The history of Champaign county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory etc, Part 114

Author: Ogden, J. W. (John W.); Beers (W.H.) & Co., pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 926

USA > Ohio > Champaign County > The history of Champaign county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory etc > Part 114

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ABNER G. WINDER, gardener, North Lewisburg, was born in Clark Co. Ohio, Nov. 28, 1834, and is a son of Thomas and Hannah Winder. His father was born in Ross Co., Ohio, in 1804, and is yet living, and resides in Logan Co., Ohio ; his mother, Hannah Wildman, was born in Loudoun Co., Va., in 1802, and departed this life in January, 1875. They were married in 1827, and to their union ten children were born ; eight living-John, Edward, Aaron, Elizabeth, Abner, William, Maria and Seth ; the deceased are Deborah and Senaca. Our subject was reared on the farm, receiving the rudiments of an education in the common schools, which was developed in a select school in Whitehall. He remained on the farm till his 28th year, when he removed to North Lewisburg and engaged in gardening, a business he is quite extensively occupied in, pro- ducing much more than his town can consume, consequently delivers much to other points. His handsome grounds are nicely arranged. A large green-house, which is full of plants and flowers, adds much to the beauty and taste of his pleasant surroundings. In 1862, he was married to Eunice H., daughter of Israel and Mary Wood. They have three children-Clarence, Anna M. and Octavia S. Her father was born in Con-

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necticut in 1796 ; was reared in New York, and when yet a young man came to Ohio. He departed this life in 1874. Her mother, Mary Thurston, was born in New York in 1800, and, with her parents, came to near Delaware, Ohio. She was married to Thomas Wood in 1818, by whom she had twelve children, ten of whom are living- Priscilla, Elizabeth, Daniel, Rachel, Francis, Sarah, Jonathan, Rhoda, Eunice and Beulah ; the deceased are Lydia and William. Mr. and Mrs. Winder are members of the denomination of Friends, as were their parents. They are exemplary Christian people, and take much pleasure in discharging the duties they owe to their fellow-men. Mrs. W. was born in Ross Co., Ohio, in 1838.

GOSHEN TOWNSHIP.

JOHN C. BAKER, manufacturer, and President of the Mechanicsburg Ma- chine Co., Mechanicsburg; is one of the most enterprising citizens of Mechanics- burg, and was born near his present place Oct. 7, 1830. He is the son of Farrel and Sarah (Owen) Baker, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Ohio. Mr. Farrel emigrated to Ohio in the year 1812. He was the pioneer merchant of Mechanicsburg, locating here in the spring of 1815, and keeping the first store and also the first hotel. His first storehouse was of round logs, with a large, old-fashioned stick chimney, out of which he was accustomed to climb after bolting door from the inside. He died in 1871, at the advanced age of 82, having lived almost sixty years in Mechanicsburg and vicinity. He was married twice, and had seventeen children. Our subject is the youngest of the first marriage. His life was passed on a farm until 19 years old, which dates his advent into Mechanicsburg, where he has since resided. He learned the trade of tinsmith, and carried it on, with a hardware store, for four years. Since then he has been variously occupied. His mind being of an ingenious mold, he turned his attention to inventions, and many val- uable inventions have been the result. Prominent among them are the following : A " corn-planter," a "self-sealing fruit-jar " (which has the merit of being the best in use), " mowing machines," and recently has made several valuable improvements on the grain drill, all of which have been secured by letters patent. The " Baker Drill" is deserving of more than a passing notice, as it is the product of the inventive genius of our subject. The peculiar features are the " pressure on the hoes," a contrivance by which an increased or diminished pressure is readily brought to bear upon the hoes, to suit the compactness of the ground; the " screw-piece feed," both for grain and seed, and the iron or gas-pipe frame, which is a feature peculiar to this drill, and which adds, with neatness and lightness, great strength and durability. Many other minor and valuable improvements have been added, which make it one of the most complete and desirable drills in use. No better testimonial of its value could be offered than its rap- idly increasing sale, the demand exceeding their capacity to manufacture the machine. For the purpose of manufacturing this drill, the Mechanicsburg Machine Co. was or- ganized in 1875, of which Mr. B. is President. This enterprise has done and is now doing more for the industries of the city than perhaps any other. Mr. B. was also the prime mover in establishing the " Ohio Central Fair," first building the race-track on his own responsibility, which was the germ of the organization. Besides the above en- terprises, Mr. B. is prominently identified with many others, from which Mechanics- burg reaps substantial benefit. He identifies himself politically with the Republican party, and has filled, at various times, the offices of Township, Town and School. He has taken all the degrees in the Masonic fraternity, and is one of the charter members of Reaper Commandery, Urbana, and was the first Captain General of the same. He married, in 1861, Mary, daughter of Col. Moore, by whom he has one son and one daughter living, one son and daughter having died.

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ROBERT B. BAKER, merchant tailor, Mechanicsburg; one of the few native citizens of Mechanicsburg, was born in 1832, and is the son of John and A. M. (Henderson) Baker. John was a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio in an early day, locating in this county. By trade he was a bricklayer, and served the people of this place for several years as Justice of the Peace. He was a prominent and much- respected citizen of the place, and his death, which occurred Feb. 12, 1841, was a loss to the community. He left seven children. Our subject was reared and schooled in this place, and early in life learned the tailor trade, which he followed for a time, when he embarked in farming; this he continued about ten years, when he again engaged at merchant tailoring, which he has since followed, a period of twelve or fifteen years. He is located on East Main street, opposite the Farmers' National Bank, where he is pre- pared to make to order all kinds of clothing in the latest style. In politics he is strictly a Republican, and is a member of the M. E. Church and temperance society. He mar- ried Elvira Mann, of Madison Co., in 1851.

CYRUS C. BARR, carriage-maker, Mechanicsburg. Prominent among the busi- ness industries of Mechanicsburg is the carriage-factory, of which the subject of this sketch is one of the proprietors ; the firm enjoys the reputation of turning out first-class work, as their large and increasing trade testifies. Mr. Barr was born in Urbana Town- ship in 1837, and is of Irish descent; his parents were James and Rebecca (Vinyard) Barr, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter of Virginia ; she was one among the first settlers of this county, coming here with her parents in 1808, when 14 years old ; the journey was made from Virginia on horseback, the common mode of traveling in those days ; her death occurred May 20, 1873, at the age of 79 years and 4 months. James B. was also an early settler, and a farmer by occupation ; his death occurred when our subject was about 8 years old. Nine sons and one daughter constituted the family, and of these, Cyrus was the youngest; he availed himself of the meager educa- tional opportunities afforded by the district school till 14 years old, at which time he began the blacksmith's trade; this he followed till seven years ago, since which time he has been engaged in the carriage-factory. He located in this place in December, 1866, where he has since resided; he is an energetic business man and an enterprising citizen ; he finds expression for his political ideas in the Republican party. He married, in March, 1863, Nancy J., daughter of E. Stuart, by whom he has had eight children, one deceased.

D. BOWEN, farmer; P. O. Mechanicsburg; one of the old and much-respected citizens of Goshen Township ; was born in Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 1815, and is of Welsh descent ; his father, Martin Bowen, was a native of Massachusetts, and emigrated with his parents to New York State when young ; here he married Sarah Simpson, of New York, and had six sons and three daughters, one dying in infancy. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and came to this county about 1846, and remained with his family until about 1865, when he returned to New York State, where his death soon occurred, about 1867 ; his wife returned to Ohio and made her home with our subject till her death, which occurred Nov. 30, 1871, at the age of 75. Our subject is the oldest of the family, and, till he attained the age of 22, lived in his native State, when he came to this county ; his early life was devoted to carpentering and farming, and, after com- ing to this county, he gave his attention, for a number of years, to his trade ; but, since about. twenty-five years ago, he has been exclusively engaged at farming and sheep-feeding. For twenty-one years, he has resided on his present place, which con- sists of nearly 200 acres, under the best of modern improvements ; he is a self-made man, and, beginning with nothing but willing hands, he has, by his untiring industry, economy and the assistance of his wife, acquired his present neat competency ; he has not always had perfectly smooth sailing ; his early career in this county was marked with many privations and hardships, and struggles against poverty and misfortune. He has been married twice ; first, Nov. 7, 1839, to Sarepta, a daughter of Warren Free- man, of New York ; her death occurred soon after, leaving one son, Webster, who was

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a soldier in the late war, as a member of the 66th O. V. I., under Capt. V. Horr, and, while in the service, he contracted disease, which caused his death Feb. 19, 1871. Dec. 30, 1841, our subject married Elizabeth Wiant; she was born on the place where she now lives in the fall of 1812, whither her father, Adam Wiant, had emigrated in the same year. Two sons and three daughters are the issue of this union. . Adam Wiant was a native of Virginia, and married Mary Goul, of Philadelphia, Penn. Mr. Bowen is a stanch Republican, casting his initial vote for Harrison.

JOEL BURNSIDE, retired farmer ; P. O. Mechanicsburg; one of the early pioneers and prominent citizens of the township ; was born in Bedford Co., Va., in 1801. His parents, William and Elizabeth (Frankburger) Burnside, were both natives of Pennsylvania. William immigrated to Ohio in 1805 or 1806, and located for two years in Greene Co., and then pioneered his way to this township, locating south of Mechan- icsburg, where his family constituted one of the first in the county. He was a smith by trade, and erected the first shop in this county. For one year, during the war of 1812, he was in the Government employ at Urbana, as blacksmith, under Capt. Thorpe, and served about one month on the frontier at Ft. Menary, and was present when

Thomas and son were killed. In 1820 or 1821, he moved to Madison Co., where his death occurred in 1822; his wife survived him till 1855. He had two sons and five daughters, of whom our subject is the oldest, and with a sister constitute the only sur- viving members of the family. He was only 5 or 6 years old when his lot was cast in the wilds of this county, where he has had a continuous residence ever since. He has witnessed the changes wrought in this country by the unflagging industry of man for almost three-quarters of a century, and has seen the town of Mechanicsburg grow from one small cabin to its present dimensions of near 2,000 inhabitants. His early life was that of a pioneer boy, growing up amid the privations and hardships incident to such a life. During his father's stay in the Government employ at Urbana, he was cook for Capt. Thorpe for a time. He has been an agriculturist throughout his life, and has made it a success. In 1829, he located on his farm south of Mechanicsburg, and lived there till 1863, when he moved to another farm in the same vicinity, where he remained till 1875, when he moved to Mechanicsburg. He is now approaching his four-score years, and seldom do we find the mental and physical powers so well preserved as in him. He is enterprising and public spirited, and interested in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the community. In politics he was formerly a Whig, and became a Repub- lican at the disintegration of that party ; he cast his initial Presidential vote for John Quincy Adams ; he has several times filled offices of honor and trust, and is now filling the office of Land Appraiser of this township; he takes a great interest in the cause of religion, being a member of the M. E. Church for over one-half a century. He has been married three times ; first to Margaret Safley, Jan 1, 1829; and secondly in 1869, to Mrs. Ellen, widow of William Roscegrant, Commissioner of the county; his third marriage was to Malinda Hanna in 1879. He has two sons and three daughters living, all by the first union.

H. W. BROWN, farmer; P. O. Mechanicsburg; one of the early settlers of this county ; was born March 12, 1825, just on the border of Goshen Township in Madison Co. He is the son of James Brown, who was born in York State June 21, 1795. When quite small, his parents moved with him to Canada, where his father soon died. During the war of 1812, he was conscripted for the British service, but, attempting to escape, he was captured and imprisoned in a dungeon ; he was soon released on the ground of being the chief support of a widowed mother. After his release, he embarked with his mother and four younger brothers for Ohio, locating first in this county, Goshen Township, whence he moved to Summerford Township, Madison Co., where he lived the remainder of his life, his death occurring March 13, 1875. He was married to Mary A. Burnside, who survived him till Aug. 2, 1877, when her death occurred. They had five sons and nine daughters, four sons and six daughters of whom still survive. Our subject is the second child of the family, and oldest living member. He was raised

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on a farm, and early taught the art and dignity of labor; he was educated in the pio- neer log schoolhouse, and lived at home until 22 years old, at which age he took up his residence in Goshen Township, and at his present place, where he has since resided, a period of one-third of a century ; farming has always been his occupation. He is politically a Republican, although no politician ; he is now in his second year as Justice of the Peace of Goshen Township; was census enumerator for his township (1880), and has been School Director almost co-equal with his residence here. Although not in the late rebellion, he put a substitute in the regular service instead. He married in 1846, Olive E. Patrick, a native of Madison Co., Ohio. One son and two daughters have been the issue of this union. One daughter, Clarissa I., died at the age of 12.

ANDREW BURNHAM, farmer ; P. O. Mechanicsburg. A prominent citizen of the township ; was born in Union Co. and Union Township in 1825, and is of English descent ; he is the son of Eliphas and Lydia (Mecham) Burnham, both natives of Con- necticut. Eliphas is a farmer by occupation, and emigrated to Ohio in 1818, locating in what was then Madison Co., but what has since been organized into Union Co. After a short residence here, he returned to his native State, married Lydia Mecham, came back and established a permanent home in Union Co. He still survives at the ad- vanced age of 81 years, one of the highly respected and valuable citizens of the county, and one of her pioneers. His wife, Lydia, deceased in 1867, aged 71. He had five sons and three daughters, one son dying in his youth ; one in the service of his coun- try, and one daughter in early life ; the others live in the vicinity of the homestead. He has been prominently identified with the offices of the township in which he resides, being Assessor for over thirty years, and Justice of the Peace, and has done a great deal of administrator's work. For several winters after locating here, he occupied the role of a teacher, on pay at the rate of $8 per month, boarding himself. Andrew is the third of the family, and has made "tilling of the soil " his life occupation. He was educated in the district school, and remained at home till he grew to manhood, making his first permanent location at his present place, in the spring of 1856, where he ha since resided. He has been married twice-first, in 1855, to Virginia E. Crawford born in Mechanicsburg, of Virginia ancestors; they had three sons ; in 1866, he mar- ried Nancy M. Amy, a native of Union Co .; one daughter has been the issue of this union. Prudence Amy, mother of Mrs. Burnham, became a resident of Union Co. fifty- one, and of this county forty-five, years ago, and still survives at the advanced age of 84, with her mental and physical powers well preserved. Mr. B. finds his political views in the Republican party, and his religious in the Universalist Church.

JONATHAN CHENEY (deceased). To the subject of this sketch we are pleased to accord a place in the biographical album of this work. He was born in August, 1816, in Union Township, Champaign Co., and was prominently identified with the history of the county. As far back as his paternal ancestors can be traced, they inhabited the Isle of Man. In about 1770, Thomas Cheney and four sons-Thomas, William, Joseph and Ebenezer-emigrated from the Isle of Man to America, locating in Massachusetts. The father and three sons were engaged in the battle of Bunker Hill, in which the former, then a man of about 70 summers, was killed by a chain-shot. Thomas, Jr., emigrated to Harrison Co., Va., where he reared a family of sons and daughters, four sons of whom-William, Benjamin (the father of our subject), Jona- than and Ebenezer-became pioneers to Champaign Co. Benjamin was married to Sarah Cochran, a native, also, of Harrison Co., Va., from where they immediately emigrated to Ohio, locating in Champaign Co. in about 1808. The journey was made on horseback, bringing all their meager earthly possessions with them. Benjamin in- herited nothing but an honest name, good business habits and a vigorous intellect. His cabin was erected in the wilderness of Union Township, where his industry and perse- verance soon carved out a farm and home. He was conspicuously identified with the early political as well as pioneer history of the county. He served for a number of years as Justice of the Peace, and his proceedings in his official capacity are to be found among

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the early records of the county. As a member of the State Legislature for twelve years, he discharged his duties with fidelity and commendable zeal. He was possessed of more than ordinary business sagacity, and accumulated, before his death, a large landed estate, consisting of nearly 2,000 acres. He never moved from his first location, his death occurring there in 1834, and that of his wife and one son about the same time, all dying of typhoid fever. In his death, the community recognized the loss of a valu- able citizen and useful member of society. He had seven sons and one daughter, of whom our subject was the fifth child. His entire life was passed upon the farm on which he was born. He was early taught the art and dignity of farming, and, as re- gards integrity, business habits and a vigorous intellect, his father's mantle fell upon him. In his life, he was honored as a good and useful member of society, ever found interested in whatever pertained to the common welfare. He filled with the strictest integrity numerous offices of honor and trust ; was two years a member of the State Legislature, and for twelve or fifteen years Justice of the Peace. He possessed many sterling characteristics, his devotion to the right being fearless. His life was given principally to farming and stock-raising. In 1836, he married Rachel, daughter of John W. and Eleanor (Duval) Williams, by whom he had eight sons and three daugh- ters ; one son and two daughters deceased. He died March 6, 1864, lamented by all who knew him. His son, J. H. Cheney, was born Dec. 1, 1839, in Union Township ; was reared on a farm, and has made farming his life occupation. Aug. 14, 1860, he married Beatrice Tullis, a native of Goshen Township, and a descendant of early set- tlers ; he lived in Union and Goshen Townships till about five years ago, when he moved to his present place in Mechanicsburg. He served a time in the late civil war .. Mr. and Mrs. Cheney have three sons and one daughter.

ASA M. CHENEY, farmer; P. O. Mechanicsburg; one of the prominent citi- zens and early settlers of Goshen Township; was born within a mile of his present place, in 1820; he descends from the Virginia stock, his father, William C., and his- mother, Elizabeth (Kirkley) Cheney, both being natives of Virginia; William was a. native of Harrison Co., born Oct. 28, 1775, and was a son of Thomas and Keturah Cheney, the former born in Virginia in 1742, and the latter in 1748; he was married in about 1800, and, in 1801, pioneered his way into the wilds of Ohio, locating in Goshen Township, where he purchased 200 acres of land of Gen. McArthur ; on this. he erected his log cabin and began frontier life; he was a farmer by occupation, and toiled out the remainder of his days here, his death occurring Feb. 6, 1856, and that of his wife in March, 1871, at the advanced age of 89 years. Our subject was the youngest of a family of seven sons and three daughters ; he was brought up on a farm, and has made farming his life occupation ; in this, by dint of hard labor, economy and a good foresight in business, he has been eminently successful; beginning in a small way, he has added to his possessions till he now has nearly nine hundred acres of land, joining on Mechanicsburg. In 1850, he made a trip to California across the plains, arriving there Aug. 18 of the same year ; he stopped ten days in Salt Lake City; his object being to secure the precious metal, he began operations in Weaver's Creek, which he continued for a short time, and then with others established a ranche in Au- burn Ravine, where he passed the ensuing winter. In the spring, he went to the St. Joe Bar, on the North Yuba, and there engaged in mining till the fall of 1853, when he embarked for home, returning by the Nicaraguan route and New Orleans, arriving home Jan. 15, 1854. This trip was attended with fair financial success. His views and sentiments concerning the polity of his country incline him toward the Republican party ; but, in exercising his voting privilege, he uses his own judgment, and votes for the man whom he thinks best fitted for the office, regardless of party ties. He mar- ried Martha Coffey, of this township, in September, 1867. Four sons and one daugh- ter have been the issue of this union.

JOHN H. CLARK, physician, Mechanicsburg; was born in Union Township, Champaign Co., Sept. 28, 1829, and comes of early pioneers of this county. His

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early paternal ancestors emigrated from England, and his maternal from Wales to New Jersey, thence to Virginia, from where his grandparents came to Ohio. His father, Stephen, was born Sept. 1, 1804, in Urbana Township, Champaign Co. He was a farmer by occupation, and emigrated to Illinois in 1857, where his death occurred Jan. 27, 1867. He was married to Hannah Jones, of this county. She was born May 29, 1806, and comes of early pioneers. They had five sons and three daughters, of whom our subject is the second child. He was reared on a farm in Union Township, and remained at home till about 19 years of age, attending district school and working at farm duties, at which age he entered the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. Subsequently, he commenced the study of medicine, and, after a requisite course of read- ing and attending one course of medical lectures, located for practice in the spring of 1852 at Mutual, Union Township, this county. The following winter, he attended a second course of lectures at Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, graduating in the spring of 1853. He then resumed practice at Mutual, where he continued till the spring of 1858, when he located at Mechanicsburg. At the end of one year, he went West and practiced two years in Decatur, Ill., and then returned to Mechanisburg. In the spring and summer of 1862, he served three months as Surgeon in the army, and returned from service on account of failing health. He has since been engaged in his professional labors at this place, with the exception of the time he was Superintendent of the Asy- lum for the Insane at Dayton, Ohio, which was from February, 1874, to May, 1876. He has, by his careful attention to his professional duties, won the confidence and respect of a community who recognize in him an able and skillful practitioner and a useful citizen. He is a member of the Champaign County Medical Society, Ohio State Medical Society, the A., F. & A. M., and Presbyterian Church. He married Elnorah J., daughter of Rev. William Williams, of this place, Sept. 21, 1852. A son and daughter have been the issue of this union.

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The history of Champaign county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory etc, Part 114

Author: Ogden, J. W. (John W.); Beers (W.H.) & Co., pub Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 926

Author: Ogden, J. W. (John W.); Beers (W.H.) & Co., pub
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : W.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 926