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 80
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581
GERMAN TOWNSHIP.
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William, born Jan. 29, 1829, deceased Oct. 14, 1851; Edith A., Feb. 28, 1830, deceased. Mr. McCabe's second marriage was consummated with Miss Nancy Woodward, in Warren Co .; she was born in that county the 14th day of May, 1808. and deceased Jan. 21, 1855. Nine children were the fruits of this union, to wit : George, Samuel, Ellen, Oscar and Malvina (twins), Elizabeth, Reuben, Wilson and Nancy ; the above are all married but three. Mr. McC. was united the third time in marriage with Mrs. Charlotte Heistand, a native of Pennsylvania. Our subject was brought up on a farm ; during the winter months, he applied himself assidu- ously to the acquisition of the rudiments of book knowledge; so well did he improve his time in this direction that he was early qualified to enter the profes- sion of teaching ; this he followed for eight years; he obtained his first certificate of John Briggs, one of the first school examiners of this county. He was married to Miss Wagoner Jan. 10, 1852; she was born in Neave Township Oct. 26. 1823. Her father. George Wagoner, was born Oct. 24, 1788, and came to Neave Township March 12, 1817; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was taken prisoner at Hull's surrender at Detroit; at the mention of this cowardly act of Hull to him, he would become enraged and stamp the ground, even up to his death, which occurred April 6, 1868; he was nnited in marriage to Miss Sarah Stevens, who was born Oct. 12. 1796, and died Feb. 16, 1864; they were the parents of eleven children, seven of whom still survive; our subject, after his marriage located in Palestine, and for a time engaged in teaching and farming ; he then purchased the Palestine Flouring-mill, to which he attached a saw-mill in about five years ; he disposed of this property soon after this, and, with Mr. Kes- ter, purchased and erected in Palestine a large saw-mill, which he still runs, hay- ing some time ago purchased Kester's interest in it. Mr. and Mrs. McC. are the parents of four children, two sons and two daughters, to wit: Flora, born July 7, 1855, now deceased ; Orlando, Sept. 6, 1857. now engaged in teaching ; Virgil, November, 1858 ; Ida M., Feb. 7, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. McCabe are members of the Universalist Church of Palestine.
IRA MCCLURE, miller : P. O. German. The subject of this memoir is a native of this county, born in Washington Township in 1845; he is the son of Geo. McClure, a native of Pennsylvania, who emigrated to this county in 1836 and located in Washington Township, near Nashville, a place then of considerable note ; here he engaged in milling, which he continued eight or ten years ; he then disposed of his mill property and purchased what was known as the John Clapp farm, near the same place, and engaged in farming ; after controlling this for four years, he sold out and bought the Chenoweth farm, in the same township, join- ing the Indiana line, five miles south of Union City ; here he continued till his death, which occurred in 1871 ; his wife survived him till 1879, when death's mes- senger summoned her to join him. Our subject was raised upon a farm, the sum- mers of his early life being spent in its duties, and his winter months devoted to the acquisition of knowledge in the common schools ; he remained at home till the year 1869, when he purchased the flouring-mill at Palestine, which he has since been successfully managing ; he has in the mean time bought and sold grain to some extent ; has never been a political aspirant, but in 1878 he was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, the duties of which he still continues to dis- charge with commendable zeal, and satisfaction to his constituents. He has been married twice ; his first marriage he celebrated with Miss Sarah Skidmore, a na- tive of this county, in 1869 ; one child, now deceased. was born ; his second mar- riage was consummated in 1872, with Miss Rebecca Musselman, a native of this county ; three children are the fruits of this second union-Benjamin F., Capitola. Henry Edmund. Mr. and Mrs. McClure are both consistent members of the Dis- ciples Church of Palestine.
WILLIAM H. McCOUN, farmer ; P. O. German ; Mr. McCoun is the son of James McCoun, and was born in Rush County, Ind., Jan. 16, 1833 ; his father is a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Indiana with his parents in 1819 ; in September,
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1852, he disposed of his property in Indiana, which consisted of 160 acres of land, and emigrated to Ohio, locating in the "settlement" in German Township; here he purchased 562 acres. and is still living at the ripe age of 82 years, looking as though his fourscore and two years had dealt gently with him. The early life of our subject was that of a farmer ; his winter months were devoted to the acquisi- tion of knowledge, and so well did he improve his time that he was early qualified for the profession of teaching ; this occupation he followed chiefly for twenty years, with success. He is a zealous advocate of the principles of the Republican party, and is one who assisted in crushing out the late rebellion and with it forever the cursed institution of slavery ; he was a member of the 45th Penn. C. T., and participated in the battles of Hatcher's Run, Petersburg, Richmond, etc., and was present at the surrender of General Lee ; from thence they were sent into Texas, where he was honorably discharged with his regiment ; from there he returned home, and has since been variously engaged in farming, teaching, brickmaking, contracting, etc. He is no political aspirant, but has been elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, and is now serving on his last year of a three-years' term ; he has discharged the duties of his office with the same marked zeal and fidelity characteristic of his whole life ; he also holds a trusteeship in the Union Literary Institution, and is fund commissioner of the same ; he is a strong advocate of temperance, and both by precept and example opposes the evil of intemperance. His marriage with Miss Margaret Mason was celebrated Dec. 29, 1855 ; she was born in this county in 1835 ; nine children have been born to them, to wit : Laura B., deceased Oct. 8, 1879 ; her life, though short, was complete ; she was a school- teacher by occupation, at which she had been engaged from the age of 14 up to her death; Alice A., now teaching at Seymour, Ind., a position Laura B. filled previous to her death ; William B. C., Essie J., Sidney R., Augustus L. deceased in infancy ; Julian Grant, Houston Colfax and Florence V. Mr. and Mrs. McCoun take a great interest in the cause of religion, both being identified with religious denominations, he with the Christian and she with the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
GEORGE MILLER; farmer ; P. O. German. Mr. Miller is another of the early settlers and prominent citizens of German Township ; he is a native of Pennsyl- vania, born in York Co. in 1816 ; he descended from the Teutonic stock, and is the son of George Miller, Sr., who was also a native of Pennsylvania ; Mr. Miller. Sr., was a far- mer by occupation, and engaged to some extent in the manufacture of linseed oil. He united in marriage with Miss Petry, who is also a native of Pennsylvania ; she is still living in the enjoyment of good health in Preble Co., at the ripe old age of 90 years. Mr. Miller, Sr., died in Pennsylvania, when our subject was only 9 years old ; the sub- ject of this memoir emigrated to Ohio when 16 years of age, and located first in Preble Co. ; he was reared on a farm, and as this country was comparatively new when he came to it he was early inured to the hardships and privations of frontier life ; he remained at home assisting in the duties of the farm till he grew up to mature years ; his educational advantages were necessarily limited, as the life of the early settler is one of constant exertion for subsistence ; however, what oppor- tunities offered in this direction were well improved ; in 1839, he moved to Ger- man Township and located on a piece of land owned by John Warner, land which he subsequently purchased and still owns ; here he embarked on the "course of life " on his own account. He now has his third wife ; his first marriage was con- summated with Miss Warner in 1839 ; death bereft him of this companion in 1842 ; two children were born, both dying in infancy; he celebrated his second marriage with Miss Boomershine, in 1845 ; in 1858 he was called upon to mourn her loss ; she died, leaving six children, one of whom has since died; he was married for the third time, to Miss Bolinger, in 1859 ; ten children were the fruits of the last union, nine of whom are still living. It will be noticed by the above that the messenger of death has made many and frequent visits to this father, taking from him two affectionate wives and four children. Mr. Miller is one of the self-made men of this county; beginning here
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GERMAN TOWNSHIP.
nearly half a century ago almost entirely in the woods, with scarcely nothing but a strong constitution, well-acquired habits of industry and economy, and an unyielding determination, he has struggled up through many difficulties to take a place among the foremost farmers of the county ; he has added to his small beginning by unflag- ging perseverance, till he now has a farm of 293 acres, well improved and under. excellent cultivation ; he has taken a great interest in the cause of religion, being a member of the German Baptist Church upward of twenty years.
I. D. PARENT, farmer ; P. O., German. This gentleman was born March 1, 1830, on the place where he now resides ; he is a descendant of one of the early pioneers of this county, Samuel Parent, Sr. ; he was a native of New Jersey, and emigrated to Ohio in 1814 or 1815 and settled on a farm near Franklin, Butler Co .; at the end of three years, he came to this county and settled on the farm where our subject now lives, in Sec. 13 ; here he passed the remnant of his days ; his family constituted one of the first in the township, and not an acre of his farm. was reduced to the uses of civilization when he moved on it ; the excellent turn- pike which now crosses the farm was then only an Indian trail, and the "feeble sons of the bow and arrow " still lingered about ; a pioneer life, with all the pri- vations and hardships incident to it, was before him ; but, nothing daunted, he- launched out, and by his indomitable will and energy soon carved for himself and for future generations a beautiful home and farm out of the dense wilderness. He- was united in marriage to Miss Hackey before coming to Ohio, and was the father of eleven children, two of whom died in infancy ; nine grew up to mature years, and five are still living ; the sketches of three of these appear in this work. The death of Mrs. Parent occurred in 1861, and that of Mr. P. one year later, in 1862. Our subject's life has been that of a farmer; he assisted his father on the farm till he was 22 years of age, at which time he was married to Miss Lucinda Friar ; he immediately moved on an adjoining farm, where he remained three years, when he returned to the homestead, which he purchased, and took care of his parents. till their death ; one child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. P .- Leander H., born September, 1857. By the appearance of Mr. Parent's buildings and the condition of his farm, he would be and is counted one of the thrifty, enterprising farmers of German Township.
SAMUEL PARENT, farmer ; P. O. German. Mr. Parent is another of the early settlers and prominent citizens of German Township ; he was born Oct. 23, 1818, about one mile east of the present site of Palestine ; he is the son of Samuel Parent, Sr., whose biography is given under I. D. Parent's sketch. Our subject. was raised a farmer, which has been his life occupation ; he remained under the parental roof till his majority ; his early education, as concerned books, was about what the pioneer boys usually received. At the age of 21, he com- menced life on his own account; he then moved on the farm, where he now resides, which he has placed under the best of modern improvements by his industry and good management. Mr. Parent was married to Miss Mary Coble in 1840; she was a descendant of early pioneers of this county, and a native of German Township. Mrs. Parent departed this life Aug. 20, 1879 ; she was a noble, Chris- tian woman, an affectionate wife, a loving mother, and a useful citizen, and died lamented by all who knew her. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Parent, five of whom have been called to " that undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns." Much mental anguish has fallen to the lot of Mr. Parent to endure; six different times has the messenger of death knocked at his door and claimed a victim, having robbed him of a loving wife and five children. Mr. Parent has a benevolent heart, as his many acts of charity and humanity bear testimony ; he is an active member of the Christian (New Light) Church, and his life is an exemplary one.
COLONEL DAVID PUTMAN, attorney; P. O. German ; we herewith present a sketch of Col. David Putman, whose portrait appears in this work, who is another of the early pioneers of this county ; he was born Aug. 4, 8121, on the present site of"
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New Madison, within the stockade, which formerly constituted old Fort Black ; lie is of Scotch descent ; his maternal grandfather-David Gray-emigrated to America in 1802 from Tyrone Co., Ireland, whither his immediate ancestors had been driven from Scotland by the Catholic persecution ; he settled first in Shep- hardstown, Md., from which he emigrated in 1817 to Ohio, locating one mile west of the present place of New Madison, then known as Ft. Black ; here he remained until his death, which occurred in 1822 ; he was one of the first settlers of the county, and had for his only neighbors a family of the Rushes, of whom some of the more remote descendants are still living in the same locality. Our subject is the son of Ernestus Putman, a direct descendant of John Putnam, who came over in the Mayflower. Here we mention the two different manners-interchanging the m and n-of spelling the name, a diversity which still continues in the family and which most probably arose from the early association of the family with the Low Dutch. His paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and took an active part for a period of seven years and eight months in that great strug- gle for freedom. Ernestus Putman was born in 1776, soon after his father entered the service ; a brother of our subject's paternal grandfather was also a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was sent south with Green's Division ; after the close of the war, hie located in South Carolina and raised a family ; during our late civil war, our subject accidentally met a rebel prisoner at Camp Chase who was captured at Fort Donelson ; and learning his rank-Captain-and name, upon inquiry he found him to be a grandson of his paternal grand-unele ; early in the present cen- tury, Ernestus Putman celebrated his first marriage, and in 1809 moved to Madi- son, Ind. ; here he erected the third log cabin built in the place ; while here, he was called to mourn the loss of his wife, who died leaving an infant son ; this son now resides in Richmond, Ind. ; Mr. E. Putman remained here till 1811, when he went to Harper's Ferry, and entered the Government employ as a gunsmith ; he remained at this till the close of the war of 1812, and then went to Washington City. We should mention here, that, while at Harper's Ferry, he celebrated his sec- ond marriage ; while at Washington, he was allotted the contract for the iron work of the Capitol and White House, which were then rebuilding ; in 1819, he with his family, emigrated to this county, purchasing and settling on the land on which New Madison has since been built ; it was then known as Fort Black ; on coming to the above place, he brought with him a stock of goods and opened a store, com- bining with it the gunsmith trade. which was at that time a very lucrative busi- ness ; in 1831, he laid out the present town of New Madison, and the same year con- structed the first flouring mill in the southern part of the county, locating it near Weaver's Station, where the present mill, known as Otwell's, stands ; in 1842, he retired from active business, having been for a number of years an eminently suc- cessful merchant ; he still remained at his old home in New Madison, until a few years before his death, when he ceased housekeeping, and, with his wife, went to Winchester, Ind., where they spent the remnant of their days with their eldest daughter. He departed this life, in October, 1865, surviving his devoted wife nearly two years, she having died in February, 1864. Thus two more of the early pio- neers passed peacefully away, their life's work ended, their duties done, leaving a family of loving children to mourn their departure, and revere their memory. As showing the interest which Mr. Putman took in Christianity, we mention that in 1847, he built on his own ground, and at his own expense-with the exception of $80-the Presbyterian Church at New Madison ; this church, after he left the place, became disorganized, and the house was no longer occupied by them. A few years ago, the heirs of Mr. Putman, after discovering that the original deed. executed by their father in favor of the Presbyterian Church, was not to be found, and that the property was at their disposal, gratuitously turned it over to the German Reformed Church, giving it a quit-claim deed for the same. Mr. and Mrs. Putman were the parents of nine children, six of whom are still liv- ing, and all of whom grew up to mature years ; their names are as follows : Jane
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G., born in 1816, married to Edward Edger, and now residing in Winchester, Ind .; John G., born January, 1818, now living in Denison, Tex .; Elizabeth S., born October, 1819, married Dr. Rufus Gillpatrick, lately deceased ; Col. D., our sub- ject ; Mary I, born 1824, married to Dr. Charles Jaqua ; Ernestus J., born 1826, now of Colorado Springs, Colo .; Thomas C., born 1828, and deceased in his 21st year ; James, born 1830, now residing in Burlington, Iowa ; Nancy C .. born 1833, married to Gen. J. G. Blunt, and now residing at Leavenworth, Kan .; Mr. P. was a member of the F. & A. M. Our subject, at a very early age, was sent to Eaton, Ohio, to school, being placed under the instruction of Col. George D. Hendricks, and remained there about six months, this being his first school outside his pater- nal roof ; at the age of 13, he was placed in the flouring-mill lately built by his father, and there remained for a period of two years ; then he was placed in his father's store in New Madison. The age of 13 closed his school days. He has a vivid recollection of going, with his father, when quite a sntall boy, about one mile east of New Madison, where, with the assistance of some of the neighbors, they erected a log schoolhouse, the house being completed in one day, with furniture thereto, the furniture being manufactured on the spot ; thus was planted the germ of our present efficient and invaluable school system. Shortly after our subject left the mill. and while in the store, Col. Hendricks, his former instructor, called at his father's, and, while at the supper-table, remarked that he was then organizing a surveying party to go to Texas, just then recognized as an independent State, and jocosely asked Mrs. Putman if David could accompany him : to this she promised an answer next morning, which was rendered in the affirmative, and she at once set about to prepare him for his journey. Dr. Gillpatrick, who had lately located in New Madison, from Maine, undertook to instruct our subject in practical sur- veying prior to his setting out on the expedition. On Christmas Day, 1836, Col. Hendricks, with a party of nine, left Eaton, Ohio, for Texas, our subject being the youngest of the number ; they performed almost the entire journey to Cincinnati, Ohio, on foot, accompanying the teams of Mr. Putman, the father of our subject, which were loaded with butter, lard and pork, and were about four days on the way ; on the last day of the year, they embarked at Cincinnati, on the steamer George Washington, en route to New Orleans ; on the next day, just before passing Louisville, they met the steamer on which Santa Anna was a passenger, on his way to Washington City ; they were about two weeks on their way to New Orleans, their progress having been much impeded in the early part of the journey by float- ing ice. The Colonel relates an incident which occurred on the way down, as follows: Wishing to practice economy, their party took lower-deck pas- sage, and among their number was one Parks, an excellent violinist and vocal- ist, who sang and played "Billy Barlow," much to the gratification of the passengers, who listened to it for the first time ; this so attracted the pas- sengers in the cabin that they made him up a purse of $25, and, after putting somewhat of an aristocratic finish on him, invited him up to the cabin to amuse them with his songs and plays the balance of the trip. As young as our subject was, he was intrusted by his father with a quantity of lard, butter and pork, to take to New Orleans, to be disposed of to the best advantage ; he made a satis- factory disposal of it to the firm of James Landis & Co., and left the proceeds thereof on deposit till his return. Here four of the company left them, the rest immediately embarking on the sail-vessel, William C. Byrant for Texas ; the party then consisted of the following persons. to wit: Col. George G. Hendricks, Lot Lee (who afterward became Sheriff of Preble County, and distinguished himself in the Mexican war), Jolm Fall, William Maroney and our subject. They sailed out of New Orleans on a rough sea which had just been severely disturbed by a violent storm ; this was rather a severe initiation to sea-life for their party, as it soon produced the unpleasant sensation of seasickness ; after a period of eight days, they landed at Marion, the river station of Columbia, the capital of the State; this was on the Brazos River; they there learned that the land office was .
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not open, and that there was no employment to be had in surveying ; thus disap- pointed, they concluded to go into camp in the outskirts of Columbia. Col. Hen- dricks, not obtaining work as expected, pushed on to San Antonio, leaving the remaining part of the company in camp. At this time, there was a large influx of emigrants to the State, and a great demand for carpenters sprung up. This Lot Lee, who was a carpenter by profession, availed himself of, took contracts and em- ployed Maroney and Fall to assist him ; this proved very remunerative, as the demand for such labor was large and supply meager. Our subject performed the part of cook for the company, receiving for it his board and $1 per day ; in ad- dition to this, he served as clerk in the grocery store of Capt. Ives, late of Texan War, for which he received $2 per day ; while here, he made the acquaintance of Samuel Houston, President of the Republic. After remaining here about three months, Fall, Maroney and our subject determined to return home, and concluded to foot it across the State to Red River; before the time for their departure arrived, Fall abandoned the pedestrian tour which they had planned, and took sail for New Orleans; this, however, did not defeat the resolution of the other two. On the 24th day of March, 1837, they called at the office of the Secretary of State, and obtained a passport, which is now before the writer, and which was given under the hand of J. Pinckney Henderson, Secretary of State, at the town of Columbia, the 24th day of March, 1837. After disposing of the surplus articles on hand, and packing their knapsacks, they sallied forth on their journey, on the morning of the 27th of March ; on the evening of the first day, finding themselves on the bank of Cow Creek, unable to cross, they spread down their overcoats, and, using their knapsacks for pillows, lay down and slept soundly and undisturbed till morning. Early next day, they stopped at a farmhouse, which proved to be the home of Dr. Parrott, formerly of Ohio, who was much delighted to see the boys, and minister unto them in such a manner as to give a new impetus to their journey. After fourteen days' traveling, they arrived at Natchitoches, having crossed the famous Gaines' Ferry, on Sabine River, the land route into Texas ; they took a steamer at Natchitoches, for New Orleans. Here our subject invested the proceeds of the goods previously stored there, in molasses, sugar and coffee for his father's store. This investment exhibited great business sagacity, as it proved to be a very profit- able expenditure for his father. From here they took steamer direct to Cincin- nati, from which place they transferred the goods, by canal, to Hamilton, Ohio, taking packet themselves for same place ; next day, they walked to Eaton, Ohio, where our subject remained one day with his uncle and his companion Maroney ; on the subsequent day he walked home, a distance of eighteen miles ; thus ended the first eventful period of his life. We narrate thus fully this journey as being remarkable for one of such young years to venture. In about three months after arriving at home, he was employed as clerk in the dry-goods store of D. W. Skidmore, of Hamilton, Ohio; in the following spring, his father and uncle established a new store in New Madison, and gave him charge of it as clerk ; his uncle died in the fall of 1839, leaving the store entirely in his charge up to 1842 ; his father retired from active business in the spring of 1842, leaving him and his brother in charge of the two stores, which they consolidated and jointly managed. On the 15th of the following November, he celebrated his nuptials with Miss Sarah Mills, daughter of Col. Mark T. Mills, and grand-daughter of Col. James Mills ; the latter gentleman was one of the early pioneers of this county. coming here in 1816 and settling on land two miles north of New Madi- son ; he was a native of New Jersey, and emigrated to Hamilton, Butler Co., Ohio, in 1798, and was one of the first settlers in the county, and Colonel of the 1st Ohio Militia, 3d Detachment, in the war of 1812; he left Hamilton, Ohio, Feb. 5, 1813, in command of the 1st O. M., and marched to Dayton; from there to Piqua, Loramie, St. Mary's, and finally, April 7, was ordered to Ft. Meigs, where his regiment remained on guard duty till discharged from service. We find the fol- lowing entry in his regimental book :
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