My Genealogy Hound

LEVI GILBERT, farmer; P. O. Gettysburg. James, his father, was a native of Maryland, born in 1776; was taken to Pennsylvania by his parents, where he married Mollie Reeser in Lebanon Co., where they spent their days; he departed this life about 1814; Mollie, his wife died in about 1816; six children were born to them, three are living at the present writing, viz., Levi, Joseph and Benjamin; Joseph lives in Montgomery Co., Benjamin in Darke Co. Levi, the subject of this sketch, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lebanon Co. on the 26th of September, 1806; he was left an orphan when quite young, thrust out on the cold charities of the world to fight the battles of life among strangers; he lived in Lebanon Co. till he was about 16 years old, working for different persons for his clothes and board; he would attend subscription school part of the winter, which tuition he paid himself; he went to Dauphin Co., where he worked by the month on a farm for about one year and a half, after which he went to Lancaster Co., where he resided till he was about 30 years old, following teaming and farming. On the 8th day of December, 1829, he celebrated his marriage with Miss Mariah Spires, who is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster Co. on the 13th of July, 1808. In 1837, he and his family of three boys bade farewell to friends and their native county, started with a two-horse team for the West to better their condition, and on the 21st day of May they arrived in Miami Co., where he rented the Eller farm near Covington, where he remained about five and a half years, meeting with good success, during which time he purchased 110 acres in Adams Township, Sec. 19, all of which was under heavy timber, for which he paid $400; after he purchased this tract of land, he commenced the task of clearing and opening up a farm, worked at spare times till he had cleared sufficient to put out a little crop; during this time, he had erected a log cabin, and in 1843 he moved his family into this “mansion,” where he has continued to reside ever since, but not in the old log cabin, as in the course of time he erected a beautiful two-story brick house, and other farm buildings. Mr. Gilbert has accumulated a considerable amount of property by hard labor, in which he has been nobly assisted by his good and amiable wife, both of whom have passed through the many struggles, dangers and incidents so common to the pioneer of the West; they have a host of friends and are held in high esteem by all who know them; they are active workers in the cause of religion, being members of the Evangelical Church, and the writer can truthfully say that they are living devoted Christian lives, and he will never forget that pleasant hour and a half he spent in their company. May their days, which will be few in the body, be brightened by the golden light of spirit land—the summer land—and when they are through with the body may the passing-out be as a gentle zephyr. They are the parents of seven children, of whom six are living, viz., Henry, Samuel, Levi S., Frances (now Mrs. Merrick), Mollie (now Mrs. Holman), Elizabeth (now Mrs. Reck), Elmira (now Mrs. Flomerfield); Henry, his son, is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Lancaster Co. on the 23d of October, 1830; he spent his boyhood days on his father’s farm, assisting in the clearing and the cultivation of the soil. He received a good common-school education in the district schools. At the age of 18, he commenced to learn the coopering trade in his father’s shop, where he worked till he was 21 years old, after which he continued on his own responsibility till he was about 29 years of age, during which time he made his home with his father. He celebrated his marriage with Nancy A. Hill on the 28th of August, 1859; she was born in Miami Co. in 1839, and on the 12th of August the death messenger removed her from earth to heaven, leaving one child, who in seven days later fell asleep in death also. In two years and five months, he celebrated his second marriage with Miss Mary E. Harry, who is a native of Montgomery Co., Ohio, born in Dayton in May, 1843; seven children by this union, viz.: William H., born Dec, 28, 1863; Samuel H., born September, 1865; John C., born March, 1867; Benit, born August, 1869; Edward O., born March, 1872; Vinie B., born November, 1876; May, born September, 1879. Mr. Gilbert resides on his father’s farm, carrying on the coopering business during the winter and farming in the summer.