History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 176

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 176

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WALLACE, CHARLES, Iloward township, farmer, post office, Howard, was born in Washington county, Pennsylva- nia, in June, 1815. In 1837 he came to Knox township, Holmes county, and in 1858 removed to his present farm in Knox county.

He was married to Nancy Hardisty, October 18, 1858. They had the following family: Elizabeth, Thomas, Charles, and Nancy. Thomas enlisted in the late war, in 1864; served his time out and received and honorable discharge.

WALLACE, DAVID, Morgan township, farmer, was born in county Armagh, Newtown-Hamilton, Ireland, September 30, 1815. His parents, David and Mary Wallace, nee Glenny, were natives of Ireland; their parents were Scotch, or the grandparents of the subject of our sketch were Scotch. His parents immigrated to the United States in 1819, with a family of three children, and settled in Burlington township, Licking county, where they subsequently purchased a farm, and lived and died there. They had a family of six children, five of whom are living, viz: David, Margaret, married William Wiley; Henry, Robert, of Mansfield; Mary Ann, married Bur- gess Helphrey; Eliza Jane, married a Mr. McFarland.

The subject of this notice was reared on a farm, and received a common school education. In 1847 he moved to Morgan township, where he has since resided. He was married to Miss Mary Dunlap, May 5, 1847; she is a native of Muskingum county, Ohio. Her parents were of Scotch-Irish descent. They had nine children, viz: Mary E., wife of John T. McKee; Elizabeth J., Maggie E., Sadie A., wife of James R. Boyd; Wylie D., and Loretta A. The deceased are: Anna M., Maudna A., and William H., who died of diphtheria.

Mr. Wallace is a good citizen and is esteemed by his neigh- bors for his kindness of heart.

WALLACE, JOHN, Pike township, butcher, post office, North Liberty, born in Wayne county, Ohio, in 1842, and was married in 1864, to Jane Blakely, who was born in 1848. They have the following family of children: Eva Estella, born in 1864; Edna Luella, in 1867; Verna May and Bertha Day, in 1873; Winifred, in 1875; Anna Bell, in 1876, and Ida Arivilla, in 1880. Edna Luella died in 1872, and Bertha Day, in 1873.

Mr. Wallace came to this county in 1858, and was engaged in farming for a number of years. For the last ten years he has been engaged in butchering in North Liberty. Anna Bell died October 13, 1880.

WALTER, GEORGE A., salesman, was born in Morris township, Knox county, in 1842, and was married in 1870, to Mary L. Smith, who was born in Fredericktown in 1851. They have one son: Carleton C., born March 14, 1872, in Mt. Vernon.

Mr. Walter learned the carpenter trade when a young man, in Mt. Vernon, continued to work at his trade till 1872, when he was engaged in the butchering business with S. Kirby, afterwards with M. P. Minteer, and in 1880 was engaged with Braddock & Hurst.

WALTERS, JOHN, Union township, farmer, post office, Howard, born in 1821 near Steubenville, Ohio; came to Knox county in 1835, and settled upon the farm he now owns. He was married to Miss M. C. Johnson in April, 1843. They have five children-George, Sarah, Mary Jane, Harriet, and Frances. He has generally worked at farming, but has done some black- smithing.

WALTERS, JOHN J., Fredericktown, liveryman, was born

in Loudoun county, Virginia, in 1833; came to Ohio in 1835, and was married in 1858 to Mary E. Wagner. He had the following family: Charles, born in 1859; Edward, in 1865; Hattie, in 1867; and Frank, in 1873.

Mrs. Mary Waters died in 1861. Mr. John Walters was afterwards married, in 1863, to Susan Baxter, who was born in 1844 in Middlebury township.

Mr. Walters came to Fredericktown in 1878 and engaged in the livery business. He has the leading and best livery in this city.

WARD, RUFUS, Miller township, deceased, was born June 22, 1801, in Pittsford, Rutland county, Vermont. In 1816 he came with his parents to Zanesville, and in 1818 moved to Knox county and resided in Mt. Vernon, for some years after which he moved to Miller township, where he purchased a farm and became one of the large land owners of the township, and a leading man of the community. He held the office of justice of the peace for twenty-one years, to the satisfaction of the public.

He was a self-made man-began life without any aid-but by industry and economy was successful. He was a farmer, and his farm presented evidence of careful til' ge.

His first wife was Miss Laura Davis, and his second wife was Miss Ellen Rowley, a native of Vermont, to whom he was mar- ried July 2, 1843.

Mr. Ward died September 10, 1879; his wife died September 12, 1870. They had nine childern, viz Laura E. (married to Newton E. Chambers); Mary E. (married to Douglass Bricker); Emma E. (married to Alonzo Chapman, Lavina A. (married to Oscar Vance); Nellie A. (married to William Turner); Rose B. married to Rollin Hyatt). The sons are Rufus D., John F., and Fred L.

WARD, TRUMAN, was born July 19, 1805, in Rutland county, Vermont, came with his parents to Zanesville, Ohio, in 1813, and lived there until 1815, when they came to Miller township, Knox county, and lived there until November 1, 1827, when he came to Mt. Vernon. He was married on the same day to Eliza Maxfield, a native of Vermont. They have had a family of nine children, six of whom are living. After his marriage he spent a number of years in the cooper business. He commenced reading medicine in 1847, and graduated at the Willoughby Medical college in 1849, after which he practiced a short time in Mt. Vernon; also in Sunbury, Delaware county, after which he engaged in the drug business, in which he was successfuily engaged until November 7, 1878, when in conse- quence of bad health he sold out and retired from business.

WARD, L. B., was born in Brandon, Vermont, April 10, 1808. His father, Rufus Ward, was a native of Massachusetts. His parents emigrated to Zanesville, Ohio, in April, 1814, where they remained two years, when on January 1, 1816, they came to Knox county and located in what is now Miller town- ship. When they came to Ohio they came by team as far as Olean, New York, where they exchanged their team for a flat- boat and floated down the Allegheny river to Pittsburgh, then down the Ohio to Marietta, where they hired a keel-boat to take them to Zanesville.

When he first settled on the farm he had a family of eight children, all of whom, but one, lived to see three score and ten years. At this time four are living, whose ages aggregate three hundred and twenty-four years. All of the family were mar- ried and had families, and all lived in Knox county but one.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

Mr. Ward, sr., died in 1834, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. His wife died in 1848, at the age of eighty-five years. Mr. Ward followed farming until 18.42, when he engaged in the mercantile business until 1864, when he sold his store and went back to his faim. In 1874 he opened a jewelry store in com- pany with his son, in which he is now engaged.

He was married to Mary Freeman, daughter of Luther Free- man, then a resident of Knox county, by whom he had five chil- dren, all living, and all married, and all live in Knox county.

WARD DENNIS, Miller township, farmer, was born in Miller township August 15, 1858, and is the son of Rufus Ward, of whom mention is made in this work. He was married to Miss Jennie E. Hildreth October 9, 1879, daughter of Arnold Hildreth of Miller township, mentioned elsewhere. The sub- ject of this notice was reared on his father's farm and received a common school education, and is a social and pleasant gentle- man.

WARREN, J. B., blacksmith and general jobber, Mechanic street, between High and Chestnut streets, Mt. Vernon. Mr. Warren was born in Ontario county, New York, November 10, 1833. When about three years of age his father emigrated to Ohio, and located in LaGrange, Lorain county. Here the family resided for seven years, and then removed to Kirkland township, Lake county, where they remained for twelve years, following the avocation of a farmer, in which he was assisted by his son, the subject of this sketch. The father and family then removed to Van Wert county, the son making that his home. till 1867.

In 1861 J. B. Warren enlisted in the first call for three months, but on examination was rejected. He then engaged as sales- man with Casto & Hartsock. This position he retained until July, 1864, when he again enlisted and was accepted. He entered company H, Fifteenth Ohio veteran volunteer infantry, First brigade, Third division, Fourth corps. In this company he served until May 27, 1864, when he was wounded at Pickett's mill, near Dallas, Georgia, and in consequence of this wound was discharged from service August 25, 1865. He returned to Van Wert county and engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which he continued for about eighteen months, when he took up his residence in Mt. Vernon. He entered into the Kokosing Iron Works as a mechanic in general work where he remained for two years. He then engaged with C. and C. G. Cooper & Co. as boltmaker. At this he worked for eighteen months then served eleven and a half years on saw-mill work. After this he established his present business in which he has been engaged about seven years. Mr. Warren does business of about one thousand dollars per year, and does all kinds of job work, horse_ shoeing, etc. On the tenth day of December, 1868, he married Miss Abbie R. Smith. Mrs. Waren died on the third day of January, 1880. He has a family of one son, C. Warren, and one daughter, Dora E. The son assists his father in his busi- ness.

WATKINS, THOMAS, was born in "The Hay," Wales, in the year 1812, where he remained until 1822, when he came with his parents to America and settled at Steubenville, Jeffer- son county, Ohio, where he remained for a number of years. He was married to Miss Eliza Brown, daughter of Hervey Brown. She was born February 13, 1822. They reared a family of two sons and two daughters. They left Steubenville and located in several different places, but did not remain long.

Mr. Watkins died August 7, 1857. The family settled in Mt. Vernon, on Cemetery avenue, in 1868, where they still live. The children are all living,

WATKINS, WILLIAM J., Middlebury township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, born in Knox county in 1828, and and was married in 1863 to Mary A. Zedaker, who was born in Morrow county in 1840. They have two children-Frank, born in May 3, 1864, and Eva, November 14, 1873.

WATKINS, DALLIS, Middlebury township, farmer, Post of- fice, Levering, born in this county December 12, 1843, and was married in 1866 to Mary Martin, who was born in Knox connty, November 25, 1845. They have the following family, viz: Isaac, born August 1, 1867; Phebe Bell, October 11, 1868, Lu- ella, May 8, 1872; Gladys, September 1, 1875; and Maude, August 21, 1878.

Mr. Watkins has always lived on this farm where he now resides.

WATSON, ABRAHAM, Pleasant township, deceased, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1770, of Irish parents. He was a blacksmith by trade, and followed that business as his vocation for many years.

In 1803 he married Miss Elizabeth Rivers, of Maryland, born in Washington county in 1781. They settled in Maryland, re- mained until 1834, when he with wife and eight children, emi- gratad to Knox county, Ohio, travelling the whole distance of over three hundred and fifty miles in a one-horse wagon, being almost four weeks on the road. They located in Miller town- ship, where they passed the remainder of their days.

His companion died in 1856, aged seventy-five years. He survived her until 1863, aged ninety-three years. He served in the War of r8r2.

They had a family of eight children, viz: Maria, Matilda, David, Abram, John, Catharine, Elizabeth, and Amanda. Two of them (Maria and John) have died.

WATSON, DAVID, farmer, son of the aforesaid Abraham and Elizabeth Watson, was born in Washington county, Mary- land, January 22, 1814. He came with his parents to Knox county in 1834,

In 1840 he married Miss Sarah Muck, born in Pennsylvania. April 17, 1824, and came to this county in 1839. They settled in Miller township, this county, remained until 1874, when they purchased and moved upon the farm in Pleasant township, where they are now living. He still owns the farm in Miller township, on which they lived from 1842 to 1874. They reared a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters.

WATSON, JOSEPH, Attorney, of Mt. Vernon, was born March 1, 1827, in the town of Ballyreagh, county Fermanagh, Treland. He was married in Ballinamallard, on the seventh day of July, 1848, to Miss Rebecca Sproule, daughter of John Sproule, of Aultamulen, county Tyrone, and emigrated to America in August, 1849. In April, 1852, he settled in Mt. Vernon, and engaged in the grocery business, in which he continued until 1859. In 1861 he was admitted to the bar to practice law, and has continued at his profession ever since. In April, 1880, he opened an office in Columbus, Ohio, and was there admitted to practice in the United States courts. Mr. Watson has reared a family of six children-William B., Isabella, John S., Joseph H., Matthew O., and Frank C .- all living. John married Stella, daughter of James Stockwell, of Sunbury, Delaware county, Ohio, and has had two children. Isabella was married

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

to Silas A. Spindler, of Monroe Mills, this county, in 1878, and has one child-a son, Austin.

WATSON, J. S., merchant, Hilliar township, post office, Rich Hill, was born in Mt. Vernon in 1856, is the third child of Joseph and Rebecca Watson, nee Sproule. He attended the schools of Mt. Vernon, and clerked in a store for about one year and a half. At the age of nineteen he purchased the Sun- bury Spectator, a weekly published at Sunbury, Delaware county, Ohio. He edited and published this paper for about four years and a half in Sunbury, and then moved it to Centre- burgh, Knox county, where he continued to publish it, changing the name to The Mirror, for about six months, and sold out. He was successful in the newspaper enterprise, and after he sold his paper he purchased the stock of the general store of M. Roberts, of Rich Hill. He "stocked up," and now carries a full line of dry goods, groceries, boots and shoes, queensware, hardware, glassware, and such goods as are carried in a general line. Mr. Watson is a careful business man, prompt in his dealings, pleasant in address, and well calculated to do well. He was married to Miss Stella Stockwell, of Sunbury, Delaware county, September, 1876. They have one child.

WEAVER, JONATHAN was born at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, February 12, 1816, removed to Ohio with father and mother and one sister, and settled in Ashtabula, Ashtabula county, about the year 1822, receiving and concluding his education at the high school of that place. His father and family removed from Ashtabula, and settled in Worthington, Franklin county, Ohio, in 1834. In about one year after, J. Weaver left Ashtabula and came to and lived at Worthington, Ohio, and for two months was engaged in the dry goods store of B. Comstock (in which business he had three years previous ex- perience with John Booth at Ashtabula). On leaving Comstock's, he engaged with Champion & Lathrop, wholesale dry goods dealers, of Columbus, Ohio, southwest of High and Broad streets, afterwards with Comstock & Buttles, forwarding and com- inission merchants and pork packers, Columbus, Ohio. In the spring of 1839 he engaged in the grocery business in Columbus with Frank Stewart under the firm name of J. Weaver & Co. In May, 1844, he commenced a grocery business with H. Hol- lister at Newark, Ohio.

The following October the firm removed to, and continued a wholesale and retail grocery business at Mt. Vernon, under the firm name of Hollister & Weaver, until the fourth of March, 1846, when J. Weaver bought out H. Hollister, and associated himself in business with Dr. M. W. Stamp (a resident of Mt. Vernon) under the firm name of J. Weaver & Co., wholesale and retail grocers. This firm continued business until the first of May, 1850, when it was mutually dissolved, and the business continued by J. Weaver (Dr. Stamp uniting with the firm of C. P. Buckingham & Co. in the building of Kokosing foundry in Mt. Vernon).

During the year 1851 J. Weaver closed up business in Mt. Vernon, and was engaged in business with H. H. Curtis at Keokuk, Iowa, for a few months, after which he returned to Mt. Vernon, and engaged again in the grocery business with James George. This firm continued one year, and was mutually dissolved, J. Weaver continuing the wholesale and retail grocery ·

business from that period until May, 1876-a period of twenty- four years at Mt. Vernon.

During a period of thirty-seven years J. Weaver has made a home at Mt. Vernon. On the fourteenth of January, 1846, he

was married by Rev. James Muenscher, to Miss Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Samuel J. Updegraff, esq. (an early resident of Mt. Vernon), who now have living two sons and two daughters, and two granddaughters, having lost two grandsons, children of Howard and Anna Harper, residents of Mt. Vernon.

WEAVER, JOHN, Liberty township, farmer, born in Lib- erty, February 22, 1831. He is the fourth child of Leonard and Mary Weaver, nee Zent. His youth was spent on the farm on which he now resides, and on which he has spent all his life except six years. He enlisted in company A, One Hundred and Forty-second regiment Ohio National guards, for one hundred days.

He married Miss Frances M. Coyle of Morrow county, in 1856. They had two children: One died while young; and Emarine, wife of Samuel Bricker.

Leonard Weaver, the father, was born in Rockingham coun- ty, Virginia, March 31, 1804. His parents came to Ohio at an early day, and remained in Fairfield county until 1814, when they removed to Jefferson township, Richland county, where they lived and died, being pioneers. He remained with his parents until 1823. About 1825 he moved to Liberty township, and purchased a tract of land, which was heavily timbered. He had the usual experience of early settlers. Hard work and economy, however, overcame the disadvantages. He is a good citizen, and has the esteem of the community. He was mar- ried August 28, 1823, to Miss Mary Zent, by whom he had seven children. His wife dying, he married Harriet Farreson. He resides on the farm on which he settled in 1825.

WEBSTER, EDWIN P., Gambier, was born in Summit county, Ohio, December 6, 1849. He was educated at the Bissell institute, at Twinsburgh. In 1872 he accepted a posi- tion at Dawson, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, as night tele- graph operator, which position he held about six months. In February, 1873, he came to Gambier, this county, and accepted the position of agent and operator in the office of the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus railroad company, which position he is now filling.

In 1875 Mr. Webster married Miss Sarah R. Cheyney, of Dawson, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. They settled in Gam- bier, where they are now living. They have three children, all daughters.

WEEKS, WILLIAM, Monroe township, farmer, a native of England, and son of Matthew Weeks, was born May 25, 1824. He migrated to America with his father and located in Gambier in 1842. His father deceased in about two years after their arrival at Gambier.

In October, 1844, Mr. Weeks married Miss Nancy Ayers, born in Wayne county, Ohio, March 4, 1824. They settled in Jefferson township, this county, remained a few months, and in June of the same year they moved to Gambier, lived one year in the village, and then moved to Monroe township, where his companion deceased in June, 1859, but he is still living in Mon- roe township. Their union resulted in seven children, only two of whom are now living. He served one year in the war of 1861. His son, John H., died in the service of his country during the late war.

WELKER, DAVID (deceased), Union township, was born in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1787. He em- igrated to Knox county, and located in Union township in 1809, on the farm now owned by his son, John D. Welker. In

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

18ro he married Sarah McMillen, who was born in 1791, daugh- ter of Robert and Nellie McMillen. He erected a log cabin on his land, which served them as an abode for a number of years. He lived on the farm and followed farming as his vocation until he died, November 16, 1853. His companion died in March, 1857. They reared a family of seven children: Paul, David, Sarah, John D., Eleanor, Simon, and Mary-all of whom mar- ried and reared families.

WELKER, DANIEL, Howard township, farmer, post office, Howard, was born in Union township, Knox county, Decem- ber 5, 1812. He remained here twenty-eight years. He was married in 1840, and removed to Howard township, where he has remained ever since. He has six children: Shiply, Curtis, Edith, Maria, Dillon, and Elizabeth. Curtis died at the age of two years, three months and nine days; Dillon died at the age of twenty-one years, eleven months and fourteen days.

WELKER, PAUL, Howard township, farmer, post office, Howard, was born in Union township, Knox county, Septem- ber 16, 1813. He remained in this township until the thirtieth year of his age, when he removed to Howard township, and settled on the farm which he now owns and occupies.

He was married in 1838 to Crysta M. Ankeny. They had four children: George, David, Sylvester, and Belle. David died July 24, 1874, at the age of thirty-three years and twenty days; Sylvester is at present (June, 1880) assessor of this town- ship.

WELKER, M. D., A. D., Gambier; a native of Knox county, and son of Elliott and Rachel Welker, was born in Howard township on the twenty-second day of October, 1847. He is a self-educated man, studied medicine with Dr.'s McMa- hon, Coleman and Moffett, of Millwood, this county. In the fall of 1870 he entered the Louisville Medical college, at Louis- ville, Kentucky, and graduated February 29, 1872. On the fifteenth day of the following April he came to Gambier and began the practice of medicine, where he has since been engaged in his profession, meeting with good success. In Sep- tember, 1870, he married Miss Louisa White, of Howard township, this county, daughter of Anthony White. Their union resulted in two children, daughters. Mrs. Welker died August 22, 1875. His second marriage was with Miss Fannie Colwill, in 1878, daughter of Simon Colwill. By this union he has one child, a son.

WELKER, GEORGE A., physician, Berlin township, post office, Shalers Mills, was born in Union township, Knox county, in 1839. He received a preparatory education in the common schools, and attended the Ann Arbor Medical college in Michi- gan. He also attended lectures at the University of Wooster Medical college, located at Cleveland, and graduated in 1875. He commenced the practice of medicine in Greersville; remained there for two years, then located in Millwood, where he ie- mained two years and six months. In 1866 he moved to An- kenytown, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his profession. He now has an extensive practice, and stands high in his profession. He was united in marriage to Miss Emma Giffin, of Berlin township, who was born in 1845, daughter of Lauriston and Lucia F. Giffin. They have two children-Nina Belle, born in 1868, and Harry B., 1870.

WELLS, G. W., Fredericktown, baker and grocer, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, and came to Ohio with his parents in 1835. He was married in 1858 to Anna E. Logs-

don, who was born in Knox county in 1834. They have three sons: William, born February 22, 1859; David, born Novem- ber 28, 1860; and Freddie, born March 27, 1869.

Mr. Wells began business in this town in 1867, where he has built up a good trade. He is a first-class baker, and is pre- pared to meet the wants of the public in his line.

WELLS, JOSEPH, Middlebury township, deceased, born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, and married Sophia E. Noble, who was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, in 1842. They have two children: George W., born February 22, 1859, and Joseph M., August 30, 1860. Mr. Joseph Wells died August 13, 1872.

George W. Wells was married to Rosa Haraman. They re- side in Pike township. Joseph M. still resides with his mother.

WELSH, JOHN, farmer, oldest son of William and Rebec- ca Welsh, nce Budd, was born in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, March 19, 1814. He received a good common school education, was reared on a farm, and has followed farming as his principal vocation. October 7, 1834, he married Miss Sarah J. Beall, daughter of Zephaniah and Mary Beall, nee Purcell. She was born near Beallsville, Washington county, Pennsylvania, December 25, 1818.

Mr. Welsh remained in Washington county about two years after his marriage to Miss Beall. In the fall of 1836 he came to Knox county, Ohio, and located in Clinton township, about three miles south of Mt. Vernon, on the Columbus road, re- mained there one vear, then, in 1837, he purchased and moved on the farm, in the same township, one mile west of Mt. Ver- non, where they are now living. He bought the land of Benja- min Keller. The dwelling house consisted of a double log cabin, which served them as an abode until 1847, when they erected their present briek residence.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 176

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