1883 History of Hocking Valley, Chap. 39

HISTORY OF HOCKING VALLEY

CHAPTER XXXIX.

 
and devoted society, having such able preachers as Bishop Edwards,
then a young man, and a Mr. Bright, also an enthusiastic worker.
These were also traveling preachers, but they visited this society
only irregularly.  The meetings began as early as 1840, but a per-
manent organization was not effected until about 1845.  Among
the members at this time were Aaron Hanesworth, Sr., and wife,
George Mauk and wife, Barney Eidson and wife, and James Reed
and wife.  They built their first church, a log building, 28 x 36 feet
in size, and situated on the site of the present one, in 1850.  The
present church, a frame building, was built in 1867, the dedicatory
sermon being preached on the 12th of the following April.  The
present Pastor is J. M. Canter, the membership numbering about
ninety.  The house was repaired and ten feet added to it in 1881,
making now 30 x 46 feet in dimensions.  It has regular Sabbath-
school the year around, superintended at present by J. R. West.

CEMETERIES.

There are cemeteries at each of the churches described in this
township besides one on section 5, at the site of church which was
burned there, one on the site of the old Union Church on section
11, and a few private cemeteries on farms.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

     James Blackstone, born Jan. 27, 1822, in Guernsey County, Ohio,
son of James and Nancy (Dennis) Blackstone, both natives of
Chester County, Penn.  The parents of both Mr. and Mrs. Black-
stone settled in Guernsey County on adjoining farms where
they grew up and married, making that county their home
until the time of their death.  Mr. Blackstone died when James
was about two years of age.  Mrs. Blackstone afterward married
her brother-in-law, Thos. Blackstone.  Both are now dead, Mrs.
Blackstone dying in 1876.  The children of her first marriage
were---James and William.  By the second there were seven chil-
dren---Harriette (deceased), Elizabeth, Thomas, Christiana J. (de-
ceased), Vinston (deceased), Eben and Isaac.  James Blackstone,
the oldest, grew to manhood in Guernsey County.  Although the
educational facilities were very limited, he received a fair edu-
cation.  During the greater part of the time he helped his father
on the farm. He was married July 4, 1842, to Maria E. Sheley,
who was born in Guernsey County, April 15, 1821. Previous to

1076

this he began working at the cabinet trade which he continued af-.
ter he was married.  Then he turned his attention to carpentering,
which occupation he followed in the vicinity of Claysville for
nineteen years in succession.  In 1861 he came to Hocking
County where he had eighty acres, a part of the farm on which he
now lives.  He moved into an old log cabin not three rods from
where his residence now stands.  In connection with his work on
farm he also kept at his trade during the summer months, hav-
ing erected a number buildings in this and Vinton counties.  At
two different times he made additions to his farm, having at pres-
ent 226 acres under good cultivation.  The land has large veins of
iron ore, also some coal running through it.  Mr. Blackstone has
been connected with the United Brethren church since 1862.  He
was reared a Methodist, and has been a member of the church
since he was sixteen years of age.  He has been School Director of
Washington Township for the last three years.  They have had
seven children, five of whom are now living, two sons and three
daughters---Nancy Jane, Charlotte C. (deceased), Mary Maria,
William Brown, Joseph H., Martha Ellen, and one dying in in-
fancy.  Mr. Blackstone has always been a hard-working man, and
although he has shared all the hardships common to the times in
which he lived he is now, at the age of sixty-one years, enjoying
remarkably good health.  He is still full of that force and energy
which have all along marked his life.  He has been a devout man,
being a constant reader of the scriptures.  Taking Christ for his
example, he has tried to live in accordance with His teachings.  For
the last fifteen years he has been Class-leader in his church, and
has lived to see all of his family brought within its protecting
folds.  As a citizen, he has many friends, and is honored and re-
spected by them all.  In 1861 he enlisted in the Ohio National
Guards, and, on the first of May, 1863, was mustered into the
regular army at Columbus for 100 days.  He served out his time
and returned home.  In the fall of 1864 he was drafted into the
army and served till the close of the war.  He was mustered out of
the service at Richmond, Va., June, 1865, and returned home in
July, 1865.  He was in Company G, Sixty-second Ohio Volunteer
Infantry.
     John Griffin was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., Aug. 2,
1816, a son of John Griffin, a native of the same county, born
July 26, 1768.  His grandfather, Patrick Griffin, was a native of
Ireland, born in 1746, and came to America when a young man

1077

 
Emily, wife of John Hansel. Politically Mr. Harden is a Demo-
crat, he having cast his first Presidential vote for General Jackson
Ignatius Harden was born in 1710, and was an old Revolutionary
soldier. In the fall of 1800 he moved to Fairfield County, and in
1805 he located in Perry County, where he remained until his death
which occurred in 1827, he having lived to be 117 years of age.
His wife died in the fall of 1856. They reared a family of twelve
children, seven sons and five daughters.
     Enos Knipe, born in Montgomery, Penn., April 20, 1820, son of
John L. and Margaret Knipe. In 1842 he came with the family to
Muskingum County, Ohio, where his father died two years later.
He was married in Muskingum County, in December 1846 to
Eliza, a native of Loudoun County, Va., and daughter of Samuel
Amick. They have two children---John W., born Sept. 22, 1847
and Maria Jane. John W. was married to Angeline Linton in
1870, and has two children---Charlie G. and Albert C. April 1,
1849, Mr. Knipe moved to Hocking County and has now 236 acres
of land. He has been connected with the Lutheran church for the
past twenty years, his wife having joined when she was sixteen
years old. In politics Mr. Knipe is a Democrat.
     Elijah Lee was born Dec. 10, 1829, in Hocking (now Swan Station,
Vinton) County.   His grandfather, James Lee, was a native of
Ireland and when a young man came to America and lived seven
years in Pennsylvania.  He then put all his earnings into flaxseed
and started back to Ireland.   On the way over there was a storm
and the seed with all other cargo was thrown overboard, in order
to save the ship and passengers. Mr. Lee soon after returned to
Pennsylvania and settled in Germantown. He married Elizabeth
Krickburn, a German lady.  They had four children, two sons
and two daughters. George Lee, the youngest of their family, was
born in 1798, and in 1816 came to Ohio with his father and brother
James, locating in what is now Starr Township, Hocking County.
He was married in 1830 to Martha O'Neil, a native of Portage
County, Ohio, born Oct. 8, 1800. They had a family of six chil-
dren---Samuel, Nancy, George W. (died March 6, 1874), Ross, Eli-
jah and Julia A. Mr. Lee died Sept. 14, 1831, and his wife, Aug.
12, 1866. Elijah Lee was married Nov. 8, 1860, to Eliza A. Bart-
lett, a native of La Porte County, Ind., born Dec. 20, 1838. After
his marriage he located on seventy-eight acres of land near his
present residence, which he bought in 1865, having now 268 acres,
lying in Hocking and Vinton counties. Mr. and Mrs. Lee have

1080

had six children, five now living---Vernon W., Martha J., Homer
M.., Elijah E. and Emmet S. Lida died Aug. 16, 1878, aged
eight years, one month and twenty-six days.   Mrs. Lee's father,
Cephas Bartlett, was born in Massachusetts, June 11, 1794, and
when twenty-one years of age came to Ohio and settled in Hocking
County.  He was by trade a stone mason and made the first burrs
in the Falls Mill at Logan and in the mill at McArthur. He mar-
ried in March, 1821, Louisa Evarts, a native of Castleton, Vt., born
Sept. 23, 1795. Her father, Ambrose Evarts, and his family were
one of the seven families who first settled in Athens County, and
her brother, G. A. Evarts, was the first white male child born in
Athens County in 1797.  In 1837 Mr. Bartlett went to LaPorte
County, Ind., but in June, 1839, returned to Hocking County, and
resided here till his death, Aug. 25, 1847. Mrs. Bartlett died Jan.
10, 1871.
     Silas Nixon, youngest of twelve children of Robert and Cather-
ine (Sapp) Nixon, was born March 3, 1827, near Straitsville, Perry
Co., Ohio. The family moved from Virginia to Perry County,
Ohio, where they settled about 1818. Our subject was married
April 5, 1849, to Mary Cochran, a native of Perry County, where
she was born Sept. 20, 1829. She is a daughter of Joseph Cochran.
They have six children---Sarah Jane, wife of Philip Marx, residing
near Lancaster, Fairfield County; Thomas, married to Lydia Clark,
residing on Mr. Nixon's farm in Perry County; Emanuel and
Amanda (twins), the former married to Mary Gordon; Clara and
Alva. After marriage Mr. Nixon lived in different places till
1855, when he came to Hocking County where he settled in his
present residence. He has 165 acres of land in a high state of cul-
tivation, and has been very successful in his business relations.
In 1862 he joined the Baptist church, holding his membership at
the Scotch Creek church in Falls Township. Politically he has al-
ways associated himself with the Democratic party. Mr. Robert
Nixon died in December, 1828, and his wife survived him twenty
years.
     William Noble, born Dec. 22, 1810, in Washington County,
Penn. His father, William Noble, was a native of Ireland, and
emigrated to America with his wife, Elizabeth (O'Neil) Noble and
an infant, where they lived east of the mountains for three or four
years, and then settled in Pennsylvania, where Mrs. Noble died.
In the fall of 1833 the family moved to Guernsey County, Ohio,
where Mr. Noble lived till his death. They had a family of thir-

1081

teen children, ten of whom lived to maturity. William Noble
the subject of this sketch, was twenty-two years of age when he
moved with his father to Guernsey County. He was married July
12, 1839, to Mary Ann Ogier, a native of Germany. They have
three living children---William, married to Kate Sell; James, mar-
ried to Jemima Lautz, and Celia Ann, wife of Joseph Cherry. Mrs.
Noble had one daughter, Mary Josephine, by a previous marriage
who was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Noble till her marriage with
Albert Hartsell. In April, 1841, Mr. Noble moved to Hocking
County, where he lived till 1845, when for the following three years
he resided in Perry County. In the spring of 1849 he returned to
Hocking County and bought the place where he now lives, it being
very little cleared at that time. He went in debt for the land, but in
the course of ten years he had made the last payment, and at the
present time has 150 acres of land, which is well supplied with iron
ore and veins of coal. Mr. Noble was reared in the Presbyterian
church. In early life he was a Democrat, but since the formation
of the Republican party he has associated himself with it.
     Peter Pleukharp was born Oct. 15, 1824, in Hocking County,
Ohio. His father, Peter Pleukharp, was a native of Germany, and
when about twenty-five years of age came to the United States
and settled in Fairfield County, Ohio, where he remained two years,
and while there he was married to Margaret Goss, also a native of
Germany. In 1822 he came to Falls Township, Hocking Co., Ohio,
where he entered land, and remained in the township till his death,
which occurred in Logan, Nov. 3, 1850. He had at the time of
his death 323 acres of land, and also some property in Logan. His
wife died in Fairfield County. They were the parents of thirteen
children, of whom ten are living. Peter Pleukharp was reared in
Falls Township, and lived with his parents till he attained his
majority. Oct. 18, 1849, he was married to Catherine Clark, a
native of Falls Township. They have six children---Mary Emily
and Sarah Ann (twins), the former married to George Keifer, of
Ward Township, and the latter to Clinton Walker, of Licking
County, Ohio; James, married to Emily Barnett, residing in Vin-
ton County, Ohio; Maggie, wife of Frank Leamon, of McArthur,
Vinton County; Eli and Clara, residing at home. After his mar-
riage he lived eighteen months a mile south of the Falls Mill, when
he moved on his father's old homestead which he rented for three
years. In 1852 he purchased his present place in Washington
Township, buying at first eighty acres; by subsequent purchases

1082

he has at present 155 acres. In 1878 he united with the Scotch
Creek Baptist church, in Falls Township. Politically he has
always been a Republican. George Clark, the father of Mrs. Pleuk-
harp, was a native of Virginia, born Oct. 16, 1786, settled in Fair-
field County, Ohio, where he lived two years. He then went to
Scotch Creek, Hocking County, where he entered forty acres of
land, but at different times added to it, so that at his death he
had 345 acres, a part of which was previously deeded to his
children. Mr. Clark married for his second wife Mary Harris,
also a native of Virginia, by whom he had seven children, three
sons and four daughters, all of whom are living. He died on the
place he settled, Nov. 16, 1878, after living on it over sixty years.
His wife departed this life about eleven months previous.
     Peter Rauch was born in Yellow Creek, Pa., Aug. 12, 1836.
His father, Peter Rauch, was a native of Germany, coming to this
country when a young man. He was married to Mary Magdalene
Bower in Pennsylvania, and remained in that State a few years.
In 1838 they moved to Ohio, where they settled in Washington
Township, Hocking County. After living here three years he
died, leaving a widow who still survives him. They were the
parents of four children, three of whom lived to maturity. Their
son, Frederick, was killed by a freight train June 9, 1881. Peter
Rauch, our subject, left his home in December, 1853, and com-
menced to learn the saddler's trade at Logan, at which he contin-
ued there till December, 1859. He next went to Delaware County,
Ind., and worked at his trade till March, 1862, when he returned
to Hocking County and tried farming for a year. In 1863 he went
to Logan, again working at his trade three years, when his health
began to fail him. Accordingly in 1867 he purchased the old home
farm, and sold it in 1875, when he bought his present farm. He
has 120 acres of well-improved land. Dec. 31, 1863, he was mar-
ried to Hannah Kimble, born Oct. 10, 1843, and daughter of
George and Bethena (Watts) Kimble. They are the parents of
eleven children, whose names are---Mary Ellen, Laura, Clara, Cora
May, Emma, Nettie Myrtle, Charles, Minnie Arvilla, Iona and
Miona (twins), and William. Politically Mr. Rauch favors the
Democratic party. However, in local elections he always votes for
the man he deems best fitted for the office, irrespective of party.
     Wesley F. Reddick was born Jan. 4, 1839, in Washington Town-
ship, Hocking Co., Ohio, about a mile from his present residence.
His father, Jacob Reddick, was born in Maryland in 1794, and

1083

 
tee for six terms at different intervals, the last time holding the
office for three consecutive terms, the last term expiring April 1,
1883. Mr. and Mrs. Schaal have had seven children, four of whom
are now living---John W., married Harriet Funk; George, mar-
ried Arminda Waller; Adam and Mary E. Schaal. Mr. Schaal has
been connected with the Evangelical Lutheran church since 1849.
His wife and children are also members of the same church
     Israel Sonders was born in Perry County, Ohio, April 6 1819,
and is the son of Jacob and Mary Magdalene (Slater) Sonders, the
former a native of Maryland and the latter of Virginia. When
three years of age his parents moved to Morgan County where he
was reared till nineteen years of age, and where his mother still
resides on the old homestead, his father having died soon after the
close of the war. He was married Feb. 10, 1842, to Susanna Weller
a native of Morgan County. They have had eight children two of
whom died in infancy. Those living are---Eli W., Alfred A.
Jacob G., Lavina J., Sarah A. and Luther. After his marriage
Mr. Sonders moved to Hocking County, and settled on the place
he now resides when it was a dense wilderness. He has been a
member of the Presbyterian church for ten or twelve years, previ-
ously belonging to the Lutheran denomination. Politically he
was originally a Whig but is now a Republican.
     Thos. Swepston, M. D., born in Gallia County, Ohio, March 10,
1825. His father was John H. Swepston, a native of Pittsylvania
County, Va. There he married Winnie Bruce. In 1823, with a family
of six children, he came to Ohio, locating in Springfield Township,
Gallia County. He moved in 1830 into Richland Township, Vin-
ton County (then Jackson County), and settled on a farm. Mrs.
Swepston died in 1874 and her husband in 1876. They had fourteen
children, seven sons and seven daughters, all of whom lived to
be themselves parents. Dr. Swepston was reared in Richland Town-
ship, Vinton County, living with his father till his twenty-first
 year. During this time he worked on the farm and attended the
district school. He then hired out for one summer. The next
winter he attended school.  The following summer he was in
school at McArthur and the next winter began teaching and con-
tinued in that vocation five winter terms. He began in 1852 the
study of medicine with Dr. Joseph Wilcox, of Allensville, under
whose tutelage he became a physician. In 1856 be located at
New Mount Pleasant, situated on the line between Hocking and
Vinton counties, where he commenced the practice of medicine.

1086

He attended lectures at the Cincinnati College of Medicine and
Surgery during the sessions of 1857-'8. He has continually prac-
ticed here, and during a period of seven years was in partnership
with Dr. John Holland, an old practitioner in this region. His
practice has been large and very successful. He has been a Master
Mason about seventeen years, and has held many offices in the
lodge, and at present is Senior Deacon. He was married in 1849
to Love Samantha Darby, who was born in Richland Township,
Vinton County. They have had six children, of whom four are now
living---Salina M. (deceased), Pickney A., Kenzy P., Edna A.,
Mayo B., and one dying in infancy.
     William B. Wadsworth was born April 29, 1824, in Maryland,
near the Pennsylvania line, a son of John C. and Margaret (Cline-
felter) Wadsworth, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the lat-
ter of Maryland. The Wadsworth family is quite a numerous one
in the East, and originally came from England. The Clinefelters
were of Prussian-German descent. Peter Clinefelter, grandfather
of William Wadsworth, in early times kept a tavern, and the Penn-
sylvania and Maryland State line ran through his house. In 1838
or 1839, John C. Wadsworth moved to Ohio and settled in Mor-
gan County, where he lived eleven years, when he moved to Vinton
County and settled between Hamden and Allensville, near where
the Cincinnati iron furnace now stands. He remained here about
six years, and then moved to Iowa, where he died in 1879. His
widow is still living in Decatur County. They reared a family of
eleven children, of whom eight are now living. William B. is the
eldest son now living. He lived with his father till after he was
twenty-one years of age. He was married March 4, 1851, to Lydia
C. Skivington, who was born in Morgan County, Ohio, March 25,
1828, a daughter of John Skivington. After his marriage he
worked for other parties two years, and in April, 1853, bought a
piece of land in the woods of Hocking County, with only six or
seven acres cleared. He built a log house and moved into it in
October. He lived there a number of years, and then lived in Iles-
boro a year. In 1863 he bought his present place, which contains
280 acres. Mr. Wadsworth has been a member of the Methodist
church forty-three years. He has had a family of five children,
only two of whom are living---Arthur A. and Robert C. Eva May,
Cornelius Shepard and a twin brother of Cornelius are deceased.
     Hiram K. Wright was born Sept. 1, 1832, in Washington Town-
ship, Hocking Co., Ohio, a son of Joseph Wright, a native of
Green Township, born Sept. 17, 1806. His grandfather, Thomas

1087

 
Kingston, Ross County, but in 1860 left there and came to Bloom-
ingville, where he still resides. He has, by close application to his
profession, acquired a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Green has
reared a family of seven children, six now living.
     Samuel H. Iler, son of William and Ann (Berry) Iler was born
in Hocking County, Jan. 30, 1851. He was thrown on his own re-
sources when quite young, but succeeded in getting a fair English
education in the public schools. He was married Jan. 4, 1872 to
Emma, daughter of Basil and Margaret A. Black. They have five
children---Minnie, Lillie, Dellie, Joseph N. and Noah W. After
his marriage Mr. Iler settled on the farm where he now lives on
section 6, Benton Township. He makes a specialty of fruit
taking great pride in his work, and being one of the largest fruit-
growers in the county. He joined the Disciple church in March
1872. Politically, he is a Democrat.
     Solomon Parrish, born in Baltimore County, Md., July 24, 1806,
is a son of Joshua and Sarah Parrish. His parents moved to Bel-
mont County, Ohio, in 1809, where be was reared and educated.
He commenced to learn the blacksmith's trade when seventeen
years of age and worked at it in Belmont County till January,
1833. He then went to Tuscarawas County and remained till
1854. In October of the latter year he came to Hocking County
and located in Benton Township. He has made farming his chief
occupation, and now owns 252 acres of fine land. Feb. 21, 1828,
he married Elizabeth Jones, a native of Montgomery County, Md.
They are the parents often children, five only now living---Amanda,
born Sept. 30, 1832; Thomas, Oct. 7, 1834; Marion, Dec. 23,
1839; Abraham R., Sept. 19, 1842, and Esther V., Sept. 24, 1847.
Mr. and Mrs. Parrish joined the Methodist Episcopal church at
West Union, Tuscarawas County, March 12, 1837. Their family
are all members of the church here.
     Emery Fisk Redfern, M. D., son of Uriah and Jane (Murphy)
Redfern, was born in Jackson, now a part of Vinton County, June
4, 1842. He lost both his parents when a child and went to live
with Isaac Dunkle, remaining with him till twenty years of age.
July 31, 1862, he enlisted in Company V, Ninetieth Ohio Infantry.
He participated in twenty-one battles and skirmishes, the more
prominent being Perryville, Stone River, Chickamauga, and with
Sherman to the sea. He was discharged June 13, 1865, having
been in the service nearly three years and never having been off
duty. Aug. 8, 1862, he married Martha Nichols, daughter of

1096

John F. and Mary (Larkins) Nichols. They have four children---
Francis N. R., Isaac W., Mary A.J. and Lillie L. M. Dr. Redfern
commenced the practice of medicine in 1870, and in the winter of
1878-'79 attended medical lectures at the American Eclectic Col-
lege, Cincinnati, receiving a diploma from that school. He located
in Sharonville, Pike County, and remained about six months; then
went to Limerick, Jackson County; from there to South Perry, and
thence to South Bloomingville, where he has since been engaged
in the practice of his profession. Dr. Redfern is a member of
Lodge No. 364, I. O. O. F., McArthur, and of the Grand Army of
the Republic.
     Frederick Wolfe, son of Daniel and Joanna (Bench) Wolfe, was
born in Surry County, N. C., Sept. 24, 1814, and came with his
parents to Ohio in 1825, settling in what was then Ross County,
but is now Vinton. His father not being able to buy a half sec-
tion, the least that could be bought at that time, was obliged to
settle on Congress land. Mr. Wolfe remained with his father in
Ross County ten years and then came to Hocking County and
entered forty acres of land. In 1835 he married Rebecca, daughter
of John and Hester Chilcote. About the time of his marriage he
traded his land for what is now known as the Eby farm. He by
industry added to his possessions till at one time he owned 262
acres of fine land. He now has 105 acres. Mr. Wolfe is the oldest
resident in Benton Township. When he first came here he had to
go twenty-four miles on horse-back to mill. Their salt was brought
from the Kanawha Salt Works, Va., also on horse-back. Mr. and
Mrs. Wolfe have had eight children, of whom the following grew
to maturity---John (married twice, Mary and Rachel Davis), Hester
A. (now Mrs. T. J. Allison,) Daniel, Joshua (married Jennie John-
son), William, Mary Eby, and Columbus (married Jane Turner).
Mr. Wolfe has been a member of the Methodist church since 1840.

1097

Next Chapter