Earles Ancestry – Lawrence County Ohio Family

Earles Ancestry Trail Leads to England

Spelling varies from Earle to Earl, Erll, Erle, Earls, Erls, Urls, Earles, and Early in North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, & Ohio documents, and the Ohio branch of the family does not consistently use Earles until nearly 1900.

The Earles ancestry is easily traced to Charles and Mary (Martin) Earles who married in Lee County, VA, about 1799 and moved to Lawrence County, Ohio, in 1815. Pages from a family Bible state Charles is the son of Elisabeth Earls.

And a record written by her daughter says Elisabeth’s parents are GAMALIEL and MARTHA EARLES, who lived in Granville County, North Carolina, near the Virginia border. They lived near Fishing Creek at Elisabeth’s birth in 1749, & William Eaton’s 1759 Will mentions Gamaliel Earles living on his land. On 15 May 1761, Gamaliel purchased 493 acres located on both sides of the Ready Branch of Smith Creek and sold the same parcel on 23 Feb 1762.

Gamaliel Earle(s) & Martha

Gamaliel may have been born in VA, migrating to NC, about the time he married. But it is likely that he came from England about 1735 with two brothers (John and Thomas) and initially settled in Brunswick County, VA, on the north side of the Roanoke River. It is also likely that the original family surname was EARLE. However, the descendants of John, who stayed on the Virginia side of the river until 1765, were most often recorded as Earl; those of Thomas, who moved west in Virginia to Pittsylvania County, as Earles; and those of Gamaliel as Earl, Earls, and Earles.

Smith Creek District records list William Earles living with Gamaliel Earls in 1762 and Gamaliel as insolvent (most likely because he had sold the land being taxed). Gamaliel Earle paid Granville County taxes in 1769 and 1771, and on 7 Jan 1772, he paid £20 for 40 ac in Bute County on the West Side of Henderson’s Swamp Creek. On 19 Aug 1772 that deed was assigned to William Earles (his son), and then assigned to his younger son, Obediah Earls, who sold the 40 ac on 22 Dec 1792.

William Earl(e)(s) paid Bute County taxes in 1766, bought 100 acres in 1772, and sold that land in 1777. He paid Warren County taxes in 1779 & 1781. In 1781, he is listed as insolvent (which means he probably died before the 1781 tax date). Thomas Earls purchased land on the south side of the Roanoke River in both VA and NC from 1773 to 1794. He paid Granville County taxes in 1784 & 1785 and Warren County taxes in 1787 & 1788. The 1786 census lists 3 males and 7 females in his family.

Gamaliel purchased wedges at an estate auction on 11 Jan 1773, but he is not on later tax lists and probably died before 1775. Martha is not listed on the 1762-land sale deed so she probably died before 1762.

Children of Gamaliel and Martha (there probably are additional daughters)

1 William, b. about 1740, m. Unknown about 1761, d. about 1781.

2 Thomas, b. about 1742, m. Unknown about 1764, d. about 1833.

3 Elisha, b. about 1746, d.?

4 Elisabeth, b. 10 Sep 1749, m. (1) Unknown 1772, m. (2) George Smith 08 Jun 1775, d. 08 Mar 1842.

5 James, b. about 1752, m. Unknown about 1784, d.?

6 Obediah, b. about 1755, m. Joice Cunningham 21 Oct 1782, d. about Jan 1831.

William, the 1st child, farmed with his father in Granville and Warren Counties. As noted above, William probably died in 1781 at age forty. Daughter Sarah married George McDaniel in 1779 and son Frederick married Lucy Weaver in 1785. Frederick moved to Montgomery County, NC, in 1786, to Rutherford County, NC, in 1788, to Jefferson County, TN, in 1797, and on to Cumberland County, KY, in 1805. He and Lucy were parents of 4 sons and 4 daughters before her 1815 death. He then moved to Roane County, TN, and married Nancy Pickett. They were parents of 3 sons and a daughter before he died about 1840.

Thomas, the 2nd son, raised a family of six daughters and two sons on farms in Granville and Warren Counties. About 1795 he moved to Jefferson County, TN, and about 1800, to Washington County, KY, where daughter Nancy and husband John Malone had moved. Son Jesse married Nancy Lambert in 1786 and farmed just south of the Roanoke River on the VA-NC border. They were parents of a son and daughter before he died in about 1800. Following his death, the son, Meredith, was taken to KY and raised by Thomas. Presley, the 2nd son, stayed with his brother Jesse in NC and married Elizabeth Pointer in 1807. A daughter married in 1797 when the family was in TN and the youngest daughter married in 1802 after they arrived in KY. Later generations of the KY families use the Earls spelling with some moving first to Indiana and then to Missouri, others back to Tennessee and then to Missouri, and still, others staying in Kentucky.

The 3rd son, Elisha, shows up on one tax record but no other information has been found.

Information on Elisabeth is presented below.

James, the 4th son, married and farmed just south of the Roanoke River but on the Virginia side of the border. He had a son, James, who married in Warren County in about 1811.

The 5th son, Obediah, and his wife Joice were parents of two sons and four daughters. Obediah owned slaves as did his sons and sons-in-law. The families farmed in Warren, Nash, and Franklin Counties. A number of Obediah’s descendants served with the confederate army during the War Between the States. After the war, one grandson (who used the Earl spelling) moved his family to Arkansas.

Elisabeth Earls and George Smith

ELISABETH was born on 10 Sep 1749, in the Fishing Creek District, Granville County, NC. The Smith family Bible says George, born 11 Mar 1747 and Elisabeth married in that County 08 Jun 1775. The first birth listed in the Smith Bible is: “Charles Earls son of Elisabeth Earls, born December 1773.”

Elisabeth may have married (possibly Jesse Earl who died about 1775; and might be Elisabeth’s first cousin) before 1773, or Charles could be illegitimate. However, during that period Granville County required bastardy bonds for all illegitimate births, and neither Elisabeth nor Charles is named in any Granville County Court records. Census records indicate Charles was not living with the Smiths in 1786 and 1790, so their uncles, William and/or Thomas may have raised him.

Warren County records show George Smith was on 1781-1786 tax rolls. In 1788, the family moved to Surry County, NC. The 1790 census lists one male 21-60, three males under 21, and 6 females. In 1791, they moved to Ashe County, NC, where a 9^th child was born. The 1800 census list 5 females and 2 males. George and Elisabeth were parents of five daughters and three sons. The children raised families in Lee County, VA, and Wataugh County, NC.

By 1810, they were living in Lee County, VA, and purchased land from Charles Earles on 15 Dec 1814. The 1830 census list George and Elisabeth as over 80. They moved back to Ashe County, NC, before 1834, and in 1835, sold the VA land to their grandson.

George applied on 4 Oct 1834, for a Revolutionary War pension. However, it and their daughter Sarah (who applied later), were rejected based on George not serving a required minimum of six months. He stated that he enlisted Mar 1781 for three months but on his first march, was “taken sick with the fever” and left behind as his Company advanced on Charleston. By the time he recovered, they had surrendered to the British, so he went back to Warren County. Then in Apr 1782, he volunteered as a waggoner for a three-month tour of duty, but on the return from taking his first load of bacon to South Carolina he was “taken sick with the Small Pox,” and by the time he recovered the war was over.

The family Bible says George died on 30 April 1838, about 11 hours before sundown, following a short illness of about 21 days. And that Elisabeth Smith departed this life on the 8th day of March 1842, about 15 minutes after nine o’clock at night, aged 92 years, 5 months, and 8 days. She is buried in the Cove Creek cemetery in Ashe County, NC.

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Charles Earles and Mary Martin

Submitted by Ralph Hayes

Charles Earles was the progenitor of the Earles family of Lawrence County, Ohio. He was born in December 1773, the son of Elizabeth Earls. That year saw the early stages of the American Revolution with the protest against the tea duty resulting in the Boston Tea Party. Several different sources have different birth dates for Charles but I prefer the date in George Smith’s family Bible, Charles’ stepfather. Charles was probably illegitimate because his mother’s maiden name was Earls and his father is unknown. Most of the early Earles families were known as Earls. Charles must have added the e since many references to Charles list him as an Earles rather than Earls.

He was born in North Carolina or Virginia. According to Hardesty’s history of his son William, Charles Earles was born in Lee County, Virginia. The 1880 census of Charles‘ children, William Earles and Frances Langdon, stated that their father was born in Virginia and supports this theory. On the other hand, another son, Bennet, in the 1880 census stated that his father was born in North Carolina. The movement of Charles’s mother, Elizabeth, supports this theory. She was born and married in Granville County (now Warren County), North Carolina. Since Charles was born before her marriage to George Smith, it seems possible that Charles was born there also.

Charles had moved to Lee County, Virginia, by 1796 because he was a landowner in the District of John Fulkerson at that time. Charles married Mary Martin about 1800, perhaps in Lee County, Virginia. The United States capitol was moved from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. that year. Nothing else is known about Mary. It is not known for sure where their older children were born but it was probably Lee County. At any rate, the family lived in Virginia for several years. He was in Lee County, Virginia, for the 1810 census and on the “Main Road” for Benjamin Sharp’s tax records of 1814 with 270 acres.

On 15 December 1814, Charles sold 135 acres to his stepfather for $125 and moved to Ohio. This land was “part of a 270-acre tract” on the north side of Wallens Ridge in Lee County, Virginia. Perhaps the family spent Christmas on the road. The trip was likely hard on Mary since she was probably pregnant with their eighth child, Andrew. I wonder if the family made the trip by themselves or did several families travel together. He would have to drive his livestock, hogs, and any extra horses that he had and bring along his chickens and perhaps turkeys in coops. I suspect that the boys’ job was to keep the animals in tow and Elizabeth helped her mother with the meals.

Charles probably traveled through the Cumberland Gap and along the Warrior’s Path in Kentucky on his way to the Ohio River at Portsmouth. According to Hardesty, Charles first lived in Jackson County near Oak Hill for a year before moving to Lawrence County. Other sources suggested that he was in Lawrence County by 1815. He was on the 1818 tax list so he was there at least by 1817. In any event, Charles was in the county about the time it was formed and stayed there until his death. Burlington had the only post office until after 1821. It was the principal city with two stores, three taverns, one school, one hatter’s shop, one blacksmith shop, one tailor, five carpenters, two tanners, and a horizontal flour mill propelled by oxen.

Frances and Mary J. Hixon in their book, Annals of Jackson County, Ohio Volume I, and Wayne B. Ingles, Symmes Creek, (Zanesville, OH: Franklin Printing Co., 1976) painted a good picture of life near the Ohio River in 1818. The bottom lands were extensive but not in a very high state of cultivation. The buildings were log cabins and no frame barns.

Prices were for wheat, 3-4 cents per pound; corn meal 50 cents per bushel; beef and hogs, 5-9 cents per pound; butter, 25-31 cents; turkeys, 75 cents to $1.50; eggs, 25 cents a dozen; potatoes, 37 cents to $1.00 per bushel; a yearling heifer for $1.00; and salt $4.00 for 50 pounds. Rattlesnakes and copperheads were many. A familiar meal consisted of a hog, hominy, and hoecakes (a thin cake Indian meal). Prices of items were not the whole story since most traded one item for another. In November 1838 Henry Koontz traded a day’s work for 50 cents worth of merchandise. A trundle bed sold for $2.00, and a baby cradle for $1.25. At a blacksmith’s shop, you could get a home for 31 cents or a good bucket for 75 cents.

Charles Earles was the first white man to clear a farm on Symmes Creek. He purchased 145 acres in Windsor Township on Symmes Creek (east half, southwest quarter of section 19, township 2, range 16) on 17 September 1821 from James Monroe, President of the United States, and built a well-notched, well-erected two-story log house that was covered with weatherboard in later years. He probably did most of the work himself as his oldest son was barely a teenager.

Beds of that era were the one-legged variety. The bed was in the corner of the room with the head and one side fastened to the wall, and they were there to stay. As to wearing apparel, the men had fox or coonskin caps and dressed in buckskin for the rest of the covering. Hardesty, in his article, stated that the family raised and spun cotton for their clothes. This area seems fairly far north for cotton but still possible. Charles sold the farm to his son Bennet on 7 April 1826. Bennet in turn sold it to his son Daniel Jackson Earles who in turn sold it to his son Finley Woodburn Earles. The 1828 Ohio tax list has Charles with another 145 acres in the east half of the northeast corner of Range 16, Township 2, Section 19. This land ended with the son Martin.

Charles was one of the old venerable pioneers. Corn and pork were the principal foods. The children had no formal schooling, therefore, their education was limited and most became farmers or wives of farmers. During the log-rolling days, Charles and the boys would go into the clearing in the morning and work until about 11:00 A.M. At that time someone would go home and pound corn for their dinner. This practice went on for a couple of years until the land was cleared for farming. In later years, they took their wheat to the mill and had it ground, everyone, bolting with their own bolting cloths. It took a day to sift 10 bushels.

It is doubtful that Charles and his family were much different from other pioneers of that era. Fire would have been a problem. There were no “strike-anywhere” matches so the pioneers used flint struck with steel to start a fire. Since this was a difficult job, the fire always kept going. If a fire went out perhaps they used a fire bucket to go to a neighbor’s for some live coals.

What did they use for sugar? Did they tap the sugar maple trees in the spring for sap and make brown sugar and syrup out of it or did Charles make sorghum molasses from sugar cane and rob the wild bee hives? It was common for that area to use maple sugar for the kids’ sweet tooth and surely wild bees were in the area for some honey. If one got sick, one would have to rely on some home remedies. The closest doctor was in Gallipolis, a considerable distance away.

Pioneer women especially had it rough. Hixon in Annals of Jackson County, Ohio, described aspects of the life of a typical family. The wife would have to make her own soap from lye from wood ashes and grease from the hogs when they were killed and scraps from the fat bacon. Then she would put soap on the clothes and rub it using her left wrist on the washboard. She would soap the piece she was washing, lay it on a stool, and hit it with a paddle called a beetle. Then she would boil it in hot water and rinse the clothes in soft water.

There was no carpet for the floors and she scrubbed them weekly. The floors were puncheon. Puncheon is a broad heavy piece of rough lumber with one flat hewed side. For the meals, she would grind a quart of corn into the meal every day. Corn was the principal crop along with wheat and oats with some rye, flax, and cotton. Horses were branded and the cows had earmarks. Everyone had a dog. Fruit consisted of wild grapes, wild plums, blackberries, mulberries, huckleberries, and crab apples.

Wolves and wildcats were a constant danger in the early days. At one time the wolves killed Charles‘ entire flock of sheep. At another time they killed all but four. The wolves continued their annoyance until the county became more densely populated. Bennet seemed to be the hunter of the family. During his lifetime he killed 200-300 deer and numerous turkeys for meat. He killed his last wildcat in 1855.

It is not known if Charles and Mary were Christians or not but I suspect they were. The early records of Symmes Creek Baptist Church, the closest church, were destroyed in a fire so no records are available for that time period. The son, William, however, was active in this church as were several grandchildren.

s was the custom for early farming families, Charles and Mary had a large family. They had seven boys and three girls grown to maturity. Another girl died young. Let’s face it, they had not heard of birth control!

Martin E. Earles, the oldest son, was born about 1802 in Lee County, Virginia. His place of birth is based on the suspected whereabouts of Charles and Mary during this time and the second son was also born in Virginia. He was a farmer in Windsor Township. He had his own farm by 1 August 1820 (the “as of” day for the census) because he was enumerated in Windsor Township in the 1820 census with one woman.

Martin married Elizabeth Sumpter two months later in Lawrence County on 15 October 1820 and lived there until his death. In 1828 he was listed in the tax records of Union Township with three horses and six cows; five horses and eight cows in 1829; and three horses and six cows in 1830 and 1831. For the 1831 tax list, he had received the 145 acres of land from Charles Earles in the east half of the northwest corner of Range 16, Township 2, Section 19. This land would be in Windsor Township.

Martin later married Lucy Ann Hall on 27 July or September 1837 (different sources have different dates) also in Lawrence County. In 1837, Samuel Morse exhibited his electric telegraph in New York. Martin died in 1840. An Earls and Frampton were listed in the 1838 tax list in Union Township with a sawmill and grist mill. This could have been Martin since he had ties in Union Township.

Martin had a total of six children.

1)Lucinda was born about 1821 and married Elliot Corborne (born c1813) on 7 November 1839 in Lawrence County. He was a farmer as well. Children of this marriage were Mary, born c1842, Minerva, born c1843, Sarah A., born c1844, George, born c1846, Martin S., born c1849, Drucilla, born c1851, Maria, born c1854, and Elliot D., born c1858. Elliot Earles, son of Bennet Earles of Charles Earles, was living with this family for the 1860 census. They were living in Lawrence Township, Rock Camp Post Office in 1860.

2)Simeon Earles was born in about 1823 and married Nancy Corbin on 5 December 1844.

I wonder if Nancy was a sister of Elliott who married Lucinda Earles? Two daughters (3) and (4) were born to Martin and Elizabeth Earles between 1826 and 1830. Since only one girl was listed in the 1840 census of that age group, I assume that one of them died young. The other one married a Keeney. That assumption is based upon the 1910 census which listed a Sallie Keeney, niece, living with Joel S. Earles, the fifth child of Martin and Elizabeth. Sallie was the mother of three children, all dead by 1910.

5)Joel Earles was born on 25 April 1830. He was a farmer and married a girl named Roxey. She was born in Ohio on 13 February 1835. They probably did not have any children since none were listed in the 1860-1880 censuses. Joel was eligible for the draft for the Civil War on 17 December 1863 but it is not known if he served or not. In 1875 Joel, along with his cousins, Daniel Jackson Earles, William Earles, and others, was appointed to a committee of the Symmes Creek Baptist Church to look into the repair of the church. The committee recommended that a new church be built. A new church building was constructed and is still being used today.

Joel was listed in Dobbston with a taxable value of $2,230 for real estate and $378 for personal property in 1893. Joel was living at the Willow Wood Post Office area in 1899. Joel died of hypertrophy of the prostate on 9 May 1919. Roxey died on 18 February 1907. She left Symmes Creek Baptist Church $700.00 which caused a rift between two of the members. The headstone has 1908 but the death record has 1907 Both were buried in the Harmony Cemetery in Getaway, Ohio.

Another son of Martin’s was born at least six years later between 1836 and 1840 as shown in the 1840 census. Since Martin married Lucy Hall in 1837, this son was probably hers and was born about 1838. Martin Earles died in 1840 and Lucy was listed in the 1840 census with her children.

Bennet T. Earles was born on 5 November 1804 in Lee County, Virginia. More information on this family is available but that is a whole story by itself.

Elizabeth “Betsy” Earles was the first girl born to Charles and Mary Earles in about 1806 probably also in Lee County, Virginia. She married Oty Martin on 4 August 1822 in Lawrence County, Ohio. Oty was a farmer in Windsor Township. Verda Hayes Fuller, in her recollection, identified Elizabeth’s husband as Whitrock. Perhaps he used the name, Whitrock. In any event, he was Oty for the marriage ceremony and the 1830 and 1840 censuses. According to these census records they had two daughters and six sons. All were born between 1823 and 1840. Oty and Elizabeth were not found in the 1850 census and may have died or moved out of the county by that time.

Charles Earles, Junior, was born on 5 June 1808 in Lee County, Virginia. Napoleon Bonaparte was also born that year and became a little more famous than Charles Junior. Charles married Elizabeth “Betsey” Langdon on 17 February 1825 in Lawrence County and lived in the county until his death. Goodall, Ellcessor, etc., in their booklet, identified Charles’ wife as Lottie Pratt but that was not supported by the census records and his will.

Elizabeth was born about 1809/10 in Virginia. Charles was a farmer in Windsor Township and Elizabeth was a seamstress. Charles was listed in Union Township in 1828 with one horse and two cows, in 1829 with one horse and one cow, in Windsor Township in 1830 with two cows, and in 1831 with two horses and two cows. Charles purchased 115 acres on Symmes Creek on 20 September 1830 from Henry Willis. He purchased another 95 acres on 12 August 1834 from Thomas Hatfield. Charles purchased a third parcel of three acres on the east side of Symmes Creek on 17 December 1840 from Jonathan Dennison.

         Charles and Elizabeth had eight children.

1)Samuel was born in about 1828 and married a girl named Sephronia. They had a son Jeremiah born in March 1850. Samuel was a farmer living in Windsor Township at the time he became eligible for the draft in 1863. He was drafted for the Civil War on 12 May 1864. The second child of Charles Junior and Elizabeth,

2)Jeremiah, was born in 1830/31. He married first a girl named Diley(?) about 1851 and Frances Norman on 31 December 1867 in Lawrence County. Frances was born in c1842 in Virginia and had been married previously and had a daughter Alice Norman, born in c1862 according to the 1870 census. Other sources listed Frances‘ name as Lundy which might have been her maiden name.

In 1880 two stepchildren were also living with Jeremiah in Union Township, William R. Lemuc__, born in Virginia c1861 and a laborer, and Sena A. Lemuc__, born in Virginia c1863 and a seamstress. I wonder if Frances was married twice before marrying Jeremiah? The daughter in the 1870 census was named Norman but the two in the 1880 census were named Lemuc__. Also living with this family in the 1880 census was a son, Sanfeann(?) Baily, age 12, and a son named Andres age 9. Both were born in Ohio but their parents were born in Kentucky.

Perhaps Jeremiah and Frances adapted these two boys. Jeremiah was a merchant, town carpenter, and sewing machine agent in Aid, Ohio, at various times.

He was living in Union Township when he became eligible for the draft in 1863. He was drafted along with his brother, Samuel, in 1864. The children of Jeremiah and Diley were Lucinda born in 1851/52 and was a domestic servant for the 1870 census, Amos born in 1854/55 and was a farmer, and Hamilton born in 1857/58. The children of Jeremiah and Frances were Charles born on 5 July 1869, Arthur E. born about 1871, Bennett born about 1874 or 1875, Bertie W. born in 1876/77, and Luther born in March 1880 and died on 31 March 1881. The son named Arther E. later went by Edgar A. or, I assume, Edgar Arthur. He married Rachel Isabell Bennet on 19 November 1892. Rachel was born on 26 August 1868.

Edger was a laborer in a table factory and worked for the C&O Railroad. The children were Louis Arthur, born on 2 April 1893 in Union Township. He was a laborer with his dad and married Harriet Davidson. They had a son also named Louis Arthur born on 28 May 1917 in Chesapeake, OH. Agnes Viola was born on 23 October 1899 in Rockwood, Union Township. Henry B. was born on 3 March 1902. Rachel died on 30 April 1919 in Chesapeake, Ohio, of organic heart disease. Edgar died on 7 March 1936 in Chesapeake of coronary thrombosis and was a C&O Railroad employee. He was listed as married and Rachel had died in 1919. Ed may have married a second time to Sara and lived in Tacoma, Washington, in 1925. 9,10,14,16-18,24,27-30,36,43-49.

The next child of Charles Junior and Elizabeth was another Charles, this time,

3)Charles S. Earles. Nothing more is known of him.

4)Lucinda was the first daughter followed by

5)Mary Anna. Mary Anna married Eliza G. Brammer. I am assuming that the Mary Earles mentioned in the will of Charles in 1848 was the same person as Anna Brammer, wife of Eliza G. Brammer who was an heir of Charles. She probably married between 1848 and 1850. Another son of Charles and Elizabeth was

6)Andrew J. Daniel Jackson Earles and Elizabeth Dodge Hollenbeck Earles. He was born in 1841/42 and married a girl named Marinda Jane.

7)Charlotte Earles was born about 1843/44 and married Elisha Pemberton about 1860. Elizabeth Earles was living with this couple for the 1860 census.

8) Daniel Jackson Earles and Elizabeth Dodge Hollenbeck Earles was the last son of Charles and Elizabeth. He was mentioned in the will of 1848 but not listed in the 1850 census with his mother, Elizabeth. Charles Junior died on 15 June 1848 in Windsor Township.

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Where’s There’s a Will…

There’s a Relative

In his will, Charles left most of his worldly goods to his wife, Elizabeth, including the 240-acre plantation, and all of the livestock, cattle, horses, hogs, and furniture. Samuel was to receive $5.00 and leave the farm. Apparently, there were some hard feelings somewhere and he was on his own for the 1850 census. Sons, Jeremiah and Andrew, could farm the land and half the profits until the youngest son, Elisha, became of age. Mary Earles, Charles S. Earles, and Lucinda Earles were also identified in Charles well as recipients of real and personal property but were not living with Elizabeth for the 1850 census.

I cannot identify a brother of Charles who had children of that timeframe with those names. Perhaps Elisha, Mary, Charles S., and Lucinda also died in 1848 along with their father and grandfather. If that is the case, it was a sad time indeed. Charles Junior was buried in the cemetery above Symmes Creek Baptist Church. Elizabeth died after 1860. She may be buried along with her husband but no tombstone was found. 50-52

William Earles, the fifth child of Charles and Mary Earles, was born on 10 May 1809 in Lee County, Virginia. While still a lad, William met with a severe accident. A tree about 50 feet high fell, striking him on the head, crushing his skull, and breaking one leg but he finally recovered. He married Arta M. Brammer on 22 July 1832 in Windsor Township, Lawrence County, and remained in the county living on Venisonham Creek until his death. Arta was born on 24 November 1816 in Virginia, the daughter of James and Sarah M. Brammer. William was a farmer in Mason Township and had a farm of at least 200 acres. An 1887 Windsor Township map identified William Earles with 65 acres and 135 acres.

He held the office of trustee of Windsor Township from 1853 to 1857 and was elected to the office of treasurer of the township in 1857. He held that office for 10 years. He afterward filled the office of trustee for three more years, then was elected again to the office of treasurer, which he held for three years. 2,3,11,13,27-29,42,43,53

William was active in the Symmes Creek Baptist Church and was appointed a messenger to the Ohio Baptist Association convention to be held at Myrtle Creek Station Baptist Church in 1856. William was also a member of a committee appointed in May 1863 to examine the names of members who do not attend meetings regularly. In May 1873, William was appointed counsel to a newly designated church, Dix Creek Station Baptist Church. 35

William, just as his father had done in the past, did well in propagating the species. William and Arta had 12 children.

Sarah Jane Earles was born on 5 November 1834 and died on 2 February 1921. She married Samuel Dement (7 July 1840-13 June 1908) on 17 June 1861 in Lawrence County. On that date the following year, C.M. French and W.H. Fancher patented a combination plow and gun. When a farmer was attacked by Indians, all he had to do was point his plow at them and fire. Somehow the idea never caught on. Sarah was a seamstress.

Samuel was a farmer and served in the Civil War as a private in Company F, 173rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. One time while serving in the Army, he was going to be in Guyandotte, West Virginia, and got word to Sarah Jane. Sarah saddled her horse and took the baby, Emma, and rode through the hills to the Ohio River. She crossed in a small boat and met Samuel in Guyandotte. Sam and Sarah Dement had eight children:

1)Emma A. was born on 4 January 1862 and married John McConnell. John McConnell was a farmer and he and Emma had a son named Roy R., born about 1897. They also had five more children die young and were living in Aid Township in 1910.

2)Sina A. was born 19 April 1864;

3)Ella B. born 8 April 1866;

4)Charles W. was born 13 March 1868;

5)Lucinda C. born 4 June 1870;

6)Arta Jane, born 13 July 1873, married Edward Kingery and had Shirley, Ruth, and Ella. Edward Kingery died and Arta married Albert Corn and had a son, Raymond, who is now a Baptist minister.

7)George Maxwell was born on 2 January 1877 and

8)Amos Clyde was born on 21 November 1879. 24,29,32,37,54,55

  The second child of William and Arta, Bennett T. Earles, probably named after his Uncle Bennet, was born on 5 December 1836. His tombstone was closed with a date of 1837.

That year an American patent was issued to A.D. Phillips for the manufacture of white phosphorus matches. It would be some time for matches to make their way to Lawrence County. Bennett was a farmer and married Mary Jane Miller on 6 October 1859 in Lawrence County. He owned 270 acres of land in Windsor Township in 1896.

Bennet T. was on the militia rolls for 1863-65 but do not know if he saw action or not. He had bronchitis at the time of the 1880 census. Mary Jane was born on 11 March 1839. Once again the tombstone was one year off with 1838. Children were:

1)Nora born 1860/61 and still unmarried for the 1880 census;

2)Leonidas L., born in 1862 and died the following year;

3)William born 1865/66, was a laborer and farmer, married Mary M. about 1889 and had 11 children: Irvin E., born c1891, laborer in a stove factory, Bennett P., born c1893, stone cutter of tombstones, Archie E., born about 1895, laborer in a factory, Gracie E., born c1897 and a servant in a private residence in 1910, Goldie A., born c1899, Ollie W., born about 1890, Allie L., born c1903, Lydia M., born about 1906, and Alden L., born in October 1909, and two other children. William and Mary were living in Union Township in 1910.

4)Elizabeth Anne born about 1867/68 and died after 1910;

5)John L. born on 29 June 1870 in Windsor Township, married Amie Dunfee in December 1900 (license issued on 22 December), and died after 1910. Amie, the daughter of George Dunfee and Millie Harmon, was born on 25 December 1877.

6)Eliza A. born on 8 June 1872 and died after 1910;

7)Charles Oliver was born on 1 July 1874 and died on 9 March 1922 (1875-1921 per tombstone), farm laborer, married Laura Mae Henry on 22 May 1898 in Lawrence County and had a son named Willard M. born on 31 May 1900 in Lawrence County and died on 7 July 1959 in South Charleston, Ohio, married Flora Craig on 31 December 1924 and had 11 children to include Faye who married Howard R. Rude; and a daughter, Mary L., (born 1901-02) Another child may have died young.

8)Roscoe H., born 22 March 1878 and died after 1910, farmer, married first Isabel Perkins on 21 November 1897 in Lawrence County and married second Edna Bennett on 30 June 1902 in Lawrence County. Edna was the daughter of Peter Simmons and Nancy Brammer and was divorced when she married Roscoe.

9)Laura Catherine “Katie” was born on 25 May 1880 and died in 1901. Bennett T. Earles died in 1907. Mary J. was still living and managing the farm for the 1910 census. She died on 12 March 1917 in Ironton of capillary bronchitis. Bennett and Mary were buried at Locust Grove ME Church Cemetery along with children Charles, Laura, and Leonidas. 24,27- 29,32,36,56,57-67,79

         John Wesley Earles, third child of William and Arta Earles, was born on 13 June 1839 and died by 1910. He married Mary J. Hatfield of Greenfield, Indiana, in 1871. He was a teacher and served in the Civil War in Company G, 53rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. John was promoted from private to second lieutenant and then to captain. His company made him a present of a sword captured in battle. He was also struck by a minie ball but it hit his belt buckle which saved his life. John and Mary moved to Jasper County, Missouri. Their children were George T., William J., Frank J., and Fred 36,68

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Among the well-known citizens of Webb City connected with its mining interests is John W. Earles, who was born in Lawrence County, Ohio, on June 13, 1839. His father, William Earles, was a native of Virginia and married Artie Brammer, who was a native of Ohio. They settled on a farm and passed their lives in Lawrence County. The paternal grandfather, Charles Earles, was of English ancestry and lived in Virginia, where he married Mary Ferguson.

The maternal grandfather was James Brammer, whose mother was a Lee, and he married Sarah Seamands. John W. Earles attended the common schools of his locality and later Ewington College, in Gallia County, Ohio, and during the succeeding four winters taught school in his district. On the 24th of October 1861, Mr. Earles enlisted and was mustered into the United States service at Camp Diamond, Ohio, as a private of Company G, fifty-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Colonel Jesse J. Appler and later Colonel Wells S. Jones commanding, while Captain George K. Hosford commanded the company.

The regiment rendezvoused at Camp Diamond, Jackson County, Ohio, and on February 16th embarked on a steamer at Portsmouth, Ohio, proceeding to Paducah, Kentucky, where it was assigned to the third Brigade of General W. T. Sherman’s Division and moved on transports to Savannah, Tennessee, from which place they started on an expedition to destroy the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, near Iuka, Mississippi, disembarking at Pittsburgh Landing.

Soon afterward the regiment was assigned to the Second Brigade, Third Division, Fifteenth Army Corps, in the Army of Tennessee, and participated in the following engagements: Shiloh, Pittsburgh Landing, Monterey, Tennessee, the siege of Corinth, the siege of Vicksburg, and the battle of Jackson, Mississippi, Mission Ridge, Tennessee, Resaca, Dallas, Kennesaw Mountain, Nickajack Creek, Ruff’s Mills, Atlanta, Ezra Chapel, the siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, the march to the sea and Fort McAllister, Georgia, besides a number of minor engagements and skirmishes.

Mr. Earles was constantly with his command. He never missed a fight or skirmish in which his regiment participated, and performed most faithful and meritorious service, earning high commendation, as is evidenced by his promotion from private to the rank of Captain. He was wounded in the right arm slightly by a gunshot at Pittsburgh Landing, on April 7, 1862, and at Dallas, Georgia, had his belt plate stove in by a sharpshooter. He received his honorable discharge at Fort McAllister, Georgia, on the 24th of December 1864.

Mr. Earles is a valued member of Logan Post No. 6, G. A.R., and has a fine record as a soldier, having been promoted for gallantry from a private to the second lieutenant, later to the first lieutenant and in 1864 was made captain. Returning to Ohio, Mr. Earles was elected sheriff of Lawrence County in the fall of 1865, on the Republican ticket, and served two years. In 1867 he was appointed United States deputy marshal by General Hikenlooper, in which position he served for two years.

In the latter part of 1869, he went west as far as Kansas, where he was engaged in farming until 1875, when he came to Jasper County, Missouri, and engaged in mining. He became part owner of some very valuable property, which was later sold very advantageously for thirty-five thousand dollars. With his partners, he now engaged in opening up the Maud B. mine, which was proving the most productive of any of the mines on the Conner tract. In 1871 Mr. Earles was married to Miss Mary J. Hatfield, of Greenfield, Indiana, a daughter of Thomas J. and Elaslee (Williams) Hatfield. Four sons have been born to our subject and his wife, namely: George T., William J., Frank J., and Fred C.

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Charles Lafayette Earles, the fourth child of William and Arta Earles, was born on 1 August 1841 in Windsor Township. He also served in the Civil War as a first sergeant in Company G, 53rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry for three years, nine months, and 17 days. All total John and Charles served in about 50 engagements during the Civil War. He worked after the war in lead and zinc mines in Kansas and Missouri. He married Caroline Templeton on 17 February 1870 in Lawrence County. Caroline was born on 23 December 1846. Charles moved to Missouri, Crawford County, Kansas, and back to Lawrence County, Ohio. Children by Caroline were:

1)Thomas Templeton was born in 1871/72 in Kansas. He was living with his grandparents, William and Arta Earles for the 1880 census. Thomas married Charlotte “Lottie” and had three or four children.

2)Martha “Martie” Mae (1874-1970) married R. Neff.

3)Anna, born in 1876, married a Kerr and had two sons including one named Earl.

4)Arthur Templeton was born in Girard, Kansas, on 5 November 1878. He married Gertrude Lewis in 1907 and married the second Gertrude Robinson Wills on 6 January 1917 and had Elmer and Carl Templeton. Arthur died on 24 June 1957. Martie, Anna, and Arthur, all born in Kansas, were living with their Templeton grandparents, Orville and Rebecca Templeton, in 1880. Caroline died on 20 January 1879 and Charles moved back to Ohio.

Charles Lafayette Earles next married Laura Jane Walker about 1888. Laura Jane was born on 8 August 1868 and died in the 1930s. Children by Laura Jane were:

1)Arta Edith, born on 27 August 1889 in Missouri and died in November 1969 in Fort Worth, Texas, married first Virgil B. Wofford, Sr. and secondly D.L. “Jack” Weisenhunt. The children of Arta and Virgil were Dorothy Jane and Virgil B.

2)Chester L. was born in December 1898 also in Missouri.

3)Farrell F. was born on 3 June 1901 in Joplin, Missouri, and died in 1949, married a girl named Edrie and had Mary Louise and Adelia Jane.

4)Everett Donald was born on 9 June 1904 in Joplin, Missouri, and died on 29 November 1971 in Columbia, South Carolina, married Dora first and then Annelle Allen. Everett had three children named Donald Wayne, Duane Allen, and Charles A.

5)Paul Richard was born on 15 October 1909. Charles Earles died about 1918-1920. 24,29,36,68,69.

Mary Ann Earles, the fifth child of William and Arta Earles, was born on 28 March 1844 and married Farlan E. Ball on 27 November 1869 in Willow Wood. Farlan was born about 1846/47 and was a blacksmith in Aid Township in 1880 and a farmer in Aid Township in 1910. They had five children: Lillie born in 1871, Willie born in 1873, Elva L. born in 1875 and married Frona B. Burgess and had a girl named Maybelle who married Percy C. Hancock, Clifford born in 1877, and Ella born in February 1880. All were still living for the 1910 census. Two other children died prior to the 1910 census.

Other children of William and Arta Earles included Eliza V. Earles who was born on 19 September 1846. He married a Neptune and moved to Missouri. Lucinda A. Earles was born on 5 February 1849. She was a schoolteacher and married Albert G. McCorkle, a farmer in Union Township, on 31 July 1870 in Lawrence County.

The children were Susie M. or Lida born in 1872, Amanda J. born in 1876, S. Dennis born in 1878, and another son born in August 1879. James W. Earles, the next child of William and Arta, was born on 6 July 1851 and was a farmer. He married Julia A. Smith on 13 December 1876 in Lawrence County. They had a son named Ottie G. who was born on 5 October 1878 and died the following year on 12 January.

Caroline F. Earles, the ninth child of William and Arta, was born on 7 November 1854 and died on 22 January 1855.

Amanda E. Earles, the tenth child of William and Arta, was born on 12 February 1856. She moved to Kansas after 1880 and married a man named Lawrence.

Emily Florence Earles, the eleventh child of William and Arta, was born on 4 September 1858.

Ella V., the last child of William and Arta, was born on 28 December 1861 (Arta probably gave a sigh of relief!) and married Jonas Lawrence on 10 June 1886 in Lawrence County. 24,29,36,57,70-74

William died of diabetes on 10 August 1890 in Windsor Township aged 81 years and three months. Arta died on 23 August 1892. Both were buried at Perkins Ridge Cemetery. 71,75

Richard B. Earles, the sixth child of Charles and Mary Earles, was born about 1811 probably in Lee County, Virginia. He married Deborah Hatfield on 15 November 1832 in Lawrence County. This marriage record is the only reference to Richard Earles. 1832 was too early for Charles and Mary’s sons to have had a son marry and there were no other known Earles in Lawrence County at that time. I suspect that he was the seventh child of Charles and Mary Earles. Richard and Deborah Earles may have moved out of the state or died as they were not found in the 1840-1860 Ohio census or census indexes. 24,76

Nothing more is known of him and is presumed to have died prior to 1830.

Andrew Earles, the eighth child of Charles and Mary, was born about 1815 in Ohio. He married Abigail Lavine Holderby on 5 September 1838 in Lawrence County. Andrew was living in Windsor Township in 1840 and was married with a young daughter. He was a farmer and later moved to Indiana and Iowa. They were in Fairfield Township, Jackson County, Iowa, for the 1850 census and Perry Township for the 1860 census.

Children Lucinda and Joel were born in Ohio but William was born in Iowa in about 1844. These birth dates place their move from Lawrence County to Iowa in the early 1840s. Andrew and Abigail had eight children. Lucinda was born in Ohio just prior to the 1840 census and married Samuel Collins by 1860. Lucinda and Samuel had Vina, Tim, Jim, Andy, Sam, Sarah, and Fanny. 11,24,42,50,77,78

The second child of Andrew and Abigail, Joel Sanders Earles, was born on 5 June 1842 in Ohio and married Ann Sophia Whiteman after 1860. He died on 16 March 1908. They had the following children:

1)Henry died at 2 and a half;

2)Emma who died on 31 October 1931;

3)William who died at age three;

4)Clara who married Charles Everetts and had William, who married Nora Brush, Goldie, Curtis, Ruth, who married first Will Herlburt and secondly Helfrich, Oakley, who married Anna Wasoba, Gilbert, who married Vera Caven, and Bertha, who married Emil Bock; Clara died in 1932.

5)Josephine who died at age three;

6)George who died at age two;

7)Kitty Ann (d. 1965) who married Chris Nicolaisen and had a son, Eddie; and

8)Frank E. died in April 1966. Other children of Andrew and Abigail were William who was born about 1844 in Iowa, Samuel who was born about 1853, Mary who was born about 1855, Louis, Charles, and David who died young.

Another daughter was born to Charles and Mary Earles in about 1818 according to the 1820 census. She was missing in the 1830 census and is presumed to have died young.

Jane Earles was born in about 1821 in Lawrence County. She married Andy Boothe after 1840. The couple served as missionaries to China. They apparently left shortly after their marriage since they do not appear in any of the census records.

The 1830 and 1840 census records for Charles Earles listed a daughter of this age. Verda Hayes Fuller in her recollection is the only one to connect a name to this daughter and connect her to Andrew Boothe. Lucian Dent Boothe in his book Descendants of George Boothe stated that Andrew J. Boothe married Electra Jane Willis on 19 February 1846 and not an Earles. An older female Willis was living with Andrew and Electra in 1850 and 1860. There might have been two Andrew Booth’s in which case both references are correct. In any event, Charles and Mary Earles had a daughter born about 1821, and not much is known of her.

Fanny Earles, the last child of Charles and Mary Earles, was born about 1823 in Lawrence County. She married James Langdon about 1840 or 1841, probably in Lawrence County. James was a farmer in Union Township at Russells Place Post Office (now Getaway). They had five children: Elisha born about 1841-43 and was a farm laborer in 1860, Martin born about 1843-45 and was a farm laborer in 1860, James T. born in August 1849, Sarah J. born in 1852-53, and Mary F. born about 1858.

Mary Martin Earles died on 18 August 1847 and missed the California gold rush that year. U.S. forces captured Mexico City that year in the Mexican War. Charles Earles died the following year on 28 March 1848. They were both buried in the cemetery overlooking Symmes Creek Baptist Church.

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REFERENCES

1. “Family Bible of George Smith,” frame 0530 of his Revolutionary War pension record R9726, copy obtained from Military Service Records (NNCC), Washington, DC 20408. The page provided the birth, marriage, and death dates of George Smith, Elizabeth Earls, and family including Charles Earles.

2. Esther W. Powell, “Lawrence County, Ohio Pioneer Families,” The Ohio Genealogical Society, Ohio Records and Pioneer Families, Volume XV, Number 4, October-December 1974, p 7, contained short articles on William Earles and Bennett Earles. Information also recorded in the Lawrence County Genealogical Society, Lawco Lore, October 1986, Volume, No. 3.

3. Charles Allison Weed, The History of the Weed and Allied Families, (Gateway Press: Baltimore, 1971), pp 332-339. obtained much of the detailed information from Hardesty’s Atlas. Charles does put forward some theories about the early Earles.
4. Netti S. Yantis, A Supplement to the 1810 Census of Virginia, Tax Lists of the Counties for which the Census Is Missing, (Springfield, VA: author), p T-3, listed Charles Earls in Lee County.

5. Anne Wynn Laningham, Early Settlers of Lee Co., Va. and Adjacent Counties, Volume 1, p 380, lists early land records of Charles Earl/Early.

6. Hattie Byrd M. Bales, Early Settlers of Lee County, Virginia and Adjacent Counties, Volume II, (Greensboro, NC: Media Inc Printers and Publishers, 1977), pp 965 and 966, contained some information on Elizabeth Earls and George Smith as well as the land sale of Charles and Mary Earls.

7. John L.E. Jones, Name List of Lawrence County, Ohio, Residents from 1820 Federal Census and 1818 and 1821 Tax Lists, (Ironton: Lawrence County Genealogical Society, 1984), p 5, listed Martin Earles and Charles Earles/Earls/Earl.

8. 1820 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, p 102, National Archives Microfilm M33, roll 88, enumerated Charles Earles and Martin Earles.

9. 1830 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, pp 333 and 334, and (Union Township), p 319, National Archives Microfilm M19, roll 134, listed Marten Earls, Bennet Ellis, Charles Ellis, Sr., Charles Ellis, Jr., and Otis Marton.

10. Gerald M. Petty, Index of the Ohio 1835 Tax Duplicates, (Columbus: Petty’s Press, 1987), listed Charles Earles, Charles Earles, Jr., and Martin Earles.

11. 1840 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, pp 33 and 34, National Archives Microfilm M704, roll 407, enumerated Charles Earls, Sen., Andrew Earls, Bennet Earls, William Earls, Lucy Earles, Charles Earles, and Oty Martin.

12. Paul M. Brown, A Story About Lawrence County, Ohio, (Huntington, WV: Paul Brown Pub. Co., 1966), mentioned Charles Earles as an early settler.

13. H.H. Hardesty, Historical Hand-Atlas History of Lawrence County, Ohio, a Condensed History of the County; Biographical Sketches; General Statistics; Miscellaneous Matters, etc., (Chicago and Toledo: H.H. Hardesty, 1882) pp 11 and 12, contained information on the families of William Earles and Bennet Earles. Similar information was published in the Ironton newspaper by Robert Hall.

14. Helen Goodall, Fern Ellcessor, Alice Holderby, and Pauline Lunsford, Descendants of Charles Earles, 1979, listed the children of Charles and Mary Earles and the line of Bennet Earles and D.J. Earles primarily.

15. 1828 Lawrence County, OH Tax Records as viewed in LDS microfilm 0511786 listed Charles, Martin, and Bennet Earles. Charles Earles and Martin Earles were also listed in Marilyn Adams, Southern OHIO Taxpayers in the 1820s: Scioto, Lawrence, and Pike Counties, (Atlanta: Heritage Research, 1981), p 20.

16. 1829 Lawrence County, OH Tax Records as viewed in LDS microfilm 0511786 listed Charles, Martin, and Bennet Earles.

17. 1830 Lawrence County, OH Tax Records as viewed in LDS microfilm 0511786 listed Charles, Charles Jr., Bennet, and Martin Earles.

18. 1831 Lawrence County, OH Tax Records as viewed in LDS microfilm 0511786 listed Charles, Charles Jr., Bennet, and Martin Earles.

19. 1838 Lawrence County, OH Tax Records as viewed in LDS microfilm 0511786 listed Charles, Charles Sr., Martin, and Bennet Earles.

20. Marilyn Adams, Southern OHIO Taxpayers in the 1820s: Scioto, Lawrence, and Pike Counties, (Atlanta: Heritage Research, 1981), p 20 listed Charles Earles.

21. “Land Patent of 145 Acres for Charles Earles,” 17 September 1821, recorded 15 August 1823, Deed Book 3, pp 278 and 279, Lawrence County, Ohio.

22. Sale of 145 acres by Charles and Mary Earles to Bennett Earles, 7 April 1826, Deed Book 5, p 8, Lawrence County, Ohio.

23. “Marriage of Martin Earles and Elizabeth Sumpter,” 15 October 1820, as recorded in Anita Short and Ruth Bowers, “Lawrence County, Ohio Marriages, 1817-1823,” Gateway to the West, Ohio, Volume V, October 1972, p 188.

24. The LDS International Genealogical Index (IGI) for Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina listed many Earles.

25. Letter from Maryellen Clark, 101 Leona St., South Point, Ohio 45680 to the author, 24 November 1987, contained some information on Charles and Mary Earles.

26. “Marriage of Martin Earles and Lucy Ann Hall”, 27 Jul 1837, Lawrence Co., OH, Marriage Record Vol 1,2 and 3, p 254, number 1009 as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317716, by Maryellen Clark, 101 Leona St., South Point, OH 45680 and by Vera Mae (Sanders) Murnaham, Earliest Marriage Records of Lawrence County, Ohio, Vol I-II-III April 11, 1817, to July 23, 1843, (Rt 3, Box 112B, Ironton, OH 45638: author, 1987), p 18 Murnaham listed the marriage on 27 Jul and to Lucy Ann Huf__. Maryellen had 27 Sep.

27. 1860 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, pp 3,4,7,9 and 10, (Lawrence Township) p 90, and (Union Township) pp 104 and 105, National Archives Microfilm M432, roll 701, enumerated Jeramiah and Diley(?) Earles, Elisha and Charlotte Pemberton, Elizabeth Earles, Joel, and Roxy Earles, William and Arta Earles, Bennet and Mary Earles, George and Mary Pemberton, Richard and Lucinda Earles, Martin Earles, Elliot Earls, Daniel, and Elizabeth Earles, Bennet and Nancy Earls, and James and Anna Langdon.

28. 1870 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, pp 14, 35, 42 and 44; (Lawrence Township) p 6; (Fayette Township) p 13; and (Union Township) p 42, National Archives Microfilm M593, roll 1231, listed Joel and Roxy Earles, Bennet and Mary Earles, William and Arta Earles, Bennet and Nancy Earles, Elliot and Elizabeth Earles, Daniel and Elizabeth Earles, Lucinda Earles, children of Martin Earles, and Jeremiah and Frances Earles.

29. 1880 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), E.D. 101, pp 3,8, and 24; (Aid Township) E.D. 82, p 27; (Mason Township), E.D. 94, pp 1 and 29; (Fayette Township), E.D. 86, pp 25 and 30; (Lawrence Township), E.D. 93, p 25; and (Union Township), E.D. 98, pp 7,17,23,24 and 25, E.D. 101, pp 7,333 and 334, National Archives Microfilm T9, roll 1039, listed Bennett and Mary Earles, Wm and Artie Earles, James and Julia Earles, Jeremiah and Frances Earles, Joel and Rockcy Earles, James and Frances Langdon, F.E. and Mary Ball, Samuel and Sarah Dement, Albert and Lucinda McCorkle, Mary Sutton, Eliott, and Elizabeth Earls, Amos and Eveline Earles, Theo and Amy Willis, W.V. and Enola Earles, D.J. and Elizabeth Earles, Bennett and Nancy Earles, Bailey and Catherine Hayes, and children of Charles Lafayette Earles.

30. R.L. Polk, Directory of Ironton City and Lawrence County, Ohio 1893-94, (Columbus: R.L. Polk and Co.), p 186 listed D. Earles and Joel S. Earles. 28. Wiggins, Wiggins Ironton City, and Lawrence County Directory 1896-97, Volume II, (Columbus: Wiggins Co.), listed Bennett Earls and D.J. Earls in Windsor Township.

31. Broekhoven, Broekhoven’s Ironton City and Lawrence County Directory, 1902-1903, (Columbus: Broekhoven Dir Co.), p 232, listed D.J. Earles, Kelley Earles, J.B. Earles, Joel Earles, and John Earles in Windsor Township.

32. 1910 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), E.D. 107, sheet 6A and E.D. 108, sheets 4B,6A, and 6B; (Union Twp.), E.D. 94, sheets 4B,7B, and E.D. 95, sheets 9A and 14A; (Mason Twp.) E.D. 86, sheet 9A; (Perry Twp.) E.D. 88, sheet 8A; (Lawrence Twp) E.D. 84, sheet 14B; (Fayette Twp.) E.D. 82, sheets 6B,9B, and 10B and E.D. 84, sheet 4A National Archives Microfilm T624, roll 1202, enumerated Mary J. Earles, Thomas and Redna Earls, Amos and Evaline Keeney, Fred and Mamie Keeney, Faun Holderby, John, and Ora Hayes, Theodore Willis, Bennett Earls, Oscar Willis, Melroy Blake, Joel Earles, William and Mary Earles, Charles O. Earles, Mary J. Earles, Henry Keeney, Oren Keeney, Clarence Keeney, Edgar Keeney, and Martin Keeney, Mary E. Sutton, Finley, and Lois Earles, John and Maggie Earles, and Edgar and Rachel Earles.

33. “Settlement of the Estate of Martin Earles,” 18 April 1846, Lawrence County (Ohio) Common Pleas Book 6, p 228, Ironton, Ohio.

34. Headstone Inscription for Clyde E. Earles, Joel S. Earles, and Roxey Earles, Harmony Cemetery, Getaway, Lawrence County, Ohio, author’s visit 1981 and 19 March 1987.

35. Carl Hayes, “Symmes Creek Baptist Church History,” presented on 12 May 1979, contained a partial reconstruction of the early records of that church that were destroyed by fire.

36. Thomas Arthur Cauley, Lawrence County, Ohio Military Lists from the Ironton Register, (419 Wood Crest, O’Fallon, MO: author, 1981), pp 6, 25, and 45, contained a listing of those eligible for the draft, volunteers and those drafted to include George Pemberton, William Earles, E.N. Earles, J.W. Earles, C.L. Earles, Lafayette Earles, Joel S. Earles, Daniel J. Earls, ___net S. Earles, Samuel Earles, Martin Earles, and Jeremiah Earles.

37. Letter from Andrew Cary, PSC Box 642, 6912 ESG, APO New York 09611, to the author, 18 June 1986, contained some early marriage records of Simon and Sarah Earles.

38. “Marriage of Elliott Corbone and Lucinda Earles”, 7 Nov 1839, Lawrence Co., OH, by John Layne, J.P. Vera Mae (Sanders) Murnaham, Earliest Marriage Records of Lawrence County, Ohio, Vol I-II-III April 11, 1817, to July 23, 1843, (Rt 3, Box 112B, Ironton, OH 45638: author, 1987), p 22.

39. “Death of Roxey Earles”, 18 Feb 1907, Lawrence Co., OH Death book 3, p 132, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317744, Record of Deaths, Lawrence Co., Ohio.

40. “Death of Joel S. Earles”, 9 May 1919, Lawrence Co., OH Death Book 7, p 17, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317744, Record of Deaths, Lawrence Co., Ohio.

41. “Marriage of Oty Martin and Elizabeth Earls,” 4 August 1822, as obtained from a letter from Prusilla Payne Mogavero, 1372 Harlow Road, Columbus, OH 43227.

42. Letters from Verda Hayes Fuller, one undated, 20 January 1981 and on March 1987, and one interview on 23 March 1987 contained much information on all families of Charles and Mary Earles.

43. 1850 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, pp 403, 404, 405, and 406, National Archives Microfilm M432, roll 701, enumerated Wm and Arty Earls, Bennet and Nancy Earls, James and Fanny Langdon, Alansa and Sophia Hollenbeck, Samuel and Sephrona Early, and Elizabeth Early.

44. “Marriage of Charles Earles and Betsey Langdon,” 17 February 1825, Lawrence County, Ohio as extracted from Lawrence County, Ohio Marriages 1823-1839 and from LDS IGI batch number M514521.

45. Purchase of 115 acres of land by Charles Earles from Henry Willis, 20 September 1830, Deed Book 5, p 390, Lawrence County, Ohio. This was Charles Junior since his heirs sold the land.

46. Purchase of 95 acres of land by Charles Earles from Thomas Hatfield, 12 August 1834, Deed Book 6, p 354, Lawrence County, Ohio. This was Charles Junior since his heirs sold the land.

47. Purchase of 3 acres of land by Charles Earles from Jonathan Dennison, 17 December 1840, Deed Book 9, p 45, Lawrence County, Ohio. This was Charles Junior since his heirs sold the land. 155. Purchase of 32 acres of land by Bennet Earles from Jonathan Dennison near the old home of John Cantwell, 21 March 1842, Deed Book 11, p 73, Lawrence County, Ohio.

48. “Marriage of Jeremiah R. Earles and Frances Norman”, 31 Dec 1867, Lawrence Co., OH Marriage Book 9 (1866-1869), p 305, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317718.

49. “Death of Luther Earles”, 31 Mar 1881, Lawrence Co., OH Death Book 1, p 224, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317744, Record of Deaths, Lawrence Co., Ohio.

50. 1860 U.S. Census, Jackson County (Perry Township), Iowa, p 40, National Archives Microfilm 653, roll 326, listed Andrew and Abigail Earle.

51. “Will of Charles Earles,” dated 22 March 1848, proved 24 July 1848, Will Book 1, p 27, and Adm. Docket 2, p 249, Probate-Juvenile Court, Lawrence County, Ironton, Ohio 45638.

52. Headstone inscription for Charles Earles( twice), Mary Earles, Bennet T. Earles, Nancy Earles, Richard R. Earles, Louisa J. Earles, and Loucretia Earles, Symmes Creek Baptist Church. Cemetery located on the west side of township road 165 (McKenney Creek- Symmes Church Road) above Symmes Creek Baptist Church in Section 30, Township 2, Range 16, Lawrence County, Ohio, author’s visit March 1987. Information was also available from John L.E. Jones, Windsor Township Cemetery Inscriptions, Lawrence County, O. (Ironton: Lawrence County Genealogical Society, 1986), pp I, ix, and 11.

53. 1887 Windsor Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, map identified William Earles with 65 acres and 135 acres of land.

54. Glenna Kingery Roach, “Lawrence County’s Yesteryears,” Ironton Ohio Tribune, 8 and 15 August 1976, contained information on Sarah Jane Earles and life after the Civil War.

55. Letter from Mrs. Sarah Warner, 407 Fleming Ravenwood, West Virginia 26164 to author contained information on the Dement family.

56. 1900 U.S. Census, Lawrence County (Windsor Township), Ohio, E.D. 88, sheets 13 and 14 and p 51, National Archives Microfilm T623, roll 1292, enumerated Bent and Mary Earles, Daniel and Elizabeth Earles, and Mary Sutton.

57. Headstone Inscription of Leonidas L. Earles, Laura G. Earles, Otto G. Earles, Charles Earles, Bennet T. Earles, and Mary J. Earles, and Enola A. Earles, Locust Grove M.E. Church, author’s visit, March 1987 and in Gallia County Historical Society, Cemeteries of Mason Township, Lawrence County, Ohio (Gallia County Historical Society).

58. Letter from Faye Earles Rude, 1402 Woodward Ave., Springfield, Ohio 45506, to author, 1 September 1987, contained more information on Bennett T. Earles and Mary Jane Miller.

59.. “Birth of John L. Earls”, 2_ Jun 1870, Lawrence Co., OH Birth Book 1, p 120, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317725, Index to Births, Lawrence Co., OH.

60. “Birth of Eliza A. Earles,” 8 Jun 1872, Lawrence Co., OH Birth Book 1, p 116, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317725, Index to Births, Lawrence Co., Oh.

61. “Birth of Charles O. Earles,”1 Jul 1874, Lawrence Co., OH Birth Book 1, p 330 as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317725, Index to Births, Lawrence Co., OH.

62. “Birth of Rosa H. Earles,” 20 Aug 1877, Lawrence Co., OH Birth Book 2, p 84, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317725, Index to Births, Lawrence Co., OH. Rosa, daughter of Bennet T. Earles and Mary J. Miller, was born in Windsor Twp. Problem; Mary Jane had nine children according to the 1910 census.

All nine are accounted for but NOT including Rosa. Roscoe, a male, son, born in 1877/78 was in the 1880 census. Roscoe married twice and the second time he was Roscoe H. and born on 22 March 1878, just seven months after this Rosa. I think that Rosa is really Roscoe and that the birth record was wrong.

63. “Birth of Laura Catherine Earles”, 29 May 1880, Lawrence Co., OH Birth Book 2, p 230(?), as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317725, Index to Births, Lawrence Co., OH.

64.. “Marriage of Roscoe Earles and Isabel Perkins”, 21 Nov 1897, Lawrence Co., OH Marriage Book 17 (1895-1898), p 393, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317722.

65. “Marriage of Charles Earles and Laura Henry”, 22 May 1898, Lawrence Co., Marriage Book 17 (1895-1898), p 471, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317722.

66. “Marriage of John L. Earles and Amie Dunfee”, license issued 22 Dec 1900, Lawrence Co., OH Marriage Book 18, p 515 as reviewed in LDS microfilm 0317722.

67. “Death of Mary Jane Earles”, 12 Mar 1917, Lawrence Co., OH, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317744, Record of Deaths, Lawrence Co., Ohio. The book and page number were not given.

68.. Family Group Sheet of Charles Earles and Mary Martin, 31 March 1980, Family Group Sheet of William Earles and Arta M. Brammer, 4 April 1980, and Family Group Sheet of Charles Lafayette Earles and Caroline Templeton, 22 November 1981, prepared by Carl T. Earles, 6113 Rockglyn Dr., Springfield, Virginia 22152, contained information on these families. One source, Malcolm G. McGregor, Biographical Record of Jasper County, MO, (Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1901), contained more information on John Wesley Earles.

69. “Marriage of Charles L. Earles and Caroline Templeton”, 17 Feb 1870, Lawrence Co., OH, Marriage Book 10 (1869-1874), p 72, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317718.

70. “Birth Record of Otto G. Earles,” 5 October 1878, Record of Births, Volume 2, pp 182 and 183, Windsor Township, Lawrence County, Ohio.

71. Headstone Inscription for William Earles, Arta M. Earles, Cecil Earles, and Caroline F. Earles, Perkins Ridge Cemetery located on Greasy Ridge, Lawrence County, Ohio, author’s visit 1981 and March 1987. Information is also available from Jones’ book listed elsewhere.

72. “Marriage of Lucinda A. Earles and Albert G. McCorkle”, 31 Jul 1870, Lawrence Co., OH, Marriage Book 10, p 121, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317718. I copied Robert rather than Albert but I suspect that Albert is correct. In a letter from Andrew Cary, 18 Jun 1986, he listed the groom as Albert as did Verda Hayes Fuller in one of her letters.

73. “Marriage of James W. Earles and Julia A. Smith”, 13 Dec 1876, Lawrence Co., OH Marriage Book 12 (1875-1881) as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317719

74. “Marriage of Ella V. Earles and Jonas Lawrence”, 10 Jun 1886, Lawrence Co., OH Marriage Book 14 (1884-1888) as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317720.

75. “Death Record of William Earles,” 10 August 1890, Lawrence County, Ohio, Probate Court Book Number 1, entry 89 and in Ledger 2, p 128, Ironton, Ohio.

76.” Marriage of Richard B. Earls and Deborah Hatfield,” 15 November 1832, Lawrence County, Ohio as extracted from Lawrence County, Ohio Marriages 1823-1839.

77. 1850 U.S. Census, Jackson County (Fairfield Township), Iowa, p 340, National Archives Microfilm M432, roll 184, enumerated Andrew and Abigal Earl.

78. “Marriage of Andrew Earls and Abigail Levina Holderby”, 5 Sep 1838, Lawrence Co., OH, by John Layne, J.P. as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317716, Lawrence County, Ohio, Marriages Apr 1817 to Jun 1848 and in Vera Mae (Sanders) Murnaham, Earliest Marriage Records of Lawrence County, Ohio, Vol I-II-III April 11, 1817, to July 23, 1843, (Rt 3, Box 112B, Ironton, OH 45638: author, 1987), p 20.

79. “Marriage of Bennet J. Earles and Mary Miller”, 6 Oct 1859, Lawrence County, Ohio Marriage Book 6 (1857-1867), p 140, as viewed in LDS microfilm 0317717.

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William Earles and Artametta Brammer

WILLIAM EARLES was born in Lee County, Virginia, on the family farm near Lee Court House. At age 5, William, his brothers, and sister traveled over the Cumberland Gap and across Kentucky to the Ohio River. The family settled in Windsor Township, Lawrence County where they cleared the SW ¼ & NW ¼ of section 19. In 1826, the SW ¼ section was sold to Bennet, and William moved with his parents to the NW ¼.

William’s wife, Artametta M. Brammer, born in Cabell County, Virginia (now West VA), was the second child of James Brammer and Sarah Simmons. James, born in Patrick County, VA, married Sarah Henderson Simmons in Cabell County. Arta’s g-g-g-g-grandfather and g-g-g-g-grandmother, Thomas Brammer and Margarette Deacon were born in England about 1605 and 1610, respectively. They married about 1630 in Gloucester Shire, England, and immigrated to Gloucester County, Virginia, in 1638. Her great-grandfather, John Brammer III, served with the Henry County Virginia Militia at Guilford Court House during the American Revolution. Her father was a founder of the Symmes Creek Baptist Church in Windsor Township.

William and Arta worked on the family farm until 1834 when Bennet sold them 70 acres of the original farm. They farmed there until 1850 when William purchased 180 acres in sections 8 and 17 on Venisonham Creek. The family included 3 boys and 4 girls when they moved to the new farm. Another son and four more daughters were born on that farm. Later purchases increased holdings to 256 acres.

The family was active in Symmes Creek Baptist Church in the 1850s and 1860s. But in 1873, William was appointed counsel to a newly designated Dix Creek Station Baptist Church (the Perkins Ridge Baptist Church on Greasy Ridge Road) and William and Arta are buried in that Church cemetery.

In addition to farming and raising the family, William served as a trustee or treasurer of Windsor Township from 1853 to 1883. William died on 10 Aug 1890, and his Will, left everything to Arta for her remaining life, and then to be divided equally among the 11 living children. Arta died on 28 Aug 1892.

Children of William and Artametta

 

• Sarah Jane, b. 5 Nov 1834, m. Samuel S. Dement 17 Jun 1861, d. 2 Feb 1921.

 

 

• Bennett Thomas, b. 5 Dec 1836, m. Mary Jane Miller 6 Oct 1859, d. 1907.

 

 

• John Wesley, b. 13 Jun 1839, m. Mary J. Hatfield 14 Feb 1871, d. 26 Nov 1930.

 

 

• Charles Lafayette, b. 1 Aug 1841, m (1) Caroline Templeton 17 Feb 1870, (2) Laura Walker est. 1888, d, 5 Jun 1912.

 

 

• Mary Ann, b. 28 Mar 1844, m. Farlen Ball 27 Nov 1869, d. 4 Oct 1913.

 

 

• Eliza Virginia, b. 19 Sep 1846, m. (1) John Chittick est. 1866, (2) William Neptune 21 Jun 1874, d.?

 

 

• Lucinda Alice, b. 5 Feb 1849, m Albert McCorkle 31 Jul 1870, d. 28 Dec 1893.

 

 

• James W., b. 6 Jul 1851, m. (1) Louise Adams 26 Jan 1870, (2) Julia Smith 13 Dec 1876, d.?

 

 

• Caroline F., b. 7 Nov 1854, d. 22 Jan 1855.

 

 

• Amanda Elizabeth, b. 12 Feb 1856, m Benjamin Lawrence 9 Mar 1882, d.?

 

 

• Florence Emily, b. 4 Sep 1858, m. Orlando W. Ellsworth 19 Sep 1889, d. in 1901.

 

 

• 12 Ella Viola, b. 28 Dec 1861, m. Jonas Lawrence 10 Jun 1886, d. 8 Dec 1898.

 

Sarah Jane, the first child, and her husband, Samuel S. Dement, farmed in Mason Township and were parents of 5 daughters and 3 sons. Samuel was born on 7 Jul 1840 in Noble County, Ohio, and served in the Civil War. When his Company was moving through Guyandotte, West Virginia, Sarah took her baby on horseback through the hills to the Ohio River & across the river in a small boat to see him.

See page 7 for the first son, Bennett Thomas.

The 2nd son, John Wesley, a schoolteacher by 1860, served 3 years during the Civil War. After the war, John was sheriff of Lawrence County (1866-1868). He then visited his Uncle Elisha in Indiana, where he met Mary Hatfield. John and his siblings Eliza and Charles were living in Crawford County, Kansas, in 1870.

In 1871, John went back to Indiana and married, then returned and farmed in Crawford County. Two sons were born before they moved to Jasper County, Missouri, in 1876, where 2 more sons were born. They lived in Webb City, & John, listed as a lead miner and mine operator in the 1880 & 1900 census, was instrumental in opening the Maud B & Midway mines. Three sons worked in lead and zinc mines and died young, one at age 21, and the other 2 at age 49.

The 3rd son, Charles Lafayette, served 3 years, 9 months, and 17 days, during the Civil War. He was mustered out in Little Rock, Arkansas, and may have traveled in MO & KS after the war. But he returned to Ohio and married. In 1870 Charles and Caroline moved to Kansas, where they farmed. They were parents of 2 sons and 2 daughters when she died on 20 Jan 1879. He then moved the children back to Ohio, where William and Arta raised the oldest, and her parents, Creed and Rebecca (Morrison) Templeton raised the other three. By 1880, Charles was in Jasper County, Missouri, where he worked in lead and zinc mines. He initially stayed with his brother, John, but soon married Laura Jane, daughter of Stanley and Kate Walker. They were parents of 10 children but only 4 sons and a daughter lived past two years of age. About 1905 the family moved to Delaware County, Oklahoma, where Charles died in 1912.

Mary Ann, the 2nd daughter, and husband, Farlen Elasco Ball initially lived in Mason Township, but later moved to Aid Township. Farlen, who served 2 years during the Civil War, was a blacksmith as were his father and brothers. Farlen and Mary Ann were parents of 3 sons and 2 daughters. She died at age 69.

Eliza Virginia, the third daughter, and first husband, John Chittick, moved to Girard, Kansas, in 1870, where Eliza taught school. He was born in Ireland and apparently died in Kansas. Eliza returned to Ohio and married William Neptune, who served 3 years during the Civil War. In 1877, they moved to Walker Township, Henry County, Missouri. William and Eliza were parents of a son born in Ohio, and 3 daughters born in Henry County, Missouri.

The fourth daughter, Lucinda Alice, was a schoolteacher before she married Albert Galiton McCorkle, the son of William P. and Permila McCorkle. Lucinda & Albert farmed in Union Township, Lawrence County, and were parents of three sons and three daughters before she died at age 44. One son, William Arnold, moved west to CA and then Port Angles (Callam County), WA.

James, the youngest son, married Louisa Adams, but she apparently soon died. He then married Julia A. Smith and assisted on the Ohio farm until 1886, when they moved with his sister, Ella Viola, and her husband to near Davenport, Lincoln County, Washington, where they farmed. James and Julia were parents of a son, who died when 3 months old, and a daughter born in 1880.

Caroline F., the fifth daughter, died soon after birth & is buried adjacent to William and Arta in the Perkins Ridge Baptist Church cemetery.

The sixth daughter, Armanda Elizabeth, and husband, Benjamin Lawrence, moved to Decatur, Kansas, soon after marriage. The son of Peter Lawrence and Ethelinda James, he was born in Mason Township. Sometime after 1890, they followed Ella Viola and James to Lincoln County, WA. A son was born in Washington.

The seventh daughter, Florence Emily, and her husband Orlando Ellsworth farmed in Mason Township and were parents of two daughters and a son. Orlando, who remarried after her death, was the son of Isaac and Ann Ellsworth.

Ella Viola, the youngest daughter, married Jonas T. Lawrence, a brother of Armanda’s husband, in 1886 and moved to Davenport, Lincoln County, WA.  They were parents of 3 daughters and a son before her death in 1898. Jonas remarried and was living in Bremerton, Washington, by 1910.

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Bennett Thomas Earles and Mary Jane Miller

Bennett Thomas bought 56 acres of his father’s Venisonham Creek land and raised a family of 4 boys and 4 girls there. A fifth boy died about one year after birth. Following William’s death, Bennett also farmed the family land but when Artametta died in 1892 that land was sold to settle the estate.

By 1896, he was unable to pay taxes on the 56 acres and the State took the land. Bennett was living in Mason Township when he died. Mary Jane died on 12 Mar 1917 in Ironton, Ohio. Both are buried in the Mason Township Locust Grove Methodist Episcopal Church Cemetery.

Mary Jane Miller, born in Lawrence County, was the first of William L. & Catherine (Hamlin) Miller’s 5 children. Her father was born in OH and her mother in PA. To date, data has not been found on the Miller or Hamlin families, but others with those names came from Germany and England.

Children of Bennett Thomas and Mary Jane

 

• Lenora Jane, b. 1 Aug 1860, m. (1) John H. Bickle est. 1888, (2) Mark Cron est. 1892, d. in 1935.

 

 

• Leondes Lanson, b. 12 May 1862, d. 10 Jul 1863

 

 

• William Lonzo, b. 14 Sep 1865, m. Mary Margaret Murdock 28 Dec 1884, d. 28 Mar 1923.

 

 

• Elizabeth Annie, b. 8 Feb 1868, m. William A. Brammer, d.?

 

 

• John Lafayette, b. 29 Jun 1870, m. Amizon Dunfee 25 Dec 1900, d. 8 Nov 1959.

 

 

• Eliza Alice, b. 8 Jun 1872, d.?

 

 

• Charles Oliver, b. 1 Jul 1874, m. Laura May Henry 18 May 1898, d. 9 Mar 1922.

 

 

• Rosco Hayes, b. 22 Mar 1877, m. (1) Isabella Perkins 21 Nov 1897, (2) Edna P. Bennett 30 Jun 1902, d.?

 

 

• Laura Catherine, b. 31 May 1880, d 5 Mar 1901.

 

Their 1st child, Lenora Jane, had a daughter fathered by Charles Cooper before marrying John H. Bickle. They were parents of a son and 2 daughters before he died in 1891. Lenora then married Mark Cron. They lived in Mason Township and were parents of 2 sons and 3 daughters. Mark died in 1954. A son, Emil Cron, served in the Army during WWI.

The first son, Leonides Lanson, died at 14 months.

The 2nd son, William Lonzo, initially farmed near Bennett & Mary but moved to Mason Township, then to Rome Township, and finally to Union Township. The family included 6 boys and 7 girls. A son & daughter died shortly after birth & a son drowned when 16. William and Mary divorced before he died of tuberculosis. A son, Bennett, served during WWI and was wounded in the Meuse-Argonne fight.

The 2nd daughter, Elizabeth Anne, married her 2nd cousin, William A. Brammer, a son of Charles Brammer & Rebecca Earles (daughter of Martin Earles).

See page 8 for 3rd son, John Lafayette.

No information has yet been found on the 6th child, Eliza Alice.

Charles Oliver, the 4th son, assisted on the family farm and farmed in Windsor Township. His family included 3 boys and 2 girls, however, a son and daughter died at or shortly after birth.

Rosco Hayes, the 8th child, and youngest son did not get along with his father and was asked to leave home by the time he was 16. He worked on farms in Rome Township and at age 20 married Isabelle Perkins, but she died in 1900. He then married Edna P. Bennett, who was previously married and had a daughter. They may have moved to Illinois, in about 1904, with his brother, John Lafayette. By 1912, Rosco and Edna were living in Jasper County, Missouri, near his uncles, John Wesley and Charles Lafayette. A son, Peter, was born there. In 1920, the family was living in Ironton, Ohio. Edna died there in 1924.

Laura Catherine, the ninth child, and youngest daughter died at the age of 20. The death record indicates she died of consumption.

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John Lafayette Earles and Amizon Dunfee

John Lafayette Earles, named after Civil War Veteran uncles John Wesley & Charles Lafayette, was born and raised on the family farm near Willow Wood, OH. He attended Windsor Township School No. 2, located about one mile from the farm, & worked on the farm. Starting in the early 1890s, he worked at railroad car shops in Huntington, West Virginia, and lived in Ironton, OH, where he married Amizon Dunfee on Christmas day in 1900. They both worked in the Huntington-Ironton area but were previously aquatinted since they attended the same school in Windsor Township.

Amizon’s father, George Washington Dunfee, was born in Washington Township, Belmont County, OH. At age 6, he moved with his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth (Coon) Dunfee, to Windsor Township, Lawrence County. George married Permelia Harmon on 24 April 1870, in Morgan Township, Gallia County, OH.

Her parents, David Harman and Barbary Ellen Hayward lived in Windsor Township from 1855 to 1865. Barbary Ellen is the daughter of Thomas Hayward and Margaret, a Tuscaroras Indian. In 1905, George and Permelia moved to Corwith, Hancock County, IA, with 8 of their 10 children, and in 1920 to London, Freeborn County, MN.

John and Amizon initially lived in Coal Grove, OH. He continued to work in Huntington & two girls were born in OH. In 1904, John, Amizon, and the two daughters moved to Douglas County, Illinois. From 1904 to 1914 John worked at the Hayes elevator, and on farms in the Tuscola, and Villa Grove areas of Douglas County Four sons (one died shortly after birth) and one daughter were born in Illinois.

Apparently, things were not going well in Illinois, and, in 1914, they moved to near Corwith, Iowa, where Amizon’s parents, had moved. Two sons and a daughter were born there. They later moved to just south of Britt, Iowa, where John raised purebred Belgian horses.  He also served as a school district trustee in Erin Township.

Following retirement in 1937, John and Amizon moved to a small acreage in Hutchins, Iowa, where he continued to raise horses for a number of years. In later years, John hitchhiked almost daily the seven miles to Britt, becoming so well known that the Greyhound bus driver often stopped to give him a ride. He died in 1959, at the age of 89 and Amizon died in 1965, also at the age of 89.

Children of John Lafayette and Amizon

 

• Estle Mary, b. 24 Sep 1901, d. 9 Aug 1992.

 

 

• Ella Murre, b. 19 May 1903, m. Vicent Howard Fillenwarth 9 Jun 1926, d. 1 Dec 1976.

 

 

• Willie Arthemor, b. 5 Mar 1905, m. Florence Winifred Dewey 1 Sep 1929, d. 3 Aug 1976.

 

 

• Harlow, b. 6 May 1906, m. Barbara May Dewey 25 Dec 1929, d. 10 Oct 1968.

 

 

• Sylvia Vadav, b. 28 Dec 1907, m. Earnest Luverne Kearney 25 Jun 1930, d. Jan 1942.

 

 

• James, b. 06 Jul 1909, d. 11 Jul 1909.

 

 

• Burkley Clarence, b. 2 Jun 1912, m. (1) Rosella Mary Reis 3 Oct 1935, (2) Irene Ayers 20 Dec 1988, d. 14 May 1992.

 

 

• Hurshel Lafayette, b. 13 Aug 1915, m. Ruth Arlene Riekens 22 Aug 1937.

 

 

• John Wesley, b. 04 Jul 1917, m. Olive in 1946, d. 05 Jan 1985.

 

 

• Nona Alberta, b. 12 Sep 1919, m. Melvin Van Dusseldorp 10 Dec 1941.