History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 189

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728

USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 189
USA > Ohio > Belmont County > History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley > Part 189

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THE STANTON FAMILY.

BENJAMIN AND ABAGAIL MACY STANTON are in the last decades given mention in history as the grandparents of Edwin M. Stan- ton. They lived many years in North Carolina, but were of New England birth. Abagail, previous to her marriage was a Macy, of Nantucket, and related with the Coffins and Folgers, all families intimately connected with the local history of that Island and made illustrious by the many descended from them of marked force and intelligence. These qualities did not lie downward with Abagial Stanton. Soon after her husband's death, she with her large family of children, some of them quite young, turned her face toward the remote and then almost unexplored wilderness west of the Ohio river. She made the journey with a considerable body, all members of the Society of Friends, who like herself felt the gall of slavery's presence too keenly to remain longer under its shadow. They remained in Western Pennsylvania until land could be entered from the government, then hastened on, crossing the river at what is now known as Portland, fourteen miles below Steubenville, The trees had to be felled before the teams could proceed to where Mt. Pleasant now stands. The wagon of Abagail Stanton is said to have been the first to avail of this inroad of civilization on nature's domain. This was in the year 1800. Sbe located on seetion 23, one mile west of Mt. Pleasant. Part of this is now known as the Griffith farm, In the 1806 the stipulated pay- ments of $2.00 per acre, being made a parchment deed from the government was given for the whole section, signed by Thomas Jefferson, president, and James Madison, secretary of state. Abagail Stanton retained four hundred and eighty acres of this. Here, under the difficulties of pioneer life she established a home under an administration so wise that as her children reached the age to pass out in the world, it was to positions of honor and usefulness. It was David her eldest son who married Lucy Norman. These were the parents of Edwin M. Stanton. Dnr- ing that eventful period in which he held the position of secre- tary of war, be paid a beautiful tribute to the memory of his grandmother. A committee of Friends from the yearly meet- ing held at Race street, Philadelphia, was delegated to visit Washington, eall upon the president and heads of the govern- ment departments to prevent certain interests of the slaves, and plead with those in power to direct this towards unfettering them. Secretary Stanton with much feeling assured this com- mittee that while the memory of the inheritance bequeathed by his grandmother, in toiling from a slave state with her children about her, that they might have the vigor from the freedom of the North, remained, and while he could recall words he had heard from her lips while seated a little child near her feet in in the gallery of the Friends' meetings, he would never neglect his duty to the slave. Though not recorded as a minister of the Society, she was a woman active in the administration of affaire ..

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

of the church, and doubtless her voice was often heard in wise counsel, In those days the capacity of the meeting-houses fre- quently illy accommodated the number assembling, and the lit- tle children were glad of seats on the gallery steps. Benjamin, a younger son of Abagail Stanton, while pursuing the study of medicine in Wheeling, Virginia, shared his room with Benja- min Lundy. The two young men were closely attached to each other, and also in especial sympathy on that vital subject, slav- ery, which claimed a life long interest from both. This inti- macy continned through the life of Lundy, and the family of Dr. Stanton, at their home in Salem, Ohio, still preserve a worn copy of the first prospectus issued for publishing in Mt. Pleasant Ohio, a periodical work to be entitled, The Genius of Universal Emancipation," with the solitary name of Benjamin Stanton appended as subscriber. In this family is also preserved the clock which the provident grandmother preserved in bringing from the Carolina home, carefully packed among her few neces- sities in such a way as to prevent it from being burdensome. Its face beams down with as much dignity as though it had never known the pesence of low cabin joists, and its tick-tock is as heartsome as when it measured the swift year that carried the infant son and daughters from the mother's arms ont into the world and to homes of their own. Abagail Stanton retained the comfortable home which she had made in the wilderness nn- til 1817, when her children having scattered, and age making inroads, she sold it to her son-in-law, Aaron Brown. In 1818 it was again sold to Evan Griffith from Chester county, Penn- sylvania. This farm is still in the possession of the descend- ants of Evan Griffith, and is the home of Able M. Walker, for- merly of York county, Pennsylvania.

PLEASANT H. UNDERWOOD, (colored), was born in Goochland county, Va., January 18, 1791. He was born a slave, but liber- ated by his mistress. His mother was freed at the same time. He traveled as a hired servant for several years and went into many parts of the country. After arriving at the age of man hood he started to Philadelphia, where his mother lived, to sce her, but on his way learning that she was dead, he turned his course to Mount Pleasant, where he arrived in the spring of 1817. He turned in and attended school under the instruction of Dr. Parker for some years. He, in the meantime, became ac- quainted with Jane Englehart, whom he married in 1820, and commenced farming for a living. When what is generally known as the underground railroad got into operation, Mr. Un- derwood took a prominent part in running passengers over it. He devoted a large portion of his time for several years to the business. His wife died in 1863. He raised a family of nine children-seven sons and two daughter. One of his sons stud- icd for the ministry, in which he is engaged; another is en- gaged in a printing office in Wasington City.

ROBERT B. LAWRENCE was born July 24, 1823, in Virginia, son of Thomas and Isabella Lawrence. His parents were both natives of that state. His father was a farmer and speculator, and like many of the natives, possessed about 500 acres of land. He died in 1857. The mother died in 1824. Robert, our sub- ject, was raised a farmer and emigrated with his father to Ohio in 1832, and settled in Mount Pleasant. He was married to Miss Tacy Bates, daughter of Dr. Bates of Smithfield, Jefferson county. After his marriage he settled on part of his father's farm, southwest of Mount Pleasant, the farm now owned by Mr. Harrison. He reared a family of six children, five of whom are now living. He resided on his father's farm about eight years, then went to Illinois and resided there about six months, then returned to Ohio and resided for a time on Lupton's farm and afterwards on N. Updegraff's farm. He then purchased the farm on which he now resides, in 1878. This farm contains 152} acres of good land. Mr. Lawrence is now in his 56th year.

HENRY HEBERLING .- Andrew Heberling, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, emigrated from Germany during the Revolutionary war, and settled in Chester county, Pa:, where he was the father of four sous, John, George, Jacob and Andrew, and four daughters. John, the father of Henry, removed to Gerrardtown, Berkeley county, Va., when young ; served an apprenticeship to blacksmithing ; set up business for himself and married Mary Crunely, of English and Scotch parentage in 1806. In 1809 be purchased a farm two miles np the valley, toward Winchester, where he carried on blacksmithing and farming until 1824, when he sold out, and with seven sons and three daughters, of whom Henry was the eldest, he removed to Harrison county, Ohio, and settled six miles east of Cadiz,

where he pisplayed for many years that industry, economy and honesty which characterized many of the carly settlers of this excellent neighborhood, among whom were many Friends or Quakers. John Heberling, though quiet and entirely unassuming, was widely known as a farmer of more than ordinary skill and enterprise, taking the first premiums at the county fairs for the best improved and best conducted farm in the county. He served as justice of the peace some years, settling most contro- versies among his neighbors without cost of suit. His acknowl- edged uprightness of character, soundness of judgment, liberal- ity and kindness to his hired hands and to the poor, gave him a social influence seldom attained in the humbler walks of life. Self educated and self reliant, his books showed perfect order in business, and his library very considerable machanical, historical and scientific research. Though strictly moral and exemplary, he was too liberal to become a member of any religious denomina- tion, and too charitable to condemn another for honest religious opinions, however unreasonable in themselves. An enthusias- tic admirer of nature, he " looked np through nature to nature's God," with the profoundest emotions of gratitude and some- times vocal praise. He departed this life in Georgetown, Har- rison county, in 1864, aged 88, and Mary, his wife, died March 12, the same year, aged 81. Their seven sons, Henry, John, Hiram, William, George, James, Andrew, and two daughters- Eliza Ada and Rebecca Lewis, still survive at this date, 1879. Mary J. Holmes, the youngest daughter, having departed this life in 1856. Henry, the subject of this memoir, was born in Gerrards- town, Berkeley county, Va., July 5, 1807; was raised to farm- ing and blacksmithing; went to school a few months at 22 years of age ; afterwards applied himself to school teaching and house carpentering, and subsequently to the manufacture of ag- ricultural machinery. Being of an inquiring turn of mind, he repaired his lack of school education to some extent by ntili- zing his spare hours in lyceum exercises. The contemplation of the wisdom and goodness displayed in nature, excited in him an ardent desire to know something of the great author of being to whose goodness we owe all things. Atter lengthened exercises of mind he experienced a change of heart while in the woods alone at night, when all nature was turned into beauty, and was transformed into an object of love. He .soon felt an anxiety that others might realize the same happy experience, and began to speak in public at Westgrove among Friends. Be- ing entirely void of sectarian feeling, he passed some years without uniting with any branch of the church. Meantime the Methodist Protestant church had organized at Georgetown, Harrison county, on a basis opposed to episcopacy and tolera- ting freedom of opinion in religious belief. About the year 1831 he united with this church, and soon had conferred on him, with- out his solicitation, license to preach, and soon after elder's or- ders. He continued to preach on Sabbaths as a local preacher, except one year that he rode Pleasant Grove circuit. He married Hannah, daughter of Morgan and Mary Lewis, in 1835, and con- tinued to manufacture machinery at Georgetown and Steuben- ville until 1856, when he turned his attention to wool growing in Belmont county, and in 1865 leased the farm of J. H. Gill, near Mt. Pleasant, for five years. At the end of this term he re- moved to the village of Mt. Pleasant, where he and sons opened a shoe, grocery and variety store. He has four sons and two daughters. Warren, the eldest, married in Bath, Ill., about 1868, where he and William, the third son, continue to re- side. John, the second son, makes his home with his parents, and is introducing a sewing machine of his own invention. Henry, junior, is also at home running the store, Irene and Lettie are both teaching-the former in Mt. Pleasant and the lat- ter in Smithfield, at this date September, 1879. Mr. Heberling continues to preach statedly as a local minister in the Methodist Protestant church, now in his 73d year.

CHARLES BURKE .- Charles Burke is a native of Lancaster county, Pa. His parents were natives of the same state, HIo was born February 28, 1825, was the second of the family. His father died at York, Pa .. about 1853, and was buried in State Ridge Cemetery, near Little York. In 1846 Mr. Burke emi- grated to Ohio, and settled in the neighborhood of Trenton, and worked sometime for Samuel Griffith ; afterwards worked for George I. Evans, remaining with him about four years. While living with Mr. Evans he was married November 2, 1848, to Miss Rebecca L. Scott, daughter of Joseph Scott, of Pleasant Grove, Belmont county, O. After his marriage he lived in Tren- ton nine years, then hought a small farm in the township, and remained there five years, then removed to the farm of Samuel Griffith, were he remained six years. llo then bought the farm

69-B. & J. Cos.

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HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

he now resides on, containing 1182 acres. They have reared a family of three children, two sons and one danghter. His grandfather was a native of Wales. Job Scott, father of Mrs. Burke, is now one of the oldest citizens of Colerain township, Belmont county, being born in 1789.

JOSIAH HALL .- The subject of this sketch was born Nov, 22, 1841, on the farm now owned by John Smith. He is tho only son of Nathan and Sarah Hall. He married in 1865 Deborah Wilson, daughter of Joseph and Eliza Wilson, who were natives of Smyrna, Ohio. He has a family of one son and three daughters, and now resides on the farm originally owned by John Hall. He came to it at the time of his marriage.

WILLIAM B. HUMPHREYVILLE .- The subject of this sketch was born April 25, 1805, his father dying while he was young he was brought under the care of his mother. His parents were Ebenezer Humphreyville and Susan B. Mayer. In 1827, on Easter day, he left Lancaster for Mount Pleasant, Ohio, and traveled the whole distance on foot. The first female Mr. Hum- phreyville saw in Mount Pleasant was a young girl named Sarah Dew, who was scrubbing the floor. This young lady, who was the daughter of Joseph and Fanny Dew, Mr. Humphreyville af- terwards married. The first house he entered he took boarding at, and afterward bought and has lived in it all his lifetime. This house is one of the old landmarks of Mount Pleasant, be- ing one of the first houses built in the place, It is a hewed log building, weather boarded, and is in a good state of preservation. Mr. Humphreyville has reared a family of eight children, five sons and three daughters, Susannah, William, Alexander D., Theodore, Juliana, Ensley, Fanny D. and Henry L. Mrs. Hum- phreyville died February 3, 1877. Mr. Humphreyville is now the only male now living that was here in 1827. Now in the evening of his life, enjoying the respect of all his acquaintances, with the consciousness of a well spent life, he calmly and serene- ly awaits the summons to call him hence.

ROBERT SMITH was born near Barnesville, Belmont county ; is a son of Robert H, and Elizabeth W. Smith, and a brother of John W. Smith. He has always been a farmer. He farmed four years on his father's farm in his native county, then he came to his brother John's farm in Jefferson county, where he remained two years, when he bought the farm on which he now resides. He was married in 1860, to Rebecca Stanton, a relative of the late E. M. Stanton, secretary of war under Lincoln's ad- ministration. They have a family of three children. He re- ceived his education in the country schools and in the Friends' boarding school at Mount Pleasant. His farm is situated on Long run and contains 142 acres of good land.

BRADWAY THOMAS was born in Harrison county, Ohio, in Short Creek township, May 16, 1815. He is a son of Peter and Mary Thomas, His father emigrated from Virginia to Ohio many years ago and finally settled on the farm on which Brad- way was born. Peter Thomas was married to Mary Thompson in 1808. They reared a family of twelve children, all of whom grew to years of manhood and womanhood. Of this number tour have died. The father of the subject of this sketch, Peter Thomas, died in 1864; the mother died in 1861, Bradway Thomas came to the farm he now resides on, in Mount Pleasant township, in 1846. He was married to Miss Rachel Hall, daughter of Thomas Hall, November 30, 1837. They have reared a family of five children, all of whom are still living. Mrs. Thomas' father, who is now in his 91st year, was born in North Carolina in 1788, and came to Ohio in 1802, with his father, who was born in North Carolina in 1751, and settled on the farm now owned by William Hall, Jr. They purchased from the government 740 acres in all. Thomas Hall now lives with his daughter, Mrs. Bradway Thomas. Bradway Thomas' grand- father, Isaac Thomas, was born in 1754 and died in 1825, aged seventy-one years. He belonged to the Society of Friends at Mount Pleasant. He is also a birthright member of the Friends' Society, as is also bis estimable wife, Mr. Smith's farm is one of the most beautiful in the township. It contains 137 acres of choice land and the improvements are all first-class, and in a good neighborhood.

ELLWOOD RADCLIFF was born in Charles City county, Va., thirty miles below Richmond, on James river, in 1805. He is a son of Isaac and Margaret Radcliff. At the age of twenty years he married Miss Mary Ellis, daughter of Jonathan Ellis, who then lived in Belmont county, O. After his marriage he turned

his attention to farming, and continued in that pursuit forty years. They have reared a family of two sons, William R., the oldest, and Isaac K. The oldest son is engaged in the mercan- tile trade at Martin's Ferry, O. The youngest is cashier of the First National Bank of Mount Pleasant. Mr. Radcliff is now in his 74th year, and is a birth-right member of the Society of Friends; live in Mount Pleasant, surrounded by everything that tends to promote happiness and comfort. It was Isaac Rad- cliff who laid out the town of Trenton in 1815.

A. M. WALKER .- The father of the subject of this sketch, Joel Walker, cmigrated with his family in 1838 from York county, Pa., and first settled in Smithfield township, where he remained two years, then removed to Belmont county, and settled on a farm. He died in 1878, and his wife in 1877. They reared a family of eight children, six sons and two daughters. One of these sons, Jocl Walker, now owns this old homestead in Bel- mont county. Another of the sons, A. M. Walker, and subject of our sketch, was born in York county, Pa., September 14th, 1827. He married Miss Amy Griffith, daughter of Samuel Griffith, who formerly lived near Philadelphia, Eleventh month second day, 1854, and settled on the farm where he now resides in Mount Pleasant township, known as the old Griffith home- stead. They have reared a family of three children, all living.

JOHN THOMPSON .- Aaron Thompson, the father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Eastern Pennsylvania. He mar- ried Sarah Baldwin. In 1801 or 1802 he left his wife and children at a place called Red Stone, in Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio to prospect for land. He halted in the vicinity of Mount Pleas- ant, and bonght 160 acres of land of Benjamin Stanton at $2.25 an acre, going in debt for part of the pay. He also bought an axe from Stanton and commenced work on his land, but soon became discouraged and abandoned it, returning the axe and re- ceiving his money for it, he set out for where his family was. Having traveled one day and night coming, he came to a log tavern beyond the Ohio river where he stopped for the night, and slept on the floor with his feet to the fire. When morning came it was bright and clear, and Aaron concluded to take the back track, and came to the land he had purchased, got his axe back and went to work with a will, not allowing himself to be discouraged by any one. He soon had a cabin erected and went and brought his family to it. When Mr. Thompson came to this eounty there was no clearcd land and but few settlers. By hard labor and preserverance he cleared out this beautiful farm, where he died in 1838, It was on this farm that John Thomp- son was born, June 28, 1803, and grew up to manhood, and where he now lives. He was married to Miss Sarah Patton in 1826, They reared a family of four children, but one of whom is now living. One son, William, enlisted in the late war and died in Bolivar, Tennessee, Mrs. Thompson died in 1873, and Mr. Thompson now lives alone, and expects to end his days on the old homestead.

MRS. SARAH McGLENN -- The grandfather of this lady, Wil- liam McCaughey, emigrated from Ireland and settled in Lan- caster county, Pa. He married Miss Margaret Jackson, a cousin of "Old Hickory" seventh president of the United States. They reared a family of six children, two sons and four daugh- ers. The youngest daughter named Elizabeth, and mother of our sketch, was born March 8, 1788, and married Robert Pol- lock or Polk, abont 1811. This Mr. Pollock was a cousin of President Polk, and served in the war of 1812. He died in 1832. She married for a second husband, James Hogue, in 1825, by which marriage they reared a family of three children, one son and two daughters-Elizabeth, Sarah and James New- ton, The second daughter, Sarah, the subject of our sketch, married Thomas McGlenn, June 13, 1861. They reared a family of two children, one son and one daughter-James Averill and Alma Reed. Mr. McGlenn died May 3, 1870. Mrs. Hogue, mother of Mrs. McGlenn, now 1879, in her 92d year, is still living and resides with her daughter Mrs. King, in Mount Pleasant. When Mrs. Hogue first saw Mount Pleasant in 1806, there were but three houses in the place, Benjamin Scott's tav- ern, opposite where the Burriss House now stands ; a dwelling- house east of where Thomas Horton's store is, and Jesse Thomas' house in west part of the village. William McCaughey, grand- father of Mrs. McGlenn, was in the battle of Bunker Hill, and most of the engagements of the Revolution. He served through the entire war. In the fall 1806, he crossed the Ohio river at Wellsburg, on his way to his new home. He followed down the river to the mouth of Short creek, thence followed np that

HISTORY OF BELMONT AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.

547

stream to the mouth of Little Short creek. where he ascended the hills, and settled on Irish ridge, on the farm now owned by his granddaughter, Mrs. McGlenn. His was the second team that had ever passed over that route-Mr. Tygart's was the first. When Mr. McCaughey first came to the farm there was a tavern on the premises, a double log house, with a space be- tween the buildings. This was the first tavern in the country. The new comers were met by the hospitable landlord, with his bottle of whisky to treat them in true backwoods style. This tavern was rented until spring, so Mr. McCaughey had to move into a cabin that stood on another part of the farm. In 1807 Mr. McCaughey went east and brought home with him an apple, ' the seeds of which were planted by his little daughter, Margaret, from these seeds grew a tree that is still vigorous and bears good crops of fruit.

AARON BLACKLEDGE was born August 24, 1827, near Somer- ton, Belmont county, Ohio. He is a son of Robert H. and Es- ther Blackledge. His father was a native of Bucks county, Pa., and was born February 7, 1794. His mother was a native of Chester county, Pa., and born in 1798, and died in 1846, in her 48th year. Robert Blackledge emigrated with his parents to Greene county, Pa., at Rice's Landing, remained there until he was eight years of age, then with his father, William Black- ledge, who was the grandfather of our subject, came and settled near Trenton, on the farm now owned by William Mitchner. This William Blackledge, was a native of Bucks county, Pa., and born September 8, 1772, and died in his 80th year; his wife was born August 2, 1769, and died October 21, 1855, in her 87th year. Aaron Blackledge, our subject, was married to Miss Lydia Dungan, October 9, 1850. They reared a family of three children. His wife died July 15, 1859. His father is now in his 86th year, resides with him, and has resided on this old homestead about forty-nine years. This farm was bought from the government by Benjamin Stanton, sold by Stanton to John Hollet, who improved it and sold it to Aaron Thompson and sold by Thompson to Robert Blackledge, the present owner, and father of Aaron.

ELISHA PACKER .- The subject of this sketch is a native of this state, having been born on Long run, Mount Pleasant town- ship, near the old Bracken factory, October 30, 1821. He is the son of Aaron and Rebecca Packer, who were both natives of Pennsylvania. His father was born in Elk county, that state, and afterwards removed to Chester county, and from thence to Jefferson county, Ohio, in 1821, and settled in this township on tract number ten. He shortly after removed and settled near by, on the place where Elisha was born. He finally removed from Jefferson county to Clark county, Ohio, in 1864, where he died June 24, 1878. The mother died in 1852, at the residence of her son Elisha, aged sixty-six years. Elisha Packer com- menced on his own responsibility at the age of twenty-one, by clearing and fencing fourteen acres of land, receiving for his la- bor two crops from the land he cleared. His farm of 1783 acres came into his possession, not by inheritance, but by hard labor. He is what we call a self-made man. He also owns 100 acres of choice land in Colerain township, Belmont county, Ohio. Be- sides following farming, he is extensively engaged in shipping stock to the eastern markets, leaving the care of the farm to his sons. Mr. Packer was married to Miss Asenath Mendenhall, daughter of Israel Mendenhall, of Harrison county, Ohio, in the fall of 1844. By this marriage he had seven boys. His wifo died Jannary 7, 1858. Ho married for a second wife Miss Grace McBride, September 18, 1860. By this last marriage he had three children, all living. His oldest son by his first wife died soon after his mother's death. Mr. Packer, now in his 58th year, is still actively engaged in the pursuits of business.

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History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio, and incidentially historical collection pertaining to border warfare and the early settlement of the adjacent portion of the Ohio Valley, Part 189

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 728

Author: Caldwell, J. A. (John Alexander) 1n; Newton, J. H., ed; Ohio Genealogical Society. 1n
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Wheeling, W. Va. : Historical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 728