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Sophia Dronenberg: Early Resident
Sophia Dronenberg was born in 1803 in Maryland, the daughter of Jacob Dronenburg and Mary Margaret Madery. As she was one of fourteen children, she was allowed to join the family of her uncle, Jacob Kahler, to earn her livelihood by caring for his children. With the Kahler Family she came to McConnelsville in the spring of 1817 where Jacob worked at McConnels Mill.
She was living in the first cabin built in McConnelsville when she met and married James Lutton (1802-1878), a young millwright and carpenter who had come to Morgan County from Pennsylvania. They had one son, Robert (1828-1896). Sophia is buried with her husband in Malta Union Cemetery.
Robert’s daughter, Sarah Amelia (“Sade”) Lutton (1852-1934) had many memories of her grandmother:
§ Sade taught and earned money to go to school near McConnelsville. She took dinners to Sophia who became angry because Sade went to school; Sophia thought there was no sense in going to school (especially for a young woman!).
§ In her younger days Sophia waded across the Muskingum River to get water from a spring on the Malta side. When the river was frozen, she would stick one pole in the ice and fasten another to it, then swing across on the ice.
§ Sophia sometimes had an ugly temper.
§ As with many others of her time, Sophia had little objection to slavery and was shocked when her son Robert went to serve in the Civil War.
§ Sophia was an early proponent of a smoke-free environment. She used to sit on a chair and smoke her clay pipe three times a day, but she always let the smoke go up the chimney. She would have none of it in the house!
§ Sophia had fine teeth until her old age, but without the help of modern dentistry all got loose in her last years.
Sophia Dronenburg’s story is best told in the following which was written on a page in a Bible in Malta and signed “L” by her son Robert:
“Sophia Dronenberg was born in Frederick County, Maryland, on Nov. 17th, 1803, and died on the evening of April 21st, 1886, aged, eighty-two years, six months and four days. The disease which ended her earthly existence was pronounced a malignant cancer. The deceased came to Zanesville, O., in the fall of 1816, with her uncle, the late Jacob Kahler. In the spring of 1817, they moved to McConnelsville, in which there was but one cabin, the present town site, being an unbroken wilderness. She grew up to womanhood amidst the privations and labors attending the opening up of new homes and new settlements. While yet a young woman, she experienced a change of heart and united with the M. E. Church. In April 1826, she was married to James Lutton, with whom she lived fifty-two years, he having preceded her to his resting place on earth, about eight years. She has always evinced an unshaken faith in a loving Savior expressing a belief that it would be well with her in the future. During her illness, which was somewhat protracted, she has suffered much, but has borne it with a great deal of patience and fortitude, scarcely ever complaining or speaking of her condition. For quite a while she refused to admit even, that there was anything serious the matter with her. Rest in peace, Mother, freed from all afflictions, sorrows, trials and labors, until the Master calls you to the reward of the faithful.”
It would be great to see more stories and accounts of the early settlers in Morgan County.
She was living in the first cabin built in McConnelsville when she met and married James Lutton (1802-1878), a young millwright and carpenter who had come to Morgan County from Pennsylvania. They had one son, Robert (1828-1896). Sophia is buried with her husband in Malta Union Cemetery.
Robert’s daughter, Sarah Amelia (“Sade”) Lutton (1852-1934) had many memories of her grandmother:
§ Sade taught and earned money to go to school near McConnelsville. She took dinners to Sophia who became angry because Sade went to school; Sophia thought there was no sense in going to school (especially for a young woman!).
§ In her younger days Sophia waded across the Muskingum River to get water from a spring on the Malta side. When the river was frozen, she would stick one pole in the ice and fasten another to it, then swing across on the ice.
§ Sophia sometimes had an ugly temper.
§ As with many others of her time, Sophia had little objection to slavery and was shocked when her son Robert went to serve in the Civil War.
§ Sophia was an early proponent of a smoke-free environment. She used to sit on a chair and smoke her clay pipe three times a day, but she always let the smoke go up the chimney. She would have none of it in the house!
§ Sophia had fine teeth until her old age, but without the help of modern dentistry all got loose in her last years.
Sophia Dronenburg’s story is best told in the following which was written on a page in a Bible in Malta and signed “L” by her son Robert:
“Sophia Dronenberg was born in Frederick County, Maryland, on Nov. 17th, 1803, and died on the evening of April 21st, 1886, aged, eighty-two years, six months and four days. The disease which ended her earthly existence was pronounced a malignant cancer. The deceased came to Zanesville, O., in the fall of 1816, with her uncle, the late Jacob Kahler. In the spring of 1817, they moved to McConnelsville, in which there was but one cabin, the present town site, being an unbroken wilderness. She grew up to womanhood amidst the privations and labors attending the opening up of new homes and new settlements. While yet a young woman, she experienced a change of heart and united with the M. E. Church. In April 1826, she was married to James Lutton, with whom she lived fifty-two years, he having preceded her to his resting place on earth, about eight years. She has always evinced an unshaken faith in a loving Savior expressing a belief that it would be well with her in the future. During her illness, which was somewhat protracted, she has suffered much, but has borne it with a great deal of patience and fortitude, scarcely ever complaining or speaking of her condition. For quite a while she refused to admit even, that there was anything serious the matter with her. Rest in peace, Mother, freed from all afflictions, sorrows, trials and labors, until the Master calls you to the reward of the faithful.”
It would be great to see more stories and accounts of the early settlers in Morgan County.
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fschneider |
Latest page update: made by fschneider
, Jul 27 2008, 8:16 AM EDT
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Keyword tags:
Dronenberg
Kahler
Malta
Malta History
Malta Union Cemetery
Morgan County
settlers
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| LeilaN | Sophia | 0 | Aug 31 2008, 6:37 PM EDT by LeilaN | ||
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Thread started: Aug 31 2008, 6:37 PM EDT
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What an interesting accounting of one of the early residents of Morgan County. I particularly enjoyed the vignettes that made Sophia come alive in the story. Thanks Franz!
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