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Note: N1275 Information on children (names, dates of birth) from the 1850 census of Staunton Township, Miami County, Ohio, which lists his age as 42, his wife’s name Sarah (41), children Jeles (20), Lydia (18), Horatio (16), Cornelius (14), Mary (12), Maria (11), Christian (9), and Westley (4). A George Day (20) is also listed, probably a hired man. Fielding Dye born about 1828 is most likely this man’s son. In the 1840 census, which does not list names of others in the household, there is a boy between ten and 14 years of age who could be Fielding. There are also listed two girls in this age range (Jeles must be one of them), and two girls between 5 and 9 (Lydia being one of them). The other two girls are unaccounted for--they could have married or died. The other two boys listed correspond to Cornelius and Horatio in age. Fielding and his second wife Anna in 1870 lived in Sidney Township, Shelby County, Ohio, where he is listed as a 62 year old retired farmer, and Ann is listed as 60 years old. They have three boarders, Harman Dille (36, tobacconist), Jane Dille (30), and Bailey Walker (45, lawyer). In 1880 Fielding, now a widower, lived there with his daughter Flora and her husband William Moran. They had a servant named Mary McLean, age 16. I have concluded that there is sufficient evidence to assume that Fielding Dye is the son of Fielding Lowery Dye. The only sour note is that the 1850 and 1860 censuses indicate a birthdate of 1825 for Fielding. I think the date 1828 to be more likely. I believe it is possible that Fielding Lowery Dye was named after General Fielding Loury, whose biography is given below: Gen. Fielding Loury was a pioneer to this county shortly previous to 1806, and with the aid of John Smith, his father-in- law, laid out the town of Staunton, and superintended the sale of lots. Smith owned a large amount of land in this county at that time, and employed Loury as his agent. Loury was a man of note, and was the first Representative of the county to the State Legislature. Born in Spottsilvania Co., Va., March 13, 1781, came to Cincinnati in 1802, in June 1811, married Ann only daughter of John Smith, the first United States Senator from Ohio. Gen. Loury owned great quantities of land in Ohio, and in the capacity of surveyor he spent much time in this county in laying out towns, and surveying his own and his father-in-law's lands. In character he was courageous, courteous, energetic and industrious, ever alive to the interests of the community in which he lived. He is represented as a true type of the fine old fashioned gentleman. He was married twice, taking for his second wife the widow of Daniel C. Cooper, original proprietor of Dayton, Ohio. Mr. Loury was the projector of the first ferry in this county, an account of which will be given elsewhere, a member of the early Legislature of Ohio, when it convened at Chillicothe, and subsequently at Columbus also a general officer in the State Militia, and was stationed at Detroit, as Indian agent, during the war of 1812. His powers of physical endurance and activity remained almost unimpaired until his death, caused by falling down stairs. .... In this connection, we beg to note a few additional facts, in regard to Gen. Fielding Loury. He was elected to the State Legislature, October, 1809, and re-elected in 1810. The number of votes cast in the county, then more extensive than now, was 393; in 1810, 250. The wife of Loury, as has been said, was a daughter of John Smith, who resided near Cincinnati, on the Ohio. Smith was a merchant, preacher and politician, and a man of great wealth, having at an early period entered about 16,000 acres of land in the eastern part of this county, for the sale of which Gen. Loury was the agent. Smith was suspected of being an accomplice in the celebrated Aaron Burr conspiracy, for which he was tried. Though acquitted, it proved his financial and political ruin in Ohio, which State he soon left, and moved to Louisiana. At the close of the war with England, in 1815, there were large arrearages due the volunteers and drafted men, who had served on the frontiers. The Government being very slow in paying them, one Jesse Hunt, of Cincinnati, who was paymaster, conceived the idea, in conjunction with Mr. Loury, then a merchant, of buying up the claims, which they accordingly did, for fifty cents on the dollar, paying for the same in merchandise, at an enormous profit. This, though perhaps legal, caused a strong impression that the brave men who risked their lives on the frontier, had been unfairly dealt with, and created a strong and settled prejudice against the principal actors in the transaction. By reason of Smith's political downfall, he failed to meet the second payment on his lands, and they reverted to the Government. At this juncture, Loury and Hunt re-entered a great portion of it, the former representing Hunt's interest in the sale of it. Loury. was elected Colonel of Militia, in April, 1815, Brigadier General in 1817; engaged in merchandising in Troy, and, in conseqtience [sic] of misfortune in down-river trade, failed in 1819.
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