My Genealogy Hound

O. P. RALSTON, farmer, P. O. Hamersville. Oliver Perry Ralston, youngest son of Joseph and Eleanor (Smith) Ralston, was born in Brown County, Ohio, March 11, 1824. As was common in those days, he received only a common school education, but such was his love and talent for mathematics, that at one time he was considered the best mathematician in the county. He was raised on a farm and has followed that occupation without interruption up to the present time. On April 27, 1844, he was married to Martha Ann, youngest daughter of John and Catharine Pitzer, also a native of this county. There were born to them six boys and two girls, viz.: James Polk, who married Permele Jacobs, and is now a citizen of Colorado Springs, Colo. He served three years as Principal of the Deaf Mute Institute of Colorado, and is now prospecting and mining among the Rocky Mountains. Sarepta Jane, wife of Dr. R. B. McCall, of New Hope; Thomas Hamer, who was born April 27, 1849, and went to Kansas in the fall of 1868, and died of typhoid fever October 8, 1871 in Livingston County Mo.; Lewis Warren, born January 7, 1851, read law with Marshal & Thomas, was admitted to the bar in 1872, married Lutita Case, and now resides in Hamersville; Almira Evaline, born October 28, 1852, still single; Eugene Archimedas, born July 12, 1856, and after spending two years m the South is now farming the old homestead; Edgar Lee, born July 7, 1860 and now m Crystal Basin, Colo., silver mines; Orlando Frank, born August 4, 1862, also in the prospecting and mining business. Mr. Ralston’s public career is as follows: Was appointed School Examiner in 1854, elected County Surveyor in 1857, and re-elected in 1860, elected Justice of the Peace in 1864, served as Township Clerk during the latter part of the war and was treasurer of the fund raised by Clark Township to fill her quote of men. He was elected, in 1880, to represent Clermont and Brown Counties in the State Board of Equalization. Martha A., first wife of O. P. Ralston died of consumption February 9, 1866, aged thirty-nine years and eight days. Mr. Ralston was married, April 17, 1867 to Ann J. (Brownfield) Stratum, daughter of James and Mary Brownfield and widow of William B. Stratton, also a native of Brown County She had one child - George W. Stratton, who was a member of the Forty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was a prisoner at Andersonville. Mr. Ralston still surveys and is often called to settle disputes, and his honesty and known ability make his decisions nearly always final. He has been a Notary Public for the last twelve years. He’s one of the most prominent Odd Fellows of the county, was D. D. G. M. in 1871-72 when the district included Adams, Brown and a part of Clermont Counties, represented this district in the Grand Lodge of Ohio in 1877-78-79-80, and was Grand Guardian in 1881. He is noted as one of the strong friends of education in the county, although not a regular teacher, having only taught three or four quarters, but has always been found giving the cause aid and support when most needed. He was a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, represented Brown County four years in the State Grange and was the first Master of Clark Grange. He was the first Odd Fellow in Clark Township and his kind heart prompts him to be first always in the relief of distress. (For parentage, see Clark Township History).