History of Noble County, Ohio: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 53

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : L.H. Watkins
Number of Pages: 709

USA > Ohio > Noble County > History of Noble County, Ohio: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 53

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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

Joseph C. Kean came from Penn- ; by Dr. Richard Warfield. Prior to sylvania in 1832, and settled near the platting of the town. Jame T .:- tle had kept a small store here. He sold out, and Otis O. Lewis succeeded in business about the time the town was projected. Lewis also kept botr. for several years. Benjamin L. Mot :. Woodsfield, Monroe County. Five , years later he removed to Morgan County, where William JJ. was born in 1840. The elder Kean was a stone- mason by trade. He married Miss Eva Draper. Their children were: . a merchant, was another early settler. John T., William J., Isaac P. (de- Solomon Wolf, a blacksmith. located here several years before the village was founded. ceased), George O. (deceased), James B., Albert N. (died in infancy), and Perley B. William J. was mar- In early years whisky was sold abundantly in Carlisle, with its usual deleterious results. ried in 1865 to Maria Cavanaugh. They have three children: Mary B. (Mc Auley), George O., a teacher, and Charles M.

In June of 1861 Mr. Mckean -- became a member of the Twenty- - fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. and served four years. He was engaged in the battles of Cheat Mountain, second battle of Manassas, Chancel- lorsville, Freeman's Ford, Culpeper Court House, Fredericksburg, Get- tysburg, Jacksonville, and several minor engagements also. John T., Isane P., James B. and Perley B. ' stroved by fire.

were also in the service. Mr. Kean he began merchandising at Carlisle. Hle has followed various vocations - steamboating, farming, etc. By trade he is a stone-mason.

CARLISLE.

Carlisle is an old and pleasantly located village, situated in a rich farming district. Though remote from railroads, it is still quite an im- portant trading point.

Long before the town was laid out. there was a postoffice at Gasaway's mill above the town. Later it was moved nearer to Carlisle, and then into the village, and called Berne.

James Major, a shoemaker, was an early settler. William Driggs oper- ated a tannery for five or six years, and was succeeded by Lawrence & Ileiddleston and S. J. Curtis. In later years James Capell built a steam grist-mill, which was afterward de- 1

Succeeding Mott in the mercantile came to this county in 1874. In 1886 ! business were Moses Morton, James | Boyd, Samuel JJ. Boyd, B. F. Penn. 1 who came about 1846, and is still a resident of the place, and II. W. Heiddlesheimer.

In 1880 the population of Carlisle was 157.

In former years a large amount of tobacco was packed in this place and shipped to Baltimore. Few of the merchants found the business profit- able when long continued.

The business interests of Carlisle

The village was laid out in the year 1838, on the lands of John McBride | in the fall of 1886 were as follows: and Enoch Archer. It was surveyed | II. W. Heiddlesheimer, R. W. Smith,

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general merchants ; William J. Kean, Mack Heil, grocers; Richard Iams, hotel proprietor; William McBride, Gideon McBride, blacksmiths ; Henry Johanning, wagon-maker; Mack Heil, shoemaker; William Collins has a grist-mill about a mile from the village.

EAST UNION.

East Union was laid out by Henry Archer. The survey was made April 9, 1856, by Charles Burlin- game. The original town plat con- tains four acres and eighty-four rods. Additions have since been made, in 1859 and 1870, by the same pro- prietor.

Henry Archer started the first store in 1849. He continued busi- ness until 1855, then sold out to Allen Floyd. Floyd built the first store after the town lots were laid off. James Archer, of Joseph, start- ed the next store. Among later merchants have been Archer & Har- ris (John P. Archer and Naaman Harris), Archer & Phillips (Henry Archer, of Joseph, and R. F. Phillips), and Thomas McGovern.

The first blacksmith was John Jordan. Jacob Crow came soon after. The postoffice (McCleary) was established about 1859, with Allen Floyd as the first postmaster. About the same date a grist-mill was erected by a stock company, and for several years did a successful busi- ness. It has since changed hands several times and is not now in operation.

Tobacco dealing was a leading in- dustry in East Union in its earlier years, but it became unprofitable.

The village has never had a liquor shop or a saloon. In 1880 the popu- lation was 210. The village has a good two-story school-house and maintains a good school.

The business interests of East Union were as follows in the fall of 1886 : Thomas & P. J. McGovern, Harris & Archer, general merchants; Edward Hunt, shoemaker, postmas- ter; Sebastian Archer, proprietor of saw-mill and planing-mill; HI. Covert and James Johnson, blacksmiths; Dr. G. T. Tingle, physician; James A. Davison, Mrs. E. Stone, hotel-keepers.

CHURCHES.

Carlisle Methodist Episcopal Church. - The Carlisle Methodist church is the oldest in the county. A class was formed prior to 1813, with Elisha Enoch as leader. He afterward became an exhorter in the church. The Enochs, James and Joseph Archer, Isaac Morris, James Farley, John Biven and others, with their families, were among the leading early members. Isaac Morris and James Farley served as class-leaders. The first meetings were held in a log cabin, but prior to 1820 a hewed log church was erected, which was occupied until 1837, when the present brick church was erected at Carlisle. The church is still flourishing, with a good membership. In early years the circuit in which Duck Creek was included embraced all the territory between the Ohio and the Muskin- gum Rivers, excepting Zanesville and Marietta, extending north to the National Road. It was in charge

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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

of two preachers, who were allowed only two days of rest in four weeks, and preached almost daily at some point. They were four weeks in making the round of the circuit. A preacher received $100 per year, if a single man, and $200, if married. Rev. J. B. Finley was among the earliest of the circuit preachers. Other early preachers were William Knox, Smothers, Waterman, Edward H. Taylor, Nathaniel Tittle, Peter Taylor and John Swazey.

East Union Methodist Church .- A class of the Methodist Episcopal de- nomination was organized as early as 1833. The first meetings were held in a log house on the farm of James Archer. The early members were Joseph Archer, James Archer, Sr., James Archer, Jr., James Arch- er ( of Joseph ) and their wives, with others. Among the early preachers in the neighborhood were John Hare, John Taylor and Edward Taylor, known as "Father " Taylor, a noted revivalist. A meeting-house was erected as early as 1840, replaced in 1866 by the present church in East Union. The organization went down a few years later; and about 1874 the Free Methodist society organized and bought the church. They now have quite a flourishing church.

frame building. Of the original members only Asa Nisswonger and wife are now living. Silas Farley was the first class-leader. Other early members were John Wells. Gersham Morron, John Huffman. John Barnett and their wives. The present membership is about thirty- five. Among the early preachers were Revs. Edward H. Taylor, John Swazey, Jeremiah Phillips, David Cross, N. C. Worthington and Lud- well Petty.

The Free Methodist church at Mount Tabor was organized in 1875 by Rev. William H. James, of Mich- igan. There were nine original members. The church was built in 1876 at a cost of about $600. The present membership is about thirty.

St. Michael's Church. -- St. Mi- chael's Roman Catholic church was established in 1841. The building, a brick structure, was erected in that year through the efforts of Michael Archer and under the direction of Rev. Father Murphy. Michael Archer and his brothers, Simon and Nathan, with their families, con- stituted the original membership. Other early members were the Doyles, McCunes, Cullens, Hark- nesses and others. Prior to 1841 the settlement had been visited by Fathers Reed, McCallion and Finley. Since the church was built the pastors have been Fathers Murphy, Cramer, Brummer, Kluber, Luttig and Fla- dung. It is in the same pastorate with St. Mary's at Fulda. St. Mi-

Mount Tabor Churches. - The Methodist Episcopal church at Mount Tabor was organized at the house of John Wells in 1836. Soon after, a graveyard was laid out and a meet- ing-house of hewed logs erected. The house was burned in 1854 and : chael's now has about seventy mem- replaced by the present edifice, a | bers.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LEXOX AND TILDES PENDATIONS

08. 2. Peux ence

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BIOGRAPHICAL.

" BENNY PENN, the father of Ben- jamin F. Penn, the subject and writer of this sketch, was born in the State of Maryland, October 13, 1774. He was twice married, his first wife being a Miss Redmond, by whom he had seven children: Caleb, Reason R., Charles K., Greenbury V., Nancy, Ellen and Ann. His wife died about 1820. In 1822 he married Miss Rhoda Anderson, born August 31, 1791. By this marriage he had two children: George W., born November 8, 1825. and Benja- min F., born June 8, 1832, in the County of Anne Arundel, Md. In the year 1832 my parents emi- grated west, and settled near the "In 1845 I went to Middletown, to live with my half-brother and go to school. Soon after my arrival I determined to visit my brother at Carlisle, and on the 9th of November, on Sunday, I started on foot, arriving the same evening about dusk, having traveled twenty-six miles, tired, hun- gry and with six and a quarter cents in my pocket, this being my entire capital. My brother wished me to remain near him, and the following Tuesday succeeded in getting me a situation as clerk and errand boy in J. E. & C. A. Boyd's store, for which I received my board and clothes. I remained with them till the fall of 1846, when my brother procured me a situation with William McPherson of Carlisle, as clerk and errand-boy, for which I received $40 per year; at the close of the year I had due me of this salary $25. In the winter of 1846-7 my brother caught a severe town of Fairview, Guernsey County, Ohio. There they lived a happy family till my father died, April 17, 1840, leaving the family without a home. All our effects did not amount to more than $150 in value. On account of our scanty means, my mother was unable to keep house. My brother George went to Middletown to learn the saddle and harness trade under his brother Greenbury, and mother and I became dependent upon rela tives and friends. In this way we lived in Guernsey and Belmont Coun ties till 1843, when we went on a visit to relatives in Knox County. The same year my brother left Mid- dletown and came to Carlisle, Noble County, to clerk for Moses C. Mor- ton, who had a store here. I lived with an uncle in Knox County, work- ing on a farm in summer, doing chores and going to school in winter. I cold, which resulted in quick consump-

Prior to this time I had labored under many disadvantages in my efforts to obtain an education, one of which was my frequent removals from one school district to another. I have, in my school years, from eight to thirteen, attended all kinds of country schools, good, bad and indifferent, held in all kinds of houses, from a log cabin with greased paper for windows and split saplings for seats, with other corresponding accommodations, to a brick building of small dimensions and planed boards for desks. Though a diligent student, it is not to be wondered at that I left school with but a small stock of scientific lore.

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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

tion, and he left Carlisle about the ; no permanent home, going to school first of April and went to his half- with the children of the relative with whom. I was staying, and changing my place of abode frequently. In the spring of 1849, being anxious to obtain employment, I wrote to B. L. Mott, of Carlisle, asking for a clerk- ship in his store; receiving a favora- ble reply, I started at once. After clerking for him three months, I en- gaged with Elias Ayles to learn the i tinner's trade, thinking I should like to be a tinner. brother's at Middletown, where he lingered on till July 7, 1847, when he died, and was buried beside his father in the cemetery at Fairview. He had been a father to me while in Carlisle, and his loss was more than that of a brother. I was left a boy of fifteen, without a protector, without a guide; but, thanks to the early training of a . religious mother, I was enabled to shun the vices and resist the tempta- tions of which Carlisle had an abun- " After six months he failed, and I was again out of employment. In a few days I entered John R. Whar- ton's store again, in which I remained four months; then, to accommodate a friend in want of a place, I gave up my situation to him, and found em- ployment with B. L. Mott once more. This was in the spring of 1850. After staying with him three months I engaged with C. A. Boyd, who in the fall of 1850 left Carlisle and went to Macksburg, Washington County, I going with him as partner. We staid there about nine months, when, for want of a store-room, Mr. Boyd went to Beverly, buying out my in- terest. I remained with him as clerk. A month after his removal to Beverly I was sent to Carlisle on a collecting tour, and while there was solicited by S. J. Boyd to come and clerk for him. More on account of some other attractions than the salary offered, I engaged with him, going back to Beverly to report proceedings. In a few days I returned and entered upon my duties as clerk for S. J. Boyd. with whom I remained till the fall of 1853. I never received any big pay dant stock. After leaving William McPherson I clerked for J. E. & C. A. Boyd eight months, then for John R. Wharton for one month. I then left Carlisle and joined my mother, at my uncle's, near Som- : erton, Belmont County. My mother and I now made arrangements to take a house in Fairview, where we were to reside. It was my intention at this time to study medicine with James Warfield. We accordingly moved to Fairview in June, 1848, and I commenced going to school preparatory to entering upon my medical studies. In a few months we found it impossible, with our limited means, to carry out our de- sign, so we gave up our house and returned to Knox County again. We visited among relatives two months, when, becoming tired of doing noth- ing, I set about looking for work. I succeeded in getting a clerkship in the store of William Reed, of Mt. Vernon, who sold out two months after, leaving me again in the cold. I returned to my relatives and staid with them during the winter, having

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for clerking-never more than $12.50 per month. In the fall of 1853, having accumulated by wages and trading the sum of 8600, I entered into part- nership with Mr. Boyd in the mer- cantile business.

"On the 16th of October, 1853, I married Martha Enochs, daughter of Abraham and Mary Enochs, Abra- ham being the son of Elisha Enochs, one of the pioneers of the East Fork of Duck Creek. His wife's maiden name was Nancy Archer. They had eleven children, eight boys and three girls. The boys were Henry, Abijah, Abraham, Simon, Cornelius, Samuel, Isaac and John; the girls were Cynthia, Susan and Nancy. Abraham married Mary McBride, whose father, John McBride, was one of the old pioneers, and whose mother was one of the Crow girls who were attacked by the Indians on Wheeling Creek, as related elsewhere in this work, and her two sisters slain. The children of John McBride were William, John, Martin, Jacob, Michael, George, Susan, Nancy, Christine, Mary and Elizabeth. Abraham and Mary Enochs had nine children: John, "My mother came from Knox County in 1854, and made my house her home until she died, March 7, 1861. Her remains lie in the ceme- tery at Fairview. Richmond, Benjamin and Edward ; Martha (wife of the subject of this sketch), Mary, Christine, Nancy and Margaret. Martha was born near Carlisle, January 28, 1834, where she " November 14, 1872, Rilla A. was married to J. S. Prettyman. She and her husband resided in Carlisle. Two children were born to them - Franklin L. and Willie P. April 29, 1881, Rilla A. died, leaving her hus- band with two small children, and on the 10th day of the following resided until her marriage. She, like myself, had labored under many dif- ficulties in obtaining but a limited education. She has been a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church since she was eleven years of age. Soon after our marriage we settled in Carlisle, and in August, | September the youngest child, Willie

1854, I purchased S. J. Boyd's in- terest in the store, thereby contract- ing a large debt, one that staid with us for ten or twelve years. I bought considerable tobacco, had many ups and downs in my mercantile career. sometimes suffering losses I feared I could never recover from ; but by be- ing hard to discourage, diligent in my business, and having in S. J. Boyd a constant and untiring friend, I finally succeeded in ridding myself of my debts. While I continued in the mercantile business, twenty years in all, I prospered. I had at one time a branch store at Cameron, W. Va. In the time I was in active business I have had five partners-Leonard Orme, I. C. Phillips, P. C. McGovern, A. R. Phillips and J. S. Prettyman, and nine clerks-I. C. Phillips, John Penn, David Gordon, R. F. Phillips, P. C. McGovern, George Neiswanger, Israel Archer, J. S. Prettyman and Jesse Lanam We have been blessed with three children : Rilla A., born July 28, 1854; Sadie E, born Novem- ber 1, 1858, and Ella, born February 10, 1864.

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HISTORY OF NOBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

P., followed his mother to the angel owned by his grandfather, near the site now occupied by the town of East Union, Noble County. Ohio. land. Both mother and son were buried in Carlisle cemetery. Sep- tember 6, 1882, Ella was married to ļ His father, eldest son of James. Sr .. R. W. Smith. They have two chil- i was born in 1805, and came to Ohio dren: one boy, Frank P., and one . from Greene County, Pa .. when girl, Grace. On the 25th of Febru- ary, 1883, Sadie E. was married to : Cynthia Morris, who was born in A. W. Barnes. She died June 24, ! 1883. She was buried in the ceme- i tery at Carlisle.

"I have been associated with a company organized to test the terri- tory in the vicinity of Carlisle for oil. The company was organized some two years ago. We leased several thousand acres of land, and put down four test wells, all of which were failures.

"I own seven hundred acres of land besides the fifteen acres belong- ing to my town residence. I have been school director for some twenty years; postmaster for four years; and treasurer of the township more than twenty years. With one ex- ception, I have always voted the Republican ticket."

It is but justice to Mr. Penn, and to those who know him best, to add that but few men stand higher in the public esteem in all that is essential to good citizenship. Commencing life at the bottom round of the lad- der, he has won success solely through his own personal efforts in all the departments of life. Ile is one of those gentlemen whose iden- tification with any community is always productive of good.

1 1

STEPHEN M. ARCHER, son of James and Cynthia Archer, was born June 28, 1838, on the land entered and

four years of age. He married 1809, a grand-niece of Robert Mor- ris, one of the signers of the Declar- ation of Independence, and daughter of Isaac Morris. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. in which he zealously labored as exhorter and preacher for many years, doing much good for the church in those early times. He died August 14, 1856. His wife survived him several years. She also was an earnest Christian, and on the 5th of March, 1884, fell asleep in the hopes of a happy resurrec- tion.

A local newspaper says:

"Died, March 5, 1884, Mrs. Cyn- thia Archer, wife of Rev. James Archer. She raised a family of thir- teen children - seven boys and six girls. The loved and loving sister, wife, mother and friend died where womanhood's morning sun touches the evening star, while the shadows were falling toward the west. She had passed on life's highway the stone that marks the seventy-fourth vear, four months and twenty days. but being weary for a moment, she lay down by the wayside, and using her burden for a pillow, fell into the dreamless sleep that kissed down her eyelids still. Yet, after all, it may be best ; the end of each and all, and every life, no matter if its every

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hour is rich with love, and every moment jeweled with a joy, will, at its close, be a sad and deep and dark mystery. This tender woman in every storm of life was brave, but in the sunshine she was vine and flowers. She was the friend of the poor. She left all spite and malice far below, while on her forehead fell the golden dawning of a grander day. She sided with the weak, and with a willing hand gave alms with a kind heart, and with the purest hands she faithfully discharged all her duties. She added to the sun of human joy, and were every one for whom she did some kind and loving service to bring flowers to her grave, she would sleep beneath a wilderness of flowers. She leaves a family of six children, and two brothers and many friends to mourn her loss."

They had thirteen children - sev- en boys and six girls. The boys were George W., John W., Stephen M., Isaac B., James, Jonas and Rob- ert, of whom Stephen M. and Isaac B. are living. The girls were Ame- lia, Sophia, Celia, Elizabeth, Cath- arine and Cynthia, of whom Ce- lia and Cynthia are still living. Stephen M. married Rachel, daugh- ter of Cyrus and Lucinda Matheny, May 7, 1857. She was born July 29, 1840. Their children are Lucin- da L., born February 18, 1858, died June 26, 1858; Mary E., born March 2, 1859, died August 19, 1859; Mar- tin B., born August 26, 1860, mar- ried Arabelle A., daughter of Joseph and Caroline Rutherford, October 29, 1881, by whom he has two children

(Bertie May, born September 11, 1883, and Jessie Rosa, born May 16, 1885). Ile is a Marion Township farmer. Milton W. was born March 19, 1862. Ile has taught several terms of school, but is now engaged in the mercantile business in East Union, where he has a good store-room filled with a fine selection of merchandise. Odell was born April 11, 1864, died September 21, 1864; Martha, born December 15, 1865, died March 13, 1867 ; Neal, born December 5, 1867, died May 20, 1868 ; Rosa, born July 6. 1869, is a teacher; Cicero M., born August 12, 1871, and Esther L. and Eastman W., twins, born September 9, 1873 ; Ste- phen M. born October 17, 1880. Mr. Archer received one hundred acres of land from his father's estate, but his father afterward becoming some- what involved, he paid $1,000 for him, which was near one-half the value of the land inherited. To the tract men- tioned he has added from time to time, until he now has four hundred acres of as fine agricultural and pasture lands as can be found on the East Fork of Duck Creek, a stream noted for the fertility of the soil in the country bor- dering on its banks. As an example of thrifty farming we will give one in- stance told us by Mr. Archer. In 1871 he bought one hundred acres of land, . and borrowed the money of William J. Young to pay for it, going in debt $6,000, and paying ten per cent inter- est. In four years he had his land paid for, and was out of debt. When we remember the panic of 1873 this is a remarkable example of success- ful financiering under adverse condi- tions, which requires sound judgment

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and keen penetration. He has been somewhat extensively engaged in dealing in stock, horses, cattle and hogs, for many years, and is one of the few who have made money at it. He tells a good story of one of his early deals: " When I was about fifteen years old," says he, "my father sent me out one day to look up some fat hogs four or five miles from home. I chanced upon a man who said he had three for sale. Dismounting and going to his lot, I found three very fine hogs, which would weigh, as I judged, 250 pounds, or upward. I inquired the price. After much hemming and hawing, he wanted me to make him an offer. I told him I would give him $12 for them; he said he could not take it ; he had de- cided that nothing less than $10 would buy them. I told him I would not give it, but I would split the difference with him and give him $9, which he finally consented to take, and I drove the hogs home." In 1862, in partnership with Naa- man Harris, he engaged in the mercantile business in East Union, but went out in 1866. Ile has bought tobacco since 1860, aver- aging, he thinks, sixty-five hogs- heads per year.

Mr. Archer, like most men of his i : age, had very few educational advan- tages in his youth, but judging by 1 the facility with which he attends to his varied business interests, he im- proved them to their utmost. Ile is not only a liberal supporter of schools, but an earnest advocate of advanced thought in all literary and ! scientific departments. Upon his

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History of Noble County, Ohio: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men, Part 53

Author: Publication date: 1887 Publisher: Chicago : L.H. Watkins Number of Pages: 709

Author:
Publication date: 1887
Publisher: Chicago : L.H. Watkins
Number of Pages: 709