George D. Messersmith - Germany to Fayette County IN
George D. Messersmith, one of Columbia township's well-known and substantial farmers and proprietor of a well-improved farm of 180 acres a short distance northwest of Nulltown, where he and his family are situated, was born in that township and has lived there all his life.He was born on a pioneer farm in that township Sept. 11, 1857, son of Peter and Elizabeth (Ward) Messersmith, well known residents of that community.Peter Messersmithalso was born in Columbia township and lived there all his life.He was born in 1834, a son of Peter and Mary (Grosslow) Messersmith, who were born and married in Germany and who had one child born to them in the old country, later coming to the U.S. and proceeding on out to Indiana, locating in Fayette County and becoming early settlers inColumbia township, where they spent the remainder of their lives, industrious farming people.The junior Peter Messersmith was born after his parents came to this country and farmed all his life on the old homestead in Columbia township, where he was born and where he died in 1867.His wife Elizabth Ward, was born in Prble county, OH in 1831and was but a girl when her parents, William and Mary (Smith) Ward came over into Indiana and located onafarm just northwest of Nulltown, in Fayette Co., where they remainned the rest of their lives.William Ward and his wife were born in Rockingham Co. VA and were there married later moving to OH and after sometime residence in Preble co., moved to Cleves in that same state and then in spring of 1837, came on up the valley of Whitewater and settled on a farm near Nulltown in Columbia township where William Ward died the following Oct., leaving his wife and 4 small children.The Widow Ward kept ther children togetherand bythe exercise of courage and industry mainted her little family untilt he children were ofsupporting age.More info available in this sketch concering Peter's son, George.
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Re: George D. Messersmith - Germany to Fayette County IN
Chrissie Ybanez 8/14/08