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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio
Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co.,
1880
BETHEL TOWNSHIP
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1880
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
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Page 631
JOHN M. C. DEAN,
carriage and wagon maker, Brandt; was born in West Virginia Aug.
10,1828, and came to Ohio about 1839; he located in Clark Co., near
Carlisle, and worked on farms at different places till, in 1848, he
commenced learning his trade; he worked as apprentice and journeyman
until, in 1850, he moved to Elizabeth Township, Miami Co., near
McKendrie Chapel, and commenced business for himself; two and a half
years afterward he bought property in Brandt and started a shop, this
has been his home ever since; although left an orphan at the age of 9,
he managed to support himself, and at the same time, get a
common-school education; he has served as Magistrate in Bethel
Township nearly fifteen years; was Postmaster from Lincoln's first
administration to February, 1879, when he resigned; served one term as
Township Clerk and several terms as Trustee. In 1849, Dec. 31, he
married Louisa Giesseman, a native of this township, born Sept.
30, 1832; the fruits of this union were two children—Gordon T.,
born Aug. 26, 1850, and Winfield S., June 16. 1854. and died
Feb. 5, 1856. Aug.
26, 1850, and Winfield S., June 16. 1854. and died Feb. 5,
1856.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 632
WILLIAM
DINSMORE, farmer; P. 0. Brandt; born Sept. 25,
1842; is a son of J. J. Dinsmore, of whom mention is made in
the sketch of R. G. Dinsmore; his occupation has always been
that of a farmer; in 1871, he and his brother, J. A., bought
162 acres of land in Sec. 13, where he has since resided; he also
served in the late war. On the 1st of June, 1871, he married Sallie
A. Brenner, of Montgomery Co., born Sept. 6, 1850, a daughter of
Jacob S. and Sarah Ann Brenner; the fruits of this marriage
are two children—Clara Bell, born Aug. 7, 1872; and Allen M.,
Dec. 31, 1874.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 632
ROBERT
G. DINSMORE, farmer; P. O. Tadmor, Montgomery Co., Ohio;
born
in Bethel Township Dec. 20, 1837; is a son
of J. J. and Maria (McConnaughy) Dinsmore; he was
born in Fleming Co., Ky., Dec. 1, 1805; at a very early day he
was brought to the territory now comprising Greene Co., not more
than ten miles from his present residence; in 1817, he removed
to Montgomery Co., and, in 1819, to Brown Township, Miami Co.;
his home has been in the county ever since that time, at present
residing in Bethel Township; his father was the first Justice of
the Peace and one of the first Trustees of Brown Township after
its organization. Our subject was bred a farmer, and has
followed that business all his life, except four years which
were spent in the service of his country in the war of
secession. He entered as a private Oct. 29, 1861; his first
appointment was for Fourth Sergeant, afterward Second and then
First Sergeant; he served about one year as First Lieutenant;
after being mustered out, he received a complimentary
commission as Captain; he was taken prisoner at Clarksville,
Tenn., but was paroled immediately and sent home, where he
remained a short time; besides his honorable discharge, he bears
the scar of a wound in the arm, that testifies to his
participation in the service. In 1870, he bought 80 acres of
land in Sec. 19, where he now resides. Oct. 31, 1877, he married
Belle E. Murray, born March 1, 1848, who is a daughter of
George A. Murray, of Shelby Co., at present, but formerly
one of the prominent men of this county, having served as County
Treasurer two terms; he was an Anti-slavery man, as well as his
father before him, and, in fact, the same spirit is handed down
to his daughter; the fruits of this union are two children—
George Murray, born Sept. 20,1878 (deceased), and Lida
Faith, born Dec. 20,1879.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 632
JACOB R. DUNHAM,
retired farmer; P. O. New Carlisle, Clark Co., Ohio; is a son of Ross
and Sallie Dunham, natives of New Jersey, who emigrated to
Indiana about 1817, where they remained till, in 1821, they came to
Miami Co.; here they spent the remainder of their days, living in
different places in the county; they were among the very early
settlers, and commenced right in the woods, when they were obliged to
"blaze" trees in order to find a neighbor's house; in those days they
had no lucifer matches, and, if the fire was allowed to die out, they
would borrow a brand from a neighbor; Ross Dunham died in 1865,
the night after the assassination of President Lincoln, at the
age of 78; his wife survived till 1870, and reached the age of 86
years. The subject of this sketch was born in New Jersey Feb. 18,
1815, and, being brought up on the farm, was accustomed to all the
hardships of pioneer life; he used to think it recreation to pick
brush at night by the light of a large brush-heap fire; he never
enjoyed the privilege of attending school until old enough to pay his
own tuition, and then only for a short time; at the age of 20, he
learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed fifteen years, and
then went to Shelby Co., where he engaged in farming till 1865; he
then moved to Brandt, Miami Co., but held his farm in Shelby Co. till
the next year; in 1866, he purchased his present farm of 129 acres in
Sec. 11, Bethel Township; this is now in a good state of cultivation,
and has fine improvements. Aug. 1, 1839, he married Anna Black,
a native of this township, born April 13,1820; she is a daughter of
Adam and Elizabeth Black, of whom mention is made in the biography
of John W. Black; by this union they had two children—John
B., born June 3,1840, and Mary E., born April 15, 1843 (now
Mrs. Amos P. Aley, and lives in the same house with her
parents); John B. would soon have completed a collegiate course
at Delaware, Ohio, had he not volunteered to serve his country in the
war of secession; he first enlisted for three years, but, being one of
Fremont's body guard, he was discharged at the time of Fremont's
removal from office; he then served a three-months term, and finally
went as a substitute with the 100-day men, but never returned; his
death occurred at Ft. Whipple, Va., near Washington, Aug. 7, 1864; he
was a member of Co. E, 145th 0. N. G. Mr. and Mrs. Dunham
have been consistent members of the M. E. Church for about forty-five
years.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 633
JOHN S. FERGUS,
farmer : P. 0. West Charleston; born in Bethel Township, Miami Co.,
Dec. 4, 1819; is a son of James and Rachel (Mars) Fergus; they
were natives of Rockbridge Co.. Va., but came to this township in 1807
and bought 160 acres of land, of which 12 acres was partially cleared.
The remainder of the farm he had improved, but followed tanning
himself. He was commander of the militia in the war of 1812 but was
never called to active service, and was one of the County
Commissioners in the days when they were the tax collectors. He helped
to "lay out" the county, and was its representative for three terms. A
short time previous to his death he moved to West Charleston. He was
taken ill at his daughter's in Tippecanoe, and was never able to be
taken home. His death occurred Dec. 27, 1855, at the age of 71 years
10 months and 12 days. Our subject was raised a farmer and followed
that business till he arrived at the age of 29 years. He then bought
property in Tippecanoe. and engaged in the grain trade for two years,
at which time he bought the farm on which he now resides. He has
recently sold 54 acres to his son, but still owns 90 acres in Sec 26,
which is well improved and in a good state of cultivation. In 1844,
Nov. 21, he married Susan Black, a native of Clark Co., born
Sept. 5, 1823. The fruits of this marriage are three children—James
Corwin. born Nov. 28.1845; Samuel R.. Oct.
27,1848; John Franklin, March 8. 1863.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 633
SAMUEL R. FERGUS,
farmer; P. O. West Charleston; born Oct. 27,1848; is a son of John
S. Fergus, whose biography will appear in this volume. Our subject
was bred a farmer, but has also been a teacher for about seven years.
He has recently purchased of his father 54 acres in Sec. 26, where he
now resides, and is engaged in agricultural pursuits, but will
probably teach a portion of the time. In 1873, Dec. 30, he was united
in marriage with Priscilla Freeman, a daughter of R. M.
Freeman: she was born Dec. 7. 1850. They have two children—Guy
C, born Jan. 7, 1875, Clyde, Aug. 29. 1878.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 633
JOHN FILBRUN,
retired farmer; P. O. Brandt: born in Rockingham Co., Va., Jan. 19,
1826; is a son of Peter and Elizabeth Filbrun; they came to
Ohio in 1829, and stopped for awhile in Montgomery Co.. and then moved
to Clark Co.; in a few years, however, they returned to Montgomery Co.
and remained there until their children all married and left them;
they then came to Bethel Township, Miami Co., and built a house on
their son's farm, where the remainder of life was spent. The subject
of this biography had located here in 1848, five years previous to his
parents' coming; his first purchase was 120 acres of land, which was
partly improved; the buildings and most of the other improvements have
given place to those of the best quality; he has a peach orchard of
800 trees four years old. that promise more than an ordinary crop this
year, and also an apple orchard of four acres, with a good variety of
fruit; this farm, like many others of this vicinity, has on it a fine
spring; upon the whole, it is a very desirable farm; besides all the
improvements made, he has, at intervals, purchased land until he owned
the south half of Sec. 9; but has recently sold 5 acres to his son
David leaving him 315 acres in one body, and in a high state of
cultivation. In 1845, Oct. 23, he married Lydia Heck, who was
born Nov. 10, 1827; by this union they had nine children, four of whom
preceded her to their eternal home; after many years of affliction,
and having been an intense sufferer for several months prior to her
death, she departed this life April 28, 1880, a consistent member of
the German Baptist Church, with which she had been identified for
about thirty-six years.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 634
P. B. FISHER,
blacksmith; Tadmor, Montgomery Co.; born in Clermont Co., Ohio, Aug.
30, 1840; is a son of Alexander and Mary (Brown) Fisher; he was
also a native of Clermont Co.; at an early age he learned the
blacksmith trade and followed it all his life; in 1858, he located in
Bethel Township, Miami Co., where his widow and son still reside; she
was born in Shenandoah Co., Va., April 9, 1809, and came to Ohio with
her parents, who located in Preble Co., Ohio, near Eaton, where she
lived at the time of her marriage; they were the parents of seven
children, three of whom are still living—David B.. living in
Eaton; Preston B. and Elizabeth J., now Mrs. Warner,
residing at North Manchester, Ind.; Alexander Fisher departed
this life April 19, 1875. The subject of this sketch learned
blacksmithing with his father; he spent nearly three years in the war
of secession and lost his right foot and leg to the knee, having been
wounded between the ankle and knee, in the battle of Kenesaw Mountain,
June 27,1864; this of course put an end to his service, and he was
honorably discharged; although crippled, he still swings the hammer,
by which means and the help of his pension, he supports his feeble
mother and himself; he owns a lot of two acres in Sec. 25, of Bethel
Township, and thus far has lived a life of celibacy.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 634
ROBERT M. FREEMAN,
farmer; P. O. Tadmor, Montgomery Co.;. born Aug. 29,1803; is a son of
John Freeman, who came to Miami Co. in the spring of 1806, and
settled in Monroe Township; he and his father. Samuel Freeman,
entered a very large tract of land, a part of which they improved.
From the proceeds of the part they sold they erected a mill, the
second one built in the county; this mill had but one buhr, and of
course all kinds of grain were ground on it. Several years elapsed
before they did any bolting, and when they commenced using a bolt, the
party whose grist was grinding was obliged to turn the bolt. They
suffered three losses by fire, one resulting in the destruction of
their grist-mill, and two of their saw-mill on the same race. By
perseverance and industry, however, they overcame their misfortunes,
and finally built a four-story mill, with three run of buhrs, and did
a flourishing trade. Our subject was the oldest of thirteen children,
and was brought up on the farm and in the saw-mill; at the age of 25,
he commenced business for himself; in the spring of 1834, he settled
on the farm given his wife by her father, David Puterbaugh;
this farm he has cleared up and improved. His marriage with Mary
Puterbaugh was celebrated March 27, 1827; the fruits of this union
were ten children—David, Isaac, George, John,
Daniel, Hannah (deceased), Elizabeth, Minerva,
Henrietta and Priscilla. Mrs. Freeman died May
10, 1869; and in 1872, Nov. 28, he married Mrs. Ann Winans,
a native of England, and a daughter of Henry J. Hyatt, a very
early settler of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Freeman are now living a
very quiet, happy life on the old farm.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
Page 634
ISAAC FREEMAN,
nurseryman; P. O. New Carlisle, Clark Co.; born in Bethel Township,
Miami Co.. Ohio, May 4, 1832; is a son of R. M. Freeman, whose
biography will appear in this work. He worked on the farm till he
arrived at the age of 22, and then attended a select school at New
Carlisle two years; in the spring of 1856, he went to California, and
there spent about thirteen months in the northern part on Willow
Creek, one of the tributaries of Feather River. From Dec. 1 to the
middle of March, the snow was twenty-two feet deep on the level, and
for twenty days they were shut off from everything, and then only by
means of a tunnel, did they succeed in getting up to view the
"beautiful snow," and walk twelve feet above the top of their cabin.
The remainder of his stay in California was spent further south,
partly in the mines on the Stanislaus River, about 250 miles south,
and the remainder of the time in a farming region still further south;
he returned in 1858, and lived in Dayton till the next year, when he
purchased 7 acres of land in Bethel Township, and in 1861, established
a nursery. This was commenced on a small scale, but he learned the
business as it progressed, and now the sales from his own growing
amount to $3,000 annually. He owns 536 acres of land in this State and
in Kansas. On May 5, 1859, he married Sophia S. Stafford, who
was born in Bethel Township, Miami Co., Aug. 1, 1837; she is a
daughter of James S. Stafford, an old settler here, and one of
the prominent men of the township, having been Squire sixteen years in
succession; in 1864, he moved to Carlisle, and departed this life
Sept. 8, 1878, aged 75 years 7 months and 23 days. Isaac and Sophia
S. Freeman are the parents of four children—Dayton L., born
March 2, 1860; Charlie M., born March 7, 1862; Walter,
born Sept. 17,1870; and Grace, born June 17, 1873.
Source:
The History of Miami County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1880
- Bethel Twp. |
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