History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 134

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Ohio > Licking County > History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present > Part 134

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JERSEY TOWNSHIP.

RHODES, W. J., farmer and stock raiser, born in this township January 19, 1830; son of William and grandson of John Rhodes, who emigrated to this county from Maryland, with his family about 1812, settling first in Licking township, and after- wards, about 1824, coming to this township. His mother, Sarah Geiger, daughter of Anthony Geiger, an early settler of this county, was born in East Liberty, Pennsylvania. Mr. Rhodes is the fourth of ten children, five of whom sur- vive, as follows: Anthony G., deceased; Joseph, now of Marion county, Iowa; John, of Jack- son county, Iowa; W. J., Philip, of this town- ship; Rachel (Gilliland); Sarah, deceased; Henry, deceased; Mary Ann, deceased; and George, de- ceased. Mr. Rhodes was married in 1856 to Amanda, daughter of John Beem, and has three children-Ella, Sarah and George.

ROBINSON, MRS. REBECCA, born in Mount Rock, Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, July 29, 1809. In Freeport, Pennsylvania, she married John Robinson, of New Jersey, and in 1835 they came to Ohio. In 1872 she moved to Jersey vil- lage, having previously lived in the country. She has had eight children: De Witt Clinton, George W., John M., Matthias, David, Vienna, Alonzo, Wesley, and Sarah Jane. John M. died young.

Of her six boys, five entered the army, and four of these five fell a sacrifice for their country's wel- fare. Matthias, David and Wesley enlisted in the three months' service, and all returned sick, re- enlisting before full recovery. Matthias was taken sick at Camp Chase, brought home and died No- vember 29, 1861. David also was brought home sick and died July 14, 1862. Wesley was wounded at Chickamauga, captured, and never heard from again. Alonzo, while yet a young boy, enlisted and died at the hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. In a letter home from one of the boys the follow- ing was enclosed:

"At my post I am standing, 'tis a dark, dreary night, The scenery around is shut out from my sight.

With a gun in my hand, I stand thus alone,

While my thoughts are wandering to the loved ones at home. Perhaps in their slumbers, they are dreaming of me,

While I stand here on picket in old Tennessee.

With my cartridge box on, filled with powder and lead,

I stand winking and blinking and nodding my head.

Now I rouse up again and rub hard my eyes, Peep out in the darkness to see rebel spies. Not a sound can I hear, not a soul can I see, There is nobody here but grim darkness and me. So I lean on my gun, while my thoughts again roam To that circle of loved ones I left at my home.

There's a father with locks that are growing quite gray.

Who is anxiously thinking of his son far away,

Not knowing how soon he may see that son's name,

Among those who in battle were wounded or slain.

Then there is mother, what a charm in that word !

What a thrill it creates whene'er it is heard;

The counsels she gave loom up from afar,

To shine in my pathway like some guiding star."

Ross, HENRY H., born on Shamony Hill cen- tennial grounds, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 23, 1823, then the property of Judge Warner. In 1833 his father came to Muskingum county, Ohio, one and one-half miles below Zanesville. In 1837 they moved to Zanesville, living where the reservoir of the waterworks now is. Serving a three years apprenticeship to James Bishop, boat- builder, he worked for him a short time; then as carpenter and watchman, spent two years on the boats Malta, Captain Dexter, and Zanesville, Cap- tain Hurd, plying between Zanesville and Pitts- burgh, and occasionally running down to Cincin- nati. He once took a flat-boat trip to Memphis, Tennessee, conveying a load of crockery, then called "Putnam currency." While on the river cholera raged among the boatmen, and many died, but Mr. Ross escaped an attack, and this without resorting to brandy as a preventive, as he was urgently requested to do. From 1843 to 1851 he made ten trips over the mountains to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, working at his trade the most of the time, in various places, one year in Cramps' ship yards, Philadelphia. He was then employed in the shops of the Central Ohio Railroad com- pany, at West Zanesville, where he remained until the great strike occurred. Since then he has been

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chiefly engaged in portable saw-milling, at first in Bladensburgh, Knox county, then in various local- ities in this vicinity. Since 1875 he has turned his attention more to farming. Married July 20, 1862, to Amanda J. Yantis, by whom he has six children : John William, Henry Albion, Mary Estella, and Amanda Luella, twins; George S. C., and Earnest Huntley. Mrs. Ross' father, William Yantis came from Maryland to Tarlton, Ohio, in 1815, and in 1817 to Plain township, Franklin county. He was one of the earliest settlers, and laid out the west half of New Albany, about 1830.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

RICE, MARTHA M., widow of E. G. Rice, Ap- pleton, was born in Marshall county, West Virginia, near where Moundsville now stands. She was born May 24, 1821. When she was about five years of age her widowed mother, with her three youngest children, immigrated to Green county, Pennsylva- nia, where she resided with her mother until her marriage with E. G. Rice, February 22, 1844. March 18, 1847, they immigrated to Ohio, locat- ing and purchasing the present E. G. Rice home- stead. Mr. Rice was born February 2, 1819, within seven miles of Cumberland Maryland. They had nine children-Hannah E., born April 28, 1845, married March 2, 1865, to William G. Lytle; she died December 11, 1870; Esther A., born May 3, 1846, was married June 4, 1869, to Alonzo Iles; Joshua A., born July 21, 1847, mar- ried to Mary Lake, May 24, 1868; Temperance, born January 11, 1849, married William Lytle, April 10, 1872, and died September 30, 1879; Jo- siah A., born March 24, 1850, living with his wid- owed mother, and has charge of the homestead; George L., born January 22, 1852, married Caro- line Clark, November 7, 1877; Mary E., born Oc- tober 31, 1853, married Perry L. Channell, May 26, 1878; Arvesta J., born December 6, 1856, mar- ried Orlando Dumbauld, December 24, 1879; Ella B., born September 24, 1859. Father died Janua- ry 3, 1880, regretted and lamented by all. He joined the Methodist church when at the age of thirteen, and was considered one of the pillars of the same to the close of his life. He died leaving his family in very comfortable circumstances. Po- litically he was a Democrat.

LICKING TOWNSHIP.

RICHESON, MARGRETT, was born January. II, 1794, in Washington county, Maryland. She was married to James Richeson, of the same county, December, 1812; came to this county in the year 1833; located in Licking township in the place where she now lives. She is the mother of four- teen children, ten of whom she raised to manhood and womanhood. She has at present a young lady living with her whom she took to raise when a

child three years old, Mary C. Cleckner; she was born May, 1849. James Richeson died in 185;, aged seventy-one years. Mrs. Richeson is now in her eighty-seventh year, and is an Old School Bap- tist and a member of Friendship church. She has yet eight children living.

ROLEY, THOMAS, was born in 1796, in Fauquier county, Virginia. He was married to Hannah Gladstone, of the same county. They had eight children, five of whom are living. Mr. Roley came to Perry county in 1832; lived there six years; came to this county in the year 1838; located in Licking township, on the farm where his son, John, now lives. The subject of this sketch was born October 26, 1822, in West Virginia. He came to this county with his parents; mar- ried to Mariah Sprinkle, of this county. They had eight children: William Henry, Emma I_ Sarah C., Thomas J., Franklin P., Ella, Hannah E. and Alfaretta. William Henry died October 28, 1856, aged eight years. Emma J. married Robert Meredith, of this county, and lives in Bowling Green township. Sarah C. married G. W. Hand- ley, of this county, and lives near home." Thomas J. married Josie Smith, of this county; has one child, and lives on the farm of his father. Frank P. is single, and lives at home. Ella B. married Charles W. Allen, of this county, and lives in Lick- ing township. Hannah E. and Alfa. E. are single, and live at home. Mrs. Hannah (Gladstone) Roley was born February 15, 1799, in Fauquier county, Virginia. She received only nine months school- ing. She is able to read any kind of print; she is a very devoted bible reader, and has been a faithful member of the Old School Baptist church over thirty-seven years. She is at present living with her son, John, and is in her eighty-first year. Her memory is as good as it ever was, and she can tell of the trials and difficulties of this county in early days.

ROLEY, ELIZABETH, was born September 17, 1829, in Fairfield county, and came to this county in 1835, with her parents. They located in Lick- ing township. She was married to Jesse A. Roley, of this county, March 30, 1848. Results of this marriage five children : Levi W. was born May 28, 1850, and was married to Clara A. Bounds, of this county ; Mary A. was born August 6, 1852, and was married to John M. Stotler, of this county; Rebecca J. was born September 23, 1854, and was married to B. M. Irwin, of this county, a school teacher by profession; they had one child born March 7, 1880, and died July 7, 1880, aged four months; Hannah E. was born February 3, 1856, and was married to George Beery, of Fairfield county; they have one child. Mr. Beery is an artist, and resides at Amanda, Perry county; Ida

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V. was born November 1, 1865, and is at home with her mother. Jessa A. Roley died March 20, 1879, aged fifty-two years. He and Mrs. Roley have been members of the United Brethren church at Jacksontown over twenty-seven years.

LIMA TOWNSHIP.

RITCHIE, JOSEPH, farmer, post office, Columbia Center. He was born in Washington, Pennsyl- vania, October 12, 1816. He is a son of William and Elizabeth Ritchie, and is the third of a family of eight children. He remained home until he was thirteen years old when, on account of his parents' death, he went to learn the blacksmith trade, which he followed about eleven years. In October, 1837, he was married to Susanna Stool- fire, who was born in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, August 12, 1819. After his marriage he carried on his trade until 1840, when he moved to Harrison township, and in 1843 he bought and moved to his present farm, which was principally woods at that time, and which he has highly im- proved. He has held the office of real estate ap- praiser two terms, and other minor offices in the township. Mr. and Mrs. Ritchie have eight chil- dren, two of whom are dead. Lucius entered the late war as a volunteer in the One Hundred and Thirteenth regiment, company B, Captain Taylor, and died at Nashville, Tennessee, in March, 1863.

MADISON TOWNSHIP.

REID, THOMAS W., farmer, was born in Licking county, Ohio, August, 1851, son of Joseph Reid. For many years he has worked at the trade of carpentering. Some seven years since he located on a little farm of twenty acres, some five miles east of Newark, where he now lives. He was married to Eliza Vermillian, born November 23, 1856, daughter of George Vermillian. They have three children: John Henry, Sarah Emily, Fran- ces Ann.

ROWELL, MRS. HANNAH .- Mrs. Rowell was a native of Pennsylvania, and was born there in the summer of 1783. While quite young her parents removed to Parkersburgh, now in West Virginia, where, at the age of eighteen years, she married Mr. Wilson Rowell, who died about twenty years thereafter. She was the mother of a number of children, but out-lived them all except one. Mrs. Hannah Sargeant Rowell, to give her full name, lived during the last forty years in Licking county, and died in Madison township, August 12, 1880, at the great age of ninety-seven years. She had been a member of the Methodist church about sixty years.

MARY ANN TOWNSHIP.

REID, M. L., farmer, born in Warren county, Virginia, January 22, 1853. He moved with his

father's family to Licking county in 1861, locating near Elizabethtown. In 1873 his parents moved to Danville, Knox county, where his mother died one year after, at the age of thirty-seven years. Two years after this his father moved to Missouri, where he is now living. Mr. Reid is one of ten children-three girls and seven boys. Soon after his mother's death the youngest brother died. Previous to this one sister had died during their stay at Elizabethtown. He was married on the twenty-second of March, 1877, to Mary Moats, daughter of Benjamin Moats, of this township. They have one child, Emily Ellen, born March 15, 1880. Mr. Reid is a carpenter by trade, as was also his father. He is now farming the eighty acres of land belonging to the Linn estate.

MCKEAN TOWNSHIP.

RAMEY, ELIJAH, farmer, was born October 28, 1807, in Woodstock, near the Shenandoah river, eastern Virginia. He came to Zanesville, Muskin- gum county, Ohio, with his parents, about 1808. He left home about 1828, and followed the life of a boatman about seven years, running on the Muskingum, Ohio, and Mississippi rivers. In the spring of 1835 he enlisted in company K, of the Fourth regiment, engaged in the Seminole war, and participated in battles under Generals Gaines, Simmons, Hammuck and Worth, and the battle also of Okechobe, under General Taylor. He was engaged in a number of skirmishes, through the war, and at its close helped move the Creek nation of Indians to their reservation in the west. He went into the Mexican war, and engaged in the memorable battles of Paloalto and Resaca de la Palma; also at the siege of Monterey, Vera Cruz and Liengardo; from thence to Cherubusco, where he was wounded in the right hand by a lance. He was discharged at the city of Mexico, on account of his wound. He was engaged there about two years. From Mexico he returned to McKean township, where he now resides. He married Rosanna Harigale, October, 1846. They have nine children: David, Gifford, Winfield Scott, Alice, Belle, Martin, Ella May, John and Howard. He owns twenty-six acres of land, un- · der a high state of cultivation.

RHODES, MARY, was born November 3, 1820, in Rockingham county, Virginia. She was the daughter of Henry and Hannah Carrier, and was married to Cassel Rhodes, of Virginia, who was born September 29, 1809. They were married on the evening of October 15, 1836, and started the next morning on horse-back across the Alleghany mountains on their wedding tour for Ohio. They located in Fairfield county, and came to this county in 1838, locating in Burlington township. They had fourteen children: Romantha, Francis,

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Milton N., Asbury W., George F., Henry J., Lu- cinda, Cyrus E., Hannah, Amanda, Mary, Eliza- beth C., Jesse N., and Wilson C. Three are de- ceased and three are single, the others are all mar- ried. Elizabeth C. was born October 30, 1856, in this county, is single and lives at home; Wilson C. was born July 19, 1860, is single and lives at home with his mother, and is the only boy left at home; Asbury and George are now living at Salt Lake city, Utah territory; Milton, Francis and Ro- mantha, are living in Illinois; Amanda, Mary and Hannah are living in this county. Mr. Rhodes died August 5, 1875, aged sixty-six years. He was a well-to-do farmer, was honest in all his busi- ness transactions, and was highly esteemed by all his acquaintances.

MONROE TOWNSHIP.

REED, ALPHEUS (deceased), was born February 11, 1805, died January 17, 1874. He came to Johnstown in September, 1836, and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued unin- terruptedly for thirty-seven years. He was married at Keesville, New York, to Miss Almira Allen, April 29, 1829, by whom he had two children: Mary L., born October 29, 1833; Helen M., born December 24, 1835. In his dealings Mr. Reed was honest and honorable. His only rule of action was "do right," and it was well said of him, "a good man has gone," when he was called to that "bourne from whence no traveler returns."

RUSLER, HENRY B., manufacturer of pumps, and dealer in agricultural implements, also has the general agency of the celebrated Corey's patent rubber bucket pump, Johnstown. He was born August 11, 1847, in Liberty township. He married Sarah E. James, of Granville township, January 25, 1870. They had one child, Ernest Dillon, born November 28, 1871, died September 12, 1878. Mr. Rusler is a Democrat in politics, and is at present clerk of Monroe township, which posi- tion he has held four years. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity; has been Master Mason of the lodge for three years; is also a member of Johnstown lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 422.

CITY OF NEWARK.

RICHARDSON, JOSEPH, son of J. and H. Rich- ardson, was born November 1, 1842, in Putnam, Morgan county, Ohio. He remained with his parents until he was nineteen years of age, when he enlisted in the service of the late war, in com- pany E, Twelfth Ohio volunteer infantry, for three years. He received his discharge in the spring of 1864. After coming from the war he went to braking on the Central Ohio railroad. He served in this capacity until the fall of 1865, when he

removed to Montana, Iowa, where he was in the employ of the Northwestern railroad company. He remained with this company until the spring of 1867, when he removed to Charlestown, Illi- nois, where he engaged in farming, remaining unti: 1871, when he removed to Newark, and engaged himself with the Baltimore & Ohio railroad com- pany, as brakeman. He served in this capacity until 1873, when he was promoted to the position of conductor of a freight. He has since been engaged in this business. He was married to Cora McComer, February 5, 1867; she is the daughter of Amos and Mattie McComer, and was born July 29, 1852. They have three children: Frank, born December 20, 1871; Maud, born November 1, 1874; Finn, born August 12, 1877.

RANK PERRY, livery and sale stable, located be- tween Third and Fourth streets, near fire depart- ment. Mr. Rank was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, December 11, 1832. He received his edu- cation at Central college, Franklin county, Ohio, He followed teaching school as his vocation during the winter months, and dealing in stock during the summer months, for about ten years, when he gave up his profession as teacher and turned all his at- tention to stock dealing, which he followed for a number of years. On the twenty-seventh day of September, 1872, he came to Newark and engaged in the livery business in company with his brother, Phillip Rank, which business he has since been engaged in, keeping constantly on hand a large stock of first class buggies, carriages, and horses. The firm name is Rank & Rank, who also have a first class livery in Granville in connection with their Newark stables. They also run a carriage line between Newark and Granville, on which they make two trips per day, for the accommodation of the travelling public.

READHEAD, ELIZABETH, was born November 11, 1810, in Londonderry, Ireland; came to America in 1840, and settled in Albany, New York; married John Carson, of Londonderry, February, 1842. Mr. Carson died three years after their marriage, leaving her without any children. About one year after Mrs. Readhead was married to James Devlin. They had four children-James H., died when three years old; John, born January 17, 1847; Elizabeth, born February 9, 1849; Margaret J., born May 11, 1851. Mr. Devlin died September 6, 1847. November 11, 1855, she married her third husband, Benjamin Readhead, of Newark, formerly of London, England. Mr. Readhead died May 20, 1862, thus leaving her a widow for the third time. Mrs. Readhead has lived her life with- out the personal knowledge of what sickness is Her health at present is good, considering her age She with her daughter Margaret lives at present on

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Valandigham street, to which place they removed in 1861.

RICHARDS, MRS. MARY E., was born in Frederick county, Virginia, July 14, 1808; in October, 1825, she was married to Henry Richards, of the same place; he was born in Virginia, in August, 1799. When a young man he learned the trade of carpen- ter and joiner with David Yost, of that place. In. 1826 they moved to Newark, to the old frame house east of the river, on East Main street, now owned by Mr. William Hannet; he afterwards bought her present home, six acres of land, on Bue- na Vista street, in 1826, built their present house, and moved into it the same year. Mr. Richards continued his trade until his death. They have ten children-Ann Evaline, now the wife of John Thompson, living in Arkansas; she was born May 30, 1827; Benjamin B., born March 11, 1831, now living in Kansas City, Missouri; Mary V., born April 6, 1833; she now is the wife of David Woos- ter; they now live in Jacksonville, Illinois; William born March 3, 1835, died in Jacksonville, Illinois, April, 1877; Jane, born February 21, 1837; she died December 17, 1839; Franklin, born May 5, 1839, now living with his mother; he was a member of company H, Third Ohio volunteer infantry; Jane B., born November 13, 1841, died April, 1857; Victora J., born November 17, 1843; George A., in February, 1846, died August 2, 1857; James B., died in infancy, September 7, 1852. Mr. Rich- ards' health failed him many years before his death; he died in August, 1878; his wife yet survives him. For the past twelve years she has been blind; she can only distinguish daylight from dark. Among the people of her acquaintance, when they first came to Newark, was Mr. Isaac Smucker, Mrs. Dr. Marble and Mrs. James Young. Mrs. Richards has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church since 1817. When she came to Newark there were only three families living in East Newark.

ROWLAND, RICHARD, was born at Aberystwith, near Cardiganshire, South Wales, May 6, 1825. While in Wales he carried on the business of man- ufacturing English flannels. Was married to Ann Watkins October 10, 1851. They had three chil- dren: Mary Ann, born October 17, 1854; William W., born July 13, 1856, and Ella, born January 9, 1859. The subject of this sketch came to New- ark December 12, 1868, where he he since re- sided, on West Main street. He invested capital in the Newark Rolling mills, but as they were not a success, he is not at present engaged in business. His son, William, belongs to the Newark fire de- partment.

PERRY TOWNSHIP.

RECTOR, SAMUEL, farmer, post office, Cooksey,

was born in Fauquier county, Virginia, in 1815; came to Ohio in the fall of 1838, in which year he was married to Miss Emily R. Brown, a native of Virginia. They have had ten children : Jacinth B., Samuel B., Joseph S., Adelia Ida, deceased, Jane E., Sadie A., George N., John B., Mary M., and Andrew J. Mr. Rector owns one hundred and eighty-three acres of land in this township.

ST. ALBANS TOWNSHIP.

REED, JOHN, retired merchant, was born in Wheeling about 1828, and with his parents emi- grated to Racine, near Pomeroy, on the Ohio river, where his parents, Reuben and Hannah, died, leaving him to the charities of the world. He came to Alexandria when he was about fourteen years of age, where he has been connected with mercantile business ever since. February 14, 1850, he married Mary Davis, who was born De- cember 25, 1832, in Huntingdon county, Pennsyl- vania. They have five children : three boys and two girls, only one of whom is living, John E., born July 26, 1859. Mr. Reed began life without a dol- lar, and by honesty and strict economy has made himself a competency.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

ROSEBRAUGH, S. H., harness manufacturer, post office, Hebron, was born in Hebron in 1854; his father was born in Virginia, and his mother in Ver- mont. In 1878 Mr. Rosebraugh started his pres- ent business, and is at present enjoying a big trade, his success being brought about by skilful industry and honest goods at bottom prices. Although a young man, he is already recognized as one of He- bron's foremost citizens; he also has charge of the Western Union telegraph lines at Hebron, seven wires running into his shop.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

ROBERTSON, WILLIAM ALEX., wool dealer, Utica. -The grandfathers of the subject of this sketch both bore the name of Robertson. His paternal grandfather lived and died in Franklin county, Pennsylvania. His maternal grandfather lived near Philadelphia. William Robertson, the father of Alexander, was born December, 1786, in Frank- lin county, Pennsylvania. He married his cousin, Sarah Robertson, who was born in 1791, in Frank- lin county, Pennsylvania. They were married in January, 1813, and came to this county in March of the same year. They came all the way on horseback. On their arrival at Newark they staid over night at Judge Wilson's, on the North fork. The next morning they swam their horses across the Licking river and pursued their perilous journey to their new home. Arriving in sight of the cabin which was to be their home they com- menced crossing the creek, which was high and

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History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 134

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr. Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Number of Pages: 826

Author: N. N. Hill, Jr.
Publication date: 1881
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 826