USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume I > Part 6
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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
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where he has since followed the business of an undertaker. Mr. Hart- man has served as one of the town trustees for a number of years and was also bridge commissioner of Campbell county for several years. He has in addition to the above held the position of secretary and man- ager of the Alexandria cemetery company from 1875 to the present time. In April, 1904, he received the appointment of postmaster at Alexandria and now holds that position. In both public position and private life Mr. Hartman is distinguished by his careful, conscientious methods of doing business-methods that have won the confidence of all who know him. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and has served master of the exchequer of Jewel Lodge, No. 44, at Alex- andria, ever since the lodge was organized in 1895. About the time he embarked in business at Alexandria he was married to Miss Mary Jane Parker, daughter of Thomas Parker, an old and honored resident of Campbell county. To this marriage there were born the following children : Charles, who died at the age of eight years; Rose, now the wife of Edward M. Reiley, at Alexandria ; and Ella, who lives at home with her father, since the death of her mother, which occurred in 1901.
JOSEPH F. WRIGHT, a fruit grower residing at Alexandria. Campbell county, Ky., is a descendant of one of the old pioneer fam- ilies of the state. The Wrights are of English extraction, the family tradi- tions being that they originally came from Lancashire. About the close of the eighteenth century three brothers, Joseph, John and Robert Wright, came to Kentucky, and located in Bracken county, then part of Mason county. John afterward removed to Owen county, where he be- came one of the leading citizens, and later went to Missouri, located near Independence, and some of his descendants are still to be found in that locality. Robert left Bracken county after a few years and went to Louisville, where he passed his last days and where some of his de- scendants are still living. In 1818 Joseph Wright left Bracken county, came to Campbell and bought four hundred acres of land in the Brush Creek neighborhood near Alexandria. There he lived and followed farming until his death in 1848. He was twice married, both times in Bracken county. His first wife was Mary King and to this union there were born three children: John, Robert and Mary, all now deceased. The second wife was Miss Esther Potts (originally spelled Putts), a native of Pennsylvania. To this marriage there were born twelve chil- dren, all of whom are now deceased. Joseph went to Missouri, and although a man of over sixty years of age, was drafted into the Con- federate army under Price, and died of disease in the hospital at Cape
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Girardeau; Elizabeth married Jacob Manning; Patience married Pol- lard Gosney; William lived and died in Campbell county ; Thompson also passed his whole life in the county; Evaline married Greenberry Gosney; Andrew Jackson lived in Campbell county; Emily married Jonathan White; David went to Missouri and died near Independence, that state ; Jane married William Harris, a resident of Campbell county ; Elston died in his youth, and Samuel was the father of the subject of this sketch. Samuel was born in Bracken county in 1807 and came with his parents to Campbell county when he was about eleven years of age. As a boy he attended such schools as that early day offered and upon reaching manhood adopted the life of a farmer, which was his occupation through life. He took an interest in the development of the country and held several local offices. He was united in marriage to Elizabeth Baker, daughter of Nicholas Baker, one of the pioneers, and to this marriage there were born the following children: William J., now living in Newport; Joseph F., the subject; Sarah, deceased ; Nicholas E., a farmer of Campbell county; Susan H., now living in Alexandria; Emma, now in Newport; John W., sexton of Grace Church, Newport; Thomas J., in Missouri; Samuel F., residing in Campbell county ; and James F., a grocer at Perry, Ia. The father of these children died in March, 1885, and the mother in 1890. Joseph F. Wright, the second son of the family, was born on the old homestead in Campbell county, Sept. 17, 1836. His early life was not much different from that of all farmer boys. He received an academic edu- cation and engaged in farming until 1863, when he came to Alexandria and for the succeeding fourteen years was in the business of merchan- dizing. He then returned to farming and has since that time devoted much of his time and attention to fruit growing, in which he has been quite successful. Mr. Wright studies his business and goes at anything intelligently. It is to this patient, systematic way of doing things that he owes his success in the fruit growing industry. While other men conduct their business by "guess-work" he has reduced the business to a science and operates with a certainty. Mr. Wright was married in 1862 to Miss Mary A., daughter of Solomon Todd, a native of England. She died in 1879, without issue, and in 1881 Mr. Wright was married to Miss Emma J. Ripley, of Indianapolis. To this union there have been born the following children: Ethel B., born May 25, 1884, now a student at Oxford college in Ohio; Elsie R., born Jan. 9, 1887, and a student at the same college; Grace R., born Aug. 25, 1889, and J. Donald, born July 13, 1892.
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JAMES H. GOSNEY, senior member of the firm of J. & R. Gosney, dealers in general merchandise, Alexandria, Ky., is a native of that county and is a descendant of one of the very oldest of the pioneer fam- ilies. About 1750 two brothers, Richard and Henry Gosney, came from England to America. The vessel upon which they took passage landed near the mouth of the James river, where the brothers disembarked and proceeded inland until they reached Culpeper county, where they set- tled upon land belonging to the old Lord Fairfax grant. There they reared large families, a son of Richard dying in the Colonial army a short time before the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. Henry Gosney was twice married. By his first wife he had the following children: Richard, Frederick, John, William, Benjamin, Polly and Betsy. The children of his second marriage were Nimrod, Peter, James, Harry, Fanny and Polly. Two sons of the first marriage, Henry and John, removed to Ohio and Marshall counties in Western Virginia, and Fred- erick, William and Benjamin, with the four sons of the second mar- riage, came to Kentucky about 1780 and settled in Campbell county. Peter afterward went to Missouri, where some of his descendants still reside. Benjamin Gosney operated the salt mills at Grant's Lick, Camp- bell county, for many years after coming from Virginia. He was twice married. By the first wife his children were John and Millie and by the second Armstead, Oliver, Pollard, Benjamin, Zacharias, and Peggy, all now deceased. Zacharias Gosney, the youngest son, was a native of Campbell county, where he followed farming all his life. He was mar- ried twice, first to Mildred Lovelace, a native of Pendleton county, Ky., and second to a Miss Gosney, a distant relative. The children of his first wife were Harkie, Francis M., Henry C., and William, and of his second wife Benjamin, John, Eliza, Margaret, and Jane. None of these children are living except Henry C., who resides at Indianapolis, Ind., and Benjamin and John, who live in Pendleton county. Francis Marion, the oldest son of Zacharias Gosney, was born in Campbell county, Feb. 22, 1833. After a common school education he started in to learn the blacksmiths' trade, but after a short time he engaged in the business of teaming with headquarters at Newport. Later he became the proprietor of the omnibus lines running from Newport to Alexandria and Grant's Lick. For more than thirty years he continued to operate these lines and since his death, on Jan. 8, 1904, his heirs have incorporated the business as the F. M. Gosney transfer company. He was married on Aug. 20, 1857, to Miss Sarah M. Yelton, daughter of Daniel Yelton, an old resident of Campbell county. She died on Jan. 1, 1901. They were the parents of the following children: the first born, a daughter, died
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in infancy ; Thomas W., born Oct. 21, 1859, now lives in Campbell county ; Carrie B., born Dec. 12, 1860, now the wife of Julius Plummer, of Newport ; Louis N., born May 7, 1862, married Miss Libbie, daughter of Robert Grizzel, and is a rectifier and compounder of spirits at New- port; Sarah J., born Sept. 29, 1864, now the wife of M. L. Christian, of Cloverport, Ky .; James H., the subject of this sketch; Edward H., born May 5, 1868, married Miss Anna Walker and is manager of the "Old '76" Distilling Company, of Campbell county; Daniel B., born Feb. 27, 1870, married Miss Lucy Taylor, and is a driver of one of the omnibuses between Newport and Alexandria ; Lambert M., born Oct. 20, 1872, married Miss Lulu Anderson, and is an agent for the New York life insurance company ; Della I., born June 5, 1877, now the wife of Charles T. Lawson, agent for the Metropolitan life insurance company at Newport. Julius Plummer was the sheriff of Campbell county who officiated at the execution of Jackson and Walling, the mur- derers of Miss Pearl Bryan. James H. Gosney was born July 7, 1866; received a common school education, drove the Grant's Lick 'bus for about twelve years; then engaged in the business of merchandizing at Claryville until July, 1900; sold out and again became connected with the 'bus line ; came to Alexandria in October, 1901, and opened a general store as the senior member of the firm of J. H. & R. Gosney, and has been in this business since. He is a member of the Alexandria Lodge of Masons, and Jewel Lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias, in which he holds the office of chancellor commander. He is also a member of the Baptist church. On Oct. 8, 1890, he was married to Miss Emma K., daughter of John H. Byrd, an old resident of Campbell county. She died on Dec. 16, 1899, leaving two children : Clifford B., born Feb. I, 1893, and Anna, born Aug. 4, 1896. Mr. Gosney was married on March 13, 1904, to Miss Merta Jenner, daughter of James Jenner, an old and honored resident of the county.
MARTIN CLAUSE, market master, weigher, and official sealer of weights and measures of Newport, Ky., was born in Allegheny county, Pa., in 1844. His father, John Henry Clause, was a native of Ger- many, born in Hanover about the year 1810. He received a common school education in his native land, learned the trade of baker, and served five years in the German army. While still living in Germany he married and in 1842 came to America, locating in Allegheny county, where his wife died, leaving the following children: Mary, deceased ; Godfrey, deceased; John, now a city employe in Cincinnati; Andrew, deceased ; Henry, an engineer at McDonald, W. Va .; and William, de-
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ceased. He married Sarah Sauer, of Allegheny county, some time after the death of his first wife, and to this marriage there were born five children: David and Aaron are both dead; Sarah is the wife of Wil- liam Latham, of Pawnee, Ill .; Lena is dead, and Martin, who is the oidest of the family, is the subject of this sketch. The family came from Pennsylvania to Dearborn county, Ind., about 1845, where the father followed farming until his death in 1869. The mother died in Newport in 1884. Martin Clause received a limited education in the district schools of Dearborn county. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, Fifth Ohio cavalry, but after about four months' service his father secured his discharge on account of youth. Martin then worked on the farm until the fall of 1864, when he joined a bridge building crew, working for the government, and passed the winter in the South. In 1866 he went to Cincinnati and secured employment in a wood work- ing establishment, remaining in that line of work for twenty-nine years. In 1874 he took up his residence in Newport and has lived in that city ever since. In 1895 he gave up the wood working business, having some time prior to that date become interested in the grocery business, and since then has continued in that line until his election to his present position in 1896. He was elected to this office by the city council and has been annually re-elected ever since first taking the place. Mr. Clause is a member of the Mystic Circle and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1867 he was married to Miss Mary Miller, of Dearborn county who died in 1873, leaving one son, Arthur Edward, now a grocer in Newport. In 1875 Mr. Clause married Mary Eliza- beth, daughter of Edward Biltz, of Newport, and to this marriage there were born four children, William, Florence, Alma and Walter. William is a printer in the Methodist Book Concern of Cincinnati; Florence and Alma are at home, and Walter is a drug clerk in Cincin- nati. In his present position Mr. Clause has fearlessly, impartially and conscientiously discharged his duties and his annual re-election to the office has been in response to a popular demand for one who is both fair and prompt in the enforcement of law.
THOMAS A. ALFORD, a well known farmer, living near Alex- andria, Campbell county, Ky., was born in Hancock county, Ind., in the year 1844. His father, John William Alford, was a native of Lan- cashire, England, where he grew to manhood, received a good education, and learned the trade of iron molder. He was also a fine vocalist and sang in the churches in his early life. Soon after attaining his majority he came to America, locating in Ohio. After a few years he returned to
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England and married Miss Sarah Cooper, and after returning to this country they lived for a time in Hancock county, Ind. Their children were Elizabeth, John Ellis, James H., Richard B., Rebecca, William, Thomas A., Ellen A., Susie, Missouri B., Charles T., Robert, and George. Those living are Elizabeth, wife of William Davis, of Camp- bell county ; James H., of Alexandria ; Richard B., Thomas A., Charles T., Robert and George, all living in Campbell county ; and Ellen A., wife of John Wilson, of San Francisco, Cal. When Thomas A. Alford was about three years of age his parents came to Campbell county and there he grew to manhood, received a common school education and learned the trade of cooper. Later he abandoned this occupation for the life of a farmer and he is today one of the most prosperous in the county, and one of the leading citizens. He takes a deep interest in everything hav- ing a tendency to better the conditions in his county, is well informed, and while not a politician is ready to do his part to secure good govern- ment and good institutions. He was married on Dec. 5, 1867, to Miss Mary Jane, daughter of Joseph Shaw, an old and respected resident of Campbell county, and they have the following children: Matilda Ann, wife of Coleman Moore, living near Alexandria; Edward Osborn, a farmer in Benton county, Ind .; Joseph, also a farmer there ; Thomas W., at home; David, a farmer in Campbell county; Lucy Emily, wife of Edward Droege, of Cincinnati; John William, who lives in Benton county, Ind .; Grover Byron, and Charles Robert, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Alford are both consistent members of the Baptist church.
RICHARD T. PARKER, a well-known farmer, living near Oneonta, Campbell county, Ky., was born in that county, Nov. 16, 1862. He is a son of the late Thomas Parker, a native of the same county, and who spent his entire life there, with the exception of a short time he lived in Illinois. Thomas Parker was a farmer and in his day was one of the best known men in the eastern portion of Campbell county. He was married three times. His first wife was Miss Sallie Parker, of Ohio, and by this union he had the following children: John, who died in childhood ; Sarah Jane, who married William Hartman and died as his wife; Susan, who lives in Alexandria ; George and Joseph, both in Cincinnati ; Louise, deceased ;
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James, a resident of Dayton, Ky .; and Richard T., the subject of this sketch. The mother of these children died in 1875. The second wife was a Mrs. Eckel, who died without issue, and the third wife was Mrs. Hannah Clark, nee Gaskins, of Campbell county. No children were born to this marriage. Thomas Parker died on Sept. 1, 1901, his wife having preceded him to the tomb. Richard T. Parker has always lived in Campbell county. He received a common school education and has followed farming for a livelihood all his active business life. In this vocation he has been measurably successful, owing to his industrious habits and his painstaking way of conducting his farming operations. In 1880 Mr. Parker was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth, daugh- ter of David Truesdell, who was the fourth son of Solomon and Mary Truesdell. His parents left Pennsylvania in 1791, to seek their fortunes in Kentucky, which was at that time an unbroken wilder- ness. On December 22 of that year they landed where the little town of Columbia now stands, in Hamilton county, O., but were driven across to the Kentucky side by the Indians, who, elated by the defeat of General St. Clair, had become very troublesome to the early settlers or those about to settle in, the Ohio Valley. Not far from where the Newport waterworks now stands Solomon Truesdell and another pioneer built a cabin, and it was in this cabin that David Truesdell was born on Oct. 23, 1792. It is said that he was the first white male child born in what is now Campbell county. On Nov. 12, 1820, David Truesdell and Nancy, daughter of Thomas and Sarah Griffey, were united in marriage. She was born Oct. 23, 1800, and died Oct. 23, 1879. To this marriage there were born three sons and three daughters. David Truesdell was stricken with total blindness in 1862, and about five years before his death he became unable to walk. He died on Aug. 18, 1877. He and his wife were consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church. A short time before his death he was asked if he thought he would recognize his four children who had passed away. To this he replied : "No, for when I get to that land of glory, in the fulness of joy, all will be alike to me." His death was calm and peaceful. Mr. and Mrs. Parker are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church and interested in promoting its good works. They have no children.
CHRISTOPHER PFENDER, a farmer living near Alexandria, Ky., was born on March 15, 1846, and is a son of Christopher Frederick and Anna M. (Walter) Pfender, both natives of Wittenburg, Germany, where the father was educated in the local schools and learned the
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tailor's trade, at which he worked for some time before coming to this country. Upon coming to the United States he landed at New Orleans, was there married, and after a short period in that city came to Alex- andria, where he followed the occupation of tailor until his death, with the exception of the time he served in the Federal army during the Civil war. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in Company D, Twenty- third Kentucky infantry, and served until the close of the war, taking part in all the operations in which his command was engaged. His widow is still living in Alexandria. They had eight children, viz .: Christopher, the subject of this sketch; Frederick, a farmer in Kansas ; Caroline, wife of Harvey Hasey, of Columbus, O .; Kate, widow of August Beeilerin, of Covington, Ky. ; Henrietta, residing at Alexandria ; Henry, living at Newport ; Mary, wife of Martin Seimer, of Covington ; and George, deceased. Chris Pfender, as he is familiarly called, grew to manhood in Campbell county, received a common school education, and learned the tailor's trade with his father, but never followed it. In July, 1863, he enlisted in the Union army as a private in Company H, Thirty- seventh Kentucky mounted infantry, and served until the early spring of 1865, when he was discharged, his term of enlistment having expired. He immediately re-enlisted, however, as a member of Company F, One Hundred and Ninety-fifth Ohio volunteer infantry, and served in that organization until the final surrender. Among the engagements in which this regiment took part was the raid on the salt works near Richmond. After the war Mr. Pfender returned to Campbell county and took up the life of a farmer. He now owns one of the best farms in the county, well improved and in a good state of cultivation. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is commander of William T. Sherman Post, No. 102, at Alexandria. Mr. Pfender was married in 1870 to Miss Elizabeth Hartman, a daughter of Henry Hartman, and sister of William Hartman, the postmaster at Alexandria (see sketch). Mr. and Mrs. Pfender have had born to them the following children : Dena, deceased; William, Joseph, and Charles, all living in Campbell county ; George, a grocer in Newport; Mary, Albert, August and Chris., Jr., at home. Both parents are members of the Lutheran church. Chris. Pfender is a fine type of the German-American citizen. Industrious, frugal but not stingy, he has accumulated what he has by his own efforts, relying at all times on his own resources. While he loves the traditions of the "Faderland" he is none the less a loyal American, as may be seen in his record as a soldier, when he fought to preserve the institutions and the destinies of his adopted country.
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GEORGE HENRY MILLER, a farm- er, near Trace, Campbell county, Ky., was born at Shoenan, Germany, Oct. 8, 1829. His father, Christian Miller, was a native of Alsace, now a German province, where he was born in 1787. His oppor- tunities to secure an education were very limited, but he made the best -of such as presented themselves and managed to pick up a fair rudimentary knowledge of the common branches. In early life he learned the trade of blacksmith and locksmith, at which his family had worked for several generations. In 1837, being at the time fifty years old, he came with his family to America and located in Brown county, O., where he pur- chased a farm and followed farming until his death in June, 1845. He was married in 1811 to Miss Barbara Beyder, a native of Germany, who survived her husband for several years, finally entering her rest in October, 1863. Their children were Christian, who died at the age of four years ; Frederick, died at the age of thirty-two; Margaret, now the widow of Wendell Gwiner, of Campbell county ; Barbara, Laura, and Elizabeth, all deceased; George H., the subject of this sketch, and Charles Lewis, now a farmer in Franklin township, Brown county, O. George H. Miller came with his parents to America when he was about eight years of age. He grew to manhood in Brown county, where he received a limited education, which he has improved by general reading and self-culture. Upon reaching his majority he went to Cincinnati, but after about two years there he came to Campbell county and pur- chased the farm adjoining the one upon which he now lives. That was in 1852 and since then Mr. Miller has been closely identified with the development of many of Campbell county's institutions. Although not a politician he was once nominated for representative to the legislature, but was defeated, his party being in the minority. He owns a large tract of land and is one of the fore-handed farmers of the county. In February, 1856, Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Julia Schwartz, a native of Germany, and to this union there have been born eleven children. Elizabeth, Barbara, Christian, Frederika and Julia K. all died in early childhood. Those living are John, a carriage maker in Dayton, Ky .; Henry, at home with his parents ; Charles, also at home ; Eliza, wife of Frank Wiley, of Campbell county ; Frederick, a resident of the sanie county ; and Emna K., now Mrs. Melvin H. Boots. All the
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children have grown up to be useful members of society, the training of their parents being such as to inculcate moral and industrious habits. Mr. Miller and his wife enjoy the full confidence and friend- ship of their neighbors and acquaintances and few men have a higher standing in the business or social life of Campbell county than Mr. Miller.
FRANK SPILLMAN THATCHER, farmer and fruit grower, near Alexan- dria, Ky., was born on the farm where he now resides, April 28, 1856, and has passed his whole life in Campbell county. His father, John Thatcher, was born in the same county, March 14, 1809. Upon reaching man's estate he was married to Miss Margaret Spillman, daughter of one of the old residents. They had six chil- dren, viz .: Daniel, Mary, Henry, Rose, Maria and Frank. Daniel is deceased; Mary died in girlhood; Henry died in early manhood; Rose is the wife of George T. Youtsey, of Newport; Maria is now Mrs. Edward Harmer, of Cold Springs, Campbell county ; and Frank S. is the subject of this sketch and the youngest child of the family. Frank S. Thatcher was educated in the schools of his native county and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life. For the past twenty-five years the production of small fruits has commanded a great deal of his time and attention and in this line he has been quite successful. In more recent years he has given considerable attention to raising and dealing in fine saddle horses, an occupation which he has found both congenial and profitable. Politically Mr. Thatcher is a Democrat of the kind that it is always safe to place in the advance guard. He is a member of Jewel Lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias, at Alex- andria, and is always a welcome attendant at the meetings of the lodge. He was married, in 1882, to Miss Mary E. Grant, of Kenton county, Ky., and five children have come to bless the union, viz .: Mary, Edith, Fannie, Ruth and Jack. All are living except Mary, who died at the age of thirteen years.
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