History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 73

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

USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches > Part 73

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Pense, who was born in 1831, and who died in 1869. He had six children, four of whom survive. Mr: Charles Coppock owns a farm of one hundred and forty acres in this township.

Elias Bunger was born in Virginia in 1809, and in 1817 came to Preble county with his father. In 1830 he married Nancy Utz, who was born in Virginia in 1812. They have eleven children, all married. Mr. Bunger commenced in Preble county with a capital of fifty cents after paying the preacher for marrying him. By dint of hard labor he has accumulated two hundred acres of land, which he has given to his children.

Jonathan Shurley was born in Augusta county, Vir- ginia, in the year 1801. He came to Ohio in 1805, with his uncle, John Neff, and his mother. In 1826 he mar- ried Mary Pense, who was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1810. Eleven children were born to them. Annie, Julia, Mary, Clinton, Jane, Eliza, Harriet. Josephine and Sarah are the only ones now living. In 1815 he moved to Monroe township, and settled on section sixteen, where he lived until his death in 1879. Mr. Shurley was justice of the peace for twelve years, up to 1868, and also filled many other offices in the town- ship. He owned one hundred and seventy-one acres in Monroe township, all of which he had helped to clear. At one time he owned over nine hundred acres. Before his death he gave each of his children a start of eighty acres. Mr. Shurley was always identified with the im- provements in the township. Clinton Shurley was born in Preble county in 1836. In 1864 he married Minerva Delavan, born in 1844, in Montgomery county. They have five children, namely: Jonathan, Jerome, Julia. Minerva and Clinton. Mr. Shurley has been a justice of the peace for eleven years. In 1868 he succeeded his father, and has held the office ever since. He served in the war in the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio volun- teer infantry. He now farms forty-five acres part of the old homestead, and also lives in the old house.

Peter Pense was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1795, and in 1818 moved to Ohio, and settled on sec- tion thirteen of this township. His wife, Elizabeth Harshman, was born in Virginia, and died in Monroe township. Ten children were born to them, of whom seven survive, namely: Rosabel (Fudge), living in Mon- roe township; Barbara (Duffield) and Sarah (Stebbins) in Jefferson; Elizabeth (Cooper) in Washington; Andrew J. in Monroe township; Reuben in Illinois, and Peter M. in Monroe. Mr. Peter Pense was drafted into the War of 1812, but was not called on to serve, as his company had more than was necessary to fill out the complement.

Peter M. Pense was born in Monroe township in the year 1836. In 1858 he married Rebecca Hoover, born in Washington township in 1837. They have two chil- dren living. He has held several offices of importance in the township. His farm contains about one hundred and thirty-eight acres.

Daniel Disher was born in 1787 in Virginia, and was first married to Lydia Sheets, and after her death to Hannah Baker. By his first wife he had six children, two of whom are living. By his second wife he had nine

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children, five of whom are living. In 1844 two of his daughters were killed by lightning. He came to this county in 1819, and settled in Monroe township, section ten, where he owned one hundred and eighty-four acres of land. He was about to go into the War of 1812, when the war closed. He suffered all the hardships in- cident to pioneer life, but by hard work secured a fine farm. He died in 1864.

His son, Peter, was born in 1827 in Monroe township. In 1854 he was married to Elizabeth Jane Fudge, born in 1836 in Somers township. Five of their six children are living. Mr. Disher has been township trustee for seven or eight years, and was militia captain for three years. He owns one hundred and twenty-two acres of land, and is a leading citizen.

Evin, son of Daniel Disher, was born in Monroe town- ship in the year 1840. In 1860 he married Mary A. Creager, born in Washington township in 1841. Five children were born them, four of whom are still living. Mr. Disher was township constable in 1874. In 1877 he was elected township trustee, which office he still holds. He is also one of the school directors.

John Mills, a native of Ireland, settled in this town- ship in 1820. His son, William C. Mills, a well known resident of Jackson township, was born in Monroe in 1821; married in 1843 Miss Harriet West. He was elect- ed justice of the peace in 1861, and held the office nine years. In 1865 he was elected county commissioner, which position he held six years, when he was succeeded by Eli Conger. He is now township trustee, having officiated in that capacity for some fourteen years.

John Banfill was born in New Hampshire. He first settled in Washington township, where he died about 1839. He was drafted into the War of 1812. Nine children were born him, two only of whom survive: Asa, living in Tennessee, and Lina, widow of Enos Price, in Indiana. John Banfill, son of the above, was born in New Hampshire in 1791, and in 1812 married Hannah Price, born in Virginia in 1796. They had nine children, four of whom are still living-Rachel, John P., Elizabeth and Julia Ann. Mr. Banfill was in the War of 1812. He was township trustee for a great many years, and also a school director. He owned one hundred and sixty acres of land. He at one time ran a saw-mill in Washington township. His death occurred in 1866, four years after that of his wife. John P. Banfill, son of the above, was born in 1823. In 1855 he married Mary E. Kestler, born in 1838. He has had nine children, eight of whom survive. Mr. Banfill has been road commissioner and school director. He is at present the owner of one hundred and eight acres in Monroe township.

William Pense was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1781, and in 1825 came to Preble county and settled in Monroe township, section thirty-one. In 1800 he mar- ried Christina Seller, who was born in Virginia in 1786. He died in Monroe township in 1849, and his wife died in the same year. He served as captain in the War of 1812. For a number of years he was township trustee. He owned one hundred and twenty acres of land, which

he cleared himself. He was the father of eleven chil- dren, seven of whom are living.

Isaac Pense was born in Virginia in 1816. In 1840 he married Mary Ann Swerer, who was born in Preble county in 1819. They have had six children, five of whom survive. He owns two hundred and sixty acres of land.

The first man to build in Eldorado was Leroy Mc- Whinney, who built a dwelling house, store, mill, depot and grain warehouse in 1852. He owned the land on which the town is built, and also platted and named the town. He carried on the business for six years, and then sold out to his brother Frank, who in turn sold to Henry Lawrence in 1865. In 1870 it was bought by M. T. McWhinney, the present owner. Mr. L. McWhinney moved to Dayton in 1858, and afterwards to Crestin township, where he now resides. His first wife was Mary Clevinger, born in Wayne county, Indiana. She died of cholera in Jackson township in 1849. They had four children, three of whom are now living. In 1851 he married Amy Shaffer, and has one child, Mary.

Matthew T. McWhinney was born in Jackson town- ship in 1842, and married in 1860. His wife, Mary A. Wilder, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1842. They have two children-Frank and Bertha. Mr. Mc- Whinney was the first mayor of Eldorado, being elected in 1876 and serving until 1878. He was also a member of the school board. He commenced his present busi- ness in Eldorado in 1870, under the firm name of M. T. McWhinney, general merchandizing and dry goods, also purchaser of grain and wool. He does a business of twelve thousand dollars a year. He has been agent for the Pittsburgh, St. Louis & Cincinnati railroad at Eldorado since 1870, and is also express agent for the American Express company.

Adam House was born in Virginia in 1805 and died in Monroe township in the year 1871. His wife, Sarah (Locke), who was born in Maryland in 1809, is still living in Monroe township. Twelve children were born to them, eleven of whom are still living, namely: John, liv- ing in Washington township; George, in Darke county; Levi, in Harrison township; Phillip, in Monroe township; Catharine, in Harrison township; William, in Knox county, Missouri; Andrew, in Lewisburgh, Adam, in Mon- ree township; Sarah, in Illinois; Sophia, in Lewisburgh; and Simeon, in Harrison township.

Phillip House was born in Monroe township in the ycar 1834. He was married first in 1860, to Mary Kirk- off, who died in 1869. Two children were born to him by this marriage, only one of whom, Mary Ellen, is now living. He was married again in 1870 to Lydia M. Ba- ker, who was born in Washington township in the year 1836. Three children were born them-Elsie F., Ezra C. and Charles L. John House was born in Monroe township in 1829. In 1852 he married Elizabeth Hoer- ner, who died in 1864, leaving three children, viz .: Adam, married and living in Monroe township; Amanda C. and Mary E. His first wife dying, John House married Eliza J. Bickel in 1866. She was born in Monroe township in 1830. Three children were born to them, two of

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whom, Dora B. and Sylvia E. J. are still living. Mr. House was in the war of the Rebellion during the hun- dred days' service. He is the owner of eighty acres of land in Washington township, sixty-four acres in Harrison, and one hundred and eighty acres in Monroe township. The latter is held in the name of Eliza House.

William M. Fowble was born in Maryland in the year 1825. In the same year he came to Ohio with his father, George Fowble. In 1854 he married Catharine Byers, who was born in 1835. They have three children-Su- sannah, Cosiah C. and Mary S. Mr. Fowble was called out in the hundred days' service, but sent a substitute. He is farming at present. His farm contains one hun- dred and forty acres. For ten years he was in the dry goods business in Eldorado, and also ran a steam saw- mill. He afterwards sold out to R. J. Robinson and re- turned to his farm.

F. K. Smith was born in Germany in 1798, and when a child was brought over to this country. The first place where they settled in Ohio was in Butler county. In the year 1828 they settled in Jefferson township, Preble county. F. K. Smith married Sarah Reed, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1800. Twelve children were born to them, nine of whom survive, namely: Daniel, W. G., Elias P., Silas A., Mary, Eliza, Nancy, Sarah and Eliza- beth. William G. Smith was born in Butler county in 1824. When four years of age he came with his father to Preble county. In 1848 he married Katharine Stake- bake, who was born in Preble county in 1830. They have four children-Matilda Ann, Sarah E., Theodore S. and Sadie. Mr. Smith has kept a hotel at Eldorado for seventeen years. He also owns a farm in Jefferson town- ship.

. John H. Ford was born in Rockbridge county, Vir- ginia, in the year 1808. From that State he moved to Ohio, and in 1830 settled in section nine of Monroe township. He bought eighty acres of land and imme- diately built a log cabin. The first winter after his arrival was so severe that he was compelled to fell beech trees on which his cattle could brouse. His death, which oc- curred in 1840, in this township, was occasioned by in- juries received from a falling tree. His wife, Rebecca Cooper, was born in Virginia in 1814, and is still living. Four children were born to them, only one of whom is living.

Alexander C. Ford, the eldest son of the above, was born in the year 1837, and in 1863 married Margaret F. Juday, born in 1843 in Monroe township. Seven children were born them, four of whom are still living. His farm con- tains seventy acres-a part of the old homestead. Dur- ing the war of the Rebellion Mr. Ford saw some hard service. He enlisted in 1861 in company E, Fifth Ohio volunteer cavalry. He was third sergeant of his com- pany. In 1863 he was discharged on account of disa- bility resulting from a gunshot wound in his right arm and breast, received at Corinth, Mississippi.

Jonathan Wearley was born in Virginia in 1806. About 1832 he moved to Ohio and settled in Preble county. He died in 1879 in Eldorado. His wife, Elizabeth Petry, was born in Pennsylvania in 1813. Four children

were born them, two of whom are now living, viz .: Mag- daline, wife of James T. Murphy, and Levi. Mr. Wear- ley settled in section eighteen in Monroe township. He had no capital when he commenced, but accumulated a property of about eighty acres.

Levi Wearley was born in 1835 in Monroe township. He has been township supervisor. His business is that of a butcher, which trade he has followed for several years. Besides a lot in Eldorado, he is the owner of a farm of eighty-seven acres.

Joseph Lee was born in the year 1829. In 1832 he came to Ohio with his mother, the widow of Abraham Lee. They settled in section twenty-two of Gratis town- ship. In 1849 he married Elizabeth Shewman, of Gratis township. Three children were born to them, two of whom are still living. Mr. Lee was township trustee for one term. He has also held the office of township super- visor and school director. During the war of the Re- bellion he served as corporal of company B, of the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio national guard. He en- listed in May, 1864, and was mustered out in September of the same year.

William Brown was born in Monroe township in 1835. In 1856 he married Sarah Kyle, who was born in this township in 1838. They had eleven children, nine of whom are now living. Mr. Brown was a justice of the peace for fifteen years; he has also been trustee, clerk and assessor for the township. His farm is situated on section twelve of this township and contains one hundred and two acres.

Jeremiah Blackford came to Preble county in 1835. He was born about the year 1814. His first wife was Sarah Kennedy, who died in 1854. He had seven chil- dren by his first wife, three of whom survive: Abigail, John H., and Rev. L. P., of Connecticut. In 1858 he married Maria Long, of Cincinnati, born about 1830, by whom he has had three children: Alfred, Charles and Mary.

John H. Blackford was born in Preble county in 1843. He married Julia A. Kessler in 1865. Five children have been born to them, four of whom are now living: Harry, Lenore, Frank and Grace. Mr. Blackford is a minister in the Universalist church. Was pastor of church in Eldorado until 1879. He now officiates in Connover, Miami county.

Martin V., son of William C. Randall, was born in Jefferson township in 1839. He married Zerilda Adams in 1861, who was born in Monroe township in 1839. They have had two children, only one of whom now sur- vives. Mr. Randall has been township assessor eight times. During the late war he was first lieutenant of company B, of the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio national guard. He was out in the one hundred days' service, and was present at the engagement of Faulk's Mills, Maryland. He went out in 1864, and was mustered out in 1865. Mr. Randall is engaged in business with J. M. McWhinney. He was elected mayor of Eldorado in 1879, and is the second to hold that office since the in- corporation of the town.

James W. Richards was born in 1842, in Monroe town-

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ship. His first wife, Louiza Fry, whom he married in 1865, was born in 1848. After her death, which oc- curred in 1868, leaving one child, he married Nancy Huffman, born in Gasper township, in 1841. They have one child. Mr. Richards has been township super- visor and school director.

Leander R. Brasier was born in 1842 in Preble county. In 1865 he married Margaret Harris, who was born in 1844, and who died in 1867, leaving one child. In 1869 he married Rebecca Lawrence, who was born in Darke county in 1849. They have had five children born them: Cora, Jennie, Addie, Bessie, and Stella. Mr. Brasier was elected township trustee in 1874, and again in 1880. He served for three years in the war of the Rebellion. He enlisted in company C, of the Seventy- fifth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served under Pope and Siegel, in Virginia. He served most of the time in the Shenandoah valley, and also during the last part of the war in Charleston and Georgia. He was at Hawley's Island at the fall of Fort Sumter. He was taken prisoner in Virginia, and confined in Belle Island, Ander- sonville, and Savannah. He was taken prisoner again in 1864 but was released at the end of the war. He was wounded in the side at the second battle of Manassas, and was engaged in the battles of Chancellorsville, Cedar Mountain, Gettysburgh, Siege of Charleston, and several minor engagements. He commenced business in Eldorado, in 1865, in a saw mill. In 1875 he was burned out. He then moved to Indianapolis, but re -. turned after a year's absence, and started in business. He keeps a livery stable, grocery and restaurant. Mr. Brasier is fitting up his building for a hotel. He does a business of eight or ten thousand dollars a year.

Charles Schreel was born in Pyrmont, Montgomery county. in 1842. He came to Preble county in 1854 In 1869 he married Mary Oswalt, who was born in Darke county in 1849. They have had three children, two only of whom survive, viz: Jennie and Franklin. Mr. Schreel commenced business in Eldorado in 1870; his business was dry goods, groceries, and general merch- andise, and purchaser of wool. He has carried on the business ever since. In 1878 he was elected town coun- cilman. He was in the war of the Rebellion for over three years. He served in the Seventy-first veteran Ohio volunteer infantry. He was with Sherman till they left Atlanta and then with Thomas. He was engaged in the battles of Shiloh, Resaca, Atlanta, and many others.

Jacob Beard was born in Washington county, Mary- land, in 1820. In the year 1855 he moved to Ohio and settled in section four of Monroe township. In 1845 he married Mary E. Byers, born in Maryland in 1825. They have had twelve children, eleven of whom are liv- ing. For six years Mr. Beard was a constable of the township, i. e. from 1866 to 1872. He was also for nine years one of the board of directors of the schools, and has held the office of township supervisor. He owns and farms eighty acres of land in Monroe township. Two of his sons are school teachers.

Isaac N. Henderson was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, in 1831 .. In 1858 he came to Monroe township

and settled in Eldorado. In 1850 he married Sarah Hamilton, born in 1834. She died in 1861, and in 1868 he married Katharine C. McCabe, born in 1842. He had two children by his first wife and two by his second, all of whom are living. Mr. Henderson has a farm of eighty acres. He has been township treasurer for five years, and was twice elected township assessor. During the war of the Rebellion he served as captain of company B, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio national guard.

William H. Stokely was born in Darke county in 1833. In 1869 he married Emma B. Allen, who was born in the year 1854. Two children were born to them-Al- bert Ellsworth and Forest Verner. In 1877 Mr. Stokely was elected township clerk and has served four terms. He came to Preble county in 1870, and settled in Eldo- rado, where he has practiced his trade as tinner ever since. He was in the late war for over four years, en- listing in 1861, and mustering out in 1864. He served in the First Ohio zouaves, in the Thirty-fourth Ohio vol- unteer infantry. He served most of the time under Sher- idan, in Virginia, but was afterwards with Hancock in Washington and Baltimore. He was engaged in the battle of Charleston, and in some thirty-eight smaller en- gagements. Mr. Stokely's father, Thomas Stokely, sr., settled in Lexington, Preble county, in 1815. He came from Pennsylvania to Preble. From there he moved to Greenville, Darke county, where he died in 1855.

H. J. Lefevre was born in Warren county in 1834. In 1856 he married Eliza J. Stewart, who was born in Penn- sylvania in 1835. They have had one child (now de- ceased). Mr. Lefevre came to Preble county and settled in Eldorado in 1873. He commenced in the drug busi- ness, which he has followed ever since. Since 1874 he has been postmaster. He studied the drug business under his brother, Dr. N. D. Lefevre, of Anna's station, Shelby county.

John Vance was born in Montgomery county in 1824. He moved to Preble county in 1875, and started in busi- ness with George Shreal, in Eldorado, under the firm name of Shreal & Vance. Their business is general dry goods and groceries, also purchasing grain and wool. They do a business of from sixteen thousand to twenty thousand dollars a year in Eldorado. In 1847 Mr. Vance married Emeline Davis, of Montgomery county. They have had five children born to them, three of whom sur- vive-Rebecca Jane, Sarah, Emeline and Violetta Laura Belle.

Albert W. S. Lock was born in Fredericksburgh, Maryland, in 1851. In 1877 he married Keziah Fowble, who was born in 1857. Mr. Lock is a great-grandson of Captain John Lock. In 1872 he came to Preble county and worked in the grist-mill of Mr. Fowble. In 1878 he bought Mr. Fowble's saw-mill, and has since that time run it himself. The mill has a capacity of about eight thousand feet a day.

William Shewman was born in Gasper township in 1838. In 1866 he married Olivia Eidson, born in 1845, in Montgomery county. They have one child, Daisy L. Mr. Shewman is a carpenter by trade, and has worked in Eldorado for twelve years. He was in the war of the

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Rebellion, first as corporal in company D, of the Twen- tieth Ohio volunteer infantry, and afterwards in the Fifth Ohio volunteer cavalry. He was discharged in 1862 for inability. In 1864 he re-enlisted in the Fifty-fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served until he was mustered out in August, 1865. He was with Sherman during his cam- paign against Johnston, and was at Greensborough at the time of Johnston's surrender.

Charles S. McCoy was born in Maine in 1812. In 1826, at the age of fourteen, he was brought to this coun- try by Leander Roberts. In the year 1842 he married Maria Lugar, born in Virginia in 1822. Twelve children have been born to them, eight of whom survive; Eliza- beth Caroline, Samuel I .. , George W., Lavina, William F., Huldah Jane, Mary Ellen, and Clara B. Samuel L. was born in Monroe township in the year 1844. In 1874 he married Martha A. Pense, who was born in Preble county in 1850. They have one child, LeRoy A. Samuel L. McCoy was in the late war in the One hundred and Fifty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, and also in the One Hundred and Eighty-seventh Ohio volunteer infantry. He was engaged at Fox's Mills. After the war he was agent for the Indianapolis Wagon Works, and sold the first wagons ever sold in Preble county. In 1874 he started in business for himself, as harness maker, with two hundred dollars. He now has an extensive business in agricultural implements, buggies, wagons, harness, etc. He is agent for the Singer Sewing Machine company. In 1879 he did a business of twenty thousand dollars, and in 1880, of thirty thousand dollars.

Jacob Bickle came to Preble county from Augusta county, Virginia, in 1814. He was the first of the fami- ly who came to Ohio. His son, William C., is now liv- ing in Monroe township.

James Fudge was born in Washington county in the year 1812, and died in this township in 1865. His wife was Rosabel Pense, born in Rockingham county, Virgin- ia, in the year 1818. He had seven children born to him, three of whom are living, viz: Mary E. (Richards) and David L., in this township, and Peter M., in Indiana. David L. Fudge was born in 1853, and in 1874 married Sarah Young, who was born in Preble county in 1854. Four children have been born to them. His farm, which is situated in this township, contains sixty-seven acres.

ELDORADO.

This is the only regularly incorporated town in Mon- roe township. It was incorporated May 13, 1872, al_ though the plat was recorded by I .. R. McWhinny De. cember 31, 1852. At the time of the recording of the first plat there were only eighteen lots laid off. Addi- tions, since that time, have been made by A. C. Ford, Henry Lawrence, and Samuel Banfill. The first officers were elected in the year 1876 as follows : M. T. McWhin- ney, mayor; J. M. Campbell, corporation clerk ; M. L. McWhinney, treasurer; J. H. Shoemaker, marshal; M. V. Randall, W. H. Stokely, W. G. Smith, J. W. Juday, John Disher and John Eddins, councilmen. The board of education was composed as follows: M. V. Randall, president ; J. M. Campbell, clerk; M. T. Mc Whinney,

treasurer; John Disher, W. G. Smith, and J. F. Irvin. The present officers are: M. V. Randall, mayor; J. M. Campbell, clerk ; George Schreel, treasurer; J. W. Clay- ton, marshal; J. F. Irvin, J. H. Shoemaker, J. W. Caw- ley, Charles Schreel, C. G. Mastin, and Benjamin Fouts, councilmen.

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 73

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

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