The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 86

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076

USA > Ohio > Hardin County > The history of Hardin county, Ohio > Part 86

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HENRY KAISER, carriage manufacturer, Kenton, was born in Hesse, Germany, in 1840. He emigrated with a sister in 1859, locating in Ken- ton. He subsequently removed to Cincinnati, but returned to Kenton and worked at his trade of carriage-making, which he had learned in Germany. He opened his present manufactory in 1873, purchasing the building he is now occupying, which was formerly a horseshoeing establishment, and to which he has added a building on the rear premises. He turns out from sixty to seventy five carriages yearly; has a good trade, employing from ten to fourteen men. In 1862, he was married to Miss Mary Coutz, a native of Kenton. This union has resulted in nine children, all living, viz., Caro- line, Albert, William, Maggie, Henry, John, Minnie, Fred and George. The family are connected with the German Lutheran Church.

H. C. KOLLER, merchant, Kenton, was born in York County, Penn., in 1841, and is a son of Henry and Mary (Cramer) Koller, both natives of that county. His father died in his native place in 1854, and his mother, who is still living, is a resident there. The subject of this sketch came to the West in 1860, and located on his uncle's farm in Seneca County, Ohio, where he remained until he entered the army during the rebellion. He enlisted in August, 1862, in Company H, One Hundred and First Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and fought at Perryville, Ky., October 6, 7 and 8, in 1863, and at Stone River, December 31, 1862. At the latter battle, he was wounded in the right hip and taken to the hospital at Murfreesboro, thence to Newport, Ky., and finally to Camp Denison, Ohio, where he re- covered, and rejoined his regiment at Chattanooga. He participated in the Atlanta campaign and in the engagements at Franklin and Nashville. His regiment was reviewed at Nashville by Gen. Thomas; was mustered out and discharged at Cleveland, Ohio. On his return home, Mr. Koller at- tended school for a time and then entered a dry goods store at Cleveland,

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and, in 1870, became a traveling agent of the same business and went to Philadelphia. He came to Hardin County in September, 1871, and was married, in same month, to Miss May, daughter of H. G. Harris, a pioneer of Hardin County, and a native of Brattleboro, Vt. In July, 1872, Mr. Koller opened a dry goods stock, and in August, 1880, occupied his present building, where he has since been occupied. He carries a stock of about $15,000 to $16,000. His sales have increased from $14,000 in the first year to $50,000 in the year 1882. Mr. Koller is among the stanch business men of Kenton, highly esteemed, and, in a political point of view, is an ardent Republican. He has been connected with the Presbyterian Church since his residence here.

SIGMUND KREIENBIHL, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Switzer- land in 1818, and is a son of John and Margaret (Weisbrot) Kreinebihl, both natives of the same place. His parents emigrated in 1834 and lo- cated in Allegheny County, Penn., coming thence to Hardin County in 1841. Mr. Kreinebihl purchased 190 acres of land in Dudley Township, subse- quently selling the farm-in 1864-and then removing to Page County, Iowa, where he died in 1878; his wife died in this county, August, 1862. They raised a family of fourteen children, eight of whom are living. The subject of this sketch is the third child, and has always lived in Hardin County, with the exception of a few years spent in New Orleans, La. In 1861, he enlisted from Hardin County in Company B of the Eighty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the three years' service, but only served nine months, being discharged for physical disability. He was married, in 1848, in Hardin County, to Elizabeth Pfeiffer, a native of Hesse-Cassel To this

union ten children were born, all living, viz., John, now married to Caroline Amweg; Elizabeth; Mary, wife of John Beechtold, of Marion County; Katie, wife of John Cook, Hardin County; George; William, of Buck Township, Hardin County, and married to Susan Shutte, Adam, Louis, Henry and Mag- gie; six living with their parents. Our subject was Trustee for four years, and has filled various offices of the township. He is a member of the Luth- eran Church of Kenton. He occupied his present place of 100 acres in 1854, making it his permanent home, and also owns 142 acres in Buck Township, which he rents out.

G. G LAUGHEAD, physician, Kenton, was born on a farm five miles east of Xenia, Ohio, February 28, 1847. He is a son of Joseph K. and Catherine (Galloway) Laughead, the latter a native of Oldtown, Ohio. His father was a son of David Langhead, who emigrated from his native State of Pennsylvania and located near Xenia at an early day. George Galloway, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was of Scotch descent and a pioneer of Ohio, and associated with Daniel Boone and Simon Ken- ton. He settled near Xenia, Ohio, where he died, and where the storehouse he erected near Oldtown is yet standing, a monument to his memory. Joseph Laughead, the father of our subject, was born on the homestead, near Xenia, and from his boyhood has followed farming. He purchased a farm near his birthplace and turned his attention to raising fruit, which he has followed diligently and successfully, his reputation as a fruit-grower being widely known throughout the county. At this time of writing his health is declining, he having reached his seventieth year. His wife is still living, and has reared a family of two sons and one daughter, all liv- ing. The subject of this sketch is the youngest child. He secured his primary education in the district schools, and at the age of eighteen at- tended the Xenia Seminary, continuing there for three years. He then at -

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tended the sophomore year at Monmouth; and the junior and senior years at the Ohio Central College, in Morrow County, graduating from the latter in 1871. He then commenced the study of medicine, under the preceptor- ship of William H, Reed, of Iberia, Ohio, with whom he devoted two years of study. He attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College of Cleveland in the years 1872 and 1873, and while there served one term in the hospital, as assistant, diagnosing cases and attending in the wards. In the winters of 1877 and 1878 he pursued his studies in the Miami Medical College at Cincinnati, graduating in 1878. He had commenced his practice in 1874, . in Morea, Crawford Co., Ill., and remained there eighteen months, remov- ing to Scotland, Ind. He there remained in continuous practice until the spring of 1881, when he took up his residence in Kenton, and has since pursued his professional calling here with great success. He was married, in Morrow County, Ohio, in 1874, to Miss Nettie, daughter of Joshua Wolff. She was a native of Richland County, Ohio, and lived to raise a family of four children, two living, viz., Mable E. and George Edgar. Mrs. Laugh- rad died in Scotland, Ind., December 17, 1880. During the rebellion, the Doctor enlisted in the navy, as ship's musician, December 7, 1863. He was drafted on the gunboat Ouichita, under Capt. Wilson, having a roving commission, and was sent to Cairo, Ill., in January, 1864. He was on the vessel in Bank's expedition up the Red River, under the command of Ad- miral Porter, and during the engagement at Trinity Springs his vessel was made the flag-ship of the squadron. He was discharged December 6, 1864, at Donaldsonville, seventy-five miles north of New Orleans, La. Dr. Laughead is a member and Elder of the United Presbyterian Church, and, in 1881, was representative of that church to the General Assembly at Alle- ghen , Penn.

JOSEPH LAWS, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Cambridgeshire, England, in 1832, and is a son of Henry and Sarah Laws. He emigrated to the United States in 1850 residing for two years in Genesee County, N. Y .; coming thence to Sandusky, Ohio, and in the fall of 1854 moved to Hardin County, locating in Kenton. In 1872, he purchased and settled on his present farm, consisting of fifty acres. In April, 1855, he was married, in Kenton, to Miss Mary, daughter of John and Celia Warmbread, natives of Germany, who emigrated to the United States in 1852, settling in Pleas ant Township, Hardin County, where the former died in 1880. Mr. and Mrs. Laws have had a family of six children, five of whom are living, viz., Charles, Joseph H., Mary, Viola and Sarah A. The family are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Mr. Laws has been a class leader for many years.

DR. USHER PARSON LEIGHTON (deceased), one of the earliest pioneers and practitioners of Kenton, was born in Elliott, Me., on March 16, 1810. He was of English descant. Capt. William Leighton, his grandfather, was a ship-master, coming from Tiverton, England, about 1650. He erected Leighton's Fort, in York. County, Me., and was a dis- tinguished officer of the Revolution. His son, Gen. Samuel Leighton, the father of our subject, was born at Kittery, York Co., Me., on May 25, 1771, and was married to Frances U. Parsons in December of 1799. They moved, in 1820, to Alfred, Me., where Samuel Leighton died in October of 1848. The latter was one of the Representatives to the General Assembly at Bos- ton in 1809; served as Justice of the Peace for thirty years, Justice of the Court in York County and was commissioned Ensign in the military in 1792, Lieutenant Colonel in 1806 and Brigadier General in 1813. A few

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years prior to his decease, he was elected Sheriff of York County. He died from a wound received during action in the war. He was the father of five sons and five daughters, of whom nine children grew to maturity. The subject of this sketch came to Ohio in 1831; stopped at McCutchinville, where he read medicine with Dr. Sampson, and, in 1833 and 1834, at- tended lectures at Bowdoin College, in Brunswick, Me., and, in the spring of 1835, received a diploma from Brown's University, Providence, R. I. In March of 1836, he located in Kenton, commencing the practice of medicine. Hardin County was then a comparatively dense forest, without roads, churches or schoolhouses; but he applied himself closely to his profession and be- came successful, soon winning his way to the hearts and confidence of all the early settlers. His acquaintance was universal, and he was familiar in every household. He was elected three times County Treasurer, discharg- ing his duties with integrity and honor. On Jauuary 19, 1840, he was married to Miss Ellen, daughter of Jacob H. Houser, then one of the prom- inent citizens of the county. For more than thirty-eight years they shared together the toils and trials incident to human life, living to see Kenton start-a little village among the trees and stumps of the forest-and grow to be a large-sized town. They had five children, three living, as follows: George, Anna E. (married to G. Gregg and residing in Pittsfield, N. H.), and Martha L. (the wife of B. F. Brunson, of Kenton). Dr. Leighton died at his residence August 26, 1878, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. He had risen from the supper table, apparently in good health, and passing out in the entry, fell to the floor a corpse. George Leighton, the second child, was born in Hardin County April 16, 1842. He was married, April 3, 1872, to Miss Sarah, daughter of Joseph Parsons, and a native of York County, Me. The four children born to this union are all living, viz., Anna P., George P., Grace H. and Edwin U. Mr. George Leighton served in the four months' call for volunteers during the late rebellion, in Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth Ohio National Guard. He is chiefly occupied in looking after the landed estate of his inheritance, his father being, at the time of his demise, one of the largest land-owners in the county. He is connected with the Presbyterian Church, of which his father was a founder.

ALFRED N. LIPOLD, farmer and carpenter, P. O. Grant, was born in Germany May 18, 1853, and is a son of Albert and Anna Lipold. His mother, was a daughter of John and Anna M. Lipold, the surname being the same, although no blood relationship existed between the families. The parents of our subject were both born in Germany, his father on November 22, 1822. his mother March 25, 1821. They were there married, and were blessed with five sons, of whom our subject was the only one born in Ger- many, the others being born in Hardin County, Ohio, viz., Andrew J., born October 5, 1856; Albert L., born May 31, 1858; George W., born February 18, 1861, and William W., born February 5, 1863. The family came to this county and to Kenton in the fall of 1853, and Mr. Lipold, after rent- ing farms for several years, purchased one in Pleasant Township, Section 1, in the spring of 1866. The farm had only a small clearing on it and a cabin, but it is now highly cultivated, and comprises 120 acres of land. Mr. Lipold died July 2, 1880. The widow and sons still reside on the homestead, the latter becoming useful citizens of the township.

MRS. ELEANOR LOOKER, daughter of John and Anna Castor (see sketch of Paul Castor, of Kenton), was born in Richland County, Ohio, April 16, 1823. She was married, February 7, 1843, to Harrison Looker,

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who was born in Rockingham County, December 16, 1818. To this union were born nine children, their names and dates of births as follows: John, April 19, 1844, and George, August 22, 1847, both deceased in in- fancy; Mary E., October 31, 1849; William C., July 20, 1851; James M., August 11, 1853; Wilson, July 20, 1855; Alvin P., November 29, 1857; Sarah E., June 7, 1860; Harrison, October 3, 1863. In the spring of 1855, Mr. Looker and his wife settled in Section 24, Pleasant Township, on eighty acres of woodland, where the widow is now living. The farm is now well improved, and has been increased to 130 acres. Mr. Looker died April 2, 1881. He was a good citizen and died in the Christian faith, hav-" ing been for many years a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

JAMES E. LOWRY, Probate Judge, Kenton, was born in Richland County, Ohio, May 1, 1847. He is a son of Williamson and Drusilla (Will- iams) Lowry. The records of this family show them to be of Irish and Scotch origin, their first settlement being probably in Maryland, but the date is not definitely known. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native of Maryland and his wife a Virginian by birth. They married in Virginia, where they raised a family prior to their settlement in Richland County, which occurred in the early part of the present century. He followed farming. His death was through an accident, his limb being poisoned by a cut from a sickle while harvesting in a wheat field. He died in the forty-seventh year of his age. His widow lived to be ninety-seven years old, dying in Adams County, Iowa. Williamson, the father of our subject, was born on the homestead in Richland County, in 1818, and was married in 1844. His wife was a native of the same county, born January 9, 1822. Before his death, he went to Wabash County, Ind., entered 160 acres of land, on which he built a rude cabin, intending to settle there; but on his return he was taken ill, and died March 31, 1850. The widow was remarried in 1851 to John Cole, by whom she had three daughters. John Cole, of German descent, was born in Westmoreland County, Penn., whence he moved to Richland County, Ohio. After his marriage, he came to Forest, and, in 1869, to Ada, where he died in 1874. Mrs. Cole is now a

resident of Ada, and is in her sixty-second year. The subject of this sketch is the only one living of a family of three children. He lived with his step-father until the spring of 1863, and was educated at the high schools of his native county. In 1863, he went to Mansfield, Ohio, to the home of his guardian, and entered a school for telegraphy. On December 21, 1863, he was sent to Forest, Ohio, and was appointed night operator on the Fort Wayne & Pittsburgh Railroad, working at different points in this State and Indiana. The following year, he was day operator in Forest, and from June, 1864, to November, 1867, was assistant agent. He was then agent at Ada, remaining there until December, 1869, and then abandoned the business and became special agent of the Home Life Insurance Com- pany of Cincinnati, Ohio. In October of 1870, he engaged his services in the' Union Central Life Company of Cincinnati, being appointed general traveling agent and manager, with headquarters at Toledo. Two years after, he became Superintendent of agencies, with headquarters at Cincin- nati, occupying that position till April of 1874. He then accepted an agency for the Northern Ohio, making his headquarters at his home in Ada, but resigned in August, 1875. He then remained at home until his election to the bench. He was a candidate for Clerk of Courts in the spring of 1878, and was defeated by a majority of 147 votes out of 3,200. In the spring of 1881, he was nominated for Probate Judge, there being six

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candidates, and was elected by a majority of 335 votes over G. B. Castor. He assumed the duties of his office in February of 1882, and has since pre- sided with satisfaction. He was married, December 10, 1868, to Miss Malinda, a daughter of Thomas Bushnell, of Haysville, Ohio. Two chil- dren have been born to this union-Daisy L. and William B. Mr. Lowry has been a member of a Masonic order since his majority, and was made a Mason, in Senate Lodge, Forest, Ohio, by Dr. J. A. Stansiell, W. M. He was also charter member of Ada Chapter, and its High Priest for two years.

EDWARD LYNCH, liveryman, Kenton, was born in Coshocton Coun- ty, Ohio, July 4, 1828. His parents, George and Hannah (Brown) Lynch, were natives of Pennsylvania, and first settled in Muskingum County, Ohio; thence moved to Coshocton County in 1817, coming to Hardin County in October of 1835. George Lynch cleared a farm of eighty acres in Washington Township, on which he lived until his decease in February, 1843. He helped to organize Washington Township, and was one of the first Trustees. He was a man of quiet, unobtrusive habits, and was high- ly esteemed by all his friends. His wife lived until May 28, 1871, and both are buried in the cemetery of Washington Township. They had a family of twelve children, four living, most of the others having died at an early age. The four living are Louisa, wife of Kinzie Fulks; Elizabeth, wife of John --- , of Hardin County; Hannah C., wife of Benjamin Cunan, Hardin County, and our subject. The latter was reared on the homestead farm, leaving it after his father's death, in 1843, and afterward purchased a small farm in Washington Township, settling upon it after his marriage. He married, March 9, 1853, Miss Charlotte Rush, a native of Pennsyl- vania, to which union nine children were born, seven of whom are living, viz., Alice (wife of D. Obenour, of Hardin County), Emma J., Laura E., George C., Retta M., Austa I. and Myrta L. In the spring of 1858, Mr. Lynch moved onto a farm in Blanchard Township, where he resided until January of 1882, having opened, in October previous, a livery stable, which he has since carried on. He has been largely engaged in buying, raising and shipping stock, and had large shipments during the first part of the war, and immense shipments in the latter part of that memorable struggle. He still holds an interest in his farm, upon which he has some stock. His livery business has been a successful undertaking. He erected the livery stable he now occupies and his trade now demands a larger increase of stock.

JAMES B. McCONNELL, contractor, Kenton, was born in Greene County, near Xenia, Ohio, October 5, 1832. He is the eldest son of Isaiah and Ann (Bain) McConnell, the former born near Dublin, Ireland. in 1800, the latter in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1798. His grandfather, Samuel Mc- Connell, a native of Ireland, settled in Greene County, Ohio, when Isaiah was about nine years of age. He participated in the war of 1812, and was one of the distinguished pioneers of Ohio. Isaiah, with his wife and four children, came to Kenton in 1839, removing, three years after, to a farm of eighty acres which he had purchased in Pleasant Township. This farm he sold in 1856, and removed to Kenton, where he died July 4, 1860. Of his children, three are living-David W., of Marseilles, Ohio; Sarah F., wife of J. C. Cary, of Xenia, Ohio; and Martha, residing in Kenton with her mother, who is in her eighty-fourth year. The subject of this sketch remained on the home farm until he was sixteen years of age, when he came to Kenton and sold goods with his uncle, Adam N. McConnell. Three

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years after, he engaged as salesman in boots and shoes for the firm for whom he sold goods in Logansport, Ind. Returning to Kenton, he estab- lished himself in a drug and grocery business, which he pursued for three years. In 1856, he was married, and the same year was working as sales- man in hardware for G. R. Moore, with whom he was engaged until Sep. tember, 1861, when he enlisted in Company A, Eighty-second Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, serving in the three years' call as Second Lieutenant. He participated in the battles of Cross Keys, under J. C. Fremont, Slaughter Run, second Bull Run, Chancellorsville, under Gen. Hooker, and Gettys- burg, where he was wounded and placed on a furlough of sixty days. He returned to his regiment in September, 1863, in Catlett's Station, and was engaged at Bridgeport, Ala., Wauhatchie Valley, Mission Ridge and Look- out Mountain under Gen. Hooker; then went to Knoxville, to relieve Burn- side, returning to Bridgeport, where the regiment veteranized and our sub- ject came home. Thirty days after, he returned to Sherman's army at Bridgeport, and fought at Round Top Mountain and all the battles on the memorable march to the sea and at Peach Tree Creek. He was in the last battle at Bentonville, and was detailed at Savannah, Ga., on the staff of Gen. Robinson, participating in the grand review. From Washington he went to Louisville, Ky., where he was mustered out July 18, 1865. He was promoted to a First Lieutenancy, August 29, 1863, and was mustered as Captain in June, 1863, serving in that rank to the close of the war. On his return home, he resumed his old position, and, in 1868, was appointed Assistant Assessor under the revenue law, holding that office until it was abolished. Since then, he has built about forty-five miles of road in this county, and at this time is building the Kenton Scott pike, beside others, being continuously engaged in contracts for Hardin County. He married, in 1856, Martha M., daughter of James Coulter, a native of Richland Coun- ty, Ohio, where the family were pioneers. This union has resulted in two children, both living-Elmer C. and Hattie R. The family are members of the Presbyterian Church.

GEORGE W. McMILLEN, farmer and lumber merchant, P. O. Ken- ton, was born in Highland Township, Muskingum Co., Ohio, October 21, 1836. His parents were James and Elizabeth (Pringle) McMillen, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania January 4, 1794, the' latter in Loudoun County, Va., in 1798. They were married in this State and died in Muskingum County, the mother at the age of seventy-seven, the father when eighty-three years old. Of their fourteen children (six were boys), twelve grew up to manhood and womanhood. Mr. McMillen spent his early days on a farm. He was in the late rebellion, enlisting in Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in August, 1862, and fought in many battles, among them those of Winches- ter, the Wilderness and Locust Grove, in which latter he acted as Orderly (pro tem.), and led the company into and through the battle, eventually re- ceiving a promotion to a Second Lieutenancy. He was a prisoner at An- dersonville for five months, escaping a mere skeleton, weighing only ninety- eight pounds, his usual weight being one hundred and ninety-eight pounds. He traveled on foot at night, and reached Knoxville some three months after his escape. He was at the surrender of Gen. Lee, and was discharged in July, 1865. On October 18, 1866, he was married to Charlotte, daugh- ter of Nimrod and Jane (Barrett) Mcknight. The names and dates of births of the children born are as follows: Elizabeth Myrtle, January 3, 1869; Flora Gertrude, August 15, 1870; James Cary, February 26, 1872;

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Della Floy, August 16, 1874, and George Washington, November 7, 1876. Mr. McMillen has a pleasant home in Section 25, Pleasant Township, and is engaged in farming and dealing in lumber.

JAMES T. McQUOWN, farmer, P. O. Kenton, was born in Brown Coun- ty, Ohio, March 28, 1821. His parents, David and Mary (Sloan) McQuown, were both Pennsylvanians by birth, and were married there, and had a fam- ily of eight children, viz., Margaret, Robert, David and John, born in Pennsylvania; James T., Martha A., William A. and Samuel, born in Ohio. The parents located in the southeastern part of Ohio in 1819, coming to Hardin County in the spring of 1834 and settling on Tymochtee Creek, in Section 9 of Goshen Township, where they entered 400 acres of land, on which he erected a log cabin. Here Mrs. McQuown died, in 1855, aged sixty-five years. Martha, the youngest daughter, and the youngest son also died here. Mr. McQuown subsequently took up his residence with his son John, in Van Wert County, Ohio, where he died May, 1869, aged eighty- five years. The subject of this sketch aided his father in the clearing of the farm, remaining at home until about twenty-five years of age. He was married, February 26, 1846, to Miss Sarah, daughter of Thomas and Mary Spencer, both Pennsylvanians. She was born in West Virginia in 1827. The fruit of this union has been ten children, viz., William M., Martha J. E., James M., Sarah L., David G. W., Mary M. J., Thomas S., Florence E., Elizabeth D. and an infant, deceased. After his marriage, Mr. Mc- Quown put up a log cabin on part of the land entered by his father. In 1854, he moved with his family by team to Iowa, returning eighteen months after; the journey each way having occupied four weeks. His brother William, who accompanied him, died on the trip going out. On his return, in the fall of 1855. he bought of William Ballantine 160 acres of the land where he now lives, in Section 1, Pleasant Township. He is a strict Presbyterian in religion, and politically has always identified himself with the Democratic party. His father, being among the first settlers in Goshen Township, was probably one of the early voters.

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The history of Hardin county, Ohio, Part 86

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co. Number of Pages: 1076

Author: Warner Beers & co., Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Warner Beers & Co.
Number of Pages: 1076