A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 109

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 109

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His religious faith was intense, and of the now disappearing type of Wesleyan Methodism. He had a grand voice for public speak- ing, an earnest manner, a fine physique, and withal, was a most genial and interesting companion. His life work was largely one of self sacrifice, since no motives of remuneration, or the lack of it, had the slightest influence in his acceptance of ecclesiastical positions. The joy of his life was that he had contributed to start a number of young people into a religious life who afterwards came into positions of great influence and usefulness in the Christian church.

Doctor Jonathan Tracy

one of the pioneer settlers of the western part of the County, was born in Steuben County, New York, February 2, 1797. His was the hardy frontier life of early days. As a member of the state militia, he participated in the battle of Plattsmouth during the war of 1812. Securing a meager education, he taught school a few years in western New York, and in 1823, emigrated to Stout's Run, Adams County, Ohio, where he resided until 1834. Having made a study of medi- cine, he located near Otway, Scioto County, Ohio, where he engaged in the successful practice of his profession for over forty years. He was first married to Sabina White in Steuben County, New York, who died in 1824, leaving one child. In 1825, he was married to Elizabeth Westbrook, of Stout's Run, Adams County, Ohio, with whom he lived for sixty-three years. He was a member of the Meth- odist church for sixty-four years and was ordained a local preacher. He died October 14, 1888, in full communion with the Methodist church.

Elizabeth Westbrook Tracy was born December 25, 1804, at Stout's Run in Adams County, the daughter of John Westbrook. She saw the first steamboat, the "New Orleans" go down the Ohio river in September, 18II. She joined the Methodist Episcopal church when she was eight years of age. She was the mother of ten children, and at death had ninety-three descendants. Six of her children survived her. She had 56 grandchildren and 35 survived her. She had 26 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grand- child, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Smith, of Otway. She and her husband lived together for 63 years. She died January 7. 1893, aged 90 years.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

John Pease Terry

was born in Coos County, New Hampshire, February 16, 1807. His parents, Charles Terry and Huldah Pease, were from New Haven, Connecticut, subsequently removing to New Hampshire, where our subject was born. When he was three years of age, the family re- moved to Oneida County, New York, and one year later, to Ontario, now Wayne County, where his father purchased a farm in the wil- derness, and began clearing it, assisted by his eldest sons. His fath- er was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1814 from the effects of a gunshot wound received in the defense of Sodus Point, on Lake Ontario, against the attacks of the British.

Shortly after this event, young Terry was bound out to a far- mer, where he remained until he was about 19 years of age. Not liking his master, he left, and, after visiting his sister some thirty miles distant, started on foot for the west, with but one dollar in his pocket, which he had borrowed from his mother. He had at this time no definite destination, but made his way to the mouth of the Genesee river, walking a distance of some forty miles. Then, by boat, he reached the mouth of the Niagara river, where, having spent his dollar, he stopped a short time, and cut wood to earn some money to enable him to pursue his journey by water. Reaching Buf- falo, he again stopped, and worked a month carrying brick and mor- tar, for which he received ten dollars, half in cash and half in dry goods. He then boarded a sailing vessel bound for Cleveland, and was some seven days on the way, the vessel being stormbound. From Cleveland, he walked to Akron, Ohio, where he found employment for six months as a clerk in the store of the contractors on the Ohio canal. This was in 1825. For something over a year subsequent he worked for his brother-in-law, William Lake, at Newburg, near Cleveland, in the manufacture of fanning mills. From 1828 to 1832, he was connected with the engineering corps on the Ohio canal, being for a part of the time assistant engineer. He was also subsequently engaged in contracting on the Cincinnati and Harrison Turnpike. On November 14. 1832, he married Susan Waller, daughter of Doc- tor Thomas Waller. He then purchased an interest in Clinton Fur- nace, Scioto County, and had the management of it until the spring of 1834, when he was compelled to sell out and pay a large sum of mon- ey on an endorsement for Jacob Clingman, cashier of the old Com- mercial bank of Scioto. This misfortune left him worse off than nothing.

For several years following he was employed on the public works of Ohio and Indiana. In the fall of 1837, he embarked in the wholesale boot and shoe business in Portsmouth, and so contin- ued for some four years. For the two subsequent years, he was en- gaged in freighting products to New Orleans, and for two years later in farming in the vicinity of Portsmouth, and still later in the

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milling business. In 1853, in connection with others, he built the Madison furnace, in Jackson County, Ohio, and had the general management and supervision of it until 1864. In 1866, he purchased Buckeye furnace, in the same county, conducted it two years and then sold it. He was subsequently interested in a farm in Pettis County, Missouri, and also superintended the building of a furnace in Washington County, in the same state. After 1847, he was variously engaged in business in Portsmouth; was for a while presi- dent of the First National bank.

He was town surveyor of Portsmouth from 1838 to 1844. In 1839, he received $50 per year for his services. In 1842, he and C. McCoy were fence viewers of Wayne Township. In the same year, he was a director in the Portsmouth Insurance Company. He was a school trustee in 1857. In 1864 to 1867, 1875, and 1880, he was a member of the City Board of Equalization. He was a member of the council in 1877. In 1880, he was a candidate for the State Board of Equalization for the Seventh Senatorial District, but was defeated by W. T. Washam. He was a director in the Portsmouth Iron and Steel Works until June 1, 1881, when he became president and gen- eral superintendent ; and was also interested in a large tract of wood land near Portsmouth, working up the timber into lumber.

He always manifested a large degree of public spirit; and has been prominently active in advancing the efforts of his adopted city. He was a member of the county military committee, during the Civil War, appointed by Governor Dennison. In the discharge of the du- ties of this office, he was independent, conscientious, and true to the interests of his country. Politically, Mr. Terry was a staunch, un- compromising Republican. He was very successful in his business, and always maintained first class credit. He was a fine specimen of a self-made man, and, as his record shows, worked his way from a poor, fatherless boy to a leading position among the business charac- ters of his community. Retiring in manners, strictly honorable and conscientious in all his dealings, he was greatly respected in the com- munity for his sterling qualities, both as a man and a citizen.

Mr. Terry had four sons and two daughters: Charles Terry, Louis Terry, deceased, who has a sketch herein, George Terry, Thomas Waller Terry, who died in the Civil War and has a portrait and sketch herein, Mary I. Terry and Alice B. Terry, who died No- vember 25, 1890. Mr. Terry gave three sons to the cause of the Un- ion, all three of them entering the army while yet under age. Mr. Terry died May 17, 1886.

Moor Russell Tewksbury

was born in Bath, New Hampshire, April 27. 1808. His father was Ezekiel Tewksbury, a native of Amhurst, Mass. His mother, Sallie Barron, was a native of North Haverhill, New Hampshire.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

Our subject remained on his father's farm until his majority and had only a common school education. At 22 he went to Michigan, but not liking it there went to Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio, in 1830. Directly after that, he went to Franklin Furnace and chopped wood and employed himself about the furnace until 1833. In that year, he went to Hanging Rock and engaged as a river agent for Robert Hamilton, who at that time was proprietor of Pine Grove Furnace. Here Mr. Tewksbury remained until 1841 when he be- came book-keeper for D. Agnew & Co., proprietors of Hanging Rock Forge. This concern failed a year later and the assets were sold out to Mr. Henry Hanna. Mr. Tewksbury remained as their book- keeper until 1844. He had saved some money and bought an inter- est in Jackson Furnace, filling the position of river agent for this Company until January, 1853.

In September, 1845, he was married to Miss Sarah W. Lynn, daughter of Andrew and Jane Lynn, of Brown County, Ohio. Three children were born to them: one child died in infancy; Ella S. mar- ried Joseph N. Murray, January 29, 1867, who is deceased, leaving two children ; Albert L. and Isabella, the wife of George T. Sellew of Galesburg, Illinois; Sarah L., married John Peebles, November 8, 1870. She died July 7, 1881, leaving one daughter, Martha S. now the wife of Elmer Dover, of Washington, D. C., secretary to Sena- tor M. A. Hanna. In the spring of 1851, our subject removed to Jackson Furnace, and in the following year, his wife died.

In January, 1853, Mr. Tewksbury sold his interests in Jackson Furnace and became a resident of Portsmouth. He first went into the employ of Robert Bell & Co. manufacturers of shoes, and remain- ed with them until 1856. A part of this time he was agent for Madison furnace. In 1854, he was one of the company who built Madison furnace and held and interest in that until April, 1868. Mr. Tewksbury was interested in the bank of Means, Hall & Co. in 1855.

On May 27, 1856, he was united in marriage to Sarah A. Baird, daughter of Captain William Baird of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. They had four children, one son and three daughters: Jane T., de- ceased wife of Frank E. Todd; Russell B., business man of Cleve- land, Ohio; Julia, married to Theodore N. Johnson, Jr., and Mar- garet, the wife of Albert T. Johnson, President of the Portsmouth & Kentucky Fire Brick Company.

In 1860, the banking house of Means, Hall & Co. suspended and he wound up its affairs. In 1862, our subject was Deputy Col- lector of Internal Revenues under John Campbell of Ironton, and remained as such until 1865. He was one of the charter members of the Portsmouth National bank in 1865 and was a director for many years. In 1872, he served on the City Board of Equalization. In 1875, he became president of the Norton Iron Works of Ashland, Kentucky, and held it a year. In politics, Mr. Tewksbury was an

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old line Whig. He was a trustee of the Young Ladies' Seminary for a number of years, and a member of the Presbyterian church. He died August 4, 1892.

John Theron Tillow

was born in Duchess County, state of New York, July 12, 1820. Until he was seventeen years old, the family lived on a farm. His father came to this county from Loraine, France, in 1790. At the age of seventeen, the family moved to Rochester, New York. Af- ter his father's death, in 1831, the family came to Portsmouth, Ohio. A short time afterwards, Mr. Thomas Lawson, a well and favorably known citizen married his sister, Jane. Mr. Lawson was then in the grocery business and Mr. Tillow became associated with him in business for a number of years. He was married to Julia Elizabeth Williamson, sister of Capt. A. W. Williamson, of Portsmouth, in 1847. He died in February, 1862. Four children and his wife still survive him, Mrs. Louis W. Terry, of Portsmouth; Mrs. T. N. Cheek, of Seattle, Washington; William H., and Frank N., of Lex- ington, Kentucky. He was a Democrat in his political views.

As a business man, and a man of honesty, and integrity no man ever stood higher. He held the office of treasurer of Odd Fellows in Scioto County. He was beloved by the poor, and honored by all. At his funeral every business house in the city was closed, and the streets crowded with people to do him honor. He was a self-made man, and at his death had accumulated quite a competency.

Martin Funk Timmonds

was born December 14, 1818, in the town of Portsmouth, then but three years old. His father, John Timmonds, came from Cumber- land, Md., and was reared in the Roman Catholic church. His mother was Catherine Funk, daughter of Martin Funk; they were married October 16, 1817 by John Brown, Esquire. His father died in August, 1831, in his fortieth year, when Martin was but twelve years of age, and upon Martin fell the burden of supporting the fam- ily. His mother survived until June, 1877, when she died in her seventy-ninth year. His father had made a good living, but signed too many notes as security for others and left his family nothing.

Martin began to work at once, and within a year became the baker for M. B. Gilbert & Company, remaining in their employment as such for fifteen years. In 1847, he went into business for him- self in a one story frame building on the lot next west of the Biggs House. In 1852, he took his brother Samuel Dole Timmonds into partnership with him under the firm name of M. & S, Timmonds, a firm which was well known to every steamboat man between Pitts- burg and Cincinnati. It kept a small cannon called the "bull dog" which barked every time a new boat came on the river, or an old boat reappeared after an absence. In 1857, they first built the store room

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next the Biggs House, and during the war made a great deal of mon- ey, supplying steamboats and the military camps at Portsmouth with bread, ice and groceries. Samuel Timmonds died in 1866, but the firm name remained unchanged. In 1871 the store was burned out in the Biggs House fire but immediately rebuilt. Mr. Timmonds was a stockholder and director of the Portsmouth National bank.

Mr. Timmonds was married in 1852 to Mary Jane Lawson, daughter of Thomas Lawson. She died January 3, 1871. They had the following children: Mary Virginia, wife of Frank Waterman Hills, Comptroller American Smelting & Refining Company, New York ; Samuel Bradstreet, who was one of the organizers and the first manager of the Portsmouth Electric Railway and Light Co .; Kather- ine Maria, wife of William H. Ware, Jr., of Portsmouth, Ohio; and Jeannette Timmonds Ford.

Mr. Timmonds never remarried, but his children made their home with his mother and sister, Maria, on the old Timmonds homestead near the Children's Home.

Mart Timmonds, as he was best known among his business as- sociates, was the soul of honor. His word was alway implicitly taken ; he was liked by all who knew him, and had a pleasant greeting for all. Although not a member, he attended the Methodist church regularly and was a liberal contributor to it and to every public en- terprise. He was a Whig and a Republican in politics, but never held any political office. No one ever applied to him for charity and was refused. He had as warm a heart as ever beat in human breast. He died November 18, 1882, of blood poisoning, leaving a handsome estate, honorably acquired by his own business ability.

Moses Thompson

was born in Pennsylvania, August 18, 1784. He married Sarah Cole. She was born February 18, 1786 and died June 17, 1854. Moses Thompson was elected Justice of the Peace in Wayne Town .. ship in 1848 and was again elected to the same office in 1855. His children were: Margaret, wife of William P. Gray; Jane, wife of Joseph Lodwick; Caroline, wife of Samuel Clark; Sarah A., wife of William McClain ; Amanda, wife of James Pursell; John C. married Abigail Sophia Botsford in Wheeling. She was a native of Bridge- port, Connecticut. Mrs. Henry Hall was his daughter. Eliza mar- ried Murtaugh Kehoe; Julia T. married William Salisbury. He was a Whig and a member of the Methodist church. He died October 7. 1861, and is buried in Greenlawn.

John H. Thornton

was one of the prominent citizens of the town of Portsmouth. He was a native of Flushing, N. Y., and his family name was Merriam. His family was of some importance and he was appointed a naval

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MOSES THOMPSON.

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cadet and sent to Annapolis. He was guilty of some infraction of discipline there, and to escape arrest and punishment ran away into Virginia, and was concealed by a gentleman named Thornton, whose name he assumed. He resided with him for some time and there concluded to seek his fortune in the west. He came to Portsmouth. about 1812.

In 1814. he appears as one of the overseers of the poor in Wayne Township. In 1816, he was the Town Supervisor. In 1818, he had an interest in a flour mill but it does not appear that he conducted the business. He owned the site where the Biggs House now stands. and from 1820 to 1826, carried on a wool carding business there to- gether with a blacksmith shop. In 1822, he sold the town its cele- brated town bull for $68.00 and kept him for the town for one year for $50.00, and also kept him the following year, after which he was sold. From 1823 to 1825, he was town Marshal and Clerk of the market. In 1827, he carried the mail between Chillicothe and Ports- mouth. In 1830, he was again an overseer of the poor for Wayne Township. In 1838, he was elected Coroner and in December, 1839. the Sheriff, Oliver Lindsey, died and he succeeded to the office. In 1840, he was elected Sheriff on the Whig ticket against one Clark. He received 1,356 votes to 781 for his opponent. In 1842, he was again a candidate for Sheriff on the Whig ticket and was defeated by John Cook, on the Democratic ticket. The poll stood 920 for Cook and 880 for Thornton. That was the first time the Democrats had ever broken the Whig phalanx in Scioto County.

After that time Mr. Thornton retired from public life. He died owning the Biggs House property and the former home of the Hon. Wells A. Hutchins on which premises he died. He was born No- vember 23. 1784, and died September 21, 1847. He was married to Sarah Glover, a sister of Hon. Elijah Barnes Glover, and left a fam- ily, among whom were George Thornton, the blind musician, and the wife of Peter Yeager. His father-in-law. Elijah Glover, Sr., was Sheriff from 1810 to 1811; he was Sheriff from 1839 to 1812: and his grandson, Thomas T. Yeager, was Sheriff from 1887 to 1891.

John H. Thornton was not a religious man so far as we can learn, and he was a poor politician, but he was a good citizen and accumulated considerable property.

John R. Turner

was born June 25. 1787. in Northampton County, Va. His father was a poor slave-holder. and was ashamed of the fact. He deter- mined that his children should be free from the curse, and indepen- dent of it, and so educated his son for a school teacher.

In 1808, the Turner family came to Scioto County, and John R., began his career as a school teacher. There comes a crisis in the life of every man, when fortune must be taken at its tide. On April

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

16. 1810, Alexander Curran resigned as Clerk of the Court of Com- mon Pleas to avoid issuing a warrant for the arrest of General Rob- ert Lucas.

Havillah Gunn was appointed Clerk pro tem, but would not qualify for a full term. The court adjourned to May 25, 1810, to select a Clerk and to hold an election for Sheriff in place of John Clarke, resigned. James Munn, the Coroner, had also resigned. The Court tried to find a person with grit enough to issue a paternity war- rant for General Robert Lucas. Turner volunteered to take the place, and he was appointed pro tem until he could obtain the necessary cer- tificate from the Supreme Judges. Curran had also held the office of Recorder and resigned that, and Turner was at the same time ap- pointed Recorder of the county.

Turner gave up his school at Alexandria to take the place. He held it by successive appointments until the fall of 1851, when the office became elective. He was a candidate for the office at the Oc- tober election that year, and received 1,034 votes. His opponent, George W. Flanders received 1,033 votes, and so Turner was elected by a majority of one. Mr. Turner understood the art of standing in with "the powers that be." . He was a first-class diplomat, and, while he was a Whig, it mattered not, if a majority of the Court were Democrats, John R. Turner was re-appointed Clerk every seven years. "The powers that be," with him, were the Presiding Judge of the Common Pleas court and his three associates. In 1829, there was an attempt to remove Mr. Turner from office by impeachment. Several charges as to malfeasance and misfeasance in office were pre- sented against him, and he had a trial, but the court unanimously ac- quitted him. Prior to 1823, he kept the office in a rented room near the court house. From 1823 to 1827, he kept it in Dr. Waller's for- mer office on Front street. From 1827 to 1837, he kept it in rented property, and in October, 1837, moved it into the present court house. He was a most efficient clerk, and was noted for accuracy and neat- ness.

On July 14, 1813, he purchased of Henry Massie, the founder of Portsmouth, -lot No. 113 on Front street, for $30.00. This lot was 821/2 feet front by 132 feet deep, and lies directly south of the present residence of George O. Newman. He built a house on it and resided there until his death. The house is still standing, but has been removed about fifty feet farther east. Mrs. Dorothy Zwick resided in the house until her recent death.

In 1812, he was appointed Clerk to the County Commissioners, and continued to hold this by appointment from year to year till 1821, when the office of Auditor was created. He was Recorder of the county from May 25, 1810, until August, 1841.

On August 12, 1823, he was appointed Postmaster of Ports- mouth to succeed Dr. Thomas Waller, who had died holding the of-

JOHN R. TURNER.

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fice. Mr. Turner held the office until June 23, 1829, when he be- came a victim of Jackson reform and was turned out to give the place to Mr. James Lodwick. His dismissal was considered unjustifiable. and a great outrage. There was much newspaper comment and con- troversy about it. However, Mr. Turner was a Whig, and Mr. Lod- wick a Democrat, and Jackson having just come into office, the vic- tors had to have the spoils. Mr. Turner's compensation was about $150.00 per annum, while he held the place.

In 1826, he kept the office in the court house, but the Commis- sioners thought they were not bound to keep up the United States, and required its removal.

On March 15, 1816, he was elected a Councilman of Portsmouth for three years, and re-elected in 1819 and 1822. He was Presi- dent of the Council in 1822, in 1825 and in 1838. He was Mayor of the town in 1822, 1836 and 1855 to 1857. January 1, 1841, he was fined or being thirty minutes late at the council.

In 1826, he was elected a fence-viewer of Wayne Township, with William Peebles as his associate. For many years he was an examiner and visitor of the public schools.

In the great Fourth of July celebration in 1831, he responded to one of the toasts. In 1829, he was one of the committee which settled with Henry Massie for the front of the town.

Mr. Turner was married twice. His first wife was a Scarboro. He had two sons, William and George. William died in boyhood ; George grew to manhood, became a lawyer and was a Territorial Judge in the State of Nevada. He afterwards practiced law in San Francisco, and committed suicide there in 1881, leaving a wife and daughter. A daughter of John R. Turner, Caroline, died in young womanhood. His daughter, Sarah, married Jacob Clingman and went West. His daughter Martha married an Aldrich: Mary Ann married an Allen: Hester married Daniel Tresler, and Nancy married Eliza Jeffords who became a Congressman in Mississippi.

John R. Turner every season had a fine garden on his lot. He gave it his personal attention. He grew, cultivated and preserved many fine fruit trees.

He was a zealous Methodist, and the pioneer of Methodism in Portsmouth. In 1810 he organized a class of four and became its leader.

In 1814 he took part in the organization of the first Methodist Society in Portsmouth, and was one of the first seven members. He became a local preacher in the church in 1816, and thereafter held that position the remainder of his life. He was, however, Chaplain of a Militia Regiment in the county in 1813. As a local minister he is reported to have married more persons than any minister or mag- istrate in the county.

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HISTORY OF SCIOTO COUNTY.

As a Clerk of the Court he issued all marriage licenses, and as a local minister he performed the marriage. He was as keen after a jcb of this kind as 'Squire Hall or Deacon Tracy.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 109

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