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ORGANIZATION
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MOUNDS
PIONEERS AND SETTLERS
A casual glance down the list of the settlers of
Israel township would at once reveal the fact that
fully two-thirds of the families came from the
south. It will be seen that the earliest
pioneers came from old Virginia, and that they were
quickly followed and outnumbered by a continuous
stream of emigrants from the Carolinas, especially
from the State of South Carolina. The vast
area of hundreds of square miles in the northern and
northwestern parts of South Carolina was the great
source, from which the colonization of Israel
township was drawn. Well watered, with rich,
productive soil, this territory has always been a
most attractive agricultural region. Prior to
and about the year 1800 this State, with its sisters
of the south, was clouded with the evils of slavery.
At this time South Carolina was the stronghold of
Presbyterianism in the south, and to many of the
freedom, justice and conscience-loving members of
that church the sight of slaves and slavery was
painful. They were by o means rank
Abolitionists, though few of them held slaves.
Their chief anxiety was for their children, whom
they dreaded to see growing up in the midst of
influences which they thought adverse to
Christianity. Seeing no lawful way of doing
away with the cause, they resolved to avoid the
dreaded effects, by a removal of their families to a
free State. No doubt, many were actuated by
the promised rewards falling to the settler of new
territory, but there is also no doubt that the
imputus of this migratory movement was chiefly due
to conscientious motives.
Whatever the motive, there is now no doubt but that the
removal was most fortunate.
It will also be seen that the northeastern part of the
township was settled by members of the Friends'
society from New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It
is possible that one or two settlements were made as
early as 1816. In the spring of 1817, Eli
Ganse and was wife, Martha, with their
children, emigrated from Redstone, Pennsylvania, and
settled in section twelve of Israel township.
From this time until 1822, the settlement in this
neighborhood gradually increased by constant
emigrations from the eastern States. Among the
earliest settlers were the Browns, seven
brothers of them, who came from New New Jersey.
In 1822 Isaac Ballanger, Isaac Wiley, John
and Nehemiah Starr and others settled in
section twelve. Nehemiah Starr started
a tanyard in 1822, but soon moved to Indiana.
These pioneers have left as a blessing to their
children and their children's children, a land
beautiful for situation, and most rich in
agricultural resources.
Inasmuch as nearly all of the earliest pioneers are
dead, and tomb-stones and memories dim with age are
the only available sources of information, it is
very diffi-
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cult to determine who was the first settler in
Israel township.
The earliest recorded settlement is that of
Joseph Kingery, who was a native of Virginia,
and in 1803 moved to Ohio and settled in section
thirty-two of Israel township. His wife,
Eva Miller, was a Virginian, and died in 1842.
They had six children: Elizabeth, Nancy, Sarah,
Mary, Martin and Abraham.
Abraham Kingery, son of Joseph, was born in
Israel township in 1807. In 1829 he married
Margaret Ridenour, who was born in 1811.
Twelve children have been born to them. Mr.
Kingery died in 1865. His widow still
survives him and lives on the home farm.
About the time of Joseph Kingery's
settlement, two brothers, Samuel and James Huston,
emigrated from Virginia, and build cabins in section
thirty-four, Samuel settling near where
College Corner now stands, and James entering
the northern half of the section. the families
of both these brothers have become widely separated,
and definite information concerning their
whereabouts could not be obtained. Samuel
and James died more than fifty years ago.
Together they lived, and together they died, both
being buried on the same day.
Quite a number came to the township in 1805, and
among the first of these was William Ramsey
and family. He was born in Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania, in 1776. When he was nine years
old he emigrated with his parents to Rockbridge
county, Virginia, and remained there until 1802,
when his parents moved to Kentucky, and after
remaining there three yeas, emigrated to Ohio,
settling in Israel township, section twenty-three.
William Ramsey married Rebecca Miller,
by whom he had seven children: Elizabeth,
wife of William Hays, of Mercer County, Ohio;
John, living in section twenty-one, Israel
township; Rebecca, wife of Robert Mitchell,
both dead; Martha, wife of William
Reed, of Cedarville, Greene county, Ohio;
Jane, wife of William Huston, of Fayette
county Indiana; William, who died when nine
years old, and Thomas L., living near
Cedarville, Greene county.
John Ramsey was born in 1800, in Rockbridge
county, Virginia, and afterwards lived in Kentucky,
coming to Israel township in 1805. He was
raised on the farm in section twenty-three.
His father was, by trade, a millwright and built the
McDill mill, and the one at Fairhaven.
In 1829 John married Miss Mary Brown,
daughter of James Brown, sr. She was
born in 1802, and is the mother of six children,
only two of whom are living, Mary, wife of
W. A. Douglass, who lives near hi
father-in-law's residence, and Martha, who
lives at home.
Abraham Miller
emigrated from Virginia in 1805, and settled on the
farm in section thirty-four, in Israel township, now
owned by James McDill. He brought with
him a blacksmith, Adam Solladay who built a
shop on Mr. Miller's land, about thirty rods
from Four Mile creek. About 1814 Robert
Miller, an emigrant from South Carolina, bought
the farm.
Peter Ridenour came
out from Maryland in company with the Browns,
Andersons, Lutzs, and others, on pack-horses, in
1800. He entered land in section thirty-three,
but, the Indians being troublesome, went to Venice,
Butler county, where he remained six years. In
1806 he built a cabin upon his land, and with his
wife, Margaret, and sons, Samuel, Jonathan,
and Isaac, moved in and began life in the
woods. He built the first grist- and saw-mill
in the township, and consequently made the first
flour and sawed the first lumber. He built a
distillery near the site of the mill, in 1807, and
manufactured the first whiskey in the county, it is
believed by many. He was born in Maryland, in
1771, and was married to Margaret Darcas, who
was born in 1775. They were the parent of
sixteen children, only six of whom are now living,
viz.: Isaac and Mrs. Margaret Kingery,
both of this township; Mrs. Susan Moore, in
College Corner; Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, in
Wayne county, Indiana; Mrs. Nancy Wilson, in
Union county, Indiana; and Mrs. Jesse Doty,
in Butler county, Ohio. Isaac was born
in 1806, during the temporary residence of his
parents in Butler county, Ohio. He married, in
1831, Margaret Doty, and has had a family of
four sons and four daughters, two of the daughters
being deceased.
In the winter of 1805 Joseph Caldwell,
an old Quaker, with his children, emigrated from
North Carolina, and settled in section nine, where
Fairhaven now stands. Mr. Caldwell was
a widower at the time of his emigration. He
was the father of six sons - Joseph, who
moved to Connersville, Indiana; John who
became a Baptist preacher; Train, who became
quite prominent in the township; Manliff;
James; and Jonathan who, in 1832, laid
out the town of Fairhaven, and was the husband of
Nancy Porter, daughter of Rev. Alexander
Porter. Jonathan Caldwell was a son
engaged in business in Cincinnati.
William McCreary
was born in South Carolina in 1775. His wife,
Mary Douglas, was born in 1777, and died in
1845. In the spring of 1806 they emigrated to
Ohio, and entered land in section thirty-six of
Israel township, where they spent the remainder of
their days. To them were born five children,
four of whom are living - Sarah, the widow of
Henry Marshall, resides in section
thirty-four of Israel township; Mary, the
widow of E. Pinkerton, lives in Illinois;
James lives at Morning Sun; and William
lives on the old home place. It was at the
house of William McCreary that the first
meeting to consider the advisability of organizing
Hopewell church was held. He was one of the
earliest township officers. In 1822, while
returning from Cincinnati with his son, James,
he was taken very sick, and died on the way.
He was buried in Hopewell township.
William McCreary, jr., was born in 1814, and in
1840 was married to Miss Isabella McDill,
daughter of David McDill. To them have
been born eight children, of whom six are living -
Harriet, Jennie, Sarah, Thomas M., William J.,
and Charles C.
James McCreary was born in 1806, in section
thirty-six of Israel township. His wife,
Annie Cook, was born in 1814, and is still
living. They have had five children, of whom
Mary, Maggie, and James R. are living.
Mr. McCreary resides in Morning Sun, this
township.
Ebenezer Elliott was born in Chester county,
South
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Carolina, in 1771. His wife, Esther Gaston,
also a native of South Carolina, was born in 1770,
and died in Israel township, Preble county, 1814.
To them were born seven children: Joseph, James,
Janet, William, John, Ebenezer, Hugh, Isaiah,
and David. Of these, five are
living: Janet, the widow of Ebenezer
Douglas, lives in Indiana; Ebenezer, Isaiah,
James, who settled in Dixon township, and
Hugh, who lives on the home place.
Ebenezer Elliott emigrated to Ohio the first
week of December, 1806, and settled in section
twenty-six of Israel township. For two years
the family lived in a pole shanty. Then Mr.
Elliott built a hewed-log house, and in 1816,
erected a brick house, which was probably the first
brick house in the township. Three of four
years after his settlement he was elected justice of
the peace, which office he held for several terms.
During his official career he formed very many
marriage ceremonies. About one year and a half
after his settlement, his son, Hugh, was
born, and his was among the first, if not the first
birth in Israel township. Mr. Elliott
died in 1849.
Hugh Elliott, born June 26, 1808, married for
his first wife Henrietta Brown, who died in
1849, leaving no children. His second wife,
Elizabeth Robertson, was born in 1826.
Four of their seven children are living:
Henrietta Elizabeth, wife of Rev. Samuel Buck;
Sarah Essie, Edwin, and
Annis, all living at home.
William Ramsey was
born in Ireland in 1749, and when quite young
emigrated to the State of Virginia. His wife,
Martha Ochletree, was born in 1769, and died
about 1850. In 1806 he emigrated to Ohio, and
settled in section fourteen of Israel township.
To Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey were born seven
children: Elizabeth, Jane, Nancy, Martha, Samuel,
George, and David, who is the only one
still living. Mr. Ramsey entered one
hundred and sixty acres of land.
David Ramsey was born in Israel township in
1811, on the old farm in section fourteen. His
wife, Mary Marshall, whom he married in 1831,
was born in 1813, and died in 1843. Five
children were born to them. In 1844 he married
Mary C. Gilmore, who was born Dec. 26, 1818, and is
still living. She is a sister of Judges W.
J. and James Gilmore, and daughter of
Dr. Eli Gilmore. There have been no
children by this marriage.
Samuel Ramsey was born in Rockbridge county,
Virginia, in 1799, and emigrated with his father to
Ohio in 1806. He died in section fifteen of
Israel township in 1836. His wife, Sabina
Gilmore, whom he married in 1823, was born in
1799, and is living with her son, Samuel.
To them were born five children, of whom Martha
A., Thomas L., and Samuel R. are living -
all in College Corner.
Samuel R. Ramsey was born in 1833, in Israel
township. He was united in marriage to Miss
Mary A. Wilson, who was born in 1843. They
have two children: Sabina C. and Annie M.
Thomas L. Ramsey was born in 1828. He married
Miss Grizella N. McDill in 1861.
Samuel G., their only child, was born in April
1862.
William G. Ramsey was born in 1824, and died in
1871.
In 1859, the then brothers, Samuel, Thomas L.
and William G., formed a copartnership in the
general store and grain business, and thus continued
until the death of William, in 1871.
After the death of their brother, Samuel and
Thomas continued in the business. The
amount of business done annually by his firm is
about fifty thousand dollars.
Samuel Ramsey has been the efficient postmaster
at College Corner since 1873.
Hugh Ramsey, sr., was born in Lancaster county,
Pennsylvania, in 1779. His wife, Francis
Sheppard, was born in 1776, and died in 1835.
Mr. Ramsey emigrated with his father to
Rockbridge county, Virginia, and after remaining
there a short time removed to Woodford county,
Kentucky, and in 1807 emigrated to Ohio, settling in
section fourteen, of Israel township, Preble county.
To them nine children were born, all of whom are
dead except Hugh B., who was born July 4,
1819. He married Martha C. Gilmore in
1844, who was born in 1825. Only two of their
seven children are living. John, son of
Hugh Ramsey, sr., familiarly called
"long John," was born in 1804, and in 1807
came with his father to Israel township, and lived
in section fourteen. He died in 1870 on the
farm in section twenty-seven, near Morning Sun.
His wife, Jane Marshall, who was born in
1806, is still living. To them were born
twelve children: Hugh; Sarah, widow of
Samuel Hamilton, living in section twenty;
James lives in Montana; John A., resides
in Morning Sun; William living in Camden;
Joseph T. in Texas; Mary E., wife of
William Wright, lives in Somers township;
David C. and Albert are all living; and
Isabella H., wife of John Wright, Eliza,
Frances, wife of James Wright, are
dead.
Hugh Ramsey, jr., was born in 1827, and married
for his first wife Miss Mary Ann
Gilmore, daughter of Samuel and
Margaret Gilmore, who were old pioneers of
Israel township. Six children were born to
them of whom four are living. Mrs.
Ramsey died in 1869. In 1870 he married
Miss Clarissa Hamilton, who was born in 1832.
By this marriage have been born three children, but
one of whom is now living. Mr. Ramsey
owns one hundred and sixty acres of land well
improved.
David C. Ramsey, Hugh's brother, was born
in 1847. His wife, Susan Orebaugh,
was also born in 1847. They have had four
children. In 1879 Mr. Ramsey
engaged in the manufacture of tile near Morning Sun.
He manufactures about seventy-five thousand tile per
year.
George Ramsey was born in Rockbridge county,
Virginia, in 1801. He came to Ohio from
Kentucky, and settled with his parents, William
and Martha, in section fourteen, of
Israel township. His wife, Martha M.,
was born in 1806, in Hamilton county, and died in
1874. They have had nine children born to
them, six of whom are now living. Mr.
Ramsey was trustee of his township several
terms. He died in 1858.
Nathan L. Ramsey was born in Israel township in
1831. In 1876 he married Mary E. Calderwood,
born 1851. She is the daughter of
Andrew
and Elizabeth
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(Thornburn) Calderwood, natives of Scotland.
Mr. Ramsey has had two children.
John M. Ramsey was born in Israel township in
1832. He married Susan Reeve, who was
born in 1833. They have five children.
Mr. Ramsey owns a farm of two hundred and twelve
acres in Israel township, and one of forty acres in
Paulding county. He was elected trustee of
Israel township in the year 1875, which office he
now holds.
William A. Ramsey, son of Hugh B., was born
in Israel township in 1846, and in 1869 was married
to Miss Elizabeth J. Hayes, who was born in
Israel township in 1847. Their only child,
Charles A. Ramsey, was born in 1871.
Mr. Ramsey lives on his father, Hugh B.
Ramsey's, farm in section four.
In the spring of 1806 a widow by the name of
Martha Faris, emigrated from Chester county,
South Carolina with her family of four children.
She made the journey in company with William
McCreary, and settled in Israel township.
Her children were: James, who married
Peggy, daughter of David McDill; David,
who married Miss McClerkin, and Martha
and Mary, who never married.
David Faris, sr., settled in section
twenty-five, which he entered about the year 1807.
His wife, Catharine McClurkin, emigrated at a
very early day with her parents from South Carolina
and settled on Indian creek, Indiana.
David Faris, jr., was born in Israel township in
1820, and died in 1865. His wife, Martha
Gilmore, was born in 1818, and died in 1857.
They had five children. James I. Faris
was born in 1843, and in 1865 was married to
Caroline Wilson, who was born in 1845.
They have had three children: Annie M., George
I., and Nellie A., all living at home.
Mr. Faris owns one hundred and fifty-eight
acres of well improved lands.
David McDill, sr.,
was born in South Carolina. His wife was
Isabella McQuiston. To them were born six
children: Thomas, David, Peggy, who
married James Faris; John, Hugh,
Archibald. Mr. McDill was very desirous to
remove his children from the influences of slavery,
and in the spring of 1806 emigrated to Preble
county, and settled in section twenty-six, of Israel
township. His son, David, studied for
the ministry. He was among the first school
teachers in Israel township. He graduated at
the Associate Reformed Theological seminary at New
York. He commenced preaching at Hamilton,
Ohio; removed to Sparta, Illinois, and soon
afterwards moved to Monmouth, Illinois, and became
the efficient editor of the Western United
Presbyterian. He had become a giant in the
United Presbyterian church, and the great work that
he did as a reformer will always be remembered.
As an editor Dr. McDill had few equals.
Few men who took up the pen, in controversy with
him, but were willing to drop it again on as good
terms as they could. He died June 15, 1870,
and was buried in the cemetery at Monmouth,
Illinois. He was a mighty man and considered a
pillar in the united Presbyterian church.
Hugh McDill was born in South Carolina in 1794,
and died in Israel township in 1873. His wife
was Grizella Brown, who died in 1879.
Of their eight children, James, David, and
John B. are living.
James McDill, son of Hugh, was born in
Israel township in 1819, and in 1844 was married to
Agnes G. Paxton, who was born in 1825.
They have had five children, one of whom is dead.
Mr. McDill, is at the time of this writing,
the Republican nominee for county commissioner.
James Boyce
entered
land in this township in 1806, and the following
year built a cabin on the farm now occupied by
John B. Irwin, and continued to live there until
his death in 1842. He was a native of Ireland,
born in 1768; emigrated to the United states, and in
1800 was united in marriage to Mary McGaw, of
South Carolina. From that State he removed to
Preble county in 1807. His wife was born in
South Carolina in 1778, and died in 1834.
Mr. Boyce was an active and generous supporter
of religious and educational interest. He
contributed freely to support of Oxford seminary, in
Butler county, educated several young men at his own
expense and was one of the founders of the first
Bible society of Preble county. He carried on
the dry goods business several years in the
township, giving his attention at the same time to
farming and stock business. Of his four
children two are living - a daughter in Illinois and
John H. in this township, on land which his
father entered. He is the youngest of four
children, and was born in 1809. He was married
in 1830 to Mary Ann Irwin, who was born in
1811.
Caleb Pegg emigrated
from North Carolina with the Caldwells, and
settled near them. It is not known what family
he had, as the last representative is gone.
Reference to the first records of Israel township
show that he was one of the most active of the early
public men, and at the first election was elected
clerk of the township, and it is his hand that
penned the records of the first meeting of township
officers. He was also among the first township
trustees, and in 1813 he became a justice of the
peace.
In the spring of 1805
James Brown, sr., settled below Hamilton, and in
1807 became a resident of Israel township. His
wife Elizabeth was born about 1780.
Seven children were born to them before their
arrival in Israel township - Nathan, living
in Iowa; John; Eleanor, widow of Hugh
Porter; Grizella, wife of Hugh McDill; Mary,
wife of John Ramsey; and Robert.
After their removal to this township there were born
John, James, and Eliza, the wife of
Samuel Bonner. Mr. Brown settled in
section twenty-four.
Richard Sloan
emigrated from South Carolina in the spring of 1807,
and settled in the southeast quarter of section
fourteen, on the farm now occupied by his son,
Nathan. John lives in section
twenty-two. Dr. Richard Sloan has long
been a practicing physician at Morning Sun.
James, Peggy, Polly, and Betsey are dead.
Betsey was the wife of
Squire Thomas
Pinkerton.
In 1808 Hugh McQuiston, sr.,
settled in section twenty-four, where he entered one
hundred and sixty acres of land. On this farm
he lived until his death, in 1845, and his son
Hugh has occupied it after him, so that the
place
Page 224 -
has not passed out of the family. Hugh
McQuiston, sr., was a native of Ireland,
born in 1765 and emigrated at the age of seven years
to America, in 1772. He eventually found his
wife in South Carolina, in the person of Margaret
Gaston, who was born in that State in 1767.
She outlived her husband some seven eyasr, dying in
1852. There were six children - William,
Joseph, David, Eliza, Archibald and Hugh,
all deceased but Hugh. he was born in
1810; married for his first wife Nancy McDill,
who died in 1853. There were six children by
this marriage three of whom are deceased, John C.
having died in the war of the Rebellion. His
second wife was Elizabeth Wilson, by whom he
had one child, now deceased.
David McQuiston
Mrs. Andrew C. McQuiston
Thomas McQuiston
David McQuiston
William P. McQuiston
George
R. Brown was born in 1809 in
Israel township, section twenty-four, and died in
1873. His wife, Margaret Herron was
born in Israel township in 1811, and died in 1877.
To them were born six children - James A.,
Samuel, Mary widow of John Wallace who
lives in Illinois, Elen wife of S. B.
Gilmore, Jane, deceased, and Alice,
wife of J. B. Johnson, dead.
James
A. Brown was born in Israel
township in 1831. In 1854 he married Ellen
Buck, who was born in 1833. Eleven
children have been born to them, nine of whom are
still living. Mr. Brown engaged
in the dry goods business in 1871, in the village of
Morning Sun, in company with I. L. McCracken.
In 1874 he sold out and engaged in the saw-mill and
lumber business with Phillip Murray and
Nathan Foster. He engaged in this
business for two years, at the expiration of which
time he sold out to S. B. Gilmore and moved
back to his farm.
John Bishop, sr.
Thomas C. McDill
William McGaw, sr.,
came into the township and settled in section five,
in 1811. He was born in Ireland in 1750, and
emigrated to this county from South Carolina.
He was married in 1775, to Mary Patterson,
who was then twenty years of age. HE died in
this township in 1831, at the advanced age of
eighty-one, and his wife survived him some twelve or
thirteen years. Out of eleven children born to
them, all are now deceased but two. These are:
Martha, widow of Samuel Smith, living
in Illinois; and William McGaw, jr., of this
township. He was born in 1801, and has been
twice married. His first wife was Rachel
Paxton, who died in 1852. He subsequently
married Elizabeth Lang. By his first
wife he had ten children, and by his second, two.
Mr. McGaw was elected justice of the peace of
Israel township, in 1842. and held the office for
twenty-seven years.
Washington Ridenour
was born in 1810 on Mill creek, in Hamilton county,
Ohio, and came to Preble county with his parents
about 1812, and settled near College Corner, Israel
township. His father, Joseph
Ridenour, was a native of Virginia. His
wife’s maiden name was Annie Troel.
They had about sixteen children, of whom only three
are living: Washington, Jacob, and
Samuel. Washington Ridenour
married Elizabeth Fudge, who was born
in 1818, and died about fourteen years ago. To
them have been born thirteen children, eighth of
whom Samuel, two miles east of Eaton;
Joseph, north of Eaton, in Washington township;
Bird lives east of Eaton, with Luther
Cotterman; Mary Petrey, wife of
John Petrey, of Monroe township; and
Mary Ann Stephens, living in
West Manchester—all of Preble county.
James Brown, sr.,
was born in South Carolina in 1802, and emigrated to
Preble county, Ohio, with his father, Nathan
Brown, in 1813, and settled on the farm now
Page 225 -
owned by John Brown in section
twenty-six. His father died in Dixon township.
His mother died a short time previous to the removal
of the remnant of the family to Ohio. James
Brown married Elizabeth Scott,
who was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1804.
They have had a family of twelve children— six
living.
William Van Skiver
Samuel Van Skiver
Samuel Bell
Nathan Bell
William Bell
James H. Brown
George S. Hamilton
James Marshall
John Marshall
John Marshall
Robert Gilmore
Robert P. Gilmore
Joseph Steele
John Brown
was born in Burlington county,
New Jersey, in 1777, and died in Israel township,
Preble county, in 1856. In 1806 he married
Sarah Moore, who was
born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1786, and is still
living with her children in Israel township.
Mrs. Brown is the oldest person living
in Israel township, and probably the oldest in the
county. She has seen General
Washington marching through Trenton at the head
of his troops. She has wonderful vitality and
still retains her powers of mind, and has not yet
ceased to work a little. She is now
ninety-five years of age. She has one
great-great grandchild, fifteen great-grandchildren,
seven grandchildren, and three children living,
viz.: Nathaniel M., Joseph G., and
Bathsheba, wife of W. L. Stratton, all
living in the same section in Israel township in
which they settled. Mr. and Mrs. John Brown
emigrated to Ohio in 1815, and remained in Warren
county for three years, and in 1819 came to Israel
township, and settled in section twelve.
Nathaniel
Brown was born in 1807, and in
1829 was married to Sarah Nixon, by
whom he has had three children - Mrs. F. A. Beall,
living in Israel township; Mrs.
John Stephens, in Eaton; and John
Brown, in Cincinnati.
Page 226 -
William Brown
was born in New Jersey about
1781. In 1816 he moved to Ohio, and about 1819
settled in section two, of Israel township. His
wife, who was Elizabeth Van Skiver, was born
in 1794, and is still living in Israel township. William
Brown emigrated first to Warren county, Ohio,
where he stayed for a year, and from there moved to
his present farm. He died in 1873, leaving a
wife and two children: Barclay, and Sarah
Ann, wife of Joseph Borradaile.
Barclay Brown
was born in 1822, and in 1849 he married Sarah
Mullin, born in 1831. They have had five
children, four of whom still survive. Mr.
Brown owns one hundred and four acres of land in
section one, Israel township.
Thomas Brown
was born in South Carolina, in 1792, and emigrated
from that State of Ohio in 1816, and about 1819
settled in Israel township, section twenty-seven.
His wife was Elizabeth Hamilton, born 1798,
and died in 1847. They have had nine children,
one of whom (John) is dead; Jane, Andrew,
Samuel, William, Eliza, James H., Israel and
Margaret are living.
Andrew
Brown was born in 1821, and in
1849 married Eliza Smith, born in 1828.
They have four children now living. Mr.
Brown owns one hundred and forty-two acres of
land, which is under good cultivation.
The Smiths
Samuel B. Gilmore
Jonathan Paxton
Alexander P. Paxton
Jonathan Paxton, jr.
Robert Gilmore Paxton
Robert G. Paxton
Samuel M. Paxton
John C. Paxton
Benjamin Morton
William Morton
Page 227 -
William Asay
Samuel Asay
Joseph Asay
Mr. Asay owns a farm of four hundred and forty
acres in Preble county.
Isaac Ballinger
Abraham Ballinger, sr.
David T. Wilson
Joseph Marshall
William D. Borradaile
John Marshall, sr.
James Graham
Samuel Graham
Dr. Eli Gilmore
Thomas Scott
Page 228 -
Abner Scott
Joseph P. Scott
John Herron
John C. Herron
Samuel Buck
Matthew Wilson
Robert M. Wilson
Robert Rock
Andrew B. Rock
John Hamilton
Gavin McMillin
William Maddock
Edward Maddock
James Cook
John B. Orr
Page 229 -
Alexander P. Orr
Israel
Brown was born in Israel
township, section eighteen, in 1833. In 1866
he married Anna Eliza Mann who was born in
Pennsylvania in 1841. They have a family of
three children. Mr. Brown has one
hundred acres of land in section twenty-seven, his
father's old homestead.
Caleb Shera
Joseph Marshall
Joseph Marshall
Samuel B. Gilmore
James A. Magaw
Edward Hawes
Henry Marshall
William Hays
William Ramsey Hays
John G. Hays
James Hamilton
John B. Johhston
Joseph Cramer
Page 230 -
vive. He owns two hundred and twenty acres of
land, which is under a good state of cultivation.
William Douglas, sr.
William Douglas, jr.
Philip Murray was
born in Somers township in 1814. His father,
Thomas Murray, was born in Ireland in 1779,
and his mother, Martha Lewellen, was born in
this country in 1788. They were early settlers
of Somers township. In 1844 Philip Murray
married Elizaeth Rader, who was born in
1823, and died in 1856. Four of the six
children by this marriage are living. In 1857
Mr. Murray married Elizabeth T. Moren,
who was born in 1820. Two children have been
born by this marriage. In 1862 Mr. Murray
became township treasurer, which office he held for
four years. Until the year 1834 he was a
farmer. In that year he took charge of a
saw-mill on the Killough farm, in Somers
township. He has been connected with the
saw-mills located on the Camden and Richmond pike,
on the farm of John Mills then on the farms
of John Douglas and Thomas McQuiston.
In the year 1858 he quit the milling business and
engaged in the dry goods business at Morning Sun
until about the year 1866, when he again engaged in
the saw-milling business.
Winburn Jenkins was
born in North Carolina in 1817. From that
State he moved to Ohio, and settled in Israel
township, section six, in 1849. He married
Sussanah Leviston in 185_, and has had six
children, three of whom are living.
James R. Smith was
born in Union county, Indiana, in 1810, and died in
1857. His wife was Mary Paxton, who
died in 1871. They had ten children, three of
whom are still living: Eliza, married and
living in Israel township; Mary, married and
living in Fair Haven, and William R., living
in Israel township. William R. Smith
was born in 1836. In 1857 he married Mary
Ann Evans, who was born in 1836. She died
in 1874, leaving three children. He married
again in the same year, a Miss Grace E. Munns,
who was born in Butler county, Ohio. They have
had two children. He lives in Fair Haven and
owns fifty-four acres of land.
Robert Smith, the second son of James and Ann
Smith, was born in Kentucky in the year 1795.
In 1815 he was united in marriage with Mary A.
Patterson, who was born in South Carolina in
1795. She emigrated to with her parents and
settled in section thirty, of Israel township, where
her father entered land in 1806. They had
seven children born to them, of these only four
survive: John P., Samuel P.,
Eliza Jane, and Margaret. The two
daughters reside in Kansas but John P. and
Samuel P. still reside in this township.
James Smith was
one of the earliest pioneers of the county, having
settled in Somers township, it is said, in 1802.
John P. Smith was born in 1816 in Somers
township. In 1840 he married Nancy Buck,
who was born in 1818, and died in 1857. By
this marriage he had four children, three of whom
survive. In 1858, he married a second time.
His wife was Jane Morrow born in Pennsylvania
in1826. She died the same year of her
marriage, leaving one child. In 1863 he
married Sarah Gilmore who was born in 1830.
By this marriage he has had four children, all
living. In 1869 Mr. Smith was elected
justice of the peace, which office he held for nine
years. In 1866 he was elected to the office of
clerk of the township, which position he still
holds.
Samuel P. Smith was born in Somers township
in 1820. In 1842 he married Mary Ann McGaw,
who was born in 1819, and who died in 1852.
There were born them four children, three of whom
still survive. In 1853 he married for his
second wife Matilda McBride, born in
South Carolina in 1823. They have had three
children.
Alexander M. Smith was born in Dixon township in
1857, and in 1870 was married to Lydia
Allen, who was born in Union county, Indiana, in
1857. They have one child, Nora Myrtle Smith.
He owns forty-five acres of land given him by his
father.
James Harper, the only
surviving child of Nathan and Elizabeth Harper,
was born in Union county, Indiana, in 1829. In
1850 he moved to Preble county, Ohio and located on
the farm on which he now lives. In the same
year he married Margaret A. Paxton, who was
born in Israel township, in 1828; and who died in
1876. Ten children were born to them, six of
whom are still living. Mr. Harper owns
ninety acres of land located in section twenty-one
of Israel township.
Alexander Caldwell
was born in Ireland in 1818. In 1846 he
emigrated to Pennsylvania, where he lived about five
years. He then moved to Virginia and stayed
there a year. In the next year, 1852, he moved
to Ohio and settled in Israel township, where he has
since resided. His wife was Mary Monteith,
born in Ireland in 1831. Nine children have
been born to them, all of whom are living.
Mr. Caldwell owns a farm of eighty acre, one and
a half miles northeast of College Cornesr, Ohio.
Andrew Campbell was
born in Ireland in 1791. He emigrated from
Ireland to Preble county in 1852. His
Page 231 -
wife was Rachel Weir, who was born in Ireland
in 1781, and died in 1859.
John Campbell was
born in North Ireland, in 1815, and emigrated to
Preble county, and settled in section six of Israel
township, in 1861. In 1846 he married
Martha Scott, born in Ireland, in 1825.
They have had seven children, six of whom are now
living. Mr. Campbell owns a farm of
seventy-eight acres, which is well improved.
Francis A. Beall was
born in Somers township, in 1820. His father,
Charles Beall was an early settler in that
township, having removed there with his parents from
Maryland in 1816. Francis A., married
for his first wife Sarah Moore, of Israel
township, born in 1827; she died in 1860.
There were two children born of this marriage, one
living. In 1866 he married Mary H. Brown,
born in Israel township, in 1830, by whom he has had
no children, but has taken two to raise.
Jabez Harrison was
born in Virginia in 1800, and died in 1845. He
emigrated from Virginia to Wayne county, Indiana,
and remained there five years, and afterwards lived
in Fayette county until his death, which occurred in
1845. His wife, Elizabeth Taylor, born
in Virginia in 1800, died in 1847. Three of
their eight children are living: Ashbury
C., in Washington Territory; James R.,
near St. Louis; and Wesley H., in Preble
county, Israel township, where he owns two hundred
and seventy-five acres. He moved from Wayne
county, Indiana to Fayette county in 1835, and to
Union county in 1847, whence he moved, in 1858, to
Israel township. His wife, Lavina Brown,
was born in 1829. They have a family of five
children.
Charles Hockersmith
was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, in 1850.
He came to Preble county in 1868, and purchased a
farm of seventy-nine acres from James A. and
William M. Gilmore. In 1874 he married
Rachel M. Gilmore, who was born in 1843.
They have had two children, one of whom, Robert
A., is still living.
INCIDENTS.
CHURCH HISTORY
THE COVENANTER CHURCH.
THE MORNING SUN CHURCH
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN
THE HOPEWELL CHURCH
THE FAIR HAVEN CHURCH
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE
THE BEECH-WOOD BIBLE CHURCH
SCHOOLS
THE MORNING SUN ACADEMY
THE FAIR HAVEN LODGE
GRAVEYARDS.
In this as
in most townships, the first burials were lonely,
near the scene of death. A number of the
earliest settlers were buried on the farms they
settled. The first resident buried in the
township was the little daughter of Dr. John
Ramsey. She died about 1807, and was
buried near the family residence. About this
time a man by the name of Baird, a stranger
in the neighborhood, was killed in the woods just
north of William Ramsey's house, in section
twenty-two, on the farm now owned by Nathan
Ramsey, where the orchard now stands. His
was probably the second burial in the township.
There was a small burial place on the hill north of
the south part of Fair Haven. Here among
others were buried Joseph Caldwell and
members of his family, and some of the McDivitts.
HOPEWELL CEMETERY
was the first public burying ground
in Israel township. As one family circle after
another came within the confines of the township,
each one, sooner or later, found its central and
dearest spot in this county church-yard - the
church, life's fountain; the yard, death's treasury,
and scarcely a step-between. Than this God's
first acre, there is none other in the township so
rich with precious dust. Throughout the
township are the cheerful results of pioneer work,
but there are no individual monuments to the study
workers, save in the graveyard, where
"Each in his narrow cell forever
laid,
The rude forefathers of the township sleep."
The first
tree felled where Hopewell cemetery now stands,
yielded to the axe of Thomas McDill, sr.,
about the year 1812-13, and the first man who was
buried there was none other than Mr. McDill.
He went into the War of 1812, and returned with
impaired health, and soon after died, thus becoming
the pioneer of the silent city. June 13, 1813,
he was buried, aged thirty-seven. He and his
wife Mary, were among the original members of
Hopewell church. He was the first member
called away by death, and strange to say, his wife,
who died August 2, 1872, at the advanced age of
ninety-seven years, was the last survivor of the
original members. A plain block of marble in
the center of the graveyard marks their last resting
place. Around them lie more than a thousand.
Most of the graves are marked, though a few have
sunk almost out of sight, and entirely out of
memory. Though there are quite a number of
lowly grass-grown headstones, indicative of
children's graves, it is noticeable that most of the
dead lived out the full measure of their days, and
entered the graveyard in the winter of life.
Approaching from the east, the first group of graves is
that of a number of ministers of the Gospel.
The first inscription is "To the memory of the
Rev. John Steele, died Jan. 11, 1837, aged
sixty-four. A preacher mighty in the
Scriptures, a scribe well instructed in the law."
His monument almost touches one "Sacred to the
memory of Rev. Alexander Porter, died March
29, 1836, aged sixty-six years. Born in 1770,
in South Carolina, received the rudiments of a
classical education in the south, and finished at
Dickinson college, Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Licensed to preach the Gospel of the grace of God in
the Associate Reformed church, Oct. 18, 1796;
ordained in 1797, and labored in the Lord's vineyard
nearly forty years." Near by, Rev. James B.
Foster, who died Feb. 27, 1873, though dead, yet
speaks from his tomb-stone, "We shall rise again."
Mr. Foster was born in Israel township, and
became a United Presbyterian minister, afterwards
joining the Presbyterian church. His last
charge was at Comminsville, near Cincinnati.
Just beyond is the grave of Rev. Samuel W.
McCracken, who died Sept. 18, 1859, aged
fifty-nine. Mr. Porter and Mrs. McCracken
were faithful pastors of Hopewell church.
Mr. Steele presided at the installation of
Father Porter, and it was at his earnest wish
that he was buried beside Mr. Porter, whom he
especially esteemed. Mrs. Porter died
in 1850, aged eighty-two, and Mrs. McCracken
died in ___, they rest beside their husbands.
A hurried review of various inscriptions shows that
the following prominent settlers are here buried:
William Ramsey died 1838, aged ninety-one,
and wife, Martha, 1842, aged seventy-one;
David McQuiston, jr., 1870, sixty-eight; John
Caldwell, 1838, forty-seven; William Gilmore,
1837, forty; Robert Gilmore, 1839,
fifty-three; Hugh Ramsey, 1865, eighty-six;
William Douglas, 1854, eighty-five; Samuel
McDill, 1851, eighty-five; Thomas McDill,
1813, thirty-seven; David McQuiston, sr.,
1823, eighty-eight; Hugh McQuiston, sr.,
1845, eighty; Richard Sloan, 1848;
eighty; Samuel Hamilton, 1822, forty-nine;
David Bonner, 1844, seventy-five; John
Pinkerton, 1852, eighty-four; John Patterson,
1857, seventy-five; James Brown, sr., 1834,
fifty-five; James Paxton, sr., 1830,
forty-eight; William McCreary, 1822,
forty-seven; William MaGaw, 1836, eighty-six;
John Buck, 1871, eighty-six; William Buck,
1857, sixty-nine; John McClanahan, 1860,
eighty-five; George Simpson, 1859,
eighty-four; David Boyse, 1827, sixty-four;
David Gary, 1840, seventy-one; Robert
Boyse, 1820, forty; James Marshall, sr.,
1861, eighty-five; John Marshall, 1828,
fifty-five; Ebenezer Elliott, 1849,
seventy-eight; Ralph Brown, 1880,
eighty-three; Alexander Waugh, 1840, seventy;
John Douglas, 1840, sixty-four; William
Pinkerton, 1848, fifty-four; George Pinkerton,
1854, fifty-one; Andrew McQuiston, 1821,
sixty; James Boyse, seventy-three; Henry
Bell, 1851, sixty-two; David Robertson,
1879, eighty-three; Rebecca Whilman,
1877, ninety-one; Thomas Harper, 1814,
seventy-three; James Brown, 1824, fifty-five;
Samuel Paxton1, 1854, seventy-six;
George R. Brown4, 1845,
seventy-one; John Milligan2 1823,
forty-four; and Samuel Bell3,
1867, aged eighty-six.
It is estimated that more than a thousand people are
buried in this place. The original ground
comprised about an acre of land, but recently the
cemetery was formally handed over to the township
trustees, who have enlarged it, and otherwise
improved it. Hopewell cemetery has for many
years been the principal burying ground in the
township.
THE COVENANTER GRAVEYARD.*
which surrounded the old church in
section twenty-five, was one of the earliest burying
grounds, and in it are buried many of the first
settlers. This was the sacred ground of the
Covenanters, as Hopewell is of the United
Presbyterians. Here, too, is their preacher
buried; and here, too, sleep the ancestors of many
of the township. At present, however, the
burying-ground is but little used. The
tombstones tell best who were the fathers of the
church, which stood near by. The following is
a partial list of those buried in this cemetery,
though there are very many graves marked only with
unhewn headstones:
Rev. Gavin McMillan born in Antrim county,
Ireland, February, 1787, died in January, 1867, aged
eighty years, and in the fortieth year of his
ministry;
Rev. Samuel Robinson, born in Ireland in
1783, and died in 1845;
Matthew McClurken, 1847, ninety;
John Robinson, 1850, eighty-five;
Archibald Johnston, 1828, sixty-three;
Alexander McMillan, 1820, fifty;
William Milligan, 1839, sixty-four;
John Wright, 1854, sixty-six;
William Ramsey, 1861, eight-four;
John McClure, 1837, eighty;
William Taylor, 1836, eighty-nine;
John K. Steele, 1836, eighty-two;
Robert Douglas, 1853, aged fifty-six, and
many others.
The earliest recorded death is that of Nancy
Wright, who died Feb. 20, 1819, aged twenty-one.
THE FAIR HAVEN CEMETERY**
is situated on the hill on the east
bank of Four Mile creek, a short distance from Fair
Haven. This cemetery was not opened until
1846. The first burial was that of Rev.
John Reynolds5, pastor of the United
Presbyterian church at Fair Haven. Since then
many of the residents of Fair Haven and vicinity
have passed away, and been buried on the hill.
However, most of the earlier settlers are buried at
Hopewell. The cemetery has a good situation,
but is not easily accessible. There has long
been a talk of making a more convenient entrance.
THE FRIENDS' BURYING GROUND.
adjoins their meeting house in
section twelve, and in it are buried nearly all of
the New Jersey settlers, who belonged to the
Friends' society. It is now impossible to
ascertain the first burial. A large number of
the graves are nameless. Burials still take
place in it. It is used now as a general
burying ground, and others besides the Friends here
are their last resting place.
THE KINGERY BURYING-GROUND***
is situated in section thirty-two,
on the farm upon which Joseph Kingery6
settled. It has always been used as a private
cemetery, and almost exclusively by the Kingery
family. Here is buried Joseph Kingery,
the first settler, his son Abraham, and
others of the early residents of that section of the
country.
MILLS
[PORTRAITS OF Hugh McQuiston &
Mrs. Hugh McQuiston;
Mrs. Maggie Stephenson; Mrs. Eliza Pinkerton;
Samuel McQuiston & John McQuiston]
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES:
THE McQUISTON FAMILY
SAMUEL B. McQUISTON
[PORTRAIT OF S. B. McQUISTON
RESIDENCE
& MR. & MRS. S. .B. McQUISTON]
HEZEKIAH MORTON
[PORTRAIT OF HEZEKIAH MORTON
RESIDENCE
& MR. AND MRS. HEZEKIAH MORTON]
JOHN McCRISTIE, M. D.
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