History
Timeline of the 80 Acres of the Ashland County
Wildlife Conservation League
…..Native People – 1812 – John Kepner ~ 1827 – Benjamin Johns –
~1828 – Quill & Mary Bennett buy 440 acres ( West half of Section 18
Vermillion Township from Benjamin Johns)
1839 – September -Quill sold all but 80 acres to three of his children. (Map # 5)
October – Quill died – 80 acre homestead to his widow Mary Bennett
1848 – Mary Bennett died – 80 acres to their grandson – Jacob Hoff
1857 – Jacob sold the 80 acres to Michael Gongwer (1866 – Gongwer buys the
adjoining 80 acres from Elizabeth (Bennett) Wolf.)
1866
To Michael Gongwer has a 160 acre farm he calls Pleasant Valley Farm.
1896 – Michael Gongwer died – 2 years to settle his estate
1898 – Private sale – the 80 acres that is the Bennett homestead (& the
ACWCL farm) are sold to Reuben Gongwer – Michael Gongwer’s son.
- Also in 1898 Reuben married Emma (Baker) Shenberger – a widow who has a daughter – Maude Mae Shenberger -her child with her 1st husband David Shenberger. (Emma & Reuben do not have any children)
1918 – Reuben Gongwer died – his widow Emma inherits the 80 acres
1925 – Emma Gongwer died – The 80 Acres go to Emma’s daughter – Maude
1946 – Maude (Shenberger) Irelan sells the 80 acres to the ACWCL for $10
Note – Maude’s father – David Shenberger’s parents were – Michael &
Rowannah (Bennett) Shenberger. Rowannah’s parents were Peter &
Sophia Bennett. Peter Bennett is the son of Quill & Mary Bennett – the
Pioneers.
Quill Bennett – son – Peter – daughter – Rowannah (Bennett) Shenberger
- Son – David Shenberger – daughter – Maude( Shenberger) Irelan.
Maude is the great, great granddaughter of Quill & Mary Bennett.