The County of Highland : a history of Highland County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapters on the bench and bar, medical profession educational development, industry and agriculture and biographical sketches, Part 27

Author: Klise, J. W
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : Northwestern Historical Association
Number of Pages: 544


USA > Ohio > Highland County > The County of Highland : a history of Highland County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapters on the bench and bar, medical profession educational development, industry and agriculture and biographical sketches > Part 27


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pears at the head of this notice, was reared at the home in Brown county, and received his education in the district school. In 1891 he was married to Ida Helsley, born and reared in Eagle township, Brown county, daughter of C. P. and Elizabeth Helsley, and they made their home in Brown county two years, after which he bought the farm of 100 acres in White Oak township, where they now reside. Their home is blessed with three children: Charles H., Owna M., and Homer C. Mr. Bohl was for seven years in business at Mowrys- town as a member of the firm of Bohl & Helsley, undertakers, but he now gives his time entirely to farming and the raising of livestock, particularly shorthorn cattle. He has one of the neatest homes in the township, and a valuable farm, is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge, No. 712, at Mowrystown, and in politics is a Republican.


Charles G. Brouse, one of the properous farmers of Liberty town- ship, still owns part of the place which was settled by his grand- father as far back as 1818. Lewis Brouse, first of the name in Ohio, was born in Virginia September 29, 1788. In 1811 he came to Ohio and purchased the land, part of which is now owned by Charles G. Brouse, and then returning to Virginia, married Mary Riner March 5, 1812. During the year 1818 they arrived in Highland county to reside permanently and shortly afterward located four and a half miles north of Hillsboro on the farm now owned by William A. West. He lived over half a century after his settlement in Lib- erty township, his death occurring August 4, 1874, and his nine chil- dren were Eliza, Anna, John Andrew, Frederick, Henry, Sarah, James A., Mrs. Rosa Anderson of Hillsboro, and Charles W. of Biggsville, Ill., the two last mentioned being the only ones living. John Andrew Brouse, the third child, was born in Virginia April 30, 1816, and consequently was only about two years of age when his parents made their migration to the West. December 28, 1843, he was married to Catharine, daughter of Jolin and Catharine (Lane) Holmes, with whom he lived thirty-two years and reared a large family. She was born November 6, 1821, and died January 27, 1875, after which he married Mrs. Minerva A. (Hixson) James, who died April 25, 1898. His death followed in the same year, July 10, 1898. The children of John A. and Catherine Brouse were John Andrew, now postmaster at Lone Oak, Ark .; Francis T., a resident of Riverside, Cal .; Wesley A., of Covina, Cal .; Maria C., widow of Thomas M. Whittel of Liberty township; Emma C., died at the age of twenty-one years; and Charles G. Brouse. The latter was married October 9, 1889, to Laura Alice, second child of John and Rachel (Starr) Kerns, who were early settlers in the Samantha neighborhood. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Brouse are Beata, at home; Rachel, widow of Frank West; Joseph, a mer- chant at Mannington, W. Va .; Martha, wife of Walter Rogers ; Min-


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nie, who died at the age of thirty years; Mary, who died in child- hood; Catharine, wife of Charles Rosher; Louie, wife of William Calvert of Hillsboro ; Charles M., a merchant at Hillsboro; and Jes- sie, wife of Harry Boatman. Charles G. Brouse owns 136 acres of land which is part of the homestead purchased by his grandfather in 1811 and this place he maintains in a high state of cultivation. He has one child, Bessie Alice, who was born May 10, 1891.


Thomas F. Browder, a soldier of the civil war and popular busi- ness man of Greenfield, Ohio, is best known to fame as the inventor and manufacturer of the Browder life saving net. The family is of French origin, the ancestors have been among those driven out by the vindictive religious persecutions that disgraced France after the Reformation, finding an asylum in England and later emigrating to America. The Highland county branch takes its rise from Thomas Y. Browder, who became prominent in Greene county, Ohio, as a politician, stock speculator and extensive holder of real estate, dying there in 1875. He married Sarah Hurley, by whom he had six daughters and four sons, one of the latter, named Gilbert, dying while serving as a Union soldier in the civil war. Thomas F. Browder was born in Greene county, Ohio, June 14, 1847, and besides the usual attendance in the common schools had the benefit of a course at Forest Home college. In 1864, shortly before reach- ing his seventeenth year, he enlisted in Company C, Sixtieth regi- ment Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years or the war, and it was not long before he took part with his command in the bloody battles of the Wilderness fought between the armies of Lee and Grant. On May 9th, at Spottsylvania, he was shot through the hip and lay in the field hospital for three days, eventually being taken to Washing- ton city and furloughed home in the middle of June. Later he spent some time in the hospital at Columbus, Ohio, remaining there until he received his final discharge from the service. Immediately thereafter he returned home, attended school awhile and then took up the profession of teaching, which he followed steadily for nine years. In 1876, Mr. Browder located at Greenfield, and in 1894 started the first steam laundry ever opened in that place. He pushed this enterprise vigorously, employing the most expert work- men he could secure, did a thriving business for five and a half years and disposed of the property to advantage in 1899. It was in 1887 that he did his first work on the invention which promised to bring him both fame and fortune. In the same year he took out a patent for the Browder life saving net, adding two others for improvements in 1900, and later procuring protection for his invention abroad by patents covering the European countries. The invention is highly spoken of by experts and is welcomed everywhere as a great boon to humanity, while the inventor is honored with the title of public ben-


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cfactor. The net was put to a practical test during the great fire in New York City May 7, 1901, when as the result of its operation twenty people were saved from horrible deaths. In 1873, Mr. Browder was married to Laura, daughter of Thomas O'Dell, one of the most substantial farmers of Highland county. Three children, Lillian, Omalee and Charles W., have been the fruits of this union, all of whom have exhibited a taste for teaching and spent more or less time in that employment. Miss Lillian is still so engaged, but the son now holds the position of freight agent for the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern railroad company. Both parents and children are highly esteemed in the social circles of Greenfield, as indeed they are by all others so fortunate as to form their acquaintance. Mr. Browder is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, the Royal Arcanum and the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic.


James F. Brown, one of the substantial and esteemed farmers of Paint township, is the descendant of pioneers whose record reflects great credit upon the founders of the family in Highland county. As early as 1805 Joel Brown became an enterprising and industri- ous settler near Hillsboro on what is now known as the Trim- ble farm. He came from Culpeper county in old Virginia with his family, accompanied by his two sisters, the widow Pusey and her three sons, and Mrs. Daniel Inskeep, wife of a local Methodist preacher. These families all located southeast of Hillsboro, on the Rocky fork, and were considered most desirable acquisitions by the early settlers in Highland, in point of morals, industry and refine- ment. They were all members of the Society of Friends, usually known as Quakers, and possessed the frugality, peacefulness of dis- position and industrious habits so characteristic of that famous band of brothers. Joshua Brown, one of the sons of Joel, married Janetta Inskeep and had nine children, of whom five are living: Jennie, wife of George Barrier, Sr., of Hillsboro; James F., subject of this sketch ; William E., of New Market, served in the heavy artil- lery ; Sally, wife of W. T. Roush, near Russell Station; Mary, resident of Hillsboro. The deceased are Rachel E., who married Jonah Britton ; Joel H., who served as a soldier in the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Ohio regiment; Susan, wife of Marion D. Brit- ton; and John. James F. Brown, second of the children in age, was born in New Market township, Highland county, Ohio, May 15, 1842, and received the usual common school education as he grew up on his father's farm. In August, 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-ninth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and had as a soldier companion a sixteen-year old boy named Joseph Benson For- aker, who has since been governor and United States senator. This regiment was assigned to the Fourteenth army corps and was in the hottest of the fighting at the great battle of Chickamauga, Septem-


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ber 19 and 20, 1863. On the second day, after some very severe fighting, the regiment was surrounded and captured. Mr. Brown was one of the unfortunates thus taken in by the "Johnny Rebs" and marched off for a siege in their villainous prison pens in various parts of the south. They first took him to Richmond, then to Dan- ville, and later sent him back to the Cenfederate capital, where he was fortunate enough to be exchanged after an imprisonment of over seven months. Mr. Brown rejoined his regiment at Goldsboro, N. C., and served with it until his discharge in June, 1865. He remained at hime until 1868 when he went to Marion county, Kan., and took up a homestead, but after three years returned to Highland county and took charge of the home farm. In 1879 he married Mary E. Redkey, spent the eight following years on a farm of 119 acres which he owns in Hamer township and then settled in Rains- boro, where he still resides. Mr. Brown is a member of the Order of Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and the Grand Army of the Republic.


James R. Buck, the popular groceryman of Greenfield, is one of those pushing energetic young men who are the life of the commun- ities where they reside and chief factors in their progress and devel- opment. Whether it be in the social circle, the doings of the fra- ternities, business projects or religious movements, such men are relied upon to lead the van and furnish the fire and energy without which "the best laid schemes o' mice or men gang aft agley." The Buck family are Ohioans with the best social connections on both sides of the house. Robert Buck, at present holding an official posi- tion in the Soldiers' Home at Xenia, Ohio, married Isabella John- son and located at Greenfield, where their son, James R. Buck, was born, reared and educated. In early boyhood he became ambitious for a business career and had set his heart on being a merchant when other children of the same age are content to thumb their grammars and "cipher in the rule of three." It was in 1888, when he had just reached his thirteenth year, that he saw his opportunity in the shape of an humble job in a store. He was offered a position in the gro- cery establishment of J. W. Elder and accepted with the alacrity of a lad who has in him the material for making a man. For the nine. following years, he worked industriously and faithfully for his. employer, doing whatever he was told to do and doing it well, until finally he had an opportunity to become proprietor. June 13, 1897,. Mr. Buck, whose nine years of apprenticeship had given him a prac- tical understanding of the grocery business, purchased the stock and good will of Mr. Elder and since then has had sole charge. He has: so conducted his affairs as to become recognized as one of the leading- dealers in fancy groceries in Greenfield and one of the most progres- sive of its merchants. He is prominent in Masonic circles, holding


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membership in the Knights Templar and Royal Arch chapter. His religious affiliations are with the Presbyterians and he is a member of the church of that denomination at Greenfield. Mr. Buck married Bessie, the accomplished daughter of J. B. Elliott, postmaster of Greenfield, and the family are welcome guests in the best circles of the city's society. The mother of Mr. Buck died on the 8th of July, 1902.


Samuel J. Buck, the popular liveryman of Greenfield, is a native of Highland and has all his life been connected with the county's development. His father, Robert Buck, was long identified with the public business of Greenfield and quite active in political affairs. As a reward for his services he was appointed in 1899 to an official posi- tion in connection with the Soldiers' and Sailors' home at Xenia, Ohio, which he holds at the present time. He married Isabella Johnston, by whom he has two living children, the eldest of whom, J. R. Buck, is in the grocery business at Greenfield. S. J. Buck, the other son, was born, reared and educated in Highland county. After growing up he engaged in the grocery business at Greenfield and continued the same for ten years or more. In October, 1901, he changed to the livery business, which he has since conducted. Mr. Buck is a member of the First Presbyterian church at Greenfield and is an enthusiastic Knight of Pythias. July 22, 1896, he was married to Miss Jessie, daughter of Jesse Crawford, a prominent farmer of Highland county residing at Petersburg.


Arthur N. Bunn, of Sugartree Ridge, one of the leading business men of Concord township, is a member of one of the old families of Highland county. His great-grandparents came west from Penn- sylvania in the early years of the last century, and settled first at Chillicothe, but not long afterward removed to New Market town- ship, where they farmed and kept one of the wayside inns famous in the days of old. Their son, John Bunn, born in Pennsylvania in 1804, was married in early manhood to Jane Thompson, also a native of Pennsylvania, and started out in life as a cooper in New Market township, afterward removing to Sugartree Ridge, of which he was one of the founders, having helped to plat the town. There he embarked in the business as a merchant, in addition to cooperage and farming. He was a man of prominence, well known and highly esteemed throughout the county, and frequently honored with town- ship office. He lived to be over eighty years of age and his wife to seventy-five years. Their children were: Eliza, now living at West Union ; Thomas A., deceased; Joseph, of Hillsboro; John, a physi- cian at Batavia, Ohio; W. H., of Sugartree Ridge; Dr. James W. of West Union, and Lewis, deceased. Dr. James W. Bunn enlisted in the Hundred and Eighty-second regiment Ohio volunteer infantry,


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was made hospital steward and served his country well. Thomas A., born in January, 1825, the father of the subject of this sketch, learned the trade of his father as he grew up, obtained his education in the district school, and on attaining manhood married Susan Hetherington, a native of Virginia. Three children were born to them: Arthur N .; Belle, of Sugartree Ridge, and Eliza, wife of Newton W. Igo, of Concord township. After following the trade of a cooper for some years Thomas A. Bunn engaged in mercantile business at Sugartree ridge with his son, A. N., and in this employ- ment and in the performance of the duties of various township offices with which he was honored, passed the remainder of his years, until his death, at the age of sixty-six years. His wife survives him, and is now seventy-six years of age. Arthur N. Bunn, eldest child of these parents, was born at Sugartree Ridge December 3, 1849, and was reared in his native town, attending the district school and the school at Hillsboro. After completing his studies he took up the pro- fession of teaching, and gave it his attention for fifteen years, mak- ing an excellent reputation for efficient work in this important field of labor. Meanwhile he was married to Arminda Stout, daughter of Jacob and Lucinda Stout, members of an old family in the town- ship, and prominently associated with the mercantile interests of the town. In 1883 Mr. Bunn abandoned teaching to become a mer- chant, and since then he has been an active and successful business man at Sugartree Ridge. He has served his community several terms as township clerk, and for one term held the office of coroner of Highland county. Throughout the county he is held in high esteem. He is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Mowrystown and in politics is a Democrat. Of his six children, Belle, the third, is dead ; Roy has his home in Hillsboro, and Lum, John, Ruth and Walter are at home.


John W. Burnett is one of the representative farmers of High- land county. His ancestry took part in the hardships and trials incident to the settlement of Highland county and bore their share of the burdens which preceded the splendid civilization now so char- acteristic of the Scioto valley. The Ohio branch of the family orig- inated with John Burnett, of Delaware, who married twice, had one son by his first wife, whom he named after himself, and by the sec- ond, who was a Miss Snell, the following: Peter, William, Edward, James, Nellie, and Peggy. James Burnett, fourth of the second set of children, was born in Highland county, January 11, 1819, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Adam Tedrow. From this union resulted six children : Melvina, wife of J. T. Steele; Neoma, wife of Rynard Van Zant; the subject of this sketch; Martha J., wife of J. W. Noble; James A. and Edward S., farmers in Marshall town- ship. J. W. Burnett, third of the family in age, was born in High-


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land county, Ohio, September 1, 1847, and has devoted his whole life to farming. At present he owns several hundred acres of farm- ing land in Marshall township, which he cultivates by modern methods. May 9, 1878, he was married to Sarah E., daughter of James S. and Emily J. (Hill) Carlisle, of Highland county, who are noticed in another part of this volume. Mrs. Burnett, whose family is one of the most esteemed in their community, was born June 6, 1857, and is a lady of most excellent disposition. She and her husband have no children of their own but have cared for and reared several children of other people. Mr. Burnett is a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge at Marshall.


Daniel M. Butters, a well-known farmer of Brush Creek township, belongs to one of the old families of the county, and has himself done credit to his ancestry in the place he has made among the influential men of the county. His grandfather, John Butters, a soldier of the Revolution, was twice married, the second time to a Miss White, of West Virginia, and with this wife and his children he made a home in the forests of Brush Creek township at a very early day in the settlement. He was a weaver by trade and followed this occupation in addition to farming. Like many of the pioneers he lived to a great age, dying at ninety years. Michael Butters, son of John, was born September 4, 1816, on a farm adjoining that which is the resi- dence of Daniel M. He married Elizabeth Zink, a native of Adams county, and they began housekeeping in Marshall township, but soon afterward moved to Indiana, where he died. His wife returned with the children to Brush Creek township, where she reared the family and lived to the age of sixty-three years. They had two chil- dren. The daughter, Susannah, married Daniel Rhoads, and to this union there are six children living. Her second husband was Asa Brown of Brush creek. Daniel M. Butters, the second child of Michael and Elizabeth Butters, was born April 6, 1842, in Foun- tain county, Indiana, was reared in Highland county, and in early manhood married Martha Eubanks, a native of Brush Creek. They have ever since resided on the old home farm, where Mr. Butters now owns 201 acres, and they have reared two children: Almetta, wife of James Slater, of Brush Creek township, and Ollie, wife of George P. Murphy, living at home. In his early days Mr. Butters operated a threshing machine for some time, but he now gives his whole time to farming and stock raising, with much success. He is highly regarded by his neighbors, and has been honored with the office of township trustee for six years. In religious matters he is an earnest Presbyterian, and in politics he adheres to the Republican party. Mrs. Butters is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.


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James L. Cadwallader, superintendent of the Greenfield (Ohio) public schools, has long been prominently connected with educational affairs. In fact he may be said to have been bred in an atmosphere of pedagogics, as his father, Alfred Cadwallader, was for many years a teacher in Highland county, of which he was a native and honored citizen. The founder of the family in that part of Ohio was Jesse Cadwallader, who came from Virginia and settled there near the close of the eighteenth century. Mr. Cadwallader obtained his ele- mentary education in the public schools of his native county of High- land. He then became a teacher and spent four years in what Thomson describes as the "delightful task to rear the tender thought, to teach the young idea how to shoot." After this educational novi- tiate, Mr. Cadwallader accepted the position of principal of the pub- lic schools of Vienna, O., which he held for three years. At the expiration of his last term, he became a student at the National Nor- mal university of Lebanon, O., with a view to qualifying himself thoroughly as an instructor. That famous school for the training of teachers honored him with the degree of B. S. at his graduation in 1891 and a year later he received the still higher degree of M. S. After completing his studies at Lebanon, Mr. Cadwallader resumed his old charge at Vienna and remained there two years and a half. His next responsibility was as principal of the Blanchester (Ohio) schools for three years, when he was appointed professor of history and Latin in the Normal university at Lebanon. He was holding this responsible position when called to fill the superintendency at Greenfield, the duties of which have since absorbed his attention. In this thriving Ohio city Mr. Cadwallader has fully demonstrated his ability both as an educator and administrative officer. He has charge of twenty-one teachers in schools showing a total enrollment of 850 pupils, and the excellence of the superintendent's manage- ment is shown by the superior drill and efficiency exhibited in all the grades. In 1892, Mr. Cadwallader was married to Bertha Miller, an accomplished lady of Clarksville, O. He is a communi- cant of the Christian church and member of the Royal Arch masons.


Andrew S. Cailey, merchant at East Danville, comes from one of the oldest pioneer families in Highland county. The records show that his grandfather, Frederick Cailey, was one of the sparse population of New Market township as far back as the organization of the county. He was a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, and before leaving that state had married Mary Roadheaffer, who was a first cousin of the famous Indian fighter, Lewis Wetzell. Fred- erick Cailey located in that part of Highland county which afterward became White Oak township, became the owner of about 200 acres of land, and died when sixty years old, his wife reaching her eightieth year before passing away. Their son, John Cailey, was


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born in White Oak township November 13, 1813, and in early man- hood married Sarah, daughter of Anthony and Sarah Sonner. He purchased a farm of 128 acres in Concord township, where he made his home during the remainder of his life, occupied principally in cultivation of the soil. Aside from this, however, he was a local minister of the United Brethren church and for many years was quite prominent in religious work. His wife died when about sixty- six years old, but he long survived his consort and passed away in the eighty-fourth year of his age. They had a family of seven chil- dren, of whom Francis M., Newton J. and Aramitha are dead; the living are Delilah, wife of John Robinson, of Missouri; William A., of California ; the subject of this sketch; and Rachel, wife of W. M. Young, of Columbus. Andrew S. Cailey, third of the children in age, was born in Concord township, Highland county, Ohio, March 21, 1852, and with the exception of two years spent in Missouri, remained at home until his twenty-eighth year. He engaged in the mercantile business at East Danville and has prospered, having one of the most modern and comfortable dwelling houses in the village. In fact he has as complete a general store as can be found in the county, outside of large cities, and it must be a very unreasonable cus- tomer who cannot find there what he wants. His store rooms are large and commodious and he does and deserves to do a large business, as he is courteous to all customers and up-to-date in his methods. Mr. Cailey first married Amy Fleming, a native of Highland county, by whom he had an only child named Sarah. The mother died in 1889, and Mr. Cailey. took for his second wife Maggie, daughter of C. P. and Elizabeth Helsley, of White Oak township, and one child, Marjorie, has resulted from this union. Besides his mercantile busi- ness, Mr. Cailey finds time to fulfill the duties of postmaster at Winkle, the official name of his place, and also those of station agent for the Hillsboro railroad. . In Oddfellowship he is a member of East Danville lodge, No. 844, and Encampment No. 243, at Sar- dinia.




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