History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 121

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798

USA > Ohio > Logan County > History of Logan County and Ohio > Part 121

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business, till his death, in 1867. Ed. learned the trade with his father, but at his death, the bright vision of a classical education and a professional career vanished like mist be- fore the rising sun, and he immediately be- came the business manager; he followed the trade three years, and then sold out and went to Kansas; he soon returned to Huntsville, where he lived one year and then moved to Louisburg. Champaign Co .; he was engaged in manufacturing buggies and carriages at that place with Levi Warner, and in 18;3 he moved to Belle Contre, where he has since lived; he was married March 17, 18$1, to Martha L. Anderson; she was born Nov. 23, 1846, in this township. Her father, John B. Anderson. was one of the early settlers, and a very prominent man; he was Justice of the Peace twenty years. They have one child living, Mary Gertrude; their twins died in infancy. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and he 1 has been Superintendent of the Sunday School four years; has served as Township Clerk several years, and is elected each year with an increased majority: he is the presiding ofli- cer of the 1. O. O. F., and corresponds for the Bellefontaine Republican and Cineinna- ti Daily Gazette, and has always taken an active part in the proceedings of the Re- publican party, of which he is a stalwart member.

WILLIAM REED, farmer; P. O., Now Richland; was born Nov. , 1823, in Lan- caster Co., Pa .; his father, Robert Reed, was a native of the Emerald Isle, and in his youthful days learned the trade of weaver; he was married to Mary Ann Gibson, and was blessed with two children; he emigrated to the New World; this was in 1818, and their first permanent home was in Lancaster ('o., from which they moved to near Pitts- burg; in 1833 they moved to Guernsey ('o., Ohio, where the wife and mother departed this life in 1815: her companion remained there until 1856, when he moved to lowa and died in 1859. William commeneed for him- self when 20 years old, and has always been a tiller of the soil: Oct. 13, 1853, he took unto himself a helpmeet in the person of Mary J. Gray, who was born Aug. 25, 1831, in Belmont Co., O .: her parents were natives of Ireland, and lived in this country several years

before their marriage; her father's name being James and her mother's maiden name Ellen Walkinshaw; they moved to this township in 1837, and settled on the farm on which his son, Robert Gray, now lives; after marriage William lived in Guernsey Co., until 1862, when he moved to this township, where he now owns nearly 200 acres of land in a good location and an attractive home; nine chil- dren have blessed this union, two of whom died in 1824, one being an accomplished young lady, the other a sprightly youth; those living are-Sarah E., Mary A., Lizzie N., Robert G., Lydia J., James R. and Lora E .; the first four children have attended Geneva College; the parents and three eldest dangh- ters are members of the R. P. Church.

WILLIAM RAMSEY, merchant ; Bolle Centre; is one of the most successful and eu- terprising business men this town contains, and has contributed much to its advancement as an important trading point. lle is the eldest son of a family of six children, and was born Feb. 5, 1831, in Keene, Coshocton Co., O .; his father, Henry A. Ramsey, was born in Ireland where he learned the trade of cabi- net-maker. On reaching man's estate he emigrated to this country, and soon after was married in Guernsey Co., O., to Margaret Cullen, daughter of William and Mary Cul- len ; she was of Irish birth and came here when quite young. They always lived in Keene, where he was engaged in the morean- tile business, and where he died in 1810. At the age of 15 William left home and com- menced elerking in a store at Kifbuck, in Holmes Co .; he remained there two years and then came to Belle Centre and elerked for Reuben Tousley two years, when he enter- ed into partnership with Charles Maines in the grocery business, they soon enlarged their stock and kept dry goods, hardware, etc .; dealt in grain, live stock, staves, hoop-poles, furs and nearly everything that was offered for sale. After ten years of business Mr. Maines withdrew, and was succeeded by A. C. Ramsey, who in turn yielded to R. A. Gra- ham in 1869. Ramsey & Graham do a large business, keeping a full stock of dry goods, groceries, hats, caps, boots, shoes, notions, ready-made clothing, etc. He was married June 15, 1858, to Margaret E., daughter of William and Polly Wallace ; she was born in

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this county in 1834. Their union has been blessed with six children, four of whom are living-Robert G., Helen A., Earl W., and William B. He owns a farm near town and has land in the west; he was Postmaster over sixteen years, and is a member of the Masonic Fraternity. Politically he is associated with the Republican party.

JACOB SESLER, farmer; P. O., Belle Centre; is the only son now living of a family of ten children, and was born July 25, 1836, in this township. His father was a native of Fayette Co., and came here shortly after his marriage to Nancy Carter; he was always identified with the best interests of the county, and did his part toward developing and improving it; he cleared a farm of new land, on which he lived until his death, on May 9, 1866. Jacob commeneed for himself when 23 years old, and has always followed farming in this township; he was married on Dec. 31, 1860, to Rebecca, daughter of John and Mary McCoy. She was born July 19, 1840, in Clermont Co., and when 10 years old her parents moved to this place, where they lived one year, and then went to Hardin Co., where her mother died; she lived with an aunt three years, and from that time until her marriage made her home with the persons for whom she worked. They have one child dead, and seven living-Mary, John M., Agnes, Scott, Jessie, Bertie and Freddie. He has always voted the Democratic ticket.

WILLIAM M. SCOTT, farmer; P. O .. Belle Centre; is the third of a family of eight children, and was born Oct. 21. 1835, in this township, upon the farm on which he now lives. His father, Robert Scott, was born Jan. 4, 1800, in Kentucky, and when 16 years old accompanied his mother to Fayette Co., this State, and engaged in farming. He was there married to lane McKee, who was born in Pennsylvania, June 22, 1802, and while yet young was taken to Kentucky, where she lived eight years, and then came to Fayette Co. Soon after their marriage, while they yet had only one child, they moved to this county in a wagon, and settled on the farm on which part of the family now reside. This was in 1833, and a more inhospitable and dreary place would be hard to find than near the " slough " where they located. By years of patient toil, in which he was nobly assisted

by his ever faithful wife, he succeeded in transforming the dense forest into a beautiful and valuable farm, on which he erected good building's as fast as he was able. He died Oct. 1, 1858, and his companion is still living on the old homestead, her kind children minister- ing to every want. Burning with indignation at the insult to his country's flag, William enlis- ted in Company D, 66th O. V. I, and hastened to the field of action. He was first wounded at Port Republic, and shortly after at Cedar Mountain, but at the ever memorable field of Gettysburg he received a bad face-wound on the last day's fight and was discharged the following December. He now superintends the farm, and is a very prudent business man- ager and well respected citizen. Tle has al- ways been a Republican, and cast his first vote for Jolm C. Fremont.

ROBERT J. SHIELDS, farmer; P. O., Belle C'entre; is the only son of David and Catharine (McBeth) Shields, who were among the first settlers of Liberty Tp .; his father was a native of Kentucky, and came to this State after he arrived at manhood; he served in the war of 1812 under Capt. Black, and owned 200 acres of Government land, on which he lived till his death, near 1826; his wife was then married to Henry Fulton, and they lived in Liberty Tp. till 1851, when they moved to Northwood; they resided there about five years and then moved to Michigan, where she died in 1866. Robert lived under the parental roof till his marriage, December 12, 1842, to Hane, daughter of Joseph and Jane Torrence; she was born May 24, 1824, in Philadelphia, and lived in this township at the time of her marriage; Robert farmed the old homestead till 1853, when he sold it and moved to Adams Co., where he remained thirteen years; he was induced to invest in a store at Belle Centre with J. B. Torrence, and soon after moved to this place to help conduet the business; he was not adapted to mercantile life, and three years after he again commenced farming, which he has since fol- lowed; this marriage has been blessed with nine children, five of whom are living - Catherine J., Martha 1., Nancy E., Mary R. and Amand L .; the two eldest are married, and the third is a successful school teacher; the two eldest children and the parents belong to the R. P. Church.

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HARRISON SPENCER, farmer; P. O., Huntsville; is the fourth child of Thomas and Mary (Roberts) Spencer, and was born Oct. 29, 1826, in Clinton Co .; his parents moved to this county when he was 1 year old, and he was reared to manhood in a pioneer home subject to the privations of all the first settlers; he was fond of the chase, and the country being full of game, his desires were easily gratified, many a deer falling before his trusty rifle: he lived under the parental roof until his marriage in Jan. 1850, to Ellen ITill, when he commenced doing for himself. He has always been a tiller of the soil, and for many years has been improving the farm on which he now lives, having cleared nearly CO aeres himself; his wife died in Feb. 1866, leaving six children, four of whom are liv- ing-John, Franklin, James and Lincoln. h March, 1869, he was married to Nancy Wag- ner, a native of Clarke Co. By this union two children have been born-Bertie and Clara. His wife belongs to the Diseiple Church. He owns nearly 300 acres of land, and has always been a Republican.

WASHINGTON SPENCER, farmer; P. O., New Richland. Among the early pio- neers of this county, we take pleasure in nam- ing the Spencer family, who came to this township in 182%, and settled on a farm of heavy forest land, which afterwards devel- oped into a valuable property, under the aggressive strokes of ths woodman's ax. Thomas Spencer, the head of the family, had an erratic disposition when a young man, and visited most of the important places of inter- est in this country; he served in the war of 1812, as also did his father, William Spencer, who was one of the Revolutionary heroes. After the war Thomas settled near Cincin- nati for a short time, and was married to Ellen Johnston, who died in t'linton to., after bear- ing him eight children; he was then mited to Mary Roberts, a native of Adams to., who accompanied him to this county; he died in 1818, and his wife two years later. Wash- ington was born in t'linton t'a., Oct. 21, 1822, and never left the family fireside: at the death of his parents his sister kept house for him, and on Oct. 23, 1856, he was married to Ellen Hazel, daughter of William and Hannah Hazel. She was born Oct. 20, 1835, in this county, to which her father came from Mary-

land, when 10 years old, his only relative being a younger brother. Eight children are the fruits of this union, six of whom are liv- ing-Allen, Eva, Horatio, JJohn, Mary and Willis. He has been Trustee many years, and is identified with the Democracy. He owns 141 acres of land near Richland, on which he is placing good buildings.

ROBERT B. SIMPSON, farmer; P. O., New Richland; is the eldest son of a family of seven children, and was born May 24, 18211, in Ross Co., O .; his father, Matthew Simpson, was born in Huntington Co., Penn., and ac- companied his parents to Ross Co. while yet in his boyhood; he served as a drum-major in the war of 1812, at which time he was living in Ross Co .; he was married to a lady by the name of Elizabeth Dean, who was born in Pennsylvania; having learned the blacksmith's trade he moved to Fayette Co. and followed that business for six years, when he returned to Ross and engaged in farming; in the fall of 1837 he moved to this county and bought a farm consisting mostly of heavy forest. which yielded slowly but surely to his sturdy blows, in which he was ably assisted by his son Robert: he died Sept. 30, 1859, and was fol- lowed by his wife in March, 18;1: Robert was married March 13, 1818, to Deborah Thompson; she was born April 8, 1823, in Guernsey Co., and was a daughter of James and Mary (Carothers) Thompson, who moved to this county in 1831; her mother died soon after their arrival, and the children kept house for their father until his death in October. 1869. In 1851 Robert commenced working on the railroad, first as a fireman and then as engineer: he followed this live years, when he relinquished it for farming, which is more congenial to him; by their marriage five children have been born, the youngest dying in infancy: those living are-James H., who is married and living near home; William S., now at Leadville, Col .; Matthew Franklin, who still lives at home, and John b., who lately joined his brother at the West: Robert and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church; he and Frank belong to the Masonic Order, and has been a Republican since the organization of that party.

JAMES S. SIMS, farmer : P. O., Hunts- ville : was born Feb. 19, 1811, in t'larke Co., O. Tlis father, Jeremiah Sims, was born and

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raised in Virginia, where he learned the trade of blacksmithing. and was there mar- ried to Sarah Millhollen. They emigrated to this State in 1801, settling in Clarke Co., where they soon secured a home of new land, and on this they lived till death ; making im- provements and beautifying their surround- ings. He served in the army of 1812, having a captain's commission, and paid his whole at- tention to his farm after coming to this State. He died Jan. 12, 1824, and his wife in 1839. James lived on the old homestead until the death of his mother when he moved to this county ; he cleared different farms, but since 1855 has been where he now lives, on which he has cleared more than 50 acres. He was married Aug. 12, 1832, to Jane Sides ; she was born Oct. 17, 1813, in Maryland, and died Oct. 2, 1854, leaving seven children-William R., Jeremiah T., Peyton S., Sarah F., Mary ! A., James M., and Joseph D) .; all lived to maturity and married ; Jeremiah and Mary are dead. William, Mary and Joseph have all taught school, the first being now mail agent on the railroad, and James is Post- master at Bethany, Mo .; Joseph D. gradu- ated at the Ohio Wesleyan University, and has been a minister in the Methodist Episco- pal Church six years. He was again married Oct. 2, 1857, to Jane Lewis, who was born in Gallia Co., in 1816; one child has blessed this union-Adelia B., now dead. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He has been Justice of the Peace fifteen years, and was Assessor when this was in McArthur Tp. He has been a Republican since that party was organized.

THOMAS C. SPEER, carpenter and joiner, Northwood; was born Nov. 13, 1828, in Lawrence Co., Pa .: his father, Thomas Speer, was born in Ireland in 1988, and when he was four years old the family emigrated to North Carolina, where they lived fourteen years, and then came to the county above named; he served in the war of 1812 and was married to Mary Shields, of Westmore- land Co .; he was a farmer by pursuit, and died after a life of usefulness in his 80th year, his companion dying some eight years later in her 86th year. Thomas C. left the parental roof when 18 years of age, and came direct to this township, where he had a brother, and with him learned the carpenter's trade; he

has ever since lived in this county, except one summer that he was at his old home, and has worked at his trade all the time ex- cept four years that he was interested in a saw-mill; he was married May 28, 1850, to Nancy Wylie, and June 12. 1865, she died leaving four children-John W., Mary M., Elizabeth M. and Adella J .; these children have all attended Geneva College, the eldest having graduated, and was professor of mathematies in that institution last year; Mr. Speer was married to Mary J. Downs, Nov. 13, 1866, and less than two years later she was taken from him by death; March 22, 18:0 he secured a companion in the person of Mrs. E. J. Love, a native of Butler Co., Pa .; he owns a pleasant little farm convenient to the village of Northwood, and all are mem- bers of the R. P. Church, in which he is ruling Elder: for twenty-two years he was treasurer of the second Miami Congregation, and has been a delegate to the Synod on two ocea- sions, and five times a delegate to the National Reform Convention.

JOHN B. TEMPLE, undertaker and fur- niture; Belle Centro; is the second of a fam- ily of five children, and was born Aug. 8, 1836, in Westmoreland Co., Penn. His pa- rents were natives of that county and lived there till their death. His father's name was Samuel W. Temple, and his mother's maiden name was Nancy Boyd; his father always fol- lowed farming, and died there in 1860, and his mother died Aug. 15, 1843. John lived on the farm till 1855, when he came to this State and attended college at Geneva; he was here two years, and then he returned to his native State, but while here he hecame quite strongly attached to a young lady by the name of Martha B. Jameson. daughter of Cor- nelius and Phoebe (Davis) Jameson. Oct. 15, 1857, he married her and took her to his East- ern home, where they lived one year, and then returned to Belle Centre, which has since been their home. He taught school for nine years, mostly in Hardin Co .; he has taught in the villages of Roundhead, Dunkirk and Richland. He soll goods one year for Tor- rence & Shields, and was in the army a short time; on his return he taught school for two vears, and then worked at the carpenter's trade till 1811, when he went into his present business with Urich Z. Jameson. They have

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also kept stoves and tinware. In June, 1880, Jameson withdrew, and the business is now conducted by Mr. Temple. By their marriage two children have been born, the eldest died in 18;6, and would soon have graduated at Geneva College, where the youngest, Harry W., is now in attendance. Both are members of the R. P. Church, of which he has been deacon twelve years.

ELIZA K. TEMPLETON, farmer; P. O., Northwood; was born April 1, 1830, in Rochester, N. Y. ller father, James Keers, was a native of Ireland, and there learned the trade of weaver: he was married to Elizabeth Young, and in 1828 emigrated to this coun- try, and settled at Rochester, where he worked in a mill; in 1810 he moved to this county, and bought a farm of new land, ou which he lived until 1859, when he traded property with John Archer, near Bellefon- taine; he lived on that one year, and then moved to this township. His wife died April 25, ISAS, and he then married Monemia Max- well, a native of Livingston Co., N. Y .: he died at Northwood, Dec. 1, 1818. Eliza taught school several years in this county, and on May 1, 1862, was married to Samuel Templeton, son of Alexander and Mary A. (Wallace) Templeton. He was born Sept. 20, 1824, in Perry Co. They lived on a farm in Auglaize Co., until his death, on Nov. ? , 1867, and she then returned to this township. She lived in Northwood nine years, and has since been on a farm. She has two children -James A. and Sarah A. She belongs to the Reformed Presbyterian, and he was a mem- ber of the Presbyterian denomination.

JOHN J. WRIGHT, restaurant and bakery; Belle Centre; was born Oct. 16. 1844, in Clarke Co., O. His father, John Wright, was born in Massachusetts, and there learned the trade of shipcarpenter at which he worked several years after reaching his majority: from there ho came to t'larke t'o., and settled on a farm and was soon after married to Julia Garfield, of Vermont. At the tender age of eight years John left the parental roof and went to work for a farmer for his board and clothes. Ile remained with him three years, when his father died and John returned to the home to com- fort and contribute to the family support. They soon moved to Belle Centre. and after a residence of three years moved to Kenton.

Being of a patriotic and impulsive nature, John was one of the first to fly to the defense of his country, starting the next day after the President's call for volunteers. He enlisted in (o. D, 4th O., and June 6, 1861, re-enlisted for three years. After serving 18 months he was transferred to Co. A. 4th U. S. Art., and when his time expired again re-enlisted for three years more, in the same company. He was in seventeen regular engagements and nineteen skirmishes, and never rode in an ambulance wagon or slept in a hospital during his entire service. He received his discharge Feb. 8, 1867, at Ft. Washington, Md. and six days after he was married to Johannah Calla- gan, a native of Ireland, who had lately em- igrated to this country. He immediately re- turned to Belle C'entre, and has since been engaged in business at this place. For sov- oral years be kept livery stable, and was pro- prietor of the Belle Centre hotel, but has lately been engaged in his present business. By his marriage three children have been born-George 11., Mary A. and Lily B. He belongs to the order 1. O. O. F., and has held township and municipal offices. He has al- ways been a staunch supporter of the Repub- lean party.

MOSES D. WILSON, physician and sur- geon; Belle Centre; was born near the forks of Yough, in Alleghany Co., Pa. His parents were natives of that county. His father's name was Isaac, and his mother's maiden name was Cassandra Devore. He was a farmer by occupation, and lived in that county until 1853, when he moved to lowa. Moses com- meneed for himself when 1; years old, and for several years he taught and attended school; was at Alleghany City and Concord one year each, and during the winter of 1850 and 1851 he attended the Jefferson Medical School at Philadelphia; he then practiced in Greene ('o. two years, when he went to the Medical School at Ann Arbor, and graduated in 1854; he practiced at Northwood over one year, and has since been at Belle Centre, except a short time that he was in the Jefferson General Ilos- pital near Louisville; he was married Jan. 16, 1855, to Lydia C., daughter of John and Eliza- beth (Wilkin) Pollock. She died June 22, 1845, leaving three children -- Lizzie C., Mag- gio S. and Jessie O. The eldest is married to William F. Kuhn, Superintendent of Schools

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at De Graff; the second is teaching, and the youngest is attending school at Ann Arbor. Oct. 12, 1826, he was married to. Mary E., widow of William Mcbain, by whom were two children-Bunyan A. and Edgar M. She was born Jan. 4, 1833, in this county. Ile belongs to the Reformed Presbyterian and she to the Presbyterian Church.

JAMES WOODS, farmer; P. O., New Richland; is the eldest of a family of nine children, and was born in Ireland in 1816; his father, Samuel Woods, was a mason by trade, and was married to a lady named Martha Mathars; in 1834 the family emigrated to the New World and lived one year in Canada, and then came to Rochester, N. Y .; in 1840 they moved to this State and settled in Logan Co., where he died in 1841 and his wife in 1846. James learned the blacksmith's trade in Rochester, and worked in some of the large Western cities, but soon after his father came to this State he relinquished it and has since been a farmer; he was married May S. 1854, to Eliza J. Young, a native of Palmyra, N. Y., and daughter of John and Eliza J. (Galbreath) Young; twelve children have blessed this union; eleven are living- Samuel, John, James, Andrew, Martha, Wil- liam, Renwick, Joseph, Matthew, Charles and Martha J .; he owns nearly 150 acres of land, all of which is self-made property; he has been a Republican since that party was or- ganized.

WILLIAM C. WALLACE, farmer; P. O., Belle Centre. Among the first settlers of this township who battled bravely and successfully with the elements of nature, none deserve more favorable mention than the Wallace family, who moved here in 1830. The family consisted of husband, wife and two children, and the only improvements were a log cabin and a small piece of partly cleared land. William Wallace, the head of the family, was born in Kentucky in 1196, and came to this State in 1814, settling in Favette Co., where he learned the trade of a wheelwright; he was married in 1826 to Polly Campbell, who was also born in Kentucky in 1803, and came to Fayette Co. during her childhood. Hle always followed farming after marriage, and at his death, on Dec. 25, 1828, he owned a large and valuable farm, which had been brought to that condition by his own labor

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History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 121

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin Number of Pages: 798

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798