History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 46

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559

USA > Ohio > Preble County > History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches > Part 46

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AN,MARKLEY &C

JESSE GIFFORD

MRS. JESSE GIFFORD.

was born in Gratis township, Preble county, Ohio, April 10, 1813. 1 most together died Mr. and Mrs. Gifford, leaving a family of six Deprived of his parents before he was a year old, he has only a general young children, the eldest of whom was not more than fifteen years of age. The children were cared for by their maternal relatives, and Jesse, then but six months old, was left without a home. He was taken from place to place, never remaining at one house more than three months at a time. For about three years the kind-hearted matrons of the neighborhood cared for the motherless child. At the expiration of this time his uncle and aunt, William and Mary Cox, emigrated from North Carolina, and while en route for a new home in Indiana, stopped to see their old friends in Preble county. Having no children of their own they adopted Jesse, and proceeded on their journey, making a settlement in Wayne county, near Richmond, Indiana. knowledge concerning the beginnings of the Gifford family. How- ever, it is known that prior to the Revolutionary war, his grandfather Gifford resided in Pennsylvania, and that in this State his father, Will- iam Gifford, was born not far from the year 1770. Belonging to the society of Friends and being a man of peace, during the first mutter- ings of the impending war clouds the elder Mr. Gifford with his family joined a company of Friends, who were about to retire from Pennsylva- nia to the more peaceful territory of North Carolina. Among these emigrants were members of the Stubbs, Jones and other families, who afterward became identified with the Elkton settlement. The colonists settled in Guilford county, North Carolina. While here, William Gif- The little boy, when he became of proper age, was allowed to go to school about two days out of the week during the brief winter season; but during most of the time he had to stay at home and work. The school-house in which he received his limited education was of the true pioneer type, built of round logs, with dirt floor, stick and clay chim- ney, and huge fire-place extending across one end of the room. The light was admitted through windows made by taking out a section of log on either side of the room, and covering the aperture with greased newspaper. ford was married to Keziah Jones, daughter of William Jones, one of the emigrants from Pennsylvania. The people being thrifty, pros- pered in the South, but fearing the evil influences of slavery, which they bitterly opposed, and hearing of a richer agricultural territory in the new State of Ohio, quite a large company forthwith emigrated to this State and finally settled in Preble county. Induced by the glowing representations of his wife's brother, George Jones, William Gifford decided to move to Ohio, and in company with several of his brothers- in-law with their families, started for Preble county. The toilsome journey was made by wagon, and the little company was several weeks on the way.

About the year 1805 they came to this county, and made a stop in the vicinity of what is now West Elkton. William Gifford entered a quar- ter section of land about one-half mile east of this place. All was for- est, and there was no roof ready to shelter them save the overhanging boughs of the native forest. For some time the family lived in a can- vas tent, in which they had camped out every night since leaving their southern home. All joined together and rolled logs for the construc- tion of one another's cabins. Mr. and Mrs. Gifford were finally en- sconced in their new home, a rude, round-log cabin, with chinks daubed with mud, a stick and clay chimney belching forth the flames from the huge fire-place beneath. Mr. Gifford was a cooper by trade, and he did all the coopering for the neighborhood, thus making enough money to support his family. This work in addition to the arduous work of a new farm kept him very busy. By the fall of 1813 he had succeeded in clearing about forty acres, and was beginning in a meas- ure to make his family more comfortable, when both he and his wife fell fatally smitten with the "cold plague," which brought such woe to the settlers in that neighborhood. The plague baffled the skill of the physicians of that day, the patient being seized with a terrible feeling of coldness and thus falling into the icy embrace of death. Thus al-

Mr. Gifford was accustomed to go to market to Richmond on horse- back. His load consisted generally of six chickens, a wallet filled with cucumbers, and a little bucket of butter. He got six and a fourth cents apiece for his chickens, the same price for a pound of butter, and three cents per dozen for cucumbers. Richmond at that time consisted of one little store, and hat, shoe and blacksmith shop, and a few dwel- lings.

When Mr. Gifford was seventeen years of age, his brothers, feeling an interest in his welfare, urged him to come back to Preble county to attend to the securing of his little patrimony. Taking their advice, he forthwith left, although his aunt and uncle opposed his going, and forbade his return if he went. He came to this county carrying only the clothes on his back, and worked out by the month in the vicinity of Elkton. From the time of his arrival until twenty-one years of age, he managed, by rigid economy, to lay by one hundred and seventy-five dollars in cash, besides being the owner of a good team.

Having thus secured the basis of a start in life, from a financial standpoint, he thought to improve his domestic condition by taking a wife, and was accordingly married to Bethena Ricks, the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Ricks, who emigrated -from Guilford county. North Carolina, in 1830. She was born January 30, 1813. Soon after their arrival in Preble county, Mr. Ricks died very suddenly, leaving a family of four children unprovided for. They had been used to every

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comfort, and, although it was very hard, the older ones were obliged to seek employment whereby to make their living. Bethena, recognizing that skilled labor was most liberally remunerated, learned the tailor trade, and worked at it in the vicinity of West Elkton, and did so for a time after her marriage.

After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Gifford, which occurred October 18, 1834, the young couple settled on land about two miles east of Elkton. They lived here put a short time when Mr. Gifford sold the place, and for a few years rented land, in the meantime buying a farm in Indiana. He afterwards sold this and bought a farm of seventy-five acres, adjoining on the east the first farm he ever owned. After living on this seventy-five acre farm for about five years, he purchased one hundred and twenty-three acres of land, located about one mile north of the last farm. He lived on this place for about ten years, and six- teen years ago Mr. Gifford bought his present farm of seventy-five acres, and removed to his present residence on the day of Lincoln's second election to the Presidency. He now owns, besides this farm, ninety acres of land in Wayne county, Indiana, about five miles north of Richmond, which farm is now occupied by his son-in-law, John Bennett. Mr. Gifford now lives on the half of the quarter that in early times was said to be not worth entering, and it was prophesied that it would never be worth the taxes paid on it. It was thought to be too wet to be cultivated. It now produces as much corn and grass as any farm in the whole neighborhood, and is not much behind in the pro- duction of wheat. Since he moved to the farm he has improved the soil greatly by ditching. He has several times refused seventy-five dollars per acre for the place. Owing to the effects of a severe attack of typhoid fever. which prostrated him just before moving to his pres-

ent residence, north of Elkton, he has been unable to work regularly and has rented his farm. He has been paying considerable attention to the raising of stock, having at one time dealt extensively in hogs. During the past few years he has made sheep raising a specialty.

To Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have been born three boys and three girls, all of whom are living, five residing in this county. Their eldest son, Anuel, married Sar.th Koontz, and after her death married Ellen Owens, and has seven children. They reside in Greenbrush. Susan- nah married Elihu Stubbs, of Somers township, and is the mother of three children. Eliza A. is the wife of John Pugh, of Gratis township. They also have three children. Henry R., living a little west of Elk- ton. married Deborah Gecding, by whom he is the father of four chil- dren. Hannah, the wife of John Bennett, has three children, and re- sides in Wayne county, Indiana. Lindley A. married Sarah A. Ross, and lives just south of his father. He has three children.

Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have been fortunate in raising their family. not having had a death. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have long been faithful members of the Friends church at West Elkton.

The Giftords have been first old line Whigs and then staunch Repub- licans. Mr. Gifford has won the esteem of his fellow citizens by his genial manners and fair dealings, and now in his old age he lives secure and happy in the midst of friends who honor him.

Mr. Gifford's father and mother left six children at their death, of whom Jesse was the youngest. Nathan died on the old homestead in Preble county, as did Henry ; Andrew is living on Elkhorn, just east of Richmond. William died near the old homestead. Hannah married Jonathan Dix-both deceased.

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

worked at his trade as carpenter for twenty years, after which he became a farmer, and now owns a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres. The Maddocks came from England early in the eighteenth century, and set- tled in Pennsylvania. From there they moved to North Carolina, and from there to Georgia. They were amongst the earliest settlers of the latter State, where members of their family have held important offices.

John Stubbs came with his father, Joseph Stubbs, to Ohio in the year 1805, and settled on section thirty-four, of Gratis township. John Stubbs was born in Georgia in the year 1801. His wife, Eleanor Taylor, who was born in New Jersey, in 1809, is still living. Mr. John Stubbs died in Gratis in 1864. Eleven children were born to them, five of whom survive. Mariah married Joseph Brown; Joseph married Esther Cooper; Keziah married Isaac Commons; John F. married Rachel Ken- worthy, and Samuel A., born in 1849, married Lydia Ann Stubbs, daughter of Zimri Stubbs, of Preble county. They have one child, Mabel. Mr. S. A. Stubbs is en- gaged in the general merchandise business in West Elkton. He belongs to the society of Friends.

John F. and Rachel Stubbs have two children, Naomi and Charles. Joseph Stubbs and wife, Esther Cooper, daughter of William Cooper, of Butler county, have two children, William Cooper and Sarah Elizabeth.

Mr. Joseph Stubbs is living on the old homestead, which his grandfather entered when he first settled in Preble county.

Milton Stubbs is the son of Nathan and Ann (Men- denhall) Stubbs. He married Sarah J. Cooper. They have four children-Jonathar, Elizabeth Ann, Esther E., and Zimri. Milton has a fine farm of two hundred and four acres. Marmaduke Stubbs married Susar. Ken- worthy. He was born in 1838, and is the father of two children-Zimri A. and Mary L. The first meeting of the Friends' society was held on the farm on which he lives.

William Clevenger was born in New Jersey, about the year 1796. In 1806 he moved to Ohio, and settled in section twenty-four of Gratis township, where he died in the year 1860. His wife-Elizabeth Inman-was born in New Jersey. She died some fifteen years ago. They had eight children-George, deceased; Mary; Jonathan, married Sarah Turner; Jane, deceased; Harriet, de- ceased; Anna E., and William. William Clevenger, jr., married Catharine Gifford. They have had six children -Mary, Walter, Elizabeth, Effie Jane (deceased), Ida Minerva, and Lilla Myrtle. Mr. Clevenger owns a farm of four hundred and fifty-two acres. His residence and buildings are new. He was township trustee for two terms.

William Hixson was born in Georgia in 1777. From that State he emigrated to Gratis about 1806, and settled on section nine. His wife, Rachel (Stubbs), was a Geor- gian. She died in Gratis in 1848. Mr. Hixson was a member of the Society of Friends. He left a farm of three hundred acres to his three sons-John (deceased), who married Phebe Randall; William, who married Sarah Pierson; and Samuel, who is unmarried. John

had a family of eleven children. His family is in the west. William had six children-Samuel, Rebecca, Mary (deceased), Annie (deceased), Esta, and Milton. He has a farm of two hundred and fifteen acres. Samuel Hixson has a fine brick house, with an iron roof, which he built in 1873. He has lived all his life on his pres- ent farm.

Jonathan Roberts, a native of North 'Carolina, settled in Butler county, near Gratis township, Preble county, in 1805, where he died. His father was Walter Roberts, who also settled in Butler county. James W. Roberts, a grandson of the above, was born in 1847. His father is Samuel Roberts. He is one of six children, four boys and two girls. To him and his wife, Lucretia (Da- vis), have been born three children : Freddie C., Curtis S., and Willis. Mr. Roberts is a member of the Society of Friends. He is director of the school district and owns a farm of eighty acres, which he bought from Hiram Stubbs. Zeno Roberts, son of Jonathan Roberts, married Lizzie Borradaile, daughter of Joseph Borradaile. They have two children-Viola Adell and Albert Samuel. Elihu Roberts, a brother of the above, married Sarah Stubbs, and has had eight children-Mary Alma, Otis, Alonzo, Alpheus, Charles, Edwin, Margaret, and Linley.

William Roberts, born in 1829 is a son of Walter Rob- erts and Hannah Conarro and grandson of Jonathan Roberts. Five children have been born him-Margaret Jane, Conradin, Walter Scott, Laura Belle and Ida May. He has a farm of fifty acres. John B., brother of the above, married Mary C. Maxwell, by whom he has had one child-Jesse C. He has a farm of seventy acres on the Eaton and Winchester pike. Elisha Roberts son of Walter Roberts, married Sarah E. Gifford, by whom he had twelve children, nine of whom survive. Mr. Roberts has a farm of over sixty-five acres. The first farm which he owned in Ohio is now owned by Joseph Eby in the northwestern part of Gratis township. He then bought the farm he now occupies.

John Roberts was born in the year 1802 in North Car- olina. In 1805 he came to Ohio with his parents. His father was Jonathan and his grandfather was Walter Rob- erts. They moved from Pennsylvania to Carolina in 1783. John owned a farm in the northwestern part of Gratis in section eight. His wife was Rebecca, daughter of Richard Brown, who came to Ohio from Georgia. His children were Mary Ann, who married Charles Ross; Sarah, whose first husband was Elliott Pierson, the second Nimrod Bennett; Phoebe Lydia (deceased), Juliette (de- ceased), Zenith, Eliza Jane, who married William Lautis; Rebecca, who married Obediah Talbert; Susan (deceased). Mr. Roberts left a farm of one hundred and seven acres. His death occurred in 1850. During his life he was a member of the Society of Friends.

Richard Talbert was born in North Carolina in 1797. His father was Thomas Talbert, who came to Gratis in 1807, and who died there about 1844. Richard Talbert died in Gratis in June of 1874. To him and wife, Ra- chel (Harris) were born twelve children, eight of whom are still living, namely: Solomon, Lydia, Asa, Obediah, Elizabeth, Ruth, Thomas and Isaiah.

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

Solomon Talbert was born in 1819. His wife was Helah Blanchard. They have had eleven children born them, eight of whom are now living.

Asa Talbert, born in 1824, married for his first wife Sarah Townsend, by whom he had two children-Melissa Jane and Mary. He has had no children by his second wife-Elvira Stubbs. Asa Talbert owns a farm of one hundred and four acres as part of the old homestead.

Isaiah Talbert married Durinda Conarro, and has five children. He is interested in a large carriage manufac- tory. A full history of his business will be found under the head of "Industries" in this township.

Elijah Mendenhall, a Georgian, settled in Gratis town- ship in 1806. He located on the southeastern quarter of section thirty-four. His wife's maiden name was Martha Miller. Mr. Mendenhall left Georgia on account of his opposition to slavery. He came to Ohio with a number of persons who were, like himself, members of the Soci- ety of Friends. In 1814 he died in Gratis township. His wife survived him twenty-nine years and died near West Elkton in 1843. After the death of her husband she married Nathan Maddock, by whom she had two children. Elijah Mendenhall's children were, James, Alice, Annie, Marmaduke and Joseph. Marmaduke married Elizabeth Johnson and had eight children, six of whom are still living. Marmaduke Mendenhall was born in 1810 on the place where he now lives. His farm con- tains about ninety acres. Joseph L. Mendenhall, son of the above, married Delilah, daughter of Samuel Roberts. They have two children-Theodore S. and Arthur C. Mr. J. L. Mendenhall has a farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres, part of which belonged to the old Men- denhall homestead. He was at one time a member of the township board of education. William H. Menden- hall, brother of the above, was born in 1853. His wife was Sarah Eveline, daughter of Jonathan H. Payne, of Somers township. They have only one child. His farm contains about fifty acres-a part of the old homestead.

William Gifford was born in North Carolina in the year 1800. From that State he moved to Ohio in the year 1808 and settled in Gratis township. His wife was Naomi Farrell, of New Jersey. Their son Henry was married twice, first to Lucy Ann Parham, and then to Sarah Rix. He has had seven children. His son John married Elizabeth Cooper and has two children, Henry and Hattie. He owns a farm of one hundred and thirty acres on the Jacksonsburgh free pike, and is also a direc- tor on the school board and district clerk. Seth Gifford married Susan, daughter of George Hanger, of Gratis township. They have two children: Lucy A. and Jen- nie.

Mr. Seth Gifford owns a farm of eighty-five acres, where he has always lived. He served one term as a school director.

Nathan Hornaday, sr., was born in North Carolina in 1766. In 1806 he moved to Ohio and settled on section eighteen, of Gratis township. His wife was Ruth Pickets. They have had eight children, two of whom are living, John and Nathan. Mr. Nathan Hornaday, sr., died in Gratis in 1819. Nathan Hornaday, jr., married

for his first wife Lydia Graig, by whom he had one son, Samuel C. After her death he married Elizabeth Frances Connable. The fruits of this union were two sons: Lerton B. and Albert C. His wife dying, he married a third wife, widow Nancy Ann Pigman, of Hamilton, Ohic. Mr. Hornaday was a justice of the peace for most of the time since 1842. For five years he was an assistant internal revenue assessor. He is now a min- ister of the Methodist church.

David Hoover was born in North Carolina in 1765. From that State he moved to Ohio and settled, in 1800, near Dayton, Montgomery county. In the next year he moved to his home on the Stillwater, where he died in 1841. He came to Ohio in the year of the Marietta settlement, and started off by himself in the woods, where he made a home and was afterwards the owner of two good farms. His wife, Elizabeth Curtis, died in 1852 or 1853. They had eight children, of whom Daniel, James, and Andrew are now living. James married a daughter of Philip Andrews. They have nine children. Mr. Hoover has been a druggist for twenty years. He was in the furniture business in Lewisburgh.

Martin Sayler was born in Frederick county, Mary- land. In 1809 he emigrated to Ohio and settled in sec- tion three, of Gratis township. He died in Gratis in 1852. The town of Winchester is now standing on the land he entered. His wife, Elizabeth Wilson, died in Gratis in 1843. Mr. Sayler was one of the first trustees of his township. He was a millwright by trade and built most of the mills during the infancy of the township. Eleven children were born him: Catharine (deceased), Elizabeth (deceased), Christina, Anna, Patty, Sarah, Susan, Sebastian, Rachel, William (deceased), and one who died in infancy.

Dr. Christian Sayler was born in Virginia in 1804. His first wife was Esther Lining, by whom he had three children, two of whom, James and Caroline, are living. His second wife was Catharine Bruce, by whom he had six children, four of whom now survive: William, Elizabeth, Rachel, and W. Scott. Dr. Sayler, sr., has had the principal practice in Gratis for more than fifty years, but has now entirely retired from the practice of his profession. His two sons-both graduates of the Ohio Medical college-succeeded him. He owns one of the finest farms in the country, containing three hun- dred and forty acres adjoining the town. Dr. Sayler held the office of trustee some forty years ago, but has con- fined himself too closely to his profession to serve as a public officer for many years.

Dr. William Sayler, son of Dr. Christian Sayler, mar- ried Miss Sophia Nicodemus, daughter of Joshua Nico- demus, who came to Preble in 1838. They have two children, Lerton Roscoe and Mary Catharine.

Charles Wilkinson, born in Kentucky, emigrated from that State to Ohio about the year 1810, and settled in this township. He married Elizabeth Evans, and was the father of a family of twelve children. Their son William H. is one of the substantial farmers of Dixon township, which he acquired by hard labor and economy. In 1849 he married Anna Davis, who died in 1878.

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HISTORY OF PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO.

Peter Prugh was born in Frederick county, Maryland, from which State he moved to Ohio, and in 1811 he set- tled in section four in Gratis township. His wife was Elizabeth Gentis, of Clarke county, Ohio, who died in 1845. They had fourteen children-Abner, Peter, John, Daniel G., Sarah, Jacob, Joshua, Julia Anna, Izaac, Eliz- abeth, Benjamin, Abraham, Caroline, and Joseph.

Daniel G. has been married twice. His first wife was Sarah Swihart, by whom he had two children, Reuben Cassius and Albert Clayton. By his second wife, Anna Swihart, he had one child, Charles L. His farm is a fine one of three hundred and fifteen acres, on the Camden and Winchester pike.

Jacob Furey was born in Maryland. In the year 1816 they moved from that State and settled in Ohio, on sec- tion nine of Gratis township, where he died in 1838. His wife was Catharine Morningstar, who was born in Augusta county, Virginia. She died in the fall of 1860. Their son John came with them to Ohio. He was born in Maryland, in the year 1808, and died in Gratis town- ship in 1862. His wife, Catharine Brower, was born in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1810. They had eight chil- dren. Henry Furey married Arsenath, daughter of David Lautis, an early settler of Gratis township. They have had three children born them. Mr. Furey owns a farm of one hundred and thirty-five acres. He is a di- rector of schools and clerk of the district.

Elias Mackey was born in Pennsylvania, in the year 1790. In 1814 he emigrated to Ohio and settled on sec- tion eighteen of Gratis township. He died in Jefferson township in 1873. John Mackey, an ancestor of the Mackeys, was one of those who threw overboard the tea from the English ships in Boston harbor during the excitement preceding the Revolution. He afterwards served during the war and afterward came to Ohio with his children. Elias Mackey married Christina Phillips. Ten children were born to them. Lewis, son of Elias Mackey, married Minerva J. Robins. He has only one child living, Charles W., who is studying medicine with Dr. Sayler, of Winchester. Mr. Mackey has been a teacher in Preble county for thirty-six years.

George Hanger was born in Augusta county, Virginia, in 1795. From Virginia he moved to Ohio about the year 1813, and settled on section twenty-six of Gratis township, where he died in the year 1870. His first wife was Susan Loops, by whom he had four children, viz .: Elizabeth, Susan, Nancy Jane, and Katie Ann. His sec- ond wife, Mary Ann Krackengast, bore him three chil- dren-Sarah Margaret, George W. and Harriet. George W. Hanger married Catharine Judy, and has five chil- dren. He owns a farm of two hundred and twenty-six acres. For the past nine years he has heen a member of the school board.

Henry Bowman was born in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania, from which State he moved to Ohio, and in the latter part of 1814 he settled in Stark county. In 1855 he died in Albion, Indiana. His wife was Elizabeth Henning, who died in 1837. Soon after arriving in Ohio he was drafted into the army. He moved to Mansfield, Ohio, and stopped in the block-house. There were only

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 46

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 559

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559