The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 144

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 144

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FREDERICK MUNDHENK, farmer, P. O. Pyrmont, a native of this county, born July 4, 1818, is a son of Daniel and Anna Maria Mundhenk, whose history appears in a sketch of Charles Mundhenk, in this work. Mr. Mundhenk remained with his father till twenty-six years of age. He was married, November 30, 1843, to Catha- rine, daughter of John Hook, a native of Virginia, who became a resident of Mont- gomery County about 1830 to 1832. By this union they had five children, three of whom survive-James, William, and Minnie Etta-and two deceased, Mary Elizabeth and Luella. His wife died June 4, 1870. On June 6, 1872, was celebrated his mar- I riage with Martha, daughter of Charles and Catharine (Share) Fiet, he a native of Germany and she of Pennsylvania. Mr. Fiet emigrated to America in 1805, locating in Pennsylvania, where he was married and resided till 1823, when he removed to Ohio, locating-in Warren County, where he resided two years; thence to Preble County, and resided one year ; thence into Montgomery County, where he resided till his death, which occurred January 16, 1850. They were parents of ten children, five of whom now survive-Mary, Catharine, Barbara, Martha and Emma. His widow is still living, and is now making her home with her daughter, Mrs. F. Mundhenk. Mr. Mund- -- henk by his second wife has one child, Frederick. Mr. Mundhenk's entire life has been spent in this county, and in the immediate vicinity of Pyrmont. He has been an active

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and industrious man, and, like his father before him, has done much for the interests and benefit of his community. He ran a steam saw-mill for twenty-seven years, seven- tecn years of which was on the mill built by his father, and was the first saw-mill built in Perry Township. He and his brothers, Augustus and Henry, built the first grist mill and the only one ever erected in Perry Township, which mill they ran about six- teen years, when they sold it, and it was removed to Baltimore, on the border of Darke County. Since that time Mr. Mundhenk has lived retired from all active business. We feel justified in saying that his life has been one of activity, honor and usefulness, which can detract nothing from, but rather add further laurels to the history of the Mundhenk family.

JOHN MUNDHENK, farmer, P. O. Pyrmont, born in this county and township October 14, 1820, is a son of Daniel and Anna Maria Mundhenk, whose history appears in a sketch of Charles Mundhenk in this work. Our subject maintained his home with his father till twenty-seven years of age. He was married in 1847 (the exact date being lost through fire) to Mary, daughter of John and Margaret (May) Levingston, natives of Virginia, by whom he had one child, Samantha, now Mrs. Joseph Shaffer. With her he only lived about two years, when the reaper, Death, took her away. On May 10, 1855, was celebrated his second marriage, with Mary Jane, daughter of William and Martha Sodders, he a native of Pennsylvania, and she of Warren County, Ohio, by whom he has had five children-Ida M., Clarence J., Cora, Howard, and Charles. Mr. Mundhenk, after his marriage, located in Pyrmont, where he entered upon mercantile trade in partnership with George Reid, and about one year after they were burned out, losing their entire stock, when Mr. Mundhenk found himself $1,600 in debt. But their creditors requested them to go on with business again, and they would furnish them with goods. They did so, and continued about eight or nine years, when Mr. Mundhenk, having paid up his indebtedness, bought out his partner, Mr. Reid, and continued the business about three years. He then sold out, and entered upon farming. purchasing the place where he now lives, being a part of the old Mundhenk farm, and here he has since resided. Mr. Mundhenk is a man who has held the confidence of his community. He has been Township Clerk eight years, and a Justice of the Peace six years. Politically, Mr. Mundhenk is a stanch Republican.

CHARLES MUNDHENK, farmer, P. O. Pyrmont, a native of Montgomery County, born October 7, 1832, is a son of Daniel and Anna Maria ( Hagerman) Mundhenk ; natives of Germany. Daniel was born at Pyrmont, Germany, December 28, 1777. He lived with his father till he grew to manhood, and at about twenty years of age, being of an enterprising spirit, he gained the idea that there might be a better country for a poor man than that in which he was raised, and he went to Hamburg, and from there, after a residence of over a year, he shipped on board a whaling vessel, and on his voyage reached Greenland ; returned to Hamburg, and finally arrived home to his par- ents in September, 1800. Was married, in 1803, to Sophia Louisa Sprengel, a native of Holzhausen, by whom he had five children, all now deceased. In 1807, Mr. Mundhenk, with his family and brother Henry, his sister Dorothy, and his uncle, Christian Heydon, after a journey of twenty-eight days, through Prussia and Holland, arrived at Texel, and shipped on board the vessel " William P. Johnson," under Capt. Moses Wells, bound for America, and set sail August 22, 1807. After an extremely| stormy voyage, during which more than once they gave themselves up as lost and re- signed themselves to the care of a merciful God, they arrived safely upon the Ameri- can coast, and on the 2d of December of the above year landed at Philadelphia. Herc he lived till September 9, 1808, when he went with his family to New York, thence to Hartford, Conn., where he entered upon farming, remaining only one or two years ; returned to Philadelphia, and here, on November 11, 1811, was called to mourn the death of his beloved wife. On July 30, 1812, he married Anna Maria Hagerman, by whom he had eight children ; four now survive-Henry, Frederick, John and Charles. From Philadelphia, about 1815, he removed to Lancaster County, Penn., and early in 1817 came to Ohio, and shortly after located in Montgomery County. Here he became a pioneer in Perry Township, entering one-fourth section of land, entered upon

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the arduous task of clearing up the land from its primeval growth of forest timber to make a farm and a home. He toiled on from year to year, and in a short time became owner of more land, and finally became possessor of 600 acres, embracing the very ground upon which the village of Pyrmont now stands. He laid out the town, gave it its name after the name of his native place in Germany, and in honor and memory of which stands engraved upon his tombstone his name as proprietor of Pyrmont. On July 4, 1835, he was called to mourn the death of his second wife. On August 3, 1841, he married Mrs. Margaret Hubler, by whom he had one child, Caroline. He died in March, 1859, honored and beloved by a large circle of friends, and by all who knew him-a man of undaunted integrity-one who had seen the rough side and en- dured the many trials and hardships of pioneer life, having seen this country in its wildest state; but through his and others' sturdy strokes lived to see the forests disap- pear, and waving fields of grain to take their place; the rude and primitive log-cabin and schoolhouses supplanted by fine frame and brick houses, and the comforts and con- veniences which labor and wealth are sure to bring to prevail. His life was one of suc- cess and usefulness ; having the unbounded confidence of the people, he was elected to and served in nearly all the offices of his township. A man of great heart, kind, and given to all just and benevolent purposes, truly public spirited, always first and fore- most in all public enterprises ; and in his death his family lost a kind father and hus- hand, and the public a great benefactor. Our subject, the youngest son of his father, remained with him till after his majority, was married, November 23, 1854, to Rachel, daughter of George and Rachel Ivens, natives of New Jersey, but who became early settlers of this county, probably locating here about 1825. Rachel was born November 19, 1835, in this county and township. By this union they have had five children ; four now survive-Elizabeth F., Carrie, Mary and Berdie. Mattie, the second child, died April 11, 1874, nearly sixteen years of age, just budding into womanhood. Mr. Mundhenk has always remained upon the old home place; has a beautiful home, with good buildings and improvements, and all the conveniences, constituting a pleasant home and residence, and which are doubly endeared to him by the fond recollections of his childhood, and the many works in sight the handiwork of his noble father. Mr. Mund- henk, though holding no offices of public trust, is such from choice, having refused repeatedly to accept them, which have often been pressed upon him by a confiding people, as he is a man of good literary attainments, great moral worth and undoubted integrity. This brief sketch is of a family whose life's labors form such a part of the history of this township, and are held in such high esteem by all who know them, that we feel we have been incompetent in the space we have to devote to this subject to do them the justice they deserve; but trust we have so far portrayed the general character of their useful lives as to carry their memory down to future generations, who shall cherish and honor thiem long after their forms shall lay moldering in the dust.

L. WILLIAM MUNDHENK, farmer, P. O. Pyrmont, is the youngest son of Mary Ann Mundhenk, who was born in Germany, February 13, 1790, and is a daugh- ter of John Henry and Anna Maria Feit, natives of Germany. In the fall of 1806 they determined to .emigrate to America, their country then being engaged in war, it was expected that all their sons old enough to do military duty would be forced into the army, it was arranged that the mother and her children should proceed to America and Mr. Feit should follow the next year, or as soon as possible By strategy and careful management, the family eluded the sentries, and arrived at Amsterdam, where they ob- tained passes to America and set sail on the ship "Cornelia," under Capt. Delmore. But before reaching the ocean, while passing through the English Channel, the mother was taken sick and died, and by the kindness of the Captain they were permitted to take her body on shore where it was buried. Then the children were left alone, with- out father or mother, and continued their journey, and in due time landed safely at Philadelphia where the children were " sold" or bound out to pay their passage. The father, who remained in Germany, tried to follow his family, but as he was aged and no friends with him, he was refused passage, and before an opportunity came for him to get away he was taken sick and died. Mary Ann, the mother of our subject, after

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serving three years in Philadelphia to pay her passage, continued to work out till June 4, 1812, when she married Lewis Mundhenk, a native of Germany, and on the next day they departed for Yew York, where they resided four years ; thence removed to Ohio, locating in Montgomery County, near Germantown, and a few years after located on the place where she now lives and has since resided ; being the first and only settler at that time between Lewisburg and Brookville. Here they opened out in the woods in an open log cabin in November in the midst of a deep snow ; here they toiled and labored year after year to make a farm and a home, " Aunt Mary" proving a true helpmeet, being robust and healthy. She would chop wood, grub, make fence, etc., would do more work than half the men. They knew no such word as " fail," and they did not, but cleared up and became owners of a large farm, erected large and com- modious buildings, and now have a beautiful home and farmer's residence. But for twenty-one years before the death of Mr. Mundhenk, his mind became affected from religious excitement, so that he was unfitted for business ; and during this time espe- cially appeared the great powers, mentally and physically, of " Aunt Mary," who, with her children, took charge of and kept the business of the farm moving right along ; and we may safely say that not one woman in a thousand has gone through or could go through the hardships and trials she has endured. She has been the mother of eleven children, seven grew to maturity; five now survive-Anna Maria, Philip, Lewis, Daniel E. and L. William. Mr. Mundhenk departed this life April 10, 1859. Since his death his wife has resided with our subject on the old home farm. William was married September 11, 1857, to Sarah Elizabeth, daughter of Dr. William and Martha Sodders, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Ohio. William and wife have three children-Martha Dell, Clarence W. and Lizzie Forest. We have here a brief sketch of one of the early pioneers, and whose labors and hardships are but partially portrayed, yet we trust we have placed enough on these pages of history to carry her in grateful remembrance to the descendants of future generations, who shall have to sow and reap much from the benefits of her many labors.

JACOB MYERS, farmer, P. O. Pyrmont, born in Lancaster County, Penn., August 17, 1818, is a son of Samuel and Barbara (Harnish) Myers, natives of Penn- sylvania, and who lived and died in their native State. They were parents of twelve children, ten growing to maturity, and nine now living-Ann, Rudolph, Barbara, Mary, Jacob, Fannie, Elizabeth, Mattie and Abraham. Our subject remained with his father till his majority; was married in 1843 to Catharine, daughter of John and Anna Hiller, natives of Pennsylvania ; issue nine children ; eight now survive-Anna, John, Jacob, Allen, Mary E., Emma, Amanda and Ida. Mr. Myers came from his native State to Ohio in the spring of 1845, and bought and located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided, a period of thirty-six years. His first pur- chase was 160 acres from John W. Harris, from which he has since sold sixty acres, leaving him 100 acres, which is of excellent quality, and mostly in cultivation, with good buildings and improvements, constituting a finc home and farmer's residence. Mr. Myers has been one of the industrious farmers of Perry Township, a man of integrity and honor, and who has been very successful in life ; has the confidence of the people and his community ; has held several offices of trust in the township ; was Township Treasurer for several years, and has been a man whose life and history form quite an integral part of the history of this township, and as such we take pleasure in placing it upon the pages of this book for the benefit of his descendants and of future genera- tions.

ABRAHAM NEFF, farmer, P. O. New Lebanon, born in Jefferson Township, this county, June 7, 1818 ; is a son of Michael and Hester (Weaver) Neff ; he a na- tive of Kentucky and she of Pennsylvania. The paternal grandfather, Leonard Neff, was probably a native of Virginia, and afterward a resident of Pennsylvania, thence became a settler in Kentucky, near Boonsboro, about 1793 or 1794, and lived and died there, being one among the early settlers, and shared fully in the dangers and trials with the Indians and the war of 1812. He died about 1844 or 1845, aged eighty years. Michael Neff was born, raised and grew to manhood in Kentucky, under the sturdy in-

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fluences of pioneer life, and about 1815 emigrated to Montgomery County, locating in Jefferson Township, where he resided till the spring of 1828, when he came into Perry Township and located on the farm where our subject now resides, and here he lived till his health failing he resolved to visit the White Sulphur Springs of Virginia and try to recuperate his health, but he failed to reach there, dying iu Charleston, Va., in July, 1851, aged fifty-seven years. His wife died many years previous, probably about 1825. They were parents of four children ; three now survive-Abraham, Michael, now a resi- dent of Texas, and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Friedline, living in Indiana, Mr. Neff was thrice married ; his second wife was Barbara Flory, by whom he had six children ; four now living-Sarah, Joseph, Eve and Jonathan. His third wife was Mrs. Lydia Flory, by whom he had two children ; one now surviving-Susan; one deceased-George; was killed in the army at the battle of Chickamauga. The maternal grandfather, Peter Weaver, was born in Baden, Germany, emigrating to America when a young man, locating in Pennsylvania, where he married and lived several years; thence became one of the early settlers of Montgomery County about 1806, residing here several years ; thence locating in Darke County, and finally in Northern Indiana, where he and his wife died. Our subject remained with his father till after his majority, and being born here, was familiar in childhood with the roughness of pioncer life, and obtained his limited education in the primitive log schoolhouse; was married January 9, 1840, to Tracey, daughter of Gabriel and Margaret Billmyer. natives of Maryland, who became residents of this county in 1827, where they resided many years; thencc, about 1848, moved to Illinois, where they lived till their death. They had thirteen children ; nine now survive-Margaret, Susan, Tracy, Charity, Martin, Harrison, Caroline, Ruan and Thornton. Mr. Neff and wife have had fifteen children ; ten survive-John, Maranda, Allen, Mary, Maggie, Amelia and Althea (twins), Peter, Hettie and Minnie. Mr. Neff has passed all his married life on his present farm, except the three first years spent in Defiance County, Ohio, having made a continued residence here of thirty-eight years. His farm consists of 157 acres of land, with good buildings and improvements, which are of his own erection, and has everything comfortable and convenient around him. He is a man well and respectably known in his community ; has held the office of Township Trustee three years, and other local offices. He and his wife are worthy members of the German Baptist Church.

NOAH RHOADS, farmer, P. O. Pyrmont. About 1810, Jacob and Catharine Rhoads emigrated from Bedford County, Penn., to Ohio, and located in Montgomery County, where they resided till their death. They came here in indigent circumstances, but by industry and economy, became possessed of an ample competency, owning a good farm and home with the comforts of life. They were parents of eight children ; six now living-Betsey, Jacob, Nancy, Abraham, John and David. Jacob, the second child and the father of our subject, was born in Bedford County, Penn., August 22, 1805, and consequently, when brought to this county by his father was about five years of age. Here he was raised and inured to the hardships of pioneer life ; they being strictly pioneers-the settlers at that time being few and far between-the country mostly a dense forest, inhabited by wild beasts and Indians. Mr. Rhoads has been twice married. First to Barbara Souders, by whom he had ten children : eight now living-Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Peter, Jonas, Hiram, Catharine and Malinda. His second wife was Maria, daughter of Nicholas and Margaret Shade, natives of Pennsyl- vania. By her he had five children ; four now survive-Margaret, David, Henry and Amanda. Mr. Rhoads, like his father, has been a hard-working, industrious man, and has prospercd and accumulated a good property. He purchased the farm upon which he now lives about thirty-four years ago and has since resided there. He is now in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and has been a resident of Montgomery County seventy- one years, and his life and labors made up quite an integral part of the early history of this country. Our subject, the eldest son of Jacob and Barbara Rhoads, was born Oc- tober 27, 1830, in Montgomery County, was raised here, remaining with his father till his majority ; was married, April 3, 1856, to Mary Ann, daughter of John and Rachel Thompson, natives of Ohio, and whose lives have been mostly identified with Montgomery

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County. By this union they have had seven children ; six now survive-Levi, Allen, Lawrence, Abner, Charles and Luella. He lost his wife by death January 5, 1878. Mr. Rhoads started out in life, working out by the month for wages ; then rented farms for a time, and thus by industry and economy saved money, by which he purchased a farm. He beeame owner of the farm where he now lives in Mareh, 1873, where he has sinee resided. Has erected nearly all the fine buildings upon the place. Has a good improved farm, and every convenienee for the comforts of life. Is now one among the most prominent farmers of Perry Township, and has accumulated most of his property by his own industry, economy and good management.

PETER RHOADS, farmer, P. O. Brookville, born in this county and town- ship January 13, 1835, is a son of Jacob and Barbara Rhoads, whose history appears in sketch of Noah Rhoads in this work. Our subject remained at home till after his majority. Was married, November 4, 1858, to Mary Magdalene, daughter of David and Grizza Ann Spittler, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Ohio. They were parents of five children, four now living-William, Mary M., Catharine and Grizza Ann. Mr. Rhoads and wife by their marriage have six children, five now survive- William H., born August 18, 1859; Ida Isabel, January 31, 1862 ; Minerva Adela, July 9, 1863 ; Siwon Peter, January 30, 1870 ; and Althea Orilla, January 27, 1876. Mr. Rhoads has made farming his occupation throughout his life. In the spring of 1867, he bought and located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided. He started out in life with but little means and a very limited education, having in his childhood days enjoyed but few advantages of sehools; but his life has been one of remarkable success, showing a natural ability and energy which, when coupled with industry and close application to business, has proeured him a good competency. He has an excellent farm, with fine large buildings, which he has ereeted by his means and labor, and has brought everything into convenient and comfortable condition, con- stituting a very pleasant home and farmer's residenee. He now owns 165 acres of land, the greater portion of which is in good cultivation. He is an example of success in business life by his own industry and good management, without the aid and help of education, which is worthy of imitation and encouragement by others, and which is rarely seen under like circumstanees.

STEPHEN SWIHART, farmer, P. O. West Alexandria, Preble Co., born in this county May 18, 1827, is a son of Jonathan and Sophia (Cloyd) Swihart, he a native of Pennsylvania and she of Virginia. The grandfather, Adam Swihart, was born in Pennsylvania, but emigrated to Ohio and located in Jackson Township in 1805. Here he participated in the pioneer work of opening out the country, which was then mostly a dense forest, and filled with wild beasts and Indians. Here he spent most of his life, till in his later years he moved into Preble County, where he died. The grand- father Cloyd was among the first settlers of Preble County, entering his land right from the Government, which he held till his death, after which the estate was divided among the heirs, and Jonathan Swihart took that portion of the property lying in Jackson Township, this county, to whom the court made a deed, being the first sale of the land made after its entry from the Government. Here Jonathan resided till his death, over half a century. He died September 19, 1876, aged seventy-four years ; his wife is still living on the home place, seventy-six years of age. They were parents of eight children, six now survive-James, Stephen, Jonathan, Catharine, Eliza and Anna. Our subjeet remained with his father till after his majority. Was married January 17, 1850, to Hannah, daughter of Andrew and Salome Clemmer, natives of Virginia, but who were among the first settlers of Perry Township, this county, They had eleven children, six now living-George L., David H., Andrew, Sallie, Mahala and Hannah. Mr. Swihart and wife have had twelve children, eight now survive-Francis M., William Henry, James Oliver, Alva Walter, Mahala F., Eliza Jane, Lovina Alice and Sarah Ann. Mr. Swihart, after his marriage, lived a few years in Indiana, thence located in this county, and in 1859 bought and located upon the farm where he now lives and has sinee resided. This sketeh gives a brief history of two pioneer families of this eounty, who went through all the many dangers, trials and hardships of that

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early day which only those who endured them fully knew and realized. Their first pro- ductions only found a market at Cincinnati, a distance of fifty miles. They hauled flour to Cincinnati over mud roads almost impassable, and sold it for $1.25 per barrel. These were times that " tried men's souls," and too much praise and honor cannot be given them by the present and future generations for the great labors they performed, the benefits of which they are enjoying and will continue to enjoy for ages to come.

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The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 144

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