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 118
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ORIN TAYLOR, farmer; P. O. Mechanicsburg; another of the old and respected citizens of Mechanicsburg; was born in Penobscot Co., near Bangor, Me., in 1808, and is the son of Cyrus and Abigail ( Woodward) Taylor. Cyrus followed farm- ing through life, and emigrated to Ohio in 1815 with his family, making the entire trip through with a two-horse team. He located in Meigs Co., thence to Kanawha Salt Works, Va., one year, and, in the fall of 1825, he came to this township, locating near Mechanicsburg, where his death occurred at the ripe age of 88 years, and that of his wife at the advanced age of 91 years. Benjamin Taylor, grandfather of our subject, was a Revolutionary soldier, and served for seven years in that great struggle for liberty. He also emigrated to this place with his wife, where they died, he at the age of 87, and she at the age of 90. Cyrus Taylor had eight children, all of whom are deceased but
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two sons, noticed in this volume. Our subject was the third child, and, when only 17 years old, came with his brother Benjamin, two years his junior, to this township in the spring of 1825. Farming has been his life occupation, in which he has been eminently successful. In the spring of 1859, he moved to his present place in Mechanicsburg, where he resides and superintends his farms. In politics, he was originally a Whig, and then became a Republican at the organization of the party. He married Sarah Debois, of Chenango Co., N. Y., Jan. 8, 1829. She is of French parentage, and was born in 1808. Her parents located in Columbus when there was only one brick house in the place, and her step-father, Asa Collins, did the smithing work on the first State House and prison, and she attended the first Sabbath school in the place. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor have no children of their own, but have had adopted children as follows : V. B. Davis and sister, the latter of whom died, leaving a daughter, Amelia Bishop, who now lives with them, and Letitia Owen, who died at the age of 20. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are faithful members of the Protestant Methodist Church.
CHARLES TAYLOR & SON, druggists, Mechanicsburg. Among the business interests of Mechanicsburg deserving of more than a passing notice is the above firm, one of the oldest drug firms in Central Ohio. The present proprietor is J. P. Taylor, son of Charles and Mary L. (Sergent) Taylor, the former born in London, England, in 1809, whence he immigrated to this country in 1816 with his parents, locating first in Newark, N. J., and thence to Pittsfield, Mass., from which place he came to this in 1834. He was a shoemaker by trade, which he followed until he embarked in the drug trade in this place about thirty years ago. This he continued till recently, when he dis- posed of his store to his son J. P. He has always been recognized as a public-spirited and enterprising citizen, and always found interested in matters pertaining to the welfare of the community. He was one of the prime movers in establishing the union schools of this place, which was accomplished under much opposition. In politics, he was origi- nally a Jacksonian Democrat, and successively a Free-Soiler and Republican. He was known as an uncompromising Abolitionist, and was one of the leading spirits in this community in the underground railway system ; he took a prominent and active part in the celebrated "great slave rescue case of Addison White," for his connection with which he was arrested under the fugitive slave law, and suffered a pecuniary loss of nearly $2,000. He was at one time appointed Postmaster of Mechanicsburg, but turned the office over to D. F. Spain. He is one among the oldest Masons in the county. He has been married twice; first, to Tirzah Shepherd in 1835; and secondly, to Mary L. Sergent in 1838. He had one son by the first, and five sons and one daughter by the second, marriage. Three sons have deceased. T. P. Taylor, proprietor of the store, was born in Mechanicsburg, and, at 4 years of age, went to Indianapolis, Ind .; thence in two years to Eaton, Ohio, where he remained four years, and then went to Dayton, Ohio, remaining nine years where he received his education. At the end of this time, he returned to his native place, where he has since been located and engaged in the drug business ; first, as partner with his father, and lately as sole proprietor. His business room is on South Main street, where he has one of the finest drug stores in the county, and one of the most elegant and neatly arranged prescription cases. From his careful attention to business, he is enjoying a gratifying patronage of the community. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., and the Imp. O. R. M.
JONATHAN THARP, farmer; P. O. Mechanicsburg; a descendant of early pioneers of Champaign Co., was born near the border of Goshen Township, in Madison Co., in 1833, and is of English extraction. His father, Isaac Tharp, was born in Flem- ing Co., Ky., Oct. 2, 1799. He was 12 years old when he immigrated to Champaign Co. with his father, Jacob, Sr., who located one year in Urbana with his family, which consisted of ten sons and two daughters, and then till 1829 on a farm about three miles east of Urbana, when he moved to Illinois, where his death occurred in October, 1871, at the remarkable age of 98 years. He was born Sept. 8, 1773, and his father, Jacob, was born in the north of England and died in this county in 1793, aged 49. Jacob
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Tharp, Jr., moved to Illinois with his father, but returned in 1832, and passed the re- mainder of his days here, dying in January, 1871. He was married, in June, 1820, to- Anna Rigdon, who was born Oct. 10, 1800, in Mad River Township, Champaign Co., and was among the first white children born in the county. Her father, John Rigdon, was one of the first pioneers of the county. Her death occurred in 1867. They had four sons and seven daughters ; one son and four daughters still survive. Our subject. is one of a pair of twins, and the youngest of the family. His life has been that of a farmer, and his carly education was obtained in the district school. He has lived on his present place about forty-five years, located in the southeast angle of the county. He married, in 1872, M. C. Sprowl, who was born in Illinois and raised in Greene Co., Ohio. Mr. T. is, politically, a Republican.
DAVID TULLIS (deceased); was born in Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio, Oct. 17, 1808, and was the son of Ezra and Mary ( Blue) Tullis, pioneers of Warren Co., and natives of Virginia. When David was a small boy, his parents pioneered their way into the wilds of Champaign Co., and here passed the remainder of their lives, raising their family of four sons and two daughters to honest toil. David was the second child of the family, and was reared and inured to farm labor. Early in life, he learned the trade of a blacksmith, which he followed in Mechanicsburg for seventeen years. By his in- dustry and careful attention to business, he won the confidence of the public and the reputation of a first-class workman. At the end of this time he purchased and moved on a farm, and began the pursuit of agriculture with the hope of improving his failing health. Here he remained successfully operating his farm for about twenty-one years, and then returned to Mechanicsburg, where his death occurred July 15, 1876. By his death the community suffered the loss of one whom it recognized as a valuable and hon- orable citizen. He was married, July 8, 1831, to Nancy Cartmell, who was born in 1812, near Mechanicsburg, her parents being natives of Winchester, Va., and pioneers of this county. They located in Goshen Township in 1805, and lived the remainder of their days on the place on which they first located. Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Tullis, seven of whom still survive; one died in infancy.
J. K. WARE, retired farmer ; P. O. Mechanicsburg; one of the early settlers and prominent citizens of the county ; was born near Salem, N. J., Oct. 8, 1806 ; he comes of Quaker parentage, his ancestry emigrating from England in an early day. His father,. Jacob, was a farmer by occupation, and was married three times. His third marriage was with Sarah Reed, of New Jersey ; by this union he had a son and daughter, having two sons and two daughters by the previous marriages. His demise occurred in 1806, a few months before the birth of our subject, caused, it is supposed, from fright, occa- sioned by the burning of his house. Our subject was taken to Delaware when about 3 years old, where he remained till 1818, when he came with his mother to this county, locating first about two miles west of Urbana, and the following year near King's Creek. In 1823, he went to Urbana and entered the store of Thomas Gwynne as clerk ; here he remained a short time and then went to Springfield, Ohio, where his step-father had just opened a store, and clerked for him there until Jan. 20, 1825, when they came to Mechanicsburg, where he has since resided. He acted as clerk in the store till 1834, when he embarked in Mechanicsburg on his own account, purchasing nearly all his first. stock on credit ; this he continued till 1846 with eminent success, due to his careful business habits, honesty and economy. He then went to land dealing and raising sheep and wool. In this his usual energy and business sagacity won him signal success. He now owns nearly 2,000 acres of land lying in Champaign, Madison and Union Cos., mainly in this county. Mr. Ware is a self-made man; beginning with nothing but an indomitable will, he has by the assistance of his devoted wife and his own perseverance and economy, surrounded himself with a neat competency. He has been identified with the Whig, Liberty, Free-Soil and Republican parties, and now, recognizing the enormity of the evil of intemperance, is a strong Prohibitionist. He has led a life strictly of tem- perance, having never used intoxicating drinks or tobacco in any form ; he has always
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been active and earnest in the temperance work. He is a public-spirited man and always found interested in matters pertaining to the welfare of the community. He was an early and earnest advocate of the free-school system, and was mainly instrumental in establishing the union schools of this place. In slavery times he was widely known as an uncompromising Abolitionist. He is a man of principle and firm in his convictions of right. He with his wife has been a member of the M. E. Church for over one-half century, and during nearly all this time has occupied important positions in the church. He married Amisa Wallace, who was born Feb. 6, 1804, near Brownsville, Penn. Aug. 20, 1829, and since his marriage has lived on the same identical spot. Of the four sons and two daughters born to this union, two sons, the oldest, died in infancy.
OLIVER C. WHEELER, Mechanicsburg ; publisher of the Mechanicsburg Herald, an eight-page quarto weekly, devoted to local interests, and neutral in politics, established in 1879. He was also the founder of the Central Ohio News, another weekly paper published in the same place, established in 1873, severing his connection in 1878. Mr. Wheeler is a practical printer, and has been identified with the news- paper interests and the " art perservative " in Ohio for twenty-five years. He is a native of Maryland, and emigrated with his parents to Ohio when a lad.
R. D. WILLIAMS, banker, Mechanicsburg ; is one of the oldest business men of Mechanicsburg, and has been for a number of years prominently identified with the business interests of the place, performing a most creditable part in bringing it to its present enterprising condition. He was born in Maryland June 27, 1815, and is of English descent on his paternal, and of French on his maternal, side. His parents, John W. and Eleanor (Du Val) Williams, were both of Maryland. John W. was a farmer by occupation, and immigrated to Ohio in 1831, locating in the vicinity of Mechanicsburg. Here he purchased a large tract of land, and passed the few remain- ing years of his life, his death occurring in 1838. His wife, Eleanor Du Val, was born of French Huguenot parentage, and comes from an ancient and honorable family. After the revocation of the " edict of Nantes " by Louis XIV, two Huguenot broth- ers escaped from France to America, one locating in Maryland, and the other in Vir- ginia. These have left a numerous progeny scattered throughout the North and West, and of these Mrs. W. was a lineal descendant. Of this same family was William Pope Du Val, of historic fame, and one of the Territorial Governors of Florida, a sketch of whose life is given by Irving in " Wolfert's Roost," under the title of " Adventures of Ralph Ringwood." Gen. John Pope Du Val was his brother, and obtained a large tract of land in the Virginia military district of Ohio, and many of his heirs now reside on it. The family has been prominently identified in military and official positions for many generations. John Williams left at his death four sons and four daughters. All were located in the vicinity of Mechanicsburg but one daughter, who was married to Dr. William Hammond, of Annapolis, Md., who is the only member of the family deceased. One brother lives in Chicago, one in Mechanicsburg, and another has been for a number of years prominently connected with the offices of the State, serving two terms as Auditor. Our subject is the third of the family, and was in his early man- hood when he came to this place with his parents. His early education was received in the district school in his native State, and, till he attained majority, he lived on a farm. In 1836, he embarked in the mercantile business in Mechanicsburg, which he continued with success for thirty years, the business now being carried on by his sons. He then engaged in the banking business with Thomas Davis, the bank being styled the " Farmers' Bank," and was organized subsequently into the " Farmers' National Bank." He has held the position of President of this bank since its organization. Thus, nearly one-half a century has elapsed since Mr. Williams identified himself with the business interests of Mechanicsburg, and we still find him enrolled with the fore- most business men of the place. He is a man of many sterling qualities, and his life has been marked with industry, integrity and beneficent acts. He is a Republican in politics and a Methodist in religion. He married Jane, daughter of Samuel W. Clag-
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gett, of Annapolis, Md., in 1836. Two sons and three daughters are the issue of this union, all of whom reside in their native place but one daughter, who resides in Toledo.
NATHAN WOLF, farmer; P. O. Mechanicsburg ; was born in Logan Co., Ohio, in 1845, and is the son of George and Olive (Hendricks) Wolf, the former a native of Virginia, born near Harper's Ferry in 1803, and the latter a native of Clark Co., Ohio. George emigrated to Clark Co. with his parents when quite young ; thence to Logan Co., where he lived till about thirty years ago, engaged at his life occupation, farming. At the above time, he sold out with the intention of going West, but the death of his wife, Olive, defeated this plan. He soon married Miss Laferty, and located in this county, Union Township, where he still resides. About twelve years ago, he was called to mourn the loss of his second wife, and has since been married to Rebecca J. Min- turn. He has two sons by his first and three by his second marriage. Our subject is the oldest living, and has had his residence in this county since 6 years old. He received a common-school education, and has made farming his life occupation. He made his first location from home on his present place in about 1870. In his use of the elective franchise, he uses his own judgment, and votes for the man he thinks best fitted for office, regardless of party. He is a member of A., F. & A. M. fraternity and the M. E. Church. He married, in 1870, Mrs. Louisa M. Smith, nee Hull, by whom he has two sons-Alfred C., born Feb. 17, 1874; Milton B., born July 28, 1876. Mrs. Wolf has one son by her first marriage-Claude F. Smith, born June 11, 1866.
THOMAS WREN, farmer ; P. O. Mechanicsburg ; one of the early settlers of Goshen Township ; was born in Clark Co., Ohio, Dec. 1809, and is the son of David Wren, of Berkeley Co., Va. David was married to Elizabeth Bishop, of Loudoun Co., Va., and moved to Fleming Co. Ky., where they remained five years, and then pioneered their way into Ohio, in 1801 or 1802, locating in Pleasant Township, Clark Co., thus making one of the first families of Clark Co. In June, 1832, he moved with his family to Goshen Township, Champaign Co., locating about one mile south of Mechanicsburg. Here he lived till in August, 1847, when his death occurred ; his wife died in 1852. They had six sons and four daughters ; all grew up and were married ; two sons only, survive. Our subject was the seventh child ; he was reared on a farm, and early became inured to farm labor; his life has been devoted to farming and stock-raising, and at this he has been signally successful. At his advent into Goshen Township, he was 22 years old, and has since resided here, a period of nearly half a century. He lived with his parents till he moved to his present place, forty years ago. Then he began in the woods and log cabin ; now he has a farm of nearly 400 acres under good improvement, and a fine, large, brick residence, the result of his industry and economy. He married, in 1837, Mary Jones, who was born in Logan Co., Ohio, and raised in this, Champaign Co. ; she died in June, 1871. One son and five daughters were born to this union. Mr. Wren, formerly an " Old-Line Whig," now embraces the principles of the Republican party.
DAVID YEAZELL, farmer ; P. O. Mechanicsburg; an early settler of Goshen Township ; was born in June, 1804, near Yellow Springs, Greene Co., Ohio, and raised in Clark Co., till the fall of 1826, when he came to the place where he now resides, locating the 15th of December, in the house in which he now lives ; he is the son of Abraham and Mary (Curl) Yeazell, the former a native of Kentucky, and the latter of Virginia. Abraham was among the early pioneers of Greene Co., whence he moved to Clark Co., when our subject was quite young; he dwelt on the same farm the remainder of his life ; he was a farmer by occupation, and reared nine sons and five daughters, all of whom grew up to maturity and were married. Our subject was the sixth of the family, and his early life was that of a pioneer farmer. Since 1826, he has plied his industry as a farmer in Goshen Township, taking a creditable part in the improvement of the country for over half a century. He married Esther Bumgartner, born in Greene and raised in Clark Co. Of the two sons and two daughters born to this union, one. daughter has died.
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UNION TOWNSHIP.
SAMUEL ALLISON, farmer ; P. O. Mutual. The subject of this sketch was born in Jefferson Co., Va., Dec. 28, 1828; he is a son of Christopher and Elizabeth Allison, both natives of Virginia, who emigrated to this State about the year 1832, stopping in Clark Co. for a short time, and finally locating in this county, where they remained to the time of their deaths, some fifteen or twenty years ago. They were parents of twelve children, eight boys and four girls. Samuel Allison spent his boy- hood on the farm, and was educated in the the common schools of his day. Since. arriving at maturity, he has followed the avocation of his boyhood, which he fully understands, and to which he is attached. He has been twice married; first in 1850, to Lucy Reed, who bore him five children-Emma C., Samuel K., George R., Robert T. and William D. She died in 1863. He celebrated his second marriage with Cyn- thia Ann Shepherd, Oct. 1, 1868; two children are the result of this union, viz., Clif- ford and Grace Elizabeth. Five of his children are living, two at home, the others in neighboring cities. His farm consists of 168 acres, well adapted to the raising of grain, which is his chief occupation.
GEORGE H. BALDWIN, miller ; P. O. Urbana. The subject of this sketch was born in Pennsylvania Jan. 11, 1844 ; he is a son of Joshua and Mary Baldwin, natives of Pennsylvania. Joshua was a farmer, giving his attention entirely to that business ; he came to this county in 1871, and is the father of seven children, all liv- ing. George H. passed his boyhood on the farm in a manner incident to youth. In 1865, he came to this State and located in Clark Co., in which he followed the business of milling. In 1871, he came to this county, and since has given his undivided atten- tion to one of the most complete and extensive mills in this county, having a working capacity of about twenty thousand bushels per annum. He is a gentleman thoroughly educated in his business, which, taken in conjunction with the reputation of his mill, makes him a cotemporary whose competition is felt. Though but a resident of the county for a comparatively short time, he has built up an extensive trade, receiving the hearty support of an appreciative public. April 11, 1867, he was joined in wedlock to Margaret E. McConkey, by whom he has had three children, one living-George M.
SAMUEL BARNETT, farmer ; P. O. Urbana ; is a native of Butler Co., Ohio, born Oct. 4, 1831 ; he is a son of Samuel and Mary Mitchell Barnett, natives of Dauphin Co., Penn .; they came to this State in 1817 and located in Warren Co .; aft- erward lived in Butler for several years, then, in 1841, came to Clark Co., settling in Springfield, where he remained to the time of his death, May 10, 1869; he was a farmer in his earlier years, afterward a miller, being one of the men who established the hydraulic at Springfield, the inaugural step toward making it one of the first man- ufacturing towns in Western Ohio. He was the father of ten children-James, Su- sanna, David M., Mary, William A., Levi, Nancy A., Sarah, George W. and Samuel. All are living but Susanna and David M., being scattered over different parts of the country from Ohio to Kansas. The subject of this sketch was reared on the farm, and educated chiefly at Springfield. After arriving at maturity, he commenced farming in this county on the place where he now lives, consisting of 167 acres, all under cultiva- tion or in pasture, where he carries on mixed farming. In October, 1855, he mar- ried Mary Campbell. They were parents of five children, four of whom-John C., Carrie B., Mary L. and Laura L., are living and at home, and Fannie M., deceased.
STEPHEN BEATY, farmer ; P. O. Urbana ; is a native of this township, born in 1822; he is a son of Miles C. and Anna Beaty. Miles C. was born in Cumberland Co., Penn., and, when 2 years old, his parents moved to Kentucky. In 1806, he came to this State and located on Buck Creek. He afterward attended the mill at Taylor- town, having learned the trade of his father ; then went to Lagonda and milled for old
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Gen. Kenton. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Finally, he purchased the farm on which Stephen and his sisters now live. His wife, Miss Runyon, was one of the earliest settlers of this section ; when she came to the State, there was but one house in Urbana. During the latter years of his life, Mr. Beaty followed farming. He was esteemed by the people, and held various offices of trust and profit; he was County Commissioner, Assessor and Justice of the Peace for six or seven terms. He was strictly honest, and did his business in such a way as to need no administrator. He died in June, 1861. His wife survived him six years. Stephen and his sisters (first four, now only three) came into the possession of the farm by buying the other broth- ers out, and continue to make it their home, sharing each other's pleasures and posses- sions. They are all members of the United Presbyterian Church, and are consistent working Christians.
BENJAMIN F. CHENEY, farmer; P. O. Mutual. The subject of this sketch is a native of this county, born Nov. 2, 1829. He is a son of Benjamin and Sarah Cochran Cheney, both natives of Harrison Co., Va. Benjamin Cheney emigrated to this county in 1805, in company with his three brothers, William, Ebenezer and Jon- athan, all settling in this county. He was the father of nine children-eight boys and one girl ; only three are now living, John, near La Fayette, Ind., Samuel and our sub- ject, in this township. Mr. C. has followed farming all his life, dealing largely in cattle, with which he is very successful. His farms consist of 296 acres, nearly all under good improvement and well supplied with springs and their branches, affording the finest facilities for raising stock. Feb. 16, 1858, he married Mary E. Little. They are parents of five children-Oscar L., Verden E., Alice B. and Pearl E., are living and are all at home ; Earl A. died in infancy. Mrs. Cheney is a member of the Presbyte- rian Church.
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