The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 136

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214

USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county > Part 136

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the woods, with not a stick amiss; now he has a fine farm, with good buildings and improvements, with all the comforts and conveniences of modern life. But what toils, deprivations and rigid economy it took to bring about this result ! Ask the rising gen- erations ? They realize it not. They know nothing of it, only as they hear it handed down by their ancestors, or read it from the pages of history, and they cannot give too much honor to these worthy old pioncers for their great work, the fruits of which they may enjoy for ages to come. Joseph, the second son, is now carrying on the farm. He was married, June 16, 1878, to Mary E., daughter of Stephen and Mary Wright, natives of Rockingham County, Virginia, by whom he has had three children-one only living, Seth Thomas.

DAVID R. BOWMAN, farmer ; P. O. New Lebanon; born in this township on the old home place of his father September 4. 1830 ; is a son of John and Elizabeth Bowman, whose history is given in sketch of John Bowman in this work. Our sub- ject lived with his father, and was brought up to farm labor till twenty-five years of age; was married April 17, 1856, to Mary, daughter of Michael and Sarah (Flory) Priser, he a native of Maryland, but became an early settler of this county and lived and died here. His wife died in 1834; they had five children-Barbara, Samuel, John, Mary and Joseph. Mr. Prizer married for his second wife Margaret Ann Shepler, by whom he had one child-William ; his second wife died and he was married the third time to Catharine Fiant, by whom he had four children-Elizabeth, Daniel, Jonas and Noah. Mr. Prizer died January 6, 1875, aged seventy-five years; his widow is still living, now seventy-five years of age. Mary Prizer was born February 12, 1832. Mr. Bowman and wife have six children-Barbara A., born February 14, 1857; Minnie E., January 20, 1859; Joseph P., September 30, 1861; Amanda L., January 14, 1864; Emnia K., May 24, 1866, and Eliza C., born January 13, 1869. Mr. Bowman has always followed farming as an occupation, and has always resided in the immediate neighbor- hood of his birthplace, never living over one mile from the old home place; he bought and located upon the place where he now lives, in March, 1874. Mr. Bowman and wife are worthy members of the German Baptist Church, to which they have belonged about six years.

GEORGE W. BRIGHT, retired, New Lebanon ; born in Fairfield County, Ohio, January 1, 1809; is a son of George and Francis (Bowman) Bright, natives of Vir- ginia. The grandfather was Peter Bright, whose birthplace is not now known, but he lived and died in Virginia. George Bright and family emigrated to Ohio and located in Fairfield County in 1804; here he lived till quite aged and feeble, when he took up his residence with some of his children in Hocking County, and died there in August, 1864, aged eighty years; his wife died in July, 1876, aged ninety-two years. They were parents of thirteen children; three now survive-George W., Joseph and John G. Mr. Bright was a man of good education and taught school many seasons; was a good penman and did a great deal of public business in making deeds and other legal pa- pers; he served for some time as Clerk of the County and other local offices, being a prominent and useful man in his day and community. Our subject was married June 21, 1832, to Mary Beery, by whom he had five children, all now deceased. His wife died May 31. 1850, aged thirty-four years. On February 23, 1851, he was married to Mrs. Mary Culp, daughter of Solomon and Margaret Hufford, he a native of Virginia, and she of Pennsylvania; by this union they have three children-Mary, born August 22, 1853; Catharine, born April 7, 1855; Effie, born January 23, 1862. Mr. Bright first located in Hocking County, Ohio, where he resided several years; he resided in Hocking and Fairfield Counties, till in November, 1865, when he removed to Mont- gomery County and bought and located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided. This farm consists of fifty acres, which he purchased of William Clay- ton ; has good buildings and improvements, and constitutes a very pleasant home and residence; he also owns eighty acres in Mercer County. Mr. Bright has filled several offices; was one of the Board of Examiners of teachers for many years, also Township Trustee and Clerk of the township; is now living retired from all active labor or busi- ness. He and wife are worthy members of the German Baptist Church, also four of his children became members of the same church.

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EZRA COOK, farmer ; P. O. Farmersville; born in this county and township September 7, 1840; is a son of Frederick and Catharine Cook, natives of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, Christian Cook, was a native of Pennsylvania, but the great-grand- father was a native of Germany, who emigrated to America in an carly day. Chris- tian Cook emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio, locating in this township upon the farm where Isaac Musselman now lives, ia 1806, when the country for miles around was almost an unbroken wilderness, the Indians and wild beasts roaming the forests at will; here he opened out right in the woods to make a home and a farm, and here he labored and endured the many trials and hardships of those pioneer days, until, in 1814, he was called away by death from works to rewards at the early age of forty-four years, and there, upon the same farm where he lived and labored, he was buried, and there his remains rest to the present day; his wife died in 1863, aged eighty-nine years. They were parents of eleven children; five now survive-Margaret, Frederick, Christina, Sarah and Michael. Frederick was seven years of age when his father died, but his mother managed to keep her family together and raise them by her own hard labor. Mr. Cook arrived at manhood; was married in 1829, to Catharinc, daughter of Henry and Eve Apple, natives of Pennsylvania; issue, seven children ; six now survive-Re- becca, Henry, Catharine, Ezra, Aaron and Mary Ann. Mr. Cook, after his marriage, located upon the farm where he now lives, and has ever since resided, a period of fifty- one years; he has cleared up the greater portion of the farm now in cultivation ; erected all the buildings on the place, and did a great amount of hard labor, and is now seventy-four years of age. Our subject lived with his father till after his majority. Was married February 26, 1863, to Sarah, daughter of Henry and Sophia Staver, whose history is given in sketch of Henry Staver; by this union, they have eight chil- dren-Izora Jane, Tilitha Florence, Cordie Alice, Ida Effie, Daisie B., Robert A., Christian A. and Daniel W. Mr. Cook, after his marriage, located upon the place where he now lives, and has resided for seventeen years.

GILBERT DAVIS, farmer ; P. O. Johnsville ; born in Washington County, Md., December 10, 1837, is a son of Zachariah and Eva (Heller) Davis, natives of Maryland. The paternal grandfather, Gilbert Davis, was a native of Wales, cmigrating to America in an early day. He lived and died in Maryland. The maternal grand- father, Daniel Heller, was a native of Germany, but was brought to America when about four years of age, and also lived and died in Maryland. Zachariah and wife were born and raised and spent their entire lives in their native State, Maryland. They were parents of twelve children, eight now survive-George, Daniel, Mary, Joseph, Sarah, Gilbert, John and Lucy. Our subject, at twelve years of age, started out into the world to earn what he could, working here and there as he could find work, and thus continued till his majority, obtaining but a limited education. In August, 1859, Mr. Davis emigrated to Ohio, and located in Johnsville, this county, and entered upon farm- ing, which business he followed till the fall of 1874, when he entered upon mercantile trade, which he followed about four years, having a good trade ; thence, he sold out and located upon the farm where he now lives, and has since resided. On February 4, 1864, was celebrated his marriage with Eliza Jane, daughter of Henry and Mattie C. Toby, natives of Maryland, but who became residents of Preble County, Ohio, in quite an early day. They were parents of ten children; eight now survive-Elizabeth, David, Millie, Richard, Eliza Jane, Orion, Perry and William. Eliza Jane was born in this county September 14, 1847 ; by this union they have had nine children ; six now sur- vive-William P., Rolandus, Edward, Arvel, Charles and Harry. In the war of the rebellion, Mr. Davis volunteered in his country's defence, by enlisting in August, 1862, in the One Hundred and Twelfth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was after- ward consolidated with the Sixty-third Regiment, in which he served till the close of the war ; was with Gen, Sherman in his entire raid through the South, escaped without a wound, received his discharge and returned home.

DANIEL S. DRAYER, farmer; P. O. Farmersville; was born in Preble County, Ohio, January 24, 1840, is a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Gantz) Drayer, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Maryland. The grandfather, Peter Drayer, was also prob-

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ably a native of Pennsylvania, but emigrated to Ohio in 1818, locating in Jackson Township, on the farm where our subject now resides, and there he lived and died. This farm he purchased of Robert Harding, taking the place when it was mostly in the woods, and here he bore his share of pioneer life and died, aged seventy-six years. Daniel was born in Pennsylvania, August 27, 1809, being about nine years of age when brought to this county, and here was raised, and grew to manhood, accustomed to all the hardships and scenes of pioneer life ; was married, March 28, 1833, to Elizabeth Gantz, born in Maryland, September 19, 1808. They had thirteen children, nine now living -Susanna C., Eliza Ann, Mary E., Elizabeth R., Daniel S., Simon P., Malissa K., John H. and Valentine. Mr. Drayer located in Preble County; resided there till 1848 ; thence bought the farm where, Mr. Lowman now lives, in Jackson Township ; thenee, two years later, bought the old homestead place, where our subject now lives, and there resided till his death, March 3, 1876, aged sixty-six years and six months ; his wife is still living, now seventy-three years of age. In the fall of 1853, Mr. Drayer fell from his wagon in crossing a ditch, and so injured his spine that he was a cripple the balance of his life. Our subject was married, October 13, 1867, to Joan, daughter of Lloyd and Margaret Templin ; he was born in Maryland; married in Warren County, Ohio, where he located, and are still residents of that county. They had five children, four now living-Utilla, Joan, Elizabeth and Albert. Joan was born August 29, 1843. She has borne Mr. Drayer six children; five now survive-Valentine J., born August 19, 1868; Mary Olive, October 11, 1870; Jessie, April 11, 1877 ; Bell, November 18, 1879, and Minnie, born November 18, 1879. Mr. Drayer and wife have resided all their married life where they now live, except from 1870 to 1875, during which they resided in Indiana, returning to the home farm by the urgent request of his father, where they have since resided. This farm has been in the Drayer family since its first. purchase, in 1818, a period of sixty-three years. Mr. Drayer now holds no office ; was Justice of the Peace while living in Indiana. He and wife are members of the Re- formed Church.

OSCAR F. EDWARDS, M. D., physician, New Lebanon. Among the profes- sional men of New Lebanon, and one of its most prominent citizens, we here present Dr. Oscar F. Edwards, who was born in Butler County, Ohio, April 13, 1836; is a son of William C. and Nancy ( Hall) Edwards, he a native of New Jersey, and she of Vir- ginia. The paternal grandfather, Usal Edwards, was also a native of New Jersey, but who emigrated to Ohio with his family and located in Butler County in 1805, where he resided till his death. William C. was about two years of age when brought to Butler County by his father, and there he grew to manhood accustomed to the hardships and trials of pioneer life. Was married and became the father of nine children; seven now survive-Benjamin, Angeline, Oscar F., Harriet, Julius, Bryant H. and Wilbur J. Mr. Edwards has followed farming as an occupation, and resided in Butler County till the spring of 1865, when he became a resident of Shelby County, where he has since resided. He is a prominent and prosperous farmer, and while in Butler County held the office of Justice of the Peace for nine years. Our subject remained with his father brought up to farm labor till eighteen years of age, receiving a good common-school education ; thence he was in a printing-office in Hamilton one or two years; thence en- tered upon teaching, which occupation he followed five winters; in the winter of 1859-60, he attended Bacon's Commercial College at Cincinnati, but in the meantime, he had devoted much time to the reading of medicine, having determined to make the practice of medicine his profession. In October, 1862, he entered the Eclectic Medical Insti- tute of Cincinnati, and, on the 18th of February, 1864, he graduated and received his diploma; on April 9, of the same year, he located in New Lebanon and commenced the practice of his profession, where he still resides, and where he has built up a good and luerative practice, and has won the esteem and confidence of his community ; was elected Justice of the Peace in fall of 1875, and re-clected in 1878. In April, 1879, was elected Mayor of the town, and re-clected in April, 1881 ; has been Notary Public and held various other offices as placed upon him by the votes of his community. On Feb- ruary 26, 1867, he was united in marriage with Miss Susan, daughter of John and

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Eliza Martin, natives of Pennsylvania; they were parents of eight children-Sarah, Mary, Reuben, Catharine, William, Susan, Henry and Sophia; he died September 19, 1879; his widow is still living, now seventy-four years of age. Dr. Edwards and wife by their union have had six children; five now survive-Blanche, John W., Omar K., Hortense E. and Monica E.

HENRY GABLE, farmer ; P. O. Farmersville; born in Butler County, Ohio, Jan- uary 23, 1837; is a son of Lewis and Elizabeth (Long) Gable, natives of Reading, Penn. The paternal grandfather, Lewis Gable, was a native of England, but who emi- grated to America about 1788, being about twenty years of age; he served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and resided in Pennsylvania till his death. Lewis, the eldest son of his father, was born in 1794, and grew to manhood in his native State, Penn- sylvania, but emigrated to Ohio about 1819; was married and became the father of six children; three now survive-William, Susan and Henry. Mr. Gable became a resi- dent of Montgomery County about 1840; was a farmer by occupation, and passed the remainder of his life in this county, dying in Jackson Township on the farm where Henry now lives, July 26, 1870, aged seventy-six years. Our subject remained with his father till his death; was married November 15, 1860, to Mary Jane, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Eagle, he a native of Maryland, and she of Pennsylvania; issue, seven children ; five now survive-Amanda Catharine, Amelia Jane, Emma Cenora, Jesse Allen and Bessie. Mr. Gable, since his majority, has lived upon the same farm where he now resides, a period of twenty-five years; his farm consists of 111 acres with good buildings and improvements, located about one mile east of Farmersville, and is a very pleasant home and residence; he also owns eighty acres of land three miles north of Farm- ersville. Mr. Gable has been School Director eleven years, and Township Treasurer four years; is a worthy member of the German Reformed Church, to which he has belonged twenty-six years.

ABRAHAM GAUVEY, merchant, New Lebanon ; born in Jefferson Township, this county, January 6, 1850 ; is a son of Martin and Susanna ( Miller) Gauvey, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of this county ; the paternal grandfather, Martin Gau- vey, was a native of Pennsylvania, and lived and died in his native State. He was a preacher in the German Baptist Church. The maternal grandfather, Abraham Miller, was a native of Virginia, but became a resident of this county probably about 1820, and here married and lived till his death. The father of our subject emigrated from Pennsylvania to this county about 1827, when about twenty-one years of age ; was married to Anna Rollman, by whom he had two children-one only now living -- Sarah, who is a resident of Dayton. His wife died about 1836. On April 18, 1841, he was again united in marriage to Susanna Miller, daughter of Abraham and Christina Miller, natives of Virginia, by whom he had six children. Five now survive-George B., Martin V., Daniel, John G. and Abraham. . Mr. Gauvey was a miller by trade, which business he followed through life. He died March 30, 1854, aged forty-eight years. On February 20, 1856, his widow was married to Daniel Brumbaugh, a native of Miami County, but who was raised and grew to manhood in this county ; issue, four children, three now living-Mary E., Sarah Jane and Alvin J.

Our subject was four years of age when his father died, but was cared for by his mother till old enough to work, when he was placed out to work on a farm, and thus continued till fourteen years of age; from this time till twenty years of age, he raised tobacco on shares, but in the meantime he had obtained a good common school educa- tion ; thence he taught school several winters. In November, 1878, he purchased a general stock of merchandise and entered upon the mercantile trade, which business he has successfully carried on since ; has a good and increasing trade, and has the confi- dence of his community ; has served as Clerk of the town since its first incorporation. Was married March 26, 1874, to Miss Virginia S., daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth Stoner, natives of Virginia ; issue, three children-Sadie Isabel, born December 27, 1874 ; Hattic Jane, born April 14, 1877, and Jesse S., born March 20, 1879,

CYRUS H. GILBERT, farmer ; P. O. Germantown ; born in this county, May 17, 1832, is a son of James and Sarah (Zeller) Gilbert, he a native of Maryland and

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she of Ohio. The paternal grandfather, Jeremiah Gilbert, was a native of England, who emigrated to America at quite an early day, and located in Maryland, where he lived till his death. The maternal grandfather, John Zeller, was a native of Penn- sylvania, but became one of the early settlers of German Township, this eounty, where he lived and died. James, while quite a young man, emigrated to Ohio, loeating in this eounty, in Jefferson Township ; was married and became the father of ten chil- dren ; seven now survive-Cyrus H., Lovina, John A., Sarah, Candace, James M. and Oliver F. Mr. Gilbert was a wagon maker by trade, which business he followed for several years : thenee gave his attention to farming, which occupation he has since followed. Mr. Gilbert commenced in life a poor man, and by his own industry and good management became possessed of a large amount of property and has given each of his children a farm, enabling them to have a good start in life. He is now eighty- one years of age and quite robust and active for one of his age. He and wife are now residing in Germantown, retired from the aetive labors of life. Our subject remained with his father till twenty-three years of age; was married January 11, 1855, to Mary, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth Myers, he a native of Maryland and she of Vir- ginia. Mr. Myers was brought to this county, Jefferson Township. in 1803, and grew to manhood inured to thic scenes and trials of those early days. He was here when they ground their meal by hand on a erank mill ; when grain sold for 64c per bushel, the only market being to supply the immigrants who arrived as new settlers of the neighborhood. There was then no market for anything at Dayton, and very little at Cincinnati. These were times when it took great physical and mental strength, great powers of endurance and stamina of character to carry them through; but they were truc to their purpose, and well and faithfully did they perform their labors, and the present and future generations will reap the benefits of their labors. Cyrus Gil- bert and wife by their union have had eight children-Lizzie Jane, Charles I., F. Ida, Sallie Ann, Laura A., Rosa E., Abraham L. and James Edmond. Mr. Gilbert, after his marriage, bought and loeated upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided, a period of twenty-six years ; his farm is in the southeast corner of the town- ship, and consists of 136 acres of land, with good buildings and improvements, consti- tuting a very pleasant home and farmer's residence. He also owns a farm of 121 acres in Preble County, Ohio. Mr. Gilbert is one of the prominent farmers of Jackson Township and stands high in his community as a man of ability and integrity of char- acter; is one of the Trustees of the township. He and wife are active and consistent members of the United Brethren Church, to which he has belonged since eighteen years of age, a period of thirty-one years.

ABRAHAM HARP, farmer ; P. O. Farmersville ; born in Jefferson Township, this county, October 31, 1816 ; is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Bowman) Harp, natives of Berks County, Penn. The grandfather, Frederick Harp, was probably born in Pennsylvania, where he spent all his life till, two weeks before his death, he came to this county and died and was buried here. Jacob, who was raised and grew to man- hood in his native State, emigrated to Ohio in the spring of 1816, eoming through by team, and was six weeks on the road ; he located in Jefferson Township, where he resided till April, 1857, when he moved to Germantown and resided till his death, which occurred in August following the same year, aged seventy-seven years; his wife died about 1875, aged ninety-four years. They were parents of eight children, two sons and six daughters, of whom four now survive-Catharine, Fanny, Abraham and Christina. Mr. Harp was a soldier in the war of 1812; was one of the pioneers of the county, and bore his full share of the hardships and deprivations of those early days. Our subject was born and raised in this eounty and inured to the scenes and events of those times ; remained with his father till thirty-three years of age ; was married Deeember 7, 1844, to Polly, daughter of Jacob and Mary Peters, natives of Pennsylvania, but who became residents of this county, locating on the farm where Mr. Harp now lives, in 1831 ; by this union they have had seven children, six now living-Jeremiah, Mariah, Leah, Henry, Sarah and David. Mr. Harp has always followed farming as an occupation; he bought and located upon his present farm

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in the spring of 1868, where he has since resided. Mr. Harp started out in life a poor man, but by his own labor, industry and good management has accumulated a good amount of property ; he owns three farms, embracing 350 acres of good land, with good buildings and improvements, also another twenty-acre tract of land. Mr. Harp and wife are members of the United Brethren Church, to which they have belonged twenty-five years, and he has been Treasurer of the Sabbath school for twenty years.

SAMUEL M. HECK, farmer ; P. O. Farmersville ; born in Virginia, July 13, 1813 ; is a son of David and Magdalena (Spitler) Heck ; he is a native of Maryland and she of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, David Heck, was a native of Maryland, but his father was born in Germany. David, the grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, was one of the most active and devoted patriots of the country ; he lived and died in his native State, Maryland. David, the father, was the eldest of a family of three sons and two daughters, and when but a boy left his home to battle with the world, and to make his own livelihood ; he learned the trades of blacksmithing and wagon making, which busines he followed during his life. He left his native State and became a resident of Virginia, where he resided till the fall of 1819, when he came to Ohio and located in Madison Township, this county, where he resided till his death; he died January 13, 1878, aged ninety-four years ; his wife died about 1858. They were parents of seven children; six now survive-Samuel M., John, David, Elizabeth, Susan and Polly Ann. Mr. Heck was a soldier in the war of 1812; he became one of the early pioneers of this county and bore his full share of the hardships and deprivations of this then new country, opened out right in the woods, clearing a good farm ; was one of the prominent and active men in all public enterprises of his day ; was a Justice of the Peace six years, and was a Director and the Treasurer of the Dayton & Eaton Pike, from its completion till his feebleness from old age forbade his acting in that capacity longer and in his death passed away one of our most worthy pioneers and useful citizens. Our subject, who was the eldest of his father's family, and consequently took a leading part in clearing up and opening out the farm, and being one of that active nature who loved hard work, found at the age of sixteen that he was liable to break down his health, turned his attention to acquire an education ; he attended school eighteen months, then began teaching, and taught six years ; thence took instruction from a celebrated teacher from Connecticut about six months ; thence renewed his profession of teaching, which he followed fifteen years more, when his health failing him, he turned his attention to farming ; was married December 25, 1839, to Catharine, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Warner, natives of Pennsylvania ; issue nine children, eight now survive- Mary Ann, Amanda, James F., Melissa, David B., Altha L., Minnie A. and Laura A. Mr. Heck, after his marriage, resided on his farm near Johnsville, till the fall of 1873, when he sold this farm and in the spring of 1874, bought and located upon the place where he now resides. This farm he purchased of Peter Buzzard, agent for the estate of Samuel Buzzard, deceased ; it consists of ninety-five acres with good buildings and improvements, and cost $10,000. Mr. Heck having obtained a good education, and being naturally of an active spirit has filled most all the positions and offices of trust in his township, being finally compelled by his advancing years to refuse further official trusts. In the spring of 1880, Mr. Heck was foreman on a special jury in trying the " Huffman will case," one of the most important cases ever tried in this county, in which was involved $1,500,000, and upon which the jury sat nineteen days, rendering a verdict in favor of the plaintiff-the Seely heirs. He has done a great amount of surveying in his neighborhood, and has been one of the most active and useful, as he is now most respected, citizens of this township.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 136

Author: W.H. Beers & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1214

Author: W.H. Beers & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1214