John Priest
John Priest was born in Crawford County, Penn., on the 25 day of January, 1807, and died in Loudonville, Ohio, on the 12 day of June, 1883. He was the son of James Louden and Paulina Priest, and one of a family of fifteen children, Alonzo Priest, of Holmes County, who died April 23, 1889, being the last member of the family. The father removed from Pennsylvania, and located on the farm now owned and occupied by Joseph Schauweker, in Washington Township, Holmes Co., Ohio, on the 10 day of May, 1810, when he was but little over three years old, and consequently he was a resident of this vicinity for over seventy-three years, and had witnessed the wonderful changes that have come over this region of our country. He has seen it change from the howling wilderness and abode of wild animals and uncivilized man. Through industry and cultivation the log hut gave way to the palatial mansion, and school houses and churches rise side by side in every community, making it the fit place for the highest type of civilized and enlightened men. He has seen the forests recede before the sturdy woodman's ax, and give place to fertile fields that now at harvest time cheer the hearts of men with their fullness of bending golden grain James Louden Priest entered a large tract of land, and during the War of 1812 built a block-house on a part of his place, now owned and occupied by George Lavengood, where, when the Indians were on the war path, he was in the habit of gathering his family and his few scattering neighbors together for protection. He was one of the original proprietors of the town of Loudonville, and, in connection with Mr. Butler, laid it out in 1814, and christened it Loudonville, after a part of his name. Being a pioneer and a man of some means at that early day, as well as a man of a cheerful mood and a charitable disposition, the weary wayfarer or the tired frontiersman always found rest and food in welcome waiting at the house of the elder Priest, and many were the wants that he cheerfully supplied, but he died comparatively young in 1822, when the subject of this sketch was only fifteen years old. Hence, being left an orphan at that early age, the latter had but limited means of education, though he had a full share of the labors and hardships of those early times. His mother being left a widow with a very large family, though a woman of strong will and determined purpose, found herself so burdened with cares and responsibilities, that she could do but little more for her children than to labor to bring them up with correct, honest and industrious habits, and in this she succeeded well. In the distribution of the property John got the old homestead, known for the last fifty years as the "John Priest Place," and there with his mother he kept up the old home and rendered kindly favors to their neighbors, bestowing charity and good cheer in accordance with his mother's wishes, and much as his father had done at an earlier period and in a humbler way. The kindness, the charity and liberal social feelings of the early pioneer times in this country are pleasing to dwell upon, and in their day did much to soften the asperities of life; and while all no doubt did their part, through their early coming, their means and their generous heart, the Priests occupied a conspicuous place.
In 1835 John Priest married Barbara Workman, daughter of David and Elizabeth Workman; she was born in Maryland, coming with her parents to Knox County, Ohio, in 1829, where she lived until her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Priest reared a family of two sons and six daughters, of whom one son and six daughters, and his wife, survive to mourn his death. His life pursuit was that of a farmer, in which he was very successful, adding largely to his inheritance, and he led an active life. He was never a dealer in a small way; he engaged but little in general traffic, preferring to raise his crops and stock, and market the same, and to occasionally buy a farm, which he would improve and sell again, at a profit, or continue to hold as he deemed best. He was always an active and industrious man, a shrewd financier, and a man of good business habits, believing largely in hard work and full pay. Though in an early day hewas generally surrounded by a number of hired men who were more or less dependent upon him, he was not oppressive on them, and did not desire to profit unduly off his help, preferring to make his profits on the purchase of land, and the growth in value of real estate; and he was certainly charitable to the poor. Wealthy men are sometimes berated because they husband their means, but to give lavishly and indiscriminately to the poor is not charity. True charity to the poor consists in furnishing the means for labor, and teaching them how to work and sustain themselves, rather than to donate to them what other men have earned.
Though a most active and restless man, he was an unusually kind husband and father. Though on all ordinary occasions he was much absorbed in his business, when sickness invaded his family he was remarkable attentive, anticipating every danger, and neither sparing time nor money to provide for every care and want; but as soon as health was restored, he at once betook himself to his usual pursuits, desiring all else to do the same. He was remarkable liberal in providing for the education of his children, in which he probably took the lead among all his surroundings, and for which the family should hold him in kindly remembrance and esteem. In 1870 he rented his farms and moved to Loudonville, Ohio, expecting to lead a retired life, but growing restless without something to do he went to Wood County, Ohio, where he purchased a large tract of land, and devoted much time every year to looking after it and securing the improvements of the same, taking great nterest in it till his health gave way, and he became so feeble that he could no longer go to look after it.
In politics he was a Whig and then a Republican, acting no doubt from honest conviction and principle, because true to his family characteristics he never sought nor accepted political place or power. In religious matters he allowed the widest range of belief and full freedom of thought on the part of the different members of his family, offering no objection to the observance of any form they chose, but for himself had no exclusive or fixed belief, nor settled rule of religious faith. Considered, finally, as a man, he must always be remembered as a good and useful citizen, having fulfilled the mission in life that he undertook, and through permanent wealth and education contributed his share to human progress. And we may with unfeigned sorrow regret that another of the few links that connect the early past of our community to the present, with its bright hopes and brilliant prosperity, has been snapped asunder. But he was full of years, and as it is appointed unto man to die, it was but right that a mysterious Providence should gather him in, when like a shock of corn he was fully ripe, and garner him away from mortal sight.
From Commemorative Biographical Record of the Counties of Wayne and Holmes, Ohio, J. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1889