Our earliest known Divan ancestor was Leonard Divan, who came into Washington County, PA by 1781, for in that year he was living in Bethlehem Township, PA and was taxed for 2 horses, 2 cattle, and 8 sheep. It appears he was born in about the early 1740's in Pfalz, S.W. Germany, the son of Isaac Divan, and had married Abigail _____ by about 1765. A family of at least three sons and four daughter was born to Leonard and Abigail Divan in the period from about 1767 through 1790.

Col.Leonard Divan was a member of the Washington County Militia, Fifth Battaliion, George Miars Company, as of 2 November 1781. On 14 May 1785 three hundred acres of land was surveyed in Washington County for Leonard, and he and his family apparently resided there until about 1810. They then moved to Richland Township, Belmont Co., OH where they remained seven to ten years, before moving to Perry Township, Coshocton Co., OH. Leonard had purchased the southwest quarter of section 18 in that township on 5 July 1815. By this time Leonard and Abigail were both approaching eighty years of age and on 31 October 1823 Leonard made his last will and testament. This will was probated in Coshocton County 17 November 1827, indicating his death earlier in 1827, but as yet the date of his death and his place of burial remain unknown. Abigail Divan declined to be co-executor with her son Jonathan on the grounds that she was "to old and infirm". She was a woman in her eighties, living with her son Jonathan in the 1830 census. When she died and where she is buried are unknown at present. Known children:

  1. Jacob Divan, born 1767 in Washington Co., PA, died 29 January 1842 in Somerset Twp., Washington Co., PA. Married Margaret Meyers about 1788.
  2. Barbara Divan, born 1778 in Washington Co., PA and died in Coshocton Co., OH. Married Johan Peter Ault in 1799 in Washington Co., PA.
  3. Rebecca Divan, born about 1770. Married Jacob Huffman about 1790 in PA.
  4. Catherine Liny Divan, born about 1780. Married Frederick Luidy about 1790.
  5. Mary Divan, born 1782 in PA, died in West Carlisle, Coshocton Co., PA. Married Johan Heinrich Bielmann, John Henry Billman, about 1801 in PA.
  6. Henry Divan, born 20 March 1786 in Washington Co., PA. and died 5 June 1847 in Coshocton Co., OH. Married Mary Shrake in 1811 in Belmont Co., OH.
  7. Jonathan Divan, born 18 June 1790 in Bethlehem Twp., Washington Co., PA. He died 2 January 1863 in Cadiz Twp., Green Co., WI aged 72 years, 6 months, 15 days. He married Catherine Shrake 4 July 1814 in Belmont Co., OH. Catherine was born 27 January 1797 in Pa and died 27 February 1891 in WI. Jonathan and Catherine are both buried in Franklin-Kelly Cemetery in Green Co., WI. Catherine, and Mary, wife of Henry Divan, were the daughter of Frederick Shrake and Margaret Elizabeth Whitmore.

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