History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Beaver
William Wells was born in Pennsylvania, February 24, 1825, and came to Guernsey County, settling near Quaker City. He married Elizabeth Higby, in 1878; three children of this union are living. In 1880 he married Sarah McCune; they have three children. Mr. Wells is a Democrat and a member of the United Presbyterian church.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Beaver
George T.S. Patterson enlisted in the Twenty-second Ohio Battery of Light Artillery, and was mustered into the service June 6, 1863, and remained on duty constantly with the battery until July 15, 1868, when he was mustered out of the service. When he enlisted he was fifteen years of age, and was a resident of Batesville. He entered the West Point United States Military Academy July 1, 1868, and graduated June 14, 1872; assigned as second lieutenant in the Fourteenth United States Infantry; regimental quartermaster from April 23, 1879 to June 30, 1886; promoted first lieutenant March 15, 1883. At the present time he is first lieutenant Company A, Fourteenth Infantry, station at Fort Townsend, W.T.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Beaver
H.M. Roach enlisted in Company G, Seventy-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry at Batesville, in November, 1861. He was in the engagement at Fort Donelson, Tenn., and participated in all the battles in the South, under Grant, Sherman, McPherson and Logan, up to the 4th of September, 1864. He was then made a prisoner of war and sent to Andersonville, Ga., where he remained in prison for eight months, being released at the close of the war. There are inscribed on the banner of his regiment thirty-six battles and skirmishes, among which the following are the most noted, and in all of them Mr. Roach participated: Fort Donelson, Pittsburg Landing, Corinth, Iuka, Vicksburg, Raymond, Jackson, Champion Hills, Kenesaw Mountain; Atlanta, July 22 and July 28, 1864.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Beaver
Probably the first white men who resided within the present limits of Buffalo Township were Abraham Rich, Abraham Miley and John Miley. They came in the spring of 1810, built a camp, made a small clearing, raised a few potatoes and lived there through the winter, subsisting chiefly on potatoes. In the following year they were joined by John and George Rich, brothers of Abraham. Abraham and John Miley settled in Seneca Township a few years later, and remained until they died. Abraham Rich, who was only a boy when he came, remained in Buffalo Township until he was nineteen years of age, when he married and settled in Seneca Township.
John Rich, soon after he settled, lost a couple of horses. After searching all around in vain he heard of some horses that had swam the Ohio River in Moundsville, and went in search of them. He went back to his old home in Greene County, Pa., and found them there. They had found their way home through the almost trackless wilderness, alone and unaided.
George Rich, one of the earliest pioneers, was a native of Virginia. He died in 1818. His children were Sally, Ann, Jane, Polly and Jeremiah. Jane and Jeremiah are still living. The latter is among the oldest native residents of the township. He was born on the farm where he now lives, in 1815. He married Lovina, daughter of James Reed. Three of their children are living. Mr. Rich taught school in early life. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for fifty years.
John and Abraham Rich were noted hunters. They kept dogs and hunted through all the surrounding country, killing many bears, wolves, wild cats, panthers and deer.
When these three pioneers were here alone in 1810, they were expecting friends out of Pennsylvania, and of course were anxious to welcome them. For fear that the newcomers might lose their way, they blazed trees toward Washington, Guernsey County, and in the other direction toward Barnesville, that they might have no difficulty in finding the camp.
John Miley was born in Virginia in 1801. About 1812 he came to Buffalo Township with his mother, brother and sister. His father died in Virginia. His mother married George Rich after coming here. Isaac and George Miley are still living.
George Miley was born in Seneca Township in 1830. He was reared a farmer, and has followed that occupation. In early years he hauled wheat to McConnelsville and Zanesville, and marketed it for fifty cents per bushel. Mr. Miley has served as township trustee and assessor, and is a member of the Lutheran church. He married Rebecca Finley in 1853. Children: William H. (dead), Charles H. (dead), James M., Thomas R., Jessie Belle, Mancil and Mary E.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Jacob Gregg came from Washington County, Pa., about 1806, and settled in this township, entering 160 acres of land. He died about 1853 at a ripe old age, living six children, four of whom are still living. His son Uriah was born in this county in 1810, and resided in the county during his lifetime. He served as township clerk and treasurer, and was a member of the Methodist Protestant church. He died in 1861, having accumulated a comfortable property, thought he began life with but an axe. Of his children, four are living, all in this county. Three of the sons were in the army. Samuel was in the Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and died at Camp Chase, Ohio. Jacob L. served in the One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and James M. in the One Hundred and Sixty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
John Drake came to the township about 1812. He was born in Frederick County, Va., in 1772, and in 1800 married Sarah Kackley of the same State. Their children were Nancy, who married Stephen Hickle and died at the age of seventy; Elisha, Buffalo Township, and Eliza (Williams), Mt. Ephraim. Elisha Drake was born near Winchester, Va., in 1808, and came to Ohio with his parents. In 1836 he married Rebecca Clark, a native of Guernsey County. Their children are John W., Benjamin C., Sarah M., William (deceased), Lydia J., Eliza E. and Mary A. (deceased). Elisha Drake died in 1871. His widow is still living.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Benjamin C. Drake was born in Buffalo Township, in 1839. He taught several terms of school and on the 22nd of August, 1862, enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted corporal and afterward sergeant. He was in all of the engagements of his regiment until June 5, 1864, when he was wounded and taken prisoner at Piedmont, Va. He was first wounded by a piece of shell in the right thigh. The regiment charged through the rebel works and he was again wounded in the ankle. After the regiment left he was captured by Mosby's guerillas. He was taken to Staunton, Va., and thence to Richmond. At Staunton, while getting on the cars, he fell and broke his leg. He remained at Richmond, subsisting on prison fare, until he was a mere skeleton. In September, 1864, he was exchanged and reported at Annapolis. He received furlough, and May 15, 1865, was discharged at Camp Chase, Ohio. In 1865 he married Eliza J. Halley.
Children: Charles A., Joseph B., John W., Eaton A. (deceased), Lillie A., Estella, Mary M., Elisha E. and Sarah. Mr. Drake has served as justice of the peace two terms. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Levi Lyons was born near Harper's Ferry, Va. He married Rachel Kackley. Their children were James, Margaret, Jacob, Benjamin, Elizabeth and Rachel. He was afterward twice married - first to Elizabeth Spillman, and second to Lydia A. Rhodes. Of the second marriage two children are living - William and Sarah J.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Benjamin Lyons was born near Hartford, Guernsey County, in 1816, and came to this township with his parents about two years later. He married Mary E. McCarty, and they had seven children. Mr. Lyons was in the mercantile business at Rochester, Noble County, from 1849 to 1857, and has since been a farmer.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Thomas Nicholson was an early settler. His sons were Andrew, Simon, John and Thomas, all of whom settled in the vicinity. Andrew lived in Center Township; Simon in Seneca, and the others in Buffalo.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
John Gregg, whose father was an early settler, was born in Buffalo Township, in 1822. He married Nancy Morris. Eight children were born of this union, four of whom are living.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
In 1816 Jacob Shriver, from Greene County, Pa., came to the township and built a cabin. March 17, 1817, he arrived, with his family, on the place now owned by Noah Shriver. He died in 1843. His children were James P., John, Mary A., Jacob, Elizabeth, Joseph and Noah.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Andrew W. Clark and family, from Washington County, Pa., came to Ohio about 1816. He was born in 1786 and died in 1864. He married Sarah Lawrence, and was the father of Margaret, William, John, Robert, Barbara, Alexander, James, Sarah J., Samuel L., Martha A. and Andrew W., four of whom are dead. Andrew was inthe army and died during the war. William Clark, who died in 1886, was born in 1812. He married Mary Ann Clark and was the father of six children. The family are Methodists.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Jacob Larrick came from Virginia to Belmont County about 1817, and about two years later settled in Buffalo Township. He died in 1847. Of his children only James H. lives in Noble County. Jacob Larrick had an early grist-mill, operated by horse-power, also a saw-mill.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Stephen Hickle was a native of Virginia. His son Stephen, who was born in 1801, died in 1878. Isaac N. Hickle enlisted in the Forty-second Ohio Volunteer Infantry in September, 1861, and served until October, 1862, when he was discharged by reason of disability. In May, 1864, he again volunteered in the One Hundred and Sixty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the regiment was mustered out. In the fall of the same year he re-enlisted and served until the close of the war.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Buffalo
Joseph Graham, a native of Virginia, was a pioneer settler of Guernsey County, near Senecaville. He married Polly Glover, and was the father of ten children. Samuel Graham was born in Seneca Township in 1829. In 1852 he went to California, where he remained eleven years. In 1864 he married Hannah, daughter of John Miley. Children: J.S., Margaret S., Curtis and Charles A. Mrs. Graham died in 1873, and Mr. Graham afterward married Rebecca Ward. He has served as township trustee, and, in 1886, was the Democratic candidate for Infirmary director. He is a leading farmer and stock-raiser.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Samuel G. Clark, a leading Methodist, and a class-leader for many years, was born in 1817, and died in 1879. His parents were Benjamin and Nancy (Finley) Clark.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887
Joseph B. Clark was born in Guernsey County in 1830. In 1861 he married Margaret E. Conkle. Mr. Clark was formerly engaged in the mercantile business and is now a farmer. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He has served six years as Infirmary director.
History of Noble County, Ohio Published by L.H. Watkins & Co. of Chicago 1887 John was born September 27, 1843 in Noble Co., Ohio the first of two sons of David Baldridge Jr. and Mary Belle Stewart. His father died when John was a young child and his mother then married Robert Calland. Mary and Robert had four children, Jennie, Nevada, Friend and Anjennta. On November 20, 1863 John enrolled in Co.D, 92nd Reg. Ohio Volunteers, on June 10, 1865 he transferred to Co C, 31st Regiment of Veteran Volunteers and was discharged at Louisville, KY on July 20, 1865. His half-brother, Friend, served in the Civil war with him. John fought in the battles of Resaca and Bentonville, and marched with Sherman to the sea. In May of 1866 John moved to Greene Co., IN and purchased 200 acres of land near Solsberry, IN. He farmed the land until his death. In Greene Co., he met and married Georgianna Axtell. They were married on December 8, 1868. Georgianna was born in Ohio on July 29, 1847, the
daughter of George R Axtell and Amanda Tarnohan. Her family had moved to Greene Co. in 1856, settling near Solsberry. To John and Georgianna two sons were born, Harry Weir on October 11, 1870 and David Humphrey on July 24, 1873. Georgianna passed away on July 15, 1890. On May 5, 1891, John married Emily Susan Chapman of Greene Co. Emily was born February 19, 1860 in Greene Co., the daughter of William Ford Chapman and Margaret Ann Casey. To this union four children were born, Stewart P. March 12, 1892, William E. February 8, 1894, Georgia January 20, 1895 and John Edward August 5, 1899. John and his family were active members of the Methodist Church at Solsberry. John served as minister at several funerals in Greene Co. and his son Harry became a Methodist Minister. John passed away, by his own hand, on November 11, 1906. He is buried in the Solsberry, Greene Co., Cemetery along with both of his wives.
Click here for a photo of John.
Written by Judy Jefferson, April 2003
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Click here for a photo of John and his half brother.
Click here for a photo of John's mother.Deb Murray
