I have just recently joined this list and would like to introduce myself: I have been working on my family history for some 20 years or so, in between other 'jobs' [college, work, marriage, 2 kids, you know the drill]. Within the past 5 years, I have been on a mission to help my mother-in-law [who was diagnosed with leukemia] find her father's side of her family. Given that, my husband is an only child, my MIL is an only child, her father was an only child and his mother was an only child, so this has been an interesting, frustrating and fantastic search. I have finally gained some ground. Yesterday, I found a biography for John Birch of Dayton (brother to Jane Birch Brady for whom I am searching) and typed it all out today. So for those of you with these names [BIRCH, BRADY, TURNER, DE VOU(1880 US census has it as DE VON), TITUS, BAIL (found that marriage record), STEVENS, GEYER], or interest in the history of Dayton, or Civil War... here is the bio - if anyone has any information on any of the families contained within, please email me! Thank you for your support, patience and being there! Centennial Portrait and Biographical Record of The City of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, Frank Conover, Ed., A. W. Bowen & Co., Pub., 1897 p. 512 Capt. John Birch is a familiar name in the business and commercial interests of the city of Dayton, especially in real estate and insurance lines. Cape. Birch has his office in the Canby building, on South Main street. He is of English nativity, was born in Manchester, April 17, 1836, and came to this country with his parents when a lad of only eight years, and spent his youthful days in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio. His parents were Thomas and An (Turner) Birch, both natives of Manchester, England. His father was a skilled machinist, and was engaged in England in the manufacture of machinery used in cotton mills, and continued in the same business at Hamilton until 1852, when he removed to Brookville, [p. 514 - photo of Capt. Birch] [p. 515] Ind., and engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1857. He then located in this city, retired from active business, dying two years later at the age of fifty-six, his wife living to be six years older, and passing away in 1868. They had ten children, five boys and five girls. Three sons and three daughters are now living, the captain being sixth in the order of birth. The remaining five are: Thomas, in the gas and steam-pipe business in Cincinnati, the firm with which he is connected being known as the Stacey Manufacturing company; Jeffrey, a machinist in Covington, Ky.; Elizabeth, the wife of Samuel DeVou, having her home in Hamilton; Jane, the wife of John Brady, living at Coalton, OHio, where her husband is postmaster; and Louisa, who married Theodore Titus, a locomotive engineer at Fort Wayne, Ind. Capt. Birch learned in early life the machinist’s trade, which has been his mainstay for many years. He began it under his father’s eye while the family were still residing in Hamilton, and continued it after the family had gone to Indiana, where he completed his apprenticeship, so that when he came with his parents to this city he was ready to take a journeyman’s position with Chapman & Edgar, only leaving their employ to enlist in April, 1861, in company C, first Ohio volunteer infantry. The regiment was ordered to proceed directly to Washington, and was among the first troops to enter the Confederate territory. The young soldiers first heard rebel guns at Vienna, where their train was fired upon by an ambushed enemy. The regiment was in the disastrous rout at Bull Run, July 21, 1861, and its members relate with much gusto that it was one of the fleetest “runners” after the battle. This they can well afford to admit, for, with scarcely and exception, they afterward retrieved their reputation on many a hard-fought field of slaughter. When the First had completed its term of enlistment, it was mustered out, nearly all its members reenlisting in other organizations for the war, for by that time the serious character of the struggle in which the nation was engaged had become apparent. Mr. Birch returned to Dayton, and enlisted a number of men to be known as the Fremont body guards. But on reaching Benton barracks, it was found that not enough men had been called together for this purpose, so all that he had brought became a part of the thirteenth Missouri, and he was commissioned as second lieutenant of company K. Later on, when credit for enlisted men was claimed by every community sending volunteers to the front, the regiment was designated as the Twenty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, and with this organization his name is found. At Fort Donelson the regiment was conspicuous for its determined gallantry, and here John Birch began a long and honorable military career. He was at Pittsburg Landing, or Shiloh, Corinth, Iuka at the second battle of Corinth, at the capture of Vicksburg, and in several of the tremendous battles that preceded its surrender. The regiment was ordered to Little Rock, Ark, where it was engaged in guarding the railroad and in general guerilla warfare with the scattered rebel bodies during the remainder of its service. May 14, 1862, Lieut. Birch received promotion as first lieutenant, and in August of the same year he received his commission as captain of company B, Twenty-second Ohio. He was mustered out of service at Camp Dennison, November 18, 1864. During his stay with his regiment he was detailed to many important duties, such as mustering officer for five months at Camp Dennison, and on the general curt martial at Little Rock. When Capt. Birch re-entered the ranks of the great army of peaceful labor, it was in the [p. 516] capacity of machinist in the employ of McGregor & Callahan, of this city. After being with them for several years, he received the appointment of foreman at the Phoenix Iron works, where his stay was also protracted. He was then chosen superintendent of the J. R. Brownell Engine department, and here he was active for four years, and for a fifth year was purchasing agent for the same institution. This completed his connection with mechanical pursuits, and on the first day of June, 1896, he opened his present office, buying and selling real estate, and doing a brokerage and insurance business. The Birch family are strong, robust men, above medium height, and its members have generally taken a leading position wherever found. A brother of our subject, William, was a major in the Ninety-third Ohio infantry, and was killed in the battle of Missionary Ridge; another brother, Jeffrey, was also in the service, and was badly wounded in front of Atlanta; another brother, Joseph, died at the comparatively early age of twenty-six. Two sisters lived to maturity, and were happily married. Both are now deceased, Mrs. Mary M. Stevens dying March 1 1896, at Louisville, and her remains resting in the cemetery at Dayton. The other sister, Mrs. Ann Bail, died at Turner Station, KY., and is there buried. Capt. Birch, while acting as mustering officer at Camp Dennison, was “mustered” into the great army of matrimony, in September, 1862, Miss Ellen Brady being associated with him in this enlistment, whose term of service was, “so long as you two shall live.” she was a daughter of Peter Brady, a well-known contractor of Dayton. Two children were born of this union, Clara May, the older, being the wife of Charles J. Geyer, business manager of the Dayton Evening Herald, and the mother of three children, Mercedes Grace, Bertram and Mary. Her brother, Thomas J., was a most promising and attractive young man, who lived to be only a little over twenty-one, dying July 20, 1888. Both were graduates of the Central high school, and the son had already won a good standing for himself as a traveling salesman, when his fatal illness came upon him. Capt., Birch is a member of the order of Chosen Friends, and of encampment No. 145, Union Veteran Legion. He is independent in his political affiliations, but, being an ardent temperance advocate, is desirous of the success of the party committed to that principle as its corner-stone. He was long associated with the republican party, but, of late years, has followed more closely the dictates of his personal judgment. Mrs. Birch is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Again, thank you for your time, patience, understanding and support. There is a photo of John Birch with this bio, if any one is interested, email and I will send. If anyone has any information concerning this family, please let me know - I am still in search of the John Brady that Jane Birch married. That one is my missing link - brick wall. Lisa