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** RETURN TO BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX ** ** RETURN TO HISTORY CONTENTS **   MELANCTHON S. WADE - Page 469, Ross Twp.   THOMAS WALL - Page 486, Fairfield Twp.   TYLER S. WALTER - Page 610, Madison Twp.   THE REV. GEORGE P. WARVEL - Page 469, Ross Twp.   WARWICK FAMILY- Page 559, St. Clair Twp.   THE WEAVER FAMILY - Page 622, Wayne Twp.   WILLIAM WEAVER - Page 610, Madison Twp.   PETER WEBER- Page 662, St. Clair Twp.   JOHN GEORGE WEHR - Page 593, Union Twp.   JACOB C. WEIKLE - Page 611, Madison Twp.   CHARLES L. WELLER was born in the town of Mont­gomery, Hamilton County, September 4, 1821, from whence his parents moved to Ox£ord, Butler County, Ohio, about the year 1826. Both parents died there. Charles was appointed a cadet at West Point in 1841, but his health failing under the rigorous discipline of that institution, he resigned after about nine months' service. He was schooled at Miami University, though not to graduation. In 1844, after the decease of his father, he took up his residence at Hamilton, where he served about a year as deputy sheriff under William J. Elliott.  Then he went to Washington City as a clerk in the general post-office under Cave Johnson. In 1849 he resigned to take the position of disbursing officer in the boundary commission under his brother John B., who had been appointed to run the boundary line between the United States and Mexico. On the way to the field of survey he was sent back from Panama with dispatches to the government at Washington. He had there a long controversy with the Secretary of the Interior, over an attempt to remove him from the commission, in consequence of which he was detained there some six months, during which time he was employed by the secretary of the United States Senate in compiling a book of claims. At the session of Congress in 1849 and 1850 he was the Democratic candidate for sergeant-at-arms, and was within one vote of an election. In 1850 he returned to his former home, Hamilton, bought out the newspaper organ of the Democratic party, the Telegraph, which he edited for two years or more, during which time he was sent by his party as representative to the Ohio Legislature. After serving one session he resigned, and in December, 1852, he started with his wife (Miranda Martindell), whom he married in 1846, for California, where he arrived January 6, 1853, and located at San Francisco, where he still resides. He was appointed under President Pierce assistant United States appraiser of merchandise; also pension agent, both of which posi­tions he resigned, upon his being appointed postmaster of San Francisco in August, 1854. This latter office he held until April, 1861, since which time he has been en­gaged in the real estate and stock-broker's business, arid in mining operations, being president of the Ophir, the Mexican, the Crown Point, and the Exchequer mining companies, and also president of the Pacific Stock Exchange Board, of San Francisco.       GEORGE W. WHITE, the well-known artist of this city, was born on the 8th of November, 1826, at Oxford. His father, George G. White, was a native of Virginia, and emigrated at an early age to Ohio, settling in Fairfield Township, near Black Bottom, in the year 1800. In 1824 he became postmaster of the village of Oxford, continuing in office some twenty-five years. Here George W. White began his first attempts at painting, which it is believed, are mostly destroyed. Mr. Higgins, who resides in the village, was the first to encourage him in the idea of becoming a painter, and gave him a lump of crude umber, gamboge, and Prussian blue, with some white lead. With these crude appliances he began a picture on a piece of unprepared bed-ticking, and placing it on the house-top to dry. His first essay at painting heads was made in Hamilton, in the year 1840, with S. S. Walker, under whose direction he was placed a short time, when he became ill from close confinement, on recovery being sent to the Miami University as a student. Prof. Moffatt, seeing his predilection, advised him to continue the study of art. Although his father was unfavorable to this course of life, he supplied his son with means to go to Cincinnati, where he entered upon an artist's career in 1843. He met with but little encouragement. The painters all assured him that the life of an artist was "a starving one," and he was obliged to catch up what instruction he could from the others, not being able to afford regular lessons.      His scanty means were soon exhausted and he began traveling as a negro minstrel. This was then new, and he went through the country with Webb's Serenaders and Sable Sisters, following this with a trip on the Ohio and Mississippi with a show company, comprising minstrels, tumblers, and athletes. At New Orleans the company disbanded in trouble, and White returned to Cincinnati and engaged with Rockwell's Amphitheater, on the site where the Gazette office now is. Here he sang and played nightly in the saw-dust of the arena, under the cover of burnt cork. This was his last appearance in public in this capacity. He resumed the pencil, and returned for a season to his native village, where he painted cabinet heads of all who would sit, at five and ten dollars a head. He returned to Cincinnati in 1847, and took rooms in the Apollo Building, at the corner of Fifth and Walnut, which was at that time the retreat of several meritorious artists, amongst whom we might name Beard, Brannon, Miller, Eaton, Duncanson, Whittridge, Johnson, Tom Jones, the sculptor, and others. Mr. White had as his room-mate W. L. Sonntag, the landscape painter, who is now living in New York City. The first picture which Mr. White ventured to place before the public was a half-length portrait of Julia Dean, the celebrated actress, afterward known a& Julia Dean Hayne. She was then the city's favorite, and her picture attracted wide attention. She was represented as Virginia in the play of the Roman Father.. From that time on he continued to paint portraits, landscapes, and so on; in fact, any kind of work was gladly received. Some of these canvases were the joint productions of White and Sonntag, who, when not engaged in painting, were skirmishing about for something to eat. They suffered keenly from the distresses and difficulties which usually attend this class of young and undistinguished painters, and were forced to do whatever offered. Occasionally they decorated omnibuses and railroad cars, and at other times painted scenes in the Museum Theater.      Mr. White became a member of the Artists' Union on its formation, which afforded him a sale for a number of his pictures. In the Summer of 1848 he painted the "Greek Slave," two pictures, embodying the front and rear views, with the matchless profile seen to equal advantage in both. This effort placed him favorably before the public as an artist. The pictures, after being shown in the East and West, were finally taken to New York and sold for a thousand dollars apiece. He continued painting, turning out some fine work occasionally, among which were his pictures of "Musidora," "Helen McGregor," "Beauty's Reverie," "Galbina," "Undine," and "Ophelia." Among his portraits at that time were those of the Rev. Thomas H. Stockton and Edwin Forrest, the actor. At the burning of Wood's Museum, in 1857, these and many other works of the artist were destroyed. They represented the labor of years. He had resided for some time in Covington, when he was induced by his friends to go to New York City. After an experience of a year he returned, setting up his easel in Cincinnati; and shortly after painting "Louis Kossuth" and "Lola Montez." In 1857 Mr. White came to Hamilton, where he has since remained, excepting during the Rebellion, when he was in Cincinnati. He met with almost constant employment, and received high and flattering encouragement from patrons at home and abroad. Among the most notable of his pictures at that time were those of General Grant and General Sherman.      He was married in 1866 to Miss Mary, daughter of the late Major John Crane, an old resident of Hamilton. Mrs. White died in 1872, leaving one son. Mr. White, like most painters of the day, depends for a living on painting portraits and teaching the art, in which he has been generously supported by patrons and friends. . FREDERICK WICKE - Page 594, Union Twp.   EDWARD WILCOX- Page 661, St. Clair Twp.   HUGH WILLIAMS was born in Anglesea, Wales, March, 1806, and married Eliza Gwilym, widow of Abner Francis, Sen., in 1833.  Mrs. Williams was born February 5, 1809, in Morgan Township.  This union produced eight children, three of whom are living; Mark, born October 28, 1834, married, and serving  as a missionary in China; Jane, born June 17, 1844, the wife of D. Gaston Boyd, of Newtown, Ohio; Hannah, born May 2, 1848, the widow of Professor James A. Clark, now of New London.  Mr. Williams came to America in 1829, stopping in Pennsylvania for one year, then coming to Paddy's Run and beginning business as a blacksmith, which trade be followed until 1845.  In 1847 he purchased a farm of one hundred acres, on which he lived until his death in March, 1870.  He was one of the prominent men of Morgan Township; was identified with all public improvements; and was a prominent member of the New London Congregational Church of which he was deacon, for more than forty years.  Mark Williams married Isabella Riggs, daughter of the Rev. S. R. Riggs,  the distinguished missionary.  He graduated at Oxford in 1858, went to Lane Seminary in the Fall of the same year, where he remained for three years, joining the ministry in 1861.  After his theological course he preached for a short time in Illinois in Wisconsin, and in 1866 was sent to China by the American Board of Missions, where he has since resided. . ABSALOM WILLIAMSON - Page 610, Madison Twp.   AUGUSTINE E. WILLIAMSON - Page 501, Liberty Twp.   JAMES HARRISON WILLIAMSON, M. D., father of Dr. Henry Allen Williamson, was born in Scott County, Kentucky, about 1824.  Caroline Payne, his wife, was born in Frankfort County, Kentucky, about 1821.  This marriage resulted in three children, one dying in infancy; Henry Allen, born October 10, 1845, married, and a resident of New London; Preston Emmett, born March 4, 1848, married and a dentist at Frankfort, Kentucky.  Dr. Williamson, Sen., was one of the pioneer settlers of Scott County, Kentucky, and ranked as one of the foremost citizens.  He gave both of his children a liberal education, and, though not a man of large means, at one time lost all his property.  His son, Henry Allen, was born in Boone County, Kentucky, married Mary Belle Sleet, of the same place, October 10, 1867.  His wife  was born May 28, 1851.  The results are four children two of whom live:  Lula Belle, born June 29, 1876; Weedie A., born January 18, 1876.  Dr. Williamson, Jr., studied medicine for one year under Dr. John Needham, of Newcastle, Indiana, and in 1867 began his studies at one of the medical colleges of Cincinnati, where he graduated in 1870.  He has since practiced in Paris, Kentucky, for one year, and now follows his profession in the country of Paddy's Run.  All the Williamsons are Baptists, religiously.  The father of James H. was a Virginian by birth.  He came down the Ohio at an early day on a flat-boat, fighting his way through the Indian nations.  William Payne, the grandfather of Dr. H. A. Williamson on his mother's side, was also a Virginian, a captain in the war of 1812, and a great hunter, keeping a pack of hounds to the day of his death.  Dr. Williamson, Sen., died September 4, 1848.   SILAS WILLIAMSON - Page 501, Liberty Twp.   BURNS WILSON - Page 622, Wayne Twp.   JOHN WASHINGTON WILSON- Page 662, St. Clair Twp.   JOSIAH WILSON - Page 550, Oxford Twp.   GENERAL WINCHESTER - Page 622, Wayne Twp.   JOHN WITHROW - Page 621, Wayne Twp.   ISAAC WOLVERTON - Page 621, Wayne Twp.   WILLIAM WOLVERTON - Page 621, Wayne Twp.   DANIEL WOODMANSEE - Page 501, Liberty Twp.   JAMES WOODMANSS - Page 502, Liberty Twp.   NATHAN WOODRUFF - Page 550, Oxford Twp.   NOTES: