My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE C. CLYDE, Clerk of the Probate Court, Troy. The subject of this sketch was born Dec. 13, 1819, in Delaware Co., Penn.; his father’s name was Peter Clyde, and his mother’s maiden name was Helen Breese; they emigrated from Glasgow, on the River Clyde, in Scotland, in 1818, and moved to Ohio, then the “Far West,” in 1821; the journey across the mountains was made in a one-horse wagon to Wheeling, Va., and from there on the Ohio, in a flat-boat, to Cincinnati; they landed in Troy in September, 1821, lived here one year, and then moved to Lost Creek Township, remaining there until the spring of 1825; Mr. Clyde’s occupation was that of a weaver during his stay; in the spring of 1825, he moved to Xenia, Greene Co., Ohio, where he remained until 1833, when he returned to Lost Creek Township and purchased 50 acres of heavy timber, 3 acres cleared, and a cabin built of round logs, the spaces between the logs filled with mud; in this cabin he lived with his family until a commodious house was completed; his death occurred in June, 1852, at the ripe old age of 83. The subject of this sketch attended the common schools in Xenia from the age of 6 until 11, and, for two years preceding their removal, attended a private academy, taught by Rev. Hugh McMillan, the common schools not affording such instruction, at that time, as he required; he then entered upon a course of toil incident to the clearing of a farm in the woods. His marriage was celebrated, at the age of 21, with Miss Priscilla Knight, April 2, 1841; they lived happily together for nearly thirty years, rearing a family of seven children—three sons and four daughters— six of whom are still living, one daughter dying at the age of womanhood; the wife and mother died Nov. 6, 1870. At the very beginning of his political life, impressed with the dignity of labor and entertaining strong convictions in favor of human freedom, he entered earnestly into the great Anti-slavery struggle, both in church and state, drawing upon himself all the obloquy and odium that then attached to the term “Abolitionist,” zealously advocating, in many small discussions and on all occasions, the cause of the downtrodden and oppressed, voting steadily for fifteen years with a small minority in opposition to slave rule in this country; he severed his connection with the church on account of its refusal to bear testimony against human slavery; he entered enthusiastically into the campaign of 1856, on the platform of opposition to the further extension of slavery, and in favor of consecrating all our soil to free labor; during the great Kansas struggle and the exciting contest of 1860, when Abraham Lincoln was elected to the Presidency, he was an effectual stump-speaker, and did much to secure the triumph so justly due his party; although from manhood to the age of 40 years, he confined himself closely to work on the farm and labored hard, yet he filled many other responsible and important positions, as executor, administrator and guardian; during this time, he also taught school for five terms, of three months each, during the winter season, receiving $15 per month; in connection with this, he also taught the art of penmanship, at night, in the neighborhood; he was a member of the County Board of School Examiners for six years, under the appointment of Joseph Pearson, Probate Judge, and was elected Treasurer of Lost Creek Township for nineteen consecutive years, declining that position for a longer term to take charge of the County Treasurer’s office, to which position he was elected in 1859; he removed, with his family and his mother (who was then living), to Troy, where he continues to reside; his mother died in 1862; he served four years as County Treasurer, and, in 1866, was elected County Auditor, which position he filled for two terms and eight months; Jan. 2, 1872, he took his seat as a member of the Sixtieth General Assembly of Ohio, having been elected as a Representative to that body from Miami Co.; was a candidate for re-nomination, but was defeated through certain influences that were arrayed against him, and was therefore not a candidate at the next succeeding election; at the Sixty-first session of the General Assembly, Miami Co. was represented by a Democrat, the first Representative that party has had for forty years. He entered into the marriage relation the second time by being joined in wedlock to Mrs. Nellie M. Patterson, who resided in Cincinnati, on the 24th of June, 1874; through the failure of several business enterprises, in, which he was induced to venture by others, he has suffered some financial reverses, and the hard earnings of a lifetime have been almost swept away; but animated with the firm hope and trust that he has a treasure laid up where “moth and rust do not corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal,” he continues life’s active duties as best he can, awaiting the end in hope.