Ephraim Bilderback

Ephraim Bilderback of Holmes County, Ohio

Ephraim Bilderback was born June 29, 1802 in what is now Brooke County, WV. His father, Thomas, received a land grant in 1809 in Hanover Township, Washington County, PA. Ephraim was married Februry 18, 1825 to Susan Sarah Jackson of Washington County, PA, daughter of Joseph and Hannah Jackson. Land records show that Ephraim bought property in Hardy Twp., Holmes County, OH in 1837 and his brother, Massom, bought land there in 1839.

Ephraim and Sarah had eight children. Four of those mentioned in his will: were Hanna R., Thomas, Charles B., and Josiah J.. [Holmes County, OH, Will Book 3, page 42, Will NO. 1051 probated 22 April 1882] Sarah died May 9, 1871. Ephraim died April 14, 1882. Both are buried in Uhl cemetery, Hardy Twp., Holmes County, OH.
He is living with his son Charles and Susan Bilderback in the 1880 census.

Orphan’s Court Record on Joseph Jackson estate:

This undated item was found in miscellaneous files of Orphan’s Court, Washington County, PA. It was listed as Acct. # 23 with the number 507 circled after it.

Joseph Jackson estate
John Proudfit executor
Widow Hannah
1. Ruth.........Barnet McDonald
2. Sarah........Emphraim Bilderback
3. Hannah.....Simon Smith
4. Jemima.....William McCausland
5. Elizabeth...Lister
6. Rebecca....Masson Bilderback

Note by Harry Liggett on the above record:
This evidently was the account for the estate of Joseph Jackson and the six persons listed were apparently his daughters and their spouses.
We know that Ephraim Bilderback married Susan Sarah Jackson and that his brother, Masson, married Rebecca Jackson. This item adds further proof that the Bilderback men married Jackson sisters and also gives us the names of their parents, Joseph and Hannah Jackson.

Early church records I have read indicate the Jacksons were active in the church. Joseph Jackson, an elder and probably the man whose estate is involved in this account, died in 1824, according to church records. The church records are in the Minutes and Session Minutes of the Presbyterian Church of Florence, PA, filmed at the Presbyterian Historical Society Library in Philadelphia, PA, by the Family History Library of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Film No. 912120. Among deaths of elders was Joseph Jackson, 1807, died in 1824.

For an account of the cemetery where Thomas Bilderback and George McCausland are buried, see my article, "A Visit to Mountaintee," in the Keyhole, quarterly publication of the Genealogical Society of Southwestern, PA at Washington County, PA, v. 23 No. 1, January, 1985. Margaret Leister was listed incorrectly as the wife of Thomas Bilderback in an application of Ashleigh F. Bilderback for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Other documents establish that his wife was Margaret Preston, born April 28, 1774 in in Harford County, MD, the daughter of Daniel Preston and Ann Rigdon.

Ephraim’s father, Thomas Bilderback, received a patent on 250 acres of land in Hanover Township, Washington County, PA, on March 2, 1809. [Copy of Warrant in land office of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania at Harrisburg, PA, No. 304 Washington County, PA]

“Ephraim Bilderback, an old resident and farmer of this township, residing west of Millersburg, died on Friday of general debility. Aged about eighty years. [Holmes County, Ohio, Farmer, Thursday, April 10,. 1882, page 3, col. 2 Marguerite Dicksinon, Obituaries Abstracted from Holmes County, Ohio, Papers in Farmer Hub Offices, Millersburg library, Holmes County Historical Society and Westesrn Reserve Historical Society.]