History of Greene County, together with historic notes on the northwest and the state of Ohio, Part 68

Author: R. S. Dills
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1037

USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, together with historic notes on the northwest and the state of Ohio > Part 68

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J. D. Hawkins, merchant, Yellow Springs, was born in Mary- land, April 25, 1832, and is a son of Abram and Anna (Kuhn) Hawkins, both natives of Maryland. They had a family of eight children, five of whom are living. The subject of this sketch came to Ohio in 1852, walking nearly all the way from Cumberland, Maryland, and after landing in Ohio, commenced working for Hon. Aaron Harlan, and cut and put up about three hundred cords of wood, the first winter in Ohio; he then worked in the warehouse of Stewart Brothers for one year, and on December 8, 1853, was married to Miss Louisa Baker, daughter of Isaac Baker, and niece of Brinton Baker, of Xenia, who bore him four children, all dying in 1863, within one week; their names were, Albert M., Anna E., Eddie W., and Harry. He enlisted in Company D, Captain Tully's Forty-Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel U. S. Gilbert, for three years, and was honorably discharged. Is a member of the Masonic order, and also of the Independent Order Odd Fellows. Voted the Democratic ticket in 1853-4-5; after that, when the Re- publican party was born, he has voted that ticket solid. Through his unswerving energy, faithfulness to business, and honest, square dealing, he has gained a reputation worthy the confidence and sup- port of all good, honest people. He is now engaged in the dry goods business at Yellow Springs, and is doing his full share of the business of the place. Has filled the office of corporation treas- urer for twelve years, and that of township treasurer for three

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years, and, in the writer's judgment, is to-day well qualified and worthy to fill any office in the county within the gift of the people.

Adam M. Holhut, butcher, Yellow Springs, was born in Europe, in the year 1855, and is a son of John and Ursley Holhut, both natives of Europe. Adam immigrated to Ohio in 1870, and landed in Hamilton County on the 18th of June, where he remained until he learned the baker's trade, which he followed for sometime, when he commenced the butchering business in Xenia, where he remained some seven months, and then went to Springfield, remaining some eighteen months, and then came to Yellow Springs, where he still resides. Was married November 10, 1880, to Miss Louisa E. Col- lier, daughter of David and Elizabeth Collier, of Yellow Springs. Is a member of the Catholic Church. Keeps a clean and inviting shop.

William S. Johnston, general business, Yellow Springs, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in the year 1815, and is a son of Thomas and Margaret Johnson, the father a native of Maryland, and the mother of Virginia. They immigrated to Ohio in the year 1814, with a family of six children, three boys and three girls. W. S., the subject of our sketch, was married in 1836 to Miss Nancy A. Stevens, daughter of Andrew and Ann Stevens, of this county. ITis first wife died in 1853, by whom he had seven chil- dren : Margaret A., Joseph S., Andrew, Martha J., Abner, Wil- liam E., and Nathaniel .. Was again married, in 1854, to Miss Jane A. Cameron, daughter of Eli Gaskil, of Clinton County, Ohio, and had two children by her, Emma May, now dead, and Josephine. He is a member of Yellow Springs Lodge No. 421, F. and A. M. He has been real estate and personal assessor for over nine years. Received his education in Greene County, where the principal part of his youth was spent. He is now on the shady side of life and is uncommonly active, with a whole-souled, lively and genial dis- position, that bids fair to carry him on for many years to come.

Samuel McCulloch, undertaker, Yellow Springs, was born in Clarke County, four miles east of Yellow Springs, in the year 1824, of Scotch-Irish parents, who came to Ohio that year. About the year 1836, our subject went with his parents to the farm, one mile east of Yellow Springs, which he helped clear and improve; then learned the trade of house carpenter, at which he worked until about 1850; then bought property at Yellow Springs, and worked at cabinet making and undertaking. About the year 1855, he

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built a residence and business house, which he till occupies. In that year he married Hannah Herick Blaisdell, who was born in the State of Maine. They have three children living: Samuel II., aged twenty-four, who has been in the employ of the Adams Ex- press Company for seven years, as messenger, and at present running from Kansas City to Puebla, Colorado; Archie, aged seventeen; and Mary, aged twelve. In 1857 our subject commenc- ed, in connection with furniture, the sale of clothing, hats, caps, etc., which he continued until called to go with the One Hundred and Forty-Fourth Ohio, one hundred day men. Leaving the store to take care of itself, he marched with the boys to defend his state. At the expiration of his one hundred days, he was drafted, but furnished a substitute. In 1867, he invented and patented the re- movable, auxiliary rifle-barrel, for single and breech-loading guns, which has met with great favor with deer hunters, and sportsmen generally. In politics, he is a Republican ; in religion, he and his ancestors, as far back as can be traced, have been Presbyterians.

J. J. Mitchell, lumber dealer, Yellow Springs, was born on Clark's Run, six miles north of Xenia, in this county, January 11, 1844, and is a son of S. K. and E. A. Mitchell, both natives of this county ; our subject and his father being born in the same house. In 1877, he was married to Miss Sarah B. Beedle, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Beedle, of Troy, Ohio, one of Miami County's wealthy and most influential farmers, and one of the first families of the county. In 1862, he enlisted in the Forty-Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was assigned to Company D; after- wards enlisted as a veteran in the Eighth Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, where he served until the close of the war, and received an honor- able discharge in April, 1865. He was captured at Beverly, West Virginia, on his twenty-first birthday, and marched by a circui- tous route, over mountains and streams, in order to avoid the en- emy, and arrived at Staunton on the 18th day of January, after a . march of seven days; was kept a prisoner in an old log cabin, and the cold was so intense that he and his comrades were almost frozen. February 14th, he was paroled, and came home. He re- ceived his education in Xenia, and has spent nearly all his life in this county, and spent some six years as clerk of the "Indiana House." Mr. Mitchell and his wife are members of the Presby- terian Church. They have one child, Harry Kyle, a babe, the idol of his parents; and Lottie, Mrs. Mitchell's child by her first hus-

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band. Mr. Mitchell and his father are engaged in the lumber business, having one of the finest saw-mills in the state, and keep- ing on hand nearly a million feet of every description called for.

Daniel Taylor, stock dealer, Yellow Springs, was born in this county in the year 1840, on the 4th day of April; son of Isaac and Frances Taylor, the former a native of Ireland, the latter of Vir- ginia. Immigrated to Ohio about the year 1827, with a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. Our subject received his education in Ross Township, spending his youth on a farm known as the homestead Sanders farm, and in March, 1863, removed to Jamestown, and in the fall of 1866 left there and went to Ross Township, on a farm known as Smith's farm; and in 1868 to the John Makin farm, where he remained till the fall of 1877, when he went to Yellow Springs. He has filled the office of township treas- urer for four years in Ross Township. Is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He was married in December, 1862, to Miss Elizabeth Davis, daughter of John and Elizabeth Davis, the former a native of Ohio, the latter of Canada. Our subject has a family of seven children, six sons and one daughter; John, Frankie, and Charles are dead; Jesse, Minnie, Jerry, and Edwin are now living. Mr. Taylor is now living at Yellow Springs, and dealing in stock, grain, and a general trading business, and is one who is be- loved by all who know him.

Professor J. B. Weston was born on a farm, about five miles from Skowhegan Falls, in Madison, Somerset County, Maine, July 6, 1821, living on the same until after he was of age. His great grand- father, Joseph Weston, who died from the effects of a cold, caught in assisting General Benedict Arnold to pass Skowhegan Falls, on his expedition to Canada, was one of the first settlers of the county, removing from Concord, Massachusetts before the revolutionary war. The descendants are numerous. Ex-Governor Coburn, of Maine, is one of the great grandsons. Professor Weston's father, Stephen Weston, was a farmer in moderate circumstances, and of very industrious habits. The son was brought up in the habits of the father. ITis school district afforded usually only about two months' school in summer, and two in winter. The former he at- tended till he was eight years old, after which he worked in sum- . mer, and attended the winter schools until he was fifteen, reading and studying at home many hours when boys usually were playing. With the help of his father, who was a good school-teacher, he

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made excellent progress, and at the age of fifteen had studied everything in the curriculum of the public schools, and several branches besides. At seventeen, he had accomplished more of algebra than was usually required in colleges, Flint's Surveying, Bowditch's Practical Navigation, and had commenced the study of Latin. At that age he commenced teaching school, and taught every winter until he left the state, in the meantime attending the academy at Skowhegan, as he could be spared from the farm, until he was twenty-two, amounting in all to about one year of school. In this time he studied sufficient Latin and Greek to admit him to college, with French and other branches, equal to about a year of the studies of advanced classes. He was a member of the first Sunday-school and temperance society organized in his native town, and has been active in these causes ever since. In his fourteenth year, he united with the Christian Church, of which he has always been a member. At twenty-two, under a conviction of religious duty, he decided to enter the ministry, and was approved by his conference. Neither his father nor himself having the means to enable him to prosecute a course of study at school, in accordance with the usage of his denomination, he entered at once on active ministerial life. He was settled first, in 1843, in West Newbury, Essex County, Massachusetts, where he remained a year and a half, during which, to fit himself the better for his work, he spent a time in Boston, studying Hebrew with Eli Noyes, D. D., and taking les- sons in elocution of James E. Murdoch. In 1846, he was made office editor and publishing agent of the Herald of Gospel Liberty, then published in Exeter, New Hampshire.

In the spring of 1847, he removed with the paper to Newbury- port, Massachussets. In 1848, he returned to Skowhegan, Maine, as pastor of the church, where he had spent much as his youth. In 1850, he was delegate from his conference, to the national conven- tion of the Christian denomination held in Marion, Wayne County, New York, and was one of its vice presidents. It was at this con- vention that the establishment of Antioch College was decided on, in the movement for which he had taken an active part. The spring following, he was employed as agent, to raise money in New England for the proposed college, resigning his pastorship at Skow- hegan for this purpose. He paid into the treasury the first hun- dred dollars towards founding the institution, and still has the receipt. After a year spent in this work, in April, 1852, he was

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called to be pastor of the Christian Church in Portland, Maine, where he remained till October, 1853. Along with his active public life, Mr. Weston had continued his classical studies, Hebrew and German, as far as practicable. In 1849, he was married to Miss Nancy McDonald, who in younger life had been his school-mate, and who, as a wife, entered with earnestness into all his plans and labors. His salary for the first eight years of his public life, would now be considered a mere pittance ; but with close frugality, he made it serve the purpose of life, and furnished him some means of im- provement.

Simultaneously with the opening of Antioch College, under the presidency of that prince of educators, Hon. Horace Mann, (Octo- ber, 1853,) came the close of his engagement at Portland. On the advice of many friends, strongly seconded by that of his wife, he determined to come to Yellow Springs, Ohio, and complete a col- legiate course at Antioch. He was then thirty-two years old, and had been ten years in public life. ITis plan was to spend four years at Antioch, and then return to New England. He arrived in Yellow Springs, early in November, and entered the first fresh- man class of the college. The next term after his arrival, he was engaged by Mr. Mann to teach one of the classes of the prepara- tory department. He kept a good rank in his class, in the studies of the regular course; took, besides, most of the studies of the elective course, and taught one class daily, every term but one, during his entire course. He was also an active member of the Christian Association, and of the college choir. In June, 1857, he was graduated with the first class; and, on the advice of President Mann, was immediately appointed principal of the preparatory de- partment. Since that time, his life has been identified with that of the college. He held that position during the presidency of Mr. Mann, and Dr Hill. From 1862, when the faculty resigned, and, for three years during the war, the college department was suspended, he was designated to carry on the school, on his own responsibility. This he did, keeping up most of the college classes, and making the institution support itself. On the endowment and resuscitation of the college, in 1865, he was made Professor of Greek, which chair he has since held; doing work, however, in various other departments, as the history of the college will show. In 1868, his first wife died, and in 1860 he was again married. ITis second wife was his class-mate, Miss Achsah E. Waite, of Chicago.

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She has been his hearty and efficient co-worker, in his home and in the college, having been one of the corps of instruction in An- tioch, almost constantly since their marriage.

Charles Winter, ex-postmaster, was born in this county, in the year 1834, on the 25th day of December, and is a son of John and Nancy Winters, of Ohio; who came from Virginia, and had a fam- ily of seven sons and two daughters. Charles II., the subject of our remarks, was married on the 5th day of June, 1857, to Miss Paul- ine G. Brewer, daughter of John G., and Sarah Brewer, of this county. They have had five children : Allie, Georgia, and Clara, de- ceased; and the two living, Lillie L., and Frankie, are bright, stud- ious children. When the war broke out, he enlisted in Company F, Captain Aaron Spangler, in the One Hundred and Tenth Regi- ment, under Colonel J. Warren Keifer, and was with that glorious old regiment in nearly all its hard fought battles; some of which are the battle of Winchester, Virginia, Locust Grove, the Wilder- ness, Spottsylvania, and a great many others. He was wounded in the last named battle on the 12th of May, 1864, by a shot striking him in the foot, which, to save his life, was amputated just above the ankle. After the close of the war, he was appointed post- master at Yellow Springs, which position he filled for some ten years; in the meantime, accumulating good property in the place. Ile now is engaged in keeping a boarding house, both for home and transient custom, and the writer can testify to it being a first- class place to stop: as Mrs. Winters a woman among a thousand adapted for the place, making every one feel at home, and is accom- odating beyond a fault. Mr. Winter is also engaged in conveying goods to all parts of the city, and is doing good financially; as we are glad to see of all our soldiers, who were unfortunate enough to loose a limb in the service of our glorious old country.

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· BATH TOWNSHIP.

This township is located in the extreme northwestern part of the county, in township 2, range 8, and is bounded on the north by Montgomery and Clarke counties, on the east by Miami and Xenia Townships, on the south by Xenia and Beaver Creek Townships, and on the west by Montgomery County. Beaver Creek has its source in section fifteen, thence flows southwardly, entering Beaver Creek Township. A small creek runs diagonally across the north- western part. Another creek has its origin in the northwest quar- ter of section three, flows southwestwardly to the southwest quarter of section nine; thence in a northwestern direction to section six- teen; thence southwest, forming a pond just east of the village of Fairfield. From this pond the water is conducted by an artificial channel to the southwest corner of the township. These streams and their many tributaries, which owe their origin to the numerous springs, supply the demands, of agriculture and manufacture. The surface is generally level, interspersed with knolls and mounds, of which Reed's Hill, located in the center of sections fourteen and fifteen, is the most conspicuous. The soil is fertile and productive, as is attested by the large grain shipments. The Cleveland, Colum- bus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and the New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroads, running almost parallel with each other, cross the township on the west, beginning at a point one mile east of the center of the northern boundary, and running diagonally to a point one mile north of the extreme southwestern corner, they furnish the necessary transportation, and add to the general development of the community. According to the census, the population in 1870 was 2,684; in 1880, 2,603.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

The first person who settled within the boundaries of Bath Township, was a Virginian named Murser, who came with his fam-

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ily in the latter part of the eighteenth century. It was customary in those days to accord a pre-emption to the first settler, who was also entitled to a premium of twenty-five cents on each acre pur- chased by him. By taking advantage of this offer, Murser was enabled to purchase a large tract of land. Ile settled one and one-half miles south of the present village of Osborn, on the site of an Indian village; the savages having been driven therefrom some years before, by a band of Kentuckians. The place is now owned and occupied by James Williamson. The Murser's were small in figure, but rather active. Some of their descendants, of whom we mention General Murser, are yet living.

Shortly after the arrival of the Mursers, a number of Kentuck- ians and Virginians took up their abode in this township. George Wolf settled near Beaver Creek in 1799. Adam Koogler, uncle of Simon Koogler, an old and respected citizen of Osborn, settled on lands now in possession of P. F. Cost, in the same year. This year also witnessed the settlement of Aikens, who sold his land to John Wolf soon after. Among those who located in this township during the period intervening between 1800 and 1820, were the Chambers, William, Adam, and John ; the Kirkwoods, Robert and John; Abraham Huffer; James Guthrie, who was prominently known as a scholar of rare ability; Robert Frakes, Nimrod Had- dox, James and Joseph Tatman, who settled near the village of Fairfield. The latter was appointed associate judge of the Court of Common Pleas in 1804, and afterward represented his county in the legislature of the state.

We submit the following interview with Mr. John Cox, an old citizen :

"I was born in Virginia, in the year 1800. In the following year father (John), together with his family, removed to this county and township. They were conveyed by a yoke of oxen. We lo- cated on the present Hagenbaugh place, near Fairfield, and here we remained two years; then removed to Osborn. The Kooglers Mursers, and Scotts located in this vicinity before we came. Mur- ser had the pre-emption right of a large tract of land. Our land was entered at the Cincinnati land office, at $2.25 per acre. Father was township trustee for a number of years, and died in 1821. Andrew Reed was the first justice of the peace. IIe was also elect- ed judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Greene County.

"The first school-house in this vicinity was located on the hill

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then owned by one Smith. It was constructed of logs. Reed was the first teacher, Griffin the next. There were several schools at Fairfield. This township consisted in part of prairie lands. The site of Osborn, however, was a dense forest. The settlers, in their religious views, represented the Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyte- rian faith, and divine services of these denominations were held in the various cabins. We hauled grain to Dayton, receiving fifty cents per bushel for the same. Three-fourths of the proceeds were converted into household necessities. The price of tea was five dollars per pound; that of calico, from sixty cents to one dollar per yard; two bushels of wheat were exchanged for one yard of calico. Indians frequently visited the neighborhood. They came from the Sandusky reservation, camped in the vicinity of the Harshman mill property, and were perfectly harmless. I remember sitting on a squaw's lap, in return for which she presented me with a pair of moccasins."

John Haddox was born in western Virginia, in 1791. He left his native state with his father, Nimrod, and the family of the lat- ter, in 1801. They came to Ohio, and settled on a tract of land one mile and a quarter east of what is now known as the village of . Osborn. The land is now embraced in Clarke County, although at that time a part of Greene. A large and inexhaustible spring in- duced them to settle in this particular locality, the land being en- tered at the congressional land office at Cincinnati. The family, which consisted of four members, traveled from the old home to the new principally on foot, as they had but two pack-horses, and no wagon. After residing in his new abode about three years, Haddox was seized with a sudden and uncontrollable desire to re- move to Kentucky, which terminated in the sale of his property, and the preparation of himself and family for a journey to that state. The first night of the journey was spent at the house of a friend, who lived on the Great Miami River. Upon learning the object of their journey, the host argued ably against the scheme, and succeeded in convincing his guests that the undertaking was a foolish one, whereupon they retraced their steps, and again settled in the vicinity of their late home. The elder Haddox was killed, some sixty years ago, by falling from a wagon loaded with hay, which was upset by the running away of the horses. His wife never recovered from the shock caused by this deplorable accident, and in a few months followed him to the grave. The children were

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left in destitute circumstances, and John was compelled to work for the surrounding farmers, in order to pay the expenses of interring his beloved parents. During his lifetime the elder Haddox held the responsible position of justice of the peace. He was also one of the first school-teachers in that vicinity. John has a brother, Nimrod, who lives in this county. Mary, his sister, died in this county several years ago. Ile was an active participant in the war of 1812, and has been a loyal citizen to this day. The writer was shown a deed for the southeast quarter of section 29, dated 1826, and signed by James Monroe, president of the United States. This tract was conveyed to John Haddox, and is still owned by him. Haddox is now eighty-nine years of age, enjoys good health, votes the Republican ticket-has never voted for a Democrat-and boasts of being the great great-grandfather of twenty-two children.

In the year 1806 or 1807, William Stephenson, sen., with his wife and four children, namely, William, James, Peter, and John, left the State of Kentucky, and came to this township, settling one mile and a half east of Osborn, on land now owned by John Dispenett. With three others, he entered a quarter section, at about three dol- lars per acre, which was paid for in installments. Captain William Stephenson, son of William, jr., and the oldest descendant of the family now living, was born in 1816.

WAR OF 1812.

Although but thinly settled, Bath Township responded nobly to the call for aid during the war of 1812. Of those who were en- gaged in active service, we mention the names of Nimrod Haddox and his son John, William Read, Captain Stephenson, and one Holmes. John Haddox, still living, was in the army two years, and fought in the battle of the Maumec.

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History of Greene County, together with historic notes on the northwest and the state of Ohio, Part 68

Author: R. S. Dills Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1037

Author: R. S. Dills
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1037