This is my direct ancestor.
John Booth came from Virginia to Vinton County in 1831 and made his home on land granted his father William for service in the War of 1812. He built a log cabin home. The land is near Radcliff, Ohio.
The following is from John Hart The Biography of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence by Cleon E. Hammond, 1977:
"John Booth (1804-1894) great-grandson of Signer Hart via his son Edward and granddaughter Deborah Hart Booth. Born and raised in West Virginia. Settled in Venton County, Ohio." (page 93)
"We are especially interested in John Booth's appearance, whom his granddaughter, Bertha Booth, then eighty-four years of age, went to heroic lengths to describe in detail because of his resemblance to Signer Hart. Her words capture a flavor of the times in which the West Virginia pioneer Harts lived, and we are privileged thereby to visualize, to some degree, what they were like. For this reason, in addition to helping us bridge the gap from John Booth's to John Hart's appearance, most of her words are included here. It would not be surprising if some of John Booth's characteristics were also inherited from his great-grandfather Hart." (page 94) "John Booth was a man of immense height, over six feet....never corpulent, never stooped. Soldierly upright. Big ears...that seemed to be a family trait. His mouth was long and slender. Thin lips. His nose was well formed, no puffy nostrils. Not a Roman type...straight. Dark skin, probably due to his exposure to the weather. he had big, deep-cast, dark, penetrating eyes, which used to scare me when I first met him...so earnest and expressive. Hair was very dark. When i last saw him in his eighties there was no gray in his abundant hair, save at the ear line. He never grew a beard or mustache. Always clean shaven. John Booth was probably in his sixties when this picture was made. Even as he sat for his picture in best clothes, you can see that he was of the frontier type. You can easily see the likeness between Deborah Hart Booth and her son, John Booth. Both were taken the same time." (pages 95-96)
"When I was about nine, Grandpa Booth gave me ten dollars, to be used in buying a gold necklace, to last forever. That sort of thing was Grandpa at his best. On the other hand, he was a Silent Man, reserved to a fault. He talked little. He had a high, quick temper and did not forgive easily. He seemed to be religious in his way....but never a member of a church. After the country came to have churches, he and his wife used to drive a mile or more to attend the Presbyterian church at Hampton...the family leaned to that sect. But in their older age, it became a hardship and so Grandpa offered a corner lot on his farm near the Booth home to any approved church who would build on it. The United Brethern took up the offer and Grandpa and wife walked to church on nice days and both had funerals from that church." (page 96)
"John Booth: Photo, reproduced from a 'small gem-sized tin type' owned by Dr. Bertha Booth, granddaughter." (page 282)
"Bertha Booth: (1876-1964) of Hamilton, MO. held a Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago and was professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Missouri. Occasionally, she lectured and wrote articles for the Kansas City Star. The story of her grandfather was communicated in lengthy correspondence with the author 1960-1961. She suffered greatly and was 'almost out of commission with rheumatism in hands and feet..which of course is incidental to 84 years of living.' Of the many descendants of John Hart with whom the author has corresponded, she was among the most enthusiastic over the prospects of this biography and wrote, 'I hope we are all worthy of that word Honest always said of him.'" (page 282) (John Booth's descent from John Hart, Signer of the Declaration of Independence has been documented through Daughters of the American Revolution and Colonial Dames of the 17th Century). A picture of John Booth is in the above name book.
"Death of John Booth, Esq.
John Booth died at his home in Radcliff yesterday morning, after a long illness, aged 88 years. He was greatly respected and had been honored by the citizens of Vinton county with several offices and trusts, among them that of County Commissioner. He is the father of Dan. Booth, Esq., of Hamilton, Mo., and Wm. Booth, Esq., of Radcliff, both well known in this region." Democrat Enquirer
June 16, 1892
Also see the History of Hocking Valley Ohio page 1868 for a bio.
This is my direct ancestor.
John Booth came from Virginia to Vinton County in 1831 and made his home on land granted his father William for service in the War of 1812. He built a log cabin home. The land is near Radcliff, Ohio.
The following is from John Hart The Biography of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence by Cleon E. Hammond, 1977:
"John Booth (1804-1894) great-grandson of Signer Hart via his son Edward and granddaughter Deborah Hart Booth. Born and raised in West Virginia. Settled in Venton County, Ohio." (page 93)
"We are especially interested in John Booth's appearance, whom his granddaughter, Bertha Booth, then eighty-four years of age, went to heroic lengths to describe in detail because of his resemblance to Signer Hart. Her words capture a flavor of the times in which the West Virginia pioneer Harts lived, and we are privileged thereby to visualize, to some degree, what they were like. For this reason, in addition to helping us bridge the gap from John Booth's to John Hart's appearance, most of her words are included here. It would not be surprising if some of John Booth's characteristics were also inherited from his great-grandfather Hart." (page 94) "John Booth was a man of immense height, over six feet....never corpulent, never stooped. Soldierly upright. Big ears...that seemed to be a family trait. His mouth was long and slender. Thin lips. His nose was well formed, no puffy nostrils. Not a Roman type...straight. Dark skin, probably due to his exposure to the weather. he had big, deep-cast, dark, penetrating eyes, which used to scare me when I first met him...so earnest and expressive. Hair was very dark. When i last saw him in his eighties there was no gray in his abundant hair, save at the ear line. He never grew a beard or mustache. Always clean shaven. John Booth was probably in his sixties when this picture was made. Even as he sat for his picture in best clothes, you can see that he was of the frontier type. You can easily see the likeness between Deborah Hart Booth and her son, John Booth. Both were taken the same time." (pages 95-96)
"When I was about nine, Grandpa Booth gave me ten dollars, to be used in buying a gold necklace, to last forever. That sort of thing was Grandpa at his best. On the other hand, he was a Silent Man, reserved to a fault. He talked little. He had a high, quick temper and did not forgive easily. He seemed to be religious in his way....but never a member of a church. After the country came to have churches, he and his wife used to drive a mile or more to attend the Presbyterian church at Hampton...the family leaned to that sect. But in their older age, it became a hardship and so Grandpa offered a corner lot on his farm near the Booth home to any approved church who would build on it. The United Brethern took up the offer and Grandpa and wife walked to church on nice days and both had funerals from that church." (page 96)
"John Booth: Photo, reproduced from a 'small gem-sized tin type' owned by Dr. Bertha Booth, granddaughter." (page 282)
"Bertha Booth: (1876-1964) of Hamilton, MO. held a Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago and was professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Missouri. Occasionally, she lectured and wrote articles for the Kansas City Star. The story of her grandfather was communicated in lengthy correspondence with the author 1960-1961. She suffered greatly and was 'almost out of commission with rheumatism in hands and feet..which of course is incidental to 84 years of living.' Of the many descendants of John Hart with whom the author has corresponded, she was among the most enthusiastic over the prospects of this biography and wrote, 'I hope we are all worthy of that word Honest always said of him.'" (page 282) (John Booth's descent from John Hart, Signer of the Declaration of Independence has been documented through Daughters of the American Revolution and Colonial Dames of the 17th Century). A picture of John Booth is in the above name book.
"Death of John Booth, Esq.
John Booth died at his home in Radcliff yesterday morning, after a long illness, aged 88 years. He was greatly respected and had been honored by the citizens of Vinton county with several offices and trusts, among them that of County Commissioner. He is the father of Dan. Booth, Esq., of Hamilton, Mo., and Wm. Booth, Esq., of Radcliff, both well known in this region." Democrat Enquirer
June 16, 1892
Also see the History of Hocking Valley Ohio page 1868 for a bio.
Inscription
88 y 3 m 24 d
Gravesite Details
Son of William & Deborah (Hart) Booth; Husband of Elizabeth (Radcliff) Booth
Family Members
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Records on Ancestry
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