Mary E. Rossman
Mary Eliza Rossman, becoming the wife of
Marcus B. Chadwick in 1847, was born at Franklin, Ohio, in the year 1822. her father, Philip
Rossman, was of Scotch-Irish descent. His parents were Irish Presbyterians, and were native of County
Derry, Ireland. They were typical Irish Presbyterians of that day, bound in the narrow limits of church creed
and practice. They talked with the broad Irish brogue and their granddaughter, Mary Eliza, often related
and mimicked their manner of talking to her own children long after the good old people had passed from earth.
Philip Rossman was the second child of this Londonderry
couple. He had an older sister, Frances, who married William Delorac, and lived for many years
and died in the city of Hamilton, Ohio. Philip and Frances were both born in green old Ireland. And
then this Londonderry couple migrated to America for larger freedom and larger opportunity to practice the thrift
for which the Scotch-Irish people are well known. They settled for a few years in Virginia, near Alexandria,
but later came West, and settled on the banks of the Big Miami, in Franklin, Warren county, Ohio.
Sarah Rossman was born to this worthy couple next;
she married a Doctor Haller, and after a brief sojourn in Franklin the Doctor and his young wife went further
into the West and South. Five other sons were born to this Londonderry couple in America; William,
who married and located in Eaton, Ohio, and embarked in his father's trade, harness-making and saddlery, in which
he prospered moderately, acquiring a home and a competence; John and James, who located
at Hamilton, Ohio, where they became prosperous and wealthy dry goods and carpet merchants; Alfred,
who located in Winchester, Indiana, married there and reared three children, Mrs. Belle Salter, of
that city, still surviving. The fifth son wandered into the South, lived for many years in New Orleans, but
he probably died before the Civil war.
Philip Rossman, born in County Derry about the year
of 1790 or 1795, was taken by his parents to Virginia when only about two years old; he married Mary Aeger
in that state, in or near Alexandria, about the year 1815. Her father was Albrech Aeger, who was born
in Prussia about the year 1750, and who migrated to America in his early manhood and settled in or near Alexandria,
Virginia, at which place he died about the year 1816. After this event Philip Rossman and his young wife
came to the West and settled, with his father and mother, in Franklin, Ohio. He embarked in his father's
trade, harness and saddle making, which he successfully conducted until his death, in September, 1860. Six
children were born to Philip and Mary Rossman, viz: Martha, Maria, Frances, Mary Eliza,
Edward and James. Martha, Maria and Edward never married and they are now dead. Frances,
born in 1820, was married to James Kennedy, of Irish birth, and to them two children were born, but both
died in early life; Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are both dead. James Rossman, born about the year 1826, was
married to Abbie Nailor, in the year 1860, and to them four children were born: George, Kate,
Louis and Ollie, of whom all are living, at Franklin, Ohio, except Louis, who is deceased.
Mary, Philip Rossman's wife, died when only a little over thirty years old. Philip Rossman never remarried.
Chadwick's History of Shelby County, Indiana by Edward H. Chadwick, B.A., assisted by well known local talent,
B.F. Bowen & Co, Publishers: Indianapolis, IN, 1909, pp 869-870 .