Oliver & Amanda Emory
Oliver E. Emory, the second son of Dearborn G. and Juliette Chamberlain Emory, was born on Dec 11, 1845, in Vernon Township in southeastern Scioto County. The family resided in the small village of Chaffin's Mills until Oliver was 8 years old. At that time, he moved with his parents to the French Grant, but they returned to Chaffin's Mills 10 years later in 1863.
As a youth, Oliver attended the district schools during the winter months and worked in the nearby iron furnaces in the summer. He completed his education at the school in Wheelersburg.
In 1867, he taught school for a short time before opening a general store in his boyhood home of Chaffin's Mills. He operated this business for 18 months, then ran the mill there for about one year. His next venture was at Howard's Furnace where for a year he provided charcoal for the production of iron ore.
On Feb 16 1868, Oliver married Amanda Jane Adams. She was born March 7 1849, in columbiana County, Ohio, the daughter of Rev Harrison E. and Martha Ray Adams. Amanda lived in several different communities as a young girl as her father preached throughout much of Ohio and Kentucky. She taught school for four years prior to marrying Oliver.
For the first year of their marriage, the young couple resided in Lyra in Scioto County. In 1869, they moved to California (now Stockdale, Ohio) in Pike County where they would live the next three decades. there, Oliver built beside his home a general store under the name O. E. Emory and Company. He opened the business with a capital stock of $1,500. O. W., ashe came to be known by the locals, developed the store into a flourishing business for the next 30 years. This store was a full service mercantile offering a multitude of goods such as groceries, clothing, fertilizer, farming implements, patent medicines, wagons, seeds, and automobiles.
For nearly two years beginning in 1875, he also served as the postmaster for the village. At the turn of the century, O. E. also ran a stockbarn in California (Pike County) in conjunction with his store. The percheron was his favorite breed of horse to raise.
Mr. Emory was not only a successful entrepreneur, but also a devoted public servant. He was elected to several different offices in Marion Township including clerk (1872-1875), assessor (1881), Justice of the Peace (1883,1887-1896), and Treasurer (1897-1898). His notoriety as a faithful public official earned him the nomination as democratic candidate for Pike County Auditor in 1901. Upon winning the seat, O. E. moved to Waverly to a home near the DT & I railroad tracks. There, he was better able to carry on his duties as auditor.
During this time, O. E. continued to foster his other business interests as well as create new ones. Besides the Percheron and German Coach horses he stabled in Stockdale (the newly acqwuired name for California), he also opened a stock barn in Waverly where he raised Percherons and French Coach horses. In 1903, O. E. was one of several businessmen responsible for bringing telephone service to Stockdale.
] so respectedd was Mr. Emory for his proficiency and integrity as county auditor that he harnered bipartisan support for a second term. running unopposed, he easily won this second bid. In 1910, O. E. retired from political life and settled into his home in Waverly.
O. E. was also active in his church and fraternal organizations. He was a dedicated Christian and faithfully served the churches that he attended, in Stockdale, he was a member of the Freewill Baptist Church where he served as a board member, Bible class leader, and Sunday School superintendaent. After moving to Waverly, he became a member of the Presbyterian Church.
His wife was also active in the church. She was originally a member of the Baptist church at Racine, Ohio, butr later transferred to Stockdale congregation.
Additionally, O. E. was a member of the Stockdale Knights of Pythias and United Order of Junior American Merchanic Lodges.
O. E.'s wife, Amanda, passed away on Sept. 17 1920, and was laid to rest in Waverly's Greenlawn Cemetery. After her death, Mr. Emory moved back to Stockale where his son, Mert, had built him a small house behind the family store. A stroke of paralysis which occured on April 22, 1922, left him an invalid. He remained in that condition until his death on May 4, 1927. He died in Stockdale at the age of 81 and was buried next to his wife in Waverly.
Article from Jim Henry's - Pike's Past
Submitted by Bruce Overly, Guest Author
The Waverly News Watchman
Aug 1999
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Pike Co. Genealogy & Historical Society
P. O. Box 224, Waverly, Ohio 45690