 Katherine (Catherine) Phelps King, daughter of Baker (Balser) King and Elizabeth Kriner.Born 6 Jan 1796 Near Stanton Virginia, died 26 Mar 1899 Milford Center Ohio, buried Milford Center Cemetery  SnodgrassAuntKaty Missing image: pictures/P253_1764_2703.jpg 11 Jan 1895 -- (Friday) The Weekly Ohioan: Aunt Katy Snodgrass, Age 99. Royally entertained by the W. R. C. at the home of Mrs. W. M. Snodgrass, Saturday, Jan 5, to celebrate the ninety-ninth anniversary of her birthday. The following invited guests were present: Aunt Ollie Reed, Mrs. Johan Reed, Mrs. Norton Reed, Mrs. Ed Clark, Mr. H. G. Burnham and W. W. Snodgrass. The ladies assembled at ten o'clock and soon after, Aunt Katie was ushered in and enjoyed the agreeable surprise. Dinner was then prepared, the ladies having brought their well filled baskets. After the feast, a profitable and enjoyable afternoon was passed. A biography was read by Mrs. H. G. Burnham, followed by the appropriate song, "Only waiting till the Shadows are a little longer grown." Prayer was then offered by Rev. Crenmer of the M. E. Church. Several useful presents were received. At three o'clock the ladies dispersed wishing Aunt Katie many happy returns of the day. She is the oldest Relief Corps member in the State of Ohio. On Monday, Jan. 7th, the ladies of the Presbyterian Church entertained their aged sister at the home of Mrs. Ben Bennett, first in order was song, "Rock of Ages," the Twenty Third Psalm was recited in concert by the sisters, led by Mrs. Tobey, followed by a prayer by S. D. Elliot, reading of paper by Miss Alice Price, Biography again read by Mrs. Burnham, followed by song, "Jesus Lover of my Soul," after which a general hand-shaking was indulged in by all. Numerous little tokens of friendship were presented. BIOGRAPHY Grandfather King was killed in battle in the revolutionary War. Grandmother was left with four sons and two daughters. One son named Baker was "bound out" and received six months schooling in English and the same in Dutch, he afterward married Elizabeth Kriner and to them were born five children, the second one, Katharine (better known as Aunt Katie) was born near Stanton, Va., Jan. 6th, 1796. Her parents moved to Kentucky when she was 4 years old and lived there eight years. In 1807 they came to Ohio, stopping in Green county. Mr. King purchased a Revolutionary Soldier's land warrant in Union county, the land now known as the Uncle Ray Morse property. A log hut was soon constructed and the family took possession, later a large log house was built and during the war of 1812 nine families gathered there for protection from the Indians. Only about three months school was held each winter. Every day brought its hard work with no spare time for play. Aunt Katie learned to spin and weave at an early age and worked for the public till she was eighty years old. A young man named Ralph R. Phelps was hired to teach the district school, and after having three times refused, succeeded in winning the affection of Miss Katie, who became his bride Sept.5th, 1816, to whom were born four children, Elizabeth, Mary, William and Ralph. They then moved North of Marysville and spent two years in the wilderness raising hogs to feed upon mash, (acorns and other nuts), wolves howled about the house and fires were built to frighten them away. Herding being unprofitable they returned to their own land. The nearest mill was at Georgesville, later one was built at Pleasant Valley and then one in Milford Center. On February 26th, 1831, Mr. Phelps payed his last earthly tribute to his Heavenly Father and was buried near Zanesville, Ohio, leaving a widow and four children. Catherine Phelps married for her second husband James Snodgrass, March 12, 1835. Twochildren were born, two daughters Mary and Tabitha who died in infancy. Their son Joseph married Sarah Shirk. Strange it is Joseph and Sarah died within three days of each other leaving three children, all of whom are now married. Mr. Snodgrass bid farewell to earthly cares Jan. 30th, 1867 age 73 years. Aunt Katie has been a member of the Presbyterian Church for about 50 years and has been a resident of this vicinity for 88 years. She is now nearing her 100th milestone, an age which probably none of us shall ever see. Her life has been one of usefulness and while her earthly possessions may be few yet she has "stored up treasures in Heaven where neither moth or rust can corrupt, nor thieves break through and steal." The Golden Gates of Heaven stand ajar to receive her into the realms of eternal joy and happiness. ca. Jan 1896 -- description of Aunt Katie's 100th birthday party: The younger generation of Milford will tell their children, in years to come, of Aunt Katy, and of the great day they had when she was 100 years old. We append her biography as given by herself. Her sentences are short but expressive. "My grandparents were born in Germany and were Dutch. My father and mother were born in Pennsylvania. My grandfather King was killed in the Revolutionary war. Grandmother was left with two sons and four daughters. Both of the boys were bound out. They each got a six months schooling in Dutch and six months in English. They were very ambitious and studied diligently to educate themselves. My father's name was Balser King, and mother's name was Elizabeth Kriner. I cannot tell the date of their births, marriages or deaths. They had five children: Betsy, John, Katy, Jacob and Polly. My father died when he was fifty years old and mother when she was forty-one. Brother John married and moved west. Jacob lived near Sandusky. He lived to be eighty-four years old. Sister Polly was married to Robert Maize. She died and left two little children. I took care of one of them for awhile. I was born near Staunton, Virginia Jan. 6, 1796. My parents moved to Kentucky when I was four years old. They lived there eight years. In 1807, they moved to Green co., O. My father made a sale of stock and household goods and gave nine months time on the sale notes. With a part of vendue money he bought a Revolutionary soldier's land warrant in Union co. The land now known as the Ray Morse farm. My father and his brother came on to their claim and built a small log house with only one room below and one above. The fire place was built of sticks and mortar. The hearth was made of stones gathered out of Big Darby. The floor was hewed puncheon. Father cleared a five acre lot to pay a man with an ox team for moving his family from Green to Union county. This was just before Christmas. There was a deep snow on the ground and only a path through the woods. On our way we called at the home of Mr. Snodgrass and were invited to stay all night, but mother said, "No, I want to go to my own home." They gathered hickory bark and made torches to light us on our way. We had only one bedstead; we children slept in the loft. Our beds were made on the floor; had straw beds, also feathers. Father afterwards built a larger, hewed log house. During the war of 1812, there were nine families gathered at our house, to protect themselves from the Indians. They made port holes through the plastering, between the logs; we were all in great fear. The Indians were gone and we could not find out what they were doing. My father and Mr. Andrew Gill went to Sandusky as spies, had their guns and horses taken from them. Our men said they were hunting for horse thieves; they had their story made up beforehand. They were treated friendly, with supper, lodging and breakfast and in the morning they let them go away. Our men took another direction and soon rode out of sight and turned their horses homeward. I went to school four or five winters; only had three months in a year. I studied the spelling book and testament, also learned to write; I could write a good hand, but was a poor speller. I can remember when I could not speak a word in English. We lived two miles from the school house and had to walk. I don't remember every having been punished at school, but maybe I deserved it sometimes. I had to work all the time and did not get to study much and no time for play. We raised our own flax and made all our clothing. For our dresses, we could color part of the yarn with copperas and part with indigo and plaid the goods. My mother got a web into the loom for bed tickings, when I was quite young, and as her health was very poor, I wove. The warp and filling were both made of tow. We wove it in a reed wide L. five hundred. When the piece was finished and out of the loom, I took it to her, and she said she was glad it was done. There were forty yards of it. There were enough for five bed ticks. There were five children of us and we all had a bed tick. When I was married I had one feather bed-tick, one pair of sheets and one pair of pillow cases, all of which I spun and wove. The sheeting was woven in a seven hundred reed; we could make very nice cloth and I could weave four or five yards of linen or flannel in a day, and six yards or more of carpet. I used to watch my mother weave and would sometimes slip in to the loom and weave a little when she was out of sight; if I made a raw place, then I was apt to get my ears slapped. This was the way I learned to be a weaver. I wove for the public until I was eighty years old. We always got up in the morning before four o'clock. I often wished father would sleep longer and not call us so early. A neighbor girl and I once tried ourselves to see how much linen we could weave in one day; we took turn about on my loom and we wove 13 yards; we did not use spring shuttles, it was done the old way, by hand. The first rags I ever saw woven my father wove. We were quite destitute of bed clothing. Mother took old clothes, tore them into narrow strips, as we do carpet rags. Flax was dressed, spun into thread, doubled and twisted, then worked ready for weaving. The rags were then filled in to imitate the old style covering. Enough was made to make two rugs, we called them and they were used for spreads; we knew but little of carpets, then. Once I plaited some woolen blankets and wanted to twill them; my eyesight being poor, I did not get the treadles hung right so the twill was broken; it did not hurt the wear any. Some folks thought it looked better. One day my brother Jacob and I were gathering blackberries; other fruit was scarce. All at once my brother ran out of sight. I saw a stranger coming, but I was so near the road, I could not run, so I hid behind a big tree. As he rode toward me I moved around the tree and kept out of his sight. He was a United States mail carrier, from Worthington to Urbana and carried the mail on horseback. After he had passed, we went back to gathering berries. After awhile, this same mail carrier, whose name was Ralph Phelps, was hired to teach our district school. The old rule was a dollar a scholar and board around. One day the other scholars with the school master, were out playing ball. I was in the house. Presently the master came in and sat down by me. I got up and ran to the other side of the room, and took my seat on a bench. He was trying to scrape up acquaintance with me. He afterward asked me for my company. I refused him; he looked rather down; some time after he asked me again, if I would accept his friendly company; then I said "I don't care." This was at the last day of school. Peggy Gill asked the teacher if he would go to their house and stay all night. He thanked her and said he would go to Mosey Mitchells, as that would be on his way home. I saw Peggy soon after, she laughed at me and said she notices he stopped at Mosey King's. My father objected to this arrangement, and when the young man asked him for his daughter he said "No," and threatened to disinherit me, if I married him. Then said the young man "Mr. King, it is not your property I have asked for but her person." Then I would have followed him to the ends of the earth rather than lose him. On September 5th, 1816, I was married to Mr. Ralph R. Phelps by Mr.Converse, an old methodist minister. We were married at my Father's house. Did not make a large wedding. Only a few friends, besides our own family. Had a nice wedding dinner: chicken, preserves and lots of other good things, that were in season. Father took back his hasty sayings, and gave me the same as the other children. His objections to Mr. Phelps were that he was a Yankee and they were up to all sorts of "Yankee tricks" and he was afraid to trust him. We went to housekeeping just above Jimmy Ewings. My cooking utensils were an iron pot, and an iron bake oven. I would boil the pot full of water take out enough for tea or coffee, then put in potatoes and anything else I wished to boil. I would make and bake the bread first then fry meat in same oven, or skillet. I told Mr. Phelps I wanted a loom. He hired a man to make it, and paid him $10 in money for it. We bought a farm and made part of the payments on it, then sold it to Mr. Clement who owned a still house. We bought a lot of hogs and took them out beyond Marysville, to feed on the mast. We went clear out in the wilderness. Wolves were plenty in those big woods. They would often come and howl furiously around the house. We gathered brush and built fires, and that would drive them away. One day I thought I would go to my sisters about two miles away. I took little Betsey on my back. Suddenly I came face to face with a wolf that was in the path a few feet ahead of me. I dared not turn for fear he would follow me. I told Betsey to hold on tight and she did, till I was nearly choked. I ran towards the wolf and plunged at him. He jumped away to one side, then I ran faster but he did not follow me. I never killed a wolf; but I once killed a deer. I shot him with a rifle. We did not stay long in the big woods but came back to Milford. Our nearest grist mill was the Dyer mill at Georgesville, near West Jefferson. We sometimes had to stay a day and night, waiting our turn, to grind our grist. My husband, Mr. Ralph R. Phelps was born September 17th 1789, in Addison Co., New York, died February 26th, 1831, aged 41 years. He was buried near Zanesville. We had four children Betsey, born November 2nd, 1817; Mary Jane, born October 24th, 1827; William G., born February 5th, 1829; Ralph R. born September 10th, 1830. On March 12th, 1835, I was married again to Mr. James Snodgrass, by Judge Johnson, at the home of Mr. Pollet. Three children were born to us, two daughters, both died in infancy, and one son, Joseph Snodgrass, who was born January 13th, 1836. Mr. Snodgrass had been married once before and was the father of six children, some of whom are still living. We raised our children together as one family. I feel very near to my step-children. Mr. Snodgrass said he did not love me as he did his first wife, but he did love me because I was a good wife, and a good mother to his children, and I told him my first love was the deepest. We lived happy together. Mr.Snodgrass was a miller. He worked for Mr. William Parkison, who owned the grist mill in this village. At the time of Mr. Parkison's death my husband was taken sick. I left the children with a neighbor and came to take care of him. As soon as he was able to go, I took him home. I was so much exposed to the cold and snow at this time, that my eyes became affected and they have troubled me ever since; sometimes have been almost blind. James Snodgrass died January 30th, 1867, aged 72 years. My children are all dead, except my son, William G. Phelps, who is living in Nebraska. His first wife died several years ago, and last week I received the good news that he was being married again on Thanksgiving day. He will be 67 years old the 5th of February. I have twelve grand children, forty great grand children and nine great great grand children, living. I have been a member of the Presbyterian church, over fifty years. Was received into the church by Rev. Gilbreth. My parents taught us as well as they could, that we had a Savior to live for." Mr. Snodgrass was a soldier in the war of 1812, which entitled his wife to a pension, from the United States Government. This blessing makes her comfortable in her declining years. She is cheerful and intelligent, often goes out to visit her friends, and kindly receives every one who may call on her. She is a member of the Union co. Pioneer Association, and at their last meeting she was presented with a large upholstered chair, of which she is very proud. Aunt Katy has been a resident of this vicinity for 89 years. She has lived under the administration of every President of the United States and has arrived at her one hundredth mile stone, an age which none of us ever expect to see. And now she is only waiting for the shadows to be a little longer grown. She is the oldest member of the Woman's Relief Corps Department of Ohio, now living, and probably the oldest in the United states. Buried next to crypt in old part of cemetery. Next to river. Married 12 Mar 1835 Polltet Home By Judge Johnson (31 years married) to:  James Snodgrass, son of Robert Snodgrass and Jane Reed.Born 23 Oct 1794 Lancaster, Pa, died 30 Jan 1867 Milford Center Cemetery, 72 years, 1st marriage to: Katherine (Catherine) Phelps King, 2nd marriage to: Mary (Pollly) McDowell was a miller worked for William Parkinson About 1825 Messrs. Lockwood & Nelson erected a gristmill on the Little Darby, in the northeast part of the township, on land now owned by Mrs. Hampshire. Subsequently, these men were succeeded in the ownership of the mill by James Snodgrass not verified was a soldier in the war of 1812 James born 1795 lived in greene county James Snodgrass, farmer, was born in Virginia, in 1795, came to Ohio in 1808, and with his parents located in what was then Champaign County, now Clarke. He knew Springfield when there was but one dry goods store, owned by a Mr. Amler, a tavern owned by Griffith Foos, and the residence of a Mr. Walker, in the now populous city, which were made of logs. Mr. Snodgrass volunteered in the service of the war of 1812, served five years, was discharged at Green Bay, January 13, 1819. Before he enlisted, he was hauling a load of goods from Dayton to Springfield for Mr. Amler, when he met Joseph Vance, (quartermaster of General Hull's corps), who, on account of the scarcity of teams, told him that he would have to press his team into service to haul provisions for General Hull. While they were talking, his father came up and hired the team to him, acting as driver, and at his return enlisted in the war. He bad previously served six months with a band of scouts against the Indians, under Captain Kiser. "Thus I got to see the elephant's tail, and wanted to see his horns" said the gentleman. He was in the third regiment under Colonel Miller. Was on the battlefield of the Thames. At the time of his discharge, he started to walk from Green Bay home, accompanied by three friends; they thought they could reach Chicago in two days, but .were delayed by snow and cold weather; he froze one foot very badly and stopped with Mr. LaSales to stay over night. Mr. LaSales told him that he could get a doctor who would cure the frozen foot so that he could proceed on his journey the next day, and accordingly called on an Indian doctor, who put something resembling pounded bark and salt on the foot. This was to remain until morning, and was very painful. He put in the night very restlessly, would sing, whistle, and swear at intervals. The remedy proved a good one, and they proceeded on their journey. They traveled eight days with only about a gill of biscuit crumbs to eat. Upon arriving at Chicago, they found nothing but a log tavern and the garrison of the army. Mr. Battey living across the Chicago River from the garrison, who owned the land where the city now stands, told them he would give them an acre of land for each house they would build there. Mr. Snodgrass was accompanied by James Collins, James Steelman, and John B. Ennis. Mr. Snodgrass came to this county, whither his parents had moved during his absence, in 1819. Came through Lafayette, Indiana, then a village, through the Miami Valley, near the present site of Troy, Children: 1. Joseph Bolsor SnodgrassBorn 13 Jan 1836 Logan County, Ohio (Mothers Hand), died 18 May 1864 sara shirk applied for a pension in 1862 as a widow, 28 years, buried Hamilton Cemetery Taylor Twnship Union Cty OH Union Christian Church 2. Mary Snodgrass3. Tabitha SnodgrassBorn 6 Aug 1839 Union City, Union, Ohio, died 21 Jul 1842 Union City, Union, Ohio, 2 years | |||
| 2nd marriage Katherine (Catherine) Phelps King, daughter of Baker (Balser) King and Elizabeth Kriner.Married 5 Sep 1816 Her Father's House By Mr. Converse Meth Min (14 years married) to: Ralph Rudolphus PhelpsBorn 17 Sep 1779 Addison Couinty NY VT?, died 26 Feb 1831, 51 years, buried Near Zanesville, OH http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp Children: 1. Betsy PhelpsBorn 2 Nov 1817 2. Mary Jane PhelpsBorn 24 Oct 1827 3. William G. PhelpsBorn 5 Feb 1829 4. Ralph Rudolph PhelpsBorn 10 Sep 1830 | |||