My Genealogy Hound

SQUIRE JEFFERIS, farmer; P. O. German. The subject of this memoir, Squire Jefferis, was born in German Township, Darke Co., Ohio, June 26, 1828; he is of English descent; he lived with his parents until he attained to his majority, assisting in the duties of the farm, which then consisted largely in removing the forests from the land, preparatory to farming; his winter months were devoted to the acquisition of knowledge in the common schools, which were then after the pioneer-style; he attended his first school in the second schoolhouse erected in the township, which stood on Sec. 13; his first instructor was Milton Moore; by close attention to his books, he qualified himself for the profession of teaching, and taught his first school in 1850, in what was known as the “James Daily District,” in German Township; the building in which he taught was only 16x18 feet, and his average daily attendance forty; he was recompensed for his arduous labor at the rate of $15 per month, boarding himself; he followed teaching during the winter months for a period of ten years, and for five summers during this time engaged in the manufacture of brick, the balance of the summers were spent in farming. In 1858, he was married to Miss Margaret A. Brown, daughter of John and Mary Brown; after his marriage he moved to Washington Township, and engaged in farming; in the same spring, he was elected Constable of the township, to which office he was elected for four years in succession; he lived with his wife about six years, when they separated and broke up housekeeping; one child was born to this union, Viz., Ida Jane. For several years subsequent to this, he had no permanent home. On the 9th of February, 1869, he was united in marriage to Martha M. Butler, of Randolph Co., Ind.; she is the daughter of James and Elizabeth E. Butler; the same spring of his marriage, he moved to German Township, locating on Sec. 3, where he has since lived; three children are the fruits of this union, a son and two daughters. The chief occupation of our subject has been farming, though he has dealt to some extent in stock for the last fifteen or twenty years; in 1872, he was elected to the office of Justice of the Peace, and served a term of three years, discharging the duties thereof, with commendable zeal and satisfaction to his constituency; he is the son of Darlington L. and Mary Jefferis. Darlington L. was born in Virginia, Oct. 25, 1796; in 1798, his father moved to Fayette Co., Penn., where they lived until 1806; at this time they emigrated to Ohio and located in Butler Co.; at the end of two years. they moved to Clinton Co.; in 1820, Darlington L. left the parental roof, to try his fortunes in the wilds of Darke Co.; he first made his home with Peter Kimball, in Washington Township, and the same year entered 160 acres of land in German Township. His marriage with Miss Mary Potter was celebrated the, following year, 1821; she was the daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth (Drew) Potter, natives of New Jersey, and early pioneers of this State, coming here in 1816. Shortly after the marriage of Mr. Jefferis, he erected a log cabin on his land, into which he moved and began life in earnest; by his indomitable energy and persevering industry, being ably assisted by his noble wife, he soon made the wilderness “blossom as the rose;” by good management he added to his farm, until he subsequently had in his possession over 500 acres of fertile land, under excellent improvement; he is still living on the farm he entered sixty years ago. There were born to Darlington L. and Mary Jefferis, ten children, viz.: Rebecca, deceased in infancy; Julian, deceased at the age of 13; Job D., married to Caroline Coble; Squire, subject of this sketch; John, deceased at age of 3 years; Milton M., married to Louisa Chenoweth; Mary A., married to Samuel F. Armstrong; Joshua, married to Sarah J. Ware; William H. H. died at the age of 22, at Nashville, Tenn., while in the service of his country in the late rebellion; his remains were brought home and buried beside his friends gone before; Elizabeth, married to William H. Mills. Darlington L. Jefferis is a son of Job and Rebecca (Long) Jefferis; Job J. was born in Chester Co., Penn., June 9, 1776, and married Rebecca, daughter of Owen and Lydia Long, Dec. 10, 1794; she deceased four years after their marriage, leaving a son, Darlington L., the father of our subject; his second marriage was consummated with Rebecca Vail, whose death occurred shortly after; a daughter was born to this union, Catherine, who subsequently married Ivan Ward, and moved to Jay Co., Ind. Mr. Jefferis married Elizabeth Nichalson for his third wife, who died Oct. 19, 1856; three children were born to this union—Job E., Joab and Hannah. Mr. Jefferis was a farmer by occupation, and emigrated to Clinton Co., Ohio, in 1808, where he lived until his death, which occurred Jan. 1, 1846; he was the son of William and Hannah (Darlington) Jefferis. William J. was born in Chester Co., Penn., May 12, 1729, and united in marriage in 1752, to Hannah Darlington, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Darlington. Abraham Darlington was born in Darnhall, Cheshire, England, and emigrated to America when a young man. William and Hannah J. resided in Bradford, Chester Co., Penn., until their death; they were the parents of twelve children, viz.: Jane, born Oct. 20, 1752, married to Frederick Wolf; Elizabeth, born April 15, 1754, married John Hickman; Rachel, born Aug. 14, 1755, married to Griffith Roberts; Hannah, born April 7, 1757, married to David Harris; Rebecca, born Aug. 18, 1759; William, born Sept. 5, 1761, married to Ann Woodward and Martha Mendenhall; Abraham, born Feb. 22, 1763, married Martha Way and Ann Carter; Agnes, born Sept. 2, 1764; Job, born June 9, 1766, married Rebecca Long and others; Lydia, born May 17, 1768, married Jacob Aughee; Mary, born Dec. 10, 1770; Martha, born Feb. 17, 1773. William Jefferis was a son of William Jefferis, Sr., and Elizabeth Jefferis. William Jefferis, Sr., was born in Delaware Co., Penn., about the year 1700, and was married in 1724 to Elizabeth, widow of John Nield, and daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Bing; after residing for several years in Delaware Co., they moved to Chester Co., where they lived until their death; they were the parents of the following children: Mary, born July 29, 1727, married William Marsh; William, born May 12, 1729, married Hannah Darlington; Martha, born March 8, 1731, married William Bennett; Nathaniel, born Jan. 8, 1733, married twice, persons unknown; Hannah, married John Hunt; Samuel, born Dec. 6, 1736, married Margaret Townsend; Nathan, born July 6, 1741, married Penninah Strode. William Jefferis, Sr., was a son of Robert and Jane (Chandler) Jefferis. Robert Jefferis was born about the year 1670, and emigrated to Chester Co., Penn., as early as 1685; it is supposed that he was born in England; he was married in 1693 to Jane, daughter of George and Jane Chandler, who came from Wiltshire, England, in the year 1689. They were the parents of the following children: Patience, married to Henry Betterton; Charity, married to John Evans and John Cope; William, married in 1724, Elizabeth Neild; James, married in 1827 Elizabeth Carter; Robert, married to Eleanor, and Elizabeth; George, married to Lydia; Jane, married to Joseph Skeen; Anne, married to Alexander Duncan; Mary, married to Thomas Temple. Robert Jefferis was married the second time, and there were born to this union, Benjamin, Thomas, John, and Richard.