History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c., Part 157

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968

USA > Ohio > Richland County > History of Richland County, Ohio : (including the original boundaries) ; its past and present, containing a condensed comprehensive history of Ohio, including an outline history of the Northwest, a complete history of Richland county miscellaneous matter, map of the county, biographies and histories of the most prominent families, &c., &c. > Part 157

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

on the scene, who joined in the race, but not until the ferocious brute had dragged the child over logs and through the brush for near half an hour, could he be made to relinguish his hold. The parents expected to find her dead, but strange to say, she was uninjured save a few slight scratches. A son of John McClellan has been living with Mr. Rider and wife since he was about 4 years old. They propose giving him a liberal education .

RUMMEL, LEWIS, farmer ; P. O. Newville ; was born in Frederick Co., Md., Sept. 18, 1804 ; his father was a Prussian and his mother an American ; his father served three years and six months as a soldier in France, then came to America, where he followed the trade of miller. Lewis Rummel was a miller fifty years, is now spending his old age on a farm two miles west of Newville. Before he left the State of Mary- land, he married Elizabeth Nichols, in 1827; in the course of time, there were added to the family five sons and two daughters; his wife died Aug. 28, 1829; in 1840, he married Anna Craig ; he had four sons and two daughters by his second wife, Oct. 1, 1828, he came to Tiffin, Seneca Co., Ohio, where he remained five or six years, then removed to Wyandot County ; from there to Crawford, and then to Richland in' 1849; from here, he went to Knox County, where he stayed eleven years, and then returned to Richland, where he purchased a farm and has since lived. He united with the Disciples' Church in 1846, of which he has since been an honorable and consistent member. He sent two sons to the war during our late rebellion -James was in the 100-day service; John, served nine months, when hewas discharged, but afterward re-enlisted in the 100day service. John was Sergeant in the 65th O. V. I. ; two brothers and a son-in-law of Mrs. Anna Rummel vere also in this war.

SECRIST, DAVID farmer; P. O. Butler. Mr. Se- crist was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., in 1815; his father, Henry Secrit, followed weaving partly, also farmed; he was bom in Pennsylvania, and married Rachel Crim ; she bcame the mother of eight sons and three daughters; ir1827, they came across the mount- ains to Ohio and sttled in Wayne Co .; remained here till 1830, when the came to Richland Co., Washington Township, where hey bought, fenced and improved 160 acres of land ; his wife dying, he married a Mrs. Sentz, whom he utlived; he died in 1860. David, the third son, wored on the farm when a boy; after- ward learned the hoemaker's trade, which he followed for thirty years. He married James McClay's daugh- ter, Jane, who ws a resident of the State of Pennsyl- vania ; by this

mion he had seven children, four of whom are living

his wife died June 28, 1853, leaving him witlı a famil of small children, who awakened the compassion of ifnnah Hunter, so that in November of the same year, he agreed to see them well cared for by becoming h wife; she subsequently became the mother of a sd and daughter; her father, William Hunter, was afitizen of Saratoga Co., N. Y .; he came to Ohio in 183; settled in Washington Township, where he enteed 80 acres of land, on which he died in 1849; he wasmarried to Nancy Stiles; she raised a family of fouren children, and died in 1858. David Secrist has oned a number of farms ; he first bought

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20 acres of Steven Bishop; afterward 15 acres; then 15 acres of the Hazelet farm; then 160 acres in Indi- ana, which he sold, and bought 80 acres of the Rummel Mill property, sold it and bought the Joseph Clever farm, known formerly as the Suninous farm, he sold same and bought 144 acres of the Kanaga farm; sold and bought 160 acres now owned by Isaac Gatton ; sold it and bought in Independence ; sold there and bought 80 acres known as the Samuel Easterly farm, and the 80 acres of the Peter Layman farm, where he now lives ; also 80 acres in Brown Co., Kan .; he and his son also bought 182 acres in Clarke Co., Ill., where the latter lives. Mr. Secrist is a member of the Evangeli- cal Association Church ; he has been connected with the same twenty-three years ; has held several offices. llis son George was in the late war. He has two broth- ers who are preachers in the Evangelical Association Church.

SECRIST, WILLIAM A., M. D .; Independence. He was born in Worthington Township in 1853; he at- tended school at the Northwestern College, located at Naperville, Ill .; he studied medicine with Dr. George Mitchell, of Mansfield, and after completing his studies, attended lectures at the Medical Department of the University of Wooster; he is now located at Independ- ence, Ohio. Dr. Secrist is a young man of good habits, a Christian and a gentleman in the strictest sense ; he offers his services to the public, and will attend to all calls in his profession with promptness and dispatch.

SHARP, H. H., carpenter : Newville. II. H. Sharp was born in Washington Co., Penn., April 25, 1823; his father's name was Adam Sharp, and his mother's name Mary Sharp ; he was raised in Wayne Co., Ohio ; he came to Newville in 1842; he learned the carpen- ter's trade with Isaac Pulver. Was married to Mary Ann Switzer, second daughter of Martin and Nancy Switzer, April 24, 1844, by whom he had six chil- dren, three sons and three daughters-Charlotte Mahala, born March 8, 1845; Martin Luther, Nov. 3, 1846 ; Sarah Jane, Oct. 27, 1848 ; Cornelius, Dec. 30, 1852 ; Thomas Wilson, Jan. 2, 1854, and Alice Christian, March 28, 1860. They lived in rented houses for a good many years. Mr. Sharp was considered a very good workman ; as a framer, few in his region of the county could excel him ; he found no trouble in finding employment. In later life, he became a bridge contractor, and succeeded admirably well in this line of business ; he has probably constructed more bridges in this county than any other man who resides in it. He purchased 80 of acres land in Washington Township, about one and a half miles west of New- ville ; he removed his family on this farm and con- tinued to reside here for many years ; he erected a very good frame dwelling thereon, and a good barn, and made many other valuable improvements. A large portion of the success that Mr. Sharp met with at this time may be attributed to his wife ; she was in- deed a notable housewife ; her husband being necessa- rily from home a great portion of the time, the whole management of the farm and household devolved upon her ; she succeeded in this fully as well, perhaps, as her husband would have done had he been personally present to oversee the same; he had so much confi- dence in her, that all his hard earnings were intrusted

to her care ; nor was this confidence misplaced. Mrs. Sharp was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church from her girlhood ; she was liberal almost to a fault in her contributions for the relief of the distressed and the support of the Gospel ; she was an invalid for some time before her death, Dec. 5, 1870. Mr. Sharp was married to Miss Margaret Beveridge, daughter of John and Catharine Beveridge; her mother's maiden name was McHardy ; Miss Beveridge was born near Aber- deen, Scotland, May 29, 1833 ; her parents emigrated to the United States when she was but 9 months old, and settled near Savannah, Ashland Co., Ohio ; her father died when she was about 7 years old, and was buried at Savannah ; she had three brothers-John, William and James, and one sister who died in child- hood ; William died of consumption in 1863, and was buried at Troy, Ashland Co., Ohio; her father and mother were members of the U. P. Church for many years ; soon after her father's death, her mother rc- moved to Norwalk, Ohio ; Margaret came to Newville in 1860, and lived with her brother John until she was married : her mother died Dec. 30, 1862, and was bur- ied at Norwalk. Soon after his second marriage, Mr. S. sold his farm and bought another adjoining the town of Newville, on the southwest, where he and his wife still continue to reside. By his second wife, Mr. Sharp had one child, a son, named Leroy, who died in infancy and was buried at Four Corners ; his wife was for many years a member of the Lutheran Church, but now be- longs to the United Brethren.

SWENDAL, JOHN, deceased ; was born in Ireland, A. D. 1779 ; he was a weaver by occupation ; he start- ed for America in 1812, on the way he was captured by the British and retained as a prisoner thirteen weeks ; when released he came to New Jersey, where he worked at his trade a few years ; from there he came to Pennsylvania, where he was, on the 1st day of July, 1817, united in marriage to Miss Jane Ray, who came to Ohio about 1823, and settled in Worthington Township, the ensuing year ; they were both laid to rest many years ago, in a country graveyard in their imme- diate neighborhood ; they were the parents of four chil- dren, two of whom died in infancy ; a son and a daugh- ter are still living ; their son, whom they named Arthur, was born in Bedford Co., Penn., Aug. 24, and was brought to Ohio by his parents. His parents be- ing United Presbyterians, he was trained in his youth strictly in accordance with the discipline of that church. He was raised on a farm and trained to habits of industry and economy. May, 14, 1848, he was mar- ried to Miss Eliza Price, by whom he had seven chil- dren ; three sons and four daughters ; three died in infancy, two sons and two daughters are still living. His wife died Feb. 17, 1864; in May, 1865, he was united in marriage to Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John and Mary Kinton; ere the first anniversary of their marriage day came around, his beloved com- panion was laid in the silent tomb. He married the third time, Mrs. Emily McKee, of Washington Township : Mr. Swendal is a man of but few words, but a thoughtful reader and deep thinker; he is pretty well informed on many of the important sub- jects that engross the public mind ; his favorite book, however, is the Bible, which he has made his

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principal study for many years ; he united with the United Presbyterian Church early in life, and contin- ued an active and constant member thereof, until the church in his neighborhood ceased to exist, when he united with the Evangelical Association at Salem, Worth- ington Township, of which he is now an honored and efficient member. Mr. Swendal has taken an active part in the affairs of his township, especially in the cause of education, and also the improvement of the public highways; he served as a member of the Board of Education for many years ; he was also one of the Trustees of his township several terms ; he has administered on several estates, and collected a great deal of money for other parties ; in all his busi- ness transactions he has displayed the characteristics of an honest man.

SHEEHY, EDWARD, farmer ; P. O. Butler ; Edward Sheehy was born in County Cork, Ireland, in 1809; his father, John Sheehy, was also born there ; by occu- pation, he was a farmer ; he married Mary Mccarthy ; they raised five daughters and two sons; the mother died in Ireland in 1821. John Sheehy and family emi- grated to this country, and entered 240 acres in Monroe Township ; he cleared and cultivated it till 1829, when he died. Edward bought 80 acres of this land. He was married to Mary Ann Stout, daughter of James Stout; she became the mother of five sons and four daughters, all of whom are .living except William, who was killed during the rebellion ; Mrs. Sheehy died in 1856. Jan. 30, 1860, he was married to Mary Greer, daughter of Alexander Greer ; by this marriage, he has had one son and two daughters. In the fall of 1860, he sold his farm in Monroe to C. Welty, for $3,000; then bought 110 acres in Sec. 19, Worthington Township, for $3,000, where he has since lived. His son William died of small-pox, at Knoxville ; during the war, he was under A. Mclaughlin, in the Ohio Cavalry : John served throughout the war and came home at the close; he was in Company D, 15th O. V. 1., 1st Brigade, 3d Division.

SIMMONS, WILLIAM B., farmer ; P. O. Butler. Mr. Simmons was born Aug. 19, 1820, on the northwest quarter of Sec. 15, Worthington Township ; he was the eldest son by a second marriage; his father, Thomas Simmons, was born in Westmoreland Co. Md., and at an early period of his life removed to Virginia; by occu- pation he was a farmer; his first wife was Ruth Fla- hart, by whom he had seven children, two dying in in- fancy; his wife died in 1816; he afterward married Mary Piper, who bore him twelve children. Thomas Simmons came to Richland Co. . Jan. 1, 1813, and en- tered 160 acres of land in Sec. 15; he was in the war of 1812, from which he returned in safety ; he had two sons, John and Jacob, who were in the Mexican war ; John, Abraham and Otho served in the late war, on the Union side, where Otho died; Jacob was first a Cap- tain, afterward a Colonel in the same war on the rebel side. Thomas Simmons died in 1844; his second wife lived five years after this. William Simmons was mar- ried to Mary McClellan Nov. 11, 1841 ; his wife's birth occurred but nine days before his own; they had seven sons and five daughters, only three of whom are living. In 1850, he bought 80 acres in Sec. 28, for $900; after- ward, 26 acres in the same section. He was so unfor-

tunate as to lose his wife in 1870, March 14; July 14, 1873, he was married to Margaret Simmons. The 26th day of May, 1876, he and his son Stewart were washing sheep in the Clear Fork, near Independence ; Stewart went into water twenty-two feet deep to bathe, after they had finished their work, when he was seized with cramps, and drowned ; the following lines were composed by his father and are engraved on his tomb- stone in the Bunker Hill graveyard: " Stewart Simmons died May 26, 1876, aged 29 years 4 months and 28 days.

" Low down in the deep waters my life I give o'er, But then I was arisen and carried to the shore, Where means were abplied my life to restore ;

But it was extinct and would never return to me any more."

SMITH, JOHN D., farmer ; P. O. Newville Mr. Smith is of English and German descent; he was born near Ashland, Ohio, Jan. 11, 1852. He married William Darling's second daughter, Selena, Nov. 25, 1873 ; Mrs. Smith, at 4 years of age, left her father's house to live with her Grandmother McCurdy, where she stayed till her marriage ; they then went to Indiana and bought 51} acres of land for $2,000, lived on it three years, when they were called home to see her father die : they promised on his death-bed to stay on the homestead until his son Winfred became 21 years of age. They have one daughter, Elizabeth Ann by name. For the rest of this family history, see Ann McCurdy's and S. M. Darling's biographies.

SMITH, HENRY, farmer; P. O. Newville ; was born in Germany in 1802; he and his father were both farmers ; they emigrated to Stark Co. in 1837, and bought 40 acres of land. Our subject was married to Elizabeth Sprou ; they had two children in Ger- many, three in Stark Co., four in Richland Co .; came to this county in 1843 and bought 160 acres for $1,500, afterward bought 9 acres for $700. He and his wife belong to the Lutheran Church ; his wife was born in 1804; her ancestors were also farmers. His sons farm for him.

SNAVELY, JOSEPH, farmer ; P. O. Newville ; was born in Franklin Co., Penn., March 30, 1822; his father, George Snavely, was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., in 1779 ; he was of German descent; he was married to Barbara Aldspaugh, whose ancestors were Germans ; in 1815, he removed to Franklin Co., Penn., and purchased 124 acres of land ; he continued to reside there twenty-two years ; in 1839, he sold this farın and removed to Ohio. On the last day of April, 1869, he bought one-fourth of Sec. 5, Worthington Township, of Peter Layman, for $2,000. This farm was partially cleared and had a log cabin upon it; he spent the remainder of his days on this farm ; he had to work very hard for a few years in clearing and cultivating ; but, as he grew older, his sons removed the burden of toil from their father's shoulders, and he spent his declining years in ease and comfort. George Snavely and wife were the parents of eleven children, seven sons and four daughters. They united with the United Breth- ren Church early in life, and continued to grow in grace and the knowledge of the truth up to the day of their death. Mrs. Snavely died Dec. 26, 1846 ; Mr. Snavely departed this life, Aug. 17, 1862.

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WORTHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Joseph Snavely, their fifth son, was trained by his par- ents to habits of industry, sobriety, frugality and strict integrity ; early in life, he commenced taking lessons of his father in the art of husbandry ; he was an apt student, and ere he attained his majority, had acquired a pretty thorough knowledge of his occupation. In April, 1847, he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Good ; the first land owned by Joseph Snavely was 2 acres in this township, now owned and occupied by Sam- uel Snyder ; he bought this lot for $100, and subse- quently sold it for the same ; the next farm he owned contained 25 acres, and was situated in Sandusky Town- ship, near the Crawford Co. line ; this lot cost him $400, and he sold it for $525; he subsequently purchased 80 acres in Ionia Co., Mich., for $400, and sold it for $600 ; his next purchase was 40 acres in his native township, for which he paid $950, and afterward sold it for the same price ; he then purchased the old homestead for $4,300; his next purchase was the farm now owned by Amos Norris for $2,800, and he subsequently sold it for the same price to Norris, who is his son-in-law ; he next purchased the farm now owned by James Near, adjacent to the town of Newville, containing 92 acres, for which he paid $5,000 ; after occupying this farm a short time, he sold it to Dr. Morrison for the same he paid for it, taking a farm of 56 acres a short distance east of town at $1,800, in part payment ; he sold this farm for the same he paid for it ; his next purchase of real estate was the Herring farm, south of Newville ; he paid $2,900 for this farm and sold it for $3,650; his last purchase was a farm of 78 acres in this township, now occupied by his son Peter, for which he paid $3,600. Mr. Snavely and wife are the parents of nine children, four sons and five daughters, christened as follows : Eliza Ann, Peter, Ellucinda, George, Sarah, Catharine, Samuel (and a twin sister who died in infancy), Daniel H. and Lemmory ; five of this number are married. Mr. Snavely and wife united with the U. B. Church in December, 1856, and have been zealous and active mem- bers thereof from that time to the present.

SPOHN, J. J., farmer; P. O. Butler; was born in Worthington Township, near Independence, March 19, 1838; he is a son of Martin and Mary Spohn, who still reside in that vicinity ; he was raised on a farm and received a common-school education ; on attaining his majority, he left the parental roof, to seek his fortune elsewhere ; he worked on public works two years ; he then went to Iowa, where he remained one year. Dec. 19, 1861, he was united in marriage to Miss Isabel, daughter of John Ramsey, Esq., of his native township; by this marriage, he had six children, four sons and two daughters, all of whom are living ; they are named in the order of their births as follows : Eliza Jane, El- more, William, John, Andrew and Thomas. Mr. Spohn bought 80 acres of land in Sec. 29, of his native town- ship, known as the McClay farm, for which he paid $1,650 ; he subsequently purchased of Jackson Nichols 25 acres adjoining his first purchase, and in the same section ; for this last tract he paid $1,000; he has erected an elegant house and large barn, on this farm, and very materially improved it in many other re- spects. Mr. Spohn was drafted during the late war, but the citizens of the township raised money and hired substitutes for the drafted men ; Mr. Spohn con-

tributed freely toward this object. His first wife died April 18, 1872. Feb. 13, 1873, he was married to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Louis Fisher, by whom he has had three children, viz., Kate, Eunice and Franklin. Mr. Spohn is an active member of a new secret temperance organization called the "Orients ", located at Independ- ence.

SPOHN, MARTIN, farmer ; P. O. Butler. His grand- father, Martin Spohn, Sr., was a Dunkard preacher, and was born in Washington Co., Penn., near old Philadelphia ; in 1744, he took what was called the "tomahawk- right improvement," which consisted in marking trees so as to inclose 160 acres of land, for which, after a specified time had elapsed, he was to pay the Govern- ment a certain sum of money, about $17 or $18. He married Mary Leatherman. He was both farmer and shoemaker ; twice per year he crossed the mountains, with two horses and pack-saddles, for leather and salt. His first wife had two sons and a daughter when she died ; he afterward married a Miss Donahue, and at 95 years of age he died. Ilis youngest son, Daniel, was born in 1775; he was a farmer; he married Sarah Mack, and came to Richland Co. in 1837, where he owned the Wilson estate at Independence ; he laid out the town of Independence in 1850; his family consisted of two sons and five daughters ; his wife died in 1839, he lived till 1864, when he lost his life by falling into the fire-place. Martin the eldest son was born in Washington Co., Penn., in 1804 ; farmed till 1826, when he followed distilling for two and one-half years; then resumed farming. He married Mary Moser, of Smith- field, Fayette Co., Penn .; they became the parents of five sons and two daughters ; his wife died in 1863 ; was married the same year.to Sarah Hersh, formerly Sarah Swigart, who, by her first marriage, had fifteen children ; they came to Ohio in 1832, and entered 80 acres in Tuscarawas Co .; lived there six years, and in 1838, came to Richland Co., where they bought 80 acres ; Mr. Spohn, in 1854, bought 80 acres more, and, in 1860, 154 acres. Ile owns 175} acres of land at present. Paid freely to clear the township of the draft. He belongs to the Ankneytown Dunkard Church.

TAYLOR, DAVID, farmer; P. O. Butler. Hon. David Taylor, one of the most extensive land holders in Worthington Township, was born in Bedford Co., Penn., in 1813 ; he is of Irish on his father's and En- glish descent on his mother's side; he came to Richland Co. (now Greene Township, Ashland Co.), when 8 years of age ; his father, William Taylor, bought three quarter- sections of land, part of which to-day is known as the Cary farm ; most of this land was military school land on which some of his neighbors found it impossible to meet the yearly payment of $19 and odd cents due to the Government ; and it being forced upon the market, Mr. Taylor bought it. Mr. William Taylor was married to Jane Wilson, in 1798, by whom he had ten sons and one daughter ; four sons and the daughter are living; James Taylor, a man of wealth, has retired from busi- ness and lives in the State of Oregon. William Taylor's wife died on the old farm in 1832; he afterward mar- ried Jane Hull, who had no children ; in his old age, he removed to Loudonville, where, in 1854, he died; his last wife lived several years after his death. The sub- ject of this sketch, David, married Elizabeth Calhound ;

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

he and wife have had six sons and four daughters; he owns 356 acres of land ; he has been Land Appraiser twice ; has been Commissioner six years.

WILLIAMS, JAMES, minister, Butler. Matthew Williams, father of James Williams, was born near Wellsburg, Va., in 1774 : he was of Welsh descent, and a farmer by occupation ; he came to Richland Co. either in the fall of 1811 or the spring of 1812; he was mar- ried to Susanna Carr, by whom he had three sons and seven daughters, two sons and three daughters of whom are yet living ; on coming to this county, he entered a quarter-section of land in Montgomery Township, near the eastern line; erected a log cabin thereon, into which he moved his family, and proceeded at once to clear and otherwise improve and cultivate his farm; erelong the log cabin was superceded by a hewed-log house, and many other valuable improvements made; he and his family, Thomas Carr and family, John Carr and family, Robert Hewland and family, Daniel Carter and family, and a family by the name of Jerome, lodged together in the fort or blockhouse at Jerome- ville for some time during the war of 1812; Jerome was married to an Indian girl ; the village was named for him. Mrs. Williams died at Jeromeville in 1820, and was buried there ; Mr. Williams departed this life in 1835, and his remains were deposited near those of his deceased wife. James Williams, their youngest son, was born in Tuscarawas Co. in 1811; he was brought to this county by his parents before he was 1 year old ; he was reared, partially at least, in the woods, and inured from infancy to the hardships of pioneer life ; lie assisted his father in clearing and cul- tivating his farm, during which time he received such education as the common schools of that early day af- forded. He has been twice married ; the maiden name of his first wife was Eliza Smith ; they were married by Rev. Thomas Thompson. In ten months after their marriage his wife died. In two years after the decease of his first wife, he was united in marriage to Miss Vanluah Whitten, daughter of William Whitten, by whom he had eleven children, eight of whom are now living. In 1830, he united with the Methodist Church, and in 1840 commenced the study of theology ; he served in the capacity of a local preacher for several years; in 1860, he entered the regular ministry, and officiated in that capacity from that time till 1876, when he left the Methodist and united with the Lu- theran Church; the labors of Father Williams have been extended into many parts of the State, and, as a laborer in his Master's cause, he has met with fair suc- cess. Father and Mother Williams are the parents of eleven children, six sons and five daughters. Their oldest, a daughter, was born in 1837, named Martha A .; she married Levi Gamber; he died in 1875. Their second, a son, was born in 1839, named Thomas W., was a member of the home guards during the late war; he died in 1863. Their third, a son, born in 1840, mar- ried in 1862 to Sarah E. Smith, was a member of the national guards in the late war ; served at Johnston's Island and near Washington City ; now resides in Delta, Fulton Co., Ohio. Their fourth, a son, named Russell S., born in 1843, enlisted in 1861 for three years or dur- ing the war; veteranized at the end of second year ; was killed in a charge at Bentonville, N. C., in 1864,

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Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848- Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co. Number of Pages: 968

Author: Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Mansfield, O. : A. A. Graham & co.
Number of Pages: 968