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Biographies
Source:
History of Preble County, Ohio
H. Z.
Williams & Bro, Publishers
1881
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COLONEL SAMUEL KESLER.
The subject of this sketch was born in Rockingham county,
Virginia, on the seventeenth day of May, 1792, and with his
father, Jacob Kesler, who served as a soldier in
the Revolution, emigrated to Preble county, Ohio, and settled on
a farm about one mile south of Lewisburgh, in the year 1811.
In the following year, 1812, reports having reached the
settlements that the Indians were becoming troublesome, and that
several families had been massacred near Greenville, Ohio, a
company under Captain Fleming, in which he acted
as a private, was sent out against them, but on arriving at
their destination, they found that the Indians, after having
murdered several persons, had fled. After doing garrison
duty for some months, and there being no further need of them,
the company was honorably discharged.
An amusing incident, as related by himself, occurred on
their return. While halting at one of those refreshing
springs that so much abound near where the village of Euphemia
now stands, to partake of their last meal of rations before
separating for their individual homes, a number of them, for
diversion. engaged firing at a mark. The report of their
guns was heard by one of the nearest families, residing in the
vicinity, and not suspecting the cause, imagined they were
Indians, and without stopping to investigate, fled precipitately
to their nearest neighbor, excitedly informing them the woods
were full of savages, and that whole families were being
murdered. Judging from the number of shots being fired,
the whole settlement at once became thoroughly frightened,
mothers snatching their little ones from their cradles, and in
some instances leaving their unbaked bread in the ovens, all
fleeing for their lives, as they supposed, before their
merciless savage foes. Nor did they discover their mistake
until some of them had proceeded as far as the settlements,
where West Alexandria now stands.
Considering that the able bodied men had all gone to
the front, none being left but decrepit old men, women, and
children, and that they not having been apprised of the
company’s return, it is scarcely to be wondered that they became
frightened. It is needless to say that the captain was
soundly berated (whether justly or not) by the female portion
for his indiscretion in allowing his men to frighten them in so
unceremonious a manner.
In 1814 Mr. Kesler was married to
Magdalene Potterf, whose father emigrated at an early
day from the State of Maryland, and settled a few miles south of
Eaton, Ohio. Having purchased one hundred and sixty acres
of timber land a few miles south of Lewisburgh, he built himself
a log cabin in the usual style of those days, with a blanket for
a door, hung over the entrance. They commenced
housekeeping in their rude home, and at once, with brave hearts
and willing hands, commenced the arduous labors of converting
their forest home into the more congenial wheat and corn fields,
which resulted from their toil.
Right here an incident might be related as showing what
material our forefathers, and especially foremothers, were
composed of, and what trials they had to undergo in those early
days. At one time, when her husband had gone on a trip to
Cincinnati, which then occupied six or seven days, Mrs.
Kesler remained in her cabin entirely alone, and this,
too, when there were wild beasts and savages roaming through the
forest. One day a couple of the latter unceremoniously
entered the cabin, one of them at the same time flourishing a
large butcher knife. Thinking they were going to murder
her she became very much alarmed, which only amused the savages.
The one with the knife uttering an “ugh,” strode to the
fireplace, plunged his knife into a firebrand, and with it, much
to her relief, departed.
Having become tired of the hard labor incident to
clearing up a heavily timbered farm, he purchased a woollen mill
near Lewisburgh, and after successfully conducting that for a
few years, he came into possession of a hotel in Lewisburgh,
where he resided for some years, when he again moved to his farm
one mile south of town. About the year 1830 St. Joseph,
Michigan, was being talked of as the coming Eldorado, and with a
friend he started on an exploring expedition to that town. The
journey had to be performed on horseback, and through an almost
trackless forest. On their arrival there they found only a
few log cabins near the lake shore, and some of them were
deserted. It is needless to say that they were disgusted
with the place, and returned to their homes, thinking, after
all, there was no place equal to old Preble county. He
soon after purchased a large farm on Price's creek, two miles
southwest of Lewisburgh, where he lived until within a few years
of his death, which occurred at his residence in Euphemia on the
twelfth day of February, 1867, at the age of seventy-five years.
Mr. Kesler had been married twice, his first wife
having died in 1851, he married Mrs. Mary
Steele, who survives him. During his lifetime he held
numerous positions of trust. and honor. In early
life he became colonel of the State militia, a position he held
until the law was repealed. He raised seven children, all
of whom he lived to see grow to manhood and womanhood, and four
of whom survive him.
Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams &
Bro, Publishers - 1881 - Page 217 |
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GEORGE KIMMEL
Source: History of Preble County, Ohio - H. Z. Williams &
Bro, Publishers - 1881 - Page (betw. 288 - 289)
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