447The birth year of the son who was my ancestor, Michael, is said to have been 1754, but I have never been able to document that date. His wife was Susanna, and of his seven known children, three were baptized at Zion Reformed Church, however two of these apparently died at a very young age. It is believed that he was the Michael Hartle residing in Franklin County, PA at the time of the 1800 census,490 but shortly thereafter he moved on to Georgetown in Beaver County, where he remained only a short time, moving again to Rootstown, Ohio in Portage county in 1802.491

270In 1800 the village of Rootstown, Ohio was laid out by Ephraim Root of Connecticut in what is now Portage County. Two years later, in the fall of 1802, Michael Hartle acquired lot 42 on the east side of Muddy Lake.491 He brought his family from Pennsylvania where they had been living on the Ohio River in Beaver County about 30 miles downstream from Pittsburgh. They had moved there only the previous year from Franklin County, Pennsylvania. [Michael hartle is listed on the tax record for Southampton Twp., Franklin Co., PA, for 19 Jan. 1801, but not on the tax record for 24 Nov. 1801.] with him, besides his wife Susannah, came Elizabeth, age 12, Susan, age 11, and George, age 9. His oldest son, Michael, at 20 years of age, had remained in Beaver County, where he married Sarah Poe, daughter of the noted Indian fighter, Andrew Poe. A second son, Samuel, was 15 years old, and apparently also remained in Beaver County where he married Sarah’s sister, mary “Polly” Poe. They moved to Rootstown about 1812.491

270Michael and Susannah became charter members by profession of faith of the first church organized in Rootstown on August 16, 1810.491, pg. 548,492

Michael ‘Hertle’ signed a petition for division of townships in Beaver County.493

270About the time of his second marriage, it is believed that Michael built a house which still stands on Lakewood Road to the east of the “Muddy Lake” now know as Lake Hodgson.494 On January 31, 1829 Michael deeded this property to Samuel, who by then was his only surviving son. The church records state that on July 4, 1831, Michael Hartle was excommunicated for neglect of covenant obligations and neglect of attending meetings.492 He died on November 20, 1841 and is buried in Ye Olde Cemetery in Rootstown.