The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 117

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254

USA > Ohio > Union County > The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record; > Part 117

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CAPT. HENRY HENSEL, carpenter, New California, was born in Jerome Township June 24, 1834. His parents, George and Mary (Howell) Hensel, were natives of Pennsylvania. His father was born in 1777, and his mother in 1800 ; his paternal grandfather came from Germany prior to 1776, and settled in Pennsylvania. His maternal grandfather emigrated to the United States from England, and was a staff officer in the American Revolution. He was the first man to discover Benedict Arnold's treachery. Our subject's grandparents removed to Fairfield County, Ohio, some time after the Revolutionary war. His father came to Delaware County in 1818, and the same year made a purchase of 400 acres of land in Jerome Township. In 1819, he removed to his land near Frankfort where he died January 10, 1847. By his first wife he had three children ; two, John and Mary are living. This second wife bore him six children. Of these George, Susan (wife of J. W. Wells), and Henry, are living at the present time. Mrs. Hensel died September 26, 1871. When sixteen, Henry chose the carpenter's trade, serving his apprenticeship with John McConnell, the leading architect of Columbus. He followed carpen- tering till August 19, 1861, when he enlisted his services in Company E, Thirtieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was elected Second Lieutenant, and in May, 1862, was promoted to First Lieutenant. He fought at Carnifex Ferry and in numerous minor battles. In 1864, he recruited Company C, for the One Hundred and Ninety-first Regiment and went as First Lieu- tenant, in which capacity he served till March 22, when he was commissioned as Captain. His Company was in Gen. Hancock's Veteran Corps, and participated in the battle of Cedar Creek and other engagements. He served with honor and distinguished bravery, and was dis- charged in September, 1865. He was tendered a Second Lieutenancy in the Regular Army, but declined the honor. Mr. Hensel returned home and has since followed his trade. 1878-79 -80, he was superintendent of carpenter work in the Ohio State Prison. May 26, 1859, he was married to Miss Martha, a daughter of Jacob and Martha Frederick, by whom he has had eight children. The following are living-Anna, Frank H., Mary, Martha and Forest; Frederick H., John F. and Carrie, are deceased.

ROBERT HILL, farmer, P. O. Jerome, a prominent farmer and citizen of Jerome Town- ship, was born in Harrison County, Ohio, November 25, 1823. His father was a native of Ire- land, and emigrated to the United States with his father, whose name was also Robert, in 1816, and for six or eight years temporarily lived in Pittsburgh, Penn. On their removal West, they settled in Guernsey County, Ohio, where Mr. Hill (the first) died. Robert, the father of our subject, was a young man when his parents came across. He resided in Guernsey and Tuscara- was Counties till 1858, when he came to Jerome Township; residing there till October, 1873, he removed to Paulding County, where he died in November, 1879. Mrs. IFill (nee Nancy Morris) died about 1828-29. She was a native of England, and came to America with her parents. Robert IFill, the subject of this sketch, is the second son and third child of four children, of whom three are living, viz .: Ann E., widow of Jonathan Mccullough, of Harrison County ; Mary, wife of Hanson Merryman, of Delaware County ; Robert; and James, the eldest, who died in McConnelsville, Morgan County, August, 1878. Mr. Hill's mother died in 1828, and he be- came a member of the household of an uncle, John G. Norris, with whom he remained till of age. He was employed by Mr. Norris in a grist-mill till 1845, when he started out to acquire his own fortune. Ile spent a few months working as a laborer at the mere pittance salary of $8.33} per month. In 1845, he came to Mill Creek Township, and first purchased fifty acres of land. He resided on this farm fourteen years, in the meantime making an addition of fifty acres more. On his location in Jerome Township he bought 160 acres, and has made subse-

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quent purchases till he now owns 349 acres of finely improved and highly cultivated land. January 8, 1846, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth M. Rea, a daughter of Samuel and Ruth A. (Robinson) Rea, natives of Harrison County, Ohio, and a grand-daughter of Rev. John Rea, one of the early pioneer Presbyterian ministers of Ohio, of whom a sketch is appended. Samuel lTill was a member of the Coshocton County bar, and was a lawyer of con- siderable distinction. He was drowned in the Muskingum River February 28, 1833. His widow died February 19, 1881, aged seventy-seven years. Mrs. Hill was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, February 4, 1827. At her father's death, she was taken by her grandfather, Rev. John Rea, and reared to womanhood. Mr. Rea was Irish born, and crossed the Atlantic when eight- teen years of age. He first settled in Westmoreland County, Penn., where he married Elizabeth Christy, a daughter of John Christy, who was an early settler in Pennsylvania, and participated in the Indian wars. On an Indian raid, two of his sons, John and William, were captured. They were returning home with the horses, when the redskins made the attack by firing upon them. John, in attempting to escape, was killed. William's horse was shot and fell upon him, and he became a victim of the savages. The first he knew of his brother's death occurred when he saw his scalp suspended to an Indian's belt, and recognized the black locks of hair. William was kept a captive three years, and released and returned to his mother and family. He was adopted by a chief, who treated him very kindly, and of whom he ever afterward spoke in terms of the highest veneration. Rev. John Rea was educated under Catholic discipline, and received a thorough classical training. He removed to Harrison County, Ohio, and was among its earliest settlers. He was pastor of a church at Beech Springs, in that county, for half a century. He was a member of the Philadelphia Synod, and went on horseback from Harrison County to Phila- delphia, Penn., several times, to attend the General Assembly. He prepared and delivered an able farewell sermon to the congregation over which he had presided as minister and pastor for so many years, and retired to his home, where he died in February, 1855, at a ripe age. Mr. and Mrs. Hill were blest with thirteen children; of these ten are living, viz .: Flora M., wife of Orange Cutler : Ruth A., widow of W. P. Wentz; G. Rea married Rachel Herriott ; Mary I., wife of Lewis Brake ; Elizabeth J., wife of Fleetwood Courtright; Samuel C., Frank S., Carrie A., John R and Robert. Mr. and Mrs. Hill started in life together pioneers, and with few advan- tages. Together they have shared the difficulties and pleasures, the labor and reward of life. By their combined energy and industry, they have accumulated a sufficient competence. As a representative citizen, we give the portrait of Mr. Hill on another page of this volume.

REV. JOHN REA, D. D., the son of Joseph and Isabel Rea, was born in the village of Tully, Ireland, in 1772; emigrated to the United States when eighteen years of age. After re- maining at Philadelphia, Peun., a short tive, " I left on foot," said he, " traveled mostly alone through the wilderness, sad, gloomy and dispirited, until after many days I arrived west of the Alleghany Mountains, stopping at the house of Mr. Porter, a Presbyterian minister." He now prosecuted the study of Latin, privately, which he had begun in his native land. To procure temporary means of support, he taught, first a night school, and afterward a day school. In 1793, he married Miss Elizabeth Christy, of Westmoreland County, Penn. They had nine children, seven sons and two daughters, four of whom are still living, and one grandson, Rev. David Thompson, who is laboring in Jeddo, Empire of Japan, under the direction of the Pres- byterian Board of Foreign Missions. Mr. Kea felt it his duty, even after marriage, to finish his education, already commenced, and if it was the will of his Divine Master, to enter the work of the Gospel ministry ; for at his conversion and public profession of religion, he secretly vowed to his God that if He spared his life and gave him strength and grace, he would dedicate himself to the work of preaching the Gospel of Christ. With faith in Jesus, and his eye ever fixed upon his future calling, he labored and struggled on amid many adverse circumstances, with untiring zeal and more than ordinary industry, he worked his way through a literary course of education, teaching school, and studying alternately, until he graduated with honor at Jefferson College, when it was but a small school kept in a log-cabin near Canonsburg, Penn. Mr. Rea was among the first alumni of this college, and studied theology under the direction of Dr. John McMillen; was licensed to preach by the Ohio Presbytery, June, 1803, and after some three months' itinerancy in the wilderness of Central Ohio, among Indian camps and the few white settlements, he was appointed to supply the newly organized churches of Beech Springs, Crab-apple and vicinity ; for included in the latter was the Nottingham appointment, then con- sidered on the confines of civilization, but now in the midst of a well-improved and densely populated country. After preaching for one year, as stated supply of these congregations, a united call was made out and carried up to the Presbytery, from these churches, in the spring of 1805, for each one-half of the labors of Mr. Rea, which was put into his hands and accepted. He was immediately ordained and installed pastor of said congregations by the Presbytery of Ohio. The country settled up rapidly, and his charges grew as fast, so that it soon became nec- essary to have the relation between the two churches dissolved, that he might labor all his time at the Beech Springs, with the exception that a portion of his services, at discretion, might be occupied in fostering those vines springing up on his borders ; and so untiring and devoted was this servant of Christ, that, besides ministering to the wants of so large a church, he found . time to be instrumental in raising up some six or seven separate societies, that went out as col-

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

onies from the mother church and are now self-sustaining and prominent congregations. Dr. Rea died of decay of vital powers, February 12, 1855, at his residence near Unionville, Ohio (among the people of his charge, with whom, in part, he first settled), in the eighty-third year of his age and fifty-second of his ministry, greatly and deservedly beloved and esteemed as a citizen, Christian and faithful preacher of "Christ and Him crucified." Whatever else he omitted, he never neglected due preparation for the pulpit; his sermons evinced research, in- vention and original thought. It might be truly said of him that he was everywhere a living example of a Christian minister. He taught both by precept and daily walk. Mr. Rea estab- lished the Nottingham Mission, in 1806, and served it at stated times from the beginning, until 1810, when all his labors were required at Beech Springs, where his pastorate continued forty- five years, and during all this time he was much beloved and appreciated by the people. The older members of the congregation were enthusiastically attached to him, both as a preacher and spiritual adviser, and well they might be, for he was untiring in his exertions for their well- being.

JAMES W. HERRIOTT, deceased, was born in Mercer County, Penn., February 3, 1830. When four years of age, his parents, Samuel and Mary T. (Corey) Herriott, removed and settled in Jerome Township. Mr. Herriott is the third of fourteen children. His early life was spent on the farm, and for an education he enjoyed only the advantages of the common schools. Novem- ber 9, 1849, he joined himself in marriage with Miss Margery, a daughter of John and Margery Cunningham, who came to Delaware County in 1828. Mr. C. died September 27, 1859, and his wife October 3, 1853. Mrs. H. was born in Delaware County December 29, 1829. Of thirteen children born to this marriage, nine are living, viz .: Jane, wife of William Cox; Mary T., wife of Girard Hughes ; Hannah R., wife of R. G. Hill ; Maria A., wife of R. S. Fry ; Lovina S., William B., Nora R., Laura M. and Frances. Joanna, Margery A., Angeline and Sarah E. are deceased. Mr. Herriott resided in Delaware County till April, 1875, when he purchased the old homestead in Jerome, where he died March 8, 1882. In connection with farming he operated an ashery for nine years. He left a farm of seventy acres, besides fifty acres in Dela- ware County. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity, and in politics he was of Repub- lican principles.

J. E. HERRIOTT, M. D., physician, Jerome, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, Septem- ber 17, 1849. He is a son of Ebenezer C. and Elnora Herriott, the former a native of Mercer County, Penn., and the latter of Harrison County, Ohio. Ebenezer Herriott came to the county with his parents, Samuel and Mary T. Herriott, in 1834. They were natives of New Jersey, and of Scotch descent, and died in Jerome Township. In 1848, Ebenezer removed to Delaware County, where he lived till 1856, and returned to Union County. He died August 19, 1871 ; his wife's death occurred August 19, 1861. Our subject is the eldest of seven children. He re- ceived his literary education in the Ohio Wesleyan University of Delaware, and in 1870 began reading medicine with Dr. James Cutler, of Richwood. He attended the Starling Medical Col- lege of Columbus, and subsequently the Medical College of Cincinnati, from which institution he graduated in March, 1872. He came to Jerome Post Office, and entered upon the practice of his profession, which he has successfully followed. September 27, 1871, he was married to Saliema, daughter of Abraham and Bell Peters. Two children-Guersant P. and Gertrude May, were born to this union. Dr. Herriott has by close attention to his calling established a large practice. He and wife are associated as members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

ANDREW J. HOBERT, farmer, P. O. Marysville, was born near Plain City, in Madison County, April 27, 1828. His father was born in Vermont January 3, 1802. His mother dying when he was an infant, he was taken by Samuel Stone to rear, who removed to Madison County, Ohio, in 1816. He was married August 25, 1826, to Margaret Gandy, who was born in Colum- biana County, Ohio, November 7, 1811, and came with her parents to Leesburg Township in 1832. In the year 1833, Mr. and Mrs. Hobert settled in Jerome Township, where they both died ; the former October 16, 1849, and the latter July 7, 1881. Andrew, the second child, was reared to manhood on a farm, till nineteen, when he took up the cooper's trade, and followed it in Frankfort seven years. He purchased ninety-one acres, settling on it in 1858. He now owns 117 acres of well improved and highly cultivated land. It has a sugar camp of 500 trees, and manufactures about 1,000 pounds of sugar annually. June 6, 1858, he was married to Miss Jane A., daughter of Chester and Emily Pool. Mrs. Hobert was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., November 6, 1838. One daughter, Josie M., is the only child. She was born September 26, 1860, and married Prof. W. S. Kennedy. Mamie and Charlie are deceased. Mr. Hobert was a member of the Board of Township Trustees three terms. Politically, he is Republican.

J. S. HOWLAND, M. D., physician, New California, was born in Brown County, Ohio, Jan- uary 28, 1843, and is a son of Jonathan and Eliza J. (Stewart) Howland, of Brown County ; his father's parents were Ichabod and Eliza (Beam) Howlaud, pioneers in the above county in which they and the father of our subject died ; his mother resides at Somerville, this county. He is the third child of a family of ten children, nine of whom are living. His boyhood was principally passed in the counties of Pendleton, Lewis and Mason, in Kentucky, but he received the rudiments of his education at Winchester, Ky,, which was more fully developed at the Leb- anon (Ohio) Normal School. October 8, 1862, he enlisted in Company F, Seventh Ohio Volunteer

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Cavalry, and served with distinction under Gens. Gilmore, Burnside, Sherman and Thomas, and participated in the battles of Somerset, Knoxville, Bean Station, Rogersville, Blaines Cross Roads, Peach Tree Creek, Resaca, Atlanta, Jonesboro, Franklin, Nashville, Ebenezer Church, Selma, Ala., and Columbus, Ga. He served in succession, Corporal, Quartermaster Sergeant, Duty Ser- geant, Chief Clerk in Commissary Department, and Chief Issuing Clerk in the Post Commissary Department. The latter place he filled at Atlanta from April 1, 1865, till his discharge July 11, the same year. He then came to Fayette County, where his parents had moved while in the service, and in 1868 embarked in teaching, which he followed till 1875, when he turned his at- tention to medicine. He read three years with Dr. A. J. Richardson, of Somerville, and took a course in the Miami Medical College of Cincinnati. In February, 1877, he located at New Cal- ifornia, and has since been successfully engaged in the practice of his profession. January 16, 1868, he was married to Miss Louisa Edgington, a daughter of Jesse Edgington, by whom he has had three children-Orlie, Irene and Jesse. Dr. Howland and wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He is connected with the I. O. O. F. and G. A. R.

THOMAS JONES, for a number of years a prominent citizen of Union County, was born in Wales July 29, 1823. When eight years of age, his parents, John and Winifred Jones, emi- grated to the United States and settled down in Columbus, Ohio, where they both died. Mr. Jones spent his early life in Columbus, and was educaied in the public schools of that place. In 1852-53, he came to Union County and purchased 207 acres of land, to which he added by subsequent purchase till his farm contained 300 acres. He also owned a farm of 185 acres on Darby Plains, Madison County. Mr. Jones was a leading and influential citizen, and as a fine stock-raiser was second to none in the county. He was especially engaged in keeping thorough- bred short-horned cattle and French Norman and Clydesdale horses. Ile was the first man to introduce French horses in the county, and owned one of the first Norman Stallions (Pleasant Valley Bill) that was imported to the United States. In 1857, he bought the Norman mare Doll-the third one of the Norman stock that was imported into America. Mr. Jones was suc- cessfully engaged in the fine stock business till he removed to his farm near Delaware, since which time his sons, Charles M. and Albert N., have succeeded him in his useful enterprise. He was married, November 10, 1847, to Marium Newton, who was born in Madison County April 22, 1824. Their union was blessed with six children-Naniet N., wife of Dr. J. D. Jones, of Cleveland, Ohio ; Charles M., Albert N., Ellsworth E. and Winifred ; Ann, is deceased ; Charles M., was born June 9, 1850, and Albert N., November 20, 1850. They reside on the homestead near Plain City.

ARTHUR T. KENTON, farmer, P. O. New California, was born in Mad River Township, Champaign County, February 16, 1824. Hle is a son of James Kenton, who was a nephew of the celebrated Simon Kenton, whose history is given at length elsewhere in this volume. James Kenton was the second child of nine children, viz .: Polly, James, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jane, Susan, Matilda, William and Richard. Mr. Kenton died in Mad River Township, in 1867, and his wife in Missouri in October, 1872. They were the parents of ten children, of whom four are now living, viz .: Julia, wife of George Gosley; Arthur T., the subject of this sketch; Celinda, wife of William Bates; and William H. H. The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood on the old Kenton homestead, and educated in the common schools of his day. He resided in Roundhead Township, Hardin County, from 1848 to 1854, when he returned to Champaign County and lived on a part of the old homestead till December, 1862, when he removed to his present valuable farm. Mr. Kenton has been an unusually hard-working man, and his industry, combined with rigid economy, has made for him large property. His occupation has been farming and rearing and dealing in stock, in which he has made a marked success. He owns 183 acres of land where he resides, estimated at $70 per acre, and 214 acres in Hardin County, worth $50 per acre. Sep- tember 12, 1848, Mr. Kenton was married to Rebecca L. Irwin, daughter of James and Christiana Irwin. Mrs. Kenton was born in Ross County, Ohio, August 28, 1826, and died July 27, 1872. They had eight children, viz .: Leonidas M., born June 10, 1849; Florence S., born May 17, 1852, wife of J. Ellis; Ettny, born October 17, 1858; B., born July 10, 1864; and Delia J., born August 29, 1866. James C., Thomas and Lilly R. are deceased.

JAMES KETCH, farmer, P. O. Plain City, an old and respected pioneer of Union County, was born in Canaan Township, Madison County, June 5, 1818. He is a son of Lewis and Sarah ( Beach) Ketch, the former a native of York State, and the latter of Vermont. Mr. Ketch was born March 29, 1795, and Mrs. Ketch June 9, 1797. They were married March 6, 1814, and the following fall removed to Darby Township, Madison County, where Mr. Ketch died January 7, 1823. Mrs. Ketch was the mother of four children. She married for her second husband Parley Converse, and bore him five children. When but six years of age our subject was placed in the family of John Irwin, the father of Gen. William Irwin. He was reared till thirteen by Mr. Irwin, and for an education had the privileges of the common schools. In 1831, Mr. Irwin died, and young Ketch went to Madison County, and after spending one year returned to Union Township and worked at the carpenter trade with Gen. Irwin. He followed his trade up to 1844, when he purchased forty-four acres of his present farm. Of this all was woodland with no improvements except a log house, which had been partly erected. Everything dwelt in the wild dominion of nature, and deer, wolves, and other wild animals were numerous. Mr. Ketch

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began the work of clearing and improving the farm, and made additions till he now owns 130 acres. Mr. Ketch was married, December 15, 1839, to Miss Rhoda Converse, daughter of Jere- miah and Malinda (Derby) Converse, natives of Vermont. Mrs. Ketch was born in Madison County, Ohio, January 31, 1817. This union was blessed with ten children ; of these seven are living-Lester W., married Sarah N. Conklin ; Malinda D., wife of Isaac D. Mapes'; Louisa R., formerly wife of Isaac J. Kilbury, and since of Perry Douglas ; Lewis J., who was a member of Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was killed by a shell while in camp on the Atlanta campaign, August 6, 1864; Nancy F., wife of G. W. Stevens ; Olive F., died aged two years ; Harriet L., wife of C. C. Smith ; Hiram G , died in in- fancy; Hylas R. and Dexter D. Mr. Ketch served Jerome Township as Justice of the Peace fifteen years, and as Trustee three years. Mr. Ketch is familiar with the general growth and de- velopment of the county, his acquaintance with it dating back almost to its organization, and few important events occurred within its limits of which he has no knowledge.

THOMPSON T. KILBURY, farmer, P. O. Plain City, was born in Madison County, Ohio, June 6, 1830. His parents, Thomas and Martha (Finch) Kilbury, were natives of Vermont. His father and parents removed to Madison County, Ohio, at an early day, and were among the first pioneers of Canaan Township. Mr. Kilbury, the father of our subject, took a contract of opening up and making the road from New California to Bellepoint. Thompson was reared and brought up in his native place, and received his training in the common schools. He assisted his father in clearing up the home farm and remained on it till 1853, when he married. He rented lands till 1860, when he purchased 1513 acres in Jerome Township. It contained no ini- provements save a log cabin, which was erected by Frederick Sager, one of the oldest pioneers of the county. The building is now used as a stable. March 24, 1853, Mr. Kilbury was mar- ried to Miss Darthula, daughter of Amos Perkins. Mrs. Kilbury was born in Columbiana Coun- ty, Ohio, December 30, 1835. They have had seven children, viz .: Elmore S., born February 12, 1854; Amanda, September 26, 1855, wife of Edgar Powell; Emilius M., March 15, 1858; Ulysses G., July 9, 1867 ; Emma S., November 3, 1868 ; Clark R., April 20, 1871, and Thomas E., February 18, 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Kilbury are connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is identified with the I. O. of O. F., and in politics is a Republican. He served as a member of the Board of Township Trustees nine years, and in other local offices. During the war he recruited an independent cavalry company. He declined the Captaincy and was given the rank of First Lieutenant. The company finally disbanded and enlisted in the three years' term of service. Mr. Kilbury subsequently became a member of the home militia. Mr. Kilbury owns a valuable farm on the Big Darby, and is engaged in the pursuits of farming.

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The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 117

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1254

Author: Durant, Pliny A. [from old catalog]; Beers, W. H., & co., Chicago, pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W. H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1254