"In 1845 I went to Middletown, to live with my half-brother and go to school. Soon after my arrival I determined to visit my brother at Carlisle, and on the 9th of November, on Sunday, I started on foot, arriving the same evening about dusk, having traveled twenty-six miles, tired, hungry and with six and a quarter cents in my pocket, this being my entire capital. My brother wished me to remain near him, and the following Tuesday succeeded in getting me a situation as clerk and errand boy in J.E. & C.A. Boyd's store, for which I received my board and clothes. I remained with them till the fall of 1846, when my brother procured me a situation with William McPherson of Carlisle, as clerk and errand-boy, for which I received $40 per year; at the close of the year I had due me of this salary $25. In the winter of 1846-7 my brother caught a severe cold, which resulted in quick consumption, and he left Carlisle about the first of April and went ot his half-brother's at Middletown, where he lingered on till July 7, 1847, when he died, and was buried beside his father in the cemetary at Fairview. He had been a father to me while in Carlisle, and his loss was more than that of a brother. I was left a boy of fifteen, without a protector, without a guide; but, thanks to the early training of a religious mother, I was enabled to shun the vices and resist the temptations of which Carlisle had an abundant stock. After leaving William McPherson I clerked for J.E. & C.A. Boyd eight months, then for John R. Wharton for one month. I then left Carlisle and joined my mother, at my uncle's, near Somerton, Belmont County. My mother and I now made arrangements to take a house in Fairview, where we were to reside. It was my intention at this time to study medicine with James Warfield. We accordingly moved to Fairview in June, 1848, and I commenced going to school preparatory to entering upon my medical studies. In a few months we found it impossible, with our limited means, to carry out our design, so we gave up our house and returned to Knox County again. We visited among relatives two months when, becoming tired of doing nothing, I set about looking for work. I succeeded in getting a clerkship in the store of William Reed, of Mt. Vernon, who sold out two months after, leaving me again in the cold. I returned to my relatives and staid with them during the winter, having no permanent home, going to school with the children of the relative with whom I was staying, and changing my place of abode frequently. In the spring of 1849, being anxious to obtain employment, I wrote to B.L. Mott, of Carlisle, asking for a clerkship in his store; receiving a favorable reply I started at once. After clerking for him three months, I engage with Elias Ayles to learn the tinner's trade, thinking I should like to be a tinner.

"After six months he failed, and I was again out of employment. In a few days I entered John R. Wharton's store again, in which I remained four months; then, to accommodate a friend in want of a place, I gave up my situation to him, and found employment with B.L. Mott once more. This was in the spring of 1850. After staying with him three months I engaged with C.A. Boyd, who in the fall of 1850 left Carlisle and went to Macksburg, Washington County, I going with him as partner. We staid there about nine months, when, for want of a store room, Mr. Boyd went to Beverly, byring out my interest. I remained with him as clerk. A month after his removal to Beverly I was sent to Carlisle on a collecting tour, and while there was solicited by S.J. Boyd to come and clerk for him. More on account of some other attractions than the salary offered, I engaged with him, going back to Beverly to report proceedings. In a few days I returned and entered upon my duties as clerk for S.J. Boyd, with whom I remained till the fall of 1853. I never received any big pay for clerking - never more than $12.50 per month. In the fall of 1853, having accumulated by wages and trading the sum of $600, I entered into partnership with Mr. Boyd in the mercantile business.

"On the 16th of October, 1853, I married Martha Enochs, daughter of Abraham and Mary Enochs, Abraham being the son of Elisha Enochs, one of the pioneers of the East Fork of Duck Creek. His wife's maiden name was Nancy Archer. They had eleven children, eight boys and three girls. The boys were Henry, Abijah, Abraham, Simon, Cornelius, Samuel, Isaac and John; the girls were Cynthia, Susan and Nancy. Abraham married Mary McBride, whose father, John McBride, was one of the old pioneers, and whose mother was one of the Crow girls who were attacked by the Indians on Wheeling Creek, as related elsewhere in this work, and her two sisters slain. The children of John McBride were William, John, Martin, Jacob, Michael, George, Susan, Nancy, Christine, Mary and Elizabeth. Abraham and Mary Enochs had nine children: John, Richmond, Benjamin and Edward; Martha (wife of the subject of this sketch), Mary, Christine, Nancy and Margaret. Martha was born near Carlisle, January 28, 1834, where she resided until her marriage. She, like myself, had labored under many difficulties in obtaining but a limited education. She has been a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church since she was eleven years of age. Soon after our marriage we settled in Carlisle, and in August, 1854, I purchased S.J. Boyd's interest in the store, thereby contracting a large debt, one that staid with us for ten or twelve years. I bought considerable tobacco, had many ups and downs in my mercantile career, sometimes suffering losses I feared I could never recover from; but by being hard to discourage, diligent in my business, and having in S.J. Boyd a constant and untiring friend, I finally succeeded in ridding myself of my debts. While I continued in the mercantile business, twenty years in all, I prospered. I had at one time a branch store at Cameron, W. Va. In the time I was in active business I have had five partners - Leonard Orme, I. C Phillips, P.C. McGovern, A.R. Phillips and J.S. Prettyman, and nine clerks - I.C. Phillips, John Penn, David Gordon, R.F. Phillips, P.C. McGovern, George Neiswanger, Israel Archer, J.S. Prettyman and Jesse Lanam. We have been blessed with three children: Rilla A., born July 28, 1854; Sadie E., born November 1, 1858, and Ella, born February 10, 1864.

"My mother came from Knox County in 1854, and made my house her home until she died, March 7, 1861. Her remains lied in the cemetary at Fairview.

"November 14, 1872, Rilla was married to J.S. Prettyman. She and her husband reside in Carlisle. Two children were born to them - Franklin L. and Willie P. April 19, 1881 Rilla died, leaving her husband and two small children, and on the 10th day of the following September the youngest child, Willie P., followed his mother to the angel land. Both mother and son were buried in Carlisle cemetary. September 6, 1882, Ella was married to R.W. Smith. They have two children: one boy, Frank P., and one girl, Grace. On the 25th of February, 1883, Sadie E. was married to A.W. Barnes. She died June 24, 1883. She was buried in the cemetary at Carlisle.

"I have been associated with a company organized to test the territory in the vicinity of Carlisle for oil. The company was organized some two years ago. We leased several thousand acres of land, and put down four test wells, all of which were failures.

"I own seven hundred acres of land besides the fifteen acres belonging to my town residence. I have been school director for some twenty years; postmaster for four years; and treasurer of the township more than twenty years. With one exception, I have always voted the Republican ticket."

It is but justice to Mr. Penn, and to those who know him best, to add that but few men stand higher in the public esteem in all that is essential to good citizenship. Commencing life at the bottom round of the ladder, he has won success solely through his own personal efforts in all the departments of life. He is one of those gentlemen whose identification with any community is always productive of good.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Stock

Stephen M. Archer, son of James and Cynthia Archer, was born June 28, 1838, on the land entered and owned by his grandfather, near the site now occupied by the town of East Union, Noble County, Ohio.

His father, eldest son of James, Sr., was born in 1805, and came to Ohio from Greene County, Pa., when four years of age. He married Cynthia Morris, who was born in 1809, a grand-niece of Robert Morris, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and daughter of Isaac Morris. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopan church, in which he zealously labored as exhorter and preacher for many years, doing much good for the church in those early times. He died August 14, 1856. His wife survived him several years. She also was an earnest Christian, and on the 5th of March, 1884, fell asleep in the hopes of a happy resurrection.

A local newspaper says:
"Died, March 5, 1884, Mrs. Cynthia Archer, wife of Rev. James Archer. She raised a family of thirteen children - seven boys and six girls. The loved and loving sister, wife, mother and friend died where womanhood's morning sun touches the evening star, while the shadow's were falling toward the west. She had passed on life's highway the stone that marks the seventy-fourth year, four months and twenty days, but being weary for a moment, she lay down by the wayside, and using her burden for a pillow, fell into the dreamless sleep that kissed down her eyelids still. Yet, after all, it may be best; the end of each and all, and every life, no matter if its every hour is rich with love, and every moment jeweled with a joy, will, at its close, be a sad and deep and dark mystery. This tender woman in every storm of life was brave, but in the sunshine she was vine and flowers. She was the friend of the poor. She left all spite and malice far below, while on her forehead fell the dawning of a grander day. She sided with the weak, and with a willing hand gave alms with a kind heart, and with the purest hands she faithfully discharged all her duties. She added to the sum of human joy, and were every one for whom she did some kind and loving service to bring flowers to her grave, she would sleep beneath a wilderness of flowers. She leaves a family of six children, and two brothers and many friends to mourn her loss."

They had thirteen - seven boys and six girls. The boys were George W., John W., Stephen M., Isaac B., James, Jonas and Robert, of whom Stephen M. and Isaac B. are living. The girls were Amelia, Sophia, Celia, Elizabeth, Catharine and Cynthia, of whom Celia and Cynthia are stil living. Stephen M. married Rachel, daughter of Cyrus and Lucinda Matheny, Mary 7, 1857. She was born July 29, 1840. Their children are Lucinda L., born February 18, 1858, died June 26, 1858; Mary E., born March 2, 1859, died August 19, 1859; Martin B., born August 26, 1860, married Arabell A., daughter of Joseph and Caroline Rutherford, October 29, 1881, by whom he has two children (Bertie May, born September 11, 1883, and Jessie Rosa, born Mary 16, 1885). He is a Marion Township farmer. Milton W. was born March 19, 1862. He has taught several terms of school, but is now engaged in the mercantile business in East Union, where he has a good store-room filled with a fine selection of merchandise. Odell was born April 11, 1864, died September 21, 1864; Martha born December 15, 1865, died March 13, 1867; Neal born December 5, 1867, died May 20, 1868; Rosa, born July 6, 1869, is a teacher; Cicero M., born August 12, 1871 and Esther L. and Eastman W., twins, born September 9, 1873; Stephen M., born October 17, 1880. Mr. Archer received one hundred acres of land from his father's estate, but his father afterward becoming somewhat involved, he paid $1,000 for him, which was near one-half the value of the land inherited. To the tract mentioned he has now added from time to time, until he now has four hundred acres of as fine agricultural and pasture lands as can be found on the East Fork of Duck Creek, a stream noted for the fertility of the soil in the country bordering on its banks. As an example of thrifty farming we will give one instance told us by Mr. Archer. In 1871 he bought one hundred acres of land, and borrowed the money of William J. Young to pay for it, going in debt $6,000, and paying ten per cent interest. In four years he had his land paid for, and was out of debt. When we remember the panic of 1873 this is a remarkable example of successful financiering under adverse conditions, which requires sound judgment and keen penetration. He has been somewhat extensively engaged in dealing in stock, horses, cattle and hogs, for many years, and is one of the few who have made money at it. He tells a good story of one of his early deals: "Whe I was about fifteen years old," says he, "my father sent me out one day to look up some fat hogs four or five miles from home. I chanced upon a man who said he had three for sale. Dismounting and going to his lot, I found three very fine hogs, which would weigh, as I judged, 250 pounds, or upward. I inquired the price. After much hemming and hawing, he wanted me to make him an offer. I told him I would give him $12 for them; he said he could not take it; he had decided that nothing less than $10 would buy them. I told him I would not give it, but I would split the difference with him and give him $9, which he finally consented to take, and I drove the hogs home." In 1862, in partnership with Naaman Harris, he engaged in the mercantile business in East Union, but went out in 1866. He has bought tobacco since 1860, averaging, he thinks, sixty-five hogs-heads per year.

Mr. Archer, like most men of his age, had very few educational advantages in his youth, but judging by the facility with which he attends to his varied business interests, he improved them to their utmost. He is not only a liberal supporter of schools, but an earnest advocate of advanced thought in all literary and scientific departments. Upon his center table we found, beside the Bible, Darwin's complete works, a noted orthodix paper and the Boston Investigator. In politics he is a Republican, yet charitable in his strictures upon parties and policies. Mr. Archer occupies the old homestead, the home of his father and grandfather, the buildings of which are in a remarkable state of preservation, though standing for half a century; by having good foundations and by a liberal use of paint they seem little the worse for wear. His has been a busy and a useful life. Beginning as a poor boy, by industry and economy he has accumulated considerable wealth, and while his varied business transactions have brought him in contact with men of all classes, yet so honorable have been his dealings with his fellow-men, that he has the esteem and confidence of all who know him.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Stock

Thomas McGovern was born in County Cavan, Ireland, October 25, 1841. His father, Patrick McGovern, came to this country in 1836. In 1839 he returned to his native country, but in 1842 he decided to make the United States his future home, and with his family came to Guernsey County, Ohio, where, in company with his brother-in-law, Peter Cornyn, he engaged in making macadamized roads. He died in Bellefontaine, Ohio, September 23, 1845, leaving his widow, nee Mary McGuire, whom he married in 1831, in very limited circumstances, with the care of seven children - Margaret, Bridget, Mary, Terrence, Thomas, Ellen and P.C. With her family she removed to what is now East Union, Noble County, where she died September 10, 1865. The early life of Thomas was attended with many hardships; his education was limited to a few weeks at the district school in winter. His twenty-first year he signalized by enlisting in Company D, Ninety-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He participated in every battle and skirmish in which his regiment was engaged up to July, 1864, at which time his sight became so impaired that he was sent to the general hospital, where he remained until April, 1865, when he rejoined his company. He was in the battles of Hoover's Gap, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca and other minor engagements. He was mustered out of the service in June, 1865, and returned to his home. For several years he was engaged in farming, but owing to ill-health he abandoned the farm and in company with his brother, P.C., he went into trade. The brothers did a successful business. In 1887 the firm was dissolved, P.C. retiring. In December, 1869, he was elected justice of the peace and has served continually ever since. November 30, 1865, he was married to Mrs. Mary A. Smith, daughter of Absalom Archer. By this union there was one child, Rhoda E. In 1872 Mrs. McGovern died, and in 1874 he was married to Mrs. Sarah B. Archer, daughter of Charles Price. One child was born to them, Homer, who died July 30, 1876. In August following Mrs. McGovern died and in December, 1878 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary, daughter of Andrew McIntee, of County Cavan, Ireland. By this marriage there have been five children: Thomas W., Maggie A., Mary A., Martha E. and Clara E. In his religious and political convictions he is a Democrat and a Catholic. Two of his brothers, Terrence and Patrick C., were in the service, the former in the Twentieth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the latter in the Eighteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Terrence was captured at Atlanta, Ga., and for five months was a prisoner of war at Andersonville. P.C. was taken prisoner at Nashville, Tenn. He escaped by capturing his guard, whom he brought into camp. At the close of the war the boys returned to their home. Terrence is now a resident of Minnesota.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Stock

Abel Barnes, one of the early settlers of Noble County, was born in Freeport, Harrison County, Ohio, October 23, 1814. He was of English descent. His wife, neeCaroline Brown, whom he married in Summerfield, December 24, 1839, was of Scotch extraction, and was born near Culpepper Court House, Loudon County, Va., May 31, 1815. They had a family of seven sons and two daughters - Nathaniel B., Adam, Peter F., George B., Allen W., James S., Abel W., Margaret A. and Rhoda E. Nataniel B., the eldest of the family, was born in Marion Township, near the village of Summerfield, March 28, 1844. In 1871 he married Miss Sarah E., daughter of John and Nancy Floyd. They have two children - Edward W. and Nola; the former was born in 1879, the latter in 1885.

Adam, the second son, was born in 1846. He was a member of Company H, One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He married in Missouri, in 1873, Miss Nancy Garrett, a native of South Carolina. They have five children. He is a prominent business man of Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.

Peter F. was born in 1848. He married Miss Jeanette Dalrymple in Greene County, Ind. They have four children. George B., the fourth son, was born in 1850. Abel W. was born in 1853, and married Miss Ida Warren, of Washington County, Ohio. He is a farmer. Allen W. was born in 1856, and married Sadie E., daughter of B.F. Penn, in February , 1883. She died June 24 of the same year. James S. was born in 1859, and married Miss Kate, daughter of George and Jane Furches. He is one of the prominent business men of Pratt, Pratt County, Kan. He is a graduate of the Muskingum College, and for several years was a teacher. He was for some time county surveyor of Pratt County. The eldest daughter, Margaret, was born in 1841. She is now the wife of Bartholomew Davis, a well-to-do farmer of Greene County, Ind. They have four children. Rhoda E. married in 1865 J.F. Gant, and resides in Washington County. They have a family of eight children. Nathaniel B. is one of the representative men of Noble County. He is a Republican in politics. For nearly five years he served his fellow-townsmen as trustee, and in 1885 was elected county commissioner, which position he now holds. In religious belief he is a Methodist, and has officiated as steward, district steward and trustee. During the war he was a member of Company D, Ninety-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, from which he was transferred to the Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company H. He was in the service for nineteen months, and participated in all the engagements in which his regiments participated. He is a prominent member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Post of Summerfield.

Mr. Barnes is the possesoor of a fine farm near Carlisle, which is his home. He occupies an enviable position among the best men of the county, and is regarded by those who know him as a man of unimpeachable integrity, and is well qualified for the responsible position he occupies.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Stock

One of the earliest settlers and most prominent men was Timothy Bates. He located in what is now Seneca Township about 1805, and was probably the earliest permanent settler of the township. His father, Ephraim Bates, and several of Timothy's brothers were pioneers in other parts of the county, and are elsewhere mentioned. Timothy Bates and his brother Isaac came from Captina Creek, near the Ohio River, as soon as they dared venture into the wilderness, on account of the Indians, and entered land on section 24. They were probably here with their families in the year mentioned. Timothy Bates was born in Pennsylvania in 1778, and from him earliest years was familiar with the scenes of pioneer life. He built a mill soon after he came, in what is now Wayne Township, which was among the earliest in the county. He also had a distillery and did a thriving business. He lived to see the country, which he entered when it was a wilderness, well peopled and prosperous. His wife's maiden name was Ruth Moore, a native of Pennsylvania. They reared a large family. The names of their children were Susan (Rucker), living; Polly (Rucker), living; Abigail (Stotts), deceased; Bethel, living; Lovina (Danford), Luana (Kent), Barua, deceased; Anna (Moore), living; Ruth (Bowersock), deceased; Timothy, living, and Lafayette, Elizabeth and Nancy (Hague), deceased. Timothy Bates, Sr., was an enterprising and successful business man, and by his industry accumulated a good property. In addition to farming, milling and distilling, he bought hogs, which he drove to Baltimore, making them swim across the Ohio River. He was a member of the Christian church and sometimes preached. His distillery was a large building, and in the loft among the whiskey barrels, early religious meetings were held, the barrels of whiskey served in place of pews and pulpit. A strange place for divine services it would be in these days, but then the people saw no impropriety in bringing whiskey and religion near together.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Seneca

Hon. Bethel Bates, son of Timothy Bates, is one of the oldest natives residents of Noble County. He was born March 12, 1809, on the same section of land where he still resides, and was brought up in the then thinly settled country after the manner of children of the early settlers, wearing buckskin breches, his feet covered by moccasins in the winter and bare in the summer. In early life he assisted his father upon the farm and in the distillery. Since becoming of age he has followed farming and dealing in stock, and has been very successful in his various undertakings. In 1831 he married Mary Ann Meighen, daughter of John Meighen, an early settler who came from Fayette County, Pa., and lived and died in Seneca Township. They have reared twelve children: Abraham, Hugh, Rebecca, Harriet, Simeon, Lewis, Patrick, Herman, Rosaline, Luana, Susannah and Bethel. All are living except Lewis, who was killed by a boiler explosion in a saw-mill at Sarahsville, in the spring of 1886. Four of the sons were in the service in the late war - Abraham, Lewis, Patrick and Herman. The descendents of Mr. and Mrs. Bates are very numerous. They have 111 grand and great-grand children. Mr. Bates is well and favorably known throughout the county. He served as township treasurer and member of the school board many years. He was elected to the legislature in the fall of 1870 and served two winters. He was formerly a Whig and is now an earnest Republican.

When Bethel Bates was a boy he went with his father, his uncle Ephraim and Benjamin Farley, who had discovered some bears in a hollow tree and wished to secure them. Bethel was assigned to the duty of holding a big dog by a strap while the others cut down the tree. The dog was very anxious to get away and when the tree fell the boy let him go. As soon as the tree fell a bear jumped out; the dog attacked it, but the bear soon put an end to his annoyance, striking him a vigorous blow with his paw and knocking him over into a hollow. Ephraim Bates then shot the bear. By the time he had his gun reloaded another bear crawled out of the trunk of the tree and he also shot it. This took place near Mr. Bates' present home.

The earliest school-house in the Bates neighborhood was on the creek north of the present residence of Bethel Bates. James Tuttle was an early teacher there.

History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Seneca