Rouse Family History
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Sumbitted February 9, 2007

The Rouse Family of Short Creek

Click here to read about Thomas Rouse Jr. - Revolutionary War Patriot

In Queen Anne's County Maryland, It's Early History and Development by Fredric Emory it reads in part: "The humble petition of the Vestry and people of Christ Parish, in Kent Island, in Queen Anne's County, sheweth:" The year is 1714. Among the thirty-one petitioners signing the document is a "Thomas ROUSE".

Our Thomas ROUSE was born 48 years later, in 1762, in Queen Anne's County, Md. Is this Thomas descended from the earlier petitioner? Probably, but as yet it's only speculation. The Pennsylvania Archives and documents found in Thomas Bounty Land Warrant File both attest to his Revolutionary War service as a "ranger" on the western frontier of Pennsylvania. This is the area which is today, Washington Co., Pa. Thomas Brashears was his Sergeant and both served in the Company of Capt. John Hughes. Other officers named in the file were Ensign James Morrison, Lt. Gabriel Peterson, Major Emory Taylor and Colonel John Marshall. "Ranger" is a name given to soldiers serving on the western frontier of Pennsylvania (and occasionally Virginia) but it also described what they did being on the move between Wellsfort, Catfish (now Washington, Pa.) and Jackson forts.

Thomas said in his BLWT file, "He received a grant of 200 acres of land in Pennsylvania. --- he sent his discharge (paper) to obtain his grant of land since which knows not what has become of it, (so) he (now) has no documentary evidence of his service." Since Thomas settled on Short Creek in what is now Smithfield Twp., Jefferson Co., Ohio" before Ohio became a state (which occurred in 1803) it sounds like Thomas never received the land in Pennsylvania to which he was entitled. Eldest son, George Rouse gave a deposition to Samuel W. Summerss, a Justice of the Peace in Wapello Co. Iowa on ! July 1857 for his father's widow, Nancy (Loup) Rouse's application for a Widow's Pension. George was 65 years old at the time.

Thomas Rouse was married twice, first to an unnamed lady by whom George, David and Edward were born. Thomas married a second time, Nancy Loup, born about 1797 and by whom Anna, Thomas, Jr. and Margaret were born. We find this family, Thomas Rouse, Sen'r and Thomas Rouse, Jun'r in the 1800 Census, Cross Creek, Washington Co., Pa. Thomas Rouse died 27 Aug 1837 and is presumed to have been buried on the family farm on Short Creek in Smithfield Twp., Jefferson Co., Ohio.

A George Rouse appears in the 1790 Census Queen Anne's Co., Md., but he is not our George, as yet unborn. Same question as before; Is this George also descended from Thomas Rouse, the petitioner in 1714? Same answer: Probably, but as yet it's only speculation.

Our George Rouse, ca. 1793 Md. - 14 Jun 1869 Monroe Co., Iowa married Mary (Polly) Mitchell, ca. 1791 - 29 Nov 1875, Monroe Co., Iowa. Their marriage took place on 12 April 1814 in Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson Co., Ohio by Justice of the Peace, James Watson. U.S. Census records before 1850 are notoriously unreliable and skimpy at best; however, the 1820 Census for Derry Twp., Guernsey Co., Ohio does show a George Rouse family of 2 males and four females which does fit the family profile of five daughters with one son in the middle (Jane, Sally, Margaret, William, Elizabeth and Cynthia Ann Rouse).

Jane Rouse married Benjamin Rouse, son of David and Nancy (Turner) Rouse on 15 Sep 1838 in Guernsey Co., Ohio. These are first cousins. They had eleven children. Sally Rouse married William Daugherty 1845 in Shelby Co., Illinois. For Margaret Rouse we have no information. William Rouse died in 1841, our best guess is he was about 17 years old at that time. Elizabeth Rouse married first, an O'Neill but that marriage was short lived as she appears with her parents in the 1850 Census, Shelby Co., Illinois. Elizabeth was married there, to Marshall Richardson on 16 Jul 1851. Cynthia Ann Rouse married first, Henry Lawrence Cook (another apparent short lived marriage) and married second, Issac Elliott on 20 Apr 1854 in Shelby Co., Illinois. It could be that George was quite protective of his daughters when it came time for them to select their future spouses.

George Rouse served during the War of 1812 with Captain Robert Morrison and later, William Gill, Ohio Militia having enlisted at St. Clairsville, Ohio on 16 Apr 1812 for one year (to 15 Apr 1813). They were under the command of Colonel Lewis Cass. George, 48 and Mary, 47 Rouse along with their youngest daughters, Elizabeth, 19 and (Cynthia) Ann, 14 and Curtis Alderson, 13 were found in the 1850 Census for Richland District, Shelby Co., Illinois. It was interesting to note that three daughters, Sally, Elizabeth and Cynthia Ann Rouse all were married in Shelby Co., Illinois and did not follow their parents to Iowa. George made a Sworn Statement on 28 Nov 1850 to Justice of the Peace, Jos. M. Brown, Shelby Co., Illinois that: "He was surrendered a Prisoner of War to the British General Hull at Fort Detroit. --- He was dismissed with his company by the British on Parole of Honor." The document does not give dates, when surrendered, when paroled nor the length of time held as a prisoner. George made the Sworn Statement to obtain the bounty land to which he may be entitled. In the document, it would appear that the "Government" did pay George "for one year of actual service" after his company was released by the British. It is reasonable to assume that he served for more than the one year he was originally committed. Descendants of George and Mary Rouse appear in the 1860 Census, Bluff Creek Twp., Monroe County, Iowa; Mary appears at 67 years of age and a 27 year old George with a $4000 Property and an $1150 personal Estate. I just can't quite believe this is not Mary's husband, George with an estate of that size (a census taker error???) Both George and Mary are buried in Service Chapel Cemetery in Bluff Creek Twp.

David Rouse left an Estate, E-1843, CP Journal 12, Page 235, Jefferson Co. Court records. An Iowa researcher has David born before 1797 and drowned in a drainage ditch in Jefferson Co., Ohio before 1843. David married Nancy Turner born 1795, Ireland. Nancy Rouse, 64 appears in the 1860 Census, Bluff Creek Twp., Monroe Co., Iowa with her son, William, 25 and Phebe Rouse, 22. Nancy is buried in Service Chapel Cemetery, Monroe Co. Iowa. David and Nancy had seven children:

Samuel Rouse, married Eliza Jane Brown; they appear on the 1850 Census, Warren Twp., Jefferson Co. with Leander 11, Louisa J. 9, Theodore 7, Alexander 5 and Angeline 3 years. It would appear that after David Rouse died, his older brother, George Rouse may have taken responsibility for Nancy (Turner) Rouse and her remaining six children, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Margaret, William, David and Effie and took them along to Iowa with his family.

Benjamin Rouse married Jane (Rouse) Rouse (It would seem that Benjamin married his first cousin Jane, daughter of George and Mary Rouse, and had eleven children); Elizabeth Rouse married William Blazer, Margaret Rouse married James McFadden, William Rouse married Phoebe Harrison, David Rouse married Melissa Harrison, and Effie Rouse married George W. Schooley, Jr. Benjamin and Jane, William and Phoebe, Effie and George are all buried in Service Chapel Cemetery as is their mother Nancy. Margaret is buried in Union Chapel Cemetery, Monroe Co. David is also buried in Monroe Co. All of the remaining names are presumed to have been buried in Monroe Co., Iowa. A quick peek at all of these names in the Census years 1860, 1870 and 1880 gives this researcher the picture that all members of this Iowa Rouse family were very close even unto death. Those of the grandchildren that the Iowa researcher named scattered to the winds, three to Colorado, two to Nebraska, and one each to South Dakota, Wyoming, Texas and Georgia. We can only hope some did stay in Iowa. There was one surprise, Elizabeth Rouse and William Blazer family were found in Liberty Twp., Monroe Co., Ohio in 1860 but they returned to Bluff Creek Twp., Monroe Co., Iowa in both the 1870 and 1880 Census.

Edward Rouse left an Estate, E 1843, CP Journal 12, Page 97, Jefferson Co. Court records. Edward married Nancy Brown, eldest daughter of William Brown who will of 29 Sep 1831 names eldest son as John, second son as Michael and second daughter as Effy Turner. Will stated property and possessions went to William's wife (widow) Jane Brown and which after her decease, goes to grandson, Samuel Rouse. Edward Rouse lived in Jefferson Co., Ohio as evidenced by several recorded deed documents. The location of the property(ies) described in the deeds are in Smithfield Twp., Jefferson in the vicinity of Short Creek. In the aggregate the preceding documents occurred during the period 29 Sep 1831 to 3 Feb 1844. On 9 Dec 1843, less than four months after the Estate of Edward Rouse appeared in court records, two deeds describing the same property in Sections two and eight, Range three, Smithfield Township are on record transferring the property from Thomas and Elizabeth Rouse, Edward and Delila Rouse and George and Peggy Hunter to Anna Rouse. The second deed transferred from Anna Rouse to Edward Rouse. Question: Who is this Edward Rouse? Of the four sons born to Thomas Rouse, Sr. only Thomas, Jr. had a male child named Edward and who would have been only four years old in 1843. This is probably the Edward Rouse who appears in the 1850 and 1860 Census, Cross Creek Twp., Jefferson Co., Ohio

Thomas' second marriage: In this second marriage, Thomas Rouse, Sr. and Nancy Loup had girls, Anna born before and Margaret born after Thomas Rouse, Jr. Anna Rouse was born 1798 in Ohio, and died after 1870. She married Stephen Barnhart on 20 February 1827 in Belmont Co., Ohio. Stephen was born about 1788 in Delaware, and died before 1870. They had Joseph, about 1832 and Henrietta, about 1840. Margaret Rouse died 1 Jul 1857 in Monroe Co., Ohio. She married John Miracle before 1807, he was born 6 Nov 1786 in Virginia. This couple had 12 little Miracles: James W. born 9 Dec 1807, John J. born 14 Oct 1809, Mary Ann born 1810, Jesse born 13 Mar 1813, Amos born 18 Jul 1815, Thomas born 20 Apr 1817, Samuel David born 20 Apr 1820, William born 14 Feb 1823, Issac born 30 Jan 1825, Joseph born 21 Dec 1826, Margaret born 14 Mar 1831, and Martha born 26 Mar 1835.

Now we come to Thomas Rouse, Jr. (Juanita's line): Thomas' death from Washington Co. Probate records reads, 31 Jan 1888, 87 years old whereas the cemetery inscription from Independence Baptist Church yard, Deucher, Ohio shows his life span as 1804-1888, a three year variation. Thomas Rouse. Jr. married Elizabeth Watkins, daughter of Rev. Denton Watkins, a Methodist pastor and Mahala Brandenburg of Frederick Co., Md. Both Thomas, Jr. and Elizabeth are buried in Independence Baptist Church yard, Deucher, Independence Twp., Washington Co., Ohio. They had ten children.

Denton Rouse (unmarried?), lived in Deucher, Washington Co., Ohio in 1888; Edward Rouse, married Sarah Ann Hinton (Juanita's line), lived in Wade, Washington Co. and/or Empire, Jefferson Co., Ohio in 1888 (two residences or were they moving?); Matilda Rouse, married Charles Jacobs, lived in Lower Salem or Harmer, both in Washington Co. in 1888 (same questions as for Edward). The next six children, all girls, all lived in Deucher in 1888 were: Margaret Rouse married Samuel Addlesperger, Mahala Rouse married Levi Thomas; Mary Elizabeth Rouse married Wesley Addlesperger; Maranda Rouse married Edward Jones; Rachel Rouse married Henry Hupp; Adaline Rouse married George Brown. And the last, Nancy Rouse, married Samuel Payne, lived in Wade or Wellsville in 1888 (same questions as for Edward).

Edward and Sarah Ann (Hinton) Rouse in later life (undated photo)

Edward and Sarah Ann Rouse had ten children between the years 1867 and 1887, they were: Henry Rouse married Florence Merritt 24 Dec 1897 in Steubenville; Samantha Isabelle Rouse married Thomas Lee 26 Jan 1886 in Washington Co., Ohio (three children); Harriet Rouse married Henry Hughey (five children); Thomas Milton Rouse married Etta Kiggans 30 Jun 1898 in Empire (six children); Martha Jane Rouse died single; Julia Mae Rouse married George Fullam (four children); Jacob (Jake) Rouse married Mammie Kirbride (four children); Andrew (Andy) Albert Rouse (Juanita's line) born 25 Jun 1883, Salem Twp., Washington Co., Ohio married 3 Jul 1904 Margaret (Maggie) Alice Seevers born 12 Feb 1885, Salem Twp., Washington Co., Ohio (five daughters, Sarah, Dorotha, Alma, Evelyn and Olive Jean) both are buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery; Mary Rouse married Edward Garren (seven children) buried Sugar Grove Cemetery; and Elmer W. Rouse married Bertha Odell (eight children)

Alma, Sarah, Evelyn and Dorotha Rouse (Photo circa 1914)

In later years, following Edward Rouse's decease on 7 Apr 1913 in Empire, Jefferson Co., Ohio we note that his widow, Sarah Ann (Hinton) Rouse remarried on 25 Sep 1920, Harvey Dunlap at New Cumberland, Hancock Co., W. Va. The Marriage License notes that both Harvey Dunlap and Sarah A. Rouse were from Jefferson Co., Ohio. Nine years later, almost to the day, 20 Sep 1939 is recorded the death of Mrs. Sarah Dunlap of Salineville, Wayne Twp., Columbiana Co., Ohio. However, we note a new tombstone for Edward and Sarah Ann Rouse was placed on their gravesite in Sugar Grove Cemetery by their descendants. Contributions for this new stone was collected during a Rouse-Garren reunion about 1990. The original stone is now owned by Richard Jacks and is located at his home in Knox Twp., Jefferson Co., Ohio.

L-R Edward and Sarah Ann Hinton Rouse