History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 128

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 128

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DICKESON, ALFRED J., Gambier, son of Wells and Lu- cinda Dickeson, was born in Monroe township, this county, on the twenty-eighth day of February, 1842. In August, 1862, he

married Miss Mary O. Fobes, born in Newcastle, Coshocton county, Ohio, February 13, 1842, daughter of the Rev. D. L. Fobes. They settled in Gambier, where they now reside. They have three children: Francis H., Luella A. and Maria G.

In 1862 he enlisted in company B, of the Ninety-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served three years and was discharged in 1865, after the close of the war. He was in the Thirteenth army corps. He is a blacksmith by trade, and is carrying on the business in Gambier. He is the partner in the Hart & Dickeson carriage shops, and has charge of the ironing depart- ment. He also gives special attention to horse shoeing, and is a first-class shoer.

DICKSON, JAMES, Wayne township, farmer, post office Fredericktown, born in Knox county in 1846, and was married in 1871 to Mary Bricker, who was born in Knox county in 1850. They have one son, Ray B., born September 14, 1879. His father, Samuel Dickson, was married to Elizabeth Rood. They had a family of six children. They were among the earlier settlers of this county. Mr. Dickson died in this county in 1870. Mrs. Elizabeth Dickson died in 1875.

DISNEY, MRS. HARRIET, was born July 14, 1806, in Anne Arundel county, Maryland. Her father's name was Jacob Barry, a licensed local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was reared on South River, Maryland. His father, Basil Barry, reared four children-Sally, Mordecai, Jacob and Basil.

Jacob and Basil, aged respectively twenty-one and eighteen, went into the army of the United Colonies and were in the first battles fought for American independence. Basil died of the bloody flux while in the Northern army. Jacob was in the army during the whole war, and for a while was a captain. He received a wound in the under jaw, and about twenty-seven small pieces of bone came out. At the close of the war he re- turned to South River, Maryland, and in 1786 Rev. Jacob Barry married Miss Mary, daughter of William Disney. They moved up to the Pine Woods and there they reared a family of seven children-Elisha, Basil, Caleb, Mordecai, Jacob, Anna Maria, and Harriet.

Elisha, Caleb, and Mordecai, were in the War of 1812, and in the camp at Annapolis when Washington was burned by the British August 14, 1814. Basil and Mordecai were ordained ministers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and were mem- bers of the Baltimore conference. .

Rev. Jacob Barry, sr:, died in March, 1830, and was buried in the cemetery at the Sulphur Spring meeting-house, Mary- land.

In the fall of 1831 Jacob Barry, jr., with his family, his mother and sister Harriet, moved to Utica, Licking county, Ohio. He had his wife and three little children, and this left Harriet to care for herself and her now aged mother. She rented a house of Mr. Cornelius Vanausdal, where she and her mother lived. April 25, 1833, she was married to Mr. Fred- erick J. J. Disney, by the Rev. Alfred Loraine, of the Metho- dist Episcopal church.

Frederick was born in Anne Arundel county, Maryland, January 20, 1808. His father was William I. Disney; his mother was Amelison, daughter of Jacob Elliott, and his grandfather was James Disney.

William and Amelison were married in 1806, and reared thirteen children, of whom Frederick was the oldest. In 1826 they, with their family, moved to Utica, Licking county, Ohio.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

At this time but six of this large family are living, representing Ohio, Iowa and Kansas.

After Harriet Barry moved to Utica, Ohio, in 1831, she and Frederick were married. In April, 1834, they moved to the eighty acres of land in Milford township, which Frederick had bought, and on which he had cleared about two acres. The log cabin which they moved into was about sixteen by sixteen feet.

They were the first to organize a Methodist class in the settle- ment, and in their log cabin they had regular preaching, and sometimes had a two days' meeting.

In 1840 they moved into the brick house now standing on the northwest corner of the farm, near where the cabin stood. Mr. Disney was a great lover of education and very zealous in pushing forward the educational interests in the settlement and among the first to organize a school and to raise money for the teacher. He was a strong Democrat and took an active part in politics. For seven years in succession he was elected treas- urer of Milford township. F. J. J. Disney died May 17, 1854, leaving a wife and nine children, the oldest not yet twenty. It was his object to give his children a good education and make of them useful men and women.

The oldest child, Alfred W., was born in the fall of 1834, was educated at Chesterville, Ohio. At the age of twenty-two he commenced the study of medicine under Dr. William Hayes, sr. After completing his studies he went to Amity, Knox county, Ohio, where he opened an office and practiced medicine about one year. At the age of twenty-seven he married Miss Mary A., daughter of Thomas Brown, of Liberty township. Immediately after his marriage he went to La Rue, Marion county, Ohio, where he practiced medicine with Dr. J. Cope- land awhile, and then opened an office of his own. He was a graduate of the Starling Medical college, Columbus, Ohio. In the summer of 1875 he was taken sick, and on the twentieth of September he died of typhoid fever, leaving a wife and three little boys.

The second child, Larkin E., was born in 1836. He received a good education in the district school, and also in the Ohio Wesleyian university, Delaware, Ohio. He studied dentistry with Dr. McBriar, formerly of Mt. Vernon, now of Columbus, Ohio, and in 1862 he went to Coshocton, Ohio, where he com- menced practicing his profession. In 1867 he married Miss Anna Spangler, of that place. At the present time he and his wife are in Peabody, Kansas. He is practicing dentistry.

The third child, Basil A,, received a fair education at home, and also attended the school at Delaware, Ohio. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church when very young, and at the age of eighteen he received license to preach. He is a member of the North Ohio conference, and now is stationed at Lorain, Ohio. In 1869 he married Miss Hannah M. Hardee. They have lost two children. He is now translating the New Testa- ment from the Greek to the English.

George R. is the fourth child. His education, in the com- mon branches, is good. At the age of twenty-one he married Miss Clamanda E., daughter of Mr. William H. Hawkins, of Milford township. By birth and practice he is a farmer; by oc- cupation, a carpenter. He has one child. His home is in Milford township.

The next child is Mary A. She attended the district school and received a liberal education. After she was grown she fitted herself for teaching, and taught several terms of school. In October, 1880, she was married to Mr. W. H. Orme, of Hawleyville, Page county, Iowa, where she now resides.

Dorson V. was born in July, 1844. He has a good educa- tion. For some time he was a travelling agent for the Ameri- can Bible society. He canvassed Knox and Coshocton counties, and found many families without even a Testament. In 1874 he married Miss Mary C., daughter of Rev. C. C. Craven, of the North Ohio conference. They have a small family, and are living in Homer, Licking county, Ohio.

The seventh child, Henry B., received some education in the district school. In August, 1867, he went to Baldwin uni- versity, Berea, Ohio, where he stayed one year. In the winter of 1868-69 he taught his first school in the district where he once attended. He taught school the next winter, and in the spring of 1870 returned to college. At the close of the year he graduated in the seminary course of the Sunday-school Normal department, besides keeping up with his classes in other studies. He is teaching his eighth term of school in Brandon, Ohio. His home is with his mother.

Emily I., is the next child and the second daughter. She re- ceived some education in the district school, and for awhile attended the Union school in Mt. Vernon, Ohio. When young she was the pet of the family. She is now at home.

The ninth child, Finley, attended the district school; for nearly a year he attended the normal school under Professor John Ogden, in Worthing, Ohio. In the summer of 1879 he went to the Musical Normal school in Youngstown, Ohio, under the direction of Professor N. Coe Stewart, of Cleveland, Ohio. For a number of years he has made the study of music a special- ity. He is the author of "Willie's Farewell, " published in 1877, and by it he has the honor of being the first resident of Knox county who composed the words and music of a song and had it published. At present he is with his mother in Milfordton.

Mrs. Harriet Disney is residing on the farm to which she and her husband came in 1834. She joined the Methodist Episcopal church when fourteen years of age, and has ever lived an exem- plary life. Her children are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

DISNEY, WILLIAM A., farmer, Milford township, was born in Anne Arundel county, Maryland, February 11, 1813. His parents, William I. and A. Disney nee Elliott, came to Ohio with a family of nine children and settled in Miller township, in 1825, where they remained about a year, then moved to Mil- ford, where they both lived and died. Six of their children are living.

The subject of this sketch spent his early life on the farm, assisting his parents. When about eighteen years of age he was apprenticed to learn the trade of blacksmithing, and worked at his trade for a number of years, after which he en- gaged in farming, and which he yet follows. Mr. Disney's reading has taken a wide range, he is therefore a man of exten- sive information. He was an ardent advocate of the principles of the Abolition party. In 1836 he cast his vote for James G. Birney, the Abolition candidate for President, and it was the only ballot cast for him in the township. He acted with this party until the forming of the Republican party, when he helped organize that political party, since which time he has acted with it. He married Miss Mary Jane Lampson, October 6, 1836, a daughter of Judson Lampson, a pioneer of Knox county, of whom mention is made elsewhere. She was born October 6, 1818. They had four children : Judson L. was a member of company A, Ninety-sixth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and died May 24, 1864, at New Orleans, while in the

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY

service ; Angeline, wife of Charles O. Poland ; Louisa R., wife of John R. Poland; Ada, married to John W. Walter.

DODD, STEVEN B., deceased, was born June 20, 1820, in Washington county, Pennsylvania. He removed to Knox county, Ohio, at an early age, and commenced the practice of medicine in Martinsburgh in 1853. He was a very successful physician. He was a graduate of the Physio-Medical college of Cincinnati, and was married to Miss Sarah Ann Sinkey September 7, 1841. Their children were: Abraham N., Ste- phen B., Alfred M. and James F., all living except Abraham N. James F. is agent for the Singer Sewing Machine company, and does a good business.

Dr. Dodd died June 30, 1863. He had lived a consistent Christian life, being a member of the Free Presbyterian church, and elder for many years. Abraham Sinkey, father of Mrs. Dodd, was born in Pennsylvania, and was married to Ann Boyd Foster, of Maryland, who was aunt of President James Buchanan and the celebrated poet, Stephen Foster. Mrs. Sinkey died at Martinsburgh at the advanced age of ninety- eight years.

DONAHEY, P. N., Jackson township, merchant; post office, Bladensburgh, was born in Jackson township June 4, 1843. He was married to Miss Sophia M. Houck in August, 1869. They have two children: William, born May 11, 1871, and Lotta, May 31, 1878. Mr. Donahey has resided in Jackson township the principal part of his life. He went to Illinois in August, 1874, where he was engaged both in school teaching and the mercantile business. He returned to Ohio in July, 1880, locating in Bladensburgh, where he is now engaged in the grocery business, keeping a good stock of groceries and provis- ions on hand for his many patrons.

DOOLITTLE, S. R., merchant, and son of Philo Doolittle, was born in Fredericktown, this county, in 1838. In 1865 he came to Gambier, engaged in the mercantile business, and has been actively engaged in that business since that time. He constantly keeps on hand a full assortment of every thing in his line, such as dry goods, groceries, notions, hardware, agricul- tural implements, etc.

DOTY, CHARLES, Pike township, farmer, post office, De- mocracy, born in Stark county, Ohio, in 1823, and was married in 1854 to Ann Tharp, who was born in Wayne county in 1834. They have two children-Elizabeth and Stanton W. Mr. Doty came to this county in 1841, first located in Jefferson township, and in 1872 came to this township. He is a farmer, owning a good farm in this township.

DOUP, CONRAD, Pike township, blacksmith, post office, Democracy, born in Union township, Knox county, in 1839, and was married in 1866 to Margaret Kirkpatrick, who was born in this township in 1847. They had six children: John Sherman, born in 1867; Frank W., born in 1869; Ada C., born in 1871, died in 1872; Ava I., born in 1873; Zara Clifton, born in 1876, and Altha M. in 1879. He commenced the blacksmithing busi- ness in 1856, with his brother George, and has been engaged in that trade ever since, except during the late war. He enlisted in Captain James Drake's company H, Twenty-third regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, continued in the service for over three years, and was honorably discharged. He is now a resident of Amity, and is one of the leading men of the place.

DOUP, LOUIS, Pike township, farmer, post office, Democ- racy, born in Union township, this county, in 1843, and was

married in 1866 to Lenah F. Smith, who was born in Johnson county, Iowa, in 1847. They have six children-Martha (de- ceased), Byron, Elmer, Clara, Nancy, and Laura. Mr. Doup was a soldier in the late war, a member of company H, Twenty- third regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and was engaged with this company for three years, when it was consolidated with company G. He was in the war four years and three months, and was a valiant soldier. His father, Conrad Doup, was born in Germany in 1805, came to America in 1830, located in Knox county in 1832. He was married to Catharine Best, who died in 1832. His second marriage was to Catharine Hager, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. They had nine children- George, Daniel, Solomon, Conrad, Elizabeth (deceased), Louis, Joseph, Barbara (deceased), William (deceased).

DOUP, FREDERICK, Butler township, was born in Ger- many, and came to America about forty years ago. He served in the Mexican war and in the war of the Rebellion, proving a gallant soldier. He is now a prosperous farmer of Butler town- ship.

DOWDS, ELIJAH, Pike township, deceased ; was born in Virginia in 1807. His parents emigrated to Ohio when he was a child. He was first married to Nancy Wilson who was born in 1808. They had nine children, viz: Samuel N., Margaret, Martha A., Elizabeth E., William B., Nancy J., Elijah P., Lucy E., Sophia C., and Mary A. Mrs. Nancy Dowds died in 1855. Mr. Dowds afterwards married Mary Ellen Barber, who was born in this county in 1833. They had seven children, viz: Wilson B., Joseph S., John H., Sheridan G., Charles C., Cor- nelius K., and Alva A. Two of the sons were in the late war. William B. was a member of the Sixty-fifth O. V. I. Elijah P. was a soldier in the Twentieth regiment O. V. I., and was killed in the battle of Raymond, Mississippi, May 12, 1863.

Mr. Dowds was an early settler of this county ; industrious, economical, and succeeded in accumulating a good property. He died June 7, 1879.

DOWD, SAMUEL N., Monroe township, farmer and stock grower, son of Elijah and Nancy Dowds, nee Wilson, was born in Monroe township, this county, November 4, 1829; was reared on a farm, and has made farming his vocation through life. October 22, 1855, he married Miss Eliza A. Popham, of Pike township, this county, born in 1841, daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth J. Popham. They settled in Monroe township on a farm where they now reside. They have a family of nine children, three sons and six daughters.

DOWDS, WILLIAM B., Monroe township, farmer, son of Elijah W. and Nancy Dowds, nee Wilson, was born in Monroe township, this county, July 4, 1837. He was reared on a farm and has made farming his vocation. In 1859 he married Miss Julia A. Hersh, born in November, 1835, daughter of John and Rebecca Hersh. They settled in Monroe township, remained until in 1863, when they moved to Pike township, this county, where they remained until 1875 or 1876, when he purchased and moved on the farm in Monroe township, where they are now living. They have a family of eight children, two sons and six daughters. He served about thirteen months in the war of 1861, having enlisted Angust 11, 1862, in company B, Ninety- sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served until April 3, 1863, when he was honorably discharged from the service, on account of sickness, and returned home. In 1864 he enlisted in com- pany F, of the One Hundred and Forty-second Ohio volunteer

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

· infantry, for one hundred days, served out his time and was dis- charged, and returned home again.

DOWLER, B. F., St. Louis, Missouri, dealer in horses, Nos. 20 and 21 Market street; borr in Knox county, Ohio, in 1830, and was married in 1850 to Miss Hannah Rodgers, who was born in Wayne township, this county, in 1830. They have two children, Adelpha and Freddie. Mr. Dowler has been quite extensively engaged in buying and shipping horses from this county to eastern States and cities. He has moved to St. Louis, owns two farms near the city, and still continues shipping horses.

DOYLE, JAMES, Mt. Vernon, deceased, a native of Ireland, was born in the spring of 1806, in the parish of Fernes, town and county of Wexford. In 1833 he entered the Government employ under contracts for building Government wharfs and piers in the different harbors along the Irish coast. On the first day of January. 1836, while in Liverpool, England, he entered the British navy as a volunteer, and was transferred to the royal mail service as a boatman, and stationed at Kingstown, Ireland. A great amount of the work required of him while in the mail service was necessarily performed during the night time. The mail ships that carried the great mail between London and Dublin, made no stop at Kingstown, where he was stationed, and the boat service was sometimes one of great danger. It was often with great difficulty that the boat, in darkness and amidst mountain waves, was enabled to reach the shore. Twice while in this service he received slight bodily injuries. He was discharged from the mail service by the board of admiralty, after serving faithfully for fifteen years, February 20, 1851. The reason assigned for the discharge was that the mail service was transferred by the Government to that of a private company. In all making about eighteen years of his life spent in the ser- vice of the British Government.

In 1851 he with wife and family emigrated to America and located in Massillon, Stark county, Ohio, remained about six years, then, in April, 1857, he came to this county and settled in Mt. Vernon, where he passed the remainder of his days. About thirty-three years of his life were spent in performing night duty, including naval and civil life. After his coming to Ohio he was employed as a night watchman, both while living in Massillon and in Mt. Vernon. As a night watchman at the Buckingham foundry he remained for many years. He married Miss Mary Harney, of Ireland, born in 1817. They had nine children, five of whom were born in Ireland and four in Amer- ica. The first born died and and was buried in Ireland, and two others breathed their last in America. The other six are still living. Two of their sons. John M. and Philip E. Doyle, served as private soldiers in the late war; John M. was in the Sixty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, served until the close of the war, returned home and is now residing in Mt. Vernon; by trade he is a machinist in the shops of the John Cooper's man- ufacturing company. Philip E. served about three years in the Eighteenth United States regulars. He returned home at the expiration of his term of service, and now resides in Leadville, Colorado.

Patrick, their youngest, is a moulder by trade and is now living in Mansfield, Ohio, having been employed by Aultman & Taylor several years. Mr. Doyle departed this life April 12, 1880. Mrs. Doyle is still living in rigorous old age.

Of the parents of Mr. Doyle but little can, at this late date be learned. He is a son of Philip Doyle, who married a Miss

Brennon, of Wexford, Ireland, about the year 1798, just after the suppression of the great Irish rebellion.

Seven children were born to them, one of which was James, the subject of this sketch.

DUNBAR, WILLIAM, attorney, Mt. Vernon, was born in- Mifflinsburgh, Northumberland, now Union, county, Pennsyl- vania, January 31, 1806. He came of revolutionary stock. His grandfather was commissary to General Washington at Valley Forge. His parents, with a family of nine children, came to Ohio in 1814, and settled in Columbiana county, where they re- mained some two years, and then moved to Stark county, Can- ton, where they lived and died. He is of Scotch and German extraction, his father being Scotch and his grandmother Ger- man. He learned the trade of carpenter, at which he worked for some years. He taught school for several terms. He was appointed postmaster at Canton during the administration of Amos Kendall, postmaster general, December 24, 1835. He resigned the office about 1837.

At about that time, 1834, he purchased the Stark County Democrat, and from the work bench he became editor and post- master. After he resigned the post office he threw his whole energy into the work, and in a short time the circulation-of his paper was largely increased. The majority of his party was also increased from one hundred and fifty to nine hundred. He met with exceedingly bitter opposition, but wielded his pen with such force as to rout his enemies. He was elected county treasurer in the fall of 1839, after one of the fiercest struggles in the politics of the county, coming out with eleven of a majority. He was again elected at the expiration of his first term, without opposition. He sold his paper in the winter of 1839. He com- menced reading law while in the treasurer's office, and was ad- mitted to practice in the courts of Ohio in 1842, and in August, 1847, was admitted to practice in the United States courts. In November, 1847, Mr. Dunbar moved to Knox county and loca- ted in Mt. Vernon, and has since practiced his profession. In 1854, during the Know-Nothing epidemic, he was nominated for Congress, but was defeated.

Mr. Dunbar purchased the Mt. Vernon Banner office No- vember, 1847, and was editor and proprietor of the same until the fall of 1852, when he sold the paper to Mr. E. J. Ellis.

When he first came to Mt. Vernon he entered into law part- nership with Hon. John K. Miller, which continued until the failing health of Mr. Miller caused him to retire from business. A partnership was also formed with Judge John Adams, and also a law partnership with General H. B. Banning, which con- tinued until the general went into the army.

October 2, 1827, Mr. Dunbar was married to Miss Harriet Tofler, of Canton. They have had eleven children, seven of whom are living, five sons and two daughters. The living are: Caroline, William B., (assistant treasurer of Knox county); Homer J., at Fremont, Ohio; Edward I .. , Pittsburgh, Pennsyl- vania; Robert P., Fremont, Ohio; George M., Mt. Vernon, and Hattie, teaching in blind asylum, Columbus, Ohio. The de- ceased are: Albina, died in 1862; John E., Limerick, and Julia, died when young.

DUDGEON, SIMON (deceased). The subject of this sketch was born in Ireland, county Donegal, June 3, 1776, where he was reared, and lived until 1802 (being twenty-six years of age), when he sailed for America, landing in the city of New York, he having but one English shilling left, which he soon parted with to have his shirt washed. From New York

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

city he went to the State of Connecticut, where he remained and worked a short time. From there he came back to Dela- ware county, New York, and hired to perform labor by the month, on a farm, where he remained but a short time, after- wards engaging in the lumbering business, continuing at it until the year 1810, when he came to what is known as Harrison township, Knox county, where he entered three quarter sections of land, and afterwards sold one quarter-section to his brother Moses, in order to get money to improve the balance. After this he went to Washington county, Pennsylvania, and there, in September, 1811, he married Nancy Elliott, daughter of Charles and Jane Elliott, born in Ireland in 1791. After his marriage (in October, 1811) he returned to Knox county and moved upon his land, which was all a dense forest at that time, and erected himself a small tent, covering the same with sheets, to shelter himself and wife from the storm and the wild animals that in- fested the country at that time. He then proceeded to cut logs and build a cabin, which he and his wife soon occupied. He then proceeded to clearing his land and getting it ready for cultivation. In this labor he was engaged from year to year until he became the owner of a fine farm. In the meantime he kept purchasing land until he was the owner of seven hundred and twelve acres, which at his death was divided among his sons and daughters. There were born to Simon Dudgeon and Nancy Elliott ten children as follows: Jane, Thomas, Charles, Moses, David, William, Simon, Mary, John, and Andrew, eight of whom are now living.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 128

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096