John J. Weaver

As printed in 1897

OHN J. WEAVER, a well-known farmer and esteemed citizen of Jackson township, Montgomery county, Ohio, is a descendant, paternally, of an old colonial German family, and of an equally old German family on the material side.

Jacob Weaver, his paternal grandfather, was born in Germany, and became a farmer and distiller in Shenandoah county, Va., where his death took place. Of his children the names of the following are remembered: John, Michael, Jacob, and Mrs. Hickel. Of these, Jacob, the father of John J., was also a native of Germany, and married in Shenandoah county, Va., Catherine Jordan. He served in the war of 1812, and he and his wife, after their marriage, lived in Shenandoah county, at Hawkinstown, until 1816, when they came to Ohio, and for about fifteen years lived on a farm in Greene county. In the winter of 1834-5, they moved to Madison township, Montgomery county, where Jacob Weaver bought 140 acres of land, of which but a small portion was cleared. He devoted himself, with steady industry, to the improvement and development of his land and converted it into one of the best farms in the township. He died here at the age of seventy-eight years, honored and respected throughout the entire community. His children were named, in order of birth, John J., George (deceased), Eliza, Martin, Preston, Levi, Jacob and Sophia.

John J. Weaver was born in Shenandoah county, Va., June 23, 1816, and was but four months old when brought by his parents to Ohio. He was early injured to the toil of the frontier farm, and his education was secured by attendance at the old log school-house of his district during three months in winter from the age of twelve until nineteen years old. In those primitive days oats in bulk brought six cents per bushel, corn eight cents on the ground, or ten cents when hauled to Xenia, five miles away, and hogs, when dressed, one and one-half cents per pound. Young Weaver, when a boy, wore buckskin garments, and the traveling cordwainer made the shoes for the family, while many other articles of apparel were improvised to meet exigencies. Nevertheless, pioneer life had its pleasures and was greatly enjoyed by the old settlers. Farm life was health-giving and its toil contributed to the development of sturdy sine and muscle and of clear and active brain.

The marriage of Mr. Weaver took place March 29, 1838, at New Lebanon, Montgomery county, Ohio, with Miss Elizabeth Brouse, who was born in Canton, Stark county, Ohio, June 5, 1821, the ceremony being performed by Rev. Elijah Kuhns, of the Reformed church. Mr. Weaver, after marriage, lived one year on his father’s farm in Madison township, then removed to Perry township, bought a lot of two acres and a cooper shop, and there followed that trade for three years; he then engaged in the same business in New Lebanon for ten years, and finally settled in Jackson township. Here he bought a farm of 176 acres, which he improved and successfully cultivated until 1871, when he came to his present farm of 104 acres, in the same township. On this he has erected substantial farm buildings, and in 1881 built a modern and convenient residence, his farm being in itself a model and unsurpassed by any other farm of its proportions in the county. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have been born the following-named children: Mary C.,

Eliza J., George W. (deceased), John Hamilton, Jacob Ladan, William, Elizabeth A., Preston P., Levi L. (deceased), Otto M.,

Clara B. (deceased) and Dora Etta. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver are members of the German Reformed church, of which Mr. Weaver has been a deacon and elder for many years.

Mrs. Weaver is a daughter of John and Mary (Adams) Brouse, and John Brouse was a son of Michael and Elizabeth Brouse, of German descent. Michael was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He settled in Chippewa, Stark (but now in Summit) county, Ohio, on the then frontier, and lived to the patriarchal age of 102 years, dying at Chippewa. His children were named John, Michael, Philip, William, Elizabeth, Rachel, Polly and Leah. The father of Mrs. Weaver, John Brouse, was born in Shenandoah county, Va., was reared in New Market, that county, was a potter by trade, and married Mary Adams, a native of Maryland, of German parentage. From Virginia Mr. Brouse came to Ohio, conducted a pottery at Canton, then at Xenia, and in 1827 settled in New Lebanon, Montgomery county, where he also established his trade. He afterward lived in Lewiston, Ohio, and for a short time in Indiana, but ended his days in New Lebanon, at the age of seventy-seven years, a member of the Lutheran church. His children were named Elkanon, Theresa C., John A., Sarah C., Mary C., Henry A., Elizabeth, William and George.

As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.