Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, Part 62

Author: Chapman Brothers
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 894

USA > Ohio > Fayette County > Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 62
USA > Ohio > Madison County > Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 62
USA > Ohio > Pickaway County > Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 62

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In 1840, Mr. Dreisbach bought a farm in Picka- away Township, upon which was a log house, and afterward purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land of his brother, making in all three hundred and twenty acres. In 1853, he built a brick resi- dence thereon and subsequently bought one hun- dred and seventy-two acres of land adjoining his farm on the north. He afterward purchased two hundred and thirty-one acres one mile to the west, and engaged extensively in general farming and stock-raising. He still owns all of his land, which he rents. Ilis home farm was one of the most highly cultivated in the community and has yielded him a golden tribute, which has made him a wealthy citizen. In 1890, he left the farm and has since lived retired in Circleville, where he has a pleasant home. In February, 1891. he and his wife celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. In 1850, Mr. Dreisbach became a Free-soiler, in

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1852 voted for Jolm P. Hale, and in 1856 for Fre- mont, and then supported the Republican party until 1884, since which time he has been a stanch Prohibitionist. Ile is a consistent member of the Evangelical Association, has been a Class-leader for half a century, and for many long years was Super- intendent of the Sunday-school. His life has been a busy and useful one and he has won the high regard of all.

LLISON GRIM, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser, resides on the old Federal Road, a mile east of Range, where he owns a fine farm of four hundred and fifteen acres. He was born in Huntington Township, Ross County, July 30, 1843, and is a son of John and Barbara (Grub) Grim. His father was born in Maryland, January 15, 1807, and the mother in Pennsylvania, February 12, 1815. While chil- dren, they came with their parents to Ross County, Ohio, where they were married, February 19, 1833. They afterward went to Fayette County, then re- turned to Ross County, and in 1861 again went to Fayette County. Five years later, they came to Madison County, where they resided during the greater part of the time until the father's death in November, 1888. His wife passed away in 1867.

Our subject spent his boyhood days in the us- ual manner of farmer lads. At the age of twenty, he bought his time of his father, and in February, 1864, enlisted in Company K, Eighth Ohio Cavalry. He was on the Hunter raid in the Shenandoah Valley, participated in the battle of Winchester, and was at Cedar Creek when Sheridan made his famous ride. He saw the General when he came through, and was one of those who followed him to victory that day. On the close of the war, he was discharged in Clarksburgh July 30, 1865, his twenty-second birthday.

Mr. Grim at once returned to his father's home in Fayette County and gave his attention to farm- ing. He married Miss Mary M. Foster, December 12, 1868. She was born on the farm which is now

their home, September 6, 1845, and is the youngest daughter of James and Margaret (Bowyer) Foster. Her father was born in Ross County, Ohio, March 4, 1802, and shortly after his twentieth birth-day, was married to Miss Bowyer, who was born Nov- ember 7, 1801. Soon after, they started for Mad- ison County, and Mr. Foster worked by the month at $7.25, having charge of the farm of Gen. Worthington, with whom he remained until the latter's death. Mrs. Worthington then made him the proposition that if he would still at- tend to the farm and engage in raising stock, she would furnish the money and divide the profits. This he did for a number of years, and laid the foundation of his immense fortune. He eventually began buying land belonging to the Worthington estate, and at length became owner of over twenty-one hundred acres in this county. He also bought six hundred acres for Mrs. Eliza Chenoweth, his daughter, and purchased three hundred and twenty acres in Piatt County, Ill., and six hundred and forty acres in Madison County, which now belong to other parties. He was very generous, and frequently would give a horse or cow to a man just starting out in life. He became a member of the Methodist Church at the age of eleven and served as Class-leader for forty years. His financial aid was not confined to his own church alone, but he gave freely to all. On one occasion when help was needed for a col- ored church in London, one of the County Com- missioners said that he would give as much as any one else in the room. Mr. Foster asked how many others would do that and six more agreed, so he laid $50 down on the table, and as his asso- ciates were men of their word, they also put down similar amounts and the indebtedness was paid off the church.

In 1824, Mr. Foster cast his first vote for John Quincy Adams. Ile was an Abolitionist and voted for J. C. Fremont in 1856. He never sought office or cared for it. He was never known to take advantage of any man and often remarked that he would rather give a man $100 than cheat him out of a penny. His death occurred Novem- ber 25, 1873, and his wife passed away July 29, 1858. Four of their eleven children are still liv-

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ing: Eleanor, wife of J. S. Pancake, whose sketch appears in this work; Elizabeth, wife of James B. Chenoweth, whose sketch is also given in this vol- ume; James P., the only living son, and Mrs. Grim.

After his marriage, Mr. Grim began operating one hundred and sixty acres of land given him by his father-in-law, and has since resided upon the farm. At the division of the Foster estate, his landed possessions were increased to four hundred and fifteen acres. Five children were born in his home but all died in childhood. Mr. Grim and his wife are both members of the Methodist Church and are highly respected people, widely and favor- ably known in this community. He cast his first Presidential vote in 1864, for Abraham Lincoln, and supported the Republican party until recently, when he joined the Prohibition party. Socially, he is a member of the Grand Army of the Repub- lie and has attended National Re-unions in Columbus, Milwaukee, Boston and Detroit, and was a delegate to the State Encampment at Piqua in 1892. Mr. Grim is a representative farmer of this community and he and his estimable wife well de- serve representation in this volume.

ACOB L. JAMISON, an extensive farmer and stock-dealer of Perry Township, Pickaway County, is a native of Washington C. H., Fayette County, this State. His birth oc- curred on the 7th of May, 1850, and he was born to William and Malinda (Cecil) Jamison, both natives of Ohio, the father following the vo- cation of a tiller of the soil. The grandfather of our subject, Jacob Jamison, was born in Kentucky, and at an early day removed to Ohio and built the first house in Washington C. II. He was Judge of the court for several years and was a prominent citizen in that county.

Of the five children born to the father and mother of Jacob L. Jamison, he is the third in order of birth. At the early age of seventeen years, he started to make his own way in the world by farming by the month, which he continued for

six or seven years, and then engaged in the stock business. In this he has been more than ordinarily successful and carries on about the largest business of this kind in the county. He has now associated with him as a partner Mr. William Woods, of Deer Creek Township. Mr. Jamison enjoys the reputation of being one of the best-natured men in the community, and his genial, pleasant face has long been familiar to the citizens of his neigh- borhood. His heart and purse are always open to aid and encourage.

Jacob L. Jamison, of this brief sketch, on the 15th of October, 1873, took as his life compan- ion and helpmate Miss Josephine Curran. Mrs. Jamison is a native of Fayette County, Ohio, and is a daughter of John and Melissa (Con- ner) Curran, both of Fayette County, this State. The union of our subject and his amiable wife has been blessed by the birth of three children, who bear the respective names of James Quinn, Thomas and Donna Opal. In his political affilia- tions, Mr. Jamison is a strong advocate of the Republican party.

I R. M. H. MIESSE, physician and surgeon, of Cireleville, Ohio. Among the people of Circleville and surrounding country, the name that heads this sketch is a very fa- miliar one, for, in his professional capacity, he has become intimately acquainted with a majority of the inhabitants. He was born in Chillicothe, Ohio. November 16, 1813, and is a son of Dr. Ben- jamin and Sophia (Carpenter) Miesse, natives of Pennsylvania and Connecticut, respectively. Grandfather Jacob Miesse was also a native of the Keystone State, and was a successful agricul- turist of that State. Our subject's maternal grand- father was an early settler of Athens County, Ohio, and was also a tiller of the soil. He died in that county when eighty years of age, and his wife passed away at the advanced age of ninety-six.

The father of our subject, Dr. Benjamin Miesse, was born near Reading and was a graduate of the

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University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, in the department of medicine, and after coming West, he practiced his profession in Chillicothe for some time. Later, he came to Circleville, and practiced his profession there until after the death of his wife, when he returned to Pennsylvania. His family consisted of three sons and one daughter, viz .: Dr. Benjamin F., who was an Assistant Sur- geon in an Ohio Regiment during the Civil War and is now practicing his profession in Chillicothe; Edson B., who has a book-store in Chillicothe; and Lizzie, now Mrs. Reiche, who resides in York, Pa.

Dr. M. H. Meisse was second in order of birth of the above-mentioned children. He passed his youthful days in Chillicothe, Circleville and Athens, until his father went back to Pennsyl- vania, when he was a resident of that State for three years. At the age of ten years, he returned to the Buckeye State and was a resident of Findlay for three years. After this, he was in Greenville, Ohio, with an uncle, until he was fifteen years of age, in 1859, when he entered the Ohio University at Athens. He graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1864, after which he read medicine with his uncle, Dr. Jonathan Meisse. From 1865 until 1866, he attended the Medical Col- lege in Cincinnati, Ohio, and in the fall of 1867 he went to New York, where he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons, graduating in March, 1868, with the degree of M. D. He subsequently located at Royalton, Fairfield County, Ohio, and practiced his profession in that and Pickaway County until 1880, when he decided to settle in Circleville for school advantages. During his residence in this county, he has become well and favorably known to the majority of her citizens as an able and successful medical practitioner. He has been a member of the Board of Pension Exam- iners here for the past three years, and was also a member of the Board of Pension Examiners at Chillicothe for about one year, or until the Board was established in Circleville, when he was trans- ferred to this place. He now has a pleasant office three doors north of the American House, and he has a comfortable residence on Scioto Street, near Main Street. He owns some real estate in Colum- bus, one hundred and seventy acres of well-im-

proved land in Monroe Township, this county, and other property. All this the Doctor has made by his own industry and close attention to his pro- fession. With money earned by teaching school, he received his medical education and he is now one of the leading physicians of the county, hav- ing a large and remunerative practice.

He was married in Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1868, to Miss Louisa E. Cummins, a native of Portsmouth, Ohio, and the daughter of Rev. S. P. Cummins, of West Virginia. Mr. Cummins was a Methodist Episcopal preacher and settled in Portsmouth, Ohio, at an early date. He was Treasurer of Scioto County two terms. The three children born to our subject and his wife are as follows: Ella, who married J. H. Chaney, an architect on the World's Fair buildings; Bertha, who graduated from the High School in 1891; and Alice, who will graduate in the Class of '93.

Dr. Miesse is a Knight Templar, and is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In politics, he is a true-blue Republican, and in religion, he is a Methodist. In May, 1864, after graduating, he enlisted at Athens, Ohio, in the One Hundred and Forty first Ohio Infantry, Com- pany B, and was mustered in at Gallipolis, Ohio, and four months later he mustered out at the same place. He was a Charter member of Groce Post. Dr. Miesse has been a delegate to several State and county conventions, and is President of the Gar- field Republican Club, of Circleville. He is Treas- urer of the Republican Executive County Com- mittee, which position he has held for several years, and he is a member of the County Committee. He was a member of the Hocking Valley Medical Society until it was disbanded.

L EWIS NEISWANDER. The farming and stock -raising affairs of Pickaway County, Ohio, and particularly of Madison Town- ship, are ably represented by Mr. Neiswander, who is a descendant of thrifty and energetic German stock on both sides of the house.

Mr. Nciswander was born in Schuylkill County,

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Pa., on the 2d of December, 1816, and is a son of Daniel and Eliza Neiswander, who are now residing in Putnam County, Ohio. About 1850, the parents left the Keystone State, and hearing of the fertile soil of Ohio, decided to locate within its borders. They first settled in Walnut Township, Pickaway County, and there made their home until their re- moval to Putnam County. Honest and upright in all their dealings, they won and held the respect of all who were fortunate enough to be acquainted with them.

Our subject's scholastic advantages were received in his native county, and were such as the common schools afforded. These advantages he improved to the utmost, and although he did not attend school after the age of thirteen years, he is ae- knowledged by all to be a man of intelligence and ability. At the age of eighteen years, he decided that there was "no royal road to excellence with- out great labor" and he started out to fight his own way in life. For several years, he worked as a farm hand and received for his services from $18 to $25 per month in the busy season.

He selected his wife in the person of Miss Leah C. Glick, and their marriage was solemnized Ang- ust 26, 1869. Her father, Daniel Glick, now makes his home with our subject. To Mr. and Mrs. Neiswander have been born two interesting chil- dren: Minnie V. and Daniel B. N. For several years after his marriage, Mr. Neiswander tilled the soil on rented land, but he subsequently purchased one hundred and twenty acres and received forty aeres through his wife, making one hundred and sixty acres in Madison Township, this county, and he is now one of the representative farmers and stockmen of his section. Although just in the prime of life, he has made his way to the front ranks among the energetic farmers of this county, and, owing to the attention he has always paid to each minor detail, he has accumulated a fair share of this world's goods. Coupled with his energy and enterprise, he inherits his father's excellent busi- ness qualities, and has succeeded far beyond his expectations, being now the owner of some of the most productive land to be found.

Mr. Neiswander is a member of the German Re- formed Church, is a Deacon in the same, and is

one of its most active members. lle favors all enterprise tending towards the progress and de- velopment of Pickaway County and is public- spirited and progressive. Socially, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows' lodge at Winchester, Ohio. Mr. Neiswander is well known in Madison Township and bears the reputa- tion of sterling integrity and honesty in all busi- ness transactions. Ile enjoys the confidence and esteem of all who know him.

C HIARLES PHELLIS has borne a conspicuous part in promoting the progress of the agri- cultural and stock interests of Madison County within the last quarter of a century, as one of the most enlightened and enterprising of its representative farmers and stockmen. Ilis res- idence is half a mile north of Rosedale, in Pike Township, where he has a large landed property, including one of the finest and best appointed farms in all the country round, where he does an extensive business in raising and dealing in cattle, horses, sheep and hogs of high grade.

Mr. Phellis, a native of this State, was born in Hamilton County January 9, 1845. His father, Jacob Phellis, was also a native of Ohio, and was born in Butler County. He was a carpenter by trade, and was a large contractor, building many houses in Hamilton and Butler Counties, and for a while he was a resident of Cincinnati, where he erected several large buildings, some of which are still standing. Ile also had contracts in New London, where he put up some good buildings. Ile had control of a large business, was one of the leading contractors of his part of the State, and was in the midst of a highly successful career when he was stricken by death in his fiftieth year. Ile was alive to public interests, and in his political views was a decided Democrat. The P'hellis family originated in France, but a branch of it came to this country many years ago and were early settlers of Pennsylvania, where they flourished as large farmers. Thomas Phellis, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of that State. He came to Butler County, Ohio, in the very early days of

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its settlement, coming by the way of the Ohio River to Cincinnati. The mother of our subject, who is still living in Butler County, was Marilda Brundage in her maiden days. She was born in Beaver County, Pa., seventy years ago, and came to Butler County when a small girl with her par- ents, who were both natives of Pennsylvania. Her mother lived to be ninety years old. The parents of our subject were married in Butler County, and then located at New Haven, in Ham- ilton County, whence they afterward went to Cincinnati. They were the parents of the follow- ing eight children, all of whom grew to maturity: Cyron A., the wife of James Snyder, who was for many years Commissioner of Mercer County, of which he is a prominent citizen; Elvira, who mar- ried William Roberts, and is now dead; Jane, de- ceased, who was the wife of Taylor Salsburry, of Canton, Fulton County, Ill .; William B., a promi- nent farmer of Butler County; Charles; Jacob W., a merchant of Okeana, Butler County; Robert W., a resident of Cottonwood Falls, Wis .; and John L., a resident of Coldwater, Mercer County, Ohio.

The subject of this biography is the fourth child and second son of his parents. At the age of nine years, he had the misfortime to lose his father, and then came to Pike Township to live with his uncle, Charles Phellis, who was a large land-holder here, and very prominent. He had attended school in his native place, and he was given fine educational advantages after he came to live with his uncle. Ile went first to the local district school in Pike Township, then entered the High School at Mechanicsburgh, and finally com- pleted his studies in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, of which he was a pupil four years. He was but a boy when the war broke out, yet the following year found him in the ranks, although he was but seventeen years old when he enlisted in Company D, Sixty-sixth Ohio Infantry. Not- withstanding his youth, he displayed fine soldierly qualities when in active service, but his health gave way under the privations and hardships that he had to endure, and at the end of seven months he was honorably discharged on account of dis- ability.

Returning to Pike Township after his trying

experiences of army life, our subject continued his residence with his uncle for some years, and in 1865 began business for himself as a farmer and stock-raiser. After his marriage, in the summer of 1869, he settled immediately on a farm a mile north of the one on which he now resides, and which he still owns. He remained on that until 1890, when he took possession of this one. He has here a commodions and finely-built residence, roomy and well-arranged barns and other first- class buildings, and all the conveniences of a model farm. He and his family are the proprietors of twenty-two hundred acres of valuable land, all in one body in Pike Township, about forty acres of it in heavy timber, and the rest under a perfect system of cultivation, or devoted to pasturage, and provided with various dwellings, barns, gran- aries and other ontbuildings. All of the land is under our subject's personal supervision, and all the details of agriculture on a large scale are car- ried on in the most orderly manner. He gives much of his attention to stock-raising with marked success, and is a leader in that industry in this part of Madison County. He has a fine herd of two hundred cattle of the purest stock best adapted to this locality, has six hundred sheep of superior grades, one hundred and fifty hogs, and many horses of fine strain.

Mr. Phellis was married August 3, 1869, to Miss Clara A., the youngest daughter of William and Adalaide Guy, of Pike Township. Her father, who has attained the venerable age of ninety-eight years, has been long and favorably known through- out the township and county. Mrs. Phellis was born in Pike Township, August 14, 1850. She is a woman of true culture and is finely educated. She studied at the Female College at Cleveland, pursued a course at Sanford College, and also at- tended the Ohio Wesleyan Seminary at Delaware. She presides ably over her household, understand- ing full well the art of making a cozy and attrac- tive home. Her congenial marriage with our sub- ject has brought them two daughters and three sons of whom the following is recorded: Nellie A., born October 5, 1872, is a graduate in the Class of '92, of the Ohio Wesleyan University at Dela- ware; Charles Waite, born July 15, 1875, has been

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an attendant at the military school at Gambier; Verne II. was born June 10, 1881; Fullington Guy, April 1, 1888; and Ethel Greeley, March 23, 1890.

Our subject's sagacity in business matters, clear, comprehensive, well-trained intellect, and his broad outlook on life generally, have brought him to the front as a valuable civic official, and he has held various responsible positions. He was Trus- tee of Pike Township and Township Clerk ten years, was at one time Justice of the Peace, and for one term was County Commissioner. It is said of him that " he is a true gentleman in every sense of the word;" he is always courteous and affable in his intercourse with others, and a warm- hearted and generous friend to all with whom he is associated. Ile is an entertaining conversational- ist, and his talent for literary work has been turned to account during the last ten years, by his acting as correspondent of the Agricultural Department at Washington, D. C., for Madison County. In politics, he is a strong Republican. Socially, he is a member of Stephen Baxter Post No. 88, G. A. R., at Mechanicsburgh.

E VAN PHILLIPS. It is owing to the energy and practical ability of such men as our subject that Pickaway County enjoys the reputation of being one of the best developed and richest agricultural centers in Ohio. He is the fortunate proprietor of a large farm in Pickaway Township that ranks among the first and choicest to be found on the historical and fertile Pickaway Plains, in regard to its handsome appointments, cultivation and productiveness, and also as to its value as a stock farm.

Mr. Phillips was born in Lancaster County, Pa., June 3, 1835. His father, William Phillips, who was a competent carpenter and also a farmer, came to Ohio in 1850, and was a resident of Guernsey County until his removal to Kansas, where he died at the ripe age of eighty-two years. His wife, whose maiden name was Priscilla White, preceded him in death. They had eight children, of whom seven are living.

Our subject is the fourth child of his parents and passed his early life on a farm in his native State, attending the district schools during his boyhood. He was about fifteen years old when the family came to Ohio, and the following year he started out to earn his own living, as he was an independent, resolute lad, with a well-formed am bition to make his own way in the world and achieve success by the use of the strong muscles and clear brain with which he was gifted. He began work at $9 a month, obtaining better wages as he grew older, and was in the em- ploy of others eleven years. It is needless to say that a young man of his calibre and persistent nature made and wisely saved money, and at the expiration of that time turned his attention to farming for himself. His farm contains four hun- dred acres of valuable land, of which nearly three hundred acres lie on the famed Pickaway Plains. It is a beautiful farm and in a fine condition, with every appointment found on a model grain and stock farm. Its fine buildings are ample and adapted to the purposes for which they are in- tended, and an elegant frame house, of a modern style of architecture, erected in 1891, adds to the attractiveness of the place, and the farm with its well cultivated acres is a pleasing feature in the landscape. Mr. Phillips has it well stocked with all kinds of high-bred stock, and from that source, as well as from the grain and other products that he raises, he has a large yearly income.

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Portrait and biographical record of Fayette, Pickaway and Madison counties, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, Part 62

Author: Chapman Brothers Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Bros. Number of Pages: 894

Author: Chapman Brothers
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 894