The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 89

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

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JEHU MULFORD, deceased, was born in the State of New Jersey Oct. 26, 1803; his father was born in New Jersey, of English parents, and, coming to Ohio in 1809, settled in Turtle Creek Township, west of Lebanon, where he lived until his death. Our subject's childhood was spent on the farm, attending the country school of his district when opportunity offered; he taught school for some time and afterward engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which he con- tinued several years, but the principal occupation of his life was farming. He was twice married, first, on the 25th of September, 1827, to Miss Margaret Mc- Carty, by whom he had eight children-three sons and two daughters of them are surviving. His wife died in 1856, and, in the same year, he married Mrs. Ann Monfort, by whom he had no issue. Mrs. Mulford's maiden name was Ann Hall, and Mr. Mulford was her third husband. She was first married to William Dill, by whom she had two children. After his death, she married Peter Monfort, who died, leaving a family of ten children. Mrs. Mulford's two oldest children are living, and, with their families, reside in Warren County. She has lived to see her children all married and settled comfortably around the old home. Mr. Mulford died May 30, 1870, on the farm he had occupied since 1843. He was a consistent member of the M. E. Church and a member of the Masonic fraternity of the Knights Templar degree. At the time of his death, he was possessed of a farm of 150 acres, on which his widow con- tinues to reside. 1

HENRY MULL, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, April 10, 1836; his parents, Reuben and Catharine (Spindler) Mull, are spoken

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of in the sketch of his brother, Benjamin Mull. He was educated in the schools of Turtle Creek Township; in 1862, he enlisted in Company A. 79th O. V. I., and served until the close of the war, when he received his honorable discharge. His regiment was in some of the hardest engagements of the war, and at one time was under fire for ten consecutive days. After the war was over, Mr. Mull returned home, and, on the 4th of June, 1868, was married to Anna R. Kersey, a daughter of Henry Kersey and a native of Warren County. They have had five children, viz., Viola, Eunice, Waldo, Anna C. and an infant not named. Mr. Mull occupies a fine 70-acre farm, with good residence and roomy barn, etc. He is a Republican and a member of the M. E. Church; his wife is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

BENJAMIN MULL, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Turtle Creek Township Jan. 29, 1840; he is the son of Reuben and Catharine (Spindler) Mull, natives of Pennsylvania, of Dutch descent; his father was a wagon-maker by trade and worked at that trade until about 1855; his wagons were of the best and always found a ready sale; he was so careful to have his material of the best quality and his work done in the best manner possible, that he was un- able to compete with the men who were then making an inferior and cheaper wagon. Therefore, he retired from the business and devoted his time to farm- ing, in which he was eminently successful, and succeeded in acquiring a fine farm of 152 acres. He had a family of nine children, all of whom reside in Ohio, and all, except one, are married. Our subject was reared on the farm, and, in 1865, married Miss Catharine Hathaway, a daughter of A. B. Hatha- way. They have four children, viz., Sarah L., Bertie F., Lelia Pearl and Earnest C. The parents are both members of the M. E. Church, and belong to the best class of the farming community of the county.

HIRAM NELSON, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, Sept. 1, 1838; he was raised on a farm and received his education in the district schools of Turtle Creek Township. Mr. Nelson with considerable pride relates the fact of having attended the second fair held in Warren County; he was but a youth and earned the money admitting him by working for Will- iam F. Dill, Esq., of Turtle Creek Township. Our subject worked at farm labor, and, being industrious and economical, soon got a start in life, and, on the 14th of February, 1860, was united in marriage with Rebecca Tremble, who is also a native of Warren County, born December 10, 1839. She is a daughter of Moses Tremble, a native of New Jersey, and of French descent. Mr. Nelson owns a well-improved farm of 60-odd acres, upon which is a neat and modern- built house and a good barn. He is one of the live and active farmers of War- ren County.

W. C. NIXON, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born April 5, 1838; he is a son of Samuel and Rachel (Hatfield) Nixon, natives of Ohio, of English descent; he received a common-school education while living on the farm with his father. He has spent the greater part of his life on the farm, and, by steadiness of habits and close attention to business, he has made farming prove more than ordinarily successful. During the years from 1860 to 1867, he conducted a grist-mill between Lebanon and Morrow, known as the Stubbs' Mill. In 1868, he married Hannah Vandoren, daughter of Peter Vandoren, an old settler of Warren County, who now lives in Sangamon Co., Ill. By this marriage, six children were born, viz., Frank V., John H., Peter E., Amy M., Mary E. and Adolphus. Mr. Nixon is a Democrat and has held the office of Justice of the Peace in Washington Township.

ALLEN NIXON, farmer; P. O. Lebanon ; was born in Turtle Creek Township, Warren Co., Ohio, Oct. 30, 1812; he is one of a family of eleven children, born to Allen and Margaret (Troutman) Nixon, who settled in Turtle

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Creek in the year of our subject's birth; he had every facility offered by the schools of that day to obtain an education, and, for ten years of his early life, made teaching his employment. He was married, in 1846, to Elizabeth G. Hatfield, who was born in Warren County in 1816. By her he had seven chil- dren, viz., Lewis C., a school-teacher; George (deceased), Clark, Emma (de- ceased), Ida Ann, Linn and Minnie Ellen. Mr. Nixon has devoted the last thirty-five years of his life to farming, and has succeeded in acquiring 409 acres of good farm land. He and his wife are both members of the Christian Church, in which he has been a Clerk and Trustee. His wife died March 2, 1882, aged 65 years and 4 months.

J. KELLY O'NEALL, attorney, Lebanon. Prominent among the legal fraternity of Warren County stands the above-named gentleman, who was born about two miles south of the village of Waynesville, Warren Co., Ohio, Feb. 15, 1820; his paternal ancestors were originally from Shane Castle, County Antrim, Ireland. The first to come to America, according to the family tra- ditions, was a younger son of the house, named Hugh O'Neale, a Lieutenant in the British Army, who, while cruising in the Chesapeake Bay, owing to some difficulty between him and his Captain, left the ship and located at Winchester, Va., changing the spelling of his name to O'Neall. From Hugh is traced in a direct line William, Abijah, William, and our subject, J. Kelly. Abijah, the grandfather, came to Warren County in 1799 and settled in Wayne Township on land of which a part still remains in the family's possession. The maternal grandfather, James Smith, came from Virginia in the same year, and located on land in the same township, on the banks of the Little Miami River, but he died at Newtown, Ohio, and his family subsequently settled on the lands. The grandparents on both sides left their respective homes, in Virginia and South Carolina, to escape what they considered the evil influences of slavery. Mr. O' Neall's parents were William and Martha (Smith) O'Neall, the former a native of South Carolina and the latter of Virginia. Our subject remained on the farm until 16 years of age, in the meantime attending the common school of his district. But sickness at the time retarded his studies for a year or more, after which he began a course of study of the higher branches. In 1840, he attended the Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, where he completed his literary education. In 1843, he returned to his father's house and commenced the study of law, under the instructions of the late Judge George J. Smith. In the summer of 1843, he went to Montgomery Co., Ind., and read law in the office of Henry S. Lane, Esq. In February, 1844, he took up his permanent residence in Lebanon, and, in May of the year following, was admitted to the bar at Lebanon. He was married, in July, 1848, to Miss Anna M. Skinner, by whom he had six children, four now living, viz., Laura K., Eva S. (the widow of Granville E. Colbert, deceased), William A. and Annie T. Mr. O'Neall has practiced his profession continuously up to the present, and for four terms served the county as Prosecuting Attorney. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity since November, 1864; was made a Master Mason in Leba- non Lodge, No. 26; he received the Capitulary degrees in Lebanon Royal Arch Chapter, No. 5, and was created a Knight Templar in Reed Commandery, No. 6, at Dayton, Ohio, in 1865; subsequently, he became a member of Lebanon Council of Royal and Select Masters; in 1872, was elected Grand High Priest of Ohio, serving three years; in 1875, he was elected Eminent Deputy Grand Commander of Knights Templar for the State of Ohio and served until 1879, when he was elected Right Eminent Grand Commander; in March, 1871, he received the degrees of the " Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite," in the Scottish Rite Bodies and became a 32d Degree Mason in the Ohio Sovereign Donsistory at Cincinnati. In addition to the time given to the study of the

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laws of Masonry, and while discharging the duties of his profession, Mr. O'Neall has devoted considerable attention to the natural sciences, especially geology. He has collected a fine cabinet of fossils, and it is believed that he understands the Paleontology of his own county better, even, than any teacher of the science. He has discovered some new species of fossils and a beautiful crinoid bears his name. He is a man who takes a deep interest in all matters touching the welfare of his county, and, as a citizen, he stands in the foremost rank.

JOSEPH W. O'NEALL, Probate Judge, Lebanon; was born in Wayne Township, Warren Co., Ohio, April 6. 1846; he is the son of James Smith and Martha A. (Sa Lee) O'Neall, the former a native of Warren County, and the lat- ter of Woodford Co., Ky .; his father is still living and is a brother of J. Kelly O'Neall, under whose name a sketch of the ancestry is given; his mother is a daughter of Joseph and Judith (Hampton) Sa Lee, of Kentucky. Our subject received a very limited education, and remained on the farm until 15 years of age, when he enlisted in Company H, 54th O. V. I., at that time being barely able to read and write. He took part in the battle of Shiloh, but was discharged after the battle on account of his youth. On the 12th of August. 1862, he re-enlisted in Capt. Joseph L. Budd's company A, 35th O. V. I., and joined his regiment at Decherd, Tenn. He was with the regiment and partici- pated in the skirmishes and 'battles at Shepherdsville, Harrodsburg, Perryville, Hoover's Gap, Tallahoma and Chickamauga, in the latter of which he was three times wounded-once in the hand, once in the right shoulder and once in the head. He was left on the battle-field unconscious, and capt- ured by the rebels, who took him to Atlanta, Ga., and thence, via Augusta, Branch Hill, Columbia, Charlotte, Raleigh and Petersburg, to Richmond, Va, where for forty-five days they confined him in Castle Pemberton. He was one of four prisoners detected in digging a tunnel from the prison, which resulted in the famous " Sugar raid," and for this was deprived of all rations for forty- eight hours and forced to stand erect twenty-four hours. He was afterward removed to Danville, Va., where he was confined six months. While here, a general escape, planned by all the prisoners, was betrayed, and the leaders, expecting to be court martialed and put to death, determined to make another and a more desperate effort to escape. Accordingly, our subject and six others concealed themselves in the vault and made their way down the drain as far as possible, and then tunneled out. In this, Mr. O'Neall and two others succeeded, while the rest were recaptured. After three days' wandering through the woods, he was recaptured, but, escaping from the guards, had almost reached the Union lines, when he was captured with blood hounds and taken back to Danville. To prevent his further attempting to escape, he was deprived of all his clothes, and for six months, remained in almost a nude condition, only having part of the time an old shirt given him by a fellow-prisoner; he was then taken to the jail at Greensboro, and from there to the State Penitentiary at Raleigh, S. C., where, with twelve others, he was fastened to the "Bull- ring." He was afterward removed to the penitentiary at Columbia, thence to Macon, Ga., and from there to Andersonville, where he was confined four months, after which he was taken to Charleston, where he was for fourteen days under the fire of Union guns. From Charleston he was removed to Charlotte, S. C., and, on the 15th of December, 1864, succeeded in again making his escape, and, reaching the Union lines at Savannah, was sent on a Government vessol to Annapolis, Md. Here he obtained a furlough and returned home, much to the astonishment and joy of his people, who had long since supposed him dead, and who could hardly recognize in the wasted and emaciated figure before them the healthy farm boy who left them thirty months before. When capt-

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ured, he weighed 155 pounds; when he reached home, he weighed 84. While in Andersonville Prison, be had the varioloid and scurvy. He was engaged in digging eight tunnels, and, at one time went nine days without rations. On the 19th of May, 1865, he received a Lieutenant's commission, but was mustered out of the service before being assigned for duty. After the war, he taught school five years, and, after engaging in business in the West three years, he returned to Ohio and taught one year more. He studied law with John E. Smith, and was admitted to the bar April 13, 1877. On the 9th of February, 1879, he became Probate Judge of the county, in which position he is still retained, having been nominated for a second term by an overwhelming majority. He was married, Nov. 25, 1869, to Miss Laura A. Van Horne, daughter of Andrew and Sarah (Dilatush) Van Horne, and by this union has had five children, viz., M. Stella, J. A. Willie (deceased), George A., Eva Belle (deceased) and Joseph Walter. Mr. O'Neall is a Republican in politics, and socially and morally a gentleman. He has served in his present capacity to the entire satisfaction of the people and with honor to himself and credit to his constituents.

JOHN OSBORN (deceased) was born in Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio, in 1805; his father, John Osborn, came to Lebanon in 1796, and settled on a farm adjoining the eastern corporation of Lebanon, where he, in 1808, built a house, which is still standing and which is yet considered a good residence. He was with Daniel Boone when that famous Indian hunter discovered Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, to which state Mr. Osborn had moved from Virginia when very young. Our subject's mother, Mary (Clark) Osborn, was a daughter of Rev. Daniel Clark, a pioneer Baptist preacher, who preached in Lebanon about the year 1800. Our subject remained on the farm until 14 years of age, in the meantime obtaining. a limited education by attending the Lebanon schools during the winter months. After leaving the farm, he learned and worked at pottery-making several years, after which he conducted a manufactory of that ware for several years more. At the death of his father, he purchased the in- terests of the other heirs in the estate and moved to the old farm, which his estate still owns and which he farmed until he retired and moved to Lebanon. He traveled through the West from 1828 to 1854, and also spent eight years in Springfield, Ohio, where he worked at his trade. In 1827, he married Miss Amy Ann Hackney, daughter of Obadiah Hackney, a prominent plow manufact- urer of Lebanon. She died in 1855, after having borne him eleven children, four of whom still survive. In 1856, he was again married, to Mrs. Emeline (Dee) Grow, by whom he had no children. Mr. Osborn died in Lebanon Dec. 26, 1881. He was a careful, frugal and economical man, and had at his death amassed a considerable fortune. He was a zealous member of the M. E. Church, in which he was for many years and up to the time of his death an officer. His widow and a grandchild are the only members of his family living in Lebanon.

JOHN N. OSWALD, furniture dealer and undertaker, Lebanon, whose portrait appears on another page, was born in-Hohenzollern, Sigmaringen, Prussia. May 12, 1826, and came to America May 12, 1853, landing in New York; he is the son of Peter and Apolonia (Wetz) Oswald, natives of the above place. The family originally came from Switzerland, but lived for three gen- erations in Prussia. Our subject is one of a family of two children, both boys. The father died in September, 1831, aged 44 years, and the mother died in October. 1845, aged 47 years. Our subject received all his education in the old country, and, for nine years, traveled through Germany, spending seven years in Vienna. He learned furniture-making in his native country, having served an apprenticeship with the dealer who did the work for the royal family. After coming to this country, he worked for a furniture firm in New York,

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and, in 1854, came to Cincinnati, where he remained a short time. He then moved to Fosters, Warren Co., Ohio, where he lived about nine years and then came to Lebanon, where he commenced the furniture business in which he has since continued. He was married, May 9, 1866, to Miss Fredricka Bobe, daughter of Philip and Mariah (Weisenbacher) Bobe, natives of Wurtemberg, Germany. They have had five children, two boys and three girls, viz., Maurice H., Louisa F., Marietta, Lena and Lorenz, all now living. In 1868, Mr. Os- wald commenced the business of undertaker, and has since then buried 1, 700 people, mostly citizens of "Old Warren." He was the first in the county to introduce the new styles of caskets and the processes of preserving bodies. He has conducted his business with much success, and, by his untiring energy is constantly increasing his extensive establishment.

DR. J. B. OWENS, physician, Lebanon. This gentleman is the son of John Owens, who was born in Wales in 1771, and came to this country with his parents when 2 years of age; he settled in Trumbull Co., Ohio, where our subject was born, and then moved to Guernsey County, where he died in 1869, at the advanced age of 98 years. His wife, Elizabeth (Beaver) Owens, was a native of Sherman Valley, Penn., where they were married. They had thir- teen children-nine boys and four girls. Our subject attended the schools of his native county for a short time, after which he taught school to obtain means to complete his education. In this manner he was enabled to attend a select high school, from which he went to Madison College, Guernsey County, where he remained until that college closed. He commenced reading medicine by himself in 1856, reading first the allopathic system. He attended lectures at the Cincinnati College of Medicine and Surgery during the terms of 1858 and 1859. In 1865, he again graduated from the Homoeopathic Medical College of Pennsylvania, and, after practicing his profession a short time in Cincinnati and Monroe, Ohio, came to Lebanon, where he has since remained, with the exception of several winters spent in the South and in California, Colorado and other parts of the West. He was married, Oct. 4, 1865, to Miss Mary M. Keever, daughter of Aaron and Ann (Longstreet) Keever, of Mason, Warren Co. After thoroughly mastering both systems of medicine, the Doctor has se- lected the principles originated by Hahnemann, to which he strictly adheres. He has acquired a large and lucrative practice, which he is constantly extend- ing by his industrious habits and close attention. He bears the reputation of being one of the best and most successful homoeopathic physicians of Southern Ohio, and truly his record in the village of Cedars warrants at least the above reputation.

DAVID PARKHURST, Shaker Trustee, Lebanon, was born in Pennsyl- vania March 26, 1801; his father, Samuel Parkhurst, was a native of Pennsyl- vania, of English descent; he married Anna Sutton, a native of New Jersey, of Holland Dutch descent; he came to Turtle Creek Township in 1814, and brought his family in 1815; he was formerly a Baptist, but, on coming to Warren County, joined the Shaker Society, in which he afterward became a Deacon and Elder. He had seven children, of whom our subject was the third. He never attended school more than three months, and obtained what education he has by close reading, He worked at wagon-making one year, but has since farmed for the Shakers with whom he lives. He has been a Deacon since 1823, and, in 1864, was appointed Legal Trustee, in which capacity he still con- tinues.

CLARISSA PATTERSON, Shaker Elderess,, was born in Butler Co., Ohio, March 12, 1801; her parents, Joseph and Mary (Vankirk) Patterson, were natives of New Jersey, the former of Irish and the latter of Holland Dutch descent. They came to Ohio previous to 1795, and, in 1805, entered the Sha-

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ker Society. They had the following children: Sallie, born Oct. 22, 1794; Clarissa, Elsie, born in 1803, and John, born March 8, 1805; of these, our subject is the only survivor. She received her education in Turtle Creek Town- ship, and, since 1849, has acted as Elderess in the Shaker Church; she has also for several years been in charge of the household affairs of the Center Family. Her parents are both dead, her father dying in 1818 and her mother in 1851.

GEORGE P. PATTERSON, photographer, Lebanon; was born at Long Branch, Monmouth Co., N. J., June 23, 1844; his father, William Patterson, was a native of New Jersey, of German descent; his mother, Jennette (Anderson) Patterson, was a native of Vermont, of Scotch descent, and a cousin of Maj. Anderson, who was made famous by his heroic defense of Ft. Sumter, when treason's guns first threatened the overthrow of our beloved Government. Our subject received a thorough education in the schools of New Jersey and New York City, and devoted his early life to work in his father's mill, where he remained six years. He then engaged for a short time in mercantile pursuits. In 1861, he enlisted in Company D, 48th N. J. V. I., in which he served three years, receiving eleven different gunshot wounds; he enlisted as a private, and, for bravery and good service, received a Captain's commission, but was pre- vented by wounds from serving in his advanced position. In 1863, he was married to Miss Emily Higgins, who died during the same year. In 1870, he married Miss Sarah M. Duckworth, a native of Warren County, and the only daughter of Robert Duckworth, with whom Mr. Patterson was some time en- gaged in the grocery business in Lebanon. Since 1872, he has devoted his whole attention to photographing, in which art he has met with the best suc -. cess. He is an enthusiast in his business, uses all new appliances that appear and takes great pains to keep himself thoroughly posted in all the details of that ever-improving art. He has an art gallery situated on East Silver street, which he has fitted up with a true artist's taste, and where he exhibits the work he does by the various modern methods of taking, enlarging and finishing pictures.

SAMUEL PAULY, real estate broker, Lebanon, was born in Germantown, Montgomery Co., Ohio, Dec. 24, 1804; his grandfather, Andrew Pauly, was a native of Pennsylvania, where he lived and died, being the son of parents who emigrated from Germany to that State at an early day. Our subject's father, John Pauly, was born at Gettysburg, Penn., in 1767 and emigrated to Ken- tucky in 1795, but, owing to a strong prejudice against slavery, he again emi- grated in 1801, and located in Montgomery Co., Ohio. He married Miss Mar- guret Panabaker, daughter of a family from Pennsylvania, who settled in Kentucky at an early date. He died in 1822, having been blessed with a family of six boys and five girls, of whom four boys and one girl now survive. Samuel Pauly, the subject hereof, came to Warren County April 1, 1812, with his father's family. His youth was spent on the farm, while his educational advan- tages consisted of a few weeks' attendance at a country school during the win- ter months. He was married, in 1830, to Miss Arminda Snook, daughter of John M. and Julia (Kibby) Snook, natives of Hamilton Co., Ohio. Miss Snook's mother was one of the first children at Columbia, Hamilton Co., and daughter of Capt. Kibby, a valiant officer in the Indian war, and one of the first settlers of Columbia. By his marriage, Mr. Pauly had ten children-three boys and seven girls, of whom one son and three daughters are now living, viz., Rebecca C., the widow of Gen. O. C. Maxwell; Phebe A., now living at home with her parents; A. Frances, the wife of E. M. Hale, of Lebanon, and Firman Kibby, of Salem, Montgomery Co., Ohio. Mr. Pauly has spent the whole of his life in farming, with the exception of two years, when he was en. gaged in the United States Revenue service. He has retired from active farm

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 89

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