The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 83

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

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AMOS BABBITT is a deacon in the same family as the above; he was born in Washington County, Penn., Feb. 17, 1806; he is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Craft) Babbitt. His father joined the Shakers in 1817, previous to that time being a Presbyterian. He died in 1823. Amos was raised on the farm, and when 18 years of age learned shoemaking and carpentering, in both of which he became an adept. Being a natural mechanic, he is a valuable member of the society. He was appointed Deacon in 1838. In 1868, he was appointed First Elder, and in that capacity he continued until 1879, since which time he has been Deacon and Trustee.

S. R. BAILEY, P. O. Lebanon, was born in Limestone Co., Ala., Dec. 29, 1847. He was son of Samuel and Nancy Bailey. While yet a child, his father died. His mother was married to her second husband. In 1863, S. R. Bailey emigrated to Northern Ohio. Here he began his career without a dollar. His knowledge of books was scanty indeed, but to be thoroughly edu- cated was then the height of his ambition. During the fall of 1865, he man- aged to save $50, which he invested in Government Bonds. In the meantime he found employment in a factory in the city of Sandusky. There he remained about two years, during which he managed to save a few hundred dollars. In 1867, he lent as much of his money as he could spare to a wealthy farmer

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in Erie County, and entered the University of W There he remained about seven years, and graduate the fall of the same year, he went to Jackson, Mis country school in Hinds County. Having taught i city of Yazoo, Miss., and opened a notion sto 1875, but the lawless state of affairs made it un At the beginning of 1876, he closed out and retur Xenia on January 10, he was informed of an open Ohio, for a teacher. Accordingly, he made applic Principal in the department of the Union School ored youth, which position he still holds. On . Mary Stamps, of Blue Lick Springs, Kentucky, di to whose sole care and protection Mary and h were committed; and on the 20th of November, 188 of death from her only two children, Mary and Al there was born from the marriage of S. R. Bailey is named Alberta Allen Bailey.

REV. WILLIAM BELLER, farmer, P. O. Le Co., Ohio, Sept. 12, 1821. His parents were Jacob a the former a native of Virginia and the latter of attended the common schools of the county after v Academy of Lebanon. He also took a theological College, from which he graduated in 1854. Since · ister of the Christian denomination, and for seven gregation in Butler County. He is an enthusias principles and an earnest supporter of any work te the morality of the people. He was married in daughter of Thomas Hunter, and by her he has h viz., E. F., Flora May, Anna M., Ethie, Clara, O ner. Mr. B. is a Republican and has held many ( ship. He tempers his actions in all things with t] DAVID P. BENNETT, merchant, Lebanon Ohio, March 31, 1815; he is the son of David an both natives of New Jersey, the former of English an His father emigrated to Warren Co., Ohio, in 180€ Township, on what is now known as the "old B subject was born and reared. At the age of 18 ye the carpenter trade, which he followed sixteen yer which he has carried on continuously for over thir associated with him in business his son-in-law, All sixteen years his clerk. Mr. Bennett was married in a native of Pennsylvania, of Irish descent. By her, oldest, Robert S. M. Bennett, now a citizen of Chic: the rebellion, he enlisted in Co. G, 75th O. V. I., ward promoted to Orderly Sergeant. At the battle promoted to Adjutant, for bravery. Mr. Bennett now the wife of his business partner, A. M. Osbor who died in 1849. Mr. Bennett was a Whig unti organized, since which time he has been a stanch war, he was connected with the Christian commissic South, in one of which he witnessed the battle of : was to attend the wounded and dying; write lette were sick or disabled, and to do anything necessar ual welfare of the warring heroes. While neithe

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did not hesitate to do both or either, while among the soldiers. His influence is and has for many years been on the side of Christianity and the right. He is Ruling Elder in the church of his choice, and for sixteen consecutive years was a Sabbath school Superintendent. He was President of the Warren Co. S. S. Union for eight years, and resigned in 1877. He is an honest merchant, a consistent Christain, and a good citizen, who bears the respect and esteem of the whole county.

WILLIAM H. BEAN,* farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born on Section 25, in Turtle Creek Township, Warren Co., Ohio, Jan. 1, 1840. He is the son of Samuel and Mary (Snavely) Bean, natives of Lebanon Co .. Penn .; of German descent. Ha received his education at the National Normal School of Lebanon, graduating from the Commercial Department of that college in 1866. He has chosen fancy farming as his occupation, and while attending closely to it, he devotes a great deal of his time to the study of the sciences, especially natural history and botany. He is an enthusiast in all matters of science, and being by nature a naturalist and botanist, he has collected a quantity of very fine specimens in both these branches. He also raises the finer qualities of fruits and berries, and cultivates rare and valuable plants for his amusement. His exhibit is always one of the great attractions at the fairs annually given by the County Agricultural Society. He taught school for one year, and since 1875 has been Secretary of the Warren County Horticultural Society. He has served also as School Director and Treasurer of his school district. He is one of the live, energetic and enterprising young man of the county, aud has done much toward the advancement of science in his community. He was married in 1877, to Miss Alice Botkin, a daughter of Rev. Jesse Botkin, a Methodist Episcopal minister of the Cincinnati Conference. She is a graduate of Asbury University, which she attended until 1876. They have had one child-Edith K. Mr. and Mrs. Bean are living with his parents in Lebanon.

THOMAS H. BLAKE, Postmaster of Lebanon. Mr. Blake is a native of Burlington Co., N. J., where he was born, March 28, 1841, and when two years of age came with his parents to Warren Co., Ohio, and they set- tled near Waynesville. In 1843, his father died, and was followed in a very few years by his mother, leaving Thomas the youngest of four chil- dren, the eldest being John, who is still living. William, who died at Camp Chase, Ohio, a soldier in the 69th O. V. I., and one sister, Mary, who still lives at Freeport, in this county. The subject of our sketch was thus thrown upon the care of strangers, and worked his way as best he could, getting but little schooling. until, at 15 years of age, he struck out for, himself. At 19 he went to Illinois, where he enlisted as a private in the 41st Ill. V. I., on the 25th of July, 1861, and followed the varied fortunes of his command until the battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862, where he received a severe wound in the left thigh, in a charge on a rebel battery, from which portions of the bone were extract- ed, which he now has, preserved as a souvenir of his service, together with a lameness and debilitation of health that renders him yet an invalid. After fifteen months of intense suffering in hospital, he was brought to this county on a bed. about July 4, 1863, where he soon was able to be about once more, and though still suffering, he applied himself resolutely to study with a determina- tion to gain an education. He subsequently attended school at Lebanon, afterward attended a term at Delaware College, and then he entered the Normal school at Lebanon and prepared himself for teaching. He followed the profession of a teacher in the district schools of the county for six years.

*In the early history of the family in this country, as the various branches of it moved into the English settle- ment., remote from each other, different renditions or translations of the name were given. Our subject knowe at least of four different ways. His grandfathersettling near Utica, Warren Co., Ohio, in 1823, the nam , was spelled Bean to correspond with the German accent, although the proper translation and orthography Is Bien.

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In 1869, he received the appointment of Governm signed to duty at Germantown, Ohio. In the fall . office of Recorder of Warren Co., which positio: two terms that a re-election was tendered him; but he was obliged to decline. Always an active Re] self with his party and all its interests. He w Lebanon in December, 1878, and has held the pos isfaction of the people. On the 6th of July, 1866, at Lebanon. She was born near Lebanon, in 184 dren, named respectively. Zetta C, aged 11, and F after his army service, Mr. Blake became a memb which his wife is also a member, and he has lon O. O. F. Thus his life has been one of constant age unshaken and a faith undimmed, he has trodd an example of what may be accomplished by deter

JOHN BONE, retired farmer; P. O. Lebanon Township, Warren Co., Ohio, March 27, 1806; he child of twelve children, four boys and eight girls (Hart) Bone. His father emigrated to Ohio fron located on a farm two miles east of Lebanon. Hi from Virginia about 1802, and in 1803 married ot large family, two boys and two girls are the c received his education in his native township, and during the whole of his life. He was married, J Maple, a daughter of Elias Maple, of New Jersey. were born, viz., William V., Elias M., John, Jam Of these, three are prominent farmers of Warren and one, James H., is a U. S. Marshal in Huntsvill life with nothing; but, by industrious habits and f. a comfortable competency, on which he has retired acres of land near Lebanon and a considerable including the house where he now lives. He is a served his county as one of the Board of County C and as an Infirmary Director twelve years. He is ciples, sound judgment and rare business ability socially, none stand higher in the respect and than he.

WILLIAM V. BONE, farmer and stock dealı in Turtle Creek Township Feb. 25, 1829. His native of Warren Co., Ohio, and Christiann (Ma Jersey. Our subject has followed farming all bis been an extensive dealer in and raiser of live which he has made a specialty. He breeds, buy: breeds of horses. He has a fine farm of 125 ac: tidy appearance that marks it at once to the obser fect farmer. His fences are all standing straight, his barns, cribs and sheds are neatly whitewashed, bestowed on the place by the proprietor. He has £ all the large cities of this country, and many of the profit. He was married, April 11, 1850, to Miss Ar has four children, all now living, viz., Frank, the ] Warren County; Perry, a successful teacher of War of W. S. Dilatush, an attorney of Lebanon, and Steddom, a farmer of Warren County. Mr. Bo

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Directors of the Lebanon National Bank, and occupies a prominent position among the thrifty citizens of Warren County.

PETER BOYD, the lawful trustee of the Shakers, Lebanon, was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Aug. 28, 1806, and in 1807, came to Union Village with his parents who settled among the Shakers, with whom our subject has since lived. His parents, Daniel and Anna ( Clarke) Boyd, were both natives of Maryland and of German-English descent. Our subject, having learned shoe-making, worked at it ten years for the brethren. At 30 years of age, he became the trader for the West family, and three years afterward was appointed to the min- isterial charge with John Martin. He has held almost all the offices in the society, and is now, with Mr. Parkhurst, trustee of the four families. He is a large, well developed man, six feet high and well proportioned. His dealings with the people of Warren County have won for him a host of friends.

MARTIN BROWN, farmer; P. O. Lebanon: was born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Dec. 26, 1826. He was a son of Caleb and Mary (Adams) Brown, na- tives of Essex County, N. Y. His education consisted of instructions in read- ing from his sister, and twenty days' schooling in a country school. Since then, he has endeavored in every way to educate himself, and after he grew up to man's estate and was married, he boarded a school teacher who taught him at night and on Sundays. In this way and by constant reading he has succeeded in procuring a good education and in keeping himself thoroughly posted in all the public events of interest. He has followed farming all his life, except two years, from 1839, when he worked at the saddler's trade, and at one time was the owner of a 200-acre farm, of which he has sold all but 40 acres. His house stands on one of the most beautiful sites in the county His father died three months before he was born, leaving six daughters and one son. Mr. Brown was married, Feb. 7, 1849, to Mary E. Randolph, a daughter of John Randolph, by whom he had five children, viz., William R., Alfred, Martin, Ella and Horace. Mr. B. has collected quite a number of historical relics, and was for some time a member of the School Board. His father was born in 1785, and died July 6, 1826. His mother was born in 1807.

J. APPLETON BROWN, horticulturist; P. O. Lebanon; is a native of the State of New Jersey; born near Trenton, on the 11th of March, 1834, and emigrated to Ohio with his parents in 1838. They were natives, the father of Pennsylvania, where he was born in the year 1808, and the mother of New Jersey, born in 1812. Our subject is of French descent; he received his educa- tion in the schools of Warren County. Mr. Brown has been quite an observing man, which, in connection with extensive reading, makes him well posted and fitted for usefulness. He is an affable and courteous gentleman, and has kept pace with the age in which he lives. He resides on a nice little farm of 32 acres, situated three and one-half miles east of Lebanon, on the pike leading to Morrow. He has on this land a very complete and quite an extensive cider- mill and press, where great quantities of cider are annually made.

NATHAN M. BROWN, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, April 12, 1838; he is a son of John and Nancy (Pence) Brown; his father was born Sept. 3, 1797, and emigrated to Ohio in 1812, settling in Turtle Creek Township, Warren Co., where he remained until his death in 1878; he was the oldest in a family of fifteen children. Nathan M., the subject hereof, was reared and grew up on a farm, and has since followed the occupation of a farmer. He was married December 20, 1868, to Miss Adelia Taylor, a native of Indiana, of Irish descent. By her he had two children, John and Sherman Wade. Mr. Brown is a prominent and successful farmer, who has always been industrious and careful, and has thereby acquired a fine farm of 110 acres, upon which he lives. In politics, he is a Republican.

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JOHN E. BROWN, hardware merchant, Lebanon, was born in Wayne Tp., Warren Co., Dec. 15, 1857; his father, Amos Brown, who died in 1863, was a native of Warren Co., and was a son of Joseph Brown, who was also a native of Ohio; his mother, Mrs. Grace ( Wilkinson) Brown, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, and daughter of a family who emigrated from that State to Ohio at an early date. Our subject is the youngest of a family of three children, viz., Seth W., now Prosecuting Attorney of Warren County; Lizzie L., wife of George A. Witcraft, of Warren Co., and John E., who now conducts a hard- ware and agricultural implement store in Lebanon, where he has been since March, 1881. He received his education in the public schools of his native county, and when about eighteen years of age commenced working on the home farm. In September, 1880, he went to Dayton, Ohio, where he was engaged in the hardware store of R. Barrett & Co., with whom he remained until his com- ing to Lebanon.

GEORGE W. CAREY, insurance agent. The subject of our sketch, George W. Carey, was born in the village of Merrittstown, Warren Co., Ohio, on the 26th day of October, 1838, and is now in his 44th year. He was born of poor parents, and is the oldest child of a family of eight children (all of whom are now living). His father. Isaac, died at the age of 38, at Dalton, Wayne Co., Ind, where he was practicing medicine. He formerly practiced medicine in Warren County, Ohio, where he had read medicine under Drs. Crossfield and M. H. Keever. After the death of his father, our subject went into the store of his father's friend, Mr. Benjamin Fritchey, as a clerk at West Baltimore, Montgomery Co., Ohio, at a salary of $5 per month. He worked fifteen months and then drew $75, which he sent to his mother (who is yet living at the age of 65) to assist her in providing for his younger brothers and sisters. From West Baltimore he went with his employer to Rose Hill, Darke Co., Ohio, where he served him for two years as clerk in a general store. He also taught a district school in said county for three terms. In 1858, he came to Lebanon and engaged as clerk in the large dry goods house of John W. Howry, where he worked five years, at the expiration of which time he and his brother, Amzi, opened a store of their own at No. 68 Broadway, where they carried on a suc- cessful business for five years. They then dissolved partnership and the sub- ject of our sketch started a mercantile business at 103 Mulberry street, which he carried on successfully for some six years, when he sold out his business and engaged in the insurance business January 1, 1875. He did not have full advantages for an education, but was a close student and what knowledge he did obtain was in the old Washington Schoolhouse, Pekin, Ohio. After the death of his father, he was obliged to quit school and hire out his services for the benefit of the family. He has held many offices of trust and no one can say he has not been faithful in all. At present he holds a U. S. office, a county office, Justice of the Peace, Secretary of the County Fair, President of Steam Fire Department, Councilman, and has served since his residence in Lebanon for seven years as Township Clerk, and for five years as City Clerk. He has also served three years as President of the Agricultural Society, and six years on the Board of Education. George is a hale fellow well met.

CHARLES CLAPP, Shaker business agent. This amiable and polished gentleman is a member of the Shaker Community at Union Village, Warren Co., Ohio, where he has been since 1846. His parents, Ezra and Grace (Math- ers) Clapp, were of English descent, but natives of Massachusetts, where they kept a hotel until 1800 when they moved to Lewis County, N. Y., and located on a large tract of land where Charles was born June 2, 1807. He received a liberal education in the common schools and then attended the Westfield and Leicester Acudemies, where his education was completed. In 1827, when 20

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years of age, he emigrated to Ohio and embarked in a mercantile enterprise, keeping what is known as a general store in Ravenna, where he remained thirteen years. He subsequently moved to Summit County and engaged in the same business. He was married in September, 1831, to Miss Harriet Kent, daugh- ter of Zenith Kent, a wealthy merchant and banker of Kent, Ohio. Their union was blest with six children, as follows: Harriet L., deceased; Charles H., de- ceased; Charles K., Cashier First National Bank, Kent, Ohio; Ella M., wife of John M. Southwick, a wholesale leather dealer of New York; George A., doing business in New York; and Edward Lewis, a citizen of San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Clapp were, previous to 1846, members of the Presbyterian Church, but in the above year he became converted to the Shaker faith and joined that society with which he has since continued.

CHARLES S. COLVIN, Sr., liveryman, Lebanon, was born in New Jer- sey Jan. 13, 1822. His father, John Colvin, was born in Ireland and emigrat- ed to America in the beginning of the nineteenth century, and about the year 1818 married Miss Martha Brown, a native of New Jersey, by whom he had six children, four now living. He died in Salem County, N. J., in 1826, at the age of 34 years. His widow with her children came to Ohio in the spring of 1832, and settled in Lebanon, Warren County, where she died in 1852. Our subject attended country schools for a short time, and at the tender age of seven years went to work on a farm, at which he continued until he reached his ma- jority, when he commenced teaming for himself. In 1852, he opened a livery stable in the east end of Lebanon, and, after moving his stable to various parts of town, he, in 1865, opened the stable on Mechanic street, where he has since remained. On the 7th of November, 1843, he married Miss Mary L. Gohegan, daughter of Edwin and Elizabeth Gohegan, natives of Lebanon. He has had six children, three only surviving, viz., John E., Charles S., Jr. and Ella. Mr. Colvin is a man of genial, accommodating manners, and does a thriving livery business, for which he seems to be peculiarly adapted.

EDWIN E. CORLIS (deceased), was born in the State of New Jersey, Feb. 16, 1806, and died in Warren County, Ohio, March 11, 1868. He was the son of Samuel and Catherine (Wooley) Corlis, natives of New Jersey, who emigrated to Ohio in 1816, and settled in Turtle Creek Township, where our subject was raised, and where be spent most of his life. He was married Oct. 29, 1834, to Miss Rebecca McGrew, a native of Montgomery Co., Ohio, of Scotch-Irish descent; the issue of this marriage consisted of five children, only two of whom now survive, viz .: Samuel, who was born March 11, 1837; and John, born Aug. 3, 1839. They both received a common school education, and have followed farming during the whole of their lives, now being the owners of a well-improved farm in Sec. 25, Turtle Creek Township. John, the young- er of the two, was married Nov. 12, 1878, to Miss Alice Underwood, a native of Virginia, and daughter of Jackson Underwood. Both of the sons are among the prominent, influential and enterprising farmers of the township in which they reside.

ROBERT G. CORWIN, lawyer, Lebanon, was born at the pioneer resi- dence of his father, on land, now included in the town of Lebanon, July 28, 1815. He is the son of Ichabod Corwin, whose name appears in the general history of Lebanon and Turtle Creek Township. His father was born in the State of New Jersey, while. the family were en route for Kentucky, to which State they emigrated at an early day. His mother, Sarah (Griffin) Corwin, was a native of Washington Co., Penn. Previous to the death of his father in 1834, our subject attended the subscription schools of Lebanon, Dennison University at Granville, Ohio, and a high school that was opened, and taught one term at Franklin. From 1834 to 1837, he was under the tutelage of Judge

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Francis Dunlavy, of Lebanon, with whom he completed his education, and studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1837, and commenced practice in partnership with A. H. Dunlevy. This partnership was dissolved in 1843, and Mr. Corwin engaged in practice with A. G. McBurney, who had studied law with him. They were soon joined by Gov. Corwin, and the three continued together until Gov. Corwin entered the President's Cabinet in 1851; when the firm was dissolved. Mr. Corwin then retired from practice, and turned his attention to stock-raising on the home farm, a part of which fell to him in the general distribution of his father's estate. He became one of the most celebrat- ed fine stock growers in the State, importing in 1954 several fine animals, among which were Crusader, Blue Bell and Edith; he also purchased White Rosa, from the importers, on her arrival in this country. His first stock was purchased at the closing out sale of Gov. Trimble in 1852-53, where he pur- chased about a dozen head of the best stock sold. He sold cattle from time to time, and in 1859 had a closing-out sale of over fifty head of thoroughbred cattle, after which he ceased farming. On Jan. 29, 1839, Mr. Corwin was mar- ried to Miss Eliza Bruen, a daughter of Luther and Susan (Barnett) Bruen. of Dayton, Ohio; her father was a Jersey man; her mother was a daughter of John Barnett, of Pennsylvania, who came to Ohio in 1804-5, and settled near Day- ton. Mr. Corwin by his marriage has had born to him seven children, viz .: David B., an attorney of Dayton; Quincy, an attorney of Dayton; Robert Lu- ther, deceased; Susan, the wife of D. M. Zeller, an attorney of Dayton; Sallie, wife of C. D. Mead, a paper manufacturer of Dayton; Thomas, a practicing attorney of Dayton, and Lida, who is living at home with her parents. After closing his stock farm, Mr. Corwin went to Dayton, and engaged in the prac- tice of law, with his brother-in-law, Luther Bruen, with whom he continued until the war broke out, when Bruen entered the service. He afterward formed a partnership with his son Quincy, and continued until the war closed, when he retired to allow his son David B. to take his place in the firm. In 1878, he came to Lebanon to find relief in its pure country air, from asthma, with which he has suffered for many years. He has retired from active practice, and is devoting his time to the quiet enjoyment of his remaining years. He and his wife are members of the East Baptist Church of Lebanon. In politics, Mr. Corwin is an enthusiastic Republican.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 83

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