Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 5 November 2005

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1018

JONATHAN VANDERVOORT, farmer; P. O. Clarksville, Clinton Co.; born in Massie Tp., Dec. 26,1824; is a son of Paul and Elizabeth (Wilkerson) Vandervoort, he a native of Virginia, she of Kentucky. The paternal grandparents were Paul and Dinah {James) Vandervoort, he a native of Long Island and she of Wales. The great-great-grandfather was a native of Holland, who with two brothers emigrated to America about the beginning of the seventeenth century, the great-great-grandfather of our subject settling near New York City; one of his brothers in North Carolina and the other in Canada. Paul, the grandfather, emigrated from Long Island to Berkeley Co., Va.; thence to Monongalia Co.; thence, in 1809, he with his family emigrated to Ohio, and located in Clermont Co.; thence to Warren Co., near Hopkinsville, and, in 1817, bought and located on the place, ever since known as the Vandervoort farm, in Massie Township; here they commenced right in the woods, not a stick amiss, and here they labored in their great and laborous pioneer work, and here, in 1835, the grandfather died; his wife had died about 1815, while living near Hopkinsville. The maternal grandparents were James and Sarah (Moore) Wilkerson, natives of Virginia; he was a son of William and Sarah Wilkerson, and was born Nov. 29, 1758; was married in Virginia, April 30, 1782; his wife Sarah was a daughter of James and Margaret Moore, and was born Nov. 4, 1763; they emigrated to Kentucky; thence, in 1805, came to Warren Co., where he died Dec. 4, 1834; Mrs. Moore died July 17, 1841. They had nine children—William, Peggy, John, Frances, Nancy, Mary, James, Sarah and Elizabeth, all deceased but the latter; she was born in Kentucky, Aug. 23, 1801. Paul, the father of our subject, was born April 8, 1793; was about 17 years of age when he came to Ohio with his parents; here he arrived at manhood, was married, and entered upon the pioneer work of clearing up and bringing into cultivation the farm upon which his father had commenced, and here he continued his labors till his death, in 1863, aged 70 years. He was in the war of 1812; was with Gen. Harrison at Ft. Meigs. His wife is still living and resides in Harveysburg, aged 80 years. These were truly pioneers of our county, Mr. Vandervoort, however, lived to see much of the fruit of his labors, consisting of fine fields of waving grain, good buildings and improvements, and the general comforts of life, and all the work of his own industry and that of his noble family. They had eleven children, five sons and six daughters ; six now survive—William, now a resident of Bloomington, Ill.; Jonathan; Maria; James W.; John; and Elizabeth, now Mrs. Van Doren. The subject of this sketch remained at home with his father till 34 years