History of Brown County Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

Daniel Ammen, naval officer, was born in Brown county, O., May 15, 1820. In 1836 he was appointed midshipman and served in various squadrons until 1849, when he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant. He was attached to the coast survey on several expeditions, and aided in the selection of a naval station on the Pacific coast in 1853-'54. He served on the steam frigate Merrimac, which, at the outbreak of the civil war, was in the navy yard at Norfolk, Va., and which was seized by the Virginian state authorities in 1861 and rebuilt as an iron-clad for the confederate service. He was made executive officer of the North American blockading squadron, and soon after, at the battle of Port Royal, as commander of the Seneca, he hoisted the stars and stripes over the conquered forts. In 1863 he commanded the monitor Patapsco in the attack on Fort McAllister, and later distinguished himself at Fort Sumter, and, as commander of the Mohican, at Fort Fisher. In 1864 he won especial praise for his prompt suppression of a mutiny which broke out among two hundred and twenty seamen he was convoying to the Pacific squadron, on board the Ocean Queen, a California passenger ship. He was promoted to a captaincy July 26, 1866, raised to the rank of rear-admiral in 1877, and was placed upon the retired list June 4, 1878. He was a delegate to the Paris canal congress, and favored the construction of the Nicaragua canal. He is the author of "The American Interoceanic Ship Canal Question" (1880); "The Atlantic Coast" (1883), one of the series entitled "The Navy in the Civil War"; "Country Homes and their Improvement" (1885); and "The Old Navy and the New" (1891), the last being autobiographical. He died in Washington, D.C., July 11, 1898.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

George Washington Hoss, educator, was born in Brown county, Ohio, Nov. 6, 1824; son of Jacob and Jane (Kinney) Hoss; grandson of John and Ann Elizabeth Hoss, and of German descent. He was born in a log cabin, was brought; up on his father's farm and worked his way through Indiana Asbury university, where he was graduated, A.B., 1850, A.M., 1853. He was principal of Muncie academy, 1850-52; teacher of mathematics in Indiana Female college, 1852-56, and professor of mathematics in Butler university, 1856-64. As superintendent of public instruction for Indiana, 1864-68, he secured a state normal school, teachers' institutes, and a revision of the school laws. He was professor of English literature in Indiana university, 1868-72; president of the state normal school, Emporia, Kansas, 1871-73, and professor of English literature and elocution in Indiana university, 1874-80. In 1880 he removed to Topeka, Kan., where be purchased and edited the Educationist and in 1884 became professor of English classics and oratory in Baker university. In 1890 he founded the Western School of Elocution and Oratory at Wichita and with the duties as head of this school, he united those of professor of elocution and oratory in Friends university in that city. Indiana university conferred on him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1872. He edited the Indiana School Journal, 1862-71, and is the author of numerous reports, addresses and contributions to temperance, educational and reform publications.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Peter L. Wilson, retired Farmer, ex-County Commissioner and ex-Treasurer of Brown County, Ohio, was born in Rochdale, Lancashire county, England, April 30th, 1806. He was the third child of William H. Wilson and Elizabeth (Wild) Wilson. His father, a native of Yorkshire, England, who was for many years engaged in manufacturing pursuits, came to America in 1818, and settled in Lewis township, Brown county, Ohio. At the expiration of a few months he moved to Washington, Mason county, Kentucky, where he resided for about twenty years. He then removed to Missouri, whence, at the end of a year, he moved to Indiana. He finally returned to Ohio, made his home with his son for some time, and later settled in Cincinnati, where his decease occurred. His mother, a native of Lancashire, England, came with her family to the United States a short time after her husband, who, being a manufacturer, could not leave his native country except by stealth. His early education was of a very limited kind, but the lack of primary training was eventually more than counterbalanced by his natural gifts and love of books. His first occupation in life was clerking in a dry-goods store at Augusta, Bracken county, Kentucky, where he was employed for about two years. He then began the reading of medicine under the guidance of Dr. Keith, of Augusta, and pursued his studies during the following two years. Later, he left his preceptor and remained with his father in Washington, Mason county, Kentucky, engaged in assisting him in his manufactory. Afterward he was employed in a store in the same place to sell goods, and was finally sent as a salesman to dispose of stock in Georgetown, Brown county, Ohio. This mission accomplished, he resolved to resume his medical studies, and placed himself accordingly under the supervision of Dr. Buckner, of Georgetown. At the expiration of one year, however, he decided to renounce entirely the profession of medicine, and in 1826 opened a public house, and was constantly engaged in this business in Georgetown for a period of twenty years. In 1840 he was appointed County Auditor, and filled that office from October of this year until the following March. During 1835, 1836 and 1837 he was Justice of the Peace, and also during the later years of 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872 and 1873. In 1847 he moved on to his farm, four miles distant from Georgetown, and there has since permanently resided. While pursuing the occupation of farmer he has also been constantly identified in a measure with public business and affairs, and for several years past has filled the position of principal assistant for many of the auditors and treasurers of Brown county. In 1851, or thereabout, he was appointed County Commissioner, to fill the balance of an unexpired term, and in 1870 was elected to this office to serve the full term of three years. In March, 1874, he was appointed Treasurer of the county, to again occupy the position for the balance of an unexpired term. He has since acted as assistant for the County Treasurer and Auditor. He gives his support to the Democratic party, and cast his first vote in favor of General Jackson. For many years he has been a prominent Mason. In days gone by, his and the Grant family having at one time lived under the same roof, he often held in his arms the child who is now the President of the United States, and often recalls many attendant incidents with a proud and pleasant smile. Although now in his seventieth year his powers, physical and mental, are in an admirable state of preservation, while time seems to have but mellowed his many sterling attributes. He was married in 1826 to Paulina Woods, who was born on the farm on which stands the present Georgetown. Her father, Allen Woods, an early pioneer of Brown county, moved from Kentucky to Ohio, having emigrated to the former State from Ireland, his native country. In 1818 he laid out a part of Georgetown. The issue of this union was thirteen children.

From: The Biographical Encyclopedia of Ohio of the Nineteenth Century. Columbus, OH, USA: Galaxy Publishing Co., 1876.

History of Brown County Ohio

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