USA > Ohio > Madison County > The history of Madison County, Ohio > Part 125
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ELIJAH W. OGILVIE, retired, Lilly Chapel. This esteemed and well- known citizen was born in Fairfield Township July 12, 1824; he is a son of Will- iam and Nancy Ogilvie. The former was born in Hardin County, Va., December 30, 1781; his parents were natives of Scotland. Mr. Ogilvie was a soldier in the war of 1812. He was twice married; first to Margaret Godfrey, by whom he had one child, Jane, who married Patrick Davidson of this county, where she resided till her death. She raised a large family of children, two of whom are still residents of this county. Mrs. Ogilvie died, and he married for his second wife Nancy Robey, who was born in Moorfield, Va., June 16, 1796. About 1822, he emigrated with his family to Ohio, and settled in Fairfield Township, Madison County, on land now owned by R. M. Johnson, where he resided till death. Mr. Ogilvie came here possessed of but little means. He first purchased eighty acres of land at $2 per acre, after which he made additional purchases, but never became an extensive land-holder, as at that early day he did not consider land of much value, most of it being very flat and wet and not at all inviting in its appearance. He followed farming and stock-raising through life, giving especial attention to the latter business in which he was very successful, and before his death he became possessed of a good competency. In his life and character, he was well known for probity, honesty and reliability. He held many offices of his township, and possessed the entire confidence of his community. He was a worthy member of the United Brethren Church, to which he belonged during nearly his entire residence in this county, and he filled most of the offices of the church. Ile died Decem- ber 25, 1857, and the church lost a faithful and devout supporter, and the com- munity a worthy and valued citizen. His wife died February 14, 1862, having been a faithful wife, a devoted mother and an earnest and devont Christian. They had six children-Elizabeth, married Rev. Isaac Pretzinger, and now resides at Galesburg. Ill .; Hannah, married Thomas Timmons; Elijah W.,
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the subject of this sketch; Mary, married Benjamin Price, and resides in Frank- lin County, Ohio; Nathan, married Angeline Lane; Julia Ann, married Daniel Thompson, but is now a widow and resides in Franklin County. The subject of this sketch, on December 5, 1844, married Charlotte Thompson, a native of this county, born September 20, 1826. They located in this township, where they have spent their lives, with the exception of four years, during which they resided in the adjoining county of Franklin. Mr. Ogilvie made farming and stock-raising his business till 1858, when he entered npon the mercantile busi- ness in the village of California, which he carried on very successfully for fif- teen years, since which he has lived retired from any active or regular line of business, devoting his attention to promiscuous trading and the proper eare and use of his land and capital. Mr. Ogilvie and wife have had six children- William, married Margaret Ann Hunter, and resides in Kansas; Daniel F., de- ceased; Jane, married W. A. Florence, and resides in Bates County, Mo .; Lucretia, married E. N. Miller, and is now removing to Missouri; Charles L., married Carrie Shepherd, and resides in Kansas, and John F., who died in in- faney. Mr. Ogilvie is a worthy member of the Methodist Church; has held most of the offices of his township, a man whose character and integrity are above reproach, and a much esteemed and respected citizen.
WILLIAM D. PRINGLE, farmer, P. O. Big Plain, was born near South Charleston. Clark Co., Ohio, JJanuary 14, 1813, and is a son of James and Sarah Pringle, he a native of Loudoun County, Va., and she of Kentucky. The grandfather, Thomas Pringle, was a native of England, and, when young, he entered the British Army, and it is believed fought under the crown in the war of the Revolution, was captured by the American Army, and after peace was declared became a settler of Virginia, where he married ; subsequently re- moved to Pennsylvania, thence to Kentucky, and became one of the early settlers of Bourbon County. In 1810, with his family, he settled near South Charleston, and was one of the pioneers of that township, where he died at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. James Pringle, the father of our sub- jeet, was the eldest of three brothers. Robert and William. the two younger, served in the war of 1812; the latter married in Kentucky, where he lived several years, but finally died near Urbana, Ohio. Robert married and settled near South Charleston, but about 1828 removed to Indiana, and from there to Washington County, Iowa, being one of the pioneer settlers of that county. About 1850, he started to visit his brother James, in Ohio, and while journey- ing down the river on a boat, was taken sick and died with what was supposed to be cholera. James, the father of our subject, married Sarah Vance, of Ken- tueky, and about 1810 removed to Ohio, and settled near South Charleston, they being among the pioneers of that section. There Mr. Pringle resided till his death. During the few last years of his life, he resided in South Charles- ton, having retired from the farm and all active labor. He died August 18, 1867, in his eighty-fifth year. His wife died April 21, 1876. in her eighty- eighth year. They had six children, of whom four grew to maturity-Thomas, David V., William D. and James. Thomas married Cynthia Herrod, and set- tled in Champaign County, Ohio, where he was a practicing physician for twenty-five years ; thence he came back to Clark County and resided at South Charleston till the death of his wife, after which he lived with his father till his death, September 17, 1859, aged fifty years. David V. married Margaret Davidson and settled near his father, and resided in the same neighborhood till his death. At the age of twelve years, long before there was any church edifice in the place, he was awakened by Spiritual grace at a prayer-meeting in a private house, and became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he continued for thirty-six years. In 1859, to gratify the wishes of his parents, who were members of the Presbyterian Church, with his wife,
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transferred their connection to that church. In March; 1860, he was chosen and ordained an Elder, and served acceptably as such till 1875, when, by his own request, from the infirmities of advancing years. he was excused from serving longer. He died March 10, 1882, aged seventy-one years. James, the youngest son, married Susan Bales, and also settled near his father. He became an extensive farmer and stock-dealer, and a leading business man of that com- munity ; he was a stockholder and one of the organizers of the National Bank of South Charleston, and also an active member of the Presbyterian Church. He died April 12, 1881, aged sixty-six years. Mr. James Pringle, the father of the sons above mentioned, set for them the noble example of early Christian work. In 1822, he was one of the constituent members and organizers of the Presbyterian Church of South Charleston, in which he was a Ruling Elder for forty years. Although he possessed the entire confidence of his community, and held from time to time many of his neighborhood and township offices, yet he never sought office. In his death, the church and the community lost one of their most useful members and a bright and shining light. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood in Clark County, and on November 5, 1835, was married to Catharine Bales, who was born in Frederick County. Va., April 2, 1813 ; she was a daughter of Thomas and Jane Bales, he a native of Penn- sylvania and she of Virginia. They were married in Virginia, where they set- tled and lived till the fall of 1832, when they emigrated to Ohio and settled in Madison County, where they lived till the death of his wife, in February, 1842. Subsequently he removed to South Charleston, where he died in March, 1861. aged eighty-four years. Mr. Bales was a very reserved and unpretentious man, devoting his life to farming, and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church many years. They had five sons and five daughters, of whom seven grew to maturity. and four now survive-Mary, wife of Thomas Chappell, residing in Illinois ; Moses; Catharine, and Susan Ann, now Widow Pringle. Mr. Pringle and wife have had seven children, of whom five now survive- James A., born November 24, 1836 ; Thomas J., born March 18, 1838 ; Susan A., born August 18, 1841 ; Mary E. Q., born August 18, 1843, and Charles W .. born September 6, 1850. The second son, Thomas J., is now a practicing law- yer in Springfield, Ohio. Mary E. Q., in 1867, married James C. Lyons, by whom she had three children, two now surviving-Anna C. and Leila M. Mr. Lyons died November 2, 1876, aged thirty-four years. Since his death, Mrs. Lyons, with her children, has lived with her parents. Charles W., the youngest son, who is unmarried. resides at home and is engaged in farming and stock- raising. and in buying and shipping grain at Lilly Chapel, under the firm name of Pringle & Bro. Mr. William D. Pringle, after his marriage, resided in Clark County, near South Charleston, till the spring of 1848, when he pur- chased and located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided, with the exception of two years, from 1865 to 1867, during which he lived near West Jefferson. His first purchase was 300 acres, since which he has added, by purchase, till he owned 850 acres of excellent land, from which he has apportioned a large amount to his children. On the home place he has erected fine, large buildings, and made other improvements. He is now one of the oldest living early settlers of this township, and has been one of the leading active men in all matters of public interest and improvement throughout his community ; he has held the various offices of his township, and commands the esteem and respect of his large circle of friends and acquaintances. Ho and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church, to which they have belonged forty-five years.
JAMES ALFRED PRINGLE, grain merchant and farmer, P. O. Big Plain, was horn near South Charleston, Clark County, Ohio. November 24, 1836; his ancestral history is given in the sketch of his father. William D. Pringle
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Mr. Pringle was raised in Madison County, being about twelve years of age when his father's family moved from Clark to Madison County. On February 7, 1861, he was united in marriage with Sarah Ann Fitzgerald, whose ancestral history is given in the sketch of her father, Judge Edward Fitzgerald. By this union they have four children-Elta C., born January 18, 1862; William Edward, born April 28, 1867; Lydia Mary, born February 17, 1872, and Anna Laura, born September 15, 1874. Mr. Pringle, after marriage, located on the place where he now lives and has since resided. For several years he gave his attention to raising and dealing in stock, carrying on an extensive and profit- able business. During the last five years he has given more attention to farm- ing and the raising of grain. In the fall of 1877, in company with his brother Charles, he entered upon the business of buying and shipping grain at Lilly Chapel, buying property there and erecting machinery for shelling corn, elevat- ing grain, etc., since which they have done a large business, which forms a leading enterprise of this community. Mr. Pringle is one of the live, active business men of this community. He has a fine farm of 250 acres, well im- proved, besides some town property in Columbus and Westerville. In the summer of 1881, he erected his present fine brick house, which is one of the best in the township.
VALENTINE RECOB, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, is a native of Madison County, where he was born July 25, 1844; he is a son of Valentine and Lydia Recob. The former was born in Ross County, Ohio, June 15, 1806, and was a son of Daniel and Catharine Recob, natives of Pennsylvania, who became early settlers of Ross County, Ohio, and thence removed to Clinton County, where Mrs. Recob died, after which he removed to Madison County, where he died. Valentine, the father of our subject, was raised to manhood in Ross County, and on April 1, 1829, married Lydia Toops, who was born in Ross County November 3, 1808, and was a daughter of Henry and Sarah Toops, natives of Pennsylvania, by which union they had eight children, four now surviving- William H., Valentine, Margaret (wife of Joseph Gardner) ,and Ellen (wife of Hamilton Badgley). Mr. Recob settled in Ross County; in 1840, he removed to Madison County and located on the Dun farm in Range Township. In 1846, he purchased the Melvin farm in Fairfield Township, where he lived till his death, December 15, 1877. He was a very industrious, hard-working man, of undoubted honor and integrity. He started out in life a poor man, and by his own industry and good management became possessed of a comfortable com- peteney, including 480 acres of land with good improvements. During the last twelve years of his life, he was an earnest worker in the Methodist Church, and died esteemed and respected by a large circle of friends and acquaintances. His wife still survives and resides on the home farm with her son-in-law, Ham- ilton Badgley, who was born in Greene County, Ohio, April 11, 1848, and was a son of Moses and Elizabeth Badgley, he a native of Preble County, Ohio, and she of Maryland. Moses was a son of Benjamin Badgley, a soldier in the war of 1812, under Gen. Hull, and one among the number surrendered to the British; he died in Preble County. Moses, who followed boating on the river for several years, finally married and settled in Greene County, and resided near Cedarville about nineteen years. His wife died in June, 1864. About 1867, he removed to near South Charleston, and there and near London spent the balance of his life; he died in August, 1879. He was the father of nine chil- dren, six now surviving-Henrietta, wife of Harvey Q. Downey. Hamilton, Harvey, Granville, Simeon and Alfred (twins). Mr. Hamilton Badgley was married to Ellen Recob October 19, 1876; they have one child-Warner, born March 8, 1878. They are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Recob, the subject of this sketch, was married, December 25, 1866, to Miss Alice Mcclellan, who was born in Ross County July 25, 1847, and was a
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daughter of William and Rachel MeClellan, he a native of Pennsylvania, and she of Ohio. He came to Ohio in 1843, married here, and had one child- Alice. Mr. MeClellan was twice married; by his first marriage he had one child, who, with its mother, died in Pennsylvania. Mrs. McClellan, the second wife, was also twice married; by her first husband, Samuel Cooper, she had two children-Emma (wife of John Hom), and Mary Ann (wife of James Pierce). Mr. MeClellan died in October, 1867. Mr. Recob and wife have two children -Ella May, born September 26. 1868: Nora Etta, born July 9, 1876. Mr. Recob first located where his mother and Mr. Badgley now live, and in March, 1879, they removed to their present location. He has 166 acres of land, with good buildings and improvements. He is a member of Gilroy Lodge, No. 695, I. O. O. F., at Lilly Chapel, to which he has belonged since its institution.
WILLIAM H. RECOB, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, was born in Ross County, Ohio, September 7, 1831, and is a son of Valentine and Lydia Recob, whose history is given in the sketch of Valentine Recob. Our subject was about nine years of age when his father with his family removed to Madison County, and here he grew to manhood, and was married, September 25, 1862, to Anna Sothoron, who was born in this county October 21, 1840; she was a daughter of Henry G. and Ann Sothoron, natives of Maryland. The grand- father, Sothoron, was of Scotch descent, and lived and died in the State of Maryland. The maternal grandfather, Henry Clark, came from Maryland to Ohio and was an early settler of Madison County, where he lived till his death. Henry G., who was born and raised in Maryland, married in that State, and about 1836 removed to Ohio and settled in Guernsey County. They after- ward removed to Madison County, and resided at Somerford and La Fayette, and in 1844 became residents of London, where they remained till their death, he February 6, 1858, and she January 14, 1882. They had seven children, of whom two died in Maryland, and five now survive-Margaret A., wife of J. M. Winchester; Mary E., wife of L. P. Wildman; John C .; Minerva, wife of Philip Sidner; and Anna, wife of William C. Recob, our subject. Mr. Sothoron was a plasterer by trade, which business he followed through life. He was an in- dustrious man, of firm principles. good morals and temperate habits, and was an active member of the society of Good Templars. Mr. Recob and wife have six children-Lydia, born March 28, 1864; John S., born October 25, 1865; Harriet, born February 27, 1868: Stephen D., born July 31, 1870; Maud, born February 20, 1873, and Harry, born February 1, 1881. Mr. Recob first settled on the old home place, where Mr. Badgley and Mrs. Lydia Recob now reside. In 1870, he removed to where he now lives. In 1868, he erected his present large frame house. He owns 190 acres of good land, and with the improve- ments he has made, has a pleasant home and farmer's residence. Ile has made farming his business through life, and is one of the leading and respected farmers of Fairfield Township. He is a member of Lilly Chapel Grange, No. 583, to which he has belonged since its institution. John C. Recob, a cousin of our subject, was born in Ross County, Ohio, November 13, 1829, and is a son of Jacob and Sarah Recob, of Ross County. He grew to manhood in Clin- ton County, Ohio, and about 1856 became a resident of Madison County. He has lived with our subject on his farm for twenty-five years, having never mar- ried.
FREDERICK RECOB, farmer, P. O. Lilly Chapel, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, December 13, 1819, and was a son of Daniel and Barbara Recob, he a native of Pennsylvania, and she of Ross County, Ohio. The grandpar- ents are given in the sketch of Valentine Recob. Daniel was a lad of nine years when his parents settled in Ross County, and there he grew to manhood and married Barbara Toops. They then located in Clinton County, where they lived four or five years, and then returned to Ross County and resided till his
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deatlı, September 29, 1857, aged sixty-one years. His wife survived him till in November, 1874, when she died at Williamsport, Pickaway County, Ohio, aged seventy-three years. They had ten children, six now surviving-Mary Ann, wife of Henry Roberson, living in Highland County; Frederick; John; George; Effie Ann, wife of Peter Snider, residing in Kansas; and Eliza, wife of Clinton Lee. Mr. Recob, the subject of this sketch, was raised in Ross County. On April 16, 1848, he married Susanna Grubb, who was born in Ross County April 26, 1826; she was a daughter of Daniel and Barbara Grubb. natives of Pennsylvania, who became early settlers of Ross County, Ohio, where they lived and died. They had sixteen children, eight now living-Jacob; Margaret, now Widow Strouse; Joseph; Elizabeth, wife of Michael Lallier; Christina, wife of J, Recob; Susanna; George; and Lucinda, wife of William Rube. Mr. Recob and wife have had ten children, nine now surviving-James M., born February 2, 1849, resides in Kansas; Joseplius, September 3. 1850; Thomas. J., October 16, 1851; Lucinda E., February 23, 1853, wife of Calvin Durflinger; Eliza J., March 10, 1855; Hester Ann, January 13, 1857, wife of Ros- well Hume; Cornelius, September 28, 1858; Jamison, April 30. 1860; John B. February 9, 1863; and Mary E., born July 17, 1867. In the fall of 1853, Mr. Recob removed to Madison County and settled on the place where he now lives and has since resided-a period of twenty-nine years. This farm he pur- chased of Amos Morris; it then consisted of 105 acres, from which he soon after sold a portion, reserving 196 acres which he still owns. Mr. Recol started ont in life a poor man, and when he purchased his farm he went in debt for it; but by his own industry and labor and that of his family, his fine farm and pleasant home is now his own, and he owes no man. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, to which they have belonged many years.
JOHN C. STRAIN, farmer, P. O. Big Plain, was born in Highland County, Ohio, January 18, 1812, and is a son of John and Jane Strain, natives of South Carolina, who removed to Ohio and settled in Highland County about 1810. being among the early settlers of that county, where they remained till their death. Mr. Strain was a cooper by trade in his younger years, but after his arrival in Ohio he gave his principal attention to farming. He was a worthy member of the Presbyterian Church for many years, and died esteemed and respected by all who knew him. He was the father of four children, of whom two died unmarried. Thomas married and subsequently removed to Iowa, where he died in the spring of 1831, aged about seventy-five years ; and John C., the subject of this sketch, being now the only surviving one of his father's family ; he grew to manhood in Highland County, and on December 26, 1833, was married to Delilah Powers, a native of Ohio, born September 11, 1814. By her he has had ten children, four now surviving-Mardella, born April 21, 1842; William, born August 25, 1847 ; Nancy G., born August 31, 1850, wife of W. Scott Roberson; and Isaac, born January 28, 1856. Mr. Strain, after their marriage, raised one crop of grain in Highland County, and in the fall of 1834, removed to Madison County, where he has since resided, a period of nearly half a century. He first located on and opened out the farm where Henry Luse now lives, which is now owned by Charles Warner. In 1869, having sold the above farm, he bought and located where he now lives, and has since resided. He is now one among the oldest residents of Fairfield Township. and has been one of her most prominent and useful citizens. About 1841, he was elected a Justice of the Peace, which office he filled to the satisfaction of the people for twenty-one consecutive years, when he refused all solicitations to again accept the office. In 1869, he was elected Treasurer of Fairfield Township, to which office he has ever since been re-elected, a period of thirteen years. He was Postmaster in California from 1869 to 1874.
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ROBERT THOMAS, farmer, P. O. Big Plain, a native of Madison County, was born March 2, 1822, and is a son of Elijah and Margaret Thomas, natives of Virginia. The grandparents, Robert and Mary Thomas, were natives of Virginia, his ancestors being from Wales and hers from England. They emi- grated from Virginia to Ohio and settled on the Scioto, in Franklin County, about 1810. They had, however, made a short stop in Muskingum County, prior to settling in Franklin County. At that time there was no town where the city of Columbus now is, and Mr. Thomas hunted through the woods on the very ground where the city now stands. About 1815, he, with his family, removed to Madison County, and settled on a tract of land just east of Cali- fornia, in fact, the east part of the town is built on his land, and here he remained till his death. August 9, 1831, aged sixty-five years. His wife died August 28, 1844. aged seventy-two years. They were truly pioneers of Ohio, experiencing all that was wild and rough in this then vast wilderness. Of their children, Elijah, the father of our subject, was but a youth when they came to Ohio, and at the time of the war of 1812, he was about sixteen years of age and desired to enlist in the war as a soldier, but being so young was prevented from doing so by his friends. He grew to manhood, and married Margaret Godfrey, and about 1824 they removed to Kentucky to take care of his wife's mother, who resided there, and who was old and feeble. After her death, they returned to this county, where they resided till their death, he, July 4, 1860, aged sixty-five years, and she in August, 1857, aged sixty-three years. They had seven children, of whom six grew to maturity, and four now survive- Robert; Eleanor F., wife of Charles B. Johnson ; Margaret, now Widow Rea, residing in Nebraska, and Charles C. The subject of this sketch is now one of the oldest settlers who was born and raised in this county. He was married, January 1, 1854, to Lacy Ann Bell, born in this county January 7, 1839, and a daughter of Thomas and Sarah Bell, he a native of England and she of Ross County, Ohio. They were quite early settlers of Madison County, where his wife died September 23, 1842. They had ten children, of whom seven grew to maturity, four now survive-Sarah Ann (wife of Thomas Douglas), John (both reside in Iowa), Elizabeth and Lacy Ann. Subsequently Mr. Bell married for his second wife Susan Montgomery, by whom he had four children, three now surviving-Celinda C. (wife of John Martin), Andrew S. and Eva (wife of Caleb Lucas). Mr. Bell died February 3, 1875, aged eighty years. Mr. Thomas and wife have had eleven children, eight now surviving-Charles Nelson, born December 29, 1859 ; John W., May 1, 1862 ; Rebecca Ellen, October 9, 1864 ; William, July 6, 1867 ; James Elmer, April 3, 1870 ; Eva C., May 6, 1872 ; Cyrus Milton, November 2, 1878; and Alice G., born August 23, 1880. Mr. Thomas has made farming his occupation through life, and from his birth he has resided in sight of where he now lives, a period of threescore years. Although in his youthful days, from the meager advantages then existing, he obtained but little schooling, yet his life has been filled with usefulness, he having been an energetic, active member of the community, aiding in the gen- eral public improvements. He was one of the men who laid out the town of California, and has given freely of his means and influence in supporting schools, and in building and supporting the Methodist Episcopal Church at California, of which he and wife have been members for a score of years.
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