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Note: In my copies of pages 306-310 of History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, OH, 1796-1880, about Monroe Twp of Pickaway Co, page 306 states:
"Peter Van Buskirk, who married Ruth Rhodes, removed from Maryland to Chillicothe, in 1799. Then but a few straggling log cabins occupied the site of that now populous city, and the red man held almost undisputed possession of the soil. After one year's residence in Ross county, Mr. Van Buskirk removed to what is now Pickaway county, locating on the bank of Deer creek, in Monroe township. By some he is regarded as the pioneer settler in Monroe township. The farm upon which he then made a commencement is now owned by Samuel Dunlap. Here Mr. Van Buskirk died, April 9, 1836, and his wife died on the tenth of November, 1841. Mr. Van Buskirk erected, in early times, a grist-mill and distillery. At the time of his death he was an extensive land owner. The family consisted of eight children, of whom only one is now living: Mary, who married Jacob Gayman, now lives in Delaware county, Indiana. The names of the dead (some of whom became prominent in the affairs of the church or State) are: Lewis, Isaac, Samuel, John, Daniel, Abigail, and Sally."
The paragraph following the above states: "Charles Longberry came from Pennsylvania, locating in Monroe township in 1800. He was of English birth, and his wife was Mary Van Buskirk. He died in 1837, and his wife in September, 1856." I don't know if this may have been a sister of Peter or not.
The physical features of Monroe twp mention a creek called Van Buskirk run which flows in a southeasterly direction, emptying into Deer Creek.
Page 309 of the above mentioned book, states: "In the early settlement, Peter Van Buskirk constructed, upon the small stream now bearing his name, a saw-mill, and one run of stone, for grinding corn, was soon added. All traces of these pioneer enterprises have long since disappeared. ... John Parker and Kendall Long built a saw-mill also, on Van Buskirk's run, quite early. ... It has, at the present writing, entirely vanished."
On page 309, a biographical sketch starts for Rev. John Van Buskirk, son of Peter. It states that John was converted to Christianity soon after his marriage, and joined the Christian church at Williamsport, August 8, 1823. "At his conversion he was strongly opposed by his father, who had no sympathy with the christian religion; but by prayer he (John) was enabled to come off conqueror."
In someone else's notes of a biographical sketch in "History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio", pages 306-309, they have different wording, and some additional data that was not on my copies of the pages. It states "Peter Van Buskirk, who married Ruth Rhodes, in Allegheny County, Maryland, before 1795, was a Maryland farmer in early days. In the year 1799 he removed to Ohio, coming over the mountains with pack horses. They stopped a year in Chillicothe (Ross Co), Ohio, .... (same as mine). After one year in Ross County, Mr. Van Buskirk penetrated into the wilderness to what is now Pickaway County, Ohio, locating on the bank of Deer Creek, near Williampsort in this county where he located on a tract of 900 acres of land that he bought of the government. By some he is regarded as the pioneer settler in Monroe Township. He erected a log cabin and with his family began the primitive life necessitated by their wild surroundings."
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