Zalmon Rowse

  General Notes:

research of M. Livingston via e-mail Feb 2007

VR of New Ashford, MA to 1850

History of Crawford County and Ohio, 1881 (at www.heritagepursuit.com)
ZALMON ROWSE (deceased) whose portrait appears in this work, was one among the earliest of Crawford County's pioneers. He was born in December of 1789, in the State of Massachusetts His parents were poor and unable to give him the advantages of a classical education. He was endowed with a quick and comprehensive mind and by his own efforts he succeeded in getting a good education which he turned to the best advantage by engaging in school teaching. When 16 years old he went to Wayne Co., Penn., and while there, when he had arrived at the age of 19, he was married to Miss Mehetabel Kent, who was then 16 years old. In the spring of 1821, he walked from Wayne Co., Penn.- 500 - miles to Crawford Co., Ohio, where he entered three tracts of land of 80 acres each after which he again walked to his home. In the fall of the same year he moved to this county with his family, which consisted of his wife and six children. They started on the 12th of October 1821, and with a team of oxen made the journey to Crawford County by the 2d of December following. Mr. Rowse first located in Whetstone Township on one of his purchases, that now lies within one-fourth of a mile of the incorporate limits of Bucyrus. He remained there about two years and then removed to another of the three original eighties, which is now owned and resided upon by Col. William Monnett. Mr. Rowse taught one term of school after he came to Crawford County. Shortly after his arrival, he was made one of the County Commissioners and following this he was elected Justice of the Peace. He was
then appointed Clerk of the Court of Crawford County, in addition to which he also held the office of County Recorder. These different offices he held about fifteen years. He was a member of the Whip party, and at the organization of the Crawford County Militia, he was re-elected Colonel. He never engaged in the mercantile business, but bought and sold many tracts of real estate in and about Bucyrus. He also did contracting of almost any kind. When the old Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike was built, he contracted and built several miles of it which ran through Bucyrus. His greatest amusement was hunting, at which in those early days he had a decided advantage to gratify his passion, as game of almost every description common to the climate was abundant. He was a member of the order of A. F. & A. M., and for twenty years previous to his death was a member of the M. E. Church, as was also his wife, whose death occurred in 1849. Mr. Rowse survived his wife until Aug. 16, 1854. when he also passed away. They were both interred in the old burying-ground east of Bucyrus, but subsequently their remains were removed to Oakwood Cemetery. They left a family of children to mourn their loss, among whom were the sons, Horace and William, who have since become prominent business men of Bucyrus, and to whom we are indebted for many of the facts and data of this sketch and for the portrait of their father, the subject of this memoir, Col. Zalmon Rowse.
More About ZALMON ROWSE:
AFN: 16BS-2JF
Burial: 1854, Oakwood Cemetery, Bucyrus, Crawford Co, OH

1810- no listing...living with father or a brother?

1820 Mount Pleasant, Wayne County, PA
Zalmon Rouse HOH
3 males 1810-20 [Horace, Casper and Stephen]
2 males 1794-1804
1 male 1775-94 [Zalmon]
2 females 1810-20 [unknown daughters]
1 female 1804-10 [unknown daughter]
1 female 1775-94 [Mehitable]

census 1830 - 1840 living in Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio

1850 Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio
Zalmon ROWSE 1790
(Mehitable deceased)
Caspar 1915
Lydia 1830
Adeline 1832
Henry 1834


"but feeling the need of a jail, contracted with Z. Rowse, in 1827, to build one of squared timber." ...In this year, a proposition to build a new jail was submitted to the people, which was indorsed, and, on February 4, 1839, Z. Rowse received a contract for the building. (History of Crawford County, OH)

Ohio Historical Society History
"In 1821, Zalman Rowse came from Massachussetts
and at once entered prominently into the active life of
the village, occupying many important offices, and was
identified with every enterprise for the forward move-
ment of Bucyrus.
Of his children, William Rowse married Catharine
Finn, whom he had met when she came from Pennsyl-
vania to visit her mother's brother, Samuel Norton."
also "In 1826 the Ohio legislature passed an act incorporating the Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike Company. Two of the incorporators were Judge E.B. Merriman and Zalmon Rowse of Bucyrus. The road was to be a "good, secure and substantial road of stone, gravel, timber or other materials". Many of the early settlers of Bucyrus agreed to take stock in the road. The meeting for the organization of the company was held in Bucyrus and Col. Kilbourne was appointed surveyer. The completion of the road through Bucyrus (Sandusky Ave., U.S. Rt. 4) proved a boon to the town's growth and economy with "as many as seventy five wagons loaded with grain passing through Bucyrus a day."

HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY. - 329
During the year 1821, Zalmon Rowse removed to Crawford County with his family and settled in Whetstone Township, but he became identified with the public business of the citizens at a very early day, and moved his family to Bucyrus Township. Mr. Rowse was a man well fitted for public trusts, and the citizens appreciated his natural abilities by electing him to many important positions. He was one of the first Justices of tile Peace in Bucyrus Township. and served in this capacity for nearly twenty years. In 1825, he was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel of the Fourth Regiment of Ohio Militia. During the latter part of 1825 and until Crawford County was organized in l826, Col. Rowse served as one of the Commissioners of Marion County. When the new county was formed, Mr. Beardsley was appointed Clerk, but shortly afterward he resigned. and Col. Rowse was his successor. He served the people faithfully in this position for many years; at this time the recording of deeds and mortgages was part of the duties of Mr Rowse, and the fine records prepared by him which are on file at the Court House, are to this day a lasting proof that the confidence which the citizens frequently reposed in him was never misplaced, and it is not surprising that for the public interests he was re-elected many terms to the various positions he occupied. In 1826, Col. Rowse was one of the
330 - HISTORY OF CRAWFORD COUNTY.
charter members of the Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike; he assisted also in 1846, when the Bucyrus Lodge of Freemasons was organized of which society he was also a charter member. He purchased from the Government the farm now owned by Col. William Monnett, southeast of town, and erected upon it the brick residence now occupied by the owner. Col. Rowse also erected. in 1831, the American Hotel, situated on the northwest corner of Main and Warren streets. In early life, he was addicted to the excessive use of liquor this vice was then a more general custom among leading citizens of the county than at the present time. Many humorous incidents are related by early settlers in regard to the pranks played by Col. Rowse and his boon companion, Col. Scott, when these fun-loving men started out to have a "good time." About the year 1835, they both reformed under the preaching of the late Rev. L. G. Gurley D. D. Col. Rowse united with the M. E. Church, and Col. Scott with the Presbyterian: during the remainder of their lives, broth men were exemplary citizens and ornaments to the churches with which they were connected. Col. Rowse died August 15, 1854, having been a resident of Bucyrus Township over thirty years. During which time no one citizen had a greater influence than he in shaping the early interests of Crawford County.

Zalmon married Mehitable Kent in 1808 in Wayne County, Pennsylvania. (Mehitable Kent was born on 26 Feb 1791 in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, died on 28 Nov 1849 in Bucyrus, Crawford County, Ohio and was buried in Oakwood Cem. Bucyrus, Crawford Co, OH,.)

Zalmon next married Sarah Ann Miller on 13 Aug 1851 in Marion County, Ohio.