Nutt Family
This family is of Welsh descent. The first to come to America was Adam Nutt, who came, when quite a young man, early in the eighteenth century, and probably settled in New Jersey. When or whom he married we cannot learn, but we know that he had a son Levi (who was the great-grandfather of lrwin Nutt, of Shelby County), who was the father of Aaron Nutt, born in New Jersey July, 1758. He was left an orphan when two years of age. At fourteen years of age he was indentured to learn the tailor trade until twenty-one years of age. Some time before the close of his apprenticeship his guardian was drafted into the army under Gen. Washington. He offered to give Aaron his time if he would go as a substitute in his stead, to which he agreed. He entered the service under his cousin, Captain Israel Shrieve, and was with him at the battle of Monmouth. We can learn nothing more of his military career. In August, 1779, he was married to Mary Archer. By this union there were nine children born. In 1786 he moved to Pennsylvania, from there to Kentucky, but on account of the institution of human slavery, he, in the year 1796, came to the territory of Ohio and located in what is now Montgomery County, when it was very sparsely settled with white people Here he lived an honored and respected citizen the remainder of his life. He died June 2, 1842. Of his family of nine children we shall only speak of Aaron Nutt, Jr., who was the father of Irwin Nutt, of Shelby County.
He was born in Kentucky Dec. 25, 1785, and came with his father to Ohio in 1796. He married Jane Irwin Jan. 2, 1806. They reared a family of eight children, viz., Ibens Matilda, Irwin, Malinda Parmelia, Nelson, Dixon, Sharon C., Simpson, and Marion. He died in Montgomery County in 1842.
Irwin Nutt, the eldest son of Aaron Nutt, Jr., was born in Montgomery County, near Centreville, Jan. 31, 1811. When a young man he learned the tanner trade, but did not follow his trade long. Having received a fair common school education, such as he could get at the district school, he afterward spent six months at the seminary at Xenia, Ohio, and prepared himself for teaching, which he followed for a time. In 1834 he married Miss Barbara Persinger, of Greene County, Ohio. She was born Sept. 27, 1812. Two years later he came with his wife and one child to Shelby County, where he bought a piece of timbered land one mile north of Sidney. On this land he soon erected a cabin for his little family and commenced clearing his land. It was not long before he had an opening around him, and his land began to return a compensation for his labor. Year after year the heavy timber gave way to the unceasing blows of his axe, and the result was a fine and well-improved farm, with not only the necessaries, but the luxuries of life around him. In this hard struggle to make a comfortable home he was aided and encouraged by his brave and faithful wife, who did her part by spinning and weaving the flax and wool for their garments. and aiding in the outdoor work as well as her duties in the house. They reared a family of seven children, four sons and three daughters, whose names and dates of birth are as follows: Louisa M., born 1835; Edmund E., born 1837; Margaret J., born 1840; William A., born 1843; Mary M., born 1845; J. Newton, born 1848; and John M., born 1851. Louisa M. became the wife of Joseph Wilkinson; she died in 1876; Margaret J. married James Middleton and resides near Plattsville, O.; Mary M. is the wife of Dr. J. C. Lillie, of Quincy, Logan County, O.; W|liam A. resides in Quincy, O. The other three reside in Sidney, O. In 1854 Mr. Nutt rented his farm, moved to Pemberton, and engaged in buying and shipping grain, but returned to his farm again in 1857 and remained there until 1873, when, his children all having left home and gone to themselves, the old home became lonely, and, as he expressed it, "the old clock ticked too loud on its lonely shelf." They, at the earnest solicitation of their children, rented the homestead and went to spend their time among their children, sometimes with one, then with another. In 1832 Mr. Nutt united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and all through his long and useful life he was closely identified with its interests, giving much of his time and money to its advancement, and when called away he left behind to surviving friends and neighbors an evidence that he had not spent his life in vain, but expressed a willingness to go to his Master, whom he served for nearly half a century. He also was one among the first members of Temperance Lodge No. 73 of F. and A. M., and during his life held all the oflices in the Lodge, up to and including that of W. M. He died in Quincy, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. C. Lillie, March 7, 1880. His remains were brought to Sidney on Monday and lay in state at the M. E. Church until Tuesday afternoon, when the funeral took place, and his body was conveyed to Graceland Cemetery, followed by one of the largest funeral processions ever seen in Sidney. His widow still survives, and makes her home among her children, who always welcome her, and are glad to have her with them. Her presence is always found by the sick-bed of any of her children or any of their families, and her life is spent giving comfort to those whom God sent to comfort her in her long and useful life.
E. E. Nutt, the eldest son of Irwin Nutt, was born in Shelby County in the year 1837. He was reared on the farm just north of Sidney, and was educated in the schools of Sidney. When eighteen years of age he began teaching school, which he followed four years, then commenced to take a course at Delaware College, but at the breaking out of the Rebellion he left his school and enlisted in the 15th O. V. I. April 17, 1861, and served three months, the full time of enlistment. In September, 1861, he re-enlisted as a private in Company F, 20th O. V. I., and served until the close of the war, first as a private, then sergeant, then second and first lieutenant, and was discharged as captain of his company. After his return home from the army he, in company with his brother, engatged in the grain trade at Pemberton, and has been engaged in the same business up to the present time. In 1867 he married mIss Arvesta Vandemark, a daughter of Henry and Susannah (Boyer) Vandemark. By this union they have five children, viz., Florence A., Earl E., Susie E., Emma M., and Ora. Mr. Nutt at the present time is, in connection with his brothers, J. N. and J. M., engaged in the grain trade in Sidney, Ohio.
J. Newton Nutt is the third son of IRwin Nutt. He was born in Shelby County in 1848, lived with his parents until twenty-three years of age, at which time he engaged with his brother, E. E. Nutt, in the grain trade in Sidney, where he now is to be found. In 1877 he married Miss May Price, of Greencastle, Ind. They have had born to them one son, Freddie M., born 1878.
John M. Nutt, the youngest of the family of Irwin Nutt, was born in Shelby County in 1851. He also was reared on the farm and educated in the schools of sidney and Delaware. When about eighteen years of age he commenced teaching, which he followed until 1873, at which time he went to Quincy and engaged in the grain trade with his brother william, remained there until 1876, then came to sidney and associated himself with his brothers in the same business, under the firm name of Nutt Bros. In 1875 he married Miss Ella M. Smith, of Quincy, Logan County, Ohio. They have born to them three children, viz., Frank S., Irwin, and Cris.
Emory C. Nutt, a son of Dixon Nutt, who was a brother of Irwin Nutt, was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, in 1850, lived with his parents until 1873, when he commenced life for himself. In 1879 he came to Sidney and engaged with the Nutt Bros. as bookkeeper, at which he is engaged at the present time. In May, 1881, he married Miss Emma S. Price, of Greencastle, Ind. They have born to them one child, Arthur P., born 1882.
From History of Shelby County, Ohio; R. Sutton & Co, Philadelphia PA, 1883