USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > Pioneer period and pioneer people of Fairfield County, Ohio > Part 21
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
5. Julia Ann was born January 31, 1782. She was married to Isaac Shæffer. They were the parents of the following named children: Jacob, Isaac, John, Delilah, Judy and Sarah.
331
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
6. Maria Barbara, born October 15, 1783, was married to Abraham Shæffer, and had born to them the following children : Joel, Samuel, Abraham, Jacob, Daniel, Judy and Nettie.
7. Absalom was born December II, 1785. His children were Rosan, Abraham and Absalom. Was a farmer and went to Missouri, where he died.
8. Rachel was born September 9, 1787; was married to Lewis Hershberger, but had no issue.
9. Adam was born April 22, 1789, and died April 11, 1805.
IO. Abraham was born September 21, 1791, and died in Michigan in the war of 1812.
II. Mary was born October 28, 1793. Mary was married to Judge Joseph Stukey and to them were born Noah, Abel, Aaron, a daughter who died young; Solomon, whose children are Rosa, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Zwingli and Ella; Joseph whose children are William, Clara and Emma; Daniel, to whom were born Edward, Albert, William, Charles, Robert and Agnes. Rosa, who married the Rev. Rike ; two sons, one named Joseph, were born to them. The husband having died, Rosa then married Robert L. Sharp; they were the parents of five children, viz : Anna, Lee, Agnes, William and Robert. Mary Ann.
12. George Ream was born June 21, 1795; died June 8, 1833. George owned the farm north of the Ream's mill on which still stands the large brick house. Was captain of the Third company, First reg- iment, First brigade of the Seventh division of the Ohio militia. His marriage with Catharine Ludwick was fruitful of six sons and one daughter. Of these, Daniel, the eldest, was born August 2, 1821. Daniel owned the mill property, which was carried on most
332
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
successfully while he lived. He was the first sergeant of the regiment of which his father was captain. Was a worthy member of the Lutheran Church, of good habits, led an exemplary Christian life and was held in high esteem by all who knew him. Daniel was mar- ried to Catherine Osenbaugh and to them were born children as follows : Julia, who died in her twelfth year ; George, who died in infancy; Lewis Melanchthon, who married Mary Eliz. Plout; Daniel, still single; Clara, whose husband is Capt. Albert Getz; and Eliz- abeth, who also died young. Abraham, the second son of George Ream, was born December 17, 1823; was married to Sarah Bumgardner September 9, 1847. Their children are Solomon, who married Ida A. Lusk; Mary Catherine, who married John S. Crook; and Lewis, who wedded Caroline Seiffert (nee Johnson.) Abraham died October 11, 1854. It affords the writer, a son of Abraham, exquisite satisfaction to be able to speak on commendable terms and to testify to the excellent Christian character of his deceased father. Those who knew him best speak of him as being a typical representative of the best manhood of his day. He was an earnest Christian, a kind husband and a loving father. His religion was of a type that always made him joyful and happy; was a member of the Reformed Church, of which he was at various times secretary, treasurer, deacon and elder. He also held the offices of township clerk and justice of the peace. When twenty-one years of age he was also elected first lieutenant of the Black Hawk Braves of the First brig- ade, Seventh division, Ohio militia. Abraham owned the farm located one-half mile north of the mill, which he bought of a Mr. Daniel Wilson. George Ream, Jr., was the third son of George Ream, Sr. The writer
333
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
has no record of the date of his birth, but his death took place September 17, 1842. Rosannah was born April 27, 1826 ; was married to Wm. Stallsmith. Their children are John F., who married Mary P. Welsh; William H., who married Emma Crumley; Catherine Elizabeth, who died young; Charles Edwin, who died in infancy; Emma C., who married Henry Zang- meister ; Joseph L. wedded Minnie Courtright; Frank L. died young; Minnie and Callie S. are twins. The first married J. Luther Faler, and the latter Frank Sallee. Jacob was born June 5, 1827; was married to Caroline Fulse, to whom were born the following named children : Rose, Kate and Louisa. Jacob died April 7, 1855. Joseph Ream was born June 25, 1830; married Susan Braucher, to whom were born Estelle, Winnie R., Calvin B. and Frank C., all of whom are living; Ella, Daniel, George John and the twins, Jos- eph and Isaac, are dead. Joseph Ream is the only one of the seven children of George Ream still living. He resided a long time in Lincoln, Ills., where he served eight and one-half consecutive terms as county treasu- rer. His present postoffice address is Bronaugh, Ver- non County, Mo. Lewis was the seventh in number of the children of George Ream; no accurate dates have been furnished of his birth and death. The widow of the elder George Ream was afterward married to Rev. John Wagenhals. Their children are Cather- ine, who was married to the Rev. George Harter ; Rev. Samuel, wha married Eva Shaeffer for his first wife and Nellie Hamilton for second wife; Mary, who was married to David Emmitt; David, who died when about five years old. Grandmother's death took place May 30, 1883. She was the mother of eleven children. Her life was beautiful, sweet, and even-tempered. She
334
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
was kind and amiable, and was loved by all with whom she came in contact.
13. Catherine, daughter of old Abraham Ream, was born December 17, 1799. Her marriage with Henry Annes Hensley was fruitful of five children, viz : Tobias, Adam, Jacob, Christian and Rosan. Cath- erine died November 9, 1849.
14. Sarah was born December 30, 1801; was unmarried and died from the effects of a stroke of lightning. Her age was 18 years and six months.
This completes the sketch of the Abraham Ream family down to the third generation. Another line, starting with Jacob, a half-brother of old Abraham's, is not given in this extract.
It will be observed that the Ream family were quite numerous and prolific. Being widely intermar- ried, also, the relationship was a very large one. In the course of time, however, numbers of them removed to other and newer parts of the country, so that now the Reams may be met with in nearly all sections of the North and West. Some of these, however, emi- grated directly from Pennsylvania or from Europe, as the various spellings of the name would indicate. These are Ream, Reahm, Riehm and Reeme.
In conclusion, let it be borne in mind by the present and after generations inheriting for their patrimony the Ream name, that whatever be the pride of honorable lineage, of heroic deeds, noble lives and acts well done, after all-
"Honor and fame from no condition rise,
Act well your part, for there all the honor lies."
335
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
[The writer is indebted to Rev. Solomon Ream, of Wilton Junction, Iowa, for the foregoing sketch of an interesting family.]
THE VAN METRE FAMILY
Jan Gysbesten Van Metre was the founder of the Van Metre family in America. In the year 1663 he emigrated from Bommel, a city in South Holland, and settled in New Utrecht, on Long Island, near New York. He had one son, also named Jan Gysbesten Van Metre. This son married twice, and left several sons and daughters. The eldest son was named Jan Van Metre. He, with several members of the family, in 1709, left New Utrecht, and settled in Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey, which is just across the bay, opposite Long Island. Kryn Jan was a great Indian trader, and in his expeditions was the first white man to penetrate the valley of the South Branch of the Potomac. He was so impressed with the beauty and fertility of the country that he induced his sons, John and Isaac, to secure a grant of land, embracing 40,000 acres, from Governor Gooch, of Virginia. This land was in the valley of the Opequan creek, and of the South Branch of the Potomac. The grant was made in 1730. In 1735 they conveyed 10,000 acres to Jos. Hite, a Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, Ger- man, and ancestor of the venerable Jacob Hite, of Lan- caster, Ohio, who was the first settler on the land. The Van Metres did not remove to Virginia till about 1740. Three brothers, John, Isaac and Jacob, were the first, but later on several others from Monmouth joined them. Jacob Van Metre, who settled east of Lancaster, was the grandson of John, one of the grantees under Gov. Gooch. Daniel Van Metre, who settled west of Lancaster, was descended from Isaac,
.
.
336
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
the brother of John, and one of the co-grantees. They were a very prolific family, and their descendants are now settled across the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. They were very patriotic during the revo- lution. Ten Van Metres went to the war from Mon- mouth County. New Jersey and Virginia sent as many more. Colonel Garrett Van Metre was County Lieu- tenant for Hampshire County, and was very prominent till the end of the struggle. He was the grandson of Isaac, one of the grantees, and was the uncle of John I. Van Metre, of Ohio.
The name of Van Metre has been a familiar and well known one for one hundred years in Fairfield County. The family has been by blood and by mar- riage one of the largest in the county. Jacob and Daniel Van Metre were natives of Virginia, but came to Fairfield County from Westmoreland County, Penn- sylvania. They were cousins and friends, but entered land ten miles apart in this county. They came to this county with families in 1799. Daniel settled on the edge of Muddy Run prairie, eight miles west of Lancaster, and became the owner of a large and pro- ductive farm. In 1805 he told Bishop Asbury that a tenant had raised 100 bushels of corn per acre. The old bishop spent his first night in 1803, west of Lan- caster, with Judge Van Metre, and enjoyed his hos- pitality on several occasions. In 1803 Daniel Van Me- tre was appointed an Associate Judge of the Court of Quarter Sessions. He met with reverses later in life and involved his cousin Jacob. He was bondsman for Judge Sherman in 1817, and was then a heavy loser, for a time at least. It is generally understood that he died poor. He had one son who went to Cincinnati, studied and practiced law there. His sister Mary
337
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
lived with him. Both are long since dead and their names are unknown to the present generation.
Jacob Van Metre entered 1,280 acres of good land, a part of which has ever since been known as Van Metre's prairie. This was a body of land between the glass works and the stone quarry, and was often from one to three feet under water. Van Metre's land was one mile wide and two miles long. His cabin stood where Van Applegate's house now stands, and there he lived and died. In 1803 he was appointed by the Court one of the County Commissioners. He was an old-fashioned Virginia gentleman, who took life easy, and enjoyed the amusements of the neighborhood. He was fond of fine stock, was a fox hunter, and many of his descendants possessed the same traits. He bailed his cousin at one time and was compelled to sell 500 acres of his land to pay the debt. The name of his wife was Catherine De Moss. She was born in 1752, and died in 1816, aged 64 years. She was a Dutch- French woman of good qualities. Jacob Van Metre was born in 1745 and lived to be 93 years of age. He died in 1838. A few trees of his old orchard, planted in 1802, are still standing and bear fruit.
His daughter Josina married Rev. Hickman, of the Baptist Church, while they lived in Virginia. This family moved to Indiana, and became quite prominent there. Rebecca Hickman married Abel Williams and they lived for a time at Millersport, moving from there to Indiana. Her daughter married Judge Buckles, of Muncie, Indiana.
Rebecca married James Pearse, in Virginia. They came to Fairfield County from Virginia in 1800, bring- ing with them on horseback their infant son, John Van
22
338
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
Metre Pearse. They lived in a cabin in the Van Me- tre settlement. John Van Metre Pearse grew up there and married Diana, the daughter of John Carpenter. They spent their lives in or near Lancaster, and reared a small family of children. Miss Bina, a woman of literary taste and culture, and Mrs. Swinhart are the surviving children. John Carpenter lived on what is now known as the Geisy farm, and there Mrs. Pearse was born.
Van Pearse was a lover of fine stock. He bred, bought and sold horses, making that his chief business. He numbered among his many friends Col. Van Trump and Rev. Wm. Cox. They were warm per- sonal friends during life. Van Pearse was very de- cided in his likes and dislikes, but kind and generous. He was a captain in Col. Collins' cavalry regiment and served on the frontier in 1862 and '63, and to the close of the war. He found homes for his brother Frank's orphan children. They were well brought up and mar- ried well. They were very pretty girls.
James Wilson Pearse married Eliza Murphey, daughter of Wm. Murphey. Their children were Wil- liam, of Newark, and Mrs. Matlack, of Lancaster. He was a farmer and horse dealer and a prominent and well known man. He was married three times. His second and third wives were named Ward, of Balti- more, Ohio. He reared a large family. One son married a daughter of Joshua Clarke. One a daugh- ter of Joseph C. Kinkead, both well known Lancaster women.
His son, James Wilson, married a Miss Frances Bowser, another Lancaster woman, of Fort Wayne. Frank married a Miss Nettie Lane and lives in Fort Wayne. Lewis Pearse, son of James Pearse, married
339
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
a Virginia girl, a relative of his mother, Catharine Van Metre. She was good looking and refined and was an excellent mother. One of her daughters, an elegant and handsome girl, married William Renick, one of the distinguished men of Pickaway County. The other married a Lewis Sweyer.
Joseph Pearse married Delilah Walker and the fam- ily moved to the west. His daughter married Dr. Koontz, of Cedar Rapids. Frank settled in Kentucky, married there and dying left young children. They were brought to Ohio and found homes among their friends, two of them with Mrs. Geo. K. Wheat, and they married in Wheeling-Mrs. Isett and Mrs. Hen- dershott. Another married John Richards, in Lancas- ter. She died early and left a handsome daughter, Miss Maud Richards.
Andrew Pearse married a daughter of David Car- penter, of Bald Hill. They settled on a fine farm in Madison township, where John Landis now lives. Salem, John and Jerry were well known men, sons of theirs.
Elsie Van Metre married Walter Applegate. They lived upon the old home place on Pleasant Run, and Jacob Van Metre spent his old age with them. Mrs. Applegate lived to be 94 years of age. Their best known son was Abraham Van Metre Applegate. Abe Applegate took the world easy. He loved fine horses, fine chickens, fine dogs, and a good fox hunt. He could ride to hounds with the best of them and clear the fences. He was a great reader, especially in the line of his taste, and was well informed. He was an inter- esting talker, and could write a good letter. The Rev. Wm. Cox admired him, corresponded with him and praised his letters. He could trace the pedigree of fine
340
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
stock back to the Godolphin Arabian. He was one of the last representatives in this county of the Virginia gentlemen of sporting taste. He was fond of a good horse race, but with all a moral man, and he died a Christian. There was but one Abe Applegate.
Josina Applegate married John Shook. She is said to have been a very intelligent woman. She was the grandmother of Dr. William Shook, of Canal Winchester, who, after the death of his mother, found a good friend and mother in Mrs. Samuel Beery.
Sarah Van Metre married Samuel Crawford. They settled upon a farm near Wm. Murphey, in Walnut township, and raised a large family. Jacob Van Metre Crawford was their son. His first wife was an Apple- gate. His second wife was Sarah A. Hull. They lived east of Lancaster, on a part of the old farm of the Van Metres. W. H. Huber married a daughter ; Mr. Pratt, of Columbus, married Alice ; Lulu married R. Shallenberger ; Eva is not married.
Catherine Crawford married A. Morrison; Marga- ret married Harrison Applegate; Elsie married Rich- ard Buffington ; Priscilla married Lewis Fink ; Emeliza married Dr. T. A. Aldred, and they lived in Carroll. Two sons died young. Samuel Crawford and wife were buried at New Salem.
Catharine Van Metre, the youngest daughter of Ja- cob, married for her first husband Thomas Armstrong. He was a native of North Ireland. Soon after his marriage he built a carding mill, run by water, on Pleasant Run, near the old Hull cabin, as it is now known. He died in a few years, leaving two children, Thomas J. and Eliza. The latter married David Ren- shaw. Thomas J. Armstrong married Jane Ann Rhodes, whose mother was an Arnold. They lived
341
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
for some years in the neighborhood and then moved to Kansas, where they died a few years since.
David Renshaw and wife reared a family of chil- dren. They were good people and highly respected. Dr. Renshaw lives in Sugar Grove; Ransom, the hor- ticulturist, at the old home place. Mrs. Daniel Ham- mack lived for many years with the old grandmother. Mrs. Weeks lives in Lancaster. David Renshaw was a charming fifer and his good music was enjoyed and is remembered by many admirers.
Robert Armstrong had a brother John who lived near Thornville, Perry County. He died there, leav- ing a widow and a young daughter. A Mr. Buriff married the widow and they reared the daughter. She became the excellent wife of John M. Ashbrook and is still living in Geneva, Nebraska, aged 87. About the time of Robert Armstrong's death Robert S. Hull came into the neighborhood and took charge of the fulling mill. He was from New York. In time he married the Widow Armstrong. Their daughter, Sarah A. Hull, married Jacob Van Metre Crawford, her cousin. Catherine Hull married Samuel Beery. They lived several years near Bremen, and then built a stately home near Lancaster, where Mr. Beery soon after died. A few years after his death his widow married Samuel Black, a native of Ireland. Mr. Black is a very intelligent and worthy gentleman. Like most Scotch- Irish, they are both staunch Presbyterians.
Robert L. Hull lived but a few years after his marriage. A brother of his, Benjamin Hull, came out to Ohio, courted and married the widow. In a few years he died and Mrs. Hull spent many years alone, or with her grandchildren, in the home where she had been happy with three different husbands.
342
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
She was the youngest and the last to die of her fam- ily. They all sleep their last sleep on the Applegate hill. Mrs. Hull was much more than an ordinary woman, bright and intelligent, and a good talker. Ben- jamin Hull brought with him from New York a young son, F. C. Hull. He went to Chicago at an early day and was engaged in the real estate business in which he made a large fortune. He left $5,000,000 to his niece, who was his bookkeeper, of this she gave $1,000,000 to the University of Chicago. She is one of the very wealthy women of Chicago.
Colonel John Van Metre, the son of Jacob, lived and died on the prairie. He was born in 1871 and died in 1845, aged 64 years. His house stood just west of Ashbaugh's spring. The old log building was still standing in 1860. He served during the war of 1812 in Captain Sanderson's company. He was a fine pen- man, the only one in the company, and was made first sergeant and kept the company's rolls. He was sur- rendered and paroled at Detroit. He came home and re-enlisted in the 27th U. S. Infantry. He was twice married. First to Anna Neely. His second wife was Margaret Young, a sister of the second wife of Thomas McNaghten. He was a colonel of the Ohio Militia, and filled other minor offices. His life was spent upon his farm. He was a genial, witty and cheerful man and made many friends. After his death his family received a land warrant for 160 acres of land. His son Jacob located this warrant and lives upon the land in the state of Iowa. Colonel Van Metre was a plain man and lived in plain style, and was much esteemed by his fellowmen.
Rebecca, daughter of John Van Metre, married John A. Heberling, whose business was that of a
343
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
butcher. One of his daughters married a Syfert, and moved to Columbus; another married John Rada- baugh and they live in Columbus; another married William Selby and they moved to Peoria, Illinois; another married a Drinkle, who died, and the widow then went to California where she married again.
Cynthia Ann married John Shrieves, a native of Rhode Island. He was a butcher by trade. They reared three or four sons, one of whom, Harry, was a fine looking, sprightly fellow. He went west, to Ne- vada, and married well, but died in a few years, leaving an only daughter. His widow is living and his daugh- ter, Mrs, Teresa Joise, in San Francisco, California. John Shrieves lives in Franklin County, Ohio. Mrs. Shrieves is still living in this city at the age of 87 years, and is a bright, clever old lady, of the old style. Mary married Alfred Snider; Catharine married James Craiglow - their descendants, the Harvey Denton family, live in Lancaster. Mrs. Denton has quite a family of children. Old Lancaster people all remember Harvey Denton. Elsie married a Mr. Alford of Illinois. Jacob, the son of John Van Metre, moved many years ago to Iowa. He reared a family of five children, who married well and are prosperous, useful citizens of the Hawkeye state.
The daughters of James and Rebecca Pearse were Priscilla, Josina, Catharine and Rebecca.
Priscilla married Ezra Van Metre, a brother of Mrs. Lewis Pearse, and they lived in Pickaway County.
Josina married Joseph Clem. They moved to Mis- souri long ago.
Rebecca married Daniel Winner. She was the mother of a handsome Wheeling lady, Mrs. George K. Wheat, as kind and generous as she is hand-
344
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People
some. A son of Daniel Winner has become distin- guished as a lion tamer, with Barnum's show.
Catharine married Gabriel Carpenter, a son of old David, of Bald Hill, now the Prindle farm. Gabriel lived on his farm below town and reared a large and interesting family. His son, Seymour David, studied medicine in Lancaster about 1847, and after gradu- ating, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In 1850, or about that time, he prevailed upon his father to sell his farm here, pay some debts, and invest in a farm adjoining the town .. Thither he moved his family and there he prospered and his children married well and succeeded in business. That farm has long since be- come a part of the city of Cedar Rapids. Gabriel Carpenter and wife lived to a good age, respected and admired by all who knew them. Dr. S. D. is a well preserved man of 70 years or more - with a history of good deeds and a useful life behind him. He reared a good family, now scattered and gone from him. He lives a quiet, unobtrusive life in Chicago, Illinois.
Colonel John I. Van Metre, late of Pike County, Ohio, was a distinguished man and a relative of Jacob Van Metre. He owned and lived upon the finest farm of 2,500 acres in the Scioto Valley. He represented his district in Congress. A son of his studied law and made his home in Chillicothe. He was, for many years, a distinguished citizen of the ancient metropolis.
Colonel John I. Van Metre was a typical Virginia gentleman of the old school. He was a reader and well informed. The writer once met him at his stately home and was charmed with his fine manners and gen- tlemanly bearing.
Ella, daughter of Colonel John M. Connell, mar- ried a Van Metre. They live near Salt Lake, Utah.
345
Of Fairfield County, Ohio.
John E. Van Metre and Dr. Van Metre, of Picka- way County, were brothers and relatives of the Fair- field family. John E. married his cousin, a sister of Mrs. Lewis Pearse. Dr. Van Metre married Nancy, daughter of William Murphey, and a sister of Mrs. James W. Pearse. The father of Ella Connell's hus- band married a Miss Beall of Wooster, Ohio, a sister of Mrs. Rev. William Cox, well known here.
THE COURTRIGHT FAMILY
Among the very early pioneers who settled in Fair- field County, were two brothers, Abraham V. Court- right and John Courtright. They came from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1801.
They were intelligent, brainy, hardy, upright men, and they left the impress of a good character and good life upon the community in which they lived. For nearly one hundred years the Courtrights have been a numerous people in Fairfield County, and among the foremost men of their township.
Abraham V. Courtright married Elizabeth Mc- Farland, a sister of Walter McFarland. They reared a large family of children, who in time reared other large families, and they all proved themselves worthy of their hardy pioneer ancestors, of Bloom township. Their children were Abraham V., William, O. P. Courtright, John, Zephaniah, Cyrus and Effie.
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.