Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/847

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��Culler, deceased ; they continued to reside on this farm, cultivating and improving it, as long they lived ; they were the parents of rleven children, eight sons I and three daughters — Michael L., Margaret, .Sarah, ' Elenora, John, George, Jacob S., Isaac, Christopher, j Andrew and Philip H., of whom George, Isaac, I'hilip i H., Margaret and Sarah are living. They were very active and consistent membei's of the Evangelical Lutheran Church for more than fifty years, and were ever liberal in their contributions for the building of churches, the support of the Gospel and other religious and benevolent enterprises ; they trained their large family of children to habits of industry, economy and strict integrity, all of whom subsequently became use- ful members of society and of the church. Mr. Culler died Aug. 2, 1843, aged 70 years 2 months and 8 days; Mrs. Culler died Sept. 9, 1856, aged 79 years 3 months and 14 days ; they were both buried at Mount Zion. George Culler remained with his father, assisting him on the farm and occasionally working out at the car- penter trade, till ^lay, 1836, when he was married to Miss Elizabeth Ernsbarger ; in about a year after his marriage, he became the owner of the farm on which he now resides, which was, at that time, in a wild and uncultivated state ; but, by the persevering industry of Mr. Culler, this dense forest was soon transformed into fruitful fields. By his first marriage, Mr. Culler had three children, all sons — Melancthon, Enoch H. and John J.; Enoch died when about 3 years old ; John J. died while in the service of his country, at St. Louis, Mo., and was buried in Christ Cemetery, in that place. His first wife was an active and consistent member of the Lutheran Church for about ten years ; phe died Nov. 18, 1843, aged 2-5 years 10 months and 8 days, and was buried at Blount Zion. Mr. Culler married for his second wife INIiss Elizabeth M. Wiles, eldest daughter of John and Catharine Wiles ; she was born Nov. 6, 1827. in Frederick Co., Md.

DARLING, WILLIAM, Sr. (deceased), was born in Hardy Co., Va., Oct. 6, 1789; his father's name was Robert Darling, and his mother's name, Mary Pas- sence ; his parents removed with their family, to Mus- kingum Co., Ohio, A. D. 1806 ; this part of the State was at that time in a wild and uncultivated condition ; William Darling remained with his father, assisting him in clearing and otherwise improving and cultivat- ing his farm, until the breaking-out of the war of 1812, when he responded to his country's call, and served her with credit during the term of his enlist- ment. He came to Richland Co. in the spring of 1817, and purchased the quarter-section of land on which the "block-house" stood, in the fertile valley of the Clearfork, about one and one-half miles northeast of Newville, and near the site of the Indian village called " Helltown." Shortly after his arrival in the county, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ravenscraft, a young lady of his neighborhood ; Miss Ravenscraft was possessed of a strong constitution and iron nerve, which rendered her a fit companion for the energetic and hardy pioneer to whom she was united in mar- riage, and which also enabled her to endure the toils, hardships and privations incident to those early days. Mr. Darling was one of the most energetic and enter- prising men of his day; when unemployed, he was

��like a fish out of water; he spent his time in cultivat- ing and improving his farm, until the accident befel him which is hereinafter described, which disqualified him for hard manual labor; after meeting with this accident, he turned his attention to the feeding, breed- ing and driving to the Eastern markets of fine cattle and other live stock ; he introduced some excellent breeds of cattle into this part of the State, among which was the short-horned Durham, which he first introduced into this county. By hard labor, fine finan- ciering and close application to business on the part of both himself and wife, Mr. Darling was enabled, in the course of time, to amass a very considerable amount of this world's goods ; he was a very extensive land-owner; he acquired, by purchase, 1,18-5 acres of land in one body, in the rich and alluvial valley of the Clear Fork, lands that, for quality, are not surpassed by any in the county. Besides this extensive tract, he owned several other f=irms, in different parts of the county and State. William and Mary Darling were the parents of seven children, five sons and two daughter.-i, named in the order of their births as follows : l^llca- nor, John, William, George Washington, Abraham, Catharine and Robert ; all of this large family were remembered and richly provided for in the last will and testament of their father. The following is a true copy of an appendix to the will of William Darling, Sr. (deceased) :

" Having been one of the pioneers of this part of Ohio, the maker of this will, having emigrated from Hardy Co., Va., in the year 1806, in company with his father and family, to iN'uskingum Co., Ohio, and en- dured all the hardships, trials and privations incident to the settling and improving of a new country. I do give and bequeath my love, respect and good will to all my old associates, and hope that, by the intelligence, energy and untiring industry of growing posterity, the prosperity of my beloved country may continue to in crease as surely and rapidly as though we old pioneers were still here to look after our country's welfare ; fo'-. next to my love for my God and my family, is my love for my country — these blessed United States. May prosperity and peace ever be the lot of our happy, happy land."

The maker of this will settled on the farm where he now resides in the year 1817, and, seven years after- ward, had the misfortune of having his right leg crushed by the falling of a log upon it, and was obliged to suffer amputation of the injured member. He then turned his attention to the handling of cattle, by which, together with his untiring devotion to business, his strict integrity and honesty, he became wealihy, and was beloved and respected by all who knew him. DARLING, Jf>HN, farmer ; P. 0. Perrysville. He was born in Washington Township Aug. 14, 1819 ; he was the eldest son of William and Mary Darling. As will be seen by the t'iography of his father, he came to Richland Co. in an ear'y period of its history ; John be- ing the eldest son, was inured from infancy to all the privations of pioneer life ; his father was an extensive land-owner, stock breeder and dealer, so that he had plenty of work for his sons to perform ; the burden of this work fell on the shoulders of .John ; he was obliged to work entirely too hard for his own good ; his father

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