The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 124

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 124

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DR. CHARLES W. HIGGINS, physician, Big Plain, was born in Frank- lin County, Ohio, November 1, 1838, and is a son of Charles and Druzilla Higgins, he a native of Maryland and she of Pennsylvania. The grandfather was Charles Higgins, a native of Maryland, who emigrated to Ohio and settled in Franklin County in 1812, ranking as a pioneer of that county. At that date there was but one house in Columbus, and that was a primitive log cabin. Mr. Higgins remained in that county till his death, aged sixty years. Charles, the father of our subject, was about six years of age when brought to Ohio, and here he grew to manhood fully accustomed to pioneer life. He married Dru- zilla Ball, a daughter of William Ball, a native of Pennsylvania, and settled on a part of the home place, where he remained through life, having devoted his entire life to farming, and he was a very successful and prosperous farmer. He and his wife both departed this life in the year 1855. They had eight children; seven grew to maturity, and three now survive-Lorretta, wife of A. J. Richey; Jane, wife of Calvin Beatty, and Dr. Charles W., our subject. Mr. Higgins was a very industrious, active man, and as a farmer was very successful. The Doctor -our subject, was brought up to the healthful and honorable employment of the farm till sixteen years of age, when he entered the public schools of Colum- bus, where he attended one year. He then entered the Commercial School and completed their course of study. Then he attended the Capital University two years, and then after a short time of teaching he attended the Granville College two years. He then engaged several years in the work of teaching, and during this time entered upon the study of medicine with Dr. L. Woodruff, of Alton, Ohio. Then he entered the Starling Medical College at Columbus, from which he graduated in the spring of 1865. He then entered upon the practice of his profession with Dr. Richey at Martinsville, Ind. In October, 1865, he returned to Ohio and located at California, where he has continued the practice of his profession to the present time. He has thoroughly estab- lished himself in the confidence of the people of this community, and has a large and growing practice. In addition to the practice of medicine, in 1868 he entered upon the drug business. In 1869, he purchased the stock of groceries of Harvey & Bro., and in 1876 he moved into his present building and entered upon a general merchandise trade, in which he has continued to the present time. On December 31, 1865, was celebrated his marriage with Jane A. Say, a daughter of James and Matilda Say, he a native of England and she of the State of New York. By this union they have had eleven children, eight of whom now survive-Minnie B., Laura, Carrie, Walter, Florence, James N., Rettie and Mary. During the war of the rebellion the Doetor enlisted in

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July, 1862, in Company C, Ninety-fifth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served six months, when, from sickness and disability he was discharged, hav- ing been engaged in one battle-Richmond, Ky.

WILLIAM H. HILL, merchant, Big Plain, was born in Piekaway County, Ohio, July 16, 1837, and was brought up to the occupation of a farmer, receiving a good common school education. Then he learned the trade of a plasterer, which business he followed about three years. In June, 1859, he entered as a clerk in the store of (). T. Curry, at Harrisburg, Franklin County, Ohio, where he continued three years. In the fall of 1862, he located in California, Madison County, Ohio, and entered upon the mercantile trade on his own account, in which he has continued to the present time-a period of twenty years. Mr. Hill started in life without capital, depending upon his own strength, intellect and integrity of character to win him success. He has suc- ceeded, and now has a good property and a good stock of general merchan- dise, such as is needed in a village like California. Ile has a good trade, and has thoroughly established himself in the confidence of his community. On May 24, 1863, he was united in marriage with Nancy Ellen Snider, who was born in Pickaway County, January 7, 1842, and is a daughter of John and Elizabeth Snider, of Pickaway County. By this union they have four children -Alma Lillian, born August 19, 1868 ; Lorena May, born June 16, 1871; Etta Imo, born July 28, 1873, and William Henry, born May 17, 1880. Mr. Hill united with the Methodist Church in 1850, when in his fourteenth year, and has remained a consistent and worthy member for thirty-two years. His wife is also a member of the same church to which she has belonged twenty- two years. Their eldest child united with the church in the winter of 1882.

THOMAS HORN, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, was born in Ross County, Ohio, January 26, 1836, and is a son of John M. and Elizabeth Horn, natives of Berkeley County, Va. The grandfather, JJacob Horn, also a native of Virginia, lived and died in his native State. John M., the father of our subject, grew to manhood, and married a lady in Virginia by name of Millhoff, who died in Virginia, having borne him two children-both deceased. About 1817, he removed to Ohio and settled in Ross County, at that time there being but one shingle-roofed house in the town of Chillicothe. He mar- ried for his second wife, Elizabeth Recob, whose history is given in the sketches of Frederick and Valentine Recob. They settled in Ross County, where they resided till the fall of 1851, when they removed to Madison County and settled three miles west of California. He remained a resident of Fairfield Township till his death, March 4, 1861, aged seventy-four years. His wife subsequently removed to Mclean County, Ill., where she resided with her daughter till her death in the fall of 1872. They had seven children, six now living-Will- iam ; James, a resident of Kansas ; John ; Valentine, a resident of Nebraska ; Elijah, a resident of Illinois, and Thomas, our subject. Mr. Horn was a black- smith by trade, which occupation he followed through life. While a young, single man, living in Virginia, in the time of slavery, he was an overseer, hav- ing charge of a number of slaves owned by Maj. Bedinger. He was an indus- trions, hard-working man, and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for many years. Thomas Horn, our subject, married Sarah J. Court- right, who was born in Franklin County, Ohio, July 1, 1839 ; she was a daughter of Jesse and Mary A. (Brown) Courtright, also natives of Franklin County, where he died in April, 1874, aged fifty-eight years. Mr. Courtright was a farmer by occupation, and held the office of County Surveyor two terms, or six years, and was a prominent, leading man of that county, who held quite a number of minor offices. Mrs. Courtright still survives, and resides on the old homestead, aged sixty-four years. They had ten children, nine still living-Sarah J., Martha A., John, William, Jesse, Edward, Samuel and

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Milton and Newton (twins). Mr. Horn and wife have had seven children, six now surviving-Walter, born April 21, 1868; Edward, born February 10, 1871; Josephine, born January 19, 1873; Samuel, born August 21, 1875; Mary, born August 18. 1877, and Emma, born February 26, 1880. Mrs. Horn while young obtained a good common school education, after which she attended the college at Worthington two years, and then entered upon the useful yet ardu- ous work of teaching, which occupation she followed seven years prior to her marriage. She is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which she has belonged twenty-four years. Mr. Horn, after his marriage, entered upon the mercantile trade at Georgesville, Franklin County, and con- tinued there till 1872, when he came to Madison County and purchased the farm where he now lives. He built the first house in Lilly Chapel, after the town was laid out, and there entered upon the mercantile trade; was the first Postmaster of the place and became the first local agent for the railroad com- pany after the road was completed. He continued in business there until 1878, when he retired to his farm, where he has since resided, and to which he has devoted his attention. On March 24, 1862, he answered his country's call, and enlisted in her defense in Company H, Second Battalion Eighteenth United States Infantry, and was taken prisoner at the battle of Mumfordsville, Ky .. and paroled the same day, after which he engaged in the battle of Hoover's Gap, at Chickamauga and others. He has eighty acres of good land just north of Lilly Chapel, where he has a pleasant home. He is a member of the Lilly Chapel Grange, No. 583, of which he was a charter member ; and he is also a member of Gilroy Lodge, No. 695, I. O. O. F., at Lilly Chapel.

ANDREW JACKSON, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, was born in Rockbridge County, Va., December 28, 1816, and is a son of William and Nancy Jackson ; he is a native of Pennsylvania and she of Virginia. The grandfather, William Jackson, was a native of Ireland, who, with six brothers, emigrated to America about the time of the war of the Revolution, and all of them espoused the cause of this country and fought for its independence. After the war, Mr. Jackson never heard of any of his six brothers ; subsequently he married and located in Pennsylvania, and from there removed to Virginia, where he died in

1826 or 1827, at a very advanced age. He was the father of one son and four daughters, all now deceased. William, the father of our subject, an only son, grew to manhood in his native State and there married Nancy Rea. In 1828, they removed to Ohio and located in Madison County near London, and in Union Township he spent the balance of his life. He was a weaver by trade, but after he came to Ohio he engaged in farming, which he followed till his death. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. His wife died in 1850 or 1851. he in 1858. He was the father of five children, who grew to maturity, of whom four now survive-Andrew, William, Evaline ( now Widow Armstrong). and Sarah (now Widow Parker, residing in Iowa). Mr. A. Jackson, the subject of this sketch, was twelve years of age when with his father's family he came to Madison County ; here he grew to maturity and was married, September 12, 1844, to Eliza Armstrong, a native of this county. . born April 13, 1821, and a daughter of John F. and Elizabeth Armstrong, natives of Pennsylvania. John F., when a small child, with his parents. James and Nancy (Fulton) Armstrong, removed to Kentneky, and thence to Chillicothe, Ohio, in a very early day, before there was a town at Chillicothe ; subsequently he bought a farm about three miles from the town, where they lived till their death. There John F. grew to manhood and mar- ried Elizabeth Warren, after which he located in Madison County, where they lived and died. He also served in the war of 1812. He died August 12, 1864, aged seventy-two years ; his wife survived till September 2. 1867, aged seventy- two years. They had twelve children, of whom nine grew to maturity and six

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now survive-Eliza, Warren, Samuel, Frances, William H. and John F. Mr. Jackson and wife have had four children, all deceased. They first located in Southern Illinois. In the spring of 1850, at the time of the great gold excite- ment in California, Mr. J., with many others, made the laborious and tedious journey across the plains to seek his fortune in " the land of gold." He arrived there in August of the same year, and remained nearly four years, starting for home in June, 1854, and coming by water and across the Isthmus, he arrived in the last of June. The experiences of Mr. Jackson on this trip were too extensive and varied to admit of giving anything of a detailed description in this sketch. His hardships were of the severest kind, and the associations and society of the roughest character ; there was no law, no courts, no jury ; but vigilants and lynch law were the regulators. At one time, on a trip over the mountains in mid-winter, in a terribly deep snow, they were out of provisions and lived for eight days on sugar, of which they had a supply. In his search for wealth, at times he was very successful ; at other times he lost heavily. During his four years' stay, he knew what it was to be without a dollar, and, again, at one time, he had $15,000. But suffice it to say, he succeeded in bringing home some money and a large amount of experience. Hle then set- tled with his family in Madison County, till in December, 1857, when he again embarked on a vessel from New York for California, taking his family with him. They remained four months and returned to Ohio, and entered upon farming. He purchased the place where he now lives, in 1866, of James Lilly. It contains ninety acres, upon which he has good buildings and improvements, and is pleasantly situated just north of the village of Lilly Chapel.

RICHARD M. JOHNSON, farmer, P. O. Big Plain, was born in Mont- gomery County, Md., February 13, 1824, and is a son of Thomas W. and Aletha Johnson, natives of Maryland. The grandparents were Reason and Elizabeth Johnson, of English descent, who lived and died in Maryland. Thomas W., the father of our subject, was raised and grew to manhood in his native State, where he married Aletha Reed. In 1835, he emigrated with his family to Ohio and settled in Madison County, about five miles southeast of London. He died in 1842. His wife survived till September 9, 1863. They had nine children, of whom three now survive-Richard M., Ann M. (wife of William Douglass, residing in Kansas), and Martha. Mr. Johnson served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and was a farmer through life. The subject of the sketch was in his eleventh year when they settled in Madison County, and in his eighteenth year his father died. From this time he had the principal care of his mother, who lived with him till her death. Mr. Johnson was united in marriage, November 1, 1860, with Sarah Jane Griffin, a danghter of Nathaniel and Mary Griffin, he a native of Ohio and she of Virginia. They were married in Ohio, and settled on the county line between Champaign and Madison Coun- ties, where she died August 31, 1864. Subsequently he removed to Illinois, where he died August 10, 1880. They had ten children, seven now surviving- Ann, wife of John Caldwell ; Lydia, wife of R. B. Rogers ; Sarah Jane ; Will- iam Robert; Henry Clay ; and Mary, wife of Granville Lewis. Mr. Johnson has devoted his life to farming and the stock business. He started in life with . no capital, and by his own industry, economy and good management has arisen to wealth and affluence. He now owns 900 acres of land in Madison County and eighty acres in the State of Indiana. At the home place, he has erected a fine residence, and made other improvements. He has been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for thirty-two years, and served his township as Trustee three years.

WILLIAM B. LEVER (deceased). The subject of this sketch was born near Providence, R. I., February 18. 1822, and was a son of John and Sarah (Slater) Lever, natives of England, who emigrated to America during the war of 1812,

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he coming first to select a location, after which he sent for his family, who, as soon as peace was declared, or as soon as they were permitted to sail and land in this country, came across the waters, landing in Canada, from whence they went to Rhode Island, where they resided till their death. he March 5, 1842, aged sixty-seven years, and she June 11, 1845, aged sixty-two years. They had a family of eleven children, of whom three now survive-Henry, who mar- ried and is a farmer near Northboro, Mass .; Mary, wife of Samuel Hodgson, a na- tive of England, and residing at Fall River, Mass .; and Martha, wife of John Marsh, of Union Township, this county. Mr. William B. Lever was the youngest chik! of his father's family. He grew to manhood in his native State, and in the spring of 1857 emigrated West, making a prospective tour through Missouri and Kansas, but returning to Ohio in June of the same year, he located in Madison County. In February, 1859, he bought the farm where his widow still resides, and located upon the same in the spring following. Although a machinist by trade, having no practical knowledge of farming, yet he concluded to enter upon farming, the leading occupation of this Western country. On November 11, 1859, he was united in marriage with Margaret Arnett, a native of this county, born October 12, 1836, and a daughter of Thomas and Jemima (Acton) Arnett, natives of Ross County, Ohio, who settled in this county about 1832; he died in August, 1837, aged thirty years. He was the father of one son and three daughters-Elizabeth (deceased); Sarah, wife of William Harvey; James, a resident of Columbus, and Margaret. Mrs. Arnett subsequently mar- ried for her second husband, Mr. Mitchel Lane, of Union Township. She died in May, 1872, aged sixty-three years. By her second husband she had two children, now living-Mary E., wife of Marion Harvey, and Richard. Mr. Lever and wife by their union had three children-Edward E., born August 21, 1860; Laura E., born September 22, 1862, and Ada L., born September 25, 1865. Mr. Lever died October 5, 1879. He was a man of high moral charac- ter, not a member of any church, yet he held to the Universalist faith. He was a man of undoubted integrity, a kind husband and a much esteemed neighbor.

HENRY LILLY, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, is a native of Franklin County, Ohio, and was born September 14, 1840; he is a son of Wesley and Mary Lilly, natives of Virginia; the former was born in Fluvanna County, Va., March 30, 1803, and in 1808, when five years of age. emigrated with his parents, Thomas and Theodosia Lilly, to Ohio, and settled in Ross County, where Thomas Lilly died in the fall of 1823. In 1830, his wife Theodosia, and her family removed to Madison County. where she died about 1838. In 1829, Wesley married Mary Durflinger, a daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Dur flinger, natives of Virginia, who settled in Madison County about 1827. In 1830, when Mr. Lilly came to this county, he purchased land, all in the woods and prairie, in its primitive, wild state, for which he paid $1.50 per acre; this was a tract of land north of Lilly Chapel where Thomas Horu and Philip Sidner now live. There Mr. Lilly commenced in a rude log cabin, with no means and in debt for his land. He remained there eight years, but the land was so wet with no drainage that it was difficult to do much with it; he there- ' fore sold out and removed into Franklin County, where he remained till 1850, when he again bought land in Madison County, where he located and has since resided. From his early commencement here as a pioneer. right in the woods and wet prairie, he has by his industry, hard labor and economy become owner of 336 acres of good land, with good buildings and improvements, and is one of the most respected and prominent farmers of Madison County, and a man of undoubted moral and Christian character. He united with the Methodist Church in Ross County when about twenty-five years of age. In building the church at Lilly Chapel, he gave freely of his means, and has now been an ear- nest worker in the church for more than half a century, and a class leader and

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a trustee for many years. They have had seven sons and one daughter, of whom three sons now survive-Henry, James and Albert. During the war of the rebellion, this family furnished five of her sons in defense of our liberties. Thomas and Daniel enlisted in August, 1861, in Company A, Fortieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which Thomas became Second Lieutenant and at their first battle-at Prestonburg, Ky., Thomas had his left arm shot off, which disabled him from further duty, and in June, 1862, he was discharged, and re- turned home. Having but one arm, he could be of little service on the farm, and in 1864, under a commission from the Governor, he entered upon the work of recruiting, and raised three companies that were organized into the Seventy- sixth Battalion, of which he was made a Major. In consolidating their regi- ments, Thomas became Captain of Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment, which entered the one hundred days' service. Thomas was taken sick and died at Bermuda Hundreds, Va., in July, 1864. One incident of his military life, showing his undaunted courage and bravery, should here be placed on record to commemorate his noble services, and of which his descendants may justly feel prond. After he had so far recovered from his wound as to attempt to return to his regiment, he took boat up the Ohio River to the Big Sandy, and there had one and one-half days' walk to reach his regiment, and through a rough, "bushwhacking" country. He met some citizens-Union men, who informed him of a man living near there, a bushwhacker, who gave them much trouble by frequently shooting down Union men, and they desired him to take the man as a prisoner to his regiment. He agreed to attempt it, and with but one arm and no weapon but his sword, he started for the hazard- ous undertaking, approached the house and entered with drawn sword, and commanded him as his prisoner to march before him, which he did, and he hurried him away as fast as possible. They had to stop overnight at a stranger's house, not knowing whether he was friend or foe. He placed his prisoner in bed, while he lay down by the door and thus guarded him all night. The next day he marched him on and delivered him over to their commander. Such service and deeds of bravery deserve to be placed upon the pages of his- tory, where they may remain and be read and known by future generations long after the tombstone which marks his quiet resting- place shall have become obliterated and effaced by the destroying elements of time. Daniel continued in the service until at the battle of Chickamauga he was killed, September 19, 1863. James. Philip and Henry enlisted in the spring of 1864, and went into the Seventy-sixth Battalion under their brother, Capt. Thomas Lilly. Henry was commissioned First Lieutenant of Company A, in the Seventy-sixth Bat- talion Ohio National Guards Philip soon after entering the service took the measles. from the effects of which he died November 23, 1867, about two years after the close of the war. James served till discharged at the close of the war. In forming the One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the three companies of the Seventy-sixth Battalion Ohio National Guards which had been recruited by Capt. Thomas Lilly, were taken to fill up that regiment,and from a surplus ofcommissioned officers thus obtained, the older officers in the service took the precedence, and Lieut. Henry Lilly was not called into active service. The subject of this sketch was principally raised in Madison County, where he was married, January 16. 1862, to Martha Ann Hartsook, who was born in Franklin County, Ohio, May 1. 1841, and was a daughter of Noah and Mary Hartsook, natives of Maryland, who had three children-Mary and Martha Ann (twins) and Lemuel, all now deceased but Martha Ann. Lemuel, when seventeen years of age, enlisted in the war of the rebellion and served nearly three years, when sickness and death took him away. He en- listed in Company A, Fortieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer. Infantry. Mr. Lilly and wife have four children-Frank S., born September 20. 1863; Wesley,

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March 18, 1866; Rosie, November 23. 1869, and Wallace II., born May 15, 1877. Mr. Lilly has devoted his life to farming; he bought and located upon the place where he now lives in the spring of 1868. This place he purchased of his uncle, James Lilly; it consists of 225 acres of excellent land with good improvements, situated just west of the village of Lilly Chapel, a part of the town being located upon lots taken off of this farm. Mr. Lilly was Township Trustee five years, and is now one of the Commissioners of Madison County. As a farmer and a citizen, he is held in high esteem throughout this community.

RICHARD O'BRIEN, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, was born in Ireland in 1815, and in 1837 emigrated to America and landed at St. John, New Bruns- wick; thence he came to Boston, remaining in Massachusetts and other New England States till about 1845, when he came to Ohio and settled on the farm where he now lives and has since resided-a period of thirty-seven years. This traet of land he purchased of John Chenoweth ; it consists of 160 acres. He first lived in a small log cabin, and after about one year's residence, he made some repairs and an addition to another log cabin on the place, into which he moved and lived till 1861, when he erected his present two-story frame house; he has also erected a barn and made other improvements till he now has a very pleasant and comfortable home. In the fall of 1839, he married Mary Chat- ham, a native of England, by whom he has eight children-John T., born July 6, 1842; Caroline M., born April 15, 1845, wife of Harvey Clarridge; Christopher P. W., born August 26, 1847; Henry S., born June 23, 1849; Mag- gie A., born November 15, 1852, wife of Frank Bayliss; Joseph W., born April 5, 1857; Ellen M., born October 4. 1859, and Jennie L., born October 24, 1862. Mrs. O'Brien died August 7, 1879, aged fifty-seven years. Mr. O'Brien came to this country a poor man, and by his own labor and industry, and that of his family, he has accumulated a good competency.

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The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 124

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