USA > Ohio > Clark County > Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States > Part 26
USA > Ohio > Greene County > Portrait and biographical album of Greene and Clark counties, Ohio, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county; together with portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States > Part 26
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 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118
R EV. JAMES GILLESPY CARSON. A
service of over twenty years in the See- ond United Presbyterian Church, of Xenia, has made this faithful minister well known to most of the people of this locality. He came to Xenia in November, 1869, as pastor of his present charge, and during the years which have elapsed has, by his devotion to duty, been the means of greatly increasing the numbers and influence of the church. Not only is he held in high esteem by his own immediate people, but by the community at large. In the fall of 1873 he was elected Pro- fessor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology, occu- pying the Chair for fifteen years, and until the spring of 1888, when, finding his duties too many, he resigned his Professorship, and now simply gives his labors to his ordinary church work.
The subject of this notice was born near Marys- ville, Blount County, Tenn., February 11, 1833, and is the son of Rev. David and Jane Walker (Gillespy) Carson, who were natives respectively of Franklin County, Pa., and Blount County, Tenn. The Rev. David Carson was, at an early age, graduated from Jefferson College, and then continued his studies under Dr. John M. Mason, of the Associate Reformed Church, for three years. Subsequently he studied under Dr. Joseph Banks, of Philadelphia, and who was also of the Associate Church. He then assumed charge of a church near Marysville, where he remained nine years. Then, in 1833, he was selected Professor of the Associate Presbyterian Seminary, at Cannonsburg, Pa., and which was later removed to Xenia.
The father of our subject came North in June,
242
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
1834, and died September 25, following, before en- tering upon the duties of his professorship. The parental family consisted of three children: Dr. David Walker Carson, of Burgettstown, Pa .; James Gillespy, of this notice; and Ellen J., who died in May, 1858, at the age of twenty-three years. The paternal grandfather, David Carson, emigrated from Ireland, it is believed, as early as 1775, and settled at Greencastle, Pa., where he followed his trade of a tailor. His wife bore the maiden name of Jane Oliver; she was a granddaughter of Rev. James Fisher, author of Fisher's Catechism, and the great-granddaughter of Ebenezer Erskine, one of the founders of the United Presbyterian Church.
Grandfather Carson reared several sons, the eldest being William, a merchant of Chillicothe, Ohio; Thomas, who was Speaker of the Pennsyl- vania Senate; and James O., who rose to the dig- nity of Judge, and resided in Mercersburg, Pa. One daughter died unmarried. On the maternal side, Grandfather James Gillespy was born in Au- gusta County, Va., in 1772, and about 1780, re- moved with his parents to Tennessee, where he became a prominent farmer and politician, and served in the Tennessee General Assembly. Ilis family consisted of four sons, who all became prominent men, and one daughter, Jane Walker, who became the mother of our subject. Tlic maiden name of his wife was Elinor Cowan. Grand- mother Gillespy had an aunt, Jenny Cowan, wlio was captured by the Shawnee Indians, in Tennes- see, and conveyed by them to Old Chillicothe, now Oldtown, Greene County, where she was assisted to escape by an Indian chief, who sent her across Lake Erie on the ice to Detroit, whence she was taken to Pittsburg and from there down the river to Maysville, being returned to her home after an absence of seven years. Her husband was killed at the time of her capture, but she secured his sea!p, which had been taken by the Indians, and carried it in her bosom. Subsequently she was again mar- ried, and captured a second time by the Cherokee Indians, with whom she remained two years, in Georgia. Then, her neighbors having captured some of the tribe, an exchange was made and her release secured.
The subject of this sketch was reared in Can-
nonsburg, Pa., and completed his education in Jef- ferson College, being graduated with the degree of A. B., in the class of 1849. Afterward he fol- lowed the profession of teaching for about three years, principally in Hookstown Academy, until the summer of 1852, when he entered the seminary of Cannonsburg, from which he was graduated in the spring of 1855, just prior to the removal of that institution to Xenia.
Mr. Carson was married October 1, 1856, to Miss Mary Houston Clarkson, daughter of Rev. Thomas B. Clarkson, of Mercersburgh, Pa., and grand- daughter of Rev. James Clarkson, of Gurnston, Pa. After marriage he settled in South Buffalo, Pa., where he remained from the fall of 1856 until the spring of 1867. Thence he removed to Can- monsburg, remaining until the fall of that year and then took up his residence in Xenia.
During the progress of the Civil War Mr. Car- son was connected with the Christian Commission, stationed at Romney, Va. The following spring he went to Knoxville, Tenn. He is an able and eloquent divine, a close student and an extensive reader, and brings to the duties of his calling a large experience and an extended observation of human kind and its needs. To him and his esti- mable wife there have been born no children.
Elsewhere in this volume may be found a litho- graphic portrait of Rev. Mr. Carson.
ENIAH F. ST. JOHN. There is unques- tionably a certain dignity attached to the man who maintains his residence upon the spot where he was born. Mr. St. John first opened his eyes to the light under the roof where he now resides, June 27, 1842. His parents were among the earliest settlers of Cæsar's Creek Town- ship, Greene County, they being Daniel W. and Eliza (Bone) St. John, the former of whom was born in 1805 near Lebanon, this State.
The father of our subject was reared to manhood in his native township and after his marriage lo- cated in Cæsar's Creek Township, this county, where he had secured one hundred and twelve
243
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
acres of new land. He was more than ordinarily prosperous as a tiller of the soil and invested his eapital in additional land, beeoming owner of four other farms and his possessions finally aggregating five hundred and thirty acres. In the spring of 1864 he left the old farm and located on one hun- dred and sixty acres of land near the city of Xenia. He was a very enterprising and progressive spirited man and was among the first breeders of Short- horn cattle in this seetion of country. He put up a briek residenee in Cæsar's Creek Township in 1841, one of the first structures of the kind in the township and which is now oceupied by his son, our subjeet.
Daniel W. St. Jolin was a man of devoted piety, a prominent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, filling many of its offiees and officiating as Class-Leader for many years. At an early date he beeame a life member of the Missionary Associa. tion and was a liberal giver to all worthy objeets. During the existenec of the old Whig party he was one of its stanehest adherents but upon its abandon - ment he allied himself with the Republicans. He departed this life at the old home in Xenia Town- ship in February, 1872. His father, Jolin St. John, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a na- tive of Vermont, whenee he emigrated to Warren County, Ohio, about 1800. Subsequently he served in the War of 1812. He was married and reared a large family of children and made for himself the record of an honest man and a good eitizen. The St. John family is of French descent and was first represented in America probably during the Colonial days.
The subject of this notice remained under the parental roof during the years of his early youth and manhood and until after the outbreak of the Civil War. He finally coneluded that it was his duty to assist in the preservation of the Union and accordingly enlisted October 18, 1861, in Company A, Seventy-fourth Ohio Infantry. He first went with his regiment to Columbus, and participated in many important battles, being at Ft. Henry, Neal's Bend, Nashville, (November 2, 1862) Stone River, Hoover's Leap, Tullahoma and Dry Gap, Ga. He was also at Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Tunnell Hill, Dalton, Resaca, Dallas Gap, Pine Mountain,
Peach Tree Creek, Chattahoochie, Atlanta, Jones- boro, Savannalı, Bentonville, Goldsboro and Ra- leigh. Althoughi experieneing many hair breadth eseapes he was never wounded or captured and never failed to report for duty. He enlisted as a private and was mustered out as Orderly Sergeant which rank he had held about four months. He had the satisfaction of witnessing and participating in the Grand Review at Washington and then going to Louisville, Ky., was given an honorable discharge, July 10, 1865. His first term of enlist- ment expired December 31, 1863, when he veter- anized and re-entered the ranks.
Upon leaving the army Mr. St. John returned to his old home and engaged in farming. In the spring of 1866 he took up his residence at the old homestead where he has since lived. He is now the owner of one hundred and threc well-tilled acres and makes a specialty of eattle and swine. He has been an active Republican all his life. In the spring of 1887 he was elected Township Trus- tee and in the spring of 1890 was re-elected by an increased majority.
Mr. St. John contracted matrimonial ties August 23, 1866, being wedded to Miss Mary E. Hook. This lady was born near Xenia, April 26, 1843, to Louis and Minerva (Lloyd) Hook, who were like- wise natives of Xenia Township and the father a farmer by ocenpation. Charles Hook, an unele of Mrs. St. John, is represented on another page in this work. Her mother was a daughter of John Lloyd who married Sophia O. Wright. They were both natives of Virginia and eame to this county in their youth with their respective parents. Mr. Lloyd engaged in farming and became well-to-do. He was born in Dinwiddie County, Va., May 28, 1785, and died at his home south of the city of Xenia, April 23, 1872. His wife survived him a year. Grandfather Lloyd served in the War of 1812. He was the son of Rev. Lewis Lloyd, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church who settled first in Sussex County, Va., and thence in 1805 eame to the young State of Ohio, locating in this eounty. John Lloyd was an active and de- voted Christian and labored as he had opportunity to further the Master's cause.
Mrs. St. John was the third in a family of two
244
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
sons and three daughters, and by her union with our subject became the mother of nine children. These were named respectively, Clarence S., Lewis E., Walter C., Mary E., Amy E., Robert E., (de- ceased), James G., Julia, Maude and Clara L. Mr. and Mrs. St. Johns are leading members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
OHN W. MANOR is a contractor and builder at Xenia, with shops located at No. 24, East Second Street, and having a com- fortable and attractive home at No. 126. Having followed his trade of a carpenter and builder here for a number of years, during which time he worked on some of the prominent buildings of the city, he was known to be a master of his business, when he began contracting. He has therefore es- tablished a thorough reputation for the reliable workmanship and honorable fulfillment of con- tracts, and built up a good trade.
Mr. Manor was born near Winchester, Frederick County, Va., August 24, 1824. His father, Ben . jamin Manor, who was born in Buckley County, of the Old Dominion, married Catherine Marsh, and resided in Buckley and Frederick Counties until 1828. He then came to Greene County, driving all the way, bringing with him a family which at that time included eight sons and three daughters. Xenia then had a population of perhaps one thous- and souls, and other parts of the county differed proportionately from their present condition. The parents located on Main Street, but on March 1, 1829, removed to a farm on the Dayton Pike; the place was supplied with a log house and a barn, and some clearing had been done upon it. It was improved by its new owner, who made it his home during the remainder of his life, his death taking place in 1860, at the age of seventy years and ten months. His farm comprised two hundred acres, and had been placed in such a condition as to rank among the best in this part of the county. Mr. Manor was a man of prominence in the com- munity in which he lived, For three years he was
Director of the Infirmary. He belonged to the Whig party in his early life, and was one of the first to be classed as a Republican. He was a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church. His widow survived until May 14, 1874, when she elosed her eyes to earthly things. They had reared a family of twelve children, eight of whom lived to mature years.
The gentleman with whose name we introduce this sketch completed his education in Xenia, and in this place learned his trade, beginning work for himself upon reaching man's estate. Ile followed his trade until 1859, when he returned to his father's home and took charge of the farm. HE remained there two years, and was then reappointed Superintendent of the Infirmary, a position that he held until the spring of 1869, his reappointment each succeeding year speaking well for his efficiency. He then came again to Xenia, and worked at his trade until 1871, when he began contracting, since which time he has made that a specialty.
In 1871 Mr. Manor was elected an Infirmary Director, and held that office three years. In 1884 lie was again elected to the position, which he still holds, being now- the oldest director on the board, of which he is the clerk. In 1855, he served as Township Assessor. He is a prominent member of the Republican party, having for two years been a member and Chairman of the County Central Committee, and during the past year Chairman also of the Executive Committee. He is identi- fied with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, being a member both of the Subordinate Lodge and of the Encampment. He belongs to the Re- formed Church, and is highly spoken of by the peo- ple among whom his lot is cast, his long residence having given them abundant opportunities to test his worth.
On June 12, 1844, the interesting ceremony was performed that gave Mr. Manor a wife and Miss Margaret A. Scott a husband. The bride was born in Beaver Creek Township, this county, De- cember 27, 1824, and grew to maturity in Xenia, where she obtained a good education and acquired those excellent principles and useful habits so need- ful to make a happy home and to properly rear a family, Her father, James A. Scott, a native of
245
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
Pennsylvania, settled in this county in 1814, re- turning the following fall to his native State for his marriage to Miss Elizabeth Shannon. He made his home in Beaver Creek Township until 1827, when he removed to Xenia, making that his home until his death. He and his faithful companion died in 1881, the husband breathing his last Au- gust 12, and the wife October 24. Mr. Scott served as Sheriff during two terms of eight years, was County Auditor two years, was Justice of the Peace for some time; and was a Representative in the Legislature for two terms about 1840. For many years thereafter he was retained in the office of County Recorder, during a long period of years being prominent as an official, and a private citizen.
A fine family of nine children has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Manor, all still living in the enjoy- ment of good health, the youngest having now reached the age of twenty-four years. The fam- ily is somewhat scattered-David T., now living at Hartford City, Ind .; William A., at New Albany, Ind .; Samuel H., at Xenia; Asbury L., in Hart- ford City, Ind .; Kate, who is the wife of Henry C. Bankard, in Xenia Township; Nettie, remaining with her parents; Benjamin L., making his home at Connorsville, Ind .; James S., in Chicago, Ill .; and John E., at Xenia, where he is station oper- ator.
OSHUA M. JACKSON, a leading farmer in Xenia Township, Greene County, is tilling one hundred and forty acres of choice land, where he has a comfortable home and in a community whose people hold him in the highest repect. He was born November 17, 1829, in Cedar- ville Township, and is a son of Hon. Robert Jack- son, a native of Eastern Ohio; the latter was born in 1798, and when reaching man's estate was married to Miss Minerva J. Eddy. The mother of our subject was a native of Warren County, Ohio, where she was reared and married.
The parents of our subject, after their marriage settled at once in Cedarville Township, this county, where they lived until 1858. Then selling out they changed their residence to Xenia, where
they sojourned until 1870. Then they removed to a farm in Xenia Township, where the father died about 1878. The mother died in Yellow Springs village, in 1884. The household circle in- elnded twelve children, seven sons and five daugh . ters, five of whom died in infancy.
Mr. Jackson was the fourth child of his parents, and was reared in Cedarville Township, Greene County, living there also about two years after his marriage. He then settled on the farm which he now owns and occupies. He was wedded at the bride's home, in Xenia Township, November 17, 1852, to Miss Mary M., daughter of Alexander and Eleanor (Fitzgerald) Goudy, who were na- tives of Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Gondy were reared and married in their native State, whence they came to this county and settled in Xenia Township, where they spent the remainder of their days. Mr. Goudy died in August, 1872, and his excellent wife in 1846. They were the parents of eight children, three sons and five daughters, of whom Mrs. Jackson was next to the youngest. She was born July 9, 1830, and of her union with our subject there have been born five children, viz .: Robert A., Charles C., Joshua C., Joseph E. and Mary. Robert died when an interesting youth of sixteen years; Charles C., who possesses more than ordinary business ability and energy, started out at an early age on his own account and is now in the banking business at Osborn, holding a fine position among his fellow citizens, socially and financially; Joshua C. is farming in Xenia Town- ship; Joseph E. is in the mercantile business at Xenia.
Mr. Jackson has held some of the school offices, and in politics is a sound Republican. Both hc and his estimable wife are members, in good stand- ing, of the United Presbyterian Church. During the Civil War, Mr. Jackson entered the Union Army, enlisting in May, 1864, in Company F, One hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry, serving with the one hundred days' men. Notwith- standing he escaped some of the harder experien- ces of army life, he suffered exposure to such an extent that his health was greatly impaired.
HIon. Robert Jackson, the father of our subject, was one of the leading men of this county. Prior
246
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
to the war he was Brigadier-General of the Greene County Militia. He at one time represented the county in the State Legislature, and for nine years was one of the County Commissioners. He was looked upon as one of the most liberal and publie-spirited men of his time.
Alexander Goudy, the father of Mrs. Jackson, served as a soldier in the War of 1812. He fur- nished a fine example of honor and morality, was possessed of more than ordinary intelligence and a man looked up to in his community. Both the Jackson and Goudy families oeeupy no unimpor- tant position in the history of the county.
W ILLIAM MARQUART, M. D., a native of Clark County, now residing in Spring- field, has a high reputation not only as a skillful and eminently suceessful physician, but also as an able business man and finaneier. He may be aceorded a place among the leading agricul- turists of this part of Ohio, as among other valu- able property he owns an entire section of land, and even more, which is improved and divided into well-appointed farms.
Our subject is of Frenel deseent on the paternal side. His father, Peter Marquart, was born near Carlisle, Pa., a son of Philip Marquart, who was also a native of the Keystone State. His father was a native of France, and came to this country in Colonial times, and spent the remainder of his life in Pennsylvania. The grandfather of our sub- ject was a carpenter, and plied his trade in his na- tive State till 1800, and in that year moving to Virginia, carried on his ealling in Botetourt County till about 1812, when he again made a move, and accompanied by his wife and seven chil- dren started on a tedious journey to the wilds of Ohio. His wife rode all the way in a two wheeled chaise, and a four horse team and a two horse team conveyed the other members of the family and the household goods to their destination. Mr. Marquart bought a tract of timber and wild prairie land in Greene Township, on the head- waters of Muddy Run, and made his home there
until his demise in 1837. He was an industrious, active man, of good liabits, and consequently pros- pered, but in an unfortunate hour he went seeur- ity for some friends, and lost all his property. His wife, a native of Pennsylvania, whose maiden name was Mary Leffler, spent her last days on the home farm in Greene Township.
The father of our subject learned the earpen- ter's trade of his father, in Virginia, and after he came to this county with his parents, in company with his father, he erected the most of the fine buildings in the western part of the county. Two years after his marriage he bought a tract of land in Pike Township, and built a log house thereon, the same in which our subject was born. After that he was employed at liis trade but little, de- voting his time to clearing his land and improving a farm. At that time lumber was comparatively valueless, and he rolled many fine walnut logs into a heap and burned them. In the years of labor that followed his settlement he wrought a great change in his land, and at the time of his death had many aeres cleared and under good cultivation, and had other- wise greatly increased the value of his homestead. The mother of our subjeet was a native of Clarke County, Bethel Township the place of her birthi. Her maiden name was Margaret Minnieh, and slie was a daughter of Michael Minnieh, a native of Virginia. His father was born in the provine of Alsace, Germany, and coming to this country in Colonial times, settled in Virginia, and there passed the remainder of his life. The Doctor's mna- ternal grandfather was reared in Virginia, and went from there to Ohio, in 1810, and settled in that part of Champaign County now included in Clarke County. He bought land on the banks of Mad River, in Bethel Township, improving a farm, whereon he lived till death claimed him. The maiden name of his wife was Leah Sinz. She was born in Virginia, was of German antecedents and spent her last years on the home farm in Betliel. The Doctor's mother died at her home in Pike Township. The following are the four children born of her marriage: Michael, Philip, William and Milton.
Dr. Marquart received his early education in the pioneer schools of his native county, which were
247
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
conducted on the subscription plan. He was an apt seholar, and by close application to his books he beeamc well-grounded in the ordinary studies of the day, and at the youthful age of sixteen commenced teaching. He carefully saved his money with a view of obtaining a higher eduea- tion, and at the age of eigliteen entered Witten- burg College. For two years he was a close student at that institution, and then turning his attention to the study of medicine, while teaching, he earned enough money to pay his way at the Cincinnati Medieal College, where he pursued a fine course of study, and later entered the Cleveland Medieal College, from which he was graduated with lionors. He had a very tempting offer to enter upon his practice with an old physician in Muneie, Ind., but after consulting his friends he decided to es- tablish himself in the town of Northampton, in his native township, where he at onee began a sueeess- ful eareer in his profession. He practiced there many years, and sueh was his repute for skill and an exeeptionally good knowledge of medicine, that he was in great demand far and wide beyond the limits of that and adjoining townships. He al- ways manifested a great interest in agriculture, and finally removed to his farm in Bethel, wliose management he superintended, besides looking after his other two valuable farms. He subse- quently removed to Springfield, that his children might have the benefit of the city sehools. He afterward returned to his homestead, and lived there till Mareh, 1889, when he once more took up his residence in Springfield, and is still a citizen of that city.
To the lady who presides over his attractive home Dr. Marquart was united in marriage in 1853. Mrs. Marquart's maiden name was Martha J. Layton. She is a devoted wife and mother, looking earefully after the interests of her house- hold, and she is a kind and true friend to all who come under her influenee. Of her pleasant wedded life the following five children have been born: Oscar M., a successful physician, practieing his profession in Osborn, Greene County; Alice; Ella, the wife of George A. Beard, an attorney; William and Florence.
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.