Bickel, Andrew

Posted By: Jane Barr Torres
Date: 16 March 2002

Source: A HISTORY OF DARKE COUNTY, OHIO; Chicago : W.H. Beers & Co., 1880. p.751

ANDREW BICKEL, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 15 ; P. 0. Hill Grove; was born in Brush Valley, Centre Co., Penn., Sept. 2, 1805 ; moved to Montgomery Co., Ohio, with his parents in 1811. His father, Andrew Bickel, was born in Pennsylvania, and married Catherine Gloss, born also in Pennsylvania ; he died in St. Joseph Co. Ind., in 1854, and she died here on Sec. 15 in 1858 ; he was drafted in the war of 1812, but hired a substitute. Andrew, the subject of this sketch moved to this place, where he now resides, March, 2, 1831, having entered 80 acres in August before ; he built his cabin of logs in the woods, without windows or doors, but in the fall he procured a plank, of which he made a door, using wooden pins for nails, being too poor to buy nails, or latch, or hinges, but his latch-string has always been out for a friend ; in 1838, he built a hewed-log house and weatherboarded it ; in this he still resides, a good, warm, substantial habitation ; he sold forty bushels of corn of his own raising for 25 cents a bushel, and every year since has had corn to sell ; and in the early days he never refused a neighbor a sack of corn whether he had the money or not ; in the first twelve years alone he cleared 50 acres ; after that his boys were old enough to help him, and they did. He married Naney Moyer May 30, 1830 ; she was born in Rockingham Co., Va., Aug. 27,1810. Mr. and Mrs. Bickel have had ten children, viz.: Henry, born Jan 2, 1831 ; John, born Feb. 23, 1832 ; William, born Oct 10, 1833, died Nov. 22, 1853 ; Catherine, born Feb. 9, 1839 ; Daniel, born Oct. 21 1837 ; Sally, born Dec. 2,1839, died March 30, 1843; Elizabeth, born Jan. 3, 1842 ; Abigail, born Jan. 19, 1844, died March 20, 1853 ; Mary, born April 25, 1847, died May 21, 1847, and Andrew, born June 15, 1852. Catherine married Henry Blocher ; Elizatbeth married John J. Norris. Mr. Bickel is hale and hearty, and says at the age of 60 he could cut and split from the stamp 200 rails, or cut and put up two cords of hard wood in a day. He voted for Andrew Jackson in 1832. He now owns the old homestead of 120 acres, where he resides.

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