Joseph Conard

JOSEPH CONARD, a wealthy retired farmer of Burlington Township, Licking County, was born August 7, 1819, on the farm where he now lives, and is therefore at the present writing (August 7, 1891) seventy-live years of age. His parents, Nathan and Hannah (Butcher)

Conard, were born, reared and married in Loudoun County, Va., whence ill 1805 they removed to Knox County, Ohio, and about two years later located on the farm where Joseph now lives. Here they died, the father at the age of seventy-five years and six months, and the mother when almost ninety-three. TheConard family originated in Germany.

Ten children were born to Nathan and Hannah Conard,only four of whom are now living. John, the eldest, died near Dayton, Ohio, when about sixty-two; Jonah died near St. Louisville, Licking County, at the age of about sixty-one; Sarah, Mrs. David Duke, died near Johnstown, Ohio, aged seventy years; Mahlon, now eighty-five years old, lives near Fredonia, Ohio; Amos, who is four-score and three years old, makes his home in Monticello, Ill.; Elizabeth, who never married, died at seventy-four years of age; Annie, who married Enoch Selby, died at our subject’s home, aged seventy-four; Nathan departed this life in Missouri when sixty-eight; our subject is the next in order of birth; and Cyrus, who lives on an adjoining farm, is now seventy-one.

When Nathan Conard came to Licking County, this was the extreme western frontier. He settled in the timber among the Indians and wild animals. At the time of his “cabin raising,” all the men that could be mustered in the whole community numbered nine. He witnessed the hardships incident to the War of 1812, also the devastation that followed the Indian troubles in the early part of the century, and also lived to see the Mexican War. His death occurred in 1854, at an advanced age.

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

Reginning active life as a farmer, Mr. Conard j has always followed that occupation. He was thirty-live when his father died, and had at that time a snug little property, the result of his own industry and frugality. He inherited a portion of the estate, and has continued to accumulate until he is now very well-to-do. A life-long Republican, Mr. Conard enjoys the distinction of having voted for both William Henry and Benjamin Harrison, and says he will continue to vote the Republican ticket if he lives to be a hundred. In his religious views he is liberal, never having been connected with any church, but has given liberally of lii.s means to the support of the Gospel.

A genial, companionable old gentleman, Mr. Conard is living at peace with all the world. While he was never married, the voices of children have been heard about his house. At present his nephew’s family reside with him. Two of Ins nephews, sons of Amos Conard, were soldiers during the late Rebellion, Hiram serving more than three years, and David a somewhat shorter term. His maternal grandfather, John Butcher, was killed by the Indians during the Revolution. Nathan Conard was one of the frontier guards during the War of 1812, at which time married men with families on the frontier were constituted the frontier guard to protect the settlements from Indian incursions. He gave one of the volunteers a horse to ride in the war, and the animal was returned to him in safety after the war was over. Many a pleasant ride did our subject in boyhood take upon the old warrior. There was a large block house built in the neighborhood for protection against the Indians, and this stood as a relic for many years after the last Indian had been removed.

It is both interesting and instructive to hear Mr. Conard recount incidents connected with the pioneer history of Licking County, and none of his stories are more entertaining than those connected with the old log school house where he was “educated.” Could such a building be reproduced at present, it would astonish this generation. Imagine a crude structure of logs, a clapboard roof held on by weight poles, doors of luncheon, chimney built of sticks and mud, fireplace large enough to admit a seven-foot log, and for windows an aperture between logs covered with greased paper. Seats were made of puncheons or logs split into wide strips resembling boards, and these were placed high enough from the door to accommodate the longest-legged boy, but the little fellows sat with feet dangling in mid-air. The master ruled with the power of superior physical strength. His whips were birch or hickory gadsk thoroughly seasoned and toughened by being run into the fire and twisted into wishes. As may be supposed, a whipping was a punishment to be dreaded and long remembered. Looking back upon those days and recalling the many wonderful changes the century has wrought, Mr. Conard may feel a just pride in the part he has taken in the work of developing the county and its resources.

benjamin c. stimson, m. d.

Benjamin cheney stimson, m. d., has been engaged in the practice of the medical profession at Alexandria for a longer period than any other practitioner of this place, and he is one of the oldest physicians of Licking County as well. He was born near Essex Junction, Chittenden County, Vt., July 20, 1820, being a son of Stephen and Abigail (Shaw) Stimson, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Jericho, Yt. Our subject’s grandfather was a native of Massachusetts, and thence some years previous to his marriage lie removed to Vermont and settled in Chittenden County.

The father of our subject was born August 8, 1795, and on the 5th of December, 1818, in Vermont, he was united in marriage with Miss Abigail Shaw, whose birth occurred in that state July 16, 1799. In the fall of 1833 he removed to Ohio,; and after a short sojourn in the northern part of the state came to Homer and settled on rented i land. In the spring of 1834, he purchased land in I the “big” woods of Knox County, where he built a log house and commenced the clearing of the land. Afterward lie resided for several years near

Mt. Liberty, Knox County, upon a farm. Thence he removed to Page town, afterward cultivated a farm near Sparta, thence went to New Albany, where his death occurred in 1861. His wife passed away December 20, 1860.

Stephen Stimson was a mechanic, and while thus engaged built a number of sawmills, in early life he obtained a work on the Thompsonian practice, which turned his attention to medicine. From the ideas there gained he laid the foundation of the extensive medical information afterward acquired by him. He became a popular physician and devoted his attention largely to this profession. Being a man of kind heart and liberal nature, he saved little money and died comparatively poor. In politics he was first a Whig and later a Republican. In religious belief he and his wife were identified with the Presbyterian Church.

In the parental family there were four daughters and six sons, all of whom attained years of maturity, viz.: Esther C., who was born November 5, 1821; Spencer II., March 18, 1824; Stephen Woods, September 10, 1825; John II., March 1. 1828; Charles Hopkins, August 28, 1831; Liana

L., September 22, 1834; Amelia A., June 11, 1836; Henry O., October 17, 1837; Abigail M., September 27, 1839, and the subject of this sketch, who is the eldest of the family. lie came to Ohio when a boy, driving the team all the way to this state. Remaining with his parents until the fall of 1838, he then went on foot to Springfield, Ohio, hoping to gain a better education in that place. After attending school for nine months, he returned to Page town and taught in one of the log schoolhouses of the neighborhood, receiving a salary of $14 per month. Meantime he read such medical books as he could obtain.

When the school closed, the young teacher bought a horse in the fall of 1841, put up some medicine and began the practice of the medical profession, in which from the first he met with good success. July 20, 1842, he married Martha Ann Curtis, and then settled at Nelsonville, Athens County. The canal was just being completed, and several hundred workmen were employed in its construction and in the coal mines. Fora time he lived in a small building, which answered the double purpose of dwelling and office. In 1843 he rented a better house, and later bought property. He was very successful there, having a large and profitable practice.

From Athens Dr. Stimson removed about 1846, on account of in health, to Granville, where for two years he was a partner of Dr. Austin, meantime regaining his health. From that place lie removed to Alexandria, where he purchased property and has since engaged in practice. He began the practice of the profession in boyhood, when he frequently attended patients for his father, and has been a successful practitioner for more than fifty years.

Mrs. Stimson died January 27, 1850, leaving four children. Harriet, who was born April 24, 1843, married Dr. Evan Williams, and resides in Chicago; Herbert, who was born February 19, 1846, died at the age of fourteen years; Stephen, who was born August 16, 184 8, was a physician, but is now deceased; Martha, twin of Stephen, married Henry Thrall and resides in Hammond, lud. The second marriage of the Doctor, uniting him with Sarah A. Fuller, occurred May 19, 1852, and she died in November, 1880. The children born of this union are: Austin, whose birth occurred July 7, 1854, and who is now a farmer near Alexandria; George, who was born May 28, 1857, and resides near Alexandria; Mary, born October 24, 1860, now the wife of Lyman Wright, residing near Monon, Hid.; and Clark, who was born in November, 1866, and is now engaged in farming. On the 8th of October, 1883, Dr. Stimson was united in marriage with Caroline Nichols, his present companion.

In addition to owning some village property, the Doctor has a farm consisting of three hundred and ten acres of well improved land, upon which his sons reside. Politically he has been a Republican since 1856, and although he has never been solicitous of official honors, he has served as Township Treasurer and in other positions of honor and trust. Socially he is identified with St. Alban’s Lodge No. 491, A. F. A A. M. As a citizen he is progressive, favoring all measures calculated to benefit the people and promote the growth of the county.

As printed in Memorial record of Licking County, Ohio : containing biographical sketches of representative citizens of the country, together with biographies and portraits of all the presidents of the United States (1894). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.