History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 54

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

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died in 1848, and some two years before his death he married Mrs. Hannah Hinkle, of Euphemia. He was a great hunter, and often came in friendly contact with the Indians, concerning whom he frequently related in after life many interesting reminiscences. He was an indus- trious, hard-working man, and secured a good property and provided liberally for his children. He was a mem- ber of the Lewisburgh Lutheran church, and was a use- ful citizen. He had, by his first marriage, five sons- Abraham, George, Jacob, John and Jesse, all of whom, but John, live in Indiana. John Ott, jr., sub- ject of the portrait elsewhere given, was born in Harri- son township, March 23, 1820. He married April 18, 1844, Matilda, daughter of George Brown, who lived on Twin creek. His first wife died November 1, 1845, leaving one child-John A., born February 11, 1845. In 1848 Mr. Ott married Barbara Link, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, July 31, 1822. Her father, John Link, was among the early settlers of Har- rison. The children by this marriage are as follows: Daniel, born May 10, 1849; Matilda, wife of John Gangwer, born February 3, 1851; Eliza Jane, wife of William Glick, born January 15, 1853; Sarah, wife of Jasper Ott, born August 13, 1854, is living in Noble county, Indiana; Barbara Ann, wife of Henry Cham- bers, born May 14, 1856; Elijah, born November 25, 1860; Mary, born July 11, 1863. An infant son, George Franklin, died in 1859. All of the children, except Mrs. Jasper Ott, live in Preble county. John Ott re- mained with his father and farmed the place until 1854, when he removed to Noble county, Indiana. In 1860 he moved back to Harrison, and has since lived here. He is one of the largest landholders in this part of the county, owning nearly eight hundred acres.

COLONEL SAMUEL KESLER.

The subject of this sketch was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, on the seventeenth day of May, 1792, and with his father, Jacob Kesler, who served as a sol- dier in the Revolution, emigrated to Preble county, Ohio, and settled on a farm about one mile south of Lewis- burgh, in the year 1811. In the following year, 1812, reports having reached the settlements that the Indians were becoming troublesome, and that several families had been massacred near Greenville, Ohio, a company under Captain Fleming, in which he acted as a private, was sent out against them, but on arriving at their desti- nation, they found that the Indians, after having mur- dered several persons, had fled. After doing garrison duty for some months, and there being no further need of them, the company was honorably discharged.

An amusing incident, as related by himself, occurred on their return. While halting at one of those refreshing springs that so much abound near where the village of Euphemia now stands, to partake of their last meal of rations before separating for their individual homes, a number of them, for diversion, engaged firing at a mark. The report of their guns was heard by one of the near-

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est families, residing in the vicinity, and not suspecting the cause, imagined they were Indians, and without stop- ping to investigate, fled precipitately to their nearest neighbor, excitedly informing them the woods were full of savages, and that whole families were being murdered. Judging from the number of shots being fired, the whole settlement at once became thoroughly frightened, moth- ers snatching their little ones from their cradles, and in some instances leaving their unbaked bread in the ovens, all fleeing for their lives, as they supposed, before their merciless savage foes. Nor did they discover their mis- take until some of them had proceeded as far as the set- tlements, where West Alexandria now stands.

Considering that the able bodied men had all gone to the front, none being left but decrepit old men, women, and children, and that they not having been apprised of the company's return, it is scarcely to be wondered that they became frightened. It is needless to say that the captain was soundly berated (whether justly or not) by the female portion for his indiscretion in allowing his men to frighten them in so unceremonious a manner.

In 1814 Mr. Kesler was married to Magdalene Pot- terf, whose father emigrated at an early day from the State of Maryland, and settled a few miles south of Eaton, Ohio. Having purchased one hundred and sixty acres of timber land a few miles south of Lewisburgh, he built himself a log cabin in the usual style of those days, with a blanket for a door, hung over the entrance. They commenced housekeeping in their rude home, and at once, with brave hearts and willing hands, commenced the arduous labors of converting their forest home into the more congenial wheat and corn fields, which resulted from their toil.

Right here an incident might be related as showing what material our forefathers, and especially foremothers, were composed of, and what trials they had to undergo in those early days. At one time, when her husband had gone on a trip to Cincinnati, which then occupied six or seven days, Mrs. Kesler remained in her cabin entirely alone, and this, too, when there were wild beasts and savages roaming through the forest. One day a couple of the latter unceremoniously entered the cabin, one of them at the same time flourishing a large butcher knife. Think- ing they were going to murder her she became very much alarmed, which only amused the savages. The one with the knife uttering an "ugh," strode to the fireplace, plunged his knife into a firebrand, and with it, much to her relief, departed.

Having become tired of the hard labor incident to clearing up a heavily timbered farm, he purchased a woollen mill near Lewisburgh, and after successfully con- ducting that for a few years, he came into possession of a hotel in Lewisburgh, where he resided for some years, when he again moved to his farm one mile south of town. About the year 1830 St. Joseph, Michigan, was being talked of as the coming Eldorado, and with a friend he started on an exploring expedition to that town. The journey had to be performed on horseback, and through an almost trackless forest. On their arrival there they found only a few log cabins near the lake shore, and

some of them were deserted. It is needless to say that they were disgusted with the place, and returned to their homes, thinking, after all, there was no place equal to old Preble county. He soon after purchased a large farm on Price's creek, two miles southwest of Lewisburgh, where he lived until within a few years of his death, which oc- curred at his residence in Euphemia on the twelfth day of February, 1867, at the age of seventy-five years. Mr. Kesler had been married twice, his first wife having died in 1851, he married Mrs. Mary Steele, who survives him. During his lifetime he held numerous positions of trust and honor. In early life he became colonel of the State militia, a position he held until the law was repealed. He raised seven children, all of whom he lived to see grow to manhood and womanhood, and four of whom survive him.

SAMUEL BUNGER, SR.,

was born in Greenbrier county, Virginia, November 29, 1806. When about twelve years of age, his father, John Bunger, emigrated with his family to Ohio. He rented a farm for one year near Hamilton, in Butler county, and then moved to Preble county and settled where his son, Samuel, now lives. He died September 16, 1821, aged sixty-one years, two months and ten days. His wife, Eva (House), died August 16, 1843, aged seventy-five years, five months and six days. They had fourteen children, twelve of whom they raised. Only three are now living, viz .: Samuel, Eli and Simeon. Eli resides in Euphemia, and Simeon in Darke county.

Samuel, the subject of the portrait given on another page, still lives on the old homestead where he settled over sixty years ago. After the death of his father, he continued to live with his mother until he became of age, when he assumed control of the home place and began to buy out the interest of the other heirs, and now owns a farm of one hundred acres, all the buildings on which he has himself built. Mr. Bunger has always been a hard working, industrious man, and has accumulated a good property and raised a large family. He married January 3, 1832, Eva Lock, daughter of John and Eliza- beth Lock, who came from Maryland in the first settle- ment of the county, and settled in Harrison township, near Euphemia. Mrs. Bunger was born November 15, 1815. Samuel and Eva Bunger are the parents of the following named children: John, born May 10, 1834, living in Harrison township on a farm of fifty-seven acres; William, born April 22, 1836, is a grocer in Euphemia; Elizabeth, born August 16, 1838, is the wife of Levi Brown, of Euphemia; Rachel, born July 27, 1840, is the wife of George Chambers, of Montgomery county; Sarah, born May 6, 1842, wite of Andrew Ridenour, living in Illinois; Sophia, born March 13, 1844, was the wife of Michael Cupp, and died February 26, 1875; Aaron, born January 20, 1846, died May 28, 1851; Samuel, born April 9, 1848, lives on a portion of the homestead; Eliza, born February 20, 1850, was the wife of Clark B. Dye, died January 17, 1870; Mary Catharine, born Novem-

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ber 4, 1852, the second wife of Clark B. Dye, lives in Harrison township; Jacob. A., born February 25, 1854, lives on the home place with his father.

Mr. Bunger has held the office of trustee of his town- ship; is a member of the Lutheran church, and possesses the respect of all who know him.

ISRAEL.

The schoolboy indicating the boundaries of this town- ship would stand with his face towards Morning Sun and Somers township beyond, with Indiana in the west be- hind him, Dixon township on the north, and Butler county on the south.

In the first days of township history, Israel was known only by the name of the Beech Woods, because of its sit- uation in the heart of that extensive tract of beech wood land which stretches from the White Oak regions south of Hamilton, through and beyond Preble county.

Entering the township at the northeastern corner the traveller soon reaches the dividing ridge between Seven Mile and Four Mile creeks. This ridge, which enters the township just below section twelve and leaves it be- tween sections one and two, has secured to Seven Mile only the smallest rivulets of Israel township, while a whole net-work .of brooks and branchlets spreads from the western slope and is opposed by a similar net-work from the ridge west of the Indiana line, thus shaping the course of Four Mile creek, which bisects the township from north to south and furnishes one of the richest and most productive valleys in the county. This creek took its name from the fact that General Wayne, in his march into the Indian country in 1793, crossed it four miles from fort Hamilton. The east branch, rising in the north- eastern corner of the township, empties into the main stream near McDill's mill, in section twenty-eight, while Little Four Mile from the west enters farther down in the same section.

The valley proper, especially in the northern part of the township, is quite narrow, and in many places is cut through the blue limestone on either side. The scenery is varied and beautiful, and occasionally wildly pictur- esque. In this gorge, jagged with rocky sides, and over- hung with cooling shades, is found the playground of Fancy, while just beyond the wildness of the place blends into the broad acres of waving corn, so pleasing to the practical eye of the farmer. The broadest areas of bot- tom land are to be found in the southern part of the town- ship. The several branches of the creek mark out the corners of its many tributary valleys, extending to the right hand and to the left, between successive ridges of good land, and thus the whole surface of the township is rolling, and in many places hilly. Of the twenty-two thousand eight hundred and ninety-one acres of land in

the township, there is not a real poor one, and the whole is the most valuable land in Preble county. Of this land sixteen thousand five hundred and forty-five acres are under cultivation, four hundred acres are used for grazing purposes, and the remainder is yet uncleared. The total value of lands in Israel township, with the additional buildings since 1870, is nine hundred and ninety-seven thousand five hundred and fifty dollars. Corn, wheat, oats, flax and hay are the principal agricultural products. Barley is not raised, and tobacco is only grown for home consumption. Of late the cultivation of sorghum has been on the increase, and almost every farm has its patch. Several farmers, prominent among whom is Thomas McQuiston, have of late become very much interested as to the expediency of entering into the extensive manu- facture of sugar from their sorghum.

Stock raising is an important industry. Every possible attempt to improve the breed of their cattle is made; and the success of the farmers as hog raisers has become pro- verbial. Nearly all of the corn raised is fed to their hogs, and a very small proportion goes directly to market. Not many years ago a man from Israel township was distin- guished by the large and well built horses which he drove. At present the horses of the township are not quite so good as of old, though there is beginning to be a gradual improvement.

'ORGANIZATION.

The township received its name from Commodore Israel, of the United States navy.

The whole of the first range of which Israel is a part was, prior to March 7, 1809, considered one township. At that time it was ordered that a line be run east and west across the range, eight miles north of the southern boundary of the county, and that the portion north of this line be called Jefferson, and that the southern por- tion take the name of Israel. The first records show that an election for township officers was held at the house of Benjamin Kurcheville, April 4, 1808, with the following result: Clerk, Caleb Pegg; trustees, John McCormick, Joseph Caldwell, and Paul Larsh; overseers of the poor, James Fleming and Robert McCormick; fence viewers, John Bishop and Benjamin Harris; house appraisers, James Calder and Joseph Chadwick; super- visors, John Caldwell Smyth, James Purviance, and William Neal; constables, James Bennett and Peter

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Ireland; treasurer, Joseph Davis. As will be seen by reference to the above dates and names, this election took place while the whole of the first range was consid- ered a single township. After the division the following was the result of an election held at the house of William Ramsey, in section twenty-three, April 3, 1809: Clerk, Caleb Pegg; trustees, Andrew McQuiston, Caleb Pegg, and Joseph Caldwell; lister and house appraiser, James Caldwell; Bartholomew Burroughs, house appraiser; supervisors, Ebenezer Elliott and James Caldwell ; con- stable, William Davis; fence viewers, David Costo and John Allen; overseers of the poor, William Ramsey and James Ockletree; treasurer, Joseph Davis. These offi- cers were sworn in during the month of April, and im- mediately proceeded to perform their official duties. John Caldwell is the first justice of the peace mentioned in the records, and at the next election Caleb Pegg also became a justice.

In accordance with the law providing for the appoint- ment by the township trustees of a number of jurors, the following names constituted the list of those first chosen as grand jurors: John Horney, Peter Ridenour, John Bishop, Samuel Patterson, on Four Mile, Caleb Pegg and James Huston. The following were taken for petit juries: Robert and James Boyse, Richard Sloan, James Kurcheville, Joseph Nelson, Samuel Parke, Eben- ezer Elliott, John Ramsey, and John Caldwell.

The following names are among the list of early town- ship clerks: Caleb Pegg, William McCreary, John Horney, Samuel Mitchell, who held his place for eight years, John Brown, and James Buck. The present offi- cers are : Trustees, Alexander P. Orr, James Johnson, and John M. Ramsey; clerk, John P. Smith; treasurer, Rev. J. Y. Schouller; justices of the peace, William Borradaile and W. H. Pierson. The township assumed its present dimensions, when it was ordered March 3, 1812, that the line on the north be drawn six instead of eight miles from the southern line of the county. The township house is in section twenty-two, at the cross roads, about one mile east of Hopewell meeting-house.

MOUNDS.

Israel township contains three well defined mounds, all in the vicinity of Four Mile valley. Two of them are situated in section twenty-one, a short distance west of the east branch of Four Mile creek, the one on William Bell's place, and the other just below, on the farm of Samuel Graham. The third mound is on the Ridenour place, in section twenty-nine, not far from Little Four Mile. Undoubtedly these mounds were raised by the race, known to us only by the general name, Mound- Builders. They are built in positions whence a view of the valley may be obtained, and it is supposed that they were at times used as places of defence. Excavations prove that they were used as burial places.

The mound on the Graham place is remembered to have been seven or eight feet high, but has been nearly levelled by excavations. The mound in section twenty- nine is the largest. It is about thirty feet high in the most elevated spot, and is about two hundred and fifty

feet in circumference. In it have been found bones indi- cating that their orginal possessor was eight feet high. A very large jaw-bone with a double row of teeth, is another of the monstrosities found in this mound. Be- sides these bits of skeletons, the usual number of accom- panying rings and ornaments of various kinds have been dug up.

PIONEERS AND SETTLERS.

A casual glance down the list of the settlers of Israel township would at once reveal the fact that fully two- thirds of the families came from the south. It will be seen that the earliest pioneers came from old Virginia, and that they were quickly followed and outnumbered by a continuous stream of emigrants from the Carolinas, especially from the State of South Carolina. The vast area of hundreds of square miles in the northern and northwestern parts of South Carolina, was the great source, from which the colonization of Israel town- ship was drawn. Well watered, with rich, productive soil, this territory has always been a most attractive agri- cultural region. Prior to and about the year 1800 this State, with its sisters of the south, was clouded with the evils of slavery. At this time South Carolina was the stronghold of Presbyterianism in the south, and to many of the freedom, justice and conscience-loving members of that church the sight of slaves and slavery was pain- ful. They were by no means rank Abolitionists, though few of them held slaves. Their chief anxiety was for their children, whom they dreaded to see growing up in the midst of influences which they thought adverse to Christianity. Seeing no lawful way of doing away with the cause, they resolved to avoid the dreaded effects, by a removal of their families to a free State. No doubt, many were actuated by the promised rewards falling to the settler of new territory, but there is also no doubt that the impetus of this migratory movement was chiefly due to conscientious motives.

Whatever the motive, there is now no doubt but that the removal was most fortunate.

It will also be seen that the northeastern part of the township was settled by members of the Friends' society from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is possible that one or two settlements were made as early as 1816. In the spring of 1817, Eli Ganse and his wife, Martha, with their children, emigrated from Redstone, Pennsylvania, and settled in section twelve of Israel township. From this time until 1822, the settlement in this neighborhood gradually increased by constant emigrations from the eastern States. Among the earliest settlers were the Browns, seven brothers of them, who came from New New Jersey. In 1822 Isaac Ballanger, Isaac Wiley, John and Nehemiah Starr and others settled in section twelve. Nehemiah Starr started a tanyard in 1822, but soon moved to Indiana. These pioneers have left as a blessing to their children and their children's children, a land beautiful for situation, and most rich in agricul- tural resources.

Inasmuch as nearly all of the earliest pioneers are dead, and tomb-stones and memories dim with age are the only available sources of information, it is very diffi-

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cult to determine who was the first settler in Israel town- ship.

The earliest recorded settlement is that of Joseph Kingery, who was a native of Virginia, and in 1803 moved to Ohio, and settled in section thirty-two of Israel township. His wife, Eva Miller, was a Virginian, and died in 1842. They had six children : Elizabeth, Nancy, Sarah, Mary, Martin and Abraham.

Abraham Kingery, son of Joseph, was born in Israel township in 1807. In 1829 he married Margaret Ride- nour, who was born in 1811. Twelve children have been born to them. Mr. Kingery died in 1865. His widow still survives him and lives on the home farm.

About the time of Joseph Kingery's settlement, two brothers, Samuel and James Huston, emigrated from Virginia, and built cabins in section thirty-four, Samuel settling near where College Corner now stands, and James entering the northern half of the section. The families of both these brothers have become widely sep- arated, and definite information concerning their where- abouts could not be obtained. Samuel and James died more than fifty years ago. Together they lived, and together they died, both being buried on the same day.

Quite a number came to the township in 1805, and among the first of these was William Ramsey and family. He was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1776. When he was nine years old he emigrated with his parents to Rockbridge county, Virginia, and remained there until 1802, when his parents moved to Kentucky, and after remaining there three years, emigrated to Ohio, settling in Israel township, section twenty-three. Will- iam Ramsey married Rebecca Miller, by whom he had seven children: Elizabeth, wife of William Hays, of Mercer county, Ohio; John, living in section twenty-one, Israel township; Rebecca, wife of Robert Mitchell, both dead; Martha, wife of William Reed, of Cedarville, Greene county, Ohio; Jane, wife of William Huston, of Fayette county, Indiana; William, who died when nine years old, and Thomas L., living near Cedarville, Greene county.

John Ramsey was born in 1800, in Rockbridge county, Virginia, and afterwards lived in Kentucky, com- ing to Israel township in 1805. He was raised on the farm in section twenty-three. His father was, by trade, a mill- wright and built the McDill mill, and the one at Fair- haven. In 1829 John married Miss Mary Brown, daughter of James Brown, sr. She was born in 1802, and is the mother of six children, only two of whom are living, Mary, wife of W. A. Douglass, who lives near his father-in-law's residence, and Martha, who lives at home.

Abraham Miller emigrated from Virginia in 1805, and settled on the farm in section thirty-four, in Israel town- ship, now owned by James McDill. He brought with him a blacksmith, Adam Solladay, who built a shop on Mr. Miller's land, about thirty rods from Four Mile creek. About 1814 Robert Miller, an emigrant from South Carolina, bought the farm.

Peter Ridenour came out from Maryland in company with the Browns, Andersons, Lutzs, and others, on pack- horses, in 1800. He entered land in section thirty-three,

but, the Indians being troublesome, went to Venice, But- ler county, where he remained six years. In 1806 he built a cabin upon his land, and with his wife, Margaret, and sons, Samuel, Jonathan, and Isaac, moved in and began life in the woods. He built the first grist- and saw- mill in the township, and consequently made the first flour and sawed the first lumber. He built a distillery near the site of the mill, in 1807, and manufactured the first whiskey in the county, it is believed by many. He was born in Maryland, in 1771, and was married to Mar- garet Darcas, who was born in 1775. They were the parents of sixteen children, only six of whom are now living, viz .: Isaac and Mrs. Margaret Kingery, both of this township; Mrs. Susan Moore, in College Corner; Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, in Wayne county, Indiana; Mrs. Nancy Wilson, in Union county, Indiana; and Mrs. Jesse Doty, in Butler county, Ohio. Isaac was born in 1806, during the temporary residence of his parents in Butler county, Ohio. He married, in 1831, Margaret Doty, and has had a family of four sons and four daughters, two of the daugh- ters being deceased.

In the winter of 1805 Joseph Caldwell, an old Quaker, with his children, emigrated from North Carolina, and settled in section nine, where Fairhaven now stands. Mr. Caldwell was a widower at the time of his emigration. He was the father of six sons-Joseph, who moved to Connersville, Indiana; John, who became a Bap- tist preacher; Train, who became quite prominent in the township; Manliff; James; and Jonathan, who, in 1832, laid out the town of Fairhaven, and was the hus- band of Nancy Porter, daughter of Rev. Alexander Por- ter. Jonathan Caldwell has a son engaged in business in Cincinnati.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 54

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

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