USA > Ohio > Memoirs of the lower Ohio valley, personal and genealogical : with portraits, Volume I > Part 16
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
164
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
JAMES TANDY ELLIS, poet, author and journalist, of Carrollton, Ky., was born at Ghent, in the county where he now resides, June 9, 1868, and is a de- scendant of some of the oldest families in America. One of his paternal ancestors, John Ellis, was one of the grantees in the second charter of the Virginia com- pany, which was granted by King James I., May 23, 1609, and on the maternal side his great-great-grandfather, John Tandy, was married in Fluvanna county, Va., to Judith, daughter of Henry and Judith (Guelph) Martin, Mrs. Martin being a sister of George III., King of England, and also of the Duke of Gloucester. The grand- father of Mr. Ellis, James B. Tandy, was a native of Carroll county, Ky., where he was a successful business man and died at the advanced age of eighty-three years. James Tandy Ellis is a son of Dr. Peter Clarkson and Drusilla (Tandy) Ellis. His father was a native of Bourbon county, Ky., but settled in Carroll county when he was still a young man and there practiced medicine for many years. The sub- ject of this sketch received his primary education at Ghent, afterward attending the Agricultural and Mechanical college at Lexington, and subsequently taking a full course in vocal and instrumental music at the Cincinnati conservatory. He is the author of several popular songs, as well as a number of instrumental pieces; is a contributor to magazines and other periodicals; has published a book of poems and also a book of stories and sketches of Southern life and character; was for a time the vice-president of the water-works company of Owens- boro, but resigned to take up newspaper work in Washington, D. C., going there as secretary to Congressman A. C. Stanley of Henderson. Mr. Ellis is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Knights of Pythias, and was for four years a major in the Third regi- ment of Kentucky State Guards. He married Harriet Bainbridge Rich- ardson, the accomplished daughter of Col. William Richardson of Fayette county, Ky., and to this union there have been born two chil- dren, one of whom died in infancy, and the other, a little daughter, bears the name of her grandmother, Drusilla Tandy.
16 5
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
ELLEN P. HOAGLAND is a member of one of the oldest and most highly respected families of Carroll county, Ky. She was born in that county, her parents being Moses T. and Sallie (Payne) Hoag- land. The father of Moses T. Hoagland was named Cornelius and was born in New Jersey in 1778, of Holland parentage. His ancestors brought the first brick to New York city, during the period of the Dutch occupancy of Manhattan Island in the early half of the seven- teenth century. Cornelius Hoagland married Mary Huff, the daugh- ter of a wealthy gentleman in New Jersey, and came to Kentucky in 1801, where he became a successful planter. His son, Moses T., was in business in the city of New Orleans for several years. During the Civil war he played a considerable part as a member of Gen. "Stone- wall" Jackson's staff. After the war he returned to Carroll county, where he built a beautiful residence, overlooking the Ohio river, and there passed the remainder of his life, enjoying the happy reflections consequent upon an honorable career and the esteem and friendship of his neighbors. Moses T. and Sally Hoagland had a family of nine children. Ellen P. is the subject of this sketch; Mary J. married a Doc- tor Moore, and both are now deceased; Caroline was the second wife of Doctor Moore, and is also deceased; Mary C. married Dr. S. E. Hampton and lives on the old home place. Two children died in infancy; John died at Lexington, Ky .; Addie lives on the old home- stead; Jackson is dead, and Sarah M. is the widow of Dr. W. T. Owen. Ellen and Addie live on their old home farm with their nephew, Doctor Hampton. They have inherited the noble traits of a long and honorable ancestry and have the regard of all the good people in the community where they have passed so many happy years, unbroken except for the sorrow occasioned by the death of some loved one.
WILLIS TANDY, civil engineer and teacher of Sanders, Carroll county, Ky., is of Irish extraction and is a descendant of that Napier Tandy who was hanged by the English government for leading a rev- olution. Achilles Tandy, the great-grandfather of Willis, was the first of the family in America, coming with four of his brothers to the United States at an early date, and all located in Kentucky. His son Roger married Catherine Whalen, became a successful farmer in Carroll county, and had a family of thirteen children, one of whom, Scott Tandy, married Nancy C., a daughter of John and Sally (Bledsel) Tandy, and this couple were the parents of the subject of this sketch. Scott Tandy embarked in the merchandizing business at Ghent in 1845, but in 1852 he sold out and followed farming from that time
166
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
until his death, on the last day of December, 1892. His wife died in 1895. She was a member of the Christian church. Scott and Nancy Tandy had a family of five children: Willis, Sallie, Nannie, Kate and June C., the last named being deceased. The other girls live on the old home place and manage the farm. Willis Tandy was born at Ghent, Carroll county, Sept. 10, 1850. After completing the course in the common schools he graduated from Ghent college in 1869, and from the law department of the Indiana university in 1875. Later he graduated in civil engineering from the college at Danville, Ky., and was for years with the United States survey, working from the East to the Pacific coast. Since then he has been engaged in teaching, with the exception of three years he was in the drug business at Ghent. In 1902 he came to Sanders. Mr. Tandy was married on July 4, 1877, to Miss Loulie Hawkins, daughter of Richard and Amanda (Shouse) Hawkins, natives of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Tandy have eight chil- dren: Inez, Scott, Loulie, James R., Stella, Josie, Amanda and Harlan. All the children received good educations and all are home except Scott, who resides in Louisville. Mr. Tandy is a Master Mason in good standing and a Knight of Pythias. His wife belongs to the Bap- tist church. Few men have a higher standing in the community than Willis Tandy. He has all that independence of spirit that led his illus- trious ancestor to become a revolutionist; is well educated, a close student of the times in which he lives; understands his duties as a man and a citizen and discharges them without fear or favor; and is popular in his neighborhood for his many sterling qualities.
JOHN THOMAS HARRIS, a successful farmer and cattle dealer, near Sanders, Carroll county, Ky. was born in Owen county of the same state, Sept. 26, 1851. He is a son of Fred and Elizabeth Harris, and his grandfather, Frederick Harris, who was a native of Virginia, was one of the pioneers of Mercer county, Ky. He had a family of ten children, five boys and five girls: Fred, Nimrod, John, Andrew, Nicholas, Eliza, Ellen, Emma, Nannie, and one other. All lived and died in Kentucky except Nicholas, Emma and Eliza, who went to Indiana and passed the remainder of their lives in that state. John Harris, the father of the subject of this sketch, came to Eagle Station, in Carroll county, in 1857. In 1864 he located at Sanders and died there in the following year. His wife died on Sept. 13, 1901. He was an active Democrat, and both himself and wife were members of the Baptist church. They had five children. Nannie lives in Sanders as the widow of M. L. Sarlls; William died at the age of twenty-seven
167
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
years; John Thomas; Mollie married John Stonestreet and lives in Owen county, and Emma is deceased. All the children received a good common school education, and at the age of twenty-one years John Thomas started in to farm for himself. Two years later he bought the farm he now owns and occupies, consisting of 127 acres of as good land as there is in Carroll county. Here he does a general farming business, his specialty being the buying and fattening of cat- tle for the market. Mr. Thomas was married on Feb. 17, 1874, to Jen- nie Jones, a daughter of Benjamin G. and Jane (Sebree) Jones, the former a native of Owen and the latter of Scott county. Mrs. Harris' father is a successful farmer of Owen county. Mr. Harris is a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife belong also to the Daughters of Rebekah and the Rathbone Sisters, and both are members of the Baptist church. They have no children.
B. W. RANSDELL, head of the firm of B. W. Ransdell & Co,. tobacco buyers, of Sanders, Ky., was born in Owen county of that state, Oct. 27, 1854. He is a son of B. F. and Nancy J. (Chandler) Ransdell, both natives of Owen county, where the grandparents, Zachariah and Nancy (Duvall) Ransdell, were among the pioneers, coming from Culpeper county, Va. B. F. Ransdell was a surveyor and for over twenty years held the office of county surveyor in Owen county. He and his wife were both Baptists and he was an active Democrat. She died in 1869 and he in 1871. They had a family of seven children, the subject of this sketch being the eldest; Louisa, Nannie, Alice and Roxy are deceased; Susan A. is the widow of G. Webster and Emmett is a farmer in Owen county. B. W. Rans- dell attended the academy at Harrisburg, Owen county, for four years; taught school for awhile; was county surveyor of Owen county for four years; farmed there until 1896; sold out then and came to San- ders; bought a farm of II0 acres adjoining the town; organized the firm of B. W. Ransdell & Co., and handles over 500,000 pounds of tobacco every year. In addition to his tobacco trade, he still owns his farm and carries on a general farming business. The firm of which he is the head is the largest establishment in the town and one of the
168
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
largest of its kind in that section of Kentucky. Mr. Ransdell is a Democrat of that unwavering kind found in Old Kentucky, and takes an interest in all questions relating to public policy. In fraternal cir- cles he is a well known figure, being a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias. He was married on Oct. 20, 1875, to Florence, daughter of H. C. and Emma Vallanding- ham, one of the oldest families in Kentucky. Mr. and Mrs. Ransdell have five children: B. F. is a traveling salesman in Missouri; Ed. Porter is a farmer in Owen county; Rosa married Charles Reed of Owen county; Mary is Mrs. R. McNeill of the same county, and Katie is at home. All the children are well educated, and the girls are inter- ested in music. Both parents are members of the Baptist church and are consistent practitioners of their faith in their daily lives.
J. F. JACOBS, deceased, formerly proprietor of the Blue Lick Springs hotel, at Sanders, Ky., was born at Sandfordtown, Kenton county, in the same state, April 26, 1857, and died at Sanders Feb. 27, 1901. He was a son of Frank and Catherine Jacobs. His father was a native of Germany and was a shoemaker by trade. They had eleven children. J. F. Jacobs followed farming until 1876, when he came to Sanders where he was for a long time the agent of the Louis- ville & Nashville railway and the Adams Express Company. He was also for four years postmaster of the town. In 1880 he leased the Blue Lick Springs hotel and four years later bought the property, improved it, and made a popular resort, and was for some time after this the agent for the railroad and express companies referred to. He built one of the nicest residences in Sanders and took a lively interest in every movement for the upbuilding of the town. Politically Mr. Jacobs was a Democrat and was always ready to do his part to secure a victory for his party. From early life he had been taught by experi- ence to depend upon his own resources and was a fine example of a self-made man. His genial disposition and his straightforward course made him a host of friends, who sincerely lamented his death. Mr. Jacobs was married on Jan. 10, 1882 to Miss Ella Cannon, a native of Ironton, Ohio, and a daughter of Patrick and Mary Cannon, both natives of Ireland. Her father was a miller by trade and had a fam- ily of twelve children. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs had ten children, viz .: Katherine, Josephine, Julia, Frank, John, Florence, Churchill, Stella Winifred, Stella Maude and Roberta C. All are living at home with their mother except Stella Winifred, who died in childhood. Mrs. Jacobs is the agent for the railroad company, and Katherine and
169
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
Frank assist her in discharging the duties of the position. Josephine is a milliner and dressmaker. The girls are all interested in music, and the family are all members of the Catholic church. Mrs. Jacobs still owns the hotel, which has fifteen large rooms, a splendid lawn, and the guests have free access to the Lithia and Blue Lick springs.
LEONARD L. NORTH, deceased, a retired farmer of Sanders, Carroll county, Ky., was born in Owen county, Ky., Dec. 4, 1828. He is a son of John and Eliz- abeth (Lyons) North, and a grandson of William and Mary (Callaway) North, of Virginia, where both the North and Cal- laway families were early pioneers. John North, the father, was born in Virginia in 1787. His father died soon afterward and his mother married Joshua Baker, who came with the family to Owen county, Ky., in 1798. John North and his brother William both grew to manhood, John living in Kentucky and William in Virginia. The former followed the life of a farmer in Owen county, near Dallasburg, until 1836, when he removed to Car- roll county, and located near Carrollton. Here he lived until his death, in 1850, his wife having died in 1846. He was an active Demo- crat in his day and he and his wife were consistent members of the Baptist church. Of their eight children, Amanda, William, John, Shelby, Docia and Lizzie are deceased. Leonard, the subject of this sketch, departed this life Oct. 3, 1904, leaving James, who lives in Kansas City, Mo., the only survivor. Leonard L. North attended the common schools, acquiring a good English education. At the age of eighteen he united with the Baptist church at White's Run, and contin- ued a true, consistent Christian gentleman all his life. At the age of twenty years he went to Owen county, near New Liberty, and lived with an uncle and aunt, Governor Watson Cull and wife, acting as foreman of a large plantation and controlling a large number of slaves. For several years he was a partner with Mr. Cull in trading in live stock in Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and the Southern states. At the age of thirty years he went to Missouri and bought land, but sold out two years later and returned to Carroll county, where he bought a farm near Carrollton, in February, 1859. On May 31, 1859, Leonard L. North was united in marriage with Miss Nancy Evelyn Howard,
170
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
daughter of Thomas and Martha (Riley) Howard of Owen county. To this union were born four children, viz .: Thomas H., who married Miss Eva Garrey of New Liberty, Ky., a very successful tobacco buyer, and has a beautiful home in New Liberty; Mattie N., widow of Dr. Collin Ball of Bedford, Trimble county, Ky., and with her son, Collin North Ball, now lives with her mother; Artamecia B., now Mrs. Joseph A. Kemper, a widow, with one son, Leonard North Kemper, and lives with her mother; Drusilla H., wife of James F. Ramey, cashier of the First National bank of Eddyville, Ky. Mr. and Mrs. Ramey have two children, a son, Leonard, and a daughter, Evelyn. Both parents are full graduates of Cherry Brothers' Business college of Bowling Green, Ky. Mrs. Kemper has been a very efficient music teacher for a num- ber of years. Mr. and Mrs. North were both consecrated members of the Baptist church at Sanders, Ky., in which he held the office of deacon for many years. He made his own way in the world by his in- dustry, frugality and intelligence, as well as a strict adherence to cor- rect principles. While he enjoyed a generous measure of prosperity, it has not been at the expense of his fellow-men, for he has helped others to better conditions and not one cent of the possessions he left but what was justly acquired. Naturally, he had the respect and friendship of those around him and when he joined the "silent throng" the world had been made better for his having lived in it.
ROBERT ELLIS, dealer in general merchandise, Sanders, Ky., was born in Ghent, in the same county, Dec. 6, 1844, his parents being Timothy and Olivia (Nevins) Ellis, both natives of Henry county, Ky. The grandfather, David Ellis, was a Virginian, but came to Henry county at an early day and there passed the remainder of his life, be- coming a well-to-do farmer. Timothy Ellis was for many years a blacksmith at Ghent and died there in 1865. He and his wife were both members of the Christian church. In early life he was a Whig, but in later years he affiliated with the Democratic party. He and his wife had ten children, only three of whom are now living. Robert is the subject of this sketch; J. W. is at the head of a college at Platts- burg, Mo., and Bettie is now a Mrs. Huffman of St. Louis. In Sep- tember, 1862, Robert Ellis enlisted in Company F, Capt. T. M. Bar- rett's company in Colonel Giltner's regiment, and served as a private until 1864. After the war he attended school for awhile and then taught for twelve years in Gallatin county. He then clerked in a store at Sparta for about three years, and in 1874 went into business there for himself. He remained at Sparta until 1880, when he
1
171
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
came to Sanders and opened a general store. Since then he has bought a nice home, has built up a large patronage, and is one of the thrifty citizens of the town. Mr. Ellis is an enthu- siastic Democrat, has served as chairman of the district committee and on the executive committee of the state, though he has never been a candidate for office. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, both Lodge and Chapter; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and has a high standing in his various lodges. In 1872 Mr. Ellis was married to Sallie, daughter of Solomon and Eliza- beth Ellis, and by this marriage he had four children. His wife died in 1881, and in 1885 he was united in marriage to Mary, daughter of J. M. and Esther Elmore, of Owen county. Four children were born to this union. Of the eight children of Mr. Ellis, Bertha is the wife of Dr. Stallard of Sparta; Sallie is Mrs. Lee Hunt of the same place; Solomon, Robert E. and one child who died in infancy are deceased; Elizabeth, John W. and Esther are at home. All received good schooling and are popular with the young folks of Sanders. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis are members of the Christian church.
G. W. DEATHERAGE, president of the Deposit Bank, Sanders, Carroll county, Ky., was born in Gallatin county of the same state, March 20, 1843. He is a son of Granville and Elizabeth (Hayden) Deatherage, and a grandson of Bird Deatherage, who lived and died in Rockingham county, N. C., where Gran- ville was born, the only son of his father's family of four children. Granville Death- erage came to Kentucky when a young man, spent several years as a farmer in Gallatin county, and later came to San- ders, where he died. In his day he was one of the local leaders of the Democratic party, and he and his wife were both members of the Bap- tist church. They had a family of eleven chilren, the subject of this sketch being the fifth. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Deatherage were Jeremiah and Nancy (Cross) Hayden, of Culpeper county, Va. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, and after the independ- ence of the United States was established he came to Kentucky, be- came a successful farmer, and reared a family of six children. G. W. Deatherage began life as a farmer on rented land. In 1872 he bought
.
172
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
a small farm in Carroll county, and lived there for fifteen years, adding to his farm by purchase until he now owns 300 acres of good land. He makes a specialty of breeding polled Angus cattle. Mr. Deather- age is a Democrat in politics; a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and, in addition to being president of the bank at San- ders he is a stockholder in the Carrollton National bank. He is what might be aptly termed a "man of affairs" and has been successful in all his undertakings because he has mixed brains and industry together in the proper proportions. In 1864 he was married to Miss Sallie Bruce, a daughter of Henry Bruce, and they have a family of nine children: Annie is now Mrs. O. H. Sanders of Owen county; Maggie is Mrs. John Weldon of Carroll; Delia married Arthur Cox, county attorney; William is deputy county clerk; Jennie May is the wife of Joseph Newton, a minister of the Non-sectarian church of Dixon, Ill .; Tilden is a merchant who married Miss Georgia Holton and lives in Sanders; Nina Lee is at home, as are Myrtie and Katie C. Jennie and Myrtie are accomplished musicians. Mr. Deatherage and his family belong to the Baptist church.
WILLIAM H. FURNISH, a farmer near Sanders, Carroll county, Ky., is a native of the county, having been born there July 31, 1843. His parents, Benjamin and Kitty (Hawkins) Furnish, were both native Kentuckians, the father of Gallatin and the mother of Mercer county. James Furnish, the grandfather of William H., was a Vir- ginian, but came to Kentucky in the early part of the nineteenth cen- tury, settled in Gallatin county and there followed the occupation of a farmer until his death. Benjamin Furnish grew to manhood in Galla- tin county, but after his marriage bought a farm of 161 acres in Car- roll and lived there the rest of his days. He was an active Democrat in his day, and his wife was a devoted member of the Baptist church. They had a family of four sons and two daughters, three of whom are yet living. William H. Furnish was educated in the common schools and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits all his life. When he was about forty-five years of age he bought the old home place, built a good residence, and is one of the representative farmers of his neigh- borhood. Mr. Furnish takes a commendable interest in public mat- ters, and although not an active politician, is one of the reliable Dem- ocrats of Carroll county. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church and are always ready to assist in the good work of their chosen denomination. He was married on May II, 1864, to Miss Henrietta, daughter of Flurrinoy and Narcissa Pate, both natives of Switzerland
173
MEMOIRS OF THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY
county, Ind., but now living in Owen county, Ky., where the father is a successful farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Furnish have two children, Mary T., wife of William Woblen, of Owenton, and Benjamin B., who lives in the city of Covington. They have also taken a boy, named Man- ford Bryson, to rear, and who is treated as though he was their own son.
JOSEPH M. GREEN, dealer in gen- eral merchandise, at Easterday, Carroll county, Ky., was born at New Madrid, Mo., Nov. 9, 1853. The first of his fam- ily in America was Robert Green, who came from England in the year 1710. He was the son of William Green and was born in 1635, being seventy-five years of age when he came to this country. He married Elinor Dunn, of Scotland, and they had the following children: William, Robert, Duff, John, Nicholas, James and Moses. Soon after coming to America he settled in Virginia, on a tract of land which was succes- sively in Essex, Spottsylvania, Orange and Culpeper counties. Robert Green died in 1748, at the age of one hundred and thirteen years, and his will is recorded in the Orange county court house. He was one of the first vestrymen of St. Mark's parish. William Green, a son of this Robert, was born in Essex county, was vestryman of St. Mark's parislı from 1749 to 1770, married a Miss Coleman and one of the sons born to this union was Francis Wyatt Green, the great-great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He participated in various wars against the Indi- ans and won the title of Colonel. Joseph M. Green is a son of Thornton Green, a grandson of Joseph, and a great-grandson of Francis W. Green. The grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812 and fought at the battle of New Orleans. He married Susan, daughter of John Ball, who died in 1852 at Columbus, Ky. Joseph and Susan Green had the following children: Dr. Norvin, who was for a time the president of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and who married Martha, daughter of James English ; Nevil, married M. J. Morris ; John B., who died in infancy ; Lawrence, died at the age of thirteen years ; Thornton, father of the subject ; Warren, died at the age of thirteen years ; Benja- min F., died in infancy. Thornton Green came with his family to Ken- tucky in 1854, located at Columbus, where he ran a saddlers' shop
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.