The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 124

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

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JACOB MILLER, undertaker, and dealer in furniture West Milton, ; is another of the old settlers of Miami Co. ; he was born in Virginia, in 1826, and is a son of Zachariah Miller, who is a native of the same State, and was born in 1801 ; he removed to this county with his family in the fall of the year 1832, and is yet a resident of the county. His wife was born in 1802 and departed this life in the year of our Lord 1866 ; they were the parents of five children, who are all living. Our subject's boyhood days were spent on the farm, where he assisted his father in cultivating it until his 20th year, when he began to serve an apprentice- ship in the carpenter trade in this village ; he labored twelve years here, and then returned to the farm after his mother's death, so as to make his father a home ; here he remained for twelve years, when he returned to West Milton and engaged in the manufacturing of furniture ; in connection, he does a general undertaking trade; his business relations in Miami Co. cover a period of forty years, and by fair dealing he has won the confidence of the people, who give him a liberal patron- age. His first marriage was celebrated with Sarah Werts in 1848 ; they have one child, viz., Anna M., now Mrs. A. J. Pearson ; Mrs. Miller departed this life in 1853, aged about 30 years. Mr. Miller's second marriage was celebrated with Mary Pennel in 1855 ; two children are the fruits of their union, viz., Ida M. and Edgar P. ; the former deceased, aged 18 months. He owns 60 acres of fine land in the country, which is in a good state of cultivation ; also owns a fine property in the village of West Milton. He and his amiable wife are members of the Christ- ian Church of fifteen years' standing.

HENRY H. MORSE, farmer ; P. O. West Milton; born in Bennington Co., Vt., in 1815 ; is a son of John and Abigail (Himes) Morse ; the former was born in the State of Connecticut, and removed with his father, Noah Morse, to Vermont, in a very early day. Jedidiah, a brother of Noah, was the author of the first school geography, and the electrician S. F. B. Morse was a relative of our subject. His parents made Vermont their home ; there they reared their family ; there they died, and there their bodies were consigned to the tomb ; his mother lived to see fourscore and ten years ; they were the parents of ten children, of whom only three are left, viz., Nancy, Daniel and Henry ; the rest died of consumption, as did their father. Henry's boyhood days were spent on the farm, assisting in its cultivation ; he grappled with the heavy tasks to be found ; in 1850, he removed to Montgomery Co., Ohio, where he engaged in school-teaching, in the vicinity of Dayton ; here he labored for some years, after which he moved to Monroe Town- ship, in Darke Co., where he purchased 120 acres of land, on which he lived for

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ten or eleven years, and taught two terms of school in Miami Co .; selling this land,. he removed to the place where he now resides, in 1862 ; he has 108 acres of land, which is all in a fine state of cultivation, with good buildings erected thereon. In the year 1841, he married Miss Catherine, a daughter of Jacob Laruse, who was a resident of Montgomery Co. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Morse six children have been given, viz., Aldeba, Mary, Clara, Alice, Minerva and Laura. Mr. M.is one of our self-made men, having begun life empty-handed, but by industry and good management, coupled with frugality, he has accomplished the great object in life-made a good home-and is now enjoying the shades of retirement.

LUKE SMITH MOTE, farmer ; P. O. West Milton ; was born Aug. 21, 1812, in Randolph Township, Montgomery Co., Ohio ; his parents were David Mote and Miriam (Mendenhall) Mote ; they settled first in Montgomery Co. in 1811, but in 1822 moved to Miami Co. Persons bearing the surname Mote (more correctly Motte) and those in marriage connection with the family, were numerically large, and bore a conspicuous part among the first settlers in Union Township, Miami Co., Ohio, not only in clearing out farms in the forest, but also in making up its first church and civil organizations ; the first emigrants of this name came over from England, near London, to Pennsylvania, soon after its first settlement ; they . were three brothers, John, Jonathan and William ; John went into the Southern

States, and settled in Northern Georgia ; William died of small-pox while in serv- ice of the Colonial army (unmarried) ; Jonathan remained in Pennsylvania, liv- ng in Chester Co .; the early settlers in this township bearing the family name, were his descendants ; his son David, who married Dorcas Nichols, also removed to the South, and settled in Columbia Co., Ga .; they had ten children born to them, six sons and four daughters ; their names and relative ages are as follows : iMargaret, David, Rachel, Jonathan, Mary, William, John, Jeremiah, Dorcas and Jesse ; all reached adult age (except Dorcas, who died in childhood), and were married and raised up families (except David, who died in his 27th year) ; David Mote, Sr., aforesaid, or Grandfather David, as he was called, lived most of his days on the borders of civilization, where much wild game abounded, and therefore became very expert in the use of the rifle ; he mentioned, among other items of his experience in hunting, that he had killed two deer at a shot thirteen times, and twice he had killed three ; this expertness in the use of the rifle was appa- rently handed down to some of his descendants, a few of whom delighted in the chase, and could number the slain of the wild herds of the forests by the score, and even hundreds ; in person, he was of medium height, of square and rather heavy build, thoughful and given to taciturnity ; he and his wife accompa- nied their children when they came to Ohio in 1802 ; his mental and physical fac- ulties were little impaired as ripe age advanced, his step being elastic and his eye- sight clear up to the close of life ; he died at his son John's, of gastritis, on the 4th of March, 1817, aged 84 years, being the oldest of the first emigrants in this township ; his wife, Dorcas, died the following November, in her 86th year. As above stated, said David Mote, Sr., and his sons and daughters and their fami- lies, were of the first emigrants in these parts ; Jeremiah and William, accompanied by their father and mother, came in September, 1802, and the rest soon followed them. This part of the county being noted for its many large cold springs, which discharge their waters, tumbling over the rocks, into the time-worn gorges some fifty or sixty feet on their way to the river, affording many mill privileges, were early sought out and selected for homes and sites for mills ; Jonathan Mote took those on the farm now owned by Mrs. Thomas Vore ; he built the first brick house there on this river, north of Dayton, in 1810, which is still standing ; he died there away in April, 1839, of gastric derangement, like his father, in his 81st year ; none bearing the family name of his descendants remain in these parts. William Mote's farm adjoined his brother Jonathan's on the southwest ; John's and Jeremiah's farms were three miles directly south, on the Montgomery Co. line. John was a physician, and widely known as Dr. Mote ; the early settlers were much afflicted with ague, chills and malarial fevers, from impurities of the atmosphere caused by

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stagnant water and decaying timber ; he being the only doctor in these parts, his time was much taken up in administering to the sick and afflicted; hence his large practical experience in that day ; there was a greater mortality in his family, after his children had married and settled in life, from pulmonary disease. Jeremiah was also accounted a good nurse among the sick, and more of a ready writer than ordi- nary in that early day ; he was Clerk or Secretary of the Friends' Monthly Meet- ing at West Branch in its first organization, and the old church records are in his handwriting ; his wife was Mary Butler, a native of Durhamshire, England ; they had the following children born to them, viz., William, David, Aaron, Ann and Dorcas (twins, died in infancy), Jeremiah, Isaiah, Mary, Susanna, Sarah, Miriam, Hannah and Enoch, all of whom grew to mature age, were married and had fami- lies ; he removed to Vigo Co., Ind., where he died in 1820, aged 50 years ; their sons and daughters nearly all remained and lived in that State. Daniel Motte, Jr., son of Jeremiah, married Miriam Mendenhall, daughter of Caleb and Susanna Mendenhall, and settled in Randolph Township, Montgomery Co., adjoining Miami Co .; they had five children (sons) born to them, viz., Luke Smith, Zeno, Marcus, Linus and Enos, who all grew to adult age, married and settled in life ; in 1820, he removed to Vigo Co., Ind., but, on account of malarial fevers, that attacked all the early settlers in those Western prairies, he returned to Ohio in the fall of 1822, and settled in this township ; he was a prominent member of the old Friends' Church at West Branch, as its records show ; he lived on a farm, but had a car- penter shop, being handy with tools ; he made house furniture, worked part of his time at the carpenter's trade and in the machine-shop, setting up machinery for woolen-mills ; he taught, also, his eldest boys the use of tools ; hence they always had employment enough in rough weather in his shop ; he often spoke of the dis- advantages he labored under by lack of more literary knowledge ; very few of the early settlers had any opportunity for school learning, save in the common rudi- ments ; he profited by what little he did get, and was accounted competent to teach some of the early schools, and was careful that his children should have better educational advantages than he had ; he died at his own homestead, adjoin- ing the church lot at West Branch, Sept. 23, 1862, in the 70th year of his age; three of his sons live in that vicinity. Luke Smith, the eldest, married Charity Jones, daughter of Elisha Jones, from South Carolina, in October, 1834 ; their children are Elisha J., Arenah E., William Alden, Celestia S., Mary M., Arrie L., M. Benson and Cordelia B., three sons and five daughters ; the eldest, Elisha J., is a photographer, in all its branches, in Richmond, Ind .; William A. is a portrait painter in the same place, both claiming to do no work of the ordinary class ; the daughters are handy in floral and ornamental work. L. S. Motte is the originator of some very choice seedling apples and some other kinds of fruits ; the love of the fine arts and the culture of the finer fruits and flowers, with him, appears to be innate in his children ; having studied and practiced medicine when younger in his life, Doctor is often prefixed to his name, but of later years he declines following this occupation, except in certain cases in women and children. Marcus Motte, third son of David, Jr., is a portrait painter of note, also paints in superior style fruits 'and flowers ; the choice of this occupation was innate in him, having followed it from boyhood. The family was rather noted for longevity, also for that trait of drawing conclu- sions and arriving at a judgment free of all bias of mind, by external pressure. There are but few of this large family connection bearing the family name, living in the township at this writing; the greater part emigrated westward in Indiana and further westward. Some families are in Delaware, Montgomery and Parke Cos., Ind., and a few in Illinois. Mary lies interred in the old graveyard at West Branch. Great-grandfather David and wife and their sons Jonathan, William, Jesse and John, and daughters Mary and Rachel, besides many chil- dren, grandchildren, etc., rest in profound repose beneath its grassy mold. The Mote family in the early settlement, and its family connections, owned a large body of land south of Milton to the county line, and for half a mile over the line,

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and. considerable west and north of the village also. But at this time the major part has passed out of their hands.

The families of Samuel and Francis Jones, from Georgia, Wallace Jones, and all those of the Pattys and some others are related to the Mote family.

Caleb and Joseph Mendenhall, who lived near West Branch, were the sons of Phineas Mendenhall, who was the son of James Mendenhall, who was the son of Aaron, who was the son of John Mendenhall, the emigrant from England.

This brief statement is made to shorten a long genealogical account, running back through four or five generations of this family in America. A book of history and pedigree of it lies before me, running back to the thirteenth century. The name was recorded, at that remote period, Mile de hale, afterward Mildehall, and, more recently, Mildenhall. Some branches of the family in England retain the last- named mode of spelling up to the present time; but the American families spell it Mendenhall. The family residence in Great Britain was in Wiltshire, and, the town and vicinity where they lived, took the family name of Mildenhall.

Those two brothers, Caleb and Joseph, married sisters-Susanna and Rachel Gardner .* The Mendenhalls emigrated to Pennsylvania about the same time Will- iam Penn came to America, and were residents of Chester County. Phineas, father of the afore named brothers, went south, where his wife and part of his family were killed by the Indians in Georgia, during one of the wars with the Creeks.t Caleb Menden- hall came out prospecting in the Northwest Territory early in 1801, and passed through the Miami Valley ; he came to Ohio the next spring. Stopping awhile at Waynesville, Warren Co., he removed into what was afterward Miami County, the following September (1802) and settled on the farm now owned by Thomas Jay. His brother Joseph came out the next spring (1803).

The children of Caleb Mendenhall were Miriam (wife of David Mote, and mother of the writer of these notes), Griffith, William, Susan (Wisener), Grace (Thomas), Tamar (Thomas), Caleb,, Charity (Watts), Rhoda (Dulin) and Kirk ; the sons all removed to Indiana and died there, and part of the daughters ; only two of the last are living, of all the family, at this writing.

Joseph Mendenhall's children . were Mary (Brown), Tamar (Russell), Thad- deus, Lydia (McDonald), Anna (Macy), Ruth (Bolinger), Eunice (Kendall), Rachel (Compton) and Joseph ; all deceased except three daughters.

The characteristics of those two brothers above named were quite dissimilar . in many points. Caleb was more disposed to study, quietude and retirement, spending considerable of his time in reading and acquiring information, although he only had a limited education. Joseph, on the other hand, was stirring and more noisy, running around, seeing to his farming and other business. Caleb was a lover of the finer fruits, and brought with him from North Carolina some choice, selected . apple-seed; from these he raised trees for his orchard, which produced many choice varieties .; His apples, in that early day, were known far and near as the finest in the country ; so it was an easy matter for him to dispose of his surplus. Joseph was noted as the first tanner in those parts, though perhaps he knew little more about the trade than his brother Caleb ; he generally hired his work done, and, when ready for sale, it had none of the finish or completeness about it that leather has in our day, neither was it devoid of that plentiful liquid called water, in that kind termed the "sole." But people were impatient of delay in the drying process, and, as this was the only tan-yard in reach, they would risk paying 50 cents a' pound for tincture of oak bark. Hence, Joseph was enabled, from time to time, to add acreage to his landed estate, from this certain income.

* Emigrated from Nantucket.

t The Indians, surrounding their premises in the evening, shot and killed Abia, the eldest son, turning the grind- stone for his father, who was grinding an ax, and the mother out in the milking-lot, where she was milking the cows. The family left, scattered, fled and secreted themselves. The darkness of the evening coming on assisted them in making their escape, all except Joseph; he was knocked down and taken prisoner, and was kept by the savages come months, till ransomed by his father.

t Trom one of these, the "Stillwater Sweet," his grandson, L. 8. Mote, reproduced those two noted seedlings described by Dr. Warder, viz., "Mote's Sweet " and "Celestia."

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Caleb sold his farm and removed to near Richmond, Ind., where he died some ten years afterward, about 1848, of inflammation of the pleura, in his 79th year. Joseph died on the old premises, where he first settled, in 1850, of paralytic affection, near the same age of his brother Caleb.

Mention will not be out of place here of the

WEST BRANCH FRIENDS' CHURCH.

The first organized church in Union Township was the Friends' of West Branch, in 1804. Religious meetings had been held some time previously, at the houses of the early settlers. The first meeting-house put up there stood northeast of the present brick, a rude log structure, 20x30 feet, built cabin fashion. The next one stood west, of larger dimensions, 22x44 feet, of hewed logs, with shingle roof, built in 1808. The third and present one, of brick, 40x60 feet, was built in 1818. People would come from miles around to attend these meetings, of every persuasion, professors or non-professors ; they were not so prejudiced in those primitive days as now, in regard to worship and preaching, neither did distance, stress of weather and difficult roads debar them this privilege. The first resident minister was William Neall, from Tennessee. A monthly meeting was established there early in 1809, and a quarterly meeting in 1812, which are still continued. The first person buried in the churchyard was Mary Newman, wife of Thomas Newman, in 1807. Some of the more prominent church members at said meeting at West Branch, were David Motte, Sr., Samuel Jones, Sr., Benjamin Iddings, Sr., Samuel Brown, Jeremiah Motte, Caleb Mendenhall, Dr. John Motte, Frederick Yount, James Patty, David Motte, Jr., Elisha Jones, Isaac Hasket, Wallace Jones and others, in its early history, and, later, some of their descendants and other persons who came in by request or certificate.

WILLIAM M. MOTE, merchant, Laura ; born in Monroe Township, Darke Co., in 1841 ; is a son of Alexander and Rhoda Mote. His father was born in the year 1818 ; Alexander's parents were born in Georgia, and were the third family to settle in Monroe Township, Darke Co. He (Grandfather Mote) died in the home of his adoption ; his wife afterward married a Mr. Penny, who removed to Indi- ana, where she afterward died. Alexander Mote lived in Darke Co. until 1864, at which time he departed to Iowa, and settled in Le Grand, Marshall Co., where he died the following year; his wife, Rhoda, departed this life in Darke Co., in the year 1852, aged 29 years. They were parents of two children, viz., Harry and our subject. William's early days were spent on his father's farm, and at the age of 15 years, he entered mercantile life in the einploy of George W. Sigafoos, with whom he remained five years. becoming acquainted with all the different phases of a mercantile life ; after severing his connection with the above gentleman, he returned to the farm in Darke Co., on which he labored two years, then selling out he came to Laura and went into business under the firm name of Mote & Longa- necker. They continued in business till 1871, when he withdrew, and went to Wea- ver Station, in Darke Co., and engaged in merchandising under the firm name of J. & W. Mote ; this firm did business for three years, when he withdrew, and again returned to Laura in 1875 ; in September, 1876, he opened a store here, in which he has since successfully followed his business ; he carries a complete and perfect stock of almost everything to be found in a first-class retail house, and his long experience and fair dealing command for him a full share of the public patronage. He has supplied the wants of a buying public in this place for nine years, and in an adjoining town five years, thus making fourteen years he has been before the peo- ple. In 1861, he was married to Sarah A. Longanecker, by whom he has had seven children, six of whom are living, viz., John L., Vinnie P., Alexander H., Myrtle E., Benjamin and William W .; Emma J., deceased. Mrs. Mote is a mem- ber of the German Baptist Church, and an exemplary Christian woman.

L. M. MOTE, druggist, West Milton ; born in Miami Co. in 1841 ; is a son of Zeno Mote, one of the early pioneers, his father having located here about 1800 ; his grandfather Mote was of Georgian birth, his grandmother from South

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Carolina ; both departed this life in this county at advanced ages. Zeno Mote was born here about 1812, is living and resides near West Milton. Our subject remained with his father on the farm till he was 20 years of age, at which time he began life for himself, and engaged in the mercantile business in Le Grand, Iowa, in which place he did business for six years, then returned to this place in 1872 and embarked in a general drug and stationery business, in which he is yet engaged. In 1870, he was married to Miss L. M. Lynde, their nuptials being cele- brated in Iowa. Her parents were born in New England, but at present reside in Knox Co., Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Mote have one child, Edna, born in July, 1874. Mr. M. received his preparatory course in a high school in Indiana, with which he was connected one year ; the balance of his education was received in this county. LEWIS F. NILES, dealer in clocks, watches and jewelry, West Milton ; was born in this county June 12, 1837 ; his father, Ephraim Niles, was born in Massa- chusetts about the year 1791 ; his mother, Fanny (Collan) Niles, was born in the same State in the year 1800; their marriage was celebrated in Massachusetts in 1824 ; they emigrated to Miami Co. in 1830, and located in West Milton, where he kept hotel for awhile, and then removed to the farm where he resided until his death, which occurred in August, 1839 ; his mother departed this life Sept. 6, 1863 ; they were the parents of five children, four sons and one daughter, all of whom are living. Our subject was reared on his father's farm, where he assisted in doing the work, and attended the usual terms of school until his 16th year, when he began to learn the carpenter trade, which he followed, at irregular inter- vals, for several years ; in 1859, he established himself where he is now located and engaged in his present business. Jan. 7, 1869, he married Frances L., young- est daughter of Rowland R. Chase ; two children are the fruits of this union, viz .. Nina A., born Oct. 7, 1869, and Daniel R., born Jan. 17. 1876.

JOSEPH OLWIN, farmer ; P. O. Laura ; was born in Cumberland Co., Penn., May 1, 1828. His father, Anthony Olwin, was born in Pennsylvania, July 18, 1783, and departed this life in April, 1869 ; his mother, Elizabeth Olwin, was born in the same State Sept. 1, 1790, and died in June, 1854 ; they removed to Mont- gomery Co., Ohio, when Joseph was only 6 months old, in which they lived till their decease. They were parents of ten children, three of whom are living, viz., Joseph, Catherine and Susanna. The deceased are Daniel B., John, Abram, Jacob, Adam, Esther and David. Joseph was reared on the farm, his boyhood days being spent in a manner incident to youth, and, after years had developed his frame and muscles, he became a valuable auxiliary to his father in the labors on the farm. Nov. 2, 1854, he was married to Margaret Ann Hiestand, by whom he has eleven children, of whom seven are living, viz., Anthony, Isabelle, Samuel J., Sherman, Nina M., Lora Pearl, and James. The deceased are Joanna, Elmer E., Jessie E. and John E. Anthony is one of the leading educators, having taught four years in the district and graded school of the county; his education was received in the common schools, in which he fitted himself to perform well the responsible duties that devolved upon the profession. Mrs. Olwin is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Prizer) Hiestand. Her father was born in Lancaster Co., Penn .; her mother in the State of Maryland ; they came with their parents to Montgomery Co. in a very early day ; he was born Oct. 13, 1796, and departed this life Sept. 24, 1854 ; her mother died in the year 1842, aged 36 years. They were parents of six children, of whom five are living-Benjamin, Jesse, Hiram, Rachel and Margaret A .; Mary and Jesse, deceased. In 1863, Mr. Olwin removed to Crawford Co., Ill., in which he resided seven years, then came to Miami Co., and purchased 155 acres of land, on which he now resides ; his land is pleasantly situated, and all in a high state of cultivation, which, taken in conjunction with the beautiful surroundings, commodious house, barn, etc., prove Mr. Olwin to be a man of cultivated tastes as well as one of Miami's successful farmers. Mr. Olwin bas filled the office of Trustee four years, Supervisor and School Director many times. His amiable wife is an exemplary member of the Adventist Church, and a consistent Christian lady ; her husband belongs to the Christian Church.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 124

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