My Genealogy Hound

JESSE FOLKERTH (deceased). The gentleman whose name heads this sketch was one of the early pioneers of Darke Co. He was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, April 6, 1808, and was a son of William Folkerth, who was born in Maryland, and came to Montgomery Co. about the beginning of the present century. In 1815, he came to Darke Co., where his death occurred Aug. 15, 1848. His wife, Maria Bryant, was born in Maryland and died in Darke Co. in 1845. Jesse Folkerth came to Darke Co. with his parents. He assisted his father in agricultural pursuits until Nov. 23, 1837, at which date he was united in marriage with Anna Curtis. She was born in 1818, and died Feb. 21, 1846; five children were the fruits of this union, of whom William, Lorenzo D. and Maria A. now survive. His marriage with Elizabeth Smith was celebrated May 22, 1847. She was born in Montgomery Co., Ohio, Feb. 8, 1828. They were the parents of six children by this union—Henry C., born April 8, 1849; Jennie C., June 17, 1850; Jesse A., March 19, 1854, died April 5, 1879; John E., Feb. 10, 1857; Eben Lee, Jan. 19, 1860, and one who died in infancy. Of the deceased, Jesse A. had been telegraph operator and station agent of the Pan Handle Railroad at Greenville, for about three years, and, although in the last stages of consumption, he remained at his post of duty until one month previous to his death. He was a young man of great promise, and died in the belief of the promises of his Savior, esteemed and beloved by all who knew him. In the spring of 1838, Jesse Folkerth commenced farming for himself upon the place where he spent the remainder of his days and where his widow with the two unmarried children now reside. He was a man of sterling worth; was politically, a Whig, until the organization of the Republican party, after which he was a hard worker for the success of the latter. He was a strong champion of the cause of temperance, and did not make use of tobacco in any form. He was a member of the Methodist Church for a period of forty years previous to his death, and lived and died a consistent Christian; his death occurred Sept. 20, 1871. Mrs. Folkerth has been a member of the Methodist Church for upward of thirty-five years. She was a daughter of Timothy T. Smith, a native of New Jersey. He married Anna B. Baum, a native of Kentucky. They came to Darke Co. in 1836. Mr. Smith died in Darke Co. in 1865. Mrs. Smith died Dec. 3, 1873, aged 81 years and 5 months.