George Krepps
No roll of the early settlers of Greene county would be complete without the name of George Krepps, a sturdy pioneer who came over into this section of Ohio from Pennsylvania with his family in 1834, set up a blacksmith shop in Xenia, later engaged in the same business at Trebein and still later settled on a farm in Spring Valley township, where he spent the remainder of his days and whose descendants in the third and fourth generation form a numerous connection in this and neighboring counties. One of his sons, Jeremiah Krepps, of Xenia township, and two of his daughters. Miss Henrietta Krepps, of Xenia, and Mrs. W. L. Fulkerson, of Xenia township, are still living, the two former now being well past eighty years of age.
George Krepps was born in Pennsylvania on August 30, 1802, and in that state grew to manhood, becoming a blacksmith by trade. He married Nancy Baughman, who was born in the state of Maryland on July 16, 1806, and after his marriage continued to make his home in Pennsylvania until 1834, in which year he came over into Ohio with his family and located at Xenia, where he worked at his trade as a smith, some time later moving to Trebein, a few miles northwest of the city, where he erected a blacksmith shop and there continued in business until about 1845, when he moved to a point about two and a half miles out on the Fairfield road, where he was in business until 1850, in which year he purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy-seven acres, known as the John Scarff farm, in Spring Valley township, established his home there in the winter of 1852 and there spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring on August 9, 1873. His wife had preceded him to the grave more than fifteen years, her death having occurred on January 15, 1856. They were the parents of nine children, namely: Mary Ann, born on February 28, 1829, who married Joseph W. Ferryman, of Yellow Springs, and died on September 7, 1884; Jeremiah, who was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, July 17, 1831, and who is still living, one of Greene county's old settlers and the proprietor of a farm in Xenia township; Eli, born on November 29, 1833, who died on October 12, 1862; Henrietta, born on August 29, 1836, who is now living at Xenia, which has been her home for many years and where she is occupying the old Baughman home in North King street; Ann Rebecca, born on September 16, 1838, who died on November 29, 1899; Magdalena, February 17, 1841, who died on April 26, 1913; Sarah Elizabeth, July 30, 1843, who married Richard Sinnard, a farmer of Greene county, and died on February 5, 1890, leaving two children, Marietta and Anna Jane; Eliza Ann, August 24, 1846, who married Austin Stillings, a Greene county farmer, by whom she had five children, Florella, George (deceased), Frank (deceased), Hattie and Raymond; and Nancy Ann, twin of Eliza Ann, who married William L. Fulkerson, a farmer of Xenia township, now living retired. William L. Fulkerson was born on a farm in this county, on the Cincinnati pike, son of William and Eliza Fulkerson, and has always been a farmer. To him and his wife eight children have been born, namely; George Walter, who is a farmer in Jay county, Indiana; Mary Caroline, deceased; Minnie G., deceased; Clarissa Irene, who married Fernando Sanders, of this county; Harvey E., a teacher at Coal City, Illinois; Charles M., a teacher in the state of California; Ivy Foy, a farmer of this county, and Andrew L., a bookkeeper. George Krepps and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and their children were reared in that faith. In his political views he held to the tenets of the Democratic party.
Jeremiah Krepps, only surviving son of George Krepps, was about three years of age when his parents came to Ohio and he grew up as an assistant to his father in the latter's blacksmith shop and later became a farmer, for many years the proprietor of a farm of about two hundred acres in Xenia township, on the Cincinnati pike. Jeremiah Krepps has been twice married, his first wife having been Diana Moore, who was born in Spring Valley, this county, daughter of John and Lana (Quick) Moore. To that union were born four children, Emma, who became the wife of David Anderson and died, leaving a daughter. Bertha; Nancy Olive, wife of L. J. Crumley, a farmer of Spring Valley township, by whom she had three children, W. Albert, Eva and one who died in infancy; Lana Belle, wife of L. L. Hickman, a farmer of Jay county, Indiana, and Diana C, who died in infancy. Following the death of the mother of these children Mr. Krepps married, March 31, 1866, Harriet A. Stillings, who was born and reared in Greene county, daughter of James and Lana (Fisher) Stillings, and to this union two children were born, Ada J., wife of G. W. Fudge, now living at Oxford. Ohio, and Marietta, who married Joseph E. Lyle, living on tiie old home place.
Nancy Baughman, wife of George Krepps, was a sister of Andrew H. Baughman, for many years one of the acknowledged leaders in the financial and commercial life of Xenia and who died at his home in that city in September, 1891. Andrew H. Baughman was born on a farm seven miles east of the city of Hagerstown, Maryland, son of Capt. Andrew and Esther (Herr) Baughman, the former of whom was born and reared in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, where he was married and where he followed farming and inn-keeping, during the War of 1812 serving as captain of a volunteer company. Captain Baughman's wife died in 1814 and he survived her eight years. Deprived of a mother's care when he was but seven years of age, Andrew H. Baughman was reared on the farm of an uncle in the Hagerstown neighborhood and when fifteen years of age began to make his own way, working in a mill, where he remained until he was twenty-one years of age, never at any time during that period receiving more than nine dollars a month as wages. Upon reaching his majority he walked to Wheeling and worked his way by steamer down the Ohio to Cincinnati, whence he went to Hamilton, where he had two uncles living, and a few days later started out for this section of Ohio, making his way to Alpha, in this county. On Christmas Day he began working in Harbine's mill, at a wage of nine dollars a month and his board, and some time later, in association with his cousin, Jacob Herr, rented the mill and operated the same for a couple of years, 1830-31, after which he rented the Snyder mill and six years later, in association with Casper Snyder, bought the same and continued to operate it until 1853, in which year he sold out and bought a farm of two hundred and fifty acres, which he began to cultivate and improve, meanwhile, however, continuing his business association with Mr. Snyder, who at this time took charge of both the Oldtown mills, which they had purchased and in which Mr. Baughman retained a half interest to the time of his death. In addition to his other land interests Mr. Baughman bought a tract of seven acres in the Xenia city limits, included between King and Galloway streets and Church and Shawnee streets, and in 1871 erected on that tract a house, with beautiful surrounding lawn, that is still one of the most tasteful and attractive residences in the city.
As his affairs prospered Mr. Baughman began giving attention to the general business, affairs of the city, his first connection with the banking interests of the c'tv being as a member of the board of directors of the Xenia Bank, afterward a branch of the State Bank of Ohio, and which was rechartered as the First National Bank of Xenia upon the passage of tiie national bank law. He was vice-president of the latter institution and upon the death of the president of the same was elected president, a position he filled until the expiration of the bank's charter; and when the bank was reorganized as the Xenia National Bank he was elected president of the same and so continued until failing health compelled his resignation, although he continued his financial interest in the bank and his place on the directorate until his death. Mr. Baughman also was an active figure in local political circles. His first vote was cast for Andrew Jackson for President and he continued his affiliation with the Democratic party until the organization of the Republican party in 1856, when he voted for John C. Fremont and ever afterward was a supporter of the principles of the Republican party. For twelve years he served as a member of the board of county commissioners and also for years served as a member of the city council, for several terms president of the same, and in other ways gave his attention to public affairs. For more than forty years he was one of the most influential members of the Reformed church in the United States and an office bearer in the local congregation of the same, his name being interwoven with the history of that church in America during the period of his activities, he being particularly remembered as the donor of a fund of twenty thousand dollars for the creation of the Baughman Professorship of the Latin Language and Literature and Biblical Instruction in Heidelberg University at Tiffin, this state. That he enjoyed in an unusual degree the confidence of the public and those with whom he was associated is shown by the fact that he had served as the guardian of fourteen minor children and had served as administrator or executor of ten extensive estates. For many years he was an active Odd Fellow and a member of the grand lodge of that order and of the grand encampment, Patriarchs Militant.
On February 7, 1833, but a few years after becoming a resident of Greene county, Andrew H. Baughman was united in marriage to Mary Snyder, who was born in Washington county, Maryland, September 7, 1814, and who was but an infant when her parents, Jonathan Snyder and wife, came to Ohio and settled with their family in Greene county, Jonathan Snyder becoming one of the pioneer millers of this county, proprietor of the mill in which Mr. Baughman later and for many years had an interest. To that union no children were born, but Mr. and Mrs. Baughman reared several children to whom they gave the same indulgent care that would have been bestowed upon children of their very own. Mrs. Baughman died in 1891, just a few months before the death of her husband. As the Xenia Gazette fittingly commented, following the death of Andrew H. Baughman: "Mr. Baughman will be missed by the church and by people in different walks of life and he will be remembered for many years as one whose sympathies were as broad as the human race and whose integrity was beyond question." Another biographer also pointed out that "his love for his fellow men was deep and sincere, and surely the world is better for his having lived."
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918