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Troy Twp. -
JACOB HALDEMAN,
farmer and minister; P. O., Steam Corners; was born July 23,
1816, in Lancaster Co., Penn.; his parents were natives of that
county; his father's name was Jacob Haldeman, and
his mother's maiden name was Mary Minech.
His father was a carpenter, and in 1817 he emigrated to this
State, living in Fredericktown, Knox Co., for more than a year,
when he moved to what is now Morrow Co., and entered a half
section of government land. He worked on the farm when not
busy at his trade, and toward the close of his life paid his
whole attention to the farm. He died in 1870.
Jacob learned the trade with his father, and worked at it
most the time for several years; he began for himself when
twenty-six years old, by settling on a portion of the old
homestead, which he cleared and improved till 1864, when he sold
it and moved to where he now lives. He united with the
church in early life, and in 1858 he commenced preaching.
He traveled on circuit for three years and has since been a
local preacher in the Evangelical Association, to which all his
father's family belonged. He was married Dec. 27, 1841, to
Mary A., daughter of George and Magdalene Cook;
she was born March 18, 1821, in Lancaster Co., Penn.; by this
union nine children were born; four are living - Barbara A.,
Sarah E., Franklin H. and John W.; the two oldest are
married. All the family are members of the Evangelical
Association. |
Canaan Twp. -
JEFFERSON HARRIS,
farmer; P. O. Marits; was born Oct. 1840; is a son of Joel
and Sarah Harris. His father was a house carpenter,
and raised his boys to the same vocation, which Jefferson
continued to follow, until he was 28 years of age, when he was
married to Sarah Thew, who was born in Claridon Tp.,
Marion Co., and is a daughter of Wm. P. Thew, who is of
English parentage. Subsequent to his marriage he located
for a time in Marion Co., renting land of his father-in-law,
continuing there until 1873, when he came to Canaan, and
purchased 80 acres, now owned by Martin Brown. In
the spring of 1877 he moved to his present place of abode having
seventy-five acres. They have two children, Fred E.
born in Apr. 1872; Raymond, born March 22, 1879. He
is a member of the M. E. Church. |
Troy Twp. -
GEORGE
W. HERSHNER, carpenter and farmer; P. O. Steam Corners;
is among the most prominent and influential men of this Co., and
the second of a family of eight children, and was born Oct. 12,
1833, in what is now Morrow Co. His father, Andrew
Hershner, was born in York Co., Penn., and raised in
Baltimore Co., Md. His mother, whose maiden name was
Mary A. Murray, was born and raised in Maryland. His
father emigrated to this State in 1828, and soon after entered
eighty acres of Government land, on which he now lives.
George went to learn the carpenter trade when seventeen, and has
made that his chief occupation since. He owns a good farm,
but seems inclined to work at his trade and let the boys tend
the farm. The people have unbounded faith in his good
judgment and integrity, which is attested by the fact that he is
now serving his fourth term as Justice of the Peace, and second
as Commissioner of Morrow Co., and has also been Township Clerk
for some ten years. He was married Jan. 1, 1857, to
Louisa, daughter of John and Mary (Kunkelman) Fernsler,
who was born Oct. 12, 132, in Lebanon Co., Penn., and came to
this State near 1850, and died June 7, 1862, leaving three
chldren- John L., Andrew F. and Daniel A. The
eldest two are living in Oregon - one is a minister, and the
other teaching school and attending college. He was again
married, May 4, 1865, to Emma C., daughter of Samuel
and Mary Markward, who was born Feb. 26, 1845, in Cumberland
Co., Penn., and came to Richland Co. in 1852. Two children
have been born - Samuel Arthur and Mary Cora.
|
Bennington Twp. -
ELIZABETH R. HESS, Marengo. Phillip
and Deborah (Flood) Gage were natives of Woodbridge, N. J.,
the former being born in 1791, and the latter in 1793; they were
united in marriage in June, 1813, and to this union was born the
following family - Mary E., born April, 1814; Martha
in March, 1816; Clarkson, in Aug., 1818; Bloomfield, in
Aug., 1822; Sarah A., July, 1825; Stephen, Mary,
1828; Elizabeth, Jan'y, 1831, and George in 1835,
Mary, Martha, Sarah and Bloomfield are
dead. Mary married G. W. Hess; she is now
dead. After Mary's death, Elizabeth married
G. W. Hess, and had one son, Madison C., born Dec. 12,
1873; died Aug. 14, 1874. Mr. Hess is dead,
but has widow survives him, and is living with her parents.
Clarkson is single, and still lives with his parents;
Stephen is married, and lives in Bennington Tp.; Phillip,
though 89 years of age, is yet almost as lively as a boy, being
remarkably vigorous and active for a man, almost
four-score-and-ten. His wife is almost as lively as he, and
both are singularly well preserved, for persons who have suffered
the hardships of pioneer life. Phillip owns nearly
325 acres of well improved land. His sons now living our
farmers. He is a Republican in politics, and a Presbyterian
in religion. The Gages are old settlers, and are well
known and highly respected in Bennington Tp. |
THOMAS
N. HICKMAN, who has been a resident of Morrow county,
Ohio, since 1866, is a representative citizen of this section of
the fine old Buckeye state and is a veteran of the Civil war, in
which he sacrificed an arm in defense of the Union. He has
been identified with various lines of enterprise during his
active business career, but for the past fifteen years has been
an invalid. Mr. Hickman traces his paternal lineage
to the English, and the Hickmans immigrated to the United
States in 1862 with William Penn. The Nickols
family came from Holland about the same time as the
Hickmans. He was born at Mount Vernon, Ohio, on the
6th of August, 1842, and is a son of Robert F. and Harriet (Nickols)
Hickman, the former of whom was a native of Chester county,
Pennsylvania, and teh latter of whom claimed Loudoun county,
Virginia, as the place of her birth. The father was born
in 1806 and was a child of seven years of age at the time of his
parents' removal from the old Keystone state of the Union to
Chester township, Morrow county, Ohio. He was a Methodist
minister from 1827 to 1839 and in the latter year he turned his
attention to the legal profession. He was a lawyer of note
in Ohio and practiced his profession at Somerset and New
Lexington, Perry county, for a number of years. He was the
first probate judge of Perry county and in that office served
with distinction for fully twelve years. Willis
G. Hickman, brother of Thomas N., served two terms as
county commissioner and two terms as treasurer of Athens
county, Ohio. Robert F. Hickman became the father
of seven children, three of whom are living at the present time,
namely: Emma M., who is the widow of Hector B. Keeler,
and she resides in Seattle, Washington; Willis G. of
Nelsonville, Ohio where he is a druggist; and Thomas N.,
of this review. Mrs. Robert F. Hickman was summoned
to the life eternal Nov. 2, 1842, at which time Thomas N.
was an infant of three months.
After the death of his mother Thomas N. Hickman
was taken into the home of his paternal grandparents, who
resided at Mount Vernon, Ohio. He was reared and schooled
by them until he had attained to the age of ten years, when he
returned to his father. As a youth he was apprenticed to
the printer's trade and he was thus engaged until the fall of
1860, when he entered St. Joseph's College, at Somerset, Ohio,
in which he was a student until the following April. He
then, with Mike V. Sheridan and several others, enlisted
as a private in the Seventeenth Ohio Infantry, in which he was
enrolled until the 27th of April, 1861, at which time he
reenlisted in the Eighteenth United States Infantry. He
was a dashing and gallant soldier and participated in one of the
important battles marking the progress of the war, that of Stone
river. On the 31st of December, 1862, he was wounded at
this engagement and was discharged for disability on the 16th of
March, 1863. As a result of his wound he lost his right
arm, this representing one of the infinity of sacrifices made
for the cause of the Union in the Civil war. After
completing his military service, Mr. Hickman returned to
Perry county, where he read law for a time under the able
preceptorship of his father. Subsequently he became a
painter, traveling from town to town, painting signs and fences,
he being a pioneer in that particular line of enterprise.
In 1866 he came to Morrow county, where he devoted his time and
attention to the trade of painting until 1895, when he was
stricken down with anchoylosis, or disease of the joints, and
has been an invalid for the past fifteen years.
In politics Mr. Hickman maintains an independent
attitude, giving his support to the men and measures meeting
with the approval of his judgment. For two years he was
incumbent of the office of coroner of Morrow county and in all
his dealings in public and private life he has been most
honorable and straight-forward. As a reward for his loyal
service to the Union in her time of need he now receives a
pension of fifty-five dollars a month. Fraternally he is
affiliated with Cardington Lodge, No. 194, Independent Order of
Odd Fellows.
In the year 1867 was celebrated in the marriage of
Mr. Hickman to Miss Jane S. Mosher, a daughter of
John and Deborah (Andrews) Mosher, both of whom are
deceased. To this union were born six children, five of
whom are living: Halwin is engaged as a stone mason in
Morrow county; Lefa is the wife of James S. Randolph
of Marion, Ohio; John W. is a minister in the Friends
church and resides in the city of Cleveland, Ohio; Robert F.
died at the age of thirty-two years; George is a farmer
in Morrow county, Ohio; and Thomas S. is a student in the
Cleveland Bible Institute, at Cleveland.
(Source: History of Morrow County, Ohio by A. J. Baughman - Vol. II
-
Chicago-New York: The Lewis Publishing Co. - 1911) |
North Bloomfield Twp. -
MICHAEL HOFFMAN,
farmer; P. O. Galion; is among the self-made men of this county
was born Nov. 11, 1813, in York Co., Penn.; his farther, Adam
Hoffman, was a native of York Co., and was of German
descent; his mother, Susan (Ruhl) Hoffman, was also from
York Co. Mr. Hoffman's father was a good mechanic,
and wagon -making was his principal business. He emigrated
to this state in 1838, and settled on forty acres of Government
land (where Michael, now lives); after a residence of
only three years on the farm, he moved to the village of
Woodbury and worked at his trade the rest of his life; he died
in 1858. Michael learned the trade with his father
and worked at it the most of the time, until the year 1870, when
he commenced working on the farm. While he was working in
the shop his boys had attended to the duties of the farm, and by
economy and frugality, he has obtained a splendid property; owns
160 acres of land near the town of Galion. He was married
Nov. 26, 1840, to Susan, daughter of Henry and Rebecca
Bortner. They have eleven children, of whom five are
now living: Peggy, Susan, Lovina, Amanda, and Noah.
Mr. Hoffman and wife are members of the English Lutheran
Church, of which he has been Deacon a number of years. |
Westfield Twp. -
CHARLES HOLT, farmer and stock-dealer; P.
O. Cardington. His father, Evan Holt, was a pioneer
of Chester Twp., as noted elsewhere, and came to Westfield Tp.
about 1827, where he married, and reared a family of eight
children, of whom Mr. Holt, the youngest son, was born
July 21, 1841. He lost two brothers - one was killed by
lightning, and the other by a saw-mill accident.
Charles was early obliged to relinquish his school
privileges, but says he received the best part of his education
in the army. He enlisted Aug. 18, 1862, in the 121st O. V.
I., and served to the end of the war, with a record that he may
justly be proud of; he took part in the battles of Perryville,
Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Rome,
Buzzard's Roost, Kenesaw Mountain, and the battles in that
vicinity, and about Atlanta, and the battle of Jonesboro'.
After the last-named battle he was detailed for hospital
service, and assigned to duty at Indianapolis, in which capacity
he visited all the leading cities of the Union. Mr.
Holt relates an amusing incident in which he took part:
A few days before the battle of Chickamauga, a detachment to
which he belonged made a dash into the enemy's lines, capturing
a lot of sweet potatoes, which the reels were washing for
supper, and reached an eminence commanding the station where
Longstreet's corps was disembarking, into which they poured a
lively fire, and then fell back to make their supper off their
recent capture; but by the time they had their fires kindled,
and were in high anticipation of a rich supper, a few shells
form the rebels warned them to extinguish their fires, and they
were compelled to lay on their arms that night, and eat their
sweet potatoes raw. AT one of the skirmishes, at Kenesaw
Mountain, while his company was charging the rebels through a
thicket, they very unexpectedly came on the enemy intrenched
behind railroad ties; a volley form their guns was received, and
his companion, Chester Bartholomew, fell, mortally
wounded, and died in his arms, his last words being: "Tell my
wife I have been a good soldier." On his return from the
army he moved to the place where he now resides. On one of
his furloughs home he married Miss Delight H. Mary, born
in Westfield Tp., Aug. 4, 1844, whose parents, Edwin and
Electa (Aldrich) Mary, came here in an early day. From
this marriage there are seven children - four boys and three
girls. On his return from the army, Mr. Holt had
but $200 to start with, purchasing a mill-seat and a piece of
land; he has added to this until he has a farm of 63 acres, 25
of which are rich bottom-land, situated on both sides of the
Whetstone river. He gives especial attention to the breeding of
hogs, taking, in 1879, the first premium at the Morrow Co. Fair,
as also, the first premium on draught horses. For the past
six years, he has been engaged in buying hogs for the Eastern
market, as a member of the firm of Holt & Payne; he has
been Township Assessor for three years. Mr. Holt
has that energy and decision of character which marks the
thorough business man, and is destined to be one of the leading
men of the county.
Source #1:
History of Morrow County and Ohio -
Chicago: O. L. Baskin, 1880 - Page 640 |
FRANK HOLT,
who is successfully engaged in the great basic art of
agriculture in Peru township, Morrow county, Ohio, was born in
Cumberland county, Illinois, on the 27th of December, 1864, and
is a son of Evan and Hattie (Leonard) Holt, both of whom
are deceased. Evan Holt was a son of John H. and
Mahala Holt and his birth occurred in Chester township, this
county, on the 21st of June, 1839. John H. Holt was
born on the 11th of May, 1808, and his wife was born on the 10th
of October, 1807. They were the parents of thirteen
children. John Holt was a son of Evan and Chanty
Holt, the latter of whom were the great-grandparents of him
to whom this sketch is dedicated, the respective dates of their
births being June 9, 1764, and Sept. 14, 1764. John
Holt, grandfather of the subject of this review, was a
pioneer in Chester township, Morrow county, and he was a farmer
by occupation, having reclaimed a fine farm from the virgin
wilderness. Evan Holt became the father of four
children, two of whom are living in 1911; Frank Holt, the
immediate subject of this review; and Emma, who is the
wife of Harry Fleming, of Delaware county, Ohio.
Frank Holt was a child of but two years of age
at the time of his parents' removal from Illinois to Delaware
county, Ohio, where he was reared on a farm and where he
attended the public schools until he had attained to the age of
eighteen years. At that time he left home and began to
work in a machine shop at Delaware, Ohio, where he was employed
by the day and where he continued to be employed for some three
years, during which time he saved about four hundred and fifty
dollars. In 1890 he rented a farm in Morrow county, where
he cared for his aged father, assisted by sister Emma,
until his death, which occurred Nov. 4, 1904. Thereafter
he entered into a partnership alliance with Orson A. Lee
in the agricultural line of enterprise, in which they built up a
fine business and cleared considerable money. In April,
1901 Mr. Holt again turned his energies to farming and in
that year purchased the fine estate of sixty-six and two-thirds
acres of land on which he now resides. This is one of the
best improved farms in Peru township, and in connection with
diversified agriculture Mr. Holt is deeply interested in
the raising and marketing of high-grade stock, his specialties
being cattle and sheep.
In 1897 was solemnized the marriage
of Mr. Holt to Miss Effie Adams, who was
born in Delaware county on the 25th of August, 1873, a daughter
of Augustus Adams. She was reared to maturity on
the home farm and was educated in the district schools and in
the Galena High School, in which she was graduated as a member
of the class of 1890. For six years she was a popular and
successful teacher in the public schools in Delaware county, and
for one year she taught in Morrow county. To Mr. and
Mrs. Holt have been born three children, namely: Homer,
whose birth occurred on the 27th of April, 1904; Nancy,
born November 19, 1907; and Atlee, born October 14, 1910.
Mr. Holt is aligned as a stalwart supporter of the
Democratic party in his political proclivities and for several
terms he was incumbent of the office of township assessor.
In 1910 he served as land appraiser of Peru township and he has
ever shown a deep interest in all matters relating to higher
education in this section being at the present time, in 1911, a
director on the school board. Mr. and Mrs. Holt as
citizens are accorded a high degree of popular confidence and
esteem in this community.
Source: History of Morrow County, Ohio by A. J. Baughman -
Vol. II - Chicago-New York: The Lewis Publishing Co. - 1911 -
Page 627 |
South Bloomfield Twp. -
JOHN HOLT, Sparta; son of James and
Elizabeth (Rees) Holt; was born Sept. 8, 1826. The
father came to Chester Twp., then in Knox Co., in about 1806,
and was thus among its earliest pioneers. John received a
common school education, and remained at home helping his
parents until he was 22 years of age. By his first wife,
Susan Howard, daughter of Elias and Mary Howard,
he has one daughter and one son - Jerusha and James H.
The former was born in 1849, and the latter in 1855; Jerusha
is the wife of O. C. Chase, of Delaware, O., and by
him has a family. James for a while was a student
in the school of Oberlin, but at present is attending the
schools of Delaware. Mrs. Holt died in 1855, and
Mr. Holt re-married Mar. 14, 1858, to Abigail Barr,
daughter of Hugh and Nancy (Lyon) Barr, with whom he is
at present living. Mr. and Mrs. Holt are members of
the M. E. Church at Sparta. Mr. Holt is a staunch
Republican, a straight forward and honest man in all his
dealings. They are highly esteemed by their friends and
neighbors.
Source #1:
History of Morrow County and Ohio -
Chicago: O. L. Baskin, 1880 - Page 667 |
Chester Twp. -
BENJAMIN
HOWARD, farmer; P. O., Chesterville; was born Oct. 25,
1837, on the farm where he now lives; his father, Jesse, was born
in Virginia, and his mother, Mary (Burnes) Howard, in
Pennsylvania. They were married in Knox Co. They
father came to Mt. Vernon when 6 years old, and farmed and taught
school, walking two miles every morning and evening; his parents
finally settled on the farm now owned by Benjamin buying at
first 100 acres, afterward 87 acres; the latter was sold to
Casp. Sweatland, but the notes for which were willed to
him by Mr. Howard's father, Sweatland having
married a daughter. They had five children, but two living,
Benjamin (subject), Emily, the wife of Sweatland.
The father died in 1839. The mother is still living on the
farm. Father was once Tp. Trustee, and he and his wife were
Baptists. Benjamin married Lydia J., a
daughter of James and Sarah (Cook) Tims.
Their marriage occurred Oct. 28, 1858; her parents were born in
New Jersey, the father in 1803, and mother in 1801, and came to
Ohio in 1839; they settled in Bloomfield Tp. They had ten
children, Phoebe, George, Sanford, Rubina, Jonathan,
Watson, Lydia J., Alexander, Josiah, and Melinda.
Mrs. Howard was born Sept. 17, 1837, in New Jersey.
They had four children - Luther B., Clarence, Jesse B., and
Essie B. Mr. Howard has been managing the
present farm of 100 acres, for twenty-eight years. At the
death of his mother its becomes his. He has also bought 100
acres. He has held some township offices, as school
director, and clerk of the same board. They are members of
the Baptist church, in which he is now deacon, and has served as
treasurer of the S. S.; he buys and sells stock. He tells a
small reminiscence which should have space here, as it is
connected especially with the early settlement here of the father
and grandfather. They started on a trip to a distant mill,
which would occupy about two days' travel to reach it. They
had an acquaintance living midway, whose house they intended to
reach in time for a night of refreshing sleep, but ere they
reached the chosen spot the night was far spent, and not wishing
to disturb their friend, who had long ago retired, they repaired
to the milk-house and made a supper of cold corn cake and milk,
which they declare was the finest supper of their lives. The
grandfather brought a blind nag to this country from Virginia,
which got loose a few days after arriving and returned to its home
in Virginia alone. |
Chester Twp. -
MRS.
HANNAH P. HOWARD, widow; Chesterville; was born July 23,
1829, in this county; her father, Moses Powell, was born in Wales
Sept. 25, 1794, and came to America in 1801; he settled in
Licking Co. in 1824, and came to Morrow Co. and settled on the
farm now owned by John Bowen, where he remained
until his wife died, which was 1853; her name was Sarah Jones.
They had six children: Infant, deceased; Benjamin J.,
Hannah P., Elizabeth, Thomas W., John J. Her father
again married, the bride being Elizabeth (Hughes) Pittford;
he died at the Welch Hills, Licking Co., Sept. 3, 1866; was
justice of the peace sixteen years; clerk of the church forty
years. Mrs. Howard taught school for many
years. Mrs. Howard taught school for three terms at
$1.00 to $1.25 per week; she was married in 1849 to B. W. Evans.
They had the following children: M. E., born May 13, 1851,
died March 1, 1853; Moses P., Feb. 1, 1853, died
Dec. 18, 1879; Sarah E., July 3, 1855; Maria J.,
Oct. 21, 1861; William L., Nov. 28, 1860, died Oct. 27,
1861; Elizabeth K., Sept. 12, 1862. Her husband died
1864; he enlisted in Co. F, 136th O. N. G., in which service his
death occurred. She was again married in April, 1867, to
William Howard by whom she had George A., born Feb. 7,
1869, and John M., in March, 1871. Mr. Howard
died Oct. 31, 1878; he was an active Baptist. She has been a
member of the church since she was eleven years old. On her
farm is one of the largest grape vines in the State; it is 60 feet
long and 3 feet 7 inches in diameter. |
Chester Twp. -
HENRY
HOWARD, farmer; P. O. Sparta; is a son of Joseph;
born in Pennsylvania; came to Ohio at an early day; his mother,
Mary Bowers, died in 1857, having blessed her husband
with 16 children, 11 of whom were raised - Martha,
James, Elias, Susan, Jessie, Jerrie, Joseph, John, Henry, William
and Calvin. Henry was born August 20, 1818, and
was married June 10, 1841, to Ann, daughter of John D.
and Lena (Davis) Thomas; she is a sister of Mrs. Jane
Meredith, whose sketch appears elsewhere; her birth
occurred in 1819; she and her husband settled at marriage on the
farm now owned by J. C. Sweatland, and endured the
hardships of the pioneers; in 1849 they bought the present farm of
50 acres, then mostly in the green woods; it is now one of the
finest improved farms in the county. They have five children
- Louisa; married Thomas Rundall, now in
Kansas. Lena, teacher, now in her 31st term.
John M., married June 30, 1875, to Sadie, a daughter of
Rev. B. J. Powell; she is proficient in music, and teaches;
she took instruction six years in Granville. Libbie
married Ansel Main, of Delaware Co.; Ella, John
M. had two children. Lena B. and Harry B.,
who died May 11, 1879. The family are members of the Baptist
Church, in which they have taken a deep interest. Louisa
and Libbie have also taught school with excellent success,
as have the others. Henry is breeding fine Abdallah
horses; he has one of the finest horses in the county. |
North Bloomfield Twp. -
NOAH HUFFMAN,
farmer; P. O. Galion; son of Michael and Sarah (Bortner)
Huffman, was born Feb. 15, 1843, in what is now Morrow Co.
Mr. Huffman lived under the parental roof until his
marriage, and assisted his father in the management of the farm;
he was married Oct. 6, 1869, to Susan, daughter of
James and Margaret Baggs. She was born March 12, 1838,
in this township, where she has always lived. They have
one child - Maggie E., born Nov. 12, 1877. Mr.
Huffman is a member of the English-Lutheran Church, and his
wife, of the U. P. Church. He owns over one hundred acres
of land in this county, and is well fixed in life for one so
young. He has always been identified with the Democratic
party. |
Troy Twp. -
J. CHAMBERS HUNTER,
farmer; P. O., Corsica; is the fourth of a family of ten
children, and was born in Richland Co., Dec. 25, 1828. His
father, William Hunter, was born in Center Co., Penn.;
and while in his boyhood came to Fairfield Co., O., where he
learned the tanner's trade. When twenty years old he came
to Richland Co., and entered government land; he was ever after
a farmer, and died in 1852. Mr. Hunter commenced for
himself when twenty-four years old, and always followed farming.
He was married Sept. 25, 1855, to Rebecca J., a daughter
of John and Mary Doak. She was
born Nov. 16, 1832, in Beaver Co., Penn. He was a Democrat
before the war, but has since been identified with the
Republican party. |
|
NOTES:
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