History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 40

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams
Number of Pages: 896

USA > Ohio > Ashland County > History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches > Part 40

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Mr. Rice possesses a most extraordinary memory for dates, and the author of these pages is indebted to him for many valuable reminiscences of the carly settlements of Green township. Mr. Rice is yet (: SSo) residing on his homestead near Perrysville, aged nearly eighty years, and retains all his mental faculties and much physical vigor.

THE TANNEHILLS.

Melzer Tannehill, sr., was born in Frederick county, Maryland, July 12, 1716. He emigrated to what is now Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and located near Pitts- burgh in the year 1777, during the Revolutionary war. He married Miss Eleanor Lile, March 23, 1790. He emigrated to jefferson county, Ohio, in 1865, and in September, ISti, removed to Green township, in what

is now Ashland county, and located on section twenty- three, where he resided over fifty years. fle was one of the first commissioners of Richland county in 1813. In 1812 he was assessor of Knox county. He was subse- quently a justice of the peace for Green township. Dur- ing the exciting scenes of 1812, after the assassinations on the Black fork, he took a vigilant part in preparing to repel any future assaults by the savages. He de- censed April 24, 1851. He was an exemplary and up- right man, and had been a regular attendant upon the services of the Presbyterian church for many years. His family consisted of five sons and five daughters. Two sons and three daughters yet survive.

Charles Tannehill was born in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, January 30, 1792. He emigrated with his father's family in ISI, and assisted in improving the homestead in Green township. During the border troubles of 1812, he served as a soldier in a company recruited in Knox county, Ohio, by Captain Greer, and participated in all the dangers incident to border, life. In June, 1814, he married Miss Mary, daughter of Allen Oliver, and located on section twenty-seven, where he resided over fifty years. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, Mr. Joseph Cathcart, in Portage county, Indiana, November 26, 1875, at the advanced age of eighty-four years. His remains were brought to Perrys- ville for interment, and now rest beside those of the wife of his youth, who had preceded him to the grave. He was a member of the Disciple church. His family consisted o: twelve children, nine sons and three daugh- ters. Your sons and two daughters survived him. Mr. Adamson Tannehill, the oldest son, resides in Hicks- ville, Defiance county, Ohio. He was born July 1, IS15, and is the oldest living native of Green township.

Melzer Tannehill, jr., second son of Melzer, sr., was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, June is, 18or, and removed with his father's family to Jefferson county, Ohio, and thence to Green township in ISir, and as- sisted in improving the old homestead. He is now sev- enty-five years old, and quite rugged. He writes a fair hand, and may survive many years. He is an influential farmer, and takes a lively interest in the improvement of the county. His recollections of the days of the pio- neers are quite vivid. At the organization of the pio- neer and historical society of Ashland county in 1875: he communicated many interesting incidents, and he- camé a member. He says the following pioneers were citizens of Green township at the arrival of his father's family in I811 : "George Pierce, John Davis, George and Abram Baughman, john Murphy, Joseph Jones, Sylvester Fisher, Ebenezer Rice, Solomon Hill, Josiah L. Hill, Moses Adsit, Thomas Coulter, Aller Oliver and Jeremiah Conine, and their families. In the fall of 1812, when the Indians became hostile, the settlers erected strong cabins and block-houses for their protection. Some three or four families having friends at Clinton. Knox county, removed there for greater safety. There was no stampede, as some state. All the settlers, cx- cept the ones named, remained and occupied their own places of defence."

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

ELIAS FORD

was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1799. He came with his father, Thomas Ford, from Jeffer- son county, Ohio, to Clearcreek township, in 1819. His father had entered a quarter section of land in section twenty-two. They journeyed in a small, one-horse wagon, in which they brought the necessary provisions for their absence, and a few tools to erect a cabin. From Wooster they passed along the path to the present site of Rowsburgh, thence along the old trail to the house of Jacob Young, on the Mohican, northeast of Union- town; thence, to near Mason's mill, and then, along a new cut road to section twenty-two, where they erected a temporary shelter, somewhat in the form of a camp house, with open front, and covered with bark. Their bunk upon which they slept was suspended by bark ropes from the roof and was about three feet from the ground. The fire place was immediately in front of this open cabin and fire was kept burning during the night to frighten away the wolves, and keep off the musquitoes. The wolves were uncommonly numerous and mischiev- ous. Rattlesnakes, and other varieties of reptiles, were quite numerous. The bed being thus elevated secured the occupants from the reptiles. Mr. Ford was accom- panied by a large watch-dog, who slept at the open door- way in front of the cabin, to alarm the occupants in case of intrusion or danger. Thomas and Elias Ford were well armed. Elias slept in the cabin while his father made his home at Thomas McConnell's, a son-in-law, in Orange township. At the time of the arrival of Mr. Ford and son, a large number of Delaware Indians were encamped in the neighborhood, engaged in making sugar and hunting. They were well armed but quite friendly. A strong attachinent soon sprang up and con- tinued until the close of the hunting season. At this date many Wyandots and Delawares hunted annually along the Vermillion river and in the vicinity of the Savannal. lakes, and looked with suspicion upon the in- trusion of the white settlers. After a few weeks, Thomas Ford returned to Jefferson county and removed with the balance of his family to Clearcreek. Elias had been engaged in clearing and fencing a field for corn, and in the absence of a team, carried rails on his shoulders to place them in a fence.

The family of Thomas Ford, at their arrival in 1819, consisted of four sons, Elias, Elijah, Thomas H., and John; and four daughters, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Susan nah, and Belinda. In the meantime a larger and more commodious cabin had been erected by the aid of the scattered settlers. Elias, subsequently, September 9, 1821, married Miss Elizabeth Parks, of Jefferson county, and located on the late Daniel Huffneer farin. At this time there was neither a church nor school house in the township. The people assembled at the cabin of Thomas Ford, for public worship, for many years. In 1830, Ford's meeting house was erected; it was a fine structure for that period, and was occupied by the Methodits as a place of worship. Thomas Ford died October to, 1830; his funeral was preached by Rev. Elver Yocum. Elias Ford performed arduous labor in clearing and

preparing bis farm. For many years he experienced all the privations of pioncer life, but by industry and fru- gality accumulated a handsome property. Having dis- posed of his old homestead, he purchased a new home in 1845, and subsequently, about 1865, sold it, and removed to Troy township, where he deceased in the fall of 1874, aged about seventy-five years. Mr. Ford was a large man; would weigh about two hundred pounds. He had a fine head, and bore a striking resem- blance to Daniel Webster. If he nad possessed the advantage of a thorough collegiate course of training, he would have left a proud record. As it was, he was a leading man in his township, as a farmer and a citizen. He was a man of high moral attainments, and took a leading part in favor of the public schools. Thomas H. Ford, a younger brother, served in the Mexican war as a captain, and subsequently became lieutenant governor of Ohio. He was also a colonel in the war of :861-5. "He is dead. The balance of the family are somewhat scattered.

JACOB LUCAS,

was born. in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1805. He is of German descent. His father was from Hessia, and came over in the British army during the American Revolution. He served about three years, and upon learning that the colonists were not really cannibals, as asserted by the British oficers, deserted to the colonial side. At the close of the war he settled in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1833, aged seventy-three years.

Jacob Lucas, his son, emigrated to Perry township, Wayne county, in 1832, with his family. He served a time at the trade of a tanner, in Mt. Pleasant, West- moreland county, Pennsylvania, in r$21-3, and was among the fist of his craft in Perry township. He carried on business over forty years, and retired in 1872. He is a leading member of the German Baptists or Dunkards. His family consists of four sons, John, Al- bert, Joseph, and Hiram, and four daughters, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Mary, and Lydia - - all married.

JACOB HIFFNER, SR.,

was born in Hessia, Germany, in 1752, and wlien about sixteen years of age emigrated with his father's family to the State of Maryland, and settled near the Pennsyt- vania line. In the fall of 1776 he volunteered to serve three years in the line of Maryland infantry in the American Revolution. He marched with the Maryland troops to Trenton and Princeton, and participated ju the battles of December 27, 1776, and January 3, 1777. In the following August he was in the battle of Ben- nington, and in September, the battle of Brandywine. He was at the surrender of. Burgoyne. in October 1777. He fought in the badle of Monmouth, in June, 1778. Frei that period to the close of his enlistment, he marched and countermarched with the atiny from point

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

to point, participating in many skirmishes and hard fought battles. At the expiration of his enlistment he returned to the residence of his father, where he re- mained nearly two years. The long continuance of the contest was rapidly decimating the colonies of their able- bodied men. It became necessary to force recruiting. A new draft was ordered and Mr. Hiffner's name was drawn. Having seen hard service in the army, he was not inclined to renew his old toils, dangers and suffer- ings. His father aided him in procuring a substitute, by the payment of such sum as was demanded. At the close of the Revolution Mr. Hiffner removed to Hunting- don county, Pennsylvania, where he remained until the fall of 1817, when he removed to Orange township, Richiand county, Ohio. At the time of his removal his family consisted of six sons, Jacob, Frederick, Henry, John, David and Valentine, and four daughters, Eliza- beth, Mary, Martha and Catharine. Mr. Hifiner and his sons, several of whom were married and had families, were accompanied by Jacob Ridenour, a son in-law, and his family. The little colony was transported through the wilderness, along trails and recently opened paths, by four four-horse teams, in covered wagons, in which the families slept at night, during their long trip, cooking by the side of the paths at the regular hours. They crossed the Ohio river at Steubenville, and passed, thence, by narrow, muddy paths to New Philadelphia, to Wooster, and the present site of Rowsburgh, thence along the old Indian trail and emigrant path, to Jacob Young's, in Orange, and thence through the forest by new cut paths to section fourteen, where they erected small cabins within a short distance of their present homes, and commenced to cut away the forests and pre- pare fields for culture. When Mr. Hiffner and his sons and son-in-law landed, they found the following settlers, who had preceded them one or two years: Rudy Brou- derberry, Robert Wasson, Martin Hester, Jacob Fast, Solomon Urie, Vachel Metcalf, Amos Norris, Jacob Young, Mordecai Chilcote, Philip Fluke, and John Bishop, whe subsequently married Elizabeth Hiffner". Mr. Hiffner lived to see his children all possess comfort- able homes. He deceased November 23, 1848, aged ninety-six years and two months. He was buried on a bluff of Mohican creek, in the family cemetery, where many of his kindred sleep. May his rest never be dis- turbed by American recreancy or a want of patriotie de- votion to the institutions he helped inaugurate. The only survivors of the large family are Catharine, wife of Joseph, Bishop and David, aged (1876) seventy-three years. Jacob Hiffner, the oldest of the family, served three months in the war of 1812 at Black Rock. He died, aged about eighty years. Heury died, aged seventy-two years. Valentine died, aged sixty-six years.

.* A short time after the arrival of Mr Hinner, in the fall of 1817. Thomas Lyons, and sixteen or seventeen Delaware indians, visited his cabin and had a long talk on the history of the Delawares in Pennsyl- vania, and the noted land marks in that state, as well as the beautiful valleys of the Wyoming. Ont He was very full and slept on blanket in the cabin of Mr. Hatteer. Heats the custom of the Deli- cadres for the following sit or seven years to hunt and make sugar along the streams in Orange anu Jackson township.

JOHN TILTON

was born in Princeton, New Jersey, in 1760. Hle en- tered the army of the American Revolution when he was sixteen years old, in 1776. He served in a regiment commanded by Colonel Klon. He was in the battles of Princeton, January 3, 1777; Germantown, October 4, 1777; Monmouth, June 28, 1778; Sander's Creek, Au- gust 16, 17So; Jamestown, July 9, 1781; at the surren- der of Lord Cornwallis, October 19, 1781, and in a number of heavy skirmishes and retreats. He was in the service nearly five years, during which he experienced all the privations and hardships incident to the Revolution- ary war. At the expiration of his service he returned to New Jersey, and married.

In 1787 he removed to Washington county, Pennsyl- vania. His family, at that time, consisted of himself, his wife, and two children -- Elizabeth and Ira.

In August, 1812, he removed to Stark county, Ohio. In 1814 he removed to Wayne county, where he re- mained until May, 1831, when he located on section thirty-five, in Orange township, Ashland county. He purchased the farm of Robert Crawford, upon which had been erected, by its owner, a noted horse-mill of the pioneer period.

Mr. Tilton enlisted, for a tour of three months, in the brigade of Colonel Robert Crooks, in the war of 1812, in the northwest, while residing in Stark county, and ac- companied the Pennsylvania troops, under General Robert Crooks, from Pittsburgh to Jerome's place and Mansfield, late in the fall of 1812.

He possessed great bodily vigor, which he retained to an advanced age. He was inflexible in his purposes, and retained a clear intellect until the time of his death. He expired, after a brief illness, at his farm in Orange township, August 12, 1849, aged nearly ninety years. He was accompanied to his final rest, in the cemetery at Orange, by volunteer military companies under the com- mand of the late Colonel Alexander Miller, Major R. B. Fulkerson, and Captain John S. Fulton, and hundreds of his old neighbors.

Mr. Tilton was regarded as an upright and valuable citizen. His services in the war of Independence, and of 1312, with Great Britain, won for him the esteent of all his patriotic neighbors.

Mrs. Tilton preceded him to the grave about four months, at the age of eighty-four years. The family consisted of Elizabeth, Ira, Sarah, Amy, Phebe, Deborah, Aaron, and James A. Of these, only two survive -- Mrs. Phebe Camybell, aged eighty-five, and James Albert, aged sixty-five. The latter resides on the old homestead, and is remarkable foi his extraordinary physical force and mental determination. He is a successful farmer and business man.

WILLIAM TAYLOR

was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, January 14, 1774 His father had emigrated from Ireland two or three years before the commencement of the American

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

Revolution. He removed, after the close of the war, in- to Huntingdon county, and subsequently into Bedford county near the iron works. Here William remained until manhood, and married. In August, 1821, he cmi- grated, with his family, to Richland county, Ohio, land- ing at Mansfield. He brought with biin one five-horse, one four-horse, and one two-horse team .. The large team was loaded principally with axes, grubbing hoes, wedges, corn hoes and other necessary tool, and one set of blacksmith tools, which were disposed of to the pioneers at a fair profit. His route was by Pittsburgh, then along Cook's and Beall's trai's to Wooster, and thence through Jeromeville, Hayes' cross roads, Peters- burgh, and to Mansfield along the old State road. In the fall of 1821, he purchased four quarter sections of land adjoining what is now the Carey farm in Green township. He improved this property, passing through all the struggles of pioneer life, and resided on it until March 7, 1851, when he deceased. This homestead, in point of soil and location, was one of the finest in the county. Mr. Taylor was twice married. His family con- sisted of eight sons-William, Thomas, Levi, James, Al- exander, David, John and Andrew, and one daughter, Sarah, wife of Thomas McGuire, of Green. John has been repeatedly elected justice of the peace, has served two terms in the Ohio legislature, and was elected pro- bate judge in 1875.

The family are all deceased but Levi, James, David, John, Andrew and Mrs. McGuire.

ANDREW NEWMAN

was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1778. He was of German descent, the original name being Neu. mann. He emigrated to Richland, then Fairfield county, in 1806, and settled on the Rocky fork of Mohican, in Mifflin township, about three and a half iniles below the present site of Mansfield. Here he was joined by Ja- cob Beam and other pioneers. When the war of 1312 was declared, and the border settlers menaced by the Indians on the Black fork and Jerome fork, Mr. New- man assisted in the erection of a block-house, known as " Beam's," to which the settlers fled for safety. At the time of the removal of the Green and Jerometown In- dians, Mr. Newman was engaged in buil Ung a sx-real on the Rocky fork. In this work he was aided by STT- jam and Richard Roberts, of Knox county. The night the Zimmers and Ruffner were slain by the Indians, Mr. Newman fancied that the savages were in the vicinity of his cabin, for the reason that his big dog kept up such a disturbance. The bands got their guns in readiness, ex- pecting to be attacked momentarily. Newman labored under unusual excitement, and in attempting to load his gun spilled the powder. Mr. Newman called to his aid Mr. Shearer ; exclaiming. "py sure I vill spill all my powter. Shearer, you loads mine gun." The guns were loaded, and the score aves placed in reach, to repel the savages if they attempted to enter the cabin. There was no more sleep that night. The next morning

james Copus, John Lambright, Frederick Zimmer, and Isaac Hill and families, arrived at Beam's block-house, and reported that Ruffner and the Zimmer family had been killed. Upon examination about the forebay of the mill-race, which had just been raised, several moc- casin tracks were discovered. and the evidence was clear that the Indians had meditated an attack there, but feared the Newinan party were too strong. There were but foar men at Newman's --- himself, Mr. Shearer, and the two Roberts brothers. Within an hour after heat- ing of the massacre, Newman got up his team and fled to the block-house at Mansfield. The Roberts broth- ers, with a few soldiers from Captain Martin's company, which was stationed at Beam's block-house, rode over and examined the scene at Zimmers, and helped bury the victims of Indian vengeance. Mr. Newman re- mained in Mifflin township until the fall of 1825, when be purchased of Samuel McBride the farm upoa which he afterwards erected a grist-mill, being the property more recently known as the Joseph Boyd mill, in the northeast part of Vermillion toweship. After disposing of the mill property he purchased a farm near the south line of the township, where he deceased January 20, 1861, aged eighty-three years. The surviving members of his family were William and James H. Newman, neither of whom reside in this county. James removed in the spring of 1876 to the vicinity of Hillsboro, Ohio.

JACOB SHOPBELL

was born in Berks county, Pennsylvania, September 29, 1788. His father, Daniel Shopbel, was a Revolutionary soldier and served in the army about seven years. He was in the battles of White Plains, Brandywine, Bunker Hill, and other struggles. He died in 1866 in North- ampton county, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, Eber- hard Shop-bell, was a soldier in the war between Trance and Germany, in which the French acquired the territo- ry of Alsace and Loraine. He lost a brother by the guil- lotine, and many relatives in the war, and came to Aniet. ica and settled in Berks county, Pennsylvania, where he died at the age of one hundred and four years. The people of that county wert largely German, and the schools were entirely in that language. jacob Shopbell was ejected in the German dialect, and although he speaks the English tongue, reads only the German lar .- guage. He emigrated from Northampton county, Penn- sylvania, to Orange township, Kielland, now Ashland county, Chio, in 1832. Hle located hear what is How Heidigh's mill. He served three months in the war of ISre, at Black Rock, near the like shore, under Colonel Irwin and Certain Jos ph Dean. He was in no regular battle of small arms. He is now the oldest soking of this region. He has always been a farmer, temperate. industrious and economical, and is yet remarkably vic- orous for a man of his age. He has been tance married, and is the father of seventeen children, eleven girls and live boys. There were aix children by his first wife, and eleven by the second. His sons are Andrew, of Michi.

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

gan, Daniel, John, Samuel, and Davil, of Ashland county. He resides with a son-in-law, George Shidler.

DR. ANDREW J. SCOTT

was born in Richland county, Ohio, November 12, 1827. He obtained a liberal education, and upon reaching man- hood became a successful teacher. He was principal of the Loudonville academy for some years. He read med- icine in the office of Dr. E. B. Fuller, attended lectures at Starling medical college, Columbus, Ohio, at Buffalo university, at the medical department of Havard college, and college of physicians and surgeons. He opened an office in Londonville, in 1853, and has been in success- ful practice to the present, 1876. Since his graduation he has become a member of the Ashland county medical society, and also of the Ohio State medical society. He is also corresponding member of the gynecological soci- ety of Boston, and a member of the American medical association. Ife takes a deep interest in literary pur- suits, and when a teacher, was regarded as one of the best mathematicians in the county. He has been three times married, twice to daughters of Dr. F. B. Fuller. He is of Scotch-Irish descent, and possesses all the en- thusiasm of both races. Possessed of a strong will, he is resolute in the prosecution of whatever he deems right. If health permits, he has the attainments to . | achieve a fine reputation in the medical profession. He would acquit himself ably in any of the medical colleges of this State. He is a fluent conversationalist, a ready speaker, and a clear thinker.

DR. EPHRAIM B. FULLER

was born in Madison county, New York, July 8, 1799. He read medicine in the office of Dr. Parkis, of Tioga county, Pennsylvania, and commenced practice in 1823. He married Sarah Culver, of Elkland, Pennsylvania, in March, 1822. He practiced in Potter county, Pennsyl- vania until the spring of 1832, when he located in Lov- donville, Richland (now Ashland,) county, Ohio.

Dr. Faller was not a regularly educated physician, having read in a private office, and according to the statutes of New York, was examined and admitted to practice medicine and surgery under a certificate issued by the county censors. Tie was a man of marked in- dustry, and possessed an iron will, which associated with a powerful physical organization, a love of his profession, and close attention to medical authorities enabled him to accomplish a great deal in the line of his calling. He had a most extensive practice, and was unusually successful in the treatment of the diseases of his locality. fle practiced continuously over thirty six years, some- times under circumstances the most adverse, and in the face of a well arranged competition, always sustaining himself honorably in his profession. He should rank among the very best of the profession in the county. He died at Londonville, December 23, 1867. He left a family.

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 40

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros Publication date: 1880 Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams Number of Pages: 896

Author: Hill, George William, b. 1823; Williams Bros
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: [Cleveland] Williams
Number of Pages: 896