Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/863

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��MONROE TOWNSHIP.

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��Mr. Stout, in his younger days, was rather fond of the company of the young ladies. He loved, with them, " to trip the light ftmtastic toe," yet nevertheless he never suifered himself to be entrapped by their " win- some wiles and winning smiles ;" but, as a matter of choice, has remained a bachelor to this day, living with his aged mother, and taking care of and providing for her during her declining years. Mr. Stout is the owner of the old homestead, and has it under a good state of cultivation ; his farm is very productive, and well adapted to the raising of all kinds of grain.

STOUT, JAMES (deceased). AVas born in Sussex Co., N. J., April 1-5, 1790. His parents came to the United States from the lowlands of Holland. He was married to Miss Eve Hupfer, fifth daughter of Jacob and jNIaigaret Hupfer, of Cumberland Co., Penn., Oct. 27, 181.5, by whom he had three children, two sons and one daugh- ter. Mary Ann, the eldest child, was born July 17, 1816; she was married to Edward Sheehy ; she died Dec. 19, 1858, and was buried at Perry ville. Hiram, born .Jan. 16, 1819; Cornelius, Dec. 16, 1822; died May 21, 1862; buried at Perry ville. Cornelius was married to Miss Mariah Ovseus, by whom he had a large family of children. Mr. and Mrs. Stout came to Richland Co. in the fall of 1826, and settled near Petersburg, in Mifflin Township, where they remained about two years, when they removed to Monroe Town- ship and bought a farm about one and a half miles south of the present site of Lucas, where they re- mained about one year, when Mr. Stout entered the west half of the southwest quarter of Sec. 22, cleared off a spot, erected a cabin and moved his family there ; the country, at that time, was still wild ; few settle- ments had been made ; a few bears were still to be seen in the woods, and wildcats were plenty ; deer and wild turkeys were still numerous. Mr. Stout was fond of hunting, and many deer and wild turkeys fell victims to his unerring aim. By industry and perseverance, the wilderness was converted into a "fruitful field," and made to " blossom as the rose." Mrs. Stout nar- rates that before she came to Ohio, she learned to shoot, in order that she might be able to defend herself, if necessary, against attacks of the Indians. She says that, whenever she wanted a mess of squirrels or other small game, when the men were busy, she w'ould shoul- der a rifle and go to the woods, and soon succeed in getting all she wanted. James Stout still continued to reside on this same farm till the day of his death, Aug. oO, 1864 ; he was buried at Perryville. His widow still resides on the old farm with her son Hiram ; she is healthy and intelligent for a woman of her years ; she was 84 years old on Chiistmas Day of 1879.

SWIGART, J. L., wagon-maker, Lucas. Michael Swigart, the father of J. L. Swigart, was born in Lan- caster Co., Ohio., April 7, 1800; h^ was of German descent. He was married to Miss Anna Byers, of Hag- erstown, Md., on the 3d day of July. 182.5; they re- moved to Stark Co., Ohio, in 1827, and thence to Richland in 1832, and purchased 120 acres off the northwest corner of Sec. 27 in Monroe Township ; he subsequently purchased 80 acres, adjoining the 120 on the north ; at the time he came in possession of this farm, it was in an uncultivated state, the greater part of it being encumbered with a heavy growth of timber

��and underbrush, but, by persevering industry on the part of himself and sons, the wilderness was trans- formed into fruitful fields. Michael Swigart and wife are the parents of eight children, four sons and four daughters — Leonard, the eldest, was born Feb. 11, 1826. He was married to Miss Margaret Schrack Sept. 14,1844; he served as Commissioner of this county two terms ; he now resides in Dickinson Co., Kan. Anna Margaret, their eldest daughter, was born Oct. 2, 1827 ; she was married to Josiah Switzer Jan. 21, 1847; she died Jan. 4, 1857, and was buried in the Pleasant Val- ley Cemetery. Elizabeth, their second daughter, was born March 27, 1830 ; she was married to George W. Chew, who died some years ago, leaving her with a family of small children to maintain. George J., their second son, was born Dec. 21, 1831 ; he was married to Miss Susan Smith ; he died April 26, 1870, and was buried in the Odd Fellows' cemetery near Lucas. Mary A. B., their third daughter, was born Dec. 15, 1834, and died March 10, 1840 ; she was buried at Pleasant Valley. Elenora, their youngest daughter, was born April 6, 1836; she died April 12, 1840, and was buried at Pleasant Valley. Peter A., their third sou, was born Jan. 1, 1838; he mai-ried Margaret Andrews : he served as a private in Co. B, 120th O. V. I., during the war of the rebellion ; he contracted a disease while in the army which caused his death ; he died Sept. 27, 186'). Their youngest son, Jesse L., was born as hereinbefore stated. Michael Swigart was a Drum Major in the war of 1812 ; he continued to reside on the farm he pur- chased when he came to the township till within a few years of the date of his decease ; his wife died April 10, 1867 ; she was of a kind, social and obliging dis- position, and much respected by all who knew her ; he, too, was jovial and kind-hearted, ever ready to confer a favor t n his neighbor when in his power to do so ; he died July 16, 1876 ; he and his wife lie side by side in the Pleasant Valley t^emetery. Jesse L. Swigart was married to Miss Rebecca Jane Henry, third daughter of David and .Jane Henry, of his native township, April 26, 1863; his wife's parents were of German descent ; her mother's maiden name was Donelson. Jesse L. and Rebecca J. Swgart are the parents of three children — Orange, Olive and Cora. He was a soldier in the late war; was a private in Co. A, McLaughlin's squadron of cavalry ; he served till the close of the war ; he was with Sherman in his celebrated march from At- lanta to the sea. He and his wife are active members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Lucas : he has for many years been an active member of Monroe Lodge, No. 224, I. 0. 0. F., and has attained to riie highest position in his lodge ; he is also a member of Burns JSncampment, No. 131 ; he has been Treasurer of his township four or five jears.

SWIGART, L. M., farmer; P. 0. Mansfield; his father, John Swigart, was born near Chambersburg, Penn., in 1793 ; he came to Ohio with his father, who settled on a farm near Canton, Stark Co., now used as the county infirmary. He served as a soldier during the war of 1812, and fought under Perry at the battle of Mackinaw ; when the war was ended, he came to Richland Co., and located in Orange Township, now in Ashland Co., where he taught school for some time. Among his pupils at that time was the lady he after-

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