HANCOCK COUNTY, OHIO - Biography: Theodore Karn with reference to Albertson Family ***************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. ***************************************************************************** Submitted to the Ohio USGenWeb Archives by: Dr. William L. Baran Chattanooga, TN wbaran@prodigy.net May 24, 2002 ***************************************************************************** Bios: Theodore Karn with reference to Albertson Family Source: History of Hancock County, Ohio, 1910: Pg 613-614. Transcribed by Dr. William L Baran 5/10/2002. e-mail WBaran@prodigy.net THEODORE KARN, one of the best known men of Cass Township, Handcock, Co., OH., a lifelong resident and a member of an honorable old pioneer family, for many years has carried on general farming, on his own place of sixty acres, situated in Section 15, and on thirty-eight acres belonging to his wife, in Section 14, both in Cass Township. He was born in this township, Februany 9, 1842, and is the son of Ezra and Elizabeth (Albertson) Karn, and a grandson of Valentine Karn. Ezra Karn, father of Theodore, was born in Maryland and was a boy when he accompanied his parents to Ohio. His father, Valentine Karn, was of German extraction. He settled first in Holmes County and moved from there to Hancock County and subsequently died in Cass Township. He had ten children: Mary Ann, Joshua, Magdalena, Aaron, Ezra, Elizabeth, Abram, Samuel, David and Rebecca. All accompanied their father to Hancock County except Mary Ann, who married and lived in Holmes County. Ezra Karn was about nineteen years of age when the family came to Hancock Co. The farm his father secured had two or three acres cleared around a small log cabin, otherwise no improvements had been made and when the sons grew old enough they helped to complete the clearing of the land and assisted in its cultivating, making use of oxen in those days. There nearest neighbors were the Albertsons, who had come from New Jersey and in the previous year, 1835, had also settled in the woods in Cass Township. They were New Jersey people, George Albertson, wife and daughter, Elizabeth, the latter being then sixteen years old. They had started on the long journey from New Jersey to Hancock Co., OH. with a one-horse wagon. It was strongly built and as Elizabeth walked almost the whole distance, safely transported the family effects until the party reached what is now the main thoroughfare of Fostoria, when it was so stalled in the mud that assistance had to be afforded before the travelers could proceed further. Ezra Karn subsequently married Elizabeth Albertson and eight children were born to them, Theodore being the second in order of birth. The others are as follows: William, who is now deceased-- was a member of Co. G, 118th O Vol. Inf. in the Civil War and suffered the loss of a leg in the battle of Peach Tree Creek; Drucilla, deceased, who was the wife of Fred Karrick, who is also deceased; Jerome, who lives in Cass Township; Simeon, who resides in Washington Township; Albert, whose farm is in Cass Township; Martin L. who resides at Findlay; and Mary E. deceased, who was the wife of George Taburn. Theodore Karn attended the old log school house in the neighborhood of his father's house, with his brothers and sisters, but hard work early awaited farmers in those days and as soon as he was able to handle the hoe and rake there was daily toil for him. He assisted in clearing up parts of the farm still in a wild condition and remained under the home roof until his marriage, when he purchased from the other heirs. He no longer attends personally to his farm, renting out his fields and also having others attend to the work necessitated by five producing oil wells on his property. On November 15, 1883, Mr Karn was married to Miss Mary E. Swisher, who was born at Ada, OH. a daughter of Peter and Mary (Doty) Swisher. Peter Swisher was a soldier in the Civil War, a member of the 99th OH Vol. Inf., and while in the service was captured by the enemy and imprisoned for 100 days in Libby prison. He died at the home of Mr. Karn in Cass Township. Mr. and Mrs. Karn have four children: Grace V., who is the wife of John Barnhouse, of Van Buren, OH., and Jennie, Edwin S., and Hazel A. In politics, Mr. Karn is a Democrat. He has served in township offices, having been school director and supervisor and for two years was a Justice of the peace. He has witnessed many changes during his long life in thsi section, in methods of farming, ways of transportation and standards of living. As he swiftly moves over the fine country roads in his handsome new model Ford automobile, he can scarcely fail to contrast it with the ox-team which he used in his boyhood. Mr. Karn is one of the men who has kept up with the times and having helped bring about more comfortable ways of living does not hesitate to enjoy them.