Ohio Biographies



Elisha Kirtland


Three brothers by the name of Kirkland came from Scotland to the American Colonies prior to the old French war. The name of one was James, those of the other two have been lost. James afterward married, but when or to whom we cannot learn. He raised a family of four children, Elisha, Elias, Deborah, aiid James. He was killed in the French War on Lake George.

Elisha and Elias were both soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Elisha was taken prisoner by the British, put on board a prison ship off New York Harbor, where he, with the other prisoners, were poisoned by slow poison, from the effects of which many died; he lived to get home, but died soon afterward. Elias also was taken prisoner, but by the Indians. He being an excellent blacksmith, his life was saved, and he was sent to Canada to work for the British, where he remained until the close of the war, then settled in Blemford, Mass., where he died. Deborah married William Dee, lived in Saybrook, Conn., and died childless.

James was in the army at N. Y. when Washington retreated from Long Island, and was present at Danbury and saw Gen. Wooster shot. He afterward married Elizabeth Morehouse. It was he who changed the name from Kirkland to that of Kirtland, since which time it has been so written. He lived for a time in Fairfield, then in Cornwall, Conn., after which he moved to Bainbridge, N. Y., where he died. He was the father of Elisha, Elizabeth, James, and William. Elisha was born in Cornwall, Litchfield County, Conn., in 1777. Married Hannah Peek in 1801, and settled in Chenango, N. Y., where he remained until the summer of 1817, when he immigrated with his family to Ohio, and entered land and settled on the bank of the Miami River one mile below Port Jefferson, on what is known as the Pampell farm. Here he made an opening in the forest and erected his cabin. His family at that time consisted of three children, Elias, Anna, and William. Mr. Kirtland was tall, robust, and well built, of light complexion, and well adapted to backwoods life. He was on friendly terms with the red man, who often visited his home. He died on this place in 1840, and was buried in the old cemetery in Sidney. Hannah, his wife, died on the old homestead, January, 1841, and was buried by the side of her husband. Of the three children, Elias was born in Chenaiigo County, N. Y., 1804; died in the spring of 1822. Anna was born Oct. 27, 1806. Married Thomas Wilkinson Nov. 29, 1825, and died March 15, 1852.

 

From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883

 


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