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BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County
from The Earliest to the Present Date
by H. S. Knapp
Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.
- 1863 -

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N OP Q R S T U V W XYZ

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Green Twp. -
ALLEN OLIVER, born in New Jersey, immigrated to Worthington Township, Richland County, October, 1810.  In the preceding June, he entered the southwest quarter of section 28, Green Township; and in February, 1811, removed his family to a half-faced cabin, without a roof, upon his land.  During the first night the family lodged in their roofless house, the snow fell to the depth of ten or twelve inches.
     His family at this time consisted of his wife and sons, John, Daniel, and Lewis, and four daughters.  Daniel and Lewis, and four daughters.  Daniel and Lewis - the latter residing upon the old homestead - Mrs. Sarah Tannehill and Mrs. Elizabeth McMahan are the only survivors of the family of Mr. Oliver now residing in Green Township.  His own death occurred on the 28th of September, 1823, in the sixty-fifth year of his age.

Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 332
Lake Twp. -
ELIJAH ORAM.  In December, 1807, his father, Joshua Oram, and family, immigrated to Fairfield County, Ohio, from the State of Maryland.  In November, 1811, the family removed to Lake Township, and entered and commenced improvement upon a quarter which, by subsequent divisions, became a part of the Township of Clinton.  In the fall of 1812, the family of Mr. Oram, with several others, established a fort near the southern line of Lake Township, where they remained about three months.  In 1815 his father sold the farm he originally purchased, and entered the northeast and southeast quarters of section 15, Lake Township, and immediately commenced improvement upon the former quarter.  After residing upon this land about three years, he sold the Asahel Webster, and removed to the southeast quarter, which he improved and made his residence until his decease, which occurred on the 27th day of August, 1831.  Elijah Oram, Esq., is the present owner of three-fourths of this old homestead quarter, and of eighty acres adjoining.
     When his father commenced his residence in Lake, there was not a white family residing within the limits of what now forms the township.  When he raised his second cabin, in 1815, he traveled a circuit of ten mile to gather the necessary force of men for the purpose.
     The supplies of breadstuffs were obtained from Knox County, which was then considered the "Egypt" of the country, where the corn purchased was ground at Shrimplin's Mill, and was brought home on packhorses during the winter season, and on canoes when the streams were navigable.  After the neighborhood began to raise its own supplies of corn, it was prepared for converting into bread by breaking up in wooden mortars, an article which belonged to nearly every cabin, and which was regarded as an indispensable machine in the domestic economy.  The mills were so remote that several families subsisted many years almost exclusively upon this domestic flour.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 389
Vermillion Twp. -
MR. JAMES PALMER (now a resident of the southwest corner of Perry Township, and who was the fourth son of the gentleman whose decease is above noticed, and who also communicates these facts) mentions a singular instance attending the death of an uncle, Nathaniel Palmer, which occurred in 1815.  When he parted with is family, this gentleman, although in good physical health and in the vigor of manhood, mentioned to them a presentment that he would not live to meet them again.  He, however, came to the country, and entered land in Green Township; and while on a visit at the house of his brother, was taken ill of fever - and on the evening of the ninth day, after having been pronounced by his physician convalescent, turned his face to the wall, and, within three minutes after having made this movement, breathed his last.  A messenger was immediately dispatched to communicate intelligence of the death of his family.  On reaching Canton, he met a messenger from Jefferson County charged with the sad duty of communicating to the husband the death of the wife!  It appeared that their deaths had occurred the very same hour.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 284
Vermillion Twp. -
JONATHAN PALMER, while a resident of Jefferson County, Ohio, made a visit to Vermillion Township, in September, 1810, and entered two quarters - one being the northeast of section 12, (now owned by Thomas Boyd,) and the other being the farm now owned by George Buchanan, Esq.  On this visit, he was accompanied by his eldest son Ephraim.  Having made the entries described, he returned home, where he continued until the spring of 1811, when he revisited the tract first named and commenced improvements, in which work he was aided by a portion of his family - two sons and a daughter.  During the season a cabin house was erected, and three acres cleared and planted in corn.  Hewn logs for a building were also prepared - being the first effort toward such a substantial improvement that had been made in Vermillion or any of the adjoining townships.  It had been the intention to send for the remainder of the family in the fall of this year; but the unsettled relations with the British and Indians changed the plan, and the family reunited in Jefferson County, where the remained until September, 1814, when, notwithstanding war yet existed, the whole family removed and made a permanent settlement upon their land.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 283
Troy Twp. -
JOSEPH S. PARKER is the oldest settler now residing in the township.  He removed to it in 1832.  between Sullivan and the place to which he removed, there were only two cabins - one of which, belonging to Ralph Phelps, had only been erected a few days previous.
Troy Twp.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 544
WILLIAM PATTERSON made his first to Orange Township in the spring of 1815, and entered at the Federal Land Office the northeast quarter of section 7, Orange Township.  During the same year, he returned to his native place, in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and in 1818 revisited the country with a view of making the land he had entered the place of his future residence.  In that year he "tomahawked," to use a current phrase of the country at that time, ten acres of his land.  By this term "tomahawked," the unsophisticated of this time will understand to mean, that he cut down, with his axe, from that number of acres, the timber of eighteen inches in circumference and under, and arranged the brush around the base of the trees that were above that size.
     On the 20th of May, 1819, he married Miss Jane Freeborn, and the two commenced life upon the land he has since made his home.
     Mr. Patterson served several years as justice of the peace in Orange Township.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 518
Ruggles Twp.
JAMES POAG settled in Clearcreek Township, in 1825, upon the land which is now the farm of James Heanst.  About 1827 he purchased the farm in Ruggles, upon which his widow and son, Washington I. Poag, now reside in Ruggles Township.  He died April 9, 1854, at the age of seventy-one years.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 541
Hanover Twp. -
JAMES LOUDON PRIEST removed from Pennsylvania to Lake Township in May, 1810, and entered the land now owned by Calvin Hibbard, of Loudonville.  His children were William, Olive, Clarissa, Daniel, Alvin, Eliza, James, Isaac, Jonas, John, and Sarah.
     Mr. Priest
purchased the land (one hundred and sixty acres, northwest quarter section 1) upon which sixty acres, northwest quarter section1) upon which is now situated Loudonville - and which town bears a part of his name - in the year 181_.  At this date there was not a building of any sort within what now constitutes the town of Loudonville.
     The first sale of lots was made on the 14th day of September, 18145.  The proceeds of the sale were small.
     The first justice of the peace who was elected, living within the town of Loudonville, was Stephen Butler.
     Mr. Priest was elected the first justice of the peace in Lake Township, and built, upon the farm above mentioned, the first log cabin in said township.  He died Aug. 12, 1822, aged fifty-five years; and was the first citizen buried with Masonic honors in Loudonville.  His wife died in October, 1859.  William Priest died about 1847; Olive married Robert Davis, (who died thirty years since,) and is now the wife of Andrew Smith, with whom she is now living, in Holmes County.  Clarissa married Benjamin Quick, and deceased about twenty-seven years since.  Daniel is now a resident of Holmes County.  Of Alvin, nothing is known concerning him; the last information from him being that he was in Texas, in 1860.  Eliza married George Webster, with whom she now resides, in Logansport, Indiana.  James, when last heard from, (about thirteen years ago,) was in Ireland.  Isaac died in Illinois in 1856.  Jonas (who communicates these details) is a resident of Washington Township, Holmes County, about one mile east of Loudonville.  John is a neighbor of the latter; and Sarah married Cephus Parker, with whom she now resides, in Lake Township, Ashland County.
     A few months prior to the Indian murders upon Black Fork, but while the savages had betrayed signs of hostility, Mr. Priest and his eldest son, William, went forth upon a reconnoissance.  During their absence, Mrs. Elijah Bowland, a neighbor, came to the house and notified Mrs. Priest that she had discovered in the neighborhood unmistakeable signs of Indians, their tracks, and a piece of blanket.  She so impressed her feelings of alarm upon Mrs. Priest that she immediately proceeded to vacate the house, and, placing her three youngest children in a canoe, which happened to be passing on the Lake Fork, under the management of Samuel Magnin, with the other seven she followed a trail which led to the house of Henry Darnell.  She had not proceeded far, however, before she became impressed with a fear that she might be waylaid by the Indians, and sent Daniel to the house to await, in an adjoining thicket, the return of his father and brother, to inform them of the circumstances that had transpired during their absence.  In the mean time, she and the other children had sought refuge in an "alder swamp," not far distant.  About midnight Mr. Priest and eldest son returned; upon discovering whom, Daniel came forward, and communicated the causes which had produced the change.
     Although the result proved that there was no just cause for alarm, it was determined, as a measure of safety, to build a fort, which was accordingly done, upon the farm of Mr. Priest, and became the constant abode of the settlers in the neighborhood during the subsequent three months, and at nights during the entire period of the war.

Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 379
Montgomery Twp. -
ANDREW PROUDFIT, SEN., entered, in 1813, the half section of land in Montgomery Township now occupied by Andrew Slocum.  He removed his family to the place in December, 1817.  His family then consisted of his wife, and the following named children:  John (now a resident of Orange Township,) Nancy, (now the wife of Samuel Burls, of Wood County,) David, (since deceased,) James, (now a resident of Indiana,) Temperance, (wife of John Mason,) Mary (now deceased,) Jane, (who married Solomon Urie, and now resides in Michigan,) Andrew, (now residing in Ashland, and the owner of the principal portion of the old homestead,) Esther, (wife of Samuel Lawson of Illinois,) and Sarah, (since deceased.)  Andrew Proudfit, Sen., died June 10, 1842, aged seventy-one years; and Mary his wife, died May 31, 1841, aged sixty-seven years.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 202
Vermillion Twp. -
GILBERT PURDY, an emigrant from New York, in 1817 bought the west half of the eighty acres of George McClue, now owned by John Scott, Sr., and adjoining John Harper's on the south.  At the time of his removal his family consisted of Peter M., Henry, Sarah, Cornelia, and Gennett.  The latter married the widow of Starling G. Bushnell.
     Peter M.
was the first who bought wheat, and that, too, not for cash, but by way of his trade, (black-smithing,) in the neighborhood.  This was about 1826, and before the completion of artificial channels of commerce.  Mr. Purdy paid about ten cents per bushel, and hauled it to Portland, (Sandusky City,) where he obtained about sixty cents per bushel.
     In 1828 he transported two loads, consisting of flour, whisky, and pork, to Cleveland.  This was after the time of the completion of the Ohio Canal.  The trip consumed generally from seven to eight days.  He sold his flour at two dollars and a half per barrel; pork, five dollars per barrel; and whisky, price not recollected.  These were merely nominal prices, as goods and not cash formed the standard of prices - only a small per cent being paid in money.  Part of their return load consisted of salt at six dollars per barrel.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 288

 

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