My Genealogy Hound

ISAIAH D. COUNTS, retired farmer; P. O. Conover. He was born in Bourbon Co., Ky., Nov. 3, 1815, and is a son of Elijah Counts, who was born in Virginia in 1787, and was of German and Welsh parentage; Elijah was brought up on the farm, and, in his earlier years, learned the harness and saddler’s trade, which he followed until 1818. He married Margaret Wiley, of South Carolina, and, soon after their marriage, they emigrated to Kentucky, where they remained until 1819; they again removed and settled in Staunton Township, Miami Co., where he entered a farm of 80 acres near Casstown; there they remained, clearing up their farm, until 1863, when they sold out and settled in Fletcher, where Margaret died Sept. 2 of the same year; Elijah spent his remaining years in various places until Aug. 29, 1879, when he, too, passed away; they had twelve children, of whom six are now living, our subject being the third son; he shared all the pioneer difficulties of Staunton Township, where he nobly assisted his father in opening up the farm. The generations of the nineteenth century can look back over the pages of this history and see what their ancestors have passed through. In 1836, Isaiah began life for himself, and his time has chiefly been devoted to farming since; in 1855, he moved from Staunton Township to what is now his farm of 120 acres, in Sec. 13, Brown Township; this he rented one year and then bought an adjoining farm, where he remained until 1865, when he bought and located where he now is; the above property has been accumulated by the energy and industry of himself and family. Nov. 12, 1843, he married Letitia Wilson, who was born April 13, 1820, and died Dec. 29, 1851, leaving her husband with three children. Isaiah, Sept. 8, 1855, married Elsie Anna Ayers. The children of I. D. Counts are L. F., W. T. and J. W., now deceased. L. F., in the late rebellion, seeing the need of defending his native country, enlisted in Company E, 110th O. V. I., where he participated in two severe engagements and others of minor importance; after serving three years, he was mustered out of service and returned home uninjured.