USA > Ohio > Morgan County > History of Morgan County, Ohio, with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 49
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"Good morning, Mr. McPeak." "Good morning, thir. Have you theen any thin' of two thowth and pigth ?" " Two thousand pigs ! Why, McPeak, I never saw so many in my life, at one time." "I didn't thay two thousand pighth ; I thaid two thouth and pigth." But the hunter could not or would not understand that less than two thousand pigs were being asked for.
Nathan Sidwell, the founder of Pennsville, was among the earliest per- manent settlers locating in the town- ship in 1813. He was in good circum- stances aud entered a large tract of land lying adjacent to the town of Pennsville, upon which are now some of the best improved farms in the town- ship. Like most of the early settlers, he was a Friend. He died in the towu- ship. His sons were Johu, Gabriel, Nathan and Jesse. One of his daugh- ters was Rebecca (Llewellyn).
John Plummer, who came at abont the same thne with Sidwell, was an- other prominent pioneer .. Ile died quite early. He also had quite an ex- tensive traet of land which lay to the north of Pennsville.
About the year 1813 John Simpson, originally from Frederick County, Md.,
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in the vicinity of Baltimore, brought his wife from Belmont County and settled upon an unimproved tract of land ad- joining the present village of Penns- ville. This family had their full share of pioneer experiences, and endured all of the inconveniences incident to life in a new country. Mr. Simpson lived to the age of 87, and witnessed wonderful changes in the country which he first saw as a wilderness. He died in 1873. He was married in Belmont County in in 1811 to Sarah Elmore, a native of North Carolina. The children of John and Sarah Simpson were Robert, de- ceased; Ann (Bain), still a resident of Penn Township ; Austin E., who died in Indiana; William, who died in Ne- braska ; Sibilla (Dodge), who died in Vinton County, Ohio ; two daughters, each named Asenath, who died young ; Corilla, who died in Penn Township ; and Mary J. (White), now living in Pennsville. Mrs. Simpson died in 1861.
Robert Simpson was a farmer and died in this township about 1858. He married Ann Bain and was the father of Sarah, Harriet, Rhoda, William, Almeda, Luther B., John S., M. Fill- more, Elmore and Robert F. Of these Sarah, Luther, John and Fillmore are still living.
J. S. Simpson has been in the mer- cantile business in Pennsville since 1870. He was born in 1848, and mar- ried Jane Penrose. Children : Robert J., Mary P., Anna (deceased), Ethelyn G., Charles O. and Janet.
John Pierpoint was an early settler. Prior to 1830 he erected on Wolf Creek the first mill in the township, where Able's mill now is. He was a Friend and a man of great benevolence. It is said of him that in times when money was scarce he would ask those who
came to buy meal of him if they had money, and if they had he would refuse to sell to them, preferring to supply instead those who were poor and whose needs were greater. He was the father of Benjamin, William, John and Eli Pierpoint. Later Samuel King had a horse mill near Pennsville.
In 1817 James McLain settled in this township near Pennsville. He after- wards moved to Homer Township, where he is still living at an advanced age. His father-in-law, Charles How- ard was the first justice of the peace in Penn township.
Daniel McIntire, an early settler, sold out to Thomas and Joshua Plummer. Wells White, Simeon Evans and the Kings were early settlers.
Guernsey County furnished its quota of the early settlers of Morgan, and among those who came in the year 1821 was Michael King and family, who settled in Penn Township about one mile and a half from the village, of Pennsville, where he purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land. His location was evidently very satisfac- tory, indeed, for he died upon the farm on which he was the original settler. He had a family of nine children who came into the county. Abel was twelve years of age. He was reared in Penn and resided there until the year 1839, when he went to Washington County. He married, in 1831, Miss Mary Doane. She was a native of Pennsylvania and came to Muskingum County with her people in 1824. They have reared a family of eight children, four of whom are residents of the county. Six of the sons served their country in the war of the rebellion. John was a member of the 36th O. V. I .; Milton and Nathan, 39th O. V. I. Abel was a member of
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the 7th West Va. eavalry ; Benajah, Co. H., 148 O. V. I.
Eli Matson settled near Pennsville in 1830. For many years he was elass leader in the M. P. Chureh.
Robert Kirby settled on the farm now known as the Garrison farm in 1831. His son Finley is one of the old residents.
Nimrod Williams, who left the town- ship in the early years of its settlement, was a noted character. He was a prae- tieal joker, and at raisings, log-rollings, corn-huskings and other similar gather- ings, contributed largely to the merri- ment and jollity .ineident to sueh occasions.
Eli Smith, one of the pioneers of this township, came from Fayette County, Pa., and settled in Penn in 1821. He died in 1885 at the ripe old age of 93 years .- See biography.
James Hummel, one of the early set- tlers, came to this township in 1816, and died in 1852. He married Lavina Smith and they had eleven ehildren- Isaae, Julia A., Elizabeth, Sarah, Ellen, William, Mary, Alfred, Jane and Lewis. '
Amos Pidgeon settled on the farm now oceupied by his son, J. W. Pidgeon, in 1832. He was a native of Maryland. and eame to this county from Jeffer- son County. In Jefferson County he married Aun Plummer, also a native of Maryland. Mr. Pidgeon took up a farm on which a slight improvement had previously been made by Robert Todd. He died in 1861 in his 69th year; and his wife in 1885 in her 94th year. They had three children, all born in Jefferson County-Harriet (Hammond), residing in Jefferson County ; Joseph W., Penn Township ; John, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Pidgeon were members of the Friends' Society.
He was a earpenter by trade, but fol- lowed farming after eoming to this eounty.
J. W. Pidgeon was born in Jefferson County in 1824, and came to Morgan County with his parents. IIe is a prominent and sueeessful farmer. He was engaged in mereantile business at Chester Hill and Stoekport for about twelve years, but has been a farmer for thirty years. He was married in 1851 to Elizabeth Bye, a native of Belmont County, daughter of Jonas Bye, who eame to Morgan County in 1839. Children : John S., Amos, William A., Charles E. Mr. Pidgeon is a republiean and a Friend. At present he is one of the trustees of the Children's Home. Mr. Pidgeon plainly remembers the days of his boyhood when deer and wild turkeys were frequently seen around the house; also the trips to mill at Little Ludlow ; and the rude agrieul- tural implements in use fifty years ago. He owned the first single mower in Morgan County, purchasing it about 1848.
In 1832 butter was worth but a " fi'penny bit" (6} eents) per pound ; eggs three or four cents per dozen ; ealico eost fifty cents per yard, and a dress of that material was more valued by a farmer's daughter of that day than the finest silk would be to-day.
In the neighborhood of the Pidgeons in 1832, lived Thomas Penrose. Jacob Rogers, Thomas Bundy, William Ged- dis, a veritable pioneer and hunter, David Stephens and Jacob Balderson,
The first schoolhouse in the same neighborhood was of round beech logs, daubed with clay. It was furnished in the old style. JJesse Webster, an early teacher, carried a hickory stick under his arm continually, and used it freely.
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
The name of Penrose is common in Morgan County and everywhere of good repute. The Penroses are descended from Thomas and Sarah Penrose, natives of Pennsylvania, the former of English and the later of Irish descent. They were Friends who came to Jefferson County, Ohio, and thence, in 1830, to Morgan County. They had a large family, all born in Jefferson County : Mahlon, Richard, James, Thomas, John, and Joseph ; Mrs. Stan- ton and Sarah A. (Griffin). All the above, except Mahlon and Mrs. Stanton, settled in Morgan County. All are now deceased, except Joseph, who is at pres- ent a resident of Washigton County. All were farmers except John, who became a prominent business man of Pennsville.
Richard Penrose, son of Thomas, came in 1829, settling on eighty acres of land. He first came out with his brother and built a cabin, being occu- pied a week in that labor, then removed his family, consisting of his wife and one child to it. He was married in Jefferson County to Elizabeth Swickard. He first settled on a farm near Wolf Creek, now owned by T. E. Penrose, afterwards moving to a location south of Pennsville. He died in 1883, in the eighty-second year of his age. His five children are all living: Joseph, Jason, Barclay, Hannah (Steer) and Mary (Santee). Jason Penrose, a farmer, living near Pennsville, was born in this township in 1832. He married Martha Harmer and they four children: Charles B., Rachel, William H. and Hannah S.
John Penrose was born in Jefferson County, in 1807 and died in Penns- ville in 1856. He learned blacksmith- ing in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and worked at his trade for some years in
Pennsville, where he setted in 1830. Afterwards he engaged in the mercantile business, at first having his former employer, Joseph Law- rence, for his partner. Later he bought Mr. Lawrence's interest and conducted the business successfully until his death. He was a good man and much esteemed. He married Anna Crew in Jefferson County. Children : Sarah E. (Halaman), Hannah (Maule), Thomas E. and John A. The name of his second wife was Hannah Lightfoot, and their children were Mary (Simpson,) deceased; Jane (Simpson,) and Charles. The latter is a prominent merchant of Chester Hill.
Thomas E. Penrose is the oldest inale resident of Pennsville, in which place he has resided since his birth in 1837. Ile early became acquainted with the mercantile business, clerking in his father's store. After the decease of his father he took charge of the busi- ness (in 1856) and has since conducted it. In 1859 he married Susan Metcalf, of this county, daughter of Jesse Met- calf, an early settler. She died in 1862 ; and in 1864 he married Mary R. Griffith, a native of Pennsylvania. Children : Jessie and Edith. Mr. Penrose has probably held the office of postmaster longer than any other man in Morgan County, having been continuously in that position since he was first ap- pointed in 1859.
The pioneers managed to get along against disadvantages which no modern farmer could tolerate. When John Penrose erected his blacksmith shop in Pennsville, there was only one team in the neighborhood-that belonging to John Simpson. He and his assistants carried all the timbers they could con- veniently to the spot where the shop was to be erected, then procured Simp-
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son's team to move some of the heavier logs.
William Foulke was a prominent early settler, and a member of the So- ciety of Friends. He was the father of J. R. and William Foulke, formerly lawyers and editors of McConnelsville, but now of Minneapolis, Minn.
John Bain was comparatively an early settler and is still a resident of the township. He has represented the county in the legislature and been otherwise prominent in public affairs.
William Milhous was born in Bel- mont County, Ohio in 1811, and came to Morgan County when it was still wild and sparsely settled. He first settled in Malta Township and afterwards moved to a location between Pennsville and Chester Hill, where he engaged in making threshing machines, the first ever built in the neighborhood, and per- haps the first in the county. He studied medicine with Dr. Huestis, of Chester Hill, engaged in practice at that place, and continued for several years. Ile next became a clerk and afterward a captain on steamboats navigating the Muskingum and Ohio rivers. The next move in his varied career was when he became a traveling salesman for a Phil- adelphia wholesale house, and while in that position he enlisted in the late war in Company C. First (West) Virginia infantry, of which he was chosen cap- tain. Ile was taken prisoner and ex- changed sometime afterwards. In 1864 he returned to Morgan County and located in McConnelsville. In 1866 he removed to the vicinity of Pennsville. From 1870 to 1874 he was a resident of Zanesville. He then returned to Penns- ville, where he died August 31, 1884. Ile was one of the early abolitionists and an engineer on the underground
railroad. He was a republican and a Universalist. He was married in Bel- mont County to Mary Lightfoot. She died December 25, 1881, aged 67 years. They had four children, only one of whom-Jane-lived to mature years. She now resides in Pennsville.
William Llewellyn came from Dela- ware County, Pennsylvania, to Mus- kingum County, Ohio, and thence in 1830 to Penn Township, Morgan County. His son Thomas, one of the oldest resi- dents of the township, now resides in Pennsville.
Parry Llewellyn came a little later to this township, where he died in 1879. The Llewellyns were Friends. Parry married Rebecca Sidwell, and was the father of Elizabeth (Coler), Baker, Sid- well (dead), Mary (Hooper), Caroline (Hooper), Melissa (Parsons), Jesse and Maggie A. (Waterman).
Isaac Harris, a native of Pennsyl- vania, was of English and German descent. He emigrated from Pennsyl- vania to Williamsburg, West Virginia, and from thence to Licking County, Ohio, about the year 1808. After a residence of about twelve years in Lick- ing County, he came with his family, which consisted at the time of his wife and six children-William, John, Ed- ward, Sarah Anna, Samuel and Eliza- beth-to the southeast quarter of Union Township, where he entered a quarter- section of land, which he improved and upon which he built a mill which was so constructed that it could be run by horses when there was not a suffi- cient quantity of water. In 1829 he went to Illinois, but returned the fol- lowing year and purchased a tract of new land in the western part of the township. He died in Penn in 1831. He was one of the most prominent pio-
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neers in this section of the township. Of his family only three are living in the county-John, Samuel and William. William, the older of the sons, resides in Pennsville. John and Samuel are among the prominent farmers of the township, and reside upon land pur- chased by their father in 1830. They have identified themselves prominently with the township. Both were born in Licking County.
In 1830 Aaron Mendenhall came to Morgan County, and settled on the farm where his son Joseph now resides. With him came his family, consisting of his wife and eight children-Eliza- beth, Isaac, Joseph, Rachel, Thirza, Lydia, Naomi and Edith. Israel and Lewis were born in Morgan County. The farm was entered by Jacob Hum- mel, one of the pioneers of the town- ship, who made a little improvement. On this farm the elder Mendenhall resided until his decease, which occurred in 1864 in the eighty-eighth year of his age. Joseph was born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 1817, and married for his first wife Miss Rosannah Kane. She was born in Harrison County, and died about 1844. Three years later Mr. Mendenhall was again married to Miss Mary Thorp. They have nine children living. Mr. Mendenhall has been iden- tified with the development of the township for over half a century. For sixteen years he has been one of its magistrates. He is a member of the Society of Friends.
James Mitchner was one of the early settlers of Penn Township. He was a Friend, and came from Pennsylvania, of which state he was a native, to Muskingum County in 1832. In 1837 he came to Penn Township, and bought the farm on which his daughter, Mrs.
Rebecca Manly, now resides. He mar- ried Miss Margaret Foulk, and reared a family of four children-Rebecca, Sarah, Mary and Aseneth. Rebecca was born near Stroudsburgh, and came to Ohio with her parents. In 1845 she was married to William H. Manly. He was born in 1804, in Cecil County, Virginia, and came to Morgan County about 1838 and settled in Penn Township, where he died in 1879. He was a miller by trade and an exemplary man in every respect.
Marvin Gifford came from Kennebec. County, Maine, and settled in Marion Township about 1818. The journey was made by wagon and was attended by many hardships. His first location was on the farm since known as the Calvin Parker farm. After a residence of two years he came to Penn Town- ship and purchased the farm now owned by his son Jesse. The original settler on this land was a man by the name of Moses Campbell; Mr. Gifford, how- ever, improved it and became one of Penn's most prominent citizens. He died in 1867, aged seventy-eight years. In his religious convictions he was a Friend and exemplified in his daily life the tenets of this faith. Although in limited circumstances when he came to the county, he accumulated by industry and economy a well-won competency. He was a native of Massachusetts. His wife, Abigail Bailey, was born in Vir- ginia.
Edwin Newsom came from Belmont County when a young man and settled on the north half of section one. He kept "bachelor's hall," improved his farm and after having made the neces- sary preparations for the reception of a bride he married Miss Anna M. Bar- low, a native of Richmond, Va., but
William H. Manly
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residing at the time in Penn. They reared a family of ten children. Will- iam is living on the old homestead where he was born in 1840. In 1866 he married Miss Sarah Vincent for his first wife. His present wife, nee Emma Van Fossen, was born in Bristol Town- ship, in 1844.
Among the early settled farms in Penn Township is that formerly known as the Thompson farm. Its present owner, Mr. Amos A. Hotchkiss, is the son of Calvin Hotchkiss, who settled in Union Township in 1837, where his son Amos was born in April, of the follow- ing year, and where he lived until 1855, when he went to Malta Township. He married Miss Sarah M. Manly, daughter of William H. Manly, one of the prom- inent farmers of the county. They have been blessed with a family of nine children, eight boys and one girl. Mr. Hotchkiss is classed among the leading and successful farmers of the township.
Calvin Hotchkiss was born in Water- bury, Conn., in 1816, and came to Ohio in 1837. He first settled in Union Township where he bought an unim- proved farm. He was entirely ignorant of farm labor, having been bred to the trade of a comb maker, which avocation he had followed until his removal to Ohio, and his pioneer experiences were rendered more arduous on that account. Ile soon overcame that obstacle, how- ever, and to the small beginning he has succeeded in obtaining a fine compe- tency. Hc now resides in Malta. He inarried, in Connecticut, Miss Sally Ives and has reared a family of four boys and three girls.
Robert Wetherell and his wife, nee Elizabeth Winn, were the first settlers on the southeast quarter of section thirty-six. He came from Durham
County, England, and for a time resided in Jefferson County, where he was mar- ried in October of 1836. Just previous to his marriage he had visited Morgan County and entered his land, which he improved. He led a successful and useful life, and identified himself with the best interests of the county. His decease occurred December 20, 1875. His wife survived him nearly four years. They left a family of three children, Joseph, Alice and Mary. The latter is deceased.
Benjamin Bailey came from Belmont County, O., and settled in the northeast corner of the township. With him came his family, consisting of his wife and children, some twelve in number, all of whom settled around him and all ultimately became heads of families. He died in 1866, aged seventy-six years. Two of his sons, Alexander and Benja- min, reside on the old homestead. Al- exander married Harriet Clemens, of Malta, where she was born in 1834. Her mother was one of the pioneer women of the county and at this time one of its oldest living residents ; some- thing of her history will be found in the history of Malta Township.
Samuel Fawcett was born in Belmont County, O., in 1817; his parents were natives of Georgia and reared a family of fifteen children. In 1838 Samuel was married to Miss Mary A. Harmer, and two years later came to Morgan County and settled three miles south of Chesterfield; after a residence of eight years he removed to Iowa, from whence he returned to Morgan County and pur- chased the farm on which he now re- sides. In 1876 his first wife died and in the following year he married Miss Patience Gifford. Mr. Fawcett is a Friend, and has been a successful busi-
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HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, OHIO.
ness man and is numbered among the prominent citizens of Penn Township.
The Embree family were originally from Chester County, Pa. About the year 1800 they removed to the State of Maryland, Baltimore County, where Jesse Embree was born in the year 1808. In 1812 the family came to Jef- ferson County, O., where the elder Ein- bree purchased a farm, upon which he resided until 1825. When he came to Morgan County he purchased the farm now owned by Samuel King, in Malta Township, upon which he resided until his decease, in 1838. He was a member of the Society of Friends and an exem- plary man in every respect. In 1835 Jesse married Miss Mary Dennis and in 1851 moved to Penn Township and set- tled on the farm now owned by his son James, who was born in Malta in 1849. Mrs. Jesse Embree was born in Balti- more County, Md., in 1810. In 1833 her father settled in Marion. He was the original purchaser of the land upon which he lived until his death, which occurred in 1838. He was a Friend and a gentleman highly esteemed by all who knew him. They reared a family of nine children : Philip D., Lydia A., Hannah D., Sarah J., Phebe P., Maria B., Rebecca J., James and Charles R.
Levi Thompson was one of the early settlers in Marion Township. He en- tered eighty acres of Government land, on which he resided until his decease, which occurred in 1854. His wife, Mary, was a daughter of Robert Wood, one of the early settlers of Penn Town- ship. Wood was a Quaker, and is still remembered for his many acts of kind- ness.
John Hann was the pioneer on sec- tion four. In the year 1828 he came
from Loudoun County, Va., with his family, which consisted of his wife and five children, four boys and one girl. His purchase consisted of two hundred and forty acres, for which he paid $1.25 per acre. He was a typical pioneer and well qualified for the arduous duties of that life. He served his country in the war of 1812. He died in 1870 at an extreme old age. Mathias Hann, one of his sons, now resides an a part of the original estate. IIe was born in Vir- ginia in 1812. He married Miss Mary Drake and reared a family of nine chil- dren, four of whom are deceased.
The Williams family came to Morgan County and settled where Stockport now is in 1830. Owing to the preva- lence of fever and ague the family removed to Penn Township and settled on the farm now owned by Thomas Dewees. David was a blacksmith by trade. He was born in Belmont County, Ohio, and married Miss Melinda Wood. She was born in Monroe County in 1824. He died in 1881 in Marion Township, leaving four children-Mal- vitas, Annie R., Eunice and Sylvanus.
Benjamin Hooper was one of the early settlers of Penn Township. He entered two sections of land on what is known as the Todd Ridge. He married Harriet Choguill. She was born in Marion Township. After their mar- riage he returned to Jefferson County, Ohio, where he died. In 1855 William F. came to Morgan County. He returned, however, in 1858, and in 1862 came back and engaged in merchandising in what is now known as Hooperstown. Five years later he purchased the farm on which he now resides. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Wildman in 1858. She was born in Jefferson County, June 25, 1838. Four children
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have been born to them-Martin, Francis M., Cora A. and Warren. Mr. Hooper is a republican in politics and a member of the M. E. Church.
In the spring of 1847, Thomas Yocom and his son, Samuel B., came from Somerset, Belmont County, Ohio, and settled in Malta Township, where the elder Yocom purchased a farm, upon which he resided until his removal to Pennsville, where he died in 1877. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Dewees, was born in Center County, Pa., and died in 1885. Samuel B. was born in Belmont County in 1828. He was reared on a farm and in 1857 engaged in merchandising in Pennsville. He prosecuted a successful business until 1867, at which time he was elected to the office of county treasurer. He was reëlected to the same position, and upon the expiration of his official duties he reëntered mercantile life.
For the last decade he has been the magistrate of Pennsville. In 1855 Mr. Yocom was married to Miss Hannah J. Dewees. She died in the following year, and in 1861 he was again married to Miss Sarah King, a native of Pennsville. By the first marriage there was one child Lydia A .; by the last, four sons: Eli K., Charles P., Frank R. and Joseph D. Mr. Yocom is one of Pennsville's most reputable citizens and is entitled to the envious position he holds among his fellow citizens. He is a member of the Society of Friends and a republican.
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