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 95

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 918

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 95
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 95

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D R. JOHN PARKES DUGAN, President of the Springfield School Board,has been identi- fied with the educational interests of the Buekeye State for many years and was selected for the office which lie now holds as being a man emi- nently qualified to fill the position. He is a life- long resident of Clark County, his early home being on a farm in Springfield Township and where he was born July 22, 1859. Ilis early trainings and associations were such as to inculcate in him both the love of truth and the love of learning, and which by years of careful development have eon- stituted him a man of more than ordinary intelli- gence and one who ean always be trusted to per- form his duty.

In reverting to the parental history of Dr. Dugan we find that his father, William Dugan, was like- wise a native of Springfield Township, and born September 25, 1815. The paternal grandfather was John Dugan, a native of Somerset County, Pa. and the son of Jeremiah Dugan who was born in Ireland. Jeremiah Dugan emigrated to America with his parents when a small boy aud was edu- eated to the priesthood. As he grew in years he renounced the Catholic faith and threw his books

into the mill-race. Subsequently he was married to a Miss Anthony, a lady of German birth and parentage. He remained a resident of Pennsyl- vania until 1794, then removed to Kentneky and located near the struggling town of Cynthiana. There his first wife died and he was married a see- ond time.

In the meantime the grandfather of our subjeet found his home rather unpleasant with a step- mother and he left as soon as attaining his major- ity. He entered the employ of a man named Newell, who was about removing to Ohio, and he assisted in driving the team, the journey being made overland. They arrived upon the present site of Springfield, October 24, 1806, when there were only two families on the prairie east of the infant town. Being an unmarried man Mr. Dugan souglit employment with the heads of the two fami- lies mentioned-Mr. Reid and Mr. Snidgrass-with whom he remained for some time. IIe lived eeon- omieally and saved his money and in due time bought a six horse team and a wagon and com- menced hauling pork and other produce to Cincin- nati and what was then Portland, but is now Sandusky. Upon the return trips he transported merchandise, salt and fish for a Mr. Wellaee and Pierson Shinning, the only two merchants in Springfield at the time.

In 1812, Grandfather Dugan volunteercd in the serviee of the United States as a teamster, taking with him his six horses, and served until peace was (leclared. He received for his services two land warrants, one of which he gave to his youngest son and the other he traded off. He followed teaming for about twenty-five years and in the meantime purchased a tract of wild land four miles east of the court house for which he paid $10 per aere to Griffith Foos who had entered it from the Government. While he was teaming lis family resided upon the farm and improved the land. Afterward he engaged in farming nntil 1858, then sold out and purchased a home at the intersec- tion of East Main Street and Burnett Road near the corporation line where he spent the remainder of his days, passing away July 2, 1868. 1Ic was married Mareh 10, 1810, 1.0 Miss Polly Hall, a native of Harrison County, Ky., and born April

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22, 1792. IIer father, Jolin Hall, removed from Kentucky to Clark County in 1808, and located in Springfield Township where he died. Grand- mother Dugan departed this life July 21, 1867.

Of the five children born to the paternal grand- parents of our subject the record is as follows: Sally married Jacob Pence who is now deceased; William, the father of our subject, was the second born; Margaret, Mrs. Wood, is living in Spring- field; John resides on East Main Street, Spring- field ; James died when a promising young man of twenty-two years. William, like his brothers and sisters, obtained his education in the pioneer schools which were conducted in a log schoolhouse on the subscription plan. The temple of learning was a rude structure, heated by a fireplace and fur- nished with seats made of split logs upheld by wooden pins. Light was admitted through the place made vacant by the removal of a log, over which was pasted greased paper. The chimney was built outside of earth and sticks. The system of education was in keeping with the surroundings, the principal branches taught being, reading, writ- ing and "ciphering."

At home the father of our subject was reared to agricultural pursuits and worked on the farm un- til his marriage. He then settled on a part of the old homestead, where he resided until 1857, dur- iug which year he removed to the farm which he now owns and occupies. This is located six miles cast of the court house, near Oxtobys Station. There he has gathered around him all of the com- forts and conviences of modern life. He was mar- ricd August 19, 1847, to Mrs. Caroline (Harris) McDonald. This lady was born in the eastern part of Clark County, October 7, 1824, to Ezra and Hannah Harris. She was first married to Samuel MeDonald who died, leaving one child who after- wards died.

To William and Caroline Dugan there were born five children, the eldest of whom, a danghter, Mary, is the wife of Christian Foster and resides in Springfield; James W. is farming in Decatur County, Ind .; John Parks, our subject, was the third child; Sarah A. and Louemma remain at home with their parents. John P. attended the dis- trict school during his boyhood and later was

placed in a select school at Springfield, this being taught by Prof. Jolin Rowe. He at an early age decided upon the profession of medicine and com- menced studying, when approaching manhood, with Dr. Cyrus D. Richey as his preceptor.

In 1881 young Dugan entered the Miami Medi- cal College at Cincinnati, from which he was gradu- ated March 1, 1883. Eleven days later he com- meneed the practice of his profession in Spring- field, of which he has since been a resident and among whose people he has a large number of patrons and friends. He was married November 25, 1887, to Miss Carrie M., daughter of E.N. and Abigail Tibbetts of whoin an extended sketch appears elsewhere in this ALBUM. To the Doctor and his estimable lady there has been born one child, a daughter, Grace Vernon.

Dr. Dougan belongs to Clark County Medi- cal Society and the Southwestern Medical Associa- tion. In politics he has always been a Democrat. He was first elected a member of the School Board in 1888, and re elected in 1890. Upon its re-or- ganization he was made its President. During the administration of President Cleveland, he was made Secretary of the Board of Pension Exam- iners and served four years.

'T'he maternal great-grandfather of Dr. Dugan was Lazarut Harris, a native of Virginia, who em - igrated to Ohio at an early day and settled in Mus- kingnm County, where he died. He was the father of a goodly family and his son, Ezra, the grand- father of our subject, was born in Virginia, Jan- uary 22, 1790. He emigrated to Ohio when a young man with his parents and later settled in what was then Champaign County but is now Clark County. He was married April 11, 1813, to Miss Hannah Roys who was born July 3, 1798, near Morgantown, Va. They located on a tract of wild land in Harmony Township where Mr. Harris improved a farm and with his estimable wife spent the balance of his life. They reared a large family of children, who were named respec- tively, Joana, Phebe, Chipps, Thomas, Eliza, John, Caroline, Foreman, Mary, Susan, James, William, Harrison and Washington. The youngest son measured six feet four and one-half inches in height and was the tallest man serving in the

of the Runyan

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Ninety-Fourth Ohio Infantry, which was com- prised of one thousand and eight members. He yielded up his life to his country, dying at Mur- freesboro, Tenn., from the effects of measles. Ezra Harris died March 12, 1865. Hannah Har- ris died December 1, 1868; her maiden name was Phoebe Carey.

AMES MILTON RUNYAN. An infinen- tial, aetive and progressive eitizen, the gen- tleman above named is honored and re- spected wherever he is known, and among the farmers of Pleasant Township, Clark County, is ranked as one of the most substantial of their number, and a leader in all matters which will ad- vance their interests. Ile has a gallant reeord as a soldier, and as a public servant and business man has shown ability and trustworthiness. He was born in the village of Catawba, June 20, 1841, and was reared upon a farm, receiving his education in the common schools. The attempt upon the na- tion's life aroused him, and young as he was when the war began, he determined to give the strength of his arm to his country's cause. He therefore enlisted August 20, 1861, as a private in the Six- teenthi Ohio Battery, his campaigning in that reg- iment being in Missouri and Arkansas.

In September, 1862, young Runyan was sent home on siek furlough and about the 20th of the month was discharged at Columbus, on account of disability. After his health was sufficiently re- stored he went to Charleston, W. Va., during the winter following his discharge entering a hospital as a nurse. Following this came a period of home life, and in May, 1864, he again entered the Union Army, becoming a member of Company D, One Ilundred and Forty-six Ohio Infantry. The regi- ment served in West Virginia until fall, when its members were honorably discharged and returned to the duties of eivil life.

Mr. Runyan resumed farming, in which he had previously been somewhat oeeupied, continuing thus employed until 1867, when he purchased and

engaged in operating a grist and saw mill. Until 1886, he continued his operations as a miller, sinee which time he has resided upon his farm of one hundred and eighty-seven aeres on seetions 15 and 16, adjoining his mill property. He belongs to the social orders of Odd Fellows and the Grand Army of the Republie, and both he and his wife are identified with the Methodist Episcopal Churel. Ile has served as Township Trustee two terms and has been School Director for twenty-one years. The latter faet indicates the opinion which his neighbors have of his intelligence, good judgment and interest in the future welfare of the section. Ile has also been before the public for county hon- ors.

The estimable companion of Mr. Runyan was known in her girlhood as Mary J. McClenen and was born near Harper's Ferry, Va., May 22, 1843. She became the wife of our subject March 4, 1866, and is the mother of seven children-J. Arthur, Clarence L., Eddie J., Perey E., Charles G., Maud R. and Walter, the latter of whom died at the age of four months.

The parents of Mrs. Runyan are John and Eli- zabetlı (Ropp) McClenen, who were born and reared in Virginia, and who located in Clark County, Ohio, in 1861. Mr. McClenen is a gun- smith by trade and during the war was inspector of arms at Fortress Monroe; he is now engaged in farming. He was born the night the British burned Washington, D. C., during the War of 1812. His family ineludes two sons and three daughters.

The Runyan family is of Scotch-Irish lineage, and the first representatives in this country settled in Virginia. A sister of our subjeet's grandfather was captured by the Indians and never rceovered. Abraham and Sophia (Lynch) Runyan, the grand- parents of our subject, eame to Ohio early in this century and to Clark County in 1811. The hus- band served during the War of 1812, and was a prominent man in his township, filling various lo- cal offices, and both he and his wife were leading members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They settled on eighty-six acres of land which was inereased to one hundred and thirty-six. This property had been eleared and well improved by Mr. Runyan prior to his death, which occurred in

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1836, at the age of fifty-six years. His widow survived until seventy-five years old. Their nine children married and reared families. One of these, Henry, was born in Warren County May 15, 1809, and was an infant of less than two years when the family located near Asbury Church in Clark County.

Henry Runyan was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the traditional log school-house with its greased paper windows and primitive fur- nishings, and after completing his own studies taught in the home district. In 1834, he engaged in mereantile pursuits in Catawba and after ten years thus occupied, turned his attention to agri- culture. In June, 1856, he removed to his pres- ent home, taking possession of fifty aeres to which he has added thirty aeres adjoining. He also owns another farm of one hundred and sixty-six acres, also in Pleasant Township. He has made his own way through life and has given his children about $5,000, while rearing his large family well and making preparations for his declining years. The only assistance which he received, aside from his education and training, was $237 which came to him from his father's estate. He has served as Trustee, Appraiser, and in other local offices for many years. For fifty years he has belonged to the Masonie fraternity. Ilis first political adher- ence was given to the Whig party and he after- ward joined the Republican ranks, while during the war he was a strong and active supporter of the Union. Ile united with the Methodist Episeo- pal Church in 1828, and has held office in that de- nomination continuously and to its work has devoted much time and money.

The first wife of IIenry Runyan was Rachael Jones, who was born near Harper's Ferry, Va., in 1815. This lady was the only child of John Jones and wife, who settled in Ohio about 1817. Her father had a large family by his second wife. Mrs. Raeliael Runyan was the mother of the following named children: Abe, William H., John W., Mar- tin L., J. Milton, Esther A., Francis M., Mahala F., and Susan E .; and two infants who died unnamed. Francis M. enlisted in the fall of 1861, in Com- pany F, Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry. The brave lad, who was but sixteen years old when he 1

joined his country's defenders, was killed in his first battle, at Lewisburgh, W. Va., in May, 1862. The affectionate and devoted wife and mother died October 23, 1853.

The widower subsequently married Mrs. Lu- eia M. Chapman, who was born in Portage County, June 1, 1819. She is a daughter of William and Lueretia (Sisson) Eaton, who were born in Stafford, Vt., and Wilberham, Mass., respectively, and who came to Portage County, Ohio, in 1818. Thence they removed to Geauga County, and afterward to Missouri. Their daughter, Lu- eia, became the wife of Enoch S. Chapman, to whom she borc one son, Enoch C. Her marriage to Mr. Runyan has been blessed by the birth of three children-Charles H., Lucretia M., and Cora B. A portrait of Mr. Runyan is presented in eon- neetion with his personal sketch.

HOMAS KENNEDY. In summing up the list of the pioneer citizens of Clark County the name of Mr. Kennedy should by no means be omitted. His career, perhaps, is not widely different from that of others who came to the wilds of the Buckeye State during its early settlement and assisted in advancing its growth and prosperity. As the result of his labors, he is now in the enjoy- ment of a comfortable home on seetion 5, Moore- field Township, and is undeniably in possession of the confidenee and esteem of those around him.

A native of Baltimore, Md., the subject of this notice was born June 19, 1832, and is the son of Thomas and Eleanor ( Barker) Kennedy who were likewise natives of that State. In 1835, when Thomas was a lad of three years, they emigrated to Ohio and located for a time at the infant eity of Springfield. It then bore little resemblance to its present condition, being an unimportant hamlet with little indication of its future prosperity. Not long afterward the father purchased a tract of land from which he opened up a good farm and there with his estimable wife spent the remainder of his days.

During his younger years he had been a seafaring

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man and was Captain of an ocean vessel. He spent twenty-five ycars on the briny deep, but after com- ing to Ohio settled contentedly down to farm life and died in 1868. The mother had passed away in 1856. Of the seven children born to them only four are living, viz .: George F., a physician and a resident of Kentucky; Thomas, our subject; Julia, the wife of Daniel Twichell, of Champaign County, this State, and Emma, Mrs. Speck, a widow of Springfield. The deceased are William B., Eleanor E. and James J.

Mr. Kennedy, of whom we write, received a lim- ited education in the primitive schools and assisted his father in the cultivation and improvement of the farm. He learned the art of plowing, sowing and reaping as soon as old enough, and when ap- proaching manhood supplemented his education by an attendance of one year at Delaware University. This and his habit of observation and reading fairly well fitted him for the future duties of life. He took the first important step toward the estab- lishment of a home of his own. December 29, 1858, being married to Miss Elizabeth A., daughter of Thomas C. Wilson, a sketch of whom appears else- where in this volume.

Mrs. Kennedy was born March 18, 1834, in Clark County, Ohio, and under the training of a careful mother developed into an intelligent and attractive womanhood. She acquired her education in the common school and remained a member of her father s household until her marriage. Of her union with our subject there have been born five children, the eldest of whom, a daughter, Alice E., is the wife of II. S. Fairchild and they make their home with her father, he occupying himself as a school teacher; Anna B. remains under the home roof, also Mary J. The deceased children, Ella and Frank, died at the age of two years and two weeks.

Mr. Kennedy owns two hundred and ten acres of choice land and avails himself of modern methods and the most approved machinery in the cultiva- tion of the soil. This property has been accumu- lated by his own perseverance and industry and assisted by his faithful and capable wife. Both are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at- tending services at Moorefield Chapel, and Mr.

Kennedy officiates as Steward. Politically, he gives his unqualified support to the Republican party. Since his voting days began he has never missed a Presidential election and he keeps himself thor- oughly posted upon the leading events of the day. He is a good provider for his family, a kind and hospitable neighbor and enjoys the association of many friends.

G EORGE WATT, M. D. and D. D. S. This gentleman, although still nominally editing the Ohio Journal of Dental Science, has par- tially abandoned his literary work on that journal, with which he has been connected since its estab- lishment in 1880, and to whose success his own fluent and profound writings contributed so largely. His literary ability and culture are of a high de- gree of excellence, while his understanding of den- tal science and of medicine is thorough. Possessing the power to interest those to whom he speaks or for whom he writes, and to place clearly before them his own knowledge and theories, he has been able to do much to advance the sciences in which he is interested.

Dr. Watt is a native of this county, being a son of Hugh Watt, who became a resident here in 1817, coming hence from Western Pennsylvania. The father was born in the North of Ireland, but was of Scotch blood, and emigrated to the United States when a young man of nineteen years. IIe located in the Keystone State, where in due time he mar- ried Miss Isabelle Mitchell, who was born near Pittsburg. He remained for some time in that State, occupied at his trades of a wheel wright and a chairmaker, and also doing agricultural work. Finally with a family of seven children he came to this section, settling in the eastern part of Greene County, near where Cedarville now stands, buying land that had been but slightly improved. There he made his home, and remained until his death in 1857, his wife having preceded him to the tomb, breathing her last in 1847. The land which he oc- cupied was by his exertions and wise management made into an excellent farm, and marked with good

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improvements. The family were members of the Covenanter Church, and as one of the tenets of their faith is freedom to the entire human race, the elder Watt would not take any oath to hold offiee under a constitution that permitted human slavery. He was a believer in the principles of the Whig and Abolition parties, and his house was one of the de- pots on the underground railroad route from Mays- ville, Ky. (then called Limestone), to Detroit, Mich., which is known to this day as the Limestone road.

The eyes of George Watt opened to the light March 14, 1820, and he grew to maturity on his father's farm, receiving his fundamental education in that district, and continuing his studies in the Boys' Academy of Thomas Steele, where he learned to think, and in Ripley College. For a time he pursued the vocation of a teacher in this and in Adam Counties, after which he took up the study of medicine, under Samuel Martin, M. D., who had studied in Londonderry, Ireland. With that phy- sician he read two years, attending lectures at the Medical College of Ohio, in Cincinnati, and receiv- ing his degree of M. D. in the class of 1848.

After receiving his diploma Dr. Watt engaged in the practice of his profession in Xenia, in Fay- ette County, Ind., at Kenton, Ohio, and in Cincin- nati, continuing his labors for a number of years. He also made a study of dentistry, being graduated from the Ohio Dental College in 1854, and subse- quently occupying the Chair of Chemistry in that institution. Ile was the first man who adapted a chemical course of lectures to a dental class. He held the Chair in the above college until inter- rupted by the war, and after his return from fields of battle, was again a member of the faculty as long as he was able to continue the manipulations necessary,

On May 2, 1864, Dr. Watt enlisted in the United States service as Surgeon of the One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Infantry, which acted in West Virginia as a component part of Gen. Kelly's rail- road division. While in the service he received an injury from a horse, which has caused progress- ive locomotor ataxia. His connection with the dental college was resumed when he returned from the field, and continued until 1871. During a

portion of this time he practiced his profession in Cincinnati, and he was also the proprietor and manufacturer of dental supplies. The Ohio Dental State Journal was established in 1880, Dr. Watt accepting the position of editor, which, as before stated, he still retains, although on account of pa- ralysis of the hand, of a very recent date, he is partially nnable to continue the contributions from his pen, which had so long been a feature of the journal. For twenty years he was connected with the Dental Register, of Cincinnati, and with Dr. Taft, of the University of Michigan, he beeame a joint proprietor and editor of the Dental Register of the West.

Many positions of prominence in various socie- ties have been held by Dr. Watt, and his name is widely known to the members of the dental pro- fession. He became a member of the Mississippi Valley Dental Society as early as 1852. He was a delegate to the American Dental Convention, held in New York in 1856, and Vice President of it. He has also been President of the American Dental Association, of the Ohio State Dental Society, and twice held a similar official station in the Mad River Dental Society. In 1854, the year in which he was graduated from the Dental College, a prize of $100 was offered for the best popular essay on Dental Surgery, a prize which was awarded to him; and a Philadelphia publisher has since published a collection of Watt's Chemical Essays.

The estimable and cherished companion of Dr. Watt, with whom he was united in marriage April 16, 1845, bore the maiden name of Sarah J. Mc- Connell. Her father, Samuel McConnell, with his family floated down the Ohio River on the same boat with the father of our subject, and the two families lived but nine miles apart. Dr. Watt and the young lady who became his wife, however, never met until the latter was a young lady eigh- teen years of age. They have one adopted daugh- ter, Mrs. W. S. Sillitto, whose husband is a dentist in Xenia. On her adoption Dr. and Mrs. Watt de- sired her baptism, but as she was the child of un- believing parents it was refused by the United Presbyterian Church. They pressed the matter, and it was then referred to the synod, causing a revolution in the denomination. As the State made

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no provision for legal adoption, it was necessary to get an act passed, and the Doctor therefore was in- strumental in revolutionizing the law of the State also.

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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 95

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 918

Author: Chapman, firm, publishers
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 918