USA > Ohio > Clark County > The history of Clark County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men, V. 2 > Part 53
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GEORGE M. WARREN, farmer ; P. O. Vienna X Roads. The subject of this biographical sketch is a native of Clark Co., Ohio, having been born March 17, 1837. His father came from the State of New Jersey, and settled in Clark County in the year 1827, in Pleasant Township; he died Jan. 27, 1877. The subject of this sketch began to work on a farm when quite young, and has followed farming since. Mr. Warren wa's united in marriage Jan. 21, 1858, to Miss Nancy Rathbun, a daughter of Clark Rathbun. a son of Col. Rathbun, who was one of the early pioneers of Clark County. Mr. Warren is the owner of a very fine farm of 109 acres of land adjoining the town of Brightou. in Harmony Township, where he resides, surrounded with the comforts of life. He is a Past Grand in the Independent Order of Odd Fellowship ; he is a member of Vienna Lodge, No. 345, and is a member of Mad River Encamp- ment, I. O. O. F., also. Mr. Warren is a man of fine social qualities ; he is an honored citizen.
GEORGE WATSON, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. South Charleston, Ohio. John Watson, the father of the subject of this sketch. was born in England Feb. 25. 1786; he was married there and came to America in 1829; he first came to Cincinnati. and in the fall of 1829. he settled in Harmony Township. Mr. John Watson while in England was the owner of a farm of 40 acres. He died on the old home place in Harmony Township May 13, 1844, in his 59th year ; he left a wife and nine children, three of the children are living now, viz. : George ( the subject of this sketch ) ; Will- iam, who resides at South Charleston, Ohio. and Sarah, who lives at College Corner. Ind. His wife, Sarah, was born in England, April 11, 1783, and died in Harmony Township, Jan. 5, 1877, in the 24th year of her age. George, the subject of this sketch, was born in Cumberland County, England, Dec. 1, 1816. he came to America with his parents in 1829, and is now living upon part of the farm that his father pur- chased in that year. He was united in marriage March 4, 1851, to Miss Margaret E. Price, a daughter of James Price, late of Harmony Township; as a result of this marriage there have been born to thein two children-John P .. who was born Jan. 28. 1852, and Laura A .. was born Nov. 16, 1854 (now the wife of Charles W. Batchelor. of Piqua, Ohio ); John P. is married to Miss Luella E. Scott, of Springfield. Ohio. Mr. Watson is the owner of one of the finest and best improved farms of 520 aeres that is in Clark County, it is all in one body in Harmony Township, excepting 8 aeres across the line in Madison Township. Mr. Watson and his son John P. run the farm: in partnership. and deals in fine short-horn cattle. He is a Deacon in the Baptist Church at Lisbon, and his entire family are members of the same church. Mr. Wat-
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son is a member of the F. & A. M. at South Charleston. is also the oldest Past Grand of the Lodge of I. O. O. F., to which he belongs. He is now in his 65th year, a man full of vitality, and, as he says, without an "ache or pain." Socially, he is very pleas- ant, a man who is given to hospitality ; he is a man who is much respected in the com- munity in which he lives, and is an honest citizen.
ABRAHAM WEAVER, farming and blacksmithing ; P. O. Vienna X Roads. The subject of the following sketch was born in Hampshire Co., Va., Jan. 24. 1823. He was married to Miss Sophia Sprague in 1847 ; the result of this union was two chil- dren, to wit : Theressa, who died Aug. 20, 1849, aged 9 months and 4 days ; and Orlan - do, who died Jan. 20, 1851, aged 3 months and 4 days ; and, on July 16, 1851. the mother of the above-named children also passed away. Abraham Weaver was married to his present wife, Miss Mary Ann (Jones) Weaver, in 1852. Miss Jones was born Aug. 26, 1828; the result of this union is nine children, all of whom are living, except Nancy, who died in her 9th year ; the names of the living children are as follows : Eliza was born Oct. 19, 1852; James E. was born Sept. 11, 1854 ; Charles F. was born Jan. 14, 1856 ; Kate was born Sept. 22, 1857 ; Joseph was born April 13, 1859 ; Nancy was born Feb. 8, 1861 ; Harriet was born July 8, 1862 ; Laura was born Jan. 13, 1865; Frank was born Sept. 20, 1866. The parents of Mr. Weaver were natives of Virginia, whence they emigrated to Ohio in the year 1829; Joseph Weaver, his father, was born Jan. 2, 1794 ; Sarah Weaver. his mother, was born June 22, 1798. The names of the brothers and sisters of the subject are as follows: Eliza was born May 5, 1821; Abraham, the subject, whose age is already given, and Nancy Feb. 13, 1825; the three above named were born in Virginia ; Amanda was born in Springfield Township, Clark Co., Ohio, June 8, 1832; George, who is a half-brother of the subject, was born in Wisconsin, and connected with which there is a bit of romance. Mr. Weaver, who was a well-to-do farmer, meeting with heavy reverses by going security, concluded that he would leave his family for a time with the design ostensibly to repair his shattered fortunes, went to the young but growing State of Wisconsin, where fabulous amounts were sud- denly realized in the lead mines, stock-raising, etc .; he never returned, but married there; the result of the union was one son, George, who came to Clark Co., Ohio, on a visit to his relatives a few years ago; Sarah, wife of Joseph, struggled along with her large family as best she could, supposing her husband dead, and, after a lapse of eleven years. was united in matrimony with Mr. Silas Melvin, with whom she lived until his death, which occurred in the year 1859. David Jones, the father of our subject's second wife, was a native of Virginia, came to Ohio in an early day and died in this, Harmony Town- ship, in October, 1857 ; Jane ( Ellis) Jones, his wife, was born in Clark Co., Ohio, and is yet living at the advanced age of 76 years. Mr. A. Weaver, our subject, has been a resident of Clark Co. since 1829, is in his 58th year, and has watched with a deep ia- terest the rapid transformation of this once wilderness. to what may properly be turned the garden of Ohio.
MICHAEL WILSON, SR. (deceased). The stroke of the mallet chisels the firm marble block into a shaft of beauty, and artistic skill fashions the letters that tell of the birth, years and death of the silent sleeper beneath ; but time covers the monu- ment with the mosses of decay, and defaces the inscription. As we well know, change is constant and general; generations are rising and passing unmarked away ; and as it is a duty to the child and parent, as well as a gratification to the descendants of him who now " sleeps the last sleep," we place on record a brief sketch of the life and char- acter of one of the leading pioneer farmers of Clark Co. Michael Wilson, Sr., was born in Harmony Township, Clark Co., Ohio, March 15, 1814, and was the youngest in a family of three children, viz., Washington, Josiah and Michael. His parents, Michael and Temperance (Judy ) Wilson, were natives of Kentucky, who settled in Greene Co., Ohio, in an early day. On the breaking-out of the war of 1812, his father went into the army, where he served a short time, then returned home, procured a sub- stitute and shortly afterward took sick and died. The widow, with her two oldest boys, came to Clark Co., and soon after settling in Harmony Township the subject of this sketch was born. It is unnecessary for us to speak of the hardships and privations
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to be endured by the widow with her three small children. Settling in the woods of Harmony Township, suffice it to say that she watched over them with loving care, and lived to see them become leaders of the township in which she settled, as well as large land-owners and respected citizens. Michael grew up in his native town- ship, and was there married, by John Judy, April 12, 1835, to Lavina Henry, daugh- ter of William and Elizabeth (Johnson) Henry, natives of Kentucky, who came to Clark Co. about 1814, settling in Harmony Township. There Mrs. Wilson was born Jan. 23, 1815, and has never lived outside of her native township. To Michael and Lavina Wilson were born the following children : Jasper N., Temperance (deceased ), James T., Elizabeth, Jefferson ( who was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, and there died ), Johnson M., Michael B., Lavina (the deceased wife of Edmund West), Wash- ington H., Emma D. (deceased), Martha Ann (deceased), John C. F. and Francis S. All of the children are settled on farms of their own with the exception of two, who reside at the old homestead with their mother. Mrs. Wilson is the eleventh in a fam- ily of thirteen, as follows: Polly (deceased ), John (deceased ), Johnson (deceased), Willie (deceased), Martha, Jonathan (deceased), Nancy, Sarah, Benjamin (deceased ), Lavina, Williami (deceased) and Betsey. From childhood Michael Wilson was noted for his quiet demeanor and steady, industrious habits, and his success in life was due to those leading characteristics which he inherited from his sturdy parents, and which - firenzed under the care of a good mother. Beginning in life poor, he began at once to practice economy, and this, coupled with steady, persevering industry, caused hiri to rise, step by step, and fortune to smile upon him, uutil at the time of his death, which occurred Feb. 10, 1879, he owned over 1,100 acres of land, all in his native township with the exception of 100 across the line in Madison Co. From the age of 30 until his death, he belonged to the Christian Church, of Plattsburg, and a Deacon of the same for several years previous to that sad event. Politically a Republican. he never took a very active part in politics, but was always an earnest advocate of schools, churches and public institutions generally, and his death was a serious loss to the com- munity of which he was an acknowledged leader. He was a quiet, modest, retiring man, who attended strictly to his own affairs, leaving his neighbor to do the same: but no man was more firm and rigid in upholding a just cause when necessity impelled him to take sides. His life was an upright one, free from those imperfections that are so common among business men : and his character was strongly marked by those no- ble traits of honesty and charity toward all men which won for him the unlimited con- fidence and respect of all good citizens.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP.
AARON ALLEN. physician, Catawba. He is a son of Aaron, Sr., native of Plainfield, N. J., who came to Ohio in 1812, and located at, Cincinnati ; was a machin- ist by trade ; he afterward went to Pittsburgh, Penn., where he was engaged as foreman in the building of the first steamboat that sailed down the Ohio River to Cincinnati ; he was engineer of the boat on the first trip. He worked in Pittsburgh and Cincinnati until 1832, at which time he moved to Clark County and located in Green Township, where he purchased land ; he erected a saw-mill, and put in the first steam works that were run north of Cincinnati ; he was engaged in the milling business for thirty years. The subject of this sketch was born Feb. 22, 1824. in Cincinnati, lived in the city until 3 years of age; when 15 years old. he began the study of medicine, and when he attained his manhood he entered the Ohio Medical College at Cincinnati. and received his diploma in 1850; began practice in Frankfort. Ky .; he is now living in Catawba. He was twice married; first. in 1844, to Sarah Shiekte. . His second marriage was celebrated Oct. 3, 1853. with Miss Lydia Baker. They had four children-Emma. Aaron T., Charles R. and Oliver E.
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L. BIRELY, retired farmer ; P. O. Catawba. He is a son of Philip and grand- son of Lewis, who was a native of Germany ; came to America and located in Lancas- ter Co., Penn., in the year 1730; he served in the Revolutionary war. Philip was Loin Feb. 24, 1789, in Franklin Co., Penn .; came to Ohio and landed in Springfield Oct. 28, 1830. In February, 1840, he moved upon the farm owned now by the subject of this sketch, and lived there until his death, which occurred Dec. 17. 1844. Lewis was born Oct. 2, 1803, in Shippensburg, Cumberland Co., Penn .; was raised and edu- cated in the town ; when 15 years old, he learned the trade of a shoemaker, and worked at it till his parents came to Ohio ; he came with them and began farming, and has been engaged in that way since with exception of the last ten years ; he lives retired from hard labor. He was married, May 19, 1829, to Miss Sarah Shank, of Maryland. They had eleven children, of whom nine are living-Philip, Rebecca, Lewis R., Charlotte C., Elizabeth, Margaret. Sarah. Eliza and Henry C.
W. E. BLOYER, physician and teacher, Catawba. Among the physicians of Catawba, who, by a successful practice have established a reputation for skill and ability as a physician, is Dr. Bloyer. who is a native of Chambersburg, Franklin Co., Penn .; born Feb. 13, 1853; was raised until 13 years of age in the town, when his parents moved upon a farm in that county ; when 16 years old he began teaching school, aud has been engaged in that avocation most of his time since. He came to Ohio in 1871. and located first in Moorefield Township. this county, where he engaged in teaching ; he began reading medicine under Dr. H. F. Wildasin, of Platisburg, this county, in 1874. He married Miss Helen A., daughter of William Pinckney, of Vernon, N. Y. Their mar- riage occurred Nov. 2, 1876; they have one child-Maude G. Mrs. Bloyer had been teaching school several years previous to their marriage. He attended the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated from there in June, 1879, and located in Catawba in September following. He has been dependent upon his own resources in the procuring of his medical education. He is a son of Joseph Bloyer, a native of Germany, who came to America with his parents when quite small and located in Chambersburg, Penn .. where he is living at the present time.
JASPER BODKIN, farmer ; P. O. Catawba. He is a son of Charles Bodkin, native of Virginia, who came to Ohio with his parents in an early day and located near Cincinnati, where he lived a short time previous to the late rebellion ; he moved to this county and located in Pleasant Township, where he lived till his death ; he served in the war of 1812, and was at Hull's surrender. The subject of this sketch was born July 29, 1843, upon the farm where he resides; was raised and educated a farmer. During the lute. rebellion he enlisted in the 16th O. V. A., and served to the close of the war. After his return home, he engaged in farming and stock-raising, and still cou- tinues in the business. He owns the old homestead containing 132 acres.
WILLIAM COFFEY, Catawba. The first white man who settled within the bor- ders of Pleasant Township, was Joseph Coffey, a native of New Jersey, born Nov. 15. 1776, whose father, Joseph, was a native of the same State. of English descent. The family moved to Pennsylvania, where Joseph, Jr., met and married Jane McCoy, born in the " Keystone State" March 15, 1771, and daughter of John McCoy, a native of Scotland, who, when a young man, emigrated to Pennsylvania and served throughout the Revolutionary war. Joseph Coffey. Sr., and wife, resided in Pennsylvania until death. and the family were members of that peace-loving society known as Quakers. Joseph, Jr., with his wife and one son, Tatom, in the spring of 1802, started for the Western wilds, coming down the Ohio River on a flatboat as far as Cincinnati where they remained until the following spring; Joseph in the meantime taking a trip of observation to what is now Clark Co., at which time he decided to settle in this portion of the State. In the spring of 1803. he started through the dense wilderness with his family and worldly effects in an ox-cart, arriving upon the farm which he made his future home May 6, of that year ; here he built a " camp." which was a rude three-sided structure of logs with an open front, and thus began his pioneer life in Ohio ; he soon afterward erected a cabin, the foundation stones of the large fire-place being yet visible, and, in 1807, built a hewed- log house which had a brick chimney, glass windows, sawed-lumber floor and door, and,
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in fact, was the finest house in the township at that date; this building is yet standing, is in a good state of preservation and is yet used by William Coffey for general purposes ; here Joseph and wife labored year after year clearing up the land and trying to make a home, and although it was a severe struggle for mere existence for the first few years, yut time and constant, unremitting toil, made a visible change in the dense forest, and com- fort came with the passing years ; their children were Tatoin, born in Pennsylvania ; Jo- seph, near Cincinnati ; John, Sarah and William in this county ; the two last mentioned are the only survivors ; Sarah being the wife of Enos Neer, of Catawba. Joseph Coffey, although raised a Quaker, died a member of the M. P. Church, Sept. 2, 1838, his wife dying Oct. 2, 1845, dying as she had lived-a sincere member of the Presbyterian Church. Joseph Coffey was well fitted by nature for the life of a pioneer, being a man of large, muscular frame, of an iron constitution, and possessed of an invincible courage and de- termination, which carried him through the trials and dangers of those early days. He served as Township Trustee a number of years ; was a much respected citizen, and ever took an active part in all public matters pertaining to the welfare of the community in which he was so long a prominent factor ; his wife was always a faithful helpmate, and often in the early days, when his courage would fail him, she would encourage him to still greater efforts, and prompt him onward to success. The subject of this sketch was born in the hewed-log house heretofore mentioned, Jan. 11, 1811, and grew to mauhood on the home s . ..... .20 notes pimiting a very menter education, and helping constantly to fell the forest and clear up the land, which has ever since been his home. He was married, Dec. 15. 1831. to Nancy Curl, daughter of. Jeremiah and Cyuthia ( Romine; Curl, the former being born upon the south banks of the Potomac River, in Virginia, Feb. 14, 1778, and his wife, in Loudoun Co., of the same State, Oct. 15, 1783; her grandfather, Jeremiah Curl, was also a native of the " Old Dominion," his father being an Englishman, who set- tled in that State. Mrs. Coffey's parents came from Virginia to Clinton Co., Ohio, in 1803, coming to Clark Co. in 1811, and settling about half a mile southeast of where Ca- tawba now stands ; they had fourteen children, nine of whom lived to maturity ; the family being Samuel (deceased ), William (deceased ), James (deceased ). Daniel ( deceased ), Eliza- beth, Mary, Nancy, Jeremiah (deceased ), Benjamin (deceased ), Cynthia, George, Temper- ance ( deceased ), Sarah (deceased, and Lewis. Mrs. Coffey was born within sight of her pres- ent home Feb. 28, 1811, and has had four children-John, who now resides in Iowa; George, who lives on a portion of the home farm ; Mary, the wife of Thomas Roberts ; and Jere- miah, who, while a soldier in the rebellion, took sick at Milliken's Bend, dying in March, 1863, his remai is now resting in the National Cemetery at Vicksburg, Miss. Mrs. Cof- fey, like most of the pioneer women, is well versed in the use of the spinning-wheel, hav- ing spun flax-tow, cotton and wool, and she has woven hundreds of yards of all classes of household fabrics, and vet spends her leisure moments at the old wheel. Politically, Mr. Coffey is a Republican, and has served as Township Trustee twelve years, and Township Treasurer three years; he has been a member of the Masonic Fraternity since Aug. 24, 1847 ; he witnessed the Presidential election of 1820, in Pleasant Township, and the law requiring the ballots to be strung on a thread, but the clerk of the election being out of thread, he used a timothy straw for that purpose, an incident which demonstrates the shifts often necessary in those early days. Mr. Coffey began in life a poor man, inheriting less than $800 from his father's estate, but by buying out the heirs, he became the owner of 196 acres of the old homestead, which the family yet own, besides 176 acres in Iowa. In his home, he is kind, generous and the soul of hospitality, and all will find there a hearty welcome-free from cold formality on the one hand or utter neglect upon the other ; in every public movement, he has been looked up to as a safe adviser, and all good citi- zen- trust, honor and respect him for his moral integrity, his invincible honesty and his unswerving rectitude in all the relations of life. For nearly fifty years, he and the part- Der of his joys and sorrows in life's battle, have walked hand in hand, and now in their declining years are as trusting as in the days of their youthful vigor, while the lingering sunset of life casts its shadows back over long years fruitful of good and usefulness.
GEORGE W. COFFEY, farmer; P. O. Catawba. George W. Coffey was born July 26, 1837, upon his father's farm in Pleasant Township; was raised and educated
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a farmer, and has been engaged in that way and raising stock most of his life. After he attained his manhood, he went West and taught school several terms while there. He returned and enlisted in Company D, 3d O. V. I., and went forward to battle for this great and glorious Union. He was engaged in a great many hard battles, and was in the Belle Isle Prison a short time. After his return from service, he married Miss Margaret A., daughter of Joseph and Jane Furgason, of this county. Their marriage was celebrated Oct. 24, 1865; they have had three children, viz., Bert, Mary and Kemp. . He owns a nice farm of 42 acres one mile south of Catawba. He is a son of William Coffey, whose sketch will be found in this work.
GEORGE C. DAVIDSON, farmer ; P. O. Catawba. He is a son of Lemuel Davidson, a native of this county; was born Nov. 23, 1843, in this township; was raised and educated as a farmer. and has always been engaged in that way. He was married, Oct. 24, 1865, to Miss Elizabeth J. Jones ; they had six children-John M., Lawrence E., Minnie. Myrtie, Lou, Nettie and Elmer. He owns a good farm in the eastern part of the township, containing 75 acres under good cultivation, with good improvements upon it.
ISRAEL EVERHART, retired farmer : P. O. Catawba. He is is son of William Everhart, of Loudoun Co., Va., where he lived and died. Israel was born May 6, 1811, in Loudoun Co., Va. ; was raised and educated there; when 18 years of age, he learned the trade of a carpenter, and worked at it over thirty years. He was married, Dec. 8, 1836, to Miss Maria Ropp, of his native county; they had seven children, of whom six are living, viz. : William C., Jobn. A., Thomas F., Edgar S., George H. and Eliza- beth M. In 1861, he came to Ohio and located two miles south of Catawba, in Pleas- ant Township, Clark Co. He owns a good farm of 120 acres, with good farm build- ings upon it. Mr. Everhart is a highly respected citizen ; he and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
S. C. GILBERT, retired farmer ; P. O. Vienna Cross Roads ; a son of Allen Gil- bert, a native of New York, who came to Ohio in the year 1814, and located in Har- mony Township, this county, where he lived till his death, which was caused by milk sickness in August. 1819. The subject of this sketch was born Feb. 6, 1811, nine miles southeast of Albany, N. Y. ; was raised upon a farm ; when 18 years of age, he learned the blacksmith trade, and worked at it all his life, with exception of the last ten years, he has paid more attention to farming. He was married May 29, 1832, to Miss Elizabeth Clark. of Harmony Township : they had nine children. Mrs. Gilbert died Feb. 18, 1879, leaving seven children living -- Allen, William, Mary, Lydia A., Austin, George and Charles. His farm is located near the south hue of Pleasant Township, with good improvements.
WILLIAM HARDMAN, farmer and stock-dealer ; P. O. Catawba. His father, . Jonathan Hardman, was a native of Clarksburg, Va., who came to Ohio in the year 1806, and located in Greene Co., near Fairfield ; lived there until death. Was a minis- ter of the M. E. Church. He was connected with the military; was Colonel of a reg- iment. William Hardman was born Feb. 28, 1831, in Pleasant Township ; was raised and educated upon a farmi : has always been engaged in farming and stock-raising. Ile was married Oct. 29, 1856, to Miss Margaret, daughter of Lewis Birely, whose biog- raphy appears in this work. They had four children, viz., Miner W .. Belle, and a pair of twins, Eddie and Ella. He has 94 acres in his farm, under good cultivation.
W. L. HOUSTON. farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. London, Madison Co. Is a son of Thomas F. Houston, who was born Oct. 7, 1818, in Clark Co., Ohio; was a saddle and harness maker. He carried on the business in South Charleston for twenty-six years ; afterward moved upon his lands in the eastern part of Pleasant Township, and lived there five years. He then moved to Springfield and embarked in the harness and col- lar business. and continued in it until death, which occurred June 28, 1874. Mr. Houston was well-to-do; most of his wealth he made while in business in South Charleston. He was a kind husband and father, and a consistent member of the M. E. Church. Those who knew him longest knew him best, and his death was an irre- parable loss to the community in which he lived. W. L. Houston was born Dec. 25,
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