George Van Ness
George Van Ness, a native of New Jersey, married Eleanor Van Lear, a native of Holland; they emigrated to Ohio prior to its becoming a State, and settled in Butler County. In January, 1813-14, they removed to Madison County and settled on the Little Darby, in the northwest corner of this township, on the place now owned by John Van Ness, and here he resided until his death, March 22, 1832. He was a true pioneer and experienced the rough side of life. Indians were his neighbors, and deer, wild hogs and game of all kinds were in abundance. About 1820, Mr. Van Ness erected a grist-mill, a three-story frame, run by water-power. The mill only ran about three years, when the dam washed away and was never repaired or used afterward. Mr. Van Ness served through the war of the Revolution, and was with Gen. Washington at the memorable Valley Forge. He was the father of the following children: John, who married Rachel Nichols, and settled near the same place, but subsequently moved West and died in Iowa; Susannah, married Stacy Storer, and settled in Highland County, Ohio, where she died, aged nearly one hundred years; Catharine, married John Payne, first settled in this township, thence in Highland County, and finally in Illinois, where she died; George, married Sarah Britton, settled in Butler County, on the old Van Ness farm, thence removed to Seneca County, Ohio, thence moved West and is now a resident of Indiana; Judith, married William Storer, and settled in Highland County, where they now reside; Peter, married Polly Neff, and settled in Logan County, Ohio, and died there; Cornelius, married Rebecca Bower, and settled on the old home place of his father, where he still remains, and has now spent seventy years of his life on this farm; Daniel, married Elizabeth Yearns, and resides in Logan County, Ohio; and Mary, married Henry McCumber, and soon moved West and settled in Illinois, where she died.
From HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY - W. H. Beers [Chicago, 1883]