History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 44

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 44

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

1822 be settled in. Greenwich, Horon county, Chio, and in the spring of 1825 on lot ten and eighteen, section four, in Ruggles. Mr. Carver served as justice of the peace in Ruggies, and as commissioner and auditor of Ashland county. He was a shrewd politician, and a man of good native abilities. He died of cancer of the face in 1870, aged about sixty-five years. His family con- sisted of Fanny, wife of Daniel Huffman; Phebe, wife of Jacob Huffman, and John, who resides on the home- stead. Mr. Carver was one of the petitioners for the or- ganization of the township in 1826. It was called Rug- gles, after Judge Almon Ruggles, who surveyed the Fire Lands. At the first election, held January 2, 1826, there were twelve votes cast: Perry Durfee Harvey, Sacket, Norman Carter, Truman Bates, Reuben Fox, Bradford Sturtevant, Jacol, Roorback, Abraham Ferris, Justice Barnes, Panic! Beach, Ezra D. Smith, and Aldrich Carver. The officers chosen were: E. D. Smith, clerk; Jacob Roorback, D. Beach, and A. Carver, trustees; Bradford Sturtevant and Harvey Sacket, overseers of poor; J. Barnes and A. Ferris, fence viewers; Reuben Fox and Perry Durfee, appraisers of property ; N. Carter, constable; J. Bares, supervisor, and Harvey Sacket, treas- urer. There were thirteen offices and twelve voters.

At the April election, the vote was increased by the names of C. Sanders, A. Bates, T. Hendriv. D. J. Parker, and S. A. Nott. Ilarvey Sacket was chosen justice of the peace.

JAMES POAG

removed into Ruggles from Clearcreek in 1827. He died April 9, 1354. He was twice married, and leit by the two marriages some seven or eight children, part of whom reside in the township.

NORMAN CARTER

was born in Warren, Connecticut, January 23, 1862, and came to Ruggles in TS?4, and located on lot twenty-siv, section four. He labored some three years, part of the time for Daniel Beach, and returned to Connecticut in 1327, and married Lavina Hopkins; and in $8:3 je- moved to Raggles, where he has since deceased. His family consisted of Fuldah Adelaide, wife of Isaac G. Startevant, and Sarah Lavina, mardied to William Gantt. They all reside in Ruggles.

ABRAHAM FERRIS

was bom in Columbia county. New York, June 16, 1788. He served in the war of 1812, and married Ma- rinda Philips, and removed to Raggles township in 1824. He voyaged up the lake from Buffalo to Sandusky in a schoener, and after being delayed by a lake storin, reached Ruedes, by way of New London, and bouated on lot seventeen, section three, having erected a cabae. His family, at his decease, which took place August 13,

1850, consisted of Laura, Philetus, Samuel, Sarah, Lois, Erastus, Elias, Jesse and Elmira. His wife died Sep- tember 17, 1850. Several members of the family are now deceased.

JACOB ROORBACK

was born in Maryland, February 27, 1795, and his parents removed to Yates county, New York, where he was drafted and served in the war of 1St2. He mar- ried Amy Sutherland in 1821, and in 1823 purchased four hundred acres of land in section two, in Ruggles, to which he removed in 1824. He died March 21, 1850. His wife deceased shortly afterward. He had but one child, Sarah, who married A. W. Purdy, of the same township.

JAMES GRINOLD

was born in Washington county, New York, May 26, IS14. Removed to Belleville, Richland county, Ohic. in company with his brother Thomas, in 1828. Resided there until (830, then located in Berlin, Huren county, and in 1836 removed to Ruggles Corners, where his brother had settled a few months prior. He married Sarah Taylor in 1837. He is a cooper by trade, but is now a farmer. He is an active Democratic partisan, and takes an influential part in the party. He was deputy sheriff from 1852 to 1854. Thomas became jus- tice of the peace in 1836, and was defeated in :839, po- litical lines being closely dawn. He deceased, of con- sumption, in October, 1846. James at present resides at the Corners. He has no children.

GEORGE W. BOWERICE

was born in Frederick county, Maryland, November 15. :S:8, and came with his father, Christian Bowerice, to Orange township, Richland (now Asbland) county, in 1820. He removed to Troy township in IS45. le married Eva Stober, daughter of Jacob Stober, of Clear- creek. Christian Bowerice, his father, also settled in Troy, and deceased September 3. 1866, aged seventy- three years. Mrs. Bowerice died in October, 1869, aged seventy-two years. George W. is their only son. His family consists of six boys and three girls. Mr. bower. ice is an intelligent farmer, and may be regarded as one of the pioneers of Troy.

ROSWEL! WESTON

was born in Litchfield county, Connections, july 28, 1811 He removed with his father, Salmon Weston, to Ruggles township, Huron (www Ashlar I) county, in the spring of 1 826. His father d'ed in 186., agel about sesong fix

He left two sons, Phineas and Rerweil, the sale jest of this sketch. Roswell shed May ar. 1975, aged sixty four years He resided two miles east of the cea

HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

ter. His family consisted of one daughter, Lucy, who married Milton N. Campbell, who resides at Mt. Pleas- ent, lowa, and one son, Clarendon, who resides with his mother on the homestead. Phineas.Weston resides in Ruggles, two miles cast of the center, adjoining the homestead of Roswell.

JOSEPH MCCUTCHIN

was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1803. He resided a short time, in bis youth, in Mary- land, where he attended school. In 1815 his father's family removed to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where he served an apprenticeship of three years at the hatter's business. In 1828 he married Nancy Stem, and removed to Pittsburgh. In 1835 he came to Orange township, Richland (now Ashland) county, and, in 1845, removed to Savannah, where he still resides. His wife died in 1313, and, in 1845, he married Mary Ann Free- born, daughter of one of the pioneers of Clearcreek.

Mr. McCutchin has been in the mercantile business for many years. He connected with the Methodist Epis- copal church in 1818. He became a member of the Masonic fraternity in Pittsburgh -- Miller lodge, No. 165 --- in 1830, and of Western Star lodge, of the Odd Fel- lows, No. 24, in 1832. He has been notary public about seventeen years; mayor of Savannah four years; post- master eleven years, and township treasurer six years. He is the father of a large family, part of whom are mar- ried, and part deecased. .

Mr. McCutchin is a quiet and undemonstrative citi- zen. In politics he acts with the . Democratic party, though not pro: criptive in his opinions.

CHARLES S. VAN ARNAN

was born in Columbia county, State of New York, April 5, 1814. He lost his parents in infancy. and is a self- educated min. He became a professional teacher in early life. He came to Clearcreek township as early as 1838, where he taught school. In 1839 he located in Ashland, where he taught several sessions. In 1843 hc acted as deputy sheriff under Sheriff Kerr, of Richland county. After the erection of Ashland county, he served a number of years as constable for Montgomery township, and as superintendent of the county infirmary. He studied law with Gates & McComes, and was admit- ted in 1853. He married Eunice Cornel, of Elyria, in IS:2. He removed to Troy in 185;, and became a fariner-lawyer. During the war of 1861-5, he served in Tennessee. Since his return he has been elected jus- tice of the peace. He is now farming one mile south- east of the center. He is the parent of three girls and two sons, one of whom fell in the late war. The other members of his family are married. As the name de- notes, Mr. Van Arnan is a descendant of the original Hollanders, of New York.

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NATHANIEL CLARK

was born in the State of New York, March Io. : 792. In 1799 his father removed to Seneca county, New York. In 1812 he was drafted and served in the war. After peace he married Elizabeth Phelps, of the same ; county. In 1832 be moved to Troy township and set- tled amid the forests. He located north of the center, where he still resides on lot eighteen, upon an improved farm of ninety-nine acres. His family consists of but two children, both of whom are married. His honora- ble wife is a sister of Mrs. Parker, of the same town- ship. At this time, 1876, he and his aged wife are in the enjoyment of good health. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

SAMUEL RICHARDS

was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, December 23, 1803. When a young man he located in Orange township, of this county, and removed to Troy in 1857. The town- ship was at that time thinly settled. It was densely timbered, and the pioneers performed a prodigy of labor in removing the forest and preparing fields for culture. His family consisted of six sons and six daughters. Four-two boys and two girls-are dead. The balan :c are married and reside mostly within this county. His wife deceased in 1875. He resides at present with a son at Troy center. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

HENRY SMITH

was born in Pennsylvania in 1796, and located in Co- lumbiana with his parents after the war of 1812. He moved thence to Clearcreek township, where he resided until 1846, when he purchased a farm and settled in Troy township. He cleared and improved a valuable homestead. He died in 1865, aged about sixty-nine years. His family were : John, Adam. Samuel, Joseph, Elizabeth Biddinger, Susan Stentz, Mary Aun Beymer, and Caroline Barrack. The family are considerably scattered.

THOMAS DUNLAP

was born in the north of Ireland in 1773, and in infancy came with his father's family to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. about the beginning of the war of the Revolution. Upon reaching manhood, he married Mar- . garet Blair, and in the spring of 1869, removed to Tall- madge, Portage county, Ohio. He remained there uniii November, 1836, when he located in Ruggles township. Huron (now Ashland,) county. When he entered the township he found the following setthis, who had pie ceded him some years: Daniel Beach, Bradford Ster tevant, John Jameson, Aldrich Carter, Harvey Sachet, Justus Barnes, Norman Carter, Reuben Fox, Salmon Weston, Taylor Peck, G. Ferrier, Mr Murphy, Andrew

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

Clark, James Poag, Enoch Taylor, Benjamin Green, Joshua Frost, Samuel Monroe, David Blair, John Hali. Samuel Monroe, David Blair, and Enoch Taylor were shoemakers, and Benjamin Green and Joshua Frost, blacksmiths

John Dunlap, oldest son of Thomas Dunlap, came on and worked for Daniel Beach, prior to the removal of the Dunlap family, and died at the cabin of Mr. Beach.

Thomas Dunlap died in 1847, aged seventy-five years, and his wife in August, 1872, aged eighty-six. The family were: John, who died at the cabin of Mr. Beach, William, Thomas, Nancy, wife of W. McMeekin, Alex- ander, David, Samuel, Solomon, Amos, James, Joseph, and John F. All are now dead except David, William, and James. David resides in Wood county, Ohio; Will- iam in Michigan ; and James in Sullivan, Ashland county, Ohio. He has been commissioner of Ashland county six years, and is at present conducting a hotel. He married Mmerva Myers, daughter of Jacob Myers, of Clearcreek. He has four boys and four girls.

The Dunlap family was noted for tremendous physical power. All the sons, but two, were full six feet in height, and averaged about one hundred and eighty pounds in weight. As axe-men, log rollers, and pioneer delvers in the forest, it would be difficult to find another equally vigarous class of brothers. Like their Scotch-Irish an- cestors, they were all frank and generous.

SAMUEL ROBERTSON

was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1797. His father, James Robertson, of Scotland, set- tled in that county about 179.4. He removed, with his family to Cross Creek township, Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1798, where he died. Samuel Robertson, grew to manhood in Jefferson county, and in 1817 visited Mil- ton, Montgomery, and Orange townships, in what is now Ashland county. The Burgetts and Montgomerys, of Milton township, were friends and acquaintances. In 1817 he worked most of the spring and summer for George Bungeit, assisting him in clearing his lands, and in cutting and preparing timber for a new barn. He re- turned to Jefferson county and remained during the winter. The next spring he was accompanied by Alex- ander Morrow, a brother-in-law of the late Patrick Elliot, of Clearcreek. Their route was from Cadix to Coshocton, thence up the Walbonding, to and up Owl creek to Mt. Vernon, thence to Mansfield. For nearly twenty miles south of Mansfield he found only an oc- casional cabin, and from there to Burgetts au almost un- broken forest. In the fall of 1818 and spring of 1819. he and John Grimes assisted Isaac Charles in preparing a race and dam for a grist- and saw mill one and a half miles south of the present site of Olivesbingh, on the Black fork. Wages were very low and money very scarce at that period. The pioneers were crowding iato Montgomery and the surrounding townships. Cabin raisings and log-rollings were the chief occupation of the

new settlers. A wonderful amount of energy and self- sacrifice were expended in assisting the incoming pio- neers. The woodman's axe could be heard singing in every township. Mr. Robertson states that wild game at this period was very numerous, particularly deer and turkey. The leading hunters were Solomon Urie, John McConnell, Jantes Clark, Christopher Mykrantz, and a Mr. Wheeler. In the spring of 1824, he resided in what is now Seneca county, and worked that summer for Mr. Gibson, father of General William H. Gibson, and remembers the organization of the county, and the loca- tion of the seat of justice at Tiffin. There was an In- dian reservation within the limits of the county and the Senecas, or more properly, Cayugas, were quite numer- ous, though generally friendly and harinless. He rc- moined there about one year. When he entered the county, in 1824, he is of the opinion that there were only about a dozen or twenty white families in that region, among whom were the Gibsons, Welshes and H. C. Brish, Indian agent. He reached the county by way of Beall's trail, New Haven and Fort Ball. In iS33 he located in the north part of Wayne county, where he cleared a small farm which, in 1837, he sold, and pur- chased lot one hundred, in Sullivan township, Lorain, now Ashland, county. It was densely covered with tall timber. He cleared and resided upon this farm about eighteen years. He thien purchased a new homestead in Orange township, known as the Linard farm. Here his wife, with whom he had lived very happily for many years, deccased. He afterward sold his farm, and now (1876) resides in Ashland. His family consisted of James, who died in the hospital in United States service in 1863; John, who resides in; Michigan Margaret, wife of Thomas Miller; Rebecca, wife of John Welsh; Mary, wife of Michael Stentz; Isabel, wife of James Campbell, and Sarah Jane, wife of John Crawford. Mr. Robert- son has passed through all the pioneer scenes of the county, and still possesses a good deal of physical vigor. Flis memory seems to be unimpaired, and he may sur- vive many years. Mr. Robertson died about 1878, in Orange township.

PATRICK ELLIOTT

was born in Donegal county, Ireland, in 1788, and emi- grated with his parents, and located in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1803. He grew up in that county, and married Nancy Morrow, of Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1813, and removed to Clearcreek township, Richland county, and located on the southwest quarter of section twelve, in the spring of 1817. He resided on his farm until 1826, when he deceased. He was a member of the Episcopal church from his youth. At his death his family consisted of his wife, Sarah, Mary, Eliz. abeti:, Hugh, Jane, George, and Moses, of whom only Hugh and Moses survive. Mrs. ElBott died in 18 17, aged about sixty years.

Mis. Elliott is believed to have taught the first sub scription school, in her own cabin, in Clearcreek township. in 1877, the parties sending scholars assisting Mr. Elliott

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, OHIO.

Tto clear his land in payment for tuition. Noble woman ! HIugh, the oldest son, fifty-six years of age, and Moses, the youngest, reside on the old homestead.

ALLEN OLIVER

was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1757. and in ISto removed from Beaver county to the Clear fork of the Mohican, now in Ashland county, and, in February of the same year, located on the farm upon which his son, Lewis Oliver, now resides, on the Black fork, about one mile east of the present site of Perrys- ville. His family consisted of three sons-John, Daniel, and lewis -- and four daughters -- Mrs. Mary Tannehill, Mrs. Sarah Tannehill, Mrs. Elizabeth McMahan, and Mrs. Margaret Quick.

He forted in his double log cabin in 1812, during the Indian excitement, and remained undisturbed until the close of the war. The Greentown Indians, Thomas Lyons, Billy Dowdee, James Armstrong, Jonacake, and others, often visited him after the war.

Mr. Oliver died in 1823, aged about sixty-four years. His wife died in 1827, aged sixty-seven years. Mrs. Mary Tannehill, wife of Charles Tannehill, died in 185-4, aged fifty nine years; Sarah Tannehill, wife of Melzer Tannehill, jr., still survives, aged about seventy-four years; "Mrs. Elizabeth McMahan and Mirs. Margaret Quick, died in 1872, aged, respectively, seventy-six and seventy-one years. Daniel Oliver resides one mile north- . east of Loudonville, and is about eighty-four years of age; John deceased on his homestead, three miles below Perrysville, in 1854, aged sixty-four years.

John Chapman had a nuisery of fruit trees on the farm of John Oliver, from which sprang nearly all the carly orchards of Green township.

Mr. Oliver was an agrecable conversationalist, and a steadfast friend. His family continue to reside on the old homestead. We have given a sketch of Lewis Oliver elsewhere.

GEORGE W. CURRY

was born in Tompkins county, New York, May 20, 1812. He attended school and remained there until 1838, when. he married Ava Ann Smith, and removed tr Clarksfeld, Iluron county, and resided there five months, and lo- cated in Clearereck, Richland, now Ashland, county, where he farmed four years, and in 18.42 settled in the north part of Ruggles, and in 18.19 sold to Mr. Peck, and purchased the farm formerly owned by Geo. Eaton, ; where he now (1876) resides. Mr. Curry was a very active anti-slavery man, during the pahny days of that institution. He is now a Democrat. He has been a member of the Baptist church, of Savannah, a number of years. He is the parent of thirteen children, nine of whom are deceased. The living ate john B., Geo. W., Lucretia A., and Francis J .; afi married. Mr. Curry is noted for his skill and industry as a farmer, and his zeal in whatever he regards as right and honorable.

COLONEL GEORGE W. URIE

was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Febru- ary 22. 1806, and emigrated with his father's family to Orange township, Richland, now Ashland county, Ohio, in November, 1815. For many years he has been a cit. izen of Ashland. His tastes are strongly military. Un- der the old State organization, he was promoted through the various grades, from captain to colonel, of his regi- ment of independent rifles. When mounted on horse- back, properly caparisoned, he was a fine looking officer, being tall and finely proportioned. With an unusually piercing black eye, he was every inch a soldier, in ad- dress and appearance. In the fall of 1845 he was elected treasurer of Richland county, and upon the erection of Ashland county, in 1846, he resigned, and was elected the first treasurer of the new county, which office he held two terms. Being bitten by the gold fever in 1851, he spent one year in California, reaching that region by way of Panama. In 1853 he was elected a member of the State board of equalization from the district composed of Ashland and Richland counties. In 1857 he was ap- pointed deputy United States marshal for the northern district of Ohio, and in ISbo aided in taking the census. In 1865 he was elected recorder of Ashland county, and held the office until 1874. In the spring of 18744 he was elected mayor of Ashland, and held the office two years. Colonel Urie is a member of the Presbyterian church. and noted for his integrity and uprightness. He is a son of the late Solomon Urie, noticed elsewhere. The family ot Colonel Urie consists of four daughters, Mrs. Mary J. Porter, Mrs. Alice A. Beer, Mrs. Libbie H. An- derson, and Mrs. Sadie A. Beer, and a son who died young. Mrs. Porter deceased in September, 1875.

JOHN CHAPMAN.

[The oddest character in all our history was John Chapman, alias Appleseed, who was discovered in Knox conny as early as IS01. Α. Ρ. Νοκτov.] John Chapman, sometimes called "Johnny Apple- seed," because of a penchant for planting apple seeds, and the cultivation of nurseries, was born in Massachu- setis, as is believed, in the year 1770. Nothing is known of his ancestry, except that tla y were genuine Yankees, poor, enterprising, and restless. Ilis name was not "Jonathan," as it is generally printed in pioneer sketches, but plain John Chapman; bence, he is generally called, among the carly settlers of this region, "Johnny Apple- seed."* it is remarkable he never communicated his

* This fact is gathered from a letter addressed to the Fort Wayne Sentinel. by Hon. J. W. Das. son, author of a history of Allen county, Indiana, dated October 11, 1871. He found "John Chapman" to be It's true name, in looking over the papers of his estate, which was set. tiel in the probate court of Allen county. For instance, two rotes were filed against his estate, car date? at Franklin, suppe ed to be on the Great Miami tiver, in Olio, February, Sop, payable to Nathaniel hopah, que year after due, for one hundred Woll & die ..... or Lund," the other, one hundred dollars, payable to some mir se de' dra named Rodde, of the commonwealth of Marswir ess, with they became of ang, bạch of which were signed by John Chim er ! better evidence of his name was lowend in the pure ases of land, which

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HISTORY OF ASHLAND COUNTY, O!HIO.

real history to his most intimate friends, and was equally reticent concerning his youth and school days. We have only a glimmer of his early instruction, and even there, but a single ray of light bursts through the clouds that hover over and about his boyhood. All agree that he was a good icader-eloquent at times-and that in conversa- tion, when discoursing upon fine fruit, and the spiritual theories of his beloved Swedenborg, his dark eyes would flash with peculiar intelligence, while he discussed his favorite topics. It was clear to all that his education had not been neglected, for he possessed a fair fund of information upon many subject; not connected with his fruit enterprises

The time when, and the reason why, he bade adicu to the sterile hills of New England, were never communi- cated to ony one, so far as we have been able to learn. Whether the acceptance of the life of a recluse sprang from disappointment in a love affair, or was voluntary and a matter of choice, will never be known. As early as 1796-7, he was seen in the autumns, for two or three successive years, along the banks of the Potomac, in castern Virginia, visiting the cider mills where the farmers were pressing cider, picking the seeds from the pumice. When he had collected a sufficient quantity of seeds for his purpose, they were carefully packed in linen or leather sacks, and carried on his shoulders or by an old horse procured for that purpose, across the mountains, to the territories west of the Ohio river. He generally had with him an axe, a hatchet, and a Virginia hoe, with which he cleared and dug in loamy or rich soil, along the banks of a stream, a few rods of ground, around which he erected a brush fence, and then planted his apple seeds. His first narseries were planted, as near as we can learn, along the Tuscarawas, the Muskingum, the Licking, and Walhonding and its branches, Vernon river, the Lake fork, and the Jerome and Black forks. He probably passed up the Licking two or three years before he ascended the Walbonding, which took place about the year 1800. When the Butlers ascended Ver- non river to the present site of Mt. Vernon in :801, they found the cocentric John Chapman at the cabin of the wild, rollicking pioneer, Andrew Craig. He planted a number of nurseries along the banks of the Walhon- ding, and several along the Vernon river as high up as Mt. Vernon. These nurseries were placed at eligible. points in the region of good farm land; and when the pioneers began to pour in, young fruit trees in abundance awaited their arrival.

It is not well ascertained when Johnny Chapman com- menced planting seeds within the present limits of Ash- land county, but from the fact that most of the territory

he made in Allen county, as well as in Adams and Jay counties, Indi- an. The miniments of the, which he hebt, were in the name of John Chapman, He had a sister in Actions of jay county, married to a man by the name of tiroom, who was probably living at his death. This estate of johnny w is in litigation ables ten wars, So he did not die R : pour as model people suspected.

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History of Ashland County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches, Part 44

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