FOURTH GENERATION

24. Dewalt MACKLIN was born on 6 Dec 1778 in Westmoreland Co. Pennsylvania. He was christened on 24 Jan 1779 in Old Zion Evangelical Church Hempfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. Pe. Baptized as Theobald. He was confirmed on 9 Apr 1796 in Old Zion Evangelical Church Hempfield Twp. Westmoreland Co. Pa.. Under the name Sowald Maechling He died on 30 Jul 1838 in Fairfield Co. Ohio. He was buried on 1 Aug 1838 in White Church Cemetery Fairfield Co. Ohio. Died on Monday and was buried on Wednesday. He has Ancestral File number LJ26-SV. BIOGRAPHY: MECHLING MECHLIN MACKLIN 1728-1989 VOLUME I COMPILER: Dorothy Hallarn Mercy

Dewalt Macklin born 6 Dec 1778 in Westmoreland County Pennsylvania Baptized 24 January 1779 as Theobald in Old Zion Evangelical Church Hempfield Township. Parents were listed as Theobald and Anna Maria Mechling. Sponsors - Theobald Mechling and Sabilla grandparents. He was confirmed in the same church 9 Apr 1796 under the name Sowald Maechling age 17. In 1799 Dewalt married Mary. His obituary gives her maiden name as Rugh. She is probably the daughter of Peter and Margaret (Keister) Rugh born 20 Oct 1780 and baptized as Anna Maria with sponsors - Theobald and Maria Machling. Mary died 10 Dec 1851. In 1799 Dewalt went to Ohio with the idea of exploring the country prepatory to settling there and in 1800 brought his wife and baby son Jacob. A legend exists in the family that Dewalt lived in a cave with a pet bear. If this is true it must have been during the year before he brought his family to Ohio. According to the "Recollections of George Harman of Violet Township" from the "History of Fairfield Co Ohio" by Henry Scott "In the year 1800 ... seven families emigrated in the same company viz my father Lewis and Christ Bonsey George Henry John Miller Jacob Fox Debolt Macklin; and all settled in the same neighborhood.... My father and two or three others had been out the previous year and selected the spot" Perhaps it was during this time that Dewalt lived in the cave with the bear. It was after the removal to Ohio that one finds the MACKLIN spelling of the name more and more often until it finally became established and Mechlin or Mechling seems to have been forgotten as far as this particular branch is concerned. The early records show a variety of spellings: 1820 Census - Devult McClin; 1830 Census - Tewalt Macklin and one obituary has Mechlin. Strangest of all Ludwig Bonsey's will (he was Dewalt's step-father) which he wrote in 1812 refers to Dewalt as Theophilus Macland in which he wills him 150 acres of land and also stipulates that Theophilus Macland "shall support John Bonsey son to Christian Bonsey in good wearing apparel victuals lodging and whatever else he may lawfully stand in need of in a comfortable manner during said John Bonsey's natural life." The deed to the land depended on a bond given by Dewalt assuring such support of John Bonsey. The deed bears the name Theophilus Dewalt Macklin. In 1810 Dewalt was ordained a minister in the Church of the United Brethren in Christ and thereafter was a circuit rider traveling throughout southern Ohio. He died suddenly on 30 July 1838. The obituary from the "Religious Telescope" dated 8 August 1838 is lengthy and flowery but I shall quote a part of it. "Our venerable and aged father in Israel departed this life Monday the 30th of July at the going down of the sun ... He had assisted his children through the course of the day in curing hay; he ate his breakfast dinner and supper as usual; after supper he entered his meadow for the last time. And while in the act of raking together the mown grass he fell like the grass before the scythe of the mower and in a moment expired without a warning or a struggle. His body was buried on Wednesday morning contiguous to the new meeting house which he had been instrumental (in part at least) in building .... he lived in the marriage state about thirty-nine years - had thirteen children eight sons and five daughters; four of these children are in eternity; nine yet survive their moldering dust". The churchyard where he is buried is now known as White Church Cemetery or E.U.B. Cemetery just northeast of Lancaster Ohio. His wife Mary is buried there also. His name is spelled DeVauld on the tombstone. Dewalt left no will but in the settlement of his estate nine children were named plus Jacob J. Stailey which I assume must have been a grandson. Each heir received one tenth of his land. By 1849 Jacob J. Stailey had purchased all the land from the other heirs. This property was located in Pleasant Township Fairfield County Ohio.


REFERENCE: Early Leaders of the United Brethern

Dewalt Mechlin - Among pioneer names in the history of the United Brethern Church in Ohio was that of Mechlin. Both Dewalt and Jacob Mechlin played a great part in the United Brethern movement. The first contact we have with them is when Bishop Newcomer stops at Dewalt Mechlin's home in Fairfield County for a meeting. Newcomer's Journal reads: "Sunday 11th (September 1814) We had a two days meeting at Dewalt Mechlin's: a great number of people assembled." Following his journal carefully one finds that Newcomer almost invariably stops and lodges or holds a meeting in either the home of Dewalt Mechlin or Jacob Mechlin. It is presumed that these two are brothers. The home of Dewalt Mechlin was considered an adequate place and suitable situation for the first General Conference to be held in Ohio and the second in the history of the church. Though in the editing of Newcomer's Journal has it thus: "THE SECOND QUADRENNIAL CONFERENCE CONVENES AT DEWALT MECHLIN'S FIRFIELD COUNTY OHIO MAY 15 1821. May 15. This day the members of our General Conference assembled at Dewalt Mechlin's. Prior to this Newcomer in a Sacramental meeting at John Shisler's ordained Dewalt Mechlin John Smatz and Jacob Antrum to office of Elders of the society. There seems to be no evidence that Dewalt Mechlin was an itinerant preacher. He was not a great preacher but most assuredly a remarkable zealous man. For a great number of years his home became the rallying point for the church. From William Hanby's History of the United Brethern in Christ we catch a glimpse into the soul of this great leader. Mr. Hanby knew Dewalt Mechlin personally. He stood as a faithful minister of the church for many years. His peculiar gift was exhortation - scarcely ever did he take a text. We have often heard him say that if he had any gift it was in exhortation. It is due to the memory of this good man to say that he was under God a great blessing to the church - having labored and traveled much without a pecuniary reward whatever. Father Mechlin departed this life July 30th 1838 at the going down of the sun. He had been assisting his children through the course of the day in making hay. He ate breakfast dinner and supper in usual health. After supper he went to his meadow and while in the act of raking he fell as the mown grass before the scythe and immediately expired. The location of Dewalt Mechlin's home was found by the Conference Historian and Secretary Rev. C.A. Walter and Rev. Delbert R. Krumm in May 1956 while on an historical itinerary through the conference. It is located on the Carl George Farm on Pleasant Run in Pleasant Township in Fairfield County Ohio. One can stand at the Pleasant Hill Church look across the valley and see part of the old homestead of Dewalt Mechlin. An outside oven used for baking bread and peculiar only to the Pennsylvania Dutch people can be seen here. The valley has a number of Pennsylvania Dutch homes that date back to the early 1800's. While searching through the old house (now used for a granary) the writer came across a pair of old saddle bags tossed in the recesses of the attic. These are now in the possession of Rev. C.A. Walter. It is quite probable that these saddle bags were used by Rev. Dewalt Mechlin as he traveled about central Ohio preaching the Gospel. Bishop Newcomer's Diary records many instances of his having stopped in the Mechlin home. The burial place and tombstone of Dewalt Mechlin is in Pleasant Hill Cemetery and is in excellent repair.

He was married to Mary RUGH (daughter of Peter RUGH and Margaret KEISTER) in 1799 in Westmoreland Co. Pennsylvania. Mary RUGH was born on 20 Oct 1780 in Westmoreland Co. Pennsylvania. She was buried in Dec 1851 in E.U.B. Church Cemetery Pleasant Township. Fairfield Co. Ohio. She died on 10 Dec 1851 in Fairfield Co. Ohio. She was baptized. Baptized as Anna Maria She has Ancestral File number LJ26-T2. Dewalt MACKLIN and Mary RUGH had the following children:

child+108 i. Jacob MACKLIN.
child109 ii. Unknown MACKLIN was born between 1802 and 1804 in Fairfield Co. Ohio. He died before 1838. He has Ancestral File number LJ26-WD.
child+110 iii. Hannah MACKLIN.
child+111 iv. Samuel MACKLIN.
child+112 v. Joseph MACKLIN.
child+113 vi. David MACKLIN.
child114 vii. Unnamed MACKLIN was born about 1813 in Fairfield Co. Ohio. She died in Fairfield Co. Ohio. Died infant. She has Ancestral File number LJ27-27.
child+115 viii. Daniel MACKLIN.
child+116 ix. Peter MACKLIN.
child+117 x. Mary MACKLIN.
child118 xi. Unnamed MACKLIN was born about 1820 in Fairfield Co. Ohio. He died about 1820 in Fairfield Co. Ohio. Died INFANT. He has Ancestral File number LJ27-6W.
child+119 xii. Christina MACKLIN.
child+120 xiii. Catherine MACKLIN.

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