USA > Ohio > Clinton County > The history of Clinton County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; history of the Northwest territory, Volume 2 > Part 87
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ELIHU OREN was born in Greene County, Tenn., March 3, 1809. In the fall of 1810, his father, John Oren, moved with his family, from that State to Clinton County, Ohio. Elihu grew to manhood on his father's farm, assisted in clearing the land, and preparing it for cultivation. The limited facilities for obtaining an education at that early day were not calculated to inspire the young men with an ambition to be- come scholars. Still at the age of twenty we find Mr. Oren engaged in teaching school. On the 1st of August, 1830, he was married to Jane Newcomb. They raised a family of five children who lived to be grown and married, as follows: Charles, Elizabeth, Jesse, Mary Jane, and Asenath Clarissa, a bright, promising young lady. died in 1962, in her eighteenth year. Mr. Oren continued teaching for a number of years after his marriage. His principal occupation, however, was farming. Ile moved into Liberty Township in the winter of 1835, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred March 7, 1872. Mr. Oren was an intelligent, en- terprising, public spirited and thoroughly conscientious man. He was a friend of rail- roads, free pikes and free schools. He took an active interest in securing the first free pikes that were built in our county, and the last day's work of his life was in the interest of the extension of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. In politics, he was a Whig, until 1840, when he cast his last Whig vote for Harrison for President. From that time, until Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation, he was a Garrisonian Abolitionist. The black man found in him a true and steadfast friend. He early espoused the temper- ance cause, and was an outspoken advocate for total abstinence. Reared under the in-
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fluence of the Society of Friends, he was opposed to war, and the advocate of peace. But when the war for the preservation of the Union came, his sympathies were all with the Union armies, and he desired and prayed for their success. flis two sons, Charles and Jesse, enlisted in the Union army. Charles was Captain of the Fifth United States Colored Troops, and was killed by a sharpshooter in front of Petersburg in August, 1864. Jesse served for three years in Company B, Fortieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After Mr. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, Mr. Oren became an ear- nest, active Republican. He lived to see the complete triumph of the anti-slavery principles for which he so long contended. Jane Oren, his widow, still survives him, and is now in her seventy-sixth year. Her faculties are remarkably good for one of her age. She lives in Gurneyville with her son-in-law, B. F. James, and is patiently wait- ing for the time to come when she can join the companion of her youth who has gone before.
ELI OREN, farmer, P. O. Wilmington. His paternal grandfather, John Oren, was born in Yorktown, York Co., Penn., June 10, 1765, where he was reared and married Ruth Frazier, a native of the same county, but a few years his junior. While in their native county, they were blessed with three children, of whom one died in infancy. Near the close of the eighteenth century, they, with two children, moved to Greene County, Tenn., where they resided until the fall of 1810, when they located in the borders of Union Township, Clinton Co., Ohio. In this location the messenger of death entered his family the following spring, and called away his companion, leaving him with ten motherless children ; but two years later he married for his second wife Lydia Ladd, of Highland County, Ohio, to which union were given four children. His stature was six feet and one inch, a robust and hardy pioneer, to withstand the early day hardships of Clinton County. He lived to see all of his children save two, who died in minority, marry and raise their families, but in 1847 the death messenger sum- moned him home, in the full faith of the Friends' Church, of which he had for many years been a member. Two years after his death, his second wife, too, was called hence. John Oren, Jr., the father of Eli, was born in Greene County, Tenn., March 10, 1802, and at the age of eight years was brought to Clinton County, Ohio, where he matured, married, lived and died. He grew to majority amid the pioneer days of the county, enduring all the difficulties to which they were subjected. His form was that of his father, but three inches less in height, and a similar constitution, a man of more than ordinary endurance. In December, 1831, he married Martha Bailey, who was a native of Union Township, this county, born June 35, 1808. They trod the path of life until March, 1848, when her death severed their union.' In the year 1852, he married Martha J. Hunnieutt, who was a native of Prince George County, Va., and several years his junior. To this union one child was given. On January 5, 1877, he departed this life in the full faith of the Friends' Church, and the widow still sur- vives. Eli, whose name heads this sketch, is the eldest of eight children by the first marriage of John, Jr. He is the only one who has trod the path of single life, except two brothers who lost their lives in defending our country during the late war. Eli is the owner of a fertile farm in Liberty Township, which receives his daily attention.
R. C. PEDDICORD, merchant, Port William. He is a native of Brown County, Ohio, where he grew to manhood and received a fair education, which he improved at Lebanon, Ohio. For the past two years he has been engaged in teaching, but on Novem- ber 3, 1881, he took charge of a stock of general retail goods in Port William for his brother, O. F. Peddicord. They carry dry and fancy goods, boots and shoes, clothing and gents' furnishing goods, hats and caps, in short a full line of all articles kept in a general store. As is seen, this enterprise is of recent establishment, but by the interest manifested in displaying goods, and courtesy to customers, a favorable patronage is the result.
HENRY N. SANDERSON (deceased). The stroke of the mallet chisels the firm marble into a shaft of beauty, and artistic skill fashions the letters that tell of the birth, years and death, but time covers the monument with mosses and defaces the inscription. We here place upon record a brief sketch of the above, who was by occu-
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pation a farmer and broker. He was born in Fayette County, Ohio, May 13, 1823, and died in Clinton County, May 6, 1881. His early life was devoted on his father's farm, and in schools ; securing a fair education, he devoted about ten years to teaching school. In the meantime, in 1844, he married Sarah, daughter of Solomon Earley, whose biography appears in this history, and who was born in this county, November 2, 1824. Soon after their marriage, they settled on their farm, which he superintended, and loaned inoney. This received his close attention until within a few years of his death. Through this medium, he amassed a fair compensation, and at his death was one of the solid financial men of the county. This was largely the result of his own judicious management and industry. He was interred in the cemetery at Wilmington, where a suitable monument marks the resting-place of one whose. long and eventful life, as hus- band, parent and friend will long be remembered. He was the father of three children, of whom two daughters are' now living, viz .: Evaline Atley, and Rebecca (wife of John L. Sheley who were married September .6, 1877 ; they are located near Port Willliam, and have one child, Lillian E.)
A. M. SANDERSON, farmer, P. O. Port William, is a grandson of James Sanderson, who was born in the County of Cork, Ireland, about the year 1762, where he reached his majority, but about that time emigrated to America and settled in the State of Pennsylvania; a few years later, to the limits of Adams County, Ohio, and ten years later to Fayette County, Ohio, ten miles West of Washington Court House, his nearest neighbor being a distance of five miles. On this farm he died at the ripe age of fourscore and two years. He married and raised four boys and four girls, all of whom are now dead. His political affiliations were in the interest of the Whig party, and his religious devotions in behalf of the Presbyterian Church, in which faith he died. James Sanderson, Jr., was born in Pennsylvania, about 1790, and served as one of the patriots in the war of 1812-13, for which service the widow now draws a pension from the Government of $96 per year. She is in good health, ninety years of age, can walk four or five miles without much fatigue. Her place of nativity is Wales. A. M. Sanderson, whose name heads this sketch, was born in Fayette County, Ohio, November 12, 1830, where he grew to manhood, and acquired a fair education. At the age of sixteen years he commenced teaching, which he followed seven years; in the meantime, 1852, he married Elizabeth Mitchell, settled in Wilson Township, Clinton County, Ohio, and in 1865 came to Liberty Township, purchased his present farm, and is now well situated in life. His wife was born on the farm they now own in 1830, and is the daughter of Samuel Mitchell, who was of Irish extraction, and was born in Tennessee in 1793, where he grew to manhood, learned the blacksmith trade, but only followed it through single life. He was one of the patriots of the war of 1812, but received no injuries. Soon after this struggle he married Elizabeth Armitage, of German descent, who was born in Tennessee, in 1800. They lived in their native State until 1829, when they came to Clinton County, Ohio, locating where A. M. Sanderson
now resides. Their farm was all in the wilds of nature, which they cleared to a fair state, but on August 8, 1843, he was called hence, leaving his widow with eight chil- dren, of whom only two daughters survive. The widow's death occurred in 1868, she being nearly threescore and ten years of age.
W. H. SHRACK, farmer, P. O. Wilmington, is a son of Samuel and Abigail (McFarland) Shrack, who were both natives of Pennsylvania. The former was born November 15, 1794, and the latter August 17, 1799. At an early age, Samuel went to Virginia, and, in 1814, he came to Warren County, Ohio, where Abigail settled the same year. Their nuptials were celebrated May 26, 1818. They first settled in Warren County, but remained only a few years, when they removed to New Jasper Township, Greene County, Ohio, where they passed the remainder of their life. He died Novem- ber 16, 1864, and she October 3, 1867. They were the parents of five sons and seven daughters. One son died in his minority, and the remainder grew to majority and mar- ried and still survive, except one of the daughters. The subject of this memoir was born in Greene County, Ohio, May 22, 1843; he was raised to farm life, and assisted in clearing up his father's farm, and obtained an ordinary education in the district
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school. He is a man of strong constitution, live and industrious, and, together with . three of his brothers, measures twenty-five feet and nine inches in height. On October 8, 1865, his marriage was celebrated with Miss Hattic A. Price, who was born in Carrolton, Carroll Co., Ohio, December 23, 1845. The issue of this marriage is six children, viz .: John T., born December 15, 1866; Lulu O., born December 4, 1868, and died December 8, 1868; William A., born October 2, 1873, and died May 3, 1874; Homer E., born May 23, 1875 ; Samucl H., born December 16, 1878; and James O., born September 3, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Shrack remained in Greene County until December 25, 1867, when he bought his present beautiful home and located on it. It has undergone many changes, and, notwithstanding his loss of his house by fire in 1879, he now has a fine house and nearly all modern farm conveniences, coupled with a pleasant family. Politically, Mr. Shrack is a Republican by name and principle. His public career has been duly discharged in the offices of Trustee and Real Estate Assessor for District No. 2, composed of Liberty, Chester and Wilson Townships. It is said by the officers who had occasion to examine the books and returns of Real Es- tate Assessors for 1880, that W. H. Shrack, of Sccond District, is second to none in accuracy and completeness of execution. It is well evinced that his principles control his actions, and that is, " what is worth doing is worth doing well."
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HENRY STEPHENS, farmer, P. O. Port William, is a son of David Stephens, who was by birth a Virginian, born April 14, 1806. At an carly age, his parents moved to Clinton County, Ohio, where the latter died at advanced agc. after enduring the privations of pioneer life, and David was reared amid the unbroken forest, which he assisted in clearing away, and opening up the fertile fields that now lie in the limits of Liberty Township. His enthusiastic and persevering nature carried him through many pioneer hardships, which could only be properly related by the 'pioneers them- selves. About 1827, he married Catherine Shields and settled on the farm now occu- pied by our subject, where he remained as a farmer until shortly before his death, April 3, 1881, when he located in Port William. Catherine was born in Clinton County May 22, 1810, and preceded her husband to the eternal home a period of five years. Henry, whose name appears above, is one of a family of ten children, six daughters and four sons, of whom the former are all dead and the latter all survive. Of the sons, Henry is the third, and was born in 1839 on the farm where he now lives. He was raised a tiller of the soil, and is such still. On October 30, 1861, he married Mary E. McDonnan, with whom he had eleven children, of whom six now survive. Mrs Stephens is a native of Clinton County, Ohio, born June 20, 1844.
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WILLIAM UNDERWOOD, farmer, P. O. Wilmington. To one of the early . emigrants to Clinton County, this sketch is consecrated. William is the son of Amos Underwood, who was born in York County, Penn., July 18, 1786, but near his majority he located in Center County, the same State, where he married Mary Shirk about 1812. In 1825, they came to Clinton County, Ohio, with a family of six children. Two years subsequent to his coming, he purchased a farm of 108 acres of land in Wilson Township, and devoted about ten ycars to its improvement and cultivation, when he sold and pur- chased one in Union Township ; but in 1853, he located in or near Harveysburg, where he died at the age of fourscore years. His first wife died December 13, 1847, and his second companion, Priscilla (Hussey) Lewis, now resides near Richmond, Ind. William Underwood is the tenth of a family of eleven children, and was born Junc 5, 1834, in Clinton County. Ohio, where he grew to manhood and married Catherine Hun- nicutt, who is a sister of Thomas E., whose sketch appears in this volumc. She was born in Clinton County, Ohio, June 13, 1837. Three years of their united life they lived in Wayne Township, Clinton County, and two years in Hamilton County, Ind .; but in the spring of 1863, they located where they now reside and are well situated and own a fine farm under good improvements, which, together with his courteous family, constitutes a pleasant home. They are the parents of eight children, seven of whom are now living, and he is giving special attention to training their minds in a literary channel. Their names are Susan M., Addison L., Martha E., Asenath A., Thomas K., Evan L. and Clarkson E.
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ELISHA WALL, farmer, P. O. Wilmington, is a son of Absalom Wall, who was born in Chester County, Penn., in the year 1805; but in infancy, his parents located with him in Lancaster County the same State. When three years of age, the parents ( Azariah and Rebecca) came to Ohio, locating in the present limits of Chester Township, Clinton County, but subsequently to Union Township, where both Azariah and Rebecca died, the latter in 1837, and the former in 1853. He was one of the large laud-owners in an carly day. Absalom was, as is seen, mostly raised in Clinton County, Ohio, and was one of a family of seven children. HIe matured amid the deep unbroken forest, and the rude log huts, in place of which are now seen broad, open and productive fields and fine and comfortable residences. In 1828, Absalom located on his farm in Liberty Township, where his death occurred July 29, 1878. He avoided all public notoriety and was contented with this common routine of farming and blacksmithing, the two being jointly conducted, but in 1860 he was elected as Land Assessor of his township. On April 17, 1828, his marriage was celebrated with Hannah Haines, who is a native of Clinton County, born November 12, 1808. She was raised to farm life, spinning flax and wool and making their own' clothing. She is now seventy-four years of age the mother of seven children and possesses fair health. Her family all grew to maturity. but during the late rebellion, Joseph, the fifth one, contracted illness which resulted in his death. The remaining six are now living, viz. : Louisa (Mrs. Joseph Mound), Elisha, Alfred, Zimri, Mary E. (wife of F. D. Hart), and Jonathan. Elisha, whose name heads this sketch, was born in this county, February 18, 1832. He is now one of the substantial farmers of Liberty Township, and willing to aid all public im- provements.
ABSALOM WALL, JR., miller, P. O. Lumberton, was born in Clinton County May 19, 1846. His father, Absalom Wall, was born February 10, 1805, and on April 17, 1828, married Hannah Haines, who was born November 12, 1808. His grand- father, Azariah Wall, son of Absalom Wall and Margaret, his wife, of Chester County, . Penn., was born September 1, 1772, and died August 20, 1853, and Rebecca Leech, his wife, daughter of Thomas Lecch and Phebe, his wife, of York County, Penn., was born March 24, 1778, and died October 13, 1837. They were married in York County. about the year 1795 or 1796, and lived in Center County, Penn., until 1809, when they moved to what is now Clinton County, Ohio. They had eight children, viz., Phebe, John, William, Thomas, Absalo n, Rebecca, Jane and Azariah L. Our subject was educated in Clinton County and reared on a farn. He learnel the trade of a miller, and now conducts a mill at Lumberton. He has never married.
AARON WELLER, manufacturer of drain tile and earthenware, P. O. Lumber. ton. This is what may properly be termed a modern improvement, and when well sup- ported, as this one has been, plainly shows the enterprising spirit of the surrounding citizens, which has justified the proprietor to conduct a similar business for a number of years, as is seen in the history of Liberty Township. The gentleman whose name heads this sketch is a native of Sussex, England, born January 12, 1815, the ninth and last child of his mother, who died soon after his birth. His father married hi- · second companion, with whom he had eight children, and in 1823 the family emigrated to America, locating in York State; subsequently to Union County, Ohio, but finally and lastly to Sencea County, Ohio, where the father died shortly before the war of the late rebellion, and his wife survived until 1877, when she, too, entered her final rest. Aaron became a citizen of Clinton County, Ohio, about 1840, since which he has been engaged in his present business near where he is now located. He has successfully con. ducted one of the worthy and valuable enterprises of the township for many years, vir- tually to whose credit is due for many fine tillable acres of land in Clinton County that was once a barren swamp or glacial drift. Mr. Weller was married in Perry County, Ohio, in 1833 to Miss Effie Woodruff, who was born in Muskingum County, Ohio. This uuion has been blessed with four children, viz., William, John, Enoch T. and Joseph A.
JOSEPH WHINERY, farmer (retired), P. O. Lumberton. Among Clinton County's oldest native-born citizens, and perhaps its first white birth, is the name of' Joseph Whinery. The county was organizei February 19, 1810, aud on April 20,
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following, is recorded his birth, and is the second of his father's family. His parents were Thomas and Ruth (Miller) Whinery, both natives of York County, Penn .; he was born October 5, 1779, and Ruth about seven years his junior. They devoted their minor life in their native county, where they married early in the present century, and had born to them one child, Phebe, which they brought to Ohio with them in 1808, but when about seven years old died from eating, as they supposed, poison vine buds. They settled in the present limits of Union Township near Center Meeting House, where he purchased a small tract of land, to which he added and exchanged until his last earthly home consisted of 170 acres. He was one of the hardy pioneers and adventurous settlers, to whose calm endurance must be attributed the progress, growth, development and present prosperity of Clinton County. He buried his first wife in 1837, who became a victim of that dreaded disease, consumption ; she was the mother of ten children, of whom eight were left motherless, but only two remained at home. He married for his second companion Charlotte, widow of John Hoddie, with whom he lived until death called him hence in 1856, and the widow still survives at the age of nearly seventy-five years. Joseph was reared amid log cabins and the wilds of nature, many times having for his meat the flesh of the forest animals, long since extermi- nated. In his minority, the educational privileges were in accordance with other advan- tages of the pioneer days. His first teacher was. Robert Way, who occupied a small hut with a few scholars who had wended their crooked paths through the dense forest, for sometimes miles, to enjoy the meager advantages therein taught. Studying by the brilliancy of the sun, forcing half-obscured rays of light through their greased paper windows, Joseph has, by his own efforts, accumulated sufficient knowledge to carry him successfully through life, and now is one of the prominent land-owners of his township, · in which he has served as Trustee several terms in early life. When in his teens in the year 1827, was employed in driving a drove of cattle from here to Philadelphia. Penn., making the round trip on foot except swimming a horse across the Ohio River, at Wheeling, W. Va. The time consumed in this trip was eleven long weeks from his parents, when seventeen years of age. He remained at home and gave his father his time until twenty-three years of age, but, on May 23 following, he united in marriage with Sarah, daughter of Hezekiah Hiatt, mentioned in Isaac Hiatt's sketch in Liberty Township, this volume. She was born April 7, 1811, in Union Township, Clinton Co., Ohio, and she as well as her husband endured many privations and hardships. This union has been blessed with five children, of whom four grew to maturity, but one only is now living, viz., Allen. ' Mr. and Mrs. Whinery have trod the path of married life for nearly half a century, and are both birthright members of the Friends' Church.
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JOHN W. ANSHUTZ, dentist, Blanchester, son of Andrew and Sarah (Lever) Anshutz, was born in Goshen Township, Clermont County, September 7, 1837. He was reared on a farm till twenty years of age, when he learned the dentist's profession in Goshen. In 1860, he came to Blanchester and began his practice on the northeast corner Broadway and Main streets, where he remained fifteen years, and then moved to his present office over Rice's store. He is the only dentist that ever located here ; began without anything, and, by steady application to business, has built up a splendid practice, besides accumulating his share of this world's goods. Keeps one assistant. He was married, December 24, 1878, in Cincinnati, to Mary Gregg. They have one daughter, Ruthello, born in Blanchester October 7, 1880. Mr. A. is a member of the Masonic fraternity ; owns his residence and four lots corner Main and Mill streets; res- idence and two lots adjoining, fronting on Railroad street; residence and two lots on Main street between Broadway and Church streets ; one lot near corner Broadway and Main streets, and one-half interest in 25 lots in Anshutz and Patterson's Addition.
BENJAMIN BALDWIN, farmer, P. O. Blanchester, son of. Jonathan and
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Harriet (Blancett) Baldwin, was the first white child born in Marion Township, born October 17, 1815. His father was the first settler in this township. Benjamin re- mained at home till twenty-one years old, when he purchased ninety-one acres of land of his father at $9 per acre. He now owns one hundred and twenty-two acres, fifty of which he has cleared up and in a good state of cultivation, on which he has built a fine brick residence. He was married, February 9, 1837, in Marion Township, near his birthplace, to Susanna, daughter of William and Sarah (Houck) Hite. They had three children, one living-Harriet P., deceased ; Sarah L., living, and William J., deceased. His first wife died in March, 1849, and he again married, near Middle. boro, Warren Co., Ohio, January 1, 1851, to Martha E., daughter of William and Nancy (Doctor) Henry, born near Middleboro January 4, 1829. They have three children-Lucius H., Nettie N. and Marion A. Mr. B. has been Justice of the Peace one term, Supervisor several years. He was Superintendent of Construction on the Marietta Railroad when it was built. In 1840, he built the second saw-mill in the township (water power), which he kept in operation till 1847. He now has a fine steam portable mill near his residence, where he does considerable custom work.
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