My Genealogy Hound

JOHN D. BATTSON, farmer; P. O. Troy; was born in Montgomery Co. Ohio, March 14, 1835, and is a son of William and Eacy J. (Donavan) Battson. Mr. Battson was born in Virginia and Mrs. Battson in Pennsylvania, coming to Ohio at an early day. They were parents of two children, viz., John D., and Joseph, dying in infancy. Mr. Battson, the father, was first united in marriage with Sarah McCann, daughter of James and Ann McCann; by this union they had seven children, of whom five are living, viz., Rachel, James, Mordecai Milton, Maria and Jonathan. He came to this county in 1838, and located in Elizabeth Township, where he remained about three years; thence into Staunton Township, where he lived and died, departing this life Nov. 5, 1854. Mr. Battson, our subject, lived with his father till his death, and then with his mother till Aug. 28,1856, when he was united in marriage with Catharine J. Ullery, daughter of Adam and Mary Charlotte Ullery, who were from Germany, coming to this country in 1823; they located in Pennsylvania, then in Ohio, near Dayton, where he lived a short time, finally removing to Miami Co., where he lived and died at the advanced age of 89. He was one of the first of Napoleon’s soldiers, and was in several severe engagements under that distinguished warrior and conqueror. When he came to this county, he opened out and cleared a farm from the native forest. Here they met all the hardships and dangers of pioneer life, their nearest neighbors being the Indians, wolves, bear, deer, etc., which infested the forests where they came to make a home; but from year to year the forests disappeared, and other settlers came nearer to them, till, in his latter years, he enjoyed the comforts of a good home, good neighbors and excellent conveniences. John D. Battson and wife are parents of eleven children, ten of whom are living, viz., Clara Jane, Jonathan Homer, John Sherman, Joseph Morton, Mary Maud, Hattie Emily, William Ellsworth, Dora Bell and Flora May (twins) and Daisy Dean. Since Mr. Battson’s marriage, he has followed farming on rented farms in Miami Co. (with the exception of eight years, during which he lived in Darke Co.) until three years ago, when he bought the farm upon which he now resides. He, like his father before him, is an industrious, straightforward man, having the confidence of his neighbors and the community where he lives; he has been Justice of the Peace for seven years, and Township Clerk for five years.