Joseph Longfellow

Joseph LONGFELLOW (War of 1812 veteran, served as a Private in Captain Thomas Stretch's Company from November 27 to December 27, 1812.) born 9 Nov 1766 Delaware or Maryland; married (1) Tracy MERIDA who died a short time after their marriage; married (2) Mary FOWLER with whom he had 13 children. Mary died in 1822 in Champaign Co, Ohio. Joseph married (3) Martha (HULL) CROW in 1826 and they had 6 children; Joseph died 11 Dec 1865 Champaign Co, Ohio

(Note: The relationship to the poet Longfellow would have been much more distant than cousin but I have been unable to confirm the conclusion that they were both descended of the emigrant ancestor William Longfellow who came to America in 1620. The belief is that he was descended of the eldest son of this emigrant ancestor.)

Following is quoted from HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY OHIO:

"In 1809 the first member of the Longfellow family arrived in the township. Joseph Longfellow, a native of Deleware, later resident of Kentucky and still later of Concord township, Champaign County. He was a cousin of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the poet. The trip of Longfellow and his wife from Deleware to this county is fraught with a great deal of interest and is worthy of being perpetuated in the history of this township.

They emigrated in a one-horse cart from Deleware to Kentucky and the same vehicle furnished their only means of transportation from the latter state to Champaign County. The harness for this one horse was homemade and there was not a bit of iron used in its construction. They stoppped only a short time in Kentucky and then set out again on the long trip to Ohio. They packed their household goods in the cart, but when this was done there was not room for either of them to ride. Not only that, but there were two things necessary to take along which had to be carried- he wanted his gun, and she insisted that a bread tray could not be left behind. So, armed with the gun and bread tray, respectively, the couple- and both were over sixty years of age- started with their cart and faithful horse for the land of promise, for Concord township, Champaign County, Ohio. And they walked the entire distance, he leading the horse and she following with her bread tray to give notice if anything should fall off the cart. Thus came to the county the first members of a family which have become well known and substantial citizens and are represented by many descendants today."

(Note- age is incorrect, Joseph would have been 43 in 1809, even more remarkable is that if the 1809 date is correct, they would have had four small children- ranging in age from I year old to 7 years old at the time of their journey from Kentucky to Ohio. Another source says May 1805 which seems a more realistic date considering children.)

Joseph is described as follows in this same source: "....a man of very small stature, yet a man of wonderful physical endurance. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and died in 1865 in his one hundredth year. Mr. Longfellow, in common with his neighbors, was seriously troubled with the squirrels. In order to more securely preserve his corn, he hauled it to his house one season, and stacked it in his yard. Coming out of his house one morning, he found perhaps a hundred squirrels at his corn. In his effort to drive them away, sixteen of them beat a retreat up the well-pole. Mr. L. cast his first vote for Gen. Washington in Deleware, and voted at every Presidential election from the foundation of the govemment until the second term of Abraham Lincoln."

I include the following from the HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, OHIO to give a better picture of the times and conditions of life in this area at the time of Joseph's life. Joseph is mentioned in a minor role in the first excerpt and, although not mentioned in the second, surely must have been affected by it.

"About the time of the organization of the township, there lived on what is known as the 'Joseph Russell farm', near Concord Chapel, a family named Foley, consisting of the parents and four sons, ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-six years. These young men were noted for nothing except their disposition to quarrel and their huge, muscular frames. It became a kind of fixed habit with them, whenever they got into a crowd, to get into a quarrel, and then into a fight, in which they always proved victorious. There lived about this time, in Salem Township, on the 'McBeth Hill,' a family named Wilkinson. In this family was a son, named Thomas, who was also noted for his great muscular power, but not inclined to be quarrelsome. On learning of the success of the Foleys, he remarked that he would like to try one of them. This remark soon reached the ears of the Foleys, and they resolved to give Wilkinson an opportunity to try his strength. In the month of July, 1819, and during harvest, the Foley boys went to the farm of Felix Rock, now the home of Daniel Kizer, ostensibly for the purpose of assisting in the harvest field, when in reality they went there to whip Tom Wilkinson. After dinner, their object in coming was made known and Wilkinson invited to fight. All four of the Foley boys were present, and Wilkinson being asked which of the four he wanted to fight, replied the best man they had. They accordingly repaired to the shade of a large maple-tree, yet standing in Esquire Kizer's yard, and at it they went. But little time served to show that the Foleys had met their match. His brothers discovering that they had waked up the wrong passenger, called out to Daniel (the brother's name) to strike Wilkinson an underhanded blow. This suggestion was taken in due time by Wilkinson and improved. But a single blow, and Foley fell across the root of the maple-tree. WilkInson attempted to follow up the advantage thus gained, but was prevented by the Foley brothers, one of whom (William) struck WilKinson a hard blow. This being considered foul play, according to rules governing such pugilistic efforts in those days, William was duly informed by Wilkinson that the next time they met his time would come. Daniel Foley was carried from that yard a ruined man, and, on the ninth day following, died from the effects of the fight. Wilkinson's avowal that he would whip William Foley became a great topic, and the people looked forward to the event with as much anxiety as a certain class now look forward to a prize fight. The following fall, at a corn-husking at Joseph Longfellow's, the parties again met, and, after supper, by mutual consent, entered into combat, which resulted in the defeat of Foley again. In 1822, at a general muster on the home farm of George Kite, in Mad River Township, these Foleys all got badly whipped by Reuben Loudenback and Isaac Moody, after which they left the country for the country's good."

"One incident that served to stir up the community and create an alarm among the inhabitants, was the murder of Arthur Thomas and son in August, 1813. It will be remembered that Thomas and son had left their company to look after their horses, some five miles from Bellefontaine, and not returning, were found next day murdered by the Indians, and hung up by the heels and their intestines hanging around their necks. These bodies were taken by a deputation of citizens the following day to Urbana and interred in the old graveyard. Mr. Thomas lived in Salem Township on the same spot now occupied by his grand-daughter, Mrs. Celinda Bates. Many of the settlers on the frontier retraced their steps to safer quarters after this event became known."

• Census: 1830 - Champaign Co, Concord, OH -21100001-0001101
• Census: 1840 - Champaign Co, Concord, OH pg299 1m<5, 2m5-10, 2m10-15, 1m15-20, 1m70-80; 1f20-30, 1f40-50
• Census: 1850 - Champaign Co, Concord, OH-pg317
• Census: 1860 - Champaign Co, Concord, OH -pg 207 age 19
  • Reference: MyHeritage Family Trees - SmartCopy: Apr 1 2023, 13:53:05 UTC