William Rockhill
Personal Reminiscences of William Rockhill of Rockport, Monroe Township,Allen ,County, Ohio
William Rockhill was born 6 April, 1817 , in Burlington County, NJ, and came with his father Samuel Rockhill,to Monroe Township , Putnam County, OH, (later made part of Allen County, OH) in 1835
The Township had be organized prior to that time . The settlers where commenced to improve were;John Watson, Israel Trumbo,James Mayberry, Marmaduke Jameson, James D. Van Meter, related through Rockhill and Lippincott marriages) and others not remembered. Samuel Rockhill died in 1865 at the age of seventy one years and Mrs. Mary Peacock Rockhill, died in 1879 aged eighty two years and some months. William Rockhill married Margaret Jane Mc Cune in 1840. Her parents came to Hancock County, OH in 1834. The first school was built in 1834 and was taught by N. G. Kidd. The earliest preaching was generally held in the log cabins. Preaching was frequently held in the cabin of the Samuel Rockhill. Rev. Wesley J. Wells was among the first preachers. He was of the M. E. ( Methodist Episcopal ) Church. The first milling was on Sugar Creek. It was a horse mill owned by Luke Tipton. Some families went to Sidney, some to St. Marys and some to Wapakonetta (Wapakoneta). In those days corn was generally used by all. The first Justice of the Peace was Hugh Van Meter (relative by marriage). Mr. and Mrs. William Rockhill had eight children, seven whom survive. He has been a Justice of the Peace for nine years in Monroe Township (this was printed in 1880 so he must have be appointed or elected in 1871) His father had been a Justice of the Peace and a County commissioner of Allen County in 1849 and in 1854.
* Notes
Transcribed from the Atlas of Allen County, Ohio: From Records and Original Surveys
Drawn and compiled by R. H. Harrison. Illustrations by William Engel, Artist. Published by R. H. Harrison, Philadelphia, Pa 1880.
*More notes from The 1880 History of Allen County by R. H. Harrison Rockport, Ohio 1880
The village was laid out by Samuel Rockhill in 1836. It has but one grocery store, one blacksmith shop one carpenter, one shoemaker, one broom maker, one church M. E. a frame one and one Presbyterian church a frame. No bells (I believe that one of the churches is gone now and the other is standing is a brick one in 2001). The population is 100 The village is surrounded by good farming land and should have a moderate growth in the future. (It is still just a small crossroads in 2001).
Monroe Township including villages by the "Compendium of the Census of 1870" was 1,739 though now about 2000 (1880 figures)
Two of the early settlers along with others were Samuel , William, and Thomas Rockhill, Isaac Parker and their families.
Notes* 1880 from History Of Allen County Reminisces Daniel Milliken of Richland Township, who states who the few remaining old settlers who were still here. They have been here( 1880) for forty years. William Rockhill and Thomas Rockhill ( My 2nd great-grandfather)and others. The first church was the M. E. at Rockport. The first horse mill at Rockport and was owned by Isaac Parker
* Notes
Transcribed from the Atlas of Allen County, Ohio: From Records and Original Surveys Drawn and compiled by R. H. Harrison. Illustrations by William Engel, Artist. Published by R. H. Harrison, Philadelphia, Pa 1880.
Name: William B. Rockhill
Birth APR 1817 in Evesham Twp., Burlington Co., NJ
Death: 23 MAY 1883
Burial: Rockport Methodist Cemetery Allen Co., Ohio
Marriage 1 Mary Jane McClune b: 1821
Married: 1840
Children
Margaret Rockhill
Mary Rockhill b: 1842
Martha Jane Rockhill b: 1849
Almira A. Rockhill b: 1851 in Monroe Twp. Allen Co., Ohio
Clara Rockhill b: 1854 in Allen Co., Ohio
Janet Rockhill b: 1857 in Allen Co., Ohio
Emma Rockhill b: 1860 in Allen Co., Ohio
Milton Rockhill b: 1863 in Allen Co., Ohio
Contributed by Norita Shepherd Moss