My Genealogy Hound

JOHN SMALL, retired farmer, Sec. 23; P. O. Piqua; was born in Warren Co., Ohio, June 16, 1801, and is a son of Andrew Small, who was born in Scotland Feb. 17, 1756, where he spent his boyhood days in the Scotch school, and, at the age of 12 years, came with his parents to Pennsylvania, where they located in 1868; there they lived and died; and Andrew, about 1785, in Pennsylvania, married Margaret Long, who was a native of that State, born about 1765, and died in Warren Co. April 12, 1823, and he died March 1, 1840. They had nine children, of whom three are yet living; the oldest sister, who now lives on the old home farm in Warren Co., Ohio, at an advanced age; one brother, in Shelby Co., Ohio, also quite old, and John, who came to this county in 1833, and settled in the woods, on a part of what is now known as the Madison Millhouse farm, and a part of what is today known as the James Patterson farm; this he improved from its wild condition to a good degree of cultivation; in 1855, he sold it and bought his present farm of 80 acres, where he has since resided. Mr. Small has in his life been a remarkable hunter of deer, and such other kinds of game as might be found in the regions where he traversed. The first inducement for him to go to some hunting-point was to regain his health, which he did through the advice of his family physician; he was to drink the blood of the deer, and since that period, which has been a number of years, he has taken a hunt each autumn until the last two; sometimes to the mountains of this State and several times to Minnesota; even now, though nearly fourscore years of age, he takes a walk of four or five miles, with his gun, every suitable day, and enjoys good eyesight and health. His marriage with Miss Margaret K. Betson, was celebrated in Montgomery Co., Ohio, on Sept. 26, 1822; she was born in New Jersey Nov. 13, 1801, and when but about 11 months old, her parents came to Ohio; they were both natives of New Jersey; the father was born in 1779, and died at the age of 68; the mother was born about 1785 and died at the age of 73. Mr. Small and wife have had ten children, viz., John B., born Aug. 9, 1823, died 1827; Andrew L., born July 28, 1825, died Dec. 4, 1875; Martha A., born Dec 1, 1827; Daniel P., Dec. 3, 1829, died Oct. 17, 1868; David B., born Nov. 3, 1832; James T., Jan. 4, 1836; Francis M., Oct. 26, 1838; John Betson, Jan 9, 1841, died June 26, 1879; Mary M., born Sept. 23, 1845; Lewis C., Jan. 13, 1848. Jan. 1, 1880, about 10 A. M., on looking through their window, they beheld, with utter surprise, carriages, buggies, etc., almost at their door, which conveyances were loaded with their children, relatives, friends and neighbors from far and near, each one coming with their basket well filled with rich and luscious eatables, and soon a table was erected, on which were placed the contents of the baskets, and about the proper hour for refreshments the table was surrounded. Mr. and Mrs. Small have trod the happy pathway of married life for nearly three-score years, and are now living a retired life in their quiet home, which is partly occupied by David B., their son, who, on May 13, 1858, married Ellen Conklin. May they live and see many more happy days together, is the wish of the writer.