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| Pine Run Mill |
I'm lucky in that I’ve already done most of the research I need for Ashland County. These
pages are not, of course, for some academic treatise. They are family friendly
info-mation summaries; and I’m happy with the result. All of the pages may be fine-tuned at the end
of my blitz but, at least, we have a start.
My 4th Great Grandparents John Jacob Heiffner and Elizabeth Mueller Heiffner settled and died in or near the early village of Nankin in what was then Richland County.
J.J. was born in
Germany in 1752 and traveled to Pennsylvania with his parents. He and Elizabeth met and married in
Pennsylvania. Elizabeth died in Nankin in 1824 and Jacob in 1848. Because of shifting county boundaries Elizabeth died in Richland County and Jacob, who lived with her, died in Ashland County. We can say today that they are buried in Ashland County. All of their
children are listed as being born in Pennsylvania so the move to Ohio came
sometime after 1808 but before (and probably many years before) 1824. An interesting side note. There are three Heiffner/Hiffner biographies
in the Ashland history. Apparently none of them realized that they were
related, or wished not to claim relationship. They were all related. Our Jacob Heiffner served in the RevolutionaryWar.
Another of
our ancestors who apparently lived in Ashland County was Joseph Rowland. He
died in Wyandot County in 1856. Joseph’s wife, Christina Lane died in Richland (Ashland)
County in 1837. Both of them were born and married in Lancaster County, PA. They first moved to Washington
County, Maryland where their children were born – the last in 1804. They must
have settled first in Richland/Ashland and after Christina’s death Joseph moved to
Wyandot. Joseph Rowland and his father, Jacob Rowland have been credited for
carrying much needed supplies to General Washington and the troops at Valley Forge.
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| Johnny Appleseed Memorial |
My paternal
grandmother’s maiden name was Rowland. The Rowland's, Heiffner's, and allied families were her people. And she is the
one responsible for lighting a fire in a little girl's heart that set her on a
genealogical path.
