History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 164

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 164

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).

They had a family of nine children, and so far as is known only the three named in this sketch are living. January 31, 1843, Mrs. Roberts died; her husband followed her about seven years later.

The Messrs. Roberts are good farmers, and among the sub- stantial and influential men of Hilliar. Their farm contains about two hundred and forty acres of good land, and well im- proved. They have several herds of thoroughbred cattle and a lot of fine thoroughbred sheep. They have the confidence and esteem of the public, are social and pleasant people, take great interest in the affairs of the country, and are good citizens.

785

HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

ROBERTSON, JESSE PRATT, farmer, Liberty township, Mt. Liberty, Ohio, was born in Washington county, New York; June 15, 1832. His father, Hezekiah Robertson, was born in 1805, and married Eliza Pratt, of the same State, in December, 1836. They came to Knox county and settled on the farm on which Mr. Robertson now resides, where the father died in 1867. His wife still survives him. They had eleven children, nine are yet living, viz: Jesse P., the subject of this notice, is the oldest; Mary E., wife of W. R. Proper, of Liberty town- ship; Sarah M., wife of Milton Bird, of Liberty township, Ruth E., wife of Warren Bedell; Phillip E., farmer, Morrow county; Charles E., farmer, Morrow county; Frances A., wife of David Farr, of Liberty township; Caroline J., wife of Benjamin Thomp- son, who resides in Sullivan county, Missouri; and Kate. Two in- fants have died. Mr. Robertson was 1 eared on a farm and received a common school education. He enlisted in company A., Nine- ty-sixth Ohio volunteer infantry in July, 1862, and participated in the battle of Arkansas Post, where he was slightly wounded in his right arm. He was discharged September 18, 1863, on account of physical disability, caused from sicknes. On his return home he engaged in farming. He married Miss Caroline A. McComb, November 2, 1854. She was born in Tompkins county, New York, 1832. Her father, Solomon McComb, em- igrated to Ohio in 1847, and now is a resident of Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Robertson are the parents of e, even chil- dren, all of whom are living-Edme, born February 22, 1856; Charles, November 16, 1857; Caroline Adelia, born March 15, 1860, wife of Edward Jackson; Phillip E., November 27, 1861; W. Delos, August 6, 1864; William K., July 20, 1867; Frank B., June 20, 1869; Linda J. M., May 6, 1872; Walter B., Feb- ruary 4, 1874; Grace O., July 26, 1876; and Fred., Jannary 21, 1880. Mr. Robertson is an estimable citizen, and is highly es- teemed for his uprightness of character.

ROBERTSON, AMASA PRATT, Liberty township, eclectic physician, Mt. Liberty post office, was born in Washington county, New York, January 5, 1843. His parents about a year after moved to Knox county; where the doctor spent his youth on a farm. In 1862 he enlisted in company F, One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio volunteer infantry, and served until the close of the war. He was Third sergeant of his company and was subsequently commissioned sergeant major and as such he was discharged. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Kentucky; Franklin, Tennessee; Chickamauga, Lookout Moun- tain, Resaca, Kennesaw Mountain, Atlanta, and with the army to Savannah, thence to Bentonville, North Carolina. This, of course, includes all the skirmishes, battles and marches of that memorable campaign. After he returned home he attended school at Mt. Vernon and Columbus, Ohio, where he graduated in a commercial course. He taught school for several terms, and in 1869 began reading medicine with Dr. T. H. Vankirk, of Mt. Liberty, Ohio, reading about three years. In 1872 he entered the Eclectic Medical institute at Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated and commenced practice in Mt. Liberty, where he has succeeded in securing a good practice. He was married to Miss Mary Thompson in November, 1873. They have one child, Olive, born December 29, 1878.

ROBERTSON, EZRA S., deceased, the father of Dr. Rob- ertson, was born in Washington county, New York, September 26, 1809. His youth, until nineteen years of age, was spent on a farm. He then learned the trade of wagonmaking, working at it until 1843, when he immigrated to Ohio and located on a

farm in Hilliar township. He sold this farm and removed to Liberty township where he purchased a farm and remained on it until 1864, when he moved to Mt. Liberty where he engaged at his trade. He died November, 1880. He was an exem- plary man and had many friends. He married Sarah Pratt, of Mew York. They had nine children, seven yet living. His wife survives him.

ROBINSON, SOLOMON, deceased, a native of Maryland, was born in 1871; he married Miss Rebecca Workman in 1801 or 1802, a native of Maryland, born in 1873, daughter of Isaac Workman. They settled in Maryland, remained a short time, then migrated to Harrison county, Ohio, where they lived until. 18II, when they moved to Knox county, Ohio, and located in Union township, on the farm now owned by Jacob Rose, near Danville. He erected a log cabin, which served them as an abode for about ten years, when he built a hewed log house in which they lived for several years, when he erected a frame ad- dition to his residence, which he used as a dwelling until 1866, when he moved to Clinton township, near Mt. Vernon, where he passed the remainder of his days. By his marriage to Miss Workman he had twelve children: Joseph, Barbara, William, Isaac, Sarah, Hugh, Matilda, Jacob, Margaret, Daniel, Basil, and Nancy, five of whom are living. His companion de- ceased March 14, 1835. He married for his second wife, Nancy Wells, nee Workman, in 1837, by whom he had one child, Louisa, deceased. He died September 10, 1866. His wife sur- vived him until 1878, aged ninety years. He was reared a farmer and followed farming as his vocation.

ROBINSON, WILLIAM, deceased, Union township, was born in Maryland in 1783, and married Miss Sarah Workman, of Maryland, in 1802. They settled in Maryland and remained the.e until 1811, when they emigrated to Knox county, Ohio, and located in Union township, on land now occupied by J. C. Langford, where they passed the remainder of their days. His first improvement on his land was the erection of a log cabin, which served them as an abode until 1822, when he erected a hewed log dwelling, in which they lived the remainder of their days. They reared a family of ten children: John, Margaret, David, Maria, Barbara, Lucinda, Matilda, Julia A., Sarah, and Mary, all of whom are dead except Lucinda, Mary, Matilda, and Margaret. His wife died in 1829. He married for his sec- ond wife, Mrs. Margaret McKinzie, nee Logstone, in 1831, by whom he had four children: Henry C., Lyman W., Royal D., and Elizabeth. He served in the War of 1812, and represented Knox county in the legislature one term. He also held the office of county commissioner several years. He followed farm- ing as his vocation. His wife died in 1848; he survived her until 1863, aged eighty years.

ROBINSON, LYMAN W., farmer, post office, Gambier, son of William and Margaret Robinson, born in Union town- ship, Knox county, September 12, 1335, by whom he was reared and educated. He was married October 28, 1853, to Deliah Dillin, daughter of Isaac and Eleanor Dillin, who was born in Harrison township, Knox county, March 8, 1833. After their marriage he remained one year with his father, farming on shares; he then moved to Harrison township, on the farm now owned by Joseph Ferenbaugh, where he remained one year, and then moved to Howard township on a farm owned by his father, where he farmed two years. During this time he purchased a farm of ninety-seven and a half acres in Harrison township, where he then moved and at present re-

786

HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

sides. They are the parents of three children-one died in in- fancy; and those living are Carrie M., born March 1, 1862, and on November 25, 1880, she married Leander Hays, of Clay township, where she at present resides; William D., born June 20, 1864, who lives at home.

ROBINSON, ISAAC F., Pike township, farmer, post office, Democracy, born in Union township in 1835, and was married in 1860 to Elizabeth Kramer, who was born in Mercer county, Pennsylvania, in 1844. They have seven children-Lydia Jane, born in r861; Mary E., in 1863; William H., in 1865; Francis Emma, in 1867; George W., in 1869; Ella S., in 1871, and Effa May, in 1877.

Mr. Robinson purchased a farm in this township in 1855, and has displayed good taste in erecting lis buildings; his house especially being a model one, with all in modern style. His father, Isaac Robinson, deceased, was a native of Union town- ship, and was married to Rosannalı Crouse, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio with her parents when a child. There are wree surviving members of their family- William, who resides in Floyd. iowa; Mary (now Mrs. Mor- gan), who resides in Iowa, and Isaac F.

Mr. Robinson died in Illinois several years ago. The Robin- son family were pioneers of Knox county.

ROBINSON, JAMES RUSSELL, physician, Mt. Ver- non, was born in Holmes county, Ohio, on the seventeenth day of April, 1850. He attended such schools as the county then afforded. He went mainly to the schools of Mt. Ver- non. He is of Scotch and Irish parentage, his father being Scotch, and his mother of Irish extraction. He read medicine with Dr. James Loar about two years, and two years with Dr. Newcomer, who resides in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. He then attended the University of Pluladeiphia, graduating in 1872, when about twenty-two years of age. He associated himself with his old preceptor, Dr. Newcomer, and in the spring of 1873 he purchased the interest of his associate. In 1875 he took his brother, L. E. Robinson, into partnership, which continued until 1877, since which time he has been prac- tising alone. He was appointed, in 1874, physician to the county infirmary, and township physician. In 1877 he was ap- pointed examining surgeon for the United States Government. When he was quite young his parents moved to Knox county, where his youthful days were spent.

ROCK, JAMES, landlord of Rock hotel, Fredericktown, was born in Ireland in 1809, and came to America in 1821. He located in Whitehall, New York, and in 1844 came to Mt. Ver- non. He was married in 1840 to Hannah Lloyd, who was born in Vermont. They had four children, viz: George E .; John, deceased; Clark L., deceased; and Mary E., who was married to Frank Jacobs, and lives in Mt. Vernon.

Mrs. Hannah Rock died in Richland county, August 19, 186r. Mr. Rock afterwards married Harriet Cornell, who was born in Virginia in 1829. They had the following children, viz: James, jr., born January 7, 1863, died an infant; George E. was a sol- dier in the late war, a member of the Third Ohio cavalry, and died during the service at Nashville, Tennessee; Clark L. was a member of the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, and died during the war at Vicksburgh. Mr. Rock located in this town in 1864. He is proprietor of the Rock hotel, keeps a good house, and is an accommodating landlord, and though advanced in years, is still able to attend to business.

ROGERS, JAMES, deceased, Wayne township, born in New York in 1805, married January 1, 1828, to Sarah Doug- lass, who was born in this county, Clinton township, February 9, 1809. They had the following children, viz: Samuel, born October 3, 1823; Hannah J., August 24, 1830; Mary, February 9, 1833; William, October 7, 1835; Timothy, October 30, 1837; Elizabeth, May 11, 1841; and Sarah, August 28, 1846.

Mr. Rogers died May 18, 1879. Mary died August 7, 1845. They resided in Fredericktown for twenty-five years. Mr. Rog- ers was engaged in buying, selling, and shipping horses to the east. He was an active and enterprising man, and had excel- lent business qualifications. He left his family in good cireum- stances. Mrs. Rogers is residing in Fredericktown with her daughter, Mrs. Foote.

ROGERS, EDWARD, meat market, Vine street, Mt. Ver- non. Mr. Rogers was born in Weston, Warwickshire, England, February 22, 1829, where he resided until he was twenty- eight years of age, during which time he was engaged in farm- ing. In 1854 he came to this country and located in Mt. Ver- non, and engaged in the baking business in partnership with his brother James, working under the firm name of J. & E. Rogers. This firm continued for two years, when Edward went to Gam- bier and continued in the same business, meeting with good success during thirteen years. He then adopted the butchering business, in which he continued for four years. In 1874 Mr. Rogers came back to Mt. Vernon, and engaged in butchering, which he still continues. He does the most extensive business in this line in the city. His sales amount to about two thousand dollars per month, or twenty-five thousand dollars per year. He keeps constantly on hand fresh meats of all kinds, and smoked salt pork. He slaughters about two hundred and twenty-five head of cattle, seventy-five calves, seventy-five sheep and lambs, and fifty hogs per annum.

ROGERS, JAMES, manufacturer and dealer, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, was born in Weston, Warwickshire, England, March 1, 1831, where he resided until twenty-three years old and during which time he followed farming, and learned the baking busi- ness. In 1853 he emigrated to this country and located in Mt. Vernon, where he has resided ever since. His first business engagement here was with the firm of I. George, in a bakery, in which he continued one year. He then established a busi- ness for himself, in which he continued with good success for sixteen years. He then moved out on his farm and devoted his attention to farming for two years, when he purchased a lot and built the Rogers' block, and engaged in the grocery busi- ness, in which he still continues. In 1875 he engaged in the hardware business, and in 1878 he added the merchant tailoring business, and is proprietor of the Norton flouring-mills, and is also managing his farm and dairy. He has made four addi- tions to the city known as the Rogers' Addition, Rogers' North Addition, Rogers' Eastern Addition, and Rogers' and Doyle's Addition. He was married January 21, 1855, to Miss Elizabeth Tighe, and they have had a family of seven children, only one of whom is living, William J., who is assisting his father in the hardware business. Mr. Rogers is a man of real energy and unusual business abilities; has done much to develop the busi- ness interests of this city, and is one of its most respected eit- izens.

ROGERS, GEORGE, Mt. Vernon, of the firm of C. and G. Cooper & Co., Mt. Vernon, was born in Licking county, Ohio, September 19, 1836. His parents came to Mt. Vernon when

yours Respectfully Spacher Moulay

HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

787

George was about four years of age, where he has resided ever since, with the exception of four years.

From the age of fourteen to that of twenty he was connected with the Cooper establishment, and attended the city high school. He read law with Messrs. Cooper & Vance, and trav- elled for the firm of C. and J. Cooper & Co. He was admitted to the bar in 1861, but never practiced.

In April, 1861, he enlisted in the second company of volun- teers raised in the city, and was elected and commissioned sec- ond lieutenant of company B, Fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, Colonel Lorin Andrews, called into service for three months. At the expiration of his term of service Lieutenant Rogers came home and raised a company of one hundred and fifty men for the Twentieth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and was com- missioned captain of company B, in which position he served until January, 1863, when he resigned. Shortly after his resig- nation the President appointed him lieutenant colonel of the Fourth regiment of the United States colored troops. He con- tinued in command of the regiment until the close of the war. His regiment took part in the assault on Petersburgh. In June, 1864, he was detailed chief mustering and dispensing officer of the State of North Carolina, with headquarters at Newbern. He took an active part in breaking up the rebel rendezvous in that State. In the fall of 1864 he rejoined his command at Hampton Roads, where they embarked in the Fort Fisher expe- dition, the colonel taking a part in that affair. For meritorious services in the field he was commissioned brevet colonel, and also brevet brigadier general.

After the Fort Fisher expedition Colonel Rogers returned home and purchased a one-third interest in the Kokosing iron works, in connection with Charles and John Cooper. The firm of Coopers & Rogers had charge of the Kokosing works for three years, their specialty being building mowers. In 1869 that firm was consolidated with the firm conducting the Mt. Vernon iron works.

ROOD, WILLIAM HARRISON, Wayne township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, born in Fayette county, Pennsylva- nia, October 18, 1816, came to Knox county August 9, 1817, with his parents, and was married May 3, 1837, to Anna Maria Bell, who was born in county of Westmeath, Ireland. They had the following children: Frank, born December 16, 1857; Cynthia Jane, October 12, 1860; Clara, August 8, 1861; Mary E., May 3, 1866; and Benjamin Franklin, November 3, 1870. Frank Rood died October 15, 1860. Mr. Rood is one of the.earliest settlers of Wayne township. His father, Noah Rood was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and married in Washington county, Pennsylvania, to Mary Minick, who was born in Pennsylvania. They had four sons and three daughters, viz .: Thomas, Phebe, Betsy, Samuel, Cyntha Ann, William, Harrison, and James Madison. Noah Rood died in Chester township, Morrow county, at the age of seventy-four years. Mrs. Mary Rood died in the same county at the age of ninety-five years. They were pioneers of this county.

ROSENTHALL, I. & D., clothiers, Woodward block, cor- ner Main and Vine streets, Mt. Vernon. Mr. I. Rosenthall, managing partner of this firm, was born in Richmond, Virginia, March 15, 1844. When nine years of age his parents removed to New York city, where they resided two years. From New York city the family removed to Pittsburgh. In the fall of 1860 Mr. Rosenthall came to Ohio, where he made his first engage- ment with the firm of William Flemming & J. Fink, who located

at Bellefontaine, Logan county. He afterwards entered the house of Stofal & Gates, with whom he continued one year, when he purchased the stock of the firm and conducted the business himself for five years. He went from Bellefontaine to Wooster and conducted the business for some five years. At the expiration of this time, he established a house of business at Akron, where he remained six years. From Akron he went to Altoona, Pennsylvania, and engaged in business with his brother-the firm being I. & D. Rosenthall. April 1, 1878, he came to Mt. Vernon and established the present house, while his brother remains at Altoona, in charge of the house there. The firm here carries the largest stock of ready-made clothing of any similar establishment in the city. They also have a large and fine assortment of gentlemen's furnishing goods, hats, caps, etc.

ROSS, TIMOTHY, Milford township, farmer, was born in Knox county December 25, 1820. His paternal grandfather, Timothy Ross, was a resident of New Jersey, and removed to western Pennsylvania at an early day.

Nathaniel Ross, a son of Timothy Ross, sr., was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, February 19, 1794. He married Sallie Hair, of the same county, and in 1817 they came to Harrison township, Knox county, and settled in the woods.

Mr. Ross cleared up this farm, and remained on it until the death of his wife, when he went to live with his children. He is yet living, and for a man of his years, is physically strong and mentally bright. He was the father of eight children, viz: Polly, wife of Adam Crumrine, of Hancock, Ohio; Cynthia, drowned while returning from school; John died young; Tim- othy, the subject of this notice; Rachel Ann, killed by the fall- ing of a log from the spring house during a storm; 'Delilah, de- ceased, who was the wife of Robert Melick; Samuel, a resident of Harrison township; Benjamin died before reaching mature age.

The subject of this notice, Timothy Ross, remained with his parents until he was about twenty-three years of age, assisting his father on the farm. In April. 1844, he married Miss Esther Ann Crouse, who was born January 11, 1826. She is the daughter of George Crouse, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, February 5, 1799, where at sixteen years of age he learned blacksmithing. At eighteen he went to Au- gusta county, Virginia, and in the fall of 1820 he came to Mt. Vernon, and engaged in blacksmithing and farming. He mar- ried Lydia Melker, a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, in January, 1825. They had four children: Jacob, deceased; Henry M., of Indiana; Philip M., of Iowa, and Esther Ann, wife of T. Ross. His second wife was Catharine Bitner, a native of Pennsylvania. He is yet living at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Ross. Shortly after the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ross they moved to Hancock county, Ohio, remained there about four years, and returned to Knox county, locating in Milford township, where they have since resided.

Mr. Ross is a leading citizen, and is highly esteemed for his many good qualities. He takes an active interest in the affairs of the township, and is a leading member of the Christian or Disciple church to which organization he has belonged for about twenty years. They had five children, viz: Sarah E., wife of Abraham Ewing; Delilah; Mary, deceased, who was the wife of Bruce E. Jackson; Melvina, wife of C. B. Jackson; and Ida.

ROSS, WILLIAM, was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania,

788

HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

December 11, 1821. He removed with his father, William Ross, to Clay township, Knox county, Ohio, in 1823, and remained there about four years, when he removed to Jackson township, where he resided until A. D. 1836, removing that year to Jeffer- son township, where his father died in 1841. Two months prior to his father's decease he left home to learn the stone-mason trade, to which he served an apprenticeship of three years, with James Blount, of Jackson township. During the time of his apprenticeship, in 1841, he went to school three months.

During the winter of 1843 he taught school in Brown town- ship. He went from Brown to Jackson township to work at his trade, removed from Jackson to Butler township in 1854, where he has ever since res ded.

He was married September 5, 1844, to Miss Elizabeth Eley, of Butler township, who was born January 2. 1824. They have had five children, viz: Lemuel, born July 7, 1845; James, April 18, 1847; Benjamin and Jacob, twins, who were born July 15, 1850; MIary, December 16, 1855; N. W. Farmer, who was born July 22 1861, resides with Mr. Ross.

During the war of the Rebellion Lemuel and James enlisted in company G, One Hundred and Twenty-first Ohio volunteer in- fantry, Colonel H. B. Banning. Lemuel died April 2, 1864, and James April 4, 1864. Both died of measles near Rossville, Georgia. Their remains were brought home and buried in Den- nis cemetery, Jackson township.

Mr. Ross has been a member of the Disciple church ever since he was twenty-one years of age, and elder in the church about thirty years. He was first a Democrat and afterwards became a Republican, and still continues in that political faith.

ROSS, JOSEPH, Brown township, farmer, a son of Elisha and Dorcas Ross, was born in this county on the seventh day of April, 1842. He was reared on a farm and has followed farming as his vocation. In 1866 he married Miss Mary Work- man, of this county, daughter of Solomon and Mary A. Work- man. They settled on the farm in Brown township, one and a half miles south of Jelloway, where they are now living. Their union resulted in three children-Franklin, Clinton, and David.

Mr. Ross owns a farm of one hundred and seven acres about one-half of which is bottom land.

ROUSE, E. S. S., is a native of Rensselaer county, New York; born February 23, 1795. He was a member of Colonel Kerrs regiment in the War of 1812, in which he served six months. In 1818 he came to Ohio and located in Muskingum county on a farm, where he lived nine years, during which he was elected captain of a company in Colonel Springer's rifle regiment of which he had command two and a half years. After leaving his farm he went to Dresden and engaged in the commission business, in which he remained about one and a half years, after which he returned to Oneida county, New York. He was married Mareh 1, 1820, to Polly Mills, by whom he had a family of six children, five of whom are living, and are married, viz .: Maria Sealts, Lydia C. Rowley, Erastus, Andrew MI., and John D., who enlisted in the Seventy-seventh Illinois regiment; was promoted to lieutenant, and afterward to captain; served about three years, after which he was appointed judge advocate of New Orleans. He came to Knox county and settled tn Miller township in 1833, and resided there until 1850, when he came to Mt. Vernon and engaged in the factory business, and has been in different kinds of business until he retired.

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 Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 164

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