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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
History of Delaware Co., Ohio
Publ. Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers
1880
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BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX 1880>
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BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX 1908>
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BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX 1895>
Delaware Twp. -
T. C. O’KANE, books and
stationery. If any man has advertised the name of Delaware, east,
west, north and south, it is the above-named gentleman, who was born
in Fairfield Co., Ohio, March 10, 1830; son of James and Julia
(Williams) O’Kane; his mother was born in New York, and his
father in Virginia; at 8 years of age, he moved with his parents to
Franklin Co., Ohio, where he remained until 1849, during which time
he received a district school education and engaged in teaching; in
1849, he came to Delaware and entered the Ohio Wesleyan University,
from which he graduated in 1852, and was chosen Tutor of Mathematics
in the university, where he remained until 1857, when he resigned
and went to Cincinnati, and was made Principal over fourteen
district schools of that city, where he remained in connection with
the public schools until 1864; he then accepted a position in the
well-known music house of Philip Phillip & Co., of
Cincinnati, and remained with them until 1867, when he came to
Delaware, and was engaged for a number of years in traveling for an
American house throughout Ohio; in 1873, Mr. O’Kane entered
his present business in company with L. S. Wells, under the
name of T. C. O’Kane & Wells, which continued until 1878;
this house is the leading book and stationery establishment of
Delaware, also doing a large business in wall-paper; in 1868, Mr.
O’Kane began the compilation of a series of Sunday-school
singing-books which are among the most popular singing-books in
Sunday schools throughout the United States; he has compiled and
published six works, with a circulation of over 600,000 copies; the
sale of these works are as follows: “Fresh Leaves,” 75,000; “Dew
Drops,” 100,000; “Songs for Worship,” 120,000; “Every Sabbath,”
100,000; “Jasper and Gold,” 150,000; “Joy of the World” (just
published), 70,000. Mr. O’Kane is a member of the Williams
Street M. E. Church, and has been its Sunday School Superintendent
for the last four years, as well as leader of the choir. He was
married in 1853, to Miss Laura E. Eaton, of Delaware Co.,
Ohio, daughter of James Eaton, one of the pioneer settlers of
Delaware Co.; two children, sons.
Source: History of Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L.
Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers, 1880, p. 636
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
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Oxford Twp. –
ALBERT OLDS,
farmer, Sec. 2; P. O. Ashley; son of Ezra and Theda (Washburn)
Olds; his father was born in Luzerne Co., Penn., in 1790, and
emigrated to Ohio in the spring of 1808-09, settling, for two years,
near Galena, and then settled on the farm now owned by Albert;
his father was in the war of 1812; he died Nov. 18, 1848; his mother
is living with Mr. Olds, and is 76 years of age; they had
twelve children––Charles, Miles, Albert, Abigail, Sarah, Mary
(infant), John, Benjamin, Eliza, Milo, Madison; they were
members of M. E. Church; his father was once Commissioner of
Delaware Co., and was Justice of the Peace for many years; his first
election to this office was in 1813; his mother was from New York
State; her father emigrated to Ohio about 1814, settling at Delaware
City; she was one of nine children. Our subject was born in 1828,
in Delaware Co., where he has always remained. He was married, Dec.
3, 1857, to Louisa, daughter of Joseph and Charlotte (Loofbourrow)
Thurston; her parents had ten children––Wilson, Alfred,
Fannie, John, Elmore, Louisa, Jerusha, Lucretia, Della, Clara;
they are now living in Delaware City; his wife was born Aug. 6,
1839; they have seven children––Willard (deceased),
Charles, John, Bertie, Fannie (infant, deceased), infant
born in 1880; he has seventy acres in the present farm, the old
homestead of his fathers, and seventy-seven acres in another tract,
attained partly by his own labors and management. They are members
of the M. E. Church, in which he has taken great interest
financially as well as spiritually. He makes a specialty in
stock-raising; his fathers house on this place was used for the
first church spire in this part of the township. The Olds
family will be prominently mentioned in the township history.
Source: History of
Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical
Publishers, 1880, pp. 794-795
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
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Radnor Twp. –
MAJ. HENRY
C. OLDS, agent C. & T. Ry.
and dealer in coal and lumber, Radnor; was born in St. Joseph Co.,
Mich., July 13, 1831; he is the son Ezra and Mary (Siple) Olds;
the father was a native of Vermont, and his mother of the Old
Dominion; the father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and the
grandfather, John Olds, served his country well in the
struggle for liberty in 1776; Henry’s father removed with his
parents to Genesee Co.; N. Y., when he was 15 years of age. It was
there that he enlisted in the service of his country in the year
1812; he was in a number of battles, and well and faithfully served
his country. He was married when about 32 years of age; from this
union six children were born, three of whom are living. In 1833, he
came to Fairfield Co., Ohio, where he resided until his death, which
occurred in 1870; he was a well-educated man, sober and industrious,
and was a man of much more than ordinary ability; he never aspired
to any political prominence, although very decided in his views. He
was at first an Old Line Whig, but followed the rulings of the
Republican party after its organization. The mother died in 1876;
her father came from Virginia to Fairfield Co., Ohio, in 1808, and
was one of Fairfield Co.’s earliest pioneers; she was a woman in
every way calculated to occupy the position she did in the then new
country. The subject of this sketch passed his youth and early
manhood on his father’s farm, receiving as good an education as the
common schools of that early day afforded. When 16 years of age, he
enlisted in Co. H, O. V. I, and served with distinction during the
Mexican war, under Gen. Scott; after his return home, he
engaged in the carpenter’s trade, a business he followed with
success until about 1877; his services were engaged by the C. & T.
Ry. Co., in the capacity of ticket agent at Radnor, Delaware Co.,
Ohio; he came to Delaware Co. in 1849. He was in his country’s
service in the late war, having enlisted in Co. E, 66th O. V. I;
went out as a non-commissioned officer; he was in the battle of
Cedar Mountain. Va., where he received a gun-shot wound which so
disabled him that he was discharged from the service; he then
returned to his home in Ohio; after remaining at home for some time,
he again entered the service as Major of the 145th O. N. G. Was
united in marriage with Effie C. Dildine, Dec. 23, 1852; she
was born in Radnor Township Delaware Co., Ohio, Oct. 22, 1823; one
child was the result of this union, Clara, who died Sept. 29,
1858. Mr. Olds has held many positions of honor and trust,
among which is that of Infirmary Director. Is a Republican, and a
member of the M E. Church. Owns nicely improved property near the C.
&. T. depot. Mr. Olds is a man of considerable literary
ability, some of his productions showing that if he was so inclined
he might yet rank high as an author.
Source: History of Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L.
Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers, 1880, pp. 761-762
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
Marlborough Twp. -
S. A. OLMSTED, was born Dec. 14, 1828, in
Franklin Co., Ohio. His father, A. J. Olmsted, was a
native of Connecticut, born in Simsbury, Hartford Co., June 11,
1802, and came to Franklin Co., in this State, with his parents, in
1810. His mother, whose maiden name was Eliza Bush, was
born June 21, 1806, in Ulster Co., N.Y.; her people emigrated to
this State the same year, and located on what is now Marlborough
Township. After marriage, and living in Franklin Co. for
awhile, they moved to Delaware Co. in 1836. S. A. Olmsted
has had varied and extensive experiences, having visited various
parts of the globe in his wanderings as a mariner and landsman, of
which our space will only permit an outline. Aug. 15,
1849, he left Delaware Co. with a band of sheep, which the owner
sold in New Jersey; from there, Mr. Olmsted visited points of
interest, and sailed from New Bedford Nov. 5, 1849 on a whaling
voyage, passed south along the coast of Brazil having some perilous
experiences in capturing several whales, and with water-spouts,
cruised to the coast of Africa around the Cape of Good Hope, up past
the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Arabia, where they
captured a whale supposed to be the largest ever captured on that
coast, making 230 barrels of oil, returned down through the Indian
Ocean to Johanna's Island, where, Mr. Olmsted being
dissatisfied with the officers of his ship, escaped by swimming
about half a mile, with shovel-nose sharks for company, to the
whaling ship Phoenix, homeward bound. On the return voyage,
she called at St. Helena for the repairs of damages to the vessel
received in 4 gale; visited Bonaparte's tomb; from there returned
directly to New London, Conn.; went to New York, and sailed for New
Orleans; then, after three days' stay, he sailed for Liverpool on
the Gen. Berry; the eighth day out, the vessel was thrown on
her beam's end by a "white squall," they took to the boats, and
after three days and three nights without food or drink, were picked
up by the Huguenot bound for New Orleans; Mr. Olmsted then
returned home; in 1851, he shipped at Cleveland on the the brig
Gen. Worth; changed to the schooner Oneida; she was run down by
the steamer and water-logged; being loaded with staves, floated;
Mr. Olmsted remained on board and run her into Cleveland, for
which he received the munificent sum of $1 extra pay; this was a
November; spent the winter in Chicago and Racine; in spring and
summer he made trips to Green Bay as wheelsman of a steamer; also
went down the St. Lawrence River to Ogdensburg, as mate of a
schooner, on which he met with an accident, and had three ribs
broken; came home in December, 1852. Mar. 10, 1853, he was
married to Phebe Gillet; moved to Polk Co., Iowa, and to
Adair Co. in 1855; in 1857, to Salt Creek, Neb.; whilst in that
section he lived in different localities, and had several adventures
with the Indians of an exciting nature; was employed in farming, and
scouting some for the Government. In the fall of 1860, he
returned to Delaware Co., and May 1, 1861, he enlisted in Co. C,
26th O. V. I.; served seventeen months, and was discharged for
disability Oct. 1, 1862; re-enlisted in Co. H 145th O. N. G., May 2,
1864, but was discharged Aug. 24 of the same year. Mr.
Olmsted is now living in Marlborough Township, his old home, as
well as that of his wife.
Source No. 2 - History of Delaware Co., Ohio -
1880: Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers; 1880
- Page 768 |
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Harlem
Twp. –
WILLIAM B.
ORNDORFF, farmer and
breeder of fine stock; P. O. Center Village. His father, Joseph
Orndorff, was a native of Virginia, who was born Sept. 8, 1799,
and remained with his parents, Jonathan and Priscilla, until
his marriage, Sept. 12, 1819, to Elizabeth Brell, when he
located in Frederick Co., Va., and in 1854 came to Harlem Township,
where he died Nov. 21, 1877. His wife is now living with Wm. B.
They had seven children––Catharine A., Elisha F., Harriet S.,
Joseph M., Rachel H., Robert F., William B. Catharine
married John McElwee, and was the mother of nine children,
and died in September, 1864; the others still survive. The subject
was the youngest, and was born Dec. 11, 1834, in Virginia, and came
with his parents to Ohio Dec. 31, 1856. He was married to
Catharine, daughter of Jeremiah Loren, a native of New
Jersey, born Aug. 5, 1805. In 1826, was married to Elizabeth
Wright. She was born in New Jersey July 5, 1808. Shortly after
their marriage, they came to Plain Township, Franklin Co., where
Mrs. Loren died in 1840. They had six children; five of them are
still living. Mrs. Orndorff was the fifth child, born Aug.
20, 1835. They have four children living––Charles R., born
Oct. 1, 1857, is now married and lives in Harlem Township; Frank
C., born April 20, 1863; Joseph W., Feb. 18, 1866, and
Elizabeth, born Jan. 31, 1870; they lost a pair of twin girls in
infancy. Charles R. married Ophelia Bennett, and lives
in Harlem Township; the other children are with their parents.
Mr. Orndorff and wife are members of the Christian Church. The
first farm bought in Delaware Co. by Mr. Orndorff, was
sixty-five acres, located one and a half miles northeast of
Centerville. In 1876, he bought his present homestead, which
contains 142 acres, and located one-half mile west of Centerville,
on which he has a nice brick residence, with good barns, sheds,
etc., and with a young orchard of about 450 trees. In addition to
his farming, he is breeder of thoroughbred short-horn cattle, and
Percheron-Norman horses. He is the owner of Gray Duke, a dapple-gray
thoroughbred, imported Percheron stallion. Mr. Orndorff has a
yearling colt of his that weighs 1,275 pounds.
Source: History of Delaware
County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical Publishers,
1880, pp. 845-846
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
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ANDREW H. OSBURN,
tile manufactory, Tanktown; was born in Sussex Co., N. J., Dec. 1851
the son of Henry and Mary Osburn, whose maiden name was
Havens; came to this county when he was about 1 year old, and
located in this township, where he has since lived. Jan. 15, 1874,
Mr. Osborn was married to Isadore Beardslee, eldest
daughter of William Beardslee, of this township. Since he
married, he had been engaged in farming, until March 24, 1879, when
he associated with J. T. Cartnell, in the tile business,
since dissolved. They have one child––Anna Mary. He and wife
are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is now associated with
Ancyl Stanforth, in the tile manufactory––the firm name of
Osburn & Stanforth; they are now prepared to make all sizes of
tiles, from 2½ inches to 14, of superior quality, which they furnish
at bottom prices to those who patronize them; those who are in need
of tile will find it to their advantage to call on this firm.
Source: History of
Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical
Publishers, 1880, p. 701
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
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Scioto Twp. –
GRIFFITH C.
OWEN, farmer and
stock-raiser; P. O. Delaware; was born in Delaware Co., Ohio, Oct.
11, 1847; he is eldest of a family of eight children––two of whom
are now living––of John P. and Sarah (Warren) Owen. The
father was a native of Wales, but in 1826 he emigrated to the United
States, and located in Oneida Co., N. Y., where he remained until
1834, when he removed to Delaware Co., Ohio. He was a carpenter, and
for ten years worked at his trade in Louisiana; he at last gave up
his trade, returned to his home in Ohio, and spent the remainder of
his days in agricultural pursuits; he departed this life Dec. 1,
1874; he was an honest, industrious man, and universally respected
by all who knew him. His wife died May 8, 1877; she was a native of
Ross Co., Ohio, and nearly related to Thomas Warren, the
well-known pioneer of Radnor Township. The subject of this sketch
passed his youth and early manhood assisting his father on the farm;
he received a good common-school education, and at the age of 21
began for himself as a farmer. He was united in marriage with
Melissa McFarlin Jan. 27, 1870; she was born in Delaware Co.,
Ohio, March 4, 1847; she is a daughter of Wm. G. McFarlin, Esq.,
whose sketch appears in this work. From this union there are four
children––John W., Charles L., Frank R. and James W.
Mr. Owen owns 193 acres of nicely improved land in Scioto
Township. He is a Democrat.
Source: History of
Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical
Publishers, 1880, p. 732
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
Delaware Twp. -
REV. C. H. OWENS,
Delaware; was born in Montgomeryshire, North Wales, April 8, 1819;
the son of John and Grace (Humphries) Owens, both born in
North Wales; in 1820, the family sailed for America, and, after
being at sea for some eight weeks, safely landed at Philadelphia,
then by private conveyance came to Delaware Co., and located in
Radnor Township; from there they went to Sandusky, where his father
was engaged in building the old Wyandot Mission house; from Sandusky
they returned to Radnor Township, and, during his residence here,
the elder Owens was engaged at his trade, as a brick and
stone mason, in constructing some of the principal business
buildings of Delaware, such as the Little and Williams
Blocks; also built the foundation for the Mansion House, now used by
the Ohio Wesleyan University, and known as Elliot hall; the
mother, Grace (Humphries) Owens, died in Delaware Co., Aug.
9, 1851, at 68 years of age; John Owens moved to Upper
Sandusky, where he remained until 1856, when he moved to Mount
Gilead, and died there in October, 1857, at 72 year of age; the son,
C. H., attended the first school of the Ohio Wesleyan
University; in 1841, he commenced the study for the ministry, and
the same year attended the North Ohio Conference; and united with it
in 1843, since which time he has not missed being present at their
meetings; the Rev. Mr. Owens has been located in different
parts of Ohio, his first appointment being at Greenville, Darke Co.;
in September, 1874, he closed his pastoral work and accepted a
position as collecting agent for the Ohio Wesleyan Female College;
in 1877, he entered upon the work of a similar position with the
Ohio Wesleyan University, which place he now holds; Mr. Owens
married in July, 1851, Miss Charity Whitaker, of
Pennsylvania; they had one child; Mrs. Owens died in
December, 1852; he married his present wife, Miss Sarah Jane
Welsh, of Knox Co., Ohio, Nov. 24, 1857.
Source: History of
Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical
Publishers, 1880, pp. 636-637
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
Delaware Twp. -
C. V. OWSTON,
City Marshal, Delaware; born in this city Sept. 15, 1845, and is the
son of William Owston, who settled here at an early day,
where he has been engaged at his trade as bricklayer and contractor,
assisting in the construction of some of the leading buildings of
Delaware; C. V. Owston learned his trade as a carriage-body
maker at Columbus, Ohio, where he worked for some two years, when he
came to Delaware and followed his trade for three years longer. In
1870, he was nominated and elected to the office of City Marshal by
a majority of some three hundred votes; this office he filled with
such satisfaction that, in 1872 and 1874, he was reelected with an
increased majority, and, in 1878, he was again reelected, and still
holds the office, which is the best evidence of his fitness for the
position. He was a soldier in the late civil war, having enlisted in
the 145th O. V. I., doing service at Arlington Heights, Washington,
D. C. He is a Democrat, and a hard worker in his party.
Source: History of
Delaware County and Ohio; Chicago: O. L. Baskin & Co., Historical
Publishers, 1880, p. 637
Contributed by a Generous Genealogist. |
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