Abraham Van Kampen Courtright

from "History of Fairfield County, Ohio and Representative Citizens," Ed. Charles C. Miller, 1912. p. 542.

"The next in line of descent was John's son, Abraham van Kortright (or Courtright, according to the modern spelling of the name), was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He married Effa Drake, who was a native of the south of Scotland, and their family consisted of five children--three sons and two daughters,--John, Abraham van, Jesse D., Margaret and Christiana. Margaret became the wife of Walter McFarland and Chrstiana married a Mr. Wheeler. In the year 1801 or 1802, Abraham moved with his family to Ohio. They came over the mountains from Northumberland county, Penn. (their former home), in two two-horse wagons, bringing with them such household goods as they couldnot dispense with; and they also brought a cow. On their way they remained over night at Lancastr, which was then but a small village. They put up at the "Tavern," a two-story hewed log house (regarded then as a very imposing structure), immediately in the rear of which was a stout stockage, where the horses, wagons, cow and other property were enclosed for the night, secure from the depredations of wild animals."

"The next morning the Courtright family bade adieu to the tavern and started in a northwesterly course. They plodded along, covering, as they supposed, about fifteen miles. Night coming on, and the locality pleasing them, they camped for the night, as was usual (and necessary), one of the male members of the family doing guard duty. The next morning the sun shone brightly, the landscape was so inviting and the locality being about what they were looking for, they determined to locate right there, and they did so. A log cabin was erected without delay,a nd they were now at their own home in the 'Northwest Territory.' The farm upon which the cabin was built has been owned by, and has been the home of some members of the Courtright family from that day to this."

"At the time of this migration Abraham van Courtright, or, as otherwise, called Abraham van Camp (or van Compen) Courtright, was about 54 years of age. He was born June 4, 1749 (elsewhere stated as July 8, 1748), and his migration to Ohio is said to have occurred in 1802. The place where he and his family stopped was near what is known as the Betzer church and they purchased this property partly from the government, which had at that time a land office at Chillicothe, and partly at second-hand. During the fall and winter of that year they prepared it for occupation in the following spring. The land has now been owned in the family for 110 years."

"Abraham van Courtright was a strong man intellectually and as such was known far and wide. For several years from 1806 he served as a justice of the peace. His death occurred June 12, 1825."