Source:-
History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio
By R. S. Dills -
Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio
1881

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Jefferson Twp. - RICHARD FAWKES, blacksmith, Jeffersonville, is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born Oct. 29, 1816.  He came to Ohio in 1836, and located at South Charleston, Clarke County, and remained there until 1842, when became to .this place, where he has since lived.      Aug. 5, 1850, he was married to Miss Harriet Curry, of Jamestown, Greene County, formerly of Jeffersonville.  Their family consisted of three children: Charles R., Clinton W., and Mary S., the latter dying at the early age of seven years and ten months.      Mr. Fawkes learned the blacksmith trade in Pennsylvania, and worked at it about twenty-five years.  He then engaged in the drug business for about seven years; sold his store in February, 1880, and has since lived a retired life, until quite recently he began working at his trade again.  He is a hale, hearty man, of a strong constitution.  Is a charter member of Jeffersonville Lodge No. 454, I. O. O. F., and was formerly a member of Jamestown Lodge No. 181.  He has witnessed much of Fayette County's rapid improvement and growth, which was quite a wild place when he became acquainted with it.  The roads were very muddy almost half the year, and there were no railroads.  He has a good home and shop, and eleven town lots in Jeffersonville. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  680

Jefferson Twp. - GEORGE R. FENT, farmer is a son of James Fent, and was born in this county, Aug. 21, 1833.  He was married, Apr. 14, 18654, to Miss Mary F. Christopher, of Greene County, who has borne him six children:  Sarah E., Etta M., John D., Cora, Dellie, Dow S., all living save Dellie, who died at the early age of seventeen months.       Mr. Fent has a half interest in eight hundred acres of land in this township, where he lives.  He has voluntarily shunned being elected to any township office, on account of duties at home. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  680

Jefferson Twp. - JAMES P. FENT, farmer, Jeffersonville, is a son of James and Anna Fent, natives of this county, and he was born June 20, 1838.  He was married to Rachel Smith, daughter of Samuel Smith, Mar. 18, 1866, and is a member of one of the pioneer families of the county.  He enlisted in the Union army, Company C, 90th O. V. I., Aug. 8, 1862, serving until his discharge, which occurred, June, 1865, and made a good record.  He has a farm containing one hundred and sixty acres, situated one and one half miles, south of Jeffersonville.  He and is wife are members of the Methodist Protestant Church.  He is township trustee, having been elected Apr. 4, 1881, and is a farmer and stock dealer, a highly respected citizen and a good neighbor. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  682

Jefferson Twp. - JOHN B. FENT, grocer, Jeffersonville, is a son of James Fent, who came from Tennessee to this township about 1814, where he has since lived, and was married to Anna B. Creamer in 1822.  He was engaged in farming until 1877, when he came to Jeffersonville to live, retired from active business in his declining years.  Mr. Fent died Dec. 3, 1876, aged seventy-two years.  They had eight children, seven of whom survive.      Our subject, the youngest of the family, was born May 21, 1845.  He was married to Miss Deborah A. Creamer, daughter of Philip Creamer, Dec. 31, 1868.  He served one hundred days in Company D, 168th O. N. G.  Has held the office of trustee of this township four years.  Is a member of Jeffersonville Lodge No. 468, F. & A. M.  His wife and mother were members of the Methodist Protestant Church.      Our subject was reared and lived on a farm until 1877, when he engaged in the grocery business here, and has been successful.  He has a nice residence in town, and ten acres planted in trees one mile and a half southwest of town. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  681

PHILIP FENT came to this county from Green County, Tennessee, about the year 1814, accompanied by his wife and five children.  A native of Virginia, he married Catharine Parrett, also born in that state; thence removed to Tennessee, and at the breaking out of the revolutionary war enlisted in the American army, serving faithfully for a period of seven years.  At the close of the war he received a military warrant for a tract of land situated in this county, and determined to settle thereon.  Accordingly a party of about thirty people, consisting of the Fents, Parretts, and Fancheers, started for Ohio in four wagons, and at the expiration of three weeks, found themselves within the limits of Fayette County. Fent was entitled to two hundred acres of land, and before leaving his native state, entrusted an uncle, who was a resident of Fayette, with the selection, etc., of his property.  The latter procured the land, but lost. it through bad management, in consequence of which his nephew was forced to look for a new tract.  He settled in what is now known as Jefferson Township, on two hundred acres of land, now occupied by Eli Parrett, purchasing but fifty acres at first, and exchanging his wagon for the same. Fent's wife died about the year 1816, and he survived until 1835. His son James, born in 1801, resides at Jeffersonville; a daughter in Illinois. The descendants are thrifty farmers of this county. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page 248

Jefferson Twp. - WILLIAM C.  FENT, farmer, is a son of James Fent, and was born in this township, Oct. 26, 1829, where he was reared and educated.  He was married in Greene County, June 19, 1858, to Miss Margaret Christopher, a native of Fayette County, Pennsylvania, who was borne him seven children:  Charles, Josephine, Louis S., James C., Andrew J., Lucy and Mary M., all living save Lucy, who died at the early age of three years.      Mr. Fent taught school in winter and farmed in summer, when a young man.  For many years he has devoted his time wholly to farming and trading.  His father gave him fifteen hundred dollars as a start, and by industry and good management he has accumulated property to the amount of ninety acres, one mile south of Jeffersonville, twenty acres in the corporation of this village, and a half interest in three hundred acres in this township.  He paid from forty to one hundred dollars per acre for his land.  He is a liberal contributor to churches, a good neighbor, and a highly respected citizen.      John B. Fent, grocer, Jeffersonville, is a son of James Fent, who came from Tennessee to this township about 1814, where he has since lived, and was married to Anna B. Creamer in 1822.  He was engaged in farming until 1877, when he came to Jeffersonville to live, retired from active business in his declining years.  Mr. Fent died Dec. 3, 1876, aged seventy-two years.  They had eight children, seven of whom survive.      Our subject, the youngest of the family, was born May 21, 1845.  He was married to Miss Deborah A.  Creamer, daughter of Philip Creamer, Dec. 31, 1868.  He served one hundred days in Company D, 168th O. N. G.  Has held the office of trustee of this township four years.  Is a member of Jeffersonville Lodge No. 468, F. & A. M.  His wife and mother were members of the Methodist Protestant Church.      Our subject was reared and lived on a farm until 1877, when he engaged in the grocery business here, and has been successful.  He has a nice residence in town, and ten acres planted in trees one mile and a half southwest of town. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  681

Jasper Twp. - JAMES W. FICHTHORN, farmer, is a son of Samuel, who was a son of Philip Fichthorn, whose ancestry came from Germany, and who was born in 1763, and married Magdalene Harpole who bore him five children, of whom Samuel the third, was born in 1808, December 29th, in Pendleton County, Virginia, and came to Ohio with his parents in 1813, settled in Ross County, and came to the farm he now occupies in 1833.  In 1836 he married Anna Maria Hogue,  who bore him six children: John P., James, Robert, Samuel, Eliza, and Melinda.  Both parents are living.      The subject of this sketch was born on his father's farm, May 30, 1842, where he was reared, educated, and married, Dec. 13, 1866, to Sarah Shafer, daughter of John Shafer.  She was born in Clifton, Greene County, Ohio.  The union was blessed by four children:  Clara, Elsie, and twins, who died in infancy.  In 1862 he enlisted in Company K, 90th O. V. I., and remained in the service till the regiment was mustered out, participating in all the battles.  He received a slight wound at Chickamauga, but continued in the service.  He was a brave and gallant soldier, and contracted poor health, from which he still suffers.  He cleared seventy-three acres on his father's farm, near Milledgeville, and improved and ditched the same, bringing it to a high state of cultivation, and farms to grain and stock. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  727

Jasper Twp. - SAMUEL W. FICHTHORN, is a son of Samuel and Ann Fichthorn,  and was born in this county, Mar. 31, 1850, where he was reared, educated, and married Miss Mary A. Ford, daughter of E. L. Ford, whose biography appears in this work.  They have two surviving children: Charles R. and Zella M., and one Clide M. who died, Nov. 21, 1880, aged thirteen months.      Mr. Fichthorn has a farm of thirty-one acres, also has control of one hundred acres of his father-in-law's farm.  He farms to both grain and stock.  He is not an aspirant to office, consequently has held none of the county offices.  He is a Republican, and a highly respected citizen who has many friends. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  728

Perry Twp. - ALBERT FISHBACK, blacksmith, was born in Highland County, near East Monroe, June 18, 1837.  His parents, Thomas and Martha (Roberts) Fishback, were natives of Madison Court House, Virginia.  They were married Feb. 15, 1820.  Mrs. Fishback was born Sept. 1, 1804.  They united with the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1823.  About the year 1836 they came to Ohio, locating first in Highland County.  They came to New Martinsburg in 1837.  The mother died July 2, 1872, and her husband died nine days later.  Both were ripe, earnest Christians, and active members of the church.  Their children were: Benjamin F., Francis E., Charles H., Hugh W., Matilda A., Martha J., John W., Albert, James H., and Richard E.  The three younger children were born in Ohio.  The father of our subject was by trade a wheelwright, and for many years carried on his occupation at New Martinsburg.  He also built and operated a carding-mill in the village, supplying the motive power by means of a tread-wheel horse-power.  In later years he erected the saw-mill now owned by Levi Ellis.  He was also a merchant, and sold goods in the village for a time.      Our subject learned the blacksmith trade with William Wasson, serving three years as an apprentice, beginning at the age of sixteen.  Since 1860 he has carried on for himself, working for twenty-one years past in the same shop.      He was married Feb. 3, 1859, to Lydia M. Ellis, daughter of David and Hannah Ellis, this county. (The Ellises were from Tennessee.)  The fruits of this union, have been three children: Russell, born Nov. 12, 1859; Alwilda, born Oct. 18, 1861; Starkey, born Sept. 5, 1863. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  805

Jasper Twp. - E. L. FORD, merchant, farmer and stock dealer, Milledgeville, was born in Cumberland County, Maine, Sept. 20, 1819, where he was educated in the common schools and neighboring seminaries till fourteen years of age, when he began teaching, and continued until 1841, and then came to Hamilton County, this state, and taught till 1843.  He married Miss Martha M, Snider, daughter of General John Snider, of Hamilton County, June 4, 1843. Mrs. Ford was born Sept. 16, 1825.  Seven children are the result of this marriage; four sons and three daughters.  Soon after marriage, Mr. Ford engaged in the mercantile business for two years, and shortly after followed stock trading.  He took two droves of horses to Boston, Massachusetts, riding the whole distance on horseback.      In 1846, he came to South Plymouth, where he now lives, and drove team for a time, buying country produce, hauling it to Cincinnati, seventy miles, and purchasing a load of staple goods for a back load.      The first land he bought was one hundred acres, at $18.00 per acre . He has since bought at prices ranging from $18.00 to $70.00 per acre.  He now has a farm of more than fourteen hundred acres, all in a good state of cultivation, well fenced, well watered and well stocked.  He deals largely in sheep, cattle and hogs, and has held the office of township trustee for years.      In 1872, he was elected commissioner of this county and served one term.  He served several years as director of the Merchants and Farmers Bank of Washington, and is liberal to the support of churches, schools and other public improvements.  He and his wife are members of the Universalist Church. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  728

Union Twp. - FRED C. FOSTER, books and stationery, Washington, was born in Butler County, December 29,1845, and is a son of Adam and Hannah Foster.  His father is a native of Germany, and his mother of Ohio.  They had a family of nine children, four sons and five daughters. Fred C. was married July 15,1875, to Miss Francis A. Greene, daughter of Patrick Greene, of Hocking County.  They have two children: Mabel C. and Dane D.  He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.  He received a common school education in Butler County, where his life was spent until he was twenty-one years of age, when he came to Washington, where he embarked in several different kinds of business, until he finally settled down to the book and stationery business, in which, with all his opposition, he is doing a flourishing and profitable trade.  His place of business is just below the post office, on Court Street. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page 594

Union Twp. - JOHN S. FOSTER, liveryman, born in Clermont County, Ohio, on the 16th day of June, 1822, and is a son of Thomas and Sarah Foster. His father is a native of Virginia, and his mother of Pennsylvania. They immigrated to this state, in the year 1800, with a family of eight children, two sons and six daughters.      John S., our subject, was married in 1848, to Miss Margaret C. Thompson, daughter of Edward and Susan Thompson, of Thompson's Mills, Brown County, Ohio.  They have a family of six children, five of whom are living: Susan T., Sarah B., Kate J., Mollie V., and John K., and one dead, Edward T.      Our subject enlisted as a captain of Fourth Ohio Independent Cavalry, and stood highest of any volunteer cavalry captain in the United States service.  He has thirty-two regular battles inscribed on his banner; and his company was body guard of General McPherson for nearly two years, until his death, and in all his battles never witnessed a single defeat.  He was mustered out and received an honorable discharge on the 22d of July, 1864. He is a member of Georgetown Lodge, No. 172, F. A. M., also a member of the Methodist Church, and was elected sheriff of Brown County, Ohio, in 1854, and served two years; received his education in Clermont County and at Granville, Ohio.  He is now engaged in the livery and sale business at Washington, and has followed auctioneering some twenty years of his life, making a wide-spread reputation and a host of friends, as may be seen from the very extensive business he is engaged in. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page 595

Marion Twp. - GEORGE S. FULLERTON was born in the state of Maryland, May 29, 1814.  His father, Thomas, was born in 1780, in Greencastle, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and married Elizabeth Stewart.  The family came to Fayette County in 1814.  They afterwards removed to Pickaway County, where the father died, in 1836.      There were eleven children, all deceased, save George S., who was married, Oct. 2, 1843, to Margaret J. Smith, of Greenfield, Ohio; the result of which union was thirteen children, four of whom are living: Ida, Emma, Frank, and Hattie.  Those who have passed away are: Sarah, Samuel, Margaret, Laura, Mary, George, Charles, Robert, and William.      Mr. Fullerton acquired his education at home, until he was sixteen years of age, when he attended a preparatory course at Oxford University.  He was compelled to abandon his college course from failing eye-sight.  He accepted a clerkship in the store of Dr. Stewart, at Bloomingburg, where he remained until 1840, when he was appointed steward of the Ohio Insane Asylum, where he remained until September, 1849.  He next removed to Springfield, Ohio, and engaged in retailing drugs. In 1850, he removed to Bloomingburg, this county, and engaged extensively in buying and selling wool.  Having sold his farm in Madison Township, he removed to the Ustick farm, where he still resides.      He served one term as county commissioner, and has been prominently connected with county affairs.  He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.  He was elected elder, at Columbus, in 1842, and has continued in that capacity up to this date.      It was the great object of his life to preach Christ and the resurrection, but failing health preventing, he devoted himself in aiding others to perform this labor of love.  A sister spent ten years as a missionary among the Indians; a brother filled a like office in India; two other brothers were ministers.  All lived holy and died happy.      In politics, Mr. Fullerton is a Republican, having always been a firm advocate of anti-slavery measures.  A great Sabbath-school worker, and many of the flourishing Sabbath-schools of this county owe much to the faithful labors of Mr. Fullerton. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  902

THOMAS FULLERTON was a native of Greencastle, Pennsylvania. At a suitable age he attended Yale College, in which he graduated with high honors. He then engaged in business in the city of Baltimore, and continued until the year 1812, when he failed. Together with others, who had been alike unfortunate, he conceived the idea of going to the northwest, and came to Fayette in 1814, settling near Bloomingburgh. Being a fine penman, he was visited by many of the pioneers, and requested to draw up various instruments for them. A fast friend of Batter Harrison, he was often consulted by him on matters of importance. A few years later he began teaching school, continuing in this profession for upward of thirty years. A great many peaches were grown in this locality, peach brandy being the favorite beverage of the inhabitants. At one time, five distilleries in and about Bloomingburgh were engaged in the manufacture of' this drink. Rye was taken to Chillicothe, and exchanged for whisky. Fullerton died many years ago. His son George S. is an old and respected citizen of Marion Township. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page 252

Madison Twp. - HENRY FULTON, the eighth child, and fifth son, of William and Eliza (Loofbourrow) Fulton,  was born in Ross County, Ohio, Aug. 3, 1826.  His grandparents, John A. and Lavina (Irwin) Fulton, were of Pennsylvania, and came to Ohio in 1801, settling in Ross County.      John A. was a prominent surveyor of that early day, and in later years his son William pursued the same profession.      Henry,  in his youth, enjoyed the meager advantages of the early schools of that time, and the prominent business qualities of the man Fulton, are more the results of practical contact with the world, than of his early schooling.      In November, 1846, he married Lettice, daughter of Shreve Pancoast.  To their union has been born nine children: Wade, Shreve, Maggie, William, Polly, Effie, Franklin P., Harry, and Laban.  Franklin P. died Aug. 8, 1868, aged eight years.      Our subject is a man of local prominence, having served his township, either as trustee or treasurer, for the past twenty years, and was land appraiser in 1880.  He owns two hundred and fifty acres of choice land at Madison Mills.  Is a member of Bloomingburg Lodge, and of the Chapter, F. & A. M., at Washington, and treasurer of Madison Grange No. 229. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page 946

Jefferson Twp. - JOHN FULTS, farmer and tile maker, Washington, was born in this county, Apr. 8, 1826, where he was reared, educated and married to Miss A. A. Bush, November, 1816; they had thirteen children by this marriage: John W., Simon P., Mary F., Martha J., Jacob H., Labias O., Ozias E., Jasper A., Clara A., Iva A., Etta, Rosa and Lizzie. John, Simon and Martha are deceased.      Mr. Fults has a farm of one hundred and fifty acres, well improved, on which he lives; and has a tile manufactory, situated about eight miles, northwest of Washington.  Mrs. Fults and seven of the children are members of the Methodist Protestant Church.  Mr. Fults is a member of the Patrons of Husbandry, and a well and favorably known citizen.  His parents, Peter and Francis (Rankins) Fults, died in this county; he in 1863, aged seventy-five years, she in 1852, aged fifty years.  He came from Virginia, in 1800, located in Ross County, and remained until 1816, then came to this county.  He helped to build the first houses of Washington.  He was twice married; first, to Miss Carr, who died several years before our subject's birth. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page  682

Jasper Twp. - WILLIAMSON FURGESON was a pioneer settler of the Center neighborhood, in the southwestern portion of the township.  In 1842, he purchased a tract of land from General James Taylor, of Kentucky, and removed to it the same years.  Other settlers son followed, and this section is fast developing into one of the most cultivated and flourishing of the township. * Source:  History of Fayette County, Ohio & State of Ohio - By R. S. Dills - Publ. Odell & Meyer Publishers, Dayton, Ohio - 1881 - Page 729

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