A History and Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio
Oxford Township: Pages 541 - 545
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LAIRD, SHAFFER (Oxford Twp., p. 541)
Glover LAIRD, Jr., lives near College Corner, OH. He is a native of Ireland, being born in the city of Dublin, March 16, 1827. The father, Glover LAIRD, came to this country, with his wife and four children, in 1830, & located on the farm now occupied by his son. The family afterwards was increased by birth of six other children, all of whom are still living, but scattered abroad in neighboring townships in OH & IN. Mr. LAIRD was married Mar 1852 to Miss Caroline SHAFFER, a native of Lancaster, OH, born Sep 1836. To these have been born three sons, of whom one still resides with the parents, one is at Camden, OH, and another in IN. Mr. LAIRD holds his Church connection with the Methodist society, & in his political associations is Republican. The farm upon which he was reared, & now makes his home, is about half a mile south-east of College Corner, in the extreme north-west section of the township.

LANE, LONG, BECK, JAMES, DENNIS, McCOY, STACKPOLE, SMILEY (Oxford Twp. pp. 541-542)
William L. LANE, a native of Butler Co., was born in Hanover Twp, Apr 26, 1832. He is a son of Harman J. & Isabella (LONG) LANE, & the latter a native of Hamilton Co. Mr. LANE, Sen., was a mason by trade, & came to Cincinnati when a young man, & prosecuted his craft a number of years. After his marriage, in 1818, he settled on the farm in Hanover Twp., now owned by Charles BECK, which he improved, & on which he continued to reside until his decease, in 1842. His wife survived him a few years, & died in 1848. They had a family of 8 children, five of whom are now living: Ella married Jackson JAMES, now a resident of MO; Sallie married Dr. C. P. DENNIS; Susan married William McCOY, the latter two now reside at Portsmouth, OH; William L., of Oxford, & Cornelius W., of Hanover Twp.

William L. LANE was raised on the farm in Hanover Twp. & continued actively engaged in farming a number of years. He conducted the Darrtown Mills ten or twelve years in connection with farming. He married, in 1864, Miss Louise, daughter of James S. & Mary (STACKPOLE) SMILEY, who came from PA & settled in Hanover Twp. in 1826, where they continued to reside until 1867, when they removed to the village of Oxford. Mr. SMILEY engaged in banking, which he continued until his decease, which occurred in 1878. His wife died in 1873. Three children survived him--Mrs. LANE, Mary J., and Anna M. Mr. SMILEY was an active and respected citizen of his day & left a valuable estate. The SMILEY residence is a handsome property, located at the southwest corner of High & East Streets. At the decease of Mr. SMILEY, Mr. LANE succeeded him as president of the Citizens' Bank, & has since continued in charge. He is a careful, successful business man, & a quiet, unostentatious but useful citizen.

LOGEE, PAINE, WILSON, MARTIN, HAMILTON (Oxford Twp., p. 542)
Horace M. LOGEE, M. D., was born in Douglass, MA, Sep 10, 1834. He is descended from the Huguenots who left their native country during the thirty years' war. His ancestor fled to England, & after a little time made his way to the U. S., in company with others, & settled in the northern part of the new State of Rhode Island. From this head descended Joseph H. LOGEE, the father of Dr. LOGEE, who was born in Jan 1804. The mother, Prudence F. PAINE, was of English ancestry. It is a family tradition that her grandfather was one of a family which numbered 28 children, all of one parentage. She was born in Jan 1804 & died in Feb 1857, her native place being in Cumberland Twp., RI. Dr. LOGEE, after obtaining a common-school education, entered & passed through the curriculum of Lawrence Academy. Not long after this he came West & spent several years in the city of Cleveland, OH, first as a book-keeper, then as a student in medicine in the office of Professor T. P. WILSON, & afterwards as matriculant of the Homeopathic Medical College of that city, from which he graduated in the Spring of 1862. Shortly after he commenced practice in Linesville, Crawford Co., PA. In Nov 1855, he was married to Miss Harriet E. MARTIN, of Worcester, MA, & to them were born one son & a daughter, both of whom are living. Mrs. LOGEE died Jan 15, 1861. While resident in Linesville the doctor was once or twice elected mayor of the city. In Nov 1866, he was married to Miss Charlotte A. HAMILTON, a native of Crawford Co., PA, who was born Dec 1842.

About 1874 Dr. LOGEE removed from Linesville to Oxford, OH, & here established himself in the practice of his profession, in which he has continued with great success from that time until the present, taking a front rank among the practitioners of the town. Since residing here he has often taken active part in the local politics of the day as a Republican, & has twice been made a member of the council. While living in PA he was an active member in professional organizations, & was in 1870 vice-president of the State Homeopathic Medical Society, & since coming to OH he has manifested the same earnest zeal in the advancing of his chosen profession & encouragement of organized effort among its members. As a member of the OH State Homeopathic Society he was made its secretary in 1878, & its president in 1880 & 1881. The doctor is also a member of Oxford Lodge No. 108, I.O.O. F., & of Encampment No. 119; also of Oxford Lodge A.O.U.W. No. 74. Of medium stature & well knit frame, he is a person of great activity & nerve force, doing with his might what may be the present work in hand. Of quick adaptation & ready in resources, scholarly judgment & skilled professional attainments, he has the make up of one who should be, & evidently is, a successful physician & esteemed citizen in the village of his adoption. Mrs. LOGEE displays in her studies & efforts in art manifest native genius & talent. Her sketches and crayons, as also her work in colors, evince decided merit, & serve to beautify & adorn their pleasant home.

MARTINDELL, WALLACE, BEVIS, ROLL, THOMPSON, ADAMS, MILLER, MILLER, HARTER, RINGWOOD, McCHESNEY, PATTERSON (Oxford Twp., p. 542)
Richard MARTINDELL was born in NJ, May 10, 1791, & about the year 1816 came to OH, arriving in Cincinnati without a dollar. He soon found work, however, & became acquainted with & married Nancy WALLACE, Mar 17, 1817. She was born in Hamilton Co., Oct 5, 1798, & was the dau/o James WALLACE & Charity BEVIS. He then rented a farm in Butler Co., in Stillwell's Corners, remaining there for 8 years. At the end of this time he traded two horses & a wagon for 50 acres of land, known now as the Dr. ROLL farm. On this he lived three years, & then sold it for $500, & purchased 172 acres for a $1000. On this farm he lived some 30 years, when he sold out & moved to Oxford Twp., where he died Nov 8, 1862. His widow removed to Hamilton & afterwards to Oxford, where she now resides at the advanced age of 83 years. Of their family there were 15 children. Their names were Mahlon, Charlotte, Mary Ann, Harriet, John, Miranda, Martha Ann, Franklin M., David W., Nancy, Richard, Elizabeth F., Louisa M., Alice, & James K.P. Mahlon, Louisa M., Alice & Martha Ann are dead. Charlotte is now Mrs. John THOMPSON, Mary Ann is the widow of James ADAMS, Harriet is Mrs. Adam MILLER, Miranda is Mrs. Charles MILLER, Nancy is Mrs. James HARTER, & Frances is Mrs. George H. RINGWOOD. John MARTINDELL was born Oct 14, 1842, & lived at home till the Spring of 1848, when he went to CA & mined two years. He went by the overland route, but returned by water. He was married Feb 19, 1851 to Sarah J. McCHESNEY, dau/o John & Flora (PATTERSON) McCHESNEY. She was born in Warren Co., (OH), Sep 26, 1829. There are now living, descended from John MARTINDELL, Sen., 11 children, 32 grandchildren, & 14 great-grandchildren.

MATSON, GATCH, SYKES, ROBESON, FERGUSON, McGHEE, SHERA (Oxford Twp., pp. 542-543)
Some time about the year 1800 Aaron MATSON, whose birth & former home had been in Delaware Co., PA, came to OH, & located in Milford, Clermont Co. He married for his wife Miss Elizabeth GATCH (who came from VA), about 1808 or 1809, & to them two sons & three daughters were born, among them Philip D. MATSON. He was born in that town Oct 2, 1814. In boyhood he was pupil in the common school of the place until about twelve years old, afterwards for several Summers working either upon his father's farm or with his uncle, Thomas GATCH, attending school in the Winters. When about 17 years old he went to the city of Cincinnati, OH, whither his parents afterwards removed, & there apprenticed himself in the tinsmith's trade to SYKES & ROBESON, with whom he remained for nearly three years. Leaving Cincinnati in the Spring of 1834, he came to Oxford & entered the employment of Mr. J. FERGUSON, then engaged in the tinsmith & hardware business. Not long after, however, the two formed a copartnership in trade, & continued the business until Nov, 1868, some 34 years of a harmonious & very successful career, at which time Mr. MATSON retired from the firm to private life.

May 5, 1835, shortly after coming to Oxford, Mr. MATSON was married to Miss Catherine H. McGHEE, whose parents came from Ireland, Mrs. MATSON herself being a native of PA, but a resident of Oxford at the time of her marriage. To these were born one son, who lived only 8 years, & 5 daughters, all of whom are married. The mother dying in Oct 1866, it has been the privilege of these daughters successively to act as housekeepers for their father, & at the present writing he is finding a pleasant home in his advancing years with the son-in-law & daughter, Mr. & Mrs. SHERA.

When but 10 years of age Mr. MATSON united with the Methodist Church of his native place, changing his relations from that to other Churches of the same faith as his home was changed, his last membership being with the Methodist Episcopal Church of Oxford, with whom he united in 1834. It being Mr. MATSON's nature to do whatever his hands found to do with his might, his connection with that Church has proved a life of earnest Christian activity in every department of Church work where his counsel, co-operation, or effort could assist in the advancement of the work. He has held the office of Sunday-school superintendent for over 40 consecutive years, a most unparalleled instance of faithful continuance in well-doing. Especially has Mr. MATSON's influence been felt & usefulness shown in his position as chairman of the committee of his Church to whom was committed the task of the raising the funds & superintending the erection of the fine & commodious church in which the society has been permitted, for the last 7 or 8 years, to worship. The burden of the undertaking was upon his shoulders & heart, & most nobly has it been performed.

Not alone in his business relations & Christian work has Mr. MATSON been honored. He has been called upon to occupy many offices of trust, among them having been repeatedly elected to the council & trustee & member of the board of education. He was one of the first committee on building of the Oxford Female Institute.

MAGIE, BROWN, ELLIOTT, YOUNG, KUMLER (Oxford Twp., pp. 543-544)
The family of David M. MAGIE is of Scotch origin, the grandfather coming over and settling in NJ. Here Benjamin was born in 1760, and was married to Miss Sarah BROWN, who was born in NJ, 1762. To these were born three sons: Josiah, Benjamin, Jr., & David M. When the latter was about two years of age the family emigrated to the Ohio Valley, & first settled on a farm at Walnut Hills, near Cincinnati. There they stayed but a short time, & removed to Lebanon, Warren Co., (OH), remaining a few years, & then took up their home on a farm near Monroe. The family consisted of six sons and two daughters, of whom three only are still living: David, Mrs. Rhoda ELLIOTT, of Paris, IL; and William, residing at Middletown, OH. The father, Benjamin, died January, 1842. David M., in boyhood, enjoyed similar advantages to other youth in his day & locality, but while thus obtaining the rudiments of an education in the schools he was an apt scholar in the practical education of his farm life. February 22, 1842, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Maria YOUNG, who was born Jul 22, 1821. The newly married couple for the first 3 years made their home with Mrs. MAGIE, then in recent widowhood, & David took the oversight of the farm; then they changed to the farm of Mrs. MAGIE's father for a couple of years. From here, in the Spring of 1847, Mr. MAGIE removed with his wife and daughter, Laura Belle, born Dec 4, 1845, to & occupied a farm about 1 mile north of Oxford.

As early as 1837 Mr. MAGIE had turned his attention to the raising of hogs as a special branch of husbandry, & then began the careful study of the animal, & experiments in the improvement of the several breeds in the introduction & crossing of foreign strains with the native variety, which resulted in the origin & propagation of what has become the famous "Magie breed" of hogs, & which are now in such great demand for breeding purposes that from the stock which the firm of MAGIE & KUMLER carry they sell from 500 to 700 head annually, & these are sent not only all over the States & Territories, but many go to fill orders from foreign countries, some even as far as Australia. Some years of attention have been given by Mr. MAGIE to the raising of choice breeds of cattle, particularly short-horn Durhams, & with much success, as also the breeding & raising of fine horse stock, yet his main reliance has been in the specialty of a first-class breed of hogs.

Mr. & Mrs. MAGIE have two daughters, Laura Belle, who was married to Mr. Theophilus R. KUMLER, of Oxford, May 15, 1866, & Sallie Maria, born Jul 26, 1847. The son-in-law is Mr. MAGGIE's partner in conducting the stock farm, both residing in the village of Oxford, to which place Mr. MAGIE removed in Oct, 1859, with his family, & in which place the firm have their office. Mr. MAGIE has for many years been an active & earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Oxford, & a thorough & ardent Republican in his political preferences. Naturally a man of fine physical powers, constant & earnest applications to the duties of his calling have made some inroads upon his general health, & for the past year he has been a sufferer from a complication of bodily diseases. He still has the care & oversight of his extensive business, assisted by his son-in-law, Mr. KUMLER.

McCRACKEN, WILSON (Oxford Twp., p. 544)
John C. McCRACKEN, lumber dealer, is a native of Oxford, & a s/o the Rev. S. W. McCRACKEN, who was a native of KY, & a graduate of Miami University, & also occupied the chair of mathematics a number of years subsequently. He was ordained a minister of the United Presbyterian Church, & spent a number of the later years of his life in pastoral work. His decease occurred at Hopewell in 1859. John C. McCRACKEN was born in Oxford in 1833, & attended the university in his youth, but on account of feeble health, did not graduate. He taught at various points, and followed teaching a number of years. In 1856 he engaged in merchandising, & continued in that business at different points until 1863, when being advised that his health depended on out-door exercise, he purchased a farm near Oxford, & continued farming until about three years since, when he became interested in the lumber trade of Oxford, & is now the principal operator in that line of business. He married, in 1860, Miss Jane E. WILSON, of Shelby Co., (OH). They have two children, George H. & Frank S. Mr. McCRACKEN's office & yard are conveniently located on Beach St. near High. He is an active, successful business man, an active member of the Presbyterian Church, & has been for 15 years past one of Oxford's most substantial & useful citizens, identified with public activities.

McCORD, BROWN, MOREHEAD (Oxford Twp., p. 544)
Joseph S. McCORD, deceased, though a latter-day resident of Oxford, was so thoroughly identified with public affairs as to have left a lasting influence. He was a native of PA, being born there Aug 9, 1813, & was the son of a farmer. He enjoyed but limited advantages in his youth. He learned the cabinet-maker's trade in Landisburg, in his native State, & subsequently worked at this occupation in Pittsburg, where he became connected with boat-building, which led to a river life for a number of years, & finally to his locating at Cincinnati, where he subsequently, in connection with his brother David, became prominent as contractor & builder, a business he followed a number of years, & until, having acquired a considerable property & his health then being broken, he relinquished business, &, having purchased a handsome residence near the Miami University, he removed with his family to Oxford the Spring of 1866, with a view of rest & recuperation, where his family would have good educational & social privileges.

His business ability & interest in religious & educational affairs made his council desirable, & he was soon a member of the board of trustees of the Presbyterian Church, & gave no little time & effort in remodeling & fitting up the present place of worship, & continued one of the most active & useful members of that Church until his decease, which occurred Nov 5, 1879. In 1870 he became a member of the board of the Western Female Seminary, & being the only resident member of the board, a large draft was made on his time, especially during the rebuilding of that institution after the fire of 1871, & his name will be found prominently mentioned in connection with all the prominent public enterprises of his day. In 1872 he was chosen a member of the board of trustees for Miami University, & was actively identified with the building of the east wing, which position he also occupied at the time of his decease. He was twice married. His first wife was Miss Assenath BROWN, their marriage dating Oct 12, 1842. She died in 1847, leaving no children. Feb 21, 1854, he was united in marriage with Miss C. A. MOREHEAD, of Erie, PA, who, with three grown children, Frank, Jennie, & Lizzie, survived him, & now resides at the residence, which fronts the university campus, near the center of the southern boundary. Mrs. McCORD, son, & daughters are members of the Presbyterian Church.

MARSH, TRUFANT (Oxford Twp., p. 544)
Professor Byron F. MARSH was born Dec 14, 1845, at Dudley, MA. He prepared for college, intending to enter Harvard, but the war coming on his father was numbered among those whose life was sacrificed in defending the government. This prevented the son from carrying out his aspirations for a college diploma. He resorted to teaching, & has continued that occupation ever since. He was at one time an instructor in Brooklyn, & also taught 5 years in a private school at Poughkeepsie, & at different academic institutions in MA, & elsewhere in the East. In 1877 he came to Oxford, associating himself with Professor P. TRUFANT in building up a classical school for boys, in the buildings of the Miami University. It was to be a training school after the plan of the New England academies, thoroughly preparing a young man for college.

MERZ, BEETHOVEN, KILLIKELLY, RIDDLE, WILSON, MORRIS (Oxford Twp., pp. 544-545)
Professor Karl MERZ is a native of Germany, where he was born near Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the town of Bensheim, the 10th of Sep 1834. The father was a teacher, also being organist in the principal church of the place; & quite early in his boyhood young Karl became an apt scholar upon the violin & piano. At the age of 11 he sought for & found occasion to try his proficiency in his studies in music in an attempt at performing upon the great organ of which his father had care. This was so finely accomplished, to the wonderment & gratification of the father, that for several years almost daily was young Karl intrusted with the instrumental portions of the Church service, the performance of which seemed to take deep hold upon his soul's emotions. Being also a skilled performer upon the violin, he was connected with two or three orchestral clubs, & was early thrown into the company & made the acquaintance of many prominent in musical circles in the vicinity. Of Romanist parents, his scholastic education was attained in the preparatory & higher schools of this Church, & from these he graduated in 1852, teaching for a year thereafter in a Catholic school at Appenheim, near Bingen-on-the-Rhine.

At about this time, while on a visit home, he made the acquaintance of a gentleman from America, who proposed to him that he should return with him to his country. This idea was finally acted upon by Mr. MERZ, & after visiting the birth-place of BEETHOVEN, at Bonn, & also Cologne, Brussels, Paris, & London, on the way, he landed in the city of Philadelphia, PA, in the September when he was just turned of his 20th year. Here for a little time he was employed as a clerk in a music store, but afterwards joined a company of musicians, who had a nightly engagement to play at an establishment on Third St. This employment gave Mr. MERZ much time for study, & he made the best use of it in his practice; also venturing upon some compositions, several of which in later days have found their way to an appreciative public, & many yet lie in the portfolio of the artist.

Some time in 1855 he was, all unsolicited by himself, engaged as organist for the Sixth Presbyterian Church at Philadelphia, & his first service in a Protestant Church is spoken of by the professor as one of the marked events in his history. Nor was his keenly sensitive nature unsusceptible to the new form of worship & the teachings to which he was thus introduced, as after-events will show.

In 1856 the position of instructor in the musical department of Dr. KILLIKELLY's school, Eden Hall Seminary, of Lancaster, PA, being vacant, Professor MERZ was invited to take it, which he willingly did, his labors in this place being both pleasant & very satisfactory. While here he made the acquaintance of & married Miss Mary, dau/o Mr. J. RIDDLE. Shortly after the couple took up their residence for a short time in Salem, VA, but not liking the location he entered a seminary under the charge of Mr. WILSON, in Harrisburg, in the same State, as teacher, where he was employed for one year, after which he accepted a professorship in Hollis Institute, near his recent home, at Salem, VA. At the outbreak of the war in 1861 Mr. & Mrs. MERZ, feeling hearty loyalty to the cause of the Union decided it to be unwise to attempt to remain at the institution, & went northward, making sacrifices of nearly all that they then were possessed of in their adherence to the principles of their country. The following August, Professor MERZ had the position of professor of music in the OH Female College of Oxford, then under the presidency of the Rev. Dr. R. D. MORRIS, offered him, & most gladly accepted it, entering at once upon the duties of the position with all the earnest ardor & enthusiasm of his nature, & this position Professor MERZ has continued to hold & adorn until this Summer. This year he has been elected professor of music in another institution.

Shortly after coming to America Mr. MERZ became an intelligent & thorough convert to the Protestant faith, & ever since has been a firm & outspoken friend to the new truth which he warmly espoused.

In addition to this college duties he has had charge, as musical editor, for many years of Brainard's Musical World, issued in Cleveland, & has a world-wide reputation for the variety & genuine worth of his many musical compositions & publications. He is genial in his companionship, a fluent & interesting conversationalist, & a laborious student in his chosen profession.