Union County, Ohio Biographies Project - James Ketch
JAMES KETCH
James Ketch, a farmer, near Plain City, an old and respected pioneer of
Union County, was born in Canaan Township, Madison County, June 5,
1818. He is a son of Lewis and Sarah (Beach) Ketch, the former a native
of York State, and the latter of Vermont. Mr. Ketch was born March 29,
1795, and Mrs. Ketch June 9, 1797. They were married March 6, 1814, and
the following fall removed to Darby Township, Madison County, where Mr.
Ketch died January 7, 1823. Mrs. Ketch was the mother of four children.
She married for her second husband Parley Converse, and bore him five
children. When but six years of age our subject was placed in the
family of John Irwin, the father of Gen. William Irwin. He was reared
till thirteen by Mr. Irwin, and for an education had the privileges of
the common schools. In 1831, Mr. Irwin died, and young Ketch went to
Madison County, and after spending one year returned to Union Township
and worked at the carpenter trade with Gen. Irwin. He followed his
trade up to 1844, when he purchased forty-four acres of his present
farm. Of this all was woodland with no improvements except a log house,
which had been partly erected. Everything dwelt in the wild dominion of
nature, and deer, wolves, and other wild animals were numerous. Mr.
Ketchbegan the work of clearing and improving the farm, and made
additions till he now owns 130 acres. Mr. Ketch was married, December
15, 1839, to Miss Rhode, Converse, daughter of Jeremiah and Melinda
(Derby) Converse, natives of Vermont. Mrs. Ketch was born in Madison
County, Ohio, January 31, 1817. This union was blessed with ten
children ; of these seven are living-Lester W., married Sarah N.
Conklin; Malinda D., wife of Isaac D. Mapes; Louisa R., formerly wife
of Isaac J. Kilbury, and since of Perry Douglas; Lewis J., who was a
member of Company I. One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment of Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, and was killed by a shell while in camp on the
Atlanta campaign, August 6, 1864; Nancy F., wife of G. W. Stevens;
Olive F., died aged two years; Harriet L., wife of C. C. Smith; Hiram
G, died in infancy; Hylas R. and Dexter D. Mr. Ketch served Jerome
Township as Justice of the Peace fifteen years, and as Trustee three
years. Mr. Ketch is familiar with the general growth and development of
the county, his acquaintance with it dating back almost to its
organization, and few important events occurred within its limits of
which he has no knowledge.