The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 104

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

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tinue to reap and enjoy for years to come. He had the full confidence of his community and held several offices in his township; was Township Trustee and School Director. He lived and died honored and respected by all who knew him. Mary, the eldest of his last children, and John, the youngest child and only son, were born and raised on the old home place, where they still reside unmarried. Mary was born Nov. 9, 1815; John was born Dec. 5, 1819; Sarah, the second daughter, was born Oct, 5, 1817, married Thomas B. Elsey, by whom she had one daughter and one son who grew to maturity, George and Eva. Mr. Elsey died Aug. 28, 1858. Our subject, like his father, is modest and reserved in his habits, never desiring office, but has by the wishes of the people, served as Township Trustee and School Director; is an excellent neighbor and a good citizen.

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CHARLES L. JANNEY, farmer and horticulturist; P. O. Waynesville; was born in Loudoun Co., Va., Feb. 22, 1831; is a son of James M. and Sarah A. (Lupton) Janney, natives of Virginia. The grandparents were Abel and Lydia (Mendenhall) Janney, also natives of Virginia. Abel was a son of Jonas Janney, who lived and died in Virginia, the ancestors of whom trace back to their originator in this country, Thomas Janney, and his wife Margery, who emigrated from England to Pennsylvania in 1683; he died Dec. 12, 1696. His descendants came among the early settlers of Virginia, and most of them, from Thomas down to the present generations, were and are members of the Society of Friends, and as such have possessed the principles of good-will and peace to all men; opposed to war, and strong advocates of the Anti-Slavery cause. Abel and family, in 1833, emigrated to Ohio, and located in Spring- boro, Warren Co .; here he resided about four years; then moved into Greene County, and purchased three farms about six miles east of Xenia; there he died in fall of 1848, aged about 75 years; his wife survived him about twenty years, and died near Waynesville, having moved with her son Jonas to Warren County in spring of 1853; she reached nearly 91 years of age. They had three chil- dren-Nancy, James M. and Jonas; the latter the only one now living. James M., the father of our subject, with his family, in company with his father and family, at above date, came to Warren County and located at Springboro, where James M. entered upon mercantile trade till 1838; he retired from that busi- ness, and purchased the place known as the Edward Thomas farm, in Wayne Township, where he resided till his death, April 10, 1864, aged 60 years; his wife survives him, and now resides in Waynesville, aged 76 years. They had seven children-Charles L., William P., Edward E., Samuel L., Lewis W., Mary, and Louisa, now Mrs. Walter Zell. Mr. Janney in many respects was a remarkable man; was an earnest and ardent supporter of the Society of Friends, with whom he was identified all his life; a man of undoubted integrity, very just and exact in all his dealings with his fellow-men; a careful and correct business man; a good financier, and successful in all his undertakings. He had a great taste for and devoted himself largely to writing, being an exten- sive contributor to many of the papers of the day; and his poetical productions are numerous and extensive, and of a high order, many of which have never been published, but are held as valuable mementoes in possession of his family. Our subject was in his 3d year when brought to this county, and here grew to manhood; was married Nov. 15, 1855, to Hannah B., daughter of Wesley and Susan Haines (whose history appears in sketch of Mr. Haines); issue, one child-Walter H., born Dec. 3, 1858. Mr. Janney first located where he now lives, and has now resided for twenty-five years. This place was known as the Thomas Thomas farm; it consists of 60 acres of good land, good buildings and improvements; the dwelling is built of stone, and was erected in 1806, having now withstood the elements of time for three-quarters of a cen- tury, and its walls are still as substantial as ever. Mr. Janney is an enthusi- astic horticulturist, and has devoted his main energies in this field of labor. He has cultivated and prepared the grounds and surroundings of his home with care and taste, being ornamented with evergreens, ornamental trees, flowers and shrubbery, constituting a beautiful home and residence. His green-house is filled with flowers and plants of new and choice specimens, and is now giving special attention to the cultivation of palms. Thus Mr. Janney has attached to his farm and home an interest which is ennobling and beautifying in its nature, and from which he is enabled to derive the greatest pleasures of his life. NATHAN JONES, farmer; P. O. Waynesville; born in Wayne Township, June 21, 1831; is a son of Nathan and Margaret (Hawkins) Jones; he a native of New Jersey and she of Ohio. The grandparents were Samuel and Drucilla Jones,

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who, it is believed, were born in New Jersey, and he died in his native State; the ancestors were of Scotch descent. Nathan, the father, about 1820, then a young man, emigrated with his mother and her family to Ohio, and located in Warren County; here his mother died May 9, 1847, aged 87 years. Mr. Jones married Margaret Hawkins, by whom he had ten children, two now survive-Nathan and Benjamin F. Mr. Jones was a farmer by occupation, a very unassuming man, never holding or desiring office, but a man of strict integrity, careful, just and exact in all his dealings; commencing in life a poor man, by his own labor and industry he obtained a good competency; was a good neighbor and a worthy citizen. He died July 31, 1865, aged 68 years, his wife is still living, and resides with her son, at Mooresville, Ind. Our subject was married April 29. 1852, to Mary Jane, daughter of Seth and Sarah Cartwright, whose history appears in sketch of Septimus Cartwright in this work; issue, four children, three now survive-Samuel T., born Oct. 12, 1853; Laura J., Oct. 2, 1855, now Mrs. Frank Zell, and John W., born Aug. 29, 1866. The maternal grandparents were Isaac and Mary Hawkins, natives of South Carolina, who were among the pioneers settling here in 1803. Mr. Jones has spent his life in this township, devoting his attention to farming as a business; has been a resident on the farm where he now lives about twenty-three years; has erected and remodeled the buildings and made improvements till he now has a very pleasant home and farmer's residence.

CAPT. JAMES A. KEARNEY. druggist and Postmaster, Waynesville; born in county of Kerry, Ireland, Jan. 24, 1846; is a son of Patrick and Sophia (Apjohn) Kearney, natives of Ireland. Mr. Kearney was a civil Engineer in his native country, which business he followed till 1849, when he with his family emigrated to America, and soon after located in Cincinnati. In the building of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, Mr. Kearney entered into contract and built several miles of the road, and like hundreds of other contractors and stockholders, sank thousands of dollars, as the company broke up and paid but little of its indebtedness. In 1865, Mr. Kearney came to this county and located on a farm near Waynesville, for the improvement of his health, which seemed to be in a decline; here he died Jan. 10, 1874, aged 74 years; his widow is still living, now residing with our subject in Waynesville. Their children numbered seven, of whom six now survive-Dr. Thomas H., Anna O., Sophia; Mary, now Mrs. Sweet; Kate, now Mrs. Egan; and James A. Our subject was 3 years of age when brought to this country, and here was raised and brought up under American institutions, and in this noble " Buckeye" State, and it seems imbibed the true spirit of our free institutions, for at the trial of our Government's strength in the war of the rebellion he came forward to her support by enlisting Aug. 8, 1861, in the naval service, being at the time in his 16th year of age. He served about two and one-half years and resigned, returning to Cincinnati; after which he was engaged in various capac- ities in the employ of the Government. till the close of the war, after which Mr. Kearney engaged in mercantile trade at sundry places in the States of Alabama and Arkansas; thence for a time engaged in the employ of railroad companies in the South. In the fall of 1877, Mr. Kearney returned to Waynes- ville and engaged as a clerk in the drug business; and in the spring of 1880, he purchased a new stock of drugs and entered upon trade on his own account; and April 22, 1881, received the apppintment as Postmaster of Waynes- . ville.

SAMUEL KELLY, farmer; P. O. Waynesville; born in South Carolina Nov. 17, 1798; is a son of Samuel and Hannah (Pearson) Kelly, natives of South Carolina The grandfather was John Kelly, born in Ireland, who with one brother Samuel and one sister Abigail, were brought to America by their

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father about 1750. Samuel married Ann Belton, whose daughter married Hugh O'Neall (see sketch of Abijah and George O'Neall); Abigail married a man by the name of Millhouse, a native of Ireland; John married Mary Evans of Pennsylvania, had six sons and one daughter-Isaac. who married Merris Gaunt; Anna, married Abijah O'Neall; Samuel (our subject); Timothy, who died at 16 years of age; John, who married Amy Devenpore, and lived and died in South Carolina; Robert, who married Sarah Paty; and Moses, who married Mary Teager. John, the grandfather, located in South Carolina, and like most of the people of that day become a slave-owner. Having one slave peculiarly attractive and interesting, he promised him if he would be good and faithful he would make him free; this pleased the slave very much, but finally he became so anxious to gain his freedom, that he concluded to try and expe- dite the matter by bringing about the death of Mr. Kelly; so this plan was carried out, and Mr. Kelly was poisoned by a fatal dose administered by the slave. Isaac, being the eldest of his sons (who are above mentioned), accord- ing to the custom of that time, came in possession of the property of his father, and at his death Samuel succeeded in possession of the estates. After getting the estate settled, he moved with his family further up into what was known as the "Newbury District" on the Bush River. During the war of the Revolu- tion his father had lost a great deal of property, taken from them by the Tories. Mr. Kelly continued to reside in the Newbury District, till in the year 1800, he with his family emigrated to Ohio, and located in Warren County. But prior to leaving their native State, he freed all his slaves, but two old and feeble ones, whom they brought with them, and kept them as long as they lived; they were provided with a cabin by themselves, and one night the cabin took fire, and the wife was burned to death. In 1798, prior to above date, Mr. Kelly and Abijah O'Neall left South Carolina on horseback, and visited this county prospecting for a home, having previously purchased 3,000 acres of land in this county, as they determined to get clear of slavery. They returned to South Carolina, and Mr. O'Neall returned with his family to Ohio; but Mr. Kelly had to dispose of his property and settle up his affairs, and having ac. complished this, as stated above in 1800, he with his family removed to War- ren County, and located on the place where Samuel now lives; here he com- menced in true log-cabin and pioneer life, being one of the first settlers of the township. But they could never find the full 3,000 acres of land; some fraud was perpetrated upon their titles, but finally scattered here and there in va- rious counties they obtained titles of about 2,000 acres. Here Mr. Kelly lived till his death, having performed his alloted pioneer work; he died Feb. 4, 1851, aged 91 years; his wife died July 26, 1839, aged 74 years. They had eight children-Mary, Isaac, John, Timothy, Samuel, Moses (died in infancy), Moses and Anna-all now desceased but Samuel, our subject. Mr. Kelly was a true pioneer and remarkable for his kindness and hospitality; as he was one of the first settlers in this neighborhood, many who came later found shelter and wel- come under his roof; "the latch-string of his door" was always out, and the cold and hungry, or weary traveler, or emigrant, ever found succor and relief at his friendly hands. He was also the leading, active spirit in establishing the first Society of Friends at Waynesville, the meetings being frequently held at his residence, prior to the erecting of the house of worship; and during his life he was a devoted and diligent attendant of their meetings, and took great delight in reading the Scriptures. His upright life was lengthened out to many years; and when the frosts of fourscore and ten years had whitened his locks, the true beauty of his Christian character shown forth more bright- ly, his very countenance beaming with the joy within him; his cheerfulness and child-like simplicity won the esteem and respect of all, and even his chil-

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drens's children arise up and call him blessed. Our subject was 2 years of age when brought to this county; here was raised and grew to manhood, inured to the roughness of log-cabin life. Mr. Kelly has been thrice married; first to Aschsah Stubbs; issue, four children, three now living-Isaac, Anna and Han- nah; second, to Ruth A. Gause, May 3, 1843; issue, two children (deceased); third, to Sarah Pine, April 30, 1868, with whom he lived till April 27, 1877, when she died. Mr. Kelly first located in Salem Township, where he resided eighteen years; thence, by request of his father, returned to the old home place, where he has since resided, and where are clustered all the fond reminiscences of his early childhood. He is now in his 83d year; has lived in this county over fourscore years; has seen vast changes take place; forests have disap- peared; log-cabins supplanted by fine frame and brick houses, and such gon- eral improvements that comfort and plenty now prevail, and future generations may reap the benefits arising from the vast labors of these noble and worthy ancestors.

LEVI H. KELLY, farmer; P. O. Waynesville; born on the farm where he now lives, Aug. 27, 1853; is a son of Moses and Ann (Hatton) Kelly; he was also born on this same farm, and she was born in Massie Township. For the ancestral history, see sketch of Samuel Kelly in this work. Moses was born Sept. 25, 1803; was raised and grew to manhood in this then wilderness of a country, fully inured to the deprivations and hardships of those early days. Mr. Kelly was twice married; first to Abigail H. Satterthwaite, by whom he had five children, two now survive-Ethan C. and Sarah S., who married Everard D. Roberts, Nov. 2, 1865, by whom she has three children-Abigail, Mary E., and Bertram K. . Mrs. Kelly died Feb. 26, 1843, aged 37 years. On May 1, 1850, he was united with Ann, daughter of Edward and Rachel (Lukens) Hatton, who were parents of eleven children, six now survive-Ann, Levi, George, Jervis, Mary and Deborah. Ann was born Sept. 4, 1819; by her Mr. Kelly had one child- Levi. Mr. Kelly passed his entire life upon the old homestead place where he was born and raised; was a man of firm principles and undoubted character; a good citizen and neighbor, and a devoted member of the Society of Friends. He departed this life July 19, 1878, aged 75 years. Our subject grew to man- hood, brought up on the old homestead place; was married Oct. 12, 1876, to Harriet C., daughter of Arnold and Harriet Sabine, whose history, and that of the ancestors, is given in sketch of Arnold Sabine, in this work. By this union they have had two children, one now surviving-Alice Hortense. Mr. Kelly located upon the old home farm, and since his father's death the farm has been divided between the three children, Levi taking that portion embracing the buildings and improvements of the old homestead, where his grandfather first located and began to open out in the unbroken forest. This farm has now been in possession of the Kelly family for fourscore years; is very beautifully located on a high elevation, giving a fine view of the surrounding country and of the town of Waynesville.

JUDGE JOHN W. KEYS. This gentleman was born at Hulmeville (Old Milford) in Bucks Co., Penn., on the 28th of August, 1814. His father was of Irish and Scotch extraction, and was born and partly raised in Philadelphia, and his mother was of German and Welsh origin, and was raised in Salem Co., N. J. In 1819, his father, a tanner and currier by trade (which trade he learned at Attleboro, Penn., serving as an apprentice nine years eleven · months and fourteen days), emigrated to Ohio with his family, consisting of himself, wife and three children, and located at Waynesville, arriving there in October. This was his residence until the time of his death, which occurred in January, 1830. This event left the family, comprising his wife and seven children-tive sons and two daughters-with no pecuniary resources whatever.

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The oldest child, the subject of this sketch, was then only 15 years old. But Mrs. Keys was a woman of rare executive ability, and proved herself amply equal to the situation, in which the most of women would have failed. She inspired her children with the same self-reliance, courage and hope that dwelt in her, and procured for them such employment as they were able to discharge, thus early initiating them into the stern realities of life, and developing in them the elements of a substantial manhood and womanhood. That this mother has lived to see her children all useful and respected members of society is a matter of special congratulation. She still resides in Waynesville with her daughters, her health fair and mind good, in the 94th year of her age, at which place also resides three of her sons, with their families-John W., Joseph G. and Isaac E. The second son, William, served in the war of the rebellion, and died at Chattanooga, in January. 1864. The third son, Thomas J., settled in California in 1850; he has served in both branches of the Legislature, besides filling other positions of importance and honor. Her father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The first sixteen years of the life of the subject of this sketch, his labors were upon a farm; he then went to Lebanon, where he served over three years as an apprentice at the cabinet and undertaking business, and subsequently served about the same length of time as a journeyman. In 1836, he commenced the business of his trade in Waynesville, which he continued until 1876, and during that time there were preparations made at his shop for the burial of about two thousand persons. In February, 1842, he was married to Miss Sarah B. French, a native of New Jersey, and by this union there were born unto them six children, three sons and three daughters, but one daughter and one son, and two grandchildren of a deceased daughter, only, survive them. Judge Keys' facilities for acquiring an education were quite limited; the cir- cumstances of the family after the death of his father prevented him from attend- ing school, with the exception of fourteen days, but by a faithful improvement of occasional periods of leisure, he acquired quite an extensive fund of general information, which qualified him for various positions of honor and influence, which he has since filled. In 1839, he was honored with the office of Mayor of Waynesville; in 1842, he was elected a Justice of the Peace, which office he filled for thirty years, with the exception of a single term, during which time he served one year as Township Clerk, one year as Corporation Recorder, seve- ral years as Village Councilman, and about twenty years as a Notary Public. One thing especially characterized his administration as a Justice of the Peace, and exemplified to a great degree his natural kindness of heart and magnan- imity of nature. In numerous instances where complaints were laid before him, arising from petty differences between neighbors, he exerted his influence to have them amicably settled without a resort to litigation, and thus many a wrangling law-suit was prevented by his timely counsel, evincing a less desire to pocket a fee than to secure and preserve the peace of the community. This liberal course, continued through a justiceship of upward of a quarter of a cen- tury, secured for him a host of friends. In the fall of 1872, he was elected Probate Judge of the county, which position he held from the last of October of that year until the 9th of February, 1879, and therein rendered himself very acceptable to the people by the efficiency, promptness and fidelity with which he discharged the duties of the office. He is a man of more than ordinary natu- ral ability, and possessed of a very discriminating judgment, a remarkable memory, and of perceptive faculties of unusual acuteness and activity; hence . his conclusions, which are quickly reached, are safe and sound. The Judge is a genial gentleman, modest and unassuming, and though firm and decided in his opinions, and bold and fearless in expressing them upon proper occasions, he never seeks to intrude them upon others. He carries a heart big with benev-

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olence and liberality, and is very warm in his attachments to the neighbor- hood in which he has so long resided. He began life without position or fort- une, but by frugality, industry and strict integrity, has acquired some prop- erty, and now enjoys the fruits of his toil, together with the esteem of his fel- low citizens.

HIRAM KILBON, general store; P. O. Waynesville; born in Waynesville, Sept. 19, 1840; is a son of John T. and Julia Ann(Appleton) Kilbon. He is a native of Worcester Co., Mass., and she of New Jersey. The maternal grand- father, Jesse Appleton, was born in New Jersey, March 22, 1799, grew to man- hood and married, and became the father of five children, of whom only one now survives, Andrew Mode. In 1836, Mr. Appleton with his family emi- grated to Ohio and located at Waynesville, where for a time he ran a woolen factory. In 1849, his wife died. In 1851, he married Mrs. Maria Braddock, daughter of Josiah and Mercy Steward. Mrs. Braddock by her first husband had six children, two now living-Martha Jane, now Mrs. Thompson; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Dunham. About 1849, Mr. Appleton purchased a woolen factory on Cæ- sar Creek, which he ran about twenty years; then he engaged in farming for a few years, when from advanced years, he retired from all active labor, and has since resided with Mr. Kilbon; is now in his 83d year, having greatly surpassed the " threescore years and ten," the allotted age of man. John T. Kilbon, born and raised in Massachusetts, was brought up to the boot and shoe manu- facturing business. About 1837, he emigrated to Ohio and located at Waynes- ville and here carried on the manufacture of boots and shoes; was married Dec. 17, 1839. In 1849, he moved to Illinois, first to Greene County, thence to Mason County, thence to Scott County, where he died, Dec. 31, 1863, aged 52 years; his wife died July 31, 1865, aged nearly 46 years. Of six children born to them, all died in infancy but two -- Hiram, and Julia Ann, now Mrs. James A. Lloyd, residing in Clinton Co., Ohio. Mr. Kilbon carried on the boot and shoe business but a short time, then entered upon the grocery trade, which business he conducted with success for many years and accumulated a good competency, after which he entered upon some speculations which proved un fort- unate, and he met with heavy losses. Our subject remained with his father, assisting him in the grocery business, till 18 years of age; then he labored on a farm till the war of the rebellion. On Aug. 20, 1862, he enlisted in the 129th Ill. V. I., and served through the war; was discharged at Washington, June 8, 1865, having been engaged in the battles of Buzzards' Roost, Resaca, Nashville, Decatur and others, and fortunately escaped without a wound. Mr. Kilbon was married, April 19, 1866, to Miss Rebecca M., daughter of Charles and Maria Braddock, natives of New Jersey; had one child, Ola M .; his wife died Sept. 23, 1870, aged 24 years. On April 11, 1872, he was married to Miss Sarah A. Braddock, by whom he has three children, viz., Walter J., Sarah Etta and Julia M. In August, 1866, Mr. Kilbon located at Corwin and opened out in the grocery trade, and from year to year has increased his stock and business until he now has a large stock of goods embracing everything usually kept in a general country store; has now been in business here fifteen years; has established a trade and a character for fair and honest dealing second to but few in the county; and, as is usual with that class of business men, has made a financial success. Mr. Kilbon's children were born

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 104

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