Levi S. Lukens

Information taken from
Beer's 1882 History of Warren County, Ohio,
pp. 1007-1008

This sketch also contain a great deal of information about
Rhoden Ham and family, Levi S. Lukens wife's family.
Rhoden Ham owned the land upon
which Harveysburg would be platted in 1829.

LEVI S. LUKENS, farmer; P.O. Harveysburg; born in Warren Co., Jan. 19th, 1845; is a son of Benjamin and Mary (Satterthwaite) Lukens; he was a native of Virginia, whose ancestral history is written in sketch of Joseph Lukens. Benjamin and Mary were parents of four children, two now survive ~~Sarah, now Mrs. Wilson Harvey and Levi S.

Mr. (Benjamin) Lukens was a farmer, and after his marriage located in Massie township, where he resided till his death, in October 1875, aged 75 years; his wife (Mary) died Feb. 17th, 1865, aged 62 years.

The subject of this sketch (Levi S. Lukens) remained with his father till after his majority; was married June 8th, 1870 to Tacy Ellen, daughter of William and Martha (Burgess) Ham, he a native of South Carolina and she of Virginia. William Ham was a son of Rhoden and Abigail Ham, natives of South Carolina.

Rhoden Ham was a son of William and Eleanor Ham, who , it is believed, were natives of South Carolina, and lived and died in their native State. They had three sons who grew to maturity, married and raised families; the eldest of whom was Rhoden, who married Abigail McKinsey, whose ancestral history is given in sketch of Henry McKinsey, of Wayne Township, in this work.

In 1808, Rhoden Ham with his family emigrated to Ohio and located in Wayne Township and there resided one year; thence to Clinton Co., and in 1815 moved back into Warren Co., and purchased a farm embracing the land upon which the town of Harveysburg now stands, of which see history of Massie Township and here he resided till 1828; he removed to Montgomery Co., Indiana, where he died in 1850. His wife (Abigail McKinsey) survived him about two weeks; they had ten children, three now survive~ William, James R. and Mary, Now Mrs. Ammerman, residing in Indiana; James R. is settled in Iowa, engaged in the practice of medicine, is a very active and prominent Brother in the U. B. Church and is a ruling Elder.

William Ham is the only one remaining a resident of Warren Co. He has been thrice married:

first to Leanna Edwards by whom he had three children, one surviving, James R., whose residence is Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Ham's wife died Nov. 2nd, 1835; in December 1837, he married Martha Burgess, issue three children ~ Thomas, Findlay and Tacy Ellen; his second wife died in fall of 1852. On April 18th, 1853, he married Mrs. Rebecca Mills, a daughter of Archibald and Nancy Edwards, natives of North Carolina.

Mr. (William) Ham when a young man, learned the blacksmith trade, located in Harveysburg, and carried on his trade very successful for twenty-five years; thence he entered upon the mercantile business, which he followed twelve years; four of which were in the dry goods and grocery trade, in which he was not so successful, meeting with heavy losses; the last eight years he was engaged in the drug trade, in which he was very successful. In January 1881, he sold out to his grandson Arthur L. Ham, and retired from all active business to pass the balance of his days in quiet and rest. Mr. (William) Ham has spent a life of activity and usefulness, from which his labors have been abundantly rewarded by a good competency; has been an active Christian worker for more than forty years, and lives in faith to believe that when his Lord calls him hence, he shall reach that "brighter shore."

Mr. (Levi S.) Lukens and wife (Tacy Ellen) have three children:

1. Benjamin H., born June 12th, 1871
2. Mary M., born Oct. 24th, 1873, and,
3. Alice, born Jan. 16th, 1876.

Mr. (Levi S.) Lukens, after his marriage, located upon the place where he now lives and has since resided. This farm he purchased of Turner Welch; it consists of 105 acres of good land, most beautifully located, with good buildings and improvements, and is one of the prettiest locations in Massie Township. Mr. Lukens also owns other real estate to the amount of 283 acres, making in all 388 acres, mostly improved land. He is comparatively young, but is a man of great general information and an industrious active famer; takes a great interest in education and all general public improvements and is one of the progressive and useful men of Massie Township.