USA > Ohio > Defiance County > History of Defiance County, Ohio. Containing a history of the county; its townships, towns, etc.; military record; portraits of early settlers and prominent men; farm views, personal reminiscences, etc > Part 76
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February 15, 1802, in Colerain Township, Ross County, Olmo, and was married in October, 1827, to Diana Webb, daughter of Obadiah and Catharine Webh. She was born in Berks County, Penn., December 12, 1804. After this marriage they settled in Tiffin Town- ship in Section 34, where he also built a saw mill on Webb's Run. This mill also had one run of buhrs for grinding corn for the early settlers, at that time their principal food. This family consisted of eleven children ; their names were Mary Ann, George, Joseph, Rebecca, Jemima, Obadiah W., John, Ephraim, Lewis, Ann Maria, Sarah Ann. Six are dead-George, Rebecca, John, Ephraim, Ann Maria, Sarah Ann. Three sons were in the war of the rebellion ; George was a private in Company G, One Hundred and Twenty-fourth Regi- ment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and is supposed to have been captured and killed by guerrillas near Manchester, Tenn., in 1863, as nothing has ever been heard of him since. Obadiah W. was in Company -, Forty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; served three years ; was six months a prisoner, and came home all right, and is now living in Defiance. John was in Company E, Fourteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; en- listed in the fall of 1861 ; was in several battles and was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga and died of his wounds at Chattanooga, Tenn., September 30, 1863, in his twenty-fourth year.
John G. Stever was born December 27, 1838, in Wuer- temburg, Germany. His parents, John Stever and Chris- tiana (Elser) Stever, were born in the same place ; came to America in 1846 and landed at New York July 4, with their family of two children, John G. the oldest son, and Ludwig his brother ; Sophia died on the passage : over and was buried in the ocean. They have had eleven children in all, of whom but two are living -- Jolin, the subject of this sketch, Louisa, who married Harman Wisemiller, formerly of Tiffin Township, and who are now living in Iowa. His parents came from New York to Tonawanda, near Buffalo, N. Y., remaming four years there. In 1850, they moved to Tiffin Township and rented the Heffner, now the Spangler farm, for five years, and then bought a wild lot of Frederick Von Beren, in Section 11, of eighty aeres. in the fall of 1855, and proceeded to erect a log cabin. Mrs. Stever died on this farm soon after their arrival in the woods, and Mr. Stever then married Mrs. Mary Huff, and after hier decease he married his present wife. Mary Redenbaugh. John G., the subject of this sketch, remained at home and helped his father clear up the farm, attending district school in the winter till nineteen, when his father gave hiin his time, and on August 4, 1858. was married to Sarah Toberen. eldest daughter of Frederick and Eliza- beth (Shryer) Toberen, who were from Germany. and came to this country in 1834, to Massillon, Ohio, where they were married, and from thence to Deliance County, in 1835, and entered a farm of 100 acres in Section 15.
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Tiffin Township. In 1837, they moved onto it. Their family consisted of five children, viz .: Sarah, . Mary William, Frank, all dend but Sarah and Mary. Sarah married Jolm G. Stever, the subject of this sketch ; Mary married William Linebrink and lives in this town- ship. Their children are-Sarah, Jacob, Nora, Alfred, Christana and Incz. The children of John G. Stever were Jacob W. (deceased), born December 15, 1859; Charles L. (deceased), born June 21, 1862 ; Edward F., born August 13, 1864 ; Frederick S., born September 26, 1867 ; Willis O., born February 7, 1871 ; Miriam, M., born October 15, 1874; Bertha E., born May 21, 1878. Mr. S. purchased the farm entered hy Henry Shirman, who came when the Toberens and Hock- mans did, in 1834 or 1835. Their neighbors were Coys, Halls and Sniders. Mr. Stever has served the township a number of years as Trustee. He had a brother killed near Atlanta, Ga. (See Ohio in the war.)
Aaron Bennett was born in Cincinnati December 14, 1814 ; his parents were Aaron and Ruth (Lord) Ben- nett. They were married in Cincinnati in 1813. Mr. Bennett was their only child ; Mr. Bennett's father died in St. Louis, Mo., in 1816 ; Mrs. Bennett lived in Cin- cinnati a number of years, then moved to Indiana, then to Evansport, where she lived with her son until her death, which occurred in 1874 ; Mrs. Bennett was a cousin of the celebrated Gen. Jolm Hovey, and also a cousin of Mr. Lord, the millionaire land owner, who has been so popular. Mr. Bennett's grandfather, Joseph Lord, served in the Revolutionary war ; while at New York he cut on a small powder horn used for priming, the position of the city, vessels in the harbor, etc. Mr. Thomas H. Kintigh now has it in his possession. Aaron Bennett came to Defiance County in 1840 ; Rev. Thomas Winters and family and John C. Shaffer and family ac- companied him. Rev. Winters purchased land of James Wilson where John A. Garber now lives. Mr. Shaffer moved into a cabin (where the Garber Schoolhouse now stands), used by John Clampett as a blacksmith shop ; he afterward moved to Springfield Township, Williams County. Mr. Bennett was married to Miss Rebecca Shaffer July 2, 1841 ; Mr. Bennett got the first mar- riage license issued after the county seat of Williams County was moved from Defiance to Bryan ; Edwin Phelps was County Clerk ; Mr. Bennett served as Post- master of Evansport one year from the winter of 1845, and also from the spring of 1855 to 1860. Also, as Jus- tice of the Peace two years from the spring of 1858, and again from 1866 to 1878. Mrs. Bennett died January 15, 1879 ; Mr. Bennett lives with his son, Dr. Bennett, in Evansport. Mr. Bennett's family was-William Thomas Bennett, born in Brunersburg, Ohio, May 13, 1842. and married Mary Spangler, January 1, 1863. In September, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Fourteenth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until he was mustered out of service in June, 1865, having par-
ticipated in the battles of the Wild Cat, Chickamanga, etc., and brought home with him the razor used by the rebel Gen. Felix K. Zollicoffer ; it is the real " simon pure " article ; he also brought a Lieutanant's Commis- sion in the Southern army. He lives in Brunersburg, Ohio. Orlando Bennett, born May 13, 1845, married Margaret Buck, September 21, 1869. They have had three children, one of whom is dead. August 18, 1862, Mr. Bennett enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Eleventh Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; was in Bragg and Buell campaign, in Kentucky ; under Burn- side, in East Tennessee ; siege of Knoxville, with Gen. W. T. Sherman ; from Chattanooga to Jonesboro, Franklin and Nashville, under Gen. George H. Thomas ; around to Fort Fisher, North Carolina, by way of Wash- ington ; participated in the capture of Fort Anderson, on the Cape Fear River, and the fall of Wilmington, N. C. ; joined Sherman at Goldsboro, N. C. ; then to Raleigh, then to Greensboro. to receive the surrender Gen. Joseph. E. Johnston and his troops ; mustered out of service at Santsbury, N. C., June 27, 1865. In the spring of 1866, he began the study of medi- cine with Dr. Houston Russell, and graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Wooster, at Cleveland, Ohio, in the spring of 1869, and has been in constant practice ever since .. Valentine Bennett, born December 13, 1846, died July 14, 1867. Alice Bennett, born September 14, 1849, and married to Thomas H. Kintigh. They have seven children, and reside in Michigan. Susan May Bennett, born May 17, 1851, married Simon M. Cameron, March 8, 1882. Car- oline Bennett, born February 28, 1853, married to Harrison T. Kintigh. They have seven children, and live in Hicksville, Ohio. Fannie Bennett was born Feb- ruary 25, 1855, died April 26, 1857. Addie Bennett, born May 1, 1856, died July 29, 1861. Della Bennett, born February 15, 1858. Belle Bennett, born December 10, 1860.
James S. Gurwell was born in Pennsylvania June 10, 1779, and was married to Mary Ridgely. They moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and then to Crawford County. H. S. Knapp's " History of the Maumee Val- ley " mentions Mr. Gurwell and Westell Ridgely as be- ing early settlers in Crawford County. In 1841, Mr. Gurwell, wife and family, moved to Williams County, and settled in Pulaski Township, arriving June 18, 1841. 'Mr. and Mrs. Gurwell are both dead. Mr. Gur- well, during the war of 1812, served under Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, on Lake Erie, and was present at Perry's victory. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Gurwell were Westell Ridgely Gurwell (dead) ; Jacob Young Gurwell, married Maria Cox. They had eleven chil- dren. Mrs. Gurwell died December 27, 1874. In 1875 Mr. Gurwell married Mrs. Mary P. Cameron. They live on Section 34, of Tillin Township. Mr. Gurwell has served several terms as Infirmary Director. Anna Keys Gurwell, horn August 29, 1823, married George
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
Purtee, November 30, 1841. John Gurwell, married Margaret Heller. They had but two children, both now deceased. Mr. Gurwell is again married, to Rebecca Christman, and lives in Williams County. James Gur- well (deceased). William Harrisoni Gurwell, married to Sarah Kimble. They have ten children, and live in Doniphan County, Kan. Elizabeth Gurwell, married to William Shook, April 8, 1851. They have eleven chil- dren, and live in Williams County. Henry Gurwell, married Jane Lindle. They have five children, and live in Williams County. Maria Gurwell, married William Stailey. They had three children. Mrs. Stailey is dead. Mary Gurwell, married Hiram Meade. They had two children, and lived in Berrien County Mich., where they both died. * Enos Gurwell, (dead).
Martin Gurwell was born October 5, 1847, in Will- iams County, Ohio, and came to Tiffin Township with his parents April 9, 1849, when about eighteen months old. His great-grandfather, Jacob Gurwell, came from Scotland about the year 1760, and settled in Mercer County, Penn., serving in the war of the Revolution, under Gen. George Washington. His grandfather, James S. Gurwell, son of Jacob, was born in Mercer County, Penn., June 10, 1785, and served in the war of 1812. In 1816, he moved to Wayne County, Ohio, and in 1818 was married to Miss Mary Ridgley and settled in Crawford County, Ohio, the same year, where he lived until 1841, when he moved to Williams County, Ohio, where he continued to reside till his death, in January, 1855. His father, J. Y. Gurwell, the second son of James S., was born in Crawford County, Ohio, April 26, 1821, and came with his parents to Williams County, where he grew up to manhood. In 1844, he returned to Craw- ford County, Ohio, where he was married, August 28, 1845, to Miss Maria Cox, and again returned to Will- iams County and remained there until 1849, when he moved on to the farm where he now resides in Tiffin Township, Defiance Co. Ohio. His children were : James Ira, Martin, Orlando, Rebecca E., Jacob R., Lo- vina A., Ruth, Sarena A., Salathiel, Mary C. and Charles A., eleven in all. Of this number. but four survive, viz., Martin, Salathiel, Mary C. and Charles A. Martin Gur- well was, married, June 2, 1871, to Miss Angeline P. .. Ury, daughter of George W. and Amanda M. (Meek) Ury. of Washington Township, and settled in Sec- tion 27 of Tiffin Township, Defiance Co., Ohio, where they now reside. Their children are Jennie Viola and Sylva May, who are living, and an infant son, deceased.
Bartholomew Yeagley was born in New Jersey July 4, 1776, and married Elizabeth Clark in Pennsylvania in 1796. Mrs. Yeagley was born in Maryland in 1778. The families of the Clarks and Yeagleys settled near Ha- gerstown, Md. Mr. Yeagley was by profession a shoe- maker, and during the war of 1812 did good service by making shoes for the soldiers. Mrs. Yeagley had four brothers who served in the war of 1812, under Gen William Henry Harrison, and were all through the cam-
paign. Their names were Enos, John, George and Da- vid Clark. Enos was taken sick on the return march, and, being unable to accompany the rest, was left to die in the Black Swamp, then in the height of its dismal. ness. After several days had passed, he recovered strength enough to continue on his way, and finally reached his home in Columbiana County, Ohio. Mr. Yeagley moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, then to Co- lumbiana County, from Pennsylvania, at an early date, and settled near New Lisbon. In 1827, he moved to Stark County, Ohio, where he resided until 1848. Mrs. Yeagley died in 1843, aged sixty-five years. In 1848, Mr. Yeagley and family of seven children moved to Defiance County and settled in Tiffin Township. Mr. Yeagley died December 24, 1863. Most of lis children have removed from Defiance County.
Adam Sullinger was born August 16, 1784. He married Sarah Borders, who was born July 19, 1794. They were married about the year 1810, and had eight children-John, Jacob, Andrew, Abram, Caleb. Rolla, Asa and Mary. They lived in Montgomery County, Ohio, near Dayton. Mr. Sullinger served abont two months in the war of 1812, at the stockade at Dayton, Ohio. In 1834, Jacob Hall and Woolry Coonrad, of this township, moved them to this township, three yoke of oxen being pressed into service to convey them here. They arrived here August 18, 1834, and erected a cabin where Mr. Skinner now lives. They afterward moved to Evansport. Mr. Sullinger died January 18, 1856. Mrs. Sullinge died April 28, 1882, aged eighty-seven years nine months and fifteen days.
Jacob Dieden was born in Bavaria, October 14, 1807. In 1837, he came to Fairfield County, Ohio, where he married Hannah Clark, in 1840. In 1843, he moved to Section 16, Tiffin Township, and died there April 16, 1872; Mrs. Dieden resides with her son. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Dieden were Christian Dieden, born September 12, 1841, and married Louisa Steir in 1870 ; Mrs. Dieden died Sep- tember 14, 1878. Mr. Dieden served four years as Township Clerk, from the spring of 1872 ; he lives on the homestead in Section 16, Tiffin Township. Catha- rine Dieden, born August 17, 1844, resides with her brother. Elizabeth Dieden, born January 24. 1847, married Adam Hall, September 14, 1865. Hannah Dieden, born in 1849, married to Charles W. Brown, April 18, 1867.
Ezra Rethmel was born in Lycoming County, Penn., October 17, 1788, and was married to Mary Collins (who was born October 22, 1792), November 10, 1814. Mrs. Rethiel died April 11, 1867. Mr. Rethmel died in Lycoming County, Penn. The children of this couple were Elizabeth Rethmel, born Angust 20, 1815 ; married Isaac Gibbs. Their children were Ezra, Charles (deceased), Benjamin F. (deceased), Mary E., Martha and Oliver twins, Oliver dead. Ezra and Frank were in the late war, Ezra in the Thirty-eighth Regi-
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
ment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and Frank in the Four- teenth Regiment Obio Volunteer Infantry, and died in service. Mr. Gibbs died in 1861. They lived in Tiffin Township, Defiance County ; William Rethmel, born September 13, 1817, and married Sarah Pidcoe, in March, 1841. Their children were George, Edward, Louisa, Mary C., Elizabeth, Ellen, Ezra, Elmer. George and Edward died in the civil war. They lived in Ly- coming County, Penn. Mr. Rethmel died in 1871 ; Ezra lives in Tiffin Township. Effie Rethmel, born November 8, 1821, married Samuel Schick, in January, 1841. Their children were Elizabeth, Mary, Peter, Thomas, Lovina, Martha, William and - -. Mrs. Schick died in 1858. They lived in Lycoming County, Penn. Phebe Rethmel, horn July 12, 1823, married Caleb Sullinger in January, 1842. They had three children. They live in Springfield Township, Williams County, Ohio. Thomas Rethmel, bo n May 19, 1824, married Lucy C. Southward, November 3, 1853. They live in Section 10, Tiffin Township. . Mr. Rethmel settled there in November, 1841. March 12, 1850, in company with John Conrad, he went to California by the "overland route," crossed the American Desert, where they saw some sorrowful scenes, and arrived in the Sacramento Valley July 24, 1850. He mined about six or eight months, then teamed and worked in a hotel. He was at numerous places on the American, Calaveras, Yuba Rivers, etc. He returned in the fall of 1852. Joseph Rethmel, born June 20, 1827, married Christiana Garber, in November 23, 1851. They had two children-John H. and Joseph C. (deceased). Mr. Rethmel died November 4, 1853. They lived in Tiffin Township. Martha Rethmel, born July 29, 1829, married Rolla Sullinger in August, 1847 ; they had three children. They live in Evansport. Mary Reth- mel, born March 6, 1831, died in 1836.
Frederick Enneking was born in Oldenburg, Ger- many, February 13, 1821. He came to the United States from Bremen, Germany, on the "good ship" Caroline, Capt. Fulkman, and arrived at New York City June 20, 1843, after forty days' fair sailing. He traveled about a short time, and finally settled in Franklin County, Penn., and lived there eight years. He married Mar- garet Smith August 30, 1849. They moved to Tiffin Township and settled in Section 31 (where they now live), in April, 1852. Their children are Mary Enneking, born August 15, 1850, and married Abraham Spitler, April 13, 1871 ; they live in Noble Township ; Elizabeth Enneking, horn October 19, 1855 ; Amos Enneking, born October 25, 1859.
Henry Brown, son of Reuben Brown, was born April 13, 1819. His parents were from the State of New York. His father was born in 1799, and married Sarah Jones in 1818. Came to Williams County, Ohio, in 1833, and settled in Tiffin Township, where the County Farm now is ; lived there until 1863, then moved on the Von Be- ren farm ; lived there until 1871; then returned to Defi-
ance, where he lived two years, and then to Evansport, where he died in 1874. Mrs. Brown died February 1, 1862. Mr. Brown married Mrs. Hannah Kintigh in 1864. She lives in Evansport, Ohio. Heury Brown married Hester Aun Purtce August 28, 1842, by whom he had four children-Charles Wesley, born March 12, 1844 (married Hannah Dieden, April 18, 1867. They had two children-Carrie E. and Kenneth V., deceased. Mr. Brown lives in Section 17. August 2, 1862, he en- listed in Company C, One Hundred and Eleventh Regi- ment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war); Phoebe Catherine, born May 30, 1853, died February 20, 1862 ; Sarah Lovina, born March 9, 1856, died March 16, 1856 ; Nancy Delila, born June 10, 1859, died March 22, 1862. Henry Brown died Decem- ber 11, 1879, and Mrs. Brown December 10, 1879.
John Wesley Brown was born August 18, 1849, on the County Farm. In 1856, he came to Brunersburg with his parents, and worked on a farm there. In 1872, he returned to Tiffin, settling on the old Von Beren farm on Section 16, where he still resides. He married, August 18, 1875, Sarah T., daughter of Charles F. and Elizabeth (Brubaker) Krotz, who was born in Mark Township May 16, 1854. Their children were Harry C., Minnie A. (twins, died in infancy, and born March 26, 1876), and Mattie, born February 22. 1878.
Parmenas Kibble was born in Rockingham County, Va., March 1, 1790, and was married to Catharine Jus- tice in December, 1817. Mrs. Kibble was born near Chambersburg, Penn., June 5, 1795. The Kibbles and Justices moved to Hocking County, Ohio, at an early date, at which place Mr. Kibble was married. Their children were Robert, Margaret, Joseph, Eliza Ann and William Nelson. Mrs. Kibble died January 11, 1865, and Mr. Kibble died December 23, 1872. Mr. Kibble's parents were George and Ann Kibble. Mrs. Ann Kibble died September 14, 1854, aged ninety-five years eleven months and twelve days, and is interred in the Evansport cemetery.
William Kibble, a son of George Kibble, came to Defiance County in 1830, and built a cabin at the place now called " Kibble Hollow ;" lived there a time and then moved to Evansport. He died in Iowa a number of years ago.
Parmenas Kibble came from Hocking County in the spring of 1832, and put out a crop of corn. In August of the same year he moved his family out, and " an- chored " at the month of Webb Run. In the spring of 1833, he entered seventy acres of land in Section 29, moved on it, put up his cabin, cleared up his farm, and lived there until 1857. when he moved to Section 32. While Mr. Kibble resided in Hocking County, Ohio, he was engaged for a time with Jesse Donley in transport- ing produce, such as flour and whisky, to New Orleans, La., on rafts constructed of sycamore logs. George Kibble was overseer on a Virginia plantation. Their meats were mostly wild game, of which they became
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HISTORY OF DEFIANCE COUNTY.
very tired. Their wheat crop for a year or so was so affected that all who ate bread made of the flour be- «une very sick. (This was what is termed sick wheat.) During this time, Mrs. Kibble rode, frequently, ten miles or so down the Maumee River, on horseback, to get a peck or half-bushel of corn meal ; and very often the allowance to the children would be but two small cakes! The first schoolhouse in Mr Kibble's neighborhood, was built on his farm about 1836, and John Cameron was the teacher.
Robert Kibble was born September 1, 1818, and married Mary Ann' Coffman in 1841. Their children were Outharin. (dead), Alvaro (dead), Margaret A. (dead), William N. (dead), Jane (dead), married Sidney Anson ; John, now in Nebraska; Mary E., married Otto Slumnaker ; Nancy, married Jacob Oliger ; Saralı ; Ida, married Jacob Webber. Robert Kibble was in the late war, enlisting in Company F, Forty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in October, 1861, and died at Shiloh, Tenn., April 3, 1862. Mrs. Kibble died June 25, 1863, aged thirty-eight years eight months and twenty- three days.
Margaret Kibble was born January 18, 1820, and married Andrew Romine in 1845. Their children were James 1., married to Elizabeth Gibson. She died July 19, 1878 ; married again in January, 1880, to Alice A. Clutter, and lives in Paulding County, Ohio ; William N. (dead), Alphonso (dead). Mr. Romine died January 4, 1853, aged thirty-two years. Mrs. Romine died Jan- uary 18, 1853.
Joseph Kibble was born May 25, 1825, and married Caroline MeDorman, September 15, 1850. Their chil- dren were Joseph C. (dead) ; Alice, married Cyrus Decker ; Kate, married Joh W. Cook ; Lillian V., mar- ried Isaac O. Hanna. Mrs. Kibble died November 6, 1879. Mr. Kibble married Mrs. Caroline Meck May 18, 1881. They live in Bryan, Ohio. Joseph Kibble served his country in the Mexican war, and also in the late war.
Eliza Ann Kibble was born March 5. 1828, and mar- ried Jacob Hudson October 24, 1847. Their children are Mary E. and Lilly M. They live in Bryan, Ohio.
William Nelson Kibble was born April 12, 1830, and married Catharine Brubaker February 25, 1853. Mrs. Kibble was born near Chambersburg, Penn. April 11, 1833. Her parents were Daniel and Catharine Bru- baker. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Kibble consisted of Melvin O., now in Butte City. Montana ; Orlando P., now in Georgetown, Colo. ; Emma G., married Win- field S. Yarlott November 6, 1878 ; Frances L. (deceased), Abraham L., Jennie V., Edwin. Frank (deceased), Nettic M., William N., Jr. Mr. Kibble owns and occu- pies the old homestead, consisting of 218 acres, for which his mother sold her wool bed-blankets. manufact- ured by her in Hocking County, there being no money in this section of the country at that time. "The first death which occurred in Lost Creek Township (now
Farmer) was a hunter who lived in Section 9, and whose death occurred about 1835. The coffin was made by Obediah Webb, who lived on the cast side of Bean Creek, opposite to the farm now owned by Lyman Lang- don. The coffin was lashed to a pole, and carried by Abraham Webb and William Kibble, on their shoulders, to the hunter's camp, a distance of nearly thirteen miles on a direct line, and their route was through the woods, without a path to guide them. They crossed Bean Creek at dusk, and, with a pocket compass to guide them, and a hickory bark torch to light their way, they set out with their burden on their lonely route, and reached the hut at 3 o'clock in the morning. He was buried on the northwest quarter of Section 10." -- Horace S. Knapp's History of the Maumee Valley. Nelson Kib- ble is said to have killed the largest deer ever seen in Tiffin Township.
Jacob Figley was born in Germany in 1717, and was married to Delila Davis. The date they came to the United States is unknown. They had eleven children. He served all through the Revolutionary war under Gen. Washington. He died in 1825, aged one hun- dred and eight years. Abraham Figley, son of Jacob Figley, was born in Berks County, Penn., in 1769, and was married in 1790 to Catharine Donelson, a lineal de- scendant of one of the Donelsons of the Highland clan in Scotland. They had eight children. Mrs. Figley died in December, 1806. In November, 1808, Abraham Figley married Elizabeth Hughes, by whom he had four children. He served in the Indian war of 1794-95, having moved from Berks County, Penn., to Washing- ton County. He moved to Columbiana County, Ohio, in 1808, and died there in 1834, aged sixty-five years. Simon Figley, second son of Abraham Figley, was born in Washington County, Penn., March 1, 1794. In February, 1813, he enlisted as a private soldier in a regiment commanded by Col. Stephenson, and during his four months' stay at Lower Sandusky, assisted in the ercetion of Fort Stephenson. In June, 1813, a company of the soldiers were ordered to Cleveland, at which place they were commanded by Maj Jessup, Mr. Figley being among the number. Having nothing to do, Maj. Jessup commanded them to muster twice a day. One day an English war vessel came within sight of the fort, and as the tort at that time contained only a hundred men, the Major thought up a plan of scaring the " beef-enters," which was as follows : The shore of Lake Erie being lined with trees, but a small portion of the fort-ground. could be scen. Calling up the soldiers, the Major ordered them to march in a zigzag manner, so that but half of the soldiers could be seen at a time. and while one-half were in sight, the other half were not. To a casual observer from the lake it would seem that a whole regiment were marching. They " marched " in this manner several times during the day, and in the morning John Bull's minions were gone, skipped, struck for lower timber. Mr. Figley was
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