Washington Township (part 4 of 4)

F. W. WALTON, physician, Piqua ; was born Nov. 3, 1813, in Connecticut, and when but a child was left motherless ; thereafter, he was under the jurisdiction of his uncle, in Madison Co., N. Y., where he acquired his primary education ; early in life, he had access to his uncle's medical library, but his preceptor was the well-known Dr. S. H. Potter, of Syracuse, N. Y., now in Hamilton, Ohio. In 1855, Dr. Walton graduated from the Syracuse Medical College, of New York, and the same year passed an examination, and holds a diploma from the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati ; two years later, he located in Piqua, where he has been favorably known since ; he is among the older physicians of the city. His nuptials with Clarinda Hall were celebrated in Lenox, Madison Co., N. Y., Dec. 11, 1834 ; they trod the path of life for nearly twoscore years, when she passed away ; the issue of their union was two sons, Samuel W. and Frederick L., who both became druggists, which they followed during life ; in 1874, the Doctor married for his second wife Ada Peterson, born in Staunton Township, Miami Co., Ohio ; she is a daughter of Ralph Peterson, in honor of whom the station (Peterson) on the D. & M. R. R. took its name.

A. WENDEL, jeweler, Piqua. Among the business men of Piqua who deserve mention, is Mr. Wendel ; he is a native of Rhenish-Prussia, born in 1821 ; came to the United States in 1850 ; spent a little more than a year in Dayton, whence he came to Piqua and commenced business as a traveling jeweler ; in 1856, he established himself in business here ; has conducted it ever since, and built up a reputation and business which have placed him among the leading business men of Piqua ; he has been a property-holder here since 1853, and is now one of the substantial citizens ; his residence is located on Sycamore street. He married, in 1851, Miss Fanny Friedlich, sister of A. Friedlich, whose biography appears in this work ; they have had seven children, six of whom are living - Jacob (who is now assisting in the store), Samuel, Helen (now Mrs. A. Simon, of Greenville),. Bertha (now Mrs. Sol. Rosenfeld, of Portland, Oregon), Rosa and Sadie. Mr. Wendel has alwaj^s taken an active interest in the public welfare, and his children are all graduates of the high school ; Bertha was elected teacher after her graduation, and taught about three years with great acceptance. Mr. Wendel was one of the constitutional members of the Ansheemeth congregation, and has acted as Rabbi since its organization.

I. J. WHITLOCK, Piqua. Mr. Whitlock is a native of Ohio, born in Butler Co. in 1828 ; his 3Touth was spent on a farm until 18 years of age ; he then commenced working at the carpenter's trade, which he has followed ever since ; he came to Piqua in 1853, and was employed at carpentering exclusively until I860, when he purchased of Willis Buckles the sash, door and blind factory at the corner of Broadway and Boone streets, which he rebuilt and enlarged in 1869, and is now, in addition to his regular factory work, engaged in contracting and building, and also deals in builders' material ; Mr. Whitlock is both an architect and draughtsman, executes his own plans, and, understanding the details of his work, is enabled to secure a high degree of efficiency, being, indeed, the leading contractor and builder of the city. He married, in 1853, Miss Mary McGuire, also of Butler Co.; she having died in 1854; in 1856 he married Miss Margaret, daughter of Zachariah Flomerfelt, of Shelby Co., formerly a resident of the vicinity of Piqua. Mr. Whitlock's residence is at the corner of Boone street and Broadway, opposite his factory. He has a family of four children - Wilbur F., Mary E., John E. and Harry E.

STEPHEN WIDNEY, retired farmer and stock-raiser ; P. O. Piqua; born in Franklin Co., Penn., April 9, 1806 ; is the son of John and Mary (Johnston) Widney, who, in 1810, sold their farm and a mill property and removed to Ohio, then known as the " backwoods ; " they settled in Miami Co., three miles northwest of where the city of Piqua now stands, but which then consisted of two log cabins ; he bought a quarter-section of land, with 3 acres cleared and a log cabin on it, and entered three quarter-sections adjoining, one for each of his three sons ; his uncle, John Johnston, then Government Agent for five or six of the Indian tribes, brought his family at the same time and settled within one mile of them ; at that time, there were no settlers outside of their location, and, with the exception of three or four families, from two to four miles on the south of them, the Indians, for the first year, were their onty neighbors, but they were not troublesome, with the exception of stealing two of their horses, one of which they never recovered, and, occasionally, their fat hogs, when running in the woods, although that was often done by others, on the Indians' credit ; the first year, they raised potatoes sufficient for their own use ; the next year, nearly all their own provisions ; and the third year, they had grain to sell to new settlers. They had nine children - three sons and six daughters ; their first cabin was about 20x24 feet, and, besides their own family occupying the beds, they often had eight or ten Indians to sleep on their blankets on the floor. During the war of 1812 to 1815, some of the settlers went into " block-houses ; " the country was patrolled by rangers, and, although the Government kept and fed from 2,000 to 3,000 Indians, in the immediate neighborhood, to keep them from joining the English in Canada (which many of them did), yet no serious depredations were committed in this vicinity, though some were in other parts of the county. In 1815, the first schoolhouse was built, a round log cabin about twenty-four feet square ; the first teacher was a young Kentuckian, returning from the war, who fought his last battle with Harrison where Tecumseh was killed ; he taught one quarter, and wore out about one black-haw switch every day, often taking a whole bench-row at a time, in order, as he said, to make them mind their books ; in 1818, a number of the settlers joined together and built a brick schoolhouse, twenty-five feet square, with a good fireplace in each end, a jointed floor, benches and desks of slabs ; a teacher was employed at $500 per year, paid by subscription, and taught most of the time for about seven }rears ; and here Mr. Widney, the subject of our sketch, with a number of other boys, graduated as " Bachelors of General Knowledge," which consisted in being pretty well grounded in the three R's - honest reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic - and a smattering of English grammar ; this house was for years used as a church, on Sabbath Days, and here, on alternate Sabbaths, the Methodist circuit riders dispensed the Gospel with no uncertain sound ; most of them were " sons of thunder," and Mr. Widney, when a boy, has heard old Abbot Goddard, on a still evening, from the schoolhouse to his father's, a distance of three-fourths of a mile through the woods ; not many went to sleep under the Gospel ministry in those days. In 1818, Mr. Widney's father was elected, by the Legislature, one of the Associate Judges for the Court of Common Pleas, for the county, and served in that capacity for seven years ; the Court was held in a log building which would not now be thought good enough for a stable ; and many persons attending Court, for want of other accommodations, had to stop at a private house ; yet the scales of justice were held with as even a balance as now, and not half the " red tape " to untie to come at a decision. After the peace with England in 1815, the county began to settle up rapidly, and, soon, to wear the aspect of civilization ; everything was low-priced but dry goods and groceries ; wheat, 25 cents per bushel ; corn, 10 cents ; oats, 6 cents ; but the people raised flax, dressed and manufactured it themselves, carded, spun and wove their own wool, made it up at home, and were generally prosperous and happy. In 1827, Mr. Widney cast his first vote for John Quincy Adams, and since voted with the Whig, and latterly with the Republican party, when he thought such vote would best subserve the public interest, but has always been an independent voter ; in 1836, Mr. Widney's father, after a life of honest enterprise, came to the close of his 71st year ; then death came, in a quiet hour, and found him at peace with his God and surrounded by friends ; his mother lived on for nine years, and then her vigorous frame and active spirit felt the weariness of age, and she, too, laid herself down to rest by the side of him with whom, for nearly fifty years, she had traveled life's dusty road ; they sleep in Upper Piqua Cemetery, with many of their old pioneer associates, who, with them, helped to redeem the Upper Miami Valley from a savage wilderness, and make it the luxurious home of future generations ; may their sleep be sweet, and honored alike be the humble mound or statelier stone that marks their graves.

On Feb. 12, 1839, Mr. Widney was married to Eleanor Hunter, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Eaton) Hunter, who came from Franklin Co., Penn., in 1812, and settled within one mile of his father's ; by her he had one son - John W., now living on a farm two miles north of Piqua; Aug. 12, 1842, his first wife died; Jan. 1, 1845, he married Eliza J. Williams, daughter of Samuel and Eliza (Armstrong) Williams, of Mt. Auburn, Cincinnati ; by her he had four children, three now living - Samuel W., Eliza J. and Mary J. Mr. Widney has always been engaged in agriculture, principally in stock farming, grazing of cattle and feeding hogs, and has succeeded in most of his enterprises ; in 1865, having acquired what he considered a competence, he sold most of his landed property and bought a suburban residence adjoining Piqua, with seven acres of ground attached ; here, with a farm one mile from town which he retained to himself, and which he superintends, he finds ample exercise for his age and capabilities ; having been always accustomed to an active out-door life, he feels that, while health and strength permit, he can enjoy no other ; with one of the largest private libraries in the county, he finds that rainy days are not necessarily gloomy, and that, while youth has its hilarious mirth, age may have its calm enjoyments.

THOMAS J. WILEY, tanner and currier, Piqua. He was born in Piqua, 1835, and is the son of Thomas and Hannah Wiley, who were early residents of Piqua ; Thomas J., has always resided here ; he began working at the tanner's trade when a young man, and has since followed the business ; in 1868, his step-father, Joshua Worley, who established the tanner}7, in the south part of the town, being deceased, Mr. Wiley took it in charge and has been the principal manager since ; the firm, T. J. Wiley & Co., are now carrying on the tannery and are also dealers in leather and shoe findings of all kinds ; their store, over which Mr. Wiley presides, is located on High street, fronting Market space ; Mr. Wiley is one of the present old residents ; he is a leading membel of the Green street Methodist Episcopal Church, and a useful, respected citizen. He married, in 1864, Miss Tillie, daughter of Josiah Finfrock, who was also an early resident of Piqua.

ISAAC H. WILT, grocer, Piqua. He is the son of Isaac, Sr., and Elizabeth Wilt, who were both natives of Pennsylvania, where she died in 1868 ; Isaac now survives in his native State. Their childr

MARY CALDWELL, deceased ; daughter of Mathew Caldwell, Esq., who came from the State of Kentucky in 1806, and entered out of the land office a large tract of land upon which all that part of the city of Piqua is now situated west of and adjoining Wayne street. His family was composed of his wife Mary Pinkerton, sons Mathew, David, James and Samuel, and his daughters Mary (the subject of this sketch) and Sarah (who intermarried with Henry Kitchen, Esq., whose biography has been given). Mary married Stephen Johnston, in September, 1810, while he was chief clerk in the public store at Fort Wayne, Ind., and remained there until in August, 1812, when the Indians became insolent, and their alliance with the British in the war then declared was evident. She was sent into the settlement where her mother resided upon the farm, the old homestead, now occupied by James Hamilton, Esq., adjoining the city. About the time of her departure from Fort Wayne, the massacre of Chicago took place. Her husband remained at Fort Wayne until August 28, when, in attempting to go out of the fort with two other men, as messengers to meet (Jen. Harrison, who was marching to the relief of Fort Wayne, he was killed by the Indians. She was the mother of three children ; Eliza, who intermarried with Stephen Winans, and emigrated to California and died there ; Stephen Johnston, Esq., who is still living in Piqua ; Marj^ Matilda, daughter of Daniel M. Mitchell, who was married to her about ten years after the loss of her first husband. Her life was one of adventure. Born at Brian's Station in Kentucky, in 1788, during the days that gave the State the name of the " dark and blood}^ ground," when the Indians were frequently making raids, stealing horses and murdering the settlers, and being personally acquainted with Daniel Boone, then removing to Ohio in 1806, and then to Fort Wayne after her marriage, there to meet the red man of the forest, and seeing the noted Chief Tecumseh often at Fort Wayne, and finally to be compelled in the last of her days to witnesr the organization of militar}7 forces to suppress the rebellion of 1861 - in August of that jmars he was called away to final rest. By the old settlers of Piqua, her life and example were highly appreciated, as a woman of extraordinary stability of mind, sound judgment, and highly respected for her broad charity and Christian virtues.

Business References

Hemsteger, John F., Proprietor of the Opera House Clothing Store, Merchant Tailor, Clothier and Dealer in Gents' Furnishing Goods, Hats, Umbrellas, etc., Fine Custom Suits for Gentlemen a specialty, Opera House Block.

Hummel, J. F., Proprietor Ohio Steam Granite Works, Manufacturer and Importer of Granite Monuments, Marble Statues and Busts ; American Granite Work cut and polished with Scotch Machinery. Customers have no two profits to pay when buying from manufacturer direct.

Sawyer & Martin, Proprietors Piqua Paper Warehouse, Manufacturers of Hand-made Flour Sacks and Satchelbottom Paper Bags, also Dealers in Manilla Straw and Rag Wrapping Papers, Butter Trays, Twines, etc., etc.

Whitlock, I. J., Proprietor Sash, Door and Blind Factory, also Contractor, Builder, and Dealer in Lumber, Lath, Shingles, etc., southwest corner of Boone and Broadway.