THE HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, OHIO

1883 - By Leggett, Conaway & Co.

HON. JOHN ROSENCRANS, Esq., (Scott Township) now a resident of Bucyrus, Ohio, was for thirty-five years an honored and prominent citizen of Scott Township, Marion County. He was born August 14, 1808, at Nanticoke, Hanover Township, Luzerne Co., Penn. where lie lived until nine years of age, at which time his parents, John and Olive (Downing) Rosencrans, with their family, moved to Newport Township, Luzerne County, Penn. In that township he lived until he was thirty-nine years old. The Rosencrans family were originally from Holland, and emigrated to America at an early period, as John Rosencrans, the grandfather of John, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was for many years a school teacher, but during the latter years of his life was a farmer in Newport Township, Luzerne County, Penn., where he died in 1845, aged about seventy years. His wife died at the same place several years afterward she was aged about ninety years; her maiden name was Olive Downing, and her birthplace was in Connecticut and was reared at Wilksbarre, Penn. John Rosencrans, the subject of this biographical notice, was reared to the life of a farmer, and during his minority received the advantages of a good common school education; when nineteen years of age, he taught a summer school for two terms, and for the next nine years taught school each winter. He was married when in his twenty-second year to Margaret Fairchild, who was born May 14, 1811, and was a daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth (Lutsey) Fairchild, all of Newport Township, Luzerne Co., Penn. The spring he was married he bought land, and during his subsequent residence in Pennsylvania was always interested to a greater or less extent in farming, and in buying slid selling of farming lands; at both businesses he was uniformly successful. When he was twenty-eight years of age. there were six school directors to be elected, and Mr. Rosencrans was a candidate; the one receiving the highest number of votes was to hold office for six ears, and those receiving a lesser number were to hold office from two to four years, according to the number or votes received by each. Esquire Rosencrans received the highest number of votes, and was in consequence elected School Director of Newport Township for six years. About this time a post office was established at his house in Newport, and named Painesville he was appointed Postmaster, serving as such six years. When twenty-nine years of age, he was elected Auditor of Luzerne County, and upon the expiration of his term of three years as Auditor, which office he had titled with great satisfaction to the citizens of the county, he was elected and served as County Commissioner. While a resident of that county, he also served in many minor official positions, such as Township Assessor, Land Appraiser, etc. In 1847, he exchanged his home in Newport Township, Penn., for 160 acres of land on the southwest quarter, Section 14, Scott Township, Marion County, and the same year came here to live with his wife and eight children, named as follows: Mary, Ann, George W., William, Elizabeth O., John, Ellen and Emily (twins), Solomon F. (1907); two others, Margaret P. and Tacy, were born in Scott Township. On his arrival in Scott Township, he commenced improving his property, and was soon recognized by the citizens as one of the leading men of' the township in all its affairs, a position that he maintained throughout his long residence in that locality. Tile autumn succeeding his settlement in the township, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and received his commission next spring, This office he filled with such impartiality y and good judgment that he was Continued in the position by the unanimous votes of the people for thirty-three years, and, what is unprecedented, only one case was ever carried up to a superior court that came before his court. He also served on the School Board of Scott Township thirty-five years, as Assessor and Land Appraiser two terms each, Clerk of the Township four years, as County Commissioner of Marion County six years, and as member of the Ohio House of Representatives two years. He was also Postmaster at Letimberville during President Taylor's administration. Since Esquire Rosenerans first purchased land in Scott Township, he has increased his landed possessions to 802 acres in that township, 640 acres in McLean County, Ill., and forty acres in Missouri. In the spring of 1882. He retired from business and moved to Bucyrus, Ohio, and now resides. He is a Democrat in a neat residence on the south end or Sandusky avenue. in politics, and although a believer in the Christian religion, never was a member of any church. He is one of those large-hearted, generous men, characteristic of the old-time pioneer and gentleman. He is still hale and vigorous, and while the writer was at his house, August 14, 1883, his children and grandchildren began gathering in quite unexpectedly to him in honor of his seventy-fifth birthday. As an honored pioneer of Marion County, we present the portrait of Mr. Rosencrans in this work.


	John Rosencrans

		THE HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY, OHIO 1883 - By Leggett, Conaway & Co. HON. JOHN ROSENCRANS, Esq., (Scott Township) now a resident of Bucyrus, Ohio, was for thirty-five years an honored and prominent citizen of Scott Township, Marion County. He was born August 14, 1808, at Nanticoke, Hanover Township, Luzerne Co., Penn. where lie lived until nine years of age, at which time his parents, John and Olive (Downing) Rosencrans, with their family, moved to Newport Township, Luzerne County, Penn. In that township he lived until he was thirty-nine years old. The Rosencrans family were originally from Holland, and emigrated to America at an early period, as John Rosencrans, the grandfather of John, was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The father of our subject was for many years a school teacher, but during the latter years of his life was a farmer in Newport Township, Luzerne County, Penn., where he died in 1845, aged about seventy years. His wife died at the same place several years afterward she was aged about ninety years; her maiden name was Olive Downing, and her birthplace was in Connecticut and was reared at Wilksbarre, Penn. John Rosencrans, the subject of this biographical notice, was reared to the life of a farmer, and during his minority received the advantages of a good common school education; when nineteen years of age, he taught a summer school for two terms, and for the next nine years taught school each winter. He was married when in his twenty-second year to Margaret Fairchild, who was born May 14, 1811, and was a daughter of Solomon and Elizabeth (Lutsey) Fairchild, all of Newport Township, Luzerne Co., Penn. The spring he was married he bought land, and during his subsequent residence in Pennsylvania was always interested to a greater or less extent in farming, and in buying slid selling of farming lands; at both businesses he was uniformly successful. When he was twenty-eight years of age. there were six school directors to be elected, and Mr. Rosencrans was a candidate; the one receiving the highest number of votes was to hold office for six ears, and those receiving a lesser number were to hold office from two to four years, according to the number or votes received by each. Esquire Rosencrans received the highest number of votes, and was in consequence elected School Director of Newport Township for six years. About this time a post office was established at his house in Newport, and named Painesville he was appointed Postmaster, serving as such six years. When twenty-nine years of age, he was elected Auditor of Luzerne County, and upon the expiration of his term of three years as Auditor, which office he had titled with great satisfaction to the citizens of the county, he was elected and served as County Commissioner. While a resident of that county, he also served in many minor official positions, such as Township Assessor, Land Appraiser, etc. In 1847, he exchanged his home in Newport Township, Penn., for 160 acres of land on the southwest quarter, Section 14, Scott Township, Marion County, and the same year came here to live with his wife and eight children, named as follows: Mary, Ann, George W., William, Elizabeth O., John, Ellen and Emily (twins), Solomon F. (1907); two others, Margaret P. and Tacy, were born in Scott Township. On his arrival in Scott Township, he commenced improving his property, and was soon recognized by the citizens as one of the leading men of' the township in all its affairs, a position that he maintained throughout his long residence in that locality. Tile autumn succeeding his settlement in the township, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and received his commission next spring, This office he filled with such impartiality y and good judgment that he was Continued in the position by the unanimous votes of the people for thirty-three years, and, what is unprecedented, only one case was ever carried up to a superior court that came before his court. He also served on the School Board of Scott Township thirty-five years, as Assessor and Land Appraiser two terms each, Clerk of the Township four years, as County Commissioner of Marion County six years, and as member of the Ohio House of Representatives two years. He was also Postmaster at Letimberville during President Taylor's administration. Since Esquire Rosenerans first purchased land in Scott Township, he has increased his landed possessions to 802 acres in that township, 640 acres in McLean County, Ill., and forty acres in Missouri. In the spring of 1882. He retired from business and moved to Bucyrus, Ohio, and now resides. He is a Democrat in a neat residence on the south end or Sandusky avenue. in politics, and although a believer in the Christian religion, never was a member of any church. He is one of those large-hearted, generous men, characteristic of the old-time pioneer and gentleman. He is still hale and vigorous, and while the writer was at his house, August 14, 1883, his children and grandchildren began gathering in quite unexpectedly to him in honor of his seventy-fifth birthday. As an honored pioneer of Marion County, we present the portrait of Mr. Rosencrans in this work.