BIOGRAPHIES

Source:
History of Noble County, Ohio
with portraits and biographical sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men. 
Chicago:  L. H. Watkins & Co., 
1887

For Reference: Noble County was formed in 1851

< BACK TO 1887 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
< BACK TO LIST OF BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >

Rev. Sparrow Nickerson

Noble Twp. - REV. SPARROW NICKERSON - Col. Hugh Nickerson, the father of the venerable pioneer whose name heads this article, was of Irish descent, and was born in Chatham, Barnstable County, Mass., in 1782.  He was a man of intelligence and ability, and during the War of 1812 commanded a regiment of infantry.  The Nickerson family at this time were seafaring people, an occupation to which Mrs. Col. Nickerson was very averse, and fearing that her sons, as they grew up, would resort to that occupation for a livelihood, persuaded her husband to immigrate to Ohio.  In the spring of 1817 the family, consisting of the parents and five children - Mahala, Eliza, Sparrow, Lurana and Joseph - left their native town by vessel for Baltimore, Md.; thence they came by teams across the mountains to Pittsburgh, Pa., where they embarked on a flat-boat for Marietta.  The journey was without incident worthy of mention, and on their arrival, the boat was traded for a Chickasaw horse.  From Marietta they came to Mrs. David McKee's where the family remained until a rude cabin was prepared for their reception on the farm now owned by his son, Sparrow.  They had to find their way by blazed trees, and during the winter suffered greatly from exposure and poverty.  The cabin was without a chimney, door, loft or floor and frequently wild animals would come close to the house.  Their surroundings were such that had it not been for the mother, who was a resolute woman, the family would undoubtedly have returned to their eastern home.  The return of spring brought partial release from pioneer hardships.  The father found employment at his trade, taht of a carpenter, in Zanesville, and in this way supported his family and paid for his land.  He built for Augustus Hoskins the first frame house erected in what is now Noble Township.  He was a man of force and stamina, and identified himself with early church history.  He was a Methodist in belief, and was on of the organizers of the Methodist Protestant church, and with others, founded the Brookfield library, which was probably the first in the county.  His wife, nee Rebecca Blanchard, was born in Boston, where she lived until her marriage, in 1803.  Her children, aside from those above mentioned, were Hugh, Rebecca, Simon and Celestia.  The father died in 1846; his wife in 1835.  Rev. Sparrow Nickerson was born in Chatham, Mass., Mar. 7, 1812.  He was reared on the homestead farm, and being the eldest son, was denied the limited advantages for education afforded by the occasional subscription schools of that day, but in that other school, in which the teachers are observation and experience, he has been an apt pupil.  By extensive reading, aided by a retentive memory, he has acquired a fund of valuable knowledge.  In political belief Mr. Nickerson was originally a Wig, and advocated the election of James G. Birney for President.  Next he became a "Free Soiler," and was nominated, in 1845, for lieutenant governor of Ohio.  On the formation of the Republican party he joined its ranks.  He is now, however a Prohibitionist and has been the candidate of this party for senator and representative.  In ante bellum days he was an abolitionist, and on that ticket ran for State treasurer.  In 1850 he was ordained for the ministry, and for two years was a circuit preacher.  In 1835 he married Miss Helen Byers; by this marriage there were three children: Joseph, Thomas and John; the latter was a member of the Thirtieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served through the war.  His second wife, Miss Betsey Sawyer, was born near St. Albans, Vt., in 1815, and came to Ohio in 1823.  She is the mother of six children: Elizabeth (Allen), 'Levi M., Sarah M. (Bell), Simon S.,  Hannah R. (Love) and Hugh G.   Sarah M. is deceased.      Mr. Nickerson is a typical pioneer, and but few men have attained to a greater share of public esteem than he.  He is now enjoying the full fruition of a well-spent life, and in a few more years will leave to his family that priceless legacy, an unspotted reputation. Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887~ Page 503 NOTE:  See More on Rev. Sparrorw Nickerson, CLICK HERE

John Noble

Noble Twp. - JOHN NOBLE, SR., was a native of Lancaster County, Pa., and his father served through the Revolutionary War as a soldier from that State.  The family were among the early immigrants to Ohio, and located in Washington County, where they remained several years.  In 1811 Mr. Noble came to what is now Noble Township, Noble County, and selected land in the valley of the West Fork of Duck Creek.  He began an improvement, erected a camp on the bottom, in which he and his sons, Samuel and James passed the winter, their sister Polly keeping house for them.  In 1812 the whole family moved to their new home and took up their abode in a cabin made from the logs of sugar-maple.  The family came in wagons, through the trackless woods, following along the ridges.  John Noble, Sr., was an industrious honest man and a worthy citizen.  He died in 1831 at the age of sixty-eight years.  His widow died in 149.  They were the parents of seven children - James, Elizabeth (Reed), Sarah (Burlingame), Mary (Bates), Samuel, Rachel (Reed) and John all now dead except John.  James, the oldest son, was a man of great force of character, and was a pronounced anti-slavery man, when the word "abolitionist" was regarded only as a term of reproach.      John Noble, son of the pioneer above mentioned, was born in Washington County in 1802, and is today one of the best informed men regarding pioneer events that it has been the pleasure of the writer to meet.  He is a remarkably well preserved man, and in spite of his four-score and five years, is still as active as many a man of sixty.  Having been accustomed to hard work from boyhood, even now he busies himself chiefly in the performance of self-imposed tasks about the farm.  He ranks among the best of the many excellent farmers in Noble Count.  Mr. Noble has lived in three counties - Guernsey, Morgan and Noble, without moving form the homestead to which he came in 1812.  He was a member of the first board of county commissioners elected in Noble County in 1851, and has always been an active, public-spirited citizen.  In his dealings with his fellow men he has always been found obliging, upright and honest.  His thrift and diligence have gained for him a competency, and throughout his long life he has enjoyed that greatest of human possessions - an unsullied reputation.      Mr. Noble was married in 1825 to Rebecca, daughter of Robert Caldwell, a prominent early settler.  After more than half a century of happy wedded life, Mrs. Noble quitted the scenes of this earthly career in October, 1878.  Two children were born of this union - Samuel now a resident of Richland County, Wis., married to Miranda Ackley daughter of an early settler of this county; and Martha J. now Mrs. James Carr residing on the homestead. Source:  History of Noble County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: L. H. Watkins & Co., 1887~ Page 501 NOTE:  See more on John Noble, CLICK HERE