trade, and followed that business where our subject was born. Dr. Hoover was educated at Shippensburg, and read medicine in Adams County, under Dr. Joseph M. Smith, his uncle. He attend- ed lectures at the Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, and afterward at the Pennsylvania Medical College, at the same place, where he graduated. He practiced five years, between the two courses, at Centerville, Cumberland County, and five years at the same place after he graduated. In 1854 he came to this state, stopping one year at Springfield, after which he came to Bath Township, where he has remained ever since, practicing in Osborn and Fairfield. In 1843 he married Catharine Smith, who bore him five children : Calvin, Margaret (Mrs. Cox), Emma, Laura, and Reuben C., jr. Of these, two only are living : Reuben C., M. D., who graduated in 1876, at the Cleveland Medical College; and Mrs. Cox. Calvin was a physician, also, dying at the age of thirty- two .. Dr. Hoover has now an extensive practice, and enjoys the confidence of many friends.
Simon S. Huffer, farmer, Osborn, was born in Lancaster. County, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1813, and is a son of Abraham and Eliza- beth (Stoner) Huffer, both natives of the same county. They moved, with their family, to this state, in 1815, and located at what has since been known as Huffersville, within a short distance of where Simon S. now lives. Abraham was a weaver and distiller, and brought a still with him from Pennsylvania, which he used in a modest way the remainder of his life. They had six sons and one daughter: John, Samuel, Abraham, Joseph, Simon S., Annie Eliza, and Daniel S. Four of them are still living-Annie E. in Illinois, the remainder in this state. He owned some seven hun- dred acres of land where he lived. At an early date he built Huf- fer's Mill, and did a flourishing business for the time, making as many as fifty and sixty barrels of flour per day. In many. ways, he assisted much in the growth and prosperity of the country. He died August 29, 1843, after having attained the age of sixty-six years. His wife survived him until the 9th of August, 1862, dying in her eighty-third year. Simon S. Huffer, as has been seen, came to this state with his parents when only two years of age, and has lived where he now resides ever since. In his early life, he follow- ed farming, in connection with teaming, but since his marriage
730
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
has devoted his entire attention to farming, making a specialty of raising grain. August 16, 1840, he married Maria Wise. They are parents of three children: Abraham J., born July 5, 1842; John J., born January 22, 1845; and Ann Maria, born Jannary 7, 1847. Two, John J. and Ann M., are living, she at home, he near them. Abraham died September 12, 1871. Mr. and Mrs Huffer are hale and active, spending their declining years in the enjoy- ment of the fruits of their early life.
Simon Koogler, retired, Osborn, was born in Beaver Creek Township, September 30, 1817, and is a son of Jacob and Kindla (Harner) Koogler. He was a native of Pennsylvania, she of Ger- many, coming to this country when about five years old. Both immigrated to Ohio in 1794, with their parents, and stayed for pro- tection in the fort called Columbia, a short distance above Cincin- nati, for some time. They then located where Camp Dennison now is, in Clermont County. In the year 1800, they moved to Beaver Creek Township, where they located on a farm, and there Jacob and Kindla (who was his step-sister) were married in 1802, being the fifth couple who were joined in wedlock within the limits of this county. There they lived the rest of their lives, and reared their family of ten children : Catherine, George, Samuel, Mary, Solomon, Mathias, Sarah, Simon, Jacob and JJohn. . All are living but Sarah and Mathias, and all residents of this state, except one, who is in Iowa. They are all farmers, each owning a good farm. She died November 27, 1858, aged seventy-five years; he died on September 15, 1870, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. Simon has been a farmer all his life, living on the homestead until he was fifty-seven years old ; he then moved to Osborn and retired from active life, having been afflicted with rheumatism for the past ten years. In 1839 he married Elizabeth Parsons, a native of Rock- bridge County, Virginia. They are parents of nine children : Jacob H., Jane, David P., Sarah C., Isabella P., Eliza J., John W., Elizabeth E., and Annie L. Six are living; two, Jane and Eliza J., died in infancy. Jacob H., died in the army, a member of the One Hundred and Tenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Of the remain- ing members, there are four who now reside in this county, one in Madison county, and one in the state of Nebraska. Mr. and Mrs. Koogler are members of the German Reformed Church, with which they have been connected for forty years, trying to live consistent, Christian lives. In politics he has always been a staunch
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.