Maish Houseworth(1846-1944)

Maish Houseworth, at least that's what his gravestone( previous post) in the Waldo Town Cemetery says.....we have come to know his as George, Solomon B., Salmaches, Frosty, and maybe a few others.....he was the son of George and Elizabeth.

Maish tried to join the OVI during the early days of the Civil War....he was found to be only 15 and was sent packing home....he later joined at the ripe old and legal age of 18.

From the History of Waldo 1976..........

"Everett B. Grisby recalls some of the following Civil War veterans: Abijah W. Sweetbond, Jerry Elmaker, Maish Houseworth(Frosty), and a Mr. Hayes, who told of many interesting stories of his experiences, movements, and actions in the war.

Leo F. Groll recalls a little short fellow by the name of Maish Houseworth, who was nicknamed "Frosty" . He claimed he lied about his age to join up. When asked if he got to carry a gun in any battles or skirmishes, he said the he did not because about the first time he marched after he was furnished a rifle, he almost shot the soldier's ear off behind him. He said they made a Drummer Boy out of him after that and he didn't get to carry a guy again".

For more information on Maish and the other Waldo Houseworths in the 26th OVI go to the 26th OVI History site at:

http://www.geocities.com/ovi26th/index.html

Maish also was a witness at the trial of Enoch Young(a Houseworth brother-in-law by marriage) in the murder of Israel Bensley in 1880.

Maish lived in Waldo until his death in 1944....after the death of his wife, Maish it is told became quite the celebraity in the town, the women of the town would fix him cakes, pies, and meals....and Maish would tell his "war stories" whenever someone would ask....

George Houseworth and Family

George Houseworth(1818-Unknown)

George was the youngest of the Houseworth sons of Solomon and Melinda Houseworth. George married a sister of Ursula Scribner Houseworth, her name was Elizabeth. The couple was married in Delaware County, on January 8, 1837. Elizabeth was born about 1818 and was called Betsy, I have no death location or dates of same on either George or Elizabeth, they did live in Waldo for a time, and a son Maish Houseworth is buried in the Waldo Cemetery.

The Children of George and Elizabeth Houseworth

Jacob Houseworth born 1838-died unknown

Ann Houseworth born 1843-died unknown

Solomon B. (Maish) Houseworth born 1846-died Waldo, Ohio, 1944

Maish lived a long an interesting life in Waldo. He is mentioned in both the "History of Marion County" and the "Bicentennial Celebration of Waldo, Ohio, July 23-24, 1976"

Maish enlisted in the Union Army early in the Civil War but was discovered to be only 15 and was booted out because of being under age. He later re-joined at the age of 18 and ended up being a drummer because of his lack of size...he is told to have been 5' 1" tall. He lived in Waldo his entire life, except for his war years, and was one of the witnesses at the trial of Enoch Young

for the murder of Israel Bensley in 1880.

{the next chapter in it's entirety about Maish Houseworth}

Maish married Mary Jane Selander in Waldo and the are buried next to each other in the Waldo Cemetery. Together they had 7 children, but only 3 lived past infancy.

George and Elizabeth children(Continued)

William Houseworth born 1851 died 3/22/1917 in Marion, Ohio

George Houseworth Jr born 1854 died 6/1/1925 in Columbus, Ohio

Ebenezer Houseworth born 1857 died unknown

I have not located any members of this family, but believe some live in the Prospect and Marion areas today.

Mary Ann's Siblings(cont)

Here is a look at the rest of the brothers and sisters of my Great-Grandmother, Mary Ann Houseworth.

Elizabeth "Libby" Houseworth(1846-1923)

Libby was born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1846, she married Sam Patton on August 29, 1868, in Waldo. This family moved to Michigan sometime after 1871....Libby lived in Michigan until her death on November 1, 1923. Samuel Patton was born in Marion County, Ohio, on July 19, 1844, he died in Gratiot County, Michigan, on May 25, 1928.

This couple had the following children:

Cora Bell born 1869 in Marion County, Ohio. died 1947 in Michigan

Catherine born 1871 in Marion, County, died 1960 in Michigan

Johnny Patton born 1877 in Michigan, died 2/8/1879 in Carson City, MI

Henry Patton born 1878 in Michigan, died at one day of age, Carson City

William Patton born 2/10/1879 in Carson City, MI, died 1966 in Michigan

Tim Patton born 2/10/1879(twin of William) died on July 4, 1974 in Carson City.

John P. Houseworth(1848-1932)

John Houseworth married Emma Jones in Waldo, they had the following Children:

Flora, Effie, Jay and Ben Houseworth

Maria Houseworth (1857-post 1885)

Maria was married at least twice. First to the infamous Enoch Young(of the Murder in Waldo fame), with whom she had two children, Perry and Daisy Young. After Enoch went to prison for murder in the Israel Bensley, she eventually married Al Anderson, with whom she had four additional children. Jeff Anderson is one, the other 3 I do not have names or dates of. Maria was alive in 1885 when the photo with siblings was taken in Payne, Ohio....I do not know what happened to her after that....however, I do know that Perry Young was killed about 1915 by a train in the city of Kenton.

Frances Houseworth(1863-past 1885)

Frances married Charlie Roads. This family, like many of the other children and relatives of Frederick and Solomon Houseworth moved to Paulding County, Ohio, in the 1870s. The following are the known children of Frances and Charlie.

Blanch, Eve, Fern, Zeff(?) and Cecil...the first 2 were born in Marion County, the youngest 3 in Paulding County.

Amanda Louise Houseworth(1864-1938)

The youngest of Fred and Ursula's children was born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1864, she died in Marion County, in 1938. Amanda married William C. Luellen on July 2, 1882, in Waldo, Ohio.

William and Amanda Luellen had 2 known children:

Infant Luellen-no other know information(this usually means the child died at or near birth).

Mabel Jane Luellen born in Waldo on 9/14/1904...if this is correct, it means Amanda starter her family late in life, about the age of 40...which may be correct, but does not seem probable for those times.

Mable Luellen and her husband Edwin Jacoby(also born in Waldo) had a son named John Jacoby, who moved his family to Southern California, when members of the family reside today.

{photos..top..Emma Jones Houseworth(middle) and her daughters with John P. }Houseworth, Effie Houseworth Smith(l) and Flora Houseworth Miller(r)...larger sized photo..Mildred Houseworth Myers, John Presley Houseworth holding Edmund E. Myers and Ben C. Houseworth}...thanks to John and Emma decendant Mike Hall for information and photos of the John Presley Houseworth family.

Henry Houseworth and the Battle of Chickamauga

Henry Houseworth(1845-1863)

Henry was 17 when he joined the Union Army at Columbus, Ohio, in 1862. Henry, like his brother Gilman, and several cousins, served with the 26th Ohio Volunteer Army, Company C. This unit was quite active in the Civil War and fought in West Virginia, Kentucky[where is took part in the siege of Corinth and the Battles of Perryville and Stone River, where it lost 1/3 of it's troops], and the infamous Battle of Chickamauga, Georgia, where Henry went missing. For excellent reading I recommend the book.

"This Terrible Sound" The Battle of Chickamauga, by Peter Cozzens.

The History of Delaware County(Ohio) 1880 documents the battle and the death of Henry.

The major battle of Chickamauga took place on September 19 and 20, 1863, and was the only major defeat suffered by the Union Army.

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FROM MY FORTHCOMING BOOK.....A Murder in Waldo by Patrick R. Houseworth.

Viniard Field

Chickamauga, Georgia

3PM

September 19, 1863

As 20 year old Gilman Houseworth lay in the scrub grass about a hundred yards of so away from the woods to the north, he hoped to catch a glimpse of younger brother Henry, or at least catch a breeze as relief from the heat and humidity. The north Georgia day had dawned damp and cool on the Lookout Mountains, but it had become hot and humid as the day and the fighting had progressed. The air hung heavy with the smell of gunpowder and death.

18 year old Gilman with nothing going on in the small berg of Waldo, Ohio, had made the trip down to Columbus in June 1861, along with him went his 15 year old cousin, Maish Houseworth, they had decided to see what the Ohio Voluntary Infantry had to offer. Both boys signed up with the men of the Ohio 26th OVI. It didn't take long for the officers in charge to figure out that the diminutive Maish(who signed up under his dad George's name) was nowhere near the required 17 years of age. After a week, Maish was sent packing back to Waldo.

Meanwhile Gilman was assigned to Company C, where most of the men and boys were from Morrow County, Gilman's childhood home county.

Back at Chickamauga, the battles had been hot and heavy with the Johnny Rebs, but Gilman had kept his head low and the rifle clean, he had the skill and luck to avoid the death, disease, and illness that plagued the armies of the Unionn and the Confederacy. That was all about to come to and end on the Chickamauga Battlefield on a hot September weekend in the year of our lord 1863.

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Gilman would survive the battle, with a head wound, Henry would not be seen again.

For more on the 26th OVI Company C go to this excellent website:

http://www.geocities.com/ovi26th.

[photos...I took these at the Viniard Field battle site on a wet February day in 2004. This is where the men of the OVI Company C fought and died at this southwest corner location...the stone is a tribute to the men of the OVI.

Mary Ann's Siblings

Quite the cast of charaters were the Houseworth men...stuff that would make for a good old fashion "Soap Oprea" in the world of yesteryear....war heros, bar room battles, and stuff that makes me wonder just what the Hell is in my genes.

Here we go........the sisters and brothers of my Great Grandmother Houseworth/Houseworlth

Gilman Houseworth(1843-1915)

Gilman was born in Delaware, Ohio, on April 17, 1843, he died in Kenton, Ohio, on April 11. 1915, six days shy of his 72nd birthday. Gilman is buried in the Grove Cemetery, on Kenton's west side.

Gilman was married twice. His wives were Mary Minerva Ward and Sarah Elizabeth Sheldon. Mary Minerva died January 22, 1877, the couple had the following 7 children.

Aca Landon Houseworth 1866-1950

Emma Houseworth 1868-unknown

William Houseworth 1869-unk(before 1915)

Laura Houseworth 1871-unknown

Lawrence Houseworth 1873-unknown

Frederick Houseworth 1876(February)-unknown

John Houseworth 1876(December)-unk(before 1915)

Mary M. Houseworth died of "Child bed fever" after the birth of John. I assume of complications from the birth of John, the month prior. Gilman married Sarah Elizabeth(Lizzie) Shelton on July 24, 1882 in Marion County. Lizzie was born in 1859 and died June 25, 1927, in Kenton...she is buried next to Gilman.

The had one child together:

Pearl Houseworth birth and death dates unknown

Gilman was a Civil War veteran, and I have his complete pension records in my records(I will post all this type information at the end of this blog, meaning it will be listed first). His pension claims he was wounded in the head at Chickamauga, Georgia, in September 1863(the same battle that saw his brother Henry lose his life).

In between marriages Gilman became quite infamous in the town of Waldo. On February 25, 1880, Gilman and his brother-in-law Enoch Young(husband of Maria Houseworth) were charged with stabbing and killing of one Israel Bensley of Waldo in the aftermath of a bar fight, in which according to newspaper articles, was not involved in.

Young was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison, he was later pardoned by Governor(and future President) William McKinley. Gilman took a change of venue to Hardin County(Kenton) and was eventually aquitted.

Newspapers articles will be included at the end of this blog.

[document...The History of Marion County 1883]

Mary Ann Houseworth(1841-1896)

My Great-Grandmother, Mary Ann Houseworth married her cousin Nelson S. Houseworth, the son of Solomon and Melinda. Solomon was the oldest brother of Frederick. Mary Ann spent the last months of her life trying to get a small ($10 a month) Civil War Pension from the Government, for herself and her youngest son Alva Newton Houseworth. Those efforts failed and she passed away a short time later.

Mary Ann was born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1841, she died on September 8, 1896. Her last known residence was Tipton, Ohio, located in Paulding County. I do not however, have an exact location of her death.

[photo/document...Mary Ann on her wedding day, July 12, 1859. Pension request by Mary Ann, 1896.]

The Children of Fred and Ursula Houseworth

All 14 known children were born in the Waldo Area(as best as my research tells me).

Twin Boy Houseworths born 1839 died 1839

Nancy Houseworth born 1840 died 8-30-1856

Mary Ann Houseworth born 1841 died 9-8-1896

I have not found my Great-Grandmother's Death Records in Paulding County. She was living in Tipton, Blue Creek Township as late as June 1896...that was 3 months before her death. I am not positive of the exact location of her death.

Gilman Houseworth born 4-17-1843 died 4-11-1915 @ Kenton, Ohio

Henry Houseworth born 1845 died 9-18-1863 @ Chickamauga, Georgia

Henry was killed in the "Battle of Chickamauga" in north Georgia on the weekend of September 18, 1863(Gilman was wounded there)...one of the most bloody battles of the Civil War

Elizabeth Houseworth born 12-14-1846 died 11-1-1923 in Michigan

John W Houseworth born 1848 died 1932 in Waldo, Ohio

Andrew Houseworth born 1850 died 10-10-1870 near Waldo

Andrew died in an accident resulting from a fall near Waldo. Her is buried along side his mother and older brother John in the Waldo Cemetery.

Harmon Houseworth born 1853 died 6-1-1853

Sarah Houseworth born 1854 died 5-2-1854

Maria Houseworth born 1857 died Unknown

Frances Houseworth born 1863 died Unknown

Amanda Houseworth born 1864 died 1938 in Marion County, Ohio

Many of the Houseworth men served with the Union Army in the Civil War between the States....the 26th Ohio Volunteer Army was the home and final address for serveral...for more information on the Houseworth men and the unit itself....go to this excellent website...you will find information provided by me and others concerning the Houseworth cousins who served in this unit....a great look at the Civil War Veterans of ours and other Ohio families:

http://www.geocities.com/ovi26th/index.html

[photo: Surviving children of Fred and Urusla Houseworth...taken in Payne, Ohio( Paulding County) about 1885....left to right...bottom Mary Ann(1841-1896), John W.(1848-1932), Maria Houseworth Young/Anderson(1857-?), Top, Elizabeth Houseworth Patton(1846-1923), Gilman(1844-1915), Frances Roads(1863-?), Amanda Luellen(1864-1938)]

prh

Frederick Houseworth/Ursula Scribner Houseworth

Frederick Houseworth born Bucks County, PA 1814-Died Morrow County, Ohio(about) 1865.

Frederick Houseworth is my "other" Great-Great Grandfather Houseworth. If descended from Nelson and Mary Ann Houseworth, both Fred and Solomon Houseworth are your Great Grandfathers of varying numbers of Great.

Fred was the second of three Houseworth sons born to Israel and Catherine Houseworth.

Frederick Houseworth marries Ursula Jane Scribner @ Delaware, Ohio, January 7, 1839.

It is very possible that Ursula is descended from John Alden who arrived in America on the "Mayflower"....another cousin Bertrand MacPherson of Lima, Ohio, has been doing research on this family. He is descended from a sister of Ursula....another sister, Elizabeth Scribner married Frederick and Solomon's brother George Houseworth.

Fred and Ursual and at least 14 children, although many did not live past early childhood. My Great Grandmother Mary Ann Houseworth was one of the older children, and the eldest to make it to adulthood. It is believed that Fred died about 1865 in Morrow County(near the Marion-Delaware County lines). Ursula lived in Waldo where she owned several tracts of land, including the one that currently occupies the local town park. Ursula died March 26, 1882, and is buried in a grave between two sons, John and Andrew, in the Waldo Cemetery.

[photos...grave of Ursula(center) in the Waldo Cemetery....sons Andrew(left) and John(right) are buried next to her.....second is Waldo plotted in 1878...the tracts of land circled are listed as owned by Mrs. O. Houseworth....Ursula's name is sometimes documented as Orcilla Houseworth.]

Nelson Houseworth Siblings

My Great-Grandfather Nelson S. Houseworth had at least 5 brothers and sisters(not counting the children of his mother Melinda by a previous marriage). Here they are and what little I know about each:

Delilah Houseworth
born 1841 died unknown

Delilah is the one child of Solomon and Melinda that I have no further records of. She may have died young, went by a different first name or other. No marriage or death records have been located.

Jacob Houseworth
born 1843 died about 1893

Jacob moved to Paulding County about the same time as Nelson and Mary Ann. He is listed as having a daughter name Almira who lived with the widow Felkey(wife of Christopher). Almira was born in 1867.

Jacob married Loretta Davis in Marion County in 1872, shortly before the move to Blue Creek Township in Paulding County. Jacob and Loretta had the following children all who were born in Blue Creek: Elnora(1873), Wesley(1875), Elizabeth(1877), Rosa(1879), and Joseph(1891).

Elizabeth was married in Van Wert, Ohio, in 1893, her marriage license was signed by Loretta, with Jacob being listed as "Dead" on the document. After Jacob died(between 1891-1893), Loretta married twice more, once in Van Wert County, and once in Paulding.

Parthena Houseworth
1845-1883

Parthena Houseworth married Sidney Felkey(the Houseworth and Felkey families have several marriages between family members) on November 14, 1865. When Nelson moved to Paulding County two of the Felkey families did as well. Sidney and Parthena were among those that did. Sidney was in the Civil War with the 96th OVI out of Delaware County. Sidney died of war related health problems on June 9, 1869 and is buried in the Ashley Cemetery in Delaware County.

Parthena had one child, a son named Crawford, Crawford had an illness or handicap and died in Putnam County, Ohio, at the age of 27 on January 21, 1896. Crawford was less than a year old when his father Sidney passed away in June of 1869.

Parthena moved back to the tri-county(Delaware, Marion, and Morrow)area and married a man named George Zent in Morrow County on March 14, 1873. No other children are listed and she died on May 17, 1883. Crawford meanwhile lived with his aunt Nancy Felke Nichols in Putnam County...he was institutionalized in the Putnam County Infirmary when he died @ 27.

I have the pension records for Sidney, when funds were sought for Crawford after his parents deaths....the pension was denied. My guess is that's why he ended up in and institution.

Edward Houseworth
1847-1910

Edward was the fifth child born to Solomon and Melinda. He married Teresa Coleman in Delaware County, Ohio. They had at least one son, his name was Presley who was born on November 23, 1871. Presley had a son named Vern, who died as a solider during the Spanish Flu outbreak of 1918. Teresa died in 1917. There are descendants still around today, members of this family line still live in Delaware County today.

Melina Houseworth
1849-?

Melina was the youngest of the children of Solomon and Melinda. She married Civil War veteran James P. Brynds in Delaware County in 1868. Records show at least 7 children to this couple, the oldest 2 were born in Delaware and the rest in Paulding County, Blue Creek Township.

This family left Ohio after the birth of the youngest child(1883) and moved first to Missouri then on to Cherokee County, Kansas. James Brynds died in 1894 in Kansas, Melina died sometime after, but before 1900.

The Children of James and Melina Houseworth Brynds:

Emma born 1869-Delaware County, Ohio
Ella born 1871-Delaware County, Ohio

The rest were born in Blue Creek Township, Paulding County, Ohio

Nancy 1872
Mary 1875
Twins Ora(boy) and Nora(girl) born Christmas Day 1880
Edward J on April 14, 1883.

Nora died in 1882 in Paulding County...the family left Blue Creek and moved to Missouri after the birth of Edward...Edward J. Brynds died in Kansas on August 26, 1946....there are Brynds still living in Cherokee County today.

Nelson S. Houseworth 1837-1887

Nelson Houseworth, the eldest child of Solomon and Melinda(who had 7 children by a previous marriage) was born in 1837 in Delaware County, Ohio. Making it easier to trace my family through the mid and later 1800s was the fact that Nelson married his cousin(first one no less) Mary Ann Houseworth on July 12, 1859. I was rather surprised, but as I got more into genealogy research, I came to find out this was not an uncommon practice back in the day.

Nelson served with the 186th Ohio Volunteer Infantry for a brief time during the Civil War. His service record is disputed and documented later in these writings...his war record none-the-less was suspicious to me(I do have his and other Houseworth military Civil War records).

After his service Nelson returned to Mary Ann and lived in the Waldo area of southern Marion County, Ohio. The couple had 11 children, 7 born in Waldo and the others in Blue Creek Township, Paulding County, Ohio.

Nelson, Mary Ann, and the families of his brother Jacob, along with the cousin families of Crawford and Sidney Felkey moved to Paulding County in late 1872. Blue Creek Township located on the southern tip of the county was then on the south edge of the "Great Black Swamp", Nelson lived out his remaining years and died of typhoid fever at the age of 50 on November 3, 1887. He is buried with a Civil War veteran grave stone in Blue Creek Township Cemetery.

[photos: OVI Enlistment of Nelson Houseworth February 1865/ Grave at Blue Creek Township Cemetery, Paulding County, Ohio/ Only known photo of Nelson, taken on his wedding day July 12, 1859.

prh

Houseworth Delaware County Marriages

Unlike the Houseworth daughters who were married in Knox County, the 3 sons of Israel and Catherine waited until the family moved to Delaware County. It should be noted that Fred and George married Schribner sisters...this(brothers of one family married to sisters of another) happens a few times in my various family histories.

You will also note that several Houseworth marriages occurred within a few years....and the Felkey and Houseworth families had several marriages and some moved on to Paulding County....the Houseworth and Felkeys are very intertwined, as you will note as we move along.

prh

The Houseworth Sons and Families

Solomon Houseworth & Melinda Welch Byxbe
Married March 2, 1836, Delaware Co. Ohio

Solomon is one of my 2 Great-Great Grandfather Houseworths'. He married Melinda Welch(some records say Welsh) Byxbe...this was the first marriage for Solomon, the 2nd for Melina, who was Solomon's senior by several years.

Melinda had 7 children from her first marriage to a man named Jonathon Byxbe. 2 of those children, Erastus(1825) and Ruben(1829), lived with Solomon and Melinda, and are listed in some census records as Houseworth. I have no record of what might have happened to Melinda's first husband and other children.

Melinda and Solomon started out in Oxford Township in Delaware County, then moved, like the rest to the Waldo area of Marion County.

Solomon died on March 16(my birth date), 1874, at the age of 62 years 11 months....His death is listed in the Marion County records as being caused from "Consumption". Melina died on September 21, 1887 in Waldo. Her obit appeared in the local newspaper, but I have no found her or Solomon's grave stones.

From this marriage they had at least 5 children, they are as follows:

Nelson S. Houseworth(my Great-Grandfather)
born 1837 Delaware County, Ohio
died 11/03/1887 in Paulding County, Ohio

Delilah Houseworth
Born 1841 in Delaware County
died unknown

Jacob Houseworth
born 1843 in Delaware County
died Van Wert County, Ohio 1893(?)

Parthena Houseworth
born Delaware County 1845
died Morrow County, Ohio 5/17/1883

Melina Houseworth
born 1849 in Delaware County
died (date unknown) in Cherokee County, Kansas

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prh

1840 Census

When the 1840 Census of the United States came out...Israel was still in Delaware County, Ohio, however he was living in Marlboro Township...Israel had reached 65 years of age by this time...the sons remained in Troy Township for this census.

1835 Census of Delaware County Ohio

You will see the 3 sons and Israel listed as Hasworth...you will also note that one Samuel Newcumer(Newcomer?) in this census, little doubt this is the husband of Polly Houseworth....it appears they moved from Millwood(Knox County) to Troy Township as well.

prh

Israel and Catherine's Children

Israel married Catherine sometime before moving from Pennsylvania to Ohio(no records have been found to verify this fact). Catherine's maiden name and location of birth are unknown to me....she was several years younger than Israel, a fact confirmed by going through census records.

The number of children born to them is at least 7 and it's possible as many as 10. Here is what I have gleaned from records of the days.

The Sons:

Solomon Houseworth(1 of my GG-Grandfathers) born in Bucks County, PA 4/13/1811, died in Waldo, Ohio, March 16, 1874

Frederick Houseworth(another GG-Grandfather, explanation to follow later) born in Bucks County about 1814, died in Morrow County, Ohio, about 1865

George Houseworth born about 1818(probably Bucks County, but possible Bedford County, PA), death date unknown, location unknown.

The Daughters:

From past records, the dates and certainty of female members of a family are always suspect....just because women, with change of names from birth to marriage, ere not as easy to follow.

4 Houseworth girls were married in Knox County during the time that Israel and Catherine lived there(1824-1831), Since Issac showed up later, and stayed later, I am assuming(although not 100% sure) that these four were the daughters of Israel and Catherine(the ages in previous census seems to match as well).

Hetty(Hester) Houseworth married Alexander McKee in 1824

Susanna Houseworth married William Taylor in 1825

Polly Houseworth married Samuel Newcomer in 1826

Elizabeth Houseworth married Nathaniel Cazeno 1827

One a year for 4 straight years...that would be expensive in today's world, pretty sure it wasn't back then. The last names are always suspect to spelling errors in early transcriptions.

Israel and Catherine sold their home(land) in Millwood in June 1831 for $40, and with the 3 sons headed east to Delaware County. Israel and the boys show up in the local 1835 Census of Delaware County, living in Troy Township....the first names all match(see census document), but the last names are posted as Hasworth.

By 1840 the sons(along with Israel) have moved on to Marlborough Township, still in Delaware County, but on the north border with Marion County, and the town of Waldo. This portion of Delaware County was later named part of Marion and from here the Houseworths live in Waldo, Marion County, Ohio for the next 40 or so years(minus those moving and missing in the Civil War).

The sons and Rebecca(another daughter?) all marry within this time frame....Catherine shows up in no further records, the last we see of Israel is in the 1860 Census where he is listed with Solomon Houseworth and being marked as a "Male Domestic". Israel is 85 by this time and he passes away sometime between 1860-1865 after a long life which saw him live in many locations in both Pennsylvania and Ohio(many of those moves coming after the age of 45).

[photo] Owl Creek runs through Millwood, the old mill was located here. I took this picture a few years ago in the fall, but my guess is Owl Creek looks much as it did during Israel Houseworth's days here in the 1820s.

prh

Knox Couinty Land Records

The two circled are Israel and Catherine land purchases/sales...the others are from Issac Houseworth, who appears in several Knox and Delaware County records in the same time frame as Israel...although by 1838 Israel had already moved on to Delaware County, Issac would follow later.

As you might be able to tell...the property Israel bought for $50 in 1828, he sold for $40 in 1831....maybe I got my business sense(lack of) from him....lol!

prh

Millwood, Ohio 1824

Rural Millwood as it looks in the fall


Israil Houseworth is how Israel was listed in the 1830 Census...the Houseworth family had moved on from northeast Ohio to Knox County in central Ohio just north of the current state capitol of Columbus.

My best guess is that Israel and his wife Catherine, along with 8 or 9 children moved the 65 or so miles around 1824. They set up house in Union Township, town of Millwood. The male members were now listed as follows: 1 between 5 and 10 years(a grandson?), and the 3 known sons, 2 aged 10-15(George and Frederick), and Solomon aged 15-20. The female members had dwindled to 4. 1 between the age of 5 and 10(granddaughter or daughter of servant?), 1 aged 10 to 15, and another daughter between 20-30, as well as Catherine who is listed at 40 to 50 years old.

4 daughters are married in Knox County, they are Hetty, Susanna, Polly, and Elizabeth.

Israel and a man named John Haun are believed to be the "founders" of Millwood, Ohio. The following appeared in "The History of Knox County, Ohio, 1881"


"Millwood is situated in the southeastern part of the township(Union). Owl Creek flows along it's north border. It was so named in consequences of the first mill in the locality being built in the woods. Although it is claimed by some of the citizens to have been named in honor of a Mr. Millwood of Virginia, a friend of the founders of the town. It is a neat and ordinary village of about 2000 inhabitants. At one time it was the most flourishing village in the township, and a large amount of business was transacted in the place, but since the locations of the Cleveland, Mt. Vernon, and Columbus Railroad at Howard and Rossville, the tide of business has ceased to flow here, and has been diverted to those villages. The town was laid out about 1825 by John Hann, James Britton, and Israel Houseworth. James Brittion built the first log house in Millwood, and Houseworth the second one. Ross Arbuckle built the first frame dwelling. The first grist mill was built about 1825 by John Hann and Elisha Gibbs."


Today Millwood is a small town of about 200 or so with a couple of local stores, a gas station/restaurant. It is located about 15 miles east of Mt. Vernon.


prh

Roster of the Ship Janet

The Ship "Janet" Roster including Jacob Hauswirth, my GGGG-Grandfather from Rotterdam, Captain William Cunningham.

Jacob Hauswith arrives in Phildelphia

Israel Houseworth's father arrives on the Ship "Janet" from Winden, Zwekbrucken(southwest Germany), on October 7, 1751.

Jacob marries Barbara Brand 10 years later.

On October 13, 1761, @ Tohickon Reformed Church, in Bucks County, Pennylyvania, Jacob Hauswirth married Barbara Brand. As best my information gathered, two daughters were born to the couple, but I have no exact date for the dates of births. Jacob Jr(or John Jacob, records vary) was born April 11, 1766, he passed away in Snyder County, PA, on May 25, 1841. His younger brother(my GGG-Grandfather) Israel Houseworth came along 9 years later on July 9, 1775...before we were even a country of our own.

[log of ship Janet to be included at the end of this chapter]

Israel was baptised at Keller's Lutheran Church on July 30th of his birth year. As for his parents Jacob and Barbara, this is where my information about them ends(for now). Witnesses for the baptism were Rudolph Schiebeler and Margaret Jung[one must realize that spellings, misspellings, and name changes varied thoughout early genealogy, I know of 21 varations of Houseworth, but the German name Hauswith and the English/American version Houseworth, are the most common].

Israel dissapears from records for a number of years, until he arrives in Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Just land records from this time in Israel life, but it appearent that he marries by this time in his life, and by the time I pick up Israel's life again it is in Wayne County, Ohio(northeast Ohio near today's Akron) in the 1820 Census.

Israel Houswart 1820 Census of Wayne County, Ohio

Having a rather rare name like Houseworth makes it much easier to trace your roots, when your prime realitive is named Israel Houseworth, despite the misspellings, you have an even easier road to follow.

Israel shows up in the 1820 US Census living in Wayne County, Ohio, he is listed as Israel Houswart, he was the only Houswart and the only Israel Houswart for sure. His is listed as having a wife 5 daughters and 3 sons[wife's and children's names were not listed in the 1820 census]. Israel is listed as 45+ years old[matching the 1775 birth date], the sons were listed at all under 10 years[later on this would match up age wise], wife[Catherine] was in the slot marked 26-45 years old, the girls were listed 1 under 10, three aged 10 to 15, and 1 in the 16-25 group. Israel would have turned 45 during the census year.

Things[but not the spellings]would become more clear as Israel and his family moved on again, this time to Millwood[Knox County], Ohio, but this time I knew why my side of the Houseworth klan loved to move.....it was Israel who had instilled the wanderlust in his children, and it must have passed on down through the generations.

Israel Houseworth 1775-1863

My Great-Great-Great Grandfather was Israel Houseworth, son of Jacob and Barbara Brand Hauswirth. My first direct relative(that I know of) born in the USA. Israel was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on July 9, 1775, he died in Waldo, Ohio, in 1863.

I began my genealogy ride in January 1999, when I knew almost nothing of the Houseworth Klan and it's genealogy/history.

This blog is the story of that family....enjoy the ride....all comments are welcome.

Patrick R. "Pat" Houseworth
Celina, Ohio