John Pratt Nesbit

Nesbit Family History

INTRODUCTION: This is a facsimile produced by the Nesbitt/Nisbet Society, Australia from a photocopy of the original manuscript of the “Nesbit Family History” by the late Reverend John Pratt Nesbit of Princeton, Indiana, who worked on the project for nearly thirty years.

The photocopy was supplied to the Nesbitt/Nisbet Society-Australia in 1993 by Raymond John Nesbit of 545 Hartnell Place, Sacramento, Ca. 85825; who had this to say of the project:

“The author traces the Nesbit history from the time of William the Conqueror (1072) through the migration of the five sons of John Nesbit of Roxburghshire, Scotland to the USA in 1725. It covers in some detail the descendants of the five sons up to the late 1930s.

“It was my privilege to meet the author when he stayed at our home in Bedford, Ohio for a few days in the late 1920s. My father, John Clyde Nesbit (1875-1951) was his first cousin.

“This unpublished manuscript has been in the possession of our family for nearly fifty years”.

Raymond John Nesbit,
545 Hartnell Place,
Sacramento, Ca. 95825.
(916) 020 2382.

THE NESBIT FAMILY

For over twenty years I have been gathering data about the descendants of John Nesbet who was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland in 1702 and died in Hopewell Twp, Cumberland Co., Pa. in 1767. He was the son of Allan Nesbit who died in Roxburghshire, Scotland in 1720. According to Dr. Allan Nesbit, a grandson, John Nesbet came to this country in 1725 with his mother, and married the next year a Miss McDowell who came on the ship with him.

According to the History of Lawrence Co. Pa., written by William, James or Francis Nesbit of Mt. Jackson, Pa., three grand-sons: John Nesbet came to America in 1735; but this can hardly be true as he signed a call for the Rev. Alexander Crighead D.D. in 1732, who in 1733 became Paster of the Newville church.

In her book titled “The Nesbit, Ross, Porter, Taggart Families of Pennsylvania”, Mrs. Blanche Hartmen of Pittsburgh, Pa. says, “John, Alexander, Thomas, Allen and James Nesbit came from Scotland in 1728”. This accords with the records of Chester Co., Pa. in the Historical Library, Philadelphia, Pa., where the statement is made that “Allen, John, Alexander, Thomas and James Nesbit landed at Chester, Pa. in 1728”. Allen and John settled in Hopewell Twp. Cumberland Co., Pa. Alexander seems to have settled in Lancaster Co., Pa., Thomas in Franklin Co., Pa. and James in York Co., Pa.

THE NESBIT HISTORY

In her book, Mrs. Blanche Hartman claims that the name Nesbit, originally spelled, was derived from “The unique conformation appearing in relief on a portion of the land where the Nesbits dwelt, and that ‘naes’ or ‘nis’ means a prominence, and a ‘bit’ a piece, signifying a nosepiece. That the family was originally called Naesbit because they lived on a hill that looked like a nose”, but she adds - “the family deriving its name from the land of the Nesbits is said of a truth to have been of Norman origin”.

The ‘de’ attached to the earlier bearers of the name probably points to its French origin. According to the early records - “the first ancestor of whom we have any record was granted a large tract of land in Berwickshire, Scotland by William the Conqueror who invaded Scotland in 1072 to punish the Scottish who invaded the north of England. It was the custom of William to place a baron, friendly to him, over a conquered territory, who built a castle and manned it with soldiers to hold it in subjection to the Crown. After his defeat by William, Malcolm agreed to submit to the authority of William I, and gave his son as a hostage. After the death of William I, Malcolm again invaded the north of England and was defeated and slain in battle by William II in 1093. It was probable at this time that the castle of the Nisbets was built. For Alexander, the antiquarian Nisbet, writes - “The castle of the Nisbets stood memorable for the fatal overthrow of the youth of Lothian by the English and the rebel Earl of March until the time of Sir Alexander, Sheriff, in the reign of Charles I who demolished it and built in its stead the Manse of Nisbet”.

That the early members of the family were barons appears from the deeds executed by them and the signing of their allegiance to the Kings. In 1097 a baron by the name of Philip De Nesbyth deeded a tract of land to an order of monks in Berwickshire. In 1124 to 1153 during the reign of David I of Scotland, a Philip De Nesbyth was a witness to the King’s Charter given to the monks of Coldingham, Berwickshire. In 1296 when the barons of Scotland signed submission to King Edward I of England the name of Philip De Nesbyth appears as one of the signatories. In 1296 James and John Nisbet swore fealty to Edward I, using what became the Scottish way of spelling Nisbet.

According to “Anderson’s Scotch Nation” - “The land of the Nesbits was in the Parish of Edrom and East Nisbet was known as Bighouse, and several families branched at various periods from the chief stick”. These were scattered over Scotland and were driven by persecution to Northern Ireland and some to America. Some became noted merchants and magistrates in Glasgow.

“King Robert Bruce gave a charter to Adam Nisbet of Nisbet to the land of Knocklies. This Adam, or an Adam who succeeded him, flourished in the reign of David II and became prominent in Southern Scotland. Adam was the successor of Philip Nisbet and he of Adam Nisbet. Sir Alexander Nisbet who demolished the castle of Nisbet and built the House of Nisbet was a man of great ability and loyal to Charles I. He was principal Sheriff of Berwickshire during the reign of Charles I and opposed the Covenanters who forced him to leave the country where he joined the King’s Army in England and lost his life fighting loyally for the King.

“His elder son Philip, was travelling abroad and hearing of his sovereign’s troubles returned to England and offered his services to his majesty who knighted him and gave him command of a regiment. He was Lieutenant Governor of Newark-upon-Trent when the Scottish Covenanters besieged it effectively. He was apprehended in Scotland when he returned there and taken to Glasgow where he was tried and executed on October 28, 1646. His brothers, Alexander and Robert, both Captains were killed in the field following Montrose. John, the fourth son, was married and died in England, leaving a daughter. Adam, the youngest son of Sir Alexander Nisbet, married Janet Aikenhead”.

It was their son that wrote the book “A System of Heraldry” from which the above quotations have been taken.

At the time he was the only male representative of the “Ancient and Honorable Family of Nisbet”.

Mrs Blanche Hartman said that George Knight Nesbit of North Carolina, now deceased, claimed that our Nesbit line is descended from Gospatrick, Earl of Northumbria (English) who purchased the Earldom from William the Conqueror who later forced him to flee to Malcolm III, Canmore who was the King of Scotland and his cousin Gospatrick, whose line was long and powerful in the history of Scotland, from whom descended the Earl of ........... and March, Gospatrick II and the Earl of Dunbar, Gospatrick III who died in 1...6. (Parts missing from original).

Northumbria was an Anglo-Saxon Kingdom and had two divisions, Bernicea and Deira, each with a dynasty of its own. York was the capital of Deira. As Northumberland was invaded and conquered by the Danes and their blood mingled with Anglo-Saxon, Mrs Hartman thinks the Nisbets have Danish as well as Anglo-Saxon blood. ........... Earl of Northumbria was a son of Soward, the Dane who came with Canute to Northumbria. She claimed that if Gospatrick came from Normandy, his name would have been spelled Fitzpatrick instead of Gospatrick. But I do not know how to tie up Earl Gospatrick with Philip De Nesbyth of Northumbria, Scotland.

The Nisbets of Greenholme, a family of good old standing in the shire of Ayr, descended from Nisbet of Nisbet.

Of the last Nisbet, was Nisbet of Hardhill in the Parish of Loudoun, Ayrshire. About 1490 he joined the Lollards who were at the time especially strong in south-eastern Scotland, the stronghold of the Covenanters. Owing to persecution, Murdoch Nisbet fled to Belfast, Ireland with his testament, but about 1500 A.D. returned to Scotland. James Nisbet of Hardhill, a grandson of Murdoch was the father of at least two sons, James born in 1625 and John in 1627, both of whom were martyrs. Capt. John Nisbet helped win the Battle of Drumclog when Graham of Claverhouse was defeated and a number of his men put to death: but later the Covenanters, for whom Capt. John Nisbet fought, were defeated by the English in Lanarkshire and Capt. John Nisbet was compelled to hide. He was betrayed, and captured by Lieut. Nisbet and executed in Edinburgh in 1685. His son Hugh Nisbet fled to Ireland and settled in Killeylaugh, County Down about 1680. According to an ancient record, “...... he was kin to the Nisbets of Scone and Berwick and to Allen, John, Alexander and Thomas who crossed the seas about 1728 and settled in Penn-land”. The Nesbits who came to America from the north of Ireland are probably descendants of Hugh Nisbet or the relatives who fled to escape persecution.

James Nisbet, the elder brother of John, was captured at the funeral of John, Lt Nisbet and was executed when he refused to give up the Covenanter faith. A descendant of James came to Newark, N. J. and latter settled in Wilkes Barre and Plymouth, Pa. and founded a colony on the Susquehanna River and was the ancestor of the Nesbitts who reside in that region and at Mansfield, Ohio. The settlement was first made on the north side of the Susquehanna where now stands the City of Wilkes Burre. The history and genealogy of this family was written by Mr Harvey, titled, “The Harvey Nesbit Families”.

Mr Lawrence Nesbit of Edenburg, [sic] Pa. descendant of Dr. Allen Nesbit of Mt. Jackson, Pa. to whom I am indebted for much of the information I am giving concerning the Francis Nesbit branch of the family does not think that John Nesbit, our ancestor, whom Dr. Allen Nesbit claimed to have come from Scotland in 1725 was a brother of Allen, John, Alexander and Thomas Nesbit who crossed the seas at about 1728 and settled in Penn-land. But I am of the opinion that he was a brother, because he and Allen settled in Hopewell Twp., Cumberland, Co. Pa., and John settled the estate of Allen and the names Allen, John, and Alexander are names common to the family.

A-1 Allen Nesbit, eldest son of Allen Nesbit, was born in Scotland, settled in Hopewell Twp., Cumberland, Pa. He was a taxpayer in 1733 in that part of Lancaster Co. that later became Cumberland Co., and together with John the tailor, was instrumental in calling the Scottish Divine, Rev. Dr Craighead to the Newville Church in 1739, “... from Pequea, Lancaster Co., a charge he gave, his Newville pastorate to assume in 1733”. Allen Nesbit, John Nesbit Jr. and John Nesbit Sr. were taxpayers in Hopewell, Twp., Cumberland Co., Pa. in 1751. Allen probably died in 1761, as according to the Orphans’ Court Docket at Carlisle, Pa. John Nesbet on December 7, 1761 took out letters of administration on the estate of Allen Nesbit, late of Cumberland Co. deceased. The following is a copy of the appraisement of his estate.

This is the aprisment of the Esteete of Allan Neesbit.

leate Desesd is ass foles ----
the Rige Bible, and Confeson of feath 0-18-0
Wats Salms, the docrin of the Bible and Psalm, these books 0- 2-6
C...ars and the collection of sermons 0- 4-6
to sadle 0- 2-6
To shears and coler, too horstrees and clenos and too old Bees 0-10-6
to a brige Coote, Streate cote and Jacket 1-10-6
to a pere of lather britches and stokons 0-16-6
to a tow olde bages and a pare of trowsers 0- 2-0
to tow old Beedticks, tow blankets, tow Civerlents, One quilt and a Sheat, A bolster 5-00-0
to a cetle 0-10-0
to a pote and tools 0- 5-0
to a bed, a cleaner and a Candlestick 0- 7-0
to a gridle and Boots and Crook Rack 0-10-0
to a Kege, Peall and dich 0- 5-6
to a springe wheate 0- 4-0
to ax and sproting shers 0- 5-4
To a dresser 0- 2-0
The priesment of the parteion of Alen Neesbit, late Deed
prayeed by us at L 40.00
We could find no record of his leaving any children.

Attorney J.R. Miller of Carlisle, Pa. now deceased, who looked up records for us at Carlisle, Pa. claimed Allen Nesbit died in Tobyne Twp., Perry Co., Pa., then a part of Cumberland Co. John Jr. may have been his son. Tax List shows Allen, John Jr., John Sr. in 1751.

A2 John Nesbet as he spelled his name, my ancestor, record given later.

A3 Alexander Nesbit seems to have settled in Lancaster Co.

A4 Thomas Nesbit settled in Antrim Twp., Franklin Co. on the Conecochique Creek where he owned in 1762, 150 acres of land, and in 1764, 300 acres. On December 24, 1770 Thomas Nesbit deeded his son, William Nesbit 150 acres of land. On April 25, 1783 in a release deed given by the widow and daughters of Thomas Nesbit, the statement is made:

“Whereas, Thomas Nesbit, late of Cumberland Co., yee man died in estate (? intestate) leaving issue, one son and a widow and four daughters, viz. William, Jean, Mary married to Hugh McKee, Frances married to William Sloan, Susannah married to James McKee and Martha married to James Dixon”.

The records show that after the death of her husband, Jean Nesbit resided in Air (? Ayr) Twp. Bedford Co. The only history I have of the family comes from Robert Nesbitt of Xenia, Ohio written in Feb. 1865 when he was 75 years old. He says, “There was a William Nisbet settled in Franklin Co. Pa. near McConnelstown. His sons were James, John, Thomas and William. Three of them, James, Thomas and William settled on Twin Creek, Preble Co., Ohio in a village called New Lexington, all are dead. Their families are scattered through the west. There was a Thomas Nesbitt some 50 years ago in Perry Co. on Jonathon’s Creek who claimed to be related to our family. There also was a James Nisbet in Franklin Co. who lived in McConnelstown. He also claimed some distant connection with our family”.

A-5 James Nesbit settled in York Co., Pa. and a record of his descendants can be found in a book titled “The Nesbit, Ross, Porter, Taggart Families of Pennsylvania”, compiled by Mrs. Blanche Taggart Hartman of Pittsburgh Pa., a copy of which is in the Library of Congress at Washington D.C.

THE JOHN NESBIT BRANCH OF THE NESBIT FAMILY

A-2 John Nesbet was born in Scotland in 1702 and died in Hopewell Twp, Cumberland Co. Pa. in 1767, the son of Allen Nisbet who died in Scotland in 1720; and it is with his descendants we shall deal. In securing much of the history of this family we are indebted to Lawrence Nesbit of Edenburg Pa. whose grandfather, Dr. Allen Nesbit of Mt. Jackson gave him the records of the family.

In a letter to his daughter, Dr. Allen Nesbit wrote: “I Allen Nesbit of Willow Grove Farm near Mt. Jackson Pa. on which I have lived for 68 years, am the son of Francis Nesbit, deceased in 1802, he being the son of John Nesbit of Cumberland Co. deceased in 1767. He being the son of Allen, deceased in Scotland in 1720. All pure legitimate Scotch blood”. He states in his memorandum that John Nesbit was born in Scotland in 1702, came to this country in 1725 and married a Miss McDowell who came over on the same ship with him. He had five sons, John, Allen, James, William and Francis, and four daughters. The sons were all soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Allen was captured”. The Nesbits in Scotland were followers of John Knox and like other dissenters suffered persecution from the English Church. Portions of the family went to Belfast, Ireland.

John Nesbit made calculations to go to South America: but for some reason changed his mind, and came to Pennsylvania according to the History of Lawrence Co., Pa. about 1735.

That the death of John Nesbet, the emigrant, took place in 1767 appears from the Orphans’ Court Docket No. 2 page 142 at Carlisle Pa.., is when letters of administration were granted on the estate of John Nesbet to Elizabeth Nesbet (his wife) and David Semerel Nov. 12, 1767. On the first day of August, 1770 there appears on the same docket and page, a file of the administrator’s account showing a balance in their hands of 157 pounds 5 shillings and 2 pence which was distributed by the court as follows, to wit: Elizabeth Nesbet, the widow, 52 pounds, 6 shillings and 4 pence. To the eldest son William Nesbit, 20 pounds, 19 shillings and 4 pence. To Janet , wife of George Ross 10-9-8 2/15, Francis 10-9-8- 2/15, Eleanor 10-9-8 2/15, James 10-9-8 2/15, Sarah 10-9-8- 2/15, John 10-9-8- 2/15, William 10-9-8 2/15, Margaret 10-9-8 2/15, Elizabeth 10-9-8 2/15. Total 157-5-, 2/15. (sic). In the above record the name John appears twice; but the first John was a mistake and should have been James as we give it. Dr. Allen Nesbit gives James as one of the five sons of John Nesbit Sr.

In Docket No. 2 page 143, Elizabeth Nesbet, widow of John Nesbet presented her partition in court praying the court to appoint George Ross guardian over the persons and estates of John, Sarah, William, Margaret and Elizabeth, minor children, under the age of fourteen years, of the said John Nesbet deceased. This was August 1770.

In her book, page 9, Blanche Hartman quotes: “John Nesbit, the farmer (who lost his lands on the Conedequinet in Cumberland Co. where one Sterrit was awarded the claim) John the tailor and Allen were taxpayer in Lancaster Co., now Cumberland Co., in 1733 where they were instrumental in calling the Scottish divine, Rev. Dr. Craighead in 1739 from a congregation at Pequea, Lancaster Co. a charge he had given up in New Castle (Newville) pastorate to assume in 1733”.

It is difficult to explain why John Nesbet who died at the age of 67 in 1667 and who married Miss McDowell one year after his arrival in America in 1725 or 1728 could have five minor children under the age of 14 years in 1770. We know that Francis, the third child, was born in 1749 and William was born about 1761 and Elizabeth, the youngest, about 1765, about 36 years after the marriage of Miss McDowell if they arrived in 1728 at Chester Pa. according to the record. If Francis was born in 1749, his sister Janet, would probably have been born in 1747 and Allen, the eldest, in 1745, as children were usually born about two years apart. If married in 1729 why did they have no children until 1743 and then have ten?

If the writer of this article on the Nesbit Family in the History of Lawrence Co., Pa. was correct when he said John Nesbit came from Scotland in 1735, or if according to one tradition in the family, he came on the ship with John Wesley and Gov. Oglethorpe in 1733 it would be easier to explain, but the records show that Allen, John, Alexander, Thomas and James Nesbit arrived in Chester, Pa. in 1728, that John settled at Conedoquinet Creek appears since the farm Francis Nesbit sold in 1802 is described as part of the estate of John Nesbit Sr. he purchased from John Nesbit the younger, the elder having died intestate, and the said John Nesbit, the younger, and William Nesbet and Eleanor Griffin and Sarah Miller Elizabeth Nesbit, being together with the said Francis Nesbit ‘being’ sons and daughters and heirs at law to wit: That part of the said larger tract which lies entirely on the southward of the said Conedequinet Creek to which he gave a deed to Henry Stephel signed Francis and Ann Nesbet, Mark X.

This certainly links Francis and William Nesbet with the John Nesbet Sr. whose estate was probated Nov. 2, 1767, but in the meantime Eleanor had married William Griffin and Sarah had married Isaac Miller, before deeding their share of the estate to Francis Nesbet, March 1, 1786.

Children of John and Elizabeth Nesbit

B-1 Allen Nesbet, eldest son who according to English law, received Aug.1, 1770 twice as much as the nine other heirs.

According to Dr. Allen Nesbit, he was a soldier in the Revolution and was taken prisoner by the British in Gen. Heratin Gates’ campaign in South Carolina, and that Allen died in the hands of the British from poisoning. Gen. Gates having been appointed to the command in the South, was determined to seize Camden, South Carolina, (S.C.). He made unwise choice of roads and engaged the enemy with an exhausted army. Aug. 16, 1780. When within ten miles of Camden he delayed two days giving Cornwallis time to come from Cumberland to assist Rawdon. Gates also made a mistake in sending 400 of his best troops on the foray. With 3052 soldiers, of whom 1400 were regulars, he faced 2000 British veterans. Both parties attempted to march at night, but when the surprise failed, they waited until morning. The Americans, left with raw troops, was routed, the right composed by Maryland regulars held the ground bravely until attacked on an exposed flank; they were compelled to retire, but in good order. The Americans lost in killed and wounded 1000, and 1000 were captured; the British loss was only 324. It was a case of bad generalship on the part of Gen. Gates who fled to the north.

In the Cumberland Co. Records of Deeds Vol. I. k, page 553, Alex. Murrays Esq. of Tobyne Twp. deeded to John All_n Nisbet of same Twp. 211.. acres of land as Administrator of the heirs of John Twine, dated Oct. 5, 1786. In Deed Book Vol. I. B” B. page 180 is a deed from Allen Nisbet and Margaret Nisbet, his wife, to Alexander Nisbet and John Nisbet, Toboyne Twp. Cumberland Co. in which Allen and his wife Margaret transfer their part of 326 acres left by Alex. Murray, being part of the estate of Alexander Murray which he bequeathed to his four daughters, viz. Margaret Neisbet, Mary Fisher, Isabella Murray and Jane McCrea.

(Signed) Allan Nisbet and Margaret Nisbet.

This Allan Nesbit who is an ancestor of Andrew A. Nesbit of Green Park, Pa., Perry Co. could not have been the son of John Nesbit I if Dr. Allen Nesbit was correct in claiming he died a British prisoner, but he may have been the son of Allen Nesbit I, brother of John Nesbit I, whose estate John administered in 1761. Andrew Nesbit gives his line as follows: Andrew A Nesbit, son of Samuel Nesbit son of Allan Nesbit. Mrs. Bowers of Blain Pa. says:

“My mother’s name was Jane Nesbit, born in 1833: her father’s name was Samuel Nesbit, born in 1788, my great- grandfather was John Allen Nesbit. Mrs. C.M. Bowers gives the children of John Allan and Margaret Murray Nisbet as follows: John, Margaret, Ann, Samuel, Susan, Allen and Fisher Nesbit. Samuel was my grandfather and the descendants of the others are living in different parts of Perry and Franklin Counties.”

Army Records of Allen Nesbet, son of John Nesbet I

Pennsylvania Archives Series 5. Vol. 6 page 588, Allen Nesbet private, Capt. Samuel McCune’s Co., dated Philadelphia 1776. McCune was from Cumberland Co., Pa. In same Vol. page 463, Allen was ensign in Capt. William Blaine’s Co., 7th Bat., Cumberland Co. in service May 1778. Capt. Blain came from the part of Cumberland Co. within the confines of Perry Co. There is an Allen Nesbet in 5th Bat. Cumberland Co. Militia Vol. 6. page 358 in 1781 and 1782. This is probably the Allen Nesbit who married Margaret Murray; and a cousin of Allen, son of John I.

B-2 Janet Nesbet who married George Ross.

Janet’s name was given second in the list of the heirs of John Nesbet I, which seems to follow in order according to ages.

While George Ross was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, he was a practicing attorney at the Carlisle Bar at the time. He could not have been the husband of Janet Nesbit as he was at that time married to Ann Lawler, a Scotch lady who bore him three children, George, James and Mary. George Ross Jr. married Mary Bird and Ann Ross married James Hopkins: so attorney J.R. Miller of Carlisle, Pa. was mistaken about her marrying George Ross, the signer, though he may have been guardian of five minor children of John I.

B-3 Francis Nesbet was born in Hopewell Twp., Cumberland Co., Pa. and died on a farm near Mt. Jackson Pa., Oct. 19, 1802. He was the third child of John and Elizabeth Nesbet and purchased from the heirs part of his father’s farm in Hopewell Twp. on the Conedequinet Creek which he sold in 1802 and moved to Mt. Jackson, Lawrence Co., Pa. He married Anne Thompson, born Aug. 2, 1751, died June 7, 1823 near Mt. Jackson: both are buried in Westfield Presbyterian Church Cemetery near Mt. Jackson, Pa.

In the spring of 1801, Francis Nesbit, and Wm. Espy who married Francis’ eldest daughter, Elizabeth, went to Cumberland Co., Pa. and located on “Donation Tract No. 1786”, near Mt. Jackson, Pa. This was probably given to him by the government as back pay as a Soldier of the Revolution. It was supposed to contain 400 acres, but a survey showed it contained 500 acres. Francis Nesbit returned to Cumberland Co. and having sold his farm in April 1802, moved with his family to the farm near Mt. Jackson, Pa. and settled on that part of the 500 acres that was later owned by his son Dr. Allen Nesbit, his grandson John Milton Nesbit, and his great grandson Lawrence Nesbit, to whom I am indebted for much of the information concerning the family. I have also been helped by Mrs. Thelma F. Lee of Washington D.C.

Wm. Espy had arranged to build on Hickory Creek, so when Francis returned to Cumberland Co. he brought the mill gearing with him and he and Epsy built the mill. Francis sold his interest in the mill and took all the land except 100 acres. Francis died the next October and was the first person buried in the cemetery of Westfield Presbyterian Church where a monument stands at his grave, placed there by Ambrose Nesbit. In signing his name to the Deed in Cumberland Co., he spelled it Nesbet, but on the monument it is Nesbit.

The History of Middle Springs Presbyterian Congregation near Shippensburg, Pa. compiled by Rev. S.S. Wiley, for many years pastor of this congregation, has Francis Nesbit listed as one of those who subscribed towards the building fund, and he may have been a member of this congregation. The first church of Middle Springs was built in 1738, and on December 27, 1742 John Blair was ordained pastor.

According to the History of Lawrence Co., Pa., “The Nesbit Family left a good farm, a brick house, a distillery and malt house in Cumberland Co. Pa. to live in Lawrence Co. in a round log cabin with clapboard roof and a loft floor: their bed was primitively made of small poles laid on forks driven into the ground. A split log with feet in it answered for a table. A small piece of split wood used with feet set in for chairs, and a couple of leaves of greased paper for window glass”.

“At the time the Nesbits came here, there was but one or two log cabins in Darlington and not over a dozen families in the bounds of what is now North Beaver Twp., and part of them squatters that soon moved away. During the next two or three years, twenty or thirty families came in, principally from Cumberland County”.

“The load of things the Nesbits brought with them from Cumberland Co. consisted principally of iron and other fuxtures for the grist mill, a barrel of salt, one of flour, two sets of china cups and saucers, two sets of pewter plates, a pewter mush-basin, a cedar churn and a tub”.

In affectionate memory of olden times they brought with them a singularly built arm-chair that had been brought from Scotland about seventy years earlier. They began at once to build the mill, as they had to pay 18.00 per barrel at Beaver Falls, 20 cts for meat and 1.25 per gallon for whisky, which they considered indispensable in those days, and was furnished to the hands with bread and meat. In 1803 the log nesting-house was built, now the site of the Westfield Presbyterian Church.

Military Record of Francis Nesbet in War of The Revolution

Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series, Vol. 6, page 26: Francis Nesbet was a private soldier in Capt. Alexander Peeble’s Company, 1st Bat., Cumberland Co. Militia, Oct. 1777. In the same Vol. page 28 he was a private in the company of the renowned Capt. Joseph Brady, 1st Bat., Cumberland Co. Militia. In the same Vol. page 400 he was a private soldier in Capt. Wm. Moorehead’s Co., 6th Bat., Cumberland Co. Militia 1780 commanded by Col. Dunlap whose command was from Carlisle Pa. It was customary to shift soldiers from one company and battalion to another.

The Children of Francis and Ann Thompson Nesbet

C-1 Elizabeth Nesbit was born in Hopewell Twp., Cumberland Co., Pa. April 27, 1780. She married Wm. Espy, born 1771 in Cumberland Co. Pa. They had eleven children:
1. An infant born Jan. 1, 1797, 2. an infant born Sept. 10, 1799, 3. Thomas Espy born Aug. 9, 1801, 4. Francis Nesbit Espy born Apr. 12, 1803 died young, 5. Robert Hamilton Espy, 6. Rachel Espy, 7. Betsy Espy, 8. John Espy, 9. Jean Espy, 10. Nancy Thompson Espy, 11. Patty Espy.

Wm. Espy was a surveyor by trade. He and his father-in-law, Francis Nesbit built a flour-mill on Hickory Creek in 1802. He bought out Francis Nesbit’s interest in the flour-mill and sold his interest in the 500 acres they had purchased (with the exception of 100 acres) to Francis Nesbit. Francis Nesbit divided the 400 acres among his four sons, John, James, Francis and Allen; and Allen received the home place on which his father, Francis had originally settled. William Francis, another son received a farm near the Westfield Presbyterian Church.

William Espy, the sole owner of the mill ran it until 1806 when he traded it for a farm, to a man named Wylie.

Children of William and Elizabeth Nesbit Espy

D_3 Rev. Thomas Espy who married Mary L. Tait, moved to North Carolina. He had at least one daughter.
E-1 Harriet Newell Espy married Zebelan Baird Vance. She was born in Buncombe Co., N.C, May 13, 1830 and died Apr. 14, 1894. He was Governor of North Carolina and represented North Carolina in the United States Senate from 1858 to 1861 as a States Right American. He was a Colonel in the Confederate Army from 1861 to 1862 and was Governor of North Carolina from 1862 to 1864 as a strong champion of the Confederate cause. He was again Governor of North Carolina from 1876 to 1879 and a United States Senator from 1879 to his death in 1894 and in his office took high rank as a statesman.
D-5 Robert Hamilton Espy, born March 8, 1805 died December 29, 1875. He married Mary Ann Bell by whom he had nine children. They moved to Jones Co., Iowa.

Children of Robert Hamilton and Mary Ann Bell Espy

E-1 William Nesbit Espy born Feb. 24, 1827. He married and had three children.
F-1 Mrs Frank Espy Scott.
F-2 Frank Espy.
F-3 Robert Espy.
E-2 Elizabeth J. Espy born May 15, 1829: married Mr. Sanford.
E-3 Mary L. Espy born Feb. 15, 1833: died 1890 at Scotch Grove, married Mr. Stutevent. Had children.
E-4 Henrietta Espy born Apr. 20, 1838.
E-5 James S. Espy born June 30, 1840: married Elizabeth Smith, June 30, 1865.

Children of James S. and Elizabeth Smith Espy

F-1 Norman Ross Espy born Feb. 14, 1867.
F-2 Robert .......... Espy born Sept. 2, 1869: married Anna M. Fallstrom. Had one son.
G-1 Robert Espy.
F-3 Sybil Espy born ..... married Wm. Nelson, March 18, 1897.
F-4 Anna Espy born ..... married Joseph Eby Mar. 10, 1897.
E-6 Martha Espy (twin) born June 30, 1842 died 1943.
E-7 Caroline Espy born Sept. 30. 184?: married Mr. Sutherland.
E-8 Robert J. Espy born Oct. 21, 1844: married Mary Carey. Had a daughter.
F-1 Blanche Espy born ......... married David A. Chenoweth, live at Indianapolis, Indiana.
E-9 Amanda Espy born Oct. 20, 1849: married D. Sutherland: died 1882 at Manning, Ohio.
D-6 Rachel Espy born Feb. 1807.
D-7 Betsy Espy born May 27, 1809
D-8 John Espy born Mar. 2, 1811: married Jane Anderson. Had one son.
D-9 Jean Espy born ........ 3, 1813.
D-10 Nancy Thompson Espy born April 19, 1815.
D-11 Nancy Espy born June 18, 1817.

C-2 Judge John Nesbit of Mt. Jackson, Pa.
Judge John Nesbit was the eldest son of Francis and Ann Thompson Nesbit. He was born in Cumberland Co., Pa. Apr. 29, 1782 and died Jan. 8, 1864. He came with his father to Mt. Jackson in 1802. He married first, Elizabeth Clark who died in 1847. He settled on a farm of 100 acres given him by his father on which he laid the town of Mt. Jackson, Pa. According to Charles F. Nesbit of Washington D.C., the author of “An American Family”, Judge John Nesbit knew Henry Clap and Andrew Jackson both well. “There is still in Alwington the big four-posted mahogany bed Henry Clay slept in when visiting Judge Nesbit. Of Andrew Jackson he told the story which he had from Jackson”.

“When a mere boy Jackson joined the Revolutionary Army. He was taken prisoner. A British officer ordered Jackson to blacken his boots. Jackson refused. The officer kicked him and again ordered him to black his boots. Jackson again refused. The officer struck him with his sword cutting a bad gash along the back of Andrew Jackson’s neck and shoulder. It was badly treated, or not treated at all and left a welt through life, and gave Jackson a stiff carriage. He said after the war, he never saw a British uniform until he caught and hung Arbuthnot, for selling firearms to the Indians, and after that, not until he saw ‘redcoats’ advancing on his cottonbale breastworks at New Orleons. When he saw them ‘this scar’, said Jackson, pointing to his shoulder, ‘burned like fire, it was as red as a poker laid on me. After the battle it felt better’”.

The Children of Judge and Elizabeth Clarke Nesbit

D-1 William Nesbit died young.
D-2 Edward J. Nesbit died young.
D-3 Walter C. Nesbit died young.
D-4 Rebecca Nesbit born 1810 died 1895 unmarried.
D-5 Anna T. Nesbit died young.
D-6 Eunice Nesbit died young.

D-7 John Clarke Nesbit born Mt. Jackson, Pa. about 1811 died in Lowery City, Mo. 1891. He married Harriet Newel Coffin of Newburyport, Mass. by whom he had three children. They lived together within a few months of 50 years. They followed their sons to Mt. Jackson Pa. to Lowery City, Mo. in 1870 and gave five acres of land off the farm in St. Clair ....... on which was built the Westfield Presbyterian Church, named after Westfield Presbyterian Church near Mt. Jackson, Pa. of which his father Judge John Nesbit was an elder. John Clarke Nesbit learned the hat-making and shoe-making trades. He was postmaster and collected 25 cts to send a letter, and kept a hotel and ran a store. When they came to Missouri he bought 160 acres of land for about 8.00 per acre. He had several thousand dollars and money loaned from 1 to 2.5% per month. He was a man of excellent judgement and was frequently called to Jefferson City, Mo. to sit on the Federal Grand Jury.

Charles F. Nesbit gives an interesting brief biography in his book “An American Family”.

Three sons of John Clarke and Harriet Newel Coffin Nesbit

E-1 Hon. Francis Clarke Nesbit, born near Mt. Jackson, Pa. in 1838 died at Newport News, Va. Apr. 21, 1894. He married Ellen Maria Wright, Talmadge, Ohio, Oct. 29, 1861, born in Talmadge, Ohio 1837: died in Lowery City, Mo. May 4, 1904.
They had three children. One who died in infancy and two who grew to manhood. Charles and Francis Wright Nesbit.
Elen Wright Nesbit was a descendant of Capt. John Wright of the Revolutionary Army. Her father, Dr. Amos Wright was born in a log cabin in Talmadge, Ohio in 1808 and was the first white boy born in Summit Co., Ohio and one of the first white boys born in the Western Reserve. One girl was born in Southern Co. before him. Dr. Amos Wright practiced medicine for many years in Talmadge, Ohio.

Hon. Francis Clark Nesbit, in Pennsylvania practiced law, removing to St. Clair, Mo. He bought a farm and raised stock there, then he practiced law, and was elected to the Legislature of Missouri and Secretary of State. At the close of his term in 1885 he was presented with a fine gold watch and chain. He moved his family to Washington D.C. where he became the Chief Clerk of the United States Department of Agriculture. Then with his brother Scott he formed the Firm “Nesbit & Nesbit, Real Estate Loans and Insurance”, of Washington D.C.

He was a man who stood fair dealings, honest and upright in his own dealings, and in his law practice he would defend only those whose cases he knew to be just. In his public life he retained the respect and confidence of the public.

Cildren of Francis Clark and Ellen Marie Wright Nesbit

F-1 Charles Francis Nesbit, was born Talmadge, Ohio, June 23, 1867. He married Clara Ford in Washington D.C. Jan. 10, 1893. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio. They have one son Frank Ford Nesbit.
Charles Francis Nesbit resided in Washington D.C and was the Insurance Commissioner for the District of Columbia from 1914 to 1917. In the Fall of 1817 he was appointed Commissioner of the Division of Military and Naval Insurance of the War Risk Bureau, which had been created by law, and served until the close of World War I, resigning in the Spring of 1919. He helped plan and carry into effect the war insurance policies of the US Government, and was a Deacon of the Church of the Covenant, Presbyterian, Washington D.C. He died in Washington D.C. on April 25, 1934. He preserved the same cheerful spirit to the end.

Son of Charles Francis and Clara Ford Nesbit

G-1 Frank Ford Nesbit, born Washington D.C. June 28, 1894. He married Agnes Trwobridge (sic) on Oct. 27, 1920. They had one daughter.

Daughter of Frank and Agnes Trwobridge Nesbit

H-1 Barbara Agnes Nesbit, born in Washington D.C. Mar. 6, 1925.
F-2 Walter Wright Nesbit, born Feb. 15, 1871, St. Clair Co., Mo. He married Beulah Brush at Washington D.C. Oct. 1902. They have one daughter.
G-1 Virginia Nesbit, born, Fairfax Co., Va. Sept. 17, 1903.
E-2 Charles Wright Nesbit, son of John Clark Nesbit was born at Mt. Jackson Pa. on Jan. 29, 1843. He married at Edinberg, Pa, Elizabeth Craig on May 16, 1867. She was born in Alleghany Co., Pa. June 15, 1930. They have four children. He bought a farm when he moved from Mt. Jackson Pa. to St. Clair Co., Mo. He had run a general store in Mt. Jackson Pa. with his brother Scott. On his farm in Missouri he became a breeder of thoroughbred stock. Later he organised and ran a bank in Lowery City, Mo.

Children of Charles Wright and Elizabeth Craig Nesbit

F-1 Theresa (Tressie) Nesbit was born in Edinberg, Pa. Feb. 22, 1867. She married at Lowery City, Mo. Jan. 21, 1893, Milborn M. Shields b. ....... in Lexington, Mo. Aug. 12, 1861 and died at Des Moines,. Ia. Sept. 25, 1899. She attended the Syn ........ Female Seminary at Fult... and won first prize in the reading contest and received a prize of a bouquet of roses from the White House Conservatory at Washington D.C. sent to her from President Cleveland.
F-2 Sarah Ashton (Sade) Nesbit, born St. Clair, Mo. July 2, 1871. She was unmarried.
F-3 John Clarke Nesbit, born in St Clair, Mo. Mar. 28, 1873. He married at Lowery City, Mo. Aug. 10, 1896 May Crawford. He died Feb. 11, 1921

Children of John Clarke and May Crawford Nesbit

G-1 Charles Clarke Nesbit, born in Lowery City Mo. Nov. 6, 1897. He died Jan. 3, 1907.
G-2 Harriet Nesbit, born in Lowery City, Mo. Feb. 21, 1908.
G-3 Janet Clarke Nesbit, born at Lowery City Mo. Mar. 5, 1911.
F-4 Charles Dwight Nesbit, born St. Clair Mo. Nov. 20, 1877. He married Beulah Dawson at Lowery City, Mo. Oct. 21, 1914. They have two children.

Children of Charles Dwight and Beulah Dawson Nesbit

G-1 Charles Dawson Nesbit, born in Lowery City, Mo. Nov. 5, 1917.
G-2 Helen Elizabeth Nesbit, born May 26, 1921.
F-5 Newell Jackson Nesbit born Sept. 5, 1879. He married at Lowery City, Mo. Olive McCracken ,Dec. 25, 1904. They have two children.

Children of Newell Jackson and Olive McCracken Nesbit

G-1 Mary Elizabeth Nesbit born at Durant Okla. June 6, 1906. She married at Wichita Kan. June 6, 1928 to George Edward Cumstock.
G-2 Francis Nesbit born Sept 1, 1908: married at Wichita Kan. Apr. 19, 1930 (1936 ?) to John Harrell of Wichita.
E-3 Albert Scott Nesbit, son of John Clark Nesbit, born at Mt. Jackson Pa., Nov. 25, 1846. He married Annetta Johnson, born Edinberg Pa., Mar. 12, 1850. She died at Washington D.C. Jul. 13, 1923. He died at Washington D.C. Dec. 25, 1925. They had three children, Grace, Harrison and Donald. A. Scott Nesbit ran a general store in Mt. Jackson Pa. with his brother Charles. At about 1870 the brothers sold their store and went to St. Clair, Mo. and bought a large tract of land and for a time were engaged in farming and stock raising. He later moved to Osceola, the county seat of the St. Clair Co. and organized and ran a bank. He dealt also in real estate in Osceola and was a member of a lumber company at Memphis Tenn. In Charles F. Nesbit’s book on the American Family, there is an interesting account of his experiences as a banker in Osceola.

President Cleveland appointed Albert Scott Nesbit Chief Clerk of the US Internal Revenue and later as a clerk in the US Treasury Department, Distribution Office of the US Coast and ....detic Survey. He was one of the organizers of the Farquer National Bank and a director. Later he became receiver of Insolvent National Banks under the US Treasurer.

In 1880 or 1882 while still residing in Osceola he was sent as a delegate to the Presbyterian General Assembly at Saratoga Springs N.Y., and took his wife Annetta, and Grace and Harrison with him when he visited Mt. Jackson. While they were in Pittsburgh they called upon Mr. John Harper, President of the Bank of Pittsburgh, and Harrison as a little boy sat in the lobby while his father talked with the President. In 1910 on the 100th anniversary of the organization of this bank, Harrison became its President.

Scott Nesbit purchased an estate near Warrenton Va. which later he called “Alwington” which he beautified and made his home. It later became the property of Harrison. After his wife died Scott Nesbit made his home in Clair Hotel, Washington D.C. and I called on him there. He was in poor health and was cared for by his daughter, Mrs. Grace Hordern. I gave him a copy of the genealogy and history of the Nesbit family as I gathered it up and he was greatly pleased to receive it.

He was a genteel, gracious and lovable gentleman.

Children of Scott and Annette Johnson Nesbit

F-1 Grace Nesbit born in St. Clair Co., Mo. Feb. 9, 1871: married Herbert Radcliffe Hordern Aug. 19, 1891. He was born in England. They have seven children.
G-1 Herbert Radcliffe Hordern, born near Alaxandria, Va. June 12, 1892. He graduated from Virginia Military Institute. During World War I he went to England and enlisted and was made Lieutenant of the Irish Guard. He saw service in Belgium and France and was severely wounded in the battle of the Somme, July 1916, and for a time was paralyzed below the waist, but he recovered so that he could walk with a cane.
G-2 Donald R. Hordern, born and died at Alexandria Va. Sept. 23, 1893.
G-3 Dorothy Radcliffe Hordern, born Sept. 13, 1895, married Thomas Wallace Smith Jr. of Pittsburgh Pa. Oct. 25, 1922. She died in Pittsburgh Pa. Jan. .. 1929. They had three children.
H-1 Thomas Wallace Smith III, born July 31, 1923.
H-2 Carter Smith, born March 15, 1926.
H-3 Dorothy Smith, born Dec. 15, 1928.
G-4 Constance Radcliffe Hordern, born Warrington, Va. Jan. 31, 1897: married Gerardus Banyer Clerk at Alexandria Va., Nov. ....... 1923. They had two children.
H-1 A child who died at birth in 1924.
H-2 Herbert Michael Clark, born in Washington D.C. Jul. 22, 1930.
G-5 Ceric Radcliffe Hordern, born Apr. 12, 1899: died 1900 at 14 months.
G-6 Hugh Radcliffe Hordern, born Warrington Va. Sept 2, 1902. Died Sept. 21, 1902.
G-7 Hilda Radcliffe Hordern, born Jan. 13, 1910.
F-2 Harrison Nesbit, born Osceola Mo. Sept. 15, 1875: married Edith Caroline Herron Nov. 25, 1896. He was born in Flushing N.Y. Aug. 26, 1879. He was killed in an automobile accident Oct. 21, 1931. When he and his daughter were returning from Baltimore Md. to his estate “Alwington” near Warrington, they crashed into a parked truck on the Ballimore Boulevard near Muirkirk, Md. His daughter Elizabeth was severely injured but recovered. He was president of the Bank of Pittsburgh, from 1910 to May 28, 1931, when he was given leave of absence, and he returned to his estate in Warrenton Va., one of the finest in that section. He was also president of the Peoples’ National Bank of Warrenton and President of the Fauquier County Publishing Co. of Warrenton.
Harrison Nesbit attended the public schools of Osceola, Mo. where his father was in the banking business. In 1888 his father sold out his interests in the bank and moved to Warrenton Va. Harrison attended the Episcopal High School near Alexandria Va. He later attended the Berkel School Washington D.C. then the Massachusetts School, of Technology, Boston, Mass. and the National University Law School at Washington D.C. and received the degree of Bachelor of Law and L.L.M. He was assistant Law Officer for the Department of Commerce, and later, Chief National Bank Examiner for the District, including Chief President of the Bank of Pittsburgh on its 100th Anniversary, Feb. 10, 1910, the oldest bank west of the Allegheny, and had acted as Federal National Treasurer of the Democratic Party.

Children of Harrison and Edith Caroline Herron Nesbit

G-1 Scott Herron Nesbit, born Washington D.C. June 23, 1901: married Ruth Harrison Channon, born Chicago, Illinois, 1903. They were married in the Episcopal Cathedral, Washington D.C. They have three children.
H-1 Elizabeth Leigh Nesbit, born in Pittsburgh, Pa. May 26, 1925.
H-2 Harrison Nesbit II, born Apr. 2, 1927, Pittsburgh, Pa.
H-3 Scott Herron Nesbitt, born Jul. 7, 1930, Pittsburgh, Pa.
G-2 Edith Caroline Nesbit, born Washington D.C., Sept. 19, 1909.
G-3 Nancy Elizabeth Nesbit, born May 15, 1912. Pittsburgh, Pa.
F-3 Capt. Donald W. Nesbit, USN, born Osceola Mo. Dec. 7, 1877: married Nancy May Pike Jan. 1, 1916, born Surrey Co. N.C. Apr. 7, 1895. Capt. D.W. Nesbit was appointed from civil life to the navy and commanded the Nevada in W.W. 1 and saw service at sea. He was in charge of the Library Loan Drive in the Navy in the squadron to which his ship belonged. After the war he was Commander of the Naval Station at Hampton Naval Base in Virginia. His family reside in Washington D.C.

Children of Capt. Donald W. and Nancy May Pike Nesbit
G-1 Nancy Constantine Nesbit, born Mar. 30, 1917.
G-2 Donald Wallace Nesbit Jr., born Aug. 1, 1918.
G-3 Harrison Scott Nesbit, born Jan. 29, 1920.
G-4 Mary Harriet Nesbit, born Feb. 12, 1921.
G-5 John Pike Nesbit, born, Jun. 27, 1923.
F-4 Edith Nesbit, fourth child of Scott and Anette Nesbit, born Sept. 2, 1884 at Osceola, Mo.: married L. Noble, born Indianapolis, Indiana. They have no children and reside at Warrenton, Virginia.
E-4 Emaline Coffin Nesbit, daughter of John C. Nesbit died Oct. 29, 1842.
E-5 Harriet Theresa Nesbit, daughter of John C. Nesbit, d. Oct. 29, 1842.
D-8 Capt. Francis Nesbit, eighth child of Judge John Nesbit, born Oct. 1, 1807 at Mt. Jackson, Pa. died Mar. 30, 1884: married Nancy Baker, lived and died on a farm near Mt. Jackson, Pa. When he was a young man he went south on a steam boat, where he enlisted and served as a Captain in the Seminole War.

Six Children of Capt. Francis and Nancy Baker Nesbit: born at Mt. Jackson

E-1 John Nesbit IV, went to Iowa, married and had a family.
E-2 Carrey Nesbit was killed working on the railroad.
E-3 Frank Nesbit was killed, also working on the railroad.
E-4 William Nesbit went west.
E-5 Belle Nesbit taught school in Iowa.
E-6 Fred Nesbit lived in California.
D-9 Eliza Nesbit, ninth child of Judge John Nesbit, born at Mt. Jackson, Pa. 1818: died Dec. 25, 1900 at New Castle, Pa.. Her husband, John S. Officer, was a cabinet-maker at Mt. Jackson. After his death his widow Eliza, moved to New Castle, Pa.

Seven Children of John S. and Eliza Nesbit Officer born at Mt. Jackson

E-1 Robert Officer, a soldier in the Civil War, B Battery, 1st Pa. Artillery, married and settled at Palestine, Ohio.
E-2 William Officer, a soldier in the Civil War, B Battery, 1st Artillery, Pa.; was a Corporal. A bachelor.
E-3 George Officer, bachelor, died of tuberculosis at New Castle, Pa.
E-4 Sarah Elizabeth Officer, born Oct. 25, 1839, d. New Castle, Pa. on Apr. 18, 1908. She married George Cooper a storekeeper in Mt. Jackson, Pa. During the Civil War he did big business. Later moved to New Castle, Pa.

Three Children of George & Sarah E. Officer Cooper, born Mt. Jackson, Pa.

F-1 Clara Cooper, married Wm. W. Eichbaum, a baker in New Castle, Pa. They reside at 319 N. Jefferson St., New Castle.
F-2 Dana Cooper married B.F. Butler who ran a large clothing store in New Castle, Pa. They reside at 407 N. Jefferson St.
F-3 George L. Cooper resides in New York.
E-5 Alice Officer, married Capt. Harvey Cooper of Battery B. 1st Penn. Artillery. A monument is erected to this company in Mt. Jackson, Pa. Cemetery. He ran a general furnishing and clothing store in New Castle, Pa. They had the child, Mary Cooper.
F-1 Mary Cooper married Luther Sefrass. They reside at 321 N. Jefferson St., New Castle, Pa. They have the Bible of Judge John Nesbit with the record of the family.
E-6 Mary Officer died unmarried.
E-7 Kitty Officer married Hosea Swisher and had two children.
F-1
F-2
D-10 Elizabeth Nesbit, tenth child of Judge John Nesbit born in Mt. Jackson, Pa.; married Mr. Wilson in Salem, Ohio, and had two children

Children of Elizabeth Nesbit Wilson, born in Salem, Ohio.

E-1 Lizzie Wilson.
E-2 Rev. John N. Wilson, a Presbyterian Minister.
After the death of his first wife, Elizabeth Clarke, Judge John W. Nesbit married in ....... as his second wife, Mary ........., by whom he had two children, James T. Nesbit and Olive Nesbit, born in Mt. Jackson, Pa.

The two Children of Judge John Wilson Nesbit and Mary ........... Nesbit

D-11 James T. Nesbit married Belle Reid and lived in Mt. Jackson. Pa. He was a soldier in the Civil War, Battery B. 1st Penn. Artillery. He was shot in the leg which made him a cripple. They had one child, Mary Nesbit, born in Mt. Jackson. Pa.

Child of James T. and Belle Reid Nesbit

E-1 Mary Nesbit, unmarried.
D-12 Olive Nesbit married Rev. Mr. Scott and had one child. Dr. Scott, a physician in Kansas City, Mo.
C-3 Annie Nesbit, the third child of Francis and Ann Thompson Nesbit was born in Cumberland Co., Pa. Nov. 8, 1784 and married Rev. John McCurdy who was settled at Cadis, Ohio.
C-4 Francis Nesbit II, fourth child of Francis and Ann Thompson Nesbit was born in Cumberland Co., Pa. Feb. 9, 1786 and died at Mt. Jackson, Pa. in 1816. He married and settled on a 100 acre farm given him by his father. He had one child.
D-1 Francis Nesbit III, died young.
C-5 William Nesbit, fifth child of Francis and Ann Thompson Nesbit was born in Cumberland Co., Pa., Aug. 3, 1788 and died at Mt. Jackson, Pa., Nov. 18, 1847. He married Martha Caldwell, Nov. 5, 1811, born May 24, 1786 and died Oct. 9, 1864. Settled on a farm purchased for him by his father, near Mt. Jackson, Pa. where they spent their life. He was a soldier in the War of 1812 and was an Associate Judge at Beaver, Pa. They had no children.
C-6 James Nesbit, sixth child of Francis and Ann Nesbit, born in Cumberland Co., Pa. Aug. 20, 1793 and died near Mt. Jackson, Pa. Aug. 15, 1885. He married Nancy Hurrah born Apr. 1, 1801, died June 16, 1893. They lived first in Beaver Co., Pa. then settled on a farm at Mt. Jackson, Pa. They had seven children: James, William, Nancy, Margaret, Albert, Martha, and a son that died in infancy. All children were born in Mt. Jackson, Pa.
James Nesbit was a soldier of the War of 1812 and acted as confidential secretary to Commodore Perry. He was with Perry in his celebrated battle at Lake Erie. He was an elder in the Westfield Presbyterian Church, a Justice of the Peace, and an Associate Judge in Beaver City, Beaver Co.

The Seven Children of James and Nancy Hurrah Nesbit

D-1 James Nesbit, born 1831, died Mt. Jackson, Pa. 1915. He married Matilda Henry, born 1832, died Mt. Jackson, Pa. 18_3, married Oct. 14, 1859. He purchased his Uncle William’s farm and spent his life on it. They had three children: Mary Blanche, Jennie and Nettie. He was an elder in the Westfield Presbyterian Church. The children were all born in Mt. Jackson, Pa.

Three Children of James and Matilda Henry Nesbit

E-1 Mary Blanche Nesbit married Sharp Fullerton. They had no children.
E-2 Jennie Nesbit married Thomas Gilkie, a civil engineer. They reside in New Castle, Pa. and have two children, Pauline Gilkie and Carnella Gilkie, born in New Castle, Pa.
F-1 Pauline Gilkie graduated from the New Castle High School and attended Westminster College at New Wilmington, Pa.
F-2 Carnella Gilkie.
E-3 Nettie Nesbit married James Fullerton. They reside on her father’s farm which her father bought from his uncle, William Nesbit. They have two children, Frances and Gertrude, born at Mt. Jackson, Pa.

Children of James and Nettie Fullerton

F-1 Frances Fullerton graduated from New Castle High School and later taught school.
F-2 Gertrude Fullerton graduated from New Castle High School.
D-2 William Nesbit, second child of James and Nancy Hurrah Nesbit, born Sept. 6, 1828, died Apr. 10, 1859, unmarried.
D-3 Nancy Ann Nesbit, third child of James and Nancy Nesbit died in 1914, unmarried. Her father willed her the farm. After living on it for a number of years she sold it and built a house in Mt. Jackson in which she lived until she died.
D-4 Margaret Nesbit, fourth child of James and Nancy H. Nesbit married James Hayes. They lived on a farm near Mt. Jacksom, Pa. and had two daughters Thresser (sic) Hayes and Myrtle Hayes, born near Mt. Jackson, Pa.

The Children of James and Margaret Nesbit Hayes

F-1 Thresser (sic) Hayes married Harry Fullerton and have two children.
G-1 Mary Allen (sic) Fullerton married a Mr. Hoffmaster and they live on a farm near Mt. Jackson and have one child, Mary Allen Hoffmaster
G-2 A son ?
F-2 Myrtle Hayes, second child of James and Margaret Nesbit Hayes married Wylie Brewster. They have one adopted child.
D-5 Albert Nesbit, fifth child of James and Nancy Hurrah Nesbit born Nov. 28, 1834 died Sept. 1837.
D-6 Martha Nesbit, sixth child of James and Nancy Hurrah Nesbit, born Mar, 1, 1840, died Sept. 15, 1841.
D-7 A son that died in infancy.

THE HISTORY OF THE FAMILY OF DR. ALLEN NESBIT WAS PREPARED

BY MRS. THELMA LEE A DESCENDANT, AND IS AS FOLLOWS

C-7 Dr. Allen Nesbit a twin, was the last of ten children b. to Francis Nisbet and his wife Anne Thompson, was b. in Cumberland Co., Hopewell Twp. Penn., July 29, 1796. At birth he was just 14 oz. When 6 years old, his parents migrated to Beaver Twp. Lawrence Co. and settled on Hickory Creek on land given to his father as recognition of his military service. In his 72nd year he was able to write without the use of glasses and weighed 135 lbs: could shoulder a sack of wheat and carry a barrel of flour. It is related that at the age of 70 he could run and jump over the poles on which kettles were hung for boiling maple sap. These poles were hung 4 feet above the ground. He was a man of small physique but very active. Became a physician of the botanic school and was in active practice until his 76th year. He d. in 1885 on the old homestead at Mt. Jackson and is buried together with other members of his family in Westfield Cemetery. He m. Nov. 1, 1820 Anne Robinson (b, 1802, d. Sept. 11, 1845) by whom he had a large family: m.2 to Melison Newton, a widow and daughter of Elisha Blake of New Milford, Conn. She d. in 1877. Three sons were born to his second wife.

Issue of Dr. Allen Nesbit

D-1 Florella Nesbit, b. Sept. 29, 1821, d. Aug. 19, 1842.
D-2 Martha Nesbit, b. Sept. 9, 1823, d, Mar. 4, 1902
D-3 Isaac Andrew (Ambrose) Nesbit, b. 1826, d........
D-4 John Milton Nesbit, b. July 4, 1828, d. Jan. 10, 1913.
D-5 Anne Elizabeth Nesbit, b. 1830, d. Jan. 26, 1876.
D-6 Selina J. Nesbit, b. 1834, d. Feb. 21, 1866, unmarried.
D-7 Homer Kossuth Nesbit, b. 1851 at Boardman, Ohio, d. .........
D-8 Charles Allen Nesbit, b. Apr. 1, 1853 at Boardman, Ohio.
D-9 Willis Granville Nesbit, b. Sept. 8, 1855 at Boardman, Ohio.

Continuing the lines of the above

D-1 Florella Nesbit, born Sept. 29, 1821, d. Aug. 19, 1842;, m. Joseph Patterson. They had two children, Anna and Florella Jane Patterson.
E-1 Anna Patterson married Charles Wylie, a harness maker. They lived in Columbia, Ohio and had one child that died young.
E-2 Florella Jane Patterson b. Mar. 20, 1842, New Castle, Pa., d. Northfield, Ohio, Apr. 20, 1890, m. John Nesbit of Northfield, Ohio Oct. 11, 1866. The had six children, William, Annie, James, John, Ambrose and Delmar. They were all born on the farm that their grandfather, John Nesbit settled on in 1832, when he came to Northfield from Westmoreland Co., Pa., which was purchased by his son John Nesbit IV.
The record of this family will be found under John Nesbit III.
D-2 Martha Nesbit, dau. of Dr. Allen and Anne Robinson Nesbit, b. Sept. 9, 1823 at Mt. Jackson, Pa., d. Mar. 4, 1902. Is buried in Westlawn Cemetery, Canton, Ohio, m. Dr. Jesse Wilder Baker, b. Butler Co., Pa., May 4, 1818 and d. at Gnaddenhutton, Ohio, Mar. 26, 1893. At the time of his death he was the County Doctor.

The Issue of Dr. Jesse Wilder and Martha Nesbit Baker

E-1 Martha Miranda Baker, b. Apr. 12, 1850 at Hilltown, Pa., d. Mar. 21, 1931 at Chicago, Ill.
E-2 Charles Albert Baker, b. Jan, 28, 1852 at Hilltown, Pa., d. June 23, 1879, unmarr.
E-3 Elizabeth Nesbit Baker, b. Aug. 16, 1854 at Mt. Jackson, Pa., d. Jan. 26, 1928 at Jamestown, N.Y., Unmarried.
E-4 Nesbit Wilder Baker, b. 1856 at Mt. Jackson, d, Feb. 1, 1909, was m. but left no issue.
E-5 Emma Baker, b. Nov. 14, 1857 at Harmony, Pa., d. Dec. 18, 1918 at Buffalo, N.Y., m. three times. No issue.
E-6 Infant, stillborn.
E-7 Edward Baker, b. Feb. 9, 1861 at Harmony, Pa., d. Feb. 3, 1889, unmarr.
E-8 James Ambrose Baker, b. Sept. 2, 1863 at Marlough, Ohio, no issue. A jeweller, is now retired. Lives part of his time in Washington D.C.

E-1 Martha Miranda Baker (See E-1 p. 16) eldest child of Martha Nesbit and Dr. Jesse Wilder Baker, was b. at Hilltown, Pa. Apr. 12, 1850. On Aug. 1, 1868 at Louisville, Chic., m. Daniel Gross, son of Christian Gross, b. Jul. 4, 1844 on his father’s farm near Freeburg, Ohio, d. Sept. 16, 1901 at Alliance, Chic. from pneumonia contracted while marching in G.A.R. parade. He served as a private in the Ohio Volunteers, enlisting Sept. 29, 1864. By trade he was a carriage-maker in the days when carriages were made by hand and required much skill. They lived in Paris, Ohio.
Martha Baker Cross d. Mar. 21, 1931 at the home of her daughter Melcenia Gross Bacon, Chicago, Ill. Both she and her husband, as well as her son Nesbit Leroy Gross and daughter Minnie De 'Ette Gross are buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Chicago, Ill.

Issue of Daniel and Martha Miranda Baker Gross

F-1 Minnie De 'Ette Gross, b. May 11, 1869 at Paris, Ohio, d. Sept. 16, 1901 at Citronel, Ala., unmarried.
F-2 Bessio May Gross, b. Sept. 2, 1870, m. Sept. 21, 1894, Charles F. Ziegler, well- known lawyer of Philadelphia, Pa. He d. Nov. 22, 1914. No issue.
F-3 Charles Albert Gross, b. Sept. 11, 1872.
F-4 Harry Willis Gross, b. Sep. 3, 1879.
F-5 Nesbit Leroy Gross, b. Aug. 4, 1877 at Paris, Ohio, d. Spring 1908, m. Catherine Sullivan. No issue.
F-6 Melcenia Gross, b. Oct. 20. 1881.

F-3 Charles Albert Gross (See F3 above) son of Martha Miranda and Daniel Gross was b. Sept. 11, 1872 at Paris, Ohio and d. Jan. 3, 1929 at Canton, Ohio. Is buried at Westlawn Cemetery, Canton, Ohio, m. in 1899 Dade Rheinbaldt, whose brother later became treasurer of Stark Co. She d. in 1922 from influenza.

The Issue of Charles Albert and Dade Rheinbaldt Gross

G-1 Harold Fernando Gross, b. Apr. 21, 1900 at Canton, Ohio, d. there Oct. 1922 from influenza. Unmarried.
G-2 Jesse Daniel Gross, b. June 23, 1906; works in County Treasurer’s Office.
F-4 Harry Willis Gross (See F4 above) son of Martha Miranda Baker and Daniel Gross, b. Sept. 3, 1879 at Paris, Ohio. As a very young boy enlisted in the First Ill. Volunteer Infantry; saw service at Santiago, Cuba, in Spanish-American War. Followed railroading and went west to Mexico in that capacity. Later made roadmaster at Guthrie, Okla. Has succeeded himself five times as member of Grievance Committee of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Lives in Kansas City, Mo. In 1899, m. Nell Crow, dau. of Rev. John Wesley Crow.

The Issue of Harry Willis and Nell Crow Cross

G-1 Emmerson Wesley Gross, b. Mar. 21, 1900; m. Nov. 7, 1925 Nadine Alexander, widow with a son. Is efficiency expert with Armour & Co., Chicago, Ill. No issue.
G-2 Bessie May Gross, b. Jan. 17, 1902.
G-3 Harry Willis Gross, b. June 28, 1904; civil engineer with Sante Fe. Railroad.
G-4 Nellie Dorothy Gross, b. May 26, 1908; m. Sept. 13. 1931 Dr. George A. Walker. Grad. with M.D. Degree from Lawrence, Kans. University. Is now doing intern work at Braddock, Pa. No issue. Has one step daughter.
G-5 Martha Miranda Gross, b. Dec. 1913. In business for herself in Kansas City, Mo.

G-2 Bessie May Gross (See G2 p. 17) dau. of Harry W. and Nell Crow Gross, b. Chicago, Ill. Jan. 17, 1902, taught school in Wyoming where she met and m. Apr. 16, 1921, Raymond Grant Ramsay (b. July 11, 1895 in Traverse Co., Mich). He served with the E.E.F. in the World War. (1914-1918).

The Issue of Raymond Grant and Bessie May Gross Ramsey

H-1 Rosalie May Ramsey, b. Apr. 12, 1923.
H-2 Margaret Dorothy Ramsey, b. Feb. 28, 1925.
H-3 John Grant Ramsey, b. Feb. 26, 1927.
H-4 James Walter Ramsey, b. Apr. 6, 1931.
F-6 Melcenia Gross, youngest child of Martha Miranda Baker and Daniel Gross, b. at Paris, Ohio, Oct. 20, 1881: (m.1) Nov. 3, 1900, John Jacob Fick, Aug. 10, 1910. from whom she was later divorced: (m. 2) George Lawrence Bacon, member of the Chicago Board of Trade.

The Issue of John Jacob and Melcenia Gross Fic

G-1 Thelma De 'Ette Fic, b. Aug. 3, 1901, dau. of Melcenia Gross and John Jacob Fic: educated at public and private schools and University of Colorado: m. Oct. 30, 1920 George W. Lee son of James Lee, pioneer settler of Nebraska. George W. Lee served with the A.E.F with the 347th Field Artillery in World War. (1914-1918).

The Issue of George W. and Thelma De 'Ette Fic Lee

H-1 Mary Virginia Lee, b. Sept. 19, 1921.
D-3 Squire Isaac Andrew (Ambrose) Nesbit, eldest son of Allen Nesbit; b. Mt. Jackson, Pa. Apr. 14, 1826, d. 1900: learned the marble-cutting trade from James Gailoy of Mt. Jackson, beginning his studies at the age of 17 years. In 1849 he went to California. Upon return enlisted in Cooper’s Battery B., being elected First Lieut. He had command of the Battery during the Battle of Gettysburg. Was elected Squire after the war. On Nov. 11, 1875, m. Annie Ray Gormley a widow. Shortly after, purchased a farm on Mahonington Pike, where he died. Was elected Elder of the Presbyterian Church of Mahonington Pike. He is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery, New Castle and his grave is marked. No issue.
D-4 John Milton Nesbit, fifth child of Dr. Allen and Anne Robinson Nesbit, b. July 4, 1828, d. Jan. 13, 1910 on the farm inherited from his father on which Francis Nesbit I settled in 1802. It is now owned by Lawrence Nesbit. John Milton Nesbit m. Sarah Baker in June 1856. She d. June 10, 1880. After their marriage they lived for a time on the old homestead, then moved to Mt. Jackson, then to the farm of James Nesbit and back to the old homestead. They had four children, Lawrence, Mary Ann, Cassius and Elizabeth. All were born near Mt. Jackson.

The Issue of John Milton and Sarah Nesbit

E-1 Lawrence Barker Nesbit, b. Feb. 7, 1858. A bachelor who lived with his sister Mary Ann on a farm which Francis Nesbit settled on and which Dr. Allen Nesbit and his son John Milton Nesbit lived on, and where they died. . At this time, July 19, 1934, Lawrence B. Nesbit is paralysed and in hospital at New Castle, Pa.

In response to a letter sent to Mt. Jackson, Pa. inquiring about the Nesbit family, we received a reply from Lawrence B. Nesbit giving us much of the information about the ancestors and descendants of Francis Nesbit I. Later we visited with him and his sister at their home and secured a great deal of information about the family
E-2 Mary Ann Nesbit, b. 1860. She lived with her brother Lawrence on the old Nesbit homestead, but since his illness, has been staying in New Castle, Pa.
E-3 Allen Cassius Nesbit, b. .... 1862, a bachelor, worked for the US Government in Pittsburgh, Pa. and New York, d. July 15, 1933.
E-4 Elizabeth Nesbit, d. in infancy.
D-6 Selena Nesbit, the daughter of Dr. Allen Nesbit, b. 1832, d. Feb. 21, 1866.
After the death of his first wife, Dr. Allen Nesbit m. Melissa Newton, by whom he had three children, Charles A., Homer and Willis G., all born at Boardman, Ohio.
E-7 Charles A. Nesbit, b. Apr. 1, 1850, d. July 2, 1925. He was a travelling salesman and served as President of the Travelling Mens’ Association. He was a popular salesman and lived and died in Cleveland, Ohio.
E-8 Homer Nesbit, b. 1851, d. ..................... a bachelor in California.
E-9 Dr. Willis G. Nesbit, M.D. In Sept. 1855 m. Kate McNab, lived in Cleveland, Ohio, where he d. Jan. ... 1920. Has one daughter, Minnie.
F-1 Minnie Nesbit, b. Apr. 29, 1877, Cleveland, Ohio, d. Jun. 18, 1828, m. Frederick Greer and lived in Cleveland until her death. So far as is known, they had no children.

This closes the records of the descendants of Francis and Anne Thompson

Nesbit, so far as we have been able to gather them.

The first entry is on page 8.

The Children of John and Elizabeth Nesbet, cont’d from page 6

B-4 Eleanor Nesbet, fourth child of John and Elizabeth Nesbet, m. William Griffen, on Aug. 23, 1770. As Eleanor Nesbit she received in cash from her father’s estate 10L, 9s, 8 2/15th. p. (sic) from the administrators, Elizabeth and Samuel Semeral.

On Mar. 1, 1786 she deeded her share of 150 acres, being part of the estate of John Nesbit Sr., deceased, to her brother Francis Nesbit. The deed conveyed the interest of “John Nesbet, the younger, William Griffen and Eleanor, his wife, Isaac Miller and Sarah his wife and Elizabeth Nesbet, the younger to Francis Nesbet, the younger and his heirs forever”. I could find no further records of William and Eleanor Griffen.
B-5 James Nesbet, fifth child of John and Elizabeth Nesbet.

Dr. Allen Nesbit gives James as one of the five sons of John Nesbet Sr., but this does not appear in the settlement of the estate, but in the record of the estate of John Nesbet, the name appears twice. We believe the first John Nesbet in the list should have been James Nesbit. He received the same as Eleanor. He does not sign the deed to Francis Nesbet, but neither does Allen, Janet or Margaret. They may have received as their share the real-estate on the northern side of the Conedequinet Creek, as the 150 acres deeded to Francis Nesbet is described as “being part of a tract of land of which John Nesbet died seized and possessed” (sic).

Revolutionary Record

James Nesbet, B5 above, was a Sergeant in the First Bat. Cumberland Co. Militia on Jan. 17, 1777: commanded by Col. Ephran Blaine and Capt. Methias Saddlor.

B-6 Sarah Nesbet, sixth child of John and Elizabeth Nesbet, m. Isaac Miller on Aug. 23, 1770: she received same in cash as Eleanor. On Mar. 1, 1786 she signed the deed to Francis Nesbet for 150 acres she heired (sic) from her father, as Sarah Miller, wife of Isaac Miller.
Mrs. Hettie McConnell Van Horn (1857-1927) of Northfield, Ohio, told me that Eliza (Lyde) Miller, who married Squire Anderson, was a daughter of Isaac and Sarah Nesbit Miller and that they lived in Kent, Partage Co., Ohio. Anderson was a Justice of the Peace. That Lyde Miller had one brother whose son, John Ray Miller, visited Northfield, Ohio with her. She, Eliza (Lyde) Miller also had a brother, Dr. Miller M.D.

B-7 John Nesbet, seventh child of John I. and Elizabeth Nesbet, received the same as Eleanor from their father’s estate. On Mar. 1, 1786 he joined his brother William, and sisters, Eleanor, Sarah and Elizabeth in deeding 150 acres to their brother Francis. In 1770, the petition of his brother to the Cumberland Co. Court appointed George Ross Guardian of the persons and estates of John, Sarah, William, Margaret and Elizabeth, minor children of the Said John Nesbitt, deceased, under the age of fourteen”.
B-8 William Nesbet, eighth child of John and Elizabeth Nesbet, b. about 1760/62, d. in Northfield, Ohio about 1836. He m. Esther Robinson and they lived in Cumberland Co., Pa., Williamsburg, Pa., Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., and in Northfield Twp., Summit Co., Ohio. He received the same amount in cash as the other heirs, and joined in the deed of the 150 acres to Francis. He was not married as the deed was not signed by a wife.

His grandson, James M. McElroy (1821-1906) in a paper read at the Nesbit-McElroy Reunion, Oct. 7, 1899 says, “When I went to live with my grandfather and grandmother, William and Esther Nesbit, I was four years old. I lived with them most of the time until I was eight years old. Grandfather said his father and mother were born in Cumberland Co., Pa. He was twelve or fifteen years old when the Revolutionary War broke out. His father liberating four or five slaves, enlisted in the army from which he came home with the fever, and he and his wife both died of it. The eldest son (Allen Nesbet) got the real-estate according to the English Law, but there was plenty left to give the others a good start in life. He went to New Castle and bought a large tract off a doctor and two farmers. They all lived to be old men and left a large connection. William Nesbit went to a town on the Susquehanna River and built a large brick hotel and store, and was a prosperous man. Soon he lost a good deal of the money. He and two or three others went bondsmen for a treasurer. The treasurer skipped out and they had to pay the bond.

My mother, Ruth Nesbit McElroy, was b. in 1799. The town in which she lived was Williamsburg, called after grandfather William Nesbit. After his loss he sold out and moved to Westmoreland Co. Uncle William sold out his farm in Westmoreland Co., Pa. and came to Northfield, Ohio in 1832 and settled on the farm that is now owned by Alexander Nesbit”.

Respectfully

James M. McElroy.

Willam and Esther Robinson Nesbit came from Westmoreland Co., Pa. to Northfield, Ohio and made their home with their son, William Nesbit II, mentioned above as uncle William, until their death. They are buried in Northfield Cemetery, but no tomb marks their grave. They were members of the Fairfield Associated Presbyterian (Seceder) Church in Westmoreland Co., Pa., of which Dr. Joseph Schroggs was pastor for over forty years and of Northfield, Ohio Associated Presbyterian Church.

Revolutionary Record of William Nesbet

Pennsylvania Archives, Vol. 6., page 138: William Nesbet was a private in Capt. Woods’ Co., 1st Bat. Cumberland Co. Militia, 7th Company of which Col. James Johnson was the Commander, Aug. 1, 1780 to Aug. 1782.

Same volume pages 279 and 604: William Nesbet Aug. 31, 1793 was elected ensign of the 3rd Company of Militia in Huntington Co., Pa., and on the 14th of Oct. 1797 was elected Captain of the same company. Williamsburg, where James McElroy says his mother Ruth was born in 1799 was in Huntington Co. at that time, although now in Blair Co., which was made out of Huntington in 1846. According to the above record, William Nesbit must have come to Williamsburg before 1793.

If Dr. Allen Nesbit was correct in his statement that John Nesbet who came from Scotland was the father of Francis Nesbet, that he died in 1767 and the records of the courts verify Dr. Nesbet’s statements, then James M. McElroy was mistaken about William Nesbit’s father and mother being born in Cumberland Co., Pa., and the fact that Wm. Nesbit signed the deed to the farm given to Francis Nesbit with the other heirs mentioned in the settlement of the estate of John Nesbit Sr., all goes to prove that Dr. Allen Nesbet was correct. If William Nesbit was the brother of Francis, as James McElroy states, and as other relatives of the family affirm; if William was the younger, then Sarah and John, and they were both under 14 as the court records shows, then William would be about 9 in 1770 and about 13 in 1775 when the War of the Revolution broke out. This would make him 18 or 20 when he served in the army in 1780 to 1782. This accords with James M. McElroy’s statement that “William was aged from 12 to 15 when the Revolutionary War broke out”.

William Nesbet was the great grandfather of the Rev. John Pratt Nesbit D.D., the compiler of the “History and Genealogy of the John Nesbet Family”.

William Nesbet I, had eight children, Elizabeth, John II, William II, Anne, Mary, Ruth, David and James.

The Children of William I and Esther Robinson Nesbit

C-1 Elizabeth Nesbit, first child of Wm. and Esther Robinson Nesbit was born about 17_0 (indistinct on original) probably in Cumberland Co., Pa. She married John Halferty Nov. 30, 1808 in Westmoreland Co., Pa. He was b. Dec. 2, 1780, the son of Edward Halferty, and had three brothers and four sisters.

According to Mrs. Dora H. Chasey of Richland, Iowa, John and Elizabeth Halferty lived in Westmoreland Co., Pa. until 1822 when they moved to Richland Co., O. (sic). Eight of the children, Edward, William, James Flack, Robert I, John, David, Robert II and Samuel were born in Westmoreland Co., Samuel being a baby at the time of moving to Ohio.

According to Peter F. Halferty of Aberdeen. Washington, a grandson, they moved from Westmoreland Co., Pa. to Mansfield during the late 1830s. He says “My father, James Flack Halferty and his ten brothers and one sister (Betsy) were born there. In 1850 they altogether moved to Washington and Keokuk Counties, Iowa, except Edward who strayed away to Lancaster Co., Wis......... -- I have heard my father say that grandfather John Halferty was from Londonderry, Ireland”.

The following was copied from Mathew Henry’s Commentary

“I, John Halferty was b. on 2nd day of Dec. 1780 according to the account my father, Edward Halferty gave me. I, John Halferty was m. to Elizabeth Nesbit on the evening of Nov. 30th. 1808”.

The Issue of John and Elizabeth Nesbit Halferty

D-1 Edward Halferty, b. Oct. 20, 1809, d. Aug. 7, 1892.
D-2 William Halferty, b. Feb. 18, 1811, d. Dec. 30, 1899.
D-3 James Flack Halferty, b. Sept. 15, 1812, d. Sept. 6, 1896.
D-4 Robert I, Halferty, b. June 9, 1814, d. June 16, 1817
D-5 John Halferty, b. Mar. 17, 1816, d. ............
D-6 David Halferty, b. Nov. 9, 1817, d. Aug. 31, 1902.
D-7 Robert II, Halferty, b. Dec. 17, 1819, d. Oct. 1883.
D-8 Samuel Halferty, b. Jan. 22, 1822, d. ...........
D-9 Thomas Halferty, b. Apr. 1, 1824, d. ...........
D-10 Jacob M. Halferty, b. Oct. 26, 1825, d. Oct. 10, 1908.
D-11 Zephaniah Halferty, b. Jun. 7, 1827, d. ......... 1911.
D-12 Elizabeth Halferty, b. Jan. 8, 1830, d. Sept. 12, 1910.

According to Dora Halferty of Avilla, Ind., Edward Halferty, father of` John Halferty who married Elizabeth Nesbit, was born in County Down, Ireland in 1748 and died in Westmoreland Co., Pa. Mar. 23, 1825. Edward and his brother Arthur were educated for the Priesthood, their father being a strong Catholic. When they completed their education, they were expected to take the prescribed vows to enter the order of the priesthood, a thing their father was determined they should do.

The boys had become Protestant in their belief and did not want to enter the priesthood, but the laws of the church were severe and they had to obey, or suffer persecution. Rather than become priests, the boys left their native land, their father’s house with all his wealth, and emigrated to America.

Their mother being Protestant in sentiment, gave the boys the money. They came to Massachusetts in 1770 where Edward worked as a surveyor. Both were soldiers in the War of the Revolution. (Commenced 1775).

The Revolutionary War Record of Edward Halferty

“His name appears as a Lieutenant in the Return of Militia Officers of the County of Westmoreland, Sept. ......, 1776, 2nd Bat., Lieut. Col. John Rumsey in Command”.

“The name of Edward Halferty appears as Captain, 3rd Co. in the Return of the 3rd Bat. of Westmoreland agreeable to the different elections, July 7, 1779; Col. Abraham Henricks in Command”.

“Edward Halferty was a Private of the 1st Class in Capt. John McConnell’s Co. of the 4th Bat. in Cumberland Co. Militia, commanded by Lt. Col. Samuel Culbertson in 1780, 18,_2. He was promoted to the rank of Col. of the 5th Regiment in a Return of officers of the 6th Regiment of the Militia of Westmoreland Co. made by Ch_ien Campbell, Esq., Brigadier Inspector of the Militia of said County, Tuesday, Jul. 2, 1783”.

“Edward Halferty came west of the Allegheny Mountains with his regiment to fight the Indians who were troublesome after peace had been declared. He decided to stay West and located in Westmoreland Co., Pa. He Married Margaret Flack about 1777 and they had a family of nine children, five sons and four daughters. His wife Margaret died in 1834 aged 77 years. (Est. date of birth 1757).

In Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland Co. Pa., Edward Halferty built a large nine room log house where they lived and died Presbyterians. They were Laid To Rest in Fort Palmer Cemetery, Ligonier Valley, Westmoreland Co., Pa. Edward Halferty held Warrentee Deeds to 100 acres of land, Mar. 30, and Aug. 25, 1786 and to 200 acres Feb. 28, 1793.

The Children of Edward I. and Margaret Flack Halferty

Isabel Halferty, b. Sept. 19, 1778, m. Andrew Ramsey, four children, two sons, two daughters; d. Sept. 19, 1863.

John Halferty, b. Dec. 2, 1780, m. Elizabeth Nesbit, Nov. 30, 1808.

James Halferty, b. ............. .

Nancy Halferty, m. Daniel Maddox.

Robert Halferty,

William Halferty, (grandfather of Dora Halferty of Aville, Ind.) b. Apr. 1, 1788, m. Elizabeth Luther, b. Apr. 12, 1814, d. Apr. 1, 1854, aged 40 years. They had nine children: James, Edward, Margaret, Isabell, John, William, Mary, Robert and Jane.

Margaret Halferty, b. 1790 m. Robert Phillips in 1811, had seven children, Edward Phillips, b. 1792, d. 1877 aged 85 years, Mary Halferty Phillips, b. 1794, m. Major John Cauffiel (sic) May 10, 1814, had five children.

The Children of John and Elizabeth Nesbit Halferty

D-1 Edward Halferty, b. Oct. 20, 1809, d. Mt. Hope, Wis. Aug. 18, 1891, m. Phanean (Fanny) Barr. She was b. in Westmoreland Co., Pa., Mar. 1, or 29, 1807, d. Mt. Hope, Wis. Nov. 27, 1901. Both are buried at Mt. Ida Cemetery near Lancaster, Wis. They were m. in Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa. and went from there to a farm near Danville, Ohio, Richland Co. His brother, Zephanias lived on the farm and Edward taught school. He was also a charcoal burner, a teamster and a storekeeper. Children, Mary, Elizabeth, Jacob, John, Margaret, Susanna, William and Henderson. All b. Richland, Ohio.

“According to his children a customer entered his store for some purchases. He was smoking his cigar, and being very polite, laid it on the counter while he waited on his customer. He picked it up to resume smoking and accidentally put the burning end into his mouth. Of course it burned him and that made him angry. He went to the door and threw the cigar as far as he could and never smoked again. The store was in Newville, Ohio. He was always temperate in his habits. They had eight children.

In the Fall of 1853 or 54 they drove overland from Ohio to Wisconsin. When he sold his farm in Ohio he was paid in gold. There were no banking facilities then and that was the way they brought their money to Wisconsin. Grandma bought some stout cloth, and made a sort of waist belt with straps over the shoulders and quilted each gold coin in separately in the waist. Edward Halferty wore that gold-filled waist belt under his shirt and none were the wiser. He had bought corn in Iowa intending to move to Richland, Iowa where his brothers had located but got on the wrong road at Chicago and arrived at Grant Co, Wisconsin.

He had previously made a trip to Iowa and was not favourably impressed with the flat land, so friends persuaded him to remain in Wisconsin. He wanted to be near timber and running water. It took just four weeks to the day to drive from Ohio. As Aunt Susanna remembers, they drove two horse teams and one ox. team.

There were three covered wagons and one two-seater covered buggy which was drawn by one horse. They brought their household goods and furniture with them. Two young men wished to come to Wisconsin with them and came along for their board and passage; and some drove wagons. Edward Halferty planned to start on a certain day, and on that morning it rained hard, but that did not change his plans. They started right out into it. A great many friends came to say “goodbye”, among them the Baptist Minister, Rev. Wilson. They held a prayer meeting just before they started. The minister accompanied them three miles on horseback in pouring rain”.

Edna Halferty

Lancaster, Wisconsin.

The Children of John and Elizabeth Nesbit Halferty

E-1 Mary Halferty, b. Dec. 2, 1831, m. John Law, June 28, 1848. He was b. Nov. 2, 1820 at Newville, Ohio; d. Dec. 2, 1913. He d. Jan. 21, 1913, [sic], buried at Red Cloud, Nebraska. Lived in Id, Nebraska.

The Children of Mary Halferty and John Law

F-1 Isaphene Law, b. Keokuk Co., Iowa, Apr. 15, 1854, m. Fred Reed, Nov. 19, 1874, b. in Massilon, Ohio 1853. She resides at 813 17th St. Santa Monica, California.

The Children of Fred and Isaphene Law Reed

G-1 George Edward Reed, b. Mar. 5, 1876.
G-2 Julielma Reed, b. Mar. 15, 1881.
G-3 Hugh Reed, b. Jun. 21, 1884.
G-4 Una Reed, b. Jul. 23, 1894.
F-2 Virgil Law, b. Aug. 2, 1862, m. Margaret Scott, b. Sept. 2, 1865. Reside at St Cloud, ....... Nebraska.

The Children of Virgil and Margaret Scott Law

G-1 Vera Law
G-2 Joseph Law
G-3 Henry Law
G-4 Don Law
G-5 Vashti Law
G-6 Forrest Law
F-3 Ida Law, b. Feb. 22, 1859, m. Joseph Stewart, Jan, 31, 1879, b. Aug. 17, 1846, d. Jun. 17, 1727. (Maybe that should read 1927 ?).

The Children of Joseph Law and Ida Law Stewart

G-1 John Clay Stewart, b. Aug. 19, 1881.
G-2 Esther Fay Stewart, b. Sept. 25, 1883.
G-3 Earl Stewart, b. Jan. 10, 1886.
G-4 Mary Grace Stewart, b. Jan. 16, 1888.
G-5 Olive Irma Stewart, b. Feb. 25, 1891.
G-6 Manly Stewart, b. Feb. 4, 1893.
F-4 George Law, b. Jan. 27, 1873, resides at Red Cloud, Nebraska.
E-2 Elizabeth Halferty, b. Jun. 25, 1833, d. Jun. 8, 1902, m. Johnson Andrews, Jun. 17, 1873, b. Apr. 22, 1834, d. Feb. 19, 1912, lived at Ollie, Iowa.
E-3 John Halferty, b. Jan. 12, 1835, m. Elizabeth Whiteside 1860, b. Jun. 23, 1840, d. Jan. 20, 1916. He d. Jul. 4, 1917. They lived near Mt. Hope, Wisconsin. He spent his last days with his daughter in Salem, Oregan. They are both buried in Mt. Ida Cemetery near Mt. Hope.

The Children of John and Elizabeth Whiteside Halferty

F-1 Edward Halferty, b. Jan. 1, 1862, d. in California.

F-2 James Halferty, b. ............ m. Mary Hall, buried Fort Worth Texas.

F-3 Fred Halferty, dentist, m. Blanche Moran, reside Lancaster, Wisconsin.

Child of Fred and Blanche Moran Halferty

G-1 John Halferty, electrician, m. Margaret Herberlein, reside Cashton (or Gashton), Wisconsin.

The Children of John and Margaret Herberlein Halferty

H-1 Miriam Blanche Halferty.
H-2 John Edward Halferty.
F-4 Charles Halferty, b. Mar. 8, 1871, m. Kate Mulligan 1901. Res. S. Dakota.
F-5 Downer Halferty, b. Sept. 2, 1872, d. Apr. 15, 1923, m. Minnie Plimpton, buried at Salem, Oregan.

The Children of Downer and Minnie Plimpton Halferty

G-1 Lloyd Halferty, electrician.
F-6 Nellie Halferty, b. Jun. 16, 1873, m. O. Ben Darling, b. Apr. 28, 1871, reside Salem, Oregan. R.R.8. Box 260. On a ranch.

The Children of O. Ben Darling and Nellie Halferty Darling

G-1 Grace Darling, b. Jan. 27, 1905, m. Samuel Forcheck, Dec. 4, 1931, reside at Portland, Oregan.

The Children of Samuel and Grace Darling Forcheck

H-1 Paul Stanley Forcheck, b. May 4, 1933.
G-2 Lila Darling, b. Dec. 13, 1906, m. Eldon Patterson, Jun. 10, 1929. He d. May 30, 1932 at Bolder, Colorado. She lives with her parents . One child.
H-1 Joyce darling Patterson, b. Feb. 4, 1931.
E-4 Jacob Halferty, b. Apr. 15, 1837, d. Jul. 23, 1840.
E-5 Susanna Halferty b. Nov. 28, 1839, d. Sept. 5, 1929, m. Johnson McKenzie, b. Mar. 17, 1823, d. Apr. 27, 1894. They were m. Oct. 30, 185_.
F-1 Frank McKenzie, b. .......... m. Harriet Limpert, one daughter, Natalie, d. Kenosha, Wisconsin.
F-2 William McKenzie, b. .......... m. Ella Nicolline, one son, Benjamin, m.; had one daughter, Fa...is McKenzie, d. about 1930.
F-3 Benjamin McKenzie, b. .......... m. Jennie ..........., one child who lived in Boston, Massachusetts.
F-4 Kathryn McKenzie, b. ........ m. John Charles Churchill, lives 224 Vineland, N.J. Two children.
G-1 Charles Churchill.
G-2 Elizabeth Churchill.
F-5 Hugh McKenzie, b. 1873, d. 1876.
F-6 Phanias (Fanny) McKenzie, b. .........., m. Rat Carthew: two children. She and the children live at 1123 Hines St., Salem, Ohio.

G-1 Kathryn Carthew.

G-2 Mac ..... Carthew, .................... Richland, Indiana.

E-6 Margaret Halferty, b. Nov. 6, 1841, d. Feb. 14, 1909, buried at Lakeside Cemetery, Cannon City, Colorado, m. Dr. Loren Wade, Nov. 6, 1860, b. Jan. 10, 1823, Madison Co., N.Y., d. 1885 at Whig, Grant Co., Wis. She resides at Cannon City, Col.

The Children of Dr. Loren Wade and Margaret Halferty Wade

F-1 Fannia Anna Wade, b. Aug. 2, 1861, m. Herman Bickle, Aug. 18 or 19, 1895, d. Nov. 30, 1932, buried at Cannon City, Col. Her address is 905 19th St., Cannon City, Col.
F-2 Eva Johanna Wade, b. Aug. 28, 1865, d. May 24, 1920. Unmarried.
F-3 Pitt Abraham Wade, b. Aug. 23, 1867, physician, m. Alice Zener, Dec. 31, 1900, b. Aug. 21, 1875. Reside 1106 Park Ave., Col

The Children of Dr. Pitt Abraham Wade and Alice Zener Wade

G-1 Harold Zener Wade, b. Mar. 9, 1902, d. Mar. 16, 1902.
G-2 Theodore Everett Wade, b. Sept. 13, 1904.
G-3 Julia Margaret Wade, b. Aug. 24, 1905, m. Leron D. Lane. One child.
H-1 Raona Joan (or Raona Jean) Lane, b. May. 22, 1932.
G-4 Grace Kathryn Wade, b. Jun. 8, 1907, d. Aug. 8, 1907.
G-5 Helen Dorothea Wade, b. Apr. 20, 1910.
G-6 Pitt Wade, b. Aug. 4, 1907.
G4 and G6 above are readable on my copy. Obviously a typing error my the compiler.
F-4 Ben Orlando Wade, b. May, 1, 1870, m. Anna Johnson 1898.

The Children of Ben Orlando Wade and Anna Johnson Wade

H-1 Burt Oliver Wade, M.D., b. Sept. ....., 1904.
H-2 Clara Myrtle Wade, b. Apr. 2, 1905, m. ............. .
H-3 Ernest Marion Wade, b. Apr. 3, 1906, m. an M.D.
H-4 Rosalie Wade, b. ....., 1914, d. 1918.
E-7 William Halferty, enlisted in 41st Reg. Co. A. May 5, 1864, d. of disease at Memphis, Tenn. Sept. 13, 1864. He was too young to enlist so his father gave him permission to enter the army.
E-8 Henderson Halferty, b. Sept. 30. 1846, d. Feb. 10, 1922, m. Anna Bryhan, Feb. 8, 1882, b. 1855. She resides at Lanacster , Wisconsin.

The Children of Henderson Halferty and Anna Bryhan Halferty

F-1 Burr Jones Halferty, b. Dec. 10, 1882, m. Cora Bohl, Dec. 8, 1915, b. Dec. 11, 1885. They live on part of the farm his grandfather, Edward Halferty obtained direct from the government, near Lancaster, Wisconsin.

The Children of Burr Jones Halferty and Cora Bohl Halferty

G-1 Edward Halferty, b. Jul. 2, 1917.
G-2 Donald Henderson Halferty, b. May 24, 1919.
G-3 Marjorie Jeanne Halferty, b. Aug. 12, 1923.
F-2 Laura Halferty, b. Mar. 3, 1884, m. Harvey H. Croft, Feb. 28, 1906, b. Mar. 8, 1875. Reside at Lancaster, Wisconsin.

The Children of Harvey F. Croft and Laura Halferty

G-1 Clarke LaVeren Croft, b. Nov. 11, 1909.
G-2 Norton Evans Croft, b. Nov. 28, 1915.
F-3 Maude Halferty, b. Oct. 30, 1886; office clerk for the Schelgel Drug Store at Davenport, Iowa, m. Fred W. Pressler, Oct. 17, 1917. He d. Aug. 1880. No children.
F-4 Phania (Fanny) Halferty, b. Jun. 10, 1889, Lancaster, Wis. Unmarried.
F-5 Edna Halferty, b. Apr. 14, 1893, unmarried, resides at Lancaster, Wis. Edna furnished the data for the Halferty family and is interested in family history.
F-6 Clay Evans Halferty, b. 30, 1895, m. Leona Burkhardt, Nov. 21, 1929, b. Oct. 5, 1900. He served with the 32nd Division during the World War (1914-1918), and is now an officer and Director of the Union State Bank. They reside in Lancaster, Wis. They have one child.
G-1 James Burkhardt Halferty, b. Oct. 9, 1930.

The following was furnished by Miss Edna Halferty

of Lancaster, Wisconsin

About Edward Halferty Sr. and Family

“I do not know much about grandmother Halferty’s history, except that she lived on a farm in Pennsylvania. Her father died when she was young, leaving her mother with two daughters. Grand mother was the elder and they were very poor”.

As to the trip to Wisconsin, Edna says: “at the end of three miles they stopped at the home of friends and stayed all night, and started out the next morning. For all that crowd, grandma baked all the bread. They camped at night sleeping in a tent, the rest in the wagons, except the two or three nights they stopped at farmhouses. Often along the way, people gave them fruit, milk etc. Saturday at noon they stopped and grandma baked bread in her ‘bake’ kettle over the camp fire. She could not bake enough on Saturday so had to bake again on an evening during the week. They never drove on the Sabbath. If they were near a church they attended the service. They all kept well and enjoyed the trip: had lots of fun. They went through Chicago, but their memory of Chicago was that of a mud-hole. On the way they passed through Platteville, (a small city sixteen miles from Lancaster) and there they bought some bread, the first bakers’ bread they had ever tasted. The family had not moved out of the house when grandpa came, and another family had come along the Ohio with no place to stay, so for a few days there were three families living together in a little log house. On Christmas Day that year it was pleasant and grandmother took a long walk over the farm without a wrap and bareheaded. She brought with her from Ohio lots of dried fruit.

“Grandpa took up government land, bought more from individuals and farmed until he tired. He did some speculating in land. Part of the farm we now have was obtained directly from the government. At one time they were Baptists, but later joined the Advent Church. When grandpa Edward Halferty retired he moved into Lancaster, Wis. and lived there until he and grandma were too old to live alone. They then stayed with their daughter Margaret, at Mt. Hope, Wis., and then with their son John, who too lived at Mt. Hope. Mt. Hope is near Lancaster. For a time before grandpa died he was blind.

“Their son William enlisted with the 41st Reg., Co. A, on May 5, 1864 and died of a disease, Sept. 13, 1864 at Memphis, Tenn. He was too young to go to war, so grandpa had to sign papers granting him permission to enter the Service.

“Mary, the eldest child and her husband John Law were living in Iowa near the brothers of grandpa when her sister Elizabeth visited and met Solomon Andrews and married him. Benjamin Andrews was her step-son. Later the Laws moved to Red Cloud, Nebraska.

“Susanna and family lived on a farm near Lancaster, later in this city, and died at Box 224, Vineland, New Jersey, at the home of a daughter who still lives there. Her one daughter, Fanny, lives at 1123 Hines Street, Salem, Oregon.

“Margaret married Dr. Loren Wade. They lived at Rockville, Wis. and then at Mt. Hope, Wis., then they moved to Cannon City, Col. to be near her children. A son, Dr. Pitt A. Wade and one daughter, Mrs. Herman Bickle live there now at 1106 Park Avenue and 905 19th Street, respectively.

“Henderson Halferty, my father, was born at Danville, Ohio, Sept. 30, 1846, (the youngest of seven children) named for Dr. P. Henderson of that place. He came with his parents to Wisconsin in 1854. On Feb. 8, 1882 he married Anna Bryhan and lived on a farm at Lancaster, died in Lancaster Feb. 10, 1922. Mother is still living”.

Edna Halferty

April 3, 1934.

D-2 William Halferty, b. Feb. 18, 1811, d. Dec. 20, 1899, second son of John and Elizabeth Nesbit Halferty. William married Hannah Pierce, had one son who died in Civil War, adopted a daughter Cecilia Shaffer, now deceased.
D-3 James Flack Halferty, b. Sept. 15, 1812, d. Sept. 6, 1896, (m1). Jane Wilson about 1838 who died in 1857. (Prob. 1847), (m.2), Mrs. Edward Ramsey of Ohio, maiden name Leah Teeter in 1848, b. May 20, 1819, d. Sept. 12, 1893.
He was born in Westmoreland Co., Pa., lived for a time in Mansfield, Richland Co., spent two years in Wis. near his brother, Edward, but later settled in Indiana.

The Children of James Flack Halferty and Jane Wilson Halferty

E-1 John Halferty, b. 1840, d. Sept. 10, 1863 at Memphis, Tenn. of a disease. He enlisted at Lancaster, Wis. Aug. 9, 1862 in Co. C. 25th Reg. Wis. “When he was twenty years of age he was considered the best mathematician in Iowa”.
E-2 Harriet Halferty, b. 1842, m. Judge William Clemens about 1869; one son, Frank Clemens who died young.
E-3 Maranda Halferty died young.
E-4 Hannah Halferty, b. ............, m. ............ Sprague, lived in Des Moines, Ia.; five children.

The Children of James Flack Halferty and Leah Teeters Ramsey Halferty

E-5 Peter F. Halferty, b. Sept.1_, 1849, Mansfield, Richland, Co. Ohio.

He m. first, Kate Cawker, originally spelled Cocker, b. in England Jul. 12, 1854, d. Jun. 24, 1914. Six children. He m. (2nd) Mrs. Botenberge, 1918. They reside in Aberdeen, Washington State.

Peter F. Halferty writes:

“Elizabeth Nesbit Halferty and John Halferty were my grandparents. They lived in Westmoreland Co., Pa. where my father James Flack Halferty and his 11 brothers and one sister, Betsy were born. They moved to Mansfield, Ohio during the late 1830s. In 1850 they all moved to Washington and Keokuk Counties, Indiana except Howard who strayed away to Lancaster, Grant Co., Wis. I cannot give you the names of their descendants further than you have listed. I have heard my father say that my grandfather John Halferty came from Londonderry, Ireland, where we have many relatives. My father, James Flack Halferty, homestead 160 acres near Beliot, Kansas in 1870, became worth around one hundred thousand dollars, and found little difficulty in securing four sections of land which he farmed extensively. He also owned several thousand Texas cattle and thorough-bread trotting horses. Grasshoppers, prairie fire, drought, hot winds and high taxation broke him in part. His sporting may have been a factor in his downfall. He mortgaged all his land for more than it was worth and left the property a very poor man as all his land was taken by the money-lender except one quarter section on the river bottom which he wished to me subject to mortgage of eight hundred dollars. I accepted the land on account of my sweetheart, who taught school to support her aged parents. I farmed the place and kept my bachelor’s hood for five years. I finally traded 150 acres of the land and received a clear title of ten acres of level bottom land, which was cut off by the river, which I thought I could irrigate and make a fortune gardening as nearly all vegetables were shipped in by the grocers”.

“I laid bricks every day I got a chance at five dollars a day in Denver, and returned home with seven hundred and seventy-eight dollars and twenty five cents. I met a very sad sweetheart, she had lost her parents a few days before I returned. A banker had foreclosed a mortgage on her home and all was lost except the furniture, and it took all her savings except $82.00 to meet the unreasonable demands of the banker on the furniture”.

“We were married the next day without the thrills of wedding bells, wedding breakfast or a honeymoon trip. I paid $2.50 for a little wedding ring and placed it on her finger, that I should replace it with a different one in five years. She was as pleased as if she were an heiress receiving a $5,000.00 one. There was a mingling of gladness and sadness as I kissed the tears coursing down her cheeks. We were crying and smiling. We moved our furniture into our little log house the same day we were married. I went to work in earnest making things convenient for my wife, cutting wood for winter and making arrangements for some kind of pumping to irrigate the land”.

“I paid $200. for a windmill which could not water a sheep at the end of a ditch one hundred feet long. My wife wept and I was badly disappointed but determined that I would not yield to her pleadings to move to Denver. That evening we were looking over an old pictorial Bible and I saw a picture of the oldest horse ever known to run pumping water to irrigate land in Egypt 2000 years B.C. I almost yelled ‘Eureka’. I told her I could make her one at a trifling cost that would do the business”.

“The next morning I went to work and in thirty days the crude machine was in operation with the capacity of 36,000 gallons of water in ten hours, which was an ample flow to irrigate my land”.

“This was, I believe the first irrigation project in Kansas. By levelling the ground I gained the necessary elevation for the water ditches. I bought seven sore-back ponies for $35.00 which answered the purpose of running the treadmill and working in the garden. After the ground was all seeded and water could be turned on any place needed, and all bills were paid I had just $7.32 to live on until we could sell the garden produce. Our cow that I got as payment for building a stone fireplace was a wonderful help as poor people could not get credit at the store. I told my wife that if it came to the worst we could live on milk as I had done for over a year. I saw she thought I was lying, so I hastened to say that it was when I was a baby”.

“I planted an acre of onions, one of cabbage, one quarter acre of cucumbers, one fourth of tomatoes, one half of sweet corn and the balance in field corn for my ponies. I sold nearly all for green corn for a big price as the farmers raised nothing on account of the hot winds. The hot weather seemed to make my irrigated stuff grow better”.

“The garden did not grow fast enough to suit my finances and we ate our last morsel of food for breakfast and our money was all gone two weeks before we could hope to market anything. I did not know it, but my wife made the excuse that she did not feel well when I asked her why she did not eat more. The dear woman had been living on little that I might have more on which to work. That evening when I went to the house my wife was weeping as she told me we had eaten the last mouthful we had. Things looked blue. We were too proud to beg or borrow from our poor neighbours. The next morning, not having had supper or breakfast, I drove to town. I did not owe one cent, but the grocers said that they could not give credit to anyone.”.

“I hurried home thinking that I would sell a span of ponies for what I could get. As I drove into the garden I looked at the seed onions. They were a pretty sight, about six inches tall. The thought came to my mind, oh, they are big enough! I leaped from my wagon and pulled a few of them. They were about as big as peas. I went into the house and found my wife crying. I kissed her and told her we could get all the grub we needed, but I would have to pull some onions to fill orders in town. We went to work and soon had 164 bunches neatly tied, washed and placed in a wash tub. I knew my wife was very hungry and insisted that she would accompany me into town. She was too proud and refused to ride in our carriage that cost the fabulous sum of $26, but consented to go to the edge of town where there was a spring and shade tree. I got the best possible speed from our moth-eaten team. At the spring I helped my wife out, placed a blanket in the shade and brought a bucket of water and gave her a drink, watered the steeds and hurried on to town. I sold 12 bunches of onions to the leading hotel for 60 cents. I bought balona, crackers, cheese, big red apples, five cents worth of smoking tobacco and made those crowbait (ponies) trot all the way back to the spring. We had a feast, carving the cheese and balona and serving it on big squares of crackers, with much ceremony. I gave the ponies another drink and some oats and went back to town and sold the rest of my onions and took orders for $11 worth to be delivered next morning. We had plenty of groceries in a box and drove home in good spirits. We arrived home at about four o’clock: my wife commenced preparation for a good meal and I prepared onions for market. I felt our troubles were over and told my wife to look in the corner of the box where she found the big red apples and a sack of candy. I had plenty of tobacco in my tobacco box”.

“As I had neglected my irrigation, I thought I had better operate my pump till twelve o’clock that night. The pump would not work, some miscreant had filled the pump with gravel. I had to work all night to clean it out. By daylight the pump worked all right. I tried to think it a practical joke though I was worried about it. All went well for two weeks, then I found my horse-power damaged, which caused me to work hard for more than a day to repair. I said nothing, but hung a red lantern there and nailed a danger sign to the post. I was not bothered again for ten years”.

“Such potatoes, onions, corn, tomatoes, cabbage heads, cucumbers! Everything we planted, never had been grown in that country before. My cabbage heads weighed twenty pounds, a water pail full was the average yield per hill for potatoes. We hired four women to pick cucumbers and tomatoes and two men to work in the garden. Produce sold at a high price. For many days I sold from the dilapidated old rig four times what that outfit cost.”.

“To make the story shorter; I had $860 in the bank that Fall, after having bought a good team of horses, a market wagon and harness, two cows, two breed cows, three dozen chickens, an Irish Setter puppy, a complete set of garden tools, some good clothes for my wife and myself, and material to be made into dainty little garments”.

“Ten years later, I was rated by Bradstreet at $45,000: had built a good residence and more modern irrigation and greenhouses, and was a shipping and wholesale and retail business. The latter part of July 1889 I had $30,000 invested in garden irrigation plant, greenhouses, potted plants and fixtures, 17 acres of onions, 130,000 sweet potato plants, four acres of Hubbard Squash, 20 acres of sweet corn and many other varieties of vegetables. The garden was in excellent condition, the greenhouses were things of beauty and had been paying a big profit.”.

“On July 25, 1889 I returned from market about 11 o’clock and my wife was standing at the door as white as chalk. ‘Oh dear, we are ruined’, she said, ‘somebody has pulled up all the melons, made a total wreck of the greenhouses and the irrigation plant; and from appearances, they must have driven our stock over the garden all night. The help drove them out after you left for market this morning, everything seems trampled to the ground’”.

“Like a prophesy came the fulfilment of what a doctor had told me that morning in town, as he stopped me to admire the span of matched horses I was driving. ‘Something will happen to bust you’ he said. The horses were as near as like as two peas in a pod, thoroughbreds, dark chestnut sorrels with white manes and tails. They could trot a mile in four minutes to the market wagon. Their dam was a thoroughbred I had bought to work on the water power ten years before. I broke them to work and I loved them. Possibly they were the innocent factor in causing the ‘green-eyed monster of envy’ to effect my downfall”.

“All my wife had told me was as true as gospel - the melon vines wilted and great melons lay in plain view over the field. By an old patch on the sole of the shoe noticeable along the rows of melon rows I recognised the footprints of the man who had been working a few days in the gardens. I took the County Judge and Sheriff to the scene and they made careful measurements of the tracks. In less than two hours the culprit was in jail. He stood trial and was promptly sent to the penitentiary for five years. I received several anonymous letters, stating the writer would ‘get me’ if I did not let up on George, and I had better get out of the country. I showed the letters to the county officials and they gave me permission to carry a gun. In my youthful days I was a cowboy and had ridden all over the cattle country from Texas to Northern Nebraska. I had known the culprits to have been cattle rustlers and thieves, and they knew me, and I think they were as afraid of me as I was of them. I was afraid they would steal my horses and burn my buildings. For over twelve months I slept with my clothes on. When the dog barked I slipped out and around the place for two or three hours. I worked hard every day trying to make a little from the wreck. I only made $2,500 when I could have made $40,000”.

“Every night my wife would throw her arms around my neck and plead with tears in her eyes that I should move to Astoria where her brother lived. Poor dear, she was only a shadow of herself. She had lain awake night after night listening for the rattle of my six-shooter. I realised that I was not treating her as I should. I told her to get ready, and she and the children could go visit her brother and I would bach and try and establish my business. She would not listen to that proposition for a moment .... then I promised her I would have a public sale notice printed and sell everything to the highest bidder for cash, except my thoroughbred horses and Irish setter. I wired a gentleman in Kansas City I would accept $1000 for my span of thoroughbred horses. Oh, how I regretted parting with them. Had it not been for my wife and children I would have preferred death to giving to the three of four disreputable scoundrels. Everybody knew their hides were chucked full of double-distilled essence of pure unadulterated, boiled-down cussedness. However the conditions made the old saying true, ‘ the game is not worth the candle’”.

“We were ready to start for Astoria the third day after the sale. We bade our friends ‘goodbye’ and received the good wishes of many of the best people of that locality. When we were comfortably seated in the car, I noticed that my wife looked relieved and happy, and that made me happy. Our children seemed much interested and soon lost the scared look caused by the ordeal through which we had passed. I felt weary and sleepy, though much relaxed. The car-wheels as they bumped over the joints, saying ‘all right, all right’, as I dropped into the first peaceful slumber I had enjoyed for months”.

When Peter F Halferty reached Oregon he still had serious obstacles to overcome. He had pioneered in Kansas an irrigation, he was also the originator of the great clam industry on the Pacific and the founder of Pioneer Canneries of minced clams.

In an article published in July 17, 1927 we quote the following:

“Necessity and a few jars started the clam industry. Peter F Halferty first attempted to can Oregon bivalves and sell them to the people of Astoria. July is the season when the beaches and the clam digger hies forth to secure the delicious bivalves which are distinctly a product of the north-west. Nowhere else in the Pacific Coast is found the justly famed razor clam”.

“The canning of minced razor clams has become a great industry, the season is short, only three busy months, March to June. Canneries operate all along the coast and diggers flock in from all points, coming in touring cars with camping outfits, to pitch tents around the canneries, and the whole scene is one of concentrated activity”.

“Razor clams are dug at low tide, for as the water recedes they bury themselves in the sand. It requires a great deal of experience to capture Mr. Clam, while with all the might of his digging muscles he goes down out of reach. A quick thrust of a shovel, a quicker grasp with the hand or he is gone. The motions become automatic and after a while an expert clam-digger brings in from 200 to 600 pounds a day”.

“The industry had its beginnings at a little beach town in Oregon during the panic of 1893. Peter F. Halferty lived on a rented farm near Warrington at the mouth of the Columbia River. He had a sick wife and five children and no way of supporting them. In casting about in some way to make a living he conceived the idea of mincing clams that were so plentiful along the beach, and peddling them to Astoria, the nearest large town. His wife did not think it practical, but necessity pressed, so he cleaned and chopped clams and filled four dozen jars. He processed in a wash boiler and took them the next day to Astoria. He peddled them from house to house and sold them all. Encouraged by this evidence of his product being saleable, he canned more, he was just as successful in repeating his orders, but a doubt arose in the mind of the successful canner. Would his product keep? So, as a matter of economy he had asked that his jars be returned and the people were glad to take advantage of the lower price by returning the jars”.

“To make sure of keeping the quality of the clams, he set aside a jar or two from each canning and stored them in a high cupboard. In a short time explosion in the cupboard testified that the clams would not keep. It therefore became a matter of grim necessity to get the jars back before they popped and ruined his trade. The trouble was finally overcome by adding salt to the water in which the clams were bottled, making a denser liquid which boiled at a higher temperature. Steam processing was unknown and for ten years all canning was done in the water-batch way.”.

“When he had perfected his canning processing method he began to can in tins. This marked a distinct transition. So far he had gotten along famously by peddling along the routes of the river towns from Astoria. His only help was his family and an Indian boy or girl. Now he began to expand his business necessitating credit, larger equipment, pay for diggers, cannery helpers and the expense to the larger enterprise and the creation of interest among dealers to carry it.”.

“Allan and Lewis, Portland Wholesalers, were friends in this extremity. They extended him credit and gave him sound advice. Interesting were the experiences he encountered in introducing his then unknown delicacy to a wider circle of trade. He did not confine his efforts to houses, but invaded office houses and banks and business places to demonstrate its value. Once he was arrested for distributing food without a licence. With a demand created and established, the rest was easy. The years of uncertainty and experiment were well behind and the true period of expansion began. In 1900 the Sea Beach Packing Co. to Grays Harbour, Washington, established its cannery at Markham, another was built at Westport, then at Aberdeen Copalis, Moclips,Wash. and Cordova, Alaska”.

“The problem was to conserve the fruit of the enterprise. Here the sagacity and keen business insight of Mr. P. P. Halferty appears. He rejected all partnership offers. He fought through the need for financial aid. Now, he was to fight ruinous competition from those who decided to make capital out of his pioneering efforts. His main defence was the ignorance that prevailed about the supply of clams. He told his would-be partners ‘go ahead and can, I have no monopoly on canning clams, but remember that there is just twelve miles of beach here worth working. Go ahead and make all the money you can’. They invariably backed out. The air of mystery he threw around the canning business in absence of other protection was a factor in eliminating competitors. No one was quite sure he knew how to can clams and Mr. Halferty was not disposed to give the trade secrets away”.

“The secret was the sifter of the fine beach sand, kept under lock and key and sifted at intervals over the vats to secure successful cooking, and the addition of salt to the water to increase the temperature was the last essential to perfect processing. Another secret was the pouring of the clam liquor over the filled cans - in private compartments - where only members of the family worked. No one knew exactly what the process might be. This prevented others from imitating. In time the secret leaked out and other companies started in, and many canneries are putting up canned clam under different brands. Thus the clam canning industry was established”.

Mr P. F. Halferty now lives at Aberdeen, Wash. He still retains an interest in the various canneries he has built, but the active management has passed to his son, Guy F. Halferty of Seattle, Wash.

On Feb. 9, 1933 Peter F. Halferty wrote, “I had a book published in 1916 and have just finished a revision, ready for publication. ‘A Theory on the Foundation of the Solar System and the Origin of Life’”.

In February 1933 he suggested to the Legislature of the State of Washington that they declare a moratorium on farm mortages for twenty years at 4% per annum and that the United States Government issue script for these mortgages and the mortgages be deposited to secure the script.

For several years he has devoted himself to fishing and other congenial pursuits.

Seven Children of Peter H. and Kate Cawker Halferty

F-1 Guy P. Halferty, b. Dec. 19, 1882 in Beloit, Kansas, m. Grace Shaw, Feb. 20, 1904. Have two children. He is the manager of the Pioneer Minced Sea Clam Cannaries and resides at Seattle, Wash.
G-1 Guy P. Halferty Jr. b. Feb. 7, 1906.
G-2 Donald Halferty, b. Jan. 6, 1907, d. when 18 months old.
F-2 Nellie Leah Halferty, b. Nov. 11, 1884, Beloit, Kansas, m. Clarence Lillie, b. Aug. 5, 1880, Michigan. One child.
G-1 Kathryn Lillie, b. Aug. 10, 1904, m. Alvin Anderson, b. Aug. 1, 1906. Two children.
H-1 Keith Peter Anderson, b, Apr. 4, 1930.
H-2 Joyce Aline Anderson, b. Jul. 12, 1932.
F-3 Alice E. Halferty, b. Sept. 4, 1886, Beloit, Kansas, m. Joseph King, Dec. 30, 1908 in Aberdeen, Wash. Two children.
G-1 Joseph J. King, b. Sept. 27, 1910, Aberdeen, Wash.
F-4 Damon J. Halferty, b. Nov. 20, 1888 near Beloit, Kansas, m. ....arbary Cavanne, Dec. 12, 1919 in Aberdeen, Wash. Have two children.
G-1 Richard J. Halferty, b. Nov. 26, 1912.
G-2 Wilbur D. Halferty, b. May 20, 1915, Aberdeen, Wash.
F-5 Frank Halferty, b. Feb. 11, 1892, Astoria, Oregan, m. Pluma, V. Vaughn, b. Jul. 18, 1896. Six children.
G-1 Glen Halferty, b. Dec. 12, 1916, Aberdeen., Wash.
G-2 Mildred F. Halferty, b. Dec. 31, 1918, Aberdeen, Wash.
G-3 John Halferty, b. Aug. 10, 1921, Aberdeen, Wash.
G-4 Edward A. Halferty, b. Feb. 19, 1924, Aberdeen, Wash.
G-5 Walter F. Halferty, b. Aug, 20, 1927, Aberdeen, Wash.
G-6 Alton G. Halferty, b. Jun. 16, 1930, Aberdeen, Wash.
F-6 George Halferty, b. Apr. 15, 1894, Skepanon, Oregan. A bachelor.
F-7 Phillip Halferty, b. Nov. 7. 1896, Skepanon, Oregan, m. Hazel H. Woodsworth of Hoguian, Wash. He died in 1928 in Miami, Florida. Had two children.
G-1 Phillip Harrison Halferty, b. Sept. 9, 1920, d, Mar. 29, 1924.
G-2 Clarence Woodsworth Halferty, b. Sept. 23, 1922, d. Apr. 3, 1924.
E-6 Elizabeth Halferty, b. ................ m. ...................... Hall, ................ d. ................... Several children.
E-7 Edward Halferty is in Colorado.
E-8 David Halferty.
D-4 Robert Halferty I, b. Jun. 9, 1814, d. Jan. 16, 1817.
D-5 John Halferty, b. Mar. 7, 1816, d. ............ m. ............. Jane Wilson (sister of James Flack) Halferty’s first wife. Lived on farm near Richland, Indiana.
E-1 George Halferty, b. ........................ m ............................ and had three children.
E-2 Mary Halferty, m. ................ Mr Long. She lives in Richland, Ia. and is 85 years old and has had eight children, grandchildren and gr. grandchildren. One son died.
E-3 Emma Halferty, m. ............. Mr. Thornburg. One child died.
E-4 Loretta Halferty, m. ............. Mr. Cox. Three children.
E-5 Fanny Halferty, m. ............... Mr. Chacey. Three children.
E-6 William Halferty, m. .................................. Five children.
E-7 James Halferty, b. ....................................... Three children.
D-6 David Halferty, son of John and Elizabeth Nesbit Halferty, b. Nov. 9, 1817, d. Aug. 31, 1902; lived on a farm near Richland, Ia., m. Polly Brolliar, d. ........ Eight children.
E-1 Elnora Halferty, b. ................ m .................. Mr. Roop. Had four children.
E-2 Jordan Halferty, b. ................ unmarried.
E-3 Columbus C. Halferty, b. .............. m. ............... Had two sons.
E-4 Zephaniah G. Halferty, b. .............. m. ............... Had four sons.
F-1 Thomas Halferty.
F-2 Jack Halferty.
F-3 Ray Halferty.
F-4 David Halferty.
E-5 Leonidas C. Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. Living at Casmere, Wash., four children, three grandchildren and one gr. grandchild.
E-6 Van Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. lives at Popular Bluff, Mo. Six children.
E-7 Dora Halferty, m. .............. Mr. Chacey, live on farm near Richland, Ia. Two children
F-1 Richard Chacey, b. near Richland, Id., m. one child. He is an x-ray technician, lives at Los Angeles, California.
F-2 Inez Chacey, b. near Richland, Ia., m. Mr. Thompson, one child.
D-7 Robert Halferty, b. Dec. 17, 1819, d. Oct. 1833. In the history of Keokuk, Co., Ia. the following record is given concerning Robert Halferty, published in 1880.
He was born in Westmoreland Co., Pa., came to Ia. in 1854 and lived on section 26 near Ioka, Ia., m. Sept. 9, 1846 Miss Rachel Crouner and they had eight children. He served as a Justice of the Peace.
E-1 Martha Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. Mr. Mickey. Five children.
E-2 John Halferty, b. .............. m. ............... Four children.
E-3 Squire Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. Ten children.
E-4 George Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. Unmarried.
E-5 Verona Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. Mr. Roop. Five children.
E-6 William Halferty, b. .............. m. .............. Twelve children.
E-7 Green Halferty, b. .............. Died young.
E-8 Infant, b. .............. Died.
D-8 Sarah Halferty, b. Jan. 1, 1820 or 1823. d. .............. One daughter.
D-9 Thomas Halferty, b. Apr. 1, 1824, d. ........... . Unmarried.
D-10 Jacob Methiat Halferty, b. ............. d. ............. m. Sarah Parker.
E-1 Clementine Halferty, b. ............ m. .........Mr. Loose. Four children.
D-11 Zephaniah Wade Halferty, b. Jan. 7, 182_. d. 1911. m. Hannah Rowland. Four children.
E-1 Hannah Elizabeth Halferty, b. .............. m. Mr. Webb. Lived at Larned, Kan.
E-2 Nora Halferty, b. .......... m. ........Keyondall (sic), lived at Larned, Kan. Five children.
E-3 Cora Halferty, b. .............d. .............. when aged 18 years. Unmarried.
D12 Elizabeth Halferty, b. Jan. 8, 1830, d. Sept. 12, 191_, m. ............... Armentrout. Seven children.
E-1 Ann Seville Armentrout, b. .............. m. ...............Mr. Shane, Five children.
E-2 Jacob Armentrout, b. .............. m. ............... Lives in California.
E-3 Elizabeth Armentrout, b. ............. m. ................ Mr. Bassett. No children.
E-4 Anneta Armentrout, b. ..............m. ...............Mr. Anderson. Live in California. Two children.
E-5 James Armentrout, b. ..............m. ................ Lives in California.
E-6 Marcus Armentrout, b. .............m. ............... Lives in California.
E-7 John Armentrout, b. ..............m. ................Unmarried.

This concludes all we were able to gather about the Halferty family

C-2 John Nesbit III, second child of Wm. and Esther Robinson Nesbit was b. Jan. 29, 1792, probably in Cumberland Co. Pa. We have no record of his father being in Williamsburg, Pa. until 1793. He died in Northfield Twp., Summit Co., Ohio, Nov. 21, 1861. He married Ann Mathews, the daughter of Wm. Mathews, Sept 19, 1820, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Joseph Scroggs D.D., Pastor of Fairview Associate Presbyterian Church. Ann Mathews was born Mar. 14, 1794 and died Apr. 17, 1859 in Northfield Twp. Both are buried in the Northfield Twp Summit Co. Cemetery, Ohio.

Ann Mathews parents, William and Martha McConnell Mathews came from County Tyrone, Ireland about 1786. The Mathews family settled firstly in Summerset Co., Pa. In 1796 William Mathews purchased a farm in Fairfield Township (on which Ann Mathews grew up) which has been owned by a Mathews or a descendant ever since. John and Ann were members of the Fairfield Associate Presbyterian Church, and Dr. Scroggs, their pastor, baptised all their children in Westmoreland Co. Martha, Esther, William, Archibald, James, John and Mary Jane were born in Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa., but David and Margaret Ann were born in Northfield Twp, Summitt Co. Ohio.

John Nesbit III, started in business by procuring a six-horse team and wagon and hauled goods from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and made considerable money. On June 11, 1823, he purchased a 131 acre farm from Richard Halferty in Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa. paying 500.00 cash and the balance in three years. He was living on the farm at the time of its purchase at 5.00 per acre. On Aug. 15, 1817, John Nesbit had purchased 100 acres of land in Fairfield Twp. which John and Ann Nesbit deeded to Andrew Lute in May 1823 for 250.00 The money secured from the sale of this farm may have been used in the purchase of the farm from Edward Halferty.

During 1831 John Nesbit went to Cleveland, Ohio and came near purchasing a farm between the villages of Cleveland and Newburg, but decided the land was too wet, so purchased a farm in Northfield, near to the town of Brandywine on the Cuyhoga River where there was a mill and store. The farm had a fine spring and a small house, but the land was mostly timbered. It contained 124 acres and was purchased from Charles McCreery for 496.00, Apr. 23, 1831, to whom he sold his farm in Pa. In this deal the name was spelled John Nesbet, just as his father William and his grandfather John spelled it: but John Nesbit’s children changed the spelling to Nesbit. In Scotland the usual spelling is Nisbet; in the north of Ireland Nesbitt, but have found it to be spelled Nesbyth, Nisbit, Neesbit, Neasbit, Nesbite; but all are probable descendants of William De Nesbyth to whom William the Conqueror gave the large tract of land in Berwickshire, Scotland, later known as “Lands of the Nisbets”, in the Parish of Edrom, now called Bighouse.

On Oct. 23, 1833 John Nesbet deeded the farm he purchased from Edward Halferty to Charles McCreery for 600.00, but there was a defect in the title which was corrected by court action, Nov. 31, 1841. In the deed, names were spelled John and Ann Nesbet.

In the Spring of 1833 John Nesbet moved his family to Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa. to his farm in Northfield, Ohio. According to Rachel Cochran, a daughter of Rev. Scroggs D.D. who remembered their departure from Fairfield Twp., they started from Charles McCreery’s farm with whom he had exchanged farms. They had baked bread for the trip overland in a schooner wagon drawn by four horses. The Halfertys helped them get started. They took their cooking utensils with them, and a cow to supply milk for the children was tied behind the wagon, but they made beds for the children on the ground. When evening came they would camp at some sequestered place; the father would get the Bible out of the wagon, gather the family about him and Worship God by reading a chapter, sing a psalm and pray. One night a thief milked their cow, so the children had no milk for their breakfast. They came to Pittsburgh and had to go through the narrows before crossing the Ohio River on the ferry. Here James, the baby of three years, came near to losing his life. He rolled down a steep bank of the river and all that kept him from falling into the river and being drowned was that he caught on a small tree from which his father rescued him by letting himself down from tree to tree where James was lodged and then pulling himself and the boy up the bank by grasping trees.

One day there was a cold rain and they all got wet and chilled, but a German family opened their home to them that night, so they got their clothes and bedding dry before continuing their journey. When they reached Northfield, they stayed overnight with Henry Lemons and the next day went to the farm and lived for a time in a log cabin to which he added a frame addition which is still standing. (circa 1930)

After the death of John Nesbit III in 1861, the farm was purchased by his son John Nesbit IV. It was later owned by John Nesbit V, who in Dec. 1919 sold it to an Italian. During 90 years the farm was the home for three generations of Nesbits.

John Nesbit III was an energetic business man. He was public spirited and served as a Justice of the Peace in Northfield Twp. for many years. He held office of Township Trustee and was an elder in the Northfield Presbyterian Church. He was hospitable and kept an open house, and to his home, many of the early settlers came, among them Rev. James Logue who was Pastor of the Northfield Presbyterian Church for forty years. He was one of the first members of the Northfield Presbyterian Church, organized Sept. 15, 1833 as an Associate Presbyterian Church, and was one of its first elders. At first the meetings were held in the Brandywine Schoolhouse. Later they built a church at Northfield centre. The first Pastor was Dr. Joseph Banks who ministered to the Stowe, Springfield and Northfield Congregations from 1835 to 1839: then he went as a missionary to Trinidad. The Rev. James Logue D.D. was Pastor of the Stowe and Northfield Congregations from Oct. 4, 1843 to Sept. 11, 1883 and preached the funeral sermon of both Ann and John Nesbet.

John and Ann Nesbet had ten children: Martha, Esther, William, Archibald, James, John, Mary Jane, David (? D8), and Margaret Ann and the youngest, an infant who died young. Martha was born in Westfield Twp., Indiana Co., Pa. David and Margaret in Northfield. All the others in Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland.

Children of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit

D-1 Martha Nesbit, b. Apr. 7, 1822, d. Dec. 17, 1903 at Northfield, Ohio: bur in the Northfield Cemetery; m. Allen Hamill Alexander at Northfield, Ohio, Dec. 17, 1842. He was b. Aug. 2, 1818 and d. Jul. 4, 1854. He was the son of James Alexander. They lived at Macedonia where he ran a saw-mill. They were members of the Northfield U.P. Church. They had three children, John, James Gibson and Jennie.

Children of Allan H and Martha Nesbit Alexander

E-1 John Nesbit Alexander, b. Bedford, Ohio, Aug. 24, 1843, d. Lancing, Mich. Jul. 12, 1900. He married Lodeska A. Coats at Leipsic, Ohio, Sept. 23, 1869, b. in Hancock Co., Ohio, Aug. 16, 1848, d. at Grand Rapids, Mich., May 4, 1915.

After the death of his uncle, Archie Nesbit, who was running a general store in Macedonia, Ohio, took over the running of the mill and later formed a partnership with John and they ran saw-mills together at Macedonia, Ohio, Leipsic, Ohio, Lagro Ind. and a planing-mill in Logansport, Ind. In 1870 they dissolved the partnership: Archie Nesbit retaining the planing-mill and John Alexander purchased a chair factory at Logansport, Ind. which proved a bad investment.

Disposing of his chair factory, John Alexander moved to Detroit, Mich. He travelled for a wholesale hardware firm and kept his salary until he received 2500.00 and expenses, a high salary for those days. He went to Lancing and organized the “Capitol Wagon Company” of which he was president at the time of his death. This company made high- class wagons. My father, A.M. Nesbit, purchased one and used it on the farm at Hoopeston, Ill. John Alexander had an attractive personality, a twinkle in his eyes and a smile that won friends. He was energetic and resourceful as a business man. John Nesbit Alexander, and his wife Lodeska, had three children, Charles, Robert and Laura.

F-1 Charles Alexander, b. at Okemo, Ingram Co., Mich. Dec. 12, 1871; resides at 532 Paris Ave., Grand Rapids, Mich., m. Marion Lown at Penn Yan, N.Y. b. at Penn Yan, N.Y. Feb. 14, 1877, d, Grand Rapids, Mich. Feb. 12, 1918. Two children:
John and Robert.
G-1 John Lown Alexander, b. Mar, 19, 1910, Lancing Mich.
G-2 Robert Gibson Alexander b. Dec. 13, 1912, Lancaster, Mich.
As his second wife, Charles Alexander m. Adelaide Holten, Feb. 2, 1821 at Battle Creek, Mich.
F-2 Robert Alexander, b. May 3, 1880, d, May 29, 1880, Lancing, Mich.
F-3 Laura Alexander, b. Dec. 22, 1885, d. Oct. 16, 1901, Lancing, Mich.
E-2 James Gibson Alexander, son of Allen and Martha Nesbit Alexander, b. May 6, 1848, Cleveland, Ohio, d. May 30, 1929 (in auto. accident when the car ran into a ditch and struck a tree) m. 1st Ellan J. Love, Apr. 13, 1876, who died Mar. 20, 1878 at Northfield, Ohio. Had one child that had died young: m. 2nd Nanny E. Sweeny, Aug. 1881 at Wooster, Ohio, b. Mar. 24, 1849, d. Grand Rapids, Mich. Feb. 27, 1922. Five children: Frances Esther, Mary Ethyl, Mabel Brown, Martha Maude and James Gibson Lloyd.
F-1 Frances Esther Alexander, b. May 29, 1882, Northfield, Ohio, m. Frank Pasmore, Dec. 25, 1900. Reside at Los Angeles, California. Two children.
G-1 Kenneth Marshall Pasmore, b. Apr. 9, 1916, Boise, Idaho.
G-2 Vivian Marie Pasmore, b. Apr. 19, 1920, Boise Idaho.
F-2 Mary Ethel Alexander, b. Nov. 11, 1883. Lived three months.
F-3 Mabel Brown Alexander, b. Feb. 17, 1885, Wooster, Ohio.
F-4 Martha Maude Alexander, b. Jul. 19, 1888, Grand Rapids, Mich. m. Kenneth Alexander McCaskill, Oct. 20, 1917 at Grand Rapids. Mich. Three children. Reside Denver Colorado where he is State Agent for the State Farm Mutual Auto. Insurance Company.
G-1 Betth Joan McCaskill, b. Dec. 20, 1918, Rocky Ford, Colorado.
G-2 Katherine Louise McCaskill, b. ......... Golden, Colorado, May 21, 1920.
G-3 James Alexander McCaskill, b. ......... Golden, Colorado, Jun. 21, 1923.
F-5 James Gibson Lloyd Alexander, b. Grand Rapids, Mich. Aug. 27, 1890: m. Melita Carsten, Grand Rapids, Mich. Jun. 5, 1912. Four children. Reside 22 Union Ave., S.E. Grand Rapids., Mich.
G-1 Katherine Alexander, b. Mar. 21. 1914, Grand Rapids, Mich.
G-2 Melita Alexander, b. Jun. 19, 1916, Grand Rapids, Mich.
G-3 Dorothy Joan Alexander, b. Jun. 12, 1918, Grand Rapids, Mich.
G-4 James Lloyd Alexander, b. Dec. 21, 1928, Grand Rapids, Mich.
E-3 Jennie Alexander, 3rd child of Allen and Martha Nesbit Alexander, b. Cleveland, Ohio. Dec. 25, 1852, d. Bedford, Ohio, June 22, 1921, m. 1st Dr. John C. Bryson, a dentist, Apr. 23, 1875.
F-1 Paul Bryson, b. May 26, 1876 at Lacygne, Linn Co., Kansas, m. Christine Elliot Dec. 21, 1898, b............. Reside at Bedford, Ohio. No children.
Mrs. Jennie Alexander Bryson (E-3 above) m. 2nd James Means at Northfield, Ohio, Apr. 7, 1887, who was b. in Northfield Twp. Apr. 13, 1863, d. there Apr. 24, 1918. For a number of years they lived on a farm in Northfield Twp; but spent their last days in Northfield. Jennie’s mother, Mrs. Martha Nesbit Alexander, lived with them up to the time of her death.
D-2 Esther Nesbit, 2nd child of John and Ann Nesbit, b. Oct. 7, 1823, d. Jul. 20, 1892 at Macedonia, Ohio, m. Albert Rinear Sept. 23, 1847, b. Jan. 5, 1826 at Salem, Ohio, d. Feb. 8, 1809 at Bedford O. He was the son of John and Mary Jobs Rinear.
Most of their life together was spent on a farm at Northfield Twp., which they sold to their son Sylvester Rinear and (he) built them a house in Macedonia. They lived there until they died. Both were members of Northfield U.P. Church of which he was an elder.
E-1 Martha Ann (Minnie) Rinear, b. Jul. 19, 1848, d. Jul. 17, 1888 at Northfield, O., m. Milton Van Horn, Jul. 19. 1874, a widower with two children, Frank and Minnie. Frank graduated from Oberlin College and became a prominent Congregational preacher. While he was a paster at Oakland, California, he received a salary of 6000.00 His sister Jennie Van Horn m. Bird White and had three children, Donald, Van Horn and Frances.
Milton and Jennie Rinear Van Horn had twins that died a few days after birth, followed by the death of Jennie Rinear.
E-2 Martha Ann (Mattie) Rinear, b. Bedford Twp., Jun. 10, 1850, d. Sept. 11, 1925 at Northfield, O. (Ohio ?), m. James P. Alexander, Jul. 21, 1884, O. Two children, Robert and Albert.
F-1 Robert Alexander, b. Aug. 28, 1887, Larberton, Summit Co., O. He m. 1st Hazel Helen Hoag, Jun. 25, 1913, at Bedford O., b. Solon. O. Sept. 1, 1894, d. May 6, 1930 at Bedford Co., O. She was a great niece of President James A. Garfield.
G-1 Robert Garfield Alexander, b. May 8, 1914, Bedford. O.
G-2 Dean Renolds Alexander, b. Jun. 20. 1919.
Robert Alexander (F1) m. 2nd, Nel. Marie Hoag, Sept. 25, 1931 at Bedford, O. She was a sister of his first wife and they reside at Bedford, O.
F-2 Robert Alexander, b. Jul. 12, 1890, St. Mary’s, O., m. Florence De Witt at Newark, O., July 30, 1920. No children.
E-3 Sylvester Augustus Rinear, b. Dec. 23, 1853 at Bedford, O., d. Sept. 26, 1921 of heart failure, on his farm, Northfield, O. He m. Blanche Hunt at Northfield, O., June 22, 1892. They lived first in Northfield Twp, Summit Co., Pennsylvania but later moved to East Cleveland, Ohio, where they resided until his death.
For a number of years Sylvester (Vess) taught school in the winter, and worked for his father on the farm during the summer. Then he travelled for the Brown Oil Company. In 1879 he became a member of the Globe and National Oil Company of Cleveland, O. of which he was a stockbroker and engaged in the refining of a high grade oil. In 1902 he sold out his interest in the oil company and came to be a heavy stock broker and director of the City Ice Delivery Co. of Cleveland, O. until his death.
He and his wife were members of the East Cleveland Methodist Church of which he was a Trustee and served on the Building Committee. They had two sons, Sterling and Eugene.
F-1 Sterling Rinear, b. on a farm in Northfield Twp. O., Jul. 15, 1893, m. Charlotte Blanche Snyder, June 22, 1920 at Middletown, Md. Two children; Sterling and Mary Georgia.
G-1 Sterling Rinear Jr., b. Mar. 26, 1927.
G-2 Mary Georgia Rinear, b. Dc. 12, 1929.
F-2 Eugene Rinear, b. on a farm in Northfield Twp. Mar. 30, 1896. In Dec 1917. He enlisted in the Aviation Corps and served in Camp at Long Island, N.Y., m. Ann Lambert, May 15, 1919, East Cleveland; O. Reside at 13231 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, O. where he is in the undertaking business with Lambert, his wife’s brother. Four children.
G-1 Marjorie Ann Rinear, b. Mar. 14, 19... Cleveland, O.
G-2 Jean Lambert Rinear, b. Mar. 1, 1923, Cleveland, O.
G-3 Richard James Rinear, b. Mar. 22, 1926, Cleveland, O.
G-4 Miriam Lambert Rinear, b. Mar. 2, 1928, Cleveland, O.
E-3 Charlotte Augusta (Lettie) Rinear, b. Northfield Twp. Dec. 27, 1863, d.
Dec, 1, 1907 in hospital, Cleveland, O. m. Wm. Hague, Northfield, O. Sept. 23, 1895. They purchased and lived on the farm owned by her uncle, James Nesbit. No children.
D-3 William Nesbit, 3rd child of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit, b. Jul. 24, 1825, d. Kalamazoo, Mich, Apr. 27, 1900, m. Martha Armstrong Jan. 25, 1848. She d. Kalamazoo, Mich. They lived in Northfield Twp. O., Missouri, Iowa and settled in Kalamazoo, Mich.
E-1 Aggie Nesbit, b. 1852, in Northfield Twp. m. 1st. Odell Moore at Commerce, Mich. in 1879. Five children.
F-1 Mattie Moore, b. Warrenburg, Mo., 1871, m. Wm. Powell Killam, 1900.
Walledlake, Mich. Three children
G-1 Marguerite Killam.
G-2 Charles Killam
G-3 George Killam.
F-2 Frank Moore, b. Warrensburg, m. in Mich. One daughter, Rachel.
G-1 Rachel Moore.
F-3 Jennie Moor, b. ....... 1874, Martin, Mich., m. Seymour Seely. Four children.
F-4 James Moore, b. ........ 1876, m. No children. Soldiers’ Home Grand Rapids.
F-5 Evalin Moore, b. ................ Died young.
E-2 Milton Nesbit, b. Aug. 10, 1855, Northfield Twp., O., m. Nov. 26, 1881, Elizabeth Montieth, b. Sept. 26, 1855, d, circa Feb. 13, 1934, Martin, Mich., where they resided. No children. Milton Nesbit now lives with his nephew, Will. J. Monteith, 424 Adams St., Plymouth, Mich.
E-3 James Nesbit, 3rd child of Wm. and Martha Armstrong, b. Feb. 16, 1859, Northfield Twp., O. m. Luella Wicks, Sept. 30, 1883, d. Feb. 1, 1930. Reside Martin, Mich. Three children.
F-1 Ethel Nesbit, b. Plainswell, Mich, Nov. 23, 1884, m. Lee Laraway, Sept. 8, 1904 at Martin, Mich. Ethel d. Mar. 9. 1926 at Grand Rapids, Mich. Resided there. Two children.
G-1 Geraldine Laraway, b. Jan. 13, 1904, m. Lester Mathews at Grand Rapids, Mich.., Jul. 26, 1926.
G-2 Leon Laraway, b. Jan. 28, 1908, m. two children. Grand rapids, Mich.
H-1 Lane Laraway.
H-2 James Laraway.
F-2 Hazel Nesbit, b. Oct. 14, 1886 at Plainswell, Mich., m. Tracy W. Lukins (a farmer) Oct. 20, 1910 at Martin, Mich. Six children.
G-1 Romaine Lukins, b. Mar. 24, 1914, Martin, Mich.
G-2 Glenn Lukins, b. Jul. 31, 1915, Martin, Mich.
G-3 Maxwell Lukins, b. Sept. 4. 1917, Martin, Mich.
G-4 Barbara Jean Lukins, b. Sept. 28, 1921, Martin, Mich.
G-5 Marion Luella Lukins, b. May 27, 1923, Martin, Mich.
G-6 Tracy Lukins, Jr., b. Apr. 10, 1925, Martin, Mich.
F-3 Raymond Nesbit, 3rd child of James and Luella Wicks Nesbit, b. Jan. 28, 1887 at Grand Rapids, Mich., m. Pearl Boyer, Sept. 27, 1917 at Musegon, Mich.
E-4 Allie Nesbit, 4th child of Wm. and Martha Armstrong Nesbit, b. Mar. 15, 1862, Northfield Twp., m. Adison Gutches, Nov. 12, 1902 at Kalamazoo, Mich. Reside at Walnut St. No Children.
E-5 Katherine Nesbit, 5th child of Wm. and Martha Nesbit, b. Jan. 1, 1864 at Northfield Twp. Reside in Kalamazoo. A nurse, unmarried.
D-4 Archibald Mathew Nesbit, 4th child of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit, b. Apr. 8, 1827, d. Feb. 23, 1898 at Hoopeston, Ill., m. Emma Amelia Pratt, Oct. 10, 1861 near Cossayuna, N.Y., b. there May 10, 1837. She died Sept. 20, 190_ on her farm. She was the daughter of Simon Newcomb Pratt, a descendant of Joshua Pratt who came over to Plymouth, Mass. from England in 1623 on the Good Ship Ann. Her mother, Deborah Nelson, was a descendant of Rev. John Rogers who was burned at the stake, first martyr, during the reign of Bloody Mary.

Archibald and Emma Nesbit resided at Macedonia, O. (? Ohio), where he ran a general store during the Civil War. Mary Jane, (Minnie) and John were born here. They moved to Leipsic, O., where he and John Alexander his nephew, ran a sawmill. They moved to Lagro, Ind. where he and Alexander were in partnership running a sawmill by the Warbash River. Logs were floated down the river where they were held by chains. During the flood the boom broke and the logs were carried down the river and they lost heavily. They sold out and bought a planing mill at Logansport, Ind., and the Nesbits moved there. In 1870 they dissolved partnership. Archibald Nesbit took over the planing mill and John Alexander purchased a chair factory. In 1871 A.M Nesbit sold the planing mill and bought a farm near Ellettsville, Ind., and moved his family there.

The land was hilly and washed badly. After putting 150 loads of manure on 10 acres, and put in corn, a heavy rain came and washed it all off across the road into the Harbison Wood. This discouraged him so, about ever enriching the farm, that he traded it in for a sawmill in Stanford, Ind. and moved his family there in the spring of 1876. The farm had on it a good orchard and hard maple grove of several hundred trees from which he made maple syrup each spring. In the Fall, Archie Nesbit moved his family to Bloomington, Ind. “The hard times” made it difficult to sell lumber except at a loss, so he found it difficult to maintain his family; a wife and six children. In the early Spring of 1878, Nelson Pratt visited them at Bloomington, Ind. He was a brother of Mrs. Emma Nesbit; he went to Hoopeston, Ill. and bought a 100 acre farm, and wrote them to move out on it. They arrived Hoopeston April 6, 1878. They came from Bloomington in a covered wagon in which the children rode with the hired man. The father and mother rode in the buggy with Anna the baby, and drove a bay mare. On the farm was a two-roomed house, a small barn and a corn crib. The boys and the hired man slept in the granary at the barn; the rest did the best they could in the small house. The land was rich but had been poorly farmed and run down from only raising corn - by the previous owner - who had broken it out of raw prairie, and the pasture was still of prairie grass. It was a new country with much of the land in prairie grass and the prairie chickens could be heard cooing every morning. During the first April and May, it rained almost consistently, making it very difficult to get in a crop. The rains prevented the killing of weeds, and the corn made only twenty bushels to the acre, and the cockle burrs were higher than the horses backs in places, and made it difficult to husk the corn. The first years on the farm were very trying ones. Everything sold cheap, corn 20 cts per bushel and potatoes 20 cts. The boys raised watermelons and traded them for groceries. Hoopeston started in 1870 and was only eight years old and depended wholly upon the farms for its support: but it had a fine class of people who up to the Franklin Roosevelt administration never permitted a saloon to be licensed within its corporation. Before the adoption of Prohibition Amendment, it had more paved streets and better improvements than any city of its size (about 6,000) in the State of Illinois.

In 1881 Simon Newcom Pratt of Cossayuna, N.Y. died leaving his daughter in his Will 1800.00 to be used in the education of her children. Her brothers, Nelson and William each gave their sister 500.00 additional from their father’s estate. Her brother Nelson deeded her the Hoopeston farm for 4800.00, just what he paid for it and took her note for 1000.00 and she assumed a mortgage note of 1000.00 held by an insurance company against the farm. Thus, through the generosity of her brother who only charged 1.00 a year rent for the use of the farm, she became a possessor of a good farm. Times had become better, they were able to pay off all indebtedness and made two additions to the house and built a large barn in the next few years.

Archie Nesbit D4 was a good farmer, honest and upright in his dealings with others. He was thoughtful and well-read, but was retiring and never cared to hold office. Emma Amelia Nesbit was gifted with a fine mind and a keen intuition. She was gracious and prided herself in her personal appearance. As a young man he (Archie) was handsome and she was a beautiful young woman. When they appeared as bride and groom in the Northfield U.P. Church it was said, “They were the most handsome couple ever to enter the church”. They were both devout members of the U.P. Church of Hoopeston, Ill. at the time of their death. She was a consecrated Christian mother who not only prayed for, but with her children. They had a family altar. After her death, the farm was purchased by their son William who still lives upon it (1934). They had seven children: Mary Jane, John, Nelson, Archie, William, Simon and Anna.

E-1 Mary Jane, (Minnie) Nesbit, b. Macedonia, O., Jul. 19, 1862 near Hoopeston, Ill., Jan. 8, 1921, m. John Cleveland Wyman at Sullivan, Ind. Mar. 28, 1916, b. near Flat Rock, Crawford Co., Ill. Jun. 12, 1885. He was the son of Asa and Millie Vaughn Wyman. John and Minnie lived on a farm near Vandeuser, Mo., which they sold, and bought a farm four miles S.E. of Hoopeston where she died. He resided in Hoopeston, Ill. No children.

E-2 Rev. John Pratt Nesbit, D.D., b. Aug. 27, 1864, at Macedonia, O., graduated Jan. 1, 1885 Hoopeston High School, Monmouth College, Monmouth Ill., Jun. 1890 with the degree of B.A., and the degree of M.A. from the Monmouth College in 1893, and the degree of Bachelor of Divinity from Princeton, N.J. Theological Seminary on May 6, 1906. He graduated Xenia Seminary, Xenia, Ohio, but no degree was given to students at that time by the Seminary. This was in April 27, 1893.

After he graduated form Xenia he accepted a call to La Prairie U.P. Church, located in the country eight miles west of Sparland, Ill. He had preached there during the two summers of his seminary course. He began his work June 4, 1893 and closed his work August 26, 1900. He began with 43 members and left the congregation with 130. He had received 138 into the membership during his seven years pastorate.

He received a call to Morning Sun, Ia. and began work in this U.P. Cong., Sept. 2, 1900 and closed his pastorate Sept. 3, 1905 and took a year of post-graduate study in Princeton, N.J. During the Pastorate he received 84 members into his church.

He preached a Stated Supply for the Fairhill U.P. Church, Philadelphia, Pa. May 6, 1906 and closed his work Nov. 27. 1907 to accept a call to College Springs U.P. Church at College Springs, Ia. which had at the time the largest membership of any U.P. Church in Ill. While he was at Fairhill Church he received 63 members into the church.

He began work at College Springs Ia. Nov. 17, 1907 and closed his work on Mar. 28, 1915. During this Pastorate he received 254 into the church. The College Springs Congregation had built up Amity College in a fine farming community. The college was founded by Christian men and over a half century it had furnished an education for the young people, but because of State requirements it was forced to lock its doors.

He resigned from College Springs Church after he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Cooper College, Sterling (now Stirling College) Kan. and accepted a call to Sparta, Ill. which had the largest membership of any U.P. Church in Ill. He closed his work there on Mar. 26, 1923 to take up work at Princeton, Ind. on Apr. 2, 1922. He received 342 members into the Sparta Church. He has been Pastor of the Princeton U.P. Church for twelve years and has received 233 into its membership. This is the largest U.P. Church in Ind.

All his pastorates have been pleasant ones. He has had the pleasure of serving six fine congregations made up of noble Christian people who supported him loyally in his work.

On Thanksgiving Day Nov. 25, 1897 Rev. John Pratt Nesbit married Latha Locke at Henry, Ill. She was the daughter of George Monroe Locke and Samantha Kittredge Locke, both coming from old New England families. George Monroe Locke’s ancestors came from England and settled at Rye Beach, N.H. (New Hampshire ?) in 1836. He was killed by Indians while cutting wheat. He left a family of six children. The record of their descendants is found in “The Locke Family Genealogy”. Samantha Kittredge’s father’s name was Leonard Kittredge, b. Jun. 20, at Bedford, N.H. His father, Nehemiah Kittredge, came from Scotland and was an elder in the Bedford N.H. Presbyterian Church. His mother, Esther Merrick Kittredge was a daughter of General Stark of Revolutionary fame. Leonard Kittredge married Miriam Hurd, b. Feb. 2, 1813 at Newport, N.H., d. Jul. 1, 1895 at Lawn Ridge, Ill. Leonard Kittredge d. Jun. 28., 1898 in his pioneer home in Lawn Ridge, Illinois.

Latha Locke Nesbit was b. Apr. 16, 1876, graduated Henry High School, Henry, Ill. in 1895. She studied four years under Madame Bernard Donnelly, a graduate of Marchesia of Paris, France and Lampertii (sic) of Italy. She had a beautiful soprano voice and contributed generously of her talent, both as a soloist and as an instructor. They have three children.

F-1 Leonard Locke Nesbit, M.D. b. Nov. 14, 1898, Henry, Illinois. Graduated Sparta Twp. High School, Sparta Illinois, Jun. 1917. Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill. B.S. Degree, Jun. 1921. He was Principal and instructor in science in the Gillispie High School, Gillispie, Ill. for two years; graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine, Jun. 1924. One year Intern and one year Resident in charge of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Department of the City Hospital Indianapolis, Indiana. On Jul. 1, 1921 he entered the Arnett-Crockett Clinic at Lafayette, Indiana in charge of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Department. He m. Aloria Moss of Indianapolis, Ind. Oct. 1, 1929 in Princeton United Presbyterian Parsonage; the ceremony was performed by his father. Aloria Moss Nesbit was born in Vermillion Co. Ill. Jan. 29, 1897 and was the daughter of Solomon and Emma Saunders Moss. They have one child, Miriam.
G-1 Miriam Nesbit, b. Apr. 21, 1932. St. Elizabeth Hospital, Lafayette, Ind.
F-2 Preston Monroe Nesbit, M.D., b. Morning Sun, Iowa, Jan. 14, 1903. Grad. Sparta Twp. High School, Jun. 1920. Attended Branham and Hughes Military Academy, Spring Hill, Tenn. and Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill. for two years. Employed at the Florida East Coast Railroad, Miami, Florida. Received the degree of Bachelor of Science from Indiana University, June 1932. Graduated from Indiana University School of Medicine June 13, 1934. Is an Intern in the City Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana.

He married Mrs. Gladys Spear Lowery Jan. 22, 1929 at Princeton, Indiana Parsonage. The ceremony was performed by his father. Mrs Gladys Spear Lowery was the daughter of James A. Spear and Frances W. Thurmounce Spear of Ft. Worth, Texas She had one son, William Lowery (Nesbit) b. Jul. 4, 1921. She was b. Jul. 10, 1903 at Salt Lake City, Utah.

F-3 Esther Eunice Nesbit, b. Jul. 9, 1907, Philadelphia, Pa. graduated Princeton High School, Princeton, Ind., May 1926: Illinois Wesleyan University School of Music, Jun. 1930, Degree of Bachelor of Music of Education. She has studied under several leading voice coaches of Chicago and New York. She has given voice recitals and has been soloist for a number of musical organizations. She was a Supervisor of Music in Owensville, Indiana, and is now head of the Music Department in Hartford City, Indiana Schools. She has a beautiful voice and is a successful teacher and conductor.

E-3 Nelson Pratt Nesbit, b. Lagro, Ind., Nov. 29, 1867, d. Feb. 24, 1881.
F-4 Archibald Mathews Nesbit, Jr., b. Dec. 16, 1869, d. Aug. 29, 1870.
F-5 William James Nesbit, b. Jul. 29, 1871 on a farm near Ellettsville, Ind., m. Laurel Harper, Mar. 16, 1903 near Robinson, Ill. She was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Dickerson Harper. One child Mary.
William J. Nesbit, and his brother Simon, took over a farm purchased by their father, near Robinson, Illinois. William lived on this farm until he sold his share, and bought a farm near Gordon, Illinois on which he lived for several years. He sold this farm and bought the home place at Hoopeston, Ill., where he now lives. He was one of the most successful farmers in Iroquois Co. with a generous personality. His home was a gathering place for relatives and friends. He died Apr. 8, 1951.
F-1 Mary Emma Nesbit, b. Jan. 18, 1904 near Robinson, Ill. m. Floyd Wakeland, Jul. 15, 1922 at Watseka, Ill. He was b. May 24, 1901 near Chestnut, Ill. They both graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University. She received a degree of A.B. and he, Bachelor of Music. He has a beautiful lyric tenor voice, and was rated as having the best tenor voice in Bloomington. He received his M.A. from Bush Conservatory, Chicago.
He has taught three years in Central College, Fayette, Mo. in the Voice Department., and for the past four years has been instructor of Voice in the Kansas State College for teachers, at Emporia, Kansas. To children. Reside 1304 Satet ( ? State) Street, Emporia.
G-1 William Floyd Wakeland, b. May 24, 1931, Fayette, Mo.
G-2 Marilyn Wakeland, b. Apr. 13, 1934, Emporia, Kansas.
E-6 Simon Albert Nesbit, b. May 9, 1874, near Ellettsville, Ind. m. Lena Glass, Iowa. Graduated from Monmouth High School, and Monmouth College, Monmouth, Ill.; taught Hoopeston High School. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Glass of Monmouth, Ill. He, (Simon Albert Nesbit ?) attended Grier College, Hoopeston, Ill., but most of his life has been spent farming near Hoopeston, Ill. and Clarksburg, Indiana. He owned a general store at Keensburg, Ill. which he exchanged for the farm at Clarksburg, Indiana on which he is living. He was ordained an elder of the Hoopeston United Presbyterian Church and served there until he moved to Clarkson, Indiana.
He was installed elder of the Springhill United Presbyterian Church. They had seven children: Emily, James, John, Martha, Simon, William and Nelson.
F-1 Emily Carolyn Nesbit, b. Sept. 25, 1917 near East Lynn, Ill., graduated at Clarksburg High School, May 1934.
F-2 James Archibald Nesbit, b. May 29, 1919, near Hoopeston, Ill.
F-3 John Glass Nesbit, b. Feb. 6, 1919, near Hoopeston. Ill.
F-4 Martha Jane Nesbit, b. Sept. 23, 1921, near Hoopeston, Ill.
F-5 Simon Albert Nesbit, b. Feb. 17, 1923, near Hoopeston, Ill.
F-6 William Robert Nesbit, b. Sept. 7, 1924, near Hoopeston, Ill.
F-7 Nelson Eugene Nesbit, b. Jul. 15, 1926.
E-7 Anna Bell Nesbit, b. May 18, 1876 at Stanford, Ind. d. Nov. 4, 1908 near Robinson, Ill. She attended Brier College, Hoopeston, Ill. She had a beautiful voice. When she was aged five years she followed her father into the field where her brother John and the hired man were running two binders. John was driving the second binder when he saw little Anna running out into the grain to pick a bright flower. She ran into the path of the first binder driven by the hired man. When John saw it he called to the man and the team to stop, but they did not see her and stop in time. Her foot was severed below the shin-bone. John jumped onto the bay mare and rode as fast as he could to Hoopeston to get Dr. McCoy, the family doctor. Nelson, the brother, held the foot in his hands. He hoped to keep it warm so the doctor could put it back. Even in those days of surgery, about 1880, the doctor would have tried to have united it, but it was too chilled, and Anna was forced to use an artificial limb. She was very active, and in spite of her handicap, she would go into the pasture, jump on any of the colts and ride as fast as she could go. She needed no saddle for her steed. She was married by her brother Rev. John Nesbit, on the farm, two miles north-west of Hoopeston, Ill. to Jesse Van Ness Smith, Dec. 25, 1900. He was the son of Van Ness and Emma Watson Smith and was b. Aug. 13, 1872 at Williamsport, Ind. She purchased from her brother Simon the 140 acres north of the road Simon had taken over at the request of his father, and assumed the mortgage on it, owed to Nelson Pratt, which they paid off, and on which they lived until her death. Anna was buried in the cemetery at Hoopeston, Illinois. Jesse Van Ness Smith still resides there with his second wife.
F-1 Nelson Smith Nesbit, a twin, was b. May 6, 1902 near Robinson, Ill. He now resides with his twin sister in Michigan City, Ind., and is engaged with Isaac Connett fishing in Lake Michigan. Is unmarried.
F-2 Emma Jean Nesbit Smith, twin sister of Nelson, b. May 6, 1902 on a farm near Robinson, Ill. m. Isaac Milton Connett, Jan. 24, 1921, Indianapolis, Ind. He was the son of Isaac M. and Rebecca Hand Connet and was b. Oct. 23, 1888 at Robinson, Ill. He entered the United States Navy in 1908 and served an apprenticeship as engineer and became an associate and chief engineer during the World War I. After the war he served as an enlisting officer in the Navy in Indianapolis. He had charge of the mechanical work in establishing a Naval Repair Station in Michigan City, Ind. With his brother-in-law, Nelson Smith, owns and operates a boat with which they sein for fish in Lake Michigan. They have three children, Dorothy, Paul, and James.
G-1 Dorothy Jean Connett, b. Nov. 20, 1921, Indianapolis, Ind.
G-2 Paul Vernon Connett, b. Aug. 28, 1923, Indianapolis, Ind.
G-3 James Milton Connet, b. Jun. 27, 1927, Indianapolis, Ind.
F-3 Lawrence Emmerson Smith, b. Oct. 20, 1904, d. Apr. 12, 1917.
D-5 James Nesbit, 5th child of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit, b. Dec. 5, 1828, d. Jan. 16, 1904, Northfield, O., m. 1st Ruhema Deisman, Jan. 1, 1857, d. Dec. 17, 1861 following the birth of her second child.

Children of James and Ruhema Deisman Nesbit

E-1 Henry Nesbit, b. Northfield Twp. O., Sept. 15, 1857. When his father enlisted in the Union Army he went to live with the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Deisman and his uncle John Nesbit.
He m. Ida Osman Mar. 27, 1878 at Stowe, O., b. Jul. 19, 1859, the daughter of Sylvester and Malinda Sum. They had three children, Rue, James Okey and Arden Ray. Ida Osum d. Nov. 7, 1925. Henry Nesbit lives in Cleveland.
F-1 Rue Nesbit, b. Aug 5, 1880, Northfield, O., m. Charles Astbury Apr. 10, 1900. Resides at 14220 Savanna Ave., Cleveland, O. Two children, Mildred and
Kenneth.
G-1 Mildred Astbury, b. Nov. 9, 1904, Cleveland, O., m. Wm. Linge Nov. 1, 1926, Cleveland, O., b. in Quaker City, O., Jun. 10, 1905.
G-2 Kenneth Astbury, b. Apr. 10, 1911, Cleveland, O.
F-2 James Okey Nesbit, b. Aug 15, 1882, Northfield O., m. 1st Mamie Bowers, Aug. 15, 1906, d. May 2, 1915, Cleveland, O. Two children. He engaged in wholesale chicken business, Union Stock Yards, O. Reside in a Cleveland suburb.
G-1 Ruth Nesbit, b. Jan. 2, 1908, Cleveland, O., m. Jun. 25, 1929 Ernest E. Becker. Reside Bedford, O. One child, June Marie.
H-1 June Marie Becker, b. Jun. 9, 1929.
G-2 James Nesbit, b. Feb. 5, 1913.
James Okey Nesbit (F-2 above) m. 2nd Clara Bower, Sept. 30, 1918, sister of his wife.
F-3 Arden Ray Nesbit, b. Northfield, O., Jun. 17, 1885, m. 1st Myrtle Saunders, Apr. 5, 1906, Cleveland. O. Issue:
G-1 Walter Nesbit, b. Jan. 16, 1907.
G-2 Clifford Nesbit, b. Apr. 8, 1909, d. Apr. 3, 1910, Cleveland, O.
G-3 Laretta Nesbit, b. Jun. 22, 1910, Cleveland, O.
Arden and Myrtle were divorced Jan. 26, 1912: Myrtle married George Nacross, who legally adopted Walter and Laretta. Arden Ray Nesbit married 2nd, May Conner. Reside in Buffalo, N.Y. No children.
E-2 Margaret Nesbit, b. Northfield, O., Dec. 17, 1861, m. William Powell, May 17, 1900, Northfield, O., b. Jan. 11, 1859 near Northfield, O. He was the son of William Powell, his mother’s father, settled in Northfield Twp. in 1883 and was one of its first settlers. Reside on a farm near Northfield, O. No children.
After the death of his wife, James Nesbit D-5, left his two children in the care of relatives and enlisted on Company C C115 (sic) Ohio Infantry at Cleveland, O. In the service he was promoted to 1st Sergeant of his company. When Gen. George Thomas fell back on Nashville, Tenn. before Gen. Hood’s army, he was left in command of Block House No. 3, with 17 men to guard the bridge. They were able to prevent the Confederates from crossing until a cannon was brought up. The first solid shot of cannon sent the timbers of the block house flying, breaking the leg of one of the soldiers. Escape was impossible, so they surrendered. They should have been relieved but the orderly sent to arrange relief was captured, so they had to make the best terms they could and surrendered.

They were promised that they could keep their personal effects, but no sooner had they surrendered that they had to give up their money, watches, boots etc. When James Nesbit refused to take off his boots saying, “I cannot march without them”, a red-headed confederate pointed his musket at him and said “Take them off I will blow out your brains”, James Nesbit replied “Blow away”. “Well, that is pluck” said the red-headed rebel. He did not fire. He was permitted to keep his boots into which he had dropped his watch which he latter traded for food in Andersville prison, where he spent five months. He weight 170 pounds when he entered the prison, and only 96 pounds when he left. He was captured with Gordon Nesbit and James McElroy, two cousins who shared his prison life. As sergeant he drew rations for 100 men and often saw maggots in the meat which he refused to eat, as those who ate it died of poisoning. He was required to divide the meat among the men and some of them were so near starved they would devour it raw. They knew it would kill them. He was released from prison Apr. 29, 1865 and taken to Jacksonville, Florida. He came home a mere skeleton.

Years afterwards he met, in a restaurant, the red-headed rebel who had cursed him and threatened to blow out his brains: followed him into the street and halted him saying, “Do you know who I am?” The answer was “No”. “Do you remember the man whom you threatened to shoot in Block House No. 3 in Tenn. on Stone River? Well, I remember you, you were the rebel that did it, and now I’m going to get even with you”. He knocked the man down and when he got up he asked him “Do you remember me now”? and the man answered “Yes”. James Nesbit knew him by a scar on his face.

After the Civil War James Nesbit m. 2nd., Mrs. Rebecca Drennon, Feb. 26, 1867. Her maiden name was Patterson. She had one child Emma Drennon by her first husband. James and Rebecca settled on a farm near Northfield, O. She d. Dec. 2, 1903, but they were parted for only a few weeks as he followed her on Jan. 16, 1904.

The Children of James and Rebecca Drennon Nesbit

E-3 Ella Hazie Nesbit, b. Jan. 2, 1868, Northfield, O., d. Dec. 18, 1904. m. Isaac McConnell Oct. 11, 1893, Northfield, O. He was the son of John and Jane Shannon McConnell of Northfield, O. Isaac d, Apr. 11, 1929.
F-1 Louise McConnell, b. Aug. 3, 1894, near Northfield, O., m. Hillis Thorn, Feb. 6, 1920. Reside in Northfield, O. He was b. May 28, 1899.
G-1 Hillis Wayne Thorn, b. Oct. 14, 1920, Northfield, O.
G-2 Robert Wendell Thorn, b. Sept. 13, 1924, Northfield, O.
G-3 Rebecca Jane Thorn, b. Jun. 30, 1931, Northfield, O.
F-2 Rebecca McConnell, b. Mar. 14, 1900, Northfield, O., m. Aug. 18, 1927, Willis Paul Richey, b. Mar. 15, 1900. One child.
G-1 Willis Dale Richey, b. Jul. 26, 1930, Northfield Twp., d. 1959.
E-4 Myrtle Nesbit, b. Sept. 18, 1879, Northfield Twp., m. Hal. A. Cochran, Sept. 18, 1901, Northfield, O. He was the son of Houston and Rachel Scroggs Cochran and was b. Mar. 9, 1866. He was the grandson of Rev. Joseph Scroggs, fifty years pastor of Fairfield Associate Church, who married Myrtle’s grandparents, John and Ann Mathews Nesbit, and he baptized her father and his elder brothers and sisters. Myrtle d. in hospital in Cleveland, O. after an operation. They lived in Macedonia, Ohio and had two children.
F-1 Helen Rachel Cochran, b. near Northfield, O. Sept. 11, 1902, m. Dr. Wesley M. Laughlin, a veterinary surgeon, b. Jul. 13, 1898, Seville, O., m. Dec. 18, 1920. Two children.
G-1 Betty Jandice Laughlin, b. Oct. 4, 1922, Burton, Ohio.
G-2 Hal. Laughlin, b. Jun. 12, 1925, O.
F-2 Martha Laura Cochran, b. Oct. 24, 1909, O.
D-6 John Nesbit III, son of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit was b. Oct. 22, 1830, d. Apr. 1, 1907, Northfield, O. He purchased the farm on which his father settled and spent his life on it. He was an elder in the Northfield U.P. Church. He m. Florella Jane Patterson Oct. 20, 1866, b. Mt. Jackson, Pa., Mar. 20, 1842, d. at Northfield, O. Apr. 20, 1890. She was his second wife, the daughter of Florella Nesbit Patterson and the grand daughter of Dr. Allan Nesbit of Mt. Jackson, Pa.
E-1 William Nesbit, b. Nov. 26, 1867, Northfield, O., d. Mar. 30. 1871.
E-2 Annie Nesbit, b. Sept. 1, 1869, Northfield, O., m. George Elliot, b. Jun. 7, 1867, d. Jul. 28, 1906. No children. She resided at Cleveland, O.
Pencil note in margin of original: “She died Dec. 23, 1947”.
E-3 James Nesbit, b. Dec. 1, 1872, d. Mar. 19, 1899, Northfield, O.
E-4 John Nesbit, IV., b. Sept. 7, 1875, m. Margaret Thompson. Mar. 6. 1901, b. Aug. 14, 1873, Andes, Deleware Co. N.Y., d. Aug. 3, 1929, Bedford, O. Margaret was the daughter of David Thompson.
After the death of his father, John Nesbit IV purchased part of the Old Nesbit Homestead that belonged to his father and grandfather. He lived for a number of years in the house built by his grandfather, part of the logs built in 1832 and part built later. On Dec. 1, 1918, he sold the farm to Ed. Banks, an Italian, and John moved his family to Bedford, O. where he resided until the death of his wife. After her death he moved to Cleveland, Ohio.
F-1 Vera Mildred Nesbit, b. Sept. 28, 1902, Bedford, O., d. Jul. 17, 1931 in hospital at Cleveland. O.
F-2 Clyde Thompson Nesbit, b. Apr. 12, 1904, Cleveland. O., d. 1968.
(Freehand notes unreadable on original).
F-3 Dorothy Frances Nesbit, b. Oct. 4, 1908, Cleveland, O.
F-4 Raymond John Nesbit, b. Nov. 14, 1911. Northfield Twp., O.
E-5 Ambrose Nesbit, b. Jan. 25, 1878, m. Mary A. Salmon, Mar. 28, 1906, b. Jul. 15, 1878, Westshire, England, the daughter of William Salmon of Cleveland, Ohio.
Ambrose purchased a farm across the road from the John Nesbit Homestead on which he spent most of his life. His three children were born there.
F-1 Mabel Violet Nesbit, b. 21, 1907, Boston, Summit Co., O. m. Warren Rumburg, Jul. 24, 1930. Warren d. Jun. 4, 1970.
G-1 Evelyn Rumburg, b. Jul. 24, 1931.
G-2 Alvice Nesbit Rumburg, b. Sept. 7, 1935.
G-3 Anne Lucile Rumburg, b. Feb. 25, 1937.
F-2 Florence Lucile Nesbit, b. Oct. 9, 1911, Cuyhoga, O.
F-3 Ernest Ray Nesbit, b. Northfield Twp., O., Feb. 23, 1918.
E-6 Delmar Nesbit, b. Aug. 11, 1880, d. Oct. 1900.

John Nesbitt III (C-2 page 33) m. 2nd. Mrs. Irene Clifford, Aug. 25, 1894. Her maiden name was Hull, Irene J. She died May 1912. He built a house on the farm where both lived until death.

D7 Jane Nesbit, b. Oct. 20, 1832, Northfield, O., d. at Northfield, Nov. 9, 1914. m. Alexander McConnell, Apr. 24, 1856, b. 1822 in Co. Donegal, Ireland, d. Jul. 21, 1896, Northfield, O. They were both faithful members of the Northfield U.P. Church and spent their life on a farm that cornered on Northfield Village.
They had four children, Hettie, John, James and Emma. With the exception of Emma all were b. on the farm.
E-1 Hettie Ann McConnell, b. May 18, 1857 in Coshocton Co., O., m. Milton Van Horn Oct. 8, 1909 at Cleveland, O. He was b. in Northfield, Twp., Mar. 1843, d. Jun. 4, 1927. Hettie d. Sept, 16, 1932. She came to Northfield with her parents in the spring of 1859. They were both members of the Northfield U.P. Church. He led the choir for forty years. He taught in the Sabbath School and served as an elder. No Children.
E-2 John Nesbit McConnell, b. Aug. 24, 1859, a bachelor and an elder in the U.P. Church, Northfield, lived on the McConnell Homestead, Northfield, O.
E-3 James Logue McConnell, b. 1861, d. 1863.
E-4 Emma Jane McConnell, b. Sept. 12, 1864, m. Cornelius S. Machwart, Apr. 19, 1799 (sic) (? 1899). Resides on the McConnell Homestead, Northfield, O. He was b. Coshocton Co., O., Jan. 20, 1868. He is an elder in the Northfield U.P. Church and served as Clerk of Northfield Twp.
D-8 David Nesbit, b. Northfield Twp. Dec. 28, 1834, d. Ellettsville, Ind. Feb. 19, 1874, buried in Northfield Cemetery, m. Elizabeth Boyd, daughter of George and Elizabeth Nelson Boyd, d, Dec. 8, 1859. She was b. in Greenship Twp., Washington Co., N.Y. Jan. 13, 1839, d. Apr. 19, 1916 at Hoopeston, Ill. She was a cousin of Mrs. Emma Pratt Nesbit. Their mothers were sisters and descendants of John Rogers, the Martyr.
After their marriage David and Elizabeth Nesbit lived for a while in Cleveland, O. They moved to a farm in Northfield Twp. then onto a farm near Vinto, Ia., then to Sedalia, Mo. where his brother William resided; next to Ellettsville, Ind. where his brother Archie resided and spent the winter in his brother’s home; and next spring moved onto a farm near Ellettsville, Ind. They moved into Ellettsville and he ran a meat market. He came home one night violently ill and after a few days sickness he died. They took his body back to Northfield for burial and the family made their home with her (Elizabeth’s) father, George Boyd until his death. Then she purchased a farm, and moved to Hoopeston, Illinios, on which the family lived for several years. Aunt Libbie sold her farm and bought a house in Hoopeston, Ill., and lived there several years. She d. at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Newton Long, at Hoopeston. Ill. She was buried in the Northfield, O. Cemetery. They had six children.
E-1 Margaret Ann Nesbit, b. Dec. 8, 1860, Cleveland, O., m. Charles Crane Dec. 10, 1879 at Elyria, O. He was b. Apr. 18, 1854, Shanesville, O., the son of Lewis and Zilphia Crane of La Grange, O. They have resided at La Grange, O., Pioneer, Mich. and Robinson, Ill. Three children.
F-1 Mary E. Crane, b. Sept. 21, 1883, La Grange, O., d. Feb. 12, 1928 at Robinson, Ill., m. Joseph McManus, Aug. 2, 1904. He lives in Duluth, Minn. Two children: Earl Eugene and Lee Charles.
G-1 Earl Eugene McManus, b. May 30, 1906, d. Sept. 8, 1906 Duluth, Minn.
G-2 Lee Charles McManus, b. Jul. 26, 1907, Pioneer, Mich.
F-2 Lee Charles Crane, b. Jan. 20, 1889, Pioneer, Mich. m. Josephine Cunningham, Sept. 22, 1909, Lake City, Mich. They live on a farm near Fife Lake, Mich. and have six children, all born on the farm.
G-1 Alice Esther Crane, b.Aug. 11, 1910, m. Lester Hurlburst, Jan. 6, 1930.
G-2 Clara Margaret Crane, b. Jul. 12, 1912.
G-3 Charles Lewis Crane, b. May 4, 1915.
G-4 Marie Joy Crane, b. Nov. 28, 1920.
G-5 Arthur Lee Crane, b. Dec. 19, 1924.
G-6 Clyde Erwin Crane, b. Nov. 7, 1926.
F-3 Alice Elizabeth Crane, b. Apr. 9, 1892 near Pioneer, Mich. m. F. Fullen, Apr. 10, 1912, Robinson, Ill. Three children.
G-1 Eugene Francis Fullen, b. Feb. 2, 1914, Duluth, Minn.
G-2 Myrl Emma Fullen, b. Nov. 19, 1916, Palestine, Ill.
G-3 Juanita Mary Fullen, b. Feb. 3, 1925, Robinson, Ill.
E-2 George Nesbit, b. Sept. 18, 1862, Northfield, O., d. Feb. 18, 1920, Aurora, Ill. at the home of his sister, Mrs. Mary Randolph. He was unmarried.
E-3 Martha Ella Nesbit, b. Jun. 27, 1864, d. Jun. 27, 1881, Northfield, Ohio.
E-4 Lorenzo Nesbit, b. May 12, 1886, near Northfield, O., m. Lina Ross, Feb. 2, 1897, Hoopeston, Ill. Resided 1st at Hoopeston, Ill. Live Arcadia, Okla. No children.
E-5 Elizabeth Boyd Nesbit, b. Mar. 24, 1869 near Victor, Ia., m. Newton Long, Dec. 16, 1887. Lived firstly on a farm near Hoopeston, Ill. They now reside in Hoopeston. They have six children. Newton is the son of Wm. and Margaret Long.
F-1 Nora Long, b. near Hoopeston, Ill., m. Mar. 11, 1888. She is a graduate nurse from the Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
F-2 Orville Long, b. near Hoopeston, Ill., Sept. 6, 1889, m. Iad (sic) C. Bell, Dec. 26, 1912. Live at Green Bay, Wis. Twp.

Issue

G-1 Nora Elizabeth Long, b. Mar. 15, 1913, South Bend, Ind.
G-2 William J. Long, b. Jan. 12, 1918, Green Bay, Wis., d. Oct. 31, 1920.
G-3 Newton Charles Long, b. Feb. 12, 1922, Green Bay. Wis. Ind.
F-3 Margie Long, b. Oct. 7, 1892, d. Nov. 20, 1894.
F-4 David Long, b. Jan. 20, 1895 near Hoopeston, Ill., m. Clara Bullink, Jul. 10, 1919, San Francisco, California. He was a soldier in World War I. Resides Korbel, California.
G-1 Nora Margaret Long, b. Jun. 19, 1920, Korbel, California.
David Long, F-4, m. 2nd. Mary R. Hall, Dec. 17, 1922.
F-5 Mary Elizabeth Long, b. Jan. 9, 1903, Hoopeston, Ill. Graduated from Muskingdom College, m. Dec. 1932, Morton K. Bailey. Reside in Brewster, N.Y.
G-1 Mary Long Bailey, b. May 7, 1934.
F-6 Lorenzo Newton Long, b. Oct. 8, 1911, Hoopeston, Ill.
E-6 Mary Nesbit, b. Feb. 27, 1874, Ellettsville, Ind., m. James T. Randolph Dec. 23, 1895, Hoopeston, Ill. Lived first on a farm near Watseka, Ill. Moved to Aurora, Ill. Reside 352 Maple Ave., Aurora, Ill.
F-1 Avis Irma Randolph, b. Dec. 25, 1903, Watseka, Ill. d. Apr. 18, 1918, Aurora.
D-9 Margaret Nesbit, 9th child of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit, b. Dec. 14, 1836, near Northfield, O., d. at Boise, Idaho Jan. 2, 1921. She was the last survivor of her family. She m. Horace Palmer, Northfield, O., May 15, 1862, b. Feb. 17, 1824, Bennington, N.Y., d. Aug. 14, 1880, Newburg, Ia. He was the son of William L. Palmer, b. at Win_sor, Conn. who was the son of Hezekiah and Abigail Palmer, ancestors who came over on the Mayflower. When Margaret Nesbit married Horace Palmer, he was a widower with four children; Albert, Anson, Lilly and William.

Children of Horace and Margaret Nesbit Palmer

E-1 Harry Palmer, b. Sept. 2, 1864 near Northfield, O. He went with his parents to Newburg. He married Jennie Simpkins, Nov. 15, 1888, Elkton, O. She d. Sept. 27, 1890 at Newburg, Iowa. The next year, Harry Palmer and his mother moved to Grennell, Ia. where Harry worked at the carpenters trade. In 1900 Harry and his mother moved to Boise, Idaho where he resided until the death of his mother. He worked as a contractor.
F-1 Horace Palmer, b. Apr. 1890, Newburg, Ia. went with his father (Harry Palmer) to Boise, Idaho. He became a civil engineer, m. Lucia E. Wattles, May 23, 1918, Boise, Idaho. She was the daughter of Hiram A. and Zella L. Wattles. She was b. at Ellensburg, Wash. Feb. 14, 1890. Reside at Boise, Idaho.
D10 The tenth child of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit died as an infant.

This closes the Record of the Family of John and Ann Mathews Nesbit.

C-3 William (Billy) Nesbit, third child of Wm. and Esther Robinson, b. Mar. 24, 1794; probably at Williamsburg, Pa., d. Oct. 14, 1873 near Northfield, O. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Record:
“William Jr. (Billie) Nesbit, Private on return of men drafted, 141st Pa. regiment 1812-14”. Vol. 76 series, page 886. He was a stone mason, a farmer and a member of the Northfield U.P. Church, and came with his parents to Northfield in 1833 and lived with them as a bachelor until their death about 1840. He then married Lucinda Hungerford Johnson, the widow of Thomas Johnson and they had six children. She was the daughter of Asa and Phoebe Woods Hungerford, and was born in Herkimer Co., N.Y.

Six Children of William and Lucinda Hungerford Johnson Nesbit

(Five only shown)

D-1 Alexander Nesbit, b. Mar. 10, 1843, Northfield Twp., d. Jul. 16, 1918. He purchased the farm owned by his father and grandfather and lived on it most of his life, m. Josephine Fillius Dec. 16, 1874, b. in Hudson Twp., O., Nov. 15, 1843. They sold their farm and spent most of their lives in Macedonia, O. (Sic) One child Grace.
E-1 Grace Nesbit, b. Nov. 1, 1877, d. Aug. 1916, Macedonia, O.
D-2 William Nesbit, b. Oct. 7, 1844, d. Sept. 7, 1853.
D-3 David Gordon Nesbit, b. Dec. 28, 1846. He was a soldier in the Civil War, Company G (indistinct on original) 115 Reg. Ohio Volunteers. He was captured with his cousins, James Nesbit and James McElroy and spent five months in the Andersonville Prison. He was considered the strongest man in his company and could throw any of his comrades. He m. Mrs. Hattie Humphry Gardner, a widow, b. Derrfield (sic), O., d. Jul. 19, 1905. No children. He was for many years the custodian of the Soldiers’ Monument at the down town square, Cleveland, O.
When he was captured he was stationed at Block House No. 3 on Hill Creek nine miles south of Newville, Tenn. at Antioch Station on the Nashville and Chatanooga R.R. on Dec. 4, 1864 and was released from prison Apr. 29, 1865 and taken to Jacksonville, Fla.
D-4 Emily Nesbit, b. Jul. 22, 1849, m. Samuel Gallie Feb. 8, 1871, b. Inverger, in Ross- shire, Scotland Jul. 16, 1846. Resided in Northfield, O. and had two children.
She had the old family Bible that belonged to William Nesbit I, and sold it for 5.00 to John B. Gallie of Sedalia, Mo. It contained the old family records, so John Pratt Nesbit tried to secure the records from Mr. Gallie before his death, and the son-in-law, attorney Wm. D. Steele of Sedalia, Mo. wrote he was not able to locate the Bible. It took first prize as the oldest Bible at the Sedalia Fair, during the life of John B. Gallie.
E-1 Flora Gallie, b. Northfield, O., Dec. 17, 1871, m. John H. McKee Oct. 5, 1894. No children.
E-2 Roderick Gallie, b. Aug. 8, 1875 m. Ethel Kettlewell Jul. 11, 1900, b. Oct. 14, 1877, Northfield, O. No children.
D-5 Caroline Esther (Carrie) Nesbit, b. Nov. 22, 1851, m. Wm. H. Deisman, Sept. 16, 1874, b. Feb. 6, 1841, d. Jul. 22, 1817. Soldier in the Civil War. 41st Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Served four years.
Caroline (Carrie) Deisman resides in Bedford, O. She says, “Grandfather and grandmother, William and Esther Robinson Nesbit, were buried in Northfield Cemetery in a lot near the Lemons, and near the corner before the cemetery was enlarged to the west”. When her father, William (Billie) Nesbit Jr. died they started to dig a grave for him on the same lot, but came upon another grave, so they took another lot and buried him in another part of the cemetery where his monument stands. Paul Bryson, with John Pratt Nesbit, took Mrs. Caroline (Carrie) Deisman to the Northfield cemetery and she helped locate the grave - as near as possible - of William Nesbit I, and his wife
C-4 Ann Nesbit, fourth child of Wm. and Esther Robinson Nesbit, b. Williamsburg, Pa., d. Northfield. She was unmarried.
This Concludes the Family of William Nesbit, a Soldier of the War or 1812.

The McKelvey Family

The records of the McKelvey family was furnished

by

Thomas Arthur Gravens, M.D. of Wooster, Ohio

C-5 Mary Polly Nesbit, 5th child of William and Esther Robinson Nesbit was born in Ligonia Valley, Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co., Pa., Apr. 10, 1797 and d. May 30, 1842 at Poland, Ohio. She married John (Sickle) McKelvey, Aug. 20, 1811, b. Jan. 13, 1787 in Ligonia Valley, Westmoreland Co., Pa. and d. Jul. 21, 1846 of typhoid fever in Putman Co., O. He was the son of Robert McKelvey and the grandson of James and Sarah McKelvey who lived in the region of Valley Forge, Pa. James McKelvey was a private soldier in the Revolution according to the Pennsylvania Archives, 5th Series, Vol. 8, page 660, Sept. 26, 1776 and Oct. 8, 1776. He is called Lieut. James McKelvey which shows that he had been promoted.
As Robert McKelvey would have been old enough to serve in the army, he was probably a Revolutionary soldier. No record was made of it as the records are not complete, but he could hardly have kept out of the service, living as he did, near Vally Forge, Pa. He d. Jul. 8, 1832 and his wife Jane McKinlet McKelvey d. Mar. 1842.

Children of Robert and Jane McKinley McKelvey

1 Sarah McKelvey b. d. m. William Butler
2 Jane McKelvey b. d. m. Robert Hamill
3 James McKelvey b. d. m. Jane Patterson
4 John McKelvey b. d. m.Mary Polly Nesbit
5 Elizabeth McKelvey b. d. m. William McCurdy
6 Mary McKelvey b. d. m. Unmarried
Robert McKelvey was born in Chester Co., Pa. and was listed as a taxpayer in Sadsbury, Chester Co. Pa. in 1780-81. In 1788 he purchased 200 acres in Westmoreland Co., Pa. paying for it, ten pounds lawful money. He married Jane McKinley who, with her brother John, came from Ireland. They left a good home and 25 acres of rich land and bound themselves to a ship’s captain for one year for their passage to America. They worked faithfully and at the end of the year had paid for their passage and were free. John McKinley m. Robert’s sister Mary McKelvey.
John McKelvey, 4th child of Robert and Jane McKinley McKelvey made sickles during the war and he became known as “Sickle John”.

Twelve Children of John and Mary (Polly) Nesbit McKelvey

Jane, Esther, Eliza, Anne, Robert, James, John, William, Isaac, Clark, David and Mary.
D-1 Jane McKelvey, b. 1813, d. 1878, Flora, Ill., m. David Lawrey a Civil War Soldier who starved to death in Andersonville Prison. No children.
D-2 Esther McKelvey was a school teacher, b. 1816 and d. Jul. 1846, buried at McConnells Corner, east of Leipsic.
D-3 Eliza McKelvey, b. Sept, 12, 1818, d. Sept. 9, 1893, m. Thomas Graven, b. Feb. 16, 1805 in Philadelphia, Pa. d. Dec. 2, 1871. He was a powder maker in early life then he became a farmer in Ohio. He was a Presbyterian Elder and is bur. in Hopewell Cemetery. Eliza was b. at Ligonia Valley, Westmoreland Co., Pa. She was a devout woman and had the following children, John, Pauline, Amy Ann, Sarah, Clark, Marion, William and Amos.
E-1 John Graven, b. in Prairie Twp. Holmes Co., O., Feb. 2, 1840, d. near Nashville, Holmes Co. O., Jan. 3, ............ and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery at Nashville, O. He married Lydia L. Buckingham, Feb. 26, 1863. She was b. in 1843, d. Nov. ............... 1910.
F-1 Grange Graven, died young.
F-2 Della L. Graven, b. Sept. 12, 1870, m. Wm. Carter of Ada, Ohio, b. 1870. They live in Los Angeles, California. Have one daughter.
G-1 Ola Carter, b. .......... . She is married.
F-3 Osie Ola Graven, b. May 9, 1874, m. John Doty of Berrysville, Ohio. The Hon. John Doty was a member of the House of Representatives from Holmes Co., Ohio and lives near Lakesville, Holmes Co., Ohio. He is secretary of the Washington Mutual Fire Insurance Company.
G-1 Frances Doty, b. ..................... She taught two or more years in the Shrove Schools in the Commercial Department. She travelled extensively in Europe and took a post graduate course of study.
G-2 Hugh Dotey, b. .................... He is a bright boy, interested in agriculture.
F-4 Corel Orten Graven, b. Jun. 1878, d. near Nashville, Ohio, Nov. 1913; is buried in Nashville Presbyterian Cemetery, Ohio. He graduated from Loudenville High School, was an elder in the Presbyterian Church and an industrious farmer. He m. Corrine Finney b. 1887, in 1905. When widowed she m. Walter Workman, a prosperous farmer and they live on a farm near Nashville, Ohio.
G-1 John Graven, b. ................. graduated from Nashville, Ohio, High School.
G-2 Pauline Graven, b. ............. graduated from Nashville, Ohio, High School and is finishing a course of study in Antioch College, Yellow Springs, Ohio.
E-2 Amy Ann Graven, 2nd child of Thomas and Eliza Graven was b. Oct. 28, 1841, d. near Mt. Victory, Logan Co., O. 1920 aged 79 years. She m. Wm. Hill, Dec. 13, 1863, he d. 1897 aged 58 years. He was a member of Company C. 166. Ohio Vol. Infantry during the Civil War. Several children died young.
F-1 Loreign Hill, b. Dec. 2, 1863, d. 1929, m. Joseph Wallace 1891. They are active and prosperous farmers. Live near Mt. Victory, O.R.D. and have the following children; Burl, Mary and Alexander.
G-1 Burl Hill, b. .......... m. .......... Lives near Mt. Victory, Ohio.
G-2 Mary Hill, b. ........... m. .......... Joseph Boone, d. during the World War.
G-3 Alexander Hill, b. .......... m. .......... Is married.
He was educated in the Ohio State University in agriculture, and is a farmer living near Mt. Victoria, Ohio.
G-4 Marion Hill, b. Jan. 28, 1886, d. 1891 at Ridgeway, O. Unmarried.
G-5 William Hill, b. Jul. 1875, m. twice. One male child, now adult. The widow lives near Ridgeway, Ohio.
E-3 Sarah Graven, b. May 27, 1843 in Prairie Twp., Holmes Co., O. and d. near Nashville, O. Jul. 1903 aged 58 years. She was a cripple and was confined to her chair for 48 years, but in spite of her affliction led a useful Christian life. She is buried in the Hoopeswell Cemetery beside her mother who cared for her for so many years.
E-4 Clark Graven, b. May 10, 1845 in Prairie Twp., Holmes Co., Ohio, served in the Civil War in Company 166, Ohio Vol. Infantry under Captain Josiah Martin. He m. Isabelle Hill, Dec. 13, 1865 who d. three years later in the Spring of 1880. He moved his family to Jefferson, Green Co., Ia. Clark Graven m. 2nd Maggie Cole of Perryville, Ohio, Oct. 23, 1876.
F-1 Herbert H. Graven, b. Feb. 17, 1868, d. 1896 near Jefferson, Ohio.
F-2 Elmer Graven, b. Mar. 3, 1879; probably living in Idaho.
F-3 Charles Graven, b. Sept. 14, 1882, m. ........... Lives in Jefferson, Iowa.
F-4 Mina Graven, b. Jun. 1884, d. during “flu” epidemic of 1918.
F-5 Ida Graven, b. ............. m. ..............Leon Shultte, Jefferson, Iowa, R.D.
Industrious and prosperous farmer.
F-6 Carl Graven, b. ............ near Jefferson, Iowa, served in World War 1 in France as an aviator, receiving his schooling in Millington, Tenn. Educated in the University of Millington. Lives at 2944 Whitney Ave., Detroit. Is married and is a contractor.
F-7 Ray Graven, lives at Jefferson, Iowa R.D. Soldier of World War 1, a farmer, m. Miss Knapper.
E-5 Marion Graven, 5th child of Thomas and Eliza Graven, b. in Prairie Twp., Holmes Co.. Ohio, Feb. 4, 1847, d. Jan. 9, 1903, Loudenville, Ohio; is bur. in Hopewell Cemetery. He was a farmer and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, m. Sarah Jane McCulloch, Dec. 31, 1868, b. Jan. 17, 1851, Prairie, Holmes Co., Ohio and lived with her son, Judge David Homer Graven, Mt. Vernon Ave., Loudenville, O.
F-1 Thomas Arthur Graven, b. Jan. 6, 1871 in Prairie Twp., Holmes Co., Ohio. He taught school a while, then graduated from Jeffersonville Medical College, Philadelphia. Pa. in 1900. Enlisted Oct. 1917 at the age of 46 in Medical Corps, 1st Lieut, called into service Dec. 7, 1917. Served in Regimental work Aviation Signal Corps, Jan. 22, 1918. As a Surgeon Survier S.C. transferred to Camp Dix N.J. May 3, 1918. Regimental Infirmary work, Bat. 8, 153 D.B., Jun. 3, 1918. He was then sent to Base Hospital, No. 34, Camp Dix, N.J. as Ward Surgeon of Contagious Diseases. He went through the influenza epidemic in which 873 lost their lives. As an Officer of the Day on Sept. 29, 1918, he lost under his personal service 56. He continued to serve in the contagious wards until the signing of the armistice. He was then assigned to Orthopedic Surgery Examining Board until discharged, Aug. 21, 1919. Promoted to Captain of Reserve, Nov. 3, 1919; Major Dec. 6, 1924, and is now in line for Lieut. Colonel. (Dec. 5, 1930). He is practicing physician in Wooster, O. Address 133 Larwill Street, Wooster, Ohio. He m. Sept. 26, 1895, Tamzon Finney, a teacher, b. Dec. 13,,1875
G-1 Marion Finney Graven, b. Nov. 9, 1901, who graduated from Wooster High School in 1919; attended Wooster College through Junior year, graduated from Ohio State University in 1924 with the degree of D.B.L., and was admitted to the Ohio Bar, June 1924 and was elected Prosecuting Attorney, Nov. 6, 1928 with a majority of 1592 votes. He m. Dec. 28, 1922, Nettie Way, b. ........... . They have two children. Sue Eleanor and Marjorie Lillian.
H-1 Sue Eleanor Graven, b. Oct. 5, 1923.
H-2 Marjorie Lillian Graven, b. Jan. 30, 1925.
They are the eighth generation of the lineal descendants of Robert McKelvey, son of James and Sarah McKinley McKelvey.
Sarah McKinley came from Ireland about 1750.
F-2 David Homer Graven, 2nd son of Marion and Sarah Graven, b. Nov. 21, 1874 in Hanover Twp., Ashland Co., Ohio, received B.A. from Northern Ohio, Normal, and M.A. from the same institution. In 1900 he received the B.B.L. Degree from the Ohio State University; was elected Common Pleas Judge, two terms in 1915 and 1927; then became Assistant Attorney General at Columbus, Ohio. Lives in a beautiful home in Vernon Ave., Loudenville, Ohio. He married Emma Fisher in 1902, daughter of Wm. S. Fisher, a prominent merchant in Loudenville, Ohio. Have one daughter, Marjoria who lives at home.
G-1 Marjoria Graven, b. .......... 1905.
F-3 John Elmer Graven, 3rd child of Marion and Sarah Graven, b. July 10, 1876 in Ashland Co., Ohio; graduated from Northern Normal University 1898; taught school; received B.A. from Wooster College 1899; law student in Harvard College; d. Apr. 15, 1900.
E-6 William Graven, son of Thomas and Eliza Graven, b. Sept. 24, 1850, d. Dec. 18, 1918 in Prairie Twp., Holmes Co., m. Martha McCulloch, Mar. 1876, b. Feb. 29, 1855, d. Nov. 1906.
F-1 Ames Hayes Graven, b. Feb. 15, 1877, m. Jennie Ewing 1899, b. 1879, d. Dec. 21 or 31, 1927.
F-2 Esther Graven, b. ............ m. ...... 1901; graduated from Homesville High School 1918; Wooster High School 1919 and Wooster College 1924; taught in Homesville schools until she d. May 1927. Married Reider Rottman, Benton, Phio, 1924.
F-3 Harry Graven, b. .............. in Prairie Twp., Holmes Co., Ohio. Attended the Yocum’s Business College, Wooster, Ohio; employed by the Goodrich Rubber Company, Ackron, Ohio.
E-7 Amos Graven, 7th child of Thomas and Eliza Graven, b. Nov. 21, 1852, killed by lightning, Jul. 12, 1878.
F-1 Hiram Graven, b. Dec. 1, 1848, d. Sept. 28, 1855.
F-2 Austin Graven, b. Dec. 31, 1854, d. Oct. 4, 1855.
(Ed. note: The birth-date of E7, Amos Graven, fits into the pattern of birth-dates of his siblings, thus, dates relating to issue F-1 & F-2 are obviously erroneous).
D-4 Anne McKelvey, 4th child of John and Mary McKelvey, b. 1820 in Pa., moved with parents to Poland, Ohio, m. Levi Hoffstetter, removed to Florida, Ill. and d. there. He starved to death in the Andersonvill ( ? Military ) prison. Issue two.
E-1 Robert Hoffstetter, b. Dec. 12, 1822, d. at Poland, Ohio, age 18 years.
E-2 James Hoffstetter, b. ...........
D-5 Robert McKelvey, b. ............ near Poland, Ohio.
D-6 James McKelvey, b. ............. near Poland, Ohio.
D-7 John Nesbit McKelvey, 7th child of John and Mary Nesbit McKelvey, b. Aug. 17, 1827 near Poland, Ohio, m. 1st Margaret Jane Darson at Utica, Ohio, 1852, d. 1869. He d. and was buried at Utica, Ohio, 1913 aged 86 years. He was a tinner by trade at Poland, Ohio.
E-1 James Wylie McKelvey, b. Sept. 5, 1853, graduated from Normal School. Had been a banker in Utica, Ohio for many years; no further record.
E-2 John Knox McKelvey, b. Aug. 1857, graduated from Normal School and from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Baltimore, M.D.; practiced his profession for a generation and is now retired in Cleveland, Ohio., m. May Florence Koontz and they had one daughter.
F-1 Mayne D. McKelvey, b. 1881, m. Harry Stream 1899, live at Chatham, Ohio where her father practiced for so many years. P.O. Vannatti, Ohio. They had one son.
G-1 Ralph McKelvey, b. 1912, graduated from Utica High School 1929.
E-3 Anna Jane McKelvey, b. 1867, graduated from Utica High School 1883, m. John D. Atherton 1885, live at 3546 W. 47th Street, Cleveland, Ohio.
F-1 Fay Atherton, b. 1886, m. John Dickle 1926; live at Cleveland, Ohio, W. 55th Street.
F-2 Thomas Atherton, b. 1888, d. 1927. m. .......... . Three children.
John Nesbit McKelvey, D-7 p. 41, m. 2nd, Eliza Ferguson 1872 who d. 1917. They had three children: Clark, Boyd and Bertha.
E-4 Clark McKelvey, died young.
E-5 Boyd McKelvey, died young.
E-6 Bertha McKelvey, b. Utica, Ohio, m. Mr. Hart. One daughter, Margaret.
F-1 Margaret Hart.
D-8 David McKelvey; lived and died at Utica, Ohio.. It is thought he worked at the tailoring trade.
D-9 William McKelvey, b. ......... near Poland, Ohio. Lived at Mansfield, Ohio; d. at Croydon, Ia. 1896. He was m. twice; 1st to ............... by whom he had one son.
E-1 Carson McKelvey, b. .......... d. in Iowa.
William McKelvey D-9, m. 2nd Phoeba (sic) daughter of Milton Hanna of Holmes Co., Ohio. Had a large family, two died young, Maudie and Claudius.
E-2 Flora McKelvey, b. ...........; lived at Mansfield, O., m. McCaughey. Two girls.
E-3 Isaac McKelvey, b. ...........; died in Kansas.
E-4 O.T. McKelvey, b. ............; one daughter.
E-5 ....... McKelvey, b. ............; one daughter.
E-6 G. McKelvey, b. ............ .
D-10 Isaac McKelvey, 10th child of John and Mary Nesbit McKelvey, b. near Poland, Ohio. He became an engineer; was employed in Cuba when his brother, Clark was killed in a Cane Mill. He was an engineer on the Alton St. Louis Railroad, and d. of smallpox in St. Louis about 1872. His wife Emma afterwards m. Mr. Shackleford. One child.
E-1 William McKelvey, b. ........... . He and his mother spent the summer of 1874 with Marion Graven when Willis was about two years old. Dr. Thomas Graven remembers playing with him when they were at his father’s . His last known address was York Co. Nebraska.
D11 Clark McKelvey, 11th child of John and Mary Nesbit McKelvey was b. near Poland, Ohio, early in 1930. He went to Cuba where he was employed in a cane mill. His legs were caught in the cane mill and so severely injured that both were amputated and he died; “Isaac, light the lamp, don’t let your brother die in the dark”.
D-12 Mary McKelvey, the 12th child of John and Mary Nesbit McKelvey was b. near Poland, Ohio and died young. She was buried beside her mother in the cemetery at Poland, Ohio.

This completes the information we were able to gather about the McKelvey family

The McElroy Family

The material for this family was furnished by Mrs. Emma Machwart of Northfield, Ohio. Mrs. Elizabeth Menohar McElroy and David McElroy of Plainsville, Ohio; and James McElroy of Cleveland, Ohio.

C-1 Ruth Nesbit, a child of William and Esther Robinson, was born in Williamsburg, Pa. in 1799. She m. James McElroy in Westmoreland Co., Pa., the son of James McElroy who left a father and mother and four brothers in Ireland, and came to this country when seventeen years old. James McElroy Sr. Settled in Philadelphia where he worked as a shoemaker. He later bought a farm in Chester Co. Pa., and m. Elizabeth Douglas. Three children were born to them in Chester Co. Pa; Alexander, John and Mary. Selling his farm in Chester Co. Pa., James McElroy Sr. Started for Westmoreland Co. Pa., whith not even a road-wagon. He had only three horses, one fitted with a side-saddle for his wife, and the other two had pack saddles and carried clothing, bedding, tent and provisions for man and beasts. His wife’s horse also carried the kitchen utensils, and John and Mary who were too small, in either end of a bed tick which was shortened and thrown across the horse’s back. Alexander and his brother took turns in walking, while the father, James with his trusty rifle led the procession.

They got to the Aleghenny Mountains safely. The path over the mountains was so narrow they had to travel single-file. It was very rough and thirty miles long. After a tedious climb up the sides of the mountains they reached the summit and pitched their tents and were partaking of a plain meal, and preparing to make themselves comfortable and safe. They had been told to keep a fire burning at night to keep the wild animals away. The country at the time was over-run with them.

They gathered plenty of wood to last all night, tied the horses close and started a fire on both sides. When night came on they lit a tallow dip and put the children to bed. That was a lonely night for the father and mother who kept watch, as there were no dwelling houses within twenty miles of them. How their minds went back to Lancaster, but they had put their hands to the plough and there was no turning back. During the night they could hear a wolf in the distance giving the signals to rally. It was answered in all directions, and they could hear them coming nearer until they were within eight or ten rods of the camp, but they were afraid to come close on account of the fire. They howled all night and fought until the break of day, and then sneaked off to their hiding places.

The family partook of a hearty breakfast, struck camp and started down the slopes of the mountains and reached Summerset Valley, which was not then inhabited, on the second day. They crossed the valley and Laurel Hill and reached Ligioneer Valley on the third day. They located midway in the valley on a farm, built a log house and cleared some land. They raised crops and got along well.

The farm was on the highest point of the valley and was the shed, the water running north and south from it. The valley extended north and south and was eight miles wide and twenty miles long. One can imagine what an enchanting view it presented, a fertile valley, bounded by mountains extending away up on every side like a panoramic view.

Where the old log house stood, there now stands a large brick house which took its place about seventy years ago, and a large barn has taken the place of a log barn. James McElroy II, father of James McElroy, author of this article, was born in the log cabin about 1790.

Children of James II, and Ruth Nesbit McElroy

D-1 Alexander McElroy, b. Aug. 30, 1819 Fairfield Twp., Westmoreland Co. Pa., d. Apr. 14, 1902, m. Samantha Haines, Nov. 22, 1854, b. 1854, b. Apr. 24, 1832, d. Mar. 1, 1889.
E-1 John McElroy, b. Sept. 2, 1852, Northfield, Ohio, Bachelor.
E-2 Emily McElroy, b. Dec. 21, 1858, m. Wm. Harpell who d. Shortly after the birth of their child. She d. May 3, 1931.
F-1 Emily Harpell, b. Aug. 14, 1894, m. Benjamin Earnest. Reside Bedford, Ohio.
G-1 Benjamin Earnest, b. Jun. 2, 1918, Bedford, Ohio.
G-2 William Earnest, b. Oct. 20, 1923, Bedford, Ohio.
E-3 Nora McElroy, died young.
E-4 Matilda McElroy, b. Oct. 11, 1863, m. Henry Gill, lived at Twinsburg, Ohio. He was b. Showbury, England. Two boys and three girls.
F-1 Edith Gill, b. May 24, 1880. m. Eugene Turner, live in Bedford. Ohio. No children.
F-2 Harry Gill, b. Apr. 27, 1883, Bedford, Ohio, m. Inez Talbott, b. Morgan Co. Ohio.
G-1 Ruth Gill, b. Apr. 9, 1909.
G-2 Herbert Gill, b. Jan. 7, 1914.
F-3 Maude Gill, b. Sept. 25, 1885, Bedford, Ohio, m. Clarence Squires, live in Twinsburg, Ohio. No children.
F-4 Aletha Gill, b. Aug. 1896 Twinsburg, Ohio, m. John D. Henry, live in Hudson, Ohio. Four children.
G-1 Louis Henry, b. Nov. 22, 1918, Hudson, Ohio.
G-2 Lloyd Henry, b. Feb. 29, 1920, Hudson, Ohio.
G-3 Wilbur Henry
G-4 Dorothy Henry
F-5 John Gill, b. Jun. 24, 1903, Twinsburg, Ohio. Two children.
G-1
G-2
E-5 Etta McElroy, b. Oct. 29, 1860, Northfield, Ohio, m. Wm. Crafton, barber, Twinsburg, Ohio. No children.
E-6 Voris (? Boris) McElroy, b. Jul. 5. 1870, Bedford, Ohio, bachelor: A Postmaster.
D-2 James M. McElroy III, b. 1821, Fairfield, Twp. Westmoreland Co Pa., d. Apr. 1906, at Newburg, Ohio, m. Sarah McElroy, a cousin, b. Apr. 1823, d. Sept. 1911, Birmingham, Ala. He had a home in Cleveland, Ohio. He read two papers at the Nesbit-McElroy reunion giving history of the Nesbit-McElroy ancestors. He was a soldier of the Civil War Company G. 115th Ohio Regiment of Infantry, and was captured with his cousin James and Gordon Nesbit and was with them in Andersonville Prison.
E-1 Frank McElroy, b. Jun. 23, 1868, Northfield, Ohio, m. Pearl Graham at Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 14, 1895, reside in Birmingham, Ala. No children.
F-1 Hazel McElroy, b. Dec. 16, 1898, Cleveland, Ohio.
F-2 Robert McElroy, b. Jun. 3, 1907, Ohio.
D-3 Mary Ann McElroy,b Northfield, O., m. Benjamin Bixby who died after they had one child, James.
E-1 James Bixby, b. In Summit Co., died a bachelor
Mrs. Mary Ann Bixby, D3 above, m. 2nd a Mr. Pritchard from whom she received a divorce on the grounds of cruelty. No children.
D-4 William McElroy died a young man. Unmarried.
D-5 John McElroy died young.
D-6 Ester (Hettie) McElroy, m. Peter Simons. Three children.
E-1 Ezra Simons, lives in Denver, Colorado.
E-2 William Simons, b. Feb. 4, 1857, m., and resided in Denver, Colorado, where he is editor of a paper.
E-3 Hettie Simons, m. and lives in California. No children.
D-7 David McElroy, b. Fairfield Twp, Westmoreland Co. Pa., m. 1st Emily Hull. One child.
E-1 Samuel McElroy, b. Jan. 30, 1872, Northfield, Ohio, m. Daisy Boos. Lives in Twinsburg, Ohio.
David McElroy, (D7 above), m. 2nd Elizabeth Moncher, Dec. 27, 1887, b. Jun. 16, 1845, Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. Pa. No children.
Daisy Boos was a widow when she married Samuel McElroy Jr. E1 and had three children by her first husband.
F-1 Sterling Boos, b. Mar. 20, 1903.
F-2 Theodore Boos, b. Dec. 1, 1905.
F-3 Helen Boos, b. Feb. 10, 1911.
D-8 Samuel McElroy, b. Aug. 9, 1835, Fairfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. Pa., lived in Painsville, Ohio., later in Cleveland, Ohio. He was a Captain of Company 1, 121st Regiment of Ohio Volunteers during the Civil War. He m. 1st Elizabeth Brown by whom he had six children. He m. 2nd Ann Manger. No children.
E-1 David McElroy, b. Apr. 20, 1857, Northfield, Ohio, m. Sarah McCreery, Nov. 3, 1881.
F-1 Douglass NcElroy, b. Aug. 31, 1882, m. Clara Brown 1929. Reside in Painesville.
G-1 Sarah McElroy
F-2 Schoville McElroy, b. Nov. 18, 1885. M. Mrs. Ethel Durbee, Mar. 27, 19__, Cleveland, Ohio. Reside at Painsville. Two children.
G-1 Leona Joy McElroy, b. Nov. 5, 1909.
G-2 Elnora McElroy, b. Dec. 2, 1921. (sic)
E-2 Ella McElroy, b. Mar. 31, 1859, d. 1884, m. John Walker, deceased. Two children.
F-1 Schoville Walker, b. 1880, New burg, Ohio.
F-1 Mabel Walker, b. 1881, Newburg, Ohio, m. Clarence Belding. Reside in California. No children.
E-3 Elizabeth McElroy, b. Oct. 11, 1861, Brooksfield, Ohio, m. William Rand. She d. in 1923. No children.
E-4 Edward McElroy, b. Dec. 1863, m. Josephine Bertram. Live Auburn, California on a farm in the Sacramento Valley. Five children.
F-1 Frances McElroy.
F-2 Cecil McElroy.
F-3 Edna McElroy.
F-4 Howard McElroy.
F-5 Grant McElroy.
E-5 Samuel MaElroy III, b. Mar. 18, 1865, Northfield, Ohio, m. Matilda Marshall. She d. Mar. 1910, Cleveland, Ohio. He resided in Chicago, Ill. Later moved to Auburn, Cal. He was an engineer. Eight children.
F-1 Frank McElroy, b. Feb. 12, 1890, Ravina, Ohio.
F-1 Guy McElroy, b. Mar. 17, 1892, Ravina, Ohio. He was a soldier in World War I and was killed in Germany.
F-3 Bessie McElroy, b. Oct. 13, 1896, Cleveland, Ohio, m.
F-4 Hazel McElroy, b. Dec. 16, 1898, Cleveland, Ohio.
F-5 William McElroy, b. Oct. 2, 1900.
F-6 James McElroy, b. Oct. 24, 1903, New Philadelphia, Ohio. In US Navy.
F-7 Mulvina McElroy, b. Jun. 3. 1907, Cleveland, Ohio, m. Wm. Kelly.
F-8 Robert McElroy, b.
E-6 Cooper McElroy, b. Mar. 2, 1874, Northfield, Ohio, m. Hattie Gedecke, b. Jun. 2, 1874. Reside in Cleveland, Ohio. Four children.
F-1 Irma McElroy, b. Mar. 1, 1904, Cleveland, Ohio, m. Sherwood Bell. One child
G-1
F-2 George McElroy, b. Sept. 22, 1905, Cleveland, Ohio.
F-3 Lloyd McElroy, b. Jun. 10, 1907.
F-4 Ralph McElroy, b. Jan. 2, 1909.
Samuel McElroy III, (E5) m. 2nd Eva Carr. No children.
D-9 Elizabeth McElroy, b. Northfield, Ohio, m. Elisha Hill. Two children.
E-1 Earl Hill was deaf and dumb, a bachelor.
E-2 Ruth Hill, b. Phoenix, Arizona and lived with her aunt., Mrs. Mary La Bertau, m. Mr. Martin there. Reside in Phonix, Arizona. No children.
F-1
F-2

This closes the record of the descendants of James McElroy II, and Ruth Nesbit McElroy as far as we were able to gather it. There seems to be some question as to the order of the birth of James II and Elizabeth Nesbit McElroy’s children but I did not have the date of birth of Mary Ann or Elizabeth, so have placed them according to the list given me by one of the relatives.

C-7 David Nesbit, seventh child of William and Esther Robinson, d. as a lad. Ed. Note: This line commences on page 21.
C-8 James Nesbit, the youngest child of William and Esther Robinson Nesbit, b. In Fairfield Twp., West moreland Co. Pa., m. Martha Ray. They resided in Blairsville, Pa. Three children.
D-1 David Nesbit, b. Blairsville, Pa. Oct. 1893, m. a widow, Mrs, George Kunkle, née Harriet Fink who d. Feb. 7, 1913 at Blairsville, Pa. Four children.
E-1 Samuel Nesbit, d. young.
E-2 Martha Nesbit, d. Young.
E-3 Nettie Nesbit, b. Apr. 20, 1883, Blairsville, Pa., m. William Beverage, Jun. 24, 1898. Did reside in Ligonier, Pa. Reported to have moved to Pittsburgh, Pa. One son.
F-1 Wallace Erskine Beverage, b. May 31, 1901, Blairsville, Pa.
E-4 Elsie Nesbit, b. Aug. 1, 1885, m. W.H. Halfrick, Apr. 1909. Reside at Blairsville, Pa. One daughter.
F-1 Marie Helfrick, b. Feb. 6, 1913. Died young.
D-2 Martha Nesbit, second child of James and Martha Ray Nesbit.
D-3 Esther Nesbit, third child of James and Martha Ray Nesbit.
C-9 Maragret Nesbit, ninth child of John and Elizabeth Nesbit, b. Hopewell Twp. Cumberland Co., Pa. 1763. She received in cash the same as the other children, but she did not sign the deed to the 150 acres farm to Francis Nesbit, Mar. 1, 1786. Margaret may have received her share of the rest of the estate, another part of her father’s.
C10 Elizabeth Nesbit, tenth child of John and Elizabeth Nesbit was born in Hopeville Twp. Cumberland Co. Pa about 1765. She received in cash the same as eight of her brothers and sisters in settlement of her parent’s estate.

The Bible referred to on page 48 was the Bible of Elizabeth Nesbit and was published in 1740. It is said to have contained early records of the family.
In closing this pamphlet I want to thank all who have replied to my letters, and have contributed records of their families.

The family is like a book,

The children are the leaves,
The parents are the cover that
The protective beauty gives.

At first the pages of the book
Are blank and smooth and fair,
But soon time writeth memories,
And painteth pictures there.

Love it the little golden clasp,
That bindeth up the trust,
Oh break it not, lest all the leaves
Shall scatter and be lost.

In preparing and sending out a record like this, with so many dates and facts, it is exceedingly difficult to prevent errors. Please make corrections on your own copy and on this sheet, and send corrections to me and I will list them; so if anyone wishes to have a family copy printed in book form it can be done correctly.

If you know of any interesting or important events in the lives of members of the family, please send them to me for preservation.

I wish to thank you.

Dr. John Pratt Nesbitt,
215 North Prince Street,
Princeton, Indiana,
USA.

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