DARKE COUNTY OHIO - BIOS: ARMSTRONG, HUGH (published 1900) ******************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this elec- tronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ******************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Jane Torres Jetorres@indiana.edu June 6, 1999 ******************************************************** A Biographical History of Darke County Ohio, published in Chicago by the Lewis Publishing Company, 1900. p. 501 HUGH ARMSTRONG The stock and farming industries of Darke county, Ohio, have for many years had a representative in Hugh Armstrong, of German township who is well-known as a breeder of shorthorn cattle. Mr. Armstrong was born in Jackson township, Darke county, Ohio, three miles east of Union City, July 19, 1837. His father, John Armstrong, a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania, born December 18, 1793, came when a young man to Darke county, Ohio, and so well pleased was he with the locality that he decided to make it his permanent home. Returning to his native state he married the girl of his choice and came back, about 1812, and settled on a tract of government land in Greenville township, to which in due time he secured a title, and on which they made their home for some time. Afterward he sold out and removed to Greenville, where he engaged in the hotel business. He was an all-around man, figuring prominently in various capacities. By trade he was a brick mason and he built one of the first brick houses in the town, the one formerly known as the Reily Knox property. His hotel, or "tavern" as it was then called, was one of the first in Greenville. Farm life, however, was his choice, and he again sought a rural home. He entered eighty acres of land in Jackson township, to which he subsequently added eighty acres more, and on this farm he spent the rest of his days and died July 16, 1864, being about seventy-one years of age at the time of his death. Politically he was first a Whig and later a Republican. He gave some time to the practice of law and was for a number of years, up to the time of his death, a justice of the peace. Also he was at one time the judge of the circuit court of Greenville. He was only reasonably successful in a financial way. Of a generous nature, ever willing to help others, he not infrequently neglected his own business to give a helping hand to others. But he left to his family what was of far more value than money or land, -the heritage of a good name. Judge Armstrong's father was James Armstrong. He was born, reared and married in Scotland, and with his wife emigrated to this country, locating in Pennsylvania, where he passed the rest of his life on a farm and where he died. Judge John Armstrong was married three times. His first wife, whom he married in Pennsylvania as above stated, died shortly after their settlement in Darke county. His second wife was a daughter of Isaac Vale, and by her he had two children viz: Martin M., born January 19, 1822, and is now deceased, and Frances A., born November 23, 1823, is the widow of William Douglas and resides with her son, Greer Douglas, in Jackson township, this county. His third wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was Jane Elston, a native of New Jersey, born March 24, 1805, who came to Darke county, Ohio, with her parents when she was a small child. The children of this marriage were nine in number, as follows: Thomas, born July 31, 1826, now deceased; Margaret, born January 15, 1829, also now deceased; Peter E., born November 21, 1831, is a resident of Washington township, Darke county; Sarah, born January 31, 1835, is deceased; Hugh, the direct subject of this review; John H., born January 12, 1840, who died while in the service of his country during the civil war; Elizabeth, born February 14, 1843, is the wife of Cyrus Hart, of Darke county; Mary J., born February 6, 1846, is the widow of Daniel Dowlar, of Washington township, Darke county; and Hannah C., born April 8, 1849, is the wife of Augustus Stoner, on the old home farm in Jackson township. Hugh Armstrong passed his boyhood and early manhood on his father's farm and was there at the time of the civil war. In the spring of 1864, he enlisted in the Union army as a member of the One Hundred and Fifty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for one hundred days' service, and at the end of that time was honorably discharged. Returning home, he continued work on his father's farm until 1867. That year he purchased eighty acres, cornering with his father's land. Two years later he sold this tract and bought one hundred and twenty-nine acres in Washington township, which was his home nine years and which he then exchanged for a farm in Franklin township. On the last named place hi lived two years. In 1881, he sold out and came to his present location in German township, where he has a fine farm of two hundred and five acres, nicely improved and specially fitted for stock purposes. He has one of the finest barns in the county. The residence is just outside the corporate limits of Palestine. Mr. Armstrong was first married, in October, 1867, to Miss Elizabeth J. Van Skiak, who was born April 14, 1839, and died December 20, 1880, leaving four children, namely: Ida J., born March 13, 1870, who is now the wife of W. M. McCartney, a Disciple minister near Worden, Ohio; Eva C., born December 14, 1873, at home; Rettie A., born August 6, 1879, is the wife of Charles Wilt, of Palestine; and George, born September 16, 1879, is a farmer of Jackson township, this county. Mr. Armstrong's present wife was formerly Miss Carlesta McCabe, who was born July 4, 1865, and who is the daughter of George McCabe, of Palestine, a native of Darke county, Ohio. By this marriage there is one child, Merideth, born March 23, 1894. Mr. Armstrong harmonizes with the Republican party and is a member of that popular organization, the G.A.R., holding his membership in Reed Post, No. 572.