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BIOGRAPHIES
Transcribed by Sharon Wick
Source:
HISTORY of GREENE COUNTY, OHIO
Embracing the
Organization of the County, Its Division into Townships,
Sketches of Local Interest Gleaned from the Pioneers from
1803 to 1840, together with a
Roster of the Soldiers of the Revolution and the War of 1812,
who were Residing in the County.
Also,
A Roster of Ten Thousand of the Early Settlers from 1803 to 1840.
By George F. Robinson.
- ILLUSTRATED -
Published:
Chicago
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company.
1902.
< CLICK HERE to
RETURN to 1902 TABLE OF CONTENTS >
< CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO LIST OF BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >
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AUGUSTUS THOMPSON.
Augustus Thompson has now passed the seventy-seventh
milestone on life's journey and is a venerable and honored
resident of Yellow Springs. He was born Mar. 12, 1825,
in Geauga county, Ohio, and lived at the place of his birth
for twenty-six years. His parents were William and
Lincoln (Welden) Thompson. The family is of
Scotch-Irish lineage. The great-grandfather after
coming to this country from Scotland settled in Pennsylvania
at an early day. His son, Isaac, the
grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the
Revolutionary war. He married and had eight children
six sons and two daughters.
William Thompson, the father of our subject, was
the third child and fought for his country against England
in the war of 1812. He was born in Pennsylvania, Mar.
21, 1789, but came to Ohio with his parents in 1801, being
about twelve years of age. His father purchased a
tract of timber land in Geauga county and much labor was
required in clearing this in order to make it cultivable.
William Thompson, although the youngest in the
family, shouldered his ax and went to the woods with the
rest doing his full share in the arduous undertaking, and
ere long become quite an expert woodsman, and this led him
to believe that he could make a farm for himself. He
therefore purchased a tract of one hundred acres of timber
land adjoining his father's farm and began its cultivation
and improvement. He built a house from timber from his
own land and as companion in his new home and one with whom
he might share the joys and sorrows of life he chose Miss
Lucinda Walden, who at that time was teaching school in
Huntsburg township. She was an earnest Christian lady,
a member of the Methodist church, and her brother, Asa,
was a minister of that denomination. She had two other
brothers, Elisha and Rial, the former a
Methodist in religious faith, and the latter a Universalist.
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were married in Warren, Ohio,
on the 8th of February, 1815, and then started to make a
farm in the midst of the forest. As the result of his
industry and perseverance he was enabled to pay for his farm
from his sale of maple sugar, which he manufactured from his
own trees. He did all of the work in connection
therewith even to the manufacture of the buckets and
troughs. The wife faithfully performed the work of the
home, using the spinning wheel and loom and thus furnishing
the family with an abundance of towels, table linen,
bedspreads and clothing. Nine children came into this
household, eight sons and one daughter. All were
married and secured homes for themselves, and five of the
brothers became defenders of the Union in the Civil war.
William Thompson did his full duty to his children,
to his friends and to his country, and was held in high
esteem by all who knew him. He served as township
treasurer and filled many minor offices with credit to
himself and satisfaction to his constituents.
The family passed through varied experiences and two
sad accidents occurred in the family history. One was
the death of Elisha James, who had gone to the woods
in order to get fuel for the schoolhouse fire together with
many other patrons of the school He was then but a
little more than twelve years of age and was killed by a
falling tree. Again three years later the youngest
child, Henry Thompson, was struck by lightning when
he and a cousin had gone to gather wild strawberries.
William Thompson, the father, died at the age of
eighty-four years and six months. The mother, who was
born in Massachusetts and lived there until a few years
prior to her marriage, passed away at the advanced age of
eighty-four years and four months. The former was an
Episcopalian in religious faith and the latter a Methodist.
Augustus Thompson, who was the fifth in order of
birth in that family, spent the first twenty-six years of
his life upon the home farm in Geauga county, and in the
district schools of the neighborhood obtained his education
and through the summer months assisted his father upon the
home farm. He was the first of his family to respond
to the country's call for aid, enlisting Apr. 27, 1861, as a
member of Company D, Nineteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteers.
He served for four months and was then discharged at
Columbus, but he afterward re-enlisted in Company A,
Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until July,
1862, when he was again discharged on account of disability.
Upon his return from the war he removed to Bay City,
Michigan, in 1862, in order that he might educate his
children, and there engaged in teaming, which he followed
for a number of years, also devoting some attention to
farming. In 1877 he removed to Little Rock, Arkansas,
where he was first employed in a planing mill for three
years. He then engaged in the somewhat novel
employment of building up the trade of run down hotels,
going to Texarkana, Texas, for that purpose in response to a
telegram. Six months' faithful service brought the
desired result. Mr. Thompson then resigning to
become the manager of another run down hotel in the same
town. Here he was again successful, but from his
excessive labors so exhausted his vitality that he was
forced to abandon this occupation and for five months
devoted himself to traveling for his health. At that
time he reached Dayton, and he has since been a resident of
Ohio. Sixteen years ago he located at Yellow Springs,
where he has since resided. Here he has since been
connected with agricultural pursuits, and although he does
not do any of the hard work upon the farm he still has the
general oversight of his agricultural interests in Miami
township.
In July, 1851, Mr. Thompson was united in
marriage to Miss Rovilla L. Johnson who was born in
Ashtabula county, Ohio, and died in Bay City, Michigan, when
about sixty years of age. She was the mother of two
children. Henry C., who was born in Geauga
county, Ohio, was educated in bay City, Michigan. He
spent his evenings in the office of the city surveyor,
acting as assistant in the work of drawing maps, and during
the periods of vacation he was in the field, becoming
familiar with the practical work of civil engineering and
surveying. He has become an expert surveyor and is
still following that business in Bay City, Michigan, where
he has served as city surveyor. He also served as city
surveyor of Lancing for one year. At the age of
sixteen yeas he began teaching school and followed that
profession until he had mastered surveying, when he
abandoned it in order to take up his chosen life work. He
married Kate Whitmore, and they have three children.
Frank C. Thompson, the youngest son, was born in
Ashtabula county, Ohio, and began teaching in the district
schools before attaining the age of sixteen. After two
year he was made principal of a graded school, a position
which he held for five years, when he resigned in order to
accept another position in which he continued for five year.
He afterward held the office of city comptroller at West Bay
City, Michigan, and later was employed on the farm of
Hiram Confer in Greene county, but he soon returned to
West Bay City to assist his brother Henry in
surveying and civil engineering, and was afterward appointed
by the post-master general to the mail delivery service in
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, in which position he has since
served. He married Carrie Confer, a daughter of
Henry Confer, then of Yellow Springs, but now a
resident of California.
For his second wife Mr. Augustus Thompson chose
Matilda Hamma, the wedding being celebrated on the
29th of December, 1885. The lady was born in York
county, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of David and
Susan (Wolff) Hamma. Her father was born in
Pennsylvania of German lineage, on the paternal side, while
on the maternal side of line is of English descent.
The parents of Mrs. Thompson removed to Ohio during
her early girlhood, settling in Richland county, where her
father carried on farming. He afterward sold his farm,
settling in Greene county, purchasing a tract of land in
Miami township. Here he died in 1865 at the age of
seventy-seven years, and his wife died some years previous
upon the old homestead in Miami township. She was the
mother of seven children, but only three of the number are
now living. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson make their
home in Yellow Springs and are well known there.
Mr. Thompson owes his success in life to his own earnest
and indefatigable efforts. He has led an upright and
honorable life, characterized by loyalty to his country and
by fidelity in friendship as well as honor in business
relations.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio by George F.
Robinson, Publ. 1902 - Page 413 |
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ANDREW JACKSON TOBIAS.
With the agricultural interests of Beavercreek township this
gentleman has long been actively identified, and has
materially aided in its upbuilding and development. He
was born near Zimmerman, in that township, in 1832, a
son of Jacob and Mary (Miller) Tobias, who were both
natives of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania. There the
father passed his boyhood and youth and attend school, his
education, however, he being in the German language and very
limited. In early life he learned the shoemaker's
trade, which he followed after coming to Ohio. In 1820
he took up his residence in Beavercreek township, this
county, and there he continued to make his home throughout
the remainder of his life. He had seven children four
sons and three daughters, namely: Peter, John and
Daniel all now deceased; Andrew J., of this
review; Betsy and Catherine both deceased; and
Susan, a resident of St. Mary's Ohio.
Andrew J. Tobias acquired his early education in
the schools of Auglaize county, where the family removed
when he was only three years old, and where the father
entered eighty acres of land. Our subject pursued his
studies in the subscription schools taught in old log cabins
so common at that day. On leaving school at the age of
sixteen years he returned to Greene county, where he worked
as a laborer for some time and then followed the carpenter's
trade for twenty-two years erecting many houses and barns in
the locality where he now lives. He subsequently
turned his attention to farming and in 1884 purchased the
fine farm of two hundred acres in Beavercreek township,
where he now resides, and to its cultivation and improvement
he has since devoted his energies, having retired from
carpentering. He raises a good grade of stock, making
a specialty of Jersey cattle, and in his herd are several
registered animals. He also raises considerable corn,
wheat and oats, and is meeting with most excellent success
in his farming operations.
In 1863 Mr. Tobias was united in marriage with
Miss Sarah E. Harshman, who was also born in
Beavercreek township and reared on a farm adjoining that on
which she now lives. She is a sister of J. F.
Harshman whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.
Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have two children, one son and
one daughter, namely: Samuel F., who resides on
his father's farm, is carrying on a gun shop and is one of
the finest workmen in that line in the state. He
married Jennie Bates and the children born to them
are Blanche L., Elmer Fay, Elsie May, Congress, Winifred
and an infant daughter. E. Nora, daughter of
our subject, is the wife of Lewis Coy, a grocer of
Dayton, and they have had two children: Ethel May and
Herbert.
For many years Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have been
members of the Reformed church of Beaver Creek and are
people of the highest respectability, whose circle of
friends and acquaintances is extensive. In political
sentiment he is a Democrat, but at local elections votes for
the man best qualified for office regardless of party lines.
He has never cared for political honors, though he takes a
deep interest in public affairs as every true American
citizen should.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio by George F.
Robinson, Publ. 1902 - Page 825 |
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WILLIAM TOBIAS.
Not many men who have passed the age of four score years and
are residents of Greene county can claim this portion of the
state as the place of their nativity, but William Tobias
is a native son of Greene county, his birth having occurred
in Beavercreek township, Mar. 14, 1821. There is a
particular satisfaction in reverting to the life history of
the honored and venerable gentleman whose name initiates
this review, since his mind bears the impress of the
historical annals of the state of Ohio from the early
pioneer days, and from the fact that he has been a loyal son
of the Republic and has attained to a position of
distinctive prominence in the township where he was born and
where he has retained his residence until the present time,
being now one of the revered patriarchs of the community.
Mr. Tobias is still an active factor in
agricultural circles in Beavercreek township. He was
born Mar. 14, 1821, his parents being Samuel and
Elizabeth (Hanney) Tobias, both of whom were natives of
Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and were of German lineage.
In pioneer days they started westward and took up their
abode in Greene county, driving across the country from
Pennsylvania. Locating in Zimmerman, the father
purchased twenty-five acres of land and erected a log cabin
which is still standing although it has been remodeled.
His death occurred when his son William was about
seven years of age, and the mother afterward became the wife
of Michael Swigart. Her death occurred
about 1871 when she was seventy-six years of age. By
her first marriage she bad three sons and three daughters:
Lydia. who became the wife of William
Kirkpatrick, but both are now deceased; Margaret,
who married Noah Enry, but both died in Illinois;
William, of this review; Daniel, who resides near
Troy, Miami county; Samuel, deceased; and
Catherine, who married Walley Haines, but both
are now deceased.
When a little lad William Tobias made his
way from home to the little log school-house of his
district, where sitting upon a rude bench, he conned his
lessons, becoming familiar with the common English branches
of learning. After he was eight years of age he went
to live with Peter Swigart, a brother of his
step-father, with whom he remained until twenty-two years of
age. After his marriage he began farming upon rented
land and when several years had passed he purchased a tract
of land in 1870, becoming the owner of ninety-six acres.
He remodeled the house, built a good barn, and successfully
carried on general farming and stock-raising.
On the 24th of December, 1846, Mr. Tobias wedded
Sarah Swigart, and unto them were born two children:
Martin Luther, now a resident of Beavercreek
township, married Christine Peoples and they have two
children, Edgar and Clara. The mother
died and Martin afterward wedded Mary Barnhart,
by whom he had three children, Eva, Grace and
John. Samuel, the second son of the family,
married Emma John and resides in Dayton. They
have three children, Homer, Howard and Harold.
The first wife of William Tobias died in 1851 when
about twenty-four veers of age and was laid to rest in Mount
Zion cemetery. On the 19th of June, 1852, he was again
married, his second union being with Jane Miller,
who was born near Cincinnati, in Hamilton county, Ohio, a
daughter of James and Elizabeth (Wheeler) Miller.
Her mother was born in Maryland, her father, Willerson
Wheeler, being a planter and slave owner until he
liberated his slaves and moved to Baltimore, where he lived
until his daughter Elizabeth was fourteen years of
age, when they went to Pennsylvania, where she met the
gentleman who became her husband and who was a native of
Center county, that state. Three times they came to
Ohio, locating first in Columbus, but after two years
returned to the Keystone state. Their third trip was
made by water to Cincinnati. Mr. Miller
was a soldier of the war of 1812, serving under General
Harrison. He died in 1840, and was laid to rest in
the Byron cemetery, while his wife passed away in 1854 in
Dayton. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have
been born the following children: William, of
Beavercreek township, who married Jennie Alice
Garlough and has one child, Emerson D.;
Catherine, the wife of John W. Barney, of Dayton,
by whom she has four children, Dora, Bertha,
Eugene J. and Ralph; Elizabeth, who is
the twin sister of Catherine and is at home with her
parents; Daniel and Calvin, now deceased;
Orville, of Beavercreek township, who married Effa
Miller, by whom he has one child, Raymond; one
who died in infancy; Newton W., of Ohio, who married
May Kemp and has one child, Vivian G.
In his political views Mr.
Tobias is a Republican, who has long endorsed the
principles of the party, but has never been an office
seeker. Both he and his wife are members of the
Reformed church. During his long residence in the
county he has witnessed much of its growth and development,
has seen many changes and has taken an active and helpful
interest in its progress and improvement.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio by George F.
Robinson, Publ. 1902 - Page 689 |
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