Andrew Jackson Stivers
Andrew Jackson Stivers was the second son of Robert Stivers, and Jane Meharry. Until his eighteenth year, he lived on his father's farm. Here under the prayerful guidance of his pious mother, many lessons of patience and economy were learned; and the foundation for his future successful business career was laid. In 1836, he removed to Ripley, where his faithfulness and uprightness of character soon established for him a permanent place as a business man and a citizen. In 1847, he began his long and successful career as a banker; at that time the first bank in Ripley was founded, and for almost fifty years he was intimately associated with the Farmers' National Bank and Citizens' National Bank.
Mr. Stivers was married in 1845 to Miss Harriet Newall McClain. After six years of married life, Mrs. Stivers died in August, 1851. Mr. Stivers was united in marriage a second time, December 13, 1859, to Miss Catherine Maddox, who proved a faithful and loving wife through years of unusual happiness and prosperity, and who still survives him. The mantle of Mr. Stivers' unselfishness and prosperity has fallen upon his two surviving sons, John Robert and Frank Alexander Stivers, who are substantial business men of Ripley, Ohio, the latter being now President of the Citizens' National Bank, with which his father was connected for so many years. As a loving and devoted husband, a kind and generous father, a broad and honest business man and a loyal Christian gentleman, no words of eulogy are sufficient to express the nobility of character of Andrew Jackson Stivers, the subject of this sketch.
Andrew Jackson Stivers came from a long line of Virginia patriots and sturdy Irish ancestors. His grandfather, John Stivers, a native of Virginia, was born in 1764. He served his country in the Revolutionary War, as a member of the Virginia Militia, before he was sixteen years of age. Robert Stivers, father of A. J. Stivers, was born March 26, 1789, in Westmoreland County, Pa. He served as a Volunteer in the War of 1812, as an Ensign of Lieutenant Daniel Coe's Company, First Regiment, Col. Edward's Ohio Militia, on a general call to Sandusky. At the time of enlistment, he was a resident of Adams County, having come with his parents from Virginia to Brownsville (then Redstone), Fayette County, Pennsylvania, thence to Ohio, and settled near Manchester. It was here that Robert Stivers met Jane Meharry, and in 1815 they were married in Liberty Township.
Jane Meharry was a native of Ireland, born February 3, 1790, and came to this country in May, 1794, with her father, Alexander Meharry, and her stepmother, Jane Meharry. The family settled at Connellsville, Pennsylvania, in July, 1794, and in April, 1799, removed to Kentucky and shortly afterwards to Adams County, Ohio.
To Robert and Jane Stivers were born four sons and four daughters. Robert Stivers died July 12, 1855, and Jane Stivers died April 10, 1870. Both are buried in Briar Ridge cemetery, this county.
From History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900