|
Home Advertising Biographies Business Directories Cemeteries Census Class Reunion Family Bibles Family Links History of Madison County Location Lookups Maps Madison County Links Marriages Mortality Schedules Newspaper Clippings Obituaries Ohio County Formation Perpetual Calendar Photo Album Queries Surnames Who Are They? Wills Contact us
Search Engine
| Member | |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
In giving the history of the early settlers, we endeavor to arrange them strictly by the boundary lines of the townships as they now exist, and not as they were at the time the settlements were made. With this understanding, we now proceed to mention the pioneers and early settlers of Union Township and from an extended and careful research, and consultation with most of the oldest living residents, and making free use of the township and county records, to obtain dates and facts corroborative of evidence elsewhere obtained, we have gleaned the following, which, though not a complete list of all early settlers, and probably not without some errors and slight mistakes, yet, we believe it as nearly correct as can be gathered at this period, so far distant from the dates of the first settlements. The persons who probably may be accorded the honor of being the first to locate within the present limits of Union Township, were William Blair and James LaBarr, who probably located on Glade Run about the same time, and that was very soon after 1800, perhaps 1802-04. The former was a preacher in the Christian, or New Light Church. He located on land now owned by Josiah Melvin. The latter, James LaBarr, was a miller by trade, and remained here but a short time, till he removed to the Darby, to follow his trade in a mill which was early erected there. John Deeds, of German descent, was probably the next to locate in the township. He, with his family, settled on Deer Creek. on land now owned by the Mantilla heirs, about 1803-5;: was a blacksmith by trade, and probably the first in the township, and perhaps in the county. Of his children were George, Philip, John G. and one daughter. They remained here a few years, sold out to William Smith, and removed to Pickaway County, Ohio. John McDonald, a native of Virginia, married a Miss Schuyler, and at an early day emigrated to Tennessee. In April, 1807, he with his family, came to Madison County, and settled on the Glade, where he died in 1811. His children were as follows: Maudlin, died in Tennessee; Thomas, died at Woodstock, Champaign Co., Ohio; James and John, died on the Glade; Samuel, died in St. Clair County, Ill.; Betsey, died in Alabama; George, also died in St. Clair County. Ill.; and Schuyler, who died on the Glade. Of the above, James, the third child, married in Tennessee, Miss Nancy Cook, a native of New Jersey and with his family came to this county with his father, and with him settled on the Glade Run. Their children were Mary, now Widow Ferguson, residing in Iowa; George, married Malinda Ferguson, by whom he has one daughter now living: Mary Ann, now the wife of Judge Fulton, of Columbus; Phebe, now Mrs. Luffburrough, residing in Iowa; Elizabeth, now Mrs. John Davis, resides near California, this county; Charity, married Walker Graham, resides in Indiana; John, died unmarried, and Maley, who resides in Iowa. Of this numerous family, the true pioneers of this county, but one surviving son is now a resident of Madison County, George, who is now quite advanced in years, and resides in London, retired from all active business. He has lived to see the wonderful changes in the transformation of this county from its wild and primitive state as they found it three quarters of a century ago, to its present condition of comfort and prosperity, amounting almost to grandeur, as it is now one of the best agricultural counties of the State. And this family of whom we have here traced their history in brief, have largely contributed to bring about this result. They have been pioneer workers in establishing schools and churches; in elevating the educational. moral and Christian status of their communities. And although most of them are now resting beneath the sod of the land of their early adoption, yet the rising generations in the enjoyment of all these present blessings and comforts, can but feel their hearts throb with gratitude in memory of these worthy pioneers, who have left them so rich a legacy.
The Melvin family settled on the Glade in 1808 and 1809. It appears they were natives of Virginia, although they came to this county from Tennessee. The first family of this name to settle here was that of Thomas Melvin, who located here in the spring of 1808. He was born January 21, 1782, and died in the fall of 1808, having survived only a few months after locating here. He was the eldest son of John Melvin, Sr., who married Jane Barnes, and with his family came to the Glade in 1809, locating on the place now owned by the Widow Marsh, and there resided till his death. Besides their eldest son mentioned above, they had the following children: Charles, Polly, Abby, Bartholomew, Joseph, Samuel and Jefferson, all now deceased; and the only descendant of this large family, who is now a resident of this county, is John Melvin, Jr., a son of Bartholomew Melvin, who still resides on the Glade. Joseph Melvin, a cousin of the above John Melvin, Sr., settled on the Glade, with his family at the same time of the latter. He married Phebe Van Vacter, and the following were their children: Benjamin, John, Silas, Joseph, Sallie, Thomas and Jane, all deceased; and the only descendants of this family. now in the county, are the children of John, the second son, who married Sallie Inzer, by whom he had the following children: Josiah, who is married, and resides on the Glade; Jane, married John Jones, of London; Benjamin, resides in Indiana, and Phebe, who married Isaac Jones, of London. About 1808-10, Lewis Coon, a native of Virginia, and several of his nephews located on Deer Creek, on or near the Minshall lands, and it is probable that here the old gentleman died. Of the nephews we gather the following names: Jacob, Henry, Adam, Lewis and Abraham, who all married, and had large families, and each family had a "Jake," and to distinguish one from the other they were known in the community as " Old Jake, "Fatty Jake," Yankee Jake," "Fiddler Jake," "Little Jake" and "Cutty Jake." They were a family well known for their honesty, and uprightness; good neighbors and respected citizens; but most of them after several years' residence, moved West, and of their families we can gather but little, except of Jacob Coon, Sr., who resided here till about 1848, when he removed to Missouri, and subsequently to Illinois, where he died, aged ninety-five years. He was twice married; by his first wife he had four sons and four daughters -- Michael, a resident of Piatt County. Ill.; Jacob, married Elizabeth Applegate, had one son -- Addison, and removed to Illinois, where he died, about 1876; William, married and settled in Illinois. where he died; Thomas, died in Missouri, while in the army during the war of the rebellion; Anna, married Elisha Moore, by whom she had four children -- Harriet, Robert, Henry and Eliza; the latter died young. Mrs. Moore died in 1836, with milk sickness; Catharine, married John Moore, by whom she had six children, who grew to maturity; David and William, both in Missouri; Jane, married George W. Hathaway, and resides at Dodge City, Kan.; Mary and Sarah (twins), married two brothers -- Samuel and James Morris, and settled in Warren County, Ill.; Sarah, is deceased. Mr. Coon's second wife was Elizabeth Melvin, by whom he had three sons and four daughters; two of these sons died in the army, and the surviving one resides in Missouri; the daughters removed West and some are deceased. Mrs. Coon is still living in the West at an advanced age.
William Starns, from Tennessee, settled on the Glade in 1808-9, where he resided till his death, about 1830; his wife. Nancy, died a little earlier. Their children were James, Betsy, Nancy, Polly, Margaret, William, Abby, Rebecca and John. Mr. Starns was a farmer, and a man of sterling worth and integrity. William Smith, a native of Pennsylvania, came to the Glade a young, unmarried man, about 1812-13. He made his home first at James McDonald's; soon after he purchased the Deeds place. He returned to his native State, married, and brought his wife to his new home, on Deer Creek, where, about 1814, he erected a saw mill. He lived but a few years, had no children, and was buried on the place. William Aikin settled near the Melvins, on the Glade, about 1810-12. He resided there six or seven years and sold out to the Melvins. This new country was too sickly for them and they moved back to their native State. He was a man of excellent character, and a worthy citizen.
We have thus far confined ourselves to the eastern portion of the Township; we will now mention some of the early settlers in other parts of the Township. Philip Cryder was born in Pennsylvania, but while young removed with his father to Newtown, Va.. where he grew to manhood and married Nancy McClintick, a sister of Judge McClintick, who has since become so well-known in Ross County, Ohio. In 1806, in company with David Watson, Jonathan Minshall and others, in all thirty-nine persons, emigrated to Ohio, and first stopped at Chillicothe, and there purchased a tract of land embracing 800 acres, for which he paid about $2 per acre. Others of this company purchased large tracts of land. They then organized a surveying party under Col. Elias Langham, and left Chillicothe to survey and locate their lands. Mr. Cryder, David Watson and a few others, composed this party. They had, as may well be imagined, a very rough tour, camping out nights and coursing through the unbroken wilderness, but they accomplished their purpose, and in 1807-8, Mr. Cryder located with his family on his land, erected a cabin in which he was assisted by two neighbors. Mr. Fry and Maj. Withrow, and two Indians, one of whom was the well-known hunter, Capt. John, who visited the early settlers throughout this section very frequently, and who it is said was killed in combat with a deer, both he and the deer being found dead lying side by side as they had fallen. Mr. Cryder was a recruiting officer in the war of 1812, and a Major of a horse company, yet he was not out in the war. Once during the war it was reported that the enemy was coming to massacre them all, and it produced a severe scare; and Maj. Cryder started with a company of men for Fort Wayne, but while on his way he ascertained that there was no danger, and returned home. In the meantime his wife, with two little children, mounted on horseback, and started for Chillicothe. On this place, where Mr. Cryder first settled, he remained through life. In the early years of their settlement here, they were in great danger from prairie fires, and at two different times came very near losing all their property which was destructible by fire but by a combined effort of the people of the surrounding country, aided by help from the citizens of London. they succeeded in staying the consuming flames and saving their property. But in the severe struggle Mr. Cryder became overheated, and in sitting down cooled off too suddenly, and laid the foundation for that terrible disease, consumption, with which, in 1838, he died, aged sixty-eight years. His wife survived till, in August, 1856, aged seventy-six years. They were interred in the Watson Cemetery. Of their nine children, three died young; six grew to maturity. Mary, married Jonathan Markle; Arabella, married John Palmer; William, resides at the home place; Eliza, married William Jones; Samuel, married Isabel Watson, and Nancy, married Samuel Watson. All are now deceased. except William and Nancy. Mr. Cryder was a wagon-maker by trade, and was probably one of the first in Union Township. He followed his trade in connection with farming, through life. He was one of the township's best citizens, and of his devoted wife we wish to remark that that she was never brought up to work. her parents owning many slaves, who performed all the work; but she made a noble helpmeet, and a brave pioneer, and endured all her many hardships with fortitude and a willing heart. In the days of the early settlers, they had no wells, and if they located where there was no permanent and lasting spring, they often had to curry water a great distance. Of Mrs. Cryder, it is said that at times she carried water for drinking and culinary purposes a distance of half a mile.
James Criswell became a resident on the Harford Toland land, about 1808-09. He was a very peculiar and eccentric man, yet honest and honorable in all his dealings, always endeavoring to meet his obligations promptly. It is said of him that one evening he was out in the clearing, quite a distance from his cabin, and it became quite dark, and at some distance from him he observed as he thought, a remarkably thick cluster of stumps, when suddenly the dark object, supposed to be stumps, gave evidence of life, and began to approach him, and he "struck out," with all possible speed for his cabin, pursued by a large pack of wolves; he barely reached his house, and thus disappointed the wolves and saved his life. Mr. Criswell was a blacksmith by trade, and moved from place to place, and after a few years all trace of him was lost.
Among the well-known pioneer families of Madison County, and of Union Township was the Warner family. Joseph Warner, Sr., was a native of Maryland, but, while a young man, removed to Virginia, where he married a lady, whose given name was Ruth, by whom he had the following children: Henry, Robert, Joseph, John, William, Amelia, Sarah, Margaret and Ann. About 1804, Mr. Warner, with some of his family, removed to Ohio and first stopped near St. Clairsville; and about 1808-10, some of his sons, among whom were Joseph and William, came to this county. Joseph purchased land where his son Eli now lives. for which the records show that the deed was recorded in 1810; and afterward the whole family moved to this county. Joseph Warner, Sr., lived to the remarkable age of one hundred and four years. When one hundred years of age, he rode to Washington. D. C. on horseback, and back again; and when one hundred and three years of age, he rode the same horse to Indiana, to visit one of his children, then residing there, where he died about a year afterward. Joseph Warner, Jr., was a carpenter by trade, which business he followed for many years in connection with farming. He built one among the first houses erected in London, after the laying-out of the town, and for several years did a great amount of carpenter work in London; subsequently moved with his family to town, but, after a few years' residence there, he moved back to the farm. He subsequently purchased more land, till he owned 300 acres. He married Sarah Atchison, by whom he had the following children: John, who married Phebe Jefferson has been thrice married and now resides in Colorado; Eli Smith, married Elizabeth Pancake (is now deceased); Charles, married Isabell Chenoweth: Rebecca is unmarried; Samuel, married Susan Maria Shepherd (was twice married), is now deceased; Rachel, married James Scarf and resides in Greene County, Ohio. Mr. Warner was a member of the Methodist Church, an energetic pioneer, and became a prosperous farmer. sustaining an unblemished character, and was a much esteemed and respected citizen. He died August 30. 1863, in his eighty-first year. His wife died April 7, 1850.
Levi H. Post settled two and a half miles west of London, on the Springfield Pike, at a very early day; but of him we can learn but little, as it appears that after a few years' residence here, he moved away. By the county records he served as Treasurer of the county from 1811 to 1813. Daniel Brown, a native of Virginia, settled southwest of London, near Philip Cryder, about 1808-10. He erected a windmill for grinding corn, but it failed to work satisfactorily, and he then ran it by horse-power. As a man of character, honesty and conscientiousness in all his business transactions, he had but few if any equals; as was exhibited in his dealings with James Withrow, his neighbor on the south. Mr. Withrow owned land adjoining Mr. Brown, who owned land on the south of Mr. Withrow, and they concluded it would be mutually beneficial to each of them, to exchange ownership in these two tracts of land; consequently the trade was made, and the deeds duly executed and exchanged and thus the business was consummated. Finally one day, Mr. Brown called to see Mr. Withrow, and informed him that he had reason to believe that the title to the land he had deeded to him was defective, and as neither of them had recorded their deeds, he proposed that the trade be made null and void by the destruction of the deeds, which was accordingly done; subsequently it proved that his fears were not without foundation, and in a short time after he lost the land. Thus by the honesty and unselfishness of Mr. Brown, Mr. Withrow was saved from loss or trouble. Mr. Brown by his wife Rachael, had several children, of whom we learn of Betsey; married to Samuel Watson; Rachael, married Walter Watson, Daniel and Ruth. Some of the children moved West, and married there, whose names are not remembered.
William Wingate, was born in Fairfax County, Va., eight miles from Washington City; he married Margaret Warner in 1800; in 1803, removed to Belmont County, Ohio, and in 1809 to Madison County, but did not remove his family here till 1811, locating on Walnut Run, near David Watson. In 1815, he purchased the farm where his son now lives in the north part of Union Township. His purchase of fifty acres of Col. Langham, he lost on account of a defective title after having paid one-half the purchase-money, and had to pay for it the second time. On this land where he located in 1815, he remained till his death, November 19, 1862, aged nearly eighty-four years. His wife died in 1834; their children were -- Ruth, married Thomas Rea, and died in Indiana, had four children; Nancy, married David Dye, and died at Yellow Springs ; Amelia. married Joseph Ward, became a widow, and died in April, 1882, at the house of her brother William, who is the fourth child and resides on the old homestead, unmarried; John, Elizabeth and Margaret died unmarried, in the month of October, 1834, with milk sickness; Sarah Ann, next older than Margaret, married Richard Hern, and settled in Illinois, where she died, leaving five children. Mr. Wingate served in the war of 1812. He was an industrious man, of undoubted integrity, and possessed the entire confidence of his community. He united with the Methodist Church in Belmont County, in 1807, and remained a devoted member till his death, a period of fifty-five years. When he united with the church he could not read a word; but so great was his desire to read the Bible, that he at once purchased one, also a hymn book; and when visited by his neighbors would get them to teach him to read, and soon he became able to read; and before his death he had memorized and could repeat nearly one-half the entire Scriptures. He served many years as Class-Leader, Steward and Trustee in the church. His son William, is walking in the footsteps of his venerable father; has been a member of the same church for forty-five years; a class leader twenty years, and a trustee four years, but from ill-health has had to resign all offices.
Benjamin Kirkpatrick, of Irish descent, with his wife Mary, settled one and a half miles west of London, where a few years after, he died. He located there about 1809, was a good, honest farmer and a member of the Presbyterian Church. The Kirkwood Cemetery was named after him. He died December 5, 1821. Of his children were the following: John and James, who died with milk sickness in 1822; Joseph married Ellen Conly, and soon after died; William, married Harcy Hammond; Harriet, who died from the effects of the bite of a rattlesnake; and Samuel. Hezekiah Bayless, who it is understood, was a native of Virginia, with his wife, Sarah, settled on land now owned by the Widow Gray, about 1810, as he was known to he here during the war of 1812. Mr. Bayless resided here several years, then removed to Champaign County, Ohio, where he died. They had several children of whom we obtained but two names, Sarah and John. The above we give as the true pioneers, and now we follow with a number of early settlers, who on account of the hardships endured, labors performed, and prominent spheres in which they have acted, are, some of them, more fully identified with the improvements, growth and progress of the township and county, than many who settled earlier.
David Groves, a native of Loudoun County, Va., married Elizabeth Stipp, of the same county. About 1805, he emigrated with his family to Ohio, and settled in Pickaway County; about 1811, he came to Madison County and settled in Union Township, on land now owned by Mrs. E. Armstrong. Soon after settling here, he erected a tannery (being a tanner by trade), which was said to be the first in the county. Here he remained and carried on this business in connection with farming, till about 1827, when he rented his farm and moved to London and erected a tannery there, and carried on business one or two years, when his wife died, and soon after he sold his property in town and moved back to the farm and resided till 1846, when he sold his farm to James Jones and again located in town, purchasing the property where his daughter, Mrs Neff, now lives, and here resided till his death, in 1855, in his eighty-fourth year. He was a man of undoubted integrity, firm in character, and a devoted member of the Methodist Church for many years. He served as a soldier in the war of 1812, under Gen. Harrison, and was near by at the surrender of Hulls army at Detroit. He was the father of eight children -- Keturah, who married Charles Soward, and settled in Iowa; Sarah, who married Wilson Dungan, is now deceased; George died, unmarried; Letitia married Squire Knight of Greene County, Ohio: Rachel married A. A. Hume is deceased; Mary married Absalom Neff, and settled in Pickaway County. A few years before his death he removed to London, where he died in 1861. They had one son Francis Rodney, who married and resides in London, on the same property with Mrs. Neff; John Wesley died, unmarried, at Wolf Lake, Ind.; and Joseph Frantz, who married Louise Strong, and settled on the old homestead place of his father, where he died July 19, 1816. They had one son, John Wesley, who was killed by the cars when thirteen years of age. John Moore, a native of the State of Virginia, married a Miss Smith, and in 1811 emigrated to Ohio, remaining one year in Ross County, and in 1812 settled in Madison County, locating in the northern part of Union Township on the Littler farm. Mrs. Moore died, and he subsequently married Sarah Littler. By his first wife he had two children, both deceased; by his last wife he had nine, two now survive. Mr. Moore was quite a reserved, unpretentious man, yet full of fun and quick with repartee, and enjoyed life well. He followed farming through life; a man of kind heart and a substantial and worthy citizen.
John F. Armstrong was born in Kentucky March 13, 1772; he served a short time in the war of 1812; he married Elizabeth Warren, a native of Pennsylvania of Welsh descent; in 1813. He came to Madison County, and located on land now owned by Hiram Richmon. He made farming and stock-raising his business through life, and was quite successful. He owned 300 acres of land in this county, besides quite an amount of Western lands. He was the father of twelve children; six survive -- Eliza (wife of Andrew Jackson), Warren, Samuel, Francis, William H. (now a resident of Kansas), and John F. Mr. Armstrong died August 16, 1863, and his wife September 3, 1867. James Porter, a native of Maryland, emigrated to Ross County, Ohio, about 1800, and there married Elizabeth Kibourn. He served in the war of 1812, and very soon after -- or about 1815 -- settled in this township on the place now owned by his son, James G. Here he erected his cabin, and very soon after set out an orchard, from trees he raised by planting the seeds from some rotten apples which he brought to the county. This was one of the first orchards in this neighborhood, and some of the trees are still standing in the old orchard. His wife died in October, 1829, with the "trembles, or milk-sickness." He was then left with six young children, whom he took to his brother in Ross County. Subsequently, he married May Bradley, and in 1835, brought his children back, and then resided upon the farm, where he first located, till his death. The children by his first wife were John, who married Mary Timmons, is now deceased; Peter, removed to Illinois, where he married Mary Jane Ayers, is now a resident of Kansas; Amelia Ann, married John Troud, is now deceased; James G. ; Samuel, deceased; and Lucretia, also deceased. The children by his last wife were Nancy, Joshua, Malinda and Malissa (deceased). Harriet (married A. J. Coover, and resides in London). and William H. (resides at Parsons, Kan. -- he served through the late war of the rebellion). Mr. Porter was a very large, robust man, measuring six feet and four inches in height, and his average weight was two hundred and fifty pounds. His wife died in 1849. He died in 1852, aged sixty-three years. George Boocher, believed to be a native of Maryland, married Gatty Truitt, and settled near where the Infirmary is now located, about 1814-15, where he resided till his death. He had one child, Mahala, who married Charles Warrington, and now resides in South Charleston, Ohio. Robert Smith, a son of James Smith, and a native of Virginia, came to this county about 1815, and settled on what is known as the Phifer place. He was married in Virginia to Ann Littler, in the year 1800. Of their children one now survives -- S. L. Smith, residing in Northern Indiana. Mr: Smith died in 1816. In 1817, his widow married William Noteman, an early settler of Deer Creek Township. By this second husband she had one child, now the wife of John Lohr. Mrs. Noteman died in 1826.
In November, 1814, William Jones and wife, with one child, Job K., emigrating from the State of Tennessee, and settled in London. Later there were born to the parents Isaac, John, William and James. The father was a blacksmith by trade, and was the first to follow that occupation in London. He was subsequently engaged in various occupations, and became very wealthy. He was a very liberal man, gave a great deal to various charitable purposes and assisted those needing financial help. He suffered severely in the crash of 1837, by paying security debts, and removed to his farm in Union Township, but subsequently returned to London, where he lived with his son, Job K., at whose home he died. He was extensively known, and loved by every one. He was everybody's friend and was familiarly known as "Dad Jones." Of the children. Job K. remained a resident of London until his death which occurred April 4, 1877. He possessed, at one time, over 800 acres of land in Madison County (Union and Deer Creek Townships). John is now a retired merchant of London, and James a lawyer in Champaign, Ill.
Thomas Jones, a native of Worcester County, Md., emigrated to Ross County Ohio; about 1817 removed to Madison County and located in the southwest part of Union Township, where he purchased land. Subsequently, P. P. Helphenstine purchased a large tract of land of Fulton & Creighton of Chillicothe, from which Mr. Jones obtained enough to make with his first purchase 1,000 acres. Here, where he first located, he remained through life. He was quite an active politician, first as a Whig, then a Republican. He served as Associate Judge under the old constitution several years, and also as County Commissioner. He was a man of kind heart and noted for his deeds of love and charity. He married Mary P. Truitt, a native of Eastern Maryland, by whom he had seven sons and one daughter; James J. married Josephine Kerr, and resides in San Jose, Cal.; William G. married Eliza Cryder, both deceased; Edward A. settled in Illinois. and married Margery Elkin, now resides at Decatur, Ill.; Dr. Toland, who married Frances A. Toland and resides in London; John E. married Mary McLene, is deceased; Eliza J. married J. B. Evans, who is deceased. since which she married Thomas O. Smith, who is also deceased -- he died in California where his widow still resides; Kendall P. died in 1854, when young; and Addison who married Sarah F. Godfrey and resides on the old homestead. Mr. Jones died in 1859, and his wife in 1865. Samuel Messmore, a native of Pennsylvania, married Mrs. Michael Lohr, nee Mary C. Miller, born in Rockingham County, Va. She married Michael Lohr in 1810: he died in 1818. By him she had two sons and two daughters -- Margaret Ann, married William Chappell, is now a widow and resides in London; George W., whose sketch appears in another part of this work; John, married Ann Noteman; and Mary, who married Michael Carr, and now resides in Fayette County, Ohio. Mr. Messmore married Mrs. Lohr in 1819. In 1820, they removed to Ohio and settled in Union Township, Madison County, on land now owned by William Cryder. He was master of two trades, a brick-layer, and a shoe-maker, the latter of which he followed in connection with farming through life. He died in Midway, this county, having moved there just a year or two before his death. He was a man of excellent character, honest and upright in all his dealings, kind and liberal in all his habits, and in his later years a devout member of the Christian Church. Mrs. Messmore was a model wife, mother and neighbor, and kind to the sick and afflicted, and benevolent to all worthy of her charity. By Mr. Messmore she had three children -- Mary Catharine, now the wife of James Gossard and, resides in Illinois; Isabel, now Mrs. Alexander Wilmoth, and resides in Kentucky; and James Madison who died when in childhood.
Jacob Garrard, a native of Pennsylvania, was born January 28, 1780; emigrated to Warren County, Ohio, about 1796-97, where he married Mehitable Buckles, who was born August 14, 1772, in Virginia. Subsequently, they removed to near Lisbon, Clark Co., Ohio; thence, in 1823-24, settled in Union Township, this county, locating in the west part, where he purchased land and remained till his death. They had the following children: Mary married David Smith, who died and she married Robert Buckles, removed to Indiana, thence to Illinois, where she is now a widow, aged eighty-three years; Jonah, never married, and died in this county about 1846; James, married Mary Buckles, and died in this county July 24, 1880, his wife died August 7, 1881, they had six children: John B. and David T. reside in London; Eliza, married John Forbes, and in 1854 removed to Illinois; John, married Leah Bazick and in 1854 also moved to Illinois, he was serving as County Commissioner when he moved West, and was a Colonel in the State Militia many years; he died in January, 1870: Jacob, the fifth child of James Garrard, died young; and Joseph, the youngest, married Lucy Allen, and subsequently, moved to Marysville, Union Co., Ohio, where he died on Thanksgiving Day. November 1880. Stephen, the youngest child of Jacob Garrard, married Nancy Davis, and subsequently moved to Columbus, where he died in June, 1874. Mr. Jacob Garrard's wife died October 3, 1836. Subsequently he married Martha Hollar, by whom he had two children -- Martin Van Buren, and Thomas Jefferson -- the former died in the army in the war of the rebellion in South Carolina; the latter resides at Indianapolis. Mr. Garrard died January 28, 1845. He gave his leading attention to stock-raising; was a great hunter in those days when game was in abundance, and enjoyed the sport greatly. So well did he enjoy the sport, that at times feeling unwell and unfit for business, if he was able to mount his horse and ride out on a hunt, it was an effectual remedy for his ailments, and he would return to his business much invigorated. About 1829, Mr. Garrard erected a grist mill on Oak Run, just above the Roberts Mill, made of hewed logs and run by water-power. Soon after, he erected a small distillery; these ran till about 1840, when he sold the mill to Charles Roberts, and the distillery was discontinued. He was a great politician and took an active part in all campaigns, working for the success of the Democratic party. He was a soldier in the war of 1812. Dr. Simon Steers, a Yankee by birth, located in the north part of the township about 1810, and was one of the first physicians of this township. He resided here till his death. He raised several children, some of whom died here and some removed to the West. The Doctor and his wife were both interred in the cemetery near Newport.
James Rankin, one of the prominent and leading business men of the county, was born in Maryland, May 20, 1786. On February 10, 1807, married Margaret Truitt, who was born in Worcester County, Md., January 1, 1788. In the spring or summer of 1817, they emigrated to Ohio, and were all summer making the journey, arriving in the county in the fall of the same year. That winter they sheltered at what is now the sugar camp of Mary Truitt, the entire party, consisting of fourteen persons, sleeping in one room of the log cabin. In the spring of 1818. they located on the land now known as the County Infirmary Farm. Mr. Rankin was a contractor and builder by profession, and was one of the contractors for a county jail, which will be mentioned elsewhere. He, however, made farming his principal occupation through life. He was a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church of London, being one of the constituent members of its re-organization in 1829; and also a worthy member of the Masonic fraternity. Politically, he was a Whig; he held the office of Township Trustee fifteen years or more. Mr. Rankin was a man possessed of a high moral and Christian character and a most worthy citizen. He died August 21, 1857; Mrs. Rankin died on December 12, 1871. Their children were as follows: John T. N., who married Charity Ann Fullerton, and resides at South Charleston; Albert G., married Abigail Cooper, she died leaving one child, George W., who grew to manhood, noted for his moral and Christian character, and although taken from life just in the bud of manhood, when his plans for usefulness were scarcely matured, as he was preparing for the ministry, yet in his death he showed his devoted Christian and charitable spirit, by bequeathing in his last will and testament $10,000 to the Board of Education of the Presbyterian Church of the United States (Mr. Albert G. Rankin married for his second wife, Margaret A. Withrow, by whom he had several children): Charlotte Ann Selby, the third child of James Rankin, married Samuel Withrow; Eliza White, died young and unmarried; Caroline Matilda, married William Stroup, and died at South Charleston. Ohio: Joshua Truittt married Sarah Evans, and resides near the homestead place: Mary Atkinson, married Fulton Armstrong, is deceased; James, married Ann Eliza Warner; and Washington Purnell. who died in childhood. Edward Evans settled in Paint Township, in 1813, and a little later in this township, on land belonging to the James Armstrong heirs, where he died. He was a native of Virginia; a good. honest farmer, and a worthy and respectable citizen, and member of the Methodist Church.
Jesse Paine was a native of Maryland, and settled here about 1820; was a cripple and unable to do much manual labor. He had a large family of children, of whom are John, Zadoc, Samuel and James; all good, industrious men, and from starting in life poor, have become thrifty farmers. John Rayburn, a native of Virginia, first emigrated to Ross County, thence about 1818 came to Madison County, and settled first eight miles south of London, at Willow Springs, and about 1830 removed to near London, where he resided till his death. He married a Miss Corbit, by whom he had seven children, all now deceased. Henry, moved to Indiana at an early day and died there; James became a member of the Legislature from this county, and was an Associate Judge; but about 1844 removed to Illinois, where he died in the summer of 1882; John remained a resident of this county till his death; William also died here; David died here; Creighton M. died in London; and one daughter named Patsey married Dr. James Allen, who lived and died in London. All of the above family were very worthy citizens, of high moral character, and members of the Presbyterian Church. James Kiscaddin settled here about 1824, a good, industrious man; never owned property, and removed to Marion. Ohio.
Robert Armstrong, a son of Judge James Armstrong, of Ross County, was born April 7, 1801, married Elizabeth Earl, and settled in this county, four miles south of London, about 1824-25. His wife died in 1844, and he subsequently married Mrs. Maria Coover, nee Cowling. He was the father of fifteen children; nine now survive -- Fulton, Thomas, James, Elizabeth, John T., Richard, Iowa and Missouri (twins the latter deceased), Edward and Benjamin F. Several of these now reside in the West; the balance reside in this county, and are among its leading business men. Mr. Armstrong was an extensive farmer and stock-dealer, very successful in business, became owner of 1,400 acres of land in Madison County, and a large amount of Western lands, besides much personal property. He died in 1865, and his wife in 1873. Samuel Carr was a native of Harrison County, Va., and while a young, single man came to Madison County and settled near Newport, purchasing land of Col. Elias Langham, but which he lost entirely, having a worthless title. Thence he rented the farm now owned by Mr. Blue. In 1824, he purchased the farm where his son John now lives, and there resided till his death. He married Amelia Warner, by whom he had the following children: John W.; Minerva Ann, married Robert Withrow, is now deceased; Maria Jane, died unmarried; Eliza Ruth, died at eighteen years of age; Francis and Mary, died in infancy; Amanda, married Henry R. Dun, resides in Bloomington, Ill.; and Samuel, who was killed by being thrown from a horse when twelve years of age. Mr. Carr, who came to the county prior to the war of 1812, served in that war. He spent his life as a farmer and stock-raiser, and accumulated a good property. He was a man of unimpeachable character, and much respected by all who knew him. He died May 18, 1864, aged eighty-one years. His wife died August 31, 1864, aged seventy-two years. William Jackson, a native of Pennsylvania, of Irish descent. removed to Virginia, and there married Nancy Rea, a native of Maryland, of Welsh descent. In 1828, they came to Ohio and settled in the western part of Union Township, where they resided till their death.
Lancisco, Gideon and George Peck, sons of Gideon Peck, of Ross County, Ohio, settled on a tract of land in the west part of Union Township, which was purchased by their father. They settled here about 1828. Gideon has since died, and George removed to Illinois. Lancisco still resides on the home place, where he has resided more than half a century, a very honest, upright man, and a prosperous farmer. Of other early settlers of whom we did not succeed in obtaining any special account, yet were known to have settled here about 1813-15, were John and George Sutherland, John and James Beatty, Henry Ward and an only son, Joseph. The above, we think, will embrace a reasonably thorough account of most of the first settlers of Union Township, as its boundaries now exist. Some early settlers have no doubt been omitted, not intentionally, but from an impossibility, with the limited resources now left us after a lapse of more than three-quarters of a century to gain information of every one. Neither do we claim no mistakes in what we have given, but we have endeavored to gather as carefully and correctly as was possible.
This is a volunteer project. We depend upon feedback from our visitors. If you have information to share or have resources relating to Madison County, we would love to hear from you.
Design by 
Hosted by Ancestral Sites