Matthew Hueston

As printed in 1905

MATTHEW HUESTON.

Matthew Hueston was a native of Pennsylvania, coming from what is now Franklin county, where he was born on the ist of May, 1771. His father’s next neighbor was a Scotchman, named Buchanan, who afterwards became better off in the world, and moved to Mercersburg, where he became a justice of the peace. His son James was sent to Dickinson College, afterward entering upon the practice of law. He was successively a member of the United States senate, minister to England, and President of the United States. When Matthew Hueston was two years of age his father, William Hueston, removed to the backwoods, and settled on the Monongahela, in Ohio county, Virginia. The Indians becoming troublesome, Mr. Hueston removed his family to Taylor’s Fort, twenty-four miles from the town of Wheeling. The family remained most of the time at the fort, but occasionally went to the farm when it was deemed safe. Mr. Hueston went back and forth to cultivate his place, but on one of these trips he was shot, killed, and scalped by the Indians, at the door of his own cabin. Mrs. Hueston was left a widow with six small children.

As soon as Matthew Hueston was able he began working around the farm, and at fifteen went as an apprentice to learn the trade of a tanner and currier, continuing at that employment for several years. When he became a journeyman he saved up his money, and, in 1793, made a small venture of stock, with which he went down the Ohio river. On the 17th of April he landed at Cincinnati, but after a few days went down to the falls of the Ohio. He returned by the way of Maysville, again floating down to Cincinnati, where General Wayne’s army had arrived in the meantime. Soon after arriving he sold out his goods to a man named McCrea, who, however, decamped without paying him. He then went to work in a tannery, being the one afterwards owned by Jesse Hunt, and afterwards went with Robert and William McClellan, who were engaged in driving a brigade of packhorses from Cincinnati to Fort Jefferson. Completing his first trip, he drove a number of beeves from Fort Washington to Fort Jefferson, and then superintended the killing of the cattle and putting up the beef, which was designed to subsist the men the next winter. There being no salt at the garrison, the meat had to be hung up in the open air around the fort to prevent it from spoiling, until salt could be procured. This caused a delay in the business for some time. Soon after Mr. Hueston was appointed commissary at this post, at the pay of thirty dollars a month. The next summer he returned to Fort Washington, and went out with Wayne on his expedition, being issued commissary until the summer of 1795, when he resigned.

He then furnished himself with a stock of groceries and other articles, and began as a sutler, following this up until the year 1796. He had one store at Greenville and another at Cincinnati, in the latter having a partner. The business was very profitable, and he soon accumulated twelve to fifteen thousand dollars. In the latter part of 1796 Mr. Hueston was taken sick, remaining in his bed for three or four weeks. When he had sufficiently recovered, he set out for Cincinnati, but found his affairs were in a wretched condition. His partner had become dissipated, had squandered most of the property by gambling, and had finally sold out the stock, going down the river, and leaving Mr. Hueston to pay the debts of the firm. This he did, and found that, after exhausting all his means, he still owed four hundred dollars. Undiscouraged, he persevered in his industrious way, and again embarked as a drove. He drove a large number of cattle from Cincinnati to Detroit for two dollars and fifty cents a head, and was successful in delivering them all, although the route was a complete wilderness. He returned in forty days. This business he followed till the year 1800, when he had paid off all his old debts and had accumulated fourteen or fifteen hundred dollars in hard cash. This he laid out in land.

He bought a tract of two hundred acres, four miles south of Hamilton. It was then altogether in the woods, but now the railroad. the canal, and the Cincinnati turnpike pass through it. In a few years he had a large farm under cultivation. He built a hewed-log house, in which he lived and kept entertainment for travelers a number of years. At the United States land sales in 1801 he purchased, or entered, three sections of land and two fractional sections, on the west side of the river, comprehending in all about two thousand six hundred acres. To these purchases he added from time to time, so that he eventually became the largest owner of land in this county.

On his farm south of Hamilton he began to reside in the year 1802, and on the 15th of April married Miss Catherine Davis. He remained here till 1813, when he removed to his farm on Four-Mile creek, in Hanover township. Here he built a large stone mansion, and attended to his agricultural interests for many years. He then removed to Rossville, taking up his above there in October, 1834. This is in the house now occupied by his son-in-law, Robert Harper.

At the beginning of the century the militia was better organized than it is now. Mr. Hueston became captain of a company of light-horse, from which he was afterwards advanced to the office of colonel of the Second Regiment. When Hull surrendered Colonel Hueston volunteered his services, and went with a number of others to Fort Wayne, which was then besieged by the enemy. After serving two or three months, he was made purchasing agent for the contractor of the Northwestern army, acting in that capacity until the conclusion of the war.

In 1808 be became a justice of the peace in Fairfield township, remaining so till he removed to Hanover, where, after a few months, he was again elected. In this position he served until his removal to Rossville, holding this office for twenty-three years. In no case was his judgment reversed on appeal. He was a commissioner of Butler county from 1826 to 1835. He died on the 1 6th of April, 1847, in the seventy-sixth year of his age, and was buried near the Presbyterian church in Collinsville. The services were conducted by the Masons.

He had four sons and five daughters. They were William, Eliza, Mary, Samuel, Thomas, Eleanor, Robert. Cynthia and Catherine.

j. G. LONG.

J. G. Long was the son of Armel Long and was born December 15, 1815, in Wayne township. He received a good education at both the common and graded schools. He was reared to the pursuit of a farmer, which was his chief occupation through life.

Mr. Long was the possessor of two hundred and sixty-four acres of good land, situated in this county, upon which he resided until his death. He also owned, in its natural state, four hundred and eighty acres of fine land near the city of Omaha.

The location of Mr. Long's late residence is very desirable. From almost every point of the compass the eye, unassisted by a glass, may scan views pleasant to behold; by the aid of a field-glass, objects sixteen miles distant towards the south can be distinctly seen; fire-rockets, thrown in midair at Cincinnati on a favorable night, may be seen from Mr. Long's late residence with the naked eye. The gentleman of whom we now write was a good financier, and was assisted in his temporal affairs by an amiable and economical companion, who acquitted herself nobly in not allowing "to run to waste" the accumulation of property acquired and under the control of her worthy mate.

On the lath day of January, 1841, he being then twenty-five years of age, the nuptials were performed which made him the husband of Miss Hannah Squire. Four children were born to them to make their home a happy one, and to more strongly cement the sacred union of their lives. Hampton H. married the daughter of Mr. Henry Snively, of Wayne township; Josephine P. married Philip H. Kumler, also of Wayne township. The former is a retired farmer residing in Hamilton. Mr. Long was a successful speculator, and held stock in the Second National Bank at Hamilton. He held the highest rank as a Mason, had a very large acquaintance, and was highly respected by all. An epoch in Mr. Long’s life occurred when at the age of ten years; he was one of those who witnessed at Middetown, this county, the breaking of the sod for the Miami canal.

As printed in Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.