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BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO - 513 GOSHEN TOWNSHIP. John W. Bently, a prosperous farmer of Union township, Belmont county, is a descendant of one of the pioneer families of the valley. His grandfather was one of the early settlers in West Virginia. His father, William, and mother, Martha Bently, were residents of Ohio county, W. Va., where John W. was born February 19, 1827, and when he was twelve years of age they removed to Belmont county, where William Bently purchased 185 acres of land. The father died in 1870, and the mother in 1884. They had five children who are living: Mary, wife of John G. McConnell, of Muskingum county; Solomon, who married Emily Smith, and now resides in Union township; William, who married Mary Evans, of Marshall county, W. Va., and lives near Barnesville; John W. and Thomas, who married Elizabeth Mitchell, of Richland township. John W. was reared as a farmer, 33 - B 514 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. and is now the owner of the homestead. A part of the house he occupies was built in 1815, and is in a good state of preservation. He has been an industrious and hard working man, and has the esteem and good words of all. He was married in 1874 to Martha A. Gatts, of Moundsville, W. Va., who was born in 1837, of parents who were natives of Virginia. By this union he has two children, Cora M. and John H. Robert W. Bone, ex-soldier of the republic, and a worthy citizen of Goshen township, Belmont county, is a son of Benjamin Bone, who was born in Hampshire county, England, in 1814. In 1830, the latter came to America, shipping at Portsmouth on a sailing vessel, and making a trip of six weeks to New York. From there he proceeded to Deersville, Harrison county, Ohio, and he subsequently learned the shoemaker's trade at Cadiz, where he lived four years. He then settled at Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, and became foreman of the shop of John Hog. There he was married, in 1837, to Leonora Evans, whose parents, of Welsh descent, came from Virginia, in 1814. Benjamin Bone finally went into business with Livermore & Spencer, and at the end of two years opened a shop of his own, in 1852, and managed the same until his death, December 1, 1877. There were eleven children in his family, all of whom are living; except Hannah, deceased, viz.: Sarah A., Josephine, Robert W., Pinkney, Benjamin F., Alfred E., Nora, Belle, William H., Mary. Robert W. learned the trade of his father, but at the breaking out of the rebellion he entered the Union service, first on the receiving ship " Clara Dolson," and afterward was on the gun-boat " Tuscumbia," participating in the running of the batteries at Vicksburg, and battle of Grand Gulf. In January, 1864, he re-enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, one of the finest regiments the state sent out, and took part in the battles of Buzzard Roost, or Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, New Hope Church, Atlanta, Eutaw Creek. He was then in the Hood campaign, at the battles of Columbia, five days' continual fighting, Franklin and Nashville, and then followed Hood to the Tennessee river, took a boat and came to Cincinnati, whence he went to Alexandria, and by ship to Fort Fisher, where he participated 1n the capture of Fort Anderson, after which he was in the battle of Old Town Creek, and at Wilmington, where his division captured an entire brigade of confederates. He then joined in the movement for the relief of Gen Cox, at Rinston, and then at Goldsbarough united with Gen. Sherman, whence they proceeded to Raleigh, and from there the One Hundred and Fourth regiment moved to Greensborough, and was at Johnston's surrender. He was then transferred as mail messenger to the One Hundred and Eighty-third regiment. On July 17, 1865, he was mustered out at Salisbury, N. C. and discharged at Camp Chase, Ohio, after which he returned to Mt. Pleasant and worked at his trade eleven months. In July, 1866, he enlisted in the regular army, and served twenty-five months.. In 1867 he had command of a squad of men who went to Texas and brought the remains of Gen. Griffin, and Lieut. Griffin, his son, and Col. Taylor, who died of yel- BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO - 515 low fever, to New York. In August, 1868, he was discharged for disability, and came to Belmont county, where he has since resided. He was married, in 1871, to Huldah Dunn, by whom he has five children: Mary L., Nettie M., Frank L., Harry L. and Clara. Mr. Bone is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of the Masonic order, and of Robert Hilles, G.A. R., post No.220, at Barnesville. James A. Burson, a prominent farmer of Goshen township, Belmont county, was born in the same township August 9, 1844. He is the son of Cyrus Burson, who was born in Loudon county, Va., in 1818. He came to this county in 1838 and located on section 16, where he lived seven years, then going to his native place, but in 1859, again making his residence in Belmont county. He was married to Ann C. Ecton, of Maryland, and they had eight children: John W., who married Nellie Davis, of Richmond, Va., and is a government clerk at Washington; Mary E., wife of John Dunn, of Warren county, Iowa; Hampton C., of Warren county, Iowa; Margaret T., widow of Samuel Wright, of Iowa; Fannie, wife of Berry Hammontree, a railroad superintendent living at Des Moines, Iowa; Howard, living with his parents. James A., the subject of this sketch, was married to Martha Jane Stewart, who was born August 4, 1843, daughter of William and Sarah (Evans) Stewart. In 1862 he enlisted in Capt. Charlesworth's company of the Twenty-fifth Ohio regiment, and seved three years. He was in the battles of Bull Pasture, Cross Keys, Rapidan River, Second Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, etc. At Bull Run he was taken prisoner, and was confined two months in Libby prison and five and a half months at Belle Isle. At the latter prison he was lost to the search of his parents, but a brother, John, who was in the confederate army, found him in an almost naked condition, and assisted him to the Union lines. He was discharged at Hilton Heads in 1865. He was one of the last 500 men exchanged during the rebellion. Returning home he was engaged in farming, an occupation in which he has prospered, and now has a comfortable home. He and wife are members of Christ's church, in which he is an elder. They have three children: Harry C.; Hattie S., wife of William McKelsey, and Frank H. One of the prominent early settlers of Belmont county was Samuel Dunn, who was born February 15, 1805, in Maryland. After coming to Belmont county he took a contract on the construction of the National pike, and after the completion of his work contracted for the supply of material for the repair of the road, and was overseer of a gang of men until 1850. He then settled in Goshen township, and purchased a farm of 108 acres two miles south of Belmont, where he passed the remainder of his days, dying in 1857. He married Catherine Vail and they had seven children: Nancy, wife of John W. Fields, a large farmer of Logan county, Kas.; Mary, wife of Joseph Henderson, of West Virginia; Jemima, deceased; Samuel, deceased; Huldah, wife of Robert W. Bone; Taylor, deceased; and Stephen. Stephen Dunn is now one of the prominent citizens of Goshen township. He was born in Union township, November 4, 1838, and was reared as a 516 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. farmer, which is his present occupation. During the war he engaged in buying horses for the government, and afterward he was occupied for eighteen years in shipping stock and in the meat trade. He then bought his farm of forty-five acres and has added to it until he now has a well-improved property of 120 acres. He was married to Louisa Jane Hedges, who was born October 15, 1840, the daughter of Darius Hedges, and his wife, Harriet Casey. Mr. Dunn has seven children living: Charles, who married Estella Graham; Etta, wife of Jesse Ramsey; Harry, a jeweler of Wheeling; Archie, Alva, Daisy and Olive. Mrs. Dunn died March 16, 1885. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been steward, class- leader and exhorter, and is now district class-leader, and has been an Odd Fellow since 1864, and has passed the chairs of Belmont lodge, No. 277. Jeremiah Field, a venerable citizen of Belmont, Belmont county, Ohio, was born in Lancaster county, Penn., May 19, 1818. He is the son of Vincent Field, who was born in the same county, August 20, 1788, of Irish and German descent. Jeremiah Field was reared in Lancaster county until he was eighteen years of age, and then in company with his father, his mother having died several years previous, he came to Ohio in the fall of 1837. They came first to Belmont county, but subsequently removed to Guernsey county, where the father purchased a tract of 160 acres of wild land. After living there six years he sold that, and bought eighty acres partially improved in Belmont county. In later years he kept hotel in Belmont at about the time that the Baltimore & Ohio road was extended through the county. Two other children were born to Jeremiah Field's parents, a brother and sister, now deceased. He also has, a half-brother, now a farmer and stock-raiser in Kansas. On February 2, 1841, Mr. Field was married to Mary Bush, of Harrison county, who was born December 11, 1818, and eight children were born to them, six of whom are living: Cassandra, Christina, Sarah E., Caroline A., Isaiah A., William B., all of whom are residents of Belmont. Mr. Field's first occupation in youth was as an apprentice to a carpenter for three years, and he subsequently followed that trade six years, afterward engaging in farming until his health failed, since when he has led a retired life. Joseph L. Heed, a native of Belmont county, born August 14, 1845, is now one of the successful farmers of that district, having his residence in Goshen township. His grandfather, Jonathan Heed, of English descent, emigrated to Belmont county from Pennsylvania in an early day. His son, Thornton, father of the subject of this mention, was a prominent farmer and stock dgaler. He married Mary Ann Irwin, of Monroe county, Ohio, who was of Irish descent, and they have had five children. One of these, Jonathan, was a volunteer in the Forty-third Ohio volunteers, and was taken sick at Pulaski, Tenn., and there died. The father of these children died in 1856. Joseph L. Heed received a common school education in his youth, and was for a time engaged in teaching. His life occupation, however, has been BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO - 517 farming, in which he has done well, having now a good farm of over eighty-two acres in good condition and a comfortable home. He is a worthy member of the Odd Fellows, and has passed the chairs in his lodge. He is, in politics, a republican, and he has held some of the township offices. Mr. Heed was married to Eliza Jane Porterfield, of Belmont county, whose parents still live in the county, and by this union he has five children: Dora M., Anna M., Charles C., Albert L., Royal. Mrs. Heed is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Nathan Humphrey, a highly esteemed citizen of Goshen township, Belmont county, was born in Union township, that county, April 8, 1836. He is the son of William Humphrey, of English descent, and his wife, Eliza Jones, who died when her son Nathan was a small boy. The father is still living upon a farm near Barnesville. These parents had seven children: James of this county, Robert, Love, Eliza Jane, wife of Mr. Snellen, the last three residents of Iowa; John and Nathan. Nathan engaged in farming in his youth, and when the wit- broke out he became a volunteer in Company E, Ninety-eighth regiment of Ohio volunteers, under Capt. Cordner and Col. Webster. He was wounded at Perrysville, Ky., and after lying in the hospital five weeks, was honorably discharged in the fall of 1862. He lost his arm in his country's cause, and receives a pension of $45 per month. On his return home he engaged in farming and now owns a pleasant place of fifty-six acres, well improved, with a good residence. He and family are members of the Christian church, and he is in politics a strong republican. Mr. Humphrey was first married to Ruth Palmer, of Monroe county, Ohio, by whom he had four children: Chatwood, George, William and Herman. His present wife is Sarah Jane Jump, daughter of early settlers of the county, and by this marriage he has these children: Laura, Alice, Sarah E. and Nettie. Thomas B. Jackson, a prominent citizen of Belmont, Belmont county, Ohio, and a gallant ex-soldier, was born at Centreville, Belmont county, August 9, 1836. He is the oldest son of John Jackson, who was born in Washington county, Penn., in 1809, and brought by his parents to Ohio when eleven years of age. He followed the trade of cabinet-maker at Centerville until his death, October 21, 1876. By his wife, Rosanna Pierce, of Williamsport, Penn., he had five children: Thomas B., Malvina, Geraldine, Mary, Vashti and John McM. The mother died August 8, 1852. Thomas B. enlisted at the age of twenty-five years in Company F, Fifteenth regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, October 25, 1861, under Capt. Amos Glover and Col. Moses R. Dickey, and served honorably four years and one month. He was with his regiment in twenty battles, and was under fire five times as often. He participated in the battles of Shiloh, siege of Corinth, Stone River, where he was captured December 31, 1861, and confined in Libby prison twenty-one days. On being paroled and sent to Annapolis, he and John Piper and Lafayette Hess marched 200 miles over the mountains, took train and reached home in February, 1863, surprising those who had thought 518 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. him killed at Stone River. Being exchanged he reported for duty, joined his command in June, and was in the battle of Liberty Gap, Tenn., June 25, 1863, where his company lost ten killed and wounded and he was commended for bravery by his captain. He was at the battle of Chickamauga, and with his comrades withstood the terrible night charge of September 19, 1863. He was in Chattanooga during the siege, took part in the battle of Orchard Knob, was on the skirmish line in the battle of Mission Ridge, and was one of the first tw0 men to reach the rebels' main works on the summit. He was next at Knoxville, Tenn., then at Strawberry Plains, where he re-enlisted as a veteran. After his furlough of thirty days, he returned to participate in the Atlanta campaign, and was in the memorable fights of Rocky Face Ridge, May 5-9, 1864; Resaca, May 12-16; Cassville, May 19-22; Pickett's Mills, May 27; the almost incessant battle at Kenesaw Mountain from June 9 to 30; Peachtree Creek, July 20, Atlanta, July 22; Lovejoy Station, September 2-6; Franklin, Tenn., November 30; Nashville, December 15-16. He then went with his command to San Antonio, Texas. En route he camped on Jackson's old battle ground below New Orleans, went by way of the Gulf to Indianola, and marched the night of July , 1865, to Green Lake, during which movement hundreds of men died for want of water. He was discharged at San Antonio, Texas, November 21, 1865, was paid of at Columbus, and arrived at home December 31, broken down in health. He determined to qualify himself for teaching, and took a commercial course at Lebanon, Ohio, receiving his diploma from A. Holbrook. He taught school some fifteen years in West Virginia and Ohio, and being a good mechanic, devoted much of his leisure time to cabinetmaking and carpentry. Being active in politics as a republican he received, in 1883, the republican nomination for auditor of Belmont county, but was defeated with the state ticket and much of the county ticket, on account of a prohibition amendment to the constitution being advocated by the party. Mr. Jackson subsequently engaged in office work, book-keeping and insurance, and on June 25, 1889, took out a patent on a fire place heater of his own invention, intended to secure the advantages of a hot air furnace capable of heating several rooms from an ordinary grate. Mr. Jackson is a member of the G. A. R. post at Barnesville. He was married October 11, 1871, to Henrietta E. Fletcher, and they have had two children: Florence W. and Clarence W. Mrs. Jackson and son are members of the Methodist Episcopal. church. John Linder, a respected resident of Belmont, was born in Muskingum county, Ohio, January 28, 1820, the son of George and Margaret (Shepherd) Linder, early settlers of that county. His father was born in Westmoreland county, Penn., in 1788, and came to Muskingum county in 1812. He and his brother James each bought 320 acres of land, and about three years later, George Linder was married and made his home in a little log cabin in which the subject of this mention was born. The father lived there several years and then removed to Guernsey county, in 1832, whence in 1836, he came to Goshen town- BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO - 519 ship, Belmont county (where he resided ten years, and then removed to Richland township, Belmont county), where he bought a farm of 182 acres, and resided there until his death, in 1873. His wife died some years before, being then in her seventy-fourth year. They had eight children, of whom three are living: Artemisia, who married Benjamin Watkins, of Guernsey county, and now resides on the homestead in Richland township; Kesiah, who lives with the latter; and Jacob. Jacob was married in 1868, to Rosanna Egy, who was born in this county in 1834, of parents who immigrated from Pennsylvania, and they have one daughter, Mary. Jacob Linder began his career by teaching school, and two years later, began clerking in a general store at St. Clairsville, and remained there fifteen years, after which, he dealt in stock for several years, and then in 1869, bought a farm, on which he resided four years. He then removed to Belmont, but in 1885, bought his present farm of eighty acres, upon which he has a pleasant and comfortable home. He also owns property in Belmont, where he still resides. His wife and daughter are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Clark H. Mayhew, a prominent citizen of Belmont, Belmont county, was born in Smith township, of that county, February 19, 1830. He is the son of Amos Mayhew, who was born at Winchester, Va., August 4, 1793, and was there married to Lorinda Hall, the mother of the subject of this mention. In 1822 they removed to Belmont county, and took part in the pioneer life there. The father, who was of English descent, was a shoemaker by trade. During the war of 1812 he served in the army of his country, and was stationed at Baltimore at the time of the death of the English general, Ross. His wife, a native of Dartsville, W. Va., was a member of the Society of Friends in early life, but after marriage joined the Methodist Protestant church. Clark B. Mayhew, son of the above, was reared and educated in Belmont county, where he has always made his home. By trade he is a shoemaker, and of well-known skill in that calling. He was formerly a member of the Odd Fellows. In politics he is a prohibitionist, having previously been independent in his party action. His life is without reproach and he is highly respected. On December 30. 1862, he was married to Jennie Adams, of Wheeling, W. Va., and they have two children, Harry and Virgil, both of whom are engaged in cigar making. William Nichols, a native of Loudon county, Va., now a retired farmer and prominent citizen of Belmont, was born in the year 1814, the son of Isaiah Nichols. The latter a native of the same county, started in 1825 with his family for Belmont county, but died on the way at the foot of the Allegheny mountains. Their money was kept in a bandbox in the wagon, but was all lost at the time of his death. The family then returned to their home, and two years later the children were brought by the mother, Sarah (Hollingsworth) Nichols, to Belmont county, where she bought a farm of thirty acres, with a log cabin and barn. In this family there was one daughter and three sons, of whom but one other than William survives, viz., Isaiah, who 520 - HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY. lives on the homestead. William Nichols was reared on the farm, and in 1840, was married to Elizabeth Dillon, who was born in December, 1821. Her parents also came from Loudon county, Va. Mr. Nichols began married life as a farmer on rented land, and then bought a farm of fifty-six acres, which he sold in 1882 and came to Belmont and purchased a home which he has since occupied. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is highly esteemed. He has one child, Minerva D., wife of Oliver Wright, by whom she has two daughters. James V. Stillwell, postmaster at Pleasant Grove, Belmont county, and for many years a merchant at that place, was born in this county, February 20, 1824. He is the son of Elias Stillwell, who came to Belmont from Hancock county, Md., in the early part of this century, and settled near the place now known as Kidd's Station. Here, twelve years after the birth of his son James, Elias Stillwell died, and left his wife and family dependent, in great part, upon the exertions of his twelve-year-old son. His early years were consequently actively employed, although he found time to dbtain a common school education. In 1850 he opened a store at Pleasant Grove, and he has there ever since continued in business, having occupied the same building since 1858. He has been prominent in township affairs, having served as township trustee, and has filled the positions of school director and commissioner of the Bridgeport free turnpike. He is now acceptably discharging the duties of postmaster at Pleasant Grove. He is a republican in politics, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Stillwell was married May 4, 1848, to Mary, daughter of James McAvoy, then a farmer of Colerain township. Eight children have been born to this union, one of whom is deceased. One daughter is the wife of a prominent farmer of Colerain township, another resides in the state of Washington. John is a wealthy commission merchant and mine owner in Denver, Col. Elias is a merchant at Peublo, and Henry is also in the west. Benjamin White, a venerable resident of Belmont, Belmont county, is one of the few worthy pioneers living who have witnessed the wonderful development of the country during the present century. He was born in Pennsylvania (Fayette county), April 7, 1806, the eldest son of John White. The latter, who was of Irish ancestry, died when his son was four years old. His wife was Mary Minton, who came with her parents from Sweden in an early day. They had two children besides Benjamin, viz.: John, a resident of Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, and William V., a blacksmith by trade, who lives in Washington county, Iowa. Benjamin White began working in childhood on a farm, and at sixteen years of age was apprenticed to a tanner for four years. Subsequently he carried on his employer's business four years and then engaged in the business on his own account, though with little capital, and is now carrying on the tannery business for his son at the age of eighty-four years. He is a member of the Christian church, of which he has been an elder for many years. He has been thrice married; first to Rebecca Sidwell, by whom he had four chil- BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO - 521 dren, of whom two are living, Rebecca and John. The second wife was Margaret E. Phipps, of Smithfield, by whom the following children are living: Lydia A., John, Regina, Albert, William and Benjamin. His present wife is Elizabeth Stonebraker. William H. White, son of the above, was born in Belmont county, September 6, 1841. In his twentieth year he enlisted in Company A, Twenty-fifth regiment Ohio volunteers, under Col. Jones, and Capt., afterward Col., Charlesworth, and left for the front in June, 1861. He served gallantly three years, participating in the battles of Cheat Mountain, Green Fier, Camp Baldwin, Bull Mountain, Freeman's Ford, and the second Bull Run, and then after being detained some time in hospital at Alexandria, was with his regiment at Chancellorsville, and at Gettysburg, where he was wounded. He was then sent to Camp Chase, and transferred to the invalid corps at Indianapolis, where he was mustered out in June, 1864. Returning to Belmont county, he was in 1867, married to Laura J. Widdoes, of this county, and they have five children: Clayton L., Anna L., Lizzie J., Dora M., and Walter G. Mr. White is engaged in business as a tanner, and is also occupied as a mason. He and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he has been class-leader, and both are highly esteemed by the community. |