These notes for COL. JOHN FRANCIS DELONG, SR. were compiled by Karen Feisel, and are used with her permission. My hope is that her analysis will help others, and that somehow we can all come together to figure out his ancestors. When you are finished reading here, and want to go back to John DeLong's entry in the genealogy pages, click here.
See bottom of page for information added 17 Sep 2010
According to Betty M. Douglass of Cambridge, OH - John was born in Baltimore, MD, however researcher John Baldin refutes this and says John was born in Pennsylvania. In fact, John Baldwin states that that John Francis DeLong, Sr.'s youngest son stated in the 1880 census that his father was born in Pennsylvania. No reliable source has ever indicated that George R. DeLong's family lived in Maryland.
A report compiled by Mrs. Pearl Gallagher Reischman of Barnesville, Ohio states that John Francis DeLong, Sr. died April 14, 1840 at age 69 years 11 months 10 days, which would compute his birth date to be May 4, 1770 - not April 14, 1770. But another scenario might be that he died on April 04, 1840 at 69 years 11 months 10 days which would compute his birth date to be April 25, 1770. Yet another source states John was born on March 24, 1770. Sue Couch's database on Ancestry.com states John died April 14, 1840, and this is also the date given on Betty Douglass' pedigree sheet. John signed his will on March 30, 1840 and the witnesses to the will appeared at Common Pleas Court on May 12, 1840 to attest to the will, so he definitely died at some time between those two dates.
Relative to where he died, some sources say Noble County and some say Guernsey County; probably this is because the new county of Noble was formed from part of Guernsey in 1851. Betty Douglass, who lived in the Batesville area for many years, believes that the "St. Mary's Cemetery" and the "Beaver Cemetery" are one and the same. The Wintringer book regarding the genealogy of John's wife Sarah Winteringer states that no headstones exist on the graves of John or his wife Sarah.
John DeLong's will dated 30 March 1840 leaves his estate to his beloved wife Sarah to be enjoyed during her natural lifetime, and at her decease the property was to be sold and divided equally among his children that were still living. At that time, nine children were still alive. His son George DeLong and his daughter Sarah DeLong were deceased. The will specifically mentions grandchildren who are "children of George DeLong, deceased." The property willed to his wife Sarah is the East half of the Northeast quarter of Section 9 in Twp. 8, Range 7 - and the West half of the Northeast quarter of Section 3 in Township 8, Range 7.
Karen Feisel has found deed records for the following properties:
- Guernsey County deed records, Vol. K, pg. 1, show that in 1819 Thomas Winterringer sold to John DeLong the East half of the Northeast quarter of Section 9 of Range Seven, Township Eight (which today is in Beaver Twp., Noble Co.).
- Patent/deed issued May 1, 1826 (actual purchase date was probably June 11, 1825, and John is listed as living in Guernsey Co. at the time of purchase), 80.69 acres, granted by U. S. government, in Range 7, Township 8, East half of Northwest quarter of Section 3, see also Guernsey Co. deed records Vol. J, pg. 506, which included info that the land was in Beaver Twp. (copy of actual deed/patent in Karen Feisel's files).
- Patent/deed issued Nov. 10, 1830 (purchase date June 10/11, 1829, with John listed as living in Guernsey Co.), 80.69 acres, granted by U. S. government, in Range 7, Township 8, the West half of the Northwest quarter of Section 3, see also Guernsey Co. deed records Vol. L, pg. 252, which included info that the land was in Beaver Twp. (copy of actual deed/patent in Karen Feisel's files).
- Guernsey County deed records show that in 1835 Nathan Winterringer and Jesse Winterringer each sold to John DeLong 80 acres apiece, situated in Section 9 of Range Seven, Township Eight, (which would today be in Beaver Twp., Noble Co.), each property being sold for the sum of $51. Both deed transactions can be found in Volume K, pg. 1 of Guernsey County deed records.
_____________________
The "Abstracts of Lancaster (Ohio) Eagle Newspaper", page 53, on file at the Fairfield Co. Dist. Library, states that William Crock was a major in Col. John DeLong's Regiment of the Ohio Militia, and under the command of Gen. John S. Gano of Cincinnati in 1813 and 1814.
The book "Bernard Wintringer and His Descendants" states that John is shown as being taxed in 1795 at Bald Eagle Twp., PA. That book also states that "John DeLong was said to have had military experience prior to the War of 1812. He was supposed to have been in a detachment sent from the State of Maryland to Ohio, or perhaps to around Pittsburgh. The detachment was formed to quell Indian up-risings. This detachment was said to have camped overnight on the spot where John later purchased land from his brother-in-law, Thomas Winteringer. It is believed that John DeLong, Sr. came to Ohio with his father in 1802 and built a cabin on his father's farm and lived nearby. At this time both John and his father George would have had children, and the early cabins were almost invariably one small room."
The only road through the area of Ohio where John settled was the Zane Trail which was opened through what is now Guernsey County in 1798. John settled in Beaver Twp., Guernsey County (now Noble County), Ohio by 1812. Beaver Twp. was formed from parts of Seneca and Oxford Twps. of Guernsey Co. in 1816. On May 1, 1851 it became part of the newly formed Noble County. Because Beaver Twp. lies in the area where the current-day Guernsey, Noble, and Belmont Counties meet, it was necessary to do research in all three of these counties to gain information on John and his family.
The Guernsey County Genealogical Society newsletter titled "Guernsey Roots & Branches", Volume 20, No. 1, pg. 7, in an excerpt from "Our Yesterdays" states relative to settlers in Beaver Township, "John DeLong in 1812" and infers this was about the same time that Edmund Gallagher settled there.
According to Larry Leach's internet family record, John served in the Indian Wars, moved to Guernsey County, OH in 1802, was a farmer, and was a delegate to the Democratic Convention Aug. 22, 1835. He also states that in 1814 John had the rank of Colonel of the 1st Regt., Ohio Militia in the War of 1812. Also he was a Road Viewer in 1819, Justice of the Peace, and Trustee of Public School Lands.
The previously cited Wintringer book states: "In the fall of 1813, John DeLong, a Colonel, was leading the First Regiment of Ohio militia toward the front. Under his command were 738 men, primarily from Belmont and Fairfield Counties, and eleven wagons. They marched through Lancaster, Franklinton (which later became Columbus), and Delaware, reaching Upper Sandusky about September 22. Somewhere along their line of march the news of Commodore Perry's victory on Lake Erie must have reached them. The regiment marched on to camp at Lower Sandusky while the troops which had been in that area were ferried across the lake to Canada to pursue the retreating British army and Tecumseh with his Indian warriors. By early December Colonel DeLong was in command of Fort Meigs. By January 14 of 1814, however, the Colonel was a prisoner and he soon faced a Court Martial, charged with various infractions of rules of military conduct ........ The record of the Court is incomplete and it is not known the outcome of the trial, but Colonel DeLong's name was not struck from the Militia rolls. The records show that Colonel John DeLong received pay from the 13th day of Jan. 1814 to the 15th day of March, 1814, in the amount of $75.00 per month, for a total of $232.43. This was for the time he had been held as a prisoner."
Karen Feisel found on the internet an excerpt from a book titled "William Henry Harrison: a Political Biography" by Dorothy Goebel, located at the Historical Bureau of the Indiana Library and Historical Dept. 1926, which states the following on page 150, which appears to be in the 1812 time frame: "Nor was it unusual for the sentinels to build fires by which they slept peacefully through their watches; and in one case a captain even permitted his men to retire from their posts provided they stuck a bayonet in the ground and hung a hat on the gun." This is followed with a notation of footnote #69 which states: "Court Martial Proceedings of Colonel John Delong. William Henry Harrison Papers, Box 1805-41, Benjamin Harrison Collection." William Henry Harrison was appointed secretary of the Northwest Territory in 1798, was elected as a delegate to Congress in 1799, and in May 1800 was appointed governor of the Indiana Territory, an area that initially included all of the original Northwest Territory except Ohio. During his governorship his military career was enhanced when he defeated the Prophet at Tippecanoe in 1811. He was given command of the Army of the Northwest in the fall of 1812 and resigned as governor a few months later. His forces decisively defeated the British at the Battle of the Thames in 1813. Later, in 1840 he was elected President of the USA but died in April 1841, one month after his inauguration.
Another internet compilation on the DeLong family states that - regarding his military career - in the fall of 1813 Col. John Francis DeLong was leading the First Regiment of the Ohio Militia toward the front . Under his command were 738 men, primarily from Belmont and Fairfield Counties, and eleven wagons. They marched through Lancaster, Franklinton (old name for Columbus), and Delaware, reaching Upper Sandusky about Sept. 22. "By early December, Col. DeLong was in command of Fort Meigs."
The "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties, Ohio" by J. A. Caldwell states the following on page 193 regarding the War of 1812. "On the 3d of September, 1813, Capt. John Howell's company met at St. Clairsville and marched through Barnesville, Zanesville and Newark to Columbus, where they were fully equipped. Most of this company were from about Captina and McMahon's creeks. The company belonged to the First Regiment, under Col. DeLong."
Karen Feisel has on file a "Roster of Ohio Soldiers in the War of 1812" taken from the internet which states that Colonel John DeLong was in charge of the First Regiment, Ohio Militia. Aside from the other people on his staff who were majors, quartermasters, and a pay master, the other three people listed are surgeons. One of the majors was Maj. Wm. Henderson (see below). The names of the remainder of his regiment are not shown.
Also on the internet is a genealogy compilation which includes information on a William Henderson who was born in Cumberland "now Mifflin" County, PA in 1774, married Nancy Clendenning and moved to Guernsey Co., OH in 1806. He was a major in the War of 1812, and Karen Feisel has on file a print from that web site (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hendersongenealogy) which is a facsimile of a certificate signed by Colonel John DeLong, attesting that Maj. Henderson, "now stationed at Detroit, commanded the 2nd Battalion in the first regiment in the fourth detachment of Ohio Militia now in the service of the United States and entered into the service the 3rd day of Sept. 1813." It also describes William Henderson appearing before Judge James DeLong, judge of Guernsey County, OH, on April 23, 1855 and presenting the certificate which said that he was "commanded by Col. John DeLong ... that he was drafted at St. Clairsville, Belmont Co., Ohio on or about the 3rd day of Sep. 1813 ..... and was honorably discharged at Detroit on the 17th day of March, 1814 ......... by Col. Zumait who commanded the 2nd regiment of Ohio Militia into which I had been transferred on or about the 6th day of Oct. 1813." The whole purpose of this certificate was for William Henderson to obtain bounty land to which he was entitled under the Act approved March 3. 1855. Abstracts from the "Lancaster Gazette" newspaper of Lancaster, Ohio - on file at the Fairfield Co. District Library - shows an abstract from the Aug. 23, 1855 edition of the newspaper of an article about Angus M. Waddel being a major during the War of 1812 in Col. John DeLong's Regiment of the Ohio Militia and under the command of Gen. John S. Gano of Cincinnati in 1813 and 1814.
The "History of Noble County, Ohio, 1877" states on page 577 that John DeLong was among the first settlers of Beaver Township, coming prior to 1812. "He located at the forks of the creek (Leatherwood Creek). His sons, Thomas, William and Nathan, lived here after him." (The Wintringer book cited earlier states that he settled at the forks of Beaver Creek, which is a branch of Willis Creek, the said Beaver Creek having a fork in Section 9, which is a short distance east of Batesville, Ohio.) On page 578, John DeLong is included in a list of people who settled in the township as early as 1820. (Researcher Gene Mattocks states John is listed on pg. 167 of the 1820 Census for Beaver Township, Guernsey Co.) On page 591, the book talks about Rev. Edward Fenwick, a native of Maryland, who was one of the first priests who labored in this section (Beaver Township) seeking converts. Among the original members of his congregation were "Colonel John DeLong." Prior to that, John's father George had converted to Catholicism. Within a few years some seventy of their relatives followed suit. That one such as Col. DeLong would renounce his former beliefs and embrace the Catholic faith speaks volumes about the faith and example of his Catholic neighbors.
The Wintringer book states the following is written from the "Barquilla de la Santa Maria" Bulletin of the Catholic Record Society, Diocese of Columbus, dated June 18, 1993: "From the December 9, 1880 issue: St. Dominic's was, even at that time, pretty well filled on a Sunday, many coming 12 to 15 miles or more and thinking lightly of the journey, so as to be able to attend at the Holy Sacrifice. There was no other church near, in any direction, save one small one, on the land of a Mr. Dorr, near Malaga." (Karen Feisel found Malaga in Monroe Co. southeast of Beaver Township, Noble Co.) "Prominent among the members of this little congregation was the patriarch who did so much himself, to collect the flock around him -- I refer to Mr. Edmund Gallagher .... The next deserving of mention was, also, a man of note, -- Col. John DeLong. He was tall and of fine address, a man of mark anywhere. He had served (I think, under "Mad Anthony" Wayne) in several campaigns and was one of the numerous native-born citizens received by the Dominican Fathers into the True Church." A later reference in the Wintringer book confirms that the church John Francis DeLong helped to found was St. Dominic's Church in Noble County. The "History of Noble County, Ohio" on file at the Caldwell Library in Caldwell, OH states on pg. 590-591 that St. Dominic's Roman Catholic Church was organized about 1819. It gives much the same info as above, except that it reveals that the congregation eventually became known as St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Thus, the cemetery where John and so many other DeLong relatives are buried has a sign identifying it as "St. Mary's."
Page 50 of the book "The Western Leatherwood Valley: Lore City, Gibson Station, New Gottengen" by Lorle Porter, begins a discussion about the village of New Gottengen, which was laid out in 1836, four miles northeast of Senecaville. The reference to Leatherwood relates to the Leatherwood Creek running through this area. (To put this in perspective, New Gottengen is in Richland Twp., Guernsey County, just over the county line from Wayne Twp., Noble County, and due north of Kennonsburg in Wayne Twp. which is the closest town to the property where John's father George settled. Judging from the map, the distance between New Gottengen and old George's property is probably no more than five miles.) On page 51 the book states that "many early Catholic church plantations moved with shifting population. St. Dominic was moved to Temperanceville and renamed St. Mary's, 1854." Also on page 51 is a small sketch of the village of New Gottengen which clearly has a sizeable property marked as being owned by "DeLong". Which DeLong family member this was remains to be determined. On page 54 the book gives information about St. Patrick's Catholic Church, the oldest Catholic church established in Guernsey County, which served families such as the Gallagher's and DeLong's. Burials at St. Patrick's include Patrick and Ann Gallagher, and Mary DeLong (which could be Mary DeLong, wife of Christopher Gallagher - see further info under Notes for Mary DeLong Gallagher.)
The Wintringer book also reveals the following: "The land that John DeLong purchased from his brother-in-law, Thomas Winteringer, in 1819, was the East half of the North-east quarter of Section 9, Twp. 8, Range 7. " This has been confirmed by Karen Feisel through checking deeds (Volume K, pg. 1) at Guernsey County (when Noble County was formed in 1851 part of it came from Guernsey County). John donated five acres of this farm as a burial ground, presently known as Beaver Cemetery, which is east of Batesville, Oh. The majority of his land was across the road from the cemetery. This land was purchased by John from Thomas on a "contract to buy." Thomas Winteringer died in 1835 and according to his "will" John paid the trustees of his estate $50.00 and said farm was declared to be in the possession of John DeLong, Sr." Also from that book is the following: "From the 'Early Ohio Settler's Purchaser's of Land in S.E. OH 1800-1830' is a record showing John Delong purchased land on 11 June 1825 in Range 7, Twp. 8, Sec. 3 and also on 11 Jun 1829 additional land was purchased in the same area." Land records purchased by the Son John seem to always say "John DeLong, Jr." See Notes for John DeLong, Jr. considering Guernsey County land acquisition of 1826 listed in "Gateway to the West".) Also listed in "Gateway to the West", Volume 1, pg. 546 is an 1830 Guernsey Co. land acquisition by John DeLong in Section 3, Township 8, Range 7, the complete record of which can be found in Volume L, pg. 252 at the county Recorder's office.
John and his wife Sarah were living in Guernsey Co., OH on Jan. 11, 1824 as corroborated by documents concerning the sale of his father's lands. Researcher Gene Mattocks states John is listed on pg. 357 of the 1830 Census for Beaver Twp., Guernsey Co., OH.
Karen Feisel is in possession of a copy of John's will which he signed on March 30, 1840. The witnesses to the will, Isaac Atkinson and Thomas Owings appeared at the Common Pleas Court of Guernsey Co. on May 12, 1840 to attest to the will, which was then ordered by the Court to be recorded. One section of the will describes the real estate John was bequeathing to his wife Sarah which was described to be "East half of the North-East quarter in Section Nine, in Township Eight of Range Seven together with the West half of the North-East quarter of Section Three in Township and Range aforesaid." The will directs that at Sarah's death his property is to be sold and legally divided among his living children, which are named along with their spouses. The children of his daughter Sarah are named as John Carpenter and Sarah, widow of William Arick deceased. His son Thomas and John's wife Sarah are named as executors of the will. His grandchildren, children of the deceased son George, are listed as William, Jane, Sarah, Avarilla, and Delilah. However the county recorder must have erred in copying the original will into the records and wrote the name "Jane" instead of "James" since the estate papers of Rachel Abrams DeLong, George DeLong's widow and heir, clearly do not list a child named "Jane" but do list the child James and his wife Abigail. John DeLong's will can be found in Will Record "A" Book - pages 491-492 at the Guernsey Co. court house in Cambridge, OH.
"Sideline Stories of Guernsey County, Ohio, The Beginning of Beaver" - page 66 - reveals the following concerning Beaver Township: Beaver Township was cut from Oxford in 1816 and was much larger than it is today. In 1835 the northern part was removed to help form Millwood, and in 1851 a strip was sliced off the western side for Wayne, leaving the present area of 30 square miles. It took its name from Beaver Creek. "John and James Reed ....... received titles to their farms at the land office in Steubenville............ Among the ones settling in different parts of the township were these: .......... Joseph Carpenter in 1805, ... John DeLong, in 1812 .... Edmund Gallagher .... The Guernsey co. commissioners ordered the township organized at the house of Philip Wendell." (Note the names Carpenter, Gallagher, and Wendell because those are surnames of people who married into our DeLong family.) "Beaver township left Guernsey County in 1851 to become a part of Noble County." The following comes from the same source, a story regarding the "Seneca Lake County", page 67: "Most of Seneca lake lies in Wayne township. The new township (Wayne) has an awkward shape....... The first of the Wards ... was Edward who came from Pennsylvania in 1807. John, his son, was a lieutenant in the War of 1812. Edward Ward, Jr., son of John was the first white child born in the Seneca lake country. Edward Ward, Sr., died in 1818; John, in 1843 at the age of 83 ....... Other early settlers in the Seneca lake valley or on the adjacent hills included .... the DeLong's in 1805, from Pennsylvania ....." Notice the mention of the Ward family. John Francis DeLong, Sr.'s mother was Elizabeth Jane Ward DeLong. Soon after Beaver Township left Guernsey County to become a part of the new Noble County, the people regretted the change and wanted it back in Guernsey County. But their petitions and threats did no good.
Records reveal that in 1815 John DeLong purchased a piece of land in Belmont Co., OH and sold it the same day.
Located in the deed records for Guernsey County, OH, Vol. L, pg. 585, is an Indenture whereby land is being leased to George DeLong (presumably George, the son of this John Francis DeLong, Sr., or maybe George the father of this John Francis DeLong, Sr.), for a 99-year term. The lessors are JOHN DeLONG, John Cline, and William Edgar, "Trustees appointed according to law to take charge of the North Section in the 8th township and 7th Range" and the land being leased is on the "west side of lot No. 1 in aforesaid section ... known by Lot No. 2 ... Containing one hundred and eleven acres and one fourth." The Indenture is dated Feb. 9, 1819. The rent is $20 per year for the first 33 years to be paid to Philip Windall, "Treasurer of the corporation." Then at the bottom of the Indenture is a statement signed by George (his mark X) Delong on Sept. 13, 1819, assigning all of his rights to this land to Jacob Earick of Belmont Co., OH.
Many of John's children were married in Guernsey County, Ohio. "Pioneer Marriages in Guernsey County, Ohio" by E. Margaret Conner and Nola R. Eynon, copyrighted 1964, states the following: "The Pioneer Marriages begins with the first records in 1810. This will be done in volumes, each covering one or more decades. A partial list of the ministers and justices of peace, performing the marriage rites will be given also. Many early marriage rites were performed in the homes, with the simple ceremony of taking the oath with the hands of the betrothed couple resting on the Bible. Many couples were married in a civil ceremony, waiting for their religious rites to be performed by a travelling preacher or circuit rider. Many interesting items may be noted in studying these records. Brothers of one family were often married to sisters of another; persons bearing the same family name were married occasionally; and in one instance, we find two licenses issued the same day to males with identical names."
The website http://rememberus2.tripod.com/np61.htm states that Col. John Francis DeLong resided near Baltimore, Maryland prior to 1802 and then moved to Guernsey Co., OH in 1802. He was said to have served at age 12 in the American Revolution in NY state; he served in Indian wars; commanded the 1st Regt. Ohio Militia in the War of 1812, was a road viewer, justice of the peace, trustee of public school lands in 1819, road supervisor in 1820.
A genealogy compilation by Beverly Aytes-Bowhall states that John was a delegate to the Democratic Convention, according to the "Guernsey Times" for Aug. 22, 1835, of Andrew Jackson for President.
Added 17 Sep 2010, a report for John Francis Jr (pdf format)