The Householder Roots of the Family Tree

Family legend has it that two Householder brothers came to Jefferson County, Ohio in the early 1800's from Holland. Research shows that they must have lived in either Maryland or Virginia first and arrived in Ohio, recently the "Northwest Territory," around 1805-06. For a description of the life of early settlers, see Chapter VIII, History of the Upper Ohio Valley.

The 1820 U.S. Census is the first available and shows four Householders: Peter, 45-50, b.1770-75; Adam, 40-45, b.1775-80; Mathias, 30-33, b. 1787-90; and Daniel, 21, b. 1799; in Jefferson County, Ohio.

Mathias, 30-33, b.1787-90, could have been Peter’s son if Peter were 50 and Mathias were 30 or he could have been Adam and Peter's younger brother or nephew. Mathias and Daniel, who must have been children when they arrived in Ohio, had both established their own households by 1820.

Mathias HOUSEHOLDER and Rebecca BARCUS in Jefferson County, Ohio

Mathias Householder was born ca 1781-1789 probably in Maryland. Rebecca Barcus was born ca. 1798, probably in Maryland or Virginia. Later the 1850, 1860 and 1880 census records list both of their places of birth as Virginia. On the 1870 census Matthias' place of birth was given as Maryland and his parents' place of birth "foreign," although another family member could have given this information to the census taker. They could have been confused by the boundary changes between Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia in the last half of the 1700's.

Piece by piece the records unfold the story. The first paper trace of Mathias in Jefferson County is a purchase of land at the Steubenville Land Office: Certificate #5349 Book of Entries H; 12Dec1814; Mathias Householder; Range 4; Township 13; Section 23; Jefferson County, Ohio.

The second mention is on 12Jun1817 when Mathias [Boor] Householder married Rebecca Barkus [written as Barker]:

Marriage Book 2, p. 102 at the Jefferson County Court House, Steubenville, Ohio.

Mathias and Rebecca sold the southeast quarter of their land to William Jeffers of Columbiana County, Ohio on June 28, 1831. They did not actually sign their names to the deed, but made marks (signed with an X). The record also stated that the land was originally offered for sale at the Steubenville district and "made patent to the said Mathias Householder." It is interesting to note that in 1804, land sold at $2.00 per acre, minimum of 160 acres, 1/4 cash and then three annual installments. In 1820, land sold at $1.25 per acre, 80 acres minimum, cash only.

Both Mom and Ethel said their great-grandfather, Mathias, owned the farm that was the Ford Leatherberry farm in the 1950's. That farm was on the left on a sharp curve up where Somerset Hill levels out a little, right before you reach Somerset Christian Church. The house is on the left side of the road and the barn on the right side.

Probable location of the Mathias Householder farm, New Somerset, Ohio.

The 1840 Census records their residence in Saline Township, Jefferson County, Ohio with seven children. [The names of wives and children were not asked for on the 1840 census].

The 1850 Census shows that they still resided in Saline Township. Matthias [listed as Matthew] was 60 years old and a farmer. Rebecca was 50. Their nine children, all born in Ohio, were: Elza, 32; John, 28; Martha, 25; Rebecca, 23; Lydia, 21; Thomas, 16; Albert, 14, born16Oct1838 ; Calvin, 10; and Seraada, [sic] 6, born16Feb1845; Mathias and Rebecca's grandchildren (Opal, Ethel, and Doris) remember 13 children so possibly some had already left home prior to 1850.

In 1860 they had apparently moved because the census shows that Matthias, 73, and Rebecca , 62, lived in Yellow Creek Township, Wellsville, Columbiana County, Ohio. Matthias was a laborer, as were Albert, 22, and Calvin, 20, still at home, along with the youngest child, Sarah [Sarada], 16. [Thomas had married Mary A. Wellington on May 10, 1860 in Saline Township.]