USA > Ohio > Darke County > The history of Darke County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its cities, towns, etc.; general and local statistics; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; > Part 68
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DR. ELIJAH LYNCH, physician and surgeon, Greenville. Among the old settlers of Darke Co., we take pleasure in giving the gentlemen whose name heads this sketch a place in the front ranks of his profession ; he was born in Warren Co., Ohio, Sept. 25, 1809, and was a son of Isaiah and Charity (Hasket) Lynch.
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both natives of South Carolina ; they came to Ohio in 1805. and settled in War- ren Co .; Mr. Lynch was of Welsh descent. and was born in South Carolina in 1769. and died in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1814 ; Mrs. Lynch was of English descent. born in South Carolina in 1799, and died March 11, 1848, in Butler Co., Ohio. The subject of our sketch obtained his general education in the Quaker schools, and, in 1834, commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Charters, of Waynesville, Ohio, with whom he remained two years, after which he studied two years with Dr. Thomas, of Sydney, and graduated from the Ohio Medical College in 1848 ; in 1845, he first located in Darke Co., and commenced the practice of medicine in Palestine, and, in 1849, located in Greenville, where he has since successfully fol- lowed his profession for a period of upward of thirty years, and is, consequently, one of the oldest continuous practitioners of the county. His marriage with Mary O'Brien was celebrated in 1832 ; she was born in Vermont May 15, 1811 ; they were the parents of eight children, of whom three are deceased ; the living are Rebecca, now Mrs. Dr. Woods, of Van Wert; William, now practicing medi- cine in Shanesville. Ohio ; Isaac, in the jewelry trade at Greenville, and Mary and Ida. living at home ; of the deceased, Thomas died at 11 years of age ; Sarah died at 19 years of age; Charles grew to manhood, and at his death left a widow and three children now living at Lima, Ohio ; he was a resident of Indianapolis until his decease, and occupied the position of general ticket agent of the Indianapolis, Pern & Chicago Railroad.
M. McDANIEL, Greenville, firm of McDaniel & Son, manufacturers and dealers in furniture. Greenville, like most cities of its size, has its representative men in nearly every branch of trade, and to the above firm must be accorded thie honor of being the leading firm in this line in Darke Co. M. McDaniel was born in Medina Co., Ohio, Aug. 15, 1836 ; the early part of his life was passed in Put- nam Co., where he received a fair education in the common schools. In 1854, he located in Troy, Miami Co., where he completed the trade of cabinet-making, with Joel T. Thompson, who was one of the early pioneers of Darke Co .; he continued in Mr. Thompson's employ three years, when he associated with James W. Hicki- son, and purchased his employer's interest and continued the furniture business, under the firm name of Hiekison & McDaniel, until the fall of 1860, when he sold out to his partner, and after a short residence in Lima, Ohio, enlisted, Aug. 12, 1862, in the 94th O. V. I., and went forward to battle for the Union ; he was in many severe engagements, among which were Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Hoover's Gap, Tullahoma, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Ringgold, Buzzard Roost, Re- saca, Dallas, Peach Tree Creek and all through the siege and capture of Atlanta, during which time he was actively engaged for eighty-four days in succession, and was with Sherman on his march through Georgia to the sea, through the Carolinas, and was with Sherman at the surrender of Johnston ; thence north through Richmond to Washington, where, after the grand review of the army, he was forwarded to Col- umbus, mustered out of service, and received his discharge on June 14, 1865, having served in the Union army nearly three years. Upon receiving his discharge, he returned to Troy and followed his trade five years, and in 1871 came to Greenville, and for four years was foreman of Turpen & Co.'s furniture factory, and in 1874 purchased the furniture store of Turpen & Auld, since which time he has contin- ued the business under the above firm name. His marriage was celebrated wit! Nancy E. Mickfall Dec. 1, 1859 : she died Dec. 14, 1879 ; they were the parents of three children, of whom two died in infancy; the living, William A. J., is now junior member of the above firm. Mr. McDaniel has been a member of the Bap- tist Church since 1865, and became a member of Center Lodge. No. 272, of Troy, in 1860, and in 1874 affiliated with the Greenville Lodge, No. 195, and is also a member of Greenville Encampment, No. 90.
ALEXANDER HUGH MCEOWEN, retired farmer. Greenville ; among the old settlers of Darke Co., Ohio ; the gentleman whose name heads this sketch is awarded a place in the front ranks ; he was born in Somerset Co., N. J., Oct. 2,
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1810 ; he was a son of Alexander McEowen, who was born in the above State Nov. 29. 1778 : he married his second wife, Alada Hageman, in November, 1808 : she was born in New Jersey ; they were the parents of seven children by this union, of whom the subject of this sketch and Henry H. now survive ; Henry was born July 21, 1823, and is now living in Allen Township, Darke Co. ; their father was one of the patriots of the war of 1812, and was also one of the minute-men of the Northwest Territory, and served under Gen. Wayne in this State ; he was married three times, and was the father of eleven children, of whom only three now survive ; Mr. McEowen died Dec. 12, 1863, aged 85 years ; Mrs. McEowen died Aug. 22, 1830. The subject of this memoir came to Ohio with his parents in 1822, and located in Warren Co., where he followed farming until 1844, when he came to Darke Co., and, after a residence of ten years in Twin Township, during which time he cleared a farm of 90 acres, he came to Greenville Township and purchased his present place in 1854, where he has since lived ; he now has in his home farm 225 acres under a good state of cultivation, with good farm buildings, located two and one-half miles east from Greenville, nearly all of which he has secured by his own hard labor and correct business habits, in which he has been nobly assisted by his amiable wife, to whom he was married March 14, 1839 ; she was born in Warren Co., Ohio, Dec. 17, 1810 ; they have no children of their own. but have taken and partially raised several until sufficiently old to be self-support- ing. Mr. MeEowen continued farming until 1878, when he rented his farm and retired from active labor. He was formerly an Old Line Whig, but joined the Republican party upon its organization, and since that time he has ardently labored for the support of the same. Mr. and Mrs. McEowen have been members of the Presbyterian Church many years. They have traveled the path of life together for a period of forty years, and now, in their declining years, find that comfort and consolation in the Bible which only falls to the lot of true Christians.
WASHINGTON MCGINNIS, contractor and builder, Greenville; among the early pioneers of Darke Co., the gentleman whose name heads this sketch is entitled to a place in the front ranks; he was born in Washington Co., East Ten- nessee, in 1812; at 14 years of age, he came to Darke Co. with his parents, and has been a continuous resident of this county since 1826, a period of fifty-four years, and is, consequently, among the oldest settlers of the county, as well as the oldest representative of his business in Greenville ; upon locating here, he assisted his father in agricultural pursuits until he attained his majority, and, in 1833, came to Greenville and apprenticed himself for two years to learn the carpenter's trade ; after completing the same, he worked at his trade two years, and, in 1840, he started in business for himself at Greenville, and has for a period of forty years been engaged at the above business. He is a Democrat in politics, but has never been an aspirant for office, but without solicitation was nominated and elected as one of the members of the City Council, which office he has held two years. Upon the 20th of January, 1841, he was united in marriage with Sarah S. Emley ; she was born in Warren Co. in 1819; they have three children living by this union, having lost two by death ; the living are Lizzie, Wash and Emma. Mrs. McGinnis was a daughter of David Emley, a native of New Jersey ; he died in Warren Co., Ohio, in 1862, upward of 80 years of age. He married Sarah Chamberlin, also a native of New Jersey ; she is now living in Warren Co., at the advanced age of 85 years.
PATRICK H. MAHER, County Recorder, Greenville; the subject of this sketch was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, Jan. 29, 1845; he is a son of James and Catherine (Fanning) Maher, who with their family emigrated to Amer- ica and landed in New Orleans in 1850; they then came up the river to Cinein- nati, and on the way up Patrick H. suffered the loss by death of three of his brothers, grandfather and grandmother by cholera; he resided in Clarke and Champaign Cos. until 1864, at which date he came to Darke Co. and engaged in school teaching near Coletown until 1874, when he was elected County Recorder,
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which office he now holds. Upon the 25th of December. 1873, he was united in marriage with Ellen Manix ; they have three children by this union-John F .. James E. and Catherine. Mrs. Maher is a sister of George Manix, who is also mentioned among the biographies of Greenville Township. in this work.
G. W. MANIX, farmer and stock-raiser. Sec. 13; P. O. Greenville ; Forn in the County Clare, Ireland, March 28, 1843; he came to America with his par- ents when a small boy, and came to Montgomery Co., Ohio, where they lived until 1858, at which date they came to Darke Co. and settled in Mississinawa Township. The subject of this memoir resided with his parents until 21 years of age, when he commenced life for himself, and engaged in contracting and building, and building bridges and pikes ; after ereeting some dwellings. he built the fine schoolhouse at Bradford, which cost $25,000 ; he also built the schoolhouse at Brennan, Ohio, at a cost of $24,000, and many dwellings in Greenville ; he has been largely engaged in building pikes in Montgomery, Darke, Shelby and Miami Cos .. Ohio, and Ran- dolph Co., Ind .; he has, probably, built more miles of pike than any man of his age in Darke Co., and has employed as high as 150 teams at a time, and has received as high as $4,000 per mile. In March, 1875. he located upon his present- place, which contains 103 aeres, and is one of the oldest improved farms of Green- ville ; he has the oldest cedar-tree in Darke Co .; he also has in his yard three mineral springs, of an entirely different nature. He is now devoting his attention to farming and stoek-raising. He was united in marriage with Emma J. Reagan on the 11th of December, 1867 ; she was born in Darke Co., Ohio. April 19, 1846, and died Nov. 6, 1877, leaving five children living (having lost one by death), viz .: James, born Feb. 26, 1869 ; Annie, Sept. 28, 1870 ; George W., March 20, 1872 ; Dennis E., in December, 1873; John, Nov. 12, 1875 ; Walter, the deceased, died in infancy. His marriage with Margaret Lynch was celebrated May 20, 1879 ; she was born in Greenville, Darke Co., in 1858.
JOHN MARK (deceased). The subject of this memoir was born in Adams Co., Penn., May 14, 1809 ; he was a son of Peter Mark, a native of Pennsylvania, who lived and died in the place of his nativity. Our subject was raised on a farm, and assisted his father until his marriage which took place in Pennsylvania with Mary Wirtz in 1830 ; he followed farming in the above place until 1834, when he removed to Darke Co. and settled on the place where his widowed wife and chil- dren now reside ; his land was in the wild woods, but Mr. Mark had the material to overcome the difficulties of a pioneer life, and cleared his farm and made a good home which offered him much enjoyment and comfort in his declining years ; his wife Mary departed this life July 1, 1842 ; she was born March 2, 1807 : they were the parents of five children, of whom all are dead ; Mary departed this life the same night and almost at the same hour as her father, which is a remarkable coincidence, and, in fact, it has never fallen the duty of the writer to chronicle such an occurrence before. He was again united in marriage with Catherine B. Zumbum ; she was born July 28, 1816 ; her father was a native of Maryland, and died when Mrs. Mark was quite small, aged 44 years ; her mother died at the age of 69 years, and is buried in the Martin Cemetery ; by this marriage, Mr. Mark had fourteen children, of whom six are now living ; the death messenger has made terrible and frequent visits to this family ; thirteen children and a father have been taken from earth to heaven. Mr. Mark departed this life Ang. 16. 1879 ; he was the parent of nineteen children, fifteen grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren ; he died in the triumph of his faith, having been a true mem- ber of the church for the greater part of his life ; in early life he was a Presby- terian, and an elder in the church, then he connected with the Campbellites and lived an exemplary life and died trusting in the promise of his Savior. Mrs. Mark has always been a good, consistent woman.
JAMES JONES MARKWITH, retired farmer, Sec. 35; P. O. Greenville ; among the early settlers of Darke Co., the gentleman whose name heads this sketch takes a place in the front rank ; he was born in Hamilton Co., Ohio. Oct. 3.
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1818 ; he is a son of John C. Markwith, who was born in Essex Co., N. J. in November, 1774. He was married in New Jersey to Elizabeth Muckridge ; she was born in the same State about the year 1786; they came to Ohio in 1810, and located in Hamilton Co., and came to Darke Co. in 1820, and located in what is now Van Buren Township, where he entered land, and where he lived until his decease, which occurred Nov. 30, 1836. Mrs. Markwith died in 1861. The subject of our sketch came to Darke Co. with his parents in 1820, and is consequently. one of the early pioneers; his education was obtained in an old log schoolhouse with stick and mud chimney, the fireplace extending across the end of the building, and at the same time, his eldest son attended the same school ; he remained with his father until the decease of the latter, after which he remained with his mother until April 1, 1838, when he was united in marriage with Sarah Ashley; she was born in Ohio March 1, 1821, and died in Darke Co. Nov. 23, 1846; they were the parents of three children, viz .: Morrison M., born Aug. 29, 1839 ; Elizabeth, born Nov. 7, 1841, died April 7, 1843 ; Mary Jane, born Oct. 11, 1844, died April 22, 1847. His marriage with Barbara Brown was celebrated Oct. 24, 1847; she was born in Wayne Co., Ind., Dec. 26. 1821; seven sons and three daughters were the fruit of this union, all of whom are now living, viz .: Estha, born Ang. 19. 1848 ; John A., born Dec. 28, 1849; Ira, born Nov. 14, 1851 ; James W., born Feb. 21, 1853 ; Samuel M., born April 19, 1854 ; Andrew L., born April 26, 1856 ; Aaron F., born Sept. 23, 1858 ; Martha J., born April 17, 1861 ; Hannah B., born Nov. 27, 1862 ; George Abraham Lincoln, born March 6, 1866. Upon the marriage of Mr. Markwith, he commenced for himself upon the old homestead. and after farming one year, then purchased 80 acres of timber in Neave Township, for which he was to pay $651 ; at this time his capital consisted of $25, and one horse ; upon this place he lived some nineteen years, during which time he had cleared some 60 acres, and, in 1857, he disposed of the above farm, purchased 176 acres in Van Buren Township, upon which he moved and lived until 1878, when he settled upon his present place of 26 acres ; located within 40 rods of the corporation limits of the city of Greenville. Mr. Markwith commenced life without capital, and has suffered the privations and hardships of frontier life, and has by his own hard labor and correct business habits, secured a good fortune ; he has now 276 acres in Van Buren Township and his home residence ; he is another of the self-made men of Darke Co. He is a Republican in politics, but has never had any aspiration for office ; he has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having been a member of the Christian Church for a period of upward of forty years ; his wife also being a member of same church, and seven of the children also being members of different churches. Morrison M., being a preacher of the Gospel in the Methodist belief. is located at Zanesville, Logan Co., Ohio.
ROBERT MARTIN, farmer ; P. O. Greenville. Among the early pioneers of Darke Co., we take pleasure in giving notice of the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, July 23. 1804 ; was a son of William Martin, who was born in Pennsylvania, where he was married to Sarah Larimore ; they came to Darke Co. in March, 1816, and entered 60 acres upon Sec. 5, and located upon the same section in Greenville Township ; Mrs. Martin died in July, 1816, and Mr. Martin died about the year 1864. The subject of this sketch located upon his present place in 1816, where he has continued to reside for a period of sixty-four years, and is probably the oldest continual resident upon any one section in Darke Co .; he received a limited education in an old log school- house with stick and mud chimney, the whole end of which was used as a fire- place ; the benches were made of split logs, with plank laid upon pins inserted in holes bored in the logs of the house for writing desks ; he was raised to agricult- ural pursuits upon the farm of his father until the 24th of April, 1828, when he was married to Dorcas Boyd ; she was born in Warren Co., Ohio, July 21, 1807, and came to Darke Co. with her parents when 6 months old, who were among the very earliest pioneers of this county ; the children of Robert and Dorcas Martin
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were twelve in number -- Ira, born March 11. 1829, died June 9, 1879 ; Martha A., born Sept. 23, 1830 : Sarah, born June 27, 1832. died July 30. 1834 ; Minerva. born May 6, 1834 : Emily, born Jan. 14. 1836 ; Naney J., Jan. 25, 1838 ; William and Sarah (twins), Feb. 22, 1841 ; Hettie, born Aug. 17, 1842, died Sept. 24, 1869 ; Eliza. born May 4. 1845, died March 20, 1870 : Robert K., born Dec. 1. 1848, and Mary L., born Sept. 19. 1851. Mrs. Martin died Nov. 4, 1877. Upon the mar- riage of Mr. Martin, he commenced life for himself, and after following tanning upon the old place for ten years, he then engaged in farming. which business he followed until the last twenty years, during which latter time the home farm has been carried on by his son Robert K., who has always lived at home ; he was united in marriage with Florence A. JJudy Oct. 2. 1873, who was born in Greene Co .. Ohio. Dec. 7. 1853 ; they have two children-Huldy Jane, born Jan. 3. 1875 : Clarence E., June 21, 1878.
JOHN HOLMES MARTIN, retired farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Green- ville : another of the early pioneers of Darke Co .. born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, June 19, 1810 ; when 9 years of age. he removed to Darke Co. and located in Washington Township ; he was a son of William Martin, who was born in Ireland, and came to America when an infant, with his parents, who settled in Maryland, and removed to Pennsylvania when he was 15 years of age, and came to Ohio about 1801 ; in 1813. he located in Butler Co., and in 1819 came to Darke Co., where he was engaged in farming in Washington Township until his decease, which occurred in the fall of 1821. Our subject lived upon the old homestead, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits until 1856, when he purchased his pres- ent place, where he has since lived ; he now owns 107 acres upon his home farm, within half a mile of Greenville, with good farm buildings, and valued at upward of $100 per acre; he also owns 126 acres in Washington Township. which is a part of the old homestead upon which he located sixty years ago ; he also has 120 acres in Mississinawa Township ; he has his farms rented, and devotes his entire attention to buying and shipping stock to Cincinnati and other markets. Mr. Martin is entitled to a place in the front ranks of the early pioneers, being one of the few old landmarks left who relate their experience with the Indians. the bear, the wolf, the panther, the deer and other wild game which was to be found in abundance. He has taken a deep interest in the cause of religion, having been a member of the Presbyterian Church for forty years, and was influenced to pur- chase his present home, in 1856, that he might have better advantages for churches and education for his family. His marriage with Casandra Chenoweth was cele- brated March 21, 1833 ; she was born in Franklin Co., Ohio, in October, 1813, and died Feb. 16, 1879 ; seven children were born to them, of whom six are now liv- ing-Margaret, Elizabeth. Mary J., William H., Rachel. John F. and James P .; the deceased was William H., who lost his life at Nashville while fighting for the preservation of the Union during the late war of the rebellion.
WILLIAM MARTIN, retired. Greenville; another of the early pioneers is the above gentleman ; he was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, Dec. 25. 1812, and is a son of William and Sarah (Larimore) Martin, carly pioneers of Darke Co .. of whom further mention is made in the sketch of Robert Martin ; the subject of our sketch came to Darke Co. with his parents in 1817, and settled in the east part of this township : his early life was that of a farmer's son, his education being limited, and was obtained in an old log schoolhouse; in 1832, he came to Greenville and obtained employment as clerk in the merchandising business, and, in 1835. removed to Ft. Recovery ; erected the first house of the place and opened the first merchandise store of the town, and continued in trade here until 1843, at which date he came to Greenville and located on his present place, where he has since lived. His residence. which is large and commodious, was for many years used as a hotel, and conducted as such by Mr. Martin and others. He has been twice married : his first wife. Barbara Adney, was a native of Gallia Co., Ohio ; she died in 1846, leaving five children. of whom only two now survive. viz., James
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W. and Sarah S .; his marriage with Mary M. Slaughter was celebrated in 1848 or 1849 ; they were the parents of eight children by this union, of whom only Dot- tie, Charles S. and Lodema H. now survive.
L. R. MARTIN, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 5 ; P. O. Woodington ; one of the old settlers of Darke Co., Ohio; born in Miami Co., Ohio, Sept. 14, 1836 ; at 9 years of age, he removed to Indiana. near Ft. Wayne, where he resided some eight years, and, in 1853, came to Darke Co., where he has since lived ; he remained with his father and followed carpentering and agricultural pursuits until he attained his majority, after which he pursued his trade two years on his own account; he then engaged in clerking in the merchandise store of W. B. Menden- hall at Woodington, and. after clerking three years, was admitted as partner. and continued the merchandise trade at this place under different firm names until 1877, when he disposed of his interest in the merchandising business, and has since given his whole attention to farming ; he has 170 acres of land under a good state of cultivation. with good farm buildings ; his brick residence. located at Woodington, was erected by him in 1874. at a cost of $2,800. His marriage with Nancy A. Mendenhall was celebrated in 1861 ; she was a daughter of W. B. Men- denhall, whose sketch appears among the biographies of Brown Township in another part of this work; she died in 1867, leaving one child-Ida MI., born July 31, 1862 ; his second wife was Eliza A. Hine ; they were married in June, 1870 ; she was born in Darke Co. in 1841; two children were born to them- Maud A., July 5, 1872, and Harry C., born Dec. 24, 1874.
SAMUEL MARTIN, Sec. 1 ; farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Pikeville ; one of the old settlers of Richland Township, born in Darke Co. Jan. 11, 1844; he was a son of Sebastian Martin, who emigrated from Pennsylvania to Darke Co. at an early day, and located in Richland Township ; Samuel Martin was raised upon the home farm until he attained his majority, when he was united in marriage with Julia Ann Beanblossom May 29, 1864 ; she was born in Darke Co. They have three children now living. having lost one in infancy ; the living are Franklin MI., born May 3, 1865 ; Mary C., Oct. 7, 1867 ; Viola G., Nov. 8, 1873. Upon the marriage of Mr. Martin he commenced farming, and the same year went to Nebraska, where he followed butchering one year, and returned in the fall of 1865 to Darke Co., and engaged in farming in Jackson Township. where he remained until 1872. when he located upon his present place, where he has since lived ; he has 50 acres in his home farm with good farm buildings and under a good state of cul- tivation ; he also followed thrashing for six years, and operated the first steam thrasher ever run in Darke Co. Mrs. Martin is a daughter of David Bean- blossom, one of the pioneers of Darke Co., whose biography appears among the sketches of this township.
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