PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAHICAL ALBUM
page 645, 646
WILSON COMPTON.
This gentleman bears the distinction of owning and occupying the highest
point of land in Spring Valley Township, Greene County.
He is recognized as one of its leading farmers, and has spent his entire
life within its limits, having been born at his father’s old homestead,
September 7, 1841. The place lies a
little over a mile east of Spring Valley, and forms one of the old landmarks
which was built up from the wilderness by one of the earliest pioneers of this
region. The family has been long
and favorably known in this county, and has contributed its full quota toward
its growth and development.
The subject of this notice is the son of
Henry and Catherine (MOCK) COMPTON. Henry
COMPTON was born about 1798, in North Carolina.
In 1804 he came with his parents to Greene County, the journey being made
overland with a wagon, and young COMPTON traveled on foot a large portion of the
way. The family settled near New
Burlington-a half mile northwest of the place—and after his marriage Henry
COMPTON and his young wife located a half-mile further West.
A few years later they moved to the one hundred-acre farm where their son
Wilson was born. The father
proceeded with the improvement and cultivation of his land, clearing the timber
and adding thereto until he became the owner of two hundred and two acres, and
gave each of his children a farm.
The father of our subject in his early
manhood belonged to the old Whig party, and after its abandonment identified
himself with the Republicans. He,
however, never aspired to office, being content to live the life of a private
citizen. He was first married to
Miss Mary HORNER, by whom he became the father of three sons—Stephen, the
first-born, died in Fayette County, where in company with his brother he
purchased a large tract of land, they finally owning two hundred acres each;
Ezra is now a resident of Fayette County, this State; the third son was Martin,
who resides in the vicinity of Earlham, Iowa.
His second wife was Catherine MOCK, who was born December 29, 1810, on a
farm adjoining that where her husband lived.
She was the daughter of John and Mary (HORNEY) MOCK, and of this union
there were born three sons and one daughter, viz:
Eber, Amos M.; Cynthia, now the widow of James H. DAUGHERTY, of Xenia,
and who was a manufacturer of Linseed oil; and our subject.
Henry COMPTON departed this
life November 20, 1879, at the old homestead in Spring Valley Township. He was the son of Stephen and Dinah (MILLHOUSE) COMPTON, who
were natives of North Carolina. Grandfather
COMPTON was a farmer, and came to this State in 1801, securing three hundred
acres of land in Spring Valley Township, Greene County.
He was a Whig, politically, and lived to be over eighty years old.
His wife was of Scotch and Irish extraction.
The subject of this notice was reared a
farmer’s boy and attended the district school, remaining under the parental
roof until removing to the farm which he now owns and occupies, this removal
being made in November, 1889. He is
owner of the homestead and takes care of his mother.
In politics, he is a sound Republican, and in 1889 was elected
real-estate appraiser of Spring Valley Township. He was married January 10, 1867, to Miss Rachael A. GADDIS.
This lady was born near Harveysburg, Warren County, this State, July 8,
1844, and is the daughter of Allen and Rachael A. (MERSHON) GADDIS, who were
natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
The mother died about 1845, leaving two sons and a daughter—George,
William and Rachael. Mr. GADDIS was
subsequently married and removed to Decatur, Ill., where he died November 8,
1865. Mr. and Mrs. COMPTON are the
parents of two children—Rosa G. and Birdie.
They are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The mother of our subject departed this life at his home, April 6, 1890.