The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 132

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 132

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:

I threw him very quickly. No sooner had he struck the ground than the In- dians set up a great shout at his expense. which greatly enraged my an- tagonist. While I was talking, he slipped up behind me and threw me with such violence as greatly to injure my breast, which retained the soreness produced thereby for a long time. After reaching home, some nice por- tions of venison were sent me in recognition of my skill in throwing the big Indian.

Some eighteen years before the death of my wife, she experienced a wonderful cure from a very serious sickness. One of her hands became strangely affected, being much swollen and almost useless, giving her at times great pain. In addition, she had great difficulty in breathing; 80 much so that she dared not lie down for fear of suffocation. From these afflictions, she was much reduced in strength, and at last was entirely pros- trated-unable to walk and needing some one to watch with her day and night. This had been her condition for a long time; we had begun to des- pair of her recovery. On a certain evening she said to the person waiting on her, that she must arouse her up, in case she went to sleep, as she very inuch feared if she did not she would be sure to smother. In a few moments she dropped into a doze, and beginning to smother we raised her up and she was relieved. I being weary, laid down to rest, and in a few moments was sound asleep. Presently my wife lay down again. She afterward told us that as she did so she prayed, saying, "O Lord, do with me as Thou seest best." She soon fell asleep, and without any further trouble in breathing, slept soundly for about two hours. At the expiration of that time, I was awakened by her talking. She told the lady who was watching with her, that she felt she was made new, and that she was sure she could get up and walk across the room as well as she could twenty years ago. The lady expressed her astonishment, and I said, " I have no doubt vou think so, but I don't believe you have strength to do it." She replied, " My dear. I will show you," and rising from the bed, she walked rapidly back and forth across the room, clapping her hands, and saying, "I am made whole, soul and body." And strange to say, her hand so badly swollen, and for so long a time nearly useless, was entirely restored, the swelling going down and its ordinary strength immediately returning. The same was true of her general debility; it was removed instantly.

After this change, she was spared to us for eighteen years, dying January 19, 1855, and never, in her life enjoyed better health than during that time. Her own statement was that during the sleep referred to, she was taken to heaven; saw the beauties of the place; heard the sweetest music that ever fell on her ears; that, she was told she could not remain, but must return to earth and publish these things to as many as she could reach. The neighbors came from all directions and great distances to hear her strange account and see for themselves the wonderful cure that God had wrought in her. To them, she would tell her experience, and confessed to having been sanctified during this time. And such was the earnestness of her Christian life, and the consistency of her daily life, as to confirm her confession.

We had born to us the following children, viz .: Susannah, born Sep- tember 29, 1808; James. December 20, 1810; Jesse, April 29, 1813; Eliza- beth, June 15. 1815: Mary E .. September 16, 1817; Samuel H., September 7. 1821; Isabella, September 10. 1824; Stephen, June 4, 1827; David, June 24. 1830; Catherine P., April 26. 1833; Josephine. March 19, 1836;

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Louisa, December 27. 1840. Of these, Susannah, Isabella. Stephen and David are living.

There are many incidents of deep interest to myself that come to my mind as I think of the past. Some of them might be considered worthy of a record in this sketch: and it may be that some of my friends, who have heard me speak of them, will wonder why I have not written them. But upon the whole. I do not deem them of sufficient importance to justify their notice in this place.

In conclusion, I may say I am now an old man, and have lived for more than sixty years on this spot. I shall soon go the way of all the earth; and in view of this solemn fact. it is an unspeakable pleasure to me to know that during all that time I have lived in peace with my neighbors, no serious misunderstanding having occurred in all these years. I have wit- nessed numerous and great changes, and rejoice to believe that the majority of them have resulted in good to my fellow-men. I do not sigh for the days or usages of the past. believing that the present is immeasurably better than the past. If what I have written shall aid in keeping fresh in the memory of my friends anything worthy of their remembrance, and in show- ing the young people of to-day their superior advantages, I shall feel that I have not written in vain. DAVID WATSON, SR.

LONDON, Ohio, April, 1870.

Mr. Watson died April 19, 1870.

PAINT TOWNSHIP.

MADISON A. BASKERVILLE. farmer and stock-raiser. P. O Lon - don. was born in Paint Township. February 15, 1840. His father. William Baskerville, was born in Virginia, and died in Ohio August 4, 1867. His grandfather. Samuel. was born east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Va., and in 1807 removed to Ohio. In 1810, he was one of the Associate Judges of the county. and on June 7. 1813,he received from the Government a land warrant for 3331 acres of land. Our subject was raised by his father, with whom he remained until his father's death, when he took possession of the farm. which consists of 202 acres. In 1850, he married Mahoney Creamer, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Benson) Creamer, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Virginia. and both are now living at Mechanics- burg. They had six children, of whom Mrs. Baskerville was the oldest of three girls and the fourth child of the family. She was born December 13, 1844, and by her Mr. Baskerville has had six children, viz .: Mahoney (de- ceased); Maud (deceased): Icie (deceased); an infant, deceased; William B. born May 6, 1867, and Jacob, H., born December 28. 1875. Mr. Baker- ville is a Republican in politics, and has been Trustee of the Township.

GEORGE W. BOTKIN, farmer. P. O. South Charleston, was born near South Charleston. Clark Co., Ohio, October 10, 1829. His grand- parents came to Ohio from Virginia. in 1802, and settled for a time in Warren County. but afterward moved to Clinton County, near Todd's Fork, three miles from Wilmington. where they remained until 1808, when they permanently settled in Clark County. The father of our subject, Jere- miah Botkin. came West with his parents and followed their fortunes to

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their settlement in Clark County. He married Anna Elsworth, December 9, 1806. and had by her nine children, viz .: Jesse, Levi S., Ruhama, Mar garet, Amos, Moses E .. George W., Annie and William I. Our subject re- mained with his father, farming in summer and teaching school in winter, until April 5, 1849, when he married Eliza Maxey, daughter of Stephen and Fanny Maxey. By her he had six children, viz. : Frances E., Albert C., Mary E. (wife of Henry H. Snyder, London), Florence J. (deceased, wife of Franklin Pierce, of Franklin County), Stephen H. and Annie J. After mar- riage, our subject engaged in farming for himself, and has so continued. now owning 180 acres of good land. He is a Republican, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and of the Grand Army of the Republic.

VINCENT L. BUEL, farmer, P. O. Walnut Run, was born in Ver- mont July 1, 1828. His father came to Ohio in the fall of 1833, or 1835, and located at Cleveland, where he remained five years. He then moved to Circleville, and two years later came to Madison County, Ohio. He was a farmer and lumber dealer by occupation. His family consisted of eleven children, viz .: Julia E., Eliza A., Fannie M., David C., Jane W., Will- iam H., Mary M., Vincent L., James E., George W. and Caroline E. Our subject was raised on the farm and attended the public schools, in which he received his only education. On March 25, 1854, he married Nancy H. Farrer, who was born September 1, 1834. By this marriage five chil- dren were born, viz .: Albert L., born October 20, 1858; Luther, born January 15, 1860, and died in infancy; John W., born in January 25, 1861, and died September 4, 1863; Edward Grant, born November 28, 1867, and F. M., born May 10. 1871. Mr. Buel cast his first vote for a Democratic can- didate, but since then has always voted with the Republicans. He now re- sides on 187 acres of good land on the London & Washington Turnpike, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising.

JAMES E. BUEL, farmer, P. O. Walnut Run, was born in Vermont September 11, 1830. He is a brother of V. L. Buel, in whose sketch an ac- count of the family's settlement in Ohio is given. Our subject was raised on a farm mostly in Ohio, and received his educatiou by an irregular at tendance at the public schools of his neighborhood. He enlisted in the war against Mexico, was sent to Madison, Ind .. from there to Jefferson barracks. and two weeks later to Vera Cruz, where he remained until marched to the City of Mexico. When he returned home, he engaged in farming on seventy acres of land in Range Township. He was married, in 1854, to Isa- belle Bethards, whose father was born in Maryland in 1800, and died in this county in 1871, and whose mother was born in 1809. They were the parents of nine children, all now living and married. Mr. Buel by his mar- riage became the father of five children, viz. : Theodore. William, Elizabeth. Charles A. and Ada M. Mr. Buel now lives on the London & Midway pike, where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising.

JAMES S. CLEELAND, carpenter and storekeeper, Newport, was born in Pennsylvania October 18, 1825. He is the son of John and Sarah (Stewart) Cleeland, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of Pennsylvania. Our subject received his education in the graded schools of Clark County and in Wittenburg Collego, Springfield. He re. mained on the farm until nineteen years of age. when he learned the car- penter's trade, which he has followed twenty-three years. He also operated a saw-mill, which he sold in 1864. In 1874, he removed to Ohio and oper- ated a store at Newport, in which he still continues. He also works at his trade and owns eighty acres of land in Indiana. In 1861, he married Mary

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Jewell, who died in 1873, leaving one child-James-born in 1869. Mr. and Mrs. Cleeland were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he is a local preacher. He formerly voted the Free-Soil ticket, but is now a Republican. He has been Township Clerk and is now a Justice of the Peace.

JOHN G. COBERLY, farmer and stock- raiser. P.O. Walnut Run, was born on his present farm January 1, 1818. Thomas Coberly, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of Virginia, and emigrated to Ohio about 1810. He came to Madison County, purchasing 100 acres of land, in Paint Town- ship, where he resided till death. He was a pioneer citizen of this part of Madison County, and an industrious man through life. He reared a family of three daughters and four sons-William, Job, Andrew, James, Eva (wife of William Watson), Polly (wife of James Sutton), and Hannah (wife of William Sutton). One son, William, the father of John G., was born in Virginia, and after coming to this county served in the American Army during the war of 1812. He was a farmer and trader and followed those occupations through life. He was joined in marriage to Amantha Green, a native of Virginia, who presented him with five children, all living-John G .; James, a resident of Missouri; Betsey, wife of John Berry, of New- port; Hannah, wife of Augustus Watson, of Bates County, Mo. ; and William, residing at Georgesville, Franklin Co., Ohio. Mrs. Coberly departed this life in 1822, and Mr. C. married for his second wife Mrs. Sarah (Miller) Hamilton, widow of Thomas Hamilton. Of the nine children born to this latter union, five survive-Catherine (wife of Jackson Willoughby, of London), Andrew Jackson (in charge of the Newport saw-mill), Samuel (a farmer, residing in Newport), Thomas (same occupation and residence), Sarah (wife of James Crawford, of Paint Township), and Mary (wife of John Murl, of Chester Township, Clinton Co., Ohio. Mr. Coberly died in June, 1865. John G. Coberly grew to manhood on the old homestead, his educational fa- cilities being rather limited. He remained with his father until thirty-three years of age, when he purchased 130 acres of land, located between his present farm and the Madison & Fayette pike. He resided there six years and then rented the " Job Plowman farm," now owned by Richard Florence, ex-Treasurer of Madison County, where he farmed for one year. Ho then removed to the home farm, and a year later built his present residence. From 1862 to 1865, he lived on John Dunn's farm, in Deer Creek Town- ship, and subsequently on land owned by John Houston, in the same lo- cality. He then came to his present farm of fifty acres, having previously sold his first purchase. Mr. Coberly is a member of the Republican party, but has never been an aspirant for office. He was married, in 1851, to

Eliza. daughter of Thomas Hamilton. Five children were born to these parents-Winfield, Serepta, Perry (residing at Springfield, Clark Co., Ohio). Robert B. and Rodney. Mrs. Coberly was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and departed this life in December, 1880

SAMUEL COBERLY, farmer. P. O. Walnut Run, son of William Coberly, whose sketch appears under the name of John G. Coberly, of this township, was born in Madison County July 4 1832. He was raised

as a farmer and has spent his entire life in that occupation. Ho received a limited education in the district schools of his neighborhood, which he attended when work on the farm was slack. He married Eliza Simpkins, of Clark County, Ohio, by whom he has had four children, viz .: Darius, born October 6, 1852, married Lavina Clark and has three children; Mary, born March S, 1860; Dora, born April 4, 1862, married David Suth, and

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has two children: and Samuel W .. born July 31. 1869. Mr. C. remained on his father's farm five years after marriage, when the farm was sold to Samuel Watson, with whom he remained as a tenant eighteen years. He then moved to Clark County, and remained two years, after which he went to John G. Coberly's. and from there to where he now resides, in Paint Township, having lived there three years. He is a vigorous, industrious man, a good, practical farmer and steady in all his habits.

JOHN CRAWFORD, farmer, P. O. London, is son of William and Sarah (Blizard) Crawford. His father came to Ohio from West Virginia. about 1814, and located on a farm two miles west of London; from there he moved to Midway, and then to the farm occupied by our subject, on the Madison & Fayette Turnpike. He was hardy pioneer and good farmer, and lived until 1875. Subject's mother was also an early pioneer of the county, her parents having come from the neighborhood of Chillicothe in 1811. They had twelve children. Our subject's grandfather was born near Culpeper Court House, W. Va .. where he lived and died. John was raised and born in the county, where he has since resided. He attended the public schools at intervals, and received the rudiments of an English edu- cation. He is a Democrat in politics, having cast his first vote for George B. McClellan, and in 1874, served as Township Assessor. He occupies 190} acres of land, where his father settled, and is engaged in farming and stock- raising.

STEEL DOUGLASS. James Douglass, the father of our subject, was the eighth child of William Douglass who, it is said, was born in Ireland and emigrated to America when a youth. On June 21, 1753, he married Elizabeth Matthews, of York County. Penn., where he afterward lived. James Douglass was born in York County October 8. 1769, and on October 27, 1797, married Polly Taylor, oldest child of James and Martha (Steel) Taylor. There were born to them nine children, seven sons and two daugh- ters, viz .: Levi, born April 4, 1799; Elizabeth, born July 29, 1801; Absa- lom, born October 22, 1804; Jeptha, born September, 11, 1806; Thompson. born April 2, 1808; Steel, born March 10, 1810; Milo Adams, born August 12, 1812; Seymour Austin, born July 15, 1815, and Mary May, born May 15, 1818. All grew up and raised families, except Levi, who died in Co- lumbiana County, Ohio, in his sixteenth year. Only two, Thompson and Steel, now survive. Mr. Douglass moved to Columbiana County, Ohio, in April, 1800; thence to Warren County in 1815, and one year later to Clinton County, where he settled on what was known as Hinkson's Prairie, on An- derson's Fork. He died August 21, 1835, leaving the home place of 232 acres to the four youngest sons. Our subject was raised to hard work on the farm, attending country schools during the winter seasons. Shortly after his father's death, Thompson. the eldest, son, sold his interest in the home farm to the other three sons, and our subject being the eldest left, as- sumed the management of the farm. In the spring of 1840. he sold his in- terest to the others and moved to Madison County, where he devoted his time to farming in summer and teaching in winter. In 1843. he married Sarah Ann Thompson, eldest daughter of Charles and Rebecca (Graham) Thompson. After marriage, he settled in Union (now Paint) Township, on a farm of 160 acres. In 1854. he sold this place and bought 220g acres near Newport, in this township. This he has since divided between his children, reserving for himself only a nominal rent for life. His wife died of consumption Jannary 3, 1876, having borne him six children, viz. : Charles Anderson, born June 11. 1844, married Emma J. Morris January

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7, 1869. and has two daughters: James Porter, born December 15, 1846, married Charlotte Belle Postle December 24, 1868, and has two children ; Mary, born October 31. 1848, and died August 18, 1872; Rebecca Jane, born June 11, 1853, and died May 27, 1880. married John Harrow, October 16, 1873, and has three children: Dora Ann, born August 10, 1857, and died February 12, 1858; and Milo, born September 21, 1859, married Anna May Giffin, of Sabina, Ohio, May 10, 1881, and has no children. Mr. Douglass is, as was his wife, a member of the Methodist Church. He was an Old-Line Whig until the formation of the Republican party, since whichi time he has voted with the latter party. He has never taken an active in terest in politics, but has served his township in the capacity of Justice. Trustee and Clerk. He is a firm advocate of temperance principles, and has been a member of the temperance society, but is opposed to abolition JOHN W. EACHUS, farmer, P. O. London, Ohio, was born near Rich- mond. Ind., October 4, 1829. His mother, Elizabeth Troxel, was a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Troxel, who came from Virginia to Ohio during the second decade of the present century. Our sub ject's father went West after marriage, and rented land until 1833, when he returned to Ohio and remained until his death, which occurred in Angust, 1856. He had a family of nine children-four sons and five daughters. Of the latter, the survivors are Sallie, wife of Thomas Cul- lumber, of Franklin County: Elizabeth A., wife of Moses Seads, of Picka way County; and Caroline, wite of William Kog, of Franklin County. The subject of this sketch remained at home in Franklin County with his parents until his marriage, when he rented a farm for five years, and in 1864 he came to where he now lives. In 1854, he married Sarah L. Hut son, daughter of John K. Hutson, whose sketch appears under the name of Austin S. Hutson. Mr. Eachus, by his marriage, has had six children. viz .. Viola (wife of Frank Mitchell), Orianna (wife of John Sifrit), Euge- nia J. (wife of Harry Barker), John W., Scott M. and Holton. Mr. Eachus is a prominent man in his township, and for nine terms served as one of the Board of Trustees. His wife is a member of the Methodist Church.

ROBINSON FLORENCE, farmer, P. O. London, was born in Picka. way County. Ohio, December 25, 1809. His father, William Florence, na- tive of Virginia, and came to Pickaway County at an early day. He was a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of that county during life. and accu- mulated a large property. His political opinions were Republican. He rep- resented his district in the Ohio Legislature, an ! for many years was a Judge of the Common Pleas Court of that county. He married Fanny Rob- inson, a native of Virginia, and by her had eight children-five daughters and three sons -- of whom only two are now living -Mrs. Radcliff, of Illi nois and our subject. Mrs. Florence died about 1819, and Mr. Florence married Mrs. Isabella (Barr) Denney, who had a family of four children -- three daughters and one son. Her marriage to Mr. Florence was with- ont issue. She died in 1852, he having died previously. while in his ninety sixth year. Our subject was raised on a farm and has made that occupation the work of his life. When twenty-three years of age, he married Elizabeth Williams, a native of Virginia, and a daughter of John and Mary (Phifer) Williams. She inherited one-fourth of 1, 300 acres of land from her father, from which the young couple commenced their married life. By earnest and faithful labor, Mr. Florence has provided for a large family of children, and has accumulated sufficient property to enable him to live comfortably without work, for the remaining days of his life. He has sold a goodly part

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of his lands. now owning about 400 acres. He is a Republican in politics, but has never taken a very active part in politics, his official career consist- ing only of one term each as Township Trustee and Supervisor. He has had eleven children born to him, seven now living, viz .: Richard (ex-Treas- urer of Madison County), William, Mary, Eliza, Fannie (widow of Rev. John B. Clark, deceased, of Pittsburgh, a Presbyterian minister and a Colonel in the Union army, during the rebellion), John, Charles and Edward. Mrs. F. has been a member of the Methodist Church many years.

JOHN L. GALLAGHER, farmer, was born in Sligo County, Ireland, on the good Friday before Easter, of the year 1826. His parents, Patrick and Ann (McDermont) Gallagher, emigrated to America in 1849, and located in South Charleston, where they remained one summer, after which they moved to Madison County, where the mother died in 1857. The father still lives, and resides with a daughter at Newport, Ky. Our subject came to America two years before his parents, and landed at New Orleans. He came to South Charleston, after spending two years in Cincinnati, and engaged with his father in working out a lease in that county. Ten years later, he took a lease himself on David Herold's land, where he worked six years. He then purchased 153 acres, where he now lives, to which he has added, from time to time, until now he owns 515 acres. When twenty-five years of age, he married Bridget Gilmore, of Cincinnati, by whom he had one child -- Mary Jane, born eight- een months after marriage, and died in infancy. Three months after the child's death, the mother died, and one year later Mr. Gallagher married Ann Dare, of Xenia, by whom he has had thirteen children. viz .: Frank, Margaret (died aged one year), John, Anna, Mary, Peter, Catharine, Mary, Ellen, James, Thomas, William and George Edward. Mr. Gallagher is a Democrat and a member of the Catholic Church. He is a steady, hard- working man, and by dint of industry has become one of the large land- holders of the county.

AUSTIN S. HUTSON, P. O. London, Superintendent of the Buffen- burg farm-probably the largest one in Ohio-was born near South Solen, in Stokes Township, this county, August 14, 1889. His grandfather, Skin- ner Hutson, was a native of London, England, and came to America and settled in Kentucky. He came to Madison County, locating in Stokes Township, in 1804, where he resided till his death. One son, John Hut- son, the father of our subject, was born in Kentucky in 1799, but was reared mostly in this county. He was the owner of a farm of 2663 acres, a portion of which is the site of the village of South Solon. Mr. Hutson laid ont this portion of the farm in village lots, which he donated to those wish- ing to locate thereon. He married Hannah Mahaffey, a native of Adams County. Obio. They were the parents of twelve children-five living. One child, Angelina, present wife of Richard T. Colburn, of Elizabeth- town, N. J., married for her first husband " Major" Peter Buffenburg. the owner of this large estate. He departed this life in 1878. Mr. Hutson died in 1874, and his wife in 1874. The subject of this sketch was early educated in the district schools, and when thirteen years of age left his home to reside with " Major " Peter Buffenburg, where he remained until September 17, 1861. On that day, he enlisted in Company B, Fourth Ohio Cavalry, at Cincinnati, and formed a portion of the ten thousand men un- der Gen. Ormsby Mcknight Mitchell, and always known as the old Army of the Cumberland. He subsequently served under Gens. Burnside and Grant, re-enlisted as a veteran. and was musterd out as a non-com- missioned officer, after a term of service covering four years and two

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The history of Madison County, Ohio, Part 132

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