Phillip Bemiller
In 1799, Napoleon seized power in France and in 1806, after defeating the Empire of Austria, he set up the Confederation of the Rhine, which included Phillips Bemiller's homeland. In 1807 at the age of 18, he was drafted into Napoleons army. Phillip saw service in many battles and upon at least one occasion was severely wounded. Phillip with "Comrade" holding out his hand as if to shake. As Phillip reached for his hand, the villain suddenly shifted positions and charged with his sword. The thrust was warded off but Phillip received along severe wound in his arm. When asked what he did to the scoundrel, he replied " I cut him down as a weed." As result of his wound he had a terrible scar which served him as a life long reminder of the incident. Phillip took part in the Russian campaign of 1812. Of the 600,000 men in Napoleon's forces that marched on Moscow only 250,000 returned to their homeland, Phillip being in this number. During the retreat from Moscow, Phillip told of the cold and the hardships. He said that when they got to the great river, (probably the Dieker), they found it swollen out of it's banks and filled with floating ice and only a small band succeeded in crossing the river. The end of the Napoleon era took place in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo when Napoleon was defeated by the British and her allies under the Duke of Wellington. Family tradition is that he obtained the rank of Captain. With his military service over, Phillip must have returned home and married, for his first son , John, was born in 1817. Phillip came to this country around 1827 with his wife, Catherine, born 21 September 1799 died 14 April 1874, and three sons living for a time in an eastern state probably Maryland. Family tradition says his wife, Catherine was his second wife not the mother ofhis sons. Further she had a son , Johanna, who stayed in Maryland when the family moved to Ohio. Phillip was believed to be in Ohio by 1829. In 1833 he purchased 100 acres of government land at $1.25 per acre in the southeast corner of Worthington Township, Richland County. He later sold this land and subsequently purchased a substantial farm at the southwest corner of S.R. 97 and Bunker Hill Road. Phillip was the father of three sons : John Bemiller born 14 July 1817 died 19 June 1862, George Bemiller born 19 December 1819 died 31 March 1886 in Elkhart County, Indiana, and Valentine Bemiller 21 May 1823 died 26 December 1896 in Worthington Township.