The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 126

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081

USA > Ohio > Warren County > The History of Warren County, Ohio > Part 126

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JAMES W. ELLIS, farmer ; P. O. Harveysburg ; born in Massie Township, March 12, 1844 ; is a son of Lee and Eliza (King) Ellis ; he was born in Clinton Co., Ohio, June 9, 1815 ; she was born in Adams Co., Ohio, Feb. 16, 1825. The grand- parents, Leonard and Mary (Babb) Ellis; he was a native of Kentucky and she of Vir- ginia. The great-grandfather was Leonard Ellis, who died in Kentucky. The grand- father, Leonard Ellis, was raised to manhood in Kentucky ; went to Virginia and was married ; and in 1813 emigrated to Ohio and located in Clinton Co., one ofthe early set- tlers. In 1819 or 1820, removed to Warren Co. ; in 1824, removed to Clarksville, Clin- ton; in 1838, again located in Warren Co., Massie Township, where they lived and died; he died in May, 1856, aged 72 years ; his wife died in May, 1842, aged 56 years. They had four sons, two now survive-Lee and James. When Mr. Ellis first located in Clinton Co., Wilmington consisted of a few cabins, brush heap and stumps; deer, turkeys, and wild game were abundant. Now what a contrast ! the town of Wilmington is a large, flourishing city, with fine brick and frame residences, and instead of the almost unbroken forests, are fine farms, with fields of waving grain, and for this great and admirable change we are indebted to the industry and hard labor of these worthy old pioneers. The maternal grandparents were Richard and Sarah King, natives of Adams Co., Ohio. They had two sons and five daughters, five now survive-Amos W., Eliza, William, Mary Jane (now Mrs. Harlan) and Sarah Ann (now Mrs. McIntyre, residing in Iowa). Mr. and Mrs. King died when Eliza, the mother of our subject, was but a child, and she was raised by her uncle at Clarksville. Mr. Ellis, the father of our subject, was married March 9, 1843, issue six children, five now survive-James W .; Nancy C., born Den. 30, 1847 ; Sarah Louisa, born Jan. 27, 1850, now Mrs. Jessup ; Samuel A., born Oct. 1, 1857 ; and Mary E., born June 15, 1860. Mr. Ellis located on a farm adjoining the one where he now lives, and has never made but the one move from that place to where he now re- sides, which change was made about 1846, and here has now made a continued residence of thirty-five years. Mr. Ellis obtained a limited education in the old log school house, with greased paper windows, and started out in life a poor man, but by his own industry, hard labor, and good management has accumulated a good competency ; owns a large amount of land, and is one of the leading farmers and prominent citizens of Massie Town- ship, and is strictly a self-made man. The subject of this sketch was raised to man- hood within a quarter of a mile of where he now resides ; was married Oct. 15, 1866, to Anna M., daughter of David and Rachel (Hawkins) Allen, natives of New Jersey, but who emigrated to Ohio in 1831, and located in Warren Co., thence removed to Greene Co., thence back to Warren Co. Mrs. Allen died April 3, 1881, aged 77 years. Mr. Allen, now 77 years of age, resides near Ridgeville. They had nine children, five now survive-Lucinda, now Mrs. Corwin ; Mary Effie, now Widow Carpenter ; Eleanor Dorse, Amos and Annie M., who was born in Greene Co., Oct. 18, 1845. Mr. Ellis

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and wife have five children-Rosetta, born Jan. 18, 1868; Charles E., born Aug. 24, 1869 ; George B., born Feb. 14, 1872 ; William H., born Aug. 6, 1873 ; and Cora B., born April 19, 1879. Mr. Ellis has always followed farming, and all in this township and neighborhood ; located on the place where he now lives in 1868, where he has since resided. Mr. Ellis is one of the prominent farmers of Massie Township ; is now one of the Township Trustees, this being his second term of service.

HARVEY C. ELLIS, farmer ; P. O. Harveysburg; born in Massie Township Dec. 30, 1847 ; is a son of Lee and Eliza Ellis, whose history and that of the ancestors, is given in the sketch of James W. Ellis in this work. The subject of this sketch was raised to farm labor, and remained with his father until after his majority ; was married Jan. 7, 1873, to Mary A., daughter of Josiah C. and Amelia Rogers, whose history is given in the sketch of Josiah C. Rogers. By this union Mr. Ellis and wife have three children-Walter L., born Jan. 8, 1875 ; Heber H., born Sept. 18, 1876 ; and Abbie, born July 19, 1878. Mr. Ellis first located on the farm now owned by Herbert Lau- rence ; resided there one year, thence located on one of his father's farms and resided six years, then in the spring of 1880 he located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided.

MILTON HADLEY, farmer ; P. O. Harveysburg ; born in Clinton Co., Ohio, Feb. 19, 1833 ; is a son of Jonathan T. and Rebecca (Harvey) Hadley, natives of North Carolina. The grandparents, Simon and Elizabeth Hadley, were probably na- tives of North Carolina, but who emigrated to Indiana, where they lived and died. Jonathan T. Hadley was born March 14, 1793, and grew to manhood in his native State, and about the spring of 1814 emigrated to Ohio, and located in Clinton County. In 1815, he was married to Rebecca Harvey, by whom he had nine children ; six now survive-Lydia D., Samuel L., Simon, Deborah L., Milton and Harlan H. Mr Hadley followed the honest occupation of a farmer through life. When he came from North Carolina to Ohio, he rode through on horseback, and after he married, located right in the woods, erected a cabin, and started out in life a poor pioneer, determined to make a farm and a home. He was a man of industry and great energy, and his efforts were crowned with success, becoming possessed of a good competency. He furnished each of his children with 130 acres of land, and had a good sufficiency reserved for himself. Mr. Hadley was a very retired, unassuming man, never holding or seeking office, but one of those firm, substantial men, prompt and exact in all his dealings, constituting one of the best of citizens in his community. He died in October, 1878, in his 86th year ; his wife died in July, 1876, aged 81 years. Our subject was raised to manhood in Clinton County ; was married Sept. 21, 1854, to Lucy M., daughter of John L. and Susan Smoot, natives of Virginia, but who emigrated to Perry Co., Ohio, thence to Warren County, and thence to Illinois, where they died. They were parents of seven children, who grew to maturity ; three now survive-Sarah A., now Mrs. Grimes; Lucy M; and Nancy Jane, now Mrs. Gause. Lucy M. was born in Virginia Aug 2, 1832. Mr. Hadley and wife have two children-Isaac H., born Aug. 21, 1855; and Otis, born May 27, 1868. Mr. Hadley resided in Clinton Co. till October, 1858, when he bought a farm on Flat Rock Creek, in Warren County, where he resided till 1873, when he bought and located where he now lives and has since resided, and where he has a fine farm with good improvements, constituting a pleasant home and residence. Mr. Hadley has been Trustee and Treasurer of his township. The general character of his father, as given above, is well represented in his son, and could the county be filled with such men, we should have much better officers, neighbors and citizens.

SAMUEL HARLAN, farmer; P. O. Harveysburg ; born in Massie Township Oct. 16, 1829; is a son of Enoch and Elizabeth (Harvey) Harlan, natives of Orange Co., N. C. The grandparents were Enoch and Lydia Harlan ; he was probably born in Ireland, the ancestors being from that country. Euoch Harlan died in North Caro- lina, but his wife came to Ohio, and died in Clinton County. Enoch, the father of our subject, emigrated to Ohio, and located in Clinton County, in 1806 ; resided there till 1824, when he removed to Warren County, where he lived till his death, July 26, 1866, aged 80 years and 5 months ; his wife died May 9, 1875, aged nearly 83 years.

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They had ten children, seven now survive-Lydia, Mahlon, Carter, John, Nathaniel, Samuel and Wilson. Mr. Harlan was truly a pioneer; when he came to Clinton County, he had to cut his road through the wilderness from Cincinnati to where he settled, and there he opened out right in the woods, and endured the many deprivations and hardships of those early days; there he labored for eighteen years ; thence moved to War- ren County, and again opened out a farm right from the woods, and thus did a double pioneer work. Now this country presents a great contrast-fine farms and elegant buildings have taken the place of the vast forests, and the log cabins are almost extinct, and this change has all been made by these noble pioneers, whose memory should be em- balmed in the hearts of their descendants for all time to come. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood, and remained with his father till 33 years of age ; was mar- ried Sept. 15, 1864, to Hannah A., daughter of Nathan and Rachel Bean, natives of Frederick Co., Va., but who emigrated to Ohio in 1841, and resided in Clinton County till the death of Mrs. Bean, March 4, 1853. They had eight children-James W., Mary Eliza; Edith C., now Mrs. Duncan ; Harriet C., now Mrs. Markland ; Hannah A. ; Sarah F., now Mrs. Wilson Harlan ; Rebecca V., now Mrs. Williamson, living in Butler County ; and Rachel E. The first four reside in Kansas, and the others in Ohio. Mr. Bean removed to Kansas, where he died Sept. 2, 1873. Mr. Harlan and wife have one child-May, born May 1, 1866. Mr. Harlan has always followed farm- ing, and all within Massie Township ; he bought and located upon the place where he now lives, in the spring of 1870, and where he has since resided. Mr. Harlan is a member of the Orthodox Society of Friends; is one among the prominent farmers of Massie Township, and one of its best citizens.

WILSON HARVEY, farmer; P. O. Harveysburg. Among the early settlers of Massie Township, and the founders of Harveysburg, were the Harvey family, and we are able to trace them to the original progenitor of this name in America. Will- iam Harvey, who was born in Worcester in the Parish Lyd, England, Sept. 5, 1678, and emigrated to America in 1712, and located in Pennsylvania, where he purchased 300 acres of land from a party who obtained his title direct from the State, for which he paid £75 English money ; this land was in the tract known as " The woods the Kennet," now Pennsbury Township, situated on the Brandywine, beginning at Chadd's Dam. A part of this tract is still in possession of descendants of the family, on which still stands one of the quaint old houses of the early times. In 1814, about two years after Mr. Harvey's arrival in Pennsylvania, he married Mrs. Judith Osborne, who was born in Bilson, Co. of Stafford, England, in 1683; she died May 1, 1750. Mr. Harvey died June 20, 1754. Their children were-Hannah, who married Jacob Way; William, married Ann Evitt; Isaac, married Martha Newlin; Amos, married Kesiah Wright, and James who died unmarried. Three of these brothers it is said emigrated to Virginia and North Carolina, and from whom have descended the now numerous families of the name scattered over the various Western States. Isaac Harvey, the eldest child of William Harvey, emigrated to North Carolina when a young man, and there married, and of his children William is the great-grandfather of our subject; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Carter, a native of Dublin, Ireland. William and Elizabeth had seven children-Eli, Isaac, Caleb, William, Joshua, Martha and Lydia, of whom Isaac, the second son, is the grandfather of our subject ; he married Lydia, a daughter of Zachariah and Ruth Dicks. Isaac became very much dissatisfied with the institution of slavery in the South, and as he was rais- ing and educating a large family of children, he determined to find a country and a home where he could be free from the pernicious influences of that baneful institution. In the fall of 1804, he crossed the mountains on horseback, entered Ohio and through Indiana, making quite an extended prospecting tour, and it appears decided upon his location, and retuned home, and in the fall of 1806, with three of his brothers, Eli Caleb and Joshua, and their families, came to Ohio, and located in Clinton Co., bring- ing with them their aged widowed mother, who lived to see her fourth generation. She was born in Pennsylvania, Aug. 16, 1736, and died Feb. 16, 1832, in her 96th year of age. Isaac's wife died Jan. 2, 1813, and was the first person buried in the

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Springfield Graveyard, a place which had just been donated by Isaac Harvey as a burial place for their dead. About 1828, Isaac became a resident of Harveysburg ; for a more full narrative and facts connected with the life of Isaac and other members of the Harvey family, see history of Massie Township, in this work. Isaac died May 9, 1834, aged 70 years. They had nine children-Ann, married Archibald Edwards ; Rebecca, married Jonathan Hadley ; Elizabeth, married Enoch Harlan ; Ruth, mar- ried Henry Towel; William, married Mary Crew ; Harlan, married Ruth Chew; Deborah, married Elisha Hobbs; Martha, married Aaron L. Antram, and Simon mar- ried Mary H. Burgess, and is the father of our subject, who spent the most of his life in Harveysburg and vicinity, as a farmer and merchant, whose life was full of activity and earnestness ; a great Christain worker, and who spent four years of mis- sionary work among the Indians of Kansas, which labors are more fully written of in history of Massie Township. His wife died Aug. 9, 1862, aged 53 years; he died July 14, 1876, aged 72 years. They had four sons and one daughter-Willson, born Sept. 26, 1828 ; Moses B., born Nov. 1830; Micajah M., Aug. 18, 1834; Thomas C., Aug. 13, 1836 ; and Gulie, born Ang. 27, 1840 (deceased). She married Sam- uel Ellis, and has one son living-Elijah. Our subject was united in marriage Dec. 7,1858, with Sarah, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary S. Lukens, whose ancestral history will be found in sketch of Joseph Lukens ; by this union they have had four children-Lizzie L., born July 6, 1860, now Mrs. Shidaker ; Charlie and Harrie (twins, deceased), and William L., born Feb. 8, 1868. Mr. Harvey has resided nearly all his life in Harveysburg and vicinity, engaged principally in the honorable occu- pation of farming ; has been very successful financially in his business life ; is a man of ex- cellent judgment and business capacity, and one who has ever held the esteem and con- fidence of the people of his community ; has held nearly every office of the township and corporation in the gift of the people; has always taken a live interest in the subject of education, and in all moral and political progress of his community, and is, as were his ancestors before him, among the best citizens of Harveysburg.

JERVIS J. HATTON, farmer ; P. O. Harveysburg; born in Warren Co. Oct. 19, 1827 ; is a son of Edward and Rachel Hatton, whose history and that of their an- cestors is given in sketch of Dr. George Hatton. The subject of this sketch was raised and grew to manhood on the farm adjoining the one where he now lives, which is still owned by his father. Mr. Hatton was married Nov. 26, 1856, to Samantha, daughter of John C. and Jane (Cadwallader) Anderson, he a native of New Jersey and she of Ohio; he was born Oct. 4, 1808; she was born May 3, 1814. Mr. Ander- son was a son of Samuel Anderson, who, with his family, emigrated to Ohio and settled in Clermont Co. in 1818, where he lived and died. Mr. John C. Anderson married and settled in Warren Co., where he followed his trade, that of mason and brick-layer, in con- nection with farming, through life; he died in December, 1879, aged 71 years. The maternal grandfather, Jonah Cadwallader, was a native of Virginia, but become one of the early settlers of Ohio and here resided until his death, in July, 1879, aged about 89 years. Mr. Anderson and wife had twelve children, eleven now survive-Saman- tha, Priscilla, Ann Eliza, Jonah, Jerome, Aquilla, Mary, Albert, Emily, Edwin and Ellen. Mr. Hatton and wife have two children-Clara Jane, born July 8, 1858 (now Mrs. Bonneville, of Waynesville), and Horace Edwin, born Jan. 19, 1865. Mr. Hat- ton was a carpenter by trade, but has followed farming as his leading business ; he first located in Harlan Township, where he resided about six years ; in 1864, he bought and located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided. Mr. H. has a large and good farm and is one of the prominent farmers of Massie Township; he takes a great interest in education and has served several years as School Director, and is an excellent neighbor and worthy citizen.

CHRISTIAN HISEY, hotel and grocery; Harveysburg; born in Virginia April 22, 1812; is a son of Jacob and Amelia (Williamson) Hisey, natives of Vir- ginia. The paternal grandparents, Christian and Rosa Hisey, it is supposed were born in Germany, but emigrated to America some time prior to the Revolutionary war, as he served as a soldier in that war; they lived and died in Virginia. The maternal

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grandparents, William and Didema Williamson, were natives of England. Jacob, the father of our subject, was reared to manhood and married in Virginia, where he resided till the fall of 1818, when he, with his family, emigrated to Ohio and located in Warren Co., in Wayne Township, and opened out right in the woods, living a true pioneer life, enduring all the many hardships and deprivations of those early days. Mr. Hisey was a blacksmith, which trade he followed through life, employing others to do the work on the farm. He first settled on 60 acres of land, and from time to time added more to it by purchase till he became owner of 400 acres of good land ; here he resided till his death. Mr. Hisey was a very in- dustrious, economical man ; one who started in life a poor man, but by his own labor and good management, became quite wealthy. They were parents of fourteen chil- dren, nine now survive Jemima, now Widow Ridge; Hannah, now Mrs. Gard ; Amelia. now Mrs. Carr; Rhoda, now Widow Harlan; Emiline, now Mrs. Harmell ; Maria, now Widow Banes; Mary Jane, now Widow Terry ; Christian and John. Our subject grew to manhood, brought up to farm labor ; was married June 8, 1837, to Sarah Ann, daughter of Robert and Ann Leak ; he a native of England, and she of Philadelphia, but of English descent. Sarah Ann was born in Philadelphia April 16, 1817. Mr. Hisey and wife have six children - Robert John, born Dec. 1, 1838; Angeline, Jan. 13, 1840; Mary Jane, Aug. 12, 1844; Jacob Charles, June 6, 1848 Joseph Gilpin, June 16, 1854, and Twilight, born Feb. 16, 1860. Mr. Hisey followed farming till 1842, when he purchased a flouring and grist mill on Cæsar Creek, which he run successfully about thirty-four years; then, in 1876, he retired from the mill- ing business, bought property in Harveysburg, where he now resides, and is carrying on a hotel and grocery business. Mr. Hisey united with the First Wayne Free- Will Baptist Church at its organization, being one of its constituent members and principal mover in its organization, and has been a regular ordained minister in the church since 1850.

EDWARD P. KIRVAN, farmer ; P. O. Harveysburg ; born in Ireland about 1805 ; is a son of William and Mary Kirvan, natives of Ireland, and lived and died in their own native country. The grandfather was William Kirvan, and his ancestors came from Germany. One Jeremiah Kirvan, a native of Germany and a man of prominence, had so won the favor of Lord Klon Reichard, of Ireland, that that Noble induced him to leave his native land and come to Ireland in 1492, where he settled and lived till his death, enjoying the special favor of Lord Reichard, and became a very noted General of his army. From this great General descended the grandfather William. William and Mary had seven sons and three daughters, of whom Edward, the subject of this sketch, was the eldest ; he emigrated to America in 1837, and landed in New York on the 4th of July ; thence he went to Dutchess Co., N. Y., and obtained work with a farmer by name of Flagler, where he remained about sixteen years, and became the principal man- ager of his farms. In 1852, he came to Ohio, and remained from May till August at Columbus ; thence to Clark Co., and resided three years; thence to Warren Co., and bought, and located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided a period of twenty-four years. Mr. Kirvan had six brothers and sisters who followed him to America, who are all deceased but one sister, Delia, now residing in New York City. Mr. Kirvan was married May 12, 1852, to Mrs. Martha May, daughter of James and Jane May, natives of Lancaster Co., England, who lived and died in their native land. Martha was born May 3, 1823, and, when about 19 years of age, or in 1842, she with her brother John emigrated to America, and located in Dutchess Co., N. Y., and there Mr. Kirvan made her acquaintance which culminated in their marriage. They were married in Albany, N. Y., and then went to Ohio where they settled as above stated. By this marriage they have one daughter, Margaret S., born in Clark Co., Ohio, March 16, 1854. Mr. Kirvan has a good farm, upon which he has erected a good house and other buildings, and now has everything comfortable about him, constituting a pleasant home and residence.

HERBERT A. LAURENCE, farmer ; P. O. Harveysburg ; born in Cincinnati, July 10, 1854; is a son of Theophilus E. and Elizabeth (Singer) Laurence; he, it is

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believed, was born in New Jersey, and she in Ohio, the Laurence ancestors, so far as known, being natives of New Jersey. Theophilus was but a child when brought to Ohio, and was raised and grew to manhood near Cincinnati, and learned the tanning trade, which business he followed till 1877, when he entered upon the milling business in Lebanon where he continued till January, 1881. In July, 1881, he purchased the Harveysburg Mills, which at this writing he is about to take possession of. Mr. Lau- rence commenced in life without capital, and by his own industry and good management has accumulated a good competency. He is a man possessed of energy, and his integ- rity is undoubted ; he is prompt and exact in all his dealings and one of the best cit- izens in the community where he has lived. He was first married to Mary Wood, by whom he had one child (deceased). His second marriage was on Oct. 14, 1853; by this union they have had nine children, eight now survive-Herbert A., Elmer G., Cora, Theodore, Daisie, Guilford, Mabel and Perry. Our subject remained with his father till his majority, brought up to the tanning business. In the spring of 1878, he located upon the farm where he now lives and has since resided. Mr. Laurence was married April 14, 1878, to Olive A., daughter of John and Margaret Ellis, whose history and that of their ancestors is given in sketches of James W. Ellis and Israel D. Compton (deceased) in this work. Mr. Laurence and wife have one child, Jessie T., born July 14, 1879.

JOSEPH LUKENS, retired; P. O. Harveysburg; born in Virginia, Dec. 28, 1797, is a son of Levi and Elizabeth (Cleaver) Lukens, natives of Pennsylvania. The paternal grandparents John and Rachel Lukens, were also native of Pennsylvania, the ancestors of the Lukens family came from Germany. John and Rachel lived and died in their native State. The maternal grandparents were Ezekiel and Mary Cleaver ; the Cleaver ancestors came from Wales. Levi Lukens was raised to manhood in Pennsyl- vania, emigrated to Virginia and was married in Berkeley County, Aug. 8, 1793, and removed to Ohio and located in Warren County in December, 1807, erected a log cabin into which they moved Jan. 1, 1808, the floor of their cabin being made of puncheons, as there were no saw-mills in that early day ; here they toiled and labored in opening out their farm, living the true pioneer life, enduring the many hardships of that day, yet en- joying the kindness and sociability of those hardy and honored pioneers. In making their journey from Virginia to Ohio they came through over the mountains in a wagon, and met with a severe loss on the way, their youngest son about two years of age, fell from the wagon, the wheels passed over him from the effects of which he died the same night. When Mr. Lukens first came to Ohio he purchased 500 acres of land near Portsmouth, and 1,000 acres in Greene County, both of which tracts of land he soon after sold, and purchased 1,000 acres in Massie Township, Warren Co., upon which he located as above stated. After which he and his brother-in-law purchased 1,000 acres more land, thus Mr. Lukens became owner of a large amount of land. He built the first saw-mill ever erected in Massie Township. Upon the real estate which he first purchased, Mr. Lukens resided till his death, Jan. 3, 1860, in the 93d year of age, his wife having died Feb. 2, 1831, in her 68 year of age. They had seven children, six grew to maturity, three now survive-Joseph, John and Salathiel. Our subject was with his father till 24 years of age, was married Feb. 13, 1822, to Hannah, daughter of Clayton and Elizabeth Brown, natives of New Jersey, by whom he had five children, four now survive-Levi born Dec. 25, 1822, now a resident of California; Mary born Nov. 28, 1828; Clayton C., born March 20, 1831, and William S. born Aug. 9, 1834. His wife died Feb. 29, 1868, aged 72 years. On June 30, 1870, he was united in marriage with Elsie, daughter of Soloman and Fanny Howland, natives of Dutchess Co., N. Y .; the Howland family being descended from one John Howland from England, who came to America in the " Mayflower." Mr. Lukens has always fol- lowed the honest and honorable occupation of a farmer, but being now advanced in years and possessed of an ample competency, has retired from his farm and all active labor and lives on a nice property in the pleasant village of Harveysburg.

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The History of Warren County, Ohio, Part 126

Author: W. H. Beers & Co. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1081

Author: W. H. Beers & Co.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1081