Newton Township (part 4 of 4)

DAYID MILLER, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; was born in Dauphin Co., Penn., in 1817. His father, Henry Miller, and his mother, Ann E. Klein, wrere both natives of Pennsylvania ; they reared a family of fourteen children, nine sons and five daughters. Henry Miller gave his attention chiefly to farming, and followed it till his death, which occurred in Cumberland Co., Penn., at the age of 77 years. A. E. Klein, his second wife, died at the age of 66 years. The subject of this sketch was next to the youngest of the family. His life has been that of a farmer. He passed the first ten years of it in the place of his nativity, when he was taken with his parents to Cumberland Co. Here he remained, assisting his father in the duties of the farm, till he was 23 years old. He then embarked in life on his own resources, operating a farm in same county for about nine years. In the spring of 1850, he concluded to make his home in Ohio. That he has made farming a success is evidenced by his large farm and fine buildings. He has been a faithful member of the Herman Baptist Church for about thirty-three years. His first marriage was in 1840, with Martha Kauffman, of York Co.. Penn., with whom he lived about two and a half years, when her death occurred. A son and daughter were born to this union. His second marriage was with Nancy Nussleman, of Lancaster Co., Penn., who died in 1868, leaving four sons and one daughter. His third marriage was with Anna Eller, a native of this county ; they have no children.

D. E. MINNICH, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; was born on the farm on which he now resides in 1846, and is the son of G-eorge E. Minnich, a native of Pennsylvania ; he was born May 17, 1816, in Lancaster Co. ; he was brought to this county by his parents when he was 10 or 12 years old ; here he passed his boyhood and youth ; after making several changes, he finally located on the place where the subject of this sketch now lives ; he remained here till 1872, when he disposed of his farm, and, after moving several times, located near Union City, in Darke Co.; here his death occurred in May, 1877. He was mamed twice, first June 14, 1837, to Esther Brant, of Pennsylvania ; five sons and two daughters were born to them. Margaret Casper was his second wife, by whom he had a family of four sons and three daughters ; of the fourteen children four are now' dead. The subject of this sketch was raised on a farm, and his early education was limited to the common school. In 1868, he married Rebecca, daughter of H. Reiber ; of their seven children, six survive ; in 1872, he purchased the old homestead of 80 acres, where he now lives. Mr. and Mrs. Minnich are members of the Herman Baptist Church, of which he is a Deacon.

DAVID MINNICH, retired farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; was born in Franklin Co., Penn., in 1829, and was only 4 years old when he was brought to this State by his parents ; he is of Herman extraction, and the son of Heorge Minnich, a native of Pennsylvania, who, in 1833, immigrated to this State and settled in Montgomery Co., Ohio ; a few years later he removed to this count}*, but at his death, which occurred when he was about 60 years of age, he was living in Franklin Township, Darke Co. He celebrated his marriage in Pennsylvania with Miss Nancy Shoemaker ; she survived her husband a few years, her death occurring about eighteen years ago. The boyhood of our subject w*as passed upon the farm till 18 years of age, when he came to this village in 1847, and embarked in the blacksmith business, which he carried on for twenty-five years ; his health then be coming impaired, he abandoned the business and engaged in farming ; this he continued till about one year ago, since when he has been living a life retired froir active business son of John and Catherine (Hoover) Overcarsli, who had one son and one daughter ; when Michael was 10 or 12 years old, his parents came to Ohio, locating on his present place, where he has since resided ; his parents both died on the same day, Nov. 9, 1873 ; he was born March 14, 1794, and she July 11, 1795. Michael was married April 19, 1853, to Martha, granddaughter of Anna Brandon, elsewhere noticed in these sketches ; she died Dec. 24, 1878 ; three sons and two daughters were born of this union. Our subject was raised upon a farm and educated in the common school ; he improved his educational opportunities well, and entered the profession of teaching in 1875, which he has since continued during the winter, devoting his summer months to farming ; he is a Republican in politics, and a Protestant in religion, being a member, with his wife, of the Christian Church ; personally, he is pleasant, affable, industrious and enterprising. He was married, in 1878, to Jemima Maier, of this count}', daughter of Eberhart and Lucy Maier ; one daughter, Martha, has been the issue of this union.

WILLIAM PATTY, physician, Pleasant Hill ; is one of the prominent citizens of Newton Township, born Dec. 30, 1827, in Miami Co., of Welch extraction on the paternal, and English on the maternal side. His ancestry settled in South Carolina in an early day, where his father, Charles Patty, was born, July 21, 1788. He was married to Phebe Pearson, born Aug. 5, 1789. In 1808, they pioneered their way into the Stillwater Valley, locating within the present limits of Newberry Township. When war was declared in 1812, safety required them to retire to the southern part of the county, where they located in the extreme southeast part of Union Township ; after a time he moved to Montgomery Co., and at the end of twenty years, to Newton Township, where his death occurred Sept. 23, 1848 ; his wife died July 24, 1868, at the age of 79. Dr. Patty was raised in Montgomery Co. ; his educational advantages were meager, but well improved, and he entered the profession of teaching at the age of 17, which he continued for four years, in the meantime devoting his leisure time to the study of medicine. In 1853, he attended a course of lectures at the Eclectic Medical College, of Cincinnati ; he then practiced till 1866, with the exception of four years, when he attended another course of lectures, receiving his diploma. He made his first location at Laura, and from there came to his present place in the spring of 1867. As a physician, he has been successful, as a citizen he is sociable and charitable. He married Sarah J. Dawell, of this county, in 1849 ; they have four sons and one daughter ; two sons are dead. He is a member of the A., F. & A. M., and, with his wife, is a member of the Christian Church.

R. M. PEARSON ; P. O. Troy ; one of the prominent men of this township ; is a son of Joseph Pearson, and now lives in the house in which he was born, April 23, 1832 ; was raised to farming until 18, during which time he obtained a fair education ; he then followed wagon-making at Covington three years, abandoning the same from failing health ; June, 1853, went to Iowa, and in the spring of 1854, went to Ft. Kearney, where he was wounded by a ball passing through his foot ; he then went to Ft. Laramie in a wagon, and during the twelve-days' journey suffered much pain ; the August following, went by ox team to Ft. Leavenworth, Kan., thence by boat to St. Louis, arriving at Iowa in a weak condition, where he met with another accident, and, returning to Ohio, recovered his health under the skill of Dr. Cable, of Covington ; from 1855 to 1857 he worked at carpentering, etc., in Iowa; he then made a trip of 170 days across the plains to California, via the beautiful Thousand Spring Valley, during which they had frequent encounters with the Indians ; he located in Bent Co., and unsuccessfully followed mining seven years, during this time he often assisted to 'defend the settlers from the Indians ; he has a vivid recollection of the great earthquake in Colorado, March 5, 1864 ; he also worked six months in a quartz-mill in Plum Co. ; from there went to Portland, Ore., landing with 25 cents in his pocket ; from here went up the Columbia River to Dalles City, where they packed their horses with supplies and made the trip of 400 miles to Boice Basin, Idaho, on foot, suffering much from snow and rain; here he commenced work April, 1864, in the mines ; after a few days labor, he was taken with the measles, and for twelve days lay in shelter made by shoveling away the deep snow, during which time his doctor's two trips per day was $16 each ; he was then taken to town on a mule, but did not recover sufficiently to labor until the next July, when he became night manager of the mines for four and a half months at $210 per month ; the following spring, he bought a claim and worked until the fall of 1867, when he sold out and quit mining, having suffered the hardships of a miner's life for ten years ; he then returned home via Portland, San Francisco, Central America and New York ; he followed the saw-mill and lumber business seven years, but has since been occupied in farming ; is a member of the A., F. & A. M., Franklin Chapter, R., A. M. and Coleman Commandery, No. 17, Troy, Ohio, of which he is a standard bearer. Married Jane McCurdy Sept. 3, 186$ ; they have four children - Lydia J., born Sept. 19, 1869 ; Ida May, Dec. 21, 1870 ; Eliza D., Feb. 23, 1873 ; William H. H., Oct. 11, 1875.

HORATIO PEARSON, teacher, Pleasant Hill ; born in Union Township Sept. 15, 1836 ; he is a son of Isaac P. and Mar}^ Pemberton, both of Union Township. Robert Pearson, his grandfather, was a native of Newberry District, S. C., and emigrated to Ohio about 1806, locating in Union Township ; he had five sons and four daughters ; three sons and three daughters still survive, the youngest being 60 years old. He was married to Keziah Hollingsworth, of South Carolina, and was a farmer by occupation, as were all his sons. Isaac was located in the vicinity of the homestead till 1846, when he pre-empted a piece of of land in Howard Co., Ind., on which he moved. Here in a few years he was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, Mary, who died, leaving a family of four sons and two daughters ; Mr. P. then returned to his native place, where his family were reared. He still survives, making his permanent home in Indiana. Our subject is the oldest of the family, and the scenes of his boyhood and youth were passed upon the farm, engaging in such duties as fall to the lot of a farmer boy ; his educational opportunities were limited to the common school, except a short time spent in the Ohio Wesleyan University, of Delaware, Ohio; thus he was left to take the slower but surer route to a thorough education, that of selfculture. By close application to his books, he early qualified himself for the profession of teaching. At the age of 17, he engaged in the carpenter trade, which art he acquired, and has since worked at at intervals ; he commenced teaching at the age of 19, which has since been his principal occupation. In the fall of 1875, he took charge of the Pleasant Hill school, and has since superintended it with eminent success. He was recently employed for three years by the Board of Education, a mark of his excellence as a teacher ; previous to taking this school, he superintended with satisfaction the Georgetown school. Mr. P. is a Republican in politics. He married, Dec. 10, 1857, Mary P., daughter of Elijah, and a direct descendant of Marmaduke Coate ; four sons and four daughters have been the issue of this union ; one son died in 1874, at the age of 15.

EPHRAIM PEARSON, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; born in this township in August, 1834; is the son of Wilkinson Pearson and Eleanor Leavell, the former of South Carolina, and the latter of this township ; Wilkinson Pearson is the son of Benjamin Pearson, who immigrated to Ohio in 1805 ; in the fall of 1806, he came to this township, settling on the banks of the Stillwater ; here Wilkinson passed his youth in the wilderness ; he lived in this township until after the close of the war, when he moved to Newberry Township, where he still resides. He was married to Eleanor Leavell, daughter of Robert Leavell, a pioneer ; they had nine children, six deceased ; four of the sons were in the late civil war - two (Richard and Job) as members of the 110th O. V. I. ; Job was shot at the battle of Cold Harbor ; Richard was wounded five times during his term of service ; James C. and the subject of this sketch were members of the 147th O. N. G. Ephraim was brought up on a farm and received his early education in the common school ; he made his first permanent move from his birthplace to his present place in 1856 ; here he has since resided, operating his farm, consisting of 140 acres ; it is under the best of modern improvement, and everjffhing indicates thrift, industry and en- terprise ; Mr. Pearson has been a member of the Republican party since its organization ; he has been elected three times to the position of Township Trustee - a testimony of the confidence and esteem he has won of the people ; he and his wife are consistent members of the Christian Church. Mr. Pearson was married, in 1854, to Nancy Caldwell, a native of this township and a daughter of James Caldwell ; four children - three sons and one daughter - have been the issue of this union. Mr. and Mrs. Pearson are active members of the Patrons of Husbandry, and were charter members of the Covington Lodge, No. 96.

JEREMIAH PEARSON, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; was born in this township in 1840 ; his ancestors came from South Carolina, and were early pioneers of this county ; his father, Elisha P., was born in Newberry District, S. C., about 1804, and was brought to this county by his parents when an infant ; they located near Tippecanoe, in Monroe Township ; quite early, he moved to this township and entered the southwest quarter of Sec. 3, Range 4 ; he passed the latter part of his life with his son Jeremiah, his death occurring about two years ago. He was married to Julia Ann Van Horn, of this county ; she was born in 1816, her father dying when she was but a child ; she was reared by Enoch Pearson, of Monroe Township, and still survives. Elisha P. had a family of four sons and two daughters, a son and daughter of whom have died. The subject of this sketch is next to the oldest child ; his earl}' life was passed upon the farm, and his early education was much limited ; he has followed farming as his life pursuit ; he moved to his present place, consisting of 82 acres, about three years ago. His political views are found in the Democratic party. He has been twice married ; first, in 1863, to Mary, daughter of Miles Coats ; she died about eleven years ago, leaving two sons ; he was married the second time, to Marietta Shephard ; they have had five children, one deceased.

A. J. PENNY, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; a descendant of the early pioneers of this county ; born in Darke Co., Ohio, April 3, 1840, and is the son of Dennis Penny, of Kentucky . He emigrated to this State when quite a boy. He married Mrs. Condon, formerly Miss Michael. She is a native of Hamilton Co., Ohio., and daughter of William Michael, who lived to the age of 101 years. He was also an early settler on the Miami. ~ After the marriage of Mr. P. he settled in Darke Co., and reared eight children, of whom five are living. We find this family full of the true spirit of patriotism, and, when the country demanded soldiers for her protection, the father and five sons were quick to respond. Mr. P. enlisted in Co. E, 48th 0. V. I., and died at Pittsburg Landing, with a fever contracted while in the service. Two of his sons, Jason H. and our subject, were in the 48th O. V. I. ; J ason served a term of three years, and participated in twenty-six battles. Another son, Oliver, was a member of the 44th O. Y» I., and was shot dead from his horse in the battle of Louisburg, Ya. ; Steven Condon, a step-son, was a member of the 94th O. Y. I., and was severely wounded ; John Condon, another step-son, served in the 152d O. N. G. After the battle of Pittsburg Landing, our subject was stationed most of the time at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he received a commission to recruit a batter}' of heavy artillery for the Adjutant General of Kentucky. After recruiting 100 men, they were organized into a company of cavalry, serving a period of three years and three months. He was honorably discharged, and returned home. Since then, he has been variously employed, at shoemaking, selling sewing machines, dry-goods, and a short time as an agent in a lightning rod company. Jan. 18, 1880, he purchased the farm where he now lives, and has since been engaged in farming. He was married to Miss Margaret Weddle Oct. 11, 1863. She is the youngest child of Isaac Weddle, one of the early settlers in this township ; they have six children. Mr. P. is a charter member of the West Milton Encampment, No. 127, and a member of the I. O. O. F., No. 165, Stillwater Lodge. Politically, he is a Republican.

ISAAC PRICE, minister and farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill ; born in Mifflin Co., Penn., in 1836 ; is the son of Isaac and Elizabeth Price, of Pennsylvania, the former of Mifflin, and the latter of Juniata Co. ; Isaac P., Sr., passed his entire life, a period of seventy-three years, in the same house. The subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm, and thus, from boyhood, acquired a knowledge of farming, which he has followed through life, and with eminent success, as the fact that he now possesses a large, fine farm, under the best of improvements, bears ample testimony ; his early education wras limited to the common school ; in the spring of 1861, he immigrated to this State and located in Newton Township ; he soon engaged himself to Mr. Fox as a farm laborer ; in the following fall, he purchased of Mr. Fox 73f acres of land, a part of the tract which he now owns ; he has added to this 100 acres, by his industiy and good management. Mr. Price is a minister in the German Baptist Church, whose official duties he has discharged for nine years, with fidelity to his church and commendable zeal in the cause of Christianity ; Mr. Price is a good worker in the cause of religion, using his talent to good account for the Master's service ; personally, he is a gentleman, honest and upright in all his dealings with his fellow-man. He was married in January, 1862, to MarjT J. Fox, a native of Montgomer}' Co.; she is the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Fox, the former a native of Maryland, whence he emigrated to this State ; he and wife still survive, and live near Covington. They have three daughters and two sons.

JOHN HEED, farmer; P. 0. Pleasant Hill; was born May 12, 1818, near Pleasant Hill, and is the son of John Reed, of Botetourt Co., Ya.; John, Sr., married Elizabeth Miller, of Virginia, and immigrated to Ohio in 1815, locating on Sec. 17 ; soon after comirg here, he was killed by a falling limb. Of the family of seven children, our subject is next to the sixth ; his early life was passed in the pioneer times of this township, with the usual experiences of such a life ; he left the parental roof when only 8 }'ears old, and wrent to live with his sister, Mrs. Jacob Beeter ; here he remained until he was 14 years old, when he was thrown upon his own resources. He was married in 1836 to Catherine, daughter of David Deeter ; she was born in this township May 15, 1818. Mr. R. began life, after his marriage, on the old homestead, and in 1839 purchased his present place, where he has since lived ; he has made farming his chief occupation. Of his family of thirteen children, six are deceased; three sons, Wm. H., David and Frederick, and four daughters, Elizabeth, Melinda, Christina and Lucinda, still survive. William and David were soldiers in the late civil war ; William enlisted in 1861 in the 1st 0. Y. C., and served three years ; he was engaged in all the battles of the regiment up to the time of his discharge. David was in the 71st 0. Y. I., and enlisted in 1861, serving four years ; he participated in the battles of Pittsburg Landing, Donelson, Nashville, Franklin, etc., and was sent into Texas at the close of the war. Mr. and Mrs. R. are members of the German Baptist Church ; they are the grandparents of twenty-four children, and great-grandparents of two.

JOSEPH REEDER, farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill; was born in Washington Township, Montgomery Co., in 1827, the 12th da}^ of July ; he is the son of William Reeder and grandson of Joseph Reeder. Joseph R. and family emigrated to this State in the beginning of the present century ; they made the voyage down the Ohio River on a flatboat, landing in Cincinnati in 1801, their property consisting of a cow, a horse, and a two-wheeled cart ; with these they took up their journey northward, penetrating the wilderness as far as Montgomery Co., where they located on Sugar Creek ; here he entered a piece of land and built a rude cabin to serve as a temporary dwelling. William Reeder was his only child ; his birthplace was Virginia, and he was only a boy when his parents settled in Montgomery Co.; he was possessed of great muscular strength, and could perform the remarkable feat of lifting a barrel of cider to his mouth, drinking out of the bung hole ; farming was his exclusive occupation till his 30th year, when he met with an accident which prevented him from active work on the farm ; but being of an ingenious turn of mind he engaged in various pursuits, as shoemaking, blacksmithing, coopering, carpentering, etc., in the meantime managing the farm till our subject grew up. He was married twice and reared a family of eight children, four sons and four daughters ; his death occurred in 1865. Our subject was the youngest of this family ; he early formed habits of industry and good management, which have served him well through life ; agriculture has been his chief occupation ; in 1852, his father disposed of his land in Montgomery Co., and purchased a farm near West Milton, in this county. To our subject fell the duty of caring for his parents and two grandmothers in their old age ; his paternal grandmother lived to the remarkable age of 95 years, retaining her mental and physical powers unusually well till her death. Feb. 18, 1855, our subject celebrated his nuptials with Miss Mary Furnas, daughter of Joseph Furnas ; in 1856, he disposed of his farm at West Milton and purchased in Newton Township ; the following year, he made a trip to Kansas, with a view of locating there ; he found the people much agitated over the slave question, and he returned content to remain in his native State ; he has a farm of 250 acres near Newton, and 40 acres where he resides. Mr. and Mrs. Reeder are the parents of three children, one daughter now married, and two sons. Mr. R. is a consistent member of the F, & A. M. Society of Pleasant Hill, and has held a connection with this fraternity for fifteen years.

JACOB REIBER, Postmaster, Pleasant Hill ; was born in Perry Co., Penn., Sept. 1, 1836 ; his father, John, was a native of the same county, born May 26, 1811 ; he was raised on a farm and received a fair education ; he was a smith by trade. In the spring of 1837, he moved to Ohio, locating in Newton Township, on Sec. 36, where, with the exception of a short time in Union Township, he passed the remnant of his days. He bqilt several shops in the township, and embarked in farming in 1849, which he continued till his death, April 18, 1872. He was, with his wife, a member of the Christian Church for a number of 3Tears, and was Deacon about thirty years. He was married twice, first to Mary Fenical, of Pennsylvania, June 4, 1835 ; she died Feb. 23, 1865 ; they had four sons - Jacob, Peter (now deceased), William F. (died Oct. 22, 1856), Joseph C. and three daughters, Susannah, Margaret I. (who died Oct. 21, 1856), and Sarah J. (who died Oct. 3, 1856). Jacob was raised on a farm till the 5th of October, 1863, when he enlisted in the 110th 0. V. I., Co. G-, and participated in the battle of Brandy Station, on 8th of November, and on May 5, 1864, was in the fight of the Wilderness, where he received, almost instantaneously, five shots, breaking both legs, and one ball entering his left shoulder. It wTas near the last of the month when he was placed in the Armory Square Hospital, at Washington City, where his wounds received the first proper care. He remained here, under the care of Dr. Steward, of Pennsylvania, until Oct. 3, 1864, when he had sufficiently recovered to go home ; some time elapsed before he regained his strength. Since returning, he has been engaged in various pursuits, as book-selling, clerking, photographing, auctioneering, welldrilling, etc. He filled the unexpired term of the first Mayorship, of Pleasant Hill. In 1867, and for two succeeding years, he was elected to the office of Township Clerk ; was appointed Postmaster Jan. 1, 1878, and has since discharged its duties with satisfaction to the public. He is a Republican in politics, and a strong temperance man. With his wife, he is a member of the Christian Church. He was made a Mason in November, 1865, and has filled an official position thirteen years, acting as W. M. two years ; he is also a member of the Franklin Chapter, No. 24, and Franklin Council, No. 16, Troy. He married Maria Williams Aug. 27, 1857 ; she is a daughter of Michael and Jane (Coppock) Williams, and a direct descendant of Michael Williams, Sr. ; their children were as follows : William Sumner, born August, 1860, died May 6, 1864 ; Rosella J. (clerk in post office), Charles C., J. Warren, and Arthur L., who died Aug. 26, 1879, from diphtheria.

JOSEPH REIBER, farmer ; P. O. Pleasant Hill ; born in Newton Township in 1845 ; is the son of Henry Reiber, who was born in Perry Co., Penn., in 1816 ; he is of German extraction, and is the son of Jacob and Catherine Reiber, of York Co., Penn.; he was raised a farmer, and obtained his education under the difficulties and disadvantages of those early days ; his father being in poor circumstances financially, he was obliged early to go from home and labor for a livelihood ; in 1835, he emigrated to Ohio and this township ; he commenced at once to work, and, in a few years, by industry and economy, had saved enough money to purchase 80 acres of land; since he has added other acres and many improvements to this. He was married, in 1840, to Delia Hartzell, of Preble Co.; eleven children have been the issue of this union, four of whom have deceased ; Philip, Jacob and Benjamin gave their lives in defense of their country in the late rebellion ; Philip and Benjamin were members of the 110th 0. V. I.; Benjamin died with the measles, and Philip fell a victim to the Andersonville Prison-pen , Jacob went out with the 147th 0. N. Gi., and died at Washington City, of diphtheria ; thus three noble and brave sons and brothers sacrificed their lives on the altar of their country ; may the grass ever grow green over their graves, and future generations keep inviolate that for which they gave their lives. The subject of this sketch is an agriculturist by vocation ; his education was limited to the common school ; his early farm training has served him well through life, and secured him success in his chosen vocation ; he cultivates the homestead, consisting of 160 acres. He finds expression for his political sentiments in the Bepublican party. He was married, in 1871, to Elizabeth Matthews, of this county ; they had three daughters and one son ; two daughters are dead.

EMANUEL BENCH, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; born in 1830 ; is the son of Jacob Rench and Susannah Blickenstaff ; he was reared on a farm, and devoted a great deal of his youth to driving an ox team ; his education was obtained under the difficulties of pioneer life and the imperfect subscription-school system ; at the age of 15, he entered his father's distillery, and remained in it principally till his father sold out in 1848 ; since then, he has devoted his time to farming. He was married, in 1855, to Nancy A. Morgan, born in Illinois, and reared mostly in Burlington, Iowa ; she came to this State a short time before her marriage ; by this union they have had a family of five sons and three daughters, of whom one son and one daughter have died. Mr. Rench's political inclinations are with the Democratic party, though he is no zealous partisan ; he identifies himself with the German Baptist Church, of which he and his wife are both members.

T. P. RENCH, farming ; P. O. Covington ; born in 1848, on northwest quarter of Sec. 8, Newton Township ; is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Boggs) Rench ; he was brought up on a farm, and his early education was limited to the common school ; he remained on the homestead till the spring of 1875, when he moved to Darke Co., Patterson Township ; he remained here till the following spring, when he moved to Wayne Township, near Webster ; at the end of two years, he moved to his present place. He is politically identified with the Democratic party, and religiously with the German Baptist Church, as is also his wife. He was married in 1872, Nov. 10, to Rosanna Long ; she was born June 4, 1853, near Pleasant Hill, and is the daughter of James Long and Esther Eller. Two daughters have been given to Mr. and Mrs. Rench ; one was born Dec. 23, 1873, and died in infamy ; the other, Fredonia Rench, was born Feb. 4, 1876.

JACOB RENCH, deceased ; one of the early settlers and prominent citizens of Newton Township ; was born in Pennsylvania in 1797, and was the son of Joseph and Susannah (Deeter) Rench. J oseph emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio in 1812 or 1813, and located north of the present site of Pleasant Hill. He and his wife were not long permitted to enjoy their new home in the wilderness, he dying in 1815 with the milk sickness, and his wife the following year. They left a famity of four sons and three daughters, the oldest, Joseph, being yet in his minority ; the family thus left without father or mother suffered all the privations and hardships of pioneer life ; the burden of providing and caring for them fell to the lot of Jacob, who was industrious and possessed of extraordinary business sagacity ; by his indomitable will and perseverance, he rose on the very difficulties he had to contend with, and became, before his death, wealthy, leaving at his demise an estate of $35,000 to $40,000. He was a farmer by occupation, but did a great deal of teaming and milling ; he made atrip to New Orleans in 1825, by flat-boat down the Stillwater, Miami, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers ; his teaming was mostly north, and was done at a time when it was regarded hazardous and difficult ; he was enterprising and possessed many sterling qualities ; integrity was the ruling prin- ciple in all his business transactions. Religiously, he was of Protestant faith, haying his affiliations first with the Christian Church, ancl at his death with the German Baptist. His death occurred Aug. 13, 1874. He was married three times ; first, in 1819, to Anna Burns, of Pennsylvania; she died in 1820, leaving a son, John. His second marriage was in 1826 or 1827 to Susannah Blickenstaff, of Pennsylvania, who died in 1832 or 1833, leaving three children, Hannah, Emanuel and Susan. His third wife was Sarah (Boggs) Valentine, of this county ; they had ten children - Mary L., Jacob, T. B., Fredonia, deceased ; Ezekiel B., one daughter died in infancy ; Joseph B.; R. E. C. ; Sarah E., deceased ; Valentine T., deceased. Mrs. Rench had two children by her first marriage, George H. Valentine, and one who died in infancy. Ezekiel Boggs, father of Mrs. Rench, was born in Pennsylvania Nov. 20, 1782 ; he was the only child of the family, and was early apprenticed to the mason's trade ; being cruelly used, he was induced by his uncle to run off, and was brought by him to this State, where he was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade, which he followed a short time. He married in 1804 or 1805 Eve C. Haney ; his financial circumstances were meager, as he depended upon his daily labor for subsistence ; he served six months in the war of 1812, on the frontier ; made a trip to New Orleans, by flat-boat, with produce, and then purchased a horse and wagon, embarking in the peddling business with gratifying results ; in 1819, he came to this county, locating near Piqua, and engaged in farming till 1828, when he erected a grist and saw mill and woolen factory above Piqua, on the Miami ; he subsequently moved to Piqua, where his death occurred Sept. 22, 1864. He labored through life with eminent success, leaving at his death an estate worth $25,000 or $30,000. His wife, Catherine, was born in Pennsylvania Jan. 29, 1783, and died Feb. 26, 1867. They had six sons and seven daughters ; four still survive. He, with his wife, was a member of the United Brethren Church for forty years. Mrs. Bench united with the German Baptist Church a short time before her death.

JACOB RENCH, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; born in 1847, on the northwest quarter of Sec. 8 ; is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Boggs) Rench ; he was reared on the homestead, where he remained, assisting in farming till the spring of 1876, when he moved to his present place ; in 1877, he removed to Darke Co., Wayne Township, and remained one year ; at the end of this time, he returned to his present place, where he has since resided ; he owns and operates, with his brother, T. P. Rench, a steam thrasher, which they have successfully used for several years. He was married in December, 1872, to Mary E. Faber, a native of Pennsylvania ; she emigrated to the State of Indiana in 1866, and lived near Union Cityr till a short time before her marriage, when she moved to Troy ; one daughter, Sarah Anna, was given them in September, 1879. Mr. R. is a member of the German Baptist Church.

JOSEPH ROSZELL, minister and farmer ; P. 0. Troy ; born in New Jersey in 1822 ; is the son of Joseph and Hannah Roszell, natives, also, of New Jersey ; they emigrated to Ohio in 1832, and located near Centerville, in Montgomery Co. ; Mr. R., Sr., was a farmer by occupation ; in the spring of 1842, he moved to Bethel Township, this county, where he passed the remnant of his days, his death occurring April 29, 1851 ; his devoted wife survived him till Dec. 28, 1869. His early educational opportunities were necessarily limited, but were well improved ; he is the youngest son of a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters ; he remained at home, discharging his filial duties, until the death of his father. The 22d of June, 1851, he celebrated his marriage with Miss Rachel A. Crow, a native of Virginia ; she emigrated to Ohio with her parents in 1835, and settled in the extreme southeast part of Bethel Township, in this county. Mr. and Mrs Crow both died in 1879, he at the ripe age of 87, and she aged 75 years; they were faithful members of the M. E. Church, and in their death the church lost useful members. Soon after the marriage of Mr. R., he removed to a place near Tippecanoe and engaged in farming ; he remained here for a period of twenty-six or twenty-seven years, and, one year ago, moved to the farm on which he now resides. Mr. and

Mrs. R. are the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters ; four 3Tears ago a son was instantly killed, a horse throwing and falling on him. Mr. R. united with the M. E. Church in January, 1851, and in 1853 was licensed as an exhorter, and in 1861 was ordained a local minister in the same church ; the duties of this official relation he discharged faithfully and with commendable zeal ; his wife and four children are members of the church.

JOEL ROTHERMEL, shoemaker, Pleasant Hill. Among the business men worthy of special mention in Pleasant Hill, is Joel Rothermel ; he comes of Herman parentage, and was born in 1833 in Berks Co., Penn. His father, Isaac Rothermel, is also a native of Berks Co., and still resides in his native place at an advanced age. Mrs. Rothermel died when our subject was only 2 years old ; he then found a home with his paternal grandfather, with whom he passed his boyhood days on a farm ; at the age of 16, his father placed him in his shop to learn the shoemaker's trade ; this he continued till 1858, when he emigrated to Ohio, locating in Pleasant Hill ; here he resumed his former occupation, combining with it for the first year the hotel business ; he worked as journeyman with several parties till 1862, when he formed a partnership with M. D. Myers ; three years subsequent, this partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Rothermel has since continued successfully the shop in his own name. He was a soldier in the late civil war, and member of the 147th O. N. H., which regiment was employed most of the j time on guard duty. In July, 1862, he was appointed Postmaster of Pleasant Hill, which position he held for sixteen years ; he has also been several times elected Councilman of the village. In addition to his trade, he deals in flour and patent medicines. His marriage with Miss Esther Longanecker was celebrated in Pennsylvania in 1857 ; she is a native of Juniata Co., Penn. They have had

WILLIAM E. SHELLABERHER, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; born in Juniata Co., Penn., in 1827. Is the son of David and Elizabeth (Reynolds) Shellaberger, both natives of Pennsylvania ; David was a farmer by occupation, and passed his entire life in his native county, his death occurring in 1854, at the age of 54.

He was married to Elizabeth Reynolds, and had eight children, one of whom is dead. His wife, Elizabeth, moved to this State after his death, and married David Shellaberger of Pennsylvania. She died some eight years ago. The subject of this sketch is the third child of her last marriage ; he has made agriculture his occupation, and the thrifty appearance of his fine, large farm, his buildings and other improvements, indicate success in this direction ; in 1850, he located in Covington, in this county, but afterward moved to a farm in Newton Township near Pleasant Hill, where he lived two years, then came to his present place, where he has since resided ; he is one of the successful farmers of Newton Township, now operating a farm of 172 acres. He and wife have been consistent members of the Herman Baptist Church for a number of years. Mr. Shellaberger is a man of industrious habits, and, in all his relations with the world, integrity is his ruling principle. He married, in 1854, Susan, daughter of Rudolph Mohler, and is now living with her at the age of 79 years. They have had eight children - two deceased. Rudolph Mohler was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., in 1801, and is the son of Jacob and Mary Mohler ; at the age of 18, he was apprenticed to the trade of a tanner, which he followed twenty -three years ; in 1842, he emigrated to Ohio, located in Newton Township, this county ; here he resided till 1875, when he went to live with his son, Henry Mohler; here he remained till about one 3 ear ago, when he moved to his present place. He has been married twice, first in 1822, to Susanna Bousman, of Pennsylvania. Three children were born to this union. She died June 27, 1827. His second marriage was with Elizabeth Miller, in 1827, by whom he had a family of ten children. He is a member of the Herman Baptist Church, in which he has held the office of minister since 1832, and that of Elder for about twenty 3Tears. Mr. Shellaberger has always been an earnest worker and devoted Christian.

JOSEPHUS SHOEMAKER, nurseryman and farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; born in Newberry Township in 1843 ; is the son of George S. and Elizabeth (Williams) Shoemaker ; the former was a native of Lancaster Co., Penn., and emigrated to this county with his parents when quite a y-oung man, locating in Newberry Township. Here he lived till recently, when he moved to Delaware Co., Ind. Elizabeth Williams, his wife, was a daughter of Michael W., Jr., and granddaughter of Michael W., Sr., the first settler in this township. She died before Josephus was 2 years old. This misfortune broke up the home, and he was put out among strangers, where he passed his youth, mostly in farming. His early education was limited to the common school. At the age of 19, he entered life on his own resources. With unyielding energy and unflagging industry, he has made it a success. He served as a soldier in the 147th 0. N. G., and was disabled near Washington City. He then received a furlough, and, in 1864, enlisted in the 194th 0. V. I., and served until the close of the war ; then lived in Newberry Township one year, with his Uncle Williams. In 1875, he located on Sec. 10, Newton Township, where he now resides, and is extensively engaged in the nursery" business ; and, being skilled in his vocation, he now has a stock of 75,000 trees. He is also engaged in tanning bark for budding purposes. Mr. Shoemaker married Nancy Elmore in 1866 ; of their five children, four now survive. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker are members of the German Baptist Church.

JOHN SHOEMAKER, farmer ; P. O. Covington ; born in Franklin Co., Penn., in 1829 ; is the son of John and Catherine Shoemaker, both of Pennsylvania. John, Sr., immigrated to Ohio in 1834 or 1835, and located in Montgomery Co., on Mad River, where he soon died, leaving a family- of three sons and one daughter. The subject of this sketch was then only- about 6 y7ears old. After his father's death, he made his home with a cousin till about 10 y7ears old, when he came to this county, and resided with an uncle who lived here. When 20 y7ears of age, he went to Iowa, and, in the spring of 1850, to California, over the plains. He then began prospecting for gold in the Columbia River. After mining fifteen months he returned, byr the Panama route and city of New York, home. He returned with a neat competence, and, locating in Dayton, engaged in hauling stone for a time, but moved to Iowa and remained one year, when he returned to Newton Township, where he has since lived. He is a member of the German Baptist Church. Mr. Shoemaker was married Jan. 12, 1854, to Gulaelma Cooper, of Montgomery- Co. She died July7 13, 1869 ; they had two sons and three daughters ; one son died in Indiana in August, 1879.

JOHN SLOAN ; P. O. Laura ; born in County- Monaghan, Ireland, in 1814 ; is the son of William Sloan ; he was reared on a farm, and his early- education was necessarily limited ; in 1840, he embarked on the sail vessel Hibernia for America, and landed in the city of New York Nov. 13 ; from this place he went direct to Lancaster Co., Penn., where he worked awhile to obtain means to continue his journey westward, and send for his family-, which he had left in Ireland ; from Pennsylvania, he came to this county and located in Newton Township, on Sec. 26 ; he lived here some time and then purchased the place on which he now resides ; Mr. Sloan may- with propriety be called one of the self-made men of Newton Township; when he landed in the city7 of New York, he had only a penny7 in his pocket, and this he spent for tobacco ; he worked his way- through to Ohio ; once located there, he set about with unflagging industry to establish a permanent and comfortable home ; how well he succeeded in this, his valuable farm attests ; politically, he finds expression for his views with the Republican party, with which he has been identified since he has been a member of any- party ; he refrained from taking any part in politics in this country, till he had opportunity- and time to consider the principles of the various parties, and then choose for himself ; he was brought up to the Presbyterian faith, and has been with his wife a member of the Hopewell Christian Church for a period of thirty-five years. He was married to Jane Fee, of Ireland, in 1832 ; he has had five children, two deceased ; the living are William, James and Margaret ; he appreciates the value of learning, and takes great interest in educating his children ; he gave his sons a collegiate education. William graduated at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, and James at Meadville College, Penns3rl vania; he is now a minister in the Disciples Church in Indiana.

WILLIAM R. SLOAN, farmer and attorne}7, Pleasant Hill ; was born in County Monaghan in 1835 ; is the son of John Sloan ; when about 4 years old, he came to America with his mother, his father having preceded him a short time; they landed at New York, and from there went to Pennsylvania, and thence to Newton Township ; he was brought up on a farm, and devoted his winter months to the acquisition of knowledge in the common school until 1854, when he entered Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio, then under the presidency of the celebrated Horace Mann ; he graduated here in the scientific course, and then entered the profession of teaching, which he followed for fourteen or fifteen years ; he was a soldier in the late war, in 147th 0. N. I., Co. Gr ; he is now giving considerable attention to the study and practice of law (see card in directory) ; he is a Republican and an earnest and faithful worker for the party ; he and wife are members of the Christian Church ; he is member of the following orders, viz., A., F. & A. M., of Pleasant Hill ; Franklin Chapter and Coleman Commandery of Troy ; the I. 0. 0. F. of Pleasant Hill, and Encampment of West Milton. Mr. Sloan is a public-spirited and enterprising man, and is found indentified with whatever improves the country and society. He married Mary J., daughter of William Miles, Aug. 16, 1856 ; of the seven sons and three daughters born to this union, four are dead.

JEFF SNYDER, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; one of the prominent farmers of Newton Township ; was born in 1842, near Dayton ; he is the son of Simeon Snyder, a native of Maryland, born in 1811, about twenty-four miles from Baltimore ; when 4 or 5 years old, he immigrated to Ohio with his parents, who located near Dayton ; he resided on a farm till he was 18 years old, when he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, and, after being variously employed for several years, in distilling, quarrying, etc., he finally engaged in the coopering business, which he followed as an occupation till 1856, when he purchased the farm he now resides on, one and a half miles east of West Milton. He was married to Harriet Mast, oldest daughter of Capt. Absalom Mast, whose father, David, was one of the first settlers in the northern part of Montgomery Co. ; she was born in 1818, and died April 28, 1879 ; Simeon Snyder reared a family of two children - a son and daughter ; the latter died Aug. 8, 1878. The subject of this sketch was brought up on a farm, and has made farming his life occupation ; the thrifty appearance of his large farms bears testimon}T to his skill and success in this direction. He married, in January, 1867, Amanda, daughter of Joseph Coppock ; she was born Jan. 22, 1845 ; they have three sons - Albert E., born Nov. 28, 1868 ; Omer C., Nov. 14, 1872 ; Frank L., Dec. 15, 1874.

JACOB STICHTER, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; born in Union Co., Penn., in 1818 ; is the son of Barnhart Stichter, a native of Pennsylvania, who died when our subject was only 9 years old ; on the death of his father, he left the parental roof, his mother being in poor financial circumstances ; for three years he worked for his board and clothes, after which he began to receive wages ; in 1841, he took a journey to the West, with a view of locating in that country ; after a few months, he settled in Clark Co., Ohio. In 1844, he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Brown, of Maryland ; she emigrated to this State in 1831, locating in Clark Co. ; after his marriage, he lived near Carlisle, in Clark Co., operating a farm on shares for six years ; at the end of this time, by industry and economy, he had accumulated some means : he came to this township and purchased the quarter-section of land on which he now lives, paying for it $6,500 ; of this he paid, at time of purchase, $2,000, which was all the money he owned, going in debt for the balance ; with this debt, and the larger part of his farm in the woods, he began life twentysix years ago in this county ; possessing an indomitable will and unflagging industry, he went to work, and, with the assistance of his wife, he soon paid off the debt and cleared up the most of his farm ; . he has since, by his own exertion, added to this farm two others - one of 80 acres and the other of 110 acres ; he is a fair illustration of what perseverance and careful business habits can produce. He has reared a family of eight children, six of whom are married, and all located within two miles of the homestead ; Mr. and Mrs. Stichter were formerly members of the M. E. Church, but, since coming to this township, cast their lot with the Shiloh Christian Church, of which they have been active members.

JOHN TEAGUE, farmer; P. 0. Pleasant Hill; one of the prominent citizens of Newton Township, was born in 1821, on the place adjoining his present farm ; he was brought to his present place when 2 years old, where he has since resided, a period of fifty-seven years. He is the son of Moses and J ane (Coppock) Teague, both descendants of pioneers, and married in 1816. His grandparents, Samuel and Rebecca Teague, were natives of Newberry District, S. C., from where they emigrated in 1805, locating in Newton Township, in October, 1806 ; here they passed the remainder of their lives, dying at the ripe old age of 85 years. Thus peacefully passed away two more of Miami Co.'s early pioneers. They brought with them to this county, three sons and seven daughters ; a son was afterward drowned while crossing the Stillwater. Of this family, Moses was the fifth child, born in 1797, in South Carolina, and was a lad of 8 or 9 summers when his lot was cast in the wilderness of Miami Co.; with the exception of eleven years in Indiana, he passed his remaining years in Newton Township, most of them on the homestead ; they both died at the age of 75 years. Our subject's life has been that of a farmer, and in agricultural pursuits he has taken a great interest. In his home place he has 160 acres, and on it he has erected, at the cost of $8,000, one of the finest farm residences in the count}- . Mr. T. is a man of enterprise and industry, and a valuable member of society. He is a Republican in politics, and, although no office-seeker, has been chosen Township Trustee several times ; he, with his wife, is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Teague has been married twice ; first, March 12, 1846, to Susan Wheelock, of Union Township, who died Dec. 8, 1868, leaving four sons and one daughter. His second marriage was with Elizabeth Anderson, of Montgomery Co., Ohio, who was a daughter of John and Margaret Anderson.

N. B. TEETER, dealer in dry goods, boots, shoes, hardware, merchant tailoring, etc., Pleasant Hill ; prominent in the list of business men of Pleasant Hill is the gentleman whose name heads this list ; he was born in 1842, within the present corporate limits of the village of Pleasant Hill, and is the son of J. K. Teeters, one of the oldest merchants of the place, and founder of this village. He is a Pennsylvanian by birth, and emigrated to Ohio in 1837, locating on the present site of Pleasant Hill ; in 1843, he laid out this village and called it Newton, after the illustrious philosopher ; the name has since been changed to accommodate the post office ; in 1847, he opened a dry-goods store, on the corner where he is now located, and where he has kept a store for thirty -three years in succession ; he is known as a careful, honest business man. The early life of our subject was variously employed, on the farm, in the schoolroom, and behind the counter selling goods ; he thus early acquired those correct business habits which have combined with his energy to secure his success as a merchant. Mr. T., in the prime of his youth, was among the first to enroll his name for the defense of his country ; in April, 1861, at the first call for troops, he enlisted in the 11th 0. V. I. for a term of three months ; during this period, they were stationed at Camp Dennison, near Cincinnati ; his term of service expired in July, and, in the following September, he enlisted in the 1st O. V. C. ; of this regiment he continued a faithful and honorable member for four years ; he was immediately sent to the front and identified with the Army of the Cumberland, first under Gen. Buell, and afterward under Gen. Rosecrans ; participated in the hard-fought battles of Stone River, Tullahoma, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, around Kenesaw Mountain, and for the possession of Atlanta and Knoxville, besides numerous skirmishes ; he re-enlisted in March, 1864, and was then sent back to Louisville, Ky., to be re-mounted. They were afterward sent into Alabama and Mississippi, under Gen. Wilson ; after several engagements, they found their way to Macon, Ga., where they met a " Hag of truce," announcing the armistice ; here they remained till terms of peace were agreed upon, and, after some meanderings in South Carolina, embarked at Charleston, in September, via New York, to Columbus, Ohio; at this latter place he was honorably discharged on the 28th day of September, 1865, after serving nearly four and one half years ; after returning home he engaged for a time in farming ; eight years ago, he embarked in the mercantile business at this place, and, by his careful attention to business, and good management, has built up a large and increasing trade ; he carries a large and well-assorted stock of drygoods, groceries, hardware, ready-made clothing, and makes a specialty of merchant tailoring ; all of his transactions are made upon the strict rule of honesty. He celebrated his marriage, in 1864, with Miss Maggie Jones. They have had three children, two deceased.

L. B. TERRY, wagon-maker, Pleasant Hill. Among the business men of Pleasant Hill appears the name of L. B. Terry, who was born in Greenville, Darke Co., on the 22d day of February, 1831 ; he is the son of Enos and Delilah (WestfaU) Terry ; Enos T. was a native of New Jersey, and emigrated to Ohio in the beginning of the present century. His nuptials were celebrated with Miss Delilah Westfall, after which he located on a farm about one mile north of Greenville ; subsequently, he moved into the town of Greenville, where his death occurred at the age of 48 years ; his wife survived him until August, 1873, when her death occurred in this place, at the advanced age of 76-J- years. Our subject's boyhood was passed in Greenville ; at the age of 14, he went to Piqua, Ohio, where he served an apprenticeship as carriage-maker, under W. R. Crozier, who is now the oldest carriage-maker in the State ; here our subject remained in pursuit of his occupation till he came to this place in 1870 ; since this time, he has turned his attention to the construction of wagons, which vocation he yet pursues, adding to it the making of almost all kinds of farming implements. He was united in marriage, Sept. 9, 1848, to Caroline Statler, a native of this county ; two children have been born to this union - William and Ella.

HIRAM TISOR, farmer ; P. 0. Pleasant Hill ; he was born on the banks of the Ohio River, ten miles above Cincinnati, in 1812 ; he is of English extraction, and the son of Austin Tisor, a native of England ; Austin's father immigrated to America when he was only 1 month old, landing in Charleston, S. C., where he purchased a team and began a journey through the country, with a view of locating ; change of climate and the hardships of the jouryney, proved too severe for Mr. T. and wife, and they soon fell victims to disease and death, leaving four sons, of whom Austin was the youngest ; the three oldest disposed of the team and returned to England, leaving Austin, then an infant, in the care of the trustees of the place ; he was put under the paternal care of Isaac Poff, a German, and thus early acquired the use of the German language ; in his manhood, he emigrated to Ohio, locating near Cincinnati. Here he married Susannah Wright, of South Carolina, who had emigrated to this State, with her parents, when only 16 years old ; he followed the hatter's trade and farming through life ; he was a 1st Lieutenant in the war of 1812, at the close of which he moved to Miami Co., locating just north of Covington ; his death occurred here in his 63d year : his wife dying in the prime of her life, in 1835. Our subject, reared on a farm, has made farming his life occupation. In 1834, he married Phebe Greene, a native of Ohio ; in 1837, he moved to his present place, where he has since lived ; his well-improved farm is the result of his own industry and perseverance ; his wife, Phebe, died Dec. 29, 1878 ; she was his faithful companion for nearly half a century ; of the son and three daughters born to this union, one daughter has died.

H. G. ULLERY, farmer ; P. 0. Covington ; born in Newton Township Jan. 4, 1819 ; is the son of Jacob TJllery, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1772, and in 1810 came from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati on a flat-boat, bringinghis family and effects ; coming north through the wilderness, he located in Montgomery Co., near Harrisburg, and entered land ; the next fall he sold out, came to this county and purchased land where West Covington now stands ; after putting out a crop he erected a saw-mill, about the year 1812 ; his lumber was obtained in Darke Co., then rafted down to the falls ; to his mill he soon added probably the first corn-cracker in the township ; the Indians soon became troublesome, and Mr. Ullery, for safety, removed to Lost Creek, and here followed milling two years, then returned to his old farm, which he sold, and bought another where part of Covington now stands ; here he died, in 1847, aged 75 years. He was twice married ; his first wife was Miss Wareham, of Pennsylvania ; and his second was Elizabeth Fager, of Bedford Co., Penn. ; he had four children by his first wife, and ten by the last union ; his second wife died in 1861, aged 74. Of the above children, James is U. S. Marshal of the Southern District of Ohio ; H. G. was raised on the farm, obtaining a limited education. Upon his marriage, he located north of Covington; in 1859, sold out and purchased his present place ; he is now minister of the Congregational Brethren Church of Pleasant Hill; personalty, he is a man of sterling qualities, generous and upright with the world, pleasant and affable in his social relations. In 1842, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Henry Eller, who died of cholera in 1832 ; of their ten children, eight now survive ; of the deceased, Ann M. was found dead in a spring near the house, in 1862, being then 16 years of age ; the other died in infancy.

GEORGE W. WHITMER, merchant, Pleasant Hill. Prominent in the list of business men of Pleasant Hill is the subject of our sketch, who was born within the present corporate limits of this village in May, 1844 ; he is the son of John Whitmer, an eminent citizen of this place ; he (John Whitmer) was born in Union Co., Penn., March 20, 18il, and is of German extraction ; he is the son of Abraham and Elizabeth Whitmer, natives of Pennsylvania ; by a diligent application of his time and talents, he earl}7 qualified himself for the profession of teaching, which he followed for ten years ; in the meantime, he engaged to some extent in the mercantile trade, which has been the principal occupation of his life ; in the spring of 1842, he emigrated to Ohio, locating within the present limits of the village of Pleasant Hill ; two years subsequent, he embarked in the mercantile business, starting the second store in this place ; this he continued, with an interval of a few years when he was in business at Covington, till about ten years ago, when he practically retired from active life ; he is known throughout the community as an enterprising business man, of integrity and intelligence. Although no political aspirant, he has been elected to all the important offices of the township ; he is now serving as Justice of the Peace, which office he has filled for fifteen years. He is, in politics, a Jacksonian Democrat. His first marriage occurred in 1836, with Miss Elizabeth Stewart ; one child was born to this union, now living in Kansas ; his second marriage was with Miss Sarah Lenhart, in 1840 ; eleven children are the fruits of this union, three of whom