Biographies
(Source: See Biographical Index for sources)

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JOHN D. CAMPBELL was born in Gasper township in 1846.  In 1865 he married Miss Nancy M. Kelley, who was born in Washington township in 1845, on the farm now owned by J. C. Kelley.  To them was one child born, in 1866 - Nancy A. Campbell - who died in 1867.  Mr. Campbell owns ninety-one acres of land in section twenty-one of Gasper township.

WILLIAM CAMPBELL was born in the State of Delaware, in 1793.  In 1815 he married Lavina McCabe, who was born in 1795.  In 1827 Mr. and Mrs. Campbell emigrated from Delaware, intending to go to Illinois.  Their settlement in Gasper township was an accident.  When they arrived at Eaton Mr. Campbell learned that he was in Preble, and thereupon determined to visit an old friend of his who lived two miles south of Eaton, near where the old seven mile bridge now stands.  While enjoying the hospitality of his friend he was delayed by a spell of sickness, and by the time he recovered he had decided to settle in the neighborhood, and thus Preble county gained one of its most substantial citizens.  He settled on the farm in section fourteen, where Jehu B. Campbell has resided ever since his father's settlement.  William Campbell died in 1860, and his wife died in 1879.  Five of their children lived to maturity, three of whom are still living.  Jehu B., the only one living in this county, was born in Delaware in 1823, and was married in 1847 to Alzina Huffman, daughter of Armstead Huffman.  She was born in Gasper township in 1827.  Five of their seven children are living, viz.:  Zippora, Nancy L., wife of Dr. Porter Webb; Sallie C., wife of Isaac Young; Dr. William A., married Minnie Surface, and practices in Eaton; and Thomas H.  Mr. Campbell have filled all the township offices, and from 1852 in 1868 was justice of the peace.  In the year 1873 he was elected county commissioner, which office he held for six years.

DANIEL CHRISMAN emigrated from Rowan county, North Carolina, in 1803, stopping until August, 1805, in Warren county.  In that year coming to Preble county he settled in section eleven, of Gratis township.  By his wife, Mary Ozias, he had five children, four of whom are living, three of whom are in this county.  John, the only one in Gratis township, married Susannah Hall (deceased).  He is about the last of the early settlers, and is one of the largest land holders in Preble county.

DANIEL CHRISMAN, the youngest son of Daniel and Mary (Ozias) Chrisman mention of those family may be found in Gratis township, was born on the old home place in Gratis township, July 6, 1811.  His grandfather, Rev. Jacob Chrisman, died one year before Daniel was born.  The latter grew up on the farm of his father, upon which farm he continued to work and reside until the year 1847.  In the days of his boyhood educational advantages were few.  His father, however, was anxious that his son should receive the full benefit of these few opportunities, and desired him to go to school as much as possible.  He did go long enough to receive some education, but at that time he was full of boyish notions, and for him an unbroken colt had more attraction than a schoolmaster.  He was reared in that strict morality and sobriety which has ever characterized his life.  The hard work on the farm was not attractive to the spirited boy, but he more than me made up for the little intervals of leisure which he seized when a boy, by too hard application in his early manhood.  He feels that he would be a more vigorous man to-day had he been more economical of his physical powers.  Being the youngest child, he was as the apple of his father's eye, and the hearts of father and son were knit together in bonds of affection peculiarly tender.  As one by one the father saw his boys leaving the paternal roof to establish homes of their own, which were provided by fatherly affection, he could not bear the idea of giving up his youngest born, and accordingly exacted a promise from that son that he remain upon the old place with him.  Daniel agreed to this, and after his marriage to Eliza A. Fudge, Jan. 31, 1839, he continued to live at his father's house for nine years.  His wife is the sixth daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Fudge, of Lanier township, the history of whole family is found in another part of his work.  Being of a good and industrious family, Mrs. Chrisman was eminently fitted to be a helpmeet to her husband.  After living with old Mr. Chrisman for nine years, he voluntarily released his son from his promise to remain on the home place, believing that his son's interests would be best subserved by removing to the farm in Washington township, which the latter had purchased.  Accordingly the younger Mr. Chrisman removed to his farm, which consisted of one hundred and sixty acres in section thirty-three of Washington township.  This place, which was known as the Widow Fall farm, had on it a hewed log house and a log barn, which at that time were considered very nice buildings.  Here he continued to reside until after the railroad had been put through the place.  It had been his intention to erect a residence near the old house, but the path of the locomotive crossed the proposed site, and, consequently, he decided to build on the quarter of section twenty-eight of Washington township, which farm had been previously presented to him by his father.  Mr. Chrisman assisted in making the first "deadening" on this farm, which was cleared in part before he became its owner.  While still in the first place, Mr. Chrisman's aged father, having for a time made his home with his other sons, made arrangements to make his permanent home with his son, Daniel.  He continued to live with the latter until his death, which occurred Feb. 12, 1861.  The old gentleman removed with the family to the new brick house which was erected on the Richmond pike in 1856, and in that house there is still a room which bears the sacred name of "father's room," in which the old man died.  In the spring of 1857, Mr. Crisman erected his commodious barn.  Since he has moved to his present fine residence, he has greatly improved the farm, which is one of the most productive in the county.  Judicious draining has greatly improved the quality of the soil.  Mr. Chrisman has always been a very energetic farmer, and by economy and intelligent management has made a success of his farming, and has accumulated a handsome property.  He has never made a specialty of stock raising, although he raises none but the best stock.       From time to time he has added to his real estate by the purchase of farms.  In 1872 he bought the Meroney farm, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres of land, adjoining his old place.  He presented to his eldest daughter one hundred and twenty acres of the Meroney place.  In 1876 he purchased sixty acres of land, located about two miles west of Camden.      Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Chrisman, two of whom survive.  Their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, was born October 28, 1839, and married James Banta; their youngest daughter, Mary Catharine, was born March 15, 1847; an infant son died Mar. 28, 1857, when only four days old.      Mr. and Mrs. Chrsiman and their youngest daughter united with the Methodist Episcopal church at Eaton, during the pastorate of  Rev. A. Meharry, the eldest daughter having joined the church several years previous.  Mr. Chrisman was reared in a religious atmosphere, his grandfather being a minister, and his father a most godly man, often having religious services in his house, in Gratis township.  The Chrismans have been, first old line Whigs, and then strong Republicans, in whose faith Mr. Chrisman is a strong believer. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 ~Page 159

LEWIS CHRISMAN, son of Jacob Chrisman, was born in 1801.  He married Sarah Harshman, by whom he had eight children, three of whom are still living, viz:  F. M., Sarah Ann, and Peter; the last two are living in Indiana.  Lewis Chrisman died in 1854,and his wife in 1872.  F. M. Chrisman was born in Preble county, on the old homestead, in the year 1833, and in 1857, married Esther Russell, daughter of John R. Russell.  He has had six children, all of whom are living.  His farm contains three hundred and sixty-eight acres.  Rev. Jacob Chrisman, the grandfather of John and Daniel, was the first minister of the German Reformed church who crossed the Ohio river.

ABSALOM G. COLLINS was born in the year 1835, and in 1869 he married Martha Harvey, who was born in 1848.  In the year 1866 Mr. Collins served a term as township assessor of Dixon.  During the war of the Rebellion he served two years in Ohio volunteer infantry and one in the cavalry.  He was wounded in action in the right leg.  He owns a farm of eighty-six and a half acres, in section twenty-nine of Washington township.

CHARLES COLLINS was born in Wales in the year 1793.  In 1812 he came to America and settled in Washington county, Ohio.  In 1841 he moved to Preble county and settled in Dixon township.  His wife was Mary Gavin, born in Ireland, who came to America with her parents in 1812, and settled in Butler county, Ohio.  Four children were born them, all of whom are living in Preble county.  Mr. and Mrs. Collins are both dead.  He died in 1880, having outlived his wife three years.

AARON ROSS CONGER, the eldest son of Josiah Conger, was born in Tennessee in 1805.  He came with his father and mother first to Kentucky, and thence to Ohio, and settled in Dixon township.  In 1827 he was married to Ruth Marshall, by whom six children were born, four of whom are living.  His first wife died in 1847, and in 1848 was married to Rhoda A. Robinson, who was born in 1825.  She is the daughter of Isaac and Rhoda Robinson, who settled in Monroe township.  Mr. Conger has had no children by his second wife.  He owns eighty acres of well improved land in section twenty-four where he resides. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 ~Page 163

JOSIAH CONGER.  In 1812 Josiah Conger emigrated from Kentucky to Ohio and settled in Dixon township, in the vicinity of what is now called Sugar valley.  He was a native of the Carolinas.  From there he moved to Tennessee.  He next went to Kentucky, and afterwards to Ohio, where he lived until his death in 1843.  His death was caused by the accidental discharge of a gun.  Mr. Conger was a minister of the Christian church, having entered upon his sacred office when only twenty-three years of age, and continuing until his death.  The journey from Kentucky, which they were three weeks in accomplishing, was made in a four-horse wagon.  They settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Thompson.  His wife, Catharine (Runyon), was born in 1787, and died in 1871.  They were the parents of eleven children, five sons and six daughters, as follows:  Nancy (Marshall), deceased; Aaron R.; Moses; Anna (Hoffman), deceased; Sarah, widow of Alexander Rhea; Mary (McWhinney), deceased; John, deceased; Eli; Melissa, widow of Henry Overholzer; William; and Evelina, wife of Jacob Marshall.  Moses and A. R. Conger are the only members of the family now residing near Sugar valley, who were raised there. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 ~Page 163

MOSES CONGER, who emigrated to Ohio from Kentucky in 1812, settled with his parents in section fourteen of Dixon township, this county.  He was born in 1807, and in 1828 married Phoebe Price, who was born in 1807.  To them were born nine children, five of whom are living: Sarah J., wife of Meeker S. Morton; Elizabeth A., wife of Lemuel S. Bennett, William W., living in Dixon township, and John A., who resides in Illinois. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 ~Page 163

WILLIAM W. CONGER, born in 1814, married Julia Wilkinson in 1860.  She was born in 1843, and is the daughter of George Wilkinson.  Mr. and Mrs. Conger have four children, all living: Emma, Royal, Edward, and Bertha.  Mr. Conger owns forty-seven acres of land in section twenty-four. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 ~Page 164

JONATHAN COOPER moved from Georgia in the year 1803, and settled in Wayne township, Butler county.  He died in Somersville.  During the latter part of his life he never wore a hat or a pair of socks, either in summer or winter.  His son, William, was born in Butler county in 1803.  He married Elizabeth, daughter of Elijah Kellum.  They have three children:  Sarah, wife of Milton Stubbs; Esta, wife of Joseph Stubbs, and Elijah, who married Emma Ann Conarroe.  The latter has three children: William, Jannie G. and John.  He, Elijah Cooper, has about five hundred and forty acres, including land in butler county.  Mr. Cooper was a resident of Butler county until his thirty-fifth year.  He is now a dealer in stock. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 - Page 193

MICHAEL COTTERMAN, came to Preble county in 1845, and settled in Lewisburgh.  He was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, in the year 1821.  In 1846 he married Mary E. Hapner, who was born in Twin township in 1818.  Eight children have been born them, five of whom are now living, viz.:  Elmira, Melissa, Dora, Oliver, and Caroline.  Mr. Cotterman has been a township trustee for two terms and township treasurer for four years.  During the war of the Rebellion he was drafted into service, and went as far as Fort Dennison, but was refused on account of disability.  He is a carpenter by trade, and has always followed this business.  He owns a saw mill in West Manchester, Monroe township, which is valued at fourteen hundred dollars.  At one time he was the owner of the saw-mill in Lewisburgh, now owned by John Yohe. Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams & Bro, Publishers - 1881 - Page 206

PETER COX was born in Virginia about 1793, from which State he moved to Ohio, and in 1818 he settled in Twin township, at Scuffletown spring.  He died in Harrison township in 1862.  He was drafted into the War of 1812 but sent a substitute.  In 1812 he married Sarah Liptrap, born in 1789, and who died in 1880, in Harrison township.  He had six children: Susannah, Mary, Elizabeth, Hugh, William and Sarah.  Mr. Cox had no possessions at the time of his arrival.  He and Peter Wiseman came at the same time in one wagon, each owning a horse.  He afterwards became the possessor of one hundred and eighty acres of land.

JOHN W. CULLERS was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in the year 1811, and moved to Preble county in 1842.  The same year he married Mary M. Etzler, who was born in Frederick county, Maryland, and who died in Harrison township in 1879.  Seven children were born them, five of whom still survive, namely: Catharine E., William S., Milton L., Rachel A., and Rosetta B.  Mr. Cullers was constable while in Montgomery county, and school director for several years in Harrison township.

 

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