Past and present of the city of Zanesville and Muskingham County, Ohio, Part 68

Author: Sutor, J. Hope, 1846-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 898

USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > Zanesville > Past and present of the city of Zanesville and Muskingham County, Ohio > Part 68

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Richard P. Mendenhall remained upon the home farm until thirty-three years of age, with the exception of two years, which he spent in Illinois and Iowa, and while in the latter state. in 1853, he was civil engineer for the Iowa Cen- tral Railroad, the first railroad surveyed in Towa. He saw the ground broken for the first Jowa railroad. In his youth he became familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist, and had learned the value of planting and harvesting at the proper time, of using the best seed, rotating crops and all the manifold points of knowledge which add to the

effectiveness of the labors of the farmer. On leaving home he and his brother purchased a farm adjoining the old homestead, comprising one hundred acres, and on this he lived until 1878, when he returned to his father's farm, making it his place of residence until 1884. In that year he bought another farm near the old homestead, continuing its cultivation until 1886, when he removed to his present farm, compris- ing eighty-five acres, of which forty-three acres lie within the corporation limits of Frazeysburg. He placed many modern improvements on this property, cultivated his fields after the most mod- ern methods and continued the active manage- ment of the place until 1903, since which time he has lived retired, enjoying a rest to which he is well entitled by reason of his long years of connection with the agricultural development of the county.

In 1863 Mr. Mendenhall was married to Miss Margaret Mull, a native of Jefferson county, Ohio, born January 10, 1835, and a daughter of Samuel and Margaret ( Miser) Mull, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Jef- ferson county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Menden- hall have become the parents of four children : Sarah E., at home: Mary E., the wife of J. W. Baker, who is mentioned elsewhere in this vol- ume ; Martha, the wife of Henry Miller, a farmer of Coshocton county, Ohio; and Ruth, the wife of Elmer Graham, of Adams Mills, Ohio.

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Mendenhall manifested his loyalty to the government by en- listing at Zanesville, May 9, 1864, in response to the call for men to serve one hundred days. He was made first sergeant of his company, which proceeded to Harpers Ferry, Virginia. for the purpose of taking part in the campaign in that state, but owing to the bridges being swept away by high water, they proceeded to Baltimore, where they did guard duty at Fort Marshall and Patterson Park Hospital and Fort No. I. They afterward went to Gunpowder bridge and back to Camp Bradford, and Mr. Mendenhall was discharged with his company at Zanesville, September 24, 1864. By reason of his service with the Union army, Mr. Menden- hall is now a member of the Grand Army Post at Frazeysburg, and he also belongs to the Odd Fellows Society. He votes with the republican party and since 1868 he has served as justice of the peace, his decisions being strictly fair and impartial, while his long retention in the office is an indication of his fidelity and ability. He also served as mayor of Frazeysburg for one term, has been township clerk and a member of the school board, and every interest entrusted to his care has been faithfully discharged. He be- longs to the Methodist Episcopal church, and high principles and worthy motives have

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prompted his actions and shaped his conduct, win- ning him the respect and confidence of all con- cerned.

HENRY C. LILLIBRIDGE.

Henry C. Lillibridge, who, since 1901, has served as superintendent of the city and county workhouse for Zanesville and Muskingum coun- ty, was born in Zanesville, October 7, 1835. His father, Warren Lillibridge, a native of Connecti- cut, was descended from Plymouth ancestry. When a boy he came to Ohio, locating first in Athens, whence he removed to Muskingum coun- ty, in 1832. He learned the merchant tailor's trade and was engaged in business along that line for many years, being one of its pioneer represen- tatives in this city and a man who in all busi- ness relations was not only a capable workman, but also one whose reliability was above ques- tion. He was a very prominent Mason and for fifteen years served as master of Amity lodge. No. 15, A. F. & A. M. His political support was given to the democracy. He was born in 1807 and died in 1867. being, therefore, sixty years of age. He married Sarah Corbus, who was born in Cumberland, Maryland, October 29. 1827, and died October 29, 1882.

Henry C. Lillibridge, the second in order of birth in a family of four children, was educated in the public schools of Zanesville, and after put- ting aside his text-books went to New York city, where for three years he was employed in a whole- sale house. He then returned to Zanesville and in partnership with James Hoge opened a hat store, which business he conducted until 1859. In 1861 he entered the quartermaster's department of Camp Goddard, where the first troops from this section of Ohio were equipped for the field. He was afterward transferred to Clarksburg, West Vir- ginia, to the commissary department and there remained for two years, when he was sent to Kentucky as a member of the quartermaster's de- partment and fitted out the Burnside expedition. He was in Kentucky and Tennessee during the Knoxville campaign under Captain J. M. Hunt- ington and among his immediate friends and as- sociates were Colonel Higginbotham, who was president of the World's Columbian Exposition at Chicago, and who in war times was chief clerk of the department: Louis L. James, the actor, who was assistant to Mr. Lillibridge ; and George Sparehawk, who is now superintendent of the St. Louis street car line 'and was then in the department and was afterward quartermas- ter in the field.

Mr. Lillibridge was later detailed as superin- tendent of the East Tennessee & Virginia Rail-

road, with headquarters at Knoxville. He re- turned to Zanesville and after a few days went out with the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry as regimental quartermaster, being first at Harper's Ferry. He participated in one of the last engagements of the war at Monocacy, where the Federal troops took Mosby's guerillas. This was during his one hundred days' service. Later he joined the One Hundred and Seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry as quartermaster and went from Columbus, Ohio, to Nashville, Tennessee. He took the regiment out there, being a commissioned officer, and he was in the siege at Murfreesboro and at the time he was acting as first division quartermaster of the Twenty-third Army Corps. At Clifton, Ten- nessee, the troops took boats for Cairo, thence proceeded up the Ohio river to Cincinnati, where they boarded cars for Washington, D. C., and then went into camp. After remaining there for three weeks they were ordered to Alexandria, where they proceeded on steamships to the Caroli- nas to join Sherman's army. Three large steam- ships served as transports. Mr. Lillibridge was detailed to look for transportation for the entire corps. They landed at Newburn, North Caro- lina, and disembarked there, after which they started on a march through Carolina, the first engagement being at British Cross Roads, where they succeeded in driving the enemy back. They then went to Goldsboro and joined Sherman on his celebrated march to the sea. On the way to Raleigh news reached them of Lee's surrender, and at Raleigh General Sherman held a grand review of his army. At the second surrender Mr. Lillibridge was detailed by General Grant to go with the paroling officer to Greenville, all munitions of war and supplies being there turned over to him, as he was still division quartermas- ter. He then went to Charlotte, South Carolina. where the entire archives of the Southern Con- federacy had been sent from Richmond to Char- lotte, and after the war, by order of Major Gen- eral Ruger, three of the records were turned over to Mr. Lillibridge, these being the corre- spondence of Mason and Slidell, which are still intact at the opera house in Zanesville. At Charlotte he receivel orders to return for the muster out.

When the war was over Mr. Lillibridge again came to Zanesville and here he embarked in mer- chandising, in which he continued until 1868, when he joined his brother, Charles, in a mer- chant tailoring business. They conducted the largest establishment in their line at that time and were successful, being thus engaged until 1880. He next opened a tailoring establishment in the Clarendon Hotel building, where he re- mained unti 1889. when appointed by Governor Campbell to the position of chief clerk of the

HENRY C. LILLIBRIDGE.

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soldiers' records, and published volumes nine and ten of the Ohio Roster. He was thus engaged for two years, serving under William McKinley for a part of the time. He afterward returned to Zanesville and by appointment filled the of- fice of chief of police for two years. In 190I he was appointed superintendent of the city and county work house, in which capacity he is now serving.

In 1859 Mr. Lillibridge was married to Miss Martha Lee, a daughter of Robert Lee, of Falls township, and they had two children: Fred W., who was largely connected with the New York papers, but recently died ; and Robert, deceased. Mr. Lillibridge chose for his second wife Mary E. Lee, a sister of his former wife. To them were born the following children: Lulu; Julia, the wife of Ed Van Sant, who is with the Bal- timore & Ohio Railroad Company: Harry D., one of the managers of the American Encaustic Tile Works; De Witt, a traveling man of Fair- mount, West Virginia; and Harlow and Ellen. twins.

Mr. and Mrs. Lillibridge are members of the Presbyterian church and he belongs to the Knights of Pythias, while in his political views he is a democrat. Such in brief is the life history of Mr. Lillibridge. In whatever relation of life we find him-in the government service, in po- litical circles, in business or in social relations- he is always the same honorable and honored gentleman, whose worth well merits the high regard which is uniformly given him.

JOHN W. ELSEA.

J. W. Elsea, manager of the Adamsville Tele- phone Company, whose activity and well directed energy in business affairs have made him a prom- inent man of Muskingum county, is descended from one of two brothers who came from Scot- land, in 1704, and settled in Jamestown, Virginia. They remained residents of that colony for some time and afterward removed to South Carolina, but later one of the brothers returned to Vir- ginia. There is no definite history concerning intervening generations of the family down to the time of the great-grandfather of J. W. Elsea, who was once a very wealthy man, but after losing his first wife he married again and his step-daughters, through their extravagance, wasted his fortune so that the grandfather, who was a son by the first marriage, was obliged to seek a living elsewhere and removed to Ohio. He had been married in Virginia to Miss Nancy Self and they had one child when they came to this state; in 1800. Mrs. Elsea was a daughter of John Self, who had purchased a farm near Nor- wich, and upon that tract they resided. The

journey westward from the Old Dominion was made in a two-wheeled cart, drawn by two horses and upon the farm which he there developed Mr. and Mrs. Elsea spent their remaining days, his death occurring in 1846, when he was fifty-nine years of age, while his wife, who was born in 1789, died in 1870. They were the parents of nine children, but only one is now living, Mrs. Angeline Wilson, who resides south of Norwich.

John Elsea, father of J. W. Elsea, was born in Union township, Muskingum county, October 15, 1823, and in the common schools acquired his education. Attracted by the discovery of gold in California he made the overland trip to the Pacific coast in 1850, traveling with a party of eight men who had six horses. The= were one hundred and five days upon the way, and Lewis Elsea. uncle of our subject, died while in the mountains. The party endured many hardships, and Mr. Elsea, after an absence of a year, re- turned to Ohio by way of the Isthmus route. In 1852 he started out in business in this county and not long afterward he chose as a companion and helpmate for life's journey Miss Catherine Armstrong, a daughter of William and Isabella ( Moore) Armstrong, of Muskingum county, who had come to this state from Ireland with their respective parents in their childhood days. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong settled on the National road in Perry township, and William Armstrong prospered in his undertakings, becoming the owner of three or four good farms in the county, and was a very prominent and influential citizen here. He married Isabella Moore, a daughter of Thomas Moore. of Ireland, and subsequent to their marriage they settled in Salem township. locating on a tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres in section 12. This his father had entered from the government in 1810 and it has since been in possession of the family, while at the present time it is owned by J. W. Elsea. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong continued to reside upon their farm throughout their remaining days and at one time he owned two hundred and twenty- two acres of land, which was very rich and pro- ductive. He died in 1892, having for twenty years survived his wife, who died in 1872.

At the time of his marriage, John Elsea located on the old Armstrong homestead. and there he lived until the death of his wife, who was the only child born unto her parents. She survived her marriage for eight years, passing away in 1860. There were three children of that union : J. W., of this review, who was born October 20. 1853: and Lewis H. and Nevada Catherine, both of whom died in 1860. On the 8th of October. 1862, Mr. Elsea, the father, responded to the country's call for aid. enlisting in Company E. Second Ohio Infantry, which was assigned to the Second Ohio Army Corps. In August, 1863.

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he became ill, was sent back to Nashville and was there discharged in September of the same year on account of physical disability. He after- ward returned to Salem township, Muskingum county, and purchased a farm, upon which his remaining days were passed. He died in August, 1904, at the venerable age of eighty-one years, respected and honored by all who knew him.

John W. Elsea, losing his mother in his early boyhood days, was reared by his maternal grand- parents and in his youth enjoyed the advantages afforded by the public schools. He started out in life on his own account when eighteen years of age, and made his home with his father for three years thereafter. He then engaged in farm- ing for about nine years, and on the expiration of that period his attention was turned to mer- chandising in Adamsville in connection with F. P. Winn, a relation that was maintained for seven years with mutual pleasure and profit. Mr. Elsea, watchful of business opportunities, was in 1896 the promoter and organizer of the Buckeye Mutual Fire Insurance Company, of Adamsville, which was incorporated under the laws of the state of Ohio. This company now has three mil- lion dollars in policies, wholly in the country, in- suring only farm property, and the business is growing very rapidly. Mr. Elsea has been act- ive in its management since the formation of the company and has been secretary and superin- tendent from the beginning. In 1904 he was also instrumental in incorporating the Adamsville Telephone Company, of which he is also secre- tary and manager. They have about one hun- dred 'phones in Adamsville, Otsego, Sonora and vicinity, and so quickly has the business of this company grown that it is now a very profitable investment and pays each year good dividends to the stockholders. Mr. Elsea also owns two hun- dred and twenty-two acres of land, which was formerly in possession of his grandfather, and he has a fine home in Adamsville.

In 1875 occurred the marriage of J. W. Elsea and Miss Mary Radcliff, who was born August 6. 1858, and is a daughter of James and Nancy (Graham) Radcliff, both of whom were natives of Ircland, in which country their marriage was celebrated. They came to America about 1848 and were thereafter residents of Muskingum county until called to their final rest. Mr. Rad- cliff, as a carpenter, was identified with building operations here. Mr. and Mrs. Elsea have be- come the parents of two children : William A. who was born in October, 1876, and died in 1882; and Bertha M., who was born December 23. 1879, and is the wife of Dr. W. C. Kinner, of Adamsville, by whom she has one son, William Elsea, born April 21. 1904.

Mr. Elsea is a stanch advocate of the democ- racy, prominent in the local ranks of his party,

and when twenty-three years of age was elected clerk of his township, in which position he served for seven years. He was also trustee for some time. He has been a member of the Masonic lodge, of Adamsville, since 1874, and he and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal church. His ancestral history is one of close connection with Muskingum county through many years and in his own record he has displayed the traits of character which constitute a good citizen. He manifests a helpful interest in progressive meas- ures and capably manages private business af- fairs, so that he contributes to the industrial, ag- ricultural and commercial development, which constitutes the basis of the greatest prosperity.

CYRUS MERIAM.

Cyrus Meriam, now deceased, was born in Brandon, Vermont, in 1793, and was a represen- tative of one of the old New England families, his father, David Meriam, having been a soldier of the American Army in the Revolutionary war. Cyrus Meriam spent the days of his boyhood and youth in his native state and in 1820 came from Vermont to Ohio, making the journey on horse- back through districts that were wild and unim- proved as well as through the older and more thickly settled parts of the eastern states. At length he arrived in safety in Muskingum county and. establishing his home here, he entered the employ of E. Buckingham in a store. He also became interested in salt wells here and later he worked for Austin Guthrie, who was engaged in merchandising in Zanesville. Mr. Meriam was identified with commercial pursuits in the county seat for some time and eventually, when his well directed labors and economy had brought him sufficient capital, he purchased his farm, upon which he took up his abode in 1826. Later, how- ever, he returned to business life in Zanesville, and again engaged in merchandising. His last days were spent in the city, with whose welfare and substantial progress he was long connected.

Cyrus Meriam was united in marriage to Miss Catherine H. Tupper, who was born in Marietta, Ohio, in 1803, and was a daughter of Benjamin Tupper, whose birth occurred in Massachusetts, and who was a son of General Tupper, of Rev- olutionary fame. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Meriam were born six children, of whom three are liv- ing : Phebe F., Edward T., and Charles A. The elder brother was born in 1836 and the younger in 1838. The deceased members of the family are: George D., Martha, and Howard.

Mr. Meriam was a whig in his political views until the dissolution of the party, when he joined the ranks of the new republican party. He be-

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came the owner of a valuable tract of land of four hundred acres in Springfield township and for many years lived on that farm, carefully con- trolling his farming interests, which, in course of time, yielded him an excellent income. For fifty- two years he remained a resident of Muskin- gum county, a period which covered an era of great growth here. He bore a substantial part in the work of improvement, his labors contrib- uting in no unimportant measure to commercial and industrial activity. He died in 1872, and his name was then placed on the roll of honored dead among the pioneers, to whom the county owes a debt of gratittide for the substantial man- ner in which they laid the foundation upon which is builded the present prosperity and progress of this portion of the state.

His sons, Edward T. and Charles A., still re- side upon the home farm and are carrying on general agricultural pursuits. Their political al- legiance is given to the republican party and in many respects they have followed in their fa- ther's footsteps, becoming valued and representa- tive citizens.

MRS. MARGARET J. HOWARD.

Mrs. Margaret J. Howard, who, in the con- trol of her property interests displays excellent business ability and executive force and who is well known in Adamsville, where she has an ex- tensive circle of friends and acquaintances, has always been a resident of Muskingum county, being descended from one of the old pioneer families here. Her ancestry can be traced back to Wales, whence her great-grandparents came to the United States. Her grandfather, John Bell, was born in Delaware, but in early life left home and took up his abode in Pennsylvania, settling near Stillwater, in Washington county. There he eventually married and in 1811 he came to Ohio with his family. His wife bore the maiden name of Rachel Stillwell, and they have ten children: Haley, Elizabeth and John com- ing with them to Perry township, Muskingum county. Later they removed to Adams township, taking up their abode on a farm that is still in possession of their descendants, and in the midst of the forest John Bell hewed out a farm, per- forming all the arduous labor incident to the establishment of a home on the frontier. Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church, and he died at the age of seventy-eight years. In the family were ten children, those already mentioned and William, Mary, Sarah, Nancy, Catherine, Stillwell and Amy. Having served as a soldier in the war of 1812, his grave is annually decorated by the Grand Army of the Republic.

John J. Bell, the son of John Bell, and the father of Mrs. Howard, was born in Washing- ton county, Pennsylvania, January 22, 1807, and was four years old when brought by his parents to Muskingum county. His education was very limited, owing to the primitive condition of the schools at that time, but his training at farm labor was not meagre and he remained on the old homestead in Perry township until sixteen years of age, but in the meantime, worked at intervals on the Livingood farm. He then went to Zanesville, where he secured employment in a grist mill, spending several years in that city. As a companion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Elizabeth Caldwell, whom he wedded September 28, 1828. Her parents were William and Margaret ( Porter ) Caldwell, the former an old settler of Adams township, originally from Ireland, and afterward a resident of Pennsylva- nia. He was married in that state, but his wife was also a native of the Emerald Isle and in 1826 they settled in Adams township, Muskingum county, where they reared their family of six children, Samuel, Elizabeth, Jane, Anise, Andrew and James. William Caldwell, selling his farm in Muskingum county, removed to Guernsey county, where he died at an advanced age.

Subsequent to his marriage John J. Bell re- sided in Zanesville for a year and about 1830 se- cured from the government a part of the farm which is now owned by Mrs. Howard. It was covered with timber, but he at once began to cut down the trees and clear away the brush and his industry at length transformed the conditions which he found, an excellent farm resulting. To his original purchase he added from time to time until he became the owner of three hundred and fifty acres of valuable land, his financial condi- tion at that time being in marked contrast to his position when he married, for he had then but fifty cents in his pocket. The only possession which his wife had aside from her wearing ap- parel was a tea-kettle, which she received in pay- ment for weaving, being an expert hand at the ever, the young couple began their do- mestic life upon a farm and not only accumulated a very desirable property, but reared a large family of children there. In- (lustry, economy and integrity characterized their life for many years, but at length they were en- abled to enjoy many comforts and luxuries gained through their untiring diligence. Mr. Bell also figured prominently in community affairs. He was justice of the peace and township trustee and as a member of the school board did effective service for the cause of education. With the as- sistance of the neighbors he built a schoolhouse upon his farm, this being the first one in the neighborhood. He and his wife held member- ship in the Fairview church and were generous

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contributors toward the building of the house of worship and to the support of the church. His political views accorded with republican princi- ples and he was a staunch defender of the Union cause during the Civil war. In the early days he served as a member of the state militia and three of his sons were numbered among the boys in blue, Andrew serving with Company E, Nine- ty-seventh Ohio Infantry, for three years, par- ticipated in sixteen angagements, including the battles of Perryville, Stone River, Lawrence, Mission Ridge, Dalton, Charleston, Resaca, Rocky Face, Kenesaw Mountain, Peach Tree Creek, the siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Lovejoy, Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville. At different times he was detailed to act as nurse following these battles, in which a large number being wounded made extra assistance necessary. W. P. Bell, being a member of Company F, Sixty-second Ohio Regiment, died a few months later at White Hall hospital, near Bristol, Pennsylvania. Wil- son S. enlisted for one hundred days' service in Company E, One Hundred and Sixty-second Regiment. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Bell there were ten children: Margaret, who died in infancy: Haley, who was a school teacher and had studied for the ministry, but died at the age of twenty-three years; W. P .; Rachel A .; Wilson S. ; Hulda E. ; Andrew W. ; John I., who was an editor and after his service in the Civil war became editor of a paper, The McArthur Re- publican, in Vinton county, Ohio ; and Mrs. How- ard. With the exception of the two eldest, all reached mature years and were married. The father died upon his home farm in 1888, when in his eighty-second year, and his wife, whose birth occurred in Washington county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1800, passed away in 1878.

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Past and present of the city of Zanesville and Muskingham County, Ohio, Part 68

Author: Sutor, J. Hope, 1846- Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 898

Author: Sutor, J. Hope, 1846-
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 898