Introduction:
The following pages contain the transcription of a diary kept by Thomas Smith from 1872 through 1875 in Masterville (later renamed Conotton), Harrison County, Ohio. The diary provides a detailed record of rural life in Eastern Ohio in the 19th century.
Thomas Smith was born May 6, 1809, in Ireland, and died February 23, 1881, in Harrison County, Ohio. According to Historical Collections of Harrison County published in 1900, his father, John Smith, emigrated from Ireland in about 1818 and settled in Nottingham Township, Harrison County. However, Harrison County Poll records show a John Smith living in North Township as early as June of 1814. John's wife died in Deersville, Ohio, aged 90.¹
As a young man, Thomas entered the office of the Cadiz Republican, where he learned the printing business. In 1838, he traveled to Dublin, Ireland, for an arranged marriage to Mary Hopkins, born August 27, 1813, in Ireland. Upon his return to Cadiz, Ohio, he entered into the mercantile business and moved to Freeport, Ohio, where he owned and operated a General Store for twenty-five years.²
Census records for Freeport Township 1850 and 1860 show Thomas' occupation as Merchant. The 1870 North Township census lists him as Farmer while the 1880 North Township census lists him as Retired Farmer and indicates that he had become paralyzed. His death would come nine months later.
Thomas rests in row 5, No. 14, beside his wife, Mary, in the North Part of Conotton Cemetery.³ Mary died in North Township, Harrison County, Ohio, June 5, 1882. Mary was the sister of Dr. Abram Hopkins, who settled in Canada and died in 1882.¹
Thomas and Mary had six children:¹
* Joseph - settled in Cleveland.
* Robert H. - died in Pittsburgh December 12, 1885.
* Edward A.- born 1842. He was killed by lightning on Thomas' place in 1879.²
* Theodore W. - born March 17, 1846 and settled in North Township. Theodore married December 8, 1870, Malila English, a native of North Township, daughter of James and Ann McCarroll English.
* Alice J. - died in Leesville.
* Sarah Elizabeth - married Michael Boor Fierbaugh. They were married twenty-one years and had seven children. They named their first son Thomas Smith Fierbaugh. Sarah died at age 38. Her obituary was published in the March 13, 1890 Christian Conservator (February is given as the month of her death whereas January appears on her gravestone). Michael remarried and is buried in Conotton Cemetery with his second wife, Martha. Sarah rests close by. Michael served as a Corporal in the Civil War, Union Ohio Volunteers, 170th Regiment, Company B.
Thomas' siblings were:
* Robert - died Sept 5, 1868 aged 54
* William H. - died June 1, 1873 aged 56
* John
* Sarah - died March 29, 1881 aged 57. Sarah married F.T. Simonton of Deersville.
Robert, William and Sarah rest in the Deersville, Ohio Cemetery.¹
The diary offers a glimpse into Thomas' 19th century world - an earthy world shaded by dark groves of towering hard-woods and filled with the timbre of pure, cascading water. The writings speak for themselves - for there is nothing on Earth so poignant as a human life.
The diary was transcribed as closely as possible to how it was written, misspellings included. Over 800 proper names are mentioned in the diary. To search for keywords, press the Control key and the F key simultaneously on your keyboard to access the Find Box. Be sure to use alternate spellings as well as misspellings in your searches.
References:
¹Historical Collections of Harrison County, Ohio; Hanna, Charles; Augustus, Charles, New York, 1900, pages 571 & 572.
²Biographical Record Harrison & Carroll Counties, Ohio, J.H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1891
³North Township Cemeteries, Harrison County, Cemetery Inscription series Vol. 9, C. 2000 from the Harrison County Ohio Genealogical Society
The Diary of Thomas Smith© is the property of Scio Historical Museum, Scio, Ohio. The museum is open on the fourth Sunday of each month from May through September, and always by appointment: 740-945-2172.
Questions or comments? Email: [email protected]
Thomas Smith was born May 6, 1809, in Ireland, and died February 23, 1881, in Harrison County, Ohio. According to Historical Collections of Harrison County published in 1900, his father, John Smith, emigrated from Ireland in about 1818 and settled in Nottingham Township, Harrison County. However, Harrison County Poll records show a John Smith living in North Township as early as June of 1814. John's wife died in Deersville, Ohio, aged 90.¹
As a young man, Thomas entered the office of the Cadiz Republican, where he learned the printing business. In 1838, he traveled to Dublin, Ireland, for an arranged marriage to Mary Hopkins, born August 27, 1813, in Ireland. Upon his return to Cadiz, Ohio, he entered into the mercantile business and moved to Freeport, Ohio, where he owned and operated a General Store for twenty-five years.²
Census records for Freeport Township 1850 and 1860 show Thomas' occupation as Merchant. The 1870 North Township census lists him as Farmer while the 1880 North Township census lists him as Retired Farmer and indicates that he had become paralyzed. His death would come nine months later.
Thomas rests in row 5, No. 14, beside his wife, Mary, in the North Part of Conotton Cemetery.³ Mary died in North Township, Harrison County, Ohio, June 5, 1882. Mary was the sister of Dr. Abram Hopkins, who settled in Canada and died in 1882.¹
Thomas and Mary had six children:¹
* Joseph - settled in Cleveland.
* Robert H. - died in Pittsburgh December 12, 1885.
* Edward A.- born 1842. He was killed by lightning on Thomas' place in 1879.²
* Theodore W. - born March 17, 1846 and settled in North Township. Theodore married December 8, 1870, Malila English, a native of North Township, daughter of James and Ann McCarroll English.
* Alice J. - died in Leesville.
* Sarah Elizabeth - married Michael Boor Fierbaugh. They were married twenty-one years and had seven children. They named their first son Thomas Smith Fierbaugh. Sarah died at age 38. Her obituary was published in the March 13, 1890 Christian Conservator (February is given as the month of her death whereas January appears on her gravestone). Michael remarried and is buried in Conotton Cemetery with his second wife, Martha. Sarah rests close by. Michael served as a Corporal in the Civil War, Union Ohio Volunteers, 170th Regiment, Company B.
Thomas' siblings were:
* Robert - died Sept 5, 1868 aged 54
* William H. - died June 1, 1873 aged 56
* John
* Sarah - died March 29, 1881 aged 57. Sarah married F.T. Simonton of Deersville.
Robert, William and Sarah rest in the Deersville, Ohio Cemetery.¹
The diary offers a glimpse into Thomas' 19th century world - an earthy world shaded by dark groves of towering hard-woods and filled with the timbre of pure, cascading water. The writings speak for themselves - for there is nothing on Earth so poignant as a human life.
The diary was transcribed as closely as possible to how it was written, misspellings included. Over 800 proper names are mentioned in the diary. To search for keywords, press the Control key and the F key simultaneously on your keyboard to access the Find Box. Be sure to use alternate spellings as well as misspellings in your searches.
References:
¹Historical Collections of Harrison County, Ohio; Hanna, Charles; Augustus, Charles, New York, 1900, pages 571 & 572.
²Biographical Record Harrison & Carroll Counties, Ohio, J.H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1891
³North Township Cemeteries, Harrison County, Cemetery Inscription series Vol. 9, C. 2000 from the Harrison County Ohio Genealogical Society
The Diary of Thomas Smith© is the property of Scio Historical Museum, Scio, Ohio. The museum is open on the fourth Sunday of each month from May through September, and always by appointment: 740-945-2172.
Questions or comments? Email: [email protected]