The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 114

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

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 114

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R. M. PEARSON ; P. O. Troy ; one of the prominent men of this township ; is a son of Joseph Pearson, and now lives in the house in which he was born, April 23, 1832 ; was raised to farming until 18, during which time he obtained a fair education ; he then followed wagon-making at Covington three years, abandoning the same from failing health ; June, 1853, went to Iowa, and in the spring of 1854, went to Ft. Kearney, where he was wounded by a ball passing through his foot; he then went to Ft. Laramie in a wagon, and during the twelve-days' journey suf- fered much pain ; the August following, went by ox team to Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., thence by boat to St. Louis, arriving at Iowa in a weak condition, where he met with another accident, and, returning to Ohio, recovered his health under the skill of Dr. Cable, of Covington ; from 1855 to 1857 he worked at carpentering, etc., in Iowa; he then made a trip of 170 days across the plains to California, via the beautiful Thousand Spring Valley, during which they had frequent encounters with the Indians ; he located in Bent Co., and unsuccessfully followed mining seven years, during this time he often assisted to defend the settlers from the Indians ; he has a vivid recollection of the great earthquake in Colorado, March 5, 1864 ; he also worked six months in a quartz-mill in Plum Co. ; from there went to Portland, Ore., landing with 25 cents in his pocket ; from here went up the Columbia River to Dalles City, where they packed their horses with supplies and made the trip of 400 miles to Boice Basin, Idaho, on foot, suffering much from snow and rain; here he commenced work April, 1864, in the mines ; after a few days labor, he was taken

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with the measles, and for twelve days lay in shelter made by shoveling away the deep snow, during which time his doctor's two trips per day was $16 each ; he was then taken to town on a mule, but did not recover sufficiently to labor until the next July, when he became night manager of the mines for four and a half months at $210 per month ; the following spring, he bought a claim and worked until the fall of 1867, when he sold out and quit mining, having suffered the hardships of a miner's life for ten years ; he then returned home via Portland, San Francisco, Cen- tral America and New York ; he followed the saw-mill and lumber business seven years, but has since been occupied in farming ; is a member of the A., F. & A. M., Franklin Chapter, R., A. M. and Coleman Commandery, No. 17, Troy, Ohio, of which he is a standard bearer. Married Jane McCurdy Sept. 3, 1868; they have four children-Lydia J., born Sept. 19, 1869 ; Ida May, Dec. 21, 1870 ; Eliza D., Feb. 23, 1873 ; William H. H., Oct. 11, 1875.

HORATIO PEARSON, teacher, Pleasant Hill; born in Union Township Sept. 15, 1836 ; he is a son of Isaac P. and Mary Pemberton, both of Union Township. Robert Pearson, his grandfather, was a native of Newberry District, S. C., and emigrated to Ohio about 1806, locating in Union Township ; he had five sons and four daughters ; three sons and three daughters still survive, the youngest being 60 years old. He was married to Keziah Hollingsworth, of South Carolina, and was a farmer by occupation, as were all his sons. Isaac was located in the vicinity of the homestead till 1846, when he pre-empted a piece of of land in Howard Co., Ind., on which he moved. Here in a few years he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, Mary, who died, leaving a family of four sons and two daughters; Mr. P. then returned to his native place, where his family were reared. He still survives, making his permanent home in Indiana. Our subject is the oldest of the family, and the scenes of his boyhood and youth were passed upon the farm, engaging in such duties as fall to the lot of a farmer boy ; his educational opportunities were limited to the common school, except a short time spent in the Ohio Wesleyan University, of Delaware, Ohio; thus he was left to take the slower but surer route to a thorough education, that of self- culture. By close application to his books, he early qualified himself for the profes- sion of teaching. At the age of 17, he engaged in the carpenter trade, which art he acquired, and has since worked at at intervals ; he commenced teaching at the age of 19, which has since been his principal occupation. In the fall of 1875, he took charge of the Pleasant Hill school, and has since superintended it with emi- nent success. He was recently employed for three years by the Board of Education, a mark of his excellence as a teacher ; previous to taking this school, he superin- tended with satisfaction the Georgetown school. Mr. P. is a Republican in politics. He married, Dec. 10, 1857, Mary P., daughter of Elijah, and a direct descendant of Marmaduke Coate ; four sons and four daughters have been the issue of this union ; one son died in 1874, at the age of 15.

EPHRAIM PEARSON, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; born in this township in August, 1834; is the son of Wilkinson Pearson and Eleanor Leavell, the former of South Carolina, and the latter of this township ; Wilkinson Pearson is the son of Benjamin Pearson, who immigrated to Ohio in 1805 ; in the fall of 1806, he came to this township, settling on the banks of the Stillwater; here Wilkinson passed his youth in the wilderness ; he lived in this township until after the close of the war, when he moved to Newberry Township, where he still resides. He was married to Eleanor Leavell, daughter of Robert Leavell, a pioneer ; they had nine children, six deceased ; four of the sons were in the late civil war-two (Richard and Job) as members of the 110th O. V. I. ; Job was shot at the battle of Cold Harbor; Richard was wounded five times during his term of service; James C. and the subject of this sketch were members of the 147th O. N. G. Ephraim was brought up on a farm and received his early education in the common school ; he made his first permanent move from his birthplace to his present place in 1856; here he has since resided, operating his farm, consisting of 140 acres ; it is under the best of modern improvement, and everything indicates thrift, industry and en-

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terprise; Mr. Pearson has been a member of the Republican party since its organ- ization ; he has been elected three times to the position of Township Trustee-a testimony of the confidence and esteem he has won of the people; he and his wife are consistent members of the Christian Church. Mr. Pearson was married, in 1854, to Nancy Caldwell, a native of this township and a daughter of James Cald- well ; four children-three sons and one daughter-have been the issue of this union. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson are active members of the Patrons of Husbandry, and were charter members of the Covington Lodge, No. 96.

JEREMIAH PEARSON, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; was born in this town- ship in 1840 ; his ancestors came from South Carolina, and were early pioneers of this county ; his father, Elisha P., was born in Newberry District, S. C., about 1804, and was brought to this county by his parents when an infant; they located near Tippecanoe, in Monroe Township; quite early, he moved to this township and entered the southwest quarter of Sec. 3, Range 4 ; he passed the latter part of his life with his son Jeremiah, his death occurring about two years ago. He was mar- ried to Julia Ann Van Horn, of this county ; she was born in 1816, her father dying when she was but a child ; she was reared by Enoch Pearson, of Monroe Township, and still survives. Elisha P. had a family of four sons and two daugh- ters, a son and daughter of whom have died. The subject of this sketch is next to the oldest child ; his early life was passed upon the farm, and his early education was much limited ; he has followed farming as his life pursuit ; he moved to his present place, consisting of 82 acres, about three years ago. His political views are found in the Democratic party. He has been twice married; first, in 1863, to Mary, daughter of Miles Coats ; she died about eleven years ago, leaving two sons ; he was married the second time, to Marietta Shephard; they have had five children, one deceased.

A. J. PENNY, farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill ; a descendant of the early pioneers of this county ; born in Darke Co., Ohio, April 3, 1840, and is the son of Dennis Penny, of Kentucky. He emigrated to this State when quite a boy. He married Mrs. Condon, formerly Miss Michael. She is a native of Hamilton Co., Ohio., and daughter of William Michael, who lived to the age of 101 years. He was also an early settler on the Miami. After the marriage of Mr. P. he settled in Darke Co., and reared eight children, of whom five are living. We find this family full of the true spirit of patriotism, and, when the country demanded soldiers for her protection, the father and five sons were quick to respond .. Mr. P. enlisted in Co. E, 48th O. V. I., and died at Pittsburg Landing, with a fever contracted while in the service. Two of his sons, Jason H. and our subject, were in the 48th Q. V. I .; Jason served a term of three years, and participated in twenty-six battles. Another son, Oliver, was a member of the 44th O. V. I., and was shot dead from his horse in the battle of Louisburg, Va. ; Steven Condon, a step-son, was a member of the 94th O. V. I., and was severely wounded ; John Condon, another step-son, served in the 152d O. N. G. After the battle of Pittsburg Landing, our subject was stationed most of the time at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he received a commission to recruit a battery of heavy artillery for the Adjutant General of Kentucky. After recruiting 100 men, they were organized into a company of cavalry, serving a period of three years and three months. He was honorably discharged, and returned home. Since then, he has been variously employed, at shoemaking, selling sewing machines, dry-goods, and a short time as an agent in a lightning rod company. Jan. 18, 1880, he purchased the farm where he now lives, and has since been engaged in farming. He was married to Miss Margaret Weddle Oct. 11, 1863. She is the youngest child of Isaac Weddle, one of the early settlers in this township ; they have six children. Mr. P. is a charter member of the West Milton Encampment, No. 127, and a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 165, Stillwater Lodge. Politically, he is a Republican.

ISAAC PRICE, minister and farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill ; born in Mifflin Co., Penn., in 1836 ; is the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Price, of Pennsylvania, the former of Mifflin, and the latter of Juniata Co .; Isaac P., Sr., passed his entire

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life, a period of seventy-three years, in the same house. The subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm, and thus, from boyhood, acquired a knowledge of farm- ing, which he has followed through life, and with eminent success, as the fact that he now possesses a large, fine farm, under the best of improvements, bears ample testimony ; his early education was limited to the common school; in the spring of 1861, he immigrated to this State and located in Newton Township ; he soon en- gaged himself to Mr. Fox as a farm laborer; in the following fall, he purchased of Mr. Fox 734 acres of land, a part of the tract which he now owns ; he has added to this 100 acres, by his industry and good management. Mr. Price is a minister in the German Baptist Church, whose official duties he has discharged for nine years, with fidelity to his church and commendable zeal in the cause of Chris- tianity ; Mr. Price is a good worker in the cause of religion, using his talent to good account for the Master's service ; personally, he is a gentleman, honest and upright in all his dealings with his fellow-man. He was married in January, 1862, to Mary J. Fox, a native of Montgomery Co .; she is the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Fox, the former a native of Maryland, whence he emigrated to this State ; he and wife still survive, and live near Covington. They have three daughters and two sons.

JOHN REED, farmer; P. O. Pleasant Hill; was born May 12, 1818, near Pleasant Hill, and is the son of John Reed, of Botetourt Co., Va .; John, Sr., mar- ried Elizabeth Miller, of Virginia, and immigrated to Ohio in 1815, locating on Sec. 17; soon after coming here, he was killed by a falling limb. Of the family of seven children, our subject is next to the sixth; his early life was passed in the pioneer times of this township, with the usual experiences of such a life ; he left the parental roof when only 8 years old, and went to live with his sister, Mrs. Jacob Deeter; here he remained until he was 14 years old, when he was thrown upon his own resources. He was married in 1836 to Catherine, daughter of David Deeter ; she was born in this township May 15, 1818. Mr. R. began life, after his marriage, on the old homestead, and in 1839 purchased his present place, where he has since lived ; he has made farming his chief occupation. Of his family of thirteen chil- dren, six are deceased; three sons, Wm. H., David and Frederick, and four daugh- ters, Elizabeth, Melinda, Christina and Lucinda, still survive. William and David were soldiers in the late civil war ; William enlisted in 1861 in the 1st O. V. C., and served three years; he was engaged in all the battles of the regiment up to the time of his discharge. David was in the 71st O. V. I., and enlisted in 1861, serv- ing four years ; he participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Donelson, Nashville, Franklin, etc., and was sent into Texas at the close of the war. Mr. and Mrs. R. are members of the German Baptist Church ; they are the grandparents of twenty-four children, and great-grandparents of two.

JOSEPH REEDER, farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill; was born in Washington Township, Montgomery Co., in 1827, the 12th day of July ; he is the son of William Reeder and grandson of Joseph Reeder. Joseph R. and family emigrated to this State in the beginning of the present century ; they made the voyage down the Ohio River on a flatboat, landing in Cincinnati in 1801, their property consisting of a cow, a horse, and a two-wheeled cart ; with these they took up their journey northward, penetrating the wilderness as far as Montgomery Co., where they located on Sugar Creek ; here he entered a piece of land and built a rude cabin to serve as a temporary dwelling. William Reeder was his only child ; his birthplace was Virginia, and he was only a boy when his parents settled in Montgomery Co .; he was possessed of great muscular strength, and could perform the remarkable feat of lifting a barrel of cider to his mouth, drinking out of the bung hole ; farming was his exclusive occupation till his 30th year, when he met with an accident which prevented him from active work on the farm ; but being of an ingenious turn of mind he engaged in various pursuits, as shoemaking, blacksmithing, cooper- ing, carpentering, etc., in the meantime managing the farm till our subject grew up. He was married twice and reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters; his death occurred in 1865. Our subject was the youngest of this

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family ; he early formed habits of industry and good management, which have served him well through life ; agriculture has been his chief occupation; in 1852, his father disposed of his land in Montgomery Co., and purchased a farm near West Milton, in this county. To our subject fell the duty of caring for his parents and two grandmothers in their old age ; his paternal grandmother lived to the re- markable age of 95 years, retaining her mental and physical powers unusually well till her death. Feb. 18, 1855, our subject celebrated his nuptials with Miss Mary Furnas, daughter of Joseph Furnas; in 1856, he disposed of his farm at West Milton and purchased in Newton Township; the following year, he made a trip to Kansas, with a view of locating there ; he found the people much agitated over the slave question, and he returned content to remain in his native State; he has a farm of 250 acres near Newton, and 40 acres where he resides. Mr. and Mrs. Reeder are the parents of three children, one daughter now married, and two sons. Mr. R. is a consistent member of the F, & A. M. Society of Pleasant Hill, and has held a connection with this fraternity for fifteen years.

JACOB REIBER, Postmaster, Pleasant Hill ; was born in Perry Co., Penn., Sept. 1, 1836 ; his father, John, was a native of the same county, born May 26, 1811 ; he was raised on a farm and received a fair education ; he was a smith by trade. In the spring of 1837, he moved to Ohio, locating in Newton Township, on Sec. 36, where, with the exception of a short time in Union Township, he passed the remnant of his days. He built several shops in the township, and embarked in farming in 1849, which he continued till his death, April 18, 1872. He was, with his wife, a member of the Christian Church for a number of years, and was Descon about thirty years. He was married twice, first to Mary Fenical, of Pennsylvania, June 4, 1835 ; she died Feb. 23, 1865 ; they had four sons-Jacob, Peter (now deceased), William F. (died Oct. 22, 1856), Joseph C. and three daugh- ters, Susannah, Margaret I. (who died Oct. 21, 1856), and Sarah J. (who died Oct. 3, 1856). Jacob was raised on a farm till the 5th of October, 1863, when he enlisted in the 110th O. V. I., Co. G, and participated in the battle of Brandy Sta- tion, on 8th of November, and on May 5, 1864, was in the fight of the Wilderness, where he received, almost instantaneously, five shots, breaking both legs, and one ball entering his left shoulder. It was near the last of the month when he was placed in the Armory Square Hospital, at Washington City, where his wounds received the first proper care. He remained here, under the care of Dr. Steward, of Penn- sylvania, until Oct. 3, 1864, when he had sufficiently recovered to go home ; some time elapsed before he regained his strength. Since returning, he has been engaged in various pursuits, as book-selling, clerking, photographing, auctioneering, well- drilling, etc. He filled the unexpired term of the first. Mayorship, of Pleasant Hill. In 1867, and for two succeeding years, he was elected to the office of Town- ship Clerk ; was appointed Postmaster Jan. 1, 1878, and has since discharged its duties with satisfaction to the public. He is a Republican in politics, and a strong temperance man. With his wife, he is a member of the Christian Church. He was made a Mason in November, 1865, and has filled an official position thirteen years, acting as W. M. two years ; he is also a member of the Franklin Chapter, No. 24, and Franklin Council, No. 16, Troy. He married Maria Williams Aug. 27, 1857; she is a daughter of Michael and Jane (Coppock) Williams, and a direct descend- ant of Michael Williams, Sr. ; their children were as follows : William Sumner, born August, 1860, died May 6, 1864; Rosella J. (clerk in post office), Charles C., J. Warren, and Arthur L., who died Ang. 26, 1879, from diphtheria.

JOSEPH REIBER, farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill ; born in Newton Township in 1845 ; is the son of Henry Reiber, who was born in Perry Co., Penn., in 1816; he is of German extraction, and is the son of Jacob and Catherine Reiber, of York Co., Penn .; he was raised a farmer, and obtained his education under the difficul- ties and disadvantages of those early days ; his father being in poor circumstances financially, he was obliged early to go from home and labor for a livelihood; in 1835, he emigrated to Ohio and this township; he commenced at once to work, and, in a few years, by industry and economy, had saved enough money to II

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purchase 80 acres of land; since he has added other acres and many improvements to this. He was married, in 1840, to Delia Hartzell, of Preble Co .; eleven children have been the issue of this union, four of whom have deceased ; Philip, Jacob and Benjamin gave their lives in defense of their country in the late rebellion ; Philip and Benjamin were members of the 110th O. V. I .; Benjamin died with the measles, and Philip fell a victim to the Andersonville Prison-pen ; Jacob went out with the 147th O. N. G., and died at Washington City, of diphtheria ; thus three noble and brave sons and brothers sacrificed their lives on the altar of their coun- try ; may the grass ever grow green over their graves, and future generations keep inviolate that for which they gave their lives. The subject of this sketch is an agriculturist by vocation ; his education was limited to the common school ; his early farm training has served him well through life, and secured him success in his chosen vocation ; he cultivates the homestead, consisting of 160 acres. He finds expression for his political sentiments in the Republican party. He was mar- ried, in 1871, to Elizabeth Matthews, of this county ; they had three daughters and one son ; two daughters are dead.

EMANUEL RENCH, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; born in 1830; is the son of Jacob Rench and Susannah Blickenstaff; he was reared on a farm, and devoted a great deal of his youth to driving an ox team ; his education was obtained under the difficulties of pioneer life and the imperfect subscription-school system ; at the age of 15, he entered his father's distillery, and remained in it principally till his father sold out in 1848 ; since then, he has devoted his time to farming. He was married, in 1855, to Nancy A. Morgan, born in Illinois, and reared mostly in Bur- lington, Iowa ; she came to this State a short time before her marriage ; by this union they have had a family of five sons and three daughters, of whom one son and one daughter have died. Mr. Rench's political inclinations are with the Demo- cratic party, though he is no zealous partisan ; he identifies himself with the Ger- man Baptist Church, of which he and his wife are both members.

T. P. RENCH, farming ; P. O. Covington ; born in 1848, on northwest quarter of Sec. 8, Newton Township ; is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Boggs) Rench ; he was brought up on a farm, and his early education was limited to the common school ; he remained on the homestead till the spring of 1875, when he moved to Darke Co., Patterson Township ; he remained here till the following spring, when he moved to Wayne Township, near Webster ; at the end of two years, he moved to his present place. He is politically identified with the Democratic party, and religiously with the German Baptist Church, as is also his wife. He was married in 1872, Nov. 10, to Rosanna Long ; she was born June 4, 1853, near Pleasant Hill, and is the daughter of James Long and Esther Eller. Two daughters have been given to Mr. and Mrs. Rench ; one was born Dec. 23, 1873, and died in infancy ; the other, Fredonia Rench, was born Feb. 4, 1876.

JACOB RENCH, deceased ; one of the early settlers and prominent citizens of Newton Township ; was born in Pennsylvania in 1797, and was the son of Joseph and Susannah (Deeter) Rench. Joseph emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1812 or 1813, and located north of the present site of Pleasant Hill. He and his wife were not long permitted to enjoy their new home in the wilderness, he dying in 1815 with the milk sickness, and his wife the following year. They left a family of four sons and three daughters, the oldest, Joseph, being yet in his minority ; the family thus left without father or mother suffered all the privations and hardships of pioneer life ; the burden of providing and caring for them fell to the lot of Jacob, who was industrious and possessed of extraordinary business sagacity ; by his indomitable will and perseverance, he rose on the very difficulties he had to con- tend with, and became, before his death, wealthy, leaving at his demise an estate of $35,000 to $40,000. He was a farmer by occupation, but did a great deal of teaming and milling ; he made a trip to New Orleans in 1825, by flat-boat down the Stillwater, Miami, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers ; his teaming was mostly north, and was done at a time when it was regarded hazardous and difficult ; he was enterprising and possessed many sterling qualities ; integrity was the ruling prin-

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ciple in all his business transactions. Religiously, he was of Protestant faith, hav- ing his affiliations first with the Christian Church, and at his death with the Ger- man Baptist. His death occurred Aug. 13, 1874. He was married three times ; first, in 1819, to Anna Burns, of Pennsylvania ; she died in 1820, leaving a son, John. His second marriage was in 1826 or 1827 to Susannah Blickenstaff, of Pennsylvania, who died in 1832 or 1833, leaving three children, Hannah, Emanuel and Susan. His third wife was Sarah (Boggs) Valentine, of this county ; they had ten children-Mary L., Jacob, T. B., Fredonia, deceased ; Ezekiel B., one daughter died in infancy ; Joseph B .; R. E. C .; Sarah E., deceased ; Valentine T., deceased. Mrs. Rench had two children by her first marriage, George H. Valentine, and one who died in infancy. Ezekiel Boggs, father of Mrs. Rench, was born in Pennsyl- vania Nov. 20, 1782 ; he was the only child of the family, and was early appren- ticed to the mason's trade ; being cruelly used, he was induced by his uncle to run off, and was brought by him to this State, where he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade, which he followed a short time. He married in 1804 or 1805 Eve C. Haney ; his financial circumstances were meager, as he depended upon his daily labor for subsistence ; he served six months in the war of 1812, on the fron- tier ; made a trip to New Orleans, by flat-boat, with produce, and then purchased a horse and wagon, embarking in the peddling business with gratifying results; in 1819, he came to this county, locating near Piqua, and engaged in farming till 1828, when he erected a grist and saw mill and woolen factory above Piqua, on the Miami; he subsequently moved to Piqua, where his death occurred Sept. 22, 1864. He labored through life with eminent success, leaving at his death an estate worth $25,000 or $30,000. His wife, Catherine, was born in Pennsylvania Jan. 29, 1783, and died Feb. 26, 1867. They had six sons and seven daughters ; four still sur- vive. He, with his wife, was a member of the United Brethren Church for forty years. Mrs. Rench united with the German Baptist Church a short time before her death.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 114

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