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 44
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 44
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good man's home. Of their union there have been born four children, only two of whom are living: Sarah Jane is the wife of John E. Johnson, and the inother of five children; they live in Yorkville, this State. John A. married Miss Catherine Poorman ; they have three children, and are living on Gen. Keifer's farm in Green Township.
Mr. Weller cast his first Presidential vote for William Henry Harrison, but from that time to this has always maintained his allegiance to the Demo- cratic party. He is a Lutheran by baptism, and was carefully trained by his honored parents in the doctrines of this Church. For eighteen years he has served as Supervisor of Green Township, and for many years has officiated as School Director in his district. He has also been Township Trustee. His farm embraces one hundred and fifty-nine and one-half acres, all of which he has brought to a pro- ductive condition, and which yields bountifully the rich products of the Buckeye State. No man in his community is held in higher respect than honest John Weller, and no lady has been a more devoted wife and helpmate, or a kinder or more careful mother than his estimable partner. Their names will be held in kindly remembrance long after they have been gathered to their fathers. A portrait of Mr. Weller is shown on another page in this work.
OHIN BALDWIN belongs to the agricultural class of Clark County, which has been his home since he was an infant four years old. He was born near Oldtown, Greene County, August 23, 1823, was reared on a farm and has made farming his life work. His parents, David Baldwin and Ellender McLanghlin, were born in Virginia and came to Ohio while still single. They were married in Greene County, subsequently re- moving to Clark County, and are now deceased. The present home of their son John is eight miles south of Springfield, Madison Township, where he has been located twenty-nine years. His estate comprises one hundred acres of fine land which is furnished with adequate improvements of various kinds, including every needful arrange-
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ment in the way of farm building, fruit ete. The land is carefully and intelligently tilled, and brings in an ineome which more than meets the wants of the family.
The wife of our subject was known in girlhood as Miss Jane McQuality. She is a daughter of Wil- liam McQuality, who bestowed upon her the best advantages which the scetion afforded in acquiring information, and the home training which fitted her for the duties which have devolved upon her since mature years. Her marriage rites were celebrated November 5, 1848, and her union has resulted in the birth of three children. The first-born is Florence, now the wife of Samuel Justus Buffen- berger who owns and occupies a fine farin near that of our subject; they have one child, Warren Kiefer. William R. a young married man without family, lives with his parents and carries on the farm. Eliza died at the age of six years, six months and sixteen days.
Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin hold memberships in the Methodist Church at Selma, the relatives gener- ally being connected with that denomination. The families on each side have supported the Whig and later the Republican party, and actively par- ticipated in upholding the Union during the late Civil War. Both our subject and his wife are re- speeted members of society and well deserve a rep- resentation in a volume of this kind.
The father of Mrs. Baldwin was in many respects a very remarkable man. He came from Maryland with his father, Owen McQuality, before the State of Ohio was organized, settling near Chillieotlic, where Grandfather MeQuality met his death by being crushed by a tree which he had cut down. The family included five children, William being the first born. James reared a family at Jackson; Peter, a shoemaker of Brookville, Ind., also reared a family ; Sarah married Isaiah Holloway and with her family lived near Selma; and Mrs. Manly Mad- den who resides with her family in California. Mr. and Mrs. Madden had two sons and a son-in- law killed in battle during the late war.
After living a bachelor for many years, Wil- liam McQuality married Miss Sarah Rodabaugh, who was of the Pennsylvania Dutch stoek. They had a large family, thirteen children being living
when the mother was called hence. A few years after her death Mr. McQuality married Miss Eliza- beth Enniphies, who also bore him a large family, four of whom are yet living. Mr. McQuality died in 1883; his widow now resides in Illinois. Dur- ing the Mexican War, Cooper MeQuality, a son of William was killed in battle and his body was never recovered. The father also sent three sons into the Union Army, all being with Sherman on his march to the sea, as also were their cousins. The names of the union soldiers were James, Albert and Howard, who entered the service from Illinois. The first named was an invalid for many years and finally died from the effects of his army life.
OSEPH W. HEBBLE, Secretary of the People's Building & Loan Association, be- came a resident of Xenia in 1883, and is identified with its business interests. He is a native of this county, and was born in Fairfield December 5, 1843. His father, Henry E. Hebble, a native of Lancaster County, Pa., was born March 12, 1808. Ile there grew to man's estate, and was married to Miss Kramer. He had learned the carpenter's trade, and he also ran as an engineer on one of the first locomotives in Southern Penn- sylvania, when the railroad was owned by the State, who employed engines and ears which were the property of a company. Engines then were built without cabs.
Mr. Hebble the father of our subjeet, was on the railroad three years, and later turned his attention to building both houses and bridges, and superin- tended the construction of the solid bridge aeross the Susquehanna at Columbia, Lancaster County, Pa. The exposure to which he was subjected on the railroad, being thus without shelter, under- mined his health, from the effects of which he suf- fered nearly all his life. He came to this county in 1841, and oceupied himself as a bridge builder and contractor until his death, in March, 1884. The mother is still living and makes her home in Dayton; she is now quite aged, having been born in November, 1810, and she is, as was her hus-
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band, a native of Lancaster County, Pa. They reared a family of ten children, all of whom are living and residents of Greene and Montgomery Counties. The youngest is thirty-seven years old.
The brothers and sisters of our subject are lo- cated as follows: Benjamin F. is a resident of Greene County; Mary A., Mrs. Casady, lives in Xenia; Amanda makes her home in Dayton; Will- iam H. lives in Osborn, Greene County; Louise, also a resident of Dayton; Joseph W. was the sixth child; Zebulon T. resides in Fairfield; Isaiah, G. L. and Charles L. make their home in the city of Dayton. The parents were members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the father of our subject during his later years was a strong Republican.
Mr. Hebble spent his early years on a farm, re- maining a resident of his native township until 1880. He learned carpentering and bridge-build- ing of his father, and later officiated as a teacher, becoming Principal of the Fairfield School, which position he held three years. He was similarly oceupied in Bellbrook two years, and thence re- moved to Yellow Springs, where he sojourned a year and a half. For five years he was- Deputy Clerk of the Common Pleas Court from 1883 to 1888, and was one of the early members of the Building & Loan Association. In 1888 he was elected Secretary, and re-elected the two years following. The Association under his manage- ment has been placed upon a sound footing finan- nancially, and its business has been quadrupled, it having now about four hundred depositors, the deposits averaging $800 per week. This Associa- tion is of great assistance and encouragement to the working people.
The subject of this notice was married January 16, 1873, to Miss Fanny Hamma, of Yellow Springs. Mrs. Hebble was born January 17, 1845, and is the daughter of Adam Hamma, who has been a resident of this county for over fifty years. Her mother bore the maiden name of Katie Barton, and was also the offspring of a pioneer family of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Hamma are now living near Yellow Springs. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Hebble, one of whom, a
daughter, Kittie, died February 27, 1889, at the age of ten years. The survivors are Roy and Mary Ada. The family residence is pleasantly lo- eated, and is the frequent resort of the eultured people of the city, among whom Mr. and Mrs. Ilebble have found many friends.
After the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Heb- ble, when twenty years old, enlisted as a Union soldier in Company K, One Hundred and Fifty- fourth Infantry, which was assigned to the Army of the Potomae. They went to Virginia, traversed the Potomae and Cumberland Valleys, and Mr. Hebble endured the hardships of army life until the close of the war. Two of his brothers also served in the Union ranks -- Z. T., in the Tenth Ohio Battery, and W. H., in the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Infantry.
AMES M. WILSON, of Bath Township, Greene County, bears the distinetion of having been one of the youngest soldiers of the Union Army during the late Civil War. He is now one of the most prominent and sueeess- ful farmers in the country, and makes a specialty of fine horses, being a great lover of the equine raee, and possessing rare judgment in determining their qualities. He makes his headquarters at a well-regulated farm of one hundred and sixty and one-half aeres on seetion 27.
Mr. Wilson is of excellent antecedents, being the son of William H. Wilson, who was born in Bath Township, Greene County, October 24, 1823. The paternal grandfather, Isaae Wilson, was a native of Redstone, Pa., whenee his parents removed down the Ohio River and settled in Clark County, Ky. The great-grandfather, Jacob Wilson, lived there on a farm until 1802, then with his family of twelve ehildren eame to Ohio, and located on a traet of Government land in Bath Township, where he spent the remainder of his life. Two of his sons served in the War of 1812.
Grandfather Wilson was a boy of ten years when he came with his father's family to Greene County, and being orphaned when quite young, was thrown
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upon his own resources, and in company with his brother operated the home farm until buying land for himself. In connection with farming he also operated a distillery, and engaged quite extensively in stock-raising. He was prospered, and finally became the owner of about twelve hundred aeres, leaving at his death an estate valued at $80,000. Hc departed this life April 10, 1860. Politically, lie was first a Whig and then a Republican.
Grandfather Wilson and his good wife reared a family of eleven children. The maiden name of the latter was Mary A. Coffield; she was born near Cincinnati, and they were married January 2, 1823. Her father, Arthur Coffield, was a native of Ireland, and a Protestant in religion. He emi- grated to Ohio at an early day, and first followed his trade of a weaver, but finally went to the home of his son in Greene County, where lie spent the closing years of his life. Grandmother Wilson died in 1882, in the faith of the Reformed Church.
William H. Wilson was the eldest child of his parents, and was reared to farming pursuits, which he chose for his life vocation. He operated one of his father's farms, and at the latter's death became the possessor of one of these comprising one lun- dred and fifty-five aeres, and lying near Fairfield, the same upon which James M. now resides. Later he purchased thirty-four acres adjoining, and he operated this land until 1862. Then on account of failing health he retired from active labor, remov- ing to Fairfield, where he now resides. He is a sound Republican, politically, and since 1847 has been an Elder and a Deacon in the Reformed Church.
The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Sarah Mitman. She was born in Little York, Pa., and was the daughter of Jacob Mitman, a native of York, Pa., and a farmer by occupation. He came to Ohio in the early days, and purchased land which subsequently was familiarly known as tlie Mitman farm. He spent his last days in Bath Township, dying at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Batdorf. Mrs. Sarah (Mitnian) Wilson departed this life at, her home in Fairfield, July 21, 1880. There were only three children: Mary, Mrs. Shuey, of Bath Township; Cassius M., a resident of Fairfield; and James M., our subject. Cassius
served in the Union Army from the fall of 1864 until the close of the war, participating in the same battles as his brother, our subject.
Mr. Wilson, of this sketch, was born at the farm which he now occupies, January 10, 1849. He at- tended the district school of his neighborhood until thirteen years old, and then, in 1862, removed to Fairfield with the family, and completed a practi- cal education. In the meantime, during the Civil War, when only fourteen years old, he enlisted, November 3, 1863, in the Eighth Ohio Independ- ent Battery, and was mustered into service at Todd's Barracks (named in honor of Gov. Todd), at Columbus. He was the youngest soldier of his company, with whom he went South to Vicksburg. He was engaged in garrison duty and in various raids, and at one time was badly injured by a horse falling against him.
Mr. Wilson participated in many important bat- tles of the war, being at Jackson, Miss., on the Big Black, joining in the expedition up the Yazoo River, and was at the battle of Yazoo City. He had in charge most of the exchanged prisoners while being taken from Jackson to Vicksburg, and who subsequently lost their lives by the explosion of the ill- fated steamer, "Sultana," on the Missis- sippi River. He served faithfully until the close of the war, and was mustered out by general order August 11, 1865, at Camp Denison.
This army veteran, then only a little past the sixteenth year of his age, again took up his studies, attending the High Schools at Fairfield, and in 1867 entered Heidelberg University, at Tiffin." After an attendance of two years, his health being greatly impaired, he abandoned his books and en- gaged in farming, renting land of his father. He was successful in his labors as a tiller of the soil, and in 1877 made arrangements to purchase a homestead. He subsequently added to it, and is now the owner of a little over one hundred and sixty acres. He has effected most of the improve- ments upon it, and in 1886 put up a fine frame residence, which is beautifully located, as is indeed the whole farm. The barns and outbuildings are convenient, modern structures, amply adapted to the requirements of farm life. Mr. Wilson raises grain and stock, but makes a specialty of fine
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horses. Ile has a number of valuable brood marcs, considered the best in the township, and of Nor- man stock.
In February, 1869, Mr. Wilson was joincd in wedlock with Miss Clarissa R., daughter of Samuel and Mary (Miller) Grindle. Mrs. Wilson was born October 7, 1849, in Grant County, Ind., but was reared by her maternal uncle, Paul Petro. She re- ceived a good education, and followed the pro- fession of a teacher until her marriage. Her uncle, Petro, was one of the carliest pioneers of Greene County, where he followed farming successfully and became well-to-do. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are the parents of three bright children-Bertha A., Effie S. and Grace L. Mr. Wilson is a stanch Re- publican, politically, but has no desire for the cares and responsibilities of office. He belongs to thic Reformed Church, with which he became identified in 1868, and to which he has contributed a liberal support. He was Deacon for many years, and is now an Elder. He is the Past Grand of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Fairfield, and be- longs to Steele Post, No. 613, G. A. R., at the same placc.
ANIEL BRANDLE. . The recently de- ceased Daniel Brandle was born in Dauphin County, Pa., January 11, 1809. His father, John C. Brandle, a native of Germany, em- igrated to America at the age of nineteen years, settling in Pennsylvania, this being at the begin- ning of the present century. The son of whom we write followed shoemaking for a time and for many years he was engaged in carpenter's work, being a general mechanic. He came to Ohio in early life and in this section of the State was well known as one of the early workers at the carpen- ter's bench. About 1845 he settled upon a farm in Moorefield Township, Clark County, where he resided until his death, September 18, 1889.
Mr. Brandle was well known as a man of strict honor and integrity and secured the esteem and confidence of all who knew him. His death was therefore mourned by a wide circle of friends, while to the family in which he had ever been a kind and
loving husband and father, the loss cannot be esti- mated. He had served his fellow-men as Constable and School Director, performing the duties of those offices in a manner creditable alike to himself and those who liad placed him in public position. In politics he was a sturdy Republican. He belonged to the Methodist Protestant Church at Pleasant Hill and had officiated as Class-Leader for many .ycars. He was one of the first to advocate the establishment of the society in Moorefield Town- ship, and always took an active interest in church affairs.
The widow of Mr. Brandle is now occupying the homestead on section 27, of the township before named, owning fifty acres of the farm on which so many years of her wedded life were spent. She bore the maiden name of Mary Hargadine and is a native of this county in which she was born De- cember 28, 1815. She grew to maturity here, at- tending the subscription schools which were held during her youth and acquiring as thorough an edu- cation as possible with the facilities then afforded. On October 29, 1835, she became the wife of our subject, to whom slic was a loving and faithful companion until his death. The marriage cere- mony was performed by the Rev. Mr. Henkle, a noted pioncer preacher of this county. The golden wed- ding anniversary was celebrated in 1885, by a large circle of friends and relatives. Like her deceased husband Mrs. Brandle belongs to the Methodist Protestant Church and is highly regarded for her upright life and womanly virtues. She is the mother of six children, the first-born, John W., being deceased. Elizabeth is the wife of Samuel Hunter, of Springfield; Sarah is the wife of Joseph Norman of the same city ; Angeline, of Springfield ; Mary A. is the wife of IIenry Beard, of Champaign County ; Lena yet remains with her mother.
The parents of Mrs. Brandle were William and Elizabeth (Griffin) Hargadine, natives of Maryland, who came to Ohio prior to the War of 1812, in which the father participated. Hc made a perma- nent settlement in Moorefield Township, Clark County, when Indians and wild animals were still plentiful herc, and like all settlers upon the frontier endured many hardships and privations. He was one of the early constables of this part of tlie
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county and was an excellent representative of the class of men who opened the way for civilization in the great Northwestern Territory. He attended school after he was married, in that way securing tlic education which made him successful in life. To him and his wife eight children were born, of whom the only survivors arc Mrs. Brandle, and Matilda, wife of Levi Hoak, of Springfield. The deecased children are: Thomas, Elizabeth, Char- lotte, Harrict and John.
W ILLIAM C. KELLEY, an old settler of Clark County, has lived for over seventy ycars on the farm which he now owns and which was his birthplace. The estate occupies a part of section 6, Green Township, and although not so large as many, it is much more attractive than somnc, on account of its perfect order and thorough im- provement. The fifty-seven acres which comprise it are divided into fields by the neatest of fences, and no unhinged gates, broken panels or loosened boards arc allowed to remain here. The residence which is now occupied by those members of the family who are still at home, is cozy and well built, and was erccted in 1875. Mr. Kelley is of Scotch lineage, having in his veins the blood of one of the oldest and most honored families of the ancient kingdom, and can proudly claim connection witlı patriotic citizens of America who have suffered in support of liberty.
The grandparents of our subject were James and Catherine(Stuart) Kelley, who upon cmigrating from Scotland to America settled in Virginia. During the Revolutionary War, Mr. Kelley took up arms against the tyrannical rule of the House of Hano- ver, and suffered severely by being badly frozen. Grandfather Kelley spent a perilous night during the Revolutionary war, and came near freczing, as he and other comrades had crossed a stream in a small boat and in some way he was left without means of re-crossing,and it being very cold he marked out a place between two oak trees to parade so as to keep from freezing, and lic became so fatigucd
at times that he would almost succumb, but fear of freezing kept him going. Thus the night was spent. In the morning he discovered a prostrate hollow tree and in this were dry leaves, and Grand- father Kelley threw in some powder and fired into it and by this means soon had a rousing fire and shortly parties from camp found him and took him across safely to camp. After the war he removed to Kentucky, and still later came to Ohio, where he remained until his death. He bought a farm four and a half miles south of Springfield and continued the agricultural labors of his life. His son, Joseplı, was born in Virginia and taken to Kentucky when quite small. There he married Miss May Dutter- row, a native of the Blue Grass State and of Ger- man descent. Upon the breaking out of the War of 1812, Joseph Kellcy joined a Kentucky regiment, serving until the close of the struggle. His family, in the meantime, had taken up their residence north of the Ohio River, and after the war he followed them to this State, coming on horseback from Ken- tucky to Springfield. In this place he was offered two blocks on Main and Limestone Streets for the horse he was riding, but replied that he would not give the horse for the whole town.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kelley settled near the Full- ston Farm, but after remaining there a time came to the place now owned by their son, the subject of this sketch. The country was heavily timbered and many hardships were endured while it was being cleared and made productive. A log house
with a mud chimney was the primitive dwelling in which the family was sheltered and all bore a part in the labors which hard times necessitated. The family lived principally upon "hog and hominy," corn pone being their pound cake. A few sheep were kept, from the wool of which winter clothing was made and they also raised some flax, which also supplied covering for their bodies. The mother not only carded, spun and wove, preparing cloth from wool, flax and tow for her own family, but she also performed the same service for others, and although neighbors were few was able thus to add to the family resources. Thic boys were kept busy in the timber, cutting down trees, grubbing out stumps, and placing the clearings in suitable con- dition for the plow. An incident of interest hap-
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pened to a sister of our subject in this eounty dur- ing her girlhood; while on her way to school she was attacked by a huge black bear and fortunately eseaped from bruin by throwing her dinner on the ground. Before the death of the father, which oceurred September 2, 1849, the place was pretty well cleared and life became more easy and com- fortable. The mother passed away March 1, 1860. The family which originally comprised eleven chil- dren is now represented by four survivors.
The natal day of our subject was January 28, 1820. He spent his boyhood days at home until eighteen years old when he began an apprenticeship to a blacksmith, with whom he served three years. He then continued to labor at his trade for an equal length of time, when his health failing, he returned to the home farm. When his strength was suffi- ciently renewed, he returned to the place at which he had served his apprenticeship and there spent a few years at his trade. He next bought out the other heirs and taking possession of the homestead turned his attention to agriculture as a means of subsistence. He earries on mixed farming and makes every portion of his farm useful, allowing no weeds to overcome the good seed from which he reaps an abundant harvest.
An important step in the life of Mr. Kelley, as it is in that of every man, was his choice of a com - panion, and many years of wedded happiness have proved his wisdom. On February 9, 1843, he be- came the husband of Miranda, daughter of Richard and Elizabeth (Jordan) Dudley, who has been faithful to every duty devolving upon her as wife and mother, and in whom the hearts of husband and children rejoice daily. Mr. and Mrs. Kelley have suffered some of the bereavements which are the lot of mortals, having been ealled upon to mourn the loss of four beloved children, but they sorrow not as those without hope, believing that in the future they shall meet again.
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