History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 67

Author: R. Sutton & Co.
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 427

USA > Ohio > Shelby County > History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 67

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ISAAC N. WILKINSON,

a son of Isaac A. Wilkinson, was born in Perry Township in 1841. He was raised a farmer, and was taught early the habit of industry. Being of a nervous disposition, he has not been able to content himself with farming alone, but turns his attention to dealing in stock and brokerage. In 1864 he enlisted in the army, and served his time of enlistment. In 1878 he married Miss Francis L. Weaver. They have born to them one child, Anna R., born April 27, 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Wilkinson com- menced life empty handed, but have made for themselves a comfortable home of one hundred and sixty acres of well-improved land, all gotten by industry and good management.

JACOB P. WILKINSON.

Isaac A. Wilkinson, the father of the above, was born in Virginia in 1805, came with his father, Thomas Wilkinson, to Champaign Co., O., in 1805, from there to Perry Township, Shelby County, O., in 1818, where in March, 1831, he married Ruth R. Persinger. They raised a family of eight children, viz., Jacob P., Thomas F., Wm. R., George P., Isaac N., Joseph E., Mary, and Laura J. Of this number five are still living. Wm. R. was killed at the battle of Chickamauga; George died in the hospital in the army. Mr. Wilkinson died April, 1862; his wife died in 1879. Jacob P., whose name is at the head of this sketch, was born in Perry Township in 1832; he resided on the farm with his father until he arrived at his majority, when he engaged in the mercantile and grain trade, which he followed about fifteen years- he, with his father, built the first grain warehouse in the town of Pemberton. After quit- ting the grain trade he, together with his brother Newton, bought a farm, which he afterward sold his interest in to his brother and bought where he now lives, on section 12. In 1865 he married Miss Louisa A. Dun- ham. By this union they have two children, viz., Nettie M. and Bertie L.

BENJAMIN KISER

was born in Montgomery County, O., in 1800. He is a son of Peter Kiser, and was the tenth of fourteen children. In 1823 he was married to Elizabeth Baker, with whom he lived seven years, when she died, leaving four children. About two years afterward he married Mary Knoop, with whom he lived twenty-one years when she died, leaving no children. Shortly afterward he married Nancy Knoop, a sister of his second wife. By this marriage there were two children. He lived with his third wife fourteen years, when she died. He then married Rebecca Fannestock (nee Rebecca Bender), with whom he has been living some fourteen years.

Mr. Kiser was among the early settlers of Perry ; he has been an industrious and energetic man; has been one of the strongest men of his day ; was a great woodman, both with the axe and gun ; has cut and split his four hundred rails in a day. He has been noted as a hunter, as also was his father before him. Mr. Kiser is now in his eighty-third year, being born in the year 1800. He has spent a long life of hard toil. For thirty years of his life he has been in the ministry of the German Bap- tist church, to which he is fondly attached. About six years ago Father Kiser had his thigh broken, from which he has never recovered, being compelled to walk with crutches. He now spends his time reading his

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Bible and other books and papers. He has seen the same place where he used to meet the red man, become the site of the church and school- house. Many were the deer and wolf that met their fate at the crack of his rifle; also, the catamount and other wild animals.

ELISHA KISER.

Peter Kiser was born in Virginia in 1755, came to Montgomery Co., O., about 1799, where in 1802 Elisha Kiser was born, he being the eleventh of fourteen children. They lived in Montgomery County until 1807, when they moved to Miami Co. where he lived until 1829, when he married Amilla Corben, and the same year moved to Shelby Co. and located on sec. 7 Perry Township. The land on which he located was all in timber, without a road to or near it. It was here with his new wife he located in a rude cabin, without any means of support, except as he earned it by days' work, having to go to Miami Co. to get work to do. He cleared his own land at intervals as fast as he could, and in a few years had a comfortable home, living happily in their self-made home until 1850, when his wife died, leaving him with seven children, viz., Susan, Thomas, Orrin, Laban, Elisha, Ann, and Matilda Jane. In 1851 he married Mary A. Wilkinson, his present wife, by whom he has five children, viz., Win. R., Sarah E., Emma A., Mary B., and Alta M. John C. died 1880, aged twenty-four. Mr. Kiser had four sons and one son-in-law in the late war, who served their full time of enlistment. In 1878 Mr. Kiser retired from the farm, and is now living in Pemberton in the enjoyment of the fruits of his hard labor. May his last days be his happiest.

WM. R. JACKSON.

Jacob Jackson was born in Tennessee, February 8, 1793 .. When quite young he was taken to Kentucky, and remained there till he was seventeen years old, when he came to Miami County, O. Here, in 1821, he married Catharine Redinbaugh, of Shelby County. In 1823 they located in Perry Township, on section 27, on the land now owned by Wm. Hance. It was here the January following (in 1824) that Win. R. was born and rocked in a sugar-trough, grew up to manhood, and re- ceived his education in the cabin school-house. In 1847 he married Miss Hannah D. Maxwell. They have had seven children, only two now liv- ing, Mary I. and George W. Mr. Jackson is located on section 34, one and one-half miles east of Sidney, where he located in 1866. Mr. Jack- son has always had the esteem and confidence of his neighbors, who have elected him to fill different positions of honor and trust. He has filled the office of trustee of his township, director of county infirmary, and has just closed his second term as commissioner of the county.

JOSHUA B. JACKSON,

the second son of Jacob Jackson, was born in Perry Township in 1825, and never has lived or voted anywhere else in his life. In 1852 he mar- ried Catharine E. Persinger, by whom he had eight children, only four now living, viz., John F., Amny C. B., Daniel H., and Alonzo E. Mrs. Jackson died in 186 -. Mr. Jackson again married in 1871. His second wife was the widow of John Vaughn, deceased. Her maiden name was Mary Walters. By his second marriage he has two children, Walter B. and Catharine A. Mrs. Jackson had by her former husband one child, Loretta Jane.

E. F. HENRY

was born in Shelby County in 1848. He is a son of Richard and Bar- bara IIenry. Richard Henry, the father of E. F., was a son of Judge David Henry, and was the oldest of the family. In 1829 he married Barbara Jackson, a daughter of Jesse Jackson, who was among the first settlers of Shelby County, having come to the county prior to the war of 1812. They built a block-house on the land of Edward Jackson, in which they lived or resorted to during the Indian trouble. This was on the bank of the Miami River, two miles south of the site of Sidney. They lived on this place some ten years, then moved to where Port Jef- ferson now is; lived there two years, then located on section 27, Perry Township. It was here that E. F. was born. In 1877 he married Miss Anna B. Fish, who was born in the county in 1856. They reside on part of the old homestead.

THOMAS M. THOMPSON

was born in Orange Township in 1838. His father, Peter G. Thomp- son, came from New York State to Huron County, Ohio, in 1834, where they lived three years; then removed to Miami County, and remained there only a few months, when they came to Shelby County in 1838, where the subject of this sketch was born on Christmas day. He has lived in the county all his life, most of the time in Perry Township. In 1862 he married Miss Maggie E. Kiggins, by whom he has had three children: Lizzie S., born 1863; Carrie F., born 1816; and Dolly B., born 1873. The Kiggins were among the early settlers of Shelby County; they located as early as 1817. The grandfathers of Mr. and Mrs. Kiggins were both revolutionary soldiers.

DAVID STALEY

was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, December 30, 1831; was brought by his parents to Shelby County in 1832. His father, John Staley, was born in North Carolina in 1799. Married Elizabeth Bolden in 1820. The date of his coming to Ohio cannot be gotten. He died in Shelby County in 1864. He was located in Salem Township. In the year 1852 David Staley married Mary Manning. From this union they have four children, viz., Hattie, born 1856; Emina, born 1859; Mattie, born 1864; and Nellie, born 1871.

ARMSTRONG STALEY

was born in Shelby County in 1844. He married Ellen Bruce in 1867. They have two children: Elizabeth J., born 1868; and Jennie May, born 1875. Eugene Bruce, the father of Mrs. Staley, was born in Ger- many, and came to the United States in 1847, and first located in Cleve- land, where he lived till 1858, when he came to Shelby County, where he lived, until during the war of the rebellion, he enlisted in the army, and was killed at the battle of Atlanta, August 11, 1864. Mr. Staley is located in fractional section 36, on the old homestead of Benjamin Manning, settled in 1819.

ABRAHAM I. PENCE

was born in Clarke County, Ohio, in 1835. His parents were William and Delia (Colbert) Pence, who were among the very earliest settlers of Clarke County along the Mad River. They settled there as early as 1800. Some of the family still own and reside on the old homestead. A. I. Pence in the year 1862 married Mary J. Loudenback, by whom he has nine children, viz., Rosezella, Emma A., Noah W., Jonas W., Abra- ham E., Effa May, Walter Scott, Hattie L., and Susie A. They are located on fractional section 8, where they located in the year 1862.

JEREMIAH D. FERREE.

The ancestors of the Ferrees were French and Protestant, and were banished from France on account of their religious belief, when the edict was issued for all to become Catholics, flee the country, or die. They came to America, and settled in Pennsylvania, where they lived and died, and all their descendants lived until about 1834, when Daniel Ferrce came to Ohio, and located in Seneca County, where he lived one year, then removed to Miami County, thence to Shelby County in 1843, where he located on Plumb Creek, Salem Township, and built a woollen and carding mill, which he ran about thirty-five years. It was here that Jeremiah D. was born in 1845. As soon as old enough he was put in the mill to work, at which he was engaged until eighteen years of age, when he enlisted in the First Ohio Cavalry, and served under Gen. Wil- son as first sergeant, and participated in the capture of Jeff. Davis, and drew his share of the reward of $100,000 offered by the Government for the capture of Davis. After the close of the war he returned to Shelby County, and again engaged in the woollen mill with his father as a part- ner. In 1870 he married Arvista Line. By this union they have three children: Ernest F., born 1872; Judson A., born 1874; and Clarence E., born 1877. He is located on section 23.

Edwin A. Ferree, a son of Daniel Ferree, was born in Shelby County in 1850. In 1876 he married Miss Alice G. Stcel. They have one child, Elmer, born 1877. Mr. Ferree is engaged in the manufacture and sale of lumber, being the proprietor of a saw-mill, on which they can cut eight thousand feet per day, having a forty-horse power engine.

CHARLES STEPHENSON.

In tracing back the ancestors of the above, we can only go back to David Stephenson, who was born in Kentucky, but removed to Virginia, where, in the year 1805, Charles Stephenson was born. In 1813 they emigrated to Greene County, Ohio. Shortly after their location there Mr. S. went to Champaign County, and entered a piece of land, and built a cabin upon it; then started to return to bring his family, when he was taken sick, and died before he got home, and was buried on his new home in the woods of Champaign. His widow, with her family of eight children, removed to this new home in the woods. They lived here about one year, when they traded for a place in Clarke County, where they lived until all the children grew up to majority. In 1829 Charles Stephenson was married to Miss Rachel Johnston. They remained in Clarke County until 1835, when they removed to the western part of Logan County, and settled on land he had entered there. It was here in the woods, with not even a garden spot. cleared, and with only three dollars in money, that he commenced his pioncer life. He was compelled to leave home to work by day's work to provide for his family, leaving home on Monday morning and not returning before Saturday night; his wife and her four small children remaining at home, and not seeing the face of a person during her husband's absence. They lived in this way about one year, when they became discouraged, and sold their place, and bought a smaller one with some improvements. It was then they began to live, and from that time to the present they say have always had plenty. They had a family of twelve children, ten of whom

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grew up, and eight of them still living, viz., Sarah, Joseph, Jane, Re- becca, John, Ann, Mary, and David. Mr. S. has been noted as a hunter, having spent many days and night with his gun. He has killed deer by the hundred, and other smaller game without number; also a few bears. He followed hunting every year more or less, until the last few years he has become so badly crippled that he has to forego the privilege. He says every summer and fall he would work just as hard as he could to get his work out of the way, then would take his gun and camp equipage and start for the northwest woods to take his annual hunt, never return- ing without having killed some deer.

Mr. Stephenson tells of an almost improbable instance that came under his observation, the truthfulness of which is verified by his wife. One day he killed a deer, and brought it home before dressing it. When he was taking out the entrails he felt a hard substance in the heart; he ex- amined it, and called his wife to show it to her. Upon cutting open the spot in the heart, they found a bullet that had been imbedded there at some time previous, and the wound had healed over, leaving the bullet remaining in the heart.

JOHN STEPHENSON

was born in Logan County, Ohio, in 1839, and came with his father, Charles Stephenson, to Perry Township in 1855. In 1863 he married Miss Caroline Leach. He is located on section 16.

NEWTON MILLER

was born in Perry Township in 1845. He lived with his parents on the farm ; received a fair common education; at the age of eighteen he com- menced teaching district school, which he followed until 1875, at which time he engaged in the grocery trade at Pemberton, and is engaged in the same business at the present time; he is also post-master and town- ship clerk. In 1874 he was married to Miss Kate Wilson. They have two children: Maud, born 1877; and Mable, born 1879.

Wm. Miller, the father of the above, was born in Pennsylvania in 1802; came to Franklin County, Ohio, in 1816, where he remained until 1824, when he came to Shelby County. Here he married Lucinda Goble, a daughter of Caleb Goble (who located in Shelby County in 1814 or 1815), in 1826. They raised a family of twelve children, eight of whom are still living.

JACOB V. WILSON.

Thomas Wilson, grandfather of the above, came to America about 1750, and located in New Jersey, where, in 1754, lic married Martha McCracken, by whom he had six children. John, the eldest of the six, was born in 1755. At the age of eighteen years he entered the army under Washington; was at the battle of Trenton; was with Washington when he crossed the Delaware: was in the battle of Princeton and at Monmouth; was present when Washington received the news of Arnold's treason; and was at the trial and hanging of Major Andre.

Thomas Thompson, the grandfather of Mr. Wilson on his mother's side, came from Ireland about 1750, and located in New York City, where he married, and shortly afterwards moved to New Jersey, and raised a family, of which Jane Thompson, the mother of Mr. Wilson, was the youngest. John Wilson and Jane Thompson, the parents of Jacob V. were married in 1799. They raised a family of five children, of which Jacob V. is the youngest. He was born in New Jersey in 1807. When a young man learned the wagon and carriage trade ; commenced a shop for himself in 1824. In 1833 he married Elizabeth West. By this union they had a family of eight children, viz., Samuel, Jennie, Vincent, J. Wesley, Susan, Kate, Hattie, and Jacob. They moved to Shelby County in 1858, and located in Pemberton, where he started a shop, and opened the first hotel in the town of Pemberton. He filled the office of justice of the peace nine years in New Jersey and six in Perry. Mrs. Wilson died in 1867. Mr. Wilson is now making his home with his daughter, Mrs. J. S. Slagle, having retired from business on account of ill health.

JUDGE DAVID HENRY.

This early pioneer and settler of Shelby County was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1770 .* The first place we know of him living was in Kentucky ; his next place of residence was Champaign County, Ohio. February, 1814, he moved to Perry Township, then in Miami County, where he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 28. He was the first white settler in Perry Township. At the time of his location there was not a settler within three miles of him. In the spring of 1817 he was elected clerk of his township, and acted as such for a number of years. In the fall of the same year (1817) he was elected justice of the peace, and received his commission from Thomas Worthington, then Governor of Ohio. He was re-elected to the same office in 1821, 1824, 1826, 1829, and 1832. Also was the first commissioner's clerk of the county, which position he filled from the organization of the county until the fall of 1820, when he was elected as commissioner of the county, but resigned the same in the fall of 1821. He was also appointed by the court as director for the survey and sale of lots of the town of Sidney. In the

year 1826 he received a commission from Governor Jeremiah Morrow as Associate Judge for the Court of Common Pleas of Shelby County. To his papers, which have been kept on file, and preserved by his daugh- ter, Mrs. Ried, we are indebted for much of our information in regard to the county as well as to Perry Township. Judge Henry was one of the prominent and leading citizens at the organization of the county, and filled some official position in both county and township from their organization to the time of his death, which occurred March 29, 1834. He raised a family of ten children, only two of whom are now living in the county, viz., David Henry, Jr., and Mrs. Wm. R. Ried, both of Perry Township.

David Henry, Jr., was born February 17, 1815. He and a sister who were twins are said to be the first births in what is now Perry Township. David Henry is now the oldest settler in the township, having had his home in the township for over sixty-seven years. He has seen the woods of Perry become a fine, fertile, and well-improved portion of the county.

ALLEN S. FORSYTH.

James Forsyth, father of the above, was born in Pennsylvania in 1776. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Shelby County, having settled here as early as 1820, first locating in the town of Sidney, where very shortly afterward he was elected treasurer of the county, which position he filled some eight years. In 1824 he moved to Perry Township, where he died in 1837. Allen S., the subject of this sketch, was born in Franklin Co., Ohio, in 1818. When but a few days old his mother died. His father married again when Allen was about three years old. When he was four years of age his father bound him out to his brother-in-law, who lived in Licking County, until he should be twenty-one years of age. He lived with his brother-in-law until he was nine years of age, when on account of bad usage he ran away, and started to find his father. Barefoot and alone, without money or help, and not knowing where his father lived, he fled as fast as he could, not caring which way he went, only so that he was not caught and taken back. Without food all the day he trudged along, and before night he was in Columbus. Wandering along the street tired, hungry, and forlorn, he was observed by a man, who soon saw that he was running away. The man stopped him, asked him where he was going, where he came from, and many other questions, all of which young Allen answered honestly. The man took him home with him, gave him his supper and a good bed ; but the boy mistrusted that the man intended to return him to his master in the morning; and being determined not to go back, he was up in the morning before any of the family, quietly slipped out of the house, and was again on the road. Before leaving town he heard of a horse-race that was to be run that day, several miles out in the country. Having been trained as a jockey to ride races, he thought to himself he would go to the races, and per- haps he could get a chance to ride one of the horses and make some money to help take him on his way. After arriving at the race ground he met a man who had a horse there that he knew; the man also knew the boy and had seen him ride. He agreed to let the boy ride his horse. While they were talking, another man who was standing by asked the boy his name; he told him Allen Forsyth. He then asked him if he was any relation of James Forsyth, of Sidney. As quick as Sidney was mentioned he then remembered that that was where his father lived. He then learned the direction and the road, did not stop to ride the race, but made his way as fast as he could toward Sidney when night over- took him. He stopped at a house, and asked to stay over night. The man asked him his name, and where he was going. He told him his name, and that he was going to his father in Sidney The man told him his father did not live in Sidney, but had moved on to a farm. This man was Henry Sturm, of Green Township. He took the boy in, kept him all night, and the next day (as it was rainy). The following day Mr. Sturm took his horse, and told the boy he would go with him, as there was no road and was woods all the way. Mr. Sturm went with the boy to within sight of home, when he left him. This was in the north part of Perry Township. When the boy entered his father's house he did not know him at first, but soon recognized him. He heard the boy's story of misusage without reproving him, kept him a short time, when he was again sent away from home, and from that time on he made his way through the world without the advice or assistance of parents or friends. For a number of years he made his home with Isaac Wilkin- son. In 1841 he married Elizabeth Smoot. By this union they had three children, only one now living, viz., Jacob M., born 1845. Mr. For- syth for many years followed buying and shipping stock, but has now retired from active life, having seen all the hardships of an orphan boy raised in the woods, he having spent sixty-two years in Shelby County.

HENRY HARBOUR.

The Harbours came to America from England about the beginning of the eighteenth century, and settled in Virginia, where the grandfather and father of Mr. Harbour were born, and lived till 1818, when they came to Champaign County, Ohio, where Henry was born in 1825. In 1849 he married Nancy Hall, by whom he had one child, viz., Jennie, at present the wife of David Pool.

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Mr. Harbour's wife died in 1856. In 1860 he came to Shelby County, and the same year married Elizabeth Persinger, with whom he has three children, Charles W., Elmer E., and Harry. He is located near Pem- berton on the old homestead of Booth Burditt. The grandfather of Mr. H. was a soldier of the Revolution. His father (Jesse Harbour) was in the war of 1812. His grandmother (who was a Packard) when quite young was taken a prisoner together with all her brothers and sisters by the Indians. They were taken to where Chillicothe, Ohio, now is, and all massacred except her. She was rescued by the whites, and restored to her friends in Virginia.

JOHN H. ELLIOTT.

Leonard Elliott, the father of the above, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, in 1786. He lived here until after the war of 1812 (having served as a soldier in that war), when he moved to Butler County, Ohio. Here his wife died, and he afterwards married Melinda Holden, and came to Shelby County in 1830, and located on section 5, Perry Township, and died in 1864. His wife died in 1850.

John H., the subject of this sketch, was born in Butler County in 1822; came with his father to Perry when he was eight years of age. Here he grew up to manhood in the wilds of Perry, and was educated in her cabin school-houses, and has never had a home elsewhere than on the old homestead. In 1843 he married Jane Burditt, with whom he lived till 1856, when she died, leaving two children, viz., Elizabeth M. and Sarah M. In 1857 he married Sarah Burditt, a sister of his first wife. By this union they have two children, William T. and John B. When Mr. Elliott commenced for himself his father gave him one hun- dred acres of land in the woods, on condition that he pay to the balance of the heirs $650. This is all the aid he has ever had. He was one of fifteen children, only two of whom are now left in the county.

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History of Shelby County, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 67

Author: R. Sutton & Co. Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Number of Pages: 427

Author: R. Sutton & Co.
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 427