Mug Book Monday: Ethan Allen WESTBROOK (1837 - 1902)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. On Mondays, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

Ethan Allen WESTBROOK was the seventh of the eight children of my fifth-great-grandparents, Peter and Fannie (MARBLE) WESTBROOK, and a brother of my fourth-great-grandmother, Amanda (WESTBROOK) KIMBALL.

He was a Civil War soldier whom I featured in my Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Series in 2008.

"E. A. Westbrook, farmer, section 16, Dayton Township, is a son of Peter and Fannie (Marble) Westbrook, and was born in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, March 29, 1837. His parents were natives of New Jersey and New York, respectively. They came to Michigan in an early day and settled in Kalamazoo County, where they were engaged in farming, and where they died.

"Mr. Westbrook was only one year old when his parents came to Michigan. He remained at home until the death of his father, since which time he has been obliged to care for himself. He came from Kalamazoo County to Newaygo County in the fall of 1867 and bought 80 acres of school land on section 16, Dayton Township, where he has since lived and now has 50 acres in cultivation.

"Dec. 31, 1865, in Kalamazoo, he married Cinderella J., daughter of Myron and Rachel Harrington, who was born in Kalamazoo County, Nov. 7, 1843. Her parents were natives of the State of New York and came to Kalamazoo County in the fall of 1843. Mr. Westbrook enlisted Oct. 10, 1861, in the 13th Mich. Inf., and served until the close of the war. He was in the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Corinth, Chickamauga, Bentonville, N. C., and numerous others. He was wounded in the arm at the battle of Chickamauga, and again in the thigh at the battle of Bentonville. On account of his first wound he was unable to do service for three months, and was laid up four months by reason of the second wound. He was honorably discharged at Detroit, Mich. Since that time he has followed farming, excepting two years, when he was engaged in teaming. He receives a pension. Politically he is a Republican.

"His children, by his present wife, are: James W., born Dec. 8, 1869; Amanda L., April 6, 1875; Laura M., Dec. 12, 1876; Mabel A., April 12, 1882. Myron D. died at the age of 18 months. Mr. Westbrook had one child by a previous marriage, William P., born March 14, 1860."

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The "school land" mentioned in the second paragraph refers to the Homestead Act of 1862 in which the sale of land in Section 16 of each township was used to fund public education in that township.

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This biographical sketch was taken from Portrait and Biographical Album of Newaygo County, Michigan: Containing Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of all the Governors of Michigan and of the Presidents of the United States. Also Containing a Complete History of the County, From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, published in Chicago by Chapman Bros., 1884. Ethan's biographical sketch was found on page 280. This county history, along with many other ones, can be found at the Internet Archive.

Mug Book Monday: Jeremiah REDENBAUGH (1824 - 1895)

"Mug books" are collections of biographical sketches usually found within county histories of the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries, particularly in the United States. On Mondays, I'm highlighting ancestors or relatives who were featured in these mug books.

Jeremiah REDENBAUGH was a nephew of my children's paternal 4th-great-grandmother, Hulda (REDENBAUGH) DAILEY.

This biography mentions Jeremiah's father, Henry R. REDENBAUGH, Hulda's brother. It also mentions his grandparents, Frederick and [Anna] Margaret (HANEY) REDENBAUGH, who are my children's 5th-great-grandparents.

There are three great ties to American history in this biography, namely the famous Battle of Tippecanoe, the War of 1812, and William Henry Harrison, the ninth president of the United States.

"Jeremiah Redenbaugh is a retired farmer, living just outside the city limits of Crawfordsville, but he still retains possession of his farm, which is located in Walnut Township, Montgomery County. Mr. Redenbaugh is a son of Henry R. Redenbaugh, one f the early settlers of this portion of Indiana, who was born January 2, 1800, near Redden, Ohio.

"Frederick Redenbaugh, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Germany, came to this country some time during the last century, and first located in Pennsylvania, whence he moved to Ohio, and from there to Indiana in the early days of the settlement of the state. After coming here he first settled among the pioneers of Jefferson County, and then came to Montgomery County, where his life was closed at the advanced age of eighty-six years. He was a soldier under Gen. Harrison at the famous battle of Tippecanoe, and he served with the General during the war of 1812. He married Margaret Haney in Pennsylvania, and they had twelve children, of whom their son William, who lives in Fountain County at the advanced age of eight-one years, is the only survivor. the grandfather of our subject was an ardent Democrat in his day, and was a leader in local politics.

"Henry Redenbaugh was the fifth child born to his parents, and was a young man when he accompanied them to Jefferson County, this state. He there met and married Mary Douglas, daughter of Jeremiah and Jane (Huthert) Douglas. They had come from England to this country and first settled near Cincinnati, whence they afterwards removed to Jefferson County, this state. After his marriage Henry Redenbaugh remained awhile in Jefferson County, and then came to Montgomery County in 1828. He took up eighty acres of government land, which he cleared and improved, and developed it into a fine farm, upon which he remained until his death, September, 1891, at the venerable age of ninety-one years. In dying he left behind him an honorable records as an active and useful pioneer, as a good citizen, and as a desirable neighbor. He was the father of twelve children, of whom the following grew to maturity and are still living: John, a painter, residing at Newton, Kans.; Jeremiah; Mary (Mrs. Brush), who lives in Iowa; Sarah Ann, who lives in Boone County; William R., a resident of Crawfordsville; Joe, a resident of Mace, and Eliza (Mrs. McMullen) a resident of Boone County.

"Jeremiah Redenbaugh was born in Jefferson County, in the southern part of this state, May 25, 1824, and he was a child of three years when his parents brought him to their new home amid the pioneer scenes of Montgomery County. He was reared in Scott Township, and has a distinct recollection of the appearance of the country in all its wildness when he was a boy, and he can remember when Crawfordsville had but three or four houses in it. He made his home with his father until he was twenty-one, and then married established a home of his own with the help of his wife. She was Elizabeth Corn in her maiden days and a daughter of William Corn, of Clark Township, one of the early settlers of the county.

"Twelve children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Redenbaugh, of whom five are living: Sarah Jane, wife of Thomas N. Hosier; William, George W., Eliza Ellen and Nancy Eddenfield. Mr.  and Mrs. Hosier have one child, Viola Ellen aged nine years. The names of the deceased children of our subject are: Joseph Henry, Albert, Mary Alice, Andrew, Charlie and John, and one child who died in infancy unnamed. April 29, 1888, Jeremiah Redenbaugh had the misfortune to lose his wife, who had walked by his side for more than forty years, and to whose encouragement, cheerful assistance and wise counsel he was greatly indebted. Her age at the time of her death was sixty years, six months and twenty-seven days[.] She left behind her a blessed memory as a wife, mother and friend.

"Mr. Redenbaugh bought a piece of land in Walnut Township after his marriage, and there he and his wife commenced keeping house together. He worked hard to improve it, and bought other land until his farm comprised two hundred acres of most excellent farming land. In 1886  he retired from active business, and from the rental of his farm he derives a good income. His career as a farmer has placed him among the substantial citizens of the township, although he began life poor. This fact shows that beside being diligent, prudent and thrifty, he also carried on his work methodically, and was shrewd and far-seeing in his management of his affairs. Politically he is a Democrat of stanch principles. He belongs to the Montgomery County Horse Thief Detective Association, and has always entered readily into any scheme for protecting the interests of the farmer."

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This biographical sketch was taken from Portrait and biographical record of Montgomery, Parke and Fountain counties, Indiana: containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens : together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States, published in Chicago by Chapman Bros., 1893. Jeremiah's drawing and biographical sketch was found on pages 444-446. This county history, along with many other ones, can be found at the Internet Archive.