Joseph G. Bloomer
Nehemiah Bloomer, of English descent, a native of New York, and a tailor by trade, married Elizabeth Ketchum, of Welch descent, in the State of New Jersey. They lived successively in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Ohio, coming to the latter state in a very early day. Their seven children were: John, Daniel, Benjamin, William. Joseph, Phoebe, and Jesse. The sons were farmers, and more than one of them dealt largely in live stock.
John and Daniel remained in Tennessee; the remainder of the family are named among the pioneer settlers of this county. The year of their coming to the state cannot be accurately stated.
William divided his time between tailoring, farming, and building mills.
Phoebe was a pioneer in the millinery business. She married Col. Aaron Johnson, who was sheriff of this county, and who, for a number of years, kept a hotel in Washington. They removed to Indiana.
Joseph Bloomer was born in Virginia, June 30, 1786. He married Mary Robinson, daughter of Nicholas Robinson, a pioneer of Jefferson Township, near Jeff'ersonville. His oldest daughter, Rebecca, was born there, August 27, 1808, the Indians at that time being his nearest neighbors. Two other children were born to them—a daughter and son—both of whom died early in life. The wife and mother died in the year 1822, aged thirty-five years.
He married for his second wife, Mary, the daughter of Captain Thomas McDonald. Captain McDonald was a soldier and spy under General Wayne, in 1794. He was a brother-in-law of General Duncan McArthur, a justice of the peace, and at one time a member of the Ohio Legislature.
Joseph Bloomer was elected sheriff' of this county in 1828, succeeding his brother-in-law. Colonel Johnson. He held the oflice for two terms, and after a retirement of two years, was again elected to the same oflice, and was again re-elected, serving in all, eight years. He was an excellent public oflicer. He died on his farm, five miles above Washington, July 9, 1859, aged seventy-three years, leaving a record of a busy, well spent life. His widow died, January 22, 1852, having been born, August 18, 1803.
They were the parents of nine children: Joseph Gatch, born 1824; William Johnson, born 1826; Allen Trimble, born 1828; Eliza, born 1831; Thomas Marshall, born 1833; Phoebe, born 1835; Nancy Ann, born 1837; James Hinton, born 1841; Effie Jane, born 1844.
Joseph Gatch Bloomer, the oldest son, resides with his family in Madison Township, midway between Bloomingburg and White Oak. He has been a resident of the county all his life. He located here in 1867. His education, which is above the average, is the result of a close application, and the careful improvement of the very meagre opportunities of the unfavorable times of his youth. From the year 1845 to 1855, he was an efficient teacher of the county. Since that time, he has given his time to farming and stock raising. At the age of twenty-seven years, he was married to Elizabeth Jane, daughter of Henry and Abigail (Davis) Dewitt, who were the parents of sixteen children: Benjamin Franklin, born 1810; Catherine, born 1811; Henry, born 1813; Asa, born 1815; Sarah, born 1816; John, born 1818; James B., born 1820; Mary, born 1821; Abigail and Nancy (twins), born 1824; Elizabeth Jane, born 1826; Rebecca, born 1827; Allen McArthur, born 1831; Mahala, born 1832; Ellison,born 1834, and Lewis, born 1836.
Mrs. Bloomer was a teacher in her early life, and is a cultured lady of the substantial kind. To their marriage eight children have been born—five sons and three daughters. These are all living except one son, Joseph Clinton, who died in the sixth year of his age. In his death the family circle was first broken. His youthful spirit was the first to enter within the vale as the forerunner of the family. May the whole family finally' be permitted to share with him the bliss of immortality.
Mr. Bloomer has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1858, and his wife has been in the same church since 1848.
Note—Joseph Bloomer, it appears from the above, served as sheriff from 1828 to 1830, and from 1832 until 1838, and then was succeeded by Williams.
From R. S. Dills' History of Fayette County