Ward Township Pioneers

Noteworthy people buried in the Murray City Cemetery

Biographies From the History of the Hocking Valley 1883

Jonathan Watkins

In 1797 Jonathan Watkins was in a party of pioneers that came from the New England states to Athens county by way of Marietta. He settled on land in Ames township which years later, after new township laws were made and new township borders were set, became Ward township. (History of the Hocking Valley page 45)

In 1810 Jonathan served as Justice of the Peace of Ames township. (History of the Hocking Valley page 506) In 1811 the first redistricting of land occurred and his property was listed as part of Dover township. And so Jonathan was listed as an early settler of Dover township. The History of the Hocking Valley page 733 "Jonathan Watkins, father of a numerous family that settle on Sunday Creek". Another redistricting occurred in 1827 and Jonathan's land then became Trimble township. The History of the Hocking Valley page 736, "The principal mill of Trimble township was commenced at Oxford, now Trimble, by Jonathan Watkins in 1825. It was burned in 1865. In some years it was rebuilt and continued as a water-mill until 1882." On page 737, Jonathan Watkins was listed as Trimble township trustee in 1832, and again in 1837.

History of the Hocking Valley page 1021 - Elisha Watkins was born in Athens County, Ohio in 1806, the son of Jonathan Watkins (above), who died in that county. He came to Ward Township in 1846 and was one of the first settlers of this county. In 1874 he was injured by a fall which ultimately caused his death in 1876. He was by trade a stone mason. He married Margaret Phillips, daughter of Peter and Sarah E. Phillips. Mr. and Mrs. Watkins were the parents of eleven children, of whom nine are now living--Wilson, Adaline, Martha, G. W., Jerome, Sarah E., Elisha, James and Laura E.. Mary J. died at the age of 21 and Sarah at the age of eighteen in 1863.

History of the Hocking Valley page 1021 - J. S. Watkins, a son of Elisha Watkins, was born Sept. 18, 1848. He was in the livery business in Straitsville, Ohio, ten years, selling out and returning to Murray City, May 18, 1882. He owns ten acres of land in Watkins addition to Murray City, valued at $10,000. Mr. Watkins was married July 8, 1879 to Miss Samantha Hardy, daughter of Benjamin and Margaret Hardy. They have one child--Daisy, aged two years. Mrs. Watkins father died in April 1880 at the age of seventy five years.

Elisha Watkins is buried in the Murray City Cemetery next to his wife Margaret Phillips.

Samuel Clegg - History of the Hocking Valley page 1016 and 1017

Samuel Clegg was born in England, Feb. 29, 1804, and moved to this country in 1838 or 1840 and lived here until his death, March 16, 1876. He was a member of the IOOF fraternity in England. He was married to Lucetta Zarley, a daughter of Jonathan Drake, who died in Pennsylvania. They had three children, Ann J., Amanda L. and Sarah. Mrs. Clegg was born Dec. 19, 1813, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. She owns 197 acres of land, on section 2, Ward Township, which is under a good state of cultivation.

Samuel Clegg is buried in the Murray City Cemetery next to his wife Lucetta. Also buried nearby is her first husband David Zarley. Lucetta's maiden name was Drake according to the History of the Hocking Valley 1883.