History of Hamilton County Ohio
Portraits, with biography, of
Thomas E. Sater and wife
between pages 282 & 283
transcribed by Karen Klaene

Thomas E. Sater

This gentleman was born November 2, 1831, in Crosby township, as were all his brothers and sisters. He is the youngest child of William and Nancy (JONES) SATER. He married Mary Ellen POTTINGER, of the well-known pioneer family, December 19, 1855. She was the daughter of James W. and Mary POTTINGER, of New Baltimore and then of Harrison township, Dearborn county, Indiana. Her day of birth was October 10, 1837, of death May 25, 1858, after a lingering illness with consumption. By this marriage was born one son - James POTTINGER, born November 14, 1856; married February 14, 1878, to Miss Libbie CROCKER, of Middleton, Iowa. They have two children - Arthur C., born December 29, 1878, and a daughter, not yet named, born January 28, 1881. He resides at the old home of his mother in Dearborn county, Indiana. A second time Mr. SATER was married, September 26, 1860, to Miss Mary GWALTNEY. By her he has children as follows: Olive May, born October 26, 1861; Eliza, Ann, born February 4, 1865; Joseph T., born June 5, 1870. All these are with their parents at home. Mr. SATER was educated simply in the district schools of his childhood and youth, but has supplemented early deficiencies by much reading and observation of the world. His father died when he was but sixteen years old; he continued at home, assisting in the management of the farm until the property was divided in 1850, when the homestead, with seventy-five acres attached, fell to him, to which he has since made substantial additions, owning now one hundred and one-half acres. He has remained a quiet farmer at the old home since, but has often been called to fill public offices, as township clerk, assessor, and the like, and was member of the house during the Sixty-first general assembly of Ohio, in 1874-5, being elected on the Democratic ticket, to which he has given a lifelong allegiance. Here he was assigned to service on the important committees of agriculture and retrenchment. In all public and private stations he has borne himself as a man of integrity and energy, and bears a high reputation among his acquaintances and friends. In connection with his brother, presently to be noticed, he has been influential in the counsels of the Democratic party and in keeping his township generally true to that faith. He has been a Free and Accepted Mason since May, 1852, and has advanced to the degree of Knight Templar. In this order he has filled about all the offices of the Blue Lodge, and is now a member of Council, Chapter, and Commandery, of Cincinnati, Mary (GWALTNEY) SATER is a daughter of the late Dr. Samuel and Sarah GWALTNEY, of Crosby, formerly of Anderson township, where the father is believed to have been born November 2, 1799. In this township he was married to Sarah WHEATLEY, January 6, 1820. She was born April 1, 1794, and died October 16, 1871. He died May 25, 1872, also at New Haven. Their daughter Mary was born November 4, 1828, in Colerain township. Other children of the family were: James, born April 2, 1821, married Sarah SATER February 7, 1843, and resides in Morgan township, Buffer county; Martha Ann, born December 7, 1822, died January 4, 1861; Josiah, born August 26, 1834, married Mary Ann ATHERTON September 12, 1859, and after her death, Mrs. Catharine MASON in 1875 or 1876, and resides on a farm adjoining that of his brother-in-law, Mr. SATER; Robert J., born August 3, 1826, married Elizabeth Smith September 3,1854, and is a physician living in Fayette county, Indiana; Washington, born October 21, 1830, died July 19, 1831; Elizabeth, born May 14, 1832, resides with her brother-in-law, Thomas E. SATER Rhoda, born May 14, 1832, married Oliver W. CLARK October 1859, and lives near Rockport, Spencer county, Indiana.

Dr. GWALTNEY was in his day, and for many years, a prominent physician in Anderson and Colerain townships, in Crosby township from 1825 to 1844, and Fayette county, Indiana, from 1844 to the fall of 1849, when he moved back to the village of New Haven, Crosby township, where he spent the remainder of his days, being at the time of his death by far the oldest physician in this region. It was at his house, in July, 1863, during the passage of John MORGAN’S rebel force through New Haven, that Morgan and Colonel Basil DUKE held a council in regard to their future movements through Hamilton county and the State.

Mary GWALTNEY remained with her parents in Colerain and Crosby townships until her marriage with Mr. SATER. She was educated in the district and village schools. Since her marriage her history has been almost altogether that of her husband. She was reared in the Baptist faith, to which her parents were attached.