The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 103

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081

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WILLIAM H. HOBLIT, farmer; P. O. Waynesville; was born in Greene Co., Ohio, Feb. 13, 1834; is a son of Meritt and Anna (Sacket) Hoblit, natives of Ohio; the paternal grandparents were Boston and Elizabeth Hoblit, he a native of Maryland and she of Virginia; they emigrated to Ohio and located in Greene County between 1790 and 1800, being among the first settlers of the county; opened out right in the woods, braving all the trials and dangers of those early days, and remained and died on the farm where he first settled, living to a very advanced age; he died about 1850; he was a soldier in the war of 1812; was quite a prominent man in his day, and held several offices; was Constable and Township Trustee. The maternal grandparents were Cyrus and Nancy Sacket, natives of Pennsylvania, but came to Greene County very early, about the same time of the Hoblit family, and settled near them, and lived and died there. Meritt Hoblit was born, raised and grew to manhood in the wilds of this new country, accustomed to the scenes of pioneer life; was married and became the father of twelve children, six now living: Sarah, now Mrs. Hager- man, residing in Auglaize County; Nancy, now Mrs. Bowman; Boston, William H., David and Benjamin. Mr. Hoblit died in July, 1877, aged 77 years; his wife is still living on the old home place, now 80 years of age, and has made a continued residence there of sixty years. Our subject was raised in Greene County, remaining with his father till after his majority; was married, July 19, 1863, to Rebecca M., daughter of Edward P. and Abigail Thomas, he a native of Ohio and she of Pennsylvania; Abigail was a daughter of James and Lydia Benham, James being a brother of Robert Benham, of historic fame, who, with his companion, were shot by the Indians and suffered so long in the wilderness before being rescued from their perilous condition. Edward and Abigail Thomas had seven children; six now survive: Julia Ann, Eliza Jane, Benjamin, Joseph, Rebecca and Charles Franklin. Rebecca Thomas was born December 18, 1837; Mr. Hoblit and wife have two children, Luvillie Magruder and Val- entine Monterville (twins), born May 29, 1864; Mr. Hoblit, after his marriage, resided on a place adjoining where he now lives till 1879, when he bought and located where he now lives and has since resided; here he has erected new and substantial buildings, and now has a very pleasant home and farmer's resi- dence.

MRS. ELIZABETH HOEL, Waynesville, was born in Barnesville, Bel- mont Co., Ohio, July 9, 1842; is a daughter of Samuel P. Hunt, M. D., and Elizabeth (Thomas) Hunt, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Belmont Co., Ohio. The grandfather, Seth Hunt, was a native of Pennsylvania, and a prom- inent and popular man of that day, and one who accumulated a large property, being quite wealthy at one time. Dr. Samuel P. was born June 4, 1802, and when young became a resident of Belmont Co., Ohio, where he read medicine

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under Dr. Hoover and became a practicing physician of high character and pop- ularity. He was a member of the convention called by Dr. Awl for the organ- ization of the Ohio State Medical Association, which was ultimately merged into the " Ohio Medical Society," of which he is still a member; was elected one of the Vice Presidents of the society in 1860; was appointed a delegate to the American Medical Association at its meeting in Cincinnati, and again to its meeting at Louisville, in 1859. The Doctor was also appointed by the Legis- lature of Ohio as one of the State Medical Examiners to attend the commence- ment of the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati, in March, 1862; and during the war, by order of the Sanitary Commission, went on board the steamer Tycoon to Memphis. Dr. Hunt located in Warren County in 1843, near where the town of Morrow now stands; was engaged as surgeon for the Little Miami Railroad Company, and performed the first case of surgery before the road was finished as far as Morrow, and retained this appointment till 1866, when he retired from practice and removed to Sterling, Ill., where he resided some eight or ten years; thence located in Richmond, Ind .; thence at Cincinnati, where he now resides, with two single daughters, in quiet retirement-now 79 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt were parents of eight children; six now survive -- Thomas, Local Agent of the Canada Southern Railroad at Cincinnati; Eberle, Local Agent of same railroad at Lexington, Ky .; Elizabeth, Martha, Kate and Samuel (Assistant Superintendent of the Canada Southern Railroad). The sub- ject of this sketch, the eldest daughter of Dr. Hunt, was united in marriage, Feb. 11, 1869, to Capt. William R. Hoel, a son of Edmond and Emiline Hoel. The father, Edmond Hoel, was an old and well-known Ohio River pilot. Will- iam Rion Hoel was born in Sharon, Butler Co., Ohio, March 7, 1824; after a short term at St. Xavier's College, in Cincinnati, he, at a very young age, went on board the steamer Congress to " learn the river," under instructions of his father. "The boy was father to the man " in this as in other instances, and such was his application and assiduity, that in the remarkably short time of eighteen months he was " standing watch " for himself. Young William fol- lowed the vicissitudes and hardships of piloting in those early days of Ohio River navigation with a persistence and continuity characteristic of him until he was complete master of his profession, and there was no break between him and his career as pilot until 1861, at which time the war began, and he entered the service, still a pilot, at St. Louis. This position was soon resigned for that of First Master on the iron-clad gunboat Cincinnati; then he became Executive Officer on the flagship Benton; then, when the Eastport was built, he became Executive Officer of that vessel; then took command of the Pitts- burg, and after this commanded the ram Vindicator, as A. V. L. Lieutenant Commander. For gallantry at Island No. 10, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and after the fight at Grand Gulf Lieut. Hoel was made Lieutenant. Com- mander, an honor never before conferred upon a volunteer in the whole previous history of the U. S. Navy. While in command of the Pittsburg, he gallantly led the fight at Grand Gulf.

He afterward was assigned to the Vindicator, of which he retained command until the close of the war. It was at the famous running of the blockade, at Island No. 10, however, that Commander Hoel won his most conspicuous laurels for dauntless daring and executive ability. Those who were cotemporaries with the occurrences of those days will readily recall the heroic action; but later generations may require a brief description: On the morning of April 4, 1863, Commodore Foote began making preparations for running the blockade, and Commander H. Walker's vessel, the Carondelet, was chosen for the important duty. At that time Capt. Dick Wade was Executive Officer of the Carondelet, but Capt. Hoel volunteered to act in his stead on this occasion, saying to Capt. Wade, " You have a family, while I have none," and

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his offer was accepted. The vessel was at once defended as much as possible on its exposed side. A barge containing bales of hay was lashed to its side; coils of chain plank of a dismantled barge, cord-wood, etc., were also used for protection against the possible attacks of the enemy. An eleven-inch hawser was coiled around the pilot-house as high as the windows, and other precautions suggested by the circumstances were taken to guard the vessel during her peril- ous trip past the fortress. Mr. C. B. Boynton, in his sketches of "Service of the Navy," speaks of this remarkable achievement, which he styles, " a work which only bold and brave men could perform," as follows: "At 10 o'clock the moon had gone down and the sky, the land and river were alike hidden in the black shadow of the thunder-cloud, which had now spread itself over all the heavens. The time seemed opportune for starting; the order was given; the lines were cast off, and, with her barge of hay on one side and another with coal on the starboard side, the gunboat rounded out heavily and slowly and laid her course down the river. In order to avoid the puffing sound of the high- pressure engine, the escape steam was conducted into the wheel-house, where its harsh voice was muffled-a device which probably led to their discovery by the fire from the chimneys. For half a mile everything went smoothly and quietly, and all thought they might succeed in passing the batteries unobserved, when suddenly a bright steady flame rose several feet high from both chimneys, and for a moment the steamer appeared to be carrying aloft two immense torches to light her on her way. Her upper decks and all about her brightened for a moment in the red glare. Strange as it appears, what was deemed by all a very serious accident, which would bring upon them at once the enemy's fire, caused no movement in the hostile batteries. When nearly opposite the upper fort the chimneys again took fire, and then at once the sentinels there gave the alarm to the fort below. Signal rockets were sent up both from the mainland and the island, and a cannon shot came from Fort No. 2. It was evident that the alarm was now general. Not a shot, however, came from the upper bat- tery, and this showed how thoroughly its dangerous guns had been silenced by the bold men who had landed and spiked them. This and the drifting away of the floating battery had much to do with the safety of the Carondelet. But one course was now possible for the officers of the gunboat. The vessel was at once put under a full head of steam, and was urged on at her utmost speed, for the rebels were now making swift preparations at every gun which could be brought to bear. She was exposed to the fire of forty-seven guns. The storm was then at its height, and its fearful character, which would have been dan- gerous at any other time, was welcomed as increasing the chances of escape. The darkness was so intense as to shut out earth and heaven alike, except as lighted for an instant by the lightning's glare, or the flame of the cannon. The gleam and roar of the guns of the batteries could scarcely be distinguished from the flash and the thunder of the cloud. The fires of heaven and earth were so mingled that none could tell whether the deck was shaken by the explosion above or the cannon below. The rain fell in the sweeping torrents of a summer shower. Shot and shell, and rifle and musket balls, sang, shrieked and roared around them, so as to be heard) above the storm. Each flash of

lightning revealed the rebels, loading, training and firing their guns as the boat came within range. The steamer could also be seen for a moment, but as she was moving swiftly with the current, it was nearly impossible to get her range, and it was evident that only a chance shot would strike her. Most of the shot and shell flew high above Ler, because the alterations of light and darkness were so rapid as to deceive the gunners in regard to the gunboat's position. She was much nearer to them than they thought, and they fired. therefore, at a wrong elevation. The boat was kept as close to the shore as she

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could safely run, where, indeed, it would have been difficult to depress their guns so as to strike her, even had she been plainly seen. At this point their greatest danger was not from the batteries. The current was not only rapid, but it shifted from side to side with the sharp curves of the stream, and bars ran out from either shore. The intense darkness prevented the pilots from know- ing the exact position of the boat, and they could learn it only as they caught glimpses of the shore by the flashes of lightning. On the forecastle the lead was kept going and the depth of the water was constantly reported. Yet with every precaution, and in spite of watchfulness, the steamer was often in peril. It contributed largely to her safety that she had on board Capt. Hoel, First Master of the Cincinnati, who had been engaged in navigating the Mississippi for more than twenty years. This gentleman stood on the deck, exposed to the double shower of rain and bullets, and watching for each momentary rev- elation which the lightning made, gave directions for steering the boat. The gleam of the lightning, the frequent report of the soundings, and his intimate knowledge of localities, enabled Capt. Hoel to judge correctly, in the main, of the gunboat's position. Once, however, during the passage, she was in immi- nent danger of being lost. The steamboat and her barges presented, of course, a very large surface to the current, and this gave her occasionally a heavy sheer. In the darkness and the blinding rush of the storm, these could not always, on the instant, be noticed. Caught at one time by the swift stream, she was drifting toward a dangerous bar, where she would have grounded under the guns of the batteries, when a broad flash lit up the river, and it had hardly faded before the sharp, twice repeated, " hard-a-port " rang through the boat. She obeyed her helm and regained the current just in time to save her. Three miles below, the floating battery, which had grounded there, fired a few harm- less shots, and then the peril was over, and exulting cheers burst from the crew and the soldiers, signal guns were fired announcing their safety to the fleet above, and soon the gunboat rounded to at New Madrid, and was welcomed by cheers and bonfires, and every possible demonstration of joy." Capt. Hoel was first married to Miss Mary Riley, daughter of Mr. Daniel Riley, of Cincinnati; the offspring of this marriage, which, although brief, was an exceedingly happy one, was one child, which died in infancy. In 1855, Capt. Hoel made a balloon ascension with Mons. Godard. The aerial excursion started from Cincinnati and terminated at night, three miles south of Waynesville, on the farm of George E. Smith. Mr. Smith extended the hospitalities of his mansion to the stranded and more or less damaged sky navigators. Capt. Hoel, becoming infatuated with the beauty and fertility of the Little Miami Valley, bought a farm two miles east of Waynesville, which he christened "Kildere." In 1867, he formed one of a party who visited Europe and the Holy Land in the Quaker City. Capt. Hunt, by his last wife, Miss Elizabeth Hunt, had two children, Sarah Elizabeth, born Dec. 18, 1869, and Rion, born Sept. 15, 1871. For several years after the war he abandoned the river and devoted his time to improving and beautifying his home, which he spared neither care nor generous expendi- ture of money to render such a place as his best conception of a home should be. Yet his active temperament could not endure the uninterrupted seclusion of rustic life for many years with out, at times, pining for the bustling career he had left behind him, and in 1877, being tendered the command of the Light- house Service, he accepted and was put in command of the Light-house steamer Lily. At first his duty lay from Pittsburgh to New Orleans; but when the service was revised he plied between Pittsburgh and Cairo. Faithful service characterized his command in this as in all previous positions, and a material reduction in the expenses of the Government was made by his judicious and economical management. This engagement was only terminated by death.

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Hedied May 23, 1879, from the effects of a pistol shot. His home was a beau- tiful place; and there, in the smiles and caresses.of his children, the austerities of his aquatic career dissolved as snow in the presence of sunshine; and no children were more fondly beloved and tenderly cared for than those who brightened and made merry his hilltop retreat. Capt. Hoel perished while yet in the prime of vigorous manhood, when it seemed he could have defied death in its most resistless form, while all his faculties and forces were at their zenith, and he will continue to be mourned as only heroes and kindly hearts can be lamented, by hosts of friends who honored him while living, and cherish and keep ever green by their tears the laurels that bestrow his untimely grave. His dust lies beside that of his youthful bride and that of their infant child, in Spring Grove Cemetery. A handsome memorial window in St. Mary's Epis- copal Church, Waynesville, bears this inscription: "In memory of a noble man: William Rion Hoel, one of the founders of this Church; died May 23, 1879." Mrs. Hoel still resides upon the home-place, where she has a beautiful location, on a high and pleasant elevation, with all the comforts and con- veniences constituting a pleasant home and residence.

REEVE HOLLAND, retired carpenter and builder, Waynesville, was born in New Jersey, Jan. 24, 1808; is a son of James and Hannah (Reeves) Holland, natives of New Jersey. The grandparents were John and Jane Hol- land, natives of New Jersey, the ancestors being of Scotch-Irish descent. James and family emigrated to Ohio, and located near Waynesville in 1817, being among the early settlers of this county. He was a weaver by trade, and soon after he came here located in Waynesville, where he followed his trade the most of his life; he died in Waynesville about 1857, aged 85 years; his wife died about 1861, aged 85 years. They had ten children, six now survive- Reeve, Franklin, Wesley, Maria (now Mrs. Parker, residing at Camp Dennison), Ruth Ann (now Mrs. Bodine, residing at Madisonville), and Emiline (now Mra. Leatcham, residing in Iowa). The subject of this sketch was but 9 years of age when their family came to this new county, and here he was raised and grew to manhood, fully accustomed to all the rough scenes of those early days; was married, Jan. 21, 1835, to Sarah, daughter of Abraham and Ellen Bow- man, natives or Virginia, but who emigrated to Kentucky, where they resided till 1817, when they removed to Warren County and located near Waynesville, where they lived and died; they had eleven children; five now survive-John, living in Indiana; Didema, now Widow Carr, living in Iowa; Sarah, and Mary Ann, now Mrs. Retallick. Mr. Holland and wife have had four children, all deceased; the youngest Joel Marshall, grew to manhood and gave promise of becoming a prominent man. During the administration of President Lincoln, he was appointed United States Mail Agent, on the C. C. R. R., which office he filled about one year; thence assumed the duties of the Distributing De- partment in the Post Office at Cincinnati, where, after a few months' service was prostrated with sickness and returned home, where he died, Sept. 26, 1862, aged about 24 years, his young, promising life being thus early cut off. Mr. Holland when sixteen years of age learned the carpenter trade, and became one of the best and most prominent builders of that day; erecting a large number of the buildings in Waynesville and vicinity. In 1863, Mr. Holland retired from all active business, having acquired a good competency. He has resided on- the property where he now lives for forty-five years; has erected a good substantial frame house, and has everything comfortable and convenient around him; where he and his companion have lived for almost half a century, and can now enjoy the fruits of their labors under their "own vine and fig-tree."

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JOSIAH HOUGH, tile manufacturer, Raysville; born in Lancaster Co., Penn., Oct. 5, 1823; is a son of Townsend and Catharine Hough; he was a native of Peach Bottom, Penn., and was a descendent of John Hough and his wife Hannah Janney. Townsend Hough married Catherine Mccurdy, and came to Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio, June 23, 1838. His paternal grandpar- ents were Jonathan Hough, of New Jersey, and Ann Michner, his wife. Jona- than Hough's great-grandfather was the John Hough above mentioned of Penn's Colony, who was drowned in attempting to swim the Delaware, to meet the Provincial Assembly, of which he was a member. The subject of this sketch was in his 15th year, when his father's family came to Warren Co., Ohio; here he grew to maturity; was married Oct. 1, 1843, to Miss Phebe, daughter of Amos and Margaret (Blackford) Kelsey, natives of Kentucky, but who came among the early settlers of this county; the Kelsey family located near the north line of Clear Creek Township, and the Blackford family near Ridge- ville. Amos Kelsey was a son of Daniel Kelsey. Margaret Blackford was a daughter of Nathaniel Blackford, who settled near Ridgeville about 1797, one of the first pioneers. Amos and Margaret Kelsey were parents of eleven children; five now survive-Phebe, Amos, Albert, Jane and Mollie. Mr. Hough and wife have had twelve children; six now survive -- Amos, Catherine (now Mrs. Thomas Johns), William, Charles, Ida (now Mrs. Charles Hosier), and Nettie. Mr. Hough first located in Clear Creek Township, and engaged for several years in farming. About 1869, he removed to Raysville and engaged in the mercantile trade, till the spring of 1874, when he formed a partnership with Mr. Edwin Sweny in the manufacture of tile, which business he has since followed. They are devoting their whole attention to this business, and are doing an extrensive trade. They manufacture the best of tile, and have a sale for all they can make. Mr. Hough is a very active, industrious man, and takes great interest in all public improvements and progress of his community. He has been Assessor and Trustee of his township, and is one of the substantial citizens of this community.

WILLIAM HUMPHREYS, cooper; P. O. Waynesville; born in Washington Township, this County, Dec. 13, 1829, is the son of James and Elizabeth (Long) Humphreys, natives of New Jersey, who emigrated to Ohio and located in this county in 1815, and here opened out a farm from the woods, and passed through the trials and deprivations of pioneer life, and died on the same farm where he first located, departing this life Feb., 9, 1879, aged nearly eighty-seven years; his wife died Jan. 31, 1855. Of the thirteen children born to them, eight now survive, viz., John L., Lewis, David L., Tamson L., Will- iam, Elizabeth, James and Sarah E. Mr. Humphreys was thrice married; first to Phebe Rose, by whom he had two children-one now surviving-Hannah, now Mrs. Stearns, residing in Illinois His third and last wife was Sarah Riley, to whom he was united in marriage March 12, 1856, and with whom he lived till his death. Mr. Humphreys made a continued residence on his farm in Washington Township of sixty-three years-a period of time equaled by but few even of the pioneers. He was one of the permanent and prominent farm- ers of that township, and was Township Trustee for many years. Our subject remained with his father till his majority, brought up to farm labor; then he worked at sundry places for wages for a time, when he finally learned the cooper trade; was married, June 22, 1854, to Margaret, daughter of Phillip and Ann Hawke, natives of England, who were parents of thirteen children, of whom three now survive -Philip, Mary Ann and Margaret. Mr. Hawke was thrice married. By his first wife he had two children, both now deceased. By his second wife be had two children-one surviving-John. Mr. Hawke departed this life in England. Oct. 8, 1848, aged 71 years. In 1853, his widow

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and her family emigrated to Ohio and located in Warren County. She died at Waynesville, Nov. 4, 1858, aged 69 years. Mr. Humphreys and wife have had five children, all deceased but one-Ann Elizabeth. Mr. Hum- phreys has followed coopering and made that his principal business for thirty years. He located in Corwin in April, 1872, where he is still carrying on the cooper business.

JOHN HUNT, farmer; P. O. Dodds. We find that the Hunt family descended from two brothers, who came from England to America prior to the Revolution and settled in New Jersey, when these States were colonies of En- gland, and of their descendants, Ralph Hunt was the grandfather of our subject and was born and raised in New Jersey and married Rachel Campbell, a lady of Scotch descent, but born and raised in New Jersey. In 1765, they removed into Pennsylvania; thence about 1772, removed to Union District, South Caro- lina, where he died in 1803; his wife died several years prior to his death. They had six sons and four daughters, all now deceased, of whom John, the second son and third child, was the father of our subject, and was born in Pennsylvania, Sept. 27, 1768; hence, was four years of age when they moved to South Carolina, and there he grew to manhood and married Jane Little. In November 1805, they came to Ohio, crossing the mountains to Kentucky, thence to Ohio and located on Sec. 15, Wayne Township, Warren Co., making the entire trip with wagons. They arrived here Dec. 3, and opened out right in the woods, and at once erected a temporary structure in shape of a shed for immediate shelter; then as soon as possible cut down timber and erected a primitive round-log cabin with puncheon floor, and thus commenced in true pioneer style to make a home and a farm. Here they toiled and labored, grad- ually opening out the forest and making visible some degree of progress, when in July, 1811. Mr. Hunt was called to mourn the death of his wife. By her he had five children-three grew to maturity-all now deceased. Rebecca, and Rachel died in childhood; Ralph married Mary Wolf, had five children, all deceased; Jane married Vatchel Tharp, both deceased; and Anna married Thomas Wilgus-left two children, who married and resided in Miami Co., Ohio. On Jan. 15, 1815, Mr. Hunt married for his second wife, Mrs. Rachel Morey, whose maiden name was Jones, a native of Pennsylvania and came to Ohio in 1798. She, by Mr. Morey, had one son, Carpenter, who was twice married, first to Amy Kirby, who died in 1835; his second wife was Mrs. Elizabeth Hawkins. He died in 1856, leaving five children. One son and one daughter reside in Iowa, one daughter in Indiana and one daughter, Mary Har- ford, in Morrow, Warren Co., Ohio. Mr. Hunt by his second wife, had three children, Mary, Sarah and John. Mr. Hunt died July 20, 1855; his wife died Sept. 5, 1858. Mr. Hunt was one of those noble pioneers whose life was made up of honesty and integrity of character-one who did a great amount of hard pioneer work, the fruits of which his children and future generations may con-

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 103

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1081

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081