On the Waters of Paint Creek

On 27 May 1821, Robert Bishop, the administrator of Frederick Bishop’s estate, put a notice in the Scioto Gazette that he was selling at a public auction the late dwelling house of Frederick Bishop, which was a “certain tract of land, containing 117 acres, with the appurtenances thereunto belonging, on the waters of Paint Creek, near Robert Johnson’s mill, late the property of Frederick Bishop, deceased, subject to the widow’s dower.”[1] This land was located in Ross County, Ohio.

Frederick Bishop was my husband’s third great-grandfather. His daughter, Mary Ann Bishop, married Daniel Shotts.[2] Their daughter, Catherine E. Shotts, married Amos Gorrell.[3] Their son, Joseph N. Gorrell, married Matilda Pearl Davey.[4]

This notice gives me information about Frederick’s property. While I do not have the exact land description, I have the watershed (Paint Creek), the number of acres (117), and a neighbor (near Robert Johnson’s mill). These are clues that will help me pinpoint the land.

Full-text Search at FamilySearch
I want to learn more about Paint Creek and its connection to Frederick Bishop. I am hoping to locate Frederick’s purchase of this land. The full-text search function on FamilySearch is often my first website to start. I could have begun by looking at deed indexes, but this full-text search will also bring up hits for deeds, deed indexes, and probates, and perhaps some surprises.

My first hit is to the published volume, History of Ross and Highland Counties, Ohio. The section titled “Huntington” describes the township being south of Paint Creek, and that it was formed from part of Scioto and Twin Townships on 5 March 1811. At the first election on 1 April 1811, “David Murphy, Frederick Bishop, and Daniel Chestnut were chosen justices of the peace.”[5] How cool is that? However, it doesn’t help with discovering his land location.

I found no other connection between Frederick Bishop and Paint Creek except in the numerous tax records, which do not indicate the location of the land beyond the Paint watercourse.[6]

I located the three deeds concerning Frederick’s land. He purchased two pieces and his administrator sold the land after his death.

First Purchase
On 7 December 1812, Frederick purchased land from George Vinsonhaller and his wife, of Adams County, Ohio. These one hundred acres were part of the survey no. 2912 and no. 3816. The land description mentions Henry Bishop:

“Beginning at a birch and sugar tree in the line of survey No. 2912 & 3816 and northeast corner of Henry Bishop’s tract of 150 acres, running thence with his lines south four degrees and a half west thirteen poles [S14.5W 13 p] to a beech, thence south eight degrees west ten poles [S8W 10 p] to a sugar tree, thence south twenty-five degrees west one hundred and ninety poles [S25W 190 p] to a red oak, beech and dogwood corner of said Henry Bishop’s, thence north fifty degrees west one hundred and two poles [N50W 102 p] to three sugar trees, thence north forty degrees east two hundred poles [N40E 200 p] to a sugar tree and hickory, thence south fifty degrees east fifty-seven poles [S50E 57 p] to the beginning.”[7]

Done on Deedmapper by author

This transaction is only one hundred acres. Frederick must have purchased nineteen more acres later. Vinsonhaller also sold land to Robert Bishop and David Bishop.[8]

Second Purchase
On 1 February 1817, Paul Strevy and Mary, his wife, sold to Frederick Bishop twenty-three acres of land:

“Beginning at a stake and sugar tree sixteen poles southeastward of two ashes and a red bud corner to Paul Streabys tract of land entered by Henry Massie and in the line of the same, thence running north forty east thirty-seven poles [N40E 37 p] to two sugar trees, ash and Lunn in a small run, thence south fifty-nine and a half east thirty-eight poles [S59.5E 38 p] to a gum, thence south fifty-one east forty-four poles [S51E 44 p] crossing a run at three poles to two sassafras, thence south thirty-three and three-fourths west forty-four poles [S33.75W 44 p] to a hickory in a line of said Massies entry, thence with said line north fifty west eighty-seven poles [N50W 87 p]crossing a run at thirty eight poles to the beginning, containing twenty-three acres, more or less.”[9]

Done on Deedmapper by author

Sale of Frederick’s Land
After Frederick died in 1819, his wife, Susannah, relinquished her right to administer the estate in favor of her brother, Robert Bishop, mostly likely Frederick’s brother.[10] He attempted to sell the property several times over the next ten years.[11] Perhaps because Susannah had her widow’s dowry, it was difficult to sell. Finally, because there were debts against the estate, the court ordered a new appraisal and told Robert to sell the land for at least half the appraised price. David Miller was the purchaser.[12]

The land was “two adjoining tracts with widow's dowry set off according to law:

“Beginning at a sugar tree and hickory in the line of George Kevis’s tract of land running, thence with the line thereof S40W 210 poles to three sugar trees in the line of Jacob Mowry’s land, thence with his line S46 21’ E 100 poles (counting the course) to a beech, dogwood, and red oak corner to Robert Bishop’s land, thence with his line counting the course thereof N27. 20’ E, 190 poles to a sugar tree, thence with another of his lines N8E 10’ 8 poles to a beech, thence with another of his lines N49E, 17 poles to an apple tree in the garden of the Widow Bishop, thence with another lines of Robert Bishop’s S50 1/4 E, 44 poles to a hickory corner to P Streveys land, thence with his line N34E 44 poles to a dogwood, thence with another line of P. Steavy’s land, N50W 44 poles to a gum, thence N59 1/2W 37 – 6 poles to two sugar trees a lynn & an ash, thence S40W 38 – 6 poles to the beginning. Containing 117 and two quarters and twenty square poles, the same embracing the lands conveyed to Frederick Bishop dec by George Winsonhaller & wife on 7th day of Dec 1812 and a tract conveyed to same by Paul Stevy which said land are situate in Ross County Ohio and are the same mentioned and described in the said petition.”

Done on Deedmapper by author

David Miller Sells to David H. Bishop
I next searched “David Miller” and “Bishop” together, and found a deed where, on 13 October 1852, David Miller and his wife sold land that was “formerly known as Susanah Bishop's Dowry” to David H. Bishop.[13] David H. Bishop was Frederick and Susannah’s grandson.[14]

Described as follows: “being the east end of the farm belonging to David Miller, and formerly known as Susannah Bishop’s dowry; and being part of Surveys No 2912 and 3816 on the waters of Paint Creek, bounded as follows:

Beginning at a hickory, being the northwest corner to a tract of land belonging to Peter Stevey, thence with Steveys line N 34 E 44 poles to a stake,  thence N. 50 W. 44 poles to a stake, in the county road at the schoolhouse; thence N 59 ½ W. 37 poles to two Lymns: thence S. 40 W 48 poles to a Hickory, corner to meeting house lot, thence S49 E. 21 poles to a stake; thence S36 W 6½ poles to two red buds, being the southwest corner of the meeting house lot; thence S 79 E 36 ½ poles to a stake being corner to another tract of land belonging to Peter Stovey; thence with said Steveys line S 30 E 34 Pole to the beginning containing twenty-two acres more or less.”[15]

Done on Deedmapper by author

We can see that the widow's dowry was the northern portion of the property. Susanna died in 1852, which released the dowry, and David Miller was able to sell it to David Bishop.

Mapping it Out
None of these deeds, even when plotting the above calls, helps me place them confidently on a map. I have found an 1860 map of Ross County, and below is a crop showing part of Huntington Township. The general area where these people lived is circled. This is based on deed records that mention the original survey numbers, that the land was south of Paint Creek, and we see David Miller and other Bishop landowners.

Topographical map of Ross County, Ohio (New York: HF Walling's Map Establishment, 1860);
Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/g4083r.la000669/).

Most of the Bishops were buried at Bishop Hill Cemetery, and this map shows its location on a modern highway map. We’re looking at the same general location. 

I visited that cemetery in 2016 and took photos of the tombstones I could locate, however, I did not locate Susannah’s stone. The surrounding area was very hilly, and I thought, “How could these people farm here?” A description of the township from a book mentioned that fruit trees were productive there.[16]

#52Ancestors: Week 41: Water

This is my eighth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.

---

All websites viewed between October 1-3, 2025.

[1] "Land for Sale," 30 May 1821, Scioto (Chillicothe, Ohio) Gazette, p 3. Viewed at Genealogybank.com.

[2] Ross Co, Ohio, marriages, v. C, p. 255, Daniel Shotts to Mary Ann Bishop, 1831, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-91SD-FH); IGN 4016206, image 559 of 649.

[3] Ross Co, Ohio, marriages, v. I, p. 63, Amos Gorrell to Catherine E. Sayer, 1866, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939K-BJJK-M); IGN 004256209, image 98 of 421.

[4] Jackson Co, Missouri, marriage license, v. 26, p. 598, no. 21336, Joseph N Gorrell & Tillie Davey, 1900, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8989-3ZZ1); IGN 007515712, image 345 of 716.

[5] “Huntington,” History of Ross and Highland Counties (Cleveland: W.W. Williams, 1880), p. 286, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99Z9-88SG); IGN 007437772, image 813 of 1493.

[6] Ross Co, Ohio, tax record, 1816, p. 38, Frederick Bishop, Huntington Township, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PPD-9S96); IGN 004849222, item 3, image 53 of 116. Also ibid, 1817, p. 22, Frederick Huntington Township, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPPD-99ZW); IGN 004849222, item 4, image 33 of 127. Also, ibid, 1818, unpag, list of lands transferred, Paul Strevy to Frederick Bishop, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9PP6-9HN); IGN 004849222, item 5, image 136 of 155.

[7] Ross Co, Ohio, deed, v. 11, p. 268-69, George Vinsonhaller to Frederick Bishop, 1812, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-G9XF-T); IGN 008193280, image 151 of 591. The land description is complete. The bracketed notations are for easier plotting in Deedmapper.

[8] For Robert’s purchase: Ross Co, Ohio, deeds, v. 10, p. 277-78, George Vinsonhaller to Robert Bishop, 1811, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4R-5VJ); IGN 007900749, images 398-99. For David, see: Ross Co, Ohio, deeds, v. 13, George Visonhaller to David Bishop, 1816, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTH-5Q2W-Y); 008330720, image 255 of 390.

[9] Ross Co, Ohio, deed, v. 14, p. 115, Paul Strevy to Frederick Bishop, 1817, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTH-YSJ7-N); IGN 008330722, image 72 of 376.

[10] Ross Co, Ohio, probate, Testamentary Docket 1816-1821, p. 242, administration of Frederick Bishop estate, 1819, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99QG-TY21); IGN 005873793, image 125 of 536. Also, Ross Co, Ohio, probate case files, no. 473, estate of Frederick Bishop, deceased, Susanna relinquishing administration, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9Q5-K9ZR-K); IGN 005885655, image 1654 of 2024. She signed with a mark.

[11] “Public Sale,” Scioto Gazette, 24 Oct 1821, p. 1. Also “Notice,” Scioto Gazette, 30 Jan 1822, p. 4. Also, “Public Sale, Scioto Gazette, 8 May 1822, p. 3. And, “Notice,” Scioto Gazette, 7 Sep 1826, p. 3.

[12] Ross Co, Ohio, deed, v. 23, p. 129-130, Robert Bishop to David Miller, 1829, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLX-5SM5-9); IGN 008193283, image 87 of 598.

[13] Ross Co, Ohio, deed, v. 53, p. 332-33, David Miller to David H. Bishop, 1852, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-DFQW); IGN 008142545, image 511 of 667.

[14] David H Bishop (1824-1894) was the son of Jacob G Bishop (1801-1861) & Margaret Shotts (1800-1880).

[15] Ross Co, Ohio, deed, v. 53, p. 332-33, David Miller to David H. Bishop, 1852, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKH-DFQW); IGN 008142545, image 511 of 667.

[16] “Historical Sketch of Townships, Situated in Ross County, Ohio,” Illustrated Atlas of Ross County and Chillicothe, Ohio (Columbus: H.T. Gould & Co, 1875), p. 7.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Lisa S. Gorrell, My Trails into the Past. All Rights Reserved.