OHIO PIONEER; WAGONMAKER; FARMER; COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Richard was a son of George NUZUM and Ruth MARTIN. His middle name honors his maternal grandmother, Hannah PIERCE.

Richard was born in 1806 near Nuzum's Mills, in Tygart's Valley, Monongalia Co., Virginia in 1806. Nuzum's Mills is now known as Hammond, Marion Co., West Virginia.

He died at Monroe Township, Perry Co., Ohio on 4 April 1896 when struck by a freight train traveling on a spur track passing over his property to a coal mine. At age 90, he did not hear the train due to his deafness [Perry Co., Ohio - Records of Deaths; Charles E. Haggerty, The Nuzum Family History Revised, David G. Nuzum, Publisher, Keyser, West Virginia, p. 11, 219-222, 1983].

Move to Ohio

As a young man, aged 18 years, Richard relocated in 1824 from Nuzum's Mill in Monongalia Co., Virginia to Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio, a town on Zane's Trace, a wilderness trail over which settlers moved west into the lands of Ohio and Kentucky.

Richard married first Sophia Hannah FURRY at Somerset (near Zanesfield), Perry Co., Ohio on 4 December 1831 [Perry Co., Ohio, Vital Records, Marriages].

Richard, influenced by his wife, Sophia, a Lutheran, joined the Lutheran church and raised their children as Lutherans. Their son George W. attended a Methodist Meeting in 1850 and was quickly converted to Methodism. Richard, a stern and exacting man, became enraged and ordered George to leave the house. Sophia had to mediate the serious rift between father and son.

Richard and Sophia were regularly enumerated in Monroe Township, Perry Co., Ohio in US Censuses [1840, Somerset; 1850 to 1880, Monroe Township].

From 1850 to 1880 Richard was a farmer; wagon maker, stock raiser, and later became a Perry County commissioner.

Late in life, Richard married second Catherina BENTLEY in Perry Co., Ohio on 16 October 1891 [No. 228, Perry Co., Ohio Vital Records, Marriages, Book 7, page 561].

Family Life

Richard's will, dated in Perry Co., Ohio, on 27 September 1886, mentions son Thomas B., William F., daughter Annie S. WEAVER, wife Sophia H., daughter Cynthia A. POST, son Dr. D. P., son Rev. George Washington, daughter Ottoria A. MAXWELL, and sons Joel M. and Charles R. L. [Perry Co., Ohio Case No. 7558].

Richard and Sophia raised their fifteen known children in Somerset, Perry Co., Ohio, all are linked in Find-A-Grave.

Richard was survived by seven of his children.

Children (all born in Perry Co., Ohio [Charles E. Haggerty, The Nuzum Family History Revised, David G. Nuzum, Publisher, Keyser, West Virginia, p. 219-222, 1983]); surname Nuzum:

1. George Washington (1832-1912). He married Mary Fletcher GROVES.
2. Joseph, twin, was born in 1833; died 3 days later.
3. Henry, twin, was born in 1833; died 3 days later.
4. Elizabeth Jane, (1835-1853). She was engaged to Eli McDowell GROVES, who died in the Civil War.
5. Cynthia Ann (1837-1894). She married John Nelson POST, a Civil War Veteran.
6. Joel Martin (1839-1925); Civil War Veteran. He married Frances SHOTWELL.
7. David P. (1841-1895); Civil War Veteran. He married Hannah GRIMM.
8. Benjamin Franklin (1842-1855).
9. Ruth Manena (1844-1847).
10. Rebecca Frances (1847-1849).
11. Ottoria Almeda (1848-1937). He married Benjamin MAXWELL.
12. Charles Richard Lehman (1852-1899). He married first Mary Frances WARD. He married second Caroline A. ELLIOTT.
13. William F. (1854-1930). He married Amanda B. RODGERS.
14. Anna (1856-1939). She married David S. WEAVER.
15. Thomas Benton (1862-1939). He married Amanda Lucinda MARSHALL.

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Twenty years after his death, Richard's children and grandchildren were still contesting his estate, see:

Thursday, June 15, 1916.
LEGAL NOTICE.
Joel M. Nuzum and John F. Nuzum, who reside at Viroqua, Wisconsin, Anna Weaver, who resides at McCleansboro, Ill., Ottora Maxwell, Addie Nuzum, and Worth Davis, who reside at Fort Scott, Kansas, Sidney Nuzum who resides at Blountstown, Florida, Charles Nuzum and A. L. Nuzum, who reside at Parsons, Kansas, Richard Nuzum and Nulton Nuzum who reside at Spokane, Washington, Willard Nuzum, who resides at Williamantic, Conn., Thomas Nuzum who resides at Broadhead, Wisconsin, I, Frank Nuzum who resides at Prairie Dee Chine, Wisconsin, Jennie Snodgrass who resides at River Falls, Wisconsin, Lucy Grubb who resides at Mauston, Wisconsin, Jessie Hunter who resides at Viola, Wisconsin, Mary Faulkes who resides at North Freedom, Wisconsin, ... [Richard L., John M., and Gilbert S.?] Post who resides at ... Kansas, ...ne Post who resides at Harding, Kansas, Wellington A. Post and Edgar L. Post, who reside at Redfield, Kansas, Sylvia A. Coldren who resides at Frankford, South Dakota and Charles I. Post who resides at Silone Springs, Arkansas, they and each one of them are hereby notified that Charles A. Nuzum and Mary S. Bingaman have filed a petition against them, impleaded with others, as defendants, asking that a cloud be removed from the title to the following described real estate situate in Monroe township, Perry county, Ohio, and being the east half of the southeast quarter of section 27, township 14, and range 12, containing forty acres more or less; and that the title to said real estate may be quieted in plaintiffs, and for such other relief as in equity, planitiffs may be found entitled.
That this case is numbered 5606 in the Common Pleas Court of Perry County, Ohio, and will be for hearing on or after the 8th day of July 1916, before which time these defendants are required to answer, or judgement will be taken against them.
CHARLES A. NUZUM
MARY S. BINGAMAN
The plaintiffs were children of David P. NUZUM, a son of Richard. The defendants were other children and grandchildren of Richard.

Biography by Tom Brocher, last updated on 25 August 2022.