Bio- George & Josiah Santee, Ohio 1800s
Found the following biography when researching Mary Ellen Santee, daughter of Josiah and Mary (Walker) Santee.Mary Ellen was born 1835, died 1901, married Samuel T. McWilliams in Ross County, Ohio 1856.They lived in Highland County and had three children: Ida May (married Edgar Gray, 2 daughters), Edward & Myrtie McWilliams.
Would appreciate further details on Joseiah & Mary Santee. I do not seem to have the year of publication for the following but hope it will assist with Santee research in Ohio. (Ya gotta love these flowery ol' county histories!)
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COUNTY OF ROSS
A History of Ross County, Ohio, from the Earliest-Days, with
Special Chapters on the Bench and Bar, Medical Profession
Educational Development, Industry and Agriculture
and Biographical Sketches
HENRY HOLCOMB BENNETT
EDITOR
MADISON, WIS.
SELWYN A. BRANT
George W. Santee, one of the substantial and esteemed farmers of Concord township, comes of a lineage both ancient and honorable. When the malignant religious persecution of the seventeenth century drove so many of the bravest and best of her citizens from France, a number of them found refuge in Holland, a country always ready to give asylum to the oppressed. Included among these Huguenots was a. family of Santees who afterwards made the long ocean journey to America and found a home in the peace-loving state of William Penn. This emigration occurred about, 1790 and from it arose all the Santees who subsequently scattered over the various states of the Union. One of these descendants, named George Santee, was born in Pennsylvania during the latter part of the eighteenth century and "after his marriage to Mary Merriman migrated to Ohio with the current then setting in so strongly towards the West. These Pennsylvanians first found lodgment near Frankfort in Ross county, but later removed to the Big bottoms in the vicinity of Bainbridge, where they resided for several years. Afterward they went to Bentonville in Adams county, but .after a few years' residence in that place, returned to Bainbridge neighborhood and remained there until 1823. Ross county was then finally abandoned and a removal made to the vicinity of Petersburg in Highland county, where these old settlers spent the remainder of their days. Following is a list of their children: James, William, John, George, Josiah, Cynthia, Sophia, Nancy and Rebecca, all of whom are dead except John, who lives in Highland county. Josiah, fifth of the above mentioned children, was born in Ross county near Bainbridge, September 5, 1808. In 1834 he married Mary Walker, a woman of much strength of character and many virtues, with whom he settled near Petersburg in Highland county and lived happily for seventeen years. At the end of that time, they returned to Ross county and settled near Lyndon, where they remained until a few years before the close of their lives. Josiah Santee's lifelong occupation was that of farming and stockraising, and the only office held by him was that of township trustee, which he occupied for several years. His children were eight in number: Mary E., wife of S. T. McWilliams of Highland county; George W.; John and Joseph of Highland county; James C. of Clinton county; Thomas O. and Louisa of Greenfield, Ohio; Thomas (deceased). George W. Santee, second of the children, was born near Hillsboro, Highland county, September 15, 1836. He remained at home until his twenty-third year, after which he worked by the month on neighboring farms for a while and then began to think of matrimony. In 1861 he was united in marriage to Delilah Briggs, a lady born and bred in Ross county, and shortly after the ceremony they settled on a. farm in Concord township. Four years later they removed to Fayette county and remained there until 1870, when they returned to the old township in Ross county and there spent the subsequent eleven years. Then a removal was made to the farm now occupied by Mr. Santee, where be has since been engaged in general farming and stockraising. He and his wife have had ten children, of whom Russell, Katie, Nettie and Charles are dead. The living are: Laura, wife of R. Ankrom of Greenfield ; Mattie, now Mrs. Cass Paul; Nettie, wife of John Ott, of Union township; Jennie M., wife of E. Hutton, of Greenland ; Daisy, married to William Smith of Frankfort, O. ; Miss Lizzie, at home.