My Genealogy Hound

AARON FURNAS, farmer and stock-raiser; P. O. Fidelity; born in Butler Township, Montgomery Co., Ohio, Oct. 17, 1826; is a son of John and Sallie (Ivens) Furnas. His father was born in South Carolina in April, 1796, and is a son of Joseph and Sarah Furnas; Joseph was born in Charlestown, S. C., Feb. 20, 1763; Joseph’s father, John Furnas, was born at Standingstone, Cumberland, England, March 5, 1736. He was married to Mary Wilkenson, in Wigton Meetinghouse, England, March 24, 1762; she was born at Wigton Sept. 19, 1742. They emigrated to America, and settled in South Carolina, in which State they died, at Bush River; he, Aug. 5, 1777; she, Oct. 6, 1782. They were parents of seven children, viz., Joseph, Rebecca, John, Thomas, Esther, Robert and William. Joseph and Sarah Furnas were parents of eight children, three of whom are living, viz., Benjamin, Henry and Sallie; the two former reside in Iowa, the latter in Warren Co.; Joseph F. died about 1812, his wife, Sarah, about 1830 or 1831. John, father of our subject, emigrated to Ohio with his parents about1805; they located in Warren Co. for one year, then came to Newton Township, in this county, in which John, the father of our subject, was reared. Dec. 3, 1818, he was married to Sallie Ivens; she was a daughter of Joseph and Esther (Buffington) Ivens. Joseph was born Aug. 20, 1749, died Aug. 31, 1828. Esther, his wife, was born Feb. 1, 1756, died May 30, 1830. They were married Nov. 17, 1773, and were parents of twelve children, viz., Samuel Hannah, Isaac, Moses, Margaret, Adam, John, Robert, Phoebe, Mary, Aaron and Sallie. John and Sallie Furnas, parents of our subject, had eleven children born to them, eight of whom are living, viz., Esther, now Mrs. William Jay; Sarah, now Mrs. John Johnston; Jane, now Mrs. George Miller; Aaron, Robert, Samuel, Thomas W. and Davis. Our subject’s first marriage was with Rebecca C. Bowman Feb. 15, 1851; to them three children were born—all deceased, viz., Martha E., born Aug. 22, 1854, died Oct. 6, 1860; Omar C.; born March 23, 1862; died Aug. 19, 1864; Dorsey E.. born July 24, 1859; died Oct. 1, 1860. Mrs. S. departed this life Sept. 7, 1870, aged 38 years 5 months 18 days. His second marriage was celebrated Oct. 22, 1872, with Lucy J. Mote; she is a daughter of Zeno and Deborah Mote, old residents of this township. Mr. Furnas had the advantage of the common schools, in which he received the rudiments of an education; afterward took a course of study in the select school at Frederickstown, and at the academy in Dayton; he taught one term, but, his health failing, was obliged to seek the outdoor employment of the farm, on which he has since been engaged; he owns 140 acres of land on the home farm, also 90 acres in Montgomery Co., and a tract of 76 on the west side of Stillwater, making in the aggregate 310 acres of choice farming land. He is a member of the Christian Church, having been a member since 1851, and is a Deacon in the church; he is very liberal in his views, having donated nearly a fourth of the amount required to erect the fine brick church in Frederickstown. Mrs. Furnas was born in this township March 17, 1835, and is a member of the denomination of Friends. Mrs. Furnas, great uncle, Thomas Wilkenson, represented this county in the Legislature, and was also State Senator. Samuel, brother to Aaron Furnas, has represented Montgomery Co. Robert Furnas, grandson of John Wilkenson, is an ex-Governor of Nebraska. John Furnas, father of our subject, was deprived of a father’s counsel at the age of 16, and, being the eldest, was obliged to take charge of the family. He represented Montgomery Co. in the Legislature in 1836, 1850 and 1851.