Son of Joseph Heath and first wife Margaret Bates from Madison Co OH. Israel Heath married first on Oct 21 1842 in Madison County Ohio, Hester Ann Farrington, believed to be a daughter of Gilbert Farrington who lived in the 1850 census as a neighbor to his father Joseph Heath. In the 1850 census for Monroe, Madison Co OH Israel and Hester and children are living next to his father and farming and his half-sister Polly (Mary) Heath was living in their household. Between 1850 and 1860 he moved to Van Wert Co OH. Hester Ann Farrington died 11/27/1860 the day after the birth of an infant son born 11/26/1860.

From Madison County records:
Israel Heath was Justice of the Peace 1849
Israel Heath was Assessor 1851-56
Israel Heath was Constable 1856
Israel Heath was Clerk 1856-57

Israel Heath married 2nd 12 Nov 1861 in Van Wert Co OH, Mary Ann Lynd/Lind with whom he had Mary Mariah Heath born 12 Oct 1862. Mary Mariah Heath b. 12 Oct 1862 Indiana and she was listed on a census as a "crippled seamstress." She is mentioned in Van Wert Co OH Probate Case #1821 Vol. 1392 pg 442 & Vol. 1392 pg 428 & Case #457 Vol. 1419 pg 223 of her father's estate.

2nd wife Mary (Lynd/Lind) Heath filed for his pension after his death. She later changed her name on Israel Heath's pension records when she remarried on 18 March 1867 in Van Wert co OH, Madison Hamilton, to Mary A Hamilton. She died June 28 1913. In those pension records she claimed a minor child listed as Lydia Farmington.(meant to be Farrington but was Lydia C. Heath)

Israel Heath and Hester Farrington had the following children in the 1860 household in Jennings Township, Van Wert Co OH:

Francis Marion Heath b. 26 Dec 1842 d. 27 Sept 1880 m. Albina Long
Josephine Celia Heath b. 10 Aug 1846 d. 2 Mar 1863 m. 3 July 1862 in Allen Co IN, John Dunlap (1837-1862)
Anna W or Manerva Ware Heath b. 9 Jan 1849 d. 15 Oct 1861 (listed in Israel Heath family Bible as Amyra Ware Heath)
Margaret Ellen 'Ella' Heath b. 10 Nov 1852 m. Eli Gregory Kimmel
Lydia Katherine 'Kate' Heath b. 10 Dec 1854 Madison Co. OH d. 31 July 1941 Van Wert Co OH. m. John Franklin Kimmel
James Heath b. 31 Oct 1856 (family Bible said died 31 Mar 1878)
Hannah Heath b. 10 Nov 1858

Israel Heath served in the Union Army in Civil War as a Private, CO B Ohio Vol Infantry and left service as a Corporal. According to the family Bible he only joined in 1864. The 139th was mustered out Aug 26, 1864. Their last duty assignment were as prison guards in Maryland. His name is listed on American Quartermaster's Dept Roll of Honor, Names of Soldiers who died in Defense of the American Union Interred in the National Cemetery at Nashville, TN printed by Government Printing Office 1869. Copy held by Cornell University Library is online (through google book search).

Israel Heath's estate was probated in Van Wert Co OH 7 Jan 1865, Case #1821 and Case #457. The probate stated that in 1864 Israel Heath 'on contract' borrowed from John Clendening $1425 consideration money in order to purcase land described as "The South half of the SE quarter of section 27 Twp 1, Range 1 containing 80 acres more or less of land together with all and singular the appurtenances thereonto. Payments to be made to John Clendening were:
$300 on or before May 1, 1864
$200 on or before Nov 1, 1864
and $925 in annual pymts of $100 with the last pymt to be $125
there was further a 6% interest clause included
Israel Heath died before this debt could be paid in full, although mention was made he did pay the first $300 installment, therefore his estate was unable to pay what was owing and the land, excepting a dowers portion, was to be sold for monies owed. Administrator appointed for the estate for A. Mentzer, notice of which was given in the Ohio Weekly Bulletin for a period of 3 weeks as required.
Besides a number of small notes unpaid to neighbors, Israel's inventory of estate in 1865 were the following articles to be given to his wife and children: one cook stove, one Bible, some school books, one red cow, 3 beds and bedsteads and all the bedding belonging to the family. For support of debts to his estate the following: 100 lbs pork
60 lbs flour
6 bushel potatoes
1 ton of hay
1 buggy
1 harness
1 dinner bell
1 grindstone
1 scythe
The following items 'set off' to surviving widow which total worth of $100:
1 sorrel horse
six acres of wheat in ground
1 manure fork
1 saddle
1 corn hoe

His family Bible is in the possession of a descendant of his daughter Lydia Catherine Heath. Bible entries end with the death of Israel. However it does state that Hester Ann Farrington died 11/27/1860 the day after the birth of an infant son born 11/26/1860. The Heath family Bible gave the following entries for children:
Francis Marion Heath 12/28/1842
Martha Jane Heath b. 2/14/1845 d. 11/30/1845
Josephine Celia Heath b. 8/10/1846 d. 3/2/1863
Amyra Ware Heath b. 1/9/1849 d. 10/15/1861
Margaret Ellen Heath b. 11/10/1852
Lydia Catherine Heath b. 12/10/1854
James Wesley Heath b. 10/31/1856
Hannah Ann Heath b. 11/10/1858 d. 3/3/1878 (probate stated in 1865 she was living in home of an aunt)
Infant Son b. 11/26/1860 d. 12/6/1860
Hester Ann (Farrington) Heath died 11/27/1860
With 2nd wife, Israel had:
Mary Mariah Heath b. 10/13/1862