| Notes |
- Came to America when 2 years old, his mother had died and was buried at sea. Landing at Baltimore, his father immediately removed to Lancaster County, PA where he followed the occupation of a weaver. After marriage, Benedict worked at weaving 12 years and removed to Ohio sometime before 1807. He can be found on the Ohio Census Records for 1807 and 1809 in Columbiana County.
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www.the-daily-record.com-10/22/2002
Mellinger land donated for research, education
By MARC KOVAC
Staff Writer
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WOOSTER
The Mellinger Farm, located located about eight miles northwest of Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, has been donated to OARDC and its development rights to the state and a local land trust to ensure the site remains agricultural for generations to come. Ken Chamberlain photo
The Mellingers came to Wayne County to farm close to 200 years ago.
The family had come to the United States from Germany and first settled in Lancaster County, Pa., before Benedict Mellinger loaded a covered wagon and began clearing 300-plus acres not too far from what today is Ohio State University's Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.
In total, five generations of Mellingers farmed the site, and numerous tenant farmers planted crops there after Patricia Miller Quinby and her sister, Virginia Miller Reed, inherited the site in the 1940s.
Earlier this month, Quinby, who lives in Upper Arlington in the Columbus area, and the estate of her late sister donated the farm to OARDC and its development rights to the state and a local land trust to ensure the site remains agricultural for generations to come.
"Out of respect for all of (the Mellingers') work, and for Wayne County too, I think it's important that it's not all paved over," Quinby said.
The donation of the land to OSU will ensure the site remains a working farm. The 324 acres, located about eight miles northwest of OARDC, will be used for agricultural research, education and conservation activities by students and faculty.
Steve Slack, OARDC director, said in a release, "We were in need of an outdoor laboratory to bring together the research in integrated systems by our faculty during the last decade. This is a unique opportunity for us, and we are indebted to Mrs. Quinby."
The donation of the easement to the Killbuck Watershed Land Trust and the Ohio Department of Agriculture will prevent future nonagricultural development. The easement donation prevents present and future owners from developing anything on the land other than agricultural uses, except by judicial order.
Howard Wise, executive director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Office of Farmland Preservation, said the easement donation is the 10th his office has received and the first in Wayne County.
"We're working on several (more) right now," he said.
The Mellingers purchased the land from the government and went to work making it a farmstead.
"It was all in timber," Quinby said. "They had to clear the land."
The Mellingers were weavers and opted to raise flax and sheep at the farm. They were skilled in designing patterns for linens and coverlet, Quinby said.
Quinby's father's sister married a Mellinger, which is how the Wayne County farm eventually was passed down to the siblings. Since 1946, the farm has been rented to tenants; it was operated a dairy for some time and was used for crops.
Quinby said she and her sister wanted to find someone to continue to farm the land. They contacted OARDC and finalized the details earlier this month.
More than half of the farm is used for crop production. Mixed hardwoods cover another 120 acres, and the remaining area includes buildings, pastures, a stream and road right-of-ways.
According to OSU, the farm "will incorporate integrated systems of forestry, crops and livestock, emphasizing the linkages among production, environmental quality, economic feasibility and social responsibility. Research will be conducted at multiple levels -field, landscape, whole farm with diversified enterprises. These include balancing field crop and livestock management, development of high-value food and 'nutraceutical' products, creating cropping systems with the use of new species and combinations of species, composting and nutrient management studies, precision agriculture and environmental quality, and whole farm/landscape modeling."
Ownership of half of the property (the portion held by the Virginia Miller Reed estate) already has been transferred to the university. The remainder will be transferred during the next six years.
WAYNE COUNTY OHIO
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The farm has been in operation since 1816, when Wayne County pioneer Benedict Mellinger purchased land from the United States government to raise sheep and flax for his family's weaving business.
"History of Wayne County, Ohio, From the Days
of the Pioneers and First Settlers to the
Present Time", published in 1878, by
Robert Douglass, Publisher
BENEDICT MELLINGER, SR.
Benedict Mellinger, Sr., was born
in Germany, over one hundred years ago, and
removed to America when but two years of
age, landing at Baltimore. His mother died
on the ocean, his father immediately re-
moving to Lancaster County, Pa., where he
followed the occupation of a weaver. After
marriage he worked at weaving twelve
years, and removed to Plain township, Wayne
county, Ohio, in 1816, locating where
Christian Mellinger now lives. He had
eleven children--seven daughters and four
sons--the names of the latter being David,
John, Benedict, and Christian. He died
twenty years ago, at the age of eighty.
Last Will and Testament of Benedict Mellinger
I, Benedict Mellinger of the County of Wayne in the State of Ohio do make and publish this my last will and testament in the manner and form following that is to say that it is my will that all my funeral expenses and all my just debts be fully paid. Second, I give, devise and bequeath to my wife Barbara Mellinger in the lieu of her dower the plantation on which we now reside in Plain Township and County of Wayne during her Natural life and all the live stock horses cattle sheep and hogs by me now owned and kept thereon also all the household furniture and other items not particularly named and otherswise disposed of in the will during her natural life. Third, to Each of my married children I bequeath five hundred dollars at my decease. Fourth but if any children which are now single should marry after my decease one year after marriage shall receive five hundred dollars out of my estate. Fifth if any should marry after my wifes decease each shall receive five hundred dollars out of my estate one year
Benedict Mellinger
Signed published and declared by the above named Bennadict Mellinger as and for his last will and testament in presence of us who at his request have signed as witnesses to the same.
George McCulley
Jane Mc Culley
Elizabeth Mc Culley
We the undersigned appraisers of the estate and property of Benedict Mellinger deceased after being duly sworn have made an inventory and appraisement there as follows:
One note on David Mellinger calling for five hunderd dollars. Date May 28th 1831 wtihout interest.
One note on John Mellinger calling for five hundred dollars. Date May the 28th 1831 without interest.
One note on Benedict Mellinger calling for 5 hundred dollars dated May 28th 1831 without interest.
One note on William Spitler calling for 5 hundred dollars dated July 18, 1835 without interest.
One note on HENRY GEINES calling for 5 hundred dollars dated May 9th 1840 without interest.
One due bill on Mathias Rittenhouse calling for $157 dated November 7th 1851 with interest from date.
One due bill on Thomas Pallips calling for $107.54 dated November 11, 1851 with interest from date.
One note on Henry Long calling for $25 dated July 8, 1851 with interest from date.
One note on Joseph rittenhouse calling for $40 dated June 15, 1849 with interest from date.
One note on William Beck since callinge for $95.41 dated November 6, 1851 with interest from date.
The final account of Christian Mellinger Administrator with the will annexed of the estate of Benedict mellinger deceased.
Signed Paid HENRY and ESTER GEINES No 1 $4500.00
Amount paid to SR. Barnuf as per receipt No 2 $28.00
Amt paid for clerk of court of Lawrence Co, IL $6.40
Amount paid probate judge $2.63
Amt returned as .... ..... $500
This is to certify that Benedict Mellinger my father in law gave me on my marriage with his daughter the sum of five hundred dollars. Lawrenceville Illinois docket number 1854.
Signature of HENRY GEINES
Benedict is found on the 1809 census records for Columbiana County, Ohio
Benedict is found on the 1820 census records for Wayne County, Ohio, Plain Twp. This part of Columbiana Co became Wayne Co in 1812.
Benedict is found on the 1830 census records for Wayne County, Ohio, Plain Twp, he is living close to his sons David and John.
Benedict is on the 1840 census records in Wayne County, Plain Twp, living next to his sons David and John.
Benedict is found on the 1850 census records for Wayne Co, Ohio, Plain Twp,
Benedict, 79 years old, born in Germany, 7,000 acres
Barbara, 77, born in PA
Francis, 56, born PA
Anna, 53, born PA
Barbara, 51, born PA
Mary, 49, born PA
Elizabeth, 47, born PA
The family is living next to the sons Christian and David.
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1770 - 1851 (80 years)
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