USA > Ohio > Logan County > History of Logan County and Ohio > Part 104
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C. R. HILDEBRAND, farmer; P. O., West Liberty. The somewhat eventful his- tory of the present subject compels more than the usual brevity. We can truthfully call him a pioneer here, as well as many other places. It seems that he has been on the frontier the greater part of the seventy-two years he has sojourned through this country. Ile was born in Lebouf, Erie Co., Pa., on April 8, 1808. His father, Jacob, was a native of Westmoreland Co., same State, and his mother, Emily Miller, of Baltimore, Md. They were married in Leboeuf, where they remained until 1813, when they went to Erie, where the father was engaged at building the fleets then being fitted out for Commodore Perry. The mother was also engaged for the troops in making flags and flannel sacks in which to charge their cannons. The father belonged to the militia under Captain Morri- son, and was called into service, during which he contracted a disease, and in 1814 died. The mother got a land warrant for his sery- ices, which she afterward sold to a Mr. Crockett, who located 160 acres in Iowa. The mother remained with her two sons, C. R. and Edward, in Erie, and maintained herself and them by plying her needle at whatever she could get to sew. Her brother, Thomas P. Miller, who was living there, had lost his wife, leaving him with two children,
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and he made a proposition that hewould sell out, and himself and children, and Mrs. Hildebrand and sons, would come to Ohio and there make a home together; this she accepted, and a flat boat was constructed by which they were transported to Ports- mouth. The time of landing was 1812. They did not remain at Portsmouth very long, but moved on a farm in a settlement called French Grant. In about 1830 Mr. Miller came to Ur- bana, O., and Mrs. Hildebrand remained there until 1831, when she came with her sons to West Liberty, where she died in 1868. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this place. Our subject's hardships were more than usual, such as going to mill on horseback, ete. When at Portsmouth a man by the name of Hopkins came from New Jersey and started a paper called the Seinto Telegraph, and Mr. Hildebrand was then about 20 years old, and worked for this editor. During two days each week he would deliver the papers over the country on horse- back. Ile and his brother Edward learned tailoring at Portsmouth, and afterward worked at Franklin Furnace at their trade. He was married in May, 1831, a short time prior to their moving to this county, and when they settled here he engaged for some time at his trade in a small frame house which stood on the southwest corner of the public square, where is now the present site of George Gorton's jewelry store. This build- ing is now being used by Mr. Grier for a kitchen. In 1839 he withdrew from this business, and engaged in a grocery in a brick building that was consumed in the fire, but is now being rebuilt by Dr. Ordway. This he continued for three years, and afterward bought 150 acres of land in Hardin Co., un- improved, and moved on the same. In 1844, he returned and farmed a short time in Lib- erty Tp., and then bought a tract of land in Champaign Co., where he farmed until 1851, when he traded for 200 acres where he now resides, getting the amount from T. P. Miller at $15 per acre. Here he has remained ever since, and has still kept rolling the wheel of improvement. Sept. 11, 1819, his wife, who had been the companion of his sorrows and joys for over forty-eight years, was stricken from life's roll and gathered into the life eternal. She had blessed him with right
children, seven of whom are now living- Isabella, has taught school at West Liberty for many years; Jacob, married Rebecca Burn- side, native of this county, now of Morris Co., Kan .; Charles, married Kate Beemer, of Kenton, residents of this county; Emily; Lucy; Gwenn: Thomas, married Charlotte Mason, of this county : Milton, died 1864. Mr. Hildebrand has served as Township Trustee, and other small offices; east his first vote for J. Q. Adams, and has always been a Whig and Republican. His grandparents Hilde- brand were of German descent, their ances- tors coming to America about 1732. His descendants by his mother (Miller and Pym) were of Irish descent, and belonged to the Quaker denomination, Their ancestors prob- ably came over with William Penn. His brother Edward was married and died in West Liberty, leaving a widow and six living children. She yet resides in this place. Mr. Hildebrand is now seventy-two years of age, and enjoys uniform health, saying with Job of old, " All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come." He remembers almost everything that happened since he was three years ofl. Many of his leisure moments he has spent in catching deer in the rivers, by means of a canoe. These animals were driven in there for that purpose. He has in his possession a small dictionary that was given him by Lieutenant Packett, of Perry's prew, of Lake Erie, as a Christmas gift. Ble had but little chance of education, but most fortunate has he been in rearing a pleasant, intelligent family, educated and refined.
D. B. HALE. M. D .; West Liberty. Every city has its representative men in all profes- sions; of the great number who represent some profession, and more especially that of the medical, there are comparatively few who, by hard study, almost constant practice and time devoted wholly to their profession, have reached a degree of eminence placing them, in the mind of the public and by the verdict of their medical brethren. among the first. This position has been attained and earned by Dr. D. B. Hale, of West Liberty. He is a native of Champaign Co., and was born April 9, Ist]. His younger days were spent on the farm and in attending school in the log cabin. At the age of 13, he began attend- ing school at Urbana; remained nearly three
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vears, and afterward taught one year; he then entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, where he remained about one year; he then enlisted in Co. G, 94th O. V. 1., in which he ranked as high private; in three years he returned from the war, hav- ing witnessed many hard-fought engagements, of which we mention Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mis- sionary Ridge and Sherman's Atlantic cam- paign: he was slightly wounded at Resaca, Ga., and was confined in the hospital at Chat- tanooga until able for service; his return from war was in 1865, when he began reading med- icine with Dr. J. M. Buteher, at North Lew- isburg, Champaign Co., continuing the same for two years, and then entered the Eclectic Medical College at Cincinnati, graduating in May, 1869, and at once began practice at Greenfield, Highland Co .; remained there about one year, and then went to Indianapo- lis, Ind., and practiced and read the homd'o- pathic system. He graduated at the Hahne- mann College, Chicago. In 18:5, he began his practice at Mechaniesburg, Champaign Co., and in 18#7 came to West Liberty, Lo- gan C'o., where he has since been, and is enjoying a very fine practice. He was mar- ried in 1811 to Marietta Bonesteel, a native of Urbana; she was born July 28, 1852, and by her he has two children-G. B. and I. G. He is a member of Liberty Lodge, No. 161, A., F. & A. M., in which he is S. W. His father, John, was a native of Clinton Co., Ohio, and his mother, Irena (Lewis), of the State of New York. They had a family of six children; three only survive-Joshua A., D. B. and Thomas P. (practicing medieine at Spring Hill. Champaign Co .; graduated at the Cincinnati Medical College). The father died in 1852, and was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The early death of the father threw the young sons out on their own resources, a position which they sincerely realized, and soon found that then was the time for them to prepare for the world's riper ages. The mother was, however, married to a Mr. Smith, with whom they had a home. Dr. Hall has, by careful manage- ment, attained some nice property in West Liberty. He bears the reputation of being one of the most substantial and reliable of the inhabitants of the pleasant little village
in which he resides. He is fast demonstrat- ing to the community that homoeopathy is the true system of treatment.
J. M. HUNTER, dealer in farming imple- ments, West Liberty; was born March 22, 1838, in Champaign Co., where he attended school in the old pioneer log cabin. He also attended for a while at this place, by riding on horseback. He was very apt at his studies, and, at the age of 20 years, he taught one term, and then began farming, renting of his father. He was married Nov. 19, 1862, to Sallie Baldwin, and soon after bought 60 acres of his father, on which he remained two years. He then went to Urbana, and there engaged under the firm name of Gearheart & llunter, in the grocery business, continuing at it two years. While thus engaged he was unsuccessful-however, not through his own financiering. He then returned to his farm, which had been reduced somewhat by the failure previously mentioned, and remained on the same until 1822, when he sold out and purchased 30 acres in Liberty Tp., this county, and has since remained on the same. In 18;8, he began dealing in agricultural im- plements, which he still continues, making a specialty of buggies and wagons, as well as threshing machines, engines, saw-mills, etc. He is honest and upright, and merits the pat- ronage of the community where he resides. He has been no office-seeker, hence has not trifled away his useful moments in aspiring for petty offices. He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he has been class-leader and Super- intendent of Sunday Schools. Both positions he is now holding. His Creator has given him three children by his union-Frank E., Nellie M. and Ralph W. He has always been an enthusiastic Republican, having cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln. He takes deep interest in all temperance movements, and every thing that tends to promote morality.
STEPHEN JACKSON, boots and shoes; West Liberty; is a son of Amos and Rachel Goodenough Jackson. His father was born in Vermont, March 5, 1996; and his mother in the same Stato in 1992; they were married at Darby Plains, Union Co .; moved to Buck Creek, Champaign Co., and remained there until 1841, when they came to West Liberty, where the father engaged in blacksmithing,
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which he continued until 1864. He is the father of six children, three of whom are dead; the three that survive are Henry, Clarinda and Stephen. The father served as drummer in the war of 1812, and was captured, at Lake Champlain, by Col. Clark, and was held a prisoner for three months; the father yet sur- vives, but the mother is deceased; they carly united with the Methodist Episcopal Church. Stephen was born Sept. 14, 1825, in Cham- paign Co., where he spent his boyhood days attending school, and working in the shop with his father, with whom he completed his apprenticeship as a blacksmith, which avoca- tion he followed in connection with his father and brother Henry; he was in partnership with the latter but two years, and with the former all the rest of his time until 1864, when he then engaged for himself and continued until 18:9, when he began in the boot and shoo business, which he still continues under the firm name of Ziegler & Jackson; carrying on a full line of custom-made boots and shoes, also running a regular repair and manufactur- ing department. He was married, Nov. 10, 1847, to Ehina, a daughter of Isaac and Jane Austin Sharp, of Logan Co. Her parents were natives of New Jersey, and emigrated to their present abode in an early day; she was born in 1825, and died Sept. 1, 1849; one child, Robert H., was given them by the Cre- ator. He was again married March 10, 1853, to Delilah J. Hayes, by whom he has one daughter living-Mary, who married Henry Jones; and three died in infancy. He has been Councilman two terms; is a member of Liberty Lodge, No. 165, F. and A. M., and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as is also his wife. He has taught music, and occasionally amuses the community by select- ing a choir and rendering a number of the old style songs; in this mode of instruction he is pronounced very efficient. By careful man- agrement he has accumulated some good prop- erty on Newell street, and is also in posses- sion of a good smithing trade, conducted by Charles Overdorff.
MARVIN JEWELL. farmer; P. O., Belle- fontaine; was born June 3. 1822, in Lake Co., O. His father was born in Connecticut and his mother, Sallie Miller, in Pennsylvania (her father was one of the early settlers of the Western Reserve). His parents came to
Logan Co., and settled near Rushsylvania in 1837, and in May, 18:0, the father died on the farm where Marvin now lives. His amiable consort, who had been the witness of his sor- sows and joys, left him- years before, to reap her reward in another sphere; she had four children-two of whom are now living- Marvin and Miranda. The father was mar- ried again to Abigail Fenton, by whom he had one child-David HI. She died prior to her husband. Mr. Jewell left his father's home, near . Rushsylvania, when 18. without one cent in his possession, and but one suit of clothes, and sought employment with a man in Behnont Co., on the farm, at $? per month. For seven years he was teaming with six horses, hauling wheat, corn and tobacco to market. Ile was married JJan. 9, 1845, to Catharine De Ford, of Pennsylvania, and con- tinued his labors in Belmont Co. until 1861, when he returned to Logan Co., and rented for some time. He then bought 85 acres, where he now lives, and has since added un- til he possesses 1713 acres of well improved land, attained entirely by his own labors, and has lately erected a fine dwelling on the same. He has eight children living-Sarah E., El- wood, Alonzo, St. Clair, Alice, Sidney Brady, Ida and Ada (twins), and one deceased, Mary. Himself and wife have been members of the Disciples' Church for thirty-five years. He has always been identified with the Whig and Republican party, and has made all he has by his own hard labors and business manage- ment, coupled with that of his industrious wife.
J. A. JONES, farmer; P. O., West Liberty. This industrious old farmer was born Jan. 20, 1811, on his father's farm in New Jersey. His father, Thomas, was a native of Hunter- don Co,, same State, and always lived there. His mother, Grace Anderson, was also a na- tive of the same county. His grandfather Jones emigrated from Wales in an early day, and serve : as a Captain during the revolu- tionary struggle. His grandmother ( pater- nal) was a Bray, and the descendants by his mother were Irish-making the Jones family of to-day of those two distinguished nationalities-Welsh and Irish. Mr. Jones' parents had five children, four of whom are living-Mary, married to Joshua Lance; Re- brera A., married to George Probasco; Eliza,
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married to Isaac Manning, and our subject, J. A. The mother died in about 1813 or 1814, and in about 1815 the father again married, Elizabeth Henry, and had by her seven chil- dren-George (deceased), Clarissa, Thomas, David M., Ann, Sallie and Margaret. When our subject's mother died, he was left in the care of his grandparents (Anderson), and there remained until his father's remarriage, when he was again taken home. At the age of 13 he had finished his education, which was obtained in an academy conducted in one end of his father's dwelling. This building had been built especially for school purposes, by Johnson and Taylor, to educate their own children. Mr. Jones' father afterward bought this property and had the school continued. He at the time mentioned left the school-room and sought employment in a blacksmith-shop with John Greene, of Clinton, N. J., with whom he continued for seven years, getting only his clothes and board. At the expiration of said time Mr. Greene hired him for three years, at from $136 to $192 per year. During this period, or in 1834, he was married to Mary A. Metler, a native of Hunterdon Co., N. J. His first transfer from the employ of Mr. Greene was to Bloomsbury, same State, where he followed smithing on his own ac- count for some time, afterward transferring to Asbury, a neighboring town. He next came to West Liberty, by means of a team, bring- ing his family and his wife's sister, Margaret Metler. He remained during the winter of 1850 in West Liberty, and in the following spring bought 102 acres-a part of his fine farm of 213 acres-lying in Logan and Cham- paign Counties. This was then mostly unim- proved, and by his strong and willing hand the forests were felled and the necessary ac- companiments secured, until it now presents the appearance of one of the finest farms in the county. He has erected a magnificent dwelling on a beautiful hillside, amidst a nat- ural grove of various kinds of bushes. Other necessary buildings accompany the same. Considering the abundance of living water and every modern improvement, we think one could not be otherwise than happy. But these are not all that make his home happy; the Creator gave to him nine children, eight of whom have grown up to bless and honor him-Levi M., married to Eva Sieg, graduated
at the Cincinnati Medical College, and prac- ticed for some time at West Liberty, and is now a confined invalid; Margaret, wife of Enos Baldwin: Ann; Jane; Mary, married to Wilson Craft; Emma, married to A. J. Serfus; Sallie ; W. Il., married to a daughter of Stephen Jackson; Thomas, deceased. Mr. Jones once joined the Sons of Temperance in order to get others to enlist, yet he has always been a strong temperance man, an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-seven years, and votes the Demo- eratic ticket; has faithfully served in some township offices, but has always shrunk from office; was Captain of a militia company for four years in New Jersey, which gives rise to the appellation of "Captain," by which he is familiarly known.
W. C. KAVANAGH, dentist and Mayor, West Liberty; was born July 20, 1823, in Champaign Co. He there received as good education as the log cabin times afforded, having attended about twelve weeks during the year. At the age of 24 he began read- ing medicine with Dr. Fuller, at this place, continuing two years, and then retired, ou ac- count of illness. He was married, in 1854, to Evaline Hanger, a native of Augusta Co., Va. In 1858, he began clerking for Cornell, at this place, and was elected Mayor of this village in 1820, which position he hekt for eight years. In 1880, he was again chosen for that position. He has always taken a deep interest in the schools ; has been Clerk of the School Board for many years, and is a member of Liberty Lodge, No. 96, I. O. O. F. He and his wife are members of the Christian Church, at this place. They have one child. Mary, at home. He read dentistry with Dr. Gill, at this place, and enlists his time and talent at that business. llis father, James, was born about 1791, in Kentucky, and his mother, Rachel (Covington), in Ohio. They settled in Champaign Co., where they died-the mother first, after which he again married. By his first wife he had six chil- dren, three of whom survive-John, "Sarah and W. C., and by his last marriage had four children. He was in the war of 1812, serving under Captam Black. The doctor and pa- rents were members of the Christian Church. JACOB C. KISER, deceased; West Liber- ty. The subject of the following sketch
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descended from a long line of distinguished ancestors, all tillers of the soil. Mr. Kiser spent nearly the whole of his active life as a farmer, and always enjoyed the respect, confidence and affection of his fellow-citizens, which a useful life alone can permanently se- cure. But this aged and respected citizen has departed to " that bourne from whence no traveler returneth." He was born March 25, 1824, in Rockingham Co., Va., and was the son of John and Mary (Cline) Kiser. The Kiser family are descendants from the early settlers of Virginia. The father of our sub- ject came to Montgomery Co., O., about the vear 1832 and bought a tract of land, where is now the present site of the Soldier's Home, and, on his return home, died May 18, 1832, at Springfield, O. His widow and seven children came within a short time and located on this farm, where they remained until 1839, when they sold the same and bought 227 acres where they now live. Here the mother died June 1, 1822, at the ripe old age of 80. She was the first of the Kiser family who had died for forty years. Her marriage with John Kiser occurred Oct. 9, 1814. Her mother, Mary Cline, was born April 2, 1767, and died on the farm where the deceased's widow now lives, July 8, 1848. Her father was born Sept. 2, 1265, and died Oct. 8, 1831, in Vir- ginia. Mr. Kiser, deceased, was one of seven children, and is the only one that is dead. Joseph C., born July 26, 1818, is now living on what is know as the Oakland Farm, near Oregon, Wis .; Daniel C., born Jan. 14, 1820, living at Bonsack's, Va .; George W., born April 14, 1822, now a resident of Washing- ton, la .; Jacob C .; John Q., born Oct. 13, 1×26, resident of Reading, Lyon Co., Kan .; William C., born July 17, 1828, resident of Dane Co., Wis .; Mary A. E., born April 29, 1830, married Samuel Whitmore, living at Mt. Crawford, Rockingham Co., Va. Mr. Kiser had but little advantage outside of home for obtaining an education; however, he received, as did all the rest of the pioneers, a few months schooling within the walls of the old log cabins. No time was wasted in truaney, but his business was the improve- ment of his mind and the farm. He worked two years at tanning at West Liberty, with the firm of Riddle & Rutan; afterward, about
was married April 13, 1854, to Sarah A., a daughter of Moses and Sarah (Black) Mell- vain, natives of Kentucky, and carly settlers of Champaign Co., O. She died Dee. 4, 1857, and was the mother of two children by this union. John F., born Feb. 19, 1855, and Ida .J., Sept. 20, 1856. He was again married Dec. 1, 1864, to Amanda Newell, a daughter of Hugh and Elizabeth (Me Nay) Newell. She was born Sept. 18, 1833; by her he has three children-William N., born Sept. 2, 1865; Hugh N., May 5, 1862; and Jacob Oliver, Dec. 13, 1870. Mr. Kiser settled on the present farm at his first marriage, and in 1810 he bought the same of his mother for $20,000. Ile retired from labors, mostly, in 18;6, on account of ill health. On Ang. 26, 1880, he was stricken from life's roll on earth, and gathered into the life eternal, leaving behind his happy family, the companions of his joys and sorrows, for many years. He was promi- nently identified with the I. O. O. F. and A., F. and A. M. at West Liberty, the Chapter of Bellefontaine, and Knights Templar of l'r- bana. lle was the first man over buried in Logan Co. under the order of the Knights Templar, and was one of the first three ever initiated in the order in this county. He is now no more, but has left his mourning family plenty of this world's goods to make them pleasant through life. It was on the lips of everybody, that Mr. Kiser was respected and loved by everyone. In this connection we clip the following from the Bellefontaine E's- aminer: "Mr. Kiser was about 54 or 58 years of age, and the possessor of one of the best improved and the best stock farms in Logan Co. He was a man of unblemished character, honest, honorable and upright, and, as such, respected and honored by all who knew him. Ilis death is a loss to the com- munity in which he dwelt, while to his family it is one that no lapse of time or circumstances can repair. He leaves a wife, three or four sons and one daughter, who will cherish through their lives the memory of his good- ness and of his devotion to them with tender and loving regret." He was not, by any means, indifferent to the claims of religion, but for some time past was deeply interested about his spiritual condition.
H. J. MILLER, merchant ; West Liberty. one year at photography at Bellefontaine; . Among the early settlers, the gentleman
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named above was conspicuous, and the Mil- ler family have held no second position in their influence on the community from then to the present time. H. J. was born June 4, 1821, in Pennsylvania, and came to Sandusky by steamboat. He received such education as the old log cabin afforded him. He began early learning the harness trade with Riddle & Rutan, with whom he continued four years, and then engaged in the same, at Urbana, during one year ; afterward carried on the same business, on his own resources, at Ken- ton, for twelve years, and then returned to West Liberty, where he engaged in buying grain and merchandising, under the firm name of Taylor & Miller, for six years ; they then engaged under the firm name of Runkle, Taylor & Co .- since, the firm of Taylor, Fisher & Co; in 1867, he entered the dry-goods business, in which he continues, and is doing an excellent trade in all kinds of dry-goods, notions, groceries, ote. He was married, in 1844, to Margaret Gordon, a daughter of John P. and Mary (Ryan) Gordon, natives of Penn- sylvania. Mr. Miller had by this union seven children, six of whom survive-Mary, Eliza, Henry, Clara, Margaret and Alfred. His amiable companion, in 1826, was stricken from life's roll on earth, and gathered into life eternal, having gained her faith through the Presbyterian Church, having been in close and active connection for twenty years. He owns 600 acres of well improved land, which is the fruit of his own labors. While learn- ing his trade at harness-making, he got from $30 to $40 per year ; he can now walk out upon his own broad acres, and boasts no worldly treasure save that attained by his own industry. In all the varied experiences of the above hastily sketched life, its possessor has been peculiarly fortunate. Ile has been fortunate in the possession of a well balanced mind of great vigor ; fortunate in the pos- session of a fine physical organization and ex- cellent health ; also, in being able to befriend all, and having all for his friends. He is identified with the Republican party, and has often represented the same in county conven- tions.
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