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BIOGRAPHIES
Source:
HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO
CHICAGO:
W. H. BEERS & CO.,
1881
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Mad River Twp. -
JOHN JENKINS was
born in Shenandoah County, Va., about the year 1789. In
1811, he was united with Polly Burkholder. They
left for Ohio in 1832, traveling on two horses. Several
children were born before their departure. A son named
Morgan walked the entire distance; thirty-one days were
consumed in making the trip. When one-half the journey had
been completed, they found themselves in need of provisions.
They stopped at the house of a German and asked permission to
wash their clothing, inquiring also of the family if they had
butter to sell. The people received them very
ungraciously, and, in the German language, ridiculed them.
Family, Mrs. Jenkins addressed them in German, which had
the desired effect. They were accorded a cordial reception
and all their necessary wants supplied. The little
knowledge of the German dialect possessed by Mrs. J. had
changed the state of affairs. The Jenkins family
settled at Wilmington, Clinton Co., in this State, at which
place they remained until the year 1835. Thence they
removed to the immediate vicinity of St. Paris, in this county.
He they remained for a number of yeas. The father finally
removed to Indianapolis, Ind., where he died. Of eleven
children, but two are now residents of this township - David
and Morgan L. David has been married four times,
and is now living happily with his fourth wife. Morgan
has been a resident of Terre Haute for nearly forty yeas.
He follows his trade of shoemaking, and keeps a general store.
He is classed as one of the representative citizens of the
village.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page 411 |
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Wayne
Twp. -
ALFRED JOHNSON, farmer; P. O. Mingo; born
on the farm where he now lives June 10, 1817; is a son of
Jacob and Martha (Boggs) Johnson. On July 2, 1854, was
celebrated his marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson,
born Sept. 21, 1829, in Ohio, a daughter of Thomas and Mary
Stone, natives of Virginia, who removed from there to Ohio
about 1827, locating in Perry Co., remaining there about two
years; then going into Fairfield Co., where they resided about
twelve years. They finally settled in Champaign Co., where
they lived till his death, which occurred Nov. 19, 1879; the
mother, 77 years of age, is still living. They were
parents of six children—Joseph F., Ann Elizabeth, Maria
Margaret, Mary Jane, Thomas B. and Wilson S.
Dec. 29, 1875, was celebrated the “ golden wedding ” of
Thomas and Mary Ann Stone, on which occasion the six
children were all alive and present with sixteen grandchildren,
which is quite an unusual circumstance. All who were
present, probably about one hundred in number, had a very
enjoyable occasion. Mr. Johnson and
wife by this union have had eight children, seven now
living—Thomas L., John B., Otho G., Mattie A., Charles N.,
Alfred Z. and Lizzie Merton. They have always resided
upon the home place, which has now been in possession of the
Johnson family for seventy-five years; it is an
excellent farm, with fine buildings and a beautiful location,
the residence standing on an elevated portion of the farm, on
the north side of the beautiful Mingo Valley, of which they have
a splendid view. Mr. Johnson now owns over
800 acres of land, and we are satisfied that he is sustaining
the reputation for industry and good management, for which the
Johnson family have ever been noted.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page
837 |
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Concord Twp. -
DAVID F. JOHNSON, farmer; P.
O. Urbana; was born in Concord Township, Champaign Co., Ohio,
Nov. 27, 1843, and is a son of Levi and Elizabeth Johnson.
He was born in Delaware Co., Ohio, July 20, 1819, and left an
orphan at the age of 10 or 11 years. He started in life
under very embarrassing circumstances, being in debts for a
necessary wedding outfit. But by energy and frugality, he
has succeeded in obtaining a sufficient amount of this world's
goods to sustain himself and family, and leave an inheritance
for his children. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church
in January of 1838, was licensed to exhort in 1841, and as local
minister in 1861. His marriage with Elizabeth Russell
was solemnized Jan. 19, 1843. She was born in Champaign
Co., Ohio, July 22, 1822, and is a daughter of Robert Russell,
who is mentioned in the sketch of Valentine Russell.
On the 19th of October, 1844, they started for Iowa, taking what
personal effects they then possessed with them in their wagon.
They married at Muscatine Nov. 6, 1844. Becoming
dissatisfied, they moved back, arriving on the 29th of June,
1845. Elizabeth Johnson departed this life June 16,
1846, the mother of two children, the younger followed her in
August of the same year. David F. is the survivor.
On the 23d of February, 1847, Levi Johnson married
Ellen Leach, residing at the time in the vicinity of Quincy,
Logan Co., Ohio. she was born Mar. 1, 1826. The
fruits of this marriage were five children, four of whom are
living - Ellen Naomi Etna, Thomas K., Cyrena E. M. and
Sarah Avarilla A. Our subject was brought up on a farm, and
has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits, except about
three years spent in the civil war. He enlisted July 30,
1862, in Co. H, 45th O. V. I., and was mustered into service
August 19, at Camp Chase. Was in every battle in which his
regiment was engaged. He was with Sherman through
except his march to the sea; was in many hard-fought battles,
and made many hair-breadth escapes, one of the most miraculous
of which we will record: In the early part of the history
of the war, when Col. McCluke was invading Kentucky, he
was one of the number who drove him back. Having been in
their saddles for nearly forty-eight hours when McCluke
crossed the Cumberland River, they was much fatigued and very
hungry. A company of four, Lieut. H. Grier, Lieut. B.
R. Miller, Soloman G. Brecount and David F. Johnson,
proposed to ford the river and hunt something to eat.
After considerable of a search, they have a very good supper at
the farmhouse among the hills, and after supper started back to
camp. It was then well on toward midnight and very dark;
doubly so, on account of the deep gorges and high cliffs
peculiar to that country. Being very sleepy and tired, he
gave his horse the rein and let him select his own course, but
presently his little black pony went on a fly over a precipice
into the gorge below. He landed probably fifteen feet
beyond where the pony did, among some decayed logs, which made a
very soft landing. Neither his horse nor himself was
seriously injured, but the remainder of the night was consumed
in getting righted up. His comrades estimated the distance
he fell at from fifty to seventy-five feet, but he thinks it was
between thirty-five and fifty. On the 18th of November,
the first day of the investment of Knoxville, he fired 365 shots
by actual count. He served till the close of the war, and
received an honorable discharge. In 1866, Oct. 9, he
married Mary A. Neer, a daughter of James and
Penninah Neer, born Mar. 18, 1846. They have never
been blessed with children of their own, but are raising two
orphans. Mr. Johnson and wife are also members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page
793 |
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Wayne
Twp. -
HIRAM M. JOHNSON, farmer; P. O. Urbana;
born in this township and county Aug. 6, 1808; is a son of
Jacob and Martha Johnson. Our subject remained upon
the old home farm in the Mingo Valley, where his father first
settled, until 43years of age. He was married May 15, 1851, to
Miss Margaret, daughter of David and Hester
Brown, natives of Virginia. She died in Virginia, but
he removed to Ohio at quite an early day. David and
Hester were parents of eight children; six now
survive—Mary Ann, Margaret, Thomas,
Joseph, Sarah and Israel. Mr.
Johnson and wife by this union have had five children; four
now survive—Jacob. Maria Theresa, Nelson
B. and Iven T. Mr. Johnson first located on the
farm where Nelson B. Johnson now lives, and resided till
1865; then went to his present farm, known as the Dugan Valley
farm, consisting of 570 acres, which is probably one of the best
farms in Champaign Co. It is in excellent cultivation,
with fine buildings, constituting a beautiful farmer’s
residence. He also has a farm in the Mingo Valley of 146 acres,
and one in Logan Co. of 94 acres, making him owner of real
estate to the amount of 810 acres.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page
836 |
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Wayne
Twp. -
JOSEPH W. JOHNSON, farmer; P. O. Cable;
born in Wayne Township, this county, Nov. 3, 1827; is a son of
Jesse and Mellatiah (Whittredge)
Johnson; he was a native of Kentucky, and she of
Connecticut. The grandfather, James Johnson,
was also a native of Kentucky, and removed to Ohio and located
in this county in a very early day, probably about 1812.
He bought a tract of 700 acres of land, and there lived, and
died in 1830. The grandfather, Whittredge, was a
sea-captain for twenty-one years, and a brother of Mellatiah,
who was also a follower of the seas for many years, having
traveled nearly all over the world. Worthington
Whittredge, another brother, is a noted landscape painter in
New York City. Both the grandfathers were active Baptists,
and were preachers in that denomination for many years.
Jesse, after his marriage, located on what is called “
Pretty Prairie,” thence came into Wayne Township, where he
resided till his death, dying when about 33 years of age.
They were parents of four children, of whom three now
survive—Abigail, Joseph W. and James.
Our subject being only 2 or 3 years of age when his father died,
all the care and charge of the family came upon the mother, who
managed to keep her children together till she married again,
about two years after the death of her husband, marrying John
Diltz, with whom she raised her family to maturity.
Joseph married Miss Luretha, daughter of Richard
and Ellen Baldwin, June 5, 1853. They
have had seven children, four now living—Emma E.,
Jennie, Richard and Frederick. After his
marriage, he first located in Union Township, and there resided
about eight years; thence removed to Wayne Township, living on
different farms till 1875, when he located at his present place
of residence, where he has 16 acres of land just in the suburbs
of the town of Cable. There he has a fine house and
improvements, constituting a very beautiful home and residence.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page
838 |
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Wayne
Twp. -
NELSON B. JOHNSON, farmer; P. O. Mingo;
born in this township July 1, 1810; is a son of Jacob and
Martha (Boggs) Johnson; he was born in Maryland July 27,
1766, and she in Pennsylvania Oct. 20, 1774. The paternal
grandfather was a native of Maryland, and the maternal
grandfather of Virginia. The grandparents, Johnson,
came to this county with their son, Jacob, and his family
and located in Wayne Township in 1804, settling on the east fork
of King's Creek, where the grandparents remained two years.
Jacob stayed but one year, locating in 1805 on the north
side of Mingo Valley, on the farm now owned by Alfred Johnson,
upon which also the grandparents located one year later, or in
1806. They were the first white settlers in thsi locality,
this portion being then occupied by the Indians. But, in
the spring of 1805, the Indians removed from here into Logan Co.
Here the grandparents lived and died. There being no
church nor burying-ground in this vicinity, at the death of a
child of Jacob, it was buried upon the farm, which became
the burial-place of the grandparents and also of the parents,
and finally became the general burying-place for the
neighborhood, where now rests the dust of more than one hundred
of the early pioneers of this settlement. The grandfather
died about 1820, and the grandmother previously, about 1817.
The father, Jacob, remained upon the home place during
his entire life, being a continued resident there for forty
years, departing this life in 1845; the mother dying in 1854,
aged 82 years. These were truly pioneers of the county,
opening out right in the woods, except 9 acres which the Indians
had to some extent cultivated with their hoes. Jacob
became owner of 478 acre of land, and had brought 100 acres into
cultivation. But, during the last twenty-two years of his
life, he was a cripple, which incapacitated him for any hard
labor, having met with an accident while hauling logs, by which
his uncle was dislocated and so bruised and broken as to be of
no further use. They were parents of nine children, four
now living - Mary, Hiram, Nelson B. and Alfred.
Mr. Johnson our subject, lived upon the old home place where
the three boys all held the property in common, till he was 58
years of age. At this time they owned 1,900 acres, when,
by mutual consent, the land and property was divided and
apportioned between each heir without the intervention of any
court law, thus avoiding all expense of settling such a vast
estate, which was then valued at $120,000. On May 12,
1868, Mr. Johnson was married to Miss Ann Eliza,
born Feb. 16, 1839, daughter of Amos and Phebe Gilbert,
who were natives of Virginia, and parents of eight children,
seven now living - Mary, Edward G., Ann Eliza, Benjamin B.,
George, Phebe Ellen and Amos Canby. Mr. and Mrs.
Johnson have had three children - Mary, Rodney Pearl
(deceased) and Amos Nelson. After their marriage,
they located upon the farm where they now reside. Mr.
Johnson now owns 970 acres of good land, all in one body
except 173 acres which he bought last fall, located about two
miles from the home place, known as the Joel Inskeep farm.
The life of the Johnston family is one of early
settlement and remarkable prosperity, and is an example of
industry, economy and good management, coupled with a moral and
upright life; our subject being one who has the remarkable
record of never swearing an oath, never using tobacco in any
form, and never being intoxicated in his life. We take
pleasure in placing such a record upon the pages of this
history, where future generations may read and profit from it,
and render due honor to such noble lives long after our subject
shall have passed from work to rewards.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page
837 |
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Adams
Twp. -
SILAS JOHNSON was born in the latter half
of the eighteenth century, and participated in the Revolutionary
war as a spy. In January, 1803, he and his family bade
farewell to Kentucky, their native State, and settled near what
is not known as Millerstown, in this county. Two years
later, when the land was surveyed, it was discovered that this
land belonged to a section originally laid off for school
purposes. Johnson was, therefrom, compelled to
change his location, and removed to the present Brubaker farm
in Johnson Township. Both of these lands were entered by
him. The latter township was named after him, retaining
his name to this day. In teh fall of 1818, he removed to
Section 31, in this township, where he passed the remainder of
his days in peace and quiet. His marriage was blessed with
seven children, four sons and three daughters. Silas
died in this county, Charles in Shelby County, and
James near Indianapolis, Inc. He died in 1819 at
nearly sixty years of age.
Source: History of Champaign County,
Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page 460 |
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Adams
Twp. -
WALKER JOHNSON was born in Fayette County,
Ky., Aug. 23, 1787, and came to this township with his father,
at whose death he retained the home lands. He was married
to Sarah McCrosky Apr. 15, 1824. Of the eight
offsprings of this union, five are yet living - James,
who inherited a part of the farm; Eliza, who married
Howell Newcomb, and resides in this township; Mary
married Truma French, and possesses a part of the lands
entered by her grandfather; Lydia, now Mrs. Joseph
Stephenson, inherited a part of the farm; Sarah is
unmarried. His wife is yet living. He was a devout
Christian, and a prominent member of the Presbyterian Church at
Spring Hill. In the declining years of his life he became
a member of the United Brethren Church, which was more
accessible on account of the short distance from his house.
Of this church he was a member until his death, which occurred
Jan. 23, 1870. Father and son are buried in a mound just
opposite the residence of James Johnson. "Auntie"
Rebecca Johnson is yet living at the advanced age of
eighty-three years; is unmarried.
Source: History of Champaign County,
Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page 460 |
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Wayne Twp. -
WILLIAM
JOHNSON came to Ohio from western Pennsylvania in 1804,
and settled on what has since been called the Paul Igou farm.
He died in 1820. His four sons - Jacob,
Barnett, William and Otho - figured prominently, as
did their father, in the earliest settlement of the township.
He built a house, in 1806, near the present residence of
Maria Hunter, having bought of James Denney three
hundred and thirty-seven acres of land, including the present
site of Mingo.
Jacob Johnson, the oldest son of William
Johnson, married Martha McFarland, a widow, in
Virginia, in 1790. Her maiden name was Boggs.
She bore two children by her first husband - John and
Moses McFarland - both of whom came with her to this State.
Jacob was the father of eight children. Of these,
Mary, William, Lavina, Hiram, Nelson B., Jane and
Alfred grew to mature years. He bought four hundred
and seventy-eight acres of land in Mingo Valley, of James
Denney, in the year 1804 or 1805, at $2.50 to $4 per acre,
and moved on to it in April, 1805, and raised a crop of corn the
same year; the Indians had raised a crop on the same land the
previous year. Hiram, Nelson B. and Alfred
seceeded their father in the ownership of these lands; it is now
owned entirely by Alfred. [For further record of
the Johnson family, see the biographical department of
this volume.] Mary became the wife of Robert
Blair. Lydia married Joseph O'Neil in
1826. After the death of Blair, Mary married
Col. John Thomas. He died in 1851, and his widow
finds a comfortable home with her sons, Ivan B. and F.
M. Thomas, in Salem Township.
Barnett Johnson, the second son of William
Johnson came to the State with his father, having married
Elizabeth Best before leaving Pennsylvania. His
children were Nancy, William, John, Lydia, Ellen, Barnett
and Joseph. He was a cabinet-maker by trade, and
died 1816.
Otho Johnson built the brick house now occupied
occupied by James Hunt, and, with his brother Barnett,
owned the lands comprising the Atkinson farm, extending
east to the survey line - Main street, Mingo. In 1833,
Otho purchased a stock of goods of O. M. Herron, his
nephew, who, a few months before, had established a country
store on his uncle's premises, and had also established a post
office - probably the first in the township - which was called
Johnson's Store. This enterprise proving unsuccessful, the
business and post office were abandoned in 1835, and in 1838
Mr. Johnson sold his farm to Cephas Atkinson for $25
per acre, and the next year moved to Hancock Co., Ill., where he
died about the year 1870.
Source: History of Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881 - Page 538 |
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Johnson Twp. -
C. JONES
Source: History of
Champaign County, Ohio
- Publ. Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co. – 1881
- Page753 |
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