Source:
History of Hocking Valley, Ohio -
Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co.
1883

BIOGRAPHIES

	SAMUEL J. JEFFERS, a native of Carthage Township, Athens Co., Ohio, born Mar. 27, 1840.  He lived there till he reached his majority, when he enlisted in Company B, Fifty-third Ohio Infantry, October, 1861, serving three years, during which time he participated in the battles of Shiloh, Corinth and Holly Springs, Miss.  He was taken sick in April, 1863, with abscess of the lungs, and was in the hospital in the convalescent corps for one year and the remainder of the time was in the invalid corps at Washington.  October, 1864, he was discharged, after which he came home and farmed and went to school for two years.  He was married May 6, 1866, to Elizabeth S. Shield, of Meigs County, Ohio.  She was born May 4, 1846. They have three children living - Myrta, born Dec. 21, 1868; Arthur P., Mar. 8, 1878; Delmont, Aug. 26, 1881.  Mr. and Mrs. Jeffers are members of the Christian church.  He moved to Orange Township, Meigs Co., Ohio, in the fall of 1866 and engaged in saw and grist milling.  In 1875 he came to Vinton Township where he has since been engaged in farming and stock-raising, he resides on section 17, Vinton Township, and owns a farm of 294 acres.  He was elected one or the directors of the County Infirmary of Vinton County. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 1369 - Vinton Twp.
	DAVID JOHNSON, one of the first settlers of Swan Township, was born in Rutland, Vt., Oct. 3, 1790; emigrated to New York State at an early age, where he grew to manhood; came to Ohio in 1811, to live with his brother Levi, who had preceded him, and located at what is now called the old Jones farm, near McArthur.  His father was an Englishman and one of the Revolutionary fathers.  David Johnson had three brothers - Truman, who died in New York State, and Levi and Amos, who came to Ohio and died, and one sister, Lodema B., who died in New York.  David Johnson enlisted in the war of 1812 and obtained a commission to recruit a brigade of teams and pack-horses, which he did and became master of trains and pack-horses under General Harrison, in which capacity he rendered much valuable service to the Government, enduring untold hardships and having many miraculous escapes from the scalping knife of the savages.  He was ordered by General Harrison to remove all the arms and supplies from Fort Stephenson which he did, excepting one six-pound cannon which they had no room to load on the wagons and such supplies as were left to Colonel Crogan, who had orders to follow immediately and join General Harrison.  Johnson conducted his train safely through the enemy's lines, but Colonel Crogan delayed his departure a little too long and was surrounded.  At the close of the war Johnson returned to his home near McArthur, and on the 15th day of January, 1815, married Miss Elizabeth Will, daughter of George Will, of Adelphi, Ohio, and moved the same year to Swan Township where he remained till his death, Feb. 12, 1870.  He opened the first wagon road that was made in Swan Township, introduced the first iron pitchfork, the first cast-iron plow, the first wagon and the first fanning-mill for cleaning grain.  He organized the first school in the township, was one of the first justices, and was elected three times by the Legislature to serve as Associate Judge of Hocking County.  He was a man of iron nerve and determined will.  Though a farmer he dealt extensively in stock, the cattle ranging upon the commons most of the year during the first periods of his settlement here.  He met the privations of frontier life, and though at times well nigh borne down with adversity, he was never known to falter, but through all the purturbations of his life, whether as farmer, trader, soldier, justice, or judge, he bore the character of a faithful friend, honest man and a merciful judge.  He was a Whig in politics, a devoted friend to Henry Clay, Webster, Harrison and that school of politicians, and latterly a zealous friend of the Republican party.  He was for some years before his death a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and died in full expectation of a better inheritance.  His wife was a woman of iron constitution; though but fifteen years old when married, she met the privations and hardships incidental to a change from village to backwoods' life with that fortitude and courage becoming a truly devoted woman.  She was the mother of eleven children, two boys and nine girls.  She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church from early life until her death Jan. 19, 1882.  Seven of the girls are dead, only two of whom left any heirs.  Susannah Cox left a son, George W., who died in the army during the Rebellion, and a daughter, Eliza, who married Wesley Barger, of Pike County, Ohio, and is now residing there.  Martha M. Robinson left a son now eight years of age, residing in Kansas.  Clarissa E., the youngest daughter living, is the wife of Rev. J. R. Prose and the mother of four children.  The eldest daughter living, Sarah L., is the wife of Joseph Cox, of Swan Township, and the mother of seven children.  B. F. Johnson, the youngest son, lives in Swan Township, is an extensive stock-dealer, an ultra Republican, owns farms in Vinton and Pickaway counties, and is looked upon by all parties as a rather sagacious politician.  He married a Miss Hitt, of this county, and has four children.  George W. Johnson, the eldest son, is a quiet farmer, living at the old original homestead in Swan Township.  He married a Miss Sain, formerly of Rushville, Ohio, and has six children.  He, too, is a zealous Republican and a temperance man of the true type, and at present a Justice of the Peace in his township.  He owns about 500 acres of land in Swan Township, and has acquired lands in Kansas and West Virginia, which he has conveyed to his children.  Judge Johnson had acquired about 1,200 acres of land which he deeded to his children before his death.  Through the influence of Mr. Johnson the mail route between Athens and Adelphi was established forty years ago. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 1317
	COLUMBUS JOHNSON, farmer and County Commissioner, was born in this township in 1846,and is a son of Abraham and Matilda (Pewters) Johnson.  His father was a son of John Johnson, who settled on section 16 in 1814, where he lived until his death in 1860, aged seventy-five years.  He was a soldier in the war of 1812.  The following were his children - Abraham, Henry, William, John, Nancy, Terresa, Charlotta and Sallie.  By his second wife he had two children - Emily and Christena.  Abraham, the eldest son, was born in 1816, and married Matilda A., daughter of William Pewters.  After marrying he settled in this township, and in 1857 he removed across the line into Jackson County, Ohio.  He was elected one of the Commissioners of Jackson County, and while in the discharge of public business, in superintending the construction of a bridge, a derrick fell upon him and caused instant death, Oct. 19, 1876.  He was a man of fine executive ability and was never defeated when a candidate for office.  Seven children were born to him - Alanson, Columbus, Clinton, Erastus, Seymour, Sallie Ann and Malinda A.  Mrs. Johnson died in 1873 at the age of fifty-two years.  Both were members of the Christian church and took much interest in religious matters.  He owned 800 acres of good land at his death; he was also one of the original organizers and stockholders of the Hamden furnace.  Our subject was married in 1872 to Mary E. Buckley.  He was elected to the office of County Commissioner in 1880; he has also been largely identified with the offices of the township.  He owns 256 acres of well-improved land.  One land has been born to him - Ernest B. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 1317
H. C. Jones	HOMER C. JONES, attorney at law, McArthur, was born Oct. 17, 1834, a son of David and Maria (Bothwell) Jones.  His father was the son of Moses Jones, and was born in Ross County, Ohio, May 10, 1804.  He came to McArthur in 1823.  In 1832 he bought eighty acres near what is now Vinton Station.  He added to his first purchase until 1855 he had 500 acres.  He was extensively engaged in stock-raising, and was one of the first in the county to take an interest in improved stock.  In 1855 he sold his farm and purchased the Bothwell homestead.  He at one time owned one-fourth of the Cincinnati (now Richland) Furnace, and superintended the building of it.  He and Dr. A. Wolf were afterward in partnership in the raising of fine sleep to Vinton County.  David Jones was at one time quite a local politician, and in 1836-'37 represented Athens and Meigs counties in the State Legislature.  He died in 1866, and his wife died the following year, leaving a family of seven children - Charlotte, now Mrs. J. W. Rannells; Homer C.; James K. a Captain in the Ninetieth Ohio Infantry, now living in Missouri; Eliza A., now Mrs. J. A. Felton; Mordecai B., of Missouri; Cidna M. now Mrs. Elijah Rockhold of Bainbridge; and David Warren, an attorney of Gallipolis.  Homer C. Jones was educated in the Ohio University at Athens.  In 1858 he was elected County Surveyor of Vinton County, and served till 1860.  While holding that office he read law with the late Judge J. P. Plyley.  In 1861 he enlisted in Company B, Eighteenth Ohio Infantry, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant.  While in camp at Athens he was admitted to the bar by the District Court of Athens County.  In the spring of 1862 he was detailed for duty in the signal corps, and having attended camp of instruction was assigned to duty on the staff of Brigadier-General T. J. Wood, Sixth Division, Army of Ohio, and with this command was at Shiloh.  In September, 1862, Colonel Stanley had him return to the regiment to serve as Adjutant, but a few weeks later General Negley selected him as Aid-de-Camp.  He retained this position till after the reorganization of the army under General Rosecrans, when he was assigned to duty on the field-staff of General George H. Thomas.  He acted as Aid-de-Camp to General  Thomas at the battle of Stone River, and was then assigned to duty as Inspector General of the  Fourteenth army Corps, during the illness of Colonel Von Schrader.  General Thomas presented him with the Brigadier-General shoulder straps worn by him at Mill Springs, Shiloh and Stone River, which he now values very highly as a souvenir of General Thomas and the late war.  He remained in the signal service on the staff of General John M. Palmer, who succeeded General Thomas, until the reorganization of his regiment as veterans in 1863, when, at the earnest solicitation of Colonel Stanley and the men of his company.  He was mustered out Nov. 9, 1864.  On returning home he opened an office and has since been engaged in the practice of law.  Captain Jones has always taken an interest in political matters.  He was an alternate delegate to the National Convention at Philadelphia in 1872 that nominated General Grant to the Presidency, and was an Elector for the Eleventh District on the Republican ticket that year.  In 1876 he was a delegate to the National Convention at Cincinnati that nominated President Hayes.  In 1877 he was elected to represent the district composed of Meigs, Lawrence, Gallia and Vinton counties in the State Senate.  His majority was only ten, and his seat was contested by Mr. Onderdonk upon the ground that he had received more colored votes than his majority, and the Senate being largely Democratic, Mr. Onnderdonk won the day.  In 1879 he was elected to the Senate by over 1,900 majority.  He is now a member of the Republican State Central Committee.  Captain Jones was married in 1861 to Lou F. Hawk, daughter of John S. Hawk of McArthur.  They have five sons. SOURCE:  History of Hocking Valley, Ohio - Published Chicago: by Inter-State Publishing Co. - 1883 - Page 1248 - Elk Twp.