History of Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 147

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 147

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).

WELLS, LEONIDAS SUMMERFIELD, Delaware, Ohio, son of Richard and Marinda Wells, was born near Hanover, Licking county, Ohio, Decem- ber 3, 1845. His father was born in Anne Arundel county, Maryland, February 4, 1799. After work- ing in the Union, Savage & Elliotts cotton mills, he learned the carpenter and joiners trade in the city of Baltimore. He came to Ohio in 1827, lo- cating at Utica, and three years later on his farm near Appleton. Soon after came his parents, Thomas Wells (of English origin) and Thomatha (whose parents, Duvalls, were of French descent), with their three sons and two daughters. Richard married Marinda Denman February 16, 1845, who was born near Hanover, June 24, 1813. Her

Digitized by

Google

813

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

father, Phillip Denman, son of Matthias and Rhoda (Elstone), and grandson of Joseph Den- man, whose wife was Catharine Townley, sister to Lord Townley, of England, came to Ohio from New Jersey in 1803, and settled on Rocky fork, and about six years later married Amelia Fox, a native of Glastenbury, Connecticut. L. S. Wells moved with his parents to Delaware, Ohio, in 1861, and entered the Ohio Wesleyan university, and after teaching about three years, mostly in Preble county, graduated with the class of 1868, and im- mediately entered the employ of Wilson, Hinkle & Co., as general agent for their school publica- tions, with headquarters at Newark. His father died May 27, 1870, soon after which he engaged in the book trade in Marysville, Ohio. In 1873 he formed with T. C. O'Kane, the firm of T. C. O'Kane & Wells, publishers and booksellers, at Delaware, Ohio, from which he withdrew in 1878. He married Miss Mary Elizabeth Battenfield in 1878, who was born in Centerburg, Ohio, August 18, 1848. She was the daughter of Elias and Ann (Waldruff) Battenfield, the former born in Tennessee, June 19, 1813, and the latter in New York State, August 24, 1817, and were married February 14, 1842. The latter died April 3, 1878. After travelling for H. W. Derby & Co., Columbus, about six months, he took charge of the Ohio agency of the school books of A. S. Barnes & Co., New York, which position he held until the close of the agency in 1880, when he again opened a book store in Delaware, in which he is now en- gaged.

ST. ALBANS TOWNSHIP.

WEBB, STILES, was born October 10, 1804, ten miles west of Utica, New York. He has followed farming nearly all his life. He ran a packet from Syracuse to Albany on the canal; he also worked at carpentering about one year; remained at home with his parents, Ephraim and Allie Stiles, until he was about twenty-two years of age. He married Julia Ann Hosman; they have six children, five living: Henry, Ephraim, Jennette, Laura, and Lucy Ann. His wife dying he next married Mahala Myer, and by this union had three chil- dren, only one of whom is living, Jane, born December 9, 1847. Mr. Webb emigrated to Huron county about 1813, and from there moved to this county where he purchased sixty acres of land in the then unbroken wilderness. He has been an honest, economical, hard-working man, and has made himself a comfortable home. His last wife is dead, and he makes his home with his son Ephraim, where he is passing his declining years.

WEBB, EPHRAIM, farmer, was born September 4, 1834, near New London, Huron county, Ohio. He with his father came to Licking about 1836;

he remained with his father until his marriage with Cornelia Emery, November 8, 1856, who was born June 20, 1837, near North Belgrade, Maine. They have two children: Clarissa, born October 21, 1857, and who married John Hammond; Ettie was born January 30, 1864, and remains with her parents. They have lived in Granville and St. Albans townships ever since their marriage and are now living on what is known as the Stiles Webb homestead, that his father purchased about 1836.

WILLIAMS, WILLIAM T., farmer and stock grower, born in New York city, January 27, 1835, the son of William and Guen Williams, who emigrated to the United States about 1823. His parents came to his present home in October, 1837, at which time the land was wholly uncleared. He received a common school education, and during the years 1856 and 1857, he travelled through Illinois and Kansas. He enlisted in the Twenty-second Ohio volunteer infantry, company D, organized at Alexandria, September, 1861, and participated in the following engagements: Siege of Fort Donel- son, February 13, 14, and 15, 1862; battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7; siege of Corinth, April 29 to May 30, 1862; battle of Corinth, October 3, and 4, 1862; skirmish at Yorkville, Tennessee, January 28, 1863; siege of Vicksburgh, June 4, to July 27, 1863; capture of Little Rock, Arkansas, September 10, 1863; from which date to November 18, 1864, he was engaged in guard- ing railroads and scouting after guerillas. He was discharged at Camp Dennison, and re- turned to the peaceful pursuits of agriculture. He was married June 5, 1866, to Mary Nichols, by whom he has three children: Jessie, Frank, and Crissie, all living. His father died about 1852, and his mother still lives in Pataskala, at the ripe age of seventy-three years.

WOOD, ABNER (deceased), dealer in stock, Alexandria, Ohio; was born June 4, 1817. The family emigrated to Muskingum county, at quite an early day, purchasing the present Clay- pool farm. He married Miss Helen M. Cornell, March 31, 1859, and died February 21, 1862. Mr. Wood was one of the leading Masons in Lick- ing county, taking all of the degrees that can be taken in the United States. Mrs. Wood, his widow, is a daughter of the late Archibald and Sarah Cornell, of St. Albans township. Archibald Cornell was born in Connecticut, October 4, 1792, and died August 27, 1856. He was an active member of the Masonic fraternity at Johnstown, Ohio. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Peck, was born in Nova Scotia, February 6, 1799, died August 2, 1849. About 1853 Mr. Cornell married Mrs. Converse (mother of George L. Con-

Digitized by Google

814

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

verse, of Columbus). Mr. Cornell came to Lick- ing county about 1805, locating at Granville, and assisting in cutting the first large oak tree cut in Granville township. His father, Gideon Cornell, .and grandfather of Mrs. Wood, was the first per- son buried in the Granville cemetery. The pres- cht Cornell family spring from one of the best families of old Connecticut. They are of English Descent.

WRIGHT, WILLIAM J., carpenter and joiner, Alex- andria, Ohio, was born July 18, 1815, on one of the Bermuda Islands. He came to New York State in 1822. He married Martha Mead, September 5, 1835. She was born January 11, 1819, in Wayne county, New York. They have had eleven chil- dren-Francis J., born January 26, 1837; Silas, born October 17, 1839; William H., born Decem- ber 8, 1841; Benjamin F., born November 29, 1843; Mary, born June 8, 1845; Weltha, born February 22, 1847; Milton, born March 26, 1851; Ida, born May 9, 1853; George S., born Septem- ber 9, 1857; May, born July 6, 1859; Charley, April 18, 1862. Benjamin F. died June 7, 1844; Mary died December 8, 1848; Milton died Janu- ary 25, 1852; Silas died August 18, 1858; William H. died February 21, 1861. Henry Wright, father of the subject of this sketch, traded in the West India islands. He married Elizabeth Dickerson about 1813 or 1814, on one of the Bermuda Islands, where the subject of this sketch was born. Mr. Wright ranks among the intelligent men of St. Albans township. He has reared a large and inter- esting family.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

WYLIE, EPHRAIM, dry goods, post office Hebron, was born in this township in 1850. His father was born in Virginia in 1803, and died in Licking township in 1866; his mother was born in Ireland, county Armagh, in 1807, and came to America in 1811. E. Wylie came to Hebron in January, 1866, and engaged in the dry goods business on the north side of Main street, where he has, by square- dealing, gained public confidence and a large patronage. He is one of the representative busi- ness men of the place; he is the second lieutenant of the "Atherton guards," his commission bearing date December 7, 1877.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

WILSON, ABEL .- This gentleman was a native of Hardy county, Virginia; born in 1799, and was brought to this county in 1805, and died at his residence near Utica, April 14, 1870, aged seven- ty-one years. His wife, and a number of children survive him. Mr. Wilson was a man of character, of intelligence, of integrity, of purity of purpose, and was most exemplary in all the relations of life.

He was a member of the Presbyterian church, de- voted to the institutions of Christianity, and dis- tinguished for regularity of habits and correc: deportment.

WILSON, JESSE, farmer, was born in Washing- ton township, August 23, 1834 His father came from Virginia, Hardy county, in 1805, with his mother. His grandfather had been here and started back for his family, and on his way he died His wife, nothing loth, came on to Licking county with her family; among her children was the father of the subject of this sketch who was about six years of age. The farm on which the subject of this sketch lives was purchased in 1809 for two hundred and fifty dollars per acre; it was all timber; but one tree was cut, and that was a bee tree. The father of the subject of this sketch first settled in Lick- ing county, in Newark, on one thousand acres of land, and at that time was Fairfield county. He moved on the farm in Washington township, in 1821. He built a log cabin, cleared three acres of land and set out an orchard, and in 1822 was mar- ried to Mary Forry, September 19; she was a daughter of Daniel Forry, sr., and was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1797. After his marriage he went on to his place, where he remained clearing and making improvements until his death, which occurred April 14, 1870, and was seventy-one years of age. There were of this family of children, six girls and two boys. The The subject of this sketch is the sixth member of the family. At his father's death, he purchased the interest of the other heirs and is living on the homestead with his mother. His sisters are all married and living in other parts of the county. His brother is married and lives in Utica. Mr. Wilson has two hundred and fifty-five acres of land and carries on a general farming business. He served in the one hundred days' service as second lieutenant, company A, served his time and was mustered out at camp Chase, in September, 1864; was in one engagement at John Browns school house, Maryland, on the Potomac river. Mr. Wil- son is a man in the prime of life, and one of the leading citizens of the township.

CITY OF NEWARK.

YOUNG, HON. GEORGE M .- This gentleman was once a prominent man in Licking county-prom- inent as a business man, prominent in social, po- litical and religious circles. He was mayor of Newark from 1839 to 1843. Mr. Young was of Irish parentage, born in Bethlehem, Litchfield county, Connecticut, and died in Dayton, August 30, 1878, at the age of seventy-six years, his birth having occurred in 1802. He was elected twice to the office of mayor of Dayton and held other posi- tions there of trust and responsibility. Mr. Young

Digitized by Google

815

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

always favored the moral enterprises of the times, and his influence was given to temperance, virtue and religion. He had industry, intelligence and enterprise, and is most kindly remembered as a companionable, genial gentleman, of great affability of manners, and of kindly disposition.

YOUNG, UZAL-father of James Young, was born in Newark, New Jersey, March 19, 1774. Hiswife was Comfort Tichenor, of the same place.

The family record: Eliza, born August 20, 1797; James, born February 16, 1799; Mary, born February 2, 1802. Mrs. Young died June 26, 1807. Mr. Young married for a second com- panion, Sarah Tichenor, by whom he had one son, Daniel, born April 5, 1810. Mr. Young came with his family to Ohio in November, 1816, and was five weeks on the road. He settled in New- ark, where he opened a boot and shoe establish- ment which he conducted for a short time, and then purchased a tract of land near the town, and spent the remainder of his life in farming. He embraced religion in early manhood, and, at a later period, connected himself with the First Presby- terian church in Newark. In his decease, the com- munity lost a most valuable citizen.

YOUNG, JAMES .- This gentleman has been a resident of Newark nearly sixty years; he was born in Newark, New Jersey, February 16, 1799. His boyhood and early manhood were spent upon the shoemaker's bench, under the supervision of his father, at which trade he was placed at the age of ten. His mother died when he was seven years old. He came to Ohio with the family about the 1816, and located in Newark where he was engaged in conducting the boot and shoe making business about forty years. When he was between ten and eleven years of age, being very anxious to go to school, he proposed to his father that if he would let him go to school one summer, he would obligate himself to perform two-thirds of a regular day's work each day. His father accepted the proposi- tion, and the son made good his promise, perform- ing his full task each day, running nearly a mile to the school-house and back. Mr. Young says to- day that he looks back to that year as a period of his life made very important by the formation of habits of self-denial and industry. He was con- verted at the age of eleven, and when about eigh- teen years old, he made a public profession of religion, and connected himself with the First Presbyterian church of Newark, Ohio, and upon the organization of the Second church, in 1836, he became one of its first members, and was elected an elder in the same year, which position he has occupied for upwards of thirty years. For a num- ber of years he was also superintendent of the Sabbath-school.

In 1837 Mr. Young, with a sagacity worthy of commendation, secured for the church the west half of the lot upon which the present beautiful edifice stands.

In 1819 Mr. Young married Sarah Trindle, daughter of William Trindle, of Newark. She was born in Pennsylvania January 12, 1799. Their children were: Harriet, born March 5, 1821, and died March 28, 1821; William, born February 10, 1823, and died October 14, 1823; Matilda A., born July 8, 1825; Lavina, born in 1828, and died April 22, 1829. Matilda married Robert P. Moore, of Newark, February 8, 1848, and reared a considerable family. Mr. Moore is extensively en- gaged in the stock business. Mrs. Young died June 15, 1865. She united with the First Presby- terian church of Newark at an early age, upon a public profession of her Christian faith, led a very useful, consistent Christian life, was beloved by a very large circle of acquaintances, and doubly en- deared in her family circle.

From 1827 to 1868 Mr. Young was employed as an agent, under power of attorney, for the heirs of one of the original proprietors of Newark, to im- prove rents and sell their lands, including town lots and outside property. The duties of this trust Mr. Young faithfully discharged, turning over to the heirs the entire proceeds of their property.

October 25, 1825, three acres and a half were purchased by Mr. Young for the sum of sixty-five dollars. This land lies now in the heart of New- ark, a part of which has for nearly fifty years con- stituted his residence site. It is probably the only property in the city, owned by the same person from the date of purchase till the present time, 1880.

Mr. Young has served in several public trusts, among them may be mentioned that of township treasurer, city treasurer and a member of the city council. He has also been called upon, and ap- pointed to the work of settling a number of estates.

Mr. Young, as was his father, is one of those quiet, peaceable, modest men who form the most valuable portion of the community. After retiring from his mechanical avocation in 1854, he engaged in conducting a farming interest, in which he con- tinued till the year 1873, when he retired from that field of labor and devoted parts of the year 1873 and 1874 in erecting the new and commodious residence that himself and family now occupy, and at the ripe old age of eighty-two, retired from the more active duties of life, with the hope of spend- ing the remainder of his days in the enjoyment of his life's labors until the Master shall see fit to call him hence.

NEWTON TOWNSHIP.

YOUNG, DANIEL, farmer, was born in Newark, New Jersey, April 5, 1810; came to Licking county

Digitized by Google

816

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

with his father at the age of six; at the age of eigh- teen he learned the trade of carpenter with John Wolf. He continued working at his trade in vari- ous places until 1833, when he enlisted in the First regiment of dragoons, company D, Captain David Hunter, and went on an exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains. They went to Jefferson baracks, St. Louis, where they received supplies, and from there to Fort Gibson, where they win- tered. In May, 1834, they were sent south after the Indians, crossing the headwaters of the Rio Grande; captured two Indians; went to the moun- tains in the vicinity of Pike's Peak, where they re- mained a short time, and returned to Fort Gibson in the fall of 1834. He was discharged June I, 1835, and returned home, where he resumed work at his trade. In 1836 he purchased a canal-boat, which he run until 1838, when he sold out, and went to Mississippi, where he remained until 1840, when he returned to Newark. Purchasing some horses, he took them to Mississippi, sold them, and remained there working at his trade until 1849, when he again returned home. Remaining but a short time, he went to Cincinnati, purchased horses, sugar, whiskey, flour, pork and dried beef, taking this cargo to Fort Adams, Mississippi, and selling it; remaining there working at his trade until 1856. He then returned to Newark, and soon purchased two hundred and eleven acres of land, where he now resides. The same year he went west to Des Moines, Iowa; from there to Davenport, then to St. Louis, and, finally, to Cin- cinnati, where he purchased another cargo similar to the other, took it to Mississippi, and sold it, after which he remanied working at his trade until March, 1857, when he returned again to this coun- ty. He made another trip south with a cargo the same year, but returend home immediately after selling out, and has remained here ever since. February 22, 1859, he married Rachel Ann Fry, who was born July 4, 1835. They had nine chil- dren, seven sons and two daughters; six of these are living. After his marriage he removed to his farm, and has been successful as a farmer.

ST. ALBANS TOWNSHIP.

YALE, REV. A. W., pastor of the Baptist church, Alexandria, and editor and publisher of the Church and Home, a very neat monthly periodical, noticed elsewhere in this volume. Rev. Yale was born in Osceola, Warren county, Ohio, October 9, 1848. His father's family went to Iowa in 1849, settling at Plymouth. In 1852 his father went to California, where he remained till 1865. In 1853 his mother returned to Ohio, living there till 1865, when she went to Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, where her hus- band joined her. He lived until September, 1867. In 1868 A. W. Yale joined the Kansas militia,

serving two years. In 1870 he began to learn th printing business in the office of the Chase Com Banner. The Banner was soon supplanted by the Central Kansas Index, in whose office Mr. Yale served his apprenticeship, and not long after, pur- chased an interest in the paper. In the winter d 1871 he moved the material to Wichita, and started the Wichita Tribune which existed but a short time. He edited the Winfield Messenger during the political campaign of 1872. October 28th of that year, Mr. Yale was married to Miss Carrie Sheare. In December he started the McPher Messenger when there were only six houses in the village, now a thriving city. In 1874 Mr. Yale let Kansas, and went to Illinois where he lived one year and a half, and then came to Ohio. He en- tered Denison university in 1878. July 1, 1880, he went to Alexandria; the fifteenth, was ordained to the ministry of the Baptist church, and not long after, began his labors as pastor of the congregation in Alexandria, where he is now laboring effectively and earnestly for his Master. In addition to his pulpit labors, he now conducts his periodical, re ferred to, which he began October, 1880.

ADDENDA:

In the preparation of works of the nature of county histories considerable matter must be omit- ted in its proper place, owing to the failure of per- sons possessing the same to furnish it in time, and because many events of importance occur after the forms go to press.

In this work every item of history that could be obtained to the close of the year 1880 was gathered, and if received too late for insertion in its proper place, it is preserved in the addenda.

In this will be found several family histories, a copy of a "power of attorney" from General George Washington, the "Black Horse tavern," the muster rolls of two companies, who went out in the War of 1812 from this county, the opening of the Children's Home, and officers of the agricultural society, elected for the year 1881, all furnished after their proper forms had gone to press.

ALMOND, JAMES S., farmer, son of Thomas and Mary Almond, was born in Patterson, New Jersey, December 3, 1834; was brought to Ohio by his father in 1836, locating in Seneca county. The subject of this sketch remained wid his father until he arrived at the age of twenty-one years. He then engaged as fireman on the Baki- more & Ohio road, where he continued two yan

1 -

Digitized by Google

817

HISTORY OF LICKING COUNTY.

He then took in charge an engine which he con- tinued to run about fourteen years. December 8, 1869, he married Anna McMullen, a widow, and daughter of Jesse and Ellen Vanatta. She was born September 10, 1834. After his marriage he purchased the remainder of the old homestead of his wife's parents, near Vanatta, where he now re- sides.

CURTIS, CHRISTOPHER C., deceased, son of Will- iam and Sally Curtis, was born in Pennsylvania, October 27, 1809, and was brought to Licking county, Ohio, by his parents when but a few weeks old. In 1829 he commenced at the carriage and wagon making trade in Granville, with Joseph Blanchard, and served about two and a half years as an apprentice. December 13, 1832, he married Miss Charlotte, daughter of Joseph and Nancy Blanchard. Miss Blanchard was born on the island of Grand Manan, province of New Bruns- wick, July 27, 1809, and came with her parents to Licking county, Ohio, in 1818. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis went to Mt. Vernon, where she now resides. After their settlement in Mt. Vernon, Mr. Curtis continued at his trade and carried on a carriage and wagon shop about twenty-one years. In 1854 he engaged in the hardware business, dealing in general hardware until 1864, when he retired from the business. He deceased June 9, 1876." He was the father of two children: Lucien B., and Rollin C. Rollin C. served about three years in the late war. Lucien B., was born in Mt. Vernon July 1, 1837. In 1856 he commenced in his father's store and remained as such six years. July, 1862, he entered the Knox County Branch bank, which afterwards became the Knox County Nation- al bank, as teller; in 1865 he became assistant cashier, and in 1870, cashier of the bank, which position he filled until in 1875. After leaving the bank he engaged in the merchant tailoring busi- ness one year. In 1877 he entered the county clerk's office as deputy clerk, and from thence to clerk in the auditor's office for some time. In December, 1879, he was appointed National bank examiner for nine of the southern States, which position he is now filling. He served about four months in the late war in the Ohio national guards. In 1858 he married Miss Cornelia A. Pyle, daugh- ter of Adam and Mary Pyle, of Mt. Vernon. By this union they had six children, five of whom are now living, two sons and three daughters.

GRIFFIN, CHARLES, deceased, brevet major gen- eral United States army, was born in Gran- ville township, Licking county, Ohio, in 1826, and was the son of Apollos Griffin. He graduated at West Point in 1847, entered the Fourth artillery and became first lieutenant June 30, 1849, and was made captain of the Fifth artillery April 25,

1861, and brigadier general of volunteers, July 9, 1852. He served gallantly at the first Bull Run engagement in 1861, and was in the Chicka- hominy campaign, winning especial distinction at Gaines' Mill, and at Malvern Hill. He was pres- ent at the second Bull Run battle August 22, 1862, and took part in the battle of Antietam, and ac- quitted himself with distinguished honor and bravery. General Griffin fought under Burnside at Fredericksburgh, and bore himself gallantly through Hooker's brief campaign in Virginia. He was present at Gettysburgh, and conspicuous in all the engagements from the Wilderness to the Five Forks, where he so distinguished himself as to be assigned to the command of the Fifth corps, in which capacity he received the arms and colors of the army of Northern Virginia. On the twenty- eighth of July, 1866, General Griffin was ap- pointed colonel of the Thirty-fifth infantry, United States army. He was made a major gen- eral of United States volunteers April 2, 1865. In 1866-7 he had command of the department of Texas, headquarters at Galveston. He received many brevets for bravery and gallant conduct dur- ing the war for the Union, and for meritorious conduct on many trying occasions. General Charles Griffin died at Galveston, Texas, Septem- ber 15, 1867.

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 Licking County, Ohio: Its Past and Present, Part 147

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