USA > Ohio > Union County > The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record; > Part 116
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STEPHENSON CURRY (deceased) was born on the site of Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio, December 3, 1801. He was a son of Col. James Curry, well known as one of the earliest
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
pioneers of Union County. Mr. Curry emigrated to Jerome Township, with his parents, in 1811, when but ten years of age, and settled in the unbroken wilderness, which was thickly infested with Indians and native animals. llere he passed his early life and received his education, which was limited to the schools held in log cabins. During the war of 1812, there was scarcely an able-bodied man left in the settlements along Darby and Sugar Run, and their families were in great danger and in constaut fear of being massacred by the Indians. In 1812-13, Stephenson's father, Col. Curry, was called to Delaware, to assist in organizing a regiment of soldiers, leaving him and his brother Otway with Mrs. Curry, hemmed in by the woods, and with no neighbors nearer than John Kent and family, who resided a mile and a half away. One day, during Col. Curry's absence, the horses were attacked by the wolves, and stampeded with such a noise as to make Mrs. Curry believe the Indians were going to attack their home. Young Stephenson, then but a boy of eleven years, but with the coolness of an old backwoodsman, took down the two rifles, and, loading one, placed his younger brother Otway as a sentinel at the feuce, in rear of the cabin, and while he attempted to load the other, the charge became fastened in the barrel. The two boys stood on guard for some time, ready to meet the invasion of the red skins. When night came on, they, with their mother, went to John Kent's house and spent the night. The next morning, on their return with some of the neighbors, they found that the wolves had attacked the horses, badly injuring one of them, but that no Indians, or traces of them, were to be found. One of the old, flint-lock rifles used on this occasion is still in possession of the family. Mr. Curry spent his early life and manhood in clearing up the old homestead, and remained on a part of it till his death. November 18, 1830, he was married to Miss Sarah D. Robinson, daughter of James and Jane (Morrison) Robinson. Mrs. Curry was born in Darby Township, April 14, 1806. In their married life they were blessed with eight children, viz .: Louisa, widow of William Thomp- son; Jane, wife of Taber Randall ; Otway, William E., James, Mary, wife of Andrew Gill ; John W., and an infant son, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Curry were members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Curry united himself with that body about 1835-36, and Mrs. C. 1824-25, of which she was a devoted and consistent member for fifty years. Mr. Curry was a Ruling Elder for over twenty- five years, and was an active member till his death, which occurred April 2, 1861. Mrs. Curry survived him till November 11. 1881. For half a century Mr. Curry guided the plowshare and wielded the ax in clearing up the forest. Born and bred a hardy pioneer of the West, trained to the use of the trusty rifle, yet amid all these difficulties and hardships, he found time for study and meditation. He possessed a mind richly stored with knowledge, which he was ever free to impart to all, and many were the stories of his adventures and experiences he was wont to relate, around the old family fireside. He was a mau over six feet in height, straight as an Indian, and of great strength and activity, and, perhaps, did as much hard work as any other man in the county in his day. As a friend, Mr. Curry was warm and steadfast, ever ready to espouse the cause of the weak, and, in his church associations, was beloved and esteemed for his forbearance and piety. In politics, he was a Whig until the breaking up of the old Whig party, aud afterward he was a Democrat.
WILLIAM W. CURRY, farmer, P. O. New California, third son of Capt. James A. and Phebe Curry, was born on the old Curry homestead April 11, 1832. Ilis youth and early man- hood was passed in his native place, and his training received in the select schools of New Cali- fornia. He was first married September 17, 1861, to Catharine Nonemaker, who died March 1, 1871, leaving three children-Charles E., Mary L. and Addison S. February 18, 1873, he was married to Miss Jennie Harris, daughter of Guy and Nancy Harris. Mrs. Curry was born in Wood County, Ohio, and died January 3, 1879. Two daughters were the fruits of this union, namely : Effie A. and Bertha. Mr. Curry's third marriage occurred February 10, 1880, to Miss Nancy, daughter of Joseph and Sarah Bain. She was born in Greene County, Ohio, January 13, 1840. Mr. Curry's father deeded him his farm, which contained ninety acres. Hle pursues the avocation of farming and raising Poland-China hogs. His political opinions are Democratic.
BEVERLY DEPP, farmer, P. O. New California, was born in Powhatan County, Va., No- vember 13, 1826. His father, Stephen Depp, was a slave for thirty years, and was liberated at his master's death in 1830, when he received, as his share of the estate, 143 acres of land in Jerome Township and a year's provisions. In 1836, he removed with his family and located on it. The farm was all woodland and Mr. Depp was numbered with the early settlers. He mar- ried Lydia Knuckles, and died November 12, 1861, leaving her a widow with six children, of whom Beverly is the eldest. He aided his father to clear up the farm. In 1854, moved on Abraham Depp's farm, which he rented for twenty-seven years. He bought forty acres in 1865 and has made additions till he now owns a farm of 103 acres. May 2, 1850, he married to Rachel Mallory, by whom he has had ten children, viz .: William H .. Rachel J. (wife of Alphieus Geeder), Augustus, Katie, Jerelene, Charles E., Delila E., Beverly, Rosa and Lizzie (deceased). Mrs. Depp departed this life August 9, 1869. Mr. Depp is a successful farmer and a highly respected citizen. In politics he is a stanch Republican. He has taken an active part in edu- cational matters.
JOHN K. DODGE, farmer, P. O. New California, ex-Commissioner of Union County, was born in Jerome Township November 17, 1833. He was a son of Judah Dodge, who was born in Vermont, January 23, 1796. His father, Judah Dodge, Sr., moved with his family to Union
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JEROME TOWNSHIP.
County at the beginning of the war of 1812, and settled on the Crocker Smith farm in Darby Township. Some years later he moved to Jerome, locating on a farm of seventy acres. In 1836 he purchased a tract of 400 acres near New California. This whole farm was then covered with a dense forest, without an improvement, save a rude log shanty, which had been erected by the Indians. Mr. Dodge died on the farm in May, 1856. He had filled the office of Justice of the Peace a number of terms and was otherwise officially identified with Jerome Township. He entered the county at the time of the last war with Great Britain and was familiar with its early settlement, organization, and the growth and development of it up to the date of his death. Judah Dodge, Jr., was but seventeen when his parents came to the West, and he spent the remainder of his minority in clearing up the land his father located. July 4, 1816, he was married to Elizabeth Kilgore, who was born in Ross County, Ohio, January 20, 1799, and by whom he had nine children, of whom our subject is the third son and seventh child. In 1867, Mr. Dodge sold his farm and removed to Marysville, where he died April 23, 1870. He was for fifteen years an exhorter in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a man of honor and highly respected. Mr. Dodge, the subject of this sketch, was reared and brought up on the farm and was educated in the common schools of Jerome Township. November 29, 1855, he married Miss Rebecca Rudolph, a daughter of John and Julia Rudolph. Mrs. Dodge was born in Delaware County, Ohio, July 1, 1833. Nine children were the fruits of this marriage, viz .: Andrew J. (married Flora E. Harrington), John R. (married Ella B. Boring), Glenna M. (wife of Elbert Bonnett), Thomas J., Jennie R., Tella A., William M., Ottie J. and Frank E. In 1857, Mr. Dodge moved into Mill Creek Township, and in 1865 took up his residence on his present farm. He owns 509 acres of well-improved and highly-cultivated land. His occupation is agriculture and stock-raising ; in the latter pur- suit he has dealt extensively for the last twenty years. Mr. Dodge has by his energy and care- ful business management achieved a reasonable success in the accumulation of property. He was Trustee of Jerome Township two years and member of the Board of County Commissioners one term. His attention has been given almost entirely to his farm, and he rauks with the suc- cessful farmers of the county.
ANDREW J. DODGE, farmer, P. O. New California, eldest son of John K. Dodge, was born in Mill Creek Township July 7, 1857. He was brought up on a farm and received his education in the select schools of New California and at the National Normal at Lebanon, Ohio. He taught school two terms in Jerome Township, and September 20, 1877, he was married to Miss Laura E. Harrington, a daughter of Nathaniel and Lucinda Harrington, of Plain City. Mrs. Dodge was born in Jerome Township, February 16, 1857. Mr. Dodge moved to his pres- ent farm in March, 1878, and is engaged in farming and raising and dealing in stock. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
DAVID DORT, deceased, an old and respected pioneer of Jerome Township, was born in New Hampshire November 25, 1801. He was a son of Titus and Charlotte (Clark) Dort, who were natives of Massachusetts, and came to Franklinton, Franklin Co., Ohio, in 1811. They sub- sequently removed to Darby Plains, Madison County, where Mrs. Dort departed this life. . Mr. Dort died at Frankfort, about 1840. At an early age, David was apprenticed to the blacksmith trade, which he followed till 1835. In 1836, he was married to Sarah A., daughter of Thomas and Barbara Gray, the former a native of Delaware and the latter of Virginia. They moved to Ross County, Ohio, in 1815, and in 1821 came to Darby Plains, and afterward went to Keokuk, Iowa, where they died in 1844 and 1849, respectively. Mr. Gray was a soldier in the war of 1812. Mrs. Dort was born in Loudoun County, Va., June 4, 1813. Her great-grandfather came from Europe, and was one of the first Baptist ministers in America. Mr. Dort removed with his family and settled on the farm now occupied by his widow in 1845. He purchased 125 acres of land and cleared and improved it to a good condition. He was an energetic and persevering man, and made all that he owned by his industry. In politics, he was Democratic till the war broke out, when he joined the ranks of the Republican party and was, during his subsequent life, an earnest advocate of its doctrines and principles. During the war he was active in be- half of the Union, and did much in the way of providing for the soldiers and their families. He was not a member of any church, but was inclined to the doctrine of the Congregational Church. He aided in many charitable and benevolent enterprises, and was a man of integrity. He died September 16, 1881, leaving a widow and one son.
JAMES B. DORT, deceased, was born near Plain City, in Madison County, June 25, 1817. His parents, Titus and Charlotte (Clark) Dort, were natives of Connecticut and Massachusetts, respectively, and came West in 1811 and located near Columbus, where Mr. Dort was in the employ of the Government as a blacksmith for Gen. Harrison's army, two years. In 1814, he removed to Darby Township, Madison County, and located 364 acres of land, which he occupied till 1840, when he removed to Jerome Township and purchased a small farm of ninety acres. He died in March, 1843. He had served Madison County as Commissioner two terms, and in the office of Justice of the Peace nine years. Mr. Dort, the subject of this sketch, was reared to manhood on a farm. In 1837, he went to Wayne County, Mich., and in 1843, located per- manently in Jerome Township, which he served as Justice of the Peace and Treasurer. June 25, 1840, he was married to Martha A. Fox, daughter of Chester and Susanna Fox, by whom he
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
had nine children; of these four are living: Susanna, wife of S. H. Ruehlen; Deiadamia, wife of Calvin McDowell; and Horace M. Florilla, Chester T., Samuel L., Electa B. and Martha A. are deceased. Mr. Dort was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church till his death, and was for several years an active worker in the Grange. Horace M. Dort, third child living, was born near New California, February 4, 1853. He was brought up to farming and followed that avocation till April, 1879, when he engaged in merchandising. He carries a stock to the amount of $2,200, and has annual sales of $10,000. March 30, 1873, he was married to Miss Emma Morgan, a native of Delaware County, Ohio, and a daughter of C. M. and Louise Morgan. Mrs. Dort was born January 28, 1856. Two children were born to this marriage, viz .: Lyle E., born October 9, 1874, and Guy, born June 10, 1878.
J. B. DOUDNA, farmer, P. O. Jerome, was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, December 2, 1830. His parents, William and Lydia (Bailey) Doudna, were natives of Belmont and Guern- sey Counties, respectively. The former was born in 1806, and the latter in 1812. His grand- father, John Doudna, was born near Raleigh, N. C., November 9, 1773, and his wife, Anna Doudna, was a native of the same place. His great-grandfather, John Doudna, the first of the name, it is supposed, was born in England. When about four years old he was stolen by a crew of sailors who kept him till he was a young man, when he made his escape. He was dis- tinguished as Jobn, and afterward nicknamed " Doudna," which name he adopted. He mar- ried Sarah Knorvas, who was born May 23, 1756, and moved to Belmont County, Ohio, in 1803. He died in 1811. He was the parent of fourteen children, of whom two are now living. Our subject's maternal grandparents, Henry and Elizabeth Bailey, came from North Carolina to Ohio in 1802, and settled in Guernsey County. The great-grandfather, Jesse Bailey, was born February 1, 1787. His wife, Mary Bundy, was born June 16, 1787, and died August 31, 1847. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of eight children. He was reared to manhood on a farm, and was educated in the common schools. In 1850, he came to Union County and followed the carpenter trade till 1877, when he turned his attention to the farm. March 16. 1851, he was married to Lucinda, daughter of Peter and Margaret Crotinger. Mrs. D., a na- tive of Knox County, Ohio, was born March 12, 1831. Eight children were born to this union; of these seven are now living, viz .: Manasseh W., Charles F .; Phebe R., wife of William Mc- Carty; J. Frank, Helen O., George M. and Harry H. Ephriam M. is deceased. Mr. Doudna located on his present homestead in 1860. He owns a good farm of Ill} acres, and for the last six years has been engaged in farming. He served as Township Clerk fourteen years, and is a member of the society of I. O. O. F.
JOHN W. EVANS, farmer, P. O. Jerome, a native of Frederick County, Va., was born De- cember 12, 1821. His father, William Evans, was born in Wales, and came to the United States with his parents when young. His mother, Christina Lockmiller, was a native of Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, the parents of our subject, removed with their children to Ohio in 1837, and settled near Zanesville. In 1839, they moved to Delaware County, and in 1846 to Franklin County, where Mr. Evans died. He served through the last war with Great Britain, as a pri- vate. John is the second son and fourth child of a family of thirteen children. He came to Jerome Township in 1842, and worked for nine years in the Beach Ashery. Of these years' earnings he saved enough to buy fifty-five and one-half acres of land. May 18, 1845, he was married to Miss Phebe Green, daughter of Caleb and Catharine Green, by whom he had one child-Catharine A., born August 21, 1846. She married David R. Ashbaugh, and had three children-Ida M., born November 8, 1867; John L., born February 18, 1869, and Earnest L., born July 18, 1871. Mrs. Ashbaugh departed this life October 19, 1880. Mr. Evans owns a farm of 240 acres, and is by occupation a farmer and stock-raiser. He was Trustee of Jerome seven years, and filled other local offices.
ELIJAH K. FOX, retired, Plain City. The subject of this sketch, whose portrait is given in this volume, was born in Hartford County, Conn., August 10, 1821. His father, Chester Fox, was born in Glastonbury, Conn., September 22, 1796, and his mother in Manchester, Conn., Feb- ruary 5, 1798. His paternal grandfather, AmosFox, of English descent, was born in 1756. He was a Revolutionary soldier under Gen. Washington, and participated in the battle of Bunker Hill, and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, N. Y. He died in Hartford County, Conn., March 14, 1832. His wife was born in 1757, and died March 16, 1851. Mr. Fox's (Elijah K.) parents were married in 1817, and, in 1836, migrated to the West, settling in Jerome Township, where Mr. Fox located on 350 acres of land. His death occurred July 7, 1863. Mrs. Fox survived him till October 8, 1881. Six children were the fruits of their mar- riage. There are three living, of whom our subject is the eldest. He spent his early life in clearing up the old homestead, and has resided in the county ever since, except 1843-44 and 1845, when he was engaged in the Eagle Manufacturing Company, in Glastonbury, Conn. He lived on his farm, near Frankfort, till November, 1881, when he removed to Plain City. January 25, 1849, he was married to Susan M., daughter of Martin and Mary (Keeney) Webster. Mrs. Fox was born in Hartford County, Conn., July 25, 1824. Her parents came to this county in 1849, and afterward removed to Ostrander, where they died. Mr. Fox is one of the few real pioneers of Union County that are now living. He helped cut out and make the road from Frank- fort to New California in 1837, and aided many other improvements of the township. He served Jerome as Trustee five terms, and filled various other local offices.
James & Smith
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JEROME TOWNSHIP.
HENRY FOX, farmer, P. O. Jerome, son of Chester and Susannah (Kinney) Fox, was born in Hartford County, Conn., October 19, 1823. At the age of thirteen, his parents removed and settled near Frankfort, this county. Mr. Fox purchased a farm of 300 acres one and one-half mile west of Frankfort, and, with the aid of his sons, cleared a portion of it. He died July 7, 1863. Mrs. Fox departed this life October 8, 1881, at the advanced age of eighty-three years. Henry is the second son of a family of six children, of whom three are living-Elijah K., Henry, and Electa J., wife of William Dunnic, of Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Fox spent his early life in clearing up the homestead. Two years after his marriage, he bought 180 acres of land of the heirs of James Stone. Of this farm, he has cleared and well improved a good portion, and is engaged in farming and raising stock. March 10, 1847, he was married to Sarah Kent, daughter of Daniel and Dillie Kent, and grand-daughter of John Kent, one of the earliest pioneers of Union County. Mr. K. was born in Jerome June 23, 1822. Of the children born to this union, the following are living, viz .: Ameret O., wife of Arthur Callier ; Cynthia A., wife of Samuel Taylor ; Ely, married Jennie Holmes; Chester; Clarinda, wife of Joseph Brobeck ; William D., Riley L., Lo- vina, and Altruda. Mrs. Fox died July 3, 1880. Mr. Fox owns, besides his home farm, fifty acres in Washington Township, and eighty acres in Putnam County, Ohio. He is engaged in rearing sheep and Norman French horses. As a member of an old family, we give the portrait of Mr. Fox in this work.
JESSE GILL, deceased, an old and respected pioneer of Union County, was born in Bel- mont County, Ohio, October 30, 1804. He was a son of Andrew and Susanna (Hemphill) Gill, who were natives of West Virginia, and of Irish descent. They migrated to Ohio in 1804, and went down the Ohio River in a flat-boat, and settled where Arondale, near Cincinnati, now stands. Mrs. Gill died there, and about the time of the close of the war of 1812 Mr. Gill came to Union County, locating in Union Township, where he purchased 300 acres of land. His death occurred in 1829. Mr. Gill, the subject of this sketch, resided near Milford Center till October 3, 1837, when he moved to Jerome and purchased 194 acres of land, which is now in the posses- sion of Andrew Gill. He was married May 10, 1827, to Miss Jane Cochran, a daughter of James and Mary Cochran. Mrs. Gill was born in Erie County, Penn., December 2, 1806. Five chil- dren were born to this union, viz .: Tabitha W., wife of John Curry ; Olive A., wife of James R. Mitchell ; Eliza M., wife of John M. Roney; Sarah C., wife of J. B. Robinson, and Andrew, the only son. Mr. Gill filled various offices of honor and trust in his county and township. He was once chosen to the Board of County Commissioners, when his party was largely in the mi- nority, thus attesting the confidence which the public had in his integrity and ability, regard- less of partisan prejudice. He served Jerome Township, both as Trustee and Treasurer, hold- ing the latter office nine years. In politics he was Democratic in doctrine and principle, and was the leader of his party in local matters. He was Presbyterian in his religious views, and was identified with that church for a number of years. He was a man of honor and upright- ness and died highly esteemed, May 14, 1872, as a worthy citizen and pioneer.
ANDREW GILL, the youngest son of Jesse Gill, was born in Jerome Township August 19, 1843. He was reared on the farm and educated principally in the select schools of New Cali- fornia. July 29, 1863, he enlisted to serve six months in Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was at the surrender of Cumberland Gap, and was employed on garrison duty at the fort, till his term of service expired, when he was mustered out and dis- charged at Cleveland, Ohio, February 14, 1864. April 9, 1868, he was married to Miss Mary Curry, daughter of Stephenson and Sarah D. Curry. Mrs. Gill was born in Jerome April 9, 1844. They have five children, viz .: Cora, Jesse, Jennie C., Lou and Bessie. Mr. Gill owns the old homestead, which contains 194 acres of well-improved land. He is engaged in farming and rearing stock ; for the last ten years he has been engaged in breeding and rearing thorough- bred French horses, which he has exhibited at the annual fairs of the county. One mare "Jose- phine" which he reared, won the first premiums at the State Fairs of 1878-79. For the last two years he has given considerable attention to bee-raising. He has seventy stands of bees, which produced, in 1882, 2,500 pounds of honey. Mr. Gill was a charter member of the G. A. R. post at Plain City, and is still an active member. Politically he is Democratic. He filled the office of Township Treasurer one term. He and wife are both members of the Methodist Episco- pal Church of New California.
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CHARLES H. GORDON, farmer, P. O. Dublin, Franklin County, a native of Perry County, Ohio, was born December 6, 1817. He is a son of George and Hannah (Hammisfair) Gordon, and a grandson of Charles Gordon, who emigrated from Scotland prior to the American Revolu- tion, and settled in Pennsylvania. He served in the war of 1812, and subsequently removed to Perry County, Ohio, where he died. George Gordon was reared principally in Perry County, where he married and brought up a family. Charles is the eldest of nine children. He was reared and brought up to farming and has pursued that avocation most of his life. He remained on the homestead till 1840, when he engaged in keeping hotel in Gratiot. In 1842, he went to Linville and carried on coopering eight years, then purchased a small farm in Jerome Township, on which he settled. He married April 22, 1841, Miss Clarissa Vandenburgh, by whom he had two children-Daniel L. and Clarissa C., wife of'John Windle. Mrs. Gordon departed this life September 8, 1849, and Mr. G. married the second time September 21, 1851, Miss Matilda
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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.
Latimer, daughter of Stephen and Dimmis Latimer. Mrs. G. was born in Franklin County, Olio, February 1, 1830. This marriage was blessed with nine children ; seven of these are liv- ing, viz .: Stephen T., George C., Nathan H., Livonia, Dimmis, Vallandingham and Ida M .; Nancy L. and Margaret A., are deceased. Mrs. Gordon's parents came to Franklin County, Ohio, in 1915, and in 1840 to this township, where they both died, Mr. Latimer, February 26, 1854, and Mrs. L., September 21, 1872. Mr. Gordon owns a well-improved farm of 186 acres, and is en- gaged in farming and stock-raising.
JOIIN W. GRAY, retired, Plain City, a native of Washington County, Vt., was born August 21, 1809. He is a son of Kalso and Anna (Wilson) Gray, and a grandson of Kalso Gray, Sr., who served in both the French and Indian and Revolutionary wars. The subject of this sketch is the seventh son of a family of twelve children. At an early age he chose the shoe-maker's trade, which he learned and followed seven years. In 1836, he came to Darby Township, Union County, and five years later moved to Plain City, thence to his farm April 1, 1845. Mr. Gray has been identified with the construction of many of the improvements in the county. He was a member of the committee that assessed the land to make the first pike in the county. He served on the Board of Trustees of Jerome twelve years, and as real estate assessor one term. In December, 1844, he was married to Charlotte Phillips, a daughter of Aaron and Hannah Phillips, by whom he had four children, two of these are living-Aaron K. and Clark. Mrs. Gray was taken away by disease May 12, 1852, and in November, 1854, Mr. G. married Mrs. Phila Gudtner, widow of John Gudtner. Five children born to this union are deceased. Mrs. Gray is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Gray owns a valuable farm of 145 acres, ninety acres of which adjoins Plain City.
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