History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 68

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

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

tobacco largely engages the attention of the farmers on these bottoms, the soil being peculiarly adapted to its successful cultivation. The principal variety of native timber east of the creek was oak, while west of it the soil being of a more clayey nature, beech was chiefly found, though cherry, walnut, sugar, maple, lynn, poplar, etc., grew in considerable abundance.

ANCIENT WORK.

In this township is located the most interesting work cf antiquity to be found within the bounds of Preble county. On the high point of land at the confluence of Twin creek and Banta's fork are the remains of an earth- work of the defensive order, which consisted of a semi- circular ditch and stone wall, built of boulders, extending from one creek to the other. There was a gateway to the north, and to the southeast what seemed to be a sub- terranean passage to the creek. Within the enclosure was a mound, which, in 1847, was excavated and ex- plored by Judge Haines and others of Eaton. Human bones, charcoal, and many boulders were found. A de- pression in the earth, still quite plainly marks the line of the work, but hardly any other feature can now be dis- tinguished, and in a few years from the tilling of the ground this evidence of the existence of such a work will be lost. The natural position for a defensive work is an exceptionally strong one, the banks of both streams at this point being high and precipitous, and making access difficult from any direction except from the north.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first pioneers who penetrated the wilds of Lanier three quarters of a century ago found an interminable forest and dense undergrowth, the home of the Indian and wild beasts. With their axes and guns, and with sturdy arms and will they began the work of carving out the grand civilization which their descendants behold to- day. We of the present day who have witnessed the rapid settlement of the west can form but a faint idea of the slow and tedious process of settlement in the begin- ning of the present century, nor appreciate the difficul- ties by which it was attended. Our western States have been opened by railroads and water communication before the emigrant has been invited thither to take possession of the open prairie lands which are ready for the plow and the reaper, and which, to a great extent, are offered gratuitously to all who should desire to possess them. There were but few wagon roads, even, open to the emigrant when Preble county was first settled. In fact, it was a common experience for the travellers to cut their road as they journeyed. Those who came with families had a lumber wagon with a large box, over which was a covering of canvas or cotton cloth spread over hoops, into which were packed all the household goods, beds, clothing, provisious for the journey, wife, children, and other necessaries for furnishing the log cabin the settler had in prospect of erection in the woods. Many also who came without families made the journey on foot, carrying all the possessions they had on their back. The early settlers were generally poor and but little capital was brought into the new country ; but they.possessed what

was more necessary, brave hearts and strong hands, and the wealth of to-day has been drawn from a productive soil through the industry and energy of the people.

The first permanent settler in what is now Lanier township was, without doubt, Jacob Parker. There is much that was romantic in the early life of this pioneer which we can only briefly touch upon here. He was born October 10, 1777, in Morristown, New Jersey. At thirteen years of age he was left an orphan, without a home or means of support. When about fifteen he fled to the far west to escape from a hard and cruel master to whom he had been bound out to learn a trade. He found his way to Fort Washington, Ohio, where he en- listed as a soldier, and subsequently served under General Wayne in the campaign which followed against the In- dians. During the march to Fort Greenville he was one of a squad of men detailed by Ceneral Wayne to capture a deserter from the ranks. They started in pursuit, and the first night camped on the west side of Twin creek, southeast of where West Alexandria now stands. It was this circumstance that determined his future set- tlement. Struck with the beauties of the Twin creek bottoms in their native state, young Parker resolved that he would make at some future day this rich valley his home. After his discharge from the army, and before the lands came into market he visited Twin creek, and as early as 1798 built him a cabin on the spot where he had camped a few years before. When the lands were offered for sale he entered together with Martin Ruple the east half of section three, Parker taking the north quarter on which his cabin stood. This is now the Motter farm. Parker first settled near Middletown (now Butler county), Ohio. His first wife died there, and in 1803, he married Miss Mary Loy, and the same year moved into his cabin on Twin creek, where he spent the remainder of his life He died February, 1848, and was buried in the cemetery in West Alexandria, a part of the ground for which he donated. His children by his second marriage, most of whom grew up in this community, were: Peter, Christian, Isaac, Moses, George, Barbara, Jacob, Nancy, and Joshua; Four of them are living, namely: Christian, near Fort Wayne, Indiana; George, in Missouri; Barbara (Brower), in Humboldt, Nebraska; and Nancy, in Fort Wayne. .

John Aukerman settled on the creek which has since borne his name, on what is now the Focht place, in the fall of 1804. He remained here only a couple of years, and in 1806 sold out to Samuel Teal, and moved to Washington township, locating on the farm near Eaton, a portion of which is now occupied by his son, John. He lived there for more than sixty years, dying in 1867.

Jacob Loy, sr., was born in Maryland in 1776, and in 1801 moved to Ohio and settled in Warren county. In 1805 he came to Lanier and settled on the hill across the creek from Jacob Parker's. He lived there until his death, which occurred in 1853, in his eighty-seventh year. Of his nine children only two are now known to be living. Jacob, who lives in Pyrmont, Montgomery county, was born in September, 1794, in Washington county, Maryland. He married in 1816, in Butler county, Ohio, Susannah Tem-

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ple, who died in 1855. In 1870 he married the widow of William King, of Montgomery county. Conrad Loy, son of Jacob, was born in 1815, and came into Preble county when only six years of age. He has been twice married.

Martin Ruple, as previously mentioned, entered with Jacob Parker the half of section number three, and was one of the first pioneers of Lanier. The farm on which he settled is now owned by John Glander. Mr. Ruple afterward moved to Darke county.

Christian Price was the original owner of the land where Mrs. Abraham Black now lives. Mr. Price sold the land to John Black, sr., about the year 1812.

Moses Hatfield was the first settler where the Bowers mill now is. He lived there a few years, only when he moved out of the township.

Peter Van Ausdal was one of the earliest pioneers of this part of Preble county. He came out from Virginia in 1805, being then unmarried. He commenced clear- ing up a farm in section ten-the farm now owned by his son, James M. His father, John Van Ausdal, moved out a short time after, and settled upon this farm, Peter then entering land in section seventeen. He was born in 1777, was married to Rachel Banta, and died February 11, 1857. His wife, Rachel, died in 1843, and he was, sub- sequently, again married. Of his five surviving children three are living in the west and two-James M. and Cor- nelius-in this county. James M., who lives in West Al- exandria, was born in January, 1813. His wife was, before marriage, Martha Kitson.

John Van Ausdal, father of Peter, died February 21, 1826, in the seventy-fourth year of his age. The Van Ausdals, with Peter and Isaac Banta, and a few others, are buried in the family burying-ground on the old home- . stead.

Christian Van Doren, a native of New Jersey, was the first of that name who settled in Preble county. When a young man he moved to Virginia, and there married Phebe -Van Ausdal. He resided in that State several years, during which time three children were born to him. In 1805 or 1806 he moved to Ohio with his father-in- law, John Van Ausdal, and settled in Lanier township, Preble county, where he lived the rest of his life. Soon after his death the land passed out of the possession of his family. He was one of the founders of the Presby- terian church in Eaton. His wife survived him several years, and died at the residence of her daughters, in In- diana. But three of his children are now living-two in Minnesota, and one in Dakotah territory. His descend- ants in this county now number thirteen, all of whom are the children or grandchildren of his eldest son, John, who was the only one of Christian Van Doren's children who passed his entire life in Preble county. John Van Doren was born in 1806, and was one of the first white children born in the county. In 1834 he married Fran- ces Spacht, a daughter of Jacob Spacht, one of the first settlers in this county. Jacob Spacht entered a quarter section of land adjoining Eaton on the west. His first wife was a daughter of William Bruce, and his second a daughter of Christian Van Doren. He was a merchant

in Eaton during part of the time that he was a resident of this county. In 1837 he sold his land to his son-in- law, John Van Doren, and moved to Indiana, where he died in 1864. The land he entered still belongs to his descendants, having been in their possession seventy years. John Van Doren's five children still survive him. Abram, the eldest, was the first grandchild of William Bruce, the proprietor of Eaton.

Jacob Fudge, sr., was one of the earliest pioneers of Preble county. He was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1779. His father died when he was quite young, and when about sixteen, he emigrated with his mother and stepfather from Kentucky to Warren connty, Ohio. Soon after he became of age, he and his brother, David, came to this township, and together purchased five hundred acres of land in section thirty-four, where Jacob, his youngest son, now lives. Here he resided until his death in 1861. He was married in 1810, to Elizabeth, daughter of the pioneer, Gasper Potterf. Mrs. Fudge survived her husband several years, and died in 1869, aged seventy-nine. Upon the organization of the county in 1808, Jacob Fudge was elected its first sheriff, which position he occupied for several years. He was the father of thirteen children, ten daughters and three sons, as follows: Malinda Pence (deceased); Susan, widow of Silas Gregg, living in this township; Nancy Pence (deceased); Lucinda (deceased); Sarah Kesling (deceased); Eliza Ann, wife of Daniel Christman, of Washington township; David, who died in California in 1849; Minerva Harlan, living in Dayton, Ohio ; Mar- garet Wieland (deceased); Franklin N., who married Susannah Markey, and resides in Lanier township in sec- tion thirty-five; Seraphina, wife of John T. Shaw, also in this township; Ermina Gifford in Harrison township, and Jacob, who married Barthena Kincaid, and occupies the old homestead.

In 1805 Benedick Stoner, who was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1767, moved into this township, and settled on Twin creek, near where the bridge now crosses it east of West Alexandria. He took up fifty acres of land in Lanier, on which he built his cabin, and one hundred and sixty acres across the line in Twin township. During the War of 1812 he, with Judge Nesbit, built a distillery just east of the creek, near where he lived. The property was, a few years after, destroyed by fire, and was rebuilt by Stoner who carried on the busi- ness alone until his death, which took place June 20, 1822. His wife, Keziah (Morris), died July 2, 1850, at the age of seventy years. They had a family of nine children: John, Lewis and Elizabeth are deceased; Mrs. Michael Loy lives in Jay county, Indiana; Mrs. Nancy Black, widow of Abraham Black, just south of West Alexandria; Henry and Frederick in Indiana ; Mrs. Frank Ramsey on Dayton pike, west of West Alexandria, and Barbara, widow of John Oswalt, in West Alexandria. Mrs. Black was born in 1807, within about half a mile of where she now lives, and she possesses an excellent recollection of early events in this vicinity. She is now almost entirely blind.

Christian Halderman, his son Abraham, and son-in-

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laws, Jacob Shewman and John Kaylor, and their families came out from Botetourt county, Virginia, in 1805. There were about two or three families within the limits of Lanier township at that time, one of which was that of Jacob Parker on Twin creek. Halderman entered section thirty-two, and settled on the southeast quarter, his sons and son-in-law, Shewman, taking the other three quarters.

John Halderman, his son, came out with his family the next year, accompanied by Samuel Teal and family, who located on Aukerman creek. Abraham Halderman was unmarried at the time of his settlement here, but he afterwards married Sally Neff. He died about the year 1811, and his death was one of the earliest in his neigh- borhood. He was buried on his farm. The family seem to have been rather a remarkable one for longevity. Christian Halderman died at the age of about ninety, and John Halderman at about the age of eighty-seven, December 28, 1858. His wife was Mary Kinsey, by whom he had nine children. There are six, at present, living, viz: Abraham, John, Cornelius, Mrs. Elizabeth Stiles, Allen and Mrs. Chloe Andrews. Abraham who resides in this township, and is one of its oldest inhabit- ants, was born in Botetourt county, Virginia, September 9, 1797. His father, John Halderman, was one of the first surveyors of Preble county, and Abraham has fol- lowed surveying more or less regularly ever since he was seventeen. In 1825 he was married to Elizabeth, daugh- ter of John Fisher, sr., and has had six children, three of whom are living, viz: Catharine, widow of John H. Gale, in West Alexandria ; Eli in Lanier, south of West Alex- andria, and Allen at New Paris.

John Kaylor settled in section thirty-four. He died there many years ago, and the property fell to his child- ren, but has since been sold.

Samuel Teal, a native of Maryland, and afterward a resident of Virginia, came to Ohio in the fall of 1806, with John Halderman and family. He settled at the mouth of Aukerman creek, buying out John Aukerman. He was one of the first Dunkards in the county. He died on the place where he settled in 1819, about fifty- seven years of age. There are only two children now living of Samuel Teal: the aged widow or Christian Sayler, in Gasper township, and Joseph N., in Noble county, Indiana.

John Clawson, familiarly known as "the great Indian fighter," was one of Lanier's earliest pioneers, having settled on Banta's fork as early as 1805. He was a na- tive of Virginia, born about the year 1765. Reared in the midst of the Indian depredations upon the white set- tlers in his native State, he formed, early in life, an intense autipathy to the race, which clung to him through life. About the year 1788, he came down the Ohio and set- tled at the mouth of the Little Miami, where he lived until his removal to this township. While residing there he became a great hunter, and was somewhat celebrated as an Indian spy. He would often lease the small settle- ment on the rivers, and go off into the wilderness with his rifle and remain for weeks at a time. He would shoot an Indian at sight. He had frequent encounters with

them, and had many narrow escapes, but always came out victorious. He seemed bent upon the extermina- tion of the race, and believed in inflicting the same cruelties practiced by the savages, and always scalped his victims. He was a man of great personal courage and great physical strength. He resided in this township a few years, and then moved down on Four Mile creek, in Dixon township. In 1818 he removed to the State of Indiana where he died three years afterward. .

David Osborn was one of the early settlers. He located on the little stream named for him-Osborn's branch-an eastern tributary of Twin.

John Price came at an early day and settled on the farm, just west of where Alexandria now stands, which was afterwards owned by Jacob Hell, and later by Michael Klinger.

David Fouts emigrated to Preble county from North Carolina, in 1806, and settled on Banta's fork in Lanier township, in section five. He resided there until his death, in 1848, at the age of eighty-eight. .

Frederick Fouts, the father of David, emigrated from Germany. He was a coppersmith, and his great-grand- son, Harvey Waymire, of West Alexandria, has a piece of his handiwork, consisting of a spoon molds, which are supposed to be one hundred and fifty years old.

David Fouts was the father of seven children, as fol- lows: Michael, John, Catharine, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jonas and David. All are now dead but David, who lives in Wayne county, Indiana. Catharine was the wife of George Miller, Elizabeth married George Whitesell, and Sarah was the wife of Andrew Waymire. Andrew Way- mire and wife lived and died in Lanier township, on a part of the old Fouts homestead. Of their seven chil- dren five are residents of this county, namely: Mrs. Ro- sanna Siler, on the pike near Eaton; Mrs. Huldah Sherkey, in Twin township; Mrs. Catharine Quinn, in Washington township; Mrs. Elizabeth Lesh, on a part of the old Fouts place; and Harvey, in West Alexandria. John lives in Indiana, and Mrs. Sarah Kinser, in Mont- gomery county.

The Wolf family were among the earliest pioneers of the township. Michael Wolf, born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1771, was married to Christine Whe- land, and with four children they removed to Ohio in 1805, and to Preble county in 1806. They settled on Ban- ta's fork in this township, entering a quarter section of land. Michael Wolf died there in 1856, surviving his wife some eight years. As early as 1820 he bullt a saw mill on Ban- ta's fork, which he carried on for twenty-five or thirty years. Of a family of ten children all are now dead but Samuel, who lives in Twin township. The other chil- dren who grew up were: David, Jonas, Mrs. Susannah Guntle, Mrs. Sarah Sallee, Mrs. Catharine Wolf, Mrs. Sam- uel Widner. The widow of David Wolf, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Shaffer, is still living with her son, William, in this township.

Abraham and Albert Banta came from Virginia in 1806. They were the first settlers on Banta's fork, which circumstance gave the name to the stream. Abra- ham settled in this township on the Erhart farm, and Al-

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Mrs. Susan Gregg

The subject of this brief sketch is the second child of Jacob and Elizabeth Fudge, a sketch of whom will be found in another part of this work. Her parents emigrated from Virginia at an early day and settled in Lanier township, where their daughter Susan was born November 9, 1812. She received the best education which that early community afforded, in a little log school-house of the true pioneer type. Though her father and mother had a family of thirteen children, ten of them were girls, and not until the seventh child was born was there a boy in the family. On this account much of the heavier work fell to the lot of the girls. Mrs. Gregg has vivid remembrance of assisting her father in the work of clearing away brush, going to mill and the like. Nor was she idle in the domestic circle. The spindle and shuttle were her companions in the manufacture of linen, flannel and cloth for home use. She was also accustomed to braid her own straw hats and bonnets.

Thus she continued busily employed until January 27, 1833, when she was married to Silas Gregg, who was born in Georgia, January 4, 1801, and when but four years of age came to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Gratis township about one mile and a half south of Winchester, residing there until their death. Mr. Gregg's father, Silas Gregg, was born April 29, 1759, and his mother, Rhoda, was born March 6, 1764. They had eight children, three girls and five boys, of whom Jacob Gregg is the only survivor. The old people were of English descent. They both died about the year 1850. Silas and Susan Gregg went to housekeeping upon the old home farm, where they lived five years. In 1838, they removed to the present farm of one hundred and sixty-three acres, in section twenty-seven of Lanier township. At the time of their removal to this place about seventy acres were cleared, and since then the area of plowed landh as become over one hundred acres. The residence into which they moved con- sisted of what is now known as the old brick part, which was erected in 1830, by Jacob Brown, the building assuming its present dimensions in 1852, when Mr. Gregg built the frame addition. The barn, which is seen in the view of Mr. Gregg's residence, was erected in 1840, and received an addition ter years ago. February 27, 1856, Mr. Gregg was called away by death, and his widow has occupied the place ever since. Mr. Gregg left a family of seven children, four boys and three girls, one of

whom is deceased. The eldest, Nancy, was born May 25, 1834, and married Washington Ozias; she died in 1861, leaving two children, Eliza A., born January 6, 1836, married Noah Coler, and resides in Montgomery county. They have five children. William, who was born April 17, 1837, married Lavina Smith, and after her death, married Catharine Smith. He has one child by his first wife. Mary A., born January 21, 1841, and resides with her husband, Robert H. White, just west of Mrs. Gregg's ; John, who was born March 13, 1843, married Sarah A. Young, by whom he has two children. He resides on the home place with his mother, having the care of the farm ; Elijah, born January 5, 1847, married Eliza Morningstar by whom he has had one child. They reside in this county.

Mr. Gregg at his death left his family in comfortable circumstances. He was a faithful member of the Christian church at New Lexington, to which church Mrs. Gregg still belongs. Mr. Gregg, by an upright course through life, marked by many kind deeds, established for him- self an unsullied reputation and won the esteem and honor of his fel- low citizens. His widow, finding herself in charge of the large farm, did not flinch from the responsibilities which were suddenly thrown upon her, and it is greatly to her credit that, instead of allowing the property to decrease, as is so often the case under similar circumstan- ces, she has largely added to its value. She purchased, subsequent to her husband's death, eighty acres across the pike, just west of the home place, which is now occupied by her son-in-law, Mr. White, and one hundred and sixty acres of land in Wabash county, Indiana. She has bought, also, with her son John, the old Dennison mill, on Twin creek. Mrs. Gregg, in the management of the property, has had the cordial assistance of her children, whom she raised to habits of industry and economy. Her son John has the management of the home farm, which consists of rich bottom land and productive upland. Consider- able corn and tobacco are raised. Being bordered on the east by Twin creek, the low lands are well watered. Stock raising, though not made a specialty, is an important industry on the Gregg farm. Looking at the surrounding country from the point from which the view is taken. the scenery is beautiful and the farm is one which any one might well be proud to own.

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bert in Twin township, on the Lexington and Eaton road.

Peter Banta came subsequently, and settled on the farm north of Abraham Halderman. He was a preach- er of the Christian denomination, and one of the earliest of the neighborhood. He died in 1836, in his sixty-sixth year, and is buried on the Van Ausdal farm.

John Neff settled in this township in 1806, coming from Virginia. He settled on the farm where widow Eikenberry now lives. He died in Randolph county, Indiana. The only member of the family now living in Preble county is Mrs. Isaac Eikenberry.

James Dennison, sr., and family came from Pennsyl- vania about the year 1807 or 1808, and settled where the Gregg mill now is, which mill his son, James, erected. The father died in the early settlement of the township, and his widow became the wife of William Swisher, one of the early settlers, who afterwards moved on to "Four Mile creek" in Dixon township. Thomas Dennison now living in Niles, Indiana, is the only survivor of nine chil- dren. James resided at the mill, which he erected, until a few years before his death, when he removed to Eaton. He died in February, 1863, aged about sixty-two or sixty- three years. His wife was a daughter of William Eidson.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 68

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

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