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 83
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JAMES WILLCOX, farmer ; P. O. German ; the subject of this memoir was born in Germantown, Montgomery Co., Ohio, in 1817 ; he is the son of James Willcox, Sr., and Elizabeth (Kester) Willcox ; James Willcox, Sr., was born in the State of New York, on the Mohawk River, near the site of "Stillwater " battle- field ; his father was a soldier in the great struggle for American independence and participated in the above battle ; James Willcox was a shoemaker by occu- pation, and at one time worked in Stephen Girard's shop, in Philadelphia ; while here he made for Henry Clay the pair of boots which he wore to the " Treaty of Ghent," the boots costing $40 ; he emigrated to Ohio in 1815, landing at Cincin- nati with 50 cents in his pocket, and all his earthly possessions tied up in a silk hand- kerchief ; from there he pushed his way northward, and finally came to a halt in Germantown, Montgomery County ; here he engaged at his occupation for five or six years, and then moved to Preble County, where he added to his trade farming ; from there he came to this county, March 18, 1839, and located in German Township, on land which he had previously purchased near the present town of Palestine ; here he engaged in farming and sawmilling. He was married soon after coming to this State, to Miss Elizabeth Kester, a native of Lancaster County, Penn. ; she came to Ohio with her parents when quite small. Mr. and Mrs. Willcox were the parents of thirteen children, five of whom have deceased ; the living are as follows : James (our subject), John, Charles, David, Phebe A .. William, Elizabeth and Elijah ; the deceased are Lavina, Memlius, Levi, Jeremiah and Mary J. Mrs. Willcox departed this life October, 1855, and
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Mr. Willcox the 4th of February, 1856 ; by their deaths the community lost useful citizens and the family affectionate parents. Our subject was raised to farm labor, assisting his father in farming till he attained his majority, attending the com- mon schools during winter months ; he emigrated to this county with his parents in 1839 ; at the end of one year he went to Butler County, and engaged for a time at wood-chopping ; while here he accidentally discovered that he could put up a barrel about as good as an experienced cooper, and accepted a proposition from a professional cooper to engage in the business ; he made 430 barrels, averaging eight barrels per day as his first work; he remained in Butler County alto- gether about three years, and then returned to this county, engaging in saw-milling for the next eighteen years continuously and successfully ; he then purchased and inoved to the place where he now resides, which consists of 160 acres, the most of which he has cleared and placed in its present highly improved condition. He has been married twice : his first marriage was consummated with Miss Sarah J. Clendenine in June, 1841; she died five months after their marriage ; his second marriage was celebrated, June 8, 1848, with Miss Elizabeth Ketring, a sketch of whose parents occurs in the biographies of this township ; she was born in this township. Mr. and Mrs. Willcox are the parents of nine children, three of whom are married : Signorette L., born Feb. 28, 1849; Alice E., Jan. 8, 1851 ; Marquis L., Aug. 7, 1853 ; Mary F., April 5, 1855, deceased Feb. 25, 1856 ; Per- cival F., May 5, 1857 ; Isaac N., May 3, 1859 ; David M., June 15, 1862; Joseph S., Dec. 27, 1864 ; Charles Sumner, April 12, 1861; Martha E., June 16, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Willcox take a great interest in the cause of religion, both being- consistent members of the Christian Church of Palestine.
JESSE WOODS, farmer ; P. O. German. The subject of this sketch is one of the prominent citizens of Darke County, and a pioneer of German Township ; he was born in Virginia in 1818, and was only 2 years old when he came to this township with his parents in 1821 ; he is of English descent, his father, James Woods, was born in St. James' Park, London, May 25, 1767, and died at his son's, near Palestine, on the 21st day of August, 1869, aged 102 years 2 months and 26 days ; his remains were laid to rest in the beautiful Palestine Cemetery, and a marble monument is reared over his grave. At the time of his birth St. James" Park was three miles out of the city, but since then the city has grown around it ; he followed sea life as a sailor for about twenty years ; he emigrated to America somewhere about the beginning of the present century, and settled in Virginia ; in 1821, he took up his journey westward, with his family, and settled in this county, in German Township, where his son Jesse now lives ; on this place he spent the remainder of his eventful life ; his marriage was celebrated in Virginia ; he was the father of eight children. Jesse Woods, our subject, knows what pioneer life is ; he has shared in the trials and triumphs incident to such a life ; he has wit- nessed the changes wrought in this country for over one-half century, and has applied himself persistently and vigorously to develop its present vast resources ; his duties in his youth were those of a pioneer farmer boy ; his early education, so far as book knowledge is concerned, was necessarily limited, as opportunities in this direction were meager, and his time and labor principally demanded on the farm; vivid to his recollection is the appearance of the first schoolhouse which he attended ; it was a "fac-simile" of the pioneer schoolhouse-the progeny of necessity, not the sound of a nail was heard in its construction, nor a glass window seen in it after its completion ; his first teacher was William R. Jones, the first pedagogue in the township; he kept the characteristic " land school " of the back- woods, and his plans of punishing unruly scholars would appear as odd to-day as his methods of teaching. Mr. Woods was married in 1844, to Miss Anna Stevens ; she is the daughter of David Stevens ; he was born in Pennsylvania Oct. 31, 1792, and died Jan. 8, 1879 ; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was one of a number who were detailed to carry provisions from Ft. Nesbit to the Kentucky soldiers, who were on the retreat from Muncie to Ft. Greenville ; they proceeded
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under a forced march through the wilderness, and snow knee-deep, to the relief of the brave Kentuckians. After the marriage of our subject, he remained upon the place where he was reared, and continued agricultural pursuits ; through his energy and good business habits, he has been eminently successful in life ; he is no politi- cal aspirant, but a few years ago was elected to the office of County Commissioner, in which capacity he served three years, discharging its duties with fidelity and satisfaction to his constituents ; he positively abhors political trickery and official corruption of all kinds, and is a strong advocate of and adherent to honesty and integrity. Mr. and Mrs. Woods are the parents of thirteen children, eight of whom are still living.
WAYNE TOWNSHIP.
J. W. APPLE, retired farmer, Versailles, Ohio ; was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, April 22, 1825. John Apple, the father of J. W., was one of the old pioneers of Montgomery County, born in the year 1800-emigrated from Pennsyl- vania. J. W. lived with his parents on the farm, attending school during the winter season, and, working on the farm during the summer, obtained a good com- mon-school education, and at the age of 20 was united in marriage to Miss Elvina Miller, in Montgomery County, April 10, 1845. Left his parental roof, and, with his good wife, moved into the woods, built a log cabin, and commenced to clear a farm-did not have a cent of money, and was in debt $100-has by his hard la- bor, economy, strict temperate habits, and the help of his industrious wife, accum- ulated a handsome fortune. Mr. Apple has passed through the many struggles, incidents and dangers so common to the pioneer of the great West, has many warm friends, and is beloved by all who know him, has taken an active part in religion, and is, with his amiable wife a member of the Lutheran Church-has had his full share of township offices, viz., Township Trustee one year, Land Appraiser one year, and served one term as Assessor, School Director, etc. Mr. Apple followed farming for a period of about thirty years, after which he moved to Versailles, where he now resides. Ten children were the fruits of their union, viz., Sarah A., born July 4, 1846 (deceased) ; John W., born April 28, 1848 ; Jacob A., born Oct. 31, 1850 ; Maria D., born Oct. 25, 1852 ; Mary L., born Aug. 20, 1854 ; Leroy C., born Dec. 5, 1856 : Uriah V., born April 12, 1859 (deceased) ; Henry -J., Feb. 16, 1862 (deceased) ; Ida E., born June 3, 1865 ; Martha J., born Oct. 13, 1867 (deceased).
JACOB G. BASHOR, farmer and stock raiser ; P. O. Webster, Ohio. Jacob, his father, was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Schuylkill Co., on the 19th of Janu- ary, 1801 ; was a carpenter by trade, and at the age of 25 he celebrated his marriage with Sarah Nauftsinger, who was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Berks Co .. on the 2d of April, 1805 ; in the spring of 1828, he moved to Rockingham Co., Va .. where they remained about six years, and in the fall of 1834, he emigrated to Ohio, locating one mile west of Covington, Miami Co., where he purchased 80 acres of land, for which he paid $800, and in 1840, he sold out for $1,800, and pur- chased 160 acres in the same township, paying $1,600 ; he remained here till his death, which occurred on the 3d of September, 1879 ; Sarah, his widow, is living on the old home place, with her daughter Fanny (Mote) ; they were the parents of seven children, of whom all are living, viz., Jacob G., Sarah, Benjamin, John. Anna, Catherine and Fanny. Jacob G., the subject of this sketch, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Berks Co., on the 25th of January, 1827; came with his parents to Ohio, when he was about 7 years old ; spending his boyhood's days on his father's farm, assisting him on the farm and at the carpentering trade ; he obtained his education in the subscription schools ; when he arrived at his majority, he hired
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with his father to work at the carpentering trade for two years, receiving a com- pensation of $180 for the first year, and $200 for the second. On the 15th of Aug- ust, 1847, he celebrated his marriage with Sarah Miller, daughter of Jacob and Polly Miller, who was a native of Darke Co., Ohio, born on the 17th of January. 1827 ; in 1850, he moved on his father-in-law's farm (Darke Co., Adams Town- ship), when he farmed one year, after which he removed to Wayne Township, Sec. 31, where he had purchased 100 acres of land, for which he paid $2,000, and here is where he applied the $380 which he had earned in the two years in which he worked for his father ; he has resided here ever since, making farming his busi- ness ; he has added 85 acres, but sold 5 acres for town lots, leaving 180 in the farm ; he also owned 80 acres in Marshall Co., Ind., his present place of residence, which is well improved, on which is a bank-barn, 70x36, a large two-story brick house, with basement story, and a large tobacco shed, all of which he has accumu- lated by his hard labor, assisted by his good and amiable wife ; he is strictly tem- perate in all his habits. Mr. and Mrs. Bashor are members of the German Bap- tist Church, being connected with that church for upward of thirty years ; he has had his full share of township offices since his residence in the county, viz. : served as Trustee of Wayne Township, three years ; Supervisor four consecutive years ; member of School Board twelve years. They are the parents of nine chil- dren, of whom six are living, viz. : Jacob M., born Sept. 9, 1848 ; Susan, born May 6, 1851 ; Sarah, Dec. 19, 1853; John N., Nov. 17, 1858; Mary, Aug. 3, 1861 ; Anna, May 14, 1864. John N. has been teaching school since he was 17 years old, and is meeting with good success ; he is a live, energetic teacher.
DANIEL BOYER, farmer, grain and stock raiser, Sec. 35 ; P. O. Webster. Daniel, his father, was a native of Pennsylvania, born in York Co., in about the year 1800. He married Elizabeth Hoff, who is a native of the same State and county, born in 1799. Mr. Boyer followed farming in Pennsylvania, where he resided till his death. which occurred in 1847. Elizabeth, his widow, remained on the old home farm till 1867, when she came to Darke Co., and at present resides with her daughter Barbara, who married Peter Moul, Adams Township. They were the parents of eleven children, viz., Jonas, Maria, Barbara, Mannassa, Cath- arine, Henry, John, Samuel, Elizabeth, Aaron and Daniel. The subject of this sketch, who is a native of Pennsylvania, born in York Co., on the 25th of Septem- ber. 1834, lived at home till he was about 14 years old, when he went to work for his Unele Peter Blaser, on the farm, where he worked during the summer and autumn, and then returned home and attended school during the winter. In the spring, he hired out with a neighbor for $5 per month, where he remained till the next fall, attending the district school in the winter. He then went to York and drove team for Sultzbaugh & Quickle, drawing lumber, coal and iron, for which he received $11 per month, being the highest wages paid at that time ; as he was always at his post ready for duty, being active, quick and willing, he never lacked for employment and always commanded the highest wages ; he followed this busi- ness till he was 21 years old, when he became infatuated with the Western fever, thinking that he could better his condition, and, true to his nature, he started for the State of Ohio, arriving at Versailles in April, 1856, at about 3 o'clock on a dark and foggy morning, and when the conductor called out " Versailles" he grasped his carpet-bag and made for the door, and when the train came to a halt he walked out on the platform of the car, and, thinking that he was at the station, made a leap for the platform of the depot, but, alas ! he missed it and landed in the ditch, with his carpet-bag on his head and his legs driven into the mud up to his knees, murmuring to himself, "Is this Darke Co., and if so, where am I ? and how will I get out alive ?" However, he managed to find his way out and made for a hotel, which he found and went to bed, where he slept sweetly till about 8 o'clock in the morning, when he awoke, donned his clothing, ate his breakfast, paid his bill, placed his carpet-bag on his back and started on foot for his brother Henry, who resided about four and a half miles south, in Adams Township, where
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he remained for three months ; he worked for his brother at the carpenter's trade, after which he farmed Benjamin Bashore's farm on shares, receiving one-third of the grain. He only remained one season, when he engaged with George Hetzler to farm his land on the same terms for one season, and met with good success. On the 17th of October, 1858, he celebrated his marriage with Elizabeth Cable, daugh- ter of John and Susana Cable ; she is a native of Darke Co., Ohio, born on the 6th of October, 1841. He remained on the Hetzler farm for about five years, during which time Mr. Hetzler died, and at the sale of the personal property he purchased most of the stock and farm implements and moved on his little farm of 55 acres, in Sec. 36, Wayne Township, for which he paid $860, and in a short time he pur- chased 48 acres which joined him, making in all 103 acres, which he improved, residing on the same till 1872. He then rented a farm of Levi Huddle, in the same township, containing between 500 and 600 acres, which he has under his management, and at present is the largest grain and stock raiser in the county ; he now has ten head of horses and mules, forty head of cattle, one hundred head of sheep and fifty head of hogs ; he grew over 3,000 bushels of small grain last year, and about 4,000 bushels of corn. In 1879, he purchased 55 acres more, for which he paid $2,000 ; he now owns 158 acres, valued at $7,900; he erected a frame barn, 48x78 feet, on his farm, at a cost of about $1,000. Mr. Boyer commenced life with but little of this world's goods, but by hard labor and correct business habits has accumulated a handsome little fortune, in which he has been nobly assisted by his good and industrious wife. When he married Miss Cable, her father gave her one horse, "Jack," which is still living, being 24 years old. Mr. Boyer has had his full share of township offices since his residence in the county ; has served as Trustee of Wayne Township two years, Supervisor, School Director, and was a member of the School Board for a period of nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Boyer are members of the "River Brethren," a Baptist body. Ten children have been born to them, of whom nine are living, viz .: Ellen, John, Sarah, Milton, David, Maggie, Emma, Daniel, Mary.
THOMAS A. BURNS, attorney at law ; Versailles, Ohio ; is a native of Ohio, born in Champaign Co. on the 18th day of October, 1836 ; his father, H. Z. Burns, and his mother Anna, emigrated from Loudoun Co., Va., in 1830; they were well educated and sought no other fortune for themselves and children than education ; his father died early in life, leaving the widow with the care of four small children ; Thomas being the oldest boy, the care of the family fell heavily upon the mother and him ; he struggled on through circumstances that were anything but genial to his aspiring nature; in the common schools he obtained the rudiments of an English education, and from his mother a little knowledge of German and Latin ; farming and teaching school were his occupations until the sound of the war trum- pet in 1861; and on the 9th day of May, he with others was assigned to the 13th O. V. T. which regiment was then over-full, and they at once reinlisted in Co. A, 66th O. V. I., of fighting fame ; having held the various non-commissioned offices, he was then commissioned First Lieutenant, and in a short time he was commissioned a Captain, and took command of Co. E, 194th O. V. I., where he served till he was mustered out with his regiment on the 4th day of November, 1865, having served four years six months and twenty-five days ; he at once commenced the study of law with Hon. Charles Morris, of Troy, Ohio, and was admitted to the Bar March 8, 1868. On the 26th day of December, 1867, he celebrated his marriage with Miss R. L., danghter of Hon. George Anderson, of Piqua, Ohio, and in March, 1870, he moved to Versailles, Darke Co .; he has acquired a good practice in law ; he has traveled throughout the United States, been a close observer of human nature, strictly temperate in all his habits, giving much study and attention to his profes- sional and other scientific books, and has made the most of limited opportunities. A loving wife and four bright children make up his happy home at Versailles, Ohio.
JAMES R. CALDERWOOD, farmer, Sec. 33; P. O. Versailles, Ohio.
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George Calderwood, the father of James R., was born in Huntingdon Co., Penn., on the 15th day of December, 1783 ; Margaret, his wife, was born in Adams Co., Penn., on the 28th day of May, 1792 ; they emigrated to Montgomery Co., Ohio, in the year 1818, remaining there about fourteen years, after which he moved to Darke Co .; this was in the spring (April), 1832 ; they drove through to Greenville, the distance being only thirty-five miles, but were three days in making the journey, as the roads were very heavy, making it almost an impossibility to travel ; settled in Butler Township, where he remained until his death, which occurred on the 7th day of November, 1849. Margaret, his wife, died on the 12th day of October, 1874. James R., the subject of this sketch, was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, on the 6th day of October, 1821 ; came with his parents to Darke Co. when he was 10 years old ; he assisted his father in clearing and cultivating the soil, and, when the opportunity presented itself, he would attend the district school, which at that time was not of a very high order, being held in an old log cabin, covered with clapboards, puncheon floor, split slabs for seats, writing desks, etc .; greased paper for window-lights, one end of the house being the fire-place ; lived with his parents until he was about 21 years of age, when he commenced to learn the carpenter and millwright trade with Mr. Moses Harriman ; worked at his trade for a period of about twenty-six years, and, at the same time, carried on the farm, occasionally working on the farm himself, his boys doing most of the work ; would work hard all day at his trade ; coming home late, he would go out on the farm and gather brush, piling it on log-heaps, after which he would burn them, working sometimes until a very late hour in the night ; he bought a farm of 160 acres in Neave Township, in the year 1845, paying $800 for the tract ; moved on the farm, but remained only about one month, after which he sold out at a gain of about $50 ; moved on his father's farm, which contained 160 acres, buying out the heirs, paying $1,200 ; lived on and cultivated this farm for a period of about five years, after which he sold the farm for $3,100, and bought the old Weaver farm, contain- ing 100 acres, but could not get possession at the time, so he bought another farm of 70 acres, on which he moved, remaining about six months, after which he sold the farm at a gain of about $50 ; he then moved on the old Weaver farm in the fall of 1854, where he remained until the year 1869, when he sold out, receiving $60 per acre ; this farm cost him, in the first place, only $17 per acre ; he had, however, made some improvements thereon, having built a house and barn, and cleared about twenty acres ; in 1869, he bought the John Hughes farm, in Wayne Township, Sec. 23, paying $7,400 ; he moved on the farm in the same year, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Calderwood has had his full share of township offices ; served as Trustee for three years, School Director, Supervisor, etc .; is a firm Republican ; his religion is to do right, and he aims to live in harmony with nature's laws, and might be called a child of nature ; is kind, courteous and obliging, and has a host of friends. Was united in marriage to Miss Jemima Otwell, in Green- ville, Ohio, on the 8th day of May, 1845 ; she was born in North Carolina, near the Gilbert Court House, on the 13th day of April, 1825 ; six children were the fruits of this union, of whom four are living, viz .: Clinton, was born on the 20th day of September, 1846 ; George, was born on the 11th day of September, 1849; Mary was born on the 25th day of January, 1853; Albertis, was born on the 4th day of March, 1855; Curtis, died on the 5th day of April, 1854; John, died on the 5th day of April, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Calderwood have passed through the many struggles, trials and incidents so common to the old pion- eers of the West ; have, by their industry and strict temperate habits, com- bined with economy, accumuluted enough of this world's goods to live at their ease the balance of their days while in earth-life.
AARON G. CARSON, farmer, Sec. 8; P. O. Versailles, Ohio. Aaron, the father of Aaron G., was born in Maine, about thirty miles from Augusta ; Milly, his wife, whose maiden name was McDonald, was born in South Carolina, Edgefield District ; they came to Ohio in 1830, locating in Darke Co., where they spent the
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remainder of their days. Aaron G., the subject of this sketch, was born in Darke Co., Wayne Township, on the 27th of November, 1837 ; he lived with his parents till their death, assisting his father on the farm during the summer months and in the winter attended the district school, which was held in an old log cabin, with slab benches and puncheon floor ; but by diligence, he obtained a good common- school education. On the 24th of November, 1859, he celebrated his marriage with Miss Mary E. Lyons ; eight children have been born to this union, of whom five are living, viz., Millie C., Anna L., Aaron L., Mary Avis, Idona, William R. Mr. Carson has 95 aeres in good cultivation, and has accumulated a considerable amount of property by hard labor, in which he has been nobly assisted by his good and amiable wife ; in 1879, he made a visit to the East-Maine,-and he has traveled over sixteen different States. Mr. and Mrs. Carson are members of the Christian Church, and are living zealous and consistent Christians.
DAVID CHRISTIAN, farmer, Sec. 21; Versailles. Lewis Christian, the father of David, was born in Pennsylvania, in the year 1775, and emigrated to Ohio. Montgomery County, in or about the year 1800 ; he was married to Mary Layer. in Montgomery County, she was also born in Pennsylvania ; they came to Darke County in 1809, residing in Adams Township until their death. David Christian, the subject of this sketch, was born in Darke Co., Adams Township, March 23, 1819 ; he lived with his parents till their death, being only 13 years old at that time, after which he lived with his brother till he was about 15 years old, working on the farm during summer, and attending school during the winter, where he obtained a fair common-school education ; at 15 years of age, he went to live with his brother- in-law, remaining about two years, after which he went to Indiana, where he made the acquaintance of a young man by the name of John Collins, who was a brick- mason ; Mr. Christian worked for and with him in various places, for about six months ; he then went to work in a saw-mill fifteen miles from La Porte, where he remained a short time, then returning home to his brother-in-law's, having been gone altogether about twelve months ; he cut and hauled a load of hoop-poles to Dayton, which he sold ; he then hauled a load of freight, consisting of dry goods and groceries, through to Huntington ; this was in the winter season, and, the ground being frozen, he was about two weeks making the trip; he then com- menced farming, and worked at it for about two years, buying in the mean time a traet of land in Wayne Township, Sec., 21, containing 95 acres, paying $3 per aere ; it was all a dense forest. At the age of 22 years, Mr. Christian was united in marriage to Catherine Woods, in 1841, in Darke Co. He then erected a log cabin, and moved into it, and commenced clearing up a farm, and, with the help of his good wife, connected with industry and hard labor, is now reaping his reward in the possession of a handsome fortune. He now owns from 400 to 500 hundred acres, divided into four farms, all well improved ; he has on his home place a good one and a half-story brick residence, with good cellar and all improvements. Mr. Christian is not a church member, but at the same time, is a good, honest man, and believes in living in harmony with all, and obeying the golden rule. When he commenced life, he did not have much of this world's goods, and, when he and his wife came to this place, there was no clearing it was all under heavy timber. He says they did not move, as they had nothing but one horse, a sled, maul and wedge, and an ax. Mr. and Mrs. Christian are the parents of fourteen children, of whom twelve are now living-Joseph, born in 1841; Henry, born in 1842; Samuel, born in 1844 ; Caroline, born in 1847; Catherine, born in 1849; Elizabeth, born in 1852; Lewis, born in 1854 ; Lavina, born in 1856 ; Minerva, born in 1858 ; Lydia, born in 1860 ; David, born in 1862 ; Hannah E., born in 1865.
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