USA > Ohio > Delaware County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 17
USA > Ohio > Morrow County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 17
USA > Ohio > Union County > Memorial record of the counties of Delaware, Union and Morrow, Ohio > Part 17
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W. S. Davis and wife are the parents of
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MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
five children, of whom we offer the follow- ing brief record: Charles V. married Nancy B. Dines and has one son, Raymond; Lydia A. is the wife of Aaron Gabriel and has one daughter, Nellie D .; and Joseph Richard, who is at home. The dead are: Nellie, who died September 13, 1890, at the age of fourteen years; Maude, who died in March, 1888, aged three years.
In politics Mr. Davis is firmly arrayed in the support of the Democratic party and its principles. Mrs. Davis is a devoted mem- ber of the Christian Church. Our subject is a man of marked intelligence and dis- crimination, has been an indefatigable work- er, and has attained not only a high order of success in temporal affairs, but the re- spect and confidence of all who have had the privilege of appreciating his honorable and upright character.
S J. BRODRICK .- The subject of this review is one who is to be in- dividually considered as one of the representative citizens and business men of Union county, and as a representa- tive, in a more abstract sense, of a family whose history has been honorably linked with this section of the Buckeye State for many decades. The genealogy of the family and other points of pertinent order are out- lined in the sketches of our subject's father and brother, appearing elsewhere in this volume, and it is scarcely necessary to again cover the ground in this immediate connec- tion.
Mr. Brodrick is one of the leading busi- ness men of Pottersburg, Allen township, where he is conspicuous as a member of the firm of Brodrick, Spain & Irvine, manufac-
turers of drain tile and paving brick. The enterprise is one which in character of out- put and scope of operations compares favor- ably with any other in this section of the State, and it has been pushed forward to such a point as to render it one of the note- worthy industries of Union county. The plant was established and for some time operated by L. M. Crary & Company, as whose immediate successors the present firm figures. The output of the manufactory is second to none in finish and durability, and the business of the firm will reach an aver- age aggregate of $3,000 each season. The firm are fortunate in their source of supply, securing clay of unexcelled quality, while they have access also to valuable deposits of white clay. The store-houses utilized are 260 feet in length, while the kiln is fifteen feet in the clear and twelve feet in height.
Mr. Brodrick was born on the old home- stead farm, known as the Brodrick farm, in Allen township, April 22, 1856, the son of Isaac and Sarah (Poling) Brodrick, concern- ing whom specific mention is made else- where in this volume. He was one of a family of eleven children, -seven sons and four daughters, and grew up on the farm, as- sisting in the work thereof and attending the district schools. He profited by the educational opportunities which were afford- ed him, finishing his education in the High School of North Lewisburg, Champaign county, Ohio, and was ultimately so far ad- vanced as to be able to teach, which voca- tion he followed for some little time, prov- ing a capable and acceptable instructor. He was a young man of good judgment and early manifested that practical ability which has stood him so well in hand throughout his entire life. For a time he worked at the carpenter's trade, and later on devoted
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DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO.
his attention to wagon and carriage work, at Pottersburg, where he still has a shop.
The marriage of our subject was con- summated February 28, 1877, when he was united to Miss Nancy Irvine, daughter of Leckey and Nancy (Maxwell) Irvine, hon- ored residents of Allen township, this coun- ty, the latter being now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Brodrick have two children, Alpha and Myrtie E., and each one of the little family circle is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In the local organiza- tion our subject has been a most zealous and active worker, having been devoted to the church and Sunday school and being the efficient and earnest superintendent of the latter.
In politics Mr. Brodrick believes that the policies and principles advocated by the Populist party are best intended to conserve the interests of the nation, and he accord- ingly gives his hearty support to that or- ganization, in whose ranks he stands forth as a strong and courageous worker and one of much prominence in a local way. He is a delegate to the Congressional convention of his party this year (1894). Fraternally he is identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, retaining a membership in Darby Lodge, No. 636, of Milford Center.
As a man Mr. Brodrick is genial and courteous and enjoys a marked popularity and that respect which is ever accorded to one who directs his life along the line of un- questionable honor and integrity.
J OHN B. MILLER, of Irwin Station, Union county, Ohio, is distinctively one of the representative farmers of this section of the Buckeye State, and one who holds conspicuous official pre-
ferment as Township Trustee of Union township.
Mr. Miller is a native son of Ohio, hav- ing been born at Rosedale, Madison county, July 20, 1850, the son of James C. Miller, Jr., who is now a resident of Champaign county. The latter was born at Homer, this State, the son of James C. Miller, Sr., who was.a native of the State of New York, where he was born in 1797, coming to Ohio when a young man of seventeen years. He married Zelenda Burnham, and they became the parents of seven children, namely: Harriet, James C., Zelenda, Lyddart, Eliphas, William Harrison and Rebecca. They both passed their declining days on the old homestead in Champaign county, where they died, the father living to attain the venerable age of ninety-four years.
James C. Miller, Jr., father of our sub- ject, was reared and educated in Madison county, where he remained until he attained maturity and where he married Miss Eme- line Burnham, a native of Pike township, that county. She was the daughter of Darius Burnham. The issue of this union was three children, namely: Annette, wife of A. G. Hopkins, of Champaign county; John B., subject of this review; and Frank C., who is also a resident of Union town- ship. James C. Miller, Jr., was engaged at the blacksmithing trade for many years, but eventually turned his attention to farming and stockraising. He has been an honor- able and successful business man, and is held in highest esteem in the community where he lives, at the age of seventy years.
John B. Miller grew to maturity on the farm and assisted in the work incidental to its cultivation. He was afforded excellent educational advantages, attending the pub- lic schools at Irwin Station, and then pur-
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MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
suing a course of study at Antioch College, this State.
In 1890 he took up his residence on his present farmstead, comprising 166 acres, and recognized as one of the finest farms in the township. The place is particularly well adapted to stockraising, as it has sev- eral fine springs and brooks. The family residence is a modern frame structure of pleasing architectural design, erected at a cost of $2,000, while the place is well equipped with excellent barns and other outbuildings.
Mr. Miller was united in marriage in 1871 to Miss Mary E. Hopkins, daughter of George and Sarah Hopkins, and four chil- dren were born to them: Louis B., An- nette M., Harry R., and Pearl. Mrs. Mil- ler was called into eternal rest April 8, 1883, and in 1884 our subject consummated a second marriage, being united to Miss Anna B., a daughter of Michael and Catherine (Hooven) Conner, of Union township.
In politics Mr. Miller exercises his fran- chise in the support of the Republican party, and he has been an active worker in the ranks of that organization. He was elected as Trustee of his township in the present year (1894). He is a man of much intel- lectual force, is well informed upon current events, and is enterprising and progressive in his methods. A man of unimpeachable integrity, he retains the respect and confi- dence of his fellowmen and stands as one of the leading citizens of the community.
J OHN WILLIAMS CROSS, a prom- inent citizen of Ostrander, was born in Union county, January 4, 1859, and is a member of an honored pio- neer family of the Buckeye State. His
great-grandparents, Robert and Naomi Cross, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1812, bringing with them their household goods and two children, -Jane and Daniel. The journey was accomplished on horseback. They settled in Licking county, near Chat- ham, where Mr. Cross engaged in farming and also served as minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church of that neighborhood. Five children were born to them in Licking county: Mack, John, Nelson, Duncan and Ruth.
Daniel Cross, the grandfather of our subject, was married October 7, 1832, to Phobe Howell, the second daughter of Hon. Elias Howell, and to them were born four sons and four daughters: George, Robert, John, Charles, Elizabeth, Sarah, Marietta and Harriet. This family removed from Licking county to Union county in 1857, and located a few miles north of Marysville. Before the removal, however, George Cross had married Margaret Patience Williams, a highly educated lady who grad- uated from the Granville Seminary, April 12, 1855. She was the sixth child in a fam- ily of ten children, and was born August 3, 1833. Theothers were Evan, Thomas, David, Jane, Benjamin, Benjamin, (the second of that name), Mary, Ann and John. Two of the number, Thomas and Benjamin, died in Wales, whence their parents, John and Mary Williams, emigrated to America in 1831. Mr. and Mrs. Cross have the fol- lowing children, namely: David, Daniel, Howell, John, Charles, James, Edward, Anna and Frank.
John W. Cross remained on the home farm until twenty-one years of age, during which time he attended the common schools and spent two years as a student in the high school of Marysville. He then turned his
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attention to teaching, which profession he has followed continuously since with the ex- ception of two years spent as a student in the Northwestern University, at Ada, when he was graduated in the class of 1888. He then came to Ostrander, and has since been Superintendent of the schools at this place. The schools rank among the best in the State for scholarship owing to his able and efficient management. In 1888 he was granted a teacher's life certificate by the Ohio State Board of Education, and in 1890 he was appointed County Examiner of Del- aware county, which position he has since creditably and acceptably filled.
In 1882, Mr. Cross joined the Methodist Episcopal Church of Marysville, but in 1893 withdrew his membership and united with the Presbyterian Church of Ostrander. For four years he served in the Fourteenth regi- ment of the Ohio National Guards, having joined the same only a short time before the regiment was called out for duty at the Cin- cinnati riots. In 1887, he became a mem- ber of Marysville Lodge, Knights of Pythias, with which he is still connected. Mr. Cross is recognized as one of the able educators of the State, and a high testimonial of his abil- ity is his long continued service in Ostran- der.
J OHN W. LOCKWOOD, Raymond's, Ohio, is one of the substantial farm- ers of Liberty township, and a mem- ber of one of the best families, as well as one of the earliest, in the township.
The Lockwoods are of Scotch extraction, and possess to a marked degree the sterling characteristics of their ancestors. John W. Lockwood was born on the old Lockwood
farm, near Newton, or Raymond's, as it is now called, in Liberty township, Union county, Ohio, November 20, 1826. His father, Israel Lockwood, a native of Con- necticut, went with his parents and family to New York State when he was a boy and settled on a farm, and when the war of 1812 came on they moved over into Canada and located near Quebec, where he grew to man- hood. He came to Union county, Ohio, in 1816 and settled in Union township, and about 1821 he came to Liberty township and took up his abode here in the dense forest. He was the third settler in the township, the Carters and Culvers having located there before him. In due time he cleared and developed a fine farm of 226 acres, one of the best farms in all the country round. Israel Lockwood was twice married. By his first wife, nee Marie Mc- Cloud, he had one son, Ed, who died while in the service of his country during the late war. His second marriage was to Angeline Culver, a native of Vermont, and they had ten children, namely: Oliver, John Wesley, one that died in infancy, Amanda, Erastus, George, Melinda Malvina, Harrison, French and Israel. Three of the sons, Oliver, Erastus and Israel, were soldiers in the late war. The father died at the age of fifty- seven years, and the mother at eighty-two. Both were consistent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church, and, politically, he was a Whig. For many years he was one of the most prominent and influential men of the township, well-known by all the early settlers.
John W. Lockwood was reared on his father's frontier farm. His education was received in the log schoolhouse near his home, and later, in the practical school of experience, When he was twenty-three he
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married and settled down to farming on his own account, and subsequently he removed to the farm upon which he has since lived. Here he has 310 acres of choice land, used as a stock and grain farm, and well improv- ed with good buildings, everything conven- iently arranged for carrying on farming operations in the most improved manner. Like his father before him, he has been uni- formly successful.
Mr. Lockwood's first marriage was to Miss Mary Ann Gray, a native of Living- ston county, New York, and a daughter of David Gray, of that State. She died Janu- ary 5, 1866, leaving an only child, Elizabeth Eveline. January 10, 1867, he married Sarah P. Walker, his present companion, who was born in Marlborough, Stark county, Ohio, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Pierce) Walker, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Maryland. Mrs. Walker's father was a cousin of President Franklin Pierce. Her parents were members of the Disciple Church, and by occupation her father was a blacksmith. He died at the age of eighty-two years. Her mother was fifty-seven at the time of death. They had twelve children, two of whom died young, the others being as follows: Mary Jane, Isaac P., Samuel F., Rachel Ann, Eliza- beth, John Henry, Sarah P., Hannah Maria, Curtiss H. and Ellen Malissa. Three of the sons, Isaac P., Samuel F. and Curtiss H. were soldiers in the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood have three children-Willis A., Carl P. and Arthur Wayne. Willis is married and settled in life, and has one child, Wesley Avril. The other two are at home.
Mr. Lockwood is a member of the Free- will Baptist Church, and his political affili- ations are with the Democratic party.
AFAYETTE THOMPSON, one of the respected farmers of Union county, Ohio, was born on the farm in Liberty township, where he now lives, March 21, 1854.
His father, Andrew H. Thompson, de- ceased, was for many years a prominent cit- izen of this township. He was born in Lewis county, Kentucky, October 2, 1810, the son of a gallant soldier of the war of 1812; was reared on a Kentucky farm, and was married in his native State to Harriette R. Thomas, who was born and reared in Lewis county, daughter of George Thomas. Andrew H. Thompson and his wife came to Union county, Ohio, in 1838, and settled in Liberty township, and in 1842 they located on the farm where their son Lafayette now lives. At the time they took up their abode here a few acres of the land had been cleared and a log cabin had been built upon the place. They continued to develop the farm, reared their large family here, and here spent the rest of their lives and died, the mother being sixty at the time of death and the father seventy-eight. They were mem- bers of the Church of Christ, and were peo- ple of the highest integrity of character, hon- ored and esteemed by all who knew them. Of their twelve children, eight reached mna- turity, namely: George T., D. W., Mary L., Rachel A., Napoleon B., Lafayette, Alice J., Cynthia E. Two of the sons, George T. and D. W., served in the Union army during the late war; botli are now res- idents of Kansas.
Lafayette Thompson was reared on his father's farm, and was early taught those lessons of honesty and industry which have forined the foundation of his character. He now owns the old home place and is success- fully carrying on agricultural pursuits. This
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DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO.
farm comprises 200 acres of rich land, is wa- tered by Mill Creek, and is well improved with good buildings, etc. The residence is a two-story one, 24x30 feet, with an L, 16x18 feet, and is located on a beautiful building site. The barn, 40x50 feet, has a basement for stock. And the whole prem- ises have an air of thrift and prosperity.
Mr. Thompson was married at the age of twenty-three to Miss Sarah C. Smith, daugh- ter of George and Hannah Smith. She died in April, 1893, leaving a family of seven children, five sons and two daughters, viz. : Andrew H., Olen B., Cloey E., Bessie S., Charlie L., Robert and Lloyd. In Decem- ber, 1893, Mr. Thompson married Eva L. Shirk, his present companion, daughter of Job and Sarah Shirk, of Paulding county, Ohio. Her mother is now deceased.
Like his honored father, Mr. Thompson is a Republican in his political views, and his religion is that of the Church of Christ, to which church his wife also belongs. Fra- ยท ternally, he is a member of Raymond's Lodge No. 657, K. of P.
J AMES OUSEY, proprietor of a finely appointed livery, feed and sale stable of Delaware, was born in Sussex county, New Jersey, on the 30th of April, 1847, and is a son of Edward and Ann Ousey, the former a native of England and the latter of New Jersey, That worthy couple were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters. The father was a farmer, and followed that occupation throughout his entire life. In 1851 he emi- grated to Ohio, and the following year was joined by his family. During the late war he entered the Union army, serving as one of the boys in blue of the Twentieth Ohio
Infantry. On his return he resumed farm- ing in Delaware county, where he made his home until his death, which occurred April 28, 1888. His widow is now living with her son James.
When Mr. Ousey, of this sketch, was quite young he started out in life for him- self, and has since made his own way in the world. He was first employed as a farm hand, and for his services received only $7 per month. When only sixteen years of age he, too, entered the army, joining the boys in blue of Company K, Second Ohio Artil- lery, with which he continued from January, 1864, until August, 1865, when, the war having closed, he was honorably discharged. His school privileges were quite limited on account of the necessity for him to provide for his own maintenance.
In 1884, Mr. Ousey bought out the livery business of John Sanderson, of Delaware. For twelve years previous, however, he had been engaged in railroading in the employ of what is now known as the Big Four Rail- road company. He continued to carry on his first livery stable for four years, and then embarked in the restaurant business in Delaware, which he continued for two years, meeting with fair success in the undertaking. On the expiration of that period, with the capital he had acquired, he erected his fine livery barn at the corner of North Union and Water streets, at a cost of $5,000. He has probably the finest accommodations along his line in Central Ohio, and is now doing a large and constantly increasing busi- ness, which yields to him a good income.
Mr. Ousey was united in marriage in 1880, with Miss Catherine Leibendenfer, and they have an adopted daughter, Emma. The lady is a member of the German Re- form Church. Mr. Ousey holds member-
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ship with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Whatever success he has achieved in life is due entirely to his own efforts, and is cer- tainly well deserved, for he has led a busy life, working untiringly from early boyhood.
HOMAS REED, an attorney at law, Marysville, Ohio, was born in Darby township, Union county, this State, June 20, 1840, son of William and Elizabeth (Sager) Reed.
His grandfather Reed, also named Will- iam, was born in Armagh, Ireland, in 1733, and when forty-one years of age came to America. During the Revolutionary war he was a member of a Pennsylvania regi- ment and was all through that struggle, be- ing at Valley Forge during the memorable winter recorded in history. After the war he married a Miss Battus, and for his second wife he chose Miss Martha Hinton. His children were as follows: Isaac, Allen, Will- iam, Thomas, Deborah, Rebecca and Mary. He lived to the advanced age of 105 years and four months and his remains are buried at Versailles, Darke county, Ohio.
William Reed, the father of our subject, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in the year 1801, and came with the family to Delaware county, Ohio, in 1811, where he was reared and remained until 1838. That year he came to Union county. He was married in 1825 to Elizabeth Sager, who was born in Loudoun county, Virginia. She came with her parents to Union county, Ohio, when she was nine years old and, with the exception of nine years spent in Dela- ware county, she has since lived in Union county, still on the old home farm, and now being ninety-two years of age. Her father,
George Sager, was born in Virginia and died in Ohio. William Reed died in 1874, at the age of seventy-three years. His whole life was passed on a farm, and financially he was successful. Religiously he was identi- fied with the Christian Church. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, record of whom is as follows. George, a wealthy fariner of Kansas; Margaret, de- ceased; Williamn, a farmer of Woodson county, Kansas; Allen, a farmer of Chero- kee county, Kansas; James, at the old homestead in Union county, Ohio; Thomas, whose name appears at the head of this article; Joseph, a prominent physician of Springfield, Missouri; Elizabeth, of Marys- ville; Lovinia, a resident of Union county, Ohio; and Mary and Susanah, deceased.
Thomas Reed was reared on his father's farm, and received his early education in the district schools. He spent two years as a student in Marysville Academy and one year at Antioch College. At the time the war broke out he was engaged in farming on the old home place. In October, 1863, he enlisted as teamster for service in the Union army, and served six months as wagon mas- ter, returning home April 16, 1864. On the 2d of the following month he re-enlisted, this time in Company H, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Volunteer Infantry, and as wagoner of his company. He was mustered out, with the rank of sergeant, August 31, 1 864. During his service he was twice wounded in the right leg, from the effects of which he suffered greatly for years, and finally, in 1884, had his limb amputated.
After the war Mr. Reed went to Iroquois county, Illinois, where he improved 160 acres of wild land, and where he remained two years. In 1869, he moved to Wilson county, Kansas, and took claim to 160
6
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DELAWARE, UNION AND MORROW COUNTIES, OHIO.
acres of government land. There he set- tled down to farming, and resided sixteen years, after which he spent six years in Woodson county, Kansas. Next, we find him in Denver, Colorado. In March, 1890, after one year spent at Denver, he returned to his native county and located at Marys- ville. Up to this time he had been engaged in farming and stock raising. In May, 1890, he entered the office of J. M. Kennedy, at- torney at law, and began the study of law, and in March, 1894, was admitted to the bar. He has since been engaged in the practice of this profession, and thus far has met with success. Naturally quick in thought and forcible in speech, he is well adapted for the legal profession. Politi- cally, he is a Populist. He stumped the State of Kansas four years with Major Mor- rill and others, and in Union county he is the leader of the Populist party. He is identified with the G. A. R.
Mr. Reed is a man of family. He was married January 6, 1860, to Miss Susan Shirk, who died in 1887, leaving five child- ren, namely: Orintha, wife of F. M. John- son, Denver, Colorado; Flora B., wife of Alva Traxwell, Denver. Josephine, wife of H. Cruze, Denver, Orras, a stone mason and bricklayer of Denver; and May, wife of Grant Asbury, Butler county, Kansas.
0 C. FAY, one of the leading physi- cians and surgeons of Ostrander, was born in Union county, near Plain City, Ohio, August 10, 1843, a son of Ben A. and Hester (Robinson) Fay, the former born near Burlington, Vermont, and the latter in Indiana. The paternal grandfather of our subject was David Fay.
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