History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 114

Author: R. Sutton & Co.
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 427

USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 114

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ANDREW JACKSON, his eldest son, was born in Preble County in 1825. He remained at home with his parents on the farm until seventeen years of age, at which time he went to learn the trade of stone-cutting. He worked as an apprentice about two years. In 1844 he, with a partner, went to Hamilton, Ohio, and built a mill on the Hydraulic, for the pur- pose of sawing stone for monumental and building purposes. They ran the mill about two years, when a freshet destroyed the Hydraulic, and left him without power to work. This was in 1846, the time of the war with Mexico. In May, 1846, he enlisted in the 4th O. V. I. under Charles Brough. They left Cincinnati the last of June, and went down the Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans; from there to the mouth of the Rio Grande and up that river to Matamoras; from there to Vera Cruz; from there they marched to Pueblo, where they remained until the close of the war, when they returned to Cincinnati and were mustered out of the service. After his return from Mexico Mr. Robertson remained at home until 1851, when he came to Sidney and entered into partnership with Patrick Fehan in the marble busi- ness. This partnership continued about three years, when they dis- solved, and Mr. R. went into the business for himself, which he has carried on until the present time. In 1860 he married Miss Mary E., a daughter of George D. Leckey, of Sidney. By this union there were six children born, viz., Lulu G., Clement W., Lillie S., George S., Mary I., and Nellie. Mrs. Robertson died May, 1874. She was an estimable lady, beloved by all who knew her for her amiable and self-sacrificing

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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.

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disposition. At her death her loss was felt, not only by her devoted husband and loving children, but by the whole community in which she lived. It would not be out of place here to notice briefly some of Mr. Robertson's public life. While he has always been a man of rather retired and timid disposition, never having aspired to public honors or emoluments, yet he has ever been prominent in all the public enterprises of his town and county. After the close of the late rebellion, the citi- zens of Sidney and vicinity took steps toward the erection of a soldier's monument. After a certain amount of funds had been raised for that purpose, but before anything was done toward its erection, Mr. Robert- son conceived the idea of a monumental building instead of a monument. He suggested his idea to some of his friends, who heartily indorsed it. The conception was original with him, for at that time there was no such building anywhere in the United States. He was one of the Board of Trustees, and was appointed by them the Superintendent of the con- struction of the building, and to him more than any other one man is due the credit, not only of the conception, but the planning and erection of a structure that is a credit to Sidney and Shelby County, as well as an honor to their fallen heroes.

Mr. Robertson has always been an ardent Democrat of the old Bour- bon stamp. Although a strong partisan, he has never been a politician, nor an aspirant for office. Years ago, when his township was strongly against him in politics, he was elected as justice of the peace, much against his own desires and wishes. His abhorrence of having anything to do with law inclined him to resign the position, but by the advice of his friends he retained the office during the term, but did as little busi- ness as possible, always advising settlement to litigation. In 1869 he was elected to the office of County Treasurer, which he filled two terms. On his election to the second term he received a greater majority than any other man on the ticket. Beside these offices, he has filled the vari- ous municipal as well as township offices, all without solicitation on his part.

As a compliment to him, his comrades in arms at the organization of the Ohio State Mexican Veteran Association in 1874, held at Dayton, elected him President of the Association, and again re-elected him in 1882 and 1883, a position of which any man might be proud, for among the veterans are found such men as Gen. George W. Morgan, Gen. Tho- mas L. Young, Gen. Geo. W. McCook, and other men of national fame and reputation.

D. L. BUSH.

The Bushes are of German descent, came to the American Colonies about the middle of the last century, and located in Eastern Pennsylva- nia, where Henry Bush was born in 1754, and married Eva Huffman about 1780. They reared a family of ten children, viz., Sarah, Catha- rine, George, John, Henry, Jacob, Mary, Charles, Michael, and Elizabeth. Of this family five came to Shelby County; Catharine, the wife of Dan- iel Vandemark, was the first who came; Charles came in 1821, and located in Sidney. The others came some years later. Jacob, the father of Daniel L., was born in Pennsylvania in 1794. He married Anna Labor in 1818. They raised a family of twelve children ; Daniel was the sec- ond of the family; he was born in 1820, and came to Sidney in 1844 and worked at the carpenter trade until 1853, when he received the appoint- ment of postmaster, which he held for a term of eight years. He was then elected treasurer of the county, which office he filled for two terms. Since that time he has been justice of the peace two terms, and mayor of Sidney two terms. In 1846 he married Sarah J. Bush (a daughter of Charles Bush), who came to Sidney in 1821. Esq. Bush's family con- sisted of five children, viz., Charles E., Albert, Anna, James J., and Eva.

WILLIAM FIELDING, M.D.,

was the son of Daniel Fielding and Elizabeth Henderson Fielding, and was born in Canonsburg, Washington County, Pa., on May 1, 1796. Mrs. Fielding was the daughter of Daniel Henderson. Daniel Fielding removed with his family to Cynthiana, Harrison County, Ky. There his son William received his scientific education, which qualified him to com- mence the study of medicine under Dr. Burnet at Falmouth, twenty miles from Cynthiana. After a full medical course he commenced the practice of medicine in 1816 in Madison County, Ohio. He was in the war of 1812, and served six months under Col. Johnston.

In 1818 Dr. Fielding married Miss Elizabeth Vail, and they have born to them five sons and seven daughters, eleven of whom reached maturity. In the same year he settled in Franklin, and remained there, engaged in his profession, until 1824, when great inducements were proffered him, and he settled in Sidney, Shelby County, Ohio.

In 1825, the date of the organization of the Presbyterian Church, he was elected one of the ruling elders, the church being under the pastor- ate of the Rev. Joseph Stephenson.

Dr. Fielding was one of the original petitioners of Temperance Lodge No. 73, in 1825, whose history is given at length in this work. Had the honor of naming the Temperance Lodge, because he not only practised but taught that cardinal virtue, and was honored with being its first Worshipful Master, which position he held during his life at different times for twenty-seven years. The brethren of the lodge to this day

annually on his birthday assemble in the lodge room, and pay their fraternal visit to bia beloved and aged widow, now in the eighty-second year of her age.

Dr. Fielding hed the honor of representing this county in the Legisla- ture for seven years.

In order to educate his children he removed to Clinton County, and after those

resumed a duties had been performed he returned to Sidney, and again

laborious practice. But age was telling upon his constitu- tion, and he and his friends deemed it prudent for him to settle on his farm one mile from the court-house, which he named Evergreen. But even this removal did not free him entirely from the labors of the medi- cal profession, and to his death he administered relief to a few families, especially those of In is early associates when he first settled in Sidney.

We may truthfully state that to his death, which occurred on the 17th day of Feb. 1873, the enjoyed the confidence of the whole community. His moral deportin ent and his high intellectual attainments, combined with his Christian character, not only made him a welcome visitor at every fireside, but _ dear and cherished friend among his fellow-citizens. Truthfully may we say with the poet-

Mat Lire for Heaven-the fatal mandate came, With it a chariot of ethereal flame ; In which, Elijah like, he passed the spheres, Bright joy to Heaven, but left the world in tears.

Judge Thompson was HON. HUGH THOMPSON.

neither the child of luxury nor penury, but of that exalted stati. of comfortable labor which draws out the best ele- ments of the individual.

His father, also named Hugh, was a native of County Down, nert - belfast, Ireland. While vet a mere youth he came to America, and Icated at Winchester, Va., at least as early as 1795. It was Here he worked IL miself into the mercantile trade, which he prosecute about four years, en be resolved to move westward. Low water ler him at New Gene , unable to proceed farther, and so he went to work at this place until suchtime as he could resume his westward trip. circumstances sometimes seize a character and mould a destinye Love, that potent, rightful sovereign of every life, inter- so in this case. posed, and the young man acknowledged allegiance. James Davenport, an Irish gentleman, who with his family was en route to Tennessee, like young Thompson, found his travel arrested by the low stage of water. Of this family a young lady, Rebecca, was thrown into the society of young Thompson, and we need not repeat the " old, old story" of-

" Two minds with but a single thought, Two hearts that beat as one."

It was in March, 1800, when they were married, and as the romance of real life is soon over, the trip of the one to the West and that of the other to Tennessee was abandoned, and the travellers, who met by mis- fortune, now husband and wife, resolved to begin anew the duties and responsibilities of life, and to that end returned to Winchester, Va. The next year, however, they returned to Geneva, and shortly afterwards Mr. Thompson abandoned mercantile life, and settled on a farm near Uniontown, where he at length became an extensive landholder. Mrs. Thompson, nee Rebecca Davenport, as stated, was the daughter of James Davenport, a man who coming from Ireland with his family, went to Tennessee to take possession of a large tract of land on the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers, one thousand acres of which lay in Kentucky and three thousand five hundred in Tennessee. It was an inheritance which came through Mrs. Davenport's brother, Captain Windsor Brown, to whom the land was granted by the Government, for services in the Revolution. Here Mr. and Mrs. Davenport and one or two of their younger children passed away. Mr. Thompson took the other members of the family to his home in Fayette County, Pa. On this farm, after a residence of about sixty-three years, and at the age of about eighty-four, Mr. Thompson passed from life in 1864. He has been preceded to the silent land by his estimable wife, who died in 1837 at the age of about fifty years. The son of this parentage, Judge Hugh Thompson, well known to the citizens of Shelby, his adopted county, was born near Uniontown, Fayette County, Pa., Nov. 30, 1807. After some years of farm life at home he entered the mercantile trade in Uniontown in association with his father. Later he moved westward, and settled in Shelby County in 1831, coming to Sidney to find it a village of 637 inhabitants. Here he entered the business of merchandis- ing, and continued about two years, when he returned to Uniontown, where he married Miss Lucretia, daughter of Silas Bailey, of that place. Returning to Sidney he went forward with his chosen business, but diversion awaits all except specialists. In 1834 he was chosen an asso- ciate justice for Shelby County, while yet in his twenty-eighth year. This appointment was to fill the unexpired term of Hon. Samuel Mar- shall, resigned. At the expiration of this term Mr. Thompson was con- tinued in the office for the ensuing full term by appointment of the General Assembly. He then continued in this position until 1841, when, finding his researches as a jurist had qualified him for the practice of law, he entered that profession, and remained in the practice until 1875.

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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.

He also served as a member of the State Constitutional Convention of 1851, to which he was elected to represent Shelby and Darke counties. During seven years preceding this period he had held the office of pro- secuting attorney of this county, and in 1857 to '59, inclusive, he served as a member of the lower house of the General Assembly. Being one of the most enterprising and active of the earlier citizens of the county, he did much to leave his impress upon the county history. In a certain sense, too, he is a self-made man, and to-day in his abundance only enjoys the reward of earnest toil. In religious matters his convictions are deep and abiding. His parents were of the old Reformed Church stock and faith, but for many years the Judge has been an ardent adhe- rent of the Presbyterian body. Standing, as he does to-day, with the sunbeams of his seventy-fourth year falling toward the east, he is a re- presentative citizen, wearing the honors and enjoying the confidence of all his associates. Of his family we need only say two children, one son and one daughter, still survive. The son, Hugh W., is actively . engaged in the drug business in Sidney. The daughter, Elizabeth, be- came the wife of John Mathers, Esq. Mr. Mathers died about seven years since, leaving his widow in the enjoyment of an easy competence. Another child, George M., attained the estate of manhood, became a lawyer of rare talents, and died in San Francisco in December, 1869. He was universally esteemed for his rare qualities of head and heart.

GEN. JAMES O. AMOS.

Although not a pioneer of Shelby County, Gen'l Amos is entitled to rank among the foremost men of the county, as well as among the pro- minent men of the State. His ancestry traces back to the settlement in Maryland under the Lord Baltimore grant by Charles II. in 1629. The descendants of this original stock are now distributed throughout the United States. He was born near Beallesville, Monroe County, Ohio, on the 30th day of March, 1833, a little more than a half century ago. He was reared on a farm, but after attaining his eighteenth year his time was divided between the labors of a teacher and those of a farmer until he was twenty-seven years of age. With the exception of one academic year, his education was acquired in the public schools and by private study at his home. While at his farm home he studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1859, when he immediately entered upon the practice of his profession. In 1861 he was elected prosecuting attor- ney of Monroe County, and was honored by a re-election in 1863. In 1860 he became a member of the board of school examiners of his county, which position he retained until 1870, when he resigned, and refused to further serve. In 1869 he was elected to the State Senate from the 20th senatorial district of Ohio, comprising the counties of Monroe and Geurnsey and a portion of Noble. He was re-elected to the General Assembly at the succeeding election, and thus served two terms in the Senate. In 1874 Governor William Allen honored him by his appoint- ment as adjutant-general of Ohio, an office which he held two years. During his administration the present system of volunteer militia was inaugurated, and he also actively engaged in the settlement of the ord- nance accounts between the State of Ohio and the United States. By this action he secured an exchange of the condemned arms, which were charged to the State account in 1863, for the new and improved arms now used by the Ohio National Guards. Since the close of his adminis- tration as adjutant-general he has been engaged in the newspaper busi- ness. In 1876 he came to Sidney, and purchased the Shelby County Democrat, and has since retained its editorship and proprietorship. Being a man of practical ideas, liberal views, and social qualities he has carried the Democrat to a higher level of ability and success than it ever before attained. The Democrat enjoys the distinction of ranking among the best Democratic weeklies in Western Ohio. General Amos was married September 9, 1856, to Miss Nancy J. Craig, whose ancestors were among the earliest settlers of Westmoreland County, Pa., she, how- ever, being a native of Ohio. They have reared a family of eight chil- dren. Of these, M. Emma is married to Monroe C. Pegg, and resides near Columbus, Ohio. The others are all at home, and are named Delia E., who is connected with the local business department of the Demo- crat, Clara E., Kate J., William T., Ernest A., Howard Allen, and Frank Beeman.

HEZEKIAH S. AILES.

Moses H. Ailes, of Welsh descent, was born in Salem, New Jersey, in 1793. He served through the war of 1812 in a Virginia regiment. Moving to Ohio he settled in Franklin Township, Shelby County, where he reared a family of five children. Of these children Hezekiah S. Ailes is the only survivor. He was born in Harrison County, Virginia (West), May 19, 1840, before the removal of his parents to Ohio in 1842. From his eighteenth year he was engaged chiefly in the profession of teaching until August 18, 1862, when he enlisted in Company I, 118th Regiment O. V. I. He entered the service as a private, was wounded at the battle of Resaca, May 14, 1864. He participated in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, and the other important engagements in which his regiment took part. He was promoted to sergeant-inajor of his regi- ment, and was mustered out at the close of the war. Returning home he resumed teaching, which he followed until 1875, when he was ap-

pointed deputy auditor of Shelby County, and served five years, at the expiration of which period (1880) he was elected auditor. He is at this time the candidate of the Democrats for re-election to the same office. He was married in October, 1867, to Miss Jane Elliott, of this county. Three sons and four daughters are the result of this union.

HON. JACOB S. CONKLIN.

Judge Conklin was born in Jackson Township, Champaign County, Ohio, December 4, 1815. His father, Jacob Conklin, was born in Vir- ginia in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, in 1767. He was of English parentage, his father coming to this country as early as 1765, or perhaps a year or two earlier, locating in Virginia, where the father of Judge Conklin was born. The removal of the family to Ohio was not long after the close of the last war with Great Britain, about 1814, or some- thing over sixty-five years ago. He located in Champaign County, Jackson Township, remaining there something over twenty-two years, coming to Sidney in 1836.

The mother of Judge Conklin was of Irish descent. Her maiden name was Barnes, her Christian name Margaret. Her birthplace was in Pennsylvania. She was several years younger than her husband, her birth occurring in the year 1776. Mr. Conklin died in 1837, aged sixty- eight. Mrs. Conklin in 1843, aged sixty-seven. His death occurring soon after their removal to Sidney.

Our subject spent his early youth at the family home in Champaign County, and it was there that the foundation of his education was laid. It was during his seventeenth year that he left for Clarke County, where at the county seat, Springfield, he found employment in the outer court of the sanctum judicium; that is to say, in a clerkship in the offices of both county recorder and county clerk for over four years, both offices being held by the same person, the Rev. Samuel Haskle. This brings us down to October, 1836, when he came down upon his present locality, planting himself for a life residence in Sidney, Shelby County. At this point we find him commencing the practice of the law with the late Judge Goode.

The reputation he won in the early part of his career gave him the opportunity to extend his practice over a large amount of territory. The judicial district embracing Marion, Mercer, and Allen, including also Auglaize, after its creation into a county in 1848, were regularly visited in connection with court sessions, extending his visits occasion- ally into Logan, Putnam, Darke, Union, and Champaign, when cases of unusual importance were to be adjudicated. He attended also the first courts that were held in Celina and Wapakoneta.

In 1844, then in his twenty-ninth year, he was elected prosecuting attorney for this county. He however filled but the one term, refusing to be a candidate for re-election. But in 1847 his name was brought forward for representative in the Ohio Legislature from the district composed of the counties of Darke and Shelby. The result was decid- edly in his favor, but he did not fill out his term, being brought forward '. the next year as candidate for State senator for the senatorial district composed of Miami, Darke, and Shelby. In this capacity he served his constituents for a whole term, making in all three years in the two branches of the Legislature.

For six years after his services in the Legislature, Mr. Conklin devoted himself solely to the duties of his profession. But in the year 1856 came on that memorable Presidential contest between the first nominee of the Republican party and the last successful candidate of the Democracy, Col. John C. Fremont and ex-minister James Buchanan. Mr. Conklin was one of the Fremont and Dayton electors. His vote, with the others from Ohio, was cast for the gallant Fremont.

In 1858 he was elected again as prosecuting attorney for this county, serving two years in that capacity, and also one term of court, to fill a vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Edmund Smith, Esq. He was not a candidate for re-election. But in 1864 Judge William Lawrence was elected to Congress, leaving a vacancy on the Common Pleas bench. The eloquent and famous Democratic orator, John Brough, swept by the war feeling into the Republican party, had been placed in the Guberna- torial chair by a majority wholly unprecedented in Ohio. By his ap- pointment Mr. Conklin was placed in the judgeship to fill out Judge Lawrence's term. The following year, however, he succeeded to that office for a full term by a still higher authority, the vote of the people of the judicial subdivision composed. at that time of Shelby, Logan, Hardin, Marion, and Union counties. He declined to run again for the office at the expiration of this term, and returned to the practice of law in Sidney, where had long been his family residence.

In the recent election in this State he allowed his name to come before the electors of Shelby County once more as a candidate for prosecuting attorney, and, though the opposite party has the undisputed political ascendency, he was successful, and was elected by an unexpectedly large majority, indicating the hold he had upon the friendship and favorable regards of the citizens of the county.

Judge Conklin was married in 1841, and has seven children: two sons, J. Wilson and Edward; and five daughters, Clara, Alice, Florence, Minnie, and Etta.

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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.

COLONEL HARBISON WILSON.

Colonel Wilson, now a leading member of the Shelby County bar, was born near Cadiz, Ohio, March 15, 1841, and is a son of Thomas and Mary Wilson. His grandfather, Thomas Wilson, served as a private throughout the Revolutionary war, while he with five brothers served during the civil war. In 1846 his parents moved to Belmont County, Ohio, where our subject lived until 1854, when he entered a manual labor university in Athens County, where he remained two years, work- ing at eight cents an hour to pay for boarding and tuition. At fifteen years of age he began teaching during the winter months, and entered upon a college course at the Ohio University at Athens. An older and a younger brother were pursuing the same course. The older brother, William, began teaching at the same time, and with Harrison he helped to support the younger brother, Lewis, until he was able to teach and support himself. At the beginning of the war Harrison was teaching school in Noble County, and dismissed his school one evening in May, wrote on the blackboard, "Gone to war," walked eighteen miles that night, and enlisted in the company of Captain John Mosley at Summerfield, Ohio. The company was assigned to the 25th O. V. I. His two brothers had already enlisted, William in the 3d O. V. I., and Lewis in Company C, 25th O. V. I. Harrison served seven months in the ranks of the 25th, and was ordered home, and received a commission as second lieutenant without knowing to whom he was indebted for it. He was then assigned to the 79th Ohio, then recruiting at Athens. This regiment was consolidated with the 75th at Camp McLean, and as there were then more officers than needed by the regiment, Lieut. Wilson was transferred to the 20th Ohio, then recruiting at Cincinnati. He was assigned to Company I, and successively held commissions as second lieutenant, first lieutenant, adjutant, captain, major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of the regiment, and was finally mustered out with the regi- ment July 15, 1865. He was in forty-two battles and skirmishes, at the siege of Fort Donaldson, Vicksburg, and Atlanta, and lastly went with Sherman "to the sea." His brother William was in Libby prison a long time, and thereby deprived of promotion. Lewis was killed at Gettys- burg, while ranking as second lieutenant. Three other brothers were in the army, making six of the family who volunteered.

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History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 114

Author: R. Sutton & Co. Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Number of Pages: 427

Author: R. Sutton & Co.
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 427