The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 137

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 137

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DAVID E. HEISEY, merchant and Postmaster, Farmersville, born in Lancas- ter County, Penn., August 12, 1835, is a son of Martin and Elizabeth (Engle) Heisey, natives of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, John Heisey, was also a native of Pennsyl- vania, who lived and died in his native State. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Engle, was also a native of Pennsylvania, and lived and died in Lancaster County, Penn. Mr. Martin Heisey emigrated to Ohio in May, 1850, coming through in wagons, and were twenty-one days making the journey. He located in Miami County and remained there

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till in September; thence located in Butler Township, this eounty, where he has since resided. He always followed farming as an oceupation, till advancing years forbade his further active labor, and, having obtaincd a good competency, has lived retired, princi- pally from hard, aetive labor, for many years. Mr. Heisey was married and became the father of eleven children; five now survive-John, Barbara, Martha, Susan and David E. His wife died in January, 1875, aged seventy-two years ; he is still residing on the old home place, now about eighty-six years of age. Our subject remained with his father till near his majority, brought up to farm labor, receiving a good common school education ; then for some years engaged in various business as agent, when, on the breaking-out of the war of the rebellion, he enlisted in the Sixty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served through the war, being, during this time, veteranized by re-enlist- ment. He was first under Rosecrans and afterward with Gen. Sherman on his eele- brated raid through the South ; was wounded at the battle of Atlanta and disabled for a time, but at the close of the war returned safely home. Mr. Heisey enlisted as a private, was promoted to Orderly Sergeant, thence to First Lieutenant, in which capacity he served to the end of the war. In the spring of 1866, Mr. Heisey entered into the general merchandise trade with D. W. Sinks, in Farmersville, and thus con- tinued till the summer of 1867, when they sold out. In the spring of 1868, he entered in partnership with John Flory in the mercantile trade, in Winchester, Preble Co., Ohio, and continued till in the fall of the same year, when he sold out his interest to Mr. Flory. In the spring of 1869, he bought out a harness and trimming shop in Farm- ersville and put in a stock of groceries, and continued in this combination of business about three years; thence sold out the harness and trimming department, continued the grocery business combined with hardware and notions to the present time; was ap- pointed Postmaster in 1870, which office he has since held. Mr. Heisey was united in marriage, March 19, 1868, to Anna, daughter of Edward and Ellen Livingood, natives of Pennsylvania, but who became residents of Ohio, where he died. They were parents of seven children ; three now survive -- Anna, Samuel Peter and Zephaniah. Mr. Hei- sey and wife by their union have had five children, three now living, Edward M., Her- bert S. and Glenna B.

DANIEL HOOPS, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in this township August 24. 1817, is a son of Evan and Susanna (Sheets) Hoops, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Virginia, he becoming a resident of Virginia when quite young. He was twice married ; first, to Catharinc Kinsey, by whom he had seven children, three now living-Jane, John and Christian. In 1811, Mr. Hoops, with his family, emigrated to Ohio and located in Jackson Township on the place now owned by W. Kennedy. This place he took right in the woods, with not a stick amiss, and commenced in true log-eabin life. Being one of the earliest settlers, he experienced all the roughness and hardships of true pioneer life. He was a tailor by trade, and applied nearly all his time to that business, hiring the clearing-up of his farm done by others. It is said that he had so much work pressed upon him, that for weeks he never went to bed to sleep ex- cept on Saturday nights, taking what little rest he could, when he became tired, by laying his head on a bolt of cloth, taking a short sleep, then going to work again, aud thus he labored on. He lost his wife by death December 25, 1814. In the summer of 1816, he married for his second wife Susanna Shects, by whom he had seven chil- dren, five now living-Daniel, Sarah, Minerva, Henry and Solomon. Mr. Hoops died in June, 1862, aged eighty-two years; his wife is still living. now residing in Wells County, Ind., at eighty-nine years of age, and is still a spry and hearty old lady. Our subject, born and raised here, grew to manhood inured to the scenes and hardships of those early days; was married, May 26, 1842, to Mary Ann, daughter of Jacob and Sarah Ann De Lawter, natives of Maryland, who emigrated to Ohio in 1820, located in Jackson Township, and were among the early settlers, opening out in the woods without a stick amiss, and here he lived till his death, July 17, 1877, aged eighty- three years, having a continued residence on the place where he first located of fifty-seven ycars. His wife died in Farmersville December 29, 1880, aged eighty- three years. Their children numbered eleven, six now living-Rebecca, Mary Ann,

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Catharine, David, Lewis and Elizabeth. Mr. Hoops and wife have four children- Sarah, Susanna, Jacob and Rebecca Jane. Mr. Hoops, after his marriage, located near the old home place ; is now on the third place he ever owned, and all have been within one mile of the old homestead. The farm upon which he now lives he purchased of the administrator of Jacob Smith, deceased, in the fall of 1863, and located on the same in March, 1864; has one hundred acres of land, with good buildings and improvements. Mr. Hoops has served as Constable and Township Trustee, but now refuses all public offices, believing them unprofitable.

DAVID KINSEY, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, was born on the farm where he now resides, February 25, 1815, is a son of John and Elizabeth ( Mullendore) Kinsey, natives of Virginia. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Mullendore, was also a native of Virginia, but emigrated to Ohio and located in this county where Gettersburg now stands in 1801 or 1802, here he carried on the tanning business for many years till his death. He was a very active, industrious man, and carried quite an extensive business for those pioneer days. During the war of 1812, he hauled flour to Greenville for the army, and they tried to press his team into the service, but by hard driving he escaped, and returned home. John Kinsey came to this county with Mr. Mullendore, was drafted in the war of 1812, but hired a substitute. He entered the land from the Government upon which our subject now lives in 1817, and here he lived till his death. He opened out right in the woods, cutting out the first stick of timber, built a log house and commenced in rough pioneer style, roofed his house with boards without ?ny nails, and every severe storm would blow off his roof, and again he would re-roof it ; and thus he lived and endured all the many hardships and deprivations of those early days. But before he died he had erected the present large barn that still stands on the place, which was at that time one of the best in the township. He died in March, 1819. He was the father of eight children, three now living-Mary, David and Jonas. His widow married for her second husband, Jacob Meyers, by whom she had five children, two now survive-Lydia and John. She died in 1855. Our subject was raised and grew to manhood on the old home place, where he now lives; was married October 18, 1839, to Catharine, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Mullendore, he a native of Virginia, and she of Pennsylvania. They were parents of nine children, seven now living-Jacob, Elizabeth, Catharine, George, Aaron, Susanna and Joseph ; two deceased-Daniel and Noah. Mr. Kinsey and wife have eleven children, all living -Joseph, Elizabeth, Nancy Jane, John W., Susan, George A., Aaron, Noah M., Perry D., Catharine and Charles Franklin. Mr. Kinsey after their marriage located in Ger- man Township, where he lived eleven years, thence moved on to the old home farm, where he has since resided. This farm has always remained in the family name ever since its first entry from the Government. Mr. Kinsey has from time to time purchased more land till at one time he was owner of over 1,000 acres of land, constituting him one of the largest land-owners in this vicinity. He has since given some to his children and sold a portion, and still owns 550 acres; has erected a good brick house upon the home place, and made other improvements till he has a fine home and residence. Mr. Kinsey has been one of the most active business farmers of this township, and has ac- cumulated a large amount of property by his own industry and good management, and his history and that of his ancestors is of more than ordinary interest, and deserves a special place in the history and records of this county.

GEORGE P. MICHAEL, farmer, P. O. Germantown, was born in Frederick County, Md., December 9, 1834, is a son of John and Charlotte (Dull) Michael, natives of Maryland. The paternal grandfather, Peter Michael, was also a native of Maryland, but became a resident of Montgomery County in the spring of 1836, and located in German Township, where he lived till his death. John, about six months after their arrival in this county, located in Jefferson Township, where he has since resided. He is the father of eight children-Cornelius, Rhuanna, George P .. John H., Jacob, Mary M., Wesley and Enos. Mr. Michael lost his wife by death, since which his eldest daughter has been his housekeeper. He is now seventy-six years of age, and still resides upon the same place where he first located, having made a continued resi-

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dence here of forty-four years. Our subject lived with his father till his majority ; was married February 24, 1856, to Sarah, daughter of Jonathan and Lydia Myers, natives of Pennsylvania, but who became among the pioneers of this county, locating here about 1803, when all was a wilderness, filled with wild beasts and Indians. Mr. Myers is now a resident of Germantown, and has reached the advanced age of eighty- two years. He endured his full share of the trials and hardships of the pioneer days, but he has lived to sce the great transformation of this once wild country into one of the most beautiful and wealthy counties of the State. And to him and all other co- workers of those early days is due great praise and honor for the work they accom- plished. Mr. Michael, by this union, became the father of eight children, seven now living-Ellen, Mary Ann, Lucinda, Emma, Amanda, Perry and Charles E. His wife died January 29, 1874. On December 7, 1876, he was married to Miss Mollie, daugh- ter of Peter and Anna (Bowen) Rauch, he a native of Ohio and she of Pennsylvania ; by this union they have two children-Jesse P. and George Oscar. Mr. Michael bought and located upon the farm where he now lives in the winter of 1872; it con- sists of 103 acres of land with good buildings and improvements, constituting a pleas- ant home and residence.

CHRISTIAN MUSSELMAN, tobacco dealer, New Lebanon, born in Germany, April 12, 1823, is a son of David and Elizabeth Musselman, natives of Germany, who lived and died in their native country. They were parents of nine children ; eight now survive-David, Henry, Christian, Jacob, John, Barbara, Magdalena and Christina. The sons are all residents of this country, but the daughters are still residents of Germany. Mr. Musselman was a farmer in his native country, and carried on quite an extensive business, also carried on quite an extensive business in distilling, and in raising stock, and was a leading man in his community. Our subject was only nine years of age when his father died ; he then lived with his uncle till fourteen years of age, when he learned the cabinet-making business, which he followed till the spring of 1846, when he emi- grated to America, and landed at New Orleans June 10, 1846, thence came direct to this place, where he had a brother who had preceded him ; here he located, and has since resided, with the exception of about two years' residence in Dayton ; was married, Sep- tember 25, 1848, to Miss Eliza, daughter of John and Mary Myers, natives of Mary- land, now residents of Preble County. They had seven daughters and six sons, nine now survive-Emanuel, Margaret, Mary, Eliza, Catharine, Julia Ann, Elizabeth, John P. and Sanford N. Eliza was born in Maryland, January 22, 1831, and came with her parents to this county in 1833. Mr. Mussclman and wife, by this union, have had six children, five now survive-John H., Mary C., David J., Elizabeth Ellen, and Clara N. Mr. Musselman, after his marriage, located in New Lebanon, where he carried on his trade till about 1860, when he entered upon the business of buying leaf tobacco, which business he has ever since successfully followed. Mr. Musselman is an active and prominent man in his community; was elected a Justice of the Peace in 1857 and served three terms, after which he refused to serve longer, though earnestly urged to do so by a confiding public. He and wife are members of the Reformed Church.

BEJAMIN FRANKLIN NUSHAWG, carpenter, Farmersville, was born in Wayne Township, this county, January 4, 1853 ; is a son of Israel B. and Elizabeth (Fields) Nushawg, natives of Berks County, Penn. The grandparents were John and Catharine Nushawg, natives of Pennsylvania. The great-grandfather, Michael Nushawg, was a native of Germany, but who, when one and a half years of age, was brought to America somewhere from 1750 to 1760, and spent his entire life, and died in Pennsyl- vania in 1823. John, the grandfather, raised in Pennsylvania, grew to manhood, was married, and became the father of two children, one only now living-Israel B. In June, 1840, he came with his family to Ohio, and located in Madison Town- ship, this county, where he resided till his death, August 22, 1852, aged nearly seventy-two years. His wife died in October, 1853, aged seventy-two years. Israel B. was born in Berks County, Penn., May 12, 1821, being about nineteen years of age when he came to this county, and lived with his father till his death ; was mar-

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ried, March 14, 1853, to Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Fields, natives of Pennsylvania, but became residents of this county in 1833. They had nine children ; six now survive-Mary Elizabeth, Catharine, Edward J., Arabel and George and Jacob (twins). Mr. Fields died March 11, 1859 ; his widow is still living, now seventy-five years of age. Mary Elizabeth was born in Madison Township, October 14, 1833. Mr. Nushawg and wife have eleven children, all living-Benjamin F., Mary C., George W., Edward J., Israel W., Amanda E., William L, Oliver C., Ella Nora F., Jonathan P. and Harriet Luella. In the fall of 1853, Mr. Nushawg bought and located upon the place where he now lives, and has since resided. Our subject re- mained with his father till twenty-three years of age, since which time he has followed the carpenter trade. Was married, January 6, 1876, to Lydia A. Ellen. daughter of George and Magdalena Cupp, he a native of Virginia and she of Pennsylvania They are parents of five children; three now survive-Nancy, Lydia A. Ellen and Emma. Mr. Nushawg and wife, by their uniou, have one child-Warnan Luther. Mr. Nushawg, after his marriage, located in Farmersville, where he has since resided and followed his trade, as contractor and builder, and, although comparatively a young man, he has all the work he can do, and is doing quite a large business in his line.

JOHN N. PRINTZ, general merchant, Farmersville, born in Butler County, Ohio, March 7, 1828, is a son of John and Hannah (Julic) Printz, he a native of Pennsyl- vania, and she of New Jersey. The maternal grandfather, Henry Julic, was also a native of New Jersey. Mr. John Printz, the father, emigrated to Ohio when a young, single man and settled in Warren County; was married and became the father of six children; four now survive-Edwin R., Dianthe, John N. and Edward R. Mr. Printz, after residing for awhile in Butler County, returned to Warren County, where he resided till his death; his wife lived till May 13, 1873, when she departed this life. Our subject was about ten years of age when his father died, and he was then thrown upon the world and raised among strangers, and received a limited educatiou, and was brought upon the stage of action, as he arrived to manhood, to launch out for himself the best he could. Having, at fifteen years of age, commenced to learn the tailoring business, which, in due time, he mastered, and followed that business twenty-eight years. Was married, March 7, 1850, to Miss Mary L., who was born in Vermont August 3, 1832; a daughter of Earl and Frances (Bushnell) Smith, natives of Vermont. They were

parents of four children ; three now survive-Cylena F., Lucy A. and Mary L. The second child and only son, Joyce C., grew to manhood, and, when about thirty-two years of age, was Captain of the steamer Phoenix on Lake Michigan, and, on Novem- ber 21, 1847, his boat took fire and was entirely consumed, and all on board lost (130 passengers), except the Clerk, Mr. Jackson, who was saved by clinging to a mast. Mr. Smith's wife dicd November 21, 1830. He married for his second wife Miss Mary Pearson, by whom he had one child-Emma F. On the 10th of August, 1842, he was called to mourn the death of his second wife. On July 4, 1843, he was again married to Mrs. Sallie Jackson, by whom he had one child-Nathan C. Mr. Smith and family emigrated to Ohio in 1838 and located in Lake County, where he resided till his death, which occurred September 21, 1872, aged seventy-seven years. Mr. Printz and wife by their union have ten children-Mary E., Hannah G., Abraham E., Francis F., Edward C., Emma F., David E., Lurenda Candace, Orlando C. and Zamia May. Mr. Printz became a resident of this county, locating at Farmersville in Septem- ber, 1854, where he has since resided. Here he followed his trade till the fall of 1866, when he entered upon the mercantile trade, in which he continued, till, in 1869, he sold out. In the spring of 1872, he again opened out a general store, in which he has con- tinued to the present time, and is now the leading merchant in Farmersville, doing a gond trade, having the confidence and respect of his community; and, we may justly say, much credit is due Mr. Printz for the success he has made in business life; start- ing as he did a poor boy and cast upon the world among strangers to choose his own course of life, his posterity may well feel proud of and fondly cherish his memory for ages to come.

JACOB PULSE, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in Lebanon County, Penn.,

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February 10, 1816 ; is a son of Jacob and Polly (Nouse) Pulse, natives of Pennsyl- vania, but who emigrated to Ohio and located in Butler County in 1821, where they lived about eight or ten years, thence located in this county in Jackson Township, where he lived till his death, which occurred about 1857, being about seventy-two years of age, and had been a resident of this township many years ; his wife died many years previous, or about 1831. This was his first wife, and by her he had eight children ; three now survive-Solomon, Jacob and Daniel. He married for his second wife Polly Mengle, by whom he had one child, Julia Ann. In little more than a year, he was called to mourn the death of his second wife. He was married the third time to Mrs. Elizabeth Mabee, by whom he had one son, now deceased, and one daughter, Elizabeth. With his third and last wife he lived till his death. Mr. Pulse was a car- penter and joiner by trade, which business he followed all his life. Our subject lived with his father till about fifteen years of age, when he left home to learn the carpenter and joiner trade, which business he afterward followed about eighteen ycars ; thence he entered upon farming. He bought and located upon the farm now owned by David Stoner, where he resided till the spring of 1869, when, having sold that farm, he bought and located upon his present farm, where he has since resided. Mr. Pulse was married April 15, 1841, to Elizabeth, daughter of Adam and Mary Basore, native of Pennsy !- vania, but who became residents of this county in 1835. They were parents of five children ; two now living-David and Daniel. Mr. Pulse and wife by their union have had six children ; four now survive-William M., Joseph, Charles Allen, and Mary Ann. His wife died August 12, 1880, aged sixty-three years and seven months. Mr. Pulse started in life a poor boy, and by labor and industry has acquired a good com- petency ; owns a farm of 168 acres, with good improvements, constituting a good home and residence.

PHILIP ROADES, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in this county and town- ship October 14, 1828, is a son of Jacob T. and Sarah (Siler) Roades, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Virginia. The paternal grandfather, Philip Roades, emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio and located in Montgomery County about 1804, being one among the carly settlers, locating here when there were only a few cabins where the large city of Dayton now stands, and witnessed and experienced a full share of the hardships of pioneer life, and the trials and dangers of the war of 1812. Jacob was about nine years of age when brought to this county, and here was raised and inured to the scenes of pioneer life; was married and became the father of nine children by his first wife : six now survive-Magdalena, Philip, Philemon, Amos, Thomas and Elizabeth. His wife died and he was married to Josephine Fullmorc, by whom he had four children ; three now survive-Amanda, William and John. Mr. Roades dicd in March, 1872, aged seventy-seven years. Our subject lived with his father till twenty- seven years of age; was married August, 1852, to Mary Ann, daughter of Joseph and Mary Weldy, by whom he had five childreu ; two only now survive-Eliza Jane and Jacob D. Mr. Roades soon after his marriage bought and located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided-a period of twenty-eight years. He has a fine farm of cighty-two acres, with good buildings and improvements, and constitute a very pleasant home and residence, located about one mile southcast of Farmersville.

JOHN RUMBARGER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in Lancaster County, Penn., July 2, 1796 ; is a son of George and Margaret Rumbarger, natives of Penn- sylvania, but who emigrated to Ohio and located the farm where John now lives, in the summer of 1806, being among the first pioneers of this township. Here he labored and toiled clearing up his farm, enduring the many hardships of that early day, and lived and died on the same farm upon which he first located. He was the father of two children, one only now living-John-who still resides upon the old home place ; is now nearly eighty-five years of age and has made a continued residence here of sev- enty-five years, a period of time almost unprecedented.

Mr. Rumbarger was married August 24, 1816, to Elizabeth Miller, who was born in Kentucky, August 14, 1799 ; issue, eleven children; nine now survive-Michael, Katharine, Mary, Eli, Elizabeth, Anna, Christiana, Hiram and Henry. His wife

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departed this life March 23, 1874. Mr. Rumbarger has seen the rough side of pioneer life, living for several years a close neighbor of the Indians and wild beasts, the settlers being few and far between ; when they had to go ten miles to get their grists ground, no schools and no churches. But he has lived to see great changes take place under the progressive hand of civilization. The mighty forests have disappeared and waving fields of grain appear in their stead ; fine churches and schools dot the land, and com- fort and plenty prevail. These changes are so great that could those venerable ances- tors be here and behold these beautiful homes and fields of this county, they could scarcely believe that it was the same country where they once lived and endured so many trials and hardships ; and our present and future generations cannot give too much praise and honor to their memory for the first hard strokes they gave toward bringing this country to its present flourishing condition. Henry now has charge of the old home place, with whom his aged father now lives; he was born here July 10, 1839 ; was married October 31, 1871, to Mrs. Eliza J. Leias. Mrs. Leias, by her first husband, had two children, Louisa Ann and Sarah Cathariue.

ELI RUMBARGER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born June 19, 1823, on the old home place, where his father, John Rumbarger, now lives, and whose history ap- pears in sketch of Henry Rumbarger ; our subject remained with his father till twenty- seven years of age ; was married June 3, 1850, to Miss Harriet, daughter of John and Sallie Shell, uatives of Pennsylvania. The paternal grandfather, Henry Shell, was also a native of Peunsylvania, but became an early settler of this county, locating near Miamisburg, probably between 1820 and 1825, where he lived and died. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Kercher, was a native of Pennsylvania, and became one of the early settlers of Miami Township, locating there early in the nineteenth century, when there were only a few houses iu Cincinnati, and resided in that township till his death. John Shell was but a young man when he came to this county with his father ; was married here and became the father of three children. Two now survive-Matilda and Harrict. His wife died in the fall of 1829. He married for his second wife Cathariue Gebhart, by whom he had four children, three now living-Henry, Emiline and Andrew Cass. Mr. Shell died in October, 1866, aged sixty-two years. Harriett was born near Miamisburg, March 2, 1830. Mr. Rumbarger and wife by this union have had three children, two now living-Rebecca and Sarah Jane. After their mar- riage, they lived with his father on the home farm eight years, then lived on a rented farm two years, below Daytou; thence, in spring of 1860, bought and located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided, with the exception of two or three years, between 1872 and 1875, during which they lived iu Miamisburg. This farm he purchased of David Troup; it consists of 100 acres, with good buildings and improve- ments. Mr. Rumbarger and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, to which they have belonged for forty years, and he has been Elder in the same for several years.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 137

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