USA > Ohio > Adams County > Caldwell's illustrated historical atlas of Adams County, Ohio. 1797-1880 > Part 27
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was the third daughter of Shary Moore, who came from Mays- lick, Ky., to West Union. and after living there some thine, re- moved to Huntington townshlp, Brown county, O., where Mrs. Simpson was born. Mr. Moore died in Cincinnati, February 28, 1880. Mr. Simpson now 'owns 200 acres of the original 1,000 peres bonght by Robert Simpson, which was the old homestead of his grand-father, and also of his father, where he himself was born, and has always lived. It is a good farm, and has one of the best groves of sugar trees on it to be found in the county, from which he mannfactures large quantities of maple sogar and mio- lasses. Mr. Simpson and his wife have both long been members of the Protestant Methodist church, and are respected by all who know them.
THOMAS J. SHELTON .- The ancestors of Thomas J. Shelton were. Irish. The maternal great grand-father, William Cochran, with two brothers, came over to America with the British Army during the revolutionary war, soon became attached to the coun- try and its people; remained and became citizens. William Cochran married in Pennsylvania and settled, where he remained until 1797 or '98, then moved to Washington, Ky., where he stay- ed through the winter, doring which time he came over to Sprigg township, and built a three-faced cabin on the farm now owned by Robert S. Daily. This house stood abont forty rods south of Mr. Daily's barn. In the spring he moved into his little cabin in the wilderness. Mr. Cochran was fond of hunting, and the lone- ly wilderness was his paradise. Ile lived the usual backwoods- man's life, and finally died at the house of his son in Brown conn- ty, O. What became of his brothers wbo came over with him we dou't know. Mr. Cochran reared a family of four children, two sons and two daughters. Ilis second son, John C. Cochran, ·became a prominent man in his day ; he served in the war of 1812, and was everywhere known as Gen. Cochran ; he twice rep-' resented Brown county in the State Legislature, once beating the IIon. Thomas L. IFamer for that position. He married Miss Ta- mar Iloward, by which marriage he reared a family of ten chil- dren, five sons and five daughters, Joseph, John, Elizabeth, Wil- liam, Tamar, James, Jefferson, Sarah, Malinda rud Lydia. They all grew to years of maturity and married, all of whom, except oue, still survive. Tho oldest danghter, Elizabeth, married Wil- liam Selton. They are the parcuts of ten children, Tamar, Thom- as J., Jeptha, Saralı, Margaret, Joseph, Anu, Chase, Lillie and Hattie Shelton. The second of these children, Thomas J. Shel- ton, is the subject of oor sketch. He was born in 1840, aud mar- ried Miss Susan Dragoo, Feb. 22, 1865. They are the parents of nine children, Samuel, William, Cora, Grace, Earnest, Thomas, Hanson, Richard and Amanda. They are all unmarried. Thom- as Shelton, the paternal grand-father of Thomas J. Shelton, was a native of Virginia. He removed from there to Kentucky, where he remained a few years, then came to Brown county, O., and settled at an early day. Here he lived and died. Thomas J. Shelton owns a beautifully located farm of 212 acres of land, in Surveys 1,688 and 1.690, with nice surroundings. He is a prom- inent, active citizen, well and favorably known throughout the county.
THE TRUITT FAMILY .- About the year 1760, three brothers .of the naine of Truitt, emigrated from England to America. One of them settled in Peunaylvania, one in Delaware and the other, the youngest of the three, whose name was Benjamin, went to the eastern shore of Maryland, where married Margaret Kellum, and settled on a farm near Suow Hill, the county seat of Wor- cester county. They were the parents of four sone, Benjamin, Samuel, John K. and William. The latter, who was the progen- itor of the Truitt family of Adams county, was born in 1778. He married Elizabeth Gootce, of Accomack county, Virginia. They, with fivo other families, left their native State on the 20th of March, 1817, to seek new homes in the West, and arrived at Man- chester, Adams county, O., on the 24th of April. Mr. Truitt set- tled ncar Clayton, where he lived until his decease in 1846. IIc reared a family of five children, two sons and three daughters, James, Ilenry P., Margaret, Mary and Elizabeth. James, the eldest son, was born Dec. 24, 1806, and married Elizabeth Camp- bell on the 19th of January, 1830. They live near Brudysville, and celebrated their golden wedding on the 19th of January, 1880. There were born unto James and Elizabeth Truitt nine children, two sons and seven daughters. The two sons and three daughters are dead. Margaret married James W. Taylor."She is dow deceased. Mary never married and is now deceased. Elizabeth married John P. Leouard. They live near Wrights- ville. Henry P., tho second son, was born Nov. 16, 1809. . Hfe married Carlena, daughter of Abraham Bloomhuff, Jan. 24, 1832. Sbe was a sister of the Rev. J. P. Bloomhuff, and was born. Oct. 26, 1808. Mr. Truitt died Oct .: 18, 1847, and is buried in Eben- czer cemetery, Brown county, O. Mrs. Truitt died Nov. 9, 1878, and is buried in tho Odd Fellow's Cemetery, New Haven, Allen. county, Ind. Henry P. and Carlona Truitt were the parents ef seven children, four sons and three danghters, Eliza Jane, Sarah P., John W., Samuel B., James H./ Thomas 'S., Maria B. Ellza Jane married George W. Taylor and lives ut Clark's Hill, Tippe- canoo county, Ind. Sarah P. married Samuol Starrett. They removed to Allen county, Ind., where she died Feb. 7. 1878. Johan W. is single, and now lives in Allen county, Ind. James II. never married ; dicd ,June 6, 1866, aged 25 years Thomas S.
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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO. .
married Amanda Rersy. lio lives in Allen county, Iud. ; en- , gaged In farming. Mariah B. married Harvey Stoneman. They Ilve In Kansas. Samuel B. Truitt, The fourth ohllid In the famlly of Henry P. and Carlena Truitt, was born In Sprigg township, Admins county, Fel 21, 1839. Ile grew up and worked on a farmi, receiving suc .. an education as the country schools general- ly gave at that day. He married Miss Mary Starrett, daughter of Jolin Starrett, Dec. 16, 1859, Rov. J. P. Bloemhuff being the offic- iating minister. O. the 8th day of September, 1862, he enlisted in the 7th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, Colonel Isaiah Garrard, Co. F., Captain J. R. Copeland. llis regiment performed meritorious service throughout the war. Major General Upton in General Order No. 21, issned at Ed :. field, Tenn., highly compliments this regiment for its bravery and eminent services in the last cam- paigns of the war, reciting the achievements of the division of which the 7th O. V. C. was a part, by saying : "In thirty days yon have traveled six hundred miles, crossing six rivers, met and defeated the enemy at Montevallo, Ala., capturing 100 prisoners, routed Forrest, Buford and Rhoddy in their chosen position at Ebenezer church, capturing two guns and 300 prisoners, carried the works in your front at Selma, capturing thirteen guns, 1,100 prisoners, five battle flags, and finally crowned your success by a night assault upon the enemy's entrenchments at Columbus, Ga., where you captured 1,500 prisoners, 24 guns, eight battle flags and vast munitions of war. April 21, you arrived at Macon, Ga., hav- ing captured on your march 3,000 prisoners, 39 pieces of artillery and thirteen battle flags. Whether mounted with the sabre or dismounted with the carbine, the brave men of the 3d, 4th, 5th lowa, 1st and 7th Ohio and 10th Missouri Cavalry, triumphed in every conflict. With regiments led by braye Colonels, and brigades commanded with consummate skill and daring, the di- vision in thirty days won a reputation unsurpassed in the service. Though many of you have not received the reward to which your gallautry has entitled you, you have nevertheless received the commendation of your superior officers and won the admiration and gratitude of your countrymen. You will return to your homes with the proud consciousness of having defended the flag of your country with honor in the hour of the greatest national peril while, through your instrumentality, liberty aud civilization will have advanced, the greatest stride recorded in history." Af- ter his return from the army Mr. Trnitt bonght a farm of 158 acres which he has improved, put in a high state of cultivation, and adorned with beautiful buildings, as may be seen by the viewv given in our pages. Mr. Truitt devotes considerable atten- tion to raising good stock. His cattle brought from Kentucky are among the best in the country. Mr. Truitt and his wife are both members of the M. E. church. They have a beautiful home, and are blessed with an abundance of this world's goods to keep them comfortable the remainder of their days.
GEORGE S. WILSON-FRUIT AND VEGETABLE FARM.
The ancestors of George S. Wilson, first lived in the valley of Virginia, but finally moved to Pleasant county, W. Va., where his father, Charles Wilson, was born Dec. 25, 1822, and where he grew up to manhood. lle here married Matilda Hayucs. In 1866, he moved to Mason county, Ky., and settled on the banks of the Ohio. lle reared a family of 8 children, 3 boys and 5 girls. George S. Wilson, who is the subject of this sketch, was one of these sons. 1Ie was born in 1850, and in 1877 married Miss Ella Parr. In the fall of 1879, he bonght the farm on which he now resides. It is situated in Sprigg township, and known as the McCall farm, widely celebrated as a vegetable and fruit growing place, a busi- ness that has lost nothing under Mr. Wilson's management. On this farm are grown all the most useful varieties of fruits adapted re this latitude, the trees in the orchard having just reached good bearing age, are in healthy condition. Mr. Wilson devotes spec- ial attention to the cultivation of the sweet potato, and the rais- ing of plants for setting, for which purpose he has the best hot- bed in the country. It is a platform 18x60 feet, coustructed of stone, in solid masonry work, arranged for flues beneath to sup- ply warinth, with a thermometer to regulate the heat. By this arrangement, Mr. Wilson says plants can be grown large onougb for planting in three weeks. This one bed alone will produce 200,000 plants in a single season. In connection with his business, Mr. W. has a well constructed house for preserving his sweet po- tatoes, and tender plants through the winter. This building is 18×36, with a capacity to hold 1,000 bushels of potatoes. It is made of double walls, and the space between filled with charcoal. By this means he can keep sweet potatoes all the year. He can, therefore, fill orders at all seasons. This is a very pretty farm, with neat buildings, as can be seen by the engraving in this work.
. JOUN Y. FRANCIS,-The subject of this sketch is of Irish do- scent. IJis grand-father Francis, was born in the county of Cork, grew to years of manhood, married there, and raised a fam- ily of children. His wife died, and about a year afterwards he emigrated to America, bringing with him six children, the oldest of them being sixteen. Ilo landed at New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, thenco came direct to Adams county, where a sister,, who find come over the previous year, had located. Mr. Francis had bought land in Liborty township, on Brlar Ridge, and settled on It. Hle lived but a fow years. The children he brought over
with him were John L., Thomas, Abraham, "Ieane, Jane, Mary and Margaret. Theeo children, after their father's death, ro- muluod together and carried on the farm, receiving assistance from the kind counsels of their aunt. Here they grow up, and all married but Isaac. . They finally separated after marrying, and located in different sectious, Thoy aro now all dead bnt Thoin- as. John L. Francis, the oldest of the family, married Margaret, a daughter of Judge Needham Perry. They had born unto them nine children. Two of them died in infancy, the other seven, Needham Perry, John Y,, Wellington, James, Margaret aud Jane T., all grew to years of maturity and married ; but three of them, Needham P., William and Jane L., have since deceased. Of these children, John Y. Francis, the subject of our sketch, is now the only ono living in the State. He was born February 4th, 1831, and married Miss Malinda J. Smith, Sept. 7th, 1857. She was the daughter of James Smith, and was born Oct. 8th, 1842. They are the parents of thirteen children : Nelson B., born June 21, 1858; John Le; born January 9, 1860; George B., born November 17. 1862 ; Willianı S., born June 2, 1864; Andrew J., born Febru- ary 28, 1866; Dyas, born Dcc. 6, 1868 : Annette A., boru Marcb 14, 1870; Laura Bell, born Oct. 12, 1872; Margaret C., boru March 16, 1874; Harvey G., boru Oct. 10, 1875. They are all living, and remain under the paternal roof. Besides these living children, there were three that died in infancy or early years. Mr. Fran- cis has been the pioneer iu introducing machinery in all branches of farming pursuits. lle was the first man in the county to in- troduce and use on his farm a combined reaper and mower. lle uses in farming the latest improved machinery of all kinds ; grain drills, that at one and the same time sow the wheat, the grass seed and the fertilizers ; he nses the sulky rake and horse power hay fork. In building his new barn this spring, he employed S. S. Tucker, who has invented a horse power borer, for framing buildings. With this machine, a man with one horse, will do all the boring for a building faster than a mechanic can lay out the work. While thus intently engaged providing for bis conven- ience on the farm, he is not unmindful of women's rights and conveniences in the household labors. He was the first man in Sprigg township that botight a sewing machine for his family, as well as providing other' conveniences to lighten the household work. llc' is a devotee to the raising of good stock, and has spent his whole life in efforts to procure and improvo all the best breeds for his farm. Ilis cattle and Cotswold sheep were pur- chased from the best herds and flocks in Kentucky, and his Po- land-Chiua hogs in Butler county, O. llow he has succeeded is at- tested by looking at his stock, as shown in his farm view, given in our book. Mr. Francis owns and occupies the old homestead of the Rev. Williamn Williamson, who first -settled on it, about 1806. Mr. Francis owns some 300 acres, which is kept in a high state of cultivation. lle is a believer in Franklin's maxim, that what is worth doing at all should be done well. With his enter- prise it is needless to add that with him-farming PAYS.
THE PENCE FAMILY-The ancestors of Alfred Pence were of German descent. They emigrated to to this country at an early day and settled in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, but we ean gather little of their bistory, till we come to the groat grand- father, Michael Pence. Ile married in the Valley and raised a family of children. lle, with all his family, left the Valley and came to Adams county, and settled in Sprigg township about 1796. He bought 1,400 acres of land in Hopkins' Survey, No. 915, on which he immediately settled, and commenced to clear up his farm. One of his sons, Peter, had married, while living in Virginia, Susan Roush, and had two children, but they came with the family to Ohio. With Michael Pence also came two families of Roush's, a family named Bryan and Mr. Cook, who . settled in the same neighborhood. All, except Mr. Bryan, were Germaus, and used the Dutch language, from which circumstance the neighborhood was called the "Dutch Settlement," a uame it retains to the present day. A few years after Mr. Pence settled, perhaps about 1808 or '9, he was drowned in the Ohio river while crossing with his team in a ferry flat at llenry Gilman's ferry, which was situated just below the residence of David Pennywitt, at the lower end of Manchester. 1fis body was afterward re- covered, brought back and buried on the old homestead. the first interment in what has since become the family cemotery, which now contains many graves. In crossing the river, from some canse not now known, Mr. Pence and his team were precipitated into the waters, and all perished. After Mr. Penco's death his property was divided among his children, and most, if not all, yet remains in the hands of his descendants. Peter Pence, prev- iously mentioned as having been married beforo ho left Virginia, was tho grand-father of Alfred Pence. He raised a family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters, besides ouo that died in early years. Of these children but for now survive. One, Lucinda (Mrs. Lany) lives in Brown county ; another, Elean- or (Mrs. Thompson), lives in Indiana. The other two, Andrew and Benjamin, live somewhere in the West. One of the sons of l'eter Pence, named Aaron, born about 1798, married Elizabeth Moore. These parents raised eight children, seven sons and one daughter. They wero named Alfred, Nathan, David, Danicl, Jacob, Francis S., Peter and Harrict. Two of these childron aro decensed, Nathan and David ; the latter was drownod in the Ohio river, opposite the mouth of Crooked creck, July 1, 1853, wbile
bathing. Daniel and Herriot (now Mirs, Glibert) live in Hunting- ton township, Brown county, O. Francla S. lives in DeWitt county, Illinois. The other three, Alfred, Jacob and Peter, Ilvo in Adams county. Alfred, the oldest of those children, is the subject of this sketch. He was born May 17, 1823, and married Hannah Evans in 1847. These parents have reared & family. of slx children, two sons and four danghters, Elizabeth, who mar- ried Zevorus Roush ; Rnth married Robert Brookover, Rufus, who is numarried ; Dyas married Ada Parr, Mabala marricd Lafayette Rouslı, and Ida, who lives with her parents, unmar- ried. Alfred Pence, by industry and economy, has accumulated a handsome property. lle now owns the old original homestead of his great grand-father, Michael Pence, and has built a neat residence not far from where the first cabin stood. He grew up and has always lived in the neighborhood, where he was born, and has the coufidence of his fellow citizens, who have elected him Justice of the Peace two ternis, besides filling other towuship offices. The Pence and Roush families were among the first, pos- sibly the very first settlers in Sprigg townsbip, though the prob- ability is the Edgington families preceded them a year at Benton- ville. When they settled there was uot a road or path in the country, but an unbroken wilderness, which swarmed with wild animals of every kind. Bears, welves and panthers lurked in every covert, while the wild deer, the turkey and small game roamed at will over the land.
HON. JESSE ELLIS .- Nathan Ellis, the grand-father of the Hon. Jesse Ellis, was a native of Pennsylvania. He lived and married at Redstone, now Brownsville, that State, but left there about 1794 or '95, and came Westward, stopping a short time at Limestone, now Maysville, Ky. He then crossed the Ohio river and settled where Aberdeen now stands, being one of the propri- etors of the town, or making an addition to it. Here he lived and died, and lies buried on the hill north of the village. He reared a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters, all of whom grew to years of maturity, and all married but one. These cbil- dren are now all deceased but one daughter, Mrs. Ellen Higgins, who lives in Missouri. One of the sons named Jeremiah, was born at Redstone, Pa., Dec. 8. 1780, and married Anna Under- wood, who was born in "Old Virginia," April 6, 1782. They both lived and died in Adams county. Mr. Ellis died Nov. 26, 1857. Mrs. Ellis died April 20, 1867. They were the parents of ten children, five sons and five daughters, three of whom are now deceased. Jesse, the ninth in the family, and the subject of this sketch, was born Dec. 19, 1823. IIe married Miss Maria Baker, daughter of Gen. Simon R. Baker, of Mason county, Ken- tueky. She died March 15th, 1850. By this marriage were born two children, one of them now deceased. Mr. Ellis married for a second wife, Anna Maria, daughter of William Rickards. They are the parents of three children, two sons and one daughter-all remain with their parents. Mr. Ellis is a prominent and influen- tial citizen,-has served as County Surveyor several terms, and repeseuted the county two terms in the Ohio Legislature. Ho owns a farm of over 200 acres in Sprigg township, some four miles nortbeast of Maysville, Kentucky. This farm lies on a high plateau, which by its elevation, is fanned by pure, healthful breezes, that makes it a delightful place of residence. From the southern part a full view of the Ohio river is seen for a distance of ten miles, while the city of Maysville lies spread out beneath the spectator. Though his farm is elvated land, the soil is of au excellent quality, and produces well, all kinds of grain fruit of superior quality. The whole is in a high state of cultivation, and all kinds of stock are of good blood. There are on this elevated surface, several ponds or little lakelets, into which Mr. Ellis bas commenced the breeding of fish.
DAILY FAMILY-Robert S. Daily. the subject of this sketch, is of Irish descent, but we are unable to trace his ancestors back farther than to his grandfather, James Daily, wbo was born near the city of Cork. At an early day, while yet a young man, he emigrated to America, landed in Philadelphia, from whenco ho at once mado his way to Ohio. Ile first stopped in Gallia county, where he remained soveral years. While living thero he married Mary Fort and settled on the French gram. Ile finally left that section of country, and went to Limestone, now Maysville, Keu- tucky. On his arrival at that place, he accidentally fell out of his pirogue into the river and was drowned, at a placo tben knownas " Beasley's Whirlpool." The family settled in Limestone, where they lived some three or four years, wheu tho widow married Robert Simpson, of Washington, Kentucky. Mr. Simpson after- wards bought one thousand neres of land in Sprigg township, Adams county, Ohio, in Brooks Survey, No. 1,688, to wbich he removed and settled. Ile lived on this farm until the infirmities of old age required him to retire from business, Ho sold his land to his son, Thomas Simpson, and resided with a daughter in Brown county, the remainder of his life. He roared a family of twelve children, whose history will be found else- where in this work, in tho biography of Win. HI. Simpson. He diod on his birth day, in 1844, being just eighty-six years old ; and with his wife and his son Robert, lies buried upon the old farm where ho first settled. The other son, Thomas, died May 26, 1863, and tho old homestead became the property of Thomas' two sons, William Ilarrison and John Simpson. Mrs. Simpson, by her first marriage, became the mother of three children, a boy and
54
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO.
two girls, Peter. Polly und Margaret Daily. Peter Daily was toyn in 1591. He married Lydia Dobbins, daughter af Rov. Rob- ent Robbins, a well known minister of the Protestant Methodist denomination. Mr. Daily, after his marriage, settled in Sprigg township. where he lived outil 1812, when le removed to Jeffer- sou county, Illinois, where he died soon after. He reared a fam- ily of six children, Mary, I. Gzabeth, Jane, Robert S., Joel B. and Margaret Daily. Mary marriedl Win. Bartholomew and lives in Badax county, Wisconsin. Elizabeth married Wesley Richmond, and emigrated to Jefferson county, Ilinois, in 1812, where she died August 220, 1843. Jane is numarried and lives in Wiscon- sin. Joel B .. never married. He went to California, in 1854, and from there to Nevada. Margaret married James M. Callo- way, They live in Wisconsin. Robert S., the subject of our sketch, was born March 25, 1822. When Peter Daily removed to tinois, in 1812, his son, Robert S. Daily, accompanied him there, where he remained, some three years after his father's death, then went to " Mineral Point. " Iowa county, Wisconsin, and from there to Highland, in the same county, and worked in the lead mines five years. While engaged in the lead mines, the Califor- nia gold excitement broke out and Mr. Daily joined a company that crossed the plains in 1850, reaching the point where Place- ville now stands, on the 3d day of August, after a tedions journey of eighty-seven days. After working in the gold mines eighteen months, he returned to his old Adams county home, in Sprigg township, after an absence of ten years, spending two years on his California trip, going there by the overland route and returning by the Isthmus of Panama. After his return, October 31st. 1854. married Miss Minerva R. third daughter of Thomas and Mary Simpson. They are the parents of six children, Lillie B., Mary W., MI. Durbin, Robert S., Gabrielle and Amy L. They are all numarried and remain Luder the paternal roof. Robert S. Daily is a gentleman of the strictest integrity, highly esteemed and re- spected by all who know him, and although he never desired or songht places of public position, he has been called to fill several important publie trusts, among which was that of County Com- missioner. lle owns a farm of nearly two hundred acres in the western part of Sprigg township, beautifully adorned with sub- stantial and handsome buildings, as is shown by the engraving in this volume. This farm is in a high state of cultivation. Sur- rounded by his intelligent family and all these worldly comforts about him, he is prepared to enjoy every earthly blessing that man can desire.
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