James Elliott Paullin
James Elliott Paullin, who died at his home in Ross township in the spring of 1888 and whose widow is now living in the city of Xenia, was born in that township and there spent all his life with the exception of a short time during the period of his young manhood, when he was attending college in Indiana. He was born on December 25, 1846, a son of David and Susan (Smith) Paullin, who were married on December 6, 1827, and whose last days were spent in Ross township.
The founders of the Paullin family in Greene county were Uriah and Rebeckah Paullin, natives of New Jersey, the former born on October 25, 1765, and the latter, November 17, 1766, who were married on April 13, 1785, and who, when they came to Greene county in 1807 had seven children, Jacob, aged nineteen years; Mary, seventeen; Joseph, twelve; Enos, ten; Sarah, eight; Elizabeth, four, and David, an infant of twelve months. One year after reaching this county another child, Ruth, was born and four years later, Newcomb. For five years preceding their arrival in this county the Paullins had been residents of Highland county and during the five years preceding that period had resided at Salt Lick. Uriah Paullin had been offered his choice of two tracts of land of one thousand acres each, for one thousand dollars, one near Selma, on the site of the late Robert Tindall's estate, and the other in Ross township, Greene county. He chose the latter site and some of that land is still in the possession of his descendants. On that place he and his wife established their home and the good works of "Granddaddy" Paullin are still matters of tradition in the Jamestown neighborhood, though just why he came to be locally known as "Granddaddy" is not so apparent, as the inscription on his tombstone shows that he died at the age of forty-six years and eleven months. His widow survived him until July 8, 1832, she then being seventy-two years, seven months and twenty-one days of age, according to the inscription on her tombstone. The descendants of that pioneer pair now form a numerous connection in Greene county and throughout this part of the state. As noted above, David Paullin was but an infant when his parents came to this county and he was but six or seven years of age when his father died. He came in for a portion of his father's estate and in time began farming on his own account in that same township, though he had sold his portion of the land to his brother Newcomb. After his marriage in 1827 he established his home on a farm in Ross township and there spent the rest of his life.
James Elliott Paullin, son of David and Susan, grew up on the home farm in Ross township and received his schooling in the neighborhood schools. As a young man he attended college in Indiana, but presently returned to the old homestead and after his marriage in the summer of 1885 established his home there and there spent the few remaining years of his life, his death occurring on March 26, 1888. He was a Republican and a member of the Christian church at Jamestown.
On January 8, 1885, in Ross township, James E. Paullin was united in marriage to Anna Louisa Cherry, who also was born in that township, a daughter of William and Martha (Saville) Cherry, the former of whom, born on February 16, 1816, died on September 9, 1895, and the latter, born on November 20, 1815, died on October 6, 1876. William Cherry was a son of James and Elizabeth (Greenwood) Cherry, the former of whom was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, May 12, 1789, a son of Patrick and Rachel (Wortman) Cherry, the former of whom came from Ireland and the latter of whom was of Dutch descent, who were the parents of five children, James, Green, William, Isaac and Margaret. On April 12, 1815, at New Castle, in Rockbridge county, Virginia, James Cherry married Elizabeth Greenwood, who was born on April 25, 1796, and not long afterward he and his bride joined a party coming through to this part of Ohio and rode to Greene county horseback, their destination being the David Laughead settlement on Massies creek. In that neighborhood James Cherry established his home and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. his death occurring on December 24, 1851, and hers, May 14, 1883. They were the parents of eleven children, William, Mary Ann, Jane, Rachel Wortman, James Laughead, Robert G., John, Ben Q., Andrew, Isaac N. and David H. On February 18, 1837, William Cherry was united in marriage to Martha Saville and established his home on the Darling homestead on the Jamestown and Xenia pike. Alartha Saville was a daughter of Samuel and Ann Saville, cousins, the former of whom was born on December 28, 1797. and died, March 22, 1857, and the latter, born on June 30, 1792, died on May 18, 1872, and who were the parents of six children, Martha. Joseph, Margaret, Elizabeth, Samuel and James A. To William and Martha (Saville) Cherry were born eleven children, of whom Mrs. Paullin was the last-born, the others being Elizabeth Ann, James A., Samuel S.. Rachel Euphemia. John W., Benjamin F.. Martha J., Robert L., Melvina M. and David Brown.
To James E. and Anna Louisa (Cherry) Paullin were born two children, Lorena D. and James William, both of whom are living, still making their home with their mother, who moved from the home farm to Xenia in 1901. Miss Lorena Paullin was graduated from a business college at Dayton and for the past ten years has been the official stenographer in the Greene county probate court. She takes an active interest in the work of the Young Woman's Christian Association at Xenia. James W. Paullin completed his schooling in the Dayton Business College and for the past six years has been engaged in the office of the wholesale establishment of Eavey & Company at Xenia. He is a member of the local lodge of Masons. Mrs. Paullin and her son and daughter are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church at Xenia.
From History of Greene County Ohio, Its People, Industries and Institutions, vol. 2. M.A.Broadstone, editor. B.F.Bowen & Co., Indianapolis. 1918