The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 152

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 152

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

JOHN EWING, gardener, P. O. Dayton, was born in New Jersey in May 1817. His parents, Abijah Ewing, who was born in 1792, and Olive ( Ayers) Ewing, were old residents of New Jersey, and both died before our subject reached the age of eight years. After their death, John worked for a man named McPherson, and remained in New Jersey until nineteen years old, when he came to Cincinnati, where he married Etna Inman, daughter of old residents of Miami County. After a seven years' residence in Cincinnati, he came to Dayton and located in the city as a drayman, in which occupa- tion he continued fifteen years. He then moved to his present residence on the River road in Harrison Township, and took up the occupation of gardener, in which he has since continued. He has been twice married, his first wife dying and leaving six chil- dren, of whom two are now living. In 1866, he married his second wife, Miss Harriet Bostwick, of New York State. Mr. Ewing and his wife arc members of the Linden Avenue Baptist Church, in which he has for a long time been an officer, now occupying the office of Treasurer. He was, for a number of years, connected with the old fire de- partment of the city. His political views are in unison with the principles of the Repub- lican party. He is a man of the highest degree of integrity, thoroughly posted in his business, and has the respect and esteem of all who know him. His success as a gar- dener is fully attested by the large number of patrons that flock around his stand on mar- ket day.

JOHN W. GAINES, of the Dayton Star Nurseries, Dayton, was born in Mont- gomery County, Ohio, January 9, 1846, and is the son of John N. and Catherine (Crow) Gaines, the former being a native of Virginia and the latter of Pennsylvania. His mother came to this county in childhood, while his father did not settle here until 1844, shortly after which he was married and settled in Randoph Township, where our subject was born, being the eldest in a family of six children, five of whom are living, as well as his mother, who resides in his native township. John W. grew to maturity, as a farmer's son, attending the district school as much as circumstances would allow, and in 1867 purchased a half-interest in the nursery of Samucl Kinsey, although hav- ing no capital, in which he remained until 1871, when Samuel W. Hoover bought Kinsey's half and the firm changed to Hoover & Gaines. Mr. Gaines was married, December 12, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth Hoover, daughter of John and Elizabeth Hoover. Mrs. Gaines was born in Miami County, Ohio, and has had one child-Melvin A. In 1879, Hoover & Gaincs moved their nurseries to the Wolf Creek pike, on the Northern suburbs of Dayton, where they now operate about 300 acres in the nursery business, wholesaling about $70,000 in their line during the past year. They have one of the largest and most extensive nurseries west of the Alleghanies, and ship their trees to every part of the United States. Their success has been rapid and strongly marked by shrewd business sagacity, upright dealing and strict integrity, which have won for them a name second to none. Politically, Mr. Gaines is a Republican, and he and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Beginning in life without means, hc

430

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

has attained in a few years, a leading position among the business men of his native county, and judging the future by the past, his business career will inevitably terminate in uncommon success, Mr. Gaines is a man of affable manners and pleasant address, who has won many friends throughout his native county.

MATHIAS GLASER, JR., gardener, Dayton, is of German descent, his father, Mathias, Sr., having been born in Prussia, Germany, in 1808, and his mother, Helen (Weber) Glaser, being born in the same country in 1810. They emigrated to America in 1844, and lived in Buffalo, N. Y., where our subject was born, and where they remained four years, and then came to Montgomery County, Ohio. In about 1850, they located on what was then known as " the old bottom place," and here carried on gardening with the help of our subject as long as he remained at home. In 1864, Mathias, Jr., left home and worked out. In 1865, he enlisted in the Seventy-first Volunteer Infantry, and was afterward transferred to the Fifty-eighth Ohio Veterans, in which he served six months, principally on provost duty at different places. In 1870, he married Mary T. Schneider, by whom he has had four children. They are members of Emanuel's Catholic Church. Though unfortunate, through sickness in his family, Mr. G., with the assistance of his wife, is making rapid strides toward success,

ANDREW GREULICH, butcher, Dayton, was born in Dayton, Ohio, Septem- ber 14, 1846. His parents were, Balser Greulich, who was born in Baden, February 8, 1810, and Volberg (Abberger) Greulich, who was born in Wurtemberg in 1816. Balser Greulich emigrated to America in 1834, and landed in New York, where he was married in 1836. He worked at his trade of butchering in New York until 1839, when he went to Pittsburgh, where he worked six years, and then, in 1845, came to Dayton, Montgomery County, Harrison Township, where he has since obtained, by dint of hard labor and close economy, about thirty-one aeres of land, well improved, and a comfortable brick dwelling. He is the father of nine living children, and has had one child that died in infancy, He is one of the oldest butchers in the city of Dayton, having commenced attending market when the old Market House was built. Andrew, our subject, is unmarried, and still lives at home. He has taken charge of his father's business, and can always be found at his stand, No. 33 Market House. He is a mem- ber of the Butchers' Society and Catholic Church.

HENRY HALLER, farmer and gardener, P. O. Dayton, is the son of Daniel and Kitty (Bowles) Haller, of Frederick County, Md., where our subject was born, and there reecived a good common school education. At twenty-two years of age, he mar- ried Elizabeth Barger, who was born in 1809. In 1848 he came to Dayton, and, in 1849, commenced farming for Col. Patterson, with whom he remained three years, and then bought the place on which he now resides. He is a Republican in polities, and in religion a member of the United Brethren Church. He has had six children, of whom two are now dead. Mr. Haller has a nice home, and twenty acres of ground, on which he raises vegetables for the city markets.

FRANCIS M. HALLER, farmer, P. O. Dayton, was born on the old homestead, October 18, 1836. He is the son of John and Elizabeth (Yost) Haller. His father was born in Frederick County, Md., in 1803, came to Ohio in 1827, lived six months in Dayton, and then moved to his farm, where he died April 1, 1881, having been au Elder in the Reformed Church fifty years. He had been married twice ; first to Miss Anna Yost, by whom he had three children, and afterward to her sister Elizabeth, sub- ject's mother, by whom he had two children. Our subjeet has always been at home. He has had a fair education. He married Miss Nancy Olinger, daughter of William Olinger, by whom he has had six children, four girls and two boys. He is a Repub- lican in politics, and a member of the Reformed Church.

SAMUEL W. HOOVER, of the Dayton Star Nurseries, P. O. Dayton, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, April 16, 1837. His parents were Jacob and Elizabeth (Cripes) Hoover, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to this county prior to 1820, and settled in Jefferson Township, where his father still resides. His mother died in 1864, Samuel W. was the eldest in a family of four children, three of whom are living, and

431

HARRISON TOWNSHIP.

his boyhood was spent upon the home farm, attending the common district school as much as circumstances permitted. He was married January 26, 1860, to Catherine Basore, daughter of Samuel and Lydia Basore ; he was a native of the " Keystone State," and she of Ohio, they being early settlers of Montgomery County. Mrs. Hoover was born in this county, and has had three children, two of whom are living, viz., Oliver P. and W. I. T. Hoover. In 1869, Mr. Hoover began working in the nursery of Kin- sey & Gaines, and in 1871, although having but little capital, he purchased Kinsey's interest, and became a partner, under the firm name of Hoover & Gaines, which has continued to the present time. In 1879 they moved their business to their present location upon the Wolf Creek pike, in the northern suburbs of Dayton, where they operate about three hundred acres in the nursery business, doing a wholesale trade of about $70,000 in the past year, their nursery being one of the most extensive west of the Alleghanies. Mr. Hoover and wife are members of the German Baptist Church. He is a member of the Montgomery County Horticultural Society, also of the Miami Valley Nurserymen's Association, of which he was Secretary several years ; and of the American Nurserymen's National Association, of which he was one of the Executive Committee two years. Thus it will be scen that Mr. Hoover's life has been an active one, and productive of much good ; and besides his well-known successful business qual- ifications, he has over taken a deep interest in the elevation of humanity and the de- velopment of his native county. Courteous and affable at all times, he is a fitting representative of the successful business man and well-bred Christian gentleman.

JOHN KELLER, gardener, P. O. Dayton, was born in Dayton May 24, 1844. He is the son of Phillip and Elizabeth (Martinthaler) Keller. The father was born in Bavaria, emigrated to America in 1835, and after a short stay in New York went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he, in 1837, met and married subject's mother, by whom he had two children-Rachel, relict of Frank Bethinghamer, deceased, and John, our subject. The children were both made orphans by the death of their parents a few years ago. John lived with his parents until twenty-two years of age, when he mar- ried Theresa Ries, by whom he had nine children. He and family are members of the Catholic Church. He is also a member of the Knights of St. George.

JOHN KENNEDY, farmer, P. O. Dayton, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, December 21, 1822. He is the son of Joseph and Nancy (Kerr) Ken- nedy. His father was born in Lancaster County, Penn., in 1775, came to Ohio in 1803, and located in Montgomery County where he erected a distillery, which he con- ducted in connection with his farm work. His wife was a native of Virginia, born in 1797. She was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church and died in 1862, at the ripe old age of sixty-five years. She was the mother of six children, three of them now surviving. Her husband, when he came to Ohio, purchased forty acres of land, but by industrious habits and close attention to his work he succeeded in accumu- lating 300 acres at the time of his death, which occurred in 1856. John, our subject. lived with his parents until 1855, when he married Miss Martha Darst, of Greene County, Ohio. He received a very good education in the common schools of Dayton, and afterward attended Center College at Danville, Ill. After his marriage, he located on the farm of 160 acres, which he now occupies. He has had five children, all of whom are living. Himself, wife and oldest daughter are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Kennedy is a Republican, a good farmer, an indulgent father and a highly esteemed citizen.

JACOB KNECHT, farmer, P. O. Dayton, is a native of the village of Haha- frashen in Bavaria, Germany, where he was born December 23, 1835, of parents, Jacob and Marion (Gilder) Knecht, both of German birth. By- occupation, the father was a farmer. Both parents died when Jacob was but a youth. In the fall of 1853, No- vember 20, he came to America, money for his passage having been sent him by an uncle, Christ Miller, then living in Montgomery County. On landing in New York City, he there passed a few days, going to Philadelphia, thence to Cincinnati, and in a few weeks on up into Montgomery County. Here he was employed some years per- forming farm labor and working in the nursery of George R. Mumma. On the loth

432

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

of January, he was united in marriage to Magdalena, daughter of Jacob and Mary A. (Pollurst) Semon, a native of Germany, and to them have been born the following- named children : John, Charles, Elizabeth, Catharine, Jacob, George, Christ and Julia, the three last named being dead. Our subject, not differing from the Germans in gen- eral, is frugal and industrious, as is evidenced in the fact of his possessing a fine farm of 130 acres in Harrison Township, near Dayton, and has, upon eight acres near by, erected a large and neat brick residence.

JOSEPH KUNZ, gardener, P. O. Dayton, was born in Germany March 2, 1848. His father, Frank, was born in 1817, and his mother, Margaretta, in 1820. During his stay in the old country, his father was in the regular army six years. In 1854, he concluded to emigrate to America, and, bidding the land of his birth farewell, he set sail for the New World. The West attracted his attention, and accordingly he came to Ohio, located in Dayton, and at once commenced gardening. In 1865, he moved to Van Wert, and after spending eight years there, moved again to Allen County, where he and wife still live. He has raised a family of nine children, three of whom are in Montgomery County. Joseph, our subject, remained with his parents until nineteen years of age, when he commenced work as a gardener, and has followed it successfully ever since. At twenty-two, he married Sarah Armstrong, of near Sandusky, Ohio, and has had by her five children, four now living. They are all members of the United Brethren Church, of which he is Steward.

GEORGE A. KUNZ, gardener, P. O Dayton, is a brother of Joseph Kunz, whose sketch appears in this work. He was born in Germany, September, 1849, and until of age lived with his parents, helping in the garden and going to school. He began life for himself as a gardener, and has since continued in the same employment. In 1874, he married Maggie Bentley, whose parents came from Maryland at an early day, and settled in Harrison Township, where Mrs. Bentley now lives with her eldest daughter, her husband having died twelve years ago. Mr. Kunz's marriage was blest with four children, all of whom with their parents are members of the First Lutheran Church. Mr. Kunz has also been connected with Patterson Chapel Sabbath School from its organization, and since 1875 has been its Treasurer.

MICHAEL KURTZ, nurseryman, P. O. Dayton, was born in Germany December 18, 1842; came to this country when young, and for nine years worked for J. B. Mumma, Esq. In 1862, he enlisted in Company A, Ninety-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry under Captain Martin, now a conductor on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad. He served with his company three years, taking part in all the battles in which the Ninety- third engaged. In 1868, he married Margaret Stark, of Montgomery County, who died in 1877, leaving four children, and in 1879 he was married to Elizabeth Diehl, whose parents we have spoken of elsewhere. By her he has one child. Mr. Kurtz lo- cated soon after the war on twenty-five acres of land in Harrison Township, where he still resides and carries on the nursery business. He is a Republican, and a Director of School District No. 9.

GEORGE KURTZ, nurseryman, P. O. Dayton, was born in Germany June 16, 1846. He is the son of Michael and Theresa Kurtz, who came to the United States in 1854, and located in Dayton, Ohio, where Mr. Kurtz worked at day labor until his death, which occurred in 1874. Our subject was hired to a nurseryman at nine years of age, and worked until 1870, when he married Miss Harriett Stepleton, and commenced growing trees, on shares, for Mr. George Heikes. In 1872, he bought 10 acres of land, built a house, and commenced business for himself, in which he still continues. He is the father of four children, one boy and three girls, all living. His wife's father was a Pennsylvanian, who married a Miss Olinger, and came to Montgomery County in 1821. Mr. K., our subject, when sixteen years of age enlisted in the Ninety-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but after three days his father compelled him to return home. He is doing a good nursery business, and is taking rapid strides toward the goal of suc- cess. Politically, he is a Democrat.

REV. PHILLIP J. MILLHOFF, minister, Dayton, son of Phillip and Mary (Merrick) Millhoff, was born in Franklin County, Penn., September 5, 1832. His father

433

HARRISON TOWNSHIP.

was one of the first settlers of Shelby County, Ohio, but came to Montgomery County in 1840 ; and, after remaining eleven years returned to Shelby County, where he died in 1865, and was followed by his wife six years afterward. Our subject lived with his parents until 1861, when he enlisted in the Fourth Ohio Cavalry. In four months after he entered the service, he was captured by John Morgan, but was discharged by general orders. In 1862, he re-enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Stone. He was strieken with paralysis and came home in April, 1863. In 1864, he married Catharine Snow. After the war, he went to farming in Shelby County, Ohio, and continued that occupation until entirely disabled. For the last eleven years he has lived in Harrison Township. He does not adhere to any particular church, but has preached the Gospel for thirty years. He has four children, all living at home. He is a member of the Old Guard.

LEWIS NEFF, P. O. Dayton, is a descendant of one of the old pioneer fami- lies of Montgomery County. His grand-father, John Neff, a native of Virginia, emigrated to what is now Montgomery County in the year 1801, and entered 1,800 acres of land along the Great Miami River. As quite an extended account of this pioneer and his family have been given in the history proper of Harrison Township, we will refer the reader to it, and not repeat the same in this sketch. The immediate parents of our subject were Abraham and Mary (Speece) Neff, the former a native of Shenandoah County, Va., and the mother born near Hagers- town, Md. The mother was a daughter of Lewis and Barbara Specce, who died in the State of Indiana. Abraham and Mary (Speece) Neff died, the former August 23, 1847 in his seventieth year, and the latter April 18, 1879 in her ninety-fourth year, and both were buried in the graveyard at Beardshear Chapel. Our subject was born at the old homestead April 30, 1810. He was educated in the district schools of the neighborhood and reared a farmer. Mr. Neff has been married three times. His first wife was Mary, daughter of Christopher and Elizabeth Boyer, to whom he was married July 25, 1833, and to them there were born the following children : Mary, Margaret, Catharine, Caroline and Harriet. Mrs. Neff died June 21, 1850. Next, Mr. Neff was married to Hannah Wise, and the third time to Mary A. Weddel, who is still living. Our subject has for a long period of years been closely identified with the interests of Montgomery County. He was elected a Justice of the Peace of Harrison Township soon after its formation and, if he lives until October, 1882, will have served in that capacity thirty consecutive years. He was for fifteen years Township Assessor, and has for quite a number of years been engaged, chicfly, in settling up estates. "Squire Neff," as he is generally called, is an honest and conscientious man and a good citizen. We omitted to note in its proper place, that early in life Mr. Neff learned the cooper trade, at which he worked for several years and was employed in operating some of the early copper stills.

A. C. NICHOLAS, farmer, P. O. Dayton, is a son of Abram and Mary W. Nicholas; he was born on the old homestead May 13, 1827, and remained with his parents until twenty-three years of age, when he went to West Baltimore, and for nine years engaged in mercantile pursuits. In the spring of 1879, he located in Har- rison Township, where he has since farmed. He married Miss Rebecca Rinehart, daughter of Peter Rinchart, an old pioneer of Dayton, and Mary, his wife. Mr. Nich - olas' marriage was blessed with four children, all living-Mollie R., Jennie, Hattie and John Wesley. Mr. Nicholas and wife are both members of the United Brethren Church, in which he has been a class-leader and Sabbath-school Superintendent, and in which he is now Assistant Sabbath School Superintendent.

JOSEPH NYE (deceased), was born in Lancaster County, Penn., January 8, 1808, and, receiving a common-school education, remained with his parents until 1834, when he came to Ohio and located in Miamisburg, Montgomery County, where he worked at his trade of weaving. In 1836, he married Miss Rebecca Weldy, who died three years afterward. In 1842, he was again married to Catharine Oyler, who was born in Jessamine County, Ky., in 1825. They remained in Miamisburg ten years, during which time Mr. Nye commenced farming and market gardening. They next

434

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

moved to Harrison Township, where Mr. Nye died in 1872 with heart-disease, leaving his wife and seven children. He was a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Nye lives on the old place with one daughter and two sons. She sent two boys to protect their country's flag when fanatical rebellion threatened it, and was fortunate enough to receive them both back safely. She is a member of the United Brethren Church, and teacher in the Sunday school.

JACOB PUTERBAUGH, gardener, P. O. Dayton, was born in Bedford County, Penn., January 12, 1814; he is a son of George and Barbara Puterbaugh, natives of Pennsylvania, and both descendants of German families. They came to Ohio in 1824, and, after one year spent in Darke County, they moved to the old Puter- baugh farm, of 300 acres, on the Eaton & Dayton pike, where the father died in 1867, aged seventy-two years. The mother died in 1825. Our subject remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age, helping on the farm and attending school a little. In 1838, he married Christina Arbaugh, daughter of an old resident millwright of Montgomery County. By this marriage they had nine children, five now living. Mr. P. moved onto his present farm in 1843, and has since cultivated a market garden for the supply of the city market. He had one son, George, in the Fourth Ohio Cav- alry, who received a wound in the war, and has since died, leaving one child.

GEORGE PUTERBAUGH, farmer, P. O. Dayton, was born in Pennsylvania January 18, 1818, and came to Ohio with his parents, with whom he lived until twenty-three years of age, when he commenced raising watermelons in the " Bottoms," in which business he continued four years. In 1846, he married Mary Rhinehart, by whom he has eleven children living. His wife's parents came from Pennsylvania in 1837. They are both dead. They had eleven children, seven of whom are now living. Mr. P., after marriage, bought five acres of land on which he built a cabin, 14x20, of Buckeye logs, in which he lived four years, and then selling it bought thirty-six aeres on the river. This he sold twelve years afterward and moved to the corner of the River road, where he remained six years, and then bought seventeen acres on the Greencastle road, where he now lives. He also owns seven acres on the Eaton pike. He and wife are members of the United Brethren Church, of which he is a Trustee.

JOHN RECHER, farmer, P. O. Dayton, was born in Frederick County, Md., February 22, 1840. His father, John Recher, who was born in 1808, and his mother, Anna (Marken) Recher, born in 1816, are both still living in Maryland. John remained at home until twenty-one years of age, when he came to Montgomery County and worked on a farm. In 1867, he married Miss Sarah Nicholas, sister of A. C. Nicholas, and for five years thereafter lived on the Nicholas homestead. At the expi- ration of this time he moved to his present farm, and has remained here since. He has three children, two boys and one girl. During the war, he was drafted into the service, but did not serve. He and his wife are members of the United Brethren Church.

HENRY REDDER, farmer and nurseryman, P. O. Dayton, was born in Ger- many October 13, 1833. He is the son of Henry and Sophia (Shroer) Redder, who never came to this country. Henry, our subject, came to America in 1852, landed in New Orleans, and then came to Cincinnati, where he remained cight months, working in a dairy. From Cincinnati he came to Dayton, where he worked as a day laborer until 1857, when he married Laura Shawen, daughter of David Shawen. After marriage, he rented a farm, which he worked ten years, and then bought the place adjoining his father-in-law, where he still lives. He has two sons living at home. He is a member of the Christian Church, in which his wife is Sunday-school Superin- tendent. He is a Democrat in politics.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county, Part 152

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