My Genealogy Hound

CHURCHILL M. HAUGHEY. The little city of Bowersville, Greene County, is surrounded with some of the finest farming land in the Buckeye State, indicating in a marked manner the class of people which settled here in the early days. He of whom we write, and who is now a veteran of seventy-two years, owns and occupies one of the finest of these farms, this being two hundred acres in extent, and comprising a tract of fertile land, and improved with substantial modern builings. This was his father’s old homestead, and the fact that the son has kept it up in a praise-worthy manner reflects no small credit upon his industry and energy. It possesses for him a far more than moneyed value, it having been his home since he was an infant of six months.

The subject of this notice was born near Wilmington, Clinton County, this State, February 8, 1818. His father, John Haughey, was a native of Virginia, and the son of Thomas Haughey, who was also born in the Old Dominion. The parents of Grandfather Haughey were of Irish birth and ancestry, and crossed the Atlantic prior to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. They settled in Virginia, locating, it is believed, in Grayson County, where it is probable they spent the remainder of their lives. In religion they were of stanch Presbyterian stock, honest and worthy people, whose motto was to follow the Golden Rule, and do good as they had opportunity.

Thomas Haughey after reaching manhood adopted farming as his vocation, and was married in Grayson County, Va., to Miss Violet Clanch. This lady was likewise born and reared in the Old Dominion, and came of Welsh parentage. The young people commenced the journey of life together on a farm, where all their children were born. John, the father of our subject, was the eldest child. The paternal grandfather for a time carried a musket during the Revolutionary War, and upon various occasions used it. He possessed in a marked manner the hardy and substantial traits of his ancestors, and was well calculated to battle with the difficulties of life on the frontier.

Upon reaching manhood John Haughey learned wagon-making, and followed this trade a short time while a resident of his native State. He was married in Grayson County, Va., to Miss Patience Studivant, who was also born in Virginia, and they lived in Grayson County until after the birth of one child. Then deciding upon a removal, they started overland with teams to Ohio, settling in Hamilton County as early as 1812. A short time later, however, they removed to Clinton County, locating in Union Township, where the father farmed for a time on rented land. He then purchased a few acres, of which he was the owner, however, but a short time.

In the meantime the parents of Mr. Haughey with their family, excepting one sister, emigrated, about 1817, to Ohio, and the following year located in Greene County, the father purchasing a partially improved farm, embracing part of the land now occupied by his son, Churchill M. There the parents settled, and were successful in building up a comfortable home. The grandparents there spent their last days, Grandfather Haughey dying when nearly eighty-eight years old. His wife had passed away some years previously at the age of eighty. They were most excellent and worthy people, greatly respected in their community, and although not belonging to any religious organization, were favorably inclined to the doctrines of the Christian Church.

John Haughey, the father of our subject, was very successful in his farming operations, and in due time became the owner of six hundred and eighty-four acres of choice land. In 1837 he put up a fine brick residence which, although it has now been standing for the long period of fifty-three years, is still a substantial dwelling, and a fitting monument to the industry and perseverance of its builder. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Lurana Baker, in Silver Creek Township, in December, 1876, and like his father before him, was nearly eighty-eight years old. In early manhood he was an old-line Whig, but later identified himself with the Republican party. In religious matters he was a follower of Thomas Payne. The wife and mother preceded her husband to the silent land, dying at Bowersville at the age of eighty-two years. She differed widely from her husband in his religious belief, being a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

The subject of this notice was one of a family of twelve children, eleven of whom grew to mature years. He spent his boyhood and youth at the parental homestead, that which he now owns and occupies. He remained a bachelor until thirty-three years old, and was then married, July 24, 1851, in Caesar’s Creek Township, to Miss Susannah Ketteman. This lady was born in Hardy County, Va., November 24, 1822, and was the daughter of Jonathan and Mary (Peterson) Ketteman, who emigrated from the dominion to Ohio about 1832, settling in Caesar’s Creek Township. They lived on a farm a number of years, and then removed to the city of Xenia, where the mother died in 1872, after having attained her fourscore years. Mr. Ketteman was born in 1795, and is still living in Xenia, at the advanced ago of ninety-five. Both he and his good wife were members of the German Reformed Church.

Mrs. Haughey was one of a family of two sons and six daughters born to her parents, four of whom are yet living. She was eight years old when the family came to Ohio, and was reared to womanhood in Caesar’s Creek Township, remaining under the parental roof until her marriage. The five children born of this union are recorded as follows: Albert L. married Miss Mary Hussey, who died, and he was then married to Anna Blocher, and they live in Xenia; Charles C. took to wife Miss Ida Crawford, he lives at the homestead, and is the father of one child, a daughter, May; William J. and Russell W. likewise remain at the homestead and assist in the farm work; Flora is the wife of Edward Compton, and they live on a farm in White County, Ind. Mr. Haughey cast his first Presidential vote for Gen. William Henry Harrison, and likewise voted for the grandson of “old Tippecanoe,” in 1888. Mrs. Haughey belongs to the German Reformed Church. It is characteristic of the Haughey family that they are natural mechanics, skillful in the handling of tools, and very ingenious.