History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 109

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

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ALLEN, JAMES, farmer, Middlebury township, post office, Fredericktown; born in Monroe county in 1832, married in 1855 to Mary E. Devore, who was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1836. They have the following family, viz: Josephine C., born January 17, 1857; Adalaide V., June 10, 1864; Jennie A., February 7, 1867, and Lillie I., July 29, 1870. Mr. Allen came to Knox county in 1867, and located in Middlebury town- ship. He owns a well improved farm, and is one of the active and energetic men of the township.

ALLEN, FRANCIS M., farmer and stock raiser, was born in Liberty township, August 26, 1852. He is the son of Wil- liam and Joanna Allen nee Coffing. He was raised on a farm, and attended the public schools of the district. He was mar- ried to Miss Carrie Coleville, daughter of William and Hannah Coleville, September, 1875. They have one child.

Mrs. Joanna Allen was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, 1810, where she was reared. Her maiden name was Coffing. In 1832 she married William Allen, who was born in England, November 10, 1805, and about 1819 came to the United States with his parents, who settled in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, About 1835 Mr. and Mrs. Allen came to Ohio and settled on the farm on which he died, February 20, 1877. They settled in the woods, and of course had almost the same experience as pioneers. Mr. Allen became one of the influential citizens of the township. He was regarded as an exemplary man. They had a family of seven children, six of whom are living. Mrs. Allen still occupies the old homestead.

AMOS, JOHN F., farmer, Middlebury township, post office, Fredericktown, was born in Perry township, Richland county, in 1850, and was married in 1874 to Mary E. McNutt, who was born in Stark county in 1856. He came to Middlebury town- ship in 1867. Mr. Amos owns an improved farm, with good

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

buildings thereon, and is one of the prominent citizens here.

AMOS, F. A., farmer, Middlebury township, post office, Fredericktown; born in Hartford county, Maryland, in 1809, came to Richland county, Ohio, in 1836, and removed to Knox county in 1867. He was married twice and had a family of six children, viz .: Joshua, John F., Freddie P., Amanda, Mary Elizabeth, and Albert (deceased). Mr. Amos owns one of the finest farms (with excellent buildings) in Middlebury township.

AMSBAUGH, CHRISTOPHER, C., farmer, Berlin town- ship, post office, Shaler's Mills; born in Richland county, Madi- son township, Ohio, in 1835, and was married in 1867 to Sarah Adams, who was born in Berlin township, Knox county, Ohio, in 1840. They have the following children: Sheridan M., born March 22, 1868; John F., March 5, 1869; Wilson C., April 9, 1870; Nathan M., June 23, 1872; Mary A., February 18, 1874; Alice L., November 5, 1877; and Sadie E., April 6, 1880. Mr. Amsburgh was a soldier in the late war, a member of company E, Sixty-fourth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and was in the following engagements: Stone River, Chickamauga, Peech Tree Creek, Jonesborough, Kennesaw Mountain, and Franklin. He was wounded at Chickamauga September 20, 1863, and was detained from service eight months and sixteen days. He was engaged in the service for three years and was honorably dis- charged. Mr. Amsburgh was elected justice of the peace in 1873, was reelected in 1876, and also in 1879, and has filled the posi- tion with credit to himself and satisfactorily to the people. He is identified with the Republican party and is always ready to promote every cause that is calculated to promote the welfare of the public. He came from Richland county to Knox county February 29, 1868.

ANDERS, WILLIAM P., Morris township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, born in Ohio, and married to Martha M. (daughter of Joseph Ebersole), who was born in Knox county. They have one son --- Webster J. Mr. Anders is a farmer, owns a beautiful farm on the Vernon road, with good buildings and under a good state of cultivation.

ANDERSON, W. B., Howard township, farmer, post office, Howard, was born in Pleasant township, Knox county, August 3, 1852; married June 2, 1877 to Mary F. Cory. They had one ehild born March 19, 1878. He built a fine little cottage on his farm in 1879, in which he now resides. His father was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, January 12, 18r1; and became a widower March 24, 1875.

ANDREWS, LORIN, LL. D., deceased. The subject of this sketch was not an early settler, nor a long resident of Knox county, but holding the position of president of Kenyon col- lege from 1854 until 186r, he naturally became prominent, and ranked as a man of commanding influence.

President Andrews was born in Uniontown, then a small villege of Richland county, but its name was afterwards changed to Ashland, in compliment to Henry Clay, the great statesman of the West (whose country seat, near Lexington, Kentucky, bears that name), and is now the county seat of Ashland county, Ohio. The date of President Andrews' birth was April 1, 1819. Lorin attended the district schools of the village, says Dr. Hill's History of Ashland county, and made rapid progress in the branches taught at that period, giving evidence of that mental force and talent for which, in after years, he became so noted. He was much beloved by his schoolmates because of his ami- able disposition, sprightliness of manner, and acuteness. His

first public literary or oratorical effort, of which we have au- thentic information, was a fourth of July oration, delivered near Ashland in 1836. Dr. Hill says it was delivered with a cool- ness and self-possession that astonished the assemblage. It had been carefully prepared, well studied, and delivered with an ease of manner and grace of gesticulation that was pronounced -admirable, and its young and promising author was compli- mented with the publication of his highly creditable and rhetori- cal oration.

A bright future was predicted for the youthful orator, and his father was induced to send him where his ambition, as a stu- dent, could have a better field and be more fully gratified. He at once entered the grammar school of Kenyon college, where he commenced a thorough course of instruction. He remained in the grammar school about two years, and entered college, but during the junior year, in 1840, owing to financial embar- rassments, was withdrawn from college. In a few months after his return to Ashland, he, by invitation of the trustees, took charge of the Ashland academy, as principal, aided by several able assistants, in the male and female departments. Under his superintendence, says Dr. Hill, the school was in a most flour- ishing condition ; students from every part of this State, and from distant States, came in by the hundred and enrolled their names. Not having completed his collegiate course, Professor Andrews was compelled to continue his studies in advance of his students. Having applied himself with great industry he was enabled to keep well in advance of his most advanced classes, acquiring a thorough knowledge of the branches taught, and a readiness in recitation that was really surprising. His manner, as an instructor, was agreeable and well calculated to win the esteem of his students. He had a peculiar faculty of enlisting the sympathy, respect and confidence of all with whom he was brought in contact. He was frank and pleasing in his address, and his scholars honored and loved him. When com- pelled to enforce, with apparent severity, the rules governing the academy, it was done in such a way that the student re- spected him for his impartiality and evident intention to do jus- tice. As an instructor Professor Andrews evinced his deep insight into human nature, and often succeeded in taming the ferocity of the worst students, and changed the whole current of their lives. With him "kind words can never die."

Professor Andrews was a fluent conversationalist, unselfish, and very kind and gentlemanly in his manners. It is therefore not at all surprising that he had a flourishing school, and was always popular among the students and the people. If he found a student struggling to obtain an education, teaching in the winter and attending the academy in the summer, he would not exact tuition, but insist that his pupil should go ahead, and pay him when he could.

As a speaker, Professor Andrews was not an orator, unless we define oratory to be the ability to please and hold an audi- ence. His addresses at school institutes, and lectures before his classes, were all delivered, continues Dr. Hill, in a conversa- tional style. He talked remarkably well, and could hold an audience or an institute for hours. There was a fascination about his manner that invariably made his audience feel friendly towards him, while the lucidness of his ideas enlisted their whole attention. As a lecturer before institutes, county and State school conventions and associations, societies and meetings con- vened to promote educational interests, Professor Andrews was widely known throughout the State, and probably exercised as much or more influence than any other teacher or educator in

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the west. Professor Andrews' preeminent success as a teacher secured the honorary degree of A. M. from Kenyon college, in I846.

Between the years 1848 and 1852, many of the towns and cities of Ohio adopted the union school system, and established graded and high schools. Professor Andrews was largely in- strumental in accomplishing that result. His lectures and ad- dresses in many of the county seats of Ohio, in favor of the now popular union school system, were influential and effective, and well entitle their author to honorable mention.

Professor Andrews, in 1850, accepted the position of super- intendent of the union schools of Massillon, tendered him by the board of education of that place. He remained at the head of the Massillon schools for about three years, during which time they were very efficient and popular. Professor Andrews was the agent and missionary of the Ohio Teachers' association in 1851-52. In 1853 he received the endorsement of said association as a candidate for State school commissioner, and in 1854 he was its president.

At the height of his reputation and influence in the cause of general education, near the close of 1854, Professor Andrews was chosen to the presidency of Kenyon college. He was the first lay member of the Episcopal church, who had been invited to fill that position. To be selected to preside over such an in- stitution was indeed a flattering compliment. His high edu- cational attainments added to his purity as a man, made him the worthy recipient of such an honor. The condition of the college, said Bishop McIlvaine, demanded just the qualities for which he was so distinguished-the talent for administration, a very sound judgment, a prompt and firm decision, united with a special drawing of heart toward young men in the course of their education. All the highest expectations of his administra- tion were more than fulfilled. "His presence in the college," says Dr, Hill, "acted like magic-his friends from every part of the State began to look toward Kenyon as an appropriate place to educate the young men of the country; the college received new life, and energy and prosperity were diffused through every department. Students began to fill the classes, and everything betokened a prosperous future for the institution."

Some months after Professor Andrews had been inaugurated president of Kenyon college, the honorary degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Princeton college, New Jersey. This was a high distinction and well deserved, because of his remarkable success as an educator. President Andrews, A. M., LL. D., served Kenyon college as president, from 1854 to 1861, which embraced the period of its greatest prosperity-the inter- mediate years were those of its success, its achievements, its triumphs-and Lorin Andrews was entitled to the honor of securing those successes and triumphs.

In Whitelaw Reid's Ohio in the War, it is said of Lorin An- drews that he "was one of the earliest and costliest offerings of Ohio to the war. He was not permitted to develop fully his military ability, but there was no reason to doubt, from his known character, and his zeal in the distinguished positions he had filled, that as a soldier he would have reached as high a rank as he had already won in civil life." Of his entrance into the military service Bishop McIlvaine says: "When the first call of the President of the United States for quotas of volun- teer troops from the several States was made, he was the first man in Ohio whose name Governor Dennison received. He did it for an example. He sought no military distinction. He led to the camp a company of his neighbors, expecting only to

be allowed to lead them in the war. But his talents and charac- ter were appreciated and he was placed in command of the regiment-the order and discipline of which soon became con- spicuous, as also did his devotion to the interests and comfort of his men."

He was commissioned colonel of the three months' organiza- tion of the Fourth Ohio infantry. When, in June, the organi- zation was changed to a three years' regiment, he was retained in the same command. His faithfulness in whatever position he was placed, united with his ability to master whatever he chose to learn, made him very soon an able and efficient commander and disciplinarian. He went with his command to western Virginia, where he soon fell a victim to the exposure incident to camp life. In the beginning of his sickness he could not be prevailed on to leave the camp, saying, "my place is with my men;" but as he grew worse he was at last removed to Gambier, Ohio, where, amid the scenes of his labors, in the best years of his life, and among his weeping friends, he breathed his last, September 18, 186r.

ANDREWS, JAMES M., grocer, Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Mr. Andrews is a native of New Jersey, was born in Franklin, War- ren county, on the thirteenth day of December, 1823, and there resided until the year 1846. His education, although derived from the common schools of that day, was thorough and com- plete. At the age of twenty the subject of this sketch was ap- prenticed to the blacksmithing and machine work, and as such served for three years, and for two years thereafter worked as a journeyman with his old employer. In the year 1846 his father and family, of which James was one, emigrated to Ohio, and lo- cated in Clinton township, Knox county, and continued there up to the time of his death, which occurred on the thirtieth day of October, 1867, aged seventy-eight years. The first year of his residence in Ohio, young Andrews spent in travelling, with the exception of a few months in which he worked at his trade with his old employer. From 1847 to 1853 Mr. Andrews was principally engaged in farming, working upon his father's farm. In 1853 he came to Mt. Vernon, and engaged in the grocery and provision business, in which he has continued up to the present day, making his the oldest continuous grocery house in the city. He is doing a successful business, and it is increasing daily. His present store room is one of the neatest in the place, and was erected by himself in 1876. His stock is always of the first class, consisting of family groceries, confectioneries, flour, feed, and choice liquors of the best brands.

On the tenth day of June, 1852, Mr. Andrews was united in marriage with Miss Harriet Wing, a daughter of Mr. John Wing, Mrs. Andrews being a native born of this county. From this marriage four children have been born-three fair daugh- ters and one intelligent son-all of whom start out with a fair prospect of living useful lives.

ARMENTROUT, SIMON, Pike township, retired, post office Mt. Vernon ; born in Rockingham county, Virginia, December 16, 18ro, and was married in 1833 to Rachel Phillips, who was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, June 5, 1816. They had the following children-Rebecca P., born November 18, 1834 ; Sarah E., September 23, 1836; Lucinda P., December 12, 1838; George W., March 27, 1841; Lyman W. September 14, 1844; Smantha J., April 14, 1840; Mary O., May 29, 1852; William P., December 9, 1854; and Simon F. July 2, 1857. The deceased members are Martha J., James O., Rachel, and Rebecca. The married members are Rebecca P., married Feb-

Rachel Anvertraut

Simon Armentrout

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY

ruary 17, 1853, to Lawrence Arnold, who resides in Shelbyville, Shelby county, Missouri. Sarah E. was married September 23, 1860, to Stephen Chapman, now resident of Mt. Vernon. Lucinda was married Feb. 20, 1857, to John McGinley, who resides in Porter county, Indiana. George W. Married to Sarah E. Smith, February 20, 1868, now residents of Jasper county, Iowa. Lyman W. was married Nov. 3, 1871, to Maria Tullis, now residents of Bellville, Ohio. Smantha J. was married in September, 1867 to George Mahaffy, now residing in Shelby- ville, Missouri. Mary O. was married in August, 1870, to Cyrus Hunter, and resides in this township.

Lyman W. studied medicine with Dr. Russell, of Mt. Vernon, attended medical college at Ann Arbor, Michigan, also at Detroit. He commenced the practice at Centerburgh, this county, remained there a short time then located in Bellville, Richland county, in 1870, and has an extensive practice. He is also a partner in a drug store.

Mr. Armentrout has resided on the same farm since his mar- riage, and all the children were born at the old home in this townsnip. He sold his farın in 1880 and removed to Mt. Vernon. Mr. and Mrs. Armentrout have been worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal church since 1848. His father, Philip Armentrout. was born in 1770, in Rockingliam county, Virginia, was married to Mary M. Flook, who was born in Maryland December 25, 1785. Philip Armentrout died Jan- uary 15, 1858. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving as orderly sergeant.

ARMENTROUT, ROBERT M., Pike township, farmer, (post office Democracy), was born in Pike township, Knox county, Ohio, in 1853, and was married in 1878 to Eluetta Mar- shall, who was born in Brown township, this county, in 1859. They have one daughter, Julia Cleona, born November 18, 1879. Mr. Armentrout has always been identified with this township. He is a member of a pioneer family, and is a farmer by occupa- tion.

ARMSTRONG, ELIPHLET, was born May 6, 18ro, in Frederick county, Maryland, but when quite young his parents moved to Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where they re- mained two years; then coming to Ohio they settled in Rich- lend county, where they spent the remainder of their days. Mrs. Armstrong died in 1825; Mr. Armstrong died in 1850.

Our subject came to Mt. Vernon January II, 1830, being twenty years old, and went to work with Richard House to com- plete learning his trade (carpenter). Mr. House had a contract to build the court house, on which Mr. Armstrong worked. He has been engaged at his trade ever since, mostly in Mt. Vernon, and built most of the best buildings in that city, many of which will be monuments of his mechanical skill for years to come. He was married March, 10, 1836, to Miss Tacy Irwin, by whom he had three children, one daughter and two sons, all living, and have families living in Knox county.

ARMSTRONG & MILLER, grocers, southeast corner of Main and Gambier streets, Mt. Vernon. Mr. J. M. Armstrong, senior member of the above firm, was born in Monroe township, Knox county, in 1839, where he resided until he had reached his thirteenth year. After that period his time was occupied in attending school and acting as salesman for different mercantile establishments in this city. His first engagement as salesman was with George M. Fay, grocer, and then with Messrs. Swet- land & Bryant, dry goods house. In this employment he re- mained until the party with which he affiliated placed him in

nomination for and elected him to the honorable position of sher- iff of his native county. This was in the year 1873. After the expiration of his first term he was elected for the second, thus serving four years.

In 1877 Mr. Armstrong purchased the stock of Mr. John Ponting, and formed a partnership with Mr. J. M. Tompkins. In 1878 Mr. Tompkins sold his interest to Mr. Miller, since which time the name of the firm has.been Armstrong & Miller. They commenced with a capital of about eighteen hundred dollars, and their stock was increased so that at present they carry a stock of goods to the value of about four thousand dol- lars, consisting of staple and fancy groceries and confectioner- ies. Their stock is rapidly increasing in value. Their house is located on the southeast corner of Main and Gambier streets.

ARMSTRONG, WILLIAM A., Fredericktown, was born in Brown township, Knox county, in 1840. He was married to Nancy Ross, who was born in Knox county in 1842. She died October 1, 1860. Mr. Armstrong afterwards married Sophronia M. Hardgrove, who was born in Ohio in 1842. They had two children, viz; Hema E. and Adella, both now dead. Mr. Armstrong has resided in Fredericktown since 1870, and is one of the leading men of the county.

ARNHOLD, ADAM, Jefferson township, farmer; son of Michael Arnhold, born in France December 19, 1822; brought to America by his parents in 1840, landing in New York. From there they came to Loudonville, Ohio, where they remained a short time, when his father purchased a farm in Brown town- ship, Knox county, about one mile northeast of Jelloway, where he then moved his family, and where Adam, the subject of this sketch, was raised and educated.

On the twenty-fifth of January, 1847, at the age of twenty- five years, he married Mary A. Heyd, daughter of Jacob H. Heyd, who was born in Wayne county November 17, 1828. After his marriage he located on a farm of eighty acres, east of Jelloway, which he had purchased previous to his mar- riage, and where he now resides. In 1851 he purchased a tract of fifty acres more, known as the Messmore farm. In 1856 he bought seventy acres more; in 1859, fifty acres; in 1868, eighty acres, making in all three hundred and thirty acres.

During that time he erected for himself a 'fine frame house and barn, making a very pleasant home. Mr. and Mrs. Arn- hold are the parents of twelve children, viz: Michael H., born April 27, 1848, (died December 3, 1851); Frederick, December 8, 1849; Mary E., June 17. 1852; Sarah C., April 12, 1854 (died September 1, 1856); Rosena, April 12, 1856; Sarah Catharine, March 4, 1858 (died August 30, 1860); Sarinda, March 31, 1860; John W., March 1, 1862; Henry J., January 20, 1864; William, April 12, 1866 (died December 21, 1879); Wallace, January 20, 1868; Charles A., July 31, 1871.

Mr. and Mrs. Arnhold are members of the German Lutheran church of Brown township.

ASH, JAMES, Clinton, a native of Donegal county, Ireland, was born in January, 1777, and emigrated to America in 1784, and located first in Washington county, Maryland. About the year 1812 he moved to Jefferson county, Virginia, where he re- sided until the year 1833. During his stay bere he went back to Ireland and was married to Jane Chambers, after which he returned to Maryland and resided there some time, when he brought his family to Ohio and located in Clinton township, where he followed agricultural pursuits the rest of his life. He died September 9, 1878, being at the extreme age of one un-

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

dred years seven months and eleven days. Mrs. Ash died in 1878 in the seventy-fifth year of her age. They reared a family of six children, viz: Robert, Elizabeth, Maria, Chambers, Margaret, and James, all of whom lived to maturity, and at pres- ent all are deceased except Chambers, who resides in Clinton township, and is the fourth member of the family. He was married March 27, 1838, to Miss Louisa Resley, daughter of Jacob Resley, one of the early pioneers of this county, by whom he has a family of eight children, seven of whom are living, viz: Jacob, Robert, Elizabeth, Margaret, Anna, Maria, and Russel.

ASHTON, MRS. ELIZABETH, deceased. At the time of the death of Mrs. Elizabeth Ashton, she was supposed to have been the oldest person within the bounds of Knox county. Though of small stature and frail, she was, up to the time of her great affliction, blindness, remarkably lithe and active in all her motions, and with a voice like Cordelia's, "ever soft, gentle and low," she made life pleasant to all within the sphere of her influence.

Mrs. Elizabeth Ashton, nce Miss Elizabeth Palmer, was born in Devonshire, England, on the twenty-seventh day of May, 1780. She married Mr. John Ashton in 1801. In 1847 she, with a part of her family, emigrated to the United States and took up her residence in the Fifth ward, Mt. Vernon, where she resided with her eldest son, Philip, up to the time of her death, which occurred on the twentieth of April, 1880, making her age one hundred years lacking one month and seven days, mak- ing her the oldest person in Mt. Vernon, and probably in Knox county.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 109

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096