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I was born on the 23rd day of August 1836 in Perry County, Ohio. I have a very distinct recollection of the scenery around the very spot on the hill where the large, double, hewed log house stood in which I was born. Just in front was the large garden with its paling fence, at the back part of which stood a great many currant bushes where I often went and ate all I wanted. Just at the right and left of the doors stood two very large apple trees. Behind the house were the peach trees. At the right from the front of the house, in about two or three rods, was a great deep ravine with rocks and waterfalls. In this ravine I have many a time gathered walnuts and buckeyes, threw stones, climbed the trees, and rambled it over and over. To the left was the never-failing spring which came out of the hill at the head of another deep ravine. It was shaded over by one or two large trees and a great many small ones, with a perfect thicket of underbrush covered with grape vines. It was a beautiful little retreat and the water was always shaded. These two ravines soon emptied into Sunday Creek which lay but a few rods further to the right. The view from the door of our house was always along down the course of the Creek overlooking a very rough hilly country. There were knobs and points and ravine and valley all interspersed with brush and trees. Along down the valley on either side were great high rocks and cliffs which were green the year round with the beautiful spruce. When I last saw this memorable spot in 1852, it was materially changed. The house was removed, and the place all grown up with alders and weeds. The rubbish from the old stone chimney was there, but all else was gone except the apple trees, the rocks, and the ravines. The garden fence, currants, all gone. All was desolate. But here is where I was born, and the spot seems dear to me. My father's name was Jesse, my grandfather's name was David, and my great-grandfather's name was Reuben. My father was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. He, with his father�s family, moved to Ohio when he was quite young. My grandfather, David Tharp, was born, as well as I can learn, in New Jersey. He was in the War of 1812. My great-grandfather was from New Jersey, but I do not know where he was born, nor whence he sprang. He was a Revolutionary Soldier, and drew a yearly pension. He died at the age of 100 years. He became very rich. His estate was divided out among his many children and grandchildren and so forth, and I received nearly $14.00. The Tharps, as far as I have ever seen or heard, were a tall, robust, good-looking race of people. I had three brothers older than myself (the oldest of which died in infancy), and three sisters younger than myself. My mother�s name was Keziah MONTGOMERY. She was born in Mecklinburgh County, North Carolina. She, in company with her father�s family, moved to Ohio when she too was quite young, about six years old. Her father�s name was James Montgomery. He was born and raised in Pennsylvania, then moved to North Carolina. Her mother�s name was Mary MCCLARTY. This Mary McClarty had formerly been married to a Mr. WHITE. He soon died, and she married my grandfather, James Montgomery, who was himself a widower. James Montgomery was a good Christian man, a Presbyterian, and gave me mother a good training, and she in turn gave to me that caste of mind. The Montgomerys were a rather tall, fine, and well-educated people. My mother had seven sisters. The oldest (a half sister) married a Mr. Wm. FOWLER, a native of Maryland, and raised a large family in Perry County, Ohio. My mother, when but a girl, lived a great deal of her time with this sister. They lived on what is called the �South Fork of Jonathan�s Creek.� Her name was Elizabeth. The next oldest (a half sister, also) was Jane. The oldest own sister, Sallie, married a Mr. Arch THARP, a brother to my father. They moved in 1839 to Illinois where she soon after died. Mary, the next oldest married Robert PORTER and moved to Iowa. Terissa married Isaac SHREVES. Evaline married Charles OVERMAN. Catherine married Wm. Shreves, brother of Isaac. |
