BUTLER COUNT OHIO ****************************************************************************** Contributed to the Butler Co., OH Biographies Project with permission of the Butler County OHGenWeb coordinator Nancy Sween ****************************************************************************** File contributed to Ohio Biographies Project by: Tina Hursh frog158@juno.com 16 February 2000 ****************************************************************************** A History and Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers Cincinnati Ohio. Western Biographical Publishing Company, 1882. HENRY S. EARHART Henry S. EARHART, "the oldest inhabitant," and a man of kindly nature will be remembered long after he shall have passed away, is one of the four residents of the county, now living, who were born in the Northwest Territory. This happened three miles east of Franklin, Warren County, on Clear Creek, son of Martin EARHART and Catherine SITE, who were among the first settlers that came to Ohio. His grandfather EARHART was all through the Revolutionary War. Henry S. EARHART first came to Hamilton on a visit, about 1815, but did not reside in the county until the year 1822, when, in conjunction with his uncle, John L.C. SCHENCK, of Franklin, the leading merchant of this section at that time, he established a store in Jacksonburg. After remaining there a few years, he came to this city, and has been here steadily ever since. On his first arrival, he was in partnership with George W. TAPSCOTT for a number of years, finally, however, discontinuing business. Possessed from youth with a love of mathematics, he next took up civil engineering, and projected the hydraulic works and the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad. He was married on the 10th of March, 1823, in Franklin, to Elizabeth TAPSCOTT, daughter of James TAPSCOTT and Mary HENDRICKSON. They came from New Jersey in 1814 or 1815, and are now both dead, as is Mrs. EARHART. She was born in Allentown, Monmouth County, New Jersey, September 15, 1796. Mr. and Mrs. EARHART had five children, of whom the two oldest are dead. John S. was killed in the army and Martin W. by accident. James T. lives in Kentucky, George T. in Hamilton, where he is the general ticket agent for the railroad, and Sarah S. is also at home. John was a captain in the army and George was also a volunteer. He rose from orderly sergeant to lieutenant, and attributes the loss of his health to the exposure he endured. Henry. S. EARHART has now been for many years one of the leading men of the town. He was a councilman for six years, at about the beginning of the city organization, and has been civil engineer to the city and identified with all its improvements. Among the early teachers was Mr. B. F. RALEIGH. He was a native of New York State, but came West before 1830, and located in Hamilton. He married Miss Maria HOLMES, and resided here until 1853, then removing to Highland County. He died in Wilmington, Ohio in 1866. Many are still living in Hamilton who remember him as their preceptor. He left a wife and four worthy and intelligent sons to mourn his loss. Mr. RALEIGH was a man of culture and had the control of our best educational interests in Hamilton for a period of years, and was also county surveyor from 1842 to 1849. His remains were brought to the old home and interred in Greenwood Cemetery, November 6, 1866.