Z. VESEY, son of John and Elizabeth Vezey, was born in Pickaway township, Pickaway only Ohio, Nov. 30, 1823.  His parents emigrated from Sussex county, Delaware, and settled on the lower plains of the above named township and died there - the mother in 1831, and the father in 1836.  After the death of his parents, the subject of this sketch went to live with his uncle, Gideon   Vesey, in Fayette county, Ohio, with whom he remained about three years.  He then removed to Illinois, with his brother-in-law, Hamilton Waples, but remained only about a year, when he returned to his native township, and commenced working for Abraham Swisher, whose daughter - then Mrs. Catharine Frame - he married, Aug. 11, 1842.  He resided in Pickaway about a year after his marriage, when he removed to Franklin county, and located on a farm in Truro township.  He soon, however, returned to Pickaway, and remained two years, when he again settled in Truro, on the same farm on which he had previously located, and resided there for sixteen or seventeen years.  During the war he resided in Columbus, after which he returned to Truro, where he carried on farming, extensively, for some seven years.  In the fall of 1874 he purchased, for twenty-four thousand dollars, the farm and elegant mansion at Groveport, of John S. Rarey, the famous horse tamer, to which he removed in the spring of 1875, and where he now resides.
     Mr. Vesey\s life has been one of unusual activity.  He started in business for himself with the fixed purpose of "doing something," to use his own words, and not, Micawber-like, of waiting for something to "turn up."  He had but sixty-five dollars in money, but he possessed what was much more valuable and indispensable to his success - a clear head and an ample stock of what may be termed clear grit.  He received potential aid from his father-in-law, who helped him, with his name, to obtain whatever credit he desired; but by promptly meeting every obligation contracted, he was soon enabled to dispense with such assistance.  During the first four years of his business career he was  unable to accumulate any property, but during the next ten years his gains aggregated over forty thousand dollars.  From that time forward, until within the last four eyars, his accumulation of property was rapid.  He owned, at one time, thirteen hundred acres of land, besides a great deal of other property.  During the period mentioned, however - years of general business disaster - Mr. Vesey, like almost every man who has been engaged in business on a large scale, has suffered an occasional reverse of fortune.  His principal occupation ahs been that of farming, although he has also dealt extensively in live stock.
     Mr. Vesey was a large stockholder in the old Central bank, of Columbus (now Fourth National), and was elected vice-president of the institution in December, 1875.  On the death of Captain Nathaniel Merion, in 1877, he was elected his successor, as president of the bank, which position he filled until Apr. 1, 1879, when the bank was reorganized as the Fourth National.
     His wife died Jan. 15, 1878, and on September d, of the same year, he married Mrs. Lizzie Mason, of Fairfield county, immediately after which they visited the Pacific coast, spreading several weeks in California.  Mrs. Vesey is the daughter of Henry and Nancy Cosgrove, and was born in Cosgrove Hall, Pennsylvania (a village of which her father was the proprietor), Apr. 9, 1843.  She came to Ohio with her parents when five years of age, and after she was nine years old, was raised by her sister, Mrs. John Coal, of Columbus.  In 1866 she was united in marriage to Elijlah E. Mason, who died on his farm, near Lancaster, Ohio, Jan. 19, 1876.  Mrs. Vesey has two children - Frank and Johnnie - aged, respectively, twelve and eight years.
     Mr. Vesey is the father of five children, all by his first marriage, viz.: Mary (now Mrs. Carson), living in Truro township; Abigail (Mrs. Sharp) in Woodson county, Kansas; Irene, at home; Snyder A., and Laura (Mrs. Thompson), in Truro.
Page 458 - Source: History of Franklin & Pickaway Counties, Ohio - Published by Williams Bros. - 1880