A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 108

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 108

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

teen in Company E, SIst Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was trans- ferred to Company H, November 15, 1862, and served until July 13. 1865, and veteranized. He died June 10, 1892.

Mr. Simpson was a Whig and Republican in his political views. He joined the Scioto Lodge of Odd Fellows, Oct. 8, 1845, and was a member of it till his death. He spent most of his life in Portsmouth, but lived in Stephenson County, Ill., from 1854 to 1856. During the war he was a resident of Clermont County, Ohio. He was first a member of the Bigelow church, but since 1867 had been a member of the Sixth Street Methodist Episcopal church. He was a member of the first choir organized in the Bigelow church. He never sought or held any public office except he was Assessor of Wayne Township in 1854.

He was an industrious, energetic citizen, and lived up to his pro- fession was a Christian. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was very tall, of dark complexion, thin and spare, and of fine carriage. He had a remarkably firm expression of countenance, which was repellant to strangers, but at the same time to his friends, he was most companionable. He was earnest in all things. He died June 2, 1899.

Elias Simpson

was born in Hampshire County, Virginia, December 15, 1818. His parents were John and Rebecca Simpson. His father died in Vir- ginia and his mother was married there to Hiram Alloway. He came to Pike County, Ohio, in 1827, with his step-father and remain- ed there ten years, when he removed to Scioto County and began working for George Herod in 1837. He went to Mr. Herod's an orphan, ragged and torn, cold, tired and hungry. He was taken in and fed and told his story. He stayed through the winter for his clothes. He stayed several years and grew to manhood. He re- ceived no education but was active and industrious and made money. He bought a team and that helped him. April 1, 1842, he was mar- ried to Mary Howard.

He leased land of his employer where he lived until January 17, 1848, when he moved to his farm on Survey 464, in Morgan Town- ship and resided there the remainder of his life. When he first went there he leased land with John Rankins. When he married he bought a small farm and soon paid for it. In 1854, he began buying land and continued it until at his death, when he owned 3,500 acres in Rush, Morgan and Valley Townships. He was said to have owned more land in acres than any man in Scioto County and to have paid more taxes. He returned more personal property for taxation than any one in the county. His tax return in 1896, is said to have been $30,800. When the war broke out, he thought corn would go up and he rented all the land he could and put it in corn. His expectations

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were realized, and as he said, he made a bed tick full of money. He held on to his crop until 1862 and made $50,000. The rest was easy. At the time of his death his wealth was estimated at $150,000.

His wife died August 8, 1881. Of this marriage there were thirteen children : Mary Ann, deceased, wife of James Allison ; Rhoda, deceased wife of Joseph Morgan; Rebecca, wife of Jesse Johnson ; Franklin, deceased : Henry: Jane, deceased; John, enlisted October 4, 1864 in Company B, 22nd O. V. I., and served one year. He died November 2. 1865. Elias, deceased: George, deceased; Amos, de- ceased ; Andrew T., deceased ; Cynthia, deceased ; Alice, deceased ; and A. Lincoln, deceased. He was married July 12, 1883, to Mary Dun- lap. She died July 16, 1894, leaving two daughters, Louise and Scioto Valley.

He was a member of Lucasville Lodge, F. and A. M. No. 465. He was first a Whig and afterwards a Republican. He died June 3. 1897, in his seventy-ninth year. He had been a resident of Scioto County for over forty years.

Elias Simpson was an honest man. He never permitted an ob- ligation to lapse. His fortune was made by industry, economy and a close application to business. He had a great deal of faith in his fel- lowmen and never lost much by it. Honest himself, he took it for granted every one else was honest. He demonstrated what obstacles can be overcome by patient and unremitting labor, guided by a full knowledge of the busines he was engaged in. He was one of the few men who could make money in agriculture, and who did it.

Luke Philpot Newson Smith

was born October 10, 1818, on the lot where J. C. Hibbs formerly had his hardware store on Front street. His father was John Smith, a native of Massachusetts and his mother's maiden name was Mary Stretton. As a child he was precocious and could read in the New Testament when he was only three years old. He had a very meager education in the common schools, but he was a diligent student all his life and educated himself by learning from his well educated friends. As a child he was of a pious disposition ; as a young man, he was the life and soul of his circle and was always fond of the society of young people.

At the age of eighteen he began life for himself as delivery clerk for McDowell & Davis, who were then doing a commission business in the McDowell corner. He had literary tastes and on Febraury II, 1812, he was made Vice President of Franklin Institute. In Oc- tober, 1844, after he had served as a clerk for the firm for eight years. he was taken into the firm on his birthday and the firm became Davis, Smith & Company. He and his brother Joseph W., were the Smiths of the firm.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

He was a man of great public spirit and when Mr. Robert Bell started in the manufacturing of shoes 'in Portsmouth, to encourage it, Mr. Smith took an interest. In 1850, he was a member of the Portsmouth Council and one of the Committee on Claims. In 1854. the firm of Davis & Smith exchanged their interest in the Buckhorn tannery with M. R. Tewksbury for his interest in Jackson furnace, and Mr. Smith removed there and afterwards became sole owner of the furnace.

On October 10, 1839, he was married to Rebecca Peebles. She was born at Wilkinsville, Pennsylvania, May 18, 1821. She and her husband joined the Presbyterian church January 19, 1851, under the pastorate of Rev. Marcus Hicks. In 1852, he was made a ruling el- der of the church and continued until his death. He maintained his residence, until 1872, at Jackson furnace, when he built a large and commodious home at Sciotoville, to which he removed and in which he died October 21, 1873, leaving a widow and seven children to survive him. They were: Anna Thane, Mary Davis, Gertrude, Hugh Cook, Joseph Stretton, who died in October, 1875, Bertha and Lilias. Hugh Cook married Miss Ella Finton of Portsmouth in November, 1895. Lilias married John Henry Holman at Sciotoville, June 2, 1886, and has one daughter. Luke P. N. married Miss Lydia Mc- Laughlin, in March, 1885, at Sciotoville and has four children. Ger- trude was married in March, 1877, to Charles N. Sellers, in Colora- do, and has a family of four children. Mr. Smith lost six children in infancy or childhood.

Our subject was a fine looking man of dignified carriage. He always wore a full beard. He was courteous to all he met and made a good impression on friends and strangers alike. He was most high- ly esteemed by all who knew him. He died from an attack of flux and his death was a calamity not only to his family and friends but to the whole community. As a religious man, he lived up to his pro- fessions.

Charles Stratten Smith

was born November 1, 1816, on the McColm farm below Carey's Run. His father was a native of Boston and his mother was a Miss Stratten, of Virginia. He attended the Portsmouth schools, and was a clerk in the store of Hall & Gales. He afterwards trad- ed on the river. From May, 1838 to May, 1839, he was a wharf- master at Portsmouth, Ohio.

November, 1843, he was married to Miss Mary G. Locke, of Oxford, New York. Directly after he went into the grocery busi- ness, and remained until 1850 when he went to California to find gold. His wife died December 20, leaving two children, Floyd L. and Addie M., now Mrs. Walter M. Tibbetts, of Indianapolis, In-

GEORGE STEVENSON. [PAGE 827.]

J. V. ROBINSON, SR. [PAGE 818.]

JOHN P. TERRY. [PAGE 840.]

MOSES GREGORY. [PAGE 109.]

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diana, and he left them with her parents in New York and sailed from New York City, May 12, 1850.

He made twenty thousand dollars in three years and came home. In 1854, he was the proprietor of a wharfboat at Portsmouth, Ohio. He went into milling, where the Times office stands and made mon- ey. He built several steamboats, one the "D. M. Sechler" and ran her on the Muskingum river. He built the John Dice home on Sec- ond street.

On January 5th, 1854, Mr. Smith was married to Miss Kate Ackerman. The children of that marriage were Isabel Ellis, wife of Howard H. French, of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Mary Allen died in infancy. Mr. Smith was a half brother to Alpheus, Thaddeus and Robert Cook and Mrs. William Salter, his mother having, after the death of his father, married Hugh Cook. He conducted a paper mill on Mill street. He was a man of fine personal appearance, a hand- some man. His son, Colonel Floyd L. Smith, owes his good looks to him. He was genial and agreeable, very much appreciated among his friends. He died August 28, 1900.

Joseph Mills Glidden Smith

was born December 28, 1807, near Tilton, New Hampshire. He was the son of Jeremiah and Betsey (Glidden) Smith. His mother was the daughter of Charles Glidden, a Revolutionary soldier. (see his record under Revolutionary Soldiers) and Alice (Mills) Glidden. He came to Ohio in 1827 and located near Wheelersburg. He first commenced his life's work at Franklin Furnace. He aided in the construction of Junior Furuace. He built Vesuvius Furnace in Law- rence County, and then went to Jackson Furnace, Ohio. He moved to Scioto Furnace in 1811 and was its principal owner and manager until. 1853, when he sold his interest to J. V. Robinson, Senior. He continued to manage the furnace until 1855. when he moved to Portsmouth. He had been identified with the iron business since 1832 and when he came to Portsmouth, he had $90,000 on deposit in the banks. He concluded to build a distillery at Springville and in so doing, lost all his fortune. He was afterwards interested in Diamond Furnace, at Jackson, in 1864 and 1865 and in 1867 and 1868 he managed Kenton Furnace. . His last active employment was at Talladega, Alabama, where he remained until 1881. At that time he returned to Portsmouth and made his home with his daughters, Mrs. J. W. Bannon and Mrs. James Orin Murfin. On November 3, 1832, at Franklin Furnace, he was married to Miss Charlotte Marie Hurd, daughter of John and Mary (Young) Hurd. Her mother, Mary (Young) Hurd was the daughter of Jesse Young, whose rec- ord will be found under Revolutionary Soldiers. They had five chil- dren: Warren Smith, now in California; Brigadier General Jacob Hurd Smith of the regular army; a daughter Alice who died in in-

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fancy ; Mary, the wife of James W. Bannon and Josephine, the widow of James Orin Murfin, of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Joseph M. G. Smith died April 4, 1889, at the residence of his daughter, Mrs. Mur- fin, of softening of the brain. His father lived to be 100 and his mother 98. He was a man of great force and determination, and honest in all his dealings. His generous hospitality was well known. Ile was a unique character and many are the tales told by the old inhabitants of his adventures.

Mrs. Joseph M. G. Smith

was born September 9, 1814, in Orange County, Vermont, in the town of Burlington. Her father was John Hurd and her mother's maiden name was Mary Young. John Hurd was born in Bath, New Hamp- shire and her grandfather. Jacob Hurd, was born in England. Jesse Young was her grandfather and he was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His record will be found under Revolutionary Soldiers. Ja- cob Hurd's wife was Hannah Barron. Her father Timothy Barron was in the Revolutionary war. Our subject came to Ohio in 1821 with her father, and his family, Orin Gould's mother and her children and the Whitcomb family. Samuel Gould was already here. Benjamin Whitcomb was her uncle and had married Sallie Young, an aunt of our subject. Samuel Gould married Hannalı

Young. The following are the family of John Hurd, her father, first, Charlotte Marie, our subject, who married J. M. G. Smith. Second. Jacob Hurd married Elizabeth Clough of Ohio. Third, Tesse Young Hurd married Catherine Rogers, at Bloom Furnace. Fourth, Mary Hurd married Leander Comstock in Scioto County. Fifth, Josephine married first, Lewis Tomlinson, second, Dan Glid- (len, and third Cyrus Ellison.

Our subject married Joseph Mills Glidden Smith, November 3. 1831, at Franklin Furnace land- ing. The wedding party of forty rode horseback from Franklin to Junior Furnace, where the bride and groom went to housekeeping in their own house. Elizabeth Kendall, nee Finton, cooked the wed- ding supper. They lived there two years and then went to Vesuvius Furnace which Mr. Smith built. Their son. Warren, was born there and they lived there for three years. They then went to Jackson and there General Jacob Smith was born. They lived at Jackson for two and a half years and then went back to Junior Furnace and lived there for two and a half years. They resided at Scioto Furnace for eight years. They came to Portsmouth in 1854 and Mr. Smith then built the Springville Distillery. They lived in Kentucky from 1855 to 1861 and then came to Portsmouth which became their permanent home. Their children are given under the sketch of her husband. Mrs. Smith has been a devout member of the Methodist church since childhood. She is certainly living a happy old age at the home of Judge Bannon. She is a woman of remarkable memory and vitality and of a self-sacrificing, lovable disposition.

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William Russell Smith

was born in Scioto County on September 20, 1824. His father was John Funston Smith and his mother's maiden name was Russell. His brothers and sisters were: Stephen Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Moore, wife of Captain William Moore, Thomas and Reuben. William R. was reared in the County.

Some years before the war he bought a steamboat and went on the river as its master. Charles C. Row was with him. He owned and ran the T. J. Patton, the "Nymph," "Clyde" and "Bierce" suc- cessively. He had altogether nine steamboats. During his career as a steamboatman he was engaged in navigation on the Big Sandy, the Ohio, the Mississippi and the Yazoo rivers. He was engaged in the business of navigating steamboats prior to and during the war. His boat, the "Patton." was impressed by the government, and he went with it. The "Bierce" was a tug and was also impressed. The "Patton" carried soldiers and freight, and was used part of the time by General Grant personally. After our subject left the government service, as a master of steamboats, he became a contractor with the Government for the purpose of raising sunken steamboats. He was hurt at one time on the "Bierce" while operating it on the Yazoo river, by a piece of machinery falling on one of his limbs and this laid him up for a year.

He was married in 1863 to Margaret Wishon, sister of Henry and Leonard Wishon. The children of this marriage were William R .. Jr., John S., now a resident of McDermott, Ohio, Frank C., Oli- ver F., Louis D., Everett N., and a daughter, Magnolia Russell.

Captain Smith was originally a Whig, but at the outset of the war he became a Republican. November 13. 1866, he was appointed postmaster at Portsmouth, Ohio: but was not confirmed and served until March 6. 1867. when Oliver Wood succeeded him. After that time he became a Democrat and remained such during his life. He was not a member of any church but believed in the creed of the Uni- versalists. After he left the government service, he engaged in the stone business in Scioto County and was in that for many years. He died in June, 1898, at McDermott, Ohio, of asthma. His wife sur- vives him, and she and her daughter and sons, John S., Louis D. and Frank C., reside at McDermott, Ohio.

John Webb Spry

was born at Whitestone parish, County of Cornwall, England, De- cember 26, 1822. His father and mother, Richard and Frances Spry with their family of seven children, of whom he was the youngest, left their home in England, leaving Plymouth Harbor March 14, 1834, on the sailing vessel, the "Minerva."

After a voyage of six weeks, considered at that time as being unusually prosperous and speedy, they made ready to land upon the

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

shore of this new and unknown country, when the vessel was wreck- ed upon Rockaway Beach, Long Island Sound. They were rescued by American seamen who came to their assistance. A rope was stretched from the shore to the ship and the passengers were re- moved part of the way in small boats and then to the land in the arms of these strong men. No lives were lost, but the possessions of the emigrants went down with the ship which soon sank in twelve feet of water.

After many trials and hardships, this unfortunate and distressed family found their way to Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where English kindred and friends were settled. They next went to Norwich, New York and about 1848, John Spry came to Portsmouth, Ohio, where his brother Richard had lived some time and there he made his home. For several years, he successfully practiced his profession of dentistry and afterwards went into the drug business with Enos Reed.

He was married to Louisa Davey of Alexandria, Virginia by Rev. Spahr, May 2, 1855, and four children were born to them : John Henry, who died in infancy: Allan Webb; Jennie Waller, who died November 7, 1888: and Fannie Grace, who died November 14, 1897

He was for many years a loyal and consistent member of the First Presbyterian church and devoted his unusually fine musical tal- ents to the services of the sanctuary, adding by his voice and skill- ful flute playing, much to the interest of the services so dear to his heart. An intimate friend, Mr. Stephen Riggs, also a member of that notable choir thus writes of him, "About that time ( 1850) also appeared in our midst, the mild genial, wholesouled Doctor Spry, the silvery strains of whose flute could be readily distinguished above voices and instruments for their exquisite softness and sweetness : he possessed a soul for music, and I often think that he must occupy a prominent place now in the celestial choir, contributing no small amount to the diapason of melody that continually reverberates among the Heavenly hills, as they sing the song of Moses and the Lamb." Mr. Spry possessed a gentle nature and a tranquil spirit with a frail constitution and in early manhood he was called to a better world. Beloved and lamented by his friends and respected and regretted by the community, he died February 21. 1868.

Richard Spry

was born in Cornwall, Whitestone parish, England, March 5, 1809 On April 14. 1831, he was married to Elizabeth Hicks. On March 15. 1834. he set sail to the United States. On reaching land their ship was wrecked on the shores of Long Island. They reached the shore in safety but lost all their goods. They settled first in Norwich, N. Y., and afterwards in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. In 1844. they came to Portsmouth, Ohio, but resided a year or two at Springville. He was a blacksmith and gunsmith by trade, and followed that bus-

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iness at Portsmouth. He was president of the Gas Company and of the Home Building Association. He was prominent in Odd Fellow- ship. He was highly trained in music and had served as a chorister. He had been a communicant of All Saints church in Portsmouth, for twenty-one years prior to his death. He died February 12, 1882. His children were, Mrs. T. J. Pursell, Daniel R. Spry, Mrs. Francis Helfenstein, Miss Thyrza G. Spry, and Miss Emma, who died in 1873 and Robert N., who died in 1877.

Mr. Spry was a model citizen and a good Christian. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him. His widow survived until November II, 1896. She was born June 20, 1811, in Cornwall, England. She was a woman of great kindness of heart and loved by all who knew her.

JohnjSquires

was the town and city Marshal of Portsmouth, Ohio, continually from March 10, 1845, until September 19, 1853, when he became disabled. From 1847 to 1851, he was clerk of the market. In 1848, he was paid for his services as Marshal by the dog tax, and the rent of the market stalls. In 1847, he was allowed $100 as Marshal and $50.00 as clerk of the market.

He was born at Chemung, N. Y., 1798, came to Scioto County in 1818, and located on the French Grant. He was first married to Lu- cinda Lamb. She died within two years. He was next married to Antoinette Vincent and had three children; Lucina, wife of C. C. Row; Susan, killed accidentally at the age of 18; and Sophia, wife of John Rockhold. He was at one time part owner of Franklin Fur- nace, and was manager at Junior Furnace 1825 to 1831. He suf- fered a sunstroke in 1853 from riding in an open car after a prisoner, and had for that reason to give up the Marshal's office. He died within a week after his injury. His widow survived until 1880, and died in her 79th year. He made a very efficient officer, was a power- ful man and had no fear. He never failed to make an arrest or to hold his prisoners.

Colonel Aaron Stockham

was born August 3, 1787, in Pennsylvania. His father was Wil- liam Stockham, who was a Revolutionary soldier from New Jersey, born in 1752, and died in Scioto County, Ohio, Decem- ber 17, 1815. His mother was Susannah Paine, a sister of the fam- ous Thomas Paine. Colonel Aaron was a famous militia Colonel in the early days of the state, and was one of the chief mustering offi- cers of the war of 1812. He was a salt maker at the Scioto salt works, made a great deal of money there, and bought two sections of land on Little Scioto.

He married Ruhama Sikes, a daughter of John Jones Sikes, who has a sketch herein. He died July 16, 1849, and his wife died March

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10, 1873, aged eighty-three years, seven months and twenty-two days. He had the following children : Rachel, born, February 19, 1812, married Job Kittles; William, born March 31, 1813; David Jackson, born March 4, 1815; Cynthia Ann, born April 14, 1816, married Claudius Cadot; John, born September 15, 1817; Polly, born April 27, 1819, married Franklin Batterson; George W., born February 4, 1821; Susan, born October 4, 1822, married Solomon Riker; Pardon P., born February 22, 1824; Mckenzie, born March 8, 1826; James Harvey, born November 7, 1827; Aaron, born June 13, 1832; Henry C., born March 13, 1834.

His son William is living ncar Stockdale, Pike County, Ohio, He was married to Abigail Adams, January 23, 1839, the daughter of George Adams and Margaret ( Schoonover) Adams. His wife was born October 27, 1820, and is still living in excellent health. Their eldest son, George A. Stockham enlisted in Company G, 9Ist O. V. I., August II, 1862, at the age of twenty-two years, and died March 6, 1863, at Fayetteville, W. Va., their daughter, Ruhama is the wife of Levi Brown; Margaret, married Warren Dever; Nancy, married Solomon Dever. They had five children who died in infancy. Mr. Stockham lived the first eighteen years after his marriage in Mad- ison township, and in 1854, he moved to Marion township, Pike county, Ohio, and has lived there ever since. During the time of the Whig party, he was a Whig, and since, he has been a Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Protestant church. In his ninetieth year, his faculties are well preserved, and he is able to give the Revolutionary reminiscences of his grandfather Stockham with great detail and accuracy.

Rev. Landon Taylor.

The Taylors in New York were a Methodist family. Rev. James, a Methodist minister for thirty-seven years, with his wife Julia A. Hathaway, came to Scioto County and settled near Little Scioto about 1835. There were seven sons and one daughter, four of the sons also becoming Methodist ministers, among whom was Landon, who was born in 1812.

Soon after coming to Ohio, Landon engaged in school teaching near Haverhill, at $25.00 a month, making his home with J. S. Fol- som. Later, having married Jane Vincent, daughter of one of the French emigrants in 1837, he secured employment as clerk at Frank- lin Furnace. The Furnace Company soon after failed, carrying with it all his earnings amounting to $1,200. Stranded financially, and his family broken up by the confirmed invalidism of his wife, he preached for a few years among the furnaces, at Burlington and Wheelersburg where he labored with Murphy in the great revival of 1843. In 1845 he went to the territory of Iowa, and becoming iden- tified with the Upper Iowa Conference, passed the most of his life

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there, filling appointments at Burlington, Davenport, Dubuque, Iowa City and many other important charges. For a time he was Presid- ing Elder of the Sioux City district, was Conference Evangelist for some years. then Bible Agent until on account of failing health, he superannuated. In 1883 he published his autobiography under the title of "The Battlefield Reviewed" of which he disposed of two edi- tions. A portion of his last years he spent with his son, Doctor J. L. Taylor of Wheelersburg, where he died in 1885.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 108

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612