Mahlon Urton
Mahlon Urton, one of the best known citizens of Adams County, is a native of Loudon County, Va. There he was born August 9. 1824, near Leesburg. His father was William Urton and his mother, Jane Pursel, both natives of Loudon County, Va.. His father emigrated to Ohio in 1830, first stopping near Columbus, but soon after he located in Adams County near Youngsville. He brought with him seven children of whom our subject was the second. Our subject attended the common schools and among his teachers were Joseph Randolph Cockerill, afterwards Colonel of the Seventieth O. V. I. He was brough up to be a farmer and was another of the young men of Adams County who never taught a Public school. He began farming on his own account, in 1848, near Louisville, in Adams County, and continued if for five years. On November 1, 1853, he was married to Miss Susan Frances Summers, a very attractive young woman of great force of character. They were married at Marble Furnace, by the Rev. David McDill, D. D., who has a sketch and portrait in this work. His wife was the daughter of Jacob Summers, a native of Loudon County, Virginia, born June 13, 1791. His wife, Elizabeth Elmore, was born May 11, 1789. They were married February 29, 1816. Elizabeth Elmore was the daughter of John Elmore, a soldier of the Revolution in the Continental line from Virginia, who served in that war seven years. As a lad he was in the French and Indian War throughout the whole of it. He was a native of Ireland. He lived to be 103 years old and when he died was buried with honors of War. His wife survived him some two years and died at the age of eighty-three. He received a land warrant for his revolutionary services, and it was located in Kentucky.
Jacob Summers, father of Mrs. Urton, was a farmer from Loudon County, Va. He was also a slave holder, but believed the institution was injurious to the States permitting it. In 1835, he sold his slaves and came to Ohio. He sold most of his personal effects and brought his family out in a two-horse carriage. His goods, such as he brought, followed in a four-horse wagon. He bought twelve hundred acres of land at Marble Furnace, at the time the furnace was abandoned, and owned it until his death, July 19, 1852. His wife died in 1874. He was a Whig all his life
Jacob Summers brought to Ohio four daughters and one son. He and his wife buried two infant sons in Virginia. Of the five children who grew to maturity. Mahala Elizabeth, born May 2, 1821, marired Hector Urton; the next, Susan F., wife of Mahlon Urton, was born June 23, 1823; Ruhama Ann, born July 27, 1825, married Townshend Enos Reed; James F., the only son, who was born January 15, 1830, and as Captain of Company B, 70th O. V. I., was killed in battle before Atlanta. July 28, 1864; Mary Ellen, born January 19, 1834, married Isaac Hannah.
Returning to our subject, Mahlon Urton, the farm on which he now resides was set apart to Capt. J. F. Summers in the division of Jacob Summers' estate. Mr. Urton purchased it of him and moved on it the fourth of January, 1859. The home, a one-story brick, was built by James and McArthur, proprietors of Marble Furnace. In front of it a long lawn has two rows of locust trees, the bodies of which have attained great proportions, and the surroundings proclaim that the builder of the home was a Virginian.
Mr. and Mrs. Urton have had five children born to them. Thomas Clayton, their only son, was born October 20, 1854, and died at the age of twenty-one, in 1876. Their daughter, Anna Belle, is the wife of William Snedaker, a farmer, residing near Tranquility. Their daughters Frances Lillian and Rosalie Jane are residing with their parents. Their daughter, Emma Florence, is the wife of Charles E. Miller, of Marble Furnace. Since the creation of Bratton Township from Franklin, Mr. Urton's home is in Bratton Township. Mr. Urton was a Whig during the existence of the Whig party and since then has been a Republican. As such he was a Commissioner of Adams County from 1888 to 1891, and he has been a Trustee of Franklin Township.
He was a member of Company K, 141st O. V. I., and served from May 2 to September 3, 1864. Mr. Urton possesses all the cardinal virtues and his life has been an illustrating of them. He is respected and esteemed by all who know him. If any one can get to heaven by living an honorable life, Mr. Urton needs to give himself no further concern on that subject. All who know cannot help liking him, and would not, if that were a matter of will. Mr. Urton's neighbors think that when the books are opened on the "Great Day," his account will be all balanced on the credit side. Such citizens as he are a credit to any community which they honor with their lives.
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