COLUMBIA COUNTY OHIO - MORRIS/MILLER History Chapter 14 (published 1873) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman MaggieOhio@columbus.rr.com November 5, 1999 *********************************************************************** "HISTORY OF THE MORRIS AND MILLER FAMILIES" By Morris Miller 1873 *********************************************************************** Chapter 14 Samuel Shaw’s Family As Father’s uncle, Samuel Shaw, and his wife Sarah have been very frequently noticed in the preceding pages, I deem it prudent to speak out more particularly of them. Sarah Shaw was a woman much esteemed in the neighborhood, especially among the sick and afflicted. She had a considerable knowledge of the medical properties of various herbs, and kept a little case of medicines on hand and often prescribed and applied with good success in those early times. She was also esteemed in the Society as a very exemplary member, often having a few words to say at the meeting in the way of exhortation, although she never aspired to or attained the stage of a minister. In the autumn of 1817 she was stricken with paralysis that deprived her of the power of speech and use of her limbs on one side, but without much suffering. She retained her mental faculties, but was rendered helpless. Her step-daughter Susanna was yet single and made her home with them so that they were rendered as comfortable as could be under the circumstances. The farm was rented to a tenant who resided on the tract, so that they were untrammelled with its cares. Uncle having good health, concluded when the time came around the following season to attend the Yearly Meeting in Mt. Pleasant. On his way there he was taken violently ill in the vicinity of Smithfield. His son Thomas was sent for, but he had scarcely arrived when his father died. Since it was not prudent to bring his body home at that time of the year, he was buried in the Friends burying ground at that place in the absence of all his children except one. Father was executor of the estate, and the family homestead was soon discontinued. Father took special charge of the afflicted widow and the stepchildren, and provided or looked out for suitable homes for her until Father was married, when it became convenient for him to have her with him as one of the family. She continued with us until her death, which occurred in the summer of 1825. She enjoyed life during her long period of privation of speech with remarkable fortitude and composure, and was favored with good health most of the time. She was the third wife of Samuel Shaw. His first wife had four children: Letitia, John, Thomas and Susanna. His second wife had only one, Margaret. These are all I ever knew of, and I believe they were all born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, nor do I know the year they came west. They first settled in Westland neighborhood, Washington County, Pa., and while there, I believe, Letitia was married to a man by the name of Israel Griffith. The others remained single until after they moved to Ohio, which, I believe, was in the spring of 1807. Thomas was the next to marry, and this occurred in the autumn of 1809. He married Rachel Hale, daughter of Nathan Hale. They lived on his father’s farm a few years and then settled on a quarter section of their own. They lived there many years and their family increased to six children, five sons and a daughter. The mother died more than thirty-five years ago, and one of the sons soon after. The others are all living yet so far as I know. The oldest is a son, now living in Michigan and the father of 10 children. His wife died four years since, and he is now living with his children. The sister and the other brothers are yet living in Columbiana County, and with one exception are settled comfortably and are very respectable members of society. Thomas Shaw married a second wife, with whom he lived some ten years, when she was called away by death. In about two years he married another, who lived only a short time. After her death he sold out and moved to Middleton, in the settlement of his first wife’s people. His oldest daughter remained single and kept house until his death, which occurred in 18 . His daughter Rebecca lived single until 18 , when she became the third wife of a very agreeable companion named Jeremiah Copick. The next marriage was that of his youngest sister Margaret, which took place in the fall of 1814. She had been living two years with her older sister, Letitia, and became acquainted with and married Benjamin Voar. They settled near by his settlement, situated a few miles north of Westland Meeting House. Thus, these two sisters lived near each other for several years until their children began to marry and scatter. I do not know the number that each had nor all their names. The oldest sister, Letitia Griffith, died about thirty years ago. Soon after the other, with her husband and small children, emigrated to the west, since which time I can not tell much about them. Israel remained single to a good old age and died at his homestead about twelve years ago. John Shaw, the oldest of the two brothers, lived single until over thirty years of age. He was a man well informed, and was promoted at an agency at a post among the western Indians, but the War of 1812 changed the relations of the Indian in regard to our Government; consequently, he came in from the charge in the fall of 1812. I am not posted much about the balance of his life. After visiting among his relatives during the winter and spring after the termination of his Indian agency, as nearly as I can recollect, he went to the eastern part of Indiana, and in process of time he married and followed the business of farming. He made a visit to Ohio many years afterward, but as I was away from home at the time, I did not get to see him. He died in the year 1851. Late the same year his eldest son visited Ohio, but I also failed to see or get any important information from him concerning his father. I have recently learned that one of his sons is carrying on an extensive mechanical pursuit in Richmond, Indiana. Susanna Shaw, the year after her father’s death, returned to live with her sister on Pike Run, where she remained until about forty years of age, when she became the second wife of a man called Isaac Cleaver, by whom she had two children, a son and a daughter. The latter deceased at the near approach of womanhood. Her husband died also about 12 years ago, after which she lived in a comfortable house adjoining that of her son until she was called away by death in 1870 at the age of 82 years. She had been favored with reasonably good health all through life, and maintained her mental faculties very little impaired until the last. All of Samuel Shaw’s family were very consistent members of the Society of Friends.