|
BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio
Vol. II
by Wm. Rusler - Publ.
1921
|
|
REV. GEORGE N. RILEY
While he was one of the pioneers of Allen County, Ohio in the
1830's, there is a still broader historical significance to the
name and career of the Rev. George N. Riley, who exemplified all
the devotion of a self-sacrificing minister of the gospel in
pioneer and frontier communities, and was one of the early Indian
missionaries of Ohio.
He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and was born at Medford,
Burlington Co. NJ 27 Aug 1792. He was reared and educated in the
East and on 19 Nov 1826 he married at Mt. Holly, Burlington,
Burlington Co. New Jersey. Miss Meribah Springer Peacock. The
Peacock family originated in Scotland. Meribah Springer
Peacock
whose birthplace was also at Medford, Burlington Co, New Jersey,
was born 9 Nov 1805 daughter of Adonijah and Elizabeth
Springer Peacock. Her great grandfather John
Peacock of New Jersey was a
Deputy surveyor of the Colonial government. Her grandfather Adonijah
Peacock Sr., owned a powder mill at the time of the
Revolution while making gun powder for General George Washington's
army an explosion in the mill killed him. On her mothers side she
was a direct descendant of the Lady Hendreckson, Companion to
Queen Elenora of Sweden. The family kept the title until coming to
America in the early days of the colonies that settled with the
Swedish settlements of the King of Sweden at Wilmington, Delaware.
Soon after his entry into the ministry, Rev. George Riley, came to
Ohio, and for three years had the difficult task of acting as a
missionary at Lebanon to the Wyandotte Indians, where he and his
wife lived in the complete simplicity of frontier days. He then
went to Upper Sandusky for a year, where he built a mission house
for the use of the Indians. In 1835 he moved to Springfield, Ohio,
but after a few months came in the fall of 1835 to Allen County,
Ohio. In this county he bought from the government what is now the
Failor farm. He cleared off the land, developed it to agricultural
purposes, and in the community his industrious years were spent
until his death in 1882. Through his influence and help Wesley
Chapel was built. This was one of the first churches in the
county, and he attended regularly to his duties in the pulpit
until his death.
While he fully discharged his responsibilities to his family, he
was always keenly interested in the religious and moral life
around him, and was one of the truly noble men of the community.
Mrs. Meribah Riley, who survived him three years, was a woman of
rare refinement and charm. Her brave and courageous spirit was a
constant source of encouragement to her husband and family in the
pioneer days of the county. This noble couple were the parents of
nine children, five sons and four daughters.
(See Photograph)
(Submitted by Norita Shepherd Moss)
Source: A Standard History of Allen County, Ohio - Vol. II - by
Wm. Rusler - Publ. 1921 - Page 21 |
|
