The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 61

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

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 61

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WILLIAM G. APPLEGETT, farmer ; P. O. Conover ; was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, Nov. 6, 1826, and is a son of W. H. Applegett. who was born in Ken- tucky about the close of the eighteenth century ; received a limited education and followed carpentering for a number of years ; emigrated to Hamilton Co., Ohio, about 1817. Three years later, married Miss Atlantic Goff, who was born at Cape May, N. J .; after marriage, resided chiefly in this county, where she died with cholera about 1834 ; he afterward went to Tennessee, where he died about 1840. They were the parents of five children, of whom three are now living, of whom Mr. Applegett is the oldest ; he was brought up to agricultural pursuits, and received a limited education ; after his majority, he entered upon the trade of carpentry, which he followed twenty-five years ; in 1868, he bought a farm in Sec. 8, Town 2, Range 12, and the next year located on it. In 1851, he married Miss H. A. Davis; they have eight children viz. : Sarah M., deceased ; Mary H., John W., Melissa J., Arthur E., Charles, Clara E. and Kate. Mrs. Applegett was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Feb. 22, 1834, and is a daughter of Benjamin B. and Mary (Graham) Davis.

J. B. BEAMER, M. D., Fletcher. Of the medical profession of the village of Fletcher, who has established a reputation as a thorough-read man in the sci- ence of medicine, is Dr. Beamer, who is a native of Champaign Co., Ohio ; when but a boy of 4 years, his father (being also a physician) located in Fletcher, and was favorably known for nearly thirty years, under whom J. B. read ; in the 19th year of his age, he commenced the practice of his profession in Fletcher ; two years later, he entered the United States Army as a private volunteer of Co. E, 71st O. V. I; soon after the organization of the company, he was appointed as Sergeant ; he entered service, and remained ten months, when he was dis- charged, having received a wound in the right lower limb by a cannon ball, at the battle of Shiloh; he was disabled from active duty in his profession for a period of eighteen months, when he again started in the practice of medicine, which he has successfully followed ; in the year of 1867, he graduated from the Philadelphia Medical University ; the Doctor is now well situated in the south part of Fletcher, where he has a fine little floral garden which he takes particular pride in caring

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for. The nuptials of Dr. Beamer and Martha F. A. Keller, a native of Maryland, were celebrated Dec. 16, 1869 ; they have one daughter, Lulu A., born May 24, 1873. GEORGE H. BENHAM, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Conover ; was born in Brown Township Feb. 12, 1855, and is a son of Richard Benham, who was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, March 15, 1791, and was one of the patriots of the war of 1812 ; he was at the surrender of Gen. Hull, where he took the life of an Indian chief ; in 1813, he married Mary Nutt, who was a native of Centerville, Montgomery Co., Ohio, and died about 1846 ; he afterward married Mrs. Abigail (Underwood) Baltzell, who was born in Shelby Co., Ohio, in 1813 ; they had two children ; the death of Richard Benham occurred March 1, 1870. George Ben- ham was raised on the farm of which he now owns a portion, in Sec. 3, Brown Township; in early life he received a fair education. His marriage with Millie Pence was celebrated in 1874 ; their children were three in number, of whom only one is now living, viz., Len Etta ; Mrs. Benham is a daughter of William F. and Emmeline Pence, natives of this State.

A. M. BERRYHILL, farmer, dealer in and shipper of stock ; P. O. Fletcher ; was born in Greene Co., Ohio, April 15, 1828, and brought up on his father's farm, where he assisted in clearing it. A. M. B. in his boyhood days obtained no educa- tion, but since by continual practice and close application of mind to his business, he has now a fair business education ; in 1853, he came to Miami Co. and pur- chased 80 acres of his present farm in Sec. 14, Brown Township, where he took it all from its wild state to a fine degree of cultivation, and erected a fine house,; barn and other improvements. Mr. Berryhill has by talent and industry made gradual financial changes until he now owns about 700 acres of land in this and Shelby Cos., with sufficient capital to successfully carry on his business ; he has since 1860 devoted his time to his present business, but in connection with it over- sees a large amount of farming. Mr. Berryhill has, while residing in Brown Town- ship, always been willing to aid and encourage all public interest to the welfare of the county or the vicinity in which he resides. His marriage with Sarah Brels- ford was celebrated Oct. 13, 1853; she was born in Brown Township, Miami Co., Dec. 16, 1832, and died June 9, 1857 ; she was the mother of two children, one living, Theresa, now Mrs. J. D. Caven. Mr. Berryhill married for his second wife, Catharine Brelsford ; she was born May 31, 1828; they have seven children, viz .: Sarah S., S. F., H. R., R. E., Mary M., Jennie B., deceased; and John L. Berryhill.

F. M. BERRYHILL, farmer, and dealer in stock ; P. O. Conover ; was born in Greene Co., Ohio, June 17, 1838, and is a son of Archibald Berryhill, who was born in Virginia Oct. 2, 1801 ; his entire life was devoted to farming ; in 1812 or 1813, he emigrated to Greene Co., Ohio, settling near Bellbrook ; he buried two wives, and married a third, with whom he lived until July 7, 1877, when he passed from the stage of life ; he was the father of nine children, of whom four are now living. F. M. was raised on the farm and taught the principles of farming by his father, and was given a limited education ; upon March 29, 1864, he emigrated to Miami Co., and settled on his present farm in Sec. 7, which consists of 160 acres ; when coming here, there were but 50 acres under cultivation ; he has since increased the tillable acres to 95, and manifests great interest in his farm pursuits ; since his residence in Brown Township, he has held the office of Assessor and others in the vicinity and township. F. M. Berryhill is a descendant of Charles Thompson, one of the first Secretaries of the United States. Upon June 17, 1878, Mr. Berryhill (being from home) was visited by a large concourse of relatives, friends and neighbors from far and near, accompanied by the band of Piqua. Soon after the arrival of the parties, a table 225 feet long was erected, and plentifully filled. At the proper hour for refreshments, the band marched around the table, followed by the guests, numbering 517. Rev. F. Berryhill returned appropriate thanks, after which all enjoyed the bountiful repast ; after dinner, others arrived, and swelled the number to 635, who made it a day long to be remembered. Feb. 27, 1879, F. M. Berryhill married Miss Mary J. Hill, who was born in this county. They by this union have one son, born Feb. 29, 1880. Mrs. Berryhill is a daughter of Samuel and Eliza J, Hill.

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BRECOUNT & SONS, grain dealers, Conover. During the summer of 1855, S. G. Brecount and brother cleared away the unbroken forest, where the village of Conover is now located, and erected a warehouse on the Columbus, Piqua & Indi- ana Railroad, which is now known as the Cincinnati, Columbus & Indiana Central Railroad, a through line from east to west. The structure and capacity of the building was based upon the expected patronage of the energetic farmers of the surrounding vicinity. On Oct. 11, of the same fall, they purchased their first load of grain from Johu Wolcott, Jr. S. G. Brecount & Bro. carried on their business with some inconvenience and pecuniary disadvantages for a few years, but with a liberal patronage. Their partnership continued until 1858, when S. G. Brecount retired from its duties and turned it to his son, A. L. Brecount (the firm now being J. D. & A. L. Brecount). During this partnership, gradual improvements were made in the manner of handling grain. In 1859 or 1860, the third member, J. C. White, engaged in the business, forming the firm of Brecount & White. They also opened the first store in Conover, stocking it with general merchandise, where they soon built up a healthy trade in connection with the grain business. This firm transacted business until 1861 or 1862, when a third change took place, and the business was managed by J. D. Brecount alone until 1864, when E. R. Doup, with the above. formed the firm of Brecount & Doup, which lasted one year only, after which J. D. Brecount transacted the business alone until 1871. Dur- ing this time the grain had been weighed on small scales in the house. At the last date, G. W. Brecount formed the firm of Brecount & Son, andlarge Fairbank scales were added to their facilities of weighing grain. In June, 1877, the last change took place by E. A. Brecount forming the firm of Brecount & Sons. Dur- the past all the grain was handled in the original building. In the fall of 1877, their corn-house was erected, with a capacity sufficient to store 8,000 bushels of corn. Their dump for unloading corn is one of the best in the county. Their advantages for loading on the side track are such that a car has been loaded in the small space of ten minutes. In the summer of 1879, they remodeled their first structure, erected in 1855. To this extra facilities were added to those previously connected with the building, and the following winter an office and scale-house were fitted up. They are now well situated and are doing a business second to none in the township. The first yearly shipments of the firm were small compared to those of 1879, which were 525,000 bushels of wheat; corn, 33,500; oats, 27,000 and flax, 2,500. J. D. Brecount has, during the past transactions, held the leading posi- tion of the firm. He now entrusts the business, principally, to the junior members of the firm, who are intelligent, bright and thorough-going young men. They are making an excellent reputation as good business men. J. D. Brecount was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, April 16, 1827, and is a son of John and Sarah (Williams) Brecount. In childhood, with their parents, they emigrated from New Jersey to Ohio on fiat-boats, locating where now the limits of Cincinnati extend. Here John Brecount, when a lad of 14 years of age, engaged in blacksmithing, serving as apprentice until he was 21, when his trade was completed. He did but little at this business during life; he was otherwise variously engaged, passing through the pioneer days of Hamilton Co., sharing many of the difficulties con- nected with the war of 1812, of which he was a participant; in 1837, he and family became residents of Champaign Co., where John and Sarah remained until in & feeble state of health, they came to Miami Co. to receive the care of their children, where they both passed away. Their children were twelve in number, of whom three are now living ; J. D., the only son, was brought up to agricultural pursuits, and, in his early life, had limited school privileges ; he came to Miami Co. in the same year the grain business was opened; locating, with his brother, where the village is now built; at that time it was all in the woods; there he has since made and seen many changes, and his finances have much improved. Outside of his grain business, he owns 170 acres in Sec. 12, Brown Township, Miami Co., which is under good cultivation and is well improved. March 27, 1849, he married Esther

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A. White, who was born in Pennsylvania March 26, 1828 ; three sons are the fruits of their union, viz., George W., Asa S. and Edgar A.

WILLIAM H. BRELSFORD, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Fletcher; was born in Brown Township, Miami Co., in 1846, and is a son of Daniel and Nancy (Hand) Brelsford, and a grandson of Daniel, Sr., and Mary (Townsond) Brelsford, both natives of Pennsylvania ; in after years, they emigrated West and located in Brown Township, Miami Co., where they both died, she in 1840, and he in 1852. William H. was raised on the farm, where he assisted his father in opening out the same until his majority; soon after (in 1868), he married Hannah Staats, who was born in Clinton Co., Ohio, and was four years his junior ; in the following fall, they emigrated to Cedar Co., Iowa, where he commenced farming, and resided one year, when Hannah died, and he had her brought back to Miami Co. and interred ; he also remained there, and has since been engaged in farming in Ohio. One child was the fruit of the above union-Frank, born in September, 1868. In the fall of 1876, William H. Brelsford married Sarah Jones, who was born in Indiana in 1855 ; they had two children-Tessie (deceased in infancy) and Carrie. William H., in September, 1878, purchased his present farm of 40 acres, in Sec. 21, Brown Town- ship, Miami Co., where he located the following spring.

MRS. DANIEL BRELSFORD ; P. O. Fletcher; Daniel Brelsford was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, March 2, 1823, and was brought up to farm life, receiv- ing a common education; in 1840, he came to Miami Co., where he engaged in carpentering. Jan. 8, 1846, he married Nancy Hand ; she was born in Greene Co .; Ohio, Oct. 23, 1825 ; they had eleven children, viz., William H., Martha A., Melissa F., Mary E., Alonzo T. (deceased), Benjamin F. (deceased), George W., Arthur J., Charley L., Maude D. and Claudie M. F. Daniel Brelsford, in 1850, commenced purchasing the farm of 80 acres, in Sec. 20, Brown Township, Miami Co., which he afterward completed, and cultivated until his death, July 2, 1874. Mrs. Brelsford is a daughter of Benjamin Hand, who was born in New Jersey, where he came when but a boy, with his parents. William and Phebe (Jennings) Hand came to Ohio and settled in Greene Co. permanently. Benjamin Hand married Sarah Sackett, who was a native of Kentucky, and, in 1835, they came from Greene Co. to Miami Co., and bought 80 acres of Sec. 20, Brown Township; Mr. Hand died there Ang. 1, 1841, and Mrs. Hand Jan. 8, 1872. Mrs. Brelsford is a grand- daughter of Cyrus Sackett, a native of Connecticut, who, at the age of 21, emi- grated to Kentucky ; in 1791, he was under the command of Gov. St. Clair, at the Wabash River, in Mercer Co., Ohio, where St. Clair was defeated and suffered a heavy loss ; but Cyrus, being among the survivors, returned to Kentucky, where he married Nancy Stableton, who was a native of Maryland; when but a child, she was taken to North Carolina, where she remained during the war of Independence, and afterward rode on horseback to Kentucky ; she and Cyrus afterward emigrated to Greene Co., Ohio, where they both died at an advanced age.

H. S. CARMONY, farmer, and manufacturer of drain tile; P. O. Conover ; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, March 15, 1815, and is a son of Jacob Car- mony, who was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 6, 1790 ; he was raised to farm labor and distilling ; early in the nineteenth century emigrated with his parents to Ohio, and settled near Centerville, Montgomery Co., where his parents died at an advanced age. Jacob Carmony, during the war of 1812, was engaged in manu- facturing liquors to supply the army ; in 1813, he married Mary Stansell, who was a native of Kentucky, born in 1796, and emigrated to Ohio about 1810; they both died in Montgomery Co., he in 1872, and she three years later. Mr. H. S. Carmony was brought up to farm pursuits ; at the age of 22, he began coopering, which trade he followed five years ; in 1842, he came to Miami Co., located on his present farm in Sec. 7, Township 2, Range 12, where he has since resided ; in 1872, he erected his tile factory and engaged in operating the same, which has produced an annual income of about $2,000. March 20, 1842, he married Miss S. E. Mun- ger, who was born in Warren Co., Ohio, July 3, 1823; they have had twelve

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children, of whom six are living. Mr. Carmony has recently been elected Town- ship Trustee, which office he also held in 1861.

JAMES CARTER, retired farmer ; P. O. Conover ; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, Nov. 14, 1813, and is a son of James Carter, Sr., who was born in New Jersey. During the war of independence, and when but 5 years of age, he came with his parents to Pennsylvania, where he matured, and married Sarah Freel, a native of that State ; they emigrated to Ohio, passing through where Cincinnati now stands, when it consisted of three log cabins. They onward pressed to War- ren Co., where they entered 100 acres of land, four miles north of Lebanon; here they settled in the wilds, and at once began to open out a farm, which was done in a reasonable time ; there they died, after having passed through the pioneer days of Warren Co., he in 1832 and she in 1827; their children were eleven in number, of which all grew to maturity; the above family have possessed an extraordinary degree of health, and boast of never having a physician called to their assistance, not even in the illness of their father, as his disease was what they regarded as incurable (consumption) ; the family all possess a medium degree of health. James was brought up to farm labor, and obtained a common education ; in 1839, he emigrated to Miami Co., purchased his present farm of 80 acres in Sec. 6, Brown Township ; this he has since improved and cultivated, and now is one of the finest farms in Brown Township. James Carter, in 1834, united in matrimony with Catherine Williams ; she was born in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1816 ; they have trod the path of connubial life for nearly half a century, and are the parents of nine children, of whom one, Jasper, was lost in battling for his country, in 1864 ; the remaining eight are now living, viz., William S., Maria, Joel, Eunice A., Cerelda, George, Jeannette and Charles G.

G. B. CAVEN, retired farmer ; P. O. Fletcher ; was born March 18, 1828, on the farm he now owns in Sec. 31 ; he is a son of John A. Caven, one of the early settlers of this county, who was born in Rockbridge Co., Va., in 1789, where he grew to manhood, and in 1811, emigrated to Miami Co .; he entered the farm now owned by George B., which was in a very wild state. In 1821, he married Elizabeth Scott, who was born in Mason Co., Ky., in 1801; they both lived and died in this township. The grandparents of George B. were of Irish birth, and died in Spring Creek Township, she about 1828-30, their son following in 1838. G. B. remained at home and nobly assisted to clear and improve the farm ; he received as good an education as could be obtained in his boyhood days. In 1849, he began life for himself, and has since by habits of industry and good man- agement bought and hired lands, until he now owns 250 acres of fine land in this county, of which 160 lie in and above said section, whereon he has erected good, sub- stantial farm buildings. His attention for the past few years has been partially directed to the culture of bees. Oct. 14, 1852, his marriage with Catherine Sim- mons was celebrated ; she was born in this county, in 1829 ; their children were five in number, of whom all are now living, viz .: Alice, now Mrs. W. Hill ; John F .; Melissa J., now Mrs. R. C. Morrow ; Mary E., now Mrs. G. W. Sanders; and Ruth I. Mrs. Caven is a descendant of the Simmons family, whose biography will appear in some other part of this volume.

J. H. CODDINGTON, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Conover; was born on his present farm Sept. 6, 1849, and is a son of David Coddington, who was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, in 1818, and in 1847, came to Miami Co., settling on Sec. 2, Brown Township ; two years later, he purchased 80 acres of land, improved and cultivated the same until his death, which occurred in the fall of 1860, leav- ing a wife and four children to mourn his loss ; his widow, Mary (Hill) Codding- ton, was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, February, 1832 ; she married Thomas Roberts ; they now reside in her native county. Our subject was raised to the life of a farmer's son, and obtained a common-school education; since 1873, he has been gradually purchasing the shares of the home farm, of which he now owns all but the mother's interest, and is engaged in cultivating his property. Sept. 5, 1867, his marriage was celebrated with Jane Morris, who was born in

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Champaign Co., Ohio, and is two years her husband's junior. Their children are Edwin F., born June 24, 1870 ; Alva T., July 5, 1873 ; and Calvin H., March 6, 1877. Mrs. Coddington is a daughter of Calvin and Lydia Morris, who were both natives of Hamilton Co., Ohio, and were the parents of nine children, of whom eight are now living.

J. P. COFFIELD, grain and grocery dealer ; P. O. Fletcher ; is located on the C., C. & I. C. R., where he has been favorably known for the past six years ; in connection with the above business, he has the care and management of the freight, ticket and express office, being also a telegraph operator; he was born in Clark Co., Ohio, in 1845, where he grew to manhood on a farm : in his boyhood days, he acquired a common education, which was afterward cultivated and improved in schools of higher grade ; his attention during life has been directed to the profession of teaching, which he followed ten years in Clark, Greene and Miami Cos .; since 1874, he has been permanently located in this county. He was married to Corilla McAllister Feb. 18, 1879 ; she was born in Pickaway Co., Ohio, June 14, 1856.

J. F. COLVIN, dealer in dry goods, boots, shoes, etc .; P. O. Allen's. Although the firm of Colvin & Frazier have only been engaged in their present business in Lena since 1871, they have succeeded in building up an extended and healthy trade; owing to their experience in the line of dry goods, their judgment is well exercised in adjusting their stock to the demands of the trade ; buying such quan- tities and of such goods as their customers are likely to demand, they have few remnants left on their shelves, and their stock, in consequence, represents an unex- ceptionally neat and attractive appearance ; they keep a full line of dry and fancy goods, boots and shoes, groceries, etc .; they are of the most successful and sub- stantial business men of the place. J. F. Colvin was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Aug. 10, 1841 ; he is a son of L. W. Colvin, who was born in Kentucky, Sept. 13, 1798 ; in 1820, he emigrated to Ohio, and located in Warren Co., where he, in 1824, married Mary Proud ; she was six years his junior ; they were the parents of nine children, of whom six are now living. Our subject is the grandson of Henry and Catherine (Williams) Colvin ; their decease occurred in Kentucky ; J. F. was brought up to farm labor, and received an academical course of education ; in 1860, he emigrated to Illinois, stopping in Champaign Co., where he engaged with Mr. Pratt in the grain trade ; he remained until fall of the same year, when he unfortunately had a limb broken, which disabled him from active service ; as soon after as possible he moved his quarters to Douglas Co., of the same State, where he began teaching public school, which he continued at intervals for a few years afterward ; he engaged a second time with Pratt, where he remained a short time, thence to Delaware, Ohio, and attended a course of study and reviewed its branches ; in 1864, he returned home, took charge of his father's farm and cared for his parents until he entered into his present business ; since in business in Lena, he has been elected as Justice of the Peace, which office he now holds. Feb. 22, 1866, he married Mary P. Vanhorn, who was born in Pennsylvania, and was three years his junior ; her death occurred Nov. 17, 1876; two children were born to them, of whom one is now living, Carrie May, born July 28, 1871.

J. W. COPPOCK & BRO., Fletcher, dealers in grain and flour. J. W. was born in this county July 26, 1848, and is a son of Samuel Coppock, who was born in Monroe Township, Miami Co., Sept. 23, 1817 ; in 1839, he married Delany Blickenstaff; she was born in Monroe Township, Miami Co., July 29, 1822 ; six children were the fruits of this union, of whom all are now living and are now married ; Mrs. Delany Coppock is a daughter of Jacob and Mary (Crull) Blicken- staff; they are now both dead. J. W. Coppock was brought up to farm labor and received a medium education ; he followed farming until the spring of 1872, when he engaged in the grain business in Tippecanoe, where he remained until July 1, 1879 ; at this time he came to Fletcher and engaged in his present business, in company with his younger brother, the firm being J. W. Coppock & Bro., where they have had good success, and quite recently (in connection with their previous

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 61

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