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 84
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PROSPER DABE, grain-merchant and file-manufacturer, Versailles. Peter H., the father of Prosper, was a native of Belgium, born in 1793; he married Jane R. Fumer, who was born in France in 1796 ; they emigrated to America in 1840, landing in the city of New York, thence to Buffalo, from there to Canton, Stark Co., Ohio, where they remained two years, after which they came to Darke
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Co., locating near Versailles, where they spent the remainder of their days ; he departed this life in 1853, and his wife in 1869. Prosper, the subject of this sketch, was born in France, on the 12th day of August, 1833 ; he, with his parents, came to Darke Co., in 1847, locating in Patterson Township, where he received his education in the common schools. He celebrated his marriage on the 2d of Octo- ber, 1856, with Miss Adaline Trion, who was born in France in 1840 ; in 1869, he moved to Versailles, where he has resided ever since ; he engaged in the mann- facture of tile, which business he still carries on, and, in 1879, he added the grain business, operating the Commercial Elevator-he handled, last year, about 22,000 bushels of wheat, 10,000 bushels of oats, and about 2,000 bushels of corn, and, at present, is prepared to handle all kinds of grain. Mr. Dabe has had his full share of township offices since his residence in the county-served as Trustee of Pat- terson two years, Assessor one year, Treasurer two years, and Trustee of Wayne two years. Mr. and Mrs. Dabe are active workers in the cause of religion, being members of the Christian Church. They are the parents of fourteen children, of whom twelve are living, viz., Peter, Lewis, Edmond, Jennie M., Charles, Anna, Mary, Lawrence, Harry, Clara, Franklin and Lucy. Mr. Dabe has accumulated a considerable amount of property by his hard labor, in which he has been nobly assisted by his good and industrious wife.
A. M. DUNKEL, meat market and butcher, Versailles ; is a son of David and Anna Dunkel, and was born in Cumberland Co., Penn., on the 28th of August, 1844. David, his father, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster County in 1803, he was united in marriage with Anna Frealich in 1832; she is a native of the same State and county, born in 1814; they came to Ohio in 1851, locating in Springfield, Clark Co., where he carried on a butcher-shop for several years, when he sold out and moved to Dayton, Ohio, where he kept a boarding- house ; in 1870, he removed to Darke County, locating in Versailles, where he re- sides at present ; they are the parents of ten children, seven of whom are living, viz., Joseph, David, John, Simon, Aaron M., Benjamin, Anna ; Mr. Dunkel is an upright and honest man, a fearless and uncompromising patriot, giving five of his sons to the service of his country during the great rebellion, four of whom re- turned safe at its close, viz., Joseph, David, Aaron M. and Simon ; Mr. Dunkel's father served as a private soldier in the Revolutionary war, and three of David's brothers served in the War of 1812, viz., John, George, Paul. Aaron M., the sub- ject of this sketch, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Cumberland County on the 28th day of August, 1844; came to Ohio with his parents when he was 7 years old ; he received a good common-school education ; he celebrated his marriage in Dayton, Ohio, on the 3d of December, 1867, with Miss Frances A. Pottle, who was born on the 6th of January, 1848; five children have been born of this union, of whom four are living, viz., D. W. Dunkel, F. J. Dunkel, A. J. E. Dunkel, M. E. Dunkel. He came to Versailles in 1870, and is now the leading butcher in the town, having the most complete meat mar- ket in Versailles.
HORATIO DYE, farmer, Sec. 12; P. O. Versailles. F. L. Dye, the father of Horatio, was born in Miami Co., Ohio, in the year 1808; Sarah Lafevere, his wife, was born in Miami Co., Ohio, in the year 1810 ; he came to Darke Co. in the year 1855, where he continued to reside till the death of his wife, which occurred in September, 1866, after which he sold out and moved to Sydney, Ohio, where he married Ann Easty in the year 1868, and at present resides there. Horatio, the subject of this sketch, was born in Miami Co., Ohio, on the 7th day of April, 1834 ; lived with his parents till he was 23 years old, working on the farm during the summer season and attending the district school in the winter ; obtained a good common-school education. When he was about 23 years old, he bought a farm of 82 acres in the same county, and engaged in the cultivation of the soil on his own responsibility, and on the 2d day of December, 1858, was united in marriage to Miss Lucinda Perry, in Miami Co .; she was born in Miami Co. on the 16th day of
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January, 1835 ; he remained on his farm about eight years, meeting with good success, after which he traded his farm for the Zolinger farm, consisting of 72 acres in Miami Co., two miles west of Piqua, Ohio, on the Clayton pike ; remained for two years, after which he sold out for $5,000 ; this was the most snecessful trade of his life ; he bought 74 acres in the same county, northeast of Tippecanoe, where he moved, remaining there for four years ; sold out for $1,600, and moved to Ver- sailles, Ohio, and engaged in the tanning business for a period of three years, losing about $1.800 ; he then traded the tanyard for a farm of 82 acres, in Wayne Township, See. 12, where he has resided ever since. Mr. Dye has, in no sense of the term, been an office-seeker, yet he has had his full share of township offices ; was elected to the office of Supervisor four or five times ; School Director for three years ; he has taken a very active part in religion, being a member of the Presby- terian Church for a period of twenty-three years ; he and his good and amiable wife have been active members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church for about four years, living devoted and consistent Christians ; he has held very important offices in the church ; while in Piqua he was elected Elder in the First Presbyterian Church, serving three years ; was elected President of the " Union Sabbath School Conven- tion "of Darke Co. for one year, and is at present holding the office of Elder in the Cum- berland Presbyterian Church ; Mr. Dye is strictly a temperate man ; he neither chews nor smokes tobacco ; he has, by the help of his industrious wife, accumulated a considerable amount of property ; they have no children. Amoses Perry, the father of Lucinda, was born in South Carolina in the year 1781 ; emigrated to Miami Co., Ohio, when he was 21 years old, where he resided until his death, which occurred in the year 1860 ; Rachel Long, his wife, was born in Kentucky in the year 1795 ; she came with her parents to Miami Co., Ohio, when she was about 1 year old ; she departed this life in the fall of 1865 ; Mr. Perry followed school teaching, and was elected to the State Legislature in the year 1833; Lucinda is an active worker in the cause of religion, as well as a strong advocate of temper- ance ; also a life member of the American Bible Society.
JOHN E. FACKLER, physician and surgeon, Versailles, Ohio. George F., the father of John E., was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster Co. in 1800; he emigrated to Ohio, locating in Miami Co. in 1818; removed to Mont- gomery Co. where he resided till his death, which occurred in 1864 ; he was united in marriage with Elizabeth Christian in 1825; she was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster Co. in 1803 ; she came to Ohio in 1817, locating in Montgomery Co. John E., the subject of this sketch, is a native of Ohio, born in Miami Co. on the 30th of September, 1836 ; he lived with his parents till he was 22 years of age, assisting his father on the farm during the summer, and attending school during the winter, thereby obtaining a good common-school education ; he then taught school during the winter and farmed in the summer; at the age of 22, he entered the office of Dr. G. V. Dorsey and commeneed the study of medicine, and in 1863 he graduated at the Ohio Medical College ; he then opened an office in El Dorado, Preble Co., but only remained there a few months, when he went to Webster, Darke Co., where he remained until 1869, when he removed to Dayton, Ohio, remaining till 1870, after which he removed to Versailles, Ohio, where he now resides, having a large and lucrative practice. He celebrated his first marriage with B. Lizzie Rogers, in 1866, in Miami Co .; two children were born to this union, viz .: Susan Edith, born in 1867 ; Georgiana Henriette, born in1868. On the 20th of June, 1870, the messenger of death entered this peaceful and interesting little family, removing from earth to heaven Lizzie, his wife, who was a good wife and a loving mother; in 1871, he celebrated his second marriage, with Pernina Berry, in Greenville, Ohio : three children have been born to them, viz .: Volney N., born in 1872; Clement I., in 1874; Jane C., in 1877. The Doctor is strictly temperate in all his habits ; the writer in looking over his diary came across the following language: "Feb. 12, 1863. From this day forth and forever, I will not smoke nor use tobacco in any form." " Oct. 26, 1864. This evening I east my eyes on the top of this page ; I now have
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to remark that it was almost one year subsequent to the estate that I succeeded in and entirely overcame the habit of using tobacco."
GEORGE E. FLETCHER, farmer, Sec. 21 ; P. O. Versailles. John Fletcher, the father of George E., was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1785 ; Catharine, his wife, was born in Virginia ; he emigrated to Greene Co., Ohio, in the year 1835, remaining there but a short time, after which he bought a farm of 160 acres in Darke Co., Ohio, Wayne Township, remaining there till his death, which occurred in the year 1840 ; Catharine, his wife, died in Virginia in the year 1826. George E., the subject of this sketch, was born in Virginia in Henrico Co., on the 18th day of October, 1818 ; he came with his grandfather to Ohio in the year 1833, being only 15 years old ; he lived with his grandparents, working on the farm and attending school during the winter, obtaining a good common-school education : he worked for his grandparents till he was 25 years old, after which he married Miss Margret Kinney. Nov. 24, 1842, in Greene Co., Ohio ; he rented a farm and com- menced life on his own responsibility ; this farm was in Greene Co .; he remained there for a period of about two years, meeting with good success, after which he moved to Darke Co., on the banks of the Stillwater, near Webster, where he remained about nineteen months, moving on the Huddle farm, one-half mile north- west of Webster, where he remained for a period of six years, paying $2.50 per acre rent ; he then bought 95 acres in Wayne Township, Sec. 21, where he has continued to reside ever since ; when he came, there were 20 acres cleared ; Mr. Fletcher commenced life with but little of this world's goods, but by hard labor, frugality, temperate habits and the assistance of his good wife, has accumulated a considerable amount of property, and is now enjoying the comforts of his earnings ; Mr. Fletcher was left an orphan, hence has passed through the trials and hard- ships so common to the orphan ; he has held the office of Township Trustee one year, School Director and Supervisor one year. Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher are mem- bers of the German Reformed Church, devoted and consistent Christians, being highly respected by those who know them ; nine children were the fruits of this union, of which four are living, viz .: Mary A., born Oct. 10, 1844; Martha, Nov. 6, 1848 ; Peter F., Ang. 27, 1853; Alivilda, Sept. 30, 1855.
J. P. GORDON, physician and surgeon, Versailles. The subject of this sketch is a native of Ohio, born in Warren, Trumbull Co., on the 1st day of April, 1822 ; is of Scotch-Irish parentage on the paternal side, and French on the mater- nal side ; his grandfather Gordon was one of the pioneers of the Northwestern Territory, settling in what is known as Mahoning Co. in 1792 and in 1812. he and the father of J. P. Gordon were the only ones out of nineteen men that could be spared from Ashtabula Co., where he had removed, to go as volunteers in defense of the country. J. P. was raised in the lap of adversity, and from 16 years of age, when he went to Marion Co., he had to shift for himself; sometimes the cold winds of adversity would almost chill him, and bend him to the earth, but on the passing away of the storm he would take courage and try to forget the past ; he acquired such an education as the common schools afforded ; at the time graduating from the same cabin, and in the same class with the Rev. S. P. Carleton, the great linguist-said to be-in Mr. Gordon's own words, speaking of this period. " We commenced at crucifix and ended at stofix and bramble, each term, with an occasional touch of Daboll and Murray, and every Saturday special reading from the ' American Preceptor.'" In 1842, he went to Delaware, Ohio, where he attended the academy, and the Ohio Wesleyan University, where he remained twenty months, paying his tuition by cutting wood Saturdays, and hunting coons at night, which was fine sport, yet a slow way to obtain tuition money ; he then went to what is now known as Spring Valley, Greene Co., Ohio, with George Barrett, father of the Hon. J. M. Barrett, now of that place, and for six years he had no fixed home ; studied medicine the best he could till 1847 ; he taught school during the winter, and shoved the trowel in the summer, and at very low wages-taught seventy-two days for a quarter, and boarded around for $12 per month ; finished the study of
W
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medicine with Drs. Hams and Hartman, of Spring Valley, and received his license as a practicing physician from the County Medical Society in 1849. On the 13th day of April, 1848, he celebrated his marriage with Elizabeth Herr, of Greene Co., moved to Webster. Darke Co., Ohio, Feb. 2, 1852, and commenced the prac- tice of medicine, where he had every old woman, and every old granny of a man that ever heard tell of Sam Thompson or lobelia, as competitors, and as there was no prospect of Webster becoming a city for some time, he pulled up stakes, and anchored at his present place of business in a cabin Jan. 1, 1857, on the lot for- merly owned by the " Hardshell Baptist," the third church built in the county ; the corner-stone still remains as a landmark, on which he in his pious moments sits in silent meditation for better or for worse, cracking hickory nuts. The Doctor has been married twice ; his second marriage was celebrated on the 5th of January, 1876, with Miss Vina Jester, of Miami Co., Ohio. The Doctor has practiced medicine for thirty years, and has accumulated some property, but is happy in the thought that he has never squeezed the last dollar out of the poor ; has gone many miles through the storm and mud for which he has not received his reward unless it be in gratitude.
JOHN HESS, Agent C., C., C. & I. R. R., and Manager of Western Union Telegraph Company, Versailles, Ohio. Mathias, the father of John, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Fayette Co. in about 1818. Hesther, his wife, whose maiden name was Stevenson, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Fayette Co. in about 1828 ; they reside near Brownsville, Penn .. and are the parents of fourteen children, of whom thirteen are living, viz., Elizabeth, William. John, Nancy J., Rosanah, Enoch, Caroline, Aaron, Freeman, Eliza, George, Mary and Isabell. John, the subject of this memoir, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Fayette Co. on the 12th of November, 1848 ; lived at home till he was 21 years old, assisting his father in the cultivation of the soil during the summer, and attending the dis- trict school in the winter months, thereby obtaining a good common-school educa- tion. In February, 1869, he came to Darke Co., Ohio, locating in Greenville, where he obtained a position as clerk in the post office, where he remained about sixteen months, after which he entered the office of the D. & U. R. R., at Union City, Ind., with R. T. Johnson, but only remained there three months, when he obtained a position as night-operator in Versailles, Ohio, which office he filled for two and a half months, when he was appointed ticket and freight agent, also manager of the Western Union Telegraph, which gave him control of the station. Mr. Hess is a young man, and is well qualified for the position he fills, and is held in high esteem by the officials of the C., C., C. & I. Ry. Co. He celebrated his marriage on the 14th of October, 1873, with Miss Laura A. Wentworth, daughter of Egbert N. and Cynthia A. Wentworth, who was born in Darke Co. March 3, 1854. Three children have been born to this union, viz. : Emma Pearle, born Aug. 3, 1874 ; Harry Gordon, Nov. 15. 1875 : Bessie L., Jan. 5, 1880.
DANIEL HOLE. farmer ; P. O. Versailles. William, the father of Daniel, was a native of Virginia, born on the 28th of April, 1759 ; he married Miss Ruth Crane, who was born in New Jersey on the 23d of March. 1767 ; they emigrated to Kentucky in 1787, locating near Lexington, Fayette County, traveling the entire distance from New Jersey on horseback ; while in Kentucky, they were annoyed a great deal by the Indians, and upon one occasion Mr. Hole came very near having his scalp taken by them ; while out one day, gathering wild plums. he was attacked by one of the " redskins," who shot at him, giving him a flesh wound in the arm, and as Mr. Hole did not have any firearms with him, he con- cluded it would be better for him to make his way back to the fort ; so, dropping his basket of plums, he started at lightning speed through the woods, the Indian pursuing him with tomahawk upraised ready to fell him whenever the opportu- nity presented itself; but William ran for life. making his way to the fort in safety, while the Indian skulked off in dismay to think that the " pale-face " could ontwind him ; Mr. Hole resided in Kentucky for about two years, after which he
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removed to Ft. Washington, now Cincinnati, Ohio, where he obtained a lot by selling and improving the same, where he resided for a period of about five years, when he removed to Montgomery County, locating one mile east of the present Miamisburg, which at that time was a trading-post or station ; he remained there till his death, which occurred on the 25th of February, 1830; Ruth, his wife, departed this life in Fountain City, Ind., in the year 1852, at the advanced age of 85. Daniel, the subject of this memoir, is a native of Ohio, born in Montgomery County on the 11th of December, 1805 ; lived with his parents till he was 22 years of age, assisting his father in the great task of clearing and opening up a farm ; he did not have the advantage of schools, as in those days there was not even a subscription school in the whole county. On the 24th of July, 1827. he cele- brated his marriage with Miss Hannah Bartlett, and during the fall of the same year they moved on his father's farm, their household furniture consisting of two beds, one set of pot-metal knives and forks, one stew-kettle and skillet, one set cups and saucers, and one big iron kettle, using a box for a table ; he resided on his father's farm for about three years, after which he moved to Miami County, locating near Clayton in an old log cabin which was situated in the woods ; he now commenced the herculean task of clearing and opening up a farm ; he only remained there about eighteen months, when he removed to Darke County, locat- ing in Wayne Township, Sec. 24, where he has resided ever since ; when he moved to his present place of residence, he found it all under heavy timber ; this was in 1831 ; he erected a cabin in the woods, and began the task of opening up a farm ; the tract of land consisted of 80 acres, for which he paid $1.25 per acre. Mr. Hole has, with the help of his good and industrious wife, accumulated a consider- able amount of property ; they hold to the Universalist faith, knowing that God is a God of love, and will finally gather all his children home, not to a secta- rian heaven, but a heaven for all ; nine children have been born to them, of whom six are living, viz. : Huldah, born May 17, 1828; David, June 11, 1829 ; Jay, Oet. 23, 1832 ; Catharine, June 11, 1838 ; John B., Feb. 25, 1842 ; Mary E., Sept. 9, 1844. Mrs. Hole was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, one mile west of Miamisburg, on the 23d of November, 1810.
L. C. KLIPSTINE, teacher, Sec. 32; P. O. Webster. William, his father, is a native Prussian, born near Leipsie in 1828; he came to America with his parents when he was about 6 years old, landing in New York, and in 1835 he came to Darke County, locating in Wayne Township, near Webster, Sec. 29, where he has resided ever since. In 1849 he, with several others, crossed the Plains to California in search of gold, being six months in crossing ; he remained there about thirteen months, meeting with fair success, after which he returned by the Isthmus of Panama. He married Miss L. Haack, who is a native of Prussia; they are the parents of six children, viz., John, William, Amos, Callie, Clara and Lewis C. The subject of this sketch was born in Darke County on the 6th of May, 1854; he spent his boyhood days on the farm, assisting his father in the cultivation of the soil ; he received his preparatory education in the district schools, after which he attended the Versailles High School, where he received a good academie educa- tion. On the 26th of September, 1878, he celebrated his marriage with Rosa B. Kinney, daughter of Robert M. and Mary Kinney ; she was born on the 17th of August, 1854 ; after his marriage, he moved on his farm, where he had erected a beautiful two-story brick house. Mr. Klipstine taught his first school when he was only 16 years old, in Shelby County, in the swamps, the schoolhouse being nearly surrounded by water ; he labored faithfully for six months, giving universal satisfaction, and at the close of the term the patrons insisted that he should con- tinue, but on account of the gloomy surroundings, he declined their liberal offer ; he has taught sixty montlis altogether, the field of labor being the counties of Shelby, Miami and Darke, and at present is teaching the Webster school ; he teaches during the winter and farms in the summer ; is a member of the Lutheran Church, his wife being a member of the German Reform Church ; they have a
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host of friends and are held in high esteem by all who know them ; is strictly temperate in all his habits. Mr. Klipstine has traveled over nine different States and a part of Canada; he has also visited all the largest cities in the United States.
FRANCIS KUSNICK, banker, druggist and lumber dealer, Versailles, Ohio ; was born in Porentry, Switzerland, Dec. 16, 1837 ; left his native country when but 20 years of age and came to America, an entire stranger, in a strange, yet hospitable land ; had but little of this world's goods, but being in possession of a classical education and an indomitable will to fight the battles of this life manly, has by his industry and strict temperance habits accumulated a large fortune ; Mr. Kusnick first located in Chicago, Ill., where he practiced medicine for two years, after which he moved to Versailles, in the spring of 1861, where he has continued to reside ever since ; practiced medicine here for seven years with good success ; giving up the practice of medicine he engaged in the drug business and lumber trade, to which he added an exchange bank, doing a business of abont $300,000 a year. Was united in marriage to Miss Josephine Royon, in Russia, Shelby Co., Ohio, in the year 1861 ; seven children were the fruits of this union, viz .: Leopold F., born Aug. 10, 1862 ; Louis E., Oct. 1, 1863 ; Frank J., Feb. 11, 1865 ; Mary C. (de- ceased), Feb. 7, 1870 ; Adolphine F., Sept. 30, 1872 ; Sidonie J., Sept. 24, 1874 ; Joseph J., June 11, 1878 ; Mr. Kusnick takes a very active part in religion, being one of the leading members of the Roman Catholic Church, to whom all look for advice ; contributes largely to charitable institutions, and shows his sympathy to the poor by donating liberally ; served as Township Treasurer for several terms.
LAWRENCE L. LEHMAN, teacher, Versailles, Ohio. Jacob. his father, is a native of Ohio, born in Covington, Miami Co., on the 1st of January, 1825 ; he received a good common-school education ; celebrated his marriage with Jemima Sullenberger, on the 25th day of November, 1851 ; he came to Darke Co. in 1856, and at present resides in Versailles ; they are the parents of thirteen children, of whom nine are living, viz., Maggie A., Eugene, Columbus, Oliver H., Lnella, Morrie, Addie L., Mary and Lawrence L., the subject of our sketch, who was born in Miami Co., Ohio, in 1852; received his preparatory education in the common schools, after which he entered the Ohio Central Normal School, in Worthington, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1874, receiving a good academic education ; he taught school when he was only 16 years old, thereby helping to support the family, it being very large ; he is at present reading law with T. A. Burns, of Versailles.
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