|
OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
A Part of Genealogy
Express
|
Welcome to
Greene County, Ohio
History & Genealogy |
BIOGRAPHIES:
Source:
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
together with
Historic Notes on the Northwest
and
The State of Ohio.
Gleaned From Early Authors, Old Maps and Manuscripts,
Private and Official Correspondence and
all other Authentic Sources, Ohio - Publ. 1881
By R. S. Dills
Illustrated.
Dayton, Ohio
ODell & Mayer, Publishers.
1881
| |
Xenia Twp. -
GEORGE WATSON, farmer, Xenia, was born
in Virginia, in the year 1816, and is a son of Francis
and Martha Watson - both Virginians - who immigrated to
Ohio in 1818, with a family of three sons and six daughters.
George, the youngest, was married in 1840 to Miss
Cynthia A. McDaniel, who bore him one son. His
wife died in April, 1841. Mr. Watson was again
married, the lady being Miss Margaret Richardson, by
whom he has four children: James W., John F.,
William H., Sarah E., Robert L., and Thomas R.,
all living. Mr. Watson received a common school
education in this county. His son, James,
served over three years in the Union army, in the
Thirty-Fourth Ohio Regiment. William was in the
one hundred days service, and his son, John enlisted,
but was sent back from Camp Dennison. All were
honorably discharged. Mr. Watson and his sons
are among the most energetic farmers in the county.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 -
Page 531 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
DAVID B. WATT, farmer, was born in
this county, in the year 1855, and is a son of William
and Sarah G. Watt, both natives of Scotland. His
father immigrated to this country in 1833, and his mother in
1837. They had a family of ten children, all of whom
are now living but three daughters. David, the
subject of our sketch, was married Sept. 2, 1880, to Miss
Anna Fleming daughter of J. B. Fleming, of Xenia.
He received his education in this county, where his life has
been passed. Mr. Watt and his wife are members
of the First Presbyterian Church, of Xenia. They own a
farm of one hundred and fifty-five acres, one and a half
miles east of the city, and it is a model for those who seek
to find only that which is best.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 -
Page 531 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
GEORGE WATT, physician and dentist,
Xenia, was born in this county in the year 1820, and is a
son of Hugh and Isabella Watt; his father a native of
Belfast, Ireland, and his mother of Pennsylvania. The
former immigrated to Ohio in 1790, and was the youngest
brother of the famous Scotch chemist, James Watt, of
Glasgow, Scotland, who was the discoverer of the composition
of water for which the University of Glasgow awarded him a
medal, which his nephew George, the subject of this
sketch, now has in his possession. His father had a
family of six sons and three daughters, Mary, John, Hugh,
Jane, Thomas, Nancy, Andrew, James M., and George,
our subject, who was married, in the year 1845, to Miss
Sarah J. McConnell, of this city. Having no
children, they adopted a daughter, now Mrs. William H.
Sillito, of this city. Mr. Watt was surgeon
of the One Hundred and Fifty-Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry
from May 2, 1864, to Sept. 4, 1864, and was compelled
to resign on account of physical disability. Held a
professorship in the Ohio College of Dental Surgery, in
Cincinnati, for twenty years, and also edited the Dental
Register for fifteen years. Received his professional
education at the Medical College, and Ohio College of Dental
Surgery, at Cincinnati. Is also the author of Watt's
Chemical Essays, published in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in
1867, and also author of the one hundred-dollar prize essay
of the Mississippi Valley Association of Dentists, besides
many other articles of note. He was twice elected
professor of chemistry of two different colleges in New York
city, but was compelled to refuse all on account of
ill-health. He and his wife are members of the United
Presbyterian Church, and has held the position of elder for
many years. With the exception of about five years,
his life has been spent in Ohio, where he is extensively
known.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 -
Page 532 |
| |
Beaver Creek Twp. -
JOHN N. WEAVER, farmer, was born in
Frederick County, Virginia, in the year 1815, and is a son
of John, and Martha (McCoole) Weaver.
His father was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother in
Virginia, where they were married. In 1823 they
removed to Ohio, and located in Clinton County, where they
remained two years, after which they came to Greene County
and settled in Caesar's Creek Township, where they remained
until his death, which occurred in 1849, in the sixty-second
year of his age. His mother departed this life in
1864, aged seventy-two years. Mr. Weaver was
raised on the farm, and received his education in the common
schools. He labored for his parents till past the age
of twenty-six. In 1841 he was married to Elizabeth
Boots, and for a short time afterward lived in the
southern part of this county, and in Clinton County.
Dec. 26, 1866, came to where he now resides, which consists
of one hundred and seventy-three acres, nicely improved
- his house being a model of taste and convenience.
To Mr. and Mrs. Weaver four children have been born:
Martha, Libbie, John, and Mary, now Mrs. J.
E. Munger. Libbie is one of the successful
educators of the country, having taught in the home schools
for a period of ten or twelve years. Mrs. Weaver
was born in Hardin County, Virginia, in 1814.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio -
Publ. 1881 - Page 624 |
| |
Miami Twp. -
PROFESSOR J. B. WESTON was born on a
farm, about five miles from Skowhegan Falls, in Madison,
Somerset County, Main, July 6, 1821, living on the same
until after he was of age. His great grandfather,
Joseph Weston, who died from the effects of a cold,
caught in assisting General Benedict Arnold to pass
Skowhegan Falls, on his expedition to Canada, one of hate
first settlers of the county, removing from Concord
Massachusetts before the revolutionary war. The
descendants are numerous. Ex-Governor Coburn,
of Maine, is one of the great grandsons. Professor
Weston's father, Stephen Weston, was a farmer in
moderate circumstances, and of very industrious habits.
The son was brought up in the habits of the father.
His school district afforded usually only about two months'
school in summer, and two in winter. The former he
attended till he was eight years old, and after which he
worked in summer, and attended the winter schools until he
was fifteen, reading
................MORE TO COME UPON REQUEST.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
705 |
| |
Cedarville Twp. -
S. K. WILLIAMSON, farmer, Cedarville,
was born near Jamestown, this county, Oct. 26, 1846.
Is the son of John S. and Jane (Kyle) Williamson.
His father was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother in this
county. Our subject was married, in November, 1872, to
Miss Isabel Collins, daughter of Samuel and
Rebecca (McClellan) Collins, natives of York County,
Pennsylvania. Four children have been born by this
union, two of whom are now living, E. C. and Ella
R. The deceased are George S., infant, and
John Clarence. His wife and himself are members
of the United Presbyterian Church of Xenia.
Source: History of Green County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
573 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
S. S. WILSON, physician and surgeon,
was born in Xenia, in the year 1853, and is a son of
Samuel and Mary (Cunningham) Wilson, whose sketch will
appear in this work. The boyhood of our subject was
passed on the farm, and received the rudiments of his
education in the school of Xenia, which was afterwards
developed in the West Minster College of Pennsylvania, in
which he prosecuted his studies for three years, graduating
from the institution with honors. After which he
entered the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati, where he
took a full course and graduated in March, 1880, receiving a
diploma of graduation, and immediately entered upon the
duties of his practice. Previous to his last course of
lectures, he served one year as resident physician of the
Mercy Hospital at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where he received
a broad experience, such as could not be practically gained
in any other way, even in a much longer time. Thus
fitting the doctor for the demands of a practice, into which
he merged in the spring of 1880.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio -
Publ. 1881 - Page 949 |
| |
Bath Twp. -
WILLIAM
WILSON, retired, Fairfield, was born in this
township, Oct. 14, 1812. Is a son of William and
Catharine (Heffley) Wilson. The former was a
native of Kentucky, and came to this county about the year
1800; his wife about 1805, she being a native of Maryland.
Soon after his arrival he entered the land in the eastern
part of this township, which he began to improve, but was
called into the service in the war of 1812, where he
contracted a disease which carried him off about three
months before the birth of his son William.
After his death his wife left the farm, and made her home
with his father, Michael Wilson, where she died six
months after the birth of William. Our subject
continued living with his grandfather on the farm till he
was seventeen years old, and then went to learn the
blacksmith trade with Jacob Griner, at Byron; here he
spent three yeas as an apprentice, and after one year's work
as a journeyman, bought the shop and tools, and carried on
business for himself, remaining there eighteen years; after
which he sold the shop, and bought a small farm near there,
which he held till 1855, and then traded for a larger farm,
about a mile and a half northeast of Byron, where he
remained till April, 1872, at which time he removed to
Fairfield. In May, 1834, he married Elizabeth Watts.
They had ten children, two of whom survive. His wife
departed this life Mar. 13, 1877. Mr. Wilson is
a member of the Reformed Church, with which he has been
connected forty-four years, and is one of the oldest
resident children of this township, having spent his entire
life here, nearly sixty-eight years, and has witnessed the
change from the wilderness filled with deer, turkeys, and
other game, to fertile fields and fruitful orchards, with
attendant changes in society, and the condition of schools,
churches, etc. Mr. Wilson held the office of
justice of the peace while at Byron, nearly two terms,
resigning, the last term, on account of the amount of his
private business.
Source: History of Green County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
735 |
| |
Cedarville Twp. -
ANDREW WINTER, physician, Cedarville,
was born, Aug. 18, 1820, at Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Removed to South Carolina with his parents, when quite
small. Received his early education at Pendleton,
South Carolina. Commenced the study of medicine at the
age of seventeen, graduating at Charleston Medical College
in 1841, at the age of twenty-one, and commenced practicing
the same year. Removed to Columbia, South Carolina,
remaining there until the commencement of the rebellion,
when he enlisted in the First Regiment, East Tennessee
Volunteer Infantry, served one year, and was wounded at the
battle of Mill Springs; was appointed assistant surgeon
shortly after, filling that office about two months; was
transferred to the Fourth East Tennessee Infantry, and
promoted to first surgeon, holding that position until the
Union forces retreated from Cumberland Gap, under General
George Morgan; was taken sick at Gallipolis, and
transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps. Resigned,
Aug. 28, 1864, and came to his place, where he has followed
his profession until the present time. The doctor was
a personal friend of John C. Calhoun, but differed
very radically in politics. He is the son of Andrew
Winter, sen., and Hannah (Baxter) Winter. His
father was born in what was then called Marion District,
South Carolina, and was a schoolmate of General Andrew
Jackson. His mother was born at Wilmington, North
Carolina, and was a grand-daughter of Richard Baxter.
The doctor, we are pleased to record, is one of the true
Union gentlemen who left that notorious hot-bed of rebeldom
to fight for his country. He was married, in 1868, to
Nancy Turnbull, a grand-daughter of Judge Kyle.
Three children have been born by this marriage, Elizabeth
B., Maria A., and Andrew.
Source: History of Green County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
573 |
| |
Miami Twp. -
CHARLES WINTER, ex-postmaster, was
born in this county, in the year 1834, on the twenty-fifth
day of December, and is a son of John and Nancy Winters,
of Ohio; who came from Virginia, and had a family of seven
sons and two daughters. Charles H., the subject
of our remarks, was married on the 5th day of June, 1857, to
Miss Pauline G. Brewer, daughter of John G.,
and Sarah Brewer, of this county. They have had
five children: Allie, Georgia, and Clara, deceased; and the
two living, Lillie L., and Frankie, are bright
studious children. When the war broke out, he enlisted
in Company F, Captain Aaron Spangler, in the One
Hundred and Tenth Regiment in nearly all its hard fought
battles; some of which are the battle of Winchester,
Virginia, Locust Grove, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and a
great many others. He was wounded in the last named
battle on the 12th of May, 1864, by a shot striking him in
the foot, which, to save his life, was amputated just above
the ankle. After the close of the war, he was
appointed postmaster at Yellow Springs, which position he
filled for some ten years; in the meantime in keeping a
boarding house, both for home and transient custom, and the
writer can testify to it being the first class place to
stop; as Mrs. Winters a woman among a thousand
adapted for the place, making every one feel at home, and is
accomodating beyond a fault. Mr. Winter
is also engaged in conveying goods to all parts of the city,
and is doing good financially; as we are glad to see of all
our soldiers who were unfortunate enough to loose a limb in
the service of our glorious old country.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
705 |
| |
Bath Twp. -
SAMUEL F. WOODWARDSource: History of Greene County,
Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page 735 |
| |
Bath Twp. -
DANIEL WOLFE, retired, Byron, was born
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Dec. 6, 1798, and is a
brother to Simon Wolfe (See sketch.) Daniel
came to this state with his father, when only a child.
After growing to manhood, he followed farming, in connection
with distilling, as was customary at that time. For
many years past, however, he has farmed exclusively
Mar. 30, 1824, he married Rosanna Kershner.
They are parents of ten children, four living, William,
Christina, Barbara Ellen, and Rosa; Simon, Margaret,
Anna E., John M., Sarah M., and Thomas, deceased.
Mr. Wolfe has lived where he now resides since he
first came to the state, and he and his wife have been
together nearly fifty-seven years. Mr. Wolfe
enjoys fair general health, though not able to move around
with ease and freedom. Mrs. Wolfe is active,
and enjoys excellent health for a lady of her years - nearly
seventy-five. Two of their children live in this
state, and two in Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Wolf
are members of the German Reformed Church, to which they
have been connected for three score years.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
736 |
| |
Bath Twp. -
SIMON WOLFE, retired, was born in
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Mar. 14, 1805, and is a son
of John and Christina (Idenire) Wolfe. His
father was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of
Germany. They immigrated to this state, in 1807,
locating in Bath Township, part of the land on which they
settled, being now in the village of Byron. The land
at that time was nearly all covered with timber. He
was a tailor by trade, and followed the business all his
life. Soon after coming to this state, one of those
episodes then so frequent, but now so rare, was enacted, in
which they were the victims, in common with several of their
neighbors. A party of masked men entered the house of
several of the citizens, robbing them of all the valuables
within their reach. They came into the house of
John Wolfe, and holding a pistol at his head, demanded
the key to the chest in which he kept his money. They
then ransacked the trundle-bed, in which Simon and
his sister were sleeping, thinking that part of the treasure
was hidden there, and of course, throwing the children
around promiscuously in the meantime. It happened that
the eldest son, and a Mr. Sidenstick were sleeping in
an adjoining room, and Mr. Sidenstick climbed to the
top of the house, and parting the clapboards, which were
laid on with cross poles to hold them in their places, made
his escape. The watch on the outside saw him, after he
had started away and gave the alarm. They then broke
the chest open with a flat-iron, and hurriedly took all the
money - some four hundred dollars - together with other
articles of value, and made their escape. They robbed
Mr. Folck and several others the same night.
One of the gang was afterwards identified by a young lady,
and he only, Jacob Kent, by name, was arrested and
placed in jail at Xenia. On the day set for trial,
however, one of the bailiff's accidentally discharged a
pistol, the ball taking effect in Kent's shoulder,
preventing the trial. He afterwards escaped from jail
and fled to Canada, where he was seen some years later.
John Wolfe was the father of ten children, Mary,
John, Jacob, George, Daniel, Henry, Sarah, Simon, Elizabeth,
and Louis. Three only are now living, Sarah,
Mrs. Durst of Dayton, aged ninety-three; Daniel,
now eighty-two, and Simon seventy-five. Our
subject has followed farming all his life in connection with
distilling, which he carried on in earlier years. He
was married, in 1828, to Anna Kershner. They
are parents of four children; three survive. One
daughter died at the age of nineteen. Mrs. Wolfe died
July 9, 1875. Mr. Wolfe is still active and
hearty, and has just returned (September, 1880,) from a trip
to the west, visiting relatives in Kansas. He
describes the first school he ever attended, as being a log
structure with dirt floor; large cracks were left between
the logs, and these covered with greased paper served as
windows.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
737 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
DAVID M. WRIGHT, farmer, was born Mar.
3, 1852. Is a son of Merritt and Mary B. Wright.
His father was a native of Virginia and his mother of this
county. His father came to Ohio about the year 1837,
and has a family of eight children living. David,
the subject of our sketch, was married, Oct. 7, 1879, to
Lura M. Tiffany, daughter of the late Thomas Thomas
Tiffany, one of Xenia's old settlers. Both himself
and wife are very zealous member of the Second Presbyterian
Church of Xenia. Received a common school education in
this county, where he has spent his life. His father
died while he was quite young, and he was put with
Stephen Ledbetter to be raised, who was a cousin of his
father, and judging from the looks of things, he has been
well paid for his trouble in raising him; for he has
certainly a model farm, and it tells what kind of a man is
at its head. In politics he is a staunch Republican,
and a great reader, and for a man of his age, is well posted
on most of the important topics of the day.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
533 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
JAMES E. WRIGHT, engineer in fire
department, was born in Xenia, on the 13th day of February,
1846, and is a son of William and Ursula Wright.
His father was a native of Washington County, Maryland, and
his mother of Xenia. Our subject is the only one
living out of a family of five children. Received his
education in Xenia, where his youth was spent. At the
age of eighteen he left school, and entered the army, and
after receiving an honorable discharge, engaged in
railroading through the states of Ohio, Indiana, and
Kentucky, which he followed a number of years. After
becoming tired of the railroad business, he entered the
Xenia Fire Department, as engineer, where he still remains.
This is acknowledged to be one of the best trained fire
departments in Ohio, a full notice of which is given in
another part of this work, and a man can feel proud to
belong to it. He was also in the one hundred day
service, and is a member of Shawnee Encampment No. 20, and
Lodge No. 52, I. O. O. F. He was married in Dayton,
Ohio, in January, 1879, to Miss Carrie E. Drake,
daughter of John and Kate Drake, of Janesville, Ohio.
They have one child, Maine D., born Oct. 20, 1879.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
535 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
JOHN B. WRIGHT, farmer, was born in
South Carolina, in the year 1808, and is a son of William
and Nancy Wright, both natives of that state, who
immigrated to Ohio in the year 1830, with a family of eight
children, four sons and four daughters. John B.,
the subject of our sketch, was married, in 1835, to Miss
Sidney Simpson, daughter of William and Mary Simpson,
of Xenia. Their family consisted of three children,
William, Mary, and Samuel, all of whom have been
called to their final home. He and his wife are
members of the Third Presbyterian Church of Xenia.
Received his education in South Carolina, and has spent most
of his life in this county, having lived here fifty-one
years. Speaking of the past, he remarked that the year
1812 was the hardest time ever known in his history, many
families begging to work for their board and clothes.
In that year, also, was seen the largest and plainest comet
ever known, which caused much alarm, many thinking the day
of judgment had come.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
535 |
| |
Xenia Twp. -
JOHN F. WRIGHT, retired farmer, Xenia;
born in South Carolina, in the year 1818; son of Andrew
and Rachel R. Wright, natives of South Carolina, who
immigrated to Ohio in the year 1832, with a family of eight
children, three sons and five daughters: Mary E., Jane
D., William F., John F., Sarah A., Margaret L., Rachel,
and Andrew E. Our subject, John F., was
married, in the year 1842, to Miss Eliza Ann Jackson,
daughter of David and Anna Jackson, of Cedarville,
Ohio. He had one child by his first wife, Andrew J.,
who died in 1848. In the year 1852, he married Miss
Rebecca Van Eaton, daughter of John and Sarah Van
Eaton, of Xenia, and by her had three children, one son
and two daughters: George L., Sarah E., and Mary.
Their son died in 1870, leaving them their two daughters.
Mr. Wright received his early education in South
Carolina, and spent his wild boyhood days there, as one of
many of his boyhood adventures, on an old gray horse, will
show. At the age of ten, his father sent him on an
errand, on the old horse, and wishing to make a quick trip,
he put on a pair of spurs. Planting them in the sides
of the old gray, he had his desired wish, for off he went at
full speed; and a hunter seeing him coming, mistook him for
a deer, and came very near shooting him. But the old
horse kept on, and landed him, luckily, at the very house to
which he was going, and he was well enough satisfied not to
repeat the operation in returning home. Both his wife
and himself are now members of the United Presbyterian
Church. He is on the shady side of life, but is a man
of uncommon energy and activity; is of a genial disposition,
and well beloved by all who know him. He is on the
retired list of farmers, and in his old age has plenty of
this world's goods to ease his journey the remaining days of
his pilgrimage.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio - Publ. 1881 - Page
534 |
NOTES:
CLICK HERE to RETURN to
GREENE COUNTY, OHIO
INDEX PAGE |
CLICK HERE to RETURN to
OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
INDEX PAGE |
FREE GENEALOGY RESEARCH is My MISSION
GENEALOGY EXPRESS
This Webpage has been created by Sharon Wick exclusively for Genealogy Express
©2008
Submitters retain all copyrights |
|
|