History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 59

Author: Sutton, R., & Co., Wapakoneta, Ohio, pub
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Wapakoneta, Ohio : R. Sutton
Number of Pages: 878


USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 59
USA > Ohio > Van Wert County > History of Van Wert and Mercer counties, Ohio, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 59


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).


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320


Robert Mel'anghey,


160


..


Samuel Koster.


160


1×36 J. W. Mel'anghey,


160


:


Abraham Keiler.


160


1:36


John shaw.


80


..


14 William Hill,


240


1-35


Benjamim Hamley,


80


1911


S. W. Parmley, Smith Hut.


160


27 John Hill,


160


18.10


13 Jame. M. Young,


41) 1-36


Amsa P'pe -ton,


S. W. Paraley,


360


1:37


Simon Parshall,


1220


Daniel Board.


Andrew Walls,


40


Andrew M. Coy,


40


1


..


John Pike,


80


1851


Jacob Snyder,


120 1834


E. Gale.


80


80 ..


Charles Hipp.


164


18.49


L. F. Fletcher, George C. Wyble.


60


2 James Bryan,


1


George Sherman,


17 John Blackburn, 160


1×35


Daniel Alman,


S. W. Parmivy,


Richard E. Thorn,


162


1819


18551


1839 State of Ohio.


80


:


John Calhoun.


481 42. 30


Samuel Fulk.


James 11. Long,


39


Elias S. Bryan,


Demas Adams,


160


Robert Gilliland,


40


1839


Joseph G. Young.


80


=


:


=


William Martin,


40


Peter Aughenbaugh,


80


80


Samuel O. Williams,


80


James M. Young,


80


Parmenas Williams,


40


:


James G. Gilliland.


..


Milton Burnight,


80


4.


=


..


:


1837


Willton D. Hamhel,


=


13 George Bear.


26 Andrew Foster,


Witham Todd. David Meter,


320


1×36


S. W. Parinley,


240


..


James G. Gilliland,


1411


23 Smith Hill.


11 Smith Hill.


Henry Conover,


40


David Tinkey,


160


1×36


1


240 33-47


160


1842


:


240


1:36 .4


25 Joseph Montgomery,


Jacob Shoop,


W. B. Keilhultz,


Charles Palmer,


201-202.


MRS. ALEX. MC COY.


ALEX. MC COY.


MRS. DAVID Mº COY.


, DAVID Mc COY.


1


JULIA ANN HILL.


SMITH HILL.


PIONEER PAGE OF RIDGE TWP.


HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.


203


Fec.


Name.


Acres. Yrar. See.


Name.


Acres. Yonr.


27 Elisha MeCoy.


60 1836 31 William C'avitt,


159 1839


David M. Moc'oy,


40


32 Sammel MeMorran,


160 1-36


28 Robert Burrows,


280


1536


Jacob Crawford,


80


William Crooks,


200


Ingh Milheat,


80


1837


Robert Gilliland,


40


Adam Mccullough,


160


J. & II. B. Simmons,


.10


1838 33 W. B. Wilson.


320


1836


29 Robert Gilliland,


40


1836


Edward Holiday,


James Asdel,


160 16


George Noble,


40


1839


G. W. Gamble,


160 1837


1839


34 Joseph Masters,


200


1836


Daniel Bryan,


40


18.18


Samuel D. Stusser,


160


30 G. S. Williams,


80


1=17


James Powell,


راخ


..


William Todd.


120


Jonathan Jones,


40


Robert Ireland,


40


35 Johu Laybarger,


160


1836


Luther Podge,


40


John FHisser.


320


4.


John Underwood,


40


Isaac Rees,


160


P. Wilbams,


36 Isaac Laferty.


80


1836


E. M. Htine.


John Pool,


..


William Bebb,


160


1842


Anthony Gonaway,


40


31 Samuel Me Morran,


80


1:36


Jolin Pollock.


160


64


Jaruh Boramau,


40


..


Christian Miller,


1837


Jacob Smail,


119 =


Benj. Gaskill.


80


George Doner,


159 IS37


John S. DeCamp,


40


1839


A. Priddy,


80


Job DeCamp,


80


=


Voters in 1840.


John Beam, Henry Beamer, Elias Beamer. Job De Camp, Elisha Tre- land, Frederic Jones, Alexander McCoy. A. T. Priddy, John Pool, John Scott, John Sands. Wm. Todd, and A. Zimmerman.


Such was the beginning of things, the seed from which has sprung a strong, industrious, wealthy community.


In general, it may be said of the township, it abounds in water of an excellent quality, which is found at shallow depths. Fruits are produced of fine quality and in large quantities. The products of the township consist largely of the cereals, to the cultivation of which the south half of the township is well adapted, while the north half is better adapted to grazing.


Limestone underlies the whole surface, and is of superior quality, for both building stone and burning purposes, as lime from this stone findy a ready market at Fort Wayne and elsewhere. This feature is more prominently presented under the head of Geology.


Poll-book of the election held in the township of Ridge in the county of Van Wert, State of Ohio, on the 12th day of October, 1811. Alex. ander McCoy, William Pollock. and James M. Young, Judges, and John Marks and William II. Ramsey, Clerks of said election.


List of Voters.


Frederick Taylor,


Elihu Ireland.


Peter Wills, A. T. Priddy,


William J. Burtch,


War. H. Ramses,


John De Camp.


Samuel S. Brown, John Hill,


John Mark,


Daniel M. Beard,


William Priddy,


Win. Pollock.


Thomas D. Priddy,


John Bates,


James G. Gilliland,


Andrew R. Told,


Alexander McCoy,


Hugh Gilliland,


David W. McCoy,


lienry Harrod,


Nelson Pollock.


James M. Young.


Ww. Hill,


Signed-James M. Young, William Pollock, Alexander MeCoy, Judges. John Marks, Wir. H. Ramsey, Clerks.


CHURCHES.


Methodist Episcopal Church.


The first religions society formed in Ridge Township was at the house of William Hill by Rev. James O. Conoway.


The first class consisted of William Hill and wife. Smith Hill and wife. John Will and wife, John Marks and wife. William Priddy, his wife and some of the family, and Oliver Stacey and wife. Their place of meeting for some time was at the house of William Hill. It was then changed to the school-house, where they met for several years; then at a hewed Jog school house near Middlepoint, where they continued to meet until 1849, when they built a fame church on the land of William Martin. This was used as their place of worship until 1874, when they built a brick church on the land of Elson Stewart.


The society at the present time consists of some fifty members. Smith Hill has been a class-leader in this society for upwards of forty years.


Gilliland Methodist Episcopal Church


was built in 1857 on Mr. Gilliland's farm, and has been supplied by the following pastors: 1857, Rev. A. C. Love and Rev. Nathan Gavet. P. E .: 1858, Rev. G. O. McPherson; 1859. Rev. William Baker; 1-60. Rev. Franklin Merritt; 1861, Rev. James F. Mounts and Rev. John A. Bitt : 1×62, Rev. James F. Mounts and Rey. B. A. Webster ; 1963. Rev. B. A. Webster and Rey. H. I. Nickerson ; 1861. Rev. Lemuel Herbert and Rev. Caleb Hill; 1865, Rev. Lemuel Herbert and Rey. Nathaniel Hupp; 1866, Rev. Francis Hogan and Rev. Nathaniel Hupp: 1867. Rev. Na- thaniel Hupp and Rev. J. Harper ; 1868. Rev. James F. Mount- and Rev. W. Biler; 1869, Rov. James F. Mounts; 1.70, Rev. Jane N. Kath and Rev. Nathaniel Hupp; 1871, Rev. Nathaniel Happ and Rev. L. W. Pat- rick ; 1>73, Rev. Josiah Crooks; 1876, Rev. Caleb Hill; I>71. Rev. J. F. Mounts.


The first church was a frame building, but the congregation is now creeting a brick edifice 32 by 42 feet. It has forty-one members with thirty families. In this connection we may state that in the early days of the township there were a number of local preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church, viz., William Priddy, Oliver Stacey, John Summer-ett, John Hill, Thomas W. Bowdell, and W. H. Ramsey, who held services in log cabins.


Ridge Society.


This township formed an association called the Ridge Church So- ciety, although they had no church edifice or house to worship in for a number of years. This society is still in existence. has a large number- ship, and a fine brick edifice to worship in. The society includes Meth- odists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans, and others, who unitedly labor for the promotion of religion.


BIOGRAPHIES. ALEXANDER McCOY.


In the year 1837 Alexander McCoy, in company with David McCoy and Daniel Beard, came to Ridge Township and entered adjacent tracts of government land. the two latter gentlemen moving on to their places the same year. Alexander Metoy. of whom we write, did not move until two years later, having been disappointed in receiving his pay for the farm-a nice home-he sold in Madison County. This was perhaps for the best, as it gave him ample time to prepare for the new country he was going to link his fortunes with. Mr. MeCoy was born in Vir ginia in 1800, and with his father's family removed to Ross County, Ohio, in 1812; from thenee to Fayette County in 1824; thence to Madi- son County in 1-30; thence to his present place of residence in Je39. At the age of fifteen years he commenced to learn the black smith trade. and served an apprenticeship of six years. He then went into business for himself, and followed smithing some five years, when filing health induced him to quit the business and purchase a small farin. In 1525 he married Eliza Gillespie, by whom he has had nine sons and two daughters, and brought, with him to Van Wert County a family of six sons. There being no schools in the neighborhood, and destrous of giving his sons a common school education, he improvised an old lor cabin on his place as a school-house, which, with oue litted for the same purpose on his brother David's farm, were used alternately, in which the youth of the neighborhood attended school. These were followed by better schools in later years, and he succeeded in giving all his chil- dren a fair education. John, the third son, now owas a part of the oid homestead, which is one of the best farms in the county, on which he raises as fine cattle as can be found anywhere. Mr. Met og is one of the most highly respected and influential citizens of the township. his follow- citizens having testified their appreciation of him by electing han to fill nearly every office in the township, as well as his sons after him He is now over eighty years of age, and has retired from active labor, and in his old days rests upon a competence acquired during a busy life. His father, Joseph McCoy, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and Alexander had five sous in the war of the Rebellion, one of whom, David, died in the army.


ROBERT GILLILAND.


One of the first settlers of Van Wert County was Robert Gilliland, the father of Frank Gilbland, who is now Commissioner of the county. He was born Feb. 22. 1813, in Frederick County, Maryland, where he lived until he reached his majority. Soon after this he, with his mother and brothers , his father being dead), moved to Ohio, and settled on the Van Wert and Delphos Part in Folge Township, Van West County. His location on the Van Wert and Delphos road was east of the farm how owned by Ebson Stewart. Here he was engaged in farming for a while, but as his health was poor, he soon abandoned farming and moved to Van Wert, where he embarked in mercantile pursuits, which he abandoned in 1837. to take his place at the desk as Clerk in the Court of Common Pleas, having previously been elected, and at the espera- tion of his term as clerk he was appointed the deputy of his brother James G. Gilliland, who had been elected Treasurer. Mr. Gillan I was elected County Commissioner in 1>15, and served in that office one term.


24


.6


Benj. Holiday.


120


Elisha Ireland,


80


Win. P. Bryan,


Famnel Spyder.


160


A. Bryan,


=


John Gilliland, Adam Gilliland,


Thomas Gilliland.


John S. De Camp,


-


James Mel'onuell,


Harrison Applegate,


Thomas Gittdand,


204


HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.


In 1819 he was elected Treasurer, which office he held for four years, and at the expiration of this term he was appointed Director of the Northern Lunatic Asylum, in which capacity he served during the con- struetjon of the buildings, which were erected at Newhurg. All offices to which Mr. Giffiland was elected were discharged faithfully and well. He had the confidence of all with whom he had any business transaction, either of a public or private nature. He was married twice. His first wife, who was the daughter of William Hill, died in 1:47, leaving two sons, Frank and William. Some time after the death of his first wife he married the only daughter of George Marsh, who was one of the original proprietors of Van Wert. Mr. Gilliland was admitted to the bar in 1852. and before his death (which occurred Out 9, 1551), was a partner of Hon. E. M. Phelps, of St. Marys. The funeral of Mr. Gilliland was con- ducted by the Masouie Fraternity, of which he was an honored member, and was one of the largest ever attended in the county. Mr. Gilliland was well known throughout the State, and especially in the Northwest- ern portion, and few have died more lamented. He was honorable in all his transactions ; his word was as good as his bond, his charity knew no limits, and his kindness extended to all. Mrs. Giffiland surviving her husband went to Cleveland, and at the time of her death was a Sister of Charity in that city.


MOSES H. MCCOY,


a son of Alexander MeCoy, was born in Fayette County, Ohio, in 1828. In 1839 he came to Van Wert County with his father's family, and located in Ridge Township, and he is, therefore, one among the early pioneers of the county. In 1851 he was married to Elmira F. Gilliland, a daughter of James G. Gilliland, who located in this township in 1835. Three children are the result of this umon. born in the order named: Thaddeus S., Florence E., and Gordon G. His wife attended the first school taught in the township in the winter of 1438-9. The log school house was situated on her father's farm, and the school was taught by Clarissa Gleason. Mrs. McCoy is now the only living person in the township who attended that school. Our subject obtained a common school education, and was reared a quiet farmer. He is now the owner of 171 acres of land on the Ridge Road, two miles cast of the town of Van Wert, and is one of the best improved in the township. We present a view of his residence in this work. Mr. McCoy has filled the offices of township trustee and justice of the peace, and served four months in the army in the war for the Union as a private in the 159th O. V. I. In the performance of all the various duties imposed upon him he so con- dueted himself as to increase the respeet. and confidence which, by his previous industry. integrity, and good sense, he had fully secured, and which he still retains. . He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and by his walk through life exemplified its teachings.


CHRISTIAN LEATHERS


.


was born in Pennsylvania in the year 1>00, but was brought to Ohio by his parents the same year. Here he was raised and occupied as a farmer until 1923, when he married Catharine Shope, and moved to Fairtill County, where he remained until Is50. He then moved to Van Wert County, and on arrival there first stopped with the family of Mr. Smith Ilift, one of the pioneers of that county. A short time afterwards Mr. Leathers located in Ridge Township, and, assisted by his sons. com- meneed the clearing of land. Both he and his wife were life-long mem- bers of the Lutheran Church, and the lack of church privileges was a source of great grief to both during the first few years of their residence in Van Wert County. Mr. Leathers became an honored member of the first church in Ridge Township, and continued identified therewith np to the period of his death. He died after a useful lite in the year 1860. His wife survivel her seventy-sixth birthday in 1979, on which occasion a family reunion was held and fifty relatives were present. After a day spent in happy associations the guests left, little dreaming the next day would be a day of mourning for all. But it was so; for on that day " Mother" Leathers in rising from the talde was seized by an attack of heart disease, and fell dead by her chair. She was among the last of the pioneers of Ridge Township, as but a few remain to tell the story of the trials and privations incident to the early settlement of that township.


-


WILLIAM MARTIN


was born in Pennsylvania in Is10, and emigrated to Muskingum County, Onio, in 1-37; and from there came to Van Wert Counts in 1948, and settled in Ridge Township, where he has resided up to the present time. He has had two sons and one daughter. One of his sons died at home, while the other entered the army, was taken prisoner, and after suffering all the untold borres's that could be inflicted by barbarie rebels, died in Andersonville prison-pen, rendering desolate the hearthstone of the father and mother m their declining years. A daughter, Mary Jane, wife of Joseph E. Johnson, survives. The first church in the township was created on My Martin's farm, who donated the ground for the same, and cut the first stick of timber for the building.


DAVID W. MCCOY


was born in West Virginia in 1505, and located on section 26, Ridge Township, in the year 1837, having previously entered three hundred and sixty acres of government land. When he moved on to it there were but few families in the township, and not a road near his place. He put up a temporary shanty made out of poles, and lived in it until he built a howed log-house, the first hewed log cabin erected in the town- ship. By hard labor, industry, energy, and economy, he made himself a valuable farm and comfortable home. In 1830 he was married in Fay- ette County, Ohio, to Esther Gillespie, a native of New York, by whom he has had two sons and two daughters, three of whom are still living. There being no schools in the township in those early days, he -reared the services of Mary Pennypacker, a lady of Mercer County, as teacher, to instruct his own children and those of his new neighbors at his place of residence. Mr. MeC'oy has respectively tilled the offices of Township Assessor. Trustee, and County Commissioner repeatedly, and always performed the duties of those offices to the satisfaction of the people. He has been a member of the M. E. Church all his life, and assisted in organizing the first church in the township. In the early history of Southern Ohio his grandfather was captured by the Indians, and hekt as a hostage by them for some months, until finally released at Chilli- cothe, Ohio. Retiring from active farm life Mr. MeCoy divided his farm among his children and removed to the town of Van Wert, where he now resides at rest from his labors in the enjoyment of good health and the consciousness of " well done good and faithful servant."


JOHN IRELAND


was the son of John Ireland who emigrated from Ireland to America in 1760, and located with the Delaware Colony. Here John was born in 1770, and when grown to manhood went to Maryland where he married Esther Johifson in 1795. In 1907. with his family; he removed through the forests and crossed the Alleghenies, settling in Chillicothe, Ross County. Ohio. Here his wife died, leaving him a family of seven chil- dren. During the war of 1812 he served under Gen. MeArthur. In 1813 he married his second wife in the person of Elizabeth Dillon, by whom he had twelve children. He continued to reside in Ross County until 1829,when he removed to Allen County, and settled on the Auglaize River. where he remained till 1-39. when he came to Ridge Township. Van Wert County. His family at that time consisted of wife an I seven children at home, five of them having been married and living apart. Robert Ireland and A. J. Ireland, two of the sons, are still residents of the county. When the Ireland family first located in Allen County the Shawnee Indians occupied their reservation, with whom they formed an intimate acquaintance, and when Elihu, another son, visited Kansas in 1868, he renewed his acquaintance with some of the members of the same tribe that he had been brought in contact with on the Auglaize many years before. Robert Ireland was only fourteen years of age when his father, John Ireland, came to the county, and living in the woods as he did during his school-boy days, he was deprived of the advantages of even a common-school education, and his acquirements in that direction are of the primitive self-made kind.


WILLIAM CAVETT,


one of the pioneers of Ridge Township, was born in Pennsylvania in 1×06, and married Elizabeth Burns in Licking County, Ohio, in 1828. With two children they came to Ridge Township in the year 1-39, and entered one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 31. There was not a settler within two miles excepting A. T. Priddy, who had located a few weeks previously. They had no means of supporting the family except by hunting wild game, the furs and hides of which they sold to procure corn for bread. Hogs got fat on the abundance of mast, and made pork plenty. The generosity of the few neighbors was unbounded. each dividing with the other even to the last loaf of bread. But few of the early settlers experienced more of the hardships of pioneer life than the Cavett family. Mr. Cavett himself was in poor health the greater part of the time, thus throwing the burden of labor upon his wife, who did weaving to help support the family. Mr. Cavett died in 1-32, leav. ing his widow and two children. Iva and Lucy, as survivors. Navy, the daughter, is the wife of John Grilland, who resides on the old homestead. Mrs. Cavett is now seventy-one years of age. A singular freak of na- ture occurred with Mrs. C. at the age of seventy years, some new teeth having grown in the place of a few she hrud extracted the year previous.


SAMUEL ARNOLD


was born in Fayette County, Ohio, in 1832, and settled in this county in 1896. He is a farmer, and through industry has done much to promote the interests of the agricultural class. He was married in this county in IS54 to Rebecca J. Bevington. For two years he held the position of township trustee, and was township treasurer five years. His father. John Arnold, was born in Highland County in 1797. and died here in 1869. The death of his mother occurred m Ist. Mr. Arnobl's grand. father, Andrew Arnold, was a soldier of the war of 1812.


205


RES. OF JOS. WERT, LIBERTY TW'D, VAN WERT CO. OHIO.


P


RES. OF RUFUS DUPREY , RIDGE


TWP, VAN WERT CO. OHIO.


0


RES. OF WERT AGLER . LIBERTY TW'P. VAN WERT CO. OHIO.


206


Kes. vi . S. N. E. PRIDDY, JACKSON ST.


Rus. of DR. A. C. BEAGHLER . S. MAIN ST.


MIDDLEFOIN" FLOURINS MAIL .


MIDDLEPOINT FLOURING MILL, PRIDDY & BEAGHLER , PROP'S MIDDLEPOINT, VAN WERT CO. OH'O.


Fax'


7


=


VAN WERT CARRIAGE CO.


VAN WERT CARRIAGE CO. VAN WERT CO. OHIO.


MANUFACTURERS OF CARRIACES. WAGONS, OPEN & TOP BUGGIES OF DIFFERENT PATTERNS & FINISH . W PFINGSTAY JOHN MATHYS


REPAIRING OF ALL KINDS A SPECIALITY.


.


207


HISTORY OF VAN WERT AND MERCER COUNTIES, OHIO.


A. B. MELCHI


was born in Pennsylvania in 1815, and moved to Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1836, where he married Sarah Shape in Isto, and in 181) he moved to his present location in Ridge Township, accompanied by bis wife and five children, The teamsters who brought him here did so upon his promise that if he ever get able he would pay them, and after many years of hardship, courage, and labor, he was enabled to div- charge all his just obligations. He landed in the woods without a horse, cow, or pig, and had only a peek of cornmeal and fifty cents in money in the world. On account of Mr. Melchi's poor health the burden of the support of the family fell upon Mrs. Melchi, who often became almost prostrate from the want of proper nourishment. For twenty years benches and stools made by himself were the substitute for chairs. Many a day he made shingles to get bread for the family with only a piece of corn bread and cold water for food. Few. if any, of the carly settlers passed through more hardships than Mr. Melchi and family. But after years of endurance and perseverance they at last reached the goal of ease, comfort, and prosperity.


SAMUEL KESLER


was among the first settlers of Ridge Township. Born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1812, and marrying Lovisa Frazier in 1834, he moved to this township in the year isto, and located on land which he pur- chased from the government. He camped in his wagon until he cleared a piece of land and built a cabin. When the primitive structure was completed they had no furniture to put into it, excepting the ride chairs, beds, and tables constructed out of the logs of the forest with an axe as the only tool for the workman. In this manner they lived for several years. and it is their boast now that they were never more contentel and happy. With the indomitable will of a hardy yeoman he had cleared and cultivated enough land the second year to yield a surplus of grain above his needs, which he marketed at Fort Wayne, at which place he also got his milling done. By his own laborious efforts and good man- agement he has become the owner of six hundred and forty acres of land, under a high state of cultivation, and rauks among the most thriv- ing and enterprising men of the township.


JAMES J. McMILLEN


was born in Somerset County, Pa., in 1827. and came to Ohio with his parents in 1830, locating in Knox County, where he remained until 1 -42, and then removed to Allen County. In 1852 he engaged in the mercan- tile trade in Elida. Allen County, and also dealt largely in the grain business, which he continued until Isco, when he came to Ridge Town- ship and located on his farm in the woods. He has cleared it up, and has it under a high state of cultivation, having placed about five miles of drain tile on the farm, and has one of the largest orchards in the township. Besides farming he raises and deals largely in stock. He "has made farming a success. In 1852 he married Harriet Gilliland. a native of the township, and daughter of James G. Gilliland, by whom he has had ten children, eight of whom are still living. He has aimed to give his children a liberal education and fit them for the duties of life. He, himself, is the author of a work entitled "J. J. MeMillen's Interest Computer." His great-grandfather was a soblier in the Revolutionary Army, and was wounded at the battle of Bunker Hill.


JACOB BALYEAT


is the second son of Jonas Balyeat, who was the father of sixteen sons and two daughters, fourteen of whom are yet living, ten of them being residents of Van Wert County. The parents have been residents of the town of Van Wert since 1812. Jacob, the subject of this sketch, was born in Richland County, Ohio, in 1821. He removed to this county in 1847. and located in the wilderness in Pleasant Township. After im- proving this farm and living on it fourteen years. he sold it and pur- chased one hundred and seventy-eight acres in Ridge Township, where he now resides, his farm being highly improved. In 1814 he was mar- ried in Ashland County, Ohio, to Frances Thomas, a native of that county. This couple are the parents of ten children, all born in Van Wert County, namely : Jonas. Philip, Amanda E, Melvin, Michael T., Mary L., Anna, Francis, Luman, and Viola Belle.




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