The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 89

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

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 89

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641

BETHEL TOWNSHIP.

mencing life with nothing, he has educated his family and accumulated property valued at about $100,000.

DANIEL WEAVER, farmer ; P. O. West Charleston ; is a son of Peter Weaver, who came from Virginia to this State in an early day ; Dayton then con- tained only two houses, and Friend Town, afterward called West Charleston, con- sisted of one house ; he was one of the founders of the present town, and, in this vicinity he entered a very large tract of land ; at one time he owned 600 acres, but, at the death of his wife, divided it among his children, reserving for himself a good portion of the town lots and 40 acres adjoining. He afterward married Jane Ross, with whom he had three children-Robert, Susan and Daniel. Mr. Weaver was born July 5, 1823, in West Charleston, where he remained until 17 years old ; at that time he commenced the wagon-maker's trade with his brother, serving an apprenticeship of five years ; he worked at wagon-making off and on for nine years, and also followed grafting ; having started in life with nothing but good health, energy and an honest purpose to succeed in all his undertakings, he made use of every honorable effort to gain a livelihood ; in this he has been successful ; for he now owns 80 acres of land in Sec. 8 of Bethel Township, on which he has made some additional improvements, and has a desirable home. In 1846, May 20, he mar- ried Rhoda P. Mott, a daughter of Maj. Mott, of Connecticut, one of the Revolu- tionary soldiers ; she was born in Franklin, Warren Co., Ohio, Aug. 11, 1826 ; the fruits of this marriage are ten children-Peter S., Mary L., Sarah J., Phebe A. (deceased), Eunice A. (deceased), Lydia M., Daniel Lincoln, Emma Semantha, John U. S. G. and Rhoda Margaretta.

JOHN R. WOODWARD (deceased), born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Dec. 5, 1835; was a son of William and Ann (Lee) Woodward ; she was a native of Virginia, born July 2, 1804, and came to this county in 1808, with her parents, Benjamin and Sarah Lee, who were among the first settlers of Eliza- beth Township, of this county. William Woodward was born in Pennsylvania Dec. 9, 1780, and came to Ohio at a very early day ; he entered a farm in Sec. 29, Bethel Township, Miami Co., where he spent the remainder of his life ; his death occurred Jan 14, 1848 ; his wife, now the Widow Reyburn, still makes her home on the old place ; they were the parents of three children-W. W., of Sandusky City, is the only one living. John R., the youngest, was raised on the farm and owned 163 acres of land long known as the Woodward farm ; at the time it was entered by William Woodward, there was a small village on it at the mouth of Honey Creek, called Livingston, where there was a boat landing, and where farmers brought their produce to ship to Cincinnati ; his farm was well improved and in a high state of cultivation ; in connection with the oversight and management of it for about ten years, he was engaged in the oil business, as an oil producer, in Arm- strong and Venango Cos., Penn. ; he served. as Captain and then Lieutenant Colonel in the war of the rebellion ; was a member of the 147th O. V. I. His marriage with Ella Bell was celebrated Oct. 14, 1856; she is a native of Springfield, Clark Co., born July 31, 1840, the daughter of Stephen and Wealthy (Boardman) Bell ; she is a native of New York, born Aug. 10, 1794, and he of New Jersey, Aug. 18, 1774 ; his death occurred Nov. 14, 1852 ; his wife survived till Aug. 2, 1858. John R. Woodward departed this life Nov. 20, 1876 ; the father of two children-Willie B. and Ada L., who, on the 14th of October, 1879, was united in marriage with Harry Ritter, born in Pennsylvania March 29, 1849.

DANIEL YOUNG, retired farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; was born in Wash- ington Co., Md., in 1801. His parents emigrated to this State in about 1807, and settled near Dayton, where his mother died thirteen years later ; his father then returned to Maryland and there passed the remainder of his days, departing this life in 1855. Daniel, having been brought up on the farm, continued at that business, working by the month at different places for about two years in Indiana. In 1826, June 2, he married Elizabeth Shroyer, also a native of Maryland, but the exact date of her birth is not known ; she was a resident of Miami Co. at the time of her marriage. In the course of about a year they moved to Montgomery Co.,

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they lived on rented farms till 1834, when they returned to Miami Co., and he worked for about two years at what he could get to do ; a part of the time by the month, on a farm, at $7 per month ; in 1836, he bought 80 acres of land in the woods, in Sec. 15, Bethel Township, and went to work to convert the dense forest into a home; by excessive hard labor, however, he has succeeded in getting a very comfortable place to live. He has been a cripple for nearly thirty years, which was caused by the bursting of a ligament, allowing the joint-water of the knee to escape ; notwithstanding his lameness, and the many hardships he has undergone, he is a very lively man for his age. And his wife, also, who is only six or seven years younger than himself, is as active as many a woman at 50. They are the parents of six children-David D., Louisa, Susanna, Mary C., Benjamin F. and Sarah, deceased.

MONROE TOWNSHIP.

D. F. ANGLEBARGER, blacksmith, Tippecanoe City ; one of the well-estab- lished business men of Tippecanoe City ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., June 17, 1840 ; he is of Irish-German descent ; his father, D. S. Anglebarger, and mother, Elizabeth . Ramesburg, were both natives of Maryland, and passed their entire lives there ; D. S. followed the pursuits of undertaking and farming; he had a family of four sons and two daughters by his first marriage; our subject was the youngest son ; at the age of 13, he immigrated to Ohio, and located in Clark Co., where he engaged as a laborer at various pursuits till he went to New Carlisle and began the smithing business ; here he remained seven years; then enlisted in Co. C, 110th O. V. I., and was employed as a blacksmith ; he was in the fight of Winchester, under Gen. Millroy, and was subsequently discharged on account of physical disability ; returning, he located at Troy, Ohio, and, in 1864, came to Tippecanoe City, where he worked for three years at "jour" work, and then set up shop for himself; he is now located on Second, between Main and Dow streets ; his long experience as a smith, and careful attention to business, have won for him the reputation of a first-class workman. He is a Republican in politics, and an ardent supporter of the party ; he is also a member of the A., F. & A. M. He was married Sept. 15, 1859, to Nancy Ross, a native of Clark Co., Ohio ; of the six children born to this union, two have deceased.

WILLIAM ASHWORTH, nurseryman, Tippecanoe City ; born in Middleton, Lancashire, Eng., in 1836 ; is a son of George and Betsy (Wult) Ashworth ; he followed the occupation of baker in his native country, and immigrated to Amer- ica, with his family, in 1839, landing in Philadelphia, Penn., from where he came direct to the present site of Tippecanoe; here he learned the shoemaker trade, which he followed till his death, July 23, 1849 ; his wife died April 3, 1876; he had three sons, all yet living-two in Tippecanoe, and one in Leadville, Colo. ; our subject is the oldest son, and was only 3 years old when he came with his parents to his present place ; he was educated in the common school, and, at the age of 11, entered an apprenticeship at the shoemaker trade, serving two years and a half; at the age of 16, went to Dayton, Ohio, and served about three years at the harness trade ; he then turned his attention to gardening and the nursery busi- ness, which he has since continued at Tippecanoe; with his brother, he cultivates one of the most extensive nurseries in this county ; he raises all kinds of fruit- trees, ornamental shrubbery, vines and plants of all kinds (see card in directory) ; his long experience in, and careful attention to, the business, makes their firm one of the most reliable in the country, and they have gained the reputation of first- class nurserymen. In 1862, he left the nursery for the "tented field," enlisting in Co. D, 94th O. V. I., and served till the close of the war (over three years), par- ticipating in the following battles : Perryville, Ky., Stone River, Mission Ridge and

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MONROE TOWNSHIP.

numerous skirmishes ; joined his regiment, on Sherman's march, at the sea-coast, having been detained on account of sickness ; returned home and resumed his former occupation. He is a Republican in politics, his father being an " Old Line Whig," and is a member of the " Miami Valley Nurserymen's Association." He married Sarah Wilson, of this county, in 1857 ; two children, both now dead, have been the issue of this union.

ALBERT C. BESOM, merchant and dealer in agricultural implements, Ging- hamsburg ; is a person of note in the village of Ginghamsburg ; his pleasant address and correct business habits have made his name familiar to all as a person of known honesty. The firm of Besom & Evans are the only ones doing business at Ginghamsburg. He was born in Concord Township, June 30, 1850 ; his parents, Christian and Rebecca Besom, were parents of five children-Montgomery, John C., Albert C., Amanda and Catharine ; Christian commenced business at Ging- hamsburg in 1855, continued it for two years, when Albert took charge of it, and has conducted it successfully since. His marriage to Miss Harriet Cotterman occurred in 1869. They have three children-Warren H., Clarence H. and Norah B. Mrs. Besom's parents, Henry and Sarah Cotterman, emigrated from Pennsyl- vania in 1831, and were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are living -Margaret, Elizabeth, Mary A., Harriet, Sadie, John, Adam and Franklin. Mr. Besom is a Republican, and a prominent member of Vandalia, No. 657, I. O. O. F .; he is also a member of the Christian Church, and, as he was never known to utter an oath or take a dram in a saloon, we feel a just pride in placing such facts upon record; he is also Postmaster of the village, and fills that position with credit.

J. W. BOWMAN, merchant ; Tippecanoe City ; born in Frederickstown, Union Township, in 1845 ; is the son of James and Mary Bowman ; he passed his boy- hood and youth in his native place, doing work on the farm and in the store, and attending common school ; he took a business course in the Toledo Commercial College, graduating in 1864 ; came to Tippecanoe in 1863 and managed a grocery under J. Bowman & Son, and in 1866, went into the dry goods business, under the firm style of Bowman, Wells and Co .; after several changes made in the firm, Mr. Bowman purchased the store in 1873, since when he has been operating it on his own responsibility ; his large and increasing trade, with full stock of well-assorted goods, attests his skill and success in this business ; he is located in the "Morrison Block," where, in a large and spacious room, he displays the fullest stock of goods in the place, which he sells at lowest prices. He married, Nov. 27, 1866, Maggie M. Penny, of Monroe Township. Two sons, Frank P. and Howard E., have been the issue of this union.

W. F. CALDWELL, Editor Herald, Tippecanoe City ; born in Tippecanoe Jan. 8, 1857 ; is the son of C. L. and Mary (Stewart) Caldwell, the latter a native of this county, and the former of Delaware Co., Ohio. C. L. was a marble cutter by occupation, and came to this county when a young man. He was married in Troy, Ohio, and had seven children ; from Troy he moved to Tippecanoe, and sub- sequently to Kansas, where his death occurred in 1873. Our subject, the oldest of the family, was reared and schooled in his native place, obtaining a good educa- tion ; at the age of 18 he left school, and entered the drug business at Deshler, Ohio, which he soon abandoned and learned the printing business, under Col .. Horton, of Tippecanoe, which he has since followed ; he became one of the propri- etors of the Tippecanoe City Herald, March 1880. He is a member of the Lu- theran Church, the " Faithful Temperance League," and is a Republican in politics. Mr. Caldwell is an enterprising and promising young man of Tippecanoe.

R. R. CARPENTER, physician, Tippecanoe City; was born in Chenango Co., N. Y., in 1818 ; his father, Noah C., a native of Massachusetts, was an early set- tler in Chenango Co., and was a fuller by occupation ; his death occurred in 1869, at the age of 89. He was married to Judith Waite, of Connecticut, who was a descendant of the first settlers of Chenango Co., dying in 1850, and her mother in 1847, at the advanced age of 98. Noah Carpenter had nine children, eight of whom

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still survive. R. R. is the fifth child, and passed his early life in his native place, attending school till the age of 12, when he was placed in a drug store; remained at this till the age of 20, thus acquiring a good knowledge of materia medica, which has served him well in his professional life; in the meantime he devoted all his leisure time to reading medicine, and when he left the drug store he entered the Bellevue Medical College of New York, and graduated in 1843; one year after, he began his career as a physician in Danville, Penn. ; in 1849, he left Danville and went to New York City, where he continued his practice till 1856, when he came to Tippecanoe, where he has since been in the practice ; he gives special attention to chronic diseases, and is a well-established and reliable physician ; personally, he is pleasant, affable and sociable in his intercourse with his fellow-men. He has been married twice ; first, in 1854 to Fidelia Warford, of Pennsylvania, who died in 1866. His second marriage was in the fall of 1866, to Julia King, of this county, who died in April, 1877. One daughter, by the first union, constitutes his family. The Doctor is a member of the A., F. & A. M. of Tippecanoe.

CHARLES B. CHAFFEE, Tippecanoe City. He was born in Colesville, Monroe Township, this county April 26, 1852, and is the son of S. L. and Barbara (Cecil) Chaffee ; S. L. is one of the foremost business men of Tippecanoe, born in Ontario Co., N. Y., in 1818, and was brought up to the manufacturing business ; he emigrated to Ohio in 1833, and in 1838 to Miami Co. Our subject came to Tippecanoe City with his parents when about 5 years old; he received his pri- mary education in the common school of this place, and, at the age of 14, entered Antioch College, at yellow Springs, where he remained one year, and then spent the two subsequent years in Oberlin College ; but failing health required him to abandon the schoolroom ; in the fall of 1870, he went to Buffalo, N. Y., and en- gaged in the general liquor trade till January, 1872, when he returned to Tippe- canoe, and embarked in the distillery business till 1874, and then went to Toledo, where he remained in the same occupation till 1878; since then, he has chiefly given his attention to farming interests, operating a farm of 2,500 acres in White Co., Ind., 1,200 acres of which are under cultivation ; he is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Congregational Church of Toledo. He married Alma A. Freet, of Wyandot Co., Ohio, near Tymochtee, in November, 1873 ; a son and daughter have been the issue of this union.

LEVI CLARK, farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City. He is one of the few remain- ing early native-born citizens of Monroe Township; he is the son of John Clark, prominently mentioned in the township history ; he was born Nov. 22, 1818, about one and a half miles northwest of Tippecanoe ; he is the oldest of a family of ten, four of whom are dead ; the scenes of his boyhood and youth were in this vicinity, where his whole life has been passed ; his education was obtained under the diffi- culties of pioneer times ; reared on a farm, he has always made farming his princi- pal occupation ; he served an apprenticeship at the tanner's trade, but never fol- lowed the business ; he located on the present site of the township, with his par- ents, in December, 1839, and consequently has had a residence here coeval with the town ; under the gold excitement, Mr. Clark made a trip to California in 1852, cov- ering the distance from the Missouri River in the remarkably short time of sixty- two traveling days ; he located in Georgetown, Eldorado Co., and engaged in · mining with fair success, returning by the Panama route and New Orleans, consum- ing fourteen months on the entire trip ; he has a particular fondness for hunting, and makes his annual trips to the hunting grounds of Michigan, Wisconsin, Min- nesota, Nebraska, etc., being regarded an expert and successful hunter. Formerly an "old-line Whig," casting his first vote for Gen. Harrison in 1840, his political views naturally fell in with the Republican party, with which he has always been identified. He was married, Feb. 13, 1840, to Clarinda Ramsey, of this county, who was born in Elizabeth Township in 1821, and is the daughter of Allen and Hannah Ramsey, early pioneers ; of their family of six sons and five daughters, three sons and three daughters are dead, some dying in infancy:

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MONROE TOWNSHIP.

COFFMAN & SPENCER, grocers, Tippecanoe City ; one of the leading firms of Tippecanoe. Edward Coffman, member of above firm, was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Sept. 10, 1844, and is the son of Jesse and Eliza (McCord) Coffman, both natives of Pennsylvania ; Jesse was a cooper by trade, and emi- grated to Ohio in 1833, locating first in Little York, Montgomery Co., and subse- quently in West Milton, for a short time, and finally in Dayton. where his death occurred in 1859 ; he had four sons and five daughters, two of whom have died, one son in the late civil war. Our subject is the sixth child of the family, and was reared and schooled in the city of Dayton ; at the latter place he was engaged as a clerk in a hotel, and one year ago came to Tippecanoe City and has since been doing a large trade in the grocery business ; he is located in Room 2, Chaffee's Block, where he keeps the largest stock of groceries in the city, and, judging from the appearance of the goods in his large and spacious room, he fully understands his business. Their motto is, excellence in quality, integrity in transactions, low prices and quick sales. Mr. C. is connected with another grocery in Dayton, Ohio, under the same firm style. He married Miss Louisa Spencer, of Dayton, Ohio, in 1871, and has one child, a daughter, 7 years old. Mr. C. finds expression for his political views in the Republican party.

B. F. CUSHWA, confectioner and baker, Tippecanoe City ; was born in this county, in 1851, and is the son of G. W. Cushwa, a native of Maryland, and a miller by trade ; he emigrated to Ohio in 1840, and located in this county. He was married to Sarah J. Nicholls, and had five children, of whom our subject is the oldest ; he was reared principally in the mill, and educated in the common school, and so well did he improve his educational opportunities, that he was early prepared to enter the profession of teaching ; this he continued about four years, and was telegraph operator two years, and then embarked in the bakery and con- fectionery business, which he has since continued with success ; he is located on the south side of Main street, between 1st and 2d, where he keeps on hand a full stock of confectioneries, fresh bread, cigars and tobacco. He has, also, a neatly arranged ice-cream parlor, where he serves fresh ice-cream at all times during the season (see card). He is one of the enterprising young business men of Tippeca- noe, and reliable; his motto is, excellence in quality and integrity in all his transactions.

JOHN DUNCAN, retired farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City. John Duncan is a son of Amos Duncan, who came to this township in 1807 ; he was a native of North Carolina, and, on his way to the West, stopped in Greene Co., and there married Miss Elizabeth Beal, probably in 1806 ; they had three children-Isaac, Elizabeth and Amos ; his wife died a few years after coming to this county, and he married his second wife, Miss Rachel Coate, in 1812 or 1813; they are the parents of five children-John, Samuel, Nelson, Moses and Sarah-all living, except the two last named ; Mrs. Duncan died in 1855, and her husband in 1873. John Duncan, the subject of this sketch, married Miss Nancy A. Jones Dec. 6, 1835 ; eleven children was the result of this marriage, of whom Jonathan, Estley, Aaron, Lucinda.A., Nathan and Catharine are living ; all are married ; Mr. Duncan lives at his ease, and a tenant looks after his farm. Both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church, and Mr. Duncan is also a member of Tippecanoe Lodge, No. 174, A., F. & A. M. His farm contains 117 acres, well improved, which was in his boyhood covered with a dense forest. For fifteen years he has been a Director in the public schools, and is a man of influence in his neighborhood.

JOHN EIDEMILLER, farmer ; P. O. Tippecanoe City ; is known from the center to circumference of this county ; his parents emigrated from Darmstadt, Germany, in 1832; John was born in 1825; they reared seven children-John, George, Martin, Henry, Mary, Elizabeth and Maria J .; all are married, and live in this neighborhood ; the old folks, Peter and Annie E. Eidemiller, made a visit to Germany in 1857, but, during their long absence, their old friends had died or moved away; their stay was 'brief; they felt like strangers in a strange land ; America was dear to their hearts, and they were glad to return ; they were almost

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shipwrecked, a violent storm coming up, that lasted two days and nights; Mr. Eidemiller was a large contractor and builder of pikes, and in his business made much money ; he died in 1877 at the age of 76, and his wife in 1879, aged 78 years. John was married to Miss Seraphine Lavy in 1851; they were the parents of Martin E., Sarah J., John L., William H. and Peter F. (who died in infancy) ; Mrs. Eidemiller died in December, 1861 ; in July, 1862, Mr. Eidemiller led to the marriage altar Miss Augusta Miller, of Vandalia, Ohio'; they have seven children -George P., Warren, Laura E., Dorsey G., Wade, Lilly and Webster ; Martin E., John L. and Sarah J. are married and live in this county. Mr. Eidemiller is one of our most prosperous farmers, owning 240 acres of fine land. He and his wife are members of the Lutheran Church, and also of Kentucky Home Grange; he is a conservative Republican, and believes in the greatest good for the greatest number. The amount of stock reared is large, and the income derived from the farm a hand- some one ; he built five miles of the Piqua and Troy pike, six and one-half of the Troy and Stillwater, two and one-half of the Dayton and Hyattsville pike, and now superintends them for a distance of eight miles from his home.

ROBERT M. EVANS, merchant and dealer in agricultural implements, Ging- hamsburg. The grandparents of Esquire Evans, on both sides, were among the first settlers in this county, and his wife's parents also came at an early day. Joseph, Evans, Esquire Evans' grandfather,came here in 1801, and his mother's father in 1804. The inhabitants of the county were mostly Indians and wild beasts. Robert Evans was married to Miss Mary Jenkins in 1824, and they were the parents of Aaron, Louisa, Jesse, Kahren, Robert M. and Elizabeth ; the four latter are still living, and are all married. . Esquire Robert Evans was wedded to Miss Minerva J. Kel- ler, in 1867 ; they have five children living, one dying in infancy ; their names are, respectively, Lilly, Arletta, Korah, Zenitia and Laura. Mrs. Evans' parents had eight children-Minerva, Sarah, Margaret A., Ellen, Alice, William E., Alvin E. and Joseph W .; Mrs. Keller died in 1876. Esquire Evans was one of the brave men that enlisted in 1864, under the banner of his country, in Co. G. 147th O. V. L; for four years and three months he was a member of a military company, the Home Guards. In 1876, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and was re-elected in 1880. He is a partner in the firm of Besom & Evans. dealers in dry goods, gro- ceries, agricultural implements etc., etc., doing business at Ginghamsburg. He was for two terms Master of Fidelity Grange, is a conservative Republican, and an honest man. Both himself and wife are members of the United Brethren Church, and are good and useful members of society.

G. L. FAVORITE, merchant, Tippecanoe City ; one of the well-established business men of Tippecanoe ; was born in Monroe Township, in 1841, and has lived here since, with the exception of three years, when he was in Toledo. His parents were Abraham Favorite and Eva Long, the former born in Virginia, from whence he emigrated to this county just previous to the war of 1812, in which struggle he served as a teamster, teaming from Greenville to Ft. Wayne. He was a farmer by occupation, and passed the remainder of his life in this township, dying in 1848. He was married twice, and had five children by first marriage, two of whom still survive. His second marriage was in the spring of 1828, with Eve, daughter of George and Margaret (Green) Long, by whom he had six children, five still living. Eve was born in Augusta Co., Va., Feb. 28, 1798, and died two years ago, over 80 years old ; she was brought up under the benign influences of Chris- tian parents, and, at the age of 15, became a professor of religious faith, and con- tinued strong in the faith until her death. In 18 , she emigrated with her parents to Greene Co., Ohio, and, a few years subsequently, moved to Miami Co. Our sub- ject, the tenth child of the family, lived on a farm till 18 years of age, and attended a common school, receiving the usual farmer boy's education. At the age of 18 he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and followed this fourteen years; then farmed three years, when he embarked in the hardware and farm implement trade, in Tippecanoe. He is located on North Main street, between First and Second, where he keeps on hand a full line of stock and furnishes all kinds of agricultural

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 89

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