OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS

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Welcome to
Greene County, Ohio
History & Genealogy


BIOGRAPHIES
Transcribed by Sharon Wick

Source:
HISTORY of GREENE COUNTY, OHIO
Embracing the
Organization of the County, Its Division into Townships,
Sketches of Local Interest Gleaned from the Pioneers from
1803 to 1840, together with a
Roster of the Soldiers of the Revolution and the War of 1812,
who were Residing in the County.
Also,
A Roster of Ten Thousand of the Early Settlers from 1803 to 1840.
By George F. Robinson.
- ILLUSTRATED -
Published:
Chicago
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company.
1902.
 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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` AUGUSTUS THOMPSON.     Augustus Thompson has now passed the seventy-seventh milestone on life's journey and is a venerable and honored resident of Yellow Springs.  He was born Mar. 12, 1825, in Geauga county, Ohio, and lived at the place of his birth for twenty-six years.  His parents were William and Lincoln (Welden) Thompson.  The family is of Scotch-Irish lineage.  The great-grandfather after coming to this country from Scotland settled in Pennsylvania at an early day.  His son, Isaac, the grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war.  He married and had eight children six sons and two daughters.
     William Thompson, the father of our subject, was the third child and fought for his country against England in the war of 1812.  He was born in Pennsylvania, Mar. 21, 1789, but came to Ohio with his parents in 1801, being about twelve years of age.  His father purchased a tract of timber land in Geauga county and much labor was required in clearing this in order to make it cultivable.  William Thompson, although the youngest in the family, shouldered his ax and went to the woods with the rest doing his full share in the arduous undertaking, and ere long become quite an expert woodsman, and this led him to believe that he could make a farm for himself.  He therefore purchased a tract of one hundred acres of timber land adjoining his father's farm and began its cultivation and improvement.  He built a house from timber from his own land and as companion in his new home and one with whom he might share the joys and sorrows of life he chose Miss Lucinda Walden, who at that time was teaching school in Huntsburg township.  She was an earnest Christian lady, a member of the Methodist church, and her brother, Asa, was a minister of that denomination.  She had two other brothers, Elisha and Rial, the former a Methodist in religious faith, and the latter a Universalist.  Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were married in Warren, Ohio, on the 8th of February, 1815, and then started to make a farm in the midst of the forest.  As the result of his industry and perseverance he was enabled to pay for his farm from his sale of maple sugar, which he manufactured from his own trees.  He did all of the work in connection therewith even to the manufacture of the buckets and troughs.  The wife faithfully performed the work of the home, using the spinning wheel and loom and thus furnishing the family with an abundance of towels, table linen, bedspreads and clothing.  Nine children came into this household, eight sons and one daughter.  All were married and secured homes for themselves, and five of the brothers became defenders of the Union in the Civil war.  William Thompson did his full duty to his children, to his friends and to his country, and was held in high esteem by all who knew him.  He served as township treasurer and filled many minor offices with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents.
     The family passed through varied experiences and two sad accidents occurred in the family history.  One was the death of Elisha James, who had gone to the woods in order to get fuel for the schoolhouse fire together with many other patrons of the school  He was then but a little more than twelve years of age and was killed by a falling tree.  Again three years later the youngest child, Henry Thompson, was struck by lightning when he and a cousin had gone to gather wild strawberries.  William Thompson, the father, died at the age of eighty-four years and six months.  The mother, who was born in Massachusetts and lived there until a few years prior to her marriage, passed away at the advanced age of eighty-four years and four months.  The former was an Episcopalian in religious faith and the latter a Methodist.
     Augustus Thompson
, who was the fifth in order of birth in that family, spent the first twenty-six years of his life upon the home farm in Geauga county, and in the district schools of the neighborhood obtained his education and through the summer months assisted his father upon the home farm.  He was the first of his family to respond to the country's call for aid, enlisting Apr. 27, 1861, as a member of Company D, Nineteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteers.  He served for four months and was then discharged at Columbus, but he afterward re-enlisted in Company A, Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until July, 1862, when he was again discharged on account of disability.  Upon his return from the war he removed to Bay City, Michigan, in 1862, in order that he might educate his children, and there engaged in teaming, which he followed for a number of years, also devoting some attention to farming.  In 1877 he removed to Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was first employed in a planing mill for three years.  He then engaged in the somewhat novel employment of building up the trade of run down hotels, going to Texarkana, Texas, for that purpose in response to a telegram.  Six months' faithful service brought the desired result.  Mr. Thompson then resigning to become the manager of another run down hotel in the same town.  Here he was again successful, but from his excessive labors so exhausted his vitality that he was forced to abandon this occupation and for five months devoted himself to traveling for his health.  At that time he reached Dayton, and he has since been a resident of Ohio.  Sixteen years ago he located at Yellow Springs, where he has since resided.  Here he has since been connected with agricultural pursuits, and although he does not do any of the hard work upon the farm he still has the general oversight of his agricultural interests in Miami township.
     In July, 1851, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Rovilla L. Johnson who was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and died in Bay City, Michigan, when about sixty years of age.  She was the mother of two children.  Henry C., who was born in Geauga county, Ohio, was educated in bay City, Michigan.  He spent his evenings in the office of the city surveyor, acting as assistant in the work of drawing maps, and during the periods of vacation he was in the field, becoming familiar with the practical work of civil engineering and surveying.  He has become an expert surveyor and is still following that business in Bay City, Michigan, where he has served as city surveyor.  He also served as city surveyor of Lancing for one year.  At the age of sixteen yeas he began teaching school and followed that profession until he had mastered surveying, when he abandoned it in order to take up his chosen life work. He married Kate Whitmore, and they have three children.  Frank C. Thompson, the youngest son, was born in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and began teaching in the district schools before attaining the age of sixteen.  After two year he was made principal of a graded school, a position which he held for five years, when he resigned in order to accept another position in which he continued for five year.  He afterward held the office of city comptroller at West Bay City, Michigan, and later was employed on the farm of Hiram Confer in Greene county, but he soon returned to West Bay City to assist his brother Henry in surveying and civil engineering, and was afterward appointed by the post-master general to the mail delivery service in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, in which position he has since served.  He married Carrie Confer, a daughter of Henry Confer, then of Yellow Springs, but now a resident of California.
     For his second wife Mr. Augustus Thompson chose Matilda Hamma, the wedding being celebrated on the 29th of December, 1885.  The lady was born in York county, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of David and Susan (Wolff) Hamma.  Her father was born in Pennsylvania of German lineage, on the paternal side, while on the maternal side of line is of English descent.  The parents of Mrs. Thompson removed to Ohio during her early girlhood, settling in Richland county, where her father carried on farming.  He afterward sold his farm, settling in Greene county, purchasing a tract of land in Miami township.  Here he died in 1865 at the age of seventy-seven years, and his wife died some years previous upon the old homestead in Miami township.  She was the mother of seven children, but only three of the number are now living.  Mr. and Mrs. Thompson make their home in Yellow Springs and are well known there.  Mr. Thompson owes his success in life to his own earnest and indefatigable efforts.  He has led an upright and honorable life, characterized by loyalty to his country and by fidelity in friendship as well as honor in business relations.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio by George F. Robinson, Publ. 1902 - Page 413
  ANDREW JACKSON TOBIAS.    With the agricultural interests of Beavercreek township this gentleman has long been actively identified, and has materially aided in its upbuilding and development.  He was born near Zimmerman, in that township, in 1832, a son of Jacob and Mary (Miller) Tobias, who were both natives of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania.  There the father passed his boyhood and youth and attend school, his education, however, he being in the German language and very limited.  In early life he learned the shoemaker's trade, which he followed after coming to Ohio.  In 1820 he took up his residence in Beavercreek township, this county, and there he continued to make his home throughout the remainder of his life.  He had seven children four sons and three daughters, namely: Peter, John and Daniel all now deceased; Andrew J., of this review; Betsy and Catherine both deceased; and Susan, a resident of St. Mary's Ohio.
     Andrew J. Tobias acquired his early education in the schools of Auglaize county, where the family removed when he was only three years old, and where the father entered eighty acres of land.  Our subject pursued his studies in the subscription schools taught in old log cabins so common at that day.  On leaving school at the age of sixteen years he returned to Greene county, where he worked as a laborer for some time and then followed the carpenter's trade for twenty-two years erecting many houses and barns in the locality where he now lives.  He subsequently turned his attention to farming and in 1884 purchased the fine farm of two hundred acres in Beavercreek township, where he now resides, and to its cultivation and improvement he has since devoted his energies, having retired from carpentering.  He raises a good grade of stock, making a specialty of Jersey cattle, and in his herd are several registered animals.  He also raises considerable corn, wheat and oats, and is meeting with most excellent success in his farming operations.
     In 1863 Mr. Tobias was united in marriage with Miss Sarah E. Harshman, who was also born in Beavercreek township and reared on a farm adjoining that on which she now lives.  She is a sister of J. F. Harshman whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume.  Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have two children, one son and one daughter, namely:  Samuel F., who resides on his father's farm, is carrying on a gun shop and is one of the finest workmen in that line in the state.  He married Jennie Bates and the children born to them are Blanche L., Elmer Fay, Elsie May, Congress, Winifred and an infant daughter.  E. Nora, daughter of our subject, is the wife of Lewis Coy, a grocer of Dayton, and they have had two children: Ethel May and Herbert.
    
For many years Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have been members of the Reformed church of Beaver Creek and are people of the highest respectability, whose circle of friends and acquaintances is extensive.  In political sentiment he is a Democrat, but at local elections votes for the man best qualified for office regardless of party lines.  He has never cared for political honors, though he takes a deep interest in public affairs as every true American citizen should.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio by George F. Robinson, Publ. 1902 - Page 825
  WILLIAM TOBIAS.    Not many men who have passed the age of four score years and are residents of Greene county can claim this portion of the state as the place of their nativity, but William Tobias is a native son of Greene county, his birth having occurred in Beavercreek township, Mar. 14, 1821.  There is a particular satisfaction in reverting to the life history of the honored and venerable gentleman whose name initiates this review, since his mind bears the impress of the historical annals of the state of Ohio from the early pioneer days, and from the fact that he has been a loyal son of the Republic and has attained to a position of distinctive prominence in the township where he was born and where he has retained his residence until the present time, being now one of the revered patriarchs of the community.
     Mr. Tobias is still an active factor in agricultural circles in Beavercreek township.  He was born Mar. 14, 1821, his parents being Samuel and Elizabeth (Hanney) Tobias, both of whom were natives of Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, and were of German lineage.  In pioneer days they started westward and took up their abode in Greene county, driving across the country from Pennsylvania.  Locating in Zimmerman, the father purchased twenty-five acres of land and erected a log cabin which is still standing although it has been remodeled.  His death occurred when his son William was about seven years of age, and the mother afterward became the wife of Michael Swigart.  Her death occurred about 1871 when she was seventy-six years of age.  By her first marriage she bad three sons and three daughters: Lydia. who became the wife of William Kirkpatrick, but both are now deceased; Margaret, who married Noah Enry, but both died in Illinois; William, of this review; Daniel, who resides near Troy, Miami county; Samuel, deceased; and Catherine, who married Walley Haines, but both are now deceased.
     When a little lad William Tobias made his way from home to the little log school-house of his district, where sitting upon a rude bench, he conned his lessons, becoming familiar with the common English branches of learning.  After he was eight years of age he went to live with Peter Swigart, a brother of his step-father, with whom he remained until twenty-two years of age.  After his marriage he began farming upon rented land and when several years had passed he purchased a tract of land in 1870, becoming the owner of ninety-six acres.  He remodeled the house, built a good barn, and successfully carried on general farming and stock-raising.
     On the 24th of December, 1846, Mr. Tobias wedded Sarah Swigart, and unto them were born two children:  Martin Luther, now a resident of Beavercreek township, married Christine Peoples and they have two children, Edgar and Clara.  The mother died and Martin afterward wedded Mary Barnhart, by whom he had three children, Eva, Grace and John.  Samuel, the second son of the family, married Emma John and resides in Dayton.  They have three children, Homer, Howard and Harold.  The first wife of William Tobias died in 1851 when about twenty-four veers of age and was laid to rest in Mount Zion cemetery.  On the 19th of June, 1852, he was again married, his second union being with Jane Miller, who was born near Cincinnati, in Hamilton county, Ohio, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Wheeler) Miller.  Her mother was born in Maryland, her father, Willerson Wheeler, being a planter and slave owner until he liberated his slaves and moved to Baltimore, where he lived until his daughter Elizabeth was fourteen years of age, when they went to Pennsylvania, where she met the gentleman who became her husband and who was a native of Center county, that state.  Three times they came to Ohio, locating first in Columbus, but after two years returned to the Keystone state.  Their third trip was made by water to Cincinnati.  Mr. Miller was a soldier of the war of 1812, serving under General Harrison.  He died in 1840, and was laid to rest in the Byron cemetery, while his wife passed away in 1854 in Dayton.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Tobias have been born the following children: William, of Beavercreek township, who married Jennie Alice Garlough and has one child, Emerson D.; Catherine, the wife of John W. Barney, of Dayton, by whom she has four children, Dora, Bertha, Eugene J. and Ralph; Elizabeth, who is the twin sister of Catherine and is at home with her parents; Daniel and Calvin, now deceased; Orville, of Beavercreek township, who married Effa Miller, by whom he has one child, Raymond; one who died in infancy; Newton W., of Ohio, who married May Kemp and has one child, Vivian G.
     In his political views Mr. Tobias is a Republican, who has long endorsed the principles of the party, but has never been an office seeker.  Both he and his wife are members of the Reformed church.  During his long residence in the county he has witnessed much of its growth and development, has seen many changes and has taken an active and helpful interest in its progress and improvement.
Source: History of Greene County, Ohio by George F. Robinson, Publ. 1902 - Page 689

NOTES:
 

 
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