History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 116

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

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 116

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BRENT, SAMUEL J., Mount Vernon, clerk of the court, was born in Brown township, Knox county, Ohio, September 25, 1839. His father, Edgar Brent, moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, when Samuel was about twelve years of age. His father, dying, left him to be educated by his mother. Samuel attended St. Mary's of the Barrens, in Missouri, and at Bardstown, Kentucky. He graduated at St. Mary's college at Cincin- nati, (Bishop Rosecrans, president), in the class of 1861. December 31, 1861, he enlisted in company B, Fiftieth Ohio volunteer infantry for three years. His regiment consolidated with the Sixty-first, and he was then discharged from the Sixty- first to take a commission as second lieutenant in the Fifty- second Ohio volunteer infantry. He was detailed as a signal officer, and commissioned by the President, with the consent of the United States Senate. He remained with the corps until the general order of discharge, August 22, 1865. After his dis- charge from the signal corps, he completed his law studies and was admitted to the bar in June, 1866. In the fall of 1869 he was nominated and elected clerk of the courts, and again re- elected in 1872. He remained out of office for three years, and was, in 1878, reelected for the third time, which office he still holds. He was married to Miss Mary A. Zimmerman, daughter of the late F. J Zimmerman, of Mt. Vernon, September 27, 1864. By this union, four children, all daughters, were born.

Mr. Brent's father was English by birth. His mother, whose . maiden name was Magers, was a descendant of Lord Baltimore, of the Maryland colony.

BRENT, C. F., Mount Vernon; was born October 27, 1848, in Covington, Kentucky, but when about two years of age his parents came to Knox county, Ohio, and settled near Danville, where they remained until 1860, when they moved several times in the next two years; came to Mt. Vernon in November, 1862, where they have since resided. In April, 1864, he engaged in the printing business, at which he worked until 1867, when he came back to Mt. Vernon; he then went to work for Mr. Ken- drick at cigar making, with whom he served until 1875, when he went to Columbus and worked until December 8, 1877, on the Catholic Columbian, when he returned to Mt. Vernon and opened up a cigar factory, wholesaleing exclusively until May 1880, when he moved to a new place of business, and now is en- gaged in manufacturing and retailing cigars, tobacco and smokers articles.

BRICKER FAMILY, Liberty township. Ludwig Bricker, the grandfather of the original Brickers of Liberty township, was a soldier of the Revolution. He entered two thousand acres of land in what is now the northeast corner of Liberty township. He was a resident of Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he lived and died. Banning Norton, in his History of Knox county, says that Lewis Bricker came to Liberty township about 1810; but David Bricker says he came prior to that time, as Lewis Bricker, his brother, was born in this township in 1807. Ludwig or Lewis Bricker induced his son, Peter, and George Lewis, a relative of the family, to come out and settle the land he had entered. Accordingly they brought their families. They remaind one night, and by noon the next day they were on their way back to Pennsylvania. They saw many Indians, heard the wolves howling, and the owls hooting. They agreed with their wives to let the land go to the devil and they would return to Pennsylvania, as they thought no one would or could ever live in the Owl Creek country. He however induced some of his tribe to settle this land. He finally got Peter, George, Jacob, David, Solomon, Lewis, Catharine, Rachel, and Mrs. Lewis, to come herc. From these have descended the Brickers of this county, mostly. David went to Morgan township. All the original Brickers remained in this township but David.

The Bricker family became quite numerous, and it is not our purpose to write or follow up the family of each, but give such an outline of the family that it will be preserved to their descend- ants. Among these is David Bricker, grandson of Peter Bricker, and son of Peter Bricker, one of the first of the family who came to Ohio. He was born in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, October 30, 1805. His parents came, April, 1806, to Ohio. David was raised as were pioneer children, with but few educational advantages; he, however, acquired sufficient to transact business. On the twelfth day of October 1830, lie married Saralı Beam. They had nine children, five living-Malinda, Jacob, Wilson, Marshal, and Jerome. Lewis P. Bricker, one of this family, was born November 5, 1807, in what is now Liberty township. It is said ne was the first white child born in this township. December 6, 1832, he was married to Sarah White. She was born July 7, 1809. They had a fam- ily of eight children-Abigail, born November 24, 1833, mar- ried Nelson Bidwell ; Margaret E., born July 6, 1836, married Nicholas Darling; Ann Rebecca, born April 19, 1839, married Mortimer Hayatt; Mary Sophia, born June 5, 1841, married William Gray; Sarah E., born March 24, 1844, married John Creamer; Viola M., born July 21, 1846, married L. B. Lewis; Peter, born December 28, 1848; Alexander, born November 29, 1852.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

We might go on and follow up this family, tracing the differ- ent branches, but it will suffice to say that our work does not admit of so much space being occupied by one family. The Bricker family are good citizens, industrious and well-to-do peo- ple.

BRICKER, HIRAM, Morgan township. The name Bricker is of Dutch origin. Tradition says there were three brothers came from Europe, but at what date is not exactly known. They settled in Maryland. One of the branches of the family went to eastern Pennsylvania, where quite a numerous progeny sprang up; and subsequently a number of their descendants settled in Richland county, Ohio, near Shelby. Lewis, or Lud- wig Bricker, the paternal grandfather of Hiram Bricker, moved from Maryland to western Pennsylvania shortly after the Revo- lutionary war, in which he was a soldier. He raised a large family.

Some time in the early part of 1800 he came to what is now Liberty township, Knox county, and located two thousand acres of land, and subsequently induced a number of his chil- dren to become settlers on it, although he never moved upon it.

David Bricker, father of Hiram, and son of Peter, was born in Pennsylvania in 1799. He married Indiana Cox, in 1818, who was born March 8, 1798, and is yet living. Soon after their marriage they came to Liberty township, but did not re- main long. About 1821 they located and settled on the farm in Morgan township, which he cleared up, and became one of the well-to-do citizens of the community. He died September 14, 1878, in Utica, where he had resided some time prior to his decease. By his marriage they had six children, viz: Elizabeth, (deceased); she was the wife of Jesse Bell; Christopher and Emeline, (deceased); Anna B., wife of Samuel Elliott; Hiram and Demas are living.

Hiram was raised on the farm, was educated at the common- schools, and has farmed and dealt in stock as his occupation. In April, 1853, he moved to Licking county, where he remained for twenty years. He was lieutenant of company A, One Hundred and Thirty-fifth regiment Ohio National guard, and subsequent- ly was captain of the same. February 17, 1853, he married Melissa Bell, daughter of Isaac Bell, of Morgan township. They had a family of twelve children, viz: David A., Isaac, (deceased when about seven years old), Catharine, (wife of R. McWilliams), Anna B., Elizabeth, (wife of Hugh Harrison), Jennie, James F., Emeline, Cary F., Laura, Charley C., and Nellie M. Mr. Bricker is well informed upon general matters, is a good farmer, and one of the substantial men of Morgan township.

BRICKER, DEMAS, Hilliar township, retired farmer, was born in Morgan township, Knox county, March 7, 1828. His youth was spent on the farm, and he attended the district schools, and spend about two years at an academy at Martins- burgh, where he was a classmate of William Windom, Secre- tary of the Treasury, from Minnesota. Mr. Bricker taught school for several terms. His principal business, however, has been farming and the raising of stock. He gave up farming in 1875, and removed to liis present home in Rich Hill. He is a man who is well informed; has a remarkably retentive memory; is a ready and interesting talker, and takes an interest in the questions of the day. He was married to Miss Cinderella Miller April 1, 1857. They have a family of two children.

BRICKER, MARSHALL, Milford township, thresher, son of David Bricker, a pioneer of Liberty township. He was

born June 13, 1844, was raised on a farm, and remained at home until he enlisted in company F, One Hundred and Twenty-first regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry. He participated in the engagements at Perryville, Duck river, and Franklin, after which he was taken sick and was in the hospital for some time. He spent about eleven months at Indianapolis. He en- deavored, with several others, to return to his regiment, but was retained. After his discharge he returned home, and has been engaged at farming and running a separator. Mr. Bricker is social and pleasant in his manners, and has the reputation of a good fellow. He married Miss Amanda Lewis, of Liberty township, November 29, 1866, and they have one child-Clara, born April 10, 1868.

BRICKER, WILLIAM M. Mr. Bricker was born in Cum- berland county, Pennsylvania, December 12, 1844. When about nine years old his parents emigrated to Ohio and located in Wayne county, where he resided until January 26, 1880. His first business was in the dry goods and grocery line, under the firm name of Paul Bricker & Co. In this he re- mained two years, when he sold out his interest and continued as a salesman in the same house for one year more. He then engaged in the hotel business, and became proprietor of the American house, in Shreve, Wayne county, in which he con- tinued four years. In January, 1880, he removed to Mt. Ver- non, and became proprietor of the Philo House, in which he did a successful business for one vear, since which he has been engaged with a nursery, selling all kinds of fruit and ornament- al trees.

BRICKER, DOUGLASS, Wayne township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, born in Clinton township, Knox county, and was married in 1874 to Hannah Brachling, who was born in Ireland. They have three children-Fannie, born in 1875 : Edward, born in 1876; and Olive, born in 1878. Mr. Bricker came to Wayne township in 1877, and is a farmer by occupa- tion.

BRIGGLE, ANDREW C., Berlin township, railroad em- ploye, post office Fredericktown, born in Pennsylvania, March 22, 1845, and was married to Rebecca Furcell, who was born in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1844. They had five children-Ella C., born August 4, 1869; Ehua L., June 3, 1873; Jessie W., February 16, 1876; Lenora, October 3, 1878; and Thomas (deceased).

They emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio when children, were married in Morrow county, and moved to Richland, re- mained there there till 1870, when they moved to Knox county, where they have since remained. Mr. Briggle is now engaged in working on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. Louisa H. Pur- cell was born in Knox county, Ohio, November 26, 1856, and is now residing with her sister, Mrs. Briggle.

BRIGGS, ELISHA H., is a descendant in a direct line from a Mr. Briggs, from Wales, who settled in this county shortly after the landing of the Pilgrims. His father was a native of Staunton, Massachusetts. Mr. E. H. Briggs was born June 13, 1803, in Worcester county, Massachusetts, where he resided and worked upon a farm until seventeen years of age, then he worked at the carpenter trade for two years, not liking which he com- menced work in machine shops, at which he remained until he came to Ohio in 1834, located at Mt. Vernon and commenced work for C. & E. Cooper, in their pattern shops, with whom he remained until a few years since, when old age placed him upon

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

the retired list, but even yet he does some work for the firm and feels more at home among the din of machinery than in the par- lor. He was married January 6, 185r, to Miss Lydia B. Norton, daughter of Silas Norton, of Worcester county. Massachusetts, and has reared a family of six ehildren, three sons and three daughters, all of whom are living except his two youngest sons.

A. Judson enlisted in the Ninety-sixth Ohio volunteer in- fantry, and died at Vicksburgh of fever. J. A. died of con- sumption in 1870.

BRODRICK, HARRISON, Berlin township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, was born in Ohio, and married Martha J. Smith, who was born in this county in 1851. They have four children, viz: Cora May, born in 1875; Jesse Belle, in 1877; Nellie G., in 1879; and Lulu, in 1880.

BROKAW, JOHN A., Liberty township, retired shoemaker and farmer, Mt. Liberty, Ohio, was born in Somerset county, New Jersey, July 4, 1804. The Brokaw family are of French extraction. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch, Caleb Brokaw, had two brothers, Abram and Isaac, who married in New Jersey. Isaac had a family. Abram was twice married, but had no issue. There are quite a number of this family still residing in New Jersey, Caleb Brokaw married a lady of the same name, Jane Brokaw. They had a family of three sons and two daughters. The sons names were Isaac, Abram, and Caleb; the daughters were Ann and Polly.

Abram, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in New Jersey in 1773. He married Mariah Stryker, a native of New Jersey, about 179r. She was born March 12, 1775. They had a family of fifteen children: Mariah, born August 8, 1792, married James Dehart, and raised a famlly; both are now dead; Jane, born June 8, 1794, died August 17, 1794; Peter, born August 6, 1795, deceased; Caleb, born December rr, 1797. He came to Ohio when a young man, and yet resides in North Liberty, thus county. He has a family: Simon, born February 22, 1799, emigrated to Ohio, thence to Nebraska, where he died in 1880. He left a family: Abram, born Marclı 24, 18or, mar- ried in New Jersey, emigrated to Ohio, and died in Morrow county in 1870. He left a family: John A., born July 4, 1804; he is the subject of this sketch; Jane N., born October 5, 1806, married Gabriel Devaul, and died near Mt. Liberty, Feb- ruary 24, 1881. He left a family: Cornelia and Elizabeth, born March 15, 1809. Cornelia married Henry Stillwell and resides in New Jersey; Elizabeth, deceased. She married George Maloney and died in Bethany, Virginia. A son, born August 23, 18ro, deceased September 2, 1810.

Isaac, born September 20, 1818; he resides at Centreburgh, Ohio; Henry, born February ro, 1816, resides at Centreburgh, Ohio; Peter, born March 31, 1818, died in Indiana; William C., born January 16, 1820, deceased April 21, 1821.

Caleb Brokaw, grandfather of this subject, and Isaac, his brother, were soldiers of the Revolution, Caleb holding a lieuten- ant's commission. They both served during the war.

Abram Brokaw, father of the subject of this sketch, came to Ohio about 1822 or 1823, with his family and settled in Jeffer- son county, Ohio, where he died about 1826. His wife re- turned to New Jersey, where she lived and died.

John A. was raised on a farm. At about the age of seven- teen he began to learn the shoemaker trade. He came to Ohio with his parents, remained about eighteen months, and returned to New Jersey; remained : . bout a year and again came to Ohio, and remained until after the death of his father, when he re-

turned with his mother to New Jersey, and married Caroline Bush, October 22, 1827. She was born June 20, 1809. They remained until the spring of 1831, came to Ohio and remained one year in Jefferson county, and then came to Morris town- ship, this county; thence to Liberty township; thence to Bloom- field township; thence to Chester township (now Morrow county), where he remained until 1876, when he came to Mt. Liberty, where he has since resided. He followed farming and shoemaking, by which he gained a competence for his old age. Mr. and Mrs. Brokaw started poor in life. When they arrived in Knox county he had a horse and wagon, with a few house- hold effects and three dollars twelve and one-half cents in cash. They had thirteen children, all of whom did well, thus showing that they were carefully and judicially trained:

Sarah, was born in 1829; married Henry Slack and died in 1852; Maria, born February 21, 1831; married Peter Sprack- len in 1851, and deceased in 1855; Effa, born February 26, 1833, married George Barr in 1853, and resides in Shelby county, Iowa; Elizabeth, born November 22, 1834, married D. L. Brackenridge in 1855, and died in Tama county, Iowa, De- cember 23, 1872; a daughter, born January 25, 1837; Phœbe A., born June 17, 1838, married Frank Lambert, May 10, 1859, resides in Jasper county, Iowa; Caroline, born January 27, 1842, married John Bird September 7, 1865, resides in Lib- erty township; Mary L., born February 11, 1843, married Smith Gearhart, of Milford township, June 10, 1865; Andrew J., born June 6, 1845, farmer in Jasper county, Iowa; William B., born August 8, 1847, is a farmer near Richwood, Ohio; Abraham G., born February 4, 1850, farmer, Shelby county, Iowa; John B., born July 25, 1852, dealer in buggies; he is a good sales- man, and a young man of good qualities; Marcus, born July 8, 1855.

BROOKS, SYLVANUS P., Wayne township (deceased), was born in Tompkins county, New York, June 15, 1817, and was married to Amarilla Hewett. They had five children, viz: Phylena (deceased), Cyrena Jane, Cyrus Hewett, John Wesley, and Sarah Amarilla. Mrs. Amarilla Brooks died April 8, 1867. He was married in 184r to Mary Angeline Cocharan, who was born in Newark, Ohio. Their children are: Squire Sylvanus, born April 5, 186r; William Emlus, September 14. 1866 ; Car- nie, October 15, 1868; Waitie ; Orphy; Rosa, June 24, 1873: Streby Deso, November 28, 1875. Sylvanus P. died in Liberty township, April 15, 1879, aged sixty-one years and ten months.

BROWN, CAPTAIN RICHARD, Montgomery (deceased), was born in Concord county, Maine in 1789, and descended from good parentage, his father being a captain in the Revolu- tionary war, who fought gallantly at the battle of Bunker Hill. He removed to Brooke county, Virginia, in 1802, and located in Mt. Vernon in the fall of 1811, where he resided up to the time of his death-a period of over fifty-eight years. He was there- fore one of the early pioneers of Ohio, coming here shortly after the county of Knox was organized and the county seat estab- lished. In the warm contest between Mt. Vernon and Clinton for the location of the seat of justice, Mr. Brown took a de- cided stand in favor of the former, and was gratified to know that his efforts were crowned with success.

In the War of 1812 Captain Brown took an active and an honorable part. He received a lieutenant's commission from Colonel (afterwards General) Cass, authorizing him to raise a company of volunteers in this vicinity, which he proceeded to do without delay. He was afterwards promoted to a captaincy for

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meritorious conduct. He marched his men through the wilder_ ness from Mt. Vernon to Detroit, sometimes being compelled to cut bushes and small trees in order to accomplish the journey. His company had frequent sharp skirmishes with the British and redskins, although they had no general engagement, and at one time he was taken prisoner by the enemy.

For about forty years Mr. Brown was engaged in the mercan- tile business in Mt. Vernon, and during all that time he sus- tained the reputation of being an upright, honest, and honorable man. He was prompt and correct in all his dealings, and was kindhearted and benevolent to a fault.

He was married in 1814 to Miss Mary Hahn, of this county, by whom he had ten children, eight of whom are still living. He died January 6, 1870, in the eighty-first year of his age, and in his death the community sustained a severe loss. He was al ways identified with and took a lively interest in every measure that was conducive to the growth and prosperity of the commu- nity in which he lived. He was a good citizen in every sense of the word, a kind neighbor and an affectionate husband and father. Mrs. Brown died February 28. 1867.

BROWN, THOMAS, Liberty township, deceased, was born in Montgomery county, Maryland, August 11, 1796, died July 16, 1877. This exemplary man spent his youth on a farm in Maryland, where he remained until 1832, when he came to Ohio, and in 1838, married Miss Jemima Harvey, a native of Frederick county, Maryland, born December 18, 1811, and came to Knox county in 1836. Mr. Brown spent his life farm- ing. He was a member of the Methodist church for many years, and in his walk through life was always consistent with his profession. He was much esteemed for his many Christian virtues, and was a leading citizen of the township. He was possessed of a fine farm. His wife still survives him, and resides on the old homestead. They had four children, two sons and two daughters.

BROWN, JONATHAN, (deceased) was born in New Jer- sey, May 22, 1800. His parents died when he was young and he was bound out to Abram Day, a farmer. In 1816 Mr. Day came to Ohio, as he could not hold young Brown out of New Jersey withont his consent, which, however, was obtained, and he came to Ohio with Mr. Day, and remained with him until he became of age, at which time he went to work for himself. The first work he did was to make rails at twenty-five cents per hundred, to obtain money with which to buy clothes. He was married to Miss Mary Larason, daugliter of Sylvester Larason, a pioneer of this county. She had fifty acres of land, and this was the beginning of Mr. Brown's future success. He after- wards purchased a farm in the northeast part of the township, which, by the aid of his sons, he cleared up. He died Novem- ber 16, 1879; his wife died December 5, 1867, aged sixty-four years. They had a family of nine children, seven of whom are living, two died when young. The living are: Thomas R., in Morrow county; Joel F., in Morrow county; James S .; Ann Eliza, married to Samuel Clutter, in Morgan; Jonathan H., in Morgan township; Mary J., wife of Leancer Buxton, of Ful- ton county, Ohio; Phoebe S., wife of Thomas Bodle, Clay township; and James S., was born September 7, 1831. He was reared on the farm, and has always continued farming as his occupation. He was twice married. He married Catharine Chipp November 3, 1859. They had two children, viz: Wil- liam, born December 12, 1860; and James M., born October 9, 1867. His wife died in November, 1867. His second wife,

Catharine Stocdale, was born in Knox county, in 1837. She is the daughter of William Stocdale, of Fulton county, Ohio.

BROWN, REV. M. M. (deceased), Morris township, was born in Martinsburgh, this county, in 1817; educated at Jeffer- son college, Pennsylvania, and graduated to the Allegheny Theological seminary. He preached in Buffalo, Cumberland, and Chandlersville. He was married in 1844 to Eliza Ebersole, who was born in Wayne township in 1817. They had two sons, viz .: Theodore and Chalmers. Rev. Brown died February 16, 1853, in Cumberland, Guernsey county, Ohio.

BROWN, MRS. JENNIE, M. D., is the the third daughter of Gilman Bryant, the first merchant in Mt. Vernon. She was born May 18, 1819, and was married to Dr. Joseph Brown Feb- ruary 25, 1851, who was a professor of the Eclectic Medical college of Cincinnati. She read medicine with her husband, attended lectures at Cincinnati, also at Syracuse, New York, where she graduated in 1854. She assisted her husband in his practicenntil her graduation, making female diseases a speciality. Shortly after she graduated her husband moved to Lyons, Iowa, where they erected a health institute, which they conducted with success for two years, when they sold out and went to Chicago, where they practiced for years, during which time her husband died (June 20, 1874). She was so unfortunate as to be burned out twice, which left her in limited circumstances. In April, 1873, she returned to Mt. Vernon and has been engaged in her profession since. She was the fourth lady graduate in medicine in the United States.

BROWN, WILLIAM B., jeweler, Main street, Mt. Vernon. Mr. Brown is a native of the city; he was born January 17, 1832, and received his educatiou in the public schools of the place. At the age of eighteen he commenced learning the jewelry busi- ness with his father, who was the pioneer jeweler of the city, having opened his establisiment in 1826, and carried it on up to the time of his death which occurred in 1854. Mr. J. B. Brown (the father), filled the office of mayor for two terms, and had entered upon his third just previous to his death. Mr. Brown was one of the associate judges of this county for five years. This was in 1848. The constitution of 1850 abolished this office.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 116

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