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BIOGRAPHIES
 Source:
A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County
from The Earliest to the Present Date
by H. S. Knapp
Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.
- 1863 -
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1863 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
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Green Twp. -
ALLEN OLIVER, born in New Jersey,
immigrated to Worthington Township, Richland County, October,
1810. In the preceding June, he entered the southwest
quarter of section 28, Green Township; and in February, 1811,
removed his family to a half-faced cabin, without a roof, upon
his land. During the first night the family lodged in
their roofless house, the snow fell to the depth of ten or
twelve inches.
His family at this time consisted of his wife and sons,
John, Daniel, and Lewis, and four daughters.
Daniel and Lewis, and four daughters.
Daniel and Lewis - the latter residing upon the old
homestead - Mrs. Sarah Tannehill and Mrs. Elizabeth
McMahan are the only survivors of the family of Mr.
Oliver now residing in Green Township. His own death
occurred on the 28th of September, 1823, in the sixty-fifth year
of his age.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp,
Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 332 |
Lake Twp. -
ELIJAH ORAM. In December, 1807, his
father, Joshua Oram, and family, immigrated to Fairfield
County, Ohio, from the State of Maryland. In November,
1811, the family removed to Lake Township, and entered and
commenced improvement upon a quarter which, by subsequent
divisions, became a part of the Township of Clinton. In
the fall of 1812, the family of Mr. Oram, with several
others, established a fort near the southern line of Lake
Township, where they remained about three months. In 1815
his father sold the farm he originally purchased, and entered
the northeast and southeast quarters of section 15, Lake
Township, and immediately commenced improvement upon the former
quarter. After residing upon this land about three years,
he sold the Asahel Webster, and removed to the southeast
quarter, which he improved and made his residence until his
decease, which occurred on the 27th day of August, 1831.
Elijah Oram, Esq., is the present owner of three-fourths
of this old homestead quarter, and of eighty acres adjoining.
When his father commenced his residence in Lake, there
was not a white family residing within the limits of what now
forms the township. When he raised his second cabin, in
1815, he traveled a circuit of ten mile to gather the necessary
force of men for the purpose.
The supplies of breadstuffs were obtained from Knox
County, which was then considered the "Egypt" of the country,
where the corn purchased was ground at Shrimplin's Mill,
and was brought home on packhorses during the winter season, and
on canoes when the streams were navigable. After the
neighborhood began to raise its own supplies of corn, it was
prepared for converting into bread by breaking up in wooden
mortars, an article which belonged to nearly every cabin, and
which was regarded as an indispensable machine in the domestic
economy. The mills were so remote that several families
subsisted many years almost exclusively upon this domestic
flour.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 389 |
Vermillion Twp. -
MR. JAMES PALMER (now a resident of the
southwest corner of Perry Township, and who was the fourth son
of the gentleman whose decease is above noticed, and who also
communicates these facts) mentions a singular instance attending
the death of an uncle, Nathaniel Palmer, which occurred
in 1815. When he parted with is family, this gentleman,
although in good physical health and in the vigor of manhood,
mentioned to them a presentment that he would not live to meet
them again. He, however, came to the country, and entered
land in Green Township; and while on a visit at the house of his
brother, was taken ill of fever - and on the evening of the
ninth day, after having been pronounced by his physician
convalescent, turned his face to the wall, and, within three
minutes after having made this movement, breathed his last.
A messenger was immediately dispatched to communicate
intelligence of the death of his family. On reaching
Canton, he met a messenger from Jefferson County charged with
the sad duty of communicating to the husband the death of the
wife! It appeared that their deaths had occurred the very
same hour.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 284 |
Vermillion Twp. -
JONATHAN PALMER, while a resident of
Jefferson County, Ohio, made a visit to Vermillion Township, in
September, 1810, and entered two quarters - one being the
northeast of section 12, (now owned by Thomas Boyd,) and
the other being the farm now owned by George Buchanan, Esq.
On this visit, he was accompanied by his eldest son
Ephraim. Having made the entries described, he
returned home, where he continued until the spring of 1811, when
he revisited the tract first named and commenced improvements,
in which work he was aided by a portion of his family - two sons
and a daughter. During the season a cabin house was
erected, and three acres cleared and planted in corn. Hewn
logs for a building were also prepared - being the first effort
toward such a substantial improvement that had been made in
Vermillion or any of the adjoining townships. It had been
the intention to send for the remainder of the family in the
fall of this year; but the unsettled relations with the British
and Indians changed the plan, and the family reunited in
Jefferson County, where the remained until September, 1814,
when, notwithstanding war yet existed, the whole family removed
and made a permanent settlement upon their land.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 283 |
Troy Twp. -
JOSEPH S. PARKER
is the oldest settler now residing in the township. He
removed to it in 1832. between Sullivan and the place to
which he removed, there were only two cabins - one of which,
belonging to Ralph Phelps, had only been erected a few
days previous.
Troy Twp.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page
544 |
WILLIAM
PATTERSON made his first to Orange Township in the spring
of 1815, and entered at the Federal Land Office the northeast
quarter of section 7, Orange Township. During the same
year, he returned to his native place, in Washington County,
Pennsylvania, and in 1818 revisited the country with a view of
making the land he had entered the place of his future
residence. In that year he "tomahawked," to use a current
phrase of the country at that time, ten acres of his land.
By this term "tomahawked," the unsophisticated of this time will
understand to mean, that he cut down, with his axe, from that
number of acres, the timber of eighteen inches in circumference
and under, and arranged the brush around the base of the trees
that were above that size.
On the 20th of May, 1819, he married Miss Jane
Freeborn, and the two commenced life upon the land he has
since made his home.
Mr. Patterson served several years as justice of
the peace in Orange Township.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 518 |
Ruggles Twp.
JAMES POAG settled in Clearcreek Township,
in 1825, upon the land which is now the farm of James Heanst.
About 1827 he purchased the farm in Ruggles, upon which his
widow and son, Washington I. Poag, now reside in Ruggles
Township. He died April 9, 1854, at the age of seventy-one
years.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page
541 |
Hanover Twp. -
JAMES LOUDON PRIEST removed from
Pennsylvania to Lake Township in May, 1810, and entered the land
now owned by Calvin Hibbard, of Loudonville. His
children were William, Olive, Clarissa, Daniel, Alvin, Eliza,
James, Isaac, Jonas, John, and Sarah.
Mr. Priest purchased the land (one hundred and
sixty acres, northwest quarter section 1) upon which sixty
acres, northwest quarter section1) upon which is now situated
Loudonville - and which town bears a part of his name - in the
year 181_. At this date there was not a building of any
sort within what now constitutes the town of Loudonville.
The first sale of lots was made on the 14th day of
September, 18145. The proceeds of the sale were small.
The first justice of the peace who was elected, living
within the town of Loudonville, was Stephen Butler.
Mr. Priest was elected the first justice of the
peace in Lake Township, and built, upon the farm above
mentioned, the first log cabin in said township. He died
Aug. 12, 1822, aged fifty-five years; and was the first citizen
buried with Masonic honors in Loudonville. His wife died
in October, 1859. William Priest died about 1847;
Olive married Robert Davis, (who died thirty years
since,) and is now the wife of Andrew Smith, with whom
she is now living, in Holmes County. Clarissa
married Benjamin Quick, and deceased about twenty-seven
years since. Daniel is now a resident of Holmes
County. Of Alvin, nothing is known concerning him;
the last information from him being that he was in Texas, in
1860. Eliza married George Webster, with
whom she now resides, in Logansport, Indiana. James,
when last heard from, (about thirteen years ago,) was in
Ireland. Isaac died in Illinois in 1856.
Jonas (who communicates these details) is a resident of
Washington Township, Holmes County, about one mile east of
Loudonville. John is a neighbor of the latter; and
Sarah married Cephus Parker, with whom she now
resides, in Lake Township, Ashland County.
A few months prior to the Indian murders upon Black
Fork, but while the savages had betrayed signs of hostility,
Mr. Priest and his eldest son, William, went forth
upon a reconnoissance. During their absence, Mrs.
Elijah Bowland, a neighbor, came to the house and notified
Mrs. Priest that she had discovered in the neighborhood
unmistakeable signs of Indians, their tracks, and a piece of
blanket. She so impressed her feelings of alarm upon
Mrs. Priest that she immediately proceeded to vacate the
house, and, placing her three youngest children in a canoe,
which happened to be passing on the Lake Fork, under the
management of Samuel Magnin, with the other seven she
followed a trail which led to the house of Henry Darnell.
She had not proceeded far, however, before she became impressed
with a fear that she might be waylaid by the Indians, and sent
Daniel to the house to await, in an adjoining thicket,
the return of his father and brother, to inform them of the
circumstances that had transpired during their absence. In
the mean time, she and the other children had sought refuge in
an "alder swamp," not far distant. About midnight Mr.
Priest and eldest son returned; upon discovering whom,
Daniel came forward, and communicated the causes which had
produced the change.
Although the result proved that there was no just cause
for alarm, it was determined, as a measure of safety, to build a
fort, which was accordingly done, upon the farm of Mr. Priest,
and became the constant abode of the settlers in the
neighborhood during the subsequent three months, and at nights
during the entire period of the war.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 379 |
Montgomery Twp. -
ANDREW PROUDFIT, SEN., entered, in 1813,
the half section of land in Montgomery Township now occupied by
Andrew Slocum. He removed his family to the place
in December, 1817. His family then consisted of his wife,
and the following named children: John (now a
resident of Orange Township,) Nancy, (now the wife of
Samuel Burls, of Wood County,) David, (since
deceased,) James, (now a resident of Indiana,)
Temperance, (wife of John Mason,) Mary (now
deceased,) Jane, (who married Solomon Urie, and
now resides in Michigan,) Andrew, (now residing in
Ashland, and the owner of the principal portion of the old
homestead,) Esther, (wife of Samuel Lawson of
Illinois,) and Sarah, (since deceased.) Andrew
Proudfit, Sen., died June 10, 1842, aged seventy-one
years; and Mary his wife, died May 31, 1841, aged
sixty-seven years.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp,
Publ. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 202 |
Vermillion Twp. -
GILBERT PURDY, an emigrant from
New York, in 1817 bought the west half of the eighty acres of
George McClue, now owned by John Scott, Sr., and
adjoining John Harper's on the south. At the time
of his removal his family consisted of Peter M., Henry,
Sarah, Cornelia, and Gennett. The latter
married the widow of Starling G. Bushnell.
Peter M. was the first who bought wheat, and that,
too, not for cash, but by way of his trade, (black-smithing,) in
the neighborhood. This was about 1826, and before the
completion of artificial channels of commerce. Mr.
Purdy paid about ten cents per bushel, and hauled it
to Portland, (Sandusky City,) where he obtained about sixty
cents per bushel.
In 1828 he transported two loads,
consisting of flour, whisky, and pork, to Cleveland. This
was after the time of the completion of the Ohio Canal.
The trip consumed generally from seven to eight days. He
sold his flour at two dollars and a half per barrel; pork, five
dollars per barrel; and whisky, price not recollected.
These were merely nominal prices, as goods and not cash
formed the standard of prices - only a small per cent being paid
in money. Part of their return load consisted of salt at
six dollars per barrel.
Source: A History of the Pioneer and Modern Times of Ashland
County from The Earliest to the Present Date, by H. S. Knapp, Publ.
Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co. - 1863 - Page 288
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