Clark County Ohio Biographies

GRANNY ICENBARGER. We are indebted to Dr. John Ludlow for the following description of two original characters, for many years familiary to the residents of Springfield:

“‘Granny Isenbarger,’ as everyone called her, was no ordinary person in the early history of the town. She came here with her family during the war of 1812. They were Germans, and the family consisted of four children, the aforesaid Granny, and a wild and drunken husband. The family were supported by the old lady in the manufacture and sale of cakes and beer, in which capacity she gained a wide popularity among the people of both town and country. She was a woman of unblemished character, and diligent in her calling. She was admitted within the bounds of all camp-meetings, and was a regular attendant of all military musters and other public gatherings, where her cakes and beer were made part of the programme, and many a hungry and thirsty soul was replenished at her board. Her kindness of disposition to all, especially to the children, gained for her the respect of every individual. She ever had a cake as a reward for kind acts from boys, and all stood ready to befriend her. She was a portly, good natured and motherly looking person, and lived in town for more than a quarter of a century of its early history.

“For several years after she came, she lived and conducted her business in a log house on the west side of Market street, not far from the southwest corner of Main street. It was while she lived in this cabin that her husband died. He was a small, thin man, with very slender and crooked legs, which seemed to stand very far apart when he walked, and when he was under the influence of liquor, which was nearly always the case, he was extremely noisy, and danced and hopped about in the wildest manner, and was a source of much trouble to his wife. At the time of his death, I remember going to their house, in company with some other boys, to show our sympathy and gratify our curiosity on the occasion.

“It was in the evening, and the old lady met us at the door and said to us: ‘Law me! poys, te olt man is tet; what a pity!’ After telling her son to hold the candle that we might see the remains, she told us, in her simplicity, how much it would cost her to bury him. Nevertheless, we thought she was deeply afflicted at her loss, though we boys expected to see her rejoice at his departure. Granny Icenbarger died in Springfield in 1839.”

Source: The History of Clark County, Ohio, W. H. Beers & Co., 1881, page 441

PETER F. IGOU. The late Peter F. Igou was for many years one of the substantial men of Springfield and successfully conducted a teaming business and dealt in hay and grain. He always lived up to high conceptions of civic duty, and when he died his city lost one of its most representative citizens. He was born in Champaign County, Ohio, February 8, 1845, a son of Peter and Elizabeth A. (Purtlebaugh) Igou, natives of Indiana and Virginia, respectively. The paternal grandfather, Paul Igou, was the first white child born in Boone County, Indiana, where his parents had settled upon coming to the state from Maryland. The maternal grandparents, Henry and Margaret Purtlebaugh, came to Champaign County, Ohio, in 1830. Peter Igou and his wife were married in Champaign County and settled on a farm in that county, where both later died.

The only child of his parents to survive infancy, Peter F. Igou, remained at home until he was fifteen years old, but at that time began working for farmers in the vicinity of Champaign, Illinois. At the outbreak of the war between the North and the South he enlisted in Company I, Second Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, a three-month regiment, and when discharged at the termination of his period of enlistment, re-enlisted in the same regiment, with which he continued to serve until the close of the war. Following his second discharge he returned to Champaign County, Ohio.

On October 4, 1867, Mr. Igou married Lureatha Bayless, born in Champaign County, Ohio, October 28, 1851, and following his marriage he settled on a farm in Champaign County and was there engaged in farming until 1880, when he moved to Springfield, Ohio, and here he embarked in a teaming business and dealt in hay and grain, and was so occupied until about seven years before death claimed him, April 23, 1902.

Mr. and Mrs. Igou had the following children: lona, who was born February 12, 1869, is Mrs. Ivin Johnson, of Champaign County, Ohio; Hugo, who was born January 29, 1870, died February 29, 1919; Albert L., who was born June 29, 1871, lives at Cleveland, Ohio; Dennis T., who was born January 30, 1873, lives at Springfield, Ohio; Arnett E., who was born September 13, 1874, lives at Springfield, Ohio; Effie May, who was born March 20, 1876, is Mrs. William E. Sullivan, of Springfield, Ohio; Durward B., who was born October 5, 1878, lives at Cleveland, Ohio; Dale C., who was born February 20, 1880, lives at Springfield, Ohio; Edward G., who was born December 25, 1882, lives at Springfield, Ohio; Maude A., who was born July 28, 1885, is Mrs. Charles R. Weber, and lives with her mother; and Harry, who was born February 14, 1888, died March 3, 1888.

Mrs. Igou is a daughter of William C. and Mary Ann (Colbert) Bayless, natives of Champaign County, Ohio. The grandfather, Hezekiah Bayless, was a native of Virginia, and he married a Kentucky-born lady. The maternal grandparents were Thomas and Margaret (Richardson) Colbert, natives of Kentucky, where he died, she coming to Champaign County, Ohio, with her children, four or five in number, but later moved to Hardin County, where she died. Mr. and Mrs. William C. Bayless lived on a farm in Champaign County, seven miles east of Urbana, where both died. They were the first persons in the early days to use a coal oil lamp in Champaign County. Their children were as follows: Nelson, who is deceased; Mrs. Igou, who was second in order of birth; Lydia Alice, who is deceased; Elnora, who is the widow of David Johnson, lives at Cable, Ohio; and Jennie M., who is the widow of Alonzo Reed, of Rockford, Iowa.

Mr. Igou attended the common schools of Champaign County and the academy at Urbana, Ohio, and his widow attended the public schools of Champaign County and the Urbana Normal School. He belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church, but his widow is a member of the Disciples Church. He was independent in his political affiliations. Mitchell Post, G. A. R., held his membership, and he maintained his interest in it until his death.

Source: A Standard History of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio by Benjamin F. Prince, 1922, page 203