Source:
Pioneer Period and Pioneer People of Fairfield Co., Ohio.
by C. M. L. Wiseman
Publ. F. J. Heer Printing Co., Columbus, O. 
1901

Transcribed by Sharon Wick

A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
THE BLOSSER FAMILY,
OF RUSHCREEK TOWNSHIP.
By C. E. Kagy.
Pgs. 397 - 405

     OF the pioneer families who in the early part of the nineteenth century sought homes in the then western wilderness none are better known of those who located in Rushcreek township than the Blosser family.
     There were four brothers who came to this township about the year 1805 or 1806, viz.:  George, Jacob, Abraham and Isaac Blosser.  They came with their families fro near Lancaster, Pa., and by the usual overland and water route, the only mode of travel in those days.  When they reached the Ohio they floated down that river to Marietta and from there they came to this neighborhood on horseback, bravely enduring all the hardships incident to traveling in that early day.

GEORGE BLOSSER.

     In company with Jacob Hunsaker, while searching for a suitable location, came across a big spring located on the land now owned by John Rodafer, and sat down there, declaring that they would go no farther.  There he built his cabin and lived a number of years, raising a large family.  His sons were John G., who married Sallie Welty; George, known as "Little" George, who married a Miss Brenneman; Jacob and Isaac Blosser. the first three lived in Hocking County, Isaac lived in this township.  His family consists of

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ten children, first, Solomon, who married Miss Jane Myers and live on one of their farms just east of Bremen.  Their children are Frank, who married Miss Shoemaker; Zetta, who married Albert Brehm, and lives near Somerset; Xema, Bessie and Pearl.
     Isaac Blosser, Jr., and his family live in Hocking County; Frederick and William live in Perry County.  The daughters are Mrs. Thomas Garrison, Mrs. Mason Lutz, and another sister living in Straitsville, Ohio.  We were unable to learn the names of the other members of the family.
     The daughters of George Blosser were Lydia, who married William Young and lived on the little farm just east of Bremen, now occupied by John Funk.  Their family were Mrs. Jerry Moyer, Mrs. Mason King, Mrs. Matilda Kuhn, James Young and John Young, whose life was sacrificed to save the Union, in the late civil war.  Polly married Benona Black, who built the first log cabin on the site of the residence of the late Joshua Blosser.  Lewis Black, of Sandusky Soldiers' Home is a son.  They moved to Iowa in an early day.
     Sallie married Christopher Welty and resided near what is now Max, Ohio.  Mrs. John Sanderson is a grandchild of Christopher Welty.  Rebecca married Lewis Stolz, of Perry County, and Margaret married John Geiger.  Rev. G. W. Geiger of the U. B. church is a son of John and Margaret Geiger.

JACOB BLOSSER

and wife lived on the old Hufford farm, just south of here, now owned by George Ruff.  He had one son, George Blosser, known as "Big" George, who married Miss Dorcas Hufford and moved west about the year 1857.

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ABRAHAM BLOSSER

and wife lived near Geneva, in this township.  They had one son, John Blosser, and three daughters, viz: Katie, who married David Ashbaugh; Barbara, who married John Derr and Mollie, who was married to Mr. Matthew Lecrone.

ISAAC BLOSSER

was the other of the four brothers who decided to try their fortunes in this country.  He was born near Lancaster, Pa., where he grew to manhood and married Miss Elizabeth Kauffman.  To this union there were born fourteen children, one dying in infancy.  The other thirteen grew to manhood and womanhood, and married, nearly all of them raising large families.  Isaac Blosser settled on the farm now occupied by his youngest son, Samuel Blosser, one and one-half miles east of here and lived there until his death, which occurred June 1845, at the age of 68 years.  Four of their children were born in Pennsylvania.  The other ten were born in Pennsylvania.  The other ten were born at the old homestead.  As the children grew up they assisted their father in clearing the heavy forest and attended school just across the road after the district was organized at that place.
     The oldest son, John I., married Hanna Hufford.  They had six children, four of whom died within two weeks' time.  The other two were Mrs. Augustine Palmer, living south of here, and Mrs. Hufford, widow of the late Daniel Hufford and mother of John Hufford, of this township.
     Polly married Peter Stemen and formerly lived in what is known as Dutch Hollow, on the farm owned by the late Abraham Beery.  Later they moved west to Allen County, Ohio, where they reared a large family, most of whom, with their children, are now residing

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in the western part of the state, following the different vocations of life mostly successful tillers of the soil.
     Andrew married Sarah Mericle and lived in Hocking County, where they died, Mrs. Blosser passing away in the year 1863.  Their children numbered four sons and five daughters.
     The oldest son, John, married Miss Fickle and had two children, one daughter, now deceased, and one son.  Amos was a prosperous farmer living two miles south of here, who married Miss Lutz.  Their children are Harry, Nellie and Clarence.
     Isaac married Miss Margaret Culp and resides in Hocking County.
     Noah married Miss Jennie Oatley and lives near Logan.
     Emanuel married Miss Elizabeth Culp and moved with his family from Hocking to Montgomery County, near Dayton, where they now reside.
     Elizabeth married George Wolfe and lives near Maxville.  Their children are Noah, Martin, the present probate judge of Perry County, Sarah, Julia, Nancy, Andrew, Emma, Frank and Matilda.
     Matilda Blosser married Henry Brennemen and moved to Elkhart, Ind., where he died.  She afterwards married Rev. Hurst, of the Mennonite church.  She died about six years ago.
     Sarah married William Nunemaker.  There are two sons: Andrew, who is the newly elected treasurer of Hocking County, and Charles, who married Miss Derr and lives in Logan.
     Lydia married Jacob Hoover and lived in Perry County, afterwards moving to Hocking county, where he died.  She afterwards married Noah Brenneman,

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a former resident of this township.  She has now been dead about thirteen years.
     Malinda married Dr. H. A. Mumaw, a successful practicing physician of Elkhart, Ind., who is also connected with the normal school of that place.  Their children are Mrs. Phoebe Kolb, Andrew and Clara Mumaw.
     Andrew Blosser afterwards married Mrs. Mowery, whose husband was killed in the blowing up of a boat on his return from the war, leaving a widow with thirteen children.  This union was blessed with a pair of twins, which with the two sets of children made an interesting family of twenty-four.  One of the twins was Andrew, Jr., who recently resided here with his family, but now lives in Junction City.  Their children are Mazie and Herman.
     The other twin was Lucy, who married a Mr. Poling, both of whom are now deceased.
     The fourth child of Isaac Blosser was Nicholas who married Elizabeth Hufford and lived in Perry County, near Maxville.
     Nicholas Blosser died in the year 1866.  Their children are Solomon Blosser, who married Miss Hunsaker, and have a large family now living in Hocking County.
     Noah H., now a successful physician of Logan; Isaac, Eli and Nicholas, Jr., all three having moved to Michigan soon after the war.
     Catherine Blosser married Samuel Good and resided in this township until their death.  They reared a large family of children, who are among the most influential citizens of the community.  Rev. N. W. Good, of Columbus, one of the most successful minis-

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ters of the Ohio conference of the M. E. Church, is a member of this family.
     Isaac Blosser, Jr., married Mary (Polly) Reedy and resided a short time in Perry County and afterwards removed to Iowa with their family.
     Nancy married Christian Berry and moved to Michigan, where they died a number of years ago.
     Barbara married Reese Pugh.  They lived in Bremen and different parts of this county and afterwards moved to Iowa.
     Elizabeth married Abraham Miller and resided in Liberty township, near Baltimore.  They raised a large family who were counted among the most highly respected citizens of the northern part of this county, where most of them still reside.
     Martha married Oliver Grove, late of this township, and a brother of Mrs. Noah Blosser, of this place.  Their family numbers seven children, all living in Bremen.  The oldest, Isaac Grove, was born in 1845 and at the time the war broke out was sixteen years of age, but, on seeing the "boys' leave for the front, he was filled with the spirit of patriotism and joined Company "B," Seventeenth Ohio volunteer infantry, and saw some hard service.  He served three years and re-enlisted, coming home at the close with the record of a good soldier, and not yet twenty-one years of age.  He married Miss Lou Hilliard.  They live in Bremen where he is section foreman on the C. & M. V. R. R.  They have an adopted son, Roy.
     Caroline Grove is now Mrs. Oscar Seifert.  Her son, Mr. George Evans, is a popular conductor on the C. & M. V. R. R.  Her daughter, Clara, married Ira Grim, of this place, a brakeman on the C. & M. V.

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     Nan Grove married John Naginey, formerly a farmer of this community, but now engaged in the manufacture of carpets.  Lewellyn Naginey married Ursia Moyer, and lives near Bremen.  Eura Naginey married George Moyer and at present resides on the A. Graffis farm.  Emma married Frank Wright.  Lillie, Ida, and Samuel are still with their parents.
     William Grove married Miss Emma Wolfe a successful school teacher of this township.  Their children are Nellie, Florence, Hazel and Hattie.
     Samuel Grove married a Miss Hamilton, of Rushville.  Their children are Maggie, Dora, Harvey and Ruth.
     John and Harvey Grove are still single and live with their mother.
     Abraham Blosser married Miriam Graffis, sister of A. Griffins, of near this place.  They lived several years in Hocking County, then in Michigan, and now in Tennessee.  Their family consisted of eight children, only two of whom are now living.
     Noah Blosser was born in January, 1830, and is now in his seventy-second year remarkably well preserved for a man of his years.  He received a common school education and worked on his father's farm until he grew to manhood.  He and Miss Matilda Grove were married June 10, 1850, and for fifty years have been constant residents of this township living most of that time on a farm and followed tiling the soil.  During the stormy period of the sixties when President Lincoln was calling for volunteers, Mr. Blosser volunteered his services and enlisted in company F, One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, leaving a wife and eight small children

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at home to battle for the comforts of life while he was fighting for his country.  He served out the time of his first enlistment, though at one time on account of a severe spell of sickness, was very near death's door, the physicians having given him up to die, and but for the careful nursing of his faithful comrad, Mr. J. J. Ashbaugh, he would never have reached home alive.  After getting his discharge, he re-enlisted for one year or during the war, in company D, One Hundred and Eighty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Jan. 30, 1865 and served the full year, returning to his anxiously awaiting family about the first of February, 1867, with the record of a good soldier, ready to begin anew the battles of life.  Mr. Blosser has served this township a number of terms as trustee, in all about fourteen years, and with credit to himself and the people of the township.  He and his estimable wife are now living in Bremen in their comfortable and commodious home on the corner of Mulberry and Main streets, enjoying the fruits of their many years of unremitting toil.  They have a family of nine children, all grown to be useful and industrious citizens.
     The oldest daughter, Elizabeth, married Samuel McVeigh, and for a number of years lived at the old Huston homestead, having recently disposed of the same, they are now living temporarily in the Mrs. John Kinnen property.
     Their children are Mary, who married Clinton Moyer, and have one daughter, Dorothy; Leland, Nellie, Dallas and Joseph.
     John Blosser married Miss Dell Glenn.  They have four children, Dean, Orra, Dewey and Leota.  They are at present living in Lancaster.

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     Laura Blosser married William Sanderson.  Their children are, Charles and Frank, both exemplary young men.  They live on a farm just over the line in Perry County.
     Charles I. Blosser, for a number of years one of Fairfield County's most successful teachers, now of Vanwert, Ohio, married Miss Clara Huston.  About fifteen years ago they moved to Vanwert County where he has not missed a year in teaching school, having taught together, twenty-four winters.  Their children are Hattie, Otis, Emma, Xema and Ruth.
     Stephen Blosser married Miss Zetta Davis.  They live on the old Huston homestead in the eastern part of this township, having recently, with brother Samuel, purchased the property of their brother-in-law, Samuel McVeigh.  The children of Stephen and Zetta Blosser are, George, Verda, Meda, Fred and Clarence.  Sarah a bright little girl died a few years ago from the effects of a severe burn caused by her clothing having caught fire.
     Samuel Blosser is still working in "single harness' and at present is associated with his brother Stephen in the agricultural business.
     Robert Blosser married Miss Maggie Black and for a number of years managed one of Dr. H. C. Brisons farms near Hebron.  He is at present a bridge carpenter on the C. & M. V. R. R.  Their children are Glenn, Emile, Dewey and Ross Wayne.
     Noah Blosser, Jr., is still of the opinion of his brother Samuel that it is good for a man to be alone.  He was for a number of years a clerk with H. M. Shelhamer, of this place, and now is head clerk in a large shoe store in Chillicothe, Ohio.4

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     George Blosser, the youngest son of the Noah Blosser family, married Miss Anna Shull and is foreman of a section on the C. & M. V., located at Clarksville, Ohio.  They have two children Russell and Edna.
     Samuel Blosser, the youngest son of Isaac Blosser, Sr., married Miss Betty McDougal and resides at the old homestead, having spent his whole life on the farm where he was born.  Like his brother Noah, when his country was calling for men to fight her battle he offered his services, enlisting in company C, One Hundred and Fifty-ninth regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served the 100 days for which he had enlisted.  Providence has seemingly dealt very harshly with him, as he has buried a loving wife and five children.  Yet he lives in the abiding hope that the Lord knoweth best, and that whatever He does will be redound to His name's honor and glory.
     The children of Samuel Blosser now living are, Libbie who married E. B. Conner.  They live in Bremen and have two children.   Mr. Conner is the efficient clerk in G. A. Staker & Company's drug and furniture store, and also clerk of the Bremen corporation.
     Edward Blosser, married Dora Myers.  They live on the home farm which he manages for his father.  They have one daughter, May.

CELIA BLOSSER.

     Celia Blosser married George McCandlish.  Mr. McCandlish died several years ago leaving a widow and two small children, Lee and Ruth.
     The children not living were Isabel, Ida, who married Samuel Focht, Simeon, and Effie, both of whom died young, and Joshua, whose death occurred

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a few months ago.  Joshua married Miss Myrtle Moyer a granddaughter of George Blosser, who came from Pennsylvania.  They had one daughter, Inez.
     Samuel Blosser afterward married Mary Beery Schatzer, widow of the late David Schatzer.  To this union was born one son, Samuel, Jr.
     Samuel's mother married John Welty, who owned the farm now occupied by Solomon Blosser, where they lived until Mr. Welty's death, after which she made her home with her son at the old homestead until her death which occurred about twenty-years ago at the ripe old age of ninety-four.