The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 79

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

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 79

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City Treasurer. His widow and two children survive him; one daughter, Miss Mary H., and a son, John W .; the latter was married Oct. 31, 1879, to Miss Mella, daughter of L. Leonard ; he is a member of the firm of Orr, Leonard & Daniels, whose oil-mill, in point of stability of structure, excellence of machinery, and con- venience of arrangement, is not excelled in the world. Mr. Daniels is a young man, but his connection with the above firm proves his ability and assures his success.

RACHEL DAVIS, Piqua. Rachel Davis is a native of this place ; her father, James Johnson, a brother of Col. Johnson, was a native of Ireland ; married in Penn- sylvania, June 7, 1798, to Mary Adams, and came to Piqua in 1811. Mrs. Davis, born Dec. 7, 1812, was married to Samuel Davis in 1841, who was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Dec. 10, 1810, and came to Miami Co. when a young man ; he was a contractor in the construction of the canal from Piqua north, his section including the numerous locks in the vicinity of Lockton, all of which was constructed under his supervision; in the war of the rebellion, while not able to take the field, his patriotism found abundant expression in encouraging others, giving substantial aid to the friends and dependents of soldiers, and Mrs. Davis was prominent in the Ladies' Aid Soci- ety ; after his marriage, he engaged in the grocery business in Piqua, in which he successfully continued until the time of his death, which occurred April 4, 1865. Mr. Davis was a man of business, never sought public distinction, but was a lib- eral-hearted, respected citizen ; his residence, on the northwest corner of Wayne and Green streets, now occupied by his widow, is a commodious, substantial build- ing, comfortably and tastefully furnished, and surrounded by a pleasant yard. Mrs. Davis is now one of the oldest present residents of Piqua, and very much respected.

SAMUEL L. DAY, farmer ; P. O. Piqua ; born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, Nov. 3, 1834 ; is a son of Jehiel and Sarah B. (Lyon) Day ; his father was born in New Jersey and his mother in Hamilton Co .; they were the parents of nine children, viz., Aaron, deceased; Annis, deceased ; Samuel L., Margaret, deceased ; David H., deceased ; Laura, Jehiel, deceased, and Cynthia A. ; Jehiel, the father, came into Miami Co. in 1834 and located in Spring Creek Township, where he lived until his death, in December, 1867. Mr. Day was married, in 1855, to Susan Robinson, daughter of J. J. and Nancy (Hamilton) Robinson, who were born in Pennsylva- nis ; by this union they have had six children, viz., William R., Louisa Bell, James Edward, Jehiel, Anna Hamilton and John Andrew. Jehiel, the father, was born in 1803 ; Sarah B., the mother, in 1807 ; the grandfather, Jehiel, emigrated from New Jersey to Ohio in the fall of 1812 ; his ancestors belonged to the old Scotch Presbyterians, who fled from persecution in the old country and sought an asylum in New Jersey ; when he came to Ohio, he located in Hamilton Co. ; he helped to organize the church at Sharon, and was an active member till his death, which occurred in 1832, of cholera ; he was in the Revolutionary war, serving as 1st Lieutenant, and, after the war, when. pensions were granted, continued to receive one up to the time of his death. Mr. Day, our subject, lived on the old home farm in Spring Creek Township, till the fall of 1873, when he sold the farm and came into Washington Township, purchasing the farm upon which he now resides ; he owns here 93 acres of good land, with good buildings.on it, having built the house since he came to the place ; he has a beautiful home, with everything convenient and comfortable. Mr. Day and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, their membership dating back for thirty years; he is also a very active worker in the Sabbath school, and has been for many years.

G. VOLNEY DORSEY, physician, Piqua. Godwin Volney Dorsey, phy- sician and surgeon, and ex-State Treasurer, was born in Oxford, Butler Co., Ohio, Nov. 17, 1812 ; his ancestors settled in Maryland more than two centuries ago, and the name has ever since been prominently connected with matters of church, State and national interest throughout the country ; he is the only son of James Maxwell and Martha (McComas) Dorsey ; his father emigrated from Baltimore to Cincinnati in 1809, and in the following year became a pioneer to Oxford; he was a Major in the war of 1812, was for many years Treasurer of the Board of Trust-

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ees of Miami University, and superintended the erection of the college building. Our subject was educated at Miami University, graduated from the Medical Col- lege of Ohio in 1836, and at once located in Piqua, where, with the exception of a few years spent in public office, he has since resided ; he ranks among the leading physicians and surgeons of the State ; was for many years President of the Miami County Medical Society ; is a member of the Ohio State Medical Society, and was Chairman of the Committee on Surgery in 1851 ; he is the author of various important professional papers which have appeared in the medical journals of the country. Originally a Jeffersonian Democrat, he was a member of the Committee on Resolutions in the Democratic Convention in 1848, which drafted the celebrated anti-slavery resolution of that year, and, still later, a Presidential Elector on the Cass ticket ; in 1849, he was elected from the strong Whig district, comprising the counties of Miami, Darke and Shelby, a Senatorial Delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1850-51 ; he introduced and carried through that body the present self-regulating apportionment scheme, which has given satisfaction to all parties, and has prevented the constantly-recurring scenes of partisan strife which had previously obtained in a periodic re-apportionment of districts, with a view to continue in power the party dominant at that time ; he drew up that clause of the Constitution found in Sec. 7, Art. 13, regulating the investment of associations with banking powers ; he was also a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1873; in the memorable Know Nothing contest of 1854, he was defeated for Congress, as was every Congressional candidate of his party in the State ; in 1856, he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention, in Cincinnati, and advo- cated Mr. Buchanan for President ; was again nominated for Congress when Mr. Buchanan was the standard-bearer of the Democratic party, and, although he polled more votes in his district than did that gentleman, he sustained another defeat; in 1857, he was the Democratic candidate for State Auditor, upon the ticket with Hon. R. P. Ranney for Governor ; in 1860, he supported Douglas for President ; from the opening of the late rebellion to its close, he was a bold, uncompromising Union man, and wrote the celebrated "Statesman " letter, which was copied by every paper in Ohio, advocating the formation of a Union party, and which, perhaps, did more than any other one thing in effecting its organiza- tion in this State; in 1861, he was elected State Treasurer by the largest majority. of any candidate on the Union ticket ; re-elected in 1863, and resigned the office in 1865 ; in 1864, he was a Senatorial delegate to the Baltimore convention, that nominated President Lincoln ; also, in 1863-64, was Chairman of the Republican State Executive Committee ; in 1868, he was chosen by the Electoral College on the Grant and Colfax ticket, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Gov. Todd ; for twenty years, he was a member of the Board of Trustees of Miami University ; was the first President of the Piqua Hydraulic Company ; and is now President of the Citizens' National Bank, of that city. Dr. Dorsey's ability in his profession, in the field of politics, his educational and business enterprise, may be fairly esti- mated from this record ; few, perhaps, have ever discharged the varied and responsi- ble duties imposed upon them with greater energy or fidelity, or have so fully merited the confidence and respect of their fellow-citizens ; he is a gentleman of superior scholarly attainments, and has long been known as one of the finest lin- guists in the country ; his translations from Horace, from the Greek tragedies, and from some of the Latin medieval hymns, which have been published in several of the leading journals of the country, have been received with great favor. In July, 1836, he married the daughter of Hon. John McCorkle, of Piqua, who, after hav- ing borne him eight children, three of whom are living, died in 1855. Walter McCorkle Dorsey is Teller of the Citizens' National Bank, Piqua ; Margaret M. Dorsey married Robert B. Moores, of Clark Co., Ohio, and Mary L. is the wife of Dr. W. S. Parker, of Piqua. In Nov., 1856, Dr. Dorsey married Mrs. L. P. Mor- row, daughter of D. Tuttle, Esq., of Indianapolis.

JOHN ELDREDGE, veterinary surgeon, Piqua ; was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio, March 16, 1816 ; his education was procured in the common schools in Shelby

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Co., Ohio ; he was raised to farm labor and handling of stock ; in 1835, he commen- ced the practice of his profession, which he had previously made a particular study ; from this on, he, by degrees, became prominently known among the stock-dealers of Shelby and surrounding counties. In the fall of 1875, he located in De Graff, Logan Co., Ohio ; not seeing proper to remain there, fourteen months later he removed to Piqua, where he has been favorably known in Miami Co., far and near. In 1840, he married Margaret A. Line ; several years after, she passed away, leav- ing a husband and six children. He afterward married Elizabeth Proctor, of Logan Co., Ohio ; by this union they have had born to them six children.

CHARLES S. ELLIOTT, farmer; P. O. Piqua ; born in Piqua in 1825; is the son of William and Martha (Irvin) Elliott, who were born in Perry Co., Penn. ; his grandfather was Charles Elliott, who was also a native of Pennsylvania ; Mr. Elliott's parents came to Ohio and located at Piqua in 1824, where they lived about two years ; in the spring of 1826, they bought 87 acres of land in Sec. 32, Washington Township, and after a few years bought more land adjoining on the south in Concord Township, making his farm contain 125 acres. When he came upon the land there was a small portion cleared up, with log build- ings upon it ; he continued upon the place, clearing up and making improvements, building a brick house and other buildings, until the year 1851, when his work was ended, and he departed this life, his wife living till 1873, when she also passed away ; they were parents of four children, two of whom are now living, viz., Charles S. and Franklin. Charles, the subject of our sketch, remained with his father till his death, and then became owner of the home place, where he has remained to the present time. Mr. Elliott was married in the spring of 1851, to Eliza Mitchell, daughter of Thomas and Frances Mitchell ; she lived only about two years, when the merciless messenger, death, took her away .. In the winter of 1856, he was united in marriage with Martha Karr, daughter of Robert and Sarah Karr, of Butler Co., Ohio ; by this union they have one child-William F. Mr. Elliott has added more land to his farm by purchase, from time to time ; has also sold off some, but has always lived upon the same farm, and now owns 160 acres of good land in the Miami Valley ; he has resided on the place fifty-four years, over half a cen- tury ; brought it into a fine state of cultivation, built a large barn, and other build- ings, with addition and improvements to the house, having every convenience to make life comfortable and happy. Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are members of the Pres- byterian Church, of over thirty years' standing.

HENRY F. ERNEST, electric blasting operator ; P. O. Piqua ; Mr. Ernest, & native of Germany, born in Hanover in 1845, came to the United States in March, 1862, and soon after his arrival, enlisted in the United States service as drummer, serving until the close of the war, being discharged in July, 1865, after which, he went to San Francisco, and was engaged in the mines of the West, where he became acquainted with the use of dynamite, nitro-glycerine, giant powder, etc., for blast- ing purposes ; he was employed with the force in blasting " Hell Gate," and after that work was completed, returned to the West and operated in the Iron Mountains of Missouri. In 1877, he came to Ohio, and was married, in Darke Co., to Miss Mattie Berry ; his mining experience not having enriched him any, he felt discour- aged, determined to settle down, and accordingly went to work at his trade (basket-making), but his ambition to achieve something in the use of explosives caused him to spend a larger part of his time experimenting, and, after a long time, he succeeded in getting an opportunity of showing his skill by sinking a shaft in Newton Township. It was not until he became employed by the Piqua Straw Board, and Paper Company, that he was enabled to demonstrate the utility of his ideas, and show the superiority of his skill in making rock excavations. An account of his work for the above company, will be found in the chapter on Piqua. Mr. Ernest has a battery, and is supplied with all the necessary materials for making rock excavations ; he is thoroughly posted in his business ; is an industri- ous temperate and trustworthy man. Any one having rock excavations to make, will save time and money by employing him. He can be seen or addressed at Piqua

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EDMOND FARRINGTON, capitalist ; among the prominent active business men of Piqua, Mr. Farrington has been here the longest; he is a native of New York State, and came to Piqua in 1838, and, in 1840, was married to Catherine M., daughter of Gen. Robert Young; Mr. Farrington was a prominent contractor on the canal work ; he built the Miami Aqueduct above Dayton before coming to Piqua, and afterward completed several important contracts on the canal and other public works ; in 1848, he engaged in business at Piqua, and the different firms of which he has since been the financial principal, have been, and now are, among the most important business interests of the place ; he has not only been the leading capitalist of Piqua, but his operations have extended to other points, being, in fact, the leading capitalist of this part of the valley as far north as Wap- akoneta ; he is now the senior member of the firm of Farrington & Slauson, grain dealers, who own their own canalboats for transportation ; Wood, Farring- ton & Co., proprietors of Piqua Oil Mill, and E. Farrington & Co., distillers; is also interested in the grain business at other points; has loans in different coun- ties in this part of the State; is, altogether, the largest operator in this part of the Miami Valley ; the strongest capitalist in Miami Co., and is still active in busi- ness. His residence is a handsome property, located near the north end of Wayne street. Mrs. Farrington's decease occurred in 1869; an elegant Scotch granite monument in Forest Hill Cemetery marks her resting-place, and also that of their only child.

D. M. FLEMING, editor Piqua Journal ; is the son of Levi and Jane Fleming, and was born in Eden, Preble Co., on the 25th of March, 1827. He received hut a limited education during his boyhood, leaving home at the age of 14, and start- ing for himself; he had already served two years in a paper office, beginning when about 12 ; he was in various places, still following his trade as printer, until April, 1849, when he started the Piqua Enquirer, which was a Democratic paper, and con- tinued to be so under his administration until July, 1860. In that year, immedi- ately after the Baltimore Convention, he left the Democratic party on account of the slavery question in regard to Kansas, and changed the name of his paper to the Piqua Journal, which has ever since been a Republican organ. Mr. Lincoln was the first Republican President he voted for, and he has voted for every Presi- dential candidate of that party since that time ; his paper at present has a good circulation ; he has two job presses besides his main press, and they are run by water motor. In July, 1865, Mr. Fleming was appointed Assessor of the Fourth Congressional District, but was removed in November, 1866, because of the politi- cal troubles of that year ; he was re-appointed to the same office in August, 1868, and held it until February, 1870, being the only person who has held that office twice. Mr. Fleming was married on the 14th of August, 1853, to Miss Tillie Hou- sun, of Piqua, daughter of Joseph Housun, who was Postmaster for many years. They have had six children, four of whom are living, viz., Fannie H., Louise S., Willie P. and Horace G. Mrs. Fleming died on the 25th of May, 1880. She was a member of the Episcopal Church, as is also Mr. Fleming.

HENRY FLESH, merchant and banker ; P. O. Piqua; was born in Bavaria, Germany, in 1837, the son of a well-to-do country merchant, where he received common-school and commercial education ; he emigrated to this country in 1852, at the age of 15 years; soon after his arrival in this country he came West, and took a situation as salesman in a clothing establishment in Dayton, Ohio, where he remained for five years ; he removed to Troy, Ohio, occupying a similar situa- tion until 1858, when he came to Piqua, and entered the clothing establishment of A. Friedlich as salesman and book-keeper, which position he held until the fall of 1862; in that year he married the eldest daughter of Moses Friedlich, Esq., and soon afterward commenced, with limited means, the clothing and merchant tailoring business on his own account ; this business he carried on, with uninterrupted suc- cess, up to 1878, when he sold out his merchant tailoring business, and confined himself exclusively to the ready-made clothing and gent's furnishing goods busi- ness, at this time probably doing the largest business in that line in the county of

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Miami. In January, 1880, he was unanimously elected Cashier of the Citizen's National Bank of Piqua, and at present occupies that position, devoting his time exclusively, during banking hours, to that business, giving his morning and even- ing hours to the details of mercantile business. Socially, Mr. Flesh is held in high esteem, and has held in his own city the most responsible positions of honor and trust; he has been a member of the City Council for twelve years, and is now, and has been for the past four years, the President of that body ; he is also President of the Board of Trade, and the Border City Building and Loan Association of Piqua, one of the most popular and prosperous institutions of that kind in the State. Mr. F. is a Free Mason in high standing, having acted as Master of the lodge for several years. Mr. F. is regarded by his neighbors as a self-made man, always prominent in every public enterprise calculated to add to the prosperity and improvement of his city.

JOHN FRANZ, City Marshal, Piqua ; was born in Shelby Co., Ohio, in 1838; when a boy, his parents moved to Auglaize Co., Ohio, where he grew to the age of 17 on the farm; at this time, he entered the trade of carriage-making, which he completed in Dayton, Ohio, in 1859; he devoted a few years to journeyman's work, and in 1863, located in Piqua, where he opened out a shop for himself; this he conducted until 1866, when he was elected to his present office, which he has since held, except two intervening years, during which he served as Constable of Piqua ; the offices held by him have been duly and honorably filled. Mr. Franz is prominently known as a reliable and successful detective. Upon June 17, 1860, he married Mary Worst, a native of Auglaize Co., Ohio. Their children are John, deceased ; Henry, deceased ; Emma, Clara, Elizabeth, Catherine, Gertrude, Flora and Albena B.

MICHAEL FOX, grocer, Piqua ; born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1828, and is a son of Martin and Bridget (Flynn) Fox. They were both natives of Ire- land, and in 1832, they emigrated to the Western Continent, locating in Jamestown, N. Y., where both died. At the time above given, when his parents came to America, Michael was left in his native country with his grandfather, until the age of 12 years, when he, too, came to Jamestown ; he remained in New York until 1852, when he commenced to travel, engaging in various pursuits. He located in Piqua in 1871, in his present business, on the southwest corner of Wayne and High streets ; here he has received a liberal patronage, and the confidence of many of the citizens of Piqua. In July, 1870, he married Johanna McGannon. They have seven children, William, John, Matthew, Mary E., Anna B., Frances and Joseph M.

MOSES FRIEDLICH, clothier, Piqua ; was born in Germany, in 1812, where he grew to the age of 20 years, and obtained a German education ; in his boyhood days, he learned cotton weaving, which he followed until the summer of 1834. On August 3 of the same year he landed in New York City, and soon after settled in Bucks Co., Penn., where he engaged in general merchandising; this he con- tinued until his removal to this city, engaging in the clothing trade; here he has shown himself as a successful and reliable merchant. In connection with his pres- ent business, he has since, in Piqua, devoted a few years to merchant tailoring. He has, for the past few years, been Vice President of the Citizens' National Bank of Piqua, which office he now fills. He has, since a resident here, by habits of indus- try, economy, etc., financially progressed, and now owns a fine farm of 120 acres in Washington Township, which receives his supervision. Moses married in Penn- sylvania, 1839, Emma Abel, of Prussian birth, who died July 8, 1863. The issue of this union were four children, of whom three are now living, viz., Caroline, wife of Henry Flesh ; Jacob M., and Matilda, now Mrs. Lewis Stern, of Chicago, Ill.

A. FRIEDLICH, merchant tailor and clothier, Piqua. Mr. Friedlich, an old resident of Piqua, was born in Germany in 1821, and came to the United States when a young man ; was engaged in clerking, etc., several years, during which he came to Cincinnati and clerked for Moses Heidelbach, who is now a large merchant of New York; in 1846, he came to Piqua and formed a partnership with Leopold Block, now a popular magistrate of Cincinnati ; the firm of Friedlich & Block did

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business about two years, after which a brother of Mr. Friedlich was associated with him a few years, since which he has conducted business alone ; his old stand was in the old National Hotel building ; in 1861, he purchased the lot on the north- east corner of the public square and built the large three-story brick which is a part of the building known as the Commercial Block, the ground floor of which he occupies as a salesroom, the second floor being used in part for his tailor shop, and the balance for telegraph and other offices ; the third floor is occupied by the " Ancient Order of Druids ; " Mr. Friedlich is the oldest clothing merchant now 'doing business in Piqua, and tells, with evident relish, of " the good old days" when Piqua was the important point between Dayton and Toledo, when settlers brought their grain here from as far as the vicinity of Winchester, Ind., and returned with their year's supply of goods and groceries ; Mr. Friedlich has been a successful business man and a useful, substantial citizen ; he was, for many years, a member of the school board ; he now has grown-up sons who attend to the details of his business, while he looks on and enjoys seeing them favorably working into busi- ness under his advice and general supervision. He married, in 1849, Miss Theresa Schwab, of New York City ; they have ten children living, five sons and five daughters.

J. FRANK GABRIEL, M. D., physician, Piqua. Dr. Gabriel is a native of Ohio, born in Muskingum Co. in 1825; received a literary and professional edu- cation at the seminary at Columbus; graduated from the Starling Medical College in 1851, afterward graduated from the University Medical College of New York, and spent two years in the hospitals of Europe, attending the lectures of eminent specialists ; he came to Miami Co. in 1851 and practiced several years, being located at Lena, Brown Township; after his return from Europe, he located in Piqua in 1860, where he has practiced ever since, and is now one of the leading practitioners of Piqua ; his office is located on Wayne street, and is a part of his fine residence, which is almost palatial in size and style, while the furnishings and surroundings indicate culture and refined taste. He married, in 1861, Miss Mary, daughter of William R. and Margaret Kirk, whose biography. also appears in this work ; he was surgeon of the 11th O. V. I. eighteen months during 1861 and 1862.

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 79

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