Samuel Sr. in what is now Meigs County
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So I thought I would post this reference to Samuel in "The Pioneer History of Meigs County" by Stillman C. Larkin, as it supports the fact that Samuel had a son named Thomas. I feel pretty good about this Samuel being our Samuel since he disappears from the Meigs area about the time he appears in the Vinton area and would be about the right age.
p. 68-69
"Samuel Ervin built a cabin near the site of what is known as the "Horton boatyard" in 1807, being the first settler of the town of Pomeroy. Amos Partlow came in 1809 and built his cabin about where the Excelsior Salt Works are situated, and that was the second house. The third cabin was erected by Frank Hughes on the ground where the court house stands, and John Mason put a cabin on Sugar run, being the fourth dwelling house in Pomeroy. Mr. Ervin vacated his house in favor of John Bailey and built another cabin at the mouth of Kerr's run; lived there in 1815, when he sold to Nathan Clark, who was therefore about the fifth settler of the town of Pomeroy.
Some of the above mentioned improvements were sold to other parties. Clark sold his improvement to Robert Bailey or Randall Stivers, who afterwards sold to Major Dill. Nial Nye bought a lot of Dill and built the first store house, where he kept the first post office in Pomeroy in 1827. Mr. John Knight bought the improvement made by Mr. Ervin of a Mr. Miles, and Samuel Grant bought the Partlow improvement.
Robert Bailey, Elihu Higley, John Bailey, David Bailey, Hedgeman Hysell, Leonard Hysell and Elam Higley met at the house of Samuel Ervin and from there started to Gallipolis and volunteered under General Tupper to serve in the War of 1812.
Thomas Ervin, Robert Bailey, David Bailey and John Bailey were pioneer keelboat men, who boated salt from Kanawha to Pittsburg, the boat being owned by P. Green and Jack Allen.
The first public road cut through the woods from Gallipolis to Chester was opened by Samuel Ervin, Asahel Cooley and Hamilton Kerr. [Note: The date of this road is not given, but there were settlements on Leading creek and at Athens as early as at Chester, and may have been opened as early by way of these settlements from Gallipolis to Athens.] It should be borne in mind that many roads were barely marked out for horse or foot men that were never opened for teams. Mr. Thomas Matthews settled in Chester in 1798 or 1799, and he told me (Larkin) while we were in company passing over the hill on the Rutland road to Middleport that there was where he and Hamilton Kerr and some other men whose names are forgotten located a road to Shade river, crossing Leading creek where the K. & M. Railroad crosses that stream, running immediately up the point of that hill and following the ridge all the way west of Middleport and Pomeroy, but that road was never opened for teams. S.C.L.
Mr. Ervin [Thomas?] stated that in 1814 the Ohio river was very high, so that his father, Samuel Ervin and family, were compelled to leave the cabin and take shelter in a cave, where they lived seven days and nights, in much discomfort, as it was in the month of February."
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Here is information concerning General Tupper that was mentioned in the article about pioneers of Meigs County.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF OFFICERS, WAR OF 1812.
GENERAL EDWARD W. TUPPER.
Edward W. Tupper, son of General Benjamin Tupper, an officer in the Revolutionary army, was born in Chesterfield, Hampshire county, Massachusetts, in 1771. His father was an otficer of the Revolution, from the commencement of the war, in 1773, until its close, in 1788. The subject of this notice was, at the opening of this war, only four years old. His father, with several other families, came to Marietta in August, 1788. These were the first famiries who came to Marietta. Edward W. Tupper was then seventeen years of age. He was in Campus Manilas during the Indian war, and began his business life at its close.
At the organization of the State government, in 1803, he was appointed clerk of the court of common pleas, and of the supreme court, for Washington county, which offices he continued to hold until he left Marietta. At an early period he opened a store for the sale of general merchandise, at the corner of Second and Putnam streets, Marietta. In am he established a ship-yard at the foot of Putnam street, and built the brig Orlando.
This vessel went out under command of Captain Matthew Miner, with Anselem Tupper for second officer, in 1804. The Orlando was at New Orleans July 4, 1804, at the time of the first celebration of that day after Louisiana was ceded to the United States. She made her first voyage to the Mediterranean and Black sea, as far as Trieste on the latter.
ln 1807 Edward Tupper built two gun-boats, under contract with the United States Government.
In 1803 he built the house welt known as the residence of the late Nahum Ward, and, since that, of his son, William S. Ward. This property he held until after he left Marietta, and sold it to Mr. Ward. It was occupied, for some years, by General Joseph Wilcox and his family.
On the third of May, 1804, Mr. Tupper married Mrs. Bethia S. Putnam, widow of Dr. William Pitt Pulnam—who was a brother of the late David Putnam, of Hannan The house built by him, in 1803, was their residence while they remained in Marietta. In 1809 or 1810, he removed to Gallipolis. He was one of the most prominent and useful men of the place, and he had few superiors in southeast Ohio. He represented Gallia county in the legislature for several terms. Some time, before leaving Marietta, he had been elected to the office of brigadier generat of militia, of the counties of Washington, Athens, and Gallia.
Soon after the commencement of the War of 1812, Governor Meigs made a requisition for a brigade to be raised in this division, composed of counties along the southern and western portion of the State. This brigade was organized at Urbana in August, am, and the command of it was assigned to General Tupper—he being the oldest brigadier general in the division. The surrender of the army under Hull prevented this brigade from advancing beyond McArthursis block-house, where they went into camp, and where they remained for a considerable part of the following winter. In January, 1813, General Tupper learned that the British and Indians were collecting their forces at the foot of the rapids of the Maumee, to carry away a quantity of corn which had been left standing during the winter. He immediately made preparations for driving them away. Many of his men were unfit for duty, but he called for volunteers from among those fit for service to go on the expedition to the rapids. About six hundred responded, and a forced march of several days was made to the Maumee, through the Black swamp, then frozen over. On arriving at the rapids the river was found to be so high that it was not possible to get the troops over in condition to make an attack. Only about two companies passed over, and these found their ammunition so wet that lhey had to withdraw. It became necessary, therefore, for the troops to fall back a short distance, for the purpose of drying their clothes and their ammunition. Next morning, however, all were fit for active duty; meantime, the Indians, having learned of the approach of our troops, marched up towards the rapids, on horseback, for the purpose of making an attack. They attempted to cross the river with a large force, but were driven back by our troops with considerable loss. The British and Indians retreated, and abandoned the corn, which was afterwards used by General Harrison’s army. Our troops lost no men, but some few stragglers from the ranks, who were killed by Indians. None of the troops of this brigade were from Washington county, except Horace Nye, brigade major. They returned to Camp McArthur after an absence of four days. In February, 1853, the brigade was advanced to Fort Meigs, where it was under command of General Harrison. About the first of March, 1813, their term expired, and they were mustered out of service. The tollowing is a copy of the letter discharging General Tupper and his command:
"HEADQUARTERS CAMP MEIGS,
MIAMI RAPIDS, 21st Feb'y, 1813.
"Dear Sir:
"The term of service for which the greater part of your brigade was engaged having expired, and the remaining part not forming a command even for a field officer, you will be pleased to consider yourself and them discharged as soon as they arrive at Urbana. On your way to the ratter place, and whilst there, you wilt be pleased to give such directions with regard to the troops and public properly as you may deem proper. I cannot take my reave of you without expressing my sense of zeal and ability with which you have discharged your duty in every instance whilst acting under my orders, and my wishes for your health and happiness.
" With great respect, I am
" Your obedient servant,
"WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.
"Brigadier General Edward W. Tupper."
In September, 1813, General Tupper, then senior brigadier general, organized a regiment of drafted men et Zanesville, which went out under command of Colonel Bay, of Guernsey county. One company of this regiment was from Washington county, and was commanded by Captain John Thorniley.
After the war General Tupper continued to reside at Gallipolis until his death in September, 1823. Mrs. Tupper died in 1858.