Popenoe/Popnoe/Poppino

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The Move to Ohio

In 1796, James Popeno went back to Morgantown with a power of attorney from his mother to sell her 500 acres of land to her nephew, Jesse Martin.[1]   Elizabeth was on the 1797 Clark County KY taxpayer’s list and gave a deposition 20 December 1798, and must have died shortly thereafter.[2]   James’ son, Willis, wrote in 1894: "Grandma died and left the boy James (my father) to care for himself. His acquaintances removed to Ohio where Xenia now stands. My Pa went with them, was known by the name of little Jim Popenoe."[3]  (James started spelling the name with an e on the end and I’ll use that form from now on.)

In those days people seldom moved as individuals.  Some of the Popenoe neighbors in Morgantown moved down to Kentucky and then, about 1797-99, on to Ohio—the area in which Evan Morgan had fought with General Harmer.  At this time, James Popenoe, John and Evan Morgan, Harry Martin and other relatives and friends purchased land in what is now Greene County from Judge John Cleves Symmes.[4]   Symmes, a former Congressman with considerable political influence, had purchased a large tract of land above Cincinnati and was busy selling parcels.  The problem was that he was selling parcels north of the area to which he had proper claim.  On 13 July 1799, Governor St. Clair forwarded to the US Congress a petition signed by the above men and many others, stating that since mid 1797 they had in good faith purchased land from Symmes and now they were being asked to pay for it again, causing great hardship.  They asked for relief in the time required to now pay the United States for the same land. This was granted.[5]  I have James Popenoe’s original deed, dated 1811, and signed by President James Madison and Secretary of State James Monroe. It seems to have taken him a long time to finish paying for his land.  His farm, west of Xenia, was called the Indian Riffle farm; much of it is today incorporated in the Narrows Reserve.