My Genealogy Hound

JOHN MARKLEY, P. O. Georgetown, one of the most prominent retired farmers of Brown County, was born in Maryland January 8, 1803. His father was John Markley, also a native of Maryland, and a saddler by occupation. He removed to Wellsburg, Brooke County, sixteen miles above what is now Wheeling, W. Va., where he resided till his death, in 1828. Mr. Markley’s mother was Susan Ridenhour, a native of Hagerstown, Md. She departed this life April 12, 1848. They were the parents of twelve children, the subject of this sketch being the only surviving member of the family. Mr. Markley was reared and educated in West Virginia, and in early life engaged in running a flat-boat from Wellsburg to New Orleans. He remained at this business the greater part of the time for twenty-six years, and on March 1, 1846, he came to Brown County, Ohio. He first located on 353 acres of land in Pleasant Township, one and one-half miles north of Georgetown, where he resided till 1854. He then disposed of his farm, and removed to Georgetown, residing there ten years. He then purchased 299 ½ acres of land in Pleasant Township, east of Georgetown, where he was engaged in farming till November, 1876. Having possessed enough of this world’s goods to pass the remainder of life in peace and quiet, and, believing he had toiled enough in his seventy-six years of active life, Mr. Markley sold his farm and once more removed to Georgetown, where he now resides. He purchased a block of land near the school building, where he has a large and comfortable residence. Since removing to the village, Mr. Markley has dealt largely in real estate, at present owning a good share of village property. He was reared in the doctrine of the “Jacksonian Democrats,” and has firmly adhered to the principles promulgated by that body. Mr. Markley was married in 1853, to Lucy Marshall, who was born December 17, 1828. Eight children were born to this union, seven of whom are living — John M. (an attorney at law, in Georgetown), Susan M. (wife of Frank Swope, a grocer), James H. (in the hardware trade), Albert G. (also in the hardware business), Sarah E., Ida C. and Etta. Mr. Markley was reared in the faith of the M. E. Church, and has always been connected with that denomination.