History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 145

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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Mr. Lahman has been a citizen of this county for sixty years. His wife, Hannah, died April 9, 1878.

LAHMON, ABNER, deceased, Monroe township, son of William and Elizabeth Lahmon, was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, June 4, 1818. In 1827 he came with his parents to Knox county, who located in Morris township, about two miles south of Fredericktown. They lived in three differ- ent townships in this county. In 1839 they moved to Monroe township, where they passed the remainder of their days.

Mr. Lahmon made farming his principal vocation through life. In 1839 he married Miss Elizabeth Lutz, daughter of Jacob and Susannah Lutz, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and came to this county with her parents in 1835, and lo- cated on the farm now known as the Lahmon Mill farm, located in Monroe township. Mr. and Mrs. Lahmon settled on the Lahmon Mill farm, where he died March 4, 1879. His com- panion is still living on the home farm. They reared a family of four children: Elizabeth, John, Mary A., and William.

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JOHN C. LEVERING.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

LAHMON, WILLIAM, son of the aforesaid Abner Lah- mon, was born in Monroe township, this county, on the farm where he is now living, August 8, 1850. At the age of fifteen years he commenced working at the milling business in the Lah- mon mills, where he has since been engaged in that business. At present he operates the Lahmon mills.

November 2, 1872, he married Miss Margaret E. Bowman, of Knox county, daughter of Daniel Bowman. They settled on the Mill farm, where they are now living. They have three children, two sons and one daughter.

LAMBERT, D. W., is a native of Ohio; was born October 16, 1838; received an academical education, and shortly after entered the banking house of Russel, Sturges & Co. as a clerk. When the bank was reorganized, in 1862, he was promoted to assistant cashier, in which capacity he still remains.

LAMSON, GEORGE J., Miller township, carpenter, post office, Brandon, was born in Milford township, October 29, 1830, and is the son of Rlioda and Nathan Lamson, of whom mention is made in the biographies of Milford township.

Mr. Lamson spent his youth on the farm of Milford town- ship, and has followed the trade of carpentering for a number of years, commencing to work at it at an early age, and is a good workman. He has always lived in Knox county, except- ing about one year and a half while in Missouri, and some six months at Government work in Nashville, Tennessee. He was married to Miss Emma E. Lockwood, May 20, 1855, who was born in Windham county, Vermont, December, 10, 1828, and came to Ohio about 1833 or 1834, with her parents, Reuben and Catharine Lockwood, who had a family of fifteen children, three of whom are living.

Mr. Lamson remained in Milford township until 1867, when he moved to Brandon, where he has since resided. They had two children, one who died in infancy; the other is Lillian E., who married Thomas Thatcher.

LANE, W. C., Morris township, farmer, post office, Fred- ericktown, was born in Berlin township, this county, March IO, 1862. He is now a resident of Morris township, and is engaged in farming.

LANGFORD, DUDLEY, deceased, was born in Rhode Island in 1775. He was a carpenter and joiner by trade, and followed that as his principal vocation. He emigrated to Vir- ginia with a Mr. Avery, for the purpose of building that gentle- man a house, intending to return to Rhode Island. By the time he had the house completed he concluded to remain in Virginia and work at his trade. In 1798 he married Miss Rebecca Slotts, born in Virginia in 1782, They settled in Virginia, where they lived ten years, and in 1808, he, with wife and family, migrated to Butler township, Knox county, where he continued working at his trade in the summer, and manufactured chairs, spinning-wheels and reels during the winter. In 1818 he leased and moved on a piece of land in Howard township, agreeing to clear so many acres and have the use of the land cleared for four years, as a compensation for his labor, but death called him away May 18, 1821, prior to the completion of his contract, leaving his wife with ten children to provide for in their forest home, viz: Isaac, Lydia, Lucinda, Nancy, Polley, Julia, Susan, Rebecca, Rachel, and Dudley C. The widow and children finished the contract, and lived on the land until the expiration of the lease. The mother being possessed of energy, managed to keep her children together until they were all able to take

care of themselves. In 1835, when her youngest son, Dudley C., was but fourteen years of age, she was taken sick with in- flammatory rheumatism. By this time her children had all mar- ried and left her except the two youngest-Rachel and Dudley C .- who took care of and supported her during her ten long years of sickness. She died August 28, 1845, and all of the children are now deceased except Lucinda and Dudley C.

LANGFORD, DUDLEY C., farmer, Union township, the youngest son of Dudley and Rebecca Langford, deceased, was born in this county, May 21, 1821. He married Mary Robin- son Februrry 27, 1845, who was born in Union township, Knox county, October 5, 1821. She was a daughter of William and Sarah Robinson. They settled in Howard, Knox county, lived two years, and in 1847 they moved to Coshocton county, re- mained there fourteen years, and in 1861 he purchased and moved on the farm where they are now living, in Union town- ship, one mile south of Danville. He has made farming and stock raising his vocation, and owns one among the best farms in Union township, containing about six hundred and eleven acres. They reared a family of seven children -- four sons and three daugliters.

LARASON, THOMAS (deceased), was born in Chester county, New Jersey, August 27, 1814, and emigrated with his father, James Larason, the following year to Licking county, Ohio. He was married to Malinda Craig. They have had eleven children, viz: Emily, Eunice, Lucinda, James, Oliver, Harriet, Abraham E:, Luman, Leonard, Melinda Jane, and one that died in infancy.

Oliver Larason was married to Williametta Mercer. They. have had three children-Edwin, born July 24, 1873; Laura, November 22, 1874; Sylva, July 11, 1876.

Thomas Larason died December 3, 1879.

LARIMORE FRANK C., physician, Mt. Vernon, was born in Columbus, Franklin county, Ohio, April 12, 1846. His fa- ther was a merchant and canal contractor. He died when Frank was about ten years of age. He came to Knox county to live with his uncle, Thomas Larimore, of Milford township, who was a prominent man in the county. He went to school in the winter and in summer worked on the farm. In 1861 he enlisted in company G, Twentieth Ohio volunteer infantry. He was wounded at Pittsburgh Landing, April 7, 1862, by a shell, and in consequence of his wound he was discharged in Septem- ber, 1862. The following spring he went to school at Utica, Licking county, Ohio, and taught school during the winter of 1863-64, during the summer attending school. In the spring of 1864 he enlisted in company B, One Hundred and Forty-sec- ond Ohio National guards, and was appointed third sergeant. March 20, 1865, he commenced the study of medicine in the office of Drs. Thompson & Smith. He read eighteen months, and then attended the first course of lectures at Ann Arbor for six months, and then returned to Mt. Vernon and read six months with his old preceptors, Drs. Thompson & Smith. On the death of Dr. Thompson he went to read with Dr. Russell. He then attended his second and last course at Bellevue Hos- pital Medical college, in which he graduated March, 1869. He commenced practicing in Mt. Vernon and practiced three years. In May, 1872, he went to Europe for the purpose of seeing the hospitals. He visited the hospitals of Dublin and Bel- fast, Ireland; Glasgow and Edinburgh, Scotland; London, Paris and Berlin. He spent six months in Vienna, Austria, under the instructions of private teachers, in medicine and surgery. After

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

leaving Austria he came through Italy, Switzerland, thence to Paris and London, Liverpool, and thence home. He returned to Mt. Vernon after an absence of thirteen months, and opened the office he now occupies. He was tendered and accepted the chair of lecturer of minor surgery in the Columbus Medical col- lege in the fall of 1876. He was promoted to professor of the same subject in 1879, which position he still holds.

Dr. Larimore became a member of the Knox County Medical society in 1869, and a member of the Ohio State Medical society in 1870, and a member of the American Medical association in 1872. During 1877 and 1878 he was president of the Knox County Medical society-two years.

He was married to Miss Fanny Odbert December 30, 1875. They have one child.

LARIMORE, HENRY, Milford township, a leading farmer of Milford, was born in Licking county, Ohio, July 30, 1833, His father, Thomas Larimore, a native of Hampshire county, Virginia, came to Ohio about 1820, and remained for awhile near Zanesville. He then returned to Virginia, where he re- mained for some time, and again came to Ohio, and was engaged on the Ohio canal. He married Jemima Johnston, nee Huddle- ston, by whom he had four children: James, Hester, Sarah. and the subject of this notice, who was the oldest child. Of these, James has deceased.

About 1834 he purchased the farm on which Henry now resides, and moved upon it the same year. He was a leading citizen; was infirmary director six years, and filled the office with credit. He died on this farm February, 1867, aged sixty-six years. His wife survived him until January, 1880, when she died at the age of about seventy-three years.

Henry Larimore resided on this farm and continues to reside on it. He enlisted in company G, twentieth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and was mustered into service September 27, 1861. He served about one year; was at the taking of Fort Donelson, but the company did not participate. He was in the engagement at Middleburgh, Tennessee. He was discharged by the War department to take a commission in the Seventy- sixth, but the regiment being subsequently officered, he did not serve in it. He remained at home on the farm until May, 1864, when he was commissioned captain of company B, One Hun- dred and Forty-second regiment Ohio National guard, and served during the term. Upon his return home he resumed farming.

In 1879 he was nominated for county treasurer, by the Re- publican convention of Knox county, but defeated at the elec- tion, with most of his ticket. Mr. Larimore is one of the lead- ing men of the township, and is esteemed for his uprightness of character and high moral principles.

He married Miss Ella Colony, of Miller township in 1872. They had two children: Charles, born February 13, 1873; Frank, September 2, 1876.

LARIMORE, ISAAC P., Hilliar township, post office, Cen- treburgh, is one of the leading farmers of Knox county. He was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, March ro, 1821. His parents were farmers, and he remained on the farm assisting his father until 1844, and then settled in Milford township, Knox county, Ohio. He worked by the month until November 16, 1845, when he was married to Miss Mary Manconya, born May I, 1829, the daughter of Joseph Manconya, of Milford town- ship. He engaged in farming and remained in Milford town- ship untii 1875, when he moved to his present home near Cen-

treburgh, where he has since resided. He has been engaged in raising fine short-horn cattle, and has an enviable reputation in that line.

Mr. Larimore did not have the advantages of a liberal educa- tion, but he acquired the ordinary.branches, and keeps well in- formed upon the current events. He is comprehensive' and liberal in his views, is a good reasoner, and weighs a subject in a logical manner. He is a consistent member of the Christian Union denomination and a leading member, and is esteemed for his moral rectitude and for his enthusiasm for any cause which he espouses.

As a result of his marriage they had eleven children, six of whom are living, viz: Joseph; Emma, who married Marion Selby; Ettie, James, William, and Rose.

LEE, JOHN, proprietor of grocery and restaurant, east side of North Main street. Mr. Lee is a native of the county of Galway, Ireland, where he was born in the year 1852, and in the year 1870 he emigrated to America and located in Mt. Ver- non, where he made his first business engagement as salesman with George B. Potwin, in the produce business. He remained in this capacity until 1876, when he established himself in the grocery and restaurant business, in which he still continues. He carries a full stock of staple and fancy groceries and con- fectioneries, also a first-class stock of restaurant goods, consist- ing of brandies, wines, gins, beer, and ales, of the best Ameri- can brands, also imported wines and brandies. He carries a stock of about two thousand dollars, and he does a business of about seven hundred to eight hundred dollars per month, and up to the present his business has increased about twenty per cent.

LEEDY, REV. SAMUEL A., German Baptist, post office, Shalers Mills. He was born in Morrison's cove, Bedford county, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1816. He came to Ohio in 1829, and located in Knox county. He was married in 1838, to Elizabeth Bostater, who was born in Washington county, Maryland, in 1815, and came to Ohio with her parents in 1836. They had twelve children; Simon, Susannah, Isaac, Elizabeth, Joshua, Elijah, two infant daughters (twins), Emanuel, Martha, Rufus, and Ezra. Joshua died November 24, 1849; twin daughter, August 14, 1848; Emanuel, February 27, 1854; Martha, March 2, 1854-

Mr. Leedy is a descendant of Abraham Leedy. Mr. Leedy located in Berlin township in the fall of 1838, and since has been a citizen of this township. He joined the German Baptist church or Dunkards, at the age of twenty-three years. Mr. Leedy was elected deacon in the church in about 1825; served in this capacity until 1854; he was then appointed minis- ter in that church. He has since been a faithful and liberal ad- vocate for the principles of the church, but always charitable with and for the opinions of others. His zeal in the work has characterized his lahors. He is still laboring to raise the stand- ard of the church as a faithful embassador of the Cross.

His occupation has been farming; in this he has been indus- trious and active, always keeping up with the progress of the times. He owns the farm formerly known as the Long farm. He has retired from farming, and his sons are now farming the place.

Mr. Leedy has been a man of remarkable constitution, and is still in enjoyment of reasonable good health. Mr. and Mrs. Leedy are now living alone. Their children are all married, and have left the parental roof.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

Simon Leedy was married to Elizabeth Martin, of Richland county. They reside in Cedar county, Missouri, post office, Monta Valla, Vernon county, Missouri.

Isaac Leedy was married to Mary Wole. They reside in Vernon county, Monta Valla post office, Missouri.

Elizabeth Leedy was married to Noah F. Cripe. They reside in Vernon county, Missouri.

Elijah was married to Araminta Tenser. They reside in Mis- souri.

Rufus was married to Ida Belle Grubb. He resides on the home place.

Ezra L. was married to Ann Mclaughlin, of Richland county. Susannah Leedy married Isaac Shenabargar. They reside in Ankneytown.

LEEDY, DAVID A., Pike township, farmer, post office, North Liberty, born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, Novem . ber 23, 1821, came to Ohio with his parents when eight years old, and located in Knox county. In 1847 he was married to Susannah Grubb, who was born in Bedford county, Pennsylva- nia, in 1827. They had the following children: Daniel, born December 4, 1849; an infant daughter (deceased); Mary A., · born July 22, 1853; Elizabeth, March 26, 1857; Martha, August 24, 1868; and Charles M., April 18, 1873. Daniel Leedy died December 9, 1870. Mr. Leedy owns an improved farm with good buildings, located near North Liberty. He is a model farmer, and has assisted in improving and raising this county to its present standard, both socially and religiously. He has been a member of the German Baptist church for twenty-two years, being a member of the congregation that worships in the Berlin chapel.

LEMLEY, WILLIAM (deceased), Pike township, born in Richland county in 1848, and was married in 1867, to Mary Ellen Simpkins, who was born in Monroe township in 1851. They have three children-Clara J., born in 1868; James G., born in 1871; and William A., born in 1872. William Lemley was one of the victims of the sad collision that occurred in Richland county during the State fair at Mansfield in 1872. He was wounded on Thursday and died on Saturday. This was a sad bereavement to the family. After the death of her husband Mrs. Lemley moved to North Liberty, where she still lives.

LEONARD, ZIBA, Clay township, retired. He was born August 28, 1798, in Greene county, Pennsylvania, and removed to Clinton township in 1803, arriving November 14th. He came with the Pennsylvania colony, who setttled in what is known as then Ten Mile Settlement. The names of his com- panions will be found elsewhere in this work. At his advent into Knox county, Mr. Leonard was but a few months past his fifth birthday. He is one of the few now living who came into the county as early as 1803. His mind is strong and active, and his memory is well stored with reminiscences of the almost forgotten past.

In 1796 William Leonard, grandfather of Ziba, came out from Pennsylvania, and bought a large tract of land south of Mt. Vernon. The farm of Hon. Columbus Delano lies in the northeast corner of the tract. Mr. William Leonard after- wards gave the land to his children.

Mr. Leonard's father was a frequent sufferer on account of the depredations committed on his flock of sheep by wild animals; sometimes the wolves would come under the house and help themselves to the best of the flock. For about two years all the meat used in the Leonard family was procured in

the forest; but as game was so abundant, it was no trouble to obtain a sufficiency for the family larder. One of Mr. Leon- ard's brothers shot three deer without moving out of his tracks.

The nearest mill was at Zanesville, and until a hand-mill was procured, all the corn necessary for the family use had to be taken there to be ground.

The first wedding in Knox county was that of Mr. Leonard's sisters, in the winter of 1804-Amariah Watson and Sarah Leonard, and Daniel Dimmock and Rachel Leonard. The parties were united at the same time. A justice of the peace from Lancaster, Fairfield county, performed the ceremony, there being no justice or minister nearer than that place.

The first death of any white person in Knox county occurred the next day after the arrival of the Leonard family, November 15, 1803, being a little daughter of Mr. Ziba Leonard's sister, Nancy Baxter, aged about eightcen months. The second death occurred in the spring of 1805, being that of Mr. Wil- liam Leonard, grandfather of Ziba, and called the patriarch of the colony.

For several years after the settlement of fhe Leonard family in Knox county, on each returning winter, a tribe of Delaware Indians camped on Mr. Leonard's farm.

For some months there was no preaching in the neighbor- hood; but on each Sabbath day and Thursday nights, prayer- meetings were held at his father's house.

The first sermon ever delivered in Knox county was preached at the house of his father by the Rev. James Scott, a Presby- terian minister, about the year 1804.

Mr. Ziba Leonard was married in 1819 to Mrs. Jane Beam. Five children were born to them, viz; Eleazer, Amos, Benoni, Malvina, and Martha- all alive except Benoni and Martha.

Mr. Leonard served several years as captain of the militia, and was also justice of the peace, constable, and township clerk of Morgan township several years. He moved into Clay township in 1831. Mr. Leonard has been a farmer and car- penter, working some forty years at the latter trade, having built nearly all the dwelling houses and other buildings in the village of Martinsburgh.

Mr. Leonard was originally a Jackson Democrat, afterwards Whig, then Abolitionist, and then a Republican, having acted with the latter party ever since its organization, until the past two years, when he has acted with the Prohibition party. Al- though Mr. Leonard drank of the first whiskey ever distilled in Knox county, he is an ardent temperance man, and firmly be- lieves that no one that drinks whiskey, or chews tobacco will ever be admitted to heaven.

He has been a member of the Presbyterian church in Mar- tinsburgh over fifty years, and is a firm believer in "the West- minster confession of faith." He has been sexton of the Pres- byterian church many years; has attended over five hundred funerals in Martinsburgh, and has been noted for his acts of charity to the sick and afflicted.

Mr. Leonard has often seen the eccentric Johnny Appleseed, and on being shown a picture of him, given in this history, recognized it immediately as being a very accurate likeness.

Mr. Leonard had some very bitter experience in connection with the failure of the celebrated Owl Creek bank, of Mt. Ver- non. His father, who died in 1814, had willed him one hundred acres of valuable land lying north of the village of Lexington, Richland county. This land was lost to him by the failure the bank. He has also lost several thousand dollars by going

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

security for persons; yet, notwithstanding his much ill-luck, financially, he still has a competency.

Mr. Leonard remembers the first tree cut on the site of Mt. Vernon, and is well-informed relative to its first settlement. The first court was held in a small log cabin which stood exactly on the site of the soldiers' monument. He remembers well the Butlers, Walkers, Pattersons, Clicks, Wallaces, Pyles, Millers, et al., of the first settlers of the village.

Mr. Leonard taught the first school in Clay township, then called Morgan. The first school taught in Knox county was taught by his cousin, Silas Brown, in Clinton township.

For a few years Mr. Leonard was acquainted with every individual in Knox county.

LEONARD, E. B., Pike township, farmer, post office, De- mocracy; born in Morgan township in 1819. He was married in 1839 to Elizabeth Walker, who was born in Union county in 1820. They have three children, Ziba, born in 1840; Rebecca, in 1843; Elnora, in 1849. Mr. Leonard came to Pike township in 1838. He owns a well improved farm. He is a member of a pioneer family and is now numbered among the pioneers.

LEONARD, HANNIBAL B., Wayne township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown; born in Wayne township July 19, 1827, and was married April 11, 1849, to Catharine A. Boner, who was born in Morris township February 23, 1830. They have the following children: John A., born May 14, 1850; Her- man L., April 28, 1855; Mary Belle, February 20, 1860, and William L., October 23, 1864. Mary Belle died April 4, 1865. His father, Byram Leonard, was born in New York April 12, 1798. He removed from New York to Knox county in 1819, and was married to Abigail Lewis, who was born in New Jersey April 11, 1801. They had the following children: William L., born October 6, 1823; John, August 20, 1825; Hannibal B., June 19, 1827; Mary S., July 23, 1829; Elizabeth, August 26, 1831, and Elleanor, March 21, 1834. Mrs. Abigail Leonard died October 15, 1858. Mr. Byram Leonard died December 27, 1851. Elleanor is also dead. William L. was married to Elizabeth Young, and resides at Winterset, Madison county, Iowa. John married Minerva Best, and lives in the same place. Mary S. was married to Israel W. Moody, who also resides in said place. Elizabeth was married to David B. Thrift and resides in Iowa.

Byram Leonard joined the Baptist church in 1841. He was vice-president of the Ohio Baptist convention five years, and filled the office with credit to hinself and with entire satisfaction to his brethren. He was elected a member of the Legislature, and was also warden of the Ohio penitentiary.

LEPLEY, GEORGE, Harrison township, pioneer and farmer, post office Millwood, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, August, 1791, a son of Adam and Barbara Lep- ley, came with his parents to Knox county in 1807, locating on Brush run, now Butler township, where they set about to clear the land and raise grain, which they continued for many years.

The subject of this sketch was considered a great hunter in his day, having killed two hundred deer that he secured, also seven bears, five wolves, and a large number of turkeys. He asserted that he killed two deerat one shot with a single ball while they were running, also at one time three turkeys with one shot, The subject of this sketch was at Mansfield as a sol- dier to protect the white settlers against the Indians, and assisted in moving the Indians from Greentown, which was situated on the Black fork of the Mohican, about four miles north of Perry-

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 145

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