DAVID DAILEY.  The first person who settled in what is now Rome township was David Dailey, a veteran soldier of the revolution, and decidedly "a character."  Born in Vermont in 1750, he removed to western New York after his discharge from the army, and thence to Cannonsburg, Pennsylvania, whence he migrated in the year 1797 to the northwestern territory.  With his family, consisting of two daughters and five sons, of whom Benonah H. Dailey, of Carthage township (the youngest son), is now the sole survivor, he came down the Ohio river in a pirogue to the mouth of the Hockhocking, and up that stream to the mouth of Federal creek, where he at once opened up a farm.  The place on which he settled is now known as the Beebe farm.
     Around him was an unbroken wilderness.  The nearest neighbors were at the settlement at Athens, about twelve miles distant.  Parties of Indians were frequently seen on hunting excursions, or on their way to Wheeling to barter their furs.  Having lived about three yeas on the farm first settled by him, he sold it to Elijah Hatch, and, with his family, removed to Carthage township.  Dailey was a famous hunter, fond of the exciting sports of pioneer life, and cultivated a sort of contempt for the comforts and conveniences of civilization.  With his dogs and hunting equipments, and with a dead bear or deer on his back, homeward bound, he was as happy as a king.  The story of his many rencounters with wolves, bears, and panthers, after settling in Athens county, would form an interesting narrative, and graphically illustrate the excitements of pioneer life.  Our informant says:
     "I exceedingly regret that some of these stories, which I have heard him relate, are so blurred in memory that I find it impossible to reproduce them.  And, then, the old man told them with such a peculiar zest that much would unavoidably be lost  in a repetition.  His imperturbable gravity, the immobility of his countenance, even when uttering a dry joke or relating an amusing anecdote, at which the bystanders were in a perfect roar of laughter, were wonderful.  Yet I have often seen his eyes fill with tears at a tale of suffering.  Even in relating the death of a favorite dog - Piper - belong to a fellow huntsman, the tears would start.  He assisted in burying the dog with 'military honors,' on the bank of a branch now bearing the dog's name." 
     Captain Chittenden, afterward governor of Vermont, commanded the company in which Dailey served during the revolutionary war.  Several years after he came to Ohio to live, Dailey applied for a pension, and walked all the way to Vermont to obtain, from his old captain, the necessary certificate and vouchers.  After his return to the west he would often relate, with much gusto, the hearty greetings and warm welcome he received from the governor, and, during his stay of several days, remembered to have particularly relished hte governor's "cognac."
     The old man was exceedingly severe in his criticisms on St. Clair's disastrous campaign against the Indians, in 1791.  It so happened, on one occasion, that St. Clair, while governor of the northwestern territory, in passing across the country, called at Dailey's cabin in Rome, to obtain refreshments for himself and horse.  Dailey's cabin in Rome, to obtain refreshments for himself and horse.  Dailey's larder, however, was exhausted, and, though full of hospitality, he could do little or nothing for the hungry governor, who was compelled to press on to Athens, where he arrived very much exhausted and very hungry.  The incident worked on his mind to such a degree, vexing him more the ore he dwelt upon it, that he threatened to send Dailey out of the territory - declaring that he would not have such a shiftless man within his jurisdiction.  This, Dailey pretty soon heard of.  Not long afterward the governor met Dailey in "Southtown" (Alexander), and thought it a good opportunity to at least administer a sound reprimand for his delinquency as an agriculturist, and commenced with, "Well, Mr. Dailey, how do you succeed in farming at the mouth of Federal creek?"  Dailey, assuming an unusual amount of solemn gravity, replied: "Pretty d___d poorly, as you did fighting the Indians; but I think the difference, if any, is on my side, for, being born without a shirt, I have made out to hold my own till the present time, which is an almighty sight better than you did."  The governor let Dailey alone after that.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 502

JOSEPH DANA, born at Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1768, was educated at Dartmouth college and graduated in 1788. He intended to pursue the ministry, but owing to delicate health did not carry out this purpose; he subsequently studied and qualified himself for the practice of the law. He served some time in the Massachusetts legislature, but his health continuing frail, he resolved to leave New England. In 1817 he removed west and settled at Athens, where he at first engaged in the practice of law. Though never a ready speaker, Mr. Dana was a thorough lawyer and fine special pleader—a branch of the practice necessarily more cultivated in those days than now. About two years after coming here he was elected professor of languages in the university—a position for which he was admirably qualified by his fine scholarship and intellectual habits. His connection with the university continued till 1835 when the infirmities of age led him to resign his position.
     Professor Dana was an accomplished scholar and cultivated gentleman. He was, for many years, an elder in the Presbyterian church here, and a lofty intellectuality pervaded his religion and all his modes of thought. He died November 18th, 1849. His sons, Joseph M. Dana, Daniel S. Dana, Capt. William Henry Dana, U. S. N., and others of his descendants are well known in this community.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 291

NEHEMIAH DAVIS, "Elder Davis," a native of Maine, came to Marietta in November, 1797, lived in Washington county several years, and removed to Dover township in 1808.  While living in Washington county Elder Davis organized a Baptist church, believed to be the first Baptist church in Ohio.  He died Aug. 23, 1823.  Some of his descendants are living in the county, and a granddaughter married Colonel James H. Goodman, present state auditor of Ohio.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page  470

GULLIVER DEAN, born in Norton, Bristol county, Massachusetts, Aug. 9, 1772, came to Athens county with his father's family in the year 1815.  In 1818 he married Miss Mary Cutler, second daughter of Judge Ephraim Cutler.  He settled in Ames township where he still resides, and where his family are well known and highly respected.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 433

In 1815 NATHAN DEAN, with his family, mostly grown, of six sons and three daughters, came to this county from Norton, Bristol county, Massachusetts. The young people all settled here, and raised respectable families in subsequent life. Three of them, William, Gulliver, and John N. Dean, made the brick, in the summer of 1816, for the central building of the Ohio university in Athens, and later, in 1835, one of them, John N. Dean, made the brick for the two additional or wing buildings of the university. The eldest of the family, afterward Colonel Nathan Dean, settled near Amesville, in the eastern part of the county, and died much respected in the year 1839.
     At the time this family left Massachusetts, in 1815, the manufactures of the country were only so far advanced, that, in making nails their heads were made singly by hand, and these brothers had worked considerably at heading nails by hand before coming to Ohio. One of their ancestors, James Leonard, is believed to have been the first man that manufactured iron in America, and a son of his, Jonathan Leonard, the first to manufacture steel. Jonathan went to England and feigned to be simple, in order to get work in an establishment manufacturing steel, and thus gained the knowledge which the English were studiously endeavoring to conceal from the artisans of other countries. Upon his return the firm of "Leonard & Kinsley" successfully engaged in the production of steel in this country.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 293

About 1814 JAMES and THOMAS DEW, brothers, came to Athens county with their parents, from Maryland and made permanent settlements.  James settled just outside of the present limits of Trimble township.  Several of his sons, including Dr. J. S. Dew and Mr. Henry C. Dew, now live in Trimble.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 524

JAMES DICKEY was born of Irish parents in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Sept. 3, 1788, came to the northwestern territory with his father's family in 1798 and settled first in Washington county. When a young man Mr. Dickey was employed as a post rider to carry the mail on horseback, between Marietta and Chillicothe, a distance of about one hundred miles.  Between 1806 and 1814 he was variously engaged in the mail service, sometimes as a sub contractor, but always doing the riding of one hand himself.  At that time the mail service in this section was one of great hardship and frequently of danger, as the numerous streams along the route, all destitute of bridges, were often swollen and had to be crossed at the peril of life.  From 1812 to 1814, during the war with Great Britain, the great East and West mail was sent over this route, the bag being sometimes nearly filled with government dispatches alone.  The riders (three in number), each made one round trip a week from Marietta to Chillicothe and return, regardless of weather and of all obstacles.  Mr. Dickey once swam the creek near Amesville in the night, running great risk and getting the mail thoroughly wet.  On reaching John Brown's in Ames, one of his regular stopping places, he spent a short time drying the mail bag before the fire and then went on in the darkness.
     During the war the contract required the mail to be carried at the rate of five miles an hour, and the government enforced the condition rigorously.  Mr. Dickey became noted for his energy and fidelity in fulfilling his mail contracts and in this as in all other respects, established a reputation for strict integrity and rare business capacity.  At one of his stations on the route he had a rest of about two hours once a week, and this was usually spent by him in hunting.  He often killed one and sometimes two deer, or perhaps several wild turkeys, if they were soonest found, and brought them in for the family with whom he boarded, and received credit for the game on his board account; in this way he paid nearly his whole board and horse keeping at this station.
     In 1815 Mr. Dickey married Betsy, daughter of Samuel Brown, and bought a small farm near Mr. Brown's, eight miles west of Marietta, where he lived till he removed to Bern.  He came to Bern in 1821 and settled on Sharp's form where he opened a large farm, where he lived about thirty-four hears and reared a family of three sons and two daughters.  His house in Bern became a favorite and noted stopping place for travelers and there are many who still remember his hospitality and good cheer.  Mr. Dickey never sought office or notoriety; he however served as county commissioner and township trustee at different times.  In 1852 or '3, after his wife's death, he disposed of his farm in Bern among his sons, and a few yeas later went to live with his son Mr. A. S. Dickey, in McConnellsvile, where he died June 12, 1862.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 436

WILLIAM S. DOAN came from New England to Washington county in 1806, to Athens county in 1813, and settled in Rome about 1820.  He was an industrious farmer and a good citizen.  Several of his descendants now live in the township.  Mr. Charles Doan is a grandson of his.
Source:  History of Athens County, Ohio - By Charles M. Walker, Publ. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1869 - Page 518