Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/807

 JACKSOK TOWNSHIP.

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��in Crawford Co., Ohio ; he was a minister for many years, and left a record of which his children may well be proud ; he died June 22, 1876, aged about 85 ; his wife still survives him. Elias was married to Miss Rachel Wells March 5, 1867; they had two children. Mr. Morthland is a man of good social qualities, and has the confidence of his neighbors and acquaintances.

MORTHLAND, J. D., was born .July 25, 18:^9, in Polk Township, Crawford Co.; he remained with his father until September, 1858, receiving his education at the district schools. He married Miss Elizabeth H. Copeland, Feb. 7, 1860. Mr. Morthland moved from Crawford to Richland Co. in September, 1853, where he has remained up to the present time, engaging in the boot and shoe business for a short time ; becoming tired of the close, confining life, he disposed of his business and removed with his wife to a more congenial life on a farm. Abraham Morthland, his father, was born near Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Penn., where he followed teaming until he was 18 years of age, when he emigrated to Columbiana Co., Ohio, where he mar- ried Miss Susan Miller, and by their union had six children — four of whom are living — Hannah, .John, Joseph D. and Susan Lucinda ; he remained in Colum- biana Co. about six years, where he continued teaming for two years, at the end of which time he disposed of his team, doing any work he could find during the re- mainder of his stay in Columbiana Co.; he then moved to Crawford Co., Ohio, purchasing j^80 acres of land — commonly termed the Abraham Morthland homestead — where he remained until September, 1853, and from there came to Richland Co.; entering the ministry about the year 1839, he was always considered one of the leaders in the Baptist Church. His life has been worthy the imitation of children, relatives and friends. J. D.. the subject of this sketch, is a man of more than ordinary ability, conscientious, energetic, pleasant and honorable.

MYERS, J. D., farmer; P. 0. Shelby; was born in Stark Co., Ohio, April 24, 1828. When he was 6 months old, his father, Adam Myers, with his wife and seven children, came to Richland Co., and settled in Sharon, now Jackson Township, where the subject of this notice now resides ; at that time, there was not an improvement between Spring Mills and where Gen. Wilson lived, which is now in the corporate limits of Shelby. The subject of this notice, so far as can be found, is now the second earliest living settler in what is now the territoi-y of Jackson. The elder Myers built his log cabin on Sec. 27, about a rod south of the present dwelling ; this cabin stood a number of years, and in its place was erected a more commodious dwell- ing in the shape of a hewed-log house, which was located about one rod north of the cabin, and on the site of the substantial and fine dwelling which Mr. Myers erected in 1875. His father was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., and his mother, whose maiden name was Eliza- beth Howard, was born in Franklin Co., Penn.; they were married in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Stark Co., Ohio, in 1824, and then came to this county in 1829. Mr. Myers, Sr., died in December, 1855, aged about 75 years ; his wife died in April, 1859, aged 72 years. Mr. Myers is an excellent farmer, and fully understands the care of land ; is a good citizen. He

��is a member of the Lutheran Church ; politically, he is a Democrat. He is also a self-made man, as he com- menced life without a dollar, and worked until he was 25 years of age for his father, considering it his duty, and feels that he has been amply repaid for all he has done for his parents, as he has been blessed with suc- cess in his efforts. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Feighner in September, 1853 ; they have had six chil- dren, four of whom are living — Sarah C, married to William Kirkpatrick, and resides in Shelby ; Adam F., is an artist; William H. and Malissa, are at home.

NILES, ANN, MRS., pioneer, and widow of Eli Niles, whose maiden name was Fulton ; was born near Bath, in the State of New York, Oct. 11, 1809. When she was about 14 years of age, her parents came from Ontario Co., N. Y., with a family of eight chil- dren, to Mansfield, where they remained over winter ; in the spring they moved to Sharon Township, on land of Judge Gamble, where they resided about ten years, and then removed to Seneca Co., Ohio, where Mr. Ful- ton purchased two quarter-sections of land, on which they remained during his life. The subject of this no- tice was married to John Gelaspie in April, 1836, in Seneca Co.; they had one child. George, who was born in October, 1888 ; he met with an accident which re- sulted in death, by the explosion of a cannon at a jollification over the capture of Vicksburg, in Shelby, July 8, 1863 ; he died Aug. 1, 1863. Mr. Gelaspie died in April, 1839. November, 1848, she was married to Eli Niles ; they had no children ; he died in May, 1875. Mrs. Niles is a consistent member of the Pres- byterian Church, which she joined when 23 years of age.

PICKING, J. W., carpenter, builder and farmer; P. 0. Shelby; was born in Franklin Co., Penn., in April, 1835 ; his father, Henry Picking, with his family of six children, emigrated to Ohio in 1845 (three hav- ing previously come out), and pui'chased 40 acres of the southwest quarter of Sec. 10. Mrs. Picking died in the spring of 1873. Mr. Picking survived his wife until May, 1879 ; he was some 81 years old. The sub- ject of this notice, about the age of 18 years, com- menced the trade of carpenter with Patrick Barnes, which he has since followed in connection with his farm. He is a quiet citizen and a good neighbor. He was married to Miss Mary Cutler in February, 1857 ; they have five children. He moved to where he now resides in 1874.

ROBERTS, JESSE, pioneer farmer; P. 0. Shelby; was born in Beaver Co., Penn., in July, 1806; his father, John Roberts, came from Virginia to Pennsyl- vania and settled near what is now the village of Frank- fort, Beaver Co., at an early date in the history of that country ; he died in 1876, aged about 96 years. His mother, whose maiden name was Ruth Dungan, died some years before. His grandfather served under Gen. Washington during the Revolutionary war. The sub- ject of this notice remained in Pennsylvania until the year 1833, when he emigrated to Ohio and settled in Sharon, now Jackson, Township, about two miles south- east of Shelby, or which at that time was known as Gamble's ISIills. He built a log house on the ground on which his present dwelling is now situated ; he had

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