HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES
SURNAMES BEGINNING WITH "J"
JACKSON, JOSEPH, born at Rockaway, Morris county. New Jersey, November 15, 1832; came to Ohio in 1857. settled at Johnstown. Licking county, Ohio; entered the army of the United States, August. 1862. One Hundred and Thirteenth Regiment. Company F, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was wounded at the battle of Chicamauga, September 20, 1863, in left arm. which is seriously impaired. Was discharged on account of wound, December 31, 1863, at Camp Chase. Removed to Perry county, October, 1878, being engaged in the business of insurance. Was married in January, 1861, to Abbie A. Merrill, of Johnstown, Licking county, Ohio. She was born in the State of Maine, and came after her parents, about the year 1858. Their living children are: Henry Merrill, Joseph Elsworth, and Lilly E. Jackson. The grand- father. whose name is borne by the subject of this sketch, Colonel Joseph Jackson, ranked as Colonel in the War of 1812; was postmaster under Washington at Rockaway, New Jersey, which office he held until deposed by Tyler in 1842. He claimed to have built the first rolling mill in the United States, at Rockaway, in 1824 or 1825. Joseph is a persevering insurance agent, and is deemed highly successful and strictly reliable. JACKSON, COLONEL LYMAN J., of the firm of Jackson & Conly, attorneys-at-law, New Lexington, Ohio; was born January 12, 1834, near West Rushville, Fairfield county, Ohio. His father. John J. Jackson, was born in Otsego county, New York, February 7, 1792, and was descended from Abram Jackson, who emigrated from England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1624. His mother, Mary C. Grate, was a native of Emmettsburg, Maryland, but resided from 1804 till 1827, at Franklinton, Franklin county, Ohio, with her parents, who died there. In March, 1839 the Jackson family removed from Rushville, Fairfield county, to a farm near New Reading, Perry county, Ohio. The parents lived here during the rest of their lives, the mother dying in March, 1871, and the father in September. 1876. Lyman lived and worked on the farm until October, 1851, when he was sent to St. Joseph's College. in that county, and attended its sessions until 1855. From this time until 1857 he worked on the farm in summer, and taught school in winter, at the same time studying law and continuing his college studies. In May, 1857, he was admitted by the Supreme Court to the practice of law, graduated at St. Joseph's College, July 7, 1857, and in that month commenced the practice of law at New Lexington. In the fall of 1859 he was candidate for Prosecuting Attorney of Perry county. running on what was then the Northern ticket in a county seat contest, and was elected, though the rest of the ticket was heavily defeated. He was the first volunteer from the county in the Union army. Immediately after the firing on Fort Sumter, he raised Company E, Seventeenth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Militia, which he commanded as Captain during its three months service in Western Virginia. When it was mustered out, he was appointed in August, 1861. Captain of Company G, Thirty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served as such until January, 1862, when he was promoted and commissioned as Major of the Eleventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. With this 438
regiment, a great part of the time in command of it, he served, in 1862, in Maryland and Virginia through some of the severest battles of the war. Resigning this position, he was in May, 1864, appointed Colonel of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and commanded it during its term of service. In the fall of 1865 he served for a short period by appointment to fill a vacancy as Prosecuting Attorney of Muskingum county. February 17, 1863, he was married to Miss Mary E. Taggart, daughter of Arthur Taggart, Esq., late of Morgan county, Ohio. Resuming the practice of law at New Lexington shortly after the war, he was, in April, 1873, elected delegate for Perry county to the third Ohio Constitutional Convention. In October, 1877, he was elected State Senator from the district composed of Muskingum and Perry counties, and in October, 1879 he was re-elected to the same position. In religion, Colonel Jackson is a Roman Catholic, and in politics has always acted with the Democratic party except during the Rebellion. JAMES, H. C., farmer and stock raiser; postoffice, McLuney, Ohio; born in Muskingum county, Ohio, in 1833; settled in this county in 1876; son of Isaac and Mary (Hollow) James. Married in 1855, to Miss Hannah, daughter of William and Abigal (Search) Barrel. They are the parents of nine children, viz.: Milton J., Alice, Edmund, Cornelia, deceased; Mary C., Linna B., Cora, Curtis, Matilda. Two are married, one living in this county and one in Morgan county. JAMES, CYRUS MATSON, shoemaker, New Straitsville, Ohio; was born July 10, 1838, in Coshocton county, Ohio; son of William and Sarah (Bagley) James. Was raised a farmer, and followed agricultural pursuits until he was twenty-one years of age. His father having moved into Athens county, Ohio, while he was quite young, he was raised in that county, and went to his trade at Millfield, working with J. W. P. Cook, who was employed with one Woodworth of that place, where he worked about eight months, when he began journey work for himself, working in all in this place some eight or ten years, and one year in Nelsonville, Ohio, and has been engaged at the following places; Amestown about six months; again in Millfield until 1874; Chauncy, same county, four months; Hemlock, Perry county, Ohio, about sixteen months, from whence he came to this place, where he has since remained to this time, engaged at his trade. Was married October 6th, 1861, to Mary King, born March 21, 1842, in Washington county, Ohio, daughter of Job and Elizabeth (McCants) King. They are the parents of three children, viz.: Albert, Eugene and Charley. JAMES, THOMAS P., collier, Shawnee, Ohio; was born January 13, 1853, in Risca, Monmouthshire, England; son of Daniel M. and Mary Ann (Price) James. Was raised a collier and emigrated to America with his parents at the age of twelve years, who, landing in New York, September 19, 1863, went to Newark, Ohio, where they lived about one year, when they moved to Summit county, Ohio, and where James, the subject of this sketch, remained ten years, from whence he came to Shawnee, Ohio. While living at Newark, he worked on a farm for his uncle, since which he has been engaged at his business of mining. Was married November 11, 1873, to Ann, daughter of David B. and 439
Mary (Tucker) Jones. They are the parents of three children, viz. Mary Ann, Sarah Jane, and Winnifred. JENKINS, JOHN, collier, Shawnee Ohio; was born July 12, 1833, in Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Wales; son of David and Mary Jenkins. Lived in Cardiganshire until he was twelve years of age, when he moved to Monmouthshire, and lived there until 1864; at this time he again moved to Brecknockshire, remaining one year, from where, in 1865, he emigrated to America, landing in New York, and thence to Pomeroy, Meigs county, Ohio, which place he made his home until 1872. Leaving his family in Pomeroy, he went to Straitsville in July, and remained until February following. He then moved his family to Shawnee, and there they have lived to the present time. Mr. Jenkins is, at this time, township trustee, and has been elected four terms in succession. He has seen Shawnee grow from its infancy. Has made mining his business during his life. Was married August 6, 1853, to Mary, daughter of Daniel and Eliza (Price) Jones of Brynmawn, Wales. They are the parents of eight children, viz.: David. Daniel, Mary Jane, John, Mordecai, Lizzie, William, deceased, and an infant, deceased. JOHNSON, JOHN K., millwright, Shawnee, Ohio; was born February 13, 1817, in Adams county, Pennsylvania; son of John and Mary (Koon) Johnson. Was raised a farmer, and followed agricultural pursuits until he was eighteen years of age, when he went to the millwright trade, which business he followed until 1872, building flouring mills at Tuscarora, Mt. Union mill in Maryland, and rebuilt some in Pennsylvania; one near Cumberland, Muskingum county, Ohio, for James McClurg; one on Meigs Creek, Morgan county, Ohio; one in Sharon, Morgan county, Ohio, now in Noble county; two at Sulphur Springs, Perry county, Ohio, on same foundation, one burning down; one in West Virginia, on Twelve Pole River, nine miles from Guyandott; one for John Dickerson, in Meigs township, Morgan county, Ohio; and remodeled quite a number in different places; also built a steam tannery in Perry county, Pennsylvania, for John McFarland, that is calculated to tan thirty thousand hides per year. In 1854 he bought a farm of seventy-eight acres in Saltlick township, Perry county, Ohio, for $1,000, which he sold to the Smith Mining Company of Shawnee, for $7,800, in 1873, since which he has been living a retired life. Was married January 16, 1845, to Margaret, daughter of James and Nancy McClerg, of Muskingum county, Ohio. Mrs. Johnson died April 30, 1873. JOHNSON, JACOB J., President Perry County Bank, New Lexington, Ohio; was born August 28th, 1821, in Waynesburg, Greene county, Pennsylvania; son of Jacob (who died in Pennsylvania), and Sarah (Gorden) Johnson. His ancestors came from New Jersey. When Jacob J. was about nine years of age, his mother located on a farm in Reading township, where he was brought up and remained until eighteen, when he began teaching school, and taught several terms. In 1850, Mr. Johnson was elected Sheriff of Perry county, and served eight years in all. In 1870, Sheriff Johnson was elected Treasurer of Perry county, and served four years. In 1880, he was elected member of the State Board of Equalization. In January, 1879, he was elected President of the Perry County Bank---the last two offices named he now 440
holds. Mr. Johnson was married in April, 1847, to Miss Permelia, daughter of John and Nancy (Greene) Tutwiler. They are the parents of ten children, viz.: Susan, deceased; Mary, deceased; Lucretia, Albert V., Francis J., Victoria, William, Jacob, Martina, and Sarah, deceased. JOHNSON, JOHN, superintendent of laborers at XX Furnace, Shawnee, Ohio; was born April 10, 1827, in the county of Durham, in the northern part of England; son of Adam and Ann (Ayer) Johnson. Mr. Johnson came to America at the early age of thirteen years, landing in New York, July 3, 1840, and has been engaged at the following places and busines: At Sackage's Iron Works, North River, New York, about six months; Troy, New York, in rolling mill, fifteen months; White Hall, New York, two months; St. John's, Lake Champlain, New York, about five months; Albany, New York, worked on levee, about seven months; Saratoga Springs, on fish pond, six months; Buffalo, New York, on streets, six months; Erie, Pennsylvania, on docks, six months; Brady's Bend Iron Works at Blast Furnace, two years; Guitanquin Iron Works, in rolling mill, one year; Pittsburg, in rolling mill, (before any blast furnace was built in Pittsburgh), six months; Cincinnati, a day laborer; Cleveland, Ohio, on canal docks; Sandusky, Ohio, in lumber yard; Detroit, Michigan, two months; Port Huron, two or three months in lumberyard; from Cleveland, Ohio, to Baltimore, Maryland, driving cattle; fisheries on Bush River, South Carolina, hauling seine for herring, six weeks; Baltimore, Maryland, engaging as fireman and strokeman on a steamer, sailing to ports of St. Petersburg, Russia; Konstadt, Prussia; Copenhagen, Denmark; Eisinore, Denmark; Rochelle, France; Cadiz, Spain; Gibralter, Spain; Malaga, Spain; Carthagena, Spain, for two years and six months, returning to Baltimore, Maryland; Mt. Savage iron works, Alleghany county, Maryland; at furnace one year; Cleveland, Ohio, at furnace; Detroit, Michigan, at furnace; Ann Arber, at furnace; Flint, Michigan. walked across Indian Reserve to Saginaw City, about 100 miles distant; took berth of firing on steamer, one year and six months; Cleveland and Portsmouth, on Ohio canal; Hanging Rock furnace region, among furnaces, five or six years; Easton, Pennsylvania, about five months; at Cooper's iron works, Jerseytown, Pennsylvania; again in Mount Savage; at Isesferry, Virginia; in Monongalia, Preston, Harrison, Marion and Taylor counties, Virginia, digging iron ore and working at furnaces for twenty-one years; at Zanesville, Ohio, on court house, six weeks; at Frazeysburg, Ohio, digging iron ore four months for Zanesville furnace; Glenford, Perry county, Ohio, and opened limestone quarry for Fannie Furnace, while it was in Newark, Ohio, working about eight months. Came to Shawnee in 1875, and by his advice as to the paying quality of iron ore at Iron Point, the Fannie Furnace was moved to this place, where he has remained up to this time; he is now overseer of laboring hands at XX Furnace in this place. Was married June 12, 1854, to Mary, daughter of Henry and Sarah Frankinville. They are the parents of two children, Henry and Mary, both deceased. JOHNSON, THOMAS, was born in 1820, in Washington county, Pennsylvania; he is a son of the late venerable Aaron Johnson. The maiden 441
name of his mother, who is still living at the age of eighty-six years, was Sarah Law, a daughter of Robert Law, of Scotch descent. His father was of English and Irish parentage, and both his parents were of Quaker extraction; both became Baptists, of which church Aaron Johnson died a member in full fellowship, in 1810, at the age of eighty- eight years. He was tall and athletic, and in his younger days complained very much, and often of ill health. Ten children were born to this marriage, all of whom grew to be men and women; the wife of John Skinner being the eldest; two brothers live in Iowa, and one, Aaron, in Kansas. One uncle, Nimrod Johnson, died in Van Wert, Ohio, without children. Thomas sold the farm he had bought of his father for $2,000, after adding twenty acres to it,for the sum of $4,100, and embarked in mercantile life in Somerset, and is one of the very few who have been successful after such a change. In religion he is a Methodist, while his present wife, who was Miss Lizzie Levitt, is a Lutheran. His father brought the first fine sheep to Perry county, and on account of his success and devotion to sheep husbandry was often called "Shepherd Johnson." He was elected to the Senate of Ohio, about the year 1843, on the Democratic ticket, and remained a firm supporter of that party to the time of his death, and sank to his grave respected for his sterling honesty and sincerity through a long life. The first tax paid by Thomas Johnson did not exceed ten dollars,which rose afterward to $300. One hundred and seventy one acres of land in sight of Somerset, stocked with cattle and sheep, a large stock of dry goods, and valuable town property, are the witness of that excellent judgment of what the market demands, and how and when to supply it, which testify to his solid success, while he indulged the utmost hospitality, and his purse was ever open to the demands of want. JOHNSON, A. D., farmer, Madison township, Mount Perry post office. He was born November 22, 1838, in Shelby county, Ohio, and is a son of John H. and Christenia (Rhinehart) Johnson; has always followed farming, now owning an excellent home. Mr. Johnson was married August 23, 18631 to Caroline Fullerton, daughter of Samuel Fullerton; they have four children, Louisa L., Samuel S., Emma B. and Anna F. JOHNSON, GEORGE M., trader, Corning, Ohio; born April 29, 1848, on Malta Hill, in Morgan county, Ohio; son of Stephen and Catharine (O'Leary) Johnson. His father was a native of Maryland, and his mother of Morgan county, Ohio; her parents were natives of Ireland. Her mother was first married to William Townsend, by whom she had two children, Mary and William; her second husband's name was Morgan O'Leary, by whom she had one child, Catharine, named above. George M. Johnson was brought up on a farm, and has followed agriculture and dealing in stock up to the present time. In 1862, he came to Monroe township, this county, and located on a farm adjoining the town of Corning, which he held until the spring of 1882. Mr. Johnson was married February l5, 1872, to Lucy A., daughter of William and Delilah (Miller) Fisher, of Monroe township, who entered and owned . the land where Corning now stands. The present site of Corning was once a sugar camp. They are the parents of one child, George M. JOHNSTON, JAMES E., of the firm of Johnston & Bryan, attorneys at law and notaries public, New Lexington, Ohio; was born February 1, 442
1851, in Brownsville, Licking county, Ohio; son of Seth R. and Isabell (Miner) Johnston. James E. Johnston was brought up at Glenford, this county, and assisted in his father's store until 1874, when he began reading law with W. E. Finck. He graduated at the Cincinnati Law School, in 1878. Began practice at Shawnee, where he remained one year, then came to this place and continued the practice of his profession alone until March, 1881, when the present firm was formed. Mr. Johnston was married in October, 1878, to Miss Lydia L., daughter of James Brown, then of Bowling Green township, Licking county, Ohio. JONES, JEHU B., was born in 1813, in Somerset county, Pennsylvania, and was but two years old when his parents, Jehu Jones, Sr., and Jane (Kilpatrick), settled on the farm now held by the heirs of S. C. Dick. This farm had then about fifteen acres partly cleared; here these pioneers lived until 1844, when mother Jones, and, ten years later, father Jones, were called to rest. The sons,who grew to manhood, are: David, who married Miss Jane Pugh, and who died in Pike township, leaving three sons and two daughters; John, who lives in Warren county, Illinois, and who married Miss Elizabeth Rush, having five sons and four daughters; Jehu B., who married Miss Rebecca Goodin, March, 1846, and still resides on the farm adjoining the ancestral homestead---his wife died in 1866,leaving two sons; David, who resides in Blackford county, Indiana, and who is married to Miss Addie Shull, now the mother of two daughters, and George M., who is single,and remains with his father. There are two daughters, Phidelia, the wife of Charles Stickel, a successful tanner and currier, near Somerset, blessed with four sons and one daughter, and Miss Mary, who shares with her brother, George, and her father, the comforts and the cares of the homestead. Jehu B. Jones is worthy of the beautiful home he enjoys, and the broad acres he has transformed from a forest waste to fruitful fields. He has held several offices of trust and profit in his township, and never yet was a candidate when he did not show strength beyond the lines of his party. True to his convictions of right and duty he has not always remained loyal to party, but while acting within party lines, no man is more faithful to his ticket, or more zealous for the right. He possesses brave impulses, is true to his friends, generous to his foes, benevolent to the poor, sympathizes with the suffering and hates the oppressor, while he defends the victim. JONES, WILLIAM J., collier, Shawnee, Ohio; was born March 19, 1840, in Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland; son of John and Sarah (Leaky) Jones; was raised in town to the age of seven years, and then in the country to manhood, and has worked in mines since he was nine years old. Was married March 12, 1861, to Jane, daughter of John and Susan (Paul) Cowie, of Stenhouseneuir, Stirlingshire, Scotland. They are the parents of six living children: Sarah, Jennie, Susanna, Willie, Robert and Emma, and four dead: Susan, John, James and Jno. Mr. Jones came to this country, landing in New York, August 6, 1872, but left his family in Scotland. He came direct from New York to Shawnee, Ohio, and soon after sent for his family, who landed in New York January 2, 1873, from whence they came direct to Shawnee,where they have lived to the present time, and where he has been engaged in 443
mining, and at this time is with the New York and Straitsville Coal and Iron Company. JONES, LEWIS, collier, Shawnee, Ohio; was born May, 10, 1845, in Tredegar, Monmouthshire, Wales; son of John and Elizabeth (Richards) Jones. Mr. Jones was employed in the coaleries in Wales at eight years of age, and followed that business until 1869, when he emigrated to America, leaving Liverpool in October, and landing in New York on the 25th of October, 1869; from there he went to Pomeroy, Meigs county, Ohio, mining about two years, and soon after reaching Pomeroy, his family, whom he had left in Wales, joined him and have remained with him up to this time. He has been engaged as follows: Syracuse, Ohio, remaining over two years; New Straitsville, Ohio, one year, when he came to Shawnee, Ohio, where he has since made his home and been employed as a miner. Mr. Jones was married September 1, 1867, to Sarah, daughter of John and Ann (Byron) Reese, of Tredegar, Wales. They are the parents of eight children, viz.: Margaret, Elizabeth, Sarah Jane, John William, Caroline, Anna, Lewis and Elizabeth, deceased. JONES, HENRY, of the firm of Jones Brothers, dealers in lumber, contractors, undertakers and dealers in real estate, Corning, Ohio; was born January 29, 1851, in Liverpool, England; son of James E.and Rosanna (Henry) Jones. Henry came in 1871, and located in Shawnee, Ohio, in 1872. In 1873, went to Columbus, Ohio, and remained about three years; then returned to Shawnee, where he remained until he came to his present residence in 1881. Mr. Jones was married in November, 1875, to Miss Jane, daughter of Richard and Ellen (Jones) Richison, natives of North Wales. They are the parents of two children, viz.: Edith Madaline and Ellen. This firm is doing an active business, having quite an extensive trade. 444
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