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Thomas D'Armon McElhenie
Male Family
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Event(s):
Birth: 26 MAR 1787 , Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
Christening:
Death: 23 APR 1871
Burial:
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Marriages:
Spouse: Margaret Eaken Family
Marriage: 12 DEC 1812 , Centre, Pennsylvania
http://www.familysearch.org
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"The maternal ancestors of Doctor Dague, Thomas McElhenie and Margaret
(Eaken) McElhenie, his wife, were of Scotch and Irish descent, Thomas
furnishing the Scotch and Margaret the Irish element. They came to Wayne
county, Ohio, from Center county, Pennsylvania, about the same time with the
Dague family, and settled in the adjoining township of Chippewa. Mr.
McElhenie was a man of sterling character and of more than ordinary
influence in the community. For some years he followed farming, and also
kept a tavern at the cross-roads near where the village of Easton now
stands. Later he opened a store in Easton which he conducted successfully
for many years, until forced into retirement by advancing age. He was for
many years a justice of the peace, both in Pennsylvania, and also after his
removal to Ohio, dispensing law and justice with rigorous impartiality. he
was a great lover of books, and his library of two dozen or more choice
volumes was the wonder and admiration of the pioneers, whose stock of reading
matter in many cases was confined to a Bible, a hymn book and an almanac."
excerpt from the below bio:
full bio:
"The History of Wayne County, Ohio" published in 1910 by B. E. Bowen & Co.
Rev. Thomas Jefferson Dague, A. M., D. D.
The subject of this sketch, like most genuine Americans, is of mixed
origin, being on the paternal side of Dutch and English and on the maternal,
Scotch and Irish ancestry. From the best information attainable, early in
the eighteenth century one Frederick Deg left Holland with his wife and one
child for America. The child, it is said, died during the voyage and was
buried at sea,and in the meantime another was born, to whom was given the
name Matthias, and to him all the Dague families in this country trace their
origin. They came from the sturdy peasant stock, and religiously belonged
to that branch of the Protestant faith known as German Baptist Brethren, or
"Tunkers." As the family became Americanized, the orthography of the name
was gradually changed to conform to the Dutch pronunciation, first to Dage,
for one or two generations and later, within the memory of those now living,
to its present form.
Michael, Gabriel and Michael D., the great-grandfather and father of
the subject of this sketch, were all natives of Washington county,
Pennsylvania, where the family first settled in this country. Whether the
first Michael ever came to Ohio or not is uncertain, but the tomb of his
wife is to be seen in the old burying-ground in Milton township, this
county. Gabriel Dage, with his wife and two or three of the older of his
ten children, removed to Ohio in the early part of the nineteenth century
and settled in Milton township, Wayne county. His wife,to whom he was
married about 1815, was Rachael Howe, said to have been a near relative to
Sir William Howe, the old Tory general of the Revolution. At any rate, she
is recalled by persons still living as a lady of greatly refined manners,
with distinct aristocratic proclivities, and a strong, old-fashioned,
blue-stocking Presbyterian. Her husband was a man of much ability and great
force of character and was prominent in the affairs of the pioneer community.
He was a farmer by occupation, a director in one of the first banks established
in this region, that at Massillon, and a pioneer teacher in the Wayne county
public schools. A few old men still living delight to tell that at his feet
they were taught the A B C's of learning. The old brick house erected by him
on his farm in Milton township seventy-seven years ago is still occupied as a
dwelling and bears his name and the date of its erection on a stone slab in the
gable. He died near Wadsworth, Ohio, at the advanced age of more than eighty
years. His wife followed him a few years later, having attained about the same
age. In politics he was at first a Whig, afterwards a strong Jeffersonian
Democrat.
His second son, Michael C. Dague father of the subject of this sketch,
came as a lad with his parents to Ohio and grew up with pioneers on the
Milton farm. The greater portion of his life was that of a quiet farmer.
Though a man of intelligence, excellent judgment and great energy of
character, he never sought or accepted any office of public trust or
emolument. By industry and frugality, he amassed considerable property,
being the owner at his death of about two hundred and fifty acres of land,
besides considerable town property. His later years were given to
mercantile pursuits until advancing age demanded his retirement. For about
forty years he held the office of a ruling elder in the Doylestown
Presbyterian church. He died at his home in Doylestown, Ohio, in June, 1903,
at the age of eight-five years Of the ten children of the generation to
which he belonged, one, his oldest brother, Archibald Dague, still lives at
Western Star, Ohio, hale and hearty, at the age of ninety-four years.
The maternal ancestors of Doctor Dague, Thomas McElhenie and Margaret
(Eaken) McElhenie, his wife, were of Scotch and Irish descent, Thomas
furnishing the Scotch and Margaret the Irish element. They came to Wayne
county, Ohio, from Center county, Pennsylvania, about the same time with the
Dague family, and settled in the adjoining township of Chippewa. Mr.
McElhenie was a man of sterling character and of more than ordinary
influence in the community. For some years he followed farming, and also
kept a tavern at the cross-roads near where the village of Easton now
stands. Later he opened a store in Easton which he conducted successfully
for many years, until forced into retirement by advancing age. He was for
many years a justice of the peace, both in Pennsylvania, and also after his
removal to Ohio, dispensing law and justice with rigorous impartiality. he
was a great lover of books, and his library of two dozen or more choice
volumes was the wonder and admiration of the pioneers, whose stock of reading
matter in many cases was confined to a Bible, a hymn book and an almanac.
The second daughter, Elisabeth King became through her marriage to
Michael D. Dague, May 12. 1840, the mother of the subject of this sketch, he
being their second son. She was a native of Pennsylvania and about two
years the junior of her husband. She was a woman of excellent sense and
spirit of refined manners and managed well the affairs of her household.
The fruit of this union was five sons and one daughter, all of whom grew to
maturity and became settled in life. The parents lived to celebrate their
Golden Wedding anniversary May 12, 1890, at which an unbroken family circle
was present, and a large number of grandchildren and invited guests also
participated. Mrs. Dague died in June, 1898, at the age of seventy-nine.
Her husband followed her five years later, in June 1893, aged about
eighty-five years.
Rev. Dr. Dague was born on what is now known as the Samuel Collier farm
near Doylestown, Ohio, December 1, 1843. His primary education was begun in
"the little red school house" near Wadsworth, Ohio, whither his parents
removed about two years after his birth. Later his father purchased a farm
in Summit county, near Western Star, where he had the advantages of the old
Western Star Academy for a few terms during the winter months. Here he laid
the foundation for his future career in the acquisition of that love of
books and the passion for a literary life that has ever since been the
leading feature of his character. Though it was necessary that a large part
of the year should be spent in the severe drudgery of farm work, being a
diligent and faithful student, he made the most of his meager opportunities.
He was a constant reader of the best books at his command, and in the winter
of 1861-2 began teaching in the public schools.
Then came the Civil war. Inspired by the spirit of patriotism that was
then prevalent, he enlisted as a private soldier in Company G, One Hundred
and Twentieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and went with the regiment
to its rendezvous at Camp Mansfield. Here he was stricken with typhoid
fever, complicated with pneumonia, and was sent home on sick furlough, where
for twelve long weeks he lay hovering between life and death. The
convalescence was slow, but after eight months of weary waiting he finally
rejoined the regiment, then lying at Big Black River Bridge, on July 3,
1863, the day preceding the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and was
immediately assigned to duty and served until finally mustered out at the
expiration of his term of service, October 16, 1865. During this time of
service he participated in several engagements, the most important being the
siege of Jackson, Mississippi, July 10-17, 1863, where the regiment was
almost constantly under fire; the "City Belle" disaster, near Snaggy Point on
the Red river, where he was one of the few to escape by scaling the river bank
under the murderous fire of the enemy; and the siege and capture of Fort
Blakely, the last great battle of the war. In this engagement he was one of
the first, if not the first of the regiment, to scale the parapet,where he
also captured a Confederate flag and carried it with him inside the fort, but
which was almost immediately wrested from him by an officer wearing the insignia
of a captain, who afterward claimed and reported the capture as made by himself.
Greatly disliking the lazy, lounging monotony of camp life, he was
often at such times, at his own request, detailed for special duty. In this
way he served upon several occasions as assistant in the commissary
department, as helper in the United States Christian Commission, as clerk at
headquarters, etc. After the surrender, he was detailed as a clerk, first
at brigade headquarters, and was afterward transferred to post headquarters
at Houston, Texas, where he became chief clerk and private secretary to the
commanding officer, so that practically all the business of the office
passed through his hands, though at that time less than twenty-two years of
age. This position he retained until finally mustered out of the service.
After a year spent in the South, teaching and some attempts at business,
failing health obliged him to return to Ohio. Here he resumed his
occupation of teaching, first, in the public schools, and later as principal
of the Doylestown Academy, an institution which, like so many of its kind, has
since passed into oblivion. This was a stepping-stone to the realization of
his continued ambition for an education and a literary life, for during all
these years this longing ever grew stronger and deeper, and during all the
marches, encampments, discomforts, dangers and excitements of a soldier's life
there was always found a place in his knapsack for one or more of his favorite
books, to be perused often by the light of the camp fire, while most of his
comrades were "swapping yarns" or engaged at cards. In the autumn of 1868,
having closed his relations with the Doylestown Academy, he entered Miami
University, where, after five years of faithful and diligent work, he was
graduated as a Bachelor and Master of Arts, having in addition to the
regular classical course pursued post-graduate studies in ancient and modern
languages, philosophy, English literature, higher mathematics and civil
engineering, making thus a most extraordinary record for scholarship. During
this time he was also engaged in much benevolent and missionary work, carried
on by the college Young Men's Christian Association, of which he was most
zealous and active member. As a matter of partial support, he found employment
for hours not devoted to study and recitations in the office of the Oxford
Citizen, thus incidentally learning the practical work of the printer's trade.
He was also one of the editors of the Miami Student.
After an engagement for more than four years, and from a mutual desire
that she would be present to witness his triumph at graduation, during the
winter vacation preceding that event, December 26, 1872, he was married to a
lovely and highly accomplished young lady, Josphine M. Reid, daughter of the
late Andrew Reid, of noble Scotch ancestry and a wealthy planter of
Rockbridge county, Virginia. His wife also, Sarah (Kelsoe) Reid, was of
equally prominent Scotch origin, being a lineal descendant of the stern but
pious old non-conformist Rev. James Rutherford, known in history as the
pastor of the parish of Anqorth, so that in both families is represented the
best blood of Scotland. This marriage has been exceedingly fortunate and
happy. Like Jane Carlyle, Mr.s Dague has been in every sense a true, loyal
and faithful help-meet for her husband as a teacher, a minister of the
gospel and a man of letters. She is also an artist of no mean ability, her
work in that line being much admired and praised.
Immediately upon graduation, Doctor Dague was elected principal of the
old Salem Academy, at South Salem, Ohio, where he remained three and
one-half years, during which time the institution was greatly prospered.
Having resigned this charge, he at once projected a private institution
known as Dague's Collegiate Institute, which was opened in Chillicothe,
Ohio, in January, 1877, with about thirty students. For three years the
institution grew and prospered until the accommodations were no longer
adequate, when the institute was removed to Wadsworth, Ohio, the grounds and
buildings of the Wadsworth College having been purchased for its use. Here
it was continued for four more years, when grounds, buildings and good will
were sold to a stock company, and its principal turned his attention to the
work of the gospel ministry, his original purpose in seeking an education.
With this end in view, he had been licensed as a probationer by the
Cleveland presbytery in thespring of 1881, and in September of the same year
was, by the same presbytery, duly ordained to the sacred office. His first
regular work in this line was as minister at Lafayette church at Lake
Chippewa for two years, while still discharging his duties as principal. In
1883 he accepted an unanimous call from the united congregations of Caldwell
and Sharon, Ohio, where he held a very prosperous pastorate for five and
one-half years. Other charges following were Delphos and Middlepoint, two
years, during which time he gathered and organized churches at Scott,
Rushmere and Venedocia; Paulding, Ohio two years; Milton Center, Ohio, five
years including outlying work at Deshler, Cecil, Haskins, Rudolph, and other
points, strengthening weak churches or gathering and organizing new ones.
In 1896, over work and failing health obliged him to take a rest. A trip to
the South and to the Atlantic coast was taken, during which time he preached
constantly in the Southern churches of Williamsburg and North River, and two
years of irregular work in vacant churches followed, when he received a
unanimous call to his old home church at Doylestown, Ohio, where he served as
pastor for the following seven years. In the year 1897, he was a commissioner
to the general assembly at Winona, Indiana. Since resigning his charge at
Doylestown he is residing in his own beautiful home know as "The Maples," a
small fruit farm within the corporate limits of that village. The home is
an ideal one of delightfully shaded grounds, adorned with pots of beautiful
shrubbery and flowers, where the wild song-birds delight to gather and fill
the air with their delightful music. Here, with his wife and an adopted
daughter, who constitute his household, he lives in the congenial
companionship of his books, pursuing his favorite studies and ministering to
the spiritual needs of his old parishioners and others as opportunity offers.
Doctor Dague's attainments in scholarship are far beyond those of most men in
his profession. His diligence in study, his long career as a teacher, and his
thirty years' work in the ministry have developed his powers beyond the average.
He is able to read and interpret the Scriptures in seven different languages and
dialects, is more or less familiar with the Latin, Greek, German, French and
English classics; has a wide acquaintance with the history and themes of
philosophic thought; is familiar with the works of all the great thinkers
from Plato and Aristotle to the latest of the modern philosophers of note;
and keeps himself well informed as to the current developments is science
and literature. For the past fifty years he has been a frequent contributor
to the general press, though he has published no books, and from a sense of
modesty has published most of his writings over a nom de plume. He has
written articles on current topics of public interest, besides poetry, hymns,
popular songs, set to music, and articles on general literature and for the
religious press. Many of these have been widely copied and favorably commented
on The history of civilization,embracing philosophy, comparative religion and
general literature, are his favorite studies. At present he is engaged in
preparing a commentary on the life of Christ on a new and original plan, and
largely from a psychological and philosophical stand-point. He is a
pleasant and interesting speaker and is in frequent demand for lectures and
addresses upon various public occasions. He has also patented some useful
inventions. Ecclesiastically, he is a Presbyterian, and soundly orthodox on
all the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, though tolerant of all creeds
and charitable to all. In politics he is independent, though usually voting
with the Prohibitionists. In 1882 he was delegate to the state prohibition
convention at Columbus, and was once solicited to become a candidate for
governor on that ticket, but declined.
Doctor Dague loves the retired and quiet life of a student. He has
little sympathy with or interest in the wild rush for money-making that
characterizes the present age. In his library, well stocked with the best
books along the line of his favorite studies, or sitting under the maples,
enjoying their companionship or that of living literary friends, who often
come to visit at his home, with his desk and case well filled with
autoghraph manuscripts, the results of many pleasant hours of meditative
thought, or in pleasant conversation with the dear ones of his own
delightful household, he is content to let the rushing world surge by in its
mad rush after the perishable riches whilst he is accumulating and enjoying
the true wealth that can never perish, a mind well cultured and stored with
knowledge, a clean conscience, a happy home. At peace with God and man,
honored and respected at home and abroad, he may well look forward to happy
ending of a busy and useful life.
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~usbios/Ohio/bios/wayne/daguetj.txt
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