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BIOGRAPHIES
The following biographies are extracted from:
Source:
The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
By Henry Holcomb Bennett
Published by S. A. Brant, Madison, Wis.,
1902
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CHARLES B.
GEARHART was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, June
25, 1858. His father, Henry Gearhart, was a
native of Bucks county, Pa., born Feb. 18, 1818.
When twelve years of age he came to Pickaway county with
his father, who died shortly after their arrival.
There were ten children in the family, all of whom,
except Henry and Jacob, went to other
parts of the country to seek residences. For
several years after the departure of his relatives
Henry worked for neighbors by the month. He
married Harriet, daughter of Titus Dungan,
of Pickaway county, but she died in a year or two
without leaving any children. During this period,
Henry Gearhart was engaged in buying stock and
prospered sufficiently to be able to buy a farm of 150
acres. He was married a second time to Frances
C. Briggs, by whom he had seven children. Of
these, Frank T. lives in Pickaway county on the
home farm; Charles B. is the subject of this
sketch; Mary W. married Owen McDill of
Pickaway county; William S. lives in Circleville,
Ohio; Ruth L., Fred C. and Della H. are
dead. The father continued to reside on the old
home place in Pickaway county until the time of his
death, Dec. 24, 1887. Charles B. Gearhart,
the second of the children in order of birth, was
educated at the common school of his district and
remained at home until he was twenty-five years of age.
Oct. 31, 1883, he was married to Ella A. Zurmehly
and in March of the following year he settled down on
the W. S. Carpenter farm near Darbyville in
Pickaway county. After a residence there of one
year, a change was made in Feb., 1885, into Ross county
near by, and other removals were made in the subsequent
years until Feb., 1889, when he located at Circleville
and engaged in the implement business. This, under
the firm name of McCoy & Gearhart, he continued
for three years, at the end of which time he disposed of
his interest to George Smith and in 1891 removed
to the place where he now resides. Of the children
of Mr. and Mrs. Gearhart, Shirley Z. is at home,
Turney L. died in infancy, Carl B. and
Paul H. are going to school. The mother was
born on Sept. 10, 1856, in the same house where she now
lives. Her grandparents were natives of
Switzerland, from which country they came to
Pennsylvania and from there to Pickaway at an early
period of that county's settlement. Mrs.
Gearhart's father married Harriet Lutz, of
Pickaway county, in 1846, and about the same time
removed to Ross county. He was prosperous and had
accumulated 350 acres of land at the time of his death,
which occurred on November 25, 1893, his wife surviving
him only four days and passing away on November 29.
Mr. Gearhart is a Republican in politics, served
nine years as justice of the peace in Union township and
for two years was a member of the school board. In
1901, he was elected commissioner of Ross county by a
plurality of 182 and will enter into his office on the
third Monday in September, 1902. Mr. Gearhart
is one of the prosperous and substantial citizens of his
county, standing high both in the political and business
world.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 483 |
MARTIN
GILMERR, farmer, of Concord township, is
descended from one of those sturdy families who fought
the pioneer battles of Ross county in the days that have
long since become historic. The first of the name
to appear on the banks of the Scioto was Matthew
Gilmerr, who "joined the procession" which was
making its way from his native state of Virginia to the
more inviting fields of Ohio. It was early in the
nineteenth century when he arrived with his family in
the confines of Ross county and located in Concord
township. He became the father of seven children
who, with their descendants, have ever since been
identified with the agricultural interests of the
county. The names of the first settler's children
were William, Martin, Robert, Susan, Sallie, Mary
and Matthew. The last mentioned was little
more than a suckling infant when the journey from
Virginia had ended and he grew to manhood amid the rude
surrounding of his father's new home. He worked on
the farm in youth and after reaching maturity secured
land and became a farmer on his own account, following
that occupation through life. He married Artemesia,
daughter of Robert Wells, who was among the early
arrivals in that part of the county and a well-to-do
man. Nine children resulted from this union, made
up of five sons and four daughters. All of the
latter are dead but the sons are living and named as
follows: George W., Allen, Franklin, Robert W.,
and Martin. Martin Gilmerr was born at
the parental home in Concord township, Ross county,
Ohio, in 1862. His youth and early manhood were
spent as a customary among the children of farmers, by
alternate attendance at school in winter and outdoor
work during the seasons of summer. Upon arriving
at the age of twenty-one he embarked in business for
himself and has since been one of the busy tillers of
the soil in his native township. In 1893, Mr.
Gilmerr was married to Miss Irena Swan, a
native of Ross county, who died April 3, 1900, leaving
two children, Ray Everett and Esther Viola.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 484 |
COLONEL WILLIAM EDWARD GILMORE
was born in Chillicothe on Nov. 3, 1824. His
parents were William Young Gilmore and Mary
Tiffin, his wife. In after years, Colonel
Gilmore drew the following picture of his father's
traits and character: "My father was a purely
good, honest, industrious, moral, refined
gentleman, who discharged every duty as husband, father,
tailor, citizen and public officer in several places of
trust, and never postponed or omitted any. He was
polite and considerate towards every one, and most
cordial and affectionate to his family and friends.
The city of Chillicothe is indebted to him to a greater
extent than many of its citizens are aware, for its
present admirable common school establishment, and the
existence of its public library. Almost his last
injunction to me was that I should make the effort to
recover certain very valuable real estate in the city,
diverted from its prosper uses many years ago, and, when
recovered, that it should be given to the Board of
Education and library." "And," said Colonel
Gilmore to the writer of his memoirs in 1902, with
an expression of intense satisfaction, "this injunction
was, after years of effort, carried to the triumphant
fruition in which our people now universally take much
justified pride." Such is the affectionate
portraiture of his father by a dutiful son. Of his
mother he thus writes: "My mother, born here in
Chillicothe, O., on the first day of January, 1806, was
far above mediocrity in intellectual vigor and
intelligence. Throughout her life she was a
constant reader of sound literature, and she had an
excellent memory. In affectionate devotion to her
husband, children and relatives, no woman ever excelled
her, for that would be impossible." The father of
this excellent woman was Joseph Tiffin, brother
of Governor Edward Tiffin, who is so often
mentioned in the histories of Ross county, and of whom
Colonel Gilmore has written and published a worthy
memoir. Mrs. Gilmore died on Feb. 10, 1875,
and her husband was carried off suddenly by general
paralysis on May 2, 1876, in his seventy-ninth year.
In the spring of 1839,
William E. Gilmore entered the Ohio university at
Athens, but left that institution without a degree in
the summer of 1841. His father desired that he
should become a lawyer, and in obedience to this request
young Gilmore entered the office of Creighton
& Green. The former, who was something of a
practical joker, placed in the boy's hands as the first
work for his perusal, the eight huge and heavy volumes
of "Bacon's Abridgement of the Law." The next few
months were spent in nibbling at this indigestible mass
with the result of so disgusting the student with the
law, that he abandoned the office and his "reading" at
the same time. This was in 1842 and about that
time a great "revival of religion" was in progress at
Chillicothe. Young Gilmore, in common with
hundreds of others, was profoundly impressed and in due
time formally "joined the church." Determining to
study for the Presbyterian ministry, he entered Lane
Theological Seminary in 1843, studied diligently for
three years and was graduated with marked prominence as
a bachelor of divinity. Dec. 10, 1846, Mr.
Gilmore was married to Miss Amanda Betts, of
Cincinnati, and immediately thereafter entered upon the
study of the law in earnest. He became a student
in the office of Judge Oliver M. Spencer and
immediately thereafter entered upon the study of the law
in earnest. He became a student in the office of
Judge Oliver M. Spencer and Richard M. Corwin
of Cincinnati. In the spring of 1848, having in
the meantime graduated in the Cincinnati law college, he
was admitted to the practice, by the supreme court, on
the circuit.
From his earliest youth, Mr. Gilmore
looked with horror upon the odious system of human
slavery, and throughout his early manhood was an avowed
abolitionist. In 1846, he took his first public
part in politics by supporting Samuel Lewis the
anti-slavery candidate for governor against both Whig
and Democrat nominees. In 1848, he "took the
stump" in support of Van Buren and
Adams, the free-soil candidates for president and
vice-president. Upon the organization of the
Republican party he became a charter member, and always
gave loyal and unselfish support to its candidates and
policies. He was a prominent speaker (and with the
exception of the late Samuel L. Wallace, the only
one in Ross county) for the Republicans during the
memorable campaign of 1860, which resulted in Lincoln's
election to the presidency. After a visit to
Washington in March, 1861, Mr. Gilmore became
convinced that the Southern leaders were determined on
secession and civil war; and upon returning to his home
in Ohio, he arranged to get the news promptly of the
first overt act, and when the announcement was made that
Fort Sumter had been fired upon, he immediately issued
handbills calling for a public meeting to enlist
soldiers. He had prepared a muster roll in
advance, to which his own name was signed first, and at
the subsequent meeting a full company of one hundred men
was formed. Governor Dennison was
notified by telegraph, but as the president's
proclamation had not yet been issued, the company was
not formally accepted for several days but left home
under orders on the 21st of April, 1861, for Camp
Jackson. It subsequently became Company A of the
Twenty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, organized under
the president's first call for troops, and soon
afterward the regiment was placed under command of
Colonel Gilmore. They were ordered into
Virginia by way of Parkersburg, late in May, and served
there until the middle of August in various kinds of
duties over a wide area of territory. The men had
been enlisted for the three months’ service, ending July
21st, and much difficulty and delay attended the
reorganizations for longer terms, because of the large
number of new regiments which had been authorized, and
which were being gathered in southern Ohio.
Eventually six full companies recruited by Colonel
Gilmore were consolidated with the Sixty-third
Ohio at Marietta, this being effected by Colonel
Gilmore’s unselfish and patriotic conduct in
voluntarily yielding the first place to another and
accepting the lieutenant-colonelcy of the new regiment.
In February, 1862, they were ordered to report to
General Sherman at Paducah, Ky., and thence
on to General Pope’s army then organizing
in Missouri. The new arrangements and associations
made matters so disagreeable for Colonel
Gilmore that they in time became intolerable.
The colonel placed over him was jealous, selfish and
passionate; his old men murmured because Colonel
Gilmore had been deprived of the command, and
bickerings, mutual distrust and heart-burnings finally
became such that after a year’s service Colonel Gilmore
resigned and came home, but continued in every possible
way to aid the Union cause.
In May, 1866, he removed with his family to
Springfield, Mo., and he settled down with the intention
of abandoning partisan politics forever and devoting
himself exclusively to business. But his
reputation as a speaker had gone before him and he had
not got well settled in his new home until a committee
of prominent citizens called on him to meet one of the
rampant Democratic orators of Missouri on the platform.
In those days all political discussions took the form of
debate in southwest Missouri. This threw him into
the current, and from that on for years he was actively
and conspicuously connected with the heated and
acrimonious political contests that distinguish Missouri
in the late sixties. He became a leader of his
party and obtained recognition as one of its ablest
speakers. In 1868, Colonel Gilmore
was offered the nomination for Congress in the Fourth
(Mo.) district, but declined on the ground that the
sitting member who was a Republican, was entitled to
re-election. By his subsequent work in the
campaign he saved his party from the defeat threatened
by a dangerous bolt. Colonel Gilmore
became
prominent in the Liberal Republican movement in Missouri
to re-enfranchise those who had been deprived of the
rights of suffrage by the vindictive legislation which
had been enacted during the Civil war. It was a
long, bitter and relentless struggle but finally ended
in the triumph of liberal principles. Colonel
Gilmore was again tendered the nomination for
Congress, but refused it because the platform by which
it was accompanied favored the continuance of
disfranchising clauses of the State constitution.
Later on he was nominated as an independent candidate on
a liberal platform and, after a campaign of great force
and brilliancy, was defeated, though he cut down the
original majority by thousands of votes. In 1869,
Colonel Gilmore had strong support for the United
States senate, but for personal and business reasons
declined to make the race, urging his friends to support
Carl Schurz, who was afterwards elected. In
1872 Colonel Gilmore was nominated for
lieutenant-governor of Missouri, but owing to the fact
that he had not been long enough in the State by about
six weeks to be eligible to this office, he was
compelled to decline the honor. Owing to business
losses caused by a son-in-law, in the panic of 1873,
Colonel Gilmore returned to Ohio and resumed his law
practice in the same office he had abandoned in 1861 to
go to war, and continued the practice so long as health
permitted; broken only by a term as postmaster of his
native city. Colonel Gilmore's first wife
died in August, 1862, and in October, 1863, he married
again, his second wife being Ellen, daughter of
Charles P. and Angeline (Crippen) Brown, of
Athens, Ohio. All the children by his first
marriage are long since dead. By the second
marriage there were born three children, Charles P.,
Tiffin and Ellen, who survive. During
his long life, Colonel Gilmore had enjoyed most
of the time robust health; but he contracted rheumatic
gout in the army, which afterwards caused him much pain
at frequent intervals. During the last year or two
he has been an invalid confined to his room by that
painful disease, without hope of ultimate recovery, but
still full of the spirit and determination which
characterized his whole cancer, and when able to use his
pen, has employed it writing much local history and
considerable verse of which he has published
comparatively little, but may yet give more of it to the
reading world.
Thus far, this sketch of Colonel Gilmore has
been gathered and written by the representative of this
history, without his knowledge, or submission of it to
his inspection. After it had been put in type, it
was read to him at his bedside. He listened
attentively, and at its conclusion gravely and solemnly
said: "What a record of failures assert that I
never but once asked my political party for official
position. Such few candidacies as have come to me
have been entirely unsolicited by me. I have never
intrigued or clamored for recognition,' nor 'bent the
pregnant hinges of the knees' to rings, caucuses or
powers 'that thrift might follow fawning.' I never
in my whole life participated in a secret political
cabal or caucus, although very often urged to do so, for
I have always thought with old Samuel Adams, that
political secrets ought not to exist in a democratic or
republican government. Besides this, I have always
voted to fill judicial and municipal executive offices
with the candidates whom I conscientiously believed
would serve the interests of the people best; and I have
so voted without secrecy or concealment. All this
being true, I could not expect, nor did I ever receive
much personal favor from the political bosses and rings
that exist 'to manage things' in every county and
district of this country. And finally, even my
best friends say - and I admit with some reason - that I
am naturally somewhat stubborn and unmanageable.
Do these facts explain and account for my failures in
life? Perhaps so; but I do not very greatly regret
the failures.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 485 |
JOHN
W. GOLDSBERRY, attorney-at-law, of Chillicothe,
is a native of Petersburg, Highland county, Ohio, born
Oct. 21, 1852. His parents were Delay F.
and Sarah J. (Fisher) Goldsberry, both natives of
Ross county. The father earned the trade of black-smithing
in youth and followed it for about twenty-five years.
Later he became a merchant and for eighteen years has
been justice of the peace in Chillicothe. His wife
died while still in young womanhood. They had a
family of six children, of whom only two are living,
Mrs. Phoebe A. English and the subject of this
sketch. The latter was educated at the Ohio
Wesleyan university, being graduated from the classical
course in 1878. Mr. Goldsberry taught
school for seven years while completing his education,
in this way earning money to pay the expenses. In
1879, he began the study of law and in 1881 he was
admitted to practice in the supreme and local courts.
Since taht time he has been engaged in regular practice
at Chillicothe and has been successful, both
professionally and financially. April 29, 1886
Mr. Goldsberry was married to Susanna M. Offutt,
a native of Chillicothe and daughter of Joseph H. and
Maria (Minear) Offutt. The parents are both
deceased and a son, Newton by name, is a
member of Mr. Goldsberry's family. During
his lifetime Mr. Offutt was very successful in
business and amassed a fortune in milling a farming.
Mr. and Mrs. Goldsberry have three children whose
names are Joseph F., John P., and Paul,
aged fifteen, ten and five years respectively. The
parents are members of the Walnut street Methodist
church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 489 |
JOHN GOODCHILD,
fruit-grower and stock-raiser, is one of the progressive
and prosperous farmers in the eastern part of Scioto
township. He is a sample of hte many strong men
sent from the "tight little isle" beyond the sea to
every country of the civilized world, to the great
advantage of their citizenship. His parents were
James and Elizabeth (Wilson) Goodchild, both
English born and bred, the former a shoemaker who
followed his trade for a livelihood up to the time of
his death, which occurred when he was fifty-eight years
old. The children of this couple were nine in
number, of whom two died in infancy, the others in order
of birth being as follows: Turner, Louisa,
Emily, George, Mary, John and William.
Aside from George, who lives at Cardington,
Ohio, and the subject of this sketch, all the children
remained in their native country. John
Goodchild sixth of the family, was born at
Hertfordshire, England, Mar. 9, 1843. He came to
this country in 1862, when the civil war was in full
blast, and soon catching the prevailing fever he sought
the earliest opportunity to become a soldier.
Joining Captain Musser's company, which became H
of the Hundred and Twenty-ninth regiment Ohio infantry,
he was mustered into the six months' service. The
command was sent to Lexington, Ky., from there to
Cumberland Gap and Knoxville, returning from the latter
place to Cleveland, Ohio, where they were discharged.
Mr. Goodchild came directly to Chillicothe in
March and in the following May re-enlisted in Company D,
Hundred and Forty-ninth regiment Ohio infantry, under
Capt. Raymond Alston. This force was sent to
Baltimore for guard duty, later taking part in the
battle of Monocracy in July, 1864, between Early
and Lew Wallace, and the engagement at Snicker's
Gap. After this they were sent up the Shenandoah
valley, then back to Camp Dennison, where they were
mustered out at the expiration of their term of
enlistment. After being mustered out Mr.
Goodchild spent a short time at Chillicothe and then
went to California, where he remained eight years.
In 1873 he returned to Chillicothe, engaged in farming,
and on Aug. 23, 1873, was married to Agnes Warboys.
This lady was born in England, June 3, 1854, and came to
Ohio in 1863 with her parents, Joseph and Maria
Warboys, who settled near Chillicothe and there
ended their days. Mr. Goodchild settled
with his bride on a farm recently purchased by himself
in the eastern portion of Scioto township, on which he
has since resided, and so greatly improved the same that
it is now one of the most comfortable homes in the
county. Mr. Goodchild does general farming
and stock raising, also paying considerable attention to
fruit-growing. In addition to the home place of
100 acres, he has charge of 200 acres of the Seymour
farm, all of which he manages and cultivates by
modern methods. He has been a member of the school
board for about fourteen years and belongs to Brown
post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Chillicothe.
Mr. and Mrs. Goodchild have had thirteen
children: Elizabeth M., wife of John
Davis of Columbus, Ohio; Walter A. G., also
of Columbus; Lillian M., George O. and Joseph
D., at home; Eliza W., of Columbus; Emily
N., Daisy E., Leslie W., John L., Earl B. and
Mary A., at home; Louisa died in
infancy. The parents are members of the
Presbyterian church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 489 |
DANIEL GOODMAN,
late of Green township, Ross county, was one of those
industrious and unobtrusive men who lead quiet,
unpretentious lives but gain the good will of all by
kindliness of disposition and readiness to help their
neighbors. He was born Aug. 6, 1834, in the
township where he spent all of his life and finally met
death with that composure which comes of the
consciousness of a life well spent and duty well
performed. His parents were Daniel and
Elizabeth (Charles) Goodman, who are mentioned in
another part of this work. Being born and bred on
a farm and drilled in all the details of such work,
Mr. Goodman after reaching man's estate pursued the
calling of his father and remained to his last day a
cultivator of the soil. In a quiet, modest way he
participated in all township affairs, held various
minors offices, such as that of school director, and
owing to his business qualifications and integrity of
character was often called on to act as administrator of
estates. His industrious habits and good
management were rewarded with success, and at the time
of his death Mr. Goodman owned consolidated
property, including 154 acres of land. He was a
member of the Masonic order and punctual in the
performance of his duties at the lodge in Chillicothe.
Jan. 1, 1873, he was married to Mary E., daughter
of Abraham and Lydia Miller, a worthy couple who
have received due notice elsewhere in this volume.
The three children resulting from this union were all
given good educations by their fond parents and started
out in life with prospects of successful careers.
George O. Goodman, eldest of the children, was
born Nov. 8, 1873. Daniel Jerry Goodman was
born Dec. 30, 1874, went through the Kingston high
school and settled down as a farmer on the old
homestead. He married Effie Dresbach and
they have two children: Kenneth F. and Mary
Thelma He has served in the city council and
is a member of the Kingston lodge, Knights of Pythias.
Edna G., the only daughter of Daniel and Mary
E. Goodman was born July 23, 1879, and graduated at
the Kingston high school in 1896. Oct. 3, 1900,
she was married to Joseph H. Dunkel, of Pickaway
county, and has one child, Elizabeth G. Daniel
Goodman, the father of this interesting family, died
April 18, 1888, his death being caused by a stone cancer
in the region of the stomach. Mrs. Mary E.
Goodman who survives her husband, is a well educated
lady, having benefited in her youth from excellent
private schools in Kingston and Chillicothe and finished
a course at the Normal university of Lebanon, Ohio.
When a young lady she had charge of district schools and
afterward taught several years in Chillicothe. She
is a business woman and superintends her own affairs
with good judgment, being a stockholder in the Scioto
Valley bank and owner of a business and dwelling
building in Kingston. Since her husband's
death Mrs. Goodman purchased 166 acres of land
immediately adjoining the town of Kingston and with her
family also owns a tract of 150 acres on the Scioto
river.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 490 |
|
HON. OLIVER P. GOODMAN,
residing near Kingston, has long been conspicuously
identified with the political, commercial and
agricultural affairs of Ross county. He has
represented the county in the legislature, assisted in
the promotion of financial institutions and rendered
valuable service to agriculture in connection with
legislation affecting the live stock industry.
Mr. Goodman comes naturally by his tastes for farm
life, as his ancestors, as far back as the records go,
were tillers of the soil. The founder of the
family in America was George Goodman who came
from Germany to Pennsylvania in the first half of the
eighteenth century. Catherine Gouger, who
subsequently became his wife, was a woman of notable
character in many respects and one whose life's history
was filled with interesting and pathetic details.
She was born in New Jersey in 1732 and brought in
infancy to Northumberland county, Pa. In those
days all that part of Pennsylvania was a borderland,
subject to forays by the Indians and often the scene of
bloody massacres. In one of their inroads,
Catherine Gouger and a younger brother were taken
prisoners by the savages. The boy was killed, but
the girl, then twelve years old, was adopted by the
tribe and shared their wild mode of life for about eight
years. Being then a young woman, she managed in
some way to make her escape and returned to the scenes
of her early childhood only to find her mother dead and
the home abandoned. Long yeas afterwards, when
living in Ohio, she was able to point out the trails
along which she traveled with the Indians while their
captive. She recognized their camping grounds in
the very locality in Ross county where she subsequently
settled. On one of these spots, so the family
traditions relate, where she had slept in childhood with
the Indians, she had a lot cleared off for the cemetery
and there when the final summons came her body found its
last resting place. Shortly after her return from
captivity, Catherine Gouger was married to
George Goodman and bore him six children, four
sons and two daughters. Among the former was
John Goodman, who was born while his parents lived
in Berks county, Pa. He married Charlotte Shuck,
came to Ross county in 1797, bought four hundred acres
of land in Green township, and in the following year
brought his family there for final settlement. In
addition to his main work as a farmer, John Goodman
conducted one of those wayside inns so indispensable to
travelers before the days of railroads and city hotels.
At this modest hostelry in Green township many prominent
men were entertained during their trips through the
country, and it was the proud boast of Landlord Goodman
that President Monroe himself had slept under his
roof and also General Hull, when on his way to
take command of troops in the Northwest Territory.
After a life of adventure and hardship, this sturdy
pioneer was called to his final rest July 15, 1830, aged
sixty-eight years, the date of his wife's death being
Apr. 23, 1825. Their son, David Goodman,
was born in Green township in 1801, and grew up to be a
man of strongly marked character. When in his
early manhood it was his custom to make four trips a
year to New Orleans on flatboats loaded with flour,
bacon, whisky and other merchandise of the Scioto Valley
which found a ready market in the great southern
metropolis. His regular occupation was farming,
which, with his other enterprises, was carried on so
successfully as to enable him to accumulate a handsome
competence, including seven hundred acres of land.
He was a man of excellent business sense and strictest
integrity in all his dwellings. He would never
bring suit against anyone, nor subject himself to
litigation at the hands of others. Strong in his
convictions and firm in the assertion of his beliefs, eh
stood up with only seven others in Green township to
attest his Democracy by voting or Andrew Jackson.
Mar. 3, 1833, David Goodman was married to
Elizabeth Cullum, a woman every way worthy to be the
consort of such a man. She was born in Maryland in
1812 and came to Ross county in 1815 with her parents,
George and Nancy (Gallaway) Cullum, both of whom
died within a few years after their arrival.
David Goodman and wife reared a family of four
children: Ellen Dunlap, Oliver P., Margaret
Imnael, and Mary E. Umsted. The father
died Mar. 12, 1891. Oliver P. Goodman was
born on the family homestead in Green township Apr. 27,
1839. He attended the Mount Pleasant Academy in
Kingston and was graduated in 1862, after which he took
charge as superintendent of his father's farm acting in
that capacity until 1871. He then removed to a
farm which he had purchased two miles west of Kingston,
where he has since made his home. In 1883,
Mr. Goodman was elected on the Democratic ticket
as a representative of Ross county in the state
legislature, served two years and declined a
re-nomination. Mr. Goodman rendered
valuable service to his constituents as member of the
committees on Agriculture, Public Works and Public Ways,
being chairman of the last mentioned. He also had
the honor of membership of the special committee which
had charge of the presentation of the statue of
William Allen as Ohio's contribution to Memorial
Hall in Washington. He was largely instrumental in
securing the legislation creating the Ohio Live Stock
commission, and it was a fitting and graceful act on the
part of Governor Campbell to appoint him a member
of that commission, on which he served three years
acceptably to all concerned. Mr. Goodman
was a charter member of the Scioto Valley bank and one
of its directors since the organization in 1883.
He has long been a valued and enthusiastic worker in Odd
Fellowship, having filled all the subordinate positions
in that order, and served for two years as district
grand master of his district. He was one of the
organizers and first master of the Scioto grange of
Kingston. October 17, 1865, he was married to
Dorcas Kelley, whose grandparents came to Ohio from
Frederick county, Va., in 1803. The children of
Mr. and Mrs. Goodman are Harriet, wife of
A. W. Jones, a civil engineer of Kingston; Alice,
Mamie and David K.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 491 |
|
JAMES C. GRAGG
was born in Twin township, Ross county, May 21, 1859.
His parents were George W. and Ruth A. (Gilfillan)
Gragg, the former a native of Ross county and born
in February, 1832. James Gragg, father of
George W., came from his native Pennsylvania to
Ross county about 1800 and settled on a farm now
occupied by W. A. Jones. He married
Catherine Devoss, and they had six children, of whom
Samuel, James and Andrew are dead.
The three living are Michael, William and
George W. The latter was a mere child when his
father died, and had to hustle for himself when ten or
twelve years old. After picking up a meager
education he worked y the month until he was twenty-four
years old. At that time he married Ruth A.
Gilfillan and lived on a rented place for some
fifteen years, when he bought the farm now owned by
John Gragg. He sold his property in 1895 and
moved to Bourneville, where he now resides, and where
his wife died the same year of his arrival. They
had five children, of whom Alexander, Adam and
Elizabeth are dead, the living ones being James
C. and Ida, who is the wife of H. L.
Corcoran of Pickaway county. James C. Gragg
was educated at the district schools and went to
Bourneville, where he clerked for Joseph Burgess
for about seven years. He was appointed postmaster
by Cleveland, and held the position under both
administrations of that president. At the
expiration of his term he engaged in business with J.
L. Baum, and subsequently with others, but is now
conducting the same alone. Mr. Gragg is
interested in 16,000 acres of land lying in Ross and
Highland counties, Ohio, and in Virginia near Norfolk.
It is largely covered by timber and the object is to cut
the lumber and develop the property on a large scale.
Mr. Gragg expects to spend most of his time in
Virginia looking after his interests there. He is
a member of the Chillicothe commandery, No. 8, Knights
Templar, the Knights of Pythias lodge at Bainbridge, No.
808, Paint Valley lodge of Odd Fellows, the Modern
Woodmen at South Salem and belongs to the Methodist
church. In 1888, at Bourneville, he was married to
Marguerite Shoults, by whom he has had
three children, Rodney, Elizabeth and Foss H.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 494 |
JOHN A. J. GRAHAM,
one of the popular farmers of Concord township, like his
ancestors for many generations, is a native of Virginia.
His grandparents were Silas and Elizabeth Graham,
the former a planter in the eastern part of the State
and a man of note in the Old Dominion. He served
as a soldier in the war of 1812 and came out as a
major-general. He died in his native place at a
ripe old age and his wife's death occurred while on a
visit to Madison county, Ohio. Their two children
were Silas M. and Jane, the former of whom
learned the carpenter's trade and followed the same for
a livelihood as long as he remained in Virginia.
In early manhood he was married to Sarah Johnson
an eastern Virginia woman, with whom he removed to Ohio
in 1863 and settled in Fayette county.
Subsequently a number of changes of residence were made
to different counties, including Clinton and Madison and
finally Ross. During his eight years' stay in
Fayette he was engaged in farming and the same
occupation was resumed on arriving in Ross county.
Of the eight children born to Silas and Sarah Graham,
four are dead: Elizabeth, Sarah B., Ella and
Willie; the others are Philip, A. J., Eliza
O. and Silas. A. J. Graham, third of
the children, was born in Virginia Jan. 11, 1854, and
remained at home until eighteen years old. He then
obtained work by the month and was so employed for
several years until his marriage to Miss Melvina
Bowen, whose parents were among the early settlers
of Ross county. They have had seven children:
Marcus (deceased), Roy, Flora, Lee, William,
Carl and Henry. They located for a
while in Deerfield township, but shortly afterward
purchased the place where they now reside. Mr.
Graham has been school director for six years and is
a member of Frankfort lodge, Modern Woodmen of America.
The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 494 |
PETER
GRIESHEIMER, the well known gardener and truck dealer,
who has followed that business at Chillicothe for more
than a generation, is one of the representative
German-American citizens of Ross county. The
native place of the family was Lampertheim, a town of
the German state of Hesse-Darmstadt, situated on the
river Rhine. There, in 1796, Jacob Griesheimer
was born, and there he lived until he was fifty-two
years old. According to the strict military laws
of Germany, he was compelled to enter the army in early
manhood and his service, covering a period of three
years, happened at the time when his country was at war
with Russia. He married Lizzie Griesheimer,
one of his townswomen, and by her had three children,
Mary, Lizzie and Martin the latter, a
resident of Chillicothe, being the only one living.
In the course of time the first wife died and in 1830,
Jacob married Margaret Griesheimer, with
whom he lived in Germany until 1848 and then turned his
face towards distant America. After a tempestuous
voyage of forty-five days, the Griesheimers were
landed at Castle Garden, sought speedy passage to Ohio
and located at Chillicothe. There the head of the
family and engaged n the business of gardening and
trucking. By his second marriage there were four
children: Adam, Peter Cathrine (wife of Tobias
Etinger of Chillicothe) and Conrad, deceased.
In the fullness of years the old people were gathered to
their fathers and their remains rest in Greenlawn
cemetery. Peter Griesheimer, second of the
last family of children, was born in Lampertheim,
Germany, Mar. 12, 1835. He received his education
before leaving his native country, and after reaching
Ohio, remained with his parents as assistant in the work
on which they depended for support. When he
reached the marriageable age he selected as his wife
Margaret Dorn also a native of Lampertheim,, who
came to Chillicothe about five years later than her
future husband. Mr. Griesheimer built a
house for the occupancy of his bride in the same year
that witnessed his marriage and in this he has ever
since resided. This union resulted in the birth of
four children: Peter, William, Henry and one that
died in infancy. In 1891, the first wife succumbed
to consumption and in 1893 Mr. Griesheimer
married Rosa Fox Klotz, a native of Bavaria who
came to the United States in 1868. From the time
of his arrival in this country, he has been engaged in
gardening and has found in this congenial occupation
both pleasure and profit. Besides the home place,
Mr. Griesheimer owns an additional tract of 135
acres and a few years ago was able to present each of
his boys a farm. His prosperity is well deserved,
as he has been an industrious man all his life and a
model citizen in every respect. His son Henry,
who is one of the most popular men in the county, is at
present member of the board of commissioners.
Mr. Griesheimer is a member of the First Evangelical
Protestant church and belongs to the Society of German
Pioneers.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 495 |
DOUGLAS R. GRIFFIN,
of Gillespieville, one of the leading farmers of Liberty
township, is a descendant of an old and patriotic
Virginia family. His grandparents were Samuel
and Mary (Wesson) Griffin, whose ancestors were in
the Continental service during the war of the
Revolution, and received warrants for land in the
Virginia military district of Ohio. Later, in the
great civil war, the descendants of the family in
Virginia fought for their state, espousing the cause of
the Confederacy, some giving their lives, others their
fortunes and falling from affluence to poverty.
Notable among these was William Wesson, a cousin
of Mary Wesson, who devoted a great fortune to
the equipment of the Confederate troops. Among the
brothers of Samuel Griffin, all men of influence,
were Sabat, who became a captain in the
Confederate army, and John, also a Confederate
official, who, after the war was over, was made county
judge of Brunswick county, Va. Samuel Griffin
and his wife came from Virginia early in
their married life, in the year 1832, and settling in
Ross county, spent the rest of their lives there.
Their son, Abdallah, father of the subject of
this sketch, was born in Brunswick county, Va.,
accompanied his parents to Ross county, and on reaching
manhood married Emza, daughter of Simon and
Rachael (Dixon) Ratcliff both natives of Chatham
county, N. C. These parents came to Ross county in
1804, and Simon Ratcliff became a man of
prominence, and the owner of 600 acres of land. He
was one of the county commissioners when the Chillicothe
courthouse was built, and was remunerated, according to
the scale of public expenditure of those days, with a
salary of $35 a year. Abdallah Griffin and
his wife lived upon their farm home, he being quite
extensively engaged in agriculture, and had a family of
four children, of whom two are living: Douglas
R. and Dolly, who married Samuel Bowser,
and has three children - Mary G., Abdallah, and
Charlie. Douglas R. Griffin was born
in Liberty township, Ross county, Oct. 24, 1856, was
reared on his father's farm, and educated in the
district school and at a commercial college at Dayton,
O. After beginning business life he was at
different times engaged in operating a grist mill and
lumber mill and in mercantile business at Gillespieville.
His principal occupation, however, is farming, and he
has charge of the homestead of about a thousand acres of
land, his management of which testifies to his ability.
On Feb. 5, 1900, he was married to Mrs. Allie Cain,
whose maiden name was Dobbins. Her father
was a soldier of the Union in the war of the Rebellion.
By this marriage Mr. Griffin has a son, Phil
D., born Mar. 3, 1902.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page |
|
DOUGLAS R. GRIFFIN
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 782 |
MATTHIAS J. GROHE,
of the firm of Ware & Grohe, undertakers, in
Chillicothe, Ohio, is a native of that city, being born
there on June 10, 1874. His parents were Jacob
and Pauline (Kellhefer) Grohe. Jacob Grohe was
born in Germany and came to Ross county, Ohio, when a
youth of eighteen years. Here he engaged in the
bakery and grocery business, which he has continued
successfully to the present time, being rated as one of
the progressive men of Chillicothe. His wife is a
native of Ross county and has lived there all her life.
They have a family of two sons and one daughter, of whom
Matthias is the eldest. The others are
Elizabeth, at home with her parents, and
William, who is employed in his father's business.
Matthias J. Grohe was educated in the public
schools of Chillicothe, worked with his father in youth
and when twenty years old began to learn the
undertaker's business. He retained employment in
this line until 1898, when he formed a partnership with
C. J. Ware, which still continues. They
carry a full line of caskets and funeral supplies, and
are thus fully equipped for the successful operation of
their business in all its details. Both partners
in the firm are competent embalmers and understand all
the technical features connected with the business.
Nov. 21, 1900, Mr. Grohe was married to Mary
C. Dorsey, daughter of Thos. J. Dorsey, a
passenger engineer of Grafton, W. Va., who was killed in
a railroad accident when Mrs. Grohe was a child.
Her mother, whose maiden name was Catherine Cruse,
is now living at Grafton. Besides Mrs. Grohe,
who is the eldest and only one married, there are four
other children. Of these, John is a train
dispatcher at Grafton, Joe and William
are telegraph operators at the same place; and all
are competent and trusted employes.
Annie, the other daughter, is at home with her
mother, as well as also are all the boys. Mr.
Grohe is a type of that fine American citizenship
which comes of German parentage but soon acquires the
language and customs of this country, and is noted for
its patriotism and public spirit.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 497 |
JOHN C. GROVE,
of Buckskin township, occupies a position in the front
rank of Ross county's prosperous agriculturists.
His grandfather, Martin Grove, was a native of
Old Virginia who came to Ohio while the war of 1812 was
in process. He farmed with success both in the
counties of Ross and Fayette, being a citizen of the
last mentioned county at the time of his death.
His son, Noah Grove, was born in 1819 in Ross
County and accompanied his father to Fayette when the
change of residence was made. Later, he returned
to Ross county and settled at Salem, where he achieved
success and prosperity in agricultural pursuits.
He married Eleanor P., daughter of John
Holiday, whose parents emigrated from Pennsylvania
and settled in Ross county about the year 1800. In
1809, the father of Mrs. Grove located on teh
farm where his family was reared, became a soldier in
1812 and, as an occupant of the fort, was an eye witness
of the battle of Lake Erie, where Perry gained his
famous victory over the English vessels. John
C. is a son of Noah Grove and was four years
old when his father removed from Fayette county, the
place of his nativity. He received his training
and education in Ross county, and in 1875 was married to
Ella, daughter of Francis Ervin of
Virginia ancestry. Mr. and Mrs. John C. Grove
have two interesting children, whose names are Noah
Ervin and Mary Eleanor. Mr.
Grove is a very busy, as well as useful citizen,
benefiting himself as well as the county by encouraging
the breeding of good stock. He keeps nothing but
high grade cattle and has long since passed the time
when he would tolerate a scrub" of any kind upon his
place. Whatever is there, whether sheep, swine or
kine, will be found of a quality safely to pass judgment
by the best critics. Both as a raiser and feeder
of stock, and in all things that tend to bring success
in that great industry, he justly ranks as an expert and
well deserves the prosperity he has achieved. He
is a supporter of all that makes for righteousness and
attests his faith in the truths of Christianity by
holding membership in the First Presbyterian church at
Greenfield.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 498 |
MICHAEL GUNNING,
of the Chillicothe Grain Company, is a native of
Fairfield County, Ohio, born Mar. 24, 1853. His
parents are Lawrence and Bridget (Rowe) Gunning,
both natives of County Cork, Ireland. The father
emigrated to America in 1845 and the mother came over
two years later. They were married in Fairfield
county, Ohio, where the mother lived until the time of
her death, which occurred in 1889. After that time
the father lived with his son Michael in
Chillicothe until his death in April, 1901. They
had a family of eight children only three of whom are
now living. Michael Gunning was educated
largely by self study, based on such advantages as he
had obtained in the public schools. His first
serious business venture in life was as a railway
employee. He was made superintendent of bridges
and trestles on the old Scioto Valley railroad and
assisted in building all the bridges and trestles on the
line, being engaged three years on that division.
He first came to Chillicothe in 1873, but did not bring
his family there for residence until 1885. He
secured employment in the grain business and worked for
others some eight or ten years, but since 1883 he has
been doing business on his own account. In 1885,
Mr. Gunning organized a stock company, known as
The Scioto Valley Grain Company. This venture met
with financial reverses in 1889, and after the
dissolution of the company, Mr. Gunning entered
into partnership with R. Enderlin which continued
until 1898. There was then a dissolution, after
which Mr. Gunning continued, alone for several
months, when he associated Mr. Clymer with
himself as a partner. In January, 1901, this
partnership was dissolved and Mr. Gunning
remained in business alone until July, when the
Chillicothe Grain Company was organized, with W. L.
Roche as partner. In 1880, Mr. Gunning
was married to Carrie E. Huling, a native of
Bainbridge, Ross County, and daughter of John H.
Haling. They have five children, Harry G.,
John Robert, Frederick, Mary and Helen. Mr.
Gunning has been a member of the board of education
in Chillicothe for the last twelve years and for the
last two years has been president of same.
Source: The County of Ross: a history of Ross County, Ohio
by Henry Holcomb Bennett - Published by S. A. Brant, Madison,
Wis., 1902 - Page 498 |
. |
