The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 94

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

USA > Ohio > Miami County > The History of Miami County, Ohio > Part 94

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Evaline and Martha E. ; all except Emily are living; Mr. Wells is a very promi- nent man, and is quite a local politician, being an ardent Democrat, a Granger, and Township Trustee. Both himself and wife are members of the Disciples Church ; for fifty-nine years he has been a resident of Miami Co., and the vast improvements to him seem almost magical; very few of the pioneers are now living who first settled the Miami Valley, but Mrs. Sarah Brooks, an aunt of Mr. Wells, can almost claim that distinction, as she is past 81 years of age, and is hale and vigorous ; she was born in North Carolina in 1799, and her memory is as bright as though she was only 20 ; many things of interest can be learned from her concerning early times in Ohio ; she was a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Skinner, and was married to John W. Wells in 1818, they being the parents of the following children -John W., Elbert, William H. H., Kitty F., Martha, Isabella and Elizabeth. Mrs. Skinner's father died in 1862, and her mother in 1842. She was married to Isaiah Brooks in 1843; they had no children ; he died in 1872. The family is a large one, and they are good and honest people.

A. H. WESLER, Justice of the Peace and Mayor, Tippecanoe City; was born in Chester Co., Penn., Jan. 15, 1826 ; his father, John G., was also a native of Pennsylvania, and a farmer by occupation ; he died in November, 1876, at the advanced age of nearly 97 years. He was married to Maria, daughter of Heze- kiah Davis, of Revolutionary note; he was taken prisoner while engaged in the struggle for American liberty, and confined in a prison on Long Island, and while here wrote his name on a pane of glass in the window of his cell, which pane was secured a few years ago by a grand-daughter. John G. was Captain of a company in the war of 1812, and was stationed at Philadelphia, Penn. ; he had four sons and three daughters, all still living. Our subject is the sixth child, and was brought up on a farm till he was 17, when he went to the city of Philadelphia and entered an apprenticeship as a joiner and carpenter; he was engaged here about three years, and, in the spring of 1850, came to this State, locating temporarily in Lost Creek Township till the following spring, when he located in Tippecanoe, where he now lives ; since coming here, he has been variously engaged at carpentering, surveying, etc. ; he has surveyed a larger part of the lots of Tippecanoe City ; he is a Demo- crat in politics, and, although no office-seeker, has held his share of public offices ; he has been a number of times elected to the offices of Justice of the Peace and Mayor, and this is a town which gives from 200 to 300 Republican majority, & mark of the confidence and esteem which he has won from the community ; he is at present Justice of the Peace and Mayor. He was married in January, 1853, to Mary, daughter of Henry Krise, an early settler ; five sons and three daughters have been the issue of this union.

JOHN B. WESTLAKE, farmer ; P. O. Troy ; is a son of Josias Westlake, of whom mention is made in the biography of G. K. Westlake ; from the Colonel, we have many items of interest, which will appear in the history of Monroe Township. John Westlake first married Miss Lucinda Earnhart ; she died July 4, 1868, leaving William J., less than 1 month old. The second marriage, to Miss Mary J. Robbins, was celebrated Oct. 24, 1873, at the residence of the bride's parents, Rev. L. F. Griffith officiating ; they are the parents of two children-Samuel C., born May 16, 1876, and Blanche P., Nov. 17, 1878. The neatness everywhere visible, betokens the good taste and industry of both parties, and we know Mr. Westlake to be an excellent farmer ; he is the owner of 50 acres of land, upon which he resides. During the war of the rebellion, he enlisted in Co. G, 147th O. V. I., and was honorably discharged at the expiration of his term of service ; he is now Town- ship Trustee, and fills the position with credit. Both himself and wife are members of the Christian Church, and John is one of the stanch Democrats of this county ; his tuition, politically, was engrafted upon his mind at an early age, as his father is one of the leaders of that party in Monroe Township; his character is above reproach, and his daily life harmonizes well with his profession.

FREDERICK YOUNT, retired farmer ; P. O. Fidelity ; is perhaps the oldest living resident of Monroe Township; he was born July 30, 1799 ; and his parents,

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John and Mary Yount, emigrated from North Carolina to Miami Co. in 1802 ; they were the parents of five children-Henry, Delilah, Solomon, Frederick and Rebecca ; the two latter are still living. With the Younts also came the Hoovers, Masts and others from North Carolina, and settled in different parts of the county. The land was entered by them at $2 per acre. They had to cut a wagon-road through the woods, from Dayton to the place which they had selected as their future home, and they were probably the first white men that trod the native forests. Frederick's father settled among the Indians, who were quite numerous; they were not molested in the least by them, and their relations were always of the most friendly character. Game abounded everywhere bears, wolves, panthers, deer, turkeys etc., furnished the early settlers with food, and jerked venison was a staple diet. Their moccasins were made of deer-skins, with soles of leather sewed on with "whang strings." Their corn was pounded on a stump until it could be made into bread, and this, with a few potatoes, was their usual diet. The Indians about Covington were disposed to be treacherous, and the men did their work with their guns in their hands, or else under the surveillance of a guard, and nearly all of them slept in "Williams" block-house at night for better protection. Frederick married Miss Catharine Ingle Feb. 1, 1821. Their children were fourteen in number, only five of whom are living-Clark, Eli, Emily Smith, Elizabeth Eidemiller and Rebecca Martindale. Mrs. Yount was born in 1802, and died Oct. 11, 1873; from long acquaintance with the Indians, she spoke their language fluently. The stories told by Mr. Yount are of the greatest interest, and would fill a volume had we time to write them. Both himself and wife belonged to the Society of Friends, and have ever lived noble and upright lives. He has been very prosperous, and now lives at his ease. His farm consists of 151 acres, pleasantly located. Since the death of his wife, his grand-daughter, Catharine Yount, acts as housekeeper. He can hardly realize this to be the wooden country of his boyhood. He is one of the most pleasant gentlemen in the country, and will, we hope, live to see his centennial birth- day celebrated.

GEORGE K. YOUART, engineer, Tippecanoe City ; one of the enterprising cit- izens of Tippecanoe, was born in Concord Township, this county, in 1841, and is the son of James and Mary (Kerr) Youart; the latter, a daughter of George Kerr, who died in 1861. James was born in 1804, in the county of Antrim, North of Ireland, and emigrated to America in 1819, and at once found his way to Miami Co .; worked from 1820 to 1827 in the Kanawha salt works of Virginia; was a car- penter by trade and a farmer by occupation. He had a family of eight children, four of whom grew to maturity, and two of whom still survive ; he died in 1874. Our subject lived on a farm till the age of 13, attending the common school, and in 1855, attended the Troy school, thus obtaining a fair practical education. In 1856, Feb. 7, he came to Tippecanoe City with his parents, and in the following July took charge of an engine, and has since been following engineering with emi- nent success. By careful attention to, and adaptation for, his profession, he enjoys the reputation of being a first-class engineer. He is a Republican in politics, and is first engineer of the "Fire Department." He was married Dec. 7, 1862, to Oan- dace Kerr, of this county, and a descendant of early settlers. They have a family of four children.

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DAVID M. ADAMS, farmer ; P. O. Troy. David Adams is one of the prac- tical farmers in this township, and has lived here long enough to give many facts of interest to the listener ; he was born in Troy in September, 1836 ; his first teacher was Mrs. Fairfield, the mother of the President of Lincoln University, Nebraska. When a boy, going to school, there was a pond holding water all the year round, where our nice school building now stands. His parents were David and Ellen Adams, who was a daughter of John and Martha Dougan. David, Jr., was mar- ried to Miss Mary Cory, March 11, 1875 ; their two sons are named Andrew C. and Louis A. Andrew was born Feb. 1, 1877 ; Louis, Jan. 18, 1879, and both are promising lads. Mr. Adams emigrated from North Carolina in 1817, and settled in Washington Township ; they were the parents of eight children who arrived at the age of maturity. Emeline, Louis, Elizabeth, Mary and Manlius were children of his first wife. His marriage to Miss Dougan was celebrated Dec. 27, 1827; their children were named John D., Andrew J., Finley, David M., Martha D. and Sarah E. Only four of the children are now living. As the ancestry of Mr. and Mrs. Adams were all Presbyterians, it is natural for them to follow in their foot- steps ; they are recorded among the first families in this neighborhood. In 1855, David's parents moved to Minnesota for the benefit of his wife's health. The cli- mate being still more unfavorable there than this, they soon returned ; with the exception of four years, David M. Adams has always lived in Miami Co.

W. H. ALEXANDER, farmer ; P. O. Troy. W. H. Alexander is a direct de- scendant of one of our early settlers, and was born in Troy Aug. 6, 1843 ; he was the second son of his father's second wife, Margaret Stonaker ; his early life was spent upon the farm, near Troy, and he acquired a taste for agricultural pursuits. He obtained a good education during his younger days, of which he may well be proud. At the first call for troops, on the breaking-out of the rebellion, he was one of the first to respond, and enlisted as a private in Co. H, 11th O. V. I., Capt. Drury commanding ; three years and three months were spent in the service, dur- ing which time he participated in the battles of Cotton Mountain, Big Sewell, Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Snake Gap, Rocky Face and Resaca. He was wounded only once during these engagements, which was at the battle of Chickamauga. Mr. Alexander was an excellent soldier, served his country well in her hour of need, and was honorably discharged at Camp Dennison June 20, 1864. An attachment had previously existed between himself and Miss Eliza Boone, and, during a visit home on fur- · lough, he was married March 16, 1862 ; seven children were born to them, six daughters and one son ; the two first, Allie and Lillie May, were twins, born May 6, 1865 ; Isaac G., born Dec. 16, 1868 ; Carrie, born Sept. 4, 1869 ; Mary, March 4, 1872 ; Luella, born Aug. 4, 1874; and Eva Irene, born Dec. 8, 1876 ; all are living. Mr. A. resides upon the " John Peck " farm, the property of his father-in-law, Mr. Boone ; he has always been a successful farmer, has prospered greatly, and will surely become one of our wealthy farmers. His wife died May 5, 1879 ; this was a sad blow to Mr. A., but, as death comes to all, we should be ever ready. He is a generous provider, and is surrounded by all the comforts of life.

HENRY WARE ALLEN, President of First National Bank, Troy, is a native of Massachusetts, and was born in Pembroke, that State, April 6, 1822; the family originally came from England the first quarter of the seventeenth century ; Rev. Morrill Allen, the father of our subject, received a finished education, and became a minister of the Unitarian Church at the age of 22, with which denomination he labored faithfully for nearly four score years, preaching a sermon on his 90th birth- day. Mr. Allen, after attending the common school near his father's farm, finished his education by studying a short time at the Academy of Hanover and the Nor- mal School at Bridgewater, in Massachusetts ; he settled in Troy, Ohio, in the fall

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of 1848, when he purchased mill property, with which business he has been con- nected ever since ; he was a prime mover in the organization of the bank of which he is President, and has always taken a prominent part in all the leading and laudable undertakings of his town and county ; at an early day, he identified him- self with the manufacturing interests of Troy, and the best and most imposing business block in the town was built by him in 1855. Mr. Allen has been a stanch Republican since the organization of the party, while in religious belief he acknowl- edges the Unitarian creed; as a philanthropist, he enjoys an enviable reputation, while for magnanimity, business ability and unwearying industry, he stands sec- ond to none in the community. He married Mrs. Mary D. Hastings Smith in Jan- uary, 1851 ; she died the same year ; in July, 1853, he married Pemela Hale, daughter of Dr. Asa Coleman, by whom he had ten children, seven of whom are living.

LOURY BARBOUR, farmer and stock-breeder ; P. O. Troy. A very inter- esting biographical sketch is that of Loury Barbour, who has passed a long life- time in Miami Co., and has probably witnessed as closely as any one its growth and development ; as we interview him he is plowing in his garden, with the old- fashioned harness and single line, that is common in the Eastern States, but scarcely seen in Illinois ; he was the eldest son of Thomas and Elizabeth Barbour, whose maiden name was Macky ; she came, together with the Barbees and Orrs and Colwells, from near Lexington, Ky., in 1804, and Thomas Barbour arrived soon after ; as near as can be ascertained, they were married in 1810, and settled in a dense forest, in a small log cabin in the northern part of this township; the first year, enough land was cleared to plant some corn and potatoes, which consti- tuted the chief part of their living ; the sturdy arm of Thomas had left its mark during the next twelve months, and the mighty monarchs of the forest lay thick about him; the Indians were quite troublesome, and many a poor man's larder was rendered lighter by their thieving propensities ; their home was brightened, Oct. 28, 1810, by the advent of their first-born, Margaret A., and the happy parents were congratulated by the few neighbors that then lived in their vicinity ; Aug. 3, 1814, Loury was born, and he, together with the other sons and daughters, has quite a part in the Miami Co. history ; they were all born in this township, and will be mentioned in another part of this work. Loury Barbour, to whom this sketch is dedicated, commenced his studies at an early age, but twenty-eight months would include his whole scholarship ; Loury worked for his father until 23 or 24 years of age, and, ere he left the paternal roof, a nice farm of 130 acres was cleared, and their father left in very good circumstances for those days. Young Loury courted and afterward married Miss Hettie Delzell, Jan. 1, 1839, at the residence of J. B. Rumsey, Rev. Fancher tying the nuptial knot ; they lost no time in preliminaries, but commenced housekeeping in an old log cabin, with only one window, one door, and a "stick" chimney ; nothing daunted, they went to work, and erelong a comfortable log cabin was built, and covered with a clapboard roof; two children were born in the old house-Mildred L. and Elizabeth (who is now the wife of George B. Mckay, and resides in Greencastle, Ind.) ; Mary J. was born Oct. 13, 1843, and is now the wife of Daniel Rench, of Newton Township ; Charles V. was born Feb. 17, 1848, and lived only two years ; Laura H. was born Aug. 18, 1851 ; Thomas was born Feb. 22, 1854 ; John E. was born Nov. 1, 1857 ; Robert A. was born April 10, 1861 ; the paternal roof now resembled a country inn more than a plain farmer's home ; they were generally robust and healthy, and physicians' services were scarcely needed ; with all his expense of rearing and educating his large family, Mr. Barbour has prospered greatly, and owns a farm of 90 acres, which has been improved until few farms in the Miami Valley equal it ; two children remain at home, and the aged couple still step about nearly as lively as any of our young folks. Mr. B. has twice assessed the citizens of this town- ship, and has given general satisfaction ; he is a great reader, and is well posted in political matters, and under no circumstances does he scratch the Republican ticket ; he has been a member of the Miami County Agricultural Board for ten or

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fifteen years, and was one of the committee who purchased the Troy fair grounds ; we presume there is not a man in Concord Township who is not familiar with " Uncle Loury."

ASA T. BEEDLE, Troy, of the firm of Beedle & Kelly, founders and machin- ists, manufacturers of Troy Champion Corn-planter, plows, etc., one of the most important manufacturing interests in Troy. Mr. Beedle was born in Miami Co., Ohio, on the 28th of January, 1832. His father, Daniel Beedle, was from Ken- tucky, and was among the early settlers of Miami Co., locating in Staunton Township. He died in Troy, August, 1877, at the advanced age of 86 years. Asa T. was raised to agricultural pursuits, obtaining a common-school course, until at 21 years of age he completed his education by a course of study at Anti- och college ; returning from college, he followed farming until 1866, at which time he removed to Troy and engaged in the manufacture of plows. In the spring of 1870, he associated with him in the business, John Kelly, under the firm name as above, conducting a business that increased very rapidly. A card of their busi- ness will be found in this work, also a history of their great manufacturing estab- lishment ; their sales extend throughout the Western States as well as in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Mr. Beedle was married in November 1858, to Calista J. Peck, who was also a native of Miami Co., her parents being among the early settlers. By this union they have two sons and two daughters.

MRS. E. A. BEEDLE, Troy. Mrs. E. A. Beedle, widow of Abram Beedle, was born at Sharpsburg, Ohio, Aug. 11, 1822. Her parents moved to Dayton in 1824, and she attended school until her education was completed; her parents moved to Concord Township in 1842; and settled two miles south of Piqua. Her marriage with Abram Beedle was solemnized June 9, 1847, and they commenced housekeeping on a farm then owned by Mr. Beedle, three-quarters of mile west of Troy, on the Covington Pike. Their first daughter, Belle, was born June 9, 1848, and is now the wife of J. J. Mitchell, of Yellow Springs, Greene Co., Ohio ; Fran- ces, the second daughter, was born Aug. 14, 1853, and is now the wife of William Martin, they reside in Leroy, Coffee Co., Kan .; Emma R., the third daughter, was born June 9, 1854, and became the wife of George S. Helman June 12, 1877. Two short years of a happy married life were enjoyed, when she, together with her infant son, Harry Orton, were buried in one grave, and the gentle autumn winds sang the last sad requiem over the grave made doubly sacred by its double offer- ing. Horace M., the first son, was born May 4, 1864, and is now the comfort of his mother; he lives with her and is completing his education at the Troy schools. Abram Beedle, the husband and father, died April 14, 1876, and his remains repose by the side of his daughter Emma and her first-born, in a lovely spot in Riverside Cemetery. The entire family, except the son, are conscientious mem- bers of the Presbyterian Church, and their daily life gives evidence of that Power which is a "light unto their path.". Mrs. Beedle is 58 years of age, has been a resident of this township forty years, and may therefore be classed among the old settlers. Their farm is neatly kept, a roomy brick house containing everything necessary for comfort and convenience.

CHARLES A. BINKLEY, Troy ; special insurance agent for Penn Mutual of Philadelphia ; born in Perry Co., Ohio, June 7, 1828; in 1843, came to Troy, and learned the trade of sign and ornamental painter, which he followed twenty years. After giving up this business, he engaged in various pursuits until 1879, when he associated with the above firm as special agent, with headquarters at Troy. In 1851, was united in marriage with Mary C. Case, who was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., Jan. 12, 1830. They have two children-Mabel, wife of Frank M. Starrett, and Otho. Mr. Binkley is a Republican in politics, and labors for the success of his party. The whole family are members of the M. E. Church.

S. O. BINKLEY, fire insurance agent, Troy ; was born in Maryland Feb. 3, 1800 ; is a son of Jacob and Maria C. Binkley ; the former was born in Pennsylvania ; both are deceased, and were parents of three sons, of whom only our subject remains. He was reared in Maryland, where he received his educa-

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tion in the common schools, which was afterward more fully developed in sem- inary training ; has been in active business life since he attained his maturity ; in early life was engaged in chair-making and ornamental painting, from which he entered fully upon the agency business in which he is now engaged, representing the well-known and reliable Cooper Company of Dayton; came to Troy in 1843, and has ever since resided there. In 1822, he married Julia A. Ream, who bore him six children, three of whom are now living, two dying in infancy. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Church, with which they have been con- nected for more than half a century.

ISAAC BOONE, inventor ; P. O. Troy. Isaac Boone is one of our wealthy farmers, who has lived long enough in this county to obtain a place in her history. He is a native of Virginia, born April 15, 1816; Abram and Mary (Areman) Boone were his parents; emigrated from Virginia and settled near Dayton in 1824. Isaac was married to Miss Mary A. Holderman, May 2, 1839, by Squire John Burnett; they had seven children, five of whom are now living ; 424 acres are now in his possession. In 1859, Mr. Boone exchanged his property for the farm where he now resides ; the orchard furnishes an abundance of fruit ; a large ice house on the farm is a prominent feature in its revenue, and this alone pays a handsome profit. Mr. Boone is worth from $35,000 to $40,000. Only one of his children (Mary A.) lives at home, and she is a lady of culture and energy. The chil- dren were born in the following order : Eliza, April 23, 1840 ; Jacob H., March 30, 1843; William H., Dec. 2, 1847; David H., Sept. 8, 1849; Daniel F; June 16, 1853; Mary A. Aug. 30, 1856; Malinda E., July 3, 1858. Mr. Boone can clearly trace his relationship to Daniel Boone, the pioneer of Kentucky. Of late years, he has devoted his especial attention to inventing a number of machines that seem destined to make him truly famous. His trade (that of a millwright) has been of much service to him in his work. We cannot pass by these meritorious articles without giving each one a brief notice. First in order comes his steam road-wagon, upon the feasibility of which much of the value of his inventions depends. It is surely a practical method of drawing heavy loads. It guides very easily, and can draw or push equally well. What seems to be the most important invention is a machine for picking cotton, and, should it do what its inventor claims, it will surely revolutionize the cotton-picking business. An- other invention is an ice-cutting machine, that, driven by the engine, which is now almost perfected, will do the work of one hundred saws per day. He also has a machine with which he expects to scald and scrape from 2,000 to 2,500 hogs, of all ages and sizes, per day, with the help of three men. The greatest of all his inventions is yet to come, and is supposed to be a life-saving apparatus, whereby patients who have been given over, by the physicians, to die, are placed in it. It regulates and purifies the air, by furnishing the necessary amount of either hydro- gen, nitrogen or oxygen, that the patient needs to sustain life. We sincerely hope, for the good of humanity, that the perfection of this machine shall be a success. The inventive genius of this man is wonderful, and, should his machines prove equal to his expectations, he cannot fall short of becoming the wealthiest man in Miami County.

J. BOWER, physician and surgeon, Troy ; was born in Adams Co., Penn., in 1815 ; his parents, Peter and Priscilla Bower, were natives of the same State, and removed to Warren Co., Ohio, in which the latter part of their lives was passed. Our subject's boyhood was spent in Pennsylvania, on the farm, receiving the rudi- ments of his education in the common schools ; at the age of 18, he began read- ing medicine, under the guidance of Dr. McCowan, a prominent physician of Harrisburg, who was his preceptor for nearly two years, after which he entered and graduated from the Physio-Medical College, and received a certificate of mem- bership from the Eclectic School of Medicine in Cincinnati. He afterward entered the Institute of Medicine and Surgery, from which he also graduated ; he attended lectures in various places, and is thoroughly educated in his profession ; he began the practice of medicine in Harrisburg, in which he practiced till 1844, at which

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The History of Miami County, Ohio, Part 94

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