Josiah Gebhart
Josiah Gebhart, white lead manufacturer, Datyon, was born February 13, 1835, in Somerset County, Penn., where he attnded the common school until prepared for college. He then attended the Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, Penn., for two years. At the age of thirteen years, he came West with his parents, and entered the dry goods store of his father, as clerk. He engaged in the manufacture of linseed oil, with his father and Simon Gebhart, Esq., under the firm name of Gebhart & Co., in 1848, and remained until 1870. Then he commenced the manufacture of bailing goods, for packing cotton. He discontinued this business in 1879, and, in company with his son, Charles W. and D.C. Floyd, Esq., commenced the manufacture of white lead, under the firm name of Josiah Gebhart & Co., as it now exists. On the 3rd of October, 1848, he married Miss Susan Wilson, daughter of Nathaniel Wilson, and grand-daughter of George Newcom, an early settler of this county. By her he had two children, viz., Charles W. and Horatio L. The father of our subject was born in Somerset, Penn., 1797, and was engaged in the dry goods business until he came West. The mother, Catharine Walter, was born in the same place, in 1800. They were the parents of five sons and five daughters, of whom three sons and three daughters survive. The grandparents of our subject, John G. and Catharine Lehman Gebhart, were natives of Berks County, Penn., and were the parents of five sons and three daughters. Of these, two daughters died in infancy. Mr. Gebhart, the subject hereof, is a young man in the full prime of life, and fully merits the sucess that has attended his efforts.
From History of Montgomery County, Ohio, W. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1882