History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 51

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
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Number of Pages: 559

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In 1816 John Etzler moved from Maryland into Har- rison township. He was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1788. His wife was Susannah C. Lock, born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1776. She died in 1846, surviving her husband twenty-eight years. She was married a second time to John Vance, of Harrison township, by whom she had four children. John Etzler was a lieutenant in the War of 1812, and was engaged in the battle of Fort McHenry. He had four children ---- Abdiel, born in 1813, married Rachel Kelley-still liv- ing; Mary Magdalene married John W. Cullers, died in 1879. Two others died in childhood. Abdiel Etzler has been town assessor for twenty-five years, from 1855 to 1880, and township supervisor from 1854 to 1855. His son, John W., was in One Hundred and Thirty-first Ohio infantry as private

John Brown was born in North Carolina in 1797. He settled in Harrison township about 1816. His wife was Eve Hoffman, who was born about 1793, and died in 1873. They have three children living, viz .: Adam, married, lives in Illinois; Jacob, married lives in Harri- son; David, married, lives in . Sonora.

In 1817 John Bunger settled in section twenty-seven, of Harrison township. He was born in Virginia in 1760, and from that State migrated into Ohio. His wife, Eve House, was born in Virginia in 1771, and died in Preble county in 1843. John Bunger was for six months in the Revolutionary war, and was engaged in several battles. His son Samuel still lives on the old homestead owned by his father. John Bunger died in 1821 in Harrison township. He had fourteen children, three of whom are living, viz: Samuel, Eli and Simeon.

Samuel Bunger was born in Virginia in 1806. In 1831 he married Eva Lock, who was born in Harrison township in 1815. They have had eleven children, of whom eight still survive. John lives in Harrison town- ship; William lives in Euphemia; Elizabeth, wife of Levi Brown, lives in Euphemia; Rachel, wife of George Chambers, lives in Montgomery county; Sarah, wife of Andrew Redman, lives in Illinois; Samuel lives in Har- rison township; Mary, wife of Baker Dye, lives in Har- rison township, and Jacob lives at home.

Samuel Bunger's son William was out in the one hun-

William Swisher, a son of the above, was born in Pennsylvania in 1798, and died in 1863. He was mar- ried three times-first to Annie Boom, by whom he had one child; second to Charity Leas, who bore him two children, and third to Julia Ann Fouk, born in 1822 .. Mr. Swisher was a miller by trade, and for twenty years ran the mill at Rock Ridge. His son Robert was born in 1836, and married Lydia A. Greer, by whom he has had four children, all of whom are living. For four years he ran the mill, but after that time sold out, and since then devoted his time to his farm and quarry.

Henry Cassell moved into Harrison township in 1816. He emigrated from Virginia to Warren county, Ohio, in 1812. He was born in Virginia. His wife, Christina Bickel, was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Harrison township in 1852. Henry Cassell came to this country possessed of little or no capital. He came to Harrison township, entered a quarter section, and by hard labor cleared one hundred and sixty acres. He also had a farm of two hundred acres in Indiana. He died in 1857, in Harrison township. He has six children living, viz .: Catharine, married to Peter Klinger, resides in Marshall county, Indiana; Sarah, married to Isaac Klinger, lives in Allen county, Indiana; Rhoda, single, lives at home with her brother; Eliza, married to Robert Calhoun (de- ceased), resides in Baltimore, Harrison township; Samuel, married to Mary Jane Nosworthy, lives in Richmond, Indiana ; Allen, born in 1816, is still single, and resides on the old homestead. He was first lieutenant in the Ohio light infantry for five years and first lieutenant in Ohio volunteer cavalry four years. Mr. Cassell has al- ways been a prominent citizen of this township, and is always identified with any improvements.

John Mills, father of Joseph Mills, county commis- sioner, located at Lewisburgh, Preble county, Ohio, about the year 1809. He was born in 1802, and was married to Marian Singer, who was born in Lewisburgh about 1809. Mr. Mills finally removed to Wabash coun- ty, Indiana, where he still lives. He had ten children, seven of whom are living-Joshua lives in Montgomery county, Ohio; Joseph in Twin township, this county, near West Alexandria; Henry in Wabash county, Indi- ana; Sebastian in Cass county, same State; Samuel in Wabash county; Elizabeth, widow of John J. Cunning- ham, with her brother Joseph; Rebecca, wife of William H. Legitt, in Whitely county, Indiana. Joseph Mills was elected county commissioner in 1875, and is now

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

serving his second term. He was born in 1832 in this township, and was married in 1857 to Amanda L. Curry, the descendant of an early family in the county, and who is now deceased. Mr. Mills has had four children, three of whom are living.

John Schlosser was born in Adams county, Pennsylva- nia, in 1781. In 1822 he moved from Pennsylvania into Ohio, ard settled in section twenty-three of Harrison township. He married, in 1805, Magdalena Smetz, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1781. When he came to Ohio he had only a few dollars. He drove two blind horses, taking twenty-three days to make the journey. By hard labor and perseverance he became possessed of a farm of three hundred acres, which he distributed among his children. He died in 1868, in Harrison township, Preble county. There are four children now living-Moses, born in 1814, married and lives in Kan- .sas; Jonas, born in 1817, married and lives in Harrison township; Samuel, born in 1821, married and living in Illinois; and John, born in 1824, married and living in Harrison township. John Schlosser was married in 1851 to Lydia Pease, who was born in Harrison township in 1833. They have three children-Noah; Mary Magda- lena, wife of William Swank ; and John. John Schlosser, sr., was drafted into the war of the Rebellion, in the one hundred days' service, but sent a substitute.

David Werts was born in Harrison township. At the age of seventeen he learned the trade of cooper with his brother. He followed this trade for twenty years, at the expiration of which time he moved on a farm near West Baltimore. He afterwards bought the mill at Pyrmont, Montgomery county, and in 1864 he moved it to West Baltimore. Mr. Samuel Arnold was his partner in this transaction. The firm was Werts & Arnold. Mr. Arnold sold out after fourteen months to Messrs. Stewart and Duncan. The firm was then Werts & Company. Stew- art afterwards sold out his interest to Studebaker. At this time they built their saw-mill. Studebaker sold out to Stewart. The business was run for a time by Werts Stewart. Finally, in 1871, Mr. Werts bought Mr. Stewart's interest in the business, and has been sole proprietor ever since. It is owing largely to the presence of the mill that West Baltimore has grown to its present size. Mr. Werts bought a portion of land of Mr. Heca- thorn, and laid out part of the present town. In 1844 Mr. Werts married Elizabeth Piles, born in North Caro- lina in 1824. Eight children have been born to them, seven of whom are now living, namely: Rachel, Corilla, Amanda, Jane, Joseph, Perry, and Elizabeth.

Peter Studebaker was born about 1775, in Adams county, Pennsylvania. From this State he migrated to Ohio in 1825, and settled in section sixteen, of Harrison township. His wife, Barbara, was born in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, about 1780, and died in 1838. He volunteered in 1812, afterwards bought and cleared one hundred and sixty acres of land. He has two chil. dren now living: David Studebaker, born 1813, married in 1840, Rachel Mills. They have nine children living and three deceased. Mary married Jonas Schlosser, and resides in Harrison township. David Studebaker

has always been a hard working, industrious man. He has always been identified with any improvements in the county. He has accumulated over five hundred acres of land, all but sixty of which has been distributed among his children.

Christian Disher, sr., settled in section thirty-five, in the year 1829, having previously purchased a half section of land. He was a native of Maryland, born in 1788, but when quite young removed to Botetourt county, Vir. ginia, where he afterwards married Frances Circle. He emigrated to Ohio in 1829, as above stated, and resided in Harrison township until his death, in 1872, at the age of eighty-four; his wife died previously at the age of seventy-two. They raised a family of five children, as follows: Captain Mathias Disher, born January 1, 1817, and settled where he now lives, in Twin township, in 1843; Daniel, who lives in Euphemia; Frances, wife of David Kumler (deceased); Christian, who lives on the old homestead; and Catharine, wife of John Corder, also in this township.

Daniel Wolf was born in Lancaster county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1804. From Pennsylvania he moved to Mary- land, and from there to Ohio. He settled in section twenty-one of Harrison township, in the year 1830. His first wife was Caroline Bentz, who was born in Maryland, in 1809, and who died in Harrison township, in 1852. He had twelve children by this marriage, nine of whom survive. His second wife was Mary Baker, born in 1832. He has three children living born of this marriage. Mr. Wolf had no capital when he came to this country. He afterwards received a legacy of one thousand eight hundred (1800) dollars, and with this as a start he finally became possessed of one hundred and sixty acres of land. He volunteered during the Mexican war, but was not called upon to serve. He served some time as township supervisor.

Peter Homan was born in Pennsylvania in 1797. About 1813 he moved to Ohio and settled in Warren county. In 1830 he settled in Lewisburgh, Harrison township. Mrs. Homan (Sarah Brunden) was born in Kentucky in 1799. Mr. Homan was a shoemaker and worked at his trade in Lewisburgh. He owned one hun- dred and twenty acres in Preble county. They have had seven children. Peter Homan died in Lewisburgh in 1860, and his wife died in 1866.

Vincent Homan, the only surviving child of the above, now living in Monroe township, was born in 1820. In 1844 he married Eliza Ann Ebersole, born in Preble county, in 1822. They have had five children, four of whom survive. Mr. Vincent Homan has been township trustee and school director. At one time he owned one hundred and sixteen acres of land, eighty acres of which he gave to his son. He also gave each of his daughters a home, and is now farming thirty acres.

Joseph, son of Matthias Corwin, was born in section six of Harrison township in the year 1830. In 1855 he married Jane Martin, who was born in Twin township. She died in 1857, leaving one child -Oscar. Mr. Cor- win married again in 1861. His second wife was Bar- bara Pease, born in Harrison township in the year 1836.

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

They have eight children. Mr. Corwin served during the war of the Rebellion. He enlisted in May, 1864, in the Fifty-sixth Ohio national guard. Afterwards he was mus- tered into the United States service as private in company C of the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio volunteer in- fantry. In September, 1864, he was mustered out at Camp Dennison. He was engaged at Cumberland, Mary- land.

Andrew Zeeler was born in Berks county, Pennsylva- nia in' 1791. From Pennsylvania he emigrated to Ohio, and in 1834 settled in section thirty-four of Harrison township. His first move into Ohio was made in 1806, at which time he settled in Montgomery county, Ohio. Mrs. Zeller, nee Mary Hontz, was born in 1793 and died in 1874. Mr. Zeller died in Euphemia in 1864. He was engaged in the War of 1812 after moving to this State. Six children were born to them, four of whom are now living. Sarah, widow of Adam Riggle, resides in Chi- cago, Illinois. Maria, wife of Samuel Flickinger, lives at Seven Mile, Butler county, Ohio. Andrew P. lives in Harrison township. Catharine, wife of Asher H. Mc- Cowen, lives in Cook county, Illinois.

Andrew P. Zeller was born in Montgomery county in 1824. In 1848 he married Maria Flickinger, born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1830. They have had nine chil- dren born to them, seven of whom still survive. Of these the six youngest still live at home. Mr. Zeeler has been township trustee three times. He owns a farm of four hundred and forty-seven acres, all of which is in a good state of cultivation.

Elias Bunger was born in Greenbriar county, Virginia, in the year 1809, and came to Preble county with his father in 1817. In 1840 he married Nancy Utz, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1812. Eleven children have been born to them. Mr. Bunger has been an elder in the Lutheran church for several years. His sons Samuel, William and Andrew were in the war of the Rebellion, At the time he commenced life for himself he had only fifty cents, which was all that remained after paying the marriage fee; but by dint of hard labor and economy he accumulated a farm of two hundred acres.

Frederick Miller was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1760. He afterwards moved to Virginia and from there to Tennessee. From this latter State he moved to Ohio, and in 1804 he settled in Twin towhship, where he died in 1835. His wife, Elizabeth (Sharpe), was born in Pennsylvania in 1762, and died in Twin township in the same year as her husband. Nine children were born to them, one only of whom, Solomon, is living. Mr. Fred- erick Miller was at Yorktown at the time of the surren- der of Cornwallis, and witnessed the transaction. He was also the first man that ascended Miller's fork, which was named from this fact. He took a prominent part in the War of 1812. The soldiers were in the habit of making his house a place of rendezvous.

He entered one hundred and sixty acres of land, and built the second brick house in the county, between Lex- ington and West Alexandria. The building is still stand- ing on the old spot.

Jacob F. Miller was born in Hawkins county, Tennes- see, in the year 1792. His first wife was a Miss De- Camp, who bore him two children, neither of whom sur- vive. In 1827 he married the widow Pierce nee Dicy Weaver, born in Virginia in 1799. Nine children were born them, eight of whom still survive. Mr. Miller died in Monroe township in 1849, and his wife died in 1880.

James W. Miller, son of the above, was born in Mon- roe township in 1837. In 1864 he married Ann Char- man, who died in 1868. Two children were born him by this marriage, both of whom are dead. In 1871 he married Martha J. Banta, born in Preble county in 1845. They have two children. J. W. Miller attended the eclectic school of medicine in Cincinnati, where he graduated in 1862. Since that time he has practiced his profession both in Indiana and in this State. For the last five years he has practiced in West Baltimore, of this township, where he is at present residing.

Jesse Smith moved to Ohio from Adams county, Pennsylvania, and in the year 1833 settled in Preble county, near Euphemia. His first wife was Jane, daugh- ter of Michael Deitrich, by whom he had eight children, seven of whom are still living. Mrs. Smith died in 1835. He soon afterwards married Mrs. Eliza Dephen- dall, by whom he had eight children, of whom six sur- vive. Jacob, son of Jesse Smith, was born in 1824, and in 1844 married Julia Ann, daughter of William Swisher, born in 1822. He had two children by this marriage, one of whom is living. His first wife died in 1850, and the following year he married Sarah Keltner, born in 1833. Four children were born to them-all now living. Mr. Smith owns a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he has lived since 1849.

David Hoffman came to Preble from Montgomery county, and settled on the farm he now owns, which is located in the northern part of the township. He was born in 1804, and in 1828 married Catharine Shuler, born in the year 1800. She died in 1870 leaving a fam- ily of three children. Mr. Hoffman married, in 1877, Sarah D. Hubley, born in the year 1813. He was at one time the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, all of which he divided among his children. His son, Ephraim, served during the war of the Rebellion, during the hundred days' service.

Samuel Dinwiddie settled in section fifteen of Harri- son township. He was born in 1777, in New Castle county, Delaware, and emigrated to Ohio from that State in 1803, but did not settle in Harrison township until 1834. His wife, Mary Reed, was born in 1785, in North Carolina, and died in Warren county in 1832. They have had five children: James R., born in 1817, married Sarah Niswonger, deceased in 1844-he re- sides in Sonora, Harrison township; Eliza married Louis Thomas, deceased; Deborah married John Lock, and lives in Kokomo, Indiana; Ruth married John Thomas, and resides near Baltimore, Harrison township.

James R. Dinwiddie has held several offices of trust. He was justice of the peace from 1860 to 1863, and is now township trustee. He has one child, Mrs. Michael Brown.

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A.H. MARKLEY.

Geo. Brower

John Brower, "the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, emigrated to Ohio from Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1801, and settled in Montgomery county, near Germantown. He lived there until his death, which occurred several years after his settlement. His wife Magdaline survived him, and died in Indiana. His children were John, Abraham, Jacob, George, Susan, Polly, and Betsey. All are now dead except George, who resides in Miami county, Indiana, and is over eighty years of age. Abraham, the father of our subject, was a native of Rockingham county, Virginia ; married near the close of the last century, Elizabeth, daughter of George Harter, who was one of the early emigrants from Virginia to Preble county. Abraham Brower, moved out from Virginia in 18or, and settled on Little Twin, in Mont- gomery county, where he resided until 1815, when he moved to Preble and settled in the woods on the farm now owned by George T. Pot- terf. He died in 1821, aged about forty-two, his wife surviving him many years. They were the parents of twelve children, five boys and seven girls, viz .: John, Polly (Banta), Rebecca (Shively), Catharine (Hart), Nancy (Teal), Joseph, Susan (Parker), George, Elizabeth (Hart), Abraham, Henry, and Christena (Campbell). All are living except the first three.

George Brower was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, December 22, 1810. His educational advantages were limited to the subscription schools of pioneer days, and he attended those but very little after his father's death. His father died when our subject was but eleven years of age, and although he left his family a comfortable home, it was nec- essary for the children to be industrious, which term in those times sig- nified to work hard. When about seventeen our subject cleared for Henry Brower six acres of land, and received for the work one dollar per acre. The six dollars were paid in silver, which seemed a large sum, and with the money he purchased a cassinet coat, which is re- membered as an important event in his life. He continued to remain

at home, but worked out at whatever offered itself. From 1836 to 1837 he conducted successfully with his brother John the Eagle hotel at Eaton. On April 20th, of the latter year, he married Christina Swihart, daughter of Adam Swihart, of Gasper township, born July I, 1814. For one year he resided on a small farm belonging to his mother, and in the spring of 1838 moved on to the old William Camp- bell place. The following autumn he moved on to the homestead, and soon after began purchasing the interests of the other heirs, eventually acquiring the entire ownership of the farm. Mr. Brower has since bought and sold a number of times, but has constantly increased his prosperity, and is now recognized as one of the leading agriculturists of the county. He was formerly a Whig, but since the formation of the Republican party has been a staunch adherent of that organization. He has never aspired to office, but the experience acquired in an ac- tive and busy life has qualified him for any office that he would accept. In the fall of 1866 he was elected county commissioner, and served three years. His wife died February 28, 1866, and February 29th, of the following year, he was married to Mrs. Harriet Baker, widow of Evan Baker, esq., an attorney of Greenville, Ohio. Mrs. Brower's maiden name was Gain, born in Baltimore county, Maryland, March 24, 1815. Mr. Brower is the father of nine children by his first mar- riage, as follows: William H., born May 30, 1838, living in Darke county; Annanias, born February 16, 1840, died November 9, 1845; Thomas J., born December 20, 1841, living in Miami county, Indiana; Benjamin F., born March 22, 1844, residing in Wabash county, In- diana; Joseph S., born February 1, 1846, residing in Darke county; D. L., born September 1, 1848, of Washington township, this county, an infant died February 14, 1850; Susan E., born November 2, 1852; wife of Jesse B. Rollman, of Washington township; Mary Ellen, born March 10, 1857. wife of Walter Surface, of Sonora.

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A. H.MARKLE Y.

Allen G. Cassel

Mr. Cassel's father was of English, and his mother of German, descent. His "father, Henry Cassel, was a] native, of Wyth county, Virginia, where he was born Movember 20, 1773. He married Christena Bickel, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1777. They emigrated from Virginia to"Ohio, with a company of eight families, in 1812. They crossed the Ohio river at Cincinnati, which was then but an insignificant village, and while tarrying there, Mr. Cassel was offered a quarter section of land adjoining the town in exchange for his team and wagon. He, however, had left Virginia on account of the hills and could not see that a settlement among the hills of Cincinnati would better his condi- tion. He continued his journey into the interior of the State until he arrived near where Lebanon, the county seat of Warren county, now stands, where he rented a farm. Four years afterwards-in the fall of 1816-he moved to Preble county and settled in Harrison township, entering one hundred and sixty acres in section thirteen, which is now owned by his son, Allen. Here he erected his log cabin and began pioneer life. His cabin was replaced by the present residence in about the year 1836. In 1840 Mr. Cassel bought, or entered, two hundred acres in Allen county, Indiana, near Fort Wayne. He died May 14, 1857, his wife having preceded him nearly five years. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom they raised, viz. : Catharine (Klinger), born April 22, 1797, now aged nearly eighty-four, and living at Plymouth, Indiana; Elizabeth (Klinger), born July 4, 1799 (deceas- ed); Sarah (Klinger), born December 5, 1801, living near Fort Wayne, Indiana; Rhoda Ann, born June to, 1806, unmarried and living with her brother, Allen; Rachel and Eliza (twins), born August 31, 1807. Rachel (now deceased), was the wife of Christian Parker, of Fort Wayne, and Eliza is the widow of Robert Calhoun, and resides in West Baltimore, Preble county, Ohio. Samuel Cassel, born December IT,

1809, lives in Richmond, Indiana; Allen C., was born September 15, 1816; Daniel, born October 5, 1819, is dead. Two boys and a girl died when young.

Allen Cassel, the subject of this sketch, grew to manhood under the disadvantages as to education, which farmers' boys usually enjoyed in those times, never having attended school more than about six months. When a lad of not more than ten years he used to go on horseback to mill on the Stillwater, in Miami county. This was no small under- taking. There were but few settlements along his route, and the jour- ney frequently consumed two days. From 1830 to 1840, when there was a large emigration to Indiana, our subject made a number of trips by wagon for the purpose of removing families to their new homes. As showing the difficulties of travel in those days it may be mentioned that on the occasion of moving his brother-in-law, Christian Parker, to Fort Wayne, the journey required nine days, during which the party did not once sleep under cover. On another occasion the following incident occurred : While travelling along in the dusk of the evening Mr. Cassel saw by the side of a log near the road what he supposed to be some wild animal. Taking his gun from the wagon he mised it to his face, when at that instant the movement of another object by the side of the other disclosed to his astonished gaze the form of a child. On going up to them he found a squaw and pappoose preparing a place for the night. Only a short distance away was an Indian village, and our sub- ject had great reason to congratulate himself that he had not made the fatal shot. In the old militia times Mr. Cassel was first lieutenant of light infantry, and also of cavalry. After the death of his parents he purchased the homestead, to which he has since added thirty acres. Mr. Cassel is a man of great energy and industry, of sound judgment, and is one of the substantial farmers of the county. He is unmarried

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 51

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 559

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559