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Fairfield County, Ohio
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Source:
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield Co., Ohio.
by C. M. L. Wiseman
Publ. F. J. Heer Printing Co., Columbus, O.  1901

Transcribed by Sharon Wick

REMINISCENCES
of Several Families Prominent in the Early
History of Fairfield County.
pg. 176 -

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THE RUFFNER FAMILY
pg. 229

     One of the famous old pioneers of Fairfield County was Emanuel Ruffner.  He was born and brought up in Shenandoah County, Va., and there he married Elizabeth Grove.
    
He belonged to a very large and highly respected Virginia family - a family more or less distinguished in that state.  One of the Ruffner's was a man of fine education and culture, and an author of some repute and was well known at Richmond.
     One of the family was in early times a proprietor of the great salt works at Charleston, the same where Senator Ewing earned the money to put himself through college.  The descendants of this man still live in Charleston, and two of them are large wholesale grocers of that city.  The principal hotel is called the Ruffner.
     Emanuel Ruffner came with his family to Ohio in 1805 and settled on the land now owned by his grandson and daughter, William Friend and wife, one and one-half miles form West Rushville, Fairfield County.  He came there when the Murpheys, Ijams, Wilsons, Rowles, Teals and Stevensons were his only neighbors - all distinguished as early pioneers of that vicinity.  He was a teamster in the Revolutionary War and his son John drove a team for him in the war of 1812.
     Emanuel Ruffner was a man of force and integrity, a good citizen and a very useful member of society.  He reared a large and interesting family; his daughters were exceptionally fine women and married good men and reared large families.
     His son John married Mary Rhodes and settled on a farm on the south fork of Licking, in Licking County, Ohio, where he lived and died.  His sons were farmers.  David has been dead some years; John still resides upon a farm near Hebron, O.  He had but one daughter and she resides in the same vicinity.  John Ruffner's farm contained five hundred acres.
     Jacob Ruffner, son of Emanuel, married Magdalene Bibler.  He lives upon a farm near the Stevenson camp ground.  His son Jonas married Susan Rhodes and they lived upon a portion of the home farm.  His sons were Jacob, Joseph, Levi and NoahJacob was the famous soldier of the 17th Ohio, known to all the old boys as "Kate" Ruffner, a name not soon to be forgotten - not while a 17th veteran lives.  Joseph resides upon the old home farm.
     A daughter of Jonas married A. M. Stewart; Sarah Stuart of Rushcreek township.  His son David married a Miss Harman and they moved to Mercer County, O.  Stewart Ruffner, the teacher, married a daughter of Hiram McNaughton and lives in Richland township, a respected and useful man.  Thomas Ruffner, son of Isaac, is a hopeless invalid.  Edward married Minnie Shaw, daughter of J. W. Shaw, and lives on the old home farm.  Mary, daughter of Isaac, married Caleb Copeland's son.
     Jacob Ruffner, son of Jacob Sr., married a daughter of Caleb Copeland.  Their son Caleb married a daughter of Reuben Phillips.  Maria married in Delaware County, Ohio, George Ruffner married in Perry County, Ohio.  William married a Miss Zink and they live in Sugar Grove, Ohio; Clara married Jacob Biggs, and they live in Morrow county, Ohio; Eliza married William Geiger and they live in Licking County, Ohio.  Margaret married Thomas Beery and they live in Pleasant township, Ohio.  Ola married Ira Spitler and they live on the Freed farm in Pleasant.
     Barbara, daughter of Jacob Ruffner, Sr., married David Tussing and they moved to Findlay, Ohio; Magdalene married John Holliday of Rushcreek; Anna married William Cruit of Perry County, Ohio; Rebecca married Samuel Swartz; Mary married John Henthorn; Emily married Jesse Rowles and recently died in Bremen, Ohio.
     Emanuel Ruffner, son of Emanuel, married Barbara Harshbarger.  He was a fine blacksmith and lived many years near New Salem.  His weight was far in excess of 300 pounds.  Late in life he moved with his family to Cumberland County, Ill., near the town of Greenup.
     Colonel Joseph Ruffner, son of Emanuel, Jr., married Rhoda Davis of Licking County, Ohio.  He lived a long life on the old Ruffner farm in Richland.  He was one of a half dozen old Virginia gentlemen who often met in Lancaster and spent a social afternoon.  No one who ever knew him can forget his courtly manners and gentlemanly bearing.  He was every inch a gentleman and a good and useful man.  He reared two daughters.  They married brothers, John and William Friend, who were the sons of another grand old man of Richland, Jonas Friend.  They inherited the old Ruffner homestead and have lived upon it and are prosperous farmers.  An old elm tree is one of the landmarks of this old place; its spreading

START ON PAGE 232
  

THE ROWLES FAMILY
pg. 237
 

THE DAUGHTERS
pg. 238
    

RUSH CREEK PRESBYTERIANS
pg. 244

     Rev. Charles Work and his brother, distinguished Presbyterian clergymen, were brought up at old Bethel.  A plow boy at the head of the first church of Cincinnati is something for Bethel to be proud of.  Distinguished lawyers, distinguished clergymen and merchants honor the names of both Bethel and Rushcreek - Leib, Work, Davis and Beery.
     We must refer more fully to the Presbyterians of Rushcreek.  In 1803 missionary workers of the associate Reform Presbyterians came from Kentucky and held services in a tent.  A church was soon built just over the line of Pleasant, two and one-half miles west of Rushville and south of Maysville pike one-half mile.  In later years this society was known as the United Presbyterians, most of its members were Rushcreek people.  They still sing Psalms, but have introduced modern music on account of their children.
     Rev. John Wright, organized the Rushcreek society in 1806 and in 1870 a two story hewed log house was built in what is now Jockey Hollow on Joseph S. Shaw's farm, two miles south of West Rushville.  This society worshiped here until 1830.  William Larimer and William Trimble were elders, when a brick church was built in West Rushville.  The church (the old log) was abandoned and part of the society went to West Rushville.  Of this society David Y. Davis was an elder, a part to Bethel and a few to the United Presbyterians.  The logs of the old church were used to build a shop in the village.  The Bethel church building was erected in 1828.  Amos Davis, a public spirited man, furnished the lumber and was a liberal contributor.  The subscriptions were mostly in produce.  One man subscribed so much wheat to be delivered at Leib's mill.  Jacob Moyer, father of John and Thomas of Pleasant, and David Miller were the contractors.  Moyer died here; Miller in Iowa.  Jacob Moyer, John Larimer and Amos Davis were the first elders.  Rev. John Wright preached for them once each month.  Rev. Francis Bartlett became the regular pastor in 1832.  Many of the members were Scotch-Irish, they were strict with their children and almost invariably raised good families.
     As previously stated Wm. Rowles married Maria Stuart.  She was the daughter of pioneer parents, William Stuart and Maria Henderson, known as Scotch-Irish.  Stuart's mother was a Thompson.  They were both born in Ireland.  The father came to the United States in 1796 when twenty years of age.  The mother came in 1797.  Their parents settled in Pennsylvania.
     Here they became acquainted and were married Feb. 18, 1801.  A few years after their marriage they came to this county and settled near what is now Bremen.  In a few years they were owners of a half section of land, a part of which is now within the corporation of Bremen.  They built a comfortable home on the bluff just north of the present village, where they spent a peaceful, honorable and useful life, rearing a family of children.  One of their best known sons, Thompson Stuart, highly esteemed and useful man, was born Mar. 20, 1816.  He married Rebecca C. Holliday, daughter of Zebulon Holliday, another sturdy and vigorous man of Rushcreek township.  The wedding occurred Apr. 20, 1845.  He purchased a part of the old Stuart homestead and lived the life of a farmer to the end of his days in sight of Bremen.  They reared a family of seven children.
     Mrs. Charles Perrin of Columbus, Mrs. W. B. Henry of Lancaster, Mrs. N. W. Good of Logan, W. J. Stuart of Springfield, Mrs. W. C. McCandish, Zebulon and Wesley of Bremen.
     Thompson Stuart was an honored member of the Methodist Episcopal church.  The writer has known him to attend a quarterly meeting twelve miles from his home.  Fifty years have come and gone since that occasion.
     The brothers of Thompson Stuart were Charles, William and James Stuart of Lancaster, who married a daughter of Christian Rudolph, is a son of James Stuart.
     Alexander T. Stuart the great merchant of New York is claimed as a cousin of William Stuart the pioneer.  Both were born in the same neighborhood in North Ireland.
     We cannot close without referring to the early schools of Rushcreek.  The first was taught by Christopher Welty and George Beery's kitchen.  The second by Joseph Osborn in the kitchen of Joseph Leib, Sr.  The late David Y. Davis attended the last named.

THE WILSON FAMILY OF RICHLAND
pg. 247
 

THE MURPHEY FAMILY
pg. 253
         

CHILDREN OF JOHN MURPHEY
pg. 255
 

MURPHEY FAMILY SUPPLEMENT
pg. 257


THE HOLMES FAMILY
pg. 258
 

TONG
THEIR CHILDREN
pg. 262


THE WELLS FAMILY
pg. 268
    

WELLSVILLE, OHIO
pg. 278


THE WELLS BURYING GROUND
pg. 278
 

McCLEERY
pg. 280
 

TALLMAN SKETCH
pg. 282
 

 THE WILSONS
pg. 283
  

THE CRUMLEY FAMILY
pg. 289
 

THE GRAHAM FAMILY
pg. 292
 

THE CLAYPOOL FAMILY
pg. 296
  

THE MEASON, CHERRY AND BEAR FAMILIES
pg. 304

CHERRY FAMILY
pg. 308

BEAR FAMILY
   pg. 309    

WINTER FAMILY
pg. 310

SKETCH OF THE HOOKER FAMILY
pg. 312

SOME MARRIAGE RECORDS
pg. 320

     George Tallman married Jane Douglas, and they were the parents of Mrs. B. N. Spahr.
     Jonathan Hays
married Elizabeth Hooker in the year 1809, Richard Hooker, J. P., officiating.  We can't state to what family Elizabeth belonged.
     James Tallman married Polly Bell, March 16, 1808, and moved to the Cove, Brook County, Virginia.
     Thomas Tallman married Eleanor Cole, August 14, 1823, by Rev. Henry Matthews.
     Benjamin Tallman
married Rebecca Hodges, October 5, 1823, by Rev. Henry Matthews.
     William Tallman
married Rachel Rush, of Amanda township, April 17, 1834.  This was doubtless the father-in-law of Richard Hooker and his second wife.
     Benjamin Tallman married Sarah Glanville, December 24, 1833.
     Hinton Tallman married Amanda M. Thompson, May 5, 1836, by Rev. Solomon Mineer.  Hinton and his brother George were able business men, of high character, and were greatly esteemed wherever known.

THE REBER FAMILY and the Bright Family - Pioneers all.
   pg. 320

THE REAM FAMILY
   pg.  

THE VAN METRE FAMILY
   pg. 

THE COURTRIGHT FAMILY
   pg. 

THE WILLIAMSON FAMILY
pg.

     THEODORE WILLIAMSON, the pioneer and the ancestor of the large family in this county, was born in Berkeley County, Virginia, in 1774.  He came to Ohio and settled in this county hear Royalton in the year 1807.  He died April 15, 1870, aged 96 years.  His wife was Miss Rhoda Prater, of Virginia.  She died Sept, 1857, aged 79 years.  They were the parents of a large family of sons and daughters, all of whom were farmers and reputable citizens.  The oldest son, George W., married Elizabeth Kemp.  They lived on the farm now owned by Albert Williamson, near the upper falls of the Hockhocking.  He died December 10, 1879.  His wife died January 19, 1889.
     Their oldest son, Theodore Williamson, married a sister of Henry Alspach.  He lived for years on a fine farm near Hooker, and was known as the neatest and best farmer of that vicinity.  He sold his farm and moved to Omaha, to which city his sons, Seymour and Charles, had preceeded him.  He now lives near Columbus, Ohio.  Seymour married a Bookwalter; Charles married Miss Annie Wiseman of Lancaster, Ohio.  Henry, son of George, married a Miss Tipton.  He owns a good farm in Bloom township, but makes his home in Lancaster.  He was a Union soldier, and left his right arm in Southern soil.
     Albert, son of George, married Rose Dysinger.  He owns the home farm, but rents and conducts an implement store, or warehouse, in Lancaster.  Sarah married Zephaniah Courtright; Zona married William Coffman; Lorinda, married John E. Courtright; Elizabeth married Isaac Bollenbaugh, and Amanda married John Coffman.
    
A good family of children survive Zephaniah Courtright and wife.
     Abraham Courtright and his sister Mary reside upon the home place of 300 acres.  One of his daughters married H. J. Knisely, a farmer and grain dealer of Carroll, Ohio.  Another daughter married Reber Allen, and another daughter married Andrew J. Musser, late treasurer of this county.  Silas, a son of Zepheniah Courtright, lives near the upper falls of Hockhocking.
     Joseph P. Williamson, son of Theodore, was born in 1804.  He died March 165, 1876, aged 72 years.  He married Elizabeth Odell and lived upon the home place of the pioneer, TheodoreWilliam, his son, married Flora Dysinger and moved to Indiana.
     Silas J. Williamson, son of Jacob, was born December 14, 1831.  He married Susannah Kiger.  He lives on the old pioneer farm.  John, son of Jacob, married Hannah Cruit.  George, son of Jacob, married Anna Kiger and moved to Wells county, Indiana.
     Alonzo, son of Jacob P., married Dora, daughter of Daniel Kellerman, and moved to Bluffton, Indiana, where he is a very prominent banker and citizen.
     Rhoda,
daughter of Jacob, married John Madden; they live on Muddy Prairie, near Amanda.  Cholista married James Robinson and died some years since.  Etta married David Cole, and they moved to Wells county, Indiana.  Catharine married George Otis.  Emma married Robert Cruit, one of the prominent and successful farmers of Hocking township.
     Isaac Newton, son of Theodore, a pioneer, married Elizabeth Peters, daughter of Samuel Peters.  She is living at a very old age, but is well and hearty, bright and happy, in the home so long endeared to her by toil and happiness.  Mr. Williamson died December 16, 1890, aged 82  years.  Mr. Williamson was a good farmer and a lover of and a judge of good fruit.
     His son Theodore married a daughter of Henry Alspach.  Rufus was a Union soldier and was killed in battle.  Joseph married a Miss Harrison.
     Tunis
married Ella Alspach, daughter of Joseph Alspach.  Samuel died young and did not marry.  Mary married G. Stanbery; Althea married Frank Philbrick; Anna married Clay Johnson; Emma never married.  John Williamson, son of Theodore, married a Miss Ingman.  He died recently.  His home was on a farm near Royalton.  His son, Clark Williamson, married a daughter of Valentine Reber.  His daughter married Dr. Silbaugh of Lancaster, Ohio.  Milton Williamson married a Miss Groff and they live on the home place of John Williamson. Henrietta married George Ward, Sophia and Maria are single women.
     Silas, the son of Theodore, married Lucinda Shawan, a sister or niece of R. W. Shawan, the great merchant of Tiffin, Ohio.  Shawan, in early life, worked upon a farm in Amanda township, and fed cattle in the winter for a small sum of money per month.  He went to Tiffin at an early day, prospered and was rated a millionaire.
     We know but little of the family of Silas Williamson.  His son Thomas married a Miss HookerWilliam Williamson, a son of Theodore, married Catharine Griffith and moved to Missouri, where they died.  Levi Williamson, son of Theodore, married a daughter of James Grantham, and moved to Iowa, where George Creed now lives.  They moved to Shelby County, Illinois.  Zero married Enos Prater and they moved to Ross county, Ohio.  Both now dead.
     This completes the record of the children, and grandchildren of the old pioneer so far as we have been able to trace the family.
     On the farm near the house of Silas J. Williamson, in sight of the Royalton road leading from Lancaster, there are two very remarkable elm trees.  They were found there by the pioneer, Theodore Williamson, and preserved.  Eighty-two years ago they were 15 inches in diameter.  One of them measures 2½ feet from the ground, 20 feet in circumference.  The other 23 feet.  Their tops cover a space of ground 90 feet in diameter.  Apple trees planted 75 years ago still bear fruit.    

 

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