The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 111

Author: Brown, Robert C; W.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Ohio > Madison County > The history of Madison County, Ohio > Part 111

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W. W. LEWIS, ex-Mayor, Jefferson. The father of our subject was George W. Lewis, who was born February 11, 1807, in the settlement of Brush Creek, Adams Co .. Ohio. He was a son of Philip Lewis, a native of Virginia. from where he came to Adams County, Ohio, in an early day. In the fall of 1807, he, wife and one child, George, came to what is Mad- ison County, and settled near the present site of London. His first resi- dence was on the lot of Speasmaker's hardware store, where he kept tavern. He was among the first settlers in the town of London, where he died, leav- ing his second wife, who died about 1879. By his first marriage, he had five children, and by the second, one. George W. was the eldest of the family, and, from six months old, lived in London, Ohio. He acquired an education which was in accordance with the privileges and facilities of those early days. At an early age. he was apprenticed to the blacksmith's trade, which he completed in Xenia, Ohio. On October 7. 1830, he was married to Mary T. Melvin, who was born July 11, 1812, on what is known as the " Upper Glade," Madison Co., Ohio, four miles east of London. In the

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spring of 1831, they moved to New Hampton, the first efforts toward a town in the vicinity of Jefferson, which was laid out that fall, and, in the spring of 1832, they settled in the new town, Jefferson, on Lot No 19 of the origi- nal plat, where he ever after lived, save two years spent on his father-in- law's farm. He was the first man to set up a forge in the new town. He was a fair mechanic, enjoyed a good patronage, and continued his trade un- til shortly before the late war, when he abandoned it to recruit the sight of his eyes. Subsequently, he was variously engaged, from 1861 to 1865, on a mail route from Jefferson to Springfield, Ohio. His death occurred Au- gust 28, 1878. He was always ready to assist in furthering the interest of the village, and died a worthy citizen. His widow survived him two years, having spent a life of fidelity to the Methodist Church. Of their seven children, three died in early life, and four are now living, and heads of families, viz., John M., born June 22, 1833; Virginia M., August 19, 1836; B. H .. August 11, 1839; and Wallace W., March 12, 1843, in Jefferson, where he matured, and enjoyed the village schools. In the summer of 1862, he taught three months, but, soon after the close of the term, enlisted in Company K, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served throughout his enlisted term-three years-but was only in actual service until the bat- tle of Guntown, Miss., where his right lower limb was injured, June 10, 1864. and amputated the following day, by a rebel Surgeon, as he was taken prisoner while lying wounded on the field. He served in the rebel prisons eleven months, returned home in May of 1865, and was mustered out on August 14 of the same year. He has been in the post office of London five years. and. since 1871, has been a permanent resident of his native town, in which he has been chosen to fill the office of Mayor and Town Clerk, each one term, and Township Clerk two terms. He was married, May 3, 1876. to Nannie L. Slothard, a native of Madison County. Two children are the fruits of this union.

JOHN M. LEWIS, blacksmith, Jefferson, was born June 22, 1833. in Jefferson. His education was acquired in the schools of the village. He partly learned his trade under his father, and in all has now wielded the sledge abont twenty-five years, of which twenty years have been under his present employer. Jacob McNeal. He served 100 days in the late war, in Company C. One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio National Guards, commanded by Col. Robert Stevenson, and returned home September, 1864. On October 5, 1873, he was married to Frances Toops, a native of Jeffer- son, at the residence of John White, in London, Ohio. Two children have been given to this union, viz., Quinn B. (deceased) and Gracie.

DAVID R. LUCAS, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a son of John and a grandson of Capt. Thomas Lucas. The latter was a native of Ireland, but, prior to the war of Independence, he, with one brother, came to Amer- ica, and became a patriot in the great conflict that soon followed. His efti- ciency as a soldier soon gained for him the commission of Captain, in which rank he served through the struggle. He then married and settled in Franklin County. Penn., where he died at an advanced age. During his life. he obtained a grant for a survey of military land in Ohio, but never settled on it. His family consisted of six children, two of whom, one son and one daughter, settled in South Carolina, where their posterity still re- side. Three daughters, and John, the youngest, came to Ohio. The girls settled in Franklin County, and John in Madison, about the year 1835. He married Eliza McAfee, a native of Franklin County, Penn., of Scotch parentage. On coming to Madison County, he settled in Jefferson Town-

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ship, on the military land of his father. He ever after remained a resident and farmer of this township, and at his death he owned nearly four hun- dred acres. He was a hardy and well-constitutioned pioneer. He and his wife were for a number of years members of the Presbyterian Church. They both died in 1855. They had a family of seven children, three of whom are now living, viz., Anna, wife of F. C Knaga, of Jackson County, Mo .; James and David R., both of Madison County, Ohio. David R., the young- est, was born in 1836, on the farm he now owns. and where he has ever since resided. He is by occupation a farmer and stock-raiser, and owns 350 acres of good land, under a high state of cultivation and well improved. He is an enterprising citizen, and has officially been associated with the Board of Township Trustees and Board of Education. He is manifesting a special interest in the education of his children, who are six living and four deceased. Mr. Lucas was married, in 1862, to Miss Maria Thompson, of Delaware County, Ohio.

W. T. McCOY, liveryman. Jefferson, is the proprietor of the only livery stable in the village. He keeps a good class of rigs, which are al . ways found in good repair. His business is pleasantly located in the rear of the Mantle Hotel. Mr. McCoy is a native of Harrison County, Ohio, but. since the centennial year, has been a resident of Jefferson, and, since 1878, has carried on the livery business. He was elected Township Asses- sor in the spring of 1882. His military life amounted to about two years, nine months of which he was a prisoner at Andersonville and other rebel prisons. His wife was Hattie Huggett. of Franklin County, Ohio.

JACOB MCNEAL. carriage-manufacturer. Notary Public and con- veyancer, Jefferson, is a son of Jacob. Sr .. and Matilda (Fought) Mc- Neal, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they matured and married. He was of Scotch-Irish descent, and she of German. They came to Ohio in May, 1837, with a family of nine children. The great National pike was then completed to about the center of Madison County, Ohio. They had traveled the road many miles, and had not decided where they would settle until they reached Jefferson. There learning that they were nearing the end of the great road, they thought they could not leave such a convenience, and accordingly located a short distance west of Jefferson, where he pur- chased a well-improved farm of 120 acres. He remained on the farm a number of years, but finally removed to Jefferson and engaged in the gro- cery business, which he followed until his death. He was a good citizen, and, at the time of his death, was serving his twelfth term as Township Trustee. His widow still survives, at the age of seventy-seven years. Of their nine children, our subject, who was the only son, has now five sisters living. Jacob, Jr., was the second child. Ho was born in Cumberland County. Penn .. December 16, 1825, but, from a boy of twelve years, he lived in Ohio. His father, different from some men, regarded a trade an indispen sable possession, and accordingly had Jacob to commence learning the trade of his choice at the age of eighteen years. He served his apprenticeship in Jefferson with John McCrea, and completed his trade in 1846, since which he has conducted a business of his own, and is now the only manu- facturer of the kind in the village. He employs usually about seven hands. He has served as Township Clerk several terms, and has been otherwise connected with the interests of the township. At present, he is a Notary Public and conveyancer. Ho and wife have a family of five children living and four deceased. Mrs. McNeal is a daughter of the venerable pioneer, Nehemiah Gates, elsewhere mentioned in this volume.

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REV. B. M. MULLER. Catholic priest, Jefferson, was born March 31, 1850, in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America in May, 1853. His early training was in accordance with the Catholic Church, and in 1862 he was confirmed, and received his first communion at St. Francis De Sale's Church, on East Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, Ohio. His college education was acquired at St. Francis Gymnasium, Cincinnati, Ohio. His philo- sophical and theological education was received in Mt. St. Mary's Seminary, Cincinnati, Ohio, where he received minor orders at the hands of the Rt. Rev. Edward Fitzgerald, Bishop of Little Rock, Ark., on September 21, 1871. He was ordained Sub-Deacon April 5, and Deacon April 6, 1872, and priest March 8, 1873, by the Most Rev. J. B. Pureell, Archbishop of Cincinnati, Ohio. On the 14th of the same month, he was appointed rector at Jeffer- son, Madison Co., Ohio, and, since the 23d of the same month, has been a resident of the village of Jefferson. To his labors much is due for the pres- ent condition of the church at Jefferson.

JAMES MILLIKIN, hardware merchant, Jefferson, is a son of James and a grandson of JJames Millikin. The latter was born in Ireland, of English parentage, and came to America in early life, with two broth- ers. Ho settled in Washington County, Penn., where he married Dorotha McFarland, of Massachusetts. Both died in Washington County, Penn., he aged sixty-five years, and she aged about ninety years. Ten of their children became heads of families, viz., Daniel, Mary, JJames, John, Jacob (farmer near Plain City, Madison Co., Ohio), Samuel, William, Robert, An- drew and Abel. John, Abel and William were farmers. The latter died in his native State. Nine of the family came to Ohio. John located in Richland County, and Abel finally settled and died in Decatur, Ill. Daniel, Samuel, Robert and Andrew all settled in Butler County, Ohio. The three former were practicing physicians, and Robert, who had, joined with his medical skill, a good general knowledge, was also a politican and legislat- or. Andrew was a professional stock-dealer. James, the father of our subject, came to Madison County, Ohio, in 1830, and bought 600 acres of land for $400. He subsequently bought 1,600 acres more for less than $2 per acre. He was by occupation a surveyor, farmer and stock-dealer, and was more commonly known as Col. Millikin. His stature was large, and he had a strong constitution. He was frugal and industrious, and succeeded well. He possess d the sporting characteristics of the pioneer in general, and devoted considerable time to hunting. He surveyed the original lots of Jefferson in September, 1831, and also laid out the town of Amity, in Canaan Township. He was married, in the year 1800, when only eighteen years old, to Elizabeth Cook. He died aged eighty-six, and she aged seven- ty five years. They raised a family of nine children, of whom our subject. was born in Washington County, Penn .. December 22, 1816, but, from four- teen years of age, lived in Madison County, Ohio. He remained on his father's farm in Canaan Township until 1840, when he married Rachel Cary, a descendant of an carly pioneer family of the county. To this union six children have been given. He owns a good farm in Canaan Town- ship, which he cultivated until 1879, when he moved to Jefferson and em- barked in the hardware trade. He passed out of the office of County Com- missioner in 1881, after having served two successive terms, to which he was elected by both parties. although he is a Democrat.

A. C. MILLIKIN, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, son of James Milli- kin, whose biography appears above, was born in Canaan Township, Madi- son Co., Ohio. September 29, 1844. He was raised to farm life, but, from

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eighteen to the age of twenty-two, was engaged in saw milling. His suc- ceeding occupation for five years was handling stock in Kansas. In 1874, he returned to Ohio, but, one year later, went again to the West. In the fall of 1876, he accepted the position of railroad agent at Plain City, Mad- ison Co., Ohio. where he remained three years, and, during the same time, was engaged with R. H. Andrews in buying and shipping grain from that point. In 1879, he again engaged in the cattle trade in the West, and in the fall of 1881 returned to Ohio, and, on September 15 of the same year, married Elizabeth (Converse) Smith, widow of Butler Smith. He at once engaged in farming, and feeding and raising cattle, hogs and sheep.

JOHN MILLS, deceased, was born in New Jersey June 24, 1774, and remained in his native State nearly thirty-eight years. On December 28, 1797, he married Sarah Pruden, who was born in New Jersey July 9, 1778. In 1812, they, with four children, emigrated to Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he became a land-owner, and where he remained until the fall of 1817, when they sold their land, and with the proceeds purchased a large tract near Jefferson, in this county. on which they settled. He here operated a grist-mill that had previously been built by Nehemiah Gates, on Little Darby, about one mile below the present site of Jeffersou. He soon after- ward added apparatus for sawing lumber, and, as he was a carpenter, he, in 1818, built hinself a frame house, probably the first frame house erected in the township. He sawed lumber for and assisted in building many of the houses in the township. He remained a resident of the county until his death, which occurred about 1850, he having previously buried his wife. Their family consisted of eight children, viz., Sarah, Eliza, Hannah, Amos, David, Mary A., Jedediah and Ruth, of whom three are now living. Mary A., the only one who is a resident of this county, was born in Tuscarawas County November 22, 1815, and was two years old when her parents came to Madison County, since which time she has been a resident of this county. She occupies a comfortable home half a mile west of Jefferson. where her parents both died. She and her sister Ruth resided at home, caring for their par- ents through life, but the latter has since moved to Nebraska. Mary A. was married, June 4. 1854, to William Vickers, by whom she had two chil- dren-Charles and William M. Mr. Vickers was born in Dorchester Coun- ty, Md., April 16, 1796, and, when a child. came with his widowed mother to Clark County, Ohio, where he became a large land owner. He there married, but, upon the death of his first wife, he was united to Miss Mills, and moved to Madison County. where he died January 9. 1873.

W. P. OLNEY, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson. is a grandson of Jersey Olney, who was a native of Connecticut, where he married, and, about the year 1830, with his family, came to Madison County and bought a farm just east of Jefferson, now owned by James Peene and J. H. Sceva, on which he and wife both died. Of their four sons, Judson, the father of our subject, was the youngest, and a native of Connecticut, but from infancy matured in Madison County, Ohio. where he became a land owner and farmer. He lived about one mile northeast of Jefferson, where he died. His wife, Lydia, daughter of John Ayle, is now residing with Abner John- son. She and Judson Olney had two children, of whom Webster P., the youngest, was born in 1852, in Jefferson Township, Madison County. He was reared to farm life, and enjoyed the common schools only. He owns 175 acres of Jand, under good cultivation, and utilizes his early established principles in its cultivation. His marriage was celebrated in 1874, with

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Margaret, daughter of Isaac Bidwell, of Canaan Township, where she was born. This union has resulted in a family of three children.

JAMES PEENE, grain-dealer, Jefferson, was born April 25, 1834, in Kent County, adjoining Sussex, England, forty miles south of London. His parents, William and Mary Ann (Nell) Peene, emigrated to Canada in 1834, and, after remaining there three years, moved to Newark, Ohio, where they remained one year, after which they moved to Columbus. The father died near Mechanicsburg, and the mother at the house of our subject. Mr. Peene came to Jefferson Township in 1857, and located on the farm where he now resides. He was occupied by farming until 1878, when he embarked in grain-dealing. He purchased a grist-mill, which he has converted into an elevator, and now devotes his time almost exclusively to grain-dealing. In 1857, he married Mary Ann Zinn, daughter of Adam Zinn, of North Co lumbus, and by her has had three children-Charlie W .; Ida, died aged nineteen months; and James, died at the age of three months. Mr. Peene owns eighty-five acres of good and well-improved land.

JOHN W. PENNY, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson. The maternal grandfather of our subject was Reason Francis, a native of Virginia, who came to Ohio about the year 1800, and settled near the present site of Jef- ferson. About 1805, he moved on the farm one mile north of Jefferson, now owned by James Davis. During the war of 1812, he settled on the farm now owned by George W. Blair, and finally on the National road, in the western part of Jefferson Township, where he died during the fifth decade of the present century, well advanced in years. He was a large, portly man, jovial, and of many peculiar characteristics. His wife preceded him to the shores of eternal bliss. They had five children who grew to maturity-four sons and one daughter. The latter was born in 1814, and became the wife of Henry Penny, and died in 1862, the mother of three chldren, all now liv- ing. Henry Penny was born July 15, 1804, in Pennsylvania, but in 1810 his parents came to Madison County, Ohio, and settled in Monroe Township, where Henry was left parentless when only eight years old. He was then raised by one of the Johnsons, on the farm where James Peene now resides, near Jefferson. He was the eldest of a family of five children, of whom but one survives. Henry was a pioneer farmer and frontier woodsman. About 1827, he settled on his farm, about one mile due north of where the Urbana road branches off from the National road. There he cleared and farmed until his death, April 6, 1880. He was three times married-first to Cynthia Johnson; second, to Elizabeth, only daughter of Reason Francis; and lastly to Mary, a sister to his first wife, and daughter of Jacob Johnson. John W. Penny, to whom this sketch is dedicated, was born September 9, 1835, in Jefferson Township, since which his residence dates unbroken in his native county. Since 1877, he has been a land-owner of Jefferson Township. He was married to Margaret Norris, of Franklin County, Ohio, who is three years his junior. The issue of this union is two children. He is one of the well-to-do farmers, and is now filling the office of Township Trustee, with which he was honored at a recent election.

G. W. PRUGH, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a grandson of George W. Prugh, who emigrated from Maryland to Deer Creek, in Somerford Township, Madison Co., Ohio. in 1812, where he and wife both died. Of their eight children, Samuel, the father of George W., was the second, and, from one year old, lived in Madison County, where he now resides. Of his thirteen children, George W. is the fifth, and a brother to S. M. Prugh, County Auditor George W. is a native of Somerford Township,. where he

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was born in 1842. He matured on his father's farm, and has through life followed agricultural pursuits, save three years spent in the late war. He enlisted, in 1862, in Company B, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and participated in the battles of Richmond, Ky., Jackson, Miss., Vicksburg, siege of Jackson, and many others, and lastly, in the battle of Guntown, Miss., or, as historically known, Brice's Cross Road, where he was captured. and subsequently lived six months in the Andersonville Prison, and three months in other rebel prisons. He was one of the few fortunate ones who lived and returned home uninjured at the close of the war. He was mar- ried, in 1869, to Martha A. Heffley, and has two children-Addie and Char- ley. Mr. Prugh is one of the well-to-do farmers of Jefferson Township, and has 110 acres of well-improved land.

H. S. QUINN, physician, Jefferson, is a son of the Rev. Isaac Quinn, who was born of Irish parentage, in Pennsylvania. in 1784. He was raised in his native State, and, early in life. embraced the religion of the Episcopal Church. He received an education, and was licensed to preach in the church of his choice early in the present century, riding a circuit for ten years. In the meantime, he married Cynthia Witten, who was born in Tazewell County, Va., in 1790. During his ministerial labors, he prepared for the practice of medicine, and began practicing in Virginia soon after the close of the war of 1812, remaining in that State until 1830, when he, with his family of six children, settled in Highland County, Ohio, where he continued the practice of medicine until his death. in October. 1843, leaving a widow and nine children. The widow survived until 1867, and five of the children are now living, of whom H. S. is the youngest. He was born February 28, 1839, in Highland County, Ohio, where he received the rudiments of a common-school education. He subsequently attended the Greenfield Seminary, where he took up more advanced studies, after which he read medicine under Dr. John H. Quinn, of New Vienna, Clin- ton Co., Ohio. He subsequently graduated at the Medical College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, in 1862. The same year, he located at Jefferson, Madison Co., Ohio, where he has ever since resided and attended to the duties of his practice. His political affiliations are in behalf of the Democratic party, and in 1877 he was elected as a member of the Sixty-third General Assem- bly of Ohio. At home, Dr. Quinn has held many local positions of honor and trust. His marriage with Bettie B. Putnam, a native of this county, was celebrated in 1870.

ABNER A. RIDDLE, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a son of Abner and Sarah Riddle, of Pleasant Township. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this memoir is the eighth; he was born in Pleasant Township October 16, 1833, and was reared to farm life, which he still practices. He received a common-school education in the winter terms. He was left fatherless at an early age, and was reared by a widowed mother. On November 6. 1869, he married Elizabeth Gilliland, who was born Au- gust 4, 1849, in Madison County, Ohio. They have had born to them two children, viz., Ella J. and L. Gertrude. When Mr. Riddle started in life he commenced as a farm hand, at $6 per month, at which he worked for nine years at increased wages. By toil and personal energy, he has accu- mulated a handsome property of 292 acres of land, under good cultivation and improvement. He is one of the well-to-do farmers, willing to assist in all valuable improvements of the country and takes a special interest in the schools of his township, being now a member of the School Board of his district.

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JOHN E. ROBERTS, farmer, P. O. 'West Jefferson, is a grandson of Thomas and Susan (Prisel) Roberts, the former a native of Virginia, of Irish parentage, and the latter a native of Virgnia, of German descent. They were married in the East, and about 1798, they came to Ohio with one child-John. They settled near Martinsburg, now Darbyville, Picka- way County, where they squatted for a short time only, when they pressed on to Franklin County, where he bought a large tract of land, and, in 1812, laid out Georgesville. He finally bought abont 1,500 acres in Madi- son County, where he subsequently settled, probably about 1843. They had a family of eleven children, viz., John, Margaret, James, Bazel, Eliza- beth, Nancy, Sabastian, Elias, George, Mary R. and Edwin E. Nancy and the two youngest are yet living. Thomas Roberts was, when reaching Dar- byville, Ohio, destitute of everything save $3 in cash, but he was a wonderful worker, of industrious and economical habits, which soon placed him among the well-to-do citizens. He was a large cattle dealer and drover, taking many trips with stock over the mountains to Eastern markets. In this branch of business, he was eminently successful. In the prime of life, he had a good constitution, but for thirty years previous to his death, he suf- fered from consumption. In an early day, he operated a still-house at Georgesville, and bought corn for 10 cents per bushel. Ho and wife both died in Jefferson Township, in the year 1864. aged, respectively. eighty-nine and eighty-five years. Of their children, Sebastian, the seventh, was born in Franklin County. Ohio, September 8, 1814. He was raised in his native county, where, in 1839, he married Tacy A. Holt, who was born and raised near Philadelphia, Penn. Two of their sons are now living, viz., John E. and T. B. Sebastian and wife came to Madison County in 1842: subse- quently. he became a large land-owner and solid farmer. He was a man of medium size, possessed rather delicate health, and died May 18, 1869. leav. ing two sons and a widow, the latter still bearing the name of her departed husband. John E., the youngest of the sons, was born in 1843 in Jefferson Township, where he has always resided, and devoted his summers to farm- ing and his winters attending the district schools, save two years spent in the retail dry goods trade in Jefferson. He now owns a fine farm of 368 acres, one mile west of Jefferson, pleasantly located and under a high state of cultivation. He was married, in 1865, to Clara L. Stutson, a native of Zanesville, Ohio. One son is the fruit of this marriage.

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The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 111

Author: Brown, Robert C; W.H. Beers & Co., pub Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, W.H. Beers & co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Brown, Robert C; W.H. Beers & Co., pub
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, W.H. Beers & co.
Number of Pages: 1180