The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 112

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 112

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W. E. ROBERTS, farmer. P. O. West Jefferson, grandson of Thomas Roberts and son of Edwin E. Roberts, was born in Jefferson Township, Madison County. Ohio. in 1853. He received a common-school education, was reared on a farm and has thus far followed rural pursuits. His farm consists of sixty acres, which he cultivates well. He was married, in De- comber. 1877, to Alice Johnson, a descendant of the pioneer Michael John- son. elsewhere mentioned, and a daughter of Luther Johnson. By this union two children have been born.

THOMAS J. ROBERTS. farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a grandson of Thomas and son of Edwin E. Roberts. The latter was born in Franklin County, Ohio, where he was raised. He, as well as the other children of Thomas Roberts, received some land from home, which placed him in fair circumstances to begin life. In early life, he received a common-school education, but his entire life has been devoted to farming and dealing in stock, driving the latter over the mountains before the means of transporta- tion were so rapid as now. He has managed by fair means through life to possess a neat competency, which he has liberally divided with his seven

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children. He resides in a beautiful home on the London & Jefferson pike, and is now nearing the allotted time of man. He has always taken an ac- tive part in the affairs of the county, and has always voted the Democratic ticket. His first wife was Mary, daughter of John . Thomas, an early toll- gate-keeper on the National pike, east of Jefferson. She was born in North Wales in 1821, but from two years of age was a resident of America; she died in 1847, leaving one child, our subject. Thomas J. His second wife was Maria Thomas, a sister to his first wife. She is still living, having raised a family of several children, the most of whom are represented in this volume. Thomas J. was born in 1846, in Jefferson Township, where he has always resided, and followed farming and stock-raising. His farm contains 171 acres under good cultivation. He was married to Matilda, sister of Dr. J. T. Colliver, of Jefferson, by whom he has had three chil- dren, all now living.

T. B. ROBERTS, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson. The above gentle. man is a son of Sebastian Roberts and brother of John E. Roberts, whose sketch appears in this volume. He was born in Franklin County, Ohio, January 15, 1840, but since two years of age has been resident of Jefferson Township, Madison County. He was raised to farm life and acquired such an education as his facilities warranted. His entire life has been devoted to tilling the soil, and now owns 271 acres of good land, which he cultivates and pastures with his cattle; to the latter he devotes considerable time, and also pays considerable attention to the raising and handling of hogs. He has a beautiful home, which is the old homestead of his grandfather. He remained at home until November, 1862, when he responded to the Presi- dent's call for troops by enlisting in Company K. Ninety-fifth Ohio Volun- teer Infantry, under Capt. Daugherty, and served until almost the close of the war, participating in some of the severest battles. Soon after his return, he married Lucinda H. Zinn, a native of Franklin County, Ohio, where she was born February 20, 1841.

B. F. ROBERTS, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a son of Charles and Harriet Roberts, who are mentioned in Union Township of this volume. Of their family, our subject, the fourth, was born near London, Madison Co., Ohio, in April, 1840. His residence in his native county is unbroken. save one year spent in Franklin County. In the fall of 1864, he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Eighty-second Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving to the close of the war, and participating in the battle of Nashville, Tenn. After his return home, he engaged in saw-milling and farming, which he has followed to the present. He owns 175 acres of land, which classes him among the well-to-do farmers of the township. He does not indorse the theory of some authors, that " a man unmarried is only a half a man," but has seen fit to thus far live a life of singleness.

LEWIS SIDENER, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, grandson of the pio- neer, Philip Sidener, and a third child of David Sidener, who are bothi mentioned in the history of this township, was born October 12, 1824, in Jefferson Township, where he matured and now lives. He was raised to farin life, and has always followed that pursuit. His hard work, combined with economy and prudent management, has placed him in fair circum- stances. His educational privileges were very meager, yet his appreciation of the value of an education are fully indicated by the interest he takes in the educational welfare of his children. He was married, November 9, 1848, to Catharine Anderson, by whom he had seven children, five living. Mr. Sidener has served in several different township offices.

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WESLEY SIDNER, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a grandson of Philip Sidner and a son of Jacob Sidner. The latter was born in Kentucky November 17, 1799, and in infancy was brought to Ohio, but his parents re- turned to Kentucky during the first decade of the present century, and, after a brief stay, again came to Ohio and settled near where Jefferson now stands. Jacob was the second youngest son, and was almost entirely raised in Jefferson Township. In 1817, he bought a farm four miles west of the present town of Jefferson, to which he added until he owned about 900 acres of land. He was twice married-first, to Mary Ewing, who was born May 17, 1804, and a daughter of the pioneer, Charles Ewing, of Deer Creek Township. To this union five children were born. She died in 1833, and he married for his second companion Margaret Erwin, born near Newark, Ohio, in 1813. To this union eight children were born, of whom five are now living. Jacob Sidner and his second wife trod the path of life together until February, 1880, when his death severed the link of earthly relation, and, in August, of the same year. she, too, died. They were both members of the Methodist Church. Of his children, Wesley, the second by the last mar- riage, was born in 1836 in Deer Creek Township, where he was raised and received a common-school education. He has been a life-long farmer, and now owns 140 acres of good land, in Jefferson Township, where he resides. His marriage with Lydia, daughter of William Jones, was celebrated in No- vember, 1856. Seven children are the fruits of this marriage. He and wife are both members of the Methodist Church.

J. J. SIDNER, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, son of Wesley Sidner and grandson of the late David Sidner, was born in Deer Creek Township. Madison County, in 1857, but from infancy lived on the farm he now occu- pies. He received a common-school education, and has devoted some time to teaching. He was married, in 1879. to Mary Roberts, of Jefferson Town- ship, by whom he has had two children.

J. T. SIDENER, physician, Jefferson, son of Lewis and Catha- rine Sidener, and grandson of the late David Sidener, of Jefferson Township. was born February 27, 1856. He received a common-school education while on his father's farm, and, at the age of nineteen, entered upon a business course at the Iron City Commercial College, of Pittsburgh. Penn .. but find- ing this too confining he returned to the farm. On March 23. 1876, he was married to Mary E., second daughter of Robert and Ruth Fullerton. of Fairfield Township, and grand-daughter of the late John Johnson, of Range Township. Mr. Sidener followed farming until 1879, when he took up the study of medicine and the preceptorship of Dr. John N. Beach, of Jefferson, and, in September. ISSO, he entered the Starling Medical College of Co- lumbus, Ohio, taking a two years' course. He graduated March 23. 1882. settled in Jefferson and commenced the practice of his profession April 24, of the same year.

JOHN SILVER, deceased, was a son of Richard and Ann Silver, who were both born in Pennsylvania, where they married and died, having raised a family of six daughters and two sons. One son and one daughter are still living in their native State; one daughter. Rebecca, was married to a Mr. Stoockey, whom she buried in Pennsylvania, she dying in Illinois. leaving a family of eight children. The other four daughters-Sally, Eliza- beth. Susan and Hannah-all married in Pennsylvania-Sally, to Joshua. son of Rev. Lewis Foster. after whom Foster Chapel is named: Elizabeth. to John Crissman; Susan. to Samuel Wallace, and Hannah. to Thomas Tim- mons. [They all settled in Jefferson Township, and were among the early

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settlers, doing much toward clearing up the country. Thomas Timmons and wife both died in Jefferson, as did Mrs. Crissman also, but the rest all moved to Illinois in the spring of 1849. John Silver, another of the fam- ily, was born on the Juniata River, in Pennsylvania. July 1, 1800. He reached his majority in his native State, and, about 1825, he set out in life by conducting a blacksmith and wagon-making shop and tavern. In 1827, he married Mary Koontz, who died October 21, 1832. leaving three sons, two of whom are still living. His second wife was Catharine Speaker, who was born in Bedford County, Penn., February 12, 1809, of German descent. In 1835, he purchased about 800 acres of land in Jefferson Township, Madison County, Ohio, where he settled in 1837, with wife and five chil- dren. The first house erected by him in the wilderness serves as a part of their present residence. He improved his farm and added to it until he owned about 1,000 acres, of which 960 are still in the name of the Silver family; he was industrious and frugal and lived to the age of eighty-two years and fifteen days. He was energetic and economical, but above all, his charity was never exhausted. He embraced the religion of the Baptist Church, at Jefferson, in November, 1854, and soon after was elected Dea- con, in which capacity he served without ceasing until his death. He grasped every opportunity to promote the interest and welfare of the church, and to his liberality it is indebted for much of its prosperity. He was always ready to personally liquidate the unpaid salary of the minister, rather than have it unpaid. He was the father of eleven children, of whom five are now living, viz., Richard, Asa, Mary M., George T. and John W. Richard now resides in Nebraska, and the other four live in Ohio, two of whom are yet single, viz., Mary M. and George T.

G. P. SIMPKINS, harness-maker, Jefferson, is a son of John W. Simpkins, a native of Maryland, who, early in the present century, settled at Franklinton, near Columbus, Ohio, where he commenced his business prior to the war of 1812. While engaged in his trade, Gen. Harrison and his troops were on the way from Sandusky to Marietta, Ohio, and stopped with Squire John Simpkins, using his hatter shop for a barracks. For the in- trusion, Harrison subsequently appointed Squire Simpkins Commissary, and henceforward he acted in military service until the close of the war. de- voting considerable time with Gen. Gaines, after whom our subject is named. About the close of the war of 1812, he and family settled near London, where, in 1815, he buried his wife. His second wife was the widow of John Guynn. While the National road was in process of construction, he settled in Jefferson, where the American Hotel formerly stood. Here he bought a lot in the wilds of nature. cleared and grubbed it and erected on it a build- ing in which he opened a tavern. The building was small, and he expected to build an addition, but before doing so, he sold and moved to London and kept the Cowling House, but subsequently returned to Jefferson, where he died in the spring of 1861. He served Madison County as Associate Judge several years, and Jefferson Township as Justice repeatedly. He was a man of sound mind and an esteemed citizen of the county. Of his four children one only is now living, viz., Gaines P., who was born in July, 1815, near London. He in carly life went to Springfield, Ohio, where he learned his trade, but since 1835 he has been a resident of Jefferson, where he has mostly conducted his trade. Soon after coming to Jefferson, he was instru- mental in forming the military home company. He furnished two sons for the suppression of the rebellion, one of which survived. In 1836, he mar- ried Eliza Sidener, of the pioneer stock elsewhere mentioned in this work.

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Their union has been blest with a family of eight children, four of whom are still living.

CHARLES SNYDER, physician, Jefferson, is a son of Gen. Daniel Snyder, who was a native of Virginia and an early settler near Ur- bana, Champaign Co., Ohio. He was a pioneer woodsman and farmer of that county, where he died. His wife was Anna Kiser, who also died in Champaign County, Ohio. Of their fourteen children, thirteen are now living, one a practicing attorney in Chattanooga, Tenn. Dr. Charles Sny- der was born in Champaign County, Ohio, in 1848, and raised to farm life, during which time he received the rudiments of a common-school education. Subsequently, he was three years in attendance at the Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio. In 1867, he came to Jefferson, and took up the study of medicine under Dr. John N. Beach, of that place, as his preceptor, and graduated from the Ohio Medical College of Cincinnati, in the spring of 1870. Immediately after graduating, he received an appointment as phy- sician in the State Prison at Columbus, Ohio, but, at the expiration of one year resigned the position and located in Jefferson, where he has ever since enjoyed a favorable practice. He was married, in 1873, to Mary, daughter of Moses Beals, of Madison County, Ohio. They have a family of three children.

S. M. STICKLEY, grocer, Jefferson, is a son of Isaac Stickley, who was born in Virginia, where he married Henrietta Beals. In 1849, they, with a family of three children, came to Ohio, and, in 1851. settled in Jefferson Township, Madison County, where Isaac buried his wife in 1864, having had by her eight children. He married for his second wife Mary Stutson, and, in the summer of 1882, they moved to the village of Jefferson. To the last union one child is given. Our subject, his father's eldest child. was born on the South Branch of the Potomac River, in Mary- land, in the year 1843, but, since eight years of age, has been a resident of Madison County, where his summers were devoted to farming, and his win- ters to the district schools. He enlisted, Angust 7, 1862, in Company K, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, participating in the battle of Rich- mond, Ky., but was discharged in the spring of 1863, and, in 1864, re-en- listed in Company C, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, but, after passing through one battle. he returned home, in the fall of the same year. He devoted some time to clerking in Jefferson, and in 1871 he began on his own account, by opening out his present business stand. He has been identified with the interests of this town, and served as its Treasurer five years. He was married. in 1867, to Eliza Garrabrant. Z. R. TAYLOR. druggist, Jefferson. Among the professional busi- ness men of this village we record the name of Z. R. Taylor, son of John Taylor, of Scotland, where the latter was born. When a child, his parents emigrated to the United States, and settled in Champaign County, Ohio, where John has resided for the past sixty years. He married Miriam Daniels, of Champaign County, about thirty-seven years since. Of their four children Z. R., the second, was born in the last-named county in 1850. His boyhood days were spent on the farm and at the district schools dur- ing the winter seasons until 1867, when he entered the Urbana University. One year later, he commenced a course in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, where he devoted his time until 1872, at which time he took up the study of medicine under Dr. H. C. Pierce, of Urbana, Ohio, and gradu- ated at the Starling Medical College. Columbus, Ohio, in the spring of 1873. He at once located in Jefferson, and engaged in the drug business, where

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he has since remained. He carries a full line of all articles kept in a drug store. He was united in marriage with Miss Clara M. Burrows, by whom he has had two children. Mrs. Taylor is a native of Illinois. She was educated at Peoria, where she subsequently taught two years, and finally taught one year in the Jefferson schools of Madison County, Ohio.

DAVID J. THOMAS, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, is a son of Robert and Mary (Lewis) Thomas, natives of Wales, where they matured and mar- ried. In 1820, they, with one child, came to America and settled in Oneida County, N. Y., from where they moved to Delaware County, Ohio. in 1831. Fourteen years later they settled in Brown Township, Franklin County, where she died in 1866 and he in 1877. He was a land-owner and farmer by occupation. They were both members of the Baptist Church. Of their eleven children, nine are now living, of whom our subject is the sixth; was born near Utica, N. Y., May 29. 1828. Since three years of age he has been a resident of Ohio, save a short interval spent in Iowa and Illinois. Since 1870, he has resided in Jefferson Township, Madison County, where he owns a farm of ninety-nine acres, which is under a highi state of cultivation and fairly improved. He received a common school education, and has devoted his entire life to farming. His political ideas are in favor of the Republican party. His marriage with Anna M. Hodg- kins was celebrated March 19, 1863. She is a native of Indianapolis. Ind., where she was born in 1839. . This union has been blest with a fam- ily of six children, living, viz .: Charlie L., Mary, Elizabeth, Katy, Annie and Robert J.

THOMAS TIMMONS, deceased, was a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born December 9, 1800. He was a son of Peter and Sarah (Taylor) Timmons and in 1833 came to this county and settled in Canaan Town- ship, where he remained until his deatlı, October 5, 1862. On November 27, 1830, he married Mrs. Hannah (Silvers) Peebles, a widow lady, by whom he had eight children, viz. : Rebecca, Richard. Mary, Thomas F .. Laura, Rachael S., Clay and Winfield. Mr. Timmons lived a long and useful life. He was a Universalist in belief, and was actively interested in building the church of that denomination in his neighborhood. He died respected by all who knew him.

A. T. TIMMONS, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, son of Thomas and Margaret (Alder) Timmons, and a great-grandson of the noted pioneer Jona- than Alder, was born in Jefferson Township in 1857. He is the youngest son and only child of his father now living. He was raised to farm life and enjoyed the common school privileges. In the year 1880, he married Laura, daughter of Andrew Miller, of Jefferson. Her father is one of a family of seven children, and a native of Baden, Germany. He is the only one who came to America, and he settled in Jefferson in 1848. He learned his trade (painting) in Germany, and is a good mechanic. In De- cember, 1849, he married Nancy Francis, of Franklin County, Ohio. Of their five children, two are now living, viz., Houry and Laura.

ALEXANDER WILSON (deceased), son of William D., and grandson of Valentine Wilson, elsewhere fully mentioned in this work, was born Feb- ruary 22, 1831, and died January 29, 1881. He was a native of Canaan Township, where he was raised and acquired a common school education, but he became a very accurate and reliable business man. In 1854, he mar- ried Martha J. Millikin and settled near his father. Six years later, he moved to Plain City, and in 1963, bought 152 acres of land near Jefferson, and settled on it. Here he devoted his time to farming, dealing in and rais-

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ing cattle, sheep and hogs. When he first embarked in this branch of busi- ness he drove several times through to Eastern markets, but erelong rail- road facilities offered their conveniences close at hand, and he for one was not slow in embracing the privileges. He was successful through life, and gradually added to his original land until he owned about 3.000 acres at his death. He was a man of six feet two inches high, and weighed about 150 pounds, but with delicate health. He filled an important position in the social and business circles of Jefferson and vicinity. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson had a family of four children, viz. : Henry C., Louvina, Grant (whodied in infancy) and Albert W. Mrs. Wilson, a daughter of Daniel Millikin, was born in Washington County, Penn .. in 1829, but in infancy was brought by her parents to Ohio. Her father not liking Ohio, returned to the Keystone State and again to Ohio in 1842. settling in Canaan Town- ship, Madison County. About thirty months later, he moved to Iowa, where he and wife both died, leaving a family of five children, of whom Martha J. was the oldest. Soon after their death, Henry Alder, an uncle to the children, went from Madison County to Iowa and brought them to Ohio, where four are still living. Mrs. Wilson is a lady of considerable taste, and is nicely located near Jefferson on the National road.

JASPER N. WILSON, farmer, P. O. West Jefferson, is a son of Michael and Louvina (Henry) Wilson, the former a native of Clark County, Ohio, born March 14, 1814, and the latter a native of Kentucky, but from infancy a resident of Clark County, Ohio, where they were married, and where be died February 10. 1879, and where she still resides. He was a man of me- dium size, quite ambitious and industrious, though possessed with delicate health. His economy, combined with prudence and hard work, gained for him a neat competency. He and wife were of many years members of the Christian Church, of which he was Deacon. Their family consisted of thir- teen children, nine of whom are still living, the subject of this sketch being the only one living in Madison County, where he settled in 1866. He was born in Clark County, Ohio, January 5, 1836, and was brought up by Chris- tian parents. On December 29, 1859, he was married to Ellen, daughter of Samuel Prugh, of Somerford Township, Madison County, where the Prugh history will be seen. She was born April 19,1836. In August, 1862, he entered the service in Company K, Forty-fifth Ohio Volunteer In- fantry, participating in the battles of London, Tenn., siege of Knoxville, Philadelphia, and Monticello. While engaged at Knoxville, he was slightly wounded. He served three years, when he returned home, resumed farming, and soon after came to Madison County, where, in 1871, he pur- chased land and now owns 275 acres. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson have a family of four children, all living.

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DEER CREEK TOWNSHIP.

DR. WILLIAM MORROW BEACH, youngest child of Uri and Hannah (Noble) Beach, was born in Amity, Madison Co., Ohio, May 10, 1831. He lived in Amity until he was four years old, and afterward on a farm in Darby Township, until he was about twelve, when his mother returned to Amity, where he lived until he was fifteen, when he went as a dry goods clerk for Holcomb Tuller, in Dublin. Franklin Co., Ohio, and in the same year, in another store, in the same village, for Orange Davis. In the fall he returned to Amity, ill, and was not again able to labor until the following year, when, on the 23d of September, 1847, when in his sixteenth year, he entered the store of George A. Hill & Co., of Pleasant Valley. for the aston- ishing salary of $36 a year, or about eleven cents a day and board. His second year with them brought him $S4, and for the third year was offered $800 in the main establishment-Pinney & Lamson, of Columbus, Ohio. This offer he declined, as the sedentary life, with no leisure for books, was distasteful to him; aud at the commencement of the fall term he was a matriculant at the Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, after the close of which he taught a school in the Crabb District, Brown Township, Franklin Co., Ohio. In the spring of 1850, he commenced the study of medicine at Amity, with Dr. James F. Boal, but suspended through the summer and traveled on foot over nearly all of the counties in Central Ohio. as an agent for the Ohio State Journal Company, of Columbus, Ohio. In the fall of that year (1851), he entered the office of Prof. Samuel Mitchell Smith, of Columbus, as a student; and during that winter attended a course of medical lectures at Starling Medical College-the first course delivered in the new building on State street. He attended his second course there at the session following; and in February, 1853, was graduated as M. D. He located at Unionville Centre, Union Co., Ohio, where he remained two years, when he sold out his property and location to Isaac N. Hamilton, a brother to Prof. John W. Hamilton, of Columbus, after which he spent about four months in the West, prospecting for Congress lands, and upon his return he settled, in September, 1855, in La Fayette, Madison County. Ohio, where he remained until he was commissioned by the Governor of Ohio-David Tod-Assistant Surgeon in the Volunteer forces of Ohio, in the service of the United States, April 3, 1862, when he joined the army at Shiloh, Tenn., April 12, 1862, the Sunday morning after the battle; he was assigned to duty, temporarily, at the Brigade Headquarters of Gen. William B. Hazen; and afterward to the Twentieth Ohio Regiment. On the 3d of May, 1862. lie was further commissioned by Gov. Tod as Assistant Surgeon of the Seventy-eighth Regiment Ohio Infantry Volunteers, to rank as such from April 20, 1862, which position he held until commissioned by Gov. John Brough as Surgeon of the One Hundred and Eighteenth Regiment Ohio Infantry Volunteers, May 19, 1864, which commission reached him at Ackworth, Ga., on the Atlanta campaign, on the 9th day of June, 1864. when he was mustered in and entered at once upon duty with his new command. This position he held until the close of the war, and until his muster out at Sanlsbury, N. C., in June, 1865. He was with Grant when Holly Springs was sold ont; was at Port Gibson, Raymond, Jackson,

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The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 112

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