The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 138

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 138

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).

William Epps, a native of Virginia, settled in Champaign County, Ohio, about 1806-9, locating north of North Lewisburg, near the line of Union County. About 1825, he settled on the Shepherd Clark farm in Allen Town- ship, where he remained till his death. Mr. Epps was one of the thirteen voters at the first election. Of his children were Richard, John, William, Joshua, Thomas, Hamilton and Sarah.

William W. Haines was born at Chillicothe in 1801, and in December of the same year, with his father's family, removed to Logan County, where he re- sided till about 1818-20, when he came into Union County, and settled in this township, remaining a resident till his death in 1850. He was one of the thirteen to vote at the first election of the township. He married Atlantic Grubbs, by whom he had the following children: Oliver P., who married Eve McCumber, and is now a resident of DeWitt County, Ill .; Dorcas Ann, mar-

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

ried J. W. Smith, and resides in Illinois; Solomon, died a young single man; Levi, never married and died at thirty years of age; Amos, married Hannah Snuffin, she died and he is now a widower; and William O., married Hester Gibson and now resides in Illinois.

Jesse Haines, a brother of the above William W. Haines, married Delilah Bayless, and subsequently settled in Logan County, where he resided till his death.

William Asher was a native of Culpeper County, Va., where he married Betsey Sharp. In 1800, he emigrated with his family to Ohio and settled in Ross County; thence about 1803-4, removed into Logan County; thence re- moved to Champaign County, and finally, about 1823, located in Union County, Allen Township, on the same place where his son now resides. and remained in the same neighborhood till his death, in 1847. He and his son John constituted two of the thirteen voters at the first election. His children were as follows: Polly, married William Austin; he died, and she married Joseph Stokes, she died in Logan County; Sallie, married Bunyan Parker, and died in Champaign County, Ohio; John, married Deborah Ray in 1826, and resides on the old home place, where he and his companion have now resided fifty-six years; Malinda, married John P. Reed, a native of Maryland, who, with his father, Samuel Reed, settled in Union Township, this county, in 1802; John P. Reed and wife settled on Buck Run, on land now owned by Thomas Stillings, about 1825. About 1848, they removed to Iowa, where Mr. Reed died; subsequently she married Israel Reed; he is deceased, and she is now a widow residing in Colorado. Jeremiah married Rachel Austin and set- tled at West Liberty, Logan County, where he was a merchant many years and where he died. David married Jane McClung, a daughter of Isaac Mc- Clung, who came from Pennsylvania and settled in this township about 1835- 3S. David and wife settled on the Darby on the Snuffin farm, but subse- quently removed to Auglaize County, where his wife died; he again returned to this township, and about 1868 married Maria McClung, and is now residing on the old McClung farm. Harriet married Alvin Gano, and is now residing in Iowa. William died in childhood.

William Milligan, a native of Pennsylvania, with his family emigrated to this county, and settled on the Darby, on the Henry Clark farm, about 1824- 25, where he resided several years. He was a tanner by trade, and finally settled in North Lewisburg, where he built a tannery and carried on the tan- ning business through life. He died at North Lewisburg. His children were Samuel, William, Rupe, Jesse, Morgan, Amos and Eliza. Mr. Milligan was one of the thirteen mentioned so often; the first election of the township, and several succeeding ones, were held at his house.

Samuel Milligan, a brother of the above, married a Miss Van Wye after settling in this township. He located on the same tract of land with his brother William, where he resided till his death. He and his wife had no issue. Mr. Milligan was a man of excellent character and much esteemed by all who knew him.

Nimrod Garwood was another one of the thirteen voters at first election, but we did not learn his nativity or the exact year of his settling here; it is certain, however, that he was an early settler, and a leading man in the or- ganization of the township. He was one of its first Trustees, its first Treas- urer, and Township Clerk from 1828 to 1831 inclusive.

Joseph Russell was the remaining one of the thirteen first voters of Allen Township, of whom we gather no other information.

John Paver, a native of Maryland, married Elizabeth Wagoner, a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1802. In 1829, he

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ALLEN TOWNSHIP.

removed with his family to Union County, settled in this township on the place where his son John now lives, and here resided till his death, in 1851, aged seventy-seven years. His wife died in 1848. Mr. Paver began in the woods and endured the full hardships of pioneer life. He was the father of nine children -- James married a Miss Meredith, of Hardin County, Ohio, and resided in that county till his death; Thomas married a Miss Davis, of Ten- nessee, where he first settled, and the last known of him he was living in Louisiana; Elizabeth married Abraham Leonard, of Pickaway County, Ohio, and is now deceased; Sarah married William Davis, and is deceased; Anna and Mary died young; Cynthia married Alexander Davis, is deceased; and John married Maria Poling, and resides on the old home place.

Abraham Leonard, a native of Virginia, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Pickaway County, where he married Elizabeth Paver, and in 1827 removed to Union County, settling on land now owned by John Paver, Survey No. 2,983. On this place he resided till his death, May 5, 1853. His wife survived him and died January 14, 1860. Their children were Mary Ann, who died while young; Susanna, married Abraham Spain and resides near North Lewisburg; Rachel, married Willis Epps, he died and she married James Groe; Dorety died young: James, married a Miss Huff, and now resides in Champaign County; Jacob, married Jane McGill; Martin, married Lina Wagoner, and both are deceased.

Hollis Amy settled here in 1829, and married Prudence Williams. Mr. Amy died at North Lewisburg about 1876. They had two children -- Elisha and Nancy; the latter married a Mr. Burnham, and resides in Champaign County.

Amos A. Williams married Eleanor Stewart, and settled here about 1827-28. He suffered the loss of one foot from being run over by the cars ; it was amputated, but he lived only a few weeks after the surgical operation was performed, and died October 23. 1855. His wife died January 14, 1860. Their children were as follows : Elisha, died in childhood ; Mary, also died young ; Erastus, died in infancy, July 29, 1833, and was the first body buried in Buck Run Cemetery ; Hannah, died at fifteen years of age ; James, married Americus Stewart ; Malinda, died in infancy ; William, died in the army in the war of the rebellion ; and Stephen, the youngest.

Alvin Wilcox. a native of the State of New York, emigrated to Madison County, Ohio, at an early date, and in the spring of 1829 settled in Allen Township. He married Lucy Allen, resided here several years, thence removed to Illinois, thence to Iowa, and subsequently to the State of Missouri. They had the following children : Elizabeth, Theresa, Cynthia, Isaac, Mira and Joel, who were born in this county ; and Mary, Anna, Jeane and Eleanor, born in Illinois.

Luther Wood, a native of Connecticut, born March 31, 1799, emigrated with his father's family to the State of New York, where his father died. In 1820. he removed to Ohio and settled in Union Township, where, in 1823, he married Rosanna Cochren, a native of Pennsylvania. In 1829, he located in Allen Township, where he resided till a short time before his death, when he removed into Jerome Township and resided one year; thence removed to Piqua, Ohio, where, six weeks after, he died, in August, 1867. His widow still survives, aged eighty years, and resides with her children. Unto them were born the following children : Kingsley, who married Hannah Coe ; she died and he married Mary Smith ; again death took from him his companion, and he married Elizabeth Spencer, who is also deceased, and he is now a widower and lives at Piqua. William C. married Maria McWilliams. Lucinda mar- ried William McWilliams and resides in Piqua. Algelana married Alfred

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

Mitchell ; he died, and she married James D. Robinson. James married Jo- sephine Reed ; she died, and he married Anna Myers ; and Mary Ann married Nathaniel Ryan ; he is dead and she is now a widow.

Matlock Stokes, a native of Virginia, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Logan County at an early day, where he married Rebecca Snuffin, and about 1828-30, settled in the west part of this county, in Allen Township. Here he resided only a few years, and removed to West Liberty, Ohio, where he and his wife both died. Of their children, Matilda died young, and Wesley resides in Logan County.

William Snuffin, a native of New Jersey, emigrated to Ohio when young, married a Miss Connor, and about 1830 settled in this township, on the place where Chester Clark now lives, and here resided several years, but finally moved to the West.

William Inskeep, Jr .. a son of John Inskeep, one of the early settlers of Logan County, Ohio, married Mary Stokes, of Logan County ; settled in this township, on the tract of land where Hiram Inskeep now lives, and there re- sided till his death, in September, 1845. His widow still survives and resides with her children. Mr. Inskeep was one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Allen Township, and was honored with many of the township offices. In 1838, he was elected Treasurer of the township, which office he held, continu- ously, by re-election, to the time of his death. He was the father of the fol: lowing children . Louisa, who died young ; Hiram, whose biographical sketch appears in this volume ; Matilda Ann, married John Harrison, is now de- ceased ; Olive, married William Crary, whose sketch is also in this work ; Will- iam Elbert ; and Victoria, who married Walter Bales.

Elisha Cowgill, it is believed, was born in Eastern Ohio. With his father, John Cowgill, and family, he settled in Logan County in 1807, and there grew to manhood and married Polly Bishop. He settled in the northwest part of Allen Township, Union County, about 1827-28, on land now owned by his son, John B. Cowgill. Here Mr. Cowgill opened ont in the woods, making the first improvement ever made upon this place, and here he remained through all his active life. In advanced life he sold his farm to his sons, and made his home with his son, John B., till his death, in March, 1882. His children were, Matilda, Mary, Nancy, Betsy, Melissa, Jemima, John B., Aaron and Jonathan G.

Edward Tyler, a native of Virginia, emigrated to Ohio and settled on Big Darby, on land now owned by the widow Abraham, in 1827-28, where he resided till his death. His children were, Samuel, Alexander, Elias, Hiram and Isaac. The latter became a practicing physician, but is now deceased.

Cornelius Meshon, a native of Kentucky, settled on the McClung place. on the west bank of the Darby, about 1828-29, but after a few years' residence moved away.

John Milligan, a half brother of William Milligan, previously mentioned, settled on the Clark land, on the east side of Darby, about 1828-29. He mar- ried Rebecca Dawson, and resided here many years, but finally removed to Van Wert County, Ohio, where they died. Their children were John, Wash- ington, Charles, and three or four daughters, whose names are unknown.

John Dawson, a native of Pennsylvania, settled on land just north of Isaac Brodrick's, where Henry Cline now lives, about 1830-31. He died at the home of his son-in-law, Henry Poling, at Allen Center, about 1877.

Joseph Dunlap settled here about 1830-32. Subsequently he removed to Putnam County, Ohio, where he died.

Daniel Spain, a native of Virginia, born October 14, 1786, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Champaign County, three miles west of North Lewisburg.

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ALLEN TOWNSHIP.

He married Agnes Crowder, and in the spring of 1832 removed to this county and located on a tract of land where his son, Sanford W., now lives. Hore he commenced in the green woods, " not a stick amiss." About one year after, in 1833, he died, and the work of making a home and a farm devolved upon the mother and her children, who were quite young, the eldest son, John P., being about twenty years of age. In three years after, or in 1836, death again visited their family, and took from them this oldest son. Their other children were Millie, who married Paschal Spain, and is deceased; Sanford W .. mar- ried Matilda Wallace. She died and he married Sarah Ann Shirk, and now resides on the old home farm. Dollie never married, and died young; Daniel W., married Sarah Sheneman, and resides east of Sanford W., on a part of the home farm; Clements, married Mary Jane Tobey, is now deceased; and Levi E., married Lovina Poling, and resides on the north part of the home place. It will be observed in the history of this family that after the death of the father. Daniel Spain, three years had scarcely elapsed when the eldest son died, and the care of the family, the work of making home and paying for their land devolved mainly upon the mother and the next eldest son, Sanford, who was then eighteen years of age. They were in the midst of the wilderness, and the prospect before them was gloomy in the extreme. But with true pioneer courage, with willing hands and hearts, they labored on; obstacles gave way before them, and to day they have a good improved farm, with good buildings and the comforts of life. Mrs. Spain, the mother, died about 1840.

Abraham Holycross, it is believed, was a native of Champaign County, Ohio, and a son of Howell Holycross, a native of Virginia. He married Hes- ter Dunlap, and settled on the east bank of the Darby, in Allen Township, about 1833, and remained a resident of this township till his death. The fol- lowing were his children: Pearson, Beamer, Robert, Lucinda, Tabitha, Nancy and Martha. Mr. Holycross was a good, kind neighbor and a respected citizen.

Isaac Brodrick was born in New Jersey October 1, 1802, and at six months of age was brought by his parents to the vicinity of Wheeling, W. Va. In 1813. they removed to Warren County, Ohio, where Isaac grew to manhood and mar- ried Hannah Wood, a native of the Red Stone country, in Pennsylvania. In the winter of 1833, he settled in Union County, on the place where he now lives, having made a residence here of half a century. When he located here, he knew but two settlers between his place and Newton, one of whom was James Wilbur, and one located further north. Mr. Brodrick took possession of his land in the woods, and has cleared up and brought into cultivation 100 acres; has good buildings and improvements. His wife died April 3, 1876. They raised four children-Mary Ann, who married Richard Wells, she died in April, 1878; Isaac, married Sarah Huff, and resides on the home farm, and has served as Justice of the Peace nine years; James moved away, and when the war of the rebellion occurred, was in New Orleans, serving as an engineer on a steamboat, since which nothing has been known of him; and Hannah Jane, who married Charles Van Wye; she died in the spring of 1878. Mr. Brodrick is now past fourscore years, and has borne the brunt of pioneer life.

Daniel Coe, a native of Pennsylvania, married Mary Gladden, and in the spring of 1833 emigrated to Ohio; settled in this township on the place where his son, Philip, now lives, and here resided till his death. Their children were Philip, who married Elizabeth Woodworth; she died, and he married Lonisa S. Smith; he resides on the old home place, where he has lived since eleven years of age, a period of forty-nine years, and where he has a beautiful home; Joseph married Mary Clark, and now resides in Springfield, Mass .; Moses, married Martha Boal, both are deceased; Hannah married K. L. Wood, is deceased; Sarah married John W. Robinson; Elizabeth married Dr. Swain,

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

of Milford Center; he died, and she married L. H. Smith; she now resides with her mother, at Marysville; Mary married R. R. Henderson, and now re- sides at Minneapolis, Minn .; Jane died unmarried; William died in infancy; Olive G. married W. Simmons Johnson, is now deceased; Martha married Leonidas Piper, is now deceased, and Isabel died in childhood. Mr. Coe was a man of character and esteemed for his many good qualities; was a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church, and a Ruling Elder in the same for many years.

James Wilbur was born in the State of New York ; emigrated to Ohio and settled in Union County about 1830. He married Sarah Cameron. He first settled on the Williams farm, then took a lease of land ; but about 1836-37 bought a tract of land where he still lives, and has made a continued residence of forty-five or forty-six years. He is the father of the following children : Sarah Ann, who married George Carpenter ; Owen, married Sarah Jane Marsh; Edwin, married Orange Eaton ; Olive, married Randolph Marsh, is deceased ; William, married Mary Welch, and resides in Kansas ; Addie, married Deville Wood ; Zachariah married Addie Allen, and resides on the home place with his aged father, who is aged and feeble, being now eighty-three years of age; and Joseph and Almedia. both deceased. Mr. Wilbur is one of the oldest surviving pioneers of Allen Township.

James Stillings was born in Maryland, May 8, 1785. He married Mary Barnes, a native of Maryland, and in the spring of 1829 emigrated to Clark County, Ohio. About 1834-35, removed to this county and located on the tract of land where Jacob Leonard now lives, where he resided till his death in the fall of 1865. His wife survived him, but has since died. The fruits of their union were as follows : Alexander, who married and settled at Find- lay, Ohio ; Thomas married Somelia Dines ; Catharine married Edward Nu- gent and resides in Kansas ; James is deceased ; William married in Iowa, and now resides in Kansas, having a second wife ; Edward married Mary Smith, of Kenton, Ohio, where he practiced law several years ; is now a resi- dent and practitioner at Lawrence, Kan .; Timothy married Elizabeth Kelly and removed to Kansas, where he died : John married Miss Cantwell, she died. and he married a second time ; is now one of the most prominent lawyers of Kenton, Ohio, where he has practiced more than twenty years ; Mary mar- ried Joseph Brown and removed to Iowa, where she died in 1882 ; and George, who married Jane Walke. and now resides in Champaign County, Ill.

Samuel Marsh was born in West Virginia May 30, 1809. He married Mary Ryan, and about 1835 emigrated to Ohio and settled in Union County, on the place where he still lives. He purchased this farm of Alvin Wilcox --- it then had on it a rough log cabin and about twenty-five acres, partly cleared. He had a team, two cows, and $150 in money. He went in debt for the land. and then commenced in earnest the battle for a home and a competency. He subsequently added more land to his first purchase, till he became owner of various tracts, amounting in all to 716 acres, all of which he paid for by his own skill and labor, and that of his family. He has given the greater portion of these lands to his children, thus giving them a good start in life. He has reserved for himself ninety-four and one-half acres at the home place, with good buildings and improvements, constituting a pleasant farm home. Such has been the life and character of this worthy settler of Allen Township. Mr. Marsh is an active member of the Methodist Church, to which he has given, at home and abroad, liberally of his means ; has been a liberal supporter of pub- lic schools, and to all general public improvements.

Enoch Morse, a native of the State of New York, settled on the Darby on land now owned by Leister Clark, about 1835, where he lived till his death.

Simeon. D. Kilgore

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ALLEN TOWNSHIP.

He was a blacksmith by trade, a good neighbor and esteemed citizen. His children were as follows : Enoch, Chauncy, Charles, Christopher, Harriet, Mary, Delilah and Julia.

William Moore, a native of Virginia, settled on the east bank of the Darby, on land now owned by Pearson Holycross, about 1840, and remained a resident of this township till his death.

The above list embraces most of the early settlers. There are, however, a few about whom we have learned but few particulars. Of these, the following names are of persons known to have been early settlers, to wit : Vandever Reed, Joseph Coberly, George Miller, John Gabriel, Dixon Mitchell, Samuel Ballinger, Alfred Hale, William Smith, Thomas Dodds, James Cochren, Will- iam Hoff, William Rowland, Benjamin Vickers, Thomas Dun, Elijah Kinney, Elijah Burroughs, L. Hibbard and John G. Hibbert.

We now desire to give the history of one more family of this township, not because they were early settlers, but from their remarkable age, and the almost unprecedented length of time that this aged and venerable couple have traveled the journey of life together. Seventy-one years have they shared its joys and its pleasures, or buoyed up each the other under its burden of toil and labors, its afflictions and sorrows ! Over "threescore years and ten," the allotted period to mortals given, have they walked hand in hand in the con- flicts of life ! And still the messenger of death spares them, and still they are permitted to live among and enjoy the society of their aged but respected children. This family is as follows :

James Cavender was born in Hillsboro County, N. H., May 15, 1786, where he married Rachel Buttler, who was born July 4, 1789 ; they were married November 27, 1811. In 1846, they emigrated to Ohio and locat- ed on William Bales' farm, where they have resided to the present time. He has been a farmer by occupation through all his active life. Their children were as follows : Annis, married Joseph Simons, a native of New Hampshire, where they resided most of their lives, and died in their native State ; Abra- ham Holmes, married Elvira Hopkins, of New Hampshire, and subsequently, in 1843, moved to Ohio and settled in Logan County ; thence, about 1850, they removed to St. Paul, Minn., where they now reside; Jonathan Buttler never married, and died in Kentucky. aged forty-two years ; Sarah married William Bales ; Charles never married, but died at twenty-five years of age in his native State. Mary married Paul Whittemore, and lived and died in their native State ; E. Burnham married Harriet Laws, and reside in New Hamp- shire : Rachel married Williard Powers, she died in her native State ; and David, the youngest, married Jane Carley, and now resides in Illinois.

SURFACE, STREAMS, SOIL, ETC.

The surface of this township is level and undulating. Along the streams are level bottom lands; in the southern portion is a tract formerly known as the " Crane Swamp," and another tract in the northeast portion known as the " Bear Swamp." These were formerly very flat and wet, and thickly grown up with trees and an undergrowth of grass and brush that it was impossible to ride through them on horseback. But these, by ditching and draining, are becoming the best of cultivated lands. from being at one time the lairs and hiding places of wild beasts. The balance of the township is undulating, with here and there portions that might be termed hilly. The principal stream is the Big Darby, which enters the township from its western border, about mid- way between its northern and southern boundaries, flowing in a southwesterly course; it passes out of this township and through the northeast corner of Champaign County, again enters this township, passes in and after a south-

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

easterly course of about two miles across the southern extremity, enters Union Township. The only other stream or creek of any importance is Buck Run, which rises in the northern central part of the township, and takes a general southeast course, leaving it at its southeast corner and passing into Union Township. South of Allen Centre, it receives Bear Swamp Run. a small creek which takes its rise in Bear Swamp, in the northeast part of the township, courses in a southerly direction and empties into Buck Run as above described. The soil on the bottom lands along the creeks and on some of the low level portions, is a very rich black loam; the balance is a clay soil, and the whole is strong and productive, yielding abundant crops of wheat, corn and oats. The principal varieties of timber in the forests were originally white, black, red and burr oak, elm, sugar maple. and some walnut and hickory; and in the northern part of the township some beech. In the extreme south part of the township, on the farm of Nathan Howard, are what were formerly known as the "Indian Fields," so called from the fact that when the first settlers came into this county, they found the Indians cultivating corn on these lands. they being then clear of all timber or undergrowth. After the Indians left. and prior to the lands being occupied by the white settlers, those fields, once so clear and easily cultivated, had become covered with a thick growth of trees and brush, and it required much toil and labor to clear them up and bring them again into cultivation. When the settlers first came to this section, the forests were full of wild game-bears, deer and wild turkeys -- which furnished them with an abundance of good meat; and had it not been for this supply, many a poor man would have been short of rations. One locality, south of Allen Centre, near where Bear Swamp Run empties into Buck Run, was a notable " deer lick," where the deer congregated in large numbers. Notwith- standing the many disadvantages, hardships and trials which the first settlers had to endure, yet Providence had combined with them many circumstances. which much ameliorated their condition.

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The History of Union County, Ohio, containing a history of the county; its townships, towns military record;, Part 138

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