Person:Pierson Conkling (1)

Pierson Conkling, son of Joseph and Rebecca (Ross) Conkling was born on 21 November 1787 in Elizabeth or possibly West Field, Essex County, New Jersey. Pierson married Hannah Marsh of Warren County Pennsylvania on 6 March 1811. Hannah Marsh, daughter of Hugh and Hannah (Ludlum) Marsh was born on 19 April 1793, in Warren County. Hannah's mother was a cousin of Pierson's mother, Rebecca Ross. The Marsh family were Quakers and had migrated to Pennsylvania from Elizabeth, New Jersey. Pierson probably moved to Ohio in 1806 with his parents and their other children. At some point, he went to Pennsylvania where he married Hannah Marsh. While in Pennsylvania, Pierson served as an ensign in the 137th Regiment (Marlin’s Regiment) of the Pennsylvania Militia during the War of 1812. Pierson and Hannah’s first child, Joseph was born in Pennsylvania in 1813. A family legend of Pierson's descendants relates that when the family moved to Ohio by flat-boat, a many-times great grandfather who was a baby at the time fell into the river and the Indian guide who was traveling with the family dove in after the child shouting, "No more Johnny-cake! No more baby!" This story probably refers to Pierson's son, Joseph Marsh Conkling . After moving to Ohio, Pierson and Hannah established a farm in Reily Township (Butler County), Ohio. This was land left to Pierson by his father and is located on Stillwater Road. It seems that Pierson’s father, Joseph Conkling never lived on this land. The land was an original land purchase and was purchased in 1806 for $339.04. The final payment was made in 1817 and a patent for this land was issued to Joseph Conkling by President Monroe on 11 August 1817. The family’s two story brick farmhouse was still standing on the farm in the late 1990’s. Original school tax records of Butler County show that Pierson was the clerk of Jersey Town School District #6 in Reily Township in 1831. Pierson and his son, Joseph, along with Samuel Gray also were responsible for laying out the small town of Reily, Ohio in 1848. Late in the summer of 1861, the year after his wife Hannah died, Pierson visited the family of Mary Jane Ross in Jersey County, Illinois. After this visit, Pierson's son Joseph wrote a letter to these relatives saying that Pierson had been very impressed with the crops there. According to the letter, crops had also been bountiful in Ohio that year with an excellent wheat crop. Joseph also stated that the corn crop had been light thus raising corn prices up to $.25. Pierson never moved to Illinois, but his son Joseph did a few years later. Pierson's wife Hannah died on 25 June 1860. She may have died of typhoid as a letter written by their son, Pierson Cory in 1864 states that his sister, Sarah died “just like Mother did”. After Hannah died, Pierson married Martha Heister. Pierson died on 9 March 1870 in Reily Township (Butler County), Ohio. In his will, Pierson mentions a prenuptial agreement which Pierson and Martha had and stresses that it is to be followed. He left a part of his estate to each of his children stating that he was taking into account any previously given and unpaid or forgiven loans. Hannah and Pierson buried in the Conkling family plot in Reily Cemetery. The family plot is located in the right corner of the cemetery near the road and is marked by a large obelisk monument. The tall monument identifies Pierson and Hannah, their daughter Hannah, and grandson Lewis Pierson Conkling.

1850 census-OH-Butler-Reily-lines 35-36-dwelling 821-family 832-Pierson Conkling; 62; farmer; real estate value $4,600; born NJ; Hannah; 58; born NJ

War of 1812 service is listed as Andrews Battalion Pennsylvania Militia and as 135 Regiment (Christy's) Pennsylvania Miliitia. Records for both are in Rollbox 44, Roll Exct. 602.

Pierson Conkling farm home