The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 138

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 138

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JOSEPH RODEHEFFER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in this county and township February 27, 1816, is a son of Samuel and Barbara (Ruby) Rodeheffer, na- tives of Virginia, but who emigrated to Ohio and located in Jackson Township in 1813, and soon after his arrival was drafted and served a short time in the war of 1812. His first location was on the farm now owned by David Bowman, and here he lived till his death. This place he took right in the woods, and commenced to make a home and a farm, cutting out the first stick ever taken from the land, and here he toiled and labored for many years, enduring the hardships and deprivations of those early days ; but he lived to clear up one hundred and twenty acres of land, erected a good brick house and other buildings, making a very comfortable home and a good farm; but this was accom- plished by a great amount of labor and close economy, such as the present aud future generations know and realize very little. They were parents of nine children ; six now survive-Catharine, John, Joseph, Samuel, Abraham and Mary. Our subject, being born and raised in this township, grew to manhood familiar with the scenes and hard- ships of those early days; was married, December 10, 1830, to Sarah, daughter of Peter and Margaret Souders, he a native of New Jersey and she of Pennsylvania; issue, nine children; five now survive-John A., Mary, Altha, Lucinda and Ira. His wife

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died in July, 1860. On May 18, 1864, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Frederick and Catharine Stiver, natives of Pennsylvania; issue, two children; one only living-William Henry. Mr. Rodeheffer, after his marriage. located on the farm where he now lives, and has since resided with the exception of five years, during which, lie lived in Jefferson Township. This farm was the old home place of the Souders family, and was purchased of the heirs; it consists of one hundred and fifty-one acres of land, with good buildings and improvements. Mr. Rodeheffer and wife are members of the Lutheran Church, to which he has belonged for forty-seven years.

SAMUEL SHANK, farmer, P. O. Johnsville, born in Perry Township January 15, 1819, is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Noffsinger) Shank, he a native of Virginia and she of Pennsylvania. He was born in February, 1784, was raised and grew to manhood in his native State, and in the fall of 1808 he emigrated to Ohio and located in Montgomery County, where he married in 1810 and located on the farm where he still resides, and has made a continued residence of seventy-two years, and all since his marriage, which is probably unprecedented in the history of any other man in the county. His wife died January 10, 1862, since which he has remained a widower and has resided with his son. They had twelve children ; seven now survive-Daniel, Sam- uel, Susanna, Henry, Eliza, Catharine and Elizabeth. This is a sketch of one of the true pioneers of the county, opening out right in the woods, living the real log cabin life. The neighbors were few and far between, when they had to go several miles to assist each other in raising their cabins, and Mr. Shank was always sent for, from far and near, to act as a "corner man," he being one of the most experienced and muscular men of that day. He is now past ninety-eight years of age; has lived to see vast changes take place in this county ; has seen the vast forests disappear and fine fields of waving grain grow in their stead ; the rude and primitive log cabins supplanted by large and commodious brick and frame houses; the old wooden mold-board plows and other clumsy and imperfect implements to pass from use, and fine steel and sulky plows and machinery of the most improved kinds brought into use to do the work of the farmers with ease and comfort; in fact, has seen nearly all of his cotemporaries pass away from the stage of action to that world " from whose bourne no traveler e'er returns," and still he is here, and, should the " Reaper Death " spare his life two or three years longer, will have scen one hundred summers come and go; but whether he be sum- moned away sooner or later, the records of his long, upright and useful life can never be effaced from the pages of history or the kind remembrance of his posterity. Our subject was married, September 14, 1843, to Miss Anna Heck, by whom he had three children-David, Samuel N. and John A. His wife died November 6, 1862. On May 31, 1863, he was married to Mary C. Young, by whom he had three children, two now living-William T. and Susan Flora. His second wife died February 8, 1872. On March 30, 1873, he was married to Sarah C., daughter of Abraham and Mary F. Brandenburg, natives of Maryland; issue, three children-Althea B., Mary Elizabeth and Jacob A. Mr. Shank spent the first five years of his married life at home with his father; thence, in the fall of 1848, bought and located where he now lives and has since resided-a period of thirty-two years. This farm he purchased of David Leslie. It now consists of seventy-six acres, upon which he has erected all the buildings; has good improvements, a good farm and a pleasant home. Mr. Shank and wife are mem- bers of the United Brethren Church.

HARVEY B. SPITLER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born on the farm where he now resides, July 18, 1849, is a son of John and Lydia (Baker) Spitler, lie a native of Pennsylvania, she of Ohio. The paternal grandfather, Jacob Spitler, was also a native of Pennsylvania, but emigrated to Ohio in 1832, and located in Perry Township, where he lived till his death. The maternal grandfather, John Baker, was also born in Pennsylvania, but lived the greater portion of his life in this county, but a few last years of his life were spent in Preble County, Ohio. His boyhood days were amid the scenes and hardships of the earliest pioneers of our county, while the Indians and wild beasts roamed at will through the forests. John Spitler was a boy about thirteen years of age when brought to this county by his parents, and here raised to

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manhood, was married, and became the father of three children-Ephraim, Harvey and Samuel. Mr. Spitler, after his marriage, lived a few years on his father's farm, thence bought and located upon the farm where he now lives, in Preble County ; here he has since resided, a period of about thirty-five years. Our subject lived with his father till after his majority ; was married, October 10, 1869, to Mary Ellen, daughter of John and Margaret Wieland, he a native of Maryland and she of Preble, Ohio. They were parents of eight children ; five now survive-George, Mary E., Etura, Dora and Perry J. Mr. Spitler and wife, by their union, have two children-Birtus and John Alvin. Soon after his marriage, Mr. Spitler located upon the farm where he now lives, and lias since resided. This farm was purchased from Mr. Yost, and consists of 159 acres, which is now divided into two farms, occupied by our subject and his youngest brother. Mr. Spitler has large, fine buildings, and good improvements, which constitute a fine home and farmer's residence.

HENRY STAVER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in Dauphin County, Penn., March 27, 1795, is a son of Adam and Fanny (Dupes) Staver, natives of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, Jasper Staver, was also a native of Pennsylvania, but the great- grandfather, Jasper Staver, was a native of Germany, and emigrated to America early in the seventeenth century ; he was a Lutheran minister, and is said to be the third minister who came from Germany to this country. The grandfather, Jasper, and one of his sons came over the mountains from Pennsylvania on horseback to Ohio to see the country and prospect for a home in 1805. and while here bought two farms, one on Twin Creek and one on Bear Creek, the former in German and the latter in Jeffer- son Township. They returned home to Pennsylvania, and the next spring, in 1806, they took their families and moved to this county ; coming to Pittsburgh, thence by flatboat to Cincinnati, six of them coming by land on horseback, and met the others at Cincinnati, when the boat arrived, and there, with their horses and wagons, started for their new homes, and were four days making the distance, about fifty miles, an average of twelve and a half miles per day, so bad were the roads in that early day. Adam was born in 1767, and his wife was five years older than he. Here they lived and strug- gled together, battling with the many hardships of pioneer life. But they were solaced through all their many trials with the encouraging thought that their children and de- scendants shall reap the benefits and fruits of all their labors, and thus they continued to good old age. She died July 15, 1854, aged ninety one years six months nine days ; he died August 25, 1854, aged eighty-seven years two months three days. They were parents of seven children, six sons and one daughter, three now survive- Barbara, now widow Vance, living in Elkhart County, Ind., now in her ninetieth year, Henry and Valentine. Our subject was eleven years of age when brought to this county, and here he was raised accustomed to the scenes and hardships of those early days, grew to manhood and was married, October 7, 1820, to Anna Swartzley, by whom he had three son and two daughters, three now living-Samuel, Jonathan and Eliza- beth. His wife died June 12, 1828. In the fall of 1830, he married for his second wife, Sophia Bickel, by whom he had eleven children ; seven survive-Rebecca, Lydia A., Israel, Sarah, Matilda, John Henry and Lucinda. Mr. Staver, after his marriage, located upon the place where he now lives, and has since resided, a period of sixty years. Mr. Staver started in life a poor man, and by good, honest labor, a constant industry and economy, he has accumulated a large amount of property ; is now owner of nearly 700 acres of land. In this sketch of family history, we hand down to posterity ex- amples of true pioneer history of good works, crowned with a success in life, worthy of imitation, and worthy to be cherished and honored by generations yet unborn.

BENJAMIN M. STIVER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in German Town- ship, this county July 17, 1842 ; is a son of Samuel and Catharine (Emerick ) Stiver, both natives of German Township. The paternal grandfather, John Stiver, was a ·native of Berks County, Penn., but emigrated to Ohio and located upon the farm where Samuel Stiver now lives, in April, 1806, where he lived till his death, April 25, 1860 ; he had reached the advanced age of eighty-two years, and was one of the early pioneers of that township, and had borne his full share of the hardships of those early

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days. He was a Captain in the army in the war of 1812. Samuel was born on the farm where he now resides Feb. 21, 1817 ; was raised and grew to manhood, married, and became the father of six children-Benjamin, William, Samuel, Mary, John and Sarah. After his marriage, he lived with his father seven years, thence bought a farm, upon which he lived seven years; thence bought the home farm of his father and moved upon it, where he still resides, now sixty-four years of age. This farm was entered from the Government by John Stiver, and has ever since remained in possession of the Stiver family, a period of three-fourths of a century. Our subject lived with his father till in his twenty-fourth year of age; was married, January 28, 1866, to Christina, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Stiver, he a native of this county and she of Pennsylvania. By this union they have had four children, one only now living --- Sarah. After their marriage, he resided in German Township seven years, thence located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided. And here we would relate that our subject, Benjamin Stiver, is the identical person whose house in German Township was visited with such strange demonstrations in July, 1871, the full account of which was published in the Cincinnati Commercial July 28, 1871. These demon- strations were not only strange, but very destructive. Household goods and utensils were promiscuously thrown around, and many dollars' worth broken and destroyed, and no visible hand touched them, and no philosophical solution of the phenomenon has ever been reached ; but the facts in the case as set forth in the paper above stated is fully vouched for by credible witnesses, and the writer of this has received the facts directly from Mr. Stiver and his wife as they occurred, the truth of which cannot be disputed, and, as far as the writer can judge, can only be accounted for as a wonderful miraculous occurrence of modern times.

DANIEL A. STOCKSLAGER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in Maryland April 6, 1830 ; is a son of Philip and Sarah (Smutz) Stockslager, he a native of Penn- sylvania and she of Maryland. The paternal grandfather, John Stockslager, was born in Germany, but emigrated to America, and located in Pennsylvania, and there married and lived several years ; thence became a resident of Washington County, Md., where he lived till his death. The maternal grandfather, Abraham Smnutz, was also born in Germany, but emigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania, thence in Maryland, and, about 1833, came to Ohio and located in Jackson Township, on the place now owned by Frank Cotterman, where he resided till his death. Philip was born in Penn- sylvania in 1802 ; was about nine years of age when they moved into Maryland; there he was raised to manhood, married and resided till in 1834, when he came with his family to Montgomery County, and located on the farm where Joseph Bell now lives, and there resided till about 1862, when he bought and located upon the farm where his son Philip now lives, and there resided ten years, thence located in Farmersville, where he dicd April 11, 1880, aged nearly seventy-nine years. They were parents of five children ; four now survive-Danicl A., Elizabeth, Barbara and Philip P. Mr. Stock .- slager was a man of great integrity of character, and of more than ordinary business capacity ; when he came to this county, he was possessed of about $1,300; by careful investment, honest labor and industry, he became quite wealthy, owning 500 acres of good land, besides his town property in Farmersville ; was a useful member in society ; served as Justice of the Peace three years, and died respected by all who knew him. Our subject was about four years of age when brought to this county ; here was raised and grew to manhood ; was married, Sept. 15, 1852, to Rebecca, daughter of Adam Staver, by whom he had six children-Sarah Emma, Catharine Anna Bell, Martha Alice, John, Eliza Jane and Lewis. His wife died March 18, 1866, aged nearly thirty-five years. On October 16, 1866, he was united in marriage with Eliza- beth, daughter of John and Margaret A. Minderman, natives of Germany, but who emigrated to America and located in this county about 1840, near Dayton ; thence located in Preble County, where they lived till his death, April 22, 1880, aged seventy- seven years ; his wife is still living, now residing in Missouri with two of her children ; they had six children, four now living-Henry, Elizabeth, Frederick and Sarah Ann. Mr. Stockslager, by this union, has seven children-Calvesta Izora, Filena, Ida, George

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and Charles (twins), Nora and Walter. After their marriage, Mr. Stockslager located upon the farm where he now lives, and has since resided ; this place he bought of his father, upon which he has erected all the buildings upon the place except the house, and has now everything comfortable and convenient around him. Mr. Stockslager is a prominent man of his community ; has been Township Trustee many years.

ABRAHAM F. SWARTZEL, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born on the farm where he now lives, February 8, 1839 ; is a son of Abraham and Sarah Swartzel. The grandfather, Abraham Swartzel, was a native of Pennsylvania; the great grandfather, Mathias Swartzel, was a native of Germany, but emigrated to America prior to the Revolutionary war, and became a soldier in the defense of our colonies during that sanguinary struggle for their independence. He finally became a resident of this county about 1803, where he lived and died, departing this life about 1820. He was the father of four sons and five daughters. Abraham, the grandfather above men- tioned, was the third son of his father's, and emigrated to Warren County about 1799; there he lived about two years, thence in 1801 he moved into Montgomery County, Jackson Township, being one of the first settlers ; he entered a section of land, put up a log cabin and commenced right in the woods to make a home and a farm; and here he endured all the trials and hardships of those early days-such as the present and future generations can know nothing of only as they read of them from the pages of history ; he was drafted in the war of 1812, but hired a substitute ; he departed this life in 1840. Mr. Swartzel was a prominent man of his community, and held the office of Township Trustee for many years, was also Treasurer of the township; was the father of thirteen children ; two now survive-John A. and Joshua. When he came to this county, he was a poor man ; but by his own industry and good manage- ment, he became possessed of a large amount of property ; at onetime he owned eleven farms, and thus was enabled to give each of his children a good start in life. Abraham, the father, was born and raised on the old Swartzel place, now owned by Philip Stock- slager ; here he grew to manhood ; was married and became the father of four children, three now living-Sarah Ann, Jeremiah and Abraham F. After his marriage, he bought and located upon the farm where our subject now lives ; this farm he bought of his father, which was then mostly in the woods, and here he commenced to make a home and a farm ; and here he resided till his death, February 6, 1839 ; his wife is still living, now sixty-eight years of age; she was born in Lebanon County, Penn., February 13, 1813. Our subject, born a short time after the death of his father, was raised and grew to maturity under the care of his mother, who was a woman of great energy and fortitude, and possessed of more than ordinary judgment and skill to manage the affairs of business, and her example is worthy to be handed down to posterity and receive due honor for the many trials and hardships she endured. Mr. Swartzel was married May 10, 1863, to Sarah, daughter of James and Sarah Gilbert, he a native of Maryland and she of this county, whose history is fully given in sketch of Cyrus H. Gilbert ; issue six children-Salmon James, Samuel C., Charles E., George W., Winter Z. and Horace. Mr. Swartzel is still living upon the old home place, where he was born, and has made a continued residence to the present time ; here he has a fine farm and improvements. He is a member of the Reformed Church and his wife of the United Brethren Church.

HARVEY VENUS, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in this county in Perry Township, August 19, 1824 ; is a son of John and Susaunah (Cox) Venus, natives of Virginia. The paternal grandfather, John Venus, was also a native of Virginia and lived and died in his native State. The maternal grandfather, Jacob Cox, was a native of Virginia, who lived and died there. John Venus emigrated to Ohio and located in Perry Township, where he was one of the early pioneers of that township, locating there early in the century, where he bore his full share of the trials and hardships of those days ; he was the father of nine children ; six now survive-Elizabeth, Margaret, Sarah, Susan, Harvey and Lavina. Mr. Venus died September 6, 1862, aged nearly eighty-one years ; his wife in May, 1862, aged seventy-nine years. Our subject, who was born and raised and grew to manhood in this county, was married in October, 1855,

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to Julia Ann, daughter of John and Matilda Mause, natives of Pennsylvania ; by this union they have had six children ; three now survive-John Albert, Jonathan and David K. Mr. Venus, after his marriage, lived one year with his father on the home place ; thence three years in Madison Township; thence in spring of 1850, he bought and located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided. The farm was purchased in two tracts, 100 acres of Isaac Kilmer and 50 acres of Thomas Leslie, a great portion of which he has cleared up from the woods, and has erected all the build- ings and made all the improvements, which are all No. 1, and constitutes one of the best and finest farms and residences in Jackson Township. He has since purchased more land, till now he owns 216 acres, and all of which he has made and accumulated by his own industry and economy. He is also a man holding the confidence of his community, and is now Township Trustee, which office he has filled one term in previous years. Mr. Venus and wife are members of the Reformed Church.

W. A. WEAVER, Postmaster and general store, New Lebanon, born in this township, June 18, 1845, is a son of John I. and Catharine (Pence) Weaver, he was born in Schuylkill County, Penn., August 4, 1799; she was born in Shenandoah County, Va. John I. was brought to this county by his parents in 1805, locating in Jefferson Township, where he was raised and grew to manhood inured to the scenes and hardships of those early days ; was married and became the father of seven chil- dren; five now survive-Mary M., Catharine, Urias, John D. and W. A. Mr. Weaver, after his marriage, located in the southeast part of Jackson Township, where lie resided ten years, engaged in the distilling business ; thence, in spring of 1832, he bought and located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided, a period of nearly half a century ; he is a prominent man and farmer in this community and well and respect- ably known ; has been Township Treasurer and Township Trustee ; was one of the Di- rectors in the building of the Dayton and Western turnpike, which office he filled twelve or fourteen years. He is now eighty-two years of age, and of course has retired from all active business, and lives honored and respected by a large circle of friends. Our subject was brought up to farm labor till he arrived at his majority ; was married January 28, 1866, to Miss Mattie M., daughter of George and Susan Tobias, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of this county ; they had ten children ; four now survive-Rebecca, Sarah M., Mattie and Mary. Mr. Weaver and wife have had four children, three now living -- Vernon A., Franklin J. and Elsie Ardella. Mr. Weaver farmed about five years after his marriage ; thence, in fall of 1872, entered upon mer- cantile trade in New Lebanon, in partnership with his brother, John D., which partner- ship continued till November, 1875, when they dissolved and divided the stock, and William A. continued business at the old stand, where he has, by close attention to business, his affableness of manners and accommodation to his customers, won the con- fidence of the people and has established a good trade, which is ycarly increasing; is now serving on his second term as Treasurer of the corporation of New Lebanon, and has been Postmaster since his commencement in mercantile business.

LEWIS A. WEAVER, farmer, P. O. Farmersville, born in Germantown, this county, September 28, 1853, is a son of Daniel and Mary Ann (Heinckc) Weaver, also natives of this county. The maternal grandfather, Christian Henry Danicl Hci- ncke, was born at Cuxhaven, Hanover, December 15, 1793 ; emigrated to America in 1817, and landed at Baltimore September 14, and soon after came to Ohio. He acquired a liberal education in the schools of his native land, and here he devoted him- self to the study of theology. But at that time there was no theological seminary of the Lutheran Church in this Western country, and he was necessitated to pursue his studies privately, under the direction of Pastors Dechant, Dill and others. In the fall of 1820, he applied to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Ohio for authority to preach the Gospel ; and sustaining a creditable examination, he was unanimously received into the ranks of the ministry of that church. On January 1, 1826, Rev. Mr. Heincke accepted a call from the Lutheran Church of Miamisburg and became the second pastor of that church after its organization. He served this congregation to the end of his laborious life, July 10, 1859, a term of thirty-three years. Rev. Mr. Heincke was a

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more than ordinary theologian, stocked with useful knowledge; well posted in the doctrines of his church, possessing a clear head and an honest heart, and able to pre- sent his views in few words, clearly and with great force ; was modest and a friend of peace. Possessing such amiable qualities, his labors were sought eagerly by those who knew him, and were highly appreciated. Daniel Weaver was born May 13, 1822; was married and became the father of three children; was thrice married ; first, to Sarah Replogle, by whom he had one child -- Philip ; his wife died, after which he married Mary Ann Heincke, by whom he had two children-Lewis Alfred and Samuel H. His second wife died November 5, 1862, aged thirty-nine years. His third wife was Sarah Ann Geiger, with whom he lived till his death, which occurred March 26, 1878, aged fifty-six years ; his widow is still living on the old home place in this town- ship. Mr. Weaver was a wagon-maker by trade, which business he followed seventeen years ; thence he gave his attention to farming, which he followed the remainder of his life. He took great delight in hunting, and about the holidays of each year it was his custom to make a hunting tour in Paulding and other northern counties for deer and other game, and as a marksman it was said his aim was sure and never missed its mark. He was a very industrious person from his boyhood up, economical and saved every penny. Starting in life with no capital, he became possessed of eighty acres of land and quite an amount of money, being financially well situated before his death. Our subject grew to maturity, receiving a good common school education ; thence he attended the Normal School at Lebanon six months; thence he taught school one year; thence entered upon farming, which occupation he has since followed; was married Sep- tember 16, 1875, to Mary E., daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Apple, both natives of this township ; by this union they have two children-Charles Henry and Walter Ed- mund. Mr. Weaver bought and located upon the farm where he now resides in the spring of 1879 ; the farm he purchased of Jacob Apple ; it consists of fifty acres of land with good buildings and improvements. Mr. Weaver and wife are members of the Lutheran Church and he is a very active and popular teacher in the Sabbath school.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 138

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