Early Williams County, OH Settlers - Thomas Ingram and Wife Elizabeth Lees

Thomas Ingram and Wife Elizabeth Lees

By Pamela Pattison Lash

An Irishman, his wife, and their children came to the US in Nov 1830.  They initially settled in Wayne Co, OH but this early settler, his wife, and family eventually made their home in Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH c1844.  He was a carpenter and father of twelve children.  He began with 80 acres and later increased the size of his homestead so when he died, his estate provided this acreage to be passed down to his children and their descendants.  Anyone who is able to prove direct lineage to this family could be eligible for admission to the WCGS First Families of Williams Co, OH.  The deadline for application is April 15 with a welcome and formal acceptance at our End of the Year Banquet in June.  This pioneer is one example of hundreds who carved out a new life for himself and his kin.

Thomas Ingram (8 Oct 1802, Belfast, Co Antrim Ireland – 28 June 1852, Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH); Williams Co, OH Probate case number 256 – 3 Dec 1852

Elizabeth Lees (10 Sept 1804  Belfast, Co Antrim, Ireland –  c1859, Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH); Williams Co, OH Probate case number 547 – 3 May 1859; married bef 1824

Children:

1. unknown

2.  Susan (24 Nov 1825 Belfast, Antrim, Ireland – aft 1905) m1 Archibald Kirkendall, 16 Apr 1843, Wayne Co, OH; m2 James E Merriman, 27 Mar 1851; lived Washington, Whitley Co, IN

3. William (1824 Ireland - ) m Catharine Allman on 16 Nov 1848 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V 2 p103)

4. James (4 Dec 1828 Belfast, Antrim, Ireland – 4 Aug 1902); m Ellen Bratton, 18 Sept 1851 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V 2 p118); m2 Mary J Sheridan Griswold, 20 Feb 1862 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V 3 p223); Co C 38^th OVI CW Vet

5. Thomas (17 Oct/Nov 1833 Wayne Co, OH – 6 June 1910, Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH); m Magdalena Allman, 26 Nov 1857 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V2 p186); buried in Edon Cem

6. Mary Elizabeth (2 Jan 1836 Wayne Co, OH – 6 Jan 1917 Edon, Williams Co, OH ) m William Alonzo Spellman, 8 Jan 1857 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V 2 p175); buried in Edon Cem

7. Robert (1838 Wayne Co, OH - )

8. Isaac G (1840 Wayne Co, OH - )

9. Sarah J (1 Jan 1842 Williams Co, OH – 10 Feb 1844 Williams Co, OH)

10. John M (1844 Williams Co, OH – 5 July 1894 Williams Co, OH); buried in Edon Cem;  1860 living with brother Thomas

11. Catherine J “Kate”(1847 OH – aft 1905) m Jonathan Fisher, 21 Dec 1865 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V3 p509) 1860 living with brother James

12. Hugh (1849 OH – 13 Apr 1904 Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH) single; 1860 living with sister Mary E Spellman

History of Williams Co, OH, Weston Goodspeed, 1882, p749-750

Thomas Ingram was born in Wayne County, Ohio, November 17, 1833, the fifth child of twelve in the family of his parents, Thomas and Elizabeth (Lees) Ingram. His father was a carpenter by trade, and came to Williams County and entered land in 1840, moving his family here the year following, and encountering all the privations incident to pioneer life. At that time the country was an unbroken wilderness, and the howling of wolves was no unusual sound. They built a cabin for home, and here the father died June 28, 1852. Mr. Ingram has since resided on this farm. Consisting of 141 acres, and by his efforts he has acquired all the comforts and conveniences of modern life, with good buildings conducive to the happiness of his family. Mr. Ingram was married November 26, 1857, to Miss Magdalena Allman, of Williams County, and a family of nine children has blessed their union, viz., Ellwood, Margaret, John, Carrie, James, Susan, William, Bessie L. and Ellen. Mr. Ingram was a soldier in the war of the rebellion; he enlisted February 1865, and remained in the service until the close.

A Standard History of Williams County, Ohio, Vol. II, Charles. A. Bowersox, ed., 1920, p35.

JOHN S. INGRAM -- On the first of September, 1919, John Sherman Ingram entered upon the discharge of his official duties as county recorder of Williams county, his election to this responsible post having taken place on the fifth of November of the preceding year, and the majority which he received in this election having emphatically attested to the high esteem in which he is held in his native county.

Mr. Ingram was born on his father's farm, in Florence Township, near the village of Edon, this county, and the date of his nativity was February 6, 1865. He is the son of James and Mary (Sheridan) Ingram, the former a native of County Antrim, Ireland, and the latter of the State of Pennsylvania. James Ingram was five years old at the time of the family immigration to the United States, and after remaining for a brief time in Wayne County, Ohio, his parents he settled on a farm in Florence Township [Thomas and Elizabeth (Lees) Ingram] came to Williams County, where his father engaged in farming and where both parents passed the remainder of their lives. James Ingram received his youthful education in the schools of this county and after his marriage he settled on a farm in Florence Township, where he long continued as a successful exponent of agricultural industry in the county and where he died when about seventy years of age, his wife also having passed away when seventy years of age. He was a Republican in politics and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. Of the five children three are living in 1920: James W., of Montpelier, this county; Harriet M., the wife of William Eddy, of Eaton Rapids, Michigan; and John S., of this review.

Wayne County, Ohio, Abstracts of Naturalization Records, 1812-1903. Wooster, Ohio: Wayne County Historical Society, 1985, p6, 10 referencing Journal 6 #418 and Journal 9 #319

Nov 1830 Thomas Ingram came to US from Ireland

19 Oct 1835 Thomas Ingram witnessed by Jacob Beam renounced allegiance to Great Britain and Ireland

22 Oct 1835 Thomas Ingram applied for naturalization in Wayne Co, OH

1840 Paint, Wayne, Ohio; Roll: 432; Page: 137; Image: 280; Family History Library Film: 0020179.

Ingram, Thomas

2m under 5

2m 5-9

1m 15-19

1m 40-49

1f under 5

1f 10-14

1f 40-49

total of 9 persons

10 Sept 1844 Thomas Ingram of Wayne Co, OH purchased 80A at the Lima Land Office for land in Sec 14, Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH

1 S½NE 1ST PPM No 7 N 1 E 14

1 June 1848 Thomas Ingram of Williams Co, OH purchased 40A at the Upper Sandusky Land Office for land in Sec 14, Florence Twp, Williams Co, OH

1850 Florence, Williams, Ohio; Roll: M432_741; Page: 61B; Image: 125.

h/h 843/845 Ingram, Thomas 47 Ireland farmer

Elisebeth 44 Ireland

James 21 Ireland day laborer

Thomas 16 OH farmer

Mary 13 OH

Robbert 12 OH

Isaac 10 OH

John 5 OH

Catherine 3 OH

Hugh 1 OH

Divorce Action in Williams County, Ohio - Wolff/Croninger

Florence Pearl Wolff Croninger v Arthur C Croninger

By Pamela Pattison Lash

While looking at an old newspaper I stumbled on this article concerning a divorce action in Williams Co, OH concerning the wayward teacher and his wife.  If anyone has further info on the husband, Arthur C. Croninger, please email me.

Details from the Bryan Democrat, 2 Sept 1910, p1 c2:

The couple was married in Windsor (Essex), Ontario, Canada on 26 Oct 1908. Pearl charged that Arthur was guilty of extreme cruelty and gross neglect of duty.  She stated that her husband called her vile names and that since Dec 1909 he had “utterly failed to provide for her, and that prior to that time did not properly support her, although able to do so.”  Her petition stated that Arthur taught school at LaPorte, IN and received a good wage, but that he “squandered it in wild, riotous, scandalous and criminal living and neglected her.”  Presumably a divorce was granted. 

Pearl was 19 and Arthur was 21 when they married; both were residents of Bryan, Williams Co, OH.  Arthur was a student.

Arthur C. Croninger, the son of Henry and Serpta Alice Cramer Croninger of Center Twp, Williams Co, OH, was born in Apr 1887.

Henry Chroninger (13 Mar 1847, Henry Co, OH – 3 Nov 1926 Henry Co, OH; bur Morrison Cem, Liberty Twp, Henry Co, OH

Serpta Alice Cramer (13 May 1857 OH – 6 Jan 1921 Henry Co, OH; bur Morrison Cem, Liberty Twp, Henry Co, OH

1880 Liberty, Henry, Ohio; Roll: 1032; Family History Film: 1255032; Page: 37A; Enumeration District: 109; Image: 0076.

h/h 309/319 Croninger, Henry 33 Oh-OH-PA farmer

Alice S 23 wife OH-OH-OH

James B 2 son OH-OH-OH

Note Henry Croninger was married once before to Lydia Gintzel on 30 Aug 1868 in Henry Co, OH; they divorced; he married Serpta Cramer on 18 Nov 1877.

1900 Center, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 103.

h/h 88/95 Croninger, Henry (Mar 1847) 63 OH-OH-PA farmer

Sarepta wife (May 1857) 43 3/3 ch mar 22Y OH-OH-OH

J B son (Oct 1878) 21 OH-OH-OH teacher

Arthur son (Apr 1887) 13 OH-OH-OH

Pearl F. Wolff, the daughter of William Edward and Malinda Deck Wolff, was born in Bryan, Pulaski Twp, Williams Co, OH on 4 Nov 1888.

William Edward Wolff (14 Dec 1856 Paulding Co, OH – 2 Oct 1946 Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH)

Malinda Deck Wolff (15 Oct 1864 Williams Co, OH – 10 July 1950, Bryan, Williams Co, OH); she was the daughter of Fred and Mary Berry Deck. 

History of Williams Co, OH, WCHS, 1981, p724 indicates that William Edward Wolff, known as Ed, lived with a cousin in Oakwood when he first moved to Ohio. "Ed" was an expert wood carver, and made and sold hand-made hickory ax and hammer handles locally, as well as canes.

1900 Jefferson, Williams, Ohio; Roll: T623_1332; Page: 1A; Enumeration District: 106.

h/h 15/15 Wolff, William (Dec 1856) 43 mar 14Y PA-PA-Germ farmer

Melinda wife (Oct 1864) 35 3/3 ch OH-PA-PA

Pearl dau (Nov 1888) 11 OH-PA-PA

Ruby dau (Jan 1891) 9 OH-PA-PA

James son (Mar 1894) 6 OH-PA-PA

Pearl married John Grover Mattoon, the son of John A and Amanda Hamet Mattoon of Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH, on 26 Sept 1912 in Williams Co, OH (Marriage V10 p414).  John, a Bryan native, was born on 29 Mar 1891.  He was 21 and Pearl was 23; both were divorced at the time of their marriage.  Pearl died on 15 July 1953 in Bryan.  She and husband John are buried in Shiffler Cemetery, Jefferson Twp, Williams Co, OH.