OHIO STATEWIDE FILES OH-FOOTSTEPS Mailing List Issue 207 *********************************************************************** 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/ *********************************************************************** OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest Volume 00 : Issue 207 Today's Topics: #1 History, Hamilton County ; Anderso ["Maggie Stewart" To: OH-FOOTSTEPS-L@rootsweb.com Message-ID: <0cb501bfe3aa$9c80dea0$0300a8c0@local.net> Subject: History, Hamilton County ; Anderson Twp pgs 242-254 (2) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Tina Hursh frog158@juno.com April 15, 2000 Transcribed by Kym Pitman *********************************************************************** Anderson Twp pgs 242-254 *********************************************************************** History of Hamilton County Ohio with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches. Compiled by Henry A. Ford, A.M. and Mrs. Kate B. Ford, L.A. William & Co., Publishers; 1881. Pages 242-248 THE ORIGINAL LAND OWNERS. Anderson township, as already intimated, is distinguished above all other townships as the one subdivision of Hamilton county which lies on the Virginia military tract, reserved between the Little Miami and Scioto, for land bounties to the soldiers of the Virginia line, serving in the war of the Revolution, on Continental establishment. The history of this reservation, with many interesting facts pertaining thereto, will be found in the chapter on land titles, in the first division of this work. The following memoranda indicate the original owners of the respective surveys noted in that part of the Military tract which is now Anderson township: No. 395. Bennett TOMPKINS, one thousand six hundred and sixty-six and two-thirds acres. No. 410. Major John CRITTENDEN, one thousand acres. He was the father of John J. CRITTENDEN, the Kentucky statesman, and was an officer in the Revolutionary war, settling afterwards in Woodford county, Kentucky. His tract was one of the finest in the Little Miami valley; and yet, so little was the value of land esteemed in those days, that he traded the whole thousand acres of splendid bottom and hill land to Major John HARRIS, of Mannicantown, near Richmond, Virginia, for a mosquito bar. HARRIS in his turn sold it to Dr. TURPIN, of the same place, for a pair of blooded mares; and TURPIN made a present of it to his son Philip, who settled it, and developed it into a rich estate, which is still held by his descendents. No. 427. John ANDERSON, seven hundred and fifty acres. No. 500. Holt RICHARDSON, five hundred acres. No. 535. Robert BLAIR, William CASSEL, John DEMSEY, Benjamin GRAY, John HALFPENNY, Daniel SAHON, one thousand acres; also John GREEN and James GILES. No. 536. John STEELE, six hundred and sixty-six and two-thirds acres. No. 552. Robert POWELLS, six hundred acres. No. 608. Abram HITES, one thousand acres. No. 609. Joseph EGGLESTONE, one thousand acres. No. 618. Robert MORROW, two thousand acres. No. 620. Theodore BLAND, one thousand three hundred and thirty-three and one-third acres. No. 624. A. SINGLETON, five hundred and fifteen acres. No. 637. William TAYLOR, one thousand acres. No. 706. Jacob FEARS, James FRIGGIN, James MCDONALD, James PAYTON, one thousand acres; John BROWN, two hundred acres. No. 916. William MOORE, one hundred and sixty acres. No. 1,115. William MOSILEYE, one thousand acres. No. 1,126. John PARKE, one thousand acres; James PENDLETON, one thousand acres. No. 1,581. General James TAYLOR, five hundred and fifty acres. This gentleman was the well-known Newport pioneer, father of the venerable Colonel James TAYLOR, who still resides upon the old place on the Kentucky shore, and retains large landed interests in Anderson township. We here acknowledge much indebtedness to him in the preparation of this work. General TAYLOR became possessor, first and last, of a very large share of the lands in the township, most of which he re-sold. No. 1,618. HITES and ROBINSON. No. 1,674. Edward STEVENS, one thousand acres. ~pg 246~ No. 1,677. Colonel Richard Clough ANDERSON, four hundred and fifty-four acres. He was the chief surveyor of the Military district, appointed to that office by the State of Virginia. He resided ten miles south of Louisville, where he kept the office for many years, and until it was removed to Chillicothe, in this State. He was father of the late Hon. L. ANDERSON, of Cincinnati and Marshall P. ANDERSON, of Circleville, also a well-known citizen, more recently deceased. The township takes its name from Colonel ANDERSON. No. 1,679. Edward CLARK, four hundred acres. No. 1,680. Joseph NEVILLE, two hundred acres. No. 1,682. John MEAD, four hundred and thirty-four acres. No. 1,775. General George WASHINGTON, President of the United States, nine hundred and ninety-seven acres. A very appropriate number for the greatest of Revolutionary heroes to hold. It was in the year 1775 that he took command of the Continental armies, at Cambridge, Massachusetts. His was the triangular tract next the present Clermont county line, the northeasternmost survey in the township, the point of it resting on the Batavia turnpike, but a little way from the mouth of the East fork of the Little Miami. No. 2,204. Nathaniel WILSON, four hundred acres. No. 2,276. General Nathaniel MASSIE, six hundred acres. This owner was one of the most active and enterprising surveyors in the Military district, and the founder of the earliest towns within its borders - Manchester in 1794, and Chillicothe in 1796. No. 3,393. John NANCARROUS, two hundred and seventy acres. No. 3,394. P. HIGGINS, ninety acres. No. 3,817. John HAINS, two hundred and fifty acres. No. 4,243. Frank TAYLOR. No. 6,532. John ENGLISH, two hundred and fifty acres. No. 8,903. George C. LIGHTS. COVALT'S STATION. The first settlers upon the present soil of Anderson township were probably Abram or Abraham COVALT and companions, who pushed up the Little Miami in 1790 or 1791, and established a station on Round Bottom to protect themselves, about twelve miles from the mouth of the river, as it runs. This was known as COVALT's Station, and was considered important enough in 1791 to secure a garrison of twenty soldiers from Fort Washington. In the absence of the soldiers, however, Mr. COVALT, while hunting with two others, was attacked by the Indians, killed and scalped near the station. Wood was sent to Columbia village, and a relief party started out at once; but without much effect. Mr. Daniel DOTY was of this party, and left some interesting notes of the affair. He then saw for the first time a scalped man, and was naturally much shocked. He records that "when a person is killed and scalped by the Indians, the eyebrows fall down over the eyeballs and give them a fearful look." The following account of the killing of COVALT is derived from the narrative of Thomas FITZWATER, a descendent of William FITZWATER, who had personal knowledge of the affair. It is contained in the history of Clermont county: Towards noon on the first day in which BUCKINGHAM, FLETCHER and COVALT started on their hunt, COVALT began to get very uneasy and to urge the others to return home, saying there might be Indians about. The other two told him there was no danger, but this did not satisfy him. The nearer night approached the more importunate he became, and the more he urged them to return. This uneasiness in COVALT's mind BUCKINGHAM always viewed as a bad omen. His entreaties finally prevailed on the others and they consented to return. So they left the 'licks' in order to reach the station while it was yet daylight. Arriving opposite to where BUCKINGHAM's mill now stands, while COVALT and FLETCHER were walking close together, and BUCKINGHAM about three rods behind, suddenly three guns were fired about twenty yards distant. BUCKINGHAM looked forward and saw COVALT and FLETCHER start to run down the Miami, and also saw three Indians jump over a log, yelling and screaming like demons. As BUCKINGHAM wheeled to run up the river he tried to throw off his blanket, but it hung over his shoulders like a powder-horn, as the strap passed over his head. When he did get it loose it took his hat with it. He ran up but a few poles, then took up the hill, the river and hill being close together. As he went up the hill he looked back several times, but saw no one in pursuit. When he arrived on the top he got his gun ready for emergency, then stopped, looked back, and listened. While thus standing he heard the Indians raise the yell down in the bottom, thirty or forty rods distant, then he knew they had caught one or both of the others. When he found the Indians were that distance from him, he knew that he could make tracks as fast as they could follow him. So he steered over the hills and came to the Miami, at what is now Quail's railroad bridge. Getting to the station he found that FLETCHER had got there a few minutes before him. By this time it was night. FLETCHER's story of the affair was that he and COVALT ran together some distance, when FLETCHER's feet became entangled in a grape-vine, and down he fell, where he laid perfectly still until the Indians passed him. One passed close to him, no doubt thinking he had fallen to rise no more. And they all kept on in hot pursuit of COVALT. As soon as they got out of sight FLETCHER made his escape down the river. Next morning a party of men left the station to look for COVALT. Arrived at the place they found his body, his scalp, gun, tomahawk, powder-horn, blanket, knife, hat, and part of his clothes gone, and an old broken rifle left near his body. The Indian traces showed that they had crossed and re-crossed at Indian ripple. They were not traced any farther. Enoch BUCKINGHAM (one of this party) continued with his family at Columbia, from the spring of 1790 to 1795. Some time this spring they moved into a log cabin on the banks of the Miami, on the lower BUCKINGHAM farm. A FORTIFIED STATION. Probably as early as 1790, the eyes of some of the settlers, or newcomers to Columbia, were turned to the broad and fertile tracts in the valley east of the Little Miami, and a party of colonists soon attempted to make a home there. Their first settlement was opposite Turkey Bottom, at the foot of the hills on survey number five hundred and thirty-six, about a mile below the present site of Union ridge, on the land now owned by Colonel James TAYLOR. Here, for their protection against the Indians, as the custom then was, they built a small block-house, or stockade, which, from the principal man of the party, the father of the late John H. GERARD, ex-sheriff of Hamilton county, received the name of "GERARD's Station." Other settlers to be protected by it are said, by Colonel TAYLOR, to have been Joseph WILLIAMSON, Stephen BETTS, Stephen DAVIS, Major STITES, Captain FLINN, and others. He says that the block-house stood on the side of the hill near what is called Big spring, and not far from FLINN's ford across the Little Miami, which ~pg 247~ was on the principal land-route, in the early day, from Cincinnati and Columbia eastward. STITES and FLINN are reputed to have had at least one sharp fight with the redskins at this station. Some traces of it were to be observed until quite recent times. ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP. Anderson township was erected by the court of general quarter sessions of the peace, in 1793. It was then bounded by the Little Miami to the east fork, from the mouth of which a line was described to a point nine miles east, thence another due south to the Ohio, and from the point of intersection the Ohio formed the boundary to the place of beginning. It must have been afterwards enlarged, as settlements increased, since it is otherwise said1 to have included all of Hamilton county between the Little Miami and the Elk river, or Eagle creek. So lately as 1803 it is officially described as "all that part of Hamilton county east of the Little Miami river," which then, however comprised only the present limits of the township or about the same. The voters were then to meet at the house of Thomas BROWNE, in Newtown, and elect three justices of the peace. In the latter part of 1799 two townships were set off from the eastern part of the large old township of Anderson -Washington township, which included all the northern part of the present Clermont, and the south part of Warren county; and Deerfield township, which covered all the southern and central portions of Clermont and Brown counties to the aforesaid Eagle creek. The same year a county called Henry was set off by the territorial legislature along the river next east of the present Hamilton, with Durhamstown (now Bethel) as the county seat, but the act was negatived by Governor ST. CLAIR, who pocketed it with several other bills of similar character, as he claimed that the legislature in passing them usurped his own prerogatives; the next year he, by proclamation, erected the desired new county in this direction by the name of Clermont, when Anderson township and Hamilton county, on the southeast, were reduced to their present boundaries. Anderson, as the fifth township created in the old Hamilton county, was directed by the court of quarter sessions to take for its cattle-brand the letter E. The first township officers were as follows: John GARRARD, clerk; Jesse GARRARD, constable; Richard HALL, overseer of roads; Joseph FRAZEE, Jacob BACKOVEN, overseers of the poor; Joseph MARTIN, Jonathan GARRARD, viewers of enclosures and appraisers of damages. We have the following notes of justices of the peace in later times: 1819, Jonathan GARARD; 1825, Jonathan GARRARD, William E. WHITE, Richard AYRES; 1829, Jonathan GARRARD, Clayton WEBB; 1865, R. L. WRIGHT, Abner JONES; 1866-71, R. L. WRIGHT, Abner JONES, A. DURHAM; 1872-6, R. L. WRIGHT, Abner JONES, K. H. VAN RENSSELAER; 1877, JONES, WRIGHT, VAN RENSSELAER, D. A. GARRETT; 1878-9, George W. JONES, George JONES, D. A. GARRETT, August CRANCE; 1880, JONES, JONES, and CRANCE. EARLY SETTLEMENT. Immigrants to the Miami county did not turn so readily to the Military district as to the SYMMES Purchase and the Congress lands, since the titles to the latter were considered better and more reliable, and less likely to involve litigation. As early as 1790, some white settlers are believed to have set down their stakes within the limits of the present Anderson township; and, as we have seen, a fortified station against the Indians probably existed upon Anderson soil that year. The first settlements, according to Colonel James TAYLOR, of Newport, were made upon Bennett TOMPKINS' survey at the mouth of the Little Miami; CRITTENDEN's survey, settled by Philip TURPIN, near the present Union bridge; POWELL's, MASSIE's, RICHARDSON's, John ANDERSONS', BLAND's, and MOORE's, and the surveys numbered one thousand five hundred and twelve and one thousand seven hundred and twenty-three. Besides those named in connection with GERRARD's station and Philip TURPIN, who was among the earliest, there were Isaac VAIL, John GRIMES, the EDWARDSes, CORBLYs, DEBOLTs, JOHNSONs, CLARKs, and DURHAMs, whose families were upon the soil of Anderson during the closing decade of the last century or the opening one of this. Settlers were not numerous, nor their improvements large, for obvious seasons, until after the pacification of the Indian tribes in 1794, by WAYNE's victory at the battle of the Fallen Timbers. Many memoranda of individual settlements in the early day will be found in the paragraphs below: OTHER NOTES OF SETTLEMENT, ETC. Mr. John BETTS, grandfather of George M. BETTS, came to Anderson township at a very early day. He was of Irish descent, and emigrated from Pennsylvania to Ohio. John R. BETTS, father of George M., was born in this township. For several years he was in the pork business in Cincinnati. His wife's name was Sarah S. MARTIN. She was a daughter of George MARTIN, who died in 1878, at the advanced age of ninety-three years. He was here when the old fort was at Columbia. His wife was a RIGDON. She was the first white child on the north side of the Little Miami river. Mr. John R. BETTS had three children: George M., Elizabeth (Mrs. S. BURDSALL), and Emma (Mrs. George PIKE). The son is now superintendent of the Mount Washington Canning company, which cans from twelve to fifteen thousand cans of fruit and vegetables per year. Aquila DURHAM was born in Maryland in May, 1779, and died in September, 1870 in his ninety-second year. He was the youngest of a family of eleven children, six of whom lived to be over eighty-five years of age. The family was noted for longevity. His father died at the age of ninety-six, and had six brothers and two sisters, each of whom lived to be over eighty. Their father came from Durham, England, in 1722, and settled in Maryland. Joshua DURHAM, father of the subject of this sketch, sold his estate and slaves in Maryland soon after the close of the Revolution, and started for the West. But, owing to the depreciation of the continental money, he and his family were obliged to remain in Pennsylvania ~pg 248~ several years. They arrived in Cincinnati in June, 1797, only eight years after its settlement, and pushed right out into the wilderness to make a settlement, and built a cabin in the Miami bottoms, about ten miles from Cincinnati. Aquila was then eighteen years old. He helped his father open a clearing in the woods, and, being a skilful hunter, kept the family supplied with game. Many hardships were encountered; but they were so accustomed to them that they seemed rather to enjoy the dangers of the chase and the hard labor and privations they had to undergo. When General HARRISON was governor of the Indiana Territory, with headquarters at Vincennes, Aquila kept him supplied with sheep and cattle, which had to be driven through the unbroken wilderness. Many thrilling adventures were experienced by his parties when on the road. Wild animals were troublesome at night, and the Indians were constantly on their path. In 1804 he was married to Harriet THOMPSON, daughter of Barnard THOMPSON, a Revolutionary soldier. They settled near his father's, and two years later moved upon the farm now owned by Thompson DURHAM. He lived on that farm for sixty-two years. They raised ten children, all of whom lived to be over forty-five years old. Seven of them still live. His wife died in 1868, after sixty-four years of married life. He voted in 1802 at the first election held in Ohio, and never missed an election as long as he lived. He attended the Cincinnati markets for almost sixty years, at first carrying his produce to market on hoseback, then in wagons to the river and thence in a boat. After roads were opened, he went through to the city in his wagon. Every Tuesday and Friday found him in the market. Many of the old citizens were his customers, and well remember him. It was his pride and boast that no one ever said he was not honest. Walter JOHNSON settled in Anderson township in 1804, where his death occurred eighteen years after. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1782. He was a leading farmer, and was several times a member of the board of trustees of the school board. His wife was Anna BRIDGES. The surviving members of his family are Rebecca COX, W. W. H. JOHNSON, Franklin JOHNSON, Hannah CORD, Charles JOHNSON, Walter R. JOHNSON, Anna JOHNSON, and Sallie NORTON. Charles JOHNSON's birth is dated in the year 1820. He has filled several township offices. He married Rebecca CORBLEY, and their children are John C., Walter R., Van R., and Leonidas. Francis H. JEWETT is the son of David JEWETT. His mother's name was Eunice RIDER. The father, who was born in Maine, emigrated from New York to Cincinnati in the year 1835. In the last named place, in 1840, the son was born. At the age of twenty-seven he was married to Catharine HENN. Three years later he began the dairy business in Covington, Kentucky, where he remained up to the year 1876, when he removed to his present place in Anderson township. He is said to possess excellent business qualifications -- in fact is the successful owner and manager of the largest dairy in the township. David JONES, and his wife, Mary S. JONES, emigrated from Virginia to the State of Ohio, and were among the first settlers in Anderson township, where the former died in 1872. Abner JONES, grandson of the preceding, was born in 1816. In 1849 he was married to Miss Emily BENNETT, daughter of Samuel D. BENNETT, of the same township. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and for twenty-four years has held the office of justice of the peace. Mr. John WEBB was taken to Cincinnati with his family early in 1790. He was born in Monmouth, New Jersey, four years previous to this time. His death occurred in Newtown, in 1857. His wife's maiden name was Hannah FROST. She was one year her husband's senior; her death occurred in 1857. The surviving members of the family are Sidney WEBB, of Delta, Ohio, and L. A. WEBB of Anderson township. The last named son in 1840 married the daughter of John FROST, of Hamilton county. Ten years later he built the house in which he now resides, the site of which is said to be the highest elevation of land in Hamilton county. Among the leading farmers of the county the subject of our sketch holds a prominent position. Michael LAWYER emigrated from New Jersey to Hamilton county in 18l5, and thence to Clermont county in 1819. He was born in that State in 1771, married Nancy Martin, and remained in New Jersey about ten years after marriage, when he took his family across the mountains into Pennsylvania and settled in Green county, where they lived fourteen years. In 1815 they removed to the west, coming down the Ohio on a flatboat, commonly called a "family boat," and stopped at the mouth of the Little Miami. They resided in this valley four years, and then removed to Clermont county, where the father died in 1835, and the mother ten years afterwards. The surviving children are Catharine PAUL, Isabella BECKER, and Michael LAWYER. The last-named was born in 18l2, and was consequently but three years old when his people landed in the Miami country. In 1839 he married Cynthia ROBINSON, daughter of John ROBINSON, and ten years thereafter removed from Clermont county to the farm he now occupies in Anderson township, where, in 1859, he built the fine residence in which he makes his home. Winfield S. DURHAM was born in 1817. His marriage occurred in 1844. The same year he built the home where he now lives in comfort, having secured a fine competence in the business of farming. His mother was Narcissa WILMINGTON, the daughter of Joseph WILMINGTON, of Clermont county. The parents of Mr. DURHAM first settled near the mouth of the Little Miami. They have six children living at the present time. Isaac EDWARDS, born in New Jersey in the year 1800, was a settler of Clermont county, where he died in 1855. His wife's name was Alice SAWYER. They have three children now living, of whom William EDWARDS, jr., was born in 1830. He was married in May, 1863, to Miss Ellen DOLE, of Olive Branch, in the same county, by whom he has nine children, all living. The next spring after his marriage he removed to the fine place he now occupies, immediately adjoining the EDWARDS station on the Cincinnati & Eastern railroad, in a handsome house upon the farm of his uncle, William EDWARDS, sr. Here ~pg 249~ he has devoted himself closely to his legitimate business of farming, without any turn for speculation or public life. He is now hard upon fifty years old, but is still in the prime of his powers, a strong man and an excellent farmer. Samuel JOHNSON, father of James 0. JOHNSON, was among the first who settled on Clough creek, where he remained during the rest of his lifetime. He was born in Virginia, from which State he emigrated to Ohio, and was a leading resident of Anderson township. His wife's name was Nancy ESTEL. Joseph MARTIN settled in Anderson township as early as 1790. He was born in Bedford, Pennsylvania, whence he emigrated to Ohio. His death occurred in the same township in the year 1846. He was in the old blockhouse at GERARD Station. His wife was Miss Rebecca GERARD. Four children are still living, of whom their son, Gano MARTIN, was born in 1811. At the age of twenty-nine, he was married to Elizabeth CURRY, the daughter of Colonel William CURRY. They still live on the old homestead. Mr. MARTIN has always been in politics a Republican. Since 1840 he has been an active member of the Baptist church of Newtown, in which he has always taken great interest, and for the support of which his contributions have been no small part. W. H. MARKLEY was born in 1827, at the place where he now resides. He married Catharine SILVERS, with whom, surrounded by a large circle of friends, he enjoys his large farm and beautiful home. His father, Jacob MARKLEY, first settled in Anderson township in 1814. He was born in West Maryland in 1803, but emigrated from Virginia to Ohio. He died in this township in the year 1879. He was a large land-owner, and also followed the business of boating on the river to New Orleans. His wife's maiden name was Emeline MARTIN. There are five children living at the present date. Thomas MEARS, a native of London, England, came to America and became a resident of Philadelphia about the year 1794. From this city he removed to Cincinnati at a very early date, where he practiced law. His brother John was a coppersmith, at which trade he amassed a large fortune. Some branches of the family still remain in Cincinnati. In 1858 he was killed by being thrown from a carriage. His father, a physician, was a man of remarkable bravery. He died in the West Indies from yellow fever, where he was practicing at the time. He was a great traveller, and when the country was new is said to have driven from New Orleans to Cincinnati in a gig. The wife of Thomas MEARS was Polly S. MCCORMICK, daughter of Rev. Francis MCCORMICK, one of the founders of Methodism in the west. The children of this marriage were William E. MEARS; Francis MEARS, of Clermont county; John MEARS, of Anderson township; and Eliza C. MEARS, now Mrs. STOMS, also of Anderson township; Esther MEARS, afterwards Mrs. WHETSTONE, deceased; Isaac MEARS, now in Colorado; and Patsy, who died in infancy. William was born in Columbia in 1835. Previous to 1875 he was a merchant a large part of the time. At that date he became a member of the postal corps, where he remains at the present. His wife was Miss Hannah A. SUTTON. Robert MARTIN was born in Ireland in 1772. He settled in Sycamore township in 1820, and died in Symmes township in the year 1850. He was educated for the ministry, but was a teacher the greater part of his life. His wife was Jane LUCKEY. The surviving members of the family are Belinda CLEMMENS, Jonathan T. MARTIN, and Dr. J. S. MARTIN. The last-named is a graduate of the Eclectic Medical institute, of Cincinnati, of the class of 1849. Since that time he has been practicing in the town of Mount Washington, with the exception of three or four years spent in the south and west. His present wife was Julia C. BISHOP, of Anderson township. The have two children, Matilda Elms and Olive May MARTIN. Absalom H. MATTOX first settled in Springfield, Ohio, in 1840. Before this time he was one of the early settlers of central Ohio, serving as sheriff of Clark county from 1825 to 1830. He came to Cincinnati in 1865, and died ten years later. His business was that of a merchant. His wife was Drusilla HASKELL, and the members of his family now living are Absalom H. MATTOX and F. G. MATTOX, the latter a lawyer by profession, and at present clerk of the United States court at Columbus. Absalom H. became associated with the editorial corps in 1872, where he still remains, and since 1865 he has been connected with the Cincinnati Gas Light company. Isaac TURNER was born in Virginia in the year 1780, but emigrated from Green county, Pennsylvania, to Ohio. He settled in Columbia township as early as 1816. His death occurred in Anderson township in July, 1833. He was considered a leading farmer at that time, and had a decided reputation for industry. His wife, Sarah TURNER, died in 1848. The surviving children are Electa HIGHLAND, Rachel MARTIN, Michael TURNER, and Syrena LIGHT. Michael TURNER was born in 1809. At twenty-six years of age he was married to Nancy FLINN. They have six children living: Isaac D., J. J., George W., Anna E., John W., and E. J. He has remained on the old homestead and followed the business of farming the greater part of his life. At one time he was extensively engaged in pork-packing, in which he secured a fine competence. Louis DRAKE was among the pioneers of Columbia township. Born in New Jersey, he emigrated from that State to Ohio, where, he died in 1832. He was in the War of 1812, and at different times filled several township offices. His wife's name was Elizabeth KENNEDY. They had eleven children, only four of whom are now alive. T. T. DRAKE was born in Columbia in 1818. He has followed the business of farming in a large way, and, having secured a good property, has now retired from active life. His present residence is in Newtown. His wife was Lydia MILLS, and there are two children, Louis D. DRAKE and Ordelia I. MCGILL, both of whom are also residents of Newtown. 1 pg 247: History of Clermont county. -----Continued in Part 3----- -------------------------------- End of OH-FOOTSTEPS-D Digest V00 Issue #207 *******************************************