NOBLE COUNTY OHIO - BIO: William Philpot (1887)

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From the The Ohio Biographies Project
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~usbios/Ohio/mnpg.html
a part of The U.S. Biographies Project
http://members.tripod.com/~debmurray/usbios/usbiog.html

Transcribed by Deb Murray.

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William Philpot, the progenitor of the Philpot family in this country, was
born in Dublin, Ireland, in the year 1777; his parents were of English
parentage, and were sturdy and intelligent people of the middle class. They
gave their son the advantages of a good education. Evidencing an aptitude
for mercantile pursuits, he was apprenticed to a merchant with whom he
remained seven years. Two years after the completion of his indentures,
1802, he came to America, in company with two of his friends; they settled
in Belmont County and located a section of land whre is now the village of
Belmont; here he remained ten years, clearing land and farming. He led a
dreary, isolated life, acquiring experience in pioneer life which he
utilized to good advantage in after time. About 1813 he went to
Barnesville; where he entered the employ of James Barnes, the founder of
the village, and for him established the first store in the village. He was
the first postmaster and was identified with nearly all the initial events
in its history. He was engaged in mercantile pursuits as clerk and
proprietor until 1830, when, with his family of wife (nee Ruth Hulse) and
eleven children, he came to Summerfield, then a little hamlet of perhaps a
dozen families.. He bought the business of James W. Shankland, the pioneer
merchant of the place, and for seventeen years he did a successful business
in land, tobacco and merchandise, and was not only one of the prominent and
successful business men of the county, but also an esteemed citizen. While
in Barnesville he united with the Methodist Episcopal church and remained
loyal until death. He died in 1864. His children, all of whom were
residents of the place and identified with its history, were Ellenor
(Wilson), Eliza, Rownd, Maria, Matilda (Stoller), William H., George,
Shepherd B., Sarah A. (Hare), Isaac, John H. and Samuel, six of whom are
now (1887) living.

Shepherd B. was his father's successor in business. He was born in
Barnesville in 1819. He grew up in his father's store, obtaining some
education from the subscription schools of that time. At the age of
twenty-four he became a partner, and in 1847 sole proprietor; for many
years has been one of the largest mnerchants in the county. For forty-four
years he has dealt extensively and quite successfully in tobacco. He has
enjoyed in a very great degree the confidence and esteem of his
fellow-townsmen, and in evidence it may be stated that for twenty-two years
he has officiated as township treasurer. During the war he did good service
in the cause of his country in the formation of military companies, and his
time and money were always command in the furtherance of any war measure.
In his religious and political affiliations he is a Methodist and a
Republican. In 1844 he married Miss Emily, a duaghter of John Allen, a
Virginian, who settled here in 1840. Mrs. Philpot was born in Virginia, and
is the mother of nine children - Charles W., Ruth E., James M., Laura,
William H., Ada M. (Rader), John C., Roscoe and Luella (Ritchey).

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by 
L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Marion