USA > Ohio > Highland County > The County of Highland : a history of Highland County, Ohio, from the earliest days, with special chapters on the bench and bar, medical profession educational development, industry and agriculture and biographical sketches > Part 46
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Thomas H. Nelson, one of the progressive and up-to-date farmers. of Liberty township, has an ancestry in which he may well take pride. His grandfather, John Matthews Nelson, possessed two enduring claims to fame and the gratitude of posterity. One of these was his membership of that immortal band known as the first Abolitionists ; the other, less sentimental but of great material value, was his agency as an introducer into Ohio of the incomparable Shorthorn cattle. Born in Virginia about 1790 of slaveholding parents, he conceived a deadly aversion to the "peculiar institution" at a very early age and to escape its blighting influence determined to migrate to Ohio, which had a constitution that made all men free. He reached Ohio in early manhood and in after years became a leader among that isolated but heroic band who fought the slave power uncompromisingly at a time when such conduct insured politi- cal persecution, as well as social ostracism and even danger to life
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itself. Even yet there stands on the old Nelson homestead near Hillsboro the house which in the dark days before the war was one of the stations on the famous "underground railroad," of which John. Matthews Nelson was a conductor. But his activities were not con- fined to politics. During the earlier years of his residence in Olio there were no thoroughbred cattle to brouse on her leafy knolls or to pluck the luxuriant grass from her fertile valleys. Only the native cattle, now called "scrubs," were to be seen in the incomparable bot- toms of the Miamis, the Scioto and other great streams where now the Jerseys, the Polled Angus, the Herefords, Shorthorns and other choice breeds are found in countless numbers on the proverbial "thousand hills." John Matthews Nelson was one of the organ- izers of the first company in Highland county, if not in the entire State of Ohio, for the importation of Shorthorn cattle from England. In those primitive days this involved immense expense and trouble, due to lack of transportation facilities over the immense stretches of land and water between the two points of shipment and reception. The cattle were landed from vessels at Philadelphia and from there were driven on the hoof to the distant meadows of the West. From these early shipments some of the finest herds in Ohio descended and samples of this "bovine aristocracy" may yet be found on the farm of the original importer's grandson. In 1813 John Matthews Nel- son married Mary Lewis Trimble, daughter of the celebrated Captain James Trimble of revolutionary and Indian-fighting fame. Several of hier brothers rose to distinction in military and political life, among them Governor Allen Trimble, and Senator William A. Trim- ple, distinguished statesmen of their day. The children of John M. and Mary (Trimble) Nelson, who lived beyond infancy, were James A., William Allen, Marshall T., Lockhart, and Jane Ann, the latter born in 1833 and still living at Paris, Illinois. The mother died about 1835 and John M. Nelson next married a Miss Cook, of Chillicothe, by whom he had two sons: John F., at present a resi- dent of Hillsboro, and Isaac C., of Chicago. After the death of his second wife, John M. married Julia Watson, the only child by this union being Mrs. Julia W. Dickey, who lives at Wichita, Kansas, William Allen Nelson, the second son by the first marriage, was born in Highland county, Ohio, April 16, 1816, and first married Kath- arine Kibler, by whom his children were Carey L., Joseph K., Jane E., George M. and Katharine. He was afterward married to Margaret Kelley and their children were William Cyrus, Charles Q., Anna V., Thomas H., Helena L., Walter M., and Eliza A .; the two latter dying in infancy. Thomas H. Nelson, the fourth child by his father's second marriage, was born at the old homestead in Highland county, Ohio, March 21, 1859, and has spent his entire life in farm- ing. He owns 360 acres of highly cultivated land on Clear Creek, a portion of which belonged to the original farm settled and so long
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occupied by his worthy grandfather. The latter's old house, which, as previously stated, was on the line of the old "Underground rail- road," over which the indomitable Abolitionists conducted many a poor slave to liberty, is still standing about a mile south of Mr. Nel- son's residence. Like his ancestor, too, Mr. Nelson is fond of blooded stock and his fine farm is kept well filled with the choicest strains of Shorthorns and other animals, all of the best grades. In 1890 he erected a stock barn which has no superior in the county in size, convenience and general equipment. Mr. Nelson is a member of the Hillsboro Grange and takes much interest in all that relates to the science of agriculture, of which he himself is a most worthy exponent. It is worthy of remark that the descendants of the vet- eran Abolitionists proved worthy of their origin when the final death struggle occurred between freedom and slavery. Three of the older sons of John Matthews Nelson-Marshall T., John F. and Isaac, and his older grandsons, Carey L. and Joseph K., the latter half-brothers of Thomas H., served in the Union army during the war of the rebel- lion.
Abraham Newkirk, a prominent citizen of Jackson township, is the descendant of a family of Ohio pioneers, members of which have taken a creditable part in the work of building up the present civili- zation and culture. His grandfather, Abraham Newkirk, a native of Pennsylvania, was married in that state to a Miss Knox, and came to Adams county with his family about 1810. There he bought a large tract of land, in later years was married a second time to Mrs. Storer, and lived to a ripe old age. His children by the first mar- riage were Henry, Shipman, John, William, Cyrus, Orpha, Keziah, Anna, and Emily. William, father of the subject of this sketch, was born August 1, 1806, in Washington county, Penn. ; was brought with his parents to Ohio, and in early manhood he married Rebecca Storer, a native of Pennsylvania, who came with her parents to Ohio about 1810. They began housekeeping in Adams county where for a few years he ran a distillery. In 1832 he removed to Jackson township, Highland county, buying a farm of two hundred acres, and for a few years he was engaged in the manufacture of flax seed oil and the operation of a carding machine, in the days when those indus- tries were not uncommon throughout the country. Afterward he exchanged his property for the farm where his son Abraham now lives. He was a member of the Baptist church and a good and popu- lar citizen. His death occurred at the age of eighty years, and his wife died June 9, 1902, at the remarkable age of ninety-five years, six months and eight days. Their two children were Abraham New- kirk, and Macie S., widow of John Williamson, of Oklahoma. Abraham Newkirk, born November 7, 1827, at the old home on Sol- dier's run, near West Union, Adams county, was married to Martha
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A. Lovett, a native of Virginia, and they had five children: James W., of Brush Creek township; John L., of Jackson township; Re- becca A., deceased ; Sarah E., wife of William L. Smart; Isadore M., deceased. Their mother died in 1864, and the second marriage of Abraham Newkirk was to Eliza A. Grimes, a native of Brown county, by whom he had three children : Samuel E., Frank M., and William H. Mr. Newkirk has been successful in his enterprises, acquiring considerable land, of which he owned at one time 430 acres, more or less, and in addition to agriculture he has given much atten- tion to the breeding of Shorthorn cattle and other livestock. He is a member of the Baptist church, and in politics a Democrat. Through- out the township he is esteemed as a man of high character, and his many friends have honored him with the offices of justice of the peace two terms; trustee one term, and member of the school board for a number of years. Frank M. Newkirk, son of the foregoing, is one of the promising young men of the township. Since 1887 he has been giving his time to the profession of teaching in addition to farming, being qualified for educational work by study in the insti- tutions of Hillsboro and Lexington, Ky.
Upton S. Newman, after a life of travel and adventure, settled down to the peaceful pursuits of agriculture and now resides upon one of the most highly cultivated and valuable farms of its size in Penn township. He comes of excellent stock, his ancestors being Virginians who took part in the development of Ohio long before the first steamboat was seen on the river. £ It was in 1804 that Andrew Newman came from Virginia with his newly wedded bride, Sallie Burg, and floated into Cincinnati when that place was merely a hamlet. They took up their residence in that embryonic metrop- olis and as the years passed by gathered around them a family of seven children, of whom there is now but one survivor. James H. Newman, who was born July 20, 1811, after a long and industrious life is spending his declining years under the hospitable roof of his son, and until July 16, 1902, there was by his side the woman to whom he was married nearly sixty-five years ago. Her maiden name was Rosanna Ewing, and her parents, William and Katie (Moody) Ewing, were early settlers of Mansfield, Ohio, from the state of Maryland. She was born September 14th, 1814, and with her ven- erable husband occupied part of their son's stone house which is sup- posed to have been built over ninety years ago, until her death which occurred July 16, 1902. The children of James H. and Rosanna Newman were William L., who died at the age of thirty-four; Dil- man, who passed away at thirty-two; Upton S., further sketched below ; Barton, a tobacconist at Franklin ; Elmira, wife of Daniel W. Porter, of Perryville; Henry, died when thirty-three years old; James C., employe of a paper mill at Franklin ; Rachel Ann, wife of
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Nelson Shane, a farmer residing near Perryville; Dora, wife of George Lucas, of Franklin; Hiram, Elmer and Katie, who died in childhood. Upton S. Newman, third of the sons, was born June 20, 1845, at Ashland, Ohio, where his father was in the milling and man- ufacturing business for more than thirty years. Early in 1861 he enlisted in the Sixteenth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry for the three months' service. His re-enlistment was with the Eighty-seventh regiment Ohio infantry, from which he was transferred after sixty days to the Second Ohio heavy artillery, and with that command he remained two years and eight months. He participated in the bat- tles of Winchester and Bull Run, was taken prisoner at Harper's Ferry and later served in eastern Tennessee, being discharged Sep- tember 3, 1865. His brothers, William L. and Dilman, were also in the service and both died shortly after the war as the result of disabilities contracted in the army. Subsequent to the war, Mr. Newman became a great traveler and during his wanderings visited many distant countries, besides various places in the United States. After residing three years at Dayton, he crossed the continent and spent twelve years in California, going from there to Chili, South America, to which country he devoted twelve months of investiga- tion. Returning north he put in six months at Custillo, Mexico, a year in Grayson county, Tex., and six months in each of the cities of St. Louis and Fort Scott, Kas. Wearying at length of this roving life, Mr. Newman eventually turned his face homeward and arrived in Hillsboro during the year 1877. Shortly afterward he was mar- ried to Anna Lee, daughter of Michael and Kate (Kiley) McMahan, who came to Highland county from Ireland about the middle of the century. William L., the only child of this union, was born Decem- ber 21, 1883, attended the high schools of Carlisle and Franklin and is at present residing at Mansfield. Though Mr. Newman's home place only contains fifty-five acres it is in high state of cultivation, and can, boast one of the best orchards in the township, being alto- gether not only a cozy home but a valuable piece of farm property.
Albert A. Noble, a prominent farmer of Marshall township, is a son of John A. and Martha (Burnett) Noble, for many years respected citizens of the county. His mother died September 7, 1870, and his father February 28, 1872. Martha Burnett was a member of an honored family, which is mentioned under the title of J. W. Burnett, her brother, on previous pages of this work. William E. Noble, a brother of Albert A., married Catherine, daughter of Addison and Sarah Gall, and is a farmer in Brush Creek township. Albert A. Noble was born in Brush Creek township February 22, 1870, and in early manhood married Sallie B., youngest child of John I. Hughes and his wife Elizabeth (Carlisle) Hughes, who was a daughter of Rynard and Ellen (Simmons) Carlisle, of a family that
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is mentioned in the sketch of J. B. Carlisle. The family of her father, which was prominent, is elsewhere mentioned in this work, and the family of her mother has had no less worthy place among the people of the county from an early day. Mrs. Noble's father, for many years, was a justice of the peace in Marshall township, formerly resided where J. W. Burnett now lives, but later purchased the farm of 240 acres and the handsome brick house formerly owned by Noah Amen, adjoining Marshall, which is now occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Albert A. Noble. It is one of the finest farms and residences of the county, and the genial couple who occupy it are leaders in social life and warmly esteemed by many friends. Mr. Noble is a valued mem- ber of the Belfast lodge, No. 572, of the order of Odd Fellows, and of the Marshall lodge, Knights of Pythias. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Noble-Tracy, born May 26, 1894, died Jan- uary 28, 1897, and Hursey Hughes, born January 19, 1899.
Isaac Oates, as he looks over his well improved farm of 355 acres in Paint township, may enjoy the satisfaction of reflecting that it repre- sents the expenditure of much hard labor and is the just reward of industry and good management. He was but a poor boy, only fifteen years old, when with his parents, Peter and Rachel (Lupton) Oates, he arrived in Highland county after a weary journey from Hamp- shire county, West Virginia. The children, consisting of eight sons and a daughter, every one of whom grew to maturity, were taken to Liberty township where a temporary home was found, from which in after years they branched off in different directions. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and pursued this strenuous calling until his death, which occurred when he was forty-eight years old. His wife survived him ten years, and it is an unusual circum- stance for a married couple that their births occurred on the same day of the same year. Isaac Oates was born in Hampshire county. W. Va., June 7, 1840, and picked up a little schooling before leaving his mountain home, having but scant opportunity to increase his edu- cation after he arrived in his adopted state. He decided to marry as soon as he became of age, and October 24, 1861, was united in wed- lock to Catherine M., daughter of Henry and Rebecca (Parker) Rhodes, after which important event in his life Mr. Oates immedi- ately went to housekeeping. He spent three years in Liberty town- ship, but seeing a better opening elsewhere, he removed first to Wash- ington and later to Paint township, where he rented and worked land until 1886. In that year he bought and removed to a farm of 123 acres in Buckskin township, Ross county, where he remained until 1891, and then purchased the place in Paint township which has since been his home. This farm consists of 355 acres, all in one body, lying on the Petersburg pike eight miles from Hillsboro, in one of the most desirable localities in the county. It was a good piece of
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property when he bought it, but has been greatly improved by Mr. Oates and made to yield fine results in the way of agricultural products and stock. As previously remarked, it has all been earned by his own "hard licks," as he started life as poor as Job's famous turkey and had nothing to rely on but himself. He is a Democrat in politics and has served a term as treasurer of Pan .. township, but loses no time seeking office and cannot be classed with the "practical politicians." Mr. and Mrs. Oates have had five children, of whom William, and Annie, who married Anderson McKenney, have passed away. Those living are Laura, wife of Marion Williams; Gertie, now Mrs. William Tompkins; and Philip, a resident of Paint town- ship. The family are communicants of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Oates has been a member for some years.
James S. Oldaker, a prominent stock-breeder in the vicinity of Lynchburg, bears a name which recalls early days in Highland county, as his family have been connected with its history and devel- opment almost from the beginning. Isaac Oldaker and his wife, Lucy Pugh, accompanied by two sons named Henry and Isaac, started from Virginia for Ohio in 1817. In the autumn of that year they reached Milford, on the Little Miami, tarried there a few months and next year made their way to Union township in Highland county, where they settled permanently. In 1819 John W. Oldaker, a third son, followed his father and brothers and bought land near to that pre- viously purchased by themselves. He was born in Winchester, Virginia, in 1780, served in the war of 1812, and married Elizabeth Miner, by whom he had eleven children. One of these, Roxaline, who was born June 19, 1809, resides at present on the old homestead that her father settled upon in 1819 or eighty-three years ago. She is ninety-three years old and expects to end her days at the old home and in the same house where she spent her girlhood days. The other two surviving children are Mary A. Fenner, of Illinois, and Isaac W. Oldaker. The latter was born on the Big Kanawha river, in West Virginia, July 2, 1811, and was consequently about eight years old when his parents settled in Highland county. After he grew up he cleared 132 acres of land and from that time until the present day he has been closely identified with the agricultural, religious, fra- ternal and social interests of Union township. He has held various offices, such as justice of the peace, township trustee and member of the school board, and is the oldest member of the order of Odd Fel- lows in Highland county, having been initiated at Russell, in 1858, and he now belongs to the Lynchburg lodge. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church in 1834 at Russell, was licensed to exhort in 1840 and for many years has been a local preacher of the Gospel. In short, throughout his long and blameless life he has been a man of most exemplary character and has exercised a great influence for
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good on all those with whom he came in contact. Though now ninety- one years old, he works every day, is in full possession of all his faculties, enjoys excellent health and looks after his own affairs. He married Eliza B. Russell, born in Buckingham county, Virginia, November 23, 1813, and up to the time of her death in 1894 she was to him a most devoted wife and excellent counsellor. Her father, William Russell, was an officer in the revolutionary army and an extensive owner of land and slaves in Virginia. Like her husband Mrs. Oldaker was of deeply religious disposition and joined the Meth- odist Episcopal church in 1832. Of their ten children eight are living, among the number being James S. Oldaker, who was born in Union township, Highland county, Ohio, February 1, 1857. He was the youngest of the family, reared on the paternal homestead, educated in the schools of Russell and when he reached manhood embarked in farming on his own account. At present he owns a place of 153 acres three miles from Lynchburg which he cultivates by modern methods and pays a good deal of attention to breeding the Shorthorn Durham cattle. For the last nine years he has held the office of justice of the peace and gives entire satisfaction as a settler of litigated cases and other judicial business. He takes considerable interest in fraternities and holds membership in the Lynchburg lodges of the Masons and Odd Fellows, the Camp of Modern Woodmen of America and Russell lodge, No. 706, Knights of Pythias. In 1885, he was married to Laura Josephine Britton, one of the most substantial of Highland county families. Her grandfather, Jonah Britton, came with his wife and six children from Frederick county, Virginia, in 1832, and four years later bought a farm in Union township, where he died in 1865. His son Jonah, who married Annie Kibler and settled a short distance north of Willettsville, was the father of Mrs. Oldaker and one of the most popular citizens of the township. The household of Mr. and Mrs. Oldaker includes two adopted children, to whom they have given the names of Eddie and Jennie Oldaker. The family's religious affiliations are with the Methodist Episcopal church. at Russell.
George E. Orebaugh, M. D., a popular young physician at New Petersburg, is regarded as one of the rising professional men of the county. With the exception of the absence made necessary in the acquirement of his professional education he has spent his whole life within the limits of Highland county. His place of nativity is Dod- son township and his birth occurred in the vicinity of Lynchburg, Ohio, July 25, 1871. He attended the public schools of the village and in addition took a special course in Latin under Professor Will- iams. In early manhood he was engaged, in association with his brother, in conducting a printing establishment at Lynchburg. When twenty-four years of age he entered the office of Dr. Theo-
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dore F. Scott, at Lynchburg, where he spent three and a half years in preparatory medical studies and learning practical details con- nected with the professional work. After this preliminary, he matriculated at Starling Medical college, in Columbus, where he spent the session of 1895-6 in attendance upon lectures. This was followed by entrance as a student at the famous College of Medicine and Surgery, at Cincinnati, where he was graduated with the degree of doctor of medicine in the class of April, 1898. During his resi- dence in Cincinnati, both before and after graduation, Dr. Orebaugh did considerable work at different hospitals as interne, which proved valuable as a practical addition to his college course. In the spring of 1898, he settled at New Petersburg, where he has since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession and has met with flattering success. He is a member of the State Medical association, Knights of Pythias lodge, No. 337, at Lynchburg, and the Modern Woodmen of the World. June 24, 1897, he was married to Hattie N. West, of Clinton county, and they have one child, Rebekah Mary. The family are communicants of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Morgan B. Park, one of the representative farmers of Paint town- ship, is a good example of what may be accomplished by a man under adverse circumstances if possessed of the necessary pluck and energy. When he arrived in Highland county over fifty-six years ago he had only three cents in his pocket which was expended in sending a letter to his Virginia home. He had neither friends nor acquaintances and was compelled for years to work as a day laborer on farms at meager wages to get the ordinary means of subsistence. A glance now at his hundreds of acres of well cultivated and highly improved land and other evidences of prosperity will disclose a contrast with his "first settlement" that is highly creditable to Mr. Park's lifelong industry and excellent management. His parents were Samuel and Elizabeth (McKee) Park who lived in Hampshire county, West Virginia, and there reared a family of eight children, of whom Joseph, Lemuel, Jonathan, William H. and Alice have passed away. Elizabeth C. is the wife of William George, who lives in Indiana, and Mary, who married Thomas Lockard, is a resident of Newcom- erstown, Ohio. Morgan B. Park, third of the children in age, was born in Hampshire county, W. Va., near Capon Bridge, Decem- ber 28, 1835. His first work as a boy, in the days before railroads in his part of the country, was as assistant in driving cattle over the West Virginia mountains to the various markets, often at great dis- tances. In 1855, realizing that there was little opportunity for advancement in his native hills, he set out on a tour of observation in the West and eventually found himself in the limits of Highland county, Ohio. He spent one summer in farm work, cultivated a
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rented place for a while and later came to Paint township where he secured employment by the month. After several years of daily drudgery on other people's farms, he was married January 26, 1866, to Hannah, daughter of Jesse George, and became a farmer on his own behalf. He located on a place of 112 acres, of which he sub- sequently became the owner and here he carried on farming opera- tions with success for ten years. They then removed to the farm in Paint township where he now resides but which has been greatly improved since he took possession. At one time he owned 455 acres, but his holdings have been reduced to 335 acres, over two-thirds of which is under cultivation. His improvements, which have been numerous, embody the best results in agricultural architecture and in every way the farms of Mr. Park show that they are under pro- gressive and up-to-date management. He is a Prohibitionist in poli- tics and an enemy of immorality in all its forms, especially that phase of evil that results from the drink traffic and indulgence of intoxicating liquors. By his first marriage he had three children, of whom Mary E. and Lewis H. are dead, and Hannah is the wife of John Watts of Paint township. The mother of this family died on Christmas night of 1889 and April 1, 1897, Mr. Park married Annie Taylor, by whom he has two children, Layton B. and Leonard M. Mr. Park is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at New Petersburg and in past years has held the offices of steward, superin- tendent of Sunday school, class leader and trustee.
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