USA > Ohio > Auglaize County > History of western Ohio and Auglaize County, with illustrations and biographical sketches of pioneers and prominent public men > Part 66
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71
792
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
on the south by St. Marys township and on the west by Mercer county. Immediately after the discovery of petroleum in the township, an area of development and prosperity set in that are still in progress. The heavy forests of twenty years ago have been cleared away, and comfortable school houses and churches may be seen on every hand. With a knowledge of the import- ance of education, school houses have been erected and teachers employed, until, for intelligence, the township will compare favorably with any in the county. Excellent gravel pikes extend to all parts of the county.
There are no villages within the township limits, but the south line extends almost to the corporation line of St. Marys.
Three years after the Indian treaties at St. Marys, immigrant land buyers began to arrive at St. Marys. The following list of land entries is a history of the settlement of the township :
LAND ENTRIES.
1820. John Wytand, Sec. 22.
Charles Murray, Sec. 24. Benjamin Tyrell, Sec. 34.
1821. Lucas Vanausdale, Sec. 34.
1822. Lucas Vanausdale, Sec. 34.
1824. Josiah Dungan, Sec. 22.
Jonas Wayland, Sec. 15.
1825. John Wayland, Sec. 22.
1826. William Sunderland, Sec. 34.
Israel Johns, Sec. 15. John Johns, Sec. 14.
1828. Thomas Armstrong, Sec. 15. R. V. and L. R. Brownell, Sec. 15.
1830. William Jay, Sec. 22.
1831. James Vanney, Sec. 21.
793
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
Theophelus Prunny, Sec. 14.
Bergen Covert, Sec. 12. Robert Heighton, Sec. 29. Solomon Denny, Sec. 25.
James Jeffry, Sec. 22. Thomas Keever, Sec. 12. Peter M. Van Nuys, Sec. 21.
Simon Perkins, Sec. 26. William O. Hara, Sec. 32. Joseph D. Blew, Sec. 32. Charles Moore, Sec. 32. George B. Freye, Sec. 34. Robert Moody, Sec. 10.
Simon Perkins, Sec. 12.
Simon Perkins, Sec. 14. Henry Noble, Sec. 24. John Noble, Sec. 24.
George B. Holt, Sec. 28. A. V. Meadberry, Sec. 34. George B. Frye, Sec. 36. Henry P. Espy, Sec. 7. Demas Adams, Sec. 24.
Julius A. Hover, Sec. 7.
James W. Riley, Sec. 15. Solomon Denny, Sec. 25.
Israel Johns, Sec. 15. John Denny, Sec. 23. William Widmeyer, Sec. 30. John Hawthorn, Sec. 30. William Overly, Sec. 33.
C. C. Lewis, Sec. 11. Jacob Ice, Sec. 11. James Carrington, Sec. 15. James Jeffrys, Sec. 23.
1832.
John Pickerell, Sec. 14.
1833. James Jeffrey, Sec. 22. Israel Lucas, Sec. 36.
1834. Enoch Tyndall, Sec. 11. Aaron Cox, Sec. 12.
1835. Thomas F. Bowles, Sec. 32. Charles Moore, Sec. 32. Robert Hughs, Sec. 32. Joseph D. Blew, Sec. 32. Simon Perkins, Sec. 10. Jacob Noble, Sec. 12. Robert Moody, Sec. 14. Lewis Brodwell, Sec. 22. Nicholas Brewer, Sec. 24.
1836. Caleb Major, Sec. 34. Demas Adams, Sec. 36. Frederick Marquand, Sec. 36. Frederick Marquand, Sec. 20. Frederick Marquand, Sec. 24.
1841. Joseph Hover, Sec. 7.
1845.
Ormel H. Bliss, Sec. 27.
1847. William Sawyer, Sec. 23. C. C. Langston, Sec. 30. Samuel Widmeyer, Sec. 30. William Young, Sec. 33.
1848. Jacob Lewis, Sec. 11. Emanuel Jacobs, Sec. 13. James Hickterman, Sec. 23. Samuel Denny, Sec. 25.
794
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
William Sutton, Sec. 27. Lewis Brodwell, Sec. 33.
Joseph Philbrick, Sec. 11. Luther Carpenter, Sec. 13.
Jane Dye, Sec. 15.
Fielden H. Travis, Sec. 21. Andrew Zanglien, Sec. 21. John M. Cristy, Sec. 23.
Joseph Howell, Sec. 25.
Henry L. Witzenhusen, Sec. 26.
James L. McCain, Sec. 27.
David P. Hamilton, Sec. 27. James Elliott, Sec. 27. William Sawyer, Sec. 28. Benjamin Durben, Sec. 29.
Peter Moyer, Sec. 29.
Solomon Staley, Sec. 29.
John Linkhart, Sec. 30. William Sawyer, Sec. 30.
Joseph Bush, Sec. 31.
Samuel Wilters, Sec. 31.
William Hunter, Sec. 31.
Lewis Brodwell, Sec. 33.
Frederick Schwapp, Sec. 35. Joseph Denny, Sec. 35.
Margaret Bache, Sec. 35.
Jonathan Longwith, Sec. 36. William Langley, Sec. 36.
Elisha Nichols, Sec. 33.
1849. William Overly, Sec. 13. James A. Liggett, Sec. 15. John Boyles, Sec. 21. Henry Hattes, Sec. 21.
James Jeffreys, Sec. 23. William Denny, Sec. 23. Charles Keasley, Sec. 26.
Nelson Ormes, Sec. 27. Almond L. Bachler, Sec. 27. Zacharias Ice, Sec. 27. Victor L. Emmett, Sec. 27.
· Elizor Alexander, Sec. 29. Washington Coleman, Sec. 29. Francis B. Stoel, Sec. 29. George Eckerly, Sec. 29. Amos Harp, Sec. 30. William Boyles, Sec. 31. Lawrence Morgan, Sec. 31. Peter Apgar, Sec. 31. Israel Cover, Sec. 33. George Schwapp, Sec. 35. Christopher Heller, Sec. 35 ..
Francis Cosgrove, Sec. 35. William S. Collins, Sec. 36.
Jacob Rice, Sec. 36. Jonas M. Smith, Sec. 36.
Daniel Prelman, Sec. 8. Lewis Bolton, Sec. 8.
Elias Worthington, Sec. 26. Daniel Mills, Sec. 26. Pickett Doute, Sec. 28.
Atterson Fisk, Sec. 28. John Lininger, Sec. 30.
Elisha Brewer, Sec. 8. Zachias Fishpaw, Sec. 8. Thomas Roberson, Sec. 8. Henry Smith, Sec. 11. Henry Barnes, Sec. 13. Aquilla Fishpaw, Sec. 17. George Burkhart, Sec. 18.
1850. Zachias Fishpaw, Sec. 8. John McGinnis, Sec. 19. Edward Roberts, Sec. 26. Stephen Armstrong, Sec. 28.
Lewis Cass Sawyer, Sec. 28. John Hammon, Sec. 30. Jacob W. Kemper, Sec. 30.
1851. Jabez Spicer, Sec. 8. Isaiah Preston, Sec. 8. A. V. Noble, Sec. 8. Henry. Smith, Sec. 12. James Carrington, Sec. 15.
Giles P. Spicer, Sec. 18. Thomas Logue, Sec. 18.
795
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
Matthias Brodbeck, Sec. 18. Jacob Burkhardt, Sec. 18. Thomas S. Brown, Sec. 18. Daniel Hartz, Sec. 19.
George Henrick, Sec. 19. Chester Frey, Sec. 20. Charles Best, Sec. 20.
Joseph Doute, Sec. 21.
Jonathan Tobias, Sec. 31.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 31.
Henry W. Renolds, Sec. 18. Warren G. Renolds, Sec. 18. Michael Burkhardt, Sec. 18. Adam Howell, Sec. 19.
William Foster, Sec. 19. Henry Smith, Sec. 20. Thomas Doute, Sec. 21. Isaiah Totten, Sec. 23. Lawrence Tafe, Sec. 31. Philip Myers, Sec. 36.
1852.
Mattie S. Bailey, Sec. 8. Charles Noble, Sec. 9.
Frederick Frey, Sec. 9.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 11.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 13.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 17.
Humphrey H. Leavitt, Sec. 19.
Alexander D. Loyd, Sec. 21.
Carter Sullivan, Sec. 25.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 25.
William Smith, Sec. 25.
Samuel Doyle, Sec. 27.
William Sawyer, Sec. 29.
Pickett Doute, Sec. 11.
1855. Simon Perkins, Sec. 11.
NOTE. - No entries of lands were made in the years omitted in the preceding list.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The record of township officers in the county auditor's office is incomplete. The following is a record of the terms of officers as near as can be ascertained :
Justices of the Peace.
Franklin Fisk
1851 to 1853.
Caleb Major
1853 to 1854.
L. C. Sawyer 1854 to 1856.
Jacob Shellabarger
1856 to 1857.
Eliah Nichols
1857 to 1859.
Benjamin Farrer 1859 to 1864.
Jacob Bice
1860 to 1864.
Robert Loyd
1864 to 1869.
Eliah Nichols 1866 to 1869.
William Johns 1869 to 1885.
Jacob Fike
1873 to 1893.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 9. Frederick A. Schroeder, Sec. 9.
Charles Noble, Sec. 9. Jacob Ice, Sec. 11. James Stonerock, Sec. 15. Samuel Morgan, Sec. 17. John F. Bosche, Sec. 19.
William Totten, Sec. 23.
James Boggett, ·Sec. 25.
796
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
Henry Hesh
1885 to 1887.
William Johns 1889 to 1893.
A. V. Noble
1893 to 1903.
E. W. Slife
1894 to 1903.
Clerks.
William Johns
1872 to 1874.
James E. Boyd
1874 to 1875.
James Gilson
1875 to 1879.
F. B. Hamin
1879 to 1880.
N. T. S. Noble
1880 to 1885.
William Johns
1885 to 1892.
William H. Craft
1892 to 1896.
Charles Tinneman
1896 to 1901.
O. F. Tinneman
1901 to 1902.
W. H. Craft
1902 to 1903.
Treasurers.
Stephen Armstrong
1875 to 1883.
C. S. Brewer
1883 to 1898.
J. R. Williams
1898 to 1903.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
NICHOLAS BREWER was born in Highland county, Ohio, Jan- uary 10th, 1812. His father, Islam Brewer, a native of North Carolina, came to Ohio in the early years of its settlement, and was one of the original pioneers of Highland county. He mar- ried there and became a prosperous farmer. A few years prior to his death, he removed to Clinton county, where he died in 1850, at an advanced age. His wife, Phoebe Brewer, a native of Virginia, passed away some years before he did.
Mr. Nicholas Brewer's school advantages were very limited, as he had to go two or three miles to school, which was taught in a rude log cabin, and he only went two terms in all. Highland county was wild at that time, and game, such as deer, wolves, bear and other animals, abounded, so that he had fine opportu- nities to exercise his skill as a marksman when he could obtain permission to go hunting. In 1830 he married Miss Sarah Noble, and five years later come to Noble township and entered eighty acres of land in section twenty-four. He moved his family here in 1836, the journey being made most of the way in a wagon through the woods.
When Mr. Brewer arrived at St. Marys, he hired a man
797
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
to clear a road to his land in Noble township. Upon their arrival. an eighteen by twenty foot cabin was erected, in which he lived for many years. His neighbors were Solomon Denny, Israel Johns, David Woodruff, David Ross, James and John Vanmoyce. and Jesse Daniels. Mr. Brewer voted the fall he came here, and never missed an election from that time until his death. His fellow citizens early recognized his fitness for public life, and from time to time called him to fill various responsible offices connected with the administration of civic affairs. He held the office of county commissioner for six years, in a manner approved by his constituents.
Mr. Brewer died October 5th, 1892. (From Portrait and Biographical Record.)
ELISHA NOBLE was born on the eastern shore of Maryland in 1782 and emigrated to Ohio in 1808. He settled in Clinton county, and later, moved to Mercer county, where he became a prominent and influential citizen. "Tradition has it that the Noble family originated in America from three brothers of the name, who emigrated from England in Colonial times, one set- tling in New York, another in Maryland, and the third in Vir- ginia." From them has sprung a numerous family.
Mr. Elisha Noble was an active participant in the War of 1812. He was present at the siege of Fort Meigs and at the battle of the Thames. He purchased land in Wayne township, afterward Noble township in Auglaize county. He served as commissioner for six years in Mercer county, and after the erec- tion of Auglaize county was (in 1850) elected commissioner of the new county. It is said that the pay he received as commis- sioner was scarcely sufficient to pay his land tax.
His death occurred in 1864.
ISRAEL JOHNS was born in Kentucky, in 1803, and came to this country in 1828. His family then consisted of his wife and three children. They settled in what is now Noble township, then Wayne township, Mercer county. He reared a family of ten children, of whom four are still living. Mr. Johns was one of the exemplary pioneers of this section. While he was actively en- gaged in improving and cultivating his land he yet found time for works of charity. He became a minister of the Gospel, and
. 798
.
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
one year he filled four appointments, for which his compensation was three white handkerchiefs. He was a wheelwright by trade, but could work at any of the mechanical arts. He made shoes, built wagons, and did something for his neighbors. Of his chil- dren, Mrs. A. B. Covert, William Johns, Esq., Azariah Johns, and Sarah J. McDonald are still living.
Mr. Johns died April -, 1849.
(From Sutton's History of Auglaize County.)
WILLIAM SMITH was born in New Jersey, April 28, 1803. He was a shoemaker by trade in the early part of his life. In 1833, at the age of thirty years, he moved to Greene county, where he engaged in farming for a few years. Later he moved to Darke county, where he resided eight years before coming to this county. He entered forty acres of land in section twenty- five in Noble township in 1852, and the following year settled upon it, building a log house in the woods and starting out once more in the regulation pioneer style. He cleared and developed his farm on which he resided until the date of his death which occurred January 22, 1891. Mr. Smith was the first superintend- ent of the county infirmary farm from 1858 to 1860. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church at Port Jefferson in 1840, while a resident of Darke county, and for fifteen years was a most ex- emplary member of that denomination. His wife was also an active member of the same church. She preceded him in death, dying in 1880.
(Compiled from Portrait and Biographical Record.)
SALEM TOWNSHIP.
This township was established in 1836, and organized in '1837. It was originally a part of Van Wert and Allen counties. The township is bounded on the north by Van Wert and Allen counties, on the east by Logan township, on the south by Noble township and on the west by Mercer county. The surface of the township is flat with the exception of a ridge which passes through the northern part. The ridge is simply a broad undula- tion, or thickening of the drift, and is mainly composed of clay. The Miami and Erie canal cuts through the ridge at a point called Deep Cut. Originally the land was heavily timbered, and during a part of the year large tracts of it were covered by water, com-
799
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
monly called swales. But little perceptible progress was made in the development of the township until after the construction of the Miami and Erie canal. The soil is rich, and though very wet in the early days of the country, the system of drainage established has resulted in bringing the entire surface under cul- tivation. The St. Marys river winds in an irregular course through the township, from southeast to west, and the Miami and Erie canal crosses from south to north. The inhabitants are of English, Irish and German descent, the latter now predominat- ing. Agriculture is the chief pursuit. The township is. well sup- plied with schools and churches, and like other sections of the country is well piked.
ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES.
1831. Martin Overly, Sec. 30.
Jacob Van Grundy, Sec. 29.
Brunson J. Miller, Sec. 35.
Michael Tippie, Sec. 36.
1 833.
John Cochran Sec. 35. Amos Lamson, Sec. 35. Amos Lamson, Sec. 2.
Nicholas Rynearson, Sec. 23. Asa French, Sec. 29.
David C. French, Sec. 32. William Overla, Sec. 32. Aaron D. Bates, Sec. 34. Michael Tippie, Sec. 36. John Williams, Sec. 1.
1834. Isaac French, Sec. 28. Thomas Upton, Sec. 29. Daniel French, Sec. 32. Samuel Forrer, Sec. 34.
Robert Young, Sec. 36.
Samuel Forrer, Sec. 36.
F. Marquand and H. F. Wykoff, Sec. 24.
John W. Hall, Sec. 24. Robert Moody, Sec. 26. Frederick Marquand, Sec. 26. John Noble, Sec. 29. David R. French, Sec. 31. Charles Noble, Sec. 32.
Isaac French, Sec .. 32. Simon M. and C. Cochran, Sec. 34. Simon Perkins, Sec. 2.
1835.
Simon Perkins, Sec. 4. Barnet Rynearson, Sec. 24. Nicholas Rynearson, Sec. 24. John G. Young, Sec. 26. Arthur O. Hara, Sec. 28. Mary Helfenstein, Sec. 29. Mary Helfenstein, Sec. 32. Elisha Noble, Sec. 32.
Sarah Fisher, Sec. 34.
Jonas Jones, Sec. 34. Jesse Mills, Sec. 2.
800
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
1836.
William McDonald, Sec. 6. Thomas Kennedy, Sec. 19.
William Green, Sec. 19.
Charles H. Adgate, Sec. 20. Brinson J. Miller, Sec. 20.
Zardus Kent, Sec. 21.
Evan Stephens, Sec. 26.
Thomas Upton, Sec. 29.
James Robins, Sec. 29. Asa French, Sec. 29.
William Green, Sec. 29.
James Robins, Sec. 29.
Elisha Noble, Sec. 30.
Thomas Hussey, Sec. 30.
Mary French, Sec. 30.
Daniel French, Sec. 30.
David C. French, Sec. 31.
Flemming Graham, Sec. 31.
Phebe Wheatland, Sec. 31. Ezekiel French, Sec. 31. Austin Jones, Sec. 31.
Andrew Michael, Sec. 31.
David Sheets, Sec. 31.
Zacharias Overly, Sec. 32.
John Noble, Sec. 32.
Elisha Noble, Sec. 32. Stephen Fales, Sec. 6.
1838. Mary Helfenstein, Sec. 32.
Thomas J. McConnell, Sec. 23. Samuel Pettit, Sec. 25.
Joseph Pierce, Sec. 25. Seth Pratt, Sec. 1. Nathan Nye, Sec. 26.
Philip Lawrence, Sec. 22. John Lawrence, Sec. 22. James Sheets, Sec. 22. William Tippie, Sec. 25. James Cameron, Sec. 25. Seth Pratt, Sec. 1.
Joseph Kiser, Sec. 22. Alexander G. Conover, Sec. 23. William Tippie, Sec. 25. John McCoy, Sec. 27. Samuel Pettit, Sec. 35. Charles Paris, Sec. 6.
Daniel B. McCoy, Sec. 22. James H. Sheets, Sec. 22.
1845.
Alexander G. Conover, Sec. 23.
1 847. Thomas T. Chamberlain, Sec. 23. Dudley Pratt, Sec. 1.
1848. Robert Adams, Sec. 22. Patrick Fox, Sec. 22. John G. Young, Sec. 22. Nathan Nye, Sec. 25. Thomas Pierce, Sec. 35. John P. Sheets, Sec. 23.
1849. Jacob Hildebrand, Sec. 22. Samuel Pettit, Sec. 25. William Findley, Sec. 27. Daniel G. Whip, Sec. 34. Elisha B. Orton, Sec. 1.
1850. John Lawrence, Sec. 22. Alexander McCoy, Sec. 27.
r
Thomas Allender, Sec. 2. H. O. Osprey, Sec. 6.
Alexander McDonald, Sec. 6. Ezekiel Hoover, Sec. 19. Joseph Hoover, Sec. 20. John James, Sec. 20. Zeno Kent, Sec. 21. Ezekiel Hoover, Sec. 21.
801
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
John J. Schamp, Sec. 28. Dudley Pratt, Sec. 1. Isaiah Osburn, Sec. 2.
Henry M. Smith, Sec. 28. Leonard Noble, Sec. 33.
Theophalus Folk, Sec. 35.
Jacob Jones, Sec. 3.
Joshua Noble, Sec. 4. Hiram Casperson, Sec. 4. Henry C. Brem, Sec. 4.
Alexander McCoy, Sec. 27. John H. Harbican, Sec. 33. Joseph Mounts, Sec. 33.
John Bramin, Sec. 2.
William Brambrook, Sec. 3.
Samuel Thompson, Sec. 3.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 3.
John F. Bosche, Sec. 27.
Jacob Land, Sec. 28. William R. McIntire, Sec. 1.
1851. Daniel Rupert, Sec. 28. John A. Beem, Sec. 33. William Grant, Sec. 1. Henry Osburn, Sec. 3. Joseph Oldburn, Sec. 4. Jonathan Hearn, Sec. 4.
1852. John F. Bosche, Sec. 27. Berry Noble, Sec. 33. Benjamin F. Noble, Sec. 34.
Jacob Jones, Sec. 3. C. C. Marshall, Sec. 3. Everitt Sinclair, Sec. 3.
1853. William Harper, Sec. 27.
1855.
Horace Sessions, Sec. 33.
Clark W. Mills, Sec. 3.
NOTE. - No lands were entered in the years not noted in the fore- going.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
The following lists of township officers have been copied from the records in the county auditor's office :
Justices of the Peace.
Jacob Jones 1851 to 1863.
Josiah Hildebrand
1852 to 1854.
William Nelson
1854 to 1857.
G. W. Kirkbride
1857 to 1859.
Albert Miller
1863 to 1864.
G. W. Kirkbride
1864 to 1865.
Wesley Snook
1865 to 1867.
J. H. Dunathan 1867 to 1871. Michael Ennis 1871 to 1877.
W. J. Carmean 1877 to 1879.
L. W. Casperson 1879 to 1880.
W. J. Carmean 1880 to 1881.
J. C. Noble 1881 to 1884.
51 HAC
802
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
George Haller 1884 to 1890.
George Wiswasser
1884 to 1888.
Lewis Brewer
1888 to 1891.
Isaac Smart 1890 to 1893.
J. T. Reed 1891 to 1893.
J. H. Bailey 1893 to 1895.
T. J. Barnett
1895 to 1902.
A. Gierhart
1896 to 1903.
J. L. Springer
1903.
Township Clerks.
John W. Arnold 1872 to 1874.
James Lawrence
1874 to 1878.
Charles Lewis
1878 to 1880.
Lewis Brewer 1880 to 1882.
George Haller 1882 t
o 1888.
John T. Reed
1888 to 1893.
T. J. Barnett
1893 to 1896.
George Workman
1896 to 1900.
G. W. Evilsizer
1900.
Township Treasurers.
J. A. Mahin
1875 to 1876.
J. H. Dunathan
1876 to 1882.
Silas Jacobs
1882 to 1896.
George Reed
1896 to 1898.
Silas Jacobs
1898 to 1903.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
AUSTIN BARBER was born in Union township, Mercer county, Ohio, January 8th, 1833. His father, Samuel C. Barber, was born in 1804, near Honcoye Lake, New York, and was a son of Captain Amos Barber, who was a native of Massachusetts, and was of Irish descent. In the early part of his life he removed to New York, and from thence to Kentucky, in 1817, and died in Hardin county. He was captain of a company in the War of 1812.
"The father of our subject was a lad of thirteen years when the family moved to Kentucky, where he grew to manhood and became a farmer. In the fall of 1828, he crossed the Ohio river, and penetrated the wilderness as far northward as Mercer county, where he entered land in Union township in section twenty-seven. where he resided until his death, in 1851, at the age of forty-seven years. The Indians were numerous, at that time, and provisions
803
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
were scarce. Fortunately, for the pioneers, wild game was abund- ant, affording subsistence to the newcomers until a crop was raised the next year."
. Mr. Austin Barber had but meager educational advantages in his boyhood. He attended his first term of school in an old log cabin having puncheon floor and was furnished with slab seats. His schooling was limited to two or three months in the winter. The remainder of the year was spent in wielding the ax, and the cultivation of the newly cleared land.
In 1854 Mr. Barber married Miss Eliza L. Hamilton, daugh- ter of the Hon. Justin Hamilton, of Mercer county. Judge Ham- ilton was one of the earliest pioneer farmers of Mercer county. He was a surveyor, and surveyed a great part of this section of the country.
"Our subject and his wife had eight children: Ella, who is deceased ; Hannah, wife of C. W. Shimp, a farmer of Salem town- ship; Irena, deceased; Dora, wife of J. H. Wright, a farmer of this township; Abraham H., a farmer; Ina and Walter, un- married; and Arthur, a Presbyterian minister, stationed at St. Marys.
Mr. Barber died at Spencerville, Ohio, in 1901.
JOHN H. BAILEY was born in Highland county, Ohio, June 26th, 1840, and is of the old pioneer stock of the state, and can also trace his ancestry back to the Pilgrims of the "Mayflower."
John Bailey, the father of John H. Bailey, was a native of Virginia, and was a son of Thomas Bailey, also a Virginian by birth. In 1808 the grandfather of our subject left his early home in the "Old Dominion," and journeying across the moun- tains and over a wild, sparsely inhabited country, made his way to Highland county, Ohio, and located on land about five miles from the county seat, being one of the original settlers of that region. He was of the Quaker faith. His kindly nature gained for him a warm place in the hearts of his fellow pioneers. He died November 27, 1858, at the age of eighty-four years.
The subject of this sketch received such an education as the schools of the time afforded. The one that he attended in his childhood being taught in a small log house, the dimensions were sixteen by eighteen feet, and the seats were made of slabs. He was reared to the life of a farmer, and was well grounded in all
804
HISTORY OF WESTERN OHIO
that pertains to farming. At the age of twenty-one he left home and settled in Allen county, where he engaged in contracting and building. He continued in this business for thirteen years, when he returned to Salem township and resumed his early calling, locating on land in sections 31 and 32. By skillful and persever- ing toil, he has cleared his land, has it under good cultivation.
In 1875 Mr. Bailey was married to Miss Lovina J. Lovett, a native of Fairfield county. Of this marriage five children have been born: Amy L., Mortimer, Alvin A., and Minnie (twins), and Harvey. Mr. Bailey has never been an aspirant for politi- cal honors, but takes an active interest in the Republican party.
(Compiled from Portrait and Biographical Record.)
COLONEL WILLIAM KENNEDY was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1821. His paternal ancestors were of Irish blood, while his ancestors on his mother's side were Scotch. Our subject is the youngest of nine children. In boyhood he obtained a limited education in the district schools, but early dis- played an aptitude for mechanics, and so decided to become a carpenter when he was quite young.
In 1840 he visited Auglaize county, journeying through the woods on horseback, and spent the winter of 1840-41 in Salem township. The county was a savage wilderness for miles in all directions, and settlements were few and far between. He was pleased with the possibilities of the locality, and in 1849 he came here to locate permanently. He purchased a tract of land in sec- tion twenty, in the northern part of Salem township, and by years of toil, transformed it into a valuable farm.
When the Civil War broke out he recruited a company of soldiers and was mustered into service as Company E, and was attached to the One Hundred and Eighteenth regiment, under command of Colonel S. R. Mott. Mr. Kennedy was elected cap- tain of Company E. The official list of the battles in which he participated is as follows :
Mossy Creek, Tennessee, December 29, 1863.
Rocky Face Ridge, Georgia, May 5th and 9th, 1864.
Resaca, Georgia, May 13th and 16th, 1864.
Dallas, Georgia, May 25th to June 4th, 1864.
Kenesaw Mountain, June 27th, 1864.
Atlanta (Siege of), July 28th to September 2d, 1864.
805
AND AUGLAIZE COUNTY
He received merited promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, his commission bearing date of October 12, 1864. De- cember 12th of that year, he was obliged to resign from the army on account of ill health. He suffered for some time and did not recover, so as to resume military duty until the war closed. His farm had been lying idle while he had been fighting for his country, and after his return home he resumed its management as soon as he was convalescent.
"Colonel Kennedy was twice married. In June, 1845, he was wedded to Miss Mary McCoy, a native of Wayne county. She died in August, 1875, leaving three children, Laura C., Sarah A., and Ohio A. The Colonel's second marriage was with Mrs. Eliza Cook, nee Redd, and took place June 27, 1876. Of this union two children were born: Richard M. and Wil- liam I.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.