USA > Ohio > Mahoning County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 31
USA > Ohio > Trumbull County > History of Trumbull and Mahoning counties with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Vol. II > Part 31
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John F. Robison was born in Mercer county, (now Lawrence county) Pennsylvania, February 17, 1829. He came to Mahoning county in 1857, locating in Coitsville township. He purchased his present farm in 1863; has one hundred and fifteen acres in Coitsville, with good buildings and improvements, and owns also seventy-six acres with buildings, etc., in Poland township. He raises grain, cattle, sheep, etc. Mr. Robison was married March 25, 1854, to Hannah Mc- Williams, of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania. They have six children, Almina, Ellen, George L, William J., Elmer and Edward Lee (twins), and Audley O. Mr. and Mrs. Robison are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Robison is a sound Democrat.
Anderson McFarlin, a descendant of some of the very earliest settlers in the county, was born in Coitsville April 12, 1828, and has always resided here. He is the owner of a good farm of one hundred and ninety acres situated near the center of the township. Mr. McFarlin was married April 26, 1849, to Sarah Kirk. Mrs. McFarlin is the daughter of Andrew and Eliza- beth (Baldwin) Kirk. Andrew Kirk came at an early date from Washington county, Pennsyl- vania; he was originally from New Jersey. Eliz- abeth Baldwin was the daughter of Caleb Bald- win, one of the first settlers in Youngstown. Mr. McFarlin is one of a family of twelve chil- dren, and Mrs. McFarlin the youngest of thir- teen. Their children are William E., Alice K., Vina J., Mary E., Bettie B., William K., Frank M., Thomas E., and Charles A. William E., Alice K., and Charles A. are deceased. William K. is now engaged on the new through-line railroad in the capacity of civil engineer. Mr. McFarlin has been a Republican since the party was formed. He was postmaster at Coitsville for seventeen years. The family are well known and highly respected in this county.
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Robert Lowry, Coitsville township, was born in Poland township August 12, 1818. His parents were William and Mary (Houston) Low- ry. William Lowry was a native of the north of Ireland, who settled in Poland township about the year 1806, and brought up three sons and six daughters; two sons and four daughters are now living. His wife, Mary Houston, of Scotch parentage, was born in Lancaster county, Penn- sylvania. Her father, William Houston, came to this county about the year 1800. Robert Lowry was the fifth child of William Lowry. He settled in Coitsville township in 1842. He was married September 22, 1842, to Margaret Stew- art, daughter of William Stewart, of Coitsville township. They had four children, all living: Mary Jane, wife of D. C. McBride, Mahoning township, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania ; Wil- liam S., Pulaski township, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania; Theoressa J., wife of J. W. Mc- Nabb, Pulaski township, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania; Sarah E., wife of W. S. Allen, Coitsville township. Mrs. Lowry died July 1, 1873, aged fifty-six years. Mr. Lowry was mar- ried a second time May 18, 1876, to Miss Anna Madge, daughter of Robert Madge, of Lackawanna township, Mercer county, Pennsyl- vania. Mr. and Mrs. Lowry are members of the United Presbyterian church. Mr. Lowry is a sound Republican. He has held several offices: was justice of the peace for twelve consecutive years, commencing in 1856; county commission- er from 1866 to 1872, and has held several town- ship offices.
J. M. Jackson was born in New Bedford, Pennsylvania, August 5, 1828. His father, John Jackson, settled in Coitsville township in 1803. J. M. Jackson has followed a variety of occupa- tions. When young he taught school for several years; then was a merchant. He now owns a saw-mill, which does a good business, and is one of our largest farmers. Mr. Jackson settled in Coitsville in 1864. From 1844 to that date he had been in business in Trumbull county. He owns two hundred and twenty acres in this town- ship. Mr. Jackson was married March 9, 1852, to Rebecca L. Roberts, daughter of Thomas N. Roberts, Hubbard, Trumbull county. They have two sons and two daughters-Marietta, Sidney Delamar (a successful attorney in Youngs- town), Eliza Jane, and John Calvin. Mr. Jack
son has been quite prominent in local affairs, and has held the offices of justice of the peace, county commissioner, township clerk, trustee, etc. He is one of our solid and energetic busi- ness men. He served in the army a short time as captain in company C, One Hundred and Sev- enty-first Ohio volunteers, enlisting April 28, 1864, for the one hundred days' service.
F. D. Kirk, Coitsville township, was born in that township July 11, 1846. His parents were Andrew and Sylvina Kirk. His father is still living. Mrs. Kırk died eight years ago. Mr. F. D. Kirk is one of our active farmers; has ninety acres of good land; raises stock, and in- tends to go into sheep-raising. In 1880 he re- ceived over $150 in premiums at fairs, mostly on pigs. Mr. Kirk was married, in 1869, to Miss Almira J. Bailey, daughter of C. T. Bailey, of Coitsville township. They belong to the Method- ist Episcopal church. Mr. Kirk is a Republi- can, and a strong temperance man. He was in the army. He enlisted in January, 1864, serv- ing until the close of the war in company G, Seventy-eighth Pennsylvania volunteers, under General Thomas.
Nicholas Jacobs (deceased) was born near Gi- rard, Mahoning county, January 13, 1810. His parents were Abraham and Elizabeth (Kimmel) Jacobs, who came here at quite an early date. After his birth they returned to Washington county, Pennsylvania. In 1832 Abraham Ja- cobs and his son Nicholas returned to Mahon- ing county, and settled near together in the northern part of Coitsville township. Nicholas Jacobs was married January 19, 1832, to Isabella Brown, of Washington county, Pennsylvania. They had two children, Lewis J. and Francis P., both now residents of Youngstown. Mrs. Ja- cobs died February 18, 1836, aged twenty-two years. Mr. Jacobs was again married September 12, 1837, to Phobe Kirk, of Coitsville town- ship. Six children : Sheldon, Charles, Louisa, Caroline, Alice and Phœbe. Charles died in the army, at Chattanooga, September 30, 1863, aged twenty-two years. Phoebe died September 9, 1851, aged one year. The others reside in the county. Mrs. Phoebe Jacobs died April 11, 1850, aged thirty-one. His third wife, whom he married October 1, 1850, was Mrs. Juliana Cal- vin, nee Briggs. She was born in Dighton, Mas- sachusetts, September 25, 1820. She was mar-
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ried in 1842 to Robert Calvin, of Beaver county, Pennsylvania, by whom she had two children, Josephus and Gustavus ; the latter a resident of this township, and Josephus of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Mr. Calvin died February 11, 1845, aged twenty-seven. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs had seven children: Mary, Spencer, Myron, Jessie, Clarinda, William, and Charles G. Jessie died December 2, 1870, aged fourteen ; Clarinda September 28, 1861, aged two. The others reside in Coitsville township. Mr. Jacobs died Decem- ber 14, 1880, nearly seventy-one years of age. He had been an earnest member of the Disci- ples' church for about forty years of his life. He was well known in this county, and highly respected,
Andrew Garner Fitch came to this county from Lebanon, Connecticut, and settled in the western part of Coitsville township, on a farm which had been taken up previously and some- what improved by a man named Robinson. His wife was Mary Levenwell. They had nine chil- dren, none of them now living. Samuel Fitch was the fifth child, and the longest survivor of the family. He was twelve years of age when he came to the county, having been born in 1789. Samuel Fitch and his brother Henry were soldiers in the War of 1812. The wife of Samuel Fitch was Mary T. Simpson, a native of Maysville, Kentucky. They had five children, Mary Jane, Elizabeth B., Julia A., Joseph T., and Caroline S. Only Elizabeth and Julia are now living. They reside at the old homestead. Mrs. Fitch, their mother, died in 1848, aged fifty-two years. She was for many years a devot- ed member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Fitch died in 1875. He lived to a ripe old age, and was always an honored and respected citi- zen. He was an earnest friend of the Union, and though he had no sons to send to the army, he gave liberally of his means to aid in the cause.
John Cooper, lumber manufacturer, Coitsville township, was born September 15, 1815. His parents were David and Rebecca (Armstrong) Cooper, the former a native of Maryland, and the latter of Washington county, Pennsylvania. David Cooper came to Coitsville in 1798 and helped to survey the Western Reserve. He then went back to Maryland, and in 1800 re- turned to Coitsville, took up four hundred acres,
and spent the remainder of his life here. He died in 1855 in the ninety-fifth year of his age. He was a man of strong constitution, active industry, and business ability. He was married about the year 1806, and was the father of twelve children ; eleven arrived at maturity and five are yet living, viz: John, David, Eliza, William, and Robert, all residents of Coitsville township. Mrs. Cooper died in 1852 aged sixty- six years. John Cooper lives upon a portion of the original farm. He is engaged in the lumber business and has been running a saw-mill since 1849. The Cooper family is one of the oldest in the township, and comprises some of its best citizens.
John White, farmer, Coitsville township, Ma- honing county, was born in county Monaghn, Ireland, in 1820. He came to America in 1835, and after three or four years settled in Coitsville. Mr. White is a large farmer; he has at present two hundred and seventy-six acres of land in a good state of cultivation. He built a large and convenient house in the spring of 1877. Mr. White is engaged in mixed farming, raises cattle, sheep, and grain. He was married November 24, 1853, to Eliza Dickson, daughter of George Dickson, of Coitsville township. They have five children, born as follows: Hugh J., November II, 1854; George D., November 4, 1856; Wil- liam B., December 22, 1858; John B., October 24, 1860; Robert F., February 22, 1863. Mr. and Mrs. White are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. White is a Democrat. He has been township trustee and judge of elections, and is a most worthy and respected citizen.
William H. Wick, farmer, Coitsville, Mahon- ing county, was born in this township in 1827. His parents, Daniel and Elizabeth (Armitage) Wick, were old residents, having come to the place where Mr. Wick now resides in 1815. Daniel Wick had previously been a resident of Austintown, having come there from New Jersey about 1796. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. He died June 18, 1863, in his seventy- seventh year. His wife, Elizabeth Armitage, whom he married in 1813, was born in Hunting- don county, Pennsylvania, and came to Jackson township, Mahoning county, when a child. She was a daughter of Benjamin Armitage. Her mother's name was Drake, a descendant from Sir Francis Drake. Mrs. Wick died February
23 "
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5, 1869, aged seventy-six years. She was the mother of six children, all of whom are living, Mr. W. H. Wick being the youngest. William H. Wick was married March 7, 1855, to Sarah A. Williams, daughter of William Williams, of Wayne county, Ohio. They have five children ; Mary Ella Pearl, born March 7, 1857, wife of Albert Martin of Lawrence county, Pennsylvania; Louie Evangeline, born May 19, 1860; Lizzie Carrie, born August 31, 1865; Grace Gertrude, born March 3, 1869; Vernon Victor, born May 21, 1876. Mr. Wick has always been a stanch Republican. He has been township trustee, and has held other local offices. He does an extensive farming business, owns one hundred and eighty acres; and is one of the most active and successful farmers in the town- ship.
CHAPTER IX. MILTON.
Milton is township two of range five, and is the northwest corner of Mahoning county, hav- ing Newton, Trumbull county, on the north, Jackson on the east, Berlin on the south, and Palmyra, Portage county, on the west.
The Mahoning river-that marvelously crooked stream, which flows northward through the west- ern part of the county, but after passing into Trumbull county and going through all manner of twisting and turning returns to the territory named after it and flows through its eastern por- tion in a southeasterly direction-is here a nar- row and very pretty stream, cutting the western half of the township into two very nearly equal portions. The bottom land along the river is quite broad in some places and generally of more than average fertility.
Going from the eastern side of the township to the west, you will notice that there are a number of hroad ridges of land of gradual slope and gentle elevation with numerous runs cutting them. Nearer the river the ridges are not so broad but are higher ; none of the surface is exactly level, and little is very hilly. Limestone and sandstone are exposed in a few places.
The soil is a clayey loam, with a few fields that are composed almost wholly of heavy clay. Most of the soil, however, is fertile and easily worked; well watered, both by springs and brooks, and seems especially adapted for grazing.
On the east bank of the river and about one mile south of the north line of the township is a sulphur spring. The water is deep and cool and flows constantly. It has sometimes been recom- mended for medical uses.
Coal has been obtained in small quantities in the southeast and southwest portions of the township. Several attempts have been made to find oil in years past, and at the present writing wells are being drilled with the same object in view.
The township contains no villages except one almost as extinct as Herculaneum, and a portion of the little settlement at Price's mills. The population is small, many farms being without houses or occupants. The farmers are generally comfortably situated, contented, and happy.
The timber is principally white oak and hick- ory; there is a little ash and not much maple.
EARLY TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
No township records of an early date are in existence. We learn that John Johnston of Milton, and Bildad Hine of Newton, were elected justices of the peace, in 1814, by the joint town- ships, Newton and Milton. A year or two later Milton became a township and voting precinct by itself. Justices of the peace prior to 1840 : John Johnston, Daniel Vaughan, Robert Price, Johnston, Vaughan, William Strander, Milton Rogers, John Matherspaw, James Moore, John Eckis, Jr., and Peter Kinnaman,
SETTLEMENT.
The first settlement in the township was made about the year 1803 in the vicinity of Pricetown. In the course of three or four years quite a number of families had come to the township and located along the river on both sides of it.
About the same date (1803) a settlement was commenced on the eastern side of the township. For some years the central and southern as well as the southeastern portions of the township lay unimproved.
It is claimed that Nathaniel Stanley, one of those belonging to the western or river settle- ment, was the first actual settler. He took up
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and improved land just south of the old Judge Clarke farm on the east side of the river, a short distance above Pricetown. He sold out to Jacob Cole quite early and moved north into Newton township.
Aaron Porter, said by his sons to have been the second settler in the township, came from Pennsylvania in 1803, and located west of the river on the farm where Henry Winfield now lives, afterwards (in 1812) moving to the farm where his sons, Enoch and Joseph Porter, reside. He brought up a family of twelve children, three of whom were born in this township. Porter was a strong man and of great endurance. He reached the age of ninety-six. The names of the surviving members of his family are : Mar- garet, wife of John Jones, Medina county ; Robin, in Indiana; Nancy, widow of Joseph Mckenzie, Huron county : Enoch and Joseph, Milton township.
In 1803 John Vanetten and family came from Delaware to the western part of the township. The second dwelling built by him, a two-story log house with a large stone chimney, is still standing. They came with a wagon, and after their arrival three weeks elapsed before a cabin was completed. During this time they slept in the wagon and cooked and ate in the open air. The family at this time consisted of Mr. Van- etten, wife, and three children. When all was in readiness for the erection of the cabin, owing to the scarcity of men in the vicinity, the women were called in to assist in raising the logs to the proper height. Some time after coming here Captain Vanetten procured a pair of spoon- molds, which his wife used for years in making spoons for the settlers, and for use in her own family. Old pewter plates furnished the ma- terial. If a spoon was broken the pieces were carefully saved until they could be run over and made into a new spoon. Captain Vanetten was married in Delaware to Anna Lebar. They had ten children in all, whose names were as follows: Margaret married Daniel Parshall, and died in this township; Daniel died in Crawford county, Pennsylvania; Mary married Joseph Depew and died in Allen county; Elizabeth became the wife of Jacob Parshall and died in Michigan; Sally is living, the wife of John Mckenzie of this town- ship; Jacob is living in Wood county; Ann mar- ried Hugh Patterson and died in Milton; John
died in Wood county; Jonah died in Indiana; Aaron died in Oregon. John Vanetten, Sr., served as a captain in the War of 1812. He lived to the age of seventy-seven. His wife died at the age of sixty-eight.
Samuel Linton was an early settler on the farm now owned by the Ewing heirs. His sons were Samuel and Adam. The latter lived and died in Milton. Samuel is sill living in Berlin township. There were also three daughters.
Samuel Bowles was one of the earliest settlers of the township, and came here about 1803. He settled in the eastern part of Milton, on the farm now owned by Josiah Fenton. In 1823 he moved with his entire family to Portage county.
In about 1804 three brothers by the name of Winans, Isaac, James, and Jacob, moved from Delaware to the eastern part of the township, and each took up a farm. They all lived to be old men. Isaac died on the farm where he settled. His children were Jacob, Isaac, John, Sarah, Eleanor, Phebe, Rebecca, Hannah, and Susan. Jacob lived on a part of the old place and died there ; Eleanor married Russel Orr, of Milton, and after his death moved to Illinois, where she died at a ripe old age ; Phebe married Andrew Moore, and lived and died in Milton ; Susan be- came the wife of John McCollum, and died in this township.
James Winans also died in Milton. He brought up four sons-Jacob J., Isaac, Henry, and James, all of whom settled in this township but Isaac and James. Isaac is still living. He was a preacher for several years, as was also his brother Henry. The daughters of James, Sr., were Polly, Jemima, Anna, Susan, and Hannah; all dead. Polly was the wife of Jesse Delong, of this township.
Jacob Winans passed the most of his life in this township, but died in Pennsylvania. His son Jacob is still a resident of Milton. His daughter Rachel married a Porter, and is still living in the township. Jemima, one of the girls, marred Robert Short, and lived here many years.
Jesse Holliday was one of the first settlers, and a very enterprising business man, although he had more energy than capital. He remained but a few years, and none of his family became permanent residents.
Reuben S. Clarke was one of the first settlers
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at Pricetown, and died upon the farm which he took up and improved. He was associate judge at quite an early date. His sons were John Quincy and Reuben. The former remained on the farm with his widowed mother until her death. Reuben went to Iowa. There were several daughters, but none of them settled in Milton. The Clarke farm began at the township line and extended up the river on the east bank.
Daniel Stewart settled south of Orr's corners, on land now owned by Daniel Eckis, at an early date, probably 1804. He sold and moved to another part of the township, but afterwards returned to the original farm and died there. None of the family are left in Milton.
John Delong was an early settler south of Orr's corners. He had two sons, Jesse and Aaron, who settled in the township and remained several years.
Joseph Depew was an early settler on the farm east of the river afterwards owned by Stephen Case. From Depew's hands the farm passed to John Gibson. Parkus and Joseph Depew, sons of Joseph, passed their lives in this township. One of their sisters became Mrs. Craig.
A man named Munson was an early settler on the river but moved away before making much improvement.
John Brunton made the first improvements on the farm now owned by Leonidas Carson.
James and John Craig were early settlers east of the river. John moved to Berlin and died there. James died in this township and his family scattered.
Thomas L. Fenton settled early at Pricetown and carried on his trade of blacksmithing. About 1817 he moved to the eastern part of the town- ship and settled on a farm just west of the old Johnston farm. He had three sons-Hiram C., Jesse, and Josiah. The youngest lives on the farm; the other two are in the West. His daughters were Mary, Lucy Ann, Jane, Chris- tina, and Harriet. Three of them are living : Mrs. Jane Johnson, Newton Falls ; Mrs. Chris- tina Kale, Milton ; and Mrs. Harriet Flaugher, Jackson.
George Snyder settled east of the river about 1805 and cleared up a farm, which he afterwards sold to Shepard. It is now owned by John Scott. Snyder moved to Green township.
In 1805 John McKenzie settled on the farm
now owned by Frank Keefer. His son John still resides in the township and is one of its old- est inhabitants.
Samuel Daniels settled on the Vaughn farm west of the river about 1806, but later moved with all his family.
John Pennel was an early settler in the eastern part of Milton. He afterwards bought a farm in the northwestern part where he died quite early. His family scattered.
Peter DeCourcey settled in the township pre- vious to 1809. Three of his sons remained here some time but did not become permanent resi- dents.
Robert Russell came from Poland township to the eastern part of Milton when a young man. . He married after coming here a daughter of Alexander French, and reared a family of ten children, two of whom survive, James and Enoch, of this township.
Alexander French settled in the northeastern part of the township about 1809. He had only one son, William, who lived here some years and then emigrated to Allen county, Ohio, where he died. His daughters were Margaret, Martha, Jane, Ann, Betsey, and Sarah. All married here except Martha, who remained single. Betsey is still living, the wife of John Shearer, of New- ton.
Thomas Reed settled in the eastern part of the township, north of Orr's corners, about the year 1810. Two of his sons-Benjamin and John-resided here some years. Two of his daughters were also residents of the township- Catharine, the wife of Thomas L. Fenton, and Mary, wife of James Chalfant. Both died years ago.
William Parshall, son ot Samuel Parshall, was an early settler west of the river, and kept store a few years opposite Captain Vanetten's house. He moved to New Castle, Pennsylvania.
John Johnston settled on the east line of Mil- ton township in 1811. He was of Irish descent and was born in Pennsylvania in 1773. He was married in his native State to Margaret Robin- son. They had six children living at the time they settled here, and two were born afterwards. The names were as follow : Mary, John, Mar- garet, David, Samuel, Elizabeth, Thomas, and Francis R. Mary married Alexander Gilmore and lives in Newton. She has brought up five
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children, two of whom are living. John settled in Jackson and brought up five chil- dren by his first wife and four by his second. He died in 1868. Margaret married James Moore and resided in the township. Both are dead. Mrs. Moore died in 1881, leaving two children living and four deceased. David settled on the west line of Jackson, where he now lives. He has a family of seven children living. Samuel settled on the west line of Jack- son and has seven children living. Elizabeth married Alexander Moore and now resides in Milton, and has four children living. Thomas resides in Milton, on the east line, a mile and a half north of the center road. He has eight children living. Francis R. occupies the old farm. He is the father of eleven children, only two of whom are living. John Johnston, Sr., died in 1842, and his widow in 1849. When he came to this township he moved into a small log cabin, perhaps sixteen feet square, which had been erected by a previous settler. There was a puncheon floor, made from roughly split logs, and a stick and mud chimney. For a few weeks this small cabin, containing but one room, in which was a loom in addition to other household furniture, was inhabited by two families. Alex- ander Campbell lived there while he was build- ing a cabin for himself. He came to Milton about 1810, and remained a resident of the township until 1823, when he moved to Lords- town, where he died some years later.
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