The following information comes from a small pamphlet compiled and, "prepared by a Committee appointed by the Social Civics Club of New Petersburg, Ohio - August 9th, 1967." My grandmother, Hazel Hiatt (Shimp) MARSH (1904 - 1999), received it when she attended a reunion at McClain High School in Greenfield, Highland County, Ohio. You can see that I have copied the names of the families described in this pamphlet. I will add details taken from this pamphlet as time permits and will email this document again and again until it is complete. Please be patient with me. Thank you and I hope some of you may find this information useful. regards, Roberta ============================= Nicholas BLASER was born in Germany, in the year 1824 and emigrating to America, settled in Paint Township, about one mile south of New Petersburg in the year 1850, where with the characteristic economy and industry of his countrymen, he had attained an assured position, both in financial and social matters. He married Susan MONTGOMERY Nov 22, 1857, the daughter of James and Mary KERNS MONTGOMERY. She was born May 22, 1836. To this union, 10 children were born. Four dying and the rest grew to adulthood. The most of them married, lived and died in Paint Township. Nick and Susie BLASER, as they were better known, died in the community, he in 1896, and she in 1922, and were buried in the Gilboa cemetery. They had 26 grand children and 11 now survive. The Spurgeon BLASER farm is now owned by Homer and Grace Blaser ERSKINE. Rev Nicholas CARPER came to New Petersburg from new Xenia bout the year 1830. He was a native of Culpepper County, Virginia. His wife, Harriett Elizabeth NEVILLIE was of the French Huguenot origin, the family having fled France during the Protestant persecutions. Originally he was a Methodist minister, but because of certain beliefs which he held he was expelled from that denomination. He embraced the Universalist religion and ministered in that faith until his death. He seldom received pay for his service so to support his large family he followed the trade of a tanner and for years operated a tan yard in New Petersburg. At least three of his sons, Thomas, George, and Nicholas, Jr.., served in the Union Army during the Civil War. Many of his descendants reside in Highland and neighboring counties. (Dick Snyder House). Jonathan B COWGILL - Descendant of a pioneer family that left Culpepper Court House, Virginia, in 1806, seeking a home in the west. This family consisted of Henry COWGILL, his wife, Eleanor and their three children, Sarah, Benjamin, and Henry. They first located on Hardins Creek, but later purchased a tract of land in Paint Township for which he paid $2.50 per acre. Benjamin married Margaret GARRETT and by her had four children - Henry, Martha (married Lewis ROADS), William, and Eleanor. Benjamin was a blacksmith besides farming his 212 acres. He was a devoted Friend and in 1876 the Friends erected a church on land donated by Benjamin. After the death of his first wife, Margaret, he married her sister Rachel, by whom he had the following children: - Sarah, wife of Harry EVANS; Hattie, wife of William PARKER; Jonathon B.; Mary, wife of Jonathon ROUSH; and Charles G. Jonathon B. married Rebecca PARKER by whom he had eight children: William; B.M. ; Albert G. ; Clarence O. ; Benjamin ; Thomas R. ; Martha D. ; and W. Parker. William COX was born in Ross County in 1842. He fought in the Civil War and came to New Petersburg and married Cynthia HAYS. To this union seven children were born. Their daughter Ella married Charles MERSHON. He came from Locust Grove to the Milton ELLIOTT farm when he was 13. Mr. MERSHON and his wife raised a large family. His wife and several children have preceded him in death. The rest of his children live in or around New Petersburg. Alexander CRAWFORD - the first representative of this family came to Ohio from Greene County, Penn., in the year 1796. He settled in Ross County where he ran a grist mill. He was drowned in a nearby creek. His son, Alexander, Jr., moved to Plum Run in Paint Township where he built a mill which he operated until his death in 1874. He was the father of seven children, two of whom, Jesse and Alexander, remained in Paint Township, moving to a farm in 1856, which they operated as partners and in 1873 built the house which still stands. The farm remained in the family for three generations. Jesse married Ruth WHEATON and they had five children : Emma Burgess, whose son was John A. ; John, who died in 1894 ; Elizabeth wife of Albert MCCOY of Washington C.H. ; Luanna, wife of Russel HUGHEY; and Jessie, wife of Samuel BUCK of Greenfield. (Now occupied by James and Dorothy Lucas). Dr. Rufus A. DWYER was the son of James DWYER, Jr., who had come with his father from Virginia and settled near Petersburg (sic?) about 1810. He was a graduate of Startling medical school in Columbus 1852. He immediately began the practice of medicine in his home town. With the exception of the years spent in the army during the Civil War, he ministered to the community's needs until his death. He also was a farmer. His son, Levi, followed his father's footsteps, but later moved his practice to McArthur. (Harry POMMERT farm) William B. ELLIOTT moved one mile west of New Petersburg in 1812, having come from Rockbridge Co., Virginia. He purchased one third of a 1300 acre tract of land, having been an original survey made by a Mr. HAYS. He was the father of a large family, including Milton ELLIOTT, who lived and died on the old homestead; William, an early merchant; and Martha who married a Baldwin JOHNSON, whose daughter married John F. BECTEL and lived on the large farm just north of New Petersburg, near Gilboa Cemetery. (Lillian Spencer Farms) (George R. Lucas Farm) James FAIRLEY pioneer of Scotland who came to Ohio from Rockbridge County, Virginia, in 1815 and settled on a farm in Paint Township. He married Nancy Lackey and reared a family of eleven children: William, Jane, Nancy Y., Addison, Samuel M., Mary A., James Y., Amanda, Christian, and David A. Samuel FAIRLEY was born December 8, 1816 and married Sophia OVERMAN. They had eight children : Caroline, wife of Amosiah BALDWIN; James W. ; Levi ; Mary, wife of James HUGHEY ; Enoch ; Nancy, wife of F.M. Johns ; Elizabeth ; and a son who died in infancy. Enoch Overman FAIRLEY was born in Highland County, October 26, 1852, and married Mary HINDMAN, daughter of William and Lucinda (Clark) HINDMAN. Enoch was a prosperous farmer of Paint Township living about a half mile north of New Petersburg. He and his wife had three children : Marie, wife of James HAINES ; Lula ; and Herbert. (Now occupied by Bill and Evelyn CAMPBELL residence) ******* That's all for now -- more on the following names to come soon (tomorrow). ********** James GEORGE Jacob M. GRIM Benjamin HIATT m Mary WORLEY Enos HOLMES, MD Henry KARNES Isaac OATES m Catherine M RHODES Benjamin PEARCE m Catharine WHITE Robert Edmund SHIVERS m Ruth PEARCE Berry SMITH Joseph A.W. SPARGUR m Clara MURDOCK Allen TAYLOR Jacob and Henry WORLEY