My Genealogy Hound

JACOB BRICKEL. Among the many pleasant homes of Jamestown, where numbers of the retired farmers of Greene County have wisely decided to spend their declining years, may be mentioned that of Mr. Brickel, which is pleasantly located on Washington Street, one of the choicest residence portions of the city. He removed here from his farm in Jasper Township, in 1882, but still retains ownership of the homestead, which was built up mainly through his industry and perseverance. This comprises one hundred and sixty-six acres of choice land, upon which have been erected good buildings and all the other accessories of the modern country estate.

Mr. Brickel came to this county in 1838, a very poor man, without money and $20 in debt. He located first in Silver Creek Township, whence he removed to New Jasper Township. Prior to this he had lived in Fostoria, this State, four years, removing to that place from Jefferson County, where his parents had settled upon their removal to Ohio from Dauphin County, Pa.

Mr. Brickel was born February 25, 1815, in Dauphin County, Pa., and was the son of John Brickel, also a native of that county, and of German descent. The paternal grandparents of our subject spent their entire lives in the Keystone State. John Brickel was reared to farm pursuits in his native county, and when reaching manhood was joined in wedlock with Miss Nancy Jones. The latter was born and reared in Pennsylvania, and was, like her husband, of German ancestry. After marriage John Brickel and his wife lived on a farm in Dauphin County, Pa., for a number of years, and then, coming to Ohio, located in Jefferson County, where they sojourned for twenty years. Then, when quite aged, they removed to Greene Couuty, settling near Jamestown, where Mr. Brickel died at the age of sixty-eight years. The mother survived her husband many years, living to the advanced age of eighty-two. Both were prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The subject of this notice was the second of eight children, four sons and four daughters, born to his parents, and was a small boy when they settled in Jefferson County. At the age of eighteen, he started out for himself, and going to Fostoria, Hancock County, was variously employed, and in the meantime made the acquaintance of Miss Mary Phillips, to whom he was married August 25, 1835. Mrs. Brickel was born February 22, 1818, in Union County, Pa., and removed with her parents to Hancock County, this State, when little more than a child. Her father, Henry Phillips, died in Wayne County, at the age of forty-eight years. The mother lived to be past eighty, and died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. T. L. Sheeley, near Jamestown. Her maiden name was Margaret Becken. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, with which the latter identified herself when a girl of fourteen years.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Brickel lived in Hancock County until after the birth of two children, then removed to Greene County, and Mrs. Brickel died in Jamestown, July 14, 1888. Her age was seventy years, four months, and fourteen days. She had from childhood been an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Of her marriage with our subject, there was born a family of eleven children, three of whom died young. The survivors are recorded as follows: Margaret is the wife of Thomas Fields, a farmer of Silver Creek Township; Amanda J. married John S. Bales, and they live on a farm in Xenia Township; Louisa is the wife of Henry Althens, and they live in Xenia; Katie married Daniel Zortman, and they are residents of Jamestown; Emma married John Landers, and they are living on a farm near Jamestown; Daniel A. married. Miss Belle Gideon, and is farming in New Jasper Township; John H. married Katie Clemens, and is farming in Caesar’s Creek Township; G. Frank married Miss Belle Smith, and is farming in Ross Township.

Mr. Brickel cast his first Presidential vote for Van Buren, and is a stanch supporter of the Democratic party. He has been for many years a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and enjoys in a marked degree the confidence and esteem of the people around him.