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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record of
Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio
Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros.
1892.
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AUGUSTUS A. DAVIS is a well-known
merchant of Jackson Centre, and is at present ably
discharging the duties of Postmaster at that place.
He is the son of Luther L. Davis who was born May
31, 1810, in West Virginia. The latter was a
farmer, and the son of James Davis a native of
New Jersey, who in turn was the son of William Davis,
a native of Wales. The latter emigrated to America
prior to the Revolutionary War, and with a brother
served in that struggle, in which conflict the latter
lost his life. The grandfather of our subject,
together with his brother, did valiant service in the
War of 1812.
The Davis family originally settled in New
Jersey, where they remained until after the
Revolutionary War, and with a brother served in that
struggle, in which conflict the latter lost his life.
The grandfather of our subject, together with his
brother, did valiant service in the war of 1812.
The Davis family originally settled in New
Jersey, where they remained until after the
Revolutionary War, and then, moving to Virginia, made
their home in Harrison County, where they were among the
earliest pioneers. The mother of our subject, who
prior to her marriage was known as Miss Jane Morris,
was born in Clarke County, this State, Nov. 23, 1815.
She was the daughter of Richard and Mary (Kellar)
Morris, the former of whom was a soldier in the War
of 1812, serving under Gen. Hull, and was
present at the surrender of the army at Detroit, Mich.
The parents of our subject were married May 10, 1835,
in Clarke County, this State, and after a residence of
two years there, came in September, 1837, to this
county, taking up their abode on section 17, Jackson
Township. There were no roads in this locality at
that time, settlers were very few and far between, and
the surrounding country was in its primitive state.
Wild animals were very numerous, as were also the
Indians, who proved themselves to be very troublesome by
their frequent visits.
The elder Mr. Davis located on eighty
acres of land, which he cleared from the timber, and
erected thereon a round-log cabin. He placed his
property under excellent tillage, and here he was
residing at the time of his decease, June 14, 1886.
His death was very sudden, he dropping dead while in the
Citizens' Bank, at Sidney. His good wife, who
aided him greatly in developing their new home from the
forest, survived him a few years, and died Feb. 2, 1891.
Of the parental family of eleven children, the seven
who still survive bear the respective names of
Augustus A., Clarissa McVey, Israel L., Calvin M.,
Albert R., Richard W, and Edgar C. Mr.
and Mrs. Davis were members of the
Seventh-day Baptist Church, in which body they were very
active, the father holding the office of Deacon.
He was a man of marked character, strictly honest,
upright and truthful in all his dealings, and was called
upon by his fellow-citizens to fill the offices of
Township Trustee and Supervisor. He was a liberal
supporter of churches and schools, and gave his children
the best educations that could be obtained in this
locality. He was strictly temperate in every
particular, and in politics, cast his vote for the man
whom he considered would best fill the office,
irrespective of party.
The original of this sketch is the eldest child in his
parents' family now living, and was born Aug. 11, 1837,
in Clarke County. He accompanied his parents on
their removal to this county, when six weeks old, and
was reared to man's estate on the wild farm. He
began teaching school in 1860, and was thus engaged for
a period of thirty years, with the exception of the lime
spent in the army and in operating a farm. He had
been given a good education, finishing his studies at
Bellefontaine. Sept. 1, 1861, Mr. Davis,
of this sketch, enlisted in the Benton Cadets, Gen.
Fremont's body-guard. He was sent from
Sidney to Cincinnati, and thence St. Louis, under
Capt. Abram Kaga, who is now deceased.
From that place they went to Jefferson City, then to
Springfield, Mo., where his company participated in the
battle at that place. After Gen. Fremont
was superseded, the camp was temporarily under Gen.
Liggett, and was discharged in January, 1862.
In August of that year, our subject again enlisted, this
time being appointed Corporal of Company C, Ninety-ninth
Ohio Infantry. He was later promoted to be
Sergeant, and at the time of his discharge occupied the
position of Orderly-Sergeant of Company B. Fiftieth Ohio
Infantry.
On the organization of the Ninety-ninth Infantry, Mr.
Davis went to Cincinnati, from there crossed the
river to Covington, Ky., and thence went to St. Paris.
After the Union forces were defeated at Lexington and
driven to Covington to await the re-organization of
Buell's army at Louisville, the Ninety-ninth joined
them there, the brigade being commanded by Col.
Stanley Mathews. Then began the movement
after Gen. Bragg. Mr.
Davis participated in the following battles:
Perrysville, Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain,
Mission Ridge, Rocky-faced Ridge, Resaca, Dallas,
Kenesaw Mountain, Pine Mountain, Atlanta, Jonesboro,
Lovejoy Station and Nashville. Our subject was
then made acting ordnance officer of the Second
Division, Twenty-third Army Corps, and while thus
detached, was present at the battles of Columbia, Spring
Hill and Franklin, all in Tennessee. During his
army experience, he served under Gens. Fremont, Halleck,
Buell, Rosecrans, Thomas, Schofield, Stanley, Howard,
Grant and Sherman. During his service he was
several times hit by a spent ball, atone time a bullet
crossing his lips, and on another occasion he was struck
in his left hip, which wound was not sufficient to
disable him from duty. On Kenesaw Mountain the
regiment was transferred from the Fourth to the
Twenty-third Army Corps, and after the battle of
Nashville, they were sent to Wilmington, N. C., and
aided in driving out the enemy from that section. Dec.
31, 1864, the Ninety-ninth Regiment was consolidated
with the Fiftieth Ohio, and made the Fiftieth Regiment.
Mar. 4, 1865, after a service of three years, one month
and nine days, Mr. Davis received his
honorable discharge, and returning home, resumed his
occupation of teaching. Sept. 14, 1865, he was
married to Miss Electa L., daughter of Jacob
D. and Electa Maxson, of whom a further
sketch will be found in the biography of Simeon
Maxson, elsewhere in this volume. Miss
Davis was born Nov. 23, 1844, and after her
marriage with our subject, located upon eighty acres of
land on section 16, Jackson Township, Shelby County.
She departed this life Apr. 28, 1878, after having
become the mother of the following children: Lora B.,
Mrs. Homer C. Porks; Herbert S., deceased; Orvil
W., Bertha and Ethel. Mrs.
Davis, like her husband, was a member of the Seventh
day Baptist Church, in which body the latter has been
Class-leader in the church, and Superintendent in the
Sunday-school for a number of years.
Mr. Davis has always been greatly
interested in educational affairs, and has served as
President of the Township Board of Education. He
has been Assessor of his township in a section which is
overwhelmingly Democratic. He cast his first
Presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, and
has always been a working member of the Republican
party. He received his present appointment as
Postmaster June 3, 1889. and that he is inspected by
those who know him, it is needless to say, as his many
sincere friends testify to his worth of character.
He has frequently represented his party as a delegate to
conventions, and at the present time is Central
Committeeman from this precinct. Socially, he is a
member of the Masonic order, being Master of Epler Lodge
No. 458. He is also a Grand Army man. and as such
is Commander of J. I. Smith Post No. 61.
Source 3: Portrait and Biographical Record of
Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 - Page 328 |
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JESSE L. DICKENSHEETS.
Although he has not yet completed the ascent of the
sunny side of the hill of life, this gentleman has risen
to the position of considerable prominence in Shelby
County, being one of those who reach out beyond the
walls of their own home in advancing the public weal.
Having determined to pursue the life of a newspaper man,
he has been energetic and prosperous in his work, and is
now manager and editor of the Sidney Gazette,
which paper was first issued March 6, 1891.
Our subject was born in Sidney, Mar. 15, 1863, and is a son
of John D. and Jeannie E. (Fish) Dickensheets
The father is an old resident of this city, having come
here in 1867, and has been identified with the interests
of the county for over a half-century. He is a
contractor and building by trade, and was born in New
Jersey, January 24, 1832. When about four years of
age, be accompanied his parents on their removal to this
county. They were David and Mary Dickensheets,
and located first in the western part of this county.
They later removed to another portion of the county,
where the grandfather lived on a farm until one year
before his death, when he made his home with the father
of our subject.
Our subject's mother was born in England, Mar. 8, 1838,
and was brought by her parents to this country in 1853.
With her husband, she is still living, making her home
in Sidney, where they are prominent members of the
Presbyterian Church. They reared a family of three
children, of whom Fred O. is in Denver, Colo.,
and Ida M., Mrs. G. R. Londonback, is residing in
Sidney.
The original of this sketch received his education in
the city and High Schools, and was also given private
instruction. When starting out to do for himself,
he found employment in the Journal office at
Sidney, where he remained for five years, and at the end
of that time, going to Springfield, was employed for two
years with the Globe Printing and Publishing Company.
He was then successively connected with the Champion
City Times for one year, the Cleveland Leader,
the Winters Art Lithographing Company at Springfield,
and in December, 1889, went to Denver and accepted a
reportorial position on the Denver Republican.
After a residence there of two years, Mr.
Dickensheets returned to Sidney and established the
Sidney Gazette. The paper is Republican in
politics, and is doing some effective work for that
party, and is doing some effective work for that party.
The entire management of the paper devolves upon our
subject, who succeeds once a week in giving to the
people of Shelby County a clean, newsy sheet, of which
the community as well as the proprietor can justly feel
proud. It is an eight-page, six-column paper, and
has a circulation of thirteen hundred.
The lady to whom Mr. Dickensheets was married
Nov. 22, 1889, and Miss Jennie E., daughter of
Robert McCastin, D. D., of this city.
Socially, Mr. Dickensheets is a member of the
Knights of Pythias, the Ancient Order of United Workmen,
and of the Royal Arcanum. The social qualities of
our subject, his general intelligence and manly
character, gives him the respect of those who make his
acquaintance, and he and his wife enjoy the friendship
of the best citizens of the town.
Source 3: Portrait and Biographical Record of
Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio -
Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 - Page 486 |
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ABRAHAM A. DUNSON
Source: Portrait and Biographical
Record of Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio -
Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892. - Page 475 |
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