USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume II > Part 14
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JOHN N. GRIGGS, a well known farmer living near Waverly, Union county, Ky., was born in the neighborhood where he now resides, March 19, 1830, and is a descendant of pioneer families who came from Maryland and North Carolina. His paternal grandfather, Clem Griggs, came from North Carolina in 1820, and settled in Union county, where he died about 1864. His wife, whose maiden name was Mel- vina Hall, died before he came to Ken- tucky. About the same time John and JOHN N. GRIGGS. Martha (Burgher) Culver came from Maryland and located in the same neighborhood. John Culver was a veteran of the war of 1812, and his father-in-law, Nicholas Burgher, served in the American army in the Revolutionary war. Rolin Griggs, a son of Clem Griggs, married Mary Culver, and this couple had nine children, the subject of this sketch being the only one now living. Rolin Griggs was an active Democrat in his day, and was interested in the affairs of the county. His wife was a devoted member of the Baptist church. John N. Griggs was educated in the com- mon schools and has all his life followed 'the vocation of a farmer. Until 1886 he lived within a half mile of the town of Waverly. In that year he bought the farm known as the Milton Young farm, consist- ing of 254 acres, and located four miles from town. In this farm he has one of the best in the county and he takes a com- mendable pride in keeping it up to the standard of the best farms in that section MRS. LAVINIA GRIGGS. of the state. Mr. Griggs is a public spirited citizen, believes in good roads, good government, and takes an interest in political matters. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was married on Aug. 17, 1852, to Miss Lavinia Minton, a native of Henderson county, Ky., and a daughter of Gilford and Nancy (Elliott) Minton, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Maryland. On coming to Kentucky they settled first in Logan and later in Henderson county, where both passed to their rest. Mr. and Mrs. Griggs have had ten children. Three died in infancy ; Alice and
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Nannie died later; and those now living are Martha, Rolin, Paulina, John and Robert.
W. H. COMPTON, a well known farmer near Waverly, Ky., was born in Washington county of the same state, April 15, 1830. He is a son of Benjamin and Margaret (Smith) Compton, both of whom were natives of Washington county, where they were married, at Springfield, in 1832, and shortly afterward removed to Union county. There the father became an extensive farmer and slave owner. He took an active interest in the affairs of the county as a Whig before the war, and after that time he affiliated with the Demo- cratic party. He died in 1877, at the age of seventy-four years, and his wife departed this life in 1882, aged seventy-eight. Both were devout members of the Catholic church. They had five children who grew to maturity, but the subject of this sketch and Mrs. Isabel Rob'- erts are now the only ones living. W. H. Compton was reared on a farm and received his education in the public schools. From his early manhood he has been engaged in farming, in which occupation he has been eminently successful, being now the owner of 1,600 acres of land, all of which has been accumulated by his industry and well-directed efforts. He is an extensive stock raiser. Although a Democrat in his political affiliation he has no desire to join the ranks of the office seekers, notwithstanding he has all the qualifications of a successful official. He wisely prefers the certain returns from a well conducted farm to the precarious emoluments of a political career. The atmos- phere with which he has been surrounded most of his life has given him broad views of both politics and religion, and while he is Demo- crat from principle he is, for the same reason, extremely liberal in his religious views.
JAMES W. HARRIS, one of the largest farmers and land owners of Union county, Ky., and a stockholder in the People's bank, of Uniontown, was born in the county where he now resides, Aug. 4, 1839. His father, William Truman Harris, was born in Nelson county in 1817, and his mother, whose maiden name was Virginia Pratt, was born in Gallatin county, Ky., in 1819. He died in 1860
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and she is now living with the subject of this sketch, at the advanced age of eighty-five years. William T. Harris was a Jackson Democrat in his day and was a magistrate for several years. His father was Benjamin Harris, a native of Maryland, who came to Nelson county at an early day, and in 1825 settled in Union county. He married Innocent Ann Wight of Maryland. The maternal grandfather, James B. Pratt, was a native of the Old Dominion. He served in the war of 1812 and was wounded in the service; was mustered out in 1815; married Louisa Thompson, a native of Virginia, and settled in Gallatin county, Ky., in 1817. In 1828 they came to Union county and there passed their last days. He died in 1856 and she in 1865. Wil- liam T. and Virginia Harris had a family of fourteen children, eight of whom are still living and all are over fifty years of age. Both par- ents were members of the Methodist church and he was a prominent Free Mason. James W. Harris was educated in the public schools and at St. Mary's college. His life work has been that of a farmer and he is one of the most progressive in the county. He owns eight hundred and forty acres of fine land and keeps fully abreast of the times in agricultural progress. Prior to 1896 he was a power in the Democratic party, but since then he has been independent in his political affiliations. He is a member of Morganfield Lodge, No. 66, Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Methodist Episcopal church. His paternal ancestry came from Ireland and his mother's people from Wales. This combination of Welsh and Irish blood has produced some of the best citizenry of the United States. Mr. Harris is no exception. He is strong, self-reliant, with Irish wit and Welsh cour- age, but withal a gentleman whom every one respects for his many sterling qualities.
JAMES THOMAS MARTIN, a farmer and stock raiser, residing near Waverly, Ky., was born in Union county of that state, Aug. 15, 1865. His parents were Lafayette and Jane V. (Austin) Martin, both natives of Union county. Lafayette was the son of John Martin, who settled in Union county some time in the thirties and there reared a family of nine children, all of whom are now deceased. During the Civil war Lafayette Martin served about a year in Captain Barnett's company, in the Confederate service. He was a farmer all his life in Union county, was a stanch Democrat, and he and his wife were both members of the Catholic church. He died in 1868 and his wife, who was a daughter of Thomas A. Austin, mentioned elsewhere in this work, died in 1896, aged fifty-six years. Of their three children James
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Thomas is the only one now living. He was educated in the common schools and brought up to the life of a farmer. At the pres- ent time he has 425 acres of good land, upon which he successfully carries on a general farming business, his specialty being the feeding of hogs for market. Mr. Martin is a Democrat in his political opin- ions, but he is not an active politician. He and his family are mem- bers of the Sacred Heart Catholic church and are liberal supporters of its charitable works. In 1859 he was married to Mary N. Buck- man, daughter of Charles N. Buckman, and they had two children, Joseph and Mary, twins. Joseph died in infancy. Mrs. Martin passed to her rest on April 29, 1890, and in 1899 Mr. Martin was united in marriage to Miss Nettie Bowling, of Davis county, Ky. To this union have been born three children: William Lafayette, deceased; Catherine Gertrude and James Bernard. Mr. Martin is looked upon as one of the most up-to-date farmers in the vicinity of Waverly. As a citizen he has a high standing in the community where he resides as a man of industrious habits, an accommodating disposition, and an unimpeachable integrity. He believes in modern progress, good roads, good schools, and his influence is always on the side of every move- ment for the promotion of the moral and material advancement of his fellow-men.
EDWARD F. ROBERTS (deceased) was born in Breckenridge county, Ky., in the year 1832, and died on his farm near Wa- verly, in Union county, on the last day of January, 1890. He was a son of Edward and Clara (Manning) Roberts, both of whom were native Kentuckians. The father died in Breckenridge county and the mother in Union. Both were members of the Catholic church. Edward F. Rob'- erts received a good education in the pub- lic schools. In 1856 he came to Union county, where he was married in 1860 to Miss Sarah Isabel Compton, a daughter of Benedict Compton, one of the leading citizens. To this union there were born seven chil- dren, all living, viz .: Benjamin, Catherine, John, Mary E., Susan, James and Anna. John married Tillie Clements, daughter of Martin Clements, of Uniontown, and has two children, Pearl C. and Mar- garet Frances; Catharine married Clement M. Hancock, of Hen-
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derson, and has one son, Clyde Edward; Mary E. is the wife of Dudley Phipps, of Carlisle county, and Anna is the wife of James T. Speaks and the mother of one son, Edward Francis. At the time of his death Mr. Roberts was the owner of 190 acres of fine land, which still belongs to his family, and was reckoned one of the well-to-do farmers of Union county. He was a Democrat in politics and took a commendable interest in all matters per- taining to public policy. In church matters he was a devoted mem- ber of the Catholic church, to which Mrs. Roberts still belongs and takes an interest in its good works. In all his dealings with his fellow-men during his life Mr. Roberts was conspicuous for his spirit of fairness and his reputation for truthfulness. It has been said of him that "his word is just as good as his bond," and the good name he transmitted to his children is a prouder inheritance than lands and houses.
JOHN B. CRUZ, a farmer near Waverly, Ky., and a director in the Waverly Coal Mining Company, is of French extraction, his father, Peter J. Cruz, having been a native of France. At the age of seven- teen years the latter came to America, with the monks who had edu- cated him, and located in Washington county, Ky. There he married Matilda Abell and about the year 1815 settled in Union county. In his early life Peter J. Cruz formed a partnership with Richard Spauld- ing and for several years they followed the occupation of trading and flatboating on the river. Upon giving up this vocation Mr. Cruz set- tled down to the life of a planter, became the owner of 700 acres of fine land and a number of slaves. He was always a Democrat in his political views, and both himself and wife were members of the Catholic church. John B. Cruz was born in the county where he now resides on Oct. 21, 1828. He was reared on a farm, educated in the common schools, and his principal occupation through life has been that of a til- ler of the soil. In 1887 he bought a farm of 192 acres, to which he has added until he now owns 365 acres. This farm is well im- proved and is in a fine state of cultivation. Besides his farming interests Mr. Cruz is one of the principal stockholders and one of the directors in the Waverly Coal Mining Company, as already men- tioned. In both political and religious matters he has followed after his father, being a Democrat and a Catholic, to which church his entire family belongs. Mr. Cruz was married in 1852 to Miss Arametta Wathen, daughter of Francis and Rosalie (Clements ) Wathen, old settlers of Union county, where both passed their last
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days. To Mr. and Mrs. Cruz there have been born eleven children : William A. and two daughters, each named Rosalie, are deceased and those living are Peter J., Matilda A., Mary L., Emma D., Susan M.,. John B., Francis W., and Carrie C. All are married except Francis W., who lives at home with his parents. Mr. Cruz is a man of fine business ability. What he has he has made himself, by his industry and intelligent efforts. He enjoys the confidence and esteem of his neighbors and in every way is one of the representative men of his county.
ULYSSES SHERMAN BISHOP, a well known farmer, three and a half miles east of Morganfield, Ky., was born in the county where he now resides on Feb. 8, 1865, his parents being John P. and Rebecca N. (Hawkins) Bishop. Both parents were natives of Jefferson county, Ky., where the father was born on Dec. 22, 1823, and the mother on May 1, 1843. Both grandfathers, Daniel Bishop and Jacob Hawkins, were also natives of that county. John P. Bishop located in Union county, near Morganfield, in 1854, and there followed farming until his death on April 10, 1893. At the time of his death he was one of the well-to-do farmers of the county, be- ing the owner of about 600 acres of land. For a number of years he held the office of justice of the peace. In politics he was a Re- publican and in the stormy days just before the Civil war he was a stanch Union man. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and with his wife belonged to the Christian church. He was twice married, the subject of this sketch being one of the seven children born to the second marriage. By his first wife he had three chil- dren. Ulysses S. Bishop was educated in the common schools, the Caseyville high school, and a commercial college at St. Louis. With the exception of two years he has followed farming ever since he reached manhood. During the two years mentioned he was engaged in mercantile pursuits at Henshaw, a small town in the western part of Union county. He now owns 163 acres where he lives and has one of the best improved farms in the county. Mr. Bishop is a Republican in his political views and takes a laudable interest in all questions pertaining to the public weal. He is a member of
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De Koven Lodge, No. 577, Free and Accepted Masons, and with his family belongs to the Christian church. On June 17, 1891, he was married to Miss Anna, daughter of W. B. Henshaw, whose father, George Henshaw, came from Virginia at an early date and settled in Union county. To this marriage there have been born three children: Catherine R., Robert H., and J. Wesley.
WILLIAM WALLER, a farmer living about four miles west of Morganfield, Union county, Ky., is a native of that county, having been born there Feb. 18, 1828, his father being Aaron Waller, an old resident of the county, of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work. William Waller was reared on his father's farm, assisting in the work of raising the crops during the summer seasons and attending the common schools during the winter months, thus secur- ing a good practical education. Upon arriving at manhood he be- gan life as a farmer and has followed that occupation all his life. Mr. Waller is one of the successful farmers of Union county. He owns 500 acres of good land, well improved and the most of it under cultivation. Politically he is a Democrat and while he takes an interest in public questions it is always more as a citizen than as an office seeker. In 1856 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Muir, the daughter of W. Muir, a native and old resident of Nelson county, Ky., and the year following his marriage lo- cated on the farm where he now resides. Consequently he has been a resident of the neighborhood where he lives for almost half a century, and in that time has been identified with almost every movement to secure better roads, better schools, etc. Mr. and Mrs. Waller are both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South and consistently practice the precepts of their faith in their daily conduct. They are the parents of the following children: William M., a farmer in Union county, living on the old homestead; Aaron, a grain dealer of Henderson, Ky .; Claude, an attorney of Nashville, Tenn .; Jasper, a farmer, living at home with his parents; Mar- garet, wife of Henry Hughes, of Paducah, Ky .; Mary, at home with her parents, and one who died in infancy. All the children who reached maturity are useful members of society, due in a great measure to the Christian teaching of their parents.
GEORGE S. WILSON, a promising young attorney of Sturgis, Ky., is a descendant of some of the most prominent families of Union county. His grandfather, John Wilson, was a native of
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England, but came with his father when sixteen years of age to the United States. After living for a while in New York, Ohio, and Illinois, he settled in Union county about the year 1851 and died there in 1863. He married Matilda Brackett, who died in 1885. Of their ten children six are living. John Wilson was a miner in his early life, but after coming to Kentucky he followed farming as long as he lived. One of his sons, William Wilson, was born in Illinois, Nov. 7, 1839. He received the greater part of his school- ing after the family removed to Union county, and began life as a clerk in a store. Later he was engaged 'in merchandizing at Caseyville, was for a time in the livery business and was also inter- ested in steamboating, having charge of a steamer. He served for four years as deputy sheriff and sheriff of the county, is a promi- nent member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Kelsey Lodge, No. 659, Union Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, No. 54, and Alida Commandery, Knights Templars, No. 21. He and his wife are mem- bers of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, though his father was an Episcopalian. William Wilson was married to Martha A. Col- lins, daughter of Dr. James and Eleanor Ann (Pitman) Collins, both natives of Virginia, and early settlers in Union county. Doctor Collins died in 1867 and his wife in 1883. William and Martha Wil- son are the parents of the following children: Addie Belle, John W., one who died unnamed, James C., Herbert Lee, Emma P., and George S. John W. is deceased. George S. Wilson, the young- est of the family, was born at Caseyville, Union county, Nov. 14, 1876. His elementary education was acquired in the public schools of Union and Henderson counties, and on June 7, 1900, he was graduated from the law department of Cumberland university, at Lebanon, Tenn. Shortly after leaving college he established him- self at Sturgis, where he commenced the practice of his profession. He has already built up a good practice, extending to Union and ad- joining counties, and has a growing clientage. Mr. Wilson is one of the active young Democrats of his section of the state and in 1904 was the candidate of his party for representative to the legis- lature. He has probably inherited some of his love for Democratic principles from his father and grandfather, both of whom were in- flexible supporters of that party's doctrines. . In fraternal circles he is a well known figure, being a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, holding his membership in both orders in the lodges at Sturgis. In 1901 he was married to Miss Virginia L. McGill, of Webster county, and to this union there
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have been born two children: George S. and Henry McGill. Mr. Wilson is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church and his wife is a Baptist.
P. H. WINSTON, of Sturgis, Ky., a prominent member of the Union county bar, is a native of that county. For several genera- tions on both sides his ancestors have been a part of the warp and woof of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. His grandfather, Maj. William Winston, was a native of Hanover county, Va. He came in early manhood to Boone county, Ky., and subsequently became the owner of large tracts of land in Boone, Fleming and Union counties. About 1835 he settled in Union county and there passed the remainder of his days. His wife was a Miss Martha Mosby, also a native of Virginia. She died at Caseyville in 1858, aged seventy-two years. One of their sons was Dr. G. V. Winston, the father of the subject of this sketch. He was born in Henrico county, Va., March 8, 1821; graduated from the medical department of the old Louisville university under the first Doctor Yandell; began practicing at Covington ; later came to Union county, where he continued to practice until 1885; and died on Nov. 24, 1896, aged seventy-five years. In politics he was an unflinching advocate of Democratic principles ; was a man of great public spirit, and was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity. He mar- ried Elizabeth Byers Dix, a daughter of Clarendon Dix, a native of Illinois. Her mother was Amelia Byers, a native of Mason county, Ky., a daughter of Col. James Byers, who was born in Maryland and died in Mississippi. The wife of Colonel Byers was Anna Maria Johnston, a sister of Albert Sidney Johnston, the famous Confederate general who was killed at the battle of Shiloh. Dr. G. V. Winston and his wife were the parents of twelve children. Seven sons and two daughters are still living. One of the sons is P. H. Winston, the subject of this sketch. He was born in Union county, May 13, 1876, and was reared to manhood on a farm. After completing the course in the public schools he took up the study of law and in June, 1900, graduated from the law department of Cumberland uni- versity at Lebanon, Tenn. Immediately after leaving college he estab- lished himself at Sturgis and commenced the practice of his pro- fession. He has already won a high place at the bar and is looked upon as one of the coming lawyers of Kentucky, a state that has produced some of the greatest legal lights of the nation. Mr. Win- ston is an unswerving Democrat in his political opinions and is
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well informed on all public questions. He is a member of Kelsey Lodge, No. 659, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Silver Lodge, No. 68, Knights of Pythias. On Oct. 28, 1903, he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Luttrell, of Hickman, Ky.
Another son of Dr. G. V. Winston is Isaac Dix Winston, M.D., who was born in 1874; educated in the common schools and the Sturgis high school; graduated from the medical department of the University of Nashville in March, 1900, and has since practiced his profession in Sturgis, where he has already established a lucrative practice. He is a member of the same lodge of Knights of Pythias as his brother, and belongs to the Christian church. Politically he is a Democrat.
W. L. MARKWELL, D.D.S., a rising young dentist of Sturgis, Ky., is a native of Union county, having been born near the town where he is now in business, Oct. 7, 1877. His father, Charles W. Markwell, was born in Bullitt county, Ky., but came to Union county when a young man and located on a farm not far from Sturgis. When the town was laid out he erected the first dwelling there and engaged in business as a grain dealer. For some time he was associated with the old Sturgis Milling Company as a buyer of wheat. He married Belle Davis, a daughter of Lewis Davis, who was born in Union county in 1822. Her mother was Lewis N. Whitecotton, a daughter of George N. and Nancy (Young) White- cotton. George N. Whitecotton was born in Prince William county, Va., Oct. 27, 1802, and came to Union county when about twenty years of age. He died July 19, 1889. His wife was born Nov. 10, 1797, and was a daughter of Christopher Young, who spent most of his life in Union county. Lewis Davis, the maternal grandfather of Dr. Markwell, was a son of William and Druzilla (Falkner) Davis, the former born in Fayette county, Ky., June 12, 1791, and the latter born in the same county, Feb. 3, 1793. They settled in Union county soon after their marriage. He died there on July 4, 1862, her death having previously occurred on Aug. 19, 1844. Wil- liam Davis's father was John Davis, who settled in Union county in 1819. Dr. W. L. Markwell received his education in the public schools of Sturgis and in 1903 graduated from the Louisville college of dentistry. Immediately upon leaving college he established an office for the practice of his profession in Sturgis and has built up a lucrative business. As a dentist he has acquired the reputation of being one of the best in the county and his painstaking methods of
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doing his work have won for him the patronage of the best class of people. Like his father before him, he is a Democrat, though he thinks more of his professional duties than of political preferment. In religious matters he has accepted the faith of his honored parents and belongs to the Baptist church.
SAMUEL LEWIS CLEMENTS, a farmer of Union county, Ky., living near Morganfield, is a descendant of some of the oldest families of that county. His grandfather, Edward Henson Clements, came from St. Mary's county, Md., and settled in Union county in 1802. At that time Patrick Clements, the father of Samuel L., was about six years of age, having been born in the year 1796. He grew to manhood in Union county. Upon reaching manhood he became a farmer, the farm he formerly owned now belonging to the sub- ject of this sketch. Patrick Clements received such an education as the schools of that early day afforded, but by self-study he became one of the best informed men in his neighborhood. He was a Demo- crat in his political views and with his family belonged to the Catholic church. He was twice married. His first wife was Christina, daugh- ter of Dr. Bernard Smith. She was born in St. Mary's county, Md., July 24, 1801, and came in childhood with her parents to Union county. She died in 1847, the mother of eight children, two of whom are still living. His second wife was Matilda Hite, also a native of Maryland, and to this marriage were born two children, both living, one being the subject of this sketch. Patrick Clements died on Dec. 15, 1869, and his wife on July 29, 1870. Samuel L. Clements was born April 29, 1852, was reared on the farm, attended the common schools in his boyhood and later the Christian Brothers' school at Dayton, O. Upon arriving at manhood he adopted the life of a farmer and is now the owner of 485 acres of fine land. Like his father, he is a Democrat and a Catholic, and is one of the progress- ive and respected citizens of the community in which he lives. He was married on Feb. 24, 1873, to Miss Catherine Cambron, a daughter of Logan and a granddaughter of Zeph Cambron, a sketch of whose brother, Raphael, appears elsewhere in this work. Her grandmother was a Miss Grundy and her mother a Miss Truman. Samuel and Catherine Clements have had the following children born to them: Lewis P., Annie, Charlie, Logan, Samuel, Gertrude, Mary, Nicholas, and Franklin, living, and two who died in in- fancy.
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