USA > Ohio > Guernsey County > Portrait and biographical record of Guernsey County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States > Part 42
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78
To James and Catherine Patrick were born six children : Andrew, a resident of New Philadelphia; Rachel, wife of David MeFarland; Annie, who married Judge James Moffett; James, Jr., who for five years was Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the Tusearawas District; Abraham, whose name heads this article; and Catherine, Mrs. Joseph Medill, of Chicago.
The boyhood of Judge Abraham W. Patrick was spent in the home of his parents. Ilis preliminary education was received at the public schools of the locality, after which he was sent to the college at New Athens. Later he studied law at Mt. Vernon, Ohno, in the office of Lapp & Smith, and was ab- mitted to the Bar at Columbus, Ohio. On begin- ning the practice of his profession, he located in Mt. Vernon, where he remained for a year. At the end of that time he came to this eity and opened an office, where he has since been engaged in prac- tice. At one time he had in partnership with him
342
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
his brother James. About 1858 he was elected to the position of Proseenting Attorney, and after- ward to that of Probate Judge. In 1871 he was sent to represent the Senatorial District in the State Legislature, where he displayed marked abil- ity and fidelity to his constituents. He introduced a number of bills for the advancement of the pub- lic welfare and made an enviable reputation as a public speaker.
January 31, 1858, Judge Patrick was married, in this city, to Mary Talbott, who came from one of. the old and respected families of this county. Her parents were Joseph and Eliza ( Williams) Talbott. 'Three children came to bless the union of the Judge and his worthy wife: Hugh T .; Kate M., who became the wife of Charles W. Harper, of Columbus, Ohio; and one child who died in in- fancy.
A close law student, blessed with an analytical mind and gifted in bringing out all the strong points of a cause, the Judge is, however, particu- larly able in addressing a jury. In questions in- volving life, such as capital cases, he rises to flights of eloquence and oratory rarely surpassed. For the past thirty years his services have been in great demand in this portion of the state on legal complications of great moment. In disposition he is genial and sociable, and as he is a man of origi- nal thought and progressive ideas, he is very en- tertaining as a conversationalist. By his friends and neighbors he is esteemed and greatly loved; as a citizen he is patriotic and devoted. Politic- ally he belongs to the old school of Democracy, and in former years was actively interested in the advancement of his party. Fraternally he is iden- tified with the Masonic order.
Dr. Hugh T. Patrick, the only son of Judge Patrick, is deserving of special mention. He se- cured a literary education at the Wooster (Ohio) University, and subsequently pursued a course of medieal study at Bellevue Ilospital in New York City. After his graduation he began practicing in Chicago, where he continued to reside for four years. Desiring higher advantages, he went to Europe, and was a student in the celebrated uni- versities of Heidelberg, Vienna, Berlin, Paris and London. He gave special attention to nervous
diseases and expects to make this bis particular field of work. In 1894 he returned to Chicago and resumed practice, having his office in the Ven- etian Building. He stands in the front rank of the physicians of that city and has a constantly increasing clientage.
OHN DAVY OTIS, M. D., one of the most prominent physicians of this county, is a na- tive of Ohio, having been born in Stark County, January 24, 1818. He is the son of Jesse and Charlotte (Davy) Otis, the former of whom was born in Vermont. Ile in turn was the son of Edward H. Otis, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, enlisting when eighteen years of age, and serving through the entire conflic t Ilis father, Stephen Otis, was also in the ranks of the Continentals, and at the battle of Bunker Hill served as Major under General Warren, whom he advised not to attack the British on that oc- casion, as they outnumbered him. The advice, however, was not taken, and Warren made the 'at- tack and was killed. The command was then thrown upon Major Otis, who retreated with his regiment. He was then promoted to be General, which position he held when taken prisoner by the British. When about to be exchanged, the enemy treated him to a drink of whiskey, which contained smallpox virus. He, of course, was soon taken with that dread disease, and died, together with his good wife, who had come to nurse him. Gen- eral Otis' father, Robert, at the age of eighty years, enlisted as a soldier in the War of the Revolution. Ile was the unele of James Otis, who made the first speech in favor of the Revolution, and of which John Adams said "Then and there the child of In- dependence was born." His birth occurred at Barnstable, Mass., in 1725, and his death, which was caused by lightning, took place in 1783.
Robert Otis served through the entire period of the Revolution, and lived to the advanced age of
343
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
one hundred and fifteen years. On reaching his one hundredth birthday he lost his eyesight, and continued to be blind for ten years, when his sight was restored, and until his death he could read his Bible without the use of glasses.
The father of our subject removed to this state a short time prior to the outbreak of the War of 1812. His parents had settled here two years be- fore, where his father followed his profession as a Baptist preacher. Jesse had learned blacksmithing in Troy, N. Y., and after making his home in the Buckeye State continued to ply his trade. Dur- ing the War of 1812 he was kept busy making tomahawks for the soldiers. He lived to the age of sixty-three, and died while residing in Wayne County. His good wife, whose maiden name was Charlotte Davy, was born in Frederick, Md., and was brought to this county by her parents in 1805. Indians were very numerous in the neighborhood, and on one occasion the family was saved from an awful death at their hands by the interference of Chief Buckwheat, who was afterward killed.
The parents of our subject reared a family of the following-named children: John Merrill, Na- thaniel, William, Ann, Edward, Mary, Ezekiel and Henry. Our subject received his preliminary edu- cation at home, and at the age of fifteen years commenced teaching school, which he continued to do off and on for a period of four years. lle then entered Wadsworth College, taking a course of three years, and from this institution he was graduated. He then again engaged in teaching, and about this time began reading medicine, prin- cipally under the instruction of Dr. Woolford. Subsequently he entered the Cleveland Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1862, and immediately located for practice in New Phil- adelphia. He has built up a large and lucrative patronage, and is one of the most successful physi- cians in this section of the state.
Dr. Otis was married, March 16, 1843, in Stark County, this state, to Miss Eliza Ann, daughter of Philip and Sarah Welty. Their union has resulted in the birth of five children, namely: Miriam, Sy- mantha, Malcom A., Mary and Ida. Ida is the wife of Rev. Frank Karl, of Alliance, this state; Symantha married James Grant, of Fostoria; and
Miriam and Malcom A. are deceased. The Doctor and his wife are members in good standing of the Lutheran Church, and in politics the former is a true-blue Republican. He stands high in Masonic circles, in which order he takes great interest.
Edward Otis, the grandfather of our subject, at the age of ninety years started on horseback to visit his daughter, who lived three hundred miles dis- tant. While en route, his horse stumbled, causing injuries which resulted in his death. Dr. Davy, the maternal great-grandfather of our subject, aided in founding the first medical college in Bal- timore, Md. He left this country for England in order to take possession of his cstate, and when on the return trip the vessel ou which he was sailing was wrecked, and nothing was ever afterward heard of him.
Dr. John Otis is one of the old and familiar laudmarks of New Philadelphia, where he is most beloved. In his earlier days, when health and vig- or were his, he had an exhaustive practice, which he built up by his skill as a physician. Ilis hand, however, has lost none of its cunning, although he is practically retired from the labors of his pro- fession.
EORGE LEANDER METZGER is a gen- eral farmer of York Township, and one of the worthy old settlers of this locality. Ile owns a large and valuable farm, a portion of which had formerly formed a part of the old homestead owned by his father. For over half a century his life history and achievements have been identified with those of Tuscarawas County, and his parents were among the first pioneers of Warwick Township.
Our subject, who was born November 1, 1842, is one of the eleven children of David and Cath- erine (Walton) Metzger, who were natives of Penn- sylvania. The former, a son of George and Effie
344
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
A. (Carpman) Metzger, was born in 1806. The latter were natives of Germany, and when young emigrated to Pennsylvania. From that state they came at an early day to Warwick Township, and there resided until death called them from their labors. Our subject's mother was born April 22, 1822, and was the daughter of Asa Walton. She was married in 1841 to David Metzger, and became the mother of the following children: George, the subject of this sketch; Lucy A., the wife of Hiram Metzger, a general farmer of thus township; Sarah S., wife of H. Beaber, also a farmer of York Town- ship; Effie A. and Barbara, deceased; Ellen R., Mrs. George Rickert, of Lockport, Ohio; David A., who resides in Ashland County, this state; Isabel, of New Philadelphia; Jefferson, whose home is in Warwick Township; Susan, Mrs. Clark Rickert, of Lockport; and William, an agriculturist of War- wick Township.
The first wife of David Metzger bore the maiden name of Mary Howe. Iler death occurred shortly after their marriage, and subsequently the father married Barbara, daughter of David and Barbara Mathias. To this union were born two sons and two daughters. Alexander, Lucy A. and their brother all are deceased; and Elizabeth is the wife of David Anderson, who is the owner of a fine farm in Warwick Township. The demise of David Metzger occurred September 21, 1877, but his wife, Catherine, is still living on the old homestead in Warwick Township, where her entire married life was passed. She is now in her seventy-third year.
George L. Metzger continued to live under the parental roof until twenty-one years of age. For some time previous he was engaged in making shin- gles and in various other lines of business. About 1871 he went to Colorado, where for nine months he worked on the railroad and at farming. He then returned to York Township and soon resumed his former occupations. It was in 1870 that he purchased his first piece of property, this being forty acres, a portion of the old homestead. His home is still on this farm, which he has enlarged to its present proportions, there being now two hundred and fourteen acres within its limits. Al- ways a very industrious and hard-working man, Mr. Metzger well deserves the prosperity which he
has earned, and which now crowns his efforts of former years. His educational privileges were some- what limited, but he has become well informed by observation and general reading. He has never aspired to occupy official positions, and is not con- nected with any party organization.
In 1873 Mr. Metzger married Catherine, daugh- ter of Jacob Yingling, who was a native of Mary land. Mrs. Metzger was born in 1848, and by her marriage became the mother of six children, as fol- lows: Maggie A. and Elzena, who live at home; and Minnie M. and three others, deceased. De- cember 20, 1882, our subject married Priscilla Kis- lig, who was born in 1854. Her parents, David and Catherine Kislig, were natives of Germany, and emigrated to the United States when young. Seven children were born to George and Priscilla Metzger. Four of the number died in infancy, and the others are: Charles H., George L. and Ed- ward T., who live with their parents. The latter are members of the Lutheran Church, and have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances, who es- teem them highly for their sterling qualities.
W ILLIAM SCOTT, who, for the past twelve years has been identified with the farming and stock-raising interests of Jefferson Township, Guernsey County, is rec- ognized as one of her most progressive and wide- awake citizens. He was born in Ohio, April 19, 1825, and is the son of William Scott, Sr., whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania, July 28, 1787. This gentleman was married to the lady who be- came the mother of our subject on Christmas Day, 1811, by Rev. Moses Allen. Her maiden name was Mary Armstrong, and her birth took place in Penn- sylvania, November 12, 1785.
Of the brothers and sisters of our subject, Jo- seph, who was born October 9, 1812, was accident- ally drowned when quite young; Abraham was born July 2, 1815, and is now deceased; Susan,
345
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
born July 16, 1816, became the wife of James Old- ham September 22, 1835, and died May 19, 1875; John, who was born April 9, 1818, was married to Lucretia O. Black, October 20, 1842, and died August 22, 1881; Margaret was born February 3; 1820, and died July 11, 1843; and Nancy, born February 25, 1822, married Daniel Marling, and only survived her union one year, dying Septem- ber 8, 1845.
When ready to establish a home of his own, Will- iam Scott, of this sketch, was married, October 2, 1851, to Miss Mary C. Black. They have had no children of their own, but have performed the part of parents to a child named Charles Braden, whom they took into their hearts and home when a babe of fifteen months. He was a very bright and lova- ble boy, and was taken from them by death when a lad of nine years.
Joseph K. and Anna Elizabeth (Hutchins) Black, the parents of Mrs. Scott, were natives of Loudoun County, Va., the father being born in 1795, and the mother in 1799. To them were born ten children, and of these Lucretia O., who was born April 22, 1819, married John Scott, brother of our sub- ject. Clarinda E., born October 14, 1820, became the wife of Josephus Pero, December 1, 1847. Ce- phas N., born January 31, 1822, married, October 31, 1843, Miss Margaret Reeves, and their five chil- dren bear the respective names of Con verse C., An- na Eliza, Joseph R., Mary A. and Violet I. Their mother died March 12, 1858, at ber home near Cambridge. Cephas was then married to Bath- sheba Bratton, and to them were born five children, all of whom are living. Gain R. Black was born May 16, 1823, and married Matilda Powell; they make their home in Peoria, Ill. Henry C., born in December, 1825, is a physician in Freeport, Harri- son County. Eliza F., born July 28, 1827, married J. Linkbart, March 26, 1856, and they have six children, and make their home in Oxford, lowa; Corda C. was born February 14, 1827, and became the wife of Robert Teaker October 25, 1855; she is now deceased, having died at her home in Charles- ton, Ill. Tallyrand, the youngest child, was born June 4, 1830, and Marelı 19, 1863, was married to . Ellen George.
Of the children of John Scott, the brother of
our subject, Joseph W., born on the 2d of Janu- ary, 1846, is married and has three children, How- ard, Mary and Walter. Mary A., born on the 24th of April, 1844, married I. H. Luce, a hard- ware merchant of Lakefield, Minn., and is now de- ceased. Annie E., born December 14, 1847, died in Oxford, Iowa, in 1867. Susan C., born Septem- ber 26, 1850, married William Staley, and makes her home in Sac County, Iowa.
Mr. Scott, of this sketch, made his home in Cam- bridge Township, Guernsey County, until within the last twelve years, since which time he has been identified with the farming interests of Jefferson Township. He is recognized as one of its intelli- gent, as well as successful, citizens, enjoys the con- fidence of the business community, and commands the esteem of his neighbors. He is a true-blue Re- publican in polities, and takes great interest in the triumphs of his party. In religious affairs he is an active member of the United Presbyterian Church, with which he has been identified for the past forty- one years, and is one of its valued followers.
+
OSIAH R. KNOWLTON is one of the old- est and most respected citizens of Guernsey County, and since 1844 has made his home in Cumberland. He is now retired from act- ive business, but for upwards of forty-three years was a leading business man of the place. In pol- itics he is a Republican, and fraternally is identi- fied with Cumberland Lodge No. 200, I. O. O. F., having been one of the first initiates after it was instituted in 1852.
The great-grandfather of Josiah, of this sketch, was Roswell K. Knowlton, who, with his brother Josepli, was born at East Iladdam, Conn. Their father was Thomas Knowlton, and his father Lieut. Thomas Knowlton, a soldier of the Revolution. He, in turn, was a son of Thomas Knowlton, of Ipswich, Mass., whose father, William, was one of three brothers who, accompanied by their parents,
346
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
emigrated from England in 1732. The father died at sea, and the remainder of the family settled in Ipswich, Mass.
Warren Knowlton, our subject's father, was born in the Bay State, and in 1817 moved to Vir- ginia, where he cleared a farm, which he subse- quently lost, on account of a defective title. In 1829 he came to this locality, and, settling over the line in Noble County, bought one hundred and sixty acres of land. He was the first black- smith and gunsmith at French Creek. He died in Athens County, Ohio. His wife, Mary, was a daughter of Capt. Josiah Dunbar, a Revolutionary hero and a native of Scotland. To Warren Knowl- ton and his wife, Mary, were born six children, viz .: Josiah R., Roswell, Emelinc, Nancy, Hiram and William H. The two last-named died in Vir- ginia. After the death of Mrs. Mary Knowlton, the father married a Mrs. Graham (nee Burt), and their only child, Mary, is the wife of Albert Law- son, editor of the Cincinnati Tribune. Warren Knowlton was a regular minister in the Baptist church. Politically he was a Whig, and in later years a Republican.
The birth of Josiah R. Knowlton occurred in Belcher, Hampshire County, Mass., August 20, 1815. He went to Virginia with his father, and in 1829 came to Ohio. When eighteen years old he began teaching, being one of the first to obtain a certificate under the law requiring an examina- tion of candidates for teaching. In 1843 he came to this place, where he engaged in merchandising for several years. In company with Russell Prouty, he started a shop for the manufacture of engines. after which he gave his attention to cutting lum- ber with a portable engine, which was one of the first of the kind ever built in the country. For the past few years he has not actively engaged in business. lle has served as Trustec, Clerk and Treasurer of the township, and for twenty-four years has been a Notary Public. Politically he was a Whig, and is now a Republican. In his religious views he is a Baptist.
August 14, 1838, Mr. Knowlton married Sarah B., daughter of Joseph and Melinda (Rice) Lip- pitt, who were born in Cranston, R. I. Mrs. Knowlton, who died December 11, 1892, was born
in Noble Township, Noble County, in 1818, and by her marriage became the mother of three chil- dren, viz .: Fidelia, who died at the age of twelve years; Irville N .; and Linus R., who died when in his fourth year.
The only surviving son of our subject, Irville N., was born in Morgan County, Ohio, November 26, 1841, and was educated in the common schools. On reaching his majority, he became a watch- maker and photographer, and worked at that call- ing for twelve years. Turning his attention exclusively to photography, he conducted a gal- lery for eighteen years, after which he embarked in the grocery business, to which his time was given until 1893. In politics he is a Republican, and socially is an Odd Fellow and Mason. May 15, 1866, he married Mary L., daughter of Joseph and Mary (Marshall) Phillis. Eight children were born of this union, viz .: Nettie E., Mrs. Ad- die E. Conner, J. Frank (a dentist), Fred A., Sarah L., Mary N., Willie C., and Bertha, who died in infancy. Prior to their marriage, both Mr. Knowlton and his wife were Presbyterians, but have since been affiliated with the Baptist Church.
F RANKLIN MISKIMEN has resided at his present home near New Comerstown since 1878. . During this period he has engaged in the growing of small fruits, and has also been employed more or less as a surveyor. This call- ing he learned when about fifteen years of age, becoming master of it through his own efforts, as he had but little instruction, but has nevertheless made a success of the undertaking. In 1893 he was elected County Surveyor on the Republican ticket, a marked victory, as he received a majority of nearly tlirec hundred votes in what is considered one of the strongholds of Democracy. For a period of three years he was Justice of the Peace, and since 1875 has been connected with the Cen- tral Ohio District Fair Association, in which he
347
PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD.
has been President, Vice-President, Treasurer for three years, and a member of the Board of Control.
The parents of Franklin Miskimen were John and Rachel (Burt) Miskimen, natives of Coshoc- ton County, Ohio, and Orange County, N. Y., re- spectively. The father of John Miskimen was James, a native of Northumberland County, Md., born in 1774. His father in turn came from the North of Ireland, an exile seeking a home. He was of Scotch-Irish stock, and religious persecu- tion led to his flight, for he was a Covenanter. He followed the weaver's trade, while his son James adopted agricultural pursuits as a means of obtain- ing a livelihood. The original spelling of the name was either McKimmon or Mckinnon, but it was changed in the fore part of this century. James Miskimen came to Ohio about 1805, located in Linton Township, Coshocton County, and there kept a trading-post for some years. He was one of the first Board of Commissioners of the county, a prominent citizen, and became the owner of large tracts of land. He was a great hunter, and had many adventures with the Indians. It is claimed that he passed through the Tuscarawas Valley in 1799, as one of the corps of surveyors who crossed over to the Sciota Valley and returned by Zanes' Trail. In 1802 he stopped temporarily in Coshoc- ton County, where land to the extent of four thousand acres was offered to him for $1000. He refused to buy on account of the absence of large timber, as the land was located on the plains. He was born in 1774, and died in 1840.
Our subject's father, John Miskimen, was mar- ried in 1841 to Rachel, daughter of Daniel Burt. Her family was descended from some of the first settlers in New England, where it is known they were residents as early as 1624. For many years John Miskimen was engaged in farming in Coshoc- ton County, but in 1869 removed into Tuscarawas County, where he died in 1870. Of his twelve chil- dren, five died in early childhood. Those living are as follows: Daniel, a farmer near this city; Franklin, our subject; Charlotte, Mrs. Sheldon Dickinson, of this place; Mary, wife of George W. Miskimen, manager of the Hardesty Mill Company, of Canal Dover; John C., who is on the old liome- stead in Coshocton County; George W., & farmer
of the same locality; and Rachel A., Mrs. E. C. Crater, whose husband is a jeweler of New Com- erstown.
A native of Coshocton County, our subject was born December 10, 1845, and was reared to farm- ing pursuits. He was educated in the district schools of the neighborhood, and later was a stu- dent in the New Comerstown High School. After a course of study in Duff's Commercial College at Pittsburg, he graduated in 1865. Returning home, he obtained a position in the bank, but on account of poor health, returned to outdoor life on the farm. In 1870 he went to Kansas, and until December, 1874, was a resident of Allen County. Returning thence to this state, he settled in the county of his birth, where he continued to make his home until 1878, since which time his lot has been cast witlı the inhabitants of New Comerstown.
Prior to his removal to Kansas, our subject was married, in Mattoon, Ill., to Miss Lucy McMunn, the date of the ceremony being April 4, 1870. The lady is the daughter of Samuel McMunn, a prominent farmer and stock-dealer of the Buckeye State before his deathı. Eight children were born to our subject and his wife, three of the number having died in infancy. Bertha G. is now in Illi- nois; and the others, John S., Rachel, Catherine C. and James M. B., are at home.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.