The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 119

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

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F. M. CROMER, dealer in agricultural implements, hardware and harness, West Milton; was born in 1853; in Lost Creek Township, this county ; Abraham, his father, was born in the above township in 1823 ; his mother, Sarah J. Cromer. nee Cobolt. was born in Auglaize Co., Ohio, the same year as her husband; both are living, and reside on a farm in Staunton Township; they are parents of five children, viz., Franklin M., Hannah, Jerusha, Riela and Scott. F. M. was reared on the farm, where he labored for his parents till he attained his majority, receiv- ing, in the meantime, an education in the common schools. In 1877, he was mar- ried to Callie Cain, and by said marriage has one child, viz., Tevis; in 1877, he did an agricultural business in Troy, from which point he operated successfully, doing a large trade in his line ; in March, 1880, he located in West Milton, estab- lishing himself in the same business ; he carries a full line of the leading imple- ments, all of improved pattern, that have stood the test; he also carries a good stock of hardware and harness ; though he is young, we present him to the public as a live, energetic business man, who, by fair dealing and good business princi- ples, is bound to command a full share of the public patronage ; he keeps in his employ a gentlemanly agent, who represents the house in the field.

DAVID DAVIS, farmer ; P. O. West Milton ; was born on Sec. 17, in this township, Jan. 27, 1831 ; his father, Benjamin Davis, was born in South Carolina Nov. 12, 1793, and removed to Ohio with his parents when only 10 years of age; his father, Abiatha Davis, born in Wales, was one of the early pioneers of Miami Co., settling here in 1804. Our subject's mother, Margaret (Fetters) Davis, was born in Pennsylvania in 1802; her parents died in Pennsylvania, and she emi- grated to Miami Co., where she was married to Benjamin Davis ; she departed this life in 1851, aged 49 years ; her husband died Nov. 7, 1876, aged 84 years ; they were the parents of ten children, of whom five are living, viz., David, Susana. Margaret, William and George ; the deceased are Sarah, Lavina, Phoebe, Rhoda, and one dying in infancy. Our subject was reared on his father's farm, where he assisted in the duties of the same till his 21st year, when he began his own career in the world and engaged in farming, which he has followed uninterruptedly all his life ; he first purchased 80 acres of land from his father; on this he labored for twelve years, when he disposed of it, and removed to where he now resides in 1862; he now owns 148 acres of well-improved land, which is all in a good state of cultivation and pleasantly situated. He was united in marriage with Anna Mote in 1852, a daughter of John and Rhoda Mote ; her father was born in Georgia Dec. 31, 1797, and removed with his parents to this county in 1805; her mother. Rhoda (Teague) Davis, was born in Ohio April 30, 1801; Mr. and Mrs. Teague, were natives of South Carolina; they were the parents of three children, of whom two are living, viz., Samuel and Anna M .; Elizabeth deceased; her father died Oct. 28, 1859; her mother departed this life Nov. 22, 1834. Mr. and Mrs. Davis are the parents of five children, of whom four are living, viz., Osborne, Warren,

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Laura and Mary ; Lambert deceased; his wife is a member of the Friends' Church, and is an exemplary Christian woman.

ALLEN H. DAVIS, farmer, retired; P. O. West Milton ; born Sept. 16, 1815, on the place on which he resides ; is a son of Samuel and Dorcas (Jones) Davis. They were born in the State of Georgia, and with their parents removed to Ohio in the year 1803 or 1804. They first settled for a short time in Preble Co., in order that he might prospect here and locate a home. On Section 17, he found the desired place, and was influenced by three springs, which were so situated as to give his sons, who came with him, homes with the advantage of never-failing water. At this time, the face of the country was so densely covered with forest that they were obliged to cut a road through the woody labyrinth of their new home in order to have access to their neighbors, some three miles south. They set to work to erect a cabin, using only such material as the forest would give. Their father, Abiatha, owned a horse, and he carried his hardy sons provisions, while they were felling the trees, and erecting the house, they camping out while doing the work. After its completion, the family moved into their new quarters, which was either in the fall of 1803, or the spring of 1804. His son John settled at the north spring ; Samuel, father of our subject, at the south one ; Abiatha himself locating at the center one ; Benjamin inherited his father's place at the center spring. On these farms his sons made permanent homes for years, and reared their families. In after years, Benjamin disposed of his and removed to Iowa, where he died in 1876. The other sons John and Samuel remained on their forest homes till their decease. Amos, eldest son of Abiatha, settled in Preble Co., from where he removed to Iowa, where he subsequently died. Samuel Davis departed this life June 30, 1870, aged about 84 years, his wife having died previously. They were parents of six children, three of whom are living, viz., Riley, Allen H. and Mary (now Mrs. Curtis). The deceased are Keziah, Nancy and Lindley. Abiatha was the father of four sons and three daughters, viz., Amos, Rachel, Samuel, John, Sallie, Lydia and Benjamin, Our subject was reared on his father's farm, and, until he was 16 years of age, labored thereon, then went to Troy, in which place he learned the printer's trade with John T. Tullis, with whom he remained more than a year, when, on account of failing health, he was obliged to abandon the printer's sanctum, and immediately thereafter engaged in teaching, which he followed about seven years, exclusively in this county. Dec. 13, 1838, he celebrated his marriage with Nancy Hale, a daughter of John Hale, who was a native of Maryland ; he removed to this county in 1836 or 1837. After his marriage, our subject followed teaching and farming for a short time, when he was elected Justice of the Peace. The accumulation of official business required so much time that teaching had to be abandoned. In 1840, he located on 120 acres of land, in Section 12, that he had purchased the year previous ; his land was partly improved, and he soon added 40 acres. Here he lived until 1867, at which time he returned to the old home farm, for the pur- pose of making the remaining years of his parents comfortable. He now owns the old homestead, and his declining years are being spent in the shadow of the old dwelling. He has held the office of Justice of the Peace for twelve years, and has also filled the office of School Director and Superintendent of Public Instruc- tion. His education was received in the common schools, in which, by dint of hard labor and studious habits, he stored his mind with useful knowledge, a great deal of which was obtained without the aid of an instructor. Five children have been given to them, of whom four are living, viz., Olive, N., Malcolm H., Alma A. ; Mary and Martha deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Davis have been members of the Chris- tian Church for ten years, in which they are zealous workers, discharging every Christian duty with chcerfulness. Their children, with the exception of one, are co-workers with their parents in the church, which is a source of satisfaction to their aged parents.

MALCOLM H. DAVIS, farmer ; P. O. West Milton ; is a son of Allen and Nancy Davis, old and prominent settlers in this township. He was born in 1842, on the place where he now resides ; he was reared on the farm, attending the usual

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three months' school, in which he received his education. Feb. 22, 1862, he volun- teered in Co. B, of the 71st O. V. I., and was transferred to the front in March, and was in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, in which the regiment lost heavily in officers and men ; they were under Sherman's command, which was so terribly pressed ; soon after, the battle of Nashville was fought, and here the regiment was nearly decimated, but Hood was beaten and almost annihilated ; about the close of the war, their corps was sent to Texas, where they were kept till Decem- ber, 1865 ; he was mustered out of the service January, 1866 ; during the evacu- ation of Ft. Hymen, he received a severe injury from the falling of a pole of an ambulance wagon, that almost crushed him, which injury is yet severely felt by Mr. Davis. In 1864, while home on veteran furlough, he was married to Eliza Coate, by whom he has five children, viz., Claudie, Eleanor E., Maurice M., Minnie A. and William A. He and his wife are exemplary members of the Christian Church, with which they have been connected since 1867. He owns 80 acres of good land, which is all in a good state of cultivation and well improved, in fact, the best in the neighborhood.

HENRY DIBRA, retired farmer ; P. O. West Milton. To the subject of this memoir we are pleased to accord a place in the front ranks of the early pio- neers of Miami Co .; he was born in Washington Co., Md., Feb. 21, 1803, and is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth Dibra, who were born in the same place. Their par- ents were born in the province of Lorraine, France, and emigrated to America before the war of the Revolution. Jacob Dibra, grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the army of Washington, and was the first man that flung the emblem of American liberty to the breeze in the State of Maryland ; for that act he was obliged to secrete himself for fourteen days in order to escape the fury of the merciless Tories ; he was a brave man, a true soldier, and to his country he gave his service without recompense. Daniel, father of our subject, was married in Maryland to Elizabeth Friend, and removed to Pennsylvania, where they resided nine years, when they came to Miami Co. and settled in Newton Township in 1815 ; they resided here only three years, when they were stricken down with that mysterious complaint, Milk sickness, and died ; his father died the 1st of Novem- ber, aged 45 years, his wife followed him to the grave ten days later. They were the parents of ten children, who, at the death of their parents, were thrown upon the cold charities of the world, and scattered throughout the community, all find- ing good homes with the Quaker brethren; they all lived to be men and women, but now only five survive, viz., Susanna, row Mrs. Miles, residing in Kansas ; Eliza- beth, now Mrs. Hall, who resides in Indiana ; David, who resides in Iowa ; Samuel, who lives in Newton Township, and our subject. The deceased are Jacob, John, Daniel, Mary and Jonathan. At the death of his father and mother, our subject was only 15 years old, and, young as he was, grappled with the stern realities of life ; and, in times when men of nerve and experience were taxed to their utmost to overcome the obstacles and difficulties that are incident to the lives of frontiers- men, he worked resolutely, and became an expert in cabinet-making, doing much also at carpenter work, in which trades he labored for thirty years, and was very successful ; about 1850, he abandoned this work, so far as making a business of it was concerned, and turned his attention to farming. He first purchased 65 acres of land in this township, east of the river, which he soon after disposed of, and bought 80 acres more just opposite Milton, which he owned only a month, when he sold, and purchased 72 acres where he now resides, and soon after bought 20 acres adjoining, which now belongs to his only son, Irijah ; he is one of our self-made men, and began life as an orphan, without a dollar in his pocket. Prosperity has rewarded the almost incessant toil, good management, and the assistance rendered by his good wife, who for more than half a century assisted in his toils, shared his troubles and joys alike ; after a journey of more than fifty years, hand in hand, we find them enjoying the shades of retirement, feasting on the fruits of labor gleaned from a well-spent life. His marriage was celebrated with Charity, & daughter of Lazarus and Elizabeth Langston, July 3, 1828. They were natives

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of South Carolina, and removed from there to Georgia, thence to Preble Co., Ohio, in 1806, where they remained until 1817, when they came to Miami Co., where they lived till their death. Her father departed this life in the year 1845, aged 66 years; her mother died June 30, 1871, aged 97 years. Mrs. Langston's memory was remarkably clear, and she could portray with vivid distinctness some of the scenes of the Revolutionary war. They were the parents of nine children, of whom only four are living, viz., Leonard, Betsy, Charity and Mary. The deceased are Susanna, Nancy, Martha, Rachel and Rebecca. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Dibra seven children have been given, of whom five are living, viz., Elizabeth, Elmira, Minerva, Nancy and Irijah. The deceased are Mary and Susanna. He and his estimable wife have been life-long members of the Christian Church, and are exemplary Christian people. Their children are all co-workers with them in the cause and advancement of the Christian religion.

ABRAHAM DIETRICK, farmer and minister ; P. O. Potsdam ; born in Rockingham Co., Va, in the year 1814, July 7; is a son of John and Elizabeth Dietrick, who were born in Virginia, in which State they both met the call of death ; he died when upward of 51 years of age, she in 1825, when in middle age ; they were parents of seven children, five of whom are living, viz., Abraham, John, Nancy, Lydia and Catherine ; the deceased are Elizabeth and one dying in infancy ; D. labored on the farm till his 21st year, at which time he began life for himself, and took charge of the old homestead, which he carried on for about seven years. In 1838, he was married to Mahala Judy ; to them ten children have been born, nine of whom are living, viz., Rebecca, Mary (who has been afflicted since infancy with a malady of the mind), Isaac, John, Sarah, Catherine, Chloe, Samuel and Jacob; Benjamin (deceased), aged 24 years and 8 months ; in 1846, Mr. Dietrick moved to West Virginia, in which State he made his home twelve and a half years, and was engaged in farming ; in 1858, he came to Montgomery Co., Ohio, settling near Salem, in which place he remained eighteen years, then came to where he now resides in the year 1877 ; in the year 1854, he entered the ministry in the German Baptist Church, in which he has since labored, and by estimate has preached twenty-six hundred sermons, and solemnized one hundred and fourteen marriages ; he only had the advantage of the common school, but is amply able to perform the responsible duties attached to the ministry ; he has belonged to the church for thirty years, and his wife for a period of thirty-six ; his children, with the exception of two, are members of the same church.

JOHN DITMER, farmer ; P. O. Potsdam ; born in Montgomery Co. in the year 1819; is a son of John and Susanna Ditmer, who were born in Lancaster Co., Penn. ; they removed to the above county at an early day, lived there many years, then came to this county and resided till their decease ; his father died at the age of 62 years, his mother at the age of 58 ; they were parents of thirteen children, seven of whom are living, viz., John, Eli, Henry, Cass, Catherine, David and George ; the deceased are Elizabeth, Rosanna, Mary, Jacob, Benjamin and Abra- ham ; John was raised on the farm, on which he worked till his 24th year. In 1844, he was married to Lydia Mischler, by whom he has had ten children, seven of whom are living, viz., Abraham, Mary, Silas, John, Amanda, Sarah and Martha ; the deceased are Harriet, Jacob and Susana ; after his marriage, he engaged in farming on the place where he resides ; he owns 80 acres of land, which is in a good state of cultivation and well improved ; in an early day, Mr. D. was a successful hunter, and many deer has he caused to bite the dust, in one instance killing two at one shot ; his wife is a daughter of Jacob and Mary Mischler, who were born in Stark Co., Ohio, but afterward became citizens of this county, from which they removed to Kosciusko Co., Ind., in which they died-he at the age of 65 years, she at the age of 74; they were parents of ten children, seven living, viz., Mary A., Lydia, Lena, Daniel, John, Jacob and Adam ; the deceased, Solomon, Elizabeth, and one who died in infancy ; he and his wife have been members of the German Baptist Church for a period of twenty years, and are consistent Christian people,

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leading exemplary Christian lives ; he has been School Director for twenty years ; also filled the office of Supervisor.

ELI DUNCAN, farmer ; P. O. West Milton ; he was born on the east bank of Stillwater River in 1837, and is a son of Isaac and Elizabeth Duncan. Our sub- ject was reared on his father's farm, and as he died when Eli was only 10 years of age, he remained with the family until his 16th year, when he engaged in picture taking, and was, consequently, away from home part of the time ; at the age of 23, he began life fully for himself and chose farming as a vocation ; he located on the land where he now resides, in 1861, and has 33 acres of good land, which is all in a fair state of cultivation, with ordinary improvements erected thereon ; he has an abundance of all kinds of fruit, to which he pays considerable attention ; Mr. Dun- can received a very limited education in the district schools, in consequence of which he entered the Farmer College, six miles north of Cincinnati, where he remained a part of two years, completing the common branches, thus fitting him to teach, which he did two winters in Darke Co. His marriage with Serena Hyer, was celebrated in 1860 ; she was a daughter of Absalom and Elizabeth Hyer ; her father was born in Pennsylvania, her mother in Montgomery Co., Ohio, both deceased ; to Mr. and Mrs. Duncan six children have been given, of whom all are living, viz., Clara E., now Mrs I. A. Vose, Josephine, Maggie, now Mrs. Donnelly, and Fred ; Mr. Duncan has filled the office of School Director eight years.

WILLIAM DUNCAN, farmer ; P. O. West Milton ; he was born in this town- ship on the land where he now lives in the year 1826 ; his father, Isaac Duncan, was born in South Carolina in 1795 ; his early life was spent in Tennessee, and he removed with his parents to Ohio when only 9 years of age ; his father, Samuel Duncan, was born in Georgia in 1751, and upon his arrival in Miami Co. in 1804, entered 160 acres of land, where his grandson, our subject, now lives ; on this land he reared his family and resided till his death, which occurred in 1832 ; on this land, his sons Isaac and Jesse lived and reared their families ; Isaac departed this life in 1847, aged 52 years, Jesse still later ; upon their death, William, our subject, a son of Isaac, came into possession, and on this same estate has reared a family of children ; thus this farm has been the birthplace of three generations of children, all of the Duncan family ; Isaac Duncan was the father of thirteen chil- dren ; to the first marriage, with Hannah Pemberton, daughter of Isaiah Pemberton, three were given, who are all deceased, viz., Isaiah, Rachel and John. His second marriage was celebrated with Elizabeth Dixon, and to their union ten children were given, of whom only six are living, viz., Jesse, William, Samuel, Amos, Eli and Abigail ; the deceased are Polly, Isaac, Elizabeth and David ; Elizabeth (Dixon) Duncan, was born in South Carolina in 1800, and departed this life in 1873 ; she was a second cousin to the grim old warrior, Anthony Wayne, and a direct descend- ant of the illustrious Adams family, who figure so prominently in the history of the country ; Nicholas Dixon was a military man, and took great pride in army tactics ; he has a good military record and was a commissioned officer in the war of 1812; Grandfather Dixon's house was one of the frontier outposts, and there Gen. Harri- son frequently satisfied the cravings of the inner man ; the house was a general rendezvous for the early settlers, as it was of strong build, and fitted with loop- holes that made it a very formidable stronghold, and a protection against the ruth- less hands of the murderous red man ; he belonged to the Society of Friends, and because he would not take part in the great struggle and help England to force her rebellious subjects into submission, he was attacked by the Tories, severely beaten, and left on the ground for dead ; but he recovered and came to Ohio, where he passed through all the hardships and dangers incident to pioneer life. Our sub- ject was reared on the farm, where he assisted his father in agricultural pursuits until his 21st year, when he began life for himself and took charge of the old home place, thereby keeping the family together till grown, when they made homes for themselves ; here, in the abode of his fathers, he has lived ever since, with the ex- ception of two years, when he lived in Greene Co., so that his children might have the advantage of attending the Antioch College. His marriage was celebrated in

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1854, with Martha Langston, who is a daughter of Leonard and Francis Langston ; her father was born in Georgia and her mother in Maryland ; Mr. and Mrs. Duncan are the parents of eight children, of whom seven are living, viz., Leonard, Ira, Elmer, Emma, Charles, William and Mary, and Sarah A., deceased. Mr. Duncan has filled the office of Justice of the Peace for three years, Supervisor one term, and School Director many years ; he and his amiable wife have been members of the Christian Church for a number of years ; they are particularly interested in the advancement of Christianity, and are exemplary Christian people. Isaac Duncan was a member of Co. G, 48th O. V. I., and in the bloody battle of Pittsburg Land- ing, Sunday morning, April 6, 1862; he fell shot through the heart with his face to the foe; Jesse was a member of the same company and regiment and re- turned safely to their home ; Amos was a member of Co. I, 71st O. V. I., and soon after his enlistment, was detailed to the hospital, where he was installed as steward ; from there he was promoted to Assistant Surgeon, and given charge of the 9th Tenn. V. C., where he remained until he was mustered out, having passed through the battles and encounters of the Army of the Cumberland ; his regiment captured the notorious John Morgan, who was brought to camp by one of the boys, on horseback.

EDWIN J. EBY, of the firm of Eby & Bro., dentists, West Milton ; was born in Pennsylvania, in 1840, where his early boyhood days were spent. At the age of 7 years, he removed to Ohio with his parents, and soon entered mercantile life, which he followed till his location here in 1866 ; since that time he has operated success- fully in his profession. Both are gentlemen well educated in their business, all operations being performed with safety, and to the satisfaction of all who patronize them. His education was received in the common schools, where a close applica- tion in study and a long experience in active business life, bespeak for him a suc- cessful and prosperous life. His marriage with Sarah E., daughter of Thomas Vore, occurred June 26, 1873. Her parents were among the early settlers of Miami Co.

DAVID W. ELLEMAN, farmer ; P. O. West Milton ; born on the place where his father now resides, in Sec. 6, in 1833 ; is a son of Enos and Margaret Elleman. Our subject's boyhood days were spent on his father's farm, where he labored until he was 21 years of age. He was married to Esther Coate in 1855 ; she is a daugh- ter of Elijah and Rebecca Coate, who were born in Miami Co. Her grandparents were natives of South Carolina, and from there made their way to Miami Co., with one horse, bringing their effects with them, one walking while the other rode. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom ten lived to man's estate and had families of their own-William, Joseph, Thomas, Benjamin, Susan, Isaac, Aaron, Elizabeth, Rebecca and Elijah, who is the father of our subject's wife, is a minister of the Wesley- an faith, and resides in Wayne Co., Ind., where he is laboring in the church. Grand- father Coate lived to be upward of 70 years of age ; his first wife died in middle age, and he was again married to Mary Bangham, by whom he had four children, all de- ceased. Elijah and Rebecca Coate are the parents of nine children, of whom five are living, viz., Esther, Mary, Linley, Susan and John ; the deceased are-Hiram, Leices- ter, Joseph and Zelora. After our subject's marriage, he farmed and worked at the carpenter trade until 1865, when he settled on the place where he now resides, and since has paid his attention mostly to farming ; he has 132 acres of choice farming land, with No. 1 buildings erected thereon. He is one of the present Trustees of the township, having been elected in the spring of 1879. He and his amiable wife are members of the Society of Friends, and are every-day Christian people. They are the parents of nine children, all living, viz., John, Semantha, Horatio P., William, Mary R., Zelora E., Linley M., Horace M. and Francis. John was married to Ann Cress in April, 1877 ; they have one child, viz., Laurenthus E. Semantha was married to Joseph W. Beck in January, 1877 ; they also have one child, viz., Francis E. Her husband is one of the leading teachers of the county.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 119

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