The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 66

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

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A. J. CRON, cabinet-maker, Piqua ; foreman of the bench-hand department of L. C. & W. L. Cron & Co.'s furniture manufactory. This gentleman was born in Hunterville July 1, 1852, and is a brother of L. C. Cron, under whose sketch the genealogy will appear. He was brought up to his trade in youthful days, and has devoted the past twelve years to his present position and employment, which he has filled with benefit to the company and pleasure to himself. July 31, 1873, his marriage with Miss Almeda Noland was celebrated. She was born March 7, 1853, and is a daughter of James and Martha E. (Beck) Noland. Four children have been born to A J. Cron and wife, viz., Raymond F., July 15, 1874 ; James N., Feb. 19, 1876 ; Leonard J., Nov. 23, 1877 ; Mabel A., Feb. 17, 1880.

WILLIAM DILBONE, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; was born in Spring Creek Town- ship Feb. 1, 1837, and is a son of John and Pamelia Dilbone, and a grandson of Henry and Barbara (Millhouse) Dilbone. John was born Nov. 25, 1806, and came with his father and mother to this county in 1807 ; they were subsequently the parents of four children-John, Margaret, Priscilla and William ; the last named was only in his 7th month when their parents were massacred by an Indian, Aug. 18, 1813; after dinner, Mr. Dilbone went up to the spring some distance

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northeast of the house, to get some water to take to the flax patch southeast of the house, where his wife and children were to meet him ; John took care of the rest of the children while his father and mother were engaged in pulling flax in the southeast corner of a cornfield ; toward evening they were aroused by the sharp bark of a young dog, and, on looking up, a shot was fired from the corn on the north by an Indian, who dropped his gun and rushed forward with knives and tom- ahawk to complete his villainous deed ; the father, though pierced through by the shot, escaped to the woods on the south ; the mother ran into the corn on the west, but was overtaken and tomahawked and scalped ; the Indian then came near the children, who were sitting in the shade of a walnut stump, but, at this juncture the report of a gun was heard at no great distance to the southeast, and the red villain fled, not even stopping to get his gun. The second child, Margaret, had been sent home on some errand, and was just returning, when she met her brothers and sister on their way to the house ; on reaching home, they met Mrs. Winans to whom they related what they had seen and heard and what they supposed had happened to their parents. This lady then informed a neighbor, William McKin- ney, who came and had John go with him to see what might be the fate of his father and mother. They found her dead body lying in the corn. The neighbors in wild excitement, collected together late in the evening and went with the chil- dren to a place near Troy, where they stayed for a short time till all became quiet again. The next day a party of men went in search of Mr. Dilbone, who was still alive, but died Aug. 20. He was found lying between two small oaks, on which his name was afterward carved. One of the trees having died was recently cut down, the other is still green and has long since overgrown the name. After this sad affair, the children were taken to a kind of block-house near where their grand- father Millhouse lived. In this neighborhood, John stayed until, some time in 1826, he married Pamelia Denman and moved on the farm entered by his father. Here our subject was born and raised and still resides, owning 6g acres of the old farm besides 70 acres in Sec. 2. On the 24th of January, 1858, he married Alvira Bal- zell, who was born in Mercer Co. in 1840, and left an orphan quite young, when she was brought to Miami Co .; for some years previous to her marriage, she sup- ported herself by weeks' work ; she was an exemplary and happy wife until her health declined. In April, 1875, while at church, she was attacked with a faint- ness, and was never able to sit up a whole day at a time until death called her to that land whence no traveler returns ; the last six weeks of her life she suffered unspeakably, not being able to turn in bed without assistance ; notwith- standing, she bore her afflictions with meekness and patience, departing this life Dec. 21, 1875, a consistent member of the Christian Church. She was the mother of seven children, leaving four to the care of her husband-Mary E., born Aug. 30, 1858, now Mrs. Leckey; Joseph F., April 14, 1861, who met his death by the accidental discharge of a gun while hunting on the day of his sister's wedding, Jan. 16, 1878 ; Emma J., Sept. 8, 1863, and Elmer W., May 17, 1870. Since her sister's marriage, Emma has been her father's only help.

W. A. DUNCAN, farmer ; P. O. Piqua. The above-named is a native of Miami Co., born Dec. 9, 1845, and was brought up to agricultural pursuits; received a common education. On June 26, 1871, united in marriage with M. J. Leonard, who was born in May, 1840, and is a daughter of John and Margaret (Avery) Leonard ; Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Duncan are the parents of one son, S. Franklin, who was born November, 1873; at the time of his marriage, Mr. Duncan owned no real estate, but since has purchased and now owns 100 acres of fine land in Sec. 26, with good buildings; he is finely situated, and prepared to enjoy life com- fortably.

SAMUEL DUNCAN, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; born Nov. 9, 1815, in Miami Co., and is a son of Amos Duncan, born in North Carolina, Feb. 27, 1782, and during life engaged in farming ; in 1805, came to Greene Co., Ohio, where he united in marriage with Rachel Coats, who was born in North Carolina; in 1808, came to Miami Co., where he died July 1, 1868, and his wife in 1843. Mr. Duncan

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remained at home, devoting his summer months to farming, attending school in the winter. In 1840, married Elizabeth Gilbert, who died Dec. 4, 1841. One child was the fruit of this union. In January, 1843, he united in marriage with Catherine Haines, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and by this union have two children, Francis C., born April 16, 1856, and W. A., whose sketch appears in this work. About 1840, Samuel Duncan began to accumulate some wealth and now owns 370 acres in Miami Co., of which 108 acres lie in Sec. 20, where he now resides.

GEORGE DAVIS EDGE, born in Clifton, Greene Co., Ohio, was the son of George D. Edge and Sarah (Adams) Edge, who settled in Miami Co. in 1803; George D. Edge, Sr., was a native of Appomattox Co., Va., where his father was also born in 1750; Obadiah Edge, the grandfather of George, Jr., settled in Dela- ware about 1730, the family originally coming from England. Obadiah Edge, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a strong patriot during the Revolu- tion, but, being a minister-a Methodist, one of the earliest-was not in the ser- vice ; in the war of 1812, Mr. Edge's father responded to the call of his country, and while in the service contracted a disease, of which he died, leaving a widow and two sons, Jesse and George D., the latter being only 6 months old; his widow (Mr. Edge's mother) survived him over sixty years, living to the 90th year of her age. Mr. Edge was married to Sophia Woodward in Fairfield, Ohio, by Rev. James Laws, April 7, 1833; they are the parents of eight children, viz., James Laws, George D., William M., Anna Maria, Louisa Jane, Charles Elliott, Henry Clay and Sarah Ellen. After teaching school two years in that vicinity, Mr. Edge emigrated, with his young family, to the then wilds of Northern Indiana, and in South Bend engaged in the tanning business; in 1843, he removed to Greenville, Ill., only stopping there a short time, and going back to South Bend, and remain- ing there until 1849, when he removed, with his family, to his present location, where he has continued to reside. Mr. Edge is a fair sample of the typical Amer- ican, coming up from nothing to a fair competence ; three of his sons, James, George and William, were in the Union army ; his four boys, as well as himself, are all Republicans. Although always a strong partisan, he has never been a candidate for office.

ROBERT GINN, retired weaver, Piqua. The subject of this sketch was born in Ireland in 1805, and, when quite young, learned the weaver's trade ; at 17 years of age, he emigrated to America and engaged in the above business in Philadel- phia ; meeting with fair success, he, by economy, laid by a small sum of money ; in 1833, he came to Ohio and located in Steubenville, and, in 1839, removed to Miami Co. and settled in Piqua, where he has accumulated property amounting to some $5,000, and resides on Main street, Lot 1,051. His marriage with Jane Gra- ham was celebrated in Philadelphia in 1825 ; she was born in Ireland in 1803, and came to Philadelphia in 1824 ; she died in 1835 ; four children were born to them, of whom three are deceased ; the living one, Frances, was born Sept. 13, 1829. He married, for his second wife, Margaret Brown ; she was born in Pennsylvania about 1804, and died in 1879 ; they, by this union, had two children, viz., Eleanor, born in Piqua, July 5, 1842, died in 1861, and Margaret, now Mrs. L. C. Cron, whose biography appears in this work. On Dec. 25, 1879, he celebrated his third mar- riage, with Charlotte Strafer ; she was born in Germany in 1830 and came to Amer- ica in 1835. In 1824, Mr. Ginn's sister came from Ireland and was married to Mr. Moore ; he being deceased, she now resides with her brother.

LEVI HOUSER, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Piqua; was born in this county May 20, 1823, and is a son of John Houser, now deceased. Levi was raised on the farm and received a common-school education ; at 26 years of age, he had accumulated nearly $600, which he invested in his present farm of 80 acres, in Sec. 23, Spring Creek Township ; this farm he has transformed from a wild state to a good degree of improvement, and is now in easy circumstances ; for the past. few years, his time has been directed to handling stock, which he has made a suc- cess. His marriage with Christena Whitney was celebrated March 29, 1849 ; she

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was born in Warren Co., Ohio, Sept. 26, 1829, and is a daughter of Francis and Abigail Whitney ; Mr. and Mrs. Houser are the parents of five children, viz., Ephraim W., born March 11, 1850 ; Martin J., born Nov. 28, 1852 ; Margaret E., born March 12, 1855 ; Samuel A., born Dec. 28, 1860, and Abbie A., born Sept. 3, 1862 ; Mr. Houser has, for the past few years, resigned the working of his farm to his two sons, and it is now cultivated by Samuel A., who is an industrious and dutiful son.

JOHN B. HOUSER, farmer ; P. O. Piqua; was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, April 13, 1821, and when but a boy, came with his parents to this county, locating on Sec. 5, where he nobly assisted his father in opening out a farm, and waving fields of grain are now seen where the unbroken forest stood. About 1848, John B. bought his present farm of 80 acres, in Sec. 11, which has undergone a great change since in his possession ; good barns and a substantial house have taken the place of the round-log house and stable. Sept. 12, 1850, he married R. B. Whitney, born in Warren Co., Ohio, March 7, 1831, and who departed this life, March 5, 1880; by this union they had one daughter, now Mrs. Speelman, who, since the death of her mother, has resided with her husband and family, on the farm with Mr. Houser.

W. B. HUNTER, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; was born in Miami Co., November, 1831, where he was brought up to agricultural pursuits, and united in marriage with Susan E. Hanna, November, 1854, she being born in Pennsylvania Decem- ber, 1830, dying in 1870, was interred in the Upper Piqua Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Hunter were the parents of four children-Laura L., Emma E., now Mrs. Woollen ; Samuel W. and Clara C. Our subject, being the only child of his parents, at their death inherited their estate, and now owns 70 acres of land in Sec. 26, valued at about $5,000.

J. W. KEYT, farmer; P. O. Piqua; was born in Piqua in 1822, and is a son of John Keyt, who was born in New Jersey about 1788 ; the elder Mr. Keyt removed, in 1808, to New York City, where he engaged in carpentering until 1814, at which time he came to Piqua, continuing the same trade ; in 1817, he married Margaret Widney, who was born in Pennsylvania on April 21, 1799 ; eight children were born to them, of whom five are now living; in the spring of 1850, John Keyt went to the Far West with a view of obtaining gold, and in the following July he passed from the stage of life; his widow survived in Piqua until March 9, 1857, when she, too, passed away. Our subject was brought up to agricultural pursuits, which has been his chief occupation ; in 1846, he bought his present farm in Sec. 31, and has since added to it by purchase, until he now owns 165 acres, from which he receives a good annual income. In February, 1846, he married Rachel Barring- ton ; she was born in Piqua in 1824; they had five children, all now living-John W., William R., Sarah J., Caroline R. and Emma E. The parents of Mrs. Keyt, William and Jane (Robb) Barrington, were natives of Philadelphia, and in 1820, immigrated to Ohio and settled in Piqua, where Mr. Barrington started the first weekly publication of the place, in 1824, entitled the Piqua Gazette; he severed his final connection as editor of this paper in 1839, when he retired from the press and was elected Justice of the Peace, which office he was holding at his death in 1840 ; Mrs. Barrington survived him until 1859, when she, too, passed away.

JOHN P. JOHNSTON, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Piqua; was born in Shelby Co., Nov. 13, 1837, and is a great-grandson of Stephen Johnston, a native of Scotland, who went as drummer-boy with the Scotch Army to Ireland. If time and space would permit, we could give many interesting scenes of his life ; having at one time been engaged in a very laborious task, he became quite fatigued and seated himself on his drum to rest; a cannon ball came rolling and bounding over the stones and elevations of the earth, knocking the drum from under him, leaving the boy for a moment without a drum ; soon recovering himself, he seized the drum and was again ready for duty; after the close of the Scotch and Irish struggle, he returned to his native place, where he was united in marriage, and after a few years concluded to make his future home in Ireland. He became the

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possessor of 8 acres of land, which made him quite a wealthy man. He was the father of two sons, Christopher and Stephen, and, according to the laws of their native country, Christopher, being the eldest son, inherited his father's estate, where he lived and died. Stephen, the younger son (our subject's grandfather) learned the cabinet-maker's trade, and married, in 1810, Ann Armstrong ; they had two sons born in Ireland-Christopher, born in 1812, and John in 1814; remov- ing to St. Johns' New Brunswick, their family increased to eight in number. While in New Brunswick, Mr. Johnston's eldest son, and several others, one day boated to an island some distance, to cut what was known as bog-hay, taking pro- visions sufficient to last a reasonable time. After being on the island a short time, the party rowed for home leaving Mr. Johnson and son. In a few days, they were in need of food and suffered much. Finding an old and apparently almost worth- less boat that had been washed ashore by the tide, they gathered grass and plugged the holes in it, and were soon rowing for their home to meet their anxious family. Here they remained until 1830, when the family, with the exception of two married members, came to Miami Co .; thence to Mercer Co., Ohio, where Mrs. Johnston died; in 1864, Mr. Johnston and children again came to Miami Co., where Christopher, John's father, is now living. In January, 1863, John P. mar- ried Nancy L. McDaniel, of Mercer Co., and by this union have four children, viz., William R., Fannie, Frank W. and George. During Mr. Johnston's younger days, he learned engineering and carpentering, but, since 1865, has devoted his attention partially to farming and stock-raising, on his farm of 95 acres, in Sec. 33.

JOHN G. LINDLEY, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; born in Spring Creek Township, Miami Co., Aug. 30, 1838 ; is a son of Daniel and Eleanor (Goble) Lindley ; he was born July 12, 1800, and came here in a very early day with his father, Zenas Lindley, who entered 85 acres of land in Sec. 7, Spring Creek Township, and settled on it with more Indians than whites for neighbors ; Daniel and his brother Demas did the principal part of the clearing, and, when grown to manhood, Daniel entered 80 acres adjoining the home farm on the north; of this he cleared about 55 acres. On the 9th of June, 1825, he married Jane Constable, with whom he had one child, which died in infancy. And March 15, '827, he was united in marriage with Eleanor Goble, born July 12, 1800 ; by this union they had nine children- William and James (deceased), Jane, Caleb, Abram, John G., Ellen, Susan and Jeremiah ; John always remained at home and followed farming, which, by his industry and skill, he makes a success. On June 1, 1865, he married Laura A. Birely, who was born in Piqua, Miami Co., Dec. 25, 1848 ; the fruits of this union are five children-William M., born May 24, 1866 ; Edward F., Oct. 1, 1868 ; Charles L., June 6, 1871 ; Mary E., Sept. 5, 1874 ; Jennie A., July 5, 1877.

GEORGE W. LOONEY, farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Piqua ; was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 1819 ; he is a son of Jonathan Looney, who was a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio early in the nineteenth century ; he settled inChampaign Co., where he married' and remained there until 1833, when he con- tracted for 500 acres of land, where the city of Quincy, Ill., now is located ; soon after contracting for the above he started to pay for the same, and on his way at Louisville, Ky., was stricken with cholera and died ; his money was stolen (it is supposed, by bis nurse) ; this misfortune left the family in very straitened circum- stances ; in 1834, the widow and family emigrated to Allen Co., Ohio, where they entered 80 acres of wild land ; all hands assisted in clearing away the dense forest, which in time was accomplished ; there they remained until 1853, at which time they came to Miami Co., and in the following year G. W. purchased 95 acres of his present farm ; he has since added to it by purchase, until he now owns 217 acres in Secs. 19 and 25,which is valued at about $100 per acre ; he has erected fine, sub- stantial farm buildings, second to none in the township ; on his buildings and con- tents he carries a policy of insurance of $12,200. Mr. Looney's marriage with Charlotte Hardman was celebrated in 1845, after which they cared for his mother until her death, which occurred in 1857; Mr. and Mrs. Looney spent many hard days' work on his present farm ; she nobly assisted him in opening out the farm,

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but after all the toilsome years, in 1875, she was called hence. Mr. Looney mar- ried, for his second wife, Mary Negley ; by this union they have two children, viz., George W. and Lee B .; the ancestors of the Looney family originally came to this country with William Penn.

M. C. LYON & SON, farmers ; P. O. Piqua. M. C. Lyon was born in Hamil- ton Co., Ohio, Oct. 22, 1808, and is a son of Samuel Lyon, who was born in New Jersey in 1780, and was brought up to farm labor, receiving a medium education ; in 1792, he emigrated to Cincinnati, where he married Margaret Pendry ; in 1831, they came to Miami Co., where he died in 1860, and she in 1865; their children were ten in number, of whom all lived to maturity. Mathias Lyon, the grand- father of our subject, was of English birth, and came to America about the middle of the eighteenth century, stopping in New Jersey, where he married, and where he and the most of the family, probably, died. M. C. Lyon was brought up to hard work, and received a limited education ; he came to Miami Co. about the time that his father came, and located in Spring Creek Township, where he has spent nearly half a century ; since residing in this county, many changes have taken place, a part of which was done by the manual and physical exertions of M. C. Lyon ; he has, through industry and good management, accumulated nearly 300 acres of good land, of which 55 acres lie in Sec. 14, where he has good, sub- stantial farm buildings, and is well situated. Upon Dec. 15, 1831, his marriage with Cynthia Ann Day was celebrated ; their children are nine in number, of whom seven are now living. J. D. Lyon, the junior member of the family, was born in Miami Co. May 11, 1839, and was brought up to farm labor, receiving a medium education. On Sept. 17, 1861, he enlisted in Co. K, 1st O. V. I., to shoulder the weapon of war and defend his native country ; while in the service, he participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, and all the trials and hardships of Sherman's march from Chattanooga to Atlanta ; soon after this his time expired and he was discharged ; thus we record an outline of J. D. Lyon's military life and hardships, that may be handed down to our future generations, that they may look back over the pages of this history, and learn through what difficulties and trials their ancestors have passed. Upon Dec. 28, 1864, J. D. Lyon married Martha McKee ; she was born in Shelby Co., Ohio ; her death occurred March 3, 1866, leaving husband and one child to mourn her loss ; he for his second wife married Mary R. Morrow ; she was born May 1, 1847; they have by this union three children.

JAMES L. LYON, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, June 21, 1826, and is a son of Samuel Lyon, whose biography will appear under M. C. Lyon's memoir. J. L. was brought up to farming, and came to this county in 1831. June 26, 1849, married Caroline Smith, who was born in Rockbridge Co., Va, May 7, 1827, and came to Ohio about 1842 ; the fruits of this union have been seven children, of whom two are now dead, viz., Anna M., born Nov. 28, 1852, died March 21, 1853 ; Carrie P., born June 29, 1866, died Sept. 6, 1868 ; the living are W. R., born Nov. 7, 1850 ; Margaret E., born Aug. 3, 1854, now Mrs. R. G. Knox ; Mary B., torn March 1, 1857, now Mrs. A. S. Tabler; Samuel P., born Aug. 1859, now in dry-goods store in Sidney ; Clark M., born Oct. 22, 1861. Our subject and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is nicely located on his farm of 74 acres, in Secs. 15 and 21.

WILLIAM W. MCFARLAND, retired farmer ; P.O. Piqua. To another of the early settlers of Miami Co. we are pleased to record a space ; he was born in Greene Co., Ohio, Dec. 5, 1804, and is a son of William McFarland, a native of America, born April 6, 1763 ; he was one of the patriots of the Revolutionary struggle, and also in the war of 1812. In 1785, he married Rebecca Kirkpatrick, who was born Jan. 4, 1770 ; they had a large family of children, of whom William W. is the only one now living. William McFarland, Sr. (the grandfather of our subject), was born in Ireland, and married Elizabeth Kirkpatrick, who was a native of Wales ; they came to America at a very early day, where he died at the age of 102 years, and she, also, living to a very old age. William W. McFarland came to this county

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in 1830, and purchased 40 acres of land ; by good business habits and industry through his transactions in buying, entering and selling land, he has increased his real estate until he now possesses over 200 acres of land, of which, 18 acres join the cor- poration of Piqua, in Sec. 31. The marriage of Mr. McFarland with Freelove Rall was celebrated Dec. 20, 1828 ; she was born in Clark Co., Ohio, April 4, 1811; their children are as follows, viz., Jacob B., born Nov. 11, 1829, died March 26, 1840; William, born June 11, 1832, died Jan. 12, 1875 ; John H., born July 8, 1834, died Oct. 3, 1865 ; Sarah, born Sept. 4, 1836, died Nov. 5, 1836 ; Louisa J., born Oct. 21, 1837, now Mrs. Riffle ; James B., born Aug. 17, 1840 ; Smith S., born Jan. 22, 1842, died Sept. 18, 1849 ; Delila A., born Dec. 25, 1844, died May 26, 1849.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 66

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