BIOGRAPHIES Source:
A History and Biographical Cyclopædia
of
Butler County, Ohio
with
ILLUSTRATIONS AND SKETCHES
of Its
Representative Men and Pioneers
Western Biographical Publishing Co.
Cincinnati, O
1882
<
RETURN to LIST of BIOGRAPHICAL
INDEXES >
<
RETURN TO 1882
HISTORY CONTENTS >
| |
MELANCTHON S. WADE
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 469 - Ross
Twp. |
| |
THOMAS WALL
was born in Bristol, England, in 1800. His father, John Wall,
and his mother, Phebe Wall, were natives of that country.
Thomas came to America in 1832, and was married in Hamilton, in
1844, to Hannah Waller born in this county, in June, 1810,
daughter of Levi and Rhoda Waller, who arrived in Butler County
about the beginning of the century. He was in the War of 1812, and
Asahel Waller, the grandfather, was in the Revolution. They
had nine children: William, Thomas, John, Elizabeth, Sarah, Edward,
Perry, Salmon, and Louis. Mr. Wall followed the
occupations of farmer and brass-founder. He went across the ocean
thirteen times after first coming to this country, dying Oct. 19, 1880,
and leaving considerable property.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 486 - Fairfield
Twp. |
| |
TYLER S. WALTER
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 610 - Madison
Twp. |
| |
JOHN
F. WARD, son of Hugh and Sarah Ward, is one of the oldest
persons in the township of Reily. He was born in Morris County,
New Jersey, on the 17th of June, 1817. His parents were also
natives of that State, and his father was a soldier in the war of 1812.
Mr. Ward came to Reily in June, 1849, and was married on the 9th
of the same month to Amanda Hideley, daughter of Henry Hideley.
Mr. Ward is a painter and artist, and has a fine reputation
in his calling. He has established a fine cemetery a little west
of Reily. He is a man of enterprise, and is well situated.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 421 - Reily Twp. |
| |
THE REV. GEORGE P. WARVEL
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 469 -
Ross Twp. |
| |
WARWICK FAMILY
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 559 - St. Clair
Twp. |
| |
LEONHARD WASSERMAN was born in
Germany, Feb. 18, 1820. His parents were John Conrad Wasserman
and Barbara Wolferd. Mr. Wasserman settled in this county in
1847, and was married two year after, or in August, 1849, at Hamilton,
to Maria Gailey, daughter of Balser Gailey and Mary Yeakle
They were early settlers, and are now both dead. Mrs. Wasserman
was born in Fairfield Township, Apr. 12, 1832. They have had
ten children. Mary was born Apr. 29, 1850; Elizabeth,
Apr. 19, 1852; Jacob, May 5, 1854; Henry, Mar. 26, 1856;
Sarah, July 18, 1858; Joseph, Mar. 6, 1860; Clara Oct.
9, 1862; Julia, Mar. 3, 1864; Susan, June 24, 1866, and
Ida, Nov. 2, 1868. Mr. Wasserman, is a farmer. He
has been supervisor and school director for several years.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 450 - Hanover Twp. |
| |
HENRY WAUSON, who fifty
years ago lived on fifty acres in the northwest corner of Section 26,
was one of the most remarkable men who ever became a resident of the
township. He claimed to be a water-witch, and often boasted of his
power to find water when all other experiments failed. Wauson
is well known throughout the country on account of his wild, roving,
careless disposition. There were in the family three sons and one
daughter. He was a cripple, caused by his horse taking fright at a
flock of wild geese.
In 1829 corn sold to the distillers at six and a
quarter cents per bushel, and few sales at that figure. The growth
of corn at that date formed a leading business in Hanover Township.
The soil in this township is now largely held by
Germans, who have supplanted the original settlers.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 444 - Hanover Twp. |
| |
THE WEAVER FAMILY
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 622 - Wayne
Twp. |
| |
WILLIAM WEAVER
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 610 - Madison
Twp. |
| |
PETER WEBER
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 662 - St. Clair Twp. |
| |
GEORGE P. WEBSTER,
the nephew of Mr. Webster, served during the whole of Mexican
War. He also was in the War of the Rebellion, being shot at the
battle of Mill Sprints. His ank was that of colonel, but he was in
command of the brigade at that time. Mr. Webster is now
engaged in the manufacture of paper bags, inventing the machinery
himself, and employing sixty or seventy employees, mostly girls.
The factory was built in 1873, but was destroyed by fire on the 6th of
November, 1880. This was Saturday night, but by a week from
Tuesday it was again in motion as before, new quarters having een
temporarily found.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 662, Lemon
Twp. |
| |
WILLIAM WEBSTER was
born in Liberty Township on the 2d of May, 1811, and is the son of
William Webster and Mary Marsh, who came to this county from
New Jersey in 1806. Mr. Webster was early in life engaged
in the hardware business in Hamilton, in conjunction with his brother,
Joseph Webster, but for the last forty years has been a resident of
Middletown. He has been twice married. His first wife was
Maria J. Kennedy, and he was married to her Oct. 5, 1837. Her
father's name was Joel Kennedy, and her mother's Esther
Moorehouse. By her he had eight children. Albert
Webster was born Sept. 26, 1838, and died on the 5th of December,
1851; Mary was born Apr. 12, 1840, and died Feb. 7, 1841; Joel
K. was born May 29, 1843, and now lives in Kentucky; Laura J.
Ford was born Dec. 3, 1845, and lives in Texas; Charles was
born Nov. 30, 1848, and died June 27, 1868; Florence Nunnelly was
born July 29, 1852, and lives in Galveston, Texas; Thomas was
born Aug. 15, 1865, and William E. was born Oct. 2, 1856.
In a second marriage Mr. Webster was united to Charlotte E.
Hook on the 6th of August, 1869, who has one child, Stanley,
born Sept. 30, 1876.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 662 - Lemon
Twp. |
| |
JOHN GEORGE WEHR was
born in Bavaria, Jan. 10, 1800. He was the son of John Wehr and
Susannah Hauser. He received a fair education in Germany, and
was brought up a shepherd. He was married in 1839 to Barbara
Heilenger, born in Germany in 1810, on the 29th of June. They
were the parents of eight children, of whom six are now living.
Lena Barbara was born Feb. 2, 1840, and is now Mrs. Jackson
Meahl. Mary Elizabeth was born Dec. 2, 1844, and is now
the wife of George Muskopfof Butler County. Simon
D. was born June 25, 1846, and is now residing on the home place, as
is the next brother, George C., born Sept. 15, 1848.
Barbara was born Sept. 20, 1850, and is the wife of Charles H.
Shepherd, of Union Township. Andrew H. was born July 8,
1852. Mr. Wehr came to America in 1843, being in Hanover
Township four years, St. Clair two years, Liberty eight years, and
twelve years in Fairfield, renting places. In 1871 he purchased
the farm where he now lives from James Patchell. It
consists of ninety acres. They are members of the Lutheran Church.
He is a Democrat in politics.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 593 - Union
Twp. |
| |
JACOB C. WEIKLE
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 611 - Madison
Twp. |
| |
CHARLES
L. WELLER was born in the town of Montgomery, Hamilton County,
September 4, 1821, from whence his parents moved to Ox£ord, Butler
County, Ohio, about the year 1826. Both parents died there. Charles
was appointed a cadet at West Point in 1841, but his health failing
under the rigorous discipline of that institution, he resigned after
about nine months' service. He was schooled at Miami University, though
not to graduation. In 1844, after the decease of his father, he took up
his residence at Hamilton, where he served about a year as deputy
sheriff under William J. Elliott. Then he went to
Washington City as a clerk in the general post-office under Cave
Johnson. In 1849 he resigned to take the position of disbursing
officer in the boundary commission under his brother John B., who
had been appointed to run the boundary line between the United States
and Mexico. On the way to the field of survey he was sent back from
Panama with dispatches to the government at Washington. He had there a
long controversy with the Secretary of the Interior, over an attempt to
remove him from the commission, in consequence of which he was detained
there some six months, during which time he was employed by the
secretary of the United States Senate in compiling a book of claims. At
the session of Congress in 1849 and 1850 he was the Democratic candidate
for sergeant-at-arms, and was within one vote of an election. In 1850 he
returned to his former home, Hamilton, bought out the newspaper organ of
the Democratic party, the Telegraph, which he edited for two years or
more, during which time he was sent by his party as representative to
the Ohio Legislature. After serving one session he resigned, and in
December, 1852, he started with his wife (Miranda Martindell),
whom he married in 1846, for California, where he arrived January 6,
1853, and located at San Francisco, where he still resides. He was
appointed under President Pierce assistant United States appraiser of
merchandise; also pension agent, both of which positions he resigned,
upon his being appointed postmaster of San Francisco in August, 1854.
This latter office he held until April, 1861, since which time he has
been engaged in the real estate and stock-broker's business, arid in
mining operations, being president of the Ophir, the Mexican, the Crown
Point, and the Exchequer mining companies, and also president of the
Pacific Stock Exchange Board, of San Francisco.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 350 - Hamilton Twp. |
| |
P. J. B. WELLIVER lives on the
Millville, Reily, and Milton Turnpike, three miles south-east of Reily
Village. He was born in the house in which he now resides, Oct.
31, 1817, and is the son of Obadiah and Hannah (Johnston) Welliver.
He was a native of Pennsylvania, and she of New Jersey, being married in
Pennsylvania in 1796, and coming to Ohio in a wagon in 1810. He
entered a quarter where his son now lives, dying in 1839. His wife
lived till 1865. There were nine children in the family, of whom
but two are now living, P. J. B. Welliver and Mrs. Samuel Jobe.
He has always resided on the farm, with the exception of about a year he
spent in a store at Brownsville, Indiana. His early education was
derived from the district school, attending the private school of
Aaron Powers one year. He was married Nov. 30, 1837, to
Elizabeth M., daughter of James and Rachel (Mills) Everson.
She was born Sept. 25, 1817. They have had nine children -
Emma, Cynthia Ann, Susan K., Minerva, Sarah S. (dead), Alfred J.,
James E., Lockey J., and Nannie H. (dead). Mr.
Welliver served as justice of the peace of Reily Township for nine
successive years, beginning about 1855, and one term of three years
since the war. He was a Master Mason of the Oxford Lodge, but has
taken out his withdrawal card. He is a member of Union Lodge, No.
2400, of the Knights of Honor of Reily. Their children are all
married. Emma is now Mrs. Henry Garner; Cynthia,
Mrs. George Clark; Susan, Mrs. G. W. Garner; Minerva,
Mrs. W. H. H. Pierson; Lockey, Mrs. James R. Van Ness. Mr.
Welliver is a Democrat.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 421 - Reily Twp. |
| |
FRANKLIN W.
WHITAKER, dealer in groceries, queensware, and
country produce, was born in Mason, Warren County, Ohio, Dec. 8, 1840.
He is the son of David R. Whitaker and Mary A. Thompson. He
was married in Hamilton, Sept. 3, 1870, to Sowara E. Cassedy, a
native of Mason, where she was born Oct. 15, 1851. She is the
daughter of Samuel M. Cassedy and Elizabeth E. Meighan.
Mr. Whitaker was elected justice of the peace, Apr. 12, 1877, for
Lemon Township, and was also assessor for the years 1880 and 1881.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 380 - Hamilton Twp |
PHOTO
|
GEORGE W. WHITE, the
well-known artist of this city, was born on the 8th of November, 1826,
at Oxford. His father, George G. White, was a native of
Virginia, and emigrated at an early age to Ohio, settling in Fairfield
Township, near Black Bottom, in the year 1800. In 1824 he became
postmaster of the village of Oxford, continuing in office some
twenty-five years. Here George W. White began his first
attempts at painting, which it is believed, are mostly destroyed.
Mr. Higgins, who resides in the village, was the first to
encourage him in the idea of becoming a painter and gave him a lump of
crude lead. With these crude appliances he began a picture on a
piece of unprepared bed-ticking, and placing it on the house-top to dry.
His first essay at painting heads was made in Hamilton, in the year
1840, with S. S. Walker, under whose direction he was placed a
short time, when he became ill from close confinement, on recovery being
sent to the Miami University as a student. Prof. Moffatt,
seeing his predilection, advised him to continue the study of art.
Although his father was unfavorable to this course of life, he supplied
his son with means to go to Cincinnati, where he entered upon an
artist's career in 1843. He met with but little encouragement.
The painters all assured him that the life of an artist was "a starving
one," and he was obliged to catch up what instruction he could from the
others, not being able to afford regular lessons.
His scanty means were soon exhausted, and he began
traveling as a negro minstrel. This was then new, and he went
through the country with Webb's Serenaders and Sable-Sisters,
following this with a trip on the Ohio and Mississippi with a show
company, comprising minstrels, tumblers, and athletes. At New
Orleans the company disbanded in trouble, and White returned to
Cincinnati and engaged with Rockwell's Amphitheater, on the site
where the Gazette office now is. Here he sang and played
nightly in the saw-dust of the arena, under the cover of burnt cork.
This was his last appearance in public in this capacity. He
resumed the pencil, and returned for a season to his native village,
where he painted cabinet heads of all who would sit, at five and ten
dollars a head. He returned to Cincinnati in 1847, and took rooms
in the Apollo Building, at the corner of Fifth and Walnut, which was at
that time the retreat of several meritorious artists, amongst whom we
might name Beard, Brannon, Miller, Eaton, Duncanson, Whittridge,
Johnson, Tom Jones, the sculptor, and others. Mr. White
had his room-mate W. L. Sonntag, the landscape painter, who is
now living in New York City. The first picture which Mr. White
ventured to place before the public was a half-length portrait of
Julia Dean Hayne. She was then the city's favorite, and her
picture attracted wide attention. She was represented as Virginia
in the play of the Roman Father. From that time on he continued to
paint portraits, landscapes, and son on; in fact, any kind of work was
gladly received. Some of these canvases were the joint productions
of White and Sonntag, who, when not engaged in painting,
were skirmishing about for something to eat. They suffered keenly
from the distresses and difficulties which usually attend this class of
young and undistinguished painters, and were forced to do whatever
offered. Occasionally they decorated omnibuses and railroad
cars, and at other times painted scenes in the Museum Theater.
Mr. White became a member of the
Artists' Union on its formation, which afforded him a sale for a number
of his pictures. In the Summer of 1848 he painted the "Greek
Slave," two pictures, embodying the front and rear views, with the
matchless profile seen to equal advantage in both. This effort
placed him favorably before the public as an artist. The pictures,
after being shown in the East and Wet, were finally taken to New York
and sold for a thousand dollars apiece. He continued painting,
turning out some fie work occasionally, among which were his pictures of
"Musidora," " Helen McGregor," "Beauty's Reverie," "Galbina,"
"Undine," and "Ophelia." Among his portraits at that time were
those of the Rev. Thomas H. Stockton and Edwin Forrest,
the actor. At the burning of Wood's Museum, in 1857, these and
many other works of the artist were destroyed. They represented
the labor of years. He had resided for some time in Covington,
when he was induced by his friends to go to New York City. After
an experience of a year he returned, setting up his easel in Cincinnati,
and shortly after painting "Louis Kossuth" and "Lola Montez." In
1857 Mr. White came to Hamilton, where he has since remained,
excepting during the Rebellion, when he was in Cincinnati. He met
with almost constant employment, and received high and flattering
encouragement from patrons at home and abroad. Among the most
notable of his pictures at that time were those of General
Grant and General Sherman.
He was married in 1866 to Miss Mary,
daughter of the late Major John Crane, an old resident of
Hamilton. Mrs. White died in 1872, leaving one son.
Mr. White, like most painters of the day, depends for a living on
painting portraits and teaching the art, in which he has been generously
supported by patrons and friends.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 364 - Hamilton Twp |
| |
FREDERICK WICKE
was born
in the kingdom of Hanover, near Bremen, Mar. 16, 1839. He is the
son of Henry Wicke and Olive Koolman. He received a
fair education, but at the age of seventeen determined to emigrate to
America, and continued his journey until he reached Cincinnati.
There he was employed six months, thence going to Sharonville, where he
remained until coming to Westchester in the Spring of 1859. In
that year he commenced buying produce, doing a prosperous business.
He rented a small farm known as the Peter Moore place.
Sept. 19, 1861, he was married to Miss Nancy Lemon, born in
Huntsville, Sept.17, 1844. She is the daughter of Christopher
Lemon, an early settler in Liberty Township. They have had
six children, of whom two are dead. Olive A. was born Feb.
28, 1865; Mary E., Apr. 5, 1868, dying in infancy; John T.
died at the age of fourteen months; Henry R., Nov. 28,
1875; and Anna C., Jan 1, 1878.
Mr. Wicke continued on the Pliny Moore
place till the Spring of 1862, when he went to Liberty Township,
engaging in farming and the buying of live stock. This he
continued until the Spring of 1865, when he purchased the Aug farm, near
Westchester, where he still lives. It consists of two
hundred and twenty-five acres of land adjoining Westchester, of a
valuable quality, and finely cultivated. He built his present
residence in 1869. It has fine barns and outbuildings.
Mr. Wicke is largely engaged in buying live stock and shipping it to
the Cincinnati markets, doing this in addition to managing his own
place. He had nothing to begin on, and his life is a good example
of what industry will accomplish. He has held the office of
township trustee for eight years. He is an ardent Democrat in
politics, and is an active and influential citizen. Mr. Wicke
is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Wicke of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 594 - Union
Twp. |
| |
EDWARD WILCOX
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 661 - St. Clair
Twp. |
| |
GIDEON WILKINSON was
born Jan. 5, 1815, on the farm where he now lives, in a log cabin, which
stood near his present residence, which was among the first erected in
this part of the township. His father, Gideon Wilkinson,
was a native of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, and emigrated to
Ohio in 1806. He stopped on the Little Miami River, on what is
called Round Bottom, and raised one crop of corn. The next year he
purchased land in Reily of Jonathan Covalt, who had entered the
farm, but was not able to pay for it. His first dwelling consisted
of four forks set into the ground in the shape of a square, with a bark
roof, and three sides of bark and brush. At the front a sheet was
hung up for a door. He lived in this one season, from Spring till
Fall, until he could erect a more substantial cabin. He was
married about the year 1808 or 1809 to Mrs. Abigail Van Ness, and
had by her six children. They were Abraham, Margaret, Mary,
Gideon, Elisha and Abigail. They are all except
Mary. In the war of 1812 Mr. Wilkinson enlisted under
Captain Crooks, but when they had marched as far as Brookville,
Indiana, word was brought that peace had been declared, and they
discharged. Mr. Wilkinson and Mrs. Van Ness, in
1817, made a visit to their old home in New Jersey, traveling the whole
way on horseback. Mr. Wilkinson died in 1842 and his wife
in 1843. The present Mr. Wilkinson remained with his
parents until their death, they having deeded him the home farm.
The other children were otherwise provided for, the boys receiving one
hundred acres and the girls sixty acres each. By industry Mr.
Wilkinson has added to his fields, until now he owns seven hundred
and eighty acres of land. He was married in 1833 to Mary DeCamp,
daughter of Ezekiel and Mary (Baker) DeCamp. She was born
in Reily Township, June 18, 1818. They have had thirteen children
- Abraham, Miranda, Abigail, Rachel, Adaline, Mary J., Francis M.,
Rebecca E., John D., Sarah E., Harriet E., Gideon J. and Amadore.
They are all living except Abraham, Rachel, Sarah E., and Mary
J. Mr. Wilkinson was one of the township trustees for several
terms, and was school director about thirty years.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 421 - Reily Twp. |
| |
HUGH WILLIAMS
was born in
Anglesea, Wales, March, 1806, and married Eliza Gwilym, widow of
Abner Francis, Sen., in 1833. Mrs. Williams was born
February 5, 1809, in Morgan Township. This union produced eight
children, three of whom are living; Mark, born October 28, 1834,
married, and serving as a missionary in China; Jane, born June
17, 1844, the wife of D. Gaston Boyd, of Newtown, Ohio; Hannah,
born May 2, 1848, the widow of Professor James A. Clark, now of
New London. Mr. Williams came to America in 1829, stopping
in Pennsylvania for one year, then coming to Paddy's Run and beginning
business as a blacksmith, which trade be followed until 1845. In
1847 he purchased a farm of one hundred acres, on which he lived until
his death in March, 1870. He was one of the prominent men of
Morgan Township; was identified with all public improvements; and was a
prominent member of the New London Congregational Church of which he was
deacon, for more than forty years. Mark Williams married
Isabella Riggs, daughter of the Rev. S. R. Riggs, the
distinguished missionary. He graduated at Oxford in 1858, went to
Lane Seminary in the Fall of the same year, where he remained for three
years, joining the ministry in 1861. After his theological course
he preached for a short time in Illinois in Wisconsin, and in 1866 was
sent to China by the American Board of Missions, where he has since
resided.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 434 - Morgan Twp. |
| |
ABSALOM WILLIAMSON,
farmer, the son of Arthur Williamson and Caroline Henderson ,was
born near Lesourdsville, June 27, 1827. His parents were from near
Freehold, New Jersey, and came here in 1819. His grandfather,
Hendrick Williamson, served in the Revolutionary War, as did his
great-grandfather on his mother's side, John Henderson. The
latter was a captain, and participated in the battle of Monmouth.
A brother of Captain Henderson was a colonel in the same
engagement. Mr. Williamson's brother, H. V. Williamson,
was in the one-hundred-day's service in the Kenawha Valley, West
Virginia.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 610 -
Madison Twp. |
| |
AUGUSTINE E. WILLIAMSON,
son of David B. Williamson and Betsy (Elliott) Williamson, was
born Jan. 29, 1842, in this townships, and was married in 1865 to
Eliza Ann Swearingen, born Oct. 12, 1846, in Warren County.
They have three children: Mineola?, born Oct. 8, 1866; Bertha,
Feb. 13, 1870, and Grace, Jan. 18, 1875. He is engaged in
the purchase of grain and stock, under the firm name of Kyle &
Williamson. He owns two hundred and fifty acres of land, and
has been an important and influential man in this community.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 501 -
Liberty Twp. |
| |
JAMES HARRISON WILLIAMSON, M. D.,
father of Dr. Henry Allen Williamson, was born in Scott County,
Kentucky, about 1824. Caroline Payne, his wife, was born in
Frankfort County, Kentucky, about 1821. This marriage resulted in
three children, one dying in infancy; Henry Allen, born October
10, 1845, married, and a resident of New London; Preston Emmett,
born March 4, 1848, married and a dentist at Frankfort, Kentucky.
Dr. Williamson, Sen., was one of the pioneer settlers of Scott
County, Kentucky, and ranked as one of the foremost citizens. He
gave both of his children a liberal education, and, though not a man of
large means, at one time lost all his property. His son, Henry
Allen, was born in Boone County, Kentucky, married Mary Belle
Sleet, of the same place, October 10, 1867. His wife was
born May 28, 1851. The results are four children two of whom live:
Lula Belle, born June 29, 1876; Weedie A., born January
18, 1876. Dr. Williamson, Jr., studied medicine for one
year under Dr. John Needham, of Newcastle, Indiana, and in 1867
began his studies at one of the medical colleges of Cincinnati, where he
graduated in 1870. He has since practiced in Paris, Kentucky, for
one year, and now follows his profession in the country of Paddy's Run.
All the Williamsons are Baptists, religiously. The father
of James H. was a Virginian by birth. He came down the Ohio
at an early day on a flat-boat, fighting his way through the Indian
nations. William Payne, the grandfather of Dr. H. A.
Williamson on his mother's side, was also a Virginian, a captain in
the war of 1812, and a great hunter, keeping a pack of hounds to the day
of his death. Dr. Williamson, Sen., died September
4, 1848.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 436 - Morgan Twp. |
| |
SILAS WILLIAMSON's
father, John, was born in 1790, and was eight years old when he
came out here with his father, David. They were of Holand
descent. David Williamson, the grandfather, married Mary
Van Dyke in 1787, and emigrated from Pennsylvania to Kentucky in
June, 1797, and from Kentucky to Ohio in November, 1798, and settled in
Liberty Township, in Section 14. He had four sons: George,
born 1788; John, father of Silas, born 1790; David V.,
born 1795, and Peter, born 1801. In 1797 there was a
settlement formed on Beatty's place. Beatty was the
first, and Voorhees the next. It is said this township owed
its name of Liberty to old Squire John Morrow, who had formerly
lived in Liberty, Pennsylvania, and that he went to Hamilton expressly
to have the name given. There was a hand-mill at Mr. Beatty's
place, and the stone was afterwards put under the cornerstone of a barn.
Mr. Williamson was born in 1819, on the farm where he now lives,
in Section 15. He was married to Christina White in 1843,
and has two children, Cordelia, born in 1840, and Milton,
born in 1810. The latter was married to Ada Beatty in 1878.
Mr. Williamson's mother's name was Christina Brewer.
She was born in Mercer County, Kentucky, in 1798, married in 1817, and
died in 1843. She had seven children: David, Silas, Mary Ann,
Jane, John T., George W., and Margaret. Silas
Williamson was elected township clerk in 1865, and ha held the
office ever since, with the exception of two years. He was elected
a justice of the peace in 1864, and has held that office ever since.
He has been for many years a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church, as
were his father and grandfather before him.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 501 -Liberty
Twp. |
| |
BURNS WILSON was born in
Wayne Township, Aug. 11, 1823. His parents were Brown Wilson,
who was born in England in 1774, and Mary Burns, who was born in
Pennsylvania, Feb. 7, 1780. They came to this county about 1800,
where Mr. Wilson immediately began improving some ground, of
which he left a sixteenth interest to his son upon his death, Sept. 26,
1823. He has completed the improvements until it is now one of the
finest farms in the county, comprising four hundred and twenty-seven
acres, much having been added to it. It now embraces the old
homestead. He was married in Milford, Mar. 3, 1830. Their
children are Richmond, William Edward, Mary Ann, Ella Irene, Samuel
Brown, George Burns, Ada Melinda, and George Alvin.
Mrs. Wilson's father was Samuel Young, born
in Pennsylvania, Oct. 9, 1792, and Ruhannah McKane, who was born
in Warren County. Several of the family have been in the service
of the United States. John Wilson, his uncle, his uncle,
and Thomas Burns were in the War of 1812, and Samuel Edgar,
his brother, was one of the hundred-days' men in the last war.
Mr. Wilson himself furnished a substitute. His mother died
June 22, 1865. Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 622 - Wayne Twp. |
| |
JOHN WASHINGTON WILSON,
deceased, was born in Butler County, July 4, 1820. His parents
were Thomas and Isabel Wilson. Mrs. Wilson's maiden
name was Smith; she died Apr. 15, 1856, aged fifty-seven years,
two months, and twenty-seven days. He was married Nov. 9, 1849, at
Hamilton, to Miss Rebecca Saunders. She was the daughter of
Isaac T. Saunders, an old and well-known citizen, and Rebecca
Page. The latter died Nov. 2, 1871, aged seventy-three years.
The father is also dead.
Mr. Wilson was an attorney and counselor-at-law,
and was prosecuting attorney for the county at the time of his death.
He was in the late war in several regiments, coming home with the rank
of captain. He was among the first who enlisted in Butler County.
Mr. Thomas Wilson, his father, was born in England, Sept. 18,
1793, and came to this county in 1797. His oldest child was
John W. Wilson, who early entered upon the study of law, and after
being admitted to the bar, devoted his time almost entirely to it, with
the exception of about ten years, when he paid his attention to farming
and contracting. There is a fine quarry of blue limestone on the
place, and he dealt very heavily in lime and stone. He furnished
all of these materials for the railroad bridge and also the free bridge,
and for nearly all the churches and public buildings of the town,
together with many private dwellings. Mr. Wilson was
engaged in the prosecution of the celebrated McGehean case, and
he paid so much attention to it, working night and day, that it finally
brought him down.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had nine children.
George was born Apr. 25, 1849; Edward and John, Sept.
30, 1850; Isaac T., Jan. 26, 1853; Thomas, July 31, 1854;
Benjamin F., July 4, 1857; Rebecca S., July 14, 1859;
Jonathan J., June 30, 1860, and Clara, May 24, 1865.
Isaac T. died Sept. 17, 1853, and Rebecca S., Aug. 14, 1859.
The oldest son, George, now carries on the farm,, and makes a
specialty of raising peaches and small fruit. He is also a school
director, and has been for about seven years.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 662 - St.
Clair Twp. |
| |
JOSIAH WILSON, a native
of Lewistown, Pennsylvania, was born in 1776, and came to Ohio in 1802,
and settled in Butler County, four miles below Rossville, where, with
others, he entered land of the government for a home. Three yeas
before coming West he was married to Miss Mary Moore. To
them in succeeding years were born two sons and four daughters, two of
whom only are living at the time of this writing. One is
Mrs. Mary Croscort, residing at College Corner, aged seventy-one
years. The other Mr. George Wilson, was born in1814, at
Rossville, and removed to Union Township, Indiana, as one of the
pioneers, Mar. 14, 1831, at which time there were but a half dozen
settlers at the hamlet of College Corner. Aug. 25, 1835, the
latter was married to Miss Nancy Ridenour, who was born in Preble
County in 1818. Five children were born to them while resident
upon the farm. Of these two sons and two daughters are living.
One of the former, Thomas M., is at present a resident and
property owner of College Corner, whose wife was Elizabeth A. Barnum,
of Union County, Indiana, born Mar. 12, 1844. They were married
Feb. 6, 1861. They have one child, a daughter. The
great-grandfather of Thomas M. Wilson was a native of Ireland,
who came across the ocean when but twenty-one years old, and for several
years made a practice of returning to his native country and bringing to
the United States some of the peasantry and poorer class of that
country, whom he was accustomed to bind out in service to the Americans
for an advance upon the price of their passage money, and in this way
made his first start toward a future competency, as he settled in
Pennsylvania. George Wilson was the first one to organize a
Sunday-school in College Corner.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 550 - Oxford Twp. |
| |
JOHN WINGATE.
John Wingate
was one of the earliest settlers in Hamilton. He was here almost
as soon as the clash of arms ended, and remained here through our
infancy as a town, although afterwards going away to other places.
He was born in the State of New York in the year 1774, and in his youth
learned the trade of stonemason. Soon after the date of St.
Clair's defeat, Mr. Wingate came to the Western country with the
army commanded by General Wayne. He was a sergeant in Van
Rensselaer's cavalry, in the battle of Fallen Timbers, when Wayne gained
a complete victory over the savages. He behaved with bravery on
this occasion, and his deeds were long remembered by his associates in
arms. His brother was slain by his side in that action.
After the disbandment of the army, Mr. Wingate came to Fort
Hamilton, where he settled, marrying Miss Mary Dillon, who was
the daughter of one of the earliest pioneers. She died in a few
years, leaving him with two children. Soon after coming here he
opened a store on Front Street, in a log building, situated on the west
side of the street, on the lot now occupied by St. Mary's Catholic
Church. In 1806 he gave up business, and the store was rented to
the Hough Brothers, of whom the survivor, Joseph Hough,
was long an ornament of Hamilton. In October, 1807, he was elected
sheriff of the county, serving for two years, and being preceded and
followed by Mr. William McClellan. On the 24th of May,
1809, Mr. Wingate was married to Mrs. Emma Torrence, widow
of John Torrence, then lately deceased. She was a lady of
great worth and highly esteemed for her many amiable and excellent
traits of character. She was a daughter of Captain Robert
Benham, and sister of Joseph S. Benham, the distinguished
lawyer. Mr. Wingate was elected about 1810 a brigadier
general of the Ohio militia, and in the year 1813 again went out to the
war, serving six months in that capacity.
After his marriage with Mrs. Torrence, in 1809,
he kept an inn for the accommodation of travelers, on the corner of
Dayton and Water Streets, the stand that had been previously occupied by
John Torrence. In 1816 he removed to Cincinnati, where for
some years he kept the old Cincinnati Hotel, on Front Street, between
Sycamore and Broadway, and after a time removed to Big Bone Lick,
Kentucky, where he kept a house of entertainment for several years,
finally removing further West. He returned during the last weeks
of 1851, and took up his abode with John Burke, Jr., near Symmes'
Corner, whose father, when an unprotected boy, had found a friend and
benefactor in him.
His death occurred only a few weeks later, on the 14th
of April, 1851, when he had attained the age of seventy-seven years.
His funeral was largely attended. It was held in the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Hamilton, the discourse being pronounced by the
Rev. Arthur W. Elliott, and the body being interred in Mr.
Elliott's own lot, in Greenwood Cemetery. After the service at
the church had closed, a funeral procession was formed, under the
direction of Louis D. Campbell. The funeral car was
preceded by martial music; then followed a company of artillery with a
brass field-piece, under the command of Captain Nathaniel Reeder;
Major William P. Young, bearing the national flag, appropriately
trimmed; the mayors of Hamilton and Rossville; the clergy and
pall-bearers. The body was followed by the friends of the
deceased, the soldiers, and a large train of citizens. As the
procession entered the cemetery grounds, the artillery commenced firing
minute guns, which, with the tolling of the bells in town, continued
until the service at the grave was concluded. The whole formed a
combination at once solemn and impressive.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 289-290 - Hamilton Twp. |
| |
GENERAL WINCHESTER
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 622 - Wayne
Twp. |
| |
JOHN WITHROW
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 621 - Wayne Twp. |
| |
ISAAC WOLVERTON
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 621 - Wayne
Twp. |
| |
WILLIAM WOLVERTON
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 621 - Wayne
Twp. |
| |
DANIEL WOODMANSEE
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 501 - Liberty
Twp. |
| |
JAMES WOODMANSS
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 502 - Liberty
Twp. |
| |
NATHAN WOODRUFF
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 550 - Oxford
Twp. |
| |
REUBEN WOODRUFF. A
well known gentleman in Morgan, Reuben Woodruff, was born in
Lemon Township, Butler County, Ohio, Sept. 11, 1804, and was married
Dec. 2, 1824, in Ross Township, to Elizabeth Fenton, born Aug.
11, 1808. This marriage resulted in John, born Sept. 6,
1826 - dead; George, born Nov. 3, 1828, now of Edwards County,
Illinois; Stacy, born July 11, 1831, now of St. Charles, this
county; James C., born Sept. 3, 1834; Daniel R., born Oct.
28, 1837, of Paddy's Run; Samuel W. born Dec. 26, 1839; Ensign,
born Aug. 13, 1845 - physician. Daniel and Sarah Woodruff
came to Butler County Jan. 5, 1800. Stacy and Mary Fenton
came also to the same county in 1808. Samuel Williamson, the
sixth son, was a soldier in the late war, in the Thirty-fifth Ohio
Volunteer Infantry. Mr. and Mrs. Woodruff have lived together for
over fifty-seven years, and have raised a family of respectable sons.
Daniel, his father, witnessed the battle of Bunker Hill, at the age
of ten years. His son has now a musket and bayonet used in that
memorable fight.
Source: A History & Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio -
Cincinnati, O. - 1882 - Page 437 - Morgan Twp |
NOTES:
|
