History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio, Part 64

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry
Publication date: 1921
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 678

USA > Ohio > Harrison County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 64
USA > Ohio > Carroll County > History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio > Part 64

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practicing in Columbus and the grandson in Vinton County, Ohio.

Alexander Ager and wife have six living chil- dren, the oldest son being John William Ager, whose career as a prosperous farmer of Rum- ley Township is reviewed elsewhere.

Another son is Alexander Scott Ager, who was born at New Rumley October 21, 1867, was educated in the district schools and Hope- dale College, and graduated with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Ohio Col- lege of Dental Surgery at Cincinnati in March, 1892. He had previously taught district school for three years, but for upwards of thirty years has been actively engaged in dental practice, beginning at New Philadelphia in May, 1892. After a year he bought the office of Dr. J. E. Barricklow, and was in partnership with Dr. W. W. Richardson until 1909 and since then has practiced alone. He is a member of the Tuscarawas County Dental Society, the Ohio State Society and the National Dental Associa- tion, is a director of the Tuscarawas Building and Loan Company, a republican, and is afiili- ated with the Elks and Masons and is a mem- ber of the United Brethren Church at New Rumley. February 12, 1907, at Akron, Ohio, Doctor Ager married Lida Stiffler,. daughter of George F. Stiffler.

JOHN WILLIAM AGER. An industrious and well-to-do agriculturist of Harrison County, John William Ager, of Rumley Township, is proprietor of a fine homestead, which in regard .to its appointments compares favorably with : any in the locality. The neat and orderly ap- ¡pearance of his property manifest to the most «casual observer the thrift and care of the owner, and show conclusive evidence that he has a thorough understanding of the business in which he is engaged A native of Harrison County, he was born June 25, 1855, in the Vil- lage of New Rumley. His father, Alexander Ager, was born near Springfield, Ohlo, but for many years was a resident of New Rumley. He married Susan Bishop, who was born in German Township, Harrison County, a daugh- ter of John Bishop.

John W. Ager was educated in the district schools of Rumley Township, and as a young man worked as a day laborer. Industrious and thrifty, he accumulated some money. and subse- quently bought a saw mill, which he operated successfully for a number of seasons. In May, 1897, he assumed possession of his present farm In Rumley Township, and in its management has shown excellent judgment and wisdom, be- ing known as one of the most able farmers and . stock growers of the vicinity. The improve- ments that he has made on the place are of an excellent character, the buildings, all of which he erected, being both comfortable and con- veniently arranged.

Mr. Ager married, December 16, 1880, Maria Myers, who was born In Jefferson County, Ohio. a daughter of Samuel Myers, a native of Mead- ville, Pennsylvania. Left fatherless when young, Mr. Myers was brought up in the family of Jacob Leas in Jefferson County, Ohio, where he began life for himself as a tiller of the

soil. Coming from there to Harrison County in 1859, he located in German Township, and was there a resident until his death, in March, 1910. Mr. Myers married Lydia Lichtenwalter, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, and to them two children were born, as follows: Maria, now Mrs. Ager; and Sarah Ann, wife of Homer Anderson, of Stark County, Ohio.

Three children have blessed the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ager, namely : Florence A., who married Charles Markley, has one child, Gladys, wife of Samuel Kimmel ; G. Earl, a resident of Stark County, married Blanche Morrow, and they have one child, Ethel; and Harry Albert, living on his father's farm, married Dora Baker, and they have three children, Charles William, Kenneth Earl and Ralph D. Mr. and Mrs. Ager are faithful members of the Brethren Church of New Rumley, in which he has served as chorister for the past forty years, and in which his daughter Florence has been organist since twelve years of age. Mr. Ager takes much interest in public matters, and for three years was supervisor of the roads of Rumley Town- ship.

GEORGE W. BEALL. In making this publica- tion authoritative and comprehensive it has been found both consistent and imperative to avoid repetition of family records in the various personal sketches here appearing, and in con- nection with this representative farmer of Not- tingham Township reference may be made to the adequate family data appearing on other pages, in the personal sketch of his brother Frank M.

George W. Beall was born on the farm which is the stage of his present effective enterprise as an agriculturist and stock-grower in Notting- ham Township, Harrison County, and the date of his nativity was July 22, 1884. His father. John B. Beall, gained secure prestige as one of the substantial farmers and influential citizens of this township. Mr. Beall found in the dis- trict schools of his native township the privi- leges which enabled him to acquire the basic education that has been amplified in later as- sociation with the practical affairs of life, and he has resided continuously on the old home farm, of which he has had the independent management since the autumn of 1917. He is a member of the school board of the township, is a republican in politics, and he and his wife hold membership in the Bethel Methodist Epis- copal Church.

May 22, 1918, recorded the marriage of Mr. Beall to Miss Ella M. Carrothers, who was born and reared in Harrison County and who is a daughter of Crawford and Mary Belle (Dicker- son) Carrothers. Mr. and Mrs. Beall have a fine little son, Francis Wayne, who was born April 10, 1919.

THOMAS RAY BROKAW. It was January 14, 1879, that Thomas Ray Brokaw was born in Athens Township. Harrison County. His fa- ther. John M. Brokaw, was born August 4, 1842. in Wheeling Township, Belmont County. The grandfather, George Brokaw, was born in February, 1813, in Athens Township, Harrison

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County. The grandmother, Jane Mckibben, was born in October, 1813, in the same community. She was a daughter of John Mckibben, who was a pioneer in Harrison County. His chil- dren were: Mathew, Thomas, John, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Nancy, Jane and Martha.

The great-grandfather, George Brokaw, was born in New Jersey and his wife was Mary McCullough. The great-great-grandfather, George Brokaw, was one of two brothers who left Ger- many because of religious and military condi- tions, and coming to the United States they were pioneers in the new country. When George Brokaw, the German immigrant, first came to Harrison County he located his sons on Govern- ment land. and he later built the first frame house in Harrison County. He attained to the ripe old age of ninety-six. He spent his first year in a tent after locating in Cadiz Town- ship, and he was a Harrison County soldier in the second war with England.

The children of this soldier of 1812 were: William, George, Jacob, Abraham, Isaac, John, Benjamin, Sarah, Martha, Mary and Isabelle. Great-great-grandfather George Brokaw helped build Crab Apple Presbyterian Church. He died in 1878, in his ninety-seventh year. As a young man Grandfather George Brokaw located in Wheeling Township, Belmont County, and he died there March 25, 1892.

In the next generation of Brokaws are the following children: Thomas, George, who died in childhood, and John M. Brokaw, the father of Thomas Ray Brokaw. In 1870 J. M. Brokaw married Elizabeth Henderson, a daughter of James C. Henderson. In the previous year he had bought the farm in Athens Township where the son T. R. Brokaw now resides, and there is where he established his household. He improved the farm and lived there until 1892, when he returned to the old home in Wheeling Township, Belmont County, to care for his mother in her declining years. She died in 1896, and he returned to Athens Township and lived on the farm again until 1898, when he located in Saint Clairsville, Ohio. There were six children born to John M. Brokaw, but James. George and Anna are dead, and their mother died October 8, 1918. Those living to- day are Jane, Thomas Ray and William C., the latter a jeweler in Saint Clairsville. He and his sister Jane live with their father.

Thomas Ray Brokaw was educated in public school and went to the Wheeling Business Col- lege. For two years he worked in Wheeling, then went to Old Philadelphia, where he re- mained twelve years. He was a watchmaker there. For ten years he was a jeweler in Saint Clairsville. In 1912 he returned to the farm in Athens Township, Harrison County.

In 1906 Mr. Brokaw married Helen Shearer. Their children are Virginia, Howard C. and Raymond E. The family are members of Crab Apple Presbyterian Church, as were the Bro- kaws of past generations in Harrison County.

OBEDIAH R. K. OURANT, who is numbered among the substantial farmers of North Town -. ship, Harrison County, is a native of this county and a representative of one of its sterl-

ing pioneer families, besides which his paternal great-grandfather, John Ourant, was one of the earliest settlers in Columbiana County, this state, the maiden name of his wife having been Rachel Hewett, and their four children having been Obediah, Matilda, Harriet and Washington.

Washington Ourant, grandfather of him whose name initiates this paragraph, was born In Columbiana County, Ohio, September 15, 1808, and he was a mere boy at the time of his father's death. He was then taken into the home of an uncle, Rudolph Hines, and the fam- ily soon afterward came to Harrison County, where Mr. Ourant was reared to adult age. At Moorefield, this county, when a lad of fourteen years, Washington Ourant entered upon an ap- prenticeship to the trade of hatter under the direction of William Kennedy. He later sev- ered this association, and he completed his trade under the supervision of another hatter, George Kinsey, with whom he remained until his marriage, January 22, 1830, to Miss Mary Martin, who was born April 5, 1808, a daughter of Arthur Martin. After his marriage Wash- ington Ourant continued working at his trade in the Village of Moorefield for some time, and he then purchased a diminutive tract of land in Nottingham Township. He later acquired other tracts in that and Stock Townships, and he was one of the substantial landholders and successful farmers in Nottingham Township at the time of his death, September 13, 1884. His political allegiance was given to the republican party from the time of its organization, and his religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which both his first and his second wives likewise were members. Mrs. Mary (Martin) Ourant passed to eternal rest on the 20th of March, 1866, their children hav- ing been eight in number: John M., James K., Eliza A., William G., George W., Enos B. Joseph R. T. and Mary M. For his second wife Washington Ourant married Miss Ann Horn, who was born March 21, 1813, and who survived him by several years.

John M. Ourant, son of Washington and Mary (Martin) Ourant was born in Notting- ham Township. Harrison County, on the 27th of June, 1831, and he was reared to manhood on his father's farm, his educational advantages having been those of the common schools of the locality and period. He remained after his marriage on the old home farm until 1854, when he removed to Wyandot County, which was the stage of his farm enterprise until 1859, when he engaged in the same vocation in Tus- carawas County. Later he was for a time similarly engaged in Crawford County, but in 1881 he returned to the old homestead in Not- tingham Township, Harrison County, where he remained until his death, in 1903, his wife hav- ing died previously. He was a man of strong personality, well informed and of sterling at- tributes of character. He never sought public office but gave loyal and intelligent allegiance to the republican party.

April 18, 1852, recorded the marriage of Mr. Ourant to Miss Harriet Kennedy, who was born In Tuscarawas County, Ohio, on the 1st of June. 1834, a daughter of John L. and Matilda

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(Ourant) Kennedy. Mr. and Mrs. Ourant be- came the parents of nine children : Alexander Kinsey was born July 8, 1853, and died June 29, 1867; George W. was born May 2, 1856, and resides in Nottingham Township; Mary M., born March 16, 1858, became the wife of William H. Dunlap, and they reside in Moorefield Town- ship; Charlotte Ella was born February 14, 1861, and is the wife of John W. Jackson, of Nottingham Township; Citizens J. K. was born September 2, 1862, and died November 4, 1864; Rachel J. was born August 4, 1864, and died October 9, 1865; Hattie O. was born May 17, 1866, and died June 19, 1885; Obediab R. K., immediate subject of this review, was born July 4, 1868; and Angeline V., who was born August 16, 1873, is the wife of Thomas Adams, now residing in Nottingham Township.

Obediah R. K. Durant is indebted to the dis- trict schools of his native county for his early educational discipline, and he continued to be associated with his father in farm enterprise until his marriage in 1891. He then began in- dependent operations as a farmer in Notting- ham Township, where he remained until 1904, and then established his residence in the Village of Scio, where he remained six years. For the ensuing seven years he was a farmer in Monroe Township, . and in March, 1918, he located on his present farm in North Township. Here he is the owner of seventy-four acres of fertile and productive land, the farm being equipped with good buildings and other improvements, and being given over to well directed agricul- tural and live-stock industry.

In October. 1891, Mr. Ourant wedded Miss Linnie B. Milliken, daughter of William and Sarah ( Hines) Milliken, of Harrison County, and she was summoned to the life eternal in the month of February, 1900, being survived by two sons, Harry W. and Lyle K., both of whom were in service in the World war, as will be noted in appending paragraphs. Harry W. married Miss Freda Ferber and they now reside in the City of Gary Indiana. Lyde K. is at the paternal home at the time of this writing, in 1920. In 1902 Mr. Ourant con- tracted a second marriage, when Miss Alice Stonecker became his wife, she being the daugh- ter of Abraham Stonecker. No children have been born of this union.

Harry W. Ourant enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in July, 1917, and con- tinued in service until August, 1919, when he received his honorable discharge. In January, 1918, he went with his command to France. where he participated in much of the heavy conflict which brought honor to the American Marines. On the 18th of July. 1918. he was wounded in the left shoulder. but he was not long incapacitated. He took part in four of the important offensive movements of the allied forces, and after the signing of the armis- tice he was with the allied Army of Occupa- tion in Germany.

Lyle K. Ourant entered service in April, 1918. and. at Camp Sherman. Ohio, was assigned to the Three Hundred and Eighth Engineers, with which command he sailed for France on the 3d of June of that year. He was in active service

in France and also with the occupying allied forces in Germany, and he returned home in July, 1919, duly receiving his honorable dis- charge at Camp Sherman.

JOHN B. MCCLAIN resides upon the old home- stead farm which was the place of his birth in North Township, Harrison County, and is a scion of an honored pioneer family of this county, adequate data concerning his parents and the family history being given in the per- sonal sketch of his older and only living brother, Charles S., on other pages of this vol- ume, so that a repetition of the record is not here demanded, inasmuch as the index makes reference to the sketch of the brother a matter of facility.

Mr. McClain was born May 24, 1871. He gained his youthful education in the public schools of North Township, attended University of Ohio at Athens for two terms, and was grad- uated from Muskingum College. He has sup- plemented this discipline by private study and by wide reading of the best in literature. The old home place has been the stage of his activi- ties from his boyhood to the present time, and here he is progressive in the management of the fine farm, which comprises 117 acres,-a property of which he became the owner upon the death of his parents, to whom he accorded the deepest filial solicitude during the closing years of their lives. Mr. CcClain is a bachelor and maintains a hospitable bachelor's hall at the attractive old home, which is endeared to him by many gracious memories and associa- tions.

NATHAN M. WALLACE has given a full quarter of a century to effective service as a sturdy blacksmith in Nottingham Township, where he erected his present well equipped blacksmith shop in the year 1914, and where the scope and character of his trade patronage attest alike his skill as an artisan and his personal popularity in his native township. He was born in Nottingham Township on the 30th of May, 1866, and is a son of William H. and Ruth Anna (Miller) Wallace, the former of whom was born near Steubenville, Jefferson County, this state, April 27, 1841, and the latter was born in Washington Township, Harrison County, on the 12th of October, 1840, a daughter of Nathan and Amy (Jones) Miller. As a young man Nathan Miller worked as a millwright in Washington Township, where later he became a successful farmer, besides following the trade of shoemaker. He was a birthright member of the Society of Friends. Mr. and Mrs. Miller continued their residence in Washington Township until their deaths. They became the parents of five children-Ruth Anna. Jason, John N .; Ardena, Jane and Alwilda.

William H. Wallace was a son of Mark and Margaret ( Robinson) Wallace, both natives of Ireland, where their marriage was solemnized and whence they immigrated to America within a year thereafter. Mr. Wallace was born No- vember 23, 1806, and his lineage traces back to staunch Scotch origin, as the name implies.

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Within a short time after their arrival in the United States Mark Wallace and his wife es- tablished their residence in Jefferson County, Ohio, whence they later came to Harrison County and located in Moorefield Township, where he engaged in farming and also did a prosperous business in the operating of a huck- ster's wagon. Mr. Wallace died on the 3d of

November, 1862, and his widow passed to the life eternal on the 21st of February, 1886, both having been devout and zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They became the parents of five children, whose names and dates of birth are here recorded : William H., April 27, 1841; John W., June 6, 1843; Mary J., September 16, 1845; Thomas R., February 24, 1848; Leander M., September 7, 1852 (died July 11, 1905). William H. Wallace was reared and educated in Nottingham Township, and there he became a prosperous farmer. He continued his residence in that township until his death, on the 13th of November, 1895, and his widow passed away on the 23d of November, 1907, at a venerable age. Mr. Wallace held member- ship in the Presbyterian Church and his wife was a member of the Disciples or Christian Church. Their marriage was solemnized in June, 1865, and they became the parents of three children: Nathan M., the immediate sub- ject of this review; Miss Amy, who married Harvey Forsythe and resides in North Town- ship, Harrison County ; and Ella M., the wife of Emanuel Mallernee, of Cadiz Township; their children being five in number-Eva E., Herbert E .. Paul B., Rusk and Carl.

Nathan M. Wallace profited duly by the scholastic advantages afforded in the district schools of his native township, and there he continued his association with farm industry until he was twenty-nine years of age. since which time he has here maintained a shop and worked successfully at his trade, that of black- smith. He is a republican in politics, is affili- ated with the Loyal Order of Moose, and is a member of the Christian Church at Minksville, as was also his wife.

. In 1887 Mr. Wallace was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth E. Mallernee, daughter of Lewis and Lovina (McFadden) Mallernec, of Harrison County, and she was twenty-nine years of age at the time of her death. Her only child, Ada Ethel, is the wife of John H. Cope, of Nottingham Township.

Ross M. HAWTHORN is another of the native sons of Harrison County who is giving vigor- ous and effective impetus to farm industry in this county, and since May. 1911, he has staged his activities on his present excellent farm of 130 acres in Short Creek Township. He was born in this township December 17. 1868. and is the eldest in a family of three children. his next younger brother being Reed I .. now a resident of the State of Indiana, near South Bend, and the youngest of the three being William Boyd Hawthorn, who is individually represented on other pages of this work.

Mr. Hawthorn is a son of James Lemmon and Jennie (Mclaughlin) Hawthorn. whose marriage was solemnized on the 18th of Octo-

ber, 1866, and who now reside at Harrisville, this county, where the father is living retired. The mother is a representative of a pioneer family of which due record is given in this publication.

James L. Hawthorn was born in Mount Pleas- ant Township Jefferson County, Ohio, May 14, 1844, was there reared and educated and there learned in his youth the trade of blacksmith. During the early years of the Civil war he was a Government blacksmith, stationed at Nash- ville. In the winter of 1862 he engaged in the work of his trade at Harrisville, Harrison County. where he continued as the sturdy and honored village blacksmith until 1900, when he purchased and removed to a farm adjoining that village. He continued the management of the farm until 1908, when he sold the prop- erty and returned to Harrisville, where he has since lived retired. He is a son of William and Mary ( Lemmon) Hawthorn, the former of whom was born in Mount Pleasant Township, Jefferson County, in March, 1817. His death occurred in 1896. His wife was born in 1822 in Harrison County and is also deceased. She was a daughter of Griffith Lemmon, who was a native of Ireland and a sterling pioneer settler in Harrison County. William Hawthorn was a son of John Hawthorn, who was born on the vessel on which his parents took passage in immigrating from Ireland to America, and he became an early settler in Jefferson County, Ohio, where he passed the residue of his life. William Hawthorn learned in his youth the cooper's trade, but the greater part of his active life was given to farm enterprise. Both he and his wife were zealous members of the United Presbyterian Church. They became the parents of four children-Martha. James, Alex- ander and Sheridan.

Ross M. Hawthorn is indebted to the public schools of Harrisville for his early educational discipline, and as a young man he engaged in farming in Jefferson County. He continued his activities in this line six years, and for two years thereafter was engaged in the lumber business at Adena, that county. In 1902 he returned to Harrisville, where he maintained his home until 1911 and where he gave the most of his time during this period to the lum- ber business. In May, 1911, as previously noted, he removed to his present farm, where he has since continued his activities as one of the progressive and successful agriculturists and stock-growers of his native township and county. He is a republican in politics and he and his wife and son hold membership in the I'nited Presbyterian Church at Harrisville.

April 20, 1891, recorded the marriage of Mr. Hawthorn to Miss Elizabeth L. Simpson, daugh- ter of Edward and Catherine Simpson, of Har- rison County, and she was summoned to the life eternal on the 26th of March, 1907, a devoted member of the United Presbyterian Church. Ralph S .. the only child of this union, is asso- ciated with his father in the work and manage- ment of the home farm. In December, 1910. was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hawthorn to Miss Jennie Shields, daughter of Joseph Shields, of whom more specific record is given

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on other pages, in the sketch of his son Milton M. Mrs. Hawthorn is a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Harrisville.

GEORGE L. POULSON exemplifies a full meas- ure of sponsorship for constructive enterprise in connection with agricultural and dairy enter- prise in North Township, Harrison County, where he is the owner of an excellent farm of 170 acres. He was born in Wayne Township, Belmont County, Ohio, on the 28th of August, 1871, and is a son of John W. and Mary M. (Davis) Poulson, the former of whom likewise was born in Belmont County, and the latter was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, a daugh- ter of George Davis, who was a prosperous farmer in that county. John W. Poulson was reared and educated in Belmont County and is a representative of an honored pioneer family of that section of the Buckeye State. In that county were born his parents, Mortimer and Olivia (McFadden) Poulson, who there passed their entire lives, the father having devoted his active career to farm industry and he and his wife having been earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They became the parents of five children-George W., Franklin, John William, Margaret and Hannah.

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History of Carroll and Harrison Counties, Ohio, Part 64

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Number of Pages: 678

Author: H. J. Eckley, William T. Perry
Publication date: 1921
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 678