Eighth Generation


4793. Chester W. BARROWS79 was born in 1813 in Crown Point, Essex, New York.79 He died on 16 August 1897 at the age of 84 in Clay County, Indiana.79

Chester was the third child and oldest son of Spencer and Lydia Thrasher Barrows. In 1828, he moved with his family to Shalersville, Portage Co., Ohio. In the Spring of 1831, the family moved to Troy, Geauga Co., Ohio, where Chester spent the next 37 years of his life.

Chester married his second cousin, Olive Thrasher. When she died in 1863, he married his cousin Otis' widow, Pamelia Frances Blood Thrasher, two months later. Emily Pike, in her diary says, "is a stormy day and Chester Barrows is married this evening to the widow of Otis Thrasher his wife has been gone just 2 months to day he was in a great hurrey I think sureley." Frances brought to the marriage, four sons.

In 1868/9, Chester, Frances, Chester's sons John and Edward, and Frances' three youngest sons Arthur, Charles, and Otis, moved to Clay County Indiana and settled where Ashboro is today. Ashboro was originally called Barrows Inn on the Bloomington Road.

Chester was a large man with (in later years) a head full of white hair. A family story states that Chester and his four brothers weighed a total of one half ton and were a total of 30 feet tall.

Another family story says that Chester kept a barrel of cider in his barn. ["How big a barrel I do not know - neither do I know if it was hard cider - but I have my guess." - Betty Adams] When a man would visit his home, Chester would invite him to the barn for a drink of cider. Chester would lift the barrel and drink - and hand the barrel to his visitor.

The 1850 Census lists:
Chester Barrows 36 Farmer $2000 New Hampshire
Polly Barrows 36 New Hampshire
John Barrows 4 Ohio
[Who is Polly? Is this a nickname for Olive or did the census taker misunderstand Ollie?]

The 1860 Census lists:
Chester Barrows 46 Farmer Real Estate=$3140 Personal=$840
Olive V.(?) 45 New Hampshire
John E. 13 Ohio
Edward T.(?) 5 Ohio

The 1870 Census of Sugar Ridge Twp., Clay Co., Indiana shows the following:
Barrows, Chester 57 MW Farmer 1400/650 New Hampshire
Frances P. 42 FW KH Ohio
Thrasher, Arthur 20 MW works on farm Ohio
Charles 17 MW works on farm Ohio
Otis 13 MW Ohio
Barrows, John 23 MW Blacksmith Ohio
Edward 15 MW works on farm Ohio

Barrows - married in Troy, August 11, 1863, Chester Barrows and Mrs. Frances P. Thrasher, both of Troy. (Jeffersonian Democrat, August 21, 1863)
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According to the 1880 Census of Sugar Ridge, Clay Co., Indiana:
Chester Barrow is listed as 68, born in NH [not correct], farmer, father born in Maine, and mother born in New Hampshire. His wife is Francis, age 52, born in Ohio, keeping house, father born in New Hampshire and mother born in Massachusetts. Two sons are listed: Edward Barrows, age 24, born in Ohio, Justice of Peace at home; and Otis Thrasher, age 22, born in Ohio, works on farm.

Chester W. BARROWS and Olive E. THRASHER were married on 28 September 1845 in Delaware County, Ohio.79 Olive E. THRASHER, daughter of True Sanborn THRASHER and Mary BEAN, was born about 1814.79 She died on 12 June 1863 at the age of 49 in Troy Township, Geauga, Ohio.79 She died at age 49 from breast cancer.
From the diary of Emily Nash Patchin Halkins Pike -
June 12, 1863 - the wife of Chester Barrows died to day with canser on the breast been confined a long time leaves 2 sons and companion to mourn her departure never to return to console her weeping friends
14 - I have been to Mrs. Olive E, Barrows funeral to day Mr. Everett preach he is a deciple minister.
She was buried in Troy Township, Geauga, Ohio.79 Row 10, lot 75.

Chester W. BARROWS-28927 and Olive E. THRASHER-28880 had the following children:

+8023

i.

John E. BARROWS-28932.

+8024

ii.

Edward Perkins BARROWS-28930.

Chester W. BARROWS and Francis Parmelia BLOOD were married on 11 August 1863 in Troy Township, Geauga, Ohio.79 Francis Parmelia BLOOD was born about 1824.79 She died on 5 February 1894 at the age of 70 in Clay County, Indiana.79

From the diary of Emily Pike -
Jan 18, 1864 - a son (Ben Frank) of Otis Thrasher died to day of diptheria aged 4 years a fatherless boy a loveley plant niped
19 - his funeral is to day at the house Mr. Terrey preached the sermon there is a real deep snow bad geting to the funeral at this time

Last Updated: 12 March 2013