Biographical and historical memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio. Embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the county and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy families and individuals, Part 109

Author:
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 642

USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > Biographical and historical memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio. Embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the county and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy families and individuals > Part 109

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" He ent, he logged, he cleared his lot, And into many a dismal spot, He let the light of day."

B. Mr. Stamets has been a lifelong member of the Church of Christ, and since 1884 has been an elder. He is a man who has the respect of all who know him, and is an active member of the town

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.

council and the school board and one of the direct- county, in 1807, and entered a farm upon which ors of the Building and Loan association. He he lived until his death, in 1838. In politics he has been successful in business and stands high as was a whig; a man well posted on all public mat- an honorable business man. Politically he is a ters, honest and hard working, and reared a family democrat with prohibition principles. The Stamets of eight children. His wife died in Newton town- family has furnished officers and privates for every ship about 1853. Their children were Mary A. war, save the Mexican, from the time of the Revo- (subject's mother), Samuel, Andrew, Robert, Eliz- lution until the present, and in the 120 years of abeth, James, Alexander, Steven, all deceased. the family's residence in America it has not fur- Mary A. was born in Pennsylvania, in 1805, and nished a solitary criminal, but on the other hand was but two years of age upon coming to Ohio. She attended the schools here, was here married honest and useful citizens.

Austin J. Starrett, a native of Muskingum and was the mother of three children: Austin J., county, Ohio, was born in Newton township in 1835, Homer T. and George P., all living. Austin and the son of George and Mary A. (Pierce) Starrett. Homer were both in the late war. At the death The father was the son of Joseph and Ann (Morri- of George Starrett, his widow, in 1844, married son) Starrett. Joseph Starrett was born in Ire- Samuel Woodard, a native of Newton township, land, and was one of three brothers who came to Muskingum county, Ohio, and the son of Amos Muskingum county in 1816, and settled in Rich Woodard. This union was blessed with five Hill township. These three brothers were John, children: David, Hester A., Emma, Martha and James and Joseph, all married and had families. Olive, all living except David who died in 1869; Of John's family none are left, of James a few are the rest are living in Iowa. Our subject's mother, living in this county. Joseph married in Wash- in 1865, aged sixty-four years, settled in Cedar ington county, Penn., and had six children when he Rapids, Iowa, where she died in 1873. She was a emigrated to this county and settled on a farm in member of the Presbyterian church. Homer T. Rich Hill township, about three miles from Chand- Starrett, a brother of Austin J., is living in Zanes- lersville, here he died in 1864, at the age of seven- ville in the coal business. He was asoldier in the ty-eight years, from an injury received by a train on late war and served six months; is married and the B. & O. R. R., at the S. M. Hadden crossing. the father of three children: Minnie, George and He was the father of fifteen children, all wholived to Irwin. maturity except one. He was one of the success-

Austin J. Starrett is the eldest grandson on ful and honest farmers of the county and a member both his father's and mother's side. He was edu- of the Associate Reformed church, and in politics his cated in the schools of Union township and was sympathies were with the whig party. His wife, there married, in 1856, to Martha C. Elliott, a Ann Morrison, was a native of Washington county, daughter of Simon Elliott, born in 1837. After Penn., and their children are named as follows: their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Starrett settled on a Charles, Mary, George, Anna, James, Jennie, farm in Union township, later in Highland town- Samuel, Elizabeth, John, Hannah, Margaret, El- ship and in 1881 moved to the farm upon which len, Sarah, Nancy, and Joseph who died at six they now reside. It consists of sixty-two acres, years of age. Of this family all but Hannah and upon which Mr. Starrett is engaged in general Ellen reared families, and John, Sarah (Mrs. farming and sheep-raising. In 1864 he enlisted in Knight), and Nancy (Mrs. Stitt) are still living. Company D., One Hundred and Sixtieth Ohio George, the father of our subject was one of the Volunteer infantry, and was a soldier in the six born in Pennsylvania, and was a young boy Shenandoah valley. June 15 he was in a bat- when his parents settled in Rich Hill township. tle at Newton, Va., and July 7 and 8 at Har- He attended the subscription schools of the county, per's Ferry. After that he was on post duty and when he was eighteen years of age learned and in a number of skirmishes. Himself and the carpenter's trade, and followed that all his life. wife are the parents of six living children: George He located in Taylorsville, and in 1834 married L., married Mary L. Smith, of Cambridge, and

Mary A. Pierce. He was a member of the Asso- they are living at Newark; Mary S., died at the ciate Reformed church and died in January, 1840, age of ten years; Nancy M., at home; Phillip S., when only twenty-eight years of age. He was a a store-keeper at Wills Creek, Coshocton county; whig in politics. His wife, Mary A. Pierce, was Simon E., in business at Newark; Wilber W .; born in Pennsylvania, and was a daughter of Nich- Charley I. (on the farm); and Riley (died in in- olas Pierce and Margaret (Moody) Pierce. The fancy). Mr. and Mrs. Starrett are members of the father was born in New Jersey and was a son of United Presbyterian church of Norwich, Ohio. In James Pierce, a native of that state. Nicholas politics Mr. Starrett is a republican and interested married in Pennsylvania, and two children were in political matters. He has held some offices in born there. He moved to Newton township, this the township and is very active in school and church

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.

work. He owns a well-improved farm, and is one on public favor and patronage. He owes his of the enterprising men of the township. nativity to Washington county, Penn., where his

George H. Stewart, cashier and director of the birth occurred in 1842, and he is the eldest of First National bank, Zanesville, and one of the three children born to John and Nancy (Stormont) organizers and long a director of the Zanesville Stewart, both natives of County Antrim, Ireland. board of trade, was born at Londonville, Ashland John Stewart was born in the year 1811, and was county, Ohio, in 1849, a son of George H. Stew- one of nine children (seven of whom came to this art, Sr. His father a native of Pennsylvania, came country), born to Allison and Elizabeth (Wilson) to this state at an early day and, locating in Stewart, both of whom died on the Emerald Isle. Richland county, there engaged in business. He John Stewart came to America in 1832, and landed was for several years one of the most prominent at Quebec at the time of the great cholera scare in of the earlier merchants of Mansfield. In Ash- this country. He was quarantined there for some land county he became prominent and well known time. From there he went to New York city, and, among the leading and most influential citizens, having learned the shoemaker's trade in his native and was entrusted with several important public country, followed that for five years. In 1837 he offices, among them that of associate judge of moved from there to Washington county, Penn., the court of common pleas and deputy provost- became the owner of a shoe store, and followed his marshal, filling the latter important position trade for many years. He was married in that

during most of the period of the late war of the county in 1841 to Miss Stormont, and reared three states. Politically he was a stanch republican. children: Wilson (subject); David Boyd, who is He died full of honors in 1883, deeply regretted engagedin the oil business in Allegheny city, Penn. ; by all who had known him. George H. Stew- and Nancy J., who is now in Union township, this art Jr., is a self-made man, and a successful county. She married Mr. Thomas Stewart, a one at that, for though he has never achieved prominent farmer in that township, of which he is nor sought any conspicuous political preferment, a native, and the son of George Stewart who was as an every-day man of affairs, in his own one of the first settlers in Union township. In the chosen walk of life he has attained such a meas- year 1864 John Stewart emigrated to Muskingum ure of success as marks his as one of the lead- county, Ohio, settled on a farm two miles from New ing business spirits in this growing city. He Concord, and there tilled the soil for nine years. grew to manhood and received his education in From there he moved to the town of New Concord public schools of his native town, and in 1869 at and made his home there until 1887, when he the age of twenty years, came to Zanesville to went with his son to Kansas, where he received accept the responsible position of teller in the his final summons the same year. Mrs. Nancy financial institution with which he has since been (Stormont) Stewart, mother of subject, was one of more and more prominently identified. In 1873 twelve children (five of whom came to this country) he was made assistant cashier, and in the absence born to David and Nancy (Boyd) Stormont, natives of a cashier ably and satisfactorily performed the of County Antrim, Ireland. She died in New duties of this position. Immediately after the Concord in 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were panic of 1873, he was elected cashier in fact, and both members of the Reformed Presbyterian has ably administered the important affairs coming church. David Stormont came to the United within his jurisdiction since. At that time he was States in 1825, and located in Washington county, but twenty-four years of age and was one of the Penn. Wilson Stewart passed the early scenes of youngest bank cashiers in the state. Since that his life in Washington county, Penn., but in the time he has even more and more closely identified fall of 1864 he came to Muskingum county, Ohio, himself witlı Zanesville's most vital commercial Highland township, and there followed agricult- and financial interests, and at this time takes rank ural pursuits for seven years. After that he went with the most useful and prominent business men to Mansfield, Allegheny county, Penn., and clerked of the city. In 1877 Mr. Stewart married the in a store in which his brother was a partner for youngest daughter of the late W. C. Cassel, long nearly two years, and then returned to New Con- a leading and most enterprising manufacturer of cord, where, with the exception of a short period Zanesville, mention of whom will be found else- in 1887 and 1888, he has been engaged in mer- where in these pages.

chandising ever since. In the spring of the former

For a period of nearly twenty years Wilson year he went to Wabaunsee county, Kas., but Stewart has been engaged in the grocery and only remained there a short time, and then general merchandise business in New Concord, returned to New Concord, where he resumed conducting his business from the first on the cash business. Mr. Stewart was married in 1879 to system, and during the entire time intervening to Miss Mary A. Wallace, daughter of David and the present, has been steadily increasing his hold Flora (Jamison) Wallace, who were early settlers

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.

of Union township, and the fruits of this union Rev. Samuel R., a Reformed Presbyterian minister have been five children-three daughters and two of Syracuse, N. Y., where he has been preach- sons: Anna F., Jennie R., Ella M., David W. and ing some years. David Wallace, the father of this John W. Mrs. Stewart was born in Union town- family, died August, 1888, and his wife, Septem- ship, Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1848, and was ber 9, 1872. The latter was born in 1807, and one of ten children. Her paternal grandfather, was a small child when brought to Muskingum Rev. Robert Wallace, was a pioneer preacher of county, here reared on a farm northwest of New this part of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart are Concord. She was a lifelong member of the Re- members of the Reformed Presbyterian church, formed Presbyterian church, and an active worker and he is a deacon in the same. They are classed in the same, and held it as her special duty to cmong the county's most respected and esteemed care for the sick and assist all in trouble. aitizens and are active in all good work.

David Stokely (deceased) was the founder of Rev. Robert Wallace, the grandfather of Mrs. the Stokely family in Muskingum county, Ohio, Stewart, was born in Ireland, married there, and but he was born in Delaware and in his youth was several of his children were born there. In 1812 apprenticed to the shoemaking business, at which he came to the United States and settled in New trade he served his full time. About 1795 he im- York city, later coming to Utica, Knox county, migrated west and first settled at Marietta, which Ohio. He was one of the first Reformed Pres- was then nothing but a fort, and there he was byterian ministers in this part of Ohio and west married July 3, 1799, to Abigail Hurlbut, a of Pennsylvania. He preached in tents and barns daughter of Benoni Hurlbut, who was killed and or wherever he could, and was very prominent in scalped by the Indians September 29, 1791. He church work. He died in 1845, and by his first had built a cabin before he was married but had marriage reared a family of three sons and three not laid the floor yet. Immediately following the daughters: Eliza; John, who is a minister of the event of their marriage they packed their effects Reformed Presbyterian church; David, Margaret, on a horse and started for Muskingum county, Nancy, and James; all deceased except Margaret, both walking the entire distance. Upon arriving who is the wife of Samuel Stevenson, of Iowa; at Putnam they set to work to erect a habitation, and Nancy, now Mrs. Campbell of Monmouth, his young wife using the grubbing hoe in leveling Ill. After the death of his wife Rev. Wallace the ground, while he with a stronger but not more married Mrs. McCartney, the widow of Henry willing arm, felled the trees for their cabin home. McCartney. They had no children. David Wal- They soon had a small tract of land cleared, upon lace, his son and the father of Mrs. Stewart, was which they began raising vegetables, and boarded born in Ireland in 1806, and at the age of six the hands of a sawmill that stood on the banks of years came to this country with his father. He the Muskingum where the present C. & M. V. R. was reared principally in Knox county, and was a R. crosses the river. In 1804 Mr. Stokely entered young man when his parents moved on a farm in a quarter section of land on the south fork of Union township, this county. Here he engaged in Jonathan creek in Newton township, upon which farming, was a poineer of the abolition party, in he settled in 1805. This land he cleared, im this part of Ohio, and his home was a depot for proved and lived upon the rest of his natural life, the underground railroad. He made a number and in connection with tilling the soil he followed of speeches on the anti-slavery question, and came his trade for quite a number of years. After a

near losing his life a number of times. He was short service in the War of 1812 he was discharged an active member and elder in the Reformed Pres- on account of over age. He was a member of the byterian church and a great temperance man. Christian church and his wife was a Methodist. After settling in Muskingum county he married Seven children were born to their union, three of Flora Jamison, a daughter of John Jamison [see whom grew to mature years: Benoni P., Elizabeth sketch of Robert W. Speer]. To this union were and David, the latter being the only surviving born six sons and four daughters: Margaret, was member of the family. Benoni Hurlbut was a Rev- the wife of David Stormont, and died in 1856; olutionary soldier of note and the Stokelys have in James B., died in 1853, having just left college; their possession official documents dated April 10, Robert, who is living in Delaware county, Iowa, a 1770, which guarantee to the loyalty of Mr. Hurl- farmer and man of family; John C., died when but and to the fact that he was in every way young; Rebecca J., died in 1865; Sarah E., worthy of confidence. They also have the deed of married Mr. Ardrey, of Rich Hill township, and a land grant of 100 acres dated October 27, 1769, died in 1871; John C., is a farmer on the home and another dated June 19, 1771. During the place in Union township, was a soldier in the late Revolutionary war Mr. Hur)but commanded a war in which he served three years; David, died small detachment of troops on the lakes and was a in 1859; Mary A., the wife of Wilson Stewart; brave and fearless soldier, devoted to the interests

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.

of the struggling colonists. He was located at scended to his son, the subject of this sketch, who Marietta, and during this time, as above stated, still has it in use. Samuel White, the father of was killed by the Indians. The paternal grand- Mrs. Stokely, was born in Barnard, Vt., in the year father, Prettyman Stokely, was the commander of 1791, a son of Thomas Wells and - -(Wright) a vessel during the Revolutionary war and did his White, who were also born in the Green Mountain country good service in preying upon the English state. Thomas White was a son of Rev. David merchantmen. David Stokely, whose name heads White, a Presbyterian minister of Massachusetts, this sketch, died on August 31, 1847, at the age a native American. Elder John White came to of seventy-nine years, and his wife, who was born America twelve years after the landing of the Pil- August 4, 1777, died March 31, 1847. David grim Fathers and founded the family in this Stokely, the son of David and Abigail (Hurlbut) country. Samuel White removed to Ohio in 1800 Stokely, was born on the farm on which he is now and settled in Washington county, where he spent residing, October 29, 1810, and his youth was the rest of his days. His wife was a daughter of passed in a manner common to all pioneer boys. Asa and Eunice (Foster) Emerson, which family He was married January 18, 1835, to Miss Lydia, also came from Vermont, taking up their abode in daughter of Samuel and Eunice (Emerson) White, Ohio about 1805, their home being at Windsor in after which he settled on the farm where he now Morgan county. Asa Emerson was a ruling elder lives where his six children were born, only three of the Presbyterian church. He was of Scotch of whom are living at the present time: Rufus origin. To Samuel White and wife the following Putnam, David Edwin and Benoni P. Those de- children were born: Mary, Susannah and Roxana ceased are Abigail Hurlbut, Eunice Emerson and (deceased), and Lydia, Abigail and Asa living. Mr. Arminta Sybilla. Rufus P. enlisted in Company White died October 23, 1823, and his wife, who A, Sixty second Ohio Volunteer infantry, as a was also a Presbyterian, in 1839. Mrs. Lydia private in 1861, and passed through the various Stokely was born in Morgan county, Ohio, March grades of promotion to first lieutenant and at the 2, 1816.

close of the war was brevetted captain. He was Samuel T. Storer, A. M., M. D., New Concord, wounded in the right arm at Fort Wagner and in is one among the foremost of the professional men the mouth by a spent ball at Chapin's farm, and of Muskingum county, Ohio, and as a practitioner at the close of the war was honorably discharged. of the healing art he has won for himself golden David Edwin enlisted in Company G, Thirty-sec- opinions. His cheerful countenance, encouraging ond Ohio Volunteer infantry, as a private, and words and advice, and his thorough knowledge of during his term of service was in many hard-fought his profession, which only long and continued battles, but escaped without being wounded. He practice can give, has placed him upon the highest was taken prisoner at Maryland Heights, was pinnacle of success, and his services are sought paroled, exchanged and afterward re-enlisted in over a large scope of territory. He was born on the service, in which he remained until the war the old homestead (which he now owns), one-half terminated. Benoni served as a private in Com- mile south of the village of New Concord, Decem- pany A, Sixty-second Ohio Volunteer infantry, and ber 18, 1832, where he spent his early life in rural was taken prisoner the day of Lee's surrender, pursuits, receiving his education in the common but was immediately paroled and a few days later schools of the village, and later entered Muskin- was discharged and returned home. David Stokely gum college, from which institution he graduated and his wife are members of the Presbyterian with honors in 1853. He was the eldest of seven church, of which he has been a ruling elder since children born to Isaac and Mary (Snodgrass) joining, forty-three years ago. He was formerly Storer, all now deceased except our subject, and a whig in politics, but since the birth of the repub- Mary A. who is the wife of Rev. W. S. Harper, a lican party has supported its measures. His un- minister of the United Presbyterian church and a dertakings have been prospered throughout life, resident of Beaver, Penn. Those deceased were he has always enjoyed good healthi, and he is now Richard A., Martha (who was the wife of Rev. well preserved for one of his years. He has in his Robert W. Hill who is also deceased), David (wlio possession a small wooden box in which his father died when young), John-(died on his return from carried his shoemaker's kit, and it is now consider- the army at the age of twenty-one) and James ably over one hundred years old. It is of cypress (whose death occurred from a kick of a favorite wood, the nails are of smith make and it is still in a colt when fourteen years of age). Isaac and state of good preservation. His father. after his set- Mary Storer, the father and mother of these tlement in Putnam, returned to Marietta in a canoe children were both natives of Allegheny county, for a barrel of pork he had pickled in salt for Penn. The father was born on December 1, which he paid $10 a bushel. This brine he pre- 1807, and the mother on March 5, 1811. The served and used during his entire life and it de- mother died on December 4, 1872, and the father

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HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.

followed her to the grave on January 22, 1875. river near the lake; it was constructed of hewed Both were members of the Presbyterian church, logs with port holes for rifles, also near it stood the and he was a ruling elder in the same. He was a old stone stuccoed lighthouse, to guide vessels great church worker, and for many years was super- into the mouth of the river. Chicago sprung up intendent of the Sunday school. Politically he like a mushroom, and it was generally believed was a lifelong democrat. Agriculture was his that it would be short lived and a poor place to chosen occupation, and by industry, economy and make investments; hence he concluded to pack his perseverance he succeeded in educating his family, trunk and return to the place of his nativity, think- contributing freely of his means to all benevolent ing he was lucky to make his escape from that and praiseworthy objects, leaving an ample in- wicked city. After time and due deliberation the heritance to his children. He was much interested Doctor decided that medicine was his calling, and in educational matters, and served as a member of in the year 1858, went to Cleveland, Ohio, and the board of trustees of Muskingum college for commenced reading medicine with Dr. Thayer, twenty-five years. He was an excellent neighbor, professor of surgery in Cleveland Medical college, a respected and public-spirited citizen, and not graduating from the same in 1860; shortly after- only taught but practiced the "golden rule."

ward he commenced the practice of medicine and

Dr. Storer's paternal great-grandfather, Thomas surgery in Leavenworth, then Kansas Ter., re- Storer, was the father of ten children: John, mained there until the spring of 1861, when he Samuel, Stacy, William, Thomas, Ezekiel and returned to his home and shortly afterward enlisted Richard (twins), Rebecca, Margaret and Elizabeth. in Company A, Fifteenth Ohio Volunteer infantry, The Doctor's paternal grandparents were Richard for three years; was chosen second lieutenant and and Hannah (Frazier) Storer. Eight children served in that capacity for nine months, resigned were born to them in the following order : Thomas, his commission, and was appointed and commis- John, Ezekiel, Richard, Elizabeth, Frazier, Isaac sioned assistant surgeon of the Ninety-ninth Ohio and Hannah, all of whom are now deceased except Volunteer infantry, Army of the Cumberland, and the latter, who is eighty-three years of age, and is joined his regiment then stationed at Murfreesboro, a resident of the state of Missouri and is the mother Tenn., remaining with the same until April, of fourteen sons and two daughters.

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Biographical and historical memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio. Embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the county and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy families and individuals, Part 109

Author: Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 642

Author:
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 642