Jonathan S. Kitchen

As printed in 1902

JONATHAN S. KITCHEN.

Jonathan S. Kitchen is the owner of six hundred and twenty-five acres of the rich and valuable farming land in Clark and Logan counties, having in previous years been actively identified with agricultural pursuits in this section of the state. He has also been prominent in political office and has been honored with various positions of trust and responsibility. He is now living retired at No. 300 South Limestone street in Springfield.

His birth occurred in Green township, Clark county, November 7, 1831, his parents being Abraham and Martha Matilda (Jones) Kitchen. His paternal great-grandfather was a native of England and in 1779 came to America, settling in Pennsylvania, where he married a Miss Vorhees, who was born in Sweden. In the Keystone state Stephen Kitchen, the grandfather of our subject, was born and in the year. 1808 he came to Ohio, settling in Warren county, where Abraham Kitchen was soon afterward born. In the year 1818 the family was established in Clark county.

After the death of his mother Abraham Kitchen was placed in a family by the name of Hawkins, and was there reared until eighteen years of age. He was married in Greene county November 19, 1829, and fifty years later this worthy couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary, on which occasion there were present five of their children, three sons-in-law, three daughters-inlaw, twenty-eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, twelve other relatives and many friends, numbering altogether more than one hundred people. Abraham Kitchen Was a very prosperous man in his business affairs and at one time owned about twelve hundred acres of land. He was likewise prominent and influential in his community and was fearless in defense of his honest convictions. He was one of the three original abolitionists who started the movement in favor of freeing the slaves in Green township and prior to the Civil war his home was one of the stations on the famous underground railroad, whereby many a poor negro was assisted northward on his way to freedom. When the Republican party was formed to prevent the further extension of slavery he became one of its stalwart advocates. He was also a member of the Freewill Baptist church and the first church of that denomination in this locality was built upon his farm at Pleasant Grove. He died June 28, 1888, having survived his wife for. two months only, her death having occurred on the 28th of April.

Jonathan S. Kitchen was reared to manhood on the home farm and acquired a fair common-school education, although his privileges were somewhat limited. He attended altogether for about twenty-eight months, including one term at Wittenberg College. He had never been inside a schoolroom as a student until twelve years of age and after that he attended only through the winter months and had to go two and one-half miles to the nearest schoolhouse. Experience and observation, together with reading in later years, have made him a well informed man. He was twenty-two years of age when he left the home farm and began earning his own living.

About that time Mr. Kitchen was married, on the roth of November, 1853, in

Warren county, Ohio, to Miss Amelia

Ridge, who was born in Waynesville, Warren county, a daughter of Simpson and Jemina (Hisey) Ridge. Two children have been born unto them: Alsa J., who was educated in Hillsdale, Michigan; and J. Forrest, who married Minnie Neal and has one child, Louise. After leaving the public school he entered Wittenberg College, remaining three years and then went to Cincinnati, where he pursued a course of legal study and is now a practicing attorney of Springfield.:

After his marriage Mr. Kitchen of this review began to operate his father’s land in Green township and there he lived until his removal to Springfield in 1879. Abcut seven years after his marriage he found that he had saved enough to purchase two hundred and forty acres of land. Thus investing his money, he made good improvements upon his farm, where he continued to reside until he took up his above in the city. He has since purchased and sold several farms and has realized good profits from these transactions. He is now the owner of about six hundred and twenty-five acres, and he also owns some property in Springfield. Bank of South Charleston and in the Citzens National Bank of Springfield, and is to-day accounted one of the substantial residents of this portion of the state.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

He is a stockholder in the Citizens chise and it was therefore that he cast his first presidential ballot for Fremont in 1856, since which time he has been a stalwart Republican. For about eight years he served as justice of the peace in Green township, during which time he tried many cases, and of those appealed only one was ever reversed. He also served as township trustee, and in 1881 he was chosen county commissioner and was again elected, so that he filled the office for two consecutive terms. During his incumbency some of the largest buildings of the county were erected. The courthouse, which had been started, was completed and other public improvements made. Mr. Kitchen was reared in the faith of the Freewill Baptist church and yet adheres to ıt. He has served as church clerk for. several years and is a member of Clark Lodge; No. tot, F. & A. M. His life history is familiar to many residents of the county, for within its borders he has always resided and there has been nothing in his history that he has desired to conceal, for his has been an upright, honorable character and he has ever been found loyal to truth, duty and the right.

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.