History of Pickaway County
Source:  History of Franklin & Pickaway Counties, Ohio
Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
Published by Williams Bros. 1880
 

MONROE
 

* MONROE
       * PHYSICAL FEATURES
       * SETTLEMENTS (includes short biographies)
       * CHURCHES
       * EARLY EVENTS
       * INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS
       * ORGANIZATION
       * BIOGRAPHIES
*

BIOGRAPHIES

REV. JOHN VAN BUSKIRK.
     Rev. John Van BUSKIRK, was born in Alleghany county, Maryland, Nov. 19, 1795.  His father, Peter Van BUSKIRK, emigrated to Ohio about 1799, brining his family with him.  They remained in Chillicothe one year, at which time he purchased land near Williamsport, and conducted a milling business at that place.
     John Van BUSKIRK, as a boy, had no opportunities for obtaining a school education, but learned to read while at home.  He was married, February 8, 1821 to Sophia SEWARD, who was born in Virginia, July 8, 1799.  Soon after marriage he was converted, and though he did not immediately unite with a church, he preached the gospel as he found it in the Bible, throughout the neighborhood, in private houses, and where ever opportunity was offered.  His conversion occurred under the preaching of Rev. Matthew GARDNER, and he joined the Christian church at Williamsport, Aug. 8, 1823.  At his conversion he was strongly opposed by his father, who had no sympathy with the christian religion; but by prayer he was enabled to come off conqueror.
     After his marriage he attended school one term, which was the extent of his school education.  He was a man of strong common sense, and he applied this to every thing in life, making himself what he was - a self-made man.  His desire was to do all the good in the world that he could, and he followed out this desire throughout his life.  Though never a salaried pastor, he was ordained a regular minister in the Christian church, and was always zealous in the cause of christianity, laboring earnestly for the conversion of sinners.  His church was the broad field of the world, and he preached in private houses and in school-houses, always producing a powerful impression on the minds of his hearers.
     Mrs. Van BUSKIRK was a woman of strong convictions, but never had the benefit of an education.  She filled a useful sphere, however, and was beloved by all with whom she came in contact for the fine qualities of her mind and heart.  She was a true and consistent christian woman, a kind and loving mother, and a good wife to the husband of her choice.  She always cherished the welfare of the church, and was very benevolent, giving to the needy as they required, and assisting in the building of the chapel in Monroe township to the amount of one hundred and seventy dollars.  Rev. John Van BUSKIRK gave three hundred and fifty dollars to the same object.  He died Sep. 15, 1874, aged nearly seventy-nine years.  Mrs. Van BUSKIRK died Jan. 10, 1868, aged sixty-nine years, six months, and ten days.
     Their children were:  Caroline, born June 18, 1822, who married John WOOD, July 5, 1840 and now lives in Iowa; Diantha, born Oct. 12, 1824, who was married, Aug. 23, 1846 to Samuel ROLWN and died in Monroe township, Jan. 20, 1849; Peter, born May 15, 1826, who married Rebecca WOOD, Dec. 15, 1847, and died in Monroe, Oct. 15, 1873; Rhoda, born Jun. 2, 1831, who married William BENNETT in August, 1845, and died in Monroe, Mar. 22, 1874; Sarah born Aug. 28, 1833, who married Hiram RUSSELL, Feb. 3, 1857, and now lives in Delaware county, Indiana; Orlando born Jun. 6, 1829, who was married in August, 1856, to Elizabeth BETTS, and died in Clarksburg, Pickaway county, Jan. 11, 1858; Francis Marion, born Sept. 25, 1838, who married Diana T. HEDGES, and died, Sep. 27, 1865, in Monroe township; Mary, born Mar. 26, 1836, who was married, Sept. 20, 1868 to Adam G. C. BAILEY, and now lives in Mt. Sterling, Madison county; and William H. H., born May 3, 1842, who died Nov. 2, 1865.
 

STANTON ADKINS was born Jan. 24, 1789, in Wyconico county, Maryland, from whence he emigrated to Ohio in 1816.  He first settled in Ross county, where he was married, June 10, 1819 to Anna TIMMONS.  She was born June 3, 1804.  Soon after marriage they moved to Darby township, where Mrs. ADKINS died, leaving children as follows:
Elijah, born Aug. 25, 1820;
Garrison, born April 14, 1822;
Elizabeth, born Oct. 6, 1823;
Rhodney, born Aug. 24, 1825;
Sarah, born Feb. 17, 1827;
Mary Ann, born Nov. 19, 1828;
Stanton, born June 8, 1830;
Charlotte, born March 5, 1832;
Miranda P., born January 13, 1834;
George W., born Oct. 31, 1835;
David C., born January 21, 1839.
     After the death of his first wife, Mr. ADKINS married Rachel Ann GRINDLE (see note below), in 1847.  They had:
Noah W., born August 6, 1847;
Cannon, born January 19, 1849;
Harriet, born November 9, 1850;
Youdoshe, born December 13, 1852;
Roxana, born July 16, 1855;
Mahala, born April 17, 1859;
Ezra, born April 1, 1861.
     Mr. ADKINS was the father of twenty-one children, of whom, at this time, eight by his first wife, and four by his second are living.  Four of his sons served as soldiers during the war of the Rebellion - David in the Forty-fifth Ohio infantry; he was taken prisoner and confined at Danville and Andersonville, where he was finally exchanged in 1864, and died at Annapolis, Maryland, when on his way home.  Noah was also in the Forty-fifth infantry, where he served three years.  He enlisted before he was fifteen years of age, and during his term of service contracted disease from which he died March 5, 1869, at the age of twenty-two years.  Stanton and Rhodney enlisted in Illinois regiments, and both lived to return to their families, after three years of hard service, in which Rhodney received honorable scars.
     When Stanton ADKINS came to Ohio he was a poor man, but by dint of hard labor and judicious management he accumulated a considerable property, owning, at his death, over seven hundred acres of land in Darby and Monroe townships.  He was a worthy member of the Methodist church in Darby township, as is his wife, who survives him, and several other members of his family.  He was always true to his pledged word, no matter what sacrifice might be required.  For the last ten years of his life he had very poor health.  His death occurred June 5, 1879, at the age of ninety years, four months and ten days.

ALSO NOTE:  Ohio Genealogy Express owner, Sharon Wick is the 2nd great-grandniece of Rachel GRINDLE Adkins.
I don't know if the picture is of Rachel or Anna Adkins, Stanton's wife.