My Genealogy Hound

ERASMUS J. KITCHEN. The career of Mr. Kitchen as a man and a citizen has been admirable in the extreme. No man in Greene Township occupies a higher position among the people who have known him long and well, and none have been of more service in advancing the best interests of this part of the county. Liberal and public-spirited, he uniformly gives his encouragement, to every worthy enterprise, and during the late Civil War signalized his patriotism by doing gallant service as a Union soldier. He is the owner of a fine property, including a well-developed farm with modern buildings and all the other accessories of the well-regulated country estate. Both in social and business circles he is a universal favorite.

Abraham Kitchen, the father of our subject, was one of the earliest pioneers of Clark County, and assisted materially in its growth and development. He was born in 1808, in Warren County, this State, and when reaching manhood was joined in wedlock with Miss Martha M. Jones. The mother of our subject was born in Fayette County, this State, whence her parents subsequently removed to Greene County, where she was married to Mr. Kitchen in 1829. Upon the removal to Clark County soon afterward, Mr. and Mrs. Kitchen first settled on section 4, Green Township, where they lived two years. The father then purchased the land which is now owned and occupied by his son, Eramsus J., and there both parents spent the remainder of their lives, dying in 1888, one month apart, the mother on the 28th of May and the father on the 28th of June. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are living — Margaret Ann became the wife of John McCullough, who is now deceased, and she lives at the old homestead; she is the mother of three boys, who are all married and settled in homes of their own; J. S. is married and the father of two children; he lives in Springfield; I. N. is farming in Green Township; Mary J. and Erasmus J. are twins; the former is living in Greene County, and is the wife of John Rife, who is represented elsewhere in this work.

The subject of this notice was born August 11, 1836, and spent his boyhood and youth on the farm and in attendance at the district school, remaining at home until a man of twenty-five years. In September, 1861, after the outbreak of the Civil War he laid aside his farming implements and resolved to have a hand in the preservation of the Union. Going to Springfield, he enlisted in Company F, Forty-fourth Ohio Infantry, and went with his regiment to West Virginia under the command of Gen. Cox. They drove the rebel Gen. Floyd from Cotton Mountain, and spent the following winter on the Kanawa. Later they met the enemy at Lewisburg, and from there drove the rebels from the Kanawa Valley, engaging them at the battle of Charleston and in several skirmishes. Thence they marched to Point Pleasant, passed through Covington and Lexington, Ky., from there to Danville and Frankfort, and in the latter place were mounted and remained in the saddle for several months.

Mr. Kitchen was in the battle of Dutton Hill, and saw much hard service in Kentucky and Tennessee, skirmishing and scouting. They were then dismounted and placed under command of Gen. Burnside, who led them to Knoxville, where they engaged in the siege of that city, and next followed Gen. Longstreet into Virginia, attacking him above Strawberry Plains. In the winter of 1863-64, Mr. Kitchen re-enlisted in the Eighth Ohio Cavalry, where he was promoted to Second Sergeant and later to Orderly Sergeant. Returning then to West Virginia, he took part in Hunter’s raid, and then retired to Beverly and remained there through the following summer. At this place they were surprised by the rebels and part of their command captured, but they were recaptured in a couple of hours. At the same place afterward they were taken by surprise and nearly all the regiment was captured. Mr. Kitchen, however, by passing himself off as a rebel, made his escape through the enemy’s ranks. During the day he remained in hiding. He came near being captured upon one occasion by rebel cavalry, but fortunately eluded them. When finally beyond danger, he remained for a time recruiting at Phiilippi, W.Va., and from there went to Clarksburg, in the same State. The war being now ended, he received his honorable discharge at Clarksburg, W.Va., July 30, 1865.

Upon leaving the service Mr. Kitchen returned to his old haunts in his native State, and began again the life of a farmer. A few months later, October 12, 1865, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Lavina M., daughter of James and Margaret (Kitchen) Hatfield. The parents of Mrs. Kitchen were natives of Ohio, and spent their last years in Clark County, both being now deceased. Mrs. Kitchen was born May 7, 1841, and departed this life at the homestead in Green Township, Clark County, August 26, 1889. Six children had been born of this union, viz: Joseph L., Abraham L., James H., Stephen, Erasmus J. and Wayne A. Mrs. Kitchen, like her husband, was a member of the Free-Will Baptist Church, and the latter retains his connection therewith. Mr. Kitchen has been a School Director in his district and also a member of the Township Board of Education. Politically, he votes the straight Republican ticket, and has frequently been sent as a delegate to the county conventions. As a Union soldier, he belongs to Mitchell Post, No. 45, G. A. R., at Springfield.

The landed estate of Mr. Kitchen embraces five hundred and one acres, all in Green Township. He purchased his present farm in 1865, and in 1874 he put up the present residence. He occupies himself in general farming and makes a specialty of stock-raising. The old Kitchen homestead has been in the family for about one hundred years. The paternal grandfather of our subject was Stephen Kitchen, and the maiden name of his wife was Ann Bacaw, and both were natives of Pennsylvania.