|
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
<
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO
1883 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX
>
< CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO LIST OF
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >
| |
Pleasant Twp. -
DAVID THOMAS, of David & E. J. Thomas,
attorneys at law, Georgetown, was born in Scott Township, Brown Co., Ohio,
May 20, 1826. His father, Jacob Thomas, was a native of
Pennsylvania, and came to Brown County, in 1818 or 1819. He was a
prominent farmer of Scott Township during life, and died Jan. 7, 1852.
Mr. Thomas' mother was Mary Reynolds, a native of New York.
She is still living, and resides in Scott Township. Mr. Thomas
is the second child of a family of eleven children, six of whom are living.
He was reared on the homestead farm, and in early life taught school.
He then attended Augusta College, Augusta, Ky., and subsequently taught
school again. He was a law student with John G. Marshall and
C. A. White till his admission to a bar, at Portsmouth, Ohio, in
November, 1850. He was first engaged in the practice of law at
Felicity, in Clermont County, where he remained until the fall of 1855.
He then came to Georgetown, where he has since been engaged in practice.
In 1859, he became a member of the law firm of White, Thomas & Taylor, and,
in 1861, of White & Thomas. In 1863, David M. Pearson
became a law partner, the firm of Thomas & Dunn was formed, which
continued two years. Charles B. Fee was a partner one year.
In 1879, his son, Edwin J., was admitted to practice at the bar, and
the firm of David & E. J. Thomas was formed. The firm probably
enjoys the best paying practice of any law firm in Georgetown. Mr.
Thomas was a Democrat in early life, but changed his views and voted
with the Republicans till 1872. He then became a Liberal, and has
voted with the Democratic party since. He has never held office.
Mr. Thomas became a member of the Odd Fellow fraternity at Felicity,
in 1864, and is now connected with Confidence Lodge, 307, of Georgetown.
He was married, Feb. 26, 1854, to Elizabeth J. Pearce, a native of
Clermont County, Ohio. Of their five children, two are living -
Edwin J. and David, Jr. Mrs. Thomas is a member of the
Presbyterian Church. Mr. Thomas has been a farmer and
land-owner since 1863, and at present owns a large amount of land in Brown
County. He attributes his success in life to large purchases in land
when the price was low, and their subsequent rise in value.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 43 |
| |
Lewis Twp. -
ANDREW J. THOMPSON, Superintendent of Brown County
Infirmary, Georgetown, is of German and English extraction, and both his
paternal and maternal ancestors were early settlers in Pike Township, Brown
County, where he was born May 23, 1836. He grew to manhood on his
father's farm and enjoyed the benefit of a fair education. In August,
1862, when Confederacy had already threatened the destruction of the United
States, he enlisted under Capt. Foster in the Fourth Ohio Independent
Cavalry and served until the close of the war. He participated in the
battles of Raymond, Miss., Champion Hills, Vicksburg and many skirmishes.
He was serving as Private Orderly for Gen. McPherson, and was by his
side when the General fell. After his return home in June, 1865, he
resumed farming, and, in 1867, married Augusta daughter of James
F. and Elizabeth (Allen) Davis To this union two children have
been given. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were residing in Clark
Township, in 1873, when he was chosen to fill the position in which he has
so honorably discharged his duties for ten years.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 119 |
| |
Scott Twp. -
F. W. THOMPSON, farmer, P. O. New Hope, was born in
Pleasant Township, May 23, 1847; he is the son of William and Jane (King)
Thompson. His grandfather, Edward Thompson, settled
in Brown County in 1796, and here married Susan Feagin she was the
daughter of Capt. Feagin and the sixth child of a family of nineteen
children born to Capt. Feagin by one wife. She died Oct. 29,
1855, in the seventy-sixth year of her age. Capt. Feagin was a
native of Virginia, and served his country with honor during the whole of
the Revolutionary war as Captain. In 1786, he emigrated from Loudoun
County, Va., to a place called Kenton Station, in Kentucky, where he located
a large tract of land. By some mishap he lost his land, and, in 1796,
he removed to Brown County, settling in sight of where Georgetown now
stands. After opening a farm, he, with several of his sons and their
families, removed to Fayette County, Ohio, where he died in July, 1815.
The subject of this sketch was the oldest in a family of six children.
He was educated at Decatur College, and adopted the occupation of farmer and
trader, at which he is now engaged, being the owner of a fine farm of 106
acres. In 1872, he married Ella Sells; she was born in Brown
County in 1848, and was a daughter of Benjamin Sells, a retired
farmer. Their union was blest with four children - Erma Lee, King
Gibson, Benjamin Sells and Lulu Belle. The parents are both
members of the Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Sells has been a
Trustee. He is a Republican. From his grandmother's obituary we
copy the following: Died - On the 29th of October, 1855, Mrs. Susan
Thompson, consort of Edward Thompson, Esq., in the seventy-sixth year of
her age. The deceased was a daughter of Capt. Feagin,
and the sixth child of a family of nineteen living born children of Capt.
Feagin’s by one mother. Capt. Feagin was a native
of Virginia, who served his country with honor through the whole of the
Revolutionary war in the capacity of Captain. In 1786, he emigrated
from Loudoun County, Va., to Kentucky, intending, when he embarked with his
family aboard the boat to go to Limestone, now Maysville, but they stopped
for several years at Kenton Station, and while there he located a large
tract of land, which he by some mishap lost. In 1796, he removed to
Brown County, and settled in sight of where Georgetown now stands.
Several of his sons settled around him, but after opening farms they all
left the country and located in Fayette County, where the Captain died in
July, 1815.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 257 |
| |
Scott Township -
J. G. THOMPSON, wagon-maker, New Hope, was born in
Scott Township Nov. 2, 1818. His parents, James and Margaret
(Gibson) Thompson, were natives of Pennsylvania, of Irish descent.
They emigrated to Brown County in 1810, and settled in Pike Township, where
they remained until the father’s death. Our subject was educated in
the subscription schools of his day, and learned the trade of a wagonmaker
and carpenter, in which occupation he is still employed. On May 16,
1844, he took to himself a wife, who survived her marriage but five years.
On Oct. 21, 1852, he married Elizabeth (Gibson) Purdum,
widow of William Purdum, and by her has had seven children—Enoch,
William J., Andrew J., Helen (wife of Newton C. Wardlow), Mary
E. (deceased), John (deceased) and Marcena. Mr. T.
is a Democrat, a member of the Christian Union Church, and an Odd Fellow.
He is a man of sound judgment and decided opinions, and expresses his
opinion without regard to the public mind.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 256 |
| |
Clark Twp. -
JESSE P. THOMPSON, farmer, P. O. Hamersville, was born
in Pennsylvania Feb. 19, 1806. He is the son of John and Margaret
(Mitchell) Thompson, natives of Pennsylvania, he of Irish, and she of
Welsh descent. Our subject received a limited education in the
subscription schools of Adams County, Ohio, and remained on the farm until
eighteen years of age, when he commenced learning the wagon-maker's trade,
at which he worked twenty years. He carried on a shop in Clark
Township this county, for several years, and throughout his business career
was characterized by his honest dealings with his patrons. When he
came to this township he settled on 100 acres of acres of heavy timbered
land that was willed to him by his father. He was married in 1829 to
Matilda Lawrence daughter of Jacob Lawrence, of Adams County.
She was a school mate of our subject's, and he thought in his school days
that he would marry her, but did not tell of it until after they were
married, when she confessed to having thought the same thing. Their
union was blest with these children - Christine, Barbara Ann (wife of
S. H. Ellis), Thomas H. B., (a farmer of Kentucky), John L.,
Milton, Sarah E. (wife of Samuel Williams), James and
Semantha (wife of Henry Snider). Mrs. Thompson died
in 1878, in the full faith of the Methodist Church, in which her husband is
a local preacher. He is a Republican, and has held most of the offices
in the township. He is the owner of a farm of 140 acres upon which he
lives.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 193 |
| |
Eagle Twp. -
JOHN THOMPSON, farmer, P. O. Fincastle, was born May
24, 1837, in Winchester Township, Adams Co., Ohio. He was reared to
manhood on a farm and received but a limited education. In October,
1861, he married Mary C. Parish, daughter of William and Elizabeth
Parish. To them have been born two children, viz.: Louis E.
and Warren. In the Autumn of 1858, Mr. Thompson moved
from Adams County to Fincastle, Brown County, where he remained until the
spring of 1863. He then located on a farm one mile west of Fincastle,
where he still resides. He has served as treasurer of Eagle Township
four years, in which capacity he still officiates. Is the owner of
forty-three and one-half acres of land in a good state of cultivation.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 230 |
| |
Byrd Twp. -
JOHN M. THOMPSON, insurance agent, Decatur, is the son
of J. P. and Amelia Thompson. He was born at Decatur May 20,
1858, and has maintained a residence there ever since. He attended the
village schools until 1876, when he entered the Normal School at West Union,
then under the superintendence of Prof. W. A. Clark. In 1877,
he attended the Normal School at Decatur, under the instruction of Prof.
William Stevenson, and fitted himself for a teacher, but has never
followed this avocation. He has been variously engaged, and is now in
the insurance work.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 304 |
| |
Huntington Twp. -
JOHN S. THOMPSON, farmer, P. O. Hiett, was born in
Glasgow, Scotland, in the year 1845, and is a son of John and Agnes
(Stewart) Thompson, natives of Scotland. Mr. Thompson died
in 1857, aged thirty six years; and in 1858, Mrs. Thompson and her
son, John S., came to this place, where he has since made a permanent
home, while she resides in Kentucky. She had two children, viz.,
Ludwig and our subject. John S. was married in 1865 to
Jane, the daughter of Amos Evans, by whom he has had four
children, viz., Agnes, Amos, Ludwig and Robert. Mr.
Thompson owns a good farm, which is the place the Evans family
settled on in 1800. He is a neat and tidy kind of farmer, and a
progressive man in every respect.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 176 |
| |
Pike Twp. -
LEWIS THOMPSON, merchant, New Harmony, was born Nov.
28, 1840, in Clark Township, Brown Co., Ohio, and is a son of Lewis and
Nancy (Brooks) Thompson. Subject's father was born in Virginia in
1800, and died in Ohio, where he emigrated to in an early day, at the age of
sixty-two. Lewis is the second child and son of his father's
family, and was married in 1870 to Melissa Frazee. Lewis
at the age of twenty-three, began business for himself. He first
engaged in huckstering, this he continued until 1871, being the year after
his marriage, at which time he began in the dry goods and grocery business
at New Harmony, where he has been very successful. He is Postmaster at
New Harmony and has filled that position for ten years. He obtained a
common school education. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are the parents
of four children, all living - Nelson, Jesse, William H. and Toley.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 220 |
| |
Pleasant Twp. -
DAVID B. THOMPSON, clerk of the National Union Hotel
at Georgetown, was born in Clark Township, Brown Co., Ohio, July 2, 1841.
He is a son of William Thompson, a native of Pennsylvania, and
Sarah (Liming) Thompson, a native of Brown County. The former died
in 1872, and the latter in 1847. Mr. Thompson was the fourth
son and fifth child of a family of eight children - seven now living.
He grew to manhood on the homestead farm, receiving a fair English education
in the district schools. When twenty years of age, and just at the
commencement of the civil war, Mr. Thompson enlisted in Battery I,
First Regiment Ohio Artillery, serving one year in the Army of the Potomac.
During the latter part of his service, Mr. Thompson almost suffered
the loss of his voice from a painful throat disease, and received an
honorable discharge for disability. He returned home, and was soon
after employed as clerk in a store, at Brownsville, owned by Thomas
Doughty, where he remained fifteen months. He then came to
Georgetown (in 1870) and secured employment in his present position.
Mr. Thompson was married, Nov. 26, 1864, to Mary Elliott, a
native of this county, and a daughter of William Elliott. One
child was born to this union - Sarah E. who received a good education
at Ursuline Convent, in the northern part of Brown County, and now resides
with her uncle, James W. Thompson, near Mt. Orab, Green Township.
Mrs. Thompson is connected by membership with the following
organizations: M. E. Church, Masonic Lodge (Chapter and Council),
Confidence Lodge and Georgetown Encampment (I. O. O. F.), Knights of
Pythias, all of Georgetown, and the Masonic Mutual Benefit Association of
Maysville, Ky. "Dave" Thompson, as he is familiarly
called, has served twelve years in his present position, and is well known
to a host of commercial men, travelers, and nearly all the residents of
Brown County. His genial manners, frank heart, and the kind attention
he bestows on each and every one of his guests, have won for him universal
regard and esteem.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 44 |
| |
Pleasant Twp. -
W. JESSE THOMPSON, of Thompson & Fite,
attorneys at law, Georgetown, was born in Clark Township, this county, Oct.
20, 1835. His father was William Thompson, a native of
Pennsylvania, and accompanied his father, John Thompson, a pioneer M.
E. minister of Adams, and subsequently Brown County, Ohio; father grew up in
this county, and married Sarah Lining, a native of this county.
Mrs. Thompson died in 1847, and her husband in 1872. They were
the parents of eight children, seven of whom are yet living. Our
subject is the fourth child and son of these parents, and remained on the
home farm until attaining his majority. He received a good English
education, and for seven years in his early life was a school teacher.
He then commenced the study of law, and was admitted to practice in 1866.
Soon after, he became associated with David D. Devore in law
practice. Judge David Tarbell was a partner about one year, the
firm name being Devore, Tarbell & Thompson. In May, 1871,
Rufus L. Fite became a partner, and on Jan. 1, 1876, Mr. Devore
retired from the practice and the firm has since been Thompson & Fite.
The firm are doing a good business, and are well known throughout Brown
County. Mr. Thompson has always been a Democrat, and once
filled the office of Prosecuting Attorney of the county by appointment,
being subsequently elected and re-elected. He is a member of of
the Masonic Lodge, Council and Chapter, and Confidence Lodge, No. 307, I. O.
O. F. He was married, in the spring of 1863, to Rebecca Metzger,
a native of Brown County. Of their seven children, six are living -
Sarah A., Mary D., William M., Annie P., Jessie and Margaret.
Mahala is deceased. Mrs. Thompson and the four oldest
children are members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Thompson is one
of the active and influential citizens of Georgetown, and is a Trustee of
the Georgetown & Sardinia Railroad Company.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 43 |
| |
Pleasant Twp. -
WILLIAM THOMPSON (deceased) was born Oct. 7, 1808.
He was the son of Edward and Susan (Feagins) Thompson. Susan
Feagins was a daughter of Capt. Daniel Feagins, an account of
whom is given in the history of Pleasant Township. William
received a common school education, and became a miller. His father
was also a miller, and owned the three mills on White Oak, just west of
Georgetown. Two of them he built. He was a man of more than
ordinary enterprise and was successful in business. William was
married June 4, 1835, to Jane C. King, a daughter of Victor and
Mary Ann (Mickle) King, who emigrated to Pleasant Township, Brown
County, from Pennsylvania. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson
are Mary Jane (Coner), Susan (McCalgin), Abbie (Lewis) (deceased),
Frank W., Martha W. and Victor. Mrs. Thompson is
still living about one mile west of Georgetown. She was born Mar. 29,
1814.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 44 |
| |
Clark Twp. -
WILLIAM G. THOMPSON, farmer, P. O. Locust Ridge, was
born Nov. 28, 1836. He is the son of Lewis Thompson, a native
of Virginia, of Scotch descent, and Nancy (Brooks) Thompson, a native
of Brown County, of English descent. Our subject was reared on the
farm and educated in the public schools of his county. He chose
farming for a life occupation and has since followed that time-honored
calling, with good success, now owning a good farm in this township.
He was married, in 1857, to Miss Mintie Bartholomew, a native Brown
County. She is an intelligent and pleasant lady and, with her husband,
a consistent member of the Disciples' Church. Mr. Thompson is a
prominent Odd Fellow, a Democrat and a highly esteemed citizen. He
served for a time as Trustee of his township.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 193 |
| |
Clark Twp. -
J. THORNTON, farmer, chair manufacturer and proprietor of saw mill, P. O. Hamersville, Ohio, was born in Maryland Apr. 26, 1826. He was the
seventh son of John and Letitia (Matthews) Thornton, natives of
Pennsylvania, he of English and she of Irish descent. They emigrated
to Ohio in 1830, and settled in Clermont County, where they lived with their
family of seven sons until 1843, when the father died. The mother
survived him nine yeas, dying in 1852. After locating in Clermont
County the father and sons engaged in the saw mill business in Bethel; they
soon added to their business the manufacture of wagons, which they continued
until the breaking-out of the rebellion, which seriously interfered with
their business; they continued, however, and manufactured wagons for the
Government until 1862, when they sold out their business in Bethel and moved
into Clark Township, Brown County, where they built the Thornton Mill and
Chair Factory, in which they still continue, having had their mill once
consumed by fire. They own nearly a section of land and the handsomest
residence in the township, the latter costing nearly $6,000 in its
construction. The subject of this sketch is the only one of the boys
that ever married, and he has married twice. His first wife, whom he
married 1850, was Elizabeth Morris, daughter of J. P. Morris,
and grand-daughter of Senator Thomas Morris. She died in 1857,
leaving three children, and on Feb. 13, 1872, our subject married Clara
D. Cook, daughter of James Cook. Mr. Thornton and his
brothers, in their manner of living, formed an example of successful
communism; they worked together, owned their property in common, kept no
book accounts with each other, and when one died he relinquished all his
right in the property to the survivors. The two youngest, George
and our subject, are the only ones now surviving. The eldest, James,
died in 1868; Samuel, in 1840; Isaac, 1850; W. P..,
1878; Charles, 1882. W. P. was a prominent man during
his life, and at the time of his death was a member of the Board of County
Commissioners. The brothers were all men of more than ordinary
intelligence, and men who deserve more than a passing notice in a local work
like this.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 194 |
| |
Clark Twp. -
HENRY W. TRISLER (deceased), born near Hagerstown,
Md., Dec. 31, 1789, and died Dec. 10, 1880, being ninety years eleven months
and eleven days old. His father, Michael, when John was
about ten years old, moved to Lexington, Ky., and soon after died, leaving
John and his brothers to support the family. John Trisler
was married in 1811 to Fanny Reed, and came to Lewis Township, Brown
County, Ohio, at that time almost an unbroken forest. He, with a few
others, erected the little stone church on Shinkle Ridge. In 1825, he
lost his first wife, and afterward married Catharine Gray and moved
to Tate Township, Clermont County, where he became one of the Charter
members of Antioch Church, and where he remained until 1870, when he
disposed of his farm and afterward lived with his children. At his
death he left thirteen children, ninety-two grandchildren, over one hundred
great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. On the 11th of
December, grandfather Trisler was interred at Mt. Zion Church.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 194 |
| |
Clark Twp. -
JOHN TRISLER (deceased), born near Hagerstown, Md.,
Dec. 31, 1789, and died Dec. 10, 1880, being ninety years eleven months and
eleven days old. His father Michael, when John was about
ten years old, moved to Lexington, Ky., and soon after died, leaving John
and his brothers to support the family. John Trisler was
married in 1811 to Fanny Reed, and came to Lewis Township, Brown
County, Ohio, at that time almost an unbroken forest. He, with a few
others, erected the little stone church on Shinkle Ridge. In 1825, he
lost his first wife, and afterward married Catharine Gray and moved
to Tate Township, Clermont County, where he became one of the Charter
members of Antioch Church, and where he remained until 1870, when he
disposed of his farm and afterward lived with his children. At his
death he left thirteen children, ninety-two grandchildren, over one hundred
great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren. On the 11th of
December, grandfather Trisler was interred at Mt. Zion Church.
Source: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. -
1883 - Page 194 |
|
|
Eagle Twp. -
HENRY TROUTMAN, farmer, P. O.
Fincastle, was born Jan. 19, 1833, in Germany. His parents were
Henry and Henrietta Troutmann. In 1853, he immigrated to America,
and by the way of Pennsylvania, came to Eagle Township, Brown County, Ohio,
where he still resides. In October, 1857, he married Ross A. Diehl,
by whom he had nine children, eight of whom are still living - Matilda,
Mary, Josephine, Louis, George, Minnie, Elizabeth and Sarah.
Mr. Troutman is a man of industrious, persevering habits, a member of
the Presbyterian Church and the owner of 100 acres of land in a good state
of cultivation.
Source: The History of Brown
County Ohio - Chicago - W. H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 231 |
 |
Pleasant Twp. -
GEORGE P. TYLERSource: The History of Brown County Ohio - Chicago - W.
H. Beers & Co. - 1883 - Page 45 |
.
|
