OHWYANDO-L Archives

Archiver > OHWYANDO > 2002-07 > 1027364524


From: "Kristina Kuhn Krumm" <>
Subject: [OHWYANDO-L] Isaiah HIESTAND (1831-1907) and wife Margaret [DESHER] - biography
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2002 15:02:04 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time)


Isaiah is a first cousin (5x removed) to my husband.

>From "Biographical Memoirs of Wyandot Co." Isaiah Heistand entry and photo,
pg. 426-428

"One of the most thorough-going and respected farmers of Eden Twp. is Isaiah
Heistand, who was born in Sycamore Twp. July 30, 1831 and who has here made
his home all his long and useful life. He and his siblings were educated as
well as the schools of this sylvan district in which they passed their
youthful days afforded, Jacob (youngest brother), however, being given the
advantages of a higher course of literary training."
"Isaiah Heistand passed his youthful days on the homestead until about 15
years of age (1848) when his father died. He then worked out for strangers
at farm labor or anything at which he could earn an honest dollar until he
was 28 years old (1859). Being now at an age when he thought it would be
proper, and indeed, necessary, to have a home of his own and a suitable
helpmate, he chose for his life companion Miss Margaret Desher."
"Mr. Heistand started in the pursuit of agriculture on his own account at
his first marriage and settled on a small place in the midst of the forest
in Eden Twp. This place he partly cleared and improved with suitable
buildings and lived upon in comparative comfort, when he purchased his
present place, which is now a profitable farm of 180 acres and which,
through his diligence and unceasing industry, has been brought to it present
excellent condition and will stand easily in competition with any farm in
the township of the same dimensions, both as regards improvements and
cultivation. His speciality is sheep raising, in which he is an expert; at
present he has on hand 110 head of the famous Black-top breed, and in this
flock there are 20 fine bucks."
"Although a believer in the principles of the Democratic party and an
earnest worker in carrying them out in local affairs and in working for the
success of the party at the polls, Mr. Heistand has never been amibitious as
far as public office is concerned, being contented with attending to his
husbandry, which is, in the main, of more intrinsic worth to him than any
public position within the gift of his fellow townsmen could possibly be. To
him, the reward that is always vouched to honest and persistent industry is
a sufficient recompense, and this is his, as shown in his present
comfortable circumstances in life."
"In religion, the German Baptist church finds him a devout member , as is
shown by the fact that he is the deacon of his congregation. He contributes
freely of his means to the support of his religious organization and has so
lived in accordance with its teachings that he has won the respect of the
community in which he has passed all his long and useful years."
"Our subject attended the old log cabin school house, with its slab benches,
and with an elementary speller as his only textbook. He recalls the wooden
mold-board plow and the wooden-toothed harrow. His childhood cabin home was
floored with split boards made by his father. At that time the pioneer's
table was meager in its food supply, and when at work our subject has cut
out and eaten a piece of raw pumpkin, and has often subsisted on raw turnips
He remembers when where Nevada now stands was an unbroken forest. These
things are merely noted to mark the contrast between the life of the early
pioneer and that of the present day."



Kristina Kuhn Krumm
Columbus, OH
Homepage: www.kriskuhn.net
Webmaster for Wyandot county, Ohio
All email from this address is automatically scanned by Norton Antivirus before sent.


This thread: