BIOGRAPHIES.
Source:
A Portrait and
Biographical Record of Allen and Van Wert Counties, Ohio
containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative
citizens :
together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents
of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Ohio.
Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co.,
1896
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DAVID DAVIS, M. D., of York
township, is a native of Jackson county, Ohio, is a son of
Morgan and Mary Davis, and was born in 1858. He
grew to manhood on the farm, but at twelve years of age he
lost his father and the care of the farm and his widowed
mother developed on him and an elder brother, Jonathan,
who still lives on the old homestead. At the age of
twenty-one years Mr. Davis began teaching school; he
had educational advantages above those of the average farm
boy, having attended the Rio Grande college, and Morgan
Brother's academy, at Oak Hill. In 1881 he began a
medical course at the Cincinnati Eclectic Medical college,
attended three years, and graduated in 1885. He at
once began the practice of his profession in Kieferville,
Putnam county, Ohio, where he remained until 1886, when he
settled in Venedocia. In the meantime he married
Miss Elizabeth Evans, daughter of John W. Evans,
and to this union have been born four sons, all of whom died
in infancy excepting one, who is named Morgan.
The doctor and wife are earnest and devout members of the
Calvinistic church. In politics the doctor is a
republican, but has never been a seeker after office;
fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias, and socially he
enjoys the friendship of almost every resident of the county
for miles around.
The professional career of Dr. Davis has been a
phenomenal one from its incipiency, even his brief stay at
Kieferville being attended with triumphs seldom attained by
one who may at that time have been designated as but little
more than a novice in his art. Since his residence has
been made in Venedocia, his professional career has been one
of unvarying success, and well deserved remuneration has
been the result. His exceptional ability as a
physician and surgeon has been recognized through the
surrounding country, and his worth as a citizen has placed
him in a most favorable light in the eyes of his
fellow-townsmen, who do not fail to accord him the full
praise his merits deserve.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 545 |
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DAVID O. DAVIS, one of the
old settlers and substantial farmers of Washington township,
Van Wert county, Ohio, was born in Wales, Nov. 29, 1833, and
is a son of EVAN O. and Mary
(Jenkins) Davis. The father, Evan O. Davis,
was born in southern Wales in 1807 and was a blacksmith and
farmer. He and wife were the parents of seven
children, viz: Thomas, David O., Ann, Elizabeth, Thomas,
Mary and Jenkins. In 1841 the family came
to America in a sailing vessel, landing in Philadelphia
after a voyage of seven weeks. coming to Ohio, they
settled in Jackson county on 100 acres of partly cleared
land, which the father later cleared in full and on which he
passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1867 at the age
of sixty years, a member of the Calvinistic Methodist church
and in politics a republican.
David O. Davis, as will have been seen, was but
eight years of age when brought to America by his parents in
1841, but yet remembers the voyage and the home he left in
Wales. He received his education in the district
schools of Jackson county, Ohio, was there reared to faring,
and there married, Mar. 31, 1862, Miss Ann Alban, who
was born in Jackson county, Ohio, Sept. 12, 1835, daughter
of Thomas and Annie (Morgan) Alban, the union
resulting in the birth of six children, viz:
Thomas, Evan, John, (died at twenty-four years of age),
Mary, Alban and David. The father of
Mrs. Davis, Thomas Alban, came from Wales to America
about the year 1834, was a farmer, and settled on a partly
cleared farm in Jackson county, to which he gradually added,
through his skill and well directed industry, until he owned
about 300 acres , all well improved and cultivated. He
and wife were parents of eight children, who were named as
follows: David, Thomas, John, Evan, Ann, Sarah,
Mary and Elizabeth. Mr. Alban was one of
the pioneers of Madison township, Jackson county,
Ohio, and was an honored member of the Calvinistic Methodist
church, of which he was an elder for many years, and in the
faith of which he died, leaving his property to be divided
equally among his children.
For three years after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs.
David O. Davis resided in Jackson county, and in April,
1865, came to Van Wert county, and bought 175 acres of their
present farm in Washington township. Mr. Davis
has finished clearing up the heavy timber from this land and
transformed it into a productive farm, which he has
increased to 225 acres, and improved with a tasty and
substantial dwelling and good out-buildings, fenced off the
fields, and placed them all under a good state of
cultivation. Both Mr. and Mrs. Davis are active
and devoted members of the Calvinistic Methodist church, of
which Mr. Davis has been an elder for several years;
he also assisted in the building of the first church of that
denomination in the neighborhood and always aids it
liberally with his means. In politics Mr. Davis
is a strong prohibitionist and is a stanch advocate of the
cause of temperance. He takes an active interest in
the cause of education, and was for many years a school
director in his district. He is one of the most
respected Welsh residents of Washington township, and,
assisted by his faithful wife, has reared a most excellent
family. He is a self-made man, and, guided by a keen
perception and a well developed intelligence, has made a
competence that in the near future will fructify in ease and
comfort for the remainder of a peaceful and happy life.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 129
SHARON WICK'S NOTE:
In 1860 the Davis Family resided as follows:
Jefferson Twp., Jackson Co., OH - PO Samsonville on Aug. 6,
1860
Dwelling 1397 Family 1366
Evan O. Davis, 53 M Blacksmith Pers$1500 RE$500 b. S.
Wales
Mary ", 55 F b. S. Wales
David ", 25 M, Stone Cutter, b. S. Wales
Ann " , 23 F, b. S. Wales
Elizabeth ", 21 F, b. S. Wales
Thomas ", 19 M, Laborer, b. S. Wales
Evan Jones, 7 M, b. S. Wales |
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JAMES S. DAVIS (deceased)
was a prosperous young farmer of Union township, Van Wert
county, Ohio, born in Jackson county, in the same state, in
1852. His father, JAMES Y. DAVIS,
was a farmer and coal miner of Jackson county and was born
in 1818. While working in a field he received an
injury which resulted in the loss of a limb, but he is still
living. The mother of our subject died when the latter
was an infant of eighteen months, and until five years of
age he was taken care of by relatives; he then went to live
with Mr. Hugh Anderson, of Allen county, Ind., with
whom he remained eleven years; he next started out as a farm
hand, working in Allen county, Ind., Van Wert county, Ohio,
and in Michigan. In 1880 he was united in marriage
with Minerva J. Hoaglin, born Mar. 31, 1859, a
daughter of David E. and Elizabeth (Snyder) Hoaglin,
to which union three children were born, viz.: Orel
J., Lota M. (deceased) and Anna G. After
his marriage Mr. Davis lived on a rented farm until
1892, when he bought his home. He was essentialy
a self-made man, in the sense in which that term is usually
used, never knew parental care or training, and was
compelled to rely upon his own energies and industry and
native-born intelligence and sagacity to attain a position
among men and to become the prosperous and respected farmer
that he was. Mr. Davis was a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics was a democrat;
he was liberal in his support of church and school, and took
a lively interest in whatever tended to promote and general
welfare of the township and county, and, indeed, of the
whole country. His untimely death took place
Jan. 23, 1896, and his loss was a most severe blow to his
afflicted widow and children, as well as to a wide circle of
sincere friends. His widow is also a devout member of
the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a highly respected
lady.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 130 |
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WILLIAM DAVIS, a
substantial farmer of Washington township, Van Wert county,
Ohio, and an ex-soldier of the late Civil war, was born in
the south of Wales, June 5, 1837, and is a son of Thomas
Davis, who, by his first wife, was the father of four
children, who grew to maturity and were named Ann,
Thomas, Elizabeth and Margaret; by a second
marriage, to Elizabeth Williams, he became the father
of two children - William and John; this wife
died in America, and by his third marriage, to Sarah J.
Gloss, a widow, there were born one child - Celissa.
Thomas Davis came to America in 1842, bought
land in New York state and cleared up a farm; later he sold
his place and came to Ohio and located in Darke county, and
still later, in 1863, came to Van Wert county and purchased
land in Washington township, on which he resided a number of
years, but again sold out and settled in Ridge township,
where his life terminated at the advanced age of eighty-two
years. He was a substantial farmer and a respected
citizen, a pious member of the Congregational church, a
democrat in politics, and furnished to the defense of the
flag of his adopted country two sons - Thomas and
William, the former of whom served under the 100-day
service, in an Ohio regiment.
William Davis, the subject proper of this
memoir, was but five years of age when he came to America
with his parents, and after the death of his mother came
with his father to Ohio. In Butler county, Ohio, he
enlisted, Oct. 3, 1861, in company I, Fourth Ohio cavalry,
to serve three years or until the conclusion of the war.
Serving out the full term of his enlistment and receiving
his honorable discharge, at Columbia, Tenn., Oct. 20, 1864,
he re-enlisted, entering company K, Thirteenth Ohio cavalry,
Feb. 27, 1865, and serving about six months, when he was
again discharged in Virginia, Aug. 10, 1865, the war having
been triumphantly ended. A partial enumeration of the
terrific contests in which he took and active part comprises
only Stone River, Chickamauga, the Atlanta campaign and
Kenesaw Mountain, but he was never off duty in any skirmish
or engagement in which his regiment was called to serve,
save when confined in hospital. As a cavalryman he was
always in the advance and much exposed, and at Huntsville,
Ala., was shot through the right thigh, but after recovery
rejoined his regiment and followed its fortune with
fortitude and genuine courage.
After the war Mr. Davis returned to Butler
county, and was married to Amanda Addison, who was
born in Butler county, May 11, 1845, a daughter of
TIMOTHY
and Sarah (Gallaway) ADDISON. The father
of this lady, Timothy Addison, was born on the
island of Nantucket, Mass., Sept. 20, 1816, and was a son of
Archibald Addison, a seamen of Baltimore, Md.,
but whose shipping point was Nantucket. The protection
papers of Archibald were issued by Daniel Coffin
and dated Sept. 2, 1806, and were granted for his safety, as
an American citizen and seaman, from impressment by the
British - the outrageous conduct of Britain in this
particular being the prime and detestable cause of the war
of 1812. Archibald, however, was an Englishman
by birth, and while on a voyage to South America was seized,
with three others, impressed into the British service, but
after three years of the degrading servitude, he escaped
with a comrade and succeeded in reaching the United States.
Although he had at that time about 500 doubloons to his
credit in the Bank of England, he so keenly felt the
indignity that had been placed upon him, and was so involved
with the spirit of American independence, that he never
condescended to apply for it. Archibald Addison
married, in Nantucket, Mary Meeder, the union
resulting in the birth of six children, viz.:
William, Sarah, Timothy, Lewis, John and Lucy.
Archibald Addison, in course of time, came to Ohio
and was a settler in Cincinnati in its primitive days, but
afterward removed to Butler county, Ohio, and settled in the
wilderness, where he cleared up a farm of eighty acres, on
which he passed the remainder of his life, dying about the
year of 1847.
Timothy Addison was a boy of twelve years of age
when he reached Cincinnati with his father, there learned
the cooper's trade, and in Butler county married Miss
Sarah Gallaway, daughter of Henry and Elizabeth
(Montgomery) Gallaway - the Gallaway and
Montgomery families being of Scotch-Irish descent; to
this union six children were born - Jane, Amanda, Lewis,
John, Franklin, and Susan - all born in Butler
county. About 1872 Mr. Addison came to Van Wert
county, and lived in retirement at Middlepoint until his
death, at the age of seventy-two years, in the Presbyterian
faith. In politics he was a democrat, and for eighteen
years was a constable in Butler county and was once mayor of
Middlepoint.
Mrs. Elizabeth Montgomery, the maternal
grandmother of Mrs. Davis, came from Pennsylvania,
was a cousin of the late president of whom was shot
seventeen times, but nevertheless recovered; she had, also,
two brothers in the old French-Indian war. Henry
Gallaway, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Davis,
was also from the Keystone state and an old pioneer and
Indian fighter. The Montgomerys, indeed, were a
fighting family. Some of them were the Brady,
the famous Indian scout; others were captured and killed by
Indians, while others made terrible retaliation. The
female members of the family were nowise lacking in those
grand qualities which characterized the early matrons of the
colonies and the infant republic, and would often resist
Indian attacks on their cabins in the absence of their
husbands and brothers, already at war, until compelled to
flee, with their children in their arms, to forts or block
houses for protection - as did the grandmother of Mrs.
Davis, on one occasion at night while at another time
the great-grandmother of Mrs. Davis in a similar
attack, brained an Indian with a slop bucket.
"The mothers of our forest land -
Stout-hearted dames were they,
With nerve to weird the battle-ax
And join the border fray."
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 127 |
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CAPT. DAVID P.
DUNATHAN, one of the most
prominent business men of Van Wert, Ohio, and ex-postmaster,
was born in Mercer county, Ohio, Apr. 17, 1840, a son of
ROBERT H. and Mary E. (Protzman)
Dunathan. Robert H. Dunathan was a native of
Franklin county, Pa., born Mar. 7, 1810, to John and
Sarah (McQuown) Dunathan, of whom the former was born in
Scotland, early came to the United States and settled in
Franklin county, Pa., on a farm, where Mrs. Sarah
Dunathan died in 1812, after which all trace was lost
of her husband, but it was supposed that he was killed by
the Indians while boating 0n the Mississippi river.
They were the parents of two children —Robert H., and
an infant, deceased. Robert H. Dunathan was
reared by an uncle, Jacob B. McQuown, until twenty
years of age, when he left his native state, came to Ohio
and located in Montgomery county, where, in 1835, he married
Miss Protzman, who was also a native of
Pennsylvania and a daughter of John and Frances
Protzman. Soon after marriage, Robert H.
and wife moved to Sidney, Shelby county, Ohio, where he
followed his trade of weaving until 1839, and then moved to
Mercer county, Ohio. By his marriage with Miss
Protzman there were born nine children, who were named
H., Sarah P., David P. (our subject), James M.,
Jacob H., Robert L., Edward P., Johnson L., and
Harmon. The mother of this family was called to
her final rest in 1855, and in 1856, in Mercer county, Ohio,
the father married Nancy Moore, to which union
were born two children—George M. and Mary.
The father died in Mercer county in 1872, a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church and in politics a democrat, while
his widow, also a Methodist, still resides in Mendon, Mercer
county.
David P. Dunathan, the subject proper of this
biography, was reared to manhood in Mercer county, was there
educated, and on Sept. 10, 1861, enlisted in company A,
Forty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years, and
was assigned to the Fifteenth army corps, under Gen.
Logan, and first fought at the battle of Shiloh; was
then actively engaged in the siege of Corinth, the siege of
Vicksburg, and at Jackson, Miss.; was then on a forced march
to Knoxville, and also fought at Chickamauga; in February,
1864, he veteranized at Huntsville, Ala., and served as
sergeant of his company until August, 1864, when he was
commissioned first lieutenant, for meritorious conduct on
the field; Feb. 2, 1865, he was promoted to the captaincy of
company A, Forty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry. His
original company veteranized, and served in the hundred
days' fight from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and thence marched
with Sherman to the sea, and onward to Washington, D. C.,
witnessing and participating in all the historical episodes
of the triumphal march of the victorious troops until they
culminated in the grand review at the national capital, May
23-24, 1865, when he was honorably discharged.
Returning to Mercer county, Ohio, Mr. Dunathan
employed himself in farming until 1869, when he removed to
Van Wert and formed a partnership with Lester
Patterson, and for seven years was engaged in the
manufacture of burlaps, and in 1870 added to the business an
interest in a drug store, in partnership with Dr. C. B.
Stemen, which interest he retained two years; he also
formed a connection with J. J. Humphreys in the
retail grocery trade, which lasted until 1883, when, under
the presidential administration of President Garfield,
he was appointed postmaster of Van Wert for the usual term
of four years, but before the expiration of his term united
with Dayton Hard, under the firm name of
Dunathan & Hard, in the handling of agricultural
implements, in which business he is still prosperously
engaged. The marriage of Mr. Dunathan was
celebrated in Van Wert, in August, 1865, with Amanda
Gilliland, a native of the city, born Apr. 9, 1843,
of whom mention will be found in the sketch of the
Gilliland family. To the union of Mr. and Mrs.
Dunathan there have been born three children, of whom
Charles W. is deceased and Laura R. and Jessie
are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Dunathan are
consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and
fraternally Mr. Dunathan is a knight templar Mason.
He is progressive and public spirited in his pulses, and has
been president of the school board for eight years. He
has, beside his interest in his city business, a neat little
farm of eighty-five acres in the county, and is universally
honored for solid citizenship, excellent business
qualifications and his brilliant military career.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 148 |
Rev. William Dunlap
(Deceased) |
REV.
WILLIAM DUNLAP, deceased, was born in Sidney, Shelby county,
Ohio, July 132, 1831, and was a son of William and Elizabeth
(Blakely) Dunlap, the former a native of Dublin, Ireland, born
January 29, 1787, and came to Philadelphia, Pa., in 1816, lived
there three years, and then settled in Shelby county, Ohio.
His parents moved to a farm when he was quite young, but afterward
moved back to Sidney, where William went to school when a
child, and also finished his education there in early boyhood, as he
was always industrious as a student. Although his father was
at one time in good circumstances, by some mistake made in taking a
contract on the canal at Sidney, he failed in business and lost all
his property. When William, however, was sixteen years
old, he bought two acres of land near Sidney and built a house on it
for his parents, where they lived until the death of his father.
Then his mother lived with his sister Mary until after his
marriage, November 16, 1854, to Anna Sollenberger. He
was then twenty-two years old. After his marriage he moved on
a farm one-half mile from Sidney, where he lived six months.
Then he moved on a farm two miles from Port Jefferson, known as the
Cox farm, where he farmed in summer and taught school in
winter. In the latter vocation his experience extended through
seventeen years, having begun when nineteen years old. After
he moved here his mother lived with him until her death, in 1864.
Soon after her death he moved to Port Jefferson and purchased a dry
good store in partnership with S. T. Thirkield, but his
health failed and he sold out his interest in this store and bought
a steam grist-mill in 1867; he sold this in 1871 and built a
water-mill in partnership with William Manning, which he kept
until he entered the ministry in 1873.
William Dunlap was converted when fourteen years
old, but did not join the church at that time, and dated his
conversation from 1870. After the loss of a little boy,
Sherman, Mr. Dunlap was converted by a lady, Mrs. Doran,
giving the illustration of a shepherd taking a little lamb and
putting it in another field, that he might entice the flock into
that field. Thus applying it to himself, he was converted in
the meeting held by Rev. I. Smith and joined the church at
Port Jefferson. He was licensed as a local preacher
immediately afterward by Rev. Joseph Fergueson; was always
active in church work, being a class leader and Sabbath-school
teacher, and in 1872 was sent as a supply to Fort Recovery. He
entered the ministry in 18732, at the conference held at Van Wert.
His appointments were Versailles, Dover, Mount Victory, Marseilles,
Bettsville, Middlepoint, Elida, McComb, Rockford and Ohio City.
He was one year at Rockford and one at Ohio City; three years at
Marseilles and two years at each of the other places. While at
Mount Victory he had a glorious revival, and as a result a church
was built. He also had a large revival at Elida, and many were
converted during his ministry, although his greatest power lay in
his ability to strengthen the members and build up the church.
He always left a charge in a more spiritual condition than he found
it; he was a good Bible teacher, studied the Scriptures much, and
loved to explain them.
Rev. Dunlap came to Van Wert in October, 1891.
For a year before his death he had been gradually failing, but the
last eight months of his life he spent in his chair. Heart
failure being his disease, he could not lie down often, but he was
always very patient. Once he said: "Why, nothing can harm a
Christian; when God has him, he can say to all other powers, 'Stand
back! You dare not touch my child.'" About a month
before his death he had a vision. He saw his name written in
Heaven in large letters of gold; he said it was beautiful.
Often during the night, when one of the family would go to see how
he was resting, he would say, "O, I've been having a blessed night;
I've been talking with Jesus; I'm happy." He was loved and
respected by all who knew him; he was a sweet-spirited man, and even
in his great feebleness he greeted all who came to see him with a
cheerful smile. A few days before his death he said to Dr.
Avann, with a playful smile, "When you are talking about me at
my funeral, and trying to comfort my family, I shall be stirring
around in the other country." He was one of God's noblemen,
and a true minister of His word. His sermon was always clear
and to the point. His faith was firm, and his last expressions
were, "Jesus saves; O, I'm so happy; the Lord is good." The
last chapter in the Bible that he tried to read was Romans 5; but he
could not read it, so he handed it to his son-in-law, Mr. Littler,
who read it for him. His funeral was conducted by many of his
ministerial brethren, at 10:30 a.m. February 2, 1895, in the First
Methodist Episcopal church; Dr. Avann offering prayer at the
home. The following-named brethren were present: J. F.
Mounts, R. Rauch, W. R. Shultz, J. H. Bethards, S. Baumgardner, M.
Gascoigne, J. F. Newcomb, W. H. Leatherman, W. J. Hagerman, J. M.
Avann and J. H. Fitzwater. The Masonic order, of
which he was a member, took charge of the remains at the church, and
held service at the grave. Dr. Dunlap left a wife and
three daughters to mourn his loss.
Mrs. Anna (Sollenberger) Dunlap was born in
Montgomery county, Ohio, February 2, 1833, a daughter of Abraham
and Barbara (Winger) Sollenberger, natives of Pennsylvania.
Seven children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dunlap, viz:
Franklin A., Illyria and Sherman, all deceased,
Mary B., wife of F. A. Littler, a druggist of
Dunkirk, Ind.; Laura E., at home; Eddie, deceased, and
Maggie E., at home. Mr. Dunlap was made a Mason
in Port Jefferson, Ohio; he was also an honored member of the I. O.
O. F. He owned, at his death, 135 acres of farming land in
Ridge township, Van Wert county, and also two business properties on
Washington street, in the city, as well as his residence property.
In politics he was a republican. The marriage of Mr. Dunlap
took place in Sidney, Ohio, November 16, 1854; he was a kind and
loving husband, a sincere Christian, and an ardent and faithful
laborer in the vineyard of the Master.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 202 |
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RUFUS DUPREY, who has been
a resident of Ridge township, Van Wert county, Ohio, since
1857, and has been successfully engaged in farming,
beginning as a pioneer at the woodlands, was born in Gallia
county, Ohio, Mar. 28, 1830. His father
ABRAHAM DUPREY, was born on the island of Jersey, an
English possession to which place his ancestors had sought
refuge from the religious and political persecutions of
France, their native country. From the age of
seventeen until thirty-three Abraham Duprey passed
his life as a seaman, but during this interval married, on
his native island, Miss Mary DeMarrick, and on this
island were born to the marriage the following-named
children: Abraham, Mary, Nancy and Jane.
In 1817 he brought his family to America and located in
Chillicothe, Ross county, Ohio, and for seven years was a
river man, freighting four, corn, pork, whisky and other
products down the Scioto, Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New
Orleans, whence he returned by steamer to Louisville, Ky.,
and thence walked the way home. About seven years
later he became the owner of 160 acres in Gallia county,
where he resided until his death, Mar. 4, 1869 - his wife
having preceded him to the grave in July, 1852. The
eleven children born to these parents were named Abraham,
Mary, Nancy, Jane, Eliza,
Susan, Ellen, Philip, Rufus (our
subject), Elizabeth and one that died on Jersey
island in infancy. The survivors of this family are
Jane, Rufus and Elizabeth.
Rufus Duprey, our subject, has passed his entire
life in agricultural pursuits. He was married in
Gallia county, when a young man, to Miss Rebecca Neal,
daughter of Vance and Nancy (Daniels) Neal. On
coming to Van Wert county, in the fall of 1857, Mr.
Duprey purchased 120 acres of land in the woods and at
once erected a log cabin for the protection of his family,
which consisted of himself, his wife and three children,
born in Gallia county. Mr. Duprey set
dilligently to work to clear his farm. That he
succeeded is proven by a glance at his present estate of 160
acres, of which 130 are well tiled and well tilled, and
adorned with a magnificent dwelling and improved with fine
barns and all modern conveniences. The children born
to Rufus and Rebecca Duprey were named
as follows, in order of birth: Nancy Jane, who
married George Morris and became the mother of
six children—Blanch Altha, Pearl,
Perry, Gale, Agnes and James;
Mary Ellen died in childhood; Francis
Marion, an inmate of his father’s house; Emma,
wife of Thomas Owens and a mother of two
children—Arthur and Oscar; Lavina, wife
of Richard T. Owens and the mother of a deceased son;
William F., who married Sarah Montgomery,
and is the father of one daughter—Fay; George W.,
who is married to Carrie Johantgen;
Ellsworth G., John G. deceased, and Almira
Alice and Oscar, both deceased. Mr.
Duprey is an out-and-out woman’s rights man, and is a
strong prohibitionist, frequently attending the state
conventions of these parties. In his religious
affiliations he and his children, with the exception of
William, are Methodists, while Mrs. Duprey
and her son William worship with the Presbyterians.
Mr. Duprey is a useful citizen, is popular
with his neighbors, and is greatly respected throughout the
community, of which he has been so long a member.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 150 |
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PERRIN DuPUY, deceased, was
born in Stark county, Ohio, Apr. 23, 1814, and was a son of
John and Julia DePuy, who were farmers of that county
until 1855, when they retired to Canton and there passed
their lives in quietude until their death in the faith of
the Methodist Episcopal church. They were the parents
of the following-named children: Perrin, the subject
of this sketch; William, Lucette and Charles,
deceased; John, a well-known citizen of the city of
Wabash, Ind., and George, of Chicago. In
politics the father was a republican.
Perrin DuPuy, the deceased subject of this
memoir, was reared to manhood on the home farm in Stark
county, Ohio, and received his education in the pioneer
schools of his early boyhood. He early began the study
of the law, and was admitted to the bar in Stark county,
where he successfully followed the profession, making a fine
reputation, until about 1849, when he came to the city of
Van Wert and was here soon at the head of his profession,
which, with repute and lucrative prosperity, he followed
until his death, which occurred Feb. 4, 1871, in the faith
of the Methodist Episcopal church. In politics he was
a democrat, and filled several of the minor city offices,
not for the emolument attached to them, but from a sense of
duty as a good citizen. At his death he left $40,000
in trust with the school board for educational purposes - a
munificent sum at that period. His marriage took place
at Mansfield, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1859, to Miss Maria L. Bart,
who was born in Richland county, Ohio, Jan. 28,1 836, a
daughter of Col. Jacob and Elizabeth (Rice) Barr,
natives of Hagerstown, Md., and members of the Dunkard
society.
COL. JACOB BARR was a gallant
soldier and patriot in the war of 1812, having raised a
company for the defense of American rights, and entering the
United States service as captain. For conspicuous
bravery on the field and other meritorious conduct, he was
advanced to the rank of colonel, and held this position on
being retired from the service at the close of hostilities.
He was a whig in his politics, was a phenomenally successful
business man and was highly respected wherever known.
To Col. Jacob Barr, and his wife, were born a family
of seven children, as follows: Samuel W., of
Mansfield, Ohio, inventor of a cash carrier, now in general
use; Susan A., wife of R. M. Coulter, of
Richland County, Ohio; Maria L., a widow of Perrin
DePuy, our subject; Amanda, wife of M. H.
Bonner, a contractor of Van Wert; Jacob H., of
Mansfield, Ohio Frances J., wife of Dr. J. A.
Jones, of Mansfield, and Elizabeth, deceased.
Mrs. Maria L. DuPuy is now living in retirement in
her pleasant home at the corner of Main and Cherry streets,
Van Wert, honored and respected by the entire community, of
which she has so long been a member. She is a faithful
adherent of the Presbyterian church, is very benevolent, and
is a member of the Home and Foreign Missionary society.
Source: A Portrait and Biographical Record of Allen and
Van Wert Counties, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: A. W. Bowen & Co. -
1896 - Page 137 |
NOTES: |
