"Genealogy and Bigraphical Sketches of Descendants of Abraham Tegarden - from arrival in America - (including European background)"
Compiled by Helen Elizabeth Vogt, Berkeley, California June 1967
Revised Edition Published June 1988 by George and Shirley Teegarden
With Revisions Compiled by Helen Vogt page 79-120
The Blackledge and Teegarden Families were close neighbors in Pennsylvania; when they began the westward trek it was natural to join forces because they had married Rofelty sisters. The Rofelty and Blackledge families are treated quite thoroughly in Volume II of the Leckey "Tenmile Country . ." including the Indian massacre supposed to have taken place shortly before the end of the Revolutionary War.
The Rofelty family lived on the plantation "Dragon" east of Clarksville in Jefferson Township near the land of George Teegarden and the Blackledge family on the other side of Tenmile from Banjamin Stites' Mill (later Pollock Mill). The mother and one grown daughter were killed; a second daughter was scalped but recovered to marry and raise a large family.
Levi Blackledge married Barbara Rofelty and William Teegarden married her sister, Susannah. An Account Book for 1789 in Washington County shows Enoch and William Blackledge Executors of the Will of Thomas Blackledge and a debt for 14 shillings to George Tegarden. The Will was recorded January 30, 1785: Known all men by these presents that I, Thomas Blackledge of Washington County am old and infirm and bound unto Sarah McLiblon, formerly widow of Matthias Rofelty dec'd. and unto her heirs . .
When William left Pennsylvania for Salem Township in Ohio in the summer of 1804, he entered Section 31 and built a log house. The understanding was that the sections would be divided among William and Robert Blackledge and Uriah White who had married Levi's sister.
The route followed from Pennsylvania to the Salem Settlement was down the Monongahela to the Ohio and then to a landing near present-day E. Liverpool where they took the road to New Lisbon, 17 miles from the river. William and Susannah with their infant Willaim, Uriah and Elizabeth and her mother came by this road one evening in April 1805 arriving about sunset on the southeast bank of Beaver Creek, opposite the cabin of Levi Blackledge. William hailed across the creek and was directed how to best ford the stream.
The crossing was quickly made and a joyful meeting ensued of sisters, mother and daughter. They remained the night with Levi and the next morning continued the journey to their own little home. Uriah's first job was to ungear the team. This done, he was sent with his sister who was only about 5 years old, to gather leaves with wich to fill the beds.
After they were settled, William was obliged to transport salt and provisions for his family across the mountains on horseback. He was a man of generous heart and kind disposition and a friend of the red man of the forest, according to an 1861 history. The Indians often built their campfires near the door of his cabin. A Bible Christian Minister, he often rode 25 miles through the pathless forests on an old white horse to deliver his message of cheer to the few scattered prilgrims who would gather in some pioneer home.
Through his influence, the Highland Church was established on a high mill above Beaver Creek at Teegarden Station, about 5 miles southwest of Salem. He also preached at Hart Church on the road between Salem and Lisbon, where he and Susannah are buried. In 1822 they built a brick house of two stories placing in the north gable a large stone carved: "1822 W.T. & S.T." This house was in use in 1985.
We have letters left by Eliza Perry Teegarden in Kentucky, who made an early trip to Columbiana County, Ohio to visit her uncles, William, George and Thomas. Capt. George Teegarden tells of Aunt Eliza Perry: As a boy he heard conversation among the elders talking with Aunt Eliza about her trip to Ohio from Bracken County, Kentucky. It seems she felt they were treated in a rather superior manner by Susannah, who was quite a lady, or at least so considered herself. The visit was never repeated and Captain George who had seen the fine clothes Eliza had worn to Ohio thought maybe Susannah was merely trying to keep from being overwhelmed by relatives from the south in finery. Somehow a backwoods preacher hardly seems one who would have been affluent.
Certainly William and Susannah were a remarkable couple who were wed for more than fifty years, had fifteen children of whom many were six feet tall and over and four of the sons were medical doctors and two of these became State Senators.