The Custis Families of Clinton County, Ohio

W. H. CUSTIS, Sr., farmer, P. O. Reesville, was born in Scioto County, Ohio, in the year 1813, and is a son of Robinson and Mary Custis, natives of Virginia, who settled in Union Township, this county, in either 1821 or 1822. He purchased 100 acres of partly cleared land, which became his permanent home; he succeeded well in life, and was honored with some of the local offices of his township. Fervent in their devotion to religion, their lives were made brighter and more useful by a lifelong connection to the Methodist Episcopal Church. To them were born fifteen children, two of whom only at this time survive, viz., William H. and Mary Doan, nee Custis. He (Robinson) died in 1848, November 28; he was born in 1770. She was born in 1779, and departed this life November 22, 1848. They were married in 1793. Our subject passed his boyhood upon the farm, receiving only such learning as the country afforded at the time. In 1837, he was married to Mary, the daughter of Samuel and Mary Reed, who settled in this township in 1805. They came from Kentucky, in which they were married, and it is probable they were born in the same State. Upon settling in this township, he purchased 1,000 acres of land, which he afterward lost through an imperfect title, and had to pay for the same land the second time, on which he ended his days. He and wife were members of the Christian Church, and were of that class that gives tone and solidity to the community in which they lived. Nine children were born to them, of whom Mrs. W. H. Custis alone survives. He was born in 1778, and died in 1854. She was born in 1782, and departed this life in 1863. Our subject after his marriage settled on a small farm, near where he now lives, and in the same vicinity he has since resided, and now owns 194 acres of excellent land. To them have been born five children, all living, viz., Samuel R., Cyrus E., Sarah M.r

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CYRUS E. CUSTIS, farmer, P. 0. Rcesville, was born on the old home farm in this township in the year 1840, and is a son of William II. Custis, Sr., whose sketch appears above. Our subject remained with his parents on the farm until of age. He had tho advantage of one year’s course of study at Lebanon Normal School, which furnished him with a good practical education. August 6, 1862, he volunteered and was assigned to duty in Company G, of the Seventy-Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was soon after transferred to the front and participated in all the battles of the regiment. He enlisted as private and was promoted to First Duty Sergeant the November following his enlistment; was promoted Orderly, one month after his first promotion. September 24, 18G4, was promoted Second Lieutenant, and February 1, 18G5, ho was commissioned First Lieutenant. All through tho Atlanta campaign ho was in command of Company G, and was a bravo and cllicient officer. Ho was honorably discharged from the service at Camp Dennison, in Juno, 18G5. Upon his return to civil life, he resumed farming, but soon after engaged in tho mercantile business, which he followed for two years, and then returned to tho farm, lie and his brother, J. J. Custis,. own 200 acres of valuable, well-improved land. C. E. has been Trustee of the township three terms; is a member of the Sabina Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. Ho was married in 1870 to Letitia, the daughter of Absalom Douglass, by whom he has had one child, viz., Albert R. He and his amiable wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. She was born in 1844.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CYRUS E. CUSTIS, farmer, P. 0. Rcesville, was born on the old home farm in this township in the year 1840, and is a son of William II. Custis, Sr., whose sketch appears above. Our subject remained with his parents on the farm until of age. He had tho advantage of one year’s course of study at Lebanon Normal School, which furnished him with a good practical education. August 6, 1862, he volunteered and was assigned to duty in Company G, of the Seventy-Ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was soon after transferred to the front and participated in all the battles of the regiment. He enlisted as private and was promoted to First Duty Sergeant the November following his enlistment; was promoted Orderly, one month after his first promotion. September 24, 18G4, was promoted Second Lieutenant, and February 1, 18G5, ho was commissioned First Lieutenant. All through tho Atlanta campaign ho was in command of Company G, and was a bravo and cllicient officer. Ho was honorably discharged from the service at Camp Dennison, in Juno, 18G5. Upon his return to civil life, he resumed farming, but soon after engaged in tho mercantile business, which he followed for two years, and then returned to tho farm, lie and his brother, J. J. Custis,. own 200 acres of valuable, well-improved land. C. E. has been Trustee of the township three terms; is a member of the Sabina Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons. Ho was married in 1870 to Letitia, the daughter of Absalom Douglass, by whom he has had one child, viz., Albert R. He and his amiable wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church. She was born in 1844.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

DOUGLAS W. CUSTIS, retired, Sabina, was born in Scioto County, Ohio, in 1811, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Savage) Custis. They settled in the above county just previous to the birth of our subject. William Custis was twice married, and by the above lady, his first wife, had five children, viz., Sallie, John (deceased), William (deceased), Harriet (deceased) and Douglas W. His wife, the mother of the above children, died in 1812. By his second marriage he had three children,* who came to this county with their mother, viz., Nancy, Margaret and-Littleton. He (William) died in Scioto County about 1828. Mrs. Custis, his second wife, died in 1863, aged ninety years. Our subject was married to Pemia, the daughter of Elkany Gustin, November 19, 1835. After his marriage he settled on land now owned by Charles Vaniman. Since, he has lived in different places, but always in the township. To Mr. and Mrs. Custis were born the following children, to wit: William, Isaiah, Ann M., Hannah J., Levi, Mary M. and Rhoda. Mrs. Custis died September 7, 1881, aged, upward of seventy years. Their son, Isaiah, enlisted in 1862, in Capt. Giffin’s company of the Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. After serving a short time he became disabled, and was discharged. Mr. Custis is a member of the Protestant MetK- odist Church, as was his deceased wife. T. L. Huffman, son-in-law of Mr. C’s was born in Monroe County, Ohio, in 1847. and is a son of Thomas and Ruth Huffman, natives of the same county. Mr. Huffman came to Clinton County in 1869. He was married to Mollie M. Custis, the daughter of D. W. Custis, who has borne him three children, viz., Myrtie G. (deceased), Lorena T. and Leo C. Mr. Huffman owns forty acres of land where he lives, which is well improved. Mrs. Huffman was born in Clinton County in 1851.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILLIAM CUSTIS, dealer in hardware, Sabina. The gentleman whose name precedes this sketch is one of the well-known citizens of this county, in which he was born in 1836. He is a son of Douglas Custis, an old settler. Our subject entered mercantile life in New Antioch, in which he did a dry goods and grocery business for several years, and in 1867 removed to Sabina, where he followed the same line of trade for fifteen years, and was successful. Lately he went out of the dry goods trade, and in its stead he added a large and complete stock of hardware, and is now doing a general and extensive business in each line. In 1857, he was married to Susan, a daughter of Daniel Drake, an old settler of Clinton County, who has borne him eight children, viz., Charles W., Franklin, Ida B., Anna, James, Levi D., Luna M. and Gracie. Mr. and Mrs. Custis are consistent members of the Methodist Protestant Church of Sabina, and are exemplary Christian people. He is also a member of the order of I. 0. 0. F., Sabina Lodge, No. 501. Mrs. Custis was born on Staten Island in 1830, and was but six months old when her parents came to Clinton County.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

L. H. CUSTIS, farmer, P. 0. Wilmington, is a son of D. W. Custis, whose biography appears in Richland Township, this volume. He was born December 26, 1845. in Union Township, Clinton Co., Ohio, where he reached manhood, devoting his time to the firm. In the meantime, he acquired a medium education". In 1864, he engaged as clerk in his brother William’s store in New Antioch, and one year later, when the store was moved to Sabina, this county, he continued as clerk a short time there. Having acquired some knowledge of business, and possessed of means, he at this time formed a partnership with James Thompson, of Jasper Station, Fayette Co., Ohio., which only existed six months, when he sold to his partner and then became clerk for a time. His next engagement was at Clinton Station in the grain trade for a short time, when he returned to Sabina and formed a partnership with William Custis, his first employer, in New Antioch. The firm was style W. & L. H. Custis, but twenty months later his membership in the firm ceased, and he resumed his boyhood occupation — farming. His mercantile 'pursuit was of a successful nature.

In 1871, he purchased twenty-five acres of his present farm, and two years later added to it thirty-two and a half more, making it now consist of fifty-seven and a half acres on the Washington & Wilmington pike, five miles east of the latter. He has a pleasant home in a fine location. He was married, June 8, 1871, to Jennie Yaniman, by whom he has had born three children — Lillian V., Edna V. and Maudie Y. The latter died in infancy. Mrs. Custis was born near Bowersville, Greene Co., Ohio, February 8, 1850, and is a grand-daughter of Solomon Earley, whose biography appears in this volume in Liberty Township. She is a daughter of Elias and Eva (Earley) Yaniman, whose history appears in the biographical pages of Richland Township.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

CHARLES WILLIAM CUSTIS. Charles William Custls. a well-known business man and manufacturer of Sablna, Ohio, who Is now living retired, was born in Clinton county. Ohio, on July 20. 1857, the son of William and Susan (Drake) Custis, natives of Clinton county, and New York state, respectively. Susan Drake was a daughter of Daniel and Ann (Musherue) Drake.

The maternal grandparents of Mr. Custis were Daniel Drake and wife, the former of whom was a native of New England and engaged in the oyster business. He was a prominent member of the Christian church, and moved to Ohio early In life, locating In this county, where he engaged in farming, living the owner of one hundred acres of land. He and his life were the parents of five children, Abble, Elizabeth. Mary, Susan and Anna.

William rust Is was the son of Douglas Custis. a well-known citizen of this county. William Custis. the father of Charles W., attended the common schools of Clinton county, and here completed his education. He removed to Sablna from New Antloch, Ohio, and for some time was engaged in the general mercantile business, handling hardware and dry goods for the most part. While engaged In business in Sablna. he lived on a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres nt the edge of the town. He was a member of the Methodist Protestant church and nn active worker in that denomination. Fraternally, he was identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while, politically, he was a ment supporter of the Republican party. He died In October. 1906. after having lived a most useful life. His widow is still living at the age of seventy-six years. They were the parents of eight children. Charles William, Frank. Ida B., Anna, James, Levi D.. Lula and Grace. Of these children Frank is married and lives at Dayton. Ohio. Ida n. also lives at Dayton and Is the wife of Samuel McGuirc. Annn Is the wife of L. A. Wysong. of Wilmington. James married Rebecca Perrell. and they live In Sablna. Levi D. married Georgia Kubn. and they live In Canton, Ohio. Lula is the wife of Dr. F. O. Lelghtner. of Sublna. and Grace is the wife of Marlon Kuhn, of Croqksvllle. Ohio.

Charles W. Custis received his education in the common schools, and after leaving" school was engaged for some time in business with his father. After managing his father's hardware afore for some time he retired from that concern and engaged in the restaurant and bakery business. After disposing of this latter business he next enjoined with John Matthews as a partner In handling bankruptcy stocks of merchandise. He Is the owner of one hundred and ten acres of land In Clinton county, also valuable property In Sablna. and Is the owner of the Ice-cream factory In Sablna. Tor the past ten years Mr. Custis has been retired from active business.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HEBER W. CUSTIS.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Levi H. Custis was one of seven children born to his parents, as follows: William was born on September 8, 1836: Isaiah, November 2, 1838; Myra, March 18, 1840; Hannah J., July 21. 1843; Levi H., December 26, 1845; Rhoda, October 23, 1848, died on October 10, 1850; and Mary, February 13. 1851.

Heber W. Custis Is one of five children born to his parents, and he Is the youngest in order of birth. Lillian Is the wife of Clark Haines, of Warren county, Ohio. Edna Is the wife of Irving Peelle, of Wilmington. Ohio. Dwlght married Nettle Hughes. He Is a minister at Richwood, Ohio. Maude died in Infancy.

Like most lads born and reared in Clinton county, Heber W. Custis attended the district schools, but he had unusual educational advantages In being permitted to attend Wilmington College for two years, after which he took an agricultural short course at Ohio State University, at Columbus. There he received a splendid training for practical farming, and completed the course In 1909. In 1911, Mr. Custis* father retired from active farm life and removed to Sabina. Ohio, since which time Heber W. has rented the home place of one hundred and twelve acres from his father. The farm has a very handsome brick house on the Washington pike, with an avenue of maples leading back to the house. Mr. Custis bought seventy-seven acres of land from his father near the home farm. In this community be Is considered a very pleasant, agreeable young citizen.

On August 10, 1010. Heber W. Custis was married to Hazel Reed, who was born in Wayne township, Clinton county. Ohio, a daughter of Amos and Ella (Drlscoll) Reed.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

A. CUSTIS, of the firm of Messrs. H. H. Johnson & Co., dealers in furniture, Sabina, was born in Clinton County in 1843, and is a son of the old and well-known Littleton Custis. Our subject remained on the farm until August 2, 1862, at which time he enlisted in Company G, of the Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He partook of all the dangers of this noted and memorable regiment, and passed through many of the hard-fought battles of the war; was with Gen. Sherman’s army to the sea, and was present with his regiment at the grand review at Washington in 1865, soon after which he was discharged. Upon his return to civil life, he located in Sabina, and engaged in the dry goods business, in partnership with the late H. H. Johnson, who afterward sold his interest to William Custis, and later they took in with them and the firm name became W. & A. & L. H. Custis. Afterward A. and L. H. bought out W., and soon after A. bought out the share of L. H., and continued the business until 18.76, when he connected with D. M. Adams, who together did business till they sold to H. H. Tharp, when Johnson & Company bought out the furniture store they now operate. Mr. Custis is a member of the Sabina Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, No. 324. January 23, 1870, he was married to Sarah E., the daughter of Joseph Robinson, by whom he has had two children, viz., Effie and Frank. He and his amiable wife belong to the Friends’ Church, to which they have been connected six years. He is Treasurer of the Corporation, and was formerly a member of the Town Council.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAMES E. CUSTIS.

James E. Custls is a successful farmer of Green township, this county, where he owns one hundred and eighty-five acres of land. He was born in that township on September 6, 1807. a son of John W. and Sarah Jane (Pond) Custls. both of whom were born in Clinton county, the former in 1834, and the latter, near Morrlsville. In 1837. The paternal grandparents of Mr. Custls were Thomas and Mary Custis, who were early settlers in Clinton county, coming here from Pennsylvania after their marriage. Both are now deceased. The maternal grandparents were George and Mary Bond, who also came from Pennsylvania to Clinton county In an early day, and both died

The late John W. Custls was a farmer and stock dealer and was the owner of three hundred and thirty-three acres of land In Washington township, ne was a Democrat In politics and at one time was a candidate for sheriff of Clinton county. His wife was a member of the Christian church, and he himself was reared in that faith. His death occurred on May 27. 1906. His wife had passed away many years previously. They reared a family of nine children, four of whom, Elisha, Kate, Robert and Sarah, are deceased, the living children being George. Frank, Martha, John and James.

James E. Custis was reared on the farm, receiving his education in the district schools of his home neighborhood. Upon reaching maturity, he took up farming for himself In Green township. He has made many improvements on his farm In Green township, where he has lived for nine years.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.