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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Adams County, Ohio
from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time
by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers
West Union, Ohio
Published by E. B. Stivers
1900
Please note: STRIKETHROUGHS are
errors with corrections next to them
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NOAH J. DEVER, was born Aug. 17, 1850, in Madison Township,
Scioto Co., Ohio. His father is William Dever,
and his mother's maiden name was Louisa McDowell.
He is the only son of his parents and the first born, but
has eight sisters. His maternal great-grandfather,
John Bennett,
was a soldier in the war of 1812. His father was and
is a farmer, and he was reared on his father's farm, until
the age of fifteen years, when he attended the Jackson High
School. In 1867, he began teaching in the common
schools, and taught and attended school at Lebanon
alternately until 1871. In that year he took a
commercial course in the Iron City Commercial College at
Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In October, 1871, he began
the study of law in the office of Messrs. Harper and
Searl, in Portsmouth, and read law under their
instructions until Judge Harper assumed the duties of
common pleas judge in February, 1872, and hen with Judge
Searl until October 1872, when he attended the
Cincinnati Law School that fall and winter, completing the
senior year and graduating in April, 1873, when he was
admitted to the bar by the district court of Hamilton
County, and immediately began the practice of law in
Portsmouth, Ohio.
In May, 1873, he was appointed one of the school
examiners of Scioto County, Ohio, and held the office for
twelve years. He was prouder of his appointment than
any with which he has ever honored, because it was his
first, and during the whole time he held the office, he was
associated with the reverend and venerable Dr. Burr,
as one of his colleagues on the same board. It was a
great honor for any one to be associated, officially or
other wise, with Dr. Burr, and so
Judge Dever regarded it.
In April, 1873, he formed a law partnership with
Judge F. C. Searl, as Searl & Dever, which
continued until Jan. 1, 1879. He then formed a law
partnership with the Hon. Dan J. Ryan, as Dever &
Ryan, which continued until February, 1881. In the
fall of 1879, he was elected prosecuting attorney of Scioto
County, Ohio for the period of two years. He has
always been a Republican in politics. At his first
election his majority was 144. During his first term
as prosecuting attorney, the term was made three years, by
the law of Apr. 2, 1881, Volume 780, O. L., 260. In
October, 1881, he was re-elected by a majority of 1252 for
three years. He discharged the duties of the office
with ability and fidelity. In the fall of 1886, he was
elected a common pleas judge of the second subdivision of
the seventh judicial district. This election, in the
fall of 1886, was the first state election held in Ohio in
November. In 1891, he was renominated and re-elected
without opposition.
On April 21, 1896, the county of Adams was taken from
the first subdivision of the fifth common pleas judicial
district and placed in the second subdivision of the seventh
common pleas judicial district. This law took effect
Sept. 1, 1896, and from that date until Feb. 9, 1897, he was
one of the judges of the court of common pleas of Adams
County, though he never held a court therein.
On Feb. 8, 1897, Judge Dever retired from the
bench at the close of his second term, and was succeeded by
the Hon. John C. Milner. Judge Dever's
record on the common pleas bench compares favorably with his
able and distinguished predecessors. He possessed
great executive ability and, as a judge, kept all his
business well in hand. He never allowed his dockets to
get behind. Since his retirement from the bench, he
was engaged in the practice of law with great success.
On Jan. 16, 1899, he was appointed receiver of the Farmers'
National Bank of Portsmouth, Ohio, in place of David
Armstrong, deceased, and is engaged in the
administration of that trust.
On July 27, 1876, he was married to Miss Lydia
Austin, of Ironton, Ohio. She lived but a short
time, and on July 4, 1878, he married Miss Mattie
Gilliland, of Jackson County. Of this marriage,
three children have been born: Louisa, the eldest,
attended the Ohio State University from 1897 to 1899, and in
September, 1899, she entered Mt. Holyoke College,
Massachusetts, as a junior; Martha, the second
daughter, is a student of the Portsmouth High School, and
Alice, the third daughter, is in the grammar schools.
Noah J. Dever is a boy was taught frugality and
economy by his father. It may be said to have been
ingrained for generations. From his mother he
inherited his natural acumen, quick perception, his purpose
and will for thorough investigation. He has been
taught to conserve all his physical and mental faculties for
the serious objects of life. He possesses a natural
spirit of investigation, which made him a diligent, earnest,
and faithful student. Not only did he have great love
for the acquisition of knowledge, but happily he developed
the power of imparting it. As a school teacher he was
able to interest his pupils, and so instruct them that what
he taught was never forgotten, but a possession for everyday
use. As a teacher he was successful.
The habit of imparting instruction followed him on the
bench and much enhanced his qualities as a judge. As a
law student, he was determined to master and understand
every subjet he took up. As prosecuting attorney, he
did his duty thoroughly, faithfully, and efficiently.
As a judge, he was laborious, industrious, painstaking, and
thorough. He kept his business up and his dockets ever
lagged behind. He possesses the confidence of the
business community; and since his retirement from the bench,
has developed the able business lawyer that he is, and is
recognized to be, by the public and his profession. He
holds an enviable position in the community.
In politics, he is an always has been a Republican, and
has always taken an active interest. In his personal
habits, he is a model, never using tobacco or spirits.
While not a member of church, he attends the Bigelow
Methodist Episcopal, and has been a trustee of the church
many years. His family relations are most pleasant;
and he is a prominent, well-respected, and useful citizen.
He has obtained his high position in the community by the
practice of those principles which, observed by the great
body of our English-speaking people, have made the United
States and England the most powerful nations of the earth.
Source: History of Adams County, Ohio
from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time -
by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers -
West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900
~ Page 186 |
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WILLIAM DOANE
was born in Maine. He received a public school
education. He removed to Ohio and filled several local
offices. He was elected to the twenty-sixth Congress
as a Democrat, and re-elected to the twenty-seventh
Congress. He served from Dec. 2, 1839, to Mar. 3,
1843. He represented the sixth district, composed of
Highland, Brown Clermont and Adams counties. He was a
resident of Clermont County, and a physician.
Source: History of Adams County, Ohio
from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time -
by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers -
West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900
~ Page
304 |
David Dunbar |
DAVID
DUNBAR. The
writer of this sketch having been personally acquainted with
this subject for forty years, takes great pleasure in this
labor. The history of Adams County and of Manchester
could not be written without mention of David
Dunbar. From 1820 1840,
until the present time, he has been identified with the
county and has been an important factor in all of its
affairs since his majority, and in all that time he has been
the same honest, honorable citizen and consistent Christian
that we find him to-day. His name discloses the
country of his ancestors, and he has the good qualities of
his Scotch forbearer with all their faults and weaknesses
left out.
Diogenes could have thrown away his lantern in looking
about for an honest man, if David Dunbar had been
around. Over six feet tall, with a patriarchial beard
and a commanding appearance, his person would having
attracted attention everywhere.
He was born in West Union in the house just west of the
old stone church where Vene Edgington now lives, on
the fourth of February, 1829 1820, when the
village was but sixteen years old. The howling of the
wolves in the vicinity of the new town of log houses was
among hi lullabies.
His father was Hamilton Dunbar, a sketch of whom is
given elsewhere, and his mother, Delilah Sparks,
daughter of Salathiel Sparks, one of the pioneers of
Adams County. His father was born in Winchester,
Virginia, in 1782, and his mother in Pennsylvania in 1792.
They were married in West Union in 1808. He was one of
the nine children born between 1809 and 1827. His
mother died Aug. 14, 1828, and he was left to the care of
his older sisters. He had such schooling as the period
afforded and on Jan. 28, 1825, at the age of fifteen, was
left a double orphan by the death of his father of the dread
pestilence, the Asiatic cholera.
In A. D. 1832, the sentiment in Adams County as to the
necessity of a boy learning a trade was about the same as it
was in A. D. 32, at Tarsus, when St. Paul as a boy, set out
to learn tent making. Accordingly, David Dunbar,
the boy of twelve, was sent to Pine Grove Furnace to learn
to mould tea-kettles and hollow ware. He commenced
work with Solomon Isaminger but six months, but he
followed the business of moulding at Pine Grove, Aetna,
Union, Vesuvius, Bloom and Franklin Furnaces for four years,
but he did not like the business nor the associations and he
determined to leave and learn another business. As
everyone rode horseback in those days, and as horses were
then equivalent to a legal tender, he concluded to learn the
saddlery business and begun at Aberdeen, Ohio, in February,
1837. He worked at this business and begun at
Aberdeen, Ohio, in February, 1837. He worked at this
business at various places and under different places until
he became of age in 1841 when he located at Clayton, Ohio,
and set up in the saddlery business for himself. Here
he held his first office, that of Constable, but achieved no
particular distinction in it. At this place, he connencted
himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church in February,
1842. When he removed to Manchester in 1844, he
connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church until
1869. In that year he transferred his membership to
the Methodist Protestant Church on account of its form of
church government, dispensing with Bishops and giving
representations in the annual conferences. He has
retained his membership in the Methodist Protestant Church
ever since, that body having been organized in Manchester,
Jan. 23, 1869.
In September, 1844, Mr. Dunbar entered into
partnership with his brother, John, in the saddlery
business at West Union, Ohio, but not liking it, on Dec. 5,
1844, he dissolved partnership with his brother, and went to
Manchester and formed a partnership with John W. Coppell,
under the name of Coppel & Dunbar, in the saddlery
business, which was continued until February, 1846, when the
firm dissolved and our subject retired. At the same
time, he formed a partnership with Major Vinson Cropper,
under the name of Cropper & Dunbar, and the two built
and conducted the first wharfboat ever located in
Manchester. This formed a new departure in business at
Manchester and made it quite a shipping point. The
firm received goods for West Union, Jacksonville, Locust
Grove, and as far north as Sinking Springs in Highland
County. During the time this firm conducted the
wharfboat, John Buchannan had to contract to furnish
oats for the U. S. Army in Mexico and they did not have room
to store away on the wharfboat, the many thousands of sacks
of oats which he delivered to them from West Union.
Smith and Davis owned and ran a packet line at the time
between Portsmouth and Cincinnati. Their boats were
the Ashland and Belle Aire one up, one down each day.
In low water, the same company ran the Mingo Chief and the
Planet. The same firm built the Scioto and the Scioto
No. 2. There was a daily packet line from Cincinnati
to Portsmouth at that time, and their boats were the
Alleghany, New England, Buckeye State, Cincinnati,
Brilliant, Messenger, and DeWitt Clinton. All of these
landed regularly at Cropper & Dunbar's wharf and
transacted a great deal of business. In 1849, Mr.
Dunbar disposed of his interest in the wharfboat and
returned to the saddlery business, which he continued until
1852, when he went into the grocery trade, which he has
remained in until the present time.
It will be observed that Mr. Dunbar had a
penchant for forming partnerships, but on Sept. 12, 1848, he
formed the most important partnership of his life and one
that has continued to the present time. On that day he
was married to Miss Nancy J. Dougherty. For
over fifty years, he and his wife have trod the pathway of
life side by side, hand in hand. They have shared many
blessings together and have had their portion of sorrows,
among which was the loss of a bright son, at the age of
seven years, in 1877.
Mr. Dunbar was an ardent and enthusiastic Whig
during the existence of that party. When that party
dissolved after the Presidential election of 1852, he cast
his political fortunes with the Democratic part and from it
he continued to hold until 1866.
In 1860, Mr. Dunbar became a Republican, and in
1861 there was an election of 1852, he cast his political
fortunes with the Democratic part and from it he received
the appointment of Postmaster at Manchester in 1855, which
he continued to hold until 1866.
In 1860, Mr. Dunbar became a Republican, and in
1861 there was an election held by the patrons of the
Manchester postoffice to determine who should be recommended
for the appointment. Mr. Dunbar received the
endorsement of a large majority of both Democrats and
Republicans and he was reappointed by the Republican
administration. In 1866, he refused to Johnsonize and
was removed, and Wm. L. Vance appointed in his place.
Since 1860, Mr. Dunbar has remained firm in his
attachment to the Republican party and has enjoyed the
fullest confidence of its leaders in this State.
He has a son, John K. Dunbar, one of the
foremost men of Manchester, and three daughters, Anna,
the wife of Marion Crissman, who carries on one of
the most extensive businesses in the county, and Misses
Minnie and Emma, residing at home.
Mr. Dunbar has a delightful home on the ridge.
His son John resides in the same yard to the
southwest, in a new dwelling just completed, and his
daughter, Mrs. Crissman, resides just across the
street north in one of the most attractive homes in
Manchester.
Just in all his dealings, he has acquired a competence
to comfort him and sustain him in independence in his old
age. A successful business man, an honest and just
citizen, a consistent Christian, he has made out of his life
all there is in it. Surrounded by his children and
grandchildren, respected and venerated by all, he is a
living epistle, read and known of all men, showing that the
practice of the cardinal virtues is the reward of the
righteous, a good old age, and when "Finis" is written at
the close of his record by the Recording Angel, it will be
one he will not be ashamed to meet on the Judgment Day and
it will be one of which his children and grandchildren may
be proud.
Source: History of Adams County, Ohio
from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time -
by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers -
West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900 ~ Page 730
NOTE: CORRECTIONS - For "1820," read
"1840." On page 731, in second paragraph for "1829,"
date of his birth, read "1820." |
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HAMILTON DUNBAR.
Andrew Dunbar, father of the subject of our sketch,
was born in Winchester, Virginia. His wife was
Deborah Mitchell, of the same place. They were
married in Winchester, Virginia, about 1779, and several of
their children were born there. They emigrated to
Lewis County, Kentucky, in 1794, when their son, Hamilton,
born Aug. 28, 1782, was twelve years old. Here
Andrew Dunbar adopted the business of trading along the
river with a large canoe between Alexandria, Ohio, and
Maysville, Kentucky. One night his boat capsized, and
he was lost, leaving a widow, four sons and three daughters.
At the time of his father's death, Hamilton was
living on the home farm near Concord, Kentucky. not
long after the family moved to Adams County, Ohio. As
it was a custom in those days that every boy should learn a
trade, Hamilton selected that of a carpenter and
followed it in Adams and adjoining counties. He
entered the land east of West Union, on the Portsmouth road,
where John Spohn formerly resided. He was
married Jan. 14, 1808, at West Union, Ohio, to Delilah
Sparks, born Jan. 1, 1792, in western Pennsylvania, a
daughter of Salathiel Sparks. Mrs.
Dunbar died at West Union, Ohio, August 14, 1828, and is
interred in Lovejoy Cemetery. They were married at the
residence of the bride's father in the property east of West
Union where Thomas Huston formerly resided and
afterwards owned by Hon. J. W. Eylar. Soon
after their marriage, Hamilton Dunbar
purchased the lot just opposite and west of the stone
Presbyterian Church and built the residence thereon in which
he continued to reside until his death. The house is
now occupied by Vene Edgington. Mrs.
Dunbar's brother. John Sparks, was a
banker in West Union, and died there in July, 1847.
His wife was a sister of David Sinton. of
Cincinnati, Ohio, the well known philanthropist.
George Sparks, her brother, died in West
Union in 1842, leaving two sons, Salathiel and
George. The children of Hamilton
Dunbar are as follows: John Collins, born
Dec. 2, 1808, and died the following year; Ann, born
Nov. 21. 1809, and became the wife of Peter Bryant,
of Kentucky. July 16. 1837, and died July 19, 1894; Grace,
born Dec. 6, 1812, became the wife of David Murray,
Apr/ 22, 1829, and died in Georgetown. Ky., Apr. 18, 1833;
Agnes, born Aug. 27, 1815, married Apr. 3, 1838,
John L. Cox, and is now living in Abilene, Kansas; L.
William Willson, born Nov. 16, 1817, and now resides at
Locust Grove, Ohio; David
Dunbar, born Feb. 4, 1820; George Franklin, born
August 3, 1822, and died at Ripley, Ohio, June 13, 1872;
Johanna, born July 4, 1824, married Jesse
Fristoe in 1843, and died at Manchester, Ohio, May 10,
1866; John Sparks, born Dec. 6, 1827, died at
Sigonney, Iowa, June 14, 1866. In those days people
believed in the old scripture command to multiply and
replenish the earth and practiced it.
Mrs. Hamilton Dunbar married at
the age of sixteen and became the mother of nine children in
the succeeding twenty years. She was a pattern of all
domestic virtues known at that time, and died at the age of
thirty-six. Her husband survived her seven years, but
did not remarry. Hamilton Dunbar did work for
Judge Byrd, while the latter was a resident at
West Union. He built the manager's house at Union
Furnace in Lawrence County. He built a dwelling house
at Union Landing for Thomas M. Means, and another
dwelling house at Hanging Rock for Andrew Ellison.
In West Union, he built a house for Peter Schultz,
being the home where Auditor Shinn died in 1851, of
cholera, and afterwards, used by
J. W.
Lafferty for a carding mill. He also built the
house now occupied by W. V. Lafferty on Main Street,
opposite the old Bradford Tavern. At the time he
worked in West Union, carpenters went into the woods, cut
down the timbers for cross-beams, sills and upright posts
and hewed them with broad axes, got out the studding and
rafters and roofed with lap shingles. As to all of the
houses built by him, the work was done in this manner.
He also built the forge house for Sparks and
Means, at Brush Creek - Forge Furnace. He also did
the carpenter work on the home of Col. John Means,
below Bentonville, and now owned by
A. V.
Hutson. But every carpenter has his last
contract and Mr. Dunbar had his in the
Hollingsworth House on Main Street in West Union, Ohio.
He began work on that in June, 1835, and had begun on the
excavation. John Seaman had taken the contract
for the excavation and had worked all day on Saturday, June
27, 1835. He lived east of the village some two miles
and had gone home that evening. He was in the prime of
life and vigor. He had made all arrangements to go
forward with the work on the following Monday, but that
night he was taken with the cholera and died on Sunday, the
28th. He was the father of Franklin Seaman.
Hamilton Dunbar had overseen the work on the
Hollingsworth contract on Saturday, as usual, and had
attended the Methodist Quarterly meeting on that day.
He retired to bed in good health. Later in the
evening, he was attacked by the dread Asiatic cholera and
died Sunday morning at four o'clock. He went out with
the rising sun. At that time it was customary to bury
a cholera patient in a few hours after death. He was
buried that afternoon at the Lovejoy graveyard. In
those days there were no hearses, and the body of the
deceased was taken out in a road wagon. The few
mourners who attended the interment followed the wagon
afoot.
Nelson
Barrere, of Hillsboro, was n West Union at that time
and attended the funeral.
Hamilton Dunbar was the first victim of the
scourge that year. He died in the house built by him
directly opposite the old stone Presbyterian Church.
He was six feet high, of a large frame, weighed 180
pounds, had blue eyes and a fair complexion. He joined
the Methodist church a few years before his decease and was
zealously attached to it. He was a man of great
firmness of character and his family loved and respected
him. With them his word was law. He was a Whig
in politics and devotedly attached to his party, as earnest
in politics as he was in all other things. His
political guide was the Liberty Hall and
Cincinnati Gazette.
His sudden taking off was a
great blow and loss to the young community then only
thirty-one years old, which has not been entirely forgotten
after a lapse of sixty-three years.
Source: History of Adams County, Ohio
from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time -
by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers -
West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900
~ Page 551 |
NOTES:
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