Israel Updegraff

     Israel Updegraff was born on 4 June 1781 at York County, Province of Pennsylvania, America.¹ He was the son of Joseph Updegraff and Mary Webb.¹ Israel Updegraff married Jane Alexander circa 1802.¹ Israel Updegraff died on 8 March 1843 at Wheeling, Ohio County, Virginia, at age 61 years, 9 months and 4 days.¹
     From 'HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,' (Brant & Fuller, 1890), Vol. I, pages 460-463.


THE UPDEGRAFF FAMILY

Israel Updegraff:
'Talking of old home scenes, Op den Graeff
Teased the low back log, with his shodden staff.'
----- Whittier.

     Israel Updegraff was born in York, Penn., January, 1781, his father, Joseph Updegraff, married Mary Webb in 1771. She was the daughter of Joseph Webb, who married Edith Way, the 15th of May, 1746 - their forefathers were Friends or Quakers, who came to this country with William Penn. Israel came to Wheeling with his wife and one child in 1807, and his brother Josiah came with him. They came in wagons and were two weeks coming from York to Wheeling, which was then a small village. Israel bought nineteen acres of land north of the creek and cast of Market street bridge. The brick house he built and where he resided for many years, is still standing back of St. John's Lutheran church on Market street. He also built a small stone brewery, probably the first ever built in Wheeling. They did not continue long at that business, but engaged in the dry goods trade. They sent two flat-boats to New Orleans, one containing dry goods and the other produce, the one containing produce was captured by the army. The dry goods were sold, but the young man who had charge of them 'fell among thieves' who left him penniless. Israel afterward lost nearly all his property by going security for other people. His first wife was Jane Alexander, of York, Penn. She died in 1812, leaving several small children. He was a member of the Society of Friends, as generations of his ancestors were before him. There was no Friends meeting house for worship in Wheeling at that time, but the members met alternately at each other's houses. The meetings were small, and were composed of the families of Thomas Conard, Josiah Fox, Michael Graham, John King, of New York, Elisha Whitehead, the Updegraffs and others whose names are not remembered. John King's wife was an acceptable minister among them. Israel Updegraff was a man of stern integrity and deep religious convictions. He was opposed to slavery, intemperance, oaths and military service, and his integrity never was questioned. He was city surveyor and street commissioner for many years. At the time of his death a newspaper said of him: 'The Society of Friends has lost a valuable member and the world an upright man. He died of pneumonia, March, 1843, and was buried in the East Wheeling cemetery, but his body was afterward removed to the Friends' burying ground at Colerain, Ohio. The grandfather of Israel Updegraff was Jacob, son of Abraham Op den Graeff, who, with his brothers, Dirck and Herman, were among the thirteen Germans who came over to this country and landed at Philadelphia, October 6, 1683. The company consisted of thirteen men, who with their wives, children and servants numbered thirty-three, who were nearly all related to each other by marriage. When they arrived they were welcomed by Pastorius, who had preceded them. The Op den Graeffs bought 2,000 acres of land at Germantown and commenced the manufacture of linen. They were famous for the work of their looms. As early as 1688, Abraham petitioned the provincial council of Philadelphia 'for ye Governor's promise to him that he should make the first and finest piece of linen cloth.' That was probably the commencement of the large manufactories of Germantown. In 1689 William Penn granted them a charter for the incorporation for Germantown, and the first house built for worship was a Friends meeting house. On the 18th of April, 1688, Francis Daniel Pastonius, Abraham Op den Graeff and others sent to the Friends' meeting the first public protest ever made on this continent against the holding of slaves. That humble protest gathered force as the years went by, until like 'the rushing of mighty waters,' it swept away slavery. Abraham was a burgess in 1692; he was also elected a member of the assembly for the years 1689, 1690 and 1692, sharing with Pastonius, who held the same position in 1687, the honor of being the only Germantown settlers who became legislators.

     The name of Abraham's father was Isaac, whose father was Herman 0p den Graeff, who was born at Aldekeck, a village near the border of Holland, November, 1585. He moved to Crefeld, and in August, 1605, married Gretchen Pletjes, daughter of Driessen. They had eighteen children. He died December, 1642, and she died January, 1643. Herman Op den Graeff was one of two delegates who represented Crefeld in a church council at Dordrecht in 1632, and adopted la 'Confession of Faith.' We are indebted to Pennypacker's 'Historical and Biographical Sketches' for much information concerning the Op den Graeffs. The name was gradually changed to Updegraff. Israel Updegraff married the second time to Mary Ann DuBois, who was born in Philadelphia, March 4, 1796. Her mother was Juliana Penn Miller, who married John Joseph DuBois in 1794. She died of yellow fever in 1798 and left two children. Dr. Benjamin Rush was her physician. After her death Mary Ann was adopted by an uncle, Josiah Fox, and came with his family to Wheeling in 1811. John Joseph DuBois was a native of France and had no relatives in this country. He sailed as super cargo for Calcutta in 1803. The vessel on which he embarked never was heard of afterward. The maternal grandfather of Mary Ann Updegraff was Peter Miller, who was born in Manheim, Germany. His father fled from the religious wars of that country with four small children and came to America. One of the sons, George, was appointed major in the reign of George II., was with Wolf at Quebec, afterward served as brigadier general in the Revolutionary war, and was in fifteen pitched battles. Peter Miller was a fellow apprentice with the celebrated Benjamin Franklin in the printing business. After serving his apprenticeship he published a weekly paper in Philadelphia for several years. At last being tired of that business he commenced drawing deeds and other instruments of writing. He was also notary public, and was sworn interpreter of the German language, and was soon appointed one of his majesty's justices of the peace, which office he held for thirty-five years. He was a resident of Philadelphia for fifty-three years. Peter Miller's wife was Elizabeth Richardson, third in descent from Sir John Richardson, who married Lady Elizabeth Aubrey, daughter of Lord Aubrey of Wales, England. They emigrated to the Island of Jamaica, a great part of which was owned by them. After the earthquake in 1692 they came to America. A large blue china mug, that was saved from the wreck, is still in possession of one of their descendants living near Wheeling. Mary Ann Updegraff was a ready and fluent writer. She was clerk of the 'Ohio Yearly Meeting of Woman Friends' for more than forty consecutive years. In the spring of 1876, at the request of many of her friends, she wrote her reminiscences, but owing to continued afflictions in the family and her own death, they were never published. Her manuscript gives quite an account of the social life of her early days, with other pleasant and interesting information. She had six children, only two of whom survived her. Two of her sons and two grandchildren died in i876. She died at Colerain of pneumonia and paralysis October 28, 1876, and is buried at Colerain,
Ohio. Israel Updegraff had eleven children, of whom only three are living. (Dirck and Herma Upden Graeff left no descendants.)

     Israel Updegraff, son of the above, was born in Wheeling. He was educated in the schools of his native city and then began the active affairs of life as a clerk in a clothing store. Remaining in the clothing business for a short time he then became connected with A. J. Pannell in the lumber business, and remained in this business up to the time of his death which occurred in 1876. He was a public spirited, charitable man. Although he never sought political preferment yet he was active in the democratic party, and at one time, was the treasurer of Ohio county, and also held the office of justice of the peace for several years. Like his distinguished forefathers he was a member of the Society of Friends. His marriage to Miss Lettia E. Ramage, of Belmont county, Ohio, was solemnized in January, 1852. They were the parents of six children, named as follows: Alexander, Mary Ann, Ella L., Laura R., Effie R., and Ida B. Mary became the wife of J. Shriver Woods; she died in 1876. Ella L. married Lewis Steenrod, a sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this work. Laura R. is the wife of Reed Baird, M. D., and Effie married Archie Adams. Alexander, the oldest child and only son, was educated in Wheeling. After leaving school he clerked in the office of Pannell & Updegraff for some time and then became a clerk in the office of the collector of water rents and taxes. For six years he was connected with the Belmont Nail company, leaving the last mentioned place to accept the office of city clerk, which position he held for four years. After keeping books for L. S. Delaplain & Company for one year he became the secretary of the city water works board, having been the first to hold this responsible position after the organization of the department. Subsequently Mr. Updegraff returned to the Belmont Nail company and remained with them for five years. He now holds the office of assistant secretary of the Wheeling Title and Trust company. Mr. Updegraff is considered as one of the brightest young business men in the city. In all the various positions of trust which he has held he has proved himself worthy of the trust reposed in him, and it is not too much to say that if his life be spared he will reap the reward which follows energy and integrity.¹