A Standard History of Ross County, Ohio, Part 11

Author: Lyle S. Evans
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 549

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Vol. II-6

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The founder of the name in Ross County was Henry DuBois, who was born in Ulster County, New York, February 3, 1797. In the same county was born, on January 2, 1803, Elizabeth Ransom. These two young people grew up together, had their education in such schools as were provided at the time, and Elizabeth taught for ten years in one district in New York. They were married October 12, 1837, and in the following year they came west to Ohio, locating in Ross County on the farm in Jefferson Township where they spent their peaceful and useful lives. Henry DuBois was a whig in politics, until the decline of that party, and afterwards was a republican. They had only two children, and the daughter, Mary E., who was born in 1839, died at the age of sixteen.

Jacob DuBois, Sr., who is now living retired at Vigo, was born on the old homestead in Jefferson Township July 20, 1841. He attended the district schools and also the academy at Kingston, and for three winters followed the profession of teacher. Being the only son and only surviving child, he inherited the old homestead of 320 acres, and was actively concerned with its management until 1902, when he turned over the responsibilities to his son Jacob, and has since lived retired. On April 5, 1865, Jacob DuBois married Margaret Jones, who was born in Ross County, a daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Jones. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob DuBois have five children : Henry J., a resident of Houston, Texas; Mary E., who is unmarried and still lives with her parents ; Eliza A., wife of H. F. Rittenour, of Chillicothe; Gertrude R., wife of Joseph Higby, of Franklin Township; and Jacob E., who is the youngest of the family. Jacob DuBois, Sr., now has fourteen grandchildren. He and his wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Londonderry and in politics he is a republican.

Jacob E. DuBois obtained his early education in the district schools at Richmond Dale. He grew up on the farm, and before reaching man- hood was skilled in all phases of the agricultural business. He is making a great success as a farmer and is one of the highly esteemed men of his community.

On April 25, 1900, he married Claire Lewis, of Jackson, Ohio, daugh- ter of David Lewis. Mr. and Mrs. DuBois are the parents of eight children : Mary A., aged fifteen; Margaret, aged thirteen; Jacob E., aged twelve; Lewis, aged ten; Janetje, aged eight; David, aged six; Cor- nelia, aged four; and Dwain, aged two. All the children except the two youngest are now attending the district schools, and their parents are doing their best to give them careful and methodical training while young. Mr. DuBois, as the father of a large family, is serving his com- munity as member of the Richmond Dale School Board. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church of that place, and in politics he is a republican.

C. L. COUNTS. Head miller of the Richmond Dale Milling Company, Mr. C. L. Counts has spent his years actively and energetically and among varied employments. He comes of a family that possesses unusual

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skill in mechanical trades. Mr. Counts himself is practically a master of all kinds of machinery, and that faculty has been an important cause in his ability to get ahead in the world. Besides looking after the interests of the mill at Richmond Dale, he also owns and lives on a farm of 120 acres in Jefferson Township.

He was born at Richmond Dale February 2, 1864, a son of L. F. and Lucretia (French) Counts. His father was born at Uniontown, Vir- ginia, January 7, 1836, but when four years of age his parents came out to Ross County, Ohio. Grandfather Counts was a blacksmith, and in 1840 set up a shop in Richmond Dale, and made that shop the medium of an important service to the community until his death. Ross County had few citizens who worked longer and were so highly regarded in their community as the late L. F. Counts. He learned the trade of blacksmith in his father's shop and, beginning his apprenticeship there at the age of twelve years, was constantly on duty as a blacksmith and general mechanic in that one location from that time forward for sixty- eight years. He celebrated his eightieth birthday on January 7, 1916, and on the following day he was again at his shop and shod a horse, among other work. He continued active almost up to the date of his death, on June 12, 1916. He and his wife became the parents of seven children : James Edward, of Jefferson Township; Jennie, wife of T. M. Heath, of Gillespieville; C. L. Counts; Letitia, who died in 1895; Daisy, wife of T. G. Hedges, living on their farm north of Chillicothe; and two that died in childhood.

Mr. C. L. Counts grew up in the old home at Richmond Dale, attended the common schools, and from boyhood up has been familiar with the use of tools, and particularly with the activities carried on in his father's shop. He learned the trade under his father, and worked in the old shop for a number of years. He was also employed in farm labor and in railroad work.

On October 30, 1888, Mr. Counts married Nellie E. Rogers, who was born in Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, October 5, 1867, a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Watson) Rogers. Thomas Rogers was born at Newcastle, England, grew up there, passed a thorough apprenticeship in the machinist's trade, and for many years conducted a blacksmith and general machine shop at Portsmouth. He was married in England, and six months later he brought his bride to America, first locating in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. While they lived there one child was born to them, and from Pennsylvania they removed to Portsmouth, where Thomas Rogers followed his trade for many years. Both the Watson and Rogers families have been capable and splendid people through a number of generations in England. Thomas Rogers was a natural musi- cian and from the age of fourteen he and his sister Mary sang in the choir of their church in England. The Watson family furnished many useful men to the profession of the ministry, and that branch of Mrs. Counts' ancestry has an honorable record as far back as it can be traced. Mrs. Counts was graduated from the Portsmouth High School, and before her marriage was a substitute teacher in the Portsmouth schools.

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In 1890, after his marriage, Mr. Counts removed to Portsmouth and for about a year was engaged in blacksmith work. During 1894-95 he was a clerk in the store of W. A. Maxwell, and in the fall of 1895 first began work in the mill at Richmond Dale. In 1897 he left that employ- ment and followed other lines of work for a few months, and in January, 1898, returned to the mill and was actively connected with its operation until 1906. In January, 1906, Mr. Counts entered the service of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at Chillicothe, but in a few months returned to his old home and worked in different lines until 1911. He then entered the service of A. Patterson in the mill, and since June, 1913, has been associated with Mr. J. E. Counts as head miller.

Mr. and Mrs. Counts are the parents of five children : Lewis J., who graduated from the Richmond High School and the Chillicothe High School, was for four years engaged in teaching, for two years served as postmaster, and resigning that office, moved to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, where he is now engaged in office work. Florence, the second child, is a graduate of the Chillicothe High School and of Dennison University at Granville, Ohio, and since 1915 has been one of the capable teachers at Richmond Dale. The three younger children, Edwin, Agnes and Lydia, are all at home, and Edwin is carrying many of the duties con- nected with the management of the home farm.

Mrs. Counts is one of a family of nine children, mentioned briefly as follows: Jennie, widow of John Woodring, of Jefferson Township, Ross County ; Mary, who taught school for thirty years in Portsmouth and is now living in Scioto County, the widow of Henry Yengling; George is a resident of Dayton, Ohio; Stella married Thomas Smith, now deceased, a resident of Maryland; Fannie lives with her sister Mary and is unmarried; Lydia is the wife of Charles Rowe, of Ports- mouth; Leona, who taught school seven years, is the deceased wife of Joseph Sultzer of Cincinnati; Mrs. Counts is the next in age; and John is a practical machinist and fine workman living at Dayton.

Mr. Counts has served in the office of noble grand of Garfield Lodge, No. 710, Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Richmond Dale. He and all his family are members of the Baptist Church and he is one of the church trustees. Politically, a democrat, he served for three years in the office of justice of the peace.

HON. OLIVER P. GOODMAN. The record of Oliver P. Goodman in Ross County is a long and honorable one. He has been a farmer, a sur- veyor, a member of the state Legislature, and has rendered valuable service both in his home community and to the state at large.

He represents one of the very oldest families of Ross County. He was born on a farm in Green Township, April 27, 1839. His great- grandfather, George Goodman, a native of Germany, came to America in colonial times, settling in Pennsylvania, where he spent the rest of his days. He married Catherine Gouger, who was born in New Jersey in 1732, as a child went with her parents to Northampton County, Penn- sylvania, and there, when she was twelve years of age, she and a younger

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brother were stolen by the Indians and taken into the country beyond the Ohio to what was later known as Northwest Territory. Her brother was too young to endure the hardships of travel and was killed by his captors. Catherine Gouger was kept a captive five years. She finally fell into the hands of some French traders, who took her to Canada, and after two years she was released and sent back to Pennsylvania. In the meantime her father had been slain by the Indians and her mother had disappeared. She lived with friends until her marriage in 1756. Quoting from the issue of the News-Advertiser of May 3, 1915, "the first white woman of whom there is any permanent record of having been within the present limits of Ross county was Catherine (Gouger) Goodman, ancestor of the Goodman family of this county, many of whom live in Green township and some in this city-Chillicothe. The Goodman family is one of the oldest and best known in the county." After the death of her husband she came to the Northwest Territory with her children, Christena and William. She recognized the spot where they settled as one where she had camped while traveling with the Indians. The death of this venerable pioneer woman occurred in Ross County in 1801, and her grave on her son's farm was cleared by her own hand, and her request was to be buried there, the place being known as the camping ground for the Indians while she was a captive. Her resting place was marked by a suitable monument in 1916, erected by her great-grandchildren.

John Goodman, a son of George and Catherine Goodman, was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, and in the spring of 1797 he came out to Northwest Territory on a prospecting tour. He made the journey on horseback, and after considerable examination of various parts of South- ern Ohio, bought a pre-emption right, or as it was sometimes called, squatter's claim to a tract of government land in the fractional part of section 4 in what is now Green Township of Ross County. At the time there was a small two-room log cabin on the land, and a very small portion was cleared. He put in a crop, and after harvest returned East, and in the following spring brought his family, consisting of his mother, the historic character already mentioned, and his wife and five children. They embarked on a flatboat on the upper waters of the Ohio, floated down with its current as far as Portsmouth, and then poled the boat up the Scioto until within a convenient distance of their place of settlement. Later John Goodman erected a more commodious house, and it was for many years an inn and was the stopping place of many noted personages of the day, including President Monroe and General Hull. That was years before railroads were built, and this inn was on highways much frequented by stage coaches. After keeping this public house and improving a large part of his land, John Goodman passed away in the fullness of years, July 15, 1830. The maiden name of his wife was Charlotte Shuck, who was born in Pennsylvania and died April 23, 1825.

David Goodman, father of Oliver P., was born in Green Township of Ross County in 1801, only two or three years after his parents had

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settled in that wilderness community. His childhood was spent within a few miles of Chillicothe while that town was capital of the new state, and he was reared to habits of industry, thrift and made a valuable citizen. He did his share in clearing up land and was a very skillful farmer. When he was a farmer all grain was cut with a sickle, and there were many primitive customs which have long since become obso- lete. The cooking was done by an open fireplace, and all the clothing worn was the product of the domestic manufacture, beginning with the raising of the wool or the flax and continuing through the various processes of carding, spinning and weaving. After he reached manhood, David Goodman and his brother Daniel began the operation of flatboats along the Scioto, down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. They loaded these boats with grain, flour, bacon and other supplies, and took them to market at New Orleans. There, after selling the cargo and disposing of the boats for lumber, they returned to Portsmouth, usually by a steamboat, and then either walked or rode horseback to Ross County, carrying about their persons the proceeds of their trip in cash. David Goodman died at his farm in Ross County March 12, 1891. The maiden name of his wife was Elizabeth Cullum. She was born in Maryland October 4, 1812, a daughter of George and Nancy (Galloway) Cullum, who arrived in Ross County in 1815, a little more than a century ago. George Cullum was of Welsh ancestry and his wife of both English and Welsh stock. Mrs. David Goodman reared four children, Ellen, Oliver P., Margaret and Mary E.

Even while Oliver P. Goodman was a boy some of the pioneer cir- cumstances had not yet disappeared from Ross County. He attended the district schools, and in 1862 he graduated from Mount Pleasant Academy. He then took charge of his father's farm until 1871, when he bought a farm of his own two miles west of Kingston. He still owns that place, but in 1903 he removed to the Village of Kingston and has since lived there. While attending the academy he made a special study of surveying and civil engineering, and in his earlier years spent much of his time in that profession.

On October 17, 1865, Mr. Goodman married Dorcas Kelley, a daughter of John and Harriet (Williamson) Kelley. Her great-grandfather, Wil- liam Kelley, was born in Ireland, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and came to America in colonial times, settling in Virginia, where he died. William and Dorcas (McCabe) Kelley, grandparents of Mrs. Goodman, were among the very early settlers of Ross County, and lived near London- derry, and they are buried in the Schooley Cemetery. John Kelley, father of Mrs. Goodman, was born July 28, 1801, near Richmond, Vir- ginia, and when two years of age, in 1803, was brought to the new State of Ohio, the family living the first four years near Lancaster, in Fair- field County, and then settling near Londonderry, in Ross County. Harriet Williamson, the mother of Mrs. Goodman, was born October 28, 1800, and her father, John Williamson, was a native of New Jersey and arrived in Ohio in 1803. The maiden name of his wife was Hannah Wilkins.

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Mr. and Mrs. Goodman reared the following children: Harriet, Alice, Mamie and David K. Harriet is the wife of A. W. Jones, and her two children are Gertrude and Helen. Alice is still at home with her parents. Mamie is the wife of Prof. M. C. Warren. David K. graduated from the Kingston High School, took a special course in Ohio University at Athens, spent one year in Dennison University and graduated from the Cincinnati Dental College, since which time he has been in successful practice at Kingston.

Mr. Goodman has always participated actively in public affairs in his home county. In 1883 he was elected representative to the state Legislature, and while in the Legislature served as a member of the committees on public works and agriculture and as chairman of the public ways committee. Governor Campbell appointed him a member of the committee which had charge of the presentation of the statue of Governor Allen as Ohio's contribution to Memorial Hall at . Washing- ton. Mr. Goodman was also instrumental in securing legislation creating the Ohio Livestock Commission and was one of the first members of that commission. For thirty years he served as a member of the school board of Green Township, and for eight consecutive years was honored with the office of mayor of Kingston. Thus the record of his service in private and public life entitled him to the highest consideration and esteem. For many years he has been an active member of Kingston Lodge, No. 372, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, has filled all the chairs in the subordinate lodge and has served two terms as district grand master.

THOMAS W. CASE. Business enterprise has notably added to the importance of Richmond Dale, Ohio, in the past few years, and this awakening is largely due to such energetic young men as Thomas W. Case, who is doing a large general mercantile business here. He was born on a farm in Jefferson Township, Ross County, Ohio, May 24, 1885, and is a son of Samuel and Elmira (Byron) Case.

Samuel Case was born in Athens County, Ohio, December 29, 1845, where he attended school and assisted his father on the home farm until 1863, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering Company C, Thirty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in which he served until the close of hostilities, when he was honorably discharged. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. On December 5, 1868, he was married to Almira Byrom, who was born in Morgan County, Ohio, October 18, 1847. She was reared on a farm in Morgan County, but has lived also in Jackson and Ross counties. Three children were born to the above marriage: Etta, who is the wife of Charles O'Neal, of Chillicothe; Hannah, who is a graduate of Bliss Business College and is a competent stenographer employed in Columbus, Ohio; and Thomas W.

Thomas W. Case was reared on the home farm in Ross County, and after completing his course in the Richmond Dale schools, applied him- self to farming for a time and then embarked in a general mercantile business at Richmond Dale, in which undertaking he has met with very

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satisfactory results, possessing good judgment and being careful and courteous.

In politics Mr. Case is a republican and takes a very active interest in public affairs and for several years has served with complete efficiency as clerk of Jefferson Township. He is identified with some fraternal organizations, in which he is popular, as he is with his business and political associates. Mr. Case is unmarried.

ABNER J. CASH. One of the valuable estates situated in Jefferson Township, Ross County, is known as Riverdale Farm, comprising 400 acres of well-cultivated land. This farm is owned by Abner J. Cash, who is one of Jefferson Township's leading citizens and public officials. He was born in Jefferson Township February 7, 1863. His parents were Abner and Mary J. (Thompson) Cash.

Abner Cash was born in North Carolina, from which state he came to Ross County when a young man. After marriage he settled on a farm in Franklin Township for a few years and then moved to Pike County, but returned to Ross County, and he and wife were residents of Jefferson Township during the remainder of their lives, his death occurring in 1870 and that of his wife in 1903. She was born in Liberty Township, Ross County. They had nine children, and the following survive: Wil- liam L., who is a farmer in Fayette County, Ohio; Elizabeth, who is the widow of James Gilmore, lives in Jefferson Township; Eliza, A., who is the wife of Ross Crawford, of Fayette County; and James and Abner J., both of whom are farmers in Jefferson Township.

The birthplace of Abner J. Cash was in the neighborhood of his present home. He attended the district schools as opportunity offered, but had to begin work very early in order to assist his widowed mother, and thus had fewer school advantages than many others. He remained on the home place, an industrious young man and dutiful son, until he was twenty-one years old. From the age of fifteen years Mr. Cash worked for a neighboring farmer, George Watson, at intervals until he was twenty-two years of age, when he was married to Mr. Watson's daughter. Mr. Watson was born in County Durham, England, and was twenty-four years old when he came to the United States, settling in Ohio. On October 13, 1861, in Jefferson Township, Ross County, he was married to Susan Soule, and they had one daughter, Addie M., who is the wife of Abner J. Cash. In England Mr. Watson united with the Methodist Episcopal Church and after settling in Ohio he was licensed as a local preacher in that body.

On June 3, 1885, Mr. Cash was married to Miss Addie M. Watson, who was born in Jefferson Township September 1, 1862. Mr. and Mrs. Cash have four children: Pearl E., who married Bessie Tomlinson; John F., who married Bessie R. Jackson; Susie J., who is the wife of Tracy G. Patterson ; and Emma L., who resides with her parents. There are five grandchildren in the family.

Mr. Cash devotes his large farm to general agriculture. He owns additionally a farm of forty-nine acres situated in Pike County. In

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politics he has always been a republican and on many occasions his party has elected him to office, he serving six years as township trustee and as clerk of the school board. He is a member and trustee of the Baptist Church at Richmond Dale, and is connected with a fraternal order at the same place.

JACOB S. CALDWELL. The extensive stock interests of Jacob S. Cald- well, proprietor of the Hill Dale Stock Farm, situated in Ross County, Ohio, have made his name a familiar one all over the country. He is one of the leading breeders of fine horses and of high grade stock of all kinds in Ohio, and his exhibits have been prominent features at fairs in a dozen states. He was the owner of the famous trotting horse, Miss Directed, and developed her record of 2:061/4 and subsequently sold the animal for $8,000. He also owned Miss Respected, 2:051/4.

Jacob S. Caldwell was born in Jefferson Township, Ross County, Ohio, December 23, 1865, the youngest son of Edwin and Martha J. (Davis) Caldwell, the former of whom is deceased. He was born in Jefferson Township, Ross County, May 26, 1834, and was educated in both public and private schools. In politics he was a republican. On September 13, 1855, he was married to Miss Martha J. Davis, who sur- vives and resides on the farm on which she was born. Mr. Caldwell carried on farming during active life and was considered a man of sound judgment and much enterprise. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Richmond Dale, and for many years was a trustee in the township where he had always lived. He was one of the stock- holders in the Ross County Bank, this stock being the property of his widow.

Mrs. Martha J. Caldwell, mother of Jacob S. Caldwell, was born December 28, 1838, in the same house in which she yet lives, in Jefferson Township, Ross County, Ohio. Her parents were John H. and Elizabeth G. (Strong) Davis. The father of Mrs. Caldwell was born in Ross County and the mother in Jackson County, Ohio. He was reared on a farm in Franklin township and she near Jackson, Ohio, where they were married and then settled on the farm in Ross County where Mrs. Cald- well has passed her life. After the death of Mrs. Davis, in the fall of 1860, Mr. Davis went to Missouri and remained there during the rest of his life. For many years he was prominent in politics and on the republican ticket was elected to the Ohio Legislature. He was a local preacher in the Methodist Church. His four children were: Martha J .; William H., who is a retired farmer in Nodaway County, Missouri; J. J., and James, both of whom are retired farmers in the same section.

Mrs. Caldwell was reared on what was then called the Ginger Hill Farm, situated one-half mile west of Richmond Dale. While she attended the district school she also had instruction from private tutors. She had five children born to her marriage with Edwin Caldwell, namely : Charles D., who is a farmer and stock raiser near Burlington Junction, Missouri ; John, who is deceased ; Eva E., who is the wife of S. H. Beady, of Colum-

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A Standard History of Ross County, Ohio, Part 11

Author: Lyle S. Evans Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 549

Author: Lyle S. Evans
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 549