USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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David Henry.
Daniel V. Dingman.
1851.
Do. Do.
do.
do.
1819. Do.
do.
Peter Musselman.
1852. Charles Slagle. Stephen Ludlow. Jno. Crumbaugh. Do. 1853.
E. D. Goble.
do.
John Matthews.
do.
do.
1821. Do.
do.
do.
1822. John Hathaway.
Geo. Morrison. Daniel V. Dingman.
do.
do.
1856. B. C. Wilkinson. J. H. Elliott. J. H. Doren.
Wesley Smith.
J. A. Wilkinson.
1823. D. V. Dingman. Jno. Hathaway. Wm. Skillen.
Daniel Hopkins. D. Henry.
do.t
1824. Do.
1825. Jesse Hathaway.
Benj. Blankinship. Benj. Manning.
do.
John Hathaway.
1826. Jesse Hathaway.
B. Blankinship.
do.
do.
Jno. Crumbaugh. Solomon Line.
1860. Jos. Higenbotham. Joseph Beeson. Wm. Dunlap.
Isaac Van Cleve. Samuel Marrs.
do.
do.
Wm. Miller. Do.
do.
do.
1830. Wm. Marrs.
Booth Burditt.
Benj. Manning.
do.
do.
1831. Wmn. Robinson.
Charles Johnston.
do.
do.
1865. C. Slagle.
do.
do.
1832. Marcus Peck.
Wm. Stump. George Chiles.
do.
do.
1866.
do.
do.
1833. Marcus Peck.
Wm. Peppers. John Blake.
do.
Wm. Taylor.
1834. Wm. Pepper.
Marcus Peck.
do.
do.
do.
1835. Joseph Garver.
Marcus Peck.
Isaac A. Wilkinson.
1870.
do.
do.
1836. Joshua Cox.
(1. B. McCartar.
A. Redinbaugh. Wm. Baker.
do.
do.
Leonard Elliott.
C. H. MeClure.
Joshua Cox.
Wm. Pepper.
George Chiles.
1873. J. L. Baringer.
do.
do.
E. Rockwell.
do.
Franklin Shaler. Benj. Manning.
1874. Do.
do.
do.
1840. George Chiles. Jno. M. De Wees. Chas. Johnston.
do.
do.
* Appointed by trustees.
+ Failed to appear and Samuel Taylor was appointed. # Special election July 8, 1826.
Dates.
Trustees.
Clerks. John Blake.
Treasurers. Benj. Manning.
1841. E. Rockwell. George Chiles. Chas. Johnston.
Wm. Pepper.
do.
1842. E. Rockwell. Joseph Garver. 1843. Isaac Randall. Do.
Richard Henry.
do.
1844. Do.
Wm. Pepper. do.
J. M. Burditt. do.
1845. Wm. Miller. Eleazer Hathaway. Isaac Wilkinson. Do.
1846.
Wm. Pepper. do.
1847. George Chiles.
do. do.
Wm. Miller.
1849. I. A. Wilkinson. W. R. Ried. Bazaleel Wagoner.
1850.
do.
do.
do.
do.
1854. Jno. Crumbaugh.
do.
do.
S. Ludlow. N. H. C. Monroe.
1857. J. H. Elliott.
Joseph Becson. do.
J. H. Doren.
Wm. Baker.
1858. J. H. Elliott.
A. A. Mulford. do.
Win. Baker.
Jno. Crumbaugh.
1859. Jos. Higenbotham.
R. D. Coon. do.
Wm. Skillen. Charles Johnston.t George Chiles.t
Wm. Pepper.
1827. Benj. Blankinship.
Washington Medaris. N. W. De Weese.
1861. E. Hathaway.
do.
Thos. Kiser.
Joseph M. Elliott.
1828. Isaac Van Cleve. Booth Burditt. Wm. Marrs.
do.
do.
1863. Washington Medaris. John Matthias.
W. R. Persinger.
J. M. Elliott. Emanuel McVay.
do.
do.
Marshall Pepper. James Johnston. Do.
R. D. Coon.
do.
1867. J. M. Elliott. .J. V. Wilson. 1868. N. W. De Weese. Do. 1869. J. V. Wilson.
do.
do.
Smallwood Thompson.
Joshua Cox. Benj. Manning.
1871. S. Y. Billingsley.
do.
do.
Ephraim Rockwell. Joseph Garver. 1837. Ephraim Rockwell.
Abram Randall.
1838. L. Elliott.
J. W. Monroe.
C. H. McClure.
1839.
do.
1875. U. M. Stiles.
Jos. Beeson.
do.
J. W. Monroe. C. H. McClure. 1876. James Wilkinson. . J. L. Baringer. D. M. Line.
do.
do.
Digitized by
1862.
1864. E. McVay.
Charles Slagle. W. R. Reed.
Marcus Peck
Wm. Moore.
N. W. De Weese. W. R. Jackson. Do.
1872. S. Y. Billingsley. Wm. Baker.
Benj. Wagoner. Do.
1848. I. A. Wilkinson.
The second election was held at the house of David Henry September 20, 1817, on which date David Henry was elected justice of the peace. Since that period officers have been elected from year to year, as shown by the following list :-
Daniel Vandemark. John Hathaway.
1820. John Hathaway. Geo. Morrison.
Samuel Taylor.
214
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO
Dates.
Trustees.
Clerks.
Treasurers. W. R. Persinger.
Poll Book of the Election held October 12, 1819.
Samuel Wilkinson. Luke Norris. Jacob LeMaster.
Caleb Goble.
Charles Weeks. John Hathaway.
John Mathews.
Alex. Jackson.
George Morrison.
George Pool. Jesse Jackson.
David Henry.
Griffin Marsh. Peter Musselman. . James Dingman.
Thomas Wilkinson. Rodham Talbott.
Poll Book of the Election held April 3, 1820.
David Henry.
John Hathaway. Elijah Monloney.
Jacob LeMasters.
Asa Hubble. Charles Weeks.
John Mathews. George Morrison.
Peter Musselman.
Wm. Skillen. Isaac LeMasters.
Wm. Van Camp.
Rodham Talbott. John Mathews, Jr. Jesse Hathaway.
Poll Book of the Election held October 10, 1820.
Lewis Bland. Wm. Johnston .. Edward Dwire.
Win. Van Camp.
John Johnston. George Morrison.
Isaac LeMasters.
John Hathaway. Peter Musselman.
Rodham Talbott.
John Mathews.
James Dingman, Jr.
Asa Hubble.
Henry Bryan.
Samuel B. Musselman.
Benjamin Manning.
Charles Weeks.
Alex. Jackson.
James Weeks. Adam Counts.
Joseph Danielson.
Jacob LeMasters.
Poll Book of the Presidential Election held November 3, 1820.
Jacob Jackson.
Wmn. Skillen.
James Skillen.
David Henry. John Mathews. Alex. Jackson.
George Morrison. John Hathaway. Caleb Goble.
The nine votes cast at this election were given solid for the following named Presidential electors: Edward W. Tupper, Thomas Kirker, James Mills, Benjamin S. Cox, Jeremiah Morrow, Allen Trimble, Wm. H. Harrison, and James Fergus.
Poll Book of the Election held April 2, 1821.
David Henry.
John Mathews. Peter Musselman.
G. Morrison.
Wm. Johnston. Jesse Jackson.
A. Counts.
Jacob LeMasters. A. Jackson.
Griffin Marsh.
Jacob Jackson. Joseph Danielson.
John Hathaway. Lewis Bland. Wm. Skillen.
Charles Weeks. Jesse Jackson, Jr. B. Manning.
Benjamin Beeden. John Johnston. Ira Dickson.
Poll Book of the Election held October 9, 1821.
Wm. Skillen.
David Henry. Alex. Jackson.
Samuel Musselman.
Benj. Blankinship. George Morrison.
Peter Musselman.
Charles Weeks. Jesse Hathaway.
John Hathaway. Rodham Talbott. Cornelius Hurley.
John Mathews.
Poll Book of the Election held April 1, 1822.
Jacob LeMasters.
Benj. Blankinship. Jesse Hathaway.
Thomas Wilkinson.
Adam Counts. Samuel Wilkinson, Jr.
Wm. Skillen.
Jesse Jackson. .
Thomas Wilkinson.
Benj. Manning.
Alex. Jackson. Daniel Goble.
Cornelius Hurley.
Daniel V. Dingman. Jesse Jackson.
Caleb Goble. Wm. Roberts. George Morrison.
Wm. Hurley. Reuben Jackson. Peter Musselman.
David Henry. John Hathaway. John Mathews.
Poll Book of the Election held April 7, 1823.
Joseph Danielson.
Gabriel Wilkinson. Lewis Bland.
D. V. Dingman.
Benj. Manning. Thomas Weeks.
Jacob LeMasters.
Thomas Wilkinson. Jesse Jackson.
Adam Counts. John Hathaway.
Jesse Hathaway.
Wm. Skillen. John Jackson. Daniel Hopkins.
James Dingman.
Wm. Roberts.
Samuel Taylor.
Caleb Goble. Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Poll Book of the Election held April 5, 1824.
David Henry.
Adam Counts. Wm. Roberts.
Daniel Hopkins.
Jason Taylor. Jacob Jackson.
Wm. Skillen.
Peter Musselman. John Mathews.
Jesse Jackson.
Benj. Beeden. Thomas Wilkinson
Jacob LeMasters. John Hathaway.
Reuben Jackson.
Daniel Whitmer. Joseph Danielson.
Wm. Mathews.
Samuel Taylor. Francis Kendall.
John LeFevre.
Digitized by
David Henry.
John Bryant.
Rodham Talbott.
Wm. Marrs. Edward Jackson. John Gilbert.
Enos Thompson.
James Dingman.
George Chiles.
Wm. Drake, Jr.
Wm. Robinson.
Asa Hubble.
Abraham Medaris.
Peter Princehouse.
Samuel Robinson.
Charles Weeks.
John Medaris.
Wm. Drake.
James Dingman, Jr. D. V. Dingman.
Poll Book of the Election held October 14, 1817.
James Dingman.
George Morrison.
Charles Weeks.
Samuel Robinson.
Wm. Marrs.
James Dingman, Jr.
Edward Jackson.
Rodham Talbott.
Mathias Sturm.
David Henry.
John Mathews.
John Gilbert.
Wm. Robinson.
Thomas Chambers.
Asa Hubble.
David V. Dingman. Abraham Medaris.
Poll Book of the Election held October 13, 1818.
James Dingman.
John Francis.
Asa Hubble.
Wm. Marrs.
Henry Sturm.
Peter Musselman.
John Mathews.
David Henry.
Wm. Sennan.
James Dingman, Jr.
Charles Johnson. Isaac Chiles.
George Chiles.
John Bryan. Wm. Robinson.
Edward Jackson.
Charles Weeks.
Peter Princehouse.
Henry Princehouse. John Medaris.
John Hathaway. . Poll Book of the Election held April 5, 1819.
David Henry.
Asa Hubble.
A. Minnear.
John Francis. Wm. Marrs.
Benjamin Manning.
Wm. Berry.
Charles Botkin.
Peter Princehouse. John Bryan.
A. Ellsworth. John Romack.
Wm. Ellsworth.
Enos Hathaway.
John Botkin.
Edward Jackson. D. Vandemark.
Richard Bush.
Alex. Jackson. Henry Sturm.
James Dingman. Abraham Medaris. John Mathews. Wm. Sturm. Edward Conroy. Win. Richardson.
John Johnston. Rodham Talbott. George Chiles. H. Sturm, Jr.
Wm. Drake. Charles Johnston.
D. V. Dingman.
F. Freader.
do.
C. J. Baringer.
Fielding Johnston.
do.
do.
1879. G. A. Murray. F. Johnston. S. Y. Billingsley.
do.
do.
1880. G. A. Murray. F. Johnston. P. G. Lucas. 1881. F. Johnston. S. M. Wagoner. B. F. Blake.
do.
do.
Justices of the Peace.
David Henry, 1817.
Geo. Morrison, 1820. David Henry, 1821. David Henry, 1824.
David Henry resigned Apr. 1, 1826. Booth Burditt, 1x26.
David Henry, 1829. D. Henry and Booth Burditt, 1832. Charles Johnston, 1834. Joseph Garver, April 28, 1837. Booth Burditt, April 30, 1838. Benjamin Wagoner, Apr. 16, 1840. Booth Burditt, April 16, 1841. Eleazer Hathaway, Apr. 15, 1843. John M. De Weese, Sept. 2, 1843. Charles Johnston, Apr. 22, 1846. Simon Hornbeck, Oct. 24, 1846. Charles Johnston, Apr. 10, 1849. David Henry, Nov. 3, 1849.
Charles Johnston, June 26, 1852. Charles Slagle, Oct. 24, 1x52. Marshall Pepper, June 27, 1855. G. R. Forsythe, Nov. 1, 1855. Marshall Pepper, April 16, 1858. G. R. Forsythe, Oct. 19, 1858. Wm. Dunlap, April 22, 1861. Marshall Pepper, Oct. 17, 1861. Thomas Kizer (resigned Feb. 2, 1865), April 23, 1864. John Matthias, Feb. 22, 1865. J. V. Wilson, Feb. 12, 1868. Isaac Speer, April 13, 1868. Isaac Speer, April 11, 1871. J. V. Wilson. Marshall Pepper, April 10, 1874. G. W. Clark. Marshall Pepper, April 17, 1877. G. W. Clark, April 20, 1877.
Wm. R. Reid (resigned May 24, 1852), April 17, 1852. G. W. Clark, April 14, 1880.
Poll Book of the Election held June 28, 1817, being the first election in the township.
John Francis.
Jesse Jackson.
Abraham Minncar.
John Ellsworth.
Samuel Robinson.
Mathias Sturm. Wm. Robinson.
John Medaris. John Murphy. Wm. Minnear.
James Bryan. H. Princehouse. Wm. Johnston. Thaddeus Tuttle. George Botkin. Charles Weeks.
Luke Norris. Griffin Marsh.
Gabriel F. Wilkinson.
-
A. J. Davidson, April 19, 1880.
1877. James Wilkinson. . Newton Miller.
Luther Staley. J. B. Jackson. 1878. E. F. Henry. J. B. Jackson.
215
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.
Poll Book of the Election held April 4, 1825.
David Henry.
J. Danielson.
James Dingman.
Jacob LeMasters.
B. Blankinship.
Jacob Jackson.
Wm. Skillen.
L. Blank.
Adam Counts.
Jesse Hathaway.
F. Kendall.
B. Skillen.
G. Taylor.
B. Jackson.
Wm. Drake.
B. Beeden.
Thomas Wilkinson.
Wm. VanCamp.
Jesse Jackson.
J. LeMasters.
G. F. Wilkinson.
B. Musselman.
P. Musselman.
A. Jackson.
I. Robins.
James Weeks.
John Hathaway.
I. M. Roberts.
M. Weeks.
Early Boundaries.
At the time of the organization of Shelby County (in 1819) Perry Township embraced all the territory now included within the townships of Perry, Orange, Green, Salem, Jackson, and a portion of Clinton. In September, 1819, Orange Township was struck off. In March, 1820, Green was detached from Orange. The following is a record of the metes and bounds as established by the Commissioners in 1825, and entered by their order: Perry Township begins on the southeast corner of section 4, town. 2, range 13, east line of Shelby County; thence north with said line to the northeast corner of the county; thence west with the county line to the line between sections 29 and 30, town. 1, range 7; thence south with the line between the said sections; continued on to the Miami River, and across said river; thence with the river down to the line between sections 10 and 9, town. 1, range 13; thence with last said line east to continue on to the place of beginning. In March, 1826, a portion of the township was attached to Clinton. In June, 1826, the north tier of sections of Green Township was attached to Perry, and all that part of Perry lying north of the Miami River was created a new township under the name of Salem. In June, 1837, all of fractional township No. 1, range 14, which belonged to Perry, was attached to Salem. This included that part of said fractional township lying south of the river, which in 1854 was again attached to Perry.
Early Settlement.
The first settlement made within the present limits of this township was made by Judge David Henry in February, 1814. He located in section 28, on the farm now owned by Wm. R. Ried, Esq., on the bank of Mosquito Creek. We cannot learn that there were any others who came that year. The following year Samuel and William Robinson, with their families, found their way to the same neighborhood. They were followed by Wm. Marrs in 1816; he by George Chiles, Charles Johnston, Thomas Wilkinson, Peter Musselman, Win. Richardson, Charles Weeks, and Benjamin Manning, all of whom were here prior to the organization of the county in 1819.
The first road laid out in the township is the one known as the Sidney and Urbana road.
The first log and also the first frame house was built by David Henry. The first frame barn was erected by Wm. Marrs. The same is still standing on the farm of Henry R. Miller. The lumber was sawed for it in this township, on a mill built by Peter Musselman on Mosquito Creek.
First brick house was built by Henry C. Line in 1836.
The first school-house was built on section 28, and the first school was taught by - Cannon.
The first flouring mill was built by Charles Mason, a colored man. He built a log mill on Mosquito Creek, near where the Manning & Line mill now stands. It had a corn and wheat buhr, the bolt was turned by hand.
The second flouring mill was erected by Wm. Pepper, on the place now owned by E. F. Henry.
The first carding machine was owned by Peter Musselman, and was built about 1835.
The first births were (twins) David and Sally Henry, born February 17, 1815. .
Topography, Soil, and Drainage.
The surface along the streams is somewhat broken and hilly. The balance is generally level, especially in the central and southern parts of the township, but is sufficiently rolling for ample drainage.
The soil is a rich sand, clay, and black loam, and well adapted to the raising of grass or grain. This township has the credit of being one of the best agricultural townships in the county. They can show as good crops of corn, wheat, or grass as can be shown anywhere throughout the country.
The drainage of the township is to the north, and is complete. The north boundary is formed by the Great Miami. The southwest part is crossed by Mosquito or Tawawa Creek. The central portion by Turkey Foot. The eastern part by Big and Little Indian Creek, all of which empty into the Miami.
The roads are the pride of the enterprising people of this township, they having more gravelled roads than any other township in the county.
Iudeed, there are but few miles of mud roads in the township. The township is crossed from east to west by the C. C. C. and I. R. R., on which is situated the station of Pemberton, near the east side of the township.
There are seven school districts within the township, in each of which is a good, substantial brick school-house, furnished with all the modern furniture and fixtures of the day.
There are four churches, one M. E., one Baptist, one U. B., and one German Baptist.
PEMBERTON.
Pemberton was surveyed by C. W. Wells Jan. 24, 1852, and consisted of sixty-four lots.
Acknowledgment.
The State of Ohio, Shelby Co., 88 .:
On this 29th day of January, 1852, before the undersigned, an acting justice of the peace in and for said county, personally appeared Benja- mim C. Wilkinson, John H. Elliott, Leonard T. Elliott, and George R. Forsythe, proprietors of said town of Pemberton, and acknowledged the survey and plat of said town to be their act and deed.
In testimony whereof I have bereunto set my hand and seal this 29th day of January, A. D. 1852. C. JOHNSTON, J. P. [SEAL.]
Recorded Jan. 30, 1852. WM. SKILLEN, Rec.
This thriving village is situated on the C. C. C. & I. R. R., seven miles east of Sidney. It was platted January 24, 1852, by J. H. Elliott, L. T. Elliott, B. C. Wilkinson, and George R. Forsyth. The first store was a grocery store, owned by Calvin Morris. The proprietors of the first dry goods store were Isaac Wilkinson and Irvin Nutt; the second were Joseph Smith & Smith Gano. The first blacksmith was Wm. Johnston. The first wagon shop was owned by David Lemon. The first hotel opened in the town was by J. V. Wilson. The first P. M. was Joseph Smith. The first physician probably was Dr. Edward Stockton. The town at the present time has one dry-goods and grocery store, two grocery stores, one grocery and drug store, one grain elevator, one sawmill and shingle factory, one blacksinith shop, one shoe shop, one hotel, one butcher shop, one concrete stone works, two churches-Methodist and Baptist-one school-house, and two physicians.
The town was named in honor of a brother of Gen. Pemberton, of rebel fame, who at the time the town was platted was civil engineer on the railroad that was being constructed through the town.
CHURCHES.
Baptist Church.
The first Baptist society organized in Perry Township was at the house of James Wilkinson, .in the year 1830, by Rev. Willis Hance, Moses Frazer, and Moses Frazer, Jr. The constituent members were Peter Kiser, Cath. Kiser, Michael Cox, Mary Jackson, Nancy Wilkin- son, and Sarah Manning. First deacon was Peter Kiser. Meetings were held here for some length of time. In the year 1835 the Baptists on the border of Shelby and Logan counties built a church in Quincy, Logan . County, where they continued to worship until the year 1873, when the church building was destroyed by a tornado. Action was then taken by the society to remove their place of worship to Pemberton. The following year-1874-they erected a very neat brick church, size 36 X 60 feet, at a cost of about $4000. The church was dedicated Nov. 15, 1874. The dedicatorial sermon was preached by the Rev. Thomas Allen; the prayer was offered by Rev. Daniel Bryant. The membership at that time residing in the county was 17; the present membership on roll is 148. T. J. Shepherd was pastor from 1874 to 1875. From that date to the present the Rev. Z. Ross has been the pastor. The trustees of the church are Joseph Wilkinson, John S. Jordon, and N. W. De Weese. The deacons are Jos. Wilkinson, N. W. DeWeese, and Jacob Kerns; clerk, U. M. Styles. There is a Sabbath-school connected with the church, under the supervision of Joseph Wilkinson, with an enrolment of eighty scholars and teachers.
M. E. Church.
The first M. E. society in Perry Township was organized by the Rev. - Sims at the house of Booth Burditt, half a mile north of where Pem- berton now is, about the year 1833. The first class consisted of Booth Burditt and wife, George Pool and wife, Wm. Moore and wife, Isaac Randall and wife, Marcus Peck and wife, and - Mcveigh and wife. The first class-leader was Marcus Peck. The Rev. Sims was followed by Daniel D. Davidson and Jos. Smith. Meetings were held in private houses and in the school-house until the year 1843, when a small frame church was built on the cemetery ground, half a mile north of Pember- ton. This church was occupied until.1857, when the present one was built in Pemberton. This society and church was known as the Indian Creek Church. The pastor who was over the society at the time tlie present church was built, was Rev. Lewis. The present number of mem- bers is about 100. The present pastor is Rev. Wm. S. Scoles. The first Sabbath-school in all this region of country was held by Wm. Mcveigh
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216
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY, OHIO.
at his own house, 1} miles south of the present site of Pemberton, and Sabbath-schools have been kept up nearly every year from that time to the present. At the present time there is a school kept up all the year round.
U. B. Church.
Of this pioneer church but little can be written, as its first members have all passed away, and no record has been kept. But we learn that back prior to 1820, the Rev. Jacob Antrim preached and formed a class at the house of Judge David Henry, Mrs. Henry being one of the first members of the society. From this time down to 1863 we can learn nothing. In that year they erected a frame church on Mosquito Creek, on land donated by Samuel Young, and is known as Tawawa U. B. Church. The church was built under the supervision of the Rev. Charles Miller. The present pastor is Rev. Wm. Kirachoff. The trustees are, John Peckham, Wm. Marrs, and John H. Pepper.
BIOGRAPHICAL. WILLIAM MARRS.
About the year 1720 Wm. Marr, a nobleman of Scotland (leaving a vast estate in Scotland, which now of right belongs to his American descendants), emigrated to America, in order to avoid being put to death or severe torture as a religious heretic. The dominant religion- ists had passed his sentence, which was that he he tied to the tail of a wild colt, and it be turned loose in the streets of Edinburgh. To avoid this fearful fate he fled his country, and left friends and property behind. Originally the name was spelled Marr, but he, to avoid detection, added an s, since which time it has been written Marrs. Upon his arrival in the land of religious freedom, he located at or near the town of Little York, Pennsylvania, where he reared a family of three sons, Samuel, Henry, and Barnabas. Samuel, the eldest, was born about the year 1740, and remained there to marry about the year 1759 or 1760. A few years later he removed to Rockbridge County, Va., but remained there but a short time, when he moved to what is now Tazewell County, where he remained until 1793, when he moved to Jesamine County, Kentucky. Whom he married, or when he or his wife died, we have no account, but of his family we know that he had eleven children, viz., Henry, Phillis, Elizabeth, Christopher, Ruth, Samuel, William, John, James, Josiah, and Abigail.
Wm. Marrs, the pioneer of Perry Township, was one of the above eleven children. He was born in Virginia, October 13, 1770, and mar- ried Jane McClure November 25, 1794, in the State of Kentucky. About the year 1808 they came to Champaign County, Ohio, where they re- mained until 1816, when they settled on the bank of the Mosquito Creek, within the present limits of Perry Township. He and two of his sons are known to have been here as early as 1814, but did not perma- nently locate until 1816. He entered his land in 1812 at the land office in Cincinnati. Their family consisted of five children, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: John, 1796; Samuel, 1798; William, 1800; Betsey, 1801; and James, 1809. This old pioneer departed this life March 12, 1844; his wife survived him until April 6, 1847, when she, too, was taken away.
Betsey Marrs, one of the above mentioned, was married to Wm. Pepper October 23, 1817. They lived in Champaign County, Ohio, until 1820, when they settled on Mosquito Creek, four miles east of Sid- ney, where they lived until Wm. Pepper departed this life, December 11, 1854. His widow remained on the home place until May 5, 1876, when she was called home. Their family consisted of four children: Greenup, born 1819; Marshall, born 1822; Jaines, born 1825; and John, born 1828. Greenup, the eldest of the family, died 1x40. John, the young- est, died in 1854. James resides in Pulaski County, Indiana.
Marshall Pepper, Esq., one of the four sons of Wm. Pepper, was born and lived all his life in Perry Township, until recently he moved to the town of Sidney. While living in Perry the people of that township honored him with the office of justice of the peace for eighteen years. In March. 1845, he was married to Elizabeth Hollopeter, by Thompson Vaughn, Esq. Their children consisted of six sons and four daughters, all of whom died in childhood except one, Rudolph James, who was born in 1854. In 1875 he married Harriet E. Frazier, of Plattsville, Ohio. Four children have been born to them, three of whom are living.
JOSEPH L. KEMP.
The grandfather of the above (Lewis Kemp) was born in Maryland, and caine to Ohio in 1806, and located where Dayton now is. Here be helped to lay out the town, and build the first house. He remained in Dayton until he died at the age of ninety-six years. Jacob Kemp, the father of Joseph L., was born in Maryland; in 1788 came with his father to Ohio. Here, in 1809, he married Mary Musselman. By this mar- riage there were six children, who lived to become men and women. Of this family Joseph L. was the fifth. He was born in Montgomery County in 1821. He lived with his parents, and brought them to Shelby County in 1847, and located on section 11, where he now lives. The same year he married Rachel J. Elliott, with whom he lived until
1873, when she died, leaving four children, viz., Mary M., Margaret V., Martha M., and Joseph O. The mother of Mr. Kemp was a daughter of Peter Musselman, Sen., and sister of Peter Musselman, Jr., who built the first saw-mill in Perry Township.
JOSEPH WILKINSON.
To give the origin of the Wilkinsons we go to Antrim, Ireland. As early as 1750 Joseph Wilkinson came to America. The place of his first location is not known. We first learn of him in Virginia, where he married Polly Hollandsworth. Thomas Wilkinson, Sen., was a son of the above, and born in Virginia in 1763, where he lived and married Jane Anderson, and raised a family of eleven children. About 1805 he removed with his family to Champaign County, Ohio, where he lived until the year 1818, when he moved to what is now Shelby County. Five of his children came with him, viz., Samuel, Rachel, Thomas, Jane, and Isaac A. Thomas Wilkinson, Jr., father of Joseph Wilkin- son, was born in Virginia in 1799, consequently was nineteen years of age at the time of their settlement in this county. They located in Perry Township, on section 6, and were the first settlers in the east part of the township. In 1825 he married Anna Kirtland, and located on part of the same farm with his father, where he lived and raised a family of seven children. Joseph Wilkinson, a son of the above, was born on this farm in 1832, and lived with his father until 1856, when he married Louisa Nutt, and located on section 10. By this union he had two children, viz., Anna and Ella. Mrs. Wilkinson died in 1876. In 1878 he married Dorcas Lilly, of Columbus, Ohio. By his second mar- riage he had one child (Thomas), born in 1880, and died in 1881. Mr. Wilkinson has retired from the farm, and moved to the village of Pem- berton. His father died in January, 1875; his mother in 1852.
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