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 94

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 94

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G. M. MINNICH, general merchant, Millerstown. In speaking of the business industries of Millerstown, we mention that of G. M. Minnich, as general merchant, es- tablished in 1878. Even though he is a new man in the business circles of the village, by his close business habits, neatness, and the attractive appearance of his store, he has established a healthy trade. Mr. Minnich was born in Millerstown, Johnson Township, in 1850, and raised to farm duties; his education was acquired in the common schools ; he now resides with his widowed mother; the parents, Israel and Annie (Buroker) Minnich, were born, he in Virginia, and she in Champaign Co., where their marriage occurred ; they were married nearly thirty years, when death separated them, and he was consigned to the silent tomb.

JOSIAH MOTT, retired; P. O. St. Paris ; son of Josiah Mott, Sr., who was born in Connecticut about 1759, where he remained until the age of 18, when he enlisted in the war of independence, passing through many privations and hardships. At the close of the war, he was on the present site of Cincinnati, Ohio (Ft. Washington), where he married, and by that union had five children, of whom all are now dead. He married, for his second wife, Eunice Palmer, born in Vermont about 1793; the issue of this union was ten children, of whom eight are now living. During the war of 1812, Josiah Mott, Sr., served in the ranks of the army ; as a patriot and soldier, he deserves honorable mention in the list of our country's defenders ; his death occurred in 1837. Our subject (the eldest son of the second marriage) was born in Franklin, Warren Co., Ohio, July 30, 1812, where he grew to manhood on the farm, and acquired a limited education in the subscription schools. In the fall of 1831, he married Mary A. Schoby, born in New Jersey, and came West with her parents to Ohio at the age of 3 years ; their companionship lasted a period of thirty-five years and five months, when death seized her and she was consigned to the silent tomb; she had fourteen children, of whom eight now survive. In the spring of 1832, Josiah Mott, Jr., located in Clark Co., Ohio, where he was variously engaged until 1836, at which time he commenced farming rented land, and followed the same until 1851, when he bought 80 acres of land in Elizabeth Township, Miami Co .; six years later, he sold out, and located on his present farm, in Jackson Township, Champaign Co., Ohio, which now consists of 227} acres; in March, 1875, he purchased his present beautiful home of 17 acres, in the cor- poration of St. Paris, where he located the following fall, and is now finely situated for life. His second marriage was celebrated Aug. 8, 1869, with Margaret (Greene) McInally, born in Miami Co., Ohio, in 1826. At the date of the last marriage, the family was increased with his wife's children, and they, with his, lived as agreeably as if all were brothers and sisters. Mr. Mott has, during his time, attentively cared for

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his two mothers-in-law, one of whom recently died at the age of 89 years, and one now survives at the age of 79. Thus has he shown a charitable life, which, for years past, has been spent in the practice of the doctrine of the Universalist Church.

ISAAC NICHLES, farmer ; P. O. Millerstown ; is a son of Daniel and Eliza- beth (Clem) Nichles, who were both natives of Virginia, where they were raised and married. In 1828, they emigrated to Ohio, locating in Licking Co .; one year later, they removed to Champaign Co., locating near Millerstown, Johnson Township, where they passed through many of the pioneer difficulties, which only those who participated in can describe. In 1833, Daniel died, leaving a family of wife and three children. The duty of raising them devolved exclusively upon the mother, which she did with credit to herself and honor to the children, of whom two sons now survive, Noah and Isaac ; her death occurred Oct. 15, 1870. Our subject was raised to a farm life, and acquired his education in the common schools. In 1853, he took charge of the home farm, since which he has been engaged in agricultural pursuits, continuing on the old home farm until 1858, when they (he and his mother) located on his present farm of 103} acres, in Sec. 4, Johnson Township. He has a fine farm, well improved, and a location second to none in this township for elevation, affording a good view of Bald Knob, in Logan Co., at a distance of 21 miles. Mr. Nichles married April 16, 1861, Miss J. C. Weller, born in Virginia in 1835 ; they have one son-Willie A .- born June 28, 1863, now a bright and promising young man.

BENJAMIN NORMAN, retired farmer; P. O. Millerstown. Another of the pioneers of Champaign Co. is Benjamin Norman, a grandson of John Norman, who was of German parentage; he lived through many of the wild days of Virginia, where he died. Our subject is a son of Mr. and Mrs. John C. Norman ; Mr. Norman was born in Virginia, and she in Maryland; they married in Virginia, early in the nine- teenth century, and, in 1805, they emigrated to Ohio, locating on the present site of Millerstown. They were among the first white settlers in what is now Concord Town- ship. He entered a half-section of land, which was all in the unbroken forest. He lived through nearly half a century in Champaign Co., when death seized him and sev- ered him from his wife, who, twelve years later, also passed away. They were the parents of nine children, of whom four are now living, our subject being the eldest. He was born in what is now Concord Township July 16, 1806. He has since resided in the county, and is one among if not its oldest native. He lived through the pioneer days of the country, and watched its rise and progress, step by step, for three-fourths of a century. Mr. Norman is worthy of having a complete outline of his life, which we here record, on the pages of the Champaign Co. history. His earliest recollections are of the deep, unbroken forest that surrounded his father's lone log cabin, now sup- planted by waving fields of grain. Their first visitors were the troublesome Indians, who have long been exterminated, and the wild animals that roamed the woods, now driven by advancing civilization to seek a home in the Far West. Fine buildings have taken the place of the rude log huts, and many things could here be given that prop- erly belong in the body of this history. At the age of 25, he married Barbara Ward, born in Virginia in 1811 ; after the marriage, he engaged in farming, and, one year later, his father gave him a quarter-section of land, a part of which he yet owns. His first land purchase was made in 1840, since which many changes have been made, and he has nobly assisted his children, six of whom have married, and one remains at home and dutifully assists her parents. Mr. Norman is located on Sec. 7, Johnson Town- ship, where he has devoted considerable attention to the raising of fine stock, which he made a success. Mr. and Mrs. Norman have for many years been consistent members of the Baptist Church, and raised their family in the faith of the same.

JOHN C. NORMAN, of the firm of Norman & Comer, general merchants, Millers- town, a beautiful village located in the east central part of Johnson Township, in Nettle Creek Valley ; like all towns of its size, is represented by one or more general mer- chants, among whom we mention the firm of Norman & Comer. They formed their

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partnership in 1868, since which they have been favorably known in their line, which consists of dry and fancy goods, groceries, and all articles kept in a general store. The post office is located in their store. John C. Norman is a son of Gabriel Norman, whose biography appears in Concord Township ; also a nephew of Benjamin Norman, of Johnson Township, in whose sketch proper mention is made of the ancestors. John C. was born in Concord Township, Champaign Co., Ohio, Jan. 22, 1843 ; raised to farm life, and enjoyed the usual common-school privileges and a short period at the Ur- bana High School. He engaged in teaching, which he followed several years. March 17, 1868, he married Mary A. Pence, born in Champaign Co., in 1849. They have had two children-Maude, the survivor, and Charles, who died at the age of 5 months.

LEMUEL PENCE, retired farmer; P. O. St. Paris ; is a son of David and Bar- bara (Offenbacker) Pence, both natives of Virginia, where they married. They emi- grated to Ohio at an early day, locating in Champaign Co., where he became the owner of several fine farms, which he superintended during life. His wife died about 1840, and he in 1864. Their children were ten in number, of whom three are now living, Lemuel being the second youngest ; he was born in Concord Township, Champaign Co., Ohio, in 1821, and was raised to farm life and obtained a common education. He remained at home and nobly assisted his father until Aug. 5, 1847, when he married Miss Ann Jeffries, after which they commenced housekeeping on the old farm and cul- tivating the land. Mr. Pence is a practical farmer, and success has accompanied him through life. In 1871, he erected his present commodious and attractive dwelling on Sec. 1, Johnson Township, where he owns a fine farm in connection with other land. His residence is decorated with many attractive ornaments, and is kept in complete order by his noble and worthy wife. They are the parents of three children, viz., Sa- rah L., born Aug. 8, 1848; Aug. 8, 1864, she married T. P. Kite, and March 1, 1877, death severed their union, and she was consigned to the silent tomb. J. S., born July 30, 1850, received his primary education in the common schools, improved it at college, and is now a resident of Concord Township. The third child, Alice S., was born Oct. 2, 1860, and Jan. 1, 1879, married J. W. Byler. May 25, following, she was called hence by that destructive disease, consumption. Mrs. Pence was born in Butler Co., Ohio, March 8, 1826. On her 54th anniversary, there assembled about fifty persons of a refined class to celebrate the day. The parties came from Urbana, St. Paris and Millerstown. All passed off as merry as a wedding bell. After the big dinner, which all such occasions afford, Mrs. Pence was more completely surprised with numerous presents, among which we mention a gold watch and chain from her devoted husband, and a fine chair from her beloved and only son.

JACOB PENCE, farmer ; P. O. St. Paris; son of Jacob and Sarah (Ebert) Pence, both natives of Virginia. They emigrated in their youthful days to Johnson Township, Champaign Co., where they married. They soon after became the owners of 80 acres of land (in Sec. 6, Johnson Township) which they took from its wilds to a good state of cultivation and improvement. During life, Jacob Pence, Sr., devoted most of his time to his trade of blacksmith, following the same until within a few years of his death, which occurred in August, 1857. His third wife now survives at the advanced age of 73. Jacob, Sr., was the father of ten children, of whom four are now living. Jacob, Jr., our subject, was born in Johnson Township in 1828, where he has ever since resided. He was raised to farm life and obtained a limited education. In 1849, he married Mahala Offenbacker, after which he engaged in farming for himself in the spring and summer months, and during the fall and winter months he was engaged in threshing. Mr. Pence started in life on a mere nothing, and by his own exertions has accumulated until he now owns a fine farm of 262 acres in a good location and well im- proved. Mr. and Mrs. Pence are the parents of seven children, of whom six.are now living.

WILLIAM F. PENCE, farmer ; P. O. St. Paris. His father, Fredrick Pence, was born in Virginia, where he was drafted in the war of 1812 .. He married, in his

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mative State, Amelia Jenkins, and, in 1819, when the Pence emigration came from Virginia they, too, were a part of its company. On reaching Champaign Co. they set- tled near Millerstown, in Johnson Township. Fredrick erected a grist-mill at the head of Mosquito Lake. This he ran for years. On Feb. 2, 1836, after a stay in the newly settled country of nearly onescore years, he passed away. His wife followed about 1862. Nine children were born to them, of whom William F. is the youngest and only one left to put on record the untold history of his father's family. He was born in Johnson Township, Champaign Co., Feb. 11, 1830 ; he has always been a resident of the county ; his father dying when he was but a child, and the duty of rearing the family devolved mainly upon the mother. In 1850, William F. married Emiline Pence, born in Clark Co., Ohio, 1833, and died April 15, 1877. Nine of their eleven children are now living. After the above marriage, W. F. settled on his father's farm. A few years thence rented until 1861, when he located on his present farm of 80 acres, in Sec. 28, Johnson Township. This he has mostly cleared up and has under a good state of cultivation and improvement.

ELI PENCE, farmer ; P. O. St. Paris ; is a son of Samuel Pence, born in Cham- paign Co., where he was raised through the early part of the nineteenth century, many privations being connected with his life. He married about 1825, to Mary A. Howard, a native of this State. After a companionship of, some years, he died and left nine chil- dren. Mary A. still survives; has married and buried her second husband, by whom she had four children. Eight of her thirteen children now survive. Eli was born in Johnson Township Jan. 20, 1842, and was left fatherless when but a child ; he then fell into the hands of some of his relatives, by whom he was properly cared for until Aug. 4, 1862. At this time the great crisis of our country was raging, and he entered Co. H, 45th O. V. I., serving to the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged at Columbus, Ohio. During his military life, he participated in the battles of Knoxville, Tenn. ; Loudon, Tenn .; the battle of Resaca, Ga., where he was slightly wounded in the right shoulder, and many other battles of minor importance. On March 4, 1866, after his return from the service, he married Rachel A. Sroufe. One year later he located on what is now his farm. This he has since purchased by degrees, and now owns a well-im- proved grain farm. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Pence are Orlando, William F., Samuel C., Mary E. and Emma A. Mrs. Pence was born on their present farm, and is a daughter of George O. Sroufe, who was a prominent pioneer of this township.

ELLIOTT PENCE, teacher, Millerstown; son of Barney and Jane (Morris) Pence, was born Jan. 24, 1848, and is one of a family of eight children, five by first wife, Jane, above mentioned, to whom his father was married in 1836, and three by second marriage, to Margaret Johnson in 1852. We mention them in the following order, viz., Benjamin F., John Wesley, Elliott, James H. T. and Nancy Jane by first marriage ; and by second wife three girls, of whom Mary and Jenny are now living. Elliott was married Nov. 24, 1870, to Barbara A. Hanback, by whom he has two boys, Victor Augustus and Homer. The Pence family is a large one, and figures conspicuously in the annals of Champaign Co. We are indebted to the subject of this sketch for a brief record of the family. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Pence, was born in Bucking- ham Co., Va., and married Eve Prince, of the same county and State. Seven children were born to them, three boys-Peter, William and Barney (the latter being the father of our subject), and four girls-Anna, Polly, Betsy and Susie. With his family he re- moved in 1819 to Ohio, occupying a month in making the journey, and settled on Owen's Creek in Champaign Co. All the children reached maturity, married and struck out for themselves. In the following order : Anna became the wife of Jesse Jenkins ; Peter married Sarah Dosh; William married Susan Hoak ; Betsy became the wife of Jacob Miller ; Polly, the wife of Fredrick Dosh; and lastly, Barney married Jane Morris, as previously noted. Barney Pence settled in Concord Township, where he still resides, never moved but once, and has never voted outside of said township.

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LAMBERT POND, St. Paris, President First National Bank of St. Paris ; was born in Jackson Township, Champaign Co., Ohio, in 1828, and is a son of Samuel and Eleanor (Service) Pond. Samuel was born in Philadelphia, Penn., about 1798, and Eleanor in Hamilton Co., Ohio, in 1806, where their marriage occurred in 1825. They soon after moved to Jackson Township, Champaign Co., where they passed through the pioneer days of the county. He died at the age of 45 and she at 48. They were the parents of eight children, of whom our subject is the eldest. He was raised to farm life and acquired his education in district schools. Lambert, being but a boy at the death of his father, with brave heart and stout hands nobly assisted in caring for the family. At about this time, he commenced teaching, which he chiefly continued until 1872, though, in the meantime, he devoted a few years to merchandising, in Springfield, Ohio, and Millerstown, Champaign Co. In 1874, he became cashier in the bank of Bru- baker & McMorran, of St. Paris, which, in 1877, changed to the Citizens' Bank, where he remained until April, 1880, when he retired from the position. Since then, the bank of which he is now the President has been organized, in which he has been an able man- ager. In 1851, he married Miss Priscilla, daughter of Rev. Moses Frazee, Jr., a man of prominence in this vicinity. She, three years later, was consigned to the silent tomb, leaving one child-James L. Mr. Pond married for his second wife Miss Mar- garet Neff, of Clark Co., Ohio. Four children have been born to them-Charles L., W. F., Anna R. and Joseph L.

JACOB POORMAN, retired farmer ; P. O. St. Paris; is a son of Daniel and Mary A. (Greenwalt) Poorman, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they matured and married, probably in 1812. Ten years later, they and five children emigrated to Perry Co., Ohio, and, in 1826, they pressed onward to Harrison Township, Champaign Co., where they purchased a farm and cultivated it until within a few years of his death, which occurred in Johnson Township, his wife having passed away previous to him. Our subject being the third child of a family of eight children, of whom four are now living. He was born in the year 1818, in Lancaster Co., Penn. Since 1826 he has been a resident of this county, where he was raised and schooled, in the pioneer days of the county, passing through many privations and hardships, that can be described by only those who experienced the trials of those days. In March, 1841, he married Julia Ann Kesler. Two years later she died, leaving husband and one child-Daniel. June 28, 1844, Jacob married for his second wife Nancy Nichols, born in 1824. Soon after the first marriage Jacob began farming for himself on the home farm, then rented in Johnson Township, where he, in 1849, purchased seventy acres of his present farm, to which he has added until he owns 120 acres in Sec. 26, which has since under- gone great changes and is now a fine grain and stock farm, operated well. Mr. and Mrs. Poorman were the parents of eleven children, of whom ten are now living-Sarah E., Philip (deceased), Barbara J., David, William, Julian, John L., Jacob A., Minerva E., George N. and James A.

DANIEL POORMAN, farmer ; P. O. St. Paris ; was born in 1842, in Jack- son Township, Champaign County, and is a son of Jacob Poorman. Daniel was raised to farm life, chiefly in Johnson Township, and his education was acquired in the com- mon schools. In June, 1861, he married Susan Pence, and engaged in farming for himself as renter; thus he continued until 1864, when he bought 53 acres in Section 20, which he cultivated until 1877, when he sold it with a view of getting a larger farm, which he accomplished, and now owns 81} acres in Section 21, Johnson Town- ship. He is an enterprising farmer and well-to-do citizen of the county. To this union six children have been born, of whom three now survive. Mrs. Poorman was born in Johnson Township in 1840, and is a sister to Eli Pence.

HENRY PUTNAM, retired farmer ; P. O. St. Paris ; is a son of Zachariah and Winafred (Collins) Putnam, who were both born in old Virginia, soon after the war of Independence. When but children, they, with their parents, were taken to Kentucky, and grew to maturity in the early days of that State, and married. In 1816, they and

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six children emigrated to Ohio, Henry being born one year previous; they settled in Mad River Township, Champaign County, and five years later located in Jackson Township, where Zachariah purchased a farm of 100 acres ; this, he, by the assistance of his noble family, took to a good state of cultivation. In 1845, Winafred was called hence, being the mother of nine children; ten years later, Zachariah, too, passed away. Our subject was raised through the pioneer days of Champaign County on his father's farm, enduring many privations and early-day hardships. Where at that time the handiwork of nature stood in all its grandeur, to-day are seen waving fields of grain, and fine buildings have taken the place of the rude log huts. These changes are to a great extent due to the pioneers of this county, of whom Mr. Putnam is one. His first wife was Mary A. Davis, with whom he lived six years; death severing their union, he married Margaret Wolgamuth, a native of Jackson Township, Champaign County, born about 1831. He remained on the old home farm until 1860, at which time he sold his interest and purchased his present farm of 143 acres in Johnson Township, whereon he located and cultivated until 1870, when he retired from its duties, leaving the farm in the hands of his sons, who are three in number. They also have three daughters, all are now living.

C. W. REED, farmer; P. O. St. Paris; is a son of Thomas J. and Rachel (Canine) Reed ; he was a native of Pennsylvania and she of New Jersey. They came to Ohio in an early day, locating in Union Co., where they married, after which they located in Delaware Co., where Rachel died in August, 1829. Thomas J. married for his second wife Lydia (Orton) Peck ; they soon after came to Champaign Co., and remained residents of the same until 1848, when they located in Logan Co., where Thomas died, over threescore years of age; his widow still survives. Thomas J. was the father of twelve children, seven of whom were born to his second wife. Our sub- ject was born in Delaware Co., Ohio, in 1822, and was raised to farm life in various families after the death of his mother. In 1844, he married Phebe Comer, born in Johnson Township in 1825. After his marriage he engaged in farming for himself in Johnson Township, where he has since followed the same upon a complete plan. His real estate amounts to 293 acres under good cultivation. The offices of public trust in his care have been Township Trustee, Supervisor and School Director, the former of which he now fills. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Reed are ten in number, of whom six are living-Adam, John T., William V., Philip M., Sarah A. and George B.

EMMET V. RHOADS, County Treasurer, St. Paris. Was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., Feb. 2, 1847, and when but 5 years old his parents located in Champaign Co., Ohio, where he was mostly raised and acquired a common education. In 1865, he commenced teaching; this remained his pursuit until 1869, in which year he engaged as clerk in a hardware store in St. Paris, which received his attention until 1875. In the meantime, Feb. 24, 1870, he married Serena, daughter of George W. and Peninah Kite. She was born in Champaign Co., Ohio, Aug. 17, 1843, and has had born to her three children-Allie V., Oliver W. and Grace A. When Mr. Rhoads was 28 years of age, he was appointed as Internal Revenue Store-keeper, which position he filled with honor and success until March 8, 1879, when he was appointed by the County Com- missioners to the office of County Treasurer (which term expired Sept. 1, 1880). Dur- ing his official duty, he filled the position with honor to himself, and is now promi- nently identified in the county, and is one who manifests great interest in the welfare of the town in which he resides (St. Paris) in the educational and general elevation and progress, and at present is a member of the School Board and Council. Since May 16, 1868, he has been a member of the I. O. O. F., in which he within two years there- after rose to "Past Grand," being prominently identified in its duties since, and has filled the office of D. D. G. M. three years, and at present represents his district in the Grand Lodge of Ohio. In April, 1869, he became a member of the Champaign En- campment, No. 29, Urbana, Ohio, in which he remained until July, 1871, when, through his effort and management, the Russell Encampment, No. 141, was organized

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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 94

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