The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 92

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

USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 92

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WILLIAM H. STORER, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Washing- ton Co., Penn., May 6, 1826. He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Hol- craft) Storer, natives of Pennsylvania, of English descent. His education was received in the common schools of Pennsylvania, and his early life spent on the farm. He moved to Ohio in 1860, and located on the farm in Section 11, Turtle Creek Township, where he still lives, now owning 92 acres of rich, arable land in the best state of improvement. He was married Jan. 25, 1860, to Miss Nancy Gallaher, a native of Pennsylvania, who died June 5, 1876, leaving six children, three boys and three girls. Mr. Storer is a good farmer, a close read- er, and a man who keeps himself thoroughly posted on the topics of the day. He is a strong Republican, and has served his Township, as a School Director, for some time. His life has been largely spent on the farm, and his love of reading has enabled him to conduct his farm in a much more successful man- ner than many of his less fortunate neighbors.

POMEROY STODDARD (deceased) was born at Benson, Vt., and was educated at Rupert, in the same State. In 1820, he emigrated to Ohio, where he, on the 8th of March, 1826, married Miss Maria Koogle, who was born in Franklin Co., Penn., Dec. 9. 1803. Their marriage was blessed with nine chil-

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dren, of whom the following seven are now living, viz. : Mary E., the wife of Douglass James, of Illinois; Marshall W., a resident of Cincinnati; Henry Pomeroy, a carpenter living in Ohio; Grove, a citizen of Hocking Co., Ohio; Josiah, who is working at carpentering; Lucy A., who is living at home with her aged mother, and Sarah M., the wife of J. R. Drake, an extensive carriage manufacturer of Lebanon. Mr. Stoddard died in 1860, after having accumu- lated a considerable fortune, on which his widow has since been able to live in peace, quiet and rest. He was a generous, public-spirited man of sterling qualities; as a business man, either while farming or in the lumber or mercan- tile business, all of which he followed in Lebanon, he was financially success- ful. He was a Republican, and a member in good standing of the Pres- byterian Church. He subscribed liberally of his means to any enterprise for the public good. He was among the early citizens of Lebanon, and did much toward making it the beautiful town that it is to-day. The shade trees in Lebanon Cemetery were planted by him and John E. Dey, who was associated with him in that work. He subscribed $4,000 to the first railroad enterprise of Lebanon, and did much toward obtaining liberal subscriptions from others. His death was deeply mourned by a large circle of relatives, and a host of friends. His widow is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and still lives in Lebanon, in the 79th year of her age. The rest of his living family are, with one exception, all married and all doing well.

JOHN STRAWN, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Union Co., Ind., July 31, 1831. His parents, Job and Mary (Smith) Strawn, were natives of Pennsylvania, where the former was born June 25, 1790, and the latter Aug. 14, 1796. They emigrated to Union Co., Ind., in 1825. Job died Nov. 25, 1833, and his wife, Feb. 8. 1876. Our subject was educated in Warren County, and in early life learned the saddler's trade, which he followed until 1856, when he commenced farming. which he has since followed. He married Miss Martha Holmes, a daughter of Truman and Sarah (Coddington) Holmes, by whom he had the following children: Rupert H., who died at the age of 21 months; Oren A., born Aug. 13, 1865; Oma O .. born July 3, 1869, and Orville R., born Nov. 24, 1879. Mrs. Strawn's father was born in October, 1807, and died Feb. 24, 1881; her mother was born Oct. 30, 1840. Mr. Strawn owns a well improved farm about one mile southeast of Lebanon, upon which he has recently erected a neat and modern styled residence.

JOHN L. SWINK, farmer; P. O. Red Lion; was born in Augusta Co., Va., July 14, 1836. His father, Enos J. Swink, was born in Virginia, April 7, 1811, and his mother in the same State, June 30, 1814. They were both descendants of English families who emigrated to America at an early day. Our subject was educated in the schools of Virginia, and since his removal to this county has followed the occupation of farmer. He was married to Miss Orphia Lincoln. daughter of Isaac and Mary (Seaman) Lincoln, natives of Warren County, where Mrs. Swink was born on the 17th of August, 1836. Their marriage was blessed with four children, viz .: Werten L., who was born June 17, 1862, and died Nov. 7, 1877; David R., born March 30, 1867, and died Aug. 16, 1869; Elizabeth, born Aug. 10, 1877, and Clarence, born April 10, 1879. Mr. Swink owns a farm of 50 acres. which he has worked with much success. He is a Republican, and a strong temperance advocate, and bears the respect and esteem of his community.

JOSEPH H. THOMPSON, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Butler Co., Ohio, April 26, 1824; his parents were Joseph and Mary (Casson) Thomp- son, whose parents were of Scotch descent, and who emigrated to Ohio at an early day. Our subject was educated in the schools of Warren County, with the exception of one year spent in an academy located in Ross Co., Ohio. At

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the age of 17 years, he commenced the trade of a carpenter, which was finished at Cincinnati. He soon became a contractor and builder, and erected a great many houses throughout southwestern Ohio; this occupation he pursued until of late years, when he began farming, now making it a specialty. On the 30th of May, 1850, he was united in marriage with Amanda F., daughter of Robert and A. Curry, and sister of Hon. William Curry, of Indiana. To them were born the following children: Robert, William B., Edwin C., Charles H., Horace, Milton Ellsworth, Albert J., Arthur and Eva. Mr. Thompson is the architect of his own home, which consists of a beautiful residence, situated four and one-half miles northeast of Lebanon, on the Lebanon & Freeport pike, where he owns a farm of 200 acres of well improved land.

WILLIAM D. THOMPSON, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in War- ren Co., Ohio, Nov. 14, 1834; he was the son of John H. and Ann (McCarty) Thompson, she of German descent and he a native of New Jersey, of Irish descent; they settled in Warren County at an early day, where he went to farm- ing, successfully following that occupation until his death, in 1876, at which time he had accumulated 303 acres of land. Of his children, seven reached their majority, and of these five are still living and all doing well. Our subject and his sister are living on the home place. where they occupy 121 acres; he had received an ordinary education, and then settled down on his father's place, where he has since remained; he attends strictly to business, and, although a Republican, has always refused nomination or election to any office.

WILLIAM M. THOMPSON, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Turtle Creek Township, Sept. 8, 1840; he is the son of William and Nancy (Beed) Thompson, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Ohio; his father came to Ohio in 1840, and for eight years commanded a steamer on the Ohio River; he was a tanner by trade, but spent most of his life on a farm; he was married in Warren County, and raised nine children, all of whom reached their majority, were married, and, with one exception, are still living; Mr. Thompson was a most successful farmer, and at the time of his death in 1871 owned 320 acres of land. Our subject received a fair education and grew up on the farm; in 1869, he married Clara Earnhart, by whom he had one child, a son, Sylvan, born in 1871; Mr. Thompson is a good farmer, and now owns a fine farm of 80 acres of land, on which are a comfortable residence, and good and substantial barns, cribs, etc.

JOHN S. THOMPSON, deceased, who was one of Warren County's most successful farmers, died March 8, 1860, on the farm of 162 acres which he had accumulated during life, and which at death he bequeathed to his family; he was born in Virginia to Allen and Sarah Thompson, who were both of Irish descent; he followed farming during the whole of his life, and by his industri- ous and frugal habits succeeded in accumulating a comfortable competency, upon which his widow has since lived. He was married, Oct. 25, 1832, to Miss Jenette Calvert, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 21, 1814; they had seven children, all now living, viz., Sarah, now Mrs. Keever; Harriet, now Mrs. W. H. Gillispie; James A., Frank S., David E., Lewis H. and Stephen W., all of whom are married. Mrs. Thompson is a well-preserved woman, and in good health for one of her years.

WILLIAM TODHUNTER, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Turtle Creek Township, Warren Co., Sept. 18, 1822. His parents, Jacob and Mary (Johns) Todhunter, were natives of Virginia, of Scotch descent, who came to Ohio in 1814. Our subject received his education in the small country schoolhouses, that were, at that time, in vogue, and having been raised to farm life, has since continued at it with well-marked success, being now possessed of a valuable farm of 247 acres, upon which his large family of

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children has been raised. He was married, Aug. 27, 1845, in Pennsylvania, to Miss Keziah Johnson, of Pennsylvania, and by her has had the following children, viz., Eva, J. B., Alice, James E., Sarah, C. C., L. C., Frank, Fanny and Daisy. Mr. T. is a live, energetic farmer, always ready to give earnest support to any good enterprise, and taking great interest in the welfare of his county. His stock, with which he is very successful, is known far and near, and is sought after by dealers on account of its good blood and showy appear- ance.

THOMAS UNGLESBY, farmer; P. O. Red Lion; was born in Clear Creek Township, Warren Co., Ohio, April 21, 1844. His parents were William and Margaret (Sheets) Unglesby, natives of Virginia. They were both of English descent and among the early settlers of Warren County. His father was a very prosperous farmer, during the short part of his life in which he was able to attend to business, but for thirty years previous to his death, he was so afflicted as to totally incapacitate him for business. He died in 1873, in Turtle Creek Township, and left a fine farm of 110 acres, which he had acquired by honest toil during the years of his usefulness. Our subject received a very good common school education, and commenced working on the farm, in which employment he has since continued, now possessing a farm of 82 acres. He married Miss Sarah J. Brown, a native of Wayne Co., Ind. Mr. Unglesby was the sixth child in a family of eight children, whose names were as follows: Martha, Marcus, John (deceased), Joseph, Silas, Harry, Thomas (our subject) and Wilson. The survivors are all married and doing well. and reside in Warren County. Silas and Joe served in the late rebellion in the volunteer infantry quota of Ohio. Our subject also served in repel- ling John Morgan in his raid on the North.

SHUBAL D. VAIL, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Butler Co., Ohio, Jan. 15, 1836. His grandfather, Shubal Vail, was an emigrant from New Jersey, and an early pioneer in the vicinity of Middletown. He owned the land on which a part of Middletown is now built. His son, Stephen Vail, learned the trade of plow making in Lebanon, and for many years was engaged in that business in Middletown, where he met and married Miss Catharine Deem, a native of that county, who died in 1848. Mr. Vail was born in 1808, and died with the cholera in 1854, on the farm where our subject now lives with his step-mother. Our subject was reared and received his education in Middletown. He was married in 1856 to Miss Elizabeth Harkrader, who died in 1875, leaving four children, of whom the only two survivors, William and John, live on the farm with their father. Mr. Vail is a well-to-do farmer of good repute. He is a Republican in politics, and for fifteen years has acted in the capacity of School Director in his district. He is, as was his wife also, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

I. N. WALKER, Mayor of Lebanon; was born in Hamilton Township, Warren County, Ohio, Jan. 29, 1849. He is a son of A. J. Walker, whose sketch appears in this volume. He was reared on a farm, and received the rudiments of his education in the district schools of his township. He then took a two years' course at the Maineville Academy, and in 1870 entered Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, where he continued until 1871, when the institution closed. He then taught school in Delaware Co., Ind., and Warren County until 1878, when he entered the law department of the Michigan State University at Ann Arbor. In 1879, he commenced reading law with W. F. Eltzroth, of Lebanon, and in March, 1880, he was admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court of the State. He then formed a law partnership . with Milton Clark, of Lebanon, On April 3, 1882, he was elected Mayor of Lebanon.

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DURBIN WARD, lawyer, Lebanon. This distinguished lawyer and sol- dier was born at Augusta, Ky., Feb. 11, 1819. He is of English and Welsh extraction; his father and grandfather were both in the war of 1812, and his mother, Rebecca Patterson, was a daughter of a soldier in the same war. He was named in honor of Rev. Dr. Durbin, the distinguished Methodist preacher, who was a school-mate of his mother's. When Durbin was about four years old, his father moved to Fayette Co., Ind. His early opportunities for educa- tion were limited, but such was his thirst for knowledge that he became an in- satiable reader, and, when he was eighteen years old he had read every book he had ever seen. He has never lost his studious habits, and when at home he is most frequently found in his library, which contains the largest and best selected collection of books of the private libraries of Lebanon. After spend- ing two years at Miami University, where he supported himself by his own ex- ertions, and teaching school for a short time in Warren County; he studied law at Lebanon, first under the direction of Judge Smith, and afterward of Gov. Corwin; he commenced the practice at Lebanon, and was for three years a partner of Gov. Corwin. In 1845, he became Prosecuting Attorney, and served six years. In 1852-53, he was a Representative from Warren County in the first Legislature held under the present Constitution of Ohio. Retiring from this office, he devoted himself to the practice of law, and established an office at Cincinnati, where he has had a lucrative practice; he retained his re- sidence at Lebanon. About 1855, Mr. Ward abandoned the Whig party, which was then near its dissolution; since that time he has adhered to the Demo- cratic party. He was the Democratic candidate for Congress in 1856, and for Attorney General in 1858, but was defeated. In 1860, he supported Douglas for President. When the war of the rebellion broke out, he was, as is claimed for him, the first man in his Congressional District to volunteer; declining a captaincy, he enlisted as a private. He was Major of the 17th Ohio, and took part in the battles of Mill Springs, Corinth, Perryville, Stone River, Hoover's Gap and Chickamauga; at the last-named fight, he was shot through the body, and his left arm was disabled for life, and he carried it in a sling through the Atlanta Campaign. Having passed through the grades of Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel, in November, 1865, he was brevetted Brigadier General, "for gal- lant and meritorious conduct at the battle of Chickamauga." In 1866, he was appointed by President Johnson, United States District Attorney, for the South- ern District of Ohio, and in 1870 he was elected Senator in the General Assem- bly. Since that time, he has held no office and has devoted himself to the practice of law. Gen. Ward has delivered many addresses and orations, and he ranks among the most eloquent compaign orators of Ohio. A volume of his speeches is nearly ready for the press.

WESLEY WARWICK, retired farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in But- ler Co., Ohio, Dec. 13, 1808; he is the son of Wilkins and Sarah (Short) War- wick, natives of the State of Maryland, of Irish descent; he received his only education in the district schools of Ohio, and has devoted his life principally to farming, in which occupation he proved more than ordinarily successful. Mr. Warwick has been a citizen of Warren County since 1846, and, for twenty- nine years, has resided in the vicinity of Lebanon. He was married Feb. 21, 1831, to Mahala Sheeley, of Greene Co., Ohio. He is a modest, quiet, unas- suming man, of very industrious habits and of resolute character. He has, by his own exertions and the assistance of an economical and energetic wife, suc- ceeded in laying by a comfortable competency, to the enjoyment of which he, a few years ago, retired. In politics, he is a Democrat, and takes a great in- terest in the affairs of his party. Both are members of the Free-Will Baptist Church, in which he was for years a Deacon. They have adopted into their family and raised several children.

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JOSEPH WEST, botanist, Lebanon, was born at Urbana, Champaign Co., Ohio, Feb. 17, 1824. He is the son of James and Rachel (Wells) West, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of Maryland. Our subject received a common-school education and adopted the occupation of a practical botanist. He raises large quantities of herbs valued for their medicinal quali- ties, which he sells to druggists and physicians. He has followed this business during the whole of his life, and has met with more than ordinary success. He joined the Society of Shakers at Union Village in 1843, and remained with them until 1865, when he concluded to marry and was obliged thereby to leave the society. He accordingly married Sarah Ann Babbitt, who was born in But- ler County in 1819. Her parents joined the Shakers and she remained with them over thirty years and until Mr. West took her away. The loss of Mr. West was a sad one to the Shakers, as his knowledge of medicinal plants was of great assistance to them in that branch of their industry. He is a Repub- lican in politics and a man of very steady habits.

JAMES M. WHITE, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Hamilton Town- ship, Warren Co., Ohio, March 26, 1826; his parents, James and Jane (Ford) White, were both natives of Ireland, who emigrated to America in 1812 and settled in New York, where they remained until 1817, when they came to War- ren Co., Ohio. Our subject was educated in the common schools of Warren County, and has followed the occupation of farming during his whole life. He was married, in 1848, to Sarah Ann Gibbs, who was born in Warren County Aug. 20, 1830; her parents, Thomas and Sabilla (Webb) Gibbs, were natives of New Jersey, of English descent. By his marriage to Miss Gibbs, Mr. White has had three children, viz., Martha Ellen, Thomas Gibbs and William D., all born in Hamilton Township. Mr. White served a term of three years as In- firmary Director and fifteen years as School Director. He is a thrifty, well-to- do farmer, and stands among the best and most thrifty men of the county. He owns and occupies a fine farm of 227 acres near Lebanon, which he keeps under perfect cultivation.

JONATHAN K. WILDS (deceased). The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born on Walnut Hills, near Cincinnati, Ohio, Sept. 8, 1799, and died at Lebanon, Feb. 7, 1839, in the 40th year of his age; he was the son of J. E. and Frances (Kemper) Wilds; he was educated in a private school on Walnut Hills, and, when about 22 years of age, came to Lebanon, where he en- gaged very successfully in the practice of law. On the 5th of May, 1830, he married Miss Sarah Gilchrist, a daughter of Robert and Mary (Wilson) Gil- christ, of Lebanon, who died September 8, 1868. They had three children, viz., Mary Frances, Jacob Lowe and Maria G .; of these, the first two died in infancy, and the last, Maria G., is still living in Lebanon, being the only sur- vivor of her family. Her father was a man of great talents and a thorough lawyer; in politics, a Whig, and, at the time of his death, Clerk of the Courts of Warren County.

COLUMBUS WILLIAMS (deceased) was born at Norwood, near Cincin- nati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, Aug. 29, 1805; his parents, Jonathan and Mary (Davis) Williams, were natives of New Jersey, of Welsh descent. They emi- grated to Ohio at an early day and located on a farm in Hamilton County, where the father died, Jan. 22, 1814. The mother survived him twenty years, dying on the 22d of December, 1834. Our subject spent the greater part of his life on the farm; he was reared as a farmer and received such education as was attainable at that early day. When 18 years of age, he commenced learn- ing the carpenter trade with his eldest brother, and in that occupation contin- ned for thirty years. In 1853, he purchased the interests of the other heirs to his father's farm, where he spent the remainder of his days. He was married.

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Jan. 24, 1833, to Miss Sarah Todd, who died Jan. 31, 1853, leaving three chil- dren, viz., John, James and Eliza, all now deceased. On the 28th of December, 1856, Mr. Williams was again married, his second wife being Mrs. Agnes L. Logan, a daughter of Silas Hurin, one of the original proprietors of the land on which Lebanon now stands. Mrs. Williams was born in Warren County, and, in 1837, married William M. Logan, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. He died in Lebanon in 1841, leaving one child, Kittie, now the wife of Andrew Atkinson, a real estate agent of Lebanon. Mr. Williams' second marriage was blessed with one child, viz., Nettie D., who was born at Norwood Nov. 29, 1857, and now lives with her mother in Lebanon, to which place they moved soon after Mr. Williams' death, which occurred Nov. 5, 1870. Mr. Williams was a man in whom all the elements of true manhood were blended. As a husband, he was kind, devoted and affectionate; as a father, he was gentle and indulgent; his business capacity and sterling integrity were above question. He was a consistent member of the Presbyterian Church, to which his wife and daughter also belong. His loss to the family, community and church was deeply felt and deplored.

JOHN D. WILLIAMS, farmer and auctioneer; P. O. Lebanon; was born in Turtle Creek Township, Warren Co., Dec. 14, 1815; his parents were Levi Williams, a native of Ohio, and Lydia (Draper) Williams, of Pennsylvania. He was educated in the common-schools of the township, and has followed farming and auctioneering all his life. He is a genial, warm-hearted gentle- man, and is well thought and spoken of by all who know him. In 1837, he mar- ried Miss Sally Voorhis, who died, in 1861, leaving the following children living: C. O., Elizabeth and C. V., the other two of her five children having died before her. On the 24th of May, 1863, Mr. Williams married Miss Mary J. Trimble, by whom he has had two children, viz., Perry T. and Sylvan N. Mr. Williams is a Republican and has served his township a number of years as Justice of the Peace.

ROBERT WILSON (deceased) was born in Rockbridge Co .. Va., Nov. 10, 1797, and came with his parents to Hopkinsville, Warren Co., Ohio, about the year A. D. 1808, when about 11 years of age. His parents being of limited means, his boyhood was devoted to his own support and to obtaining such edu- cation as the country schools of that day afforded. He taught the school at Hopkinsville and was, for a number of years, Justice of the Peace of Hamilton Township. He was Assessor, and, for a number of years, Treasurer, of the county, and represented it one term in the Legislature. In 1843, he removed from Hopkinsville to a farm, purchased about that time, in Union Township, Warren Co., about three miles south of Lebanon, where he resided until his death, Nov. 15, 1854. He was an intelligent and progressive farmer, and was among the foremost to introduce the improvements in machinery and methods of culture, which have lightened the farmer's toil and given it better reward, and, as a means to this end, was active in the organization of the Warren County Agricultural Society. From his early manhood to his death, he was a member of the Associate Reformed Church, at Hopkinsville, and by his life, commended industry, education, morality and religion. On the 25th of August, A. D. 1825, he was married to Martha Smith, daughter of James and Nancy Smith, pioneers of Hamilton Township. Mrs. Wilson died at Lebanon July 29, 1881, aged nearly 80 years. They had eight children, of whoin the follow- ing brief mention is made: Elizabeth H. Wilson, wife of Allison L. Scott, Esq., who died January, 1859. Jeremiah M. Wilson, attorney at law; admitted to the bar at Lebanon, Ohio, Gen. Durbin Ward being his tutor; located at Con- nersville, Ind, and practiced his profession and served as Judge of the Circuit Court for a number of years, and represented his district two terms in Con-

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 92

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