Re: WEEKS, 1850 Fulton County
-
In reply to:
WEEKS, 1850 Fulton County
kathryn 10/22/99
Bio on Virgil W. Weeks, p. 615-6 of the History of Fulton County reads:
VIRGIL W. WEEKS is not only one of the leading farmers of Pike township, but he is one of the brave "boys in blue" who represented Fulton County in the Union ranks during the greatest civil war known in the annals of history.Mr. Weeks was born in Seneca county, Ohio, on the 2d of December, 1841 and is a son of David and Rebecca (McCarty) Weeks, the former of whom was born in New Jersey and the latter in Ohio.The father was a cooper by trade and followed the same as a vocation for many years, having also become the owner of a good farm in Fulton county, whither he came from Seneca county in 1848.He passed the closing years of his life in Wauseon, as did also his wife, and both are interred in the cemetery at that place, a large portion of the tract having been cleared by him in the early days, and he selected the lot in which rest the mortal remains of both himself and his loved wife.David Weeks was a strong abolitionist in the crucial days leading up to the Civil war, and he was a conductor on the famous "underground railway" through whose beneficient operation many poor slaves were assisted to freedom.The subject of this sketch aided ihs father in this work, having transported a number of fugitive slaves from the station in Pike township to the one in the River Raisin or Quaker settlement.Two of his brothers also sreved in the Union ranks, as members of Ohio regiments, Rhinaldo L., who is now a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana; and Bruno L., who died in Andersonville prison.Virgil W. Weeks was reared to manhood in Fulton county and duly availed himself of the advantages of the graded schools of Wauseon, where were numbered among his classmates many who later attained prominence in tihs and other States of the Union.Mr. Weeks responded to President Lincoln's first call for volunteers to aid in suppressing the Rebellion.On the 17th of April, 1861, he enlisted as a private in Company H, Fourteenth Ohio volunteer infantry, with which he proceeded to West Virginia, where his first experience in active warfare was in the engagement at Phillippi on the 3d of June, 1861.He later took part in the conflicts at Laurel Hill and Cheat River, remaining at the front until the expiration of his three months' term of enlistment.He then re-enlisted, becoming a member of Company K, Thirty-eighth Ohio volunteer infantry, in which he served three years, having been made corporal of his company.He received his honorable discharge, by reason of the expiration of term of service, on the 31st of January, 1863, but forthwith veteranized, becoming a member of the same company and regiment, with which he continued in service until the close of the war, receiving his final discharge as second duty sergeant, on the 12th of July, 1865, after having made a record as a faithful and gallant soldier, and having been an active participant in many of the important battles of the great conflict.While he was never confined to the hospital during his term of service, he was wounded at Hoover's Gap, a cannon ball passing under him so close to his right hip that it has ever since been partially paralyzed.He never recovered from the effects of this injury, in recognition of which he receives a liberal government pension.After victory had crowned the Unoin arms Mr. Weeks returned home, and soon afterward, on the 31st of October, 1965, he was united in marriage to Miss Ruth A. Fewlass, who was born in Fulton County, on the 21st of February, 1840, being a daughter of William and Caroline (Trowbridge) Fewlass, who were numbered among the sterling pioneers of the county.Mr. Fewlass was a native of England and came to America when a young man, and he first came to Fulto county in 1836, taking up his permanent residence here two years later.He became one of the extensive farmers and wealthy and influential citizens of the county, where he owned two hundred and seven acres of land, much of which he reclaimed from the virgin forest.He passed the closing years of his life in the village of Delta, where he died on the 1st of September, 1884; the mother of Mrs. Weeks died in 1851.Mr. and Mrs. Weeks have six children, namely:David, George, Ada, William, Emma and Caddie C.Emma is the wife of Justin Bartlett, a successful farmer of this county.Caddie C., who is the wife of Charles Prentiss, is one of the successful and popular teachers of Fulton county, having taught twenty-six terms in the public schools and having been a student in the normal school at Fayette, this county.Mr. Weeks is a stalwart Republican and he has served as constable; was for twelve years incumbent of the office of justice of the peace, and for two terms was township assessor.He is one of the appreciative and valued members of McQuillan Post, No. 171, Grand Army of the Republic, at Delta, of which he is the present senior vice-commander.Mr. Weeks at the present time is entering upon his second term as justice of the peace, having been elected on November 7, 1905, by a large majority.
More Replies:
-
Re: WEEKS, 1850 Fulton County
kathryn 3/11/01