Muskingum County, Ohio- Genealogy Trails

Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, January 14, 1829
Zanesville, Ohio, Dec. 20.

Murder

On Saturday the 19th inst., a shocking murder was committed in Zanesville by Samuel Loudon on Zachariah Huff. The circumstances attending this crime are so singular that we may search in vain the whole range of human motives to explain why it was perpetrated. Loudon and the deceased were both coopers and had worked for several years together. They were both addicted to drinking and were in the constant habit of toping together. In every respect they were as friendly as they could be. As far as has been heard no quarrel or disagreement of any king took place between them.

On the morning of the murder they had drunk too much to work and were together outside of their workshop by themselves. What happened between them there no one knows. Loudon went to another shop at a small distance and got an axe, telling the workmen that he was going to kill Huff. They thought he was joking and paid no attention to him. He also told Huff’s son that he was about to kill his father, but he also thought that he was joking.

A short time afterwards Loudon came back and told them he had killed the old man. From his cool and unconcerned manner of telling it they did not believe him, but at length they went to the place and found Huff dead, in a sitting position, with his skull cut through. A Coroner’s inquest was held at which Loudon stated that Huff had frequently requested him to kill him and that he had at length consented to do it. He struck him three blows with the axe.

He said he had nothing against Huff, but killed him through mere friendship. He seemed to have no desire to conceal the facts and no remorse for his crime. At his examination before Justice Thompson, and at other times, he still insisted that he had killed Huff through kindness. There is no evidence that Loudon was in any wise insane. He is lodged in jail to await his trial. We have not seen him, but understand that he is a brutal, ill looking man. He says he is an Englishman and that he served with Lord Nelson and was at the battle of Trafalgar.

Submitted by Nancy Piper

Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA,
May 14, 1828
Mail Robbery

The verbal information noticed in our last, respecting the robbery of the United States’ Mail happens to be somewhat incorrect. It appears from the Village Register that the robbery took place between West Union and Maysville on the 18th or 19th ult and that Benjamin Paul of Aberdeen and Duncan Camron, (the submail contractor from West Union to Maysville) are the supposed robbers. It is said they had their trials before Esqrs. Paker and Shelton and that the former is at large on bail. The latter has been removed from the jail at this place to that of West Union, some say on to Columbus. – Georgetown (O.) Castigator.

Submitted by Nancy Piper

The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg , PA , January 23, 1828

Zanesville, Ohio, Jan 12

The incessant rain of Saturday, Sunday and Monday last, raised the Muskingum to a height greater than it has been since 1814 and the lower part of West Zanesville and bottom opposite on the east are completely inundated. All communication with this place by mail or otherwise was cut off for a few days, the small streams being utterly impassable and the loss of bridges, dams, lumber, fences, &c. must be considerable. – Ib.

Submitted by Nancy Piper

The Republican Compiler, Gettysburg , PA , January 23, 1828

Zanesville, Ohio, Jan 12

A Coroner’s inquest was held on Friday last, about three miles from town upon the body of Samuel Calwell, better known by the name of General Howe, who was found dead in a school house. The verdict of the Jury was that he came to his death by excessive drinking. – Republican.

Submitted by Nancy Piper

NEWSPAPER NOTICES, MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO
BLANCHE COLLINS

1817-DIED-At Marietta, General Joseph Wilcox formerly of Killingworth, Conn., aged 68. (*2/13) In this town Saturday last, Mrs. Harriet Jacobs, wife of Mr. Thomas Jacobs of Chillicothe. (*4/'*) In Columbus, Miss Marie Hurlburt of Granville. (*4/3) In Zanesville township on 15th inst. Mr. Valentine Best. At Cincinnati, Hon. Daniel Symmes. At the same place Dr. William Goforth. At Saco (Me.) Mr. Cyrus King, aged 44, late a member from Mass, At St. Clairsville, Mrs. Tirzah Ruggles, consort of Hon. Benjamin Ruggles. (*5/22) In Jefferson twp, Guernsey county, June 9, Mrs. Eliza, wife of Dr. Job Walbridge, late of New Hampshire. (*6/19). In Putnam, on the 4th inst., Mrs. Jane Thompson, wife of Mr. John Thompson (*6/26) At Painesville, on the 7th ult. Hon. Samuel Huntington, aged 49, a native of Connecticut. (*7/8) In Cincinnati. Miss Elvira Cooper. (*12/17) In this town on Sunday last, Elijah B. Merwin, Atty-at-law. (*11/19)
MARRIED-On Thursday last by the Rev. Mr. Culbertson, Mr. Benjamin Carter to Miss Jane Alison, both of this county. In Blue Rock
twp. on Thursday last, by Christian Spangler, Esq., Mr. Michael Waxier, to Miss Mercy Morris. (*4/3) On Thursday last by Rev. Mr.
Culbertson, Mr. Abraham Pollock, to Miss Jane Bigger. (*4/17) On Tuesday the 15th inst. by C. Spangler, Mr. Johnson M'Ginnis to Miss
Margaret Pennick. (*4/24) At Granville, Mass., July 20th, Rev. Orlyn P. Hays of Granville, Ohio, to Miss Betsy P. Harvey. In Salt
Creek twp. on Sunday last by C. Spangler Esq., Mr. Eli Walls to Miss Judith Border. In Zanesville twp. on Thursday last, by the same,
Mr. James Basil to Miss Elizabeth Underwood. (*8/27) On Sunday the 30th ult. by Thomas Flood, Esq., Mr. John Ryan to Miss Jane Wilcox, both of Zanesville. On the 9th inst, by the same, Mr. Leonard Bowman to Miss Catherine Spilerfoch of this city. *12/17) By
Rev. Culbertson on the 16th inst. Mr. Jessie Lewis to Miss Mary Gabriel, both of this county. (*12/24) 1818-DIED-In Maryland, Gen. Robert Bowie, formerly Governor of that state. In Salem twp, Muskingum county, on the 27th ult., of smallpox, Mrs. Leanah Hardy, wife of Mr. Kinzie Hardy. (*l/28) In Stratford, Conn., on the 28th ult. Rev. Nathan Birdseye, aged 108 years. The whole number of his descendants was 258, with 206 of whom are living. He had 12 children, 76 grandchildren, 163 great grandchildren, and 7 of the 5th generation. He married but once and lived sixty-nine years with his wife who died at the age of 88. (*2/25) In Wooster, Feb. 17th, William B. Raymond, Esq., Atty-at-law. (*3/4) In this town on the 6th inst., the youngest child of Wylye Silliman Esq., aged 9 months. (*3/11) In Georgia, General
John Millege, late governor of that state. In New Haven, (Conn) Gen. David Humphreys, a patriot of 1776. On the 20th inst. at Yorktown (N. Y.) John Paulding, one of the three incorruptible patriots who arrested- Major Andre in the Revolutionary War. His funeral was conducted with military and Masonic honors. (*3/18) Near Chillicothe, Mr. John McDonald, in the 90th year. He was a native of Scotland, and was with Gen. Wolfe at the taking of Quebec in 1759. (*4/29) At Wooster (O) on the 21st inst., Mrs. Barbara Smith, aged 100 years and some months. She was a native of Germany

Lima Daily News
Jan 29, 1906

Zanesville, O., Jan 29-

Paul McGinnis, of Frazeyburg, was instantly killed by a Pennsylvania passenger train today.

Lima Daily News
Apr 3, 1906

Zanesville, Apr 3-

While attempting yesterday to save his brother, who had become entangled in a guy wire, Carl Urban, aged 12 years, stepped into a mud hole, thus completing a ground circuit that electrocuted him in the presence of hundreds of school children on front of Grant school. Paul Urban the youngest brother is still unconscious and will probably die.

Lima Daily News
Jan 6, 1917

ZANESVILLE, Jan. 6.—Dr. John H. Williams, 60, a physician of Summerfield, Noble county, died early today from a self-inflicted bullet wound a few hours after he had shot and killed his wife, Maude Williams, 50.
The shooting followed a quarrel in the Williams home during which a violent struggle evidently occurred. Furniture was broken and the downstairs rooms were in disorder. The motive is unknown.
When Holly Williams, 11 year old son returned home from school late yesterday, he found his mother dead. The father, who was in an upstairs room, turned the gun on himself when he heard the boy enter the house. Mrs. Williams was the mother of seven children by a former marriage. She was Dr. Williams' second wife. They have one son.

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) August 24, 1825

Melancholy Occurrence

The barn of Mrs. Given, about 15 miles from Zanesville, Ohio on the Wheeling road was struck by lightning on the 1st inst., and her two eldest sons, John and Wm. Given, promising and amiable young men, in the prime of life, who were threshing in the barn, were instantly killed. The barn was good and new and contained as was supposed about nine hundred bushels of wheat, the whole of which was burnt up.

Submitted by Nancy Piper

Lima Daily Times
Feb 19, 1891

Zanesville, O., Feb 19- The 2 year-old child of Miles Adams, a resident of the Seventh ward, was buried yesterday. His death was caused by the drinking of concentrated lye. Mrs. Adams was using the lye in cleaning grease from the floor, when the little one got hold of it unobserved and drank it. The funeral was to have taken place from the house, but the waters became so high as to compel the family to move to a home of a neighbor, who lives on higher ground.

By Rev. J. M. Faris, at the home of the bride's parents, New Concord, Ohio, September 3, 1891, Geouge Watson, Jr., and Miss Anna Spekr, the former of Hix's Mills, Ohio, and the latter of New Concord, Ohio.

Source: The Reformed Presbyterian and covenanter, Vol. 29, Nov 1891

Taken from The National Almanac & annual record for 1863-64 by Wm. V. McKean

Balding, Joe, a colored man died in the infirmary at Zanesville, Ohio, aged 121 years. He was orginally a slave in Fairfax co., Va.

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania December 20 1826

Keen Cutting

The merchant mill belonging to Mr. Thomas Kerr, on the Youghiogheny river, is now in full operation, having reaction wheels and is grinding at the rapid rate of seventy-five bushels of rye per hour, and making one hundred and sixty-five revolutions in a minute. This mill was built by Mr. Abner Pile, formerly of Zanesville, Ohio. -- Westmoreland Republican

Submitted by Nancy Piper

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania April 27, 1827

On Monday last, (says the Zanesville Republican, of March 24) the contents of a loaded Musket, was lodged in the neck of a Mrs. Clayton, of this place, which may eventually deprive her of life. A young man had stepped into the shop of Mr. Clayton and took up the Musket, not knowing it was charged, and whilst handling it, it went off; the load penetrating a board partition and entering the neck of Mrs. Clayton, who was in the adjoining room, just below the right ear and lodging against the vertebrae.

Submitted by Nancy Piper

Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania May 16, 1827

Distressing Occurrence

C. M. Gould, son of Robert Gould, of this place, was drowned in the Muskingum river, on Saturday the 14th ultimo. Notwithstanding every exertion that could be made his body is not yet found. He was 16 years old three days before his death. - Muskingum Messenger.

Submitted by Nancy Piper