Names of persons seventy-six years
of age and over who resided in the township in 1876:
George W. Shryock, Alexander Mitchell, Mrs.
Alexander Mitchell, Jacob Banker, Mrs. Jacob Banker, George
Gibson, Mrs. Jane Gibson, David Walgamont, Mrs. S. Walgamott,
Elizabeth Carr, James Mercer, Amanda Hamilton, N.
Chamberlain, Zachariah Black, E. Johnson, William Leech,
Joel Brown, Fred Bristol, W. Anderson, John Lytle, Sr.,
Richard Leverson, Henry Wilson, Mrs. C. Wilson, James
Miskimmin.
WILLIAM VANSICKLE
was born in this county and married Elizaeth Reaves
and settled near Freeport, Harrison county. Afterwards
he returned to Guernsey county, and then moved to Belmont
county, where he died in 1841. His wife died in 1850.
William Vansickle, Jr., was the youngest of their six
children, and was born in 1840. At an early age he
worked on farms in Guernsey and Coshocton counties. He
married Elizabeth Redd, who died some time after, and
he afterwards married Catharine, widow of Timothy
Rose and settled on a farm in Wheeling township, where
they have remained ever since. He had one child,
Louis James, by his first wife, and five children by his
second, viz.: Ida Bell, William Milton,
Edward F. (dead), Joseph Grant, and Harry
Ellsworth. His second wife was the daughter of
Benjamin C. Castor, of Pennsylvania, and Sarah
Phillips. Her father died in Knox township in
1878. She had four children by her first husband, viz:
Benjamin C., Timothy S., Sarah Jane, and Lydia
Ann. Mr. Vansickle was a soldier of the Fortieth
Ohio volunteer infantry, and languished long in Southern
prisons.
CONRAD HERBERT
was born in Germany in 1782. He was a
tailor by trade. By his first wife he had four
children and one child by his second wife. He and his
second wife came to America with three children.
Peter was the only child by the second wife. They
settled in Zanesville for one year, and he then entered
forty acres here. He died in 1869 and she in 1862.
Peter Herbert was born in 1834. He married
Mary Saumer and settled in Wheeling township where he is
now living. Four of his ten children are living:
William C., Eliza Ann, Jacob R., and Maggie.
All at home. Mr. Herbert is at present
treasurer of this township.
JOHN MARLATT
was born in Virginia in 1794, and went to
Columbiana county, Ohio, in 1809. He married
Catharine Hamersley, and lived in Coshocton county six
years. They then lived here until 1869, and then moved
to Linton, she in 1878. Six of their twelve children
are living. Isaac, the second child, was born
in 1818. He married Ollie Hamersley, who was
born in 1820. They lived in Coshocton county
thirty-six years, and then moved here where the wife died in
1880. Nine of their twelve children are living -
John, Perry, David, Agnes, Samuel, Jacob L., George, Eliza,
Catharine. Mr. Marlatt had held the township
offices, and owns four hundred and thirty acres of land.
JAMES MERCER
was born in Maryland in 1808. In 1818
his parents settled on Yellow creek, near Athens, and
afterwards moved to Belmont county. James
married Maria Dillehay, who was born in 1808, and
settled near Barnesville. They afterwards moved here,
where the wife died in 1848. In 1851 he married
Eliza Earley, widow of Ira Earley, and
died in 1879. He had ten children by his first wife,
and four by the second. Solomon Mercer
was the fourth child by the first wife. He married
Mary Simpson, and lived on his father's place two
years. For fourteen years thereafter he lived in that
vicinity, and then permanently located about three miles
from the old homestead. Six of their eight children
are living - John Wesley, James W., Mary E., Andrew W.,
and Cornelius S., at home; Eliza Florence,
and Henry Byron, dead; and Samuel W. lives at
Bridgeville. Mr. Mercer has held all the
township offices.
JOHN ALLOWAY
was born in Chester county, Pennsylvania, in the year 1795,
and went to Jefferson county, Ohio, when eighteen years old.
His parents ended their days in that county. In 1825
John Alloway married Nancy Vermillion, who was
born in 1805, and they remained in Jefferson county until
1852, when they removed to Wheeling township where they
died. Five of their ten children are now living.
William was the first born, and his birth occurred in
1826. His father died in 1875, and his mother in 1862.
Then he married Telena Little, who was born in
1840, and permanently located on the old home place.
Four of their five children are living - Charles Elmer,
William Jasper, Nettie, and John Oscar.
Mr. William Alloway owns two hundred and thirty-five
acres of land. He was held various township offices.
JOSEPH FURNEYwas
born on Frederick county, Maryland, in 1802, and went with
his parents to Wheeling township, Guernsey county, in 1812.
His parents died there. Joseph married Susan
Miskimon and moved to Coshocton county, where his wife
died in 1847. Five of their seven children are now
living. John, the seventh child, was born in
1843. When eighteen years old he enlisted in company
I, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry, and
was wounded at the desperate battle of Corinth. After
six months' recuperation at home he re-enlisted in the One
Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ohio volunteer infantry. He
saw two years of service. After his marriage with
Mary Landers, of Tuscarawas county, he removed to New
Philadelphia, and remained there nine years. Then he
sold his business and purchased a farm in Wheeling township
in 1875. His wife died in 1876. They had seven
children children, viz.: Jesse, Frank, Laura
and Blanche, twins, Lyda, Mary, and a deceased
infant. His second wife, Sarah Taylor, bore him
one child - Bertha. His farm contains five
hundred acres. His brother Solomon was the
first child born in Wheeling township, and was born in the
wagon in which the family came West.
JOHN KEAST
was the son of Edward Keast, who was born in
Cornwall, England. Edward Keast was a general
farmer, and married Mary Bullock, who was born in
1792. They died in their native county, she in 1844
and he in 1877. John, born in 1816, was their
only child. He married Elizabeth Trathewie, who
was born in 1825, and came to America, settling in Coshocton
county. Eight years later they moved here, where his
wife died in 1861. They had ten children, viz.:
Edward, dead; Mary, Jane, Martha, Julia,
Sarah, Margaret, Esther, Harriet, Susan, and John,
living. His second wife was Teletha Ann Gardner,
by whom he had three children - Eunice, living, and
Charles Ellsworth and in infant, dead.
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