A Tailor Turned Farmer

David Foltz (1800-1892)

Christina Hoffman (1802-1886) 

 

David Foltz's chosen profession was that of a tailor. He continued in that trade after the family moved from Rockingham County, Virginia to Clark County, Ohio in 1832. But he must have set his sights on becoming a farmer, since he purchased a farm in Mad River Township, Champaign County, Ohio sometime before 1848. Once David relocated his family, he gave up his work as a tailor, becoming a full-time farmer. Sons Nathaniel and Henry, along with their families, lived on and managed the farm with their parents.¹

 

The first part of the Foltz family's 370-mile journey to Clark County in western Ohio was probably the most challenging. They had to traverse over 200 miles of mountainous, forested terrain in West Virginia and southeastern Ohio. (Google Maps 2021)

The following are excerpts from a letter written by Jesse Foltz on August 26, 1931, to his niece, [Dorothy] Alice Foltz Patterson, daughter of his brother, Emmet:

David [Foltz] moved from Shenandoah, Virginia to Clark County, Ohio in 1832, in a wagon with one mule and one horse.  He entered a 160 acre claim three miles SE of Lawrenceville.  He stayed there until he proved his claim or patent as it was called. It took five years then.  In 1838, he sold his claim for $800 and moved three miles northwest of Tremont City, or half-mile mile west of Chickenfoot Hill, and bought 160 acres for $1,000.  In 1884, he sold that for $1,350 and moved two miles northwest up Chapman Creek in Champaign County, or to what is now the little berg of Thackery, where he remained for the rest of his days. 

He was a tailor by trade.  He worked at his trade and helped clear the 160 acres that is now owned by E.H. & C.A. Foltz.  Homer Jenkins father and Uncle Henry [Foltz] stayed with Grandfather [David Foltz] and cleared the home farm.

To David and Christine Hoffman were born eight children.  The first died in infancy, their next Aunt Martha, then Aunt Sarah, then father [Nathaniel], then Phillip who died at age three or four, then Uncle Henry, then the twins ‒ one died at birth the other a few days later and were never named.

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SOURCES

¹The History of Champaign County, Ohio: Containing a History of the County; Its Cities, Towns, Etc.; General and Local Statistics; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; History of the Northwest Territory; History of Ohio; Map of Champaign County; Constitution of the United States, Miscellaneous Matters .... Chicago: W.H. Beers & Company, 1881, p. 712. 

Excerpts from a letter written by Jesse Foltz on August 26, 1931, to his niece, [Dorothy] Alice Foltz Patterson, daughter of his brother, Emmet. Original file from www.rootsweb.com [HI24454] posted by Larry Hurley August 1, 2004. lhurley918@earthlink.net.

 

                                                         Howell-Richards Family History - June 2021