OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List Issue 218 *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 218 Today's Topics: #1 History, Hamilton County ; Harriso ["Maggie Stewart" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <0f2901bfe3ac$3d4b7a60$0300a8c0@local.net> Subject: History, Hamilton County ; Harrison Township - pgs 312-318 (2) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Tina Hursh frog158@juno.com April 15, 2000 Transcribed by Karen Klaene *********************************************************************** Harrison Township - pgs 312-318 *********************************************************************** History of Hamilton County Ohio with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Compiled by Henry A. Ford, A.M. and Mrs. Kate B. Ford, L.A. William & Co., Publishers; 1881. pages: 312-319 John BROWN was born in South Carolina, in 1803, and came to Ohio with his parents. He has been a farmer all his life, and for many years was a member of the Harrison school board. In politics he is a Democrat. He married Sarah HERIN, of New Jersey, in 1824. August 30, 1874, he died at the age of 1871. He was the father of seven children: Jane, now the wife of James CHARELTON, of Butler county, Ohio; John, married to Sarah ELLIS and living in Indiana; Martha and Rebecca, both living in Hamilton county; Sarah, wife of Jehu JOHN, and now living in Illinois; Hannah, married to John VANAUSDALL, and now in Hamilton county; and Jefferson, remaining in the same place. George G. OYLER was born in England, in 1815, came to the United States with his father in 1828, and first settled in Hamilton county on the farm now owned by Thomas BOWLES. After serving an apprenticeship with Mr. D. A. DAVIDSON, he followed the painter's trade for thirty-five years, but at present devotes himself entirely ~pg 316~ to his farm. A Democrat, he has held the office of trustee in the township. He ranks high, too, as a Mason. He married Elizabeth GERRARD, of Ohio, in 1838. She had one child, Sarah, who died while an infant. The mother also died in 1876. He then married Honor J. MINOR.. Frederick BIDDINGER, senior, was a native of Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He was born in 1804, and came to Ohio with his father and settled in Butler county. After a year they moved to this county, and in 1810 he began on the farm which he now occupies. At present he is in possession of a fine competency. A Democrat in politics, he held the office of trustee of Harrison township one year; has always taken a deep interest in public improvements, and was instrumental in the laying out of the Biddinger pike, running from Harrison to Oxford. He is a member of the English Lutheran church; has held the office of trustee in the church for many years, and has always been deeply interested in the subject of education of youth. He married Sarah BLACK, of Ohio, who died in 1873. The children are John W., married to Margaret OTTO and now living in Butler county, Ohio; George A., married to Catharine SIMONSON, and now in this county; Emeline, wife of John LIVINGSTON, now in the same county; Jacob, married to Sarah STEPHENS, also living in this county; Angeline, now the wife of William HUTCHINSON, and residing in Missouri; Catharine, in this county; Melinda, Mrs. Thomas THOMAS of the same county; Martha, the wife of Martis HOLOWELL, and now residing in Indiana; Wesley M., married to Fanny McINTYRE, and now in Illinois; and Lewis F., of this county. Asa R. MITTLER born in Dearborn county, Indiana, in 1817, is a farmer of Hamilton county, where he settled in 1848. The first few years he was a resident of Harrison township, and while there he dealt in stock. In 1852 he organized a company and went over the plains to California where he was engaged for a year in mining and keeping hotel, and returned to Ohio by way of Panama. At the end of two years he purchased a farm in Whitewater township, on which he lived until 1870, when he moved to the place on which is now his home. While in Whitewater township he held the office of township trustee and treasurer for a number of years, and has filled the same office in the township where he now resides. He has always been a Democrat. February 22, 1855, he was married to Euphemia RITTENHOUE of Ohio. The children are Alice, Ellen (now the wife of George ARNOLD), Charles, George, and Mabel. John JONES, born in Baltimore county, Maryland, first settled in Harrison township in 1809. He was both a farmer and miller. In religious faith he was a Baptist, but never united with a church. His wife was Sarah HARRIMAN Their children are Betsy, Sarah, Rachel, Temperance, Ruth, Nancy, Rebecca, Stephen and Ellen. Benjamin SIMONSON, the oldest member of the family of Aaron and Margaret SIMONSON was born in this county in 1827 In 1864 he entered into partnership with George and John PUNNY, for the manufacture of bedsteads, in which business he continued four years, when he disposed of his interest and returned to his farm. He is a member of the Sand Hill grange, in which he has twice held the place of overseer, and was also an officer in the Ancient Order of Red Men. In politics he classes himself with the Democratic party. In 1848 he married Maria JOHNSON, of Indiana. Their nine children are Margaret E., now Mrs. Harry SLEET; Nicholas J., Pricilla, Helen M., Mary E., Zaruma, Benjamin F., Maria A., and Charles G. George HOPPING was born in Whitewater township in 1826, where he received an ordinary education, and began the business of farming. lie is a strong Republican, and always has shown much interest in education. In 1850 he was married to Rebecca IRELAND a citizen of Indiana. He has six children William, Frank, Charles, Laura, Hattie, and Lillie. Robert MARVIN was born September 12, 1770, in Lynne, Connecticut. He was left an orphan when three years old. When a young man he engaged in teaching. About the year 1800 he moved to Morristown, New Jersey, and soon after was married to the widow of Moses ROSS. Her maiden name was Phoebe FORD About the year 1805 he emigrated to Harrison, Hamilton county, Ohio. The journey westward as far as wheeling was made in a covered wagon, drawn by horses and oxen. The rest of the trip was effected m a flatboat down the Ohio river to Cincinnati. He settled on land obtained by his predecessor from the Government at four dollars per acre, and entered the adjoining quarter section from the Government. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian church. lie was an Abolitionist of the old style, and so noted for his zeal that he was threatened with expulsion from the church! He died in January, 1842, in his seventy-second year. His wife survived him about ten years, expiring in the eighty-third year of her age. Samuel R. MARVIN was born in Dover, Morris county, New Jersey, June 5, 1804. lie came to this State with his parents, and first settled on the farm now owned by Mrs. Narcissa SNOW, in Harrison township. At one time he attended the Miami university at Oxford. He devoted twenty years to teaching school. He received the rudiments of a good English education from his scholarly father, but by reason of weak eyes was never able to pursue a regular course of study. He was a great reader, a close observer of human nature, and, in his day, succeeded well as a teacher, in which profession he spent the best part of his life. In 1842 he married Julia A. PLACE, who was born in New York in 1808. After his marriage he became a farmer, which business he followed the remainder of his life. He filled the office of township clerk for Harrison township, and was also a member of the school board, in the same township, for several years. Early in his life he was a believer in Universalism, but he afterward adopted the Swedenborgian faith. In politics he was an Old Line Whig, a strong Abolitionist, and, after the forming of the Republican party he became a Republican. A highly educated and truly good man, he was highly respected by the many with whom he was acquainted. lie died at his home near Harrison, June 29, 1863. His wife survives him. lie was the ~pg 317~ father of three children, Gustavus L., who died in infancy; Jerome P., now married to Martha A. STOKES, and Melissa A., now the wife of Henry N. CONGDEN. Jerome P. MARVIN was born in this county in 1846. He taught school after having obtained an ordinary education, after which time he spent a year at Wabash college, Indiana, and studied medicine at the Eclectic Medical institute, of Cincinnati, five years, where he graduated in June, 1866. In 1864 he enlisted in the One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Ohio regiment of infantry, where he served three months. The practice of medicine was begun in Cincinnati in the fall of 1866, in partnership with Dr. SCUDDER, which partnership continued six years. During that time he was demonstrator of anatomy in the Eclectic institute of Cincinnati for three years. In 1872 he began medical practice in Sidney, Ohio After a year he gave up the place and came to Harrison, buying the interest of C. G. Thomas in the drug business, in which he is at present engaged. He held the office of township treasurer of Harrison township one year, was a member of the school board three years, and gave material aid in establishing the present graded system m the schools. In politics he is a Republican, and as a member of Snow Lodge No. 193 has had the place of master during three years. He was married to Martha STOKES, a native of Ohio, April 16, 1868, and is the father of two children, Mabel and Maude. William DAIR, born in Harrison, Ohio, August 20, 1848, married Jeannette BONHAM September 21, 1870. Mr. and Mrs. DAIR have-three children, two daughters and one son. In the way of descent he is the son of James DAIR, who was one of the successful men of the county, and to whom excellent business tact and foresight have been transmitted. He is a graduate of BARTLETT's Commercial college, of Cincinnati. In the matter of positions he has filled - and filled successfully, too the township treasurer's and councilman's office, has been engaged in causes which advance the practical interests of a community, and deals in facts and results. He, with his brother Charles, is among the wealthy men of Harrison township, and year by year add by honorable means to their gains. They are distillers. Lewis M. DAIR was born in New Jersey, Greenwich county, in 1798. He was a ship carpenter by trade, and came to Ohio in 1844 and settled in Harrison. While there he worked at the carpenter's trade. In politics he was a Democrat. His wife, Hannah MULFORD, was a native of New Jersey. She died in Harrison in 1854. Her husband survived her fourteen years. They had eleven children - Benjamin, married to Julia A. BEARD, and now living in Indiana; James, whose first wife was Charlotte BRIGGS, and whose present wife is Louisa BRAKENRIDGE; Mary J.; Elizabeth, the wife of Owen WILLIAMS; Amanda, the wife of Asa CURRY, now of Indiana; Hannah, at present Mrs. Richard BOWLES; Lewis, married to Elizabeth PERRINE Jonathan M., married to Mary J. CAMPBELL now living in Kentucky; Lucy A., Mrs. George LEGGET, at present a resident of Indiana; Edward, now married to Angeline PHILLIPS and also in Indiana; and Emily, the wife of Theodore B. McCAFFERTY. James DAIR, the second son, was born in 1822, in the State of New Jersey, where he learned the miller's trade, in which business he continued until he came to Ohio, in 1842. He settled in Harrison township, and in company with Joseph T. CLOUD built the distillery now owned by the DAIR Brothers. In politics he was a Republican. He married Charlotte BRIGGS, a native of Indiana, who died in 1864. Their children were Charles, now married to Addie RITTENHOUSE; two daughters named Sallie; Katie, the wife of Theodore ROCKAFELLER, and now a resident of Indiana; Charlotte, married to Purlu SCOTT; Ida, now Mrs. Charles WREN, of Butler county, Ohio; Anna, and one that died in infancy. Isaac L. FROST was born in Harrison township, at LEE'S creek, and worked on his father's farm till he was of age, when he began mercantile business in Venice, Butler county. In 1854 he bought Mr. A.M. WAKEFIELD's stock of goods in New Haven, and continued business there until 1863, when he died. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a Democrat in politics. He was married to Miss Nancy HUCHINSON, who still survives him. They had nine children - Elsie A., now married to Aaron SHAW; Amos H., whose wife is Sarah J. HANK; Sarepta, the wife of William PHARAS; Harriet E.; John S.; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jasper N. SHAW; Nancy J.; Isaac S.; and Theodocia. Amos Hutchinson FROST was born December 18, 1840, three miles northeast of Harrison, on LEE'S creek, in Harrison township. November 12, 1867, he married Sarah Jane HAWK, daughter of William HAWK, of Crosby, who bore him three children, one son living. Early, in life the family moved to Venice, in Butler county, and resided for twelve years; from there they came to New Haven in the year 1854, and finally Amos left in 1871 and settled in Harrison village, since which time he has been engaged in the drug business. In all matters of public concern he has been favorably known. He is secretary of Harrison Loan and Business association, is a member of the school board, and treasurer and trustee of the First Presbyterian church, of which he is a member. Dr. Milton L. THOMAS was born in Warren county, Ohio, in 1821. When eleven years old he went with his parents to Jefferson county, Indiana. At the age of twenty-one he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. J. H. D. Rogers, at Madison, Indiana, and continued the same during three years. After attending the Medical institute of Louisville, Kentucky, he began the practice of medicine in Morgan county, Indiana. In 1849 he moved to New Haven, this county, where he was in practice five years, during which time he attended a course of lectures at the Eclectic Medical institute in Cincinnati, from which institution he graduated in 1850. Four years later he opened an office in Harrison, where he is at the present time. He is an earnest member of the Methodist church, of which he is a trustee. He is also superintendent of the Sabbath-school In politics he walks with the Republican party. In 1844 he was married to Harriet W. CHASE, who was born in Ohio. She became the mother of two children, and died July 17, 1852. He then married Susan J. RYBOLT, of Indiana. ~pg 318~ They now have a family of four children: Charles S., now married to Margaret LITTLE; Eda A.; Elminea, now Mrs. James S. BITTLER; and Rolla, married to Sallie B. COOK, of Indiana. Rolla was born in Harrison in 1857. In 1877 he graduated at Ashbury university, at Greencastle, Indiana, where he studied medicine. Charles G. THOMAS was born in the year 1845, in Jefferson county, Indiana, whence he came to Harrison with his parents. In addition to a common school education he attended the Miami university at Oxford. For the last eighteen years he has been in the drug business. In politics he is a Republican. In 1869 he was married to Maggie A. LITTLE, of Ohio. They have two children, Harrietta and Eda L. Joseph C. MEYER was born 1824 in Hanover, Germany, where he learned the jeweler's trade. He came to America in 1849, and first settled in Cincinnati, where he remained about four years. While there he worked as a journeyman in the jewelry business. In 1854 he came to Harrison, and entered the employ of Thomas DORR, where he remained three years, when he began business on his own account, which he still continues. During two terms he filled the position of councilman for Harrison, is a member of the Catholic church, any in politics is a Democrat. In 1860 he married Anna M. GARDINER, a native of Pennsylvania. They have two children, Lizzie and Joseph. Rev. Charles WEST was born in 1792, in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, from which State he moved to Ohio, and settled in Colerain township in 1819. His death occurred in August, 1878, in Butler county, Ohio. By trade he was a tanner and curries, but after coming to Ohio was engaged in farming. In 1817 he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, and took an active part in its work. In 1850 he built a church with his own funds - the West Union church, at Greusbeck, in Colerain township - and was pastor of the church until his death. He was an active, earnest Christian, respected by all. In 1817 he married Rebecca SPARKS, of Baltimore, Maryland. She died at the age of sixty-eight years, in Butler county. The had nine children: Manning, now married to Amanda STOUT, and residing in Iowa; Stockston, now of Illinois, whose wives were Catharine BEYIS and Mary APPLEGATE; Pieson, whose wife is Mary GOSLING; Allison SYLVESTER, Pitman; Augustus E., married to Annie H. JOHNSON; Miranda, now Mrs. Samuel WILSON of Indiana; and Charles, married to Harriet PONDER. Dr. Augustus E. WEST was born in 1824, in this county. After obtaining a common school education he attended school at College Hill, and at twenty-one years of age began the study of medicine with Dr. BARTLETT at Cheviot. After four years he graduated at Starling Medical college in Columbus, Ohio, and the next year began the practice of medicine at Farmersville, Montgomery county, Ohio, but soon after moved to Miamitown, where he practiced fourteen years. He then went to Illinois, purchased a farm and followed farming about a year, when he returned to Ohio and settled in Harrison. In 1865 he opened an office and began practice there and is still engaged in the same employment. He is a most successful physician of the regular school. At various times he has held various public offices of trust and responsibility. He is a member of Snow lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, also of Harrison lodge, Knights of Honor, and is a Democrat in politics. In 1849 he was married to Miss Annie TOMLINSON, of New Jersey. His eight children are: John A., now of Montgomery county, this State; Helen M., Mrs. Charles FERRIS; Rebecca, wife of William CONVERSE, and Frank, Francis, Annie C., Manning, and Eddie. Rev. Gerberd EGGER, the Catholic priest of Harrison, Ohio, was born in Switzerland, educated at Thubingen university, Wurtemberg, and came to the United States November, 1866. He began his ministry at Dry Ridge, this county, where he preached for six years and four months, coming to Harrison in February, 1873. His first station was without the ordinary improvements which belong to places of this kind - no parsonage, no schoolhouse, in debt for the church proper, and, in fact, even the commonest grades of enterprise. He lifted a heavy church debt to a very great extent, increasing the value of church property from three thousand dollars to seven thousand dollars. Since being at his present location he has won the admiration of those even outside of his congregation by his business tact and discipline. The old school-house and church at Harrison, which stood in a dilapidated state in 1873, now are handsome structures of brick. The church proper, with a congregation of four hundred or five hundred souls, was built in 1876; the priest's house, in 1873; and the school-house in 1877. Church property has advanced from one thousand eight hundred dollars to ten thousand dollars, and healthiness in all departments pervades. No surer sign of advancement in religious matters can be seen than that the minister is liked, the debt being liquidated, and everybody satisfied. HARRISON VILLAGE. This was the first town to be laid out in Hamilton county west of the Great Miami, except the early extinct Crosby, on the banks of that stream. Its recorded plat is dated December 8, 1813, and it was laid out that year by Jonas CRANE, at the southwest corner of section eighteen and the northwest of section nineteen, just half way across the present township of Harrison, on its extreme west line. A small part of it extends into Indiana. The village is described in the State Gazetteer of Ohio, in 1821, as on the Whitewater river, twenty-four miles northwest of Cincinnati, laid off on the State line, with the main north and south street on that line, and half the village on each side. The post office, we believe, has always been kept on the Ohio side, but the railway station is a little way beyond the line, in Hoosierdom. Twenty years later, in the State Gazetteer of 1841, Harrison is noted as containing about three hundred inhabitants, with three churches, four stores, two taverns, two groceries, two physicians, three clergymen, one apothecary's shop, sixteen mechanics' shops, one flouting mill, one carding machine, and one hundred dwellings. One-third of the inhabitants then resided on the Indiana ~pg 319~ side. "The line of the Whitewater canal passes through the town, and is now in progress." The village has had a quite satisfactory growth, considering that it has no special advantages of position; In 1830 it had but one hundred and seventy-three inhabitants. In 1850, under the stimulus of the Whitewater canal and the general growth of the country, its population had advanced to nine hundred and forty; in 1860, to one thousand three hundred and forty-three; and in 1870, to one thousand four hundred and seventeen, of course all in Hamilton county. Last year (1880) the census found one thousand five hundred and fifty in habitants within its limits, on the Ohio side. Mr. William F. CONVERSE was the first mayor of the village. Among other mayors have been Benjamin BOOKWALTER, 1866-8; and A. E. West, 1873-4. In the years 1856-7 a large brick edifice was put up near Harrison for the purposes of a private academy, called the institute. The expense of its erection and equipment was borne mainly by Mr. George OYLER, whose son, G. W. OYLER, then a recent graduate of the Farmers' college, at College Hill, was its first principal, and has since become a well-known teacher in the county. The St. John's Catholic church, ministered to by the Rev. Father C. EGGERS, is located here. In 1872 the Jackson Building and Loan association, for operations at Harrison, was Organized, its certificate of incorporation being filed with the secretary of State, June 4th of that year. The pottery operated here was started so long ago as 1829. THE CENSUS. The census in 1870 gave Harrison township two thousand one hundred and seventy-five people; in 1880, two thousand two hundred and seventy-seven. -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V00 Issue #218 *******************************************