FRANKLIN COUNTY OHIO - BIO: NOBLE, Rev. Seth (published 1880)
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History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties,  Ohio
Pub by Williams Bros,  1880

REV. SETH NOBLE

was born in Westfield,  Massachusetts,  about the year 1731.  After
completing his theological studies,  he settled at Maugerville,  Nova
Scotia,  and became the pastor of the Presbyterian or Congregational
church at that place.  At the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, 
his outspoken sympathy with the revolted colonies brought down upon him
the denunciation of the authorities,  and along with many others,  he
was obliged to flee the country.  He joined the party of Colonel Eddy, 
who in 1776,  settled a town in Maine (then a part of massachusetts), 
to which they first gave the name of Muskegeag (or Saduskeag)  Meadow. 
Here Mr. Noble was joined by his wife and children,  whom he had been
obliged to leave behind him,  so precipitate was his flight.  He
organized the first Presbyterian church in the new town,  and continued
its pastor for many years.  It was largely through his influence that, 
in 1791,  a decree was obtained from  the general court of Boston, 
incorporating the aforesaid town under the name of bangor,  that name
being selected on account of Mr. Noble's partiality for the old Scotch
Psalm tune known by the same name.

In 1805,  led by the generous offer,  made by congress,  of a donation
of land to the Nova Scotia refugees,  he came to Franklinton,  having
located three hundred and twenty acres of land in the Refugee tract
across the river,  near by.  On this land,  he built a cabin in which a
married daughter was his housekeeper,  his wife having died a number of
years before.   Immediately after his arrival in this county,  he
commenced preaching,  first if Franklinton,  and afterward in two or
three other places,  which he visited at stated intervals until his
death,  which occurred in September,  1807,  only eight or nine days
after he had preached his last sermon,  on the text,  "Come unto me, 
all ye that labor,  and are heavy laden,  and I will give you rest."  He
was buried in the Franklinton burying ground but as no headstone was
erected,  and as the family was for many years absent from this part of
the country,  all trace of his grave is lost.

The daughter,  mentioned above,  was the mother of the Hon. W.M. Beach
of London,  Madison county,  to whom we are indebted for the facts here
stated.  These,  and other facts are also given in the "Genealogy of the
Noble Family,"  in the Ohio State Library.  Mr. Beach was a member of
the Ohio Legislature (first in the house and then in the Senate) from
1869 to 1874.

We strongly incline to the opinion that the name of Rev. Seth Noble
ought to have been mentioned along with that of the Rev. Dr. Hoge,  as
one of the pioneer preachers and founders of Presbyterianism in Franklin
County;  but as none of the early chroniclers thus associate these
venerable names,  we have not felt authorized to mention that of Mr.
Noble in the History of the Presbyterian church of Columbus;  but the
brief sketch which we have given here,  we regard as a simple act of
justice.


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