HARLEM TOWNSHIP. - 837 HARLEM TOWNSHIP. (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) JAMES C. ADAMS, farmer; P. O. Harlem; his father, John Adams, was a native of Pennsylvania, where he was born Nov. 13, 1800, and, when years old, came with his father to Ohio ; he bought the farm, the present homestead, of James C., which then contained 640 acres ; he remained with and worked for his parents until his marriage, Dec. 5, 1835, to Desire Cook, daughter of B. Cook; she was born Nov. 18, 1803, in Preston, Conn., and was 4 years old when her folks came to Ohio. After his marriage, Mr. Adams moved in with his parents, where he worked on the farm and taught school during winters. When a young wan, he united with the M. E. Church, and was one of the leading spirits in building the present Harlem Church, and for many years was an official member of the same. Feb. 6, 1872, Mr. Adams died, and six years later, in January, 1878, his wife followed him to the grave ; they had eight children. The subject was the second child, and was born June 26, 1827. When 23 years old, he commenced teaching school ; taught two terms, and in the fall of 1853, went West, and, during the winter of 1853-54, he taught school in Libertyville, Iowa, and in the spring of 1854, gathered up some young stock and started to drive through to California, and the following spring two of his brothers came to him, and they laid their claims in mines close to Harrison Hill, where the three of them worked for four years, they then sold out, and located on a ranche in Sierra Valley, where they remained six years. The subject then sold out, and went to Virginia City. where he built a hay- barn, and bought hay and grain for about three years; then sold out, and returned to his native county. While on his way across the Plains to California, he dropped a large knife, and when going back after it he was surrounded by some Indians and compelled to pay toll and among the change he gave them was a counterfeit $3.50 gold piece, and after he got started on his way, one of them caught up with him, and threw the counterfeit piece at him, and said : "White man's money bad." After coming home, he, in company with a brother, bought a saw-mill, which they ran in connection with the farm, our subject running the farm and his brother the mill. They worked in that way for six years, and during that time our subject was married to Mary M. Wright, daughter of Joseph and Almira Wright, who were married in Licking Co; they had seven children ; five of them are still living. Mrs. Adams was their third child, and was born Sept. 23, 1841 ; when 21, commenced teaching school, at which she continued until her marriage, Feb. 25, 1868 ; they had five children-Arthur C., born Jan. 6, 1869 ; Minnie B. and Willie F. (twins), born July 27, 1870, Willie F. died Jan. 28, 1871 ; Ida M., born Oct. 8, 1875 ; Hubert J., born Oct. 30, 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the M. E. Church. While on his trip to California, and shortly after leaving Libertyville, Iowa, Mr. Adams fell in with an emigrant train, with which he traveled to Salt Lake City, and was there taken sick and remained about five weeks boarding with a Mormon family, and in that way he found out the inside workings of the Mormon faith and practice. SILAS ADAMS, farmer and stock-raiser; P. 0. Harlem ; son of John and Margery Adams, of Luzerne Co., Penn., where our subject was born May 30, 1814, and, when two weeks old, his parents started for Ohio, and located in Harlem Township, on 80 acres of land ; his homestead was bought by his grandfather, David Adams; he was a babe of 8 weeks old when they landed in Delaware Co.; his father and mother went into the timber, and, fixing a bed for their child between the logs, they left him there while they cut down and trimmed up the logs for their first house; camping out until it was done and covered with bark, they doing all the work. Mrs. Adams lived about six years after coming to Ohio ; they had five children, one died when a babe - Kellogg, Rolley, Silas and Betsy A. In 1821 Mr. Adams married his second wife, Hannah Smothers, they had six children-George, Lucy, Desire, Margery A., John Q., and Eveline ; the father died in 1835. He had for many years been a member of the M. E. Church, and, for twenty-two years, was class leader, his house being a preaching point, and the home of the ministers - he was one of first school 838 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: teachers to locate in the township; he was many years township Justice of the Peace and Trustee, Clerk and filled other township offices, and, in his day, was one of the best-educated men in the township. He remained at home until 22 years old, though for some two years before he ran his father's and grandfather's farms; when of age, he bought his grandfather's farm, valued at $400, and for it he was to care for his grandparents until their death ; one of them lived one year, and the other twenty-one years. After housekeeping seven years, on May 26, 1842, he married Rhoda Vandruff; they had two children -Lewellen, born May 21, 1843 ; Fernandez Lee, March 4, 1849 ; they are now married and living in Harlem Township. Mrs. Adams died in May, 1853, and, in April, 1854, our subject married his second wife, Mabala Fairchilds ; she died April 14, 1867, and, Sept. 21, 1867, he married his present wife, Philenia Wright; she was born April 10, 1840 ; they have three children-Roena D., born Oct. 1, 1868; John Q., Feb. 3, 1873, and Kellogg P., Nov. 20, 1875. The first money our subject ever made was by catching quails, at a cent apiece, until he had $6, which he loaned to his father, and, after many years, he got for his $6, a motherless colt, 3 days old, which he raised by hand, and, when grown, sold it for $60, that being the basis of his present property of 216 acres of land, on which he has two good dwellings, outhouses, etc., with a nice young orchard of 400 trees ; his farm is well stocked with hogs, sheep and cattle; on his farm is a stone quarry, out of which he furnished a great amount of curb-building stone, it being of the best grade of sandstone. In addition to what property he now has, he has given his sons each a farm of seventy acres, well stocked with good buildings, etc. With his eldest son, he is now engaged in buying and baling hay, having put up about two thousand tons in the last three years; he owns 250 acres of land, on which he has $9,000 to $10,000 in personal property, in addition to what he has given his children. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the M. E. Church, of which he is Trustee, and is one of only two or three that are now living who paid their subscription directly to the building committee of Harlem M. E. Church, erected in 1838. ZIBA ADAMS, farmer; P. O. Galena; is a son of Rolif and Elizabeth (Jones) Adams ; his father was born in 1795, in Luzerne Co., Penn., and came to Harlem Township in 1812, on foot; he soon purchased a portion of land, and some time afterward returned to Pennsylvania, and thereformed a matrimonial alliance with Elizabeth Jones, and returned to Delaware Co. by ox team ; they remained on that farm for about five years, and then bought a portion of the land now owned by our subject. Mr. Adams was one of nine children-William, Lucinda, Clarinda, Ziba, Fisher (deceased), Elizabeth A. and Evi ; two died when small-Minor and Addison. Ziba was born May 22., 1826, in Delaware Co., where he has always remained ; his younger days were spent in attending school and helping his father. Oct. 29, 1849. he was married to Jane, a daughter of William and Abigail (Vantassel) Sebring. Her father was born in Pennsylvania, and her mother in New York State, and their marriage occurred in Genoa Township, where they raised a family of nine children-Jane, Andrew J., Mary A., Charlotte, Harriet, Linda, Melissa, Angeline and Sarah E.; her mother died in 1851, and her father was again married to Mary Marshall, by whom he had two children-Mary and Kate ; her father died Sept. 14, 1874, and was a member of the Presbyterian Church, as was also her mother. The wife of Mr. Adams was born Aug. 16, 1826, in Genoa Township ; they had four children-Lovina (deceased in 1862), George W., John Q. and Emma J. (died Sept. 14, 1872) ; Mr. Adams settled in a log cabin on a portion of his present farm of 400 acres, 23 of which was inherited ; they make a specialty of feeding cattle, buying at Chicago and shipping to their farm where they feed and prepare for market ; in this they are successful. He has always voted the Republican ticket. His grandfather Jones was in the Revolutionary war. C. B. BABBITT, merchant, Center Village: is a son of L. W. and Lydia (Hockman) Babbitt, both natives of Fairfield Co., Ohio ; the former was born in 1817, and the latter in 1813 ; they were married in 1839, and went to Franklin Co. in 1858, where they remained ; his father has hell the office of Justice of the Peace twelve years, Township Clerk some time, and Director of the Ohio Penitentiary ; he was the father of nine children ; the mother is a member of the United Brethren Church ; the father is a member of A., F. c&, A. M. and I. O. O. F. at New Albany. Mr. Babbitt was born Dec. 14, 1841, in Fairfield Co.; he spent his younger days in attending school. Oct. 14, 1861, he enlisted in Co. F, 18th U. S. I., and returned Sept. 15, 1862, on account of sickness. Feb. 2, 1864, he was married to Sarah HARLEM TOWNSHIP. - 839 J., a daughter of Francis and Mary (Herr) Johnstop ; her father was born in Franklin Co. March 9, 1808, and mother in the same county Sept. 30, 1817 ; they were married April 28. 1836, and had five children; her mother died Jan. 21, 1848, and her father was again married in 1852 to Sarah Ackerson ; her father is a Methodist and her mother was a Presbyterian. Mr. Babbitt followed farming three years after marriage, then engaged in the mercantile business for three years, when he sold out, commencing again Jan. 1, 1870, under the firm name of Johnston & Babbitt; Jan. 1, 1878, Johnston withdrew, leaving Mr. Babbitt sole owner of the business, which he still runs; in 1875, he was commissioned Postmaster, which position he still fills ; has held the office of Township Clerk for six years, and is a member of the Galena Lodge, No. 404, I. O O F. He and wife are members of the M. E. Church at Hartford, Licking Co. They have one child-Francis L., born Nov. 15, 1864. JOHN W. BENNETT, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Center Village; son of Daniel Bennett, who was born Dec. 10, 1783, in Luzerne Co., Penn., and married Sarah Adams, of the same county ; she was born Dec. 10, 1787. They came to Ohio in 1808, located in Harlem Township, where he bought 150 acres of land ; afterward bought 200 acres more. When a young man, he was licensed to preach in the M. E. Church, and shortly after coming to Ohio was ordained, and was one of the first ministers to locate in Harlem Township, and for fifty-three years was a faithful worker in the church, and during that time received no pay for his labor. For many years, his house was the preaching point, and when building his last residence, he built one large room for that purpose. He was one of the prime movers in building the present Harlem Church, which was erected in 1838. He died June 25, 1861. He lived to see eleven of his children married, and all members of the church. His wife died in 1870. The subject was the youngest child of his parents, and was born June 22, 1829, on his present homestead, and remained with his parents until 26 years old. Oct. 23, 1854, he married Rosabel H., daughter of John Smothers, of .Genoa Township, where he located in an early day. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1796, and when a child, came with his parents to Ohio. They lived for many years in Fairfield, Franklin Co. When about 21, he married Rosalinda Seabring. She was born in 1800, and was 10 years old when her parents moved to Ohio, locating in Genoa Township, where she remained until her marriage. After his marriage, Mr. Smothers lived in Genoa Township, where he worked on a farm, while his wife worked in the house and wove cloth, a portion of which she took on horseback to Columbus, that being the nearest market, and only a few houses at that point. Mrs. Smothers died March 29, 1850. Her husband died some years later. They were both members of the M. E. Church. They had seven children; four of them lived to be grown. Mrs. Bennett was their sixth child, and was born Sept. 7, 1835. After his marriage, our subject moved into the house with his parents, with whom he lived until their death. They have had seven children, of whom Ophelia R., born Aug. 20, 1855, and Aug. 5, 1876, married C. R. Orndorff, and Effie J., born July 18, 1859, is now living at home and teaching school; Frank D., May 24, 1864 ;William W., March 26, 1866, and Edwin C., born Nov. 21, 1868, still survive, and a pair of twins, deceased. Mr. Bennett united with the M. E. Church when 12 years old; for thirty years has been class leader, and in 1860 was licensed to exhort in the church. At 16, Mrs. B. united with the church. All their children, but the youngest, are now members of the M. E. Church. In his home place, Mr. B. has 100 acres, well improved and stocked, and in a good state of cultivation, with good farm residence and outbuildings. JAMES COCKRELL, SR., farmer; P. O. Center Village ; is a son of Edward and Elizabeth (Dawson) Cockrell, both natives of Virginia ; the father was born Nov. 18, 1766, and the mother Feb. 14, 1774 ; they came to Harlem Township in 1811, settling on the farm where James now lives; the father was kicked by a horse, from which he died in 1823 ; the mother died in August, 1851 ; had eleven children-Mary, born July 31, 1790 ; Isaac, Nov. 20, 1791 ; Edward D., Nov. 5, 1793, died March 2, 1851 ; Elizabeth, born March 2, 1796 ; Peter, March 4, 1798, died March 12, 1864 ; Massey, born Jan. 20, 1801 ; Matilda, Dec. 22, 1803 ; Maria, Dec. 22. 1805 ; Sarah, Dec 25, 1807, died in 1863 ; James, born Jan. 5, 1810, and Nancy, Aug. 16, 1812. James was a noted hunter, and found full scope for his talents in that direction in his younger days. He was married about 1830 to Elizabeth, a daughter of Eber and Cynthia (Rose) Howe; her parents were born in the State of New York, and emigrated to Ohio at an early day, and raised a family 840 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: of children-Anna L., Nathan, Mark, Aaron, Philetus, John, Eliza, Eber, Asberry and Elsie. Mrs. Cockrell was born June 13, 1812 ; they had thirteen children-Ann M., born April 16, 1831 ; Peter, Aug. 16, 1832 ; Emanuel, Feb. 20, 1834 ; Cynthia, Oct. 30, 1835 ; Hiram, July 15, 1837 ; John, May 9, 1839 ; Clarinda, Dec. 9, 1841, Elizabeth, Oct. 15,1845 ; Nathan in 1846 ; James, Aug. 22, 1848; William, June 28, 1850, and George ; an infant, died unnamed ; his wife died Feb. 22, 1852. He married a second wife, Nancy Linnabary; her father was born in March, 1761, and her mother Aug. 12, 1767 ; they had eleven children. Mr. Cockrell has owned 512 acres of land; is now living with his son James, who owns 177 acres of the old homestead. James, Jr., was married Oct. 7, 1869, to Emma, a daughter of Edward and Mary C. (Condit) Jacobs; her parents had nine children. Mrs. Cockrell was born Nov. 23, 1846 ; they have two children-Edward F., born Sept. 3, 1872 ; Cary P., Jan. 23, 1879. James, Jr., is now Township Clerk. Is a member of Sparrow Lodge, No. 400, A., F. & A. M. Has taught twelve terms of school. The Cockrell family has always voted the Democratic ticket. The grandfather of our subject came from Scotland to America in a vessel of his own, which was sold for $80,000. JOSIAH COPPER, farmer; P. O. Center Village; son of Samuel G. and Christina (Gaylor) Copper. His father was born in Beaver Co., Penn., and emigrated to Licking Co. at an early day, and purchased 160 acres of land in Bennington Township ; he moved to Delaware Co. about 1834, settling in this township, where he improved a number of farms ; the mother died in Licking Co.; they had eight children-Joseph, Josiah, Rachel, Samuel and Elizabeth ; three infants died unnamed ; his father was again married to Fannie Ninerick, by whom he had five children-John, Rees, Mary, Cornish and Sophia. Our subject was born June 25, 1826, in Licking Co.; he came with his father to Delaware Co., and, at the age of 22, began learning the shoemaker's trade ; subsequently carried on business on his own account at Harlem for three years; he then embarked in the same business at Center Village, which he continued for many years. April 18, 1850, he married Lucy, a daughter of David and Susannah (Bennet) Adams ; her parents were born in Pennsylvania and emigrated to this county among the pioneers ; the names of her parents' children are Emily, Sarah, Lucy A, David A. and Martha D.; her father was married a second time, which blessed him with John, Lorenzo, Roxa, William and Margie A.; the name of the mother of the last-named children was Phoebe (Philips) Adams. Mrs. Copper was born Nov. 18, 1829 ; she has six children by her union with Mr. Copper - Sarah A. (deceased), Arza E., Martha E., Idola (deceased), Emma, Nettie (deceased). In 1855, Mr. and Mrs. Copper went to Allen Co., Ind., and farmed one year, and then moved to Bureau Co., Ill., where he farmed and bought stock; in 1860, they returned to Center Village, where he again resumed his trade, which he abandoned in 1872, on account of ill health; he owns two town lots, one of which is well improved by buildings ; he is now breeding fine Canadian horses ; the sire of his present stallion was known as the Guerney horse, which lived to be 52 years old and held the record of one of the fastest trotters and pacers of this part of the country ; he has one of the finest road horses in the country ; is brown-black, 11 years old, sixteen hands high, and weight, 1,400 pounds. His son, A. E., was born Aug. 26, 1855 ; his first occupation was peddling with a little tin box; at 13, he began clerking for McNett & Barr, at this place, continuing one year, and has been engaged most of the time since for Mossman. Was married Nov. 12, 1879, to Laura, a daughter of Van and Mary (Marriot) Clutter; she was born in 1862 ; in October, 1879, he bought Mossman out, and is now running a general store of all kinds of merchandise JOHN COOK, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Harlem. But a 'few years after the landing of the Pilgrims from the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock, there came from Northampton, England, three brothers by the name of Cook-Richard, George and John ; Richard took up his abode in Boston, George in Cambridge, and John in Salem ; his son, Elisba, was born Sept. 16, 1637, graduated at Harvard College, 1657, was Representative of Boston in General Court from 1681 to 1683, Governor's Assistant from 1684 to 1686, a member of the Council of Safety in 1690-91, died May 31, 1715; his son, Elisha, graduated at Harvard in 1697, died at Boston in August, 1737 ; and his son, Middleton, graduated at Harvard in 1773 ; George was admitted a freeman at Cambridge in 1636, and the same year was elected Representative to the General Court, which position he held five years; in 1642, was commissioned a Captain of an artillery company, and HARLEM TOWNSHIP. - 841 again in 1645, was chosen Representative and Speaker of the House. John, at Salem, was admitted to the church in 1637, became a freeman, and, in 1642, was commissioned a Justice of the Peace ; he removed from Salem to Boston, where his son, John, was born in 1663 ; he was also Justice of the Peace; was the father of five children, of whom John was the eldest; moved to Preston, Conn., where he remained until his death; he was also Justice of the Peace, and had seven sons-John, Pearley, Elias, Jair, Benajah, Stephen and Phineas; of the many descendants bearing the name of Cook, from these three brothers, the records of New England colleges in 1826, showed that forty-three had graduated, of whom eleven were clergymen. The subject's father, Benajah, was the fifth child, and was born Dec. 19, 1759, and came to Ohio in 1807. Feb. 24, 1793, he married Cassandra Fanning; she was born Oct. 17, 1775. On coming to Ohio, Mr. Cook bought 4,000 acres of land, for which he paid $1,700, and was the first permanent white settler in Harlem Township, and for many years was the leading spirit in his township; he was a Universalist of strong faith ; he died Nov. 8, 1839, in his 80th year, and fifteen years later his wife died. They had twelve children Benajah S., Celina, James B. (graduated from the Medical Society of the Eleventh District of Ohio, which met in Columbus, May 25, 1830, with Dr. Eleazer Copeland, of Genoa, President-a year later he graduated in surgery, and died eleven days later), Desire, Cassandra, Calvin T. (was the first white child born in Harlem Township), Lucy, Louisa, John and Elisha. Our subject was the eleventh child, and was born Dec. 20, 1815; when 19, he commenced teaching ; he and a brother bought land in Franklin ; after the brother's death, he sold out and bought the homestead, and commenced dealing in stock ; continued to trade about eight years. Oct. 27, 1853, he married Helen Tompkins, born Feb. 4, 1830 ; they have six children-Susie, born Oct. 7, 1855 ; Sarah E., Feb. 23, 1860 ; Alice M., April 22, 1863 (each of the above-named entered Bochtel College, at Akron, where they attended a number of years-Alice M. is still in attendance there) ; Cora E., July 11, 1865 ; John J:, Dec. 14, 1867 ; and Herbert, April 10, 1871, are at home with the subject. Mr. Cook owns 573 acres of land in Harlem Township, well improved, with good dwellings, etc. He is a Republican ; has held most of the township and school offices. Though he never served an apprenticeship, he is a fair mechanic, doing much of the carpenter work on his own buildings, and, in 1875, secured a patent on a windmill, combining simplicity, durability and cheapness. On Mr. Cook's farm is a water sawmill, in which the first lumber in the township was sawed; it is yet in good running order, he doing his own sawing with it. A. M. COCKRELL, J. P., farmer and harness; maker, Harlem ; is a son of James Cockrell, Sr., of Harlem Township, whose sketch appears in this work ; our subject is the third child of his parents, and was born in Harlem Township Feb. 20, 1834 ; his early life was spent on a farm. June 26, 1854, was married to Melissa E. Gorlinghouse, daughter of Silas Gorlinghouse, of Harlem Township ; after marriage, he located one mile north of Centerville, where he remained until 1862, at which time he went out as sutler with the 121st O. V. I., remaining with them one year; then went with the 15th Colored Regiment, with which he remained until the winter of 1865. After coming home, he remained on a farm until 1868 ; then went to Centerville, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and, in 1872, sold out his stock and removed to Columbus, where he ran a harness-shop one year ; in 1875, he bought and moved into his present homestead of 62 acres, located half a mile south of Harlem, and is now farming and working at his trade. In 1858, he was elected Justice of the Peace ; has since served two terms as Township Clerk; April 5, 1880, he was again chosen Justice of the Peace. Mr. and )Its. Cockrell have two childrenNathan D., born Sept. 1, 1855 (was married to Nancy Lombert, and lives in New Albany, Franklin Co., is carrying the United States mail from there to Columbus) and Louis A., born March 1, 1857 (married to Hattie Barr, and lives with the subject of this sketch). A. Cockrell, Justice of the Peace ; all collections attended to promptly; residence, half a mile south of Harlem Post Office, Delaware Co., Ohio. RILEY GRAVES, stock-dealer, Center Village ; is the second son of Harmon and Philena (Landon) Graves ; his father was born March 2, 1804, in Massachusetts, and emigrated with his parents to Licking Co. about the year 1810, and, some time subsequent to his coming was engaged in driving a bus from Sunbury to Columbus he began blacksmithing at Richfield, Summit Co. and afterward went to farming. He was married in Licking Co., to Philena Landon, by whom he had three children-Frederick (deceased), Abba 842 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: (married to Peter Parker ; she is dead) and Riley. The father was again married, to Laura Churchill; they had eight children-Edward, Augustin, Enoch, Emma, Lewis, Martha, Alfred and Frank. The father and stepmother died in 1878, and were members of the Baptist Church. Mr. Graves was born Jan. 1, 1830, in Licking Co.; when quite young, he began driving a team between Richfield and Cleveland; he continued the same until July 9, 1847, when he learned the carpenter's trade in Columbus, and then came to Harlem Township, where he continued the same with success for some time. He has come into possession, by purchase, of a farm and considerable other property. He was married, in 1851, to Nancy, a daughter of Levi and Diadema (Linnabary) Adams; she was born Oct. 28, 1834, in Harlem Township; her father was a native of Pennsylvania ; her parents had six childrenParthena, Mary A., Clinton, George, Nancy and Martha. Clinton enlisted in the 32d O. V. I., and was taken prisoner and confined in the Libby Prison, and has never been heard of since. Mr. and Mrs. Graves have two children-Diadems married to Riley Cockrell, and Viola, at home. He paid out quite an amount for the support of the war. Votes the Democratic ticket. He is in partnership with Norman Perfect, E. J. Condit and Dr. Mills, breeding fine French Percheron horses, of which stock they have two of the finest stallions in the country, which were imported from rFr,ance by Dunham, of Wayne, Ill. DAVID GORSUCH, farmer and breeder of fine stock ; P. O. Center Village. His father, Benjamin Gorsuch, was born Nov. 8, 1806. in Virginia, and when 2 years old, his father moved to Knox Co., Ohio; he remained at home until 21 years of age; the first work he did for himself was on the Ohio Canal at $7 per month. In 1829, he married Margaret Hill, daughter of Samuel Hill, born in 1810. In 1832, Mr. Gorsuch moved to Harlem Township, Delaware Co., where he bought 125 acres of land, on which he remained until his death, June 24, 1859-though for three years previous, had been in the grocery trade at Centerville; for many years he was Township Trustee. Mrs. G. died March 13, 1847 ; they had twelve children, seven of whom are now living. David was the oldest child, and was born Dec. 5, 1830, and was 2 years old when his father moved into Harlem Township ; he remained with and worked for his father until of age, and then served three years as an apprentice at the carpenter and joiner's trade with Elisha Rovers, and for his three years' work he received $300, out of which he clothed himself, and for fifteen years he worked at his trade, working from two to four hands. Oct. 16, 1859, he married Eunice, daughter of Mathew Clark, of Licking Co., where he settled in an early day. Mrs. Gorsuch was the sixth child, and was born Feb. 10, 1838; after his marriage, the subject settled on the old home stead, and bought out the other heirs, and while running the farm, he continued to work at hi; trade ; about 1870, he turned his attention to thoroughbred cattle, and has done as much toward improving the stock of his township as any other man in it; in the winter of 1877-78, he raised a club of subscribers for the Ohio Farmer, numbering 191, being the largest list ever raised for an agricultural or stock paper in the United States and for this list, he secured the prize offered, which was a thoroughbred Oxford bull calf, being a beauful red roan, bred by Ayres & McClintock, of Millersburg, Ky., is 3 years old, and will weigh 2,000 pounds; in 1876, he also won the prize from the same paper of a trio of Houten chickens Mr. Gorsuch is a Democrat, and in 1862 was chosen Township Treasurer, which position he has held every year since for the last tin years, has had no opposition for the office ; his homestead contains 183 acres of well-improved land, and on his farm he now has twenty-eight head of thoroughbred and high grade cattle ; in February, 1876, he lost his residence and household goods by fire, saving but little except the clothing the family had on ; they have had eight children, of whom Noah, born May 1, 1861 ; Medory, Jan. 18, 1863; Willis, Dec. 5, 1864; Amelia, Oct. 22, 1866;Ross, Feb. 13, 1868 ; Mary, March 17, 1870, and Thorman, Aug. 17, 1873, still survive. Alice, born Feb. 10, 1872, died Sept. 7, 1872. SILAS J. MANN, stock-raiser and farmer; P. O. Center Village; is a son of Abijah Mann, whose sketch appears elsewhere; he and his wife were both members of the M. E. Church ; they had twelve children ; he died in August, 1865, and some six or seven years later his wife died; she was a native of New Jersey, and a niece of Maj. Oldham of Revolutionary fame ; her father also fought five years under Gen. Washington ; he was a minister of the M. E. Church. Our subject is the oldest child and was born in December, 1838 ; he was 12 years old when his father went to California, and he worked by the month to help support the HARLEM TOWNSHIP. - 843 family; he remained at home until 22 years old, working in summer and attending school in winters; Aug. 8, 1862, he enlisted in Co. G, O. V. I. ; was in the command that chased Morgan through Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana; being disabled on the march, he was transferred to the 8th Regiment, V. R. Corps, stationed at Camp Douglas, Chicago ; he was a member of the Post band that did twenty days' playing at the Northwest Sanitary Fair at Chicago in 1863 ; was mustered out July 4, 1865, and Sept. 21, of same year, was married to Julia A., daughter of George Stansell, native of Palmyra, N. Y., where he was born in 1798 ; he died Sept. 10,1855 ; fourteen years later, his wife died ; they had nine children; Mrs. Mann was the sixth child and was born Oct. 1, 1841. After his marriage, our subject located in Centerville, where he lived nine years, and in 1875 moved to his present homestead of fifty acres on which he has a good house, barns, &c.; his farm is well improved. Mr. Mann is a Republican; has held the office of Township Trustee six or seven years; is at present a member of the Board of Education ; is also a Director of the Delaware Co. Agricultural Society ; is a member of Galena Lodge, No. 404, I. O. O. F.; Mr. and Mrs. Mann belong to the M. E. Church. They have two children-Arthur C., born Aug. 14, 1870, and Jasper D. Feb. 5, 1876. ABIJAH MANN (deceased); was born near Paterson, N. J., July 22, 1813, and remained there with his father until 18 years of age. They lived on a farm, business was burning charcoal and cutting hoop-poles. Having heard much of the then new country West, the subject decided to leave the hills of New Jersey, and, knowing it would be useless to ask for the consent of his parents, he and a younger brother ran off and hired to a man that was coming West with stock, and in 1835 landed in Licking Co., Ohio, where he commenced working by the month, but in a short time their father, Shoah Mann, came out to take them back, but Abijah would consent only on condition that his father would sell out and move to Ohio, and having found it a better country than he expected, he consented; so they returned to their native place, the father to get ready to come West, and the son worked as an apprentice at masonry ; the. following year Shoah Mann, with his family, located in Franklin Co., where he served twenty-one years as Township Justice of the Peace, and though his schooling amounted to but eleven days, he never in the twenty-one years had his decision reversed or set aside. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They had twelve children; he died in August, 1865 ; his wife died a few years later; her maiden name was Nancy Oldham, her father was a captain in the war of independence, and afterwards served as Constable nine years, as Justice of the Peace five years; as Sheriff three years; was also a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Uhurch. After coming to Ohio, our subject married Betsey A. Adams; soon after marriage he went to Chicago, Ill., where he worked at his trade and helped build the first brick house built in the city; while there he was offered forty acres of land as a present if he would locate there, but would not, but returned to Harlem Township, Delaware Co., and commenced housekeeping, and made most of his furniture; he continued farming and working at his trade until 1852, then went to Iowa and bought 750 acres of land, and went on to California to make the money to pay for it; returned in 1854, and found his land in Iowa had trebled in value; he traded 240 acres of it for 110 acres located one-quarter of a mile west of Center Village; on which he remained until his death, Jan. 16,1864; his wife died in 1856 ; they had ten children-Abijah, born in 1836, died in 1838 ; the second child, Silas J. Mann, whose sketch appears in this work; Lucy A., born July 4, 1841, and in September, 1859, married Davis W. Swickard ; they have three children and live in Pike Co., Ohio; Newton, born March 19, 1844, when 17 entered the Ohio Wesleyan University, and for five years, taught and attended school, after which he spent one season lecturing in the cities of the State; in 1866, went to Kansas, locating at Leavenworth, where he commenced teaching school and reading law under Judge Gardner, was admitted in 1868. December, 1871, married Elizabeth Wambough; they have three children; after marriage located in Tonganoxie where he served as Police Judge ; in 1876, was elected Judge of Leavenworth Co., and again moved to the county seat where he still remains in practice; he is also a minister of the Christian Church. The fifth child, Henry L., was born June 7,1847 ; when 18, he left home, went to Hardin Co., where he clerked in a store for a time, then returned to Delaware Co., where he taught his first school, and by teaching and attending school he obtained a good education, he then read medicine with Dr. Andrews, of Westerville ; February, 1875, he graduated with second honors, from Starling Medical College, of Columbus, 844 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: and the same year he located in Wapakoneta, in Auglaize Co., and June 6, 1877, he married Frances E., daughter of Dr. Ingerham, of Coshocton, she being a graduate in music; she is now teaching. The sixth child, Medary D., born Oct. 15, 1850 ; at 21 entered school at Reynoldsburg, there attending Otterbein University, of Westerville ; in 1875, he went to Kansas where he taught school nine months; in the fall of 1875, he entered the law school of Ann Arbor, where he graduated in March, 1877; located in Paulding, Ohio, and in 1878 was elected Prosecuting Attorney of Paulding Co.; Oct. 10, 1878, married Alice McMillen; , they are members of the Presbyterian Church. The seventh child, Nathan A., born Aug. 24, 1852. at 20 years of age engaged in the sewing machine and organ trade, one year; then attended school at Westerville, and in 1875 with his brother he entered the law school of Ann Arbor, graduated in March, 1877, located in Leavenworth, Kan., and with his brother is in practice there under the firm name of Mann &, Mann. Isadora N., the eighth child, born Feb. 11, 1855, at 18 entered the Otterbein University of Westerville ; in 1877 taught select school, at Center Village, also chosen :, Superintendent of the Methodist Episcopal Sabbath School; is now making her home with her brother, R. J. Mann, of Harlem Township. The ninth child, Norman N., deceased. Nancy E., born Aug. 18, 1861, she also attended school at Westerville; in 1877 went to Leavenworth, Kan., where she is now devoting her time to the study of music ; she is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, THOMAS H. MARRIOTT, farmer and stockraiser ; P. O. Harlem ; is a son of H. Marriott, who was born July 21, 1779, in 'Maryland, where he remained until 32 years old. About the year 1800, he was married to Mary Ridgely ; she was born March 3, 1783 ; after his marriage, he remained on a farm in that State until 1811, when he came to Ohio, locating in Licking Co., where he settled on 200 acres of land, on which he remaind two years; the town of Utica is now situated on that land ; after selling that he bought 640 acres in Eden Township, in the same county, on which he remained until his death, which took place Aug. 29, 1847. He had for many years been a member of the M. E. Church. Some eleven years later, March 29, 1858, his wife died. She was also a member of the M. E. Church, having united with the church when 14 years old ; they had eleven children, seven of whom are still living ; the subject was their seventh child, and was born Dec. 24, 1814 ; his younger days were spent working on the farm, and attending school some during the winter, though most of his studying was done at home ; the school he did attend was in the old-time schoolhouses, a description of which will be found in ;mother portion of this work ; his schooling amounted to less than twenty months; he remained at home working for his father until 24 years old. Sept. 20, 1838, he was united in marriage to Drusilla, daughter of Cory and Mary McClelland ; he was a native of Greene Co., Penn., and was born Oct. 25, 1772 ; his wife was also a native of Pennsylvania, and was born Oct. 2, 1784 ; he came to Ohio in 1833, located in Licking Co., where he died March 27, 1856: his wife had preceded him to the grave some three years, she having met her death by a horse running away, and throwing her out, from the effects of which she died in a few hours. They were members of the Christian Church. They had fifteen children. Mrs. Marriott was the twelfth child, and was born Jan. 18, 1822.. After their marriage, the subject located on his farm in Eden Township, Licking Co., which contained 218 acres, on which he remained until 1863. when he sold out and moved to Delaware Co., and bought his present homestead of 211 acres, on which he bas nice farm-buildings. He cast his first vote for Martin Van Buren, and has since remained in the Democratic party ; for eleven years was Township Clerk ; has filled the offices of Township Trustee, Land Appraiser, etc They have had ten children, nine of whom still survive-Cory M, born Out. 21, 1840. In 1861, he enlisted in the 76th O. V. I, as a private, but was promoted from time to time. and when mustered out was Brevet Major, and fur eighteen months was on the staff of Gen. Charles R. Wood. He is now married and living in Alabama; he has two children-Mary A., born April 3, 1842, and is now , Mrs. G. W. Williams, and lives in Centerville ; she has two children-Madison H., born July 12, 1843, he was also in the 76th O. V. I, from which he was discharged, and re-enlisted in the 11th Conn. V .I., was captured at Petersburg; was seven months in Andersonville, and four months in other prisons. Is now married; has one child, and lives in Columbus. Greenburg J., born Dec. 18, 1844, was a Drum Major in the 88th O. V. I. Is now married and lives in Columbus, where he is practicing law; Francis M., born Sept. 5, 1847, is an attorney of Delaware; is married and has one child. In 1879, HARLEM TOWNSHIP. - 845 was elected State Senator. Bowen H., born April 10, 1849 ; is married and lives in Harlem ; has two children ; is traveling for an agricultural firm. Elmas W., born Sept. 5, 1851, has two children, but, having lost his wife, he with his children makes his home with his parents. Randolph R., born Aug. 3, 1856, and Allie M., born Oct. 20, 1864, are with their parents. Mr. Marriott keeps a liberal amount of stock on his farm ; he has also a nice bee-yard of fifty or sixty stands. ARCHIBALD C. NEEDELS, SR., farmer ; P. O. Center Village ; born Aug. 5, 1800, in the south part of Indiana; his father, John Needels, was born in Sussex Co., Delaware, in September, 1779 ; from Delaware he went to Indiana when a young man, and there married Sarah Campbell in 1797, and, in 1803, moved to Fairfield Co., Ohio, and bought fifty acres of land, on which he built a small cabin, and remained there several years ; he then moved to Franklin; in 1812, while getting out timber to build a log house, he was hurt by a falling tree, from the effects of which he died in a short time, his death occurring during the total eclipse of the sun in the year 1812 ; he was a member of the M. E. Church; by his death, his wife was left alone with a number of small children (the oldest being only 14 years old), and in an almost destitute condition, though by hard work she raised her children, and lived to see them well settled ; she died in 1847, in her 67th year; they had seven children, three of whom are still living-Nancy, born in July, 1802, and is now Mrs. Hudson, and lives in Auglaize Co., Ohio ; Elijah, born in February, 1806, and living in Atchison Co., Mo. Our subject was the second child, and was 3 years old when his parents moved to Ohio, was 12 years old at his father's death, and worked for his mother until 1816 ; his work was mostly in timber, and, when 15 and 16 years old, would make his 200 rails a day from the stump; during his early life, wild game was plentiful, such as deer, turkeys, wolves, wild hogs, etc.; with one gun that he owned, he killed twentythree deer, having killed as many as three a day, beside other game; when 16 years old, he commenced doing for himself, and, for seven years, he worked nine months during the year, and attended school three months. April 20, 1823, he was married to Nancy, daughter of J. and Rachel Kile, of Kentucky, where she was born in May, 1803 ; after his marriage, our subject remained in Franklin Co. two years and then moved to Delaware Co.; March 23, 1825, he located on his present homestead, which was then covered with heavy timber,; he bought 100 acres, and for it paid $150 ; he continued to add to it until he owned 400 acres, but during the panic of 1847, he lost about three-quarters of his property, and, during the same year, he lost his wife ; they had twelve children, three of whom died in childhood. Sept. 25, 1848, he married his present wife, Julia A., daughter of Benson and Annie E. Wilmoth, of Union Co., where Mrs. Needels was born Jan. 6, 1829 ; her mother died when she was quite young her father married again, and at 10 years of age she left home and supported herself until her marriage to the subject ; by his last wife he has had fourteen children ; seven of them died in childhood ; Mr. Needles is the father of twenty-six children ; twelve of them are now living; though he lost the most of his property in 1847, he has accumulated until he now owns 325 acres of good land with a good farm, residence, barns, sheds, etc., also has several tenement houses on his land ; he also has his farm well stocked with cattle, hogs and sheep; in addition to what he now owns, he has given his first wife's children property, either in land or money, all of which he has made by hard work, never having had any money or property given him, and though 80 years old, he is yet as active in business and work as men usually at 60 ; Mr. Needels cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson, and continued to vote with the Democratic party until 1840 ; since that time has been with the Republican party ; has held the position of Trustee and other township offices, and was Supervisor at the time of locating and working many of the public roads; he was a member of the M. E. Church for eighteen years and was class-leader in that body. WILLIAM B. ORNDORFF, farmer and breeder of fine stock; P. O. Center Village. His father, Joseph Orndorff, was a native of Virginia, who was born Sept. 8, 1799, and remained with his parents, Jonathan and Priscilla, until his marriage, Sept. 12, 1819, to Elizabeth Brell, when he located in Frederick Co., Va., and in 1854 came to Harlem Township, where he died Nov. 21, 1877. His wife is now living with Wm. B. They had seven children-Catharine A., Elisha F., Harriet S., Joseph M., Rachel H., Robert F., William B. Catharine married John McElwee, and was the mother of nine children, and died in September, 1864 ; the others still survive. The subject was the youngest, and was born Dec. 11, 1834, in Virginia, and came with his parents to 846 - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: Ohio Dec. 31, 1856. He was married to Catharine, daughter of Jeremiah Loren, a native of New Jersey, born Aug. 5, 1805. In 1826, was married to Elizabeth Wright. She was born in New Jersey July 5, 1808. Shortly after their marriage, they came to Plain Township, Franklin Co., where Mrs. Loren died in 1840. They had six children; five of them are still living. Mrs. Orndorff was the fifth child, born Aug. 20, 1835. They have four children living-Charles R., born Oct. 1, 1857, is now married and lives in Harlem Township; Frank C., born April 20, 1863 ; Joseph W., Feb. 18, 1866, and Elizabeth, born Jan. 31, 1870 ; they lost a pair of twin girls in infancy. Charles R. married Ophelia Bennett, and lives in Harlem Township ; the other children are with their parents. Mr. Orndorff and wife are members of the Christian Church. The first farm bought in Delaware Co. by Mr. Orndorff, was sixty-five acres, located one and a half miles northeast of Centerville. In 1876, he bought his present homestead, which contains 142 acres, and located one half mile west of Centerville, on which he has a nice brick residence, with good barns, sheds, etc., and with a young orchard of about 450 trees. In addition to his farming, he is breeder of thoroughbred short-horn cattle, and Percheron-Norman horses. He is the owner of Gray Duke, a dapple-gray thoroughbred, imported Percheron stallion. Mr. Orndorff has a yearling colt of his that weighs 1,275 pounds. BENJAMIN PAUL, farmer; P. O. Center Village; is a son of Nathan and Henrietta (Bell) Paul. His parents were born in Pennsylvania, and emigrated to Ohio at an early day. They settled in Knox Co. They came to Delaware Co. about 1837, settling in Harlem Township. Had three children. Mr. Paul was born Dec. 24, 1834, in Knox Co., where he remained until his parents came to Delaware. He spent his younger days attending school and working on a farm, and on April 28, 1857, he was married to Elizabeth Cockrell, a daughter of James Cockrell. They have no children of their own, but have raised several for other people. They settled after marriage where they now live. They own 121 acres of well-improved land, which was given them by their parents. He makes a specialty of fine sheep. Has held offices of Assessor and Trustee. Wife is member of Disciples Church. Paid out $900 for the war. Votes the Democratic ticket, and takes great interest in the township affairs. U. L. WAMBAUGH, teacher; Center Village ; is the only child of Paul and Sibbie (,Loren) Wambaugh. His father was born in Preble Co. about 1819, and subsequently came to Champaign Co., and, in about 1848, settled in Westerville, where he followed the double occupation of carpenter and preacher; his mother was born Nov. 27, 1833 ; they were married in 1855, she being his second wife ; the father died Oct. 12, 1858 ; the mother moved some time afterward to Columbus, where she engaged in the millinery business ; in 1864, she came to Center Village, carrying on the same business; her father, Jeremiah Loren, is now living in Berkshire Township; her mother died when she was small, and was the mother of seven children-Peter, Rachel, Archibald, Sibbie, Catharine and Permelia, and an infant died unnamed. U. L. was born May 8,1858, and, at the age of 15, hired out by the month on a farm ; at 17 years of age, he began teaching school in what is `known as the Knox District in this township, and has taught every winter since ; in September, 1879, he began teaching at Center Village, where he has a school averaging about twenty-seven scholars. July 11, 1878, he was married to Miss Elnora E., a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Short) Cutler ; she was born June 1, 1858, in Galena, and was one of nine children-Farron, Elnora E., William, Judson, Frederick, Claudius, Arlington, Flavius and Nellie. Mr. and Mrs. Wambaugh are members of the Christian Church, of which he is now Treasurer ; he has taken deep interest in the temperance work, and votes the Republican ticket. (RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)