Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 328
Barnesville Bios

WILLIAM G. TODD - John TODD was born in Washington county, Pa. and migrated to Flushing township, Belmont county, in 1812. He married Annie PRICE in 1828, and moved to Section 20, where William G. TODD was born, April 11, 1832. He lived with his father till married to Margaret THOMPSON, by whom he had two children: Matthew C. and Sadie A., who married Job REYNOLDS. His wife dying, he married Sarah Jane HOOD September 11, 1866. The children of this marriage are Salona V. and Willie H. TODD

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 381
Flushing Township Bios

WILLIAM TIDBALL, son of John and Sarah TIDBALL, nee McGOWEN, was born in Allegheny county, Pa., about nine miles from Pittsburgh, in 1796. The former came with his parents to that county when a boy; subsequently he entered two hundred acres of land covered with a dense growth of timber, and commenced a clearing that increased slowly from year to year. Much of the early history of the TIDBALLs is lost. In common with the pioneers of that period, they were more engaged in making than in recording history. He died in 1847, and his wife some years later.

The children were - Margaret, deceased; Jane, deceased; William, at one time a Presbyterian minister and an attorney at St. Clairsville; John and James (twins), deceased; and David, for some years a resident physician of Kirkwood township.

William TIDBALL has been twice married; first in 1822 to Maria, a daughter of John CALDWELL, a pioneer of Wheeling. Mrs. TIDBALL died in her twenty-sixth year in 1834. Their children were: Sarah, deceased; Maria Jane, deceased; and John C., so well known as Major-General TIDBALL, of the Union army in the late war. Mr. TIDBALL's second marriage was in 1838, to Rebecca McKINNEY, daughter of James and Ann McKINNEY, nee FLETCHER. Their children were: Ann Z. and Chalmers M.

Our subject farmed in the vicinity of Wheeling for six years, and in 1858 removed to Kirkwood township, Belmont county. Here he was engaged in merchandizing and farming from 1831 to 1861. During these years he served three terms as Justice of the Peace, as well as several years as school director and township trustee. For two years he has been a resident of Barnesville.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 325
Barnesville Bios

The COPE family has been connected with the history of Colerain township since the year 1804, at which time George COPE removed to Concord settlement from Frederick county, Va. A member of the society of Friends and opposed to the institution of slavery, he sought a home in young and free Ohio. He was married in 1790, to Abigail STEER. They had nine children, three of whom were residents of this township, viz: Joshua, George and Caleb H. Joshua COPE owned a mill near the source of Glenn's run. It was the first and only mill in Concord settlement. His residence was noted for being one of southern termini of the Under Ground railroad; and in spite of the danger attendant upon such a course, he helped many a forlorn and destitute fugitive on the way to liberty. George COPE about the year 1829, started a store in the town of Farmington, which was for many years the only store in the place. He was an active member of the society of Friends, and especially noted for his adherence to principle and unbending rectitude. Caleb H. COPE was born near the town of Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio, in which town he pursued the study of medicine and commenced practice. In 1834, he removed to the town of Farmington and continued the practice of his profession. He was for more than thirty years the only physician in the township. The doctor was a man of fine natural ability, and although in youth deprived of all advantages of education, except those generally afforded by early settlers, he by his own efforts acquired a good education, and always took an active interest in the educational advancement of the country. He was an early advocate of free schools, and helped to organize the first literary society ever established in the township. He was a good physician, a fluent speaker and a correct and graceful writer. Busy as he was with his professional duties and family cares, he devoted some time to literature. His literary productions evince a power and beauty in keeping with a refined and gentle mind, and a pure and unsullied life. Dr. Isaac G. COPE, eldest son of Dr. Caleb H. COPE, was born in the town of Farmington. He commenced his professional life during the war, in charge of a military hospital at Nashville, Tenn. After the war he formed a partnership with his father and has ever since been a resident of Colerain township. He is at present the only physician in the township.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 388
Colerain Township Bios

M.D. REASONER, D. S., was born in Blackford county, Indiana, December, 1838. After receiving a common school education, he attended Muskingum College, where he graduated in the year 1862. He then turned his attention to the study of dentistry under the supervision of Dr. David McBRIAR, of Newark, Ohio. In 1867, he came to Bellaire and commenced the practice of his profession. In 1866, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert SMITH, of Licking county, Ohio. He is the parent of one child.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 273
Bellaire Bios

GEORGE BROKAW was born in Pennsylvania, March 22, 1784. His father, George Brokaw, Sr., was a soldier under General Washington in the Revolution, and emigrated to Ohio in the year 1800, bringing his son with him, then 16years of age, and settled on Shortcreek, in what is now Harrison county. Here the subject of this sketch was reared, and innured to all the hardships and vicissitudes of early frontier life. Their principal breadstuff was corn, reduced to meal by being pounded in a wooden mortar burnt out of a stump, the instrument used being an iron wedge fastened in the end of a convenient stick. When they raised wheat they were obliged to pack it on horseback through the woods to Maj. McCULLOUGH's mill in Va., a distance of fifteen miles, often taking two days to make a trip. In 1806, Mr. Brokaw married Mary McCULLOUGH, by whom he had 11 children - 7 boys and 4 girls. When the war of 1812, broke out, he enlisted, serving under Generals WADSWORTH and HARRISON at Sandusky, and participated in the stirring scenes of that campaign. At one time he was placed as a guard over a wagon load of corn that the General intended for his own use, but when the hungry soldiers wanted corn Brokaw told them to "take all they wanted." For this he would have been court-martialed but for the order superceding Gen. WADSWORTH by Gen. HARRISON. In the spring of 1813, he was discharged on account of sickness, and on the way home was obliged to wade the Killbuck through the ice, got the ague and came near dying, but finally reached home where by careful nursing he recovered without the use of drugs, and although at this time (March, 1879), 95 years of age, he never took any"doctors' stuff," "or wore a pair of boots." During the summer of 1813 he moved to Flushing township, Belmont county, where he had previously purchased land, covered by the primeval forests, and by dint of industry he succeeded in clearing out a large farm and rearing a large family. Purchasing the land adjoining he was enabled to give his children each 50 acres of land on the occasion of their marriage as a dower, where they now live in the enjoyment of comforts unknown to the early pioneers. A scene has frequently been enacted on the Brokaw farm, which is perhaps "sui generis" without a parallel in Belmont county. George Brokaw would blow his horn and call around him his seven sons; then in obedience to orders each would hitch up his team to his plow and led by the father, eight plows traversed the same field, each driver wearing a red "wammus." Again, in splitting rails, seven mauls wielded in unison, and after the worm has been laid by the father, seven sons laid up the fence. As the farms were contiguous all the farming operations were performed in the same manner. In religion Mr. Brokaw was a Presbyterian, and in politics a Democrat, and all his sons have followed faithfully in his footsteps. So firm were his political convictions that for six consecutive years he cast the only Democratic ballot in Flushing township. Mrs. Brokaw died July 15, 1851, and although twice married since, he survives all three of his wives, and bids fair to live to celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 379
Flushing Township Bios

ISAAC BROKAW, the fourth son of George Brokaw, first saw the light in Flushing township, March 3, 1818, where he has lived all his life, following the occupation of a farmer. Married Nancy H. ARMSTRONG, June 4, 1846, and reared a family as follows: George, Mary Jane, Joseph G., Martha, and David L. Mr. Brokaw is recognized as the most enterprising and public-spirited man of the name.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 379
Flushing Township Bios

JESSE BAILEY. - The parents of the subject of this sketch, removed from Sussex county, Virginia, and settled in Warren township, Belmont county, in 1811, where their son Jesse was born, January 1, 1815, and grew up to manhood under the care of his parents. He married Miss Asenath PATTERSON, on the 29th day of March, 1837, and in 1849 removed to Goshen township, where he has resided ever since. He had seven children, four sons and three daughters, Silas, John, Lindley, Rachel, Allen, Mary Jane and Sarah Elizabeth. The daughters are all dead; the sons survive; three of them are married and live in the neighborhood, and are farmers. Allen, the youngest son, still resides with his parents. These aged parents are both members of the Society of Friends, and by their kind, unaffected simplicity of manners, and goodness of heart, adorn the church to which they belong. They are models of the ideal character of these people. Mrs. Bailey's sympathies, in common with those of her sect from the days of William PENN, are in behalf of the poor Indian, who has suffered so many and such grievous wrongs from the white man. Mr. Bailey, as has been the case with most of the Friends, has always been opposed to slavery. He is a mild, but steadfast Republican, voting that way from principle and conscientious conviction of duty. He owns a farm and is comfortably situated; both himself and wife are very intelligent and perfectly versed in the theology of their church. Mrs. Bailey is an authorized and acknowledged minister by the society of Friends.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 405
Goshen Township Bios

THOMAS PERKINS was born in Prince George county, Maryland, in 1742. He married Casander CASTELL, of the same county, and reared a family of four children - Francis, John, Samuel and Rebecca. In 1805, Mr. Perkins, with his wife and two of his children, Samuel and Rebecca, came to Belmont county, Ohio, and entered one quarter of section seventeen, in Kirkwood township. They lived in a little shanty a few weeks until a log cabin could be erected, in which they lived a number of years, then built a hewed log house, in which Mr. and Mrs. Perkins passed the remainder of their days. Our subject died in 1837, at the age of ninety-five years, and his wife in 1820. In 1809, John Perkins, second son of the above, came to Belmont county, Ohio, and located in Kirkwood township.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 366
Kirkwood Township Bios

BENJAMIN HOYLE - Of the representative men of Eastern Ohio, who within a late period have passed away, few, if any, were so intimately associated with the material development of this part of the state as Benjamin Hoyle, the well-known inventor of improved agricultural machinery and pioneer manufacturer of threshing machines, reapers and mowers. Mr. Hoyle not only witnessed the transition of a few scattering houses into a busy and active manufacturing town; of a thin settlement into a busy populous community; of a semi-wilderness into a highly fertile and productive region; but in his own person typified so admirably the agencies which wrought these changes, that no history of Belmont and Jefferson counties would be complete without some sketch of his life, labors, and characters. Though now removed from the field of his successful exertions and interesting experience, the impress of his enterprise, activity and inventive genius will long remain in the memory of those with whom he mingled. Mr. Hoyle was born in England, December 19, 1811. In 1815 his parents emigrated to America. On their voyage the vessel on which they embarked met the British fleet on its return from the war with the United States known as the war of 1812. They first settled near Philadelphia, but in 1823, removed to Jefferson county, Ohio, and purchased quite a large tract of land near Smithfield. At so early a date the facilities afforded by the common schools for an education were limited; our subject having to walk a distance of two and three miles over rough, dreary and almost impassable roads, and these he could attend only in the winter, when released from the labors on the farm. But these he diligently improved, and by so doing acquired sufficient education to teach, which he did for some three winter sessions. On the 19th day of March 1834, our subject married Julia Ann WILLITS, daughter of Ellis WILLITS, of Jefferson county, Ohio, by whom he became the parent of nine children, six of whom are living - Ellis J., Hannah, Rachael, Lydia, Sarah and John. As early as 1836, Mr. Hoyle took the Farmer's Cabinet, an agricultural journal, in which he saw a notice of a reaping machine, made by O. HUSSEY, of Baltimore, Maryland. Being of an inventive nature, and eager to learn all possible in any way to his advantage, he began a correspondence with Mr. Hussey. After a great deal of communication he resolved to obtain one of Hussey's reapers. Accordingly in the ensuing winter, 1837, he started to Baltimore in a two-horse wagon, and procured the first reaping machine brought to eastern Ohio, and the first successful one of the state. A description of which is something like the following: It had drive-wheels without cogs, and a third wheel fastened to the axle midway between the drive-wheels, notched in a zig-zag form, so as to give the sickle motion. The sickle was attached to a lever which extended to the above named wheel, and by the revolution of the same, gave the lever motion, by the working of a small wheel, attached at the end of said lever, in the indentations of the zig-zag wheel. Instead of a tongue it had shafts like a dray, in which one horse was hitched, and two worked in front of this one. The grain was raked from the machine by hand. The raker rode on the machine, and the driver rode the horse in the shafts and drove the two in the front. Mr. Hoyle made many improvements on this machine, causing it to work with two horses and giving it altogether a different gearing. He did more toward improving and perfecting agricultural implements than any one in this portion of the state, yet he never applied for a patent on any of the many worthy inventions and improvements which were the fruits of his genius. Many have obtained great merit and profit by taking advantage of his inventions and procuring patents, thereby deriving both the credit and benefit, which rightly belonged to Mr. Hoyle. In 1843, a Mr. RALSTON, patentee of the Ralston thresher, called on Mr. Hoyle. From this gentleman he obtained instructions and drafts, by means of which he was enabled to construct a thresher for his own use. This caused great excitement in that vicinity, and thousands came eager to see it operate. In 1844 he erected a shop for the purpose of manufacturing threshers and reapers. His neighbors, realizing by this time the value of labor saving machinery, encouraged him in his enterprise, notwithstanding the sport they had made of him when he started to Baltimore for his reaper. In 1845 his trade had so increased, and there being continueddemand for reapers and threshers, he deemed it expedient to remove to some more convenient point. He therefore removed his shop to Martin's Ferry, a part of which is still occupied by L. SPENCE, and began his labors in earnest, making him the first successful manufacturer of the reaper and the separator in the state, save at Canton, where there was a factory begun about the same time. His machinery was run by horse-power for several years. Mr. Hoyle made frequent improvements on his machinery and kept apace with the demands of agricultural progress. He increased the size of his shop from time to time until it was 100 feet front by 35 feet in depth, and a portion of it three stories high, with the necessary outbuildings for such an establishment. In ten years from the time that he erected his first little shop, through his exertions and constant activity, it was transformed to the one just mentioned. In 1851 he invented the double-cleaning apparatus for his thresher, on which he applied for a patent, but being opposed by many different companies that had sprung up in the meantime, he did not obtain it till 1861. His trade grew rapidly until 1855. About the year 1854, he became a director of the Martin's Ferry and Cadiz plank road. The former directors of the road had borrowed large sums of money of the Mt. Pleasant Bank for the completion of the road, and Mr. Hoyle eventually become personally responsible, which so involved him that he was compelled to sell his establishment, and he disposed of it to GRIFFITH & Co. He started again in a small way, and in the fall of 1857 he built the establishment now owned by MEDILL & Co., with which he was connected until his decline in health compelled him to close business, and his sons E. J. and J. W. succeeded him. He died on the 14th of December, 1878.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 301
Pease Township Bios

DAVID J. CREAMER was born in Belmont county, August 27, 1829. He obtained a common school education. In 1854, he married Miss Amanda MASTERS; by their union resulted four children, two sons and two daughters. After his marriage he still remained with his father, and continued to farm. On August 26, 1867, his wife died; she was a member of the M. E. Church. On the 20th of May, 1869, he married Miss Margaret HARRIS, who was born in Belmont county, April 13, 1840. He remains on the old farm home. He and his wife are members of the Jacobsburgh M. E. Church.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 392
Mead Township Bios

JAMES DIXON - The subject of this sketch was the only son and youngest of twelve children. He was born near McMAHON's creek, four miles west of Bellaire, in the year 1797, and was the first white child born in Pultney township. He received a limited education in the log school-houses of that day, and remembers well the many incidents connected with the pioneer schools of the county, where reading, writing and arithmetic were taught, and the dispensers of knowledge were thoroughly imbued with Solomon's idea, that "whoso spareth the rod spoileth the child." Mr. Dixon was reared on a farm from early life, was inured to toil and hardships, and grew up to mankind amid the trying times of the early history of the county. He has always been identified with and interested in all public and private enterprises that had for their end the welfare, prosperity, growth and development of the township that has always been his home. He married Elizabeth (daughter of Henry NEFF, of Belmont county, Ohio) in 1823. He is still living on the farm on which he was born, at the advanced age of eighty-two years, where he is surrounded by kind friends ever ready to administer to his temporal wants.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 281
Pultney Township Bios

ANDREW J. FULTON, son of John Fulton, was born in Mead township, Belmont county, November 8, 1837 - received a common school education, and was reared on the farm till the age of 17 years, when he learned the blacksmith trade with William LITTON of Monroe county. In 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Union army, company A. 25th regiment, O.V.I., and served till the end of the war. He was in the battle of Cross Keys, Virginia, Slaughter Mountain, Virginia, Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Wilderness, Gettysburg, Fort Sumpter, and many others of less importance. He was in 36 battles in all, never received a wound, was never a prisoner, and never under guard for misconduct. On October 17, 1867, he was married to Miss Mattie POWELL, of Belmont county. He came to Glencoe in the year 1870, where he has ever since resided, working at his trade.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 252
Richland Township Bios

JOHN WARNOCK - In 1767, near Winchester, Va., our subject was born. When a child he was kept in the fort at Wheeling for some time. In about 1796 or 1797, he married Isabella GILKISON, of Virginia. In 1804, he, with his wife and four children, migrated to Belmont county, Ohio, and settled in section eleven, Smith township, one-half mile below where Warnock's station is now located, on McMAHON's creek. They lived in a little log cabin a short time until a larger and better one could be erected, into which they moved and lived for several years, when they erected a frame house. (The same building is now occupied by John McNIECE, Esq., as a dwelling house.) Living there until 1831, he built the brick dwelling on section twelve, now owned by his son, Robert Warnock, where they spent the remainder of their days. He died in 1840; his wife in 1847. He erected the first saw mill on McMahon's creek in 1806, and built a fulling mill on the creek in 1813 or 1814. A few years later he put carding, spinning, and weaving machines in his factory, which was in operation until recently. He reared a family of ten children, viz.: William, John, James, Robert, Jane, Rebecca, Mary, Isabel, Sarah and Ruth. The daughters are all deceased, except Rebecca, who is living in Monroe county, Ohio.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 398
Smith Township Bios

WILLIAM SCHOOLEY, M.D., was born July 24, 1794, at Sandy Springs, Maryland. When quite small his parents moved to Loudon county, Va., where he received the best education the place afforded. His parents were Friends and young William was reared strictly in that faith. In 1815 he left Virginia and came to Belmont, Belmont county, Ohio, and engaged in teaching school at that place, which he continued eight years. In the meantime, April 23, 1818, he married Agnes DILLON, of Belmont, and in 1823 commenced preaching in the Friends meetings. About the same time, Jan. 1823, he began the study of medicine which he continued for three years. He located at Somerton in 1826, and commenced the practice of medicine. In the year 1828 there arose a division in the society of Friends and William Schooley joined his fortunes with the body known as "Hicksites." Dr. Schooley continued to practice medicine and preach equally acceptable to his patrons and brethren until the 11th day of September, 1860, when he died, having exercised an influence for good on society not easily effaced. His children are named as follows: Clarkson, Lindley, Addison and Mary. Amongst the physicians who have studied medicine with Dr. Schooley were Drs. STRAHL, DILLON, WATERS, BERRY, McNICHOLS, SHARP, PLUMLEY, STEELE, WILSON, SAWYER, STANTON, SWEENEY, HODGIN, and his three sons.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 408
Somerset Township Bios

ADDISON SCHOOLEY, M.D., was born May 21, 1827, at Somerton, Belmont county, Ohio. Went to school at Lloydsville, Ohio, under the superintendence of Prof. BOYD. In December, 1848, commenced teaching school at Somerton. Studied medicine with his father, Dr. William Schooley, and commenced to practice with his father in 1852. At his father's death Addison succeeded to his practice which he has continued ever since. June 23, 1852, Dr. Schooley married Sarah C. WEBSTER, of Jefferson county, Ohio, and to them were born seven children: Minerva, Mary A., Charles I., Rosa B., George W., Clarkson R. and Guy.

Submitted by: Bonnie Burkhardt
From "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, OH" by Caldwell, pub. 1880
page 408
Somerset Township Bios

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