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 29
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 29
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The parents of our subject were Robert and Hannah Bryson, natives of Pennsylvania and sup- posed to be of Seoteli-Irish ancestry. The parental household consisted of eight children.
AMES C. STEWART. The farming com- munity of Xenia Township, recognizes in Mr. Stewart one of its leading representa- tives in point of honesty, reliability, and good citizenship. At present he occupies forty acres, where he has a snug home and is surrounded by all the comforts of life. He is of Southern an- tecedents, a native of York County, S. C., and was born July 29, 1814. He is thus approaching the seventy-sixth year of his age, and has had a large experience of life, and without making any great stir in the world, has fulfilled his duty as an hon- est man and a good citizen, and earned the confi. dence and estecm of those around him.
The immediate progenitors of Mr. Stewart were Robert M. and Elizabeth (McElroy) Stewart, like- wise natives of South Carolina, and the father was a soldier in the War of 1812. After laying aside his musket, lie resumed his farming pursuits, to which he had been reared from boyhood, remain- ing in his native State until 1818. He then came to this county and settled four miles east of the present site of Xenia, where he spent the remainder of liis days, dying March 6, 1867, at the age of
seventy-nine years. The wife and mother had passed away prior to this time, at the age of sixty- five. Their six children were named respectively :. Violet, Jennie, James C., William B., Samuel M., and Margaret. Three of these are living.
The paternal grandfather of our subject was Will- iam Stewart, a Revolutionary soldier, who was born in the city of Glasgow, Scotland, and who came to America during the Colonial days, when a young man of twenty years. He settled first in Pennsyl- vania, and later removed to South Carolina. He was married to a sister of Patrick Calhoun, who was the father of John C. Calhoun, and there were born to them two sons and seven daughters. Up to the election of Van Buren, he supported the Demo- cratic party, but at that time he became a Whig, and later a Republican. He was in the early days a slaveholder. He died in 1830, at the advanced age of ninety-one years. He traced his ancestry to the royal Stuarts of Scotland. The family was first represented in this country by three brothers, the younger of whom was named William, and from whom it is supposed the forefathers of our subject descended.
The subject of this sketeli obtained liis educa- tion in the common schools of this county, to which he was brought when a lad of four years. After leaving school, he occupied himself as a teacher for twelve years, beginning at the age of nineteen. Aside from this he followed farming pursuits all his life. In 1863 he settled on his present place, and has become one of the old landmarks whose name will be held in kindly remembranec long af- ter he has departed hence. He was first married in November, 1836, to Rebecca, daughter of David and Elizabeth Hopping, of Ohio, and there was born to thein one child, a son, James, who was graduated from Miami University, and during the Civil War enlisted in the Union service as a inem- ber of the Ninety fourth Ohio Infantry; he died in the army a year later. Mrs. Rebecca Stewart died at her home in Xenia Township, in May, 1838. Mr. Stewart was then married to Miss La- vina J. Brewster, who traced her ancestry to the Plymouth Colony; her parents were Samuel and Mary (Dinwiddie) Brewster, who spent their last years in Sugar Creek and Xenia Townships.
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Mr. Brewster oeeupied himself as a farmer, and was one of the earliest pioneers of this county. Of the second marriage of Mr. Stewart there were born four children : Mary E., the wife of M. W. Sears, of Dayton; Joanna, Mrs. Ira Townsley, of Iowa; Ilenrietta G., wife of the Rev. R. E. Lackey, of Pennsylvania; and Mattie R., who is at home. Mr. Stewart has for many years been a member of the United Presbyterian Church. In addition to the homestead where he resides. he owns one hundred and sixty aeres of land in Ringgold County, Iowa. His great-grandfather was banished from Scotland on account of his religious views.
RS. MARY E. BALL, wife of Cyrus M. Ball, is one of the most energetie and ambitious little women in Clark County. Being possessed of ample means, she has employed them in making her home beautiful, and has had ereeted for herself and husband the largest and finest briek mansion to be found in the Buckeye State outside of its large cities. Mrs. Ball, having been reared in the country, prefers to live amid the beauties of nature and where she ean give free rein to her artistie desires and enjoy to the full the unrivaled paintings done by the Great Master. She hopes to spend many pleasant hours in the studio which is being made a feature of the new home, being herself an artist and finding one of her chief enjoyments in depieting upon canvas the beauty which is present to her mind. She was known in her maidenhood as Miss Mary E. Linson and is a native of Madison County, in which her grandparents were early pioneers and large land- owners. They were George and Elizabeth (Hut- cenpellar) Linson. Her father, John Linson, married Nancy, daughter of David and Mary (Gray) Stroup.
In her early life Mrs. Ball received every advan . tage of education and training which the means, good breeding and fine position of the family af- forded, and her eultured mind, fine manners, and worth of character are a result to be admired. She has no children, but her home is brightened by the presence of her two sisters. Her husband being
ineapaeitated from physical exertion by paralysis, she has oversight of their temporal affairs and ably conducts them. Mr. Ball owns eleven hundred aeres of land in this vieinity, the most of it being fine farming land.
Mr. Ball represents two excellent families which have been known in this eounty for many years. His father, Eulass Ball, was a graduate of Lexing- ton Medieal College and, loeating at Clifton, was one of the pioneer physicians of this county. Ile afterward removed to South Charleston and en- gaged in the mereantile business, buying his goods in Philadelphia and hauling them by teams from Cineinnati. While in business in South Charleston he was married to Miss Margaret, daughter of Mungo Murray of Scotland. Mr. Murray, one of the earliest settlers of this eounty, was the owner of a large amount of land, among which is the es- tate occupied by our subjeet, which fell to the daughter Margaret at her father's death when she was but eighteen years old. A niee frame house was built in 1837 on the ground now occupied by the present mansion. This gave place in 1868 to a fine brick structure, which in its turn was torn down to make room for the present one. The site is one of the finest, being slightly elevated above the pike leading from South Charleston to Spring- field, and overlooking the beautiful valley of the Little Miami River, which stretches away to the northeast. Cyrus M. Ball was married, January 15, 1878, to his present wife.
The mansion which was begun in April, 1889, and which when completed will represent a cost of about $35,000, deserves special mention in this work, as it is without doubt the largest and finest farm house in the State, if not in the United States, and will stand as a monument to the builders for many years. The walnut, ehierry, white oak, and other woods used as finishing lumber, have been cut from the premises of Mr. Ball. No convenienee to to be had in any eity will be omitted from this elegant dwelling, which will be furnished with hot and cold water throughout, lighted by gas which ean be ignited by electricity, supplied with eleetrie eall bells, and connected by telephone with South Charleston, one and a half miles distant. In addi- tion to the numerous fireplaces throughout the
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building, it will be heated by two large furnaces, caeh of which will take a stiek of wood five feet long. Fourteen radiating pipes from each eonvey the heat to any part of the building desired. Eael floor is abundantly supplied with lavatories, cle- gantly finished in marble and brass mountings.
Ineluding the basement, the building is four stories high, the dimensions being ninety-nine feet in width from northi to south, and one hundred and ten feet long. A porel from nine to fourteen feet wide and one hundred and thirty feet long, enireles the front, the roof being supported by fifty- five turned and carved pillars. This veranda being about five feet above the ground makes a charming promenade overlooking the road and the Miami Valley. The basement floor will be used for kitehen, dining-room, laundry, dairy, eellar, and furnace room. A tramway from the rear of the building to the furnaces and eellar will earry ma- terial which can then be distributed by means of an elevator to any of the upper floors. On the first floor will be found the parlors, library, sitting- room, reception room, private sitting-room and bed room, conservatory, main dining-room and hall. So roomy is the mansion that on this floor a wagon drawn by two horses could be driven from the hall through the parlor, dining-room and sitting-room and ample room afforded in the hall to pass another team. From the private sitting-room on the north, Mr. Ball ean have a full view of the road in front and the barns and other outbuildings in the rear. The conservatory is 16x18 feet, with a glass dome eighteen feet in diameter and is separated from the dining room by a partition through whose erystal purity guests ean see the tropical plants which will adorn it. The opposite side of the dining-room will be furnished with a large mirrored sideboard, which will refleet the beauty to those whose baeks are toward the conservatory, and give the impres- sion that the latter is duplicated.
The second floor is given up to sleeping rooms which are large, light and airy. Each is finished in a different wood, on which may be seen some handsome carving done by the architeet and builders. The rooms all open from a large and well-lighted hall, and immediately in front a turret swell affords place for a eozy little sewing-room,
overlooking the road north and south for miles. On the third floor will be a large hall for dancing or other soeial use, and the art room, which is es- peeially adapted for its purpose, being finished in white and lighted by many large and low windows. The antique room is prepared for the collections of relies, and on this floor will also be found the store room for supplies, the tank room and a num- ber of others.
MOS SEITZ, senior partner of the firm of A. & J. Seitz, who own and operate the Tremont City Mill, in Clark County, was born December 21, 1842. His father, An- drew Seitz, was a native of Pennsylvania, and of German ancestry. He married Mary Circle, a na- tive of Virginia and also of German deseent. About 1830 he eame to Clark County, about ten years later moving into Tremont City and becoming owner of an old mill which stood where the new mill now stands. He eondueted it as a gristmill, sawmill and distillery, continuing in business in Tremont City many years. He departed this life some years since, but his wife still survives at her former home.
The Tremont City Mill was erceted by the father of the present proprietors in 1859, and is a frame building four stories in height. It was put up as a gristmill, but in Deeember, 1889, was refitted with a full roller process of the Centrifugal System. The machinery was manufactured by Barnard & Leas of Moline, Ill., and eost about $1,700. The eapaeity is now thirty barrels in twenty-four hours, and beside their custom work the Messrs. Seitz do considerable merehant work, manufacturing two special brands-the Centrifugal and the Fancy Family, the former being the better brand. The power used is an overshot water-wheel built of wood and supplied from a millraee connected with Chapman's Creek. During a part of the dry season, when water becomes scarce, they are obliged to use an engine put in in the fall of 1889. It was manu- factured by Russell & Co., of Massillon, and has a capacity of forty horse-power. Two millers and one teamster are employed. The flour which is not
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ground for eustom work is mostly sold to Spring- field bakers, though grocers also share the product to some extent.
The subject of this sketch was reared to man- hood in this his native county, a portion of his time being spent on a farm, but the greater part of it in a mill. The common sehools of the county afforded him good fundamental instruetion and developed in him the love of knowledge which has impelled him to add to the limited advantages of his early years much information gleaned from papers, books, and his fellow men. - IIe is there- fore well-informed on topies of general interest, especially in those matters which rclate to his chosen work. He is elassed among the leading business men of Tremont City and is looked upon as a worthy representative of a pioneer family. Ilis political adherence is given to the Demoeratie party, and his religious faith is that expressed by the ereed of the German Reformed Church.
In Miss Dora B., daughter of David Martin, of Tremont City, Mr. Seitz discerned many pleasing qualities such as led him to desire her for his eom- panion in the journey of life. His regard being reciprocated they were united in marriage Mareh 11, 1880. Their happy union has been blessed by the birth of three children: Charles E., Mattie B., and Emma E., who form a bright and interesting group around the family fireside.
OEL SWIGART. This upright man, relia- ble citizen and prosperous farmer has grown up in the locality in which he lives and where his father and grandfather were early settlers. He is the fourth ehild born to Michael and Sarah (Nave) Swigart, whose family comprised eight children. The others were Elizabeth, the wife of William Huston, who died leaving five ehil- dren: Barbara, wife of Arehibald Huston, and the mother of fourteen ehildren, both she and her hus- band being now dead; Martha, who married Basil Orey, and both are now deceased, having left two children; David, who died unmarried; Michael,
who lives in Sugar Creek Township, Greene County ; Sarah, now deceased, who was the wife of William Tobias, and the mother of two children ; Solomon, who also lives in Sugar Creek Township.
The father of this family was born in Pennsyl. vania, and was the son of Peter Swigart, a native of Saxony, Germany, who came to America during the Revolution as a Hessian soldier. After the struggle elosed Peter Swigart settled in Somerset County, Pa., marrying an American woman who bore him six children. The father of our subjeet was the eldest ehild and accompanied his father to this State in 1811, their loeation being in Beaver Creek Township, Greene County, where the elder Swigart died in 1839. He had taken a lieavily timbered farm from the United States Government when the township had very few white settlers, the maternal grandfather of our subjeet having also been a pioneer there, whence he had come from Maryland. A year after he came to this State Michael Swigart removed into Sugar Crcek Town- ship, settling on the farm now owned by his son Michael, and accumulating an estate of six hundred and fifty-two aeres, prior to his death in 1865. The farm upon which he located was entirely raw land, and he and his sons cleared it and broke the virgin soil. Both the parents of our subjeet were men- bers of the German Lutheran Church, in which the father was an Elder for many years. He took an active interest in politics and affiliated with the Whig party. The death of his wife took place in 1833.
The gentleman of whom we write was born on November 18, 1820, on the farm now occupied by his brother, Michael Swigart. His sehool privileges were limited to an attendance of three months a year at a subscription school in a log sehoolhouse, the people being very poor during his boyhood. He well remembers seeing Indians in this locality and wild beasts in goodly numbers. Whenever the mother wished to call her boys into the house she would go to the door and ery "Indians," when the lads would rush pell-mell to their home.
Our subjeet was a strong, robust boy, and dur- ing his youth was obliged to do a large amount of heavy work. He gave his serviees to his father, working steadily for him until he was twenty-two
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years of age, when he married and was given ninety-eiglit and threc-fourth acres of land on see- tion 33, where his days sinee then have been spent. The only improvement upon the land was a small log eabin, but in 1858, he built a substantial resi- dence at a eost of about $1,500, while various other improvements have been made by him, all such as befit the estate of an enterprising and prosperous farmer. By his personal efforts twenty-five aeres of the land was eleared, and the remainder he had put in proper condition for tillage and now sixty acres are under the plow. He subsequently added to his real estate a tract of eighty acres, one-half inile north of the home farm. Until he was fifty years of age Mr. Swigart was a hard worker, but at that time he began to feel the strain of his previ- ous arduous toils and he has since remained some- what broken down in health.
In Miss Margaret Hedtleson, of Beaver Creek Township, Mr. Swigart found united the qualities which he thought desirable in a companion and helpmate, and after a sueeessful wooing she beeame his wife January 12, 1843. Her parents, John and Eva (Smeltzer) Hedtleson, are natives of Maryland and were early settlers in the township in which their daughter was born September 24, 1824, and in which she grew to womanhood. After having. shared her husband's joys and sorrows for nearly thirty years, she breathed her last in 1872, leaving behind her a memory to which her husband has ever been faithful. The fruit of this happy union was five children, all of whom are now deceased except the first-born. The survivor is Sarah Jane, whose natal day was August 31, 1844, and who married Thomas Haverstiek, a native of Xenia, and is yet living with her father on the farm on which she was born. The date of her marriage was De- eember 10, 1872, the union being a childless one. The deccased children of Mr. Swigart, are Eliza- beth Ann, who died in infancy; Mary Catherine, who died at the age of twenty-four years; Elmira, wife of John D. Fink, who died in January, 1887, without offspring; and Ida Belle, who died at the age of twelve years.
Mr. Swigart has taken an active interest in polit- eal affairs and has always been a Republican, al- though in the local elections he votes for the man
and not the party. His fellow-eitizens recognize the deep interest he has in educational affairs and the faithful manner in which he discharges the du- ties of an official and have retained him as a mem- ber of the School Board in District No. 2, sixteen years. He is a member of the German Reformed Church in which he has held the office of Elder and of which his deceased wife was also a member. The respeet of his fellow-citizens has ever been his and he can look baek over a well spent life and enjoy the pleasure that comes from a remembrance of duties well performed.
J. BROWN. Among the business estab- lishments of Springfield, none are more de- serving of patronage on account of the excellent stoek found therein, the honorable methods employed, and the enterprise manifested by the proprietor. than the drug-store of the gen- tleman above named. Mr. Brown has been a resi- dent of Springfield for a number of years, and has beeome quite well-known both as a business man and as a eitizen whose character entitles him to the hearty respect of all who know him. He is thor- oughly acquainted with the business of a pharma- eist, in which he has had the best of instruction, and an extended experienee.
Among the early settlers in Pennsylvania, was Grandfather Brown, a man of English descent, and of the Presbyterian faith, who numbered among his family a son James. This son was born in Uniontown, November 4, 1806, and became a practical druggist. He married Sarah J., daughter of John Sessford, one of the oldest inhabitants of Washington, D. C. In 1836 the young couple re- moved from the capital city to Hillsboro, Higlı; land County, Ohio, where they spent many years. The husband breathed his last at Washington Court House, Fayette County, May 8, 1881, his widow surviving until February 23, 1885. To them were born six sons and four daughters, the subject of this sketeh being the third son. The father fol- lowed the example set by liis forefathers, and be- longed to the Presbyterian Church, in which he
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was a Deacon many years. The maternal ancestors were of the Episcopalian belief.
The gentleman whose name stands at the head of this sketeh, was born in Hillsboro, Highland County, October 9, 1839, and passed his school days in his native place, attending the publie seliools and Hillsboro Academy. After completing his studies, he entered his father's drug-store, where he learned the nature and use of drugs and their com- pounding. When the Civil War broke out, he felt so strong a desire to assist in the preservation of the Union, that he abandoned his work and enlisted in 1861.
The name of Mr. Brown was placed upon the muster roll of Company A, Sixtieth Ohio Infantry, and upon the organization of the company, he was made Orderly Sergeant. He was soon afterward promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major, and after ward to that of Acting Adjutant of the regiment. On the expiration of his first term of service, he re. enlisted as a member of the Twenty-fourth Ohio Bat- tery of Light Artillery, in which he was made First Lieutenant,and served three years. During his army life he took part in the battles at Cross Keys, Har- risonburg, Port Republie and Harper's Ferry, at the latter place being taken prisoner by the enemy. Ilis captivity did not last long, however, as he was soon exchanged. The generals commanding the forces with which he fonght, were Milroy, Sehenck, Fremont, Pratt and Shaler. After the surrender of Gen. Lee, in May, 1865, he was honorably dis- charged, and returning to his home, resumed the occupation in which he had previously been en- gaged.
Mr. Brown remained in Hillsboro until 1876, hc having sustained a heavy loss by having his drug- store destroyed by fire in 1875. In May of the next year he came to Springfield, and purchasing a drug stock of Dr. J. R. Squire & Co., embarked in the business here, which he has continued from that date. He still occupies the same stand, earry- ing a full line of drugs, medieines, oils, glass and fancy articles. On June 18, 1872, he led to the hymeneal altar Miss Ella Bowers, of Hillsboro. She is a daughter of William T. and Mary (Kin- ley) Bowers, was born in Cincinnati, and is not only intelligent and well-bred, but is a fine speci-
men of Christian womanhood. She has borne our subject one son, George. The entire family eirele are consistent members of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Brown has for some time served as Trustec. He has been a mem- ber of the church since 1853, having become a Christian at the carly age of twelve years.
ACOB MITZEL. In a county which con- tains so large a number of thoroughly com- petent farmers and stock-raisers as does Clark County it would be almost im possi- ble to determine who deserves pre-eminenee over all others. But it is a comparatively easy task to select in each township some men who represent the class to which they belong, in its best elements of worldly activities and .npright character. One of these is to be found in Jacob Mitzel, who resides in German Township, near Tremont City, and whose life it is our purpose to briefly reeord.
Our subjeet is the seventh child in a large family of whom the following members survive: Elizabeth, widow of Benjamin Stump, York County, Pa .; Catherine, whose home is in the same county ; Frederick, of Dauphin County, Pa .; Christie A., Scranton, Pa .; Jacob; Lydia, whose home is in York County, Pa .; Emanuel, of Tremont City, Ohio; and Amos, York County, Pa. Their parents were Jacob and Catherine (Flintchbaugh) Mitzel, both of whom were natives of the Keystone State.
In York County, Pa., February 26, 1831, the eyes of our subject opened to the light. His edu- cational advantages were somewhat meagre, there being no free schools in the seetion in which he was reared, but in the subseription sehools he ae- quired a good fundamental edueation to which he has largely added by reading and observation. His home was on a farm until eighteen years of age, when he began to learn the trade of a mason and bricklayer, at which he served an apprenticeship of three years. He then worked as a journeyman for a short time, after which for many years he
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