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SAMUEL T. PEARCE, London, is one of the oldest residents of London and vicinity. He was born in Fleming County,
Ky., June 24, 1798, and is therefore in his eighty fifth year. His grandfather was a native of Virginia, and located
in Tennessee at an early day. He subsequently settled in Kentucky, and afterward removed to Clark and Champaign
Counties, Ohio, passing away from earth in the latter county. His son, Joseph Pearce, father of Samuel T., was
also born in Virginia, and worked at the carpenter's trade at Harper's Ferry. He was there married to Martha Taylor,
who sacrificed her life in giving birth to our subject. In 1801, Mr. Pearce married Elizabeth, daughter of the
Rev. John Hubbard, of Virginia. The same year he visited Ohio with his wife and son (our subject), going to see
his father, in either Clark or Champaign County. On this journey they camped one evening about the present site
of Somerford, in this county. Samuel T. Pearce, although but then three years of age, told the writer he distinctly
remembered this camping out episode. Our subject was subsequently put in charge of his mother's brother, Judge
Samuel Reed, near Portsmouth, Ohio, and four years later his father took him to his home in Ross County. The latter
died at Mechanicsburg, Champaign Co., Ohio, in 1836, and his wife about 1866. In 1812, Mr. Pearce went to Chillicothe,
Ohio, and served an apprenticeship at the saddler's trade. He then returned to Chillicothe, commenced business
for himself, but in 1831 came to London and opened a shop. Three or four years later, he purchased 385 acres of
land in Jefferson Township, and there resided. with the exception of two years in business at Jefferson, until
March, 1880, when he retired from active labor, and purchased a residence property in London. Mr. Pearce owns 335
acres of his first purchase, and in connection with a son has another farm of 258 acres, lying in Jefferson and
Deer Creek Townships. Mr. Pearce was married, in June, 1825, to Elizabeth, daughter of John McDonald, who planted
his first crop in Madison County in 1808. They had ten children, five living - Mary, wife of A. A. Gregg, of Jefferson
Township; Sarah Jane, wife of E. B. Haynes, a farmer Jefferson Township; Thomas, who married Sarah McCollum, and
resides on George G. McDonald's farm in Union Township; Harriet, first married Vesuvius McCollum, and now the wife
of John Gilbert, and Lemuel, probably a resident of Texas. Mrs. Pearce departed this life, December 1, 1848, and
Mr. Pearce was again married April 23, 1850, to Mrs. Mary (Lilly) Durflinger, widow of Philip Durflinger, by whom
she had two sons - Philip S., residing on the home farm in Jefferson Township, and S. W., attorney at law, of London.
They have one child - Theodosia, wife of John Silvers. Mr. Pearce has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal
Church sixty seven years, and is probably the oldest church member of that denomination in Madison County. Mrs.
Pearce is seventy two years of age, and has been connected with the church for half a century. Mr. Pearce became
a Whig in 1824; since 1854, he has been a member of the Republican party, until recently, when he joined the ranks
of the Prohibition party.
From:
History of Madison County, Ohio
Published by: W. H. Beers and Company
Chicago, Illinois
1883
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