PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM 

page 445, 446, 447 

WILLIAM POTTLE bears the distinction of being the oldest resident of Enon, Clark County, and is nearly seventy-one years old, having been born August 10, 1819.  His native place was New Carlisle, and his father was James POTTLE, a native of Stockbridge, England, who sailed on a British man-of-war in the English navy for twelve years, going all over the globe.  Finally touching at Maldon, Canada, James POTTLE and one of his comrades bethought themselves of the opportunity for making their escape from the cruelty of the English officers, and finally put their plan into execution, crossing the river on the ice in the night.  In the morning there was no ice in the river and so their taskmasters could not pursue them. 

The above-mentioned events occurred about 1814.  The fugitives slept neither day or night until putting many miles between them and their persecutors, and then halting at Urbana, this State, the father of our subject started a barber-shop.  Later he abandoned this and removed to Dayton, where he was variously employed until the spring of 1819.  He then took up his residence in New Carlisle, where he lived until 1850.  Afterward he made one more removal, this time to Enon, where he resided until his death, March 22, 1852, when he was sixty-nine years old. 

The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Catherine OILER.  She was a native of Germany, and emigrated with her father, Daniel OILER, to America when a girl of eleven years.  The family settled in Maryland, whence they removed later to Dayton, this State, where the father died in 1878.  The mother subsequently made her home with her son in Xenia, where she died, at the advanced age of eighty-three years, in the faith of the Christian Church.  Four sons were born to the parents, the eldest of whom, John, died in Cincinnati; William, our subject, was the second born; David died at Dayton, in 1878; George W. enlisted in the Union Army, in 1863, and served until obliged to receive his discharge on account of disability.  He is now in the Soldier’s Home at Dayton. 

The subject of this notice remained a resident of his native town of New Carlisle until a youth of eighteen years.  In the meantime, when a boy of eleven, he began “paddling his own canoe,” working for the neighboring farmers, and later he was for three years employed in the tanyard of SHELLABARGER BROS., at $5 per month, where he did a man’s work.  When eighteen years old he commenced an apprenticeship under Thomas BARTON, a blacksmith, with whom he served three years, and for two years afterward worked as a journeyman. 

In 1839, Mr. POTTLE came to Enon, and was in the employ of others as a journeyman blacksmith until 1849.  He then started a shop of his own.  During the late war he prosecuted his business in partnership with John FEESER, until May 2, 1864.  That day they closed the shop and enlisted as Union soldiers in Company F. One Hundred and Fifty-third Ohio Infantry.  Mr. POTTLE was mustered into service at Camp Denison, whence he accompanied his regiment to Virginia and participated in the battles of Oldtown and Green Springs.  At the latter place, October 2, 1864, he was captured by JOHNSTON’S men, but was soon paroled and afterward remained in camp at Cumberland until the 21^st of the month.  Then returning to Camp Denison, he was mustered out on the 9^th of September following. 

Resuming now the business which had been thus interrupted, Mr. POTTLE built a blacksmith shop in Enon, in which he still labors to a certain extent, although his son attends to most of the business.  Mr. POTTLE retains possession of the anvil on which the first steel plow in America was made, at Brandt, Miami County, this State.  It was manufactured in England for old Benjamin KING, and cost him $50 in New York City.  Mr. KING subsequently had it in his blacksmith shop at Enon, and at his sale, which occurred later, Mr. POTTLE purchased it for $30.  It is a relic which he naturally values very highly.  Besides his shop, Mr. POTTLE owns his residence and a number of town lots.  He has been an honest, hard-working man and enjoys the respect of his neighbors. 

Mr. POTTLE was married in New Carlisle, December 15^th, 1845, to Miss Harriet BRANDENBURG, a native of Fredrick County, Md.  There were born to them five children, of whom the eldest, Mary E., is the wife of August BROOKEY, a cooper of Dayton; Fanny is the wife of Aaron DUNKEL, a butcher, and they reside in Covington; Susan and William E., are at home with their parents. 

Isaac N. W. POTTLE, the partner of his father, was born in Enon, May 19, 1855, and at an early age gave evidence of having inherited the faculty of handling blacksmith’s tools, and took naturally to the shop.  He conducted the business while his father went to Centennial Exhibition, in 1876, and has had the principal management of the business since then.  In 1885 he began setting up binders, and is now employed by the WHITLEY Company, of Springfield, as a traveling salesman three or four months in the year.  He was married in 1883 to Miss Jennie FORD, a native of Mad River, and they have one child, Ada M.  Isaac N. has been Constable for seven years and City Marshall four years.  He is also Captain of the Sons of Veterans, Camp No. 189. 

Mr. POTTLE, for the long period of thirty years, has been a member of the City Council of Enon.  He belongs to James B. CROSS Post, No. 367, G. A. R., at Enon, and politically, votes the Democratic ticket.  Mrs. POTTLE is a member, in good standing, of the Christian Church.