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Biographies.
 Source:
History of Warren
Co., Ohio
containing
A History of the County; Its Townships, Towns,
Schools, Churches,
Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of
Early
Settlers and Prominent Men; History of The North-
West Territory; History of Ohio; Map of
Warren County; Constitution of the
United States, Miscellaneous
Matters, Etc., Etc.
- Illustrated -
Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co.,
1882
< CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO
1882
BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
< CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO
LIST OF BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >
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Turtle
Creek Twp. -
RICHARD DAVIS, retired farmer; P. O.
Red Lion, Ohio; was born in Pennsylvania, Nov. 1, 1803; his
parents, Richard and Elizabeth (McLaughlin) Davis,
were natives of Pennsylvania, of Welsh descent; his father
was a spy for the patriots in the war of the Rebellion; he
came to Ohio with his family in 1813, and settled on the
land where our subject still lives; he (our subject)
received a limited education, and served two years at the
glass blowing trade; he then turned his attention to
farming, and has since continued to be a tiller of the soil.
He was married in 1824, to Rebecca Bowersock, a
native of Pennsylvania, of Dutch descent, and by her has had
ten children, namely: Elizabeth, Remembrance W.,
Hezekiah, George W., Sarah J., James G., John M., Margaret
D., Mary and Darthula - five of whom are living.
It is said that his father contracted with the Government
for the land upon which Indianapolis, Ind., has since been
built. His father died at the advanced age of 101
years.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ.
Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 734 |
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Clear Creek Twp. -
ISAAC N. DEARTH, farmer; P. O. Springboro; born on the place
where he now lives Mar. 12, 1841; is a son of Samuel and
Keturah (Townsend) Dearth. The paternal
grandparents were Edward and Elizabeth (Roberts) Dearth,
whose history is given in sketch of William Dearth.
The maternal grandparents, Jesse and Judith (Smith)
Townsend, natives of New Jersey; he lived and died in
his native State; subsequently, his widow married Philip
Pedrick, and became settlers of Salem, Columbiana Co.,
Ohio, thence removed to Warren County, Wayne Township, where
they resided fifteen to twenty years; thence removed to
Wayne Co., Ind., where they died. Samuel was 8
years of age when brought to this then wilderness of a
country; he was the seventh son of his father's family, and
here was raised and grew to manhood, inured to the roughness
of pioneer life; was married, Dec. 7, 1820, and became the
father of five sons and five daughters; four now survive -
Eleanor Jane, now
Mrs. Crane;
Ambrose T., Mahala A. and Isaac N. Mr. Dearth
served as a soldier in the war of 1812, under Gen. Wayne,
for which he obtained a land warrant for 160 acres of land;
he was a prominent, substantial farmer, who gave his whole
attention through life to that occupation; was a man very
prompt and peaceable in his habits, never holding office to
much extent, and never having a lawsuit in his life; an
excellent neighbor and a worthy citizen, and a devoted
member of the Christian Church; he died July 19, 1862, aged
72 years; his wife died Dec. 31, 1868, aged 70 years.
Our subject grew to manhood on the old home farm, and
married, Dec. 4, 1862, Cornelia, daughter of Isaac
and Tacy (Wilkinson) Peacock; he was born in New Jersey
Apr. 19, 1803, and she in Virginia. He came to Warren
County when 12 years of age; was married, near Springboro,
in 1826; he was Surveyor of Warren County for nine years or
more; was quite a prominent leading man of the county; he
removed to Hamilton, Ohio, in 1863, and served four years as
civil engineer, and still resides there; they had ten
children: six now survive - Rachel, Maria, Angeline,
Eliza, Cornelia and Ellen. Mr. Dearth
and wife have four children - Edith, born July 27,
1864; Anna, Apr. 27, 1866; William E., Jul.
27, 1858; and Mary E., born Apr. 30, 1875.
Mr. Dearth has devoted his life to agricultural
pursuits, with the exception of three years' residence in
Franklin, and has resided on the old home place of his
father and grandfather, which has now been in possession of
the Dearth family for eighty-three years.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882
- page 899 |
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Clear Creek Twp.
-
WILLIAM L. DEARTH, farmer; P. O.
Springboro; born on the place where Samuel Dearth now
lives, Nov. 7, 1810; is a son of James E. and Elizabeth
(Long) Dearth, he a native of Fayette Co., Penn., and
she of Virginia. The grandparents were Edward and
Elizabeth Dearth, natives of Pennsylvania, who emigrated
to Ohio and located in Warren County, on the place where
Isaac Dearth now lives, in 1798, and there spent the
balance of their lives; they were among the true pioneers of
the county, enduring all the many deprivations and hardships
of the log cabin life; he finally purchased more land and
became owner of 1,150 acres, all in one body of land.
The first burying place was at Franklin, where many of the
early settlers were buried - their last resting place.
But, as public improvements advanced, the canal was built
and passed through the burying grounds. The bodies
were then removed and buried further back; and again, when
the railroad was built, it passed through where the bodies
were deposited, and again they were taken up and removed to
Springboro. Thus were they troubled in early times,
being unable to see the progress and demands of the future.
They had five sons and one daughter, all deceased.
James E., the father of our subject, was a young man of
19 years of age when the family came to Warren County, and
here was married and became the father of seven children;
five now survive - Allen, now resides in Iowa;
Elizabeth now Mrs. Bedford; William L., Samuel,
and Eleanor S., now Mrs. Earnhart. Mr.
Dearth passed his entire life on a part of the old home
place; was one of the prominent farmers of this community;
was a Justice of the Peace for many years; a good neighbor
and an excellent citizen. He died Mar. 24, 1856, aged
77 years; his wife died Dec. 18, 1860, aged 78 years.
William L., our subject, at 15 years of age was
placed as an apprentice at the tailor's trade, in Richmond,
Ind., where he remained five years, thence returned to
Springboro and carried on the business twelve years; then
engaged in farming, which business he has since followed.
He resided in Clinton County six years, and while there
served as Township Trustee two years. In the spring of
1854, he located on his present farm, where he has since
resided. He was married, Jan. 1, 1833, to Elizabeth
Ann, daughter of Thomas and Jane Bedford, he a
native of England and she of Pennsylvania; by this union
they have had six children, two now living - James B.
and Cornelia Jane, now Mrs. Crockett, residing
at Lima, Ohio.
(Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882
- page 899) |
JOHN E. DEY |
Turtle Creek Twp. -
JOHN E. DEYSource: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ.
Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 295 |
HENRY DILATUSH |
Union Twp. -
HENRY DILATUSH, farmer; P. O. South Lebanon;
the gentleman whose name heads this sketch was born in New
Jersey in 1823, and is the largest land-holder in Union
Township; he is a son of Nicholas V. and Catalina
Dilatush; he was born in Monmouth Co., N. J.; she in
Mercer Co., in the same State; in 1838, they removed to and
settled in Turtle Creek Township, in which they lived six
years, and, during the winter of 144 and 1845, removed to
Union Township, and settled on land they had bought, on
which they lived till their death; he died Jan. 6, 1870,
aged 72 years, 3 months and 14 days; she departed this life
in 1876; they were parents of eight children, seven of whom
are living, viz.: Margaret, Sarah A., Henry, Susan
(deceased), John, George, Thomas and William.
Mr. D., Sr., was one of the successful and enterprising
men of the county during his life, and his labors were
rewarded by the accumulation of large property; our subject
was reared to farm pursuits, and his early education was
such as a studious boy could get in the district schools, in
which he fitted himself so as to successfully cope with the
demands of business. In 1853, he was married to
Eliza Hunt, who bore him three children, viz.:
Walter s., Harry and
Charley. Mrs. D. departed this life in the fall of
1878, at the age of 44 years. Mr. D. has been
Trustee of Union Township for several years, and Infirmary
Directors for six years, and to the Agricultural Society of
the county for eighteen years. He owns upward of 400
acres of land, which is largely in cultivation and
comfortably improved.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago:
W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 1053 |
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Union Twp. -
WILLIAM J. DILATUSH, farmer; P. O.
Lebanon; the gentleman whose name heads this memoir was born
in New Jersey, Oct. 30, 1837, and is a son of Nicholas
Dilatush, of whom mention is made in the sketch of H.
Dilatush; he was but a child when his parents came to
Ohio, consequently has no recollections of "Old New
England;" like his brother Henry, his early
educational training was confined to local schools, and the
extensive school of experience gave him the practical
knowledge which makes him a practical and successful
business man. Jan. 22, 1880, he was married to
Susan, a daughter of Timothy Perrine, of Warren
Co.; he owns 206 acres of choice land, and is one of the
enterprising and thrifty farmers of the county. During
the war he was a member of the ""State Guards," and
participated in the chase after John Morgan in his
famous raid.
Source: History of Warren
Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page
1053 |
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Deerfield Twp. -
COL. WILLIAM S. DODDS,
retired; P. O. Mason; was born in Turtle Creek Township in
1808, and is a son of Benjamin and Martha (Drake) Dodds.
He was born in Franklin Co., Penn., in 1775; she was born in
Middlesex Co., N. J., in 1786, and came to Ohio with her
mother, Mary (Sutton) Drake; she was married to a
Mr. Van Pelt, and a son of this union married Thomas
Corwin’s sister. Benjamin Dodds
came to Ohio in 1799, and permanently located in this
county. He was married in 1802 and resided near
Lebanon till 1808, when he came to Deerfield Township.
Eleven children were born to them, three sons living, viz.,
Josephus, William S. and Joseph A.
Mr. D. died Jan. 10, 1849; Mrs. D. died Feb.
13, 1866. His son, John A., was a member of the
State Legislature for three terms. Josephus was
Drum Major of an Ohio regiment and an aged man at the time.
Benjamin, father of our subject, was a man of sound judgment
and was often appealed to by those in trouble to arbitrate
the difficulty. Our subject was reared on the farm
till he was 17 years old, at which time from his
circumstances he concluded to become a tailor, the decisive
point being reached one cold morning, when his cold fingers
and the bright glow of fire in a tailor shop helped him to
come to the conclusion to apprentice himself to a tailor,
for whom he worked four years and nine months as bound boy.
At this point in his career, he began business “on his own
hook,” so to speak, and, by pushing matters, his business as
a merchant tailor netted him cash, and, nine months after
starting. had furnished a house, and, Sept. 6, 1832, was
married to Sarah L., daughter of Abraham
Lowe, and niece of Judge Lowe; she being the
daughter of wealthy parents, had, as a matter of course,
offers from wealthier suitors, and certain parties naturally
objected to our subject, because he was a poor working young
man, and whose only recommendation was health, strength,
honesty and industry. These objections were removed by
his marriage with the lady, and the time came when he had
more wealth than those who opposed him. In his
tailoring business he was prosperous and his trade was so
extensive he could scarcely attend to it. He kept a
store in connection and employed hands to do his work.
After sixteen years in this kind of trade, be abandoned it
and engaged in merchandising; handling real estate was his
next venture, and he bought and sold a great deal of
property and was very successful, making considerable money,
and is now among the wealthy men of the county and a highly
respected citizen. He is now retired from active
business pursuits and is enjoying his declining years amid
peace and plenty, and he feels that his life has not been
altogether uneventful. He belongs to no sect, denomination
or creed; this world, his home; his brethren, all mankind.
His wife died July 16, 1879, aged 70 years, 5 months and
20 days; was born Jan. 21, 1809. To Mr. and Mrs. D.
were born three children, two living. viz., Courtland
and Adolphus. Oscar died Aug. 16, 1864,
aged 26 years, 11 months and 23 days. He served some
_ime in the army as an Orderly; was taken sick, was brought
home, returned again, was taken sick, returned again to his
home, where he died.
Source: History of Warren
Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page
976 |
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Union Twp. -
W. F. DOWNEY, miller; P. O. Morrow;
was born in Warren Co., Ohio, in the year 1850; he is a son
of Eleazer Downey; the rudiments of his education
were received in the district schools, which was afterward
developed in the Lebanon Normal School, from which
institution he graduated and received the degree of
"Bachelor of Science;" previous to graduating he taught five
years, and mostly in the schools of Warren Co.; after
graduating, he taught one year in the county and two in
Illinois; his health failing him, he was obliged to abandon
the profession of teaching, when he turned his attention to
the farm and mill; he is a member of the Christian Church,
with which he has been connected thirteen years.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 1053 |
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Turtle
Creek Twp. -
JOHN DRAKE, farmer; P. O. Lebanon; was
born in Turtle Creek Township on the farm he now occupies
Aug. 10, 1805; his great-grandfather, Samuel Drake,
emigrated from England to America in 1676; his grandfather's
name was Joseph; his grandfather's name was Joseph;
his father, Lewis Drake, was born in New Jersey June
19, 1764, and, during the war of 1812, served as one of the
minutemen. He moved from New Jersey to Pennsylvania,
where he married Miss Mary Russell, a native of
Delaware, of Welsh descent. In 1800, he emigrated to
Ohio with his family of four children, three girls and one
boy, and located on the land now occupied by our subject.
During his residence in Ohio, eight more children, five boys
and three girls, were born to him; his son Samuel was
a cavalryman in the war of 1812; of his twelve children,
only two boys and two girls now survive. Our subject
was reared on the farm and received his education in the
schools of his native township; he was married on Christmas
Day (Dec. 25, 1832) to Miss Sarah Evans, a daughter
of Thomas and Ann (Griffith) Evans, natives of
Pennsylvania. This marriage was blessed with issue as
follows: Lewis, who is married and farming in
Warren County; Anna the wife of Joseph Mull,
of Warren County; Frank, who is married and farming
in Warren County; Thomas, a merchant of Lebanon;
John, a liveryman of Lebanon, and Isaac, who is
married and now lives on the home farm. Mr. Drake
is a Republican, and, for six years, served his county as
Director of the Infirmary; he is a member of the Baptist
Church, in which his wife also held a membership until her
death, Aug. 20, 1880. Mr. Drake now has in his
possession a walking-cane that his great-grandfather brought
from England at the time of his emigration. On his
farm, in Turtle Creek Township, there is a Lombardy poplar
tree, two and a half feet in diameter, that has grown from a
walking staff his father used in walking from Mad River, in
Montgomery County. Upon his arrival home, one of his
sons stuck the staff in a marshy spot near the house without
any particular reason, and in the years that followed it
grew into the beautiful tree of to-day.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W.
H. Beers & Co., 1882 - Page 735 |
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Turtle
Creek Twp. -
JOHN R. DRAKE, liveryman, Lebanon, was
born in Warren Co., Ohio, Mar. 15, 1844; his father, John,
was born on the farm where he now lives, in August, 1805,
and, in 1832, he married Sarah Evans, a daughter of
Thomas Evans, of Pennsylvania. She came to Ohio
with her brother at an early day. They were the
parents of six children. Our subject worked upon the
farm until 26 years of age, going to school during the
winter months. On the 7th of April, 1870, he married
Miss Ella B. Clegg, daughter of John and
Rebecca (Owens) Clegg, of Dayton, Ohio, by whom he has
had two children, Lida and Rollin. In
1869, he entered into the hardware business in Lebanon with
R. B. Corwin, but six months afterward withdrew and
returned to the farm, where he remained two years; he then
moved to Dayton, and, in company with John Mull, Esq.,
embarked in the grocery business, in which he continued
three years, and again returned to the farm. After two
years spent on the farm, he purchased the livery stable of
John H. Evans, Esq., of Lebanon, where he now holds
forth. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company F, 146th
O. N. G., and, after four months' service, was discharged at
Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati, September, 1864. He is
a warm-hearted social gentleman, a good citizen, and a
thorough business man, understanding his business in every
particular and conducting it with good financial success.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W.
H. Beers & Co., 1882 - Page 735 |
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Wayne Twp. -
WILLIAM H. DUKE
saw-mill and farmer; P. O. Waynesville; born in Virginia
Oct. 30, 1833; is a son of William and Rebecca (Roland)
Duke, natives of Virginia. The grandparents were
Richard and Elizabeth Duke, natives of Maryland, but
became residents of Virginia when he died, when William
was 8 years of age, who, with his brother John, 2
years older, was raised by their mother; William
married and became the father of five sons and five
daughters; all grew to maturity; six now survive -
Elizabeth, now Mrs. Compton, living in
Indiana; George, also in Indiana; Martha, now
Mrs. Corron, residing in Dayton; Richard M.,
William H. and Rebecca (now Mrs. Sides,
residing in Dayton). Mr. Duke with his
family and his mother emigrated to Ohio in the fall of 1839
and located and spent the winter at Rushville, and, in the
spring of 1840, came to Warren County and located on the
place known as Ichabod Corwin farm where they resided
six years; thence to the Arnet farm, near Ridgeville,
where, in September, 1869, his wife died; his mother died in
June, 1840. In the spring of 1870, he made a sale and
moved to Raysville, where he has since resided with his son,
our subject. Mr. Duke made farming his business
and met with fair success. He began in life with no
capital, and, by his own labor and industry, raised a large
family and obtained a good competency. He is now in
his 80th year, is quite spry and active, and says he has
never paid $10 for a doctor bill in his entire life.
Our subject was about six years of age when he came to this
county with his parents, and here grew to manhood; was
married, Jan. 8, 1857, to Anna Eliza, daughter of
Moses and Sarah (Eulas) Crosley, natives of Kentucky,
whose families were among the first settlers of Warren and
Montgomery Counties. Moses was a son of
William Crosley, who was one of the leading and
prominent men of that day. Moses and Sarah were
parents of eleven children, eight now survive Marian,
Anna Eliza, Jacob, Luken, Powell, Jane, Milton, Fremont.
Mr. Duke and wife have had nine children, eight now
living Marion, born Mar. 18, 1860; Elmer, born
June 26, 1862 (deceased); Jesse May, Mar. 25, 1864;
Frank H., Aug. 12, 1865; Etta Adelia, Mar. 8,
1868; Polka Evalenia, June 17, 1871; Jennie,
Aug. 5, 1873; Clara Charlotte, June 7, 1876, and
Anna Zoe Ella, born Oct. 8, 1879. Mr. Duke
followed farming in Wayne and Clear Creek Townships till
1866, when he located at Raysville, and entered upon the saw
mill and lumber business, which, in connection with farming,
he has since followed; he has also dealt extensively in
fruit and other products of the country in fact, has been a
man of general business; a man of great energy and activity,
and a leading spirit in all the public progress and
improvements of Raysville and vicinity. The present
good roads and pikes, the schools and churches have been
established through his aid, energy and efforts more
probably than by any other one man. And his last great
effort has been to obtain the building of a railroad, which
is accomplished, and is now constructed, connecting the
village of Raysville with Cincinnati and Dayton. And,
in conclusion, we may hope that Mr. Duke's labors and
efforts for the public interests may be duly appreciated,
and that in both time and eternity he may be duly rewarded.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago:
W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 835 |
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Union Twp. -
JOHN E. DUNHAM, farmer; P. O. South
Lebanon, was born in Union Township in the year 1841.
He is a son of Thomas G. Dunham, a pioneer, who was
born in Warren County July 4, 1810; he was a son of
Edward and Elizabeth (Gibbs) Dunham, natives of New
Jersey, who settled in Warren County in a very early day.
Thomas G. Dunham was reared a farmer's boy, and in
the early schools of the county he received a common
education. In 1835, he was married to Eliza,
daughter of John and Nancy Benham, pioneers of Warren
County. To them were born five children, viz.,
Cynthia A., Peter B., John E., James F. and Jennie.
Mr. Benham began life a poor boy, and, by his
indomitable energy, pluck and perseverance, in which he was
seconded by his amiable wife, they together succeeded in
accumulating a large property, which at his death was left
his wife and children in good circumstances. His death
occurred Nov. 18, 1874. His wife was born in Warren
Co., Ohio, in 1816,. Their youngest son, James F.,
was born in 1812, and was married to Elvira, daughter
of Abner Burdsal, Dec. 29, 1872. John E.,
the subject of this sketch, is a farmer by occupation, and
only received the advantages of a common school education.
Mar. 13, 1864, he was married to Letitia, daughter of
James Jameson, of Warren County, who has borne him
four children, three living, viz.: Burns B., Seldon
G. and Raymond; an infant deceased. In
1861, he enlisted in Co. F, 60th O. V. I., for one year;
served his time, and was honorably discharged. Was
taken prisoner at Harper's Ferry, September , 1862, and was
immediately paroled. He was in the engagement at Cross
Keys, VA., and numerous smaller engagements. He owns
160 acres of excellent land, which is largely in cultivation
and well improved. His wife is a native of the county
and was born in 1845.
Source: History of Warren Co.,
Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 1054 |
| |
Union Twp. -
PETER B. DUNHAM, South Lebanon; of the
firm of Kelley & Dunham packers and dryers of sugar
corn. Mr. Dunham was born in Turtle Creek
Township, Warren County, in 1839; his early life was passed
on the farm, and he received a common education in the
district schools. He followed the fortunes of the firm
until 1873, at which time he became interested in drying
corn. In 1879, he became connected with Mr. Kelley,
and together they do the largest business in that line in
the county. In 1859, he was married to Rebecca,
daughter of Harvey Randolph, by whom he has had one
child - Ida B. (deceased), aged six years.
Mr. D. was a member of Co. A, 169th O. N. G.; enlisted
in 1863, served this time, and was honorably discharged.
Source: History of Warren Co.,
Ohio - Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 1054 |
| |
Turtle
Creek Twp. -
GEORGE W. DUNNEGAN, farmer; P. O.
Lebanon; was born in slavery in Franklin Co., Tenn., in
1823; he was the property of Gen. Samuel Weakley; at
the age of eleven years, he was taken to Alabama by J. I.
Dunnegan, a son-in-law of Gen. Weakley. He
was married, when 18 years of age, to Jane Jones,
with whom he lived until 1858, when she died, in Huntsville,
Ala. In 1862, Mr. Dunnegan was again married,
to Mary Kelley, a slave owned by a Mr. Kelley,
of Tennessee. They came to Ohio in 1866, and purchased
a small farm north of Lebanon, where they have since
continued to reside. They are both exemplary members
of the African M. E. Church, in which Mr. Dunnegan
has held all the principal offices, and in which he was for
twenty years a local preacher. This old couple manage
the affairs of their little farm with the greatest
precision, and, by industry, care and frugality, have
succeeded in placing themselves far above want and in the
front rank of their people in the North.
Source: History of Warren Co., Ohio - Publ. Chicago:
W. H. Beers & Co., 1882 - page 736 |
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