Double Cousin Marriage

In the earliest years of the 19th century, the landscape of Logan County was sparsely populated, and cousin marriages in small settlements were commonplace. Sometimes, even double cousins were married to one another. Between 1805 and 1806, together with their families, cousins James Bishop and Eliza Inskeep, aged 6 and 2, made the journey to Logan County, Ohio from Culpeper County, Virginia. After settling in their new home and growing into adulthood, James and Eliza were married and raised 9 children.

James and Eliza were double cousins. Instead of sharing one set of grandparents, they shared both sets. Eliza's mother and James' father were siblings, and James' mother and Eliza's father were siblings. Double cousins are more closely related than regular cousins. "Genetically, they are equal to siblings" reports Wikipedia on the subject, as they have "double the degree of kinship as ordinary first cousins."

James and Eliza lost one daughter before her first birthday, which was, sadly, more common in those days. However, I am unqualified to diagnose the cause of death of their three daughters who died at age 20, 23, and 23, respectively. However, I don't think it is unethical to guess that they may have unfortunately inherited a genetic condition that prevented them from living into adulthood, though it is pure speculation on my part.

Despite the loss of three children as young adults, one son of James and Eliza was known as being a very strong and intelligent man. Job Summerfield Bishop (1824-1911), the oldest son of James and Eliza, lived to be 86 years old. With a wife, Mary Inskeep Moore, and two small children at home, Job served in the Union Army during the Civil War, enlisting in 1861 as a Private in Company E, 62nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He received a disability discharge in 1862. Known for his "zeal and progressive spirit," and for "being a wide-awake, intelligent and enthusiastic farmer," Job served as Treasurer for the Order Sons of Temperance in the latter part of the 19th century (Perrin, et.al., 1880, pgs. 479, 642). The 1875 and 1890 plat maps of Zane Township shows that Job owned 101 acres along what is now State Route 559. The censuses indicate that he owned his land free and clear.

For a visual example of the double cousin relationship, take a look Job's pedigree:

(click to enlarge)

My husband descends from James and Eliza in the following way: James Bishop and Eliza Inskeep > Job Summerfield Bishop > James Henry Bishop > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop.

Quakers and Methodists

Some of the first pioneers to settle in Ohio after the American Revolution were of the Quaker religion, and John Garwood, Sr. was a Friend. Considered to be the very first settlers in the region, he and his wife Esther Haines migrated from Virginia between 1803 and 1804 and built their cabin on Otter Creek, where today stands the village of East Liberty. A year later, the first Friends meeting house was built about 1.5 miles south, where the only thing left today is the Darby Creek Cemetery. Methodists and Quakers shared this first church building for several years until a Methodist building was built near the village of Middleburg. In 1810 John Sr. met the community's need for a flouring-mill when he built one near his home. His mill quickly became a common meeting place where a village and post office sprang up around it and all roads and trails diverged from it for a great distance. The mill on Otter Creek was such a well-known center that the village around it was called Garwood's Mill (Perrin, et.al., 1880, pages: 479, 536, 540, 542, 539).

John Garwood, Sr. is my husband's great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather as follows: John Garwood, Sr. > Margaret Garwood > Job Inskeep > Sarah Ann Inskeep > Etta May Morton > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop

Several of John Sr.'s children and their spouses migrated to the same region of Ohio between 1805 and 1806. Altogether came six sons and five daughters (and of course, many grandchildren). One of his daughters, Margaret, was the wife of Methodist minister Joshua Inskeep, also from Virginia. Joshua and Margaret settled in Zane Township, probably near the village of Middleburg. Johnny Appleseed came through and planted a nursery on the Inskeep farm in 1810. How cool is that? :) Noted as being a man of "most remarkable pluck," Joshua Inskeep built the first brick house in the township of Zane, a building which was still standing in 1880, and which I hope is still around today, but have not yet been able to locate. Generous hosts, Joshua and Margaret were known to entertain 50 to 75 people during Methodist quarterly meetings. In 1815 Joshua built the first saw-mill on Mill Branch, where there was a Methodist church and a schoolhouse, and the area became known as Inskeep's Mill. In 1836, Joshua donated more than half the funds to build an elaborate new Methodist Church building, but the project was too large for the congregation and was later sold to be used as a carriage factory (Perrin, et. al., 1880, pages: 467, 471, 479, 483-84, 536, 641).

Joshua Inskeep is my husband's great-great-great-great-great-grandfather as follows: Joshua Inskeep > Job Inskeep > Sarah Ann Inskeep > Etta May Morton > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop.

John Garwood, Sr. settled near East Liberty,
and Joshua Inskeep settled near Middleburg
(click to enlarge)

John Sharp mentioned in 1880 publication

About John Sharp it is said that:

“In the year, 1803, John Sharp, brother of Job Sharp, who had remained behind his brother in Virginia, followed after and settled in the immediate vicinity. He began to improve and clear his land, harassed, however, by all the drawbacks incident to pioneer life. He reared a family of eight sons and three daughters. He died at the advanced age of 98, universally beloved and respected. Many of his descendants are well-to-do citizens of this township.” (Perrin, et.al., 1880, pg 466)

John Sharp > Sarah Sharp > Sarah Ann Inskeep > Etta May Morton > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop

Bishop Cemetery sans Bishops

Searching through cemetery inscriptions is made easier by historians who have carefully transcribed every name and date and published it online. The Bishop Cemetery, described as being 1/10 mile west of State Route 559 and 2/10 mile north of County Road 44, was always curious to me because despite its name and location on old Bishop land, there are no Bishops buried there. Just three graves are there, belonging to a 67 year old Doctor and Senator, and two infants, one being the infant child of the doctor, and another with the surname Clarke. I was confused about this until I found this passage about the good doctor in the 1880 book History of Logan County and Ohio by Perrin, et. al.:

"Dr. John D. Elbert, of Kentucky, was the first physician in this township. He came in 1809, and settled on the farm now owned by Job Bishop. He was one of the founders of the first Methodist Episcopal Church, and died on his way to visit a patient, December 28, 1838. The epitaph upon his gravestone expresses the opinion of those who knew him well. It is as follows: "Dr. Elbert was a good physician, an honest man, a sincere Christian and truly the friend of the poor and afflicted. He died in the 67th year of his age." (page 468)

This is a fascinating clue about the place in time that Job Bishop (1824-1911) acquired his farm. He would have been 14 years old when Dr. Elbert died. The Clarke baby was buried in the Bishop Cemetery in 1853, just one year before Job Bishop was married to Mary Inskeep Moore. This probably means that the land was owned by the Clarke family in between being owned by the Elberts and the Bishops.

Job Bishop and his wife Mary lived and worked the land for many years and were very successful. However, they were not laid to rest in the little Bishop Cemetery. Not far from their land is the Mt. Moriah Cemetery, where a church and schoolhouse once stood. This is the place where Job and Mary were laid to rest among other members of their community. That small family cemetery might be more appropriately called the Elbert Clarke Cemetery, but I wouldn't have learned anything had it been called that.

Job Bishop is my husband's great-great-great-grandfather as follows: Job Summerfield Bishop > James Henry Bishop > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop

Mr. Morton: Prominent and Successful Farmer

The following is taken directly from the 1880 book History of Logan County and Ohio by William Henry Perrin, J.H. Battle, O.L. Baskin & Co. Now available through Google Books, it is easy to find and read this wonderful biography about my husband's great-great-great-grandfather (page 637).

"A.W. Morton, farmer; P.O., West Middleburg. Among the prominent and successful farmers Mr. Morton ranks with the first. He was born in Columbiana Co., O., July 31, 1832. His father, Israel Morton, was born in Pennsylvania, and mother, Hanna (Conn.) Morton, in New Jersey. When A.W. was 6 years old his father moved to the village of Westville, where he kept a hotel nine years. He then moved to his farm, and one year later to Zane Tp., which was in 1848, and located on the farm now owned by Edmund Outland. The subject of our biography was married July 4, 1861, to Miss Sarah A. Inskeep, daughter of Job Inskeep, a native of Culpepper Co., Va., and came here among the very first settlers, with his father, Joshua, who figured prominently in the early history of Zane Tp. Mrs. Morton was born March 5th, 1840. They have a family of three girls - Etta May, Rose Myrtle and Edna Gertrude. Mr. Morton had an offer for an education for the law, but chose rather to follow the plow, in which he has achieved uncommon success. At the time of his marriage he had no land, and after purchasing a farm he found himself in debt to the amount of about $5,000, with assets only about $1,200, but by careful attention to his business he managed in the course of four and a half years to clear his entire indebtedness. His farm now consists of 263 acres of good land, well watered and under-drained, and especially adapted to wheat-growing, in which he has been an exceedingly successful producer. He has a sugar-camp of about 2,000 vessels, and produces about 4,000 pounds annually. He is a member of I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 268, North Lewisburg. As a citizen, everyone speaks in the highest terms of Mr. Morton."

In case you were wondering as I was, I.O.O.F. means Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a charitable brotherhood organization founded in 1819.

Beyond the Mt. Moriah Cemetery on St. Rt. 559 is the land
once owned by Mr. Morton, green and slightly rolling,
hemmed by tall forests, cut by a small stream.

Morton land to the left, Bishop land to the right,
shown on 1875 plat map of Zane Township,
with the village of Middleburg in the upper center

Following the 1875 map, this location is where the Morton
residence once stood. Is that their old barn? Is that their
home still standing there? It's a private residence now.

A.W. Morton and his wife Sarah are buried together
at the Middleburg Cemetery, Zane Twp., Logan Co., Ohio

A.W. Morton > Etta May Morton > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop

The Farmers' Daughter and Son

This is a photo of Etta May Morton (1864 - 1923) and James Henry Bishop (1855 - 1931). I have no idea when this photo was taken! However, judging by their apparent age and dress, my personal genealogist consultant (aka Mom) consulted her resources to determine that this photo could have been made between 1909 - 1913. She informed me that Etta is wearing the common style for women of all ages, dark skirt and jacket with white blouse, with her hair in the style of an older woman, being secured up but not in the full puffy fashion like the younger women did in those days. Her skirt does seem a bit shorter than it should be, but that could be a regional or practical style for farm wives.

These are the great-great-grandparents of my husband, as follows: Etta and James > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop.

Etta M. Morton and James Henry Bishop

Etta was one of three children of A.W. Morton and Sarah Ann Inskeep. James was one of three children of Job Summerfield Bishop and Mary Inskeep Moore.

Etta May and James grew up on the large farms of their fathers and mothers, just across the road from one another. By 1875, a local plat map shows that James Bishop had purchased 23 acres of land off State Route 559 between the lands of his father and Etta's father, Mr. Morton. In 1884, he and Etta May were married. 

James H. and Etta M. Bishop were laid to rest in the
Middleburg Cemetery, Zane Twp., Logan Co., Ohio

Captain John Sharp

My husband descends from several early pioneers of Logan County Ohio, including Captain John Sharp, veteran of the American Revolutionary War. Captain Sharp's grave is 2 miles north of the village of Middleburg, just off County Road 152 in the Darby Creek Cemetery of Zane Township, Logan County, Ohio, and reads:

JOHN SHARP

CAPTAIN

ARMAND'S PARTISAN CORPS

PA TROOPS

REV WAR

MARCH 7, 1854

Now, if you are a history nut like me, you are wondering "What is Armand's Partisan Corps?" According to the National Parks Service, it was a group of mostly foreign volunteers in the Continental Army. Wikipedia suggests it was a dragoon unit. This website gives a biography of Colonel Armand, a Frenchman who founded the Corps and led into battle thousands of volunteers for the War of Independence.

Captain Sharp is my husband's great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, and is related to him directly as follows: John Sharp > Sarah Sharp > Sarah Ann Inskeep > Etta May Morton > Glen Owen Bishop > Jimmie R. Bishop > Bruce Bishop > Dusty Bishop