History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 149

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818

USA > Ohio > Delaware County > History of Delaware County and Ohio > Part 149

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

SILAS J. MANN, stock-raiser and farmer ; P. O. Center Village ; is a son of Abijah Mann, whose sketch appears elsewhere; he and his wife were both members of the M. E. Church ; they had twelve children ; he died in August, 1865, and some six or seven years later his wife died; she was a native of New Jersey, and a niece of Maj. Oldham of Revolutionary fame ; her father also fought five years under Gen. Washington ; he was a minister of the M. E. Church. Our subject is the oldest child and was born in December, 1838; he was 12 years old when his father went to California, and he worked by the month to help support the

843

HARLEM TOWNSHIP.

family ; he remained at home until 22 years old, working in summer and attending school in winters; Aug. 8, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, O. V. I .; was in the command that chased Morgan through Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana; being disabled on the march, he was transferred to the 8th Regi- ment, V. R. Corps, stationed at Camp Douglas, Chicago ; he was a member of the Post band that did twenty days' playing at the Northwest Sanitary Fair at Chicago in 1863; was mustered out July 4, 1865, and Sept. 21, of same year, was married to Julia A., daughter of George Stansell, native of Palmyra, N. Y., where he was born in 1798 ; hedied Sept. 10, 1855 ; fourteen years later, his wife died ; they had nine children; Mrs. Mann was the sixth child and was born Oct. 1, 1841. After his marriage, our subject located in Centerville, where he lived nine years, and in 1875 moved to his present homestead of fifty acres on which he has a good house, barns, &c .; bis farm is well improved. Mr. Mann is a Republi- can ; has held the office of Township Trustee six or seven years; is at present a member of the Board of Education ; is also a Director of the Delaware Co. Agricultural Society ; is a member of Galena Lodge, No. 404, I. O. O. F .; Mr. and Mrs. Mann belong to the M. E. Church. They have two children-Arthur C., born Aug. 14, 1870, and Jasper D. Feb. 5, 1876.

ABIJAH MANN (deceased) ; was born near Paterson, N. J., July 22, 1813, and remained there with his father until 18 years of age. They lived on a farm, business was burning char- coal and cutting hoop-poles. Having heard much of the then new country West, the subject decided to leave the hills of New Jersey, and, knowing it would be useless to ask for the consent of his parents, he and a younger brother ran off and hired to a man that was coming West with stock, and in 1835 landed in Licking Co., Ohio, where he com- menced working by the month, but in a short time their father, Shoah Mann, came out to take them back, but Abijah would consent only on condition that his father would sell out and move to Ohio, and having found it a better country than he expected, he consented ; so they returned to their native place, the father to get ready to come West, and the son worked as an apprentice at masonry ; the following year Shoah Mann, with his family, located in Franklin Co., where he served twenty-one years as Township Justice of the Peace, and though his schooling amounted to but eleven days, he never in the twenty-one years had

his decision reversed or set aside. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had twelve children ; he died in Au- gust, 1865 ; his wife died a few years later ; her maiden name was Nancy Oldham, her father was a captain in the war of independence, and after- wards served as Constable nine years, as Justice of the Peace five years ; as Sheriff three years; was also a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. After coming to Ohio, our subject mar- ried Betsey A. Adams; soon after marriage he went to Chicago, Ill., where he worked at his trade and helped build the first brick house built in the city ; while there he was offered forty acres of land as a present if he would locate there, but would not, but returned to Harlem Township, Delaware Co., and commenced housekeeping. and made most of his furniture; he continued farming and working at his trade until 1852, then went to Iowa and bought 750 acres of land, and went on to California to make the money to pay for it; re- turned in 1854, and found his land in Iowa had trebled in value; he traded 240 acres of it for 110 acres located one-quarter of a mile west of Center Village, on which he remained until his death, Jan. 16, 1864; his wife died in 1856 ; they had ten children-Abijah, born in 1836, died in 1838 ; the second child, Silas J. Mann, whose sketch appears in this work; Lucy A., born July 4, 1841, and in September, 1859, married Davis W. Swickard; they have three children and live in Pike Co., Ohio; Newton, born March 19, 1844, when 17 entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, and for five years, taught and attended school, after which he spent one season lecturing in the cities of the State ; in 1866, went to Kansas, locating at Leav- enworth, where he commenced teaching school and reading law under Judge Gardner, was admitted in 1868. December, 1871, married Elizabeth Wam- bough ; they have three children; after marriage located in Tonganoxie where he served as Police Judge; in 1876, was elected Judge of Leaven- worth Co., and again moved to the county seat where he still remains in practice; he is also a minister of the Christian Church. The fifth child, Henry L., was born June 7, 1847 ; when 18, he left home, went to Hardin Co., where he clerked in a store for a time, then returned to Delaware Co., where he taught his first school, and by teaching and attending school he obtained a good education, he then read medicine with Dr. Andrews, of Wes- terville ; February, 1875, he graduated with second honors, from Starling Medical College, of Columbus,

844

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

and the same year he located in Wapakoneta, in Auglaize Co., and June 6, 1877, he married Frances E., daughter of Dr. Ingerham, of Coshoc- ton, she being a graduate in music; she is now teaching. The sixth child, Medary D., born Oct. 15, 1850 ; at 21 entered school at Reynoldsburg, there attending Otterbein University, of Wester- ville ; in 1875, he went to Kansas where he taught school nine months; in the fall of 1875, he entered the law school of Ann Arbor, where he graduated in March, 1877; located in Paulding, Ohio, and in 1878 was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Pauld- ing Co .; Oct. 10, 1878, married Alice McMillen ; they are members of the Presbyterian Church. The seventh child, Nathan A., born Aug. 24, 1852, at 20 years of age engaged in the sewing machine and organ trade, one year; then attended school at Westerville, and in 1875 with his brother he entered the law school of Ann Arbor, graduated in March, 1877, located in Leavenworth, Kan., and with his brother is in practice. there under the firm name of Mann & Mann. Isadora N., the eighth child, born Feb. 11, 1855, at 18 entered the Otterbein University of Westerville; in 1877 taught select school, at Center Village, also chosen Superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sab- bath School; is now making her home with her brother, R. J. Mann, of Harlem Township. The ninth child, Norman N., deceased. Nancy E., born Aug. 18, 1861, she also attended school at Westerville ; in 1877 went to Leavenworth, Kan., where she is now devoting her time to the study of music; she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

THOMAS H. MARRIOTT, farmer and stock- raiser ; P. O. Harlem ; is a son of H. Marriott, who was born July 21, 1779, in Maryland, where he remained until 32 years old. About the year 1800, he was married to Mary Ridgely; she was born March 3, 1783 ; after his marriage, he re- mained on a farm in that State until 1811, when he came to Ohio, locating in Licking Co., where he settled on 200 acres of land, on which he re- maind two years; the town of Utica is now situ- ated on that land; after selling that he bought 640 acres in Eden Township, in the same county, on which he remained until his death, which took place Aug. 29, 1847. He had for many years been a member of the M. E. Church. Some eleven years later, March 29, 1858, his wife died. She was also a member of the M. E. Church, hav- ing united with the church when 14 years old ; they had eleven children, seven of whom are still.

living ; the subject was their seventh child, and was born Dec. 24, 1814 ; his younger days were spent working on the farm, and attending school some during the winter, though most of his study- ing was done at home ; the school he did attend was in the old-time schoolhouses, a description of which will be found in another portion of this work ; his schooling amounted to less than twenty months ; he remained at home working for his father until 24 years old. Sept. 20, 1838, he was united in marriage to Drusilla, daughter of Cory and Mary McClelland ; he was a native of Greene Co., Penn., and was born Oct. 25, 1772 ; his wife was also a native of Pennsylvania, and was born Oct. 2, 1784 ; he came to Ohio in 1833, located in Licking Co., where he died March 27, 1856; his wife had preceded him to the grave some three years, she having met her death by a horse run- ning away, and throwing her out, from the effects of which she died in 'a few hours. They were members of the Christian Church. They had fifteen children. Mrs. Marriott was the twelfth child, and was born Jan. 18, 1822. After their marriage, the subject located on his farm in Eden Township, Licking Co., which contained 218 acres, on which he remained until 1863, when he sold out and moved to Delaware Co., and bought his present homestead of 211 acres, on which he has nice farm-buildings. He cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren, and has since remained in the Democratic party ; for eleven years was Township Clerk ; has filled the offices of Township Trustee, Land Appraiser, etc. They have had ten children, nine of whom still survive-Cory M., born Oct. 24, 1840. In 1861, he enlisted in the 76th O. V. I., as a private, but was promoted from time to time, and when mustered out was Brevet Major, and for eighteen months was on the staff of Gen. Charles R. Wood. He is now married and living in Alabama; he has two children-Mary A., born April 3, 1842, and is now Mrs. G. W. Williams, and lives in Centerville ; she has two children- Madison H., born July 12, 1843, he was also in the 76th O. V. I., from which he was discharged, and re-enlisted in the 11th Conn. V .I., was captured at Petersburg; was seven months in Andersonville, and four months in other prisons. Is now mar- ried ; has one child, and lives in Columbus, Greenburg J., born Dec. 18, 1844, was a Drum Major in the 88th O. V. I. Is now married and lives in Columbus, where he is practicing law ; Francis M., born Sept. 5, 1847, is an attorney of Delaware ; is married and has one child. In 1879,

845

HARLEM TOWNSHIP.

was elected State Senator. Bowen H., born April 10, 1849 ; is married and lives in Harlem; has two children ; is traveling for an agricultural firm. Elmas W., born Sept. 5, 1851, has two children, but, having lost his wife, he with his children makes his home with his parents. Randolph R., born. Aug. 3, 1856, and Allie M., born Oct. 20, 1864, are with their parents. Mr. Marriott keeps a liberal amount of stock on his farm ; he has also a nice bee-yard of fifty or sixty stands.

ARCHIBALD C. NEEDELS, SR., farmer ; P. O. Center Village; born Aug. 5, 1800, in the south part of Indiana ; his father, John Needels, was born in Sussex Co., Delaware, in September, 1779 ; from Delaware he went to Indiana when a young man, and there married Sarah Campbell in 1797, and, in 1803, moved to Fairfield Co., Ohio, and bought fifty acres of land, on which he built a small cabin, and remained there several years ; he then moved to Franklin; in 1812, while get- ting out timber to build a log house, he was hurt by a falling tree, from the effects of which he died in a short time, his death occurring during the total eclipse of the sun in the year 1812; he was a member of the M. E. Church ; by his death, his wife was left alone with a number of small chil- dren (the oldest being only 14 years old), and in an almost destitute condition, though by hard work she raised her children, and lived to see them well settled ; she died in 1847, in her 67th year ; they had seven children, three of whom are still living-Nancy, born in July, 1802, and is now Mrs. Hudson, and lives in Auglaize Co., Ohio ; Elijah, born in February, 1806, and living in Atchison Co., Mo. Our subject was the second child, and was 3 years old when his parents moved to Ohio, was 12 years old at his father's death, and worked for his mother until 1816; his work was mostly in timber, and, when 15 and 16 years old, would make his 200 rails a day from the stump; during his early life, wild game was plentiful, such as deer, turkeys, wolves, wild hogs, etc .; with one gun that he owned, he killed twenty- three deer, having killed as many as three a day, beside other game; when 16 years old, he com- menced doing for himself, and, for seven years, he worked nine months during the year, and attended school three months. April 20, 1823, he was married to Nancy, daughter of J. and Rachel Kile, of Kentucky, where she was born in May, 1803 ; after his marriage, our subject remained in Franklin Co. two years, and then moved to Dela- ware Co .; March 23, 1825, he located on his present

homestead, which was then covered with heavy timber ; he bought 100 acres, and for it paid $150 ; he continued to add to it until he owned 400 acres, but during the panic of 1847, he lost about three-quarters of his property, and, during the same year, he lost his wife; they had twelve children, three of whom died in childhood. Sept. 25, 1848, he married his present wife, Julia A., daughter of Benson and Annie E. Wilmoth, of Union Co., where Mrs. Needels was born Jan. 6, 1829 ; her mother died when she was quite young ; her father married again, and at 10 years of age she left home and supported herself until her mar- riage to the subject ; by his last wife he has had fourteen children ; seven of them died in child- hood; Mr. Needles is the father of twenty-six children ; twelve of them are now living; though he lost the most of his property in 1847, he has accumulated until he now owns 325 acres of good land with a good farm, residence, barns, sheds, etc., also has several tenement houses on his land ; he also has his farm well stocked with cattle, hogs and sheep ; in addition to what he now owns, he has given his first wife's children property, either in land or money, all of which he has made by hard work, never having had any money or prop- erty given him, and though 80 years old, he is yet as active in business and work as men usually at 60 ; Mr. Needels cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, and continued to vote with the Democrat- ic party until 1840; since that time has been with the Republican party ; has held the position of Trustee and other township offices, and was Supervisor at the time of locating and working many of the public roads; he was a member of the M. E. Church for eighteen years and was class-leader in that body.

WILLIAM B. ORNDORFF, farmer and breeder of fine stock ; P. O. Center Village. His father, Joseph Orndorff, was a native of Virginia, who was born Sept. 8, 1799, and remained with his parents, Jonathan and Priscilla, until his mar- riage, Sept. 12, 1819, to Elizabeth Brell, when he located in Frederick Co., Va., and in 1854 came to Harlem Township, where he died Nov. 21, 1877. His wife is now living with Wm. B. They had seven children-Catharine A., Elisha F., Harriet S., Joseph M., Rachel H., Robert F., William B. Catharine married John McElwee, and was the mother of nine children, and died in September, 1864; the others still survive. The subject was the youngest, and was born Dec. 11, 1834, in Virginia, and came with his parents to

846

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

Ohio Dec. 31, 1856. He was married to Catha- rine, daughter of Jeremiah Loren, a native of New Jersey, born Aug. 5, 1805. In 1826, was married to Elizabeth Wright. She was born in New Jersey July 5, 1808. Shortly after their marriage, they came to Plain Township, Franklin Co., where Mrs. Loren died in 1840. They had 'six children ; five of them are still living. Mrs. Orndorff was the fifth child, born Aug. 20, 1835. They have four children living-Charles R., born Oct. 1, 1857, is now married and lives in Harlem Township; Frank C., born April 20, 1863; Jo- seph W., Feb. 18, 1866, and Elizabeth, born Jan. 31, 1870 ; they lost a pair of twin girls in infancy. Charles R. married Ophelia Bennett, and lives in Harlem Township; the other children are with their parents. Mr. Orndorff and wife are mem- bers of the Christian Church. The first farm bought in Delaware Co. by Mr. Orndorff, was sixty-five acres, located one and a half miles north- east of Centerville. In 1876, he bought his pres- ent homestead, which contains 142 acres, and located one-half mile west of Centerville, on which he has a nice brick residence, with good barns, sheds, etc., and with a young orchard of about 450 trees. In addition to his farming, he is breeder of thoroughbred. short-horn cattle, and Percheron-Norman horses. He is the owner of Gray Duke, a dapple-gray thoroughbred, imported Percheron stallion. Mr. Orndorff has a yearling colt of his that weighs 1,275 pounds.

BENJAMIN PAUL, farmer; P. O. Center Village ; is a son, of Nathan and Henrietta (Bell) Paul. His parents were born in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Obio at an early day. They settled in Knox Co. They came to Delaware Co. about 1837, settling in Harlem Township. Had three children. Mr. Paul was born Dec. 24, 1834, in Knox Co., where he remained until his parents came to Delaware. He spent his younger days attending school and working on a farm, and on April 28, 1857, he was married to Elizabeth Cockrell, a daughter of James Cockrell. They

have no children of their own, but have raised several for other people. They settled after mar- riage where they now live. They own 121 acres of well-improved land, which was given them by their parents. He makes a specialty of fine sheep. Has held offices of Assessor and Trustee. Wife is member of Disciples Church. Paid out $900 for the war. Votes the Democratic ticket, and takes great interest in the township affairs.

U. L. WAMBAUGH, teacher ; Center Vil- lage ; is the only child of Paul and Sibbie (Loren) Wambaugh. His father was born in Preble Co. about 1819, and subsequently came to Champaign Co., and, in about 1848, settled in Westerville, where he followed the double occupation of car- penter and preacher ; his mother was born Nov. 27, 1833 ; they were married in 1855, she being his second wife ; the father died Oct. 12, 1858; the mother moved some time afterward to Colum- bus, where she engaged in the millinery business ; in 1864, she came to Center Village, carrying on the same business ; her father, Jeremiah Loren, is now living in Berkshire Township; her mother died when she was small, and was the mother of seven children-Peter, Rachel, Archibald, Sibbie, Catharine and Permelia, and an infant died un- named. U. L. was born May 8, 1858, and, at the age of 15, hired out by the month on a farm ; at 17 years of age, he began teaching school in what is 'known as the Knox District in this township, and has taught every winter since ; in September, 1879, he began teaching at Center Village, where he has a school averaging about twenty-seven scholars. July 11, 1878, he was married to Miss Elnora E., a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Short) Cutler ; she was born June 1, 1858, in Galena, and was one of nine children-Farron, Elnora E., William, Judson, Frederick, Claudius, Arlington, Flavius and Nellie. Mr. and Mrs. Wambaugh are members of the Christian Church, of which he is now Treasurer ; he has taken deep interest in the temperance work, and votes the Republican ticket.

847

GENOA TOWNSHIP.

LYMAN BARCUS, farmer; P. O. Galena; is a son of Samuel and Julia Barcus, who were early settlers in Trenton Township, Delaware Co., where the subject was born Jan. 25, 1846 ; when he was about 5 years old, his parents moved to Licking Co., where Mrs. Barcus died ; after some sixteen years, or in 1867, the family returned to Delaware Co., locating in Berkshire Township ; they bought a farm of ninety-six acres, situated just north of Galena, where, with his second wife, the senior Barcus is now living. When a lad of but 14 years, Lyman Barcus contracted to carry the mail from Johnstown, in Licking Co., to Del- aware City. On that and other routes he con- tinued for ten years; subsequently, he made a trip West, helping drive a flock of sheep from this county to Champaign Co., Ill .; remained there only a short time. Sept. 26, 1879, he was mar- ried to Blanche McNutt ; she was born July 30, 1860. After his marriage, the subject moved on to what is known as the Burnside farm, two and one-half miles southwest of Galena, containing 166 acres, which he has well improved and placed under a good state of cultivation.

ELAM BLAIN, farmer ; P. O. Galena; was born May 15, 1807, in Luzerne Co., Penn .; the son of Elam and Catharine Blain ; his father was born May 15, 1760, in New Jersey, who, at 17 years of age, enlisted in the Light Horse Command, un- der Gen. Anthony Wayne, and fought three years in the Revolutionary war. When in his 23d year, he was married to Catharine Read; she was born in New Jersey Oct. 28, 1763. A few years after his marriage, he moved to Pennsylvania, where he remained until 1816, when he came to Ohio, lo- cating in Zanesville, and in 1820 came to Delaware Co., locating in Harlem Township, where he died in 1846, and some seven years later his wife died ; they were members of the Christian Church. The subject was the youngest of fourteen children. Nov. 14, 1826, he married Sarah Cockerill ; she was born Dec. 25, 1807; after his marriage, they lived as one family with his parents until 1858, when he bought his present homestead. Mrs. Blain died Oct. 7, 1863 ; she left eight children- Solomon, Catharine, Matilda, Emeline, Leonora,

Elam, Rhoda and Delilah, who are still living ; one child-Lafayette, died in infancy. April 21, 1873, Mr. Blain married Mrs. Hannah Miller ; she was born Dec. 24, 1820, daughter of Jacob Pace; in 1847, she married William Miller ; he died March, 1871 ; they had two children-Albert and Henry (deceased). The subject was Justice of the Peace of Harlem Township twelve years, and held other township offices; was also First Lieutenant in the State militia for five years.

W. EDSON COPELAND, farmer; P. O. Galena ; was born June 21, 1821, in this town- ship; when he was but 14 years old, his father died, but he remained at home with his mother until 1842, when he was married to Miss Rebecca Launsberry, of Licking Co .; they located on a part of his mother's farm, continuing there until 1847. Mr. Copeland then entered into partnership under the firm name of John J. Cope & Co., and moved to Cincinnati, where they engaged in pork-pack- ing for two years, and then removed to Seneca Co. upon a farm. In 1858, he again associated him- self with the same party, and went to New York ; in 1859, he returned to this county and purchased his present place of 100 acres, which has upon it a good residence and outbuildings. Mrs. Cope- land died in 1863, leaving a daughter-Mary, who kept house for her father until 1871, when she went to California with an uncle. Dec. 16, 1873, Mr. Copeland was married to Mrs. Margaret M. Pickering, of Westerville; she had two sons-Fred. S. and Edd. H. Mr. Copeland is a member of Galena Lodge, No. 404, I. O. O. F., also of Blen- don Lodge, No. 339, A., F. &. A. M., of Wester- ville.

LEONARD CURTIS, farmer ; P. O. Galena ; is a son of Marcus Curtis, who was born Sept. 19, 1780, in Southington, Conn. Nov. 30, 1804, he was married to Katy Newell ; she was born Aug. 18, 1782 ; they had eight children of whom four are still living. In September, 1808, they came to Ohio, locating in what is now Genoa Township ; he bought 681 acres of land of which Leonard's homestead was a part. In 1810, Leonard's father and his brother procured some wheat, and with a pack-horse took it to Chillicothe, had it ground

848

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

and brought back the flour; this was perhaps the first used in Genoa Township; they kept their course from Chillicothe by the use of a pocket compass and blazed trees. Marcus Curtis died Dec. 1, 1868, in his 89th year, and Sept. 10, 1870, his companion died at the same age. They were devout Christians. Leonard Curtis was born April 4, 1811, and was the third child born in Genoa Township; what schooling he received was in schoolhouses on his father's farm; the first two being of log, with slab floors, desks and seats, with clapboard doors, and greased paper for win- dows. He remained at home until May 4, 1836, when he formed`a matrimonial alliance with Miss Mary A. Hough, daughter, of Sylvester and Sarah Hough ; she was born Jan. 2, 1813; after mar- riage, they located on his present place'; have raised four children-Henry C. born May 12, 1838; Howard, born Dec. 23, 1842; Dwight C., born Dec. 17, 1844 ; Edna, Jan. 3, 1847 ; Howard and Edna are now living at the old home with their father; the other two are married, and living on part of the old farm, which they now own. Mrs. Curtis died January 28, 1864. The Curtis family were among the first families in the township, and have always been prominently identified with its interests.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Delaware County and Ohio, Part 149

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 818

Author: O. L. Baskin & Co; Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 818