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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
Portrait and Biographical Record
of
Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio.
containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and
Representative Citizens Together with
Biographies and Portraits of the Presidents of the
United States.
Publ. Chicago: Chapman Bros.
1892
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JESSE JENKINS
is a man whom Nature seems to have especially designed
to be a farmer, for he has met with more than the
ordinary degree of success in pursuing that calling, and
owing to his desire to keep out of the beaten path, and
to his adoption of new and improved methods, together
with industry and good judgment, he is now one of the
substantial men of the county. He is the owner of
one of the richest, most productive and best-kept farms
in his section, and on this he has a good house and
substantial and commodious barns and outbuildings,
wide-awake and enterprising, he has made all his
property by his own exertions, and deserves much credit
for his perseverance and industry.
His immediate progenitor, Samuel Jenkins,
was a native of the Keystone State, born June 26, 1778,
and came to Ross County, Ohio, when a young man. His
father, William Jenkins, was a native of
Wales, and was a single man when he came to the United
States. He settled in Pennsylvania and there
passed the remainder of his days. Samuel
Jenkins was married in Ross County, Ohio, to Miss
Anna Cooney, a native of Maryland, and
after marriage followed the trade of a wheelwright for
some time. Later, he came to Logan County, Ohio,
located on a farm in McArthur Township, moved from there
to Northwood, Logan County, thence to a farm in Belle
Centre, Richland Township, this county, and finally to
Hardin County, Ohio, where his death occurred in 1860.
The following year the wife followed him to the grave,
and they were buried side by side in the Kenton
cemetery. They were the parents of thirteen
children, eight of whom reached manhood and womanhood,
and two of whom are now living, one beside our subject,
Mrs. Rebecca Lockhart.
Jesse Jenkins, the eldest son and third
child, first saw the light of day in Ross County, Ohio,
on the 18th of August, 1822, and his early days were
passed in assisting his father on the farm, and in
attending the primitive log schoolhouse of pioneer days.
His first scholastic training was received in Marion
County, Ohio, but when his father moved to Logan County,
this State, he conned his lessons in a log schoolhouse
with greased paper for window lights, a big fireplace
four feet wide, with stick chimney, and like
contrivances of that period. His knowledge of the world
was only such as could be learned upon the home farm,
and he was actively engaged in assisting to clear the
home place until thirty years of age. When
twenty-one years of age, he attended school in a frame
house, and by his studious and careful attention to his
books secured a fairly good education.
Until thirty years of age, all our subject's earnings
went to support the family, but about that time his
brother-in-law rented a farm and bought a
threshing-machine, which our subject and he operated for
about three years. When thirty-five years of age,
or in 1859, Mr. Jenkins selected a
life companion in the person of Miss Elizabeth A.
Bennett, a native of Logan County, Ohio, born in
1830. The result of this union was the birth of
seven children: Samuel, Claribel,
Marietta, William, Lizzie M.,
Carrie M. (who died when eight years of age),
and Amanda J., all enjoying single blessedness.
The wife and mother died June 26, 1882.
In the same year as his marriage, our subject settled
where he now resides, and although his first home was a
rude log cabin, and his place had very few improvements
on it. he went vigorously to work to clear his farm of
the heavy timber with which Nature bad covered it.
Assisted by his ambitious and economical wife, who was a
true helpmate indeed, he began gradually, and after much
bard work and many privations, to gather around him many
comforts and conveniences, he is now the owner of one
hundred and eighty-seven acres of excellent land, the
most of which is under cultivation, and all of which he
has cleared with his own hands, and besides has cleared
two other farms. He has been an indefatigable
worker, and all his property has been accumulated by
strict attention to business and great exertion on his
part, he is one of the prominent farmers of Rush Creek
Township, and one of its most worthy and upright
citizens. He is a member of the Disciples Church.
Formerly a Whig in politics, his first vote was for
Henry Clay, but he is now a stanch Republican
and upholds the platform of that party. Aside from
his extensive farming interests, Mr. Jenkins
is also engaged in stock-raising, and makes a success of
this, as he does of all else he undertakes.
Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of
Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 - Page 318 |
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HIRAM JOHNSTON,
residing one and a quarter miles west of East Liberty,
Logan County, Ohio, is one of the substantial and
much-esteemed citizens of the county. He was born
in Richland County, Ohio, on the 11th of August, 1824,
and is the son of Robert and Catherine (Harris)
Johnston, natives of Pennsylvania, the father having
been born in Butler County on the 18th of April,
1800, and the mother in November, 1802. The
paternal grandfather of our subject, William Johnston,
was born in the Emerald Isle, but came to America, when
a young man and located in Pennsylvania, where he met
and married his wife. About 1815, he decided to
locate in Ohio, and came to this State, where he made a
settlement in Knox County, taking up Government land.
There he made his home until his death, when about
eighty-seven years of age. He was a strict member
of what is now the United Presbyterian Church and was
deeply interested in all religious work. He served
in the War of 1812. His wife, whose maiden name
was Mary McCanless, was also born in Ireland, and
died on the old homestead, in Knox County.
Our subject's maternal grandfather, Warren
Harris, was a native of Virginia, and in that State
grew to years of discretion. He was married in
Pennsylvania and in 1811 came to Ohio, settling in Wayne
County, where he took up land from the Government.
There he received his final summons, when sixty-six
years of age. He was a member of the
Presbyterian Church and was interested in all worthy
enterprises. He was the father of fifteen
children, twelve of whom reached mature years.
Robert Johnston, father of our subject, was but
a small lad when he came with his parents to Ohio, and
in this State he passed his boyhood and youth. He
was married in Wayne County, Ohio, to Miss Harris,
and afterward located in Richland County, this State,
near Perryville, where he was engaged in sickle-making
and blacksmithing for about three years. He then
returned to Wayne County, Ohio, and remained there
engaged in farming and blacksmithing until 1836, when he
moved to Kenton, Hardin County, Ohio, when the country
was wild and unsettled. He located in the city of
Kenton, engaged in merchandising and hauled his goods
from Cincinnati with teams. His was the second
store started in Kenton and he remained there about two
years. From there he went to Galion, Crawford
County, Ohio, was engaged in general merchandising there
for about three years, and then traded his store for a
farm in Richland County, Ohio. Later, he traded
this farm for one in Shelby County, Ill., and resided on
this less than two yeas, when he moved to Muncie,
Delaware County, Ind., and located on a farm. From
there he moved to Bellefontaine, Lake Township, Logan
County, Ohio, and there died in 1866. In politics,
he was formerly a Whig, but later a Republican, and
voted with that party until his death. He was a
member of the Presbyterian Church in his last days and
took an actie part in all religious work.
His wife died in Bellefontaine in 1872. They were
the parents of fifteen children, six sons and two
daughters growing to mature years, and five sons and one
daughter now living. The children who lived to be
grown are as follows: Hiram, our subject;
Solomon of Michigan; William, of Logan
County, Ohio; John C. of Marion County, Ohio;
Robert F., who was killed at Pittsburg Landing on
the 15th of June, 1864, when fighting for the Stars and
Stripes; Allen M. who is a blacksmith of
Bellefontaine; Mary G, widow of Samuel
Amsmoker of East Liberty; and Sarah Jane,
deceased.
Hiram Johnston, the eldest son and second child,
received the rudiments of his education in the town of
Orville, in a little log schoolhouse which he attended
two eyas, and then finished his scholastic training with
his parents until nineteen years of age, and then began
working by the month, receiving as compensation $8 per
month. The spring he was twenty years of age, he
rented his first farm in Richland County, and everything
was furnished him. He carried on the farm for
three years, and was married the second year he rented
his farm, or in 1845, to Miss Caroline Pollock,
who was born and reared in Richland County. A year
later, he rented another farm in the same township and
remained there until 1849, when he located one mile
north of Zanesfield on a rented farm. A few years
later, he bought a farm of sixty-two acres in Union
County, Ohio, in the woods, but subsequently traded it
for sixty-four acres now owned by George Grubbs,
erected a house on this and there made his home for four
yeas. After this, he sold out and bought one
hundred and twenty acres in Jefferson Township, this
county, but shortly afterward sold this and bought one
hundred and twenty acres one mile north in the same
township. In March, 1864, he bought one hundred
and thirty-seven acres three miles north of
Bellefontaine, and located on it in July of that year;
but again he sold out and then bought the property he
now owns, which consists of one hundred and sixty-six
and one-half acres, nearly all under cultivation.
Here he has resided ever since and is one of the
progressive and enterprising agriculturists and
stock-raisers of the county. He is a great trader
in stock and is now engaged as agent for the Landenbak
Fertilizer Co., Urbana, Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are the parents of ten
children: Charles M., deceased; Marietta,
at home; Delia M., wife of D. O. Marquis
of Lexington Ky.; James R. deceased; Elmer E.;
Emma V., at home; Robert F., at home, one,
who died in infancy; Henry, deceased; and
Irene wife of Charles Cronkleton of Perry
Township, this county. Mr. Johnston has a
very pleasant home, is surrounded with every comfort and
convenience, and is also the owner of several lots in
town. In politics, he is a stalwart Republican,
and he has held the office of Trustee of Perry Township.
All the improvements of his farm have been made by
Mr. Johnston and family, and although when he first
came to this county he had but $34, he is now one of the
substantial men of the county. When he first came
here he cut cord-wood for thirty-seven and one-half
cents per cord and boarded himself the first year.
He shocked corn for fifty cents per day and cut four
acres of wheat with a cradle for $1 a day. He is a
self-made man in every sense of that much-abused term
and merits the respect of all.
Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of
Auglaize, Logan and Shelby Counties, Ohio - Publ.
Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 - Page 421 |
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