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** RETURN TO BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX ** ** RETURN TO HISTORY CONTENTS **   HIRAM DARR - Page 572 - Milford Twp.   SAMUEL DAVIDSON was born in Portage County, Ohio, June 10, 1825, and was the second son of Patrick and Jane (Custard) Davidson. He is of Scotch and German descent. With his parents, he moved to Mercer County, Pennsylvania, about 1832 or 1833, and was educated in the common schools. In the Spring of 1840 he began an apprenticeship of four years at the cabinet and furniture trade, which he acquired, working as a journeyman some three years. He then learned the business of a mill-wright, an occupation which he followed till 1856. In the Spring of that year he came to Hamilton, taking charge of a portable saw-mill and machine shop. At this he continued till 1862, then organizing the firm of Davidson & Co., founders of Cincinnati, continuing there till 1865. He entered into partnership with Bernhard Stemps, in 1865, in the stove, tin, and hardware business, which lasted till 1870. In the Spring of 1872 he began business in his present location. Although small at first, it has grown to large proportions. It embraces hardware, grates, and mantels, and agricultural implements.      Mr. Davidson was married, in 1849, to Miss Amanda Smith, and they were the parents of two children, both deceased. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Davidson is a member of the Masonic order. He has always declined office, v but in 1861 was a member of the city council, and in 1865 was again a member, being elected president of the board. He had no start in life, but is entirely self-made. . ALMON DAVIS - Page 494, Liberty Twp.   BENJAMIN BASSETT DAVIS - Page 533, Oxford Twp.   DUNHAM F. DAVIS  - Page 534, Oxford Twp.   JOSHUA DAVIS, SEN - Page 534, Union Twp.   VINCENT DAVIS - Page 480, Fairfield Twp.   WILLIAM AUGUSTUS DeARMOND.  A well known man in Morgan Township is William Augustus De Armond, who was born August 17, 1846, and married Ada Brown, daughter of H. W. Brown, of Okeana, November 28, 1878, who was born February 3, 1860.  Mr. De Armond is one of the present township trustees, which office he has held for three terms.  He has been assessor for two years; he is also a member of Harrison Encampment Odd Fellows' Lodge.  Mr. De Armond resides at the old Bebb homestead, Section 27. . MICHAEL DEEMER - Page 585, Union Twp.   CAPTAIN ALEXANDER DELORAC was for many years one of the best known men in town. He settled in Franklin in the year 1805, where he was engaged as a trader for many years, making regular trips to New Orleans every Spring with whisky, pork, and flour. Captain Delorac was an officer in the army in 1812, and he was in several brushes with the Indians. In his earlier life he was somewhat celebrated in sporting circles, and was proclaimed fistic champion on general muster days, and at race courses. He was also noted as a pedestrian. In 1832 he ran a race of six hundred yards at a company muster near Palmyra, Warren County, with a boy about six years old astride his back, against a taller man than himself, and he won the race.      He resided for many years in a comfortable dwelling on Prospect Hill, in West Hamilton, a point where the. Indians in olden time laid in wait to shoot and scalp persons who straggled from the fort. Captain Delorac also once resided in Cincinnati, where he was engaged in trade. In his youth he was a clerk for John Sutherland, and then and afterwards acquired a knowledge of boating on the Miami unsurpassed by any other man. At the time of his death, some ten years ago, he was one of the oldest citizens.   BARTHOLOMEW DEMORET - Page 466, Ross Twp.   DAVID DESCOMBES - Page 465, Ross Twp.   ISRAEL DEWITT - Page 534, Oxford Twp.   CAPTAIN SAMUEL DICK - Page 465, Ross Twp.   MRS. SALOMA DICKEY - Page 603, Madison Twp.   SAMUEL M. DICKEY - Page 603, Madison Twp.   ISAIAH DOUGLASS - Page 534, Oxford Twp.   JOHN DOYLE (Hanover Twp.) was born in Morgan Township, August 31, 1823.  His parents were Thomas Doyle and Catherine Weaver.  The former was a soldier in the War of 1812, and came here about 1819.  He died in 1834 with cholera.  Mrs. Doyle, the mother, died Jan. 9, 1879, aged one hundred and five years.  John Doyle was married Oct. 22, 1851, in Rush County, Indiana, to Euphemia Warner, born in Ohio, April 16, 1833.  They have had eight children.  Eliza Jane was born Oct. 4, 1854; Angelette, Nov. 10, 1856; Thomas Jefferson, July 22, 1860; Winfred W., known as John, Sept. 7, 1862; Elisha I., June 8, 1872; Edna Anna, Mar. 9, 1877.  Dr. Doyle served in the late ware as a member of Company E., Sixty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry.   COLONEL A. DUNN died very suddenly in November, 1854, while out valuing the property of Asa Emmons. He was taken with a fainting fit, dropping down in the field, from the effects of which he died in a few hours. He was one of our most respectable and highly esteemed citizens. He had done much for the advancement of our agricultural interests as well as the general prosperity of the county, and was, at the time of his death, the president of the Butler County Agricultural Society. The esteem which the community entertained for him was appropriately attested in the very large procession which followed his remains to their last resting-place.     NOTES: