James Smith Gurwell

     James Smith was born on Friday, 10 June 1785 in Pennsylvania. James married Mary Ridgely, daughter of Westall Ridgely and Elizabeth Heim, on 30 April 1818 in Wayne County, Ohio. They were married by Rev. D. Hutchison of the United Presbyterian Church. On the certificate it said "Mrs. Polly Ridgely". This was an error or miss transcribtion as iit should have read "Miss" not "Mrs." James served in the War of 1812 under Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry on Lake Erie. In 1820, James was living near Westall Ridgely in Big Rock, Deleware County, Ohio. In 1824, he buys property in Jefferson Township, Crawford County, Ohio from Westall. In 1830, the family was living in Sandusky Township, Crawford County, Ohio. James was listed on the 1832 tax list for Liberty Township. This property was in Annapolis, Liberty Township. There he erected a new home in 1834. In 1832, he was Justice of the Peace in Liberty Township. In 1839, he with Jacob Peterman built a lind seed oil mill & grist mill. This was soon sold and by 18 January 1841, the family had removed to Williams County, Ohio. James & Polly had children: Westell Ridgely [ca 1820], Jacob Young [4/26/1821-8/31/1883], Anna Keys [8/29/1823 m. 11/30/1841 George H. Partee.Purtee], John Bear [5/15/1827-8/09/1906], James [1828], William Harrison [1831-1903], Elizabeth H. [3/14/1833-10/09/1902 m. 4/08/1851 William R. Shook], Henry S. [7/16/1835-9/13/1920 m. Jane Lingle], Mariah [3/--/1838-9/05/1863], Mary E. [1/--/1840-1/--/1874] & Enos [1841 m. Phebe Dunkins]. The 1820 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Big Rock Township, Delaware County, Ohio, the family of James Gorwell [0001:0100].² The 1830 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Sandusky Township, Crawford County, Ohio, the family of James Gorwell [2111001:0100001].³ The 1840 U.S. Federal Census enumerates at Liberty Township, Crawford County, Ohio, the family of J. S. Gurwell [0211001:2112001]. 11 September 1850, James and his wife, Mary, were listed on the U.S. Federal Census in Pulaski Township, Williams County, Ohio. Enumerated in this household were James Gerwell [66 Pennsylvania], his wife: Mary [50 Maryland], children: Jacob [28 Ohio], Ann [25 Ohio], John [23 Ohio], William [17 Ohio], Elizabeth [17 Ohio], Henry [15 Ohio], Maria [12 Ohio] & Mary [10 Ohio].⁴ James departed this life on Monday, 7 January 1856 in Pulaski Township at age 70 years, 6 months and 28 days. He was buried there in Buck Cemetery.