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BIOGRAPHICAL - Continued
Orange S. Hatch, farmer, son of Ebenezer and Cynthia (Green) Hatch, is a native of New York, where he was married. She was a native of Connecticut. They were parents of ten children, of whom six are living. Mr. Hatch came to this county, in 1822, and located about two miles south of Jamestown, where he lived the remainder of his life. He bought forty acres of land for one hundred and sixty-two dollars and seventy-five cents, for which he could not pay at the time of purchase; but by good management and industry, he finally paid for it, and added to it, until he had a farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres well improved - on which he died, January 2, 1874, aged eighty-eight years. Mrs. Hatch. also died there, January 11, 1845, aged sixty-two years. When they came west, they located at Elizabethtown, Indiana, where they remained perhaps three years, then came to this county. Our subject was born August 18, 1826, on the farm where he was reared and where he now lives. He has a farm of two hundred and one acres, well improved. He was married October 22, 1856, to Miss Clarissa Thomas of Carroll County, Ohio. She is a native of Jefferson County, daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (McDowell) Thomas. Four children are the result of this union: Emma O., John T., Minnie B., and Charlie G., all of whom are living, save John, who died September 24, 1863, was born January 28, 1859. Emma was Married to Allen T. Sutton, January 7, 1875. They have one child, John E.. Mr. and Mrs. Hatch, and Emma, are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity of Jamestown.
Jonathan Jenkins, merchant, Jamestown, was born in Jefferson County, October 9, 1808, where he was reared. In his twenty-second year, he came to Clarke County via. McConnelsville, to which place he walked; thence to Marietta, and to Cincinnati by boat; thence to South Charleston via. Xenia, arriving April 26, 1830. He was engaged as clerk in a dry goods and grocery store six months, then he bought an interest in the business of his employer, Charles Paist, and remained with him until 1833. He then came to Jamestown, where he has since lived. Was twice married, first to Miss Ann Dawson, a sister of Drs. Dawson, of Cincinnati and Columbus, May 1834. Seven Children are the result of this union, Charles P., Elizabeth, George, Mary, Harriet, William, and Samuel. George is the only surviving one. Mrs. Jenkins died November 4, 1844. He then married Latitia Paullin, September 19, 1847. He had seven children by this marriage: Minerva A., David, Edwin, Charlie, Lillie, Pollie A., and Lucy. Minerva and David are deceased. The mother died September 16, 1873. Mr. Jenkins was elected justice of the peace about 1856, and served about three years, but preferring to live a more quiet life, refused to accept any other office. He is a respected citizen of this place, where he has built a reputation as a business man, and has made many friends. His wife was a member of the Campbellite Church; the second wife of the New Light Church. George served three years in Company E. Illinois Volunteer Infantry; was first lieutenant of United States Volunteer Infantry; served two years, and then resigned the office. David was killed at Richmond, Indiana, by a railroad train, October 13, 1873. William served three years in the rebellion in the Twelfth Ohio Volunteer Infantry; was killed in Arizona by the Indians, October 14, 1877.
Smith Jenks, farmer and stock dealer, Jamestown, is a native of this county; was born January 1, 1845, and is a son of Levi and Elizabeth (Sanders) Jenks, residents of Fayette County, where they were married in 1822. They had a family of eight children - our subject being the third - seven still living. Our subject was married in Fayette County, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Enos and Ennice (Ross) Harper, October, 1845. Two children, Alice J., and Levi E., both living, are the result of this union. Mr. Jenks has a farm of fifty acres, well improved, situated three miles east of Jamestown, where he lives. He is one of Silver Creek Township’s prominent stock dealers - trades in all kinds of stock. He served three months in the rebellion in Company C, Fifth Ohio Cavalry. Was in several heavy battles, and came home without a wound.
Edwin O. Johnson, farmer, Jamestown, was born in Highland County, on the fourth day of November, 1811, and is a son of Pleasant and Nancy Johnson. His parents are both natives of Virginia; they were married there, and moved to Ohio in an early day, settling in Highland County, ten miles southeast of Hillsborough, and lived there twenty years; they then moved to this county, settled near Jamestown, and lived upon that place for twenty years; then they moved upon the farm our subject now owns and lives upon, two and one-half miles east of Jamestown. His parents are both deceased; his mother was a member of the Friends’ Church. Our subject’s boyhood was spent upon the farm with his father; his education was revived in a log school house, and His advantages were meager. The school house had but one window, and it was a poor excuse, being a small hole cut in the side of the house and a greased paper placed over it to admit the light. He was married in December, 1833, to Hannah Watson. Nine children have been born to them: Pascal L., Theodore F., W. W., Louisa J., Enos L., Pleasant O., Mary, Jacob, and John W., all living, save the two last named. Some of them are married and doing well, and the others are with the old folks upon the farm. Mr. Johnson owns a fine farm of one hundred and seventy-five acres, under a high state of cultivation.
David D. Johnson, Baptist minister, was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, October 21, 1816, and is the son of James and Hannah Johnson. His father was a native of Virginia, and his mother of Pennsylvania. His father came to Ohio more than eighty years ago, when the state was a vast wilderness, and settled on Short Creek, in Belmont County, where he remained but a short time, as he was a Methodist minister, and was moved from place to place, wherever his conference saw fit to send him. Nine children were the fruits of this union, of whom two sons and three daughters are still living. Our subject, David, is next to the youngest. Mrs. Johnson died some forty years ago; her husband surviving her some thirty years, and dying in February, 1869. Thus passed away one of the early ministers, whose life was not one of ease, but hard and constant labor. Our subject passed his boyhood days with his father, and was raised to hard work. The rudiments of his education were obtained at the schools of the period. Was married in 1836, to Mahala Wolf, of Richland County, whose parents, both deceased, were very wealthy. Our subject was a carpenter by trade, and followed that occupation for some years. In 1850, he was ordained by a Baptist council, in Richland County. In the fall of that year he moved into the bounds of the Auglaize Association, and received his first charge in Willshire, Van Wert County. In about six months he moved from there to the Mad River Association, and from there to this county, where he has labored for twenty years, under the auspices of the Clinton Association. These associations have received all his regular services. By this marriage he has raised ten children to manhood and womanhood, eight of whom are now living. Two sons were in the army, where one sacrificed his life.
William Johnson, farmer, Jamestown, is a son of Ashley and Elizabeth (Shields) Johnson, and was born in Clinton County, this state, April 9, 1821. Came to this county in 1846, and located on the farm where he now lives, which consists of one hundred and twelve acres. He had two hundred and twenty -seven acres before he divided among his children. He was married in this township, to Miss. Abigail Shack, a daughter of Samuel and Abigail (McFarland) Shack, February 14, 1844. Four children are the result of this union: James A., Francis M., Charlie M., and Cyrus H., all of whom are living, and all are married but Cyrus, who is at home with his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are worthy members of the Baptist Church, he uniting in 1849, and she about 1840, and are good citizens. Their parents were also members of that denomination.
Elizabeth (Chalmers) Lackey, retired, Jamestown, is a daughter of John and Isabella (Turnbull) Chalmers; was born in Miami Township, this County, March 23, 1830; removed with her parents to Ross Township, when three years of age, where she was reared, and where she married N. G. Lackey, October 29, 1846. There were eight children born to them: Issac N., Isabella, Margaret A., Johnanna, John G., Nannie M., Ross B., and Frank E. C., five living; Isaac, Johanna, and John, deceased, dying of diphtheria in November , 1860. That year was one of sadness to this family. Mrs. Lackey’s step-mother, who had been a mother to her, died in March; Mr. Lackey was thrown from a horse in June, receiving internal injuries, which resulted in his death, September 29, 1872. Mrs. Lackey’s died in November 1844. When Mr. and Mrs. Lackey were married, they had no money; but by their industry and good management accumulated quite a fortune. The estate, after Mr. Lackey’s death, was worth $2,000 in cash, and one hundred and sixty acres of land, where they lived. Mrs. Lackey would, with the butter and eggs, keep the table provided, and also the general wants of the home. The education that the children received, aside from common schools, Mrs. Lackey paid the expenses of out of her own earnings, doing it from choice. Maggie attended school in Xenia, and Nannie is there at this writing. Mrs. Lackey has a good residence in Jamestown, where she lives, and one hundred and sixty acres of land (the home farm) in Ross Township. Mrs. Lackey and the children are all members of the Methodist Protestant Church, as was also her husband.
Eliab Lathen, farmer, son of Bela and Mary A. Lathen, was born in Fayette County, Ohio, August 17, 1835, and was reared and educated at that place. Came to this county in 1863, where on the 24th of March, 1859, he had married Miss Virginia Hargrave, a daughter of Herbert H. and Millie Hargrave. In 1868 he moved to Fayette County, where he remained until 1874, and then returned to this county, where he has since remained. They have had eight children, five of whom are living: Bela F., Charles, W. A.., Margaret J., and Delia M., Levi L., Ida E., and Delia, deceased. They died at the respective ages of two months, three weeks, and ten months. Mr. Lathen has a farm of one hundred and seventy-two acres, well improved, where he lives, and two hundred and nine acres in Jefferson Township. The latter property is the result of his wife’s industry and economy.