History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 102

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798

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11 months old; Sarah Ellen, born Jan. 17, 1843, died Jan. 8, 1866; George Washington, born July 12, 1845; William L., Sept. 14, 1847; Elizabeth, April 9, 1851, died Sept. 12, 1819; lohn B., born April 6, 1833, and Angeline, Ang. 12, 1855. Our subject was one of the pio- neers of Logan Co., and of Rush Creek Tp. He settled on the head waters of Miami, which was then a wilderness, and what is called Miami farm was paid for with money carned at the rate of three shillings per day. The head spring of the Miami was on his farm. He heard George McCulloch preach his first sermon, and heard Dr. Gray Eyes, the Indian preacher, preach in the cabin of his father-in- law, Ebenezer Zane. He was an eye-witness to the terrific tornado of 182 ;. and has eaten bear meat in the cabin of Ebenezer Zane. Although bowed with the infirmities of age, his memory is still rich with pioneer reminis- conces, which he relates with the vigor of youth. Of this family, three are dead. and the balance, all save one, are married and set- tled in different sections of the country. Two reside in Hardin Co., one in Sandusky city, one in Livingston Co., IN., and one, a son, re- mains at home. Farming pursuits and stock- raising, especially horses, engross his atten- tion in his declining years.

SAMUEL TREECE, farmer; P. O., Rush- sylvania. The Trecce family came from Ger- many originally, and settled in Pennsylvania. Peter Treece, one of the first American born of this family name, was born in Beaver Tp., Union Co., Penn. Samuel Trecce was the son of Peter Treece, and was born on the 11th day of December, 1806, in Beaver Tp., U'n- ion Co., Penn. On the 6th day January, 1816, Samuel married Jane Craig, who was born Nov. 11. 182%. in Clarke Co., ( .; the children of this family are-Eliza Ann, born lan. 3. 1819, William Lyman. Dec. 25, 1852, and Mary Ellen, Jan. 11, 1858, Samuel Trevee came from Columbus, O., to his pres- out location in 1811, and settled in the wil- derness; he was one of those sturdy Penn- sylvania Germans who came to subdue the wilderness and make it to blossom with the fruits of industry and the reward of labor; he was a blacksmith by trade, and for nine vear- prior to his arrival in Rush Creek Tp., followed that business in the city of Columbus; his neighbors were fow. as Daniel

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RUSH CREEK TOWNSHIP.

Vassar, Jacob Kearns, Peter Bowers, Jacob Bowers and Joel Thomas constituted all of them. There were no roads near him easy of access, and his home was like a "lodge in some vast wilderness." When in Columbus, Samuel saw the train which removed the San- dusky Indians to the western reservation. The train consisted of more than 200 wagons, in which they and their effects were being transported. He has helped to open the roads of the township, and, as is the case with all pioneers, bore his part in the necessary improvements of the county; his only son, William Lyman Treece, who married Sarah L. Nash, daughter of Samuel Nash, of Logan Co., on the 23rd day of November, 1875, ex- tends the family line. Yet one remove in the person of his son, Frank Wilbur Treece, born Sept. 6, 1876. William is naturally indus- trious and frugal, a farmer in the true sense, who, provided with stock scales and the necessary means for business purposes, turns in an especial manner to the raising of hog's, in one instance producing one that weinhed 903 pounds, the acknowledged champio of his species; the improvement of his farm stock is his constant aim, and devotion to business is his passport to success.

WILLIAM WHITE WATKINS, farmer; P. O., Rushsylvania. James Watkins Sr., was an Englishman, who came to the United States about the middle of the eighteenth century, settling in Sussex Co., Va. His family con- sisted of-John, Reuben, James, Benjamin and Robert, sons; the daughters were-Sarah, Susan and Winnie; all of whom emigrated to Ohio at different periods, excepting Robert, who went to Indiana. James Watkins, Jr., emigrated to Belmont Co., Ohio, in the begin- ning of the year 1809, and, after remaining about a year, he returned to Sussex Co., Va., and married Nancy Ann White, of Sussex Co. Their marriage occurred April 10, 1810. James Watkins was born June 6, 1686. His wife was born March 11, 1785, both in Sussex Co. There were six children hy this union- Polly, born March 10, 1811, in Sussex Co., Va .; Henry, May 2, 1813, in Belmont C'o., Ohio; Harriet, in September, 1816, in Bel- mont Co., the same year in which the family removed to Logan Co .; Elisha, Oct. 9, 1819, in Logan Co. The last child born in this family was William White Watkins, Oct. 13,

1825, in Jefferson Tp., near Zanesfield. Wil- liam W. Watkins married Rebecca J. Elliott, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Elliott, of Stark Co., Ohio, April 22, 1847. William W. Watkins' family are ten children in all, nine of whom are living. Their names are William Jasper, born April 10, 1848, in Jef- ferson Tp .; Charles Wesley, May 2, 1849, in Jefferson Tp .; Nancy Elizabeth, Dec. 22, 1850, in Perry Tp .; James Hamilton, Oct. 24, 1852, in Perry Tp .; Joseph Milton, April 25, 1854, in Rush Creek Tp .; Mary Melissa, June 9, 1856, in Rush Creek Tp .; Eliza Jane, Feb. 18, 1858, in Rush Crock Tp .; Isaac New- ton, Nov. 14, 1859, in Rush Crock Tp .; Har- riet Adeline, Dec. 2, 1861, and died Jan. 3, 1862; and Aaron S. Watkins, born Nov. 27, 1863, in Rush Creek Tp. William Jasper married Mary O. Robb, of Logan Co., for his first wife; his second wife was Sarah Kelly. Charles Wesley married Irene Wickersham; he is now an attorney at Huntington, Ind. Nancy Elizabeth married David Harriman, of Logan Co. James H. married Martha Kelly, of Logan Co. Joseph Milton married Mary E. Kearns, of Logan Co. Margaret M. mar- ried Spain. A. Skidmore, of Union Co., Ohio. By occupation, William W. Watkins is a farmer, handling in a business way horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, latterly turning his attention to sheep more particularly. He has paid special attention to family education, eight of his family having already been teach- ers, and a ninth member of the family now holds a certificate of qualification; one is already noted as an attorney at Huntington, Ind. Mr. Watkins settled in the wilderness, cleared his farm, assisted his neighbors at raising cabins and log-rollings where were 3,000 acres of almost unbroken wilderness, save two squatter improvements. His church connections embrace both the Protestant and Methodist Episcopal Churches.

PROF. JOSEPH HARVEY WYLIE, pro- fessor and teacher; Rushsylvania. The his- tory of this important family commences with the removal of William Wylie from Perry Co. to Muskingum in 1823, and where he remained until his death in 1825, in his 74th year. William was married three times; there were two children by his first wife, none by the second, and six by the third. The Rev. Preston H. Wylie, his son, was

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bora in April, 1822, in Perry Co., ()., and, when something over two years of age, he and his infant brother James were left moth- erless. He remained in Muskingum Co. until 1842, when he married Mary A. George, who was born in 1820, and who died in February, 1861; he afterwards removed to Northwood, Logan Co., O. His family consisted of two children-Martha Rachel and James Ren- wick. Prior to his removal to Northwood, he was engaged in farming and teaching, and at Northwood commenced a course of study preparatory for the ministry; he was licensed as a minister in the Reformed Presbyterian Church in 1853, and in 185 [ removed to Lake C'o., Ind., where he remained until 1860 as Pastor of Lake Eliza Church, in that county. In 1860 he became pastor of the Reformed Presbyterian Churches of Rushsylvania and Macedon, the latter being in Mercer Co. (). In February, 1861, his wife, whose death we before alluded to, was buried in Northwood cemetery. In Ist? he married Rebeca Adams Hayes, of Greene Co., O. At this time he was a resident of Rushsylvania, and after his marriage he removed to Northwood, where he remained until 1864. In the win- ters of 1868, '09 and 10, he was a professor in tieneva College at Northwood; in 18;6, he resigned his pastoral charge at Rushsylvania, and removed to Macedon, Mercer Co., O .. where he at this writing resides. His family are Martha Rachel, born in 1816, and who, grad- uating at Geneva College, in 1815, left the laik of her nativity in the fall of that year, and embarked as a missionary to Latakiyeb, in Syria; William Melancthon, born in 1848,

entered Geneva College in 1863, and died in 186%, in his senior (college) year; dames Ren- wick, born November, 1850, entered Geneva College in 1867, and was teacher at the Or- phan's Home at Dayton, Pa,, during the school year of 18:1-2; he entered Geneva College again and graduated in 18:3; he was licensed as a minister in 1826, and made Pastor of three charges in Mercer Co., Pa., in 1811; in December, 1829, he married, at Parnassus, Pa., Miss Nettie Armstrong, of that place; he now resides at Mercer, in Pennsylvania. Thomas Alexander Hender- son, born November, 1854, entered Wright's Normal School in 18:1, and Geneva t'ol- lege in 1842, and graduated in 1825, and was made Professor of Morning Sun Academy from 18:5-6; he was licensed to preach in 1829, and for six months was Pastor at St. Johns, N. B .; in 1880, he was appointed as missionary in a Western work at Burlington, la. Prof. Joseph Harvey Wylic, a young man of sterling qualities, was born in Lake Co., Ind., on the 13th day of November, 1858; he entered Geneva College as a preparatory student in 1815, where he remained three years, completing the Sophomore course, when he taught for a year and a half, and, returning to college in 1829, completed his junior year in 1880, and, upon the resigna- tion of Prof. Galbraith, succeeded to the Superintendency of the Public Schools of Rushsylvania. John Henry is the only child of the last marriage, and was born in 1864. and is the only member of this intellectual family remaining at home. The family are scattered from Syria to the Mississippi River.

LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

D. B. M.L.EN. physician; West Liberty. In all professions, and more especially the medical, we find men of different qualifica- tions. There are those who claim the title of V. D. upon the fact of a diploma having been granted them, and others who have earned the title by years of hard, comprehensive study. Included in the latter class is Dr. D. B. Allen, who is a thoroughly educated gentle-

man in literary lore as well as in the science of medicine. He is a native of I'nion Co., this State, and was born Dre. 1, 1823. II. attended school in the county until he was 1;, afterwards entering at Norwalk Seminary, where he remained three years, making a specialty of mathematics. He then taught school at Mt. Gilead, Ohio, and during the time he was reading medicine with Dr.

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LIBERTY TOWNSHIP.

Sapp-continuing three years-he then atten- ded the Willoughby College in 1845-46, and afterwards began practicing at Millville, Delaware Co., where he remained one year; transferring thence to Sunbury, in the same county, and then engaged with Dr. Sapp until 1849, when he came to this place and re- mained until 1856; he then went to Monte- zuma, Iowa, and practiced there and at Winterset until 1861, at which time he applied to the professors of College at Keokuk for an examination, and was granted a diploma by paying a matriculation fee; was soon com- missioned Assistant Surgeon of the First Iowa Cavalry, in which position he remained eighteen months, and was then commissioned

surgeon of the 30th I. V. I., where he re- mained until the spring of 1864, when he resigned his commission, returned home, and soon after settled again in West Liberty, where he has since resided, and has a Mera- tive practice. He was married in 1848 to Sarah, daughter of Wilber and Hannah (Lewis) Caswell, by whom he has had three children, two of whom are living-Miller S., assistant editor on the New York Stor, and Charles W. B. Dr. Allen has been an active member of the School Board at this place, and is now a member of the town council. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church at this place. He is a member of the State and County Medical Societies, and is an active Republican.

SAMUEL ARMSTRONG, miller; West Liberty; was born Dec. 24, 1821, in Cham- paign Co., O. His father, Andrew, was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother, Mary, in Kentucky; they settled in Champaign C'o., in 1818, and finally in Shelby Co., IS28. They had five children: William, lives now in In- diana; Samuel; Sarah J., married Wm. K. He]- vey, and is living in Delaware Co., Ind .; Lewis, died when young; Elizabeth, living in Mem- phis, Tenn. His parents were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1843 (the father having died in 1840), our subject and his mother moved back to Clark Co., where they had formerly lived. In a short time, Sarah J. was married, and the mother went to live with her in Indiana, and there died in 1846. Samuel was married, March 9, 1845, to Catharine, a daughter of George and Elizabeth Roller, who was born, 1423, in Vir-

ginia; by her he had six children-Joseph, deceased, Melissa J., George II., William, James E. and John R. They lived but a. short time in Clark Co., and then moved to Shelby Co., where he farmed and worked as a blacksmith for some time. In 1850 he built a mill in Ft. Jefferson, that county, in which he engaged for two years and then traded the same for a farm in said county. He farmed it for two years, afterwards trading for a grist- mill costing 814,500, known as the " Maxwell Mill;" here he remained for ten years. He again traded for a farm, and entered rural life for another period of two years. In 1826 he came to West Liberty, and bought the present mill. which has been here over sixty years. He has been engaged here ever since. Ho runs four sets of buhrs by Turbine water-power wheels, having plenty of water during the vear; he does mostly custom work, and ships quite an amount to New York. He is identi- tied with the Democratic party, and cast his first presidential vote for Jackson. Mr. Arm- strong is the architect of his own fortune.

GEORGE F. BAILEY. cooper; West Lib- erty; is the son of James and Catharine (Vandegrift) Bailey; his father was born in Harford Co., Md., Feb. 10, 1295, and his mother in the same county July 4, 1292; they came to Ohio in 1840, settling at Cambridge, Guernsey Co., and in 1844 came to Licking Co., settling in Alexandria, where the father is still living, the mother having died June 24, 1865; she was the mother of Mary E., George F., Edwin and Sarah A .; the father was again married; his parents were Presby- terians. George F. was born Jan. 13, 1826, in Harford Co., Md., where he spent his boy- hood days attending school. At the age of 15 he began learning the cooper's trade with his father, which he continued until he was 21 years old; he then started on his own re- sources, having a few tools, only, to begin with. He situated himself at Roscoe, Co- shoeton Co., where he remained until Nov. 2, 1849, when he went to California, there en- gaging, during the summer of 1851, in the gold mines, and at his trade in Sacramento City. In September, 1851, he returned by water, and again worked at his trade at Ros- coe. July 1, 1852, he went to Licking Co. to visit his parents, and on Aug. 20, 1852, he came to West Liberty, where he has since

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remained. He was married June 28, 1853, at Alexandria, Licking Co., to Susan Van Bus- kirk, by whom he had four children, two of whom survive- Oleeta and Donn C .; his wife died June 12, 1859; was again married July 22, 1860, to Ann M. VanBuskirk; by her he has one child-Van Buskirk. He enlisted in C'o. G, 132 0. V. 1., and ranked as Sergeant; was elected to the town council for nine years, and is now serving his third torm as Justice of the Peace and Township Trustee. He was carly identified with the Whig party, having voted first for President Taylor, and at the organization of the Republican party he entered its ranks, and has been a valiant soldier in the cause ever since. He is now a member of the Republican Central Commit- tee, and is now a local member of this town- ship. Mr. Bailey has a remarkably good memory, and has been for the past few years writing up his trip to California, which is a very line production. He was one of the sufferers of the great fire during the summer of 1880, but he is not given to despair, and is now rebuilding some magnificent build ings.

ENOS BALDWIN, hardware and gro- eery; West Liberty: was born July 22, 1818, in Champaign Co., O. lle ob- tained a limited education -as much as was afforded in the log cabin of those days. At the age of 11 his parents moved to Logan Co., settling in Monroe Tp., where our subject engaged in rural pursuits. llis father, Daniel, was born in 1993, in Ton- nessee, and came to Highland Co., this State, when a mere boy. His mother, Hannah ( Williams) was a native of Virginia and omi- grated to Logan Co. at an early day. The parents of Mr. Baldwin remained in Monroe Tp. for seven years, transferring then to Hardin Co., where the mother died in 1848. The father was again married, to Sallie Stewart, and removed to Logan Co. in 1858 or 1859. By his former marriage he had eleven children, nine of whom survive-Enos, Mary (deceased); John, who was four years in the 22 O. V. I. during the Civil War; Uriah (was also out in the war), Frances d. (de- ceased), William 11. (was in the 100 days' service). Philander R. (was in the service from loway, Richard 1. (stock-dealer in Merrick ('o., Nebraska), Jesse (was in an lowa regi-

mer t), Nicholas W. (was in the 13th (). V. I.), and Eliza A. The boys who served in the war returned uninjured, save one slight wound, received by Nicholas W., at the bat- tle of Chickamauga. The father served in the war of 1812; was once Associate Judge of Hardin Co., and some time Justice of the Peace, which positions he filled with credit to himself and to those who chose him; he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church; their parents were raised Quakers. Enos remained on the farm until he was about 19 years of age, at which time he be- gan teaching school, which he continued but a short time. In April, 1843, he sought a helpmate in the person of Sarah J., a daughter of Henry and Abigail (Brown) Buckmister, natives of New Hampshire, who came to Wyandot Co., O., in 1828, and afterward to Jardin Co., where the mother died and the father is still living. Mr. Ballwin had by this Union two children; only one survives- Enos 1 .. His wife died in 1868, and he was again married, December, 18;0, to Margaret Jane, daughter of dames and Mary Jones, by whom he had two children-James H. only living. His present wife was born in 1837. His life was spent in rural pursuits until 1861, when he entered into the hard- ware and grocery business at this place, which he continued alone until 1866, when he enlarged by taking in Mr. Elliott as a partner, and since that time has merchandised under the firm name of Baldwin & Elliott, having now a full line of all kinds of hardware and groceries. He has served as Township Trustee, Councilman and Cemetery Trustee, aml has held office in the Presbyterian Church, of which denomination himself and wife are ac- tive members, as was also his first consort. He has always been identified with the Re- publican party, having cast his first vote for W. H. Harrison. In all the varied experi- ences of the above hastily sketched life, its possessor has been particularly fortunate. He started life with $500, given him by his father, with whom he had remained five years afer attaining his majority. He now pos- sesses, outside of his present large business, 125 acres of well improved land in Logan d'o., and 80 acres in lowa. Though now his years are nearly three score and ten, he re- tains the appearance and activity of those

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twenty years his junior. The hand of time has touched him lightly.

.F. R. CROCKETT, tanner; West Liberty; was born Feb. 28, 1841, in Logan Co., in the same building he now occupies. His younger days were spent somewhat in attending school. His father being a tanner, it was natural for him to turn his attention in that direction, and, at the age of 17, he devoted his entire time to the business, under the instruction of his father. In 1864, he formed a partnership with his father, which continued until 1844, when our subject took the whole control, and has since been extremely successful. He was married, in 1872, to Hattie R. Secord, a native of Michigan. She died in 1844, having blessed him with two children, both deceased. He was again married, in 1829, to Belle, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Walker) Thatcher, now residents of De Graff, this county. By his last marriage he has one child, Mary Louisa. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. His father, Houston, was born at Manchester. Clark Co., Ky., and came to Liberty Tp. about the year 1816, having emigrated, when 12 years old, to said locality. His mother, Louisa Turner, was born in Champaign Co., this State, in 1815, and had, by her union with Mr. Crockett, eight children, five of whom are liv- ing-Lucy, now Mrs. Kelley; James A., a physician at Elkhart, Ind .; J. R .; Eleanora, married to William Petty, and Esta, married to Samuel Taylor. The father died Jan. 20, 1880, in the faith of the Christian Church. The mother is still enjoying life's pilgrimage here. His grandfather, Black, was a soldier in the war of 1812. His grandfather, Turner, emigrated from England, and served the C'ol- onies all through the Revolutionary war. The Crockett family are descendants of old David Crockett, the noted hunter, of Virginia. We may mention Houston Crockett as one of the early singing school teachers of this county, and an early and prominent member of the Masonic fraternity of this place. He was also an active element in the Republican party. We mention elsewhere in the township his- tory many important reminiscences connected with the Crockett family, and will, therefore. desist from further mention here, otherwise than to say they have constituted one of the most interesting and enterprising fam

ilies it has been our pleasure to record. A. D. CULBERTSON, farmer; P. O., West Liberty; was born Sept. 4, 1817, in Champaign Co., O .; his father, John, was born in Pennsylvania, and his mother, Susan Donglass, in Virginia. They emigrated to Ohio by means of a flat boat which the father had built; they landed at Cincinnati, and were there met by his brother-in-law, Zepha- niah Loose, who brought them by team to Champaign Co., where the father entered 160 acres of land, getting his patent from Thomas Jefferson. Ilere this old pioneer he- gan in the woods in a log cabin with scarcely anything save a team which he brought down by boat. One of these horses was sold at his sale, at the age of thirty. The father died in 1835, and the mother five years prior. They had three children-Caroline, who married James Black, and A. D. survive; Lucy is deceased. Our subject attended the old pioneer schoolhouses, many of which are de- scribed in this work. He was a witness of all the hardships that were allotted the pioneers, but the busy wing of time wafted him to a ripe old age, where he now enjoys the fruits of his early days' industry. At the death of his father he made a home with his brother- in-law, Alexander Black, who had married Lncy (deceased), and there remained until he was married, on Feb. 25, 1842, to Sarah, a daughter of John and Lucretia Boyd Hurd, natives of Virginia, who came among the earliest of the settlers of this section of the county. His wife was born January 6, 1829, in Logan Co .; by her he has had three chil- dren-James M., born Feb. 2, 1848; died Jan. 18, 1856; Sammel, born April 21. 1852, and died Nov. 16, 1853; Mary E., born Feb. 13, 1850, married HI. A. Hill, and lives with her father. His wife died, and he was again married to Lucinda J. Boyd, who was born March 30, 1815, and died Jan. 30, 1879. He now owns 103 acres of well improved land, which he has attained by his own labors. He is a member of the MeKee's Creek Christian Church. He has been. afflicted with light spasms for forty years, vet he attains a re- markably good memory, and the band of time has touched him gently. He has retired from the active pursuits of life, having rented his farm to a Mr. Whitmore.

1. N. DILLE, farmer; P. O., West Liberty;

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was born Sept. 10, 1827, in Richland Co., O. His father. Amos, was born in Washington ('o., l'a., and his mother, Anna De Camp, in New Jersey. They came to Ohio in 1816, and settled in Richland Co., where the father entered 160 acres of land, getting his patent from Thomas Jefferson. In the fall of 1834. they sold out and removed to Hardin Co., and there bought 100 acres. In 1836, they came to Logan Co., and settled where our subject now lives. Here they bought 160 acres. The father died in 1845, and was buried in this township; the mother has remained single since. and is now 89 years old. She has had right children-John M., Martha, Sarah, Han- nah, I. N., Josephus, Emma J. and Zonas. She is a member of the Christian Church. I.

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History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 102

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin Number of Pages: 798

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798