BIOGRAPHIES Source::
HISTORY OF BROWN COUNTY, OHIO
A History of the County; Its Townships, Towns, Churches,
Schools, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of
Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the
Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of
Brown County; Constitution of the
United States, Miscellaneous
Matters, Etc., Etc.
ILLUSTRATED
Published: Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co.
1883
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Clark Twp. -
O. P. RALSTON, farmer, P. O. Hamersville.
Oliver Perry Ralston, youngest son of Joseph and Eleanor (Smith)
Ralston, was born in Brown County, Ohio, Mar. 11, 1824. As was
common in those days, he received only a common school education, but such
was his love and talent for mathematics, that at one time he was considered
the best mathematician in the county. He was raised on a farm and has
followed that occupation without interruption up to the present time.
On Apr. 27, 1844, he was married to Martha Ann youngest daughter of
John and Catharine Pitzer, also a native of this county. There
were born to them six boys and two girls, viz.: James Polk, who
married Permele Jacobs, and is now a citizen of Colorado Springs,
Colo. He served three years as Principal of the Deaf Mute Institute of
Colorado, and is now prospecting and mining among the Rocky Mountains
Serepta Jane, wife of Dr. R. B. McCall of New Hope; Thomas
Hamer, who was born Apr. 27, 1849, and went to Kansas in the fall of
1868, and died of typhoid fever Oct. 8, 1871, in Livingston County, Mo.;
Lewis Warren, born Jan. 7, 1851, read law with Marshal & Thomas,
was admitted to the bar in 1872, married Lutitia Case, and now
resides in Hamersville; Almira Evaline, born Oct. 28, 1852, still
single; Eugene Archimedas, born July 12, 1856, and after spending two
years in the South, is now farming the old homestead; Edgar Lee, born
July 7, 1860, and now in Crystal Basin, Colo., silver mines; Orlando
Frank, born Aug. 4, 1862, also in the prospecting and mining business.
Mr. Ralston's public career is a fellow: Was appointed School
Examiner in 1854, elected County Surveyor in 1857, and re-elected in 1860,
elected Justice of the Peace in 1864, served as Township Clerk during the
latter part of the war, and was treasurer of the fund raised by Clark
Township to fill her quota of men. He was elected, in 1880, to
represent Clermont and Brown Counties in the State Board of Equalization.
Martha A., first wife of O. P. Ralston, died of consumption
Feb. 9, 1866, aged thirty-nine years and eight days Mr. Ralston
was married, Apr. 17, 1867, to Ann J. (Brownfield) Stratton, daughter
of James and Mary Brownfield, and widow of William B. Stratton,
also a native of Brown County. She had one child - George W.
Stratton, who was a member of the Forty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry,
and was a prisoner at Andersonville. Mr. Ralston still surveys
and is often called to settle disputes, and his honesty and known ability
make his decisions nearly always final. He has been a Notary Public
for the last twelve years. He is one of the most prominent Odd Fellows
of the county, was D. D. G. M. in 1871-72, when the district included Adams,
Brown and a part of Clermont Counties, represented this district in the
Grand Lodge of Ohio in 1877-78-79-80, and was Grand Guardian in 1881.
He is noted one of the strong friends of education in the county, although
not a regular teacher, having only taught three or four quarters, but has
always been found giving the cause aid and support when most needed.
He was a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, represented Brown County four
years in the State Grange, and was the first Master of Clark Grange.
He was the first Odd Fellow in Clark Township, and his kind heart prompts
him to be first always in the relief of distress. (For parentage, see
Clark Township History.)
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio -
Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 190 |
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Sterling Twp. -
MARTIN REDDICK, farmer, P. O. Marathon, a
native of Clermont County, Ohio, was born Jan. 22, 1812, and is
a son of Richard and Mary Miller
Reddick, who came to Ohio about the year 1800. His
days were spent on a farm until sixteen years old, when he went
to Cincinnati and drove team nine years. He was married
Mar. 23, 1837, to Matilda, daughter of William
and Catharine Nitzer, who was born Mar. 30,
1812, in Essex County, N. J., and came to Ohio with her parents
when five years old. Mr. Reddick and wife raised
eight children—Richard P., married Esther
Cramer; Emily Jane, wife of P. P. Applegate;
William M., married Mary Jane Birsall;
Elisha, married Sarah Reed; Theodore,
married Evaline Boose; Mary Elsie,
wife of Abram Liming; Maria Louisa,
wife of Alexander Work; and Hannah A., wife
of Walter Gordon. Mr. Reddick
bought the farm where he now resides in 1839, and moved on it.
Besides his own family, he has raised three orphan children.
His boys made the following honorable record during the war of
the rebellion. Richard Reddick was in the
Seventy-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; William in the
First Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and went with Sherman to the
sea; and Elisha was in the Forty-eighth, I and wounded at
Shiloh, in three places. Mr. Reddick is an
old school Democrat and served in the capacity of Supervisor and
School Director for some time.
Source: The History of
Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page
300 |
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Eagle Twp. -
JOSEPH REES, farmer, P. O. Emerald, Adams
County, was born Nov. 17, 1810, in Berkeley County, Va.
When about four years of age, his parents emigrated to Harrison
County, Ohio, where they remained some eight years. They
then moved to Highland County, where they remained about four
years; from Highland they moved to Winchester Township, Adams
County, where they remained until their decease. They were
the parents of nine children, two of whom are still living.
Our subject was reared to man’s estate on a farm, and received
but a rudimentary education. In August, 1840, he married
Melsena Shipley, born Oct. 16, 1814, in Fayette
County, Penn. She was the daughter of Henry and Nancy
Shipley. To them have been born nine children, five of
whom are still living - John N., Joseph W., Mary E., Angeline
and Nancy E. After their marriage they lived in
Adams County fourteen and a half years. In March, 1857,
they moved to Eagle Township, where they still reside.
Mr. Rees contributes liberally to all enterprises
which are beneficial to the county, and is the owner of 210
acres of land.
Source: The History of
Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page
229 |
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Green
Twp. -
ANTHONY RESIBOIS, farmer, P. O. Five Mile,
was born Apr. 1, 1825, in Belgium, and from his youth up has
been engaged in agricultural pursuits. In September, 1847,
he emigrated to America, and, by way of New Orleans, came to
Cincinnati, Ohio, from whence he came to Perry Township, Brown
County, where he remained six weeks. He then returned to
near Cincinnati, where he worked two years; from thence to
Tennessee, where he remained a short time, when he again
returned to Cincinnati, and remained there three years. He
married, in Cincinnati, Miss Mary A. Etnne, by whom he
had four children, two of whom are still living - Mary C.
and Augustus. Mr. Resibois has always been
industrious and persevering in his habits, qualities which
characterize his native country. He is likewise a
self-made man, having comparatively little when he started in
this world for hiself. Politically, he is a Democrat; he
owns 158 acres of land, well cultivated.
Source: The History of Brown
County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 269 |
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Franklin Twp. -
HUSTON RHOTEN, P. O. Arnheim, a life resident of Brown
Co., and a prominent farmer of the northeastern part of this township, was
born in Jackson Township, Brown Co., Ohio, July 26, 1822. He is a son
of Josiah Rhoten, a native of Pennsylvania, who located in Kentucky,
and, in 1814, settled on a farm on the present site of Carlisle, in Jackson
Township, this county. He lived there about one year, and then removed
to Franklin Township, where he resided until 1833. He then went back
to Jackson Township, where he lived till his death, in 1865. He
married Mary Perrine, a native of New Jersey. Mrs. Rhoten
departed this life in 1855. Huston Rhoten is the seventh child
and fifth son of a family of nine children, five of whom are yet living.
He was reared on the home farm in both Jackson and Franklin Townships,
remaining with his father till twenty-six years of age. He was
married, Feb. 10, 1848, to Mahala Pindell, a native of this township,
born on the farm where she now resides. After marriage, Mr. Rhoten
rented the farm now occupied by Lee Spencer, and two years
latter purchased it. The farm contained 115 acres. He there
resided from 1848 till the fall of 1873, when he purchased 125 acres of his
present farm, and subsequently added forty-two acres to it. Mr.
Rhoten has since made another purchase of 107 acres, mostly woodland,
his landed possessions now numbering 274 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Rhoten
have six children - Michael H., William A. (married Hattie Pindell,
Mary Jane (wife of William G. Waters), James B. (a
farmer of Jackson Township), George T. and Cary H. Mr.
Rhoten and wife are members of the Christian Union denomination, which
meets in the school house near his farm.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 208 |
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Eagle Twp. -
WILLIAM RHOTEN, farmer, P. O. South Fincastle, was
born June 23, 1819, in Jackson Township, Brown County, Ohio. His
parents were Josiah and Mary Rhoten, who came to Ohio about 1817, and
settled in what is now known as Jackson Township, Brown County.
William was reared on a farm, and received a rudimentary education in a
district school. In January, 1844, he married Thurza Pindell,
by whom he had nine children, eight of whom are still living - Carey W.,
Rachel A., Michael, Ethan, Melinda, Nancy, Mary and Chil_on.
In 1844, he moved to the southern portion of the township, where he still
resides. Mr. Rhoten has been successful in business during
life. Is a member of the Christian Union Church. Is the owner of
405 acres of land in a high degree cultivation.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 229 |
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Clark Twp. -
ROBERT D. RICE, farmer, P. O. Hamersville, son of
Michael and Lutitia (Ham) Rice, was born in Bracken Co., Ky., Feb. 27,
1837, of Welsh descent. He was raised on a farm and in the low state
of schools in that part he only attended school six weeks in his life.
He was married, Dec. 8, 1859, to Hannah M., daughter of Joseph
Metzger of Lewis Township. They have had three children, viz.,
Joseph H., Elijah F. (died when eight years old) and Susanna.
He came to Ohio in 1862, and to Clark Township in 1879. He owns a
beautiful farm of 100 acres near Hamersville. He and his wife are
members of the Christian Church, in which he has been Superintendent of
Sabbath schools for the last ten years. He is a model man for piety,
morality and sobriety - never in his life having sworn an oath, tasted
intoxicating liquor, kept lewd company or gambled in any shape or form.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio -
Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 190 |
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Clark Twp. -
JOSEPH PERRY RICHARDS, farmer, P. O. Georgetown, was
born on the farm which he now owns and where he resides. His father,
Charles Richards, was born in Virginia Jan. 7, 1804, and died in Ohio
in 1871. His mother, Elizabeth (Connell) Richards, was born in
Ohio Dec. 6, 1809, and is still living. His grandfather, Richards,
came to Ohio in 1829, and settled in Brown County. He was a soldier in
the war of 1812. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common
schools of his native county, and having chosen farming for an occupation,
has since followed it with marked success. He is a Democrat in
politics, and for four years was Township Trustee. He is President of
the County Agricultural Society, and has occupied that position for five
years. He has been twice married, first to Rebecca C. Norris,
of this township, who died in 1863, leaving three children - William,
Charles C. and Marion Lee. His second wife, whom he married
in 1867, was Amanda Berry, daughter of Samuel Berry, of
Pleasant Township. By her he has one child - Samuel F. Mr.
and Mrs. R. are both members of the M. E. Church.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio -
Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 190 |
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Lewis Twp. -
J. L. RICHEY,
farmer, P. O. Feesburg, is a son of William Richey, who
was born in Ireland, in 1780, and when six years old, with his
parents, emigrated to America, locating in Pennsylvania.
In 1794, they pressed on to what, in 1800, became Clermont
County, Ohio, locating near the mouth of Bullskin, where the
parents died, aged respectively, he sixty-five, and she
seventy-six. William matured in that vicinity, and
married, in 1800, Miss Sophia Miller, a
native of Pennsylvania, but in early life came to Ohio, settling
in Clermont County, where her parents died. William
and wife settled in Clermont County, where their life ever after
was spent; he died at the age of sixty-nine, and she
eighty-three. Their family consisted of twelve children,
eight of whom are now living. Our subject, the eldest, was
born in 1825, in Clermont County, where he was raised and
received his common school education. He has ever devoted
his time to farming in Clermont and Brown Counties, living in
the latter since 1846, when he bought 63 acres of land. In
1862, he bought his present farm of 178 acres, which is under
fair cultivation. He and wife are the parents of twelve
children, of whom eight are now
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers
& Co. - 1883 - Page 114 |
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Sterling Twp. -
JOHN W. RICHEY, farmer, P. O. Mt. Oreb,
was born in Lewis Township, this county, May 25, 1843. His
parents were David and Annie (Trout) Richey, the former a
native of Clermont County, Ohio, and of English and German
descent, and the latter a native of this county and of German
descent. Our subject was reared on a farm, and at the
breaking-out of the war of the rebellion volunteered in Company
H, Fifty-ninth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and
participated in the battles of Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission
Ridge, Chattanooga. Pumpkin Vine Ridge, Crab Orchard, Peach Tree
Creek and Atlanta, having served two years and nine months.
On the fifth of July, 1867, Mr. Richey married Harriet
J. Miller, who was born Dec. 3, 1851. She was the
daughter of David L. Miller. Our subject removed
from Lewis to Sterling Township in the spring of 1882, and is
residing on a farm situated on the Williamsburg & Mt. Oreb
Turnpike. In politics, he is a Republican.
Source: The History of
Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page
299 |
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Clark Twp. -
WILLIAM LEE RICHEY, farmer, P. O. Feesburg, was born
in Lewis Township, Brown Co., Ohio, Sep. 7, 1848. He is a son of
John L. and Elizabeth (Trout) Richey. John L. Richey was a son of
William and Sophia Richey, of Franklin Township, Clermont County.
Elizabeth Trout was a daughter of William and Sarah Trout, of
Lewis Township, Brown Co. The subject of this sketch was married Jan.
1, 1871, to Emma, daughter of James and Matilda (Coffman) Swope,
of Clermont County. To them were born two children - George and
Alpha. Emma Richey died Feb. 27, 1874, and Mr. Richey
married Jenney, daughter of Benjamin and Abigail Day, of Lewis
Township, and to them were born three children - Thomas, Robert &
Hattie. Mr. Richey is of German descent, was raised on a farm and
only received a common school education. He and wife are members of
the Christian Union Church. Mr. Richey is a Democrat, and
serving his second term as Township Trustee.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio -
Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 191 |
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Clark Twp. -
A. J. ROBINSON, farmer, P. O. Locust Ridge, was born
in Clermont Co., Ohio, Nov. 28, 1856. His father, Dr. Thomas
Robinson, is a prominent physician of Clark Township, widely and well
known as a successful practitioner and a graduate of Cincinnati Medical
College. He has practiced his profession in Brown County for thirty
years, and has also been an extensive farmer, now owning 700 acres of land.
He has been twice married, his first wife being Mary Ann Wall, a
native of Ohio, by whom he had three children, all sons - our subject, a
young man of good address, of a mechanical turn of mind and of industrious
habits, and who attended the Lebanon Normal School one term; Charles
and George. The Doctor's second wife was Minerva Blair,
and by her had two children - Frank and Oscar Lee. In
politics, Dr. Robinson is a Democrat.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio -
Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 191 |
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Eagle Twp. -
FRANCIS ROSSELOT, farmer, P. O. South
Fincastle, was born in Alsace, Germany, in August, 1833.
In 1837, with his parents, Henry and Frances Rosselot, he
emigrated to America, and, by way of New York, came to Ohio, and
settled in Clermont County, where his parents remained until
their decease. In August, 1862, our subject married
Catharine Amey by whom he had ten children, eight of whom
are still living, viz., Leah, Benjamin, Frank, Ella,
Catharine, Julia, Charles and James. After
their marriage, they located for a short time in Clermont
County; subsequently in Highland County; from Highland they
moved to Brown County, where they remained two years. They
then went to Rice County, Minn., where they remained four years;
then returned to Brown County, Ohio, and located in the southern
portion of Eagle Township, where they still reside. Mr.
Rosselot has been successful in business, and is the owner
of fifty-three and a half acres of land.
Source: The History
of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page
229 |
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Eagle Twp. -
PETER L. ROSSELOT, farmer, P. O. Mowrystown, was born in
February, 1836, in France. When sixteen years old, with
his parents, Peter and Elizabeth Rosselot, he emigrated
to America. They came to Ohio, and settled in Lewis
Township, Brown County, where they remained perhaps twenty
years, then moved to Eagle Township, where his father remained
until his decease, in September, 1881; his mother still
survives, in her eighty-first year. They were the parents
of six children, James, Catharine, Frederick,
Elizabeth, Peter L. and George.
Peter L., our subject, was reared on a farm, and received
but a limited education. In April, 1863, he married
Julia Rosselot, by whom he has five children -
James, Annie, Adella, Lucy and
Lizzie. After his marriage, for four years he remained
on his father’s farm in Lewis Township; then moved to Pleasant
Township, where he remained about five years. He then
located in the northern portion of this township, where he still
resides. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and
the owner of 125 acres of land.
Source: The History
of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page
229 |
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