The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 108

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 108

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MRS. CATHERINE SHELLENBERGER, Covington. Mrs. Shellenberger is the widow of Jacob E. Shellenberger, who came from Pennsylvania to Miami Co. in 1833 ; he was a saddler and was employed at his trade here until about 1847, when he built the brick store on the east side of High street, at the north side of the alley between Spring and Pearl streets, and added a general stock of hard- ware. In 1870, he sold out to his son-in-law, and in 1872 his death occurred. The widow who survives him was his second wife ; she is a daughter of Joseph Shell- enberger, of Pennsylvania, and was married to Mr. J. E. Shellenberger in Philadel- phia in 1854. His first wife was Miss Jane E. McDowell, also of Pennsylvania.

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By his first wife he had eight children, five of whom attained majority, and three are now living-Mrs. Clinton Shellenberger, Mrs. George W. Freshour and Dr. James E. Shellenberger. By his second wife, he had eight children, six of whom are now living-Jennie, Addie, Ida, Eva, May and Olive.

ELLEN SHELLENBERGER, Covington; she is the daughter of .Samuel Thompson, whose biography appears in this work. She was married to D. M. Shellenberger, in 1861, who was the son of Jacob E. Shellenberger, by his first wife ; D. M. received a business education, being brought up to the hardware busi- ness, and continued with his father in that trade here until 1867, when he went to Brownsville, Neb., and in company with his brother W. D. engaged in the hard- ware trade there; they were quite successful ; but consumption claimed both for its victims, and compelled them to relinquish their business ; both returned to Cov- ington and died here at the place of their birth ; the decease of D. M. occurred in 1871, and that of his brother, in the following year ; Mr. Shellenberger, although a young man, had established a reputation as a business man of ability, and by his many good qualities, had won a large number of friends, who deeply mourned his early demise ; the widow and three children who survive him are pleasantly and comfortably situated ; her residence, on Wall street is one of the best in the town, and her home, in its surroundings and furnishings, indicates culture and refinement.

LEWIS C. SHOF, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; he is a son of Solomon Shoe, who was born near Hagerstown Ind., and emigrated to Ohio in 1829, and entered land in this county, Newberry Township ; he has a large farm situated on Harrison Creek, which has one of the best springs that can be found along the Creek ; Lewis C. was born Oct. 5, 1849, near Milton, Union Township ; he is a man that is re- spected by all who know him ; he was reared and educated a farmer, and is still engaged in the business.

J. R. SHUMAN, banker, President Stillwater Valley Bank, Covington. Of the business men of Covington, none are more worthy of special mention than is J. R. Shuman. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1826, and his early life was spent on a farm, during which he received such education as the schools afforded and a three years' attendance at the Tuscarora Academy, after which he taught two winters. He came to Covington in 1851 ; engaged in the dry-goods business, and continued in mercantile pursuits from that time until 1872, when he was chosen President of the Stillwater Valley Bank, a position for which his varied mercantile experience had eminently fitted him, and his long and successful man- agement proves him the right man in the right place. He was married in 1855 to Miss Sophronia J. Huckins, who was a native of Bangor, Me., and at the time of her marriage a resident of Indiana. Mr. Shuman's residence is one of the largest in Covington ; is surrounded by a spacious yard, very neatly adorned. It is situ- ated on a prominent part of Pearl street. Mr. Shuman came to Covington when there was but a small beginning of a town, and has been identified with its improve- ments, and aided materially in securing many of them, having contributed more than $3,000 toward the construction of pikes and other public improvements.

HENRY SPITTLER, retired, Covington, a native of Pennsylvania ; was born in Lebanon Co. in 1811; raised on a farm, and has followed farming with the exception of the past twelve years. He came to Miami Co. in 1849 and settled about five miles northwest of Covington, where he remained until 1869, when he purchased a residence in Covington, to which he removed and retired from active labor. In 1872, he, in company with Wilkerson Pierson and John Shuman, opened a bank in Covington, which is now known as the Stillwater Valley Bank. They began with $35,000 cash capital. At one time, Mr. Spittler held all the stock, except about $1,000, and has been its principal stockholder during all its existence. The bank was managed with such perfect honesty and stability that it passed safely through the crisis of 1873, and has been growing in the confidence and patronage of the people ever since. Its history is given more completely elsewhere, and need not, therefore, be repeated here. Mr. Spittler has been successful both as a farmer and banker, and is now a valuable citizen. He was married in

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Pennsylvania to Susan Banner ; they have reared eleven children, eight of whom are now living ; all are married-five are residents of this county-two are in Indiana, and one in Missouri. Mrs. Spittler's death occurred here March 7, 1870.

JOHN SOWERS, grain and stock dealer, Bradford ; of the firm of J. Sowers & Son, grain and stock dealers ; is a son of Henry S., a native of Maryland ; came from Maryland to Pennsylvania, and, in 1836, he moved to Ohio and located in Rich- land Co., living there until his death. The subject of this sketch was born and raised in York Co., Penn., Feb. 6, 1814 ; when 17 years old, he learned house car- pentry and cabinet-making; in 1835, he came to Ohio ; in the spring of 1836, re- turned to Pennsylvania, and, in the fall of the same year, came back to Ohio and located in Covington, Miami Co .; he worked at his trade in all about fourteen years; he then began railroading and merchandising, carrying on business himself awhile; afterward was in the firm of Routson, Leonard & Co .; when the Piqua & Union Railroad was built, he had the agency ; built a warehouse and began dealing in grain and stock ; he carried on business there until 1868; sold out and came to Bradford ; built a warehouse (the first building put up in Bradford), and bought the first grain sold in the town; he had also a business room in the house and sold the first goods ; they are doing a very good business ; their annual sales being about 100,000 bushels. His marriage was celebrated Jan. 3, 1838, with Miss Mary, a daughter of John Thompson, one of the first settlers in Miami Co .; they had eight children, of whom six are living-William H., John T., Ora B., Annie, Frank F. and Sylvester S.

JOSEPH TEAGUE, retired farmer ; P. O. Covington ; is a son of Moses Teague, who was a native of South Carolina and emigrated to Ohio in the year 1805 ; stopped in Warren Co. about six months ; then came to Miami and located near Ludlow Falls ; they lived there forty-three years ; moved then to Indiana and remained there ten years ; came back to Miami Co. and lived here until death. The subject of this sketch was born in Newton Township, Miami Co., Sept. 15, 1818, and lived with his parents upon a farm until he attained his majority. He married Miss Mary A., daughter of David Patty, a native of South Carolina ; after his marriage, he learned the tanning business, and followed it about ten years on the old home farm in Newton Township ; he then purchased a farm in Darke Co., mostly all timber ; opened and improved it, living there about twenty-five years; in 1879, he traded his farm in Darke Co. for the J. M. Mahler farm in Newberry Township, Miami Co., situated on the Mott pike; this is a splendid farm of 118 acres, with a spring upon it that has few equals.

SAMUEL THOMPSON, retired farmer, Covington, is one of the oldest set- tlers now living in this township ; he was born in North Carolina in 1802, and came with his parents, Sylvester and Polly Thompson, to Miami Co. in about 1807; they first settled in Newton Township, entering the tract now known as the Landis farm ; afterward entered the west half of Sec. 32, in this township, removing to it about 1817, and also entered two quarter-sections on Greenville Creek about the same time ; he resided here in Sec. 32 until his death. Samuel grew to manhood here in the pioneer days of Miami Co. ; went to a subscription school held in & log cabin at Sugar Grove, but later on a cabin, was built in the present Mohler neighborhood ; soon after he had attained his majority, he came in possession of the northwest quarter of Sec. 32, upon which he built a cabin, where he removed his family, and has resided here all his life; when he came upon this tract it was all woods, except " an opening" of six or eight acres; now it is one of the finest farms in the county ; there is a good brick house, and other farm buildings to cor- respond, all the result of his labor and management. He was married in 1823, to Hannah, daughter of Peter Rench, who settled in Newton Township before the war of 1812 ; they had a family of eleven children, and, whatis remarkable, there has been as yet but one death in the family-that of the mother, who died Sept. 14, 1879 ; the children are all married, and each has a family ; their names are as fol- lows : Catherine, Falkoner, David, whose biography appears in this work ; William, now a resident of Iowa; Nancy, now Mrs, Duncan, of Darke Co. ; Mary, now Mrs.

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D. J. Martin, of Covington ; Rhoda, now Mrs. B. F. Jones, of Chicago ; Samuel, now a resident of Findlay ; Lavina, now Mrs. Z. Tobias, of Covington ; Josephus ; Ellen Shellenberger, also of Covington ; and Betty, now Mrs. Isaac Heckman. Josephus was born in 1840, and grew to manhood here on the farm upon which his father first settled. He was married, in 1861, to Amanda, daughter of Otha Rench, who was an early resident of Piqua, and later of Newton Township. Mr. and Mrs. Josephus Thompson have resided here on the old homestead ever since their marriage, having the care of his parents for several years past. They have six children.

DAVID R. THOMPSON, Covington ; son of Samuel Thompson, whose biog- raphy appears in this work, was born in 1825, and grew to manhood here in the days of log schoolhouses and limited farming facilities. He was married, in 1845, to Catharine, daughter of Wm. Long, Sr., a pioneer of Newton Township ; after his marriage, he remained on his father's farm for about two years, then purchased and removed to his present homestead, in Sec. 32, which formerly belonged to his grandfather ; his wife's death occurred here April 10, 1853 ; by her had four children, three of whom are now living; he was again married, Nov. 10, 1856, to Susan Lehman. During the following winter his house was burned, consuming all his furniture and clothing ; this house stood near where his present residence stands, and was erected by his grandfather about 1810; it was made of hewn logs, weather boarded, and was at the time of building considered the finest residence in the county. It will be seen, Mr. Thompson is a life-resident, and has been identified with the history and development of Newberry Township from the pioneer days to the present time ; the present homestead contains 130 acres, and is in an advanced state of cultivation. He is the father of eleven children, ten of whom are living ; by his first wife he had Joseph R., Orrin and Alonzo ; his second wife's children were Charles, D. C., Elizabeth, John F., Edwin, Clinton and Samuel.

HENRY TUCKER, blacksmith, Covington ; a Buckeye by birth ; was born in 1833 ; is a son of Abraham Tucker, a native of Tennessee, and for several years a resident of Union Township, in this county, where his death occurred in 1845. The subject of this sketch, then being a lad of 12 years of age, was thrown upon his own resources ; when 15 years of age, he began work at his trade in West Mil- ton, and has followed it ever since, with the exception of about two years, during which he was engaged in different occupations, but returned to his trade again ; most of the time he worked in the vicinity of Laura, but the years from 1867 to 1876 were spent in Indiana ; in 1876, he came to Covington, and in 1878, pur- chased his present property, which is located in the south part of town, on High street, his shop and residence adjoining, being very conveniently and pleasantly located. He was married, in 1853, to Olive, daughter of Elam Kelly, who was a native of Pennsylvania and an early resident of Union Township; the fruits of this union have been five children, two of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Tucker are both members of the Christian Church, and respected by all who know them.

JOHN ULLERY, retired farmer ; P. O. Covington; one of the oldest residents now living in Newberry Township ; is a son of Jacob Ullery, a native of Maryland, who left there in the spring of 1810 and came by wagons to Pittsburgh, where he purchased an old "flat," upon which he loaded his goods and family and floated down to Cincinnati ; here they stayed about three weeks, being detained by a sick child, which died and was buried within the present limits of the city ; he then hired teams to take him to Dayton, where he rented one of the little shanties of which Dayton was then composed, but only remained about one month ; while liv- ing here, he purchased a tract of 160 acres of Government land, about ten miles north of Dayton, to which he removed ; the following winter he came up the Stillwater, prospecting, and, having an eye to a mill-site, purchased, for $300, the southeast quarter of Sec. 30, in Newberry Township, a part of which he afterward laid out in town lots ; in the following spring, he removed his family to the new purchase ; as there was but a small cabin partly built, the family had to shift as best they could until the cabin could be enlarged and made suitable for occupation ; during

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the war which commenced the following year, Mr. Ullery took his family and went back south to the older settlements, but, having a fine crop of wheat, came up with help and harvested and stacked his wheat; notwithstanding the presence of Indians and, what would now be more dangerous, a company of troops, stationed at the block-house which stood near the mouth of Greenville Creek, he found that stack all right three years afterward, and it furnished bread for his family until he could get another start; about 1817, he purchased a saw-mill near Fort Greenville, which he removed and erected on his place ; this was the first saw-mill in New- berry Township ; after having cleared about 30 acres, he laid out in town lots that part of his place which is now between High street and the river; he sold his mill, which was in running order, to Benjamin Lehman for $4,000, being then thought a large price; he purchased several tracts in the vicinity of Covington, the northwest quarter of Sec. 29 being one of them ; a part of this tract he afterward sold in town lots, and this is now the most attractive residence property in the town. Mr. Ullery was an active, useful citizen, and, could he now see what has been developed from his humble beginning seventy years ago, he would no doubt exclaim, " I have seen and am satisfied ; now let me die in peace." But, while he did not live to see much of the richness of his pioneer settlement, some of his sons still remain to see and enjoy the blessings handed down by the arduous efforts of the former gen- eration. Jacob Ullery was twice married, and had five children by the first wife and eleven by the second. John, the oldest child, was born in Maryland May 22, 1801, and was therefore only a lad when his parents came to Miami Co., and received but little education, for, after they came here, at first there was no school, and later, when there was one, his services were too important at home; his edu- cation was, therefore, of that practical character that could be obtained swinging the ax and hoe, or following the plow. He was married in 1822 to Elizabeth, daughter of Powell Dale, an early settler of Newberry Township ; they began housekeeping on the farm in Sec. 29, where he now resides ; when he came here there was but an "opening"-now it is in a good state of cultivation, with fair buildings ; he had eleven children, six of whom are living, and all but one are married ; the oldest son, Samuel, was a member of the 110th O. V. I., and was a prisoner during the last six or seven months of the war, the most of that time being spent in the notorious Andersonville Prison. The youngest son, John D., was in the 100-day service; is still single, and resides, as also does his father, with James McMaken, who has rented the farm ; Mr. Ullery's death occurred Feb. 6, 1875.

DAVID E. ULLERY, farming and saw-milling ; P. O. Piqua. His father was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, and came to Miami Co. with John Ullery, whose biography appears in this work. D. E. was born Oct. 25, 1839, upon the farm where he lives, was educated a farmer, and has traveled considerably. April 22, 1861, he enlisted in the 20th Ill. V. I .; was in the engagements at Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing and Raymond, where he was severely wounded ; he was taken prisoner before Atlanta, Ga., July 22, 1864, and was in the Andersonville Prison seven months. His marriage with Miss Rachel, a daughter of Peter Passage, deceased, was celebrated Aug. 26, 1865 ; they had six children, five living-Minnie, Sarah, Clifford, Joseph and an infant not yet named.

L. B. VALENTINE, teacher and farmer ; P. O. Versailles ; was born Dec. 27, 1857, upon his father's farm ; he was raised a farmer, but, the last few years, has been preparing himself for a school-teacher ; he is the only child of Uriah and Har- rietta Valentine ; his father was born in Frederick Co., Md., Dec. 29, 1819 ; moved to Ohio in the year 1844, and located in Versailles, Darke Co .; was a tailor by trade, and followed the business in that place for twelve years, then came to this' county and purchased the farm where he now lives.

J. G. WAGNER, tile manufacturer, Covington ; is comparatively a young man; . he was born in Berks Co., Penn., in 1834 ; became fatherless when a child, and, when 7 years of age, was bound out to an uncle who was a farmer ; when he was 16 years of age, his uncle sold the farm and released him, after which he sustained

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himself principally by teaching ; in 1861, he was employed in the Quartermaster's Department about three months, but, on account of a chronic disease, was com- pelled to.return home, where he resumed teaching. In 1862, he enlisted in the 167th Penn. V. I. for nine months' service, in which he served as First Sergeant of Co. B until the expiration of the term. In 1865, he came to Ohio, and was employed as Superintendent of Pleasant Hill School two years, of the Tippecanoe school about three years, and of other schools at different periods, teaching in Ohio in all about nine years; in 1875, he purchased an interest in Ford & Co.'s wheel works, at Tippecanoe, of which he was superintendent two years, increasing the business materially ; in 1877, Mr. Wagner came to Covington and purchased 20 acres of land adjoining the town, which included the tile factory, which he has since successfully conducted ; the factory possesses an O'Ferrall machine, a square kiln, 132x13} feet, and 9 feet high inside, with 245 feet of shed- ding, and complete and systematic arrangements for handling material, etc .; the growing demand for tile has induced a great growth of factories ; Mr. Wagner has increased the aggregate of his business, and is now doing probably more than any other two similar establishments in this county. He was married, in 1869, to Miss Harriet, daughter of William Pierson, deceased, who was a resident of New- ton Township ; they have one child, a daughter.

AARON WARNER, farmer ; P. O. Bradford ; born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Nov. 1, 1832 ; was raised and educated a farmer, and has always been engaged in that occupation; he owns one of the nicest farms in Newberry Township, with a good house and one of the best barns in the county, having a supporting roof, sit- uated on an elevation with a beautiful descent to the south; he has everything handy and well arranged about his premises. He married Miss Charlotte, a daugh- ter of Solomon Basserman, a native of Pennsylvania, Dec. 1, 1853; they had four children, viz., David B., Elmira, Albert B. and Alice. Aaron, son of Henry War- ner, a native of Montgomery Co., Ohio, moved to Miami about the year 1835, and located upon the farm owned now by his son, Aaron, lying about one and a half miles northeast of Bradford ; in 1872, he sold the farm to Aaron and purchased a farm southwest of Bradford, in Darke Co., where he now resides.

A. WEAVER, M. D., druggist, Covington; is one of the firm of Weaver & Kendell, druggists, of Covington, who commenced business here about four years ago, and are now carrying a full stock of drugs and druggists' sundries, receiving & liberal patronage in their business, besides doing a large practice. Dr. Weaver was born in Virginia in 1822, and his youth was spent on a farm in Montgomery Co., his parents having emigrated to Ohio when he was a babe; he began reading medicine in Canton, Ill., in 1845, completing his studies with Dr. Gish, of Salem, Montgomery Co., Ohio, with whom he was associated in practice about two years ; in 1852, he removed to North Clayton, Miami Co., where he practiced eleven years, after which, in 1863, he came to Covington, where he has remained ever since, hav- ing a very satisfactory practice; thus, it will be seen, the Doctor has been identi- filed with the history of Miami Co. for more than a quarter of a century. He was married, in 1856, to Miss B. E. Whitmer, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1838, and is the daughter of Samuel Whitmer, an early resident of Miami Co.

GEORGE WIHLEY, retired farmer ; P. O. Covington ; is a son of Michael Wihley, a native of Pennsylvania, where George was also born, March 15, 1805 ; he was raised a farmer, and followed that business in Pennsylvania until the year 1855 ; when he moved to this State, located in this county, and has been engaged in farm- ing until 1870; then he rented his farm, purchased a residence in Covington, and now lives retired from hard labor. On Nov. 25, 1830, he was united in marriage with Miss Sarah Saylor ; they had seven children, four living-Julia A., Mary, Samuel and Sarah. Mr. Wihley is afflicted with a nervous affection that injures his health and produces sleepless nights.

SAMUEL WILEY, farmer; P. O. Covington; is a son of George Wiley, whose biography appears in this work. The subject of this sketch was born Jan. 23, 1840, in York Co., Penn. He was reared a farmer and has always been engaged

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in that avocation. On June 9, 1866, he married Miss Sarah E., daughter of Rudy Bollinger ; they had four children of whom two are living-Susan and Martha.

WILLIAM WILLIAMS, retired farmer ; P. O. Covington ; a life-resident of Miami Co .; is the son of Michael Williams, and grandson of Michael Williams Sr. Michael, Sr., was a native of South Carolina, and a soldier from that colony in the Revolution. He married Barbara Sumce, afterward became a resident of Virginia; removed to the Northwest Territory, and located on Mad River, near what is now Dayton, which then consisted of a few huts, with a few French fur-traders for its business men ; the year following, he removed to Honey Creek, in this county, and in 1800 removed to Newton Township, where he located or "squatted " (as the lands were not yet surveyed) on Stillwater, and entered the land as soon as practi- cable. Michael, Jr., was born in South Carolina in 1780, and accompanied his parents to Miami Co., where he married Elizabeth, daughter of William Long, who was also a pioneer of Newton Township. During the war of 1812, Mr. Williams was a member of a Home Guard company, which was stationed at a block-house built about three-fourths of a mile west of what is now Pleasant Hill. About 1820, he removed to Newberry Township, having purchased a farm in Sec. 34, where he resided until his death in 1850. After having taken part in the labor and pri- vations of pioneer life, he lived to see something of its developments. He was County Commissioner nineteen years. The present court house was built during his term of office. The subject of this sketch was born in Newton Township in 1810, and grew to manhood here in the pioneer days of Miami Co. All the school- ing he got in his youth was a few months' attendance at the "subscription" schools which were then held in some unoccupied cabin. But, as he was a bachelor and felt the need of education, he attended the somewhat improved schools when as old as 30. He was married in 1844 to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Gilbert, who was also a pioneer of this county. Mr. Williams has been a farmer all his life, but is now retired from active labor, and his farm is operated by a son and son-in-law. Mr. Williams, it will be seen, is the descendant of a pioneer family and has been identified with the interests of Miami Co. in general, and Newberry Township in particular, for .more than a half-century. He has been Township Trustee and is still a useful and respected citizen. Although a bachelor until 34 years of age, has been thrice married. His second marriage was with Miss Nancy A. Vanorman, an Eastern lady. His third wife was Mrs. Sarah (Waymire) Williams. By his first wife he had six children, only two of whom are living-Nancy A., now Mrs. S. B. Riber, and William C.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 108

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1880
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051