In addition to Samuel McClure, the Cephas Carey family moved here. The Careys settled west of Hardin and played a significant role in the county’s early history. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1775, the Careys originally emigrated from England in 1634. Cephas (pictured at right) brought his family, including his father Ezra, who was 75 years old at the time, to Shelby County in 1810. Ezra is one of 13 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Shelby County, Ohio.

Cephas was the first elected Justice of the Peace in the Northwestern Territory. He was a captain in the state militia by the time he moved to the county with his first wife, Jane Williamson. In his long life of 93 years, he would have 3 wives and 16 children (8 sons and 8 daughters).

He and Jane, whom he married in 1803, had eight children; Lydia, John W., William A., Nancy W., Drucilla, David, Thomas M. and Jeremiah. After Jane was killed at the age of 30 by Indians in June, 1814, he then married Rhoda [Hathaway] Garrard in 1815.

Rhoda’s first husband, David, had also been killed by Indians. He was shot during the Dilbone Indian Massacre of 1813. With Rhoda, Cephas had eight more children; Benjamin W., Stephen C., Sally A., Simon B., Mary T., Harvey G., Jason S., and Milton T. Rhoda died at the age of 63 in December, 1850. Cephas then married a widow by the name of Elizabeth Mendenhall.  Cephas and his neighbors built a stockade on the Carey land for the protection of the whole county, and during the War of 1812, it was occupied by a squad of soldiers for more than a year.

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 'Pioneer' segment written in October, 1997 by Sherrie Casad-Lodge

Cephas Carey

Although perhaps a bit elaborate, this illustration shows the typical style of blockhouse built on the frontier.